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im-fairly-whitty · 4 years ago

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The Mortifying Ordeal of Caring: A DBH oneshot

Gavin and Nines have been working together for nearly a year now and dating for more than half of it, but the suggestion of moving in together has Gavin anxious about the bad habits he’s only just managed to kick and that he fears could come back at any moment.

To his own great discomfort he realizes that—unlike most things in his past—he cares too much about his relationship with Nines to just run away from it, leading him to hunt down a real life professional (android) therapist to give it to him straight and tell him once and for all if he’s too messed up to really be good enough for Nines in the long run. (Or if he maybe has a chance at actually becoming a better person.)

“Gavin Reed?”

Gavin stood up fast enough to wack his leg on the low waiting room coffee table, making him wince.

Luckily the sharp new pain in his shin was easily stuffed down underneath the sheer terror that had been rising in his gut since he’d awoken two hours before his morning alarm and been unable to get back to sleep.

“That’s- Um, that’s me.” He coughed, having to clear his dry throat halfway through the first word.

Was not being able to speak properly enough of a screw up to justify leaving? He could probably bear the shame of running out of the office now, right?

But the android just smiled warmly and held the door open for him. “Come on in Gavin, I’ve been looking forward to meeting you!”

Gavin teetered on the edge on flight for another instant that felt like an eternity before gritting his teeth, ordering himself to man up, and stiffly walking back into the office with the same care he’d take entering an uncleared area with a reported active shooter on the loose.

But once inside the office he realized it didn’t look much like an office at all. He’d been expecting some clean lined minimalist space with the stereotypical red couch that cartoons had taught him to expect, but this room instead seemed...cozy.

There was a couch, but it was worn in and brown, not an ostentatious slick velvet red. A rolling chair was beside it, presumably for the therapist. On one wall was a collection of drawings scattered with stickers, and against the other wall stood a low bookshelf filled with baskets of toys.

“You, uh, you get a lot of kids in here?” He asked stiffly, gingerly sitting in the exact middle of the couch on the extreme edge of the cushion.

Beside him on the couch was a small novelty pillow covered with blue and purple sequins which he carefully ignored.

“I do.” The android said, closing the door behind them and taking a seat on the rolling chair, relaxing into it and leaning against one of the arms. “Most of my clients are adults, but many of the more complex situations I work with since the revolution are android children with human parents. Having toys for them helps ease things a bit when we talk, and I’ve found my adult clients don’t mind either.”

“Shit. I didn’t even think about kid androids.” Gavin said, eyes wide as he stared at the shelf. “Fuck, how does that even- uh, sorry about the swearing, I, uh...”

“While we’re here together I don’t want you to worry about censoring yourself.” The android said easily. “If you need to swear in order to best get your thoughts and feelings out, then I want you to swear up a storm. I know this is our first time meeting, and sometimes it can take a few tries to find a therapist that best meets your needs specifically, but while we’re here today I want you to feel as comfortable as possible.”

Right. Like feeling comfortable was going to happen.

It suddenly occurred to Gavin that she hadn’t pulled out the large notepad and pen he’d assumed all therapists scribbled away on during meetings.

“Are you recording this?” He blurted out, cheeks turning red as he tried desperately to think if that was an offensive question. “I mean, just, you don’t have a notebook and I know you probably gotta take notes, but if I’m gonna talk I’d rather you didn't record anything, you know? Or like, at least not without me knowing? Sorry if that’s a bad question or whatever, I really don’t know what the hell I’m doing here, I’m sorry.”

“Not a bad question at all, this is a new experience for you, so it would be unfair for either of us to assume you already knew everything.” She said gently. “I don’t record sessions unless I ask the client for permission first. I may make some notes after a session, but I generally prefer to be in the moment so that our conversation can flow more naturally and you feel like you have my full attention.”

“Okay. Yeah, that’s good I guess.” Gavin said, his gaze now trained on the floor.

“So Gavin, what is it you’re hoping to gain from our sessions together?” She asked, watching him.

At least her gaze somehow didn’t feel intense. That and Gavin had the feeling she would wait as long as he needed to get his words together, which was great since it took nearly two full minutes.

Usually when he was uncomfortable he could fall back on sharp insults or biting sarcasm to shield him, but he’d promised himself he’d give this an honest try after managing to drag himself in and that meant not resorting to his usual cop-outs.

“I have a boyfriend.” Gavin finally managed to spit out after a mortifyingly long silence of throat clearing.

“Congratulations.” The therapist said with a smile. “Can you tell me a little bit about him?”

“His name is Nines, we’ve been dating for, uh, seven months now I think? And he’s an android.” Gavin said, palms up and hands open. He found himself impossibly hoping that alone would miraculously explain all his issues to the therapist without him having to wrangle together more words.

“That does explain why you would seek me out as a therapist.” She said, her smile a little wider than it had been so far. “I haven’t had many new lone human clients since the revolution.”

“I wanted to make sure I got someone who really understood, you know?” Gavin said. “I didn’t want to waste time on some doc who still thinks androids aren't people or some shit. Plus I figure an android would be a better help for me getting better about...certain stuff than a human would. Better perspective on things, you know?”

“What model is Nines?” The therapist asked, nodding. “That’s always an important bit of context for me.”

“An RK900.” Gavin said, clearing his throat and finding himself watching the therapist’s LED, which indeed flickered yellow before she got it under control.

“I’ve never had the chance to meet someone who’s that model before.” She said, her eyes a bit wide.

“He’s the only one out right now, his series got put on hold after, you know, everything.” Gavin said, waving a hand vaguely. It felt much easier to talk about Nines instead of himself. “They released him to our precinct as a prototype since we were the ones who tested the first RK800 too, Connor. You’ve probably heard of Connor actually, he was all over the news during, you know...”

Another vague hand wave.

“Anyway, I got assigned Nines as my partner—I’m a detective by the way—which I’m pretty sure was because my boss hates me, and Nines and I hated each other too for like a month or something, but then we started not hating each other so much, and he’s really amazing actually, and you wouldn’t really think he’s caring since he looks so fucking scary when you first see him, and he can rip the door off a car door like no problem and everything too.”

He could feel himself starting to ramble out of sheer nerves, but found himself unable to stop now that the words had finally started.

“But he’s actually really caring and sweet and looks out for me without making me feel like it’s a problem? And right before we started dating he found this kitten in a rain gutter and took it in and we started teaming up to take care of it and whatever cause I’ve already got two cats. And anyway we’re dating now and I’ve never dated someone I care about this much before, and I feel like I’m always about to fuck it up, and the other day we were talking about maybe moving in together which I know sounds kinda fast but it feels right for us, and it sounded awesome when we were talking about it, but then afterward I started feeling like shit about it, and I’ve never really been good for anyone ever and I’ve got so many issues and I just don’t know how I can possibly be good enough for him long term, you know?”

Gavin rubbed his arm as he forced his ramble to an end, his panic having risen slightly the longer he went, sure the android was going to cut him off any second.

But instead she just nodded, eyebrows raised, but seeming understanding. “Sounds like you’ve really got a lot on your mind, Gavin.”

“Yeah.” He said weakly.

“Well first of all, thank you for sharing this with me.” She said very sincerely. “It sounds like you’re doing a lot of soul searching and feeling vulnerable right now, and I’m glad you trust me enough to share.”

“Well, I mean it’s your job, right?” Gavin shrugged, feeling somehow embarrassed at being thanked for spilling his guts. “If I’m working a case I want all the evidence I can get so I can solve it, I figure it’s the same for you and I’d be an idiot if I tried to keep it back, right? Be a waste of my money not to help you do your job right.”

She chuckled. “That’s definitely one way to look at it, though often most of what I do involves helping people solve the puzzle themself.”

Well that sounded like bullshit to Gavin, she wasn’t even going to fix his problems for him?

“So,” She said. “What I’m hearing is that you are currently in a relationship that you value very much with someone who you feel values you back, and now that you two are coming up on a big relationship milestone you’re starting to have doubts and feel afraid that you aren’t good enough for him? Is that right?”

“Yeah, I guess.” Gavin said, not particularly liking hearing it said so plainly, but relieved at least to have communicated it well enough.

“What are some of the reasons that make you doubt yourself?” The therapist asked. “Everyone has strengths and weaknesses, and it sounds like maybe you’ve got some weaknesses you’re noticing more and wanting to improve if you’ve made the step to come in and see me.”

“Anger issues, rudeness, occasional insubordination.” Gavin said, reciting the most popular topics in his disciplinary file. He scratched the back of his neck, his gaze wandering to the bookshelf.

“And in your personal life?” She asked, clearly seeing through his strategy.

“I don’t know.” Gavin said, hedging as he unconsciously reached for the sequin pillow, fiddling with the edge.

He knew this was probably the part where he was supposed to say well doc, it all started with my dead mom and abusive, alcoholic dad... But despite his earlier claim that he wanted to hand over all the evidence, he found himself suddenly balking.

“I, uh, I don’t really date a lot.” He said, feeling like he was prying the words out of himself. “I’m more of a one night stand kind of guy. I don’t like people thinking I owe them anything.”

He scruffed his fingers through the pillow’s sequins, flipping them from blue to purple and back as he was silent for a long minute, letting his thoughts wrestle themselves out.

“I’m angry a lot.” He finally managed. “Sometimes I try working on it, like when I was in college or when I first joined the force. But then I get tired or forget I guess and I get just as bad again. Or, you know, something happens.”

Like when Hank had slipped into alcoholism after his kid died and Gavin had handled his old friend’s trauma in the worst way possible because of his own issues.

“Would you say that’s your biggest concern?” The therapist asked, considering him without an ounce of judgement in her gaze. “That you’ll revert to old negative behaviors as your relationship with Nines progresses?”

“I guess.” Gavin said, starting to scrape all the sequins on the left side of the pillow blue. “I uh.” He cleared his throat. “I think I’m extra worried because...because he’s an android. I was really...not great about androids before we met. He’s the one that helped me get my head on straight about it all, you know? So I guess I’m extra worried about going back to how I was because of that. He deserves better than that, and if it’s a lost cause I’d-”

He ducked his head, coughing and scrubbing at something in his eye.

“I, uh, I guess that’s why I’m here. I wanted to get a professional opinion on if I’m too screwed up or not. If I gotta...gotta let him go or whatever I need to do it before we’re both in too deep. I can’t move in with the guy and realize a week later that it was a mistake, I won’t do that to him. He deserves the best, and if I can be that I want to be, but if not I don’t want to hurt him. You know?”

The therapist watched him quietly with a softly understanding expression, her LED flickering blue.

“Have you talked to Nines about this yet?” She asked. “It seems like you two must have a strong relationship if you’ve already overcome so much together and work together professionally.”

“God, no, I haven’t.” Gavin shook his head, grimacing. “I mean, well, kinda? I mean, he knows about my issues obviously, and he knows all about my parents and everything. I think maybe he probably knows I’m nervous about moving in together, but he doesn’t know I’m here doing this. I mean, maybe he does, he is the world’s most expensive detective.” He said with a chuckle.

“Is there a reason you haven’t talked about it with him yet?” She asked gently.

Gavin felt himself blush a little, picturing Nines’ unimpressed but still caring expression all too well. “Uh, probably because he’d tell me it’ll be fine, that we’ll work through whatever happens together. And that he’s put up with my shit too long already to let me go so easily now.”

The therapist smiled at that. “It sounds like he’s as dedicated to you are you are to him.”

“I guess, yeah.” Gavin said, looking at the pillow.

“It sounds like your main fear is that you’re afraid that you’ll revert to a past version of yourself that you don’t like very much anymore, but it also sounds like you’ve already made some incredible personal steps recently that already put you far apart from the old Gavin, is that right?”

“Well sure, old me never managed to get himself in to see a shrink, no matter how many people told me to.” Gavin said wryly.

“Precisely. And it sounds like you have something and someone you value enough to really put in the effort to make a change. And most importantly,” Her gaze got a little more serious. “It sounds like you’re changing yourself because you are growing and realizing that you want to be better. Putting the responsibility on your partner to make you better is unhealthy, but working to improve yourself because you’re no longer satisfied with the status quo is admirable. Even just the fact that you would be willing to let him go if you wouldn’t make him happy despite how badly you want it to work out says a lot about your motives.”

“Yeah?” Gavin asked, for some reason feeling a little like he might cry.

“You’re right in knowing that change isn’t easy, breaking old habits and thought processes takes a lot of hard and consistent work, but genuinely wanting to change is the first and hardest step.” She said with a nod. “The fact that you’re here and willing to put in the work to make it stick is a huge deal Gavin, and if you are willing to put in that work then I have no reason to think that you won’t succeed. It’s never easy and there will sometimes be some setbacks of course, but you’ll have all the resources you need to work through it and succeed.”

“O-okay.” Gavin said, voice stupidly fragile. “That’s good I guess. Yeah. Good. That’s good to hear.”

“I think my first homework assignment for you though will be to talk to Nines about your concerns and be honest about your fears about this big potential change.” She said, her smile almost teasing, but not quite. “It’s normal to feel nervous about important relationship milestones, but it can also be an opportunity for both of you to grow closer and learn about each other. Does that sound fair?”

“Yeah, that’s fair. I can do that.” Gavin said, clearing his throat and pulling out his phone to make a reminder that he definitely didn’t need. “I guess talking about my feelings shouldn’t be that much of a surprise for therapy homework, huh?”

“Perhaps not.” She chuckled. “As for the rest of our time together today, I’d like to learn more about you so that we can start getting to know your old Gavin habits better. That way we can tackle them in the best way possible. For the rest of this session and our next visit I’d like to hear everything you feel comfortable telling me that you think is relevant.” She tilted her head a bit. “That is assuming of course that you choose to continue our visits, otherwise I’d be glad to refer you to some other android therapists you might be interested in visiting.”

“Yeah no, I’m coming back, don’t worry.” Gavin said hurriedly, in that moment realizing that he absolutely would be. “I'm not ditching you for another therapist, otherwise I’d have to do the whole almost crying thing again, right? What’s the point in that?”

“Well I'm happy to hear that, Gavin.” The therapist said warmly.

Gavin realized with a silent groan that he didn’t even remember her name, if he’d ever paid attention in the first place after looking up a nearby well rated android therapist online.

“And don’t hate me for this, but I forgot your name already.” Gavin said, trying to sound as not guilty as possible.

“It’s Amelia.” She said with a smile. “You can call me that or Amy if you like.”

“Amy. I can remember that. Amy.” Gavin said with a nod, forcing the name into his long term memory. “So, uh, where should I start?”

“How about you tell me more about Nines?” Amy suggested. “I’d love to hear more about how the two of you managed to end up together.”

Gavin grinned. “Now that I can talk about for hours.”

#dbh #Detroit: Become Human #RK900 #Gavin Reed #Reed900 #more swears than I usually write because Gavin is a gremlin who will not be overly censored and his therapist is supportive #wit writes #been wanting to write something for DBH for aaaaaages

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eclectic-earth · 4 years ago

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I went to Michaels & Dollar Tree today! I came out with some craft stuff, both art craft and witchcraft, as well as room decor!

Haul post coming later / tomorrow!🌾🌿✨🌻🐺🗝🧝🏼‍♀️🥀

I don’t want anyone to think this is intended to brag. I have seen some other “witchy haul” posts get negative comments, claiming it’s a “brag”... I want to do a haul post so YOU, yes, you my awesome follower, can know where you can find ~supplies~ without breaking the bank!

The last thing I want is for any baby witches, beginners, or “witchcraft curious” people here to be deceived by the pressing “necessities” of a very expensive “witch aesthetic” altar/life.

*For closeted witches- I feel like these “haul” posts could be very beneficial. If you had to drive 30 minutes away, to a place you’ve bever been, just to look around an “occult shop”, chances are your parents could get skeptical... (at least mine probably would have been)! You can go to a LOCAL CHAIN STORE, that will not be a suspicious charge (on anyone’s banking statements, if parents see)... You could have bought just about “anything” there. It’s a safer bet than ordering something online if your bank account is supervised

*$10 (and a handful of change for taxes) at the Dollar Tree can get you: 2 packs of candles (2-4 candles each) 2 candle holders (always new varieties available), a book of shadows (office supplies) a pack of miniature jars (craft isle), a mason jar for a spell, and an offering plate... Those are just TEN ITEMS FOR A DOLLAR that I could ramble off the top of my noggin! ~they also have an entire herb isle~

*Meanwhile, occult shops sell ~leather bound book of shadows with the Triple Goddess symbol~ (that are always idolized by online witch communities for their aesthetic), for upwards of $30-70? Or you could get a notebook for a dollar, some stickers, marker, and some embellishments... (a dollar each)... decorate the pages/cover, and BOOM, you have a beautiful, home made, book of shadows! For only a few dollars!

