#i sorta lost the thread with this post

[heinousactszx]

mega man 10 occupies a weird space in the series when you look at it from afar. Mega man 9 was such a shock when it came out. it might seem nothing special now, in an era where indie games are constantly pulling out retro looks and retro gameplay, but this was a fairly novel idea in 2008. a new old game, if you will, was something exciting, especially considering how rare 2d platformers had become just in general. fangames existed, sure, but they were niche and not always of the best quality. the only other game that i can say that really did something similar around that time was cave story but that was still more niche before it saw commercial release on consoles

(sidebar, i really wish this was something more big companies with long running series did. make something retro for cheaper instead of spreading a billion dollars for your next AAA game. the next final fantasy game should be snes style. the next zelda game should have the same graphics and gameplay of the oracle games. the next pokemon should be the look and scope of the gameboy games. you can go back to modern the next time just do an occasional throwback. i'm right about this)

anyway, Mega man 10 should have been what mega man 11 ended up being: a modern update of the formula with modern sensibilities, graphics and gameplay features. but it wasn't. it was another NES game, basically. To go twelve years between sequels, then abruptly dropping two throwbacks, before going dormant for another eight years is just bizarre. If 9 had been the throwback before the full return in this hypothetical modern 10, then that'd make sense, or if they popped out a few more nes style games after, that'd also track. but the way it was done is just odd to me

admittedly, it was pretty chaotic at capcom after the release of 10. several other mega man games got canceled, inafune left, and the whole franchise has really been mostly non-existent since, so maybe there was no other way it would have gone.

[the-kr8tor]

You stay the night at Hobie's for the first time

Pairing: Hobie Brown x gn! Reader/ Spider-Punk x gn! Reader

Word count: 1.6k

Synopsis: You sleepover at Hobie's houseboat.

Tags: no use of Y/N, no specific physical description of the reader, established relationship, FLUFF, smut implied.

My Masterlist

Inspired by this post

*I don't consent to having my work translated/published on other platforms*

Obsessing over the pimple on your forehead, you try to pop it in between your forefinger and thumb. 

"Ughh" you grimace while staring at your reflection on Hobie's grimey mirror. 

You glimpse at your form, you're wearing one of Hobie's numerous band shirts, after you accidentally spilled mouthwash on your pajama shirt, you asked to borrow one. You're giddy that you smell like him.

He joked that you spilled mouthwash on it on purpose just to wear his shirt. 

"Stop it, you're gonna make it worse" Hobie says as he watches the disaster in front of him. He's lounging on his bed, arms tucked under his head. His dark jumper rides up a bit showing his toned stomach. His legs are properly tucked under the patchwork comforter.

"But it's bothering meee" you kick your legs like your throwing a tantrum.

"It doesn't even look that bad," Hobie pats the open space beside him "come to bed, lovey" 

"Says the man who has clear skin even though you wash your face with the same soap you use on your body" You turn to face him, ignoring his exposed skin. 

You've never seen him this relaxed before. He's a pretty laid back guy already, but this? His half-lidded eyes looking at you, paired with him in his comfortable non-spiky clothes– maybe you should come to bed.

"It's genetics, all natural, baby" 

"It's actually au naturel" you cross your arms on your chest, hiding your uneven breathing.

"No, it's not" 

"Yes, it is" you step forward.

"Nuh uh" 

"Yea uh" 

You stare at each other for a second.

"...C'mere" Hobie concedes defeat or else you would be at it all night. He takes his left arm from under him to reach towards you. 

"Fine" you head towards the bed, your sea legs swaying when a small wave hits the houseboat. You crawl under the covers. 

"Why are you so far, get over 'ere" he grabs the cover under you to drag you towards him, closing the already small distance. He's been waiting for this the entire day. He feels elated, he couldn't wait to finally cuddle with you, 

You hoped he didn't notice the small distance you made, but alas he's a perceptive one who doesn't like admitting he likes cuddles. Truth be told, you're actually nervous spending the night with him for the first time, you're not expecting for something to happen tonight, but if something did happen you're prepared for it, kind of, sorta, maybe?

Not to mention, the houseboat is a little intimidating, like what if you get sea sick and puke all over his carpet, well you're floating on a river, but nonetheless the rocking motion could still give you motion sickness. Or what if you kick him off the bed while asleep, or you sleep walk and you fall overboard. Or what if–

Hobie pinches your nose, keeping his fingers around it. "Oi, where did you go?" 

"Nuhn of yhor bhismes" you swat at his hand. 

"Your eyes went glossy for a second, thought I lost you" 

"I was actually thinking about your houseboat" 

"And here I thought you were thinking 'bout me" he holds his arm out behind you, unsure if you're okay with the action. 

Noticing his uncertainty, you swallow your shyness, you lean against his arm placing your head softly on his shoulder. Any doubt from Hobie is quickly washed away by your reaction. He pushes you closer to his warmth with the hand around your shoulder.

"What about the houseboat?" He stares at you while you play with a loose thread on his jumper.

"Like.. how'd you get it?" You absentmindedly twirl the thread around your fingers.

"Bought it off a bloke"

"That's it? No crazy or wacky story behind it?" You stare up at him suspiciously.

"Yes, there's no wacky story behind it" he mocks your word choice by copying your voice. "I needed a place, my friend's cousin's friend sold it at a cheap price. That's it, nothing madcap 'bout it" 

"Hmm, Do you even know how to drive, wait no sail? Is it called sailing when it doesn't have sails? Nevermind you get what I'm talking about, do you know how to do that?" You ramble, he finds it adorable.

"Yes, how do you think I brought it here from Amsterdam?" He's now curious whether it's sail or drive.

You gasp, sitting up "See! There IS a wacky story behind it" you poke his chest playfully.

Hobie grabs your finger to stop you "There IS nothing wacky about it. Well-" he remembers something, you perk up "we had to dodge the coast guard, but that's about it" 

"THE COAST GUARD?!" A huge grin blooming on your face.

