#it was originally meant to be a study but then my brain thought 'make it more fucked up. make it madakana'

[0rchidm4ntis]

Midsummer night's dream

[parisoonic]

How the hell do you manage to superimpose the hilariously exagerated proportions of the tf2 mercs into a cohesive 2d style? I always struggle SO much with like, the way the mercs' models have huge hands, the way they have relatively low-poly definition on things like arms, shoulders, and legs... and Especially the way like, the models are kinda janky when you pose them for art purposes- when using movement tools, things like armpits and seams between body parts get all deformed... Which makes the study of form and silhouette rather difficult.

I assume that a lot of your ability to translate the concept of the mercs from their original mediums into your own works of art comes to you quite naturally- through experience you have with drawing and art style stuff, as well as through intuition. I was simply wondering if I could poke at your mind and get some insight into your process, any thoughts you have about the proportions and silhouettes of the mercs, any quirks you've found while drawing the mercs, or simply what you enjoy drawing about them. Like, don't be afraid to infodump about something just because you think people wouldn't find it interesting- I am here, I am sitting, and I am listening- if you so choose to speak.

I am utterly fascinated and enraptured by the more behind-the-scenes aspect of art. The mundane things that come second nature to great artists yet seem so revolutionary to less experienced artists.

I love your work, I look forward to seeing more of it, and I hope you have a nice day :]

Sorry for the late reply! I've been a little…stuck on how to answer this but that's mainly because to me, drawing is composed of SO many different little skills - you have form, anatomy, shape language, silhouette, appeal, rhythm, acting and posing…not to mention everything AFTER your raw draughtmanship like line style, rendering and colour theory. Trying to distill a multiude of small skills into some pithy advice is overwhelming to my brain. So I'll take the invitation to ramble instead :))

I don't think I have any new or revolutionary insight into the tf2 guys specifically - more I'm using them as work horses to excercise general silhouette/posing/shape-language and further my skills when it comes to drawing characters!

I do agree though the proportions are rather silly when you stop and think about them realistically…they can be kinda tricky if you follow their 'actual' proportions. what looks great individually was maybe never meant to be directly compared (ie: Heavy's hand size against Spy's lol). It would've been funny if the TV show exsisted and we had more content to review…would the animators have had rules like Spy and Heavy can never shake hands? Would they cheated the proportions for shots? Or would they have said WHATVER it's gonna look weird and embraced it? (Like Kingpin in Spiderverse lol)

Paul Lasaine for 'Into the Spiderverse' This is AWESOME. But it's also one of the silliest designs I've ever seen comitted to screen. The varied scales of the characters work because of the unifying treatment (lighting, rendering, consistant hand anatomy, consistant clothing fold treatment etc) and because they are sort of proportional within themselves. A common mantra is that hands should be about as large as a characters face....which they all are here!

Human brains are very flexible and forgiving though. It's totally fine for you to put a character with huge hands and head next to a teeny tiny character! Vanellope and Ralph from Wreck-It Ralph look grand next to each other! And in that film you even have varying levels of stylisation sitting against each other (unified by the look dev treatment of the shaders and lighting). I think as long as the chracter is proportional within themselves it sort of works out. IE: a general rule is that a hand should be as large as the face so…you can have some large arse hands as long as their placed on a body with a big arse head. Unifying characters with the same treatment (ie: lineart brush, colouring style will also help them look cohesive next to each other :) )

I don't actually reference the 3D models/animations very much at all and instead draw their proportions based on my tastes for stylisation following their general vibes/silhouette profiles. I don't stick THAT close to their in-game looks and there are artists who do that are so so so much better than me (Creedei and Flapjack come to mind). I'm not amazing at body-type differentation and TBH they're all wearing chunky clothes all the time so I usually draw the guys as one-of-three body shapes: Heavy is the uniquely wide guy; Sniper/Scout/Spy are all tall and slim and Demo/Soldier/Medic/Engie have a little more of the generic 'hero' bodytype with varying tallness and broadness of the shoulders

Something like this! You can vary all these individual elements in terms of size, thickness, taper amount etc to create different characters. If you ARE going to reference the 3d works though you'll need to apply some anatomy knowledge to overcome the weird shoulders, armpits and knees which desperately need blendshapes to correct the 3D volumes and approach it a little more like an animation supervisor. There's a reason why you see in making-ofs and art-ofs character designers, character leads or animation supes doing drawovers of the models. These are character models that have had great effort put into their 'base' silhouette but it still needs to be reinforced in every frame for maximum appeal.

Shiyoon Kim for 'Raya' This sort of thing will occur at multiple stages during the animation process. Shiyoon Kim's notes are post final model but pre-animation. Most likely for internal rig tests, exploring what blend shapes and alt shapes are needed for the rigs etc. If your production has time, this will continue all the way to final anim. IF! But it's interesting to see how he emphasises the shapes and enhances the character acting of the 3d model.

As for 'mundane things' - I wouldn't say they're second nature! (If that makes you feel better!) I have to actively really persue certain advice and try to figure out how to best apply it. This can sometimes involve redrawing and redrawing an element of the drawing until I've grasped the nettle of whatever I'm after or…..until I get frustrated and either delete the drawing or just call it done lol

Here, I'm looking for a really specific flow of the head that sells both the acting and a subtle head tilt. I'm also trying to apply the general mantra regarding faces that converging lines (set by the eyebrows and mouth) are more appealing than parallel. It's tough! I also tend to use a drawing I've already done as a template/reference on the page too. Oh! This page is an amazing example of why I'm not an animator or storyboarder…consistancy? Who is she? 💅

Converging lines (that form tapered shapes) are always more appealing than parallel. Using this logic you can loft the facial features across converging lines to create dynamic appealing espressions. Combining this with anatomy, perspective and rotation is the tough part though. I'm still learning o7

The things I probably think about MOST are always flats vs curves, simple vs complex and general line of action/flow...and then eliminting tangents. Each of these can be a dedicated visual-essay on their own - hence my stumbling as to answer your question. Anyhow, not sure if it's ever come up on this blog but I looove dinosaurs :)) so i'm using a wee piece to demostrate these ideas! (but also to demostrate these concepts apply to everything from humans characters to animals, props and background design)

Okay, I'm getting self-aware that this is getting really long :') I have a wee tutorial tag for my blog if anyone wants to comb through my garbled art-thoughts. Learning, studying, repetition and practice will always be the greatest teachers! I'm glad you like my art- thank you so much for the lovely comments - I feel like such a noob still and not qualified to give people advice but we're in it together learning! High-five! 🙌

[fatuismooches]

Self-indulgent Omega fic to help turn my writing brain back on, inspired by this brainrot. He is referred to as 24 in here as fragile reader hasn't named the segments yet. You two aren't the closest yet, but a chance encounter with the segment begins to change that. (I will respond to asks... eventually).

After a few centuries-long coma, when you woke up, the hardest thing to process wasn't that fact. It wasn't the fact your lover, who now went by "Dottore" instead of "Zandik" was now a powerful Harbinger. It wasn't the fact you had to deal with this illness for who knows how long (actually, this was quite hard to process, but you tried your best not to dwell on it.) Rather, it was the fact that Dottore now had copies of himself running around. And if you were to properly adjust to your new life, you absolutely had to make room for them. But that was easier said than done.

They were all Zandik, but at the same time, they felt like strangers to you. They were familiarly enigmatic as you had remembered the original one, but you weren't sure if you were good enough to puzzle each of them out all over again... However, pursuing Zandik as a student meant that you certainly were a persistent soul, so you would try!

One of Dottore's segments that you were trying to crack was named 24 (he hadn't bothered to give them names for some reason). 24 was tall and imposing, authoritative even among the segments, despite their tendency to bicker with one another. He was also different from the other segments in a way, but you couldn't put your finger on what exactly it was, for some reason. Needless to say, intriguing (just like all the others). Unfortunately, your attempts to move this relationship forward weren't going the smoothest. You found that even building up your courage for numerous minutes still resulted in a dry throat and awkward moments of the segment looking at you expectantly.

However, that would change one night.

Sleepless nights were frequent when you were a student, but they seemed to have followed you even all this time later. At least, instead of studying and dealing with assignments, you were left to stare at the ceiling in peace or pull out a nice book to read until you became sleepy again. But this time, no option satisfied you. You wanted company. And so you set off to find Dottore. The walk was always nice, but it seemed like you were more tired than you thought, as you eventually realized you were definitely not going the right way in the maze of a building, evident from the recognizable doors of one of the main labs.

Well, you were already here, and you didn't want to walk all the way back. You should just enter and loop your way back around somehow. Judging from the silence on the other side, there was most likely no one else there either, which was good for you! And so you pushed the doors open, intent on entering until you saw him.

24.

He sat there unmasked, screwdriver in hand, carefully tweaking himself, a few other tools to the side as well. Wait, a screwdriver to his face? You squinted a bit more and that's when you realized he... had no face? Well, kind of, he had a mouth and squishy cheeks, but the upper half was replaced by mechanics instead. A gleaming red gem in the middle along with blue wires made up 24's face in replacement for actual eyes, You had no clue that this was what he really looked like.

You were a mix of shock and awe. It was surprising but you supposed you should have expected the segments, who weren't human, to have some features like this. And didn't Prime say 24 was the most recently made segment? More recent, more advanced, you guessed. But you also had a feeling you really shouldn't have walked in on this, so you should leave while you still could. Maybe 24 didn't notice you yet-

"It's awfully past your bedtime, isn't it, [Name]?" 24 hummed, continuing whatever modification he was doing calmly, not the slightest bothered by your intrusion, or by the fact you saw his face. You wanted to retort with something, but your usual attitude with Zandik seemed to die down around this individual that you had yet to become fully comfortable with.

"I could not sleep. So I took a walk." You glanced away from 24, then back at him. "What... what are you doing?" You asked, curiosity overtaking your nervousness.

"Simply performing some routine maintenance. I will be finished soon, and then-"

"Can I see?" The sudden, rather eager question from you, made 24 pause. You had always been quiet and a bit jumpy around him, so this sudden change in attitude had him interested. On the contrary, he thought that seeing this inhuman face of his would make you keep your distance more, but it attracted you? Not what the segment predicted, but he found himself enjoying the surprises you brought with you.

You, on the other hand, were reminded of the old days of helping Zandik put together and apart various contraptions. It was a mixture of 24's display and also the star in the middle, which reminded you of all the Ruin Guards you'd dissected in the Akademiya. It was quite fun. You wanted to see more. Hopefully, this could be a splendid opportunity to satiate your inner researcher and also get closer to the segment.