There is no shame in indulging in some BEAUTIFUL, timeless pieces for your altar! But this is directed towards beginners who are just finding their witchy feet! You do not need 30 crystals, an entire completed altar, a fancy Book of Shadows or 9 published witchcraft books to practice. You do need personal power, a little time, probably a pen & paper, and your will power. Some salt wouldn’t hurt either. I too once thought I needed a fancy cauldron, occult shop athame, embroidered altar cloth with a symbol, spell candles FROM a witch shop... But the truth is, your magic comes from WITHIN. However you decide to practice it is your own beautiful path. I just know sometimes baby witches can feel that in order to walk this beautiful path, they need to spend hundreds of dollars on books & supplies.

*There is NOTHING WRONG OR LESS POWERFUL ABOUT CHEAPER PRICED/THRIFTED/HOMEMADE WITCHCRAFT SUPPLIES! The price tag or “aesthetic” does NOT determine the power of your magic.

all magic is valid!

#green witch #wiccablr #witch community #beginner witch #baby witch #eclectic witch #cottage witch #eclectic wicca #green wicca #wiccamagic #witch altar #witchcraft #witches #book of shadows #book of spells #simple spells #candle spells

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dashielldeveron · 4 years ago

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Viper VIII: Inter Vivos

*author slaps bumper sticker across ass that reads I BREAK FOR QUARANTINE*

Summary: You have a thought that only Steve Urkel and black-out drunks can have: did I do that?

Warnings: swears, the law. Murder/death. Stupid internet comments.

Show (3719) Comments on “There is Nothing New Under the Sun, But You Are New in Your Conglomeration.”

skellingtonbabey: thanks for putting all of the *gestures vaguely* into historical context. no one’s ever bothered to explain this shit to me, especially in such simple and thorough language. it’s like every other resource i try to learn from is stylistically designed to make me more confused.

readyplayer69: Just because it’s from the 60s and is racist doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have intrinsic value based on the goal towards which it was working. You’re a fucking lunatic. I have a degree in political science, so I know what the fuck I’m about. Though some of the protests may have excluded the minorities you’re talking about, it doesn’t mean that they weren’t ultimately working towards good fucking policies for everyone involved. It’s not like they were doing anything important then anyway; white people had to be the mouthpiece for…Read More

volcanolesbian: bro have u seen the incels freaking out over this???? it got linked in their cursed forum and they SO BADLY wanted u 2 hate women now. like you can regress from being a feminist once you’ve woken up. they’re giving u shit bc you called out the racist terrorists who were active in their community lmao. i can post screenshots if u want. But bruv it’s like they haven’t read anything you’ve written before lol

mozARTsexandviolins: I get when you say that ingenuity spawns ideals for the greater good, but don’t you think tradition has its place? How do we know if the new can spawn the greater good? How do we judge ourselves? Who watches the watchers?

simpleplan2eatthedirt: cool cool nice nice. protesting is awesome, but be sure to get out there to fucking VOTE, people!!! Here’s a link to register to vote.

EaterJohn: Hello. It is nice to hear from you again, Epiales. Always a treat. Very insightful commentary on modern and past protests. I didn’t know about all of the revolutions in Europe 1848. I’ve send this to my co, and it’s already sparked a good conversation about who we are as a protesting people as we stand in history. Again, sorry to bother you, but I was wondering when the next article in your “Aeneid Autopsies: Current Crimes Reflected in Ancient Times” series was going to be released? It’s my…Read More

horneyvulcanbasterd: @mozARTsexandviolins Is that a Star Trek reference? Bc if so the answer’s Starfleet Command lol

MrsKatsukiBakagou: epiales. you have watered my crops and harvested my fields. thank you for the food.

mightiestavengereatmyass: eat shit and die, commie scum. your just a hired propagandaist for the fucking alt-left, aren’t you? You have no right to be running your collum in a real newspaper or on this fucking website. sending u anthrax in the mail would be too cool a death for you. I hope your so-called terrorist groupsfind out where you live and fucking murder you in the middle of the night. fukcs like you are the reason the country is going to shit the police have a total constitutional right int aht jurisdiction to enter. They had a no knock…Read More

fuckyouit’sjanuary: @readyplayer69 [image attached] [image description: blonde woman with caption reading, “I can tolerate racism, but I draw the line at looting the local target]

saltnpepa!!diner707: Hi. I’m trying to cite this piece in an essay, but your publisher isn’t listed on your website. Would you suggest using the NYT as the source in my bib? If it helps, this is due new week; idk if this will run in the NYT by then. Thanks

“I’m sending someone on a grocery run this morning,” said Tom, thumbs tapping away on his phone, “Do you need anything? Want anything?”

You glanced up from your laptop, closing it as much as you could without the light dimming. “I think I’m good, unless you used the last of the shredded cheese at some point.”

“Shredded…cheese,” he said under his breath, typing, “You mentioned capri-suns the other day.”

“Yeah, but I can tolerate the nasty, new flavour. No rush. Here’s a wild idea,” you said, and you waited until he looked up from his phone, a couple of ungelled curls falling over his forehead. “What if—now, don’t dismiss me as crazy; hear me out—what if we went to the store ourselves?”

“Again, no.” Tom grasping his coffee by the round of the mug, despite there being a perfectly functional handle. “Stop pressing me for it.”

“I’m not asking to go to a damn Broadway play. I’m asking to go to the closest 7-11,” you said, jiggling your leg and then making a conscious decision to stop fidgeting, instead scooting your chair closer under the table so that the arms slid underneath.

Tom hummed, his eyes not leaving his phone screen, but when you didn’t continue, he raised an eyebrow as he scowled at you. “Broadway is shut down because of the bomb threat.”

“Fuck off; you know what I meant.”

“Viper,” said Tom, and he locked his phone to set it on his napkin. “Do you want to get assassinated?”

“The term assassination implies I’m getting murdered for political reasons instead of the copious other crimes you’ve had me commit. So, I invite it.” Put your hands on the table where he can see them; it makes you seem more trustworthy. “Does 7-11 have an open carry policy?”

“If it’s any consolation, the renovated office should be waiting for you when you return.”

“It’s not.” You lifted your mug to your lips. “Working from here only makes me feel like a damn bureaucrat. Like I have no stake in the matter. I don’t want to become detached from everything; I might make a callous decision and send people where they can’t come back.”

“Keep watching yourself. If you stay on guard,” said Tom, running his middle finger around the rim of his mug, “then you won’t stray from me.”

“I’m useless here.”

“Then maybe you should become accustomed to the idea of being useless.”

Swallowing, you stared down into your tea. “There’s only so much I can get done through answering emails. Not to mention I hate answering emails. That’s how you get more emails.”

“Harrison has been telling me that your schematics have been more thorough since you’ve been holed up in here.” Tom tipped his mug all the way back to get the last of his coffee. “You’re still being just as productive, if not more methodical.”

“Did you mean obsessive? I have—I’ve had too much time to think. I’d rather not be alone with my thoughts, if I can help it.”

***

You could only read so much before losing your mind. You could only deal with so many of the same exact problems over and over again for lower level soldiers. You could only chart so many stars. You could only read so much fanfiction (if your identity thief were tracking your phone, he’d probably be baffled as to why you kept reading fic for fandoms you weren’t even a part of due to the desire for new ideas).

You could only give Glory Pham so many excuses as to why you’re not with her in person at the Museum of Natural History.

Sucking in through your teeth, you hovered your fingers above the keyboard.

Dear Ms. Pham,

Glad to hear John Mulaney’s signed on. Next step would be to ensure de Blasio doesn’t directly interact with him, given their history. Perhaps I should proof his set beforehand?

Unfortunately, I regret to inform you that I cannot attend the briefing in person yet again. I am currently indisposed, seeing as I am currently in hiding at my hot boss’s house, due to how dead I might be should I leave it (thus the basis of its appeal). Not to mention that if you criticise my blazer choices again, I shall peel the skin off your perfectly made-up face. Get fucked; getting your eyeliner tattooed on was a hell of a decision.

You shook your head, backspaced the last few lines, and stretched towards the wicker end table to grab your glass of pink lemonade, and you stole a glance at Tom’s work as you did so. A couple of files spread across his white wicker lounger (two blue files [socials of the family], two green [recent bids], a yellow [Manhattan locations], and a brown [requests from politicians, upper East side]). The pink sticky-notes had your and his written exchanges and edits on certain papers, and his laptop was open, the screen dimmed, while he copied something into a notebook with his cell phone held between his shoulder and his ear, just listening to the computerised voice.

He had joined you on the back porch to work remotely, claiming he couldn’t go into the city today due to the absence of news on Zendaya—if any information arose, he’d said he wanted your diagnosis immediately.

You wiped your forehead with your sleeve as a sweat drop slinked behind Tom’s ear. Even Tessa wouldn’t run in the heat; she’d curled up by the porch railing, her tail slapping against her water bowl. In an experiment to see if she wanted to spend some time outside, you’d slid the glass door open for Trout, to which she turned around to retreat to the bedroom.

Not all of the clothes you’d ordered had arrived yet, so you were stuck wearing autumnal clothes with long sleeves. To exacerbate matters, you were constantly moving—jiggling your leg, tapping your fingers—you couldn’t sit still for very long anymore; you had taken to pacing the porch when you couldn’t concentrate on the stars.

(Once, Tom had come out at night to check on you, wiping the sleep out of his eyes and sitting in silence with you. He’d made you go to bed after a while, claiming you’d run yourself into the ground if you kept this restlessness up.)

When your phone beeped, the both of you jolted at the sound. Tom hung up on the robotic voice as you scrambled to your phone, and he bent your way. “Is it Zendaya?”

Biting the inside of your cheek, you shook your head. “No. Looks like it’s a jailbreak.”

Tom sighed, his shoulders heaving as he eased back in his seat. “Where from?”

“I don’t even care,” you said, letting your phone fall to your lap. You slumped back in your chair, shielding your eyes from the sun with your arm. But you straightened yourself again and checked. “From Central. They don’t even know who’s all escaped yet.”

“It’d be too much of a gift if New York City would fucking relax for five minutes.”

“It seems like it’s in more uproar than usual lately,” you said, sipping through the reusable straw of your pink lemonade. “Do you suppose it’s our fault?”

Tom took a moment to pluck his damp t-shirt away from his chest. “I don’t think we’re instigating. If anything, we’re simply reacting to chaos.” He stood up and stretched, raising his arms above his head—his biceps strained at the sleeves, and the hem rose above his v-lines. “Unless you’re doing something I don’t know about.”

Ah, casual suspicion. “You’ve caught me,” you said as he approached Tessa and crouched next to her, “I’ve been running a koi smuggling gig on the side.”

“Why koi?” He held out his hand for Tessa to sniff, and she readily accepted his hand for pats. “Are they hard to get?”

“I don’t know,” you said, shrugging, “but I’ve been wondering if they’d be able to survive in your grist mill pond. You look through that water straight to the bottom, nothing living in your way. Just rocks and old equipment.”

Tom sat against the porch railing with a jittery Tessa partially in his lap. “Should we get some?”

“Oh, fuck off, Tom,” you said, grinning, a sweat drop falling onto your mousepad as you shook your head, “You can’t entertain every little pipedream I have.”

“Watch me. What do you want for Christmas?”

You ducked your head, biting your lip. “Promise me something.”

“Provided it’s not my head on a stake, I will,” he said, scratching Tessa behind her ears and cringing a bit when she stretched to lick his face.

“Then we’re going in person to the pre-opening fundraising gala for the Gawain Diamond.”

Tom narrowed his eyes. “Viper.”

“Bitch, I got John Mulaney to sign on to do the opening monologue, and he’s probably gonna roast de Blasio again. I’m not missing that.”

Your phone blared an alert again, and both of you held your breath as you unlocked it.

“Got a list of prisoners who escaped. Small group. Delores, Larson, Duncan, Mays, Selvin,” you said, “There’s more, but I don’t know them. Tell us something important, by God. Anyway, we’re going. I didn’t say I was going alone, did I? You’ll be there. I’ll be safe, and you’ll be safe.”

His jaw shifting to the side, Tom stilled his hand on Tessa’s back, and then he lifted it to flick sweat off his neck. “How many of us maximum can you get in?”

“It’s a fundraiser for idiotic rich people; if there are too many people without a name, they’ll be noticed.”

“It can’t be just us.”

“Why? Afraid you can’t protect me on your own?”

“Now, don’t start that.” Tom herded Tessa off his lap and onto her outside bed. “I’m not falling for it.”

“Yes, yes, I’m fully aware you’re capable of ripping me in half,” you said, draining your pink lemonade, the airy suction coming through your straw (almost loud enough that you couldn’t hear Tom’s sputtering over it—almost—and his phone beeping). “Want me to get that?”

“Bring it here,” he said, and you snatched it while he sat on the railing, dangling his legs off the side.

“It’s,” you said, eyebrows shooting to your hairline as you read the little notification, “It’s a tweet from Zendaya.” You tossed it to him to unlock and leant on the railing next to him, arm grazing his thigh with a heightened awareness of how close you were to his sweaty, sweaty abdomen. No! No time to thirst. Friend time.

Tom unlocked his phone and held it at your eye level, turning it horizontally as he pulled up the tweet.

ZENDAYA (@ZendayaMedias): Felt cute. Might delete later.

[video]

Tom pulled up the clip, waiting for it to load. “Why didn’t she post it to instagram, then?”

“The finer details of social media are an enigma. Do I look like I know,” you said, and his thumb hovered over the play button.

He cranked the volume up before pressing play, having to try twice due to how slippery his fingers were. “I wonder if Haz has seen this yet.”

A vertical shot of a murky, grey sky from the bow of a boat and dark ocean as far as the camera can see. It pans across the starboard side, and this boat is the only one in sight.

Only the sound of waves striking the boat.

The camera tilts down. Zendaya’s writhing on the deck, furiously straining against rope bonds that line up the entirety of her arms and up her calves; she’s yelling furiously at the person behind the camera through duct tape.

Scuffed, black boots roll Z to the starboard gunwale. She’s still fighting, still shouting.

The camera trucks to the right; before, the pair of cinderblocks attached to her feet were concealed. It returns to her face. A glove grabs part of her hair to show the weights tied into it. She bucks up to headbutt the camera; he avoids it.

Tom clenched his free hand on his thigh. “We’re running another scan for that black-stubble bell jackass from her instagram; did we have any fucking leads at all? What’s his fucking motivation? So he slept with her, allegedly; did she say no to a second time? Doesn’t fucking merit—”

The boot kicks the cinderblocks off the boat, and the camera tilts down to follow the trail of bubbles.

It’s quiet.

But then the camera pans to portside, where the guy in the picture with Zendaya is similarly tied up, but he’s openly weeping and shaking his head. He’s got something drawn on his forehead in black marker. The cameraman steps closer to focus on it: it’s a circle with an upward curve resting on top of it.

He’s still wearing the bell necklace.

Then the cameraman backs away and raises a gloved hand, in which a gun is aimed at the other’s forehead.

The bullet goes through the circle, and the bell rattles as he’s kicked off. Fewer bubbles.

Then the camera tilts up to show off the boat’s surroundings: a black and barren ocean, as far as the eye can see.

When the video started to loop, Tom switched his screen off, his phone hanging loosely in his grip. You released of his thigh once you noticed you’d grabbed onto him, and the evidence of your touch faded as the fabric relaxed.

His eyes glossed over at the blank screen, and his mouth opened before closing again, running his tongue over his lower lip. Tom brought a fist to his mouth and furrowed his brow, his hand hardly concealing the growing tremble of his jaw.

You took a step away from him, rubbing your arms as you ducked your head. “I’m going back inside,” you said, hoping Trout felt like being clutched to your chest, “I’m cold.”

***

The next morning, your mouth felt heavy and dry. You sneaked out as the sun was rising to go hide in the woods surrounding Tom’s house, but you talked yourself out of it. He would make too much of a fuss if he couldn’t find you—but you could delay the inevitable conversation even further. Both of you had separated and kept to yourselves the rest of the evening. Kept quiet.

So you rounded the outside of the house. You’re not camping out in a fucking copse. When you reached the pond, you scanned it for a dry place to hide, but nothing really held any appeal, save for the rounded platform where the mill wheel used to spin, its spoke notches overflowing with moss. You managed to get to it after scrambling alongside the stones for a few minutes, and though it didn’t look like you could get down the same way, you settled against the wall, scraping some moss out of the notches so that your feet could rest more comfortably in them.

(Dr. Prine called ten minutes after you sent her the email. “Did you send me the correct article?”

“Yeah,” you said, rubbing your face wash onto your cheeks, “Considering it’s the only one I have ready, and I can’t bring myself to write anything. I tried. I just fucking can’t.”