"All right calm your beans" Hobie pushes your head back down lightly.

"How long did it take you to get back?" You snuggle closer to him.

"It would've just taken us 6-7 hours, but we had to hide from the coast guard so it took us about 10 hours" 

"Who were you with?" You fight a yawn.

"Why? You jealous?" Hobie shakes you lightly, he wants to talk to you more.

"Why would I be jealous of your friend's cousin's friend?" You rub one of his unruly eyebrows, shaping the strands back into place.

Hobie chuckles. He wants to stay like this with you, sleep be damned.

"What do you want for breakfast?" A yawn escaping you. You situate yourself on his chest.

"You gonna cook for me?" Hobie holds on to you tighter.

"Hmm, if you're nice to me in the morning, yeah" 

"What do you mean? I'm always nice to you" 

"You say that as you're staring at my pimple" you start to close your eyes. 

"Well, gorgeous, I'm not staring directly at it, I'm looking at you, you wear my shirt really well" 

"Well, handsome," you tease him back "anything looks better when I wear it" you feel sleep taking you.

"You're right," Hobie whispers against your hair "I like my eggs sunny side up by the way" 

"Hmm" a soft smile on your face.

Since you're wearing socks, with a sly smirk on Hobie's face, he slowly lifts up the leg hem of your pajama pants with his cold foot, once there's enough space, he quickly lays his ice cold foot on your leg. 

"Ack! What- Hobie!" You shoot up from your position. 

Hobie laughs loudly, you feel the houseboat shake lightly.

You playfully slap his chest.

"You!" Slap "Menace!" Slap

In one swift movement, he grabs your slapping hand, then he flips himself over you, his legs on your sides, caging you in.

You gasp at the weight above you, a wide smile blooming on your face.

"Hobie! You're too heavy!" Drowsiness is now completely gone.

He half kneels on your sides so he doesn't completely crush you.

"You're not allowed to sleep" Hobie leans slightly towards you, you can see his playful smirk illuminated by the moonlight.

"What do you mean I'm not allowed?! You invited me to a SLEEPOVER, you dork!" You gasp out as he's a few inches away from your face.

"Lemme guess you're the kind of person who falls asleep first in a sleepover? you're the dork here, sweets" he leans closer his lips ghosting over yours. 

You close your eyes in anticipation. Instead of a kiss, you feel Hobie blow raspberries on your jaw.

"Ack! HAHAHAHAHAHA" your legs kicking up trying to stop him from tickling you.

Hobie pulls back breathlessly.

"Oh you're ticklish? Got it" he smirks devilishly. "Wonder where else you're ticklish?" Hobie tilts his head.

"No! Don't you dare, Hobart!" Your eyes widen when he winds up his arms to tickle your stomach, despite the threat you can't help but grin.

"Oh using my government name now, huh" Hobie tickles your sides relentlessly, your laughs echoing throughout the space. 

"Okay! Okay! I'll stay up!" You say in between laughs.

He finally stops his attack, letting you breathe. 

"Yeah?" He takes his tickling stance again.

"Yes" you giggle "please stop or I might piss my pants" 

"Ooh kinky" he squeezes your cheeks together as you glare at him. 

"Can you please kiss me already so we can properly cuddle like you wanted" you say with your squished lips.

Hobie chuckles "saw right through me, huh" he leans down finally giving your most awaited kiss.

He eases up from squishing your cheeks so you could kiss him back properly, you hold on to the back of his neck, grounding you. 

Hobie pulls away, he stares at your wide eyes lovingly. You lift yourself up using his neck as leverage, quickly peppering his face with kisses, until he laughs with every peck.

You pull back, taking in his lovesick stricken face, his smile lopsided, eyes basically shaped like hearts. You're sure you mirror his expression. 

"I should invite you more often" he lays back down next to you, arm wrapped around your torso, half of his body staying on top of you, his legs splayed over yours. Hobie relaxes immediately.

You crane your neck "yeah you should. I really love your home, babe" you rub his arm soothingly.

"Really? You're not sea sick?" 

"I gotta be honest with you, I took a kwells tablet beforehand," you laugh.

"That's pretty smart" Hobie fights a yawn "you're really smart, love" he rubs the side of your neck.

"You're only saying that so I'll make you breakfast" you whisper, once you notice his eyes slowly close. 

"No, you're really smart, and lovely, and a bloody good cook" he parks his head on the crook of your neck with a sigh.

You chuckle softly, pulling the covers up to his chin, you lay your head just above his. 

You both fall asleep listening to each other's steady breathing with the houseboat rocking you both rhythmically.

A/n: I'm sorry that my last fic made y'all cry lmao, here's some fluff. As always thank you for reading! Likes and reblogs are appreciated ❤️

*picture above is from pinterest*

[attyrocious]

cross posting yesterday's rambling thread for posterity and because tumblr lets me edit things. anyway this is a sorta long thing and i might add things i forgot to mention in the twt thread

i tend to draw on-model canon because im a coward + just personal preferences. but the way i convert the canon designs into my artstyle is that i take the distinct features oda gives them and then combine it with personal headcanons to complete what should look like a unique human. Starting with Trafalgar Law, who is unfortunately a bland-ass conventionally pretty boy

someone commented a while ago the law hat drawing tutorial i made a while ago didn't make much sense and i realize its bc of the specific way i draw law's face: heart shaped (ba-dum-tss). That meaning, a narrow chin widening into a mild defined jaw, wide cheekbones, and up to his know-it-all brain dome.

given that, the pudgy guitar pick shape of his head i mentioned here should make a lot more sense.

i don't think this design point is unique to me, as most conventional pretty anime boy gets given jaws like this. a lot of law artists tend to veer into this head shape. just how life be sometimes. other points: flat, thick eyebrows is bc im a hairy gal and i need to feel better about myself.

