#first comfort character vs newest comfort character

[mangokabuto]

I caved

[quicktimeeventfull]

how to make your fic easily findable

okay hello everyone! here is my somewhat solicited guide on how to make your fics easier for interested readers to find. 

please note that this is a guide to help you make your fics discoverable, not to make them popular(tm.) it’s also not a guide as to the best way to post fic. you do not need to do these things. doing these things will not make people like your fic more or less than they would otherwise. i do not do all these things, either. my aim here is purely to provide suggestions that will make your fic easier to search for and share.

where to post your fic

post it on ao3 as an individual fic. authors are often hesitant to post short fic on ao3, but readers simply cannot find it if it’s not there. multi-chapter drabble collections are a matter of preference and are absolutely fine to use, but in terms of findability they’re really hard for readers to pass around or put on rec lists. 

you can also post your fic on tumblr. ime fic posted in full is way more likely to be reblogged than an outward link. long fic posted on tumblr should use a read more cut, but at least a paragraph should be above the cut.

should i make a promo post? 

yes. ao3 does not have any features that facilitate promoting fic -- if you don't make a promo post, people will only see your fic if they regularly browse through newest fics or actively search for one of its tags.

what should i put in a tumblr promo post? 

a tumblr promo post should generally contain: 

title 

pairing

name of the fandom

summary of fic

link to fic 

your tags should contain

pairing 

name of all major characters

name of fandom 

the word ‘fic’ (so people who hate fic in the tags can filter it out. be polite!)

other optional inclusions: 

rating (explicit, teen, etc) 

word count 

major tropes

graphics (don’t forget alt text!) 

a sample of your writing (it’s common to grab a ‘best-of’ passage from within your fic, but personally i’ve found you get a way better response if you paste the first couple paragraphs then add a ‘continue’ link at the end.)

tumblr does remove posts with certain keywords from the tags, but honestly these keywords are very minimal. if you’re worried your post might not be added, double-check ‘latest’ and find an alternative phrase if necessary. don’t censor the word. you do not need to repost — tumblr will pop it back in as soon as you’ve removed the word. (it won’t push it back to the top, though, so it’s best to correct this asap.) 

a further note on tags

use the most commonly used tag. look at other people’s posts to find the fandom norms. it is fine to add multiple variations of the same tag. 

this is especially important if the tag is ambiguous. for example: ‘near’ is the most commonly used name for the death note character, but the full name ‘nate river’ should be included as well. take into account that a lot of people use plain searches rather than tag searches. an ambiguous name might be usable as a tag but not as a plain search. top vs latest searches will also give dramatically different results — ‘top’ searches tend to retrieve appropriate results with ambiguous names, but ‘latest’ results won’t.

what should i not put in my tumblr promo post? 

self-deprecating statements. this isn’t a moral statement. people just don’t like to read things if the author is telling them it’s bad

criticism of other people’s work, even if it’s really general. ‘i usually hate hurt/comfort but i wrote this anyway’ is obviously going to alienate the vast majority of your readerbase

anything unrelated to the fic. if people can’t tell whether or not something is a personal post, they’ll be hesitant to reblog. if you want to add commentary, put it in a second reblog. 

what should i include in my ao3 summary? 

this is a bit of a moving target. some readers like fairly detailed summaries. other readers look to tags for content information and prefer abstract vibes-based summaries. my suggestion would be to include the main selling points of your work — the characters, the tropes, and whatever factors make it unique.

at the end of the day, though, basically anything other than ‘i suck at summaries’ is fine.

what ao3 tags should i include?

any major pairings, any major characters, any major tropes. imagine your fic from a reader’s perspective — what tags would they look under if they were searching for something like it? 

also pay attention to whether or not an ao3 tag is canonical. only canonical tags can be filtered on. if it autocompletes, it’s canonical.

for more information on a specific tag, click into the tag to reach the ‘x works in TAG’ screen, then click it again. tags are often made synonyms of specific canonical tags, in which case filters will treat them as if they’re that tag. you can get pretty granular with all of this but basically if you use tags that autocomplete you’re good to go.

you can also use tags to clarify content. (ex. ‘this trope is only a minor aspect of the story.) ao3 used to ask people not to do this, but it’s now explicitly permitted. 

does posting time matter? 

yes. sorry. it does. quite a bit, frankly.  people often overthink this — there are so many variables trying to find the exact perfect time is a losing game — but it is absolutely worth taking into account. 

when should i post?

