#i finally used a readmore are you proud of me

[brainrot-jikan]

im not the biggest alhaitham/kaveh shipper (because im a rare pair ho) but it seems to me that in alhaitham/kaveh getting-together fics tend to be... unequal.

the beautiful thing about alhaitham and kaveh is that they're both equally right and equally wrong and equally dicks about it. but the writers for alhaitham/kaveh much more frequently seem to give alhaitham the burden change (the burden of the character flaw) instead of kaveh.

in any good character arc, the main character has a fatal flaw or misconception, and by the end of that arc they have addressed that flaw in some definitive way. scrooge was a scrooge and learned that being that way was detrimental; merlin from finding nemo was overprotective to a fault and had to learn that he couldn't (and shouldn't) control everything and to let go; the wolf from little red riding hood learns that you should stop while you're ahead.

stories centering around romance tend to lean heavily on character arcs, which makes sense. and since romance generally requires two individuals to be vulnerable and open and emotional with each other, it makes double sense that alhaitham/kaveh authors zoom straight into alhaitham's lack of emotional vulnerability.

this bothers me.

in society, individuals are expected to experience and present emotions in a specific way. if someone dies, you cry. if someone smiles at you, you smile back. if you're at a party, you're supposed to be having fun. if you don't do these things, you're seen as impolite at best and a inhuman freak at worst. when these behaviors are frequent it's often viewed as emotional immaturity, or a lack of ability to feel at all. the inability or lack of willingness to conform to societies emotional expectations of you is seen as a flaw and a reason for exclusion.

alhaitham is canonically disliked and avoided for being the way he is. he prefers it this way, but that doesn't mean the people perpetuating this avoidance are in the right. they are the societal pressure to conform that alhaitham blows off. alhaitham could be the way he is for a lot of reasons: avoidant attachment style, trauma, following someone else's example (eg. his grandmother), or just his base personality. it doesn't MATTER. he is the way he is. kaveh having to accept that should be part of the story.

putting the burden of the fatal flaw on alhaitham, making the way alhaitham treats kaveh and the people around him the problem, feels invalidating. it implies heavily that alhaitham's way of interfacing with the world, alhaitham's very SELF, is incorrect. my suggestion is to flip a larger portion of that burden onto kaveh. kaveh 👏 character 👏 arcs 👏

some examples/recommendations:

- make kaveh project his insecurities onto other people but especially onto alhaitham; he's overly reliant on other people for his own self worth, and he perceives alhaitham's lack of positive feedback as a direct reflection of how alhaitham feels about him. but learns along the way that alhaitham doesn't hate him, kaveh's actual struggle is with hating himself and being unable to his own self as worthy of love. maybe throw in how you are responsible for your own recovery, other people can help but you can't rely on them to carry you through self actualization.

- or, kaveh tries to make alhaitham behave more like a "normal" person, to be more pleasant and emotive and forthcoming, and then realizes he's in the wrong for trying to make alhaitham into something he's not, possibly for all the wrong reasons (not because he likes alhaitham better like that, but bc society says that's healthier and a better/more conforming way to be)

- or you could go ahead make alhaitham's issues the main problem but they're too complicated to overcome in a short period of time, so kaveh has to accept alhaitham is doing his best in his own way and not push for unrealistic and unhealthy changes. he could alter his own behavior to give alhaitham space and time and a safe place to land.

that got sappy so it's past time for me to dip out. go forth and ship things; but maybe consider letting alhaitham be a rude stone-faced bastard if he wants to be.

[ms-fade]

We all have needs.

Anthony lockwood x Fem!reader +18 drabble.

Disclaimer: The “Readmore” sign has been causing glitches with my fics so I apologize if it happens again.

Warnings; Anthony being a little shit, smut, dirty talk, smut book talk, chocking, dominance, him trying to embarrass you and of course, you being embarrassed. And spelling mistakes.

You felt so embarrassed that your body was on fire, your cheeks puffed out and your eyes glaring at the man in front of you. You had been chasing him all over the house and now you two stood in the kitchen, him on one side and you on the other. Each time you threaten to move so did he, and you two have been running in circles for too long already.

“She dripped onto their shared sheets, her thighs burning with passion and desire-” You rolled your eyes as he spoke the words to the book in his hands. It was your book, one that you thought you could read in peace but Anthony had other plans. He stood with a proud smirk and his face was too cocky, he was having the time of his life embarrassing you.

“Anthony, stop.” Slamming your hands onto the table separating you. He looked up at your harsh tone and raised a brow. “Why? It’s getting good. Here, listen.” He laughed and looked back to the page.

“His wet muscle dragged through her folds, she was already so wet for him and dripping with aroused. The moan she left out when he finally got-” you had enough of his teasing and decided to try and take him down or get to him fast. You hopped onto the table and didn’t care of it would hold you, you just had to get to him.

He looked at you and stepped back to get away from you. “Y/n!” He laughed as you got closer to him. “Give it back.” You demanded while walking closer, he didn’t have much room until he backed all the way to the counter.

“Give it back.”

You shouted again and went to grab the book but before you could make it to the book his hand caught your wrist. Anthony tugged you forwarded and moved out the way so you were the one to hit the counter. His grip on your wrist left but was replaced by his body weight onto your back pressing you to the counter.

He was against you. He was pinning you so you had no way to escape, his arm was now around your stomach and bringing you closer but also to hold you still. You felt weak as you realized what was happening, how close he was- How close his mouth was to your neck. His hot breath hit your hot skin, but even though you couldn’t see him you knew he had a smirk on his face.

“I wasn’t finished.” He whispered closely. “Don’t be embarrassed, y/n. It’s just a smutty novel, I mean we all have needs don’t we? I know i do.” He chuckled. The grip he had on you tightened and he pressed you harder into him. “Anthony-” He shh’d you. He kissed your ear and his teeth nibbling the area softly, you let out a soft gasped.

“And, I know you do, y/n. When you think we all leave, or it’s late at night when everyone should be sleeping. I hear your pretty little gasps, just like the one you just did. I can only picture you rubbing your clit to get some release, each moan or pray to the god above.” Fuck- He heard you. Of course he did, just for him to make fun of you and use it against you.

“But what you don’t know is I like to stroke my cock to your moans, I imagine how you would feel around me.” He started to kiss down your ear and onto your neck and then to your shoulders. Your brain froze at his words, he did that- He wanted you back, he thought of you while he pleasured himself.

“And why didn’t you tell me- Lockwood.” Trying to ask him a question he had to shut you up with bitting into your collarbone. You moaned his name and closes your eyes, trying to back up into him for anything.

You were so needy.

“You want me to fuck you now? Like how he does her in your book, probably so rough and sensual. Tell me that you want my cock.” You jumped as he slammed the book on the floor. Squealing in surprised as he turned you over to face him, his hand quietly wrapping around the lower part of your neck.

He wasn’t chocking you but having ahold on you, just to hold you in a more dominant way. But he did make you look up at him and into his eyes, he wanted you to beg. To beg for him. And you wanted him so bad, everything was aching for him now within you.

“Please,” you whined out and tried to get out the words, “Fuck me.” There it was, the words he needed to here.

“Then I will, darling. I’ll make you scream only for me, and make you see how useless books are when you have real cock pleasing you from the inside.” That’s when his hand closes around your throat and brought you forward to meet his lips with a kiss.

Thank god you decide to read that book in the open.