Killer gets to be more interesting, because he shouldn't be considered conventionally attractive. my idea behind killer's is that those individual features is smth he would be insecure with enough to hide himself in a helmet but i draw him with all the love in the world actually. i'd like to think its how kid sees him or yknow, law, bc he's my kin assigned blorbo and maybe you ship lawkill as a guilty pleasure too i mentioned before (and ruined people's days) when i said whenever i draw killer he looks like griffith before i put on his goatee. the upper half of his face is distinctly feminine, with the lower half kinda over compensating. other than that uhh...idk. stan killer

Kidd is the bane of my existence, i feel like i can never draw his face consistently. yet at the same time he's so damn fun to draw everyone gotta try it.

my problem with kidd is that this mf does have eyelids. most kidd painters out there interpret this as him having deep set eyes (think Matt Smith or jeffrey star) . and yeh skill issue on me i should practice that. other notes, i try to make him younger than canon makes him look. he is my babygirl and he deserves to look cuddly. my band au kidd version has the honor of being allowed some chubs. he's just tries to look older and more menacing with edgy makeup. also i try to give him dimples when i can because, well i can.

Rosinante last bc i lost steam after kidd. the thing abt cora is that aside from not having eyebrows, everything is structured with the generic one piece man template. which means i gotta do everything myself doffy is there bc the way to figure out how to draw these two is to give them minor differences from each other, that being doffy gets slightly sharper features. in canon, these two are also rly wide boys (more of an oda style feat tbh) but i make them long. though bigger brained donquixote artists know that of these two brothers, doffy should be the wiry-er built. anyway that's it. in conclusion, i need to draw more girls actually i feel like im becoming misogynistic by osmosis from oda's style and now i draw girls all looking the same too.

[tinygenderfluid]

You know what's kinda insane to me?

The fact that Ash Ketchum isn't famous in the pokemon universe, like in-universe.

You mean to tell me that a ten-year-old going region to region, meeting multiple legendaries and solving insane problems with his recognizable as fuck pikachu isn't atleast twitter famous? Not even considered a cryptic that when people say that they met him, he beat their asses in a pokebattle, then continued to also beat a legendary/an evil league/team rocket, that people online don't go: "oooh another region/world wide incident that can go on the conspiracy board, time to put new red threads between this major world-impscting event and the fact that this kid might me god."

I mean, he atleast should be famous in Kalos from the jumping-off-the-Prism-tower-fiasco alone but he also sorta stopped an artificial apocalypse set up by an evil pokemon league using an unidentified legendary and a previously long lost mega-evolution form from a starter pokemon. (It's been a while since I watched the anime, don't get on my ass).

I mean, pokemon champions are kind of considered famous because people recognise them in-universe right? Shouldn't someone online have recognised him from hanging out with so many champions alone? You mean to tell me that if some random ten-year old started showing up in news articles with famous people even if he was just in the background, no one in the entire world would make a reddit post saying 'hey look at this funny coincidence, this kid has been spotted with 5 champions or something' ????????

Buzzfeed unsolved episodes have been made about less.

I get it that he wouldn't become well known from the mewtwo incident - because mewtwo erased the memories of everyone involved if I remember correctly - but you mean to tell me no one remembered him from the three legendary kanto birds and Lugia (saved the world), Entei, Celebi, Latio and Latias and literally every other movie? Sure, say those aren't cannon. WHAT ABOUT THE TIME HE LITERALLY GOT KIDNAPPED BY A THOUGHT TO BE EXTINCT POKEMON IN THE FIRST SEASON?? THAT DINO-ASS FLYING POKEMON THAT FORCED CHARMELEON TO EVOLVE INTO CHARIZARD SO THEY COULD FIGHT IT? HE'S NOT ATLEAST INFAMOUS IN KANTO FOR THAT??

Also you can't tell me that there are a lot of ten-year old who fight in multiple major pokemon leagues in contention for the title of regional pokemon champion.

There has to atleast be one autistic 5-year old and their mother in the pokemon world who know all about Ash Ketchum because his adventures are low-key insane.

[linisiane]

I’ve seen that post on here that’s like “What did they put in this game to make us all Like That,” and I think we’re all Like That about Disco Elysium bc we’re all hyperfixating on it because it surprisingly speaks to the chaos of living with ADHD. And we SEE that and feel seen.

- First of all, Harry Du Bois Adhd headcanons pop off hard, especially with the whole “I do speed to do detective work,” aka I need stimulants to focus, aka unintentional self-medication. Also the poor impulse control, emotional disregulation. And the voices remind me of the way my brain jumps topic to topic so I have like 4 ongoing topics going at once. Stereo investigations, thoughts in the thought cabinet, if you will.

- Additionally, a lot of interactions surrounding Harry’s memory loss even feel very ADHD. ADHD is a problem with working memory (attention/focus), which cascades into causing problems with encoding memories for long term storage. You can’t remember what you never even focused on. Because of this, being forgetful of things that seemed basic or obvious or easy to remember for other people is a staple problem for people with ADHD, and while the game is obviously much more extreme with total retrograde amnesia, I find that the game’s demonstration of “the people being frustrated or confused by basic things you’ve forgotten or misplaced” (and this being taken seriously as a Big Issue affecting your life, even if the others don’t take it seriously/brush it off) is very relatable and almost cathartic. Even if the only reason why it’s taken so seriously in the game is because you’ve just literally lost all your memory… and your gun lol

- Harry doing buck wild things to get results based on the conversations going on inside his head, which don’t get read to the outside world, is very relatable. Again, my brain jumps topic to topic so much that it’s almost hard to track the logical thread connecting the thoughts internally, much less explain them to another person at the same time. The “how did we get here, what exactly brought you to this course of action? This seems unrelated, detective” is very much a conversation I experience on the daily, whether with myself or the people around me.

- Kim Kitsuragi is the ADHD fantasy. @snowberry-pie’s got in one. He’s perfect for fighting off that executive dysfunction by helping you actually get shit done while not being suffocating/controlling/shaming about it. He sorta takes responsibility of you to help you take responsibility of yourself. He’s a body double, your partner in it with you. Lets you go on your barely related stereo investigations and indulges your inexplicable actions instead of controlling you, trusting that it’s part of the process lol. Offers positive reinforcement instead of using shame (like calling Harry a burden) to get Harry to focus on the case.

