#i noticeably started to put less effort in each drawing

[palskippah]

Mareach making flower crowns based over that official image sjdksjd it was going to be a redraw but then I said ok but what if they were making them for their babies :'v

[botboots]

Saw that your requests were open so what about TFP cons with an adorkable teen human reader? A really close friend (the emotional support bundle of joy™) that is really artistic, kind, understanding and just a pure cinnamon roll, what would be the bots reaction to the lil' human? Optimus, Ratchet,Bulkhead, Arcee, BB, and if you do the kids then the kids. If not the other bots, stay safe!

im back!! so sorry for the long ass wait, had so much going on in my life recently (graduating, going back home, etc.) but hopefully i'll be back to posting somewhat regularly! tysm for the continuous support :] love seeing the notifs pop up every day this is one of the first asks in my inbox (and i completely forgot that the prompt said reader was part of the cons... whoops) and i've wanted to get it done for a while now! have so many more to get through but will get them done eventually - this isn't the best but its cute <3 and you can 100% tell who my favs are lmao warnings: none word count: 939 (GN reader)

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Optimus:

he finds your outlook on things is a nice change of pace compared to the more pessimistic views that some members of the team can have at times

values your compassion greatly, often turning to you as a confidant over the time you’ve gotten to know each other. a mission went wrong and he’s putting all the blame on himself? you’re there to reassure him in a heartbeat, reminding him that he did his best and there’s always another chance; you keep him grounded

has an innate interest in art and writing - he used to be an archivist, after all

so he enjoys watching you indulge in your hobby, your excitement about it reminds him of his younger years of being a clerk at iacon when he would become giddy over a newfound archaic text

he’s very fond of you and makes sure you know it, taking note of the small things you like and getting you whatever little gift he can manage to find - genuinely thinks you’re cute and likes seeing you happy :] 

Ratchet:

while it may have taken him a little longer than the others to warm up to you fully, he grew to start looking forward to your company (despite his his best efforts to hide it)

he appreciates your quiet company; you’re much less rambunctious than both the other humans and his own team - you complain a lot less too, probably one of his favorite qualities about you

like optimus, your bubbly attitude gives him a much needed break from the dreary duties that come with being the autobot medic

you often find yourselves working in tandem, with you sitting on the couch working on your newest project while he stands at his terminal typing away. occasionally you’ll walk over with a nervous smile, and with a roll of his optics he’ll lower a servo for you to climb into and lift you up onto the corner of the console, huffing when you chirp a thank you before the both of you quietly return to your tasks (he enjoys it, really)

while he’s not one to vent his frustrations to you, he’ll always be open to listen to you vent about yours. even if he doesn’t respond with much, he’ll offer logical solutions and observations for whatever issue you’re having

Bulkhead:

the big guy loves art, having been exposed to his fair share of it by miko, and is very encouraging when it comes to your projects

he might not get some of the nuances or meanings of the things you make, but he tries - oftentimes making you laugh a bit at the sheer amount he misses. it’s endearing though, and you appreciate the effort

too fidgety to sit and watch you do anything for too long, but he’ll offer to drive you to a vista for some inspiration while he does his usual scouting routes, miko tagging along of course. she’ll probably bring her sketchbook with her and sit next to you and draw, chattering the entire time while blasting some music from her ipod, offering you one of her earbuds

Arcee:

similar to ratchet she takes a while to get used to you, a little cold at first to your attempts at friendliness

she notices how happy you seem to make everyone else and eventually makes a legitimate pass at being friendly despite how awkward it feels

but with how eagerly you accept it she doesn’t feel as bad, sighing in relief as you immediately start filling her in on how much you’ve enjoyed your time with the autobots

she’s not much of a conversationalist (especially when it comes to humans) so your chattiness is almost a relief - not having to keep up fake interest and energy with someone puts her in a more comfortable position; especially since you’re not one to comment on it like others tend to

will sit and watch you work on whatever your newest project is, a comfortable silence shared between the two of you

rambles about random stuff from her past sometimes - you turn out to be one of the few people she trusts enough to mindlessly dump her thoughts to, both good and bad

Bumblebee:

one of the first to get to know you, overly excited about having a fresh face around

super curious when he sees you working on something, a barrage of questions translated from mechanical chirps and whirrs with the help (and annoyance) of ratchet

he’ll actually try and mimic some of your art on the walls of hidden ditches where he and rafael hang out, excitedly bringing you along to show off his latest work and buzzing happily when you praise it

will eventually, with your encouragement, try and make something original - he ends up finding it pretty soothing and an easier way to feel understood; communicating his feelings without words can be unsurprisingly helpful for someone who can’t use any of his own

you’ll spend hours hanging out and working on your stuff - he likes when you help him with his own art, adding your own brushstrokes to the concrete wall

he’ll let you sit up on his shoulder just to watch him make whatever he feels like making, or even just taking you on joyrides in the desert where he doesnt need to worry about anything going wrong

while it’s usually you, him and raf hanging out he does enjoy spending solo time with you - usually in silence or one-sided conversations, but you understand each other well enough without words

will also figure out what your favorite songs are and surprise you with them; he loves when you get all giddy about literally anything

[dotster001]

I came running once I saw requests were open. Can I please get househusband Riddle, Leona, Cater, Deuce, and Kalim? Ty! Love your work.

3k follower Masterlist

Part One part three

Obviously, there's no world where this man starts out as a househusband. He's a highly paid Doctor to start out. Then you two adopt a baby. After his own childhood, he wants to give a child a chance that he didn't have. While You're both working, you still have more time to spend with the baby. When Riddle finds out he misses the baby's first words, he puts in his two weeks immediately.

He's still strict, but it's in a much more manageable way. He is a good tutor though, so all the neighborhood kids come to him for homework advice. Eventually, at the behest of some very stressed neighborhood moms, he starts a homeschool group.

The house is always spick and span, everything is in place. The home, and everything in it is white or red, looking very professional.

Every meal includes the proper portions of each food group. But there's also a rather sumptuous strawberry dessert at the end of every meal. He asked Trey to teach him as many recipes as he can. But that means…some of them look really good, but every once in a while, one looks like a gooey mess. It still tastes good, but he feels self conscious about it.

Like Idia, he's only technically a househusband. He's an influencer, and he works from home. But according to his sisters, that's not a job, so call him what you will 😡

As much as he insists he's not a househusband, he sure acts like it. He says it's for his magicam, but you've caught him dutifully icing a cake with no camera present.

Like Riddle, he's super color coordinated, there's just much more variety of colors. And every room is designed in a way that can be "cammable" at a moment's notice.

He drives to your work everyday with a bagged lunch, and makes you eat with him. He never skips a day, even if he's sick. And he always adds a cutie element, like cutting your sandwich into shapes, or drawing a picture on the bag.

He's a trophy househusband. Not doing anything. He hires a maid and a butler using his leftover allowance from his time living with his brother.

He's never worked a day in his life, and doesn't intend to start now.if you confront him about his laziness and spending habits, he'll say something like, "Baby, my job is to be here and look pretty when you get home. If you no longer want to be cuddled, then I can start doing housework." Obviously, that's not what you want.

Tbh you have no idea what he even does all day. You leave and come back hours later to him in the same spot and same position.

He's average.but like, in a good way.

He puts 110% effort into everything. He likes to cook, but he has a 75% success rate. He's decent at cleaning, but he breaks stuff from time to time. Sometimes it's been three days and he remembers he's supposed to walk your overweight dog everyday.

But he's so happy to do what he does. And it's human to make mistakes. Plus, Everytime you forgive him for one, he goes husband mode, and makes out with you hard. (It used to be delinquent mode, but then he realized he could use it to his advantage)

He's still a rascal, still picks fights with some of the neighbors over how he can keep the grass as tall as he wants, still gets into trouble when Ace comes over to visit. But he's less likely to beat someone up so bad that you need to bail him out again

*Sighs* a part of you knows that this might be a game to him. But you can't really blame him.

He has enough money that neither of you would have to work in your life. But for whatever reason, you feel the need to. Perhaps it's you also playing the game.

See, someday he has to take over his father's business. So you think that's why he wants to play house right now. Because he knows one day he won't get the chance.

Jamil lives in the guestroom, and does his best not to ruin the immersion. You can usually tell who cooked dinner that day (no offense Kalim) But other than that, Kalim gets left to his own devices.

He's the kind that will wake you up at three in the morning to tell you he reorganized the kitchen. When you go to look the next morning, half of it's a disaster, the other half just doesn't make sense. But he's so proud, and waiting for you to tell him he did a good job, so he'll keep doing it.

He's also the kind that you come home, and he has a whole litter of puppies, with a pout on his face as he begs if you can keep them 🥺

[luveline]

Hi! I remember a while ago you said zombie!au Steve might have a hobby of drawing? Would love to see some of that maybe w r as his muse:D

steve zombie!au fem. 1k

You return to the camp with your new best friend at your side. In matching coats, no less. 

"Christ," Steve says, shaking his head in disgust. 

He loves —loves— that you have a friend, someone who might care about you just as much as he does. You deserve to be loved, and cherished, and known for your worth. You're a human vestibule of sweetness and God knows it wasn't going to be long before someone else noticed. 

But matching coats? "Alright, where's mine?" he asks. 

"Didn't have your size, handsome," Eddie says, giving you a quick and purely amicable hug. "See you later." 

He scampers off to who knows where and you sit down. You don't hide your happy smile, and Steve's glad for it even if it does make him jealous.  "He's so nice," you say. 

"No, he's not." 

"He is. He's almost as nice as you. And he helped me find you something." 

"After he outfitted my girlfriend in a couple's costume. I'm surprised he had the energy." 

"You're so jealous," you say, your happy smile growing in size with the seconds. 

"I'm actually making myself feel sick." 

"I can wear a different coat if it–" 

"Shut up! As long as you like me better, wear what you want." He shakes off his petty jealousy and takes your hand. For once, he's sitting on a towel rather than just grass or dirt, but his efforts to avoid extensive grass stainage mean nothing when your muddy shoe brushes his leg. "Nice. Thanks." 

"Sorry, sorry," you murmur, swinging your backpack off of your shoulder and sighing as you bend into yourself. "Jeez, my back hurts." You breathe out, a low moan of sound that drags. He can feel your pain. (He can't, but he figures that he loves you so much you're now connected spiritually to one another.) "How come I keep going on these expeditions and you keep staying home?" 

"I'm good with the kids." 

"Mm. Maybe you'll come on the next one anyways? I miss you when I'm gone." 

"I miss you too," he says. "More, I'd say." 

You giggle. "Whatever, you always have to be better than me. Shut up! Shut up, I'm trying to give you the things I found for you." 

