#how to say i love you

[theunsaidsyllables]

If I loved you and you loved me and we never realized it until the end, then maybe we loved in different languages and it was lost in translation.

[cauldron-of-oddities]

Idk if this is useful to you yet, but I think it's funny so I'm gonna tell you what I found about bird courtship. It's not relevant for Powder since she's female (on the other hand, she could be a progressive bird?) but crows court by doing dramatic aerial maneuvers and dancing with a puffed up feather coat. And owls? Hoot. They hoot "vigorously", in the hopes it'll attract a female.

Ok, so I, too, had a giggle at this while I tried to figure out how this would work. Time to think on all things affection/courtship to seduction.

Bit more headcanon for now. May well play a role in the future.

They're human, so how would it translate? Human affection and bird impulse? It actually works quite nicely with the love languages/acts of affection they already do in this world.

affection/'courtship'

Powder/Jinx is in bird terms definitely progressive. The girl is practically addicted to the acrobatics of flying, little adrenaline junkie that she is.

It took her a moment to get there, deep seated insecurities held her back, but after that first dive, she never looked back.

She loves games, and they spent much of their childhood playing and still do. This is an extension. She likes to have fun, play together, and indulge in a bit of a rush. She likes to dazzle Ekko, and she knows she does, as he admitted as much just after their first kiss. And then, having him play and fly right along is something she loves. Owls apparently, too, have special courtship flights, so it doesn't take much to convince him. 

The puffing up of her coat, oh yes. I mean, she has to show off all that wonderful blue to him, right? It works very well. He always has a compliment ready. Sometimes, it's in irritation that she puffs up. That works, too, though, as Ekko will usually stop what he's doing to smooth out her feathers. Either hands or beak are good in her book.

The hooting, how would that be shaped? Words, Ekko is good with words. He knows just how to turn up the charm, how to talk her down when she gets stuck, or panicked. Yes, he got trapped by his own thoughts when he wanted to confess, but everyones premitted their hiccups.

Powder had to learn to articulate better what she wanted at that time. Luckily, she had a good example. As for the actual hooting, she thinks the sound is lovely, something spooky and cute matches well with her vibe. If Powder is too preoccupied or occupied by other people, a hoot is all it will take to get her attention and get him a scratch. 

As he gets older, as a human, songs will make their way into the vocabulary. As an owl, entire sets of hoots will join up. It's not quite a song, but it's beautiful non the less. Powder's at first is a little embarrassed but absolutely loves it and quickly starts humming along or as a crow her own gentle rattlling song.

Ekko also likes giving things, owls also give food, it doesn't take much to realise that Powder is easily distracted by her favourite snacks along with trinkets. He will on his way from Benzo's to the Last Drop pick up different or new snacks which she will quickly devourer (probably a good thing he thinks it's cute.) It has caused mild jealousy but these are exclusively for her.

For seduction:

The flying acrobatics is a rush and will often end with them tumbling together, beak jousting and tickle or play fights and kissing, and then tumbling into more. It's all laughter and urgent.

The words and songs or variations of hoots and her humming/rattling, and dancing along are slower, gentler. It's a game of sounds and touches. Accumulating in an embrace that leave them lost in the other and gasping. 

Depends on the mood or who's taking charge

An extra

Mutual preening is something for both of them. As a human, they both have hair that needs care, and it very much becomes bonding moments for them. As bird, it becomes the default greeting action. Also, just touch in general, plenty of hugs, sitting on her lap as an owl, or she as a crow on either on his lap or on his shoulder (Powder has stolen his cuff multiple times from here.) And getting all the pets and scratches.

Powder also thinks Ekko's fingers are magic. She will only admit this much later, half dazed in sensation. He will never let her forget it or the ego boost that it was.

[youre-a-miracle-of-the-universe]

to be loved is to be known

i know your usual order by heart (i love you) here's a thing about the tv show you mentioned you liked recently (i love you) i got you hair clips 'cause last time we met you said you needed some (i love you) i know you're staying up late playing that game, please go to bed soon (i love you) i baked you your favorite cookies for your birthday (i love you) i saw this thing and thought you would like this so i bought this for you (i love you) i appreciate you opening up and telling me about your worries, i know it's hard for you (i love you) oh isn't this your favorite childhood cartoon? (i love you) i got you a keychain with your favorite character from that anime (i love you) i know you prefer walking on the right side so i change sides for you (i love you) i know you struggle with talking to people so i do the talking when it's possible, even tho i struggle too (i love you) im running a little late for our meeting but i know you will be too so it's fine (i love you) i know you wake up earlier than i do so i woke up especially early today to spend more time with you (i love you) i know this thing means a lot to you so i will fight for it (i love you) you seem a little upset so i got you to talking about your beloved pet cause i know it will cheer you up (i love you) i know you love my dad's bread so since he baked some bread rolls i brought one for you (i love you) i know you lack physical contact but are too proud and shy to ask for it so i make excuses so you can get some of it (i love you) when you show me your drawing i put a lot of attention to the details bc i know you like to make even the smallest things meaningful i know you'll be happy i noticed some things (i love you) i was craving some sweet drinks so i got the one you like too so we can share (i love you) i know you like tangerines but hate peeling them so i peeled one for you without asking (i love you) i bring up and old inside joke that always makes you laugh when you get sad (i love you) i could name your recent hyperfixations in order (i love you) i know you love to talk but are insecure if anyone wants to hear you out so i reassure you every once in a while (i love you)

[a1-playboy]

I would rather choke than deal with the heaviness on my heart. I feel imprisoned by devotion. Look how long this love can hold its breath.