Disco Elysium has lots to say about how disability is exacerbated/unsupported by the system for a lot of characters, including Harry. Adhd fits right into that, especially with the ways an ADHD!Harry interpretation would highlight the understandable nature of his drug addiction (not only was it a way to cope with chronic pain that no one was treating him for, but also a way to cope with unmedicated ADHD).

Anyways I wrote this instead of writing my paper.

[eternalblqze]

perfection.

synopsis: in which, he ponders on the idea of the perfect embrace.

pairing: blade x gn!reader

tags: established relationship. fluff. mostly in blade’s pov. not proofread.

note: i love him SO much but i fear i did not do him enough justice UGHGHHG anyways first post (sorta) lets go

There was certainly no such thing as "perfect" in this world.

One couldn't say things were without flaws, because there would always be something wrong.

Perfection was only an illusion. A concept based purely on unattainable desires and lies to give someone a sense of fulfillment. It simply does not exist.

Blade knew this. He believed in it. Not even he considered death the perfect end. If anything, it was merely...relief of the suffering he's endured for centuries. But it did not mean it was perfect. In truth, it was far from it—he craved the sweet solace of death, but it could never be what he’d consider a satisfying end. 

No, he lost that privilege when he began to endure the constant cycle of agony and death, each rebirth chipping away at his sanity and eroding his memories. Even as he chases death, life is quick to follow, following him like an obnoxious shadow. They say one should live their life to the fullest, but this life was not one he could claim to be proud of, and it never would be.

At least, that is what he believed until he met you. 

He couldn’t fathom the idea of someone loving him. He, who has become nothing but a weapon, forged in the flames of never-ending life and from the ashes of disaster. He has lived for centuries, wielding a blade that was just as broken as his immortal spirit.

Not once did he ever imagine he’d find an emotion as foreign as love to get a grasp on him.

Each and every time he saw you, he swore he could feel his heart grow tight in his chest. And, for once, he had no desire to die. Where he previously longed for his breath to cease, he finds himself craving you—for you have become his oxygen. You, the fresh air that cleansed the darkest recesses of his shattered mind, penetrating the density of the chaos that rages on behind his crimson eyes.

Your touch was rejuvenating, a sweet relief to his aching soul. Time and time again, he finds himself craving your presence time and time again; yearning for the way you wrap your arms around him, connecting with him in ways he never knew were possible.

He had never believed in perfection, but he was beginning to think he was mistaken. You were perfect to him in every way, so perfect that he began to wonder; how did someone as damaged and imperfect as him come to deserve you?

As time passed by, he began to unravel the mystery that was you—and came to realize that perhaps you are not as perfect as he once thought. You had your own flaws, your own troubles and your own weaknesses. And that drew him in even further, eager to solve the intricate network of individual threads that you were composed of.

He wondered if you felt the same way. With your presence in his life, he was confronted with questions he had never considered before. Thoughts and habits that were unheard of for the cold and merciless Stellaron Hunter surged into his mind, plaguing his thoughts. Perhaps he would go as far as to say it bothered him more than the mara did, even as it continued to ravage his senses.

When you’d comment on how beautiful he looked; and how you loved his ruby eyes, he caught himself looking upon his reflection more often. He fails to see what you see in them. He never gave them much thought—the deep colour of his irises were a reflection of his strength and ambitions, but also his lust for revenge and blood of those he had eradicated from the face of this world. And yet, you loved him all the same.

He was not a man of many words. Verbal affirmations from him were a rare occurrence—it’s difficult to put his thoughts into words, to manifest his love for you into sentences that would touch your heart. Oftentimes, he resorted to showing it through his actions, with the way he encases you in his arms in a tranquil silence.

Neither you nor he were perfect, yet he desired nothing but perfection for you. It is what you deserved, after all. For someone who did not believe in perfection, it certainly occupied most of his thoughts…how troublesome.

Now…it was only a mere idea at first. An arbitrary thought that would come to pass, as all thoughts did in his chaotic headspace. 

What would be considered a perfect embrace? A perfect touch, a perfect…expression of intimacy.

Would it be soft and tender? Would it be firm? Would it elicit an immense feeling of joy? Tranquility? Comfort? A sense of security? Your touch was always one he’d crave, but it made him wonder if his embrace was enough for you. 

Even as you hold him now, his head resting on your chest—listening to the soft and steady rhythm of your heartbeat; he wondered if you felt the same way when he held you. The way you made his heart rate quicken in his chest, and the way that your presence alone was capable of cleansing the darkened clouds of his mind.

Perhaps this was the perfect embrace. 

Or can anything truly be considered “perfect”? What even was perfect, anyways? 

Maybe…there would never be a definitive answer, for people had different ideas and experiences. Something perfect to him could be flawed for another.

He closes his eyes, burying himself into the comforting scent of you that he has grown to adore.

…Well, perfect or not, he knew one thing for certain—his favourite embraces would always be ones shared with you.