[nyoomerr]

Do you have any tips for finishing works and getting enough confidence to post them?

sure! just keep in mind that these are tips from my single perspective, and everyone's creative processes are different, etc etc all the usual disclaimers 🙈

↓↓ all advice under the readmore cuz it got pretty lengthy ↓↓

for finishing works, you'll probably have to start by identifying why you don't feel like continuing a particular WIP.

is it a time/energy thing? make sure you're staying physically healthy (good food, keeping hydrated, moderate exercise) and that you aren't forcing yourself to sit down and write at the end of a long day when you've already spent all your mental energy elsewhere. this is one of the lamest points of advice on the whole list but i am being so serious about it.

is it a lack of inspiration? try talking about the fic with a friend, using prompt generators, or thinking back to what originally inspired the fic to begin with. if you started writing the fic for One Specific Scene, go write that scene, regardless of how far out you are from it chronologically! you can always revise or rewrite it later if it turns out that the in-between scenes change some of the context or flow.

is it that you're struggling to get a scene written just right? skip past it and come back later, maybe leaving just a quick one or two line summary of what you want to happen in that scene so you don't forget later. if you can't skip past it, then tell yourself "okay, i'm going to rewrite this later," before trying to write it - if you have already decided that this will not be your final draft, then it can help you feel less hesitant to put imperfect words down.

for gathering the confidence to post a work, it's a bit more tricky...

i think most people want to post things because they want to receive external validation on it... so so valid and relatable 🤝 BUT this motivation makes it hard to actually shut out the factors that can cause nerves (i.e., advice like "turn off comments if you're worried about receiving criticism" is useless, because then you also don't get the positive comments you likely wanted in the first place).

one strategy you could try is starting with a small audience first - just send it to a friend you know will be your hypeman. if you're feeling more bold, you can try sharing it with a discord server or group chat - essentially, narrowing the audience down to people that you know will be supportive of your work, no matter what.

if sharing the fic with your friends actually sounds like the Worst Case Scenario, then i'd instead recommend posting it to an anon collection! if you end up not being happy with the response to the fic, you can pretend it was never yours to begin with - there's no shame in using the anon tool as it was meant to be used. if you end up feeling really proud of the work after the nerves have passed, you can always de-anon it later to tie it back to you!

regardless of how or who you share it with though, my top recommendation is that you sit down and identify every little thing that you're proud of in your work before you post it. write these things out so you don't forget! the people who are going to read your work will not have the same tastes, experiences, and desires that you personally had when you sat down to write the fic to begin with. if they don't like parts of it, it does NOT mean those parts are bad - it just wasn't for them personally!

that can be hard to remember when you're getting feedback, though, which is why it's important to have those things that YOU like about your work written down so you can go take a look at them to remind yourself.

if you try posting a work and afterwards go "oh, that isn't for me, i'd rather just create for myself personally," then that's totally chill! what would be tragic is if you posted a work and then felt so shitty after the fact that it tainted your enjoyment of the creation process itself. that's why, no matter what, please remember that you wrote this fic for yourself, and hold on to the things that you like about it!!

anyway that got pretty rambly but TLDR: 1) figure out why you're having trouble finishing your WIP and tackle that reason instead of blindly pushing yourself forward 2) ease yourself into posting in whatever way is least intimidating for you, no need to jump straight to having an AO3 profile linked to your writing 3) no matter what, make sure you remember the things that you personally enjoy about what you made, and celebrate those things!

[mizugucci]

onf in chicago

hi yall im finally posting my account of seeing onf in chicago!!!! its only like 4 days late... like i said best day ever!!! below are all my notes + a bunch of photos, please forgive what i look like lol but i was so happy :)

for those that know me, know this was a HUGE deal. so of course this is going to be very long and detailed. luckily for most of my followers ill be putting it under a readmore <3

so i bought the highest tier ticket for obvious reasons, so ill just so chronologically:

first was sound check and they did ugly dance and i could NOT believe i was seeing onf in the flesh. im pretty sure i died and went to heaven then and there

once they were done with soundcheck, they did the hi-touch and group photo. the actual practice was messy but it was fun so i don't think people minded. i dont remember anything except that for whatever reason, i was legitimately the FIRST PERSON and it was a lot lmao

additionally during the group photo i had wyatt to myself lol i froze for a second but he was so kind and polite, he asked what pose i wanted to do and i dont remember if i responded or not but we did a little heart together <3

then the fansign happened and i dont remember the majority of it, partly bc i was a flustered idiot lol but i got my complete album signed!!!! life goal met for sure. wyatt i remember specifically thinking again how kind and polite he was, idr seungjun/etion but i got to hyojin and he had his hand up kind of for a highfive and i gave him the album and tried to high five at the same time it was. very awkward LOL he thought it was funny (i hope) then yuto complimented my kitty cat ears!!! i remember saying something stupid and being an idiot in front of minkyun too but. what can we do

finally was the long anticipated fanchat!!! i had my fanchat with yuto obviously and it was nerve wracking as hell but i love him so much i powered through and i hope he got something out of our conversation

the photo that we took & he signed was my best one of the night, so im really happy with how that turned out. its going to be my treasure for a long time to come:

anyway first thing i want to note is that we were sitting at high tables for the talk, but he couldnt even sit without the table dwarfing him so he stood the whole time LMAO my short king i love him so much

so after we took the photo i sat down and honestly im not sure how much he understood the first half, bc he didnt react/respond and he was slightly confused about english in the 2nd half but ANYWAY i told him i was so so proud of him, how far he's come and especially weathering the time of being alone during military era... lots of gushy stuff lol

then i asked him what b-side he liked dancing to the most and he was SO CUTE when he cocked his head and went "b-side?" so it took a moment to get my point across and he was like ohhhh, umm fly me to the moon! and i almost made a total fool of myself reacting LOL bc as some of you know, fly me to the moon is literally my favorite ONF b-side. of all time. and partly due to yuto's center dance break with the saxophone.

yuto was confused but excited when i reacted (like i audibly gasped) and i said omg thats my favorite too!!! and he got so happy and i even proved it further being like, *points to u* dance break center! saxophone! and he nodded a bunch and was so excited lmao

i think he was also surprised at being a favorite, especially when he asked me when i became a fan and i said end of 2017 (which was true i was a fan, but became a stan in jan of 2019) and he seemed impressed! then our chat had ended there and i almost passed out afterwards haha

then we all had to leave the venue again before the concert started. i met a lot of really cool people that day so some of us went across the street to dunkin. had fun lmao

the concert started and my GOD minkyun's mic was on!!!!! and how does he always have so much energy??? also i had the lightstick and was having the time of my life screaming along lol they were fantastic incredible showstopping etc etc i tried to take some videos but i was just vibing (and shaking) too much i had to give up. but it was so nice to finally go to a concert that i had the lightstick for

went into the concert with solid 3rd bias (etion) and came out of it 3rd bias as seungjun lol. theres a lot to talk about song-wise but ill save that for later. in short, i almost cried when they did bye my monster. and tmwl. and byubyu.

also elle i did record asteroid for you (not that its a good video, or one that ill share...) but it did remind me of you lol! they did difficult & moscow moscow which were both surprises to me but very welcome. all day as well was fantastic!

about halfway thru the concert (but not the ballad section) i had given up on videos so i was just rocking out w the lightstick & i pretended to hit hyojins high note with the lightstick as a microphone until someone that i met nudged me & looked up to see seungjun staring at me

it was sooo funny the facial expression he was making. i cant even describe it but once we made eye contact it was like he smiled slowly literally like the grinch and went 'hehe' to make sure i knew he saw me doing that LOL

so i knew i had to get a snapshot with him that showcased the lightstick:

theres so much more about the concert but its all mainly about the songs & the fact i finally saw them live. but i do need to mention the fact goosebumps was practically a rave lmao loved it

after the concert was the group photo selfie which was really cool but would be better if my phones camera wasnt absolute shit & they did a more flattering angle...

dont let this photo fool you, they are short kings (im as tall or taller than multiple of them, minkyun & wyatt are the only ones i remember being taller than me. wyatt was surprising)

i didnt really say anything memorable during snapshots bc i was just so star-struck, but i do remember wyatt going out of his way to be nice lol also i saw yuto multiple times & i was sooo mad there was only a few of us that bought premium snapshot for him. i also got along well with minkyun and highfived him again. i let most of the members choose their poses. yes i got multiple mks. yes i made him do cat ears.

and here are all the others. i got at least 1 type of snapshot with each of the members

anyway tl;dr best day of my life, its only downhill from here! unless they announce another tour... we shall see... im so glad they're getting so much love from fuse, i know we (both onf and fuses) have been waiting for a long time

im also very happy that there really is no reason NOT to have overseas tours... we've already beat the 7 year curse & completed military. the world is onf's oyster and i cant wait to see what they do going forward <3

[autisticlancemcclain]

thank u @zenstrike for the tag <333333333 i see ur mic and i'm elated about it

1. how many works do you have on ao3?

185! but i haven't updated in like a week and a half so we're probably closer to 190

2. what’s your total ao3 word count?