Steve draws a zipper closed over his lips and flicks away the key. You get into these moods with each other sometimes, perhaps from having spent as much time together as you have, where a faked aggression rises between you. It's almost like you would've spoken at the start of the end of the world, when it was him and you alone, and Steve wasn't in the best of moods. The play fighting soon dies down as you open your bag; receiving gifts is always a pleasure. 

"First, underwear." 

"Thank you," he says, accepting the eight pack of boxers you offer like a man who's crawled the Sahara being given a glass of water. "So much." 

"You're welcome. Socks, a shirt, a new belt, a brace for your knee." You dump it on the towel next to him one by one. Your bag must've been heavy carrying all this, and it keeps going. You've brought him soap, hair elastics, razor blades, chapstick. The community you belong to is heavy on sharing, but you're free to bring home whatever you like so long as you're willing to carry it unaided once you've contributed to the food drive. You've clearly crammed your bag full of stuff for him, unveiling only underwear and socks for yourself. 

"You couldn't find any toothpaste?" he asks. 

You toss a pack of cigarettes at him without force. "Sadly, no. But I think Robin can get us some with those, right?" 

"I wanna smoke these so bad." 

You laugh and shake your head, fondly disapproving. "You don't! We can just kiss more, alleviate your cravings." 

"Weirdo." 

You lean forward, putting your cold hand on his cheek to leverage him closer. "You knew this when you met me," you say, kissing his cheek.

Steve's good on the cravings front after that. He swears that when things are at their worst a kiss from you could keep him going. Your lips can ease the ache of an empty stomach and the shattering heat of his ever-sprained knee.

You pull away gently like you're worried you'll hurt him in your detangling. Honestly, you might. Steve imagines you leaving sometimes like his arm being torn off. 

You reach back into the back for a parcel wrapped in a shirt for protection. The pencils and sketchbook you got Steve are long gone, lost with the rest of your possessions in the middle of a college campus on the Michigan border. Finding things like that is hard, and it hasn't been on Steve's mind. 

Apparently, it's been on yours.

"These are nice ones, right? The pencils?" you ask, having unwrapped your parcel, a soft backed sketchbook and a small metal case of pencils in hand. "There's only twelve, but I even found a sharpener so you won't have to do it with your knife. Sorry there's no black, I know you like the darker details."

Steve flicks through the sketchbook without thinking, every page blank. It isn't very big either, but it's perfect for purpose. 

He sets it aside with the pencils near all your new things and gets on his knees, tugging you in for a hug. "Thank you," he says, and he's said thank you a hundred times to you, but this one feels awkward, clumsy in his mouth. 

"You're welcome. Just promise you'll draw me again." 

"You're the only thing I want to draw." He kisses your cheek in emphasis. "You're the most beautiful thing everywhere we go." 

"That's such a line," you say, sounding melted. 

Easy, he thinks, turning your face to his for a kiss. Soft, as sweet as he can manage. With you, kisses start soft and end too rough, he can't help it. He remembers you're there and his to kiss and it drives him crazy. 

It's a little easier to stop today. Steve is genuinely eager to draw again, and in a week or two there won't be a page in his book without your likeness, his muse. 

[polarisblitzwing]

WELCOME TO THE FRI3NDSFOR3VER AU

Ford's World - Dimension Fri3nds46/’

◇ Alternative Earth Variant ◇

● Humans have wings and feathered tails

● Alternative Pines family decisions timeline

◇ Stanford Pines ◇

● Ford is a minor god of dreams and a self-proclaimed god of anomalies

● 30 years old here (Young Immortal)

● Met Bill when he was 5 due to him attempting an interdimensional dreamwalk link, with Bill trying the same thing by chance, something that wouldn't work at their age without each other

◇ Gods Among Them ◇

● Most gods were mortals whose power was drawn to them like a magnet due to their personality in some way

● Fairly secretive and prefer to hide their works

● Rely on their believers to notice their efforts, resulting in an increase in power

● Can reveal themselves to the public, but building up power from faith alone is more sustainable for less powerful gods

● Stop aging between 25 and 100 (depending on what age someone wants to live forever)

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

Bill's World - For3verEuclydia

◇ Alternative Euclydia Variant ◇

● 360 years is the average lifespan of a Euclydian in this au

● No massacre

◇ Bill Cipher ◇

● Bill is a minor god of dreams and a self-proclaimed god of weirdness

● 30 years old here (Young Immortal)

● Met Ford and Stan when he was 5

◇ Gods Among Them ◇

● Only gods have wings and tails as a power symbol

● Their wings and tails are invisible to anyone that doesn't believe in them specifically

● “Omnipotent” Euclydian gods only know everything about their own world. Bill's knowledge of the third dimension is seen as false teachings to even them.

◇ Bill’s Family ◇

● Scalene is a goddess of Truth and Euclid is a god of Reality

● No one believes Bill is a god except his parents, as godhood is a power grant at birth to someone who the power is drawn to here. It can skip generations.

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

NOW, ON TO THE ACTUAL DIALOGUE FOR THIS DRAWING! FANFIC TIME ~

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

Bill: So here's my problem - I need to show them the stars. It gets real flat to hear “you're delusional, Bill” and “stop talking about a third dimension!” “Shh, you're gonna get arrested!” “It's not real!” Over and over again. It's time to change up the law and their perspectives.

Ford: Hmm.. that'll be quite the endeavor. You might need more power for that.

Bill: Ohh-ho-oh, definitely. Some of my ideas get real difficult along the way. The kind of stuff only a god with twice my power could pull off. 

[ Pulls up a holographic board with his first idea. ] 

Bill: If I could turn their eyes towards the stars and give them the same vision as I do, that'd be ideal. 

[ Ford manifests a danger sign over Bill's board; a buzzer sounds in warning. ]

Ford: Doing that to the entirety of Euclydia could potentially be devastating. Even if you get that newfound power, without centuries of diligent practice, you could end up permanently mutilating thousands of people in the process. Too risky. 

Bill: Uuugh… even if the people I wanted to show the most were immortal too, I don't think I could put up with more of their talk for that long. It has to be this century.

Ford: I get where you're coming from. I’ll do my best to make sure it happens when we figure out a plan that won’t have too many risks involved.

Bill: I could probably have the world dream of stars if you help, but that isn’t real enough to me. It drives me crazy that I can’t see you in real life. 

Ford: We’ll meet one day, I promise it. 

Bill: I sure hope so, Sixer. 

[ Pulls up two more holographic charts. ] 

Now.. back to my list of extremely great ideas.. what if I put really tiny stars in the world and contained the heat? Or flipped the world on the y-axis just to prove a third dimension exists first?

[ Ford manifests two more warnings in succession. ]

Ford: Could easily start a fire if anything went wrong, and for all we know, flipping the world vertically could cause everything to fall bottom to top infinitely until it’s fixed. Also runs the risk of killing a lot of Euclydians. Not to mention there could be other forces in your space that could affect the world.

Bill: Yeesh. Alright then, you got any ideas?

Ford: Actually, come to think of it.. 

[ Ford summons a hologram with a vision of his own forming. ]

Maybe instead of dreams, we tried something just a step up from multi-dimensional dream-walking, something like astral projection. We bring them out of their bodies, but tethered to their world, into space. Without the limitations of their physical forms, their eyes should be able to see more than what they could before.

Bill: SIXER, YOU'RE A GENIUS!!!

Ford: Hah, well, I try.  

Bill: NOW THAT'S SOMETHING I COULD ACTUALLY PULL OFF RISK FREE! It might take splitting up the days people get to see it, but, they’ll finally see.

Ford: Well, hold on, splitting up the days could be risky for the groups who see versus who don’t on the first day, so, here's what I'll do. I'll give you my powers for as long as you need them for this. I would like to help personally, but I’d need to physically be there. This will be my contribution to your paradigm shift for Euclydia.

Bill: ..you really trust me that much? 

Ford: (smiles and nods) Of course. You're my best friend, my muse, the sun in my galaxy, Bill. I want you to be happy.

[ Ford offers his hand and godly powers out to his partner. ]

Bill: (chuckles, smiling) You’re the best, Fordsy.

[ They shake on it. ]

[seoulmatez]

୨♡୧ UNDER THE FESTIVAL LIGHTS — bakugo katsuki x f!reader. 1.6 wc. sfw. fluff. royalty au. knight!bakugo and princess!reader. inspired by the floating lights scene in tangled.

the air beyond the castle walls feels lighter, less stifling, as you inhale it through your nose. it isn't often that you find yourself in town and away from the restrictions put on you by your parents—and alone, at that. maybe the fact that you were given strict instructions to not leave the castle today is what makes it so liberating.

pulling the hood of your cloak over your face, you start down the main road. the path is bustling with people—small children chasing after one another, young girls twirling to show off their festival attire, and more vendors lined up than you can count. you imagine that every other stand is selling lanterns in addition to their regular inventory.

your eyes wander between each of them in search of a booth that has one in your favorite color but before you can get a good look at any, something is blocking your way. something tall, metal, and pointed at the tip—it's a spear. you sigh at the sight. without even looking at the hand attached to the body that wields it, you're positive you know who it is.

"i have to give it to you," a deep, familiar voice starts. the spear is lifted from the ground and replaced by a person, that being the knight assigned to you—katsuki. "you made it pretty far this time, princess."

"why are you here?" you ask, exasperation lacing your voice as your eyes shift to see if the man's presence is earning you any stares. the entire point of your cloak was to remain hidden, to not look like the princess of the kingdom. having a highly regarded knight speak to you so casually seems like it would be enough to blow your cover.

"i should be the one asking you that," he retorts. his carnelian eyes bore down into you with a hard stare. you stopped finding it intimidating a long time ago. "i thought your parents made it clear that you weren't to attend."

you cross your arms and groan. of course you were aware of your parents' wishes, they had spent nearly the whole day reminding you that you did not have their permission to leave the castle to go to the annual festival of lights. you met their demands with grumbled words of understanding that you had no intention of sticking to.

sneaking out had been risky but you were sure that by the time you made it past the gates, you would have enough time to see the lanterns before someone was sent to retrieve you. it seemed as though your absence was noticed far sooner than you anticipated, if bakugo's presence was any evidence.

"come on, then. i'm taking you back." katsuki's fingers close around your arm as he begins, presumably, to where he left his horse.

