#different type of head shapes also helps a lot but i don't do that much lol

[bweoo]

do you have any tips to avoid same face syndrome?

I don't feel like I'm the right right person to answer this... But I'd say just try to focus on making different eye shapes and noses? In my opinion I think the eye is the most important part of the character design so... Go crazy with the eyes lol

[kekaki-cupcakes]

Hiiii! How are you hanging?

Warning: periods? Not sure if it’s a warning. If it is or it makes you uncomfortable I am so so sorry it was not my intention

Could you write for Leo Valdez being his s/o’s biggest simp and like acting as heater and heating pad especially when she’s on her period and building her lots of gadgets for basically anything he thinks she may need?

Feel free to skip this obviously!

Sorry again and have a lovely day!

Bye! (Ps I have reade your Nike one for about 20 times now and it still is so fun and amazing! ‘Cant wait for the Hypnos one!)

I'm working on so much rn so this is just a short head canon list that sort of derailed but it was so cute to write. I'm glad you liked the Nike one, and the Hypnos fic was just posted I hope you find it <3

And period talk doesn't make me uncomfortable don't worry I'm fine with writing lots of that kind of stuff I just have like, limits with smut and age gap kind of stuff [I'm also a minor]

This header just gave me like, hot water bottle cover vibes and matched the rest of it too, hope you enjoy!

Hotboy/Hotpack---Leo V x gn reader on their period

»»————-　★　————-««

-No but like he’s literally perfect for the job

-Who else is better at laying down as a weighted blanket and heating himself up to perfect temperature and then just literally fiddling with rubix cubes while you use him as a hot water bottle

-He’d be so happy to as well, like it was the best job in the world [which it is to him, he gets cuddles as well as being a good boyfriend. It’s a win win]. Even if you didn’t ask, he’d catch you microwaving a wheat pack while you take painkillers in the camp kitchen and sneak up behind you and hug you. Or maybe he’d lay across the counter dramatically, 

-‘mi amor are you replacing me? Why would you do this? I love you, and now there's other guys in your life!’

-‘it’s literally a hot water bottle’

-‘No! I must win you back!...Come on let’s go make out-’ 

-Then he’d take the hot water bottle away and smother you in kisses [if you felt like it] and drag you back to your cabin. He’d bring your favorite snacks and steal Pipers Ipad, the one with the hello kitty stickers, and you’d watch movies to pass the time. 

-He’s the type to try those different rubbing points on your stomach to help with cramps [gods his hands are so fine, but that’s besides the point] and even if they didn’t work you’d get a massage out of it <3

-So we’ve all agreed Leo is the little spoon, right? 

-He’d act so tough and macho, spooning you to heat up his hands on your stomach but then you rolled over in your sleep once and woke up to him grinning his head off while you hugged him

-Of course you figured it out and now you’re the big spoon because he’s just so small and cuddly, like a teddy bear [even if he’s a bit boney] and when you get cramps it works even better. He’s like a life sized heat pack pressed against you, and he always holds you hands as well because he’s just like that :D

-He has the softest curly hair when it isn’t covered in sawdust and grease, and when he lays his head on your chest or that little spot between your neck and your shoulder you could just run your hands through it. Or maybe put little plaits in it. He’d love that. Touch is definitely his love language, once he realizes he does deserve it, as well as gifts and acts of service.

-Gifts and acts of service is a subconscious thing for him that he doesn’t even realize he does and likes until he spots the shelf next to your bed filled with all the little things he’s made. Gold or silver jewelry [he quickly figured out which one was favorite through trial and error you didn’t even notice], little metal flowers he’d welded with his fingers, which were literally made with love. There’d be things like lollies and packets of gum he’d realized you liked and promptly bought when he went out, fairy lights he’d made in the shape of hearts, candles with your favorite scents he’d made from when Hazel had a wax-y crafts phase, and more. 

-If you ever gave him something in return, he’d probably cry

-But he knows you love him and he definitely knows he loves you [as well as the rest of CHB lol]

»»————-　★　————-««

[parisoonic]

I'm in love with how you draw characters (especially when you draw sniperscout and demoman in general), I'm unsure if you've answered a question like this before, but how do you figure out what to do with face shapes? It's hard to explain but the way you over-exaggerate certain features to make their design pop is so cool to me and I've never been able to do it for myself. That, and making faces look like.. well, faces.

thank you so much!!! hopefully i'm understanding you right...

Regarding the face shapes in TF2...we're all standing on the shoulders of the (excellent) design work already done and laid out. The characters have really nice distinct face shapes with some general overlap before you even consider that a lot of them have facial accessories which you can pick and choose from to help push facial silhouettes and peel apart characters that are a little similar.

Naff threshold filter heads to show silhouettes lol In order to exaggerate them - it's mainly about pushing and pulling the existing proportions and ratios of their faces IE: Making Medic's/Soldier's/Heavy's stupid large-chins even longer but sacrificing some of their forehead or eye-region. Varied proportions have a lot of 'rhythm' or 'appeal' and typically the human face can break down into the forehead (+ hair), eyes (I like to do a Batman style mask but people will often use the nose to form a triangle too) and then....everything else (chin, cheek etc).

Soldier, Heavy and Sniper all have REALLY similar proportional ratios but their silhouettes are really different (in both the x and z). When you add in that the 'default' way to view Soldier and Sniper is with their accessories they're all really nice and different. Funnily enough Sniper's 'eye mask' is teeny tiny with his visors off but this relationship changes with his sunglasses on. Kinda interesting... I sometimes like to think of visual vibe-based 'archetypes' when i'm drawing the tf2 guys. I don't have one for everyone yet but Heavy is sort of like 'handsome caveman' to me. Archetypally, cavemen are drawn with thick brows, small low foreheads and big chins. The 'handsome'-ness comes in when you apply a delicate approach to eyes, cheekbones, lips and with careful posing. Having this kind of visual-archetype in mind informs how I view the character as a whole and thus how i depict them! HOPEFULLY even if I drift away from how they actually look because the vibes are right...it feels right you know? There's also a sliding scale to me as to HOW you represent them. If the character is doing something goofy/stupid, drawing them less handsome and toonier can add levity. Obviouslyyyy you can have your handsome depictions making a dick joke (and that's its own sort of visual gag) but you'll notice in a lot of my images the straight-man gets drawn a little more...realistic? on-model? than the butt of the joke. It just feels more appropriate to me haha I'm using 'toonier' here to mean not only am I drawing fewer details but also exaggerating those ratios between areas of the face away from their 'default' ratio. like with most drawing-y things it's practice AND experimentation! i draw these guys differently depending on my mood and how generous i'm feeling towards their looks lol if you wanted tips on the construction of faces I really recommend checking out Griz and Norm's 'Tuesday Tips'. They're incredibly clear, concise and very approachable (and cover a variety of subjects!) Hopefully this link works? but if you search them on Pinterest and grab a cuppa, there's some AMAZING tips to be had here: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/search/pins/?q=griz%20and%20norm&rs=typed

[cainsau]

Just Between Us || The Boys Imagine

(Platonic) Hughie Campbell x GN!Reader (Platonic) Kimiko Miyashiro x GN!Reader

Summary: Set in S4E4. Hughie and Kimiko arrives at the office thinking it would be empty. But there you are, wondering where they've been and whose blood are on their clothes.

