#i have a LOT but this is the main bulk

[favoredvassal]

random Randolph headcanons

Randolph von Bergliez was born Randolph Lautrec, in 1160, in the Fort Merceus. His father was a blacksmith and worked for Caspar's grandfather, who then becomes his step-father when his father dies of a wasting illness when he was just a boy.

Despite not being his son by blood, (or maybe because of it), the then Count Bergliez treated him very well. He didn't go through the infamous Bergliez training though: Count Bergliez's health was declining and he wanted to enjoy the time he had left. His only taste of real battle before he joins the Imperial Army was the military tactics books his step-father would make him read.

He grew up admiring the man, but also realized with time that his mother and Count Bergliez probably started their affair before his father died and it left a bitter taste in his mouth about loyalty. Even moreso as he realized Flèche was fathered by his step-father.

Initially, he was very excited about having an older brother in Leopold. But the man couldn't trust Randolph's mother any less and refused to even acknowledge him or Flèche after his father died. It wasn't really personal, but if Flèche's true parentage came to light, she could petition for the Count Bergliez title if something happened to him.

He has few memories of being allowed to play with Caspar and his brother as kids, one that ended with Randolph punching Caspar's older brother in the mouth after he called Flèche a bastard baby. Once informed, Leopold didn't get angry with him, but said that perhaps there was more Bergliez in him than he first thought. They weren't allowed to play together again and left Fort Merceus soon after.

He used to play cards and lost a good amount of money to it, which led to people thinking he was unreliable. It was well-deserved, he'd also ruined the engagement his step-father had arranged for him before passing, because he refused to marry for anything but love because of aforementioned issues with loyalty.

He was supposed to join the Officers' Academy but his step-father's death stopped that from happening because most of house Bergliez shunned them, and blocked the large inheritance his mother was expecting.

He joined the Imperial Army at seventeen and quickly rose through the ranks. He and Ladislava became quick friends at that time and she was the one to recommend him to Edelgard when she became head of her personal guards.

Dorothea and Randolph are good friends. They met during the early days of the war and immediately hit off due to their similar goals. She often chides him for not taking the easy way and marrying rich like she plans on doing-- he's handsome enough to pull if off, but he reminds her that she's fighting this war just like he is. She'll perform her most popular songs for his men, which really boosts their morale. She calls him 'Randy', which he absolutely loathes but only tolerates from her. Flèche thinks she's the coolest woman EVER.

[hybbat]

I think a factor a lot of farming/crafting sims completely forget to include is the aspect of, not just being self-sustaining, but being part of a community and providing for that community. They sometimes put in side quests and stuff where you hand out resources to folks, but, like, a lot of the time you don't need to actually farm much because you aren't even selling your products, or they don't sell for much.

The simple solution, and easiest way to add depth to the farming (because another common problem is the farming lacks depth and can be fully automated without really interacting much with it like it's a chore to eventually overcome rather than the main gameplay loop) is having a rating system. 1-5 stars, higher yields, special yields, one or all of these depending on how well you care for your animals or fertilize your crops. While it can be tedious due to the game's unecessarily slow scaling, I think tale of two towns did this the best by including all of these for the animals and different actions for attaining each. It should feel like more than just a daily button click.

A good farming sim should have you spending lots of time actually working your farm, not because of the scale of the farm, but because of the depth of the care you can put into it. And the time off the farm should be spent interacting with the community in a more in-depth and cyclical way that makes your character feel a part of it. That's the key to those cozy vibes.

[imaginaryberries]

Because of chatting with my cousin last night my mind is running away with itself imagining us meeting up again and our very close in age kids growing up together as cousins and how cute it would be and us all having like board game nights and family holidays and maybe we just buy a huge house and all move in together and-

[fore-seer]

it occurs to me ive never finished a real playthrough of awakening that wasn’t like. for the support log or constructing a main file where i cap everyone’s stats and break the game. i’ll admit all the grinding was kinda fun for me but i’m very excited to experience this game without doing all that

[dadjoke-ness]

How on earth to get the motivation to draw what I want to draw.

I have two projects that I'm working on (yeah I know what an idiot putting more on their own plate) and each has a good plan, great concept!! I just need to actually do the legwork.

First is going to be a book / story / journal type thing for Professor Pine of the [REDACTED] region, who is a space-time researcher. Right now she's in an alternate version of Platinum, where I randomized pokemon and types and abilities, it's more on the space-rift than the time-rift like PLA.

Second is a videogame webcomic about four furry lesbian friends who have entered a magical video game landscape, where it has a nice split off for single player, but they can merge the timelines and hang out/quest together whenever they want, so long as the quests they do together don't conflict. (I.E Stormcloak Argonian and High Elf [deer] Imperial can work together on the Dawnguard quests, but they can't do any stormcloak/imperial questlines while working together, due to being on opposing sides.) It's more of a slice of life type comic with a background story, but I gotta draw in order to publish. (And since it's furry based, I wanna sketch out a lineup of the skyrim races as different furry races for myself, then do intros to each one, spread out naturally (like when you ask a Khajit about Khajits). Primarily Skyrim but they can also take "breaks" into other games.

