#because my style is different here and I can't guess why otherwise

[hongcherry]

you're my tomorrow | j.ww

At first, you didn't think anything of it. Jeon Wonwoo was just a customer. However, his daily visits to your bookstore café started to become the highlight of your days. The little conversations here and there made you happy. It's because of him that you always look forward to tomorrow.

☕️ Pairing: customer!Wonwoo x cafeOwner!Reader

☕️ Rating/Genres/AUs: PG; Fluff with a sprinkle of angst, slice of life; Strangers to lovers, cafe au, non!idol au

☕️ Warnings: Reader is smaller than Wonu, ultra soft boi and supportive wonu *swoons*... can't think of anything else but ofc lmk otherwise

☕️ Word Count: 5k

☕️ Author's Note: Thank you to @justsomekpopstuff for giving me this plot idea! I def got carried away and wrote way more than I thought I would lol. I hope you enjoy it! Everyone thank JJ for the storyline ✨ Also, thank you Jess (@the-boy-meets-evil) for beta'ing and giving me amazing suggestions for some edits! 💗

Happy holidays to all (if you celebrate)! Stay safe and have a nice time 💖

seventeen masterlist | main masterlist

Monday

When the door chimes a little after eight at night, you know it’s him.

He strolls in, usual glasses perched on his nose and jacket layered with a few specks of snow. His hair isn’t styled, soft waves adorning his head. He looks like the average person who’s winding down from a long day at work. From the two and a half months you’ve known him, this is his usual state on Monday nights.

Wonwoo entered your cozy bookstore café nearly three months ago. His order rarely varies, and sometimes he orders a drink he could get anywhere else. Yet, for some reason, he always comes here.

And throughout those months, you’ve realized you always look forward to his presence.

“Busy evening?” he asks while stepping up to the counter.

You’re in the middle of packing a pastry for another customer and quickly hand off the bag to your coworker.

“More so than usual; it’s finals week,” you reply with a small smile.

Wonwoo glances around, nodding as he takes in the sight of many tables occupied by people with textbooks, laptops, and notes scattered around them.

“I don’t miss those days,” he chuckles.

“I don’t either,” you agree. “So, what can I get you today?”

Wonwoo peers up at the menu behind you. You wonder why he does so since he usually rotates between three drinks.

“A hot chocolate,” he replies.

“Oh?” You can’t hide your surprise.

He grins, tilting his head slightly. “Should I have ordered something else?”

“No!” you hastily say. “You can order whatever you want.”

He pulls out a bill that exceeds the cost of the order and slides it to your side of the counter.

“Just thought I’d try something new for the holidays,” he explains, then leaves to find a seat.

“Wait!” you call out, bill in your hand. “You paid too much!”

If Wonwoo can hear you, he pretends he doesn’t. He continues his journey and ends up in the corner next to a window by the bookshelves. He retrieves a book from his bag, opening it where his bookmark rests.

Your hand falls to the counter with a heavy sigh. You guess you’ll give him his change when you give him his order. Normally, you’d call customer’s names or numbers for pick-up. But Wonwoo is different.

Wonwoo’s one of the rare customers who gets his order hand-delivered.

After completing the transaction in the system and making his drink, you grab his change from the register and walk to his table.

“One hot chocolate,” you announce and set the cup down along with his change.

“I’ll take the drink,” he says and brings it closer, blatantly ignoring the cash next to it.

“Wonwoo,” you say.

“Yn,” he answers, eyes flickering up.

There’s a small smirk on his lips that makes your insides churn.

“You overpaid,” you simply state.

“So?”

You move his money closer. “So, take it back.”

Wonwoo slides the money back to you. “Consider it a tip.”

“You know we don’t take tips here,” you say, moving it again.

“You should. You all work hard.”

“People are already struggling as is. If they can find solace in a little place like this, that’s all that matters.”

Wonwoo rests his hands on top of yours, which is still on the money, and slides it back to you.

“Then consider it a holiday present. From me to you,” he smiles.

His hand feels warm on yours. Your eyes move down, but you wish you hadn’t.

His large hand nearly covers yours, making you feel small yet protected. You can tell from his build that he’s strong and fit. You wonder what it’d be like to get a hug from him.

“I—” you struggle to speak.

“It’d make me happy.”

You sigh, nodding hesitantly.

He slowly removes his hand. “Thank you.”

“N-No problem,” you say, gathering the change and pocketing it. “Enjoy your book and drink.”

“Thanks,” Wonwoo replies and picks up his book. He holds it up with one hand and uses the other to sip his hot chocolate.

You make your way back to the front, trying to ignore the lingering warmth on your hand and the feeling in your chest.

Tuesday

Wonwoo shows up at the same time but orders one of his usual drinks. It's a different book than yesterday and judging by the similar cover, it's probably the next one in the series.

Ever since Wonwoo “gifted” you money, you’ve been trying to think of something to get him. It’s a little tough considering you don’t actually know him. You know he works a duty-heavy job and that he lives nearby. You know he has a lot of friends despite him being so quiet. Although you’ve never seen Wonwoo and his friends in the same room, they often come with him to the café in duos or trios.

You also learned he’s an avid cat and gaming lover.

You were surprised about the latter.

“Is he also a student?” one of your new coworkers, Sebastian, asks thirty minutes after Wonwoo’s arrival.

You wipe off the cup in your hand and set it on the counter, calling the number associated with it.

“No, he graduated already,” you reply and watch him practice making a drink.

“You seem to know him. Are you two friends?” he wonders.

You lean against the counter. “I don’t think so. He’s just a regular here, so I’ve learned a few things here and there.”

“Ah,” he replies and hands you the finished drink.

You take the drink and start taking a sip to see how well he did.

“You should ask him out.”

You choke on the drink, eyes wide as you reach for a napkin to wipe your chin.

“T-That wouldn’t be appropriate,” you stammer.

He laughs and takes the drink from you. “He’s not working here, and it’s not like you’re paying for him to come by. I don’t see how it’s inappropriate.”

You sigh, knowing he has a point. It’s not that you’re not attracted to Wonwoo, but it feels almost out of line. Plus, you’re not sure if you like Wonwoo, or just like the thought of him. You haven’t been in a relationship in years and would be lying to say you don’t miss having a partner.

You miss being able to share life memories with someone.

Wonwoo’s handsome. He’s kind, funny, caring, and fit—not that that’s a big deciding factor, but it sure is a bonus. Though, do you just want someone with those attributes, or do you want him?

“Just think about it,” Sebastian suggests and greets a new customer.

Your eyes drop to your feet in thought.

Part of you worries you’d make it awkward if he says no. It’s not like you are friends, so you won’t be ruining a friendship, but you enjoy seeing his face every day. His simple presence is one of the highlights of your days.

Plus, you don’t even know if he has a partner already!

You groan, putting a hand over your forehead as you try to organize your thoughts.

“Bad night?” a familiar voice asks from over the counter.

You drop your hand to see who it is.

Wonwoo stands with his empty cup and saucer, book tucked under his arm.

“Ah, uh, not really,” you reply sheepishly. You can’t disclose the true reason for your state; you’ve never been the best liar either.

“Well, I hope whatever is troubling you passes soon,” he says and holds out his dirty dishes.

“You could’ve left them on the table,” you say, grabbing them from his grasp. Your fingers touch his, and it’s difficult not to feel like a silly teenager in the movies, especially with your current predicament.

“I know,” he smiles, “but I wanted to tell you bye, and you seem busy.”

You set the items in the sink before addressing him again. “Still… But thank you anyway.”

“The drink was great, as always.”

“Thanks.”

“I’ll see you tomorrow, then,” he says, slowly stepping away from the counter.

You smile, nodding. “See you.”

His eyes linger on you before he turns and exits your café.

Wednesday

Wonwoo comes and goes as usual. It’s a busy night and you’re unable to speak to him much. It’s not the first time that has happened, so he doesn’t seem bothered by the lack of interaction. Regardless, you wish you could’ve spoken to him more.

That night was spent browsing the internet for the perfect gift for Wonwoo.

From gaming headsets to the top-rated books on Goodreads, you felt like you scoured every possible present for him. But none of them satisfied you.

It wasn’t until you came across bookmarks in your recommended section that you decided what to get him.

Maybe a bookmark was too boring, but you figured it was the safer option.

You spend over an hour searching for the right bookmark, but again, you come up short. They’re either too flowery, too plain, or too cliché.

In the end, you opt for making your own.

You find some DIY bookmark kits online and place an order. Trying not to second guess your decision, you call it a night—going to sleep as you brainstorm what to put on the item.

Thursday

“Do people actually read these books?” Wonwoo asks during your break, which you decided to spend with him.

Your gaze follows his to the wall lined with several bookshelves.

You chuckle, “Sometimes.”

“You said you got these books donated?” he asks, recalling an earlier conversation you had when he was a newcomer.

“Most of them,” you hum.

“Does your offer still stand?” he asks.

You turn to him with puzzlement.

He smiles. “You said I could take a book if I left one.”

“Oh,” you laugh out of embarrassment for forgetting. “Of course.”

Wonwoo nods and then stands up. He takes two steps to his right, then carefully plucks a book from a high shelf. He replaces the empty space with his own book.

Something about the simple act has your heartwarming. Or maybe it’s the way he’s so gentle with the books as if they’ll cry if moved too aggressively. You wonder if he’d touch you as carefully, if given the chance. Would you find comfort in his caresses the way you think the books would if they were personified?

Wonwoo sits in his seat again, perching his glasses higher after they slide down.

“Have you read this?” he asks, twisting the book so the cover faces you.

You analyze it for a moment, but the title doesn’t ring a bell.

Shaking your head, “Unfortunately not. I haven’t had the chance to read in a long while.”

“I guess running a business is time-consuming,” he teases lightly.

“How do you find the time? Didn’t you say your work is hard, too?” you ask.

He leans back in his seat, book resting in his lap.

“I make time,” he simply says. “I found it’s important to make time for things I care about.”

He’s staring at you in a way that makes you think there’s more to his words than he lets on.

“T-That’s a good habit, I suppose,” you say.

“When was the last time you did something for yourself, and not the café?” he questions.

Your brows furrow in deep thought. You thought the answer would come easily, but it doesn’t.

“I—I can’t remember,” you answer with your gaze down, a little dejected at the self-reflection.

Wonwoo sits up and leans toward you. He lowers himself until he can snag eye contact.

“Don’t be too harsh on yourself,” he reassures. “I know what it’s like to bury myself in my work.”

“You probably think I’m pathetic, huh?” you laugh awkwardly.

Wonwoo shakes his head.

“It’s good to be dedicated to something. Your efforts are clearly visible,” he gestures to your crowded café. “But at the same time, it’s also good to not burn yourself out.”

You nod in agreement. “I’ll try to be better.”

“Not for me though. For you,” he says.

You offer him a kind smile that he returns. “For me.”

Friday

Wonwoo doesn’t come at his usual time.

You finally finished his gift last night and are eager to show it to him. You try to suppress your excitement, but it’s difficult to calm your mix of emotions.

As you made it, you realized it was the first time doing something non-work related. Usually, you’d be researching new recipes, doing finances, or simply sleeping. Last night, however, you were doing something personal.

Wonwoo’s words from yesterday ring loudly in your ears.

It felt good to take a break from work.

It felt good to feel like an actual person and not some workaholic machine.

Some say people come into your life for a reason. Maybe you’d still be stuck in your cycle, if not for him.

You wish he were here. 

Wonwoo’s usually a punctual man, so being this late sends uneasy nerves coursing through you. But, the idea of him not showing up at all is even more worrisome. 

