#creating assignments effortless

[sejarcus-archive]

Headcanon Marcus gets super into miniature painting, and it slowly turns into an interest in sculpting as well. He buys a bunch of tools, watches video tutorials, and spends hours working meticulously on his little creations. Once he gets confident enough in his skills, he decides to make a little present for Sejanus.

Sejanus loves chickens. He always talks about how he wishes he had his own cottage with chickens roaming in the garden, always excitedly points at them whenever he spots them during road trips to the countryside, always sends Marcus funny videos of them, always advocates that “actually, they’re very intelligent animals, even though they look silly”. So the obvious choice for his first hand sculpted and painted present for Sejanus, is a miniature chicken.

Sejanus loves it so much that Marcus ends up sculpting a whole flock for him, complete with a rooster and a few little chicks (which were insanely challenging to make, but the look on Sejanus’s face and the praises, were worth all the hours of suffering).

And now that he’s confident in both his painting and sculpting skills, the next obvious step is creating miniature buildings as well, and what better excuse to start doing so, than the fact that Sejanus’s chickens need a little coop to live in.

So he spends hours researching what all the essentials for creating miniature buildings are, and what a good chicken coop should look like, goes out to buy more tools and makes the prettiest little house for their little chickens.

After weeks of hard work, everything is now proudly displayed on the bookshelf in the living room, and it’s the first thing Sejanus shows new guests when they arrive at their house

[joelalorian]

Petals of Affection - Part I

A floral mystery in three parts featuring Jackson!Joel x f!reader

Summary: A secret admirer gifts you a different flower and a riddle ten times before you put the clues together and discover that he's been right in front of your face the whole time.

Written for @morallyinept's Flora & Fauna challenge. Please check out all the wonderful works created in Jett's honor!

I know enough about flowers to fill a thimble. Really, all I know is how to kill them, accidentally or otherwise. Everything to do with the flowers in this story is courtesy of Google, so please suspend disbelief at how some of these could exist in Wyoming, yada yada. I just picked ones that fit the narrative.

Word count: 4,284

Warnings: 18+ MDNI, humor, cursing, gratuitous use of poor floral descriptions, scheming, clueless reader, fluff, eventual smut, alcohol, food, coffee, terms of endearment. POV flops around like a fish outta water. Reader has no physical description aside from having hair that gets frizzy with humidity and often dirt-covered hands, because greenhouses, ya know? No use of y/n, none whatsoever.

Dividers courtesy of the wonderful @saradika-graphics. Gif chosen because of the wonderful floral wallpaper ;)

Hope you enjoy!

Part II | Part III | Masterlist

An oasis in a world rife with death and devastation, you clung to the life the reinforced walls of Jackson offered. After years of struggling to survive each new day, you felt like you could finally take a deep breath. Everyone was no nice and welcoming, some more than others, and you slipped right into the fabric of the small community.

Within a month of your arrival, Maria assigned you to the greenhouses, having picked up on your knowledge and love of plants – particularly flowers. You must have bored her to death one too many times regaling the language of flowers over a bottle or two of aged wine while seated together on her couch. The two of you became fast friends, the kind that felt like you’ve known each other forever. It was exactly what you needed, longed for even, after long bouts of solitude.

Being close to Maria meant you visited their house often. And equally often, you would find Joel Miller there, deep in conversation with his brother about one matter or another. His eyes always flashed when you entered the house, and he’d stop mid-sentence to greet you with an effortless, “Howdy darlin’” as you followed Maria to the kitchen.

Soon enough, the soft greetings turned into more substantial conversation as the four of you dined together or gathered at Maria and Tommy’s for game night, playing whatever new board game the men found while on patrol. Laughter and friendly arguments filled the air on those nights, making it easier than ever to forget about the carnage and desolation beyond the walls.

Tonight, the four of you played Scrabble – it took Tommy finding three sets of the game to get all the letter tiles required to actually play – and your belly hurt from how hard you laughed whenever Maria challenged Joel on a word. He was better at the game than you would have thought – his reserved nature and southern twang not giving away how well-read he was.

“Denied! Fartlek is not a word, Joel. There’s no way!” Maria insisted, not willing to give into Joel’s apparent triple word score on the word that would have him take the lead in total score.

“Is to a word,” Joel returned stubbornly, refusing to remove the letters from the board. “Look it up if ya don’t believe me. It’s in the fuckin’ Oxford dictionary.”

“Oh, it is, is it? Is it in the Cambridge one, too? What does it mean then?” Maria wasn’t backing down, ripping a battered dictionary right out of Tommy’s hands to see for herself.

“Hey! I was looking it up,” Tommy yelped, shooting a wink at you as you both watched the drama unfold.

Ignoring his brother, Joel rattled off something about the word being related to running. At least, that’s what you thought he said, you were too busy fighting back tears from laughing too hard. Sure enough, he was right.

“Well, I’ll be damned,” Maria grumbled, flopping back into the couch cushions. “It’s a training technique for running. Screw you, Miller.”

Unsurprisingly, the game ended shortly thereafter with Joel the victor by a healthy margin. After helping to clean up, you offered appreciation and hugs to Maria and Tommy for a delightful evening. “Next time, let’s play something less…”

“Cerebral?” Maria supplied with a frown.

“Annoying?” Tommy interjected with a grin.

Joel stayed quiet, a half-smile gracing his lips as he waited for you to finish your sentence.

“Just something that doesn’t require a dictionary or cause so much arguing,” you laughed. Waving between Joel and Maria, you added, “You two can never agree on anything! See you all tomorrow.”

“I’ll walk you home, darlin’,” Joel said, rushing to put his jacket and boots on and catch up with you. When you opened your mouth to let him know you’d be fine on your own, he added, “Gotta check in on Ellie anyway.”

Maria and Tommy shared a look as Joel opened the door to usher you through. You caught them and frowned, feeling like you weren’t in on a joke or something.

The two of you walked in comfortable silence, the last remnants of winter’s snowy wrath crunching beneath your boots the only sound. You looked up at the night sky as you walked, gasping at the flash of colors in the otherwise darkened sky. Joel stopped, following your gaze upwards as you both stood mouths agape.

“That’s the northern lights, right? I’ve never seen it before.”

“Mmhmm. Aurora borealis. Pretty amazin’.”

“Beautiful,” you sighed, breath a cloud billowing in the crisp air, eyes soaking in every bit of the cosmic phenomenon.

You didn’t realize it staring up at the sky as you were, but Joel’s umber eyes were fixed on you when he replied, “Sure is.”

You stayed like, shoulders gently bumping as you both enjoyed nature’s show, until the temperature dropped further and you shivered. An awed smile remained plastered on your face the rest of the walk to your house, one Joel would never forget.

The dichotomy of the humid, warm air within the greenhouses and the chilled breeze outside confused your body, but you loved it. Sure, the humidity did nothing good for your hair, leaving it a frizzy mass around your head sometimes, but the dewy feeling on your skin always reminded you of childhood summers spent at the beach.

Tending to the various fruit and vegetable plants all morning, in what you deemed Greenhouse 1, you saved your favorite duties – the ones associated with flowers – for the afternoon. While you enjoyed caring for all the plants, you loved tending to the flowers, humming as you pruned and replanted clippings, expanding your every growing collection. If the patrol teams kept bringing you seeds and specimen back, you’d need yet another greenhouse. The council would just love that.

The creak of the door to Greenhouse Two drew your attention shortly after you switched gears and you stood, brushing the dirt from your jeans before glancing up. Your face shifted into a soft smile at the sight of Joel standing hesitantly just inside the door.

“Hey Joel, what did you bring me today?” You knew he had patrol duty and likely found some interesting plant during his travels. “Better not be western baneberry again. You know how poisonous those berries are!”

Stepping forward, Joel chuckled as you teased him. “I know now! It was one time and you’ll never let me live it down, will ya?” Thrusting his hand toward you, he dropped a small pile of seeds onto your dirt-covered palm. “Not sure what these are, but we found down by the ol’ mill. Might be something cool.”

“Might be,” you hummed, poking the seeds a little. Hopefully the cold didn’t get to them. You grabbed the nearest pot, quickly filled it with soil and sprinkled the seeds in as you tilled the top few inches. “We’ll find out soon enough what kind of treasure these are.”

Leaning back against a messy tabletop, hands on hips, Joel watched you tend to the new addition before finding the perfect place for the pot, nestled on a table amongst other seedlings. “Do you –”

Joel’s mouth snapped shut as the greenhouse door banged open next to him, a boisterous voice carrying into the warm space before its body did.

“Tangerine! Check out what I found today,” Alex, another member of the patrol team, called as he strolled right past Joel without acknowledgement. Younger and not as broad as Joel, the man held a growing affection for you, which irked the older man.

“Alex,” you sighed playfully. He was cute in a youthful, untrained puppy kind of way and had an annoying habit of calling you nicknames that made no sense. “I told you to stop calling me that. We don’t even have tangerines here.”

Snickering under his breath, Joel observed the younger man falling all over himself to impress you. Why you indulged the idiot, he would never understand.

Alex waved you off. “You love it, and you know it. Lookit here,” he said, thrusting his hand toward you. Slight though he was, Alex had large hands, and in his right one were three clusters of small, bell-shaped blooms with a purple hue.

“Prairie bluebell! Where did you find these?” Your face lit up as you took the blooms in a gentle grasp, admiring them for a moment before setting to work on replanting.

Alex prattled on boastfully about finding them just off a rocky path down near the river while Joel focused on watching you work. When Alex finally paused for breath, you chimed in with some flower lore.

“Did you know that bluebells are often called fairy flowers? It is said that the bluebells are rung to summon fairies to a meeting. But, since fairies aren’t always good, the flowers could be enchanted leaving anyone who wanders into a ring of bluebells lost in fairy woods.”

Joel snorted at the idea of Alex becoming lost in fairy woods, never to be found again. If only they could be so lucky, he thought. He knew there was more you could share about the symbolism of the delicate flowers, but it would be lost on someone like Alex.

Rolling his eyes, Joel was about to take his leave when Alex blurted, “Would you join me for dinner tonight? I heard they just got in some fresh venison.”

Absorbed in your work, you hardly heard him, and Alex repeated himself, a hint of annoyance in his tone. Joel froze, holding his breath in anticipation of your answer. Please say no, he thought. You could do so much better than this moron.

Brow furrowed, you stared at Alex, considering your response. “Like a date?”

The younger man nodded eagerly, a broad smile spreading across his lips. You glanced at Joel, not certain what you were hoping to see, and found him staring back, stone faced, arms crossed in front of his chest tightly. Giving you nothing to work with, your shoulders slumped, resigned. “Sure, I guess.”

Not the most enthusiastic answer, but you couldn’t remember the last time you went on a date and Alex was the only one asking.

You didn’t even realize Joel moved until the door closed heavily behind his retreating form.

The breeze carried a sense of change as you strolled home from your shift in the greenhouse. The weather was finally warming, ever so slightly, as Mother Nature loosened her grip on winter, letting spring slowly creep in.

