#first comfort character vs newest comfort character

[mangokabuto]

I caved

[gladumfdoodles]

Writing Masterlist!!

hello! I have written enough fics that I am making a little thing here for all of them with links and everything :]

if you're here for scarian, here is the full series of every scarian fic i have written: the gladumf platonic scarian manifesto (volume 1) (volume 2)

just a reminder before I list them all, everything I write is platonic (except for joel and Lizzie together, they are the one exception), if you want to read them as romantic you can, but that is not the intent!

links:

multichapter giggs phasmo fic written in the style of radio logs and emails

watcher grian one-shot with xisuma and scar featuring grian being feral (literally)

multichapter fantasy au where Scar is the king and Grian is the watcher's newest servant

two-shot ranchers fic based off of xmaruu11's fire thief au

desert duo witch au series where grian is a witch and scar is a rejected fae (currently has six fics, and maybe will have more if people continue to show interest in it)

boatem pirates au series in which grian is traumatized and gets many cuddles

one-shot superhero au where grian is a vigilante and scar is a hero turned villain

one-shot wild magic au featuring cat shifter grian and fae scar

long one-shot college au of the season 6 hermitcraft build off

one-shot fighting ring au with champion grian and new comer scar, now with a warmup sequel!

one-shot prison (?) au with traumatized desert duo

two part scifi au, grian centric with plenty of whump and hurt/comfort

one-shot superhero au where Scar is a hero and grian is a vigilante, and a sudden turn of events brings them closer together

princess bride au, with buttercup!grian and dread pirate roberts! scar, 70k words

angel/demon au with desert duo, heavy hurt/comfort, 17k words

one-shot ddvau ranchers sick fic

one-shot ddvau desert duo fluff

super angsty oneshot, desert duo, mind the content warnings on this one

joel centric oneshot, first day on hermitcraft

two-shot cat mumbo au with buttercups

Atlantis au, multichapter, scar centric with desert duo

DnD au based off of @plumadot's wonderful art, grian centric

renchanting warmup, martyn is an idiot and goes hiking alone without telling anyone. also ren's a werewolf

mer au, desert duo centric with four fics, 3 of which are multi-chapter! one of them is ranchers centric rather than desert duo if you're interested in that! there is also an alternate timeline in progress as well, written by both me and the lovely @raffi-cat

another vigilante/hero oneshot with established relationship scarian

hybrid shop oneshot in which grian is entirely in his instincts

necromancer vs serial killer (nvsk) au, multichapter, scarian centric but also jimmy is a major character

-

I've also been asked if I'm okay with fanart for my fics, and the answer is yes!! a thousand times yes!! I think I would cry (/pos) if someone made something inspired by me, please tag me if you do, I would love to see it!!!

thank you for stopping by!!

[masked-fools]

❝ your old buddy sampo is a model citizen these days. y'know the guards on sentry duty in the restricted zone? i deliver their breakfast every day! ❞

— Sampo Koski, ancient relic specialist

Tavern Notice Board

21st of August — 27th of August

(1) Sampo's approach to the Underworld vs. Overworld — @ahaclownery

short analysis of how sampo treats overworlders vs. how he treats underworlders

(2) Sampo's feelings — @ahaclownery

short analysis whether it would be easier to get close to sampo if the person in question was also a masked fool + his feelings during the everwinter museum quest

(3) Anxiety & Tension [Blade] — @meaningofaeons

blade comes home hurt again, gn!reader, hurt/comfort, couple fighting but it doesn't get too too heated

(4) We Really Were Timeless [Dan Heng, Dan Feng] — @eggluverz

dan heng does not want to remember his previous reincarnation, but there is one part he doesn't want to let go of forever— you.

(5) An Immortal's Delight [Jing Yuan] — @generalsmemories

established relationship, fluff, hurt/comfort, smooches and kisses in the bathtub

(6) You Could Be My Whole World, If I Could Be Your Satellite [Sampo] — @pyroxeene

sampo koski, despite his flirty demeanor towards you, wasn't expecting anything when he tried to get you to help with his newest scheme. thankfully, you decided to be a little bold today.

(7) Cute Boy On The Bus [Dan Heng] — @antimatterz

you're crushing on the cute guy who sits next to you on the bus. pining, fluff, short drabble, modern college au

(8) Their Vows For You [Luka, Gepard, Sampo, Luocha, Blade] — @cnnmairoll

what their wedding vows would be

(9) You Matter To Me [Dan Heng] — @pyroxeene

you often feel fearful of doing something wrong; like one mistake could alter your friends' perception of you. luckily, dan heng is there to comfort you.

(10) He Only Confesses His Love Once You're Already Gone [Jing Yuan] — @milksnake-tea

"please, stay. just... stay." major character death, war, implied violence/stabbing.

(11) Dan Heng's Journey [A Playlist] — @pyroxeene

lyrical character study of dan heng's journey in the story so far

(12) Heart-Shaped Kisses [Blade, Dan Heng, Gepard, Jing Yuan] — @lxvebun

how they kiss you

(13) Safe In Your Arms [Jing Yuan] — @cnnmairoll

with a reader who is very small compared to him and loves to like be held and surrounded by him

(14) Luocha's Hidden Affection [Luocha] — @cnnmairoll

secret admirer luocha with a merchant reader

(15) Hugging Them For The First Time [Sampo, Dan Heng] — @cnnmairoll

holding dan heng and sampo in your arms for the first time

[jackitk]

No promises I'll finish this. (I have my own daily OC posting challenge going between Youtube Community posts and Bluesky.) But a lot of the prompts feels like a good way to get more lore of Overseer of the Elements out on the Internet.

So here's the first 5 days...

Day 1 & 3: Favorite/oldest OC. Sara and friend who premiered around 2006 but have been in my head much longer. Especially in the past, I often refer to the friend as "Jackit", but due to being the playable character of the hypnotical game, I tend to keep their name vague for narrative reasons. They premiered in 2006 but being the first OC I had, they've been around since I was a kid.

Day 2: Newest OC. Probably an OC that goes by the name of Ironra, if not her then her mother. She was part of a future timeline OC that I've kept mostly to myself for surprises in the future, but recently I repurposed her to appear in the main timeline, along with her mother to basically act as shopkeeper NPCs, at least to start off as.

Why is Sara my favorite? I probably could spend an entire day just on that. But I think it boils down to a combination of having her for so long and having a blend of a lot of traits I like from fictional characters, both personality and design. She really is a comfort character that will likely have a staring role in the series when it gets off the ground.

Day 4: Bob and Steve Created as parodies back when I made gag comics of a TV sketch I saw, which TBH the show probably based their characters off Red VS Blue. Often the butt of jokes and have little to no concept of the 4th wall.