Essentially the four are an Argonian (newt), a Khajit (calico), an Orc (boar I'm thinking), and a high elf (deer, she's trans and she also uses a wheelchair and it can fly because magic is real in skyrim and also other video games) - they're all lesbians, they all fall for different ladies in various games. Boar is poly and has a whole harem of other wives, including Deer (who has one more wife - I'm THINKING Shahvee, because reasons). Each one visits different places that match their personalities, that way if I wanna draw a stardew mini-comic with my cat furry, I darn well CAN. I also want to play with color theory and brushes to give each player's setting a different feel, and when they're together the styles combine.

The Pokedex one will obviously come out first when I do get past this art block, but I want do BOTH and hand says no! Hand wants REST! Hand not like having to work job then come home and work projects!!!

[femslashspuffy]

Thank god ofmd is good after gomens I was so fucking scared

[swampdrive]

Specific gripe but hwrow capitalism really crushes art

[florida3exclamationpoints]

Stressed stressed stressed

[autumnrory]

i’ve gone through my old lego sets and noted everything that was missing and there are basically 3 big sets and then each one has some little ones that are connected but are their own separate thing but there’s still stuff in the container, some of which i know is not lego, but others that do not go with any of these and i have no idea where they do go to. i absolutely could’ve gotten rid of another set when we had garage sales but i’m gonna scour the other belville things online and see if i can figure anything out

[lovecolibri]

I'll just say this: Tim only acknowledges writing LS for the past 3.5 years.

To be fair, he ISN'T actively writing for OG right now while he IS very involved in LS. However, since he's still technically the "main" showrunner he's not off the hook since he would likely still have to sign off on whatever kr's plans are because it's still "his" show.

[sundrop-writes]

if Mike fell asleep with you...

Word Count: 750

Horror Characters Masterlist

Warnings: this is mostly pure fluff - Mike and the reader are in an established relationship, the reader's gender is not described in any way (the main pronouns used are you/yours), Mike calls the reader angel, the reader takes on a caregiver role for Abby, mostly just short and fluffy. This is set before the main events of the movie, when Mike is working as a security guard at the mall.

A/N: So, I've seen so many people in the tags going 'just let him sleep!!! that man is so exhausted!!' and saying that he's too tired to fuck in the way that people are writing fanfics about him. And as much as I love super horny fics, I do thought this up, because I agree - the man should be allowed to sleep. This is largely inspired by that scene in Grey's Anatomy where Meredith walked in and Owen was asleep on Cristina's chest while she was reading a book (I think it was when she was reading through Mer's mom's diaries?) - anyway. I love that scene so much because it shows how easily he sleeps around her because he's so comfortable around her. And that's why it deeply inspired this. Let him sleep.

...

Mike was exhausted when he came in the door. 

He heaved out a sigh as he closed the door behind him, toeing off his shoes - pure, stiff tiredness radiating through his whole body in the worst way. 

You knew that sound anywhere. 

“Long day?” You inquired gently from your position on the couch, lightly craning your neck to look at him. 

He shuffled further into the house in an almost zombie-like fashion, only giving you a solitary grunt in response. 

You felt kind of bad that he had been stuck at work late when you had been lucky enough to have a morning shift and been treated to a relaxing evening with Abby. She was a relatively easy kid to take care of, and generally fun to be around. 

And after you had put her to bed, you laid out on the couch, relaxing and reading a novel that your friend had recommended. Generally, you were having a nice evening. And it seemed that Mike was not. 

As you kept an eye on Mike, you folded over the page of your book to mark it and put it on the coffee table for later. 

“Dinner’s on the counter.” You told him. “I made lasagna. I can heat it up for you if you want.” 

You hated that before he started dating you, all he knew was freezer burnt crap - but you were slowly showing him how to cook, and a world of vegetables that didn't come in a can. 

Mike took off his jacket and the heavy belt he had to wear for work (his large walkie talkie and his taser were in his locker at work, as mandated, but the thing was still damn uncomfortable) and he hung them both up. 

He didn’t respond to your queries about dinner as he walked around the couch. Instead of speaking, seeing you laying there so relaxed - the sight was all too inviting, and he eased himself to lay on top of you in a form of very natural intimacy before he grunted a few words into your neck. 

“Did Abby eat?” He asked softly as he laid on top of you. 

It was oddly comforting to have the bulk of his weight on top of you, especially as he melted against you, letting out a small moan as the tension melted out of his bones. He adjusted himself to get more comfortable and his face rested against the softness of your chest - you glanced down to see that his eyes were drifting closed. 

“She ate two platefuls, and had some peas.” You assured him. “Did her homework, had a bath, and she practiced her spelling words before she went to bed.” 

Mike grunted again - a more positive pitch to this one. He couldn't ask for anyone better than you. Sometimes he worried about her - all the time. But when Abby was with you, that worry lessened a lot. 

“You’re an angel.” He hummed against your chest. “I don’t-” He let out a gentle yawn. “I don’t know how I got so lucky with you.” 

“You look hot in a uniform and my job at the bookstore gets boring.” You replied, half-joking about the circumstances of how your relationship with Mike had formed. 

You reached out to him and began running your fingers through his hair, soothing him even further into the realm of sleep with the comforting touch. 