Mixed emotions tumbled through your mind as your feet carried you through the streets of Jackson by muscle memory alone. Alex asking you to dinner caught you off guard – you had a feeling he was interested, but he never made any sort of bold move. The fact he finally did while Joel was standing right there threw you off balance.

Did you even like this guy?

Sure, Alex was attractive, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and tanned skin. But his personality made him seem more like a golden retriever, goofy and too eager to impress, than someone you could fall for. It made you wonder if there was any substance lurking under the surface.

In the absence of any other offers, did it even matter?

No, you guessed it really didn’t.

These thoughts carried you right to your front steps and you stopped, taken by the presence of something unusual waiting in front of your door.

A solitary stalk with a gorgeous jasmine bloom, a slip of paper wrapped around the stem held in place by nondescript string.

Picking it up, you held the flower to your nose, breathing in the rich, sensual aroma. The scent brightened your mood, and you slipped the scrap of paper from beneath the string. You whispered the words printed in a block scrawl you didn’t recognize.

Joyful moments shared; the answer lies in the air.

What did it mean?

Glancing around, you searched the street and neighboring homes for a sign of who might have left the flower and note for you. The only people in sight were your elderly neighbors, married couples, and the kids from a few houses down. None of them would have left you such a gift.

Who in the world left this for you?

Would Alex do something romantic like this? You doubted it, but what else did you have to go on?

Once inside, you trimmed the stem and put the flower in a container on the counter, placing the scrap of paper in front of it.

You gazed at the flower, mulling over the riddle before you. The note indicated that you’ve shared moments with whomever left the flower. Jasmine itself symbolized love and romance. You made friends with a lot of people since you came to town – too many shared experiences and moments to choose from.

Twenty minutes and too much thinking in circles, you were no closer to understanding the clues and teetering on the verge of being late for your date. You needed more data before hazarding any reasonable guesses.

“Why do you torture yourself like this?” Tommy questioned. Sitting at the bar watching his brother pining over you was not his idea of a fun Friday night. “You should just bite the bullet and ask her out already.”

Joel shook his head. He had no explanation for why he hadn’t made a move yet. For months now, he knew he liked you as more than friends, pined over you in silence, yet he never took the next step. Joel Miller was not a coward, but his fear of losing one of the few friends he had left in the world had him frozen in place, afraid to make any moves. He couldn’t take that chance. Finally putting words to the feelings roiling inside him, he told his brother as much.

“I get it, brother. I do,” Tommy replied, thumping Joel on the back in commiseration. “But can you really say you’re ok watchin’ her go on dates with asshats like Alex? ‘Cause that’s gonna keep happenin’ unless you do something about it. And I don’t mean killin’ the dude.”

Joel shook his head. Hunched over the bar, shooting surreptitious glances your way, he had to admit Tommy was right. He could think of few things worse than watching you go on a date with someone other than him, especially with dipshits like that guy.

“I ain’t killin’ anyone, but I do have a plan. Already put it in motion, in fact.” Picking at a scratch in the bar, Joel shifted his gaze from you to Tommy. “I might need your help with some of it. Maria’s too.”

“Oh yeah? Tell me all about this grand plan then.”

Unsurprisingly, the date was a dud.

Alex had the personality of a goldfish rather than a golden retriever, and the two of you had nothing in common. He also interrupted you mid-sentence no less than three times – once could be considered a mistake, but three times was an unforgiveable offense as far as you were concerned. You stopped making an effort about halfway through dinner and wished for a hole to open up beneath your seat and swallow you whole.

Worst of all, he acted like an entitled dickhead when you refused dessert, thanked him for the date, and let him know there wouldn’t be a second one. He’s lucky you didn’t knee him in the nuts before walking away from the table.

How unfortunate that dating sucked nearly as much now as it did before the fucking apocalypse. It was unfair, really. At what point did being a woman stop sucking?

Lamenting your lack of success in the relationship department, you trudged home. You wondered what Joel was up to – you caught a glimpse of him at the bar with Tommy earlier and he didn’t look happy, but you didn’t see him when you left. Part of you longed to visit him, maybe have a drink and sit on his porch gazing at the stars together like you’ve done before. But it was already late, and you didn’t want to bother him. Hell, he could have a woman over already, which would be mortifying if you interrupted. The thought sank unpleasantly in your mind until you got to your house and pushed it away.

A little gift waited for you on the porch, just like earlier. An orchid this time. Symbol of love, thoughtfulness, and charm. Your index finger traced the delicate petals with the gentlest touch as a smile slowly crept its way across your lips.

Another note was attached, and you plucked it from beneath the same kind of string, eyes devouring the words.

Overwhelmed by your grace, the answer hides in this place.

The flower wasn’t completely cold, so it had to have been left recently. Brow furrowed; you glanced around but there was no one in sight. You wracked your brain trying to figure out the identity of your secret admirer, but you were at a loss. Prior to dinner, you briefly thought Alex was the culprit, but now it was obvious he didn’t have a romantic bone in his lanky body.

You heart knew who it longed for it to be, but you refused to consider it. He didn’t want you that way, of that you were certain.

Giving the orchid the same treatment as the jasmine earlier, you tucked the stem into the same container and placed it on the coffee table so you could admire the blossoms while you fell asleep on the couch. After all, why bother with a big bed without someone to share it with?

Saturdays were your day off, but the sun shining through the curtains you forgot to close the night before ruined your plans of sleeping in. Grumbling at the unnecessary brightness, you stumbled into the kitchen desperate for coffee. The coffee tin felt light in your hand when you reached for it and, sure enough, you saw nothing but a tiny amount of powdery remains of coffee beans at the bottom.

God dammit. Barely eight o’clock in the morning and this day already had two strikes against it. It wasn’t looking good so far.

Not caring that you still wore the clothes from your date the night before, you quickly brushed your teeth and finger-combed your hair into submission before leaving the house. Pausing at the door for a moment, you debated whose house to go to. Joel always had coffee – it was his drug of choice – but Maria and Tommy were closer.

Not awake enough for decision-making, you let your feet carry you in whichever direction they wanted… which was exactly three feet onto the porch before they stopped. Another flower with a note sat waiting for you.

Your mood brightened considerably at the sight of the double-flowered, funnel-shaped Eustoma, petals a pale purple. The rose-like flowers weren’t native to Wyoming, but you got lucky months ago when someone found a seed packet. You were shocked the seeds were still viable. Did someone pluck it from the greenhouse? You gave away a few cuttings not that long ago, but unless they were replanted, there’s no way they’d last this long. It had to be from the greenhouse. Where the hell else would they get one?

The addiction-like need for coffee temporarily forgotten, you rubbed the Eustoma gently against your nose, confirming the lack of scent when you breathed in and wondered what the little note would say this time.

Endless thoughts of you, the answer is in the view.

Stepping back into the house, you added the flower with the others, mulling over the symbolism of the Eustoma. Whoever left it must be trying to tell you that they appreciate and admire you. But when you add it with the others, what did it all mean?

As good as you were with flowers, you were awful at solving mysteries. A detective you were not. Besides, it was still too early for this kind of puzzle.

The desire for coffee returned and you left the flower quandary behind as you made your way to Joel’s.

Joel didn’t expect to see you today, his day looking up when he opened the door to find you on his doorstep. His heart immediately sank when he noticed you wearing the same clothes from the night before, hair mussed.

“Your date must have gone well,” he said, eyes roving over your clothing, knowing his tone was less friendly than you were used to from him. “What are you doin’ here this early?”

You were clearly thrown off kilter by his remark, frowning as he stepped back to let you in.

“Wha—” you started to question him but shook your head. “I just came to see if you had any spare coffee. I ran out without realizing it.”

“Didn’t have any to offer Alex this morning? That’s a damn shame.” Joel felt the heat of your confused gaze on his back as you followed him into the kitchen.

“What are you talking about?” You sighed, staring at him with furrowed brows.

Avoiding your searching gaze, Joel poured a cup of coffee, adding the perfect amount of sugar you liked, and glowered at the cup as he handed it over. “You’re wearing the same clothes as last night. I assume you did the walk of shame this morning only to find you didn’t have any coffee.”

“It’s too early for your judgmental shit, Joel. You can be a real ass sometimes, you know that?” You turned to leave, mind trying to wrap itself around why this day was turning out so oddly. Mercury was in retrograde again, it had to be. You and Joel never spoke to each other like this. As you reached the door, not caring that you basically stole his coffee cup, you called over your shoulder, “And the date wasn’t even like that, for the record.”

“You’re welcome for the coffee,” Joel muttered as you let yourself out of his house.

“You didn’t have to be such a dick, you know.” Ellie appeared around the corner; arms crossed over her chest.

“I know. I couldn’t help it. The thought of her with that jackass just…” he sighed. “I got a little carried away, but it’s fine. The plan is still in play. Did you take care of what I asked you to?”

“You come up with some strange plans, old man. Yeah, I got it done.”

Fed up with the day and everyone in town before noon, you hid away in your house for the rest of the day. The interaction with Joel weighed on you the entire afternoon and well into the night. What was up with him? Were you being too sensitive, taking his comments personally?

If you didn’t know better, you’d think he was jealous you went on a date with Alex.

Unsurprisingly, you slept poorly and woke up groggy and unfocused Sunday morning. It was going to be a long day in the greenhouse if you didn’t find some coffee to power you up. Getting ready earlier than normal, you planned to stop at Maria and Tommy’s to see if they had coffee – there was no way you were going back to Joel’s after yesterday.

Opening the door to another brisk, early spring morning, the glint of sunlight on the porch drew your eyes to yet another flower waiting for you. Four in a row now, how long would this carry on for?

One of your favorites, you picked up the stalk with six lavender blossoms, violet in hue, and breathed in the fresh, light scent, savoring the sweet undertones. Fingers caressed the downy leaves, making you feel calmer, mellower, which was exactly what you needed.

You kept sniffing the floral scent as you read the accompanying note, finding it fitting.

 Lost in your scent, the answer is present.

“Tell me you have a secret admirer!”

Startled, you gasped, gaze shooting to Maria as she approached your house, two mugs of coffee in hand. You face shifted into a smile at the sight.

“I’m… um, I guess. I’m not sure?” You shrugged accepting the mug Maria held out toward you. “Thanks for this, I ran out.”

“I heard,” she replied. “Joel’s on the hunt for more, don’t worry.”

“Of course he is,” you rolled your eyes.

“Soooo…” Maria gestured to the flowers and note in your hand, seeking an explanation. “I feel like there’s a story here.”

“There is, I just don’t know what it is yet,” you admitted. Inhaling the calming scent of the lavender once again, you added, “This is the fourth one I’ve received. Each one has its own riddle. Let me show you.”

Leading the way into your house – you still had an hour before your shift started – you showed Maria the flowers and each note that accompanied them. In small print, you added what each flower symbolized to the corresponding note and numbered them in the order you received them, hoping every little detail would help you sort out the puzzle.

Maria looked over everything, smiling softly at each note. “Whoever this mystery man is, he’s quite romantic.”