Perhaps he’s working overtime and will be here soon. He’s never missed a day.

Yet, as minutes turn into hours, you begin losing hope.

Excitement transitions into worry. This isn’t his typical behavior. You don’t have a way to contact him either.

Is he hurt? Does he need help? Did you say something wrong yesterday? Did he finally decide he doesn’t like your café anymore?

Perhaps you’re too caught up with giving him your gift that you’re overreacting. It could simply be a late, late night at work for him.

He’ll be here.

Even if he just grabs his drink to go, which he’s done in the past, he’ll be here.

The bell chimes as your last coworker leaves for the night.

Wonwoo’s present sat abandoned in your locker throughout your shift. There’s an odd discomfort in your chest as you stare at it now. 

You’re not sure if it originates from being unable to gift it and see Wonwoo’s reaction, or if it’s because he never showed up.

Probably a combination of both, but more so the latter.

It’s uncanny to not see Wonwoo every day.

You had never thought about how you’d feel if you didn’t see him constantly. He was just always there. Always so reliable that you didn’t feel the need to consider what if.

What if he stopped showing up? What if you never saw him again? What if he no longer was a constant in your life?

You swallow the lump forming in your throat.

It’s a harsh reality to know he’s not required to visit. He can leave any time he wants. He can stop visiting your bookstore café at any moment.

There’s a strange thought about you not being good enough for him. Though, you’re not sure what that has anything to do with his absence.

Why would it matter if you weren’t good enough for him? He didn’t come to the café for you.

Did he?

If it was you he wanted, couldn’t he ask you out? Perhaps not as a romantic date, but as friends?

He never has, so he must not want to know you beyond the café. Meaning, he doesn’t come to it solely for you.

But, what changed for him not to show up tonight?

Unsettled with your thoughts, you decide to distract yourself with the final tasks you have to do before you leave.

However, the ride home is filled with more endless thoughts about Wonwoo.

Saturday

You come to work with less bounce in your step than usual.

The world outside seems dimmer. It feels as if the skies are going to be consumed with clouds and rain is going to fall. However, a storm was not in the weather’s forecast.

“Are you getting sick?” Sebastian asks.

You force a smile onto your face for the customer in front of you, handing them their order before looking at your coworker.

“No, why?” you wonder.

“You don’t seem well. Did you not sleep well last night?”

You wish you had, but you tossed and turned constantly. You didn’t think Wonwoo’s absence would affect you so much, but your mind kept wandering to every possibility for his no-show. In the end, you just gave yourself a headache.

“No,” you sigh, “but don’t worry about me.”

You try to smile again, but you’re sure Sebastian can see through it.

“Want me to close up tonight?” he offers.

“Don’t you have a big essay due tomorrow?” you question, remembering how stressed he sounded a few days ago.

“Yeah, but—”

“I’ll be fine,” you insist.

Huffing, he nods and grabs the cup from your hand. “Then go rest for a bit while I finish these orders.”

You purse your lips, contemplating arguing. In the end, you relent, moving to the backroom’s couch and plopping down.

You’ve been scrolling through your phone for ten minutes when you hear a familiar voice.

“Is Yn not here today?”

“Oh, she’s not feeling well, so she’s taking a break. Is there something wrong with our service?” Sebastian answers politely.

You shove your phone in your pocket and head to the door. There’s a small window that you peep out of.

You catch a glimpse of Wonwoo’s frown before he speaks again.

“No, everything’s fine. Will you tell her I hope she feels better?” he asks.

Sebastian nods slowly. Although you can’t see his face, you can see the cogs turn in his head.

“Oh! Ooh! You’re that guy.”

Wonwoo looks confused.

“I’m sorry?” Wonwoo replies.

“The guy that always comes in—”

Not trusting Sebastian to keep his matchmaking attempts at bay, you push through the door.

“Wonwoo,” you greet, trying not to seem too eager that he's here today even though you are.

Wonwoo’s eyes drift past Sebastian to see you. Instantly, his mouth begins to lift.

“Hey, you,” he says lightly, sweetly. “I heard you’re not feeling well.”

“Ah, I’m fine. Seb’s just overreacting.”

Sebastian narrows his eyes at you in a glare.

“You’re supposed to be resting,” he scolds.

“I’ve rested enough,” you shoo with a hand.

“Ten minutes isn’t long enou—”

“Seb, do you mind attending to the customers behind Wonwoo?” you interject.

Sebastian eyes you before grumbling under his breath—something about you being stubborn—then greets the next customer.

You move down the counter to an empty space.

“What can I get you?” you ask Wonwoo.

He shakes his head. “Actually, I just wanted to talk today, if that’s okay. I won’t be long.”

You want to say he can take as much time as he wants, but you hold back.

Concern creeps from the shadows around you.

Is he going to tell you he’s leaving forever? Does he not like your drinks anymore? Did he find somewhere better? Someone better?

“O-Oh, yeah, okay,” you mumble and maneuver around the counter.

You lead Wonwoo to his usual corner, next to the window and the bookshelves. It’s a little quieter here.

You both take a seat from across each other.

You fidget in your seat, nerves making you angsty.

“Are you sure you feel okay?” he asks.

“Just tired, nothing to be worried about,” you smile.

Something in your chest warms at knowing he cares about your well-being.

“Hm. Alright,” he replies a little skeptically.

“Is everything okay with you?” You try to change the subject. “You didn’t come in yesterday.”

Your voice trails off, not wanting to show how concerned you were about his absence. However, Wonwoo can sense it regardless.

He smiles, though the small lift at the corner of his mouth tells you he’s amused with your attempt to hide your worry.

“Did you miss me?” he wonders.

Your eyes widen a bit. “I—Well. I just noticed you didn’t come because you always come, you know?”

He nods with a subtle smirk still on his lips, yet it fades after a few seconds.

“I’m sorry I didn’t come,” he apologizes sincerely. “One of my friends was in the hospital.”

Your heart drops and guilt kicks in. It’s not that you didn’t consider the possibility, but you had been more focused on him not liking you or the café.

“Goodness, I’m sorry to hear that. Are they okay?” you ask, frowning.

“He had to get surgery, but he’s fine. Just a little grumpy and whiny,” he chuckles.

You feel better hearing his small laughter.

“That’s better than being in pain, I guess,” you reply.

“Yes,” he concurs. He waits for a beat then continues, “I wanted to ask you a question.”

You tilt your head. 

A question. That sounds better than some statement about not seeing you again.

“Okay,” you say.

“When we last spoke, it was about you not having enough time for stuff outside of work,” he begins.

You nod to show you’re following but don’t cut in.

“Well, there’s this small event tomorrow. It’s nothing fancy, just some walking around. I wanted to know if you’d like to go with me?”

Your heart races as he speaks. You’re stumped for words. It’s as if you’ve subconsciously been waiting for this, but now that the time has come, you’re too nervous to answer.

“You can decline,” Wonwoo assures.

Although you’re anxious about the idea of meeting outside of the café, you don’t want to miss the opportunity.

“N-No! I mean, no, I don’t want to decline. What time? Where?” you hurriedly say before he can take back his offer.

He grins and holds out a small piece of paper.

You take it, turning it over to see scribbled numbers. You guess it’s his phone number.

“I can pick you up after work. You close early tomorrow, right?” he asks.

You nod, trying to hide your smile at him remembering your café hours. Though, since he visits frequently, you guess it shouldn’t be that surprising.

“Dress warm, okay?” he adds.

“Okay.”

Wonwoo stands from his seat, and you follow.

“Get some more rest tonight, Yn,” he says softly.

“Y-Yeah. I will,” you reply.

Although you’re no longer fretting over reasons for his no-show yesterday, you’ll be worrying about tomorrow now. Still, you’ll try to sleep—maybe even drink some tea or warm milk. You’ll try for him.

Sunday

Wonwoo comes to the café a few minutes before you close. He’s dressed in a fluffy hoodie layered with a light brown trench coat. He looks so…soft and warm.

Before you depart, you make a drink for each of you. He tries to pay but you profusely veto his offer.

The ride to the event is quiet except for the random music being played from his stereo. You’re unsure how long the ride is, but you don’t care. Even if you’re not speaking, it’s nice being with him in a new environment. It’s nice to see a different side of Wonwoo. And part of you hopes he likes seeing a different side of you too.

The event is free, but since donations are strongly encouraged, you and Wonwoo slip a few bills into the plastic reindeer before stepping onto the lit-up walkway.

People of all ages are enjoying the event. The walkway is wide enough to accommodate a couple of people at a time, but it’s still crowded. It forces you and Wonwoo to bump shoulders several times, and each time, you both apologize.

You notice a few minutes into the walk that he seems tenser than usual. You’re not sure of the reason, and he doesn’t seem inclined to disclose the answer.

You try to distract him by pointing out different features—from big blown-up Santas to mechanical reindeer moving up and down. However, it doesn’t seem too effective.

Wonwoo’s steps eventually begin to slow. He never comes to a complete stop, but with his slow speed, a lot of people pass by. Eventually, there’s a gap in the crowd and his body relaxes.

He must not be a fan of crowds.

“Can we sit for a bit?” you ask, not really needing to rest but there are picnic tables with fake candles on them nearby that are less crowded.

“Sure,” he says.

You guide him to an empty table and sit across from each other.

“Thank you for taking me here,” you smile while glancing around. “It’s so pretty.”

The area is filled with multitudes of holiday decor. There are so many lights strung that you don’t need streetlamps to see. It’s rather magical to see it all. It’s a shame you can’t see this all year round. But then again, it might lose its effect if you see it constantly.

“I’m glad you like it,” he replies.

His eyes drop to your hands clasped on the table. There’s a slight shiver in them.

Suddenly, his hands are covering yours—warmth instantly shooting up your arms from his touch. He says nothing as he rubs his thumbs along your cool skin.

You want to say something; however, it doesn’t feel like you have to, so you just stare at him, a small smile on your face while you bask in the warmth he’s providing.

“How does it feel?” he questions after a few minutes.

You open your mouth to say “good” and to thank him for taking away your coldness, but before you can, he speaks again.

“Getting out, I mean. How does it feel to get out of the café?”

“Oh.” Your face heats rapidly. Thank goodness for your slow reaction. “It’s refreshing.”

Wonwoo hums, nodding.

“Should we walk around again, or should we go? I don’t want you catching a cold,” he says.

“I’d like to see more if that’s okay,” you admit.

“It’s more than okay,” he reassures.

He starts to stand, but you grip his hands to stop him. He stares down at you bemused.

“I have something for you,” you explain.

He sits back down, hands leaving yours when you pull away to retrieve something from your bag.

It’s a small black box with a purple bow on it, albeit the decor is a little squished from being confined to your small bag.

“What’s this?” he asks and carefully brings the box nearby.

“Since you gave me a gift this week,” you say, referring to his tip on Monday, “I got you one as well.”

“You didn’t—”

“Need to? I know. But, I wanted to. And I worked hard on it, so accept it, please?” you say lightly so as to not sound too serious. 

He smiles and nods, lifting the lid.

Inside is the bookmark you made him. On the bookmark’s center is a cat with a game controller. It’s simple, but that’s the best you could do with your lack of drawing skills. Attached to the bookmark is a purple tassel.

“You made this?” Wonwoo asks in amazement.

“I’ll only admit to that if you like it,” you say out of nervousness.

Wonwoo laughs and glances at you. “I like it a lot.”

“Then yes, I made it.”

His gaze shifts to the item again, examining it closely for a bit. Then, he sets it back carefully in the box and puts it in his pocket.

“Thank you,” he says earnestly.

“Of course,” you smile.