“I don’t think you want this published at this point in your life.”

“I don’t fucking care. Whoever’s using my pen name probably knows who the fuck I am in general. Just publish it.”

“Honey,” said Dr. Prine, her voice softening (and fumbling, like she was holding the phone to her ear with her shoulder), “You should probably rethink this. It’s going to connect Epiales you back to Viper you. Get some sleep; eat breakfast. Call me back then.”

“It’s an appropriate article for the political climate.”

“Not for your personal life.”

“I don’t fucking care,” you said between splashing water on your face, “I don’t. It’s a good fucking article, and hopefully, it can affect people for the upcoming election. Fuck self-preservation. Send it to the Times already.”

“Did I dial the wrong number?”

“Hilarious, Dr. Prine. I know it’s not the smartest thing for me to do, but I can’t—absolutely can’t—write anything. I don’t know for how long, but for now, at least.” You blotted your face dry. “I’ve got to meet standard deadlines if I’m keeping my column. It’s really only dangerous if Tom reads it and makes the connection, and his brain is offline right now.”

And so Aeneid Autopsies: Current Crimes Reflected in Ancient Times, chapter twelve, “The Political Tradition as Mob Rule,” would be published on Saturday. It’s a little too in the know about the mafia, but hey, you had written it on a whim a month ago, and you were known for your extensive research, anyway. It most likely shouldn’t be too different from your other exposés, though they weren’t on topics that were deliberately misleading the public by what information was out there.

The more you thought about it, it was almost like you wanted to reveal yourself, wanted to get stabbed while you were sleeping, because there’s an overwhelming question rolling around in your brain like a mis-weighted shooter marble: is this—)

“It’s not your fault.”

With crossed arms, Tom leant against the stone wall, his leg bent back for his bare foot to rest flat against it. He glanced sideways at you, sitting on your mill wheel perch almost halfway across the pond, but closer to the far side than to him.

He’s got major bedhead, his curls just fucking flopping about out of his part, and even from where you are, his face burned red amidst wet tracks trailing down it. Still, thank God for little mercies—his biceps were fucking straining the sleeves of his white t-shirt, and those idiotic, blessed grey sweatpants were low on his hips.

You lifted your head from your knees but still clutched them to your chest. “You’re not going out, then?”

“Of course not,” Tom said, and he wiped his nose with the back of his hand. “Can’t be crying during a meeting, yeah?”

“Been boxing?”

“Yeah.”

“Did you get any sleep last night?”

“Not really.”

He ran his tongue over his lower lip and sighed, and then he slid his hands into his pockets, his eyes glossing over while he watched the moss you’d picked off float in the pond.

You’re not going to fucking cry. Tom came out here for a reason. He has a purpose. All you have to do is wait.

Eventually, he said, “You’re avoiding what I said.”

You tilted your head.

“Listen, I know you’re beating yourself up about it. It’s not your fault this happened. None of this is your fault. Hey.” Tom tapped the wall, the travelling reverberations making you look up at him. “Whoever’s doing this is doing it of their own volition and not because of you. You hold no culpability for this.”

“Bruh,” you said, “One of your best friends is dead, and you’re comforting me? I thought I was the masochist.”

Tom scowled, his brow furrowing. “Viper—”

“I can’t interact with someone without putting them in danger, at a disturbingly high rate. You want me to enumerate where I’ve stuck my nose in not my business and people have gotten killed? Senator Hernandez, Isadora,” you began, holding up two fingers, “The nine men guarding Isadora, Maccabruno, Polson—”

“Don’t you dare do that to yourself.” Tom took a step forward, his foot almost curving into the pond. “You didn’t use the knife. You didn’t pull any triggers.”

“Yeah, but I sent them there. And a good many of them went because it was their job.” You sneered and propped your chin on your knees again.

“And it’s part of your job—”

“Yeah, whatever. Your friend is dead, and I have no home. I’ve stopped contacting the few people in my circle on the chance that they get dragged into this—Grace, Adrien—he’s the lights specialist guy, in case you don’t remember—I’ve got to email Glory, but that can’t be helped. And Dr. Prine only—fuck,” you said, dragging your hands down your face. “I don’t want anything to fucking happen to Dr. Prine. Or your family, for that matter.”

“Everyone not involved in the business is currently in hiding upstate,” said Tom, eyes narrowed as he glared at you. “If you like, I can ensure the same—”

“Stop acting so damn calm, Tom.” You let your legs dangle off the platform, hands clenching the edges. “I don’t have any strings left to pull. And fucking hell, I know that it would be extremely and absurdly conceited of me to believe that this series of crimes is aimed specifically at me, because how deluded, how arrogant could I get—but goddammit, this stuff feels a little too personalised. It feels like this person knows me.”

Tom clicked his tongue. “Don’t you think it’s worth something that Glory Pham has been left alone? He knows how to get into Crosscreek, yet Glory hasn’t been touched. Is that not worthwhile?”

Your eyes watered, but you ducked your head so that he couldn’t see—but you released a dry sob (Fuck! Now is not the time for crying! Now is the time for being badass! Frown, or something!).

Tom spoke so quietly you almost didn’t catch it. “Do you want to leave?”

God, no. But it would make you feel like less of a burden. “Let me find an apartment first.”

“No, not like that. Hey, V. Look at me,” he said, and he tapped on the wall again.

You wouldn’t. Not like this. Not when your nose was running and when you didn’t have a plan.

“Please look at me, Viper.”

Glowering, you raised your head, lifting your chin higher than normal to seem confident, and oh, God—his eyes were wide and gentle; he’s leaning as far as he can over the pond, still unable to reach you.

“What I meant was if you wanted to leave the mob.”

It rang through your head like a distant cathedral bell, chiming through a deserted town—but then you were farther, out on the mountains, still listening to faint clanging.

“You’d have to kill me,” you said, shaking your head, “Don’t you remember?”

“Fuck,” Tom was saying, sucking in through his teeth, and after glancing at the water, he started jogging around the pond.

“I swore. I bled. And then even after that—then you knighted me.” You inhaled sharply when he reached the stones you’d climbed. “I’ve let you down.”

“Viper, get the fuck down from there and come here,” he said, and he withdrew, winching, when he stepped on a sharp edge.

“We shouldn’t have met,” you said, looking over your shoulder at him, and Tom froze, his hand partially gripping a hole in the stone wall. “I shouldn’t have taken the job. I should have gone to a different city. I should have—”

“Wasted your life away in the shadows? Just shut up and get down here.”

“Ah! The fuck?” You swatted his hand away when it grazed the platform, and when he climbed up another step, you pushed yourself off the platform and into the pond.

The first thing that struck you was how quiet everything was once the bubbles dissipated, and then you noticed how clear the water was, even from within it—glancing down, you could easily see your feet treading water above the broken grist mill wheels that had sunken to the bottom.

Before you could take it in to feel the emptiness in your chest, bubbles filled your vision again—and then his hands were grappling for you, grasping at your clothes, and pulling you towards the surface.

“I wasn’t fucking drowning,” you said, sliding a hand back through your hair, while Tom shook his head to flick off excess water. “I was fine without—”

“I know you weren’t.” Tom gripped your waist tightly enough to be painful, and he slid his other hand up between your shoulder blades. “I know. You wouldn’t die on me, and I’m not letting anyone else lay their hands on you. C’mon, arms around.”

He guided your arms around his waist, and once you had a good grip (hands sliding up his back), he kicked off to swim to the stone wall, backing you into it. Your toes skimmed the bottom of the pond, but Tom kept your head above the water, his thumbs circling your hipbones through your wet clothes.

Tom closed his eyes, his eyelashes heavy with water droplets. “There’s no solution to this where you die, got it?”

“Shucks.”

“I mean it. Talk to me. Tell me what you can.” Tom let out a breath slowly, and he bent to rest his forehead on your shoulder. “Please,” he said once you tensed up, his breath hot through your wet shirt, “Won’t you let me in?”

(Fuck fuck fuck fuck his chest is flush against yours; he’s so warm, so damn warm all over, and the water’s chill only makes you want to cling to him more, fuck.)

“You won’t like me,” you said, tentatively lifting a hand to curl your fingers into his hair, pulling slightly, “I’m not whom I’ve presented to you. I don’t have it under control.”

“I don’t expect you to.” Tom turned his head towards you; his lips almost grazed your neck (you relish their warmth anyway). “You wouldn’t be human, otherwise.”

“I don’t know an awful lot. Some days it seems like all I do is guesswork.” You grimaced but kept the slim distance from Tom’s mouth. If he wanted to, he would. “I’m lost completely on whoever the fake Epiales is. I keep looking for a pattern in everything, even—even so far back as to—”

You stuttered. Tom had pressed his lips to the base of your neck.

“There’s no consistency,” he said, nuzzling his nose against the spot where your neck met shoulder, “but there’s got to be a larger plan. I get it. The whole case is like a hydra, and we’re chopping blindly at the heads.”

(Oh, my God, he kissed you? He kiss the neck? He?)

“Oh! I forgot to tell you.” Tom pulled away to look you in the eye, and your mouth hung open of its own accord—come back! “I made myself watch the video again.” His jaw shifted. “To see if I missed anything, and I did. This time, I recognised the symbol on the guy’s forehead.” Tom lightly traced it onto your forehead with his middle finger. “It’s a zodiac symbol. It’s the one for Taurus.”

You nodded, still not really thinking at full capacity. “Great. Another piece of evidence that I won’t be able to make fucking sense of. Goddammit. I’m so useless. Goddammit,” you said, dropping your hand from his hair into the water with a splash. “Tom, I don’t talk to my mother much anymore. She doesn’t know where or who I am, and to be honest, I don’t know who I am, either. I don’t know where the truth is.”

You nearly slapped him when you cupped his cheek, like you were desperate, like you had to be touching him, skin on skin, that instant. It’d be nice if he would close his eyes and lean into your touch, maybe kiss your palm, but Tom simply stared at you in shock, eyes wide, brows raised, mouth pinched.

Don’t tell him, you whore. You built this fucking kingdom with its walls and bastions so that you would be safe when the outer defences crumbled. You’ve set aside parts of yourself into neat little boxes so that you can throw any of them away at any time and escaped unscathed. Don’t you fucking dare screw that up. Tom doesn’t know about Epiales so that you can expose and destroy him if you’re on his chopping block; it’s insurance for when everything falls.

Bitch, since when do you want to be honest and raw and vulnerable around anyone?

You can’t let him in.

“You’re still a woman of honour,” Tom said, and—oh, God, oh, fuck—he’s easing his hands down your body, his chest pressed against yours again, and he’s sliding them down your thighs to hook underneath your knees, and he’s hitched you up against the wall, the definition of his muscles real and palpable through the wet clothes, warm, warm, warm—

“I should apologise,” you said, turning your head to the side while he steered your legs around his waist, “I can’t imagine what you must be feeling right now.”

“You can’t?” Tom shifted you upwards, and that’s it; your heat is directly against him; you can feel every pull and tensing of his tendons, and if he keeps moving the way he is, then you’ll—

“I’m so sorry for making this about me when Z was closer to you. We shouldn’t waste time on me; we need to be searching, arranging a funeral if we can’t find anything.” You scrunched your eyes shut.

“You’re deflecting.” Tom let out a shuddery sigh. “I’ve lost too many people. Don’t make me lose you when you’re right in front of me,” he said, and he pressed his lips right below your ear.

You flinched away on impulse but tried to relax into him, blinking profusely.

Tom pushed against you (not localised enough to qualify as a thrust), and he cleared his throat before pulling away from your neck. “Listen, please. Please.” He shifted your weight to one hand and gripped your chin with his freed one. His eyes flickered to your mouth before he moved to rest his hand on your cheek. “You’re invaluable. Irreplaceable. You are no burden and are not at fault.” He clenched his jaw. “But I know you’re keeping something from me, and I will make the answer fall from your lips soon.”

Your own chin was shaking, and he was too close. If you put aside separate-self-as-insurance for a moment, let’s consider Tom did find out about Epiales. Would he control you through it? Would he use you to influence those he couldn’t reach? Would he grab hold of Dr. Prine? He might squeeze your life and time through his fist, and your freedom would be gone. Epiales was your freedom, your space to create and connect.

He was too close.

“You’ve got to promise not to hate me,” you said, and when he raised an eyebrow, you made your decision to lean in.

“No,” he said, and—and your lips met his cheek.

He’d turned his head.

After all that, he’s going to turn his head?

“No,” he said again, taking your chin again and leading you away, back to leaning against the stone wall, “I don’t want our first kiss connected to the memory of mourning. I can wait a bit longer.”

Tom released your legs, letting them sink. “You once told me that if you let yourself be vulnerable, you didn’t want an audience. I think,” he said, frowning, “I think you still see me as an outsider. As a member of that audience. And again, you said that you didn’t want it if it weren’t real.” He stepped away from you entirely, and he started wading towards the edge of the pond. “I’m going to hold you to the same standard. I’ll wait until you’re ready to be real with me.”

Tom slinked out of the pond, flicking away what excess water he could, and he squinted into the sun on the horizon. He shook his head, water flying, and he glanced back at you and scoffed. “Easy, sweetheart. No need to wear your heart on your sleeve now.”

His voice trailed off as he rounded the corner towards the door.

The sun is rising, and you feel rather cold.

***

inter vivos: between the living

***

taglist: @hollandroos @madmadmilk @parkerroos @parsleysbaby @z-ukos @pparkerwrites @lunamyangel @stealth-spiderr @presidentbttrflyfreak @paradoxparker @bi-writes @astronomyparkers @infamous-webhead @laurfangirl424 @softspideys @gryffinpuffs @plethoraofpuppies @laucontrerasv @shootingstarsaretearsofheaven @spiderboytotherescue @cassiopeiaskies

#tom holland #tom holland x reader #tom holland/reader #tom holland fanfic #tom holland fanfiction #mob au #mob!tom holland #mob tom holland #viper au #dash it all

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bunnyramen · 5 years ago

Text

Shinsou took a long deep breath, a bit nervous for his first day in Class 1a. He had been moved somewhat abruptly when some grape kid was expelled, Kinetic was it?

The lavender headed boy normally didn’t get nervous, it usually only showed on the inside.

But anyone could tell from his stance and his tightened back pack straps that he was mentally sweating bullets.

He decided to just go for it, it’s usually what Pops (Mic) told him to do, or at least that’s what he did when he asked out Dad.

And his brother Todoroki was in here, it shouldn’t be too bad.

He slid open the door to reveal everyone in little spots talking about whatnot, only some turning to look his way.

“Hey Shinsou!” The boy he had gotten to know as Kirishima Eijirou left his small group gathered around a couple desks and started walking towards him.

Was it normal to be squinting in a ordinarily lit room, or was this guy just that bright?

“I’m so glad you got to come to our class, especially with such a cool quirk! I mean when you’re in it, it feels so strange! Like this one...” once again, Kirishima began to ramble about something that Shinsou really wanted to pay attention to but couldn’t.

—-

“It looks like another person has fallen victim to Kirishima’s cuteness.” Kaminari shook his head sadly as he watched Kirishima y’all at Shinsou, remembering the first time he met Kirishima.

Min had been pushing him to be more outgoing during the summer before U. A. and it really paid off when he confidently introduced himself to Kaminari, the blonde was a bit star struck .

He had no choice but to befriend the overly bright boy.

—-

“Sorry, I’m talking too much, aren’t I?” Kirishima stopped himself right in the middle of his story. He looked up questioningly at him, Shinsou noticing their height difference.

“Yeah, but it’s fine. I mean, I’d rather have someone talking to me than being ignored.” He chuckled nervously, putting a hand on his neck.

“Well, I know you know Kaminari but you’re going to love Mina, Sero, and Jirou! I don’t know about Bakugou, ‘cause of the sports festival but we’ll see.” Kirishima grabbed his other hand and started bringing him over to his group of friends.

Shinsou’s cheeks turned pink without his will nor consent.

—-

“It hasn’t even been three minutes and his cheeks are already pink from being in close proximity of Kirishima. That’s gotta be a new record!” Mina pointed out as the lavender boy was brought over to their group.

“I’m surprised Kirishima doesn’t notice every time it happens.” Jirou put her feet on the desk, showing off the new patch she put on her pants. She was pretty proud of it since it was made by Momo herself.

“You know how dense Kirishima is, if the world’s oxygen cut off for five seconds, he’d probably still try and continue breathing.” Sero flicked a paper football through Kaminari’s waiting fingers, hitting the boy in the nose.

Bakugou nodded in agreement, going back to finishing up his English homework.

“Hey guys!” Speak of the angel, Kirishima came into hearing distance with Shinsou in tow, slightly hunched because of how low Kirishima’s hand was.