Day 5: This is a long story. So Overseer of the Elements will have a Mentalist of each element. Water, fire, wind, and Earth. (Technically 2 others but that's a whole other story.) Out of the four, the wind element has had the most changes.

First was Tim who was the first wielder. Eventually I recon him to be the be the big brother of the new wind wielder, Kris.

Along the line I came up with Nayla who basically replaced Kris and left me unsure what to do with Tim. I was initially planning on redesigning Tim to better fit the role of Nayla's big brother. But that might be better just to do with a different character. I think I can still fit Kris and Tim in the Overseer of the Elements world somewhere, but I still have yet to decide how. Though I think if Kris and Nayla where to meet, they'd get along very well. So maybe I'll do something with that.

Here's the prompt for anyone looking to follow along...

[elvenbeard]

2067

"My childhood, let’s see… Nights spent lookin’ for a star - any star… All dimmed by city lights. Silent lullabies sung by the flickering neon signs of Charter Hill…"

Born into Night City's corporate world to upper middle class managers Marcella and Kousuke Ezaki, Vince lived a very comfortable and sheltered life growing up. Nice corporate apartment in Charter Hill's bustling Grant Avenue, excellent education, always the newest clothes, the fanciest tech, the best cyberware money can buy from a young age on.

It was almost too comfortable and sheltered really. With what they had invested in him and his future, his parents demanded perfection and performance - and obedience. While Vince was eager to deliver at first, being naturally ambitious, it always felt like something was wrong, something was missing... He just never quite fit in, despite trying his hardest.

Vince's father died when he was 13 - by suicide in the company bathroom, or so it seemed at the time. The pressure had gotten too much for him to bear and he saw no other way out; that had been the official explanation. The supposed truth though, which Vince would uncover many years later, was more complex and even darker than that.

On top of it, Vince's parents had never led the happiest marriage, worn down by stress and growing disagreements. It started over smaller issues: which car to buy, when to go on holiday, which school was best for their child. But soon they fought daily, constantly, about everything... And Vince fled into the arms of kids his age and older that never had the best intentions with him, but lured him in with a sense of belonging somewhere finally.

After his father's death, Vince's mother grew increasingly paranoid and controlling - her focus shifted from her husband to her child, whom she did not want to lose as well. Simultaneously though, she refused to accept that Vince had become his own person and would never be who and what she'd wanted him to be. The harder she tried to hold on to him, do her bidding, obey, the further she ended up pushing him away...

Vince through the years (1/9)

Little BTS rambles below the cut here!

Remember these? XD Yeah, I'm finally getting around to doing my "Vince through the years" project I teased a couple months ago. I finally decided on a format! xD I wanted something diary-entry like, but not too long and complex, otherwise I could probably sink months into this, do some cool lorebook-like graphics and whatnot...

I might still do that in the future, revamp some shots, or maybe one day make a character page or something in a more complex graphic style... but for now I just really wanna share some lore actually 👀 And get these shots published before they go bad!! (read as: before I don't like them anymore cause I'm getting better with my VP XD)

Also, a little comparison - vanilla vs edited shot:

Aging him down around 10 years was hard, but also fun XD I did this a while ago and meanwhile I might do some stuff different, but I'll leave them as is now xD But yeah, I tried some other complexions first that look younger than his 2077 one, but they made him look like a completely different person, so I went with the Photoshopping approach instead. Does he look like a pre-T teenager? Eh. If you squint XD But I'll take it!

Back then he already loved his massive coats that made him look bigger and wider than he really is. Hair dyed blond mostly because both his parents have dark hair, for that good old teenage rebelliousness and self-expression <3

I kinda implied it in the text but... yeah his parents were both pretty messed up. They did see him more like an investment than a kid most of the time. It was in the end damaging to all three of them, but most to Vince, leading to him becoming a little fucked up as well.

And when I say "investment" I literally mean, they invested money into making him as flawless as possible. Got him cyberoptics and whatnot installed as a 5-year-old to combat genetic eye-problems running in their families (when glasses couldve done the trick), things like that. His mother had planned some more things for as soon as he would finish school, but he ran away from home before that.

Before that already he went on to destroy all these perfect things they tried to achive with his body, got stick-and-poke tattoos, pierced his own ear, found a semi-shady Ripper who would install him a cyberdeck *he* wanted, not the one his mother got him, etc etc. XD

He spent a lot of time with the wrong pepole, too, but the connection to them at least helped him realize that he's trans - obviously one more thing that his mother did not plan for with her "perfect child" and tries to first ignore then actively shut down as best as she can. This is a hate-post for Vince's mom <3

What really happened to his dad is gonna follow in a post to come ooooor maybe I'll leave it a secret until I finished writing his background story fic 👀

[mschanelbag]

( chanel ) had always been open to whatever most people had to say in interview spaces, being the open minded person she was. however, unfortunately for the co-hosts of ( podcrushed ), she instructed her team to hand them her reasonable list of interview dos and don’ts before arriving to the new york studio. her last interview left a sour taste in her mouth when asked about a certain someone she had no interest in giving time of day, resulting in a list of restrictions:

DON’TS.

nicki minaj vs cardi b/megan thee stallion.

men she’s been seen with.

romantic relationships.

SPICE.

any rap beef.

najee hardaway.

entering the studio with a bashfully charming smile placed across her face, ( chanel ) sweetly waved at the hosts using two hands. on a high from the rush that was new york city, she was nothing short of excited to sit down and speak with ( penn badgley ) and his co-hosts. “hi, you guys! thank you for having me.” she spoke with sincerity laced in her relaxed tone, discovering comfort in her seat while adjusting her headset and microphone to her likeness. “it’s truly a delight to have you here with us today. i mean, you’re a woman of many jobs, so thank you for fitting us into your schedule.” they shared a laugh, room exuding positive energy from all parties.

“speaking of many jobs, i feel like it’s only right we dive in to your most recent project—the icy life. for those who don’t know, saweetie recently announced a brand new reality show that’ll be exclusively streamed on hulu. from my understanding, we’re the first to have you speak on it, so tell us a little bit about that.” ( penn ) rolled out the red carpet of opportunity for his guest to take the chance to promote her series. “well, yes. i’m super excited, because reality tv was such a huge thing when i was growing up, and i’ve always been a fan. plus, my fans have always wanted to see what my life is like outside of social media—so with the proper backing and support from hulu, i plan on giving them a glimpse of my world.”

“i think it makes sense for you because you’ve always been a content girly. like, from the instagram reels and your brief vlogging era on youtube, a reality show was meant for talents like yourself. we were literally just watching your reenactment of sex in the city just now. so just know, i’ll be tuning in.” ( sophie ) chimed in with support. “thank you, girl.” she responded with a smile, pink acrylics fluffing out the ends of her bundles. “i one-hundred percent agree. what can we expect from the show? do you think fans will be shocked by how you live your every day life?” her eyes lit up when thinking of her response, enjoying this new era of her career, and what else was to come with it. “hm. honestly, yes, but maybe no? i think so, ‘cause when people see icy, they see the glitz and glam, and assume that’s all i am. however, behind the makeup and the music and the social media posts—i’m a real person with real feelings and i go through real things like everyone else. i’m fortunate to have this platform, but i’m human and i hope that’s what the audience is able to perceive.”