You and Wonwoo walk around for twenty more minutes before you call it a night. Throughout the entire walk, he held your hand in his free pocket. The warmth from his body combined with his sheltered pocket made your hand clammy. You felt embarrassed at the fact, but Wonwoo refused to release his hold. Truthfully, you didn’t want to let go, but you also didn’t want him to be disgusted at the feeling.

Wonwoo drove you back to your café where your car was.

You tried to demand he stay in your car since he parked next to yours, but he still climbed out.

You stare at his eyes which are framed by his glasses; his cheeks are slightly rosy from the temperature. His dark hair dances softly in the wind. He looks so handsome.

Wonwoo leans forward and connects his lips ever so softly against your cheek. You have the urge to turn your face and capture his lips with yours, but you don’t.

There’s something romantic about going slow.

Wonwoo pulls back with a kind smile.

“You look beautiful tonight, Yn,” he whispers, breath ghosting your face.

You can’t stop the smile forming on your face even if you tried.

“And you look handsome,” you reply.

Wonwoo mirrors your grin.

“Get home safely, alright?” he instructs.

You nod. “You too.”

You unlock your car and climb inside.

Wonwoo lingers outside, watching with his hands in his pockets.

After starting your car and rolling down your window, you lean out and prop your head on your arm that’s resting on the edge.

He bends slightly to see you better, a small grin on his mouth. His face isn’t too close, but it’s closer than it should be for an average person. But, Wonwoo isn’t average.

He’s quiet for a while, and you take the time to observe his features again. Your heart is thumping loudly in your ears. The desire to kiss him resurfaces.

Maybe you’re starting to like Wonwoo. Not just because he’s attractive, kind, funny, and caring, but because he’s Wonwoo.

Wonwoo, who’s been a frequent customer at your café for months.

Wonwoo, who’s always been supportive and kind.

Wonwoo, who’s slowly capturing your heart.

“So, I’ll see you tomorrow?” he asks with a smile still on his face.

“Yeah,” you say, “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Because of Wonwoo, you’re always looking forward to the next day.

For my “shy/silent” readers, I’ve created a feedback form where you can share your thoughts on my fics in a more anonymous and private way. ^-^

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[knightmareaceblue]

A redraw of the group photo from the Nether hopping arc! I wanted to get in more practice drawing the characters in this specific style, and also see if I can fix some issues with their designs that were bugging me. I... mostly succeeded on that 2nd part?

Some notes regarding these CG designs (plus some headcannons):

-Red's outfit frustrates me, because I like it a lot without colour, but once I start trying to add colour it always ends up looking off. The current colour scheme is fine, I guess, but I'm a little torn on whether or not the colours suit Red, and not making him too close to the other colour schemes present (which I like a lot more).

-Red's outfits will often have animal motifs designed into them. Usually cat, rabbit, or pig, but they have all sorts of animal clothes.

-Though it can't usually be seen due to not drawing them with their hood up often, Red's hoodie has cat ears. The reason I don't usually draw the hood up is because I like drawing his hair too much.

-Red will alternate between gloves, bracelets, and, post AVM season 3, a yellow headband and armbands.

-Under the hoodie Red will usually wear a tank top or crop top. Though it can't be seen in this photo, the arm holes for the hoodie are incredibly large, so Red's top can sometimes be seen when lifting her arms or looking at them from the side.

-In general, I do like Yellow's outfit. It suits her personality well and has some good colours. My primary concern is that it may be too... plain? Stereotypical? Basically, that it's too stereotypically 'nerd' to be interesting. But I can't come up with anything better, so this'll be her default outfit for now.

-What I do like on Yellow, however, is the hair. I think the short hair with a singular braid is really cool. A nice mix of neat and practical and stylish, especially mixed with the glasses.

-One issue I do have is with the boots. All the shoes in general, actually. They all look so samey, especially Blue and Yellow's boots. This is a pretty simplistic style I'm drawing in though, and I don't want to make anything too complicated. Why do shoes have to be so stupid?

-I used to have the same problem with Second's outfit as with Red's - particularly, with their shirt. However, that's when I realized that Second is an artist, and can change their shirt design at the drop of a hat. So, now the shirt has a different drawing on it regularly. Second will try to use all their friends colours in their designs. If they leave a person off, it usually means their either consciously or subconsciously upset with that stick. If they don't draw on their shirt at all and leave it blank, it usually means something's up with them.

-I also added leggings from the previous design. It felt right.

-Both Second and Chosen dislike shoes. I will not elaborate, but Second's tolerance is better than Chosen. He can handle it for short periods of time, but is usually grumpy and will kick them off first chance he gets.

-I like to imagine Second using her large, poofy hair to put things in, the same way she'd put things in their inventory. I also like to imagine Green is low-key horrified by this, while Red, Blue, and Yellow will also use her fluff to store things. Sometimes without Second even noticing.

-Second carries the belt with them in their hair in their inventory and will put it on before fighting/platforming so their oversized shirt doesn't get in their way. Otherwise they prefer to have their clothing loose and flowing.

-Everyone has a multicoloured accessory. Second was the one who started it with his bracelet, then the others wanted some too so Second drew up more for the gang. An anklet for Red, an armband for Yellow, a belt for Green, and a neckerchief for Blue.

-Green may just have the best outfit of everyone here. It's sleek, it's cool, it suits them, and it's easy to fight in (with an easily striped jacket if need be). I also added a lil choker.

-I don't think I expressed this before, but I didn't like Green's previous hairstyle. Something about it irked me, but I couldn't place what at the time. Now I know it'd needed more on top, haha.

-Blue's outfits tend to be more on the practical side, since they do a lot of manual labour, but with bits of fun and whimsy added in. After AvM Season 3, she trades her funny socks for long funny socks and fun stockings.

-The original intent was for everyone to have a different type of hair, but Blue's and Yellow's ended up a lot more similar than I'd hope. The idea was for Blue to have really thick hair, but it's hard to tell. Might think of something else later.

-Anyone who wants something different can go to Second and ask. They all have their own things they like, but they're all willing to try almost anything, with very little exception.

Feel free to let me know your thoughts. I think I really like these character designs I came up with. :)

Original pic used for reference:

[rangercorpstherapy]

There is a post about ableism in the sorcerer/siege of Macindaw books. I'm not going to reply directly to the poster because I don't necessarily think they're wrong, but there's a bigger problem I want to touch on without derailing their post.

The post by @bronze-oakleaf Sorry, but John Flannagan isn't an ableist for describing disabled people as disfigured, Will is. John, although in his usual hit-and-miss style, goes out of his way to show us that the people Will and others are afraid of are not monsters. It's been a while since I read these books, but I can remember there being a few backstories and instances in which it's made clear that Malcolm’s people are just very normal people who have fun, interests and hobbies and love each other deeply.

Will's apprehension of disabled people is very clearly presented as a character flaw. John is a children's author and cannot go into depth about how monstrosity isn't physical but something that manifests in the soul a la Victor Hugo's Hunchback of the Notre Dame. Still, I don't think any child (at least I didn't) finished reading Sorcerer and Siege thinking that disabled people were any less deserving of respect and love than others and Will kinda had a point there in the beginning.

I think the only example of bigotry where there is a high chance of it reflecting John's real-life views is the way he characterises Romani and Sinti in that horrible short story. Without going into depth the key difference here is that not a single person in the story thinks that Alyss and Will are doing or thinking anything wrong. Nuance, even if it wasn't much, visible in Sorcerer and Siege is missing.

Now I have that out of the way, this post is actually about character flaws. I'm not trying to be smug by pulling the historical accuracy card, but honestly, Will's views of disabled people are one of the few ways John established the world of Ranger's Apprentice as a Medieval society. I don't know how to say this without sounding kind of like an asshole, but if you want to critique Ranger's Apprentice flaws you also have to apply the same critique to the characters within Ranger's Apprentice. Separating art from the artists in this case doesn't really work because the art exists within the context the artist created. I don't think we have to be overly critical of characters because otherwise we're bad people and not woke, but viewing your favourite characters as flawed makes them inherently more interesting. I think viewing Will as an enforcer of feudal oppression (cop), extremely privileged (has an education and can bear arms) and classist with a very obvious disdain for those who are below him (this man should be nicer to farmers who can't read) is way more interesting than a perfect boy who fell victim his author's bigoted world view. Will, and all Rangers tbh, think they're better than other people. Rangers are smart they aren't like the uneducated masses who think wizards are real and the devil will claim your soul if you sleep lying down. But are they really?

Will is confronted with the fact he is like everyone else. He's also afraid of the “dreadful caricatures of normal people”, but why? The treatment of disabled people in Medieval society was very complex, and without getting into the nitty gritty, most of the cultural feelings towards them weren't because they were 'just ugly' but relied heavily on superstition. Will might be educated, but he still grew up in a society where disabled people were viewed as cursed, their ailment a deserving divine punishment. Him not being confronted with his hypocrisy in these books is the true moral failing of John to be honest.

Now to my final statement: pleasepleaselpleasepleaseplae let the Ranger's Apprentice characters be bad people. Because they ARE. I guess this post was a very elaborate way of saying Will isn't an UWU soft boy but a grown man with hairy balls. So are Halt, Gilan, Horace, Crowley (I didn't forget the time you enslaved a man king) and Duncan (Truly truly sick a twisted individual for sitting back and doing nothing as his daughter was sold into slavery because 'We need everyone here'. That wasn't a convenient plot point so Halt could save the day but misogyny). This doesn't mean Will isn't/can't be trans (because he is) or Cralt isn't canon (it is) for the sake of historical accuracy. I just want to say that these characters are all very privileged and classist individuals with many flaws thanks to the society they were raised in, which makes them more interesting. Remember be gay AND do crime.

[theinstagrahame]

Time again for the Crowdfunding Haul post!

(And I guess another amateurish product photo shoot)

This one's feels slightly different because this is all stuff I pre-ordered, crowdfunded, or otherwise got prior to being laid off at the end of June (so it'd be real nice if people bought some games from me). Coincidentally a dozen or so of them happened to come to completion around June-July of 2023, some of them.

Here's what came in: Top row: Monster of the Week: Codex of Worlds, Runecairn Bestiary, CBR+PNK, Miru and Miru II (or MIIRU)

Middle row: Ritual: A Folk Horror Game, Plant Girl Game, and A Dungeon Game

Bottom row: Sleeping Heart of the Garden, Hard Wired Island: Tales from L5, Broken Heart of the Castle, the Moss Mother's Maze (for a Dungeon Game), and Null

Why I'm hyped for these:

Monster of the Week: Codex of Worlds: MotW is a hugely influential game, but also it is a lot of fun. So it's really hard to pass up an expansion. I've also been noticing a trend of bringing Forged in the Dark-style group sheets to PbtA games, which I think is an interesting one.

Runecairn Bestiary: Who doesn't love a good monster manual? Runecairn is a beautiful game, and the marketing for the bestiary supplement worked on me. Incredible art, stats for monsters. One of the things I've felt is missing from some solo games is a good sense of monsters you can encounter, and this fills that gap nicely.

Miru and Miru II: I was intrigued by Miru and picked up a copy on Itch. I haven't read it yet, but the premise and the art definitely grabbed me. I was a little sad that I'd missed the initial print run, so when there was a crowdfunder for a reprint *and* a sequel, how could I not?

Ritual: A Folk Horror Game: World Champ Game Co is one of several Indie designers that never miss. It also comes with a small deck of ritual cards with really visceral and cool images that I think adds a ton to the game. That said, I am also a huge sucker for limited edition print runs... So when I saw there may only be a handful of these available, well, I jumped.