"wait!" you plead with him in a hushed tone, careful to not draw any unwanted attention. begging isn't very becoming of you, but since you put in so much effort to get here, and because it's him, you meet bakugo's eye with a stare that you're sure is brimming with desperation. "please let me stay a while. you of all people know that it's been my dream to be a part of this."

for a split second, katsuki's resolve wavers. for a moment, he doesn't see the princess; he sees the girl he grew up with, the one who he considered a friend before royalty. he quickly clears the thought from his head, remembering that he was sent here with specific commands—ones that didn't involve personal feelings. "i was ordered to find you and take you home."

"can't you just tell a little white lie and say that it took you a while?" bakugo clicks his tongue at your continued attempt to persuade him. you pay his subtle show of annoyance little mind when speaking your next words. "it's almost dark. they'll be letting them go any minute now. i swear we won't be here long."

he's getting ready to repeat himself when he catches sight of the expression painted on your face. it's not the grin you wear when you're poking fun at him or the frown you sport when he does the same. it's one that toes the line between hopeful and dejected. a sparkle of optimism glimmers in your glassy eyes but the smile pulling at your lips looks as though you've already accepted defeat. katsuki kicks himself for being at your mercy. he hopes he won't regret this. "ten minutes. if they don't start in ten minutes, we're leaving."

you gasp and nod your head enthusiastically. "deal!"

the joy that lights up your eyes is brighter than any lantern, katsuki thinks. maybe it's selfish and a little unprofessional, but he's glad he didn't deprive himself of the image before him. it's rare to see you express such delight these days.

"i have to go buy a lantern." you take a step back and gesture to the endless stalls set up alongside the road. "you stay here."

the skin between bakugo's eyebrows creases with a frown. "absolutely not."

"people will recognize me if you're tailing after me," you try to tell him but you know how seriously katsuki takes his duties as your guard. it's a miracle he isn't dragging you back to the castle. you know now that he's found you, he isn't willing to let you out of his sight.

you figure that since he is going against direct orders by allowing you to stay, you can meet him in the middle.

"fine, you can come with me." you point an accusing finger at his armored chest. "just keep your distance and try not to make it obvious, please."

he breathes out a laugh at your demand. "as you wish, your highness."

despite bakugo's interruption, the buzzing atmosphere of the town persists. the crowds are thick and navigating them as you go from booth to booth is a new experience. you're used to people clearing the way for you. as strange as it may sound, bumping shoulders with the masses is oddly exhilarating. it makes you feel as though you aren't some untouchable, fragile being. for the first time in a long time, you don't feel like the princess; you just feel like yourself.

katsuki can see it in the way you easily converse with the vendors and offer kind smiles to the children who accidentally knock into you. the practiced poise you've been carrying yourself with since adolescence is slipping. he's sure it'll be back by the time the two of you return to the castle, so katsuki decides to enjoy the glimpse of this you and your unbridled excitement while he can.

you think there are around five minutes left on your clock by the time you've acquired a lantern and begin to look for a somewhat secluded spot to light it and let it go. a patch of grass near the water catches your eye and you point it out to bakugo before starting toward the site.

your dress bunches as you sit on your calves and you're sure that the damp earth with leave stains on the fabric but it's the least of your concerns. you pat the space next to you in a silent gesture for the knight to sit. he does, although, he sits in the opposite direction with his back to the water so that he's facing the town.

you fumble with the pack of matches you bought in addition to your lantern in an effort to get one of the wooden sticks out quickly. when you're finally able to pluck one out from the rest, you strike it on the side of the box, the red tip turning dark as the flame erupts. as you bring the fire to the wick of the candle housed within the lantern, you ask your companion, "does it look like they're starting?"

bakugo's eyes flit up to the darkened sky in search of any lights. he's about to tell you no when the first one appears, slowly and lazily drifting through the air. another follows and then two before he loses count of the glowing lights. "they are."

you're tempted to turn around so that you can see them while you wave out the flame but before you can, your gaze stops at the water. a reflection of the lanterns in the sky glistens on the soft blue waves. you couldn't fight the smile growing on your lips even if you tried.

over his shoulder, katsuki watches you take in the sight reflected on the water. he notices that you haven't let your lantern go yet.

"aren't you going to let yours go?" he asks.

you look down to your hands as though you had forgotten about it—and with the view ahead of you, part of you had. the lantern is light in the palms, so much so that you have to hold it down to be sure it doesn't sail away before you're ready. you take a moment to give it one last look before you tentatively release your grasp on it.

the wind picks up the lantern and carries it through the brisk evening air. you follow the path it takes as it soars through the sky, joining others like it on their journey to who knows where. the image is one you've only ever seen from the balcony of your bedroom. it's different being so close to the beauty and having contributed to it yourself.

you turn to look at katsuki over your shoulder. his vermilion gaze is already locked on you. another smile, a real, genuine one, stretches across your lips. you hadn't planned on it, but you're glad that you were able to spend this moment with bakugo. "isn't it so pretty?"

katsuki hums in agreement, although, he wonders if you know that he means you.

thanks for reading! consider commenting or reblogging if you enjoyed ❤︎

[therainscene]

I’m obsessed with @wheelersboy’s theory that Mike thinks Will is in love with El. It’s one of those takes that’s so simple, yet so perfectly explains every odd little detail you couldn’t quite account for before, that you know you’re on to a winner.

I always thought it was bizarre that the Willel reunion at NINA was framed in blatant love triangle imagery:

If this was supposed to be yet another reminder that the sad widdle gay boy has fee-fees for his best friend, we’d expect him to be gazing at Mike or otherwise looking conflicted at both of them. But he isn’t. His steady, adoring gaze is for El only. Yes, he loves her, but that love is strictly fraternal, so why the romance symbolism?

Is it straight-bait? This scene comes after his thinly-veiled love confession to Mike (in the same episode, no less), and the Duffers and Noah both made a point of confirming that Will was gay in post-vol.2 interviews, so making the audience think that Will is in love with El clearly wasn’t the intention here.

The Willel romance-coding isn’t for the audience -- it’s for Mike.

We often joke about Mike being crushed that Will didn’t laugh at his vomit green socks, but follow Will’s gaze -- it’s a little hard to see in the still image, but he’s staring at El, checking to see if she’s going to heed his advice. Mike's discomfort isn’t because he’s upset that Will didn’t like his joke, it’s because he doesn’t understand the weird tension between these two and is frustrated that his attempt to lighten the mood didn’t dispel it.

Mike’s smart enough to correctly connect the dots by the time Will starts sobbing in the van though: Will is destroying himself in his efforts to be supportive of the relationship between his best friend and the person he’s in love with.

But heteronormativity and a severe inferiority complex lead him to draw the wrong conclusion -- he thinks he’s the best friend and El is the one Will’s in love with, and that gets confirmed in his mind when he catches them making goo-goo eyes at each other at NINA.

And not once, after figuring it out, does he get jealous about it -- he guides El into Will’s arms at NINA, he looks conflicted as hell during the “I love you” monologue as Will hovers over his shoulder -- he just wants them to be happy and is prepared to put his own feelings aside to make it happen, even though it would hurt him terribly to do so. Exactly the same fucking thing Will is doing. It’s utterly farcical. I love this theory so much.

I’d like to springboard off this by taking a look at what it implies about S5.

Between Will’s history with Vecna and the Wonder Twins foreshadowing--

--it’s looking pretty likely that Will and El are going to be spending a significant amount of time together next season.

So we can already see that conditions are perfect for Mike to go through a similar arc as Will did in S4: being a third wheel between his best friend and the person he’s in love with and feeling like he can never truly be more than a third wheel, leading him to sacrifice himself in an effort to support what he thinks they have together.

Mike is very much at risk of doing something stupidly self-harming in S5 -- this is the same kid who jumped off a cliff to protect Dustin’s baby teeth, after all. He feels like he has no value if he isn’t needed by Superman. And there’s a goddamn mind-reading despair demon stalking his friend group.

Of course, it’ll all work out in the end. He’ll be saved at the last moment, the truth will be tearfully revealed, and we’ll finally get that big, dramatic, affirming kiss for our OTP.

You might have noticed that everything I’ve said in this analysis so far is consistent with either Byler or Milevn being endgame.

Many Milevns and GA members don’t just believe that Milevn will triumph over Byler -- they believe there isn’t any conflict between Milevn and Byler in the first place. The lack of evidence that Mike isn’t into boys is meaningless to the heteronormative mindset -- he’s the protagonist and dating a girl, therefore he’s straight, therefore Will’s hopes are dead in the water, therefore Mike has no romantic dilemma to solve.

By introducing a misunderstanding in which Mike imagines that his best friend is competing for his girlfriend -- couching his dilemma in relatable heterosexual terms -- the audience will be forced to accept that Mike is experiencing a distressing internal conflict involving Will and romance that won’t be resolved until the queer truth comes out.

The GA felt bad for Will in S4 because they assumed there was nothing he could do about it, but they’ll be tearing their hair out with frustration at Mike in S5 -- “you’re wrongly assuming he’s straight, you idiot! Just talk to him and this will all be cleared up!!”

It would be an absolutely genius way of getting the audience to question heteronormativity without them even realizing they’re questioning heteronormativity.

Once Mike’s queerness is revealed, the parallels between his arc and Will’s will suddenly become clear, and the audience will realize that, despite his straight-passing invisibility, Mike was just the other side of the same gay coin Will was on all along.

[Part 2]

[meymmey]

The reverse AU is so cool! I would love to hear more random head cannons about each boy! (I don't know what specifically to ask, I just wanna know more!)

My goodness, thank you!!! You don't know how widely I smiled when I saw your ask😭

A reaaaaally long yap under cut, be aware...

Boo! Did it scare you?

Well anyway lol, let's start! Derek first since he has been on my mind for a while now hehe. (Oh, and sorry for any mistakes here, I have never written anything as long as this.)

Derek is not a great student in this AU, like at all. He is not a complete underachiever only because he has some kind of magical talent lol. He doesn't care about his studies or anything related to that "boring stuff". The only thing Derek likes to do is playing football (or soccer, doesn't matter for him) but he still does NOT put as much effort as the og Derek. He would much rather go on a walk at least or hang out with his friends. Or do anything else that is more fun.

Derek is not really friendly towards new people. For example, he wouldn't go out of his way to be kind to Jeremy, especially after the guy turned out to be... well, Jeremy.

Derek CAN and WILL break a rule or two if he wants to. Not to the extremes, but he is not as proper as the og lol. Drawing something on a still fresh concrete? Sounds like fun! "Breaking in" into his old apartment complex to check out the pool? He is going first!

Baxter time!

The color of his hair here is veeery light grey (as shown in the previous drawing I've made!) The guy still doesn't like it, but for slightly different reasons: 1) it looks like he has grey hair even when he is clearly not in his sixties; 2) (this reason probably got into his head when he was in college) it's as if he is not great (or pure?) enough for a clear white color. However, he refuses to dye his hair since he is just... afraid.

