#i would love to have more of the scene and apparel

[reliquiaenfr]

and one more anchor in the pot as a final brew. how'd we all do? (none of these are the freebies we got, and none of the scrolls are drops from coli, tomo, or pinkerton i am not that lucky, this is all baldwin)

goodbye merrigan, may we see you again

[propheticclown]

I need you all to understand. I've seen so many people talk about how Eridan would be slaying the fashion scene. How his fashion sense is awesome and epic, or whatever. NO! Firstly, I wanna preface this by saying that Pesterquest falls under the category of "Dubiously Canon." so his massive closet isn't actually canon. But secondly, LOOK AT HIS FUCKING FIT, MY GUY!

THE DEEP BLUE WITH THE PURPLE??? THE CAPE??? THE HAIR??? BROOOOOTHER!!! THEY EVEN CHANGED THE COLORS OF HIS SCARF AND PANTS TO LOOK BETTER IN PESTERQUEST!

It's subtle but the color shifts towards indigo/cobalt rather than royal blue. "B-But what about March Eridan? March Eridan looks good and is canon!" I don't know how brainrotted you are from buying all your clothes from shien (derogatory) and temu (derogatory) to think that March Eridan looks good, but let me just show you what it looks like again to refresh your memory.

Ignoring the insanity that's even happening with this image in the first place, this IS the Original March Eridan image. Now let me tell you why this fit is more atrocious than Kankri Vantas' takes on feminism. 1. THE COLORS DO NOT WORK!!! His VIOLET symbol combined with MAGENTA arm warmers and thigh highs and a RED SKIRT???? AUUHHG NONE OF THESE COLORS LOOK AESTHETICALLY PLEASING TOGETHER IN A FASHION SENSE!!! NAME ONE TIME RED AND PURPLE HAVE EVER LOOKED GOOD TOGETHER IN TERMS OF FASHION??? 2. STRIPES AND FUCKING PLAID??? WHAT??? IN CARTOONS, MUSIC, BOOKS, AND EVEN FUCKING GAMES, DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH "Ew stripes and plaid." IS SAID??? THAT IS LIKE THE NUMBER 1 NONO IN ANY FASHION WORLD!!! 3. AND WHILE THIS ONE IS A BIT OF A STRETCH, THERE IS NO CONVINCING ME THAT ERIDAN AMPORA WOULD WILLINGLY WEAR THIS SHIT! IT JUST DOES NOT MAKE SENSE FOR HIS CHARACTER TO WEAR THIS OUTFIT! FASHION IS A WAY OF EXPRESSING ONESELVES! FASHION, AS A MEDIUM OF ART, IS A WAY A PERSON CAN EXPRESS HOW THEY FEEL ON THE INSIDE! March Eridan as an outfit, artistically expresses confidence, empowerment and a general "I'm a bad bitch you can't kill me" energy. Here's the problem. Eridan at his base components is envious, closed off, emotionally volatile, and a massive fucking nerd, which the old outfit actually does express.

His clothes are long-sleeved, showing the least possible amount of skin he can, which usually can represent being closed off. His cape is large and grandiose, showing that he likes to be exaggerated and theatrical. His scarf indicates his nerdiness, with it being a reference to Harry Potter and how it could be a tie-back to his nerdy love of wizards. The only other outfit he's shown wearing is with a flashback to when he and Vriska were a kismesis.

Here the outfit, even with as little as we see of it, is big and intense. Unlike Vriska, who essentially doesn't change outfits, Eridan puts time and effort into each theatrical performance he considers himself to be a part of. He adores intricate and exaggerated outfits. Things that are fancy, complex, and over-the-top. So that even though he doesn't feel great on the inside, even though he feels as though he's "wworse than evverybody. all the bodies." He can still look well put together. And that's WHY I don't think March Eridan as an outfit works. It's too casual for him. It's not big or flashy in a way he likes. There's not enough for him. It doesn't cover him up and because of that, he'd feel exposed. He's not closed off anymore. It doesn't exude "Eridan Ampora". Who's "most casual" piece of apparel is probably a sweater vest.

Even in the original image, he looks uncomfortable, like he doesn't actually LIKE wearing it. The only way I can find this artistically working from a writing standpoint is if Kanaya made it for him because, in the story, it is shown time and time again that Kanaya doesn't understand Eridan, so by making him this outfit, she'd take it a step further by not even understanding what he likes. Kanaya doesn't understand that Eridan is terrified of being culled, because Kanaya doesn't have to worry about that. Kanaya doesn't understand the pressures Alternian society is forcing upon him, as an Orphaner. Because Kanaya's only societal expectation is raising the new mother grub. Kanaya doesn't think about how he's most likely going to live the longest out of all his friends. Eridan has the second highest lifespan out of every troll blood color, but even then with Feferi, she's most likely going to get culled by the Condense when she's the proper age to inherit the throne. So in Eridan's mind, he's going to be alone, expected to be an Orphaner until the day he dies, utterly alone to feed Feferi's lusus until he eventually succumbs to old age or dies in war. That's why he's so closed off, yet so emotionally grand. That's why March Eridan doesn't suit him from a fashion-artistic standpoint. It's not what Eridan Ampora embodies as a character. Envy.

[sluttysanemi]

⋆ˊˎ-•̩̩͙-　*̩̩̥͙

YOUR POST.

a/n: i hate hoes who open their gaping mouth n talk shit about u, even though ur an online creator w a slight social presence. imagine calling a stranger spoiled, a bitch, and telling them to kill themselves, even though they've never spoken to you, and simply posted something you disagree with? couldnt be me, LOL! imagine being so childish? (u forgot petty btw ;)) tag me b4 u spread ur legs again to shit talk me, you spineless, nosy, slow ass, cunt!! xoxo)

also, do me a favour n send esha spiders to her home address!! she loves them!! she wants them all over her bum. hi esha!!

c/w: out-of-character sanemi, masturbation, jealous sanemi, slightly stalker-ish?, public masturbation?? hes in his car idk

He was constantly monitoring your social media. It felt as if he was persistently on your page. Watching you. Watching your body. 

He was addicted. He couldn't let you leave him. 

You could say that you've parted ways. Still, your presence remained in his heart.

And his head remained clouded by his perverse thoughts.

⋆ˊˎ-•̩̩͙-　*̩̩̥͙

Sanemi slid into the driver's seat once more, following his brief journey to the petrol station. Outside, it was dingy and late. There weren't many vehicles within the area.

He stared out the window, taking in the serene moment. It was quiet and silent, with many shops shuttered. The majority of apartment windows were dark, indicating that the occupants had been sleeping.

His mind pondering endlessly, he took his phone from his pocket. His thumb scrolled mindlessly, prolonging his journey home. 

As he clicked on his social medias, the sudden urge to look at your page swiftly struck him. He held an unhealthy attachment. He needed to know how you were. 

You still belonged to him after all, he strongly thought. He held the freedom to stalk your online presence as much as he pleased.

Heaven forbid that you had found a new boyfriend. A substitute for him. He wouldn't forgive it. He would have ensured that he implemented action against him. 

As he visits your page, he discovers a fresh post. Another work of art to marvel at. He swallows idly, tapping the screen. 

As the image was displayed on his phone, he felt a strong surge of shock. And intense thoughts of arousal.

He stares at the scene, his mind racing with numerous thoughts. It was a beach post, your attire almost provocative. Your apparel was tight and highlighted the intricate details of your body. He consumed it entirely.

He bit his lip and kept his eyes riveted to his phone. What a tease you were. You knew he would grow thrilled by your body. 

His clothing felt tight as his cock began to pulse, and harden beneath the material. You were devious, he thought. Your body was pleading for him.

His palms grew damp, and his body tensed. He craved relief.

His eyes remained centred on his phone, as his fingers crept gradually to his zip. Quivering digits slowly curled, tugging downward. As it opened, he fumbled to his belt. He loosened himself, providing his waist slight solace. 

With simple access, he swiftly pulled aside the soft material of his briefs, releasing his eager shaft. His bulbous tip oozed glistening droplets of pre. 

With a quivering breath, he curled his hand over his pulsating erection. His veins jerked fiercely. 

His lips groan with ecstasy as his hand glides in a steady rhythm. His thoughts were centred on you. Only you. 

His hips jerked lightly as his chest heaved. His brows pinched together, and his cheeks flushed. 

He thought of you in compromising scenarios. In altering positions. He envisioned how you would plead for him, as his cock gradually plunged within you. The tight cavity of your walls, writhing around him. 

His hands surged quicker, as his hips bucked more viciously. 

His fingers trembled, as his phone nearly fell from his grasp. He darted a glance at your face. Your lips. He recalls their soft, tender touch. Their supple feel. His head rolls back, and a deep groan slips from his chest.

He envisioned them wrapped around his rushing shaft. How he'd grasp your hair and rock his hips fiercely into your throat. He'd watch his seed fill your mouth and slowly drip past your lips. 

“Fuck… cockslut… just beggin’ for this cock, huh?”, his words a heavy breath. He couldn't help himself. 

He felt himself fluttering more vigorously. With a few further strokes, his shaft gushed. Thick jets of his seed spilled from his straining cock, as he groaned with delight. He immersed himself in the moment, his mind blurred with bliss. 

He buried himself in heaven. 

He takes a moment to replenish his breath. His hazy thoughts gradually returned to clarity. 

He gazed at his palm, which was now coated in his ecstacy. His thighs trembled faintly, and his body felt almost overwhelmed. 

“Fuck…”, he whispered softly. What an influence you had on him. 

He knew one thing for definite.

 He needed to bring you back. 

[oops-all-concrete]

BG3 fandom! I have more headcanons- but first!!

I must issue a very loud

⚠️SPOILER WARNING⚠️

For The Dark Urge playthrough of Baldurs Gate 3! There is no further warning below the cut, so if you care not to be spoiled, do not continue to read!

For those of you interested- ahead lies: Angst, hurt/comfort, canon-typical violence, blood, mentions of death, no MCD or any perma-death anyway, and lots of love. Greif and pain and emotional hurt are heavy themes as well!

Last warning! ⚠️Spoilers ahead⚠️

I've just gotten to this point in the Dark Urge run (where you reject Bhaal and fucking) DIE, and DUDE- I am stunned companions say NOTHING to your LITERAL DEATH after rejecting Bhaals gift or whatever. (Not in the scenes anyway) So, I'm writing how I think they'd respond cinematically, because your lively Durges deserve to be mourned and loved.

(Of course in-game this would be limited to the dialogue, but I've describes how they would be animated anyhow)

Lae'zel -

She's running to Durge the moment they start lifting from the ground, but pauses once their eyes start rolling back and blackening. There's something beyond her control happening, and she needs it to stop- and it does. With Tav hitting the floor eyes black, soul gone. She's immediately yelling at the others to do something, hand her a scroll, something- but nothing is working. Her shoulder slump after a good few minutes. And finally her voice breaks. She holds a hand to her chest as she wails in agony, holding her Tavs body like it's the last time- because to her- it is. "My angel, my moon. My great protector. I have failed you" She hisses, eyes scrunched shut.