"Of course, if that is what you'd like." You walked up to him, steps full of caution yet fascination. The way his fingers maneuvered effortlessly with precision at something that appeared delicate - it was very cool, to you at least.

"You don't need a mirror or anything?"

"No, I know my body more than well enough."

"Do you have any sensation up there?"

"Yes, I can feel my own fingers when they brush against it."

"Can I touch you?" Though 24 had entertained your barrage of questions, it was this request that made him pause his work and stare at you. The red star that glimmered intensely at you suddenly made your nervousness go all the way up again.

"I'm sor-"

"Very well," 24 interrupted you, placing his hands on his lap, now looking at you expectantly. You held back a sigh of relief as you stepped even closer to him, giving his upper mechanical face an experimental tap. He didn't react outwardly, but you could tell he felt that. Gulping, you tried again, this time gliding your finger over the blue lines imprinted on the black background. And then the red star in the middle, you gave into the urge to press down on it like a button. Still, 24 seemed to be unbothered. Darn, you had hoped he was ticklish there or something.

Regardless, the area was pretty hard, compared to the softness of his cheeks, which you unconsciously slid another finger down to calculate the exact difference. Until a hand grasped your own, not too tight or too light, firm enough to make you jump.

"[Name], would you care to explain your reasons for such prodding?" Oops. 24 didn't seem very amused.

"I have no intentions, I am just interested in feeling you." As soon as the words came out, you realized how they sounded and rushed to clarify yourself. "Because I've never seen anything like this before! The technology is just interesting to me! As a scholar and all! You understand, right?" But alas, from the now growing smirk on his face, you had already lost.

"Is that so? I shall allow you to continue then, if that is what you wish. I would never block a fellow scholar's pursuit of knowledge," he grinned, pointy teeth grazing his lip as he let go of your hand. Ugh, he was definitely making fun of you.

"And, if you truly desire to obtain satisfactory results, you should come closer, no?" At that moment, the segment suddenly pulled you toward him so that you fell into his lap, legs draped over him and chests nearly pressed against each other. It was rather intimate - the only other lap you've been on was Prime Dottore's. But although your heart was beating quicker than normal, you liked how it felt...

"Better?"

"Yes," your lone word came out quiet, an attempt to hide your flustered state. But you quickly moved on, not wanting to endure further teasing. "S-So, how do you see? Since you have no... you know." 24 chuckled, relishing in the state he and he only reduced you to. But he decided to spare you this one time. He didn't want to drive you too far away now, did he, now that he finally had the chance to be alone with you.

"I have a Kamera installed inside."

"A... Kamera?" The unfamiliar word felt strange on your tongue. You never heard of such a thing.

"It is a device that takes photographs. A photograph is..." 24 pondered, trying to come up with the simplest definition for someone who hadn't had knowledge of the developments of the past four hundred years yet. "It is something that captures a moment of time in physical form." You furrowed your eyebrows at that. It sort of made sense, but it also didn't. How could time be permanent? From the expression on your face, 24 could tell you most definitely wanted to see a Kamera.

"I shall show you it-" you brightened up, "in the morning," and then deflated. "You have delayed far too long, and no one will let you sleep in." You pouted at this finality.

"But what if I want to stay with you?"

"I will accompany you back to your room, and wait until you fall asleep. Is that satisfactory?" You nodded, and then you were lifted into the air as 24 began to carry you effortlessly, making his way to dreary corridors.

And so you began to reflect in the segment's arms, which had gone from never touching you to holding you so intimately. You were surprised to see this side of the segment - you never thought he could act this way. But you suppose, if Dottore cares for you, then the rest of them really do as well.

"We should talk more," you said, just as he slipped you right back into bed. "It would be fun, I think." You don't know why you felt the need to provide a reason, perhaps because he was undoubtedly extremely busy and had better things to do than chat with you all day. And ugh - "fun"? That was such a stupid reason. Why would 24 care about fun? But he seemed to find your request attractive anyway.

"I have harbored the same sentiment for a while. I await our future conversations with great anticipation, [Name]." With a light feeling in your heart, greatly proud of yourself for your progress with the segment, the sleepiness began to settle in once more. The last thing you saw before you fell asleep was the red glow emitting from 24.

From the day he came into this world as 24, to the day you named him to live and die as Omega, he will love you.

[strvngeweather]

It's All Greek to Me; a one shot.

🕮 PAIRING: collegetutor!jimin x partygirl!reader 🕮 GENRE: College AU, smut 🕮 WORD COUNT: 4.8k 🕮 WARNINGS: Smut, Smut, Smut 🕮 SUMMARY: After failing your college classes, you need a tutor. But if tutor, why so damn hot? 🕮 AUTHOR'S NOTE: This was originally going to be a full-length fanfic, but I decided to make it a short one. I still may expand on it. Let me know what you guys think. Also, my bestie gave me the idea when she said, "Jimin look like he likes ass." LMAO.

Despite your hatred for hangovers, you always ended up with one.

Today was no exception. As the resident party girl at Loren University, there was no way you would ever miss a weekend rager, but as your alarm clock went off for the fifth time that morning, you began cursing at yourself. Maybe going to a party on a Sunday night wasn’t a good idea.

Scheduling a tutoring session at eight in the morning was an even worse idea.

You had many strong suits, but English wasn’t one of them. It was the one subject you had struggled with since you were in high school. Analyzing the words of dead white men from centuries ago was just about as much fun as watching paint dry. Numbers were much more your thing. They were easy and in the words of Cady Heron, ‘Math was the same in every language.’

But you needed to pass. It’s not as if you were here on your parents’ dime like the other kids. You were a scholarship kid and if your grades slipped, so did you. Out the doors and on your ass. So, when you got your last paper back with a big fat ‘D’ written on it, you knew it was time to take action. And that meant getting a tutor.

You just happened to forget that today, on this bright and early morning, with a pounding headache and dry mouth, you were supposed to be meeting him.

Again, you ask, who the fuck schedules a tutoring session at eight in the morning?

With a groan, you grab your phone, hoping to hit the ‘snooze’ button on your alarm one more time before you really had to get up but when your eyes read the time you realize that it’s damn near eight-thirty. How many times have you hit the snooze button? You wonder but realize you’re only wasting more time. Without a second thought, you hop out of bed and into the bathroom, brushing your teeth and running a comb through your curly hair. Your make-up is smudged, and you still have on the shimmering dress from last night but there’s nothing you can do about it now. You grab a hoodie off your desk chair and hightail it to the school’s library.

.

Inside study room 007, you find a very annoyed, albeit very handsome senior waiting at the table. Laid out in front of him are a stack of books, notebooks, and flash cards. Pens and pencils are lined up neatly in a row. He all but glares at you as enter. Before you can speak, he glances at his watch and then looks back at you. “You’re late.”

“I know,” you say, out of breath. “I got caught up …” you scramble, trying to think of a lie instead of admitting you had spent the night throwing ass to Megan thee Stallion and Cardi B but your folder of excuses in the very back of your brain shows up empty. That might be for the best, you realize as you look over your tutor.

“Partying?” He finishes the sentence for you. His eyes rake over you in judgment. “Maybe that’s why you’re failing English.”

Now wait a damn minute. You scoff, crossing your arms. Your brain is foggy, you desperately need a glass of water – and, not to mention, your skin feels beyond icky. The last thing you can do right now is come up with a proper comeback so the only thing you manage to utter is, “Or maybe English is just hard.”

“You speak it every day, how hard could it be?”

“Whatever,” you say, sitting down across from him.  “Can we just … start?”

Jimin checks his watch again. “We might as well. We’ve got thirty minutes left. Let’s make the most of it.”

“I thought I had you for an hour.”

“Yes, and you were late so that hour has turned into thirty minutes. I’ve got things to do, Ms. L/N. I can’t wait around for you all day,” he replies, picking up a black ballpoint pen. “Let’s get started.”

“I’d much prefer it if you called me, Y/N,” you say, leaning back in your chair. “And you’re Jimin, correct?”

He nods curtly. “Alright, Ms. L/N, your form said you have an upcoming paper that focuses on the themes from Nella Larsen’s Passing. What part of the story are you at?”

You roll your eyes but choose not to correct him about your name and instead just answer his question. “I’m not on any part.”

His eyes brighten. “You mean you’ve already finished? Well, great, let’s jump right into discussion –”

“No,” you cut him off. “I’m not on any part because I haven’t started the book.”

Jimin looks at you as if you grew another head. “Your essay for the book is due next week. The book is less than two hundred pages. What do you mean you haven’t started yet?”

You shrug. “I figured since it’s such a short book I could probably finish it and write the essay in the same day.”

“And what day were you planning on doing that since our study session is right now?”

That day was last night but as you both knew you had gotten caught up with … other things. “I guess I figured we’d start the book together and I’d just get the essay done next week.”

Jimin sighs. “Ms. L/N, whatever you manage to vomit onto paper will not bring your grade up in the slightest if you follow your method. I guarantee that.”

You find yourself rolling your eyes – again. “That’s what you’re here for. You’re my tutor so tutor me in the right direction.” Jimin studies you for a moment and then he begins carefully putting his things away into his messenger bag.  “Wait. What are you doing?”

“Ms. L/N, you can reach out to me once you’ve read the book but until then, we have nothing to discuss. I only meet with students who are serious about their education,” he places his bag over his shoulder and nods toward you. “Have a good day.”

“Um, hello! You can’t just leave,” you say, getting out of your chair.

“I can and I am,” Jimin replies, and with that, he walks out of the study room. You begin to follow him but decide against it. What good would that do? He was rude and had judged you from the moment you walked in the door. You didn’t need a tutor like that.

You decided you were going to go to the campus café, buy a large coffee, and then go home to take a much-needed shower.

. . . .

“He was a jerk,” you tell your best friend, Winter, taking a long sip of your mango-pineapple smoothie. “He left right in the middle of our session.”

Every Tuesday was the same. A morning class and then a lunch date with your bestie, Winter, at your favorite smoothie place about twenty minutes away from campus.

She shakes her head but not at him. “Y/N, I love you, but you were late. You didn’t read the material, and you had the nerve to have an attitude. I would have walked out on you too.”

Harsh but it was the truth. You weren’t quite ready to admit that you were somewhat at fault too. “Okay, but I’m saying, he didn’t have to be rude about it though.”

“What’d he look like?”

“He would be fine as hell if he wasn’t so rude,” you answer honestly.

She shakes her head, amused. “What did you end up getting on your essay anyway?”

After the last encounter with Jimin, you decided you’d find another tutor, but in the meantime, you were going to stick with your tried and true. You did exactly what you had told Jimin you would do. You read most of the book in one evening and managed to type up a paper in the same night, confident that you had aced it. But when you looked online, checking your grade, you realized Jimin had been right. Regardless, you weren’t going back to him.