Baxter's meeting with the MC was not as graceful as the og. Firstly, the MC asked him out (however it may be) on a dance. Secondly, Ward is still a great and talented dancer, but due to his much more nervous demeanor and unfamiliarity with dancing with strangers (he also just doesn't like it), the event doesn't go as swiftly.

Baxter doesn't have as great of a memory as the og's. So, to put it simply, it would take a miracle (or a looong long talk from the MC lol) for Baxter to remember that they have already met.

Now Cove!!

The relationship between him and his dad are good in Step 1, but gradually worsen as the time goes by. (Even though Cove's relationships with everyone else are untouched in this AU, I thought it would be unwise of me to not change them between him and his parents since it's a big part of his story.) In Step 1 Cove doesn't entirely understand what divorce between his mom and dad means, so he just... goes with the flow? He doesn't rebel or run away, Cliff doesn't even need to bargain with a child for Cove and the MC to meet lol, the new neighbours just introduce themselves to each other.

In this AU Cove... does not like to eat. He doesn't like food. I mean, he eats, obviously, but, for example, in the wedding dlc Cove is very passionate about everything as he is in canon regarding wedding preparations, maybe in some parts even more, however, taste testing the flavours for the cake he gladly hands to MC. (You can even compare him to Pearl from SU in a way lol)

Cove is not proud of his scar. At all. He always tries to hide his arm behind his back without even realising it sometimes. He is quite glad when it starts to heal and be less noticable. However Cove still feels kinda nostalgic every time he looks at it.

That's all!!! Again, I'm really honored, thank you very much for your time and interest!

[memecucker]

If you wanna surprise people with the answer to a trivia question, ask them to name the first Disney full length movie to use computer generated images?

Because the answer is 1961’s 101 Dalmatians. “They had CGI in 1961?!” you might ask and yes though it wasn’t anything we might call CGI nowadays but they were images which were “generated” by a computer so to speak. And by “generated” I mean they used a Xerox machine.

By 1961 Walt had started to become jaded when it came to animation following Sleeping Beauty being a flop at the box office in addition to costing twice as much as previous animated films from Disney (especially since Sleeping Beauty was something Walt actually put a lot of passion into, similar to Fantasia which and how that also bombed and I don’t care much for Walt as a man but I can get how this would be pretty demoralizing) and shifted his attention to theme parks and his futurist utopianism. So with 101 Dalmatians, Walt was less directly involved than in the previous animated movies and largely was there to approve ideas people had.

One day art director Ken Anderson came to Walt and proposed a cost that they use a new method for animating the film, Xerox machines. The technique is called “xerography” (Xerox is actually both “named after” the word but also invented it) and allowed for greatly reducing costs and time when it came to animation because rather than having people hand draw sketches onto animation cels they would instead xerox those sketches onto the cels. Now at the time this was only viable with black and white images and so the cels would still need to be hand colored but 101 Dalmatians ended up being the ideal movie to use the technique on because of the Dalmatians and particularly how there are certain scenes where you have dozens and dozens and at some points all 101 Dalmatians present at the same time. Imagine the amount of effort that would be used in hand drawing cels where you have all 101 Dalmatians present considering that each Dalmatian is supposed to have their own unique spots and the ample room for animation errors to come up and you can understand the appeal. And while it doesn’t meet modern understanding of “computer generated images” the fact that a machine was copying and producing these images and taking over what was formerly a human task (I mean human animators still needed to color it in but whatever) and Xerox machines at the time were essentially analog computers and you can get it. There’s an interview with Chuck Jones from the 70s where he talked about 101 Dalmatians and used the word “computer animation” to describe it so that was how it was seen at the time and even ten years later

Now like I said Walt had been disillusioned with animation but was aware it was his companies bread and butter so when Anderson came to him with the proposal he replied with “"Ah, yeah, yeah, you can fool around all you want to". But when Walt finally saw early versions of the movie? He fucking hated it and said Disney is never going to use one of those “goddamned” Xerox machines again. It destroyed the enchantment and wonder in Walt’s view. This was a guy that had already sorta given up for the moment on actually putting passion into animated films from his studio and just let the animation department handle it but upon seeing all the end result of xerogrgraphy, he was disgusted! Where was the humanity in this? All he saw was the work of machines and said Anderson would never be an animation director again (Anderson says Walt would eventually apologize shortly before his death).

And I think that’s interesting. Without knowing any better, would any contemporary person watching 101 Dalmatians claim it’s anything other than “hand drawn animation”? Because that’s not what it was considered to be at least circa early 60s Disney animation department. Hell, the technique isn’t even really noticeable unless you’re watching the blu-ray version of the movie which is in a higher resolution than it was ever intended to be watched in (there’s actually a lot of agreement that the film is much visually worse in blu-ray). But for Walt Disney, the futurist who in 1961 had already been stepping away from animation? He only saw the work of machines and something stripped of its humanity. But nowadays? You can have CGI movies in our sense of “cgi” where you aren’t even working off any hand drawn sketch but instead images wholly created by computers being directed by artists and the humanity and passion can be made readily apparent in something even more removed from the days of hand drawn cels than the Xerox machine technique.

Anyway, whenever there’s new technology in the arts it’s normal for people to initially see just the work of machines and artificiality. But once people get used to it and it becomes normal, they stop seeing the machine and start seeing the people behind it. Same as it ever was

[fckinwild-kiwi]

Dec. 16th: Islands in the Stream

Day 16: Cute Aggression/Spontaneous Dancing

It’s time for day 16 of @comp-lady’s Domestic December writing challenge! Day 15 was a free day and I used it to travel for Christmas so there will be no fic on the 15th. :) The next ten days of stories will be shorter than I have been writing…this is because I’ll be with family and I’ll have less time for writing each day. Forgive me! <3

Warnings: Swearing, *Slight* Allusions to Smut (This is an 18+ blog, minors dni)  Word Counts: 0.7k+ Words Pairings: Eddie Munson x Reader

You had seen a TikTok earlier today of something called the “Beckham Test.” In this video, the woman began playing “Islands in the Stream” by Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers. As the song began to play, she began to dance and you quickly realize that if the man randomly began dancing with her, regardless of his moves, he ‘passed’ the test. You thought about how funny it would be to see Eddie’s reaction to hearing this song, a song that is very clearly not in his wheelhouse. So you set out to try the challenge discreetly, even if he didn’t dance, the challenge was so ridiculous anyway that it would give you both something to laugh about later.

With your mom and Macy still at your grandparents' until dinner, you had music playing all day as to not draw suspicion from Eddie. In preparation, you set your phone up on the window sill above the kitchen sink. As the music started playing, you started to hum and sing along as best as you could after only hearing the song a handful of times on TikTok. 

“What are you doing in here, baby?” Eddie questioned as he came into the kitchen causing you to turn and look at him. 

“Doing dishes and listening to some music,” You answered, as you turned back towards the sink to put your dishes down. This is the moment, you thought to yourself as you turned back to face Eddie while swaying your hips a little to the beat.

In the background you hear, Islands in the stream, that is what you are, there’s no in-between... and Eddie, your ever-confident and lovable boyfriend, grabs your hips and begins to sway with you. You giggled, knowing this reaction would be the one you’d receive but as you both began to lightly sing the lyrics to each other, your eyes grew misty. 

“You passed,” You whispered, breaking the moment as Eddie looked down at you with a soft smile. A second later he noticed your eyes full to tears and his happy expression faded into one of confusion. 

“What, sweetheart?” He questioned, his hands coming up to your face, thumbs swiping underneath your eyes to catch the tears that were beginning to bubble over your waterline. 

“I saw something this weekend on TikTok about knowing the person you’re with is your person based on how they participate in this test,” You began mumbling, looking up into Eddie’s eyes. “I expected you to dance with me but it just made my heart all mushy.”

“Aw, did my girl get too overwhelmed with looooove,” He said, extending the word love in a way that he knew would make you smile and (hopefully) giggle.

“Shut up,” You said, pushing at his chest with no effort as a smile lit up your face.

“I’m glad I passed the test I didn’t know I was taking,” Eddie said, releasing you from his grasp and doing a ballerina spin toward the sink where your phone was sitting. “How about we get this party started, huh?”

“What do you mean?” You asked, stepping towards him as he began typing into your phone. 

“I mean,” Eddie started as you heard the opening chords to the Black Sabbath song, ‘Paranoid.’ “We’re gonna dance, baby, but it is gonna be metal when we do it.”

Giggling, you began to headband while jumping up and down as Eddie pretended to shred on the guitar. Together, you started screaming the lyrics, your bodies jumping up and down with limbs flailing in all directions. You were so distracted that you didn’t hear the front door open and an excited Macy ran into the room.

“Metal dance party,” She screamed, causing you and Eddie to both stop your dancing, startled by the intrusion. 

“Macy Macy, you’re back!” Eddie shouted, grabbing the little girl and swinging her around. 

“Did you guys miss me?” She asked in between squeals.

“So much, sweet girl,” You said, ruffling her hair before walking over to your mom to greet her.

“What’s going on in here, my sweeties?” She questioned, as you pulled away from the hug. 

“Your daughter was afraid I wasn’t actually her person, so we had a dance party and then a metal dance party to prove it,” Eddie said shrugging, Macy still giggling.

“He’s ridiculous,” You argued, rolling your eyes with a smile on your face. Your annoyance was not believable in the slightest.

“Well?” Your mom said, nudging your hip with hers as you both watched the other two dance around. “Did he prove himself as your person?”

“He sure did.”

[fizziepopangel]

"I mean it's... it's all my fault. I'd hate me too."

Blitz going to therapy headcanons

Blitz going to therapy would be Loona’s idea. Moxxie would make a joke about his boss needing therapy in passing, but Loona would actually do research and find a decent therapist in hell and put the idea into motion.

Although Blitz doesn’t believe in therapy, he would promise to give it a shot after seeing how much effort Loona put into finding him a therapist and seeing how much it seemed to mean to her.

Since he promised Loona, she would get him to give it 3 months before letting him quit so twice a week for 3 months he would promise to make therapy his bitch. And yes, those would be his exact words.

He would bring his favorite horse stuffie to his first session because it would help him feel a little less anxious.

The first session would solely be Blitz ranting about how he doesn’t need therapy.

Because of his past, he wouldn’t be super comfortable opening up to a man, so he would end up switching therapists multiple times until he found someone he felt comfortable sitting in a room with for an hour and talking about things that made me feel vulnerable.

Once he found someone he felt comfy with, he would get a lot out of the sessions he was in since they would be patient enough to let the man go at his own pace when opening up and they would work with him to find ways to make his sessions work for him.