Plant Girl Game: I learned about this one on @partyofonepod, and was so intrigued by the game, and the creator, and the world that it proposed that I had to know more. It's a game focused on family, on community, and on peaceful resolutions to small-town problems. So it's definitely an odd one out on this list, but the ways in which it's different are also one of the reasons I so love TTRPGs.

A Dungeon Game and the Moss Mother's Maze: I followed the evolution of Bissette's A Dragon Game into A Dungeon Game on Twitter, from shitpost to full-fledged game. It was really fun to watch, and to skim the Designer's Commentary on the original ADG. So, when I heard there'd be an adventure module (aaaand again a limited print run for the main game...) I leapt on it as fast as my email could carry me.

Sleeping Heart of the Garden and Broken Heart of the Castle: I've followed a few of the creators involved in this project on Twitter for a while, and generally was intrigued to see what they could do with a system-agnostic adventure. I was surprised by the size when they arrived, because you get to expect the half-page zine format. But I think these books are beautiful and I can't wait to explore them.

Hard Wired Island: Tales from L5: HWI is a stunning piece of TTRPG content, and I've been wanting to dig into the world further. So, a collection of short adventures? Hell yeah! It even came with a really catchy little soundtrack, the final track for which I think about all the time when considering Cyberpunk content...

Null: Everything Spencer Campbell puts out just shreds. I did nearly sleep on Null, but I was intrigued by the recent trend of Play-to-Lose games that I've seen coming out lately. There is something kind of powerful about going into a game knowing your character won't come out, which I think allows you to make different decisions. I was interested to see where this game fit into Campbell's catalog, as well as into my own play style.

CBR+PNK: Been getting into Forged in the Dark stuff lately. I also nearly let this one pass me by, when I'd heard that it was aimed at one-shot games. But, I was still intrigued to see what could be done with Cyberpunk in the FitD framework (and besides, maybe there's a way an enterprising designer could campaigns in there...). I was glad I picked it up, because I started playing games with some friends over Discord, and I was able to pitch this. We've been enjoying it. It's even serving really well as a prequel to the Beam Saber campaign we're planning (Also really convenient that it arrived before we finished the one-shot). Besides, the physical edition did turn out really nicely:

Bonus game-related stuff:

I picked up Inhuman Conditions (right) because I'd heard it on Friends at the Table. It seems like an extremely fun game, but also the Sangfielle campaign episode(s) where they play it are ones that I think about a lot. Also, one of the things I love about FatT is their ability to wield the power of play to do incredibly powerful things.

The Tears of the Kingdom Strategy Guide I kinda wanted less because I was stuck or wanted tips on playing TotK, but because the bundle I got for my Switch and Breath of the Wild came with one, and I kinda wanted to put both on the shelf. Zelda has been one of those series that I've always had throughout my life, so I've got a lot of emotional investment. The two strategy guides are beautiful, and I will probably end up skimming through it when I've gotten through the main game.

[yeoldemothmemes]

Sentence Starters from my Watch Later 71

Feel free to change the pronouns and otherwise alter as needed

"This is chaotic DIY, not woodworking" "Why is this your sense of interior design style" "It looks like an ancient relic that will curse you as soon as you meet it's gaze" "I'm covered in soap right now" "I completely forgot about the kelp" "Did you we learn something?" "They smell so good!" "I feel like bat" "I feel like a bat in the best possible way" "Can you tell I don't know what I'm doing" "I need to lie on the floor in protest" "This is why you never throw anything out" "This is the day BLANK woke up and chose sabotage" "You don't know where I live" "I can't wait to be tripped over by at least eight different people" "I better not hear any complaining" "Have you ever been swimming in condensed milk?" "Existence is terrifying" "The short answer is no. The long answer is HELL NO!" "What's with all the spooky ghost children?" "This tastes like a scented candle" "My shoulder is sore" "It looks like a burnt loaf of bread" "BLANK stresses me out" "Trust the process" "I've got my burnt loaf here" "I'm going to figure out what plans C and D are" "I'm a sponge" "I know I'm making a lot of changes" "It looks like a mess, but it's fine" "I burnt myself so many times trying to do this" "I made too many" "It fits perfectly" "If you get too confident, that's when you mess up" "It's all superglued" "I feel like a princess" "I guess I'll see you tomorrow" "I am not allowed near any source of open flame because I will just explode"

[porridgefeast]

ofts finale thoughts

I haven’t felt the need to post about Only Friends much so far; I’ve enjoyed the show but I didn’t have many takes burning a hole in my pocket. But now that it’s over I have at least a bit to say.

I guess it would have been too frustrating otherwise, but I was relieved somebody actually bothered to compare notes about Boeing. Boeing can do what he wants, I just find the lack of communication so annoying.

I get why Ray has to have his front hair bits. He’s the perfect person for a slut bang (not my term but I do find it entertaining). But I hope the next thing Khaotung is in will give him different hair because I feel like it’s always thiiiiis close to poking his eyeball and giving me the heebie-jeebies.

I hope Sand gets a little peace once the events of this show end. He’s just as much of a mess as the others, especially when he says he’s not going to perform in bars anymore (listen to yourself, honey), but I feel so tired for him.

Ray says he can tell Sand is still in love with Boeing and that he can tell he’s “second string” seeing them kiss. I... do not believe him. He’s definitely not happy, but he can’t tell squat. Either the subtitle translation isn’t great, the writing could be clearer on this point (and needs to follow up later, which it doesn’t IMO), or Ray is full of it and possibly projecting after his Mew stuff.

Later Sand says he wouldn’t feel like he actually had unresolved feelings for Boeing if Ray hadn’t insisted they kiss. I believe him. Sometimes the (fake) threesome gambit isn’t the right choice, Ray.

Mew & Top seem, as usual, like they have no idea what relationship they’re actually in. I don’t see good things for them, but maybe they’ll continue to be on the same page even if it’s a weird page I don’t understand. I am encouraged they bothered to talk about their relationship needs, I guess? I find it difficult to care about them. Though I will say it feels correct that Mew would wear what I consider dad pajamas.

I guess Mew’s just gonna keep his new personal style indefinitely?

Mew: “I just can’t throw things away.” We know, buddy. Except for Boston, I guess.

The awkward effort at conversation between Ray & Top works for me. I thought it would be annoying but it’s kinda cute.

What was Boeing doing before we “met” him, I wonder (taking occasional calls from Top, but that can't be all). He must have been bored.

I’ll get into the Nick & Boston stuff more, but for now I can’t think it’s a coincidence that the song playing when Nick gets an eyefull of Boeing & Boston consists of repeating the English line “chase your tail.”

Nick: “You’re trying to be my boyfriend.” Boston: “I’ll let you decide what you want to do about it.” One of these people is prepared to back up what they’re saying more than the other. Okay, I'll just say it—Boston thinks he's happy to let Nick decide for himself, and he will accept what Nick chooses. But I think he's comfortable with that partly because he thinks he knows what Nick will choose, only he's wrong.

Cheum: “Sand, thanks for adopting Ray. He’s been wanting a caretaker.” Ouch!

Mew invited Boston to be polite but doesn’t feel they’re friends. That seems pretty okay to me. Boston is moving away anyway. I’m not convinced Boston cares about being friends with these people, just that he wants to have friends generally, at least some of the time.

Wish I felt like Cheum and April were full characters, or at least Cheum, but that ship has sailed. I guess Cheum displayed a consistent trait in inviting Boston to their little party, much the same way she asked Top to the Halloween party.

Okay, Nick/Boston and Boston generally. I’m not seeing the Boston-shaming that seems clear to some others on here, or a strong message from the show that Boston deserves some terrible fate. Nick is pretty lovely to Boston as far as I’m concerned. He says he thinks Boston should stop trying to “please” him and just be his usual self. Why is that bad? Boston has been trying to have his cake and eat it too and I get that, he’s young and I’m sure it seems like it’s good to give Nick what he wants while keeping the things Boston wants for himself. But Nick sees that trying to do both makes him feel awful, so he no longer wants that closeness.

Boston’s former friends aren’t great to him. I feel like Mew has an excuse but the others don’t. Like many other situations in this show, they’re being shitty and they may never understand that. I don’t feel the show is endorsing their position.

Boston says he’s sorry to Mew at the party, but his apology is based on a totally false narrative based on what we saw in the show. It wasn’t his “desire” that made him pursue Top. He was acting out, trying to prove his superiority—we know this because every time he hit on Top he explicitly said stuff along the lines of why would you want Mew & not me, why would I envy somebody like Mew?

I admit I have a bit of a personal stake in a narrative like this. I had a friend who would act out sexually to hurt their friends, including me. I don’t really want to get into detail partly because describing their behavior gets uncomfortably close, to me, to shaming and I don’t need to do that. But suffice it to say this person sometimes chose sex partners in a way that was driven by contempt for people they supposedly cared for deeply. They didn’t explain their motives, but their actions left very little room for doubt. They were also very self-sabotaging, so they kinda killed way more than two birds with that particular stone. It was pretty unfortunate all the way around. Even if not everyone has an experience like that, I think contempt is a very real part of life. We should avoid letting things get to that point, but really deep and close relationships always have some space for contempt. You just have to expose that area to sunlight when you can and address other feelings before they can feed it.

These characters don’t have healthy friendships. Some of them have grown a bit in their friendship over the course of the show, but they’re very young and they’re all a bit blind to the world outside themselves. Boston was a shitty friend, so are the rest of them. I don’t see this as a repudiation of Boston but as a realistic portrayal of flawed relationships.

I didn’t think I would find the finale satisfying, and I didn’t. That makes sense to me given the complicated way everything has gone on. I’m kinda happy for Nick, though. He seems to have figured some stuff out. And even though I don't really give a fig about Top I hope he got over some of his fire fear. Maybe he can make relationship choices out of something other than insomnia now.

[auxiliarydetective]

Thank you for your response but literally I'm not sure how to take it at face value because I witness on real time you reblogging stuff for the fyeah blog and there's a number of people you passed over whilst acknowledging others. I just take it because you know them but it's put me off big style because handpicking 'popular' creators to interact with is pretty common on here. I know you can't interact with everyone but it's just suspicious you only pick people with their posts commanding a lot of notes. There's a lot of random people making OCs so I'm guessing you're making sure what is most beneficial to you subconsciously

Don't worry about it we interact with the community in different ways so it's cool you do it your way and I'll just keep away and do my own little thing and won't tag the fyeah blog etc

I think there's been a misunderstanding here. If you want reach, tag the fyeah blog. That's the best way I know and how I met the friends I have right now. I reblog stuff for the fyeah blog, yes. But I only reblog stuff for the fyeah blog that has the fyeah tag. That's how fyeah blogs work. The fyeah blog is an old concept and I'm just a worker bee for one of them. The people whose posts I reblog have that many notes probably because they got reach through the fyeah blog or through the ocappreciation blog. You've got your causalities mixed up, but I get why that would happen. There's no way to tell when a post got its notes. Also I tend to be fairly late on some of the reblogs because I'm busy studying, so that might be another reason.

If the people I passed over have the tag #fyeahonepieceocs on their posts, I honestly don't know how I managed to miss them. We had a phase where all mods were busy and nobody had the time to reblog anything, but I was convinced that we had caught up. If the posts are older than the fyeah blog then that's also a possible reason. The only other reason I could think of is that I could have someone blocked, but I don't block any blogs except ones that look strikingly like bots. Which, for any new Tumblr users: If you haven't changed your profile picture and don't have a description or anything, people will assume you're a bot and block you just to be safe. That's nothing against you personally, that's basic Tumblr safety.

