#i definitely need to learn how to manage time properly-

[fionnaskyborn]

On a scale from one to ten, how based of me is it that I took the GGST survey for the second time just to put a BlazBlue character that appeared in exactly one novel and then never again in one of my three "additional character I would like to see the most in the future" spots?

[mysteryshoptls]

SSR Divus Crewel - Ritzy Fur Coat Voice Lines

When Summoned: You're a bold mutt indeed to call for your owner like this. I'll make sure to discipline you thoroughly.

Summon Line: Stay! We'll start with teaching you how to wait. Don't think you can run around freely while I'm watching over you.

Groooovy!!: There are no shortcuts to becoming a grand mage. Put forth the proper effort, and under my tutelage, you can slowly make your way.

Home: What is it, pup?

Home Idle 1: Bring Grim to me, it's time for some needed discipline. He spilled some highly important potions... Don't you dare think he can get away from me.

Home Idle 2: I must replenish the stock of ingredients used in potionology classes. They may say that failure is a part of learning, but still, when this much material is constantly consumed...

Home Idle 3: I would have never thought I would end up employed at my alma mater. I definitely know it was not in the forefront of my mind when I graduated from Night Raven College.

Home Idle - Login: Alchemy demands skills and knowledge of a higher degree than other courses. If you wish to improve your abilities, you would do well to attend my classes without fail.

Home Idle - Groovy: What are those dark circles under your eyes? Don't tell me you stayed up all night doing your homework...? I knew it. You need to manage your time better, you little mongrel!

Home Tap 1: I am looking forward to this coming weekend much more than I ordinarily do. I should be getting some parts for my classic car that I ordered from overseas.

Home Tap 2: I don't know when Ramshackle was established. It was already in its horrid condition even back when I was a student

Home Tap 3: The fashion world is ever-evolving, and even I am sometimes reminded of my own inadequacies. That is what I love about it.

Home Tap 4: I always see to it that the freshmen in the science club fail their first experiment. Only those who have tasted defeat can truly appreciate the taste of success.

Home Tap 5: This is a custom-made coat made to my particular specifications. When you become an adult, you should also pick up something specially made as well.

Home Tap - Groovy: You've recently been doing much better in your classes. Even without the ability to use magic, you can see that knowledge is power. Good boy, keep it up.

Duo: [CREWEL]: I'll discipline them properly, Headmage. [CROWLEY]: Do be careful not to overdo it, Crewel-sensei!

[artytaeh]

okay. so, hear me out

we all talk about how the slytherin boys seem to never loose a chance for a fight. doesn’t matter the reason, or if there is any in the first place. it’s a well known fact they’re good with their firsts

but i thought . .

what would each of the slytherin boys’ reaction be to you throwing a punch for them because `` somebody was talking shit about them behind their back `` ?

the second paragraph got my attention. it made me think why the slytherin boys would get into fistfights and how good they are at throwing a punch.

mattheo's experience was built in physical impulsivity since he first felt the need to defend himself; theodore learned from mattheo because being his best friend walks hand in hand with supporting mattheo through his chaos; lorenzo comes from observing mattheo's antics; blaise definitely got a stepfather somewhere who was closer than the others, and blaise liked him because he taught blaise stuff that fathers, typically, teach their sons; draco is lucky that he's armed with a lot of rings and somehow it works.

about being defended by their significant other...

MATTHEO is torn. on one hand, hot as fuck; on the other hand, please tell him that it didn't fuck up your knuckles. definitely giddy that he was worth the fight in someone's eyes, especially a loved one like you are. if you got hurt, mattheo will carefully bandage/take care of your fingers himself, then teach you how to properly land a punch — and the weakest spots you could go for, in any scenario you might find yourself in. still insists that you have him for a reason; mattheo is here to beat up his way for you, so no need for you to get your hands dirty. probably the beginning of playing tickle fights.

THEODORE immediately dislikes the idea that he indirectly provoked problems slash pain for his partner. even though theo can't control people's opinions, he can't help the guilt that naturally comes to him, wondering if his bad habits are being, somehow, influencing you to do the same. doesn't want you to think that he's angry, so after some silence, he gives you a smile and breaks the quietness with a sarcastic comment to make you laugh. discreetly implies that he'd rather not bring you to his mess, while pressing a kiss to each of your knuckles.

LORENZO would be giddy. at first, his boyfriend instincts would fire loud alarms in his mind, then soothing with a sense of pride that he's being defended by his partner. enzo enjoys the attention, truly, to the point that he doesn't immediately get upset that people are tearing his image apart in a harmful way. gently coaxes you away from the conflict, caressing the hands that defended him with you on his lap; kisses you silly, every inch of skin he finds. and when you're distracted, enzo makes sure that he got the funny guy or girl alone to make a proper threat to shut the fuck up—more important than that, for them to leave his partner alone.

BLAISE doesn't fancy conflicts. avoids them because he's too classy and superior to that, unless absolutely necessary—if someone manages to get him that furious, or to make sure that his friends aren't outnumbered. blaise might hear people talking badly about him, but in his eyes, it's more powerful the act of not caring/treating those gossip as an unimportant thing that'd waste his time clearing up. that being said, wouldn't really like that you are increasing the problem—but wouldn't be mean about it. takes you away from the fight with grace, smoothly talks you into ignoring those words with him.

DRACO is a mess of different opinions, thoughts and feelings. it's not a surprise that he'd enjoy the chaos, especially if his partner landed a good hit on whoever low life that wasted time badmouthing draco. makes a 'oooh' sound—like in poa during beasts class, or gof while cheering for the dragons—with his friends joining to hype you up. only afterwards does he get slightly insecure that people might think that he needs someone to defend him, because he's not enough to defend himself on his own. wouldn't take it out on you, but the doubt would eat him away.

[yes-no-maybe-soo]

A couple of things that I love and admire about Sylus ♡♡♡

(This got long so decided to add a cut dhdjfj there is just too much to appreciate when it comes to this man ^^;)

For earlier parts in this "series": go here and here

How mentally and emotionally strong he is. His past never broke him or managed to twist or warp his soul. Which considering his background is incredibly impressive. This is a man that suffered severe trauma pretty much from infancy and onward for thousands of years. He is heavily implied to have been abandoned as a child due to being "weak". He self harmed at an early age. He witnessed the total slaughter of the only kin he'd known. He was nearly murdered himself for no other crime than looking different. He was tossed into the abyss to rot for over a millennia, stuck in place with a greatsword lodged through his chest. All of this happened while he was still a juvenile. He most likely hadn't experienced a single day of real happiness or care in his life up until meeting his sorceress. But even before they get properly close, he shows her kindness and compassion despite never having known any himself. We learn that he has never eaten a human soul, nor harmed anyone that didn't deserve it. When he dies, his soul is revealed to smell like flowers. He never lost his innate goodness. In the present, he also shows that same remarkable inner strength and stability, now even more noticeable with added age and further maturity.

How well he takes care of his people. All evidence points to him being an amazing boss and leader. It's especially touching to see how much the twins admire and appreciate him.

The effect he has on those that come under his wings. They all seem to flourish and come out stronger than they were before.

His aura. His scenes in LAR and his entire anecdote gives me chills to this day.

His perfect jawline. It's immaculate.

His honesty. He never lies to MC. Not even once. He doesn't ever whitewash himself and is upfront about his desires and his greed. Similarly, from what we've seen, he honors the deals he makes with anyone seeking his protection (No Way Out, Elysium).

His straightforwardness. On a personal level, as a ND individual, I appreciate this quality in others immensely since reading subtler signals more often than not isn't my forte and tends to stress me out trying to figure out what they are trying to convey to me. So it brings me comfort to see Sylus be straightforward with his feelings for MC. He may not always be direct with his words – both he and MC like to talk in riddles at times – but his actions and his demeanor always are.

His quick thinking and savvy.

Just his sharp intelligence in general. He is always eight or ten steps ahead of his opponents.

His sheer unwavering confidence and charisma. Both enough to fill the mariana trench.

How he is incredibly emotionally mature. He is calm, composed, never abuses the power he has, never lashes out, never loses control of himself. He isn't bitter, doesn't dwell on the past. He isn't brooding or hateful. And when MC tells him he sucks at something (giving a massage in the specific instance I'm thinking of) instead of getting annoyed or taking it personally, he asks her to teach him how to do it. When she says that he is pestering her, he accepts it and gives her the space she says she wants without arguing even a little. We have never once seen him fight with MC over anything. Nor can I even picture a scenaro where they would, try as I might. They're just too chill/emotionally intelligent to get heated or argumentative.

Overall his emotional strength and maturity shows itself best with MC. He definitely made major mistakes in his treatment of her at the start of LAR out of desperation and a misguided belief that the end justifies the means, but the moment he realizes that he has gone too far and that he needs to stop trying to force their past onto her, he stops. Nor does he ever try to manipulate or hold their soulbond over her head (he never even mentions it to her). Instead, he puts his all into building a relationship with the present her from scratch, on her terms, at her pace. He falls in love with and cherishes the present her, just as much as the past her. That is not to say though that all emotional scars have healed. Of course not. Whenever MC unknowingly makes those oddly specific references tied to the shared past she doesn't remember, it's bound to hurt him. But he handles it amazingly, staying composed. And he still aches for her to remember – but I suspect in large part for her sake rather than his. He wants her to know herself entirely, every single part. She deserves to know her history. But crucially, he never pushes the issue. All he does is make gentle references in the hopes that she might remember. But that's all. At the end of the day, on a personal level, if MC never recalls anything, then he'd be fine with that. He is overjoyed just to be a part of her life again, to hold her in his arms.