“it feels intentional that you choose to be vocal about the reality of your life from the early days of your adulthood to now. i think it’s a true testament to your character, feeding your listeners gems such as ‘my best’ and ‘richtivities’ where you manifest the luxury of existing in your most authentic form—and/or aspiring to better your lifestyle. was that the formula for your newest release, ‘is it the way’? ( chanel ) couldn’t help but smirk at the wordy dialogue, enjoying the research and knowledge of the interviewers. she confirmed with a nod. “i think ‘is it the way’ is a mature version of my older sound. i dropped it a week apart from ‘my best’ because it kinda’ continues the feel-good anthem in a way. it has a hint of manifestations and the yearning for more out of this life, but it’s also just sexy and makes you feel good. it’s a confidence booster, for sure. i think it sets the tone for a girls night out.”

“ah. that makes sense. can we expect more of this sound heading into the rollout of your debut album?” “i’d like to think so. it’s been received well by my fans, so i let them do the talking for me. i plan on having a plethora of sounds on the album though. i’m singing a lot more, as you can hear from this last release. or even ‘nani’.” ( chanel ) wanted to give as much album details as she could without getting in trouble with her label.

* the foursome proceeded with an informative discussion of all-things icy girl: life as an only child, graduating from usc, being discovered within a year of rapping, dream brand deals, and much more. be sure to tune in to ‘the icy life’ october 14th—only on hulu. *

[insomniac-jay]

DC OC Reading Lists

Billie Sunday | Faerie

Titania Knights: Faith, Trust, & Fairy Dust: The debut of DC's newest all girl team, the Titania Knights, and their newest heroes: Faerie, Hermia, Emerald, and Witchbane. Released around the same time as the first Blue Beetle comic.

Faerie - Billie's solo comic. It's an overall character study and exploration into her life as a Metahuman, relationships, and her future as she prepares to head off to Miami for college. It is confirmed that her and Jaime are in a long distance relationship.

Faerie: Miami Vices - Billie starts her journey as a nursing student, but not before she gets a message from Zatanna Zatara about malevolent magical forces in the city.

Fatale: Bloody Paradise - Billie makes a cameo as the nurse helping Jahzara recover from a car accident

Faerie & Blue Beetle - Billie and Jaime, now at a comfortable point in their lives, get married and settle down into a domestic life with each other in El Paso...or as domestic as one can be when they're a superhero

Faerie: All Haill the Queen - An Elseworlds comic where Titania names Billie as her successor to the throne of Fairyland

Jahzara Nwadike | Fatale

The Watchers: Public Enemies - The debut of Jahzara, daughter of a Nigerian business mogul, as the elusive Watcher Fatale in her quest to eliminate Bruce Wayne.

The Watchers: Watchers vs Owls - Jahzara joins the Watchers in the fight against the Court of Owls after Duchess (Serilda von Meier-Berger) is attacked in her home after refusing to join them

Fatale: Sins of Star City - After being framed for a crime she didn't commit, Jahzara flees from Gotham and hides in Star City

Fatale: Black Paradise - Now a successful lawyer living in Florida, Jahzara's work as Fatale isn't done when enemies from her past come back and new ones emerge

The Watchers: Future is Ours - Jahzara, now in her late 30s, trains the next generation of Watchers alongside Vicia

The Watchers: Who Watches the Watchers? - Jahzara's backstory and how she came to join the Watchers

Fatale: Corporate Espionage - An Elseworlds story where Jahzara and Duke meet later in life as adults

Vicia Lopez | Crimson

The Watchers: Honor Among Rogues - Vicia's debut alongside the rest of the Watchers. She has a few volumes dedicated to her character development

The Watchers: Public Enemies - Major supporting character since this series is mainly about Jahzara

Crimson & Pantheress - Duo series of Crimson and Pantheress (Imani Javiera) as they fight crime in Gotham's underground to keep their communities safe

The Watchers: Watchers vs Owls - Vicia joins the war after the attack on Duchess. A major moment is when she kills Talon

The Watchers: Future is Ours - An older Vicia helps Jahzara train the new Watchers, which includes her daughter Sanai Sheila Todd

The Watchers: Who Watches the Watchers - Exploration into Vicia's life before joining the vigilante organization, her relationship with Madame Nightshade, and how she joined

Blood Mary & the Final Girls - Elseworld story where Vicia never joins the Watchers; instead escaping juvie and becoming Bloody Mary, a murderous antiheroine

Crimson: Deadly Venom - Another Elseworlds where Vicia stayed with the Black Widows as an assassin

Greynasha Wiley | Crypt

Crypt: Back From the Dead - Greynasha's debut series. Based off the Static Shock cartoon, a major theme of the series is Greynasha learning how to live with her powers and the remorse that comes with being a survivor of the Big Bang

Midwest Titans (@punkeropercyjackson) - Greynasha is a member of the Midwestern branch of the Teen Titans alongside Blue Beetle, Miss Martian, and Static, Greynasha's love interest

@floof-ghostie @calciumcryptid @peachyblkdemonslayer @theautisticcentre @moonage-gaydream

[danganronpasurvivoraskblog]

//The winner of the poll with 41.2% is Fluttershy from My Little Pony, who will be Mikan's opponent.

//I notice that a lot of the one's that end up winning are the one's I probably wouldn't vote for myself, lol. Still, it's perfectly fine. Should still be a pretty fair fight.

//And I won't have to worry about it with this one, because I like basically all of this lineup.

//IMPORTANT NOTICE: This fight is KOMARU ONLY! Toko will NOT be featured.

//Reasons for matchups below:

Lucio - Both characters use a megaphone-shaped gun as their primary weapon, of which contains a variety of different abilities and powers that help them win their fights. Both are also fairly recent members of the main group of heroes (Komaru joined Future Foundation shortly after everybody else, while Lucio is one of the newest members of Overwatch), both stopped an uprising that threatened their home city (Komaru with the Warriors of Hope and Lucio with Vishkar) and both make a living by fighting robot armies (Monokuma's and Null Sector Robots)

Akane - Both girls wield guns that are only effective against specific things (Akane's Dominator only works on people with a high Psycho-Pass and Komaru's Megaphone Gun only works on machines like Monokuma's). They both have pretty similar personalities, being kind and caring to a fault, yet subjected to tragedy and misery constantly. They also both form a friendship with someone with a shady past who works for an organization that doesn't treat them the best because of said past (Shinya Kogami for Akane and Toko Fukawa for Komaru)

Katie - Both of them start out as fairly normal teenage girls with a clear geeky and dorky side to them. However, one day they both get subjected to a robot uprising, and for some reason, they're the only hope left for the city/the world. Both (AGAIN) wield special guns that they use against their robotic oppressors and the stories of both characters put a special focus on the importance of family bonds. (Katie connects with her family through the events of her movie despite having grown distant from them as she grows older, and Komaru similarly becomes the wife of Toko and the adoptive mother of Akeru, with the new family working together to figure things out.)

