#custom flag codes

[flagsmoji]

[left to right] row 1: bpd coded, bpd, violent dog bpd

row 2: bpd prince, rabid bpd, bpd mutt

row 3: alt bpd 1, alt bpd 2, bpd princess row 4: bpd cowboy, unlabled bpd, bpd vampire

[ohheplays]

My updated flag for Camp Ladonia + a more generic "summer camp" island flag for everyone to use! ⛺️🖍️

[jwestengraving]

throwback to the first batch of carabiners i made!

these were a joy to make! i still take custom carabiner requests, all profits go towards trans healthcare fundraisers too! flagging-focused for every kind of queer.

[gothteddiesdotcom]

not to brag about being good at my job but I’ve now developed two separate tools for debugging entirely on my own within my company entirely from scratch without help and A. it makes my job so much fucking easier and B. my boss is thinks im incredible just because im too lazy to want to write the same bits of code over and over just for debugging purposes

[satellite-blossom]

Pride month is around, which means I have an excuse to share my own boyflux flag !

I'm not big on masc flags using dark blue and green — they're not objectively bad, I just don't feel represented by them — so I've made a new flag for enboys who like vibrant colors !

Feel free to use it yourself ! You don't have to credit me, but if you do please link back to this account as "Léo Lune".

Inspo and meaning under the read more !

Individual color meanings :

liminality is the space between two states/spaces, which here means the state between masculinity & null

genderflux identities are often listed under the genderfluidity category

null isn't a lack of something, but rather its own value, infinite and void ; this represents how one can be both boyflux & another gender, or even sometimes identify as agender (or similar labels)

gender non-conformity is featured on the flag because gender fluidity in itself defies gender conformity

purple as queerness was picked in reference to many other flags and reflects how no matter if a boyflux individual feels more masculine or null, they remain queer

General meaning & references :

the structure of the flag, which blues on top and pinkish colors on the bottom separated by a lighter stripe, is a reference to these genderflux flags, although the order was flipped to emphasize the masculinity of the boyflux identity

the yellow stripe being in the middle is a reference to the second genderflux flag

the flag features seven stripes in reference to one of the genderflux flags & the transmasculine flag (among other things)

the purples and yellow are references to the non-binary flag

the blues and purples reflect each other in brightness but also (somewhat) in saturation, as both color groups represent a key aspect of being boyflux

the bottom purple stripe is bluer than the other ones, as if it could be followed by the top stripe, which represents the somewhat cyclic nature of genderfluidity

the gradient itself represents transitioning from state to state, often with nebulous feelings/thoughts/sensations which fade/mix into each other

[8techlabs-blog]

How to Balance Fixing Performance Issues and Adding New Features in Web Applications?

In today’s digital landscape, web applications are essential for business operations, marketing, and consumer involvement. As organizations expand and consumer expectations rise, development teams are frequently confronted with the difficult task of balancing two key priorities: addressing performance issues and introducing new features.

While boosting performance improves the user experience and increases efficiency, new features are required to remain competitive and meet market demands. Prioritizing one over the other, on the other hand, might have negative consequences—performance concerns can lead to a poor user experience while failing to innovate can result in a competitive disadvantage.

This blog delves into how to balance improving performance and introducing new features to web apps, allowing firms to satisfy technical and market demands efficiently.

Why Balancing Performance and New Features Is Crucial

A web application���s success depends on both its performance and its features. However, relying entirely on one might result in imbalances that impair both user happiness and business progress. 

Performance:Performance is an important component that directly influences user retention and happiness. Users can become frustrated and leave if the application has slow loading times, crashes, or problems. Ensuring that your web application runs smoothly is essential since 53% of mobile consumers would quit a site that takes more than three seconds to load. 

New Features:On the other hand, constantly adding new features keeps users interested and promotes your company as innovative. New features generate growth by attracting new consumers and retaining existing ones who want to experience the most recent changes.

The dilemma is deciding when to prioritize bug fixes over new feature development. A poor balance can harm both performance and innovation, resulting in a subpar user experience and stagnation. 

Common Performance Issues in Web Applications

Before balancing performance and features, it’s important to understand the common performance issues that web applications face:

Slow Load Times: Slow pages lead to higher bounce rates and lost revenue.

Server Downtime: Frequent server outages impact accessibility and trust.

Poor Mobile Optimization: A significant portion of web traffic comes from mobile devices and apps that aren’t optimized for mobile fail to reach their potential.

Security Vulnerabilities: Data breaches and security flaws harm credibility and user trust.

Bugs and Glitches: Software bugs lead to poor user experiences, especially if they cause the app to crash or become unresponsive.

Strategic Approaches to Fixing Performance Issues

When performance issues develop, they must be handled immediately to guarantee that the online application functions properly. Here are techniques for improving performance without delaying new feature development: 

Prioritize Critical Issues:Tackle performance issues that have the most significant impact first, such as slow loading times or security vulnerabilities. Use analytics to identify bottlenecks and determine which areas require urgent attention. 

Use a Continuous Improvement Process:Continuously monitor and optimize the application’s performance. With tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, you can track performance metrics and make incremental improvements without major overhauls. 

Optimize Database Queries:Slow database queries are one of the leading causes of web app performance issues. Optimize queries and ensure that the database is indexed properly for faster access and retrieval of data. 

Reduce HTTP Requests:The more requests a page makes to the server, the slower it loads. Minimize requests by reducing file sizes, combining CSS and JavaScript files, and utilizing caching.

  5. Leverage Caching and CDNs:       Use caching strategies and Content Delivery Networks (CDNs) to deliver content quickly to users by storing files in multiple locations globally.

Why Adding New Features is Essential for Growth

 In the rapidly changing digital environment, businesses must continually innovate to stay relevant. Adding new features is key to maintaining a competitive edge and enhancing user engagement. Here’s why:

User Expectations:Today’s consumers expect personalized experiences and constant innovation. Failure to add new features can lead to customer churn, as users may feel your web application no longer meets their needs.

Market Differentiation:Introducing new features allows your application to stand out in the marketplace. Unique functionalities can set your app apart from competitors, attracting new users and increasing customer loyalty.

Increased Revenue Opportunities:New features can lead to additional revenue streams. For example, adding premium features or new integrations can boost the app’s value and lead to increased sales or subscription rates.

  4. Feedback-Driven Innovation:       New features are often driven by user feedback. By continuously developing and adding features, you create a feedback loop that improves the overall user experience and fosters customer                 satisfaction.

Read More: https://8techlabs.com/how-to-balance-fixing-performance-issues-and-adding-new-features-in-web-applications-to-meet-market-demands-and-enhance-user-experience/

[enteragoodnamehere]

oughbh 5 hours worth of coding for my TH profile done.. yipppee

[kingkaisen]

𝐁𝐀𝐃 𝐂��𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐄𝐑𝐕𝐈𝐂𝐄!

🍔🍟 — 𝐬𝐮𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐲: there’s one thing GOJO won’t accept, and it’s bad customer service. he’ll just have to fuck the attitude right out of the rude cashier.

🍔🍟 — 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭: 18+ ONLY || MDNI — semi-public, unprotected & hate sex, creampie, orgasm denial, brief spanking, sweet & degrading nicknames, manhandling, dumbification, oral, fem! reader.

🍔🍟 — 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐭: 3K

🍔🍟 — 𝐚/𝐧: mdni template guide by @/kithsune. the reader does NOT work at mcdonald’s. screw mcdonald’s.

When Satoru Gojo stepped through the double doors of his favorite 24-hour fast-food restaurant — the door chiming to alert any potential workers of his presence — he wasn’t greeted.

That was the first red flag.

Truth be told, he wasn’t so entitled that he would expect to be greeted whenever he entered a place where customer service was expected, as most times, the employees were too busy preparing burgers and fries or wiping off greasy tables covered in spilled soda with nothing but a wet rag and an insane amount of patience.

But, it wasn’t the lunchtime rush hour. It was 1:35 A.M., and as he approached the counter, he saw only one employee, who wasn’t doing anything at all, aside from glaring at him.

As a busy man, Satoru wasn’t one to spend his precious time standing over a hot stove.

While he could cook, and his food was edible at the very least, his busy, career-driven lifestyle as an overworked individual meant that he had to rely on convenient fast food and styrofoam cups of chicken-flavored ramen more than he was willing to admit.

And, because of that, you recognized that white-haired man instantly.

Frequent visitor.

Always came in at the worst hours imaginable.

Liked to change up his order constantly as well, making it impossible to have his food prepared before his arrival.

“You again?” Frowning at the customer, you leaned over the counter, placing your elbow on the cold, gray countertop as your chin rested in the palm of your hand. “Did anyone ever teach you how to cook?”

“Did anyone ever teach you how to have manners?” Satoru shot back, his hands in his pockets as he halted his footsteps.

Those beautiful blue eyes of his scanned the big menu board above you, searching for the perfect hour-past-midnight combo.

Truth be told, he wasn’t taking a long time to order. Not any longer than most customers take, at least. But, even so, you rhythmically tapped your nails against the counter, sighing heavily with impatience.