on ao3: do NOT post between 12AM and 5AM UTC. ao3 has a longstanding posting glitch that will backdate your work if it’s posted between these times. in general: broadly speaking fic tends to do best on sundays and worst on friday. posting on a holiday dramatically drives down traffic. fic should be posted on ao3 when most people would likely have time to read (ex. after the standard workday) and promo posts should be posted when people would likely be looking for fic (ex. commuting hours aka slightly before 9AM and at 5PM.) the majority of tumblr users operate in EST. 

the university semester also makes a massive difference to how much engagement a fic gets — views always shoot up during breaks and plummet during exams. honestly working around this would require delaying your fic so frequently that i can’t see it being worth it, but it’s good to be aware of in terms of the response you’re expecting. 

also the ‘best’ posting time does vary a lot genre by genre so you’ll have to experiment a bit. (personally i’ve found h/c tends to do better midweek, for example.) imagine your fic from a reader’s perspective: when would you likely be looking for this sort of thing? 

anyway don’t drive yourself crazy with this but also don’t shoot yourself in the foot by posting at 2AM EST on christmas morning. do you have a random piece of advice about posting on ao3? please be aware that if you write your fic as a draft, ao3 will backdate the fic to the day you saved the draft and index it accordingly -- it won't show up in the newest fics. multichapters initially posted as drafts will sometimes glitch and backdate every single new chapter. you can correct this by checking the 'set a different publication date' box and manually inputting it.

should i reblog my own promo posts? yes. do this. do it multiple times. make sure you do at least one reblog in the morning, one in the night, and one on the weekend.

i feel like authors are often embarrassed to reblog their own work because it feels self-important but the fact is most people are not reading your blog start to finish. no one will see all your reblogs. tbh you may lose followers for this but this is is a guide on fic visibility, not tumblr popularity. 

please conclude your post now

anyway!! i hope some of this is helpful. again, you don't need to do any or all of this, but i hope it can provide a bit of a framework and some suggestions.

[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 👀

[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.)

[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

[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.”)

[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.

[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.

[clumsy-hood]

obey me! demon brothers + love languages (giving vs receiving)

prompt: how the demon brothers like to show and receive love

word count: 2,633

a/n: another late night attempt i wrote the night before and found in my notes. i really do appreciate feedback if anyone wants to shoot me a message. obey me, the ikemen otome games, and playchoices have really kept me nice and distracted during the pandemic so if anyone even wants to chat about any of those topics, i have thoughts and would like to hear yours. do this for a broke, bored bitch.

Lucifer

giving: quality time

There is no denying that the Avatar of Pride has a fairly hectic daily schedule—excluding his brothers’ shenanigans, that is still putting it mildly—so it seems best fit he best shows his love for you by simply spending time alone together. No matter if it’s a dinner date at Ristorante Six or spending the night together in his room listening to music, that time is strictly dedicated to you and no one else. You have Lucifer’s undivided attention—unless his brothers nearly destroy the house, then that is an entirely different story. One-on-one time with him may not always be as common as you’d like, but he sure as hell will put in the effort—so much so that if you’ve had scheduled plans for quite some time (ones he can’t afford to miss), he will rush every meeting, speed through paperwork, and all-in-all practically sprint to make it to you on time. 

receiving: acts of service

As much as he’ll go the extra mile to spend so much as a brief moment with you, the way to his heart is doing the little things to make life just a little more bearable for him. Mammon’s plotting to cheat some local low-tier demons? You’re there to redirect his plans to something less potentially chaotic. Lucifer forgot he had to make dinner for the house that night? You’re already on it so long as he helps with cleanup later. Beel ate someone’s food? You’ve already diffused the situation and now the brothers are heading on a snack run. At first, Lucifer was somewhat convinced you were trying to win his brothers’ favors until he realized every little deed or chore completed was to benefit him. Absolutely no ulterior motives planned! It wasn’t until you’d caught him half-asleep and hunched over the desk in his study and offered him a mug of hot tea did he realize how warm and cared for you truly made him feel. The poor guy just isn’t used to be loved and doted on. 