Uzi - Guess what Uzi has!? A SPECIAL GUN! At least in the first episode. But aside from that, the two start out as average teenagers subjected to a robot uprising (moreso in Komaru's case) which they initially take upon themselves to quell. However, both of them eventually befriend a dangerous person with a silly side, and become their best friend/eventual love interest (Toko for Komaru and N for Uzi) as well as befriending the oppressor that they once thought of as their arch-enemy (Komaru eventually saved and helps the Warriors of Hope adapt to a more comfortable life, and though she's angsty about it, Uzi learns to work with V, J, and Tessa, despite her hatred for the Murder Drones and humans) The two also discover more and more conspiracies as their journey progresses, and come to realize that there's so much about the world they live in that they don't know.

Jesse- SHE HAS A FUCKING SPECIAL GUN THAT GIVES HER SPECIAL POWERS, GOD DAMMIT! Aside from that, both girls journey's start off with them entering a world full of dangerous creatures and things that are completely alien to them, aided by a companion who serves as the voice of reason for emotional nature (Komaru has Toko, who brings her back down to earth whenever she lets her mind get the better of her, and Jessie has Polaris, an unseen entity that communicates with her telepathically). Both of them adventure through this nightmarish world with the intent on finding their family (Komaru is looking for her parents and her brother Makoto, and Jesse is looking for her brother Dylan). Eventually, through some odd circumstances, both of them end up in a peculiar position of power and, in one way or another, become heroes to the people around them, (Komaru saves Towa City and eventually becomes the Head of Future Foundation Branch 7, and Jesse becomes the Director of the Federal Bureau of Control, succeeding Zachariah Trench.)

[galacticlamps]

Ok I really do love the costume changes Victoria & Jamie go through in the first ten minutes of this serial, it really feels like a settling into their characters for both of them - not even the actors, I literally mean the characters into their roles as companions.

It's so hard to imagine Victoria anywhere else but Maxtible's mansion & Skaro in her 19th century dress, but the one she has here still preserves that delicacy her outfits will lose more as time goes on - with the little floral print and the neat pleating on the front - just with a significantly more streamlined silhouette. It’s such a good ‘ok well try this maybe?’ kind of dress, which is fitting considering she’s one of relatively few companions who get a ‘please change your clothes now’ moment at the start of their first adventure proper - you can see both the sense of putting her in something like this & her discomfort with it all at once, which I think makes it a wonderful bridge between her actual Victorian gown and her obviously more Victorian-inspired but significantly more pragmatic outfit for the next two serials. I think you can tell Jamie and/or the Doctor picked it out for her, aiming for a trimmed-down version of what they’ve seen her wearing so far, but it isn’t until Abominable Snowmen that she starts dressing herself and goes for something less overtly similar to what she wore before (in as much as gown -> dress looks like less of a leap than gown -> breeches) but that has its own through-line both historically and practically.

Jamie’s costume’s development is less pronounced, but it’s amazing what a different top can do - for one, it alters his whole silhouette, since he tucks the button-down in while the sweater over the kilt almost gave him a drop-waist look, but it’s also a more structured look all over, not just because of the now-visible belt but also the collar, pockets, epaulets, and cuffed sleeves vs rolled or just shoved up ones when you’re dealing with the sweater material. Even his hair seems to take on a more shape & texture compared to the very round bowl of the last few serials.

I’ve gotta say, I think Jamie’s Season 4 look suited him being the newest, youngest, most inexperienced member of the Tardis team SO well, it just had to go as soon as Victoria joined completely and took on that role herself. When we were in Victoria’s own time period it was fine for the contrast between them to come in the form of her in a larger, more structured and more detailed outfit and him in something decidedly looser, more informal, and frankly, futuristic - but now that we’ve left it behind and she’s changed into something she’s less comfortable wearing (& doing!), his way of welcoming her, guiding her, and preceding her is to evolve himself - in this case, into a more mature & practical guardian-type role, which his clothes clearly reflect. There’s something military about the shirt itself, but he wears it in a laid-back enough style with the sleeves up and the top button undone - though compared with the pieces he’ll accumulate later on in his tenure, there’s still something youthfully unencumbered about this first iteration without the ascots and the vests and the sporran, and the slimmer shoes with the long socks vs the chunkier boots with the shorter ones. It’s actually one of my favorite costumes for him, mainly because I think it hits that mark of no-longer-the-least-experienced-traveler so well - but for the same reason, I’m unreasonably peeved whenever it’s some version of this costume that appears on the cover of audios meant to be set during Season 4 when he’s traveling with Ben & Polly - the evolution feels so deliberate, that’s just not the same Jamie at all! And in that regard, Tomb really does feel like the start of a new season, a new stage in the characters’ lives, in a way that season openers don’t always do at this time in the show’s history, which is a nice fresh detail.

[thewulf]

Not a request, more of a question. You always have so many requests. How do you possibly keep them all organized and know which ones you still have left to do and such? I need help in this organizational aspect. I’m usually very organized but keeping up with requests is a struggle!

I'm so glad you asked!! I honestly credit my first job as a Change Management Coordinator for teaching me! Hahaha

Honestly I go by what's hot in the moment. So if I'm getting alot of requests for one person or another I just try and answer them from the bottom to top (oldest request vs newest). Some I do delete if i'm not comfortable or just don't want to. If it's not an anon I'll always send a message as to why!

I also always only keep one WIP for a character and try and keep it capped between 3-5 characters. I have four "open" requests which gives me the freedom to write who I please. I try and write in order but sometimes the inspo is elsewhere and I've just cut myself slack - See Picture Below!

I also ALWAYS make sure to hyperlink to the request. That helps me as well as the reader to follow!

I've gotten alot of random and new (I LOVE IT) requests so I'm trying to write those while I get them! I always have ALOT of Jake Seresin/Bradley Bradshaw requests so i write those as I have inspo or lack other requests :)

Hope this helps!!