“Something wrong?” Satoru darted his eyes down to you — the sluggish cashier.

“Can you just hurry up and order, please? I already gotta go cook whatever you want by myself without any help, so stop wasting my time.”

Satoru laughed, and you frowned.

What exactly did that lousy bastard find so funny?

“No wonder you’re not afraid to talk to me like that. And to dress out of dress code. There’s no one around to discipline you, huh?”

“Shut up,” rising from the counter, your frown only deepened, and his smile only widened. “Even if my boss was here, he wouldn’t care. Besides, the skirt is a part of the dress code, now just hurry up and order some-”

“But it’s not supposed to be pulled up that high, is it?”

Instead of responding, you grabbed your cup off of the counter, sipping on your favorite drink through the red, plastic straw as you glared at the aggravating customer.

“Are you gonna order or not?” You eventually questioned, your eyes glistening with annoyance.

“Sure thing, sweetheart.” Smirking, he pulled his black wallet out of his pocket. “I’ll have the number one with a coke.”

Silently, you pressed a few buttons on the POS system computer screen in front of you.

“$20.78.”

“That’s not right,” Satoru paused. “Way too high.”

“Well, I put it in correctly, so I don’t know what you want me to do about it. Can’t afford it?”

For a moment, Satoru simply stared at you. His facial expression was impossible to read.

Suddenly, he walked away from the counter, went through the black door marked EMPLOYEES ONLY, and was standing right behind you in only a handful of seconds.

“What-” Stammering, you looked back at the tall man hovering behind you, who stared the computer screen. “What the hell do you think you’re doing? You’re not supposed to come back here.”

“And you’re not supposed to overcharge a customer, right?” Satoru’s body was only a few inches away from yours, close enough for you to smell him. Feel his body heat. “Let me take a look at it.”

No flippant remark was fired back. How surprising.

You couldn’t see his face once you turned to look at the white screen displaying his incorrectly rung-up order, but you could feel his cocky smirk as he pressed a few buttons on your screen.

“Here’s the problem, baby.” He said. “You rang up my order twice without realizing it. Is pressing a few buttons too difficult for you? Hm?”

Folding your arms across your chest, you refused to answer that smirking son-of-a-bitch.

“No answer? Oh, c’mon.” Suddenly, Satoru closed the space between your bodies, completely pressing himself against your backside. “You were running your mouth earlier. Why so shy now? Not so bold when there isn’t a counter separating us, are you?”

You gulped. And you gulped because that annoying customer’s hard bulge was pressed right against your ass and back, and — god — as much as you would like to slap him across the face, you found yourself slickly pushing back against him instead, just to feel it through your skirt a little more.

Your own desperation was embarrassing for you, but it couldn’t be helped. Not when he was so close.

“Oh, I see,” Reaching around you, Satoru’s large hand suddenly cupped your jaw, and he pulled your head up and to the side until you were looking at him.

“So you don’t wanna talk, you don’t wanna take my order, but you wanna try and grind yourself against me? I had a feeling you were nothing more than a little slut, and it looks like I was right.”

Before you could respond — not that you would have, as you didn’t want to give him the satisfaction — Satoru leaned down a bit and smashed his lips against yours.

You sharply inhaled, gasping in shock, and he smiled against your lips before deepening the kiss.

With his large hand cupping your jaw, keeping your head in place, he shoved his tongue into your wet mouth, moaning at the sweet taste of you.

Feeling your tongue swirl around his as if you could keep up with the sloppy way he dominated your mouth was both cute and amusing to him.

He kissed you deeply like this so you would forever remember the taste of him. So you would never forget the feeling of his tongue rubbing against yours.

And when he pulled away, a string of spit falling from your previously connected lips, Satoru suddenly gripped your waist from behind, lifted you a bit, and placed you across the counter.

You were lying on your stomach with your ass exposed to him, and the entire scene was exposed for any potential customer who walked in to witness.

“What the hell are you thinking?” You glanced around, double-checking that the restaurant was empty. “Someone could walk in and catch us, you idiot.”

“Think that makes it pretty exciting, doesn’t it? Maybe they’ll enjoy a show.”

He wasn’t worried. Worst case scenario, he’d have to ask his friend in the government, Suguru Geto, to work some magic for him.

Satoru ran his hands over the back of your soft thighs. Then, he fondled your ass, raising your skirt and pulling down your underwear.

He gave your ass a quick spank, laughing when you yelped a bit.

“You know what I think?” He paused, running his fingers across the glistening lips of your pussy. “I think you’re overworked, aren’t you, baby? Pretty girls like you become all bitter and angry when they have to work so much because then they have no time to get fucked properly. Isn’t that right?”

Suddenly, Satoru bit his bottom lip and shoved two of his fingers inside your aching hole.

“This pussy’s pretty tight, sweetheart. Seems like I was right.” Pumping his long fingers in and out of you at a steady, quick pace, he said, “Don’t worry. I’m gonna take care of you. I’ll make sure you get a good fucking.”

Muffled moans and the sound of cars speeding down the road in the distance filled the silence. Satoru, however, didn’t appreciate your attempts at quieting the beautiful noises he was eliciting from you.

“Put your hands behind your back,” Satoru ordered.

You removed your hand, which was previously covering your mouth. Placing both arms behind your back, Satoru held on tightly to your wrists with one hand and continued to curl his fingers up inside of your pussy with the other.

“There we go,” he said with a teasing tone. “I’ve had to listen to you run your mouth. Now let me hear you moan.”

“Oh my god,” you breathlessly moaned. “Shit . . .”

He was right. It had been far too long since anyone had touched you, and even then, it wasn’t as pleasurable as it was right now.

He moved his fingers with great skill. As you arrived closer and closer to your approaching orgasm — made obvious by the way you started to squirm — Satoru pumped his fingers faster and faster.

Just when you were about cum, he yanked them out of your clenching hole.

“Why-Why’d you stop?” You groaned in frustration. “Keep going.”

“No. I don’t want you cumming on my fingers. I want you to cum in my mouth.” With a smirk — although you couldn’t see his face — Satoru raised his fingers to his lips and licked them, sampling a taste of what he would soon devour.

“You’re an asshole,” you swore. Satoru only laughed in response.

He then got down on his knees, getting in the perfect position to eat you out from behind, releasing your wrists so he could use both of his hands to spread your pussy lips apart. “You ready? Don’t hold back, okay?”

Feeling Satoru’s tongue against your clit resulted in a gasp of shock erupting from your throat, followed by a lengthy moan.

He didn’t eat you out like a gentleman, either.

He licked, sucked, and slurped at you like a starving man.

He swirled his tongue around your clit, pausing only to suck on it. He pushed his tongue into your hole, fucking you with it.

Your combined moans were a beautiful sound he wanted to hear for the rest of his life. His moans in particular added a bit of vibration as he ate your pussy.

Satoru gripped your ass cheeks with his hands, massaging them. The sheer force of his lips and tongue working against your sensitive pussy made your body rock back and forth across the counter.

Damn him.

“Ah!” You moaned sharply. “Oh my – oh my god . . .”

The pleasure was indescribable.

He knew exactly how to work his tongue, and the magic that came with having your clit licked at and sucked on had you squirming your arms around, gripping the edge of the counter, trying to find anything to hold on to.

You accidentally knocked your drink off of the counter and onto the floor. It splattered, ice and soda spilling everywhere, but at the same time, your cum was starting to spill onto Satoru’s tongue.

That was all that mattered.

He smacked your ass once again as he felt you start to flood his mouth.

God, you tasted amazing. Better than the food he originally came into the fast-food restaurant to eat.

If he could, he would have eaten you out over and over again. Made you cum onto his tongue over and over again. One orgasm for every customer you mistreated.

But he was in a hurry, truthfully not wanting to push his luck when it came to having privacy.

And, at this point, his clothed dick was painfully hard.

Satoru rose to his feet.

Suddenly, he grabbed your waist and flipped you over, your back against the counter this time.

Leaning over slightly, he placed his hands on your thighs, rubbing them. It was undoubtedly his favorite body part of yours.

His eyes darted down to the red framed name tag above your right breast.

“Y/N, huh? Cute name.”

Satoru unbuckled his belt and pulled his pants down.

Lining the tip of his lengthy cock up with your hole, he said, “it’s nice to officially meet you. My name’s Satoru. Make sure you moan it for me, okay?”

Satoru started to fill you up perfectly. His rhythmic thrusts, quick, yet steady pace — it all made beautiful moans flutter from between your lips without a second thought.

You were no longer worried about getting caught. With every thrust, you found yourself unable to focus on anything that wasn’t related to being fucked by your annoying customer.

“Ah, Satoru,” you moaned and whimpered.

He gripped your hips, his blue eyes flickering between your pretty, fucked out face and your bouncing boobs.

He increased his speed — god, he wanted to cum so badly. Desperately.

His desire to fill you up resulted in him holding onto the plush of your hips a bit tighter, slamming in and out of you a bit faster.

Skin slapped against skin. His balls bounced off of your ass.