556,104. i am very excited to watch it jump up when i finally finish my longfic teehee

3. what fandoms do you write for?

literally just voltron lol. well not counting baby me's wattpad lol. i started writing almost two years ago and just went ham basically. i've been intentionally avoiding things that i know i will get hyperfixated on bc i don't want to stop my writing obsession lol

4. what are your top five fics by kudos?

ooooou i'm excited to check. i know it's changed quite a bit over time. i usually sort them by hits!

i will grind you to sand (beneath my louboutin heels) [voltron, 2573 words]: bamf lance fic where i give him a revolver and let him go ham basically

mr. snuggles [voltron, 1656 words]: one of my very earliest fics! lance, lover of weirdo animals, finds a demonic cat-sized spider and adopts it despite his friend's freakouts

he might not look like he gets bitches (but honey that dick was eleven inches) [voltron, 1136 words]: this one is so dorky lol but it's just secret relationship klance coming to light in the most embarrassing possible way

does anyone know where the love of god goes (when the waves turn the minutes to hours) [voltron, 4283]: a canon divergence au where lance is a seer and convinces the skeptics on his team of his abilities by ending the war

this is the part of me that you're never gonna ever get away) [voltron, 3262 words]: a lance & shiro hurt/comfort with a small autistic lance character study! i'm very proud of this one

5. do you respond to comments?

i definitely do on tumblr! it's one of the first things i do when i wake up actually. on ao3, though...i'm pretty sure i have about eight hundred unanswered comments sitting in my inbox 💀 it's an ongoing issue

6. what’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

i'm almost sure it's this post-game show lance leaving fic, because i got comments and asks for weeks begging me to write a happy ending lol. but this fic from the hana universe, from when keith is little and shiro is fighting for custody and they haven't figured things out yet. that one is sad. this dream pov adashi fic is also sad and has no happy ending bc, you know. shiro is in space and adam thinks he's dead and everything. my loneliest series is also still in progress and as such there is no happy ending. and this is my earliest angsty-ending fic with MCD

7. what’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

oh god pretty much everything i write has a happy ending?? if i’m being serious?? frankly i don’t do a lot of linear plot. i just write Scenes that are vaguely connected. BUT my h2o fic had a plot that ended happily, as did my cowboy fic, but truly i’m more of a slice of life kinda gal. all my active wips are plot-driven, though, and i plan for all of them to end happily.

8. do you get hate on fics?

oh god yeah. i get it on brown eyed lance, autistic lance, adhd keith, allura just in general (are you sensing a pattern), my refusal to use readmores, and lately just some demands for me to write differently/more?? most of it is just funny so i post it to goof on it lol, but some of it i just delete and pout about until i forget about it 💀

9. do you write smut? if so, what kind?

yes and it’s nasty and i will literally never ever post it. although i guess i’ve written some softer stuff that’s more allusion than anything, like in my loneliest series.

10. do you write crossovers? what’s the craziest one you’ve written?

not anymore, but i did when i was a kid?? i think i wrote a pjo/hoo/divergent/the mortal instruments/homestuck/a bunch of other shit fic when i was 13. i’ve successfully blocked that era out of my mind tho so i’m not sure. i do a lot of insane aus, tho. i wrote a fic based off a country song written in the sixties. so.

11. have you ever had a fic stolen?

i’ve had people write continuations of my wips?? which i didn’t rly like. i just ignored it.

12. have you ever had a fic translated?

someone has asked me about translating a fic before! haven’t heard anything since tho.

13. have you ever co-written a fic before?

i have tried. i’m not very good at it. i have very Specific ideas about things and can be very controlling, so it’s honestly better that i don’t lol.

14. what’s your all-time favorite ship?

klance, easy. been in the trenches of this goddamn fandom since i was 13 years of age. it’s been a Journey.

15. what’s a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

god, the butterfly effect. i get people asking me to update all the time and i genuinely feel bad, because i have absolutely no ideas or plans for it. i might try to come up with an ending of some kind?? but i wrote that like two years ago, so i have changed a LOT about my writing since then.

16. what are your writing strengths?

dialogue and humour, i think. and sometimes writing lack of emotional communication (if that makes sense — i like to try and write around an emotion).

17. what are your writing weaknesses?

i over explain a lot. and i overuse dialog ur tags sometimes. i have a Very Specific scene playing out in my head and i want everyone else to see it like i’m seeing it, which is my downfall a lot. i’ve been trying to work on implicit stage directions.

18. thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

i think sometimes it’s necessary? it can be a good tool for humour, like with cussing that can’t be achieved in english. but while i understand and read several languages i have always always struggled to speak or write in them. it’s very frustrating so i often avoid the subject entirely lol.

19. first fandom you wrote for?

i’ve been writing fanfic in my head since before i knew what it was, but i started typing things at around 11 when i used to homestuck roleplay with my friends lol. messy messy times.

20. favorite fic you’ve ever written?

oh i am my own target audience. i have several.

i need a man (who’s patient and kind): keith-centric post canon (divergence) fic where lance takes him to his family and keith is good with kids and just keith being loved is the whole point. always.

what if i lose it all: an alternate universe where lance, as a baby, loses both his parents, and then is raised by his oldest siblings. in luis’ pov.

when does a ripple become a tidal wave (when does the reason become the flame): brogane fight & angst canon divergence post season 6; covering shiro’s guilt complex and keith’s unwavering loyalty

he’s into superstitions (black cats and voodoo dolls): halloween verse with witch lance and vampire keith! i have barely spoken about this au on here but rest assured i’m thinking about it all the fucking time

the applebee’s universe: modern au with young keith and lance learning how to love each other

ceilings (plaster): non-linear dream-like fic that’s just so trippy and strange i’m obsessed with it

if the sky comes falling down (for you) there’s nothing in this world i wouldn’t do: a keith character study about how the biggest bleeding heart in the universe loves

the hana universe: brogane-centric universe as their family starts rocky and grows

thank u again for the tag zen <33 open offer for anyone else who would like to hop on!!

[heliianth]

longest thing ive written in forever & despite it being unedited and also like 3AM im proud of it so im posting it without a readmore........ be niceys to me

The grass crunched. A cool shade fell over his back, he could feel the presence there. Shadow only hugged his knees tighter.

Sonic sat down, of course it was him. His feet kicked against the cliff face, small rocks bounced away and into the swirling sea. The setting sun lit up his face and turned his eyes golden. He paid Shadow no mind, staring out onto the horizon with an unfamiliar expression.

“What do you want?“ Shadow's voice came hoarse in his throat.

Sonic only glanced his way. ”To sit with you for a bit. That okay?”

“Do as you wish.”

“Alright.”

The waves churned beneath them, the radiant and otherworldly hum of Angel Island an ambient backdrop. The dusk light embraced the water gently, orange glow wavering, before slowly creeping beyond and leaving the world with blackness. Already the nighttime was cold. A light breeze bit into Shadow's skin. It split him open, peeled something off and carried it out of reach. Small layers of protection shed with the slightest nudge. He had company. What was wrong with him?

He found himself counting, five in through his nose and five out through his mouth. But the air was so thick despite the altitude, he felt his nose and esophagus clogging.

“Shadow,” Sonic's voice cut through it all like a hot knife. He shifted and it drew Shadow's head up. “I've never told anyone this, okay? Not even Tails. So promise you won't snitch.”

Sonic held up a gloveless paw, head still turned away and pinkie outstretched. Shadow frowned. The fur on his palms was darker, almost cream, compared to the peach on the rest of his arms. His pads were darker than that, a brown that looked black in the low lighting.

Shadow looked down at his own bare paws where they clenched the fur on his legs. Slowly, he pried one of them away and linked a red pinkie with Sonic's.

Sonic hid his profile. Cold air separated them again. But after a few seconds, he shrugged to himself, and admitted, “I know who my parents are.”

The breeze picked up, adopting a slight howl.

“I've had lots of people come to me and tell me they're my parents.“ Sonic laughed, but it came out heavy. Bitter in a way he'd never heard, almost alien coming from the blue hedgehog's mouth. ”Comes with being famously orphaned, y’know? Whatever.“

Shadow stayed silent.

“She emailed me, with the, um,” he waved a paw around, “the public address Tails set up. For fans. He assumed it was like the other times: someone making something up for attention. So I ignored it.“

His brows furrowed, eyes tracking Sonic's arm as it lowered so he could tear up a handful of grass and toss it over the cliff. It fluttered away in the wind. He could feel its fingers, its breath, climb between his teeth; ”How'd you figure out she wasn't lying?“

”It was mostly a gut feeling.” Another shrug. “There were also pictures. She asked if I wanted to meet up. Promised she wouldn't go public with it either way, told me she just wanted to see if I was doing alright and... apologize in person.”

“Did you go?” Shadow felt his body lean forward, eagerly listening despite himself.

A second clump of grass went into the sky. “Nah.”

Something molten welled up inside of him. He couldn't keep the venom off his tongue when he snapped, “Why not? She clearly loved you if she reached out.”