He let out another tired moan in reply - something that almost stretched into a rolling sound with the gentle pleasure of your hand in his hair. With the way his body was so slack against yours, his breathing even and quiet, you knew this was only leading one place. 

“You wanna go get ready for bed?” You asked gently. 

“In a minute.” He answered softly, barely parting his lips to get the words out. 

You glanced over to the table and reached out, picking your book back up as his breathing deepened and his body went even more slack. You were preparing to get comfortable for the next few hours. You weren’t all that tired yourself, and you still had a few chapters left to go. When you got to the next chapter, he began to snore lightly and you felt drool dripping down your neck - which didn’t bother you all that much. You found it cute, in fact. 

You were comforted by the fact that he relaxed enough around you to get such a good sleep. You knew that he needed it. 

...

A/N: also, this is my first time posting a fic completely from mobile by copy/pasting something from google docs on my phone. So hopefully the formatting isn't too messed up and hopefully this goes well! And I hope you guys enjoy this short fluffy fic 💖

[eddiespornstache]

The entire point of 7x04 TO ME

is that Buck has no context for the feelings he’s experiencing. He knows he’s feeling jealous but he INCORRECTLY assumes the jealousy is targeted towards Tommy over Eddie because that’s what makes sense to him. He’s “allowed” to be jealous over Eddie in his own mind because that fits in with their best friend dynamic. It doesn’t cross his mind that he could be jealous over Tommy because he’s not operating from a framework where that’s a conclusion he could draw since he’s never verbalized to himself that it’s possible for him to have a crush on a dude

That’s why Buck’s conscious actions like buying the basketball and getting Eddie’s attention when he’s on the phone are about Eddie. Because Buck doesn’t know what’s going on in his brain yet and he thinks it’s about Eddie. It’s his subconscious actions like shoving Eddie (since he clearly didn’t intentionally mean to do that) that point to the fact that Eddie isn’t actually the one Buck is jealous over, he’s the one he’s jealous of.

It’s not until the scene in the loft where Buck is feeling sufficiently embarrassed by his behavior, and Tommy’s right there getting closer and closer, and the flirtation between them is getting more and more apparent, that he finally realizes that it was, in fact, always about Tommy. Part of the reason getting his attention was so exhausting was because Buck spent the bulk of the episode barking up the wrong tree because he didn’t know what he was doing!

Yes, it is stuctured a bit as a bait and switch for the audience because we spend the whole time following Buck’s pov, and he’s an unreliable narrator right up until Tommy kisses him. And I feel like I see a lot of people stuck on the bait part because it reinforces their preconceived notions when the episode itself and the way Bucktommy plays out for the rest of s7 very clearly emphasize that it was a misdirect, both for him the character and us the audience.

And this is not coming from a place of anti Buddie at all! If Buck wasn’t aware of his crush on Tommy he’s certainly not aware of any deep seated feelings towards Eddie at this point. Buddie absolutely could develop in the future. But in 7x04 the emphasis on Buck and Eddie’s relationship, even with all the jealous feelings, is very clearly laid out within the platonic bounds that, as far as Buck is currently concerned, it exists in. He was always jealous over Eddie as a friend, and he was always crushing on Tommy. That’s the takeaway that the episode wants the viewer have. Anything else, to me, is shipping goggles. If the show’s narrative ever gets to a point where it intentionally wants the viewer to understand that Buck has romantic feelings for Eddie, it will be explicit about it, it won’t make it a secret message that undercuts the main storyline of an episode.

But right now the canon pairing is Bucktommy. Right now Buck is explicitly romantically and physically very into Tommy. It’s okay to hope that changes later, but insisting on a reading of the show where that isn’t the case is intentionally not watching what the show is trying to tell you, which is odd to me because wanting to watch the show should be why we’re all here imo

[flawseer]

hmmm. what are your thoughts on dragon size. tribe-wise, as compared to each other, and your headcanons on the main characters of each arc?

Before I move on to finalizing yesterday's and today's Smaugust submissions, lets change pace and grab a question to answer. I need a change of scenery for a bit.

Let's talk about dragon sizes and body shapes/types.

General tribe overview

My general thoughts on the size relations between different tribes would be something like this. This is based on average; you're going to have outliers in either direction based on the individual (i.e. Princess Burn is very large for a Sandwing, while Sunny is very small).

Mudwings are the largest of the Pyrrhian tribes by sheer body mass. They aren't always the tallest because their bodies are kind of squat and compact, but in terms of body weight they reign supreme at the top.

Skywings are the tallest, especially when sitting down, due to their long necks. They aren't particularly massive, in fact a lot of Skywings are very slender with long limbs and necks. But if you sit one down and constructed a cube around them, they would take up a lot of space, moreso than any other tribe.

Seawings come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but they tend to be a bit heavier than you would think. In a way they are like a less extreme expression of Mudwings, not AS massive as them, as well as less compact. Kind of like a middle-ground between Mudwings and Skywings. What makes them a bit heavier is that their skin has a layer of blubber that insulates them from the cold of the ocean depths. The thickness of this layer is different between individuals.

Nightwings and Icewings lie somewhere in the middle of the size chart. In terms of mass they are roughly equal, but Icewings tend to have more elongated bodies and limbs while Nightwings are more broad and a little squat.