Either way, my point being: I don't reblog posts based on popularity, I reblog posts solely based on whether they have a certain tag, which is stated in the blog description. If there's posts that I'm missing, please let me know. The process for fyeah blog reblogging is literally: I check the fyeah tag, then I queue all the posts since my last check in chronological order. That's it.

My second point: Please, do the opposite of what you said in your last paragraph. I'm asking you to send me a message so I can get to see your OCs. How do you expect me do find your OCs if I don't even know what your URL is? Or just send me your post somehow? If you want me to appreciate your OC, I need to see it, so let me see it.

I hope this cleared things up in case you were confused about how reblogging for the fyeah blog works. If this is a me problem of me not seeing posts in the fyeah tag, I can try asking someone else to help out, but otherwise I don't know how to help you. We as a mod team do not have the capacity to go through the entire one piece oc tag, especially since I'm currently solo-ing the blog because everyone else is busy, so we narrow it down to just the fyeah tag. If your post isn't in that tag, that's not our fault.

Once again, hope this helped, hope it didn't come off as rude and hope to get a message from you with your OCs!

[mi6014mez]

Trying out Nparticles

Now it's time to start playing with the different Nparticle option in maya, I started by creating an emitter, which is in the FX tab within maya, it then brings up a menu where you can select the different emitter types, this is what changes the type of particles, omni will spawn particles that come out from the centre

There's a lot to try out with particles, it's an area in maya that I have never touched before this, so I'm sure there's lots that I'm still missing

It's a little bit like after effects trapcode plugin, particular, the main settings tab to change how the particles interact is in the nParticleShape tab but some of the settings can be accessed by some of the other tabs, it's just a case of swapping tabs until you find the settings that you are looking for. Things like lifespan is what can change how long your particle lives for, this is important because if it set to zero then the particles will live forever, so if you have them generating for a long amount of time, then it will take up a lot of your resources

So I tested out all the different available options, the default is a bunch of small dots, this can be increased or changed colours so that it's a bit more visible

So I tried increasing the size in some of the settings, which looks like this in render view, it's not exactly the type of style that I was hoping to get, so I think I'm going to play around with the types of particles to see if I can find something that fits better

there was this streak looking one, but when I rendered it, it just looked like dots again, I'm sure why this happens but I can't seem to find a way to get the streaks to show up in the render view. My guess for why this isn't working is because I must have some sort of incompatible version or am missing an extension to get this to work, there's still a lot more types of particles so I think I'll have a look at some of the others to see if they work better

I found another variation of the streak type called multi streak, but it seems to be doing the same thing as the regular streak option

Then this is the sphere option, I really like how this one looks, it's very cool compared to the other, as it has more actually geometry over dots and dashes. The self collide on these particles is quite noticeable with these particles so I think I'll have to find a setting that stops them from clipping into each other

Looking at these ones in the shader view, they look really good compared to the other particles, the geometry allows for them to have their own reflective material, which I think would make for a really cool effect as particles that move through my scene, almost like bubbles of connectivity. There's just something about these spheres that look really cool

The shading tab is what lets you change the appearance of the particles, this means the colour, the type, the opacity all things relating to the appearance

it also has gradient option, which let me apply a 4 point gradient, so I was able to get the sky colours to apply to my particles, it took a little bit of tweaking to get it to look good on my scene because at first it wasn't applying to all the particles, but that was because I needed to change the colour input to randomized ID which spreads it equally across all the particles

which looks like this, now it's fully randomised across the particles,

The bubbles are my favourite type because of how unique they look compared to the others, so I've decided that I'm going to use them for my scene, here is how the bubbles are looking with the Sky gradient

Lifespan determines how long the particles live, meaning they will start disappearing after the specified time, otherwise they will just go on forever, also having them random means that they don't all disappear at the same time, this makes it look more natural

These settings can adjust the size, which is important because a lot of these particle tend to start quite small, so upping the radius can make them look better. Another thing you can also do is set the radius scale to randomise, what this will do is make your particles slightly different sizes, giving them variety

The size can also be changed in the Arnold tab, another thing that I turned off straight away was the casts shadows option, because then it will cast a shadow for each one of your particles

This really messes with the look of the particles and it creates this really ugly looking black shadow on every surface that it passes

Here's what it looks like without the shadow, it's much cleaner and doesn't make the scene look like it's been surrounded in darkness

Collisions determines what it collides with, self collide is good because it means that the particles will bounce off each other, otherwise they just clip into each other

here's what it looks like without self collide, they are very clustered

This settings determines how it reacts to the scene, meaning the way it's effected by gravity, wind etc. I've mostly left this untouched for now because I'm going to attempt to attach it to a curve which is when I will then play around with the gravity settings then

here's what they look like without lifespan, they just just keep creating forever, this clutters the scene and takes up more computing power

I had a brief go with this cloud particle as well, but it kept giving me errors when rendering, so this must mean that it isn't compatible with the version of Maya that I'm using

I've tried re applying from the start, re-opening but I can't get it to work

So after I've explored all the different options in Maya nParticles sections, I've decided to go with the sphere particles that look likes bubbles. This is because they are by far the best working particles that Maya has to offer and they also look really appealing compared to the others, I'm also happy with all the settings that I've chosen and how it's going to look in my scene

[aris-lazy-anime-reviews]

Spring 2023 First Impressions: MASHLE: Magic and Muscles

I didn't have much interest in this series, but decided to check it out because fans of the manga were raving about it.

Having checked out the first episode; I thought it was just okay. The comedy somehow feels dated--there's quite a bit of anime screaming, and the episode featured gags that feel like they could have come from early 2000s anime like Bobobo-bo Bo-bobo.

I also can't help wondering if Mash (our insanely strong protagonist) was inspired by Mob/Shigeo from Mob Psycho 100. They have a similar hairstyle, and the anime even gives Mash a similar sounding voice (different VA though), and similar "flat" style of speaking. It's definitely an interesting inversion, since Shigeo was strong in a mostly physical world because of his psychic powers; while Mash is strong in a mostly magical world due to his physical strength.

MASHLE appears to take the "why can't you just defeat a wizard by punching them?" idea and runs with it. It's certainly an interesting concept, especially seeing as how we're swamped with isekai anime nowadays where the main character is absurdly overpowered due to their magical abilities. But I'm not sure how I feel about its execution. The "we're prejudiced against non-magic users" world-building made me roll my eyes, and Mash is... an interesting character. I don't like that the series appears to portray him as rock-bottom stupid, not even understanding how doors work. This, paired with his monotone voice and deadpan demeanor, feels like it has some... unfortunate implications.

Oh, and the anime just loves to shove it in your face from episode one that Mash really loves creampuffs. I know many other anime characters have their own trademark favorite food, but it feels a little forced here. (Did they have to include this as Mash doesn't seem to have much of a personality otherwise?)

Overall thoughts: I guess if you're itching for a comedic shonen series with an interesting twist, you'd probably enjoy MASHLE.

Would I watch more? Nah. With this being a shonen series, the anime will probably have tons of episodes and seasons, so I'm not bothering to keep up with this.

[system-of-a-feather]

(Disclaimer: this might not be the most well worded, Im writing this in a car with a fiance bugging me while driving 2 hrs for a post op I apologize if anything is unclear or poorly written as I struggle with processing language in two different manners at once #autistic)

I'm jumping in a bit here because this topic is one that I care about and honestly both of you blogs are one's I appreciate. That said, I think it is worth asking why it is that it is okay to assign a specific type of abuse to a term frequently used with one disorder, but not to others.

@korya-elana Poses a good point regarding higher support needs autistic people being diagnostically prone to meltdown that can be extremely violent and abusive to the people around them. Almost all of my dad's abuse is almost explicitly due to his higher support needs autism and PTSD - that said, he physically abused me and emotionall abused me. He did not do autistic abuse or traumatic abuse. Of course, as a victim of abuse that was informed by the context of autism, I can find other survivors and explainations and understandings that could help me by looking into other people that were abused / traumatized by an autistic individual; but even then, we dont call it Autistic Abuse. I dont think we should either

But why is it that Narcissistic Abuse is "fair and valid" specific type of abuse whereas Autistic Abuse is not? I guess you could say intent - autistic people can't help it, narcissistic people can, but is that really true? In your own commentary, "narcissistic people can be abusive if they ARENT CAREFUL" - people with NPD are not usually intentionally trying to abuse people - its something that tends to happen due to a lack of self awareness, access to support and aid, and resources for recovery. People with NPD are more likely to abuse people when they are not being treated and given the care to cope properly; that is also the same with autism.

Hell, it is the same with DID and really any disorder. If you are experiencing severe mental illness and are not getting help, you are more likely to harm someone intentionally or not.

With that in mind, why is it that narcissism specifically a disorder that gets it's own special label of abuse?

Additionally, the other issue comes into place when we talk about how "people with NPD need to be careful otherwise theyll become abusers" deeply inforces the idea that once someone is diagnosed with NPD that rather than focusing on healing and recovering from a disorder based in trauma, that they should instead be focusing on how they are on the "brink of becoming evil abusers".

I have friends who have NPD and BPD, both disorders that get this treatment, and the narrative that they are inherently prone to becoming evil abusers sets them up with a lot of shame and poor self image - something that is notable dysfunctional part of the disorder - and negative self fulfilling prophecy. And one mught say that "they should have that shame and poor self image" but do you know them? Do you know if theyve done anything worth being ashamed and being perceived "on thin ice" as an abuser?

People with NPD, BPD, ASPD, and HPD (Cluster B) are largely childhood trauma survivors that have maladaptive coping mechanisms and attachment styles due to how they grew up and while I do disagree with the "theyre innocent uwu pure bean" reactionary response to "narcissistic abuse" cause I agree. People with NPD can become abusive if they arent careful. But so can people with psychosis, autism, DID, etc. It's the unfortunate part of being mentally ill.

The specific pointing out of narcissistic abuse apart from emotional abuse is harmful and ableist because it perpetuates an insanely harmful and damaging stigma on people who have NPD who are largely survivors of childhood abuse.

A lot of practitioners, even those that work with traumatized clientel, refuse to work with individuals with Cluster B disorders due to the stigma they have and a number of them comment on it being "untreatable" - something Ive been on the supportive listening ears of people who were feeling defeat about how they were considering to "kill themselves because they were inherently a broken monster" and the difficulties they had about finding people who would actually help them without assuming the worst of them inherently

I think everyone who calls the term "narcissistic abuse" ableist should be forced to explain how the hell narcissism disables a person, and what disability even means. This is the vector through which we should interrogate these people and their beliefs. In what world is someone disabled for how they abuse a human being? How does being evil make someone disabled, especially when this word describes the most successful and powerful people in our society? We need to challenge the idea that these people belong to a protected class, it is the fundamental building block of their abuse apologia. Narcissists are not materially disadvantaged, nor are they socially disadvantaged. Narcissists' ability to charm other people through manipulation is a notable aspect of the abuse.

It is also worth saying that you could prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that these people are neurologically different from other people and it wouldn't actually mean anything, unless it could be proven that real, actual discrimination against narcissists exists in society.

[xxsycamore]

VISIONS OF TEMPTATION 2021 MASTERLIST

You can find this kinktober challenge hosted by me here.

Series crossposted on AO3 here.

General warnings for all featured works: smut content; F/M (suitor x MC) unless stated otherwise.

DAY 1 - Guided masturbation + “Try not to make a mess.”

—Obtaining the full picture - Ray Blackwell x Lancelot Kingsley - Tags: Facials; Blow Jobs; Masturbation; guided masturbation; Mutual Masturbation; Power Play; Come Marking

DAY 2 - Somnophilia | Cockwarming + “Didn’t I tell you to stay still?” + “Oh you think I wouldn’t? Watch me.”

