#how solid are your foundations really? definitely a time to find out

[littlecafe]

kpop company astrology rambling pt. 3612 because with the sm shit happening i’m thinking about their chart again !! i’m pretty sure sm is the oldest of all the kpop companies so it’s the first to hit these major transits as well

sm is currently in it’s nodal reversal (ever since last year), the exact opposition happened around mid jan. 2023 so we’re quite literally still at the peak of it’s nodal reversal story 🫣 the reversal won’t be over until july 17th when the nodes finally leave the taurus/scorpio axis for aries/libra

but before that even happens, sm will enter it’s first saturn return on march 7th as saturn ingresses into pisces (a saturn return lasts about 3 years!)

so yea it’s a crazy time right now astrologically for sm’s natal chart and possibly for another 3 years to come, a lot of reassessing and regrouping, beginnings and endings…major rebuilding period

this happens to everyone btw at around the same age (around 27 years old) so if you’re about the same age as sm entertainment, chances are you’re going through a similarly important time period of your life!

[gladiatorcunt]

Modern coryo whos trying to sorta maybe manipulate his gf by being obsessed and then not reading her texts for 3 days but the gf is literally the same so it’ll be like

r: “heyyy” and then a day later he replies “heyaaa” and then it goes on like that for a week until he cracks and sends her 15 messages in the span of 4 minutes

cw: feminization/fem label “gf” but the reader is still only intended to be afab, the ask has she/her pronouns but i don’t use them in the writing, manipulation and toxic behavior, typical coryo/modern!coryo warnings, love bombing, not canon to the main au, black cat reader ish, reader has a shower in their dorm bc i say so 🤫, male masturbation

Now Coryo wouldn’t do this during your relationship, despite his best attempts to play it cool, you make him panic and he’s immediately resorting to rich boy love bombing (trips, those ridiculously expensive boxed roses, 999999999 rounds of oral on his yacht, a summer house, etc.) followed by baby trapping. He’s not stupid enough to try something like that deeper into your relationship, for him it’s about making sure the foundation is as solid as possible and not shaking it up.

This would really only happen before you even start dating, after he’s bumped into you in the dorms enough times to wear you down into giving him your number. He’s still in his “i have to the most mysterious person alive” mindset and he hasn’t quite shed the fuckboy persona yet. He doesn’t seek anybody out or anything, it was love at first sight with you unfortunately, he’ll just imply that that you’re another contact in a long list. (You’re the only one in his favorites 💀)

You’re smart enough to be wary, too involved in academics and proving yourself to go sniffing around Coriolanus Snow. You don’t really talk to a lot of people, and you’re not interested in a swarm of meaningless interactions. You’re just grateful that he stopped calling you so much, learning that you very much prefer texting. He’s the king of the “hey u up?” text, and you have the flattest look on your face as you reply “Yes.” and turn your phone face down. Exchanges like happen over and over.

Does your heart flutter when he insists on walking you to class and pecking your cheek at the door? Yes but you’ll roll your eyes and make a big deal out of wiping it off. Are you intrigued by how much he hauls ass to get you your coffee order whenever he senses that you need it (because he can, he’s like spiderman but lame)? Well, yes, but he must be playing some kind of game with you. Has a cliche bet with his fraternity brothers over your assumed virginity maybe. The more you’re determined to not fall for it, the more you find yourself slipping as the days go by.

Just when you turn your head when he pecks your cheek outside the lecture hall, expecting the gesture more than dreading it, he gives you a blank stare and turns on his heel. You take a second to blink and then shrug, it’s no skin off you back if Coriolanus decides to be normal for once. You definitely do not have a bit of a scowl throughout the entire session. (he nearly lost it when you didn’t react at the lack of a kiss, he kicked the wall and almost broke his foot)

He’s back to the “heyy” texts at random hours, responding to your “Hey.” that came a day later two days after that. He’s screaming into his pillow and pacing his grandma’am’s gardens, glaring at the staff pruning the shrubs. Coryo would rather die than admit defeat though, so he hardens his resolve. You’ll break eventually. You on the other hand are living normally, slurping ramen and working on essays. You’ve learned not get your hopes up over a pipe dream, the idea that someone like him would genuinely care about you being so laughable that you get over it rather quickly. You may be from different economic classes, but a man’s attention is never a necessity. That an he’s far from the only trust fund kid in the world.

A week later, your phone goes off in the middle of the night. You step out of the shower and dry yourself off, walking over to your bed and picking it up. To your surprise, the notification from Coriolanus isn’t another dry message, it’s several videos. They all look dark and fuzzy, ranging from 30 seconds to 10 minutes. In some of the thumbnails you can see flashes of bare skin. You click on the first one and are immediately faces with Coriolanus Snow’s sweaty abs.

You’re frozen as he eventually splatters jizz all over them, the camera work is shaky and the flash exposes too much for your liking. You can see his abdominal muscles twitch in the aftermath of his orgasm. He drags his fingers through his own cum and smears it over the camera, giving you a pov of what it’d be like to have your face covered in it.

Your phone chimes again.

Stalker: turn the sound on for the rest ;) see u at the car wash next friday, babe ❤️

You block him (after you save the videos and check the charge on your vibrator).

[numinously-yours]

Pick a pile: Where will you be in 3, 6, and 12 months?

Looking back at my poll from a couple of weeks ago, there were three topics tied for second place. One of them is this one: Where will you be in 3, 6, and 12 months?

For this reading, I looked at your current energy. If you're not sure which pile is for you, please feel free to read that part first! Then, I went through and provided insight on where you'll be/what you'll be focused on at the 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month increments of the next year. The write ups are a bit longer than usual, so I apologize in advance for pile 3 & 4 for having to scroll a bit longer lol

Current Energy: The Moon

At this current time, it feels like you are in an energy of “almost”. You have something in your mind that you think makes a good idea/proposal. Your gut tells you that you should go for it, but your anxiety is holding you back from taking the leap. You may be remembering a time in the past where you went for something big and it didn’t work out. You’re worried this may happen again and you don’t want to set yourself up for disappointment.

3 – Page of swords, Knight of cups

In three months time, you’re going to be on an enthusiastic, creative, and passionate adventure. There is something you are hoping to share with the world! In the months leading up to this, new ideas are going to be brewing. How can you best share your passion with others? What is a fun and new way to present your idea? Continue brainstorming these ideas and you’ll have a good basis of where to start when the time comes.

6 – Eight of wands

After a few more months of getting your idea up and running (6 mo. total) , you are really going to see movement and action. There may have been a few bumps along the way as you perfected the execution of your ideas above, but things seem to be smoothing out. I think that around this time, you’ll have a really solid foundation of where you want this project to go. As you see the rewards of your work, you may even want to begin expanding.

12 – Four of wands, Wheel of fortune

Finally, a year from now, you’re going to feel really fulfilled. What I love is that the wheel of fortune came up in this time frame specifically. The Wheel is about karma and life cycles – it makes me think that at this time next year you’re really going to feel like you’ve come full circle in whatever project you’ve just taken on. The four of wands is all about celebration, harmony, and relaxation. An amazing and overwhelming sense of “I did it!” is definitely coming through here. Congratulations on whatever you’re up to, pile 1. It’s going to be amazing 😊

Current energy - Knight of pentacles rev. and Seven of cups rev.

You are feeling a bit overwhelmed right now. Based on the cards that came out for your timeline, I think it likely has to do with your social circle/relationships. Maybe you’re the foundation of the group and you’re starting to become tired of being everyone’s support (like, actual exhaustion, not just “sick of it”) or you feel like you’re the one who is continually left out. You are trying to figure out what to do about it but feel stuck. I also can’t stop thinking that some of you are students – either graduating HS this year and starting college in the Fall, transferring schools, or starting a new career closely after graduation. This might not be all of you, but I was called to make that note.

3 – Three of cups reversed

You’re going to venture on your own pretty soon here, number two. Where the three of cups upright is about community, celebrating with friends, etc., the reversal indicates that you need some alone time. It’s okay if you don’t feel like you’re really clicking with your people anymore. Even though it can suck, you must do what is best for you. And I think that means seeing who you are, without the influence of others. There is a small indication of overindulgence, specifically when it comes to lifestyle changes. While it’s important to find yourself, please remember to do it smartly and healthily.

6 – Six of cups, page of cups

Taking the time to find yourself is going to bring you to your six-month point. At this point in time, I think you’re going to have a pretty good idea of who “you” are. You’re going to be more in tune with your intuition & higher self. You have a clearer idea of the future – or at least you are getting more and more comfortable with the unknown. Taking this time for yourself was really important and I’m happy that you’re going to do it. It is going to teach you the beauty of curiosity, it’s going to remind you that your inner child is still within you and deserves fun, and it’s going to teach you that the past is the past and the only way forward is continuing to move ahead.

12 – Ten of coins, The Devil

The main message from these two cards comes from the ten of coins. This next year is going to teach you SO much about yourself. At this time next year, you’ll look back feel like your personal journey was absolutely worth it. You feel more abundant and much more confident that your future ahead is bright. The Devil, I think, is here as another reminder to not get ahead of yourself or start to feel conceited because of your journey. You may feel tempted to rub your success in the faces of that social circle you left, but that is not going to be beneficial to you. Let your success make YOU happy. You can absolutely share the success, but not as a way to shame the others who had previously let you down.

Current Energy – The Emperor and Playday rev.

