#if you don't want to create the impression that you just dashed off a first draft and didn't apply any serious effort to your work)

[buckgasms]

Hey, hi, hello! 🤍

First, I want to say that I've been following along with your stories for a while now (you're one of the first people I followed when I started my Tumblr!), and I'm so happy to send you a little request if that's okay! I saw that you reblogged a prompt list, so here I am sending in my own for our sweet Bucky 🥰

I'm wondering what magic you will create with the prompt ''Finding their partner's sex toy/toys and making them play with it in front of them." 👀

If it's not sparking anything for you, it's okay, and you can ignore my request! 🤍

Hello my love! Thank you so much for your support, for this ask and for playing the prompt game with me ❤️ I'm so honoured that you've been following me at all.

Sorry this took longer than expected because I have done this sort of story before so I wanted to do something a bit new and it took me a while to think of a good idea....

But now I think I have a good idea. It's fairly off topic but I hope you will forgive me. It certainly did spark something lol 🤣

I hope it's ok that I set this in the Bunny and Clyde story because they are so unhinged and I love them...

Kisses 😘

Also, heavy, filthy smut ahead. Just be warned.

"What the hell is this?"

You dashed into the walk in wardrobe that Bucky was currently in to find him holding a white paper bag and an huge, like absolutely enormous, double ended dildo.

You descended into a fit of giggles, wheezing as you tried to speak as his face went from scowl to amusement as you tried to compose yourself.

"Oh my god" you moaned as you finally calmed down, and took the offending item from his grasp, waggling it around as he chuckled. "I got it from that shop we go to. I took Wanda and we got some freebies..."

He smiled peering into the bag before looking back at the appendage. "Was that a freebie?" He said, sounding impressed at the generosity of the shop.

"No, I bought this one for me..." You balance on the knife edge of pissing him off, took a breath and dived headfirst. "You know, just in case you can't keep up with me anymore. Sometimes I need something a little...bigger."

He chuckled darkly. "Ah ok Bunny, well why don't you show me hmm?" You went to protest but found his hands pulling you out to the bedroom and tossing you on the bed.

"Gone all shy huh?" He smirked as you waited on the bed and you giggled a little, sitting up and crawling towards him. "Was only a little joke Bucky, you know I don't want anyone else but you. Your big, perfect cock is all I ever want."

"Tough." He said flatly before pushing you back so your flomped down on the mattress. He wrapped a silk rope around one ankle and secured it to the bed, quickly securing your other on before you could escape.

He removed your skimpy underwear with a gentle bit firm tug and pressed a chaste kiss to your forehead. "Buckkyy" you whined as you tested the strength of his ties.

"Use it..." He said, tossing the toy onto the bed next to you, "or lose it" he said palming his cock through his trousers. You giggled but hesitated, feeling exposed and unsure. "But I want you to do it Bucky" you whined again and spread your legs a little wider for him.

He leaned over, gripping your cheeks tightly and turning your head to look at him. "Do as your fucking told." His free hand landed swats to your soaked pussy and thighs as you squealed in his embrace. "You need more or you gonna do what I say hmm?"

You groaned in defeat as he grinned, pressing a final kiss to your cheek before leaving you, taking a seat on the chair at the end of the bed to watch your performance.

💟

It had only been 20 minutes at most but you were a wreck.

You had done your darnedest to enjoy yourself but once again you had been bested by the master. Bucky sat, looking almost bored as you choked yourself on the rubber cock, making it messy and slick to use on yourself.

You teased and wriggled to insert the toy and whined a little as in pushed into you. It was actually no match to Bucky but you wanted to regain a little control if you could.

"Oof, so big..." You whined but it turned into a groan when he actually yawned at you. You flopped backwards but heard him tut at you, "didn't say stop bunny, keep going..."

He picked up the little bag and started rifling through it, looking at the little samples you had been given until one piqued his interest. "Sensation cream?" He read for a moment before leaving his seat and wandering over to you.

You sat up a little, hoping the punishment was over and he would actually play with you now. He showed you the packet but you shrugged indifferently. "The lady at the store said that was new. Supposed to heighten sensations, or numb it I can't remember..."

Sometimes you could be quite stupid.

Bucky grinned and ripped the top of the sample packet open. "Well let's find out shall we bunny?" You wiggled and protested but his arm was already propping your legs apart and spreading your folds open.

"A pea-sized amount it says" Bucky pondered before squeezing the entire packet onto his hand and smearing it all over your heat, making sure to get into every crease and fold. You growled and flopped down as he finished, leaving you to wash his hands.

He returned shortly and grinned. "Now we just have to wait 5 minutes or so bunny and we'll know for sure."

"What are you going to do then?"

"I haven't decided yet..."

💟

After a few moments you realised you were now completely numb. Bucky watched in amazed pleasure as he ran his finger over your folds to little reaction. He rubbed harder, even pinched your little clit, but nothing.

He chuckled and leaned down, settling himself between your legs as you whined. He started off rubbing slowly, little circles, then to and fro. You knew he was there but you had no pleasureable sensations to enjoy. Then he pinched and pulled at you, as your pussy grew puffier and redder under his actions. The a firm swat. He glanced up checking you had no reaction.

He didn't want to over do it and hurt you, but my god he was having fun. He'd alternate between all his actions until your pussy was glowing and soaked. "My god your cunt looks pretty right now..." He said softly before squeezing your lower lips together and spreading them wide.

You were in misery. You had wailed and cried about how unfair it was. That you wanted to feel it and everything else under the sun, but he wasn't to be swayed. You lay on the bed, sweaty and pouty. His favourite kind of bunny.

Bucky left your pussy briefly, stopping only to press kisses to your cheeks, lick away tears and tell you what a good bunny you were. "Taking it so well baby, you keeping up with me huh?" You rolled your eyes and growled. He never let anything go!

Moments later he was climbing on top of you, pressing his red, leaking cock against your folds and stomach. You would be able to feel him fucking you at least, you figured in your mind, but Bucky was just too smart for you.

He pressed your favourite vibrator into your hands and guided you to hold it on your numb button. Bucky then adjusted so the head of the toy sat under his cock, just in front of his heavy balls.

"I'm gonna use my little bunny's favourite toy now....oh don't worry baby, you can come as much as you like, I don't mind one bit..."

He grinned as the toy buzzed to life. You watched him grind and groan above you as you desperately tried to chase your own orgasm but no matter how hard you pressed, how much you wiggled, nothing happend.

"Bucky I caaaan't" you sobbed as he growled above you, smiling down in his lust filled haze he turned it up higher. "Oh fuck" he choked as his body buckled a little. You watched with desire as his stomach muscles tensed and his hands worked on himself before coming all over your stomach.

It was torture, and he never once relented. He repeated the action again, leaving another mess over your frazzled body, leaving you still desperately chasing your high to no avail.

After recovering from his second high he scooted round and placed your head on his thick thigh, grabbing the vibrator from you to inspect the scene.

"Bunny what a fucking mess..."

And you were. Your stomach was covered in thick cum, your arousal was smeared all over your thighs and cunt and your pussy was swollen and glowing. You too were a mess in your mind, sobbing and babbling for him.

To bring you a little relief he shushed you and guided his sensitive cock into your mouth, hushing your thoughts and giving you a little focus. He hissed through his teeth at your harsh sucking, but managed to soothe you down to just gentle sucks as you kept his cock warm.

Grabbing the sample packet again he read further, wondering how long this would last until his eyes widened:

"After 20 minutes, you and your partner will feel the enhanced power of our new Tingle Formula™ bringing your body back to reality, and off to new peaks of pleasure..."

He wondered what that would look like until he noticed your sucking had become more intense and your lower half was twitching a little. He leaned forward and ran a investigative finger through your folds. You suddenly wailed and tried to clench your legs together, hindered by the bindings.

Removing himself gently from you me moved back around to your heat. Stroking your legs and thighs to soothe your feelings of loss.

"Bucky.... Bucky I feels...I can feel...oh my god"

You panted and writhed on the bed as he blew a cool stream of air on your abused heat. You cried out and tried to get away but he chuckled and blew harder. You couldn't help it, it felt so good, so sensitive. "Please Bucky, I'm gonna, it's... I'll..."

"You gonna come just from that? You my little birthday cake bunny? Aren't you embarrassed bun bun, you really that sensitive?"

The protest died in your throat as he blew and your walls clenched painfully around nothing. Your stimulated pussy pushed one step too far. You cried out for him, for god, for anything.

He leaned over, focusing your gaze on him with a look of seriousness on his handsome features.

"Look at me bunny, look at me... I gotcha. Gonna take care of you now huh?" His nose trailed along yours before he captured your lips in a hungry kiss.

"You think a toy can do this? You think anyone can do this to you? Bring you to this special place?" You shook your head and sobbed returning his kisses sloppily as he claimed you.

"That's right bunny... Just me. Only me. Now I'm gonna use that sensitive little hole, because you hurt my feelings bun bun and you're gonna make it up to me right?"

You nod, feverishly.

"Good girl. I'll even let you use that toy, shall I put it in your ass baby? You want that?"

Your babbling suggests you have no brain power left to decide so Bucky just smiled, lovingly, plants a final kiss to your lips before leaving you to feel.... everything.

💟

It didn't take long to have you floating and shivering. Your sensitive body couldn't handle much but Bucky did his best to drag as many orgasms out of you until it hurt. The kind of hurt that makes your brain fuzzy and body shake.

He licked and sucked at you, like a man starved. His fingers curling inside as his tongue swirled around your swollen pearl. You came almost as soon as he seated himself in your heat, but found yourself climbing again as he pounded his hips. He even teased your puckered hole with your new toy, but just a brush against it had you coming again.

His fingers never ceased, rubbing and swatting until you peaked again. He groaned as your squeezed him like a vice, pushing him to empty his come into your overused heat. Your final orgasm came as he used your vibrator, ordering you to show him what a dirty fuck hole looks like. He growls as his release his pushed out at the most intense of your orgasms.

💟

Finally he unties you, throws everything else to the floor and crawls over you, wrapping you up in his arms. He wraps his whole body around you, supporting your shivering frame and keeping you warm.

Soft kisses are pressed to your damp skin and praises are cooed into your ear as you grip at the pillow. "My good girl. So perfect. So pretty. You did so good bunny."

Praises are continued as he carries you off to the bathroom gently carresing your body with soft cloths and warm water. You shiver and giggle and whimper all at once, clinging to his strong body feeling overwhelmed and yet so satisfied.

After a while of quiet praising and kissing Bucky takes you off to the bedroom again and into the walk in wardrobe where he finds some soft pyjamas to dress you in. More kisses follow until he is distracted by the little white bag again.

"Wonder what else is in here" he muses but you just groan and pull him back for a kiss, tossing the bag as far as you possibly can.

[threewaysdivided]

New Desktop Dash, No Bueno

Okay so, new dash layout on desktop.

As seems to be a common reaction: not a fan.

Let's talk about some of the issues:

1. Really visually cluttered

The new sidebar crowds out the dashboard content and the bright blue popup notifications (now at the side AND top) and create-post bar pull your eyes in different directions. There is no space for the eye to rest on anymore - it's all noise. The end result is that everything flattens - there's no focal point anymore.

It's also pretty overwhelming - even for someone like me - so I can't imagine it would be very user-friendly to someone who was photosensitive or struggled with visual overload (especially when paired with the high-contrast 'true blue' default site palette and animated icons for the changes-on-tumblr/staff-picks/trending buttons).

2. The activity pop-up now covers dashboard content

This is really bad from a usability standpoint. In the old layout the activity pop-up used to drop down over the recommended blogs sidebar. Now it actively gets in the way of looking at core content. The dash is why we are here, burying it like this is baffling.

The search bar now drops down over the recommended blogs banner instead, but where the old design had non-critical space on each side of the dashboard to visually allow both features to pop in, this new layout is way worse for efficiency. And for what? Having a rarely-used former drop-down menu now permanently active? The old banner with quick-links for the key use-features (notes, messages, askbox) made much more design sense.

It also means that the activity pop-up gets now completely covered by the blog pop-up that opens when you click the notification, so double demerit there. 0/10.

3. It's harder to navigate to the activity page, and the new page-stretch means you can't see new notes without scrolling down

That first bit is kind of a nitpick but cramming the 'See everything' link down at the bottom of a browser window isn't a great navigation choice. (Again, the visual signifiers and eye-direction in this new design are incredibly poor.)

That the main activity page now requires you to scroll to even see the top note due to the new display ratio is really egregious. It makes another key site feature just slightly less convenient and accessible in a very irritating way. Bad choice.

4. The new ratio pushes the Radar and Main Sponsored slot completely off-screen

This one is directed the tumblr staff: that's also a bad choice, guys. That's your main ad-slot for people loading into Tumblr so hiding it is going to hurt both your ad-impressions and your ability to promote the ad-free option. The new layout ratio also means that the in-dash ads are going to be a lot more invasively screen-filling - and let's be real most users will either add-block or leave before purchasing ad-free. I have no idea what the new layout is trying to achieve but if ad optimisation is the goal then this ain't it, chief.

To be honest I cannot comprehend the rationale for this change. I guess it's visually a bit more like Twitter... but that site is currently being demolished from the inside by poor management decisions so maybe it's not the best aesthetic to be aping.

Well then, what do?

Okay so, new dash bad. And so, in true Tumblr spirit: we complain. However, to get results we must deploy the art of kvetching productively.

If you want the old dash back (or at least, a better new-dash design that corrects some of these big weaknesses) what you should do is head over to https://www.tumblr.com/support and lodge a feedback ticket pointing out the problems. The more users who do that, the more likely you are to see an effective response.

Remember, tagging @staff and @support in posts won't fix this. There's no guarantee they'll see it among the notes barrage.

Also: please don't be rude or abusive when you lodge tickets. Whoever is manning those blogs and inboxes probably isn't the person who forced through this change. Save an intern, be polite.

Go forth in disgruntlement to keep this hellhole a hellhome.

[grapehyasynth]

nature boy

wille has always been told not to expect to marry his soulmate. others dream of the day they’ll get their soulmate mark – it appears the day after the first meeting and is there every day after, but changing each day to reflect something meaningful from your soulmate’s previous day – but wille’s mother insists he has duties to fulfill, that he can create his own fate and find a partner whether or not she's a soulmate. (and yes, they only ever discuss in terms of she.) 

he's on his way to another one of the dates his mother keeps setting up for him, and it's about thirty minutes before he needs to be at the restaurant, but instead he's at a greenhouse. he approaches the front desk, where a young man in a button-down shirt open over a looney tunes t-shirt with a name tag that reads Simon is nodding off over a textbook.