Shadowheart -

She's been afraid her whole life. But even in the face of Bhaal, she will not be afraid if it means Tav will be safer. She immediately casts warding bond, if they're in danger, she'll halve it. If you're going to get hurt, so shall she- and she's okay with that. "Hang on-!" And then it all goes black, she falls without a word or scream, but she's content. If she dies protecting Durge, she cannot ask for better.

(After cutscene convo) Once Durge has been revived by Withers, it's up to them to get a scroll and revive her from the bloodied mess on the floor. She's stunned and confused, but the moment she sees Tav okay she couldn't care less. Why did you do that? "It might sound silly, but I was scared that you would be alone through whatever was about to happen. I don't regret it, if you're wondering"

Wyll -

"Gods- NO!" He shouts, a hand reaching out for them as they hit the ground. He's over them in a flash, holding their head in his arms, trying desperately to wake them, find a pulse, wake up himself and have this all be some sick nightmare. But of course, no such thing happens. The Tav he knows and loves just ceased living before his eyes. There's blood soaking into his every apparel and he's crying his eye out. It crosses his mind. Mizora is powerful- even if she can't fix this, she will know someone or something that can. He'd give anything- his whole life, he'd gladly be a lemure if it gave Tav back. He almost calls for her- until Withers starts his speech. (During the 'your rejection of Bhaal has earned you a place among heroes' section of his dialogue, he'll turn to Wyll and add: 'No devil's, demons or feinds required, I assure you')

Karlach -

If she wasn't raging before, she is now. A tomb-rocking scream echoes around the chamber, eyes wide with horror, body shaking and burning all over, engine out of control but she couldn't care less. One of the others will tell her to calm down. "FUCK THAT! FUCK EVERYTHING! FUCK THE GODS ABOVE AND THE HELLS BELOW." She roars. It goes on, swearing, screaming, swinging- and then, finally- collapse. She drops to her knees and punches the hard ground next to Tavs body, sobbing and exhausted. Withers walks in the the most gut-wrenching agonised scream of why

Gale -

He's frozen as it happens. His hands crackle with weave but he can't move. He needs to do something- anything, but time moves without him. All he knows is he can't breathe, all he can smell is blood and he thinks he's going to be sick. He can hear invisible bones cracking, distant blood dripping and their last choke. The wizard stumbles forward, barely making it to their body before collapsing beside them, on his knees and positively glowing from the mark on his chest. The orb can sense his distress and buzzes within him, as though it can smell the death. He pulls and hand to his mouth, kissing it gently- unable to comprehend a kiss goodbye. "Oh- Gods. Oh my love" he sobs, brows furrowed in what looks like physical pain. "I'm so sorry... I'm so, so sorry..." He wheezes out, scarcely finding breath.

Astarion -

He doesn't let their head hit the ground. He's swift as he catches them, but frantic as he sets their head on his thighs as a pillow. He pulls open their eyelids only to find a blackened core beneath, animalistic and distinctly unfamiliar. "Wake up, damn you...not after all this! You don't get to go!" He yells sounding genuinely furious- like he was going to get violent. If any of the others approach he doesn't notice. "We still have a cult to cull, we have a brain to control- I need you!" He yells, voice raw and eyes wet, the anger melting into greif. He makes a sheild of himself over Durge when Withers walks in, dagger/shortsword in hand, teeth bared, despite his damp face.

(Withers greets Astarion: 'Cry no more Spawn of sanguine- the universe is finally in your favour')

(Only Halsin is romanced for obvious reasons, but closeness is still implied for Minsc and Jaheira)

Halsin -

He catches Durge on the way down, their head on his chest as he lays them down over himself. "My heart? Can you hear me? Please say something" He begs hands glowing with healing magic, eyes aglow as well. He tries for a little, but then his breathing changes entirely, a small hushed gasp sounds from him, his he starts shaking his head, eyes wide. "Oh- oh Gods- Silvannus, please- I cannot bear to lose- oh Gods" He gasps, breath becoming harsher- finally letting tears fall. "Oak Father- please, wherever they go- keep them safe" he prays, teeth gritted in agony.

Jaheira -

She looks away as Tavs life is sapped away, unable to watch another Bhaalspawn friend suffer. When all falls still and silent, she looks among the other companions, shocked and frozen. "They're at peace now. Take comfort in knowing they chose to keep you all safe." She says with a proud nod- but her eyes are wet and her nose scrunched a little with a sniff.

Minsc -

There's small squeaking in the berserkers ear, before he sighs, almost a sob and speaks with a tired voice. "Wise words, Boo. I only wish our friend could hear you" Before he turns away, unable to look at them on the floor. "I am proud to have called them our friend. We should make them proud in return"

Hope you enjoyed! To the lovely people who have made requests, I will get to them as soon as I can!! Thank you for the requests, and please feel free to send me more!

[the-east-art]

Oh, wait I think I misread the post. My apologizes, I thought that was in reference to those two clothing shop drama. Though I am willing to hear out the other indie clothing shops that you keep a eye on.

Alright! Easts' big post about indie clothing brands I like!

Worth noting that while I’ve been keeping my eye on a lot of these brands for a while now, there is a possibility there is some kind of discourse around them that I missed - if so please let me know so that I can look into it myself!

Mayakern!

I like Mayakern a lot because they cater a lot to plus size bodies! They have plus size models and Mayakern themselves is plus sized! Recently they’ve been expanding beyond skirts to things like dresses and shirts. This makes me very excited because not only are these shirts cute as heck, but some of them are even more standard/essential shirts but are made with bigger body types in mind. So often fat people have to just settle for good enough,but its clear that Mayakern makes her stuff so that anyone wearing it can be confident! There’s also ton of customer pics you can see to tell how clothing lays on various body types. 

(Rest Under The Cut)

Umvvelt

Umvvelt focuses on fish/ocean themes and I absolutely love how creative they get - they’ve done a bunch of different fish lines focused on rays to jellyfish to sharks. I particularly adore their pinafores - I own three of them and they’re very comfortable AND have pockets. 

Carmico

A classic - I think the brand that got me really invested in indie clothing brands? Carmico does themed drops a couple times a year where they design a myriad of clothing pieces that all have a similar vibe/theme. I think they do a good job at getting creative while still having the clothing be something I would wear! From button-ups to sweatpants to jackets Carmico has the variety and the style. A lot of their clothing gives the vibe of something you would draw on a character and wish existed in real life - except now it does exist in real life! 

Morningwitch 

Another classic, if you haven’t checked them out by now PLEASE do. Morningwitch has SUCH as eye for design and patterns and color. Chiefly known for their creative button up tops (of which I own several) they also have expanded quite a bit recently. Their skirts are probably my favorite style of all the skirts on this list because they have a thicker band. They also do some relief print shirts, the CUTEST jackets (if you’ve seen pics of brownies pomegranate jacket this is where they got it) and on their twitter they have a lot more fun stuff brewing. Much like Mayakern they’re starting to branch out beyond their ‘standard’ (the button up tees) into new avenues and I personally look forward to what that brings! 

Knockthrice

This indie store blends concepts and casual wear together into something extraordinary. From their knight cardigans, to their ‘tea’-shirts, to their themed over-the-garden wall collections they have some of the most beautiful pieces you may ever see. Knockthrice does a great job at blending ideas into clothing in a creative way so make it something that I would wear in daily life. Their shirts are a good, durable, thick material - although maybe a little warm for the summer. A lot of their stuff gives me fall vibes, and as someone who loves fall the most out of all season - I eat it up! 

Envygreen Manor

More of a newcomer on the scene as far as I am aware, envygreen manor also does themed drops once or twice a year. However, their clothing it usually more of a mix between casual tees and more formal elements - their vests or poet shirts come to mind. I instantly fell in love with them when I saw their mock-neck designs and felt like they somehow knew me and exactly the kind of shirt I would want from them. 

Vetiverfox Apparel/Witch Vamp

Putting these two together because they kind of occupy the came part of my brain! They’re both skirt focused brands much like Mayakern. Vetiverfox typically has more intricate designs or patterns, while Witch Vamp usually has bolder themes - not that thats a hard rule or anything! I own I believe a skirt from each of them (soon to be two from vetiverfox!) and highly recommend at least taking a peak and seeing if anything catches your eye from either brand! 

Mothsprout

Mothsprout only has a few clothing options, but I absolutely HAVE to mention them. Mothsprout has two muscle tank designs that I literally wear like once a week - I’ve actually considered getting a second of the wolf design just so I can wear it more often. Their designs vary from intricate to fun, and honestly I would never pass up a chance to wear their beautiful art as clothing. 

Other indies I keep an eye on but don't have a lot to say about:

Motel777

Bison Wares

Snowlattes

Fiveboos

JeanaDraws

Howl Out

Bandaid Brigade

and if you have any other indie clothing brands you want added to the list lmk!

[atrueneutral]

Raphael returning to the House of Hope as a blushy mess after an encounter with his little mouse and Haarlep needling him about it to try to get a reaction. Maybe the incubus' initial attempts don't get much reaction beyond Raphael telling them to be quiet and so Haarlep suggests that maybe they should have their way with the moral to see what all the fuss is about, and that causes Raphael's composure to break for a moment as he snarls a 'Don't you dare' or something. Then Haarlep could just needle him further, commenting on and questioning the cambion's strong reaction.

From where they were provocatively positioned in bed, Haarlep’s tail flicked with interest at the sight of their ‘human’ master striding into the boudoir blustering and…

“Are you blushing?” they asked with a mixture of shock and glee.

Oh, what a wonderful development!

And an embarrassing sight - to see the proud, ambitious brat reduced to flushing in reaction to a mortal!

A particular mortal, at that…

The scorching scowl Raphael threw their way did not have the desired effect, and Haarlep watched with irksome delight writ on their face as their master went to his portrait.

Once his diary was in hand, Raphael stormed over to the balcony, sat down at a waiting chair (just out of sight), and summoned a magical quill with a snap.

He then began to write, his strokes furious and sharp.

“Straight to love poems?” Haarlep inquired. “Or is it… more lurid than that? Are you writing out that which you have yet to experience - but so desperately wish to?”

They could hear the quill pause…

And resume.

Haarlep grinned.

“Understandable; I’ve visualized it myself!” Haarlep rolled onto their back and tucked a hand behind their head - they could feel their cock twitch as a scene began to play out in their head. “Her naked body writhing under mine as I claimed ownership of her wet, tight hole. I’d fuck her until she was a babbling mess who only knew how to speak two things: invoke my name and beg for release!”

The quill had again stopped, and Haarlep could sense hellish fury radiating from the balcony.

“‘Haarlep! Please!’ she’d cry!” They closed their eyes and moaned deliciously as they gripped their hardness through the material of their scant apparel. “Oh, and I would answer her delirious cries - fuck her until I could feel her cunt flutter around my cock-”

They could hear what were now jingling bootsteps on marble.

“I’d swallow her ecstasy, capture her moans with my mouth to then empty my se–”

Suddenly, Raphael was on top of them with a hand squeezing their throat, pushing them into the silk sheets and soft mattress. Haarlep opened their eyes to stare into a murderous fire.

“Don’t you dare.”

“And why shouldn’t I?” Haarlep dared to ask. While it was not rare to see bouts of violent anger from their master, it was rare to have such violent anger directed at them to this degree.

They did awfully enjoy getting under his skin…

And under his skin they were; clawed fingers tightened cruelly - constricting air.