Sandwings are springy little bundles of wiry muscle. They like to keep their bodies close to the ground (making them look a little smaller than they actually are) and have powerful limbs for leaping on, around, and over opponents. If they were in D&D, their attacks would have the Finesse tag, allowing them to attack with Dexterity instead of Strength.

And lastly, Rainwings are usually small and light. This allows them to climb trees and sit on the topmost branches without their weight making them snap off. Their wings are also a bit smaller than those of other tribes; they're meant for short bursts of flight to help getting up on trees, while travelling long distances in the jungle is accomplished via use of wings AND tail in tandem. Their slight stature is part of the reason why so many other tribes dismiss them as weak and useless.

The Dragonets of Destiny

Clay is unquestionably the largest of his peers. He is enormous, even among Mudwings. I think he might have been the most massive thing in that cave under the mountain (weight-wise), and in a way Kestrel was lucky he was such a gentle spirit, because if Clay had decided to sit on her, there would have been very little she could have done. It's a bit silly they threatened Tsunami with hanging Clay from a stalactite, because the visual of Kestrel and Webs trying to carry him up there would have been comical.

Tsunami is, perhaps equally as unmistakably, the second largest after Clay. She clearly takes after her mother in terms of size and thus towers over a lot of other Seawings. While not as tall as Clay, her body is a bit longer and she has a very powerful tail. Most of her bulk is muscle, compared to Clay's roughly equal mixture of muscle and fat. I think she might actually be physically stronger than Clay, but is less durable than him.

Starflight might either be the third-largest, or fourth after Glory, depending on whether you measure by tallness or body mass. He might be the very definition of big-boned, appearing kind of plump but not actually being that fat. He didn't get a lot of exercise outside of Kestrel's mandatory drills, and he's not really in a rush to change that after escaping, so overall, he is quite out of shape.

Glory is what you could consider tall for a Rainwing, but she started out rather noticably underweight. This is because sunlight is a vital component to a Rainwing's metabolism, so her body couldn't get the amount of energy it needed while she was forced to live underground. This gradually got better as she went outside and got more sun time. She is still kind of thin now, but in a much healthier way.

And then Sunny is the smallest. She is just kind of petite, nobody knows why and it's not a health issue, it's just how she is wired. Maybe Stonemover's dad was really short and it skipped a generation.

The Jade Winglet + Peril

Carnelian is large and tough, being proud of her physique and aiming to be a career soldier, thus keeping herself in shape. Within the Skywing military I imagine there are two pervasive ideas of what "being in shape" means. Some train their entire body evenly, to fight strongly in the air, but also to remain formidable if they end up grounded (via wing injury, or having to defend a ground position). Others believe this is planning for failure and thus mainly train their wings while keeping the rest of their bodies light and easy to maneuver during flight. Carnelian is in the former camp.

Peril is very tall, lanky, and lean, with barely any defined muscle or body fat. This is because her fire scales affliction causes her body to consume vast amounts of calories to sustain itself, and thus she has trouble to build up any significant muscle mass or fat reserves. She would have to ingest two-to-three times the amount of food a regular dragon does to offset this, which she usually doesn't.

Winter is very toned and muscular compared to his peers (sans Carnelian), as is befitting for a royal Icewing. His tribe proudly identifies as a caste of elite warriors, so the idea of being physically frail is considered shameful and dishonorable. As a result most royals will exercise rigorously in their spare time to keep themselves in peak physical condition. Most Icewings pull this off while still looking refined and elegant. Winter looks a little broad and awkward compared to, say, his sister.

Moonwatcher is about average in terms of size. She has a bit of a curve to her due to growing up in an environment with abundant food, but underneath conceals a surprising amount of strength and stamina, owed to having to survive in the jungle on her own from a young age. She looks out of shape at a glance, but is anything but.

Umber's body type is a little atypical for a Mudwing. While still a bit broad, his frame is more wiry and light compared to his kin. He is also kind of short. His siblings can pick him up and carry him around easily.

Qibli is a bit taller than Umber and Moonwatcher, but much thinner and a bit scrawny. His frame is mostly wiry muscle with little body fat. He consciously keeps himself in shape to not be a burden to his queen, but not with the same intensity as Winter or Carnelian. He also doesn't eat enough to pack on a large amount of muscle. This suits him fine though, he is satisfied with where his body is.

Turtle was not graced with the same genes as Tsunami; he takes more after his father who was a bit on the average-to-small side. He also hates physically exerting himself and has a magical trinket that lets him double his food rations, so he is somewhat on the chubby side. Not quite obese, but noticeably plump.

Kinkajou is the smallest of her winglet, but manages to be barely taller than Turtle when she arches her back and stands on her toes (and Turtle intentionally hunches because he sees what she's doing and wants to please her). She is very slender and slight but has a surprising amount of stamina just because she is so full of energy and always runs around everywhere.

Whew... This took a lot longer than I anticipated, so I think I'm going to have to cut it here. Forgive me. I hope this is still entertaining and/or informative.

They are roughly in order from biggest to smallest, but it's very difficult to say in some cases. Like, comparing someone who is technically taller by height to someone who is shorter but has twice the body mass, where does one draw the line? I'm sure I've managed to find a middle ground here that pleases neither side.