And imo the probably biggest instance of his maturity and strength? Being willing to let her go, if that is what she desires. Remember that MC represents everything good, beautiful, and joyous in his life. She is the best thing that happened to him. The one person to love, accept, and want him unconditionally. The sole individual to truly see the real him (the only one that dared or cared enough to try). After his resurrection he has yearned and searched the galaxies for her for an unknown but more than likely vast amount of years. And yet... he is willing to let go, for her sake. Even though it would destroy him on the inside. Because she is so much more important than his own desires.

Following on with the maturity theme, I admire the way he approaches losing. He isn't a sore loser but bears it with ease of mind, which isn't always the case with people like Sylus who are used to coming out on top. But to him, whether he wins at a competition or not doesn't affect his confidence or self worth, and he can readily acknowledge when he's been fairly beaten by an opponent. The only time he truly cares about winning is if MC wants him to. And then he'll make sure to win no matter what.

Another thing I admire is how he is so willing to adapt and adjust for MC and the love he bears her. For instance, Sylus is not by nature or temeprament a patient man. He wants to get things done and wants them done fast. A good example of this is in the most recent event, where he does not have the patience to let flowers grow naturally and so tries to force the process. However, when it comes to MC? He is willing to wait infinite lifetimes. He always walks at her pace when it comes to their relationship, and never pressures her. He gives her as much time as she needs to figure her feelings out. He is an impatient man willing and ready to be endlessly patient for his beloved

For all that he is down bad for MC, Sylus isn't a doormat nor spineless in regards to her. He won't just mindlessly agree and go along with whatever she wants but has a strong will, agenda, and boundaries of his own. He teases and bullies MC (affectionately), gives as good as he gets from her, and doesn't hesitate to call her out and/or fluster her for his own amusement. Leading to the banter we all know and love.

His ability to truly self reflect and grow. I am referencing what happens in and after LAR 1-8, where he disappears for a while after having gotten hit by a harsh but necessary reality check. My belief is that he went away initially to cry, but that he also did some major self reflecting. Afterwards, his behavior toward MC changes quite dramatically. He realized that he fucked up, and is determined to do and be better for her. And he never falters. We stan a person that recognizes they fucked up and learns from it. His character development and growth in general mean a lot to me.

How incredibly skilled he is at driving those mototcycles of his. No wonder MC feels safe riding with him no matter how fast they go or how dangerous the terrain.

That his crimes never affect innocents. Sylus has always made it a point only to harm or kill those who truly deserve it.

Despite how he claims never to have comforted anyone before, he is touchingly good at it. He is incredibly emotionally intelligent and attentive. He is always so quick to pick up on how MC is feeling, and he also knows when it's best to give advice, when it's best to act (ie send her something to comfort her, take her on a joyride etc), or when it's best to simply listen and be there for her. Most of the time he is incredibly in tune with her feelings and her needs.

And he can be so achingly tender when he comforts her. A great example of this is in Where Hearts Live, when at one point MC feels embarrassed and insecure about verbalizing how she feels. He is so patient and gentle, holding her close in his lap and rocking her, softly reassuring her that she can talk to him, that he wants to hear what she has to say. And there are other examples of his kindness, such as with animals and plants. A huge reason why this is so admirable to me is that Sylus is a man that has lived a rough life, and with few exceptions seen and dealt with the worst humanity has to offer. He has had precious few opportunities to witness or experience goodness or tenderness from others. And yet he has no trouble being either to those he cares for. It comes so naturally from him. Again, further proof that he has always at his core been compassionate and kind, and that those qualities have withstood throughout all the hardship and violence.

Lastly, I (naturally) greatly admire his hands. They are mesmerizing. Large and rough, yet elegant and beautiful. I can stare at them for hours and never get tired.

Ok I lied I also need to add his veins. Both on his hands and on his bulging arms.

[sukunas-wife]

Sealed 1

2 3

Sukuna had been betrayed and sealed away by fellows sourcers.

The last thing you remember was How you pulled him with you, he was just starting to learn his cursed technique. It was as devastating as his fathers technique, but he still didn’t understand how to use it properly, you couldn’t find your husband, where was he, you detached frantically carrying your son out the palace as you ran, the frantic screams of the palace help, where was Uraume you couldn’t find them either.

You’d be a fool to run straight into battle, your own skills weren’t as strong as Sukuna’s but your experience had definitely left you well off, but the Toll of Carrying the frightened Yuji and fighting as freely as you could was draining your Stamina, you could feel how you were being surrounded. Silk kimono torn from battle, you tried to outrun and take cover outside the palace after Sourcerer’s had made it in.

Just as you were going to make your escape you felt the burning against your skin before you saw the red chains dragging you back, holding Yuji to look st you in a panicked rushed voice “Run Yuji, Find Uraume or find My lady in waiting the one who always wears white robes with a black belt. Don’t let anyone catch you and don’t trust anyone until you find either your dads help or mine. Please Go.” He watched as your dug your hand into the ground catching a rock he had tried to burry in the ground long ago, “no! Mommy i don’t wanna leave you come with me.” He didn’t move from your arms as you tried to set him down “Yuji, please.” You managed to set him down holding on to that large rock muscles shaking “I’ll come get you when it’s over but you need to be safe for now.”

His teary eyes tore into your heart and shook your head no with a weak smile “Don’t cry baby” using your free hand to wipe away the un fallen tears, “Promise you’ll come back for me?” “I promise baby, I won’t leave you alone longer than I need to, I’ll be right back.” He held his little hand “Promise me like you do daddy.”

Your heart aching you took his little hand, the giant ghost of chains wrapped around your wrist and his leaving a faint star like mark on his upper fore arm and yours “See I promise, now go!” He nodded and started his run, finally out of site you let go of the rock thrashing as you’d were being dragged grabbing the chain and pulling yourself up, the chain around your ankle had become the weapon once you came face to face with the sourcerer who thought they could so easily dominate you.

🖤🩶🩶🩶🖤🩶🩶🩶🖤🩶🩶🩶🖤🩶🩶🩶🖤

The smell of smoke, your dizzy head on the floor, Sukuna was i front of you at a distance trying to break from all the chains and seals they had used on him. You tried to raise your head only to be kicked back down, causing Sukuna to thrash and yell the chains sounding like they were ready to break

“Su..kuna.” Your weak voice as you caught his eyes he looked at you, raging more when you could barely keep your head up and eyes open, “Yu.. where’s yu-“ the cries of your son forcing you up to turn and scream, the heart breaking cry as your watched a group of men carrying your son by the back of his robes, he kicked cried and screamed and looked at you when he heard your cry, the women there didn’t even flinch when you cried and screamed out hideously, your voice resembling the screams of curses and the cries of Demons. Your sons cries called out “ MOMMY! DADDY!”

“YUJI.” Sukuna’s sharp Yell as he managed to stand in his Chains

“Yuji!” Your voice hoarse as you forced your flesh to burn against the chains so you could move “yuji…” the “Ryomen Sukuna you have-“ your consciousness was in and out over the sounds of your heavy breathing and crying and you didn’t all you could to drag yourself to Yuji,

“As a result you WILL be sealed away, but first to make sure this never happens again, We will also ve sealing your son in the lines of time to assure you never come across him again, you and your supposed wife are far to powerful to risk in the line of time you will both be sealed in your respective manner.

Forced to watch as Sourcerer’s circled yuji ignoring his cries and please, ignores your screeches and tears as your son looked at you one last time with teary red eyes and red cheeks, “Daddy.. Mommy.”

Your heart shattered and screamed thrashing around when your son was gone completely. The prison realm was opened around you, and you turned to Sukuna who was surround, the chants around him as they started to seal him one by one, you locked eyes with him, your words “I love you.” His face just as he managed to say it back he was gone. Your head hanging low as you stared at the box “any last words cursed woman.” You shook your head “no words just this.” In a last minute attempt you forced out all of your cursed energy in one solid push, everyone fell, you fell weak, the man informe of your who had almost been severed managed out a choked “close.” the prison realm closing forcing you in

There you sat in the prison realm on a throne of skeletons begging to reach up and touch you. You were tired but there was no doubt in your mind now you had all the time in this work your cursed technique would be sharpened until the day you would make your escape.

2

[rafeovermorals]

joel braids your hair.

before you read: this includes a detailed description of readers hair being blonde, long, and straight. i kinda hate this but it came to me in a dream. just wanted to write some soft!joel fluff bc i miss him

you were sitting on the carpeted floor, nestled between joel’s feet with one of your arms wrapped around his calf. he sat above you in his chair, attempting to untangle the knots that had formed in your hair.

“jesus, girl, this is a goddamn birds nest.” he huffed in annoyance, spritzing the problem areas in your favorite green apple scented detangler spray. “what’d i tell y’about driving with the windows down?”

a lesson you should’ve learned by now: always tie up your hair. you had let it grow out all summer, currently laying right at the curve of your waist. it was so long that it was difficult to manage, especially when you didn’t bother to properly take care of it.

joel scowled you for that, offered to give you a trim on numerous occasions and promised to not cut it too short, but you refused. its length made it easier for him to grab ahold of though— pulling on it to rein you in whenever you stepped out of line, or while he was splitting you open on his cock.

you loved your hair, and so did he. it was naturally bleached a warm honey blonde from the texas sun, and felt like silk from your shampoo that smelled of a strawberries and cream dessert.