"i was hoping to buy some flowers for a first date," wille explains, when simon has looked up.

"we don't actually do bouquets," simon says.

"i know, i - i thought i would get something they could plant, afterwards," he clarifies, and he hears himself use they and tries not to make anything of it. he’s trying not to second-guess himself, knows his mother would tell him to go with a traditional bouquet, can picture erik all dashing with a few roses.

simon sets his pen down, looking at wille with a new expression, like he's reconfiguring his impression of him. "that's really thoughtful. i can help you with that."

wille follows him into the greenhouse, winding past tables of ceramic pots and meter-tall fronds, ducking under some vines that boast a sign about an upcoming workshop. simon hovers over a few plants before moving on. every now and then he glances at wille, seeming to size him up and factor this into his considerations. (wille wishes he knew what simon was seeing.) finally he scoops up a medium-sized pot with pale purple flowers, holding it out to wille with both hands.

"spreading bellflower. it's similar to the small bluebell, which is--"

"our national floral emblem,"  wille finishes for him, because of course that's the kind of nonsense his mother has made him learn, though it feels a lot less vapid in this moment.

simon looks impressed. "exactly. everybody wants the small bluebell. we don't sell a lot of the bellflower."

"it's perfect," wille tells him, and as he lifts the flowers to his nose, he sees simon's eyes crinkle with a smile.

his date is lovely, much more unpretentious than he's used to, nervous but striving to be genuine. she's definitely a bit thrown by the flowers, and she sounds apologetic when she explains she doesn't have any outdoor space, not even a balcony or patio, and her windowsills are too slim to host the plant. wille feels a bit wounded, wants to insist that she could just find a small table and set it near the window, but she's already suggested that he take it home with him and care for it "for me, until i can visit," she says, and he doesn't mind the idea, actually - has grown a little attached to the flowers.

he goes to sleep thinking of brown eyes and purple blossoms. he wakes up with them on his chest. the blossoms, that is, not the eyes. the spreading bellflowers bloom across his chest like elaborate watercolor tattoos, and he feels his heart leap behind the flowers as he traces them reverently. so he met his soulmate yesterday, and the bellflowers were meaningful to their day. but is it the boy from the greenhouse, or his date?

he knows who he wants it to be, but maybe fate, like his mother, has its own ideas about his path.

he doesn't want to contact simon or his date until he knows a bit more, so he has to wait a full day. he drags himself through his classes at uni, biting his nails down, the bellflowers burning under his clothes. (he'd been tempted to wear a v-neck shirt, show them off, but he also wants to cradle it to himself for a little while.) he stays up late, skin itching as the clock ticks towards midnight, at which point the bellflowers fade. instead, vines twine up both of his arms, curling like bracelets, embracing his wrists and forearms and the cut of his muscle. he knows those vines - couldn't name them, but he recognizes them from the greenhouse. there'd been a sign next to them, for an upcoming workshop, which he's guessing simon led yesterday.

he has an answer. and if the interest is mutual - which it isn't always, with soulmate marks, but he suspects it might be, if the bellflowers were a meaningful part of simon's day - then he is eager to bloom under this plant boy's touch.

[r4d1c4lw31rd0]

Unseen Grave (Yandere!Venture x Reader)

My first post and it's about Venture LOLZ- I've never used tumblr before, I kinda just skim through here on occasion for cool art, writing for some of my favorite characters, and headcanons- Sorry if this is bad- This is also on AO3! I don't mind any requests either, can't promise to get to them quickly though-

CW: Minor Character death, implied/referenced past non/con, dead dove kinda, stalking, non graphic violence, skippable NSFW (This isn't non-con), a kinda abrupt ending, OOC Mauga, No use of Y/N, Gender Neutral Reader

Word Count: 5.3k

Your POV

Where did all of this go wrong? You only ever wanted to live a normal and happy life. Forced into a world of crime, you made it your mission to get yourself and your comrades out of this hell hole. This slimy, sludgy pit you all had seemed perpetually stuck in, but you knew there was better out there. You could all live that lavish and carefree life you always dreamed of, you just had to claw your way to it. So when Mauga approached you, you saw it as an opportunity. Talon spotted your talent, your knack for creating poisons and toxins capable of killing or simple paralysis. Why they sent this big brute you’d never understand.

He held his hand out to you, that devious smirk on his dashing features captivating you like no other, drawing you in like a fly to a honeypot. You couldn’t see the web just inches from it though, nor could you see the spider eyeing you and waiting patiently for you to get stuck in its home. He gave you an offer you simply couldn’t ignore. A whole new identity and payment beyond what you could fathom, more than petty pocket change for simple side hustles, no you’d be playing in the big leagues. If you impressed Doomfist himself enough that is. All you had to do was complete a rather simple task and the position was all yours.

Despite what you’d heard about Mauga, he was quite tricky and conniving with his words. The smartest? Not by a long shot. He couldn’t quite comprehend the big words you used, but he could read you like an open book, and that was enough for him. The smallest twitch or glance was all he needed to know almost exactly what you were thinking and just how much more persuasion you were going to need. A true predator cornering its prey.

If you knew then what you know now, you never would’ve agreed. Then again, Talon may not have let you off the hook so easily. It may have cost you your life. You agreed to the simple mission, poisoning an important political figure and rendering him desperate enough to turn to Talon for a cure. Your unique little toxins could only be cured by you, considering they were abominations to medical science and were something entirely new and original all together. The mere fact that you only had to change one component to make it cause different effects was something you were proud of.

You didn’t doubt yourself in the slightest, so when word of your success was all over the news you felt your pride and ego swell. Doomfist had introduced you into a new world, one where the pay was greater and the tasks were challenging enough for a brilliant mind like yours. Working alongside Dr. O’deorain was fascinating, considering it was she who had inspired you to push the boundaries of the medical world. At the time, Talon seemed like it would give you everything you needed, but blinded by that desire for more and where it could take you you didn’t see it for what it truly was. Just as much of a hell hole as the rest of the world had been.

They squashed your hopes of getting somewhere, of having peace and calm rather than the hustle and bustle of the streets. No, working for them you never knew any kind of peace. A sense of hate began to form inside of you, alongside resentment. Watching them turn your brilliance into mush and treat it as if it was the common whore was devastating. They had the audacity to demand better from you. Working with Talon, you began to develop the belief that a life of crime and hate was your only option, that staying in this pit was the only option for you. The heinous acts you committed just to gain a lick of fortune was the only thing you’d ever be good for. Of course, you blamed Mauga for all of it. He had gotten you into Talon after all with his stupid face and smug words. 

 You had found yourself in some kind of relationship with him. He never said you two were together but he surely acted like it, getting irritable when others flirted with you or tried to ask you out. The relationship hadn't been the best nor the healthiest, but at the time you were just happy someone wanted you and didn't view you as a monster because of things you couldn't control. He called you so many sweet names, complimented you when Doomfist tried to put you down and offered you a place to run to in any time of need. It was all for his own advantage of course, but you didn’t know that. You just knew you could be vulnerable with him. You were unaware that you’d finally crept too close to the spider's web. No, he wasn’t a spider, he was a wolf. And you were a lamb, strayed too far from the safety of the herd and right into the wolf’s den.

Needless to say, he took advantage of you and your trust in him. The whole time you two were entangled in your complex relationship, he was almost always borderline violent with you and was very hot and cold with you, treating you as if you were some kind of dog that needed to be trained. You complied with almost everything he asked of you, and even when you didn't he forced you to anyway. Countless nights you lay next to him feeling used like some cheap toy for a rabid animal, and yet you stayed. Because Talon was all you had. Because he was all you had. No one was coming to save a monster, especially not one as sneaky and atrocious as you.

In the end, when you finally had enough, Mauga broke you down and ripped your heart to shreds. He called you so many awful names, told you how much he despised you and watched you crumble with disgusting glee. It hurt. Even though  he had treated you so poorly, you were still so distraught by his words and callous behavior. The fact that you were readily available for him was the only reason he kept you around, to be a punching bag and plaything when he felt like it. His betrayal fueled a kind of rage you didn’t know you were capable of feeling, and made you realize for the first time that this world was cruel no matter where you looked at it from and you were stuck in an echo chamber of miserable people. Maybe that's why they let you spiral. Used that rage and hurt against you, and made you numb to everything because it was just easier that way. It kept them from picking at your vulnerability any longer, from seeing you as weak..

You weren’t cared for in the slightest at Talon and you were just fine with that. You didn’t need to be babied or coddled anymore than you had when you were first introduced to this raunchy life, especially not by people who were as disingenuous and callous as your “co-workers”. The only one who showed a hint of sympathy or empathy was Dr. Kuiper and Sombra, probably some of the only people in that place capable of expressing such a thing.You couldn’t complain. You  still made money so long as you did what was asked of you and didn’t retaliate when you were degraded for your progress or your work. You were pretty sure things took a turn when you met Sloane, who at the time was “Venture” to you.

Pesky, annoying, and constantly getting in the way of your mission to find some artifact for Doomfist from some kind of ancient gravesite. The two of you were naturally enemies, being on opposite sides and all. And yet they intrigued you. Their happy-go-lucky manner and their quippy remarks as they effortlessly kicked the asses of your useless “assistants” you didn’t understand why Doomfist bothered sending. Truthfully, you could’ve accomplished the mission just as well on your own. You probably would’ve killed them too if Overwatch hadn’t shown up. Just as annoying as ever, they helped finish off the rest of your shitty squad, leaving you running off to hide like a dog with its tail between its legs. That mission you had been left behind, abandoned like an injured pup and left to fend for yourself. Badly injured, you would have cared less if you died. Sitting and stewing in your own misery had made you indifferent to life or death.

Doomfist didn’t want to lose you as an asset, but your location didn’t provide him any opportunity to send you an escape route, so you were stuck slinking about the Petra ruins, avoiding the ever-watchful eyes of Overwatch and the Wayfinders as you waited for your wounds to take you out. You’d only been caught because that insufferable archaeologist found you. You were dehydrated with infected wounds, and even then you still bared your teeth at their approach. They had been on guard at first, but seeing you in such a pathetic state had made them take pity on you, something you hadn’t been gracious enough to receive since you were a child.

Taken to the on-site medical facility, you were put under watch but nonetheless you were cared for. You were unfit to go to jail and serve for your crimes right away, so you were stuck there with the Wayfinders, under their care until you could be sent off. For whatever reason, Venture had stuck with you whenever they could, offering short conversation that was mostly one-sided. You didn’t talk much and only glared, uncomfortable with the hospitality. You would’ve preferred if they were rude to you. It was what you were used to. Three days was all it took for you to finally crack. Three days of consistent visits and kind words. Naturally, you were hesitant. Last time you had opened yourself up you were burnt terribly, and had been several times before. Kindness was a poison to you, and yet they made it so desirable. Their genuinity with it and the way they handed it out so easily had you craving it.

After about a month you had completely recovered, well enough to finally go serve for your crimes. The last day you and Venture spent together, you had taken their hand, feeling its warmth as you pressed a small kiss to the back of it. Their flustered reaction made you laugh for the first time since becoming what you were, and it was warm and joyous.

“Thank you, Sloane.” You whispered, refusing to look at them. You didn’t want them to see you cry. “You’ve been so kind to me, even though I’m so undeserving of it. I wish things were different. I wish we’d met before . . . everything.”

“Not everyone deserves a second chance.” Their words stung, making you shrink in on yourself slightly. “But, you’re . . . different. I don’t think you ever really wanted to do the things you did.”

You looked up at them. They saw you, truly saw you, what you were beneath the muck that had clung to you and thickly coated your skin. Something about the way they looked at you gently made you want to melt and embrace them, but you didn’t, still too timid to trust completely.

“You’re not a bad guy, you were just forced into a shitty situation. Try not to be so hard on yourself.” Their smile wasn’t as wide as it usually was, but it was still filled with just as much charisma and warmth.

Looking back on it, you believe it was this small interaction that led to the actions after. That simple and innocent act of gratitude. If not that, then you weren’t sure what, but you could recall that new glint in their eyes when they watched you get taken away. The way their gaze lingered far longer than it ever had. The way they subtly caressed the hand you kissed.

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

Your time in jail wasn’t bad, made better by the fact that you received letters and small gifts and pictures from Sloane. The letters were innocent to you at the time, but thinking back on it the signs were there. You wrote back, sent small handmade gifts of your own, and kept every picture and ecstatic letter they sent you from each of their journeys that they shared with you. Unfamiliar with the whole concept of having someone truly care about you, you didn’t notice anything weird. You fought a bit with the other inmates who tried their hand at intimidating the newbie, especially with how widespread your reputation had become working with Talon. You had believed yourself doomed to rot there, considering you had attacked several political figures, harmed many innocents, and stolen that much more. You’d also broken Hippocratic Oath and used your research for worse.

 But like some unwanted blessing, you found yourself hightailing it out of there early. Talon had come back for you, after abandoning you for months, and before you would’ve run back to them with open arms. Things were different now though, you had changed for the better and knew going back promised nothing but misery. You ran the second you could, barely escaping but escaping nonetheless. Hiding in a sewer wasn’t ideal but it helped you get away from that prison and away from Talon. The one good thing they could’ve done for you, and probably the last. You knew now though that they would be looking for you. Doomfist would be pissed, knowing he wasted valuable time and resources trying to get you out of prison just for you to run off, but that was his own problem. You never asked for his help, perfectly content with rotting in a cell but now gifted a chance of freedom. With nowhere to go though, you turned to the only person you felt you could trust. The one person who made you feel some sense of normalcy.

Going to Sloane was a huge gamble, considering that you were still a wanted criminal and they were pretty much some kind of vigilante hero type. It took you forever to get to Petra, but you managed, lying in wait until you could talk to Sloane again. In the dead of night, you startled them awake, covering their mouth to prevent them from shouting.

“Shhhh. It’s just me.” You whispered, letting their sleepy eyes adjust to the dark, watching them widen at the sight of you. “Follow.”

