#it me and my overalls pre-paint

[femchef]

My unwind time is now adding portions of stencil designs to our bathroom cabinet (usually just pressing two or three each night and then having to leave them alone to dry before adding more).

Yes the floor, counter, and fixtures look like a hot mess , mostly because two kitty babies decided to *help* (no paint bean pics, emergency fur clean takes priority believe it or not). But also I’m going to repaint and seal the floor and counter, and I have new hardware on the way - I’m taking off the knobs and replacing them all with blue glass handles.

I’m really proud of myself - I put up plastic sheeting and scraped the popcorn off the ceiling!! Huge mess but totally worth it for the smooth surface and this cool mask I wore:

New art project for distraction is redecorating a bathroom I guess

[rabotimagines]

"Bottoming when they usually Top." GN BOT reader x Starscream, Megatron, Ironhide, Optimus

Summary: Topping them for the first time when they usually top you.

Warnings: None.

Genere/Theme: Smut 🔞 MDNI

G1 characters: Starscream, Megatron, Ironhide, Optimus

Notes: Bot reader uses their spike!

Pronouns: You, your, yours.

Starscream is a bit of a chaotic switch. He'll usually bend to fit whatever dynamic a partner has with him and also what he's feeling at the time. So when you first started interfacing, he was completely fine playing the role of a fixed top. It also does something to his ego that you enjoy his spike so much in the first place. So when you ask if you can top Starscream makes a stink about it, just to make you feel slightly guilty. Slightly anyway. In the bitchy "You're making me go off my regular schedule" sort of way he does when you ask him for anything. Starscream then turns around and declares "How lucky you are to have such an understanding and generous partner!" His servos digging into the seams of your waist. Starscream barely suppresses a shiver when you hum and start tracing his wings with already lewd intentions.

There is a fifty-fifty chance Starscream is going to ride you into the berth or just let you dom when you top. If Starscream gives you control, then he's a hundred percent expecting to be lavished with attention and praise. Which is how you wind up in between his thighs, pounding his valve as hard as you can. Starscreams digits are biting the paint off your back. You were a bit overcharged on Starscreams valve, your praising coming out like babbles. Starscream could feel his own overload creeping up his spinal strut. Your spike hits his ceiling node, and he cries out while you only rock into him harder.

You're telling Starscream how good he feels, and the comment makes Starscreams overload hit him sooner than he thought it would. His thighs clench around your middle, forcing you to fold harder against him when he tightens further around your spike. Starscream bucks when you start overloading inside him. Every pump of your spike had him clenching back down on you. Frag- You needed to work on how to praise correctly, but overall, you weren't terrible with your spike. Starscream vented heavily, taking in your post overloaded expression. The sight only made him want to push you down and take your valve next.

Starscream... supposed he will have to show you how you're properly supposed to praise a bot for taking your spike.

-

Megatron enjoys being in control, and he enjoys dominating other mechs both in the field and in the berth. Megatron fully expected to top without any pre communication when you entered a relationship with him. (Yes, he's a clown like that.) You could be a hulking triple charger, and Megatron would still be wordlessly expecting your obedience. He wants you to give yourself to him. Give him your everything. So he's always been content with you being a bottom the entire time you'd began interfacing with one another. So when you ask to top, Megatron is mildly surprised by the fact you'd waited this long to act on a sexual interest with him. But since Megatron actually holds affections towards you, he has almost no problem indulging you.

Almost anyway. He'll let you use his valve, but he's still going to be dominating you into the berth. He might just use the side of his arm and cannon to pin you further against the berth while he rides you both to overload. Megatron grinds down further against your pelvis, reveling in the noise he draws out of you. He chuckles at your sorry state even with his valve stuffed with your spike. Megatron only stops when you overload inside him and fill him up. He groans at the sensation and jerks his spike off to reach his own overload- Megatron cursed under his vents at the feeling of clenching down on you while overloading himself. His spikes transfluid ends up shooting you in the faceplate, dusting your paint with translucent pink.

The blessed out expression on your face and his own valve dripping with your own transfluid was definitely a positive gain. Megatron also enjoyed taking you apart in yet another way only for his optics and no one else's. He should've thought of this beforehand. Expect to be allowed to use his valve or be dominated by it after this. If you raise his affection high enough in your relationship, he'll eventually let you use his valve and dominate at the same time.

...

Eventually.

-

Ironhide was a dom leaning verse. He did enjoy control, and he enjoyed making a bot whine with how well he'd use their valve. But he wasn't so up tight he didn't know how good a valve overload felt like himself. He didn't necessarily mind only being a top for you. He was soft on you and couldn't get enough of you, valve included. But when you ask if he's okay with you spiking him, instead, he does feel a bit giddy.

Ironhides the type to bend over all pretty against the nearest wall as soon as you ask. Array already snapped back valve on full display with his hips jutting out like they were. You gape at the sight, and Ironhide just looks over his shoulder back at you. "Well? what are ya waiting for? Need a party invitation to spike a mech, right?" You calmered to your pedes and tried to work him open with your digits, which only made Ironhide scoff. "I'm not glass. Just put it in already."

You do, and you frag him against the wall then and there. Ironhide can hear your quick vents on his audials. Spike striking his ceiling node every time you bottomed out. You end up overloading before him but seem to realize Ironhide wasn't as close. You reached down and started stimulating his anterior node- Ironhide cursed and impatiently started stroking his own spike off. Ironhide groaned, focusing on the feeling of your spike still in his valve and the transfluid spilling down his inner thighs. You pulled back and hit his ceiling node once more, and ironhide is overloading on your spike with a groan.

You were a bit rough around the edges and needed some work, but-

You were panting lightly. Your digits were rolling tracing circles on Ironhides hips, like he'd do for yourself after he'd spiked you.

Ironhide would train you how to properly spike a mech just you wait.

-

Optimus just didn't have the spark to tell you no when you looked at him and told him to spike you. He loved you. Optimus wasn't too picky about positions or roles he just wanted your affection and to make you feel good. If you wanted to take his spike, then he'd help you take his spike right. Likewise, if you wanted to top him, then Optimus is all for it. He wants to make you feel good. And if you wanted to feel good using his valve? He'd let you do just that then. But well- you hadn't asked to just spike him...

How you managed to convince Optimus to let you spike him in his office of all places he still didn't know- (Yes, he did. it's because he wanted to make you happy.) But now Optimus is sitting on the ledge of his desk with you thrusting in his rather wet valve. His servos are gripping the edge of his desk hard enough that the metal starts to give- fighting to keep his palms off your frame because he'd dent your frame so easily right now. Every time you bottomed out, your pelvis ground down on his anterior node. Your spike hitting every pleasure node it could with every snap of your hips. Your optics are bright, and you look so- attractive between his thighs.

A strangled use of your designation tumbles out of him when you wrap a servo around his weeping spike and start stroking. Optimus has to fight to stay quiet while he's overloading all over your spike. His own transfluid shooting on his front with your continued strokes. You groaned and stilled, finally panting through your own overload. Optimus can feel your transfluid spilling out of his valve and onto the floor. Optimus finally allows his vice grip on his own desk to loosen and start touching you once more. He's petting you through your own post overload haze while you're nuzzling and sighing all content at his affections.

Optimus definitely wouldn't have any problems with you toping again.

... Just maybe not on his office desk next time. Optimus admitted, staring at the dents on his own desk.

[godmadeaterribleerror]

In Sweetness

Main Masterlist - Dean Masterlist

Read on A03!

Tags: Dean Winchester/Female Reader, tooth-rotting fluff, pregnancy, pre-established relationship.

Summary/Warnings: Preparation for hunts and battles where the fate of the world hinges on his shoulders are easy. Preparation for a baby might be the most complex thing Dean's ever done.

Author's Note: Request from an anon!! Apparently this is a series now, and I am more than okay with that. Same universe as Still You Want Me and Every Day That You Want, but can be read in isolation. Enjoy!

Title from Robin by Taylor Swift

Word Count: 3.4k

“Why are there so many damn colors.”

“Color is a result of visual reception of the electromagnetic spectrum.” Cas shrugged, continuing to sort through the paint samplers as he spoke. “As a human, you, Dean, can only perceive a fraction of the actual colors available to the universe, and what you are seeing now is overall not that many. Though I am quite glad you are able to see purple, as it is one of the better ones-“

“Dude.” Dean grunted, raising his brows as Cas looked at him with a frown.

“Your question was…” Cas tilted his head, his words cautious and slow. “Rhetorical.”

“Yeah. It was.” Dean frowned at the piles of allegedly organized paints samplers. “Why’d you put so many yellows in the green pile.”

Cas shook his head. “That is not the green pile. It is, well, there is no name for it in any human language, but it is a color that is associated with fertility in the community of mantis shrimp-“

“You wanna paint my kids room a shrimp fertility color-“

“No, I am leaving that up to the boss.” Cas shrugged, and placed a light red in with the blues. “I personally find it to be a very relaxing color, but it is not my call to make.”

Dean almost pointed out that it was his call—his kid, no shrimp colors—but Cas had called Her the boss for a reason.

She grew the baby. She had better opinions than Dean did. Her wrath scared Cas more than the wrath of literal God.

It would be Her call.

“Can you, I dunno, man, can we try to sort them in human colors?” Dean sighed, running a hand over his face. “I don’t think she’s gonna know the difference between these two yellow piles-“

Cas frowned. “They are not yellows, Dean. One of them contained ultraviolet, the other does not.”

“Awesome.” Dean muttered Her name, glancing around the half-cleaned room. “She’s- shit, she’s not gonna be happy-“

“I think she will be.” Cas shrugged. “Her endorphin levels always increase by a rate of 400% in your presence, 500% if you are taking care of yourself.”

“Taking care-“

“Your hair is washed, you are not drinking, and you look well. That will be pleasing to her.”

Dean felt himself stand a little taller, even as he shook his head. “Well, my hair or not, we needed to have this cleaned by the time they got back.  I was supposed to have done it last week, but the hunt-“

“She was not happy about the hunt.” Cas nodded, still sorting the pain samplers. “It amazes me you made it out of that alive.”

“I was only a stab wound, Cas, I’ve had-“

Cas said Her name, giving Dean a pointed look. “I was referring to her.”

Dean swallowed, and Cas was right. The only reason he had made it out alive was because that had been his last hunt before the baby was due.

But he hadn’t cleaned the room.

He still hadn’t cleaned the goddamn room.

“Son of a bitch.” Dean rubbed at his face, staring around bunker-room that should have been neatly scrubbed and wiped hours ago. “She’s gonna kill me. Stab me. Mutilate me so my daughter screams when she sees my face-“

Cas gave him an odd look. “You believe it will be a daughter?”

“I- uh,” Dean paused, and he didn’t know why he’d said that. They’d agreed not to check, no matter how many times Cas offered.

As long as it’s healthy. She’d repeat, over and over, and Dean knew why. She was still having nightmares where demons or angels came and stole the kid. Where a new monster would pop out of the earth, and everything would catch up to them, and they’d lose their shot at this before it even really happened. 