“Sup Shinsou!” Kaminari turned around in his chair since he was facing Sero.

“Hey, you’re that kid from the sports festival! Welcome to class 1-a!” Mina patted him on the back rather roughly, pushing a cough out of Shinsou.

Bakugou looked him up and down, “Ew.” He mumbled.

“Dude, be more respectful! If it were Minoa or whatever, I would say have at it but Shinsou’s nice!” Kirishima unknowingly held the lavender haired boy’s hand a bit tighter, momentarily forgetting that they were still holding hands.

“Boomer is just mad that Shinsou spit facts before the sports festival.” Kaminari dogged the oncoming pencil with about as much grace as a broken legged gazelle, the pencil clocking him in the side of the head.

“Denks, are you okay?” Kirishima walked over to him quickly, letting go of Shinsou’s hand, who wouldn’t admit to himself that he missed it already.

The redhead checked the side of Denki’s head, sighing when he found nothing wrong.

“Dude, that was so rude! You could’ve seriously hurt Denki!” He hugged the blonde to his chest protectively, Kaminari’s cheeks rapidly turned a bright red fire hydrant color.

He laughed dazedly, seeming to be having the time of his life.

“Well, he should shut the fuck up if he knows what’s good for him!” Bakugou raises another pencil threateningly, Kirishima glares at him.

“You throw that, and you’re history.” Kirishima raised an eyebrow, daring him to do it.

Bakugou stares for a while before putting the pencil down and going back to his work, Kirishima smiling.

The redhead breathed in to say something but Aizawa came in, telling everyone that butts should be in chairs and mouths should be shut.

Aizawa tiredly trudged up to the podium, asking for Shinsou to come up next to him.

Shinsou stood up from his place in the back, walking just as tiredly up to the podium next to his Dad.

“This is Shinsou Hitoshi, he’s moving from the General Departments to Class 1-A. Any questions?” Yellow eyes looked around the room for any signs of hands.

“Is Shinsou your son?” Deku raised his hand from the back of the room, getting his notebook ready for a new page.

“Yes.” Aizawa decided in that moment that there was no hiding anything from the observant boy.

There really wasn’t an uproar like Aizawa expected, just small murmurs of “I knew it.” And “That makes sense.”

“Anyway’s Hitoshi, you can go back to your seat.” He patted the boy on the back.

As Hitoshi walked back, he caught glimpse of Kirishima smiling at him, making the corners upturn a bit.

“Alright class, today....”

——-

As Shinsou sat down with Midoriya and the self proclaimed “DekuSquad” for lunch, Kirishima approached him holding a book in his hands.

“Hope you don’t mind but I drew you, as a welcoming present to class 1-A!” Kirishima flipped his heavily stickered sketchbook to a page and handed it to Shinsou, the boy down his chopsticks and grabbed the book.

Shinsou blinked a few times, expecting a child like doodle of some sort but this was so far from it.

Ochako looked over his shoulder, failing to keep in a small gasp.

It was him, but he was in action, using his capture weapon to tie up bad guys, he looked kind of like spider man with his webbing. The hero outfit he had on was styled with so much detail and finesse that it looked like a photograph at first glance.

He very much liked the design.

“Kirishima, this is amazing. Do you mind if I keep it?” Shinsou said monotone and deep, as he always did, but you could tell something different was behind it.

“Oh! Sure thing!” Kirishima looked surprised that he would even ask, ripping out the page in his book carefully and handing it to him.

“Thank you, Kirishima.” He gave him a small grateful smile.

“Of course! No need to thank me!” He scampered off back to his table.

“Wait, there’s writing on the back!” Ochako flipped over and placed it back in his hands.

“What’s it say?” Midoriya finished up his noodles and pushed the bowl away from himself.

“I am quite curious myself, actually.” Iida looked at him, Todoroki doing the same.

Attached to the picture was a little red post it nots, written in Kirishima’s squiggly, loopy handwriting read “Hey Shinsou! Wanna go out for ice cream after school? My treat! Text me (679-999-8212)-Kirishima”

“Looks like Kirishima-kun likes you, kero.” Shinsou blushed ten-fold at her boldness,

Tsuyu smiling somewhat smugly.

This time Shinsou smiled broadly, Midoriya getting a small shiver down his spine from how uncanny it looked compared to Aizawa- Sensei’s.

He pulled out his phone and typed in the number, replying with a one word answer.

“Yes.”

—-

(Small story to the ice cream shop. Aizawa and Mic also showed us since it was also their date night, and while ordering Mic saw them sitting at a table. Aizawa thinks to himself, “Huh, not blonde like I expected but red is fine too.” And they both go over there and they just all sit together. Kirishima learns that Aizawa Sensei can be really funny in a Wednesday Addams sorta way. Mic says something like “I wish Shouto could’ve been here to see his little brother on his first date!” Shinsou and Kirishima both blush, the other not realizing it did look like a date. And in walks Todoroki, coming in to order his weekly salted caramel ice cream. Mic is loudly waving him over and Aizawa quiets him down. And the 5 of them just eat ice cream together.)

@deepseawave Happy Valentine’s Day!! I love you! I got really inspired by one of your posts (as you can read) and WOW JUST LOVE IT SO MUCH!! YOU ARE SO AWESOME!!

Oh and the backpack! I don’t know if you can see but there are little pins it, Present mic, Eraserhead, Todoroki, Eri, and Midoriya.

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nazariolahela · 5 years ago

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Something Domestic: Chapter 4

A/N: Hey y'all! This is a new TRR AU I’ve been working on. This story is told in first-person narrative, from Riley’s (MC) POV. There will likely be smidges of canon in this, but not too much. Thanks for reading, and please leave feedback, and/or if you would like to be tagged.

Catch up here

Series Tags: @burnsoslow @aworldoffandoms @dcbbw @ladyangel70 @texaskitten30 @sunandlemons @jlynn12273 @indiacater @jared2612 @rainbowsinthestorm @drakesensworld @badchoicesposts @msjr0119

Synopsis: When Riley Brooks takes a new job as a nanny for the affluent Rhys family in New York’s Upper East Side, she assumes she’s just going to care for the children of the couple who hired her. But instead of just school pick-ups and afternoon snacks, she also finds herself spending time with Liam, the handsome divorced dad. Can Riley control her feelings for Liam while still performing the job she was hired for?

All characters are the property of Pixelberry Studios. Thanks for allowing me to borrow them.

Chapter Summary: Riley and Hana celebrate their new jobs and meet some new friends.

“HOLY SHIT!”

Hana’s voice rings throughout the apartment. I spring from my bed, dropping the book I was reading, and rush out of my room to find her standing in our living room, holding a thick white priority mail envelope.

“What’s going on?” I ask her.

Her eyes travel from the envelope to mine. “It’s a letter from Valtoria High School.” She flips the envelope over in her hand and slides her finger under the flap. Her eyebrows pinch together as she slides the letter from the envelope and begins reading. Suddenly, her eyes widen.

“Oh my god, it’s my acceptance letter!” she shouts. “I am officially the next music teacher at Valtoria High School!”

I leap across the room and scoop her up in a crushing hug. “Hana! That is so amazing! Congratulations!” We both start jumping up and down squealing as the envelope slips from her hands and falls to the ground with a light thud. She stops jumping and looks down to where the envelope landed, giggling as she picks it up.

“What else is in there?” I ask.

She pulls out the remaining contents of the envelope and spreads them out on the coffee table. I glance over her shoulder to see a brochure, two pamphlets, some documents, a map of the school’s campus, a bumper sticker, a pencil, and a notebook with the school’s logo on the cover. I walk over to the couch and take a seat, picking up the brochure. I open it up to a random page and scan the content until something catches my eye.

“Is that what I think it is?” I ask, re-reading the list of donors for the school. Hana leans over and shrugs. “Oh yeah. His company is a major donor. I think they sponsor a bunch of the school’s extracurricular events. Gotta love those tax write-offs.”

My eyes glance back at the page, and it’s like the words are slapping me in the face.

GOLD LEVEL SPONSOR: Cordonia Enterprises

Fucking hells. Of course, he gives a shitload of money to the local schools. He’s one of the richest men in the city and he obviously gives a shit about someone other than himself. The woman who ends up with him is a lucky bitch. Fingers crossed it will be me.

“I wonder if he’s willing to donate to the “Riley Brooks is a Broke-Ass Bitch and needs money to pay off her student loans Foundation,’” I say.

Hana giggles. “He is. It’s called your paycheck.”

I narrow my eyes at her and chuck a throw pillow in her direction, narrowly missing. She ducks out of the way and sticks her tongue out at me in triumph. “Okay, enough fantasizing about your new boss’s bank account. I’m officially employed, so this calls for a celebration,” she declares.

“You thinking what I’m thinking?” I grin suggestively.

“Put on your best drinking dress. We’re going to the Double Tappe.”

***

We arrive 45 minutes later to see a line outside, which is weird because this place is rarely busy. It’s one of the reasons why we like coming here. I scan the line of people. The crowd doesn’t look like our usual mix of college students and barflies. We make our way up to the front where the bouncer, Spike, stands with a permanent scowl and a clipboard in his hand.

“Hey, Spike. What’s going on here?” Hana asks.

Spike turns his head and sees us, and his demeanor instantly changes. “Hey! My two favorite patrons. What are you guys doing here on a Saturday?” he asks. Hana and I haven’t gone out on a Saturday since we were in college. The type of people who barhop in this city on a Saturday night aren’t really the type of people we usually associate with.

I sling an arm around Hana’s shoulder. “We’re celebrating mine and Hana’s new jobs.”

He grins wide. “That’s awesome! Congrats, you two.” He cocks his head toward the line. ”Unfortunately, we’re having a private party tonight. Some big wig and his older brother are having this company get-together. Invite-only.”

My pulse quickens. Could it be? I ponder name-dropping him to gain us entrance. I mean, what good is working for a billionaire if you can’t throw his name around to gain perks in this city? I try to sneak a peek over Spike’s shoulder at the guest list.

“Any chance there’s someone on that list we could pose as to get in?”

Spike shakes his head. “No can do, girls.”

Hana frowns. “Come on, Spike. We’re regulars. One drink. We’ll be in and out before anyone notices.” she pleads.

He looks between us sympathetically, then down at his clipboard. “Tell you what. Sneak around to the back and knock twice. I’ll text Chuck to let you in. If anyone catches you, say you work for the catering company and get the hells out of there. Got it?”

We both side-hug Spike before sneaking down the alley towards the back. We maneuver around the dumpster, reaching the back door marked “Deliveries.” Hana lightly taps twice on the door, and a couple of minutes later, a large man with a red beard pokes his head out the door.

“You Hana and Riley?” he gruffs.

“That’s us,” I reply. He nods and steps aside, allowing us to enter. We weave our way through the kitchen until we reach the bar. The lights are dim, and the walls are covered in kitschy decor. A five-foot mahogany bar runs along the back wall, where bottles of various liquors adorn the shelves. Not surprisingly, the whiskey takes up two shelves.

Two pool tables take up one side of the bar. A single dartboard hangs on the wall near the back. On the other side: one of those state-of-the-art jukeboxes where you can select songs from an app on your phone, and a 10x10 dance floor. This place is the definition of a dive bar.

I’m shocked at the size of the crowd. There has to be at least 100 people here. I don’t think the Double Tappe has seen this many people at once. Pretty sure this place is overcapacity. I hope the fire marshal doesn't show up.

The owner Drake is standing behind the bar — a dish towel draped over his shoulder — talking to two men, one younger, one older. The younger man’s hands gesture wildly as he speaks. He then says something to the older man and elbows him. The older man looks over at him for a split second, before scowling into his tumbler of scotch.

I grab Hana’s hand and pull her to the bar. “Hey, Drake. Two whiskey sours, please,” I say, holding up two fingers. He looks over to us, and his eyes light up.

“Hey girls. Fancy seeing you here,” he replies. “It’s about time someone orders a normal drink.” As he gets to work mixing our drinks, the younger man to my right turns to me.

“He wouldn’t know a real drink if it slapped him across the back of the head.”

I turn to get a better look at him. He has olive skin and dark brown coiffed hair, He’s wearing a silk black dress shirt with gold leaf details and dark washed jeans. The older man sitting next to him is wearing a maroon blazer and navy turtleneck with charcoal-colored slacks. The two of them couldn’t be more night and day if you tried.

“Come on now, whiskey sours aren’t so bad. In fact, they’re my favorite drink.” I reply.

He smirks. “You clearly haven’t tried anything with Viniq. I think you’d like it. You seem like the type of girl who enjoys a shimmery cocktail.”

Drake looks up from what he’s doing, shooting the man a death glare. “We don’t serve that garbage here, Maxwell.”

He laughs. “Dude! Do you realize how much more money you could rake in every night if you stocked it?”

“Glitter doesn’t belong in drinks. That’s a hill I’m willing to die on,” Drake growls as he sets our drinks on the bar in front of us.

Hana and I giggle and take them. I scan the crowd once more as Maxwell and Drake continue to bicker over alcohol. The patrons are all dressed to the nines, sipping colorful cocktails. Some of them are wearing the latest pieces from Fashion Week. I’m pretty sure that woman by the jukebox is wearing a tiger print jumper. These people definitely aren’t your typical Double Tappe customers.

Maxwell turns back to us. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your names. Are you some of Bertrand’s new hires?”

Hana and I pause, glancing at each other. She busies herself with the straw in her drink, leaving me to explain our presence.

Shit, Riley. Think. What was it that Spike told us to say if we got caught? “We… we’re with the...uh… the catering company,” I stumble. He cocks one eyebrow at me before turning to the older man on his right.

“I thought all the caterers left, Bertrand. Didn’t you send them home after dinner?”

The older man turns to his left, looking me up and down skeptically. “Yes. They were dismissed an hour ago,” He scowls. If looks could kill, I’d be a dead woman right now. “You do realize this event was by invitation only, correct?”

Our cover is blown. “Uh…” Abort! Abort! I grab Hana’s arm and start to slip off my barstool when a warm hand settles on my shoulder and squeezes firmly. “She’s with me.”

Hana’s eyes widen. My heart stops. That voice. I turn around and sure enough, there's Liam. He smiles down at me and I'm pretty sure my soul just left my body.

”What are you doing here?” I ask him, confused yet relieved.

“I’m on the guest list.”

Of course, he is. His best friend owns the bar. He probably just walked in — like an episode of Cheers — and everyone knew his name.

”You know these two?” Maxwell asks.

”Well, I don't think I've been introduced to this lovely woman here, ” Liam says, gesturing towards Hana, ”but Riley works for me.”

”Ah, another office drone, huh?”

Liam chuckles. ”She’s the kids’ new nanny.”

Maxwell smiles knowingly. ”Ah. So this is her. This guy’s been talking a lot about you.” He winks and cocks his thumb towards Liam “Well, it was nice to meet you, Riley. Riley’s friend. Have a good night.” He slides off his barstool and drags Bertrand towards one of the pool tables.

Liam extends his hand and introduces himself to Hana. He then takes the empty barstool next to me. He’s dressed down, wearing a black sport coat over a tight-fitting grey t-shirt and dark wash jeans. How does this man look so good in everything he wears? He motions to Drake, and a few minutes later, two fresh drinks appear in front of Hana and me.

”So, you’ve been telling people about me, huh?” It’s dim in this bar, but I can definitely make out a blush. “Why am I not surprised you’d be here tonight?” I say as I sip my drink.

He smirks and the butterflies in my stomach flutter. You’d need a chainsaw to cut the sexual tension in this room. His eyes look to Hana, then back to me. “Can I make a confession? I was hoping I’d run into you here tonight. I knew you hung out here a lot, and even though this was a private event, part of me was hoping you’d show up anyway.”

“We actually weren’t planning on coming out tonight, but Hana got a new job too, so we decided to celebrate.”

“Congratulations,” he says to Hana. She lifts her glass to his and nods before downing it. Liam eyes my drink. “Next round is on me.”

“Oh, you don’t have to do that,” I say. “We’re the ones who crashed your friend’s party. We were only supposed to stay for one drink.”

He shakes his head and waves Drake over. “I insist.”

I nod as Drake approaches us. “Hey, Li. Another scotch on the rocks?”

“Actually, three shots of the finest tequila.”

Drake nods and reaches up to the top shelf and grabs a bottle of San Matías Rey Sol Extra Anejo Tequila. He places three glasses in front of him and pours the shots, before handing them to us.

Hana picks up her glass and observes it. ”Wow! I've only ever read about this tequila. They say it has notes of vanilla, caramel, and spice.” She brings the glass to her nose, inhaling deeply like some sort of tequila sommelier.