You sigh. “Does it matter?”

“Yes,” Winter replies. “Because if Jimin is right, then I think you should give him a call.”

“Jimin Parker?”

You and Winter look up to see Jennie Kim hovering above you. Her freshly dyed blonde hair cascaded in waves down her slender face. You may have been the resident party girl, but Jen was the resident party queen.

“Hey Jen,” you say, motioning for her to take a seat. “Yeah, Jimin Parker. You know him?”

She sits between you and Winter. “You mean that gorgeous senior? Ugh, I had him as a tutor last semester.”

“How’d he do?” Winter says, giving you a knowing look.

You lean forward. Jennie was known for many things but having good grades was not one of them. In fact, you wondered how she managed to make it this far without being kicked out. But, if Jimin could manage to get her grades up, then he truly was a miracle worker.

“Amazing,” Jen gushes. “I got an A on my last three papers. I wanted him again this semester but apparently, he’s all booked up.”

You groan as Winter gives you another look. You pull your cell phone out of your pocket and dial Jimin. “Hello?” You reply as he answers. “Hi, yeah, Jimin, it’s Y/N. I was wondering if we could set up a session …”

…

For his sake (and mostly yours) you schedule an afternoon session and this time, you show up prepared. When he arrives, he’s shocked to see you already in the study room.

“Good afternoon,” he says, rounding the table to sit across from you. You get a whiff of his cedarwood cologne. “I see you’re on time.”

“I’m early,” you correct him. “You’re on time.”

“That I am,” he says, taking a seat. You watch him closely as he carefully takes out various pens and pencils, notebooks, and flashcards. He really is handsome, you think, even if he is an ass. “I see we’re studying Oedipus Rex by Sophocles?”

You nod your head. “I read it. I don’t understand it.”

“What exactly don’t you understand?”

“Not a single word in that book. They might as well be speaking Greek.”

He sighs. “Well, it is a Greek book.”

“Clearly,” you reply. “So where do we start?”

“I guess at the beginning.”

. . . .

Things were going smoothly. You found yourself actually understanding the material and surprisingly, enjoying it. But you also found yourself getting lost in Jimin at times. The more time you spent with him, the more you developed a crush. Your mind would wander as your eyes looked over him. You wondered how soft his full lips were. You wondered what his eyes looked like in moments of passion. You wondered how good it would feel to be wrapped up in his strong arms.

Your eyes were on his arms when he called your name. “Huh?”

“I asked did you want to go over the scene between Antigone and Polynices again?”

You shake your head. “No, I think I understand. Antigone wants him to call off the war, but Polynices’ pride won’t let him.”

“Correct,” Jimin replies with a smile.

Fuck, you think. Jimin had a smile that would make anyone melt. “Jimin,” you begin and mentally kick yourself for what you’re about to ask but you’ve started so you might as well finish. You put on your best flirtatious smile. “What do I get if I ace my next paper?”

He seems to know what you’re hinting at. “You get an A and the satisfaction of knowing your hard work paid off.”

Well, if that wasn’t a blaring rejection, you don’t know what is. “Do you have a girlfriend?” You blurt it out before your brain can even process whether the question was appropriate or not.

He blinks, slightly taken aback. “Yes, yes, I do. Why?”

You shrug, trying to be as nonchalant as possible even though you feel as if you’ve just gotten stung by a million honeybees. “No reason. You just seem so into your academics; I didn’t think you had time for that kind of stuff.”

“Well, a human being still needs a social life to thrive,” he replies coolly. “Do you have a boyfriend?”

You nod. “Yes, and his name is Jose Cuervo.”

He laughs. “I’m sure you have a line of men knocking on your door.”

“Nobody I want though,” you say, mostly to yourself.

. . . .

If crushing on him wasn’t enough, now you were dreaming about him. A week of erotic dreams plagued you. They felt so real. You could smell his signature cologne as he pushed in and out of you, your legs on his shoulders and his arms wrapped around your thick thighs. Each dream ended the same though, just as he was about to finish, your alarm would wake you up and you would spend a good five minutes finishing yourself off before getting ready for the day.

Instead of a study room at the library, Jimin asked you to meet him at his apartment for the study session. He mentioned something about time constraints, appointments, and being unable to book a study room but your brain had been stuck on, “Wanna meet me at my apartment? We can have a quick recap sesh before I have to run out?” He could barely finish his question before you agreed to it.

So, sue you for being curious.

It’s not like anything will happen, you thought as you parked, he has a girlfriend.  You arrived twenty minutes early. Your excitement had gotten the best of you and you knew how much Jimin liked it when you were on time. When you knocked on the door, a man almost as handsome as Jimin answered.

“You must be Y/N?” he asked, sticking out his hand. “I’m Taehyung.”

You nodded, the thought of becoming a Wattpad heroine and having two incredibly attractive men fight over you danced around in your head. You shook his hand. “Nice to meet you, Taehyung.”

As he let you in, he explained he had somewhere to be, but that Jimin was in his room and to head right in. You gave the door a light knock but didn’t receive an answer. The door was slightly ajar, giving you the smallest view of a very neat bedroom. You spotted Jimin at his desk, looking at something on his large computer monitor. It looked familiar. Your curiosity ate at you, forcing your hand to ever-so-gently open the door further. This time you could see what Jimin was looking at clearly.

It was you. It was your Instagram feed. He was scrolling through your pictures, pausing at every photo that was a bit risqué.

“Fuck, Y/N …”

That was your name. Leaving his lips. In a moan. Your heart fluttered with excitement. But wait, was he …

As you tilt your head to get a better view, you can see the tip of his elbow on the armrest, bobbing up and down. And up and down. And up and down.

Oh, he definitely was.

You slap a hand over your mouth and tiptoe back to the living room. A few minutes later, you hear a shower turn on and ten minutes after that, you see Jimin emerge in a navy blue V-neck and a pair of grey sweatpants.

“Hey,” Jimin looks at you with a face full of guilt. You can’t help but smile. “How long have you been waiting?”

“I just got here a few minutes ago,” you lie, looking up from your phone that you were pretending to be engrossed in. “I haven’t been waiting long.”

“Good, good,” he says. “Let’s go to the kitchen. The lighting is better in there.”

. . . .

After three weeks of hard work and several study sessions, you submit your paper with all the confidence of Scott Disick. Winter, the best friend that she is, decided that this was the best time to reward your good behavior with a couple of jello shots at your favorite bar. You gobble up the first two and then decide to sip on a blue Long Island iced tea. That’s when you spot him. Sitting in a corner, next to his roommate and another man with tattoos up and down his arms. Instead of his usual tweed blazer and grey slacks, his outfit looks more modern, more casual. A white graphic tee hugs his toned body, and you can’t help but eye his biceps. His cheeks are slightly red, his eyes are glossy and he’s laughing harder than you’ve ever seen him laugh. He looks delicious but you turn around and decide to order another shot from the bar.

You spot Winter getting her mack on with a fellow classmate, Karina, and it’s then you realize that you’re probably going to be alone for the rest of the night. Just as you begin to grab your wallet to pay your tab, a familiar figure approaches you.

“Fancy seeing you here,” he’s wearing a smile you’ve never seen before, and it makes your insides flutter.

“I could say the same thing,” you reply. “I never thought I’d see Jimin Park in a bar.”

“I don’t spend all my time in the library,” Jimin says.

“Could have fooled me,” you tease, taking a sip of your drink. “What brings you out among people?”

He orders a whiskey sour before turning to you. “I, Y/N L/N, am finally a single man. My girlfriend of two years has decided that she no longer wants me.”

He’s smiling but you can see sadness behind his glossy eyes. “I’m sorry,” you say earnestly. “Her loss.”

“Oh definitely,” he says with a slight slur. “You want to know the real reason she broke up with me?”

You shrug. “Lay it on me.”

He leans in close, so close his body is pressed up against yours. He angles his lips to your ear and whispers, “I was too much for her.”

“Oh …”

“Yeah,” his words spill out in a rush, his eyes darkening as they take you in. They pause at your mini-skirt before crawling up your body slowly. You suddenly feel exposed, as if he just completely undressed you, but it would be a lie to say you didn’t love it. His voice lowers to a sultry whisper, “You don’t seem like that though.”

“Seem like that?”

“Like I’d be too much for you.”

“In what way?” You ask, genuinely curious.

He leans toward you, his lips brushing past your ear, forcing every hair on the back of your neck to stand up. “Sexual. You look like a good girl who knows how to take a pounding.”

A million thoughts ran through your head as Jimin broke out into a sardonic laugh. You were called back to that time you caught him masturbating to your pictures. You began to wonder if the prim and proper Jimin was just a façade to hide the sexual deviant he really was. His eyes look over you in a way they never have, and you swore they were clouded with lust. He licks his full lips, and you want nothing more than to kiss them, but you don’t. Instead, you take a step back and laugh, motioning to his roommate. Jimin was drunk and even though it looked like he wanted to bend you over the bar and give it to you, you knew better than to take advantage of a drunk man.

….

A week later, when you enter the study room, the moment you and Jimin exchange glances, you feel awkward. He looks embarrassed as he gestures for you to sit down.

“We need to talk,” he says. “I want to apologize about the other night at the bar.”

“It’s okay, I barely even gave it a second thought,” you lie. You had thought about that moment ever since it happened.

“No, it was inappropriate, and I shouldn’t have spoken to you that way.”

“Jimin, you were drunk, it’s fine. Besides, it was nice to see a different side to you,” you reassured him with a smile.

“That’s not a side that I would like to be representative of who I am,” Jimin admits. “I don’t want to be known as the guy who makes people uncomfortable.”

You laugh. “Believe me, I was the farthest thing from uncomfortable.”

He locks eyes with you for a moment before clearing his throat and motioning toward your phone. “Have you checked your grades yet?”

You gasp, suddenly remembering the paper you had submitted a week earlier. You quickly bring up your most recent webpage, searching for the most recent grade listing. As your eyes glance over your paper and the notes, you realize that Jimin lived up to his reputation. You get up, shoving the phone in his face, squealing.

His eyes brighten, and he gets up as well. “You got an A!”

Without thinking, you throw your arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. Jimin, to your surprise, doesn’t push away. Instead, he pulls you closer, his arms wrapping around your waist. You take the moment to breathe in his intoxicating scent. The both of you remain intertwined far longer than you both know is appropriate but for some reason, neither one of you makes the move to let go.

Finally, Jimin relents first. He stares you in the face and says quietly, “I knew you could do it.”

You let out a small laugh. “I couldn’t do it without you. Thank you, Jimin”

“As a reward, we can end the session ten minutes early today,” Jimin replies and sits back down.