”I don't remember a lot of my life, before Eggman. Maybe she loved me.“ Their eyes finally met. ”But that didn't matter to her then. It wasn't enough.“

Shadow tore his gaze away, back onto the water. His paw, the one he'd used to linked pinkies, dug into the dirt. His talons gouged a chunk out. ”You don't forgive her.“

Sonic went quiet for a moment. “The way I see it what's done is done, yeah? I'm over it.”

Shadow could tell Sonic was trying to regain eye contact, felt his paw meet his shoulder like a gunshot. He flinched away, vision blurring. Sonic didn't chase it.

“I'm just telling you... you're not alone, Shadow.”

Shadow squeezed the muddy clod of earth in his fist so hard he could feel it ooze. His breaths came quick and sharp, he wanted to do something. Turn and scream at Sonic for doing this to him. He'd rejected his responsibility, the one Shadow gave him, Shadow's whole life, like it was an unsavoury article of clothing. And then he sat down and talked to him like he could understand. What could he know about loneliness? Adored by humanity, revered as a hero. Successful in all the ways Shadow would not be, even as the Ultimate Lifeform.

He wanted to kill him. The yearning was horribly safe, it buzzed in his head like a heater.

Instead, he curled up into a pathetic ball. And this time, when the nighttime wind blew in from a new direction, Sonic shielded him from the chill.

[seaquestions]

i'm totally enamored with your FHL oc's! would you be willing to elaborate on the relationship chart dynamics btw emil and lucas (esp. emil's "totally oblivious to the fact that he contributed to lucas' destroyed self-esteem")? the implications are so devastating

eeheheee can i just say first of all this super made my day thank youuu im so happy u like my FHL ocs its my darling little pet project 💙💙💙 and yes yes im very willing to elaborate. bear in mind though that this isnt entirely concrete yet, i take kind of a vibes-first approach lol. tbh i like having the tension between emil and lucas stay within the realm of Devastating Implications in-canon but. you caught me. i cant resist talking abt my ocs :3

had to put a readmore cut here cos this got kinda long omg. also tw for mention of bullying & ed.

but yeah so emil and lucas… they had been playing hockey together since they were 10 basically. they’re childhood friends, besties by default, bonded over a shared love of hockey & also for being considered ‘weird’ kids yknow. but they’ve also hurt each other a lot in little ways that never went addressed cos emil is too non-confrontational to make a fuss and lucas is too proud to admit when something’s genuinely fucking with him. but for the most part, they were besties. it’s only when they both started taking hockey more seriously as a possible career option that like, the relationship started to turn sour. lucas used to be a forward actually. he was also subject to a lot of pretty awful comments about his body from his peers (and from adults in his life too lbr). and also, homophobic comments, stuff stemming from his closeness to emil. something that hurt was the fact that emil never stood up for him but, well, even then lucas was willing to overlook that cos its not like he ever really fought back himself. just brushed that shit off, laughed it off, yknow, never let them know that what they say actually hurts you. he didnt wanna like. punch anyone over the stuff they said. especially since he started to Really internalise it. mostly the fat-shaming. its not just shitty teenagers right? its everything. it’s hockey. and the homophobic stuff well… i mean did he have a crush on emil? kinda yeah. just part and parcel of the whole codependent besties thing.

and on emil’s end, he was mostly trying his best to be accepted by his peers (aka, masking 24/7 and going along with the awful shit they said to lucas. cos well, that shit’s normal right? lucas said he can take it anyway, he said it doesnt fuckin bother him so) and stand out with his skill in hockey. he was, notably, better than lucas, who at this point was still a forward. lucas didnt particularly. choose to be a goalie. at least not at first, he loves it now dw. but he loves it now in part because it isolated him a little bit. or at least just kept him in sort of, a separate category, in peoples minds. it kept him away from being compared to emil (even though really they shouldnt have. their skill sets and strengths were quite different. but yknow. they had put themselves together like that). and emil liked that too. he liked not having to compete with lucas over this, which is something lucas took more as emil not wanting to share the ice with him anymore. and it was also another example of lucas bending to external pressure with emil saying nothing against it, encouraging it even. it started to feel like emil didnt give a shit about him anymore—so lucas starts lashing out against him a little. calling him annoying and weird and loud and stupid and shit. the stuff that other ppl call emil that lucas never did. emil took That as lucas finally getting with the program. it hurt but. everybody said it. and he’s been saying the stuff everybody’s been saying about lucas too, and lucas said that shit doesnt bother him so it shouldnt bother emil either cos he has to be strong too and. this HAS to be okay. THIS HAS TO BE NORMAL.

but. yknow. it’s fine. theyre still best friends by default.

their friendship starts to really deteriorate when lucas starts forming unhealthy eating habits. or unhealthy lack of eating habits. frm my experience as a fat guy whos struggled w disordered eating ppl dont tend to notice it unless they see you actively suffer. in fact they might see it as a good thing esp if youre visibly losing weight. i imagine lucas woulda have it worse than i did bcos he also has the pressure of wanting to be a professional athlete and also way shitter peers than me. emil is already not the most perceptive guy and lucas is incredibly reticent so. yeah. kind of a wonder theyre still friends honestly but, yknow, theyve known each other this long. theyve loved each other this long. why wouldnt they still be friends, even after every little thing. this is the one that breaks it. this is the one time where emil not having his back Really fucks with lucas.

lucas’ new goalie coach is the one who lays it all out to him. he’s realising that oh, fuck, fucking fuck, he’s been such a shitty friend and so has emil. thats when he starts his recovery and part of that is also figuring out how to deal with his and emil’s failing friendship. lucas cant bring himself to blame emil at all. like its HIS lack of communication that led to this. he knows emil’s an oblivious guy, he’s always known that about him. so… fix it, right? just, communicate this time and things will be better. but lucas also just doesnt want to see him anymore. like. he just wants his life to change. he’s going to college, in a different city, he’s playing on a college hockey team while emil’s off in major junior league and like, he’s far enough away that he can just ignore emil’s calls most of the time and say he’s busy and get away with it and just let emil think the friendship is fading away organically and not bcos lucas straight up never wants to see him again because it would remind him of a time in his life he never wants to revisit. and meanwhile emil… emil just misses him. emil just misses lucas with all his heart and wonders why why why lucas doesn’t seem to like him as much anymore. i guess that’s just distance but like, EMIL doesn’t feel any less so??? is lucas making friends in college who are cooler, less annoying, better at hockey, better than emil? whatever man… by the time they get drafted by opposing teams, the bff-ship is pretty much dead but. well. emil will still text lucas congrats and happy birthday and sorry ur being sent down and hell yeah ur being sent up and. and lucas just says thanks. so yeah. that’s lucas and emil, at least at the start of the FHL storyline.

and yes….. they ARE using blake and conor respectively to replace their bestie…. :3 but its good for them actually. maybe by learning to be a good friend to this other guy they can eventually learn to be better friends with each other. emil in particular is out here walking on eggshells with conor who freaks out over every little thing and is like. umm. hey did lucas ever feel like how conor is feeling at the shit im saying to him cos. um.

anyway. who’s to say if the reconcile. certainly not me nuh-uh im just the vessel thru which these idiots speak their truth.

ANYWAY THANK YOU FOR ASKING!!!! fun mini project to chip into every time i can catch a little break at work 👍👍👍

[azuremliam]

Jam packed little facts about Liam (their times as a human that is)! My hand writing can be pretty hard to read- so I'll have text format underneath the readmore :)

(Going from top left to right)

Human Liam Trivia

They/Them

5'2" "Hehehe!" [10 Year Old Trouble Maker] "Ah, great. Gotta deal with another growing in."

Liam's teeth regrow whenever they're knocked out. Abegail had to explain to Finn, that no, he doesn't have the same ability, humans don't usually work that way. It's just a weird Liam thing #1.

Both Finn and Jake have a necklace made of the fangs that have gotten knocked out. Liam likes gnawing on things when a new tooth is growing in.

"Careful now." "Chirp." [20 Years Old (Jake Hatches)] "Congrats Lil Bro!" "Hehe!" [25 Years Old (Jake Pupates)] "This is an actual human baby!?" "Pffbt" "Yes- now be careful with him." [30 Years Old (Vera and Gemma find Baby Finn)] [35 Years Old (Start of Journey & Meets Scarab)] *Infodumping about the Hive Cities "Ah, I see. That sounds efficent." "It is!" [36 - 37 Years] "I missed you too Scarab." *Trills [38 - 39 Years] "Make sure not to give our moms too much trouble." "K…" "Mkay…"

Liam used to dye their hair with plants that used to grow near their old hive. The dye sticks in the roots for ages and makes the hair smell like a plant. Most humans living outside bunkers or the Islands tend to dye their hair for camouflage.