”Wait a minute. This tequila is $400 a bottle! We can't accept this,” I say, pushing the glass away from me.

Liam frowns. ”Why not? I offered to pay. I'm not expecting anything from you for it. You work for me now and I want to thank you for taking on the task of caring for my children.”

Isn't that what my paychecks are for? I stare at the shot for a few beats, contemplating what the gesture means. He said he wasn't expecting anything. Maybe he means it. Stop overthinking it and take the damn shot, Riley. When are you ever going to get the opportunity to try something this extravagant?

I shrug and pick up the glass. ”To new opportunities,”

”To new opportunities,” Hana and Liam say in unison as we clink our glasses together. We each take the shots, garnering different reactions. Liam nods in approval. Clearly, he drinks this stuff on the regular. Hana’s eyes light up and she swishes the tequila around in her mouth, enjoying the different flavors. My face puckers and I struggle to swallow, the shot burning as it goes down. Obviously, I don't drink tequila that often.

”That was incredible. I hope I can one day afford to buy a bottle of this for myself, ” Hana says, licking the remnants of the tequila from her lips.

“It’s perfectly okay to treat yourself once in a while,” he replies. He looks down at his watch and frowns. “Well ladies, fatherhood calls. Thanks for having a drink with me.” He motions to Drake for his bill and I sneak a peek as he pays the tab. That’s a lot of zeros! “Have a great rest of your evening.” He leans over to shake Hana’s hand then rises from his barstool and leans down towards me. His hot breath tickles my ear and my face warms. Obviously from the tequila, right? “You two have fun tonight,” he whispers. “Don’t drink too much. I’ll see you bright and early Monday morning.”

He smirks as I sit there trying to catch my breath, and just before he turns to walk away, he winks at me. Then, he’s gone.

#trr au #trr fanfic #something domestic #liam rhys #riley brooks #playchoices fanfic #nanny au #nazariolahela fanfic

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werewolvesversus · 5 years ago

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The Murder Puppy Pin

Hey everyone! For today's #WerewolfWednesday I thought I'd show you the process of designing the Murder Puppy enamel pin, which you can get as a reward by pledging to the WEREWOLVES VERSUS: Volume 1 Kickstarter at the "CHOMP" tier, or higher.

I'd known for a long time before the campaign that I wanted to make an enamel pin as part of the reward offerings. I'm a big fan of pins – I have a denim vest that's got what feels like 40 pounds of badges and enamel pins on it, and I love adding new and weird pins to the collection.

The idea for the design came from the same place where so many of my creative notions take root: a dumb throw-away Twitter post in which I referred to werewolves as being "murder puppies". I like the juxtaposition of cute and monstrous, so the idea of a ravening lycanthrope being presented as something superficially cuddly was very appealing. I knew for certain that the artwork would need to be done in the 1920s "rubber hose" character style recently popularized by the beautiful game Cuphead. Then, as with many of my ideas, I did nothing with it for a few months.

In June, with all of the other reward art assets ready and the campaign launch fast approaching, I knew it was time to actually design the pin. At the time, I was at Layers, a design conference in San Jose, and I'd received a nice little notebook and pen as part of the conference swag. Inspired in part by Andy McNally, a prolific taker of sketch notes who sat near me during the conference, I closed my laptop and began to doodle some ideas in my notebook.

The first even remotely successful design.

A little more refined, with the right balance of cute and dangerous, but still working out the teeth.

Refining the nose shape. My previous "mushroom-shape" noses were all too cat-like. Side note: image searching for "wolf noses" gives some wonderful results.

Figuring out the pin background. The pin needed to have a less jagged shape than the wolf head alone, and the text needed a place to sit. A full moon was the obvious choice.

Once I had a concept I liked, it was time to turn it into a digital image. Given the roughness of my sketches, I knew I couldn't simply use Photoshop and Illustrator to extract the lines. I needed someone who could Actually Draw to create a digital illustration that I could then manipulate, so I turned to my wife, Tandye Rowe (whose art is also on the Werewolf Jaws bandana and one of the stickers offered as rewards). In short order she delivered a hi-res PNG file for me to work with.

No more sketchy pen lines!

From this crisp image I was able to create a vector file in Illustrator, and then work on refining the details and joining some of the lines – a requirement for the way colours work in enamel pin production. The result is a pin design that fulfills my original "cute/deadly" concept and which will look awesome on my vest – or yours!

You may be tempted to pet him. Do not.

To get this pin for yourself (plus so much more, including a massive book of werewolf art, comics, stories, and other content very much in line with the “murder puppy” ethos, check out the WEREWOLVES VERSUS: Volume 1 Kickstarter.

#werewolves versus #enamel pin #pin

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elven-ariaera · 5 years ago

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Welcome all!

If you’re reading this, I’m assuming you’re familiar with my work as either an artist, cosplayer, writer or any of the other creative things I do. Recently, I had been asked about some of the work that I do, and I thought a fun way to just that was to fill out a few questionnaires. Here I talk about some of the high and low points of doing what I do, what inspires me, and my process of creativity.

For those who are only interested in certain segments, I’ve broken the article into the following sections for you to easily maneuver your way throughout the piece: Art, cosplay, writing, and questions asked by you.

I know I’m no professional and compared to a lot of others I don’t have as outstanding an amount of followers, but if this article can help inspire at least one artist to try something new or learn something they didn’t know, well, that’s good enough for me! I hope you enjoy!

Art

When did you get into art?

I’ve been drawing as long as I can remember, but I do recall middle school in particular being the time that I really started pursuing art. I had to choose between volleyball and art club after school, and guess which one I picked. It wasn’t just academics either. My notebooks were full of fan art of mostly Link and Zelda, but you could find some Kirby, Pokémon, and Naruto scattered in there as well.

Show us your oldest piece of art you have on hand.

Yeah. It’s… Something.

What defines your artistic style?

I think the faces of the characters I draw distinguish my art. I always have a certain way of drawing the eyes, ears, and other features. I always give my females more prominent eyelashes than males as well. Certain clothing as well — The way I draw capes and hoods are distinct. Not to mention when designing my own clothes, I tend to use similar patterns.

Do you practice other styles/have you tried other styles in the past?

I occasionally dabble outside my comfort zone. I’m not necessarily a huge fan of the “Cal-Arts” style, but I’ve tried it every now and then, especially when creating fan art for shows like Steven Universe, The Amazing World of Gumball, and Amphibia. I don’t really do it too often, but I’ve made a piece for my portfolio mimicking several art styles from a variety of different shows just to demonstrate that I can do it if I’d like to.

What levels of artistic education have you had?

Honestly, just high school. I thought I was going to college for digital illustrations but it turned out communication/graphic design was totally different. I actually got into that because I could draw when not many other people in that field could. Of course, I’m always interested in learning outside of school. I learn through watching other artists on social media, seeing how they create their work. Just watching a speed draw can help so much! The way I learn the most, however, is just by doing. Practice, practice, practice!

Show us at least one picture you drew or sketched recently that you did not put on a public site.

I’ve been doing a lot of Fire Emblem doodles for my new sticker line, so here’s Setsuna. Honestly, I just like drawing bust portraits like this.

What is your favorite piece that you have done?

I can’t just pick one! I’ve drawn over 900 things since I first joined DeviantArt (and I’ve been drawing even before then), you want me to pick just one? Haha, I’ll narrow it down to three of my favorites (in no particular order):

I love this one because it was like the first cute drawing of Ivysaur I’ve ever done. Ivysaur was always a tricky pokémon for me to draw, but this was the first time I feel like I nailed it. Ivysaur also happens to be one of my absolute favorites, so that’s a plus.

This is Minerva, a Guardian from my fantasy stories. Every time I drew her prior, I could never quite get the look I wanted. This was the one that I really liked and so I colored it and am very happy with how it turned out.

I don’t know why I just love this drawing I did of Dimitri from Three Houses. I think its the eyes and hair. And the color contrast — especially in the original ink sketch (that I hung up over my craft table.) I just love it.

What is your least favorite piece that you have done?

Again, you want just one? Haha, too many failures. I’ll be fair, though, and post three of those as well.

Here’s one from my early days. I was trying so hard to get the hair all detailed like and instead it came out looking like gross looking veins. Not to mention how atrocious the proportions were. Oh man, I’m sorry past me, I know you tried.

Here’s one I was so proud of: I copied the official art for Twilight Princess and thought it came out amazing. So amazing I titled the piece “Awesomeful Link.” Yeah. Um. Nope.

Here’s a more recent one that I’m not too pleased with. I was so excited about the latest batch of Steven Universe episodes (which I would later learn were a big bunch of filler episodes and that didn’t make anything better) I drew Pearl reciting her ‘big line’ of the trailer. I tried to mix styles and I tried something different with the eyes and all in all it just came out… Meh.

What do you like most about your art?

I like the faces that I draw. They’re always the most fun and I think they come out the best. I especially love the eyes, I go into so much detail on them (even though they’re usually so small when I print them.) I’ve had issues in the past where I made all of my characters look like they had the same face, but I feel I’ve been doing a lot better at individualizing the face of each character and that makes it all the more fun as well.

What do you like least about your art?

The hands. Sometimes I draw them well, but I still struggle hard and sometimes it really shows. For chibi drawings, I don’t really care as much, but on my more “serious” art, I get a little bummed when I’ve got a wonky hand hanging off their wrists. Feet also sometimes give me a bit of trouble, but usually only when I do poses that involve more movement, which is why I sometimes make my art stiffer and I don’t like doing that either.

Have you ever considered taking commissions?

I do take commissions. In fact, I’d love to take more if it were possible.

Are you looking to pursue a career in art?

I do it part-time right now. I’m satisfied doing commissions and artist tables at local conventions. I think I’d like to pursue writing more than art, but I do love art just as well, so part-time is perfect for me.

What do you like drawing the most?

As I mentioned before, faces. I love drawing facial expressions, I feel like it’s the very core of a character. It’s the first thing I notice when I look at anyone’s art, so I always go all out on my own. I also like drawing hair and wrinkles in clothing. I used to be really obsessed with wrinkles and it would always look like my characters didn’t iron their laundry, but I’ve definitely toned it down since then, haha.

All in all, I like drawing human characters the best — or humanoid. Elves, fairies, merfolk; I love them the most. I like drawing animals too, but not as much as people.

What do you like drawing the least?

Once again my answer is hands. They are still as difficult to draw as the day I started.

Backgrounds are also not enjoyable for me to draw. It’s an important part of a piece, but I get so bored drawing anything that’s not a character — which is why you’ll probably notice in a lot of my art that I do a lot of very minimal backgrounds. I’ve been trying very hard not to just take stock photos anymore (with the exception of my Mythical Month art as they’re meant to be stickers,) and I’ve been using games like Skyrim and Breath of the Wild as inspiration with their gorgeous scenery.

Do you draw more fanart or original art? If fanart, what fandom do you draw the most of?

I post a lot more fan art than original — at least I used to, but I also think I have expanded in sharing my original art more and more with my Mythical Months/Mondays. I guess maybe I’d say about half and half.

What medium/program do you use the most in your art?

Digitally I always use Photoshop. Always. As for traditional art, I’ve been using Copic knock-offs (I’m still learning, so I’d rather not waste the money) and the Sakura Micron pens for my ink sketches. I’ve really been enjoying them, actually, it’s very therapeutic. However, no matter digitally or traditionally, I always, ALWAYS start with a pencil. I like mechanical pencils, I don’t like traditional #2 pencils anymore. The thin lead helps me keep control better.

How would you rank your art? (poor, mediocre, good, etc.)

I always say I think my art is “above average.” I know it’s not bad, but I think it could always use improvement. I don’t know if I’ll ever get to a place where I think my art is phenomenal, but I’m content with it, it makes me happy, and that’s all that matters.

List at least one of your “artspirations.”

My art style was greatly inspired by Naruto, Fire Emblem, and Zelda. I always liked more proper body proportions with that hint of anime inspiration. I like bigger eyes on my characters because they help convey emotion so much better, but I also don’t like the oversized baby eyes outside of the occasional chibi style. Avatar: The Last Airbender was also a great influence since the creators did exactly what I like to do and execute it wonderfully.

What do you think you could stand to improve on?

I feel like I can always improve on everything that I do in my art. There are things I’m good at, but I don’t feel like I’ve mastered anything in particular. Then there’s hands and feet again which I definitely need to work on. Lastly, motion. I want to be able to draw more fluid character motions. I’ve been working on it with my original art that I don’t post online, but hopefully I’ll start incorporating it into all my work.

Do you have a shameful art past? (recolor sprite comics, tracing art, etc.?)

Ugh, yes, YES! I admit I was so bad at first, but I also think that’s just how we learn. I used to do a lot of tracing. I started first just full-on tracing images off my computer — That’s right, I’d put the paper up to the computer and trace it like that. Then I started using bases, which was better because at least I had to draw all the details like hair and clothing by myself. Then I finally worked up the courage to stop using them completely. I’d use references, but I would force myself to figure it out by eye rather than copy it straight from the source. I’m happy to say I haven’t been tracing since my late middle school- early high school years.

Cosplay

How many years have you cosplayed?

My first cosplay was when I was fourteen, and I’m twenty-five at the time of writing this article, so eleven years now. Wow.

How did you get into cosplaying?

I honestly don’t know. I was invited to a convention where I heard people dressed up and was like “hey, I want to try that!” I guess it was because I didn’t really do Halloween as a kid and I was so deathly terrified of costumed characters as a toddler that I never took an interest until high school.

How many cosplays have you done?

That’s funny, you want me to remember how many cosplays I’ve ever done. A lot. According to my photo collection, I’ve done about 60 different cosplays (59 exactly if I’m counting correctly.)

What was your first cosplay and why did you choose it?

My first cosplay was Osaka from Azumanga Daioh in her blue summer uniform. Azumanga Daioh was my second ever manga series and my cousin and I were so obsessed with it. She even went as Yukari with me to the convention (though only, like, two people knew who we were.) Tomo is probably my favorite character, but I related personally more to Osaka, being the air-head that I am. I also didn’t have to really style my hair (because that was an era before I used wigs.)

What is your favorite cosplay you’ve done so far?

It’s a tie between my Trainee Link (Hyrule Warriors) costume and my Royal Guard Link (Zelda: Breath of the Wild) costume. Both are alternative costumes for one of my all-time favorite characters that I hand made all the really detailed pieces all from scratch. Link has always been a special character for me to cosplay, but these two are my favorites.

What is your least favorite you’ve cosplayed?

Rapunzel (Tangled). I was obsessed with her at the time which is why I wanted to cosplay her originally, but my dress was not the best and I didn’t look good as her. At least I think so. It was the only costume that made me feel insecure.

What cosplay is the most uncomfortable or troublesome?

Okay, I love this costume and character to pieces, but my gosh the struggles I go through for Pearl (Steven Universe). Blue Diamond (Steven Universe) is the worst in terms of how long it takes me to put my makeup on, but Pearl is right behind her at about 2 hours being my best time. However, the thing that makes Pearl more troublesome to wear is one thing and one thing alone: armsocks.

They look great and prevent you from having to dab makeup all over your body, but I literally couldn’t even hit the home button on my cellphone and it’s not like I could just take them off like gloves. They’re attached at your middle and putting them on is a hassle on its own. Getting your fingers into each tiny socket is so time-consuming. Now imagine this while also being coated in body paint. Plus, having white be the color of the stockings, you have to be conscious of everything you touch because it will stain and show. Because of all this, I refuse to use the restroom dressed as Pearl, and while that is “in character,” it is not healthy and totally NOT recommended you do that.

What is your most comfortable cosplay?

During the winter, Ravio (Zelda: A Link Between Worlds) for sure. It’s like wearing a giant snuggie. However, in summer, it does get hot very quickly (which is why I literally only wear biker shorts and a tank underneath if I ever do take it out on a hot day), so I only wear it in summer if I know there will be AC. Heatstroke is a real thing. Miss Frizzle (Magic School Bus) is probably the best all-year cosplay in terms of comfort. It’s just a dress, stockings, and a wig really.

But in all honesty, most of my cosplays are relatively comfortable. There’s really nothing that I’ve been so uncomfortable that it’s made my physically ill or scarred me physically. My health is important to me, and should safety should always come first.

How do you research the cosplay before you make it?

I look up lots of reference images. I need an image of the front and back, though if it’s not available, I just improvise based on the images I do have on hand. After that, I kind of just wing it.

Do you sew your cosplays yourself?