If I wasn't so artistically drained and exhausted right now, I would draw a size chart or something.

[raayllum]

EZRAN: Prince Karim, all Queen Janai wants is peace. There's no need to attack. Take your army, the people who follow you, and build your own future somewhere away from here.

KARIM: But I agree with you. There is no need for violence today if my terms are met. EZRAN: Your terms? Prince Karim, I may be a child, but I know how to count. Janai's five armies are more than your one. The Queen expects to defeat you decisively. KARIM: And I expect my sister to surrender unconditionally and acknowledge me as the High King of the Sunfire Empire. EZRAN: I don't think— KARIM: And all humans will leave our lands immediately, and return to the other side of the border. Where you belong. EZRAN: You can't force the humans to leave. People have made friendships, built families. Your own sister is marrying a human! KARIM: I know this must seem harsh to you, but... history cannot be forged without fire. Without strength.

EZRAN: I am a king. And as a king, I choose love over strength. Sometimes it's hard, but when I struggle, I think about the people I love and how they are counting on me to do the right thing. Not the harsh thing, not the strong thing. The right thing.

KARIM: But she will always be my sister. EZRAN: Then you can still choose love. It's not too late. KARIM: The great Archdragon of the Sun was faced with a choice long ago. He chose fire. I honour Sol Regem now, as my sister should have done when she had the chance. [...] EZRAN: You want Janai to attack! And when she does... you'll call down Sol Regem and—they won't stand a chance! KARIM: Ah. Humans might be more clever than I thought. I don't need five armies when I have one archdragon.

A few notes, as always:

Karim, when nudged by Miyana, acknowledged in 6x02 that what they were doing, they were doing "for us" and "for [their people]" and I think in a lot of ways, like Viren, that's what it initially started out as. However, here we see most clearly that this is about Karim's ego (shocking, I know) and pride. He wants to be king of this land, he wants to crush and restore 'natural order' to Xadia by expelling humans again. Just having this own followers and his own piece of land elsewhere isn't enough, even though it would be if his people's happiness was all he cared about.

Ezran offers a variety of options and perspectives to Karim to appeal to him — you could leave peacefully with your people, you can make active choices, don't you love your sister? — the latter of which being the only one to really get under his skin. I also like seeing Ezran advocate on behalf of his citizens (and possibly others) who have been integrated into Sunfire society and daily life. Karim wants to return Xadia to being wholly divided, but Ezran — like Janai, and Amaya, and the bulk of the main cast — want reintegration, for humans to live on both sides of the border again (and elves beyond just Rayla I'm sure).

We also see consistent motifs such as the 'paths' element that arc 2 has largely fostered, Karim's focus on history and fire, consistent themes like the emphasis on choices, as well as anyone — but especially Ezran — harkening back directly to Harrow's letter from 2x06, which is the first time in seasons we've heard the same sentiments so directly expressed. (Crying over "No, it's too late for that" in 1x02 vs "Then you can still choose love, it's not too late").

I also really enjoy the way this scene tests Ezran. As he said in 4x03, "We all want love and we all want peace" and here, he's presented directly with the opposite: Queen Janai wants peace, but Karim wants violence, he wants to be attacked so that he can have the upper hand, and that's when Ez and Corvus know they need to get out of here.

I also can't help but think about how relevant Ezran's speech here is going to be when he encounters Runaan in S7. We saw in the TDP short story "Deep Below" that he will likely want to do the "harsh thing, the strong thing," rather than the right thing. It makes me wonder if we'll see more of an Ezran&Rayla focus as a way to guide him through. After all, Runaan murdered his father, but Runaan is also Rayla's father—and doesn't Ezran love his sister?

[makochi-furin]

KAJI REN, NAKAHARA CHUUYA, AND SUO HAYATO RELATIONSHIP HCs

A/N: these are what my hcs look like

WARNING(s): n/a

KAJI REN

—So, every relationship starts with actually getting into said relationship. As Kaji goes to an all boys school and doesn't seem particularly sociable, I feel like you two probably met at a concert, or maybe a party (it's said he likes crowded places), or even through a friend. If you work at some sort of shop or restaurant, then maybe there

—At first, he probably intimidated you a little bit. He seems kind of rude with the headphones blaring loud enough for those around him to hear, and he speaks rather harshly, but let's just say you saw/heard about how he protected the townsfolk, so you knew he was good people

—In fact, maybe you gave him a few extra candies/dessert for free (if you work at a shop/restaurant), and that's how you landed on each other's radars. You were taken by 1) how cute he is, and 2) you admired that he, along with the rest of Bofurin, cared so much about your city and spent so much time cleaning it up and keeping it safe

—I feel like the main thing this guy admires in others is honesty, strength of character, and optimism. With honesty, it's because he's not the "beat around the bush" kind of person. He likes to be straightforward, and likes other straightforward people, because he always knows where he stands with them. With strength of character, it's because he really values always striving to be your best for both yourself and the people around you. Optimism is pretty simple—he's a pessimistic guy who sees a lot of unpleasant things, and it's nice for him to spend his time around someone who views the world through brighter eyes. Not necessarily naïveté, but optimism