And that was perfect enough for him.

reblogs with comments are appreciated :>

[mewvore]

as someone who worked as a stripper for several years, showing your body is not a one way ticket to financial security. there were many nights where i worked for 8 hours and ended up owing the club money, due to how things like set rent work. and many more where i made $60-80 for a full night’s work. not that you can’t have great nights some times, or make half your rent in a hour, but many people who work in sex related industries are doing so freelance, and may never know if their next month is going to be able to support them through the year or if they’re getting their power shut off. you can be trapped in a cycle of saving what you can for months, only to have it evaporated by an unexpected expense during a bad month.

yeah absolutely, its... well its work. I don't mean to sorta condense it down to that but of all people I'm WELL aware that sex work is a working class activity.

for anyone a bit lost on the convo thread at the moment, I made a post about how I'd personally never get rich because it requires a persistent gambling mentality, and someone mentioned sex work (or adjacent types of showing off ones body publicly) as one thats probably less of a gamble for wealth. and this anon here is explaining that its very much just a normal job you probably shouldn't bet everything on it for making you rich/very few people are rich solely from sex work

to circle back to what I meant overall, when you grow up in poverty a lot of things have to be calculated based on risk and loss, as opposed to risk and reward. that mentality is very hard to shake the longer you stay poor. when you've eaten syrup sandwiches and worn your siblings clothes for 10 years, even very little things can make you completely satisfied and less willing to risk that little bit of satisfaction because you know what its like to have literally nothing. so I personally can't see myself doing the kinds of risky behavior with the little bit I have that a lot of wealthy people do to gain and maintain their riches, whether its making shady deals, playing stocks, trying to fool people, committing felonies like wire fraud, or even just like actual straight up gambling.

also theres a survivorship bias? like yeah there seems to be a million celebrities and or influencers doing all the above betting, but even in their seemingly endless masses they're like 1/100000, you rarely hear of the gamblers who lost

[optiwashere]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Spread the self-love ❤️

Aww, thank you, mormo! What a fun lil game 💜

My favorite of my Asheera (Tav)/Shadowheart stories:

I have to start with the first fic of my Shadowheart/Asheera series, of course. It Is the Wound She Gave Me is a rather dark place to start off this story, but I think it makes the sweetness later taste all the better. Note: heed the tags!

The follow-up (with a breather between now!) to that first fic in the series, Like I Am Safe Again, is one of my favorite things I've written for the fandom, for sure! Using lost time and dissociation to explore some of Shadowheart's memory issues combined with what happens in Wound was just so... fun is not the right word, but as a writer I enjoyed digging deep into Shadowheart's brain here. Also, having the fic before this from Asheera's POV makes Shadowheart's misunderstanding of her own recent memories that much more tragic.

OK, so there's a theme here. Quelle surprise. After focusing mostly on Shadowheart and her memories, To Sever the Thread is a fic that I adored writing to more deeply explore Asheera's POV this early on. The Gauntlet is an event in canon that is super important in my interpretations of both the relationship between Asheera and Shadowheart as well as the way that Asheera's oath permeates so much of her life. One day I'll write that alternate ending...

I do have to recommend my currently ongoing multichapter fic for Asheera/Shadowheart, Blades in the Night. It's one of the more action-heavy things I've written for the fandom. Honestly, it's basically a full fantasy novel written as a sorta road trip that gets interrupted by Sharran assassins. It's also quite smutty, extremely introspective—my favorite!—and stitches together what post-canon life is like for these two. Even after the Netherbrain is defeated, there's still a few hanging threads (more Asheera backstory stuff throughout, as well)

My completed modern/band AU, Nightsongs. What if Shar was Shadowheart's abusive ex, and what if they were in a metal band together? What if their van breaks down in some shitty little town outside of a big city, and what if Shadowheart finds more than what she expected in some random mechanic working on their van?

I wanna cheat a little bit, so here's my favorite non-Asheera/Shadowheart stories under the break...

The Wind Blows So Light is an epistolary between Aylin and Isobel while they both assume the other one is dead. A sort of call-and-response letter exchange where neither writer ever expects a response. There is a happy ending.

I don't think I've written a Karlach/Shadowheart fic as good as Burning Hands. Writing Karlach's POV is not my usual, and couching it in T4T smut that explores bodies in an affirming, loving way was a completely unique thing that I'll likely never replicate.

I have a habit of being mean to Nocturne in my Nocturne/Shadowheart fics, but I really love how Fragrant is My Many Flower'd Crown turned out! Unrequited love and pining, my beloathed and beloved in equal miseries.

That Minthara/Karlach smut fic I wrote after seeing some amazing fanart is one of my favorites! I was really happy to see that so many people enjoyed the candle imagery in it as well. Link to fic here (fanart link inside!)

Writing a Minthara/Lae'zel fic for Kinktober on a whim turned me into a fiend for that rarepair. Honestly, they might be my canon/canon OTP, and that's a crying shame considering how few fics there are of the two of them. Link to the fic (heed the tags!)

[sparxemberflame]

Fuckin'... Aabria Iyengar.

I am... In awe. I am delerious. I am chomping at the bit. I just... Fuck!!

So. Past two weeks/episodes Especially. Watching/listening to Burrow's End and Worlds Beyond Number back to back is an Experience. Having 2 seperate shows that contain Brennan Lee Mulligan, Erika Ishii and Aabria, in my ears telling me different stories 2 eps at a time is an absolute blast (shoutout to Lou, Jasper, Isabella, Rashawn, Siobhan and rest of cast and crew on both shows too you're awesome! Not the focus of this little outburst.)

Anyway it's GREAT. Highly recommend both shows and there are parallels I'll get into elsewhere, elsewhen. But.

This is an Aabria Iyengar specifically fucking Stan post.

You have made me feel so many overwhelmingly cool, awesome and intimate emotions and ideas that I can hardly begin to explain them. For some reason the only fucking thing that comes close is this. Silly but sorta deep thing about my favorite snack (shout out to snack gang) a Ferrero Rocher:

Aabria,

Shall I compare thee intricate weaving of characters and narratives to a Ferrero Rocher?

I shall. For this is no poem or any such writing of iambic pentameter. It is at best a floundering simile.

You have a way of creating characters and stories which much like a certain confectionary treat when unwrapped contains such an immense blend of texture and flavor. Each instance containing a wholly unique configuration of features bound together in perfectly imperfect unity. Not wholly smooth round but spherical oozing with points of uniqueness sticking out all over.

But yet if you dig just a bit deeper. There's this. Shell. Not a Barrier as it might first seem. But an Obstacle. A Challenge of sorts. Put there not to deter you but to provoke a moment of reflection. I think of Suvi and her refusal to process or be truly vulnerable in most situations. I think of the intricate power-structures of Last Bast and the Hint of this Wall that something Richer. More interesting, more honest and lovingly crafted lies Just Beneath.