He’d hold Her when she’d wake up screaming, and do whatever he had to for Her to breathe evenly and fall back asleep. Sam said She needed to sleep more for the baby, and every time she’d gasp his name like She wasn’t sure he was there, Dean’s heart would shatter a little, so he’d do anything. He’d give massages—he was getting better at them, too—and make tea and watch whatever show she wanted to in order to bring her back to earth. In order to get Her to stop scratching at his arms, as if She was trying to carve grooves into Dean that she’d be able to latch onto. To keep him alive and next to Her at all times.

Dean would always be alive and next to Her. He had no plans of going anywhere, of being anything but there for Her and the baby. And She knew that—he told Her every single night, and morning, and most afternoons—but it still took effort to get Her out of the bunker. Into the real world, without wards and anti-monster security. Sam had needed to arm himself like he was headed to war instead of the grocery store, just so She’d agree to go with him. 

And Dean and Cas were supposed to have finished cleaning by the time She got back. If they didn’t, She’d try to do it herself, and it would take all three of them to stop Her. She could barely bend over, let alone paint the walls and pick up the trash and-

“I can paint everything now,” Cas said, nodding to the walls as Dean blinked at him. “If we would like to save the time.”

“Let’s wait ’till we got a color,” Dean muttered, glancing out the door to empty hall, trying to listen for the sound of Baby’s engine in the garage. They should be back soon. They should’ve been back by now, and She was fine because She had to be, but Dean knew his gut wouldn’t stop twisting until he saw Her. Beautiful and right in front of him and safe. “Cas, you think you can take care of-“

The was a soft whooshing sound, and when Dean looked back to the room, it was perfectly clean.

“That is was you were requesting, correct?” Cas said, gesturing to the room around them. “If not, I can return it to the previous state-“

“No, don’t-“ Dean cut himself off as a low, muffled rumble echoed through the hall, and there it was. The sign that everything was fine. “Keep it. Thanks, man.”

Cas nodded, glancing to the perfectly sorted paint pile. “I took your suggestion and sorted them by human color receptors. Although there are more of the cards than I originally anticipated-“

“She used to collect them or something.” Dean grunted, and grabbed a pastel blue that he was ready to throw his weight behind. It was soft. Nice. Like the sky. “Once we got a color, if you could aim that angel mojo on the walls-“

Cas nodded, opened his mouth, and was cut off by a shout of Her voice as a door slammed.

“Dean!” She was half screaming, and Dean wasn’t worried about their safety. Sammy would’ve called them if something was wrong.

He was worried about Her running. Last time She done that, Sam had gotten body slammed into a wall. 

Almost on cue, Sammy’s voice shouted Her name. “Slow down-“

“Suck my dick, Sam- Dean-“

“In the nursery!” He raised his voice to carry over Her’s, half-jogging out of the room to meet Her, only to catch Her barreling right into him like a freight train, knocking half the air out of his lungs as She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Shit-“

“Are you okay?” She leaned back and took Dean’s face between Her hands, turning it at a million angles to check for harm. “I’m sorry we’re late, Sam took a fucking hour in the produce section-“

“I was getting food for you.” Sam muttered, almost materializing behind Her. “You’re the one who said you wanted to eat healthier-“

“Not now.” She snapped, not looking away from Her examination. “After the little demon inside of me comes out, the one made of your stupid brother, who only wants ice cream and bacon-“

Dean grinned, unable to find himself bothered by the stupid brother comment when She was still half-hanging off his body, and let his hand glide to rest on her stomach as She continued to yell at Sam.

“I wanted to get home, we need to clean the nursery and there’s so much trash in this bunker, and painting is going to take days and I need to start working on the decorations, I can’t waste time buying lettuce-“

“Sweetheart.” Dean caught Her hands, lowering them with a kiss of Her knuckles as her eyes softened slightly. “Deep breaths.”

She took a slightly shaky inhale, still narrowing Her eyes at him. “Don’t tell me what to do-“

“I know.” He grinned at Her, and her own glower wavered slightly. “Got a surprise for you.”

“Uh oh.” Sam’s voice was not nearly low enough for Dean to miss it, and he rolled his eyes.

“Shut it, Sammy, she’s gonna like it.”

Sam shrugged. “Just saying, didn’t your last surprise end in someone getting punched-“

“Yeah, Sasquatch, you-“

“Dean.” She whispered, squeezing his hands and drawing his attention back to Her open, nervous expression. “Is everything oka-“

“Everything is perfect, baby.” He let his grin return in full force, tugging Her a little closer and guiding Her into the work-in-progress nursery. “Cas did something for ‘ya, and we got plans to-

She cut Dean off with a loud, breathy gasp as they moved back through the door, Her eyes scanning over the perfectly empty and polished room.

“I have not painted the walls yet.” Cas said, watching Her carefully from the center of the room. “We believed that it would be best to allow you to choose the color-“

“Color?” She blinked back to Dean, and he nodded to the paint samples.

“Sorted all of them,” he muttered, pulling out the blue shade from his jeans. “But I liked this one-“

She nodded, not even looking to the pile. “Then we’ll do that one. Cas, can you please-“

Another whoosh, the walls were perfectly blue, and Dean stumbled back as She shoved away from him, half flying across the room to pull Cas into a hug. He returned it, shooting Dean a slightly worried look over Her head, and Dean only shrugged. He’d long learned not to question Her reactions. And he’d learned it the harder way than a hug.

Cas said Her name cautiously. “Are you experience any sadness or trepidation at my interference-“

She shook Her head, and Dean knew that if Cas had to worry about things like breathing, he’d be suffocating in Her grip. 

“Then I assume these are tears of joy-“

“Yeah,” She mumbled, taking a step back, and the smile on Her face could move Dean to wage a war against the goddamn moon. “Thank you, Cas. I- this has been a lot, and I love Dean but he can be so slow-“

Dean frowned. “Hey-“

“Sorry.” She gave him a sweet, soft smile over Her shoulder, and any annoyance he’d had vanished into the air. She was smiling at him like that—with the smile no one else got to see—and there was light shining in Her eyes that he was pretty sure only ever existed for him, so he couldn’t be mad if he tried.

“’S fine.” He muttered, holding out his hand and sitting in the glow that settled in his body when She moved without thought to take it. “We got some shopping to do, Sweetheart, but I can scout ahead while you rest-“

She blinked at him. “Why would I rest?”

Dean glanced down to Her swollen stomach, then Her pouting face, and swallowed. “Uh- Any answer I got is gonna get my ass kicked, isn’t it-“

“Probably,” Her voice was bored and flat, and Sam snorted from somewhere behind them. “Just don’t say it, De. That’s an option.”

“Yeah- uh-“ He glanced to Cas, who was obviously making himself pointlessly busy with the paint samples. “You comin’ with me then?”

She hummed, tucking Herself into Dean’s side with another star-shaking smile. “Always.”

He couldn’t argue with that. There was no world where a little bit of Dean’s will didn’t melt into Her, become only Her’s to use as she pleased. If what made Her smile and relax was as simple as going with Dean to the city for baby shopping,  he’d rip out his own throat before he denied Her. He would change the goddamn tides and move mountains to make Her happy. Driving in his car with Her at his side, his hand on Her thigh and their child—made of both of them, proof for Her to have that Dean loved Her, and wouldn’t leave, and would fight heaven and hell a million times over to give Her peace, right there in Her body—in Her stomach, was nothing.

“Do you think it’s too on the nose to ask Cas to be the godfather?” She asked, frowning at the road ahead of them, and Dean snorted.

“I think if you do that, you’re going to have to deal with him bringing us fruit from Asia every weekend and a real-life zoo in the bunker when the kid start to learn about animals.”

She hummed, turning Dean’s hand over and tracing the lines of his palm with a small smile. “So he’s perfect.”

“Damn right.” Dean folded his fingers through Her’s, tugging them up to press a kiss to the back of Her hand. “If you think that’s what we want, sweetheart, that’s what we’re doing.”

She giggled, even as She rolled her eyes. “Did he try to get you in on the shrimp fertility colors while I was out?”

“Yeah, how’d you-“

“He got me a baby blanket with it. Apparently, it will bring hi- The baby good health.”

Dean shot Her an amused look. “Him, huh? What happened to no reveal-“

“Shut up.” She mumbled, shifting in Her seat. “It’s just a theory, the little fuck kicks me too much to be a girl-“

Dean snorted. “You kick people more than anyone I know-“

“And I have my shrimp fertility blanket.” She said, ignoring Dean entirely. “He’ll be healthy. His godfather is an angel.”

“So we’re asking Cas then?”

“We don’t have any other friends, Dean.”

He grinned at Her. “I dunno, Rowena would train her real well-“

She slapped him on the arm. “I am not letting my child visit hell-“

“She could come to us-“

“This isn’t as funny a bit as you think it is, Winchester-“ She cut Herself off, and Dean could feel Her scanning over his face. “Did you say her? You think we’re having a girl?”

Dean shrugged, keeping his attention fixed on the road. “Don’t know what your-“

“Dean.”

He glanced at Her—gentle expression, brows raised and sweet smile—and let out a long breath. “Yeah. I got- Uh, it’s just a feelin’. Could be nice to have a girl. You know, Sammy could braid her hair.”

She snorted, scooting closer to his side on the bench. “If we have a girl, you’re braiding her hair. But we’re having a boy.”

Dean grinned down at Her, wrapping his arm around Her shoulders as they turned into the parking lot. “You wanna place a bet on it-“

“No. Do you have the list?”

“Course I got the list. It’s really-“ Dean shook his head, stopping the Impala near the front of the building. No need to make Her walk further than a few yards. “Sweetheart, there’s no way we need all the shit you put on that thing-“

She sighed, shaking Her head. “It’s a whole, brand new person, Dean. We’ll probably need more.”

He thought about protesting, but that couldn’t be his biggest concern right now. His priority was Her. Getting Her whatever she needed, even if it was dumb. Even if half this stuff could be found in a garage sale, or the depths of the bunker, or given to them by Cas with only a request, She wanted to do the whole shopping thing, so they’d do the shopping thing.

He’d grab a big cart and follow Her around the department store, giving half-opinions when asked and watching Her walk with a wide grin, She’d gotten the pregnancy waddle, and he’d never seen anything more adorable in his life. She was freakin’ glowing. Lit up from within and happy. And he’d done that. Dean was the cause of Her joy and comfort, and he’d do a million more pregnancy tasks if it kept that smile on Her face, that comfort settled deep in Her body where he could practically see it. 

“Dinosaurs or bears?” She asked, sorting through the onesies with an expression like she was choosing a gun for a hunt. “I- Maybe we should go lions-“

Dean muttered Her name, kissing the side of Her head and wrapping an arm around Her body. “She’s not gonna know the difference, it’s whatever you want-“

“No, babies are smarter than you think, as he develops pattern recognition it’ll influence his like and dislikes-“

“You gotta stop watching those documentaries, sweetheart-“

“And he’ll be more interested in dinosaurs or bear- lions. It should be lions-“

Dean turned Her to fully face him, holding Her wide eyes, almost franticly gorgeous face between his hands and cutting Her off with a kiss. 