There was no lasting harm in this; Haarlep knew Raphael wouldn’t kill them, and they could find fun in breath play…

“Because she’s not yours,” their brat growled.

Dizziness was setting in…

“Is she yours?” they managed to retort.

“Yes.”

They glanced down to see Raphael was aroused. By what, Haarlep would guess their brat had been writing lurid tales involving his ‘ownership’ of the mortal who lately captured his thoughts and attention.

His erection noticed, their master sneered and let them go.

Haarlep took a few gasping breaths before asking their next question.

“Does she know who she belongs to?”

“She will,” Raphael replied, leaving the bed. “You are to suck me off as I finish my writing, and you will do so without making a sound…”

Haarlep heaved a sigh and crawled off the bed to follow their brat to the balcony.

If they were lucky, maybe the mortal would somehow find her way to the House…

A fantasy for another time.

[insane-weasel]

Me, with the objectively worst opinion: Oh...I liked the idea of a QPR Lila x Five.

I'm only halfway through S4, but I like it over S3. (Victor's son caused me to mentally block out like 90% of S3)

Review so far:

Luther's plot: 3/10. I'd love for him to stop being the butt of the joke.

Diego: 0/10. Horrible. You're going to make him a dad and tell me he is not like a super loving and caring father and show me any of that????? Why???? Is he always treated so bad by the plot. Stop making fun of him ffs. Oh, he's barely even chubby, but make fun of his weight. Oh, he's kind of concerned his wife doesn't love him...when she doesn't....make him seem paranoid and in the wrong when...like??? What? WTF is Diego's character.

Allison: 6/10 Thank you for not sticking with Allison is the bad guy...though why throwing any character progression...uh what's with her and Claire??? Are they gonna expand on the last 6 years??? Why 6 years??? Hello??? Anyway, her plot is passable so far. Not best, but....not S3 which is a win

Victor: Only solid 7/10 because he's really hitting me-core. Only characterization I'm kinda on board with. Actually, yeah, have Victor living a really moderate life at a bar. I think he should take you another instrument that isn't the violim. Though not a fan of how they're depicting his powers. I liked the more ethereal powers. Though no on Victor having failed relationships. He needs an awkward cute romance like Sissy? WTF was with that whole beginning? Like...anyway.

Five: 2/10 I don't hate it. But it is the worst five plot thus far IMO.

Ben: 5/10. Actually, I do think Sparrow Ben would be arrogant enough to be in Crypto. I don't like Sparrow Ben, but his depiction tracks. Still wish we could...have OG Ben........Second thought, hate Sparrow Ben. Though whatever, love interest, okay.

Lila: ...1?/10 I feel like the one person who didn't like Diego x Lila, and didn't think she'd settle down. I like a QPR with her and Five. However--How they're handling this? Awful. Also, her powers????? No more mimic. Boooooooooooo.

Klaus: 2/10 I wanted them to go angst with Klaus' immortality, but...ughh. Compulsive cleanliness and over anxiety about common fears is a legitimate way paranoia can develop...as a person with those kinda issues, but they do not depict them in any. Like I'm going to be honest, when you do have those fears to that level...you aren't sober or if you are...you're not looking well. But forget all that crap, why couldn't we have whatever story was Klaus bonding with Allison and helping raise Claire. Why was that the plot we had to be told about rather than shown????$

Other thoughts:

-Gene and Jean are like...10/10. Solid villains. Love em. Costume, actors, quirks--great.

-OH. My. God. Can Reginald stoooooop being a character.

-Music and set designs are a 10/10, costumes this season and apparel is a 2/10. What are some of these looks????

-Uh...The plot is kinda...feels like a fanfic that the author continues after 6 years, half-assed and wings, and has no love for the source material. Some parts seem so lazy. The stakes feel weak. There's traces of a great story...buried in there.

Overall, my theory for what happened: Umbrella Academy leaned into its comic book elements in the worst way possible. For that to have worked, a cohesive and fully fleshed out plot would need to be in place first then followed by a style of editing, composition and mise-en-scene, and then characters can play into cartoon styles.

The editing and filming have not changed between seasons. There's no style. Actually, they've gotten worse. The camera angles are painfully standard. If you wanted comic book, that camera needs to be at some different angles, but no, 3/4, eye level, always capturing same length. Whoever directed this? For shame. You don't use the foreground. You don't use the background. Everything happens on the same level and has the same amount of presence on screen. It screams "no time for flare, let's just get this done!"

So many of the BTS/production elements feel...rushed. If that wasn't the case, if this didn't have a painfully short filming timeline and they didn't have severe restraints compared to the last seasons...than...no one had any love for the series anymore.

[meat-wentz]

you mentioned you were indie sleaze, can you talk more about that scene from the 2000's? i want to get into the scene but don't really know where to start and i don't trust tiktok lol.

omg of course. so to preface this i wanna say that there is a natural emo to indie pipeline that existed from around 2006-2008 and i was fully a part of that pipeline. there's a lot of crossover especially as emo evolved into scene and as scene evolved into party scene into indie sleaze. musicians like shiny toy guns, dev, cobra starship, amanda blank, hyper crush, etc were all like natural transitional bands that held little emo hands as they transitioned into indie sleaze. for instance, does he look familiar? well, he's the dear boy from sugar we're going down.

indie sleaze was a mixture of nihilism and hedonism, a general mindset of nothing fucking matters let's destroy ourselves and fucking party. it was like this huge embrace of self-destruction and effacement, but also like a huge embrace for being young and saying fuck it and partying your face off. it glorified the unpolished, ripped stockings and hazy drunk eyes, hair plastered across your face with sweat, smudged makeup, looking like you've made out with everyone in your path and you probably have. it was body paint and underground hipsters and red bull chasers and ketamine bumps and perfect cocktails of pills. it was a bunch of jaded young people rejecting 9-5's and blending the party culture of raves with the rock and roll underground of sleazy clubs in nyc. there's a good documentary on this that follows some of the most notable bands in the nyc scene called "meet me in the bathroom" and it's available on showtime right now. they were the "new" club kid. there was a notable genre exchange, it was super eclectic sonically, ranging from techno and electronica to twangy bass riffs and dirty guitars to more folksy or preppy sounds (you'll see more prep aesthetics leak in particularly towards the latter half as indie sleaze evolved into millennial indie in the late 2000's and early 2010's, like vampire weekend, metronomy, two door cinema club, and chester french). aesthetically, flash photography became huge, rejecting the gloss of the mainstream. decade clashing was huge, drawing inspo from 70's vintage athletic wear, sleek 60's mod, 80's punk, vintage shopping was huge, neon and bright colors and american apparel basics, ironic t-shirts were huge, actually irony laid into the aesthetics and sound HEAVY, because irony indicated you didn't care but you were still fun.

photographers like the cobra snake super well documented the scene and all its most notable scenesters, and misshapes would throw these massive celebrity scattered parties with all the who's-who of musicians. they're two really good places to look into what and who and why and how. you might also want to look into kitsune maison compilations, urban outfitters playlists via the web archive, and ed banger records. soundtracks for shows like gossip girl, skins, and misfits were literally soooooooo influential to me as well.

perhaps the prime examples of what the scene looked like and what parties looked like:

and here are some of my personal favorite indie sleaze mvs that i feel really encapsulate sort of the aesthetics and the draw:

not an official video but literally so influential, my friends and i would pregame to this edit of babel so often its literally embedded in my bloodstream:

here's some gems you might not find in any research:

my favorite musicians at the time were mgmt, metronomy, css, crystal castles, uffie, lcd soundsystem, yeah yeah yeahs, young love, the rapture, hot chip, girls, electric six, bloc party, bright eyes, the virgins, the teenagers, peaches, friendly fires, gorillaz, the xx, franz ferdinand, neon indian and kenna. i do actually have a musical archive @sleazeandscum where i just post songs every once in awhile from the time period. i hope this helps and ty for this question lol it was literally SUCH a formative period in my life and also the beginning of my time as a blogger.

[just-kit-ink]

Ok your answers are AMAZING. They have catapulted me in a Smarty-Pop mood. I'm not feeling too good so I was gonna save reblogging them later. But I knew I had to send this ask in at least.

On the ball! I tried to Google venetian style costumes for Smartass to see what would fit him best. Assuming I git the right time period, I can see him wearing this! Except in his colors and without the mask (and wearing the diamond he may or may not have stolen from a king before Doom hired them all)

I mean, with how flamboyant his suit is in the movie, I can imagine how his ballroom outfit would look. Good luck getting the other weasels into something this formal, though XD

And Poppy!! She's not only more low-key in general, she also has been starting to get worried about people finding our her identity as the run away lady too (Kitty worrying about people finding out her real identity has made Poppy wonder her own safety as well). So she wouldn't go too all out for her dress. This image was the best example I could find of what I imagine her wearing. Just make the sleeves a bit longer and change the color to a more light dusty rose (she would have just gone for plain white, if she wasn't trying to catch someone's eye ;)). From afar it may look plain, but up close you'd be able to see all the work and talent that was put in the dress.

Instead of glitter/jewels though, I'm thinking Poppy would have sewn in a more floral pattern? Oh! Maybe even sewn in actual fake flowers in the neckline? Diamonds are more Smartass' thing anyway XD

Can you imagine these two on the dance floor??? He's like a peacock with his apparel, but she's just as stunning with her simple yet elegant look ^^

Ok now that we have clothes out of the way; I'm just imagining these two looking at each other across the ballroom and just being stunned by what they see. Especially Smartass. People move between them, but they only have eyes on each other. Like- like when Sarah and Jareth saw each other during As the Workd Falls Down. Except Smartass' jaw is dropping XD (not that Poppy is so calm herself. She's got nothing but the sounds of her internal screaming echoing in her mind while trying to keep a cool front XD)

I can see Poppy taking the initiative and making her way to him! Even while he's busy elbowing Greasy for his comment XD If Kitty can go dance with that duke, then she can go ask Smartass if he'd like to dance ^^ But then that stupid knight that has been harassing her this whole time comes over to her and stops her, talking about how beautiful she looks- for a peasent- and expects her to come dance with him. Poppy doesn't want to, of course. The only eyes she wanted on her tonight were the bandit leaders! But he keeps cutting her off, and even tried grabbing her hand when she tried to just slip away.

Smartass sees this when he's done berating Greasy, and storms on over. Not caring if anybody sees because he's had it up to here with that knight now. He might not even bother with words at this point, he's that ticked off. While the knight is recuperating, Smarty grabs Poppys hand, gently despite the hard look in his eyes, and then walks away from the scene, and his patrol position that Doom assigned him, with her. Maybe he asks her himself for a dance, to which Poppy would reply "Yes" all happily and relieved.

Maybe during the dance, they open their hearts to each other more than before. Like Poppy asks him if he could ever love someone who runs from their past, and he asks her why she's so nice even to a rotten bandit like him.

But yeah, that's what's been in my head ever since you answered my ask XD I wish so so badly I had the energy to write this out or could just draw it.

//I love every part of this! Smartass peacocking, Poppy's understated beauty, Kitty gaining confidence, the knight getting weasel-blocked! 😂 It's all so perfect!