You find yourself shaking your head. “Can I request a different reward?”

Jimin looks up at you and nods. You look around the small study space. The room you chose was in the back, the library was relatively empty today and the small window the room provided was on the door and could easily be covered up the shade provided. You mentally prepare yourself for what you’re about to say next. Things could go downhill, fast, depending on his reaction. Still, you steady yourself, look Jimin in the eyes and say, “I want a kiss.”

“What?”

“A kiss,” you repeat confidently. “I want you to kiss me as a reward.”

“I can’t kiss you,” he replies back, taking study materials out of his messenger bag. “That would be highly ina –”

“Jimin, if you don’t want to kiss me, just say so but don’t use the tutor-student relationship as a reason.”

He sighs. “I …” You watch as he struggles to find the right words.

“You were right about me,” you say, giving him a flirtatious smirk. “At the bar. I can take a good pounding.”

His face turns a beet-red, but he quickly recovers. He stands, walking to stand in front of you. “Just one kiss?”

“One kiss,” you repeat.

He leans in and places a soft kiss on your lips, lingering for only a few seconds before breaking the kiss. “That good?”

You shake your head. “I hardly think that’s worth all the work I put in.”

He smiles, genuinely amused, and says, “Really?”

You nod. “Maybe if it was longer …”

Jimin sighs. “Y/N, if it’s longer, you know what that will lead to …”

“Then let it lead to that,” you challenge, you push. “I don’t know why you have to act so anal-retentive all the time. Not everything has to be perfect. Just k—”

He cuts you off with a deeper kiss. It’s slow and sensual. His hands wrap around your waist, one of them running down the curve of your ass as he palms it slowly, indulging in the fleshy softness. You can feel his dick hardening on your thigh as he slips a tongue into your mouth.

Jimin is using both hands to palm your ass now, his dick grinding into you and a low, deep, moan leaves his mouth forcing an electric sensation to shoot down your spine and vibrate in your core.

“You sure you want this?” he asks through a searing kiss.

“Yes,” you think you say but you’re not sure. Your head is spinning that this is actually happening.

He responds by lifting your pleated skirt and smacking your ass, the sound echoing throughout the room. Fingertips dance between your ass crack, and he uses a knee to part your legs slightly further. You break the kiss, throwing your head back as you feel Jimin’s fingertips slowly rub your pussy from the back. He slips a finger into your underwear, running it up and down your slit.

“How long have you wanted this?” He asks, nipping at your neck. “You’re already so fucking wet.” You try to answer but all that comes out is a moan as he slips another finger inside. “Shh,” he tells you. “You want the whole library to hear you?”

He gives you a bit of a reprieve when his hands slip away. You watch as he pulls out one of the chairs and sits, beckoning for you to stand in front of him. Your skirt is still at your waist, so he pulls your underwear down before pulling you close. You feel his large hands grope your ass again, peppering kisses up and down your hips. Another smack echoes through the room before he uses a hand to caress clit. You move your hips in response, holding on to the table for balance.

He pauses. “Turn around and bend over.” He doesn’t have to ask you twice. You obey, and not a second later, you feel him placing one of your legs up on the study table. “Arch that back, baby.” Your ass juts out just a little more as you follow his directions. A moment later you feel a cool, wet, sensation going up and down the slit of your core. It’s slow at first, as if he’s taking the time to let the taste of you marinate on his tongue but he quickly picks up his pace. The tip of his tongue flickering over your clit. Meanwhile, you can feel his thumb, massaging your anus.

Jimin was an ass man, and he was making that very clear.

Both hands were gripping your ass now as he guided your pussy over his tongue. You work your hips in tandem, stifling a loud moan as your world begins to go white.

But he wasn’t done with you yet.

He moves his tongue from your pussy up to your anus, and you jerk, having never quite felt something like this before. You can hear an amused laugh leave Jimin’s throat as he begins to massage your ass with his tongue. His fingers working your pussy, begging for another orgasm. You oblige, your wetness dripping all over his fingertips.

“Don’t move,” he demands. You can hear his belt unbuckling, followed by the tips of his dick moving up and down your incredibly wet slit. He slides it in with the patience of a saint, excruciatingly slow, forcing whimpers out of you, begging him to go faster. “You sure you want it faster?”

“Please,” you moan.

“Please, what?”

“Please, Jimin,” you manage to utter out.

He gives you your wish and begins to pound you like he said he would. His pace quickens and you can feel every inch of him inside of you. Your pussy wraps around him which causes him to smack your ass, and a deep moan leaves his lips.

You realize he can’t have all the fun though and you begin to throw it back on him, your ass bouncing against him, and he lets you. You can hear your wetness as you begin to drain his dick. You can hear his low grunts of satisfaction as you pick up your pace and when you look back, you can see his dark eyes looking at you in a way you never wanted to stop. “Good fucking girl,” he whispers in a low voice.

You make eye contact which forces him to grip your hips and pound into you harder, faster (stronger).  “One more time baby,” he says to you, maintaining eye contact. “Cum on this dick.” You had already been close, and his words only sent you over the edge further than you had ever gone. You close your eyes, your body shaking in pleasure as you have your third orgasm on his dick.

He follows suit, his cum shooting deep inside of you. You feel his body on top of yours as you both try to catch your breath.

“Was that worth all your hard work?’ He asks.

“I think I’ll have to get A’s for the rest of the year,” you reply.

“The rest of your life.”

[starboy-sirius]

may 6 | strawberry | @jegulus-microfic | 1026 words | slightly nsfw

James is going mad. Truly, stark-raving mad. 

He decided last week that he was going to be a good friend and take Regulus for a relaxing day out, because the boy had been cooped up within the library studying for his end of year exams. The dreaded week had finally come around and Regulus, eyes hard and decorated with dark smudges underneath, had flown through all of them. James already knew that his Potions work was going to be the best of the year because when he asked him how it went all of it flew over his head. And James, contrary to popular belief, is actually really fucking smart. 

It takes skill to pull off so many pranks flawlessly, thank you very much. 

But anyway, James wanted to treat Regulus to a nice picnic out by the edge of the Forbidden Forest where they wouldn’t be bothered by Sirius. As much as he loves his best friend, and he does tremendously, James got the feeling that Sirius was trying to block him from getting closer to his little brother. It seems mad to him because ever since Regulus ran away from home and moved in with the Potters, he and Sirius have rekindled their brotherly bond and James thought it only right if he bonds with Regulus, too. 

When he told Sirius this, his friend had looked at him with eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Do not fall for him, Prongs. I mean it.”

James had spluttered, completely taken aback. “What?! Why on earth would I fall for him?”

Raising one eyebrow, Sirius sent him a deadpan look. “You know why, James.”

At the time James hadn’t known. Looking at Regulus now, he thinks he totally understands. He also thinks that being friends with Regulus is going to be the death of him. 

Regulus is sitting opposite him on the blanket, raving about how stupid James is for setting up the picnic this close to the Forbidden Forest, and all James can concentrate on is the way he feels hot under the collar whenever Regulus insults him. 

Oh Godric, he does have a type.

James also can’t tear his eyes away from Regulus’ mouth and the way it wraps sinfully around a chocolate covered strawberry, his plump lips stretched around the fruit as some of it dribbles obscenely out the corner of his mouth. 

James thinks he might faint.

Regulus looks over at him then, looking at him with judgement. “Goodness, you really are mentally deficient aren’t you, Potter? Hello? Is anyone home or do I have to go back to Hogwarts and inform my brother that the best friend he’s ridiculously co-dependent on is braindead?”

James shivers at every biting word, loving the way they brand him as they fall from those sinful lips. There’s a good deal of strawberry juice lingering on his lower lip, some gathering in the corner just begging for James to take a swipe at it. 

So he does. 

Only, it doesn’t go down the way he was originally intending. He meant to swipe at the juice with his thumb, maybe bring it to his mouth afterwards to get rid of it. Only, his brain doesn’t seem to confer that to his limbs, and so James leans his entire body forward, brings his face so close to Regulus’ that the boy’s eyes widen comically, and swipes at the corner of his mouth with his tongue.

For a moment everything is still, even the sound of the forest hushing in anticipation for their next move, and then Regulus lets out a shaky exhale as his eyes flutter shut. James moves automatically, as if hearing that from Regulus sets him off and he’s determined to hear even more wicked noises from him.

James brings a hand up to Regulus’ jaw and manoeuvres him so that his neck is tilted backwards, giving James the perfect angle to swoop down and curl his tongue over the plump bottom lip. He brings it into his mouth and sucks, relishing in the high pitched moan Regulus makes. 

He’s so perfect, James thinks as Regulus lies there and just lets him take it. Take whatever he wants. 

When James thinks back to all his encounters with Regulus over the years, specifically those over the summer when Regulus moved in with them, he thinks he can see how gone he was for the boy. It was almost immediate, the way James just completely folded as soon as the snarky insults left his mouth. 

A mouth that is parting so beautifully underneath his own. James can’t hold back the guttural groan as he dives back in for a proper kiss, taking everything Regulus has to offer and returning it tenfold. Regulus reaches up to scratch his nails across James’ scalp and James realiates by nipping his bottom lip before pushing Regulus onto his back, moving in between his thighs to hover over him. 

Regulus opens his mouth, allowing James to lick into it and suck on his tongue. His other hand grabs tightly at James’ waist, his Gryffindor jumper clenched tightly between his fingers as he encourages James to press his crotch down into his own. 

James pulls away on a broken moan and Regulus whines at the loss, blushing when he opens his eyes blearily, realising the sound he just made. James stares down at him as if he’s the most brilliant thing he’s ever seen. 

“Please tell me you’ll let me do that again,” James almost begs, brushing his nose against Regulus’. 

Regulus shoots him an unimpressed look. “Potter, if you don’t kiss me within the next five seconds I am going to tie you to that tree and leave you there for the foreseeable future.”

James hums. “If you wanted to tie me up, Reggie, you only had to ask.”

“Fuck off.”

Smirking, James brushes his lips against Regulus’ in a teasing manner. “A bit contradictory with your previous statement, love.”

A pretty blush dusts the high of Regulus’ cheekbones and James watches in adoring fascination as the younger boy groans and pulls him back down to his lips. 

James can’t help but smile into it.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Do you think Riddle is so short because of what his mom made him eat ?

Like only making him get the perfect amount of calories like in his overblot backstory

Maybe it is because his mom is also short? Anyways she doesn't seem tall, also where is his dad.