The next few sessions after finding and getting to know the new therapist would be filled with a lot of tears as they began to work through some of the things he hadn’t realized they would be talking about.

Upon suggestion Blitz would take up journaling several weeks into his sessions, but rather than writing, he would keep an art journal. He would end up taking it everywhere and drawing out his feelings multiple times a day, but he only ever lets his therapist see it.

After a few sessions, to prove he was indeed doing his best to make therapy his bitch, he would try to drop fancy therapy words around the office….. He rarely got the meanings right, but he has the spirit.

Eventually, they would start working through the unresolved feelings around the fire at his family’s circus…. Those would be really hard sessions for him.

Blitz would take his coping strategies so seriously and he would take notes on them and then go back to those notes in real life situations to try to use the skills he learned.

Despite medication being recommended, Blitz would stay on a non-medicated plan. He would try the antidepressants they recommended, but they would make him feel less like himself and he’d quit them pretty quickly and go on the strictly talk-therapy route.

He would leave quite a few sessions with teary eyes after working through things he hadn’t even realized would hit him that hard.

Moxxie wouldn’t believe Blitz would actually stick with therapy long enough for it to be useful, but when everyone began to notice the small changes that the imp made after really getting into it, they’d all be impressed and they’d be a great support system when he needed it.

After sessions that his little family could tell felt more emotionally draining for him, they would each try to do one small thing to brighten his day. Millie would show him videos of humans dying in amusing ways, Moxxie usually sent him horse facts or pictures of cute baby horses, and Loona often tried to spend time with her adoptive father or bought his favorite sweet treats. Blitz didn’t realize they did these things until long after when he was feeling less drained.

After months of going to therapy, Blitz would actually suggest Loona start seeing a therapist too.

Despite Loona not wanting to do therapy herself, she would agree to family therapy, which Blitz would absolutely count as a win.

Family therapy would actually be a huge help within the two’s relationship, though it would still take Loona going to her own individual sessions to fully help with some of the issues.

It would take quite a while, but after a lot of talk therapy, one of the ways others would recognize his growth would be that he would have a new IMP photo for a billboard and he would keep a smaller print of it to hang at home…. And he wouldn’t scribble his face out of it before hanging it.

[prsk-krow]

can i have the nightcord members comforting reader that's known always cheerful but secretive about her emotions and problems? platonic pls :))

{Nightcord comforting cheerful, emotionally secretive reader!} [P]

Ooh, first group ask! Will do my best! Although don't expect much text for each individual member!

Kanade Yoisaki

Kanade's mere voice and presence can be quite calming, so when she puts in her all to make someone at ease and open up, it can go pretty smoothly! Of course, that always depends on the person...

So when she hears your voice through the call being less energetic than usual, she invites you to her home! It's the place she feels most at ease in, and it makes everything easier!

She makes her bed, just for you, and you can hear a relaxing song greet you when you enter her room. She prepares a special playlist, and offers you to stay and chat like this!

She slips into the bed next to you, letting you caress her long hair, so that it may help you relax! She usually doesn't let people touch it, so it was quite a surprise...

When you're fully relaxed and with your guard down, she gently places her hands on your shoulders, staring at you with her soft ones, those that few can match.

"I can tell how much effort you put into cheering us up. You have no idea how thankful I am, to have a voice like yours to praise me, to encourage me and help me do better. So, now I want to do the same for you. You'll let me... Right?"

You have never loved her voice more, now that she's sitting on the bed as you lay in it, singing the song that's currently playing, only to stop and tell you how amazing you are and how much she values you.

It's an unmatched feeling, an unique visit, and you'd both gladly repeat soon.

Mafuyu Asahina

Mafuyu was definitely the one who figured out your true nature the quickest. You were shocked the first time she sent you a DM, showing that she was aware about your feelings!

Before you truly panicked, she told you that she was the same, and that you shouldn't worry about your secret with this group. Just in case, you asked for confirmation with the others, and they seemed to agree!

However, when it comes to helping you with your feelings, that's where she stumbles. It's hard for her to imagine what you'd like in those moments of weakness, and this blank that she draws can be a little frustrating...

Before anything happens, she talks with Miku about what to do in case she needs to help you, and she learns about the desire to want some silence and to have someone trustworthy next to one.

Thanks to this, once she actually sees your facade crumbling in front of anyone, she'll excuse you and take you to a place that no one else will disturb. She'll lower her mask, and tell you to do the same.

"What? Are you surprised I knew what you were thinking? It was nothing. I just saw your face, and knew that you weren't doing well. Now, stop forcing yourself for a while. We're alone, and I'll keep it that way until you regain some strength. You can trust me."

Once you show just how vulnerable you feel, she'll silently listen to everything you say, sitting next to you as she supports your body. Be it you laying your head on her shoulders, or your torso on her chest, she'll become a pillar for you.

And she'll stay that way for as long as it takes. As long as you need her to...

Ena Shinonome

After two that take the more passive approach to comfort, here's one that tackles your problems head on! After all, Ena has never been the type to just stay put when someone she cares about is distressed!

Even though she may not catch onto your fake persona at first, she will keep an eye on your behavior! At first it wasn't because she cared too badly, but that changed as time passed.

Ena knows quite well that there are off days when people just aren't doing so well, not for any specific reason. So in order to help you feel at ease, even before you start acting weak, she would ask about your work and duties!

If she ever notices a change in your speaking pattern or an increase in your responsibilities, she will give you some advice in order to feel better! And if there's no real reason she can identify, then she'll ask for a favor!

Once she does, she invites you to a new pastry shop that just opened, and gives you tips on how to relax on your off time! She even shares a few shops she has taken selfies at, and gives you a list of places to visit!

"What, you think that I would just be flailing around, whining while a friend drowns in sorrows? Of course not! At least, I would never! You've done quite a lot for me, you know? It's only fair to return the favor fair and square!"

Even after the date is over, she will continue to check up on you, and even ask for updates about your hobbies! And if you get a little careless, she will definitely reprimand you and tell you to do better!

It's a little surprising how well she handles the situation, but she does care a lot about you, so it's only natural for her to do the best that she can for your sake!

Mizuki Akiyama

Well, congratulations! Mizuki is honestly one of the best choices you could pick to take care of you when your defenses are down! And it's all thanks to the fact that she understands so thoroughly!

Just like Mafuyu, the seamstress can easily tell that you're hiding what you're feeling, and that if the facade you're wearing starts to wear off, you might be in trouble!

That's why she's the first to consider the possibility of your vulnerable side, the first to prepare for it, and the first to help you get comfortable around the group!

As soon as they hear a slightly different tone coming from you, they make an excuse so that you may excuse yourself, and they chase after you quickly afterwards!

What happens afterwards may go a number of ways. Before the event, Mizuki would explore your favorite hobbies/pastimes, and see if any of them matched theirs! If they did, they would use it to calm you down and help you retreat into a safe space!

"Hm?? Oh, don't worry about them! For now, this is all about you! Hehe, surprised I was so quick to act?? Hm, you don't worry about that either! Now, just rest on the couch while I get things ready! Want some snacks??"

Only once you're finished, they ask you what exactly made you uncomfortable, and what could also do the same in the future. If it was simply an off day, then they will ask you to contact them at any time! If it was something specific, then they'll make sure to keep it in mind for the future!

All in all, they feel that they can relate to your situation, and that's why they're very good at comforting you whenever you may feel weak or tired!

[theliteraryluggage]

I think your ed cosplay pictures are really great!!!

I've been to anime con events before, but i didn't have the confidence to cosplay. But i wanna try it, nothing big at first just with clothes i already have. So uh do you have any advice for a beginner cosplayer?:)

Oh, oh that is so sweet, thank you! I feel flattered that you would approach me about this! I'm not a super experienced cosplayer myself, but I'm gonna do my best to give you some pointers.

Start small--it seems you already got that one lined up! That's exactly how I started too, just using clothes from my closet and maybe a bought item here or there to make the character more recognisable. It's a good strategy because a) you get to try it out and see if you enjoy cosplaying before you put huge amounts of money into it and b) these are your clothes so chances are you already feel comfortable in them and they are familiar, might help you feel more at home.

Now this one is probably a bit dependent on each person's temperament but in the selection of your first cosplays, you can go one of two routes: either you start with a character that is already kind of similar to you/who wears fairly innocuous, everyday clothing. That might help you ease into it, might help make you feel less nervous outside on your way to the con or on public transport, because it'll draw less attention from passersby. It also gives you a slow transition into the habit of cosplaying: you'll see that people's reactions are positive and maybe it's not that scary after all, and then you can gradually go for more elaborate/attention-grabbing cosplays. This is the route I've personally taken bc I also struggled with anxiety and nerves when I first started. The second way is the complete opposite: choose a character that is very different from you/is more attention-grabbing and dive right in--wearing a character and sort of getting into their mindset can really help boost your confidence and create a firm divide between cosplay and non-cosplay that might allow you to leave behind your nerves along with your everyday clothes. That’s something I’m definitely noticing since I started cosplaying Ed—I feel so much more confident as him, I joke around more, even with strangers which I usually would never do. It’s a bit like wearing an armour (ironically), protecting you and letting less anxiety and self-doubt seep through. (This method of course is a bit restricted by point one, but you can still go for a very different style and presence without buying or making a whole elaborate fantastic cosplay)

A more practical thing: I would recommend doing cosplays where you can use your natural hair for the first few times. Wigs can be expensive, they’re a hassle, especially long ones, they take a lot of time and effort to style and maintain, they aren’t super comfortable and when you’re wearing one you’ll be constantly aware of it at first, worried about messing it up (that’s what it was like for me anyway). That’s something I would only tackle once you’ve gathered a bit of experience.

This might be obvious, but it’s one I feel strongly about: Choose a character you love. If you are passionate about the character you’re wearing, if you’re enthusiastic about the source material, that love will show when you’re cosplaying, and people will take notice. Because aren’t we doing this whole thing for the love of the characters in the end? Don't be pressured by fandom trends or what's popular right now. You want to cosplay from an obscure 90's anime that only a few people know anymore? Do it!!! The people who do know it and recognise it will be so excited.