And OOOOH that scene from Labyrinth is actually what I had in mind when I thought of Kitty in a dark fantasy AU! It fits Poppy too! Dark-haired maiden meets mysterious flamboyant man who's part of a magical world and seduces her even though he's on the corrupt end of the moral spectrum.

This is all really well thought out and yes, I am so imagining Smartass in that outfit!

[skelingtonsderek]

Twenty Questions for Fic Writers

Thanks to @willowmckinley for tagging me!

How many works do you have on ao3? 67.- 29 are Teen Wolf and the next runner up is Justified at 24

What's your total ao3 word count? 565,534 total… Rinse Cycle (Teen Wolf) is my biggest single story at 145,979 not counting the bonus coda. The biggest series I have for the current fandom I’m focused on is Bad Habits at 92,533

What fandoms do you write for? Justified, Teen Wolf… I would love to do more Grimm and I’ve wanted to write for Buffy the Vampire Slayer for so long but I always end up backing away slowly holding my hands up in defeat.

What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

What Did You Expect With A Mouth Like That? - For Teen Wolf at 1,902

When You Are No Longer Useful - For Teen Wolf at 763

The Hard Part- Teen Wolf at 619

We Have Worn Out The Meaning Of Our Clothes (part of the Apparel Series) - Teen Wolf at 582

Every Nickname Has A Reason (part of the Apparel Series)- Teen Wolf at 470 And a sixth because 4 and 5 are the same series:

The Killing Type- Teen Wolf at 456

The benefits of being unpopular means I get pretty easily dodged. The next closest I have that's the current fandom I've been writing for is Remembrance. at 170

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yes. Every single one of them every time. I’m trying not to compulsively respond to every response forever though so I’m practicing only responding a few times. Not sure I enjoy it though. It being making myself stop replying once we're two or three replies deep.

6. What is a fic you wrote with the angstiest ending? I know this might sound strange to anyone who has started but been incapable of finishing the stories I write but I’m not very good at ending unhappily. I’d say the angstiest would be It’s About Boyd (Justified) or maybe Scenes From The Battle of Us (Justified) is a good angster.

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending? . Uhhhhh….. Rinse Cycle or maybe Remembrance.

8. Do you get hate on fics? I think the closest I get are Sterek shippers who read some of my fic and then get a bit pupset that Sterek isn’t end game even though I always warn that it isn’t at the start if it isn’t.

9. Do you write smut? I’m not sure I remember how to write things that don’t have at least 7 sex scenes in them.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written? I’m not personally a fan of crossovers so much. I might read them if the premise is good enough but it’s not common for me. I find that they tend to get kind of muddled and it’s at times difficult to fuse the two worlds together in a way that makes the various themes of each cohesive. That being said, I don’t mind them. Just find that the combined elements tend to distract instead of add. It's a task to crossover universes and I don't think it's one that I'm up to.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen? I had a problem a very long time ago with some one reposting mine without permission or attribution on an unaffiliated third party e-publisher but that was super long ago. I have done the opposite though. I used to make it a very small hobby of mine to write short stories or poems or whatnot and leave them anonymously in people’s inboxes with a note that it was theirs to do with whatever they wished. I’d on occasion also write serial stories and pop them in to ask boxes on tumblr with permission one part at a time for a person's favorite pairing or universe.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated? I’ve had people ask if they can but I’ve not seen that it has happened.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before? Not fic, no. But I’ve worked on popcorn stories and collaborative pieces elsewheres. They were all original pieces so they wouldn't be available on AO3.

14. What's your all-time favorite ship? I don’t think I have one.

15. What's a wip you want to finish, but doubt you ever will? In fic? I only have two that would be considered WIPs. One of them (The House Carpenter) has an ending already and is complete but there is an un-published sequel I took down because I didn’t like where it was going but I plan to work on that one in the winter. The other one is an active prompt fill style fic whose ending will be when I run out of prompts. (Bad Habits) I think the closest I got is that there’s a fill I did forever ago that was supposed to have two endings and I only wrote one and never did the second. I’m not sure I ever will. I want to but I haven’t. ([Fill] My Mouth With Ecstasy)

16. What are your writing strengths? I like to think my strength is in the grounding. I like to track and block a character’s movements and make sure there are as little unaccounted for motions as possible. Outside of that… Maybe my flagrant disregard for grammar conventions?

17. What are your writing weaknesses? My flagrant disregard for grammar conventions. Also sometimes I get hung up on granular details that make it difficult for a scene to play out appropriately. Also also I’m very loosy goosy and don’t exercise enough precision or control over what I write. Also also also I like using repetitive descriptions too much.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic? This can be useful and I have written dialogue at times in another language but I try to limit it as much as possible because I don’t speak any other languages well. I think it can be done very well but just not by me despite my attempting to repeatedly.

19. First fandom you wrote for? Probably Sherlock (BBC).

20. Favorite fic you've written? All of them. But Rinse Cycle and Remembrance. are close seconds.

I'm pretty sure Willow tagged literally everyone I've ever known so if you see this and you wish to do it then please claim that I tagged you to do it.

Would you like to do this @acorrespondence @im-not-thinking-confetti-cannons @apolardream @tallsinspace @gaylanrivens ?

[butterflypikachu]

Alternative Subculture Gatekeeping Problem

Hello, I have not been active on Tumblr in some years. Most of you who are still here know me as the person who mostly reblogs fanfictions, writes fanfictions, and reblogs images of what my hyperfixations were at that time. Now onto the topic at hand.

Gatekeeping in Alternative fashion styles such as Goth, Emo, Scene, etc has been an issue for decades and isn't anything new. I experienced it as a teenager, and I see the young gen z now experiencing it. The thing is the basis of this culture started with the music. Rock music hit it off in the 1900s and created a boom of people following it. There also came metal and many other subgenres. People would dress in all sorts of wacky styles back then as well but what was most common was wearing black. The black clothes and wearing nothing but black and maybe a bit of eyeliner was the thing that was enough to be goth. Now adays unless you have this haircut, dress this way, wear this brand, or have this item, avoid pink or pastels, are a bit nerdy, a bit lazy in the way you express your alternative style, you are labeled "not goth" by the gatekeeping community.

I want you to know, if you are young, and these people are saying this. They do not make you, or get to tell you who or what you are. It bothered me as a teenager but it never stopped me. I still love goth fashion to this day myself but as I am more a nerdy myself I have been so lazy in expressing it. It will come out on and off when I feel confident enough. If you love it, and have the confidence, wear whatever you want. Nobody should be allowed to gatekeep any type of alternative fashion or label. This is so harmful to other kids minds who are just trying to find themselves, this causes people to lose confidence. Which to the gatekeepers may be their goal, as some may just be jealous of how you look in your dark apparel. Keep being you.

Eventually I will take my own advice and regain confidence as I have not had confidence in my appearance since I was 25 years old. I am almost 30. 0w0

[secondtolastfr]

Happy Anniversary!

It's wild to think this funky little dragon game has been around for ten whole years. The site has chilled out since this morning, haha- here are my thoughts on what we've gotten:

New NPC: Avery the Wildclaw

I love him so, so much. He's a wreck, he's overworked, he's just like me fr. I love the little details in his artwork too, especially the trophies. Not to mention the Scroll Case and the Skycat! I hope we get his little bowtie thingy as apparel later on, it's adorable.

Favorite Vista: Crystal Shop

How very aesthetic! The big chunk of amethyst (?), the little jar, the specks and bits of color- it's just nice to look at.

Favorite Scene: Cottage Garden

It looks like it came straight out of a fairytale! I love the fog in the background, the subtle and dreamy colors, the little squirrel gnome... everything just comes together so nicely here. Absolutely adorable.

Favorite Apparel: Shackled Books

I love the imagery and the lore ideas here. The fact that each end of the chain ends in a clawed hand is super neat too! Since I'm a college student, I can relate, haha. I couldn't pick just one version of the books because all four colors are super cool and I can't wait to use them on my dragons.

Favorite Familiar: Crystal Collector

The name is a little lackluster in my opinion, but the design more than makes up for it. I mean, cmon- it's a crow and a raccoon. Together! A perfect being! A little dude you would find in your trashcan! Amazing!

Bees: Bees

Bees!

Tertiary Gene: Carnivore

This was so far out of left field and I love it. I have so many ideas for pairs that use it, and I'm doing my damnest to make one particular color combination work, but I think I've found a new favorite Tertiary.

Tertiary Gene: Firebreather

I haven't messed around with Firebreather yet, but I feel like it's Smirch-adjacent with a touch of Thylacine thrown into the mix. It could be really fun I think.

Other thoughts All in all, I'm really having fun with this. I'm more excited for Flight Rising than I've been in a while, and I can't wait to see what else the devs do. I hope everyone else is having fun too!

Happy Anniversary, everyone!

[heckling-hydrena]

Hi I left you a long tag essay before I realized you said to send an ask (my bad). But I would love to help with your calculator!

I have a couple ideas on how you could make a sheet or form for user submission, namely I would personally section it by year or section of IDs to hopefully avoid selection bias (people submitting the same popular piece of apparel or popular gene over and over).

If using a form that might have duplicates, you could probably use a combination of SORT, FILTER, and UNIQUE on the submission form results to filter them out, which wouldn't account for typos but might cut some of it back. For allowing people to check which items have been submitted I would make a lookup command using INDEX and MATCH for item names that returns a true or false if it finds that item name.

I also have a huge project spreadsheet myself with data for every gene scroll (as well as gene IDs from the scrying workshop), piece of apparel (most bundles too, I might be missing some), scene, and vista. It has IDs, prices, locations, ingredients, and auto generated game database links and BBCode. For your format it would only be missing Cycling, Retirement, and more specific item Bundle data. I could easily write a concatenate to format it into a more usable string for you with a caveat of maybe having to replace quotes with another character and find-and-replace them later.

Sorry for the length of this ask, I hope it's comprehensible. And I'd be perfectly willing to help with setting stuff up too, I genuinely, seriously love making spreadsheets, forms, and entering data.

I didn't mind the tag essay at all don't even worry about it!!

I really like your ideas (and the fact that you already have a spreadsheet that has most of the necessary info) and frankly if you'd like to help with setting up a sheet for this I would be so very thankful I'm like the one single flight rising player that doesn't like using sheets. also I'm thinking of cutting out retirement data and just putting "unavailable/retired" in "location" instead, just because I wouldn't really get enough use out of the retirement info to justify a whole separate value.

but before starting on the sheet I should probably set up a way to more effectively communicate with people who'd like to help with this project (and also anyone who wants to see the progress). I'm thinking a discord server would be the easiest way to go about it but they stress me out soo bad. will update you all on that when I can I'm just really busy these days. absolutely ideal moment to start a big fucking dragon neopets project am I right fellas

[skyler10fic]

Home for the Holidays: Evergreen Lane

By Skyler10

Summary: As Daisy and Carol’s relationship grows increasingly serious, Carol knows she can’t put off coming out to her parents any longer. It does not go well. Luckily, Daisy and her parents, Phil and Melinda, have a warm, welcoming home on a snowy Christmas Eve. A story of love (both romance and family) amidst the magic of Christmas even when things seem cold and dark.

See if you can spot all the holiday fic tropes! It's like a whole holiday bingo card in here.