Mammon

giving: giving gifts

As greedy as he is to spend time with you, Mammon is convinced the best way to show you how much he truly cares for you is to give you anything and everything he can. You are the only person he can never bring himself to steal from—that’s just how special you are to him. In fact, you’re so important to him that every gift—no matter how big or small—given from him was purchased, won, or even made in the most honest ways possible. He sees you eyeballing a toy at a carnival? He’ll spend whatever money his broke ass has left just to win it for you. If you so much as mention in passing that you like a certain jacket, that boy will wait tables at Hell’s Kitchen for however long it takes to buy you what he thinks you deserve. You mean so much to him—a price that can never be paid, it doesn’t even exist—and even though you’re not nearly as materialistic as he tends to be, if he can’t afford to give you the world to see you smile, then he’ll damn well try to earn it some way or another. 

receiving: words of affirmation

Let’s face it, poor Mammon is often the brunt of jokes and insults from his brothers and the occasional low-tier demons, and your small words of kindness leave him a blushing, bumbling mess as he’d be quick to agree and accept your praise. Even if you complimented his hair or told him he had a cute smile in passing, it was as though someone lit sparklers in his chest and he couldn’t help how damn giddy he was. If the Avatar of Greed had a good idea, you were quick to agree and praise him—even defending his choices to his brothers whenever they dismissed or outright ignored him. The sound of your voice had become his favorite thing as though it could be the soundtrack of his day. Though, as much as he enjoyed your compliments and affirmations, you just listening to him vent or complain or even telling you about his day made him feel more heard than he had been for the longest time. And something about that was exciting and confusing all at once, but he knew he never wanted it to end. 

Levi

giving: quality time

The Avatar of Envy himself has mentioned that his type is someone he can spend time with—even if that means you both are doing completely different things. So long as you’re in the room with him, he feels completely at ease. It’s honestly one of the best ways he knows how to show how much he trusts you, simply by inviting you into his room and having you make yourself at home there. If you’re trying to read a book, he’ll offer a seat in his room to keep you nearby while he plays his newest game. And Levi loves inviting you to his room for movie nights or binge-watch whatever anime he’s sure you’re going to absolutely love and will keep peeking over at you to gauge your reaction or will occasionally pause it to explain certain plot points. The ultimate show of his affection? The second he invites you to play a video game together—no matter if it’s an RPG, story-driven, or an all-out battle raid—you know you’ve unlocked some type of high-tier level of trust with him and he never wants you to leave. 

receiving: receiving gifts

No matter how often you’d try to reassure Levi you cared for him and didn’t consider him a yucky otaku, your words never seemed to suffice. After plenty of trial and error to show you care, it was after you unknowingly purchased rare Ruri-Chan memorabilia as a gift for him did you realize how he best accepts love. Of course, everything you’d get him anything—even the smallest, most seemingly insignificant thing—he’d become a beet-red, stuttering mess spitting nothing but praise and adoration towards you. Because it means you listened to all the things he loves and went out of your way to show it. No matter if it was preordering a game he had mentioned wanting to play or even picking up a spare treat for him while you were out shopping, he always appreciated knowing you could be out there alone and still thinking of him. 

Satan

giving: words of affirmation

Everything the Avatar of Wrath says and does seem to be polished and refined, almost as though he has rehearsed several interactions that may happen to keep his rage at bay. Though, he is quick to realize it is slightly different to do around you. It isn’t that words are difficult for him but expressing them isn’t so much in average verbal praise as it is in written form. Out of all the brothers, he is the most likely to offer books with little notes of paper written inside for you to read, often comparing your relationship to those of fictional characters he has found. I mean, he’s even made you an entire picture book with his own created story starring the two of you just to show how much you truly mean to him. There would never be any doubt how much you truly mean to him, but when speaking those words aloud may come across as more aggressive than intended, it’s the written word where he truly shines in sharing his feeling towards you.

receiving: quality time

As much as he enjoys telling you—or rather, writing to you—how much you mean to him, he has a harder time simply accepting your words for what they are and claims he is not easily swayed with words as his brothers are. Instead, the best way Satan responded to your love and affection was simply from your mere presence. Whether your head rested in his lap while he read his book in his room or the two of you tested different Devildom and human recipes in the kitchen, your general being in the vicinity of him was enough to leave him feeling warm inside. After a suggestion from you, you both would even schedule time aside to take a stroll around RAD and Devildom, just a little adventure here and there where you’d try new restaurants or even pet the random cats you’d find. The demon had a way of coming and going as he’d please—often making acquaintances with those he’d meet—but you were always the one he looked forward to spending time with the most. He could hardly wait for whatever little adventure you’d experience together next.