Lastly: Always remember that cosplay is supposed to be fun! I know it’s gotten to be really intense in the last few years, with competitions everywhere and cosplayers outdoing each other with bigger, more expensive, more elaborate, more accurate, more cosplays, but unless you’re aiming to become a big-time cosplay influencer, I wouldn’t worry about that. You don’t need to have a new cosplay for each con. You don’t have to get every detail right. You don’t have to pull all nighters and exhaust yourself to finish a cosplay just because people say con crunch is a part of the “real” cosplayer experience. Just enjoy yourself, and if there’s a part of the cosplay experience you’re not enjoying, drop it. You hate wearing wigs? Then don’t. You can’t wear contacts? Leave them. Just wear your glasses if you need them. Your con experience won’t be fun if you can’t see a thing the entire time. You can’t sew and don’t have the resources to learn? Unless you’re aiming to take part in cosplay contests, bought cosplays aren’t worth any less. (Even then there are starting to be cosplay contests these days that are more about character portrayal where you can enter with bought cosplays as well). There are no hard and fast rules. There’s no wrong way to cosplay. Have fun!

There, I hope this helped you a little bit! These are all just things I can draw from my own experience of course, as someone who’s been around cons and fandom for a long time but only really started cosplaying fairly recently (2019). I’m sure other people would give you other advice, but these are the points I think are helpful.

If there are any specific questions you still have, feel free to ask and I’ll do my best to answer them. I hope your first cosplay experiences will be fantastic! 💕

[black-occamy]

THE MOON

I've been a little sick and didn't write as many microfics as I wanted to, sooo... a bit of cute Remus, y'all! (First part of the "Season of Pumpkin Spice" is here)

There was another reason for you to smile widely when you prepared the shop each morning before it opened for the customers. It was reflected in a small collection of neatly stacked receipts that you kept in an envelope at the side of your breakroom drawer. The receipts themselves were as insignificant as they could be - each one for the exact same cappuccino on rice milk, no extras. But each one had a small, pencil drawing at the back. It was always something simple: sometimes a cup on the table, a car visible from the cafe window, or a book that he was reading, but there was something soft and warm in the graphite lines that made you feel equally soft and warm on the inside.

Read further under cut or on AO3 🖤

First time Remus paid a visit to the Enchanted Cafe there was no receipt yet, however. You spotted him in the queue of regulars that was attended to by Latte when you came back from your break. It was raining and the coffee shop was packed full of people not entirely ready to go and face the weather. Umbrellas in the stands and several coats were drying on the side, adding a unique scent of moisture to the air full of mingling conversations.

You took the queue over from Latte before Remus had approached the counter and you had just enough time to take a good look at him. He was tall, probably a little bit taller than Sirius (well, you DO have a type), with long, slender limbs. His patched-up coat seemed to be a bit too loose for his body. Brown, curly hair was marked with ashen grey on the sides, even though he didn’t seem old at all - maybe late twenties? Early thirties? When you greeted him and he gave you a small, apologetic smile, you noticed his honey-coloured eyes had tiny wrinkles in the corners.

But what had your curiosity piqued was the scar that cut diagonally through his face. It started above his left brow, arched across the nose and right cheek almost to the corner of his thin lips. You allowed yourself only one stare, as discreet as you could in the circumstances.

“Good morning, what can I tempt you with today?”

“I'd like a cappuccino, please,” his voice was rich and soft, somehow bringing about an image of a warm blanket and a fireplace. “Do you have any vegan options?”

“Absolutely!” you mentally listed the content of the fridge. “We have soy, almond and rice at the moment.”

There was a short moment of hesitation from him, and as you looked at his face expectantly, you noticed that the scar was just a central one of three. Much less prominent, two other long gashes were visible in regular proximity from one another. It sort of looked like a huge claw mark.

“Are any of those options paid extra?” He asked finally and you shook your head.

“Absolutely not. Regardless of the milk type, cappuccino will put you at 6.20,” you explained, then added after a sudden afterthought. “There is no price difference between having coffee in or taking it to go, either.”

“Thank you... Pumpkin Spice?”

“That's me.”

“Unusual,” he smiled softly and his eyes gleamed with golden sparks. “I might take the opportunity to enjoy the coffee inside, but not today. A cappuccino with rice milk to go, please.”

You nodded and picked up a paper cup.

“It's not often this packed,” you remarked, seeing how he kept glancing around with that awkward unease some people displayed when in a crowd. “What should I write on your cup?”

Another slight pause, reluctant and a little wary. You knew that kind of silence - an introvert in the wild. You sympathised.

“Enchanted Cafe believes in a personal approach to customers,” you made your best effort to sound light and encouraging, “but I could swear some of the things I write on those cups are most definitely not the real names. There's this one older guy who always asks for his coffee to be signed 'Real Elvis' and, mind, there's not even a trace of resemblance.”

He chuckled softly in response, visibly disarmed.

“My name is Remus, thank you for this... insightful piece of trivia.”

“Humour is completely free of charge, Remus,” you grinned and the coffee machine whirred gleefully. “That will be 6.20.”

He meticulously counted the coins and picked the cup into his hand. You noticed that his wrist also carried thin lines of three diagonal scars, almost completely faded against the skin.

“It was an absolute delight to chat with you, Pumpkin, thank you.”

“Pleasure was all mine. Until next time!”

As it were, the next time happened on one of the following mornings. Remus came into the cafe looking quite exhausted, his face pale with bags under his gentle eyes. You were familiar with the look. After all, it was a coffee shop and people worked all kinds of hours.

“Good morning, Remus. You look like you could use a solid espresso today,” you remarked lightly and smiled at the look on his face.

“Good morning, Pumpkin. I'm surprised you remembered my name.”

“It's a very nice name,” you reached for the paper cup. “Plus, my memory is insanely good when it comes to my customers. Cappuccino with rice milk to go?”

You watched his eyebrows rise in an incredulous expression.

“Insanely good indeed... However, I was actually looking forward to spending some time here, I have about an hour to spare.”

You beamed at him gleefully. “Splendid! Would you like the same coffee or can I tempt you with a seasonal special?”

“Same, please.”

“Cookie? Cupcake? We have vegan options too.”

Remus smiled softly and shook his head.

“Thank you for this consideration, but I will pass.”

“Sure thing! It will be 6.20, please take a seat wherever you like and I'll bring your coffee momentarily,” you smiled widely at him, some part of you sensing that he needed the positive vibes.

Keeping that in mind, you selected a cup with celestial motifs on the side and when you put it on the table next to Remus, you rotated it so that the yellow drawing of the sun was facing him.

“For a good day,” you said and he gave you one more tired smile from above the book he was reading.

Remus left some time later and while you were cleaning the table, you found the receipt tucked under the saucer, with a pencil drawing of the sun and the words 'Here's to hoping'.

He became a regular after that, usually visiting on mornings, reading a different book every week. Most of the time you only exchanged a few sentences and you would leave him in the corner next to bookshelves in peace. On occasion, when the coffee shop was less crowded, you discreetly watched him read from behind the counter. Remus, while reserved and collected when you talked, was what you referred to as 'an emotional reader'. By far, he was not the only one you saw - people would often bring their books or pick up any of those you had on the shelves. But there was something both vulnerable and exhilarating in the way a range of emotions crossed his handsome, scarred face when he read. You watched him smile to the pages, knit his brows, pick on his moustache and drum his fingers on the surface of the table. You imagined the stories he saw in his head and, for some reason, you also envisioned a comfortable sofa next to a fireplace and his long arm wrapped around your shoulder as you were reading the same book together.

The softness and warmth of that imaginary scene lingered with you throughout the summer, as you collected his drawings on the back of each receipt. You never did anything to act upon it. It was a pleasure that you enjoyed silently in your mind, a small cosy thought that made your heart flutter whenever Remus entered the cafe. You tried to reflect that through the selection of cups you picked for him every time - especially on those mornings when he came in looking twice as tired as anyone else. The sun was there often, so was the moon, and your personal favourite - a set of cups adorned with quills and ink pots. Somehow, you made it a sort of a challenge to bring a smile to his face on those days and each time you accomplished one, it was worth more to you than almost anything else in the world.

[ahsokathegray]

I Bleed the Same || Seventeen

Pairing: Rexsoka

Summary: Ahsoka and Rex try and make sense of who and what they are after Order 66 occurs. Figuring out what to do with themselves, they remain together for a period of time before parting in their own directions.

Warnings: slow burn, mentions of Order 66, ptsd, injury, death, and future nsfw situations

Word Count: 4,425

A/N: tame and fluff to build up the next series of events. also updates will start being made on tuesdays now anytime after 5pm CST (there's just lots of ao3 traffic on fridays) so i'll see you all again on 1/31!

read on ao3! / series masterlist

Ahsoka woke on the sofa, eyes slow to open as daylight continued to pour into the Lawquane home. Rex was beside her still, no longer sleeping but engaging in quiet conversation with their hosts. The low rumble of his chest was like a drug as it lulled her back into slumber’s compelling hold. 

The next time she woke, less natural light illuminated the room and a few small lamps had been switched on. The couch was also much warmer now than it had been when she’d first laid down. Ahsoka’s eyes cracked open, no longer was she on her end of the furniture, but leaning on Rex! Her blurry vision told her he was void of the hard plastoid shell of his armor, wearing only a body glove as he and Cut discussed something she couldn’t quite make out. She could’ve sworn she heard her name circulating, but then picked up on some bolo-ball terminology, dismissing her initial thought. 

Ahsoka could smell soap on Rex’s skin, freshly scrubbed and still hot from his apparent shower. She inhaled deeply and her chest fluttered, lungs filled to the brim with his scent. As she felt a smile begin to tug at her lips, her eyes opened fully, remembering there were people in the room and that she was not alone. 

She moved her head from its spot on Rex’s shoulder and the blonde looked down at her, a soft expression on his face that she couldn’t read. Ahsoka smiled sheepishly up at him and pulled away, sitting in a more upright position and rubbing her arms. She flicked apologetic eyes in his direction and he shrugged, tilting his head and resuming the debate with his brother on the most recent bolo-ball tournament. As he spoke, Ahsoka remembered the way his chest vibrated and undulated with each word uttered and breath expelled. She could still feel the ghost of it in her cheek as he conversed with Cut. Ahsoka placed a hand to her face and noticed the warmth on her naturally cool skin. 

Rex’s warmth.

Ahsoka took another breath and allowed herself time to readjust to consciousness. After she’d talked with Suu, exhaustion had finally caught up with her, the same way it did with Rex just earlier. She had joined him on the couch after Suu’s… flawed comments, decisively sitting away from him as her eyelids became heavier. Despite her efforts though, she seemed to have drifted towards him at some point while she slept. 

She waited for a pause in the two brothers’ laughter to interject, “Cut, is it alright if I use your ‘fresher to clean up?”

“Of course,” he replied, giving her a kind smile and continuing to talk with Rex, now drawing references from last year’s Limmie Galactic Cup. 

Suu found Ahsoka’s inquisitive gaze and gestured down the hall as she helped the kids put together a puzzle, “The ‘fresher is down the hall, dear, second door on the left.”