“Oh, fuck. That’s it, baby. Just lie there and take it for me. Take it.”

He leaned over. His mouth hovered above your ear, thrusts never slowing, and he whispered, “my pretty girl can’t think about anything other than this dick, hm? All you know how to do is cum and moan, is that right?”

With a low moan of his own, Satoru slowly licked your left ear. Removing one of his hands from your hips, he gripped your right tit, slowly gliding his thumb over your hard, clothed nipple. Those perfect lips of his detached from your ear only to trail wet kisses down your neck. His index finger flicked at your nipple rapidly.

“Shit, I can’t wait to cum inside of you.” Satoru hooked his hand under your knee, pushing your leg back towards your chest, which made you feel his cock even deeper than before.

“Satoru . . . gonna cum again,” your pathetic warning was followed by a whine.

“Ah . . .” Beads of sweat pooled across Satoru’s forehead. “So close, I’m so close, baby. I’m gonna cum. I’m gonna-”

Your tight pussy was milking his cock like you were both put on this earth for the sole purpose of fucking one another.

With a loud moan, Satoru’s steady thrusts staggered in rhythm, and he shot his big load inside of you. Never had he come so much — he was almost embarrassed by it, stuffing your hole so sinfully.

But then, your pussy clenched around him, and your second orgasm crashed upon you like an enormous wave, overwhelming your senses until you couldn’t do anything except moan, cum, and feel Satoru’s dick throb and spurt out his semen inside of you.

You were both breathless. Happily fucked out.

But as Satoru pulled you off of the counter, the lustful gaze within his blue eyes told you that he wasn’t finished with you yet.

“Get on your knees.”

How obedient you were, following his orders by dropping down on the black and white tiled floor. He could hardly believe you were the same woman who had the nerve to be snappy with him earlier. The same woman who purposely wouldn’t give condiments to annoying restaurant regulars.

When you opened your mouth without him telling you to, looking up at him with pleading eyes, his cock throbbed painfully.

“You’re such a good girl,” Satoru grinned, pumping his cock with his fist.

“Hurry,” you whined impatiently.

Satoru gripped the back of your head. He shoved his dick in your mouth.

Instantly, he started to thrust his dick down your throat, bucking his hips yet again as he had done several times throughout the night.

“I’m sorry, didn’t mean to keep you waiting so long,” he spoke sarcastically and breathlessly, tossing his head back. “I know how many times you’ve kept me waiting for my orders as a customer. Doesn’t feel so good, does it, sweetheart? To be kept waiting?”

With a moan, Satoru gripped your hair even tighter than before. Your warm and wet mouth was working wonders on his dick. He already dreaded the moment in which he’d have to stop face fucking you.

“Your mouth feels so good,” he closed his eyes in pure bliss. “I’m gonna cum again already.”

Spit dribbled out from the sides of your mouth. Your hands held onto his thighs. The big vein on the underside of his cock throbbed against your tongue as he moaned louder, thrusts growing sloppy.

His sweet and warm cum flooded your mouth.

“Swallow it. Fucking swallow it, baby. There you go.” Breathing unevenly as he came, he held your head still, not daring to take his cock out of your mouth until you swallowed every last drop. “That mouth was meant for swallowing my cum, not talking back to me. You understand me?”

You hummed around his cock in response. The vibrating sensation made his dick twitch, spurting out the last bit of his cum down your throat.

Satoru removed his dick from your mouth, but he only gave you a second to breathe, because suddenly, he leaned down and he replaced his cock with his tongue.

Still gripping your hair, he kissed you sloppily — filthily — creating a mixture of your combined spit and the remnants of his cum you hadn’t yet completely swallowed. The customer moaned just to show you how much he was enjoying the taste of your mouth. How he cherished the mess you were both making.

Eventually, Satoru pulled his tongue out of your mouth, ending the kiss with a quick bite at your bottom lip.

Like a gentleman, he helped you off of the floor.

You both started to put back on your removed clothing items or straighten out what had gotten disheveled.

“Are you still hungry?” You asked rather shyly, running your hands down your skirt, smoothing it out.

With a small laugh, Satoru said, “Oh, that’s right. I almost forgot about the food.”

You washed up with low-quality soap and water as best as you could. The raggedy soap dispensers could surely use an upgrade.

Then, you made your way into the kitchen, preparing Satoru’s order as he waited patiently.

You gave him his hot bag of food with a soft smile.

Opening it, he saw plenty of napkins and condiments.

“Thank you, sweetheart.” Grabbing the bag and his drink, he winked at you before he started walking away from the very counter he just finished fucking you across. “I’ll see you later, alright?”

“Okay,” your sad mumble — which was from the fact that he was leaving already — had quickly changed as you started to realize something. “Wait! You forgot to pay!”

Satoru wholeheartedly ignored you. Stepping through the exit doors, which dinged as he opened them, he left the fast-food restaurant and got into his car. Pulling out his phone, the man set a reminder to wipe tonight’s surveillance camera footage in the morning.

It was rather fortunate that he owned the restaurant.

♡ — 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠!

[renorasims]

Enoque Coats.

With the latest update came this incredibly cute coat! HOWEVER... It came with as an outfit with a pair of pants underneath so i had to make it into a top and remove that! ᵔᴥᵔ The short version is SO cute!! I loved the original color palette a lot, so i did not add any recolors. Read below for the download link! (Freebsters of course!)

If you don't mind, as i'm getting back into creating make sure to give me a follow on BlueSky / Instagram! I'm relatively new over there ᵔᴥᵔ

BGC | Maxis Match | 16 Swatches | Proper Flags | All LOD’s | Specular, Shadow and Bump-map | Custom Thumbnail(s) | Within EA’s Polycount | Original Mesh credits; EA | Disabled for random.

ENOQUE COATS | (free)

My CC has been and will always be free. I want to give a B-I-G thanks to the people that supported me along the way! It has partially paid for my hosting, software subs, and other creating necessities. You guys are amazing! ♥

Follow: Patreon | Instagram | BlueSky | X | Tumblr | Ko-fi | Paypal

Thanks to the EA creator network you can support my comeback by purchasing your favorite packs, bundles or kits in the EA App! A percentage of each purchase will go directly towards supporting my content creation for the Sims 4 at no extra cost to you :3

EA CREATOR CODE: RENORASIMS

[dead-end-draws]

Tribe Banner concept art:

Folks seemed to enjoy my WOF WIPS, so here’s more concept art for y’all! My favorite thing about WOF is the potential for world building. I thought it’d be cool to see a tribe emblem represented on a banner/flag of sorts:

Read below for some of the thought process / headcannons behind the design choices: 👇

Skywing Banner:

Skywings pride themselves on 3 things; treasure, fire, & their enormous, soaring wingspan which steals the sky.

As such, portrayed on the banner, the fabric (often made with dyed cow or goat leathers) resembles draped dragon wings. Two Skywings embrace a goblet, which is spewing golden fire.

The banner is often held aloft with iron or gold poles, signifying to other tribes their wealth and pride.

Mudwing banner:

These banners are fashioned with leather hides from cow or crocodile skin, held aloft with bamboo, and painted with a Talon-print & Reed crest.

The talonprint symbolizes community and the strength of Mudwing sibling bonds. The reed border unifies all Mudwings regardless of their relationship to home; the swamp. Bigwings are often seen carrying these into battle, signifing their status and making it easier for a sib to locate them in the flurry of a fight.

Sandwing Banner:

Sandwing flags are made with camel skins and dyed cactus leather.

A crest shows a Sandwing coiled around a beaming sun, a reminder that despite the revered 3 moons, Sandwings are born to thrive in sunlight.

The fabric is cut in a way to mimic the swooping dunes of Sandwing territory. And the poles of the flags are equally intricate, with scorpion tails and golden ropes which frame the banner.

These flags make prominent appearances in parades, festivals, and markets, and even miniature version are often displayed in homes or as tapestries/carpets.

Seawing banner:

These banners are often seen displayed in royal quarters or councils, or above land to mark territory.

A nautilus shell crest on front echoes the swirl-pattern associated with royal Seawings: The banner’s borders resemble waves and a dragon swimming beneath their surface.

These are crafted with rich materials, strung with seashells, pearls, silver dollars, and deep oceanic color fabric. There is severe penalty for Seawings found plucking treasure from the banners, as they are a direct symbol of royalty.

Nightwing Banner:

These banners emphasize the Nightwings’ relationship to the moon, their source of power and praise. The material, a contrast of white stitching against purple velvet showcases moonlight and night, black scales against stars, magic and mystery.

They are seen decorated with 3 moons at the top and a centered dragon reaching up into the night sky.

These banners were often used during the war as secret code by spies to deliver to other tribes. Prophecy scrolls often came attached, delivering cryptic messages or secrets in the night. These banners all helped add to the secrecy of the Dragonet Prophecy, and kept tribes on their toes around Nightwings.

Rainwing banner:

Rainwing banners are not used for battle purposes like other tribes, most are mere decoration, location indicators, and have no unified design.