[cosmobrain00]

you mentioned you like trigun and i have a question? i’m not into trigun but i see a lot of fan art shipping vash with wolfwood, but i’ve also heard people call it a proship (which is gross obviously) is it true? i heard something about wolfwood being mentally younger than he is physically but idk since i haven’t read/seen it sorry if this is a stupid ask it has nothing to do with you i just don’t know any trigun fans

hello anon! first off love tht u came to me w this I feel like an official in the fandom now, but I digress.

anyways, here's a quick lesson of wht I kno for u, as well as how the answer varies due to the diff adaptations:

(keep in mind there has never been an official age stated for any of these, u just gotta use clues. also I dont use the term "proship" arnd here, but I get ur overall point)

for trigun max n the '98 anime, n based off of wht ive found/ heard, its gonna be safe to guess he's arnd his early to late twenties here, not rlly a chance of him being a teen at all, so there's a pointless argument right there.

here's where it gets interesting: trigun stampede.

im assuming this is where the most "discourse" comes from (n also where ur question originates from) considering the newest anime takes a huge left turn w his backstory n ovrall character, which is tht wolfwood was taken from the orphanage itself as a kid n experimented on until his physical body shed its "younger skin" so to speak, n was pushed into growing into an adult's instead.

so. yeah. easy to see how his age is the most disputed here. I have sifted thru many diff posts n speculations, n have basically come to this conclusion: no one has any fucking idea. it ranges from "he could still be 12 in an adult's body" to "he could actually be arnd 20 now", but again. p hard to decipher tht when u kinda have to get into the mental vs physical state of him also, bc how exactly do u factor in having ur body forcibly aged up while the rest of ur mind was forced to be "left behind" in a sense? did tht also speed up his mental age due to evrything he had to witness? hm.

so unfortunately my answer isnt gonna be completely satisfying bc truthfully imo, it could go either way. a few posts tht ive seen arnd have stated tht u can simply age him up if its more comfortable like the original series instead of sifting thru the nitty gritty details. u feel me?

[solitaireships]

🌱🎉🛀 hope u feel better :o) -hamsterwife

Thank you @hamsterwife! I know it'll get better eventually, but for now I just need to try to keep moving forward and thinking about happier things

🌱 Who was your first F/O?

If we're going way back to before I really was aware of what self shipping was, it would be Washington from Re.d vs Bl.ue. He was a major source of comfort for me back when I was really into the show, and I even ended up making a bracelet that reminded me of him (tho unfortunately it broke a couple years ago). He was still a very formative fictional character I loved tho, and I'll always have some love for him even tho I've long since stopped considering him a character I'm in love with

The first character that I've actually referred to as my F/O tho is James. He's more important to me than pretty much anyone else, and I adore him so much

It was actually a bit of a surprise that I ended up falling so hard for him, especially because initially watching rw.by I didn't think much about him. But I think it was during the time that v8 was almost done releasing that I ended up falling hard and fast for him, and I've never changed on that. I think it was the tragedy that's part of what drew me to him, and I was thinking a lot about him from a character study perspective at that point. And he more I thought about him, the more I realized that I really loved him which funnily enough was actually after he died lmao. He really drew me in with everything about him tho, and he's such an important character to me, I love him so dearly

🎉 Tell us some fun facts about your newest selfship!

I already talked about Miguel in another ask, so I'm gonna talk about my next most recent F/O, who I think would be Himeko. I consider her to be more of a crush than anything for right now, mainly just bcs I don't quite feel like she warrants girlfriend status. I do think the main reason that I have feelings for her tho is that she reminds me a lot of the way Chae-Yeong usually presents herself. I like that she's confident, and I can always appreciate a woman who loves space and coffee considering I also love those things. Plus, she's really just so gorgeous, and I admire her work with trying to help others across the universe

🛀 What’s your favorite mundane thing to do with your F/O?

I like getting to have meals with James. It's nice having time to be together, not worrying about anything else, and just being able to chat with each other. Especially with our busy schedules, it's a good break

[writingmoth]

🍁 🌾🌸 and 💫 for your favorite and your newest OC!!!

favorite oc: valerian from anti snow white

newest oc: my guardian from destiny 2 lol here he is and yes he doesnt have a name. yet.

whew this got LONG

🍁 Where does your OC go when they need to have some time to themself? Would they ever have their own “comfort corner” filled with all the things they like? Do they have a favourite spot outside that feels like its theirs and theirs alone?

valerian: the thing about valerian is that he doesnt have a home besides the first forest. the story begins with him FINALLY leaving the forest behind so it takes a looooooong time for him to have any sort of place that is his own. when he wants some time for himself he tries to go to any place with trees, since they remind him of the first forest and while he has very complicated feelings about the place, its the home he has known the longest.

the guardian: i guess with guardians its kinda impossible to have a completely alone time since their ghosts are always there ;-;

for those who dont know destiny 2, ghosts are little machines (?) who resurrect your guardian/player character all the time in game & the reason you have any powers at all. guardian and ghosts share a bond (usually) and are rarely seen separated.

the guardian's ghost is the one speaking in the first of the screenshots i linked above.

anyway, i see my guardian going to the edz when hes tired of the tower's bullshit just to enjoy the view and relax. i dont see him having a room at the tower - his "comfort corner" would probably be in his ship, where he stuffs all knickknacks he gets in his missions.

💫What is your favourite fact about this character and why?

valerian: hes a little shit. he is a good person... deep down, under the vanity, arrogance and pettiness. so, you know, he's not evil... but he is annoying, clingy and selfish at times. he has no filter AT ALL and no impulse control to speak of, so writing him is like letting loose a cannon ball and watching it blast through a china shop. its just fun lol

the guardian: he shares a bit with valerian here... just a little bit bc valerian is downright unhinged lol the guardian i see more as someone who is very responsible, always there to help etc but he just has no patience for the bullshit associated with actually being, you know, the Guardian(tm). so hes very cranky and definitely not here to socialize. i like this contrast between actually being a hero vs not being a people person.

🌾 Describe your OC through the eyes of someone absolutely head-over-heels in love with them

i wont be using romantic love here!

also im taking this describe in a not literal sense

valerian: boy this is hard bc *points to the question above* valerian is NOT an easy person to love. but vespertine ADORES him (tho vespertine doesnt show up for most of the first book... books?). vespertine sees all of valerian's... quirks as an expression of his free spirit, so to speak, and his authenticness (?). valerian might be an asshole, but hes an honest asshole and an open book. you always know what he is feeling and what he wants because he will tell you right away (be speaking or through actions). and as awful as he can be, he can be caring and he is the most loyal person ever.

so vespertine isnt annoyed by valerian's pettiness and selfishness bc... well, valerian is their blind spot. as far as vespertine is concerned, valerian is actually right in literally everything. was he mean? well, you deserved it. was he arrogant? well, he has reason to be, so thats fine. is valerian throwing a tantrum? well, have you tried doing what he wants? it usually works.

yeah, vespertine is an enabler. it's a nice contrast to ira, who also loves valerian dearly (...eventually) but doesn't take any of his shit. for ira, it's valerian's honesty and vulnerability that draws the eye. ira sees that below the layers of nonsense, valerian is a simple person with simple needs and wants, and ira can relate to a LOT of these needs and wants. so they end up being kindred spirits. sort of. if you ignore valerian's assholeness.

if you guys let me i can ramble about valerian forever lol

the guardian: using ghost for this bc, well. ghost is the main reason i ended up making an oc for destiny 2.

like i said above, the guardian is not a people person. he can be quite rebellious and not fond of authority, but i think that ghost would love him for the opposite of all that. he would see that despite being very much not the right personality type for being the Hero(tm), the guardian never forsakes his duty. he's gritting his teeth through a lot of it but he's doing it. he's dependable, a good listener and funny when he does decide to talk, though it is annoying that he rarely does.

thats it, i think! thank you so much for the ask!!!