Warning: Spoilers for S4E4, ankle injury

Ever since you became a part of The Boys, you find yourself watching news on the TV more often. The people they put on the screen are not reliable most of the time. The information they share differ from what truly happened, but that's what makes it entertaining, the fact that you know they're blatantly lying through their teeth.

The TV lights up the office with its flashing, but dim colors. You don't even bother turning on the lamps, because you don't plan to stay there long.

As the presenter moves on to talk about a recent incident with Firecracker and Starlight, the door to the office opens.

Kimiko and Hughie enters, their arms supporting each other up. Kimiko's shirt is ripped off, and Hughie has a makeshift cast on his ankle. Both of them have blood on their faces and clothes, looking like they just got hit by a car or something.

You immediately get up from your seat, hurrying to help them. "What the hell happened to you two?"

As you help Hughie to a chair, Kimiko sits down and takes out her phone to type. 'We met A-Train, then got attacked by Shining Light.'

"A-Train? Are you serious? What were you guys doing with him?"

Kimiko glances frustratingly at Hughie, who is sitting on the chair next to her. He's oddly quiet. Then, she types on her phone again, 'He made a deal with him.'

"What deal?" You ask him, but he looks away.

Instead, Kimiko types, 'Getting a compound v.'

"I just-" He finally speaks, "It's the only way i can save my dad, okay?"

You let out a sigh, unable to argue. If you could save someone you love by turning them into a supe, you totally would too. At this moment though, you can't really say that out loud, so you decide to just get a medkit and patch them up.

'Treat him first. He can't heal like i do.'

"Alright." So you grab a chair and place it near him. Sitting down, you open the medkit, then gesture to him, "Give me your injured foot."

He puts his foot up, resting it on your lap, while Kimiko cleans herself beside you.

"Did you do this?" You ask Kimiko about the splint. She nods with a small smile. You return the smile, "Nice."

Carefully, you start cutting the tape of his DIY splint, then takes off his shoe and sock, revealing his bruised ankle. It's blue and a bit swollen. You take out the elastic bandage from the medkit and ask him, "Do you know how to properly wrap a bandage around your ankle?"

"No, uh, i don't..."

"Alright." You assure him, "I'll teach you right here so you can do it yourself later. Pay attention, yeah?"

He nods, and watches as you start with the bridge of his foot, around the bottom, then to his achilles tendon, and back to the bridge, which then you repeat until the roll is out. Lastly, you put the two clips on, and ensure they don't fall off.

"It feels so much better now, thanks a lot." He says, "How did you learn to do that though?"

You shrug, "I've sprained my foot before. Couldn't walk properly for a few weeks."

"You're telling me, i won't be able to walk for a few weeks?"

"Not really. You could walk a bit, earlier, right? So i'm guessing your injury is not as bad as mine. Just don't put your weight on it, and also, it would be better if you position it above your heart to let the blood flow."

He let out a breath, "Alright." Then moves the foot to a desk.

Kimiko pokes your shoulder to get your attention, then turns around, pointing to a spot on her back that has blood on it.

"You want me to help clean it?" You ask, to which she nods. "Of course."

The injury on that spot has already healed, but not completely. From the shape, you guess it was a gunshot. You shake your head. Sure, she's a supe who can regenerate, but it must've been painful to experience all that.

"You said you were attacked by Shining Light people," you say as you use a wet cotton on her injury, "What were they doing over there? I thought you were just making a deal with A-Train?"

She picks up her phone, and types, 'I killed a bunch of them, and they came for me.'

"Wait, you killed them? When?"

'A while ago.'

"You mean, that time when you left with Frenchie?"

She nods.

"I see."

You finish cleaning her injury, then tidy up the medical tools as Hughie also finished patching up a cut on his thigh by himself.

He then speaks up, "I'd really appreciate it if you don't tell the others about today."

"To be honest, they'll probably know sooner or later." You reply, which causes Hughie to look down in guilt. Then, you continue with a reassuring smile, "But yeah, don't worry, i'll keep this whole thing just between us."

[azure-cherie]

Random reading

No hashtags so believe if it finds you , confirmation that this is for you

🫧 you ate pasta/something sweet recently

🫧 spirit animal dove

🫧 recent betrayal

🫧you love plants

🫧 you love cooking

🫧 gemini /cancer placements

🫧 you recently bought a heart shaped pendent

🫧 T,J,L,K,A,M - in your initials

Reading :

You are in a position of power but you're also worried a lot , you are excavating all outcomes to a situation , there could be someone in your life that has betrayed you very badly, your bf your bsf anyone , they have left you in no position to choose anything though once in a point of time you felt as if this was the best thing about you , now you are left with the lack of it . The universe tells that that the bad actions of immature people and people with no mind of themselves whatsoever will be taken into account and they will be punished for what they did to you .

You are also told to recognise that no one can fulfill your needs but yourself, you know this , you know how to manifest what you want . You'll be undergoing a time of so many changes of deep spiritual realisations. You have to face all of your hurt head on to heal them , they often say healing is twice as hurtful as compared to the hurt , you'll be faced with so much loneliness for some time

Go to a garden and try to spend some time alone , take some time to reflect in your actions , also hey hey if you are worried about people mimicking you , you are told that they only copy what they find worth fawning over , don't waste your time thinking too much about it rather keep trying new things out you really are a great trend setter , i hear the word belts , maybe you can do something experimental with belts .

You're emotionally fulfilled and sooo wise and your wisdom is so admired it goes long miles , they can't help but wonder what have you gone through to make yourself this capable of knowing so much. Your intuition is valuable to your family, they really trust your opinion on subjects , you give them the perspective they have been longing for .

Gear up honey you're gonna be famous and you're gonna be thrown into something new , you're gonna be loving yourself and do a lot of soul searching so gather up a lot of courage , this ride is worth everything give it your everything and you will definitely be so so rewarded I see so many good things coming your way . Give your nearby plants some water and cook something for yourself.

This is very different from the type of readings I do 👀 and i think slowly I'll get into more personal kinds , like /reblog so i can read your energy better

Love love

[polyamorousmood]

Hi there,

I was wondering if you’d be able to offer any advice on my situation? I’m in a 6 year t4t monogamous relationship with my girlfriend, I love her very much and we’ve grown a lot together.

Our sex life has been dry for a few years, we’ve kept good communication about this and it’s due to a combination of her HRT tanking her libido, and her bottom dysphoria. She wishes it were different and we’ve tried a few things but nothing so far has helped, and as it stands there’s very little we can do to change this. I do my best to not shame her and thankfully she’s confirmed that I’ve been nothing but supportive and respectful of her.

Unfortunately I do have a sex drive, and although I get off regularly I’ve been daydreaming about fucking others for a long long while. I’ve not acted on it but my rumination routinely consumes hours of my day, and I think that I just need to get railed in order to get out of my head?

Luckily my partner and I have never been jealous types, and from the beginning of our relationship we’ve spoken with positivity and curiosity about opening up in some way, shape, or form. However, it feels wise to start any open or poly dynamic from a point where our relationship is healthy and well so that no one is being used to ‘fix’ to our relationship, and I can’t work out if seeing other people to fulfil my need for sex outside of my nesting partner should be viewed in that way or not?