However, It is said back when Rainwings left the rainforest to trade pre-war, this particular banner design was often raised above Rainwing merchant tables, and showcases the coiled tail of a Rainwing with leaves, vines, and other sights from the rainforest adorning a bamboo pole. Bright color combinations accentuated the flag to entice curious customers.

Now, only one tattered version of the original Rainwing banner remains, displayed proudly in Queen Glory’s quarters, a reminder that building the Rainwings’ community is their most important goal.

Icewing Banner:

These banners reflect the same standards Icewings hold themselves to.

Like a visual of the rankings themselves, each banner is cut perfectly from an Icewing’s trained, serrated claws to resemble icicles, and crafted with fine blue stitching.

Flags are often held aloft with perfectly polished narwhal horn or bone, and can be inlaid with sapphires or diamond.

Icewing soldiers are often gifted these during ceremonies, and perform training exercises with the flags to test their stance/attentiveness. The crest showcases the swift sharpness of ice through a flying dragon, and a snowflake toward the bottom reminding Icewings that even minuscule snowflakes, small things, should be perfect in form.

[kamospeach]

plot: bodyguard!toji just can't help but show his charge what she's missing

content warning: cheating on both ends, age gap(21 & 32), second hand embarrassment, pwp, fingering, cunnilingus, mating press, doggystyle, oral f! & m!recieving, cum eating, p in v sex, quickie

peachy's yap: wc 2.6k.ᐟ cringed writing this :P without cringe how else would i get him to blow her back out? i don't believe in cheating, pls remember everything is FICTIONAL before y'all jump me.

“i do not need a bodyguard!” you yell at your father who rubs his temples getting fed up with your antics. you’ve been against the bodyguard idea and have had the bodyguard for two weeks already. speaking of said bodyguard he stood there shoulders slumped listening to you argue this. you did this every day‘ it’s getting old…’ toji thought to himself.

toji watched your every move as you paced back and forth in your father's office. your short pink pleated shirt that left little or maybe even nothing to the imagination. it showed the bottom of your ass and the tattoo of the 'Brat' logo under your left ass cheek. your extremely tight crop top that showed an unnecessary amount of cleavage. your hair past your hips almost mid-thigh.

to toji you looked fuckin' hot but that was because he was a womanizer. any woman dressed in a small amount of clothing was his type.

he knew his job was to protect but he had an inkling his father wasn't really the best at hiring people. toji came to the interview dressed in ragged clothing a black shirt with a half circle cut out the left side. his sweatpants had small stains of blood that your father somehow didn't see. if anyone else had seen toji they would have immediately raised red flags faster than you can blink.

but your puny, oblivious, money-hungry, self-centered, (toji's words), and questionably caring father didn't notice. hired toji the same day and bought him a suit until his custom-tailored ones could be ordered. took him to your penthouse gave him the code to your door and dropped him off downstairs. he huffed that day realizing 'great father' would never be one of your dad's many attributes. yet who was he to judge?

“IT’S TOO FUCKIN LATE Y/N HE’S IN A TWO-YEAR CONTRACT.” your father yelled at you, you frowned turning around. you walked away snapping your fingers twice signaling toji to follow you. toji didn’t like you either the feeling was insanely mutual.

“take me to my boyfriend’s house,” you instructed toji who had no choice but to obey you. he started the car taking you to your boyfriend’s house. knowing the way there since you went there every day. and as always toji was required to follow you in the house.

it was a little different this time, you barked orders at your boyfriend. yelling at him telling him ‘get toji a drink’ and your boyfriend nods running off. he handed toji a bottle of water and you snap your fingers at your boyfriend. giving him a sharp glare ordering ‘take me upstairs’. to which he obliged picking you up.

toji sat downstairs on his phone telling his wife he’d probably be home late. toji wish he could quit after he met you and got to know you personally. and this? was the worst part of the day, when you’d go to your boyfriend’s house. while your boyfriend fucked you and you let out fake moans and your boyfriend yelled out in pleasure.

he honestly felt bad for you, not only were you an annoying spoiled brat. but you couldn’t get fucked properly by your shitty ass suck-up boyfriend. you were a naturally dominant woman and you wouldn’t get any pleasure if you weren't with a man who was as dominant as you.

you walked down the stairs rolling your eyes as your boyfriend begged you to stay. you being your bratty self waved him off and snapped for toji to follow you. he was getting fed up with the demands and was sure he was gonna tell you off soon.

he drove you to your house parking the company's car and getting out. he opened the door for you allowing you to leave. as always toji followed you to the door of your penthouse making sure you got in safely.

"leave me!" you yelled at toji and that was his last straw.

"i'm getting real tired of your shit. your a fucking spoiled brat, if this is gonna work you need to learn real manners. you dont yell at me and snap your fingers just 'cause your daddy's money is going into my pocket," he yelled at you. you were taken aback. no way was he yelling at you. you owned him. "

"just like you said my dad is paying you. which means if i say you're fired you'll be fired," you said and he raised a brow at your dumb assumption.

"your name is nowhere on the contract... you hold no power over me. we're both equals you work for your dad and so do i. we're practically co-workers darlin' nothing more nothing less." he said with a smug smirk. your nostrils were flaring in anger and your fist clenched by your side. your brain scrambling for a comeback to say to this ignorant man.

"well yea... i'll get my boyfriend to beat you up!" you yell voice shaky and toji chuckles darkly. he walked towards you, you were shivering under his intense glare.

"your weak ass boyfriend can't even make you cum and you think he'll beat me up?" he laughed and your face dropped.

"h...how did you know i wasn't finishing?" you ask swallowing a big lump in your throat. it was getting intense and toji had backed you into a corner. figuratively and literally. your back was pressed against the island and his hands trapped you.

"i've sat downstairs listening to your fake moans and his weak thrusts for 2 weeks now." toji smirked as you looked away from you. "plus i know what it sounds like when a woman's actually cumming."

the silence was loud and your breathing was erratic. toji looked back at your microwave checking the time. his brain was fighting his heart to go along with what he was thinking he'd do. while toji was deciding what he wanted to do, you knew what you wanted. when toji turned his face back to you you smashed your lips on his.

you pulled back remembering not only was he 11 years older than you, he was a married man. you both looked at each other in shock you held your breath hoping he wouldn't snitch to your father. but before you knew it toji's lips were back on yours, he picked you up placing you on the counter. his fingers ran across your thighs as your hands rubbed up and down his toned back.

it was wrong you knew it but did you care? hell no. his wife was a bitch anyway, you knew she was just a backup for his first dead wife. even if you did hear it unethically from snooping in on your father's childlike gossip. he didn't really like his wife so this technically isn't wrong. just as you finally let go of all thoughts it was toji's turn to pull away.

"this is wrong... i'm married, you have a boyfriend-" you cut him off not wanting to hear the excuses.

"you don't like your wife and my boyfriend can't make me cum. i think we have good reason for what we're doing this," you say and toji's eyebrows furrowed.

"those aren't good reasons..." he mumbled ignoring his thoughts and grabbed your chin roughly pulling you to him. he kissed you roughly your teeth clashing. the roughness of his fingernails digging in your skin knowing when he removed his hand there would be prominent crescent indents on your jaw.

he was so rough and it wasn't how you were used to. usually, you initiated everything with your boyfriends. it seemed as if toji was in a rush to get it over with and he needed you as soon as possible. he played with your thong under your tiny skirt.

his fingers slipped under the band of your thong pulling on it and letting it snap against your skin. "get down and go to your room." he tells you backing away and you furrow your brows.

"you can't carry me up there?" and he laughs walking away from you and heading to your room. this was shocking for you it felt like you went from one extreme to the next. first, you were with a submissive nice man and here you are with a dominant asshole. you swallowed your spit as you walked into your room seeing toji standing there naked.

you knew toji would be big but not that big. he was bigger than any guy you've ever slept with. you walked over to toji while stripping out of your clothes. you were down to your bra and skirt when toji grabbed your waist pulling you closer. he unclasped your bra letting it fall to the floor and tossed you on the bed.

you propped yourself on your arms and toji leaned over you pressing his lips on yours. your hands were anxiously touching him everywhere nervously. you felt like a virgin not sure where to put your hands or what to do. without any warning, toji pulled down your skirt and thong all in one pull. he kissed down your neck and pulled away glancing at his watch.

"we got 20 minutes," he said going back to kissing your neck sucking and nipping at the spot that made you moan.

"un...until what?" you asked and he laughed.

"until i have to leave. my wife's expecting me," he mumbled and you frowned.

"don't mention her while you're with me from now on," you tell him and he smirks.

"as you wish doll," he agreed not wanting to talk about his wife anyway. although it was wrong you both felt so right being here with each other. for you, toji was everything you needed rough and in control. for toji... well, you just gave it up and he wasn't one to turn down pussy he didn't have to pay for.

he kissed down your chest teasing you purposely missing your nipples. until you whined out and told him to stop teasing. he played with your clit rubbing and collecting your juices on his finger. pulling away from your nipples placing two fingers in your mouth. you grabbed his wrist as you tasted yourself on his digits.

after your spit was running down his fingers he removed it from your mouth. he pushed them in your entrance feeling how tight your needy cunt is. he scissored his fingers attempting to stretch you out. toji didn't talk much and initially, he wasn't in the mood for intimate foreplay. but now he did want to taste you since you were so wet.

he continued kissing down your body and one last time on the mound of your privates. he wasted no time sucking on your clit while vigorously fingering you.