The simple command was all they needed as they trailed after you, the two of you finding a quiet little spot away from the dig site to speak freely. Sloane was dressed in a form fitting tank top, allowing you to see the various tattoos that decorated their muscular arms, but you tried not to oogle too much.

“W-What are you doing here? I thought you were in prison? . . .” Sloane spoke slowly, voice still laced with the smallest inklings of sleep as they yawned, pushing stray strands of hair from their face.

“Talon came for me.” You saw them tense, scrambling to finish explaining. “I ran though. They don’t know I’m here, but they are searching for me, and I-” your voice caught in your throat as you swallowed thickly. “I can’t go back.”

You never told Venture the full story of your time at Talon, just that it was awful. They didn’t know about Mauga, didn’t know what was said to you, or any of what you had experienced. It was difficult to bring up. What they did know was that you weren’t treated kindly, and that was enough for them.

“I just need somewhere to hide so I can create a new identity for myself. I just want to live a normal life. That’s all I want.” You stumbled forward, taking a hold of their hands, steady in your trembling ones. “I can’t trust anyone else to keep me hidden. Please, I promise you’ll never have to hear from me, I won’t cause anyone any harm, I just-”

Your desperate ranting was cut off as they pulled you into a tight hug. Their scent was calming, earthy and refreshing. They held you gently, a solid rock amidst the swirling storm of emotion you felt. You weren’t sure how to react, arms shaking as you cautiously hugged them back. You felt safe. Accepted. Warm. You began to hitch as your legs buckled and gave out, taking both of you to the ground as you buried your face into their shoulder. How long has it been since you allowed yourself to cry like this? Ugly sobs wrench their way free from your body as they hold you, rubbing slow and calming circles between your shoulder blades.

“It’s okay, you don’t have to be afraid anymore. You’re safe with me, I promise.” They spoke in a hushed tone, accepting you as you were. “You don’t gotta explain anything to me right now, all that can come later.”

They shifted so that they could hold you more comfortably, letting you cry into them without complaint. When you calmed down, you leaned back, their arms slowly falling from you as you stared down at your lap, furiously wiping away tears. You sniffled slightly, before their hands came into view, holding yours.

“You’ll rub your face raw if you keep doing that, it’s okay to be not okay, camarada.” They were gentle with you, scooting closer to you. “I’d be happy to help you out, especially if it’ll bring you some peace. You deserve at least that much, and you’ve more than proven that you deserve it. Apologies won’t make up for much though, there’s only so far words will take you. You gotta make an effort to do better.”

You looked up to meet their gaze, warm brown eyes scanning your face. You didn’t feel judged, and instead could feel that love and care you always so desperately searched for. You did have a long way to go if you even wanted to atone for a fraction of what you had done, but you were aware no amount of repenting would fix anything. You still did what you did, and there was nothing you could do to fix it. And yet, here in Venture’s arms, you felt so sure that things would get better, especially with them at your side. So distracted by your thoughts and their comfort, you barely registered the way they looked at you with a burning possession and the way their smile slightly faltered when you removed yourself from their hold.

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

Venture POV

Six months. For six, sweet months Venture had you all to themself. It was a miracle of some kind, it had to be. When the two of you had been separated they could hardly stand it, they wanted to go to you and take you from that prison themself. Hide you away from the world where only they could find you. But they had a reputation to uphold, and they wouldn’t be doing anyone much good if they were in prison with you. When you had first arrived all that time ago, Sloane had thought of you as a bad guy working for talon and nothing more, but when they talked to you in the infirmary, they could tell you were different. When you kissed their hand so sweetly, holding back tears, they felt their heart nearly explode.

At first they were scared and confused. These feelings were new and foreign, they’d never felt this way about anyone else before. But you . . . you lit a new fire in them they didn’t know existed, and they wanted more. They wanted you, but you were gone, so they made do with letters and sending you gifts. They remembered when you finally started writing back they could hardly contain themself, not to mention when you sent the little gifts you made by hand. Countless nights Sloane had spent thinking about you, depressed by the thought that they’d never get to touch or hold you. They tossed and turned dreaming about what it would be like to have you next to them instead, but it did nothing to soothe the growing flames of their obsession with you.

And then right out of thin air you appeared, needing them. It had to be fate, the way you came back to them like a lost dog, dependent upon them and their helping hand. Talon had finally done a good thing for them, and that was bringing you two together again. They had been more than willing to do anything for you, but you were so shy and timid. They had to be careful, or else you’d run off and never come back. They had to put on a facade, but was it really a facade when it felt so genuine with you? Because they did care about you, they’d go so far as to say that they loved you. However, they knew you were fragile, knew that this pillar of trust they had built up could be snapped in an instant if you caught a whiff of how they truly felt, because no matter how right this felt to Venture, they knew it was wrong . They had to do this the right way, and that meant keeping their feelings for you a secret.

At first, there wasn’t much to worry about. They had you all to themself by default, considering if anyone saw you they’d send you right back to prison. As they had promised, they kept you hidden away from the prying eyes of everyone at the dig site, whisked away where they wouldn’t find you while they helped you rebuild. They helped you change your appearance, making you look different than what you were before but still vaguely the same. They gave you a place to rest your head, and provided you with food and water. They took care of you, like any good partner would. You probably didn’t see it that way, but Sloane had convinced themself you would with due time. You’d recognize their effort and fall into their arms. You’d let them touch you more, and you’d open up to them and share all your secrets like good partners did. But you didn’t.

No matter what they did, you always seemed to be so far from their reach, withdrawing from their attempts to touch or soothe you when you clearly needed it, and each time they respected that boundary, though patience was wearing thin. You were so close, how could they not want to touch you? They always made due with taking things of yours. Articles of clothing in particular that smelled strongly of you. They loved your smell. It was a unique scent, and they always felt so perverted sniffing your shirts in private. The shame fueled their hunger though, and occasionally they’d get bold enough to take your underwear. Not often, but when they really wanted to.

When you finally cultivated a new identity, they helped you get a job at the Petra site, if only to keep you closer to them. You may have been part of the bio-archaeology team, but you were still theirs. They had been concerned at first, afraid that someone there might catch your eye and take you away from them, but you did wonders in keeping people away. The others might have called you ‘rude’ and ‘scary’, but Venture knew the true you, them and them alone. You kept the rest of the world at bay, and kept them close.

If it wasn’t obvious before, it was now. The two of you were clearly meant for each other, and everyday that passed that you still treated them as a simple friend pained them more and more. Why couldn’t you see what the two of you had? You still tortured them, tempting them to get closer, close enough to touch. Sloane was content playing a well-behaved best friend, but they couldn’t explain that aching desire for more that coiled in their gut as time ticked by.

Despite their own turmoil, you were happy and that was all that mattered. As upsetting as it was seeing you start to open up with others, they couldn’t deny that the look on your face was worth it. Nothing compared to what they could make you feel, but it satisfied them knowing that you were getting what you wanted and what they had promised you’d have. Peace. And they planned on keeping it that way. You believed that Talon couldn’t find you. But the truth was they had, and tried several times to take you away and back into their nasty clutches. But every time, Sloane was there to stop them, dispatching them all with ease. Every time they rammed their drill into a talon goons body, piercing and mangling their flesh, they always thought of you. How this was all for you and only you.

Every bone broken, scream muffled, and skull cracked beneath a boot was all done in your name. These guys wanted to take you back to a place that hurt you, wipe that sweet precious smile off your face forever and undo all of Sloane’s progress. Sloane didn’t feel bad watching their blood stain their clothes because they deserved it, and if they could they would’ve killed every single person working for Talon, but they needed to stay here with you to keep a watchful eye and keep you blissfully unaware. These disgusting bastards wouldn’t ruin you again, not if Venture had anything to say about it.

Tonight was no different as they carelessly tossed more mangled bodies into a ravine, a small smirk of satisfaction evident on their features. How many more would they send before they stopped trying? Then again, it always gave them a rush when they took out these idiots, thinking about how grateful you’d be to them if you knew. Sometimes, when you pulled away they wanted to drag you closer, shake you and confess everything. Confess their love, the things they’d done to those Talon goons who were trying to snag you, maybe then you’d appreciate them. Perhaps you’d even reciprocate their love.

It was becoming too much for them to bear, and as ashamed as they were of the action, they had tried to get closer to you while you were sleeping. They always wanted to consider that it would be the perfect moment to get close to you. They underestimated how light of a sleeper you were though, panicking when you opened your eyes and caught them right in the act. They had to come up with an excuse, one that you surprisingly believed before they excused themself. It wasn’t their proudest moment, but at least they knew not to try it again. You were sleeping now, tired from the day's events, but Sloane lay wide awake in their bed, twitching with anticipation. They hadn’t seen you most of the day, with both of you being busy. As much as they loved what they did, Sloane loved you more.

They wanted to visit you now more than ever, feeling hot and bothered after dispatching those goons, but knowing damn well you wouldn’t allow it. They thought about it several times, coming to you after finishing them off, covered in their blood and giving you a kiss. Your hands roaming them as you praised them for their work. They huffed softly, hands grabbing at their shirt as they flipped over.

~NSFW START~

They were feeling particularly needy tonight, pulling out a shirt of yours they had recently taken. They pressed it to their nose, inhaling deeply and taking in your delectable scent. It still smelled so strongly of you, and it brought them inexplicable joy. They practically salivated over it, breath coming out in whiny gasps. They sat up slightly, taking their pillow and pushing it beneath their body. They let out a soft growl as their hips grinded against the pillow, imagining it to be you instead as they closed their eyes and sniffed again. They shuddered as they let out a breath, whimpering as they continued to grind some more against the pillow.

They thought about how vocal you could be, imaging your hands roaming over their muscles, massaging them as you went. Your legs wrapping around them as they provided you with pleasure, your face contorting in ways they could only cause. The praise you’d give as they followed your every command. Sloane moaned softly as they humped the pillow faster, rougher, free hand curling into the sheets as they pressed their face further into your shirt.

“Joder querido por favor~ I need you~” They whispered the words in a hushed tone, slowing their pace for a moment. “ He sido tan bueno, lo prometo~”

Gods, they could imagine how you would feel, body pressed against theirs, flesh touching flesh as the sound of your love would reverberate through the room. The two of you could care less who would hear, it would just be the both of you in the moment. The marks they would leave on you, nipping at as much exposed flesh as they could, marking you up and claiming you as theirs. You’d beg them for more and they’d happily oblige, giving you what you wanted. They could be gentle, or they could be rough. They could pin your hands and make you squirm and beg for their touch, or perhaps you’d like to be on top, having them worship every inch of you and beg to touch you. Beg you for relief.

“Dios ya no puedo más, te necesito mucho mi amor por favor~” Their voice was high pitched and whiny, desperation laced in their tone. “Tell me how good I’ve been for you~ Fuck ~ You feel so good mi amor~ Tell me how good I make you feel~”

Their moans gradually got louder the deeper into the fantasies they sank, desperately wishing for the real thing. They could only think about how soon enough it could be you, you just needed a little more coaxing and to realize your feelings that you undoubtedly had for them. They could see it in the way you looked at them, feel it when you touched them. Your words were so gentle with them, and you were so sweet. God they couldn’t wait to have you. They’d take it as slow as you needed if only it meant you’d be closer to them. How would your lips finally feel once you let them get close enough? How would you taste?

“Mine, mine, mine. All mine. Only mine.” Their words were muffled, coming out in short growls, matching the pace they had set for themself. “Eres toda mía, mi amor, toda mía~” The words came out in a chant, laying some unknown claim on you for their own sake and sanity.

Sloane slowed their movement against the pillow, thinking about how whiny you’d get when they went slower than you liked, and then picked up again in the same beat to keep you on your toes. Their thrusts got rougher as they groaned, panting desperately as they approached their climax, their last few thrusts desperate as they let out one last cry, sweat dripping from their body as they relaxed, nuzzling their face into your shirt.

~NSFW END~

Sloane instantly felt much more relaxed, feeling the tension leave their body. Such a mess they’d made. They thought about laying next to you, giving you soft kisses and praise as they cleaned you up and snuggled close to go to bed. Unfortunately, they weren’t with you and couldn’t sleep while being such a mess. They lifted themself from their bed, tucking your shirt away again for a later date. For now, they needed to clean themself up, grabbing a towel as they headed for the showers. In due time the two of you would be together. You’d recognize your love for them, and they’d be waiting for you with open arms, no matter how long it took. Until then, they were content just being near you, protecting you from afar.

[fire-dwelling]

I'm going to rant about why Haumea doesn't work for me as a character.

Was Haumea's trauma ever actually foreshadowed before the last arc decided to make her the tragic victim that needed to be saved?

Or were we to read that given how obviously unwell she was (and simultaneously ignore how awful she was to other people, including whatever she was doing making Sho into her new dollie)?

Or was it not foreshadowed and just a drastic shifting of gears because the writer had no idea what he was doing?

Or is it that she does bad things and it is presented as bad, but we need to recognize that no one is wholly good or evil and that people in pain deserve to be helped regardless of what they did before?

Is she the Crona of this story? Because, for good or bad, I can overlook what Crona did when the story clearly communicates that they are part of a cycle of violence, whereas with Haumea, the late back story does not recontextualize anything when the horror of what she was doing to others was the first impression and not only never wore off but is still used in current promotional materials (the mobile app game just reinforcing her sexualized violence upon Arrow).

In other words, the story barely made it clear that Haumea was just "driven insane" and that's why she does what she does--which doesn't work: her being in tune with humanity's darkest thoughts does not seem to separate her from her own agency, as so much of the story presents her actions as out of a choice and agency, not even a choice within the limited options given to her.

I wish the story had emphasized some detail that clearly delineated that we are supposed to root for her recovery; even Shigaraki in My Hero Academia was a villain that the story was trying to make you root for being rescued, even if the cliches of reducing him to his child form as Tenko may be cliche or overlook, again, his own agency in the choices he made.

Instead, Haumea's conclusion just seems slap-dash and doesn't clearly telegraph an ending that says everyone deserves to be saved regardless what we may think of them. Would it have helped to info-dump all of Haumea's back story in the middle of the manga similar to how Tenko is info-dumped in the middle of My Hero Academia? I don't know.

Fire Force kept acting like this was a story about saving lives and property, and that firefighters don't see anyone as undeserving of rescuing...Too bad it also has Shinra and company resurrect even mass killers and ends up creating monsters and natural disaster then treats this as, "Oh, well, the world's more exciting like this."