—Just another book reading date - Leon Dompteur - Tags: Somnophilia; Consensual Somnophilia; Cock Warming; Semi-Public Sex; Library Sex; Vaginal Sex; Creampie

DAY 3 - Not wearing lingerie

—Lessening the barriers - Licht Klein - Tags: Outdoor Sex; Semi-Public Sex; Vaginal Sex; Creampie; Cock Warming

DAY 4 - Bathroom (Onsen) sex + “Does it feel that good? You’re trembling, you know.”

—Owning you completely - Oda Nobunaga - Tags:Bathroom (Onsen) Sex; Slight exhibitionism; Slight scent marking kink; Vaginal sex

DAY 5 - Accidental stimulation + “I suggest you take tomorrow off after what we’re about to do tonight.”

—Personal rules are made to be broken too - Jin Grandet - Tags: Accidental Stimulation; Sex on Furniture; Size Difference; Making Out; Vaginal sex; Creampie

DAY 6 - Pet play + “I’m going to fuck you until you can’t stay awake anymore. Maybe after that too.”

—Kitten licks - Ray Blackwell - Tags: Pet Play; Master/Pet; Kitten play; Kitten pet play; Collars; Butt Plugs; Tail butt plug; Vaginal Sex; Doggy Style; “Good girl” praise; Praise Kink; Punishment

DAY 7 - Oral fixation | Breath play + “I might hurt you. Are you sure you want that?”

—Sharing is caring (and bad for my heart) - Harr Silver - Tags:  Oral Fixation; Oral Sex; Cunnilingus; Nipple Play; Masturbation; Blow Jobs; Breathplay; Choking; Facials; Kink Negotiation

DAY 8 - Touching under the table | Bend over the table + “Don’t tease me. You wouldn’t like to see me mad.”

—Bearing the consequences - Chevalier Michel - Tags:  Rough Sex; Vaginal Sex; Slight footplay; Dirty Talk; Dominance; Degradation; Verbal Humiliation; Masochism; Spanking; Overstimulation; Crying; Come Swallowing; Slight Exhibitionism

DAY 9 - Size difference kink + “If we both can’t sleep, why not do something fun instead?”

—You offered solace, I found love - Luke Randolph - Tags:  Crushes; Friends to Lovers; Love Confessions; Cuddling & Snuggling; Spooning; Dreams and Nightmares; Comfort ; Masturbation; First Time; Loss of Virginity; Size Kink; Size Difference; Vaginal Fingering; Vaginal Sex; Cunnilingus; Oral Sex; Creampie

DAY 10 - Public sex | Exhibitionism + “Don’t tease me. You wouldn’t like to see me mad.”

—Can't be saved for when we're back home - Oliver Knight - Tags:  Public Sex; Alcohol; Dirty Talk; Tipsy Oliver; Choking; Biting; Vaginal Sex; Married Characters

DAY 11 - Fear play | Predator and prey + “I might hurt you. Are you sure you want that?” & “I don’t care if it’s too much, you’re not allowed to cum.”

—Primal, guilty pleasure - Isaac Newton - Tags: Outdoor Sex; Forest Sex; Blood Drinking; Sexual Roleplay; Fear Play; Predator/Prey; Vaginal Fingering; Orgasm Delay/Denial

DAY 12 - Maid fetish + “I’ve never wanted to fuck you more than I do now.”

—Let me be your good boy! - Rio Ortiz - Tags:  Master/Pet; Master/Servant; Maid outfits; Maid Fetish; Maid!Rio; Femdom; Dom!Emma; Dom/Sub; Dominance; Masochism;  Verbal Humiliation; Reverse 69; Blow Jobs; Cunnilingus; Come Eating; Mirror Sex; Edgeplay; Spanking; Orgasm Denial; Light footplay; Dirty Talk

DAY 13 - Voyeurism + “Don’t tease me. You wouldn’t like to see me mad.”

—Stay a little longer - Kyle Ash - Tags:  Voyeurism; Accidental Voyeurism; Masturbation; Quickies; Vaginal Sex; Creampie; Morning Sex

DAY 14 - Clothed sex + "Who would’ve guessed you’re into this.” & “Doing this feels dirty…” “Because it is.”

—Leave it to you to make a mess of me - Napoleon Bonaparte x Duke of Wellington - Tags: First Time; Spit As Lube; Clothed Sex; Anal Fingering; Anal Sex; Banter; Teasing; Eventual Fluff;  Humor

DAY 15 - Goofy sex | Handjobs + “Get on your hands and knees before I change my mind.”

—A cat in heat - Yves Kloss - Tags: Hand Jobs; Facials; Come Eating; Sexual Humor; Doggy Style; Vaginal Sex; Teasing; Premature Ejaculation

DAY 16 - Shibari | Wax play & “I’ll give you five seconds to reconsider.” & “I don’t want you to be gentle with me.”

—Sealing a contract with the devil - Sariel Noir - Tags:Secret Relationship; Master/Pet; Sadism; Masochism; Dom/sub; Sensation Play; Sensory Deprivation; Blindfolds; Rope Bondage; Bondage; Shibari; Orgasm Delay/Denial; Masturbation; Mirrors; Hair-pulling; Punishment; Mentions of spanking; Mentions of ice cube play; Mentions of whipping; Temperature Play; Wax Play; Vaginal Sex; Possessive Behavior

DAY 17 - Against the wall + “We don’t have the time to take this to bed.” “Who said it has to be in bed?” + “I’m going to fuck you until you can’t stay awake anymore. Maybe after that too.”

—Take another guess - Arthur Conan Doyle - Tags:  Wall Sex; Manhandling; Clothed Sex; Quickies; Vaginal Sex; Keeping Quiet; Teasing; Dirty Talk; Blood Drinking; Vampire Bites

DAY 18 - Nipple play + “Does it feel that good? You’re trembling, you know.”

—Seduction - Chevalier Michel - Tags: Nipple Play; Nipple Licking; Fondling; Size Difference; slight size kink; Slight primal kink; Teasing; Dirty Talk; Lingerie

DAY 19 - Biting/Marking | Hair Pulling

—Arousing the rabble-rouser - Clavis Lelouch - Tags:  Pet Names; Teasing; Begging; Cunnilingus; Oral Sex; Come Eating; Biting; Marking; Hair-pulling; Leg fetish; Thigh kissing; Thigh hickeys

DAY 20 - Vanilla | Aftercare + “No, no, this is about you. Lay back and enjoy.”

—Affections at dawn - Hideyoshi Toyotomi - Tags: Vanilla; Vaginal Sex; Riding; Creampie; Aftercare; Gentle Sex

DAY 21 - First time | Inexperienced character

—Love is exploration - Mousse Atlas - Tags: Virginity; Loss of Virginity; First Times; Outdoor Sex; Gentle Sex; Vaginal Sex; Sexual Tension; Making Out; Multiple Orgasms; Creampie; Established Relationship; Fluff and Smut

DAY 22 - Crying | Overstimulation + “Are you sure you forgot to put on panties on accident?”

—Asking for it - Chevalier Michel - Tags: Established Relationship; Not Wearing Underwear; Spanking; Crying; Overstimulation;  (light) Verbal Humiliation; Vaginal Sex; Prone Bone; Rough Sex; Dirty Talk; Creampie; Ear licking; Possessive Sex

DAY 23 - Friends with benefits + “Fuck me, ravish me, please just do something already!”

—Partners in crime - Fenrir Godspeed - Tags: FWB (Friends With Benefits); Food Play; Food Kink; Whipped Cream; Licking; Fondling; Vaginal Fingering; Vaginal Sex; Kitchen Sex; Creampie

DAY 24 - Creampie | Breeding + “Who would’ve guessed you’re into this.”

—If we go even deeper - Comte de Saint Germain - Tags: Gentle Sex; Vaginal Sex; Dirty Talk; Breeding; Breeding Kink; Impregnation; Mentions of Pregnancy; Kink Negotiation; Creampie

DAY 25 - Hate sex + “Do you know how hot you look right now? It’s really distracting.”

—Conflict of interest - Edgar Bright - Tags:  One Night Stands; Hate Sex; Love/Hate; Denial of Feelings; Floor Sex; Vaginal Sex; Riding; Squirting; Creampie

DAY 26 - Knife play + “Why don’t you two settle it with a competition and I can be the judge?”

—Sharing a taste - Comte de Saint Germain and Leonardo da Vinci threesome [smut] Tags: Spoilers of Comte’s real name; Swearing; Smoking; Alcohol; Polyamory; Threesome - F/M/M; Knife Play; Blood Play; Knife Cuts; Mild Blood; Mild Painplay; Mild Masochism; Blood Drinking; Come Eating; Vaginal Fingering; Cunnilingus; Dirty Talk; Double Penetration; Double Penetration in One Hole; Creampie

DAY 27 - Face sitting + “Take it off. Slowly.” & “The night is still young.”

—Dirty promises - Nokto Klein - Tags: Strip Tease; Face-Sitting; Cunnilingus; Come Eating; Dirty Talk

DAY 28 - Spitroasting | Double penetration + “Why don’t you two settle it with a competition and I can be the judge?”

—Saccharine Showdown! - Isaac Newton x MC x Theodorus van Gogh - Tags: Threesome - F/M/M; Aphrodisiacs; Rivalry; Bad Cooking; Some Humor; Biting; Marking; Blood Drinking; Vampire Bites; Vaginal Fingering; Spitroasting; Blow Jobs; Vaginal Sex; Dirty Talk; Praise Kink; Kissing; Making Out; Double Penetration in One Hole; Creampie; Comeplay; Come Sharing; Come Eating; Aftercare; Post-Coital Cuddling; i’m leaving it to you to decide whether they’re dating or not

DAY 29 - Body Worship | Massage + “I see that you’re enjoying my gift.”

—Tea Break - Kanetsugu Naoe - Tags: Massage; Tooth-Rotting Fluff; this is 90 percent fluff and 10 percent smut; Body Worship; Blow Jobs; Cock Worship; Established Relationship

DAY 30 - Begging + “Does it feel that good? You’re trembling, you know.”

—Pretty Please? - Theodorus van Gogh - Tags: Begging; Orgasm Delay/Denial; Masturbation; Doggy Style; Vaginal Sex

DAY 31 - Sexual roleplay |Supernatural traits

—Final Push - Vlad/MC/Comte - Tags: Threesome - F/M/M; Light Bondage; Love Confessions; Light Angst; Porn With Plot; Past Relationship(s); Implied Vlad/Comte; spoilers for comte's real name; Denial of Feelings; Mutual Pining; Altered Mental States; Hypnotism; Pureblood abilities used with consent; Kink Negotiation; First Kiss; First Time; Loss of Virginity; Voyeurism; Vaginal Fingering; Vaginal Sex; Biting(no turning); Blow Jobs; Come Swallowing; Multiple Orgasms; Masturbation; Creampie; Resolved Sexual Tension; Sexual Roleplay; Mild Blood; Polyamory

BONUS DAY - Breeding + “I know you can fuck me harder than this…” 

—How the Dragon of Oshu Breeds His Wife - Date Masamune- Tags: Breeding; Impregnation; Ovulation; Crying; Gentle Sex; Cunnilingus; Oral Sex; Married Characters; Mentions of Pregnancy; Dirty Talk; Multiple Orgasms; Creampie

[watchyourbluesturngolden]

the shrooms cafe

part 1- watermelon tea with strawberry boba

hello everyone 🥺 this is the first series i've ever done so i'm a little nervous but i'm so excited because I really like this story!!!

this is the first part, and I have literally no idea how long it will be because I don't have a solid plan/outline yet! so feel free to send little concepts or things you would like to see included 🥺 i can't guarantee they will be added but i'll definitely try my best :)

shrooms cafe masterlist

my masterlist

warnings: none

word count: 2k

"Stella, we have to leave in 10 minutes!" You called up the stairs. "Come down so you can eat breakfast!" "Yeah Stella, hurry up!" Seraphina yelled from her spot at the dining table. She was finishing up her fruit loops with a grin on her face. "You're going to make us late!" As the youngest, she often liked to bother her sisters. She was only five, just starting kindergarten, but she was already a master at getting under their skin.

