#hhhh thank you so much for this!

[hehosts-moved]

has ren or any of the other hosts ever wanted to pursue other career paths? if so, what? or are they satisfied with hosting?

what makes hosting interesting or fun for them?

the short answer is yes, and we know this the most about ren.

ren wanted to be a professional musician, specifically a pianist, growing up. it is still his (dead) dream. he supplements by playing piano at the club, where he used to actively sing and perform more than he does now, leaning more towards just choreography. he still does perform, however, and has taken to more solos recently.

"hosts will do shows and performances, skits etc. ren used to perform a lot in his earlier years, but now honestly is more apt to choreograph due to being busy as both the club manager and #1 host. but! he will sing and play piano. he did piano lessons from ages 6 to 15 and then pursued it further by himself. it definitely came in handy later in his career as a host. that being said, he also loves to sing, and sings around the house often, and will croon to his lovers."

going further into specifically ren for a moment —

"REN’S DREAM. “The top three of the Big Eight, based on salary and budget, are the NHK Symphony Orchestra, Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra, and Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. Rounding out the principal eight are the Tokyo City Philharmonic, Japan Philharmonic, New Japan Philharmonic, Tokyo Philharmonic, and Tokyo Symphony.” 

ren’s dream was to play for the tokyo metropolitan symphony orchestra from his mid-teens on. he would see when the orchestras were in town, particularly the tokyo met., and would stand outside as close as possible to try and hear the music, or occasionally slip into the lobby undetected. the latter wasn’t always successful, but it worked enough to keep trying. ren’s dream was to play music, and to show them / the world that he was good enough."

what makes hosting for or interesting for ren is that he can escape for a while. it becomes about solving other people's problems, not even solving them, just providing temporary reprieve. they usually come back to see him, there are regulars, and so this supplements a bit of community he doesn't always find as yori. people love ren, and he loves being ren. he also can play a real piano at shining!, and while that is such a small, almost "selfish" draw, it is a draw. he only has a small keyboard at home. plus...ren is rather narcissistic. he loves the attention, he's good at his job, and he has his place there. for all the hard times he's "given" by the hosts, the way "they treat him" and are "so disrespectful," he belongs with them. he is meant to be their leader. so it's not always about the hosting for him as it is being the manager. he also is very protective of that #1 spot. he loves being #1.

when it comes to other hosts, each story is varied and unique, but it can be summed up that they are all at shining! due to specific life circumstances.

for example, the #2 host, sho (the genki type as written by otter), is there because he wants to be. he is probably the only one that is so happy with his job. he came to the city from the mountains seeking out those bright lights, and ultimately found ren (or ren found him, it's hard to say).

the #8 host, daisuke (the athletic type), is there out of circumstance. you can guess what he wanted to be. he has home responsibilities outside of shining! that turned him to hosting, a career he otherwise would have never considered. he never once thought he would be a host, but he, like ren, has found his place with the other guys.

each host has a different strength and draw to hosting. ren was very intentional when it came to casting them into their "types" or "roles." daisuke was an almost professional athlete, so it made sense to make him the "athletic type."

daisuke likes the interactions he gets with people, the ability to sometimes actually be able to bond with someone over sports, and the attention he gets supplements the attention he once received as a rising star athlete. while daisuke is humble, it makes him feel better and more useful to be revered again, just maybe not quite in the same way. daisuke is also attracted to a hostess that visits the club semi-often, harboring a long crush on her. getting to see her is a perk!

on the other hand, sho revels in the attention. he loves how hosting makes him feel, and how he can make others feel in return. that, and the rivalry between ren and sho certainly stokes fires.

most of the hosts didn't want to be hosts, most thinking it would be a temporary thing that turned permanent. it took a few years if not longer, to get this "cast" together. throughout ren's time specifically at shining!, a set of rotating hosts has come and gone.

the last spot is usually open more often than not but has been permanently by the "rookie host," haru.

this set of hosts are we know them -> ren, sho, yūto, katsu, ringo, rōnin, satoshi, daisuke, sōta, and haru <- have been shining's permanent roster of hosts together in that order for the last 3 years. the only exception to this is haru, who came just a year prior to the main timeline. // * @shecharm

[canisalbus]

I thought I might try my hand at moodboards, too :')

.