Playday is a specific card to this deck and, for some reason, there’s not any info on what the card was meant to represent. But hey, that’s all part of the tarot reading process! Since it came into reverse, my initial thought is that you haven’t had many opportunities to have playday. I asked the deck for a standard tarot card to clarify and the Emperor came out at that time. In your current energy, you feel an obligation to take of others and be a foundation for them. Some of you are likely parents or caretakers. Others feel like you have to be “the strong one”. In your eyes, there is no time for play because there is too much to be done and there are too many people who need you.

3 – Three of coins rev., Five of cups

I think it’s been your goal for some time to focus on self-care. And I think that you’re going to continue to try for the next three months. There is this sense that you wish others would take care of you for once, but you’re “stuck” taking care of yourself AND trying to take care of them at the same time. You wonder why you have to be on the journey of self-care alone. You might get to this three-month period and wonder what the point of self-care is if you don’t even feel better.  I’m here to remind you that ANY progress in taking care of yourself is good progress! The fact that you are THINKING about how you deserve to be taken care of is a good thing! It means you know your worth. Unfortunately, I don’t think the three-month period is going to make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside but!! (see your six-month overview for more)

6 – The Chariot

Although the road to self-care has been HARD, you really WILL feel your rewards soon. By the six-month period, you’re going to feel some success. You’ll see that you have the willpower to take care of yourself instead of dropping everything to help everyone else, you’ll have the determination to hold your boundaries, and you’ll have the strength to remember that it only gets better from here. Boundary setting is coming out the strongest as the thing you’ll progress with the most. There will be tests that challenge this and sometimes the boundaries will come down, but you will more consistently BELIEVE you deserve the boundaries. It’s going to be an empowering time for you, group three! I’m just sorry it has to be the six month check point lol

12 – Five of swords rev., Ace of swords, Eight of swords (clarified by Sunrise, also a deck specific card!)

At this time next year, you’re going to be so proud of yourself. This makes my heart happy <3 There are still some times where people challenge your boundaries and try to take advantage of your genuine heart, but you’re finally at a point where you feel confident saying no. If/when this happens, you’ll reflect over this past year and see how far you’ve come. This will remind you of all of the hard work you did to get here and that it is not worth going back to feeling the way you did before (aka right now). You can ABSOLUTELY still be a person who provides a solid foundation for others, but not at the expense of yourself. Your mental state is going to feel soo much more clear. Each day you’ll realize something new about yourself, your needs, and how YOU can help yourself get there. This is really going to be a turning point in your mindset. AH I’m just so excited for you! Finally, with the eight of swords – I wanted to pull a clarifier because the eight usually represents negativity and victim mentality. I don’t think this will be your energy in a year. So, I pulled the Sunrise card. I think it’s AWESOME that you got 2/3 unique cards from this deck. This card is different than the Sun card, though, in my interpretation, it has a lot of the same energy. In the times that you feel guilty for setting your boundaries or taking care of yourself first, there will be a sunrise in the back of your mind. You will see the light of the rays and the warmth of this bright star. It will be a reminder that the sun always rises and it doesn’t mean you’re reverting back to your old tendencies to forget your own needs.

12 month column is ace of wands & moonlight ; apologies for the hard to read text. in retrospect, I shouldn't have picked that photo background.

Current energy: The Devil reversed.

Right now, you are going through a personal transformation. I bet there is a sense of unknown and you’re a bit resistant to that (consciously or not). The future is scary and not being able to plan for it doesn’t help the anxiety. However, you understand the importance of your transformation and are trying your best to optimistic of the outcome.

3 – The Hierophant, Temperance, and Four of cups

In three months, it looks like you’ll still be on the journey of self-discovery, but you’ll be a little more patient with not knowing. In the time leading up to this three-month mark, you’ll discover tools that help you remain present. You’ll do a lot of introspection which will allow you to feel more comfortable about still being in land of the unknown. Around the three-month mark, you’ll redirect your thoughts to a different pathway than you’re currently thinking. The four of cups represents meditation and re-evaluation of your situation. You may have a moment of panic feeling like you have to start over AGAIN, but the tools you’ve learned were meant to be learned so you could get through this. You KNOW you’re not starting over because you have new insights that weren’t even in your reality three months ago (aka now). You may start delving more into spirituality to help you on your journey. This could include going to church more often, researching new religions, picking up tarot, or simply continuing meditation to get a bigger understanding of the world around you.  

6 – The Sun

By six months, you’re going to feel like the sun won’t stop shining. Even on the coldest days, you feel the warmth of the sun because you know you have a purpose. In the time between three months & six months, you’re going to figure something out. Something is going to click and it is going to propel you to work on something great. You’ll feel revitalized, group four, and I think it’s a feeling you’ve been looking for for awhile now.  You’re going to inspire others with your newfound light. You’re going to feel confident expressing yourself (beliefs, needs, ideas, etc.). I’m really happy for you!

12 – Ace of wands, Moonlight (specific to this deck; different from The Moon)

This time next year will truly feel like a new beginning. The sun has set on this particular part of your journey and the moon is coming out to light the next path. While the moonlight is less bright than the sunlight, I think this card is here to represent that, no matter day or night, the universe is here to provide some light even in the darkness. As you look ahead to new opportunities, the unknown doesn’t scare you as much. You know the sun will always rise again and provide you clarity on your path. And you know based on this journey that you’ll always feel the sun’s warmth, no matter what part of the journey you’re on.

[novella-november]

hey!! loving your recent posts about romance in writing.

i need some adviceim writing a story that has a romantic b-plot between my protagonist and his childhood best friend. the main story is very dramatic and high fantasy. i was wondering if you had any tips on specifically romances that arent the main focus? (but still important to the plot!)

i assume the broad strokes of chemistry and intrigue are still there, but is there anything more specific? (tldr i would like the long post /lh)

thank you so much for your time (:

Honestly, I'm writing something similar, high-stakes high fantasy with a slightly background romance and at least in my case, my "romantic leads" are going to be seperated from their initial meeting for a long time, and unique circumstances and societal expectations help (and hinder) their relationship before they're even together romantically.

But yeah, I would say, for what I assume is probably a slow burn of friends to lovers, definitely work on building up the chemistry between them, that they enjoy spending time together, that they can rely on one another, that they don't always see eye to eye, but they truly do care about each other that they will work to resolve their conflicts...

One important thing for building up a good romance, is you should aim for balance; both partners should be equals in the relationship, both able to depend upon and rely on the other -- and they' don't have to be carbon copies of each other, (obviously), but try to make sure that both partners have believable strengths and weakneses that aren't just your typical Heroic Flaws of 'being too self-less / self-sacrificing', and maybe both partner helps balance out each other's flaws.

The other thing in terms of balance is -- social balance. Is one of your characters a millionaire while the other is living paycheck to paycheck?

(While it is easy and tempting to write a story about a character living the wish fulfillment of marrying into a rich family and living in the lap of luxury for the rest of their life (aka, not having to worry about being evicted from one too many unpaid bills) , I find it a much more satisfying story to see the Rich Asshole Characters dragged down into the mud and forced to see how people like themselves cause all these issues for society at large by hoarding their wealth and paying their workers in pennies, without seeing the people they interact with as human being deserving of dignity and security.

Especially stories where Rich Asshole tries to court Working Class person and gets rejected for being, you know, an asshole and slowly works on improving themselves as a person and trying to make the world a better place one cut CEO paycheck at a time before they reunite and Previously-Rich Asshole respects their previous decision and they become actual friends and then graduate over time to lovers after actually getting to know one another.)

Even beyond the matter of wealth, you should keep an eye on the social status of your main pair; if one person is a much higher class than the other, or the relationship starts out as one with one in a position of strong authority over the other (like a boss at work, or a Lord of a Castle courting the serving maid at the local pub), those relationship issues should definitely be addressed sooner rather than later.

Is one of your characters pressured or forced into the relationship because of the social inequality, and this never gets addressed within the duo? Be prepared for readers to notice right away, and if one half of your pair spends their entire time worrying about disappointing or offending their partner and getting banished from the whole country as a result, that is definitely something you need to make an actual plot point and address it within the narrative.

It's perfectly fine for your characters to start off on unequal footing, but if you really want their relationship and love to have a solid foundation by the end, that unequal footing needs to be resolved in some manner, either simply through clear and honest communication about each others fears and worries, or through deliberate choices by the "higher" partner to lower themselves down to an even playing field.

(if you want an excuse for your Royal+Servant couple to elope, running away to the countryside to live as simple townsfolk where no one knows you're a prince/princess is both a fun plot, and depending on the story, can set up some Future Conflict when the Estranged Royal in question gets recognized)

So, for a High Fantasy Friends To Lovers type story, it's probably going to mainly depend on where and how your characters do most of their interacting.

Are they in the same Party on an Epic Quest?

Show them talking and working together,

checking in with each other, seeking out each other's opinion,

doing small favors for the other without a thought,

staying up late beside the fire to keep talking long after the others have gone to bed,

putting their sleeping bags next to each other/sharing a tent together,

Give them inside jokes and nicknames for each other,

When they start developing romantic feelings for each other, slowly build up to it; there's a reason slow-burns are so popular! Just don't "bait and switch" your readers forever with a "will-they-won't-they" plot, as going too long with constant teasing and then snatching it away for a new plot twist to get in the way can lead to your audience resenting the relationship that seemingly-will-never-be.