Liam just did it because they wanted to look like their moms colors. Liam doesn't dye their hair anymore during their journey because their new Hive doesn't have any of the plants near it. They also just got tired of dyeing it.

"EEWWW"

Liam really loves the taste of Aphids. (They weren't affected by the mutations like the other insects, they're the equivalent of cows in Bug World AU) Finn isn't a big fan of them, but they're a common food source.

The Ant Farm Liam gets them from had to deal with little Liam snacking on them without permission. They behave themselves now.

"Is something wrong?"

Throughout their entier life, Liams eyes glow in the dark and they can see in the dark too. The intensity of the glow only increases as they get older.

It surprises Scarab when he finally notices the glow. Yet another weird Liam thing #2 that Finn wishes he could do too.

"Want some?" "…" Munch Munch Crunch Munch Crunch Crunch "Taste Good?" "It's good."

Liam shares their snacks a lot. They also like having Scarab try out their world's foods. He insists that he doesn't need any, but indulges when they ask.

It's also partially because Liam really likes seeing his face.

"Big Bro, Li could probably bit through your exoskeleton." "What?" "They accidently bit Gramps during training and made him bleed. He was really proud of them fighting back like that." "Li! Li!! Come bite Scarab for me!" "Huh!? What, why!?" "Well? Go on." "I can't believe you two made a bet…" 'Why do my teeth have to be on the line?' "Fine." "Bite! Bite! Bite!" "Alright then." Chomp "Hmm." "See, couldn't bite through." "Aw dang." "Now you can't stay up late for a month, got it?" "Kaaay." "No, only a week." 'Interesting.' "Woohoo!" "Huh? Why?" "You managed to scratch the surface."

Liam's teeth can pierce through some insect's carapaces in their world. They don't like doing it though. If surprised or scared enough, they'll do it out of reaction. That, or they'll hiss and occasionally growl without meaning to. Both Finn and Jake copy how Liam hisses and growls.

[especdreamy]

My personal favorite Daily c!Ranboos, in order of posting!

Now that it's finally over, I feel like its appropriate to share all the daily c!Ranboos I'm the most proud of, and the reasons why I like them so much.

I'll probably redraw some of these in the future!

Under the readmore bc its long and has lots of pics!

Day 5 - Brain Fried

Looking back to it, this one isn't all that great compared to other Daily c!Ranboos I have done, but it's the first one I did in which I tried to make an actual composition rather than just. Drawing c!Ranboo. So it's kind of an important one!

Day 13 - Allium

Kind of similarly as Brain Fried, this one is kinda rough in the edges when looking back on it, but I loved the eerie vibe of it, and the effort of using a more limited palette!

Day 21 - Bouquet

It's just cute. He looks so squishy! Not much more to add tbh :)

Day 22 - Under the Weather

I personally love how I made the effect of them "disintegrating" due to contact with water look! I like how the particles flow :) I love how I made the effect of the water dripping, how it could kinda look like tears running down their face. I used "Under the Weather" in both a literal and metaphorical sense!

Day 28 - Tears

I like the expression and colors :) tbh the tears could be better but otherwise I like it.

Day 32 - Awake

It's soft, comforting, bright, warm, I love the way I did the colors SO MUCH! The expression is everything to me, I like how their hair looks. Also you might notice that I have 100% used the same colors for Revival and Freedom.

Day 34 - Arrival

I just like their goofy expression and how much of a twig they look. Silly lad

Day 38 - Butcher Army

I LOVE the expression and the limited color palette! While theres bits that could be improved upon this is one of my best compositions here.

Day 39 - Apprentice

Technoblade.

Day 41 - Memory Book

I like how the anatomy looks here! Looks very sleek and natural I guess? I love how the tail lies on the ground. I just can feel the weight here a bit.

Day 44 - Doomsday

The blue sky with the bright red flames, the lighting, c! Ranboo's silhouette, idk this is just very pleasing to look at!

Day 64 - Revival

I can't even elaborate on how much I love this one, it's probably The Best drawing (drawings?) of Daily c!Ranboo! I used the same color palette as Awake bc I wanted to give it the same comforting and soft vibe, I love how fuzzy it all looks, how quiet it seems...Also its a comic too! I speedran that in 3 or so hours and im so damn happy with it.

Day 67 - Light

The colors are very nice, I like the lighting!

Day 76 - Dance

I like the poses! I tend to struggle to draw c!Tubbo but he looks very cute here. I think I made c!Ranboo a bit too short but tbh it was a challenge to make the pose work!

Day 82 - Windy

I like the colors, the expression, AND THE HANDS!! Its fuckign wimdy!

Day 89 - Void

HORROR VIBES! I wanted to do at least one creepy-looking drawing for this challenge that I liked and this is the one for sure!

Day 90 - Stars

I like the colors a lot here! The way he looks up to the sky with the big ol' eyes and his pose feels so natural.

Day 91 - Birthday

I may have speedran this in like an hour and a half but GOD I just LOVE the symbolism in this drawing! The balloon because birthday! But its black because death! Ghostboo is the one holding it because they're the one in the overworld after all. How c!Ranboo looks down while Ghostboo stares at them!

Day 92 - Freedom

I used the same palette as Awake and Revival, it just felt right! I tried my best to do a piece that'd be forth of being the "sendoff" for the daily c!Ranboo series, and I do think it holds up!

[ambalambs]

You mentioned Miko's mom. Tell me more. What is she like? How is their relationship? How did she come to adopt him? Tell me all about her!

Okie dokie lets try this again lol gonna cross my fingers and hope the readmore doesn't break this time too

Hmm what can I say about miko's adopted mom. She's a hyur, mother of two (three with miko), married to a farmer. She's the classic farmers wife lol excellent cook and home maker and pro at keeping her crazy kids in line. And her son may be the wol but she has a skillet and she's not afraid to use it lol she's definitely the one who had the final say in keeping miko. She's basically that meme of "I've only had miko for a day but if anything were to happen to him I would kill everyone in this room including myself" lol she just really loves her smol miqo'te son.

His family adopted him when he was very young (still not 100% on his exact age cuz what even are ages in xiv but he was at least younger than 10) it was right after his village had been razed and he had been alone wandering around in the woods at night in the cold cuz it was the dead of winter and snowing. He took refuge in their barn and they noticed him sneaking in there and just kinda kept him lol I could go into deeper detail on all that but I won't do that here or risk putting a whole fanfic in this answer lol but miko was immediately very loved by her and her husband and their kids. She reminded him a lot of his real mom with just how warm and caring she was that it helped sort of ease the pain and fill the void of losing his real mom so recently. She also has a family history in music so she had a lot of instruments miko had never even heard or seen before. Miko's real mom could sing but she never played instruments so that was something new and exciting for him that his new mom could teach him.

Which just a little snippet of info on his real mom since sometimes I mention her but don't specify which mom im talking about and this seems like a good spot to talk a little about her too lol. But basically miko was super close to his real mom. He was basically the only little boy in his village at the time and had the echo so the other kids thought he was wierd so he was lonely a lot. But his mom would bring him along when she'd gather herbs and theyd pick flowers and he'd always try to find some feathers so when theyd come back home to the village she could braid them into his hair. She was very good at singing so theyd sing together or she'd sing him lots of lullabies. She was just very strong and loving and beautiful and kept him from getting too disheartened by the other kids.

But as for miko's relationship with his adopted mom now its very good! She worries about him a lot with the whole being the wol thing but he writes to her and tells her all about his adventures when he can. Most of his letters he sends home are addressed to her, always assuming she'll read them to the rest of the family anyway lol but he does try to omit the more darker parts of his journey but a mother always knows. She misses him a lot tho and does sometimes wish he had stayed to work on the farm instead of running off to be an adventurer or that he was able to visit more often but she's very proud of him for all he's done regardless. She is just one tough lady tho for having raised her own kids AND a hyperactive teenaged miqo'te boy lol tbh she, and the family of course, are most likely the reason miko managed to grow up still being good, compassionate, and silly instead of becoming cold with revenge in his heart for what he had lost as a child. So honestly she did a pretty good job raising the boy I think 👍

[ronearoundblindly]

1 Year-1k-100 Late Challenge

So many things to celebrate, but so little time!