This shell. Which you'll find is litterally Wafer-Thin. Should you ask the right question. Follow the right narrative thread. Bite into it with your teeth.

That curiosity is. Always and forever rewarded. With a richness of flavour and care that feels like a hug, like understanding, like being, at last: Home.

It is easy to get lost in that and yet even in this sea of what I can only call love. You find it. The Core. The hazelnut. A moral. Or a question, or a consequence. Something to once again think about and bite into.

And you realise. Once you've finally reach it that this core. This secret. Was Always Obvious. It was Sprinkled. All atop the very first layer. Litterally poking out. Each and every goddamn feature sticking out. Every chopped up uniquely distinct feature.

Was made up of the same material. Was the Core The Whole Time. Visible to the naked eye. But now having experienced the whole show. The whole treat. It is gone.

But its nourished you. The treat nourishes my body. The way Aabria tells stories nourishes my very soul.

Thinking back on many stories told that core in plain sight is often about Family or Love and the relationships between. Far from an uncommon subject in stories. But something about it. Something about the unique way Aabria does it in not just one but seemingly every story and character she creates. Its fantastic, its familiar and it... I can't describe it any other way than that it fills me with elation, jubilation and a deep sense of belonging and the implications therein drives me absolutely insane.

It's with my hat off, eyes sparkling in adoration and my heart full that I say:

Thank you Aabria Iyengar for telling these stories, for bringing these characters to life. They have changed me and many others forever and have and continue to drive me to create my own stories and campaigns for many years to come.

[snarkythewoecrow]

we're pretending it's still wip wednesday

@kingofdarkness00 is always lovely and tagging me, so here is me aiming to actually do one close to the right day

okay, another random snippet from the dream/hob angst fest with all the tropes, yes, believe it or not, this snippet is actually from the same fic... what can I say? lack of inspiration and random ideas never seems to be a problem, but um, not sure how to set this up, except, think post all the trauma i put hob through, hob going through a rough recovery, and dream sorta struggling a bit, being a bit frustrated, emotions are hard and shit, so basically, this snippet is a bit of the scene where dream retreats to seek council of the one person who he trusts to truly understand him and what hob is going through, even if he feels a bit selfish for doing it... enter calliope stage right please....

Calliope ducked her head. “I would be remiss if I were to say you appeared well—as for a god of sleep and dreams, you look awfully tired, Oneiros.” A painful smile. “Perhaps it’s the weariness at being unable to change the past that is catching up to me.”  “So, does this mean you are ready to speak of Orpheus—of what happened to our son?” Guilt seized his throat and squeezed—because what did it make him—how self-serving—that he hadn’t invited her to reflect on the memories of their child, to offer the support that he’d neglected to give so long ago? His lips parted, words hanging from his tongue before remembering why he’d summoned her—selfish or not. “No, though speaking about our son is something I’d like to do—soon—if you were amenable to visiting again—that is to say, if you don’t find my company as intolerable as you once did.” Her breathy laugh and eye roll proved her still better than him. “Just as you’d answer my call—I shall always attend to yours. So, if we’re not here to discuss our history, then what is it that has affected you enough to summon me?” She raised her brows, head tilting. “Because that is a look I haven’t seen in so very long—not since we met our end.” He clenched his jaw—defensive for no reason other than pride or perhaps fear of being perceived. “I—“ he began, then stopped, sharp edges softening at her radiance, warmth. At her forgiveness. Her and Hob were more alike than he’d realized. What did humans say about a type? Shaking the thoughts aside, he pressed forward despite the itch in his throat. “I’ve come to ask for advice, as I’ve—I’ve found myself not knowing what to do—and—and I suppose you were right. I've changed--changed in ways that have left me... questioning--lost. Perhaps even fearful of making the same mistakes I once made with you." Something seemed to have become clear to her, as a quiet "Oh," escaped her lips. "Oh, Oneiros, you continue to surprise me still." He huffed. “That’s all you have to offer?” She rolled her eyes. “Scowling like a wet cat will not earn any favors. Can't a woman remark on the things she sees?" “I don't recall you stating more than your astonishment." "I suppose--though I speculate it to be true." His brows lifted, otherwise his expression blank. "And do I want to know what you suspect of me?" "That you're in love—that you've opened your heart in a way you'd never quite been able to do with me." The guilt burned his throat. “I’m sorry I didn’t—“ But he didn’t get to finish as two fingers pressed to his lips. “No, do not apologize for love, Onieros—you hold no more sway over the decisions of your heart than you do the choice of the stars to shine in your eyes.” He stayed silent, knowing better than to challenge a Muse on such a topic. Then, the fingers moved from his lips, her palm sliding to cup his cheek. “Now, come, take my hand and sit beneath the cypress,” she said, threading together their fingers. “I fancy to hear the tale of the one who claimed your heart—who has you seeking my council in such a state.”

@buckybeardreams @thefangirloutof-time @kydrogendragon

[jazzeria]

I wanted to sew a sort of stretchy pillowcase that I could stuff my tiny tiny fabric and yarn scraps into, and it would fill the odd curves of this mannequin head:

I found a stretchy fabric for cheap, which came in a sorta beige colour. I didn't bother changing out the black thread in my machine, knowing the pillowcase wouldn't be seen. For a zipper, I chose the colour that I'd be least likely to use in a "normal" project (pink).

And, um....

Oh no

My friend called it "accidentalussy" and I lost it 💀🤣

Every time I shove a new fistful of fibre scraps in there, I feel slightly uncomfortable 🤣🤣🤣

(PS: this is the kind of sewing stuff that I don't post to my "shop" tumblr)

[littleeyesofpallas]

oh hey... while poking around google for reference images at work, I bumped into something i made ages ago when I was still posting on [a/ as Bleach was still running. I realized that I probably never posted any of my old ass character rosters here, because... i mean, really, why would I?