Asmo

giving: physical touches

Given that he is the Avatar of Lust, it wouldn’t come across as too much of a surprise that Asmo shows his love and affection through physical touch quite often—so long as you’re comfortable with it, that is. Even though he’d regularly praise you with words, he’d much rather feel your hand pressed to his own or nonchalantly toy with your fingers while you relaxed with one another. If he thought your skin could use a little help, he’d offer hands-on assistance applying his regular regimen to your skin. He has such a gentle touch, if he saw you struggling with your hair in any way—tangles or just struggling to style it?—he’d be quick to offer help and would miraculously make it as painless as possible. And of course, he’d practically shower you in kisses—on your wrist, your lips, your cheeks, your forehead, your tummy, your fingertips, your ear, your neck, your nose, etc. If he could every inch of you with his love—in a less lewd way—he would in a heartbeat.

receiving: words of affirmation

While he’d love you reciprocating his physical love with touches of your own, there is nothing Asmo seems to truly desire from you more than the validation of him, his beauty, and your love for him. You knew the demon was well familiar with past lovers singing praises of his beauty and sexuality, but you had no idea just how much he sought your validation until he’d confessed how much your thoughts of him mattered. It would become a habit to wake up to him tangled beside you, whispering an ‘I love you’, and to be greeted with a gentle kiss. If he was ever overwhelmed or concerned with his overall image, you were quick to cease those worries with reminders about how beautiful he was and what a lovely heart he had as well. The moments you had admitted you loved his soft nature and gentle touch and warm embrace left an odd fluttering feeling in his chest. He knew he loved you, but it seemed he had no idea how much until you’d tell him those three words and gave him your undivided attention.

Beel

giving: acts of service

Honestly, Beel was never sure the best way of showing his love for you—he was always worried he’d say the wrong thing or that his hunger would get the best of him. He knew he cared for you and never wanted to cross any boundaries so he figured he’d do little things here and there just to see you smile. If he was excited to try new foods, he’d always get extra just for you. He wasn’t always the best with cooking, but if you mentioned you were homesick for the human world, then he’d ask Barbatos or Luke to help him make human food for you—and some for him to sample. If the Devildom weather left you feeling chillier than usual, he’d offer his jacket—although it was so massive on you, it practically pooled at your feet once he draped it over your shoulders. If you had passed out in the library, Beel wouldn’t hesitate to offer carrying you back to your dorm—or his, per your request. And if he found out you skipped a meal, I swear to Diavolo you are the only one he would ever share snacks with without a second thought. He just wanted you happy, healthy, and in Devildom with him and his brothers. 

receiving: quality time

For all the little things he enjoys doing for you, spending quality time with the Avatar of Gluttony is the best way to his heart—aside from food, that is. Offering to go out with him to Hell’s Kitchen for lunch or inviting him in the kitchen while you make cheeseburgers are the simplest ways to see him grinning wide. Even movie marathons in your room were a treat for him—and not just because he’d have brought a tub of popcorn—but it was an excuse to have you pressed against him and he loved that a little more than the bucket of buttery goodness in his lap. It could be a challenge at times with how packed both your schedules could be—especially if he had several back-to-back Fangol games—but you did your best to make it work. In between classes, you’d meet up and make time for little conversation, offering him a snack if you had anything on you, before going on with your day. If he needed a spotter or someone to record him working out? You were there in a heartbeat. It seemed like a lot of work sometimes to find moments alone together with everyone else around, but he was worth it. Beel would always be worth it. 

Belphie

giving: quality time

Belphie was never sure the best way to show you how much you meant to him; after all, he was the Avatar of Sloth so he wasn’t as accustomed to offering gifts or doing your chores around the house. But he found the most successful way was to simply spend time with you whenever he could. His brothers often vied for your attention, so if it meant carrying you on his shoulder to take you to the attic room for some one-on-one time then so be it. He did everything he could to stay awake so he could listen to you talk about your day, often nuzzling into your neck and pressing lazy kisses with a sleepy grin. He even tried to make it to more council meetings and RAD classes just so he had an excuse to spend time with you immediately afterward. His absolutely favorite moments would be any time he’d wake up before you or the ones where you’d like curled up against him because he knew he trusted you well enough to sleep on you, but a warm, fuzzy feeling enveloped him wholly, realizing you trusted him enough to do the same.

receiving: physical touches

Similar to his brothers, Belphie could be more than a little greedy for your time and attention—especially any sign of affection—but the best way to show any love was best translated through gentle touches. If you played with his hair and caressed his cheek during a cuddle session, that boy would let out the softest sigh and doze off quickly to sleep. He wouldn’t ever openly admit it out loud but loved the feel of your hand wrapped in his or the way your legs would get all tangled together whenever you were sleeping at night. And your hugs would honestly make his day. If Lucifer was starting to get to him, you’d swoop in with a comforting hug while his heart was practically pounding right out of his chest. Maybe Beel ate the food he was saving? You were quick to salvage his mood with a kiss to the cheek and a squeeze to his arm. He never understood how you could be such a lifeline for him, but somehow a simple touch from you kept him tethered to the rest of the world and left him enjoying being awake. 