We both imagined that we’d be dating others at the same time, but as it stands our dynamic would be unequal if I’m the only one excited to do that atm. I’m concerned that wanting to explore a sex life (or maybe more, unsure?) outside of my relationship could end up hurting my partner and anyone new, and I also don’t want to treat people like sex dispensers (if they’re not into that).

I’d appreciate any advise on how to proceed in a kind way, if at all! I’d also love some book recommendations on polyamory if you have any, I want to make sure that I’m well researched before making any decisions.

Thank you for reading, and responding if you do!

🗣📣Casual sex is not Bad. You are allowed to have someone in your life just for sex. It's fine actually.

sorry, I don't even think that's the meat of the issue, it's just the part of this that has the clearest answer. As long as the other person knows all you want is casual sex, it's fine to only have them around for casual sex, whether they're specifically "into" being "used" or not. It's not a kink of mine but it's still something I've done and enjoyed.

So onto your other concerns. You have once again hit upon the fundamental polyamorous virtue: communication. Whether something is okay to do depends entirely on you and your partner(s) so you need to be in constant communication about how everyone is feeling about things.

You're allowed to date someone when they're not, if they're cool with it. You're allowed to casually fuck someone without them if they're cool with it. Etc etc etc.

IF mismatched sex drives is the ONLY problem in a relationship, and they're not going to "take care of you" even when they're not feeling it (no judgement)[if you haven't already explicitly discussed this, start there], then that problem cannot be solved by any other means than you getting sexual fulfillment through other means (speaking from experience😅). And if masturbation just ain't cutting it for you, then it logically is impossible to open the relationship having previously solved this problem. If you have other problems you're ignoring because this one is the easiest to hang everything on, that's a different situation. Having said that, you need to apprise potential partners of the situation -- that you're testing the waters, and if it causes too much

I honestly think the best move here is just to tell her straight up its something you're really struggling with right now, and ask her what way of addressing it feels best to her. Maybe that's weekly unreciprocated head, or you getting a FWB, or you guys trying something new that might not be so triggering for the bottom dysphoria (there is a whole WORLD 🌍🌎🌏of possibilities, my friend), or a threesome, or phone sex, or maybe investing in one of those fucking machines would be worth it for you idk. HOWEVER, before you have that conversation, you need to be as sure as you reasonably can about what degree this is negotiable for you. Think HARD about whether you'd still want to sleep with someone else even if you were fucking her every night. Then, when you broach the subject with her, be honest. That may make the conversation difficult, but a relationship of 6 years should be able to take it. Maybe come prepared with reassurances you love her and don't want to jeopardize the relationship, though, just to be safe.

[bitchfitch]

idk my stained glass post is going around again and a lot of people are saying it's inspiring them but they're still hesitant to start whatever craft has their fancy rn, so here's a dipshit's guide to getting from horsey to whale when you're starting out a craft

Step 1: skim a tutorial.

don't take notes, don't pay all that much attention to it, give it like. at max 10 minutes of your time. Just get the general shape of the process into your head along with any relevant safety precautions.

the point of doing this is to stop yourself from forming expectations. Expectations are the motivation killer. Strangle them to death.

Step 2: Tool time

You may want to start right in on a project, you might even have one in your head already.

Don't. Stop that, see the point above about expectations. Your first project is going to suck major nuts, it doesn't matter what you do, so you simply must plan to make your first project as nut-sucktastic as physically possible. Burry your expectations so deep in the ground that you will leap over them by simply faceplanting.

So here's what you do instead, gather the necessary tools and materials then set aside an amount of material that you are ok with just pissing away. just absolutely wasting. If you went right in and got discouraged enough to drop a project while doing it, youd be wasting the materials anyway. Might as well get the wasting over and done with Before it eats hours of your mortal life.

Ok, now pick the first tool and associated skill involved in your new craft and just practice That. Don't try to make anything, just learn the motions and teach yourself how things move or break or bend or etc etc etc. all the real basic boring parts that don't produce anything.

Then move onto the next steps associated skills and tools. Connect them back to the product you got from practicing the first step if you can, then the third and so on, so that at the end of this ordeal you too can have a horrible abomination you can pretend looks like a horse.

Step 3: nap

With that done, fuck off and do something else for a bit. like for at Least a few hours if not a full day. Take a nap. do some drugs, play a hentai gatcha game, fuck if I care man. Just don't do the craft. This is the best way to kill expectations: fuckin forgetting what you're capable of.

step 4: learn it right this time

Actually watch/read that tutorial now. like. for real. give it your full atten and take notes on where you fucked up and how you struggled back in step two. like actual written/typed notes. You're going to be focusing on those areas and having a neat list to keep thing orderly in your head can help.

at this point it's also a good idea to try to find other tutorials that explain the Thing, but have a different person explaining it. or tutorials that are more granular. like ones that talk about the skills involved in a single step instead of the whole process. having that little bit more detail can be a game changer.

step 5: visualization

Come up with the easiest and most basic project you can think of while referring to that list of areas you struggled. You want this project to primarily focus on those weak spots and give you room to practice and improve them. ok. and now scrape the top 10% off the project. Make it easier make it smaller, make it less detailed, find a pattern instead of making your own, whatever just simplify it that little bit more.

Step 6: just do it

actually do that project while referring to your tutorials and notes.

Let yourself fuck up. Let yourself waste shit. And then move on. Don't get tangled in expectations, or let your perfectionism strangle you. Look it in the eye and strangle it back, make your shit uglier just to spite it.

Skills take time to develop. Give yourself that time and don't let your brain issues take the joy of creation from you. It's fuckin hard, but you've Got to do it if you want a modicum of happiness in this hell world. the vibe is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy but done with pure violence and vitriolic hatred of what your own neurosis are trying to take from you.

step 7: aw shit it's a never ending cycle

repeat step 5, but go for something a bit harder, then step six until you find a new muse to start over at step 1 with.

[yandere--stuck]

nosramus's relationship headcanons, maybe? 🫶 idk if you write for them, but if not, ok!!

but speaking sincerely with all my heart; i've been following your blog for a while, and i'll tell you-- i sincerely love your writing, like really - very really !! i giggle and do 10 spins in my room when you post about my favorite characters (or characters i don't even know, 🤭🤭) maybe that sounds not honest ((i don't even know)), but i really mean it.

AND

hope you have a good night/or day (or whatever time is) !!!!!!!!!!

Thank you so so much!!! That's so sweet of you to say and I'm so glad you enjoy my works aaaaa ;w; it means a lot!!

I hope you have a great day/night yourself and that these are good <3

---

🤍 Immortality is both a blessing and a curse, Nosramus has found. Though she finds enjoyment and purpose in her studies and in the mundanity of life, even within the dungeons of Fear and Hunger, this has also led her to a life of loneliness. Many days spent with only herself for company. Her guard is there, of course, but he's not really much for company. It's even manageable most days. But the longer the future stretches out in front of her, the more the chasm in her heart where others had once touched deepens and darkens further.

💛 Such isolation gives her cause to look into different areas of study - such as The Soul. Everyone is born under a specific Soul type that will shape who they are and how their life will play out. Less understood, however, is that concept of a Soul Mate. The idea of one Soul bearer having one (or more) Souls that are naturally attracted or drawn toward one particular Soul type or even particular individual that bears a particular Soul type that seems to inherently click with another's. Once, she had thought she found them. But, she was wrong. She was betrayed and forgotten. In the end, they were the worse for it and Nosramus, in the grand scheme of things, was far better off. Still, she was left scarred by deception. To be alone was better than being hurt again in such a way. It was better for a long, long time. But now, the darkness and isolation of the catacombs have become almost too much to bear. She can feel her Soul call out for the touch of another.