Over a month ago, I hit the outrageous milestone of 1,000 followers. I'm so shocked and humbled by this that it has taken me until hitting 1,100 followers to scrape together the celebration I want. Also, today is my ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY of posting fic on Tumblr!! (I just lurked for a bit before that. Doesn't count. Shhh 🤫)

This brings me to the 1-1-1 Challenge!

Something Old-Something New-Something You

1

Drabble YOU write based on the following prompt:

A life lesson from your favorite character

(or, ya know, one of your fave characters...)

This could be a romantic lesson, an emotional lesson, or even a cooking lesson. Sky is the limit! No word limit, but please use the readmore break if over 500 words. This can also be ANY character, from ANY media, but the idea is that you may find new fans and friends when I reblog your work, so keep in mind which fandoms I write for and that is who you're being promoted to!

(Use all applicable warnings and tags. If those are not present, I may ask you to add them before I reblog your post!)

NOW to the other fun parts!

INCLUDED IN YOUR SUBMISSION SHOULD BE:

1

Link to a work you hold dear.

This may be from another writer OR yourself. It's ok to be proud of your work!!! It's good! Please make sure that post has all applicable warnings and tags. It will be read and reblogged separately.

...and finally...

1

Link to a newer work OF YOUR OWN that maybe didn't get the attention you hoped for.

('Newer' is used very loosely here. There isn't actually a cutoff.)

It's been a lousy couple of months for many of us writers, and I'd like to lift us all up more. Again, no limits on which characters or fandoms this work is from, but remember who I can reach based on my own fandoms. I just like reading stories! Again, all warnings and tags should be clearly labeled! This work, too, will be reblogged separately.

IF YOU ARE NOT A WRITER, this challenge is also open to fics submitted by ask (user or anon). Your submission can fit the prompt above in some way or could just be a well-loved fic you recommend to me. (If I cannot find the fic or link, I will do my best to post a request to find it, but that will slow me down FYI.)

Warnings include but are not limited to smut and dark fic. I don't mind reading those, but you MUST LABEL THEM. No restrictions on genre either. If your links are posts from a series, I suggest making sure they work well out of context so you can get the greatest amount of interest.

Tag me! Put the tag "Ro's 1-1-1 challenge" on your submission post! (it's not necessary for the linked works to have this tag)

I am putting a tentative end date of May 31st, 2023, but it will depend on if I get busy and have to slow down my reading. I will get to AS MANY AS POSSIBLE, and you are always able to send me recs at any time!

gorgeous graphics by @darsynia; divider by @silkholland

I expect there is something I am forgetting to specify, so you may need to check back for additional info/edits.

[silverott-chevalier]

So at the behest of a couple of friends, I've made this thing for what it's worth.

My name is Cooper Chevalier, and let's just get this out of the way now-- yes, I am, in fact, a Samurott. If you've heard about a Pokemon becoming a Trainer somewhere in the Johto region, that would be me. If you're wondering how or why this is even possible, then I guess I don't mind answering questions, but for now just know that the League had to make a few accommodations for me when I was first starting out and I've managed to take that all the way to the top and become one of the region's champions. Lance is still the guy running the Indigo Plateau, though--I mostly get called on to resolve issues in Kanto-Johto that he'd normally need to step away for. It's a nice little arrangement.

Anyway. I was convinced to make this by a friend in Galar, so I'm hoping this place is as good as they've made it out to be.

I'm also hoping that not having a Rotom won't bite me on the tail later... how the heck did those things become mainstream anyway--

EDIT: Saw a lot of people putting their Pokemon on these, too, and I'm finally sitting down and doing it. I could probably tell you about Shia and Pallas while I'm here but this should show up in the post they reblogged too so I can be lazy.

Anyway, here's my five mainstays-- they've been with me since near the start of my journey.

Mason (Gengar, M): Kind of a shy fella, but he's really loyal. Easily the partner I trust the most, and though I'm a bit sad to admit it, he's definitely gotten me out of a lot of sticky scenarios the painful way... I've been a lot more careful not to let that sort of thing happen since.

Sypha (Ampharos, F): Serious to a fault and speaks to the point. Proud of her power, but aware of her limits, though that doesn't mean she can't throw a mean Thunderbolt.

Juste (Togekiss, M): I raised him from an egg, and he's easily the most optimistic member of my team. He's also my ride around the two regions, usually, so props to him for carrying around a ~220 lb Samurott through the sky, ehehe...

Nora (Umbreon, F): Strong and steadfast, and fiercely devoted to her friends. She's usually serious, but she's got her playful side. Took a bit to warm up to me, though.

Katsuko (Dragonite, F): Hilariously, though I doubt she played any part in her upbringing, Katsuko is like if you took Clair's competitive spirit and put it in a dragon. Most eager to fight out of everyone, and was easily my second ace once she fully evolved.

Feel free to ask about them--I can ask them questions on your behalf if you want me to.

-- OOC BENEATH THE READMORE --

Hey! This is a rotomblr I made using my pokesona after a friend of mine held me at rotarypoint convinced me to try making one. I'm pretty new to this stuff in general, but we'll see how this pans out in the end. I'll be figuring things out as I go for the most part. I'll probably just label my ooc stuff with (ooc) or something of the like. Lemme know if you have any tips, tricks, or whatever that you'd like to share! I'll probably follow you from @kupkastdashboard since I don't have the patience to manually switch over to Cooper's dash anytime I wanna like or rb something--

Also! Any ask memes I rb are technically open forever, since I don't think they deserve to happen just once and then never again. Just be sure to post the question associated with whatever you're referencing so I know what I'm answering! Links to my specific RBs of my favorites are below. I've answered some of these with Cooper, but with Pallas and Shia on the board, they're also open to be asked things. Just specify who you're looking for, otherwise I'll default to Cooper being the subject or pick one of my muses at random if he's already answered something.

Pelipper Mail! (Malice Coming Soon)

Memory Meme (#cooper's memories)

Legendary/Mythical

Thought Bubbles (#cooper's thoughts)

Fossil Ask Game

Headcanon Asks (Answered OOC)

Major Arcana Reversed

Muse In The News

Posts that look directly into Cooper's headspace at any given moment are labeled [#cooper's thoughts], and posts that describe a memory of his that's already happened will be labeled [#cooper's memories]. Neither of these are canonically posted by him, so keep that in mind if you want to make reference to them or leverage them for better or worse!

[seawing-vibes]

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYPONY ! ! Here’s some art summary thangs <3 ! Template is by Mintcokev on DeviantArt !! I did one of full pieces and one of Sillay Doodles

Explanations of every piece & stuff is below read the readmore ! + links to the full work if its posed online !

First Template:

January -> This Sora Piece ! I am honestly still super proud of how it turned out , it was fun to work on and looking at it still gives me that nice vibe I was in while drawing it

February -> This headshot of my OC Elk! I developed and expanded on her story this year and did some headshots for their TH, still super proud of how the shading came out here ,,

March -> lmao nothin , not sure what happened in March but I dont have anything there aside from sillay Doodles

April -> This design of Blaze! One of my fav designs I’ve done recently .. shes just so sillay To Me

May -> This piece of my friend and I’s cat ocs ! Stickpaw & Frostclaw, two silly fellas <3 something possessed me here I’ve never drawn a kibby this well since and Im still super proud of this

June -> This reference of my oc Dee!!!! ITS DEE ! ! EVERYONE SAY HI TO DEE <3 ! ! ! ! ! I was so happy to finally give her a proper ref , shes one of my favorite ocs of all time and this came out so well , it looks so much like her!!!!

July -> This artfight attack! This piece was honestly just a blast to work on, the background and frame design and expression were all fun to illustrate

August -> These refs of my lomp ocs! Lomps are fictional guys made by my good friend and August was just the Month for them. These guys are (bottom to top) Fizz, Roe, and Skipper! They’re . Normal <3

September -> This piece of my fursona Kenny ! ! Just a fun piece to work on again, the colors came together way better than I thought they would

October -> This piece of my oc Houndcall! They’re feeling normal about their leader being possessed! This was like a weird experimental painted piece and ou .. I really loved working on it I wanna do more things with that method

November -> Not posed online! Surprisingly, this is a wip of a self-portrait I’m doing for class! Fathead Minnows and Rainbow Trout !! This canvas is massive (taller than me ,, which aint much but still!!) and I’ve been cracking at it for a while but hammered out the details of the trout in November so! It’s acrylic but I really wish I could’ve done oil instead .. acrylic dont blend well

December -> The final fella ! My idiot son ! Also not posed online , this is a linocut printed on hand-made paper! Fun fact, I make my own paper and my own Lino cuts as my main medium, I just cant afford the proper transfer ink, but I got some from school to use so ! My idiot dragon linocut son was born ! I hate him because he wont print proper but this piece ended up working out. Its lino-ink on handmade paper with red micron pen over it

Second Template:

January -> DNA Helicase

February -> Valentine’s Day Gift <3 !