“i like the wind blowing through my hair! you wouldn’t understand, old man.” you teased, leaning your head back as he tugged the comb through a matted section. you let out an exaggerated whine— a burning, tingling sensation going to your scalp. “you’re bein’ rough on purpose.”

he grunted at your dramatic reply, “this is me bein’ gentle, baby.”

once your hair was smooth and he was able to brush without any snags, he started to split it off into an even part. “y’want french or fishtail today?”

“can you do pigtails, please?”

sure, you could’ve braided it yourself, but you preferred when joel did it for you. they came out looking better than yours.

“‘course, sweetie. you know that’s daddy’s favorite.”

he always kept a few hair ties on his wrist, just in case you ever needed one— which was all the time.

he divided the right side into three pieces to do the first braid, making sure it wasn’t too tight or too loose.

it was one of the many things he learned how to do while being sarah’s dad. he found comfort in being able to do it for you, too.

except he was much older now— probably too old to still be doing this. his glasses were perched on his nose, still squinting as his thick fingers threaded each strand together. he had his back hunched over, causing a strain that would definitely be hurting him in the morning.

he secured it at the end, leaving a bit undone for you to clip in a bow before he went onto the left side, only stopping for a brief moment to relieve the cramp forming in his hand. damn arthritis.

you played with the shoelaces on his work boots while he finished the second braid, your golden locks perfectly woven behind your shoulders. he gave you a small pat to signal that he was done, getting you to turn to face him with a smile before crawling into his lap.

“will you come pick some blueberries with me later? i wanna make a cobbler for dinner at tommy’s tomorrow night. and could we stop by the store on the way home? you know it tastes the best warmed up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.”

joel didn’t hesitate for a second. “anything for you.” and he meant that, more than you would ever know.

[artslovergirl]

Stanford!art as a secret admirer pleaaaaase

hiii! sorry this took me literally a month to finish i am still not very good at keeping a drabble a drabble and this one really got away from me but i promise in the future that hopefully wont be the case....anywhoo! enjoy! (ty for being my first request ever!) also shoutout to diya for helping me a bit with characterizing art having a crush on someone! mwah!

admittedly, art felt like a creep. not enough to stop sneaking glances at you across the lecture hall but definitely enough to feel hot shame crawl up his neck whenever you would accidentally meet his eye contact.

he quickly glanced away and stared back at the blackboard, trying to pretend that's what he had been looking at all along.

he began fiddling with his pen, pushing the plastic end of it nervously against his lips. he could feel your eyes on him for a few moments longer before turning back around to face the professor.

great. now you probably actually thought he was a creep. which is not exactly how he planned your first form of contact to go.

...alright, to be fair, he never had an exact plan in the first place? but "make awkward eye contact" wouldn't have been a part of it. that's for sure.

he was a little out of his element here. stanford was a hell of a lot bigger than mark rebellato was.

back there, most of the girls knew him, sometimes even liked him already or he had patrick as his wingman. (or when it came to tashi, competition.) but here? he felt so unsure all of a sudden. it felt like all of the experience he had with dating seemed completely useless.

when he first saw you, he was still pretty infatuated with tashi. but that doesnt mean he didnt notice how hot you were. as more time passed the more he realized that tashi and patrick were apprently locked in (go figure the dude finally learns commitment just in time. read bitterness.) and the more he saw you, the more he heard you talk in class, the more he saw you laugh with your friends, the more you wouldnt leave his mind. not to mention how fucking smart you were. well, are.

the lecture ended and as always you were one of the first people out the door. you were always in a rush. or maybe you just had another class all the way on the other side of campus?

he wondered what your major was. he wondered if you knew he played tennis. he wondered if it would even impress you if you found out. he hoped it would.

---

art was sitting in the cafeteria stabbing his fork into his salad that consisted of like 70% veggies and 30% eggs.

he had to say, he was definitely getting sick of eggs at this point. he took a small sip of his gatorade.

usually, he drank blue, but he decided to try red today. maybe because it was patrick's favorite flavor or maybe because he needed at least a little change in routine.

unfortunately, as he went to place the bottle back down on the table, he almost knocked it over as soon as he suddenly noticed you standing by the vending machine. and then turning around. and.. walking towards him? holy shit.

at first, he thought you would just walk past him, but you stopped at his table. he didn't know if he believed in god, but at that moment, he certainly felt like a favorite.

"hey," you smiled politely, "sorry to bother you, but do you happen to have a quarter? that thing doesn't seem to take nickles." you nodded your head towards the vending machine at the entrance of the cafeteria.

"uh." his brain tried to play catch up. "um, yeah, let me check." he let out a small chuckle so he wouldn't sound so nervous, but it sounded more like he was wheezing. he pulled out his wallet, ripped apart the velcro, and checked. he silently celebrated when he noticed he did, in fact, have a few quarters. "yeah, how many do you need?" he looked up at you. his cheeks felt hot.

"oh, just one is fine." he nods, and suddenly, in front of your presence, it seems a lot harder to properly grab the quarter from his wallet. he does manage, though, and as he hands it to you, he feels your fingers brush against his palm.

as if transferred from your fingertips to his palm it felt like a surge went through his body, traveling through his arteries and sparking at the tips of his fingers and toes. you hand him your nickels in exchange. before you could turn to leave, he quickly interjected, "we're in the same class, right? english literature?"

he didnt know where he was going with this, he just wanted to keep talking to you.

your eyes flashed with recognition.

"oh, yeah! art, right? you sit behind me?" you knew his name. "yeah, yeah, that's right." he nodded, his fingers drummed against the table. there was a short lull in the conversation as he desperately tried to grasp for anything to talk about that wouldn't seem like he was hitting on you (even though he kind of was.)

"so, uh, this is actually good timing because i've been sorta meaning to talk to you anyway?" his lips pulled into a familiar charming lopsided smile.

"oh, really?" you tilted your head. "yeah." he nodded, his hand going to fidget with curls on the back of his neck that stuck out of his backwards cap.

"i, uh, need some help with some of the material, and, you know, you're so good-"

"oh, i'm not that-"

"nah, c'mon no need to be modest," there's that grin again, "i don't think i've ever seen you get a question wrong."

you huff, feeling embarrassed at the unexpected praise, "well, it's literature, so it's all interpretation, it's hard to be outright wrong."

"see, that answer just confirms it." he says.

you chuckle, finally giving in and accepting the compliment. "so..you want my help then?" he nods. he really prayed you would say yes because this was really his only plan on how to get to know you.

you mulled over it for a few seconds. then you nodded. "yeah, okay, let me give you my number and we can figure out the details later. i got another class in like-" you glanced back at the clock, "shit, 3 minutes."

you hastily ripped a piece of paper out of your notebook scribbled a number on it and left it on the table. "oh, and thanks for the quarter!" you yelled back (even though you didn't even get to use it) before booking it out of the cafeteria. guess he was right about you always being in a rush.

---

4:58 pm. 2 more minutes till you'd knock at his door. art did another once over of his room. now he wasn't exactly a messy guy but he had to admit his dorm had never been this clean before. actually maybe it was too clean...would you think that was weird? like would you think he was a neatfreak? girls probably weren't into that.

he began messing up his bedsheets just a little so it wouldnt look like he had just spent the past three hours obsessively cleaning every inch of his dorm. even though thats exactly what he did.

it was a pretty small room but you'd be surprised how long it can take to clean if you're doing a real deep clean. not to mention the pain in the ass that doing laundry in college was.

he did all of this because, keeping true to your word, you did make plans with him to help him out with some of the reading.

you : does 5pm on saturday work 4 u?? :-)

art : Yeah, I'm totally free!!

(in hindsight the two exclamation points were probably a bit much.)

just as he was about to check out his hair for the 5th time today, there was a knock on the door. he glanced at the little digital watch on his wrist. 5pm sharp. wow, you were punctual. was it weird that he found that hot?

art quickly brushes a few unruly curls that were sticking out of his backwards cap away with his fingers before moving to open the door.

---

"so, what's the exact stuff you're having trouble with?" you peered at him from his bed, which you were sitting on, which he was being very cool about.

you had asked him if it was okay to sit there after you had exchanged a few pleasantries and then chatted for about 10 minutes.

it was mostly about class at first, then turned into more personal topics. you asked him if he was on the tennis team, because of all the..well..tennis gear in his room.

he nodded and told you about his tennis scholarship. you chuckled and said you had never really watched any matches at stanford so far, but you'd like to see him play.

he really tried to not seem overly enthusiastic about that but he did tell you the exact time and date of his next match.

apparently, you thought the sport seemed "really impressive". ( i.e. you were impressed. i.e. you were impressed by him playing tennis. or that's at least how he heard it.)

then, after he found out you were an english major, which wasn't a surprise, you finally brought up the topic of studying.

he spun in his desk chair, to face you.

"just some of this..interpretive stuff...i feel like i never know what the professor wants to hear from me." he tapped the end of his pen against the book he was holding. "well.." you shifted into a cross-legged postion, you were wearing shorts and he was trying really hard not to stare at your legs.

"you probably shouldnt be thinking about that in the first place, you know, what the professor wants to hear? you should think about what you actually got from the book." he knew this was pretty standard advice but when you said it, it sounded like the most intelligent, world-changing thing he'd ever heard.