[kirnet]

first art vs latest art of your ocs

tagged by @impossible-rat-babies​ (ty owen!!) 

im blanking on who to tag so if you are an art mutual please do this and tag me in it!!

Stoja Wiseman: August 2020; September 2021

Her design has remained pretty consistent! She’s just a lot more buff, alt, and ginger now lmao. She’s a pretty young oc so there’s no that much change 

Azariah Tabris: September 2016; December 2021

yeah this is just. time and improvement lmao. 15 year old me wasn’t great at drawing without reference. Overall Azzy’s face has changed a lot and I’m way less concerned with her looking stereotypically pretty. I think the biggest change with Azzy is how grizzled she’s gotten.

Kirnet Cavira: April 2019; October 2021

oh baby. 2019 was a dark time apparently. Her design is pretty much unchanged but I have a much better grasp of how her nose and eyes work. Again, there’s not a huge change to her character, but now there’s just way more layers bc I’m thinking abt her constantly.

Halrebe Mothma/ Revan: April 2019; July 2021

Hal’s first design was ripped pretty much straight from the in-game model but I’ve been able to turn that into more of my own thing. Again, just lots of technical improvement. Also Hal used to be named Halin but I ripped that and gave it to the previous Halin, along with some of the design elements. Their personality has changed a lot too; now whenever I replay k1 I’m usually in the gray instead of light. Hal is ultimately doing things for the greater good, but they are still kind of in that dark-sided mentality of how to go about it.

Raiden Mare: September 2019; December 2021

Ya know I can’t even be too mad about how weird the first one looks bc I was really going outside of my comfort zone and trying new things (that’s a piece I plan on redrawing this winter). The newest one is from a ref sheet I’m doing for him. Raiden has a face claim now and has a way bigger part in Actium than just “benny’s bf” now so that’s fun

Benita: September 2019; May 2021

I thought I had a more recent thing of Benny?? But I think they’re all unfinished sketches rip. Benny has definitely beefed up a lot but a lot of her design notes are pretty similar. Not a whole lot to say about that except just general improvement and more work done on her story

I can’t fucking find my sketches of Halin and Amara and the rest??? so unfortunately they will be missing for now :( I am working on a illustration with the entire crew so everyone will be together soon!

[mediawhorefics]

<3 dinluke <3

i love the pair so much and i love your writing so much so like <3<3 but yeah <3 do you have any fic rec for them?

yess!!!! honestly, i loved the idea of it even before watching the mandalorian just cause i'd seen a few funny posts and i would die for gay luke and his happiness.... but after having seen the show and actually KNOWING din as a character i'm like.... okay this tracks and would absolutely fuck conceptually as a pairing.

i mean the whole idea of luke 'daddy issues' skywalker + din 'wins all the best sw daddy awards' djarin is simply *chef kiss*. all the tropes alone are so good! you've got the whole mandalorian vs jedi ancient war for a sprinkle of enemies to lovers. you can have some co-parenting on the side since luke is literally din's son's teacher. the pairing SCREAMS slow burn because of the whole never takes off the armour creed thing which means they can't See Each Other Again until Trust Is Established ??? and din djarin is basically the EMBODIMENT of 'touch starved' and i, for one, think luke skywalker is the one who should touch him. idk the gentleness potential of this pairing is off the charts and i love it.

and i think din is such an interesting character in that he's a Warrior in every sense of the word ('i'm a mandalorian, weapons are part of my religion') but he's def. not written as particularly 'aggressive', which is an interesting combo to me. arguably feels very Jedi of him mayhaps? apart from a few moments in the first few episodes, he's quite a gentle/patient character. which, i just love him for it ❤︎. and despite a traumatic past/traumatic loss, he has very healthy attachments? look at his relationship with grogu! he's nothing like anakin: he's absolutely ready to let his kid go when the time comes even though it hurts. he's ready to do what's best for people even though it comes with personal sacrifices. he's quite selfless in his loving/affection? like... grogu clearly wants training and he respects that. and it's not easy to let go, but the does it. which i think is just SUCH a great trait for a potential partner for luke. luke who is tasked with rebuilding the jedi order and thinking about jedi traditions and the question of what to carry on honouring and what to discard? we all know how complex the jedi + attachment issues are and we see so many jedi throughout the sw universe grapple with this concept and i just love the idea of someone like din who just... naturally seems comfortable with the idea of if you love them set them free be in a relationship with a jedi. not that luke necessarily has unhealthy attachments but we've seen him struggle with it before (the disastrous esb rescue being the most blatant example) so i think they'd balance each other out. and din, lets be real, is a rather lonely character satisfying himself with little comforts and company, and i think someone like luke who is rather openly affectionate could be really good for him.

