#i want 2 study it in the lab.....like. i think it is v fun to guess + speculate abt why certain points like these even become discourse

[rollercoasterwords]

ooh don’t even get me started on the riots people throw about “she’s got the best tits in the year” saying ‘sirius would never’… the man fully had a wall of women dressed in bikinis in his bedroom in canon, and atyd is meant to be canon compliant.

andddd they will at the same time salivate over regulus in fics where he has killed people?? like murder is an acceptable flaw but one throw away line from a teen in a fic tagged period typical attitudes isn’t? bugs me minority when people don’t read the tags and just read a fic because it’s popular and then get mad because it contains things that are tagged.

yeah i mean. this is another part of the whole thing that really interests me. and like--i'm sure that some of the people who lose their shit over the tits line aren't okay with murder either; i'm not trying to make sweeping generalizations that imply that like. everyone who complains abt sirius "best tits" atyd line are also totally fine with regulus murdering people or whatever, y'know? like i am trying 2 avoid being one of those people who goes "The Fandom complains abt this but is ok with this" as if The Fandom is in any way monolithic.

that disclaimer out of the way though, i do feel like there is. some general inconsistency amongst some portions of the fandom when it comes to what "flaws" get large amounts of complaints. and the thing is--it makes sense for a person to not like one flaw but be fine with another, y'know? everyone's gonna have their own personal boundaries + likes + dislikes, and i'm not saying that if u dislike one type of flaw ur not allowed 2 like any flawed characters. what i take issue with is when someone acts as though to portray a character with a certain flaw at all is somehow a Morally Bad thing to do.

again, still organizing my thoughts, but i have a few ideas right now for what might cause this sort of. perceived general inconsistency in what becomes popular/common to complain about re: flawed characterization. i wonder if it's almost more common to see people upset by things like the "best tits" line because it's so realisitc; because it hits so close to home. most people have probably encountered a teenage boy who has said something like that, and i think it's very easy to connect to the pain + anger that comes with navigating casual sexism, and because of that people get upset when they feel they're being like....forced to imagine their favorite character that way, because it's easy to vividly imagine a sexist teenage boy, y'know?

on the other hand, reading about like. ur favorite character as a criminal or a soldier in a war or a superhero or whatever who like. fights in a battle or kills random people who are nothing more than words on a page, nameless side characters, etc--i don't think that feels as realistic, or hits as close to home for most people. encountering a murderer is much less common than encountering casual sexism; especially considering the demographics of who's most likely to read fanfiction, far fewer readers have probably encountered violence of that sort in their lives. i also think many of us, especially those immersed in western media, are very desensitized to the sort of violence of an action hero like....tearing through a bunch of faceless bad guys and gunning them down, or whatever. as long as we know our guy is the good guy, and the other guys are bad guys, it's fine. and i think most fanfiction that does have the characters committing violent crimes tends to fall into that sort of category--even when it doesn't, it's still usually a story where you know your character is on the "right side." and it's easier to just sort of....overlook these sorts of flaws partially because they're so dramatic that it's like. easy to just go "omg yesss bloody violent characters i love them <3" bc u know that in real life you obviously would not just be ok with someone killing somebody else, y'know? but going "omg yessss casually sexist characters i love them <3" doesn't exactly have the same ring to it lol

but i do think u run into inconsistencies real fast if u start assigning moral weight to the potrayal of flaws--as in, saying "oh, this sort of flaw is ok to write about, but this one isn't." bc then it's like. unless u only read abt characters that have no flaws ever, ur gonna run into someone asking "well why are you okay with this flaw, but not this one?" and that's gonna lead 2 u back to some real shaky premises 4 ur own moral arguments imo

[minaharkers]

OC TAG GAME ｡*･♡;

tagged by @aragorngf to categorize my ocs and make them in this picrew by crowsen!!  

♡ FAVORITE OC. (At the moment) 

Lukas Warren — Fallout: New Vegas

This was cruel to make me pick between all of my kids but I think Lukas at the moment is always kicking around my head — my sweet boy my poor little meow meow. I have so much in my head about his relationship with his family both the complicated horror story that is his family and his adopted ghoul mom Majorie and how much that really shaped his worldview <3

♡ NEWEST OC.

Caroline Clarke — Various

Cara my beloved!! She’s my OC for a post-apocalyptic RP group I’m in and I love her sm <3 She’s a hunter from West Virginia who’s still trying to getting used to living in a (somewhat) civilized part of Boston after living in the literal Appalachian woods for a solid three years with her brother. I’m excited to write with her more !! She’s a sweet person but is still sort of closed off after so much has happened 

♡ OLDEST OC.

Aerie — The Elder Scrolls V: Skryim

Aerie is definitely one of my oldest ocs!! Skyrim was really one of the first rpgs I played and honestly I feel like she’s both gone through so many iterations but also stayed pretty consistent!! We love a wild girlie who the universe had to make her a short nord to balance out the whole dragon soul thing

♡ MEANEST OC.

Ethan Warren — Fallout: New Vegas

Some people deal with their issues in all sorts of ways; Ethan decided to deal with it by razing his hometown to the ground <3 Having his father be burned instead of crucified like the Legion normally would to not give him the satisfaction of dying like jesus is understandable given what an awful person Richard Warren was, but joining the Legion and staying for years is a bad move maybe 🤔

♡ SOFTEST OC. 

Merethel Lavellan — Dragon Age: Inquisition

This was tough between Merethel and Ophelia but I think he’s someone who’s got a quiet compassion to him. The role of inquisitor does chafe on him a lot with him being more comfortable behind the scenes and being with people one on one as a healer. But I think people tend to underestimate how intelligent he is at first with his gentle nature, because he definitely learns how to play the “game” of politics in his own right by the time of Trespasser (even if he is very eager to get rid of the Inquisitor title).

♡ MOST ALOOF/STANDOFFISH OC. 

Endaryn Ravel — The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind

Even before he lost his place at the Arcane University in Cyrodiil after being booted to Morrowind because the Emperor Said So (rip 😔) , Endaryn is someone who just wants to be left alone to study!! And stuff KEEPS happening to him and he just wants to finish his thesis can he please stop getting weird dream messages from Dagoth Ur

♡ DUMBEST (AFFECTIONATE) OC. 

Leondas Vendicci — The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion

It’s not that he’s dumb, he just lacks any and all self-preservation or self-respect! <3 Jk, but Leondas is definitely the guy who acts first and thinks about it later when he realizes the consequences. A fuck around and find out kind of guy, you might say. But yeah, definitely the type to run into Oblivion portals without much of a plan. But he’s MY favorite dumbass so it’s okay

♡ SMARTEST OC.

Ophelia Faye — Fallout: 3

WOMEN! IN! STEM! Ophelia’s definitely the most intelligent; (I did actually give her a 10 in her Intelligence SPECIAL score). But I would say it’s pretty much all like science and medicine based intellect, and she’s the most comfortable in a lab or med bay than out in the Wasteland.

♡ OC YOU’D LIKE TO BE FRIENDS WITH IRL.

Euurydia Daeron — Star Wars: The Old Republic

I have NO idea if Dia and I would actually hang out IRL but she’d be the most fun to hang out with. She’s the perfect extrovert to adopt an introvert like me and talk my ear off and convince me to try one drink and suddenly it’s 2 am and we’ve been cantina hopping in the Lower Promenade on Nar Shaddaa for hours

tagging: @statichvm @chuckhansen @denerims @indorilnerevarine @risingsh0t @leviiackrman @florbelles @unholymilf @fashionablyfyrdraaca

[roxannarambles]

MysMeSsumConnections: Post 1

Hello, all. This is a compilation of my Ssum lab’s first subject of discussion.

Welcome to the lab for discussing theories about how the worlds of Mystic Messenger and Ssum might connect!

First Q: If these two games ARE connected, in what way would you love them to be related?

The consensus seems to be that if there is a connection, it’s probably related to 707 in some way. (Although one user pointed out Teo and V or Zen may meet/become friends due to the career connections)

I’m going to list out some possible ways that Seven could relate to Ssum.

1.) Ssum is a phone game that Seven programmed himself.

It is possible Seven made a dating app just on a whim (he’s certainly done other pet projects on a whim) and then forgot the password before its release, as seen in the MM screencaps.

(Contributed by: Saiph - gNAPzi) It is also possible he made this app to play out his personal fantasy of having a normal life with MC (with Teo being his self-insert). There are many elements in Ssum that seem to match his personal style and aesthetics (the space theme, the AI bird, etc). The setting is also somewhat similar to MM’s premise; meeting a stranger via a mysterious app that somehow ended up on your phone. 

(Contributed by: Nia - uHARzC) If you subscribe to reset theory or to the idea Seven is fully aware that he is in a phone game, perhaps Seven programmed Ssum as a way of keeping us company and checking in on us. 

2.) Aliens are real and Seven is directly involved with working for the Ssum Forbidden Lab or is at least aware of its existence.

(Contributed by: o6APzn) Perhaps Seven programmed PIU-PIU and some of the Ssum app’s interface. And maybe his involvement runs even deeper and Dr. Cus-Monsieur is just another one of Seven’s many alises-- or, in the very least, Seven knows the Dr and works for them. 

(Contributed by: Sofia- aeAOzj) Other people have suggested the easter egg you can find in the Achievements section may be hinting at something bigger. What if one day, Seven was hacking something and somehow discovered a signal from the Ssum Lab? He would learn about this incredible series of labs in space run by aliens-- and then he accidentally blocked the signal/lost the data. Seven desperately tries to find it again but never does and remains obsessed with “the space station” he knows is out there, doing mysterious studies on love.

3.) MysMe and Ssum are set in the same universe but have no direct relation (outside of a few easter eggs).

(Contributed by: Ms- ZfAPzT) This is perhaps the least complex theory. It’s simply the idea that Teo lives on the same planet/time as the people from Mystic Messenger do, but they probably won’t interact much, outside of a few easter eggs. However, user Ms pointed out that even though that may not be as exciting, it’s still a very nice thought. “I’m already happy just thinking that perhaps this world (Ssum) is a world where all of [the MM characters] exist, and that the MC of MM is helping them.” 

There is one last theory I did not see posted so far but I wanted to include real quick:

4.) MysMe and Ssum will be connected via some kind of multiverse.

There have already been several hints dropped that Ssum will involve a multiverse in its deeper plotline. PIU-PIU also talks about how they manipulate time and space around Teo, and seems to imply that Teo may exist in a different universe from ours/MC (or a different planet, at least). It’s reasonable to speculate that MysMe may possibly exist in the multiverse in their own dimension, too. (You can also get into a bunch of ideas spitballing off the April Fools Special from MysMe, which implies MC's dimension is seperate from the world of MysMe)

And that’s it for now! A huge thanks to everyone who participated in this lab’s very first research question. If you’d like to join in on the fun, you can find MysMeSsumConnections in the City of Free Men. I plan to post one new discussion topic a week about Ssum & MysMe fan theories, and the top response will get a gift! 🤩

[possibilistfanfiction]

Please post that greys au I wanna read it so bad

ok i’m gonna post some here first & y’all tell me what u think bc i don’t wanna fuck w weird comments on ao3 lol — first chap under the cut :)

notes: 

1. tobin uses she/they pronouns; i don’t think it’s particularly confusing written out w context etc so y’all should be good 2. there’s like ... no transphobia or anything, it’s fun & flirty vibes w a hint of ‘it’s hard to be faced w mortality all the time’ angst 3. suspend all disbelief if ur in medicine, like i said its greys themed so in that spirit there’s probably v little that’s accurate lol

alright here u go!

///

look me in the eye & promise (no love’s like our love)

/

real happy & healthy strong & calm — tegan & sara, ‘where does the good go?’

//

you take a deep breath — in through your nose, into your chest and down your spine, filling your belly, and out through your mouth — before you walk into the surgical intern mixer.

it’s not that you’re bad with people; in fact, you think you’re pretty good with them, but it’s just… hard. people require so, so much energy and you’d rather be reading or studying or meditating or running, not mingling with a bunch of your future colleagues you have to spend the next years of your life with anyway.

you, thankfully, see dr. dunn, though, who waves to you, and her smile is so bright and her posture so welcoming when she wraps you up in a quick hug that you feel better.

‘dr. press,’ she says, ‘this is dr. heath.’

unfortunately, all the momentary ease you felt leaves your body when you look at dr. heath, who is about your height and has the most gorgeous smile you’ve ever seen, a hard jaw and soft brown eyes, a tight white t-shirt tucked into tailored dress pants, golden hair swept over a shoulder.

it takes a few seconds of you just staring before crystal clears her throat and your brain starts to work again, and you notice tobin is offering a hand for you to shake. you’re quick to do so, probably a little too eager.

‘hey, i’m dr. heath — uh, tobin. my pronouns are she/they.’

to make matters even worse, tobin’s voice is a little low and gentle and lazy. ‘hi, i’m christen press. she/her.’

tobin’s smile stays in place and she easily brings you into the conversation that they were having with crystal, but it’s hard to pay attention when tobin is wearing a thick watch on one strong wrist and holds her hands kind of awkwardly sometimes.

‘i need a drink,’ you blurt out, and you kind of want to die, right then and there.

crystal raises a brow but tobin just laughs, walks off to “snag some beers” for you.

you drop your head to crystal’s shoulder with a groan. ‘how come you had to be talking to the hottest fuckboy i’ve ever seen in my life?’

crystal rubs your back comfortingly but you’re betrayed by her delighted laughter. ‘tobin is cool, chris. it’s not my fault you’re so gay you can’t function. literally.’

‘ha ha.’

tobin eventually does come back with a beer for everyone.

‘cheers,’ she says, and you clink bottles, ‘to the rest of our lives.’

/

the problem is not that tobin isn’t sweet or kind or smart — she is, and she’s good with your patients and profusely thanks nurses when they show her how to do anything. or, maybe, that is the problem, because dr. heath is unassumingly probably the best in your year already: calm and steady under pressure, good at tactile learning, quiet and focused but always ready with a joke.

you’re brilliant, and you thank the nurses too and make sure to listen closely to your patients, each one, no matter what. you’re quick to learn with your hands, too, and you’re lightyears ahead of most of the other interns with all of your skills labs because you’d practiced for all of medical school, any technique or suture you could.

but it’s not the same: your nails are chewed down to the quick because you’re anxious, this pit in your stomach never easing up even when you do something perfectly; even when dr. wambach, your chief resident, gives a slightly begrudging, ‘good, dr. press’ after you put in a central line for the first time and cyrus, your favorite nurse, gives you a high five afterward.

dr. heath drinks coffee and grins and lounges against the nurses’ station counter in fancy running shoes. the problem that makes you kind of hate them is that they’re just good.

and it seems so, so easy.

/

you blame it on the 48 hours you’ve gone without sleep when you grumble, ‘of course you look like that.’

you didn’t mean to say it out loud and you definitely didn’t mean to say it loud enough for anyone else to hear, but crystal — dr. dunn — laughs from her seat on the locker room bench next to you and you feel the tips of your ears turn red.

dr. heath — another surgical intern that you, officially, after your first shift, cannot stand — isn’t laughing, though. they’re standing in front of their locker in a pair of calvin klein boxers and nothing else, towel drying their hair after a shower, miles of tanned skin and muscles and abs and faded top surgery scars. it dawns on you that she doesn’t know what you mean, and even though tobin is the most annoying person you’ve ever met, you definitely don’t want them to be confused about this.

‘shit, dr. heath — tobin — i swear, i —‘

dr. heath crosses their arms over their chest, still scowling at you.

‘i just meant you’re hot!’ you say, a little desperate, louder than you intended, and crystal laughs even harder next to you. dr. heath’s face smooths out into a smirk and one of her brows lifts in amusement. you want to die out of embarrassment but also even more annoyance.

‘happy to know you’re not transphobic, then.’

‘definitely not!’ still too loud. ‘obviously not.’

dr. heath shrugs, rummages around in their already messy locker before emerging with a hoodie and slipping it over their head, running a hand through her long, damp honey brown hair before facing you again. ‘not always obvious.’

you want to huff and roll your eyes and sigh but you’ll save that for all of the infinite amount of times you’re sure dr. heath will inevitably annoy the hell out of you in the future: you have five years in this surgical residency together, at the very least.