When one side of the pair is narrating and is describing their friend, slowly start adding in slightly more details your character is probably not aware they're noticing, like that they are always looking at their friend first and foremost and noticing more and more of their behaviors, starting to notice emotional cues more and more, before they realize while looking at their gorgeous friend's lustrous black hair that oh my gods I just called my friend gorgeous and realize they're crushing on their friend.

some more detailed examples of things to build up the relationship:

Going out of their way to Forage for the other person's favorite food to surprise them with

while one person is off bathing or gathering fire wood, have the other mend some of their clothing, sharpen their sword, set up their tent, etc

If one character has some kind of allergy, show the other character having a bag they always, always have with them that contains a potion or special herb to help their friend in an emergency (if the friend's own one fails for any reason,) like a back-up epipen.

Maybe one character has poor eyesight, and the other character instinctively reads things out loud to them, or describes their surroundings.

Oh, and this is one example in particular that I don't think happens too often, but it does seem to be an easy way to get cheap drama in a romance:

Once your romantic leads finally do get together, don't immediately bring on the "betrayal" plot-lines, or have the other go behind one's back, manipulate the other, etc.

For the love of the gods, do not pull a Liv Moore / Major Lillywhite situation from iZombie.

If your story is a romance... your audience *should not* come away from your story firmly (and correctly) convinced that your main romantic leads are far better friends than they are lovers, because they respect and love each other when they're Just Friends but the *second* they start dating, they're bringing on the gaslighting, spying, manipulation, jealous rages, etc.

Oh, and speaking of jealous rages: Like all things, it's fine to have a relationship have a rocky, tumultuous start. But if one half of the relationship flies off the handle any time someone so much as breathes in their partner's direction... that is going to lead to some major, major problems.

Respect and trust for each other *needs* to extend to anyone your characters might be jealous of.

If one half of your romantic duo get pissed off and demands the other never see or talk to any of their friends ever again because Half A is convinced that they're trying to 'steal' Half B away by seducing them, or taking time away from Half A, etc, that is the time for a ground-breaking, relationship-testing fight--

-- no matter which way it goes or how your characters handle (or don't handle) the scenario, Half A needs to realize how much they are hurting and isolating Half B by trying to keep them away from their loved ones, and that if they actually respect and trust Half B, they'll *show* that, and learn to deal with whatever emotional baggage they may have in a way that *doesn't* hurt the ones they love.

um. trying to think of other things I love or loath in Romance Tropes, but that's all I've got off the top of my head lol. I have no idea how long this post took to write but it was probably a solid half hour of me staring at my screen and Pondering The Tropes.

Enjoy! And please feel free to ask follow-up questions.

[harukamitsuki]

hello! The idea of yuga being forced to suggest one of his classmates to be recruited into the LOV is so tragically fun that I might honestly incorporate that into my own rewrite. I could imagine the canonically guilt yuga feels would be absolutely increase tenfold if he had to play any role in the kidnapping.

y’know yuga’s guilt (and his canonical suicidal ideation) has so much potential to explored in fics, it’s a shame he isn’t a more popular character… but at the same time he already gets mischaracterize to Hell and back, don’t really wanna imagine how bad it would get if he was popular. *insert the “the viewer fell for the character’s facade that the viewer were supposed to dismantle” image here*

but anyways, it specifically being either izuku and mezou??? brilliant and your reasons makes complete sense. yeah, mezou being the one kidnapped could easily be the catalyst to the mutant discrimination arc. and izuku getting kidnapped also has so much untapped potential, and tomura & izuku desperately needed to have more interactions before their big fight as well.

though, since it wasn’t until post-kamino that yuga stopped distancing himself from the rest of the class, it makes me wonder if he would be confident enough in his observation skills to choose either izuku or mezou. there’s a chance he might go with a more “safe” option like shoto or (dare i say) mina.

also, oh wait, here’s a way to make katsuki less relevant to plot. when izuku and shoto are having their talk between the sports featival rounds. instead of katsuki listening into their convo, have it be yuga. It makes sense, especially when paired up with the idea of yuga being forced to suggest a student to be recruited.

In canon, Yuuga is shown to be far more intelligent than fans make him out to be. He's able to figure out the relation betwen Izuku and All Might without any external guidance or direct hints, and he managed to fool the entirety of 1-A until the reveal. The dumb guy that fanon portrays him as, the guy who's only smart with love, doesn't exist in canon.

I see this as less of an issue with fanon and more of an issue with Horikoshi's writing. He completely forgot about the traitor plotpoint, leacing fans guessing for years until he finally remembered. As such, there really wasn't much build-up to it.

Everyone was guessing Denki, or Tooru, or even the audience themselves. (That last one was a really cool theory but sadly not true). There definitely were some hints here and there, but it never felt like there was a solid foundation until the traitor arc actually hit.

As for him not really interacting with the others until post-Kamino... IMO, if you've experienced something yourself, you find it easier to recognise when somebody has been or is going through something similar.

Yuuga knows what it's like to try to reign in a quirk you were not born with, and he knows how it feels when you believe you've made no progress. He knows how it feels to be discriminated upon, to feel weak, like the whole world is against him.

For those reasons, I think, even without properly interacting with them, he'd be able to recognise how strong Izuku and Mezou are, as well as how they could seem like 'easy' targets for the LOV. He can relate to both of them, (though neither were able to relate to him).

And for your idea with Yuuga eavesdropping rather than Bakugou, while I like the idea, I'd prefer nobody eavesdropping. Bakugou doesn't eavesdrop, and Yuuga would integrate in another way with the IzuCrew.

Shouto's conversation with Izuku was insanely private. He's opening his heart out to Izuku, although I'm sure he didn't realise it, sharing his memories of only pain as a child, something that should only be disclosed by the person afflicted to the one they want to know about it.

While it may suit Yuuga's traitor status, I also can't see him using this information in any way, meaning it would be ultimately useless for him to eavesdrop.

UNLESS!! Unless he decides to report Endeavour to the League, due to his sympathy for Shouto and horror at Endeavour's actions, which could lead into a different arc entirely–

Okay, I'm liking the idea a lot more now.

Thanks for the ask!!

[vasito-de-leche]

Hello..... may I ask for more Horropedia romantic headcanons about his love languages in recieving and giving? 👉👈 I really like your Pavia headcanons about it. If it's too much, then may I ask for just Horropedia's love language in receiving? This man has been haunting me in my mind for a long time and I starve for more stuff about him. Thank you very much! 💖💖

;R1999 HORROPEDIA - Love Languages (receiving)

Headcanons and analysis on Horropedia's love languages and the way he likes to receive attention.

I miss doing love language stuff, so ty for the request! it's only receiving stuff for this post since it might've gotten too long if I did both, but feel free to drop by again!

This one is a little tricky for me! I know I have a lot to say about the way Horropedia shows affection, but when it comes to the way he likes to receive affection, I don't think I have a super solid grasp?

When it comes to love as a general feeling, I know that Horropedia isn't used to it. It's not due to a lack of receiving it, that's for sure. Horropedia knows how love is supposed to feel thanks to the loving grandfather that raised him - but genuine affection, whether platonic or romantic, and acts of kindness are extremely hard to come by in an environment as sterile and harsh as the Foundation. At worst, they come with an invisible compromise.

This, mixed with the fact that people tend to avoid him, has certainly led Horropedia not to expect anything when it comes to love as a concept. "It's not his genre", he says.

In the context of giving, it's easy for him to adapt to it because he just has to figure out the rules - the things he's comfortable with doing that feel good for you, the deal breakers, the clichés and so on and so forth, but when it comes to receiving? Horropedia is a little lost, almost like he's used to experiencing things as an outsider and a observer, rather than an active participant. It's especially difficult if the things that he wants are considered non-conventional, outside of the traditional scope of romance. Or if his partner misunderstands his eagerness to learn and the ways he engages with these new feelings as disinterest or aloofness.

Like I said in that previous post about Horropedia's relationship headcanons, it's easy to misinterpret him and his actions if they're only read at a surface level, and through the lenses of conventional displays of love. Him putting the effort into understanding the rules of romance, to figure out everything there is to know about love and the nuance of this relationship he's in... That's exactly how he shows his affections.

But once again, what happens when it comes to Horropedia receiving love and affection? He likes when you're with him, but is that enough? Is there something deeper? Something he's missing?

I think it would be very cute if he tried to figure out which love languages he likes to receive, only to find out the answers were pretty obvious the whole time, much like the formula for every romcom out there.

Receiving: Quality Time, Words of Affirmation

[Quality Time]

Out of everyone I've written about so far in this blog, Horropedia would love quality time in it's purest form the most - getting to spend time with you all alone, focusing only on each other to catch up and bond sounds heavenly to him. The activity is the least of his concerns, he'd rather much focus on the fact that someone is going out of their way to make time for him, that they genuinely want him around and care about what he has to say.

Okay, bear with me for a moment. I like to think Horropedia is particular about his space and belongings, I definitely mentioned this a few times already throughout my posts, partially because of how cautious he had to be to keep the Foundation from taking away everything that made him feel safe and happy while growing up. And also because he's just wired like that, no other deep reasoning behind it. But once he grows comfortable, this sort of "stingy" and perhaps avoidant behaviour disappears almost entirely, because that's when he becomes eager to share his life in its entirety with those he cherishes.