[meowzfordayz]

stressed — enmu, genya, muichiro

Author’s Note: exhausted but writing bc insomnia yay. 😆

stressed

Enmu x Reader, Shinazugawa Genya x Reader, Tokito Muichiro x Reader

Word Count: ~1,200

CW: mild sexual content

Emergency Request Fulfilled: heyyy so- this is a bit of an emergency ask but you can take your time with it if you want-

I've been pretty stressed recently with school and my grades are shit- needless to say, a lot has been going on at home..

fluffy genya x reader drabble? or whatever you wanna write it as-

maybe the reader has been super stressed? honestly whatever works best,

hii! i litteraly love your content!!

um may i request a modern au comfort Muichiro x fem!reader

like y/n is being super stressed with school work and Muichiro hates to see he's lover being stressed so he told y/n to rest and cuddle with him

you can do it if its not a bother at all

stressed — zenitsu, kyojuro, sanemi

~faqs~

ENMU

For some reason, tea is the first thing that pops into my mind ??

Ig bc Enmu strikes me as kind of… elegant? Must be his coat

Whether you prefer hot or iced tea, if you’re stressing, then he’s tea-ing

That sounded a lot catchier in my brain vs actually typed out ☹️

Def researches various properties of herbs and flowers to best relieve you

Aka you’re drinking a lot of chamomile, lavender, and mint teas

He even makes homemade simple syrup (1:1 ratio of water and sugar; sugar dissolved into water; blends better into iced drinks vs stirring for ages)

Mint infused, lemon infused, rose infused — truly, he’s an ar-tea-st 😌

Since these hcs are modern au… let’s go w/… he helps you fall asleep by reading to you 🥺

If you can’t fall asleep listening to someone reading aloud, then my apologies 😅

Whenever he catches you: nodding off at your desk; starting another impulsive project; banging at your forehead with your palms; groaning and grunting and other displeased-w/-yourself noises

He: calmly swivels your chair around; envelops you in a firm, restraining hug (assuming you’re comfortable w/ physical touch); grabs your hands and squeezes gently (assuming you’re comfortable w/ physical touch); groans and grunts even louder What? You started it!

And once he’s caught you? There’s no escaping the Enmu Agenda 

The Enmu Agenda: Step 1, coax you away from your work; Step 2, convince you to brush your teeth and wash your face; Step 3, choose a book

Whether he’s reading your favorite childhood fairytale, his newest obsession, or a random Wikipedia article bc you’re already 98% asleep (inspired by my occasional Wikipedia rabbit hole-ing lol)...

… he 100% creates individual voices for every character, has a default Narrator voice, and lowkey makes it difficult to fall asleep/accidentally energizes you bc of how engaging and into it he gets

“You’re still awake?”

“Babe, you sound exactly like Gollum. How am I supposed to fall asleep to that?”

Always makes the bed

It’s easy enough when his day starts later than yours, bc he can just wake up, get up, and make the bed

But even when he gets up before you, even when he has the busiest of days, he somehow manages to make the bed before you crawl into it

“Do you have a making-the-bed fetish?”

“No? I simply believe it’s relaxing and refreshing to sleep in a kempt bed after a long day.”

“And?”

“And you deserve to feel relaxed and refreshed.”

IT’S THE LITTLE THINGS, YANNO? 😭🥰

SHINAZUGAWA GENYA

Lmao this isn’t exactly fluffy, but it’s my immediate thought: Genya tells you to yell at him 💀

Hear me out !!

He’s all too familiar w/ feeling stressed out, pent up, suffocated

And he just wants you to feel safe enough, secure enough, to let. It. Go.

If you’ve ever written in a diary/journal, then you’ve prob had those entries of literal scribbles/illegible, furious scrawling

That is what Genya wants to be for you

An outlet, a confidant, a haven for your deepest and your darkest

Besides, you attempting to yell at him for things that have nothing to do w/ him lead to 1 of 2 results

it feels GOOD, so you essentially just monologue everything that’s on your mind w/o overthinking, second guessing, or filtering; he, ofc, doesn’t take anything personally; by the time your brain catches up to your heart, you’ve released the majority of your tension, and he gets to kiss your forehead, mouth quirked as if to say Told you so (“told you venting would feel good”)

it feels ridiculous, so you dissolve into awkward giggling into boisterous laughing into how-did-this-start-again-?; he gets to pat himself on the back bc he’s successfully distracted you, soft gaze following the tilt of your head, the curve of your lips Laughter’s good for the soul, right? (“what are you staring at?” “you.”)

And, okaaay… maybe yelling isn’t the healthiest of coping mechanisms 🙃

But Genya much prefers an occasional hardcore venting sesh vs watching you gradually retreat further and further into whatever’s overwhelming you

He’s totally a pillow fort dude

Not just I built a pillow fort; but *gasp* You built that?! 😳😍

Genya dismantles the entire living room for your comfort and entertainment

Fun Fact: he has a bin under his bed labeled “pillow fort supplies”

Its contents include: a set of fairy lights, extra soft pillowcases, and a cotton tapestry that he tie-dyed himself (its dominant color, ofc, is your favorite color)

He tried decorating w/ real candles once, and never again

“Why does this pillow’s tassel look… singed?”

“I don’t know, probably needs to be washed?”

“Aaand why are there a ton of candles at the bottom of the stairs?”

…

…

“Spring cleaning?”

“GENYA!!!!!”

Little did he know you were only mildly suspicious of his pyromancy, and instead upset at the prospect of him getting rid of your candles 🤭

Soft touches !!!!!