"riiight...what if i didnt get anything from it?" he smiled sheepishly, leaning his head on his hand. you scrunched up your nose and playfully rolled your eyes, "oh, come on, how can you read classic literature and not get anything from it? i don't believe that."

you scooted forward a little. a little closer to him. a nervous chuckle left his lips, his gaze swept back and forth between you and the book before settling on you.

truth be told, he was doing fine, at least grade-wise, and even if he wasn't, it wasn't like he was striving to become an english professor, he mostly decided to take this class on a whim. but the part about struggling with interpretations was true, it just maybe wasn't necessarily a dire enough situation to require your help...

"well, maybe youre not asking yourself the right questions before you read." you hummed, gently tapping your finger against your leg. "can i see your notes?"

art panicked a bit at that. he wasn't sure why, but suddenly someone looking at his notes felt oddly intimate. you would be able to read the bits and parts of the book he regarded as important enough to jot down. what he liked. what he didn't like. perhaps it was a little intimate.

he tried to play it casual, though, and nodded as he handed you his english lit folder. his nerves only got worse the longer you took to read through them.

then suddenly, you smiled and nodded a little bit before looking up at him again. he prayed that you couldn't see the way his heart was trying to escape his ribcage right now.

"you know, you couldve just asked me out."

before his brain could even process that sentence, his mouth seemed to go into immediate action to splutter out some kind of denial in order to salvage this, "what? i- no, no, that's not- i mean, seriously why would-"

"i mean, i wouldn't have said no. like you didn't have to pretend to need my help. you clearly don't need it-" you gently tossed his folder back onto the desk. "-plus you're cute."

he didn't move for a good few seconds until he finally caught up to what had just happened.

now, this would've been the moment where he would've liked to be really cool and smooth in his response, but instead what happened was: "um..so then are we..like are you.."

in his defense you kind of caught him off guard. like completely. he had had a plan. how the study sessions would transition into friendship, and then maybe, hopefully at some point would transition into dating. he was a patient guy, really, and you had just skipped like...everything.

"are you free tomorrow?" you asked, as you stood up to grab your bag. wow, you were really taking the wheel at this point. and he discovered that he had shockingly little problem with that.

"uh, yeah, yeah i'm free..like all day." he did have training in the morning but he truly would skip it just this once if it came down to it.

"2pm?"

"sure."

"i'll text you?"

"okay."

"so..it's a date?"

you had stood up from the bed and were suddenly already on your way out. probably because you could tell he needed a minute.

"yeah, a date." he nodded with a (almost lovestruck) smile he hadn't even noticed had snuck its way unto his lips. you reciprocated with an equally excited grin, "cool."

before he knew it, the door had clicked shut, and he was alone again. he felt warm.

"cool."

[flowafairy]

Hey I SOOOOO love ur works, and I think you're a great author/writer....

Anyway can I request Yukimiya headcanons that'll make me tear up but also happy...(FLUFF AND ANGST) 🤤🤤...FAYLVRS PLSLslekLSLSBSKS I WILL NOT SEND U THREATS ANYMORE

୨୧ think i like you best when you’re dressed in.. ☆ postscript: yukimiya loves picking your outfit of the day.. used to. cw angst ending, spoilers, au , fem reader, 0.3k wc ✧˖ note: did a drabble instead hope u don’t mind lo >_<

it was no surprise that your boyfriend, yukimiya had a great sense of style.

he was a model, after all. you don’t even know how you managed to steal his heart—someone as pretty and alluring as him. so who was your first choice to go to whenever you needed to pick out an outfit? obviously your boyfriend.

maybe you’re lucky for being able to steal his heart, but luck isn’t on everyone’s side. and it was definitely proved with your boyfriend.

“soooo, miya. which one?” you hold out two outfits infront of him, excited to see which outfit he’d choose this time. you enjoyed playing this little game with him, watching his hand move to grip the fabric of the cloth.

“this one feels nice.” his thumb traces the silk-like pattern of the cloth. “i think it’ll look pretty on you.” his hand makes its way to yours, pulling you forward to fall onto the bed with him. even if he couldn’t see, he still remembers your body like the back of his hand.

you both let out fits of laughter when you fall onto the bed, letting out an ow! when your face hits his chest. “what makes you say that?”

“cause i know my pretty girl will look good in anything, right? she learns from the best.” he sends you a teasing wink. “yeahh right, okay pretty boy.”

but its the truth, no matter what you wear, he knows you’ll look absoultely divine.

even if he can’t see it with his own eyes, the image of you that is slowly fading from his mind will always make his heart throb. even if he’s slowly starting to forget what you look like as he lay in the hospital bed, he’ll love you, no matter what.

even if he has to forget his dream about soccer, even if he has to remember your pretty face as a distant memory, nobody could ever make him stop expressing his love to you.

even if he feels the need to break up with you, that you need someone who could appreciate your beauty properly, still, he’ll love you.

even if he’d have to bare the thought of never feeling your touch ever again.

he’ll still love you.

ummm i hate this blind bitch soooooo much …….. @lowkloe ☺️☺️

[buggie-eyed]

THERE ARE SPOILERS UP AHEAD FOR NINJAGO DR S3!!!!

This post will be tagged properly, but I placed that warning just to be safe. You have been warned~

Now get ready for my dr s3 notes, in no particular order of importance

- Right off the bat, I love love love Frak. We didn’t get to see his personality on full display in s2, and now that I know what he’s like I freaking love this guy. He’s kind of a dick, but not on purpose, more like in a teenager way. He really reminds me of the early season ninja, when they just said whatever tf they wanted, whenever. With Arin and Sora being pretty sweet most of the time, and Wyldfyre being a little pest but not actually saying anything controversial, I like that an overly opinionated guy got added into the mix.

- with that being said, I really didn’t expect Sora to be given a real love interest, but I don’t hate her and Frak as a possible pairing. Ik people interpreted her as a lesbian but idk pan Sora also works for me. Their dynamic is pretty fun. I like that Lloyd can’t pick up on the fact that they’re bonding and not actually full on arguing.

- PIXAL MY BELOVED IS BACK AND HER EYES ARE OOPY GOOPY AND HUGE!!!!!! WHY ARE THEY SO BIG, IS IT TO SEE HER DARLING HUSBAND WITH?

- Zane being goofy w/Pixal as soon as they reunited was what got me to tear up. That might sound weird but I love love, and their love means so much to me :[

- I didn’t know I needed and Lloyd and Pixal hug until they did it and now I need more Pixal hugs with her friends

- “Wow it’s awesome that Morro got his moment. He’s so epic and noble now, what a guy. I hope we see him again.”

- The second and only other time I cried was because of Arin and Sora’s friendship backstory, and when they hugged again for the first time in ages. God damn the writers didn’t have to make their dynamic and friendship that amazing but they did. They are the definition of platonic love, together until the end. While it’s sad that Sora left with Arin and Ras, it actually makes me so happy that she chose friendship.

- ^^ And now to add on. It was obvious from the start that Ras was lying about Arin’s parents. His non specificity about their deaths cemented it for me, and what shocked me the most wasn’t Jay’s reveal. What shocked me was that Jay instantly knew exactly who the ninja were talking about when they mentioned Arin’s parents. Is his memory really good? (It would be ironic, I know) but if Jay was really managing that many people, for like 7 ish years, the idea that he remembered these people who mean nothing to him right away is so Jay of him.

- NOW FOR JAY. He was really awesome as Rogue. Bro was kind of a beast. He took so many damn hits, yet he was suddenly “really hurt” the minute he was offered a warm and safe place to rest (🥲). I doubt his reluctance to go with the ninja was real and not an act. I think he’s genuinely sad and lost, and then these kind people showed up and he doesn’t know how to react without claiming it’s weird. I’m excited for him to learn to be vulnerable again. That was kind of his whole thing before, wasn’t it?

- I need to know what happened to Zane’s actual body. Is it in the suit? Is it under maintenance somewhere else? Like hello?!?! Imagine transferring bodies and being that chill w/it. It will for sure be addressed (I think)

- I really like that Kai and Nya got so many moments together. They deserve to be with each other, and annoy each other to death after being separated for so long.

- For the people who got sidelined a lot- Wyldfyre and Cole - here is why I don’t mind it too much:

- Wyldfyre was given a boyfriend, and while they like each other a lot, I did think they needed more development. And development is what they’re getting. I also liked seeing Wyldfyre apply her lessons with Kai about remaining calm(ish) when things are looking bad.