“Right?”

“What do today’s flowers mean?”

“In the context of the rest of the flowers so far, love and devotion,” you replied, heat warming your cheeks.

Maria whistled softly. “Someone is down bad for you, girl. Any ideas who it could be?”

Shrugging defeatedly, you admitted, “Not a clue. The one person I’d want it to be would never do something like this.”

Maria hid a smile behind her mug as she sipped her coffee. “How can you be sure?”

tbc

[thatgirlie-diaries]

Academic tips that work for me

Hello girlies! This is a post that I have been delaying for like 2 weeks, but now it's time or me to post it. In this blog I will give you all the things I do to keep myself getting high grades and maintain the "intelligent" persona I have worked for since I started studying my college career and fortunately others see me this way now.

I do not study hevy or know a lot about studying methods, I am more into "smart work > hard work" kind of thing

My personal tips

This are my tips being an auditory person focused on being effortless

Understand your learning style: Are you visual? Auditory? Or kinesthetic? By knowing this you can apply studying methods that are efficient for you.

Pay attention to your classes!: I think the main reason I slay effortlessly my exams is because of this so I only need a quick study. You will be saving future time since your study sessions will be lighter because you will remember lots of the things.

Participate / Ask questions: It's easy, you will get points with your teachers as a great student, plus you will get your questions solved.

Put your on a place you can't see it so it doesn't distract you, for classes or when you need to study / get work done.

Study in a place when you feel comfortable, it can be at an cafe or at the library, even in your bedroom at a desk, what matters is that you feel comfortable and that you get the feel of "this is a place where I can study / do my assignments" and not feel lazy or uncomfortable by "x or y" reason. As a plus, keep your space clean and only with the necessary at sight.

Use music that doesn't distract you and you vibe with: Listen to music that doesn't have lyrics, but that's a basic by now. What I recommend you is to listen to music that you just vibe with to get your desired mood and motivation. In my case, I listen to videogame soundtracks since it makes me feel relaxed or to classical music because I fee like "that business girly", either way music helps me concentrate.

Romanticize your studies: This can mean different things to all of you reading this post, I am talking about making your academic journey fun and pleasing rather than streesing! Some ideas are having cute stationery, take cute notes, act like one of your fav academic characters, have study playlists, drinking coffee, go to the library or to cafes, dress cute for school, read, light candles, watch "study with me" videos and study vlogs, create a pinterest board, stablish academic goals, etc.

Do your homework when you have free time at school / college or do it as a first thing after your schedule, this will help you save time. Think about it, if you do it while having free time at school / college you don't need to do it at home. And if you need to do it at home, if done as the first thing, you will either way get so much free time and can focus on other tasks or activities freely.

Be organized: Have a bullet journal or use an app to keep track of your subjects and assignments. By this you will remember and keep in sight upcoming deadlines and events.

Take care of your academic relationships: I make sure that the people inside my circle of friends are girls (mainly, but boys too) who I feel comfortable, have fun with but also are similar to me in the sense that they take seriously her studies and are good teammates. Outside of them I also focus on other potential classmates that are intelligent and have similar values. There is no need to bother on the ones who don't attend classes, are irresponsable and don't even know what are they doing in the course.

Take care of yourself: Ask yourself? Will it be worth it while not sleeping enough, having a poor diet and exercise? By not letting yourself rest or have fun from time to time? By not practicing self-care? By not practicing any hobby or taking the time for your interests ? Please take care of yourself, girl, this is the lowest part of the pyramid. The reason to care is not only your wellbeing, but also because having a poor lifestyle can have bad effects for you that also affect your performance, and we won't like that.

Now go and slay your academic year / course! 𑄽𑄺ྀ

[thydungeongal]

D&D 5e being poorly designed issue #499:

Flesh to Stone requires three failed constitution saves to actually petrify anything, and even then requires ten rounds of concentration to make it last longer than a minute. Constitution is the most common save to have a bonus in in this system, and since it is a sixth level spell, this bonus tends to be quite high. As a result, this spell pretty much never actually does what it is billed as doing.

If the target does make their saves, this effectively translates into 3-5 rounds of a single target being restrained, at the cost of a sixth level spell slot and concentration.

The web spell, meanwhile, creates an area of effect in which any creatures that fail their dexterity saves are restrained. Dexterity saves are pretty common, but they have to keep making them as long as they're in the webs, and it's a strength check (rather than a save, so usually a lower bonus!) to escape. The spell requires concentration, but the maximum duration is an hour.

That's right. Web is objectively and unambiguously better than Flesh to Stone, despite being four spell levels lower. This is because the people making 5e wanted to get rid of save-or-suck effects, but didn't want to get rid of the spell names, and so nerfed them all to the point of uselessness. There is no use case for Flesh to Stone that would not be better served by Web or some other, notably lower than sixth level spell. You could cast Web with that sixth level slot, and it'd be a waste of resources, but it would still be less of a waste than Flesh to Stone, because it lasts longer, is slightly harder to resist, and can affect more than just one creature.

This is your game design on nostalgia and self-reference.

Yeah there's a lot of weird and conflicting ideas going on with spells in D&D 5e because they really lacked a coherent set of design goals: the designers seemed to have lacked a clear consensus on whether they wanted the game to be a balanced (albeit tipped in the player characters' favor) tactical combat game like 4e or an old-school experience with lots of nasty save or die effects. Part of the issue is that at an early point in the design process they decided not to take 4e's lead on monsters effectively having their own unique spells and spell-like abilities, and instead decided that the same spell lists should be available to both monsters and player characters.

And as anyone who's played 3e will tell you, when spells are as readily available and effortless to use as in Hasbro D&D and both sides have save or death spells available, it leads to rocket tag. And rocket tag is really not conducive to a fun tactical combat game that is supposed to be slightly tipped in the player characters' favor.

(Rocket tag is also the name of the game at higher levels in TSR editions of D&D and I feel it does harmonize better with the sheer amount of "fuck you" design in those editions. I think the assumptions written into the rules that combat isn't supposed to be fair or fun affects that very much.)

Anyway, so it's not just pure nostalgia, it's a combination of nostalgia while at the same time trying to copy D&D 4e's homework but not understanding the assignment. The biggest issue with D&D 5e in the context of all the various editions of D&D is that it had the benefit of more than thirty years of design and still ended up without a clear set of design goals besides "let's make the game that's the most D&D!" Like, ultimately as a dungeon game it's fine, but given the context of what's come before it should've been great.

[livlaughloveluke]

hi! could u do something with luke castellan x daughter of hades!reader? maybe something abt them training together?

ᡣ𐭩 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗶 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂

daughter of hades! reader x luke castellan 🪦

IN WHICH.. two competitive rivals are placed in the same arena for an intense sword fight.. what could go wrong?

warning! this fic contains- daddy issues ! // readers lowkey a bitch but for a reason // hades is also a bitch // swearing

[a/n]- is this cliche? maybe. do i care? no.

update: oh my gosh its been months but looking back on this i realized i did ares instead of hades 😭

i fixed it though!!

🎧- why i love you by kanye west

1.7k

The harsh sun beat down on Camp Half-Blood, creating an unwanted stench of sweat and a wave of exhausted campers. Its fiery touch left a red glow on the paler campers and the overheating of others. The heatwaves of mid-June had been expected, but that didn’t mean it hurt less to spend hours outside.

The flowers crisped up, and the lake overflowed with mucky children. Apollo’s choice of weather even caused Chiron to cancel activities, the infirmary becoming overcrowded with patients who had passed out from the unbearable temperatures.

However, while most campers and counselors enjoyed the cooling, fresh water, one remained absent from the day off. Leader of Hades Cabin, you have been missing all day. Everyone shrugged it off, the heat leaving them in a fatigued daze that removed all efforts to find you.

Instead of shedding your clothes and going for a swim, you took this moment to train in the amphitheater. Your camp shirt clung to your dewy skin as you swung your sword at a practice dummy. The unbearable sun only added to your determination.

‘Why would someone torture themselves by working in the dog days of summer?’ You may be asking. The answer was quite simple, really. Luke Castellan.

Camp liked to refer to him as ‘The Golden Boy’ for his friendly attitude and seemingly charming personality. He was the greatest swordsman to roam the property in three hundred years; his skills with the weapon were almost unmatchable.

Almost. 

You were first in the fighting industry for a while, until Luke decided to stumble in. You watched from afar as his fourteen-year-old self picked up the blade, slicing his opponents with ease. Your blood boiled upon seeing the sight, anger flooding your brain at his effortless talents. 

You had dedicated your whole camp experience to sword fighting, and now you were watching everything crumple with the arrival of a lousy new camper. Although your skills were displayed when you defeated him as a young teenager, he's improved since then. 

And that’s the reason he conquered you in battle a few months ago. It sent you into a fit of rage, a typical reaction for the children of Hades. Campers watched as you stomped away from the arena, breathing heavy as you carelessly tossed your armor onto the sandy floor.

What you hid from the crowd were the tears shedded into your pillow later that night. A mix of hatred towards Luke and disappointment bestowed upon yourself caused salty droplets to stream down your cheeks and into the fabric of your pillow. What would your father think of such a failure?

Ever since then, there has been none-stop resentment directed at the Hermes boy from you. Despite the fact that arguments were mainly caused by you, your interactions often left you pissed. But how were you supposed to ignore the way he constantly cracked his knuckles or the way he was always late to training who Chiron assigned you and Luke to lead?

While everyone was enjoying themselves and relaxing for the day, including Luke, you took it as a gift from the gods. No people in the arena meant a perfect solo training session, with no kids whispering in your ears about your loss to the counselor.

So here you were, sweating under 30 pounds of heavy armor and sticky clothes, working on your stance. Unfortunately for you, Luke had noticed your absence, and after asking around a little, he headed to find you. 

He came up empty-handed upon searching your cabin, then the fields, then the forges. Running out of hope and patience, he trudged along to the amphitheater. And there you were, looking heavenly as you swung your blade at a fake person. 

He saw as you furrowed your brows in frustration at every flaw you performed. You were so harsh on yourself, grunting in anger at nearly anything. He could tell you had been outside for a while by the way salty sweat dripped down your forehead. 

“You know training was canceled today, right?” He alerted you, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall.

“Yeah. Thanks, Castellan. You can go now.” You glanced over at him before turning back to continue your practice. All you wanted was a little peace, and with Luke here, you were sure to lash out. 

“Why are you out here then?” He persisted, ignoring your comment about leaving. You let out a heavy sigh, and this conversation became a large distraction.

“So I can practice. By myself.” You respond, not breaking to glare at him. For a moment, you thought he had left based on the silence in the arena. However, a few seconds later, he chirped back in.

“Go against me?” He offered, catching you off guard. You immediately turned to him, confused and slightly mad due to his presence.

“What?”

“Redeem your title of number one sword fighter. Without the pressure of anyone watching.” He said, sweetly smiling at you. You rolled your eyes, although in reality, this deal didn’t seem so upsetting. 

“Fine.” 