“You’re callin’ it a boy again,” he murmured against Her lips, and She out a happy little sigh as he traced his thumb over Her cheekbone. “I still think we should do that bet.”

She shook Her head. “I- I’m sorry-“

“Nothin’ to be sorry about. But you’re still real damn wrong. It’s a girl.”

“Shut up.” She mumbled, but still dropped Her head to Dean’s shoulder when he drew back, and he grinned into the air as any weight that had ever existed over his chest was lifted. Dissipated into nothing as Her fingers curled into his shirt. “We don’t have anything to bet, De, we share everything-“

“We could be naming rights?” He rubbed his hand over Her shoulder, swaying her back and forth slightly in his arms. “I get to choose the name if it’s a girl, all on you if it’s a boy?”

There was a brief moment of silence, Her words still muffled in Dean’s body when she spoke. “You can’t name them something stupid.”

He chuckled, pressing another kiss on the top of Her head. “I’d never even think about it, sweetheart. No jokes here.”

“Uh huh.” She leaned back to meet him in a full, long, slightly sloppy kiss that sparked warmth through his body, before pulling back with a gentle grin, “I’ll make the deal if you actually help with this. Dinosaurs or lions, Winchester, pick one-“

“That’s easy, baby.” He shot Her a wink, leaning over her body to grab a onesie and toss it into the cart. “We’re going cars.”

She pulled away, picking up the onesies and turning it over, and gave a small nod. The smile was back. 

Dean had never felt more fucking alive.

“Alright.” She said, holding out Her hand with a wide, easy smile. “But when he’s a boy, I’m naming him Fred and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

He narrowed his eyes. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Do you think they sell baby ascots?” She scanned around the store with mock interest. “I think Fred will look cute in one-“

Dean scoffed, and before he could shut Her up with another kiss that would turn Her into a breathless, happy mess, and She looked back to him with a smile.

“Just like his dad.” She hummed, hooking their arms together, and kissing the underside of Dean’s jaw with a smile he could feel, fluttering in his heart and making the world spin a little slower.

“You can be a real ass, sweetheart.” He muttered, and She giggled again. He could get high off the sound.

“Only for you, Winchester. Do you think we can find a little Scooby stuffie for him?”

“Baby,” Dean grinned at Her, starting to move them further down the aisle once more. “If I can’t, you’re gonna need to shoot me.”

She rolled Her eyes, running Her hand over her stomach as she tucked herself under his arm. “You’re so dramatic.”

“Only for my girls.” He echoed, shooting Her a wink. “You’re placing a losing bet, sweetheart.”

“We’ll see,” She shrugged, smiling into nothing. Just because She was happy. Because Dean was making Her happy, and everything really was going to be fine. “As long as he’s healthy.”

“She’ll be healthy,” he hummed. “She’s got her shrimp blanket.”

End Note: Cas and his shrimp blanket bring me good health. Amen.

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[ckret2]

Bill's getting a makeover from Pacifica!! Yaaay

And what good will it do him?

Here's chapter 83 of human Bill Cipher being more of a prisoner in his body than in the Mystery Shack by this point: the shack's decided that the only possible thing that can save them from certain doom is getting Bill to flirt with a government agent, and Pacifica's recruited to help.

She does NOT know who her customer is.

####

"Folks, I'm not exaggerating when I say that out of all my duties as mayor, there's no greater honor than getting to host the county's annual Best Baby Ever Pageant and meeting all your beautiful and talented children. When I look in each young shape's bright little eye, and know that in this room are this county's future priests, police officers, teachers, doctors, entrepreneurs, maybe even the mayor of tomorrow... It gives me hope for the future." The mayor lowered his voice conspiratorially, "And it doesn't hurt that I get to declare it a city holiday and lock town hall's door for the day, either."

The parents in the audience chuckled appreciatively. Their children, who would have had the day off anyway and frankly found this a whole lot more work, mostly didn't.

"But all good things must come to an end, and we've reached the end of this year's competition." The mayor gestured to the contestants behind him, lined up in front of a temporary backdrop with a cheapy, shiny curtain. Most of the contestants were being held by a parent, but a few were old enough to fidget in front of the crowd all alone. "We've awarded all the individual prizes for each age bracket—which have gone to kids with any number of sides, with ages ranging everywhere from five years old to five hours old—and now all we have left is this year's grand prize!"

An enormous trophy waited to the mayor's side. It was plastic and hollow, but it was painted gold and taller than most of the children.

The mayor said, "And the winner of this year's Best Baby Ever award is... " Someone at the back of the hall played a pre-recorded drumroll through a tinny speaker. "The overall winner from the Age 0-6 Months category—Billy Cipher!"

Scalene let out a squeal of excitement that was audible over the applause. Bill startled awake in her arm and blinked sleepily around the room.

Several of the other parents on stage surreptitiously shot Scalene dirty looks—of course her kid had won, who could deny a newborn a prize on his birthday? It would be adorable. The judges had probably leaped at the opportunity.

Scalene shifted Bill in front of herself so the audience could see him better and so she could flash a hidden razor-sharp grin to a couple of her defeated rivals. That was exactly why she'd brought him today.

"Congratulations," the mayor said, placing a very tiny crown atop Bill. Bill endured this with patient, sleepy befuddlement. "Billy will be going home with the grand prize trophy and cash prize—as well as a full set of cutlery from our sponser, Knifeco Knives! But of course we'll hand that to mama to handle," he chuckled. "And the top winners from the other brackets will receive four-piece cutlery gift sets from Knifeco, which include—"

Scalene snatched the microphone from the mayor, jabbed him aside with one corner, and gushed to the crowd, "Thank you so much! I'm sure I'm speaking for my little Billy when I say just how grateful and honored he'll be when he's old enough to understand what a gift you've given him." She beamed out at the crowd, her flashy candy apple red makeup (she'd hastily slathered herself in side liner on her way to the pageant) drowning out every other shape on the stage—except for the naturally neon yellow infant in her arm. "As some of the pageant regulars—"

The mayor said, "Scalene, we didn't actually schedule time for the winners to make speeches—"

She sweetly whispered, "No one wants to hear about the sponsor, Otto," and pushed him aside. "As some of the pageant regulars here already know—I see you out there, hello!—I'm a pageant queen myself—(Miss Teen Curvy Strait three separate years!)—so, as a new mother, I'm so pleased that my little golden child is following in the family footsteps. I..."

The spotlights were blazing hot. She didn't understand how Bill—now wide awake again—could stare straight into the piercing lights without even blinking. Maybe he was blind; it would figure, considering what the afterbirth looked like.

Her knees were weak. Her sides screamed in pain. She shifted her grip to hold Bill more securely and to try to coax the sharpest spot of pain on that side to migrate to a fresh spot, shook off a wave of dizziness, and went on, "I hope that this is just the first of many future crowns for me—myyy sweet little Billy, ahem. I can promise you'll be seeing a lot of him in... in the..."

With a thud, she passed out and collapsed against the theater backdrop.

A nearby child squeaked in alarm.

"Scalene?!" Euclid was at the back of the audience, having snuck in during the closing ceremonies and hovered near the door where he could at least hear as the winners were announced. Now, as the mayor and several other pageant parents rushed to Scalene's side, he shoved his way through the crowd. "Move, that's my wife! Dang it, I told you to use your cane!"

One of the other mothers pulled out a copy of the program and fanned Scalene's eye. The mayor scooped up Bill and checked him for injuries. "Are you alright, little tri?"

Still too small to move himself, his eye darted in a panic to his mother's face, to the bright bright spotlights, to his mother again, to the blurry blue of his father buried deep in a sea of other shapes, to the mayor and the many strange faces crowded around him—and then he swallowed back his oversized eye to open his mouth and wail.

Which was the exact moment the stage curtain caught fire.

####

A bearded man with his hair done up in black liberty spikes and a spider web tattoo climbing up his left arm watched as Pacifica dumped several shopping bags of makeup onto her desk. "This visitor must be really important. You never pass up doing these guys' weekly grooming." He was sitting on the barn floor, brushing an alpaca with long, silky white hair.

"You have no idea." Pacifica stuffed the shopping bags in the wastebasket surreptitiously hidden under her far-too-big U-shaped executive desk, and quickly sorted the beauty supplies into their proper order of operations.

"Didn't you say it's Mabel and one of her friends? Mabel's here all the time."

"It's not just any friend, Spiderwebs!" Pacifica pulled a locket out of a desk drawer, ran over to Spiderwebs, and popped it open. "It's this friend! I've never met him before, all I know is that he has the most gorgeous hair I've ever seen. I have got to make a good first impression."

Spiderwebs and the alpaca inspected the locket's contents. He said, "You've never met him and you've got some of his hair in a locket?"

Pacifica flushed. "Th— Shut up!" She snapped the locket shut and stuffed it in a pocket. "I had the locket just lying around anyway, it's whatever."

At the sound of voices outside, Pacifica gasped. "They're here! Do I look okay?!"

Spiderwebs—whose entire outfit cost less than Pacifica's left sock and who quite frankly found the amount of makeup Pacifica wore concerning for a child her age—said, "Sure, fine."

"Great!" Pacifica bounced on the balls of her feet, squealed in excitement, and ran outside to greet Mabel and her friend. "Heyyy there! I'm Pacifica Northwest, it's so nice to meet—" She froze, "you..."

Before her stood a person with the most beautiful golden hair she'd ever seen.

Which was attached to a lady in a t-shirt, an eyepatch, a bedsheet, and cheap novelty slippers that look like fish. 

On top of that, the lady was mildly sunburned (obviously no moisturizer), wasn't wearing a bra, was leaning on an umbrella like a cane, clearly hadn't shaved in a while, had a very obvious fake tooth, had a weird bulgy eye, sort of smelled like fish (please don't let it be the slippers), and, to cap it all off, was fat.

Pacifica was working on herself. She was trying to unlearn the lessons about beauty she'd learned from her mom, and from the child pageant circuit, and from all her judgy friends, and from the modeling industry. She was slowly getting comfortable with the idea that physical beauty wasn't everything.

However. So far, that meant she'd been working on accepting ideas like it's okay if sometimes I'm an 8/10 instead of a 10/10. She had not yet tackled the far more daunting proposition of internalizing concepts like it's okay if sometimes other people are ugly.

Which was a problem, if she was going to give this person a makeover.

She swallowed hard and rearranged her expectations for the afternoon.

"Hey Pacifica!" Mabel beamed at her. "Thanks sooo much helping! This is Goldie, he's your customer. Goldie, this is Pacifica." Mabel gasped. "Giorgio, you're lookin' so fiiiine!" She ran into the barn to greet the alpaca Spiderwebs was grooming.

Leaving Pacifica outside with a stranger with a very creepy smile. Pacifica said, "Ummm..."

"The feeling's mutual, haha." On top of everything else, Goldie had a weird, nasally voice.

He, Mabel had said. "Hey, um," said Pacifica, who had never actually been in this position before and wasn't quite sure the polite way to handle it, "not to be rude, but... are you a guy, orrr...?"