"toji wait." you moaned out the feeling was becoming too much for you. you had never been eaten out before and this was new for you. the stimulation of your clit and his fingers massaging your rough g-spot had you gasping for air. your hands reached for his black hair pulling harshly. he groaned against you making you squeal in pleasure.

his tongue moved expertly against your clit taking his fingers out of you. you whined missing his fingers inside you and he leaned over you. he looked down at you with a bored expression but your clouded mind read it as admiration.

"ya ready?" he asked and you melted at the concern in his voice that you were definitely making up. you nodded lost in thought as toji wasted no time pushing into your entrance. your body arched at the feeling of him stretching you out.

he didn't wait for you to adjust to his size and started stroking immediately. you were moaning at the feeling already pushing on his stomach.

"take some out." you moaned head thrown back and toji just laughed at your pleas.

"it's only halfway in doll," he whispered in your ear pushing himself all the way in now. you tried to run from him but he gripped your waist holding you in place. you couldn't believe that it was only part way initially. yet you could definitely tell the difference now. his cockhead was kissing your cervix as he roughly pounded into you. you reached up to grab his face pulling it down to you and kissing him messily.

his hips didn't slow or stutter as he pounded into you mercilessly. he was fucking like he needed to leave right away, you could've sworn you both had another 15 minutes. he grabbed your legs pushing them against your chest putting you in a mating press.

"did he fuck you like this?" he grunted looking down at your tight cunt that sucked him in like a vice. you were squelching and your cream was painting his dick white. the view pushing toji closer and closer to his release.

"mm mm..." you hummed but it came out more of a moan. toji wasn't satisfied with this answer. he wanted to hear you say that he was the best you ever had.

"use your words ma. did he fuck you like this?" he repeated himself thrusting into you with a particularly pointed thrust as you were about to talk.

"nooo!" you squeaked and he pulled out smiling at the mess of cream on your folds. he flipped you over perfecting your arch and sliding into you again.

"fuck you're so tight," he groaned pushing himself into you. he gripped both of your ass cheeks roughly nails digging into the fatty flesh. once he calmed himself so he wouldn't nut too early he begin to fuck you again. this time making it a point to push his tip into your g-spot.

"toji m'close," you mumbled as your face was pressed into the pillow. before you knew it you felt pressure on the side of your face. your eyes opened seeing toes in your face.

you were in utter shock toji had his foot on your head thrusting into you relentlessly. the new found angle only pushing you closer and closer to release. you reached under yourself playing with your clit. you clenched around his dick making his thrust slow down at the grip.

"relax doll m'right behind you, just hold it for me," he grumbled still thrusting into you letting out small moans and guttural groans. he pulled out jerking himself off flipping you over and rubbing your clit quickly.

"fuck toji!" you yelled as your body convulsed and jerked as your squirt soaked him and the bed. he slapped your clit causing your body to lightly flinch from the feeling on your clit.

he crawled over you hover over your chest stroking his cock over your face. his dick twitched in his hand and his hips bucked into his hand. you leaned up wrapping your lips around his tip and swirling your tongue until you felt him release his hot cum down your throat.

"fuck yea ma that's it." he hummed as you took him down your throat and pulled off him with a pop. you swallowed his cum open your mouth sticking out your tongue.

"ah." you showed toji that you swallowed it all and he smirked softly smacking your cheek.

"good girl." he smiled looking at the watch on his wrist. "5 minutes to spare," he hummed to himself getting off of you. he didn't bother cleaning you up, he simply slipped on his boxers, then his suit.

"uh," you say not really sure what to say to be honest. he looked up at you where he sat on the end of your bed putting on his shoes.

"see you tomorrow," he said grabbing his phone and keys from your nightstand. without waiting to hear it back from you he jogged down your steps and to your front door. he left out locking the door with the code. you sat on your bed looking down at your hands with a smile.

"so that means we're together? right?" you thought to yourself out loud.

sure girl... sure.

[agentstarkid]

ART OF THE GAME ✦ LN4

✦ DEBRIEF: Lando walked in with a plan—cool, confident, effortless. Then he saw her, and just like that, his plan didn’t stand a chance.

✦ TRACK LIMITS: AU; art school boyfriend!lando; female!reader; attempt at flirting; she's so cool and bro is struggling.

✦ CHECKERED FLAG: 3.4K words.

✦ MAY'S RADIO: happy first race of the season! 🤪 i've seen a couple of posts with thoughts on lando being so art school bf coded and i've had brain rot ever since so i wrote this (target audience: me) 🫡

< back to general masterlist

Lando had every intention of playing it cool. He'd walked into the little art supply shop with a practiced ease, hands shoved into the pockets of his paint-stained jeans, eyes scanning the shelves with mock interest. He didn’t actually need anything—not today, at least—but he needed an excuse. And what better excuse than pretending to browse resin pigments when the girl he had been utterly, stupidly infatuated with for months was standing behind the counter?

He had been standing in front of the resin pigment shelf for a solid five minutes, pretending to debate between two shades of blue. In reality, his brain had short-circuited the second he walked in and saw her sitting behind the counter, twirling a pencil between her fingers, completely absorbed in whatever she was sketching.

He wasn’t even sure why he was so nervous. It wasn’t like they were strangers—they shared a few classes, exchanged the occasional nod in the hallway, even worked on a group project together once. But she was just… cool. The kind of effortless cool that made Lando feel like a dumbass every time he tried to talk to her. And he wanted to talk to her. Badly.

Except every time he got the chance, he chickened out. Whether it was after class, in the library, or just passing by in the hallway, he’d always come up with some reason to keep moving before the conversation could go beyond a casual “hey.” He’d bail with some half-baked excuse or pretend he was suddenly in a rush, kicking himself afterward for being such a coward. 

It wasn’t that she was intimidating—not in the usual way, at least. It was just that she had this way about her, like she saw right through him, and he wasn’t sure he’d survive whatever came after that. But she was always nice, never calling him out on his awkwardness, never making him feel like an idiot for it. Sometimes, he even caught a hint of amusement in her eyes, like she was waiting to see if he’d ever stop running and actually work up the nerve to stay.

So, he decided today was the day.

Against his better judgment, he grabbed the closest thing he could find—a tiny jar of iridescent resin flakes that he definitely didn’t need—and walked up to the counter. She looked up as he placed it down, her gaze flickering over him before she scanned the jar.

“Fancy,” she mused. “Didn’t know you worked with resin.”

“Oh—yeah.” He nodded quickly, shifting on his feet. “Started with, um, custom vinyl stickers when I was younger, but, y’know… expanded a bit. Epoxy stuff now.”

The words tumbled out in a rushed, jumbled mess, and he immediately regretted how breathless he sounded. He wasn’t even sure why he was rambling—okay, maybe he did. She was looking at him, actually interested, and it threw him off completely. His brain scrambled to catch up, but all it did was make him more nervous, his fingers burying deeper in his pockets as he tried to appear casual.

She hummed in acknowledgment, turning the jar in her hands. “Do you wear a mask when you work with it?”

Lando scratched the back of his neck, suddenly feeling like a kid getting scolded. “Sometimes.”

Her brows lifted. “Sometimes?”

“…Rarely.”

She let out a dramatic sigh, shaking her head. “You’re going to kill your lungs, Norris.”

He chuckled, shifting on his feet. “That’s what my mum says.”

“She’s a smart woman.”

Silence settled between them, and Lando’s mind raced for something—anything—to keep the conversation going. But the longer she looked at him, the harder it became to think straight. His mouth opened before his brain could catch up.

“You know, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you here before,” he tried.

She smirked. “That’s funny because I’ve definitely seen you here before.”

Lando’s ears burned. “Right. Uh. Yeah.” He coughed. “Well… you come here often?”

She blinked. “Well, considering I work here, yes.”

Lando groaned, running a hand down his face. “That was awful. Ignore that. Please.”

She tilted her head, amusement dancing in her eyes. And she was laughing now, and God, he really liked the sound of it. “That’s your go-to line? Really?”

He sighed dramatically, but the corner of his lips twitched upward. “In my defense, you make me nervous.”

Her laughter softened, and she tilted her head, eyes flickering with something he couldn’t quite place. “I make you nervous?”

Lando swallowed. “A little.”

Her lips curled slightly, as if she was debating whether or not to tease him further. “Well, I can’t say I expected that.”

“Yeah, me neither,” he muttered under his breath, rubbing the back of his neck.

She let out a soft laugh, shaking her head as she reached for the jar of resin flakes he’d placed on the counter. Scanning the barcode, she shot him a knowing look. “You don’t even need this, do you?”

Lando hesitated. He could lie. He could play it off, insist that he totally needed more iridescent flakes for a project. But something about the way she was looking at him made his brain short-circuit again.