🤍 Brave adventurer, what is it you seek? Her, perhaps unknowingly…? Why else could Nosramus feel you within the halls? Your footfalls echoing through her head, the brightness of your spirit felt pulsing in her own Soul. A feel of giddiness makes her entire body shake. She can't concentrate on her studies. She can't even hold a cup of tea steady without shaking. She sees flashes of you in her enlightened mind's eye. So desperate is Nosramus to see you in the flesh. Is this what it feels like to meet your one and only? A part of Sylvian's design perhaps. The anticipation and impending doom of meeting who you are meant to be one with. Nosramus can't help to distract herself much longer, nearly running from her laboratory as she feels you enter the mines.

💛 Don't be afraid. She can see you from the shadows. She will wait as long as you need to step into the light and see her. Nosramus tries to keep her smile from widening too greatly. She introduces herself. Tries to ignore the burning sensation in her very being. Extends a hand out to you and tells you the kettles on. Care for a cup of tea? She smiles even as you hesitate. Of course you're hesitant, poor thing. All alone in such a place without her. How did you ever survive? When your hand slips into hers, Nosramus is nearly set ablaze from the inside-out. Oh, yes, she thinks she'll keep you.

🤍 As a show of good faith, Nosramus offers you to partake in her potions and peruse her tomes. Not like you'll be leaving with them. The home she's made feels so much more alive with you inside it. Like you were always meant to be here. Your voice is music to her ears. She implores you - why are you here, where are you from, who have you left behind, what do you love, what do you despise, what are your dreams and wishes. She sprawls down notes when she gets a moment between preparing your tea. Just the beginning of her study of you. When she sets your cup in front of you, she makes a show of giving her own a hearty sip. And by the time you've realized what's happened, you can barely keep your head up. Poor dear. 

💛 You must understand. Or, you will understand, eventually. Nosramus has been burned before. She wants to trust you, but can't quite yet. But, it's okay, pet. She will take care of you while you learn how much your meant to be. She can hardly be near you without touching you - holding your hand, stroking the top of your head, pressing soft kisses across your face. When she must rip herself away from you, her guard will watch over you. One day, you'll be free to be lucid when kept in her quarters, but not yet. She must show you that your Souls are meant to be one. She cannot wait for the day that Sylvian blesses your union and you finally do become One.

[kairiscorner]

Ok ok I just read your NoirXFlorist and I am so in love. A personal HC I have is that Noir’s giving love language is acts of service and so ⬇️

-Imagine Noir being colorblind, but he wants to help at your shop and since the easiest way to differentiate between flowers is color he learns other ways to tell the difference- scent, texture, size, shape, or just memorizing where a certain type of flower is most often stored, because he wants to help. -Also, if any heavy lifting needs to be done, he rushes to do it before you even get the chance, even if it’s just a box. “No, no, I got it, doll.” “A lady of mine shall not do any heavy work, not while I’m here.”

anon are you trying to kill me with cuteness and fluff.

BC IT'S WORKING OMGGGGG YEAH, NO, I WANNA MAKE A FIC OF THIS, THANK YOU FOR THE IDEA AND FOR SHARING :>

(i wish i could credit you anon, you and your big beautiful brain 😭😭😭🫂🫂 also reblogs are greatly appreciated, it helps get my content out there! if you guys like what you see, please reblog it too <;:D)

(part 1)

so imagine:

it was a real hectic, busy day at your floral shop; people came flooding into your place more frequently, and while it was good for business, you were completely and utterly overwhelmed.

you managed a small establishment, and business was going well recently, but you were the only one working there, of course a pair of hands and a couple of fast feet can only do so much work.

peter'd have come in all chipper and point out the long line of people coming in, and then he'd see your tired, overworked face still smiling and wrapping up bouquets so darn fast.

he'd be in awe, of course, and fall in love with your hardworking and capable self, but he'd be super concerned as well for you so he'd pull you to the side as the influx of people died down for a bit and ask you with a concerned smile if you were okay.

"dear, you good? looks like you had to run several laps back there." he joked lightheartedly as he put his hands on your shoulders. "i know i'm not exactly the most helpful guy out there for this job, but if it gives you any comfort, i can help. i'm around you and the flowers all the time, i... i kinda got everything down about them." he said in a slightly cocky tone, but of course, it was to impress you with his new confidence since you first met him as a bumbling fool who was head over heels in love with you the moment you showed him just what kind of hidden beauty was lying in wait for him to discover.

you hesitated telling him you were okay and that he didn't have to bother himself to help you, because you were seriously considering getting some help at the very last minute to complete your clients' requests. "well... i'm actually kind of drowning over here, pete. i'm worried i can't do this on my own." you admitted.

peter smiled as he put his hand to your cheek. "don't you worry about a thing, i've got you. i meant it when i said i know everything there is know about the flowers here. i may not be able to tell which flowers are what color, but you of all people know a flower's color isn't the only thing worth nothing." he said with a small wink at you. yes, he'd been practicing that wink, he waited for the right occasion to use it on you.

it made you smile widely as peter agreed to help, and you had a lot of faith in him that he'd be able to ease your burden. you had shown peter the ropes before after work hours, it was another option for a date between you two. you loved how fast he picked up at tying the bouquets together, ringing up change, and memorizing the descriptions of the flowers; it really warmed your heart that he took interest in these things and was determined to show you he could do these things for you if you needed him to.

he got to work immediately, hoping that him having to interact with the customers would come as natural and easy as learning everything there is to know about the flowers; but humans are no flowers, they're significantly much harder to please, so that thought kind of scared him. but you were counting on him, that was all he could think about--you counting on him, you needing him right then and there.

you couldn't believe how different peter seemed when he was talking to the customers, helping them out as you tied up the bouquets. he appeared like a door to door salesman, and you meant that in the nicest way possible.

he seemed more upbeat, cheery, and... you dare say, a lot more charming. you two soon switched shifts, he was on tying and ringing up the bouquets, and you were the one helping out the customers pick flowers.

you were a little worried because you knew peter didn't do so well when having other people wait for him, it sort of intimidated him. you never taught him everything he now knows during work hours, it was just you two--and as pleasant as it was for both of you, you were still concerned how he'd be doing applying that practice in a real scenario.

but lo and behold, peter did it all in a jiffy. he didn't even need to use a calculator or do the math on paper, the minute he saw the flowers, counted them, and took note of other things--he could instantly give them their total, with tax. he was extraordinarily fast, too; he was extremely agile yet delicate with handling the bouquets, they were flowers, after all; they needed room to breathe, a single mistake can end in them being crushed, so of course, he was mindful of that, too.

soon, the day was ending; the sky had red, orange, pink, and purple strewn out over the horizon as the sun set. you and peter just finished up the last round of orders, and the floral shop was nearly empty by the time you were finished.

you both breathed out a breath you both didn't realize you were both holding in this entire time. the two of you laughed since you did it at the exact same time. "thank you for helping, peter. really, i... i don't know what i'd've done without you." you said as you went over behind the counter and stood next to him.

now this is when the shy, flustered peter parker comes back to you. he smiled at you widely and blushed profusely; leading all the way up to the tips of his ears, an innocent and pleasing mix of red and pink dancing on his cheeks.