Notes: There is some homophobia from Carol’s parents directly mentioned, in the flashbacks in italics in the middle as Carol recounts the story for Daisy. If that is a trigger for you, feel free to skip the section in italics and just enjoy the Philindaisy + Carol family fluff. :)

There will be three parts total: Christmas, a short bit at New Year, and then the following holiday season to wrap up. Here’s part 1!

Read on Ao3 | Listen to the fic soundtrack on YouTube

------------------------

It’s snowing. Of course, it’s snowing. 

Carol’s boots crunched on the icy sidewalk as she pulled her hood up to shield her cheeks from the biting wind. Her duffle bag weighed heavy on her shoulder, but she walked as fast as she could without slipping. Her fury at her parents burned inside her against the winter chill.  

Some white Christmas. 

She brushed her glove against her cheek. She couldn’t cry now. The tears would freeze to her lashes. 

The street lamps’ glow changed from harsh LED white to a comforting yellow. Carol paused and caught her breath as she walked past the brick sign: Evergreen Lane. The “gaslamps” of this historic neighborhood were solar-powered now, but they still held a distinctive home-like welcome. Naturally, they were wrapped in garland with wreaths at the top this time of year, and each house behind them was decorated in holiday cheer. 

JOY! JOY! JOY! one yard sign blinked in bright neon. Carol winced at its blinding insistence as she passed. Others were more tasteful, making the burden she carried (both physical and emotional) a little lighter. It wasn’t until she arrived at one special house, though, that the protective ice around her heart thawed and she let herself feel the ache within. 

It was just like a movie: perfectly imperfect. As the Christmas Eve snow fell, a string of lights drooped a bit in front of a big picture window with a cozy family scene, where a middle-aged dad and his grown daughter stood hanging new ornaments on an already-full tree. The girl was wearing reindeer antlers and a silly sweater, but Carol had never seen anyone so beautiful. A few of the tears escaped, but only because this was worth every one. She was worth every one. 

Carol carefully made her way up the sidewalk. It was shoveled, but it’d be covered again by the morning. At the wreath-covered front door, Carol raised her finger to the glowing doorbell but hesitated. She hated to ruin their Christmas Eve like this, but she had no choice. She swallowed her pride and pressed the button. She heard the familiar jaunty bell ring and the cry of “I’ll get it!” followed by the laughter that made her heart sing. It was one of Carol’s favorite sounds in the world.

The door opened to reveal not just Daisy May Coulson, Carol’s beautiful girlfriend in full silly holiday apparel, but Phil, her dad, behind her and Melinda, her mom, coming up behind them. 

“Carol?” Daisy asked, breathless laughter turning to concern. Carol opened her mouth to speak, but her lips trembled. 

“I… I didn’t know where else to go.” Carol shifted the duffle on her shoulder. 

The family instantly understood. 

“Come in, come in!” Phil ushered as Daisy opened the door wider. Once inside, Carol dropped her bag, closed the door behind her, and met Daisy’s worried expression as she took off her coat and gloves.  

“Thank you. I’m sorry for coming here like this.” 

This was met with a chorus of “No, no, not at all” and “Of course, you can come here” and “Anytime.” 

Melinda took Carol’s coat and tucked the gloves in the pocket before hanging it on the hook next to the rest of the family’s. It didn’t escape Carol that though none of the hooks were labeled, that one had sort of become her own each winter, she’d been over here so much in the past few years. And there was a reason for that frequency.  

“You’re always welcome here,” Melinda reassured. “But I have to ask as a mom, does your family know where you are?” 

“I think so,” Carol began. Melinda didn’t seem convinced, so Daisy jumped in. 

“Carol was going to come out to her parents tonight and tell them about us. They—well, they aren’t like you guys.” 

“Oh,” Phil exhaled in sympathy as Melinda nodded in understanding. 

“It went bad,” Carol explained and closed her eyes. “So so much worse than I…” She inhaled and Daisy wrapped her in a warm hug.

“I’m so sorry,” Daisy mumbled into her hair. Carol just held her girlfriend for a minute, aware that Phil and Melinda were looking on in sympathy. Carol pulled away from Daisy’s embrace and quickly wiped away the tears that had started to fall. 

“But at least now it’s over.” Carol tried to put a shinier tinge on it to lighten the mood.

Daisy concluded, “And you don’t have to wonder anymore. And if they can’t see how freaking amazing you are, that’s their loss.” 

“Yeah,” Carol sniffled a teary laugh. “Yeah, exactly.” 

Phil jerked a thumb over his shoulder toward the kitchen. “We’re not experts or anything, but some hot cocoa might help?” 

“Yes, please.” Carol smiled a sad but genuine little smile and followed the family out of their entryway into the kitchen. 

“I’ll make up the guest room,” Melinda said as her way of indicating Carol was welcome to stay as long as she needed. Phil got the cocoa ready while Daisy sat by Carol on the bar stools at the kitchen island. Daisy wrapped an arm around Carol, and Carol laid her head on Daisy’s shoulder. 

“I was really hoping for a Christmas miracle,” Carol sighed. 

“I know, babe.” Daisy gently rubbed Carol’s shoulder in comfort. 

“I should have known.” Carol straightened as Phil approached with the cocoa mugs. 

“Give ‘em time,” Phil encouraged. “You never know. And if not, I know it’s not the same, but you always have us. Whatever you need.” The sincerity in Phil’s steady gaze was nearly too much for Carol to bear. She nodded and said thank you and blew on her still-too-hot cocoa to avoid tearing up again at the contrast between the love in how Phil looked at her and the disgust on her own father’s face from an hour ago, a mile away. 

Eventually, after they had cheered Carol up a bit and it was clear she was going to be okay, Phil glanced at the clock on the oven, then turned to Daisy. “Your mom and I are headed to bed soon. Can you turn off the tree lights when you’re done?”

“Yeah, thanks, Dad. I got this,” Daisy said. Carol knew the “this” in question meant herself and the coming conversation, not the tree. 

Phil nodded once. “Special Christmas pancakes in the morning. You’re gonna love ‘em, Carol. Goodnight, girls.” 

“Night, Dad!” Daisy called. Carol almost echoed it but corrected herself. “Night. Thanks again!” 

When Phil was out of earshot, Daisy took a sip of her cocoa and asked the inevitable question. “So…?” 

Carol exhaled and started at the beginning of the evening. 

—----------- 

Her parents’ voices still echoed in her ears. 

“Honey, I wish you wouldn’t say it like that. What will our friends think? You can do whatever you need to do, but, well, just be careful. Don’t let anyone see you.” Her mother patted her hand. “It’s for the best.” 

Carol rolled her eyes and removed her hand from the kitchen table.

“Carol, stop it.” Her dad huffed and scowled at her. “There’s so much you don’t know yet. Don’t call yourself… THAT. I won’t have it.” 

“I do know.” Carol pled. “And I don’t care what your friends think. Don’t I matter? I’m not asking. I’m telling you, this is me, this is who I am.” 

“No, you aren’t. It’s just not right. It’s not natural,” her dad concluded.

“Wasn’t there that one boy, the athletic one, in high school?”

“Mom,” Carol sighed, exasperated. “That was a long time ago, and I didn’t like him. He liked me.” 

“Well,” her mom drew out the word as if Carol should reconsider. “I thought he was a very nice boy. He wanted to take you to prom. His mom told me so. I bet he’s home for the holidays too. I could…”

“MOM!” Carol shouted. “I just told you I have a girlfriend. I love Daisy.”

“I knew you were good friends, and she’s very nice,” her mom conceded. “But you can’t possibly think those things about such a sweet, normal girl. She’s your best friend, Carol. Isn’t that enough? Friends are so important.”

Carol stood up and groaned into her palms. “She’s queer too, Mom. I would know!”

“Don’t say that word in this house!” her dad demanded. 

“It didn’t seem like it to me.” Her mom got up to clear the table and wash the dishes.

Carol wasn’t done. She slammed her hand on the table. “Why can’t you hear me? Why don’t you believe me? Tell me you’re disappointed, tell me you’re angry, whatever. But at least trust me that I know my own girlfriend. I AM gay.”

“No,” her dad said quietly but definitively. 

“I am,” Carol turned to her dad, fire in her voice. “Merry Christmas, Dad. Your daughter is a lesbian.” 

“No. I will not have a …” His bellows faded off, unable to even bring himself to say the word. “Not in this house.”

Her mom wrang a dish towel worriedly in her hands. “Just calm down, everyone. Carol, say you’re sorry and we can have a nice, family Christmas. Your brother will be home tomorrow…”

Carol turned to her mom in disbelief. “Say I’m sorry? Sorry for what? Sorry I’m gay?! Well, I’m not. I’m not sorry. I’m only sorry you’re too scared accept it.” 

Her mom wouldn’t meet her eyes, but her dad did. He jumped up from the table, chair knocking out behind him. 

“That’s enough!” he shouted. “You should be ashamed. Ashamed of all of it. I will not have this in MY house on Christmas. Look at your mother! After all we’ve done for you, you’re gonna talk to her like that? Shame on you!”

“Are you? Are you ashamed of me?” Carol rose from the table and met his fury in equal measure, a snarl to her lips. 

“Get out!” he screamed. “Get out, you ungrateful little bitch. Until you can apologize, you are not welcome in this house!” 

“Joe!” her mother exclaimed in surprise. “Language!” 

“No, he’s right.” Carol backed away. “It’s clear I’m not welcome here. Maybe I never really was.”

She made it to the doorway as she finished, then turned to run to her room. 

She heard shouting from the kitchen, but she didn’t look back. She stuffed the things she’d unpacked back in her duffle bag: Daisy’s gift and cards for her parents, clothing, her phone charger, her travel toiletry bag… She looked around quickly for anything else of hers. She didn’t grow up in this house, so there wasn’t much in this frilly pastel guest room she would miss. Mementos of her childhood and teen years were either back home at her apartment or in storage. 

She rushed to the back door, put on her winter outerwear, shoved her feet in her boots, and slipped out the side gate while her parents were still shouting. They never even heard her leave. No cries to come back. No offers to reconcile or urge her to stay so they could work it out. 

Then again, she never expected her parents to take the news easily. 

“That’s over the top, though,” Daisy finished her thought as Carol trailed off. “God. I’m so sorry.”

“Yeah,” Carol sighed. “And the thing is, it wasn’t just tonight. They’ve been like this my whole life, but hearing it so head-on, you know, so out there. At me….”

“It’s a lot.” Daisy rubbed her girlfriend’s back soothingly. 

“Not just that. It’s almost a relief. I’m not crazy.” Carol sat up straighter in realization. “All of my life, I’ve been just taking it. Hiding myself to keep the peace. But when I left for college and they moved here, I thought maybe things would be better. Dad’s retiring, no Air Force appearances to keep up; Mom has new friends. But it’s just a different neighborhood with the same them. It’s like, me being gone most of the time made them even more controlling when I am there.” 

Daisy nodded. “They feel like you’re slipping away from being their little girl?” 

“I guess.” Carol rested her elbows on the counter and rubbed at her eyes. Then, to Daisy’s surprise, she let out a bitter laugh. “They really thought we were both straight. 100 percent convinced.” 