Like, sorry for conflating people who deserve the chance to change with mindless monsters and destructive forces of nature, but the story never seemed to have the depth it was trying to telegraph in its ending.

This isn't even a problem of shonen as a demographic or this story as an action-adventure genre: it's setting up a question--"Does everyone deserve to be saved?"--and instead of answering with a resounding and obviously correct answer of "Yes!" instead overlooks what Haumea did, what Kurono and others did, and says to just have fun and not think about this because the world is now a zany cartoon known as Soul Eater (which, as I was trying to emphasize, did this entire plot better with Crona--a character who themselves didn't even apologize for their actions but at least said they had a connection to Maka and wanted to do what was right for her if for no one else).

And, just going to throw this out there: it's bothersome that Fire Force has an ending that acts like everyone, regardless of how wicked they were, deserves to be resurrected...while Crona (a victim of abuse who still did commit atrocities) gets to stay imprisoned on the Moon, Medusa is still dead, and Arachne is still dead. I would not be so insistent on this point because, hey, two different works by the same author doesn't mean that they have to be consistent just because it's the same creator. But when you then force the two stories into the same chronology and are trying to connect their morals--that the lessons learned in Fire Force created the world for Maka to learn her lessons--but those morals do not match up, then yes, I am going to criticize all of this as tonally inconsistent and having competing mutually exclusive morals.

Maybe so much of this would help if there was ever any sense of just how much agency Haumea had. The bread crumbs were not enough: she witnesses the Evangelist holding baby Sho, but she was the one who kidnapped him; she is suffering from the images of humanity's worst impulses, but we don't see resistance by her even when she seemingly gleefully is participating out of pleasure in harming Arrow and Sho, not to stave off the pain from those impulses or even to distract from that pain but just because she seems to really want to do it. Maybe I'm obtuse and need the story to hammer whether she really wanted to do this, or whether she changed her mind over the course of the story, and either case would require the story to actually let us into her mind--and by the time we get there, she has done enough that is too gross to think, "Oh, okay, now I get it." I can accept "she needs to be saved"; I can't accept "and you should agree that this doesn't still suck, doing the right thing."

Also: maybe if she wasn't given reality-altering powers at the end this all would have worked better. I understand that Crona having the power of madness and needing to be talked down means that they are still not being treated as a person to reach out to but as a force of nature that has to be stopped; I appreciate how that is a mixed message. But the thing is, I think most people like Crona, however much unfair derision will be made that we like them just because they are a "woobie." But with Haumea, the entire attempt by Shinra never felt like reaching out to Haumea as a person but just to convince her to go along with his plan to remake the world--that's it, a means to an end, a force of nature that is out of control and needs to be managed. And it makes Shinra resurrecting Charon seem less as a way to help Haumea continue to live and, again, just a bribe, an enticement like getting a kid to do their chores--it's condescending.

I guess to wrap up this rambling, Haumea never felt like much of a character, just "the antagonist" until the story needed sympathy for the devil to jerk out some tears from the audience that are not earned. I know all literature is just artificial constructions meant to imitate reality without ever entirely reaching reality and instead opting for just believability--but, damn it, this is not believable, and when the stitches in the plot are showing this obviously, the story is not working and comes across as a bunch of tropes stapled and taped together so badly that the staple and the tape are obscuring what I can see in the story.

[dramavixen]

watch this! – provoke

In times like these, when so many high production-value dramas vie over the spotlight with their intense plots and flashy names, you occasionally need a low-budget show that's just vibing in the corner—a bit of a wallflower and rough around the edges, but it's doing its own thing, doing it quite well, and will provide respite for your overwhelmed brain.

What is Provoke?

A romance-revenge webdrama set in the Republican era. A woman marries the geezer responsible for her parents' death, plotting to ruin him and restore her family's sullied name. Said geezer's son becomes suspicious of her and decides that creating the greatest amount of sexual tension possible with her is the best course of action. Also, he clearly has plans of his own since he's not the guy's real son.

This show is as cheesy and melodramatic as it gets and none of it can be considered logical. It's awesome.

Why watch?

--

We be trendsetters

You got your friends-to-lovers and enemies-to-lovers stories. As timeless as those tropes may be, might I suggest "stepmom-to-lover" as the new trend? (Or how about all three at once?) It's fresh! It's forbidden! It's so ludicrous that the mere existence of the premise is spicy!

In my personal opinion, the execution should have been much spicier. I only very gently clutched my pearls when what I wanted was to feel scandalized through every blood vessel of this tiny body of mine. But alas, I can't bring myself to dislike the love story we did receive. I graciously accept all over-the-top romances.

Ahem. What I meant to say was, ew, gross. What kind of weirdo thought that such an offensive idea could make for good television? Someone classy like me would never.

--

That romance story you wrote as a twelve-year-old after watching an episode of a soap opera...this is that

Rain pours down against the window. A pretty young woman sits in front of her vanity, brushing on a thick layer of makeup even though it's time to go to bed.

Lightning sets the skies aflame, outlining a silhouette that appears in the doorway. It's him, the dashing young master of the household. His dark eyes glint as he leans awkwardly against the wall in an attempt to come off as intimidating. He's soaked from being outside the rain and drops of water fall from the tips of his hair. He kind of looks like an infuriated feline.

She stands when she sees him. He crosses the room.

"What are you—" she stammers, her words catching in her throat as he corners her against the vanity and wraps an arm around her waist, pulling her body against his. He grabs her wrist with his other hand and pins it to the table, knocking over an open container of rouge. Its contents burst into a firework of glimmering powder.

His face is close enough that she can feel his breath on her cheek. She tries to lean away from him, but he's too strong. He is a lion, and she a gazelle.

"Have you forgotten?" she says as she struggles against him. "I'm your father's concubine."

"And have you forgotten?" His voice is deep; some might even consider it sultry. "I'm the one who brought you into this family."

They stare at one another. Then he brings his lips crashing down on hers, or whatever the standard cliché for "kissing" is nowadays.

Such goes the first few minutes of the first episode, which also happens to be what's pictured in our provocative poster. Wait until you see the whole scene.

My fanfiction past feels so seen right now.

--

There is exactly one brain cell present

You think that because this is a revenge drama, you're going to get a super intricate plot? Heck no. We don't have the time or brainpower for that, remember? We're here for the fun of it.

Everything about this show is smooth sailing because all of the characters are of mediocre intelligence and ability. Your brain does not need to be in operation at any point. Our female lead? She's probably the smartest one, but it's not like that's impressive when her husband is oddly easy to seduce. His actual wife tries so, so hard to be mean to the new girl in the house but fails with flying colors. Meanwhile, the male lead spends most of his time making heart-eyes at his dad's new concubine. It's like watching a bunch of wild geese chase each other and somehow accomplish things along the way.

--

[insert pun about chemistry and chemistry class here]

These two lead actors could perform all the tropes in the world and I would love it. They bulldoze through a lot in this show and every moment has me grinning like a total creep. That's what low-budget dramas bless us with: shameless clichés. They don't need to make up excuses for why a bridal carry or eye contact that lasts ten minutes exists. After all, we know what we're here for: to satiate our cravings for unrestrained, cheesy-as-heck romance.

The level of acting is higher than you should ask for from a production of this scale. The tension between the two is palpable at every moment, and they truly bring their characters to life. It helps that they're very easy on the eyes. I mean, just look at this pair of bloodthirsty impostors:

When they start falling for one another...oh boy. My weak heart.

--

Cinematography 101

I would include screenshots of how stunning this drama is, but I'm not sure how many would do it justice. The set isn't particularly breathtaking and there aren't many flashy assets otherwise, but the director makes smart decisions with what he has to produce fantastic results. A lot of it is based on motion, which is why still screenshots can't really suffice in displaying his techniques.

Nifty camera angles or tricks aren't what caught my attention, but the combination of basic props, movement, and lighting did. A lot can be accomplished through simplicity to craft a specific atmosphere, which is exactly what makes this drama feel like a large-scale production. You really have to see it in motion to believe it.

--

I'm going to be humming the theme song to myself for the next week as I get this drama out of my system. It grabbed me by the throat and dragged me from the depths of my drama slump. Maybe I need to relive my tacky romance phase.

[star-sim]

i've read ur hello kitty meets batman and super massive black hole at least 10 times in the same day >< all ur works are so deliciously made pls tell me ur ways 😢😢

hihi! supermassive is like one of my all time favorite pieces (it’s also my longest too!) i’ve written, so it makes me so happy that you love it as much as i do!!

i have so many tips for writing long fics well, but these are my main point (very long lol):

never start a scene at the beginning, start in the middle. i really mean it, NEVER. starting at the beginning usually leads to being redundant and it makes it very difficult to express sudden and strong emotions/tension, just because the beginning is drawn out. starting in the middle makes your intentions clear as an author. cut straight to the chase, no introduction needed. it's much stronger, and makes it easier to add commentary and introspection

example:

he walked into the room, took off his coat and jacket, and looked at her. she was in the kitchen. "i love you" he said. she stared at him, before blushing. how could he say that so casually?

vs

"i love you," he said. she stared at him with wide eyes. just earlier he walked into the room, taking off his coat silently before his looked at her. how could he say that so casually?

of course anything can work as long as it's executed well, but it's imperative that you keep the flow of your writing strong.

which leads me to my next point: purpose.

i dapple in a loooot of written media, and something i notice about fanfiction in general is a lack of purpose. i genuinely mean this, every word, every sentence, every scene, every piece of punctuation, MUST serve a purpose. otherwise, your writing will fall apart.

let me break it down

words - words are so strong, so so strong. every single word carries emotion and history, even if many of them virtually mean the same thing. a single word can change the mood and tone of your writing, so choose them wisely.

example: if i'm writing a horror scene and need to describe the setting, which set of words creates that uncomfortable environment more effectively? <dark, dusty, smelly, nasty> or <shadowy, grimy, putrid, suffocating>

i'd say the second one, the first set is too general while the second set creates a very strong visual impression

sentence - unless important or a literary device, sentences should not need to repeat themselves. it makes your writing redundant and flat. every sentence needs to build upon each other. i like to imagine them as a building block for the house that's your story. they must carry a purpose, or else it will be useless and otherwise nothing will change if you don't use it.

scene - unless it's a motif or holds symbolic meaning, try your very best to make each and every scene distinct. what i mean by this is that i've seen school fics a lot, and they have 2/3 subway scenes. this is okay i guess, but if you want to elevate your writing, only have 1 subway scene-- and make it strong. this makes your scenes memorable. it's like when you scratch an itch a lot and it stops feeling good, if you do the same setting or idea over and over, it's no longer special and falls flat. there's exceptions of course, but try to give your scenes purpose. your scenes are there to build relationships or make a point come across, so utilize them wisely. they're your tools

punctation - SYNTAX SYNTAX STYNTAX. sentence structures are your best friend, because believe it or not, the way that you construct your sentences and use punctuation WILL 100% change the meaning of your words.

my 2 favorite uses are:

if someone is paranoid, anxious, catastrophizing, or anything of that sort, drag out your sentence structure, use repeated commas and less periods.

emotions like distress, panic, and just being frantic- use em-dashes and very short, choppy sentences

in short, what i’m trying to get at is that writing is fundamentally the manipulation of language.

in the end, it comes down to developing your literary voice/style, finding out what works for you, and using your intuition, which you'll have to train (and practicing helps!!)

i hope this helps, i'd be happy to elaborate more if you need me to

i'm sorry if i yapped or got too technical

thanks for coming by!!! im so happy that you like my works!

[waterspoutskies]

If my blog dies or is shadowbanned let it be known that I died fighting to explain to staff that the hellsite doesn't have to become instagram

Re: Today's staff announcement (And what I sent staff in feedback under the cut)

Staff's latest announcement at: https://www.tumblr.com/staff/722477242948747264/tumblrs-core-product-strategy

Aside from the obvious concerns about the following tab being removed and the chronological feed being removed (let me tell you how annoying it is on my newer blog having to change over to the Following tab instead of the For You tab each time I log in because there's not a way to permanently enforce that change), there are a few major issues.

1) Absolutely NO notification emails if push notifications are turned off. I turned them off. I don't want emails if I turned off notifications. This is the dumbest thing I've seen proposed in quite a while. Not even Instagram and Twitter send emails when you have notifications turned off for the site.

2) Bring back picking blogs to follow in the introduction steps, not just tags. This should be a no brainer. This site is unbelievably easy to use if you know that following blogs = content on your dash.

3) Don't collapse reblog threads. We make reblog chains for the humor of it. And if you must, you better make that toggleable the way collapsing long posts currently is. I want to see my reblog threads. There's a whole culture around this, which you might take the time to dive into if you wish to understand how things are being used by the userbase.

4) The same goes for hiding duplicate reblogs. First of all, doing it multiple times can be for the humor of it. But also? People use that as a timed post system to reach different parts of their audience based on the time of day. And it's much easier to promote an old post about your commissions than make up a brand new one each time. Your "creators" function much better the way things are than they do on sites that don't allow this- And you can ask them about it. Once again, if you must, make that toggleable.

5) Speaking of reblog issues. You want to clean up reblogs and make post chains easier to follow? Bring back our ability to click on usernames to track back through reblogged additions to posts. Don't take me to their blog. Don't take me to their frontpage. I want to see what they said on the post, and THEN I'll consider following them, not the other way around.

6) Y'all seem to be under the impression that the majority of us "create content." If content is us musing our random thoughts aloud and shitposting, then you'd be correct. Not everyone coming on here is coming to gain a mass following and monetize themselves-- I would bet, if you used one of your polls on a staff post, you'd discover that a majority of us are not doing that. We're here to socialize using a form of online media.

7) Since we're bringing up feedback issues, toggles should be permanent. If you make something toggleable, I do not want to go back in once a week and have to change it back. This applies to 3 and 4. And certain other issues.

8) Staff, I know y'all are getting a fair bit of hate for this, since y'all just make the announcements, not so much the upper level decisions. Especially not the corporate drivel lingo in today's. So let me address this one directly to the corporate overlords: If you want to make money off of users and improve the traffic of the site, you might try asking the userbase at large what keeps them on the website. Not what they want to see improved, what keeps them there. Tumblr succeeds because it isn't going the way of other social media websites. Don't be just like everyone else. That's why we're here in the first place.