‘well, i respect your identity deeply and would love to talk more about how my queerness, and maybe yours too, impacts community care. and i’ll do whatever i can to make sure you feel safe and supported.’

tobin’s smirk turns into a grin and you don’t want to look at the small laugh lines around her eyes or how white their teeth are or her perfect jawline, but you haven’t slept in two days, so —

‘well, thank you, dr. press.’ it sounds sincere so you nod. tobin hops into a pair of joggers and tugs on a pair of jordans, and they look soft and handsome and beautiful and — fuck, you really need to sleep.

’dr. dunn, good to work with you. and, dr. press, for the record, i do know i’m hot, but i appreciate the reminder if you ever want to tell me again.’

you roll your eyes and tobin winks and crystal just smiles between the two of you as tobin walks out of the locker room with a shaka sign.

‘kill me,’ you groan, dropping your head back against your locker with a clang.

crystal pats your thigh and then stands, helps you up. ‘if it’s any consolation, that made my entire day.’

’it’s 6 am.’

she shrugs. ‘point still stands.’

you open your locker and slip into your coat, too tired to shower here when you could shower at home and then just slip into bed.

‘i hate them,’ you say.

crystal just laughs. ‘just remember to invite me to your wedding.’

‘shut up.’

‘and don’t fuck in the on-call rooms, that’s unsanitary.’

‘bye.’

she’s still laughing as the door closes.

/

you’re on your peds rotation — which you hate but tobin seems to absolutely love — when you realize that, maybe, you were wrong. you’ve thrown up before every shift so far, and you’ve definitely lied to your parents about that, because they’re surgeons too, and your older sister is a surgeon too, and you’re a press — you have to be cut out for this. on your days off you sleep and run and do yoga, barely make time to see the few friends you have in the city. residency is beyond the kind of grueling you could imagine.

but dr. heath seems to be taking everything in stride, coming back after your 48 hours off talking about how they found a climbing gym they love, or went paddleboarding on the sound, or went to this cool new dog brewery in ballard with some of their friends from an ultimate frisbee league. you roll your eyes when they make a joke during pre-rounds because, honestly, it’s 4:30 am and there are a bunch of sick kids everywhere, but whatever.

mostly you slog through a lot of grunt work, which isn’t the worst; dr. heath is diligent and really quiet, it turns out, even if they’re constantly fiddling with a pen or a paperclip, anything they can press between the fingers on her right hand.

you realize that things aren’t easy for tobin a few weeks later, because there’s an eleven year old who comes in who had gotten caught in a rip current and been flown in — a mess of fractures and internal bleeding and lung damage and brain damage, probably, if she ever were to wake up. the attendings do everything they can in the OR, and you and tobin both stand and hold clamps for hours and hours, and then you’re both tasked with watching her overnight in the picu.

the code starts a few hours later, her pressure bottoming out and, even though you do everything you can, it’s not enough. tobin runs the code until there are tears in her eyes and you tug on the sleeve of her scrubs. ‘dr. heath,’ you say quietly, and they wipe at their eyes with their shoulder and then sniffle and nod.

‘i’ll go talk to the parents,’ you say, once you’ve cleared out into the hall and called time of death and the nurses are turning off all the machines. tobin shakes her head, hair falling out of its half bun, and takes her glasses off to wipe her eyes.

‘i can do it, i ran the code.’ her voice is shaky and clearly thick with tears.

‘dr. heath,’ you say, firmly, and then dr. wambach finds the two of you in your little corner.

‘dr. press is right,’ she says, squeezing tobin’s shoulder. even though dr. wambach is terrifying, she’s overall incredibly talented, competent, and, in the moments you need, knows how to be gentle; she’s a great leader. ‘go take a breath, dr. heath. we all did all we could. dr. press and i can get this one, and you’ll get the next.’

tobin blanches at that and jerkily nods, then silently heads in the direction of the elevators. abby talks to you about how to inform the parents, even lets you practice a little before you go into the waiting room. it’s an out of body experience, to explain that a sixth grader’s injuries were catastrophic, that you performed every intervention possible, that you really did do all you could, but the damage was too much.

her parents sob and cling to abby but then — it’s over. there’s a dead child and parents devastated beyond belief and then there’s the rest of your shift, the sun just beginning to rise.

abby takes in the set of your shoulders. ‘go get breakfast and some coffee, and i’ll see you in half an hour.’

you nod numbly; there’s no way you can eat right now but you can’t feel your hands.

‘if you find dr. heath, send them my way in a few.’

abby gives you a pat on the back and when you get into the elevator you feel like you might pass out or throw up, so you hit R and wait the agonizing seconds it takes for you to get to the roof. but then the doors open and there’s fresh air and the glimmering orange of the sunrise over the olympics and the sound, and there’s tobin’s small silhouette on the far end, sitting criss cross applesauce with her chin in her hands.

maybe you’re intruding but you don’t think so, not really, because when you sit down next to them, they wipe their eyes and then their nose with the sleeve of their hospital issued fleece zip-up and offer you a watery smile.

‘sorry,’ they say.

you shake your head. ’what do you have to be sorry for?’

‘well, like, leaving you to go give the worst news on the face of the planet, for one.’

‘it’s okay,’ you say. ‘i’m fine.’

tobin looks toward you with a tender, disbelieving little expression and their glasses reflect the sunrise, like a double exposure over their gentle brown eyes. it’s beautiful — she’s beautiful, even like this, especially like this, and you swallow.

‘you know, i’ve been so jealous of you this whole time.’

‘what?’

they look back over the water. ‘you’re so smart, christen.’ your chest floods a little with warmth when she uses your name.

‘so are you, though. none of us would’ve matched here if we weren’t.’

tobin shakes her head. ’well, sure. but i’m, like, not talking about your md and phd from stanford — which, by the way, absolutely insane.’ they make sure to smile in your direction so you know she’s just kidding. ‘i mean, just, the way you’re able to pick everything up, to remember shit from journals and everything dr. wambach says, it’s incredible.’

you shrug. ‘i guess. stuff like that has always come easy to me.’ the cold dawn and tobin’s quiet warmth make everything feel safe to speak aloud: ‘it’s, like, everything else that’s hard.’

‘you’re so calm though.’

you bark a laugh, lean back on your hands. ‘i’ve thrown up before every shift.’

tobin looks at you again, a little astonished. ‘no shit.’

you nod. ‘all i do in my time off is sleep and run. i haven’t even been able to meditate.’

‘the other day my hands were shaking so bad i couldn’t climb.’

‘well, if it helps — i was jealous of you, too. you seem so effortlessly cool and happy.’

tobin laughs. ‘and hot, don’t forget.’

you roll your eyes. ‘full of yourself.’

tobin winks, then says, ‘i have an idea, before someone inevitably comes to yell at us to get back inside.’

‘sure.’

‘wanna try to meditate? it’s really beautiful outside and i can sit with you and pray. if that’s okay?’

it’s such a soft gesture you might cry. ‘yeah,’ you say, ‘that sounds really good.’

tobin smiles and then moves to sit on their knees, even on the hard rooftop. you get out your phone and put on some of your favorite music to meditate to quietly, and straighten your back, let your hips settle.

tobin’s breaths are so even next to you, her eyes shut peacefully, hands clasped loosely in her lap.  it’s easy to sink into the stillness — because you’re cold and aching and maybe falling a little bit into some kind of love, the sun lightening the sky into a reluctant blue: a clear, crisp day.

it’s easy.

/

even though it seemed like half the population of every queer woman in seattle had tried to flirt with tobin at the wild rose, you end up together on the roof of your building. it’s a surprisingly clear night and you can see mt. rainier in the distance, and the stars are beautiful. you bring up a bottle of pinot noir you’d gotten from a winery a few weeks ago when your sister had dragged you — reluctantly — on your day off and pour two generous glasses. tobin has figured out how to turn the fire pit on without any instructions and you smile and offer her wine and half the blanket you’d brought up.

they smile and settle in next to you, shoulder to shoulder. you take in how soft her hair is and the crisp, warm cologne they smell like, her soft mock turtleneck sweater and beanie, a little crookedly perched.

‘have you had a good night?’ she asks.

‘i have. thanks for sticking with me at the rose.’

tobin scoffs. ‘thanks for sticking with me. i thought everyone wanted to go home with you.’

you roll your eyes. ‘doubtful.’

tobin sits up, way more seriously than you had expected. ‘chris,’ she says, ‘you’re, like, so beautiful.’

you lean back against the bench so you can look at her fully but when you see how earnest her expression is you have to turn away before you do something stupid like kiss her.

‘you’re, like, the most awesome person i’ve ever met, chris,’ tobin soldiers on. ‘you’ve run six marathons, and you volunteer at the animal shelter, even still, and you’re so funny, even though you have horrible taste in professional sports teams.’

‘okay, but nneka ogwumike?’

‘uh, sue bird?’

‘we had cp3 for the glory years, at least.’

tobin laughs. ‘football is still your biggest betrayal. i can’t believe you played in college and still have such horrendous taste.’

‘you’re never gonna let that go, are you?’

tobin shakes her head. ’gunner for life.’

you grant her a little laugh, and then take a sip of your wine. the quiet is comfortable.

‘hey,’ you say eventually, softly, and she’s closer than you remember when you turn toward her.

‘hmm?’

‘why do you want to be a surgeon?’ you say. ‘i don’t think i’ve ever asked.’

tobin puts down their wine and curls up on the bench to face you. ‘i think — well, i know i can’t just change entire systems, as one person. and i definitely have a lot of privilege and things i still don’t know or understand, but, i guess i just wanted to make medicine, as far as my own practice and what’s within my control, safer for people. especially trans people, make sure that i can help them get the care they deserve.’

‘that’s really incredible, dr. tobin heath.’

she blushes a little and waves you off. ’well, let me ask you this, dr. christen press.’

you nod.

‘why do you want to be a surgeon?’

you think about your family, how it was never an option, really, to be anything else. but you also think about the first time you saw a spine repaired during clinicals in medical school, the sheer wonder you felt.

‘surgery isn’t a miracle, but it feels like one, when things go right.’ you say it quietly but you mean it. ‘i want to get things right.’

tobin’s smile is dazzling. ‘see? there you go.’

‘that’s it?’

‘yep. so beautiful, like i said.’

you have to laugh, just once. ‘simple as that?’

‘mhm,’ tobin says. ‘simple as that.’

/

you stay over at tobin’s a little while later, right on the sound in west seattle, which is an absolutely insane commute but the view is, admittedly, absolutely incredible. you’d binge-watched the newest season of great british bakeoff and had far too much mulled wine. it’s drizzling but the moon breaks through the clouds and you stare at her face, relaxed and delighted by the final four’s technical challenge.

you don’t kiss them, not yet. but you reach your hand out under the warm blanket and lace your fingers together — your left in her right — and when she smiles and turns back to the tv you try to memorize the feel of her calloused fingers and gentle palm in yours. you start to nod off on the couch thinking of your favorite song to meditate to: last night my beloved / was like the moon. / so beautiful.’

tobin wakes you, eventually, and you blearily get in her bed together. her sheets smell like laundry detergent and, still, a little like her cologne.

when you wake hours later, your internal clock used to rising before dawn by this point, even though you have the entire day off, you take her in: smaller and sleep-mussed, beautiful.

you curl around her lithe, thin body, so warm and so soft, and fall back asleep.

[markestapasgirl]

congrats congrats on 100!! could I participate in the event? ‘m curious to see whomst im compatible :0 hiya! im a curvy avg height person (they/them) with a crayon red bob hair cut that thinks hoodies and leggings are the best outfit lmfao. im an isfp, virgo sun and sag moon, enneagram type 2, and certified nerd that works in a chemical testing lab. i study science (mostly ecology) and still obsessed w Nintendo games!! yes I still check on my nintendogs! im told im v polite when u first meet me but once I’m comfortable that’s when I let myself be excitable. fun fact: i collect Pokémon cards! my collection is worth over $2000 and that’s on YEARS of collecting fhdjdjdj.

This reminds me of my Disney pin collection, yk the tradable ones. Yah I have spent toooo much money on them 😀

I match you with...

Kenma Kozume

Let’s be honest with ourselves, kenma checks up on his nintendogs too. Love love loves days when you two can just stay home and work on what ever. Whether it be studying, gaming, or just relaxing in each other’s presence. Kenma loves to see how you get excited over something, it could be some science thing he doesn’t understand but the smile on your face is so intoxicating, he can’t help but want to learn all about it. He also likes that you talk more than him. He likes being able to just sit back and listen, ocationly pipe in and say something. He does need to be listened too as well.

hc: checking up on your nintendogs together. I don’t fully remember the game tok much but I think you guys would take turns taking care of each other’s pets

[crankgameplaysgifs1]

Forensics babbbyyy

Okay so I’m gonna nerd out here so keep scrolling if you don’t want to read this lol

So I asked if you guys would be interested in me talking about my major, and a couple of you did! @drowninginsideofmymind​ and @staffyouresobadatrunningawebsite (I cannot tag you for some reason)

I’m now a junior in college working towards my bachelor of science in forensic science. I chose this path because A) yes, I do love all the crime shows and have watched most of them, but B) I just think it’s really cool and really fun! 

This major is really tough, I’m not going to lie. BUT IT’S GOING TO BE SO WORTH IT!!! If you guys are interested in forensics these are some of the classes you may be taking---

Some more forensic-heavy classes I’ve taken so far include crime scene processing, forensic photography and reconstruction, and physical evidence analysis. I’ll be taking toxicology, body fluid and DNA analysis, and more in the future. 

Last year, I had a bunch of boring gen ed classes like university foundation, english 1 and 2 (even though I had taken AP englishes in high school already, smh), precalc and calculus (already took those in high school) and a general science course. I also took advanced biology (again basically just a repeat of the AP bio I had taken in HS, but whatever). This year, however, was entirely different and seriously challenging. 

First semester, I had general chemistry 1 and its corequisite lab. I also had crime scene processing and the corequisite lab for that, and anatomy & physiology and the coreq A&P lab as well. I took a communications course as well, but only to fill the gen ed communication credit lol. 

This semester, I had general chemistry 2 and the lab, statistics, forensic photography and reconstruction (a lecture/lab combo class) and physical evidence analysis and the coreq lab for that class. 

Next year, I’m going to be taking Organic chemistry and lab (level 1 first sem, level 2 in the spring), Molecular and cellular biology, and physics and its lab (again, level 1 physics in the fall, level 2 in the spring). I’ll also be taking biochemistry and its lab in the spring. 

Senior year, hopefully, will be much easier! I only have a few classes: Instrumental analysis and lab, genetics, toxicology, body fluid & DNA analysis, a couple electives, and my senior capstone (BIG senior project basically). 

My eventual goal is to become a CSI, a crime scene investigator/processor. I’ll be the person that rolls up in the crime scene van, searches the scene for evidence, packages it, and documents the scene. I’m so excited for the future. 

For now, I’m in Phoenix, AZ. The summer RIGHT after graduation (class of 2022 anyone?), I’m going to move across the country to the east coast-to the beach. I love the beach, and there’s a TON of CSI positions open on the East coast. Man I cannot STAND this freaking desert haha. I’m a beach person, and I’m stuck in the hottest state in the country. YUCK. 

Each of the classes in my major are vital to the world of forensics and will prepare me in different ways: 

-Any of the biologies: forensic biologists collect and analyze biological evidence found on clothing, weapons and other surfaces to determine the time and cause of death.

-Any of the chemistries: Chemistry is used in forensic science to uncover information from physical evidence. In criminal cases, chemists analyze substances such as blood, DNA and gunpowder residue to attempt to determine when and by whom the crime was committed. In civil cases, chemists analyze DNA to authenticate valuable products and to identify fraudulent activity. Chemists also determine information from unsolved crimes and mysteries of long ago through other means of DNA analysis.

-Physics: Important, for example, when analyzing movement through crime scenes. Shootings, blood spatter, and more are common applications of physics in forensics.

-Forensic photography/reconstruction: I learned how to photograph crime scenes and how forensic units (in coordination with detectives) recreate the scene through theory and science. 

-Physical evidence analysis: This is the other side of forensics-the job that I want only involves collecting the evidence. This class is about how different types of evidence are tested in the lab after I collect it. For example, how we can piece back together broken glass, and how arson evidence, body fluid evidence, and more are examined. 

-Crime scene processing: EASILY my favorite class. I learned how to walk through crime scenes and identify evidence, take notes, collect evidence, and document the scene. So much fun!! My final in this class was a mock homicide scene where we had to walk through and mark and find the evidence, collect it, and photograph the scene. 

-Others: Genetics (typing DNA in the lab, etc), instrumental analysis will help with how to work in a lab, and body fluid&DNA analysis is crucial in biological evidence. 