—Kaji is probably really cute in the beginning of a relationship, or the crush era. It's not really obvious to you, per se, because he's quiet and isn't really the blushy sort most of the time. It's more like he just always makes an effort to see you. He'll text you seldom, because I imagine he's a SUPER dry texter, but he'll come visit you when he gets done with his rounds, or just whenever he can. If he visits you at work, he's the kind of person who will help you despite not getting paid for it (will clean up other people's messes so you don't have to), and will just kind of hang around at the register/wherever you are

—Please work up the courage to ask him to go do something with you, because it's gonna take him a WHILE. He doesn't even really talk, just stands there and hangs. He'll take his headphones off, though, and listen to you go on about your day

—I feel like a first date with Kaji would be pretty simple, but nice. He's not rolling in money, you know, and in this economy, you're probably not, either. Preferably, you two would go somewhere that prompts speaking, so not a movie theatre, because you don't want to go a whole date without saying anything to each other (and he probably would, lmao). Go to a park, or to lunch one weekend, and accept that you'll spend most of the date talking about yourself. He will chip in, but he honestly just prefers to listen to you. Don't take it as he's ignoring you/uninterested, he just honest to god isn't used to talking much anymore

—In the bulk of a relationship, Kaji is a very good boyfriend, but all your friends and your parents probably think he's rude. He can't help it, okay? He's just a rough speaker when he does talk. Please, try to teach him manners before taking him home. Your parents HATE this mf, yall💀💀

—People have probably convinced you that he just ignores you all the time, but put it to the test. I dare you. Go on and on about your day, and then ask him to recall everything you just said. He will. With the straightest face, he will tell you all of it back, even if you tell him to stop, you get the point, and that you're sorry for doubting him. He will be petty about it. Of course, he listens to you! He's salty you think he just stands there and watches grass grow, or something

—He gives the best gifts. Because he spends so much of his time listening to you, he knows exactly what you want. Kaji is very observational, and he has a great memory, so you better expect that if you mention something you want, you're getting it. As soon as he has the money, at least

—He brings you things that reminded him of you throughout the day, especially wildflowers. Most of the time, he just sort of hands the things to you with a, "It reminded me of you." Sometimes, if he's feeling playful, though, he'll give you a rock and just be like, "It looks like you."

—🧍

—You're like, "Thanks for thinking of me, but what???"

—He's so unserious, but no one would ever know because he looks so serious. Kaji has jokes, okay, and they're MEAN. His sense of humor is very sarcastic, but he sounds so for real. Please, do not ever ask him if you look good in something. This mf will look at you with the straightest face like 🗿

—He's the jealous type, okay? He isn't proud of it, but he is. Here he is, taking his headphones off and all for you, and you have the audacity to be paying more attention to other people? Nope. Kaji will be petty about it. I know it's just hc, but I see him as a petty mf, y'all

—You get pretty much whatever you want. Like, he'll roll his eyes and call you needy/dramatic, but you'll still get whatever it is. Literally is so whipped, even if it isn't obvious to everyone else. Kaji tries to be his best for you, just as he tries to be his best for Furin, and he takes that very seriously. He knows you could go find a guy that wasn't a delinquent, had more money, had better manners, and was talkative, so he really tries to show you how much he values you

—Is the kind of bf where, if you ask him to tie your shoe on the street, he says something like, "You have two hands," but he says it as he's crouching down, so... Not sure what your point it, Kaji, honestly

—Overall, I think he's the kind of bf who genuinely knows you better than you know yourself, and it shows. He knows your little habits, knows what you always forget (so he, of course, grabs it for you before you leave your house), knows what your worst subject is (and tries to help), and can speak to you through his eyes. ALWAYS knows what you're thinking

—Btw, you two definitely talk hella shit all the time. He's such a gossip in secret, I'm telling you. He'll pretend not to be interested in your friend group drama, but he is so invested. Don't let the stoic expression fool you

NAKAHARA CHUUYA

—Imma be so real, I have no clue how you met this mf. Maybe you work at a liquor store, or a high end wine place? Or, maybe you waitress at a super fancy restaurant he conducts business in. I genuinely don't know, but these are my guesses

—My interpretation of Chuuya is... different from most of the fandom’s. I think he's generally a very chill, easy-going guy, and it's just that Dazai brings out the worst in him💀 Like, Chuuya is always so cool and collected, and then does the most when Dazai is around. Keep that in mind as you read these, lol

—So, I think if Chuuya thought you were pretty and nice, enough to develop a crush, he'd probably frequent the place you work more often (and for brevity's sake, I'll just say you work at a fancy restaurant). He'll take more clients there, but don't get it twisted that having a pretty face is all you need for him to have a crush. You probably need to be kind, honestly, and maybe even sweet. I really see him with someone who is gentle, but has plenty of agency and isn't afraid to stand up for themselves, so if he sees these traits, he'll probably have an eye for you

—He tips really well, but you'll notice he tips you better than your coworkers. Also, he talks to you, whereas he keeps his conversations with your coworkers to only polite, "Thank you"s and "Please"s. If he's waiting for whoever he's meeting for dinner with to show up, he might say hey to you, ask about your day so far, etc...