“…Not really.”

She grinned. “So you just came in here to flirt with me, then?”

Lando opened his mouth, then immediately shut it. The tips of his ears were definitely red now. He cleared his throat. “Uh—”

She let him suffer for a second before laughing softly. “Relax, Norris. You’re cute when you’re flustered.”

His heart nearly stopped. He had to do something—say something—but all coherent thought had completely left his brain. So the first thing that came out was—

“Can you say that again?”

She raised a brow. “Were you not listening?”

“No, I was.” His lips curled into a smirk, confidence flickering back for a second. “I just like hearing your voice.”

For the first time since he walked in, he managed to catch her off guard. Her expression softened—just a little—and she shook her head, laughing under her breath.

Maybe he wasn’t totally hopeless after all.

She rolled her eyes, but there was a soft smile on her lips. “You’re ridiculous.”

“And yet, you’re still talking to me.”

She hummed, pretending to consider. “Maybe I just like watching you try so hard.”

Lando pressed a hand to his chest in mock offense. “Wow. Brutal.”

Her laughter lingered between them, light and teasing, and he found himself gripping the edge of the counter just to keep himself grounded. He’d walked in here with the intention of playing it cool—maybe even charming her a little—but instead, he was standing there like a knob, pretty sure he was red in the face, his heart hammering like it had a mind of its own. And it was all because of her.

Yeah. He was in trouble.

He cleared his throat, trying to shake the dazed feeling her words left him with. “So, uh… how long have you been working here?”

“A while,” she said, leaning her elbows on the counter. “Just part-time between classes. It’s nice, though. Peaceful—except when guys come in and pretend to shop just to flirt with the cashier.”

Lando let out a breathy laugh, shaking his head. “Okay, ouch.”

“I’m just saying,” she smirked. “You might be a good businessman, but subtlety isn’t really your thing.”

“That’s debatable.”

She raised an eyebrow, nodding toward the tiny jar of resin flakes. Then, with a playful tilt of her head and the slightest scrunch of her nose—way too cute for his sanity—she teased, “Oh? Is it?” 

“…Fine. Maybe not,” he admitted with a dramatic sigh, glancing around like he’d just now realized how obvious he’d been. He rocked on his heels before flashing her a teasing grin. “How do you know I’m a businessman? Have you been paying attention to me?”

For the briefest second, her composure wavered—just a flicker of surprise before she tilted her head, effortlessly brushing it off. “Oh, I don’t know,” she mused, propping her chin on her hand. “Maybe the fact that everyone on campus has owned at least one of your stickers at some point.”

His brows lifted. “You too?”

She smirked. “Maybe.”

Lando grinned, tilting his head. “Which one?”

She tapped her fingers against the counter, feigning deep thought. “I had the little frog on a skateboard for a while.”

“No way.” His face lit up. “That was one of my best sellers!”

“Yeah, I could tell. I saw it on, like, half the laptops in the studio.” She shook her head. “It was honestly impressive. You had a whole empire running out of your dorm room.”

“What can I say?” Lando shrugged dramatically. “I see an opportunity, I take it.”

She laughed, and he swore his heart did a stupid little flip. God, he was down bad.

"Guess that explains why you’re so successful now," she mused. "Vinyl stickers to ‘Epoxy stuff’…" She mimicked his voice with an exaggerated impression, tilting her head dramatically. “Quite the business trajectory.”

Lando let out a sudden, stifled snort that turned into a breathy wheeze, shoulders shaking as he tried (and failed) to suppress it. A nervous giggle followed, his grin widening as he shook his head. "That was awful," he managed between chuckles.

"Accurate, though," she shot back, smirking.

He huffed, feigning offense. “I’ll have you know, I’m on an upward trajectory.” He leaned onto the counter slightly, eyes glinting with amusement. “Next stop: world domination.”

She snorted. “I’ll make sure to invest in your company before the stock prices skyrocket.”

Lando grinned, drumming his fingers against the counter. “Smart move.”

The playful energy between them settled into a comfortable pause, but as the silence stretched, he felt the nerves creeping back in. He didn’t want the conversation to end—not yet—but his brain was scrambling for something, anything, to keep her talking.

Lando opened his mouth, searching for another witty remark to keep the conversation going, but his mind came up frustratingly blank. Instead, he let out a small breath, rocking back on his heels as he drummed his fingers against the counter.

She seemed to pick up on his hesitation, amusement still dancing in her eyes as she reached for the small jar of resin flakes and scanned it. The beep of the register filled the brief lull in conversation before she slid the jar back toward him.

“That’ll be five pounds,” she said, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips, still clearly entertained by their little back-and-forth.

Lando blinked, momentarily distracted by the curve of her smile before fumbling for his wallet. He was stalling, and he knew it, but he wasn’t ready to leave just yet. As he pulled out a crumpled bill and handed it over, he cleared his throat, trying to shake the nervous energy settling in his chest.

“So,” she said, placing the money in the till, “what are you actually working on right now? Or did you just come in here for the fun of it?”

He huffed a small laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “Right, yeah—I do have a reason for being here. Other than, you know…” He gestured vaguely between them, hoping she’d catch the implication.

Her lips twitched. “Other than what?”

Lando groaned, his head dipping forward for a second before he sighed dramatically. “You’re gonna make me say it, aren’t you?”

She propped her chin in her hand, feigning innocence. “I have no idea what you mean.”

His grin softened as he shook his head. “Evil,” he muttered, before straightening up and running a hand through his curls. “Anyway, you know Max, right?”

“Fewtrell?” she asked. “The guy taking design as an elective class for some reason?”

Lando snorted. “Yeah, that one. He’s my best mate.” He tapped his fingers absentmindedly against the counter. “Well, his brother, Theo, owns a barber shop.”

Her brow lifted in curiosity.

“I designed the logo for it a few months back—clean, kinda old-school but modern, y’know?” He gestured vaguely, as if picturing it in the air. “And now he’s commissioned me for a piece to go up in the shop.”

Her interest visibly piqued. “What kind of piece?”

“That’s the thing,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “Still figuring it out. I want it to tie in with the whole aesthetic but also feel… dunno, unique? Thought resin could be a cool medium—give it some texture, maybe play with metallics, make it stand out a bit.”

She nodded, clearly intrigued. “That actually sounds really cool.”

Lando smiled, a little sheepish. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.” She leaned slightly on the counter, studying him.

Lando shrugged, but the compliment made his ears burn. “Still working out the details, though.”

She crossed her arms, amusement flickering in her eyes. “You really do have a knack for making money off anything, huh?”

He rocked back on his heels, smirking. “What can I say? Some people knit, some people bake—I accidentally become an entrepreneur.”

She huffed a small laugh. “Accidentally? You mean to tell me you didn’t strategically market those stickers so well that half the campus ended up with one?”

His grin widened. “Okay, maybe a little bit on purpose.”

“A little?” She arched a brow. “Lando, I’ve seen professors with your stickers on their laptops.”

That earned a genuine laugh from him, one of those wheezy chuckles that made his shoulders shake. “Alright, fine. Gotta fund my questionable spending habits somehow.” He scratched his cheek, suddenly looking a little sheepish.

She slid his change across the counter but didn’t let go just yet, tilting her head. “Hmm, isn’t your dad a CEO or something?”

Lando let out a nervous chuckle, rubbing the back of his neck. “Uh—technically, yeah, but I’m trying to do my own thing.” He shifted his weight, suddenly very aware of the way she was watching him. “You know… prove I can actually survive without just riding the family name.”

Her lips twitched, but there was something warm in her expression, like she saw right through him. “I like that,” she mused. “I like guys who are independent. Handy, too.”

Lando’s brain stalled. He could feel his face heat up, the tips of his ears practically on fire. Did she just–?. “Oh—uh—yeah?”

She smirked, finally releasing his change into his palm. “Yeah.”

He cleared his throat, scrambling to recover. “Well, lucky for you, I’m, uh… very handy.”

Her smirk widened. “That so?”

He straightened up, forcing himself to meet her gaze with his best attempt at confidence. “Absolutely.” He tapped the tiny jar of resin flakes. “You’re looking at a man who owns a toolbox and everything.”

She chuckled, shaking her head. “A real renaissance man.”

Lando grinned, rolling with it now. “Hey, I can even change a tire. Put up a shelf. Fix a leaky sink.” He paused for dramatic effect. “With only minimal supervision.”

She let out a soft laugh, eyes crinkling at the corners. “Minimal, huh?”

“Gotta leave some room for improvement,” he quipped.

Her head tilted slightly, like she was considering him. “That’s fair.”

There was a brief pause—not awkward, just charged. He liked that. Liked that she wasn’t rushing to fill the silence, that she was still looking at him like she was actually interested in what he had to say.

Lando picked up the coins, turning one over between his fingers as he leaned on the counter again. He didn’t want to leave just yet, not when she was actually indulging him—teasing him, sure, but still talking to him. That was a win in his book.