Here’s a fun vlog that really shows what my day to day life will be like in the future, if you wanna watch it: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3HW4m2KQV8

This major is putting me through a lot, to be honest. However, I love forensics, so I’m going to put myself through this degree-even if it kills me lol. 

If you guys love forensics or are interested, DON’T be discouraged! It is tough, but you learn so much and it’s so worth it. STUDY STUDY STUDY!! It kind of is a niche major, but it feels like a family to me. At my college, we all know each other because there are so few of us. There are a ton of resources out there for you. Please feel free to message me, even! (Message me on my main blog, @bossninja1 I can’t message people on here).

There are so many different jobs you could get with this degree: CSI, lab analysts, detectives, criminalists, and more. (And they pay really well too hehe 😉) 

I graduate in the spring of 2022 and I’m so excited for my future. I can’t wait to be a CSI and to finally be independent and move to my first apartment. I’m going beachfront babyyy! I don’t have a lot of money but I’m saving up and I know where I want to live already and I can’t wait. 

Here’s to the future, and here’s to the nerds!

[eds-trashmouth]

Can You Hear My Heart Beat For You? (2/3)

A/N: I know it’s been literally forever. But I did it. I finished this part. I decided to end it here and part 3 is going to be the sexy time. So there will be smut, but this one was already long. I’ll link part 1 incase you need to reread it. I know it’s been so long. Also, I will be finishing the second part of Good Side. I just figured I should finish this first since I started it first. Also my girl Sara gave me the idea for Eddie to say he’s lovesick (the scene went differently than I thought it would so it’s not exactly what we talked about but I still wanted to give her credit for that one)

Pairing: Reddie

Word Count: 3,000k+

Rating: PG-13 for trashmouth

Part 1

(AO3)

-

8 days 1 hour and 17 minutes

Eddie could not for the life of him get his mother to make him another appointment. He knew he couldn’t fake something too terrible, it had to be small and fixable. Like a cold. But the last time he went for a cold he came running out of the doctors room like a bat outta hell so his mother has been worried about sending him back to that doctor. He still refused to tell her exactly why he was running but she accepted the simple “I didn’t wanna be at the doctor anymore Ma” answer so really what more could Eddie ask for.

He had asked Bill a hundred times what he should get a check up for but Bill refused to help him lie to get a guys number.

“Just go into the office and ask for him. Easy.”

“It’s not easy Bill! How many times do I gotta say it?!”

“Oh my dear Eddie. It is indeed that easy. You just can’t accept the fact that you have to put yourself out there to get what you want.” Maybe Bill was right. He couldn’t just expect the world to work around him and his insecurities. He had to step up and take control of his own love life.

“Okay Billy, you’re right. Time to put myself out there.” Eddie stood up quickly, wiped his sweaty palms on his pants, and stormed out of the room. Not even 10 seconds later he was coming back in.

“This is my room, my mom won’t let you stay here alone...”

“It’s also almost midnight on a Friday, I doubt the doctors office is open.” Eddie’s eyes widened.

“Oh yeah. That too...”

It’s been days since Bill had told Eddie to stop being a pussy. As the days passed, so did Eddie’s confidence. It only took him 2 days 20 hours and 56 minutes to decide...he was a coward. There was no way he was going to just march into a doctor’s office to get some perfect boy’s number. He could, however, ask a certain hopeless romantic to help him out.

“Ben, I just need your advice.” Eddie had told him the whole story as soon as he answered. However, he called him on a Monday, his day for studying so Ben was a little less than helpful. He could hear a sigh and rustling on the other side of the phone then silence. He waited.

“Eddie, you do realize you’re an adult right?”

“Of course I do Ben. But I can’t just go and ask him. I just can’t. What if he says no?”

“You’re missing my point. You’re an adult. You can make your own appointment, and go by yourself. Then go from there.”

“Oh,” How had he not thought of that himself. It was so obvious. He wouldn’t have to worry about his mom, and if he changed his mind he could just leave. “You’re right. I can totally do that. Thanks Ben.”

“You’re welcome Eddie. Now please let me get back to his paper. It’s due by midnight.”

“Yes sir! You got this Ben.” And with that, he hung up. He would call in the morning and set up an appointment.

1 day 12 hours 8 minutes

It was time for his appointment. Walking through the too familiar hospital had his stomach churning. His mind kept racing. What if Tozier was taken? What if he was a jackass? What if he was straight?! He pushed down all his thoughts and took a deep breath before opening the waiting room door. He could tell by the mass of people that he’d probably have to wait awhile. There were at least five different families waiting to be seen. Each more annoying than the next. The first name called was an adorable little girl with her hand wrapped in gauze. Eddie assumed some kind of cut; probably pretty bad if they’re coming to the doctor. Eddie got a little nauseous just thinking about it.

He waited an entire hour to be called. Perhaps they were short on staff today. The same fiery redhead called for him with a smile. This was it. This was his chance. Did he know for sure Dr. Tozier would be performing his check up? No. But he decided if he didn’t see Tozier today then that was fate telling him it wasn’t meant to be. This was his ONLY chance. The nurse led him back through the same hallways and down to a similar room as before.

“The Doctor will be with you shortly, you’re welcome to have a sucker while you wait. Oh, I’m Beverly by the way. In case you need anything.” With a smile and small wave, Beverly was out the door. Eddie could feel his anxiety starting to show its ugly head. In just a few short moments he would, hopefully, be face to face with the man of his

dreams. Tozier wasn’t even here yet and Eddie could already tell his face was pink. He would just simply ask. ‘Want sum fuk?’ And that would be that. He had to be casual. He couldn’t let him know he’s been pining since the last visit. A soft knock on the door kicked him back to reality.

“Come in.” Eddie heard himself speak as if on impulse. The door opened and he almost cried. There stood a short middle aged woman, her blonde hair pulled into a tight bun.

“I’m Dr. Sylvia, what seems to be the problem today?” Her voice was soft but confident. Suddenly he forgot what he even thought of to say. He was only thinking of Tozier. Fuck. He obviously didn’t have a cold. He wasn’t throwing up.

“Uhh, I’ve been having some minor pain in my finger and I was wondering if I uh broke it?” The Doctor squinted a little as if confused, then nodded and walked close to Eddie.

“Which one seems to be the problem?” Her hand held out waiting for Eddie to place his.

“My uh, left middle.” He gave her his left and watched as she began bending his finger with no issues. She pressed softly on each section of knuckle. Eddie hissed a bit when she got to where his finger met his palm, realizing he should at least pretend something hurt.

“So here?” She pressed again a bit harder.

“Yeah, it’s not too bad. I was just worried.” She nodded once again.

“Well, it’s most definitely not broken. I believe it could just be that you smashed it a little or hit it on something. I’m sure it’ll get better all on it own.”

“Thank you miss.” He was embarrassed.

“You may leave whenever you like. Thank you for coming in today.” She left the room as Eddie let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. That was his chance, and Tozier wasn’t here. It was silly of him to think he would have the exact same intern over two weeks later. But wishful thinking is Eddie’s specialty he supposed.

13 hours 45 minutes

After his less than successful trip to the doctor Eddie decided the world hated him enough today, and he would stay in. Forever. Or at least until tomorrow. Sadly, his friends had other plans. Around 10pm there was a small rock on his window. Then another three hit simultaneously. He knew it was Bill, that was his signal to sneak out. He couldn’t be bothered to moved. The covers helped to hide his sadness, his pathetic sadness, from not getting a date with a stranger. A wonderfully eccentric stranger. It’s just...nothing had ever felt that easy. He never felt something so electric so quickly. It was like there was a magnet attached to Tozier’s lab coat or something. He was attracted immediately. His phone rang, pulling him out of his thoughts. With a sigh he answered.

“Stop moping and come out to the new over 18 club with us! It’ll get your mind of your love life. Hell, maybe you’ll even find a cute boy to dance with.” He expected Bill, not Mike, to be calling him. He could easily tell Bill no, but Mike? Everyone knew he’d never say no to hanging out with his homeschooled friend.

“Mike...I just. Wanna lie here and wallow.” If Mike let it go then he’d be golden. He could just stay in bed for the rest of his days.

“Cmon Eddie. Come dance with us. It’ll be fun I promise.” With a sigh and a small squeak Eddie agreed. Saying goodbye and getting up to get dressed. He knew he wouldn’t have time to tame his bedhead the way he’d like to so he settled for just brushing it back into a beanie. He never wore beanies, but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t look cute in one. The light blue beanie matched his light blue v-neck he paired with a pair of black overall shorts. Of course a huge hoodie to cover him until they got to the club as well. A quick and easy outfit, perfect for dancing but not enough to get any unwanted attention. He’d go, dance with the boys a little, then make an excuse to go home.

The club was about a 15 minute drive in Mike’s old pickup. It was still in the city but almost on the outskirts. Eddie watched as buildings faded and passed by the window. His mind still going back to that cute set of curls with an adorable face to match. He was utterly infatuated and there’s nothing that he could do about it. He didn’t even know his fucking name. His plan had failed. His simple, basic, stupid plan. Failed. The dark blue exterior was lit up with seemingly every colored light imaginable. “Nerve” in bright neon caught Eddie’s eye immediately. It was nice. Definitely a dance club.

As they got to the bouncer, the music from inside came busting through the doors. Although muffled, he could still tell they were playing some rap song with a good beat. Getting in the door was easy enough though, Bill and Eddie were now sporting a black X on their right hands symbolizing they were underage. No drinking for them. The other boys went straight for the bar while Bill and Eddie grabbed a booth on the side of the giant dance floor. They would go actually dance later but for now Eddie just wanted to sit.

“So how was Doctor tall nerdy and curly today?”

“Nonexistent.” Eddie looked at his palms, a little embarrassed.

“What do you mean? What happened?”

“I should’ve known it was a dumb plan. He only filled in the last time because the doctor was busy. I didn’t even see him. The world just has it out for me Billy.”

“Cmon Eddie. You know that’s not true. So you didn’t get to ask out this guy? Oh well. There are plenty of guys out there. I know you gotta sort through the bullshit but it’s not like you’re destined meet your soulmate at 19. You have plenty of time my friend!”

“I know, it’d just be nice to have a boyfriend ya know? Or at least a date every now and then so I don’t feel like I’m making absolutely zero progress.” At that, Mike and Ben walked over with some mixed drinks and a few waters.

“These bad boys are for you bad boys.” Mike winked giving a water to both of the younger boys. After that, the conversation went casual. Boring casual, but casual. Eddie was in his own little world. Still wallowing in disappointment. He was watching Mike and Bill talking but couldn’t get himself to actually listen. His mind always going back.

“I’m gonna head to the bathroom. Then probably dance a little, I’ll come get you before I go out there.” Eddie excused himself from the booth and went searching for the bathrooms. It didn’t take too long, just down a hallway, then some stairs, then to the left. On his way through the hallway he spotted an outdoor area with some chairs and tables. Probably for smokers. The bathrooms were nice enough, for a club at least. No vomit on the floor and no shit smeared on the walls so it’s got that going for it. He did his business, washed his hands for exactly 20 seconds, and headed back up the stairs. An obnoxious voice caught his attention as he walked past the outdoor area. Looking toward the voice, his breath hitched.

There he was. Still tall. Less nerdy. More curly. He wore a black flannel over a vintage band tee and ripped black skinny(ish) jeans. He was a walking wet dream. His hair seemed to curl out in every direction and his glasses nowhere to be seen. He couldn’t help but stare, the guy he’d been pining over for weeks was standing 15 feet away. Right next to the redheaded nurse, Beverly? If he remembered correctly. Like some kind of destiny. Eddie was never one to believe in destiny, so maybe it was his doubts that made him walk away or maybe it was just his anxiety but as he met Tozier’s eyes he walked.

More like he ran, as he decided to leave he caught a glimpse of the set of curls making their way toward him. And he ran, like he always did, hoping to whatever would listen that Tozier hadn’t seen him and he could just go to the dance floor and disappear. The dance floor was dark, only a few lights from the stage to illuminate it, and a giant group of people. It was perfect to hide in. He made his way to the middle, slowly moving his hips to the beat as he walked to make it seem like he was dancing. Surprisingly once he got to the middle he saw Mike and some boy dancing. Well more like grinding on each other. As he got closer he could see blonde curls and a cute face. Mike sure does have a type, and this boy is one hundred percent it.

“Hey stranger. Took you long enough to get back.” Mike was smiling and turned to his dance partner. “This is Stan. He got ditched while his friends went out to smoke. I told him I’d keep him company.”

“Hi Stan, I’m Eddie. Mind if I dance with you guys?”

“Well of course you can. That’s what we’re here for isn’t it?” Eddie couldn’t help but smile as they went back to dancing. The music seemed to flow through his whole body. He wouldn’t say he was the best dancer but he could definitely keep rhythm. He was questioning wearing shorts in December but out here on this sweaty dance floor he couldn’t be more happy to have them. It’s just a perk that they also made his butt look pretty good.

“Staniel, please tell me you were going to introduce me to these cuties.” Eddie slightly jumped at the loud voice behind him. He saw Stan roll his eyes but smile.

“Of course I wasn’t Trashmouth. I was saving them the hassle of knowing you.” Eddie turned to see who Stan could possibly be talking to like that, however he wasn’t expecting to be met with the familiar face of a beautiful stranger.

“Well, if it’s the cutie from the clinic! Glad to see cancer hasn’t taken you yet! How have you been feeling?”

“Lovesick...” Eddie couldn’t believe that came out of his mouth, but he couldn’t help it. He was staring again. “Uh! Sick, just sick. But uh, I’m o-okay now.”

“How is it that we meet again little Eddie Spaghetti? Seems like fate doesn’t it?” The smile on the taller boy’s face seemed to stretch ear to ear. He was so pretty. Eddie was royally fucked. He couldn’t even speak. He just stared.

“How is it that you managed to weird out the shyest boy here?” Stan was shaking his head watching the interaction.

“He doesn’t mind, do ya Eds?” He winked. He fucking winked, like Eddie wasn’t having an internal crisis right in front of him. He wanted to speak but with the shock of Tozier standing in front of him he couldn’t say a word.

“Ya alright there Eddie? Do you need to sit down?” Mike was to his side instantly, checking on him. Eddie really didn’t deserve him and he’d remind him of that later. When he could speak. “Let’s get you to Bill and Ben.”

“Wait. I’m a Doctor. I’m sure I can help him.” Tozier was still being as cocky as ever and something about him drives Eddie crazy.

“You’re an intern, not a doctor.” It came out like word vomit. It seemed like Eddie either said too much or nothing at all. If the rudeness of his statement offended the boy he didn’t show it. He simply smiled that ear reaching smile and bent down to get a closer look at Eddie.

“How high is that heart rate, do you think sugar?” His face was inches away and Eddie couldn’t help but count the freckles splattered across his face. His eyes scanned his whole face taking inventory of those freckles, landing lastly on his lips. He could tell they were a little chapped but in this moment Eddie couldn’t think of anything more appealing than smashing his soft lips into them.

“My eyes are up here darling, at least ask my name before undressing me with your eyes.” Eddie felt two fingers lifting his chin so he could get a look into his eyes.

“I-I wasn’t undressing y-you. Don’t be so cocky, it’s not a flattering look on you.” Tozier’s mouth hung open, definitely not expecting Eddie to have an answer.

“He’s a fiesty one! I like a spicy bottom.” It was Eddie’s turn for his jaw to hit the floor. Mike and Stan watched as the boys slipped into their own little world right there on the dance floor.

“A little forward, huh?”

“When I see something I want? Definitely. I can show you just how forward I can be if you’d let me check out that little body of yours again.”

“I don’t even know your name, as you so crudely pointed out seconds ago. Unless your parents named you Trashmouth and for that I’d say I’m so sorry.”

“What can I say? I’m just talented with my mouth.” That smirk again. “You definitely need my name, so you know what you’ll be screaming later. Richie, Richie Tozier. At you service luv.” Eddie cringed at the terrible British accent but couldn’t help feeling smitten at the same time.

“Well Richie. I’m not one to go home with just anyone. So no can do my good sir.” This time Eddie slipped into a British accent, making Richie’s smile even wider.

“My lord, you are perfect.” The sudden softness in his voice sent a shiver through Eddie’s entire body. He was back in Eddie’s face, he could feel his breath on his lips. “Let me at least take you out. I can’t let you run out of my life like I let you run out of that exam room.”