- Cole, on the other hand, was nowhere to be seen for most of the first half of s3. Why do I not care too much? Because they’re really trying to hammer in the fact that Cole is a family man now, with a responsibility to his husband (yes husband) and his kids. That’s my interpretation, and now I need the writers to commit to a lostshipping kiss :]

- “Well I think that wraps everything up. I’m glad that boss dragon was defeated, so anyways- Oh, is that Morro again? Cool, maybe he’ll get to see the ninja or- wait what’s happe- THAT DRAGON ATE MORRO? He FucKinG ATe hIM WHAT TJE FUCK YOU CANT END IT LIKE TJAT-“

[starry-nights-garden]

Ateez and their wordless "I love you"s

✧ Ateez all members x gn!reader ✧ genre: fluff, comfort ✧ warnings: none

Hongjoong:

makes time for you

of course, everyone saw it coming - he's living a busy life and no matter how tight his schedule gets, he'll make time to meet you or to at least talk to you on the phone in between

but that's not everything

he'll also take care of you (or try his best to)

we all know he's clumsy, but he still wants to do things for you, you know?

whether that's talking you through a rough period in your life or just offering an open ear and a shoulder for you to lean on

or if it's him actually trying to make something for you!!

without realizing he'll be picking up a new skill as he's making you some accessory he thinks you'll like or maybe he'll even be brave enough to try baking you a cake

even if he doesn't succeed, he knows he can always try again together with you, but even then he won't be able to focus on the task at hand because of how lost he gets in the image of you

Seonghwa:

takes care of you

in every way - but especially in an acts of service kinda way

will definitely nag you a bit if you're the type to be unorganized and chaotic, because he knows neat surroundings simply make you feel better than clutter everywhere!

reminds you to eat three meals a day, to get enough sleep, etcetc, and yes it gets annoying at times

but he also understands that maybe it's hard for you to stay organized, or maybe you're going through a stressful time in your life where you're too busy to prepare yourself proper meals every day

then he will simply do those tasks for you, and never ask for anything in return

your health and wellbeing are the most important things to him, so he will support you in upkeeping them in whatever way he can!

Yunho:

cheers for you, no matter what

we all know he's the one who does the most to keep a positive energy and to cheer the people around him up

and he'll do the same for you

no matter if you have an important exam coming up, and important interview, or if it's just another day - he'll always be there to have your back and to wish you good luck

you know that no matter how seemingly small or insignificant, you can always tell him about even the tiniest worries you have and he'll take you seriously, calming you down and motivating you at the same time

he's also very social, but another thing that will both make him feel loved and be a way to convey to you how comfortable he is with you is to just sit together in silence

each doing their own thing while still being together so you won't ever feel lonely is another way for him to silently tell you he loves you

Yeosang:

learns about you

and I mean not just a few obvious details

I'm talking everything - he picks up on even the smalles of your habits or preferences that even your close friends don't know about

he's very observant and even more so when he loves someone

gives you small gifts that really aren't a big deal for him, but it might just bring you to tears from how thoughtful they are

it takes him a while to warm up to people and to develop trust, so it will also take him a long time to come to properly love you

but in those moments where he realizes just how safe you make him feel, it's like his emotions overwhelm him

might manage to hold back just until after he asks you whether he can kiss you

but as soon as his arms are wrapped around you and his lips brush against yours, he'll sweep you off your feet from how many feelings he pours into just that one kiss

blushes a lot afterwards, and needs you to not let go of his hands to feel reassured that what he's doing is just right

San:

tells you synonyms of "I love you"

tells you that he appreciates you, that he's thankful to you, tells you you have a beautiful heart

of course he's also one who's big on physical affection, but in moments where he realizes once again just how much he loves you, he knows no words and no gesture in the world would be enough to convey his feelings to you

so he makes it a habit to tell you what he feels frequently

tells you you have a pretty smile when he catches you grinning by yourself, or that he admires how diligent you are when you're working on something late at night

it always comes as a surprise when he does this, but this makes it feel just that much more sincere

Mingi:

gives you a space to be sad

no matter how many good times you two have, nothing screams "I love you" quite as much to him as sitting together in silence and giving you a place to go through a hard time safely

will offer you advice or his perspective on things if you want him to, and he will certainly remind you to slow down a bit time and time again

he's actually very good at sensing when you're having a hard time, even when you do everything in your might to hide it

will be the anchor that grounds you at times like those

but even when times aren't as dire, he's like an open book when it comes to showing that he loves you

the way he looks at you alone gives it away, the way he plays with your fingers when he holds your hand or the way he melts against your touch with every single embrace you share

Wooyoung:

gets protective

he just can't help it okay?

he knows you're an adult and you don't need him to guard you 24/7, but even just not having his arm around you at all times feels off to him

he wants to be there for you at all times - the type to pick up his phone if you call him at 3 in the morning because you have trouble sleeping and you feel like it'd help you to hear his voice

might go a bit overboard at times, it does happen that his urge to protect you and to motivate you to become a better version of yourself ends in a fight

but even then he'll realize rather quickly that he went too far and ought to apologize

your nr 1 hype man, but at the end of the day you know you have a safe place to rest in his arms, and that he'll always accept you exactly as you are

Jongho:

listens

even if you've been complaining about the same thing for weeks, he won't get tired of lending you an open ear and he won't tell you off for it

he knows that sometimes you need to think about the same thing a hundred times until you find a solution for it, and if voicing your thoughts helps he'll be more than happy to listen

sits with you even through the most uncomfortable of feelings and will make sure you know he's not leaving your side even when things get difficult

but he'll also show you his playful side

him joking around with you just really shows how comfortable he is being around you, and you can be sure that your bickering will always end with bright smiles on your faces and sweet kisses as he realizes just how grateful he is to have you in his life

[hudsonpatootie]

Bubbling thoughts

My last post about what it would be like to date Jihan and Jibeom made my mind explode with ideas—so many that I'm trying to write something for them. But for now, I'll just share a few loose thoughts I had about what a relationship with them might be like.

Warning: In this post, I'll be referring to both of them (choose which one you want to imagine in these situations). Later, I'll write separately, prioritizing the individual personality of each one. :)

Dating these guys is like being transported into the game Stardew Valley, where you aren't the protagonist but rather the single NPC they chose as their romantic partner. So, sit back, relax, enjoy the peaceful countryside, and watch their attempts to win you over.

As boyfriends, Jihan and Jibeom would visit you almost every day. Even with their duties of taking care of Chungcheong-Do and the family business, they would always make an effort to spend time with you. They would constantly gift you natural and handmade products, which you would use to prepare meals for them in return as a way to express affection. Over time, the boys have learned your tastes: artisanal honey and jams? Yes, please! Pet snakes or companions in the bath? -10 friendship points.

Romantic dates to celebrate milestones in your relationship? YES! They are hopeless romantics, and for them, the perfect date consists of taking you on tours around Chungcheong-Do, showing you the landscapes and animals in the countryside, and taking you to visit the beer and honey productions they manage. Sometimes, they would also take you to other provinces, like Seoul, where you would enjoy urban outings—shopping, going to the movies, and spending quality time together. If you're dating Jibeom, you'll definitely want to buy clothes for him. He’ll insist he doesn’t need new clothes, and you'll insist even more that he does. As the relationship becomes more serious, they would invite you to a more intimate date—a herbal and mineral salt bath, which would later become part of your routine together.

The Kwak brothers are very transparent with you regarding their duties in Chungcheong-Do and even their involvement as members of the second generation. They explain the basics of the dynamics between generations and groups but make sure not to involve you directly in these matters. They want you to continue living a peaceful life and would never forgive themselves if the relationship with them brought you problems.

Don't be fooled—Jihan and Jibeom always try to maintain a tough facade, hiding their feelings behind smiles and confident words. But in reality, both carry deep pain from the loss of Jichang. That pain has turned into fear—they are terrified of losing another person they love. It will take a lot of conversation and understanding to break down those walls until they finally open up to you about their fears, feelings, and insecurities. When that happens, your relationship will only grow stronger, and you'll both be certain that the only thing you want is to spend the rest of your days together.

In short, dating these two is a 10/10. They are incredibly sweet—a little impulsive, as was evident during their debuts? Absolutely. But nothing that a few good conversations can't solve. Please, PTJ, bring these men back! I need more content to write about them with more coherence!

PS: Hi everyone, how are you? This was my first attempt in years at writing something. I think the last time I did this, I was 14 years old and writing BTS and MHA fanfics, but that was quite a few years ago laughs. Please forgive any spelling mistakes—I'll try to improve.

I'm also using a translator since English is not my native language, so sorry if the translation sounds a bit off. Another thing is that I struggle with structuring my text properly. Tumblr is barely used in my country—I think I've only seen about four people from here using this platform—so I'm trying to learn how to use this app better (it took me five minutes just to find where the drafts were) and how its features work to improve the structure of my posts.

I think that’s all. Thanks for reading this far:)

[sgiandubh]

Pas de câlin, pas de bisou, s'il vous plaît/ No cuddling, no kissing, please

Since S couldn't make it to the Landcon, I feel the entire weight of doing promo and pleasing the audience fell on Charles Vandervaart's young and charming shoulders. He was everywhere, all the time: panels on Saturday and Sunday, Wheel of Fortune impromptu appearances, cosplay dinner with the most invested fans, two mingle with events (the poor man's cosplay dinner, so to speak), private lounge, selfies, photoshoots, autographs - you name it.

I couldn't complain, because I really like this guy. As some of you might already know, S and C taken separately is something that only marginally interests me. Thus, I was damn glad to watch Charles, ever since he appeared on screen as Brianna/Skeleton's fake villain half brother. I still think he was a much needed breath of fresh air, in an otherwise declining show. A show which, by the way, never quite managed to find the right balance between speeding up the narrative rhythm (for obvious reasons) and making each character properly exist (for obvious reasons). Instead, the writers' room chose to haphazardly pile up rough battles and mild sex scenes, especially during Seasons 7A and B. In such a repetitive fashion, that the stage appears to be clogged with dispensable collaterals and much of the gravitas is lost, at the end of the day.