A good majority of them, yes. There are a few exceptions to this, though: My Disney princesses are all bought since I use them in performances and want them to be durable if children come and tug on the outfit. Pearl, also being a performance cosplay, I did buy as well. For her second reformation outfit (the sleeveless with the ribbon) I got specially commissioned to look and fit me just right whereas her movie/future appearance (jacket and mom-jeans) I literally found at a thrift store. I also love to find costume pieces at thrift stores. Whether I use them as is or make alterations, they make life so much easier when you make a good find for a cheap price. Leni Loud (Loud House) is probably my favorite thrift/sew hybrid. I found a base dress, altered the top and added strap sleeves, put lace around the edges, found a blingy pair of sunglasses, bought earrings and painted them, and made bows for sandals I already had. The most expensive part of that cosplay was the wig I bought from Arda (and it’s always worth it to buy from them in my opinion.)

When I make a costume completely from scratch (like Ravio, Thranduil, any of my Link cosplays) are when I really love the costume and character and want to take on a challenge and bring it to life myself. They also tend to have pieces that can’t be altered from your everyday clothing, but that just makes me work harder and learn more!

How did you learn to sew?

My grandmother taught me how. Osaka was my first cosplay, but my mom altered it from a tee shirt we found at a thrift store and a lucky skirt find. Kabuto Yakushi (Naruto) was the first cosplay I made from scratch (and I won best novice at the convention I wore it to — even with my terrible wig, haha.) She showed me how to use patterns when we made that and my Ayame Sohma cosplay, but after that, I scrapped using patterns and I basically just eyeball everything now. It’s totally not recommended, but I’m a little weirdo and just prefer to do things the way I do. Still, I wouldn’t be able to use a sewing machine if it weren’t for her. Thanks, Nanny!

Do you make your own props?

Most of them. I don’t really use props too often as I find them cumbersome to lug around a convention (which is how I thought of the Fire Emblem, Gravity Falls, and Skyrim book boxes to store your stuff and add some extra flair to a costume.) The few props I have made include Link’s sword, his trainee shield, his original shield from Zelda 1, and Soren’s Wind Tome (which I used for Laurent (Fire Emblem: Awakening) because I didn’t finish Soren (Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance) yet…) Then there’s my prized cosplay prop; Victreebel for James (Pokémon). That was all thanks to my fleece hat business in high school that taught me the skills to build that thing.

I actually think the only prop I store-bought was my Hylian Shield because it was so lightweight and easy to carry, plus I was dreading doing all those details at the time. Maybe one day I’ll make it from scratch, but for now, I’m content with my store-bought.

Do you style your own wigs?

Yes. I have been improving my styling skills a lot more since I first started. It was always a more difficult task for me, but I’ve been practicing more and more. The first one that I attempted on my own was my short-haired Rapunzel. That was basically just giving it a haircut, though. My first real styling challenge was Breath of the Wild Link. It took a long time, but I actually had fun figuring out his hair.

For most of my costumes, it’s really just the bangs that need that extra pop, to which I use Got2B gel and spray. Does the trick every time and keeps everything in place. For those who are wondering, though: No, I did not style Pearl’s wig. I am not ready for that kind of gravity-defying styling. That was all E-Bay.

What skill has been most useful for making your cosplay?

Well, sewing mostly, but other skills that have come in handy for me personally have been painting, crafting, makeup, styling, and overall decorating. Probably other stuff too, just nothing more I can think of off the top of my head.

What is the hardest thing when making a cosplay?

Probably figuring out how things connect. This is the main reason I’m timid when it comes to armor. I’ve been getting better, but I’m still having trouble figuring out how everything attaches and how to put on these kinds of costumes, which is why my Skyrim Elven Armor has been put on hold.

What was the biggest screw up you’ve had making a cosplay?

I’m not sure if I had any major crisis’ when it comes to making cosplays, but I’ve certainly had my fair share of irritating mishaps and mistakes. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve accidentally sewn the sleeves on a costume inside out about 4 times before I finally got it right.

I’ve cut holes in my clothing, I’ve sewn sleeves on too tight, and I’ve even completed a hat that took hours just for it to wind up being too small when I put a wig on. I guess most of the major issues I’ve had with sewing are measurement issues, so my advice to you is to always measure and try on your costume as you go. Don’t wait until the day of the con to try out your new cosplay.

How often do you injure yourself while making a cosplay?

Not too often, I occasionally prick my finger with my sewing needles, but I haven’t had too many serious injuries. I think the worst was when I slashed my thumb with the exacto-knife when making my first shield for Link. Needless to say, there was a lot of blood.

Do you try to stay cheap or do you splurge on materials?

I am a frugal soul; if I can save, I will. That’s why I thrift so much. However, on a costume I’m really passionate about, I will spend more to ensure the quality. For example, I spent a little more going to a more shimmery material for Royal Guard Link. It cost about $50 for the blue and red material, which to me, is a lot (and that was with coupons). However, the results were 100% worth it. PS, Michaels and Joann’s ALWAYS have coupons. I totally recommend downloading both apps.

I also stand by that with wigs and contacts. I love Arda, their quality is great, but they are more expensive than Amazon. Contacts I don’t mind spending more for as well since the quality is VERY important in this case; they are going on your eyes, after all.

However, as I said, I am absolutely not opposed to going cheap. If you can make it work, make it work. My Nyo!Austria (Hetalia) cosplay came out very cute and it was literally made from bedsheets. From using mostly thrifted and recycled materials, a lot of my cosplays came to around an overall price of around $30. Some of these costumes include Mega Gardevoir (Pokemon), Tomoyo Sakagami (Clannad), Spyro (Spyro the Dragon), and Luan Loud (Loud House.)

Cosplay can be totally affordable, you just have to be creative and think a little outside the box sometimes to make it work.

Have you ever cosplayed with a partner or group?

Yes, a few times. I’d love to do more group cosplays, but we all have to think of something we all like. Luckily, two of my very good friends decided they would dress up as Steven Universe and Amethyst to go with my Pearl this year for Comic-Con and it was such a great experience! I’m trying to convince them to do others as well, such as The Loud House and The Magic School Bus with me as well, haha.

Do you try to act in character?

Always: but I don’t always succeed. It really depends on the character. Pearl I could roleplay for days. It’s probably because I connect so much with her and performing as her doesn’t hurt either. Dee Dee Magno Hall says her favorite lines to say are peoples names, and after giving it a shot myself, I totally see why. I even practiced Garnets “Stronger than you” monologue in Pearl’s voice and tone (in case no one volunteered to sing during our karaoke event) and it always makes my friends laugh.

The characters that stump me a little more are the more serious characters I choose to portray; Link, Laurent, Thranduil (the Hobbit), Belle (Beauty and the Beast), just to name a few. I’m kind of a goofball/airhead so those characters clash with my personality a little bit, but I am getting better. Blue Diamond is surprisingly the easiest of these types to stay in character for.

That being said, I love being the outgoing, oddball characters. Like I said, Pearl is second nature to me, as well as Anna from Frozen. Back in my Hetalia days, Austria and America were my go-to guys. I could act as them forever, and my friends and I literally lived as them for a while with how much we role-played. Most of the Disney Princesses it’s pretty easy for me to stay in character, especially (like I said before) Anna, Sofia the First, and Merida.

How do you react to cosplayers dressed as a character from the same anime/game/etc?

If there are some good character opportunities, I will role-play on the spot, but more often than not I will ask if we could all get a picture together. There were so many fun interactions with other Steven Universe cosplayers when my friends and I did our little group, but one of my favorite interactions was probably when I was dressed as Laurent and I stumbled across a Miriel cosplayer and I just shouted out “MOM! I FINALLY FOUND YOU!”

Do you try to duplicate your character’s expressions, walk, movements, etc?

I can talk the talk (mostly), but I have more trouble walking the walk. I’ve been trying to replicate movements better, but facial expressions I have trouble with (ironic as it’s my favorite part of drawing.) I’m not as photogenic as I’d like to be, as you could probably tell by most of my pictures being the same face, but I definitely am striving to improve on that.

What was your funniest experience of acting in character?

Okay, there’s a lot that I could share, and eventually, I want to do an article solely on cosplay “in-character” experiences, but the one I HAVE to share right now is a recent experience when I was dressed as Ariel from The Little Mermaid.

I was performing at the family day event my church helps out at my pastor’s air force base as Ariel, and after my sing-a-long, my makeup was a little smudged. I asked a volunteer where the restroom was so I could touch up before I headed back out to the crowds. I thought he’d take me to a private restroom, but he brought me to the public one where there were families waiting outside. They noticed and the dad joked “See? Even princesses have to go.” to which I laughed and gave my best Ariel shrug to play along. I went inside, fixed my makeup, and went back outside.

It wasn’t long, so the family was still outside the men’s room. As I walked by, the man’s son shouted out “Ariel, congratulations on going pee-pee!” to which I bursted out laughing. Everyone was. I mean, if you gotta congratulate a princess on using the bathroom, you picked the right one! After that, I did explain that I was just putting on makeup but I appreciated his enthusiasm and thanked him for it.

Do you compete in cosplay contests?

All the time. I love them. Whether I win or lose, I always get something out of it. I learn tips from other cosplayers, get to meet so many interesting people, and those times I do win I get prizes which is always nice as well. Most importantly, though, the memories that are made there are the very best part.

Have you won anything?

I have won quite a few. I have three trophies, a medal, a few certificates, and have won a cash prize as well. My first win was my second convention as Kabuto where I won the best novice trophy. My most recent win was for Ravio in August of 2019 with best in show. It’s amazing, I never thought I would get this far, but I’m so grateful for everything I’ve been a part of.

Again, it’s totally not about winning, but I’ll admit that it does feel really nice to have my hard work appreciated. Just as drawing, I still feel like I have a lot of room for improvement in my cosplay, so winning a few contests here and there definitely helps my low self-esteem.

Do you prefer skits or walk-ons?

I’ve only ever done walk-ons. I’ve never had anyone to do a skit with and I don’t think I could pull one off on my own. I’d love to do one eventually, but for now, our panels are good enough.

How many friends have you made because of cosplay?

Quite a lot. My Instagram is full of cosplayers I’ve met at conventions and I love seeing their cosplays and drawings, it’s all so inspiring!

Do you attend photoshoots and meet-ups outside of conventions?

Occasionally. I’ve never done a professional photoshoot (though one day I’d like to,) but I have attended a few meetups. I’ve done one for Steven Universe, Once Upon a Time, Disney, and I actually accidentally walked into a Fire Emblem: Awakening one dressed as Laurent, so that worked out.

What is the funniest reaction you’ve gotten cosplaying from people outside of the community?

The best one was when I was dressed as Link and my friend and I were on the subway. There was a mom and her kid sitting across from us and she pointed to me and said to her child, “Look, an elf! You see? Santa’s got his helpers out all year round, so you have to be good!”

I also had another wonderful experience outside of a con dressed as Link, though it’s not as funny but more just a sweet memory. It’s quite a bit, but luckily I’ve already written about it for Zelda Universe so I’ll just link it here for anyone who’s interested.

Name a few cosplays you’re planning to do next:

I’ve got to get Soren (Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance) done soon. I’ve been wanting to do this cosplay forever and I did start it, but I need to finally finish it. Dimitri (Fire Emblem: Three Houses) is also on my list to do next. Not sure about who else I want to do for sure, but some ideas that have floated around in my head have been Tilly Green (Big City Greens), Anna with her Frozen 2 look, Princess Peach (Super Mario), and a Thalmor Mage (Skyrim.)

What is your dream cosplay?

Princess Zelda from Twilight Princess. I’m still too scared to try to cosplay her. I bought a cheap starter costume that I was going to build off of and it wasn’t turning out the way I wanted, so I put it off again. One day I’ll feel confident enough to make her costume, but until then I’m totally satisfied with my Link cosplays.

What do you take into consideration when picking a character to cosplay?

Honestly, I just have to love them as a character and the costume itself has to seem do-able. I mean, I’m totally not opposed to buying cosplays if I really want to be a particular character, but like I said, making it means all the more to me. It’s my display of affection towards that character, the creators behind them, and the series as a whole.

Is cosplay serious business for you?

Yes and no. No because I don’t do it for money, likes, or internet fame. I do it because it’s fun and what I like to do. Yes because I go all out when I cosplay. I do everything I can to get the look the way I want it and I put my blood, sweat, and tears into it when I make them by hand.

What is your favorite thing about cosplay?

Everything: Dressing up as a character I love, roleplaying them, taking photos, just everything! I would do it more often if I could!

How do you want to grow as a cosplayer?

I want to learn how to make more. I want to build armor, I want to learn new makeup and hairstyling techniques, and so much more. I’m happy where I am, but I know I can be better. I will watch others and learn from them and push myself to try new things!

Are you willing to answer questions and help other cosplayers?

Absolutely! I may not be a top dog of cosplaying, but if I can help someone with something I’ve learned along the way, I’m more than happy to help!

Writing

When did you start writing?

I started in middle school as well, I used to write a Nintendo fan fiction called “The Kirby Show,” where Kirby and his friends would get into wacky sitcom scenarios. They were really just knock-offs of the television shows I used to watch back in the day, but hey, everyone’s gotta start somewhere.

As for my original writing, I started that more in high school. I still wrote a lot of fan fiction at that point, but I was starting to develop my own characters as well. I thought it about time to think of my own creations, and I did. I remember I was in my Godmother’s car when I thought of the main three characters and since then the cast has expanded so much, their stories are much better developed, and the lore is much more solid.

When you were a beginning writer, what did you write primarily? What do you write now, primarily? (i.e. romance, fan-fiction, poetry)

As mentioned before, I started out writing stories about characters that were not my own. Now I do all original writing — well, aside from my work at Zelda Universe. There I get to write about all the unique aspects of one of my favorite game series of all time, so there’s that as well. Writing there has helped me start writing little fandom topical posts for my own blog, such as top 10’s, reviews, and other things along those lines.

How often do you write?

I make it a habit to try and write at least a half-hour a day. If I’m really on a roll, I could write up to a few hours a day before I get burnt out. Even though I’m not always writing, I’m always developing the stories in my head.

When is your favorite time of the day to write?

I always write a half hour before I go to bed. The later it is, the more ideas keep rolling in. With my early hours for work now it’s harder to stay up late, but that doesn’t stop the ideas. I just gotta push myself a little harder to start earlier to have more time before I need to go to bed.

Do you have a writing muse? If so, who/what?

Not in particular. I always just write about what I like and incorporate different aspects of my life into it. I guess I’m my own muse in that sense? I don’t know. I just write what I do know.

What is your most popular lit piece?

Out of all my public pieces, I’d say either my “Animal Crossing Diaries” series or my “Endless Ocean” screenplay. “Vagabond” gets some decent attention as well, which is nice, but honestly, I’d be happy if there was just one person enjoying my work, so I really can’t complain.

What is the piece you are currently writing?

Out of my public blog works, “Vagabond,” from my Zelda Universe collection I’m working on a character piece on Colin from Twilight Princess.

What is the piece you most recently finished?

On my blog that would be my “Top 10 Favorite Fire Emblem Characters” list. For Zelda Universe, it’s actually a piece about Fire Emblem as well — It was DS week, I could write about whatever DS game I wanted to, of course I have to sneak in some Fire Emblem.

What piece are you most proud of?

While “Vagabond” definitely needs some more work, out of all the pieces I’ve posted publicly, that one is the one I am the proudest of. If anything just for Kurt and Maerwynn. They are two of my favorite characters to play around with and I’m so happy that somehow I was allowed to think these two up.

In my more private works, my fantasy story is my pride and joy. I feel so blessed to have been able to come up with these characters, and I do hope that someday I will be able to share them, whether on a television screen as I’ve always dreamed of in a novel of some sort. One day, maybe.

What piece are you most disappointed in?

It’s not so much disappointment, but rather I’ve grown so much in my work, it’s very hard for me to look back at my first romance story. It’s a little cheesy and the dialogue is a bit clunky, some of the actions that my characters had performed totally go against what their characters have become now after spending a lot more time with them. It’s something I would love to revisit and maybe even go public with, but it’s going to take a lot of work.

From all of your stories, who is/are your favorite character(s) and why? (try to limit it to 3)

Since I only published “Vagabond” online, I’ll stick to characters from this story in particular.

Maerwynn is definitely a favorite because she’s got a lot of qualities that I wish I was bold enough to enact myself. She speaks her mind without a care of what anyone else will think, even if it’s blatantly rude. She goes for her goals, even if they may seem ridiculous, and she pursues them with great passion and ferocity. Even with this rough and tough exterior, she’s still got a softer side that she’s just discovering in her new life at the palace. Now, I wouldn’t ever recommend being like Maerwynn ALL the time, but there’s definitely is a time and place where we could all be a little bit more like her, I think. Her confidence is the thing I admire most about her.

Kurt I connect with as well. Again, he says all the things that we all wish we could get away with at one point or another, but he knows he can because he’s royalty. However, he’s got so much going on underneath the surface as well with the complications of his past. He’s learning to open up, connect with others, and understand his feelings. Despite feeling restricted by the laws of his kingdom and the traditions of the royal family, he finds his own way to feel free and be himself.