"I'm whatever makes this conversation easiest. Don't overthink it!" He swept around Pacifica, hands clasped behind his back and around his umbrella, and sauntered into the barn. Which was kind of impressive, because fish-shaped slippers didn't seem designed for sauntering.

"So... guy?" Pacifica tried.

"For you? Sure," Goldie said indulgently. "Our target's expecting a lady, though, so—" Without turning toward Pacifica, he gestured up-and-down at his body. "Expect to femme this thing up."

Pacifica bit her lips as she swallowed down the most profound disappointment of her life so far, readjusted her expectations for the evening, and figured out what to say. She may not have unlearned the instinct to be shallowly judgmental, but she'd at least made progress on learning to keep it in her head. Most of it. Some—some of it. She'd keep some of it to herself. "Oh-kay. I don't know what Mabel told you, but—just so you know, I'm not running some charity barbershop for the homeless, all right? I'm a professional. I take looks seriously. I'm not going to soften the truth just because you're Mabel's friend, so—if you're not okay with that, you should just go home now."

He turned to glance at her, his trajectory curving to the side as he did; and suddenly she felt like a very small fish being circled by a hungry stingray. "Wow! You and Mabel both had to warn me! At this point, I'll be disappointed if you're polite." Goldie laughed. "Don't worry, I wasn't expecting a barbershop." He used his umbrella to gesture around at the barn, "A barbershop would smell less like farm animals." He flipped up his eyepatch (he had a whole second eye under there?) so he could shoot Pacifica a sly sideways glance. "Maybe personality can make up for looks. Right?"

Pacifica's face flushed red. Personality can make up for looks was what Pacifica's mom said other moms told their ugly daughters when they entered pageants they had no shot of winning. "Hey, how dare you! Maybe this barn is an ugly salon—but it's a beautiful ranch!" She huffed, "Anyway, I didn't have a choice! I couldn't bring you home in front of my parents. You're better suited to the barn."

She regretted it the moment the words were out of her mouth—that was the kind of thing she was trying not to say to people as often—but Goldie's grin only widened. "Just do what you can with this flesh scarecrow I'm wearing, Alpaca. I know what beauty standards around here are like, I know what I look like, and I'm more apathetic about this body than you could possibly imagine. You won't hurt my feelings!" He flipped his eyepatch back down and glanced away from her, eye roving around the barn ceiling like a searchlight trying to find a stray bat. "Nobody goes to a coach because they're expecting to be told 'you're beautiful just the way you are'!"

A coach—like a pageant coach? He was making an awful lot of allusions to the pageant world. Just to make fun of her, or...? "You're lucky I'm not a coach. You couldn't afford my rates."

Goldie laughed. "You'd overcharge!" And then he ignored her, turning his attention to her one full-time employee. "Hey, Spiderwebs! So this is where you ended up! Workin' hard or hardly workin'?"

Spiderwebs looked up from the aplaca he was tending to to frown at Goldie. "Do I know you?"

"Know me? You picked a fight with me once!"

"Oh. Who won?"

"By the time I was finished with you, you were stone-cold unconscious!"

"That's probably why I don't remember it."

While Goldie was distracted talking to Spiderwebs, Pacifica knelt by Mabel—who was crouched to wrap her arms around Giorgio's neck and nuzzle him—and muttered, "Your friend's a major creep."

"What did he do," Mabel asked.

Pacifica thought. What did he do? Say he wouldn't be offended by brutal honesty? Tell her her barn smelled like a barn? "Nothing, it's just—the way he did it."

"Yeah," Mabel sighed. "We're working on his people skills." At least she didn't think Pacifica was crazy.

"Hey, does Goldie have any, like... beauty industry experience, that you know of?"

"His mom was a model," Mabel said. "And he did some stuff with beauty pageants?"

"Yeah? What kind of stuff?"

"Ummm..." Mabel grimaced uncertainly. "Tech... stuff...?" Okay, she clearly didn't have a clue. But that was what she'd wanted to know: yes, he was familiar with the pageant scene. She readjusted her expectations for the afternoon for the second time in as many minutes.

Apparently finished with Spiderwebs, Goldie called, "Anyway, I'm not trying to win ay supreme crowns!" Make that familiar with the pageant scene and wanted to make sure Pacifica knew that. "Just seduce some government agent who already thinks this is hot. You're lucky, we have an easy target!"

Mabel said, "This guy!" She unwrapped one arm from around Giorgio's neck to hold her phone out.

Pacifica took it. It was displaying a distinguished-looking middle-aged gentleman with a no-nonsense frown in a classy black suit. Her eyebrows went up. Ooh. The suit was kind of cheap, but it was well-tailored, which made a world of difference. Looked like he took care of himself, too. Definitely worked out. Too bad about the hair, but hey, Pacifica happened to know a great product that could help with that.

She put a hand on Mabel's arm. "I will help Goldie win his heart."

####

Bill hardly glanced around as Pacifica led them into her office; he was familiar with the space. By daylight, it looked less "rustic" and more "cutesy overpriced modern farmhouse." 

"I've got everything set up in my office," Pacifica said, coming in with Mabel behind her. There was indeed a wide variety of makeup supplies spread out on her desk. "But the makeup has to wait, we've got to start with your hair."

Bill fought back a cringe. "Don't want to save the best for last?"

"Always do your hair first," Pacifica said firmly. She ducked through a door into a bathroom connected to her office. "That's your first fashion lesson. You can't wash your hair with a face full of makeup. And trying to use a blow dryer or hair iron around your makeup makes you look like a melting wax figure."

"I've seen those in person," Mabel said. "Pacifica's right, that's not a cute look. Especially when the eyeballs start rolling out! Apparently, wax figures' eyeballs are made out of glass?"

Bill made a beeline for the corner where he knew Pacifica kept a folding chair and asked, "Hey, what happened to all those eyes, anyway?" Mabel always needed new arts and crafts supplies, and he bet those would be great for jewelry.

"We stuck them in a big jar." Mabel was lurking in the bathroom door, watching Pacifica. "They're still cursed, though. They turn to look at you when you walk by."

"Even better."

"I can see why the Pines family likes you," Pacifica grumbled.

Bill could think of three Pines who would heartily disagree with that claim. "Oh, please! They can only wish they were half as weird as me." He set up the folding chair in the open space in front of Pacifica's desk—then froze. Huh.

Bill knew lots of things. He had trillions of eyes. He was used to walking into rooms and just knowing what was in them.

Except this room hadn't existed when he'd had all his eyes. It had been built after his death. So why did he already know what it looked like? How had he known where to find a folding chair?

He shut his eyes, trying to work through the déjà vu to picture what angle he'd seen the room at before, and where his eye must have been in order for him to see it; and then he looked at the wall beside the desk. There were several flat glass cases against the wall with alpaca wool goods sealed inside—a scarf, a sweater... He stared at his own face in the middle of a tapestry of his zodiac, preserved like a hunting trophy in a case labeled "First Blanket." Huh. It wasn't some local hick's den after all. Just a local rich girl roleplaying at being a hick.

He studied his true face for a long moment—and then cast a resentful look at the desk covered in makeup, in shades of beige and red. What would any of this sludge do for him? He'd be just as ugly at the end of it.

But Bill wasn't getting a makeover to look beautiful. He was getting it to seduce a human. And those were two diametrically opposed goals.

He missed his face so much.

"It's not illegal," Pacifica said.

Bill gave her a baffled look. "What?"

She pointed at the blanket, "It's not illegal to display a picture of the triangle guy as long as it's got that ring of symbols around it. It, like, repels him or something."

"Oh, does it," Bill said dryly. "It takes the evil eye to avert the evil eye, huh? Hey, maybe I should get one of these! Whaddaya think, Mabel?"

"I already told you I'm not making another!"

"But how am I gonna repel the triangle guy?" he asked, grinning impishly. "What if I'm in danger! The triangle guy could get me! Wouldn't that be terrible?"

"Knock it off! You already stole Soos's."

He expected Pacifica to come back from the bathroom with a brush or something; instead, she held up a spray bottle and said, "Okay, come in—and bring the chair." Bill's heart sank. "We're gonna have to rinse your hair in my sink, sorry."

Bill suppressed a sigh. "It's not the worst thing I've ever done to this hair!" He picked up the chair to carry into the next room.

"All I can do for now is rinse your hair. I don't have any shampoo for your hair texture because I did not think the situation was going to be this dire. No offense," Pacifica said. "You'll have to shampoo at home. You got the hair product samples I sent to the Mystery Shack, right? Were you able to order the full products? I don't know what your budget looks like."

"Don't worry about it, I still have the leftovers from the samples."

He watched in glee as Pacifica died a little on the inside. "Th— Those were one use sample sizes. It's been a month, how do you still have leftovers."

In truth, Pacifica severely overestimated the amount of hair product needed to keep hair clean; but on the other hand Bill was deliberately showering as little as he thought he could get away with and making up the difference in the downstairs half bath sink, so he didn't think smugly flaunting that he technically knew more about minimum human hygiene requirements than she did would make him look as cool and knowledgable as he wanted it to. "Don't worry about it!"

Bill cast one last longing look toward his true face; and then he followed the humans into the restroom to let them reorganize his stupid human hair.

####

"This is just a temporary measure," Pacifica warned as she dunked a few more of Goldie's curls in the sink. "You have got to take a real shower before your date. You literally smell like fish."

"What kind of fish?" Goldie immediately asked. "Is it salmon? If it's salmon I can work with that."

Sitting on the closed toilet lid, Mabel let out a long-suffering sigh; and Pacifica got the horrifying impression that this was an ongoing conversation.

"It... I don't... know what kind of fish."

Mabel said, "It's probably just the trout guts from yesterday." What the heck was life like in poor people's homes?

In Pacifica's opinion, Goldie's hair was both his biggest asset and his worst disaster area. It was that beautiful, natural, curly gold, like something out of a fairy tale; but it was nightmarishly tangled and there was literal sand in it, and he'd clearly used conditioner at some point in the last few days but he hadn't fully washed it out and it just made more sand stick.

Goldie was sitting in the folding chair with one arm rested on the lip of the sink and his cheek resting on his arm. Pacifica had to alternate between soaking his hair under the faucet and trying to gently untangle it, inch by inch, with a comb. To his credit, he patiently endured it without making a word of complaint, even though both the positioning and the manhandling had to be uncomfortable. 

But he'd turned his face away from Pacifica and Mabel as much as he could from his awkward position; and whenever Pacifica moved to an angle that let her glimpse a bit of his face, his eyes were squeezed shut and his mouth was pressed thin in a grimace. The hand resting on the sink's lip had clenched into a fist, and his other hand was digging its (badly painted) fingernails into his thigh through his bedsheet skirt.

Hesitantly, she asked, "Are you comfortable?"

"I'll give it three out of five stars," Goldie said, "but if you want a lower score, I can try to find a worse angle for my neck!" He kept as much tension out of his voice as he could; but now that Pacifica had noticed it, she could tell his voice was a bit flattened.

"Never mind," she said. "No offense, but—when's the last time you combed this?" She'd been saying no offense a lot.

Mabel asked, "Have you done it since I brushed your hair at the sleepover?" He had Mabel doing his hair?