That being said, Charles remains a strong presence in the OL universe, well remembered by the screeching, shuffling, squirming crowds in line. One of the staff volunteers was constantly reminding the engrossed women who were preparing to take their picture with him that 'no cuddling and no kissing was allowed'. Side note: a bisou in French mainly means a kiss on the cheek, not a kiss on the lips (which would then be a 'baiser'). It conveys expected affection towards your bestie, your grandma, your sister, you name it. However, I think that speaks volumes about the way many choose to objectify the actor and be completely unaware and unapologetic about it. You don't have to be awfully guarded while posing with the cast, like I was (spare for C and that was against my better self). But kissing an unknown person on the cheek, and even more so a person you see for the first time off your TV screen, is perhaps too much and also in questionable taste. Cuddling? I hoped I wouldn't have to imagine such a thing and thought the staff person was joking. Until the woman who was just ahead of me absolutely wanted to wrap a leg around his waist, as I already wrote.

And he indulged. For a fee.

He was very relaxed and often checking his phone, easily at reach on a small side table behind the photographer. He tried to talk to me in French, but I did answer his dazzling 'hello' in English, because that just felt like the more sensible alternative. Everything went very quickly, despite the Kindly Photo Lady's stubborn perfectionism.

All I managed to tell him is that he was my favorite and he answered 'really? that's impossible', smiled and sketched a bow. He is a graceful, accessible and still very young man, who definitely has the potential to go places. Whether big or small is way too early to tell, because I believe he still has to learn how to use and place his own protective filters and barriers, when facing a crowd, while still being able to show his authentic self. This is not easy, but blocking techniques can and will help.

I wasn't lying. He is my favorite and if you read me for a while, you'd know that.

Last on my roster was Lauren. It is the worst photo in a row of impressive failures, but probably the second best moment to Scarfgate.

[sirfrogsworth]

I use AI upscaling to help with my photo restorations. And it is the one use of generative AI that I think has serious merit. I use Topaz so it is ethically trained on licensed images. It helps me preserve memories and give people photos of their loved ones with a clarity they have never seen. They get a much better sense of what their grandpa looked like when he was young.

But AI upscaling is not a push button solution. And I don't think it will be for a long time, if ever. It's part of a larger workflow. It doesn't save me time or effort. In fact, it adds quite a bit of time to the restorations.

Sometimes I have to upscale the background and people separately. Often I have to adjust the contrast and detail on people's faces so the AI renders them accurately. I have learned how to set things up for success before the AI does its thing. And sometimes there is a lot of trial and error to get a non-nightmare result. Each try can take several minutes to render. There are several algorithms to choose from, several intensity sliders, and once the upscale is at a place I am happy with, I have to use traditional techniques to make the people not look like wax figures. I use things like custom film grains and LUTs to make the pristine AI result look like an old photo again.

In other words, I care about the photos I'm restoring.

I saw people talking about restoring Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. It's a very difficult problem due to how the show was produced. The live action was captured on film—which can be re-scanned at a higher resolution. But the digital effects were all done on analog 480p video tape. Not only would they need to be re-rendered but they would also have to be recomposited. Odo's shapeshifting is especially tricky. There isn't an economical way to remaster the show. TNG was only possible because they filmed practical assets for most of the VFX. They still had to redo all the compositing and it was very costly just to do that.

AI could be the answer. But only if the studio is willing to see it as a tool to be used in conjunction with artists and not a push button solution. Every frame needs to be checked. Different scenes will need different techniques to upscale them properly. And some scenes will just need to be cleaned up manually with traditional tools.

Upscaling to 1080p or 4K is often a mistake. The more extra pixels you try to add, the harder it will be to get a natural result. I think 720p would be a happy medium to shoot for. Combined with modern TVs traditional upscaling you will get a good viewing experience.

There are already fan upscales that are decent. I would say they managed to get the equivalent detail of maybe 600p. If you remember playing games on an old CRT monitor, going from 640x480 to 800x600 is actually a decent bump in detail.

Even though the files are outputted at 720p, it doesn't look quite as sharp as native 720p video. It's complicated to explain, but the short version is... detail and pixel resolution aren't really the same thing. Even if the file is upscaled to 1080p or 4K, that doesn't mean it has equivalent detail.

Which means we use a really shitty metric to give people a sense of how much detail a video will have. Ks and Megapixels are near useless these days.

Do your 200 megapixel phone photos really look sharper than my 24 megapixel DSLR photos?

My point is... detail is complicated.

And AI is currently unable to handle all of that complication without supervision and care.

In any case, the fan upscale of DS9 is definitely superior to the DVD versions. Feel free to seek that out (use a VPN). And because fans did it, the upscales were done with great care. They didn't push the tool beyond its limits and they reviewed every episode to make sure no nightmares snuck in.

I really don't know how to prevent studios from cheaping out and just running content through an upscaler with no care or supervision. But I also don't think fans should outright reject AI as a solution. It can be done well if they let actual artists leverage the tools and do it correctly.

[literaryvein-reblogs]

15 Ways to Improve Your Vocabulary

in response to:

1. Develop a reading habit. Reading is the most effective way to build your vocabulary. Read books, magazines, and newspapers that cover a wide range of topics, and pay attention to unfamiliar words. Look up their meanings and try using them in context. Vocabulary building is easiest when you encounter words in context. Seeing words appear in a novel or a newspaper article can be far more helpful than seeing them appear on vocabulary lists. Not only do you gain exposure to unfamiliar words; you also see how they’re used. In fact, 15 minutes is recognized as the ideal time for students to see positive gains in reading achievement; students who read just over a half-hour to an hour per day improve the most.

2. Utilize word lists. They are incredibly flexible tools that can help you organize your learning in a variety of ways. For instance, vocabulary can be grouped into small, easy chunks that can be revisited for maximum learning benefits. Research shows that a word needs to be seen up to 10 times before we really learn it, and researchers believe that staggered repetition is the best way to learn new vocabulary. Word lists help keep vocabulary terms in manageable chunks that a student can come back to as they gain mastery. I have posted some word lists HERE and will continue to add to this in the future.

3. Use the dictionary and thesaurus. Online dictionaries and thesauruses are helpful resources if used properly. They can jog your memory about synonyms that would actually be better words in the context of what you’re writing. A full dictionary definition can also educate you about antonyms, root words, and related words, which is another way to learn vocabulary.

4. Keep a vocabulary journal. Making a vocabulary journal is a great place to collect and interact with words you hear or see in your reading. Each page should be dedicated to a singular new word, including its definitions, synonyms, and antonyms. Review the journal regularly to reinforce your learning. 

5. Choosing appropriate vocabulary. It’s important to use words and expressions that fit the context so your meaning is clear. For example, different audiences for your writing will require different levels of formality: the vocabulary you use in an academic essay may not be effective for a blogpost targeting a popular audience. Consider the following questions to help you choose the most appropriate words for your audience and purpose:

a. What’s the exact meaning of the word? Words may be broadly similar in meaning but differ in important aspects of that meaning. Consider the difference between ‘the fragrance of flowers’  and ‘the odour of rotten eggs.’ Both words refer to the sense of smell, but fragrance has a positive core meaning while odour has a negative one. If you don’t know what a word exactly means, check it in a dictionary. b. Is the word attached to a feeling? Compare the two sentences: ‘The freeway snakes through the town’ and ‘The freeway meanders through the town’. In this example, snake indicates negative feelings about the freeway while meander doesn’t. c. What level of intensity does the word show? Many words with similar meanings describe different degrees of the same quality or action. For example, ‘comical’, ‘hilarious’ and ‘side-splitting’  show different degrees of funniness. Think about the intensity of what you want to convey when choosing words. d. Is the word formal or informal? Go for formal words and expressions in business communication and academic writing. In the following examples, the second expression in each pair is more formal than the first: (1) come up with / create (2) one after another / at regular intervals (3) huge / considerable (4) enough / sufficient e. Is the word polite? Words which describe negative qualities or sensitive issues too directly can be offensive. Good communicators consider the feelings of their audience. For example, when writing about childhood obesity, it’s more appropriate to use ‘children with weight problems’ or ‘children of an unhealthy weight’ than ‘fat children’. f. Is the word specific or general? Use words with specific meanings whenever possible to make your message clearer to your audience. For example, avoid overusing general verbs such as ‘be’, ‘do’, ‘have’ and ‘get’, especially in academic writing, as they don’t accurately convey specific ideas. It’s better to use a more specific verb or verb phrase to strengthen your message. Compare the impact of the verbs in these sentences: ‘To be successful, learners need to have high-level literacy skills.’ ‘To be successful, learners need to develop and demonstrate high-level literacy skills.’ g. What other words does the word often go with? Some words are frequently used together and therefore sound more natural in combination. This is called collocation. For example, we say ‘fast train’ not ‘quick train’, but ‘quick shower’ not ‘fast shower’. Similarly, it’s more natural to say ‘highly critical’ rather than ‘deeply critical.’

6. Play word games. Classic games like Scrabble and Boggle can function as a fun way to expand your English vocabulary. Crossword puzzles can as well. If you really want to be efficient, follow up rounds of these word games with a little note-taking. Keep a list of the different words you learned while playing the game, and then study that list from time to time.

7. Use flashcards. A quick way to build a large vocabulary is to study a number of words via flashcards. In today’s digital age, a wide array of smartphone apps make flashcards convenient and easy to organize. Aiming for one new word a day is reasonable. You can always go for more, but it may not be reasonable to assimilate dozens of English words every single day.