[des-no9]

"I go where you go" will always get me. Always.

[rat-off-string]

[0sbrain]

alternatives for ai to design ocs

hero forge

picrew

the fucking sims 4

your local furry artist

bitmoji

shitty photoshoped collage

DeviantArt bases

zepeto

making edits of your favorite character

searching "dress up game" on the app store

learning how to draw

[noelledeltarune]

EVERY SINGLE DAY there are MILLIONS of characters in their late 20s who get falsely accused of being father figures to teenagers when in reality the description of "weird older cousin" or "step-sibling that moved out before you were born" is 1000000x more apt

[mroddmod]

they are like puppies. 2 me

[mrtequilasunset]

Listen man, you guys can't be like "you guys need to be normal about asexuality" and then turn around and get weirdly judgemental when you find out someone doesn't have sex by choice. Like that's weird that some of you do that.

[millidew]

his change in career has captivated me

bonus:

[prouvaireafterdark]

listen I know it's heartbreaking that Claudia dies and it's understandable to wish she didn't, but let's please not accuse the writers of fridging her. to do so is a fundamental misunderstanding of the story and is frankly insulting to the intelligence and skill of the writers of the show.

Claudia's death, and the overwhelming grief and regret her parents experience because of it, is quite literally the point of the entire story. she dies because Anne's daughter Michele died of leukemia when she was five years old and there was nothing she or her husband could do to prevent it.

writing IWTV was how Anne coped with the unimaginable loss of a parent losing her child. she created a story about a little girl that could not die and then killed her anyway. Claudia's death is a senseless, unavoidable tragedy, just like Michele's was. the grief that haunts Louis and Lestat for the rest of their lives is the same grief that haunted Anne and her husband.

so when you're accusing people of killing Claudia off to benefit a story about two men, please remember that in real life sometimes parents lose their children. please remember Michele Rice.

she's the reason Claudia exists.

she's also the reason Claudia cannot be saved.

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Hey now, Let her cook!

[perfectlyripeclementine]

calling my lover "mine" but not in the way that my toothbrush or notebook are mine, mine in the way my neighborhood is mine, and also everybody else's, "mine" like mine to tend to, mine to care for, mine to love. "mine" not like possession but devotion.

[inkskinned]

because sometimes there are invisible tests and invisible rules and you're just supposed to ... know the rule. someone you thought of as a friend asks you for book recommendations, so you give her a list of like 30 books, each with a brief blurb and why you like it. later, you find out she screenshotted the list and send it out to a group chat with the note: what an absolute freak can you believe this. you saw the responses: emojis where people are rolling over laughing. too much and obsessive and actually kind of creepy in the comments. you thought you'd been doing the right thing. she'd asked, right? an invisible rule: this is what happens when you get too excited.

you aren't supposed to laugh at your own jokes, so you don't, but then you're too serious. you're not supposed to be too loud, but then people say you're too quiet. you aren't supposed to get passionate about things, but then you're shy, boring. you aren't supposed to talk too much, but then people are mad when you're not good at replying.

you fold yourself into a prettier paper crane. since you never know what is "selfish" and what is "charity," you give yourself over, fully. you'd rather be empty and over-generous - you'd rather eat your own boundaries than have even one person believe that you're mean. since you don't know what the thing is that will make them hate you, you simply scrub yourself clean of any form of roughness. if you are perfect and smiling and funny, they can love you. if you are always there for them and never admit what's happening and never mention your past and never make them uncomfortable - you can make up for it. you can earn it.

don't fuck up. they're all testing you, always. they're tolerating you. whatever secret club happened, over a summer somewhere - during some activity you didn't get to attend - everyone else just... figured it out. like they got some kind of award or examination that allowed them to know how-to-be-normal. how to fit. and for the rest of your life, you've been playing catch-up. you've been trying to prove that - haha! you get it! that the joke they're telling, the people they are, the manual they got- yeah, you've totally read it.

if you can just divide yourself in two - the lovable one, and the one that is you - you can do this. you can walk the line. they can laugh and accept you. if you are always-balanced, never burdensome, a delight to have in class, champagne and glittering and never gawky or florescent or god-forbid cringe: you can get away with it.

you stare at your therapist, whom you can make jokes with, and who laughs at your jokes, because you are so fucking good at people-pleasing. you smile at her, and she asks you how you're doing, and you automatically say i'm good, thanks, how are you? while the answer swims somewhere in your little lizard brain:

how long have you been doing this now? mastering the art of your body and mind like you're piloting a puppet. has it worked? what do you mean that all you feel is... just exhausted. pick yourself up, the tightrope has no net. after all, you're cheating, somehow, but nobody seems to know you actually flunked the test. it's working!

aren't you happy yet?

[sevenines]

OBSESSED with this new su signing poster. pearl holding greg just because. slightly older steven with attempts at growing out facial hair. the little pebble in the corner. garnet criss-crossed on greg’s van. lapis’ pants riding down so low you can see her hip. bismuth with that muscle definition. connie’s preppy outfit. peridot’s blank glasses.