Goldie made a noncommittal noise. "I've washed it since then." 

"That's not the same," Mabel said.

"You've washed it?" Pacifica asked skeptically. "Because you look like you've been sleeping in mud." She'd found a few flecks deep in his thick curls.

"Okay, in my defense," Goldie said, "it was just garden-variety heavy metal-enriched local dirt when I went to sleep. It only turned into mud while I was unconscious."

Pacifica stopped combing and leaned over to stare at Goldie, speechless.

With an air of affronted dignity, he said, "It wasn't my idea. I wanted to be indoors."

"Goldie's been having a really bad week," Mabel said.

"I've been having a really bad month," Goldie said.

Mabel asked, "Haven't you had a shower since you got home, though?"

There was a pause. Goldie muttered, "Yeah, but—it's hard to get through all that hair." (The worst part was, Pacifica thought he was telling the truth. The fact that she'd found mud so deep meant he must have washed the majority off the outer layers of his hair.) "I—I've been—tired, okay?"

He had that air of impatient irritation that suggested he was embarrassed, but trying to hide it because he was embarrassed of being embarrassed. Strange from Mr. Apathetic About His Body to be self-conscious. Why? Did he not know how to take care of his hair? (Maybe if he'd properly used the samples she'd sent him...)

But Pacifica thought back to Mabel showing her a lock of his hair at the beginning of summer—and the liquified roots, melted off. That wasn't an accident. Whatever depilatory cream he'd used had to sit there on the roots, it wasn't like he'd just grabbed the wrong product by accident. There was something more than ignorance going on here. Self-sabotage? But if it was intentional, why would he be embarrassed?

She could call him out, interrogate him for it—hey, she was supposed to be his style consultant, she needed to know what was going on—but if he was already getting defensive, he'd just clam up if he thought he was really under attack. Her mom got the same way when she was getting cagey about something and Pacifica was trying to figure out why. So she switched her focus. "Mabel—did you say you brushed his hair?"

"Yeah?"

"You meant 'combed his hair,' right?"

"No, I brushed it," Mabel said.

Pacifica stared at her. "Why."

Mabel stared back. "Because... combs are for short guy hair and for parting your hair? And Goldie doesn't have a part?"

Pacifica looked down at the big ball of frizzy curls that made up the bottom half of Mabel's hair and suddenly understood so much. "Oh, hon." What were her parents like. What did their hair look like. "You're supposed to comb natural curls. And only when they're wet, if you can help it."

"What. Why."

"It keeps the curls together," Goldie said, "instead of separating them all into separate strands."

Mabel's eyes widened. "Wait, that's the secret?! I thought that's what expensive shampoos are for!"

"The expensive shampoos make it worse," he cheerfully informed her. He'd brushed Pacifica off and sat up, chin in hand and hair dripping over his shoulders, so he could talk to Mabel. "It strips off the grease your pores naturally excrete to lube up your hair and replaces it with manmade grease! Which is why your hair dries out when you stop using the fancy shampoo. It's a big scam!"

Mabel stared at him in shock; then asked, hesitantly, "My strawberry shampoo?"

"A dirty traitor," Goldie said. "It's one of those toxic friends that manipulates you into depending on them and then tells you you're nothing without their help! There's half a dozen chemicals you wanna avoid in shampoo—I don't remember all their names but I can draw their chemical structures, Sixer can translate 'em into English for you."

"What else am I doing wrong?"

"You shampoo your hair too often," Goldie said. "And blow dry it. Which is fine if you want to keep that dry frizz! But somehow I don't think you do!"

Okay—so he clearly did understand curly hair care. (Or at least, he understood it as much as Pacifica, whose knowledge came entirely from reading magazine articles that technically weren't aimed at her.) Then why didn't he do it?

Mabel dragged her hands down her face. "So all this time, I've been messing up your hair too? Goldiiie, why didn't you say anything!"

"I didn't really care!"

Pacifica said, "Okay no, I am not standing for this. Goldie, out. Mabel, sink. It's some kind of crime for me to know more about curly hair than you do. I'm showing you how to do this the right way."

Goldie sighed in relief and escaped as Pacifica subjected Mabel's hair to the faucet and comb.

####

(Here's this week's What Was Edited Due To TBOB summary: the pageant scene itself was already planned, but obviously, all the details—it's the day he was born, the mayor's there handing out knives and declaring it a holiday—came from the info we get on Bill's history via TBOB. Finding a way to make the knives make sense was fun. Nothing major in the rest of the chapter was changed.

Hope you enjoyed! Next week is more Pacifica!)

[daman19942]

TSR CC Recommendations: TS2 Lot Builders

Nobody asked for this but I have a little time on my hands and I said I might do it, so here is a list of some TSR lot builders who I recommend checking out. A few notes under the cut before we get started (all details under the cut, as well, in case you aren't interested in my preamble):

This is not meant to be paid promotion for TSR. I believe TSR asking users to pay for their CC is ridiculous, especially for a 19 year old game they haven't supported in 7 years. But I spent many years uploading there during the peak-TS2 / pre-TS3 era and know there is great CC in their archives that newer players may not know about. And unlike TheSims2.com, which has sadly shuffled off this mortal coil, TSR's content is still available to freely download (assuming you can stomach the pop-ups and wait times)

This post will only be about lot builders because that was what I was primarily uploading and downloading in this era. I was friendly with some of the creators I am about to list, but none of them are still active members of the TS2 community.

The preview pics might be a little rough and the architecture styles will likely feel very dated compared to the most popular styles these days, which are more colorful, cluttered, and use 3t2 and 4t2 conversions. Re: the previews: too many of us were using free trials of PaintShopPro back then, and TSR limited us to 2 previews, so we did our best. Re: the styles: unlike pre-2010's CAS CC, which was full of hand painted and "realistic" textures (LOL), these are the same objects you can find in the game today, just being used in different ways! Sometimes for the first time! And, yes, while some of these creators used CC, it was mostly Homecrafter walls and floors, as you'll see below.

This was also the hey-day of CFE lot building, which has certainly fallen out of favor to more traditional builds (in part because graphics cards have improved and these types of builds don't look as good in 2024, and also because the great CFE experimenters, builders, and tutorial writers are no longer part of the community and their original discoveries are gone as well - I am happy to go down a massive rabbit hole on this piece of TS2 history if anyone else cares, but trust me, you don't have to care).

Alright that is enough caveating, here are some recs! (Links are in the creator's names and they take you to their Lots, though many of them have other creations, too).

Lord Tiko Speaking of great CFE builders! Lord Tiko built spaceships, boats, pagodas, domes, windmills and bridges, oh so many bridges before retiring mid-TS2 because of health issues. He was one of the first builders to take Daihtnaoz7's single and double bridge tutorials and apply them to really big lots. I'm still not sure how he built the Venice Rialto Bridge, or his other European water lots. Overall, a massive inspiration to me when I was prioritizing CFE builds.

Hatshepsut My favorite "traditional" home builder, and someone I considered a friend. She specialized in English and American builds, and I had many of Hat's houses in my old saves and was impressed by her range and decorating style which was (for the time) more varied than many of her peers. Knew how to take great preview pics of her houses, too.

Tigerblue Another builder I corresponded with, Tigerblue was probably the least prolific uploader on this list for sheer number of uploads, but she also crossed a range of styles. Her builds leaned way into specific styles (see the previews, these were all part of consistent sets of 3,4, or even 10 lots), but this was also what happened when a new EP dropped and everyone raced to uploaded builds using as many of the new objects and styles as possible. Tigerblue just happened to be better at it than most of us.

Cyclonesue Do current TS2 players know Cyclonesue? Because it's hard to think of someone who had a bigger impact on building and decorating of the era, first with her English and Tudor builds and later with her extremely distinct grunge creations. Seriously, check out her Urban Renewal series and the corresponding objects. Iconic stuff that surely now feels frozen in time. I probably only played 20% of her lots that I downloaded, but they still make for great hood decor. Like Tiko, someone who happily experimented with CFE.

Illiana The creator who inspired me to make this list is, ironically, the one on it who I know the least about (she is a Featured Artist but not in the Hall of Fame, whatever that means). I just started playing her Tri-Annyas fraternity house and have a few other lots floating around my game. She built in a range of styles, from classical to modern to Twikki Island to grunge. Revisiting some of them in-game, the TSR previews do not do them justice.

*EXHALES* If you made it to this point, kudos to you. I'm sure there are creators I've forgotten, and houses I haven't linked to, but this is a good starting point for digging into some of the eclectic builds the TSR(chives) have to offer (I just coined that, is it clever? It is not). Maybe I'll do a Part 2 if people like this.

If you have any favorites of your own, let me know what I missed! And as I do with my old Exchange re-uploads, I am tagging @sims2packrat and @oldasscustomcontent for general TS2 history awareness!

[novastar-creations]

Human Mikey! Follow up to this post ig? Leo Raph Donnie

AU Mastapost

Design notes under the cut!

Firstly, all the poses are directly referencing scenes in the show/movie

Secondly, these designs will be absolutely infused with my headcanons and ideas about the characters, so a lot of these things will be “because I said so” decisions based on the headcanons. My designs are pretty standard as far as RotTMNT human designs tbh.

I gave him vitiligo in places that match up with his canon placement, but also in places where I think his spots would develop over time (we see that he does gain spots in the movie, so…)

The big design is mainly based off his og design (pre-ninpo, basically). The overalls are meant to call back to his sash (?) thing, and the boots his funky spats (???). Also I gave him a slight heart motif because that his role! In the family, he is the heart! So many people don’t pay attention to that!

He has friendship bracelets that match with Donnie, Leo, Raph, Casey, Cass, and Sunita, and one that’s generally for the Mad Dogs. The heart necklace matches with April.

The gloves are kinda calling back to his ninpo gloves, but not really. They are the heart gloves though, because I thought it was cute. I kept debating if they should have little paint splotches on them, but decided against it in the end for simplicity’s sake.

His nails and beads use the same colours because I’m lazy, and his bandanna uses the same orange.

He drew the smiley faces on his knee spots. In the absence of kneepads, this is something he’d 100% do, you can’t fight me on this.

Unleash the flavour shirt because he still idolises Swaggart, but only a teeny bit.

I gave him the Jupiter Jim bumbag, but I forgot what it looks like and was too lazy to look it up, so I fudged it a little. He’d probably have paint markers in it.

He seems like the kinda guy to roll up his sleeves to avoid getting paint or cooking stuff on them.

Some miscellaneous stuff: Little piercings and ear cuffs he would be so happy about. Tooth gap. Fight me on this, I dare you. Dot eyebrows cos he is circle. Grey hair because he aged like dirt in the movie and I thought it would be funny. His colours also match his canon colours (orange, bluey cyan, pink)

[iridescentmirrorsgenshin]

I saw you said that Alhaitham fell first but Kaveh fell harder. I have always thought that Alhaitham did in fact fall first but Kaveh falling harder? How so?