Without anymore thought, Eddie surged forward catching Richie’s lips with his. It didn’t take long for him to feel Richie’s tongue working his mouth open. He’s never been a fan of smoking, but he could get used to the taste of this Trashmouth.

“How about you pick me up tomorrow? I’ll go to dinner with you then we can see where it goes from there loverboy.”

“That sounds like dream.”

-Taglist

@richietoaster @geckolover001 @pennys-pet-kitty @aesteddie @elhopps @summerxle @mexicanqt @punkrocktozier @richietczicr @tozier-club @kristashae @princesass-theresa @dandeliontozier @doctor-lobster @queennugget3 @halfway-happy353 @reddieafterdark @beep-beep-reddie @hmufinn @stanuterus @not-reddie @curlywheelers @i-is-gazebo @temptedtozier @reddie-to-fight @girasol-eddie @mirandonsky @annoyingtozier @sedanleystanley @richieshawaiianshirts @tyrror

Let me know if you want to be tagged, should’ve been tagged, or no longer want to be tagged!!

[yioh]

Hey, it's uni anon, I have couple more questions if that's ok 👉👈 1. Is the workload more difficult than sixth form/college? I feel like uni is soo much more difficult, this is the part I'm worried about most. 2. Would you recommend living in the uni dorms or no? 3. How did you decide which course to take? 4. From your experience, is going to uni better than college? Your advice from the last question helped so much and eased some of my worries lol

hihiii!!! thats totally cool bro!!

hmm in terms of difficulty i would say it rly depends on the course ur doing/how the uni handles it? i can’t speak for everyone but as a first year physicist i found it pretty difficult lmao, but i think i struggled mostly because my organisation was Horrible and i barely went to any of the lectures ( when i say i was a mess i mean it LMAO next year will be much smoother me think).  the work load each department sets varies wildly, my department set me 3/4 assignments per week as well as labs which was.... alot jkdjlk but my flatmate who studied linguistics&language got barely any work so it rly does depend. don’t be too worried tho, i feel with things like these u can only experience it and decide for urself. also also if u attend all ur lectures and take notes On time and have a steady pace and people u can ask for help eeeeverything should be completely fine !! slacking off is the worst lmao i speak from experience 

ok so the pros of moving out is, INDEPENDENCE BABEY !!!!!! ITS LIKE A DRUG U WILL BE ADDICTED NLKDHJD no one to tell u what to do or anything if u want to go for a walk at 5am u can do exactly that lmao, coming from a desi background i ... i rly enjoyed the independance lol(but make sure to be safe broski) , another pro is u learn So many life skills. i learned how to cook, clean , book accomodations, wake up on time(ok i failed that bit lmao), aaaaand so much more, its truly such a valuable experience!!! as for cons, for me, i missed amma so much, im so used to spending all my time with her and depending on her so moving away made me uhhh v sad lol, she also wakes me up on school days so u can imagine how many early lectures i missed (all of them) OOP jskjhj. aaaand the worst one i think is cooking, washing dishes and laundry. it was hard to keep up with these essentials esp since im used to amma helping me but, if u manage ur time properly, no problem at all!! so imo i would probably reccomend moving out, it was just such an interesting wild experience and im v glad i didnt miss on it, but ofc its not for everyone so yep!

dbdkJDFKJDD ok i. i honestly just.... im ashamed i chose physics because i watched an anime abt physics and thought it was cool im the worst person to ask for advice lmAO . i had no idea what i wanted to do but i did physics for alevels so i just went with the flooooow and here i am lol 

hmmmm i would say theyre both just such different experiences? sixth form for me was the exact same as school, no different rly, 8am-2pm studying and what not but moving out for uni was just a completely different life, different people, different city and no parents, i personally enjoyed both of them !! there will be difficult times and fun times but its honestly hard to compare the two when they both are such different experiences,, 

i hope this helped bro !!!! i was so scared before 1st year so i completely get u, i really hope this helped ease ur worries !!! i tried to make it shorter but god i ramble so much rip sorry dikjhdsc

[crowned-ladybug]

So I said I wanted to see demon AUs that aren’t smut and that I sadly don’t have the energy to make my own rn, and then I went ahead and accidentally made one anyway

So here’s some incomplete notes on it. It’s 2.7k words. I’m so sorry.

Local dumbass heir to the throne (Joseph) doesn’t Wanna be a heir to the throne bc it’s Boring he’s always wanted to be an Adventurer but here he is anyway. Then one night he gets drunk off his ass and manages to?? accidentally summon a demon??? in his friend’s Magic Lab???

(The friend is Avdol and he’s v v tired of Joseph’s shit)

fuckin Joseph made a drunk deal with a demon who Absolutely saw nothing against making a deal with the royal heir currently drunk off his ass bc hey, free deal

luckily the deal wasn’t for Joseph’s soul or firstborn child or half his kingdom or whatever. Instead the deal is a magical bond between Joseph and the demon that allows the demon to share in Joseph’s life energy/general basic human magic and thus be able to exist in the human world in a stable form without having to go home to rest every once in a while or having to maintain like ten spells Just In Case

the demon is doing this whole deal thing bc 1) he Has to, it’s kind of his Job and 2) he’s looking for vengance on a gang of demon hunters who have killed his family but since they’re human, he needs a way into the human world for a longer term to be able to hunt them down

the demon is Caesar in case you haven’t figured that out yet

Joseph is a lot less concerned about having made a deal with a Literal Demon than he should be. He thinks it’s p hilarious actually and Caesar immediately starts having regrets (he’d bond with Avdol over it if he were willing to lower himself to the level of Measly Mortals)

the fun thing is that bc he’s tied to Joseph magically to allow him to freely exist in the human world, Caesar can’t get out of a few mile radius of him, which kinda makes his plans to hunt down the demon hunters (*cough* Pillar Men *cough*) a lot harder and Joseph even more annoying to deal with

the logical solution to that is to pass Caesar off as a servant Joseph befriends, so that he can stay in the castle, and then eventually they can go off on some adventure together to defeat the Pillar Men (or, well, so that Caesar can defeat the Pillar Men while keeping Joseph at arm’s length) which would also mean that Joseph can Finally get his big adventure he’s been dreaming about

then Joseph gets the genius idea to kill even More birds with one stone and decides that Caesar should pretend to be his bf bc all the annoying ass nobles and shit won’t leave him alone about not having a partner and “oh no, you’re of age now, what will happen if you have to take the throne but have no queen by your side?” and everyone keeps trying to woo him and it was fun at first but now it’s just goddamn Tiring

Caesar agrees to it eventually bc Anything as long as Joseph lets him do his research on the Pillar Men in peace. He doesn’t really realise what fake-dating the annoying bastard entails until he’s already too deep into it and he kinda literally can’t go back on his promises to Joseph, being a contract-bound demon

(Caesar looks like a proper demon normally but he Can disguise himself as p much entirely human-looking if he needs to. It takes energy tho, so he reverts back to his demonic looks whenever he’s safe from prying eyes, or if he’s unconscious)

they’re essentially fake-married for magic tax benefits it’s so great

there’s Definitely some Magic Soulbond Shenanigans along the line of “if one gets hurt the other also feels it”

they find out that Caesar reverts to his demonic form when asleep when he pulls two all-nighters in a row looking for information on the Pillar Men and passes out in Avdol’s study, scaring the shit out of poor Avdol. After that they manage to land a room for him in the castle with some lie about him having travelled here from faraway lands (technically true) and having nowhere else to stay (also technically true), but he also spends a lot of his time in Avdol’s study and Joseph’s room without his disguise, solely for convenience’s sake

they ofc have to fool Everyone with the fake dating, including Joseph’s family, bc No One else can know that Caesar is a demon on a quest for vengeance. The worst, most unexpected part for Caesar is that Queen Erina and Lord Speedwagon actually seem to like him?? they’re just genuinely nice to him??? simply bc he’s around Joseph and bc they find him likeable??? he did Not expect Anyone to be nice to him in the human world, what the Fuck, he doesn’t know how to Deal With That

Suzi is Technically a servant but she’s been Joseph’s friend since they were lil kids so she was essentially raised alongside him and they’re best friends and Suzi can only keep Joseph out of dumb shit like half the time bc the other half she’s right there in it with him

she is Entirely unfazed by Caesar, sees through the pretend relationship in like two minutes and knows immeditely that Something Is Up. When she accidentally catches Caesar in his demon form while checking to make sure he’s not stacking all-nighters again, she doesn’t even bat an eye (meanwhile Caesar’s thoughts are entirely “oh fuck do I have to kill her now, Joseph’s gonna kill me if I do, oh fuck, oh fuck”) just tells him to go to sleep on time and then leaves (to call Joseph out on getting himself into even deeper shit than she’d originally thought)

look idk what he does or what relevance he ends up having to the plot but Polnareff is also there, he’s a dumbass knight who’s the reason Joseph knows how to Not fight properly (bc Polnareff has a shitton of dumb tricks and Joseph knows all of them) and has a giant crush on Avdol

god there’s just. A Shitton of dumb shenanigans during their time in the castle, both with the fake-dating (like having to teach Caesar proper royal etiquette and him getting Very confused and flustered when Joseph casually flirts with him) and with hiding Caesar being a demon (they have so many stupid close calls and make so many dumb decisions they Really Shouldn’t, it’s great)

when the time comes to go and find and kill the Pillar Men, it’s only Caesar and Joseph going bc Caesar doesn’t want any more ppl in this mission than absolutely necessary, totally not bc they’re his friends and he worries about them or anything

they get some tips on where to look and how to get there from this weird adventurer dude who passes through the castle on his travels every once in a while. Joseph’s only met him in passing but he thinks he seems fun and has his own dumbass theory that he’s totally some runaway royalty or something. Instead turns out that the dude is half demon and actually related to Caesar and Caesar, being an orphan and all, had thought finding a remaining member of his family would be Way more thrilling but no this dude is just as weird and annoying as Joseph so he’d like a refund pls

(the dude’s Gyro. Ofc it’s fuckin Gyro. Johnny’s there too somewhere I just haven’t figured that out yet. He might actually be the top horse trainer/caretaker/whatever of the castle and the True reason Gyro travels this way every time is bc he’s smitten as hell)

while Gyro gives them some advice he also tells them that hey. Maybe you shouldn’t do this?? esp not just the two of you??? Considering the Pillar Men are known to be ruthless and Very good at killing demons

ofc these idiots Don’t Listen and go after them together anyway

the plan technically is that Joseph stays a safe distance away while Caesar goes and fights the Pillar Men and Totally wins but like. ofc he doesn’t listen and refuses to stay on his ass and let Caesar leave so they go in together anyway

they manage to find Santana alone and Actually Kill Him but it’s a close one, much tougher than anticipated bc as I said before, these dudes are Really Good at killing demons and also just killing in general. It’s also when Caesar realises the full scope of the “if one gets hurt, the other also feels it” part of his bond with Joseph bc Joseph gets hurt worse during the battle and Caesar is so shocked by his own reaction to it that he’s frozen for a moment and it almost costs him his life

that night when they’re camping out after the battle, Joseph reveals that a long while ago he figured out how to break their magic bond without it hurting either of them or sending Caesar right back to his own world. it’s some old spell he found in one of Avdol’s books or something, idk, and at first he’d kept it hidden from Everyone bc he was starting to really like Caesar but knew that Caesar was only around him out of necessity (not true actually but Caesar hid and denied his growing fondness for v v long) and he didn’t want him to leave the moment he realised he Could, even if it was v v selfish of him and he feels like shit about it now. And then later on when it turned out that they’re gonna see this quest through together anyway, he figured it didn’t matter anymore and so he kinda just forgot about it

but he’s remembered it again before they left and packed what he needs for it as a grim Just In Case (and it may or may not be a weird red gem bc yknow, but idk yet) and now he offers to break the bond already bc of how him getting hurt almost got Caesar killed. But Caesar tells him not to, bc it doesn’t matter now and a spell like that would probably take a lot of energy out of both of them when they need everything they’ve got for the upcoming battles

in reality he doesn’t want the bond broken bc it makes him feel like he’s got a right and a reason to stay, without having to fully face just how much he cares about Joseph, and bc it makes sure that Joseph is never far from him and lets him know if he’s hurt and maybe like this he can somehow protect him from getting hurt again

spoiler alert: he can’t

the fight with the other three Pillar Men doesn’t go their way at all. I mean it’s 3 vs 2 and the 3 are Very Good at killing so it should be Expected, but they’re young and dumb and Caesar is stubborn and still thirsting for revenge and if Joseph can’t hold him back then at least he can stay with him

they both get badly hurt and when it looks like it’s just it for both of them, Joseph brings out that spell again and breaks their bond before Caesar could tell him to stop and tells Caesar to run, to get away and don’t even fucking look back, just Go. When Caesar tries to object, Joseph tells him that he’s not dying just so Caesar can get himself killed too and Caesar is too scared to do anything but listen and run as Joseph leaves himself no escape and takes another two of the Pillar Men down with him before Caesar could figure out a way to save him

Joseph survives, Somehow, minus a hand anyway. He wakes up again in his own room in the castle and he has No Idea how he got back or who even found him and his best guess is that Gyro and Johnny have followed them and lbr Avdol’s magic has probably had a part to play in it too

and Caesar is just. Gone. Separated from Joseph and already weak from the fight, he didn’t have enough magic left to remain in the human world for long and thus got pulled back into his own world, and being just a normal demon, he can’t even cross back over without being summoned. But Joseph doesn’t know any of that, he just knows that Caesar is Gone and he strongly doubts he’s coming back bc he hasn’t already and he’s p damn heartbroken about it

meanwhile Caesar isn’t having much better of a time in his own world either. Bc nothing went well, Nothing, but he realises that he doesn’t even care about his revenge plan anymore, he doesn’t care about hunting Kars down and avenging his family. But he’s just lost the only family he’s had Again, the ppl in the castle this time, and he’s stuck here without any way back unless someone accidentally summons him again, and for what he knows Joseph had died to save him and Caesar didn’t even get to say goodbye or bury him

this v shitty state lasts until Joseph’s desperation + a lil nudge from Avdol and Suzi gets him to try summoning Caesar again (bc Joseph decides that if he gets no response at all, if the spell fails, it means Caesar’s really just Gone and he hadn’t made it out alive after all, but having definite knowledge of that will still be better than just Not Knowing and hoping for the rest of his life)

Avdol lets him take his study all to himself and so Joseph settles in during the afternoon and gets to finding the spell which is Not Easy bc he’d been drunk off his ass when he’d first found and performed it. He’s starting to lose hope and think that maybe the spell doesn’t even Exist in Avdol’s books, he’d just butchered a completely different spell and that’s how he got to Caesar, when he Finally finds it, and it’s almost midnight at that point and he’s Exhausted and Scared and Sad and he just Wants This To Work

the spell asks for an offering for the demon’s services, and the first time around Joseph had said something like “idk name your price” which is how Caesar had got the bond he needed (tho Joseph doesn’t actually remember this)

this time he just says “anything” which is a p dumb thing to offer when making a deal with a Literal Demon but he doesn’t care, this is Caesar, he trusts him and he loves him and he’d damn right give anything to just know that he’s okay and maybe get to see him again

and the spell Works it fuckin Works even if it takes a moment and there’s a flash of light and then suddenly there’s Caesar, sitting on the ground in Avdol’s study in all his demonic glory, blinking as his eyes adjust to the dim light and until he sees Joseph sitting on the ground in front of him, crying. And from then on it’s just a big “i thought I lost you” reunion moment that’s so happy it Hurts. They stay sitting on the floor for Hours despite it being late at night, just pressed together and talking about anything and just enjoying each others presence bc they’ve missed each other and thought they’d never see each other again

the next morning Avdol finds them sitting against the wall in a pile and fast asleep and decides to take the day off and goes to find Suzi and Polnareff to tell them the news

idk where the rest of the plot goes yet bc Kars is still out there and Erina and Speedwagon still don’t know about the whole demon thing but have this for now

[cartoonfangirl1218]

EoA ships fluff headcanons part 2

Do they have bubble baths?

Eleteo: Oh yes, Mateo is a wizard after all so it’s not like they even have to plan, he just casts a spell and there in a tub of suds. Elena particularly loves it when they have rose petals to add to the mood and candles. They could spend hours in the tub together sometimes with Elena getting mischievous and starting a water fight. Gababel: Yes, originally as part of Isabel’s aromatherapy project to see if different combos of smells and soaps help relax. Ironically, she got so stressed by it, and that Gabe insisted on taking over one night to give her a relaxing bubble bath, free of science but filled with massages until she was blissed out. Estebanaomi: Not really since they have a shower on the ship and a rather cranky one at that, you never know if it’s going to be freezing or not. However on those islands, sometimes they do come across natural steam baths or jacuzzis and they take full advantage of those to enjoy each other’s company and get steamed in two different levels. Estoma: Very rarely. Like they’re busy most of the time, so they only do it on a vacation when they can have all the time in the world to enjoy it. They go very slowly, taking time to wash every single part of the others body and if the hand slips, oh well then...