8. Subscribe to “word of the day” feeds. Some web platforms will provide you with a word a day—either on a website, an app, or via email—to help you expand your vocabulary. You can add these words to running word lists.

9. Use mnemonics. A mnemonic device is a form of word association that helps you remember words’ definitions and proper uses. For instance think of the word obsequious which means “attempting to win favor from influential people by flattery.” Break down that word into components: “obse” is the beginning of “obsessed,” “qui” sounds like the French word for “yes” (oui), and “us” is like the word “us.” So you can think of that big word obsequious as “obsessed with saying yes to us”—which is kind of what it means!

10. Practice using new words in conversation. It’s possible to amass a huge vocabulary without actually knowing how to use words. This means you have to take it upon yourself to put your personal dictionary into use. If you come across an interesting word in your reading, make a point of using it in conversation. By experimenting in low-stakes situations, you can practice the art of word choice and, with a little bit of trial and error, hone in on the right word for a particular context. Furthermore, speaking to native – or non-native – speakers of English (or any language you are learning) will guarantee you the chance to learn new words. Anyone who has ever wondered how to develop their vocabulary will know that the most important thing is putting your vocabulary to use and hearing what people say in return. This is how language works, and before long you’ll be finding ways to work those new words into your everyday use of the language.

11. Watch movies and TV shows. This simple activity can expose you to new words and phrases. When watching TV or a movie, pay attention to the dialogue and note any unfamiliar words. When the TV show or movie is done, look up the meanings of the new words and try to use them in context.

12. Build a story. Learning vocabulary words outside of their context is difficult, so why not create context with some creative storytelling? This can be an individual writing activity or you can do this in a group. A sample group activity: Choose a word list and determine an order in which your students or friends will take their turn. Every person gets to choose one word from the word list. You begin by writing the first sentence of a story; each student then uses their chosen word in a sentence to build on the story. This gets learners comfortable using the words in sentences, and putting those individual vocabulary words into a broader context. This is also an activity you can do via text, chat window, or email, which makes it perfect for remote learning.

13. Draw it. Sometimes the best learning activities are ones that don’t feel like a learning activity. This can be an individual activity but can also be used in group settings. Here’s a way to turn vocabulary acquisition into a game: Ask each student to have a piece of paper and a pen or pencil ready, and tell them you are going to be playing a drawing game. Using the private chat feature of your remote learning software, choose one student and give them a word from your vocabulary list along with its definition, and tell them that they have 20 seconds to draw it. While the student is drawing it, make sure that you make their screen the main screen of the software. You can do a countdown to keep up the momentum, or play music while you wait. At the end of the time, the student shows their drawing to the other students: The first student to guess which vocabulary word has been drawn is the next student to draw. This activity is not only fun, but also benefits students who are visual or tactile learners.

14. Be aware of idioms. Idioms are commonly used word combinations or expressions. These have very specific meanings that are not obvious from the words they contain, e.g. ‘a piece of cake’, ‘get the hang of it’, ‘an Indian summer’, and ‘after a fashion’. Many dictionaries list and define idioms if you look up the component words. For example, try looking up ‘Indian’ or ‘summer’ to find ‘Indian summer’. Idioms are generally more appropriate for speaking and non-academic writing.

15. Practice, practice, practice. In many ways, vocabulary is like a muscle – it will get stronger the more you use it. The key to building a strong vocabulary is to use it regularly. Try using new words in your conversations, writing, and everyday life. The more that you use them, the more they will become a part of your everyday vocabulary.

Sources & other related articles: 1 2 3 4 5 6 ⚜ More: Writing Notes & References

[16wolke11]

GRAVITY GIRL - Kimi Antonelli

A/N I really love this one-shot, so I hope you will like it too!

WORDS: 1748

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If you had asked me three weeks ago if I believed in love at first sight, I would have laughed loudly, maybe even falling into a giggle again when thinking about it. I was always the practical type, with schedules, checklists, and colour-coded notes. Finishing school with the highest grades is my only priority right now. Being spontaneous is definitely not on my list until that last exam is written.

So when my brother George begged me to take a break from my revision sheets and just spend a bit of time with him at the tracks, "You don't have to be in school anyway and you can learn wherever you are," were his words and still I hesitated. He might be right, but all of this sounded messy, unstructured. Just unlike me.

But sitting at my desk day by day, only revising what was taught in classes of the last years slowly burns me out. It walks up to me and will drag me down when I don't bring some variety into my day.

So, I went with George. Still reluctant and grumpy, but armed with my laptop, noise-cancelling headphones, my sheets with notes and the plan on when I have to revise what.

Well and then he came.

It was on the third day I was with George, and I stepped out for a walk, convincing myself that some sun would wake me up better than the fourth coffee. The paddock is still sleepy, bathed in the morning sunlight and it looks oddly peaceful. I pass the other motorhomes, seeing someone here and there, but I just keep walking until I trip.

Shoe getting caught on the edge of the asphalt and down I went. Arms trying to get in front of me to protect the fall, sunglasses hitting the ground and then there he was. A guy on a scooter, scrolling through the paddock. One moment, I was bracing myself for the impact, and the next, strong arms were wrapped around me. Just like a scene taken straight out of a cheesy romance novel.

"Gotcha." He grins, like this is the best moment of his week and I just blink at him. His hair is messy, his skin sun-kissed and his eyes glimmer with mischief. He wears one of the Mercedes team shirts and I groan on the inside, knowing that this might make me the giggle of the day.

"Uh...thanks." I mutter, trying to smooth out my shirt, cheeks being on fire from how red I turn.

"No problem, you okay?" He asks, tilting his head to the side and I need a moment to answer.

"Fine...just gravity."

He laughs, a soft laugh that makes others grin too. "It's a real bastard, huh?"

I roll my eyes, but then see that he already got my sunglasses off the ground without me noticing. He offers them to me, and I take them without hesitating.

"Nice save by the way." He says, confusing me. What does he mean?

"You saved me?" I ask, eyebrows furrowed. This wasn't my achievement, but his.

"Exactly." He winks, swinging himself back on his scooter. "If you keep falling for strangers, try to pick the ugly ones, so you can keep me in mind." And just like that, he rolls away. I stare after him, kind of flustered, kind of annoyed and more interested than I want to admit.

His name is Kimi. Of course, I had to run into my brother's teammate before properly meeting him and of course, I didn't manage to remember him when he kept me from falling. But of course, he is sticking around in the garage when I walk around with George and comes over to me like we have been friends for years now.

"Hey, gravity girl." Kimi grins, making me groan.

"Please don't let that nickname stick."

"You are watching where you are going, or do I need to start carrying around some bubble wrap?"

George raises one of his eyebrows curiously but stays silent. I just sigh, before asking. "You are Kimi, right?"

"Guilty as charged. And you are?"

I tell him my name, before adding "George's sister."

"I figured that one out." Kimi says, nodding his head at George, but has no shame in flirting in front of my older brother.

"How?"

"Not many carry those pretty eyes around."

I should have walked away after that. I had stuff to learn. Spreadsheets to learn on my laptop, but instead I found myself staying on his side of the garage, listening to him telling stories about racing cars and making bad jokes.

Over the next weeks, I keep running into him. It is just a coincidence, I try to tell myself. Small paddock, same team, limited places to be at. But my excuses grew thinner every time Kimi makes me laugh until my side hurts, or we just share some lunch on top of the hospitality when he should be at an interview instead.

He was charming, funny and flirted with me shamelessly.

I learned that he grew up in the Mercedes family and had a second family when he was with Prema. That he usually spends all his free time doing anything related to racing and that he learned to cook from his Nonna.

The song Accidentally in Love plays on speaker when we share another lunch in the hospitality and Kimi smirks when he asks me, "Do you know that song?" I listen to it just for a moment, before a blush appears on my cheeks. "It's like number five on one of my playlists." Kimi smiles at me, before there is something else on his face, something vulnerable.

"Feel like that a little bit, doesn't it?" He asks, "You and me..."

His voice trails off and I want to scoff, say something sarcastic, but my heart stumbles and all I can mutter is.

"A little."

We weren't a couple, we hadn't even kissed, but somehow, I found myself rearranging my days around Kimis. Working when he is in the car, has meetings or is occupied otherwise. In between, we would meet up, just taking a walk, driving around on his scooter. I even let him drag me to the kitchen of the hospitality, convincing one of the chefs that we could cook in there.

It was spontaneous.

It was chaotic.

It wasn't me.

But for the first time, messy felt right.

Then, during one of our lunches on top of the hospitality came the rain. Not a storm, not just some droplets, one of those wild downpours that makes everything smell petrichor. We were just laughing about something when the sky cracked open. I squealed, trying to get up as quickly as possible, searching for shelter from the rain, Kimi following me.

"Great, that's what I get for not bringing a jacket." I huff, pushing my soaked hair out of my face while Kimi just grins.

"Dance with me."

"What?"

"Dance with me in the rain."

I stare at him for a moment, debating if he is really serious. "You know, people don't do that? It's just a thing they do in movies and books."

"It can be real if we do it."

And somehow that convinced me to let him pull me back into the pouring rain. Kimi twirls me around, a bit clumsily but still lovingly, singing off-key, making me laugh with every twirl. Then, somewhere between the laughing, our eyes lock. It's like being pulled by an invisible string before our lips meet.

The kiss wasn't slow, cinematic or soft. It was messy, wet from the rain, but still full of warmth and the best of it, it was real.