***PLEASE NOTE: I am NOT speaking as a dietician or a doctor; the information and interpretations presented here are based my own scientific knowledge and research, and apply ONLY to the analysis of a fictional character. This post is NOT meant to be taken as any sort of medical or dietary advice.*** Personally, I'm not of the belief that Riddle is short due to his controlled dietary intake. In very simple terms, calories can be thought of as the fuel you burn to get through activities. While a caloric deficit can contribute to stunting of growth, I don't think this applies to Riddle since he lives a relatively sedentary lifestyle (sitting and studying) and is provided an adequate amount of calories per meal. I want to take a quick moment to dispel the commonly held belief that Mrs. Rosehearts underfeeds Riddle. This seems to sprout from a misinterpretation of a line in 1-25 when she is serving Riddle a birthday meal. Here, she states the exact amount that Riddle must have in order to not overshoot 600 kilocalories. This is led some fans to think that Mrs. Rosehearts restricts Riddle to 600 kilocalories a day, which is just not true. From the dialogue, it is clear that Riddle is granted 600 kilocalories per meal. Assuming 3 meals a day, that means 1800 kilocalories per day, which is very close to the recommended 1745 kilocalories for the average 8-year old boy (not accounting for fluctuations from individual child to individual child). This is a perfectly normal intake, but is appears strange at first glance because very few parents actively calorie count what their child eats to this extent.

Back to the original topic, nutrient intake also contributes to height. (Think of nutrients as the building blocks to a building called your body, and the calories as workers or the 'energy' that assembles the building/your body.) However, that doesn't mean that I think Riddle didn't get enough nutrients; it is possible to have low calorie meals which are nutritious. (For example, athletes may have to follow specialized diets in order to attune their bodies to whatever sport or activity they do. Similarly, Vil crafts a diet for the VDC/SDC squad in book 5 which cuts out junk food, is overall lower in calories, and still provides the group with the energy they need for practice.) Mrs. Rosehearts has dialogue where she describes the nutritional content of the meals she has prepared, which seem to be tailored for brain function. I'm going to assume that those meals also adequately provided for Riddle's other nutritional needs. I don't have reason to believe Mrs. Rosehearts, a doctor and mother who is detail-oriented and hellbent on her child's success, would knowingly and intentionally sabotage his health.

It’s canon that maintaining physical wellbeing makes for a good mage (which is why NRC makes its students take P.E.). Additionally, eating well is said to be one way a mage can make a recovery from blot accumulation. If Riddle were eating poorly and/or was of poor health, that would only mean struggles with concentration and his magic suffering the consequences—and that’s very much counterintuitive to the success that Mrs. Rosehearts envisions for her son.

You don’t need an abundance of calories or nutrients for growth and development. The excess will get stored as adipose tissue/fat or (depending on the nutrient) exit the body as waste. It’s important for a child to be fed well in order to grow properly, but generally if they aren’t malnourished (ie getting less than what they need) then they wouldn’t be stunted.

By in large, genetics is the major deciding factor in height. I believe current studies suggest as much as 60-80% of one's height is predetermined by DNA sequences (although those DNA sequences can be altered by the environment and outside other factors). It could very well be that Riddle is just short because his ancestors had the "short" gene. Looking back at manga images of Riddle's mom from the manga, she doesn't seem that short to me. Even when Mrs. Clover is bowing her head to her, both moms appear to be about the same height (if Mrs. Clover were standing). Maybe Mrs. Clover is a little taller (it's hard to say just staring at the image), but not by a lot. If I had to guess, they seem to be about average height for women. That doesn't mean anything in terms of genetics though, you could be any height and still carry the "short" gene to pass onto your children (the shortness trait just isn't always expressed outwardly.)

If I had to guess, I’d say Riddle is just “naturally” short or drew a bad lot in terms of genetics (since his height seems to be a sore spot for him). He’s about that age where most men will stop growing too (although some do grow well into their late teens and even early twenties).

Regarding Mr. Rosehearts, we haven't seen him yet but he's definitely mentioned a few times! He is said to be a medical mage like his wife and is implied to not have a happy marriage with her (according to Riddle). That's about all we know of him now. Some parental figures just get less focus than the other, and that’s the case for Mr. Rosehearts as well as many others (Mrs. Trappola, Mr. Spade, Mrs. Asim, etc.).

It’s possible that the short gene came from Mr. Rosehearts, but we don’t know for sure since we’ve never gotten so much as a silhouette for him. Again though, he could be tall or average but have an unexpressed short gene. I believe many fans headcanon him as short though, as the King of Hearts in the source material is smaller and meeker than his wifez

[daughter-of-melpomene]

𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗡 𝗠𝗢𝗥𝗘 𝗗𝗘𝗦𝗖𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗔𝗡𝗧𝗦 𝗣𝗟𝗢𝗧 𝗕𝗨𝗡𝗡𝗜𝗘𝗦

Turns out my brain never knows when to stop (😅), so now I have even more plot bunnies for Descendants and I thought I’d share them with you!! Keep in mind that I probably won’t do official intro posts for most of these, but you can still feel free to ask me questions about them if you want!!

Bella Wolf, daughter of the Big Bad Wolf, poly Carlos/Jane ship, Fivel Stewart FC. A member of the VKs, despite being a total sweetheart for a villain kid and never really wanting to be evil, because she was the only kid who tried to befriend Evie when she had her mother were exiled and she and Evie have been stuck like glue ever since. Not originally selected to go to Auradon, but the VKs managed to sneak her through the barrier and Ben decided to let her stay. Genuinely befriends Jane pretty quickly since they’re both really sweet and quiet, and doesn’t necessarily like her friends using the girl, but she goes along with it and it breaks her heart to distance herself from Jane after Family Day. Has also had a crush on Carlos forever but doesn’t realize she likes Jane too until after Jane and Carlos start dating, and she thinks she’s missed her chance with both of them until they approach her about being a part of their relationship. Has been purely in human form, like her dad, for most of her life because of the magic blocker on the Isle, but when she gets to Auradon she discovers that she can shift into a wolf and back at will, and also has heightened senses and reflexes, which she uses to join the tourney team after it becomes more inclusive after the second movie.

Charlotte Cogsworth, daughter of Cogsworth, Gil ship, India Eisley FC. Homeschooled in Auradon’s palace for most of her life, because she’s been in training to follow in her father’s footsteps and become an advisor in Ben’s future court and also because Cogsworth is a very protective father, but Ben manages to convince his parents to convince her father to let her go to Auradon Prep shortly before the VKs come to Auradon (and she almost gets pulled out of school again when Cogsworth learns about villain kids coming, but thankfully it doesn’t happen). A bit socially inept since she hasn’t spent a lot of time around kids her age other than Ben, but a very sweet and fiercely intelligent girl who’s accepting of the VKs right away. Offers to tutor the Sea Three and catch them up on any education they might lack after Ben brings them to Auradon after the second movie, and falls in love with Gil that way. Absolute besties with Ben since they grew up together, and is also really good friends with Lonnie and Evie and Doug (and also forms a kind of unexpected friendship with Uma after a while). Her father nearly has a heart attack when he finds out she’s dating Gaston’s son, but he eventually comes around.

Beauregard “Beau” Beast, son of Belle and Adam, poly Harry/Jay ship. Younger than Ben by less than a year, but has always grown up in his brother’s shadow as the “spare heir”; even though Ben never tried to make him feel less than, he’s always known that his father didn’t care about him the same way, that he was meant to just be Ben’s right hand and nothing else. Inherited his mother’s love for reading and knowledge and has spent most of his life locked in his room or the palace library studying history and politics, hoping that he could become a well-known senator or ambassador to another kingdom. A bit wary of the VKs at first, but eventually befriends all of them and starts dating Jay (to Adam’s consternation, especially since Ben’s already dating Mal), and winds up being the one Uma’s pirate crew kidnaps instead of Ben when they go to the Isle to bring Mal home. He and Harry are intruiged by each other and flirt a little while he’s captive (awkwardly on Beau’s part), but he finds out after the Sea Three come to Auradon that Jay and Harry were actually involved for a short while before the fight between the VKs and Uma’s crew got really bad. Eventually Jay and Beau realize that they (still, on Jay’s part) have actual genuine feelings for Harry, and invite him to be part of their relationship. Beau is very sweet but intensely awkward and insecure due to never being the first choice growing up, but as he gains more friends and starts dating Jay and Harry he’s able to come out of his shell and starts being able to stand up for himself.

Wesley Darling, son of Wendy Darling, Mal ship, Tom Holland FC. The son of Wendy and the man she married after becoming a writer and putting Neverland behind her, but there are rumours that he’s actually Peter Pan’s son because of all the mischief he gets into. Hates Auradon’s thinking of “moving past” magic and how perfect and prim everyone pretends to be, so he’s constantly pulling pranks and getting into trouble with Fairy Godmother. Immediately recognizes that Ben’s under a love spell because he sees him eat the spelled cookie and approaches Mal about it, not to confront her or rat her out but just because he’s impressed by her prank skills (he obviously doesn’t realize that it’s part of a bigger plan). He and Mal fall in love leading up to the coronation, and Wesley is so relieved when she chooses good and admits to Ben that she doesn’t have any feelings for him - which he’s fine with because he’s a good friend and genuinely likes Wesley - so they can be together. The very definition of a class clown, laid-back and mischievous and doesn’t take a lot seriously, but also a lot smarter than most people think and would do anything for the people he cares about.

Aurora Andersen, daughter of Ariel and Eric, poly Mal/Evie ship, Zendaya Coleman FC. Ariel and Eric’s younger child, after her older sister Melody who’s already graduated Auradon Prep. Shares her mother’s curiousity and sense of adventure, and so she makes a strong effort to befriend the VKs when they first come to Auradon. Realizes she has feelings for both Evie and Mal after they almost steal the wand at the coronation, and is thrilled when they choose good and decide to stay in Auradon. Confesses to them sometime between the first and second movies, and they all become Auradon Prep’s power throuple. Pretty much exactly like Ariel in terms of personality, bold and inquisitive and kind, but with Eric’s occasional recklessness thrown in. Can change between mermaid and human forms at will, thanks to Fairy Godmother’s magic. Wanted to be on Auradon Prep’s swim team but it was deemed unfair since she’s a mermaid, so she settles on joining the R.O.A.R. team after Lonnie becomes captain.