Your head on his lap, his fingers through your hair, your spine curved against his chest, his foot nudging yours, pinkies intertwined, his chin atop your shoulder, thumbs pressing gently into hips

Intimate gestures—reminders—to demonstrate his affection and attention

Muichiro’s reluctant to distract you when you’re stressed, bc he knows if you don’t finish x, y, and z, then you’ll only feel more stressed

But he’s also attuned to the subtle souring of your body language

In other words: there’s stressed, and then there’s freaking out

If you’re stressed, then he keeps a low profile: slinking in the shadows in case you slip, dinner already cooked, daily cleaning already completed

If you’re freaking out? Then he steps in

A cool palm on your nape, a feathery kiss to your ear, a quick tug at your elbow

Fleeting, promising movements of

Look at this meme w/ me

Eat this snack w/ me

Dance around the bedroom w/ me

Share this drink w/ me

Little love notes

Yesyesyes I’m aware I hc many KNY characters to be little love note givers 

But that’s bc they’re so cute and sweet and thoughtful !!

Everyone deserves to give and receive little love notes 🤗

Anywho-

Muichiro notices when you’re feeling particularly up and particularly down

And sometimes, he misses the moment

Doesn’t say the perfect thing at the perfect time

But he’s listening and he cares and he remembers

So he leaves you little love notes to make up for his prior brain freeze(s)

You’re going to do wonderfully on your upcoming exam. If you’d like help studying, then I’m all yours — hidden between the pages of your textbook

You mentioned missing lunch today? Come downstairs — stuck on the bathroom mirror (bc he knows you’ll have to take a break to pee ~eventually)

I’m proud of you! You’re the best — tucked into your favorite pair of socks (bc he knows they’re your first choice whenever they’re clean)

I love you. Thank you for being my partner — slapped playfully onto your back mid hug (“I think there’s something on your shirt?” “Oh? Where? Can you get it for me?” “Aha! I think you should read this.”)

[karlswrites]

Big Vs. Little Spoon

Demon Bois + Non-Dateables Edition

This game is my newest hyper-fixation, so please bear with me. I know there are a lot of head-canons about the boys cuddling, but here’s my rendition. Boy howdy, this one’s a little long...

Warnings: Pure Fluff 

❤️ Lucifer: Because he’s the Avatar of Pride, Lucifer loves feeling bigger than you.  His pride inhibits him from being the little spoon, so he often opts for being the big spoon. Luci can’t help but admire the way his arms completely envelop you when he’s the big spoon. However, if he decides that you’ve been “a good little Main Character,” then he might acquiesce to your request, allowing you to lounge over him. Additionally, Luci prefers that the two of you cuddle in his bed, as it is rather large and extremely comfortable. Seeing you sprawled out over or curled in his comforter fills him to the brim with pride. Being able to hold you close to his chest gives him more pride than literally anything else. Being the elegant fella that he is, he will always lower himself beside you gently, careful not to disturb you. He won’t jump on the bed like some people. 

(I’m so sorry you had to read that one line of dialogue, if you can even call it that.)

💛 Mammon: A true switch on top of and underneath the sheets, Mammon is more likely to be the little spoon than his elder brother. He will never admit to you how much he enjoys feeling your arms slumped over him, but he does love it. He’ll never object to being the big spoon, though, as having his arms and legs draped over you is a HUGE ego booster. Mammon often feels little in the company of his brothers, so knowing that you feel safe and comfortable in his hold makes the guy’s heart melt. I must warn you, though, that Mammon doesn’t hesitate to leap unto your bed, effectively smothering you with his love and adoration. In the private on your room or his, because he loves showing his stuff off, he’ll entangle himself in you. Honestly, it doesn’t matter to him how you’re lying, as long as he gets to stay with you. If you satisfy his greed, and you always do, he will never leave.

(My friend thought of an adorable Mammon x MC Piggy-back ride idea, but that’s for another day, hehe)

💙 Leviathan: This poor boy isn’t used to physical touch, much less having someone in his room almost every night. His only experience comes from a Ruri-chan body pillow, and that thing does not compare to your warmth. At first, you have to be the big spoon. Although he’s embarrassed, Levi adores the feeling of your arms and legs hooked around him. He always takes the opportunity to take his hands and intertwine them with yours over his chest and waist. Now, if Levi gets jealous, then that’s a whole other story. If he notices a few too many people crowded around you or hugging you throughout the day, he’ll find his confidence and trap you into him. He’ll pull you into the bathtub with him, lay you down on his pillows, and act clingy so that nobody mistakes you for theirs. Good luck leaving the tub, ya hooligan. 

💚 Satan: Out of the two options, Satan is probably the big spoon most of the time. He likes holding you close, being able to enjoy some peace and quiet with you. He’s not so much of a ‘little/big spoon’ as he is a ‘two forks lying snuggly together in a drawer’ kind of guy. You lie next to him, your arms looped around his neck or his chest. Satan holds a book over the two of you, reading aloud softly. His free hand is snaked under your waist, his thumb gently stroking up and down your spine with each sentence he reads. On the other hand, if it’s late at night or super early in the morning, he’ll indulge in that prime spooning opportunity. He’d probably place his chin in the crook of your shoulder. He’ll probably have his hands anchored in your waist. He’ll probably - most definitely- slowly turn you around in his arms, letting his hands wander back towards your spine. Satan loves having you pressed against his heartbeat and vice versa. Your heart is the perfect sound for him to fall asleep to. 

💗 Asmodeus: This guy is a little spoon. With how much he loves himself and you, of course, he will curl himself into you. Asmo doesn’t like as much for his back to face you, so he always ends up turning around in your arms. He wants you to have constant access to his face. Whether you’re looking at him or kissing him, it doesn’t matter; Asmo wants your attention on his beautiful face. Being constantly suggestive, especially when it comes to you, he slowly weaves his legs between yours. He doesn’t hesitate when playing footsies, too. In terms of his preferences, he loves hosting you in his room. If you ever want to cuddle in your room, though, then he’ll eagerly agree. Asmo looks forward to leaving the scent of whatever fragrance he’s wearing all over your bedsheets. He wants you thinking about him 24/7 after all. 

(If anyone disagrees with this one, in particular, square up in a Denny’s parking lot.)

🧡 Beelzebub: As long as you’re eating food during cuddling, Beel could care less how you’re placed over him. He’s a big boy, so he’s often the big spoon. One of his arms will snake its way underneath you, holding you tightly around the waist. His other hand is preoccupied with a bag of chips or another tasty snack. Unlike Asmo, Beel is not nearly as handsy. He keeps you in his strong hold the entire time. When he’s done eating, he moves his hand up to your head. His digits will stroke and play with your hair. It’s so soft, and Beel can’t get enough of how relaxed it makes the both of you feel. Another position he likes, which isn’t necessarily spooning, but him lying on his back with you on top. Beel loves, loves, loves your head on his chest. The way his chin rests upon your head is so nice to him. He drapes his arms down your back, hooking his legs over yours. He keeps you in place, and you feel so safe. He is a legitimate teddy bear. 