also, din taking his helmet off to show grogu his face before they're separated forever has SO MUCH 'just once let me look on you with my own eyes' from rotj energy and the narrative parallel is so fucking insane, i cannot not ship these two.

literally luke learns about the mando/the watch creed of never taking the helmet off eventually and realises the symbolic implications of din taking it off for grogu and it fully unzips him. 

IDK I JUST REALLY LOVE THE CONCEPT.

ironically, the fic i started writing doesn't really play with most of these concepts since it's a full-on au where deathwatch are a super dangerous/creepy crime syndicate force sensitive but not trained luke owes money to and therefore works for and din is their newest recruit who is secretly working for the new republic forces to dismantle them. it's all secret identity and pining stuff, or hopefully, it will be. if i ever write it. turns out writing star wars fic is hard ? there's SO MUCH re: world building but *shrug*. we'll see.

and yes. yes i do have fic recs. i've only just started reading them and it's quite a rare pair, so i don't have a lot, but here's a few i enjoyed recently:

➡️ the whole way (15k): Din Djarin thinks of the Armorer's words often enough that he has memorized them: "By Creed, until it is of age or reunited with its own kind, you are as its father. This is the Way." And Grogu is with his own kind. Din is no longer as his father. This is the Way.

Din wishes that he was the Jedi. He wishes he could pour himself into the Jedi and live his life with Grogu. He can't stop thinking about the Jedi. | post s2 |

➡️ the word is help (9k): In a flash, Fett has his blaster out and pointed at Luke’s head.

“You’re right,” he says. “Turnabout’s fair play. So maybe I oughta shoot you.”

Din’s voice comes from somewhere behind them. “Try it, Fett.” | slight daddy kink |

➡️ who carried the hill (22k): Din’s about to head up the ramp onto the newly-repaired Razor Crest when a string pulls taut around his heart and yanks him into the sky. | soulmate au | background obikin |

➡️ a quiet life (31k): Luke wouldn't necessarily call himself experienced when it comes to the whole spectrum of flirting / dating / etc. and Leia actually bullies him when he phrases it as such.

But, well, Luke is pretty sure he'd know if he were being courted. Which makes this whole Mandalorian situation that more puzzling... | post s2 |

➡️ and this, your beating heart (31k): After winning the Darksaber from Moff Gideon, Din accepts his role as the new leader of Mandalore and returns to the ancestral home of his people. While he grapples with the responsibilities that come with his new title, he begins to build a friendship with Grogu's new Jedi master -- and begins to question his identity, his Creed, and his place in the galaxy. | post s2 | slow burn | non-linear narrative |

➡️ oh the things we left behind (103k): After he commits every single weapon in the hold to memory, Din finds himself cataloguing more and more things about Skywalker instead, small observations that carve out a space in his mind unbidden.

---

As much as Din likes to tell himself that he’s just been taking a well-deserved break, the truth is that for the six months following their daring rescue he’s been nothing but truly and utterly lost. That is until Luke Skywalker gives him a ship and hires him to help figure out what the hell the Empire needed the Child’s blood for.

As they drift through the empty void of hyperspace, they slowly find unexpected companions in each other and realize their respective paths might not be as set as they once thought. | post s2 | slow burn | pining | dark!luke but he's fighting it | protective!din

➡️ parry, parry, strike (19k): “Oh? What are you, their king?” the Senator says sarcastically, and then freezes at the same time Din does.

“...No,” Din says. He does not sound convincing. | post s2 |

➡️ world's apart (69k): Having safely delivered the Child, Mand'alor Din Djarin inherits the Darksaber, a ruined planet, and the burden of Moff Gideon's fate. That burden brings Din to the New Republic on Coruscant, where he's thrown into a shimmering world of galactic politics even less familiar to him than the planet meant to be his home.

Din isn't the only one on Coruscant with his hands full of a once forgotten order - the Jedi is here too, and as their paths cross, Din will be forced to navigate both what's expected of him, and what he wants. | post s2 |