He perked up after hearing your approval, lightly jogging to the equipment station with a pep in his step. He strapped on all of the metal gear and grabbed his signature sword.

You watched as he walked back, slightly bouncing with joy. You fought back a smile while witnessing his positive energy, trying to keep up your usual hatred towards him. 

The sight of his sword snapped you back to reality, and you cracked your knuckles while narrowing your eyes. His small grin made it really difficult to remain tough, but you put in a large effort to remain unfazed.

You both got into the starting position, staring at him with a fierce gaze. He remained calm, holding his sword up. Time seemed to stand still as you both waited for someone to make the first move. Originally, your plan was to play defense, with a perfect strategy to ensure your win. 

But your dreams fell apart the moment he sent you a smug smile, rage distracting you and sending you lunging forward. You sliced at his arm, clashing with the steel of his armor. He easily rebutted, nicking your thigh with his blade. The seeping red dripping down your leg caused a gasp of shock from you; your normal skills were slightly fractured due to his sudden offense.

You were able to mainly recover, your moves converting into some with rhythm and precision. Until he began to swipe with such power, one move sent you stumbling to the floor. As he held the blade to your throat, signaling your defeat, you muttered out a quick “I surrender” and slid the cold metal off. 

He retracted his weapon, offering you a hand to help lift you. You fiddled with your breast plate before sliding it off and chucking it onto the dusty ground, trying to blink away the water forming in your eyes. 

“I hate you, Castellan!” You yelled, your voice shaky, as you picked yourself up and stormed off. Unable to control your emotions, tears began to flood down your face. Your skin felt hot, partly irritated by the beaming sun, and partly flushed with embarrassment from your sobs.

Luke rushed behind you as you trailed to a secluded spot behind the building, throwing his gear down. When he finally caught up, you were sitting against the wall, your head buried between your arms as you weeped.

“Hey, hey. Are you okay?” He comforted you, watching your back rise and fall unsteadily, matching the pace of your breaths. 

“Go away. Please. And don’t tell anyone you saw me.” You mumbled, not bothering to look up. He slid down next to you, sitting on the sharp sticks and dirty floor.

“Why are you so bothered by losing? I promise you, the world won’t end because you lost one lousy match.” He whispered. 

“You don’t know my dad. I’m lucky he’s forgiven me for my last loss.” You replied, messily inhaling through tears. Your dad expected so much of you, constantly reminding you of your mistakes instead of your accomplishments.

“Forgiven you? For what? You did nothing to him.” He mentioned it, and you rolled your eyes. Why were you even conversing with your enemy? Maybe he wanted dirt on you—something new to make fun of you for. 

“Never mind. You don’t get it.” You said, voice still muffled as you spoke into your arm.

“Cmon, tell me.” He insisted.

“Forgive me for being such a disappointment.” You responded, going silent after. You felt his judgmental stare and realized you shouldn't have said anything, now awaiting a snarky comment about your confession. Instead, you ended up surprised by his next words. 

“Don’t say that. Your dedication is amazing. He’s just a god who only sees your mistakes. Don’t let that define you.”

His hand rested on your back, drawing shapes on your skin. Raising your head, your eyes met his. It was then that you realized how one-sided your feelings were. How he never started any arguments with you, or how he was the only one who noticed you were gone from the lake and set out to find you. 

Not to mention, he was cute. Really cute. His brown curls draped over his forehead, and his dark orbs stared into yours with such passion. It's like he put a spell on you; the moment you made eye contact, you felt the need to apologize. 

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry for being so awful to you all these years, and for-" Luke cut off your rambling.

“All is forgiven. You know, you don’t have to be what they want you to be. You don’t have to hide your tears.” His sweet and genuine words caused you to grin for the first time in what felt like forever.

“Or your smile, either. You’re gorgeous.” He finished. The both of you silently leaned in until your faces were only centimeters apart.

“Can I..” He whispered.

“Please.” You responded, lifting up your hand to bring his head closer. He cusped your cheek, and within moments, his lips were on yours. Fireworks erupted in your stomach as you kissed for the first time, his dry lips getting coated in your spit. He pulled away, not wanting to creep you out so soon. 

"Would you want to, uh, maybe go out with me?" Luke whispered, nervously scratching the back of his neck.

"I'd like that."

୨୧

MASTERLISTS 𓏲𝄢 REQUEST / TALK TO ME 𓏲𝄢 RULES

[angelsstudies]

the “effortless” aura

this post is totally inspired by @theitgirlboutique ‘s post on finding your/ creating your aura. auras are the basically vibes you give off, but theitgirlboutique goes a lot more in depth and i absolutely adore the way they described it.

i’ll be talking about my aura i’ve created for myself and am still building, of course, everyone is different and you do not have to be like this to have an amazing and loving aura. i am totally inspired by rory gilmore, who i relate to a lot myself.

the effortless aura is about looking effortlessly pretty, looking put together, effortlessly. living life, effortlessly. @honeytonedhottie has an amazing post on appearing effortless, and high maintenance things to stay low maintenance. those are the vibes i want to put out.

i would totally think rory gilmore has an effortless aura too. lets look at this scene:

lorelai gave rory a heads up that this chilton sorority would be waking her up so she should put some makeup on before bed. when if happens, paris sees her and asks “is that really how you look when you wake up,” a little disappointed in herself. the picture on the left is rorys face when she says “yep.” she’s not even really lying, all she did was put on some gloss. rory just looks effortlessly pretty.

how to achieve the effortless aura

first, seriously look through this post. i am totally inspired by it and agree with everything said. now, my tips.

*i do apologize if anything is the same, its currently 11:46 pm and i was at the beach for 7 hours.

• routines and planners

morning routine, study routine, night routine, evening routine. ROUTINES. i love them so much, they ease my anxiety by knowing whats going to happen, and save me so much time. planners truly do help me with school, so im always prepared and know what projects and assignments are coming up. i also 100% recommend scheduling freetime so you (1) remember self care and (2) you have something to look forward to. schedule dates, sleepovers, alone time, everything.

• prepare for your future self

do an assignment early, pack your lunch the night before, pull out your ootd the night before. you’re reducing your stress and by giving yourself more time, especially more outfits, you appear more put together really achieving that effortless look.

• high maintenance to stay low maintenance

take vitamins, take care of your hair, have polished nails. in the long run it’ll benefit you. taking vitamins will allow you to glow, taking care of your hair means you’ve got a few days to not worry about it till you wash it again, polished nails are always key to making an outfit gorgeous. this is what @honeytonedhottie explains in their post. personally i do my own nails but schedule the appointments you need to once, twice a month so that you can appear effortlessly pretty.

• appearance

this goes hand in hand with the last point. looking put together and maintaining a refined style. having your hair always done, an outfit intricately planned out, if you’re wearing makeup it’s light and natural. all these things will come together and make you look more refined and polished and very effortless.

• confidence

probably the most important point, keep your head up, don’t speak down on yourself. confidence is the key to appearing effortless, you’re pretty and you know you’re pretty. you do minimal work to achieve your beauty. confidence ties everything together.

• personality

when you think effortless, maybe a person comes to mind. rhianna, jhene aiko, for me rory gilmore. whoever inspires you and has this aura, before you step into a room imagine them and what they’d do, how they’d act. you don’t need to change yourself, but look up to them.

[chaaistained]

bread 🍞 for own girl group dr for the ask game !!

hi anon !! thank you for the ask my gorgeous <333

i also appreciate the specificity aka asking for a particular dr 🫡 it really helps me fr xx

🍞 : BREAD . . . create a mood board of some of your closest friendships in your desired reality. you could include their face claim, favorite color, clothing style, what your friendship with them all looks like, etc.

clarity glimmer under the spotlight, they dazzle from the fluorescence of their curated stages, capturing the crowd with a particular intensity and coordination that seems effortless and yet unable to be replicated . anyone who takes at most a few minutes to watch these girls grace the stage, they would be unable to deny how in tune the four of them are with each other — their eyes shine with anticipation and affection when they meet the gaze of another member, uncontrollable smiles blooming on their lips with little restraint, hands reaching out , ready for an impromptu high five, a subtle pinky link or even the fan favourite handshake that they created — there is this undeniable connection they share, their chemistry spirals around them, a cloak of comfort , a crown of confidence , radiating from their mere presence when they stand together, as one.

this group consists of mariah (referenced top left), aining (referenced top mid), vicki (referenced top right), and mina (aka me - referenced as the girl on the left of the top three images) .. [disclaimer : none of those images are fc’s !! well . the girl on the left in image one looks a lil like me but wtv not the point . i’ll post proper fc’s in the member intro . eventually . but just ignore the visuals for now, focus on the vibes pls !!]

mariah and i didn’t get along at the start . we were only 12 (me) and 14 (her) but we were immediately pitted against each other, constantly asked to compete, always assigned to opposing teams, evaluated on the same day every. time. ..it wasn’t a very healthy environment to be fostering a friendship (especially given how we’re both vocalists and always felt like we were being compared) so we decided to remain civil but separate. that is, until our teachers realised we could be paired up together. tumultuous feelings were pushed aside and we became a powerhouse of vocals, a two woman melody, a human orchestra . competition turned to companionship and we quickly began to rely on each other — she’s my realist who holds a mirror to my faults and bandages the wound after i realise it’s there — she gave me the greatest person to fall back on when i’m not at my best , herself

aining is like that one person who you cannot and will not remember living life without, she feels fated. we were strangers together, at the same audition . she was taking it seriously, i was there for fun. a few weeks later i recognise her across the hallway at the same high school, the same girl, she’s always been right there . in that fashion we repeatedly floundered through a flurry of months where we noticed each other at school before being seperate again, only to finally reunite at the same company, under the same training program, assigned to the same dorm.. maybe it’s because we’re from the same country, state, city, town . maybe it’s because we build each other up where the other falls short , but for reasons i can’t exactly put into words, aining became my best friend. she feels familiar in every essence of its meaning, and i’m forever thanking the stars that we debuted in the same group

vicki feels like a lightning strike, she was the eruption of colours encircling me when my life fell into grey — i was fading from the constant monotony of evaluations, practice, training, and was slowly sinking from the realisation that i wasn’t absolutely perfect at my skills . i still had a ways to go before i could debut . not a fun feeling to acknowledge..i had this chill creep inside me , this fear of leaving it all behind, and then came vicki, scampering past like a little fox on its daily adventure, a glint in her smile and an idea already forming in her mind . she brought me back from that abyss, dragging me past anxiety avenue and depression district. you see, vicki has this ability to reach inside and pull out your innermost stress and then dissolve it before your very eyes, she pushes past your pressure and fatigue and asks you to watch as they ripple away. she motivated me to write , to produce , to create . she held me together when i could not hold myself, she saved me from a future where i would not have been me, and she did it all with a smirk and a cheek poke

.

.

.

[ ask game link ]

2025 © chaaistained

[emonaculate]

Bad Idea Right?

❥ AU: Modern

❥ Genre: Suggestive

❥ Rating: 18+, not super explicited but definitely not for kids.