[yuriyuruandyuraart]

Hi? Gosh how do I even start with this :'D

I know it's been ages since I've last popped up on here. I've been debating when to post this for a while, but I kept adding to my draft more and more and now it's the end of JULY omgg I felt so guilty disappearing with zero updates but then thought my birthday would be the best day to finally address this considering it'll feel less random? idk but Ive always celebrated my bday with you guys and I'd feel so bad answering your kind asks without me at least explaining why I was gone for months.

Truth be told, I was dealing with a lot of stuff irl. health issues and sudden declining grades that left me stumped and drained for months now- along with technical issues like having to replace some parts of my computer that took a while for me to find to even draw digitally, which I didn't have the time for anyway with how tired and weary I felt every day.

I'm frankly shaken up by a lot of shit rn and I don't know how to be active online with this burden on my chest- Especially as it's been a while since I've even looked at utmv related content and my motivation dwindled. I swear I'd hype myself up to post or reblog something- but I'd see just how much I've missed or the overwhelming amount of posts I'd need to go through and I'd feel so swamped with exhaustion and most importantly guilt, for not clearing the air up sooner to reassure you guys that I'm, y'know, alive, and not dead in a ditch somewhere. And I'd procrastinate cause typing it all out is hard and I'd give up halfway every time and it's just not fair to you all!

I thought I was handling it well when I started going out and socializing more, instead of staying cooped up at home on my computer all day. and in the first draft of this post I made months ago I was gonna detail some of the fun plans I had, for my life and for this blog :D but relaxing my strict study schedule and letting go a bit of my tight routine, thinking it was better than wringing myself dry to keep it up, backfired horribly, to say the least.

I know right?? so silly to be hung up on stupid shit like studies of all things! but this is a very important thing for me considering my career plans and the competitivity encouraged by everyone I'm surrounded by, the pressure of keeping up adding to my already stressful days. I had to fix myself up first and I couldn't handle the strain nor interact with people and thinking of jobs and exams sapped my energy so much it's frankly embarrassing. writing this feels so cheesy too and it frustrates me to know I could've come back a month earlier if it weren't for that, but I also know putting all of this into words then would just sound like incoherent venting (not that this is very different tbf) and I wasn't in the right headspace to address my absence, or anything really- I didn't want everyone to see me return when I couldn't muster up a genuinely positive message, let alone talk to anyone with a shadow of my usual cheer

I feel like a complete mess and It drives me up the wall how depressed I've gotten. I debated deleting this blog so many times 'cause the fear of disappointing my audience and my friends, for lack of a more fitting sentiment, made me feel even shittier. I'm constantly thinking if this wall of text is worth posting, or if it's better not to burden you all with all my sappy troubles as if it's the end of the world. Trust me, I'll be fine. I'm not trying to dramatize this situation, but I don't think I'm up to pretending I'm all sunshine and enthusiasm you're all accustomed to.

So sorry for worrying you all! I'll try to catch up, deliver some missed birthday gifts, and answer some asks while I'm at it! Again, I can't state how much I appreciate your support throughout the years. It's frankly a miracle I kept any of you around with how much I keep popping and leaving at random with no warning. I definitely can't promise for my stay to be without a hitch, and if you don't mind an inconsistent schedule you're free to stay of course, but I'm afraid I can't sustain the pace I had when I first started this blog. I'll keep posting art, but lower my activity in the fandom sphere to reduce the strain on my mental health. so fewer rants and walls of text, more art, and less stress overall. Love you all and thanks for waiting for this long <3

[shokujin-art]

Literally went through ur entire acc, love the art and had a fucking mindless scroll session. THEN I RECOGNIZED U FULLY AND REALIZED I FOLLOW U ON TWITTERR <3 love what u do keep it up

HRRR THAT'S SUPER SWEET AAAH THANK YOU?? !!

[can-of-slorgs]

Local owlbear, what she gonna explodee✨

[allyheart707]

Hello! I really love your Little subjects au and I want to ask if I could make a fanfic inspired by the au? It will follow a some different story, have different lore and stuff. But I just wanted to ask if it is okay :)

Also I love your art! It’s so adorable!