Random heartwarming thing

Eleteo: Elena forgoing her usual plans of excitement and olaball and fencing to spend a whole day indoors studying spells on the spirit world with Mateo. Mateo appreciated it because not only did he need to catch up if he wanted to reach master wizard level in time for fighting the malvagos, but also seeing how hard Elena tried to sit still and pay attention even when reading uninteresting texts like that huge Spirit World book Zuzo had. Elena loves whenever Mateo goes out of his comfort zone but one particular moment was when some person from a rival kingdom, let’s go with King Hector insinuated at a royal meeting that Elena was unfit to rule due to her mood swings powers, her traitorous cousins and young age. Before anyone could even blink, Mateo got up and delivered a impassioned speech on Elena’s behalf highlighting each  and every accomplishment of hers and her strength that Hector no where near possesses as well as her compassion and true love to her subjects. Elena was amazed by how riled Mateo was, but also just in awe that he thought so highly of her. Yes, she knew he loved her but that speech was just wow.

Gababel: Gabe made Isabel cry when they were brainstorming their vows. Yes, they wanted it to be a secret but first they started joking around with mock ones like “The moment you drooled on me when you fell asleep on the carriage from Paraíso, I just knew you were the one.” Stuff like that. But then Gabe pulls out this stunner saying he knows he can make her cry which Isabel doubts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Zzef69S8sM Isabel was touched by how much Gabe had grown and his love for her that this guy who claimed actions spoke louder than words, could speak so eloquently when it came to describing his love for her. An act that truly touched Gabe was one time after a brutal search mission for the past month, Gabe returned back to the barracks, exhausted but excited for the next morning since he had a date with Isabel. He slept through the day. He was horrified when he woke that he missed it but to his utter shock, Isabel had cleaned his office that he had being meaning to do, as well laundered his smelly clothes and had a small note on how he needed his rest and she’ll see him tomorrow. He was touched, she didn’t have to do it. They were only dating but she cared and it warmed his heart. Estenaomi: Naomi broke her ankle one time working on the dock and this was early on in their friendship so up till now Naomi has known Esteban through his annoying, impulsive nature and his occasional sweet side. Well right then, she got a front seat view to how caring Esteban can be. He personally delivered soup to her room everyday and would stay and chat. At first, Naomi thought he was replaced by some imposter but once he started engaging in some banter about how much she complained about not being able to move. She knew it was him, and she appreciated how he took the time out of his so called busy schedule to keep her company. Naomi did a surprising, almost unexpected gift for Esteban when she vouched for his responsible nature and stood up to tell his abuelos that he was more than ready to take on more work within the palace and the Grand Council. His abuelos had been a bit blinded by how they usually see him going off on adventures but Naomi’s words woke them up to that Esteban was growing up and he was maturing. Esteban was super grateful for that and also teased her for inadvertently admitting that he was more than a “mediocre looking narcissist” as @missnobodynobodius put it.

Estoma: They have a lot of talks together by the fireplace when they become a couple and those convos can get pretty deep and sweet as well. In a mixture of nostalgic musings and a bit of insecurity over his treasonous actions, Esteban admitted that he used to be jealous of King Juan back when he was known as Prince Juan. Juan was like the perfect prince, never acting out of emotion, always responsible, a family man that would never hurt his family. He could see why everyone wanted to talk to him and be with his presence, he was like a Fairy . Doña told him she didn’t care much for fairytales much less princes. She preferred the sulky beast who only wanted love but was cursed. He was real, he knew about suffering and he was able to grow and learn lessons and mature. Fairytale princes didn’t do that. It was a thin metaphor and he knew exactly what she was implying and he melted. Bit by bit as Esteban talked about his feelings pre Shuriki and his betrayal and all the lies and deception, Doña admits some of her own past and her flaws like how she didn’t go to college. She dropped out of school after her quinceñera. Which admittedly meant she didn’t go to high school either but that sounded worse. But the best part was for once there was no teasing comments or “That explains so much.” He just listens and accepts it and doesn’t hold it against her and she loves him for that. Who drives the other crazy in bed?

Eleteo: Elena does. It’s the Flores in her but she is just very flirty and teasing and knows just how to drive Mateo wild which she enjoys because she so likes seeing Mateo’s eyes widen in anticipation and eagerness with his focus totally on her. But sometimes Mateo does too. Unintentionally. The boy can be so oblivious when he thinks is being suspenseful but Elena is just ready to explode. Gababel: Gabe for the most part. He has more experience if you pardon the euphemism plus he has all those extra moves from fencing and training and stuff. He’s a bit like Elena that he enjoys Isabel’s excitement and he also is foremost intent on pleasing her. But Isabel can give as good as he got sometimes. Don’t count out the spicy Flores gene. Estenaomi: Esteban does. He has had way too much time formulating ideas back when he was friends with Victor tbh. And though Naomi can’t believe how eager she can get when she knows Esteban can drag it out with the best of em, she also must admit, he knows what he is doing. Then again, Naomi is easily able to turn the tables sometimes when Esteban is an impatient mood, and she drives him insane. Estoma: Both do honestly, it’s like part of their cat and mouse game to show off their erotic prowess,  and have the other one begging their name like a mantra.

Modern day living?

Eleteo: I feel like Eleteo would live in Miami, Florida in a quaint but expansive beach house. Not only because of the large Latin community but it has all the beaches there and it is so colorful and lively that I imagine they would have tons of fun adventures there. Gababel: I see Gabe as a total all American guy so maybe some sort of midwestern town would fit him, but I ultimately imagine them settling in a small town in California. Somewhere in the mountains where there is a tight community and they know their neighbors but close enough for Isabel to go to her job in Silicon Valley. Estenaomi: Hmm I think they’d still be travelers like backpacking through Europe, but their home base would be a nice apartment in Miami near Eleteo or I’m thinking New Orleans, Louisiana. It’s a port town after all with diverse restaurants, peoples and places plus not to mention fun holidays like Mardi Gras. Estoma: I think they would have one of those huge penthouses in New York. Or what is that rich people place? The Hamptons. Yeah, it has it all. All the high end fashions, theatre, and business stuff. And they would totally be the type to splurge and have an additional summer apartment in Europe or something.

Aus

Gababel: So somewhat of a switch but Gabe is the royal prince of Avalor while Isabel is in the army. But not as you think. She isn’t a guard but she’s still a scientists tasked with making new more effective weapons, transportations and the like. Anyway, Gabe a la princess Jasmine wants more out of life then being a prince and occasionally playing sports like olaball like his father wants. He wants to go out and defend the people. So he sneaks out to go to the barracks but he is stopped by Isabel when he passes her laboratory which he is immediately intrigued (by the lab and her). Isabel who is sort of a working hermit and she’d be lying if she didn’t get flustered at seeing *the Prince of Avalor!!!* in her lab. Well they get to talking and Gabe is amazed that he has never heard of all her contributions and what she has done and vows to help her get the recognition she wants in a non-military experiment and Isabel promises to help in turn become a royal guard. Estenaomi: So I’ve seen young!Esteban and I’ve seen waiting for Naomi to become the appropriate age, but what if...picture a world where Esteban had also been in that amulet with Elena and when they get out Esteban is the young one and Naomi is the one in her 40s. By that time older Naomi hasn’t become any something special, but she is content with it. Sort of. Not really, but she thinks it too late for her now. Anyhow she gets on the Grand Council for her life experience around the realm and there relationship is a lot like in the show. Only Naomi is the more realistic one who knows how the world works while Esteban inspires her to see she still has a chance to get her dreams. Estoma: So in this one, Esteban made the deal with Shuriki but at last minute did the right thing and told King Raul and nothing happened. So the family was a bit hurt and confused by Esteban’s feelings of loneliness and they promised they would work on it, they still felt Esteban needed to be punished. So he is sent to a small village ranch for the summer to learn that work takes responsibility as well as a chance to see how people work together and depend on one another like a family is supposed to. And as you can guess, it was doña’a family ranch. And it’s a bit like P&P, she thinks he’s spoiled brat and an interference that she has to teach him and while Esteban thinks though the whole summer is going to suck, he finds her attitude an insult to his pride and wants to prove he can totally “slum it.” But then there competitive antagonism turns flirty banter yet there is still obstacles. Namely her fiancé and everyone’s belief, including Esteban’s, that no way he would go for a poor villager, he’s so much better than that.  Eleteo: So Mateo is the adopted son of Prince Gabe this making him Prince Mateo, however he still feels like an outsider because he is adopted as well as knowing he is capable of magic skills that royals are not suppose to possess much less study and learn. But like his brother, he decides to sneak out and find a master, that master being none other than Elena, the royal wizard, wielder of the magic of Takína. Obviously their magical studies bonds them in more ways than one. They confide in one another of Mateo’s outsider feelings and Elena who is still coming to terms with her grief of her parent’s untimely death in battle with her mortal sorceress enemy, Shuriki. So together they team up to help Elena avenge her family and for Mateo to find out the truth of his biological family.

What pet would they have?

Eleteo: I don’t know if they would since their already sooo busy with their lives. I guess Flo counts technically. But when they have kids, their children really really want a dog so they get a energetic, friendly one. The breed...probably the breed from the dog statues in Royal Rivalry. I don’t know the name though. But anyways it’s clear that the dog is like their kid’s child except when it chews up one of Mateo’s spellbooks or pees. Then it’s up to the parents to clean up of course. Mateo also gets his own personal horse to join with Canella in the royal stable. Gababel: I feel like they would keep those hamsters that Isabel had in Science Unfair. Not only for safe, animal friendly experiments but they’re just so darn cute, and easy to carry around. And it’s surprisingly engaging to watch them run around in their little track. They both have horses, of course. Can’t leave Fuego out, and even though Isabel isn’t much of a riding fan, she has one too. Estenaomi: They get a parrot. There can’t be a ship without a parrot, at least according to Esteban’s adventure fantasies. They got a blue macaw parrot and he is the most ornery, cursing bird ever. No kind word to anyone but Esteban and Naomi like him anyway. They also briefly had a monkey. Imagine the one from the Pirates of Caribbean movie but he was disruptive and had this habit of throwing plants at Esteban as if he knew his pet peeve of them. Estoma: I don’t think either would particularly own a pet. They do have horses since Esteban has Valiente and Doña would probably get one her own. The only other pet I could imagine is some stray cat that goes in and out of the palace and particularly likes to nest on Esteban’s coats if he leaves it lying on his bed. Bonus: Alonso totally uses animals as props for his dates  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8yQDIvGz3cWhich led to King Juan implementing the rule of no borrowing animals from the royal menagerie to impress girls.

Embarrassing nickname? eleteo: Hmm I’m not sure actually but probably something like pan dulce monster for Elena because you know how she gets with her pan dulce, she’ll devour everything in sight. And Mateo especially likes to reference that picture of two year old her covered in pan dulce from your fic😉 But the thing is, it’s hard to embarrass Elena so she just takes it in stride. Elena calls Mateo some manner of nauseatingly sweet name like “Honey boo boo kins” for fun when they’re in front of Naomi and Gabe or even Olivia because Mateo’s blush is just adorable. The other embarrassing one that Mateo got in his childhood was Klutzteo because he was so uncoordinated in school. It still makes his face burn to think about it but Elena reminds him of his absolute grace when it comes to dancing. Gababel: We already know Gabe’s embarrassing nickname, “Baker boy.” Actually The Curse of El Guapo wasn’t the first time it came up.  He heard it a lot in grade school when things were a bit more class conscious and poor people were treated with disdain, also some kids couldn’t believe the Great Roberto Nuñez stopped his olaball career to bake. Isabel’s embarrassing nicknames never stuck but they usually followed the pattern of dull or boring or goody two shoes which did not boost her confidence when she sometimes compared herself to Elena.  Estenaomi: I feel like Naomi would have some sort of nickname from her parents that she keeps telling them to knock it off and they do it anyway like Miss Fiestypants which of course, Esteban found out during one of the family dinners and he loves to bring it up since it fits so well. He also makes up some of his own during their many adventures together. Naomi’s favorite nickname for Esteban is “Geyser” after the one time Esteban got drunk and got a tattoo on his back of a huge geyser that looked like it was coming from his butt (yes just like Ted’s butterfly tattoo in HIMYM. I felt a geyser would be even more ridiculous and so like drunk Esteban to go big or go home)  Naomi freaked out when she saw it and she loved making jokes about him blowing his top and stuff like that. Even after he got it removed. Estoma: Esteban’s embarrassing nickname as we know was El Segundo which had disastrous consequences on Esteban’s self esteem. It just reminded him how he was physically inferior to Victor, how everyone paid attention to Elena. That he was second to everyone else in the world. And well, just Esteban.... poor poor Esteban. Doña’s embarrassing nickname was Whore. It all started because her little sibling couldn’t pronounce her full name. And you try to convince a child to try something else when the kid is determined to say what she or he wants, and of course, others thought it was hilarious. It got worse when puberty hit, and she got self conscious that any flirty action she did would be perceived as whorish.

Meeting extended family?

Eleteo: Well obviously Elena has Alacazar full approval even though they got together after his death. But they can just sense it you know. Mateo is beloved by Elena’s grandparents. If I may take from Becky, with Luisa in particular trying to put some meat on his bones. Isabel likes Mateo too of course. He’s like a brother, one who is always willing to listen to her invention ideas and also a calming influence on Elena. Esteban thinks the same. Gababel: Isabel’s whole family enjoys Gabe’s presence though Elena sometimes likes to pull the protective big sister act to catch Gabe off guard. But still their friendship is solid albeit with more teasing. Francisco likes the chance to talk about his vigilante days and watch his swordsmanship and Luisa once again overloads him with treats. Esteban respects Gabe and he too, sometimes pulls protective older sibling act because Isabel is the baby and they’re just protective of her in general. Isabel got to meet Gabe’s aunts and uncles and cousins during the engagement party which was awkward at first. A lot of them were intimidating because she was *the princess of Avalor * but as time wore on, she began to make them feel at ease with his goofy jokes and love of science. Though some still panic when they think they might have potentially offended her. Estenaomi: Esteban was a hit with Naomi’s cousins and aunts and uncles who like to tease and joke with him about his fancy manners and pampered upbringing. Basically it was a fun party with lots of back crushing hugs and blueberry juice. It didn’t take much to win them over. He was already a part of it. Naomi was already warmly accepted with Elena thrilled for her bff to become her sister and Luisa and Francisco admiring her spunk and sassy ways. They thought they balanced each out well. Isabel enjoyed was always counted on to be a riveted audience or a tie breaker for a fight. Estoma: Francisco being the kind man he was happily accepted Esteban’s new gf, and they found a lot to talk about like books and theatre and other culture stuff. Luisa was a bit wary because she knows how Doña acts and Doña was awkwardly polite to her. It got better after the marriage and stuff. Elena was willing to try to make the best of it and so was Isabel but they never became close like Mateo and Gabe are. Age differences and such. Doña didn’t have any contact with her extended family and the only one alive that she knew of her was abuelo who still held a grudge about her parents eloping. But Esteban insisted on going because he wanted to meet him. First, the man didn’t appreciate the unexpected visit. Then began the judgyness like why are you living together when you’re not married? Why marry someone from outside your village? And acting personally offended by how rich Esteban was like in that HIMYM clip, “Oh you with royal upbringing and fancy suit, YOU THINK YA BETTER THAN ME?” Esteban was furious and wasn’t sure how appropriate it would be to throw his drink back at him and yell “YES! I AM!”

[sztypography]

Interviews

DVC Major: Bridget Hassely

1. What would you have liked to know about the DVC program before coming here?

I would have liked to have known how important process books are. For some reason, it wasn't made clear to me we had to keep our process books for portfolio review. I deconstructed my first two books to reuse the folder. After I found out that we needed them, I had to piece back together what I saved and reprint my files.

2. What would you like to know about the professional design world?

I would like to know just how many pathways there are to take with this degree. There are so many options and hearing people talk about their experience with the pathway they chose is very interesting to me.