"it's no biggie." he muttered, trying to sound as confident as he was earlier, but his defenses broke down when he caught you leaning closer to his face, your nose mere inches away from his own. he chuckled. "well... maybe it is kind of a biggie." he said as he put his hands on your arms and rubbed them lightly.

"well, thank you, again, pete." you repeated as you put your hand on the back of his. soon, peter noticed a truck coming by and a man coming down the truck with a clipboard in his hand, a few other men bringing boxes about and laying them by the door of your floral shop.

"oh, wait right here, pete." you said as you went over to talk to the man. peter watched as you signed the papers on the man's clipboard, thanked him, and... they left without helping you carry those boxes!

peter was enraged just the slightest bit as he watched you, your poor, overworked self, carry them into the floral shop without contempt for those men who didn't even bother to help. immediately, peter rushed to your aid, flung the door open, and took the box you were trying to carry away from you and into his arms.

"peter--!" you exclaimed as he took the box with ease. "i've got it, don't worry, really! i've already asked for your help today, this... i got this." you tried telling him, but he refused to listen and took box after box into the floral shop.

he smiled up at you and adjusted his glasses with one hand, carrying a box in his other hand. "no, no, i got it, doll. don't you worry about a thing, a lady of mine shall not do any heavy work, not while i'm here." he said as he flashed you another wink, he was getting better at it, you had to admit.

you blushed at his gallantry and general altruism towards you. you decided to reward him for all his hard work afterwards. he finished carrying the boxes and putting them aside. he turned to look at you as you walked into the floral shop, blushing a bit as you kept admiring how sweet he was towards you and for all his help.

"i really can't thank you enough for today, peter. it's far beyond what i originally asked you to do." you said as you took his hands into your own, and he blushed yet again. "of course. anything for you, my darling." he murmured, still admiring how soft and warm your hands were. you giggled. you opened a box to unveil a flurry of flowers of every kind in it, and you placed a flower behind his ear yet again.

he chuckled. "my, you never get tired of doing that, don't you?" he asks. you shake your head playfully. "it looks beautiful." you remarked. "it does?" he asked, a little joyful at that compliment. "well..." he said as he took a flower from the box that he thought was the prettiest and tucked it behind your ear, too. "i've always wanted to do that. and now... oh goodness, you're a complete and total beauty on your own, and now... oh, call an ambulance, love, i'm having a heart attack!" he said as he leaned over to brush his nose against yours, smiling and chuckling to himself all the while as his eyes stared intently into your own big, beautiful ones.

"i truly, truly love you, dear." he tells you as his lips are just centimeters away from your own. "and i love you, truly, pete." you reply as you close the distance between you two, kissing him as the sun sank down into the horizon--you two greeting the night with a loving kiss shared between you two.

maybe he should come out to help you more often, after all, such is to be done when you're planning to become one's husband, no?

a/n: BUIREBFIUBEVIUBHIUFEHIFIRFRBVIURBVBRVR I LOVED WRITING THIS SM AAAAAA TY AGAIN ANON HOPE YOU LIKE ITTTTT <33

tags !! @thecoolerdor @miguelswifey04 @fictarian @pixqlsin

[2af-afterdark]

Once a Decade Hobby

Fandom: What in Hell is Bad? Content: Foras & GN!MC (they/them), fluff turns into mild violence, MC is a little unhinged and selfish,  Summary: MC asks Foras to teach them his hobby. They throw a tantrum when they don't get their way. A/N: You know what? I love terrible MCs. I love when they are absolute garbage. Long live these bitches! Word Count: 709

“I don't think I'm doing this right,” they say as they turn the thick horn over in their hand. The rough, bark-like exterior has chips and gnashes in it from where the knife had dug too deeply or had slipped out of their control. 

They had imagined this would Be more fun than it actually was due to Foras unusually bright smile while widdling.

“The outer layer of horns like those needs to be scrapped off before they can be shaped properly,” Foras reminds them. “It also allows you to see if there are unseen cracks that run through the core or up the sides which could jeopardize the integrity of your sculpture.”

“I know that's what you said, but that doesn't make it any easier.” They look over at the horn that he's carving – a smooth, curved one that's marbled with turquoise and seafoam – and pout. “You didn’t scrape yours off? Can we switch? That one looks more simple.”

Foras looks at them with expressionless eyes. “This one is more difficult due to its shape and the fact that it is thinner and more delicate than usual. I didn't scrape its outer layer because so much of it is damaged. If I tried, I would have very little left to work with. The one you have may seem like more work, but that's because it's healthy and thicker horns are more forgiving if you make mistakes.”

“I can be careful. I promise.” 

They're bored though. The horn Foras gave to them to experiment on and fiddle with is black and the shape doesn't inspire any creativity in them. They want something prettier. Something that shimmers. Something that inspires them.

“No. Beginners should work with sturdier materials that are more forgiving to mistakes.”

Foras is the type of devil that seems hard to approach because of his unintentional directness and tactless behavior. They couldn’t even recall how many times he had scared them after suddenly turning visible after following them in secret for an unknown amount of time. But, in this moment, he seems like a completely different devil. His passion makes him act like someone else.

They stare at him while he carefully works the sharp edge of his knife across the supposedly delicate horn. Each stroke releases a small sliver of the outermost, seafoam-speckled layer. Each shaving gathers as little curls in a messy pile in hip lap. They are beautiful flakes, like glitter under the light.

They place the rough horn with small notches down on the ground beside where they sit, having lost all interest in it. They stand with their knife in hand. Slowly, they take a step closer to where Foras sits, working on his once-in-a-blue-moon hobby. They sneak around behind him to watch him from the back. His eyes, that would normally be carefully watching every moving object in the room, flicking back and forth so quickly that they would almost appear to be staring straight forward. For once, he is so engrossed in a singular task that he isn’t watching the rest of the world as if it’s a play being put on around him.

Foras is cute when he’s passionate.

So cute that they can’t help but wrap their fist around his beautiful, shimmering horn and yank his head back. 

“If you won’t share that one, I'll take this one instead.” 

A coy smile creeps across their face as they lean in close, forcing Foras to look at them the way he usually did. They run the flat of their tongue from the base of his horn all the way to the tip, smirking at the sound of his surprise and arousal.

If the horn in his hand sparkled like glitter, then his own horn 

“Yours looks healthy, so I can have it… right? Like you said, an amateur like me needs something sturdy so I can make lots and lots of mistakes. We can even start from the top.” They pull away, replacing their tongue with the edge of the knife they are still carrying. “Teach me how to saw this off. I'm feeling inspired to make something.”

Foras will look lovely with a collar made from his own horn snapped tighter around his throat than even Leviathan’s noose.

[pomellon]

do you have any tips on drawing dragons and cats with variety? yours manage to look so distinct, even with markings and colors aside, and there's a constant rounded feeling of weight to bodies and limbs. sidenote that your soft coloring and shading makes literally all your art so comfy to look at for lack of a better way to explain it. always a treat to see posted!