The process of indulging in quality time with Horropedia, whether he's the one initiating or receiving, is actually just a very slow process of being welcomed into his life.

It starts very systematic and organized, I'd say - he would prefer to set up certain dates and times to hang out. For example, Sundays are special because they're the day you come around to hang out with him, so he can't have any other plans on Sundays and he'll certainly spend part of the week just anticipating this special day. But as he grows more comfortable, he would insist that you simply show up to his work station or room whenever you feel like it. That counts as quality time, right? You two are spending time together. Easy.

And this goes on and on, to the point where you're glued by the hip and that initial barrier is gone entirely - similar to Pavia, Horropedia would insist that you have permission to just wak into the places he considers a "safe space" from the world that keeps giving him weird looks or continues to chastise him for not adhering to the model of a Foundation member. He loves whenever you invite yourself to his movie marathons, when you just tag along to keep him company, or when you invite him to fun getaways, etc etc.

I know I said that Horropedia would enjoy quality time in the purest of its forms at the beginning of this entire section, but now I'm talking about how Horropedia considers quality time to every single second he spends with you. I have nothing to defend myself, so I'll just attribute that to his themes of redirection <3

[Words of Affirmation]

Horropedia likes when people are clear about their intentions and feelings the same way he is. Words of affirmation, to him, is intrinsically linked with understanding and transparent communication. Those are the things Horropedia seeks.

I think that questions are the easiest way to show this sort of love language to him. Yes, Horropedia would prefer to hear why you dislike a movie that he likes rather than hear you mindlessly praise it just to avoid upsetting him, he would rather be told that he's done a good job in his research, and all - but directly asking him for his thoughts and opinions, asking him to clarify or explain something in more detail... It makes Horropedia feel seen, finally heard, he's given the chance to unleash all of his intellect while knowing that someone is truly paying attention to him. You went out of our way to ask him, when you could've asked anyone else.

Not to say that compliments, declarations of love and sweet nothings are useless or unwanted! I do think that Horropedia is the type of guy who would love to be hyped up by his friends and loved ones, to have others tell him he's done a good job even if he already knows that, to have his partner tell him that they love him, even if he focuses more on actions rather than words. But it has to come hand in hand with that direct honesty, lest it come across as insincere or some back-handed comment.

I'm gonna go on another tangent here!

We've all talked about neurodivergency and Horropedia at some point or another, the idea of Horropedia masking is not strange or new at all. Him being aware of these invisible rules of conduct that others expect him to live up to exist out there, while also being unable to follow them or notice them right away at times - it's just the contradictory lifestyle us neurodivergent people have to lead.

I like to think that Horropedia has grown to be wary and cautious of acts of kindness around the Foundation staff because it's not something that he associates with a group like them. So being complimented out of the blue can give him pause. Something as small as telling him that his hair looks nice today, or that someone likes his clips and hair ties. Horropedia knows he must be on the look out for these double-edged words and back-handed compliments. Just look at the way other kids treated Vertin when they were all so young.

And yet, he feels so very happy and giddy when someone he trusts, who has proven that they're honest, gives him any sort of positive affirmations. Because he knows that these people mean what they say and say what they mean, as opposed to everyone else. This is when simple compliments can go a long way with him!

[nayatarot777]

how are your guides rewarding you for your efforts?

• pile one •

you guys have been learning something and studying something diligently - particularly learning alongside or from other people. the new knowledge that you’ve come across has brought you to an awakening about the fundamentals of life as human beings. i’m seeing many sleepless nights from learning how to create and pick from most valuable aspects of your life, leading you to a whole new life cycle. especially related to your physical realm. you’ve triumphed all of the judgements that others have put onto you - and most of all, yourself. you’ve transformed into someone who can take ahold over your ego and listen to what you feel like your soul or god or whoever/whatever you communicate with is trying to say to you. you answer the calling now, so you’re prepared for a new beginning in your daily life. your daily work could also include teaching this type of thing to others, too, and you’re really awakening other people too. thanks to this, new opportunities for your life are coming in.

your guides are bringing in a new set of people who you can collaborate with in some way, on this new journey that you’re on. i’m hearing “factory reset”. that perfectly explains your view on life. you could definitely feel reborn - as if you’re seeing life through new eyes after breaking out of a shell that you didn’t even know that you were in. you see life in a completely different way to before thanks to your awakening and you’re now able to see how the immaterial reflects the material. you could use divination, spell-work, or some other type of occult work within your daily life a lot more now, completely surrendering to what you now know about the laws of the universe. you’re accepting that you’re not in complete control of everything in your life - that you’re a co-creator with the universe. you understand that you just need to do your part and the universe will make shit happen for you. you’re accepting that you are psychic. you are a witch. you are whatever it is that you may have had resistance to fully believing in before. and now, you’re fully living life with full consciousness of this - meaning that you’re now living within your full power.

if this resonated with you and you’d like to check out the extended part of this reading (+3 paragraphs), then find it on patreon here :)

• pile two •

there’s a huge change that your guides are bringing into whatever work and foundation that you’ve been tending to. this is an extremely solid and stable foundation with a promising possibility to bare great fruits of your labour. your mind is going to be able to focus on this, which i feel like you may have struggled with before, but they’re going to enable your attention to be streamlined towards this. there could even be some communication that comes in swiftly that also changes something about this practical work foundation that you’re building. i’m mainly seeing your guides helping you to really master receiving ideas and acting on them when necessary. i’m getting a message that you may be used to overworking yourself or worrying that your ideas aren’t good enough - but not anymore. there’s a level of confidence that you’re stepping into which is unmatched regarding your work. just giving yourself way more praise and recognition for your work than before. this major change could be an idea regarding a different method of working compared to what you’re used to - more faster and efficient than before. they’re granting you the independence and confidence needed to take control over your work without over-exerting yourself.

thanks to all of this, you’re going to be able to really slow down (something that you may not have been able to do recently) and give you time to just think - mainly about yourself and your next moves which will help you to know exactly what your work needs. this small, stable foundation is the result of a whole lot of persistence from you. and patience. but the waiting game is now over as there’s going to be an extremely positive shift in abundance that helps you to relax. you’ve put in enough time and tender nurture and care into your figurative garden, so there seems to be the completion of something within this. the completion of an “amateur” phase or something like that? your shift in confidence will also push this further. your guides are highly protective over what you’re waiting to come to fruition. working with time and understanding the dimension of time in the physical world and manifestation is paying off for you heavily. you’ve kept at work that didn’t grow particularly fast for an extremely long time. so your guides are granting you with a much needed rest period in which you can enjoy the fruits of your labour without having to worry about constantly focusing on work.

if this resonated with you and you’d like to check out the extended part of this reading (+3 paragraphs), then find it on patreon here :)

[icycoldninja]

Beauty Day Headcanons for the First Class SOLDIER boys!

A/N: I have always imagined the 1st class bois doing a beauty day with their S/O cause why not? They're beautiful. 💅💄

♡ Sephiroth♡

-Let's start with skincare. He's not that into skin cleansing with creams and whatnot, but will definitely put on a face mask, especially if it's Moogle or Chocobo themed.

-He will allow you to put on some eyeshadow (see pic above, not mine btw) and maybe some foundation, but lipstick is out of the question because he risks getting it on his hair.

-LOVES to have his nails painted, especially black and white. I mean come on. Why do you think he wears gloves? It's to hide his shiny, glittery nails from everyone. Paint his nails for him once and you'll find it turns into a tradition. Every weekend, you two end up sitting at the kitchen table, painting each other's nails different colors, trying out new patterns and designs. Too bad his nails have to be kept short so he can fitght or he would have long-ass coffin nails by now.

-You want to brush his hair? By all means, go right ahead! Sephiroth is a living Rapunzel; to have a beauty day and not play with his hair would be to miss out on a golden opportunity. He loves it. You love it. Everyone's happy.

-What about hairstyling, you may ask? Well, he is in EUPHORIA when you braid his hair (it's soooo relaxing) and likes to have you help him tie it into buns, pigtails, ponytails and whatnot. At the end of the day, he ends up looking like a really big, muscular kawaii girl. ✌️🩷❤️✌️

☆Genesis☆

-LOOK at this man. A total pretty boy. It's likely that you were introduced to beauty days by him, and that he dragged you onto the makeup/skincare/shiny things bandwagon.

-Will wear literally anything you want him to, eyeshadow, lipstick, blush, facemasks, cleansers, you name it, he'll let you put it on his face. That can be interpreted many ways, don't sue me for your dirty minds

-Fingernail painting? He's fine with it, but he's more into pedicures because his hands get scratched up more often than Sephiroth's do.

-When it's time to paint the footsies...hoo boy. His toes are very ticklish, so you have to pinch 'em just so or he'll be wiggling and giggling, and then his feet will end up covered in nail polish and there'll be a huge mess in general.

-Like Sephiroth, Genesis enjoys getting his hair done. He'll let you wash it, style it, tie it up into little pigtails--he's basically your living Barbie doll.

-All in all, beauty days with Genesis are lots of fun. Sometimes you guys turn on a rom-com or drama and do each other's hair while watching it. ❤️

■ Angeal ■

-Aight, this man is different from the rest. He's not that into makeup, but he will don a little blush and guyliner if you ask him to.

-Angeal's preference is skincare, believe it or not. He wants the whole package, face masks, cleansers, lotions, hydrating soaps, etc. Being in S.O.L.D.I.E.R. means you have to leave for missions often--you don't get much time to maintain your skin. As a result, Angeal is now a skincare addict and relies on you to teach him how to use the products properly and help him establish a solid routine.