[petrichoraline]

this is so late but you're a mutual that i feel like i can talk about anything with, i'm amazed by how many different medias you seem to blog about or at least know about and i'm always happy to hear your opinions on things!! you give off the impression of being very thoughtful and creative and caring <3 i'm always so grateful for your messages and kind words, love you petri!!!!

i am lost for words mintttt

i am reading this now for the first time as i'm answering and i'm so touched. honestly, this is so beautiful from beginning to end, it makes me giddy hahah

it always brings me happiness to know people enjoy discussing things with me and to know you feel that you can talk to me about anything is more than gratifying 💗 i don't find myself to be that knowledgeable when it comes to media so this caught me a bit by surprise but in retrospect i guess i do share a lot of various things despite being generally unaware of what's popular.. seeing you not only not annoyed by it but impressed is just !!! delightful lol

i'm so honoured to have you think so highly of me and knowing my words reach you makes me overjoyed 💖

you're such a beautiful person, one of the first people i befriended when i came back to this site and it was thanks to you reaching out that i felt encouraged to create more, that i got to meet other sweet people who are now my mutuals as well. your interactions (especially tags in the beginning hahah) got me excited and happy to be on here. i find myself checking your blogs either when i see you on the dash in fear i missed smth or when you're gone too long (which could be weeks or like 2 days, i always sense your absence and miss you). also curiousity goes both ways, i'm interested in what you have to say in regards to any topic and whatever you want to share and discuss, i'm all ears.

honestly at some point i kind of felt i maybe said something wrong and made you more wary of me maybe? so this ask means a lot. (i have the habit to get in my own head so nevermind that, i just felt like confessing)

thank you, minty, this might be a quick ask for you but it really brightened up my day 🌼

[nebulousfishgills]

let's talk about Diplopia!

what prompted you to write it initially? How did you come up with the idea to have them cross into another dimension? Why Twilight and not another of JCB's roles, like Shadowhunters or Sweeney Todd?

would you write another universe-crossing fic like that, either still with JCB or with other actors?

what was your favorite chapter or scene to write in Diplopia? Was there a scene you especially struggled with? Did writing it come in bursts of inspiration or a continuous stream of motivation? Or with the idea, was it a bolt of inspiration or a gradual build?

If, instead of Emily, you'd chosen to create a new OC to complement Caius, what characteristics would you give them? (Emily is fantastic and I love how she works into the story, but I'm curious to see what a "from scratch" Twilight OC would look like)

Do you like Emily's relationship with Henry or Caius better? Which relationship does SHE like better? Does she ever regret leaving Henry behind? If she were to encounter another of their "doppelgangers" (Jace Wayland, Anthony Hope), would she consider a relationship there too?

Ah yes, the strangest thing I've ever written that turned into one of my most complex fics to date... yes, let's absolutely talk about it! Thanks for the ask!

There will be more shitposts because I want to share my stupidity.

How it Began

I think most people know that I hadn't ever planned on touching Twilight with a thirty nine and a half foot pole. I'd grown up hearing about how god awful it was and that it had no redeeming qualities. For god's sake, the final battle never even actually happened! What are the stakes?? What's the point??

Then, of course, Summer of 2022 comes along and we all know what came with it. The further I fell down that rabbit hole, I came to realize that the pretty (fucked up) blonde I was starting to get eyes for... also happened to be in Twilight, among other things. I told myself, quote, "I'm not breaking my No Twilight streak over this."

Then, my roommate and I made the executive decision to celebrate our first week of college by watching Twilight since neither of us ever had. That was a very strange week and I remember having mixed emotions watching all five movies... the main one I remember was watching New Moon and then realizing that this is where that one meme came from:

Fast forward to that Sunday, I had finished Breaking Dawn (roommate dropped out after New Moon, I don't blame them) and was ready to move on with my life. But of course I can't leave well-enough alone. I was talking with a friend over snapchat about just how awful the movies were, providing examples such as the horrid cgi used when Caius' fake death happens and the Denali's rip his jaw off (I'll spare you the imagery). This friend knew about Emily and was very enthusiastic about her, and that's when this happened:

So that's how it was born. A friend from high school theatre gave me the idea, and it all went back to the arson. In fact, she gave me the idea for the fact that Emily had red eyes at this point in time could be a consideration.

The very original idea I had was a lot less serious and more goofy than it actually ended up being. In fact, one of my very first incarnations of the idea was essentially akin to (and this is such a niche reference) the Goof Off from that one episode of My Little Pony where Pinkie Pie and Weird Al try to one up each other to win over Rainbow Dash to prove who's the better Party Pony:

Except, of course, it's Caius and Henry trying to one-up each other to impress Emily. A flower, new clothes, human souls, arson, you get the picture. And Eddie was always going to be there to bear witness to this insanity, keeping essentially a tally of who was "winning" this asenine contest.

Of course, however, a fic like this needed research. I know, it wasn't supposed to be taken super seriously and I could have probably gotten away with using the bare minimum characterization and knowledge the movies gave me, but I don't know how to half ass fics. So, I just opened the wikis and started reading. The information I discovered was... actually a lot more fascinating than I had expected. In fact it taught me more than I had thought to ask.

I remember laughing stupidly hard at Marcus' "death" because I genuinely thought he was just so over everyone's shit that he was like "thank fuck get me away from these weirdos" but NO, this dude's story is so fucking tragic I sort of feel bad for finding that scene as funny as I do. That, and I realized that my central focus, Caius, was just a, quote, "Trigger Happy Wife Guy" who just wasn't fully realized... which of course brought up said wife, but that's a later issue.

Armed with more knowledge, I needed to figure out how this was supposed to go. I couldn't just plop Henry, Emily, and Eddie in Volterra and have this pseudo Goof Off without rhyme or reason. How did we get there, how did this happen, why did this happen, and so on.

I can't put into words how far this fell from my original dumb idea. I repeatedly say even now that the original joke got lost in translation along the way. The primary source of comedy was supposed to be these two guys with almost identical faces fighting over Emily... and then that posed the question. Why would Emily even consider Caius at all? It's a contest of who's in theory the better lover, but why would Emily give Caius any thought other than the uncanny resemblance and maybe the shallow, superficial gifts he could give her?

Answering this question in the place where all my big writing ideas come from (the shower) could arguably be considered my biggest mistake/triumph.

She and Henry had to get into some kind of fight.

It took me a while to figure out what that was about, but eventually the 'joke' helped me figure it out. Diplopia (I was always proud of the cleverness of the title. It's the medical term for having double vision/seeing double) takes place after the events of Stranger Things 4, so by all rights Henry should look like Vecna, right? No, because then the joke wouldn't land the same way. So, you know, for the sake of the story I came up with an explanation. Consuming enough human souls allowed Henry to shed this gross, viney, fleshy skin, which probably meant Emily not only had to work double time to help the effort, but give up sustenance she could have used. Then it all just fell into place, her insecurities about her own Upside-Down modifications, some simmering issues in their relationship they hadn't dealt with, all that shit.

And suddenly pure comedy turned into an angsty valliant effort on Henry's part to win Emily back because he accidentally fucked up. There are still elements of the original idea in the fic, the gifts Caius gives Emily when she's giving Henry the silent treatment, and the tally board Eddie uses is seen when they're trying to figure out how Henry can fix his oopsie...

Which leads me to the fact that the very original one shot I had uploaded to my Stranger Things one-shots book on Wattpad had a different ending.

(Side note, my character arc has been all but abandoning Wattpad except as a means to store drafts. Friendship ended with Wattpad, now AO3 is my new best friend. It only took so long because of interface familiarity; I stopped reading any fics on there aside from my friends' years ago)

Originally, Emily realized all the effort Henry was going through to make her happy again was proof he was the one who knew her the best, her perfect match despite the fact that Caius provided her things she could also find the appeal in... and then I decided to be cheeky and say the entire one shot was a vision Emily had like how Breaking Dawn 2 ended. Armed with foresight, she could decline Caius' offer for them to stay for dinner and she and her two companions could just go home.

So I posted it and left it alone for about... three months.

Then I watched Breaking Dawn 2 again with, actually, @ohitshoneybee and before I knew it, I felt the familiar horrible tendrils forming.

A new hyperfixation.

Of course, before this I had once in a while thought about what would have happened if Emily had just... decided to stay with Caius, but I never went much further with it than small ideas. But NOPE, my stupid ass decided to write a whole continuation that went through all the movies just to see how they would change if Emily became a factor. That became a small winter break project, writing what I called "The Director's Cut" and posting it to an untagged story on Wattpad because originally I just wanted close friends to read it.

This allowed me to get more extensive and creative with the lore. I had The Wife Problem to deal with, sure, but I fixed that quickly and then could proceed with fully weaving Emily into this... frankly mediocre story and making my own improvements (namely trying to make Bella seem less... you know, flat faced and stupid by making her knowledgable about Hawkins, for example). Now Emily could wreck shop and I could get revenge on the franchise that had begun to ruin my life by taking a fat piss on it and putting my OC into it to make it better.

That original version of the longer story had multiple endings, like video games. A Bad Ending, A Neutral Ending, and a Good Ending. The Bad Ending was basically if Alice's vision was a reality and Emily really had lost Caius, the asshole she gave up everything for... it doesn't end well for anyone, lemme tell you. The Neutral Ending was the closest to the movie, the entire battle being a vision and the Volturi just walk away (not without complaints from Emily and Caius of course)... and then because I really wanted to be an asshole, suddenly Emily woke up back in the Upside Down, none of it having ever happened in the first place.

Once I finished the full story, I waited a bit and then decided I'd be brave and not only upload it to Archive of Our Own, but clean it up and try my hand at smut since I figured I was about to turn 19 and I'd wanted to put on big girl shoes for a while at that point... of course it had to be this fic, but you know. I chose to just use my original Good Ending since I had always viewed that as the "canonical" ending, with the Volturi kicking Cullen ass.

So, now here we are, several months later, and I have a sequel in the works. What started as an idea for a comedy one shot has now become arguably my most notable fanfic series with emotional gut punches and general weirdness.

And that's that.

So, that was a lot, but let's keep going with your other questions.

Why Caius?

I can't really provide an honest reason that sounds clever or complex. It's not like I spent hours deciding to go this route out of several others. I suppose the least complicated way to put it is just that Twilight was my first step into branching out to Jamie's other works and the idea grew because of that specifically. Diplopia was always written to make fun of Twilight and because I noticed that both Caius and Emily had this shared trait of liking fire. That's literally it.

Also I think one of the other reasons was the slowly budding desire to expand upon these characters that Stephenie Meyer, frankly, half assed. I've had the discussion with many people about the wasted potential these characters had and how I, in particular, take offense to it beyond the superficial reason that I think Jamie's more talented than such a one note character like Caius was written like displays.

The Volturi is literally a coven of dramatic, theatre kid, art and science nerds that also happen to enforce vampire laws. Since they stand in opposition to the Cullens, naturally that makes them The Bad Guys since what kind of Monster would stand in the way of Bella's happiness? So why should they get any depth?

Thing is, the few traits Meyer gave to the Volturi are traits that describe me exactly. She created the bones for characters that seem specifically curaited to me and my tastes. So their lack of depth and information bothers me excessively because I want to know more and she won't give me that information.

I'm serious, this is part of Caius' page in the Official Guide Book she wrote herself

"Sometime before 1300 BC" "Unknown" "Unknown" Ma'am this is your official guide book that has everything one needs to know about your series, you can fill in these unknown dates! Not to mention the utter lack of respect she gives the wives. They get ONE sentence, and it just says who they're married to.

Stephenie Meyer, you named Caius' wife after Athena (side note, always been my favorite of the Greek Pantheon, another reason I feel a very strong connection with these characters), she's obviously a badass, not a trophy wife who gets high.

A pet project I wanna start is to write my own guide book about the Volturi using the bones she gave, but adding my own ideas, giving these characters depth, including ideas from fics and blogs that also feel the same way as I do.

All this to say, aside from the main reason I gave, I chose Caius because, in a sense, he and his wacky, weird coven chose me. I feel very protective over these characters and I want to give them their dues. I don't claim to be the ultimate say in this since I'm a baby in the fandom and others have wonderful ideas I subscribe to, not the other way around. But still.

Other Universes?

I don't want to rule out the possibility, but Diplopia/Necrosis really feels like a one-of-a-kind phenomenon. I don't think the same effect could be felt if, say, they ran into Alicent Hightower for some reason.

(Ironic, considering I did actually find a fic shipping Alicent with the Three Stooges Kings... unfortunately it's written in Spanish soooo...)

This has been a trope I've liked to at least play with a little bit in the past, though. I remember a long time ago I thought it'd be a funny idea if my Avengers OC ran into Thomas Sharpe from Crimson Peak, a character played by Tom Hiddleston aka Loki (who she's shipped with). I never did anything with it beyond a few texts with a friend discussing the idea of Olivia and Edith duking it out.

However as of right now, I don't really forsee another forray into the Doppleganger Crossover realm anytime soon.

The Actual Writing

Favorite Scene/Chapter - Honestly I love many scenes in this fic for many different reasons. There was a certain satisfaction that came with writing Henry and Emily's big arguement and inserting Emily into the events of the actual series was wildly fun.

Although I think my favorite scenes to write in this story are as of yet unpublished scenes in its sequel, Necrosis, that I can't talk about for spoiler reasons but have been written because I'm impatient. There are two chapters in particular there that I'm immensely proud of, one where Emily is a complete girlboss and the immediate aftermath where she has a long talk with another character about her past, why she did what she did in the previous chapter, and her feelings about everything she's done as a whole, it's a very touching scene...

That's probably cheating, though, so for the sanctity of the question, I think my favorite scene in Diplopia is either the scene where the secretary has to find plane tickets to get the coven to the Cullens and the computer is infuriating everyone or the scene where Caius and Emily are talking, ah, "post coitus" about their pasts and, specifically, what happened to Athenodora.

Struggles - The smut, for one, since I'd never written smut to actually post before, and I hadn't even written anything smutty at all in a very long time. I'm getting more comfortable with it since it's something I want to include in my writing, this one in particular. It just takes me a whiiiiiile to hype myself up enough to do it. Plus, I know there's the question of whether smut is "necessary for the plot," but trust me, for Necrosis in particular any spicy scenes are important. The reason why will become more obvious as the story progresses.