Thank you so much anon <3

My biggest tip to getting characters looking distinct is to draw them next to, or on top of each other. Start with one character that is kind of average to have a baseline, and build other characters with different builds and shapes from there. Play a lot with shapes, try to make some character rounder while making others shaper or more streamlined. Here's some of my recent gen cats as an example:

How long/short and broad/narrow you make the muzzle of both dragons and cats also help to create a lot of distinction. Sapnap and Punz both have sharp brows ridges and round/broad muzzles:

And of course similar fur, eye shapes, ears and markings to distinguish them as brothers!

George on the other hand has a more sloping brow, rounder eyes, and a narrow almost heart shaped muzzle:

Even when working with the same fur type you can play around with different styles and options:

Dragon especially have whole bunch of design options since there is no right or wrong way to draw em! Most of my dragon anatomy is still based on cats and I often use lions for references, but you can honestly pick any animal that you like to draw and transfer that over to dragon designs and poses.

A lot of the time when making dragon characters I like to take some mixed traits from other animals. Basim in my AC saurian/dragon au is based of a python, both for the shape of his head which is pretty flat, and his pattern and colorations. Hytham is lightly based on a deer, giving him a taller brow ridge, large ears, and horns inspired by roe deer antlers, while his pattern and coloration is based on a ringed seal:

I hope that could be of some help anon, but don't be afraid to ask if you want some more tips :D

[octarinecat]

All about my Tav Fuchsia 1/3

Here I collected all info about my Tav, Fuchsia.

This is a part one, look for other parts here:

one (basics, appearance, health, equipment),

two (personality, past) -to be announced,

three (platonic relationships, love, summary) -to be announced.

Thanks to @immolateme for making and sharing their sheet with questions, this helped me A LOT!

It will be a long and boring post made in 3 parts, so bring some snacks with you if you want to read everything at once! Warning about NSFW content on last 3/3 page! Let's go!

Basics.

Name: Fuchsia.

Meaning/thought behind name: Fuchsia is a flower that symbolise confiding love, confidence in a person, friendship, and amiability. Beside that: deep love, grace, trust and healing. Might be cheesy, but she didn't choose her name.

Nickname(s): "Clumsy".

Story behind nickname(s): If anyone has to drop a glass or hit the edge of the table, she will always be there. She is not agreeing with this nickname.

Gender: Female.

Pronouns: She/her.

Race: Asmodeus Tiefling. Age: Middle aged, about 30+ in human years.

Birthday: Middle of the winter. That's why he hates winter. It's too cold.

Class: Bard, but close to druid sometimes.

Alignment: Chaotic neutral.

Deity: None.

Appearance

Body: Normal, healthy body with tail and horns as tiefling should have.

Build: She have there some muscles, but not too much visible.

Height: 170cm / 5'7" .

Weight: 69kg / 152 lbs.

Skin tone: Pale purplish shade.

Distinguishing features: big eyes (purple and second one is bluish purple), horns & tail (normal for tieflings), pinkish tips of horns.

Most prominent features: unusual for tieflings skin shade.

Scars: She have few, but they are not important.

Birthmarks: Like before, nothing special.

Tattoos: She is wearing flower tattoo on left side of her neck and also extra hidden one on her right feet. Not that much hidden, but she is not speaking about it.

Hands: Delicate and clever, made for art.

Feet: Nothing special about them, slender, right one have tattoo.

Head: We all have one, it's normal. Pointy ears.

Face shape: Typical for tieflings. High cheekbones. Oval shape. Hairstyle: She is wearing braids almost all the time, when in camp she is untying them or making quick up-do. Loose hair only for special occasions.

Hair colour: White with purple /blue grey undertones.

Eye shape: Big, oval shape.

Eye colour: Thanks to Volo they now have different colours. One (original one) have black sclera and purple pupil, other one have white sclera with purple-bluish shades of pupil.

Makeup: Dark deep grey shadows around her eyes, dark fuchsia tint on her lips and tips of her horns.

Health

Disabilities: none.

Chronic illness: none.

Mental health: It is weak. More in her story -lore category.

Allergies: cow milk and ignorance.

Other: Her spine isn't in the best condition and her knees are always squeaking.

Equipment

Weapons: She would like to not use any, but others stopped her from that stupid idea. She received blade from Astarion to at least try to defend herself when in need (and not give helpless look to others).

Type of weapon: Knife of the Undermoutain King (light shortsword).

Preferred melee weapon: None.

Preferred ranged weapon: None.

Adventuring gear: She is wearing her lute to chant.

Clothing/armour: Adamantine scale mail (all incoming damage is reduced by one).

Shield: None. She have people for that! Minsc and Astarion for example.

Headgear: She don't like to wear any headgear, natural beauty only with horns.

Cloak: She is wearing one, she is getting cold easily. Fleshmelter cloak (melee attacker gains acid damage).

Hand-wear: Hellraider's Pride (when healing someone giving them extra buffs).

Footwear: Boots of Brilliance (restore bardic inspiration).

Camp outfit: Leather leggings and loose shirt on top, probably white or purple.

Jewellery: Usually no rings on hands, only on special occasions (ring of poison resistance). She is wearing few bracelets on her left hand.

Necklaces: Silver one with small amethyst (amulet with Misty Step). Link to part 2: will be here (I'm still working on it).

[punsmaster69]

19/OCT/20XX

at some ungodly hour, i woke up on the couch, papyrus sitting beside me.

i tried to get to the kitchen and snag something from the fridge without waking him, but he hopped up the second i set foot in the kitchen.

"...'sup, paps. sorry to wake you."

"HOW ARE YOU FEELING?"

"i'm good. pretty hungry, though."

"I'M GOING TO TAKE IT THAT YOUR LACK OF PUPILS IS.. NOT INTENTIONAL."

"...what?"

"they're gone?"

closed, open.

open, closed.

"nothing?"

"THEY'RE STILL GONE."

"..literally knocked my lights out, huh? weird."

"CAN YOU SEE ALRIGHT?"

"vision's the same."

in the light of the fridge, i could see him anxiously fidgeting.

"i feel fine, so you should go back to sleep."

"just gonna eat and then.."

"..well. can't say i'm very tired anymore, so i guess i'll just hang out. watch tv or something."

"I.."

"I'M NOT TIRED, EITHER!"

"..SO, I'LL ALSO JUST HAVE TO 'HANG OUT' ."

"ok. you want me to grab you anything while i'm here?"

he shook his head.

paps quietly observed me the whole time, but i don't know what for.

kept opening his phone, typing to someone.

"who else is up at this hour to be responding to you?"

"ALPHYS HAS YET TO FALL ASLEEP."

"wanna see if she wants to hang out too? that way we can all be nighttime losers together."

"..EXCLUDING THE LOSERS PART, A SLEEPLESS SLEEPOVER SOUNDS HELPFUL!"

"helpful?"

"FUN. I MEANT FUN."

——

"heya."

"Hey-"

"EEK!!"

"Wh-why are your eyes off?!"

"dunno. woke up with 'em stuck."

"HELLO ALPHYS!"

"Hi, Papyrus."

they exchanged a series of looks whose meanings were lost on me.

"..so whenever you're done with the staring contest, there's blankets here for you, alphys.

"Oh- um, yeah. S-sorry. Thanks, Sans."

——

"ARE THERE REALLY BEINGS UP THERE IN THE SKY??"

"This is show is (very) fake, Papyrus."

"REALLY?"

"what, you don't believe in aliens?"

"I do! What I 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 believe is that they'd visit Earth to draw circles in farmland and steal cows."

"WHY WOULD THEY NEED SO MANY?"