-Bonus points if you buy him one of those cute headbands to push his hair back. Imagine seeing your beefy boyfriend parading around the house with bunny ears and a pink sheet mask. Adorable.

-Another thing he enjoys is massages. Yes, you read that right. Coming home from an exhausting mission and being met with a warm bubble bath and then a relaxing massage? That's his kind of heaven.

-Also wouldn't mind giving you a nice full body massage as a reward afterwards. What did I tell you about double meanings, like jeez ?

[baki-tiene-un-simp]

Hi 🤗

I don't know if you're writing soulmates au but if not you can just pretend it's a classic s/o

Would you write about Hanayama, Baki, Kureha and Yujiro about having a soul mate (fem or gn) who is of another nationality like in Japan the cultural mix is ​​still rather frowned upon by the most older (especially with Chinese and Korean). I'm especially thinking of a scenario where someone criticizes the fact that their soul mate is foreign, how would they react ?

I love your writhings 💜

Situation: Soulmates Au

Characters: Baki Hanma, Kaoru Hanayama, Kureha Shinogi and Yujiro Hanma.

You were able to be together, thanks to you, you were the one who had the courage to leave everything you knew, all your family, your friends, your job and the life you had already built to venture into a risky search to meet a person you had never known before. Seen, but that you knew it was out there. Waiting for you.

[Your Baki boy] admire your determination and bravery wondering if he had been capable of the same, would he have run into your arms without being sure that you would really receive him waiting? Would he have abandoned everything he achieved with effort and sacrifice to meet you, far from his country, his friends and his goals? He probably wouldn't have been capable of that, he knows, he always feared what could happen if he ran aimlessly for his soul mate, he would never do something so reckless for fear of the consequences that his careless actions would drag. However, you are different from him, you decided to take this risk for both of us. [Your boy from Baki] couldn't do anything but open his arms and comfort your tears of joy at finally finding him, you stood before him as confused as one could be in a strange country without a solid foundation of the language; that they found each other was a complete miracle.

He took care of you for a while until he could teach you Japanese and you could settle in the country on your own, all while the two of you were getting to know each other and cementing a relationship, I couldn't believe you were finally together.

Despite all the time you've spent together, you haven't seen much of Japan other than the places you frequent with [Your boy from Baki], who thought it would be a good idea for the two of you to go out together so you could get to know the city. . You were delighted by the idea, needless to say. Soon they would be touring the center of the city to familiarize you with your new surroundings, huge buildings looming over your head, while bright lights flickered, drawing your full attention with every step you took. [Your Baki guy] didn't think he would impress you with so little, but your smile is so cute that he's definitely satisfied.

He takes you by the arm to show you one of the busiest parks in the city, it is full of vegetation and you can stop for a moment to rest under the shade for a few seconds. Your vibrant accent tickles [Your Baki guy]'s ear, you're lovely, he listens intently when you talk about how amazing your day has been and how much you thank him for taking the time to do this with you.

Baki Hanma.

He smiled happily when you got lost in the details that have interested you so much, your corners don't stop stretching and you get so close to him that he starts to get nervous. He really don't expect the feelings he has developed for you to overwhelm him that much, he is very happy.

However, he catches the distant gaze of two old women who are looking at the two of them in a … strange way. It's a kind of look that carries some form of judgment, as if its very existence is wrong.

"Young people these days only know how to go against good customs" is the only thing they let go when they intentionally pass close to you, pretending not to have noticed you.

You shrink in your seat, visibly less energetic than before, Baki grimaces at this, "elders can be so reckless sometimes" he ignores the faces of the women who still heard him, "Don't listen to them, I couldn't be luckier to have someone like you by my side"

Kaoru Hanayama.

Hanayama is happy with your enthusiasm, his attentive eyes don't leave your figure for even a second, it's all the cute expressions and amazed phrases that you let go that keeps his calm. His big arm on the back of the seat to protect your shoulders carefully.

"Ugh, damn foreigners" the voice surprised you and made you shiver uncomfortably due to the deep hatred that could be perceived just by hearing it, "how dare they do something like this in public?"

Kaoru stands up to his full height and faces the man behind you with a stern look, the other person has to step back to meet his face, "Did you say something?" He does not receive more response than an incomprehensible mutter before the subject moved away.

He comforts you by holding you in his arm, circles drawn on your back comforting you, "Don't pay attention, you're all I could ever want."

Kureha Shinogi.

"What a careless way of talking" the voice behind the man is heard higher than it should be a whisper, Kureha looks over her shoulder.

"Lower your voice! They might hear you" the girl who came with the boy scolded him covertly, "Why should I? We are in our country, foreigners only come to corrupt our bloodline"

"What comments are those?" Kureha whines inattentively at the walking away couple, he sounds like a conservative old man who still believes in blood purity, "I thought the people who said that were already retired. "

"Hm? Oh, it's nothing. Don't listen to what they say. Some people just get carried away by old rumors, but that's all. I couldn't ask for anyone but you to share the rest of my life with."

Yujiro Hanma.

I don't think I've made this point clear enough, but, his soul mate (S/O, Y/N, You, ___, etc.) would be better off without him, just living their life without having the bad luck to cross his path.

He can't defend you from the comments of others because it's simply not his problem, in fact, he would make the comments worse just to tear at the fragile fabric of human sanity.

I would write a whole book about why and how his soul mate stays away from him, living happily and peacefully. I just hate him.

Versión en español.

Ustedes pudieron estar juntos gracias a ti, fuiste quien tuvo el valor de dejar todo cuanto conocía, a toda tu familia, tus amigos, tu trabajo y la vida que ya habías construido para aventurarte en una búsqueda arriesgada para conocer a una persona que jamás habías visto, pero que sabías que estaba ahí afuera. Esperándote.

[Tu chico de Baki] admiro tu determinación y tu valentía preguntándose si él hubiera sido capaz de lo mismo, ¿él habría corrido a tus brazos sin estar seguro de que realmente lo recibirías esperando? ¿Hubiera abandonado todo lo que consiguió con esfuerzo y sacrificio para conocerte, lejos de su país, amigos y metas? Probablemente no hubiera sido capaz de eso, lo sabe, siempre temió lo que podría pasar si corría sin rumbo por su alma gemela, jamás haría algo tan imprudente por miedo a las consecuencias que sus descuidadas acciones arrastrarían. Sin embargo, tú eres diferente a él, tú decidiste tomar este riesgo por ambos. [Tu chico de Baki] no pudo hacer otra cosa más que abrir sus brazos y consolar tu llanto de alegría por encontrarlo al fin, te presentaste frente a él tan confundido como se podría estar en un país extraño sin una base sólida del lenguaje; el que se hayan encontrado fue un completo milagro.

Él cuidó de ti durante un tiempo hasta que pudo enseñarte japonés y que pudieras asentarte en el país por tu propia cuenta, todo mientras ustedes dos se conocían y consolidaban una relación, no podía creer que estuvieran finalmente juntos.

A pesar de todo el tiempo que ustedes han pasado juntos no has visto mucho de Japón más allá que los lugares que frecuentas junto a [Tu chico de Baki], quien creyó que sería una buena idea que ambos salieran juntos para que pudieras conocer la ciudad. Estuviste encantado por la idea, esta de más decirlo. Pronto estarían recorriendo el centro de la ciudad para que te familiarices con tu nuevo entorno, enormes edificios se alzaban sobre tu cabeza, mientras que brillantes luces parpadeaban llamando tu entera atención a cada paso que das. [Tu chico de Baki] no creyó que te impresionaría con tan poco, pero tu sonrisa es tan linda que definitivamente está satisfecho.

Él te lleva del brazo para que conozcas uno de los parques más concurridos de la ciudad, está repleto de vegetación y ustedes pueden detenerse un momento para descansar bajo la sombra durante unos segundos. El vibrante acento que tienes le hace cosquillas a [Tu chico de Baki] en el oído, eres encantador, te escucha atentamente cuando hablas de lo increíble que ha sido todo el día y lo mucho que le agradeces por tomarse el tiempo de hacer esto contigo.

Baki Hanma.

Sonrió contento cuando te perdiste en los detalles que te han interesado tanto, tus comisuras no paran de estirarse y te acercas tanto a él que empieza a ponerse nervioso. Realmente no espero que los sentimientos que ha desarrollado por ti lo abrumen tanto, está muy feliz.

Sin embargo, capta la mirada distante de dos ancianas que los miran a los dos de forma… Extraña. Es una especie de mirada que carga alguna forma de juicio, como si su sola existencia estuviese mal.

"Los jóvenes de hoy en día solo saben ir contra las buenas costumbres" es lo único que dejan ir cuando pasan intencionalmente cerca de ustedes, disimulando no haberlos notado.

Te encoges en tu asiento, visiblemente menos enérgico que antes, Baki hace una mueca ante esto, "los ancianos pueden ser tan imprudentes a veces" ignora los rostros de las mujeres que igual lo escucharon, "No las escuches, no pude ser más afortunado de tener a alguien como tú a mi lado"

Kaoru Hanayama.

Hanayama esta feliz con tu entusiasmo, sus ojos atentos no dejan tu figura ni siquiera un segundo, son todas las lindas expresiones y frases asombradas que dejas ir lo que mantiene su calma. Su gran brazo en el respaldo del asiento para resguardar tus hombros con cuidado.