Hiya! thank you for your ask, it’ll give me the chance to clarify some things from my previous posts about alhaitham and kaveh yearning <3

In post one and post two I discussed that I thought alhaitham and kaveh have both yearned for each other but this yearning manifests in different ways respectively - like through alhaitham’s actions ensuring a close proximity to kaveh, and also actions which could help with kaveh’s betterment, compared with kaveh’s complicated feelings revolving around his and alhaitham’s past friendship, and the current, complicated state of their relationship (pre cyno’s second story quest) resulting in him talking about alhaitham often, even if it’s just to complain

I mentioned that although it couldn’t be certain, it might be that alhaitham was the one to reach out to kaveh through journal critiques after their falling out, but aside from speculation, it can be seen that alhaitham responds to every one of kaveh’s bulletin board posts – in this, there’s an active pursuit of contact from alhaitham’s end, despite kaveh effectively ending their friendship. Alhaitham believes that kaveh is his mirror, and that this is essential to have in maintaining a broad ‘perfected’ perspective, but beyond this it’s evident in their exchanges (that alhaitham very often initiates through goading) that alhaitham enjoys kaveh as a person outside of his views as a scholar

From this, I see this as alhaitham understanding his feelings (be it platonic or romantic) towards kaveh, and that these have sustained from their initial friendship back when they were students. Alhaitham actively considering kaveh as one of priorities (as heavily implied in his story quest, thank you hoyoverse for the infamous framing) shows he’s fully aware of the influence kaveh has in his life, and has long since accepted this – which can be seen in the emphasis of his character stories, that the only joint project he undertook as a student was with kaveh, painting kaveh as a sole exception

Alhaitham’s peace with his feelings contrasts sharply with kaveh, who has a much more convoluted view of alhaitham due to miscommunication and misconception, having been built over many years. I’ve yapped about the reasons for their miscommunications here, here, here, and in my original post about kaveh’s form of yearning, but overall kaveh believes that alhaitham criticises his perspective, and therefore his character, and that alhaitham invited him to live in the house in order for kaveh to give him something in return – all the while kaveh considers meeting alhaitham one of the most pivotal points in his life, and that they were close when they were friends

kaveh is ultimately seen to bicker with alhaitham to the point of upset, and complains about alhaitham when he isn’t present, overall seemingly holding alhaitham in a negative light, until moments of concern crop up, and are poignant in comparison to their usual rapport - it’s very much ‘a mixed bag’

I interpret this to be kaveh still harbouring feelings from their initial friendship, but these contrast with his perception of alhaitham after the argument, and the state of their current relationship. Ultimately, he still cares about alhaitham, but he can’t face the pain this will bring where he cared about alhaitham before, and felt ‘cut’ through, essentially betrayed, so it’s better to reject these feelings in the context of their relationship post-argument. Overall, kaveh retains his feelings, but rejects them

There’s a clear contrast between kaveh’s treatment of alhaitham pre-parade of providence and post, where kaveh is seen to actively pursue/seek out alhaitham, whereas before he mostly shunned alhaitham’s presence. I said before that I think this can be seen to mirror alhaitham’s pursuit of kaveh pre-parade of providence, which can clearly highlight kaveh’s reversal of feelings, whereas before alhaitham’s were pretty clear, in that he wanted to be near kaveh; the most evident action being that he gave kaveh a room, where this wouldn’t be replicable for anyone else

I see this mirroring of actions as equating the two’s feelings for each other, where kaveh could previously be interpreted as genuinely disliking alhaitham, this can’t be claimed now with kaveh saying ‘I’ve been searching for you everywhere’ :’)

The trope of alhaitham falling first and kaveh falling harder can have different interpretations, but for me I see it that alhaitham has long since been aware of his feelings, and has accepted them. In kaveh’s case, it’s more complicated, as it could be said that he fell first, considering that he continually approached alhaitham first in the house of daena in order to form a friendship, but these feelings reversed after their argument

From then on, I interpret it as kaveh being aware of his feelings, but struggling with them, and sought to reject them. But now that the two have reached an understanding, kaveh’s acceptance of his feelings are prominent, and are highlighted (e.g. in him seeking alhaitham out, him telling alhaitham about his day, wanting to talk with alhaitham, whereas before he actively avoided this) in comparison to where alhaitham’s affections for kaveh have remained constant, and have previously been observed

(As for my personal headcanons, since kaveh’s sensibility is something he takes pride in, I like to imagine that him rediscovering his feelings for alhaitham, and realising that their shared bond is something he can rely on, and that alhaitham reciprocates these feelings, brings him this irrepressible happiness, and he’d have the urge to see alhaitham when he could, to fully embrace these feelings whereas alhaitham is used to living with his own feelings, although they aren't of less intensity than kaveh’s - which is my personal interpretation of this trope in the fic I write)

Overall, i interpret it that kaveh and alhaitham effectively fell for each other at the same time, only that kaveh’s changed perception of alhaitham and their friendship complicated things on his end. Despite this, his feelings evenly match alhaitham’s steady constancy. It’s at the point now where alhaitham and kaveh have accepted their feelings and the role they play in the other’s life <333

[piscesmoonpress]

Art Heist, Baby! by otrtbs (@otrtbs)

When James Potter answers a mysterious ad in his local coffee shop, the last thing he expects is to be thrown into a world of white collar crime, but how can he resist when the mastermind behind the operation has dark hair and brooding eyes and promises wealth beyond James' wildest imagination? He would do anything for that boy named after a star, including stealing millions of dollars of fine art.

Pairing: Regulus Black/James Potter, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, Marlene McKinnon/Dorcas Meadowes, Alice Longbottom/Frank Longbottom Fandom: Harry Potter

Disclaimer: otrtbs no longer allows binds of Art Heist, Baby!. This edition was first typeset and bound in May of 2023. Please do not use this post as a permission to bind Art Heist, Baby!.

Art Heist, Baby! was one of the very first jegulus fics I read, and eventually became my second-ever bind. The original binding for this fic was done over the course of a single weekend, which makes me cringe a little now—but I am still so proud of this typeset and the bind itself, despite its flaws.

Half-Letter | 219,117 words | 609 pages

Title and Drop Cap Font: Bodoni 72 Body: Adobe Garamond Pro Accent(s): Gill Sans, Futura Condensed

Typset by me in Word.

Designed by me in Illustrator.

Materials

Cover Bookcloth: Duo in Blue Jean HTV: Siser Brand in Gold Metal and Powder Blue Endbands: Mettler Silk Finish Thread Endpapers: Chiyogami Paper

Eventually, I found that the structure of my previous binding was less-than-ideal, and I decided to rebind my copy. Given that I couldn't change the typeset, I spent a lot of time deciding on a cover design, and eventually settled on using Ivan Aivazovsky's Ship on Stormy Seas (a painting synonymous with this fic) as inspiration.

The process of turning the boat from this painting into something that could be used with a single shade of HTV was difficult, but I eventually settled upon a design I was happy with after messing around in Illustrator for a couple weeks.

When I removed the cover from this bind, I also trimmed and painted the edges, sewed double-core french endbands (two-tone, to match the bookcloth), and reinforced the spine (though I couldn't do much for the pre-existing swell). Overall, I am thrilled with how it looks, and with how my original typeset fits with my more developed design style.

Thank you to Nat, for writing such a beautiful (and heart-wrenching) story. Art Heist, Baby! is free to read on ao3, here.

[stop-talking]

How do you think jhutch characters would handle a baby?

I'm not quite sure if you're asking "what would they do if you handed them a baby" or "what would they do if you told them you're pregnant" but I'm gonna assume you meant the latter. (feel free to send another request if I got it wrong)

Ranking Jhutch characters from worst to best fathers:

Billy

☆ Would play dumb when you hand him the pregnancy test.

☆ "What's this? Oh, you're pregnant? Can't be mine. My pull-out game is too strong." (literally has NO pull-out game, refuses to use condoms because he "can't feel" with them on)

☆ Basically ghosts you until the paternity test proves it's his. Then he actually ghosts you.

☆ Drops off the face of the fucking Earth for years. Doesn't pay a dime in child support.

☆ Maybe he comes back like 3 years later drunk and demanding to see "his" kid idk. Literally the worst.

Derek

☆ Honestly I headcannon he had a vasectomy at like 24-25.

☆ His mom hit him up once she heard about his prostitute scandals and chewed him out. Gave him "the talk" even though he's a grown ass man... finally got him to get snipped when she brought up the possibility of paying income-based child support for 18 years.

☆ Assuming he doesn't have one, though...

☆ He'd initially be mad and blame you. "I thought you were on the pill!!"

☆ Then he'd be like "Is it too late to... you know... get rid of it?" (and kind of dance around the subject because he's too much of a wimp to just say the word abortion)

☆ Wallace and his mom would both force him to get his shit together and apologize. Eventually he'd come to terms with the fact he's gonna be a dad.

☆ He'd be the kind of bastard to throw an over-the-top gender reveal party. The kind that burns down half of California or pollutes a major water channel.

☆ I think he'd be a really good girl dad. He'd let her paint his nails and stuff. Spoil her. <3

☆ He would treat a son completely differently. Teach him to "be a man" or whatever when he's still learning to walk. Force him into random ass sports.

☆ He'd have them mostly taken care of by a nanny. That's probably how he was raised, anyways. Derek Danforth is NOT changing a diaper.

Futturman

☆ Whether we're talking pre-show or post-show, he'd freak the fuck out if you handed him a positive pregnancy test. I'm talking full-on pass out.

☆ Pre-show Josh would be like "Babe we can NOT afford a baby I literally live at home with my parents and work as a janitor."

☆ His parents would be so crazy supportive though. They've been hinting that they want grandkids for YEARS.

☆ They literally clear out a room IMMIDEATELY after hearing the news and offer it to you to use as a nursery.

☆ His mom buys you more baby clothes than you could possibly need. His dad builds a crib from scratch.

☆ Overall Josh is stressed asf but he does his best to be there for you, and his parents are OVERWHELMIGLY supportive.

☆ Post-show Josh, on the other hand, doesn't have that support. But he's survived unspeakable horrors across multiple dimensions, how hard could a baby be?

☆ Extremely hard, apparently. One day he just loses it and makes a huge decision without asking you.

☆ "Josh WTF happened to our savings??"

☆ "TRUST ME BABE we need to invest in Apple!!"

☆ You're pissed but it pays off in a few years and you're both able to live comfortably.

☆ Then in 2015-ish he did the same thing again, pouring all your savings into bitcoin. This time you SWEAR you're going to leave him, but it all pays out in the end. He gets your kid through college with that money.

☆ Overall he's a really good father, too. He had great parents, and even if he's not experienced with kids, he's naturally a very caring and attentive person.

Mike

☆ Cries when he sees the pregnancy test. He's not even sure if it's happy or sad tears.

☆ Gets sick to his stomach overthinking about how he's going to be a terrible father. His dad walked out on him, so he has literally no idea how to act.

☆ Abby, on the other hand, is absolutely delighted. She's always wanted a "little sister". Mike has to remind her that technically it's her niece. Or nephew. There's no guarantee on the gender yet.

☆ Eventually he comes to terms with it all. He's taken care of Abby for ten years, he isn't completely clueless.