Daisy giggled a little. “I mean, me, sure, I can blend in, but you?” 

Carol gestured to herself and laughed again. “Really? This? You should have seen me in high school too. I even had the haircut.” She mimicked a short swoopy cut with her hand. 

“Mmm,” Daisy hummed as she pictured it. “I like it this length. And when you tie it back and this part falls out…” she softly twisted a lock of a short front layer of Carol’s golden hair around her finger. 

“Yeah?” 

“I had purple streaks,” Daisy confided. 

“That’s hot.” Carol was impressed, mainly that Melinda would have allowed it. 

“Reward for my black belt,” Daisy explained. 

“Ah.” Yeah, that made more sense. 

Carol yawned, which made Daisy yawn and stretch. 

Daisy stood up and gathered their now-empty cocoa mugs to rinse in the sink. 

“It’s Christmas Eve,” Daisy reminded, then whispered conspiratorially, “We better get to sleep before Santa comes.” 

Carol smiled at Daisy’s silliness and joined her in sneaking down the hallway to not wake up Phil and Melinda. 

They reached the lamp-lit guest room, where Phil had moved Carol’s duffle bag and Melinda had set out a fresh towel on clean bedding. 

“Well, looks like this is my stop.” Carol shrugged, hands in her pockets. 

“Yeah, looks like it.” Daisy echoed but didn’t move to go to her own bedroom. 

Carol sat on the bed and stretched a hand out to Daisy, who eagerly took it but stayed standing in front of her. “I know it’s weird with your parents, like, right there, and we wouldn’t, you know, do anything, but I just…” she paused in her rambling and found the right words were the simplest. “I don’t want to be alone tonight.” 

Daisy read the vulnerability in her eyes. “Okay. Let’s sleep in here though. My room is a mess.” She grinned. “I cleaned the rest of the house for my grandparents coming tomorrow for Christmas lunch, but I wasn’t expecting bedroom company.” She waggled her eyebrows. 

Carol exhaled a tired laugh. “If your parents find out tomorrow morning that you slept in here, we’re not going to be in trouble are we?” 

“Nah, they just wanted you to have your own space, if you need it.” Daisy looked around the room. Her eyes landed on something Carol couldn’t see behind her at the moment, but later realized was in the vicinity of a photo of Daisy’s parents on their wedding day. “They really like you, you know.” 

“Glad someone does,” Carol joked darkly. Daisy gently brushed her fingers through Carol’s hair in concern, helping Carol relax. “Sorry. I’m just tired. I’m really grateful for you guys and I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

Daisy opened her mouth and looked like she was going to say something serious, but closed it and started over, more teasing. “We should get ready for bed. Christmas at the Coulson house starts early. You have never seen two complete children like Mom and Dad on Christmas morning.” She shook her head in faux disapproval. Carol’s lips turned up in a hint of a smile, which accomplished Daisy’s goal. Satisfied, she walked to the door. 

“I’ll just be a minute.” 

As Daisy left, Carol got up and lifted her duffle to the bed to unpack what she’d need for the night. 

She joined Daisy as she was brushing her teeth and they moved through their bedtime routine together. Carol took a brief shower before putting on a soft shirt and pajama pants and joining Daisy in bed. 

Lit by the lamp on the bedside table, sleepy Daisy was irresistible. Carol drew her close under the covers and kissed her deeply.  

“For real,” Carol whispered, “thank you.” 

Daisy traced lightly down Carol’s face, from her forehead to the swell of her cheek to her jawbone. “Thank you for coming here, to me. Of all the places in the world. I’d understand if you didn’t after all your parents said.”

“That doesn’t matter. None of it,” she insisted. “I’d choose you, and being the real me, every time over the daughter they wish they had.” She kissed Daisy again before reaching to turn out the light. 

“I love you,” Daisy whispered into the dark. 

“I love you.” Carol pulled Daisy’s body close, and they held each other in silence until they drifted off. 

—------------------ 

Daisy grumbled as the sunlight streamed in through the sheer curtains in the guest room. It was extra bright this morning as it reflected off the snow and icicles hanging from the roof. She stretched and tried to remember for a second why she wasn’t in her room. 

Voices sounded in the hallway. “Not in her room” and “should we knock or just let them…?” and “The pancakes … cold!” 

Daisy woke up enough to roll over and kiss Carol’s shoulder. “Wake up, babe.” She kissed her exposed neck. “It’s Christmas!” 

“Mmm… Daisy?” Carol mumbled, still half asleep, and turned over, squinting against the brightness of the light. 

“Morning,” Daisy greeted. “Christmas morning.” 

Carol’s face fell as it came back to her, why she was here, in Daisy’s guest bedroom instead of her own at her parents’ house. 

A knock sounded at the bedroom door. “Girls? Pancakes are ready!” Melinda called through the door.

Daisy sat up and stretched more. “We’ll be right there, Mom!”  

“Pancakes sound good.” Carol yawned and moved to get out of bed. 

Daisy watched, indulging herself in a favorite sight: Carol getting dressed. Second, of course, to Carol getting undressed. But that was more fun at their own apartments with no waiting family members. 

“Enjoying yourself?” Carol winked between pulling on soft yoga pants, a sports bra, and an Alumni Winter 10k snowflake hoodie from their university. Last winter, Daisy had said a hard no to running in the 10k but had provided a warm reception at the finish line, including buying her the hoodie and a cup of cocoa. 

“Just remembering.” Daisy scrambled out of bed and touched the snowflake on Carol’s chest as she passed her on her way to the door. 

“Hey.” Carol caught her and pulled her in for a brief good morning kiss. “I have better clothes for later, but is this okay for now?” 

“It’s perfect,” Daisy confirmed, then sighed happily. “I’m sorry for why it happened this year, but waking up with you on Christmas morning…”

“Yeah. Me too.” Carol squeezed her hip before letting her go. “I’ll meet you in the kitchen.”

Daisy changed in her room while Carol got ready in the bathroom and then Daisy took her turn. When Daisy arrived in the kitchen, she couldn’t help how her heart warmed. Christmas music played from the living room speakers, but the smell of bacon and sound of conversation beckoned from the kitchen table. Carol fit so naturally here in her life, chatting with her dad as he flipped pancakes with red and green sprinkles and her mom as she poured the coffee for Carol and Phil and made tea for herself.

A lump formed in Daisy’s throat as she wished on all the magic of Christmas that every year would look like this, with the four of them together. She knew Carol’s lease was up for renewal soon, and a question burned in Daisy’s mind, but with everything going on with Carol’s parents, it didn’t seem like the right time, so Daisy let herself simply wish with all her heart that the people she loved most would wake up every Christmas morning for pancakes together and left it at that. 

Serious adult discussions of leases together and making commitments and taking steps in their relationship could wait until after breakfast and gifts and a family photo that Carol would definitely be peer-pressured into later. 

Daisy took her place at the table next to Carol and caught up on the conversation. 

“Carol, we have to warn you,” Melinda began seriously, pulling her tea bag out of her mug and laying it neatly on her plate. “My dad can be a handful. And my mom might ask some questions. If it starts to sound like a job interview or an interrogation, we’ll keep her in check.” 

“I don’t mind if they don’t mind me being here.” Carol shrugged and picked a slice of bacon from the serving plate. “I just feel bad that I’m interrupting your family time.” 

Daisy shook her head and swallowed a mouth full of pancake. “They’ve been asking to meet you anyway. I already told them you weren’t coming and they were disappointed, so they’ll be thrilled to see you here.”

Phil chimed in, “In case Daisy hasn’t explained it, they are divorced, but they still take care of each other, as friends.” 

“Friends is maybe stretching it,” Melinda quipped. 

“But it’s still cute,” Daisy countered. “They live close by and drive each other places, to appointments and the country club. It works for them, better than marriage did, and we still get to see them together for family stuff.”   

After breakfast ended, they made their way to the living room with that picturesque tree in front of the window looking out at a white Christmas. A family across the street was already out playing in it, with a half-built snowman and new sleds with bows still attached. Daisy sat on the floor near the tree as Phil sat in his chair and Melinda curled up on the couch, mug of tea in hand. 

“Oh! I need to get your gifts.” Carol was gone for a moment, and Daisy had a moment with her parents as they waited. Melinda rose and wordlessly brought out two gifts from behind the tree, one addressed to both Daisy and Carol and one for Carol alone. She placed them next to Daisy’s gift for Carol in the front of the tree. 

“Thank you,” Daisy said. “For all of this.”

Phil darted his eyes to the hallway to make sure Carol was still in the guest room. “We had a feeling she’d be over at some point this weekend now that her family lives so close. She’s a keeper, Daiz.” 

“Yeah, she is.” Daisy smiled mischievously. She checked the hallway too to make sure the coast was clear. “I’m going to ask her something important very soon.”

Melinda sent her a knowing look. “Give it time. Not yet.”

“Mom,” Daisy groaned. “I know.”

“Wait, like?” Phil mimed putting on a wedding ring, eyes as big as saucers. 

“No! I mean, ideally, yes, eventually, but first…” She mimed a roof, then turning a key and opening a door.

“Oh, okay,” Phil exhaled and sat back in his chair. 

It’s not that Daisy hadn’t thought about doing it all at once, but she knew they needed to take things one step at a time. Learn how they worked as a unit 24/7, not just in between other things in their busy lives. Slow adjustments. Carol just barely came out to her parents, after all. Her mom was right. She needed to give it time. 

Carol emerged with two cards, one for Phil and one for Melinda, and a wrapped gift for Daisy. 

They thanked her as they received them and she urged them to open them as she sat on the floor next to Daisy. The cards held gift cards: a spa gift card for Melinda and a Top Golf gift card for Phil. Daisy and her parents knew those gift cards would be swapped, with a pain-relieving massage for Phil’s bad shoulder and golf for Melinda to get her own dad out of the house, as they did some Saturdays. 

They were coincidentally great gifts, if mis-assumed as to the recipients. Carol’s gift to Daisy however, was truly perfect. Daisy realized what it was as she unwrapped it and saw the fabric. And then a box plopped out of the middle. 

Carol watched her, ready to explain, “I saw the way you always hesitated by that shop window. If it doesn’t fit, they said they do exchanges with any size…” 

It was a dress, or rather, The Dress, as Daisy referred to it in her mind. Soft and yet well-shaped, with a tasteful but deep v-shaped neckline. She’d pictured herself surprising Carol in it for a date. 

Though the look wasn’t really complete without the necklace paired with it on the mannequin… 

   She looked to Carol and then to the small box in her lap. “Is this?” 

Carol’s anticipation turned to delight. “Just open it!” 

Sure enough, the silver necklace sat in the jewelry box on a long chain. “It’s perfect. Thank you!” 

“You’re very welcome.” Carol preened, confident she’d won at gift-giving. Phil urged them together for a photo with his phone camera. 

Phil and Melinda opened gifts for each other, and Daisy opened gifts from them, all discussing and joking and explaining back stories behind them, with a few photos with significant gifts, but then it was Carol’s turn. 

“Oh you didn’t have to…” Carol said in surprise as Daisy handed her the gifts from her parents. The one to Carol alone was a nice set of running pants and a moisture-wicking running shirt, not all that surprising given they knew she was a runner but very appreciated as this brand was out of Carol’s normal budget when it was full-priced.