❥ Pairing: Gojo x Black!Y/n

❥ Warnings Include: Mentions of cheating, failed situationship, Gojo is annoying and stupidly cocky, Y/n is NOT standing on business, poor choices, even poorer taste in men, complicated relationship, toxic?gojo

❥ Synopsis: Despite finals being around the corner, Y/n cannot bear to stare at one more quizlet set so she needs a good distraction; who better to be that distraction than a failed situationship that just so happens to be dating her roommate?

❥ Author Note: Midterm studying is kicking my ass and I needed to take a break to write something more entertaining than college calculus formulas. Inspired by Bad Idea by Olivia Rodrigo I obviously do not condone cheating but its Gojo.. would you turn him down?

Y/n's eyes strained as she stared at the computer screen, the heat radiating onto her bare thighs after over an hour of hunching forward, her back screaming in protest. Her thick, clear prescription glasses slid down her nose, weakened from countless drops and nights spent rolling onto them in her sleep. As a cramp began to form in her left leg, folded awkwardly in a butterfly position, she finally stood up, deciding it was the perfect moment for a break. With a decisive tap, she switched her phone to "do not disturb." Instantly, the magic barrier lifted; as soon as she turned it off, her phone buzzed to life with a flood of messages from her group chat, her friends eagerly reaching out.

Before Y/n could even skim the messages, a call from her roommate buzzed through, leaving a sour taste in her mouth. To say their relationship wasn’t the best would be an understatement. Y/n felt as if her roommate was dragging out a situation that had long since ended. Having transferred to Jujutsu Tech University for her junior year, Y/n, a foreigner with limited Japanese, had taken it upon herself to enroll in a Japanese elective. That was where she met the source of her current woes: a white-haired biochemist major with mesmerizing starlit sapphire eyes. Gojo had been assigned as her student tutor, intended to create a casual atmosphere for practicing the language. The plan worked a little too well. Y/n might have needed glasses to see clearly, but she wasn’t blind. Gojo was the most stunning man she had ever encountered. Clad in an oversized university sweatshirt, a black collared shirt peeking from underneath, and baby blue Converse laced with a star pattern, he had an effortless charm that was hard to resist. What surprised her even more was his apparent interest in her; perhaps it was her uniqueness that drew him away from the usual crowd of girls who orbited his charisma.

None of that mattered anymore; their fling had barely lasted beyond a few dates, some casual hookups, and hangouts. Y/n had realized she wasn’t ready for a relationship with a man who seemed overly friendly with other women. At this stage in her life, she didn’t want to waste energy trying to make someone act right. After all, their connection had been mostly about mind-blowing sex and friendship—so what difference did it make if she suddenly put an end to the physical side? Gojo could certainly find someone else to satisfy him. Despite being the one to end things, Y/n was confident it was for the best. So, imagine her surprise when her roommate came home one day, bubbling with excitement about a date with Gojo Satoru. Trying to be mature and avoid any drama, Y/n attempted to downplay her past with him. She casually mentioned it, hoping to prevent any misunderstandings. Sara took it well at first, only seeming bummed out that having Gojo Satoru wasnt a special prize that was only obtained by the few. However Sara changed once she realized how deeply the two had been involved and were still close. Y/n still remembered the feeling of being slapped awake after falling asleep studing at their shared kitchen area.

To sum up that altercation and not bring too much attention to the police report that might have been written up; Y/n simply did not like her roommate. The only reason they still lived together was that Y/n refused to let anyone drive her out of her own home, and breaking the lease would be too costly. Chewing on her bottom lip, Y/n let her phone ring for a comically long time before finally answering.

"Hey, Sara."

"Y/n. Have you heard from Satoru?" Sara's voice came through blunt and unwelcoming.

"Not since the last time I hung out with him, which was months ago," Y/n replied, matching Sara's tone.

She couldn’t help but feel a twinge of satisfaction in reminding her roommate of their agreement: that Y/n would back off and let Sara and Gojo’s relationship develop in a respectful manner. The silence that followed was thick with tension, and Y/n could almost feel the wheels turning in Sara's mind.

"If he comes by tell him to call me… please" A hint of desperation was heard in Sara's voice as she quickly ended the phone call, leaving Y/n to feel confused and almost sorry for the girl.

Y/n held her phone for a moment, contemplating before dialing a number without thinking. The smile that spread across her face when he answered wasn’t from happiness—it was just a reflex.

“Hey, Pretty.” His teasing voice came through coolly, the background loud and rowdy; he was undoubtedly with his friends.

“Stop with the pet names, fool. Sara is looking for you.”

“I know. I’m avoiding her on purpose,” he replied, a smirk evident in his tone.

“But how can I help you?”

Y/n rolled her eyes, though she couldn’t suppress a grin. “Just thought you should know she’s been asking about you. Sounds like she’s really into this whole dating thing.”

“Yeah, well, I’m just not ready for all that right now,” he said, laughter bubbling beneath his words.

“What about you? How’s life treating you?”

“Complicated,” she admitted, her voice playful. “But at least I don’t have to deal with clingy roommates.”

“Hey, I’m not clingy! I’m just a good listener,” he shot back. “And a fantastic tutor, if I remember correctly.”

“Please, the only thing you taught me was how to get distracted,” Y/n teased, “If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you enjoyed those study sessions a little too much.”

“Guilty as charged,” he replied, his voice dropping to a mock-serious tone. “But can you blame me? You make studying way more fun.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere,” she said, though the smile was unmistakable in her voice.

“Challenge accepted. But just so you know, I’m up for it,” Gojo said, a hint of mischief in his tone. “So, when are we having our next ‘study session’?”

“Only if you promise to keep your hands to yourself this time,” she shot back, laughing.

“Where’s the fun in that?” he countered, and Y/n felt a flutter of excitement.

That was the danger of being around Satoru—he was as addicting as he was handsome. His charm knew no bounds, and Y/n felt like a snake entranced by a snake charmer; Gojo's voice could persuade her to do just about anything. The way he spoke to her, with that playful confidence, always made her heart race. It was exactly that kind of charm that had led her to make some reckless decisions. She couldn’t help but remember the night they’d jumped off a waterfall together. He had dared her, coaxing her with that irresistible grin, and for some stupid reason, she had said yes.

"Y/n, come on! It’ll be fun!” he had insisted, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief. “What’s life without a little thrill?”

She could still feel the rush of adrenaline, the cold water shocking her system as they plunged into the darkness. But that moment had left her with more than just memories; it had left her with a permanent scar on her ribcage, a reminder of her reckless leap into the unknown. As they chatted, she felt the familiar pull again—the urge to throw caution to the wind and dive headfirst into whatever crazy adventure he proposed next. But she also knew the risks. With Gojo, it was always a fine line between exhilaration and chaos, and she wasn’t sure how much more of either she could handle.

“Yeah, not this time, 'Toru. Sara might put Nair in my shampoo bottle if she caught you hanging out with me.” They shared a laugh, both fully aware that Sara would absolutely consider it—and Y/n couldn’t help but think it would be entirely warranted.

“Yeah, she would definitely try to mess you up, pretty,” Gojo mused, the background noise fading away. He must have stepped away from the crowd to focus on her.

Y/n felt a twinge of guilt at the way his pet name sent a flutter through her. It was sweet, but it also felt wrong. She knew Sara could be overbearing and a bit controlling, but if the roles were reversed, Y/n wouldn’t like it if the guy she was dating—or whatever this situation with Sara and Gojo was—talked to another girl the way he was talking to her. After all, that was precisely why she had stepped back from Gojo months ago.

“Look, I don’t want to cause any drama,” she said, trying to keep her tone light but serious.

“I just think it’s best if you focus on your new thing with Sara. I don’t want to complicate anything.”

“Complication? Nah, we’re just friends, right?” he replied, but there was a hint of playfulness in his voice that made her heart race.

“Besides, it’s not my fault if you’re so easy to talk to.”

“Easy to talk to? Or easy to flirt with?” Y/n shot back, trying to keep it playful despite the underlying tension.

“Both,” he said, his voice lowering to a conspiratorial whisper. “But I promise, if things get messy, I’ll handle it. Just don’t shut me out completely, Y/n.”

Y/n hesitated, caught between wanting to keep her distance and the undeniable chemistry that sparked whenever they spoke. Shit, her resolve was cracking fast.

"Goodbye, Gojo." Just as she moved to hang up, his voice cut through the speaker. The usual playfulness was replaced with a gentler tone, almost a whisper as if he were afraid that speaking any louder would scare her away.

"Come see me, since I can't come to you. I’ll help you study for your economics exam. I know you hate studying alone, and the graphs confuse you. Just come, please…"

His plea hung in the air, and Y/n felt her heart race. It was hard to resist his charm when he sounded so sincere, and the thought of studying together brought back memories of their late-night sessions filled with laughter—and a little more.

“Gojo…” she started, feeling the familiar pull of temptation. “You know this is complicated.”

“I know, but it doesn’t have to be. Just a study session. Nothing more,” he said quickly, his tone earnest. “I promise I’ll keep it strictly academic. I just want to help.”

Y/n bit her lip, torn. Part of her wanted to say no, to protect herself and the boundaries she had set. But another part craved the connection, the familiarity of being around him again.

“Okay, but just studying,” she finally replied, unable to hide the hint of a smile.

“Great! I’ll even prepare snacks,” he replied, the playful edge returning to his voice. "Just don’t blame me if you end up distracted.”

“Yeah, yeah. I’ll see you soon, Satoru.” As she hung up, Y/n couldn’t shake the feeling that she was stepping into dangerous territory, but a thrill coursed through her at the thought of seeing him again.

Y/n applied lip gloss in the Uber, a little gift from Gojo, and wondered if she should have opted for something else. She had chosen a casual look to keep things laid-back: a black wife beater, gray sweatpants, and a pair of slides. Comfort was her priority, but a part of her felt a twinge of doubt about her appearance. She had decided to wear her glasses instead of her contacts, and her mini twists were pulled into a ponytail, with a few stubborn pieces escaping to frame her face. To top it off, she doused herself in mocha vanilla perfume and slathered on shea butter, reasoning that she didn’t want to smell bad after spending hours studying in her room. Never mind that she’d already taken a shower and done a deep scrub—she wanted to feel fresh for the occasion. As the car pulled up to Gojo's place, she felt a mix of excitement and nerves. Would he notice her effort, however casual it was? Or would he tease her for being overdressed for a study session? The thought made her smile. Taking a deep breath, Y/n stepped out of the car and smoothed her outfit, reminding herself to keep it cool and casual—just like they had agreed.

But as she walked toward the apartment complex entrance door, she couldn't shake the feeling that today might be anything but ordinary. She smiled at the staff who greeted her at the front desk while signing in, then headed up to that familiar room number, 1025. Standing outside the door, she balanced her tote bag—filled with her laptop, notebook, and pens—in one hand while she knocked with the other. After a few moments, the door swung open, and there he was in all his perfection. Gojo’s white hair glistened with moisture, droplets trickling down from his locks; he must have just finished showering. A black muscle t-shirt clung to his chest, accentuating his toned physique, while oversized red basketball shorts hung loosely on his hips.