OH MY GOSH, YES! That sounds amazing and I would loooove to read it when you write it! Please, if your willing, send it to me or @ me when you post it!! :DDD

[twentyfivemiceinatrenchcoat]

hello!!!! i just wanted to ask if we can expect a continuation for the series u have going on,, the one where reader and sashisu are in high school and stuff?? i js wanted to know cause they way you write them is SO CUTE. something abt ur writing just feels so genuine and sweet and it actually makes my heart melt!! anyways, no pressure or anything i just wanted to know!! <33

anon this is probably the scariest moment of my life i don’t know what kind of crazy soul connection you and i have but . um . i’m actually…. in the middle of finishing the suguru part of that series 😭 like . right now . i’ll probably post it in a couple hours. i wasn’t satisfied with the series as a whole so i kind of unofficially scrapped it, but i’ll probably still post the parts i had planned — just on their own!!! i’ll probably go back and delete the satoru part i already have posted and then repost it on its own after rewriting it too…..

anyway. sorry for letting you down anon, i’m honestly really surprised anyone remembers it :’3 but yeah!!! the summer/suguru part will be posted today, and then the autumn/shoko part some other time…… and then maybe the winter part too…………. so . i mean. i guess i technically will be finishing the series, the parts just won’t be officially connected or anything like that!! i really hope that makes sense 😭 i’m just… not suited to writing series i think . but i’m soso overjoyed that you like my sashisu!! 🥺 i actually ended up taking the ending i had planned for that series and turning it into this fic, so feel free to check it out if you’re interested <333

[killuaisaprincess]

chivalry

“Here. Let me kiss it better, Your Highness.”

Gon takes his small, delicate hand gently and brings it up to his lips, placing a chaste kiss on the red spot.

He lowers it carefully, and Killua pulls it back, shyly holding it to his chest, blushing.

He bites on his lower lip, just enough…

“K-Kiss me here too…”

[potetosaradas]

9, 16 andddddd uhhhhh 6??? 😊

AHHHH! THANK U FOR ASKING <3333

9. Write a recommendation of someone else's fic you enjoyed!

Reconstruction by @cyanichexanthine @cardinal-hexation

I absolutely ADORE this fic. It's such a great introspective look into Rick's perceived notions about Prime and how he thinks/believes Prime perceives him. I adore the prose, Hex writes wonderfully vivid/visual prose and it's so easy to imagine the scenes in my head. It's such a gutwrenching fic and there's one scene that grasps my heart and soul forever. The Prime dialogue is honestly so good and so in character and I love the difficult questions that put Rick on the spot. Overall, the premise is so deliciously angsty and so so SO great.

Blips and Chitz by @thatfinewine

GOD. THE QUEEN OF WRITING SUCCINCTLY. This less than 1300 word fic literally DESTROYS me every time I read it. It is the most in character prickcest I have ever read. I absolutely adore the way Prime is characterised here, the way he challenges Rick but even through all the tension... the fact that they still hang out together makes me so CAT SCREAM. This fic is so perfect the way it describes both Rick and Prime as characters and their relationship together, but explored through a simple video game at the arcade... honestly can't say enough good things about this fic tbh

BOTH OF THESE FICS ARE A MUST READ IN MY OPINION.

16. Do people irl know you participate in fandom?

OH LORDY NO LMAO my partner sort of knows I draw... maybe write, but he doesn't know the FULL EXTENT OF MY FUJOSHI DEGENERACY AND JUST HOW MUCH I CAN SHIT OUT YAOI SMUT LMFAO.

6. Show us a bit of a WIP!

HHHHHHHHH OKAY. Just for you, I'll show you a few snippets of some fics that will probably never make it out of the drafts LMAOOO 😭💀

First SS Premise: the boys sign up to be participants for a special experiment

Second SS Premise: the boys go get some ice cream... :)

[its-a-full-galaxy]

( food ) - for our muses to cook together . (for Darius)

There was something to be said about cooking together. It brought a sense of cooperation and camaraderie. Darius remembered his mother bringing him and his siblings in to come and help with community dinners and special occasions, all to the sound of his father's singing.