"Sera, don't antagonize your sister, please," you reminded her. "She's not going to make us late." Sophie rolled her eyes. "Seraphina, you're so immature." Despite only being 11, Sophie was clearly the mother hen. You sometimes joked that the girls didn't even need you; Sophie would take on the role of their mother with no problem. "Besides, you were the one who made us late yesterday." "It's not my fault I couldn't find my purple socks. What was I supposed to do?" "Maybe wear different socks?" Sophie suggested smugly. "You know I need my purple socks, otherwise I can't write my words!" Sophie rolled her eyes again. "You don't need a certain color socks to write." "Yes I do!" You smiled to yourself, turning back to the fridge as the two bickered. You pulled out the ingredients you would need to make their lunches, then reached up on your tiptoes to get their lunch bags from the top of fridge. "Okay girls, what kind of sandwiches do you want today?" "Peanut butter and jelly!" Seraphina said excitedly. "Why did I even ask?" You smiled. "And Sophie?" "Turkey please, but I can make it myself," She said, sliding off her chair and bringing the breakfast dishes to the sink. "Thank you, love," you said, leaning over to kiss the top of her head. "You are such a big help in the mornings, I don't know what I would do without you." "You would have a real handful dealing with those two," She said matter-of-factly. "That I would," you laughed, handing her a butter knife. "Stella!" you called again. The 8 year old came running down the stairs, carrying her backpack and another bag. "Did you forget I have dance today?" "I did not forget," you reassured her. She liked to plan things, and got worried quickly if she wasn't kept in the loop. "I'll pick you up at the door by the playground, does that work?" "Actually, I was wondering if I could walk today? A bunch of my friends do, and I feel kind of weird having my mom drop me off." "That should be fine," You nodded. "But stay with the group, don't go off by yourself." "I won't," she groaned, rolling her eyes. "You're so overprotective." "Oh yes, I'm so sorry for trying to keep you safe," you laughed. "Now what do you want for lunch?" Once everything was ready, the four of you made your way out to the car. Stella climbed into the back, and Sophie helped Seraphina get buckled. Even though the three of them bickered a lot (as sisters often do) it wasn't hard to see how much they loved each other. "Everybody buckled?" You asked, looking behind you. When you heard a chorus of confirmation, you started your playlist and smiled when the opening notes of Adore You filtered through the speakers. It was easily one of your favorite songs, and the girls liked it just as much as you did. It wasn't a long drive to the cafe; it took about 15 minutes if traffic was good. The girls' school bus stopped about a block away, so they walked there together every morning. Then after school, they would come back to the shop and read books or finish homework until it was time to close up and go home. You parked in the lot behind the shop, helping the girls out of the car and making sure they had all their things. Seraphina held out her hand, and Stella grabbed it to help her jump over a puddle on the sidewalk. Sophie gasped excitedly. "I think that was the biggest jump you've ever done!" The girls promptly launched into a discussion about who could jump farther as you unlocked the door. As soon as it was open, they made their way over to the mushrooms to find some books for the day. Their voices filled the shop as they chatted about school and the cute boy Stella liked and the kitten they had seen outside their house the other day. You went about your morning duties, flipping on the lights and starting up the coffee machine. You also turned on the oven, preparing to bake the muffins. (They were frozen- who has the time to bake them fresh? Certainly not a mother of 3.) Once the kitchen was ready, you went over to the radio and tuned it to a familiar station, the soft

music adding some pleasant background noise. "Okay girls, it's time to get to the bus stop," you said, leaning over the counter to speak to them. "Don't forget, I'm walking to dance," Stella said, pointing at you as she walked to the door. "I won't forget," you said, pointing back at her. "Have a good day!" "Bye mom," Seraphina waved her small hand at you. "Bye honey, bye Sophia," You smiled, blowing a kiss to the three of them. "See you later!" Once the three of them were gone, you went around to the shelves and straightened up, getting ready for your first customers.

-----

After the lunch rush had dwindled down and the shop was nearly empty again, you were getting ready to go on your lunch break. You had just leaned down to grab a sandwich from the deli case when the bell above the door jingled, alerting you that a new customer had come in. You straightened up, your eyes going wide when you realized who it was, but you quickly fixed your face and smiled. "Welcome to the Shrooms Cafe!" "Hello," the man smiled back, speaking in a deep British accent. "I saw your sign for boba tea, and I've been looking everywhere to find some. You're the third shop I've been to today, so I'm really hoping you're not sold out like everywhere else," he grinned, coming closer to the counter. "No, we're not out! What kind did you want?" You asked. "Um... probably should have thought about that before I came in," he laughed nervously, looking at the menu above your head. "Oh, don't worry about it, we're not busy right now," you said reassuringly. “Take all the time you need.” He smiled gratefully, stepping off to the side while he read the menu. Meanwhile, you fidgeted with towels and wiped off the work surfaces and tried to pretend you weren’t staring at him. Who could blame you, really? Harry Styles had just walked into your coffee shop. Who wouldn’t stare? “I think…” he spoke again, breaking you out of your trance. “I’ll do the watermelon tea, with strawberry boba, please.” You nodded, laughing lightly. He quirked one eyebrow, smiling along with you. “What’s funny?” “Oh, no, it’s just… of course you would order the one with watermelon.” “Oh,” he smiled, and you thought you detected a hint of a blush on his cheeks. “I guess I do have a bit of a reputation with fruit, don’t I?” “Just a little,” you grinned. “One watermelon tea with strawberry boba, coming right up.” After ringing up the order, you quickly got to work. Instead of his real name, you wrote “watermelon man” on the sticker on the cup. Hopefully he would appreciate your little joke. “Here you are,” you smiled. “I hope it’s good, seeing as you worked so hard to find some.” “I’m sure it’ll be amazing,” he laughed, grabbing a straw from beside the cash register. You also noticed he had dropped a generous tip into the jar, probably while you had been busy making the drink. “Have a nice day,” you smiled. “You as well,” he said with a small wave before he made his way out the door, sipping his drink as he went. You sighed, shaking your head with a small grin as you grabbed the sandwich from earlier and went to a table for your lunch break.

-----

“Hi mom!” Sophie yelled, holding open the door for Seraphina. “Hi girls!” You called from the back corner of the shop. “I’m by the mushrooms!” The girls quickly found you, Seraphia hugging you and Sophie situating herself on one of the short stools. “How was your day?” You asked. “Good! I gave my report on monarch butterflies and guess what Mrs. Wilson said?” Sophie asked, leaning forward. “What did she say?” “She said it was the best report she had heard all day. She waited until the other kids left so they wouldn’t feel bad, but still,” she said proudly. “Oh wow! I’m so proud of you,” you said, moving over to hug her. “What did I tell you? You can do anything you put your mind to,” you smiled. “Including writing the best report in the whole class, hmm?” She nodded happily before turning away from you to pull a book off the shelf closest to her. “Which one are you starting now?” You asked, leaning over her shoulder to see the book she had. “Anne of Green Gables,” she said. “Oh, I loved those books when I was your age,” you smiled. “I think you’ll really like them.”

She nodded, already immersed in the book. You turned back to Seraphina, who was pulling her folder out of her backpack. “And how was your day, miss Seraphina?” “It was so good, look!” She handed you a paper with two gold stars at the top. “My teacher gave me two gold stars. She said my writing was very good!"

"All that practicing we did must have worked, then!" you said, beaming as you looked at her letters. They were still wobbly, but a huge improvement over how they had been at the beginning of the school year.

She nodded. "And then I colored this picture for you!” She handed you another page. This one had a drawing of you holding hands with her, Sophie, and Stella. The three of you had big smiles and lots of adorable little details. Stella had her hair in a bun and was wearing ballet shoes. Sophie was holding a book in her free hand. Seraphina had drawn herself wearing a shirt with a cat (her favorite animal) on it, and she was wearing her purple socks. Lastly, there was you, holding a cup of coffee and wearing a shirt with a big red heart on it. “Since you like coffee so much,” she explained. “It's beautiful,” you smiled, hugging her. “We’ll hang it on the fridge when we get home, okay?” “Okay,” she agreed. “Why don’t you find a book and read with Sophie for a little bit? We have just over an hour, then we have to go get Stella from dance.” She nodded, handing you the papers and her backpack before running over to the shelves. She grabbed a picture book, settling into the red cushion in the tree and beginning to flip through the pages.

----- “Alright girls, it’s time to pick up Stella,” you said as you wiped off the counter one last time. You had already turned off all the machines and packed up everything else for the day. You flipped the lights off on the way out, smiling a bit when you saw the hand painted sign for boba tea in the window. Harry came into your mind again, with his easy smile, his kind words, and his blushing laugh. You really hoped you would see him again, even though you knew you probably wouldn't. Your shop wasn't very big or well known. How likely was it for him to come to the same little shop in the middle of London again? Still, it didn’t hurt to hope. Maybe he would decide to try the other flavors and stop in again. Your smile spread even further when you started your playlist and Lights Up was the first song to come on. Apparently, it was going to be hard to forget about him.

[onewomancitadel]

To be totally clear and to cap off my Tumblring today:

I have no problem with people who don't ship Knightfall

I have no problem with people who don't ship Knightfall asking me questions about Cinder, Jaune, or any other characters that come to mind and might be interesting to talk about

I actually don't even have a problem with people asking questions about what might be technical snags to the pairing, or discussing other ships (untagged, and I try to censor the contextually relevant pairings so they don't turn up on search OR in the public tags - good fandom etiquette), within reason, so long as it's not some aggrieved non-Knightfall shipper trying to force the ball onto my court

I have no problem if you preface an ask with 'I don't ship Knightfall'

I have no problem if you want to ask a question about Cinder's redemption without Jaune involved and why I think it to be the case or otherwise

I have no problem with genuinely curious asks

What I have a problem with:

Putting forth your personal feelings as an argument for why I'm wrong and expecting me to care

Putting forth your personal feelings as an argument for why I'm wrong and expecting me to care, in essay-length form, abusing the new ask style

Trying to ruin my fun

There's a marked difference. It's not fucking hard. It doesn't matter how much you butter me up claiming to love my Cindemption posts you're not going to endear me that way. I pay attention to the material content of what someone is actually saying. (If you're saying that it's 'enough' for Cinder to only have a sliver of platonic affection we probably are so different from each other the middleground is not worth reaching. What a cruel, cruel statement about her).

It's just so easy and most people understand it. So there's probably no point in writing this out. As it always is with these things.

But I do actually embrace talking about this type of stuff and when I get genuinely interesting asks it's very fun AND I'm not annoyed, so everyone wins.

Then again I don't even know why my opinion is sought if you want to personally share how much you can't 'see' Knightfall happening (which has happened many times), I guess it's trying to wrest my small blog from my hands and reassert your own authoritative terms (kind of cringe on anonymous if you ask me).

Sadly it's not going to change much, sorry, still here, and I went through Reylo, so I know people trying to stir a fuss are doing it because I'm making convincing arguments. I could be dismissed outright otherwise.