"Ugh, malditos extranjeros" la voz te sorprendió y te hizo removerte incómodo debido al profundo odio que se podía percibir solo al escucharlo, "¿cómo se atreven a hacer algo como esto en público?"

Kaoru se pone en pie en toda su altura y encara al hombre tras ustedes con una mirada severa, la otra persona tiene que retroceder para mirarlo a la cara, "¿Has dicho algo?" No recibe más respuesta que un murmullo incomprensible antes de que el sujeto se alejara.

Te consuela al estrecharte en su brazo, círculos dibujados en tu espalda que te reconfortan, "No prestes atención, eres todo lo que podría desear"

Kureha Shinogi.

"Que forma de hablar tan descuidada" la voz a la espalda del hombre se escucha más alto de lo que debería ser un susurro, Kureha mira sobre su hombro.

"¡Baja la voz! Podrían escucharte" la chica que venía con el muchacho lo regaño de forma disimulada, "¿Por qué debería? Estamos en nuestro país, los extranjeros solo vienen a corromper nuestra línea de sangre"

"¿Qué comentarios son esos?" Kureha se queja sin prestarles atención a la pareja que se aleja, suena como un anciano conservador que todavía cree en la pureza de la sangre, "Creí que las personas que decían esos ya estaban retiradas"

"¿Hm? Oh, no es nada. No hagas caso a lo que dicen. Algunas personas solo se dejan llevar por antiguos rumores, pero eso es todo. No podría pedir a nadie más que a ti para compartir el resto de mi vida"

Yujiro Hanma.

Creo que no he dejado este punto lo suficientemente claro, pero, su alma gemela (S/O, Tn, Tú, _, etc.) estaría mejor sin él, simplemente viviendo su vida sin tener la mala suerte de cruzarte en su camino.

No puede defenderte de los comentarios de otros porque simplemente no es su problema, de hecho, él haría que los comentarios fueran peores solamente para desgarrar la frágil tela de la cordura humana.

Escribiría un libro completo sobre porque y como su alma gemela se mantiene alejada de él, viviendo feliz y en paz. Simplemente lo odio.

[phneltwrites]

Hello!! I loved your fic good friend, it's a dynamic I had never really read before and somehow made me realize how little fic there is of Felice centred to fic at all :/ I was wondering, I have you ever thought about write more of something like good friend, even something just about the Felice and Wille dynamic or anything just centered specifically about Felice?

oh hi!!!

ok so being truly honest here between you and me I have little to no control over what actually gets written. I start a fic finish a fic and then I start another fic and it's like I've been hijacked

But to your question of have I THOUGHT about it I sure have!! I love Felice. And just the stuff we know about her is SO fascinating. She sings. She's popular enough to be Lucia. She likes to bake. She's in a cold war of passive aggression with her mother. Seems like she's the only child of the richest people in Sweden - what does that mean for her life and her future? She's on a roadtrip with her two best friends. she's got influencer level popular social media.

You just know her 18th birthday party is going to be in Tatler.

And her backstory! I've spent a long time thinking about where that money comes from, what that implies potentially about her dad and his family. Since Smysan is hereditary Swedish upper class the big money isn't coming from her. Did Poppe bring it with him and thus matched with her or did she provide the seed capital and then he did something? But Poppe also went to Hillerska,

I think maybe Smysan timed that pregnancy on the hopes of getting a royal alliance out of that and I don't think she's going to relax about that any time soon. There's definitely both farce and serious fics in there about trying to extricate Felice from her mother's expectations.

Her friendship arc with Sara is one of the most powerful stories in the show, too. The way Sara thanks Felice for being her first real friend when we know that's true for Felice too, and that when Sara betrayed her she had to build up the whole foundation of trust again. How do you get over a best friend!!! lines that make a phnelt go feral.

I can't even start on Felice's relationship with Wilhelm, it's so special. Simon and Sara challenge Felice and Wilhelm to see that a better life is possible, an honest one where they can act with integrity. But what Wilhelm and Felice find in each other is pure recognition. They get each other. I love a ride or die best friendship and I think the foundation of them is solid down to the earth. There's no judgment between them (which sometimes they need; see above abt sara and simon) but to have that safety? When they both come from social circumstances and family dynamics where everything they do is picked apart? I think they're the people they can show their ugliest feelings to, their least sympathetic moments and know that it'll be seen and held and kept safe.

so yeah i'd love to write about Felice.

[respectthepetty]

Hello! I'm here because your posts about colors altered my brain chemistry and now I can't watch anything without, like, being aware of them?? I mean, I guess I just kind of notice some stuff, I definitely can't analyze them the way you do and I'm not even sure how you always notice all of those patterns 😂 ANYWAY, what I actually wanted to ask is: Triage colors. I just finished rewatching it and now I need the colors. Pretty please 🙏🏻 How much of that blue can I actually trust? (Maybe it's because the search tag sucks on mobile but I couldn't find anything on your blog.)

The Code Color Blue in Triage

@imlivingformyselfdontmindme, you found nothing for Triage in my tags because my petty ass wrote nothing.

I did not watch it weekly because I knew it was going to stress me out. The entire premise of one of the leads dying each episode seemed like a solid foundation for my blood pressure to rise each week which would cause my heart great distress, so I binged it right before the finale.

Then I was in my feels and refused to write about it. Like the petty person I am.

But I also didn't write about colors in the show because I wasn't sure if what I was seeing as an American was true of the Thai medical system since the purpose of triage in America is to prioritize patients' care based on resources and needs with the help of a color system and . . .

in America, "Code Blue" is used for a person who has gone into cardiac arrest.

Sound familiar?

As in, that was a major theme of the show?

A person having a heart attack?

In a show that was about heartless people finding their heart?

So I thought it was super fascinating how the colors were used in the series, from an American perspective, since the emergency room uniforms were blue (as they would be),

and blue on the triage scale would be needing close observations to monitor the situation.

But also how the other triage colors showed up. Like black is expected death.

Green is stable but still wounded and will need care.

And red is immediate care needed.

But above all else, the blue just really stood out to me because it was constant.

So at first, I thought Tin was a Blue Boy who needed to take care of his wounded.

But then I realized that the colors didn't actually show up on Tin outside of his hospital uniform until he started to care about Tol.

Because when they were kids, the blue was there.

Yet they both became jaded as they grew up and lost the love that colors life, so even though Tol only had his school uniform for most of the show, he still lacked color too.

Well, until they began caring again.

Then the blue came back.

Tin cared first because he had to go through the loop countless times to save Tol.

So even when Tin wasn't aware of the loops, his blue still showed up since it was guiding Tol.

And eventually, Tol got there too.

And once he realized it, he couldn't go back.

Because blue = 💙and both boys needed to take care of each other's. It wasn't just about finding love; it was about taking care of someone else's heart. Tin lost his sister and it broke his heart. Tol's heart would have killed him. Without the other person, neither would have survived.

But the other person saved them, literally, multiple times, and figuratively through love, which is why they both ended up in blue.

However, I'm looking at this Thai show through an American medical lens, so . . . the blue between Tol and Tin could mean nothing.

Sometimes, the curtains heart is just blue.

[murmurlilies]

Less about OCs, but I'm interested to know what your process is like when creating a piece as detailed as that one you posted for Valentine's Day. How do you go about it? And do you happen to do time-lapse videos?

hmm can't say I can give an explanation that's terribly interesting or satisfying lol... I'm almost entirely self-taught, so "process" is a very loose and nebulous concept for me, and it changes from piece to piece. the one common thread among my works is that they all involve obscene amounts of trial and error. I don't have any recent time-lapses because I never think to record them, but if I did you would definitely see how often I feel the need to adjust and redo every little thing.

for the Valentine's Day piece, because it was a "remake" I had the benefit of a much more solid foundation than usual to start out with. however you can still see where I ended up deviating from the sketch phase - most obvious being her pose, the design of her hair, and the details of her sandals. (there were also meant to be candles on the dresser, but I forgot and didn't feel like adding them back in later and so I decided a vague suggestion of candlelight was enough lmao)

anyways, compared to everything else, sketching and linework are fairly straightforward and come most easily to me. there really isn't much to say, just scribble some messy lines and then whittle away at and draw over them till they magically become less messy!

when it comes to coloring and shading, things get a lot weirder and more complicated. this is where my process tends to vary the most, because it really depends on the mood of the piece. for this one I wanted something dark and seductive, so I covered the whole image in a layer of burgundy red, then painted the "lighting" on top across several Overlay layers. additional shadow details were brushed in on Multiply layers using deep purple instead of straight black, but ultimately I didn't want them to be too dark, as that initial layer of red was meant to serve as the primary "shadow" of the piece.

this is also usually where I decide which lines I want to "color" with clipping masks, which can either make certain elements pop or feel softer. it sorta brings the whole image together, giving it a much more painterly look overall. from there all that's left is to keep making adjustments and adding little details - the glittery effect on her dress was one of the last things I added, I thought it looked really nice!