☆ Takes you to all of your Dr.'s appointments, checkups, etc. Holds your hand. Makes all of your weird pregnancy cravings and doesn't judge.

☆ After the birth, he lets you rest. Nearly works himself to death trying to take care of the baby all on his own because he wants you to recover.

☆ I'm talking getting up bleary-eyed at 2am every night to microwave some formula and feed the baby. After working a 10 hour shift.

☆ Pulls the "I have a baby on the way" card at work in an attempt to get a raise. It works, thankfully. (In the novel version of the movie; it says he gets a job as a contractor at the end. So hopefully he can afford a kid...)

----------♡----------

[Remember: these are just MY headcannons. If you think differently that's fine. I didn't include Clapton because he's literally in highschool... and we all know Peeta is an amazing father.]

[katyahina]

Okay so, according to Moonlight Ruin who datamines Dark Souls 2, almost all the summons and invaders use the same preset faces

(Source: ( x )) So I guess I had to put my own take on them.. Donna, Bellclaire and Scarlett are not altered as I felt like at least someone from each list should use this data! I don't include Abyss people since they're just mirrors of characters/enemies, and 'Nameless Usurper' is actually Licia!

(Also have bonus Melinda pre-Gutter I guess)

Some thought process under cut!

I assume Foreigner Wandering Phantom is one of those outsiders that failed to make it from the start like the Hollows we fight in the Thing Betwix, they literally invade there and wear this set.. That's where Hollowing traces come from. There is a NPC preset for Hollwing though that this NPC doesn't use though, so it is not that profound

Dingy Cleric Phantom HAD to have an "interesting" hairstyle, because she is implied to be Anastacia's descendant! She is the only character wearing full Ana's set, not just a piece, and the only way player can get it! Plus this set mentions "original owner" in DS2 and does not reappear in DS3! She deserved "anime character" treatment fdhfhds (And a small lighning scar upon first tries of wielding her every Warrior of Sunlight miracle). Basically Lautrec canonically dies and I will NOT let you forget about it lololololol

Roenna's look is actually @val-of-the-north's fault because when he was doodling DS2 shitposts, he drew Roenna like Chara from Undеrtale fjdjfddffd I at least altered the colors well enough, but the joke stuck and I can NOT unsee it ;-; xD Also, pupils of different sizes are intentional!

With Donna, you also need to design an outfit because HER equipment is frankensteined out of pieces you can't compromise lore with, so I decided to at least give the preset face to her or else it would be 100% OC lol

The phantom that was 99.99% Durgo is actually jossed from SotFS edition and is now just a corpse, but I still use that one for a reference! Fun fact: Japanese script doesn't have pronouns for Durgo, English localisation just opts out for a 'he' in every uncertain situation! Don't let me to stop you from making a twink though fdshgdgfh

Guthry is one of the characters with whom I just could not help almost ignoring the initial NPC preset... I needed someone with curly hair or so help me, also, helmeted character so even more freedom. Skin rash due to her (seemingly) spending too much time with rats lol

Melinda is in the Gutter, so I thought about very harrowing side effects. The twins from Black Gulch would probably do no better. Also, I am thinking that since she can be summoned (in Dragon Temple) only after being killed in the Gutter, her spirit actually sorta jumps in our pocket and sticks out to warn us about fake nature of the "dragon" too x) Pursuer somehow claims the spirits of the Undead that he haunts, so I think with her Bearer of the Curse somehow accidentially did the same, just only once, and she isn't suffering. She is free, actually.

Rachel seems to be one of the soldiers that served Vendrick, judging by her equipment! But those are overall found Hollowed, so I thought that'd apply to her too! She is also in Brume Tower and her helmet is replaced with Alonne Helm now, so I think she left with Raime?

Painting Guardian Phantom was my second potential pick for unaltered face data for this preset, but I decided to give that one to Bellclaire instead! O'Harrah is wearing Monastery Long Shirt as well but is a bit more "removed" from it. The Guardian, on the other hand, drops the full set pieces with each invasion! And the braid is an important detail in their designs, their hoods even imitate it, so I could not help giving her the braid as reference too!

That last preset was the simplest I guess, with only four character and only Scarlett not having a head piece! So, the choice of who gets the unaltered preset is obvious here? I also changed stones coloration for the Pyromancer to make it more individual, but removed them from Butcher Phantom (thought she was not supposed to wear this set from context stanpoint)

[huppaduppa]

I'M GETTING EVICTED... AND I HAVE TOO MUCH STUFF. PLEASE BUY MY STUFF.

I want to clarify that I'm at no risk of homelessness or losing my income. Worst case I'll live with my parents while I figure stuff out. But I have way too much stuff in the event of that happening so hence why I'm gonna sell as much as possible.

This post is going to be ONLY Touhou Project stuff. Plz dm for more pictures. All prices are negotiable aka please haggle. I am in the EU but can send anywhere, it'll just be pricier.

Reimu, Marisa and Sakuya figmas (SOLD)

Reimu has a small chip of paint on her bangs and her box has a tear in the corner, on Marisa the teacup prop broke off her hand when I was going to put her back in the box and her apron has some smudges. Sakuya is in very good condition. All have all their accessories, including Marisa's broken teacup

Thinking c.a 90 euro or less for all three

Reimu 01 (broken) (SOLD) and Sanae nendoroids

Reimu's waist is broken and one of her hair pieces is broken. Her gohei is in three pieces. Could be used for a DIY project or for spare parts. Sanae has a loose piece in her neck joint that can be reattached and her gohei is missing one paper piece. She has a smudge on her chin in on her concerned face. Both have all accessories, including broken ones.

I'm thinking like 15-20 euro or less for both, please just take them off my hands

Ques Q 1/8 Koishi (SOLD)

Was only briefly displayed. Should be in perfect condition. She's highly detailed and incredibly beautiful

Quick look tells me she retails from anywhere between 15-25k yen used, so how about 90-100 euro?

Kotobukiya 1/8 tokiame Marisa (SOLD)

The peg that holds her to the stand is worn down. Box is in somewhat rough condition. She has a smudge on her elbow and at the top of her head under her hat (hat is magnetic). Comes with amiami pre-order extras of stickers and a hakkero model (both unopened)

Overall her condition is pretty rough so thinking c.a 30 euro tops

Orchid Seed Palmtop Flandre (SOLD)

She has what looks like a few specs of dust on her hair on the right side of her face that didn't come off with just water. Has all accessories. Stand is wobbly but she came that way.

Goes for everything from 200 to 500 euro online so, maybe name your price??

Aquamarine Nue (SOLD)

Her blue wing is broken clean at the base. Should be fixable with a little glue and a steady hand. Another one I can only find online for crazy prices so name your price.

Toranoana vinyl Marisa and Alice (both SOLD)

I really love these so it hurts to sell them. Impossible to find any reasonable prices for these online, either. The boxes are beat up and Alice has some marks on the back of her dress, but otherwise they're in really good condition and they both have their accessories.

Toranoana Toho Gensou Retsuden Reimu

Another one I can only find online for like 20-40k yen 🫠 she's only been briefly displayed and should be in perfect condition. Box has a piece of clear tape at the clear plastic at the front. Name your price etc

Furyu Reimu

Furyu price fig that I was very cheap but I really love it so this is another one I kinda don't wanna let go off lmao. Based on art by the persona artists. She came with some coloring imperfections on her hair and her box had no interior (dw I will pack her up safe but it will be DIY lol). I'm thinking like 20 euro or less for her. For a price fig she is very beautiful though ❤️

Again, please contact me for more pictures and suggest prices! Some of these items have been impossible to price so please make an offer and hopefully we can figure it out 💞🙏

[keikoyume]

Quick redesigns of some Pokémon for fun!

Coalossal: While I LOVE Rolycoly, its final evolution was a big disappointment for me. Coalossal feels like a mix of big reptile Pokemons like Golem/Aggron/Carracosta/Rhyperior painted in black. So I gave it back its wheels from its pre-evolution! I originally wanted to draw a steam engine but I thought I would risk to get rid off its animalistic traits (maybe next time!).

Jynx: It's probably my least favorite Pokémon ever. I tried to make the Ice type more visible by shaping its head like an ice peak and adding some bone patterns. The face is actually a mask/puppet, recalling the trickster spririt from the folklore the Pokémon is based on.

Goodra: Another Pokémon where I love the 2 pre-evolutions and got disappointed by the final evolution. While I genuinely don't dislike Goodra, I'm not fond of the fact it lost its snail aspect and got a "Dragonite treatment". Since the Pokedex entries emphasize on its strong tail and antennas, I gave them more importance and volume. The tail's shape is inspired from the body of the snails without their shell. Overall, I just re-shaped Goodra for a better 'snail vibe' without pushing aside its cuddly dragon look. I also slightly changed the eye for better connecting with Sliggoo's ones.

For the Hisuian form, I made Goodra quadrupedal as a way for suggesting its shell is heavy and bulky. In this way, it also looks like a long neck dinosaur which could stick with the fact Hisui is a region from the past. (Also, I probably got inspired from the old theory suggesting Goodra and Aurorus are linked).

[cruyuu]

Absolutely insane to me how Sukuna had 24/7 access to Yuuji and could pull him into his innate domain whenever he wanted and yet he never once tried to break his spirit and torture him into submission??? Lmao okay, not sus at alllll since we all know damn well he's not above that 💀

Hi anon!

Thank you for the sukuita ask since I have been rubbing my hands excitedly just waiting to talk about them because man. Do. I. Miss. Them. Man. Like I wish jjk was still ongoing. I wish the skit fandom was more active. I wish we are all back and swooning like we did. I miss everything 😭

But anyway, back to your little rant.

Early chapters (aka S1 of jjk, or pre-Shibuya jjk) sukuita was so damn weird and yet addicting. That's what sparked my interest in them- this weird rivalry? that they had was so damn entertaining. The first time Yuuji fought Sukuna in his Domain is in my top 5 all time favorite jjk moments just because he's being extremely silly and Sukuna's being silly too (for no reason). What's crazy is that we didn't know the extent of Sukuna's power back then (even if we did get like a brief introduction it wasn't enough.) and once we got a glimpse of it— I literally had to pause reading for a while because it was so ???? You're telling me Sukuna who wrecked Shibuya for funsies and had everyone shook to the core laughed like a school girl and tried to appear as elegant and menacing as possible in front of Yuuji? He even offered him a deal? Even spoke to him a lot despite Yuuji ignoring him like all the time? Really?????

To sound more serious now, that little moment in the Domain makes Sukuna appear far less harmless and rather human-like more so than the legend that paints him as a mystical and omnipotent figure. He's mean and arrogant too but that is frankly, and I dare say it, tongue-in-cheek type of mean. It's really soft. We see the difference later on and the difference is what makes this so confusing. Anything that Sukuna calls worthless gets diced into pieces without consideration or gets totally ignored. Anyone who dares try to attack him gets killed. The contrast between how he treats others and Yuuji had always been vastly different, eyebrow raising-ly so.