R7 beeped cheerily at her. 

“Thank you,” Ahsoka said, following the woman's direction, finding the right door, and closing it behind her. There was still a thick cloud of water vapor filling the room from Rex’s shower, touching each corner of the small refresher. She grabbed the edges of the sink and rested her weight on her arms. She bowed her head, mind still reeling over the state she’d woken up in — moving into Rex’s personal space in her sleep. Suu’s words invaded her thoughts again. Upon looking up, she found her own reflection through the swipe of a large handprint. Rex had evidently wiped at the condensation that fogged up the glass. No doubt due to the amount of steam from his shower. 

Ahsoka could see the red mark on her cheek from being pressed up against him for the duration of her nap. Embarrassment flooded into her features and she watched as the flush took over her cheeks. She caught herself wondering too vividly about having been against him for so long, how he hadn’t moved her or himself, and observed as she blushed further through Rex’s clearing in the mirror. Her thoughts drifted to how long his fingers would have to be to have splayed that far from his palm. 

She tore her gaze from the mirror, away from where his hand had been, not needing to think anymore about how gentle it would feel cupping her face.

Anxious hands switched on the spray, needing the handprint to disappear. Suu had planted these invasive thoughts inside her head. She would never think of Rex in such a disrespectful way. The woman didn’t appear much older than the age that Cut and Rex were progressed to be, but perhaps Twi’leks lost their senses at a much earlier stage than other species did. She didn’t know for sure, but that had to be the only viable explanation. There was nothing more to see. There were no lines to read between. The only thing visible to the outside eye was the loyalty of her and Rex’s friendship. 

Yes. They had unyielding loyalty to one another. Yes, they would die for each other. That has been proven countless times. Yes, he was the most important person to her in the galaxy. Yes, she loved him… but she loved Anakin and Padmé just the same, even if she wasn’t meant to. There was nothing further than that. 

It was her Master’s interpretation that the Jedi were encouraged to love. 

Ahsoka peeled her clothes from her body and caught sight of the many bruises littering her skin, inflicted onto her from both their struggle for survival against the company and then the crash onto Jabiim. The bruises were the diminishing physical reminder of something that held a most unfortunate permanence. The wound on her abdomen had cleared up almost entirely, now a deep shade of purple. It was starting to scar over, which was ironic, really. The biggest visible scar on her hadn’t even been inflicted during the actual Order 66 directive. 

She shook the painful thoughts aside and stepped under the steady stream of water, setting the temperature as hot as she could stand it. She hadn’t pegged Rex for one to take hot showers, but then again, she’d never been too fond of them either. Although, she did suppose there were exceptions when you were on the run, not knowing when your next shower at all would be.

Grabbing the soap, she began to scrub the grime away from her body. She shouldn’t be thinking about Rex while she was in the shower, nor should she be thinking about him showering. Ahsoka scrubbed harder, wanting to get the feeling of being against him out of her skin. 

She couldn’t help but recall their intimate moments back on Jabiim. The last time she’d showered was in the presence of Rex… and with his assistance. Had they really formed a bond so unwavering that she couldn’t bear to be away from him even now? A small part of her wished he had offered to come sit in here with her as she washed up, but that wouldn’t be appropriate with it without the Lawquanes hosting them. 

Was this why Master Yoda had lectured them so extensively about the dangers of attachment?

These fleeting thoughts would pass, for that’s all they were — thoughts. The contents of the mind do not make up the person, but it is rather their actions that define who they are. 

Ahsoka tried her best to recall some of her old teachings. Despite having left the Jedi, despite having developed a more informed perspective in her time apart from them, despite her teetering faith in them, despite the state of the universe around her… she chose not to renounce their morals. 

Had the Jedi held a different outlook, or perhaps not ignored recurring insight, or even had a less inflated ego… maybe they would’ve lasted, maybe she’d be making true on that “not yet” remark she’d given Master Yoda. 

In another timeline, she might be accepting her knighthood right now, the passing of her “Great Trial” as it were. The Council would see it as having been her fight in proving her innocence against Barriss’s bombing of the Temple, but she and Anakin would both know it was due to her success on Mandalore and in bringing Maul to justice. If anything, that was her Great Trial. Had the Council not turned their backs on her…

Ahsoka looked up, allowing the steady stream to thrum against her neck. At first she couldn’t differentiate between the water and her tears, but the harder she tried to distinguish the two, the more evident it became to her that she was crying. Her lip quivered, sucking in as a shaky breath made its way down her trachea. She held her arms with a firm grip as she came to sit on her knees in the small showering station. Her front lekku brushed her thighs when she leaned over, body curling from the ruthless combination of pain and sobs tearing their way through her. Ahsoka, balled up as tightly as possible, crying on the wet floor, yielding to both the patter of the water and the deep emotion left to fester in her chest.

She cried for the Jedi, who deserved better than what they got. She cried for the Jedi whose body had been recovered earlier in the day on the very planet she was currently on. She cried for the younglings, who were set up for failure, not standing a chance against the slaughter that had undoubtedly engulfed the Temple. Ahsoka cried for the Padawans not too dissimilar from herself and for the freshly anointed Jedi Knights. She cried for Republic and Separatist supporters alike, who only chose what side they deemed safest to them. She cried for the innocents, for those caught in the crossfire both then and now. She cried for children too young to know what was happening to their once safe homeworlds, children who had just been removed from their homes, children who hadn’t ever known peace, children who would be born Force-sensitive — born into danger and without the Order to guide them. 

She cried for the clones, her greatest comrades and brothers, who had been created for a purpose that had now ceased to exist. She cried for the men aboard the Tribunal, who were told it was more important to kill her than get away with their lives. She cried for Jesse, for Kix, for Fives. She cried for Rex, who understands that pain in a way she will never be able to.

Ahsoka cried for everyone but herself, as every Jedi but Anakin tended to do. She’d already been too selfish with her tears anyway. 

Her sobs halted when she heard a familiar beeping in the refresher with her. She held her breath, “R7? What are you doing?”

The small sounds left as soon as they’d arrived, but she thought she made out something about him saying that her clothes were being whisked away for washing. Ahsoka then brought herself back up from the floor and stood motionless for a beat, preparing herself to hold back more tears, as she was still a guest. 

The spray switched off and Ahsoka toweled herself dry. She swiped her own hand along the steamy glass, her handprint encased in the ghost of Rex’s. Her eyes were red from her recent display of grief. 

Clothes that weren’t hers were folded neatly on the countertop — Suu’s without a doubt. Neither the shirt nor the shorts were going to cover as much as she would have preferred, but the offer was too generous to turn away. Anyhow, her clothes were, at the moment, preoccupied. The items were very soft, much more comfortable than anything she’d ever owned. The shirt was in a style she was used to, though the neck went further down than she liked. The shorts were quite short, covering her backside and stopping just below. It was warm on Saleucami, maybe Suu was making sure she wouldn’t burn up. 

Emerging from the ‘fresher, she was immediately met with the Republic’s insignia — the Insignia of Unity — on the distractingly muscular and very close chest of her Captain. He was lingering in the doorway, leaned against the threshold, and fidgeting nervously with his fingers. From what she could remember, back when these type body gloves were still in use, was that it hadn’t been this right on the Captain. He’d gained muscle mass since then. She’d seen the men in their blacks before, but she hadn’t looked. Rex was not hard on the eyes in any manner of speaking. She’d never seen him in blacks before. Always the properly adorned and decorated Captain he was.

He opened his mouth to speak, but the words got lost on the way to his mouth. What was he going to do? Apologize for what he almost did with her image and innocent intention earlier? The young woman before him caused something within him to tremble. Her eyes were glassy again, though he didn’t need that observation to tell him she’d been crying. He just knew — just felt it. 

Her appearance, though, is what really threw him off. Suu had sent R7 to take his blacks and give him Cut’s to wear for the time being, but he hadn’t thought about the same being done for Ahsoka. These were civvies. Rex had never seen Ahsoka in civvies before. Swallowing, he took her in. Soft, delicate clothing adorned her body and dozens of light bruises still occupied skin that he shouldn’t have known to be so supple. She deserved so much better than what she’d been dealt — what the Jedi dealt her, what the men dealt her despite being unable to refuse the orders. Someone so kind-hearted, someone as gentle and good as Ahsoka deserved better. It physically pained him to see any inkling of pain both on her person or in her eyes. 

“Are you alright?” he asked, rushing the words out quietly. They both took a step closer at the same time. 

Ahsoka hugged her middle, “I’m alright. Thank you.”

The Captain relaxed, willing himself to not allow his eyes to go wandering. He swallowed and stepped out of her path, “Would you like to talk about it while we wait for cl- our clothes?” Rex stumbled on his words and hoped she hadn’t noticed. 

“That sounds nice,” she replied. Her mind nagged at her, I feel like I haven’t seen you all day. It had been a long, hectic day for the two of them. The exhaustion in Rex’s bones had finally held him hostage, only gaining the upper hand due to a hot meal. He’d been asleep for a large portion of their stay, leaving Ahsoka to chat with their hosts and play with the kids. She had felt the loving embrace of a family, a life with better security than her own. 

Even with Rex in the next room, Ahsoka had known she was safe for the time being, but that any found safety wouldn't last for long. Being on Saleucami was a risk. Ahsoka sighed, longing for a time in the recent past or the distant future where Rex wouldn’t have to concern himself with her safety.

Regardless of knowing he had her back, she was still uneasy with him being in the other room, but the matter of safety wasn’t the issue there. 

Sure, Rex had done recon on Jabiim without her and she’d attended the funeral without him, but somewhere in between there and here, her need for him had grown immensely. Suu’s earlier insinuations came to mind, as did her recollection of separation anxiety. 

Neither were true! She was just glad to be back at his side, seeing him breathing!

Rex waited for her to lead the way, and so she turned the refresher light off and headed for the front door. She smiled at the Lawquane family as she and Rex ducked outside. It was nearly dark out. The light pollution on the farm was low, with the homestead being as far as it was from the city. On Coruscant, Ahsoka never saw the stars from the surface. Even though they were in bountiful supply while traveling through space, there was something inspiring about them when one stood on the ground and looked up. 

She could see a dull orange spot where she knew Jabiim to be in the same sector. 

As Ahsoka gazed up in wonderment, she could see Rex walk out towards the ship. She drew her focus from the stars and trailed behind him. He flicked his eyes up to where she was looking momentarily, before taking a seat on the grass, leaning up against the legs of the craft and releasing a sigh. Ahsoka followed suit and sat next to him, also pressing her back into the cold duralloy. 