“You could have told me you were here, and I would have met you downstairs,” he scolded playfully, stepping aside to let Y/n in. As she entered, Y/n remembered another thing she had overlooked about Satoru: the fact that he was absolutely loaded. He could easily afford to pay rent without a roommate, which meant he often enjoyed his solitude. Sure, his friends loved to hang out at his place, but when he wanted alone time, he had it. It completely slipped Y/n’s mind that the two of them would be entirely alone.

“Uh, hey,” she said, trying to play it cool despite the sudden flutter in her stomach.

“Don't be weird. Make yourself comfortable,” he said, gesturing to the spacious living area. The room was adorned with an eclectic mix of furniture and decor that reflected his laid-back style.

“I was just about to grab a snack. Want anything?”

Y/n shook her head, still trying to absorb the atmosphere. “I’m good, just here to study.”

“Sure, sure. But you know, studying is more fun with snacks.” He flashed that trademark grin that always made her heart skip a beat.

“Is that your way of saying you plan to distract me?” she teased, settling into a nearby chair.

“Maybe,” he replied with a wink, leaning casually against the door frame.

“But you know you love it.” Y/n couldn’t help but smile back, feeling the weight of tension ease just a bit. This was going to be interesting.

Y/n settled into the plush chair, her laptop open in front of her as Gojo moved to sit on the edge of the coffee table, facing her. He spread out her notes and textbooks, a mix of graphs and theories that had been driving her nuts for weeks.

“Alright, let’s tackle this economics stuff,” he said, his tone upbeat. “What’s tripping you up the most?”

Y/n sighed, glancing at the graphs. “Honestly? All of it. I just don’t get how demand curves work. It’s like trying to read hieroglyphics.”

Gojo leaned in closer, his proximity making her heart race. “Here, let me show you.” He pointed at one of the graphs, his finger tracing the line as he explained. “So, this curve represents how much of a product consumers are willing to buy at different prices. Think of it like… a date with me. The more fun I am, the more you want to be around, right?”

Y/n couldn’t help but laugh, shaking her head. “That’s a terrible analogy, Gojo. You’re just trying to distract me.”

“Maybe a little,” he admitted, a playful glint in his eyes. “But seriously, if the price goes up, people want less. Just like if I started charging for my charming company.”

“Right,” she said, rolling her eyes. “You’d be broke in a week.”

“True, true,” he replied, leaning back and crossing his arms behind his head. “But just think about it. If I offered you a discount for an extra hour of my time, would you take it?”

“Stop,” Y/n laughed, trying to refocus. “Let’s stick to the graphs.”

“Fine, fine. But you have to admit, I’m making this way more interesting,” he said, giving her a teasing smile.

Y/n leaned closer to her laptop, but the tension was palpable.

“Okay, okay. What about this next graph?”

As Gojo started explaining again, Y/n found her gaze drifting to him—how the light caught the contours of his face, how animated he was as he spoke. The more he talked, the more her focus wavered.

“Y/n?” he said suddenly, pulling her back to the moment. “You still with me?”

“Yeah, of course!” she replied, though her cheeks felt warm.

“I’m just… trying to absorb the genius here.”

“Genius, huh?” he grinned, clearly pleased. “Flattery will get you everywhere.”

“Just stating the obvious,” she shot back, but her smile betrayed her.

He leaned in closer again, the playful banter turning more intimate. “You know, if you’re really struggling, we could take a break. I’m great at helping with… other types of studies.”

“Other types?” she echoed, raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah,” he said, his voice dropping to a playful whisper. “You know, like finding out what makes you tick. What you really want.”

Y/n’s heart raced, and she felt the warmth spread across her cheeks. “Gojo, we’re supposed to be studying!”

“Studying can wait,” he said, his gaze locked onto hers, the air thick with unspoken tension. “Right now, I just want to know more about you.”

Before she could respond, Gojo leaned in closer, the air between them crackling with an electric tension that made studying economics feel like a distant memory. Y/n felt her eyes flutter shut, anticipation swirling within her. She had spent months trying to ignore the undeniable pull between them, but now, with him so close, she realized there was no way they could remain just friends given their history.

“Y/n,” he murmured, his voice low and wanting, sending a shiver down her spine. There was a flicker of something deeper in his gaze, a longing that mirrored her own.

“ 'Toru,” she replied, her voice barely more than a whisper, caught between curiosity and an ache she couldn’t deny. She wanted to unravel the mystery of his feelings, to understand what lay beneath that confident exterior.

“Do you really think we can pretend this isn’t happening?” His smirk was playful, yet his eyes held a vulnerability that drew her in. The warmth radiating from him enveloped her, urging her closer.

Y/n’s heart raced, torn between fear and exhilaration. “I—” But before she could finish, Gojo closed the distance, capturing her lips in a kiss that felt like a revelation.

It started soft and tentative, but quickly deepened into something fervent, as if they were both trying to bridge the gap of all those unspoken months. Y/n's hands made their way to his white locks and Satoru couldnt get enough of how addictive her lips and soft whimpers were. In that moment, everything else faded—the textbooks, the pressures, the uncertainty. It was just them, and Y/n felt alive for the first time in what felt like ages. When they finally pulled apart, breathless, Gojo’s playful grin returned, but it was laced with something more lustful.

“So… friends, huh?” he teased, raising an eyebrow. But Y/n could see the truth behind his words. They were no longer just friends; they had crossed a line, and there was no going back. Not now. Not after this.

"Friends." Y/n echoed, her voice unsteady, the word feeling heavy with all that was left unsaid.

"Mm.. Let me show you how good friends take care of one another" Gojo replied, his tone shifting from its usual playfulness to something darker, more condescending.

In a fluid motion, he flipped her to face the couch, the sudden change sending a thrill through her body. Y/n had forgotten that despite her size; Satoru could toss her around as if she were weightless to him. Before Y/n could fully process what was happening; Gojo sank to the floor, positioning himself in between her legs with an ease that took her breath away. Y/n gasped sharply as she felt him pull her sweats down to reveal her ass in cute basic yellow panties.

"Always so pretty for me." He murmured in a trance-like state.

His touch to her bare skin ignited a warm blaze that spread through her body; everywhere he touched felt like it was on fire and nothing would put it out.

" 'Toru..." She mewed breathlessly, arching her back into his touch as she fisted the throw blanket on the couch.

Satoru drank in the sight of the delirious girl as his fingers glided over her bare skin before he made his way back to her ass prepared to peel her now damp panties off and do what he had been deprived of for months. Y/n felt a rush of vulnerability mixed with excitement as she felt Satoru's finger poke at where she needed him most. His touch was both tender and reverent, as if he were discovering something precious.

"Satoru, please." Y/n turned to look back over her shoulder to be met with the sight of a man barely holding onto his sanity.

"First you give me the taste of the best pussy I've ever had. Next, you leave me and cut off my supply. Then, you ignore and avoid me for months. Whatever I do to this pussy... my pussy; its your fault." He smacked her ass harshly, watching the skin jiggly back into place before pulling her underwear down to be met with the sight of her dripping cunt.

"My pretty girl, I know you've missed me. It's not my fault, your mama is stubborn and so damn prideful but I'm gonna fix all that tonight. Daddy will make it all better." He cooed, rubbing a single digit up and down Y/n's sopping wet core.

Y/n bit her lip in anticipation, she hadn't realized that Satoru was actually upset with how she ending things and knowing how petty the man could get; all she could do was be quiet and hope that the time of them being separated was enough to make him skip the teasing get down to what they both needed. His voice brought her out of her thoughts.

"Hey, is this too much? Tell me to stop and I will." He whispered, his voice hoarse from restraint.

Y/n shook her head immediately, breathless and wide-eyed. The fear of crossing the line again evaporated from her mind, eclipsed by the magnetic pull between them. All that mattered to Y/n at the moment was how good Satoru eating her pussy from the back was about to feel and just how much she missed him. Gojo let out a chuckle and connected his mouth to where she needed him most. Each caress and flick of his magical tongue became a promise, a silent acknowledgment of the feelings they both had danced around for too long. Y/n knew what she was doing was wrong but when it feels this good... should it even matter?

[baekhyunsbestie]

ok so hear me out what if there's a world where baekhyun has a pseudonym for his photographer self, and while he prefers landscaping, he'd make an exception for a special girl and photograph her??? like image being his subject of total attention while he watched u from his lens...

ahhhh, hi new mootie <3

omggggggg i love itttttt like imagine being photographer!baekhyun's muse 😭😭😭

when photographer!baekhyun invites you to join him for a nighttime photoshoot, capturing the beauty of seoul for his magazine, you can’t say yes fast enough! you’ve had a crush on the talented landscape photographer for what feels like ages, but you’ve always hesitated to cross that line, fearing it might ruin the dynamic of your friendship.

little do you know, as you spend the evening together, he’s stealthily capturing you in action—your laughter, your playful gestures, and the way your hair dances in the breeze. each candid shot reveals the effortless beauty he sees in you, showcasing how naturally captivating you are in those unguarded moments. all while you remain blissfully unaware of his true intent.

and as the night progresses, he takes you to a hidden spot just outside the city, where the skyline sparkles against the night sky like a thousand diamonds. the stars twinkle above, creating the perfect setting for what feels like a moment straight out of a dream.

“here, i brought us a blanket for us to sit on,” he suggests, pulling out a cozy blanket and spreading it on the ground. you sit beside him, feeling the excitement in the air. the city’s lights twinkle around you, and you can't help but feel giddy with anticipation.

“wow, it's so beautiful up here,” you breathe, your eyes widening at the view. you turn to baekhyun, and for a moment, the world around you fades away. “i’m so glad you invited me.”

“i’m glad you said yes,” he replies, his voice softening.

he pulls out his camera, a teasing grin on his face. “want to see what i’ve been working on?” 

you nod eagerly, a mix of excitement and curiosity bubbling inside you. as he scrolls through the photos, you gasp at the beautiful shots of the city—but then your heart skips when you realize that the majority of the photos feature you, captured in candid moments. there’s one where you’re gazing up at the stars, a dreamy expression on your face, and another where you’re mid-laugh, your joy lighting up the scene.

“wait, you were capturing me?” you exclaim, your cheeks flushing as you scroll through the gallery. “i thought this was all about the city’s nightlife!”

baekhyun chuckles, his eyes sparkling with mischief. “oh, trust me, you make the city look even better. i'd say you’re my muse now.”

your heart skips a beat at his words, warmth spreading through you. “your muse? really? that’s a bit cliché, don’t you think?”

“maybe,” he replies, leaning closer, the heat radiating between you. “but it’s true. i wanted to capture your beauty without you knowing—it felt like a little secret just for us.”

you can’t help but smile, a playful flutter of excitement dancing in your chest. “well, I’m flattered to be your hidden gem,” you tease, leaning into him, feeling the thrill of this moment.

then, as you look into his eyes, the mood shifts. he takes a deep breath, his gaze serious yet tender. “but there’s something else i need to confess.”