Delfina Madrigal, daughter of Dolores Madrigal, Lonnie ship, Rachel Zegler FC. Daughter of Dolores and Mariano, and the oldest of the five children that her father always wanted. Received a gift from the family miracle on her fifth birthday like the rest of her family, becoming able to create illusions through her singing voice. Homeschooled for a good portion of her life, like most Madrigals, but Mirabel, now head of the family, decided she and a few of her cousins should be allowed to go to Auradon Prep after the coronation, since she thought that King Adam’s attitude towards magic might be changing. A clumsy lesbian disaster, a bit like her Tía Mirabel, who gets an insta-crush on Lonnie and whose brain tends to stop working when she’s around her. The two of them get together shortly after the events of the second movie, and Delfina attends all of Lonnie’s R.O.A.R. tournaments religiously despite not really knowing anything about the sport. A bit quiet and nervous like her mother, but also has her quiet strength and her tía’s tendency to let her mouth run faster than her brain. Joins Auradon Prep’s acapella club and makes them into sensations, due to her gift making their performances into full spectacles.

Theodore “Theo” Maldonia, child of Tiana and Naveen, Chad ship, Jonathan Daviss FC. He/they kid of Tiana and Naveen and heir to the throne of Maldonia. Very studious, quiet, and dedicated to learning how to be the best ruler he can be, but also doesn’t have very many friends as a result. Unexpectedly winds up becoming close to Chad after being assigned to tutor him when he starts failing a class, and actually helps him to reconsider his ways and mindset when the VKs come to Auradon. They develop a crush on him eventually but acknowledge that he still has a ways to go before becoming a better person, so it’s a while before he asks him out, but they’re very cute when they do get together. Through dating Chad, Theo starts to come out of their shell a little, and becomes really good friends with Doug and Carlos. A member of the Auradon Prep student council, and eventually becomes the tourney coach’s assistant as an effort for them to better learn how to plan strategies.

Maizie Hatter, child of the Mad Hatter, poly VKs ship, Erin Kellyman FC. Wacky non-binary sweetheart, and a complete outcast in Auradon, as most kids from Wonderland are, due to their odd style and outlandish personality. When the VKs originally come to Auradon (already all dating each other), they try to befriend Maizie because they figure it will be easy to convince them to help them steal Fairy Godmother’s wand, but all four of them find themselves falling in love with Maizie over time. After they all choose good at the coronation - and Mal profusely apologizes to Ben for the love spell and explains that she doesn’t really have feelings for him - they ask Maizie to be a part of their relationship, which they’re only too happy to do. An incredible artist and lover of tea who forms Auradon Prep’s art club with Mal and gets all four of their partners addicted to rose hip tea. Exactly what you’d expect the child of the Mad Hatter to be, wacky and curious and often living inside their own head, but also a lot more observant and smart than people expect. Becomes besties with Ben after the events of the first movie when they start to become more accepted by Auradon society and, later, the Sea Three.

Tagging my Descendants besties: @auxiliarydetective, @dancingsunflowers-ocs, @ginger-grimm, @ginnystilinski-reblogs, @cecexwrites, @come-along-pond, and @manyfandomocs!!

[hinnyfied]

Fireside

@hinnymicrofic June 19th prompt: Parents

It's not as micro as I originally intended, but I couldn't help myself! Read on AO3 here or below!

***

Ginny was in the throes of OWL preparation, and it was severely limiting her time with Harry (much to her irritation). They did their best to find ways to spend extra time with each other, even if that meant just quietly doing schoolwork together.

They were in the common room late one evening, curled up next to one another on the sofa nearest the fireplace. Harry was reading through his copy of Advanced Transfiguration and making additions to his notes from class while Ginny attempted to cram more Potions information into her brain – though she was convinced she was simply out of room up there at this point.

She felt Harry yawn beside her, and she looked up at the old clock on the mantle. It was nearing midnight, and apart from the two of them, the common room was entirely empty.

“Ready to call it for the night?” she asked him.

“Only if you are,” he said, stubbornly suppressing a second yawn.

“You don’t have to stay up with me, you know.” Ginny smiled.

“I know,” Harry said with a shrug. “I want to though.”

Ginny snuggled up closer to him, resting her head on his shoulders.

“I think Mum and Dad started going out during OWL year. I don’t know how the hell they found the time and still got good marks,” Ginny mused, wishing she could toss her book in the fire and spend all her time with Harry by the lake instead.

“Mine got together in their NEWT year,” Harry said, catching Ginny off guard.

Harry had never spoken to Ginny about his parents before. Everything she knew about them came from Hermione or brief mentions in books that touched on Harry and You-Know-Who or passing comments made by Sirius at Grimmauld Place.

“They must have had a hard time too then.” She raised her head, looking up at his face.

Harry nodded, his eyes staring off into some far away place, perhaps wondering – like Ginny – if they too had spent nights like this, studying together by the fire.

She thought she ought not to push Harry for more, but she had the tiniest inkling that tonight was different, that she might get away with a gentle nudge.

“Tell me about them,” she said softly.

Harry looked at her for what felt like ages, his expression difficult to read.

Without a word, he got up, leaving his things on the sofa and walking up towards his dormitory. Taken aback by the sudden departure, Ginny worried at first that she had overstepped, but Harry returned shortly after, holding a small bound book.

He sat back down next to her, staring at the book in his hands for a moment before hesitantly handing it to her.

Ginny opened what she now realised was a little album to the first page, and her heart clenched. There were James and Lily Potter, holding a little boy who could be no older than six months or so. He had round, happy cheeks, smiling as big as he could as his parents cuddled him affectionately.

“You really do look just like him.” Ginny said, looking at James and feeling a sense of warm familiarity despite never having met him. Harry smiled, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes.

“Where did you get this?” she asked as she slowly flipped through the pages, pausing to absorb every detail she could from each photograph.

“Hagrid,” Harry said. “He reached out to people who might have pictures of them and gave it to me at the end of my first year.”

Ginny felt an extra swell of affection for Hagrid, alongside the bittersweetness of it all.

She turned another page, and her heart sank. It was a wedding photo, and beside the elated couple was Sirius, looking far more carefree than Ginny had ever seen him.

“She’s beautiful,” Ginny said with a whisper, clearing her throat and pointing to Lily. She was radiant in her wedding dress, full of happiness and hope for the future. It almost hurt to look at her, knowing what was to come.

Harry didn’t say anything in return, just pulled Ginny in closer.

There was a lot she wanted to say, and even more she wanted to ask, but she knew this wasn’t the time for it. That he brought her the photo album at all meant more to Ginny than she could say.

They sat in silence together, Harry watching her intently as she went through the album twice over, soaking up every bit of Harry’s little family that she could.

[svsss-fanon-exposed]

not a correction, just wanted to say thank you for organizing this blog so well. when i read svsss, it was neither the first EN fantranslation nor the original CN, so when i started interacting with the new western fandom, i was like what the hell is everyone talking about and referencing? turns out i had practically read an entirely different story and a lot of the 'facts' i thought i knew about svsss were wrong. good luck and be careful on your way. regarding so many languages it can be easy to step on other people's feelings without meaning to.

You're welcome! I do my best to be as thorough as I can.

The fact that there were fanTLs of earlier versions of the original SVSSS and the official TL being translated from the revised edition have caused quite a few of the misinterpretations I've encountered, in addition to the translations themselves having quirks. Of course, this is not meant to disparage the translators! Translation is something very difficult to do (at least, I find it very difficult), and it's hard enough to carry the meaning for someone who knows both the target and the source language, but even more difficult to translate the meaning for someone with no knowledge of the original language at all. Once you know something and are aware of it, the brain will often forget how it feels like not to know-- and for a translator with knowledge of both the source and target language, some details might be missed when translating since it's assumed to be common knowledge.

SVSSS isn't written with a western audience in mind, and there are a lot of in-jokes and the like related to specifically CNovel genre tropes and internet culture. These things don't need to be explained to CN readers, since it's common knowledge-- but to western readers it flies right over their heads, sometimes to the point where they don't even know there's something to read into. This goes for TL's in general, but especially where it has to do with modern everyday life and culture.

A personal and specific example of this would be, I study, sew, and collect Hanfu. When historical clothing is depicted or described, a simple visual description will tell me additional details about the character/time period/etc. without having to state anything more. This just happens naturally, and my mind will take it as something obvious-- meanwhile, someone who has not studied Hanfu won't necessarily see anything beyond the physical depiction. Still, those additional details and meanings aren't always easy to put into words in any sort of concise way, so it's hard to explain why to someone without that knowledge.

Like you, I also hadn't read the original fan translations. The first version I read was 7Seas Official TL, the second was the original CN version (not revised, as I had yet to find a site that hosted the revised version). To this day, I still wonder where some common fandom ideas originate from, and have found quite a few that come from these original fantranslations. Currently, I have EPUBs of the Revised CN and 7S TL, and those are what I use to write my analyses-- since I'm unfamiliar with the original fantranslations, I do rely on my followers quite a bit to provide quotes from those where necessary, as I can't jump to finding the quote in a copy as quickly as I can with the versions I have as EPUB.

This blog is, of course, particularly concerned with western EN fandom, as it is the only fandom I have any familiarity with (sadly, living in the USA makes it so I'm virtually locked out of cnet), and the EN translations-- I have little to no knowledge whatsoever about Korean/Thai/Viet/etc. translations, as I don't know those languages. I'm sure that the fandoms in these languages also have their own set of misunderstandings and misconceptions, but I can't speak on that at all. I'm just here trying to correct as much of the widespread misinformation in the western EN fandom as I can, with what knowledge and tools I have.

In the end, even when there are such misconceptions arising from it, I still have a lot of respect for translators. Language is so much more than just words, and I know from experience how difficult it can be to take something from one to another.

[jerryspillz]

Sims 4 MLP Legacy Challenge!

Hello! I’m Jerry and I decided to make a legacy challenge based on My Little Pony. Why? Because I have an obsession and needed to bring it into my Sims game lol. I’ve been playing this challenge for a while now and I’ve been having fun so I thought I’d share it with the world!

Packs Needed:

Get to Work, Get Together, City Living, Get Famous, Cats and Dogs, Discover University, Eco Lifestyle, Snowy Escape, Spa Day, Parenthood, and Realm of Magic (SO sorry it’s so many but I did originally make this challenge for myself 😅)

Optional Packs: Nifty Knitting, Cottage Living, For Rent, Home Chef Hustle

General Notes:

I want to note that none of your heirs have to represent the ponies in color scheme and/or gender, though if you want to do that then go ahead!

I will be using their respective pronouns when describing each generation, however, your sims do not have to identify with them!

“We were meant to rule together, little sister.”

You’re a wise and regal sim who can see the potential in anyone, especially your students. There isn’t a single sim who dislikes you and everyone seems to not only look up to you, but go to you for advice.

Aspiration: Zen Guru

Traits: Bookworm, Family-oriented, Outgoing

Occupation: Education (administrator branch)

Rules: Celestia must be a spellcaster and you must also get her a phenix familiar. She must be the highest ranked spellcaster but you do not have to learn every spell as you’ll be doing that later in a different gen.