"Exactly!"

"Totally ridiculous."

"maybe they wanna make their own farm."

"But why the crop circles?"

"i'm not one to judge someone's artistic medium."

"What meaning do those hold??"

"PERHAPS THEY ARE SUGGESTING THAT LIFE IS BUT A CIRCLE THAT LOOPS ENDLESSLY."

"........."

"that's crazy talk."

"YEAH, YOU'RE RIGHT."

"CIRCLES ARE PROBABLY JUST THEIR FAVORITE SHAPE!"

"I guess that could be true."

"Still, weird place for it."

"maybe they buried treasure."

"THAT'S CRAZY TALK, TOO!!"

"All of this is crazy to begin with."

"true."

——

tori called me, hearing from papyrus that i was awake now.

we got off-topic quickly.

"i think my shirt has a hole in it."

"Would you like for me to lend you another one?"

"...i'll just sew it at some point."

"Hehe, okay. If you say so."

"What a shame, I was looking forward to finding the most embarrassing thing in my closet for you."

"the previous time was intentional?"

"..No! I do not know why you would ever think that."

"i feel less bad about that skeleton-hand shirt, now."

"What a shame it is for you, that I like it so much."

"I have been wearing it to bed as pajamas, since it is not quite appropriate for my little ones to see."

"probably for the best."

if flowey saw it.. my cause of death might suddenly change from 'unknown illness' to 'botany accident'.

"You are sounding a lot less drained today."

"Are you feeling better now?"

"yeah, way better."

"I am glad to hear that."

"Is your eye feeling better, as well?"

"they, uh, don't hurt, anymore...?"

"But, something is different?"

"....."

"nah. they're all good."

"Sans..."

"...."

"If they are 'all good' as you say, you would not mind turning on your camera, would you?"

i stared at the enable camera button on my phone.

it stared back.

"i'm.."

"naked."

"totally bones out-"

"Sans."

"ribs in the open air-"

"𝘚𝘢𝘯𝘴."

"You mentioned your shirt a mere moment ago."

"So unless simply talking to me over the phone was enough to make you strip..."

"Please show me your eyes."

damn it.

"...Please, uncover the camera."

"it's not covered. must be broken."

".........."

the disappointment was loud. i slid my finger off the camera.

"it-"

"this doesn't hurt, at all."

"my sight still works, and-"

"Does that not hinder your ability to express emotion?"

"like i did much of that."

"Sans, a monster's ability to express themselves is one of the most important things they could lose."

"they'll come back. i'll survive without 'em for a while."

"Have you tried doing it manually?"

"like...?"

"Can you use magic to return your pupils?"

"i-"

"Please, just try."

"....ok."

𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸,

....

𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸.

"......"

"anything?"

"Yes!"

"..huh."

had a slight ache in my skull before, but it felt like it got a little better all of a sudden.

"Without your pupils, you have quite the threatening energy about you."

"oh. ..yeah."

"It is nice to see your expressions again!"

"...."

"guess i'll keep doing this, then."

"There is nothing else I should be concerned about, is there?"

"that's it."

"It is easier to tell whether you are being truthful or not!"

"nevermind. i'm turning 'em off."

"Do not!"

"don't need an automatic lie detector on my face."

"It is so nice to see you look my way."

"..if you turned on your camera, i'd have more to look at."

".....Then, give me just a moment."

after about a minute, she returned.

"I apologize. I had to find some pants."

"n-"

"no worries."

tori turned on her camera.

i waited in anticipation as it loaded.

her fur was slightly ruffled, which she also said sorry for.

"I hope you do not mind too much."

"not- not at all. it's cu-"

"uh, looks. looks good."

"You are also looking good, for a skeleton sitting in bed right now."

"thanks. guess that's why they call it beauty sleep."

"It must be!"

——

she stared at me intently, as if trying to memorize my features.

"you're not gonna forget me that quickly, right?"

"Forgetting you would not be easy. I simply wish to have your image as fresh as possible in my mind."

"..You cannot stare back!"

"why not?"

"I am appreciating your candid face."

"...it's hard to stay that way when you're looking at me like that."

tori leaned even closer to the phone.

i covered the camera.

"Awww."

"I suppose I should go back to sleep now, anyway."

"Good night, Sans."

"goodnight, tori."

"....."

"I care for you very much. Please be safe."

"i ..care for you, too."

i stared at the blank phone screen for a while, replaying the call in my mind.

my soul felt like it was gonna jump out of my chest.

eventually gathering myself, i reentered the living room to join papyrus and alphys.

[nectar-cellar]

So I’m struggling to find my sim style rn and I was wondering how you make your sims? Like what’re the key features? Do you also use a base? Ur sims are just so cute! Also ty for being an amazing s3 simblr <33

hiii! aww thank you so much 💖 yeah i do have a male and female base sim, but i only have their basic settings saved, like their head size, head width, eye size, basic proportions like that to save a bit of time when i go to make a sim. i usually don't like the sims EA generates, so my base sims have most settings set back to zero and then just scaled down and moved a bit to make a blank canvas with nice basic proportions.

i like having reference pics whether that's a real person or a character or a piece of artwork, or even another simmer's pics, anything that inspires me and helps me visualize the sim i want to make.

sliders

the more you make sims in TS3 the more familiar you'll become with the sliders, what each one does, which ones you're always using vs which ones you don't tend to use, different combos of sliders that give you exactly the look you want. i feel like you just have to make a lot of sims, mess around with the sliders, in order to learn what works for your style and what doesn't.

my process

i'll start by choosing the sim's body type, their skintone, their hair colour, hairstyle and eyebrows. this is easy when you have a reference picture, or it can help you start to figure out the sim's general vibe if you don't have a reference to follow.

having a good skin is so important. idk how to explain it but there are some skins that i just cannot make look good on my sims. starting off with a pretty skin will make everything so much easier.

in my personal opinion i think the nose is the most defining feature of a face, so my next step is to shape the nose. upward or downward sloping, big or small nostrils, thin or wide, etc. (if you like to use nosemask makeup, i suggest putting the nosemask on first before moving the sliders.) i'll make the basic shape according to the reference pic i'm using, or just according to what i feel like making that day.

once i'm happy with the nose i'll go to make the eyes and lips. the nose helps me decide how big the eyes should be, how close/far apart, how the eyebrows should be shaped, etc. same with the lips - i like to apply the lipstick first before i shape the lips because the lipstick can sometimes change the look significantly.

the last thing i shape is usually the cheekbones and jaw shape. then i move on to applying their makeup and setting their outfits. don't be afraid to try out and discover your go-to makeup, for example mine is always dark under-eyes for my male sims, and cc eyelashes + some kind of lipstick for my female sims.

live mode

sims look different in live mode vs cas so i always look at my sims up close in live mode, pose them, snap some pics from different angles, and see if i'm happy with their features. then i go back in cas and refine their features some more. make the eyes bigger/smaller, make the mouth wider/narrower, stuff like that.

it takes me a long time to make a sim i'm happy with but i really enjoy the process !

[ashilrak]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love ♥️

I meant to do this the other day, but oop, here goes nothing:

HAUNT ME, THEN— (co-written with @mrthology)

Or, when Apollo cursed Kassandra before the Trojan War, it didn’t go as planned. Now, millennia later, Apollo and Kassandra are still stuck in an endless cycle of death and rebirth. Percy Jackson doesn’t know why people keep calling him Kassandra, or why he’s plagued by memories; all he knows is that he didn’t want to be a demigod.