—All you know about him right now is that he's pretty, kind to you, and rich, so if you don't leave your number on one of his receipts, what are you even doing?? But, if you don't, he'll probably write his on whatever the Japanese equivalent of a hundred dollar bill is and leave it on the table before he goes

—He texts you first, but after that the ball is in your court. He really doesn't want to come off as creepy/annoying, and he also doesn't have much free time being a mafia executive (not that you know that yet, lmao). Keep the conversations going, please; it will so pay off for you

—After you've been talking for a while, you notice you mostly talk about yourself. He's very vague about his life, especially his career, and it's a little bit sus, but he sends you "good morning :)" and "goodnight :)" texts, so honestly suck it up

—When he finally asks you on a date, it's going to be at the grandest restaurant Japan has to offer. I'm being so serious. A private room, live music, a menu without the prices on it. You probably get shit scared, knowing you can't pay for it, so you're like, "I think I'll just have water."

"Why?" He's blinking at you like a cat. "This place has the best filets you'll ever taste."

"It's too expensive for me."

—When I say he gives you 👁️👄👁️ this look, I mean it. Then, he hits you with:

"I thought it was obvious that I'm paying, doll."

—Try very hard not to pass out on the spot while heaving a dreamy sigh

—Everything goes well. You talk mostly about yourself, and he listens with a little smile, obviously engrossed in whatever story you're telling. Still, he doesn't talk much about himself

—Chuuya can't exactly just spit out that he's an executive in the Port Mafia, and he knows that, but he also hates the feeling of lying to you. The minute he feels like things are getting serious between the two of you, he brings you to his Pent House, sits you down with a glass of red, and spills it

—If you take it well, wonderful! Relationship continues. If not, he'll be down about it, and he'll apologize for wasting your time. He understands most people aren't willing to be with notorious criminals, and he doesn't blame you for it. Chuuya will call a car to come pick you up, and probably never come to your work place again

—In a relationship, I think Chuuya is a very chill boyfriend. He doesn't have much time, but it's definitely quality over quantity with him. When he can spend time with you, he usually has everything all planned out: your favorite spot, your favorite music, your favorite activity. He'll take you on shopping sprees (all on him, of course. Homie knows he's way richer than you could ever hope to be, lucky for you). He buys you gifts, obviously

—You mention you like that car? It’s in your driveway the next morning. Oh, that dress is pretty. He's already taking out his black card and handing it to you. If you don't like gift giving, please don't ever make an Amazon wish list. He will buy everything off it. He just loves to make you happy

—He's a very affectionate bf, and PDA comes naturally to him. He's not full on making out with you on the street, but he has an arm around you, or a hand pressed to the curve of your back to lead you. When you're sitting down together, you're touching knees, thighs, or shoulders. He doesn't see the issue with it. Chuuya loves you and you love him, so why not love on each other in public? He doesn't get the stigma around it, and frankly doesn't care

—He is SO good with your family. Your mother loves him. Your father loves him. Your great aunt loves him. If you have little siblings, he's amazing with them. Big siblings? Guess who's gonna make sure they get promoted in their careers. Christmas is your whole family's favorite holiday now, because this man is such a giver. He's also incredibly polite and well-mannered, not to mention charismatic. Everyone just loves him, hands down

(Just don't let it slip he's a gangster, lmao)

—Overall, Chuuya is a boyfriend who makes it clear just how much he values you and you being a part of his life. I spoke a lot about money, and I'm not trying to say he throws dollars at all his issues, but as a child, Chuuya was with the Sheep and was very poor. Now that he has money, I hc that he loves to share it with those he cares about

—Just please treat this man well. He's been through too much, smh. Give him your all, and he'll give it back tenfold

SUO HAYATO

—Suo is an odd one, for sure

—I feel like we really don't know much about him, so I'm going by what his personality is in the show/the portions of the manga I've read

—You probably met Suo the same way you met Kaji, but I feel like Suo isn't really the relationship type. He probably doesn't think about it much, and he probably doesn't really ever think about people's appearances, either. I think you're better off being friends with him first, or having some sort of meet cute

—I imagine a person with any general personality (loud, or quiet; outgoing, or shy) could catch Suo's eye, as long as they work hard towards their goals (doesn't matter what the goal is), act kindly to those around them, and I can kind of see him with someone more innocent

—I feel like Suo is definitely self-aware enough to realize he has a crush, or has caught feelings, and is perceptive enough to realize that you have, too. He probably goes about it in a very mature manner, where he asks you to hang out, maybe go for a walk, and mentions that he really enjoys spending time with you. If you agree, wonderful. He can tell just by looking into your eyes how you feel about what he's saying. If he can see you feel the same, he'll probably just come out with it and confess by asking you out:

"Would you like to go on a date with me?"

—He's probably very low key about the date. I doubt he takes you anywhere crowded. Maybe, instead of a rigidly planned out date, you two simply spend the day together. He follows you around to do whatever you want

—Suo moves slowly, I feel like. He wants to be sure of both his feelings and your's before it gets too serious. He knows you both are young and your emotions change like a switch being flipped, but if they don't, great! He's your bf now. Good luck ever getting rid of this stubborn mf

—He's a very private person, so he's not into PDA. Most people, probably even your friends, don't realize that you're dating unless you tell them

—Suo is oddly proud of you?? If that makes sense. Not in a condescending way, but he genuinely is so happy for you every time you accomplish something. He's goal-oriented and a hard worker, and he notices how hard you work towards your goals, too, even if you think he doesn't. These may be some of the only times he's cool with PDA, because how can he not hug you/kiss you after you just did that?