“hmm? what is it?” you ask, curiosity bubbling in your chest.

he hesitates, then chuckles lightly, running a hand through his hair. “so, about this ‘magazine assignment’… i kind of made it up. i just wanted an excuse to bring you out here.”

your eyes widen in surprise, disbelief mixing with a rush of warmth. “you mean… this whole night was just so you could spend time with me?”

baekhyun nods, a sheepish grin spreading across his face. “i mean, i could have taken photos of the city without you, but… i didn’t want that. i wanted you here. i wanted to capture you.”

you feel your heart race, a mix of flattery and excitement surging through you. “i can’t believe you did all of this just for me,” you whisper, your cheeks flushed.

“and i’m not done yet,” he says, pulling out his camera again. “let me take some more photos of you. just you. no city distractions.”

your eyes widen in surprise, and you can’t help but give him a shy smile. “really? right now?”

“absolutely,” he insists, his expression serious yet playful. “just be yourself.”

as he snaps more candid shots, you feel like you’re floating. each click of the camera captures your laughter, your joy, and the way the moonlight dances in your hair. you strike playful poses, twirling and pretending to be a model, and with each snap, baekhyun’s eyes sparkle with admiration.

after a few moments, he lowers the camera and takes a step closer. “you’re breathtaking,” he murmurs, and you can’t help but smile at his words.

“okay, okay, enough with the compliments,” you tease, feeling shy. “you’re making me blush!”

but baekhyun just laughs, clearly enjoying this moment. “good. that’s the goal. i want you to know just how incredible you are.”

as you both settle back on the blanket, he looks at you with a warmth in his gaze that makes your heart flutter. “so, what do you think? will you let me photograph you more often?”

you meet his gaze, feeling the weight of his sincerity. “as long as i get to spend more nights like this with you, i’m in.”

his face lights up, and in that moment, the world around you fades away. baekhyun leans in closer, and you can feel the tension shift between you. “then it’s a date,” he whispers, his breath warm against your skin.

with that, he leans in, and your lips connect in a gentle, tender kiss that leaves you feeling dizzy. it's sweet and soft, infused with all the unspoken words and emotions that have been simmering between you. when you finally pull away, you're both breathless, grinning like giddy school kids.

PUUHHHLEEEAASSSSSSSEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[mountain-sage]

When our bodies are fit and healthy, we feel light, almost like air. But just because we feel light does not mean our bodies are not there. It takes a lot of effort for our fitness to appear natural and effortless.

But just because it appears effortless does not mean that no effort was made.

What we call our "spirit" or "enlightened nature" exists like air, so light and natural that we are not aware of it, unless we train ourselves to be mindful of it.

A long time ago, there was only one mind,

which became bored by being alone for so long.

So it decided to split into two.

But since the two knew they were originally one, playing together was not much fun— as if playing both sides of a chess game.

So the two minds agreed to forget where they came from; they pretended not to know each other.

As time passed, they also forgot about their agreement.

They forgot they were actually one and the same.

This is the condition of our existence.

We forget that we are originally from one mind.

When an enlightened person transcends the duality of you and me, she sees life as one long play.

This is why she remains humorous and lighthearted.

She plays her role but never forgets it is a performance.

Life is like theater. You are assigned a role.

If you don’t like the role,

keep in mind that you have the power to re-create the role you want.

Haenim Sunim

[battinscnz]

𝑩𝑬𝑵𝑬𝑨𝑻𝑯 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑴𝑰𝑳𝑳𝑰𝑶𝑵𝑨𝑰𝑹𝑬 // 𝑺𝑼𝑷𝑬𝑹𝑩𝑨𝑻 𝑺𝑻𝑶𝑹𝒀

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: Bruce Wayne (The Batman) , Clark Kent (Superman)

𝐏𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠(𝐬): Bruce Wayne/Clark Kent, SuperBat

𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 37,031 (Ongoing; 12/25)

𝐓𝐚𝐠𝐬: Bruce Wayne (The Batman) , Clark Kent (Superman), SuperBat, Bruce/Clark, Pattinson!Batman, Corenswet!Superman

𝐖𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬: Violence/Crime Mentions, Grief/Parental Loss, Emotional Tension/Angst, Eventual Smut

Clark Kent is sent to Gotham to write an in-depth profile on Bruce Wayne, but what begins as a professional assignment quickly evolves into something far more personal. Over shared moments at Wayne Manor, the two men navigate simmering tension, unspoken desires, and their own guarded vulnerabilities, creating a connection that neither fully understands.

𝑩𝑬𝑵𝑬𝑨𝑻𝑯 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑴𝑰𝑳𝑳𝑰𝑶𝑵𝑨𝑰𝑹𝑬 // 𝑺𝑼𝑷𝑬𝑹𝑩𝑨𝑻 𝑺𝑻𝑶𝑹𝒀

Gotham had never been kind to Bruce Wayne, and it wasn’t about to start now. 

The city, with its endless rains, its crumbling infrastructure, and its persistent heartbeat of crime, felt like a living entity—one that demanded every ounce of his soul. Weeks back in the cowl had taken their toll. 

Bruises littered his body like a patchwork map of his nightly battles, his muscles ached constantly, and the lack of sleep gnawed at his mind like an incessant whisper.

Alfred had begun to voice his concerns—quietly, of course, because there was no stopping Bruce once he was set on a path. - Master Wayne, - he would say, as Bruce staggered into the Batcave at dawn, covered in soot, blood, and exhaustion. - Even a man such as yourself has limits.

Limits. 

The word grated on him. 

He couldn’t afford limits, not when Gotham was as fractured as it was. The city had descended further into chaos during his absence, and now he was playing catch-up—smashing through crime rings, dismantling trafficking operations, and trying to put the fear of the Bat back into Gotham’s underbelly.

But there was one thing Bruce couldn’t account for, one thing that left a bitter taste in his mouth every time it happened.

Superman.

It started subtly at first. 

A mugging gone wrong in the Narrows, and as Batman dropped down from the rooftops, the scene was already handled. 

The would-be assailants were tied up, trembling and muttering something about a man who flew out of nowhere and stopped them before they could blink. A quick investigation revealed no footprints, no trace of a vehicle—nothing but the faint breeze of displaced air.

The second time, there was a fire in the Bowery. 

Bruce arrived in his usual silence, prepared to assist the trapped civilians, but as he crouched on the rooftop of the burning tenement, he saw them—already safe and sound on the street below. 

Superman had carried them out. 

The hero stood among the flames for only a moment, his silhouette unmistakable against the raging inferno, before lifting into the sky with a single, effortless motion.

Bruce seethed.

By the third time, Bruce couldn’t ignore it. Superman wasn’t just passing through. 

He was intervening. 

And every time he appeared, he would give Bruce the same damn thing—a brief nod, polite and unassuming, before disappearing into the night like some kind of celestial afterthought.

Bruce didn’t have time for politeness.

- This is my city, - Bruce growled to himself one night, his voice harsh in the solitude of the Batmobile. His fists clenched the steering wheel tightly as he maneuvered through Gotham’s dark streets, his mind replaying the image of Superman lifting a derailed subway car back onto its tracks. 

The crowd cheered. 

Bruce had heard their voices through the comms Alfred had patched into the emergency frequency.

“Superman! Superman saved us!”

They weren’t chanting for Batman.

[kitty-won07]

Under the mistletoe🎄

Paring : Best friend! Sohee x reader.

Genre : Friends to lovers,romance,fluffy,happy ending.

Summary : Long-time friends, you and Sohee, decorate for Christmas while playfully teasing each other. Under the mistletoe, Sohee confesses his feelings, and you reciprocate, marking the start of something more.

Author's note : Hey guys! , I know I'm a little late but here I am , hope you enjoy it and Merry Christmas everyone ! . ( Also thank you so much for liking my first story with Jungwon, I appreciate it ! .)

Don't forget to like it or reblog it. ツ✿

⋆꙳•❅*🎄*❆•꙳⋆────୨ৎ────⋆꙳•❅*🎄*❆•꙳⋆

You had known Sohee for years, ever since you were paired together for a group project in art class during middle school. The assignment was to create a sculpture representing "teamwork," and while you’d been busy shaping clay with serious focus, Sohee had spent most of his time cracking jokes and turning the scraps into little animals.

“Relax,” he’d said when you scolded him for not helping. “Art is supposed to be fun.”

You thought he was annoying back then, but when the teacher praised your final sculpture—complete with one of Sohee’s clay animals on top—you couldn’t deny he had a point.Now, years later, Sohee was sitting cross-legged on your living room floor, flipping through your playlist on your laptop.

“This is it?” he teased, raising an eyebrow. “You’ve got, like, three songs from the same artist on here. Obsessed much?”

“Says the guy who made an entire playlist called ‘Songs That Make Me Feel Like a Movie Protagonist,’” you shot back, tossing a pillow at him.

He dodged it easily, grinning. “Hey, it’s a masterpiece. You should try it sometime.”

You rolled your eyes, but you couldn’t help smiling. This was how it always was with Sohee—effortless banter and inside jokes that felt like second nature. But lately, you’d been feeling… different. Like maybe you wanted more than just teasing and shared playlists.

⋆꙳·❅*‧ ‧*❆ ₊⋆⋆꙳·❅*‧ ‧*❆ ₊⋆⋆꙳·❅*‧ ‧*❆ ₊⋆⋆꙳·❅*‧ ‧*❆ ₊⋆⋆꙳

“So,” Sohee said, setting the laptop aside, “what’s the plan for tonight? Movie marathon or baking disaster part two?”

“Neither,” you said, pulling out a box of decorations. “We’re decorating for Christmas.”

His eyes widened. “It’s barely December!”

“Exactly,” you replied, dragging out the box of ornaments. “If we don’t start now, we’ll never finish.”

With a dramatic sigh, Sohee gave in, helping you untangle fairy lights and hang ornaments on your tiny tree. He complained about the glitter getting everywhere and how the star wouldn’t stay straight, but you caught him smiling when he thought you weren’t looking.

When the tree was finally done, you flipped the switch, and the room filled with a warm, golden glow.

“Not bad,” Sohee admitted, stepping back to admire your handiwork. “You’ve got a good eye for this kind of thing.”

“Thanks,” you said, proud of your work.

Before you could bask in the moment, Sohee grabbed a sprig of mistletoe from the decoration box and held it above his head, grinning mischievously.

“Looks like you have no choice now,” he teased. “Rules are rules.”

Your heart jumped, and you felt your face heat up. “You’re ridiculous,” you said, trying to sound unaffected.

But then Sohee’s teasing expression softened, and he lowered the mistletoe slightly. “What if I’m serious?” he asked, his voice quieter.

“What?” you blinked, caught off guard.

“What if I want it to be real?” he said, stepping closer.

Your breath caught as you looked at him, your usual banter replaced with something far more vulnerable.

“I…” you hesitated, your cheeks burning. “I didn’t think you’d ever…”

He smiled softly, his voice barely above a whisper. “I’ve liked you for a while now,” he said. “I just wasn’t sure if you felt the same.”