3. What is the hardest concept in design to understand?

The hardest concept in design for me is using the grid to the best of its ability. I tend to stick with my trusty columnar grid, but I would like to venture out more and get used to using all the different types that might be better for specific projects.

4. Which Adobe program would you like to learn more about? Why?

I want to learn more about Photoshop. We learned the basics in Art 118, but Photoshop has so many more tools that would probably be beneficial to me that I want to learn and understand how to use them.

5. What is the most helpful design tool in your opinion (such as a type ruler)?

The most helpful design tool, in my opinion, is a sketchbook. Documenting your inspiration, thought process, ideations, and reflections is critical. IT gets it out of your head and onto a physical space where you can come back to and expand off of.

6. What keyboard shortcuts do you always forget?

A keyboard shortcut I somehow always forget is the arrow key (selection tool), which is V. Also, why are the shortcuts different between the Adobe programs?!?!

7. What stores would you have liked to know about Freshman year?

I would have liked to have known about the architecture store and the arts and crafts studio.

8. What are some fun design elements you look for in a handbook?

Some fun design elements I look for in a handbook are interactive bits, jokes, imagery, useful tips, and space to answer questions.

9. What driving factor would make you carry around a DVC handbook?

A driving factor that would make me carry around a DVC handbook would be its usefulness. Having information that I could frequently look back to or something that I have to fill out over time would make it more useful for me.

10. What was the hardest part about taking introduction to DVC courses?

The hardest part about taking introduction to DVC courses for me was adjusting to the time commitment that design is. Design is not mechanical and can take many attempts, variations, and refinements. Procrastination is hard to avoid, but giving yourself enough time to work through the design process will make your work so much better.

DVC Graduate: Kayleigh Kvool

1. What are important aspects to include in a graphic designer resume? Is it true that design employers pay more attention to the look of the resume than the content?

All of your skills. All of your experiences, work experience, and other related experiences done through school. I have an exhibit section where I put my DVC2 and DVC3 showcase. If you look at a job description, make sure you have the skills on the resume that they want. Yes, but not totally. It should be very clean. Lots of simplification. You want it to be simple. A lot of resumes go through scanners, and you want it to be legible.

2. Do you have trouble looking for a graphic design job?

I wouldn’t say it is hard. It’s competitive. Put yourself out there and take chances. 

3. Do you think the UWM DVC program prepared you well?

Yes. The improvements I have seen in the program has only made it more preparatory for designers. I love the Dream Lab. Professional Practices with Amy was the most  preparatory thing ever. I took that class my last semester before graduating.

4. What was your favorite DVC class? Why?

DVC 3 was my favorite. I really thought it was valuable to work in a group. The manifesto was fun. It was the most work, but the work you make in that class you are the most proud of.

5. Which teacher helped you the most in gaining design knowledge?

Robert Grame. He gave me a lot of one-on-one feedback. He kept my ideas focused and doable. I do think it is important to have a mix of people.

6. What places would you recommend for internships?

Union Marketing was basically it. I also got six credits doing it.

7. Do you do freelance work often?

I am open to it. I am still trying to figure out what is an appropriate amount to charge. Everyone tells me to not undersell myself. If I would do freelance for a company, I would charge $40 an hour. The minimum is $20 an hour. If I was still a student, I would charge $15 or $20. Now that I am graduated, I would charge $40 or $45. 

 8. What is your favorite part about being a graphic designer?

I think that my favorite part is that I get to be creative and make my impact by representing communities. People have a negative outlook on advertising. It is nice to try and make a positive contribution.

9. If you could choose what job you could have right now, what would it be?

It would definitely be with Z2 Marketing as a Design Director. It only requires two years of experience. I am very qualified for it. An art direction position right out of college would be very stellar. 

Design Professional or Entrepreneur: Mary Adamczak

1. What is an average day in the office like?

It’s different every day! Each day I have my list of projects to tackle. My time is dictated by the client’s deadline. The hottest project gets my attention first. I also will get interrupted to review other projects that are in the works to discuss with our creative director and other designers. I do have to say my colleague brings his dog to work most mornings which is fun. The dog runs around the office to greet everyone. She also will bounce balloons, like she’s some star volleyball player. The rest of the day she doesn’t make a peep in her kennel, until she leaves for the day. Then we get greeted one more time before going home.

2. Which method do you use most when working with your clients, email or in person conversations?

I would say it’s mostly email. I typically do not present a lot of creative here, but I do attend meetings and will be involved in the discussions of the projects with clients.

3. How long does the average project take?

Hmm, that’s a hard one. I’ve spent hours on jobs and under an hour on jobs. One rough logo exploration could take a couple days - but exploring variations is what takes more time. A 12-page brochure could take 3 -4 days or so for the design only  (with copy supplied) A small website (design only), not programming could take 3-4 days (with copy supplied) And this is without interruptions!

4. How would you describe your role as a graphic designer?

I’m a creative / a designer, sometimes a creative director, a project coordinator, print coordinator and sometimes a project manager. So, I wear many hats.

5. Which clients do you work with the most?

We mostly have corporate and tourism clients at the moment. Some projects are ongoing but, some are on a project by project basis. We also have done some specialty hard cover book projects for specialty events and sports teams which is challenging but rewarding in the end!

6. What is the biggest project you ever had?

A corporation that made an acquisition and they needed to send out a bunch of collateral out in 13 different languages. This included a Corporate Folder which housed a letter from the CEO, A Code to Ethics brochure and a corporate brochure. This was a lot of coordination! We had to work with the printer to have it all shipped out to the different countries. Also, working on specialty hard cover books. These are big projects that can take up to a year to concept, design, get approved and printed. 

7. What made you want to go into graphic design?

I’m a creative person and wanted to do get paid for something I love to do.

8. Where did you study? How did your education prepare you for your current career?

I received my Bachelor’s Degree from MIAD (Milwaukee Institute of Art + Design). I had 2 really good graphic design teachers who saw my work ethic and worked with me to show me what really good, high level design should look like. 

9. What is the biggest lesson you have learned as a graphic designer?

I’m not sure there’s a lesson I’ve learned. I do know that design is subjective but, it takes a good eye and an openness to exploration to see good design. Never assume your design is good, just because your hands are creating it. Always step back and see how you can make it better and more successful. And be open to constructive criticism from your peers - it will make you a better designer. 

 10. Where do you get your inspiration from?

Other good design. I really enjoy looking at Commarts.com (Communication Arts Magazine).

 11. How many sketchbooks do you have, completed and currently in use?

I go through a lot of notebooks, not just for sketching, but for making my daily lists, jotting down thoughts, ideas and sketching out home related things that I want to figure out. I’ve sketched out how I want our outdoor Christmas lights to look, our kitchen configuration, and some of our garden beds. You can use creativity in so many ways!

 12. What is your favorite Adobe program? Why?

Hmm. I think I like InDesign the most because I use it the majority of the time. But, Illustrator is a close second, as I love designing logos in this program. 

 13. What was something unexpected you learned when starting out?

How quickly projects are needed -  tight deadlines. 

14. What types of projects do you enjoy working on the most?

The ones that have extra time! And the ones that have more creative opportunities. Projects that are more open-ended, not defined. That gives me more creative freedom.

15. What is your favorite part about being a graphic designer?

Being creative and being able to design. I love taking a blank page and designing something that is creative, unique and relevant.

[morika]

X & V Class Popularity Vote

Provided a really rough translation of the latest article regarding the ranked popularity of Etrian Odyssey’s classes from EO1-5 that will be featured within the X & V art book. Not to be confused with the popularity rankings for Nexus’s featured classes. These classes in the article were voted upon appearance and skill flexibility.

These were the comments and specifics regarding the top ten popular classes. Please note that the commentary does have mild spoilers for EO1-5.

Popular Class Placements:

Zodiac (10th Place) Hexer (9th Place) Harbinger (8th Place) Medic (7th Place) Protector (6th Place) Ronin (5th Place) Sovereign (4th Place) Landsknecht (3rd Place) Imperial (2nd Place) Nightseeker (1st Place)

ZODIAC (10th place | 50 votes)

The magic-based class featured in EO3. From here on out, there will be spoilers regarding characters so watch out! But this class was at the top for being the best elemental class.

Commentary: "Really loved the cool motif of astrology and having to manipulate the stars. The use of magic being incorporated into the design, the flexibility, and overall appearance of the Zodiac made them really likable!" - AkiUsagi

"Casting meteor shower during the half-way point through the game was so much fun!" - Nue

"The satisfaction of hitting enemy weaknesses with their elemental skills is the best feeling! Also if there was a remake of the game, it would be nice to have that girl [Hypatia] be added as an ally." - JukaiNoYoubun

Misc: - Meteor and the extra Search skills used out of battle were voted as the best skills by many players and thus boosted the class's popularity.

HEXER (9th place | 52 votes)

The ailment and binding class featured in EO1. This class and Zodiac were very close in their vote placements by just two votes! Just what do people think of the dark-themed Hexers who give off an antagonistic impression towards RPG fans?

Commentary: "It always makes me excited to know that their skills of spreading status ailments hit well. These Hexers sure have a shady role (in battle)." - Rororock

"I don't see how people can't use them because they have such good skill names, good team flexibility, and a good design! (And with lines like "Be in fear, for we...", oh but that's sort of like spoilers [Tlachtga]) . There should be no reason to leave them out of anything." - Ruki

"Though they were difficult to work with as a party member, their skill Life Trade really made them one of my favorite classes." - Leaf

Misc: - Life Trade was mentioned by many fans as being their favorite skill. Seems as though this class has been a central favorite of long-time fans of the series!

HARBINGER (8th place | 54 votes)

The scythe-wielding class of EOV makes it up the ranks! Their appearance seems to be praised due to the series' shift in art style and focus. They have placed as 8th in this popularity vote!

Commentary: "With the gothic punk and Grim Reaper motifs, I really think the design for all the portraits give off a good Chuunibyou vibe!" - Suiyo

"I really enjoyed the design of the goth girls especially the twin-tailed girl (lol). I ended up giving them Name Titles with lots of drama like "Icy Ash Scythe Firepower". I won't ever forget that moment during my play through.." - MacaronTower

“The scythe and Grim Reaper motifs had made me excited because I also thought about them [Harbinger portraits] acting like Chuunibyous. I think out of all the EOV classes, they strike as the solid example of what a Chuuni looks like and it’s the best LOL. The Harbinger mascot featured in the promotional art works is my favorite!” - Remori

Misc: - The striking appearance of the class and the flashy weaponry made this class very popular among the fans. Many players seem to have concluded that the class’s impression of being very Chuunibyou-like is also what made it extremely popular. Another factor that made them even more popular is that in Nexus, their skill and flexibility have been written entirely different than from EO5, making them more reliable as back-lined party members who can recover easily in battle.

MEDIC (7th place | 59 votes)

The obligatory healing class from the series! We have put in the total votes of EO1, EO2, and EO4 to make this voting more simple due to the similarities of them all in their respective games. Many find it hard to remove them from their party because of their healing skills and aid with recovery!

Commentary: “I fell in love with the good damage outputs when using skills like Heavy Strike on an enemy. The idea of having a medicinal worker use brute force in battle is really rare in other games so it’s interesting to have that option of an offensive healer who doesn’t prioritize just healing skills.” - Nerujera

“I really liked the pose of the female portraits! I feel like just having them be in the series brings a good balance.” - TamagoKayu

“They’re all just really cute and I felt like seeing them was a good opportunity to get into the series.” - Nanakamado

Misc: - Many players were in awe that the class’s design with a traditional lab coat and sneakers was put in a fantasy game. Though with skills like “Heavy Strike”, it broke the stereotypical healing role of the class to which many fans enjoy as there is more to a healer than just recovery skills.

PROTECTOR (6th place | 60 votes)

The strong-footed tanks of the series. Among early fans of the series, many have taken a liking to the strong impression the mascot “Teach” gives off. She has been a strong favorite since her extra content had been introduced in series’ character designer, Yuji Himukai’s promotional works for the series.

Commentary: “I was enamored with Teach’s design. Eventually, I ended up picking up the rest of the series as well..” - Kitomiya Ryu

“I won’t ever forget the fearless Protector who fought as my party’s shield until the very end!! Especially during the 3 Elemental Dragon fights!” - Awara

“I know that the Protector is usually the one who has to defend everyone but I was surprised to find out that they can do tons of damage--even more than my other party members!” - Raidenjuu

Misc: - Fans have concluded that having a Protector during the Elemental Dragon fights made them extremely reliable. Also with the popularity of just the blonde mascot, many found themselves leaving her name as “Teach” in their games to commemorate the official side-content where she is referred as such.

RONIN (5th place | 65 votes)

The high and mighty offensive class from EO1-2. This class was the first eastern representation for the series as they study the Bushido arts and attack using katanas. This has lead them to become very popular among players!

Commentary: “I loved using a Ronin to fight in the first game so when I found out they were featured in Nexus, I thought ‘Wow, they’re even more easier to use’!” - Sink

“They’re pretty reliable as they’re a sturdy offensive unit. Having a good attack is key to having a good defense for your team.” - Echika

“You would think they could be labelled as the Samurai class but somehow the name Ronin fits best for the series...” - Furunosuke

Misc: The high performance that urges many to want to be experimental with this class was brought on as a popular point among players. Also, those who were great fans of the first game have concluded that they think very fondly of the interactions with the ronin, Ren, with this class.

SOVEREIGN (4th place | 72 votes)

The royal class made it in at 4th place for being the best support class. They are a primary support unit for Nexus with tons of powerful ally-buffing skills!

Commentary: “I subclassed my Princess as a Shogun so I just went all out with using as much HP and TP skills to do tons of status ailment damage.” - Bosodo

“They’re a balanced class with a lot of flexibility and the idea of a royal exploring is pretty intense. I actually started to come up with backstories for my party members when I subclassed them as Sovereigns and wrote that they had been royalty all along...” -Honey Oolong

“Princess Arianna (EO2U) is just really cute!!” - Meshitero

Misc: - Lots of players found them to be quite charming due to the idea of having someone of a royal status be exploring the labyrinth. The popularity for this class also spiked due to the fact that Princess Arianna Caledonia from EO2U, was featured as the main heroine of the game. Now onto the top three placements...

Landsknecht (3rd place | 94 votes) 

The masterful class that uses links as their strength in battle. They have the most flexibility and are usually quick on their feet to strike with tons of strength against enemies. Much like the Medic class, we accumulated the votes from EO1, EO2, and EO4 for their placement.

Commentary: “When I first picked them, I was really nervous because they seemed like they couldn’t be a reliable offensive unit. Though their TP expenses were really little for doing so much damage! I also thought that the models for the Mystery Dungeon crossover game were very cute for this class..” - Tokoha

“Even though they’re just a Landy, it was real interesting to have even an enemy [Logre] have these skills. But, their skills really are powerful!” - Coffee

“The raw damage they do is insane!” - R-chan

“No matter how I look at it, the best design is the blonde girl with the hood! I also think that the link skills and the skill Sword Tempest are real easy to use.” - SakuraAme

“Because of the nature of their link skills, I love fighting with a full party!” - A.A.

Misc: - Many players thought that the Landsknechts in the first two entries gave off a decent impression but as they returned for the fourth entry, lots of people picked them for their spotlight on the game’s cover!

IMPERIAL (2nd place | 110 votes)

Right behind first place is the powerful Imperial class! Their drive skills can take out tons of difficult enemies with just a few slashes at the cost of having great strains onto the blade.

Commentary: “Something about the design of a gun-blade is real simple and real cool. Also Logre is really handsome...” - Baado

“They have a pretty rustic design with all that armor but their mechanical swords are what made me really interested in them.“ - Akina Yuki

“So flashy! So cool! So beautiful! Epic! Fire power! Heavy armor!!” - Tony Man+

“I love the bespectacled portrait with the cool weapon design~” - Levanthin

“Because I became really indecisive with my party, I figured strong attack skills were the best so I picked them. Also, I found the drive blades to be quite charming!” - Yutaro

Misc: - As mentioned by many above, the concept of the Imperials’ drive blade was a charm point for the class. Also, the primary reason as to why fans chose this class as their favorite was due to the fact that players favored Logre for his role as a boss, ally, and for his sportiness!

NIGHTSEEKER (1st place | 112 votes)

The class that wins first place is the famous Nightseeker class from EO4! They have overwhelming power and great flexibility with inflicting status ailments on enemies. They had previously won as the best class in the Best Job vote prior to Nexus’s release so they have been crowned the top class twice!