Just what was so entertaining about Yuuji? The fact that he was his vessel? The fact that he tried too damn hard even if he was "bound to fail"? His overall silliness and kindness? His ability to learn and adapt rather nicely to anything that he's being taught?

It's just like you said anon. We knew Sukuna kinda fit the trademark evil guy so then why didn't he try to get Yuuji to submit or to mold him into a vessel? I'm not saying he hadn't done nothing because he had threatened him, assaulted him and mocked him but outside of Shibuya and that time he laughed at him with Mahito, Sukuna had never tried to do anything when it comes to Yuuji. Like this is your vessel, this boy is perfectly tailored and made to hold your soul and you'll just... do nothing about that? Won't even try to manipulate him, make him change his mind, play any games... nothing? Hell, even if he didn't want him as a vessel, it could've done him good to play around with someone like Yuuji. After all, the infuriating fact (to Sukuna) is that weak Yuuji is his vessel. Sukuna's mean enough to mock him but not mean enough to psychologically torture him? I don't think so.

[While we're still on the topic of the Innate Domain time, look at his exasperation (dare i say disgruntlement/disappointment too) when Yuuji doesn't thank him for healing his arm, instead focusing on the fact that he ripped out his heart. I knew from that little exchange right there that I was screwed.]

It's always fun to revisit old moments when we know what the hell happened 200+ chapters later. It's actually rather hilarious because it makes it seem like these two had a weird crush on each other that grew and because they love in different ways, they ended up crashing and burning but acknowledging the fact that they do love each other (kinda).

It'll never not be funny to me how even when Yuuji talked about himself, Sukuna still wouldn't dare share anything about himself, even dismissing him liking flowers. Then he proceeded, I shit you not, to follow him around for a long time, listen to him rant about his life, shoot arrows with him, fish with him only to say "Ok shut the hell up and end this". Like hmmmmm. Do you really want it to end? Hmmmm. After all, you keep not killing him. Hmmmm.

Thank you for indulging me anon and I hope you have a wonderful day or night. <3

[kukuu031]

HI HI i really love your art, the colors are just. so. wow. i wanted to ask if you had any specific way you chose color palettes and shading to kinda get that "opalescence" look?? do u just put down base colors then paint on top or do you build your palette from the beginning? love your gummies dearly!!

hi !! thank you so much, i love your art too !!!

i consider myself to have a very clear mental image most of the time, so i dont really plan the palettes they just come to me😭 when i get visions i try to doodle them quickly, so i can remember the key colors i want to use (if i dont i WILL forget the whole idea i have a terrible memory)

for the trans gumshoe i knew i wanted a lot of pink and blues but i didnt know how to mix them or compose the background, that took me longer than drawing and rendering him lol

the same for the pink jacket + glasses gumshoe ! i knew what colors i wanted to use, some of the elements too this time, but the composition and overall palette just comes to me just messing around until i like it :3

i dont consider myself really understanding of the color theory or anything, but i reccomend always messing with values and contrast more than pre defined color palletes ! i like mixing pink-blue-yellow most of the time, but always messing with the value and saturation to make them contrast ! also how much each color takes on the drawing. i like my art colorful and saturated but readable and with a lot of elements and/or patterns, so i just try to work with that instead of any written rules or steps. the only advice i can give you is to have fun with your art and experiment with colors !!

[blitheringbongus]

Excuse me! I know you drew it a while ago, but I was curious, the human mumbo you drew, is this him pre transition? :D if so, even if he's still a nervous wreck, he looks much more confident nowadays than he does there :]

Hi!! Hello!!

Yes, my human design of him is pre his transition, also there was another ask which asked for more information on my AU for him but I think I accidentally deleted it so I’m just gonna combine the two

He was a ‚housewife‘ in the late 1800s (I did zero research on clothing and stuff for that time so not everything’s accurate), who had a husband and daughter.

His husband knew of him being trans, and he supported it fully, drawing a mustache on his face and letting him wear his clothes and everything.

Sadly Mumbo didn’t have the courage to go out like this in public in fear of being found out.

His husband was a painter, he owned an art studio and mostly painted oil paintings of landscapes and portraits, he was overall very bubbly and sweet.

Their child’s name was Eliza, she was quite the chaotic and messy type of child but overall lovable. She grew up to be an art teacher :] (cheesy, I know)

As for Mumbo himself, he spent his day, of course, doing ‚housewife‘ stuff, but he also loved to experiment taking pictures with his camera as well as do overall experiments with mechanical stuff, such as build small trinkets like a walking duckling.

Mumbo outlived both of them

[towriteloveontheirarms]

Smoking looks good on you (modern!Criston Cole x Reader)

synopsis: Seeing Criston smoke invokes a rather new feeling for him inside of you.

warnings: Criston smoking a cigarette, age gap (reader is in her early twenties), smut, hand job, oral sex (m receiving),afab reader

word count: 1.3k

taglist: @hopelesswritergall @urmomsgirlfriend1 @deadonyouraccount @samthegreenapologist

(If you want to be tagged for any specific character/series/fandom or in general on my fanfic or moodboards let me know in my asks, comments or DMs)

A/N: This is low key inspired by this post and my opinion that Fabien looks a little bit too hot when he smokes. I hope you enjoy <3

Dividers by @saradika

You had tried to start the car an ungodly number of times to still be trying. Your blood boiling and face scrunched up in concentration. Eventually even you have to admit that there is no sense in trying any more often. Bringing your hands down onto the steering wheel at the realisation, which accidentally sets off the horn. The sudden sound makes you squeak, jumping up in your seat. With a begrudging sigh, you make your way back to the large house. Luckily Helaena is the one to open the door, offering you a sympathetic look as you tell her what's up. Then she quickly types something into her phone before turning back to you.

“Criston can bring you home. Just meet him in the garage.” She informs you.

“What about the car? I can't just leave it here.” You try to protest. Not that she would ever allow it.

“Don't worry I'll take care of it and bring it back to you.” In moments like these her soft spokenness had an awful lot of her mother.

“You're the best, Hel. Thank you so much.” You hug the blonde once more and then make your way through the house to the garage.

You open the door and run into a sight that has your breath catch in your lungs.

Criston Cole is sat in a car with the window down, a cigarette hanging loosely from his lips, jaw slack and eyes heavy lidded. One of his hands lays on his thighs, to make it look like he is strokes at the tent in his lap. While the other arm is rested on the open window.

For a moment, you think about if you should just go to knock at the door and act like your brain wasn´t running wild with thoughts, but even before your brain can think of a second option of action, a sigh falls from his lips. The sound causes your knees to grow weak and your mouth to water. You stumble a few steps closer towards him until you can see the drops of sweat running down the tan temples from the warm weather outside. Your eyes are fixed on every little detail of his face. The sheen of sweat that covered his skin made it glow ethereally. The way his eyes flicker under the lids from whatever thought it is that has him not paying attention to his surroundings. The way his lips form around a thick cloud of smoke as he takes a deep drag of the cigarette.

It's all too much to take without being affected by it, the excitement thrumming through your veins.

Still distracted by the overall situation, you barely realize one of your hands reaches out to grab the car door. The consequences of opening it evading your mind, as you pull on the handle.

Instantly his head whips around, eyes wide in surprise, cigarette almost falling from his mouth. You yourself are surprised to actually see a tent between his legs at the sight of your light summer dress when your eyes wander down instinctively.

“You know… Seeing you smoke like that is kinda hot.” You purr, trailing your hand up his thigh, closer to his lap.

“What are you doing?” Criston´s voice quivers.

“I thought you could maybe use a helping hand. Or mouth.” You coo in response.

The man´s breath shudders at your suggestive words and the mental image they painted. A fast, wordless nod is your sign to get into the car’s passenger side.

You waste no time on getting his pants off. Barely opening the zipper and button to free his arousal and wrap your hand around it. Spreading the beads of pre cum to make it glide over the pulsing length more easily. Relishing in the heaviness of his shaft in your hand as you start to stroke it languidly. The rhythmic pace has a hiss escape from between Criston´s lips, disrupting the panting breaths that fill the heavy atmosphere of the car. Instinctively his hips buck up into your touch. Breathless curses are accompanied by thin clouds of smoke. As the pleasure heightens, the blood rushing faster through his system, Criston arches his back against the seat. One hand plucking the cigarette from between his lips to flick off the ash, while the other finds the back of your neck. Short nails scape against the nape of it, the sensitive flesh breaking out in goosebumps, sending a cold shiver down your spine. He doesn´t push you down but the contact is enough to make you lean forward, licking a broad stripe up his cock. A warm, salty taste spreads on your tongue immediately, the sound of a gasp and a no longer supressed moan filling your ears along with it.

“Fuck your mouth feels amazing.” He pants when you finally take him into your mouth.

You swirl your tongue around the cockhead, hollowing out your cheeks to suck him in once more.

Criston´s fingers tighten around the nape of your neck, pulling a moan from you in turn. The sound makes his dark eyes glaze over with the fog of arousal that equally cloaks his brain in thoughtless lust. Your wrist takes on a twisting motion as it supports your lips in taking on the part of him that doesn´t fit comfortably between your lips. The surge of gratification that runs through his body, has you fighting your gag reflex as Criston´s hips snap upwards. Burying his length inside of your throat until you feel the soft fabric of his pants against the tip of your nose. You try to take deep breaths and fight the feeling of your throat constricting around the hardness. Drool runs down your chin as you struggle to accommodate, only minimally soothed by Criston´s praise and the hand from your neck wandering down to rub over your back.

Slowly he pulls back out of your throat, feeling the moan that you let out vibrate through his length. In response his head falls back against the headrest, the half-smoked cigarette falling from between his fingers to the garage floor.

Pulling off his cock with a wet pop for a moment, you try to calm your breathing, yet never stopping the movement of your hand. Gliding over the wet skin easily. At the same time Criston reaches to wipe at your chin. His already shuddering breathing breath grows more laboured. The whimpers and groans growing more frequent and higher in pitch as the desperation coils the knot of pleasure in his stomach tighter.

“You sound so sweet, when you are so desperate.” You croak teasingly.

“Oh gods, I´m gonna…” He stammers.

You manage to close your lips around the pulsing length just in time for the warm, salty taste fills your mouth once more in the form of his cum shooting down your throat as the tension finally snaps.

After the drawn-out groan, the silence feels almost deafening. Only broken up by your shared gasps for air.

The drive home is equally silent. Uncertainty is weighing down the atmosphere in the vehicle. Neither of you knows what to say to break it.

“Uh, thanks for driving me.” You mumble once you reach your destination.

Criston responds with a nod and a tight-lipped smile.

Hesitatingly, you unbuckle your seatbelt, turning back to him before reaching for the door.

“So, um, if you want I´d be up for doing that again.” You admit quietly, trying to get rid of some of the awkwardness and uncertainty.

In his eyes you look so sweet in that moment he almost feels guilty for his next words, but he can´t help but be excited at the thought of defiling you in a way. Despite this having been your idea. He knows it is wrong, but in the moment, it had felt so right.

“I would be up for that.” He replies hoarsely.

With the tension lifted ever so slightly you make your way to the door of your apartment. Your stomach fluttering as you watch Criston drive away.