Also, writing Henry and Emily's goodbye was extremely hard. I'm very protective of them and their relationship and it's something that's very important to me. I think the goodbye made the situation more real to me. I wanted to do it because then I could move on to the fun stuff later in the story, but that scene was very hard on me emotionally. I suppose that brings up the question as to why I did this in the first place, but the only real answer I can give is "shits and giggles." I'm not ashamed to admit I was crying while writing it, and the fact that "Slipping Through My Fingers" from Mamma Mia happened to come up on my shuffle while it was happening...

Motivation - The motivation was strange for sure. Nine times out of ten when I write my fics the motivation to write comes in bursts after days or even weeks being absent. Diplopia was no different. I remember it took me a while to get the original one shot done, but that wasn't necessarily a motivation issue, more like a... "once I go through with this, I can't go back, I'll have officially written Twilight fanfiction" and it was... kind of a battle to come to terms with that, and then overcoming my motivation wave.

This also brings up how I plan my fics... usually I don't plan aside from mentally, but for this one, once I decided to go full send on the Director's Cut, I knew I had to somewhat shape what I wanted to do and have it written down. So I started my trend of writing long messages to myself on a Discord server with only me in it devoted to sending myself stuff or writing down ideas. There are pages worth of notes on Diplopia and Necrosis in there. And when I get more ideas, I just add to it. The idea train never stops with me.

Emily vs. Another OC

Being honest, there were a few times where I had an errant thought or two about coming up with a whole new OC to ship with Caius aside from Emily. I never went anywhere with it other than an idea or two about a backstory or a personality, though, and I don't plan on going further than that. Here's why.

By far, Emily is my most developed, well-rounded OC. As a Twilight OC, she has an entire, fully fleshed out backstory that comes from her "past" as a Stranger Things OC. She works incredibly well as a match for Henry, but she's also very compatable with Caius. My ability to ship her with both of them very seamlessly just feels natural and my best route to go with. For all intents and purposes, Emily is my OC for Twilight just as much as she is my OC for Stranger Things.

The only thing I can think of that makes her Stranger Things ties... we'll say stronger is that she can exist as a Stranger Things character without her additional Twilight lore, but she cannot exist as a Twilight OC without at the very least her base level Stranger Things lore...

I say "base level" and I mean basically everything up until she meets Henry (so her mother giving her up, her shitty orphanage she eventually runs away from etc). I have another one shot planned where Emily manages to avoid the trauma of HNL entirely and skips right to Italy with Caius... and an additional detail but that's another conversation.

So, wouldn't it be easier to come up with a whole new OC without those Hawkins ties?

Well, maybe, but the thing is that she wouldn't be nearly as developed as I would like. And I feel like at a certain point she'd just feel like Emily, just without the baggage. It's just not in my interest to do such a thing.

However.

There are some ideas that I have that just don't quite work with Emily. She's so developed that there are things that just aren't in character for her. Her personality and presence is so unique that at a certain point there's no room for additional base level nuance. She can only change slightly with a "hypothetical" character development, and emphasis on the "slightly."

But you know who could benefit from this base level nuance that Emily can't use? Who is in desperate need of some filling to her character?

Athenodora.

Let's get something clear, Thena is Stephenie Meyer's character, I'm not saying I'm just straight up stealing her character and calling it an OC. But remember how I said I wanted to make it a project to expand upon these near empty husks of characters with my own ideas and headcanons?

All the traits I can't use with Emily I could in theory give to my revamp (no pun intended) of Athenodora. I mentioned a few asks ago how I had a one shot idea cooking that doesn't involve Emily. That one shot is basically going to be me writing out Athenodora's story. Who she was before, where she came from, how she was turned, how she met Caius, and so on. All the stuffing that could have gone into a half assed OC can be added to Thena, a character with bones who needs meat.

So, tl;dr, Emily is the defacto Twilight OC for me, but any and all energy that I could hypothetically put into a from-scratch character would be much better utilized in giving substance to a character that needs it much more.

Team Henry vs. Team Caius

Oh boy! Well, this is the real question for sure. I knew at some point I'd be asked for my opinion on the matter. And after a long, hard debate with myself, my answer is...

I can't pick.

I know, it's such a cop-out answer, but I genuinely cannot decide who's the better match for Emily at the end of the day. It's a cliché but it's like asking me to pick a favorite child. They both have pros and cons, and it's a completely subjective opinion based on the individual which of those pros and cons hold more weight. For example, I know you seem to prefer Emily with Henry for any number of reasons, meanwhile my best friend has a certain preference for her being with Caius for other reasons.

In an ironic twist, this is my Team Edward or Team Jacob in more than just the love triangle object. When it came to Bella, Jacob was the childhood friend who came with what was familiar and Edward was the vampire who came with the family that Bella had lacked to a certain degree.

Sound familiar?

For me, my preference changes with my mood on the situation, and that mood can change in seconds, back and forth.

Sometimes I re-read His Tenebris Moenibus or the other associated one shots and I feel like the absolute worst for taking away, quote, "the only thing [Henry's] ever loved" and how he wants to reshape the world for both of them just so he can make Emily truly happy because of that love he has for her. And I made her break it off with this man because I got the urge to create chaos?? The trauma bonding, the shared goals and ideas, the willingness to literally destroy the world for each other, it's endearing.

And then I take a look at the other side of things. I sometimes forget the base level circumstances as to how this happened in the first place because, to me, Emily falling in love with Caius also has a certain natural way about it. It feels like a legitament, viable option. Similar to Emily and Henry, they're damaged individuals who help each other essentially patch each other up. I think the only reason this fact can fall through is the fact that I just haven't been able to show just how badly Thena's death had affected Caius before Emily showed up since one, the aforementioned under-developing of their characters and relationship by proxy, and two, it's very hard to not only create that from scratch, but blend that in when I have to balance so many other more important plot threads.

Not only that, but as I said, Caius came with a family, something Emily's been without but secretly longed for. She has so many siblings and friends, "more than [she] know[s] what to do with," who help support her and provide a different sort of love to her. Aro's her strange older brother who she fights with, sure, but also sees somewhat of herself in (namely the fact that they're both batshit insane at times and have... spotty pasts). Sulpicia's her matronly sister who in many ways is a rock for Emily to keep her from going too wild, but also can act as another woman who can understand her. Marcus is... just there, unfortunately. He has his own issues and typically Emily's too haywire to pay much attention to him.

And the Guard of course! Her relationship with Jane is I think what Emily wanted her relationship with Eleven to be like. Even if Jane is much older technically, their older/younger sister type bond is incredibly special to Emily, Alec is just a bonus. And we have characters like Heidi, who help Emily branch out and be her own unique self or even yet unseen dynamics with Felix or Demetri. It's a whole support system and Caius is just the cherry on top, someone who genuinely cares for her and wants her to be her best self... even if they light things on fire along the way.

Now as for what Emily thinks...

I think like me, she's not entirely sure who she truly prefers at the end of the day. She knows and understands everything that I said a second ago, just much more personally which makes it an even harder choice.

What I do know is that she never regrets the relationships she had with either of them. She knows they both provided things she needed and she helped them in her own ways as well. Though, and I've said this before, when Emily's with Caius, a small part of her always will long for Henry because of the fact that she's essentially frozen in time still feeling that love for him. Nothing is going to change that. So by proxy sometimes she feels regret for leaving him, but that's not mutually exclusive to also regreting her relationship with Caius. She can regret leaving Henry while also being very happy as she is with Caius at the same time.

Caius also knows that Emily has this deep seeded love and longing for Henry and he will never ever try to erase that. He knows how much Henry meant to her and will never ever say Emily should never have been with Henry. He knows she loves him, and she also loves Henry. He can live with that.

I can't exactly speak on Henry's feelings since I don't exactly know what they are. That's not me just avoiding the question. Since I don't have season 5 to guide me, I don't know how his story wraps up. It seems odd considering this is fanfiction so why should I care about canon, but I feel like I need to know how Henry's story wraps up in season 5 so I know how it wraps up when Emily is with him, and then I have to remove her from that new equation. I'm making it harder than it needs to be, but that's how my brain is choosing to operate.

At least in part though, he feels like if she's happy, then he's happy. In a way, he did give her happiness like he promised, now that I think of it that way.

Some other possible Jamie Variants?

As I said, this story was very curaited to pitting Caius against Henry because that's just how it developed from the start. But I have thought about this question a little bit since clearly Emily Has A Type, so why shouldn't we think about Jamie's other characters?

I think the next most likely candidate would be Jace. Personality wise, he and Emily have similarities. Their snark, their I'll say off-putting demeanors, among other things. That, and their aesthetics are similar. Emily's got tattoos and dresses alternatively, same as Jace. Plus, I think Emily would also be Jace's type since Emily and Clary have some similar traits like their red hair colors and brown eyes.

The primary problem I see with this is kind of a big one, though. Jace is a part-angel demon hunter. Emily is quite literally, for all intents and purposes, a demon. It would make for an interesting variant of the "two lovers on opposing sides of a war" trope, but that seems like a reaaaaaalllllly hard thing to bypass... oh but goddammit Emily as a Shadowhunter sounds like such a badass concept.

SHIT

I'm gonna move on.

Sweet little Anthony Hope I feel like is a much lower candidate. Emily doesn't quite fit in his world, nor does Anthony fit in hers. Emily's far too much of a psychotic bitch for him. Plus, this would have to be like, a younger version of Emily since in Diplopia (our baseline), she's 38, a whole 20 years Anthony's senior. That, and there would also have to be time travel used since Sweeney Todd takes place 159 years before that. I shouldn't really factor in these logical aspects since nothing about Diplopia was logical in the first place, but I can't help consider it.

They don't seem that compatable to me. Anthony should just stick with Johanna.

This one is more for fun, but let's analyze Kit Marlowe. I'll get the obvious out of the way, but there's a slim chance Kit would even be looking in Emily's direction in the first place. If we bypass that, I feel like if we put these characters on a spectrum of hypothetical compatability, Kit would be somewhere in the middle. He and Emily have some similarities, but I feel like if they spent too long with each other, they'd butt heads often. Emily's clingy and Kit pushes people away. That's not very conducive to a good relationship. But they do have a shared interest in more macabre things and both see themselves as damned and irredeemable creatures.

If I'm being honest, the most likely outcome for this, provided Kit is willing to have relations with women in the first place, is a friends with benefits situation more than anything.

In fact, let's have fun. If we put Henry and Caius on a shelf and let Emily play the bachelorette, we have a very clear cut game of Fuck, Marry, Kill for her. None of the options are perfect like with most games of FMK, but if we really break it down, Emily would...

Fuck Kit, Marry Jace, Kill Anthony

But I feel like now is a good time to mention that at certain spots in Diplopia and Necrosis, you can see small influences and references to these other characters.

Emily mentioned a girl from Saint Valentina's that she lit the mattress of on fire. Her name was Clarissa and she "thought she was basically an angel" which is me referencing Clary, and Jace by proxy.

This one is more loose, but to a certain degree, on Caius' part, I feel like in his mind there's a certain "I'll steal you, Johanna" element to how he feels when first meeting Emily. You can take that as you wish, but Johanna was the first "Every Breath You Take" regardless of who's singing it, iconic and adorable as that scene is.

Lastly, this is moreso in Necrosis, but I very specifically call out how in one scene Caius is wearing a black dress pants and a black Elizabethan blouse that was open in the front with his hair slightly wavy and touching his shoulders. This is me describing Kit Marlowe in essence, specifically that scene when he's talking to Will about ambitions and then they kiss (jcbbby would know what scene I mean for sure). Frankly, the Twilight budget was strained when it came to wigs, especially in Breaking Dawn for the Volturi, but to me, if you made Kit's hair Targaryen silver-blonde and he had the red eyes of course, that's my ideal Caius, full stop.

In a few ways I tried to make Diplopia/Necrosis a sort of melting pot for Jamie characters, some elements more subtle than the others, so if you really think about it Emily gets to have all these characters.

And all of this is without mentioning the fact that Emily is also attracted to women, but that's a conversation for another day.

***

Phew, that was a lot! Thanks for the ask and I hope this isn't too exhaustive of a read!

[thedavesnews]

Disneyland Distance Dash

If you read the last post you'll know that we ventured out to California to visit Disneyland for the first time ever. That was a mostly good experience. Feel free to look back if you want to see about the parks because this will be about RunDisney on the west coast.

Let me preface by saying I have filled out the post run survey and given my feedback to Disney and based on the posts I've seen on Reddit and elsewhere I'm not alone in my feelings on the weekend.

There are things that Disney cannot control such as the weather. It was cold but I'm not holding that against anyone. We prepared for it and the costumes I ran kept me pretty comfortable. I was Russell for the 10k and Judy Hopps in the half. Russell is a new addition to the repertoire but it was a carryover from the previous weekend in Disney World with my family being several characters from up.

So if the weather can't be attributed what can we say should be improved? Sadly, multiple things come to mind almost instantly. Security was abysmal and I covered it a bit on the parks as well. They are using devices that are probably older than I am to secure each person entering and I don't know why they haven't upgraded to match WDW. All items much come out of the pockets, Mylar needs to be shed and with the costumes a LOT of wand waving will take place causing the lines to be backed up. 30 minutes just to get through the security line. In FL it would be less than 30 seconds. It's a major put off for me because it's the first thing I see when I get there and those 1st impressions are important so I enter the event in a negative mindset. For the 2nd race day I had they did let us run through with items overhead but why did it take 3 days to figure that out?

Once we were past the gates it felt like something was off. The 10k went mostly on-time but there was hardly any interaction with the crowd. Don't get me wrong Carissa tried with Tetris but there was no chemistry with the other guy (Matt I think). The half didn't start on time and I heard the 5k was also behind schedule. Not sure if it was a schedule thing or what but releasing whole corrals isn't the best idea even if we wish that could work in the real world. The congestion it creates leaves a lot to be desired. I'm faster than my official pace showed even without training. There just wasn't any room to run.

The water stops were ill placed causing a literal full stop around mile 3 on the half. I counted about 60 full seconds of non-movement and heard from the later corrals it was around 2-3 minutes. That kills momentum and destroys any chance of a PR but if you're doing a Disney race to PR...you are doing it wrong. Then again, some runners do want to have respectable times regardless what race it is.