💜 Belphegor: The Avatar of Sloth is the best cuddler, hands down. He has so many pillows and, upon request, can provide pillow forts, beds, nooks , or whatever you need. You always fall asleep within minutes. Cuddling was a bit difficult at first, as you didn’t always trust him. Actually, it was Belphie’s attempt to gain your trust that led you to be cuddle-buddies (besides your mutual pining, of course). Like some of his brothers, he doesn’t prefer one position over the other. He can be a big or little spoon. You say the word, and he’ll fall into the position with ease. He covers you with blankets, making you appear as a burrito/cocoon. He is definitely warm each and every time you snuggle in close. Belphie clings to you as a sloth clings to its branch, never letting go, even when you wake up. 

❤️ Diavolo: Another big boy, Diavolo is the - drum roll, please- big spoon. He has the broadest shoulders, biggest hands, and widest chest that’s perfect to fall into. Whenever you cuddle, he silently hopes you choose his castle. He’s always so excited to bring you over, and this guy has a massive bed. It’s literally made for a king. Since he’s a ray of sunshine, Diavolo will playfully tug you onto the mattress with him. He holds your face, caressing your cheeks. He grabs your waist, pulling you in even closer. He doesn’t let go until he absolutely has to. Sometimes, Barbatos has to come in and drag him away from you. Diavolo is completely smitten by you, and his affection only grows every time he relaxes against your back. Furthermore, cuddling with you is the perfect way to end a stressful day of dealing with the crazy demon brothers. 

💚 Barbatos: Barbatos may be a butler, but something about him screams big spoon. He loves scooping you up in his arms. The feeling of his heartbeat against your back brings him the greatest sense of comfort. When keeping you tangled up in his arms, he asks now and again if he can move in anyway, get you anything, or do anything to make you feel even more comfortable. He likes his control, but he always aims to please. Barbatos and you never stay still for long. His fingers run along your arms, sides, and shoulders continuously. He, too, likes playing with your hair. If you fall asleep before him, he places kisses on the back of your scalp, neck, and shoulders. He never goes past that, but cuddling allows him ample time to indulge in some innocent physical attention. Expect to be carried out of bed bridal style when the two of you wake up. 

🖤 Solomon: As the Devildom’s official special snowflake, you might never know what you’ll get with him. Solomon prefers feeling your back against his chest, though he will, like Lucifer, reward you by being the little spoon. He’s very calm and cool, so being the little spoon doesn’t embarrass him. He only cares about encasing you with his arms, hands wrapped around you in a big hug. He’s not as outwardly affectionate with you as another guy might be, but Solomon delivers some high-quality snuggles. You feel small and safe against him, and that’s all he could ever want. In terms of location, the two of you typically end up in your room. However, on days when the demon boys are at it again, he will coyly invite you into his dorm. He loves when your scent seeps its way into his bedsheets, but he also loves it when his gets lost in yours. Solomon is always left floored by how such simple affection can make him feel so warm and fuzzy. He doesn’t need to worry about spells with you, and you don’t need to worry about anything with him. 

🤍 Simeon: Similar to Levi, Simeon isn’t used to physical touch, but he’s not as shy. Cuddling you sounds as good as heaven, and he relishes in the feeling of your soft skin against his. Another true switch, in my humble opinion, he is content with being a big or little spoon. He’s an angel, and his greatest concern is how comfortable you are at all times. He’s inexperienced, so he will more-than-happily follow your lead. He never moves without your consent. You might have to reassure him a few times that moving is totally fine. In fact, it’s welcomed. Once he gets that through his noggin, he finally relaxes into you. From behind, Simeon grazes his hands over your stomach, loving the warmth you emit. If you’re behind him, he’ll seize the opportunity to clutch his hands in yours, loving the feeling of your head on his shoulder. He sleeps so much better with you.

[tlbodine]

Vampire Double Feature

Our newest film challenge puts us at the mercy of a random number generator -- which is a fun way to find stuff I might not otherwise know about and try watching things that may be outside our comfort zone. And because randomness is fun. (Yes I stole this idea from a podcast and no I'm not sorry)

Anyway, I previously posted a list of vampire movies we shortlisted for our first roll, "pure-horror vampires." Below are the two we settled on.

Afflicted (2013) is the directorial debut of Canadian filmmakers Derek Lee and Clif Prowse, who also play the main characters. It's a found-footage style low-budget film following a pair of dudes on a Eurotrip that goes horribly awry when one of them comes down with a slight case of vampirism.

Sensing a path to viral fame, they initially document and upload his transformation, but things soon take a dark turn. What follows is a lot of body horror (achieved often with some neat practical effects and camera tricks, which I appreciate)

This is a perfectly solid film and deserves a lot more attention than it got. It's doing something clever with vampirism, the characters are reasonably genre savvy, and while the plot doesn't really tread any new ground or uncover any brilliant wisdom, it's a perfectly fine showcase for some cool effects. I have certainly seen significantly worse found footage movies.

We joked (but it's totally true) that this movie and What We Do in the Shadows should be essential viewing for newbie Vampire: The Masquerade players -- the "what you think the game will be like" vs "what the game is actually like" experiences.

My Heart Can't Beat Unless You Tell It To (2020) was written and directed by Jonathan Cuartas. It's about two siblings struggling to care for the, uh, special needs of their younger brother. Needs that involve, among other things, not exposing him to sunlight and routinely killing people so he can drink their blood.

Let me just get this part out of the way: this is not a "true horror" type movie. For that part of the dice roll, it fails. I did really like it, though. It's the sort of film I enjoy a lot -- a tiny cast, minimal settings, microbudget indie film with a primary focus on character interaction, dialogue-driven storytelling, rich atmosphere and compelling, messy themes that get explored without a clear resolution.

I think most of those type of movies fall under the "mumblecore" genre. Around here we just call them Tiana Movies, and I fucking love them.

Anyway. So the central conflict of this film is that vampirism is a chronic, debilitating disease, and however tragic and sweet their baby brother is, being his full-time caretakers has begun to take a tremendous toll on the older siblings. Caring for him is an unreasonable ask -- they have to find new victims all the time, run a perpetual risk of being caught or injured in the process, and their lifestyle forces them into social isolation and poverty. It's not fair that they have to do this. But if they don't, who will? There is no security net in place to protect baby vampires.

The movie lingers on the painful realities of this "unmovable object, unstoppable force" conundrum, winding its way toward an inevitable tragic conclusion. But in painting the situation as hopeless, I think the film actually shines a light on all the many ways their situation could have been better -- which is, I think, the function of a really good tragedy.

I'm curious to hear people's reads on this movie through a lens of ableism, because on the one hand it is bleak in its resolutions...but on the other hand, I think the question it asks is a valid one. It's a movie that leaves you with a lot to think about, if you let yourself engage with the material.

I think it would make an excellent double feature with Lamb, for reasons that are difficult to articulate but which feel very accurate. If anybody has seen this movie, please come talk to me about it.