Celestia must complete her aspiration, become level 10 the education career, and master the charisma, wellness, and cooking skills.

“Sometimes we can worry about a thing so much, the fear can make us feel we're trapped in a nightmare.”

Unlike your mother, you were not seen as wise or regal. The friends you made growing up always wanted to see your mom and often talked about how amazing she is. Because of this, you became resentful of her, and wanted a way to escape the world your mom shines on.

Aspiration: Nerd Brain

Traits: Gloomy, Genius, Jealous

Occupation: Astronaut

Rules: Luna wants to escape from her mom so she must visit Sixam at least once. She must also only have close friendships with aliens.

Luna must complete her aspiration, reach level 10 in the astronaut career, and master the rocket science and logic skills.

“My love will give you strength.”

Even though your mother seemed obsessed with space and getting away from your grandmother, behind closed doors, you saw the love your parents shared and always wanted a love of your own. You love everything about love and can’t wait to meet someone to spend the rest of your life with.

Aspiration: Soulmate & Super Parent

Traits: Romantic, Cheerful, Family-oriented

Occupation: Babysitter

Rules: Cadance wants someone who shares the same passion for love as she does, so she must date/marry someone who also has the romantic trait. She must also have at least 3 children.

Cadance must complete her aspirations and master the parenting skill.

“We've learned that friendship isn't always easy, but there's no doubt it's worth fighting for!”

Growing up, you were always well cared for and shown so much love by your family. But you wanted to learn more about the magic that was bestowed upon you, and master all it’s elements. And just like your great-grandmother, you always wanted to become a teacher and teach others everything you know.

Aspiration: Spellcraft & Sorcery

Traits: Bookworm, Genius, Perfectionist

Occupation: Education (professor branch)

Rules: Of course we can’t forget about Spike! Give Twilight a dragon familiar. But what about Owlicious? Lets make it two familiars! Give her an owl as well. She must learn every spell in the book, but potion recipes are optional.

Twilight must complete her aspiration, reach level 10 in the education career, and master the logic and writing skills.

“I love to make you smile smile smile, yes I do!”

Your mother was all about studying, research, magic, all things that are totally and completely BORING. You just wanted to have fun, party, and spread as much cheer as humanly possible! Lets not forget about the food! The cakes, ice cream, fruits, sandwiches, chocolate.. is anyone else hungry?

Aspiration: Party Animal

Traits: Childish, Goofball, Glutton (You can make her a party animal if you have For Rent)

Occupation: Entertainer (comedian)

Rules: Pinkie Pie wants to be the greatest party sim around, so you have to host and get a gold medal in every social event. You must accept every invitation to go out unless you are already doing something.

Pinkie pie must complete her aspiration, and reach level 10 in the entertainer career. She must master the comedy, charisma, mischief, baking, dancing, and singing skills. What? Entertainment means skills.

“What I'm sayin' to you is the honest truth. Let go, and you'll be safe.”

While it seemed everyone in your family was enjoying the party life, you just wanted to be outside gardening. Planting trees, herbs, flowers, anything you could get you hands on. And then turning those plants into juice or even sweet treats is even better! I guess they had one thing in common.

Aspiration: Freelance Botanist

Traits: Outgoing, Loves Outdoors, Ambitious

Occupation: Gardener (optional)

Rules: Applejack doesn’t just want to make treats and drinks for herself, she wants to sell them. Every time the Flea Market comes into town, she must go there and sell all her goodies. She must also own at least 20 apple trees.

Applejack must complete her aspiration, and if you choose to be a gardener then she has to max it. She must master the gardening, baking, handiness, and juice fizzing skills.

If you own Home Chef Hustle, then you can use that selling table and you don’t have to go to the flea market every time.

“It needs to be about 20% cooler.”

Thanks to your parents, you spent a lot of time outdoors and from a young age and you’ve always been good at any sport you played. Basketball, soccer, you name it! But you want to be the most awesome sim around. So, why not try and become the greatest snowboarder, skier, mountain climber ever! Now that’s cool.

Aspiration: Extreme Sports Enthusiast

Traits: Loyal, Self-assured, Adventurous

Occupation: Athlete (professional athlete branch)

Rules: Rainbow Dash is cool and all but she’s got a bit of an ego. She must be disliked by at least 2 sims.

Rainbow Dash must complete her aspiration, and reach level 10 in the athletic career. She must master the fitness, snowboarding, skiing, and rock climbing skills.

“Look upon me, Equestria, for I am Rarity!”

Just because you’re the daughter of a famous sports sim, does not mean that you, too, have to be sporty. You want to be known of course, but not for being athletic. For being FABULOUS! You’ve always been into fashion, design, things that are oh so shiny. You someday dream of opening your very own boutique to sell your beautiful designs.

Aspiration: World Famous Celebrity

Traits: Materialistic, Proper, Perfectionist

Occupation: Style Influencer (trend setter)

Rules: Rarity must become a 5 star celebrity and date/marry someone who is also a celebrity (the level of fame does not matter). She must own a fashion boutique and it has to have a 5 star rating. She must collect every crystal/gem.

Rarity must complete her aspiration, and reach level 10 in the style influencer career. She must master the acting, charisma, and photography skills. Knitting skill is optional.

“I'm just good with animals. It's my special gift, you know.”

*If you have Cottage Living then you must raise at least one cow, chicken, or llama and Fluttershy must befriend one bunny and one fox*

Your mother made it big, real big. And you’re happy for her, but being a star isn’t quite what you had in mind for your life. You just want to take care of animals, away from the spotlight. Any animal, big or small, you want to make sure they’re all fed and well taken care of.

Aspiration: Friend of the Animals

Traits: Loves Outdoors, Good, Paranoid

Occupation: Veterinarian

Rules: Where do you go when your pet gets sick? The vet of course! Fluttershy must open her own vet clinic and get it to 5 stars. She must only adopt strays and have at least 5 pets throughout her lifetime.

Fluttershy must complete her aspiration, and run a successful vet clinic. She must master the singing, pet training, and veterinarian skills.

“Make sense? Oh, what fun is there in making sense?”

Your entire family from the start has had too clean of a record. Why don’t we change that and add a little chaos. Discord is known as the black sheep of his family. He thinks everyone, especially his mother, are way too nice for their own good. What’s life without a little fun?

Aspiration: Public Enemy

Traits: Childish, Kleptomaniac, Mean

Occupation: Criminal (boss branch)

Rules: It’s time to kick things up a notch and have a little fun! Discord has a long line of magic in his blood, so he must become a spellcaster and master untamed magic. No one really likes him given his track record, but he does have one good friend.

He must unalive at least 3 sims using his spells, complete his aspiration, and reach level 10 in the criminal career.

If you do wish to continue after Discord, he can have a romantic relationship with his one friend, have a science baby, or he can just force a sim to love him 😅. I have a part two brewing in my brain and will release that version as soon as I finish it for all you lovely people.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and if you end up playing it, I would love to see all your screenshots! As I stated before, I have been playing this for a while and my pfp is actually my Pinkie Pie sim lol. I’ve been having a blast so hopefully you have fun too!

Happy Simming!

[dontcallmecarrie]

focusing on NHDD!Justin's first life in this one. Mostly experimental because this AU was originally meant to be a character study on the making of a villain [...which got derailed almost immediately], only slightly touching on the vague echoes of his first life. But since my brain hates me, here, have one of the most out-there-probably-not-canon things for this AU yet. Also, for anyone lost about what's going on: a while ago, I did a what-if-this-canon-event-happened-in-NHDD thought exercise. To sum up: because Justin's a) technically reincarnated and b) originally from another dimension entirely, the Soul Stone basically went "you. I like you. you know what, since you have two lives, give me the one you don't even really remember and we'll be even". Which is what ended up happening in the original ending. However... what if Justin had made a different choice?

Just like in that thought exercise, heads up for some pretty heavy themes— this time revolving around the aftermath of implied Major Character Death [which, in this alternate ending, is the result of Justin choosing to sacrifice his second life instead of his first], and different types of dysfunctional families.

.

Sometimes, it felt like nothing more than a dream. An oddly long, overly detailed and sometimes confusing fever dream, sure, but the point was, Mercedes Garcia woke up.

Everyone said it was a miracle she'd survived the accident, but Mercedes couldn't shake the strange flash of orange and 'so you've decided, little outsider?' that was the last thing she remembered before she opened her eyes.

It sounded fantastical, the sort of thing that happened in movies— but then, Justin Hammer's entire life seemed to have been a strange mix of Gossip Girl and comic books.

But this was the real world, where Mercedes had missed her own graduation, and now had her own astronomical hospital bills on top of rent and student loans to worry about. Not to mention her incredibly freaked out parents, who hadn't been exactly happy about her choice of college to begin with, and were now even more freaked out over the fact that she'd be moving to the on the other side of the state for it.

As if it were any different to how it'd been before the accident, when she'd been lucky to see her both parents for more than three hours a week between school, her part-time job, and helping care for Abel. The cynical part of her that she hadn't thought even existed before the accident muttered darkly about free babysitters, but she knew they cared about her. Even if they'd never really had the opportunity to show it, not when her baby brother needed everything they could give— but she had never doubted they cared about her.

It's just... Mercedes needed the distance. Like, sure, she could've gone with community college and taken things from there— but even since before the accident she'd been itching to get out. Sure, tiny shoebox apartment to tiny shoebox dorm wasn't much of a difference, but at least she got the chance to be normal for the first time since Abel had been diagnosed.

So she went to college, like almost everyone her age, and called home during the weekends, and let herself fall into the rhythm of classes and finding another part-time job and trying not to think too hard about the occasional flashes of deja vu she'd been having the entire time.

College was much easier than high school had been, and Mercedes wasn't sure how much of it was practice being on her own versus the lingering remnants of that weird dream. It made her head hurt if she tried to think about it too much— because if it hadn't just been a coma dream, then what was it?

And if she cracked open Pandora's Box, the questions would never stop. About why it'd been much easier to interact with her classmates now than back in high school, or why economics felt so intuitive. The specifics of some of the study habits she'd picked up seemingly overnight, why her patience seemed to have dried up since the accident, or, hell, how a girl who'd only ever shopped at thrift stores was able to blend in with the trust fund kids on campus. Why it'd suddenly become so easy to say no, after a lifetime of bending over backwards saying yes.

So Mercedes tried not to dwell on it. She took things one day at a time, a week at a time, called her family, and tried not to be exasperated when her roommate moved out partway through the year to live with her boyfriend.

And then things started to get really weird.