March -> Not (publicly) posted online doodle of my epic oc Anton Bayheart giving his grandson a thumbs up :)

April -> Not (publicly) posted doodles of my ocs Sebastian (left) and Dee (right) (you saw her ref earlier <33) having a normal convo !

May -> A shot from This video of my friends ocs … the one depicted is Quickpaw <3

June -> Not posted doodle of Breezewhipser giving Rippletooth some good advice (it was not good advice) (ripple just learns hes aro)

July -> Not (publicly) posed doodle of my Oc’s Garret (BALD) and Benny (TIRED) . Also just two normal guys (they’re divorced) (and obsessed with eachother)

August -> This doodle of my ocs Savi & Skipper (Skip’s ref is in August first template <3) . Music taste

September -> a small part of this cat sketch page ! Beetlekit getting bullied by his cousins

October -> This doodle of Skipper . I appreciate him

November -> I dont know where this came from actually. Its my friends oc’s Redstone and Bumblebuzz staring kitty-like at my oc Specklestep (she is married to Red and Bumble is their daughter)

December -> Doodle of Tide from this whiteboard ! !

Have a great new year everyone ! ! ! Thanks for reading through all that if you did lmao

[gamerism]

Mr. Gamer(ism):

Would you say that you go looking for inspo or does inspiration find you?

Also umm, when you think of a gifset you're really!! proud of, what's the first that comes to mind?...This may or may not be an opportunity to show off your faves and all.

(of course, every single one is very worthy and you should be proud of them all, but still!)

tysm for the ask! (adding a readmore bcs i decided to add some of the gifs im taking abt)

Inspiration usually finds me (especially for a lot of the gifsets im abt to talk abt). But occasionally I'll go looking for things. But depending on the medium we're talking about I'm kinda hesitant. (Poetry, for instance, is hard to look for inspiration for. Where as gifsets not so much.)

I do actually have a set that always comes to mind first. It has kind of changed over the years as I continue to improve but current it's definitely this one!

I'm really happy with the colouring and the written part of this one is my own prose.

I aaaam totally gonna mention a few others. lol.

Two general honourable mentions are definitely from my pathologic blog. I've known about the tiled multi-gif thing since like, 2014, and have always thought it was so so cool, so learning how to do that for this gifset was really exciting!!

The crossfade is so fun. I gotta do this again.

And the theme of this one using quotes from the game about fate kinda just came together in my head like a webweave.

I was finally able to use some really cool and creative photoshop effects I've known abt for ages for it.

Anyways I've worked hard on getting better at text on gifs this year and both this set and this one really show that, I think!

(When I did the yakuza 3 one I immediately went "wait how did I do that, iv totally got use this again". It kinda reminds me of 80s horror movie text)

Lastly I'll just quickly mention this set as well because I still really love how colourful it is. And I've been working hard on my colouring too, since I don't use other people's psds off the internet, I just open some layers and start trying things. (also rip me never finishing this series of sets 💀)

Anyways thank u for indulging me stretching ur question out. I do think a lot about how I've improved and sets I'm proud of and such so guess I've been kinda bursting to talk about it.

[one-winged-dreams]

Dropping some 'what do angels dream of' lore that pertains to my insert's weapon.

(this is long as fuck so putting it under a readmore)

SO. My s/i uses a gunblade that's kind of shitty because it was the best I could afford as a 3rd class because my parents disowned me, and I had to fend for myself pretty much. I'm stuck in the vicious cycle of having to keep getting it repaired, so I can't afford a new one because I can't save up BECAUSE THE GODDAMN THING KEEPS BREAKING.

Anyway, I never articulated that Angeal and I actually meet for the first time when I'm assigned with him on a mission as like, assistance. I had advanced from 3rd class to 2nd like, REALLY quickly because, despite my debilitating fear of failure, 2nd class was pretty low-stakes and I'm a damn good fighter.

Anyway, he got to see firsthand how good I am at kicking ass, and for the last fight of the mission, my gunblade breaks AGAIN from the force of the final blow, and I just kinda frown.

And he comes over to commend me on my performance, and I'm like internally screaming because holy shit, I'm getting praised by one of the 1sts, and also he's VERY handsome.

He makes a comment about my weapon, and I'm like, "Um, yeah, it's kind of cheap. I'm gonna have to get it repaired again, I guess."

Angeal will remember this.

Anyway, after a few more assignments, we start like. Getting close. REALLY close. And I'm still using that shitty gunblade over and over again, and it keeps breaking OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

And then one day, during a particularly tough mission, it just absolutely shatters, and the mechanisms all but explode on me. And I'm sitting there holding the hilt of it and thinking about how fucked I am because there's no way I'm gonna be able to buy a new one anytime soon.

This depresses the FUCK out of me because that shitty thing had been with me since my compensation check for joining the SOLDIER program, and I guess I'll have to learn how to use a proper sword again, hopefully a good one isn't TOO expensive.

Anyway, Angeal and I are doing our couple thing, he's trying to cheer me up because, goddamn, I'm bummed the fuck out. And he's like, "You're not nervous about your assignment tomorrow, are you?"

And I'm like, "Of course I am, I haven't used a regular blade since early training, and even then I swapped over to learning to use a gunblade halfway through."

"Hm. That won't do, then, will it?"

And he stands up, and I watch him just kinda walk over to something, he looks back at me and smiles that charming smile and tells me not to look.

And I don't, and I'm confused until he comes back around with the most kickass gunblade I have EVER seen and is just like, "Would this make it better?"

And I'm just sobbing and telling him he didn't need to do that, and he's internally like, 'I don't know what I expected,' but he sits back down and hugs me and tells me of course he didn't, but he WANTED to. Okay, maybe he DID need to, how am I supposed to do assignments if I don't have a proper weapon?

And then he tries to ground me like, "This one probably has more kick to it than your old one, why don't we go to the training room and test it out?"

And we do, and holy shit, he's SO right, but I take it like a champ, and he's so proud of me. so much so that he has to SHOW me how proud he is that i can take to a powerful weapon so naturally

And that thing is my pride and joy for the longest time until the events of Crisis Core and my desertion. Of course I take it with me, it's all I have left of Angeal. When I literally toss it aside while fighting Zack because I'm just so willing to let him kill me, he barely misses and just sticks the buster sword in the ground and grabs me by my shirt and just gives me the most passionate speech ever about how I have to keep living because he and I are the last of Angeal's legacy. And he gets through to me, leaves, tells Shinra he couldn't find me, and then we never see each other again.

And about two years after Zack 😬, I'm still in that little village/town I ran off to, doing work slaying monsters and helping out to the point where 'that guy living out in the woods' is just a positive part of their lives. But Shinra found out there's a rogue ex-SOLDIER there and sends some people to ask questions, and they just keep coming back until I come and kick ass and tell them to leave and never come back. Which obviously does not work, because come on, Shinra's just evil like that. And they keep coming back, and I keep kicking ass until they bring like... IDK, a mech or something and threaten to raze the whole town. And then off I go fighting my hardest, and manage to destroy the thing, but I'm very much injured to the point of near death. And I go to the... town elder or something, idk, and tell him next Shinra shows up, show them that their SOLDIER left for good and it's pointless to keep looking for him here.

And then I present my gunblade and tell him, "Give this to the next person who comes along. Someone who dreams... of an honorable cause."

And then I fuck off back to my little hut in the woods, where Angeal is waiting to take me back to the lifestream, and OH GOD, I'M CRYING, OKAY, POST OVER, YOU'RE FREE TO GO.

WAIT, HOLD ON, NEVERMIND

In a super meta turn of events, I forgot that this is a weapon that my insert for Barret can get in the VII story lmfao.

[sparklepool101]

Burgers and Fires

[ Welcome to the CotC fic I finished at 12:40 something am last night because the new episode made me emotional lmao. Spoilers for Craig to the Future below! ]

:readmore:

“Thank you Herkleton! That was the last song of tonight. Exits are located in the back, along with our merch stands wink wink. Have a safe trip home and a rocking night!”

The crowd cheered one last time, before turning and heading back to the lobby, right where Craig was waiting. Kit nudged his arm.

“Alright, last wave of sales.” She said.

“Yep,” Craig said, staring at the doors. Omar and JP had just entered the lobby, laughing together. Kelsey and Stacks were nowhere to be seen.