What is the best compliment you ever got on your writing?

My best friend who I’ve been sharing these stories with for as long as we’ve known each other told me the nicest thing not to long ago. I always laugh at myself for going so crazy in-depth with the lore and characters of my fantasy world, but she told me how she’s admired that and the love and care I put into each little thing was what made it so great. It really meant the world to me to hear that and I can’t thank her enough for all the love and support throughout the years!

What is your main goal in writing?

I don’t know if there’s one main goal in particular, but I suppose if I had to pick just one, it would be to show good through the works of my characters and hope and pray that it inspires others to be like them. Kindness is growing scarce in the world, and if I can just inspire a little bit of it in someone, I suppose that’s all I can ask for.

Have you ever been published?

No, but I am aiming for it. Once I complete Vagabond, give it another revise myself, and hopefully find an editor to give it another look over, I’d love to find someone to publish my book or even self publish on a platform like Amazon. Just something to get my work out there.

Questions asked by you

Who is an artist that you look up to? There are a few artists online that I follow who I just adore their work. Three that come to mind in particular are Bianca Roman-Stumpff, Bellhenge, and TheStarfishFace. Their art is so different from mine, but I think that’s probably why I love it so much (if that makes sense?) They each have such a unique style and great subject material, I highly recommend giving them a look!

What did you think of “Frozen 2”?

I loved it. No secret that I’m a huge Frozen fan, so I was bound to like it. I was actually really nervous about how it was going to end, but I can say (without spoilers) that I am 100% satisfied with how it concluded. Also, Kristoff finally gets the spotlight that he deserves, thank you, Disney.

However, as much as I did love it, I do totally admit I do see flaws in it that could have been improved on. That being said, there was that in the first movie too and I stilled loved it. The characters have enough charm to keep the film entertaining throughout and I just adore them!

What does your family think of your art?

My parents have always encouraged me about my art and I know my grandmother loves it; I gave her a sweater with the art she liked of mine last Christmas and my mom says she wears it all the time. The rest of my family knows and supports my art as well, I never really had any issue with my small art business and the family.

Any memorable cosplay experiences at a con?

So many. I’ve shared a few before, but I think I’d like to make a whole article on the great cosplay experiences I’ve had! There are so many to talk about and stories to share.

Is there a type of art that you would like to get into? I’ve seen a lot of people doing wood carving and burning, but that looks insanely difficult.

I’ve actually been considering wood burning, haha! It does look difficult, that’s why I’ve been hesitant, but maybe in the future I’d give it a shot. I think they’d make my Skyrim wood pieces look legit.

I’m really up for trying anything. If money wasn’t a thing, I’d have tried a lot more by now. In the future, I’d love to try needlepoint as well!

Recently, I had been asked about some of the work that I do, and I thought a fun way to just that was to fill out a few questionnaires. Here I talk about some of the high and low points of doing what I do, what inspires me, and my process of creativity. Welcome all! If you're reading this, I'm assuming you're familiar with my work as either an artist, cosplayer, writer or any of the other creative things I do.

#art #artist #ask #author #cosplay #cosplayer #Q&A #writing

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emmastudies · 6 years ago

Note

do you know of any great planners ?? I want to invest in a great planner but there’s just SO many out there

Hellooo! Here are a few:

Emma Studies - woo! It is me! Obviously, I feel my planners are quite useful for students in terms of being functional and practical. You can download mine and either print them yourself (say add them in to a discbound notebook, a filofax/kikki k planner, or a binder) or you can use them on your laptop or ipad/tablet as a digital organiser. I have lots of options and will be adding more over the next few weeks. I can also do custom orders if you wanted something specific! I also offer discount codes (student10) which can help reduce the price - you’re not wasting shipping costs and can do undated if you’re unsure!

[daily] Simplified Planner - this is the planner I’ve been using for the last couple of months and I really like it. I didn’t think daily planner was useful for me but I think it is fantastic considering that some of my tasks are scheduled (e.g. lectures, tutorials, meetings, etc) and others are just “to be done” and can be added into the task list.

Day Designer - another lovely planner by the looks of things! I’ve not used it myself but the layout looks so nice!

Passion Planner - massively recommended by sooo many people! I think the whole idea and layout is great and perfect for any kind of person.

Erin Condren - another planner which is highly recommended. Massively customisable which is awesome when most planners don’t suit your personal needs.

Appointed - I’ve been a fan of their simple and minimalist design for a while but love their 2018 planners. I would definitely consider it if I hadn’t had two already :’-)

An Organised Life - I recently received the weekly planner from here. Whilst the design is pretty much my favourite planner ever, I’ve not used it as much as I hoped I would :-( I have used it with the Emily Ley dot stickers as a key and it was really cute!!

Mossery Co - a selection of super cute planners and at a great price! You get the option to monogram them with is so lovely. I have a detailed post on what I thought here.

Moleskine - a highly recommended brand by a lot of people! A great alternative to using their plain ones as a bullet journal.

Kikki K - lots of different options which is great for finding something specific to your needs! You can also just buy the planner and then create or buy your own inserts. They also sell regular weekly and daily planners.

Bando - some super cute planners! A bit more colourful and fun if you aren’t a huge planner fan.

Rifle Paper Co - I seriously love these planners but find the paper a littttle bit thin. Wouldn’t be a problem if you were planning to use a ballpoint pen and no highlighters or anything but probably not best if you wanted to use colours/gel pens.

Sugar Paper - I love this brand, it is just so pretty! Lots of nice planner otions!

Ella Iconic - such a great planner in terms of looks and content. If you’re interested in planning more than your day-to-day, I think this is a great option!

The Happiness Planner - one of the prettiest planners ever :’-) I really like the design, layouts, etc.

Frank Stationery - some super cute options in both daily and weekly! A good price as well.

Bloom Daily Planners - not entirely my personal style but I’ve seen them been recommended quite a lot!

MiGoals - another brand that I’ve seen recommended but haven’t used personally.

Urban Outfitters - lots of lovely different designs! This one is quite cute that it is undated.

There are lots of other brands too, such as Typo, Paperchase, Leuchtturm, etc, which have lovely options. Honestly places like Target, Staples, Kmart have some great options at more affordable prices. Here is a list of lots of other stationery shops in case you didn’t like any of those. Hope this helps xxx

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yoshi4sushi · 6 years ago

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(purupurupuru) (purupurupuru) (gocha!) (coo!) (coo!)

Hey! Hey! Hey nakama! How are you all doing? The heat is on! Literally! Be sure to wear plenty of sunscreen, drink loads of fresh water or fruit juice, and avoid heat stroke at all cost. Don’t be a fool of trying to get major sun tan just to look cool. Well, we did our duty to warn you so please take heed of it. With that said and done, let’s get done to business. We got loads and loads of stuff to share with you. You know the drill. First off, last week’s chapter started off with trouble. We first see Nekomamushi has finally found Marco who is now a doctor and guardian of a village that was home to Whitebeard. Yea, the idea was to find him and see if he can give a little hand to Luffy to take down Kaido. Well, Marco gave him an honest good reason why he can’t leave. He tells Nekomamushi that after he was defeated by Blackbeard, everyone went their wait to who knows where. Marco returned to Whitebeard’s homeland to protect it since throughout the years, he was keep it safe from invaders. Because of this, Marco felt a lot of sentiment to protect what was dear to WB. (sniff) (sniff) So touching qne very reasonable. We then finally move the place we all have been waiting for. The land of grace and honor: Wano Kingdom. Totally going back to the Edo period. We all see Zoro and the gang hiding among the crowd since Kinemon told them that they gotta stay low for now until they can gather enough sources and help to overthrow Kaido. For now, they all must take a new name and jobs. Franky is working as a carpenter, Ussop is working as a street salesman, and Robin is working as a geisha. She looked very, very beautiful in her geisha look. At the end, we see Zoro in court taking his punishment for having the shisui sword that was given by the late samurai Ryoma, the zombie he fought at Thriller Park. The court members were all behaving so selfish and greedy. They sentenced him to death by seppuku while one of the officials would strike him at the same to make sure he’s dead. But you know Zoro, too proud to accept cruel fate, he cut down the official along with the courthouse with only the seppuku knife. Off to a bad start! What’s gonna happen? Will Kaido respond to this trouble? Let’s see how it goes this week. Next, this past weekend’s episode was intense! The castle was coming down with all the rubble that would crush the village, but thanks to Streussen’s quick thinking, he was able to turn the whole place into soft cake and cream. Everyone was safe including our heroes. Ceasar finally got his heart back, and Luffy and Bege went their separate ways. At the end, as the family members are ready to go after the gang, death is chasing them. Big Mom is in her sugar mode demanding the wedding cake. YIKES! I steer clear if I were them. Next time, the gang escape to the forest and runs into some familiar homies while Germa are protecting their territory. Will they succeed? Don’t miss it! Now on with the goods. First off, we have a telegram from our tower friend, Tongari-san! With this hot weather, we told him it better off to send a telegram so he won’t risk his health from heat stroke. So he says loads and loads of fun stuff are heating up at the tower. First, more birthday goods of Nami. They’re selling her birthday acrylic key strap that’s good hang with the other key straps of Luffy and Perona. They’re also selling her birthday button as well. If you purchase more than 3000 yen of goods, you’ll get a free birthday poster of her or Corazon. You can only choose one. Be quick cuz they run out very fast. Next, new delish menu at the café. They have Law’s chicken wrap, Perona’s black burger with ghost French fries, Sabo’s tasty parfait, and Luffy’s colorful berry drink. YOWZA! Tasty summer meal! Also, if you order either of Nami or Corazon’s birthday menu, they’ll give you a free birthday card of them. You can order both to get the cards. Next, more birthday goods of Nami. They’ll sell a bromide card set, a tote bag, and a folder. They Straw Hat stores at other locations and Jump Shops will also have them. Finally, Omni 7, 7/11 store will be taking ticket reservations for the tower, and if you purchase a ticket from this website, you’ll be given a free limited Tokyo Tower mug of the Straw Hats. If you take this mug with you at Franky’s Cola Bar, you’ll be given a free drink of your choice. Reservation tickets start next Monday until Aug.30th. Next, FIGURINES! FIGURINES! This Tuesday, all arcades will be stocking this awesome WCF mini figurines of Mugiwara 56 of Luffy, Zoro, Robin, Chopper, and the logo wearing Germa suits from the colorspread page. TOTALLY RAD DUDES!! Get your coin ready…. & WIN!!! Next, POP Bikini will be taking reservations for figurines of Vivi and Rebecca together. Rebecca’s helmet will be included. It will be released in October. I’ll leave a link for those interested. Next, Figure Arts Zero will released this new figurine of Luffy in gear 4th doing his gum gum bazooka attack. Pre-order link will be announced later. It will be released in November. Next, more Nami’s birthday goods are in stock at Straw Hat stores. They’ll sell two stylish long towels, acrylic key chains, acrylic frames, stickers, and mirrors. If you purchase any of them over 1000 yen, you’ll get a free birthday bromide card of her. And we got some new YAKARA buttons! The new theme is MUSIC!!! ROCK N ROLL, DUDES!!!! They’ll have 30 characters including Apoo, Katakuri, Reiju, Ussop, Franky, Moria, and many more. Limited ed. button is the king of rock himself, Soul King Brook! YEAH! They will be released next Saturday. Next, stores will be selling three notebooks good for school. They have three differ covers: Luffy & Shanks, Marines, and Iva-chan with Bon-chan. Each has phrase. You can also find them at stationary stores such as Loft, Tokyu Hands, or any other local store. Next, Hikari Sports will be selling funky fun swim suits. They’ll sell this short speedos for men that has the Straw Hats in summer themed. They’ll also sell other kinds of swim suits for both men in women. Both will have jolly rogers decorated all over. For men, they’ll have in green, black, & blue designs. For women, they’ll have one-piece suits in hot pink, black, and blue designs. They’ll also sell swim caps (different colors), towels of Luffy & Chopper, & OP logo in different colors as well. I’ll leave a link for those interested. Rakuten & Yahoo shop will have them available for pre-order. If you need, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Next, new WCI t-shirts will be in stock soon such as these black t-shirts of Luffy and Katakuri with Big Mom. They’ll be released sometime this month or next month. Next, here are the collaboration goods they’ll have the Yokohama baseball game. They’ll sell Chopper goods with different team brands. They’ll sell mugs, key chains, smart phone covers, fans, t-shirts, towels, sticker, small string purses, t-shirts and much more. Last, but not least, OP app game, Thousand Store, will have short campaign of Hancock so you can use her a playable character. Win enough levels and you’ll receive her along with a free image gift good for wallpaper on your phone. PHEW! All this talking is making and typing is making us sweat so much. PHEW! I think we covered everything. Well, that’s all we got for now. Tune in next week for more news and upcoming events. We will see Tongari-san at the tower for the anniversary event. Keep the telegram coming, my friend. Kikko! Momon! Excellent job as always, boys. Let’s stop for now. Heat is getting intense.

Swimsuits: https://www.rakuten.ne.jp/gold/hikarisp/

Figurines: http://megatreshop.shop40.makeshop.jp/shopdetail/000000000600/

Free mug: http://7net.omni7.jp/general/005105/000000onepiecetower

#one piece #merchandise #event

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queenofboheme · 7 years ago

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Australian Witchy Supplies Stores

Kmart

Kmart is hands down my favourite place to shop. You can get all sorts of witchy things from Kmart, you just have to know where to look. Kmart stock candles of all sizes from just $1AUD. I've also found essential oils for $3AUD and oil diffusers for about $20AUD. In the arts and crafts area Kmart has a great range of notebooks, stationery, stamps, stickers, washi tape, paper embellishments; basically anything you'd need to start or add to your grimoire. Also in the craft area, I have picked up some suede lengths that I've hung crystals on and turned into necklaces & bracelets. Kmart has a selection of coloured ribbons that could be used to decorate your altar or to tie in your hair. In the home decor area I've spotted some cute little shelves that would be perfect to display crystals on as well as little drawers to keep them safe in. There's always cute little dishes & jewellery trays that would be perfect for crystals or keeping witchy trinkets in. If you're not bothered by what your storage shelves/drawers look like, the storage section has everything you'd ever need from tiny jars to big heavy duty containers. In the gardening/outdoor section you can find plant seeds and basic beginner gardening equipment as well as potting mix, pest control stuff and even cute pots to start your seedlings in. I have found some lovely pieces of witchy clothing from Kmart (bell sleeved shirts, cardigans, flowy maxi skirts) - if you're petite like me don't forget to look in the girls section, my best friend found the cutest celestial themed skirt from the girls section that fits her perfectly even though she's 21. The girls section also has a waaay better sock selection than the ladies area, we have both picked up some black frilly socks and I've noticed brightly coloured striped socks for anyone daring enough to wear them haha. Finally, don't forget to check out the accessories section - there's always cute witchy hats and a wide variety of jewellery and hair accessories starting from just $1AUD.

Big W

Big W is another Aus Wide department store that sell lots of cool witchy bits & pieces. Big W also sell candles although they probably aren't as cheap as the Kmart ones. I've noticed wax/oil burners at Big W as well. In the home decor section there's always little trinket trays - I've found lovely little ceramic bowls in the kitchen section for about half the price of the trinket trays so don't be afraid to scout around in other areas for multipurpose items. While you're in the kitchen section take a peek at the selection of jars and glassware. I always check out the herbs and spices racks/jars/storage. If you're after basic grimoire supplies, Big W should definitely have what you're after; notebooks, pens, basic craft bits & office supplies. Big Ws gardening section is (IMO) better than kmarts as it has a wider range of gardening accessories and they stock higher quality brands. Same as Kmart, Big W sometimes has cool witchy clothes in the clearance section (I always try to buy things on sale to save $$ [also keep in mind we don't have coupons in Aus!]). Another thing that Big W does better than Kmart is the book section. I bought my very first tarot deck from Big W (its a fairy themed deck by Doreen Virtue) for $15AUD. They usually have 4 or 5 different tarot decks to choose from as well as angel oracle decks and kits. I bought an awesome dream interpretation book from Big W just the other day. Finally, Big W ALWAYS has jewellery on clearance for as little as $0.50 - don't be afraid to buy some pieces of jewellery and DIY them to be a little more witchy or personal to you.

Spotlight/Lincraft

Probably the biggest craft stores in Aus, Spotlight and Lincraft stock literally EVERYTHING arts & crafts wise. Both stores have such a wide variety of stationery, pretty craft papers, stickers, fabrics, beads, pens, paints etc etc. Too much to list haha. Spotlight has a decent selection of candles although be prepared to spend some $$ here because they are pretty pricey. I always check out the Spotlight home decor section because they have really pretty bits and pieces.