Commentary: “I can’t stop loving the dark visuals of this class! Also, their offensive skills are extremely handy and I loved using them!” - Forest Rat

“When I first bought EO4, I was just really amazed by their skills. Their defense ain’t all that great but their explosive damage outputs is crazy! Though, they also give off a Chuuni-like vibe!“ - EngeiNobyou

“First off, they’re really cute and super cool!! The sort of give off this dark aura but they’re still pretty strong! Their damage towards the end-game boss is something else with all that damage output..” - Berukanto

“The damage output if you subclass the Nightseekers as Imperials blew me away..” - Miitatsu

“It’s such a unique class when compared to other RPGs. It really stands out as being a strong offensive class for a series like EO.” - Beibeikani

Misc: - Seems as though Nightseeker is very popular for its high damage outputs as well as cool, dark appearance much like the Hexer and Harbinger classes. Who is to say that with the power of the player’s imagination, they may also be Chuunibyous with how their designs are?

Special Shout-Out Placements for those who didn’t make the top ten are:

11. Fencer 12. Gunner 13. Dragoon 14. Masurao 15. Survivalist 16. Dark Hunter 17. Dancer 18. Shogun 19. Arcanist 20. Ninja 21. Highlander 22. Rover 23. Alchemist 24. Fortress 25. Rune Master 26. War Magus 27. Hero 28. Warlock 29. Necromancer 30. Troubadour 31. Bushi 32. Farmer 33. Hoplite 34. Buccaneer 35. Sniper 36. Monk 37. Wildling 38. Arbalist 39. Shaman 40. Pugilist 41. Botanist 42. Beast 43. Yggdroid 44. Gladiator

[theambivalent]

Q & A

Recently I asked people in my IG story to submit Questions for a blog post. I had some interesting questions regarding veganism, comics and shows. 

Here are my answers 🙂  

Why are your IG stories getting more ‘vegan aggressive’?

So, before I went vegan, I used to hate vegans who were vocal, although I was never confronted personally by them... which, looking back now, I think was unfair. The mere notion of veganism was annoying because why? Because people were spreading memes about vegans who constantly announce they’re vegan? Even though I personally never witnessed that? Or... maybe because that was the thing that everyone does – single out the one that is different... I mean, I made absolutely no sense.  

I told myself when I first made the decision to go vegan, I'm not going to be the one everyone makes fun of. I hid my diet from my co-workers, and intentionally tried my hardest to NOT be vocal about it. And you know what? The second anyone found out about it, I was still criticized. ...STILL.

I didn’t realize how much vegans get criticized until I became one and people noticed it.  

I was constantly told...

If I happened to be tired one day –It's because I’m vegan, rather than my lack of caffeine

If my head ached – it's because I’m vegan, rather than being dehydrated

When I noticed a gray hair –because I'm vegan –like age has nothing to do with it?

So finally, I decided to not only confront those people who were putting me down because of my lifestyle, I started standing against them. I’m not picking fights with random people. I always show respect to those who respect me. However, when people are trying to back me into a corner, I will fight back, as anyone else would.  

I'm defending myself from those who criticize my life, and that’s something that I've never been confident enough to do until recently, because I've just always had social anxiety.  

In some occasions, I speak out against influencers who are making it seem like veganism is unhealthy for their own benefit – not to start drama – but because I feel it’s really hurting the movement and that could be disastrous for animal liberation. I really don’t draw my claws out unless I sense hostility.  

Otherwise, I'm a humble person, who understands that not everyone can see past the constant advertisements, posters, magazine ads and billboards that glorify the meat & dairy industry, and are shoved in our faces on a daily basis... after all, they are literally every-fucking-where … and I was once under that thrall myself because of that. So, I can sympathize.  

Do you prefer Beyond Burger or Impossible Burger?

Without hesitation I would choose Beyond Burger.

When I first tried both burger patties, I got a bit weirded out, because their texture, taste, and even the way it ‘bleeds’ just tastes and feels like real meat- it's kind of scary... for that reason, I don’t eat burgers too often.  

But overall, I love the thickness of the patty, taste and texture of Beyond Burgers way better.

I don’t really consider Impossible Burger to be vegan - I only consider it plant-based.  

Now, what the hell does that mean?  

It is Plant based because there are no animal products in it... But I don’t consider them cruelty free, or vegan, because they do test on animals when there’s absolutely no need to. Animal testing = Animal torture. They have verbally stated that they’re catering to the meat-eating population and have served actual dairy based cheeses with their product while lying about it. [see link here for details: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zoibL0mtkk ]

I do believe that [Impossible Foods] are trying to do a genuinely good thing by introducing a plant-based food to meat eaters, I just can’t take a bite out of an impossible burger now, without the thought in the back of my head of lab rats being exploited just so I can eat this. I have no problem with those who eat their products, that’s just how I personally feel.

That being said, even before Impossible foods changed their policy to include animal testing, I still considered Beyond Burger to be the better of the two, again due to the patty thickness and overall taste.

As a possible alternative, I hear the brand LIGHTLIFE is introducing burger patties too, so that’s another option for people who like the ‘realistic’ burger patties.

How do you feel about the comment that pesticides/herbicides and the plant harvesting machines kill small animals and therefore a plant-based diet still kills animals?

So, the thing about veganism is that less animals die as a result of that lifestyle change. So, allow me to yeild the question...What’s worse? Your standard American diet that contributes to billions upon billions of animals being raped, slaughtered, skinned & exploited for our fashion and taste buds...? ...or a plant based vegan diet where a few small animals and insects might be harmed by pesticides?  On the other hand a large percentage of the crops being grown are meant to feed the animals being sent to slaughter, so I really don’t see how this evens the odds here.

Of course, if there were a way to do this without harming even a fly, any vegan would opt for that option – and should that option arise, trust me, I –and most vegans- will make that change. But I personally think that using that to ‘refute’ the lifestyle- which some people do- is ridiculous & idiotic.

I’ve recently started growing my own strawberries, broccoli, limes, peppers and asparagus to take those items off my grocery list, and imo, they taste way better, and are not treated with pesticides. That only knocks a tiny percentage off my menu items list though...

Since my yard size is quaint & small, it’s not practical for me to create an entire home farm to feed myself when I can just go to the grocery store.  

How do you feel about the “ex-vegan" youtubers?

I think it’s very upsetting to have viewers being lied to by their influencers- some of whom stopped being vegan a long time ago, and lied about it for financial gain. It is disrupting the growth in the movement.

Most of these ‘ex-vegans’ have similar things in common:  

raw diets -a dangerous practice-  

Vegan for extreme weight-loss

alkaline water every single day

Juice detoxes for unreasonable amount of time

Did not take medication for gut health, then blamed said ailment on veganism

Water fasting for weeks at a time – with no food at all

Didn't consume enough calories

NONE of their videos talk about doing it for Animals

Over-restricted themselves, often only eating one thing, like papaya for example, for days at a time

The main issue here, is they weren’t eating well, and as a result got sick.  

To be clear... you can get sick from ANY DIET if you’re not getting the nutrients you need.  

Meat eaters, vegans, vegetarians, ... seriously whatever your diet may be– make sure you get the nutrients you need!

But the issue here is that they didn’t take responsibility for spreading the ‘weight-loss propaganda’ and pseudo medicine practices that got them sick in the first place, lied about not feeling well for the sake of their businesses, then proceeded to take money from people buying their programs... while they were feeling sick and potentially making other people sick! ...And none of them have given any refunds for their “meal plans”.

From the veganism movement point of view, the fact that they’re blaming everything on veganism, rather than their dangerous nutrient-lacking practices, is turning every one they’ve influenced away from veganism.  

Most of their influencers who genuinely wanted to go vegan for animals who could have gotten sick from these disgusting practices, are not only having failing health, but also feel helpless that they couldn’t do what they intended for animal liberation... and that’s very disappointing and makes me sad.

Vegan zombie made a video that shares my sentiments.  

See it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK_pySNNFK0

Adding to that, how do you feel about the Raw Alignment Interview video?

So, the funny thing about this video is that she got caught in a lie... and she used this interview to sort of justify that lie, and then proceeds to reveal that she was lying some more.  

check these comments below:

********************************************************************************

First, she says she stopped being plant-based 3 months prior, then 7 months (September). Another youtuber actually has proof that she messaged her asking about doing less vegan videos on her channel 2 years ago....??? Which she actually denies in this interview. Huh?  ...and then she admits she lied to a fellow vegan because she wasn’t ready to be ‘outed’? ..what?

I still feel left in the dark, and there are way too many contradictions in this video.  What she wanted to be a ‘redemption’ video turned into a sloppy attempt to hide more lies.

On top of that - the guy conducting the interview, claims to be a moderator, and yet is also an ex-vegan who believes that all vegans have digestive issues and are masking it to promote the movement.... um... huh? it’s completely one-sided.

The problem I have with this, is she’s justifying the practice of lying to her audience. IMO, that’s not fair to her audience, whether it has to do with veganism or not, because thousands of her followers were following her advice of only eating avocado with chips for a week straight or water fasting... she’s making people sick... and getting paid for it. It is very upsetting... I hate it when people lie, even more so when the health of other people are at risk.  

See interview video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wcV4rUhitPI&t=1052s

What would you tell people who are afraid of going plant-based because of this “ex-vegan" drama?

I would say, do your research! Don’t follow just anyone on YouTube and blindly do as they say. You'll notice most of these fake influencers will tell you to eat one way because it ‘feels good’ rather than saying, ‘hey, this study from world health org proved this is good for you’.

I would also say, don’t be afraid! It's been proven so many times that plant-based foods are healthier and promote optimum health. The CDC, and the WHO have consistently found that meat, dairy and eggs contribute to high cholesterol, diabetes, & heart disease. Meanwhile, a vegan diet includes zero cholesterol, and has been shown to reverse heart disease!

I think a great YouTube channel to look out for is Gojiman because he’s got the nutrition education to give advice and is great at explaining why’s and the how’s. See his channel here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8zKmTVcs5s3IIR2DVlxfzA/videos

Also, when keeping in mind which influencers to follow – pay attention to the ones who talk about the animals. The ones that aren’t vegan mainly for health/weight-loss, tend to promote a way of eating that contains more daily nutrients and calorie intake. It's just a trend I’ve noticed.

Also, I have a lovely playlist of reactions, recipes, and detailed information on the lifestyle you can check out here:  

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcJhPHQwnc_pcg0yQn2rMKPxAMcRLx4BR

Do you have family/friends who aren’t vegan? And how do you deal with them?

Yes! Lots! Haha; and I don’t really ‘deal with them’ in any way.  

They are aware that my husband and I are vegan, and they do joke about it.  

We take no offense, and usually they lay off when we don’t give a reaction.  

I have had talks with my parents about introducing more plants into their diets because they’re getting older and are trying to be healthier, but I don’t over-impose anything on them. I take vegan foods and they at least try them, which is awesome! They’re my family and I'll always care about them no matter what they eat.

When we have parties with friends, I usually bring something vegan, and they’ll try it and most of the time will love it and go back for seconds.  

It's actually not uncommon for vegans to have family and friends who are not vegan.  

So long as there is mutual respect for one another (at least vocally lol), we all get along quite nicely.  

I honestly don’t think I've met a real vegan who doesn’t genuinely care about someone who eats meat.

We're really not a judgmental bunch - I think that’s one of the things people assume about vegans, and it’s completely untrue.  

What is your favorite healthy meal???

Healthy meal... I love Buddha bowls! They're so easy to make and you can make several variations.

My fave Buddha bowl would consist of roasted Sweet potato wedges, quinoa with lime & hot sauce, sautéed edamame, and grilled kale with avocado ….and a sh*t ton of sriracha.  

It’s super filling and is a good source of iron, protein, potassium, magnesium, niacin, folate, lutein, beta-carotene, B vitamins, Vitamin A, B6, E, C, K, Calcium, riboflavin, phosphorus, and Omega 3 fatty acids.  

No joke- it contains all those nutrients, I just looked it up! 

The best thing is that you can make so many different versions of the Buddha Bowl, and I change it up every time!

I never opt for organic foods or gluten free... I just don’t really feel it making a difference in my body, or taste, so why not go for the more affordable items?

What is your favorite vegan junk food?

Pizza – hands down! Although I could order that in, I still love making it from scratch at home - I just love knowing exactly how much of what is going into it.  

We usually do plain cheese using ‘Follow Your Heart’ Parmesan, which melts really well, but every so often, I'll endulge and get some vegan pepperoni from the market.

My husband loves sweets, and I love savory... so, while my fave junk foods include vegan burgers, pizza, corn dogs, hot dogs, tamales, veg jerky.... his favorites include vegan donuts, cinnamon rolls, cakes, and pan dulce.

Do you miss any food since going vegan?

There is honestly a vegan version of anything these days... I'd have to say there isn’t anything I miss.

I've had vegan tamales, pozole, tacos, birria, bolillos, pan dulce, elotes and so much more (yes, I'm mexican- can you tell?).

The only thing I was missing for a while were hot cheetos, but last year I discovered a brand called ‘peatos’ which doesn’t exclusively make vegan chips, but their fiery hot flavor is vegan and fill the void it my heart that cheetos left …. so no. I'm not missing anything at all.

What’s your all-time favorite batman comic story arc?

Okay, so this is a complicated question... one of my top faves is ‘The Long Halloween’ because of the ending.  

Who knew Barbara Gordon could be so evil at a time when the Gotham series wasn’t out yet? That twist gets me everytime I re-read it!

I could easily say I love Crisis on Infinite Earths, Batman Hush, Death in the family, Superman Red Son, Under the Red Hood.... seriously my list is pretty long... but, I have to be completely me honest and some might hate me for saying this, but I actually do love the Flashpoint story arc. 

Flashpoint is kind of a touchy subject because it brought about the new 52 issues that divided some fans.  

But when you isolate the story of Flashpoint, it really gets insane, I mean, it wasn’t just thrown together for the sake of rebooting the universe. Barry Allen had a reason to try to change the past – his love for his mother.  

It sets off a course of events that creates an alternate reality where Bruce Wayne actually dies in the alley with his Mother and His Father, Thomas Wayne was the sole survivor of the mugging, leaving him to be an older, vengeful, blood-thirsty, gun-slinging Batman... and it’s just a nice contrast to the Batman we’ve always seen.  

Sure, take the costume away, and he’s basically the Punisher, but what makes this different, is that we don’t see Batman under that light very often.

Tie in the Amazon war against Atlantis and ...omg, does the drama ensue!  

Plus, that touching letter that Thomas writes to his son, that Bruce gets to read at the end …*cry* it’s so sweet! 

How are you liking the Titans & Doom Patrol series?  

So just so you know, DC Universe online is SO WORTH IT if you are into classic shows/movies and love to read comics – they have a huge collection you can read at your leisure. And the new series that they’re producing are all looking amazing!  

Okay, back to the shows....

I’m going to jump on Titans first...

BEAST BOY

OMG, they mention veganism with Beast Boy! Way to represent! Beast Boy has been a favorite of mine ever since the original teen titans animated series ...I’m going to be honest and admit here that I haven’t read any of the Titans comics before watching that series.  

I love his inclusion in the Doom Patrol. He is well written, with the exception of only being able to turn into a tiger for some reason? I’m hoping that in later seasons, he’ll somehow harness the power to change into tons of other animals as he does in every other incarnation of the character. It’s also weird that he’s not always green...? But appearance isn’t as important as his development. We see his struggles with his powers, especially when he kills someone as a tiger, and how he copes with that. His relationship with Raven feels authentic and for some reason not at all creepy, even though she looks like she’s 10 years younger than him. 

RAVEN

Raven is a bit of a different story, she dwelled further from the comics than usual... not knowing that she is part demon or who her father is, and not having the knowledge of where she’s from is different than the Raven stories that we’re used to... so it takes a while to get used to that idea – not to say that the show fails... but it’s a bit difficult to retrain your brain with these things sometimes. She seems exceedingly whiny at first, until I realized she’s just a teenager, and teenagers, let’s just face, can be very whiny indeed. We’re so used to seeing her as a ‘hardened’ persona; monotone and serious. This show, it feels like they just grabbed a normal girl and put makeup and a wig on her ...and- voila! She's Raven. It’s out of character, but for the sake of the storyline, it actually somehow works. 