There are a lot of reasons I have this as a favorite, but the biggest one is that this was a collaboration that has led to some big changes in my life and I couldn't be more grateful for it. It was also one I was just completely obsessed with while writing and took me through the emotional wringer, so bonus points.

The Murder Monologues (co-written with @theinevitablesense)

Stress came in many forms: work, pesky roommates, opinionated best friends, and attractive coworkers. Similarly, stress relief also came in many forms: knitting, music, cooking; Strangling people in their own homes. To each their own.

Bet you didn't think you'd see Hamilton on here lmao This is another collaboration and one that was genuinely so, so, so much fun to write. It is completely unlike anything else I've written, features a ship that doesn't really exist, and is such an off-the-wall AU. Like yes it's a Hamilton fic, but also. We played fast and loose with how criminal investigations work and talked about it like it was a comedy. We had a playlist that slapped featuring Razzle Dazzle from Chicago. If there's any fic of mine that could have its serial numbers filed off it's this one. Genuinely fun as shit and one I think about a lot.

See The Beast You Made Of Me

Percy Jackson thought he was done with prophecies, but the mist acting up means that it’s a revival or death. The Gods are calling for Rome to conquer and they want Percy to lead. Who better to shape their new Emperor than Apollo, already enlisted into Percy’s service for punishment? — Apollo grins down and leans in close enough that Percy can taste him. “I will make you greater than Augustus, more majestic than Hadrian, as clever as Marcus Aurelius," he says. Then with a flash of teeth, Apollo adds, "and as merciless as me.”

There are a lot of things with this fic I think I'd do differently now, and had I been the type to write in full and edit before posting I'm sure it'd look very different. But, I'm proud of this fic in the sense that it shows a lot of growth for me as a writer at this point. Obviously, I still have a lot of room to improve (and like to think I have since writing it), but it was a bit out of my comfort zone and I had a lot of fun pushing myself with it. Another one that's a bit off the wall, but sometimes that's the vibe.

Too Much To See Waiting In Front Of Me

Or: Paul takes Sally, Estelle, Percy, and Annabeth along on his family’s annual beach vacation

This is a simple one-shot, but it's one I love. I don't normally re-read my own writing, but this one I have. I don't know, it's cute and sweet and domestic and I like it.

Go On Shore (And It's Time For Us To Leave Her)

Or: Poseidon ventures west to see what's kept Ares so busy and finds a woman he can't get out of his head. Luckily for him, her time is for sale. Unluckily, Zeus is wary of any potential offspring and is sticking his nose where it doesn't belong. Sally and Poseidon both know how this ends; they can't help but fall anyway.

This might be another surprising one but, this is one of those ideas I just got really into. It's a historical Posally AU. I don't do much with Posally but boy is it something I love and have thoughts and feelings about. One of my majors in undergrad was history and I wrote a thesis on the economic and social pressures of prostitution in the Early American Republic which is where this idea came from. It was fun to jump back into that and bring in little tidbits while also playing with the idea of the Gods sticking their noses into the revolution and following years.

I've only included summaries to give a better impression of tone/vibes. If any catch your interest, please please please read ships, rating, tags, and warnings closely 🩷

[adobe-outdesign]

Your thoughts on Tauros (both Kantonian and Paldean)?

From the beginning, Tauros has primarily just been one of those Pokemon that Exist. There's nothing objectively wrong with it, but there's not a whole lot to make it stand out; it's mostly just a bull. Being a non-evolving normal type doesn't help with this, as it's not really gimmick-y enough to stand out as a single-stager. The closest thing to a concept it has is the three tails, which it whips itself with while running:

Even then, though, the three tails aren't really emphasized visually in a way that makes them particularly stand out. It also has metallic-looking horns and three dots down its forehead, which I guess are meant to parallel the three tails. (Side note: missed opportunity to not give us a normal/steel-type Tauros.)

All that said, there's nothing really wrong with Tauros, other than the mane looking weirdly flat and the tails and hooves being a blueish-grey instead of just using the grey from the horns. It just doesn't stand out a whole lot.

The artists working on the new Paldean 'mons must have agreed, because SV gives us not one, but three (3) new regional forms for it. I'm not sure what the rational was beyond maybe wanting to give it a form for each tail, but either way, Tauros definitely needed the love.

That said, Combat Breed Tauros here is pointless and I really don't know why it exists. As a regional, it's just a black Tauros; the mane has been improved and the head and horn shape are ever-so-slightly different, but those changes are barely noticeable. And in the context of the other two forms, it's redundant; the combat form is literally just a watered-down version of its other two much better forms. What's the point of having a form that's the same as the other forms, but less?

I will say, though, that I do at least appreciate that there's not really any bullfighting references in this or the other two designs, beyond them just being fighting-type black bulls. Considering bullfighting is more than slightly controversial in Spain and is general animal abuse (that kills a fair amount of people as well), trying to base anything directly on it would be tasteless. This may be boring, but at least it's a harmless boring.

Aqua Breed Tauros is significantly better than both original and Combat Breed Tauros. It still sports the black coloration (which, as a side note, does look a lot nicer than original Tauros' plain browns and grays), but it actually plays around with the design in a meaningful way.

The most obvious change is the blue water drop-shaped markings in its mane, which indicate its fighting/water typing. These add a little pop of color, and frankly, I wouldn't have minded more of it in the design; the horns, head dots, or hooves all easily could have been blue as well.

It also changes Tauros body type a bit, more closely resembling a water buffalo than a bull. According to the 'dex, this is a result of high body fat that allows it to float on water. The mane also sports a different shape, as do the horns (which can light up blue along with the head dots).

Finally, the tails are different. For some reason it's not shown in the official art, but they tend to hold them twisted up, like rudders:

While I personally prefer Blaze Bleed Tauros for reasons I'll get into in a second, the Aqua Breed is a very nice regional that looks substantially different from the original design, and adds more of a theme to it as well.

Blaze Breed Tauros is similar to Aqua Breed Tauros, though with a less distinct body shape and horns. Arguably this makes it a little blander than the Aqua Breed, but what it lacks in body shape it makes up for in concept.

Blaze Breed Tauros is, unsurprisingly, part fire-type; so in order to represent that, they just took Tauros' three tails and twisted them together to form a dynamite fuse. Boom. Simple, effective, and fun. The Aqua Breed's tails weren't bad, but they felt a bit more forced and didn't read as immediately.

In addition, the mane on this breed goes upward, and contains fiery streaks. The horns go outward instead of upward, and just like the Aqua Breed, they light up along with the head dots:

I feel like the light-up idea makes more sense with the Blaze Breed, as it's akin to hot metal flaring up and becoming red with head. The Aqua Breed just kind of lights up Because. Though just like the Aqua Breed, I find myself wanting more color in the design by default. The tails in particular would've been great if they had red tips for this breed, as if the dynamite had been lit already.

Basically, in short: original Tauros is fine, but bland and fairly forgettable; likewise, the Combat Breed is just a recolor and didn't need to exist. The Aqua and Blaze Breeds, however, are both very good regionals; both change up Tauros' original design while adding something thematically to spice up the concepts. Whichever breed you personally prefer, both are significant improvements over the original.