“So,” she said, breaking the moment with an easy smile. “Are you planning on expanding this… accidental business empire of yours? Or are you stopping at barber shop commissions?”

He let out a breathy chuckle. “I mean, I’m open to offers. Know anyone in need of a custom epoxy masterpiece?”

She hummed, pretending to consider it. “I’ll keep that in mind next time I need a handcrafted resin sculpture.”

Lando grinned. “I’ll even give you the friends and family discount.”

“Oh? And what exactly qualifies me for that?”

He faltered for a second, the smugness slipping just a little. “Uh—well, you know, we… we share classes and stuff.”

She raised an eyebrow, amused by his sudden nervousness. “So, that makes us friends?”

Lando could feel his ears burning. “I mean—” He cleared his throat, shifting his weight. “Wouldn’t be the worst thing, would it?”

She smiled, small but noticeable. “No, I guess not.”

His heart did a ridiculous little flip. He needed to say something—anything—to keep the conversation going, but his brain was short-circuiting, caught up in the way she was looking at him.

Lando pocketed his change, rocking back on his heels as he glanced at her. She was still smiling, just a hint of amusement playing on her lips, and he couldn't help himself.

“You should smile like that more often,” he said, feeling bold for once. “Looks good on you.”

Her eyes flickered with something unreadable, but she didn't shy away from the compliment. Instead, she rested her elbow on the counter, chin propped on her hand as she looked at him. “Careful, Norris. Keep talking like that, and I might start thinking you actually like me.”

He felt his heart stutter, but he forced himself to keep cool. “And if I did?”

She smirked, tilting her head slightly. “Then I’d say… maybe I don’t mind.”

Lando blinked. He had expected another sharp remark, maybe a teasing laugh at his expense—but not that. Definitely not that.

She handed him his bag of supplies, fingers brushing his for just a second. “Try not to make a mess with your ‘epoxy stuff,’ yeah?”

Lando cleared his throat, gripping the bag like it might keep him from floating off the ground. He should leave now. Probably. But then—

“Actually,” he blurted before he could lose his nerve.

She raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. “Actually…?”

He shifted his weight, suddenly hyperaware of how warm the shop felt. “You, uh—do you already have a partner for the semester project? For—” He gestured vaguely. “—our class?”

Her lips twitched. “The one worth half our grade?”

“That’d be the one.”

She studied him for a moment, eyes flicking over his face like she was deciding whether or not to make him squirm. “Why?”

Lando scratched the back of his neck, forcing himself to meet her gaze. “Because if you don’t… maybe we could team up?”

Her expression didn’t give much away, but he swore he saw the hint of a smirk. “You want to be my partner?”

“Well,” he said, attempting nonchalance, “you did say you like guys who are independent and handy.” He flashed a quick grin, hoping to mask the way his stomach twisted with anticipation. “And I happen to be both.”

She hummed, pretending to consider it. “That’s true.”

Lando leaned forward slightly. “So?”

She pretended to think, tapping her fingers against the counter. “Hmm. I don’t know… I hear you’re a bit of a slacker.”

“Oi, that’s slander.”

She smirked. “Is it?”

Lando placed a hand over his heart, feigning offense. “I’ll have you know, I take my work very seriously.”

She hummed, unconvinced. “We’ll see about that.”

His grin widened. “So that’s a yes?”

She tilted her head. “It’s not a no.”

Lando bit back a laugh, watching her with a spark of mischief. “Guess I’ll just have to prove myself then.” He took a step back toward the door before adding, “Better come prepared to be impressed.”

She chuckled, shaking her head. “I’ll believe it when I see it.”

“Guess I’ll see you in class, then,” he said, shifting his weight.

She smirked, eyes dancing with something teasing. “Looking forward to it.”

He nodded, trying not to grin too hard as he took a few slow steps backward toward the door, unwilling to look away just yet—like if he lingered a second longer, he could make the moment last.

“See you around, businessman.”

Lando stared at her for a second, then nodded, a little dazed. “Yeah. See you around.”

He had just pushed the door open, feeling a little stupid and a lot smitten, when her voice stopped him just before he reached the door.

“Oh, and Lando?”

He gripped the edge of the doorframe like it might keep him from floating away. “Yeah?”

She leaned against the counter, eyes scanning him like she was committing something to memory, then her lips curled into a knowing smile. “Don’t forget your mask next time. I’d hate for you to be out of commission before the project even starts.”

Lando felt his grin stretch wider, heart thudding in his chest. “Yes, ma’am.”

And with that, he walked out—five pounds poorer, but feeling like he’d just walked away with something far more valuable.

< back to general masterlist

[heathensimmer]

YOUR VISITOR CONTROLLER MIGHT NEED SURGERY

Hello out there!!! If you use Visitor Controller mod for the Sims 2, it might be broken. I am not sure exactly which version I have ... Midge's that allows togas or the older CrispandKerosene's version with personality options.

The personality settings may be broken because I looked at my file today and sure enough, the BHAVs are not referencing personality properly.

Go into the BHAV "Check Personality Flags" inside Visitor Controller in SimPe.

It should look like this:

The highlighted node should not reference any other value but a number higher than 100.

If you see this:

Then it is broken. Personality has to be referenced in hundreds!

You must change it with the Instruction Wizard which is on the right hand side of Plugin view to make Personality features work, as in banning Lazy Sims from a gym.

The first image shows that Sims with a Neat personality lower than 400, which is 0x0190 in hexadecimal, will be banned from the lot.

Repeat for the other personalities lower in the code.

HAPPY SIMMING!!!!

Also, if anyone is interested in a tutorial for adding custom careers to Visitor Controller, let me know!

[literaryvein-reblogs]

A 7-Part Worldbuilding Template

PART 1: The Basics

What is your world called?

Estimate its population:

In one sentence, describe your world:

Is it set on: Earth; Alternate Earth; Not Earth / Another planet

PART 2: Geography

THE NATURAL WORLD Flora & Fauna; Creatures; Landscape; Diseases

How was the world created? How long ago was it created?

How do the laws of physics work?

How does the solar system move? What celestial beings exist (suns, stars, moons, etc.) and how do they relate to the world?

Flora & Fauna

How does the flora differ from region to region?

Do any plants have special or magical properties? Are any dangerous?

Creatures

What kind of wildlife roams which parts of your world? Where are they most commonly found?

How did the wildlife evolve?

Do mythical creatures such as dragons exist? How do they fit into the ecosystem?

Landscape

Where are the mountain ranges? Rivers? Forests? Deserts? Seas?

How does the terrain interact with its inhabitants?

Are there any “natural wonders” in your world? How were they formed?

Diseases

What natural diseases have evolved over time?

How are they transmitted?

How has this affected population growth?

LOCATIONS OF SIGNIFICANCE Capital City; Flags & Symbols

What are the major cities in your world? Ports? Most populated metropolises?

Is your world split geographically? (e.g. rural and urban, north and south, etc.) If so, how?

Capital City

What is the capital city of the world?

Why is it the capital?

Flags & Symbols

How does each city choose to represent itself (crest, flags, signature colors)?

WEATHER

What are the processes of your world that drive weather and ocean patterns?

Are certain regions more vulnerable to certain weather conditions?

Climate

How does the climate differ in each region?

What are the seasons like in your world? How many seasons are there?

PART 3: People

RACES & SPECIES Physical Build; Mannerisms & Etiquette; Customs & Rituals; Festivals

What intelligent species or races populate your world? Dwarves? Elves? Xenomorphs? Other? How did they come to exist?

How does each race or species perceive each other? How do they co-exist?

Physical Build

What do the inhabitants of your world look like? Do they have any distinguishing features?

What is the societal standard for beauty? How might this differ in each region of the world?

Mannerisms & Etiquette

What is the code of conduct between people of different ranks or classes? People of different cities or regions? Elders?

How do people in your world convey non-verbal boredom? Disbelief? Happiness? Respect?

What would be a gesture that is universally insulting in your world?

What etiquette exists in different parts of your world?

Customs & Rituals

Are there any rites of passages in your world? “Coming of age” celebrations? If so, what age marks the transition from child to adult?

What traditions surround death and burial? What about engagements and proposals of marriage?

Festivals

What are the important festivals of your world?

Why are they celebrated?

LANGUAGES Sayings; Accents; Greetings

How many languages exist in your world? How did they originate?

Which language is spoken most? Is there a universal language?

How do naming conventions differ in each region?

Sayings

What are common sayings? Idioms? Insults? “Untranslatable” words that only a certain group of people would understand?

Accents

If different languages exist, how does this affect the accents in your world? What do the accents say about the person (place of origin, social class, level of education, etc.)?

Greetings

How do people of the same race greet each other? How do people of different races greet one another?

Is there an informal and formal way to greet others depending on the level of familiarity (i.e. friends, acquaintances, elders, superiors, etc.)? What are the proper forms of address?

SOCIAL FRAMEWORKS Class or Caste Systems; Family Structure; Marriage

What social frameworks underlie the communities in your world?

What are the social taboos? What would one need to do in order to be kicked out of society?

Class or Caste Systems

Is there a class system? If so, how much emphasis does society place on it?