ROBIN

Robin shows a fairly dark side that I think we’ve only seen in comics thus far; he is trying to prove himself capable of going solo and as a result tries to disassociate himself from Batman, stating that he doesn’t want to get to the tipping point that he believes Bruce has. I love his history with Dove and the struggle to strive to the best while keeping his head down. I like that he gets to see vigilantes from the cops’ point of views when they put down the idea of Robin coming into their neighborhood. He's a lot more well-rounded here with a bit more history, too. Not only are the Flying Graysons part of his story, but his love life and relationship with Batman play a vital role in his development.  

STARFIRE

At first glance of Star Fire, I had mixed reactions... “I hate that costume”, “why is she wearing fur?”, “why is her skin not orange?” ...and yes, some of that still kinda-sorta bothers me, but little by little, they’re bringing more of her backstory to light as the season progresses, and she ended up being one of my favorite characters.

I still think she should be able to fly, and I do miss how disconnected she is with human culture in other renditions of the character. But once again, this show makes it work, and I love it! 

Also, it looks like next season will give us a more comic-book inspired look to Starfire - so I can’t wait to see how that will turn out.

CYBORG

Why TF isn’t Cyborg in this?!

Oh... he’s in Doom Patrol?! 

So DOOM PATROL, is an interesting series... it’s weird, and just so random, and I actually really love it!

Anything that brings more of the lesser known comic characters will always be something I'd be interested in.

But the fact that this show is just as ridiculous as the comics, I think, is amazing.  

I mean, they gave us a donkey is being used as a portal...  go in the donkey’s mouth, and out his butt?  

A bunch of bad guys made of  dead skin and letters that were never sent...

Using beads dipped in sriracha for a protection spell...

You can’t get more ridiculous that that! This is typically something you only see in comic books and I love that it’s something that they don’t worry about making more realistic on this show, and that’s something that most show runners don’t take a risk in doing.

I can’t really dwell too much on this because I am not completely caught up with the show... but I definitely will be soon!

TITANS & DOOM PATROL – both great shows worth watching!

How excited are you for the JOKER movie?

I don’t think I could possibly be more excited. Joaquin Phoenix is an amazing actor (and vegan)!  

From the trailer it looks like they might be going with the Joker origin story from ‘The Killing Joke’?

However, I think it will purely be based on the development of the joker because it doesn’t look like they’re going to fast forward to the future where he shoots batgirl (and maybe rapes her?) and kidnaps Jim Gordon, and tries to make him break down.... at least nothing relating to that appeared on the trailer, but I guess we’ll have to wait until October to see.

What shows are you watching right now?

Other than Doom Patrol?

On HBO, I watch Veep & Barry and  ...in about a week, I'll be watching Game of Thrones – the anticipation is KILLING me!

On Netflix... I’ve seen part one of the Chilling Adventures of Sabrina ...I love the satanic visuals- so cool! Will be watching Part 2 soon.  

I also love the Punisher series, but we all know that’s not renewed – but it’s fun to re-watch.  

LOVE DEATH & ROBOTS is a great one that has beautiful animation and well, written short stories. 

I often go and re-watch ‘the office’ and the series ‘you’ as well.

Spanish shows I like include ‘Club de Cuervos’ & ‘Diablero’ 

Any new comics recommendations?

Border Town! Omg, I love it!  

Not going to explain... just go read it! ...you’ll see!  

I love writing reactions and answers to questions.

Thanks to those who contributed their questions on IG  

~Ambivalent Thought

[anditjustmadeherkind]

So, self care and college. 

I’m in college and i’m doing a lot better now this year. So, I’m just gonna give a little advice that feels obvious now. 

Ok. Study groups are better than tutoring sometimes, especially for me. Cramming a couple days before the exam, at least a week before is nice. Compare schedules. Its easier to study when you both set time to do this. Don’t slack on individual studying either. Some should commit to generating 100 exam like questions and another to making a power point of the pictures of the specimen you need. 

Ok. Charts. I like charts, ppts, flash cards, white boards and markers, rewriting notes in notebooks. 

Also, 7 hours of sleep is important. I like to sleep 10:00 p.m. or even 9:00 pm. and wake up at 5:30 a.m.. Shower. Eat. Do my hair. Take the bus at 7:25. Get up earlier, people. I promise it helps. Then, I have an hour before my classes to do some homework or notes. Try not to take any classes before 10:10 a.m. 8:00 a.m. classes are really stressful and unmotivating. So, make a daily 1 hour study session in the morning. 

Ok. Commit to at least two school clubs. They don’t have to do anything with your major. Just something fun. Some club where you can do a fun thing with others. Get social. So, I chose kendo and toshindo, which have weekly meet ups. Of course, I skip them during any weeks with exams. Still. Its nice to socialize and relax between stressful days. 

Ok. For some reason, studying is easier when I’m not at home. There are chores to be done at home. Beds have an association with sleep. I plan to be productive, but my room is a last resort for studying, at least for me. So, everyday, after my latest class of the day, I like to stay from 3:40 p.m. to 5: 20 p.m. in the library. The library has association with productivity and work for me. I get a lot of things done in that 2 hour slot. I get other people work and do college, so i just recommend setting aside to time convenient in your schedule for a daily 2 hour study session.  

Ok. I did really well in high school. I didn’t need teachers to hold my hand. So, asking for help or for clarification still doesn’t come easy to me. But, go to your professors and ask for clarification on topics you need help in for exam prep. I know before lab practicals, its really good to ask them to go over dissections and video tape that with your phone. So, my professor has inconvenient office hours. I just plop in between classes and knock a little. If they are there, I ask them if they’re busy. Generally, they say they are not busy. Also, email them. Like, I’ve made study charts and sometimes they correct it. They say if I ask for this, I want this answer instead of what you wrote down.   

Socialization. I’m very introverted. So, if you leave me alone too long, I can go months without contacting you. So, I like to whip out my school schedule and plot out in my planner on weekends after exams and weekends that are not before upcoming exams to just ask my friends for sleepovers, movie dates, etc. Again. Social stimulation is important. Break out your monotonous routine of studying and alone time. 

Ok. Exercise. So, toshindo and kendo are active. However, neither are really work outs. They don’t really get my blood pumping. What I like to do, is exercise a little. I’m really bad about this. Others use the gym daily. I do not. I should. Its a resource. Its useful. 

1. The Five-Minute Full Body Stretch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2L2lnxIcNmo

2. Warm Up for your Cardio Workout - The Two-Minute Cardio Warm up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptk4tesxhv0

3. Cardio Workout: The Five-Minute Cardio Blast Workout https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BR0jT6JxH-o

4. Repeat:  The Five-Minute Full Body Stretch. 

or

1.  The Five-Minute Full Body Stretch

2. Go jogging/sprinting/running for a full 5 minutes without pause. Measure where you stop. And make that your weekly running distance. 

3.  The Five-Minute Full Body Stretch

I’m still working out making exercise a weekly thing, but I hope to at least do this 3 days a week eventually. And then, maybe even daily. And then, increase the exercise activity. 

Take breaks. So, that two hour slot I talked about. Typically on the days, I have toshindo and kendo. I don’t study in that two hour afternoon slot. I have a weekly dinner date with my family or I listen to audiobooks. I take me breaks or socialization breaks at least once or twice a week during the weekdays. 

Therapy. So, phone anxiety. Email anxiety. I have mild social anxiety than I’m still not ready to get treated for. However, I still think mental health is important. And college is stressful. My brother goes to weekly therapy sessions, and there has been notable improvement in his temperament. I suggest taking advantage of let’s talk or the counseling services for your college. If you can’t take care of your mental needs first, you can’t really take care of your grades. This is a step I’m still on rather than one I’ve taken. However, its important and you should take care of yourself. 

So, jobs. Another step I’m on and not one I’ve taken is self reliance and independence. Try to get a weekend job to have extra cash on hand if you don’t already work. There are on campus jobs, but the one I did before ended and I think I prioritized it over school work, which is counterproductive to my steps toward graduation. I suggest getting a job on the weekends, so it doesn’t interfere with your studies. 

Hmmm. I think that’s it for my advice. At least, for now. 

Have a good semester other college goers. Just breathe and take it one day at a time. 

[tulipgardens1]

 1 2 5 6 7 13 14 20 24 25 32(both atww and arfe!) 40 41 (atww and Arfe) 48 (atww and arfe) 49! (IM SORRY IM JUST VERY CURIOUS) @kigamin

THANK YOU FOR ASKING, LOVE *heartssssssss* fdsdfsdf I'm going to answer this ask in two parts for both fics if that's oaky XDD

1) things that inspire you

HMMM!! Tumblr inspires me! I like seeing mood boards and quotes and match posts for each of my OC's aesthetics. Ironically, school and my studies also inspire me and sometimes I think up of snazzy ideas from them lol For example, Leorio's LP paper test was inspired by litmus tests used in chemistry lab XD and you dfsdf you inspire my doll *hearts*

2. things that motivate you

Reviews, fanart, and asks motivate me XD I love reading people's reactions to the fic and they always make me feel five thousand more times motivated to write! Also, when I feel down in the dumps about writing, I just say to myself  'Mars, believe in yo'self, you love atww, you have to finish it! Cuz no one else is going to write that father and son story, and no one else is going to write steamy ozumi fic, WRITE THE TRAGIC BL ROMANCE *^* fjghdfg WRITE THE STEAMINESS!!!!!!!' I am my own devil's advocate :DDDDDD

5. since how long do you write?

Like how long is a writing session? Ummmmmm When I'm really dedicated and I know I don't have any homework to do, I can go for hours ;) fdfsd (not that kind of going for hours YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN XD ) I haven't written much since school started, but I was writing a lot this summer and as a result I think I ruined my vision XDD I don't need glasses....yet. Yui!! How do you combat eye strain when it comes to writing?? ;A; I set a goal of finishing atww this summer, but that didn't happen and the plot only thickened more hahaha I'm happy about the turn out tho, there are more stories to unravel hehehe *^*

6. how did writing change you?

Writing was actually very therapeutic to me. It really changed the way I saw myself, that my voice and opinions are valid and I don't have to stay silent, that and I don't want to go back to being silent. Especially writing ATWW, this fic has grown with me so much, it is apart of me and incredibly precious to me. I love it a lot sdfgdfg And I hope I can continue writing stories in the future too.

7. early influences on your writing

Shannon Hale XD She's the writer who made me a reader then eventually made me want to write myself. I really tried to emulate her writing when I first started, but I'm slowly discovering my own style.

13. hardest character to write

Elodea :DDDDDDD you're probably wondering 'BUT HE"S YOUR MC!!!!' here's why, it's because he is constantly changing. Baby elo is different from toddler elo. Toddler elo is different from kid elo, kid elo is different from teen elo and so on :D he's leaning about the world, his perspective is changing, and he's experiencing new things. But this also makes him exciting to write. It's the shifts between these stages that makes it, not hard, but something I need to adjust my thinking about him. Elo is still elo, he's changing. For example, part 4 elo is similar to who he was in part 3, but he's changed and matured (and he's more open about himself and his adoption, not reserved, and goofier than before XD dear god I love him dfds )

14. easiest character to write

ELODEA :DDDDDD when I'm in the a certain elo mood, be it baby or teen, I can completely focus on him. It's just the shifts that make it a little jarring at times XD Also, Gen and Killua!

20. favorite character to write

My fav is ALWAYS going to be Elodea XD but currently Oz has asserted himself as my favorite hahaha

24. favorite scene you’ve ever written

The train scene at the end of chapter 7 and there is a scene in chapter 39 (yet to be updated) that is HANDS DOWN my favorite. It's a scene I always wanted to write for elo and killua and I'm happy I was finally able to make it happen.

25. favorite line you’ve ever written

"You were born of my heart" this one is my fav :')

32. alternate title for (insert story title)

fgdfgdfg (they all suckedddddddd fgdfg) one title was 'Life of a Water Weed' or 'Lives of the Water Weeds' XD

40. which one of your stories would you most like to see as a movie/series

you bet your bottom dollar that I would want to bee ATWW as a tv series. let's pretend for a moment that my dreams can come true. I WANT AN ANIME OF ELO AND KILLUA *^* fgdfgdfgdfg

41. one song that captures (insert story title)

I love this question *^* THIS SONG IS THE THEME FOR ATWW ---> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tgJ5ht8u7E

this song here was the theme for part 1 ----> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyfYuWNBEbY 

48. three spoilers for (insert story title)

you sly little cutie pie :DDDDDDDDDDDDDD

I shall tell you dfsdfsdf but I'm going to be vague: 1) Five main characters die at the end of the story :D *sips tea* which characters, you wonder? (not including Oz) I ain't telling :D 2) Oz dies HAHAHAHAHAHAHA but you know that already HAHAHAHAHA but how? :DDDDD 3) Finally, the last spoiler......... Gen will never love cucumbers, it was just never fated to be LOL And.....Gen eventually becomes a brother :DDDDDD i'll give you a hint, he becomes a younger brother AND an older brother at the same time, i'll let you think about that ;)

49. writing advice

OMG to be in a position to past down wisdom for writing *^* idk what to say XDDD other than write the story you want to create, the one you want to read, b/c no one else is going to tell it better than you.   

THANK YOU FOR ASKING ALL THESE QUESTIONS <3333 I had a lot of fun, dear <3333

[stuclyblrs]

as usual here’s my semester reflection - this semester was.......... a time

okayyyy so i didnt do my initial thoughts on my classes like i normally do b/c one i busy literally right from the start and two i was so unsure about this semester and i didnt know if i would stick with the classes i was in ??????

SO LETS BEGIN the reason i was unsure was because i did a change in intended major - i came into my first year thinking i was going to major in international relations/politics and do smth language related (such as being an ambassador or a translator) but hnstly i didnt wanna do that at all. i knew i wanted to do smth stem related, just wasnt sure what field i wanted to study but i was pressured into studying politics and had a breakdown about it and did a complete turn around this year in terms of what im studying. and honestly i could do a whole different post about this and choosing your major.... anyhow i was unsure cause i was taking a big risk with this and wasnt sure if i was going to stick with it or if i was gonna fail but ! shit worked out for me and now we’re all good !!!!!!!!

so im a physics major now n im happy with my choice !! (i also dnt rly feel like typing out why i chose physics out of everything rn but if ur curious then message me) i wish i had done this earlier sooooooo much i feel like my first year in terms of classes was wasted and im going to be very pressed for time to complete everything in 3yrs (basically gonna have no free time for anything else) also i love everyone ive met in the major and i jsut wish i had more time to like get to know them ? especially since its the juniors/seniors that ik the best (the real question is do these ppl like me too lolol) so yeah i dont have any /actual/ friends in the major yet but its nice to have a community (+ a place to study cause the physics department is nice and has a lot of space)

on 2 classes - like i said earlier i didnt do a write up b/c i wasnt sure if i was gonna stick with my classes and i was busy - well that came true, but not how i thought..... i took a W this semester in math three weeks into the semester :) just wasnt feeling it and was instantly behind in work/was literally failing. im not glad that i had to make this choice but it was the right one by far. also my professor was trash and i couldnt switch into another section :^) so i was left with physics I +lab, intermediate korean I, and a special topics in physics class. physics I was harddddddddddd as shit but i rly liked it and my prof was amazing it was just very demanding - we had these really difficult and time consuming problem sets due every week im glad i took this and that its my major now lab was shit lol and special topics was ehhhhh the class was p dumb lol as for korean uhhhhh :))) it did not go well and im rly bad at korean !!! my prof wasnt the best and we didnt know our grades for the most part and just instructions we received were unclear and yea..... kind of have lost some interest in the language (sound familiar lol) tbh im too lazy to go more in depth about my classes but thats the general idea of them

as for the rest of college life well....... my housing situation was Shit. i lived with some friends which was went fine (one was messier than expected tho rip) but we had two other suitemates (that were friends with each other) and they were TERRIBLE they were so rude/disrespectful, extremely messy (kitchen was constantly dirty and disgusting), and just..... No they often ignored quiet hour rules too which was so lovely for me and my friend/roommate cause we had the room next to the common area but we had a ventilation gap in the room so it basically meant there was a hole in the top of the wall lol we could hear everything. but they are gone from my life now xoxo for social life it was a little ehhh even tho i was living with my core friend group idk we rarely saw each other and barely hung out :/// i just didnt go out as much as i did last semester but literally everyone was so busy extracurricular wise was also ehhhh i was on sophomore class board in student council and our board president rly wasnt my favorite and my committee for model un had a Lot of weird problems but i had a lot of fun at the conference tho

alright i think thats good enough for this v messy reflection post ! im studying abroad next semester so im rly looking forward to that but i def dont want it to come soon lol i need a lot of recovery time from this semester