“This one is for both of us,” Carol read on the tag of the remaining gift bag.  

Phil and Melinda just exchanged knowing glances. 

Daisy dramatically tossed a piece of tissue paper out of the bag and away. Carol followed suit. They peered inside in unison to find an envelope. Daisy took it out and opened it, giving her parents inquisitive eyebrow raises as she did. 

She unfolded a piece of paper with a romantic lake cabin getaway voucher.

“Aw, guys,” Daisy said. “That’s so sweet.” 

“Wow,” Carol took the paper and read the text there. “This looks amazing.”

Phil smiled to see their reaction. “It’s not for a specific date, but if you get on their website soon, they might still have availability for Valentine’s, or you could go sometime warmer like this summer. Up to you. You have all year to use it.” 

“We’ve stayed there before in the fall,” Melinda added. “It’s a nice place and not too far of a drive.” 

That answered a question in both Carol and Daisy’s minds. With Carol’s job in aerospace engineering plus grad school, and Daisy’s job in cybersecurity with its long hours, they had to be careful to plan their time off, and the less travel time the better to maximize that. 

They’d have to look up the details on the location later. Carol still needed to open Daisy’s gift. 

They watched as Carol tore open the wrapping paper and revealed a brand new pair of ice skates with rainbow laces. Carol held them up in pride as Phil took a photo with his phone. 

“So you don’t have to rent them when we go,” Daisy explained. “It may hurt to break them in at first, though.” 

“It’ll be worth it to not have to wear the ones at the rink.” Carol grimaced. “Thank you!” 

Daisy knew that later in the day, the skates would come up in conversation and could already hear her grandpa telling Carol about Melinda’s ice skating competitions when she was little. Melinda had taught Daisy at the local public rink, and Daisy had taught Carol when they were in college. Daisy now pictured them skating hand in hand with their matching Pride-laced skates, maybe even at that lake for Valentine’s if they booked the cabin soon…   

Her daydreaming was interrupted by her mom urging her to help clean up the wrapping paper and trash, as her grandparents would be here soon enough and they needed to get lunch ready. 

Four cooks in the kitchen was too many, so Daisy and Carol put on winter gear and shoveled and salted the front walk and sidewalk in front of their house. They noticed the Coulsons’ elderly neighbors hadn’t done theirs yet, so of course that became their next task, and the neighbors to the west were out of town, so that became task three… 

Soon enough, they had company as other neighbors saw them and joined in. In an hour, they had the whole block clean and safe to navigate. Exhausted, the girls headed back inside to warm up and rest before changing for the family lunch and Carol’s introduction to Daisy’s grandparents. 

As soon as they opened the front door, the scent of lunch cooking was heavenly. 

“They will be here soon!” Melinda shouted as she heard the girls enter and take off their winter outwear. 

“And take your gifts to your room so they have somewhere to sit,” Phil added, poking his head out of the kitchen. “When you’re both ready, we could really use a relief crew in here so we can get dressed too.” He gestured to his Santa T-shirt and matching PJ pants and slippers. 

Daisy giggled. “No problem, Dad. We won’t let Grandma see you like this.” 

Phil explained to Carol, “My mother-in-law isn’t really the pajama day type.” 

Carol laughed. “We’ll try to make it quick.” 

—---------------------- 

By the time the Mays arrived, everyone was wearing appropriate clothing. While Daisy wore a red sweater dress and black leggings, Carol decided on khakis and a (coincidentally matching) red and black Buffalo pattern button-up flannel.

“Is this formal enough?” Carol asked, straightening her collar in the bathroom mirror. 

Daisy clapped her curling iron’s clip rhythmically. “Yes, if you let me curl your hair.” 

“Do we have time for that?” Carol met her eyes in the mirror.

“Yeah, I’m faster on you than on myself since I can see what I’m doing.” 

The result was well worth it. Both dressed with hair and makeup done, Daisy knew they were ready for the upcoming traditional photo session. 

“Much better,” Melinda voiced her approval upon seeing them in the kitchen. She tossed Daisy her apron. “I’ll be back soon.” 

Phil filled them in on where they were, meal-prep-wise, and ceremonially graced Carol with a festive-patterned apron. Daisy grabbed her matching one as she watched in amusement. 

“I dub thee, Carol of the kitchen,” he said, slipping the neck loop carefully over her slightly bowed head. 

“I’m honored,” Carol laughed and tied the apron strings the same way Daisy was tying her own as Phil hurried out of the kitchen to look presentable for his in-laws. 

“Ready for this?” Daisy said with a challenge to her tone and hands on her hips. 

“Oh, I was born ready,” Carol confirmed. “Let’s get to work.” 

They were just in time, too. The Christmas ham was ready, oven timer beeping, as the doorbell rang. 

“I’ll get it!” three Coulsons shouted at once. 

“Phil, ham,” Melinda assigned. “Daisy, door.” 

Daisy obeyed with Melinda behind her. 

“Merry Christmas!” Grandpa William shouted as they opened the door. 

“The roads were a mess,” Grandma Lian complained as Melinda took her coat. “And he drives like a maniac.” 

Grandpa William shrugged and caught sight of Carol. 

“Ah! Is this the famous Carol?” he held out his arms and Carol found herself embraced in a firm grandfatherly hug while Grandma Lian scrutinized her. 

“We’ve heard a lot about you, Ms. Carol Danvers,” Grandma Lian said neutrally. 

“It’s an honor to meet you, Ms. May,” Carol said and held out her hand. 

Grandma Lian shook it with a confident grip that Carol returned. “We hear you work with Daisy, for Mr. Stark, and you are earning your graduate degree.” 

Carol kept cool as she realized the questions were beginning, still in the entryway. “Yes ma'am. My specialization is aerodynamics and composite vehicles. I'm studying the way spacecraft shape affects flight needs, especially using adaptive materials." 

“Adaptive materials?” Grandma Lian hummed. 

Daisy jumped in. “So they can land on planets or moons with different atmospheres. It’s really cool, but let’s sit down for lunch first before we get too far into outer space.” 

Grandma Lian was undeterred by the change in venue. The dining room arrangement worked out so Carol was next to her. Thankfully, Daisy was on Carol’s other side and could provide support and praise for Carol’s many accomplishments as the conversation continued. 

The ultimate compliment was saved for dessert, however, as Carol served Grandma Lian her slice of pie with perfect table etiquette. 

“Hmm,” Grandma Lian assessed Carol for final judgment, fork poised above her pie as her eyes narrowed. “So a master’s degree in engineering and a very impressive career with high ambitions. Polite and respectful of her elders. Smart and well-spoken. Daisy, why can’t you be more like your Carol?” 

Daisy grinned. “I try every day, Grandma.” 

Carol received the compliment with a gracious nod to Grandma Lian but had to hold in a laugh at Daisy’s reply. In truth, Daisy had helped Carol loosen up after growing up under the thumb of the intense Danvers family. Both girls had high expectations on them going in to university, but the difference in freedom and unconditional love that the Coulsons had provided Daisy that Carol didn’t have had been a revelation as their friendship grew. Now as a couple, they helped each other stay grounded, setting boundaries around their work time and parents’ pressure, so those high ambitions didn’t carry them off into a cloud of achievement anxieties. 

The girls were assigned dish duty, clearing the plates and cleaning up in the kitchen as the Coulsons and Mays exchanged gifts and conversation in the living room. 

“That went incredibly well,” Daisy informed Carol as they washed. “Grandma was intense today, but you impressed her. I honestly didn’t know that was possible.” 

“She’s nice! In her way,” Carol conceded. “I’m good with grandmas; it’s my superpower.” 

“She’s also not a bad connection to have,” Daisy hinted while rinsing off a serving dish. 

“Hm?” Carol knew there was more to that comment. 

Daisy pulled Carol in and said quietly, “She’s retired CIA. Still has a ton of networks in the industry.” 

“Wait, she’s?” Carol pointed out to the living room. 

“Yep.” Daisy popped the p. 

“So, you’re in cybersecurity. You’re basically set for life, any job you want,” Carol deduced.

Daisy shrugged. “I haven’t needed it, but then, I also haven’t impressed her the way you have.” Daisy bumped Carol’s hip. 

Carol rolled her eyes, but then had an idea. “Wouldn’t it be funny if we did?” 

“Did what?” Daisy scrubbed at a patch of stuck-on food. 

“Became, like, secret agents. I’d, I don’t know, design and fly drones or something, and you’d do all the hacking and coding. We’d be a great team.”

Daisy raised her dish-glove-clad hands into a Charlie’s Angels gun pose. “Agent Daisy Coulson and Agent Carol Danvers, reporting for duty.” 

Carol laughed. “We’d be so good at it.” 

“Yeah,” Daisy sighed, “but it’s nice being home like this. She wasn’t around a lot when my mom was growing up, and the worst part was, she couldn’t ever say why. Decades later, things would get declassified and she could tell us more or where all she’d been, but there are still things she can’t talk about. And only a few people even know that’s where she worked anyway. Especially back then, everyone just thought she worked for ‘the phone company,’ but that was just a code name.”

“Yeah, that makes sense.” Carol dried another plate and stacked it with the others. “Corporate life has its advantages.” 

Daisy paused and turned off the water. “If you ever did want to sign up though, for real, I would too. If we were together, it would be easier, same clearance level and all that.”   

The unspoken end of that thought hung in the air unspoken between them: And maybe we wouldn’t end up divorced like they did. 

“Thanks, but I like our life,” Carol concluded. “It’s just something fun to think about. In another universe, you know?” 

“Oh yeah, totally.” Daisy turned the water back on and started rinsing glasses. “We’d be so badass.” 

Grandpa William came in just in time to hear her swear. “Dah! Language! What would your grandmother say,” he teased with a wink. 

“If you’re not telling, I won’t,” Daisy returned. Carol could tell this was a game they played between them at Grandma Lian’s expense. 

Carol focused on drying the glasses, trying to remember her grandparents. She’d been so young when most of them passed, one before she was born and the others before she’d graduated high school. Tragically young themselves, accidents and violence and illness taking them one by one. She wondered if any of them would be accepting of her now. It wasn’t likely, she had to admit to herself. 

“I’ve been sent to tell you it’s photo time,” Grandpa William continued. 

“Oh,” Carol looked at the few remaining dishes. They were down to the end now. “I’ll finish up here. You go ahead.”

Daisy turned off the water and took off the gloves. “Unh uh, you are getting in these too. House rules.”

“It is required,” Grandpa Wiliam confirmed. 

Carol gave in and followed them into the living room. Phil had set up his phone on a tripod and was adjusting it using Melinda as a model for lighting. 

“Maybe by the tree?” Phil suggested. 

As they decided, Grandma Lian gestured to Daisy. “I have a gift for you. In my purse. Come with me.” 

Grandpa William engaged Carol in conversation, preventing her from following Daisy out of habit. Carol tried to peek around the corner, but it was no use. The entryway was at the wrong angle from here for Carol to see where Grandma Lian’s purse hung with their coats by the door. 

Daisy returned after a few minutes, blushing and pleased, but Carol didn’t have a chance to ask her about it as Santa hats were plopped onto their heads and everyone lined up for the traditional photo. Carol did insist on taking a few of just the five of them without her, and some of just Phil and Melinda and Melinda and her parents. 