...ok now take everything I just said and throw it all in a blender. because even though it might sound fairly orderly, the truth is I'm constantly making changes to all stages of my works, even the earliest ones, all the way to the end. I'll still be making adjustments to the linework and such after I've already put so much effort into the lights and shading! it's not the most efficient way of doing things... but again, trial and error. my perfectionism gets the better of me...

anyways I apologize if NONE of this made any sense, like I said I never had any formal training in art, so I'm not very good at teaching or explaining it!! at the end of the day my process is less about what makes logical sense and more about finding what feels right in a given moment. at the very least I hope it was a fun read lmao 🥳

[spaceorphan18]

What makes you squee over a couple and call them your OTP? Are there characteristics that your OTPs share? Do you multi-ship characters?

I loved our initial conversation about this - and I'm so sorry it's been taking me a while to get back to you. It's funny, though, because recently, this question has been on my mind a lot. Why does something just dig into your heart in a certain way while other things do not?

It feels, oddly, like a such a personal question.

I do know that shipping can just come down to wanting two pretty people to smush their faces together. And I don't claim to be immune to that. But this little demisexual often wonders if I fall in love with the story first and then find the characters more attractive after?

As an aside, it's funny, because there's a rather specific type I'm attracted to when it comes to men, almost annoyingly so. With women, though, women are so beautiful. There's never been a pattern there.

But anyway - back to shipping and there are definitely patterns here and I really doubt anyone is going to be shocked when they read this...

But I need to answer your multi-shipper question first. The short answer is no, I do not multi-ship. One reason I like a ship is usually that they're securely devoted to their partner. And with multi-shipping, I just can't. It doesn't work.

I will say -- A) this is not a condemnation of those who multi-ship. I mean, go wild. There's no right answer, and to each their own. We don't singularly own these characters. And ultimately, who cares what other people ship? B) There is a specific instance that I don't mind when my fav is with someone else -- and it's usually tied to the idea of being apart from the person they love, and are trying someone else, but it doesn't work because their heart belongs to someone already. Don't know why - that trope just sends me.

Alright, so a list of things that often pop up in pairings whose stories tend to get me in all the feels. While my OTPs won't have all the things on this list, a lot of them have most of them, and while it may seem rather specific, there are a lot of ships that often fall into these categories. I'm sure none of this is going to surprise anyone, and I'm also sure every time I get a new ship, no one is surprised by the dynamics.

Best Friends: This is the big one - that I'm pretty sure appears in all of my favorite ships/romance stories. Friendship as a foundation is just really huge for me. (As an aside - I love stories of deep platonic friendship, too - in general I love friendship stories.) There's something about having this solid foundation of someone who knows you, who gets you, whom you want to spend your time with, but also, you can be a part and you just keep coming back to them. Friends to lovers is an obvious favorite trope - and it's the idea of someone knowing you before you make it a sexual experience. It's comforting and comfortable and as people have often told me, it's probably no surprise that this little demisexual loves this trope as it aligns with how I interact with the world and how my own relationships work.

Shielding and Isolation: This one is an interesting one that may also say something about me. I have a tendency to be drawn to characters who who kind of isolate (emotionally or physically) from the rest of the world -- who have a personalized armor that they wear against the world. And of course, the second half of the pair always draws them out. Is always the one to get past that shielding -- to dig into the layers that are there.

Humor: I do love comedy. But maybe more broadly, I love weird and quirky and absurdity and not really fitting the norm. There's just something a little off about my OTPs and I love it that way.

Devotion and Independence: This may seem like a weird thing to put together but -- I love a couple who is absolutely, stupidly devoted to the other. And I also love that the characters themselves can stand on their own, have their own lives and stories and remain stupidly in love but it isn't always at the foreground of the story. Which leads me to...

Part of a Bigger Story: I'm not one who often goes straight up for romance stories. I like the love story to be a part of a bigger whole -- usually part of a character's longer/bigger journey. I love character stories -- and love can be a huge part of that, but ultimately, I love characters and their personal journeys

Old Marrieds: It's not intentional, but a lot of my favorite pairings end up getting married. But it's not about liking weddings (honestly, I don't actually like weddings) it's about knowing someone so well that you know how to get under their skin just. I love banter. I love familiarity. I love when two people can just get each other with just a look.

Romantic: At the end of the day, I think I've always been just a silly romantic. I like simple touches and knowing looks and smiles and laughter. I love gentle bonding moments and intensely quiet thoughts. I love things that take my breath away.

It's funny because I don't (really) seek out love stories because I love stories. But I fall in love with characters in love stories because of the characters. I love when characters have great arcs and great stories and go on great journeys. I love when they are put through the wringer and come out the other end stronger for it. I love strong bonds between two people friends or romantic and exploring those dynamics.

And, of course, I do love a happy ending.

And so all of that is what usually gets me in a romance story. But maybe the funniest twist is that more often than not, the romantic pairing finds me. I don't know if I've ever sought out a story thinking I'll love the romantic couple in it. Usually, I'm happily surprised that I've fallen in love with the characters and stories.

Thanks for the question, Julia, it was a great thought experiment <3 <3

[randomvarious]

Today's compilation:

Best of House Music 1988 House

Profile Records became primarily known for being a top-notch New York-based hip hop label with a chief multi-platinum-selling asset of Run-D.M.C., but in 1986, as house music was spreading out in all directions from its origin point of Chicago, the label decided to start putting out some of their own house records too. And then a couple years following that, they launched their own Best of House Music series as well, which would end up lasting for three more volumes into 1993, before being re-routed through Profile's own specifically electronic-focused Sm:)e Communications sublabel, where it would last for five more volumes up until 1999.

So here's the first dispatch from this lengthy, decade-plus house series, whose first three volumes I'm gonna be spending the rest of this week with. One thing particularly of note here is that none of these songs on this first volume actually appear to've been released by Profile themselves, which may or may not indicate what they had really thought of their own house product at the time 😅. Instead, rather than a label sampler, what we get is a pretty decent ten-song sum-up of what the house music landscape had been like writ large up until 1988, which was a more intense type of post-disco dance music that was largely extremely goofy, campy, and fun.

And there is no shortage of 80s house classics on here—songs like Ralphi Rosario's "You Used to Hold Me," Liz Torres' "Can't Get Enough," and Marshall Jefferson's "Move Your Body (House Music Anthem)" are all terrific Chicago-made bangers that every house junkie should be familiar with. I wouldn't go so far as to call them timeless, but they are representative of the foundation from which house music grew and are also definitely still highly enjoyable to this very day; especially "Move Your Body," which opens with a sharply clanging and jaunty piano rag, before Jefferson enters with his own passionate and endearingly off-key vocal that really cements just how untraditionally rooted and amateurishly-made this music really was in some of its very earliest days.

And coming out of New York was the quartet of 2 Puerto Ricans, A Blackman and a Dominican too, which was a group that consisted of future local dance legend David Morales as well as the two C's who would go on to form C&C Music Factory, Robert Clivillés and David Cole. These guys only ever ended up putting out two 12-inches together, but their 1987 debut, "Do It Properly," was a lovely ten-plus-minute trip. Confusingly, there were actually two very different versions of this song that made the rounds in 1987, and while the harder-to-find, unofficially released one is superior to the re-recorded one that's on this album, the re-recorded one is still definitely plenty good, as its backbeat and bassline are built off the back of another Chicago house classic, Adonis' "No Way Back." And also know that if you ever see one of these versions listed as "The Original," it's actually the re-recorded one!

So although it didn't end up having nearly as much hindsight in 1988 as later retrospective 'house classics' comps naturally would, this still ended up being a pretty nice document of mid-to-late 80s house music overall. You couldn't possibly capture everything in just over 70 minutes of runtime, but this was a solid history lesson nonetheless 👍.

Highlights:

Ralphi Rosario featuring Xaviera Gold - "You Used to Hold Me" Liz Torres - "Can't Get Enough" Jeanne Harris - "Just Another Man" Marshall Jefferson - "Move Your Body (House Music Anthem)" Exit - "Let's Work It Out" 2 Puerto Ricans, A Blackman and a Dominican - "Do It Properly" Moon Fou - "Shut Up"

[crimswnred]

What’s the li’s like as spouses

hello anon, I'm so sorry for taking so long to get to your ask 🥺🥺 I wanted to have time to answer it properly and now I finally have it! hope you understand xx

SO YEAH! since you didn't specify which ones, I'll be writing for my favourites.

SEASON 1

Tim

there's a solid friendship foundation in this relationship that allows you to be silly with each other. no day is the same when you're with him and he makes things so much lighter. he sees the bright side on every situation and it can be annoying some times (I can see MC being "why aren't you freaking out?") but he wants to keep himself calm so you're allowed to freak out — but he totally cries with you when you're feeling really down. may be a little messy and I feel like you'd have to ask him exactly what you want him to do but never denies helping you. when you have children, he is the best dad ever!!

Talia

you guys are a team. everything is talked through before you take action and that's exactly what keeps your relationship stable. you feel like you can always talk about anything that bothers you and she'll do her best to understand you but also give her pov. fights happen sometimes, of course, but you always find your way around it. she plans some cute moments with wine and music at home so you two can relax. she also loves decorating your house together and is always buying something new for it. overall, it's a very, very calm relationship. she's definitely your rock! I don't see her wanting to have children so soon, if at all.

Jake

he encourages you to always follow your dreams and goals and to also be your best self. the pressure can be a lot sometimes which can lead to some fights but in the end you know he just wants what's best for you. he is super close to your family, specially the kids and loooooves to cook with your relatives, or better, for them. also likes to gossip with the old ladies. oh, and you two always go grocery shopping together, it's a fun little time for both of you. he totally loves sharing housework and his favourite time is when you two are doing the dishes together and talking about each other's days.