“Are you alright?” she asked, breaking the silence. 

Rex drew a knee up and rested his forearm over it, “Yeah. Yeah, I’m alright.” He inhaled deeply, “What about you?”

Ahsoka tossed a half-hearted smile his way, “I’m… processing.”

“I guess I am too — we all are — each in our own ways,” he replied, not divulging to her that he’d seen her puffy, red eyes when she exited the ‘fresher. She only nodded in response, hugging her knees to her chest and staring up at the night sky again. Rex stole a lingering glance at her from underneath his eyelashes. There were fireflies dancing around her, framing her face. Their light illuminated her skin in short intervals, adding a soft glow to her already comforting ambiance.

His earlier guilt returned, her very presence was now condemning him for the mistake he’d almost consciously made earlier. Rex turned his eyes away from her, choosing to focus on the stars as she had. After saving his life, this is how he had repaid her? Irrevocably marring her image? 

“How did you know about them?” Ahsoka spoke again suddenly, pressing her chin into her arm and eyes locking onto him, “Anakin and Padmé?”

The Captain was drawn from his inner debate and drawn back into making eye contact with her. His eyebrows raised and lowered quickly, the question coming as a shock. The topic of her Master had mostly been unspoken between them. 

In his experience, attachment was forbidden by more than just the code that the Jedi were bound to, but also by the raging inferno behind the General’s unpredictable irises. Rex cleared his throat, “Well, it wasn’t exactly a well-kept secret. Everyone in the 501st knew.”

“No,” Ahsoka corrected, “Everyone suspected. How did you know?”

His focus wandered, but her knowing look held him hostage. There was no more risk of getting the General in any trouble now. “It was after you left,” he started, “The General was getting sloppier — and not just with hiding it, but with everything. I considered him as a brother, as one of the men. He thought the same of me. He confided in me — told me things he shouldn’t have — things any other Captain would’ve reported their General for saying. He said everything he could without ever explicitly stating it, if you catch my meaning.”

Ahsoka had leaned closer at this point. Rex had her undivided attention, maintaining eye contact for the entirety of his recollection.

“But you’re right,” he continued, “At that point I still only suspected it. I suppose, all of this is to say, that I pretty much knew before he confirmed it. But he would’ve never done that, as you and I both know. I had gone to retrieve him during a mission not long after you left. We needed to get a hold of the Admiral. Men were getting shot down, my comlink had been damaged. We needed an extraction, more troopers, something. Didn’t know if we were gonna make it out alive, to tell you the truth. I did eventually find him… and the Senator was there, on the holoprojector. I witnessed the General professing his affections for her, talking as if it were for the last time. It was… evident to me then that whatever ran between them was much deeper than any of us thought and that it had been going on for quite some time.”

Her mouth hung open slightly, soaking in the new information. She hadn’t known their relationship was like that, just speculated. As it stands, Rex had seen more than she ever had. She also couldn’t believe Anakin and how reckless he’d gotten. Ahsoka was his Padawan, closer to him than Rex had been, or at least that’s how it was before she left. She supposed that Rex had filled the hole that she left behind in Anakin. 

Finally, she said, “Wow. Even I didn’t know that. What I saw… We were en route to Alderaan. I wasn’t originally going. Before we got there, we ran into some Separatists in a sector they’d been recently spotted in. Padmé and I took the guns, Anakin stayed in the pilot’s seat… you know him. But he didn’t stay there. We’d almost gotten clear of their fleet when we took some damage on the side the Senator was on. Anakin rushed to her. I saw him holding her so I just let them catch their breath and took over the controls.”

The Captain’s eyes widened a fraction, “Well, physical contact like that… That’s much more than some words.” A blush crept up his neck from Cut’s body glove, given the boundaries they’d had to cross over the past few days. 

She shot him a smile, “I don’t know, a verbal confession is pretty hard evidence. I’d say that, between the two of us, we each saw the missing piece that the other one didn’t.”

“Adds up to be a pretty intense case,” he played along. 

“Couldn’t torture it out of us. You’d have to break us both, and we’d never cave. We’d be a pretty lousy pair of prisoners to try and get information out of,” Ahsoka teased, remembering that this is exactly why Anakin was so adamant about keeping his affections under wraps. 

Rex almost laughed, but stopped short. The Empire would attempt to break them, over and over again. If they ever found out that he and Ahsoka were alive. Torture at the expense information, or even just for the Empire’s merriment, may very well be in the cards. 

Ahsoka didn’t laugh either, but continued on, “I wonder if he would’ve told me, had I stayed. The last time we saw him… He’d surely known Padmé was pregnant, that he’d be a father, when we were with him last. When he came after me… the last thing I told him was that I knew about his involvement with her. I just wonder if we’d gotten the chance to speak — If I hadn’t blown him off一”

“It doesn’t do well to think about what you could’ve done differently,” Rex interrupted softly, “We can’t go back and change what’s already happened.” His heart wrenched as her expression fell further. 

She sighed and his thoughts continued to wander, entertaining the thought anyway. If the General was comfortable enough asking him to stand guard while he called his paramour, he knew that her Master would’ve asked similar of his student — someone he considered family. Kriff, Master Kenobi even alluded to knowing. He would tell her that another time, though. For now, he could see that her spirits had not lifted by discussing it. He stole another look at her, following her line of sight. A faint cast of orange glowed in the distance. Jabiim. 

Rex realized quickly that he could change the conversation. “That’s Jabiim, isn’t it?”

Ahsoka only hummed in response. There was a faint noise in the distance, echoing that of an oncoming storm. It was followed by a higher, reverberating roar, but it was far enough away that he could dismiss it. 

“I’m sorry for what happened there, Commander,” he divulged suddenly. 

Big blue eyes returned to face him. Ahsoka smiled softly, “It’s alright, Rex, I’m practically healed up now. The scar tissue is still building. But, it’s really me who owes you an apol一”

“No, sir,” he cut her off, knowing she’d correct him for his use of such formal titles tonight, “You don’t owe me anything, especially not an apology. I’m sorry for crossing boundaries that I never should have as your Captain.”

“You only did what I asked you to, Rex,” she reasoned immediately, not missing a beat, “It wasn’t an order that I gave my Captain, it was a cry of help to my friend. You’re the greatest friend that I have ever had and quite possibly the only one I have left.” Ahsoka provided. Her weakened state on the nearby planet, the mental depletion and physical toll both working to make her incapable of helping herself, caused him to be placed in a position of action. If it was any other mission, Kix would’ve been the one to patch her up.

He shook his head, still not convinced. She didn’t know what it had done to him. “I should never have touched you like that,” he breathed.

Just as the words came from his mouth, Cut came to stand in the doorway, raising his voice to be heard across the yard, “Your clothes are ready. Dinner will be on the table in a few!” 

Rex could’ve sworn his brother had a teasing smirk pulling at his lips, but brushed it off, prepared for Ahsoka to agree with his words. She stood up, evidently having either not heard him or perhaps just not wanting to address the topic at all. He bit his tongue, wishing he hadn’t brought it up and followed her inside. The deep thundering bellow sounded once more, but disappeared as the door closed. 

Suu handed each of them their folded items and pointed to the stairs, “My kids are in the ‘fresher washing up before dinner, but the two of you can change in our room. It’s at the end of the hall.” The woman gave an innocent smile and Ahsoka went on. Rex glanced over his shoulder, scanning the room for Cut. 

He found his brother standing in the kitchen wearing his colorful apron and that same smirk from moments ago, this time a whole lot less subtlety. Cut threw Rex a wink and laughed to himself before Suu swatted at his arm and turned his attention back to the cooking.

Fanart by redsong

[starsweepers]

my take on cleo may lean more heavily on the live action interpretation in terms of looks and some behavioral aspects... but she still heavily draws from g1 and when interacting with g1 characters, my take pretty much can slot in perfectly. obviously the events of the live action movies aren't canon when i do this, but i accept most of the g1 things as canon to my cleo when interacting in this verse. really only some minor appearance changes and then her personality is toned down a smidge from actual cartoony g1 cleo. she's a bit less flat to me, but that doesn't erase the events of what has happened.

so i'm perfectly happy to use the g1 verse with others who have a preference for those events and situations and the like. to me, there's not a heck of a lot of difference in the characters outside of, of course, my unique interpretations but. even with those, i consider myself mostly aligned with g1 canon. i just try to draw out more bits and pieces and personality than what the shorts and early movies provide.

a random other notice i have between my main take on cleo and g1 is really just who she considers her best friends.

i respect the live action movies' take and so lagoona is actually her bestie in that verse ( deuce isn't going to be chatted about in this headcanon because he's an entirely different subject for me lol ). abbey is also close, and then ghoulia is just... there. this can be up for discussion, because honestly i think they did ghoulia dirty in the live actions. so i have no qualms with changing any of this around. and obviously lagoona is an extremely different character, so i consider myself pretty flexible.

in terms of the main trio, she considers claw her closest friend, then frankie, and then drac. live action drac is obviously a bit more... aloof? kind of? secretive for a bit and way less bubbly. plus i feel like drac and her have known each other much longer and with the way draculaura is changed up for the movies, it's clear the two are a bit headstrong and at odds.

i do really like the potential they have to get far closer, especially with ( my ) cleo finally breaking away from her family's expectations. i think she and draculaura have a lot in common and would actually be great friends.

but in this case, she came to respect claw first and it was clawdeen's efforts that inspired her to start being herself and stop trying to be the perfect mummy princess. it's still a struggle but... progress. and then frankie is... frankie. and not in a bad way. cleo admires their loyalty and rationality, but she does find frankie a bit overbearing and difficult to work with on occasion.

opposite of that, g1 based cleo will be besties with ghoulia, obviously. but then honestly she considers draculaura one of her closer friends. obviously she is not part of the main trio, but in g1 the two clearly have a lot in common and enjoy those aspects in each other. being ancient, rich, fashionable, etc. they actually love shopping together and supporting each other.

frankie falls in line after. g1 frankie is still a bit too exuberant for cleo, but it's the loyalty and rationality that cleo really enjoys. not to mention frankie's stuck up and helped her on numerous occasions, so while the two of them don't always see eye to eye, they share similar values at times and that bonds them.

she's weakest in her relationship with clawdeen just because g1 claw is so insanely stubborn and doesn't put up with cleo's shit lol. so they butt heads a lot and makes it difficult for the two of them to enjoy each other's company without others. however, cleo still loves clawdeen dearly, and really admires her fashion talents and sense. she is loyal to claw despite everything and will do what she can for her werewolf friend, even if they sometimes clash.

....anyways not really sure if this was a headcanon or just me wanting to ramble some about cleo.