“And you two!” Phil urged, switching places with Carol. She placed an arm around Daisy as they stood by the tree and Daisy smiled up at her and then pecked a quick kiss to her cheek. 

“I couldn’t resist,” Daisy said simply. “Okay, we’re ready now.” 

“Good, looks good,” Phil said from behind the camera. “Ready, 1, 2, 3.” He took a few, counting each time, and repositioning them as his amateur photographer muse led. 

“Those are going to turn out very nice,” Grandpa William remarked to Melinda, who agreed. Carol thrilled at the clear approval from all fronts. The Santa hats came off and, eventually, the grandparents went home before the roads got icy again and the sun got too low. 

“I think it’s time for movies,” Daisy declared as they waved the grandparents’ car away from the front stoop. 

Phil made his way back up the front walk from helping his in-laws to their car. “Yeah, we haven’t done Charlie Brown Christmas yet.”

They divided and conquered: Daisy and Carol would get the movie ready to go, and Phil and Melinda would get movie snacks from the kitchen. 

“It’s a tradition,” Daisy explained. “After the grandparents leave, we sometimes need time to, uh, decompress. This year was actually pretty peaceful though.” 

“Still, Peanuts at Christmas is a must,” Carol replied. 

“Hey,” Daisy turned away from the TV menu to Carol. “I didn’t even think to ask. What are some of your traditions? Maybe we can do them here?” 

Carol thought for a moment, picking at the corner of her flannel. “Well, when my brother is home we usually play a board game. He subscribes to all the game websites for the new ones and a lot of them have complicated rules, so usually it ends up being my mom and I left at the table doing a puzzle of a little village or mountains or something.” 

“Hmm.” Daisy flung open one of the cabinets near the TV in a game-show-esque reveal. “Like this?” 

Three packed shelves of games and puzzles awaited. 

“We haven’t played these in ages, so nothing new here, but if you want, we can play one of these first and then watch Charlie and the gang after dinner?” 

Carol scrunched her brow. “But you were so excited for your tradition.” 

“We’ll still do it later.” Daisy waved her off as her parents reentered the room. “We’ve been doing our traditions all day. It’s time for us to share one of yours.” She gestured to the shelves like she was displaying the prizes as a game show host. 

Carol looked to Phil and Melinda, who confirmed. 

Phil approached the cabinet and pulled out a puzzle with a lake and cabin scene. “Funny you should mention it, but we got this at the same place that you two now have vouchers for. What do you say?” 

“Sounds perfect. It’s beautiful.” Carol instinctively reached out a hand and traced a finger around the artwork on the box. 

“Ooh, a little dusty.” Daisy laughed as a path formed where Carol’s finger had been. “All the more reason to break it out of the box.”    

Conversation flowed as they assembled the puzzle. It wasn’t exceptionally large or hard, and with four of them at work, they managed to finish it in a few hours, just in time for a dinner of leftovers from lunch. 

The sun had long past set and the tree lights came on with an automatic timer by the time they were done and ready for the movie. 

“Wait.” Daisy stopped them as they headed to the living room again. “It’s cozy pajama time.”  

Changing allowed Daisy an opportunity to clean up her room a bit a well before inviting Carol to see it. Photos of high school were still scattered around, but there were a few from college, and two with Carol as part of Daisy’s friend group. 

“Ha, your birthday at the restaurant with the karaoke bar.” Carol pointed to one. “I remember that. God, I’m so glad I stayed for summer term with you. You know, I only took that internship on campus because I knew you were going to be there.”

Daisy grinned. “Do you remember what I sang?” 

“No, just that you were really good. Like, objectively good.” Carol tilted her head in thought. “Huh. Okay now it’s going to bug me, what was it?” 

Daisy hopped back and grabbed a hairbrush for a mic. She sang the chorus of “All for You” by Janet Jackson and shook her hips. 

“Ahh yeah, I remember now.” Carol danced along until they were laughing too hard to continue. 

“I… uh, may have had a crush on you too,” Daisy admitted. 

“Are you saying you were singing that song at me while all I could think about was how talented you were and how I didn’t deserve you for a whole summer?” 

Daisy batted her lashes coyly. “Maybe I was. But you figured it out when we drove back for Christmas. You needed a ride, and I was more than happy to volunteer. I practically begged you to let me drive you.” 

Carol took the hairbrush and set it down before entwining Daisy’s fingers with her own. “Okay, yes, I’m slow to pick up on things.” 

Daisy laughed. “No, no. That’s not what I meant.” 

Carol slipped her other hand around Daisy’s waist and they began to sway despite not having any music playing. “It’s funny; it was the drive back to college that Christmas that finally gave me the courage to ask you to be my girlfriend, and now here we are.” 

“Here we are.” Daisy’s voice was low and smooth. She moved in to kiss Carol, but they were interrupted as Phil’s voice sounded from down the hall. 

“Uh, I thought we were going to watch a movie. Anyone ready?” 

“Coming!” Melinda called from somewhere else.

“We better go before they come looking for us,” Daisy warned. 

“Thanks for showing me all of this though.” Carol looked around Daisy’s room. Posters of bands, string lights, multiple rows of martial arts medals, and a few trophies lined the walls. 

“Uh, ignore that.” Daisy threw a blanket over a hunk of metal. 

“Okay, now I have to know,” Carol insisted as stopped in the bedroom doorway. 

“Did you ever see that show Robot Wars? Or like, Big Hero 6?” 

Carol blinked. “Are you telling me that’s your battle bot under there?” 

“Ehhh, the remains of its corpse?” Daisy slowly removed the blanket to reveal a tangled chunk of metal and wires. “I tried to start an underground battle club at my school. It didn’t go well. But! It did get us a real robotics team. With less violence.” 

They laughed, and Carol said, “Of course.” Not simply of course the official club would be more academic than fighting, but of course Daisy would have been the ringleader. Of course she would have had the brains and the guts to run something like a robot fight club. Of course she wouldn’t have the heart to get rid of it after so long and it’d still be sitting here in her childhood bedroom like a well-loved stuffie or a doll on a shelf.  

They settled in on the couch with Daisy’s parents to watch Charlie Brown Christmas and the sequels, and Melinda passed around a plate of cookies. Daisy made sure they all had pillows and blankets and were comfortable as Phil hit play. 

The ache of Carol’s Christmas Eve, only 24 hours earlier, faded for a moment with the overflowing joy of this Christmas Day. It was nothing fancy, just sharing meals and gifts and family photos and spending time together in their ordinary suburban home, in a simple historic neighborhood lined with warm lamps welcoming all who came there. But by the magic of Christmas, they had found each other and an enduring love that shined brightly through the dark.

[amberunit06]

Y2K

Y2K is a visual style popularised in the late 90's and faded out from mainstream use around the early 2000's (1997-2004). The Y2K Movement is named after the numeronym abbreviation of the year 2000, commonly associated with 'The Y2K Bug', a proposed event were computers worldwide would seize to work due to not processing the millennium in their calendar systems correctly, this association makes this design movement very closely tied to the time period it originated in as it couldn't have came to be in any other due to the unique climate of fear and hope surrounding the new millennium.

Y2K's visual style can be described as being futuristic, showing the publics general consensus in what the future of the new millennium has to hold and how technology will progress. Y2K borrows a lot of its visual style from previous decades interpretations of the future, known as retro futurism. Examples of this include sleek, metallic/chromatic gadgets, bold geometric shapes and patterns, blobject elements, washed-out but bright colours, glittery transparent plastic-like materials, heavy inspiration from computer technology and various interpretations of the future, such as in the form of space travel, high tech gadgets and advanced internet systems.

Y2K's origins are thought to be linked back to the underground UK rave scene around the 80's-90's, an example of this is through the earlier works by The Designers Republic, who made album covers, posters, logos, apparel, typography and more that aligns heavily with Y2K's signature stye. They say that their style is influenced by corporate packaging and logos but they subvertise them as to make an anti-capitalist anti-consumerist message, this use of parody slowly evolved into their distinct bold, futuristic geometric style. However this style became more widely used in the mainstream around 1995-1996 with the release of Windows 95 and the start of the surge in popularity in the internet.

This visual style would fade out around 2005 to be replaced by other corporate styles such as Frutiger Aero and Mcbling. However, in recent times starting in the late 2010's Y2K has made a style resurgence, mostly due to designers gaining nostalgia from the time it was mainstream. Examples of this movement being sed recently include Happy99, u::r::here, The Y2K Institute, Charlie XCX and various other artists and musicians who have adapted this stye into their work.

Personally, I really love this visual style as it is incredibly visually distinct by being a proper time capsule from the period it is taken from. As well as this, I like how this movement characterises the future, by using highly stylised but plastic-like materials and gadgets, as it offers a wide range of experimentation and opportunity in its execution. I would personally love to incorporate this style more into my own art style as well as include visual elements from this movement into my own project, as it deals with change and the future as well as death and decay.

[horizon-verizon]

I think in a way Reign nails the royal aspect of costume. Mary, her ladies-in-waiting, and Catherine have a billion dresses/jewelry/crowns that are all gorgeous and detailed and that was common for royal women while you see shows where the lead actresses have about five dresses they wear across episodes and HOTD has no excuses for ugly and bland costumes as they have budget of a small country but whatever. Reign does costumes better than a lot of recent period drama. It may not be period-accurate in any way but they are absolutely gorgeous.

(And Reign costume designers admitted they had a very small budget for the costumes by period piece production standards, and very little time to make them. In order to be productive, they often had to buy prom dresses from various clothing stores and modify them for the show.)

As for Reign giving off a "royal aspect" as you say, I can't really agree. Even with the elaboration mimicking the glamour of historically accurate apparel, why not give the rest of the cast such apparel most of the time? Why go back and forth instead of picking just one set of costumes? In one scene, Mary had semi-accurate clothing while others had more accurate clothing. In other scenes, she and her ladies are wearing modified-to-non-modified prom dresses

(there is no time, ever, where an Elizabethan/Renaissance woman is going out in public with bare arms)

and in the background or when one of her love interests goes up to her/any of them they wear similar OR semi/acceptably close period-accurate clothing.

Why not convert this narrative into a modern retelling/adaptation since the story is so limited to its costumes have to be more affordable pieces? Why did this have to claim to be a historical drama, if it was not going to fulfill that genre's needs of immersion?

Bridgerton somewhat gets away with it because, for the most part, the costuming is accurate, even if the stays aren't totally and look to be crushing those girls' chests. Reign, on the other hand, may try to look good, but it failed to create a true world and only made an aesthetic. Bridgerton however also has a similar issue of how PoC persons interact with white people and don't face daily racism that would have used the appearance to validate itself.

With Reign, it feels like they inserted a modern girl to interact with a 15th-century populace and somehow get away unscathed, and that's too absurd for me to contend with.

I don't know anything about Reign bts, but still, I personally prefer modern productions and narratives telling stories set in the past to have costumes to be consistent and as close as possible to the historical period/regional style of dress so that I can believe the characters are living in such societies and are facing its specific structures that they battle, resist, follow, etc. Otherwise, the project is more to further the designers'/makeup/clothing departments', production teams, writers, and actors' careers more than create a story.