You felt a rush of relief and warmth all at once. “Of course I do, you idiot,” you blurted, unable to stop the smile spreading across your face.

Sohee grinned, then leaned in, sohee’s lips brushed against yours, soft and hesitant at first, as if he was waiting for a sign.

The world seemed to pause as the kiss deepened, warm and sweet, with an unspoken promise in each gentle movement. His breath mingled with yours, his touch barely there but enough to send a rush of warmth through you.

When he finally pulled back, his forehead rested against yours, both of you breathless, the air thick with the unspoken things that had always been between you.

“So,” he said, scratching the back of his neck, “does this mean you’ll finally let me add one of my songs to your playlist?”

You laughed, feeling lighter than ever. “We’ll see,” you teased. “But only if you promise to help me decorate every year.”

“Deal,” he said, his grin widening.

And as the fairy lights twinkled around you, it felt like the start of something even brighter.

*────୨ৎ────𝙴𝚗𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐────୨ৎ──*

[thecrazyworldbuilder]

HOW TO DO NEOGRAPHY WELL

Step 1: Base lines.

Aka guidelines. Just do an unfilled rectangle and stack it on itself twice.

Step 2: Basic calligraphy

Choose your brush. Different brush shapes have different dynamics, and different dynamics will wield different results on paper.

Best experienced on actual paper, for digital programs cannot give you the exact right feel of drag when you try to do wrong strokes. Usually, if you write by hand on paper, and it's feeling effortless, then you're doing it right.

Cheat sheet for brush tips of different kinds:

Step 3: The execution

You might want to try asemic writing at first, or take inspiration from other writing systems that already exist. Know that it is nigh impossible to create something that never existed before, for your writing system will always bear similarity to at least a dozen others.

There are multiple methods of making scripts,

Engineered

You set up a goal and plan things up before setting up the canons. Usually used for featural scripts.

Post-asemic

Make an asemic array of symbols and assign them Latin equivalents.

Monogramic

Make a monogram - some complex symbol with lots of strokes - and break it into lesser shapes erasing some of the original strokes. Similar to the Combinatorics method. Example below:

Combinatoric

Make particles, combine in different ways. See below:

Natural evolution simulation

Following the pipeline "pictogram" -> "letter". As seen below:

Other useful tips:

Omniglot.com: go there and take a look at how many writing systems are there in the world. This site stores lots of conscripts as well, and you can submit yours if you want to!

r/neography is a huge subreddit that has everything about neography (aka the art of creating new writing systems).

Learn about what kinds of writing systems there are. Basically they are categorized by how much information a symbol carries. It could be one sound, a syllable, or whole words. Though there are nuances, explained on r/neography's wiki, by the way.

Practice. Doodle a lot. You will get the grip of it eventually.

There are 26 letters in the English alphabet. The middle is between M and N, as M is letter #13. If you include numerals, that's 36 symbols. If you include punctuation, that's about 48 symbols depending on how much punctuation you want.

I have a sideblog called @thecrazyneographist meant just for neography, and all the scripts posted there are free to use per request!

Have fun :D

[suninvanillabun]

Here's an actionable step by step guide, THAT ACTUALLY WORKS, on how to set goals and create to do lists that don't make us want to give up the very first week.

I hope it helps!

Step 1:

I need you to start fresh. If you already have a to do list, delete everything on it. If you have many goals or unclear goals with no real plan, also forget about them. Start fresh. It's time fo let go of what is not serving you and try something new. "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results" - Albert Einstein

Step 2

Get a pen and a notebook, or open your notes app, and sit alone in a quite place. Cancel your plans for the following 2 hours, and allow yourself to prioritise YOU

Step 3:

On the notebook or notes app, begin by writing down rhe things that are sitting in the back of your mind, bugging you. The things that you need to change or do immediately for survival purposes. Those are the things that are very necessary, immediate, and important for survival. For example, if you need money for rent in a couple of months, if you're not getting enough sleep, if you feel sluggish and unhealthy, if you have a health problem that's immediate, if there's an assignment or deadline that you're procrastinating on, if you're dealing with a huge mental health issue that's preventing you from everyday life, if you're dealing with grief or withdrawls, etc. Those things are usually not many. I would say, not more than 3 immediate survival problems.

Step 4:

The 11 categories of life are:

physical health

mental health

fitness and appearance

connections and friends

intimate relationship

money and finances

focus and brain health

skills and personal growth

spirituality

reputation or personal brand

purpose.

I need you to write down the following 11 titles and highlight them, then, under each one of these titles, write no more than 3 problesm. Basically, no more than 3 things you'd like to change about each one of the 11 categories. Get specific. Remember that the key is to prioritise.

Step 5:

On a separate paper, write down your biggest fears in each of the 11 categories. What are the things that you're very scared would happen in the future? Are you scared of a specific health issue? A specific reputation? Being broke and depending on a man who makes it feel like he's doing you a favour for buying food? Get specific. Write down your deepest, darkest fear in each of the 11 categories. The fears will be your anti-visions. The fears will motivate and inspire your goals.

Step 6:

Now on a separate piece of paper, I want you to write down your 3-year goals for each of the 11 categories, which are the opposites of your biggest fears. The goals should be yours. Don't write random things. Don't write things you see other people online go after. Choose goals that really resonate with you as a person. For each one, ask yourself "is this goal really mine"? And "why do i want it?". For example, what's something you'd really like to do for money if it was possible, in order to avoid your biggest fear around money? How would you like to work in order to avoid having to slave around for others? How would you like to look and present yourself? Healthy? Feminine? Effortless? Sharp? How would you like to be known? What type of partner would you like to have? What kind of relationship would you like to be in?

Step 7:

Now, getting to the to do list, I want you to start with the survival list because it is the most important. Let's say you got 3 immediate survival problems on the list. I want you to get a piece of paper, and brain storm then write down EXACTLY what you know that you need to do in order to fix them. The steps should not be general like "get a job", but specific like "use X skill to get X amount of money by applying X amount of times a day, at X time, on X website" get VERY SPECIFIC. decide on the time and place. Lay down the steps. And write down the date by which you have to finish.

The survival goals should be the ones you work on early in the morning or late before bed, for optimal focus. They should have the biggest priority, and they're the ONLY goals that you must work on for extended periods of time. If there are quick things you can do like "take a pill" or "apply for a specific job", then you should do that first thing and quickly.

Step 8:

Now for the 3 problems under each of the 11 categories, I want you to create a basic to-do list for this month, and include 1 problem from each category. Only 1. The 2nd and 3rd problems will be dealt with in the coming months. Choose 11 problems in total, and for each one, set 1 specific daily actionable step that:

Is clear and unambiguous (for example, "read 5 pages from - insert specific business book-" instead of just "read for 15 mins")

Has a clear place and time (on my bed, after dinner)

Has a clear purpose (to develop my business skills and fix -insert problem-)

Is easy and doesn't feel like too much (5 pages instead of 15)

Step 9:

Finally, create a daily checklist. Go to your notes app, or use a notebook, and create a page for each day of the month, with each task on it. Don't enter the tasks manually every day, just write them down once, for the entire month. This creates less resistance. You can also add the checklist as a widget on your home screen, or hand the papers, each day at a time, on your wall.

[enderaft3r]

My boyfriend is playing Wobble Dogs, a horrendous, wonderful, abusive game, for the first time, so I thought I would document it here.

Within the first few minutes we got a new dog, and he named it “fresh” because the cation said fresh dog.

Just watched him torture the fictional dog named Fresh, then he named it Less-Fresh, and he named it Stale right before it died. He put it in a room where it was permanently stuck in torment, never being able to rest in his final moments, only being viciously thrown around by an army of punching bags that fight back. He was in constant motion until his inevitable demise. He memorized Fresh then less-fresh now stale and wrote on his grave stone “the first… not the greatest. The burnt pancake.”

He's now doing unethical breading techniques, that will only lead to a short painful life. He has has made one as long as possible, with an extremely small head. I believe that this dog will snap in half if played with to hard. I fear for it.

He, in the effort to get unique dogs, is forcing some to consume its own excrements. They have eaten so much poop.

I'm scared to admit I egged him on in the beginning. I regret my actions.

He has now created what I nicknamed the tower of pain.

The lower level is the hatchlings, the ones unable to breed. They live a beautiful and effortless life, an existence doomed from the first clap of the dog of loves paws.

Once they have pupated 3 times, they are ready to fornicate with the other ‘dogs’. These ones move to the living room. A room filled with plants and toys and lots of food. They live a good life in here, for they have one job, to eat. But they can only eat what they are assigned, so they can mutate in an acceptable, fashion with the correct bacteria.

However, once they have served their purpose, and can no longer bread, they move to the death room. The death room is split in half viva gruesome looking jack-o-lanterns. They have spiteful, evil faces staring into what he calls ‘the bad side’. The bad side is where dogs that has been displeasing in their lives go. A never ending world of miserable bouncing, being flung around by punching bags. They all meet Fresh then Less-Fresh now Stales fate.

The good side has a tv and a starfish. This is where the good dogs go. Within the 2 hours I beheld of him playing, only 66% of the dogs made it to the good place.

All of these rooms are stacked on top of each other, as the ‘dogs’ climb the tower of life.

This is what happened within 2 hours of playing, I am both terrified and curious to see what happened when he boots up Wobble Dogs again.

[abudhabilaundryservices]

Crafting Your Signature Style: The Art of Organizing Your Closet

In a world where expressing your unique style matters, a clutter-free closet is a game-changer. But let’s face it – rummaging through heaps of clothes can be a struggle. Let's explore how sorting your wardrobe by color or category can turn it into a haven of style and practicality.

Unveiling the Magic of Sorting by Color: Organizing clothes by color offers a ton of perks:

Visual Harmony: Picture a closet where colors seamlessly blend—a sight to behold and easy to navigate.

Effortless Pairing: Mix and match becomes a breeze when your clothes are grouped by color.

Creative Sparks: Seeing your wardrobe color-coordinated sparks creativity, making outfit creation fun and intuitive.

The Beauty of Categorizing Your Clothes: Now, let's talk about sorting by category, which brings its own set of advantages:

Easy Reach: Imagine finding all your shirts, pants, or dresses in one go—a time-saver indeed.

Maximizing Space: Efficiently arranging similar items saves space and keeps things tidy.

Tidy Maintenance: Quick tidying up and easier tracking of your favourite pieces, minus the clutter.

Keeping Your Closet in Shipshape:

Homecoming Rule: Return clothes to their spots pronto to prevent clutter build-up.

Edit Like a Pro: Say goodbye to clothes you no longer wear, creating room for your favourites.

A Place for Everything: Assign a specific spot for each item to maintain an organized closet.

Regular Decluttering: Make decluttering a habit to keep your wardrobe spick and span.

Whether you prefer sorting by color or category, the key is consistency. Embrace the habit of occasional reorganization to keep your wardrobe stylishly in check. With a closet that’s as stylishly organized as you are, you’ll be ready to take on the world, one fashionable ensemble at a time.