Darius recalled his father's strong baritone as he wiped down the counters and inspected the cooking tools and utensils. He knew it was a nervous action but he couldn't help himself. Cooking didn't require armor. It was cumbersome, and cooking with gloves made it harder to cut and handle things. It was also a test of trust, a test of skill.

Today, he wore his Esverran day clothes, boots, trousers, a shirt, and a waistcoat. It had been a long time since he'd donned regular clothes instead of his armor. They were soft in comparison, far less protective against a blaster or vibroblade, but flexible too. It was curious how alien the clothing he'd grown up in had become. He'd need to fix that eventually.

A sound stirred him from his thoughts, and he looked up, bringing his gold and dark green eyes up to see the Vulcan counselor as she entered.

"Ah, Miss T'pring," he said, inclining his head. "I hope you don't mind, I felt a little idle in your absence." He gestured to the open counter. He took a breath. He was nervous but by Manda he was going to master it.

"So," he said looking at the ingredients, "how do we start?"

[siphisket]

It’s been a little while since I’ve posted about Banesbrook, so I wanna provide a brief update for the lovely folks who have shown interest in our little game.

First of all, Banesbrook is still happening! Since it’s an un-funded hobby project, timelines are a bit tricky to nail down, but all of the art, music, dialogue, and everything are prepped and ready for the Level 1 Demo, and even quite a bit beyond that!

The only thing that’s kept us from publishing the demo for nearly a year now is coding. We’ve hit a ton of road bumps along the way, ranging from irl scheduling conflicts to full-scale data loss, and even a legal scare when a former team member's age came to light. That last obstacle is the latest, and unfortunately, it means that for the second time, we’ll to have to start over the coding from scratch. While this will put us significantly behind schedule, it's important to us that we do not violate child labor law (especially while working on a game containing themes of childhood mistreatment).

Due to irl complications from before this issue came to light, I’ve had to indefinitely step away from the administrative duties involved in running a dev team, but despite everything, our coders have remained dedicated to rebuilding the demo so it doesn’t get fully shelved. It will be very slow going, but it’s going!

And some other good news! Since before we started working together, one of our coders has been working on his own game called Roswell’s Journey, and while I’ve wanted to keep Banesbrook in hobby territory, he went and started his own indie game studio called BitRate Games! Roswell’s Journey is currently in pre-alpha, and folks, this game looks so cool, I seriously can’t wait!

If you’re looking for an upcoming indie game to sink your teeth into, check it out here! (Or wishlist it on Steam!)

TL;DR — Banesbrook will be on the back burner for a while, but one of our amazing coders has an upcoming indie game coming soon, so keep an eye out for Roswell’s Journey!

[yuriyuruandyuraart]

YOU'RE GREAT

what about Error but with vitiligo?

-anon

right away boss >;Dc <333

[ddarker-dreams]

thought i would try my hand at making god darling. i think your writing is neat

[lucyvaleheart]

.

[dorkafricska]

CRIES the Starset concert was so amazing, I want it again  🤍

It was my first concert ever, I can’t believe they came here, they’re the best!!  >///o//< screaming

[coridallasmultipass]

well one of family never ends' author's other fics is the epilogue of course ;) but ipgd also wrote people don't do that (alphacest), homestuck watches boku no pico, and like the first uucest fic

YAASS OMG.

ANON.

Thank you.

Deeply and truly thank you. Saved me a real pain. It was People Don't Do That. Gonna reread it ASAP. I don't remember if I read the uucest one, but I powered thru a lot of fics while I was sick in Jan, and I don't remember like 90% of those two weeks. (Like, as I'm going thru the tag I'm reading now, I'll see something unclicked and go to read it, finish the fic like OMG SO GOOD, and then scroll a little more and I see my name at the top of the kudos list and it's like, wait, when tf did I read this? It was when I was sick.)

Ughhhh. I ADORE the dynamic of whichever younger Strider being the instigator, and it fits Alphacest so deliciously. (I don't even know what to say here without being so fucking overtly horny for Alpha Dave in general but that's not new lmao.)

But seriously, the scene on the roof where Dirk took Dave's underwear, like. I died. There's no other way to put it. It fucking killed me. I'm going to remember that forever, it was so good.