Originally I had a big roster of just everyone that was in the TYBW arc as they appeared that I kept updating any time someone died or got KO'd or just mysteriously vanished offscreen without explanation. Eventually I had to split it up into sternritter and shinigami specific ones, and then from there I went back and made one for the Arrancar. They're all based off the format of the tankobon index's character portraits.

I technically lost the original files for these when the laptop they were on bricked, and that was probably 2, maybe even 3 computers ago? So i did end up having to dig them up, but go figure I couldn't find the shinigami+humans one because it's the only one no one ever stole and reposted anywhere.(I say "stole" but it's not like I care about being "credited." In fact I'm kinda proud of the fact that they've stayed in circulation this long without any effort on my part.)

Oh incidentally I did this one too, although it looks like someone else went in and edited Robert's name into it(?) in this surviving version I fished out of an old archived thread. That or maybe I couldn't figure out what font i'd been using, but normally i'm finicky about that sorta thing so it feels unlikely.

Also this one that wasn't originally mine, but someone stopped updating it midway into the arc so I picked up filling in the blanks since i was updating like half a dozen different charts every week anyway. Clearly I stopped updating sometime before the official reveal of Jugram's schrift beyond ti being just The B, and before Uryuu's Antithesis.

Anyway that was a fun little trip down memory lane, if a somewhat disorienting one to realize i've been idly cropping bleach junk for over a decade... Ironically a number of images I've chopped up and slapped together actually all have surprisingly good SEO by sheer virtue of me being the only idiot posting about some of the more obscure Bleach b.s.

[scopophobia-polaris]

HEY i LOVE timie's design and the little details. I was curious about how the monsterification sorta works? Since they developed kokiri-esque spots from growing up in the forest, but different monster features when they lingered too long in the other forest? Was there different types of magic in the kokiri vs termina forest that caused that

OOOO ANON YOU DONT REALIZE HOW HAPPY THIS HAS MADE ME!!!!

OKAY, so my last post I shouldn't of said growing up, that makes it sound like it happened over time, it didn't. When their mom ran into the woods for protection both her and (well...actually funny thing Timie was never named, and Link isn't their name either) her super unnamed baby were both turning into plants. She turned into a tree in the end but good news it wasn't too late for that baby! Timie's spots are a ramification of almost becoming a FLOWER of all things, their spots are like the kokiri's but are longer and more like stripes here

So OLD image of Fado but I hope this kinda gets a point across?

Now, the funny thing about going deep in the woods, it's all the same forest. It's not that there is a forest in hyrule and a forest in termina, its all the same lost woods in the end. But there is something about the deeper parts of the forest that scares everything to begin with.

The deep woods is Farore's territory, it's where the threads of reality start to unravel, where the top of the trees are obscured by clouds and the mist never fades down no matter what time of day, in the deep woods it is only day or night with no inbetween, it is here where spirits with the ichor of madness dwell, they are Farore's older children.

Sure no human is allowed in the lost woods, but in the deep woods no one may enter. No monster or kokiri is safe wandering amongst the trees.

The lost woods turns people into what is inside of them, what's in their heart. Timie is just lucky Majora caught them as they were because they could of been far worse if left alone to wander.

[vastiitas]

( I know you're on semi hiatus but ) you've talked a bit about how Cole doesn't like his face touched by friends or foe, can you talk about how he feels when someone touches his hands? Either before or after he lost the one. Does he feel the same tension? Is the metal hand something he displays proudly or prefers to keep it tucked just out of view?

cole's actually pretty normal about his hands-- sjfksj unlike his head, which has seen a lotta abuse over the years, his hands, though having done and fought against violence, have also seen and done kindness. He has held the hands of other orphan kids in comfort and direction, has used them in general for human connection, and is therefore pretty understanding about others initiating similar contact.

there's smthing to be said abt the stain of gun soot, the scrub of dirt, the red-hot lather of blood, and his thick-padded calluses-- but he was raised in environments where these were a norm: on a farm, in a post-war wild new west, in a gang, in a para-military organization. he really only becomes aware of these things when the person who touches his hands is somebody so far removed from these elements: soft, dainty, gentle. in his younger years, he would feel... out-of-place, the sorta way somebody who has never grown up with smaller animals like cats while only having been exposed to larger and rough-housing dogs might feel in thinking they have to be particularly delicate. while he does eventually grow out of this self-consciousness, he is always particularly more gentle in reciprocation or acknowledgement.

his feelings for this particular contact tends to be dependent on the person - he does associate softer hands with hands that haven't seen the sorta work that requires labor, or hasn't had to. in his kiddo years, he tends to find this quality surprising in regards to men due to his lack of exposure to it, and you will see a brief flicker of surprise.

as for his prosthetic, while cole does keep his serape/cape generally over it, it's not necessarily an act of shame. i think that in the yr 2077, prosthetics have been more or less normalized, (just- not to the bodily extent of Genji or Vivian). the habit of keeping it hidden comes from his time of being without one, in a backwater town where most were rogue-ishly anonymous with mixed-bags of intentions and keep-your-head-down working types. it's a form of vigilance that he does work through eventually. he also finds it generally beneficial to have a hand hidden; harder to predict what he's up to if the people measuring you up can't see it.