“I can handle these guys, you go on.” Kit said. Craig jumped a bit before looking back at her. He took in her sideways smile and felt his brow furrow.

“Are you sure? The crowd is bound to be bigger now--”

“Come on Craig, I know you’ve been antsy all night. Go ask them to hang out or something, I can handle the crowd.”

“All right, if you’re sure…” Craig His chest felt like it was full of ants as he approached the duo. It had ended so awkwardly before the concert, but he couldn’t let this chance slip away. Their group had been steadily growing apart since JP entered high school, and he missed his friends so much.

Craig bit the bullet and called out to them. “Hey, JP! Omar!” The two turned their heads.

“Hey, Craig!” JP said, walking over to meet him. “Man, did you see Katie’s trick up there?”

“Nah, I was back at the merch stand.”

“Why?” Omar asked, slinging his arm around JP’s shoulder. “Are they paying ya’?”

“Oh, kind of? David actually commissioned me to make the T-shirts over there and he asked if I’d help man the stand as well.” Craig rubbed the back of his neck.

“Dude really? That’s sick!” Omar said, face lighting up.

“Aw come here!” JP pulled Craig into a hug. “I’m so proud of you man! I’ve definitely gotta buy one now. Babe, you still have my wallet?”

“Right here.” Omar tossed the small leather wallet over to JP, who caught it in one hand.

“Be right back!” JP rushed into the crowd gathered around the stand, leaving Craig and Omar alone,

A few beats of silence passed before Craig gathered up the courage to talk. “So, you guys doing anything after this?”

“Mmm probably just hanging out nearby, maybe grab a bite to eat, you know.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Moment of truth. “You want to come with me to get some burgers?”

“I’m down for that.” Omar smiled. “It’s been way too long since we’ve hung out.” Craig smiled back and put his hands in his pockets. They chatted a bit more while waiting for JP to come back, mostly about teachers at school.

“Oh yeah, no Mrs. Denadio was the worst. One time, she assigned a whole project and only gave us two days to work on it.”

“No. Don’t tell me that’s the final project she’s been talking about all semester.”

“Good luck, man.”

“Hey, guys!” JP called as he ran over, wearing the t-shirt over his sweater. “What do y’all think?” He posed a bit, showing off the shirt.

“As handsome as always, babe. Craig wanted to go grab some food with us, you down for that?”

“Oh absolutely! Let’s go celebrate your first step on the road to fame.

It was odd how easily they fell back into a familiar pattern of banter. (But not at all unwelcome.) Craig felt like he was ten again, walking alongside two of his best friends as they chatted. It just stung remembering that there was only one redhead with them now.

The burger place’s ‘open 24-hours’ sign glowed a neon blue onto the trio’s faces. JP held the door open for the other two as they entered the building. It smelled like over-salted fries and grilled meat, with just a few people sitting at tables.

“Welcome, what can I get you three?” The cashier looked like they wanted to be anywhere else, especially with the huge eye bags they had.

“I’ll have a cheeseburger with fries and a chocolate shake,” Craig said.

“And add two number three combos to that,” Omar said, pulling out his wallet.

“I can pay for my stuff,” Craig said.

“No way man, I’ll cover tonight.” Omar winked at him and passed a card over to the cashier.

“Thanks.”

“Alright, here’s your receipt. We’ll get the food out in a bit.” The trio stepped back from the register. JP leaned against a pillar while Omar grabbed their cups and went to the soda fountain. Pulling out his phone to text his parents, Craig shot a quick message to the family group chat telling them where he was.

An electronic bell signified that the front door had opened again, and Craig looked up. Kelsey and Stacks walk in hand in hand, Kelsey was rambling about something while Stacks watched her with adoring eyes. Craig felt his heart seize for a moment. The last time he had talked to Kelsey, like really talked to her, was back in middle school, and when they bumped into each other at the concert, she was so quick to find a reason to leave.

“Hey, Kels!” JP called out. Kelsey and Stacks both looked over. Stacks smiled and waved, but for a brief moment, Kelsey looked scared, which terrified Craig more than anything. (Because if he got back in touch with JP and Omar without her, it would never feel right. There would always be something missing.)

“Hi JP! Fancy seeing you here.” Stacks said as she led Kelsey over to the two of them. “You bought one of their shirts?”

“Duh! I had to, especially since ol’ Craiggy boy did the art.” JP boasted, gesturing at Craig who giggled at the old nickname and praise.

Kelsey looked at Craig with wide eyes. “You designed those?”

“Uh, y-yeah.”

“Dude! Those look so good! I didn’t know that you could draw that good! I mean, I knew that you could draw well but, like,” Kelsey started rambling, scrambling for the right words.

“What she means is,” Stacks placed her spare hand on Kelsey’s shoulder. “The shirts look really good, Craig!”

“Thanks.” Craig and Kelsey smiled at each other for a moment before looking away again.

“You want to sit with us?” Craig finally asked, bridging the gap.

“Yeah, sure. Let’s get our food first though.” Kelsey and Stacks walked over to the register.

“Dude, what was that?” Omar said, handing JP his drink. “Did you and Kelsey have a fight or something?”

“No. At least I don’t think so, it just…” Craig sighed. “We kept drifting apart once we stopped hanging out at the Creek as much, once I started high school. We never saw each other in the halls anymore, and I started working on art more seriously and got together with Vanessa, and Kelsey got into wrestling properly and started working on her book with Stacks and… I don’t know. It’s weird.”

“Well,” Omar said, after a long sip of his drink. “I think you guys will be fine.”

“Really?”

“Sometimes you don’t talk to someone for a while, life happens,” Omar shrugged. “But when you are as close as the four of us are, you can always slip right back into a conversation like no time has passed.”

“You really think so?”

“I know so. I mean, just look at us.” Omar smiled.

“Yeah, man!” JP added.

“Thanks, guys.” Craig felt a bit better, like there was hope for the old "Stump Kids" after all.

“Order forty-three!” An employee called from the counter, and Omar ran to go grab it.

“Just talk to her, Craig,” JP said. “Hey, maybe we could even go on a triple date some time!”

“You sure about that?”

“Yeah, I’ll call Maney and ask if she’d be down for that, I know Omar would.”

“I’ll think about it,” Craig said. "And ask Vanessa." Omar came back with the trays of food and led the three of them to a corner booth. Soon, Kelsey and Stacks joined them with their own food.

"So, how's the book going?" JP asked before shoving some fries in his mouth.

"Relly good, actually! We're super close to finishing." Stacks said.

"And then it's getting sent off to the publishers!" Kelsey said with a cheshire grin.

"Man, that's sick! Will ya let me read it once it's done?" Omar said.

"You can buy a copy like everyone else, unless we get a punlishing deal within half a year." Stacks said, smiling slyly.

"Well then, get ready to let us read that book for free because I have no dobut you'll get that deal in no time!" JP cheered.

"Oh to have no knowledge of the publishing world." Kelsey sighed, causing Stacks to giggle.

The conversation fell into a lull, leaving the group to pick at their food. Craig glanced up at Kelsey sitting across from him, and steeled his resolve.

"I'm sorry, Kelsey."

"Huh?" Kelsey looked up at Craig, fry halfway on the way to her mouth.

"I should have... I don't know. I should have tried harder to reach out to you and stay in touch, or--"

"Craig," Kelsey cut him off. "I'm sorry too. I-- when you got to high school I was scared that you were going to stop wanting to be friends so I didn't ask you to hang out as much and--"

"No, I'm--"

"Okay, that's enough." JP cutoff Craig and put an end to the apology loop. "You two both difted apart, but neither of you are completely at fault. Yeah you two might have been able to do something differently, but what's done is done. And now we're here, eating burgers and hanging out, even after all that." JP slung his arm around Omar. "We're stuck together guys, and I don't see that changing anytime soon. Besides, you promised I could officiate your wedding, Craig, and I still plan on getting that certification."

"Heh, yeah." Craig looked back around Kelsey. "I really missed you."

"I missed you too." Kelsey slipped out of her side of the booth and onto Craig's side, wrapping him into a hug. "Don't let me be dumb like that again."

"You weren't dumb, Kelsey." Craig hugged her back and rested his chin on her head. "We both messed up, I'm so sorry."

"Stop saying your sorry." Kelsey laughed into the hug before pulling back and wiping at her eyes. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too."

[ yeah thats it lmao sorry. Check out my other cotc stuff on Ao3, I’m sparklepool101, and orange poncho has consumed my mind now :) ]