What are the tell-tale signs that a person belongs to a certain class?

How does class affect professions and trades in your world? Can anyone become a priest or a wizard, for example — or is it a privilege restricted to certain members of the hierarchy?

Family Structure

What is the normal family unit?

What is the social system within a family unit in your world? Patriarchal? Matriarchal?

What constitutes a good father? A good mother? A good child?

Marriage

How is marriage defined in your world? Is marriage a civil or religious institution?

Do people marry for love? If not, why do they marry?

PART 4: Civilization

HISTORY

How did civilization begin?

When was the earliest known record of history?

What were the significant wars that have taken place on your world’s soil? How have they shaped the present?

Can your world’s history be divided into significant eras (e.g. Georgian, Victorian, Edwardian, etc.)?

Myths

What myths exist in your world to explain the cosmos? How might this have in turn shaped religion?

How were stories passed through generations?

CULTURE Literature, Art & Music; Clothing; Cuisine

Is national culture and history a source of pride or shame in your world? How is it preserved?

What are some things that define each culture? What would a person from a certain city, region, or country be proudest of?

Literature, Art & Music

What is the role of the arts in your world’s culture? How is it perceived by society and how has it evolved?

Who are some celebrated or noted artists in history? What they known for?

How might the arts have changed as a result of outside influences (from other regions, cities, races, etc.)?

Are any of the arts taboo? If so, why?

Clothing

What is the customary dress? Is it gendered? If so, how?

What is considered fashionable and how does this differ from region to region?

How does the clothing one wears reflect status?

What is the dress code for each profession? How strictly followed must it be?

Cuisine

What are the regional dishes? How might this differ depending on the climate and environment?

Is there a difference between what the poor and the rich eat? What is considered a luxurious food? What is considered a staple food?

How are mealtimes approached? Is there a set hour to be at the table? Are there traditions that precede or follow a meal?

RELIGION Gods & Deities; Holy Texts; Significant Prophets

How do people worship in your world?

When and where do people worship?

Gods & Deities

Who are the major and minor gods that people worship?

What function do the gods serve in society?

Holy Texts

What (if any) holy texts exist?

How well-known are the scriptures? Would people of all ages be able to recite them on the spot if asked ?

Significant Prophets

Who are the important religious figures in the world?

For what reason are they significant?

EDUCATION

Does formal education exist? If so, who can access it? The rich? The clergy? Everyone in the general population?

If magic exists in your world, how is it studied? Do schools exist to train it?

What are literacy rates among the general population? How does this affect communication and the distribution of information?

LEISURE

How do people spend their leisure time in your world? What forms of entertainment are most common?

Are there any organized sports in your world? How might its rules and regulations differ from the ordinary?

PART 5: Technology, Magic & Weapons

MAGIC SYSTEMS Rules of Magic; Practitioning Magicians

For what purpose is magic used in your world? Who can use it?

What limits are there to its power? What are the consequences of using it?

What is the history of magic and magicians in your world?

How does society view magic? Positively? Negatively? As the Other?

Rules of Magic

How does magic work in your world? Where does it come from?

Is there a language that’s needed in order to call forth magic? If so, what are its roots?

Is magic regulated in any way? What is the governing body?

Practitioning Magicians

What are magicians’ status in society? Are they trusted advisors of kings or charlatans on the road?

How many magicians exist in your world? How do they perceive one another?

TECHNOLOGY

How advanced is the technology in your world? How does it work?

How does technology impact the different parts of society? Transportation? Communication? Medicine?

How does magic and technology interact and co-exist? Is it a rivalry? A co-op? Are there rules and regulations?

WEAPONRY Signature Weapons; Common Weapons

What weapons are predominant in your world (ranged, combat, anti-gravity, etc.) and why?

Who makes the weapons? How do they work? Is it easy to obtain them?

Signature Weapons

Are there special weapons (e.g. Thor’s Hammer)?

How are they made? How many of them exist in the world?

Common Weapons

Are there professions that necessitate the bearing of weapons?

What about religions?

PART 6: Economy

ECONOMICS

On which economic system does your world operate? A market economy? Feudalism? Socialism?

Is there a central bank?

How does the government regulate businesses?

TRADE & COMMERCE Currency; Major Imports & Exports; Natural Resources

How is trade facilitated? Is it carried out by traveling merchants? By a guild? Are there auctions?

What cities, countries, or regions are allies? Trade partners? How has this changed throughout history?

How is the soft power of a region, city, or country determined?

Currency

Is there a universal currency? If not, what are the regional currencies? What is the valuation?

How is the currency circulated and what are the denominations?

Can the currency be broken down into units (dollars, cents, dimes, quarters)?

Major Imports & Exports

What are the major exports of the region or city? Imports? How might this have evolved throughout history?

Does a particular region specialize in particular trade (i.e. livestock, weaponry, etc.)? Why?

Natural Resources

What resources are natural in each part of your world?

How does this affect trade and trade relationships?

TRANSPORTATION

How easy it is to travel within a city and outside of a city? What modes of transportation exist (horse, anti-gravity car, etc.)?

How is information disseminated all over your world (ink and paper, owl, newspaper, messenger)?

BUSINESS

What crafts or trades are highly valued in your world?

Are some professions considered more elite or respectable than others? How so?

How do people advance in their fields? Are there apprenticeships? How easy is social mobility?

What is the normal work schedule for the average person? What is the average income?

PART 7: Politics

GOVERNMENT

What is the form of government? Is it a monarchy? Republic? Empire? Theocracy?

What are the responsibilities of the government? How far does the government’s sphere of influence spread (magic, religion, etc.)?

How is the government perceived? Is it trusted by the people or is there tension?

LAW Justice Systems; War Systems

What is the rule of law in your world? How is law enforced? What are the most important laws?

What are the punishments for breaking the law?

Justice Systems

What is the legal process in your world? How are people tried?

How does magic fit into the legal system? Is it above the law?

War Systems

How is war declared? Is there a formal process that a country must go through in order to engage in war?

What is the command structure of the army?

How big is the army? Is it composed of humans? Non-humans? Both?

Source ⚜ More: Writing Worksheets & Templates Writing References: Plot ⚜ Character ⚜ Worldbuilding

[cdreamzine]

PRODUCTION UPDATES ✨

Our pulpboard coasters came!! They'll be included in every physical order as both a thank you card and something cool to rest your drink on.

Both of our merch and zines have reached the United States and a tracking code has been sent for all of them. However, the shipping container the zines and prints were in has been flagged for customs inspection which will result in another week of delays.

The merch and zines are estimated to come to Mod Matt's doorstep on July 3rd. The tariffs for everything has been prepaid so there, hopefully, should not be any other issues.

[sweaterkittensahoy]

Scam Alert @ adexthegreat

Had someone reach out today asking if I'd do a tote bag commission. I don't generally do commissions, but as I am currently unemployed, I figured I'd take it. I quote $200 for a tote bag with the option for a variety of possible stitch designs and some easy colorwork if wanted and asked if there was a reference photo. They sent a bag made of three large granny squares. I don't do granny square anything for commission, and I said so. Then I got this:

My eye twitched at the phrasing with the "not computing's granny squares just wants a tote bag" because it felt like what I'd seen when people trick bots into repeating stuff using code commands.

But, also, I have had similar and worse conversations with people actually wanting commissions, including sending me a photo of what they think is a common version of something and then agreeing to the ACTUAL common version when I show it to them, so this still felt mostly okay. But the klaxon in my brain was ringing a little, so I opened a new tab because I remembered a similar scam going around awhile back, and I did a quick search and this excellent post popped up, so as we were discussing style, size, and color, I was also reading through that post and all the red flags that happened. This person didn't do a big push on me for a rush job, but then we got to the point about payment and there it was ($30 was the down payment to buy the yarn for the bag, FYI):

I said "I have Venmo, and I will request the money from you."

They suddenly didn't want to use Venmo even though they just offered it.

They suddenly wanted my bank information. Which. Bitch.

The pressure tactic of "I'm on the payment screen" was loud and clear thanks to reading the post I linked above.

I refused to go through Zelle again.

They want MY Venmo.

I refuse to give it and explain again how I work (at this point I just wanted to see how long they'd drag this out.)

They try, AGAIN, to get me to hand over information.

I say no yet again and tell them we do it my way or not at all.

They have not responded back.

So, thank you to my instinct going, "Hold on a sec," and then to @scam-alerts for that excellent post.

Remember kids: They want something from YOU, which means YOU control how you get money. Do NOT let someone dangle the promise of cash in front of your nose and try to change how you usually work when it comes to getting paid. I firmly believe as the artist that all customer transactions should be started by the artist. You send the request or the invoice through the payment program YOU use, not the one they want to use. And you do not give them jack fucking shit for personal information they do not need.

The big bummer is, this isn't the worst experience I've had trying to nail down a commission, and the fact that it was a little muddled and then there was a demand for payment to happen a certain way could easily read like a difficult customer to someone who does way more commissions and deals with way more assholes. Don't let the assholes blind you to the scammers, babes.