[tranquil-space-ninja]

A Much Needed Talk(Miraculous Ladybug Fic)

!Hack-San Spoilers!

---------

She thought they were good. Chat had said they were, but apparently he was lying, because now they were here. "I just don't get it!" he snapped. "You told me we couldn't tell anyone our secret identities, but then you went and told Scarabella yours--"

"I had to leave, Chat, you know that!"

"And now Rena Rouge and Carapace know each other's identities?!"

"It was an emergency! I had to give them their miraculouses to defeat Queen Wasp, and they happened to be together. I wouldn't have otherwise."

"But, if they know, then why can't we?"

"It's different, Chat. They're temporary superheroes. We keep our miraculouses after we finish our job, and since I'm the Guardian now, my identity has to be protected even more. If Hawk Moth figured out who I was, he could get the Miracle Box and we'd lose for sure!" Chat laughed angrily.

"That's bullcrap! If you were that worried, you wouldn't have told Scarabella, either!"

"I didn't mean to! I just... I...."

"Nothing to say? I guess you ran out of excuses, huh, m'lady?" Ladybug looked at the ground, tears gathering in her eyes. "So, what aren't you telling me?"

"Nothing," she lied. "You know everything there is to know."

"Do you not trust me anymore?"

"Of course I do!"

"Lier." Ladybug bit her lip, her hands clenching into fists. "I love you, Ladybug, but this is too much." Ladybug stared at the ground.

"I can't," she said softly.

"Of course not. Y'know, after everything we've been through, you'd think you'd have a little more faith in me. But, I guess you're full of surprises, like usual." Ladybug closed her eyes, her fists growing tighter. "It's bad enough that you don't trust me, but keeping me in the dark and letting everyone else break the rules? That's unforgivable. I honestly don't know what I did to make this happen, but I know that there's nothing I can do to make it better. I've given you everything I have, and it's still not enough. Do you know how that feels? It's terrifying! It was supposed to be us against the world, but lately, it seems like it's you against everything, even me. I just want things to go back to the way they were before you were the Guardian, even before Rena Rouge. Back when you still needed me. So, I'd like to know what I did to lose your trust." Ladybug took a deep breath to push back the tears.

"You never did, Chat. You were never the problem."

"Then what is? Why can't we tell each other who we really are?"

"Because you were akumatized!" Ladybug gasped and covered her mouth. Chat Noir took a step away from her, eyes wide.

"What did you say?"

"You were akumatized. I don't know the specifics, but I know that it was my fault. I did something stupid, you found out who I am, and you were akumatized. Bunnix sent me to fix it, but I can't stop thinking about what I saw. You were in so much pain. It was scary to see you like that. I'm sorry, I should've told you, but I didn't want you to get hurt. You are the most precious thing in the world to me, Kitty. I couldn't bear it if--" Ladybug gasped as Chat Noir pulled her into a hug.

"Nothing like that will ever happen, Ladybug. You're the most important person in my world, too." Ladybug took several deep, measured breaths, arms stiff at her sides. "It's okay," Chat murmured. "You've been carying everything by yourself for a while now. That must've been tough. So, go ahead and cry for as long as you need. I've got you." And that was what undid Ladybug after a year of anguish. Three simple words, and the strong, fearless persona she built came crashing down, leaving only a scared, tired little girl. Ladybug squeezed Chat Noir as tightly as she could as she sobbed into his chest. He hugged her tighter, and he was solid and safe. She began to cry harder, and felt Chat Noir trembling and heard little sniffles coming from him.

After a minute, she felt Chat Noir pick her up bridal style and run. When her sobs quieted and he finally set her down in an alley hidden from the city's prying eyes, their miraculouses were down to their last dots. They were about to transform back. Chat Noir smiled sadly and took her hand.

"It's okay. Whatever happens, I love you." Ladybug smiled back at him.

"Thanks, Chat." And with that, their time ran out and in a pink and green flash, they were standing before each other, bare. Marinette's face flushed.

"A-adrien?" He gave her a warm, loving smile that turned her legs into jelly and made her stomach to somersaults.

"Marinette."

---------

Taglist:

@cute-and-angsty-prince

[samatedeansbroccoli]

How would you rewrite cod if you could

How much are we rewriting?

I can't say too much for COD1, COD2, COD3, FH, UO, BRO, R2V, AW, IW, the DLCs, WW2, or CW/Vanguard Zombies, simply because I haven't finished watching them, but the others I can say a few things. So I guess we'll just go game by game.

Disclaimer, BO3 and BOCW are the only games I've watched more than once. Everything else is running on a year old memory. So if I forget certain details, you know why. Also this is my opinion, and I am probably the least qualified person to do this XD

COD4

Overall, the story of this is pretty good. I think some of the segments could be cut back, or at least allow the player to have more freedom to move around and explore. The fights seemed unnecessarily long and exhaustive, and I honestly don't remember the story that well because of the long fights. Also back off on some of the propaganda, or make it blandly obvious so it feels like a war. I think this game is good otherwise.

WAW

Uncensor things. That's about it. This game is fine the way it is. The dialogue is solid, the story is good, and the best part is that you feel like you're in an army no matter what side you're playing as. Also, I like how all the sides don't connect up like all the other CODs. You're literally fighting different battles for different reasons, but all towards a common goal.

MW2

I hated this game so I think it could use a lot rework. No Russian could be a whole cutscene, giving more time for Makarov to develop as the "main" villain so Shepherd's betrayal is less eye-rolling obvious. Give Ghost better lines so I'm not rooting for Shepherd to kill him (or remove him entirely). Give TF141 more chemistry because the only ones that have it (even if a little on the weaker side) are Price and Soap, even though this force has been around since 2012 and it's 2016. Give WW3 a better reason to start besides just some dude shooting up an airport and a single armed American found dead. MW2 was the first game that drastically changed COD from military body to small special force style games. So I would have liked to see them show that a 4 person army cannot take out an entire army alone and instead relied on more creative solutions not using their guns.

BO1

Historical inaccuracies aside, Mason could use a little more personality. Also.

MORE. BOWMAN.

I would have loved to see just how close Woods, Mason, and Bowman are to one another instead of going "Oh nooo!!! I forgot his name" at the Russian roulette scene.

Overall game was pretty solid all things considered. I can't remember a lot of it though because this is the second COD I ever watched, more than a year ago.

Aether Zombies

Zombies is here but it kinda overarches the Aether and WAW storyline. Honestly, given that Zombies is designed to be one of those "you have to play it to understand", there isn't much to adjust. Maybe just untwist some of the alternate realities a bit. But I'm biased: I love Aether zombies, so I wouldn't change much here.

MW3

There's a lot. I wish Delta Force got more time and it felt like they were working with Price throughout the story instead of the latter half. I wish the ruin of WW3, when every country has technology to wipe out continents, was really utilized here as threats. I didn't like Yuri because he never felt memorable. Difference between him and Roach and Soap from the first two MWs is that he, Price, and Soap switched back and forth with player controlled roles, so they had room to give him more character when he wasn't being used. I would have loved to partake in part of his betrayal against Makarov, but we only get to watch that.

BO2

I hate this game so again, biased. Main complaint? Fix the protagonist. Make David bounce off Menendez so Menendez's defeat feels more satisfying rather than just a brute force win. Ultimately, make David and Menendez as smart as one another, but one of them uses his intelligence for good, and the other uses it for destruction. Also the timeline jumping just didn't do it for me, but I get it was for the twist.

COD: Online

Just bring this game back. It was awful. There was hardly a campaign. It was literally the terrible spin-off. But it had insane the game modes that everyone who played the game loved. A shame it was never released to worldwide audiences because boy, it would have taken off.

Ghosts

Honestly, a good number of rewritten dialogue should do the overall trick along with removing a few scenes. The story itself is interesting, and I love how we get to control Riley the dog. The tools in the game were creative (except the friggen strobe light). In the connected COD universe, it felt like a proper technological pre-BO3/4 game, for all the utility is later refined into what is used in BO3. It simply came down to poor dialogue writing and trying to tell too much in a short time frame.

BO3

Similar to Ghosts, fix the dialogue. However, to get to the core of BO3's story, show more back and forth between Player and John Taylor. Have Dylan Stone appear sometimes. Flesh out the diary entries into something that can be seen on the screen rather than some text. Goh Xiulan is my wife, but I think her entire part could have been cut because except for being the catalyst to go to Cairo, Singapore didn't really feel memorable.

BO4

Give it the campaign it was going to have, no matter how fucked up it is. Savannah would have been an absolutely terrifying villain with a little bit more fleshed out story and dialogue. They could have utilized pre-Corvus from BO3 coming off from Ghosts. You could have had a story where it's not just straight physical defeat, but a mental and physical battle on a new level because Jessica and Savannah are siblings. Still defeat Savannah because we love watching big corporations fall, but don't let Jessica walk away unscathed because she just lost her sister. Ultimately, I would love to see a campaign for this one.

I honestly don't know much about Blackout but I think it's okay overall.

COD: Mobile

Cut some characters (especially Mara), and flesh out the story a little more. References to other games could be cut back by 99. The first arc story they had going is great, but it's also super long and a lot of it is unnecessary in the long run. AND PLEASE AT LEAST LET GHOST BRING SOPHIA SOMEWHERE SAFE. Edouard should have lived as well, or at least make his death worth it.

MW19

Redeem Hadir. Make him playable too. That's it.

Warzone

Give it PUBG Erangel/OG Verdansk love. When Warzone first game out, players loved the little lore points and Easter eggs the maps throw in to hint at a bigger life beyond the game they're playing. A bit similar to Erangel, which has props all around to show that people lived in the houses before they were bombed out of the island. The cutscenes for Warzone do absolutely nothing to strengthen the lore of Warzone's maps.

BOCW

Where the hell do I start?

Just... make the whole thing Belikov's part. If you're going to have a group of 8 up against a military sized force, it would have been nice to utilize the whole spy part rather than relying on guns for many of the sections. Yes, you could sneak around in some segments, but it never really felt like the spy thriller it was going for.

Also, Perseus should have been a more prevalent threat throughout.

Vanguard

Where the hell do I start part 2?

I would rewrite this whole thing. I don't want to make this too long, so the one character I'd focus on is Richter. Having him killed right as he was figuring out Freisinger's plan defeats any purpose of his character's potential. He could have become a more ruthless character. He could have helped release the Vanguard from the prisons and properly armed in hopes of his own survival. He could have gone after Freisinger, making him a greater threat, but also forcing Freisinger to show just how ruthless he truly is. A stronger story in Richter would have made Freisinger more dangerous and the Vanguard more vulnerable despite being the "elite crew."

The end! Feel free to discuss and debate about my points!

[nebulouswinds]

the other part is like. I don't think it's hard to use ANY new excel functions. esp in the new versions. they literally give you a tracked tooltip prompt.

I did a big random spreadsheet with the basic functions bc they did say "rudimentary" so. yeah here I can do sum/if/avg/min/max/sumif/count/xlookup. I can learn anything else within a few minutes too

now I'm trying to do a professional letter entirely fictive and I can't think straight on what to write it over. like. why do people write professional letters? I can give you letter of transmittal. otherwise...idk. and they want to see my writing style. hey. guess what a degree in writing says. guess. yeah? I learned a lot of different writing styles? yeah!

(all of my pro writing samples are on my external which is. not here. because I'm working on moving. they are not here.)

ughhhhhh prepping sample items to "prove" my skill

dudes. dudes. i prommy my compsci associate coursework means I can use excel. and my minor in technical writing means I can write a professional letter.

blease dont make me write you bogus items to show I can use functions