His prosthetic is pretty low-tier before reuniting with OVW: It cannot feel heat or texture in the traditional sense, and surface level contusions don't register. So there's a level of discomfort when somebody does touch this hand because not only is there a level of hypervigilance attached to the exposure of that side of his body, there's also this... dehumanizing effect of the person holding his hand. All he really feels is the pushback of weight against plated palms and phalanges; but there's no warmth to it, no sensation of skin or flesh. it's disconcerting, but it makes him all the more mindful when this palm touches, or is touched upon by, somebody else. he tends to be more gentle, or more rough, depending on the circumstances with this palm; actions exagerrated by an over-mindfulness from the lack of sensation. i sorta think abt my thread w @calamitylocked where he extends this hand to ashe while negotiating olive branches bc it can easily be read as both an act of showing vulnerability while also receiving somebody in a disconnected way (he will definitely put this hand forward for folk he finds,,, slimey and would rather avoid making contact w lol.)

for people he's familiar with, he's content on letting them investigate the prosthetic by touch (e.i. vivian or echo); likes to people-watch in that lazing way of his and taking it as a way to enjoy their company. he isn't so much a fan of people tinkering around its innards while it's still connected to him, but he'll bear it if the maintenance requires it.

for the most part, until he receives his upgrades, people touching this hand serves as a reminder of what he's lost in terms of the senses, of his ability to touch and feel other people. post-upgrade, the sensations simply becomes a reminder to take care: a bundle of memories of people holding this hand tenderly in grief, in worry, in wonder; and his temporary loss of being able to feel these things beyond simply seeing it on their faces and the gentle weight of a finger tracing a chasis.

n to end this ask, my 2 fave text blocks on this blog abt hands:

[coldgoldlazarus]

That post thread discussing the various past avatars and their deeds and mistakes got me thinking about what kind of impact Korra could leave leading into the third series. Since the general running theme has been each Avatar making one big critical mistake during their tenure that the next Avatar has to deal with, there's probably going to be something she did wrong that will lay the groundwork for whatever the new earthbender Avatar will be dealing with.

On one hand, with the transition from Last Airbender to Legend of Korra, Aang's big mistake was basically offscreen during the intervening time, a new event created for LoK to address. Which isn't a bad thing, and is also the most likely approach for them to take here, too. At the very least, there's a precedent there. If that is what they do, then it could be just about anything, and gives the writers a lot of freedom. Korra had mostly grown past her key flaw of hotheaded, not-thinking-things-through action by the series ending, it might not relate to that, but no growth is perfectly linear so I could still see that being a big factor in whatever winds up going down.

On the other hand, I am kinda wondering if what they could wind up addressing is something related to the actual events of LoK. Most loose ends were wrapped up by the end of the series, but there are at least a few things that could be delved into more. The reconnection with the spirit world is a pretty big one, which did get sorta partially dealt with in Books 3 and 4, but was still kind of secondary to the main focus on the Red Lotus and Kuvira's dictatorship.

In something kinda less relevant to greater world geopolitics and more to the avatar cycle itself, it could be the whole thing about having lost the connection to the prior Avatars. (Which in all fairness wasn't even her fault really, but is still A Problem.) Finally trying to find some way to fix that could be an interesting direction.

Alternatively, on the very geopolitical side, the invention of Spirit-vine power as basically a nuclear power allegory in the fourth season could lead to a lot of issues if not handled tactfully.

And I guess this is less something shown, and more a negative space in the show's coverage, but we never really got to see too much of the Korra-era Fire Nation, so that could be something to try to put some focus back onto in the new series. Hopefully not just a repeat of the whole "everything changed when the fire nation attacked" bit, but there could be other ways to make the narrative 'neglect' (for lack of a better word) of them to cause problems down the line.

[folansstuff]

So I'm not caught up what's going on with illyana and realm of x that you seem frustrated about

So, my issues with Realm of X is not really based on Illyana specifically, but more an issue with the book as a whole?

The TLDR is like; the books massively disconnected from the main FoX plot, but also doesn't follow up on plot threads from previous books, and gives it's characters little to do despite telling us things are happening. I'll slap the rest under the read more cause it might get long.

So the book has a really interesting set up (the gals are stuck in Vanheim, Curse has brought them there, etc etc) and feels like it's going to follow up on some of the plot threads from Vita Ayala's New Mutants run + X of Swords (eg, Illyana no longer being bonded to Limbo, Satyurne no longer having control of Otherworld) + the post-Hellfire Gala thing.

The issue is that it's none of these things? It's techincally connected to FoX since they mention mutants being stuck there other than them, but we never see them and it never seems to really matter outside the first issue. Illyana's lack of magic has nothing to do with being separated from Limbo, but is instead because Vanheim is anti-magic and it only rarely touches on her thoughts about that than "she's sad". And we so far don't really understand what Saturyne is doing at all other than some really 'power' with Vanheim and... aliens? Some sort of cosmic thing? Who knows.

Typhoid Mary is around, Marrow does even less, Dust gets to do some cool stuff, but she's still sidelined, Illyana's general headstrongness that defines her character, even in the Krakoan era is gone (which is still wild even with the concept that she's struggling without her powers, she would still be throwing hands! Instead Typhoid Mary just calls her useless and she instantly cowers to that assessment.) And Dani, poor fucking Dani, is cut off from her Valkyrie powers for reasons we may only find out 4 issues in. (And that's only if Sif being in the preview means anything). We don't see Curse develop either, even though this should really be her star showing post-Nature Girl stuff.

So things are just sort of happening. And the narration tells us things are happening kinda aimlessly? And that's wild since this is supposedly a four issue miniseries, but even the preview from the last issue doesn't seem to be interested in plot progression at all.

The only, like, truly nice thing I can say is that issues 1, 2 and 4 look nice. The art is cool, the characters have neat outfits, and any book that makes Illyana this pretty looking is a positive to me. But then there's issue 3, which looks Not Great, but with comics I understand that can happen sometimes.

Now I'm not editorial, obviously, but I can only assume the book is like this because of some sort of strange circumstances. This does feel like a book that is only in the FoX line because of like, a release date change or something? Or scheduling? Cause even with the other FoX books, which I've generally thought were okay on average, they at least felt like they were meant to be there.

And I want to clarify, this new issue could completely 180 my opinion! We've only seen previews, and stranger things have certainly happened, but I am not optimistic about it. Ultimately don't know where this goes. My old theory was that they were going to kill/seal off Dani and Yana, but Dani is heading a Unlimited book and Yana is so popular that only Tom Breevort's weird hatred of her could get in the way. So I'm just sorta lost. Maybe they'll all just stick around and have magic adventures until the House of X stuff.

Either way I'm not keen.