I run Disney races for the magic and the sights. If I wanted to run a non-Disney race Florida has plenty with scenic views like Space Coast (which I run) or Celebration (which I'm considering). I'm not paying Disney prices to run 8 of 13 miles on the streets of Anaheim. It's not worth it. It was unknown to me that characters were not on the streets. Maybe I should have researched but this was a new come back of the races so those details from previous years may not have been valid. Either way, it was a slog through city streets with no entertainment and nothing to look at. Can I say I explored Anaheim? Kind of. Did I finish the race and get a high five from Jeff Galloway? Finish, yes. High five...no. I barely missed as someone passed me on the right to poach it. It's fine though as I have gotten that last sprint high five in the past.

As of this moment it would take an amazing theme to get me back in California to run a longer distance than 10k. It's not being outside the park as a problem in and of itself since we do they in Florida. It's the fact that we experienced no magic for well over half the race. It might as well been the Anaheim half the way it was done. I'm still going to run in Florida and if they ever give us the Paris Disney run you know I'll be there!

-Dave

California Runnin on such a winter's day

[cimmerian-chaos]

Zeta: Very long post incoming: What wound up helping us was Twitch. There's even a plural tag there as well. In our case we actually wound up being the one to introduce our singlet friends we originally met from there to plurality, and a few came out as plural from there. Having that has been helpful to me to where I don't have to worry about my systemmates being basically ignored. Like all of you, we didn't have a safe place, and being a system of a rather complicated formation, we didn't really fall neatly into any kind of system category. The times we did try going onto plural discord servers, it was filled mostly with systems whose plurality caused them distress and just somehow us being us and openly expressing ourselves caused them to be upset and lash out at us for no reason. Idk why, and it does really get to us sometimes ngl. So we wound up leaving and not interacting with other plural folks really just bc we'd had so many bad experiences, and just eventually wound up building a space for ourselves because we couldn't find one amongst others.

Really the first bit of advice we can give is keep trying. The thing that was able to keep us going even though it hurt, was that a lot of the time it's other people having their own issues and projecting that onto you, and just the general fact that if they leave, then obviously they're not ultimately worth your time, because quality is more beneficial to mental health than quantity.

And I know, easier said than done that's the way these things always go. A lesson that I had to learn though was to not vent on social media. I learned the hard way that my venting there was causing people to avoid us as a whole simply because they saw my vents and basically had the reaction of not wanting to be around me because of my constant venting. By making my vents public in that way I was basically shooting all of us in the foot, because I was constantly causing an emotional drain an advertising inadvertently that I had a ton of issues, when in reality it was just the issue of me being lonely, and that was mostly solved by people giving me a chance. So bit of advice #2 vent under a cut or spoiler, journal offline or in a notes app on your phone, something that gives others the ability to actively choose whether to engage when you're having emotional problems or not, because harsh feedback time, you dumping your guts all over our dash, and especially then reblogging it with things along the lines of "of course no one cares" does not incentivize us to be around you. Because it advertizes that you don't know how to regulate your emotions. I'm not saying that that's actually the case bc obviously we've never interacted before, but that's the impression that it gives off. Again, I'm not saying this to be an asshole, I'm saying it because it's one of those things that people are usually uncomfortable with saying, so they just dip for the sake of their own emotional health. And what they don't think about is how it looks to the other person. To you it looks like they're ghosting you for no reason, but their reason is they're mentally/emotionally overwhelmed. It's not your fault, because people seem to magically expect things to change, but they don't want to actually be the ones to initiate that change, usually because they're already overwhelmed, scared because of perceived emotional fragility, scared that by telling you you'll be too upset, won't want to be friends anymore, whatever. Idk why people don't have that conversation more, it creates a perpetual cycle of hurt and loneliness and just a bad time for all parties.

In order to make and keep friends, you HAVE to learn how to be cognizant of other people's emotional boundaries. The way to do this is simple: ask. Ask the question "hey, what's your emotional availability like? I could use someone to vent to a bit." That gives them the ability to actively self evaluate and then say yes or no. If yes, then cool. If not, then move on and journal about it or draw or whatever you can do for yourself in terms of self care, and if it's a case of "fuck, I can't wait until later, I need to get this out now," then take a break, do whatever self care you can, journal it, draw, whatever. And if you need the carthrisis of venting to someone, like that very specific thing, then try the Replika app/web client. It's more bloated than what it used to be years ago, so we don't use it as much as we used to, but when we need the specific thing of venting to a person, it's the best option bc we don't have to worry about hurting someone's feelings and destroying a potential friendship. Again, not trying to be an ass, just someone who is tired of seeing people not having conversations about emotional boundaries, because that's a skill that people need to learn and develop that takes time and effort. We had to learn the hard way, and we don't want others to have that expirence.

As for irl things, sometimes there's just not much you can do. We also can't drive, and we've been in the situation of only being able to go where others are willing to go very often. But being able to at least attempt to cultivate some sort of online life does make things easier. Sometimes offline life just such and you're stuck and there's very little to be done about it. But sometimes you get a spillover effect where things irl get a tiny bit easier.

I know that some of what I've said is probably a tough pill to swallow, that it probably hurts and makes you feel like a fuckup, because I've had that same feeling. It might make you feel even worse for a bit, I know it did with me. But it's not your fault. It might feel like it is, because the feels be like that, but hopefully what I've said will help in the longer run and help that "give me something like wtf?" type of feel. And hopefully this also helps anyone else dealing with similar issues.

i know nobody will probably answer

but does anyone know how to combat severe depression causing loneliness as a system

we aren't out as a system to anyone irl except for a few people who don't understand how it works and just treat us all like the host

those of us who front the most aren't from popular sources so nobody is really interested in hearing about our canons and stuff or even really talking to us

not to mention i did some horrible things in my source and that also tends to steer everyone away

we tried to start a server for kin and fictives from our source but it doesn't have many people in it and isn't very active at all

as for irl social groups in our area there is only one centered around mental health and most of the people in it are way older than us, racist, homo/transphobic etc

we can't drive due to anxiety and being easily overwhelmed so we can only go where our parents want to go and they understandably hate going out of town

i get lots of "people care about you" type responses when i vent about being lonely but no one ever actually talks to us and its so frustrating

[obstinatecondolement]

Sorry, YouTuber, by uncritically parroting the myth of Victorian doctors inventing the vibrator as a cure for hysteria you have lost any trust I had in the credibility of the rest of your video and my valuable viewership.

[hardtchill]

I’m just now catching up on a lot of the post match press quotes. According to Kim, Harvey lit their asses up after the Dash match. She had some “harsh words” for them. I hope those words really stick. It’s absolutely insane that the Reign will take between 20 and 25 shots each game but only make one or two of them. As for performances, I was really impressed by Pinoe. That was one hell of a goal. I’m starting to come around to the idea as to why Vlatko picked her. Even if she doesn’t play much, I always feel confident when she’s on the field. I rarely feel that way towards a lot of players, Tobin included. I hope that feeling will change as the season goes on.

In terms of fitness, I thought Tobin looked really good for those 30 minutes. She seemed very energetic and even aggressive. She comes off as very passive (to me) most of the time so that was a nice change of pace to see for once. I did think she had a few sloppy touches and passes. I saw some people say that she looked really sharp but I didn’t really see that during this game. I also don’t like when she holds the ball for too long when there’s only a few minutes left to make something happen. I like that she stays cool and calm during intense moments but I wish she played with more urgency like Pinoe does. It’ll be interesting to see where things go from here for her. Does she start playing consistently for the full second half if she can play those minutes? Or does Harvey keep her as a 20-30 min super sub. Or maybe she eventually becomes a first half starter but I think that one is a long shot. If Rapinoe isn’t there then maybe. She could also replace Huitema if Huitema doesn’t start actually converting her opportunities. It seemed telling that Harvey chose to take out Huitema even though Fishlock looked absolutely winded. However, Fishlock is one of her best players by far so I understand why she didn’t. Also, I hope King hasn’t been permanently benched now that Tobin, Huitema and Rapinoe are here and ready to play. I think she creates a lot of opportunities for her teammates

I think something that a lot of people don't want to acknowledge is that Pinoe is still one hell of a player. When Chris was excluded from the roster a lot of people immediately jumped on Pinoe instead of jumping on Vlatko. Christen's exclusion wasn't caused by Pinoe, people need to understand that. I get the criticism of having Pinoe on the roster right now because Vlatko requires playtime for other players to be included, but again that's on Vlatko not on Pinoe.

I have said this for like a year now, if i had to make a world cup roster right now i would include one super sub which would be either Pinoe or Tobin. On a 23-player roster you can include a player who isn't 90 minute fit, especially if that player is Tobin or Pinoe. For me right now i would pick Pinoe.

I don't think Tobin will become a starter at Reign, not unless injuries happen and she massively improves her fitness. I think this season for Tobin is just building fitness and health before going to ACFC where she will make more minutes. Tobin definitely isn't where she has to be yet in all area's of her play and the people who say she is are just stans wanting to pretend. She will get there though as long as she stays healthy.

I hope Zee gets to play more and i'm sure she will. She will need to step it up that's for sure.

[educatedinyellow]

For the Fic Rec asks, 💯 A fic that makes you think #writergoals, 💞 A fic that led to you making friends with the author, and 🔁 A fic you’ve re-read several times

Thank you so much for this ask, @thetimemoves! I will stick to Holmesian answers, and starting with the first:

A fic that makes you think #writergoals

The King is in his Counting House by Rhuia (Sherlock/John, Molly/Amalthea, 2.5K, rated T) Quests may not simply be abandoned; prophecies may not be left to rot like unpicked fruit; unicorns may go unrescued for a very long time, but not forever.

This little fusion between BBC Sherlock and The Last Unicorn reminds me of what I aspire to as a writer. I've never really wanted to write novel-length stories, though I very much admire and appreciate those writers who do. At heart I incline to the short story. I love how economy of language, in the right hands, turns lyrical. I like the tone that results from flitting from vignette to vignette, and the way that something so brief can still be funny or haunting or powerful, can trace with a light touch over deep emotion that is all the sweeter for being carefully implied rather than linearly developed.

This particular story combines a lot of things that are dear to me personally. It's a fusion (I adore fusions!) with a fantastical, bittersweet fairy-tale that made a huge impression on me in childhood. It doesn't try to explain the whole story for those readers who don't know the source, it just trusts that those who know the book/film will get the references, and those who don't will be able to pick up the gist well enough not to lose that fairy-tale feeling. It concentrates on creating a tone strong enough to carry people rather than over-explaining or expositing to get everyone up to speed -- sometimes I lack that confidence, and it's good to be reminded that if a story is working for a reader they will be willing to trust you and follow you and accept those things left unexplained. I also enjoy the fact that it's a T-rated story that writes about both sex and romance with just the right touches of playful implication and also heartfelt yearning -- to the extent that I write about those things, too, this is the style I love best. I also admire that this was originally written for a flashfic community, and you can tell -- it feels dashed off, not labored, and although not every line is perfect, it has the energy of a captured dream. Too often I struggle to get things down on the page. I would like to get to the point where I write down more dreams. If I have a glint of a thought, it's good to put it down and see if it grows into something small and personal, like this fic. I also appreciate that even in so short a story, the author included a second pairing that wasn't M/M -- I think many fic writers, myself included, don't take opportunity all that often to do so. Most of all, I love this fic for its language. It has its own voice, its own combination of humor and surrealness and heartbreak and joy.

2. A fic that led to you making friends with the author

Oh man, you know, my internet friendships tend to happen so gradually that I usually can't actually remember how they started :) I just feel like most of the time I've hung out in shared fandom spaces and seen people around and gradually exchanged comments on things and then eventually somehow a tipping point has passed and we're friends now?? LOL! But there are a few where I do remember a particular fic kickstarting that process -- I'm pretty sure it was Sanguinity's beautiful 7PER fic, Particular Debts, that she gave me as a gift for Holmestice years ago, as well as its lovely hurt/comfort companion piece Brandy and Soda, that sort of put us on the path to get to know each other better, though I think we'd seen each other around at Holmestice for years before that. And then when I first started learning how to vid, I felt like we were friendly enough that I could reach out to her and ask for help. Her incredibly generous response where she walked me through a ton of the trickiest bits of getting started, and listened to me whine, and insightfully betaed all my vids for, like, the whole first year running and also every time I asked after that really was, for me, a lovely bonding experience and a seal of friendship :)

I must also shout out to the wonderful Donna_Immaculata, whom I got to know because of her stunning Vetinari/Vimes fic, Bracae Temporis!

3. A fic you’ve re-read several times

You know, I'm not as much of a re-reader as you might expect (I myself am surprised that I don't do it more often) -- perhaps it's because the fics that make the biggest impression on me linger so strongly in my memory that it often feels like I don't need to reread, I just revisit them in my head! However, that being said, in the BBC Sherlock fandom, this is one I've reread repeatedly:

Make Whole What Has Been Smashed by gigantic. (Sherlock/John, 12.5K, rated T). The premise of the story is that for John and everyone else time moves forward as normal, but Sherlock experiences the flow of days backwards, so that John's tomorrows are always his yesterdays and vice versa. It's sad and beautiful and infused with wonder and gratitude. A deeply loving story about making the most of this impermanent life.

And I'll throw in one extra recommendation, just for the heck of it. When going through my bookmarks I was reminded of a series that never did gain much readership but which I consider eminently worthy of attention and rereads: Lindentreeisle's Push!Verse series, a sort of dystopic fantasy in which Sherlock and John have supernatural gifts (Sherlock for tracking, John for healing) and are on the run from the sinister Division seeking to recruit them. The detailed world-building, sharp characterizations, and rather intense action scenes make this an underrated gem, in my opinion. 6 stories in the series, about 30K words -- the series is not marked as complete because it's open-ended, but the main story arc is resolved. I'd love for more folks to discover this one. I think the fact it's gen rather than Johnlock kept it off a lot of people's radars, but it's an excellent little story.

[rizahawkais]

Hi Nia! You're gifs are so pretty! Is it possible for you to show how you get your WandaVision gifs too look so clear and hd? And how do you do your colorings too? (specifically the wanda maximoff in episode 3 gifset ITS GORGEOUS) I'm new to giffing and all the tutorials are kind of old. It's okay if you don't want to though! I understand it may be time consuming.

omg no! never feel intimidated to ask!! i don’t mind at all!

so, i’m going to show you how i made and coloured this gif

mostly bc it’s the only gif in that set w text and i’m going to share my text settings too!

tutorial is below :)

WHAT KIND OF VIDEOS ARE BEST?