Discount Variety Stores

Almost every town/city in Aus you can find at least one discount store. These are the BEST places for candles, incense, essential oils, oil burners, IMO. You can get any of the above for under $5AUD. I've even seen herbs and sage sold at various discount stores. Occasionally discount stores stock crystals (tumbled rocks or sometimes raw crystals in a little set). The arts and craft area usually has all your grimoire needs and then some - don't forget to look in the cards and wrap section; some wrapping paper has really pretty designs sometimes better and cheaper than stickers. This is usually where the ribbons are kept as well, in my experience discount stores have a better ribbon selection than Kmart and Big W. Discount stores generally have a gardening section; seeds from $2AUD, basic gardening tools, basic pots and basic pest control. Probably the best thing about discount stores is the glassware and jars area. You can pick up the tiniest little jars from $0.50 with cork stoppers or twist top lids to big solid 10L jars. If you want LITTLE TINY jars always have a look in the craft section, sometimes they have glitter in them but you can always decorate your grimoire with the glitter or incorporate it into your makeup to empty the jars. Organza or drawstring bags can also be found in the craft isle. It's usually where the sealable bags/zip lockbags are kept - these could be really useful for keeping seeds in, dried herbs, dried flowers etc. The craft area has lots of bits and bobs including little packets of bells, which are sometimes hard to find. Finally, as well as bells most discount stores sell wind chimes - pretty noises to attract faeries.

Officeworks

If you need a one stop shop for just your grimoire needs, Officeworks is it. They stock literally everything you could need from paper, notebooks, pens, pencils, art supplies, office supplies like glue, staplers, erasers etc etc etc. The coolest thing I've found in Officeworks is parchment paper, it was $6AUD for 20 sheets of high quality parchment paper. If you have an online grimoire, Officeworks still has everything you could need from memory cards, USBs, external hard drives to actual laptops, tablets etc.

Woolworths/Coles

The supermarket is where I buy all my herbs and spices (well the common ones, anyway). Right beside the herbs and spices you can usually find the salt - a basic protection tool for every witch. Supermarkets also sell matches and sometimes unscented candles. Finally, the tea and coffee section is my very favourite section in the supermarket. My local Woolies stocks almost every common tea variety you can think of and if theres a tea flavour not available I check my local T2 or Teacentre.

Australian Geographic

This is a shop I wouldn't think many witches would bother checking out, but please do next time you pass by one. I picked up the prettiest agate bookends on sale and it was hard not to buy ALL of them haha. Aus Geo also have a decent selection of books, some particularly interesting ones on rocks, minerals, fossils as well as a TONNE of astrology books. Also they have the best selection of telescopes if you're really into star gazing.

QBD

This is the only book shop I've found that have a good selection of witchcraft, wicca, divination and the occult books. If you're not sure where to look, I find all the witchy books in the New Age section. There's usually a wide variety of tarot decks and kits as well so if you're a beginner tarot reader this is where I'd look for your first deck - pick whichever one calls out to you. There's no right or wrong first tarot deck, you can always try others if the first one doesn't vibe with you.

The Book Depository

This is my favourite online book shop. All of my most interesting and informative witchy books have been bought from the Book Depository. Shipping is free worldwide. Please check this site out if you're on the hunt for witchy books! You can also get tarot decks off the Book Depository.

Op Shops

Op shops, donation shops or second-hand stores is probably where I have found some of the most unique, cool witchy bits ever! All of my crystals live in delicate crystal bowls that I have sourced from several different op shops for just $0.50- $2.00. I keep my sea shells in second hand vintage teacups. Almost every doily in my house is from an op shop or passed down from my mum/grandma. I picked up an awesome vintage tarot book recently from an op shop - you really never know what you will find you just have to start looking and be willing to dig for the gold.

Aliexpress/Wish

This is another place I shop that I'm not sure many witches would think to look on. Aliexpress is where I buy most of my crystals, you can literally find any crystal on there for pretty decent prices. I have bought rose quartz, amethyst, clear quartz, labradorite, celestite, tigers eye, blue goldstone, aura quartz, citrine and carnelian pieces both raw and tumbled off aliexpress and have yet to have any issues at all with any order. Shipping takes a while but when I'm paying a couple dollars for a hunk of amethyst I don't mind waiting. Wish also has a decent selection of crystals as well as rune stones and crystal balls. Both apps have reeeally cool inexpensive jewellery, crystal necklaces, woven bracelets - I've also found really pretty vintage looking brooches and pins.

Other

Finally, if you are ever holidaying or live by a beach you are pretty much guaranteed to find a hippie crystal shop. Some of my most magical crystals were found at little locally owned stores by the beach.

I hope this list was helpful to any of my fellow Aussie Witches ! If you have any recommendations to add, please don't hesitate to let me know 😄

🔮🌙🔮🌙🔮🌙🔮🌙🔮🌙🔮🌙🔮🌙🔮🌙🔮

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tazer-pones · 7 years ago

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Part of what I ordered from Redbubble arrived today! My starboi turned out great on a notebook and @jitterbugjive’s Everfree Falls design is so beautiful and detailed! I can’t wait to use them! I’m still waiting on a bag and some stickers but I’ll post them when they arrive so you can see how they turned out too.

Ps ignore mod, I am excited and not photogenic lol

Visit my Redbubble for this design and more here! LINK!

And here’s Jitter’s Redbubble with that awesome pic and more! LINK!

#jitterbugjive #tazer #mod #art #fan art #my art #and #not my art #mlp #gravity falls #star boy #starboy #star boi #stars #selfie #merch #merchandise #red bubble #redbubble

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daniellethamasa · 5 years ago

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Hey all, Dani here.

Greetings! I usually like to do these monthly wrap-ups on the first of the month, but I had a couple post office delays with the delivery of my OwlCrate and a Book Loft package, so I decided I would wait one more day since the shipment tracking said I would get them both today. Thankfully they arrived a few hours ago, so I was able to put the finishing touches on the post.

April was actually a really good month on the being in home and watching shows, reading books, blogging, and playing Animal Crossing. Granted, it was also a lot more stressful in terms of going into work, and I have a feeling that it’s only going to get worse on that, as more and more people are deciding that they are tired of the restrictions of social distancing and now with mandatory wearing of masks, so they are taking their unpaid leave and just not dealing with it. Unfortunately it means those of us who are left have to work even harder, which is physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting. I’m now actually finding myself wishing that the factory would just close for a week or two until the manpower struggles lessen a bit, but I don’t think that will happen. It’s immensely frustrating. I don’t want to be there with everything going on, but I can’t afford to take two weeks without pay.

But today’s supposed to be a pretty nice day, so I think Damian and I are maybe going to go to a state park that has some pretty nice and wide hiking trails, so we can get outside and walk around a bit. We’re obviously taking our masks with us too. I bought some of Etsy, getting him a Slytherin mask and me a Ravenclaw one. I ordered a couple others but those haven’t shipped yet.

As usual with my monthly wrap-up, let’s start off by checking in on my overall goals for the year.

Reading: I read 30 books in the month of April, 10 of which were manga volumes, two were re-reads, and three were novella length. Overall that takes me to 101 books read already in 2020. Still, I’d say that is a pretty good month of reading. I should probably count up how many pages that is. Okay, I did the calculations, and only counting finished books I read 8,707 pages in April…but really I’ve probably read a few hundred more if you include unfinished reads. Overall though I’m super happy with that. I successfully completed my requirements for the OWLs Magical Readathon, so all I have to do is pass the NEWTs in a couple months and I’ll be a Trader of Magical Tomes. I also participated in Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon, and that was a whole lot of fun. Plus, I am currently in the middle of the Calendar Girls Springtime Whirl, going until May 11th, so I’m hoping to read a few more books at least for it–I haven’t achieved a bingo yet, but I’m really just having a good time trying to read to fulfill random prompts.

Blogging: It was the best month on my blog so far this year, and pretty close to being my best month in the history of Mousai Books, in terms of stats anyway. In terms of number of blog posts, this was definitely the best month overall…but I’m going to dial it back a little bit, because there’s no way I can keep doing like 10+ posts a week. It’s not sustainable for me right now. But I do still feel pretty good about continuing to have posts up pretty much every day. I wrote up 46 blog posts in the month of April, which is impressive, but it was also a whole lot of work. I did really enjoy the content though. I had a lot of books to talk about, and I especially enjoyed my National Library Week posts.

Writing: Well, I wrote a lot of blog posts, though that doesn’t count on the creative writing front. I was all excited about jumping into writing my book and then the world went to crap and I can’t get in a good mind set to write, so I’ve focused my attention on reading, and more study of the craft of writing. So it’s progress, but it isn’t progress in a trackable form such as increasing word count.

Conventions: Right now we are waiting to see what’s going to happen with Gen Con in late July/early August. It is a massive convention, so we’re expecting there to at least be a ton of restrictions. Lexington Comic and Toy Con ended up being postponed again, this time to June 18-21, and then it was just announced like yesterday that the 2020 convention is being canceled. But we both really want to work with Colorworld Books again, so we’re hoping that Cincinnati Comic Expo in September will still be good to go. My friends at Colorworld Books are trying to continue with their business as a digital affair, but 99% of the profits were made from attending conventions, so this has been a struggle for them. If you want to go check out their online store, that would be great. They have metal art prints and bookmarks, geeky t-shirts, and books. Oh, and you can use ConLife30 for 30% off of all metal, or CORONACON for 10% off any shirts. Oh, and they have actually started doing Colorworld LIVE convention style events just about every week. They gather up three or four awesome voice actors, hold a livestream panel, then a VIP panel for anyone who buys some signed merch, and of course you can get shirts, metal art prints, and more with characters these actors have portrayed. It’s pretty cool.

Okay, I guess I should start with wrapping up my time with the OWLs Magical Readathon. I was going for the Trader of Magical Tomes career path, which required me to read 4 books. I ended up changing one of the books from my TBR out because it was taking me so long and I worried I wouldn’t finish it in time. But, other than that, I was successful in reading all four books, so I’m ready to continue my Magical Tome training in the NEWTs later this year.

I’m also in the middle of the Calendar Girls Springtime Whirl, which is a bingo inspired reading challenge running from April 13-May 11. Once the reading challenge is over I’ll share a post with an updated bingo board covering all the categories I completed.

All right, let’s run through everything I read in the month of April. If I have a review up, I’ll also include the link back to that post.

City of Ashes by Cassandra Clare — 4.5 stars

Bonds of Brass by Emily Skrutskie — 5 stars

The Winter Duke by Claire Eliza Bartlett — 4.5 stars

Manga Classics: Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte and Po Tse — 4 stars

The Queen of Raiders by Sarah Kozloff — 5 stars

Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloane — 5 stars

Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren — 4 stars

You Deserve Each Other by Sarah Hogle — 3.5 stars

The Library Book by Susan Orlean — 5 stars

Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron — 5 stars

Hickville Crossroads by Mary Karlik — 4 stars

An Affair of Poisons by Addie Thorley — 4.5 stars

Fruits Basket Collector’s Edition Volume 4 by Natsuki Takaya — 4 stars

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman — 4 stars

Steering the Craft by Ursula K Le Guin — 4 stars

Witches of Ash and Ruin by E. Latimer — 4.5 stars

This is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone — 5 stars

Upright Women Wanted by Sarah Gailey — 5 stars

Fairy Tail Volume 8 by Hiro Mashima — 5 stars

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin — 4 stars

The Bad-Ass Librarians of Timbuktu by Joshua Hammer — 4.5 stars

Fairy Tail Volume 9 by Hiro Mashima — 5 stars (review coming May 4, 2020)

Fairy Tail Volume 10 by Hiro Mashima — 5 stars (review coming May 18, 2020)

Fairy Tail Volume 11 by Hiro Mashima — 5 stars (review coming June 1, 2020)

Fairy Tail Volume 12 by Hiro Mashima — 5 stars (review coming June 15, 2020)

Fairy Tail Volume 13 by Hiro Mashima — 5 stars (review coming June 29, 2020)

Fairy Tail Volume 14 by Hiro Mashima — 5 stars (review coming July 13, 2020)

Fairy Tail Volume 15 by Hiro Mashima — 5 stars (review coming July 27, 2020)

The Last Smile in Sunder City by Luke Arnold — 3.5 stars

The Honey Don’t List by Christina Lauren — 4.5 stars

Whew, that was quite the list of reads for the month. Seriously I had a lot of fun reading this month and definitely found some books that are contenders for my Top Ten Reads of 2020 from April to June, so that’s great. Unless something bad happens, I have a feeling that this will be my best year of reading in a long time.

All right, next it’s time for the book haul portion of things, starting with the OwlCrate unboxing.

I think I’m really going to enjoy putting together the Moony puzzle, and the book sounds rather interesting. Clearly I enjoy having another notebook, as those are handy to have around. Same with the tote bag. And Damian really likes the wooden phases of the moon banner, so I gave that to him to add to the decorations in his man cave. I actually do like the OwlCrate version of this cover better than the original. The people are a bit closer and bigger, and the cover has this wonderfully eerie glow to it, almost as if it is bathed in moonlight, which is great. Plus those sprayed edges.

And, before I get into the rest of the books for my monthly haul, I want to talk about some other purchases I’ve made lately.

The stickers I bought off of Redbubble and they are from a dozen different artists. A few of the stickers are for Damian (and he already put them up in his man cave) and the rest are going on my art wall collage. The metal art prints are from my friends at Colorworld Books, and I love the metal art, but it is not easy to capture their beauty in a photo because of the reflection of light. Maybe I’ll think of doing a little video of them in my Instagram stories or something. I might pick up some more art this weekend. We’ll see.

As part of the bookhaul portion of today’s post, I need to do a shout out to The Book Loft of German Village in Columbus, OH. After some requests on social media, they complied and decided to offer a Malamarkus Mystery Box. You pay a single price for the box, tell them in your order comments what genres you would like, and then they fill the box with items such as books, a tote bag, bookish pins or stickers, etc for you. I have purchased two of these boxes, and it’s really fun to get a package where you have no idea what books they will select for you. The first box I ordered I gave them the genres of Epic Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, and Manga, with a couple examples of authors/series for each. I loved the selections so much that I picked up a second box, asking this time for fiction that makes me feel like I’m playing Dungeons & Dragons.

What’s really fun about both of these boxes is that they ended up having books for both Damian and myself. In the first box he got Dr. Stone because he watches the anime and wanted to try the manga, and The Starless Sea because I already owned a copy. In the second box I gave Damian The Last Wish, Heart & Shadow, and The Shadow of What Was Lost, again because I owned all of them already. What is really funny is that I had just bought and received that last one from my Barnes & Noble order a few days ago. Oh, and Damian also got the tote bag because I already have one–in that exact same color.

Okay, now for the standard bookhaul segment of the post.

Along with picking up the two books in her Dasreach Council series that I didn’t have, I also was able to buy that lovely Beauty and the Beast stained glass cloth mask from author Josette Reuel as well. We are now required to wear masks while at work, and I wanted to have a selection of cloth masks instead of relying on the disposable paper ones they are going to hand out at work. Though I’m still trying to figure out a good/easy way to be able to get a drink while also working on the factory floor, because the masks make you overheat even faster and that means you dehydrate even more.

Finally I guess it’s time to talk May TBR. I am sort of participating in Moody May, hosted by Kathy from Books and Munches and Destiny from Howling Libraries, and the whole point of Moody May is to read whatever you are in the mood for, which is perfect for mood readers who don’t like TBRs. But I’m sort of a mixed reader, because I enjoy having a somewhat planned TBR and then picking up mood reads to supplement my reading. So, I have made a rather ambitious TBR, which will probably be supplemented by shorter mood reads.

See what I mean? This stack of books is massive. Why am I doing this to myself? Honestly it’s because I seem to pick up thick fantasy reads as the weather gets warmer. I don’t even know how many pages are in these 10 books. So, yeah, I was curious and checked and those ten books are 6,276 pages.

Now that doesn’t include the fact that I’m in the middle of three or four other books that are also around 500 pages each. What can I say? I do love a good lengthy read, especially right now when my weekends are not filled with running around or playing D&D for hours and hours.

April Wrap Up and May TBR Hey all, Dani here. Greetings! I usually like to do these monthly wrap-ups on the first of the month, but I had a couple post office delays with the delivery of my OwlCrate and a Book Loft package, so I decided I would wait one more day since the shipment tracking said I would get them both today.

#Anime #ARC #Book Releases #Books!#Conventions #Gen Con #Manga #manga review #Movies #National Library Week #Reading #Reading Challenge #Tabletop Games #Video Game #Young Adult

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