—The living embodiment of "That's my girl" is this guy

—He's so thoughtful. Acts of service are big for him. Because he's so perceptive, he can see when you're overwhelmed/tired/whatever it may be, and he can also tell what you need to get done/dislike doing the most, and he'll just do it for you without mentioning it. For example, say one of your at home chores are dishes, but you hate doing the dishes. If Suo is over and noticed the plates piling up in the sink, he'll excuse himself from your room for a minute, do them, and return like nothing happened. He carries around an extra jacket with him during the colder months if you're forgetful, or think you can deal with it (we all know you’re cold, don't lie)

—He's another one who is pretty busy, but he always checks up on you during the day. He has your schedule memorized, so you probably get a "How's it going?" text after school and after work

—He can read your mood so well. He knows when you need him to back off because you need alone time, and knows when you need him close. Suo also knows just how to make you feel better. If you're an anxious person, he can tell when you're starting to get overwhelmed. Even if y'all are with friends and you'd think it would be embarrassing, he makes the best excuses as to why you need to step out/leave without offending anyone, or hurting their feelings

—All three of these men are protective of you, but where as Kaji and Chuuya are very much "I'll break your fucking jaw," Suo is willing to let you handle it right up until he knows you can't. When you can't, then he'll step in. He recognizes your agency and that you can handle yourself, and that you probably take pride in handling yourself

—He's such a jokester. He's so unserious. He does it with that little smile, though, so it's just kind of hard to tell. Do not EVER prank him. Suo will see it coming from a mile away, and he'll turn it on you SO fast. Just, don't even try... This mf will embarrass you SO bad

—Overall, Suo is a very calm, thoughtful presence in your life. He's always willing to help you think of ways to fix your problems, or just to listen to you vent (if that's what you want). He knows and respects your boundaries, and he's incredibly perceptive

—I forgot to add it up there, but obviously your parents/siblings love him. He doesn't come off as rough as Kaji, and he's incredibly polite to them. Suo can play your mom and dad like a violin, which comes in especially handy when he convinces them to let you do something they normally would yell at you for even suggesting

—Silver tongued bastard. I love him, y'all. I can't—💀💀

[thechekhov]

Hi! I'm working as a teacher for the first time this fall, and I'd like to ask you: in your experience, how do you go about working as a teacher and also finding time for your wips like the SU comic? And do you have any tips for someone who has zero experience working with kids (13-15 y/o)? Thanks in advance, and have a nice day!!

I think everyone's experience with this will be different - based on where you're teaching, what subject you're teaching, whether you'll actually be the main-teacher immediately or if you're simply observing class at first/assisting and how much guidance you'll get from actual experience teachers, etc..... but my biggest advice may be a bit counterintuitive:

Don't try to find time. Just wait for time to find you.

I think people often assume they have more time than they actually do. Teaching is pretty time-consuming, but it's also INCREDIBLY energy-consuming. It's difficult not only because of the hours, but also because it physically and mentally drains you more than, say, an office job would. You have to be On all the time as a teacher - you have to be watching the students, paying attention to what they're saying, paying attention to what YOU'RE saying, paying attention to the schedule, paying attention to the lesson, etc. It's a lot of brainwork!

Regardless of your level of experience, you're going to be coming home WAY too tired to do anything but lay down. That's going to be the bulk of your evenings.

Contrary to what it seems like, when I first started teaching, I also did that for the first 4-7 months. I didn't draw - I didn't have the energy or time to. I came home, I collapsed, I got up to make dinner, and then I spaced out. Sometimes I got dragged out by friends for social activities. I drew only on the weekends, IF I felt like it.

Eventually, though, I trampled down my schedule into something workable. I started drawing regularly because my body and brain got used to the daily strain and became stronger. (That's something that's less known about brains, I think... you have to train yourself to be able to handle that sort of mental stress over time. It's like endurance training.)

Also. And I need to make this clear:

At the time when I was drawing THE MOST and posting REALLY OFTEN (daily for @ask-whitepearl-and-steven) I was already living with my partner. About 3 years in, we were in the same apartment together and he helped out a TON with laundry and cooking. That made a huge difference. I had support on basic tasks which would have eaten into my time even more.

What I'm saying is - having time for hobbies is great. But you need to make sure you're not cutting off pieces of yourself, or your sanity, in order to make that happen. Try to be kind and give yourself time to adjust.

As for the advice about kids/teens:

They're people with complicated lives outside of you/the school. If they don't immediately respond to you, don't take it personally.

They're people who haven't yet learned total emotional regulation - try to be kind about how grumpy/angry/moody/anxious they often are. Try to react like you would to an adult.

They're only people. Be kind to them.

They're full on people. Don't let them get away with being cruel to you or others. They CAN understand at that age that they hurt others. If they make a rude joke, don't laugh awkwardly - a good stare can go a long way.

Good luck!