.mkv files (the bigger the better BUT i usually think anything above 5 gb is excessive and unnecessary for an episode of television BUT for a movie worth it) itunes downloads (logolesspro on twitter, hd-source on tumblr, live-action-raws on tumblr have some DEPENDING on what you’re looking for) (also, there’s a chance that if you search "show/movie hd download tumblr” you’ll find a tumblr with its itunes download available)

THAT IS IT NO OTHER TYPE OF FILES MAKE YOUR GIFS LOOK GOOD

- my suggestion is always if its new (like just came out the past month) t*rrent it! it’ll be downloaded quickly and .mkv files look the best! BUT if not check the sources above see who has the BIGGEST file if they even have what you’re looking for and then if not then you look to t*rrenting!!

here are the wandavision files i use so you can see!!

SCREENCAPPING

-if you have windows use potplayer! i have a mac so i can’t show you how to use it and it’s not available for me :( HOWEVER back when i had a windows potplayer was the best method in screencapping!!

-I HAVE A MAC! so i use mpv!! (go to mpv.io and follow the directions) BUT DON’T DOWNLOAD THE LATEST ONE (it has a bug that skips frames) try each before the latest one bc from what i heard different ones work differently for everyone!! and i don’t know which one i use (yikes!) THERE ISN’T THAT MANY I PROMISE AND IT’S WORTH IT BC MPV IS THE BEST (i used to use adapter but they didn’t take impressive screencaps in my opinion and it was evident in my gifs you can see it too! )

create a folder for your screencaps! and make sure to rmb the directory order! now we want to create a text file on our built in textedit app on mac! type up all this down below (i like jpg but you can replace jpg w png if you want) AND SAVE THE FILE AS mpv.conf THIS IS IMPORTANT SO DON’T FORGET IT! save it somewhere you’ll find easily and NEVER delete it until you don’t use mpv anymore

just in case you don’t know what to insert after, go to your screencaps folder

now you want to open mpv and go to the corner towards mpv -> preferences and they’ll tell you that there is no .conf file SO GO LOOK FOR THE TEXT FILE WE JUST MADE AND DRAG IT TO THE FOLDER THEY OPENED FOR US AFTER SAYING THERE IS NO .CONF FILE

(i learned all this from @kylos tutorial!! so if any of what i just said about setting up mpv makes NO SENSE to you check out their tutorial at kylos(.)tumblr(.)com/post/178497909311)

now we can screencap!

so let’s find the scene we want RIGHT BEFORE and MAKE SURE SUBTITLES ARE OFF

i pause and then press (option/alt + s) and then SCREENCAPS ARE BEING TAKEN!! and to end the screencaps being taken you once again press (option/alt + s)!!

now we want to delete the excess frames! and put it all into one folder!! DO NOT DELETE FRAMES IN THE MIDDLE OF WHAT YOU WANT TO GIF!! WHEN YOU SKIP FRAMES IT WILL BE NOTICEABLE!!

MAKING THE GIF

this method isn’t used that much BUT I LOVE IT so this is how i put my frames in! first i check to see the size of my frames: 1920 x 1080

so i create a NEW file on photoshop with those dimensions w these settings

now i set my tool on photoshop to path selection tool bc if you have it set on smth like move tool or crop tool at the end you might end up moving or cropping frames you don’t want to!

ok so now we select ALL our frames and drag it on top of our new file on photoshop and the MOMENT we see our first frame in photoshop JUST KEEP CLICKING ENTER until all the frames are loaded!!

you can do file -> scripts -> load files into stack but it is WAYYY slower in my opinion!

now i crop out the excess BUT i don’t resize the gif yet! the dimensions wandavision is filmed in is 4:3 so i go to crop and set the settings to this:

MAKE SURE IT’S ON RATIO SO WE’RE PRESERVING THE ORIGINAL SIZE JUST CUTTING OFF THE BLACK EDGES!! We are going from 1920 x 1080 to 1440 x 1080 this is the dimensions after i cropped

WE ARE KEEPING THE QUALITY BY NOT CHANGING THE DIMENSIONS OF ANYTHING INSIDE !!

now we want to go to actions and create an action!! open up actions w one of these two depending on what your dash looks like!!

so we create an action with this button on the bottom of actions and we’re gonna title it making a gif and hit record!!

NOW LET’S GOOOOO!!

1. make sure you have timeline on your dash!

2. create frame animation (if you see create video timeline just click the arrow next to the button to see your other option which is frame animation!!)

3. now let’s meet our best friend!! the little bar in the top right corner that has all the commands for making our gifs and MAKE FRAMES FROM LAYERS

4. WE HAVE TO SHARPEN OUR GIFS NOW BUT TO DO THAT WE NEED TO CONVERT TO A SMART OBJECT SO NOW WE ARE GOING TO CONVERT TO VIDEO TIMELINE there are two ways: the button in the bottom left corner or the button in the top right corner w all the other commands!

5. select -> all layers DON’T MANUALLY SELECT THEM ALL BC THE ACTION WILL ONLY SELECT THAT SAME NUMBER OF FRAMES SO IF THERE ARE MORE FRAMES YOU WON’T GET THEM IN THE SMART OBJECT!!

6. filter -> convert for smart filters

7. NOW WE SHARPEN!! (filter -> sharpen -> smart sharpen) i sharpen twice!! first, make sure we are on legacy w more accurate and remove gaussian blue! the first sharpening will be 500% with 0.4 px radius. NOW SHARPEN AGAIN (filter -> sharpen -> smart sharpen) also w legacy, more accurate and remove gaussian blur BUT this time 10% with a 10.0 px radius!

8. it’s hd now!! so let’s flatten frames into clips!! go to the top right magic button again!! and you should see a pop up saying layers are being made

9. now we convert back to frame animation w either the bottom left button or our magic top right command center!

10. make frames from layers

11. select all frames w our magic command button

12. set the animation delay to 0.05 THAT IS THE BEST ONE ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS only use 0.06 when the character is moving really fast in the video itself and it makes the gif itself look awkward BUT NEVER GO ABOVE 0.06 it’ll look slow and laggy and we don’t want that and don’t go below 0.05 bc then it’ll be tooo fast and we don’t want that either!

13. now delete the very first frame on the timeline bc it is an oversharpened duplicate of the second frame! end the recording w this button!

this is what your action should look like expanded! if you made mistakes on the way and it shows up you can just click the specific step and press the trash can on the action tab to delete in from the order!!

NOW AFTER LOADING YOUR FRAMES AND CROPPING THE EDGES OF YOUR FRAMES IF YOU NEED TO JUST PLAY THE ACTION AND THEN YOUR GIF WILL BE MADE FOR YOU!!!!

now i delete some unnecessary frames in the beginning and end and this is what my gif looks like (the size was 46 mb and the limit is 10 mb so the dimensions of the gif are 540 x 405 to get it to 5 mb BUT I HAVEN’T CROPPED IT YET SO THIS IS ME CROPPING JUST TO SHOW YOU WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE)

CROPPING THE GIF

in my opinion if you want your gif to look hd you shouldn’t crop before you sharpen!! i believe that if you crop before you sharpen you don’t allow photoshop to sharpen all the pixels whereas if you crop beforehand there is less to work with!!

dimensions is all up to you!! just make sure to go by tumblr rules!! 540 is the max width and if you want to make two gifs per row then my suggested width is 268 and for three gifs per row my suggested is 177 px! Just have the right width and the length can be whatever you want!!

now i’m going to crop my gif to 540 by 590!!

NOW THIS IS WHAT MY GIF LOOKS LIKE!

COLOURING BASICS

let me show you the best adjustment tools in my opinion and a brief explanation for what they do!!

brightness/contrast: pretty simple increase/decrease the brightness/contrast BUT one of my techniques for when i first start colouring a gif is i select all my frames and do nothing to the settings of the adjustment but i set the layer to screen LIKE THIS

curves: ik others use curves to change brightness/contrast w the squiggly thing BUT i like it to set a white point and black point, this is also a technique i use when i first start colouring a gif when screen doesn’t look good for me SO you use white point to select a pixel on the gif to set as the lightest color on the gif (setting the white point) and you use black point to select a pixel on the gif to set as the darkest colour on the gif (setting the black point) usually the white point makes it TOO bright and that’s why we use the black point to counter it and same goes for when i use screen with brightness/contrast, it gets too bright so i use black point to counter it below is the button for white point and the button for black point, respectively they are shaped as color picker tools

vibrance: generally, i never use this except for color p*rn sets but they work really well in making colors seem more strong

hue/saturation: like vibrance, i never use this except for color p*rn sets but this adjustment is to help change the colors or hue of a color for example: turn blue into purple or turn a blue into a little lighter shade of blue

color balance: I ALWAYS USE THIS!! except for in black and white gifs BUT THIS IS MY GO TO AND IF I DON’T USE IT MY GIFS ARE JUST BLAND i feel like color balance is what essentially balances the colors on your gif and adds dimension to it, it makes your gif go from looking way too yellow to a more golden neutral look and it is an essential adjustment in my opinion

channel mixer: i rarely use channel mixer BUT it is so so useful when you are working w a dark scene just play w the settings and all of a sudden all the blue in a dark scene will be a little more yellow and red and your scene will kind of just look brighter and more visible

selective color: THIS IS ALSO AN ESSENTIAL this helps SPECIFIC colors pop you’re working on a scene where there is too much red on someones face you use this tool to remove the magentaness from the yellow section OR when you feel someones face is TOO yellow and needs more blush you add more magenta in the yellow section of selective color

gradiant map: gradiant map is perfect when you’re lazy if you feel like your gif looks more neutral and you want some red in it but you don’t want to mess with any other adjustments just set a red to black gradiant on soft overlay with a very low opacity and BOOM slightly red but not too much red added!

NOW TO COLOR THE GIF!

today i have decided to start with a brightness layer set on screen

and this is what we got!

now that’s a little to bright and washed out in my opinion SOOOO to counteract it, i’m going to use my black point tool in curves and i’m going to select this point on the gif (it’s better to choose smth in the background and not smth that’s paid attention to such as monica’s hair or either of their eyelashes)

now my gif looks like this! the base color is complete!

now i think i need to balance all this yellow and red! SOOOO WE GONNA USE COLOR BALANCE!!

i think the best way to use color balance is to keep swinging the balancer until you see what you like and then keep going midtones i think i want more red and i don’t want a cyan midtone and then for shadows i think i want more cyan to counter the redness of the gif but highlights i don’t touch that much NOW HERE ARE MY SETTINGS SO YOU CAN SEE

and this is what my gif looks like

now you can stop here if you want but in my opinion i think the gif looks a lil too dead still SO IMMA USE SELECTIVE COLOR

i think there needs to be a lot lot more RED so i amp up the yellow magenta and black in the red! but i also think the yellows need to be LESS RED so i remove magenta from the yellow! and bc there’s some cyan and blue bc of monica and the flowers in the background im going to make the cyans more cyan and the blues a lil more black! i’m going to remove some yellows from the magenta!! and i add more black to the neutrals and black!! i think it’s always important to add more black to neutral and black bc it adds more depth to the gif by not just making it a bunch of bright colors and having dark colors to contrast to!! my settings are below!

and the result!

now let’s see everything together!

and the before and after!

I HOPE MY COLOURING EXPLANATION MADE SENSE!! if not you can always ask me more questions i don’t mind!!

ADDING SUBTITLES

we want to grab the text tool!

make a text box from anywhere in the middle from the left to right edge. this is so we can make sure our text is centered and will be in the same place for when we have sets w more than one gif w text!

type your text out and make sure you highlight the whole text so that all the settings apply to EACH character! you can find the alignments (for center) in the paragraph tab!

now lets right click on the text layer and go to blending options! add stroke and drop shadow!

now drag it to the desired height you would like and make sure to keep it in mind for when you have more than one subtitled gif in a set!

NOW TO MAKE SURE THE TEXT STAYS IN PLACE AND THE BLENDING STAYS YOU HAVE TO CONVERT TO SMART OBJECT!!

if you want to only have the text applied to certain frames instead of all frames, select the frames you don’t want by clicking the first frame in ur don’t want section ON THE TIMELINE and WHILST HOLDING SHIFT click the last frame of ur don’t want section and then toggle the eye switch next to the text layer

now you see the text

now you don’t

tip: use opacity to fade the text in and out!

the text is going to be on all my frames so i don’t need to toggle the eye but i just wanted to show you just in case!!

now here’s my FINAL RESULT

save for web (file -> export -> save for web) 

your gifs have to always be under 10 mb! so, if your WAYYY overboard YOU HAVE TO DELETE FRAMES! or you can divide the gif in two and have two gifs instead of one! however, if you plan on going the deleting frames route MAKE SURE YOU DELETE FROM THE BEGINNING OR END OF YOUR SELECTION i promise you that most of us won’t notice that your characters dialogue is being cut off BUT WE WILL NOTICE IF FRAMES ARE BEING SKIPPED so, don’t delete frames in the middle of ur gif!! idc how little you do it IT WILL RUIN YOUR GIF AND I SAY THIS FROM EXPERIENCE i would delete every fifth frame to cut down my gifs and that may seem like not that big of a deal BUT IT IS my gif looked choppy and poor so it is way better to cut from the end/beginning of the gif

ANOTHER LAST PIECE OF ADVICE in the bottom left of when the save for web menu shows up THERE’S A PREVIEW BUTTON click on it! it’ll show you your gif on your default browser and show you what it’ll look like once uploaded! this is perfect to check the speed of ur gif and the colouring and to notice if there’s a problem with your subtitles or maybe there’s an obvious jump in frames you never noticed before!! i always use preview bc the built-in photoshop viewer of ur gif shows the colors differently and the speed is NEVER ACURRATE!

I USED THESE SAVE SETTINGS!! many say to use selective pattern but i DISAGREE and i think these save settings are the ✨ best ✨

OK NOW THAT IS THE END OF THIS VERY LONG GIF TUTORIAL!! I HOPE THIS IS WHAT YOU WANTED!! IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK I SINCERELY DON’T MIND!! JUST DON’T BE RUDE OR ANYTHING BC PPL HAVE BEEN RECENTLY :(

I WISH YOU ALL THE LUCK AND FUN IN YOUR GIFFING ADVENTURES !!