♡ these got to big, so there's more under the cut 👇

SEASON 2

Bobby

this guy is your best friend, your teammate and your favourite person. you are always laughing when he's around and your family adores him. and you adore his family, too! your whole relationship is very family-oriented and you're thinking of having kids as soon as possible. plus, he always pick your side when there's a conflict going on and he reminds you constantly that you're in this together. he loves to do silly things together like building forts, watching movies outside, changing the walls colours just because. however, he can come across as childish sometimes which can lead to fights. he also hates conflict so it'll be hard to get him to talk to you eye to eye. but it's definitely something he can learn with time.

Noah

your mother knew you were endgame when she met him and god, she wasn't wrong. Noah is exactly what you always wanted on a partner. he is responsible, loves children, can be silly when he feels comfortable and knows how to love in silence. there's no big gesture like the movies because Noah shows his love every day in little actions. in your house, I can see him being the one who does the housework the most. he is just neat and organised by nature. I also think he loves doing long road trips with you and the kids. during summer weekends, when you're not visiting a friend or relative, you're both sitting in the garden, reading and listening to a vinyl record from your collection. when it's raining, he makes you tea and you cuddle while watching the rain from the couch.

Carl

since Carl is a CEO of a tech company, I imagine he has a lot of events he can't miss. gala-type ones. you two are used to those and everyone who sees you knows you're a power couple. Carl always encourages you to achieve success in your career and is really greatful for you being there for his even when times get tough in his company. of course, you fight because of his busy schedule but in the end there's always a solution and you can easily work around it. I feel like he worships you and your strength, and he is really proud of you. feels a little out of place at first with your family but with time he adjusts to their ways and soon enough he is helping your mom with the onions.

Lucas

you two are always traveling around the globe and are a couple that loves to give back to the world through charity work. he's not that close to his family but he really finds solace in yours, even if he always jokes about how annoying the little ones are. you two have decided not having kids and your place is really mature and neat, mainly because that's how Lucas likes to keep his things. He definitely makes housework easier and you never once had to tell you to take the wet towel out of your bed. sometimes, you don't see eye to eye in some topics and Lucas can be extremely stubborn when he thinks he's right but he learnt to sit down and talk it through. oh, he's also a little jealous from time to time.

SEASON 3

AJ

this girl has your back. she's more than your best friend, she's also your heart and home. you two love to go out together, even if it's just for some ice-cream, and things are always fun with her around. she's a mess at home but she knows it, so she's always helping you around with the housework to compensate. you two share a house with a big garden and also adopted at least one pet. AJ loves to take you to her games and you even have some jerseys with her number and name on it. both your families are really loud and you just love bringing them together during holidays. speaking of which, AJ just loooooves Christmas and she always gifts you something really special and you love to try to guess what it is — it has become a little game between the two of you.

Harry

he is so greatful for how supportive you're of him. he has issues, he knows that, but knowing you believe in him and loves him despite it all makes him feel deserving of good things. that's why he is the most supportive partner you ever had. no, really. he is so proud of you and he is so loud about it, always gushing about you with your friends and relatives. your house is filled with pictures of you two together and you're so close it has become rare to see one without the other. there's bumps on the road, every relationship has its ups and downs, yet it's easy to talk to him, specially because his used to talk about his feelings. you have much fun with his family and he loves being part of yours as well.

Seb

days of indie records and singing in the shower awaits you when you marry Seb. you learn to have fun even with mundane tasks such as cleaning and doing the dishes. you two find the company of one another comforting, even when it's just silence. when you're working on your stuff alone on the study, you feel relieved when you hear his deep voice singing the catchy chorus that's stuck in his head at the moment — and there's always a song stuck in his head, by the way. you're not that close to his family since Seb himself is not that close, but that's fine, you two are forming your own family now. your favourite moment of every day is when you two lie awake, staring at each other.

SEASON 4

Angie

her schedule is crazy and her work demands a lot of her but somehow Angie always finds a way to be there for you when you need her. she's the definition of "if they wanted, they would." she has set the bar so high you're afraid of never loving again if she breaks up — but don't worry, Angie would never even dream about a life without you. the day you married was the best day of your life and you never looked back. you two do the corniest shit together and then laugh and promise each other you'll never tell her sisters about it. talking bout the sisters, they love you. you're like one of them and it's always so fun when they are around (although they can get annoying sometimes). you two also have matching everything — clothes, bracelets, keychains, necklaces, and so on...

Bruno

you rehearsed that joke a thousand times but there's nothing quite like watching your husband telling it to a crowd. Bruno loves to parade you on his comedy clubs, introducing you to friends and acquaintances. you can see the pride in his eyes when he tells them you're his wife and all the things you have accomplished. sometimes, you have to stop him mid sentence so he won't brag forever. his Instagram looks like a fanclub dedicated to you and honestly you kinda love it. he's not afraid of showing the world you're in love and that's refreshing for you. housework is always fun because Bruno has a way of making everything enjoyable. once, he invented a game to get you two into cleaning the living room and the loser had to be the big spoon for a week — he was so happy after winning it.

SEASON 5

Finn

you didn't really believe it at first, when Finn said he was ready to fully commit but boy has he proved you wrong. he loves you fully and so loud. and he is sooo cheesy to. but you adore him. he's got your back and you know this. it's you two against the world but it's ok because he's the best teammate ever. some problems come and go, specially because of his past but he believes in you so you believe in him too. he can be a pain in the ass when it comes to housework though and you might have to ask him to do the lawn at least thrice before he gets moving.

Suresh

he's definitely making it up for the hard times he put you through. this man works hard and somehow still finds a way of doing most in your home. he is the one cooking, he is also the one doing the laundry and he's also the one taking care of the kids during the weekends. yeah, the relationship dynamics have changed a little when the first child was born, but once in a while you two have date nights that bring that wild side back to surface. however, this time around, your relationship has a really solid foundation based on much love, trust, honesty and companionship.

P.S: sorry for the length! <3 you got me rambling about my favs and that's what happens. I love this type of ask!

[bromcommie]

For the ask game ;)

🏜️,❄️,🥐,🌻 aaand 🥤

Hope you are having a good day!

Hiya, thanks for the retaliatory hit! (affectionate) hope you're having a lovely day too :) 🏜️ ⇢ what's your favourite type of comment to receive on your work? Ooh, can I just say any? Kidding, albeit I am very grateful for everyone who takes the time out to comment, even if it's just a string of emojis or something! But I am eternally grateful for long, detailed comments and especially love when people point the things that they related to in my work or things that clicked for them (particularly the ones I thought might be overlooked or alternatively, too heavy-handed to land) or even line up certain things or parallels that didn't fully register to me while I was writing except as a vague ~vibe~. I just appreciate it a whole lot, and it makes the whole exchange feel like a conversation. ❄️ ⇢ what's your dream theme/plot for a fic, and who would write it best?

Hm, I don't know - I don't think I have one specific dream theme/plot. That said I have been thinking a lot about Red Room/Department X plotlines recently. I really love the throughline of the struggle for identity + shifting ideologies/definitions of what it means to be a good person + autonomy & free will vs. wanting to belong dichotomy in those stories. Especially when it's grounded in interesting dynamics that aren't very black and white (i.e. Nat and the other widows, the handlers, the WS.) That era is also just very interesting to me in terms of real world circumstances and events, and the scifi potential to explore trauma and psychological fuckery in general is endless. So I guess I'd really love something that deals with Natasha's memories as a child + teen in the war and how that shaped her both before the Red Room even got their hands on her, as well as during and after; how she became this kind of mercurial person who is still (maybe surprisingly so) solid at her core. Something a la Name of the Rose, if you've read that run.

As for who I'd like to write it, I am in fact attempting to write something to that effect into my current post-CATWS wip, so I guess me? Not to say I wouldn't love to read something similar by someone else - there have been several fics out there that dealt with Natasha in a way that had me staring into empty space for an hour (in a good way) - just that I enjoy the process of developing ideas like that in my head differently than I do reading about them from another angle, if that makes sense!

🥐 ⇢ name one internet reference that will always make you laugh 

that vine with the two guys with heavy NY/NJ area accents screaming at a duck. wait no - any patrick william charlton vine where he suddenly acquires a german accent. wait no - the can I PLEASE get a waffle one.

oh man. any one vine really. I'm very nostalgic about vine. 🌻 ⇢ tag someone you appreciate but don't talk to on a regular basis

I feel like if I started doing that I'd end up spamming way too many people haha. I do wanna say I very much appreciate everyone I've gotten to interact with and follow during this CATWS10 event and over the past two months I’ve been on here more!

🥤 ⇢ recommend an author or fanfic you love Oh, god. GOD. This is so tough, I'm really blanking right now. I've been around for a loong while lol and there are so, so many insane, brilliant ones. It doesn't help that I really haven't read that many in the last few years as much as I've been writing them.

Off the top of my head though, I recently went back to Speranza's All the Angels and the Saints. One of the all-time old school Cap greats. All of their stuff is just wonderful, foundational Steve, Bucky & SteveAndBucky content. Also everything by magdaliny. I don't even know what to say there, except maybe goddamn.

I’ve also been reading a couple Red Room fics that I can’t find right now but that were great, so I’ll have to dig through my old laptop bookmarks and get back to you with a personalized list, hehe 🫡