Kissing in the rain might be straight up a cliche, but it was perfect for us.

The next morning, I was drinking my coffee in the hospitality area alone. The temperature dropped after the rain last night, like it is a mirror of my mind. I shouldn't feel anxious about that kiss with Kimi. I should be revising, learning for my exam and thinking about what comes next. Instead, that kiss plays in my head over and over again. Then George joins me.

"You and Kimi, huh?"

"Maybe?" I ask, trying to figure out if he is okay with that, but George just smiles at me.

"You like him?"

"I didn't mean to." I sigh, making my brother laugh softly.

"That's how it usually happens."

The last evening of my time with George has come and I, of course, spent it with Kimi. We are on the balcony of his hotel room, staring at the stars.

"I don't want to go." I whisper, something I wouldn't have said a few weeks ago. Where I wanted nothing more than to go back home to my study environment, but I like what I have here.

"Then don't." Kimi just mutters and I turn my head around with a sigh.

"That is not how it works."

"Why not?"

"Because life, exams, reality."

Kimi is quiet and I know he does understand what I say, having to face his own exams soon as well, but we don't want to face reality again. We want to keep sharing time around a schedule, not have to part ways that just started to intervene.

"Can I come visit you?"

"You want to come to me when it would be easier for me to just join George again?"

Kimi nods. "Want to see where you live. Crash your time schedule." He hesitates before adding a whispered. "Steal your heart all over again."

"You are assuming you already have it." I tease him, but Kimi just reaches for my hand and laces his fingers with mine.

"You are the one who fell, gravity girl."

The next morning, I had to leave, but my head was filled with memories now and not only with the stuff for the exam. The feeling of Kimi's lips still lingering on mine and back home, I didn't lose his presence either.

The tight learning schedule came back, but something had shifted. I started to do little tasks in between again, something to loosen everything up, even danced on the balcony in pouring rain just to have the memory of Kimi close.

And every few nights, he would call with FaceTime.

Maybe I didn't mean to fall, maybe I didn't accidentally fall in love, but now that I have experienced something that wasn't planned, I don't want to go back anymore. 

[1999hiru]

Not smut but could you write reader who has a learning disability and is really struggling in school with nerdy Abby who takes her time and helps reader in a way she can understand?

awww omg of course !!!! i love this idea ( ˃̣̣̥᷄⌓˂̣̣̥᷅ ) nerdy abby holds such a special place in my heart she’s my baby !!! i loved writing this soooo much  ૢ(❛◡❛✿)  ૢ thank u sm for this anon !! i really hope u enjoy ^_^

i hope i've written this properly and respectfully ! if i have written something incorrectly/made an offensive comment , please let me know ! <3 i did as much research as i could to do justice for this prompt but i definitely know it will not be perfect . tysm !!!! <3<3<3

cw. mentions of learning disabilities, dyslexia in particular!

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♡*.✧ you noticed something was a little off when you were growing up. words were difficult to make out, sounding out funky pairs of letters and how the words were even supposed to be said out loud. when your teacher brought up reading time, it was very difficult. you were always confused as to how your friends were reading so quickly, finishing the ten-paged picture book in minutes. it took you way too long to even get through the text next to the colorful images. the letters seemed to dance around within the word, and given the context, what you were reading didn't match the picture you saw. you did your best, and somehow, it still wasn't enough.

♡*.✧ you were seven when you were diagnosed. dyslexia. it sounded way too fancy for you, the word was... hard to read or process at the time. your parents had to break it down for you in easier steps so that you could understand, but at that age, you just described it as simple as you could in your head. school life was easier, though. you received more time during tests and reading exercises, and you were enrolled in one-on-one classes with a reading specialist. it helped, sure, things were easier to manage now that you had a chance—but your academics weren't drastically improving. your grades weren't great and it demotivated you further, your classmates always had an easier time and you had to put in more effort to get to their level. it wasn't fair at all.

♡*.✧ you managed to get by your younger years just fine and you got into college. you couldn’t lie to yourself and say you weren’t super anxious about it, it would be another section of your life where you felt like you were potentially falling behind. you knew you were smart, creative, you loved drawing and being able to place meanings behind your art. you were great at math, having only a little trouble with word problems, but nonetheless you were good at it. it was just those pesky english assignments that caught up to you, and even then you were managing to land better marks than some of your peers. you just hated the fact that college seemed so "adult," you had bigger responsibilities since you lived alone and had to manage yourself on your own schedule.

♡*.✧ you’re sitting in your 2nd lecture. your professor is introducing the text you’d be analyzing for majority of the semester and you’re having a little trouble with some of the sentences. you’re stuck on the same page for a while before the person next to you taps your shoulder, and you glance at the girl next to you with her braided blonde hair. she’s wearing a warm smile, “did you need any help with that?” you’re giving her a small nod and she’s shifting her creaky chair closer to yours. “what part were you having trouble with?” you’re a little hesitant to tell her at first—what if she judges you for something that seems so easy? but she’s looking at you with genuineness in her eyes and you suddenly feel at ease. “uh.. like, what exactly does this mean? and i don't get the other stuff here.” she reads it out for you, sounding it out, and explains the definitions after. in the past, you never really understood things at first—but the way abby thoroughly walked you through everything, you got it immediately. you both end up going through the chapters together and she helps you with anything you struggled with.

♡*.✧ the lecture ends and the girl introduces herself as “abby,” you exchange your own name and your number. “just text me if you need anything, i don’t mind studying with someone else.” you’re giving her a smile and heading your separate ways, walking to your dorm with a warm heart. no one else had ever really insisted on helping you out like that, never getting frustrated or tired of your questions. even though you had known her for such a short amount of time, she made you feel relaxed. you always felt anxious when you were meeting new people—especially since others hadn’t been so understanding in the past. you didn't feel the need to tell abby about your dyslexia, you felt no reason to. she wasn't judging you because of your struggles and you didn't need to provide an excuse for your academic abilities. it felt like a breath of fresh air and cookie dough ice cream in the summer. she was so good.

♡*.✧ a few weeks go by and you find yourself texting abby on a regular basis. not just for college assignments, but little things like "the barista messed up my coffee!" or abby's texts like "my mom sent me this really cute picture of my dog, look :)" college had been insanely nerve-wracking at first, but with abby's presence, it had been easier than you anticipated. you both took time after lectures to catch up on how your day went, going through readings together, or just taking a walk around campus. abby was kind and smart, and so pretty. but every time you’ve thought about the latter, you felt butterflies erupt in your stomach. you couldn’t stare at her for too long unless you wanted to feel your heart violently thumping against your chest.

♡*.✧ before you knew it, midterm season was approaching. you have a stack of assignments and exams piled up and you’ve been crying under your sheets for hours now. you had been attempting to start your many essays, study for your various exams, be a regular college student—but it didn’t go as planned. you didn’t expect college to be this demanding. you never had a million assignments or tests due at the same time in high school, and this was completely new. the stress of everything had also made it impossible to read through anything properly. you usually give yourself time to read, you know your situation, and you’ve never felt this overwhelmed from trying to read. the letters are jumbled together and you can’t tell if a word says that or this. your pillows are completely stained with tears, knees to your chest. you felt miserable.

♡*.✧ your phone is suddenly buzzing next to you, multiple dings at a time. it’s abby.

abby <3: wanna study?

abby <3: i have lots to do

abby <3: you there?

you blink away tears, thumbs slowly moving to reply.

you: not feeling it rn, sorry

abby <3: are you okay?

you think carefully about your next reply. should you just tell her you’re struggling? she would understand. it’s abby.

you: uh

you: i have dyslexia

you: since midterms are coming around i didn’t rlly expect for everything to be this stressful

you: i usually take my time to read but i feel rushed and because i feel rushed i’m anxious and i can’t get through anything properly, the text is so small and i’m srsly gonna go insane

you put your phone down when you see the text bubbles pop up, heart clenching. even though a part of you knew that abby anderson would never judge you for something like that, another part of you felt afraid. that she would just be like the others. you've come this far with her, and you really didn't want her to think of you any differently—

abby <3: give me some time, i'm coming over

♡*.✧ you're wiping off your tear stained face when you hear a knock at your door, opening it up to see abby standing there. she has a folder covered in a pattern of different ocean animals and a package of papers inside. you're raising a brow before abby shoots you a smile, "can i come in?" you respond with a nod, abby moving past you to sit on your small rug next to your bed. you sit right in front of her wearing a confused expression. "what do you have there?" abby doesn't reply, only opening up the folder to reveal the contents inside. she takes out the papers and hands it over to you. "i know our exam is coming up and i was doing some research," you're flipping over the stapled pages and smiling. it's the book for your class, but the font is printed huge, spaced out, easier to read and the letters aren't mixing together anymore. "i don't know if it'll help, but i heard it might make it easier for you to read." your heart swells, stomach filled with a comforting warmth. "you did this for me?" abby nods. "i don't like seeing you like this and i know you can do it, you just need a different method."

♡*.✧ you end up passing everything with flying colors, the studying had completely paid off and you started printing assignments and your work in bigger prints. it took a while getting used to, but it was easier and you were doing well. abby invites you out to dinner after midterm season, your favorite place, and you haven't stopped smiling since you both sat down. "thank you abby, seriously, i don't think i could've done it without you." she's shaking her head, a big smile on her face. "you did it. not me, you're the smartest girl i know."