The first time it happened, she was at work. A tall, heavily muscled and tattooed man wandered into the cafe constantly checking his phone. Which shouldn't have been anything out of the usual, but he also kept looking around. A lot. She'd assumed he had planned on meeting someone, but his increased desperation as the cafe entered its rush hour told her he'd been stood up. Before she could ask if he needed help, however, he swept away without a backwards glance.

The second time, Mercedes had finished her last class of the day. A very tall cosplayer with an eye-catching leather jacket swept into the biggest lecture hall on campus just as she was heading out, and she had to swerve to avoid bumping into him because he refused to look away from his phone. Which, rude, but he was probably a new transfer for the computer science class that was scheduled to start in a few minutes so she didn't think much of it.

Not long after that, she saw a stranger during her usual grocery run. Which normally wasn't very notable, but he had the most memorable prosthetic she'd ever seen, and stared at her when she asked if he needed help. In her defense, he'd looked lost and one of her first jobs had been restocking shelves, so it really was just habit to ask!

"No, I'm...looking for someone." He finally answered with a slightly raspy voice, and she gave him a polite smile.

"Oh. Good luck, then." She said lamely, and speed-walked to the nearest self-checkout because the sooner she could forget about the embarrassment of her customer service autopilot kicking in, the better. Abel would never, ever let her live it down if he got wind of it.

The last time... was when Mercedes wondered if the stress of finals week had maybe gotten to her after all, because hallucinating portals in her bedroom was new. And that was before multiple people tumbled out of it, ruining her freshly-washed sheets in the process.

.

aaaand you can see where I ran out of steam for this.

tl;dr: Cabal, upon discovering Justin chose to sacrifice his life to obtain the Soul Stone, collectively went "fuck that, we're getting him back" and promptly set to tracking down where his soul went off to. Are they confused as to why all the sensors/Soul Stone keeps pointing them to some random universe where there's no magic or superheroes or aliens? Yes, but that's not about to stop them. [You decide if they chose to save their world before tracking Justin down, or if they ditched their universe entirely because what was the point of saving it if it didn't have Justin in it?]

There's going to be a lot of confusion at first, as Mercedes Garcia is most definitely not Justin Hammer, but I figure Cabal'd cotton on pretty quick as to what happened. And then, things get pretty dicey because there's multiple emotional bombshells to navigate, some less fun than others.

Some ideas for how it'd go from here:

Option 1: Cabal in Mercedes' World

Very introspective, with multiple emotional bombshells going on back-to-back, basically:

The "you're not our friend" realization, wherein Cabal looks at the twenty-something college student who apparently has their friend's soul but looks at them with no recognition whatsoever. This is the point where most people would leave her alone, but... we're talking about a hyperaggressive and overpowered friend group with dubious morals. So, for the sake of this thought exercise, Cabal ends up [re-]befriending Mercedes. Which leads to:

The "you're not the person who was the heart and soul of our group [but oh god I can definitely see the resemblance]" bombshell, feat. Cabal discovering just how much of tire fire Justin Hammer's mental state was, specifically because Mercedes is visibly much, much happier than he ever was. Which, as it turns out, is a very low bar, as Mercedes is a hot mess who spent the vast majority of her short life going "can't complain, my family is going through a Very Hard Time right now without me making it worse. but really, I'm Fine :)" but she definitely loves said family, and she's so optimistic it's painful to watch.

Sure, some of it could be chalked up to the fact that she's much younger than the Justin they knew, but... still that habit of always trying to help people. Of being an older sibling, a chronic mom friend, and always asking if they're hungry and offering what little a broke college student can afford.

Interspersed in this is the "you chose to abandon us/did we ever really know you?" emotional SNAFU, because there's bound to be grief and resentment over the fact that, well, a dear friend chose death over sacrificing a past life who, tbh, nobody in Cabal would've really missed in the long run. Like, by this point they know Justin was a reincarnated soul, but 1) they found this out via the Soul Stone going "hey idk what to tell you, they're the one who chose this life over the other one ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ don't take it up with me", and 2) this means that, on some level, Justin chose an honestly not-great life over his friends.

On a funnier note: the "...so, now what?" moment, because, well, Cabal is not about to lose their friend again.

And here's where things get entertaining in a hurry because at some point, they're going to suggest everyone moving in together. Hey, it's practically tradition by now, Justin was the one who started it with all his safehouses! Besides, it's only logical to share space with someone you trust, more efficient and cost-effective. Only, well, Mercedes' parents are going to [understandably] freak out over the idea of their twenty-something daughter moving in with four rich men who showed up out of nowhere and are apparently asking to have her live with them rent-free. That all of said guys seem to be like twice her age does not help, and all of them are Very Very Dangerous. Ivan especially looks like a parent's worst nightmare, but none of them are the type of guy you'd want to meet in a dark alley, so...

Slightly Fun Moment Two: Tony Stark shows up sometime during this mess. Cue fireworks.

Option 2: The 'It Was All Inside Your Head' Ending

Wherein it turns out that Mercedes' life after waking up was a Soul Stone-induced dream, because it wanted Justin to know, acutely, what exactly they're giving up if they were to pick their first life. Only, Cabal barges into Justin's dreamscape to tell him he's in a coma, please wake up, and now he has to choose which life to return to.

It would be a hard choice, because with Mercedes' memories so fresh in his mind, there's honestly not much going for Justin Hammer's life other than Cabal and Tony. There's no amount of money that could possibly make up for losing the family who cared about her, for instance, and the constant threat of alien invasions and whatnot isn't exactly a selling point. On the other hand, Justin's imposter syndrome is on a scale comparable only to Tony's genius, so... not a fun conversation for anyone involved.

[the-nonsense-is-mine]

"That one's wrong."

Larry did not look up from his homework, knowing full well who was speaking and what was coming next. With a sigh, he drew his papers closer to him, leaving the back of his desk clear. Ernest sat down on it immediately, one leg tucked underneath him and the other foot propped up on the edge of Larry's seat, blocking him off from the rest of the classroom.

Resolutely, Larry frowned down at his homework. He could see, now that it had been so helpfully pointed out, where he had made a mistake, but he didn't want to give Ernest the satisfaction of seeing him erase his work.

"You don't seem very chipper this morning," commented Ernest, resting his chin on his hand and leaning in.

"Maybe because someone's taking up my time and workspace when we are supposed to be studying," replied Larry, giving up and restarting the problem.

Ernest hummed in consideration, and Larry resolved himself to ignoring him entirely. It went spectacularly well for about another minute, as he finished his work for the problem, although he was acutely aware that Ernest was watching him the whole time.

"You know," said Ernest, as Larry turned over the paper, "I'll leave, if you want me to."

Larry looked up sharply in surprise, only to find that Ernest was much closer than he had originally thought. He startled, and sat up straighter, pushing his chair a little further away from the desk to properly look at Ernest without going crossed-eyed.

"I- what?"

Ernest tilted his head and smiled. Larry wasn't sure what to make of that.

"I said, I'll leave if you want me to," Ernest repeated. "If I'm really an unwanted distraction."

Larry blinked several times, trying to process the odd tone of Ernest's voice, which, coupled with his teasing smile, was making Larry feel both warm and cold at the same time. Ernest nudged Larry's leg with his shoe, still balanced on the side of Larry's chair, and Larry swallowed his confusion.

"You're certainly a distraction," he said, leveling Ernest with a look that he hoped was as stern as he meant it to be.

"Larry, please," Ernest drawled, "it's not my fault that I'm interesting."

"And the fact that you're choosing to be so awfully interesting on top of my homework is, I'm assuming, also not your fault?" asked Larry.

He folded his arms across his chest, because this deviation from their usual morning interactions and Ernest's wholehearted attention was making him feel more than a little unsteady, and he wanted to at least pretend he wasn't going pink with inexplicable self-consciousness.

"Oh, no," said Ernest, "that I will take the blame for."

Out in the hallway, Prufrock's clanging bell sounded for the end of the period. Larry recognized, somewhere in the back of his mind, that they both needed to go, but it didn't translate to any attempt to actually do so.

"Why are you here, then?" he asked, cautiously.

With the glee of someone who had been just waiting for the right question, Ernest slid forward on the desk so he was right in front of Larry.

"Because," he said, reaching out and straightening the tie of Larry's uniform, "I prefer your attention to anyone else's in the school."

Ernest stayed right there in Larry's space for just a moment, watching his words sink in, before patting Larry firmly on the chest and sliding down off the desk. He strode across the now-empty classroom as if nothing unusual had happened, even though Larry didn't think he could breathe anymore.

"Oh!" said Ernest, stopping in the doorway and looking back at Larry. "Still on for a tutoring session tonight?"

"Uh-huh," managed Larry, as his brain supplied helpful things like hands, tie, legs, smile, lips.

Ernest smiled, and the expression simply exuded satisfaction.

"Looking forward to it," he said, and he was gone, leaving Larry to his racing thoughts and unfinished homework.

[hauntingofhouses]

i think fandoms can be soooo ridiculous a lot of the time (see: all the nonsensical fan wars, discourse, etc) but i cannot understate how much i actually love fandoms.

like yeah it may be super nerdy and even cringe and outsiders look at it like "why tf do you care about these fictional characters so much?"

but 1) my field is literally..... literary studies..... in which all i do is study fiction and analyse it like an insane person, and 2) even if that WASN'T my field, thinking about the stories we consume is important even for any person to do, because thinking about stories exercises our brain to think critically!! why do you think our ancestors used stories as a medium to share knowledge, to propagate moral values and lessons? stories—telling them, thinking about what they're saying, and caring about the characters within them—are all inherent to the human experience!!!

so that brings me to fandom. because we are literally just making these little communities with each other based on our shared love for a particular story, and for a particular character or theme within them that resonated with us, or whatever. we're all here because we loved a thing so much that we built connections from it!!!

like yeah my irl friends laugh at me when i tell them i write fanfic, cuz ha ha what a nerd what a loser etc, but dude. i made genuine real friendships from fandom alone. from just obsessing over two characters we thought were cute together, we've gone to sending each other gifts and postcards and having voice calls and confiding in each other and sharing parts of us and our personal lives and our cultures (cuz we're all from different countries) with each other! like now i don't even share a fandom with most of my old fandom friends anymore but we still stick by each other and that's amazing???

also like, i cannot emphasise enough how amazing and encouraging it is to share your craft (art/writing/etc) with others in fandom. because for example if i make my own personal art or write my own original work, i'd have no one to share it to, no one interested to see it, and thus no one will be there to provide feedback or encouragement.

but if i post a piece of fan art or fanfic, people actually do see the work i post and care about the craft and the content it's depicting and even share their thoughts on it and that ??? is so motivating and lovely ??? because even though i make art for myself, art is still meant to be shared and seen at the end of the day—even if only with one person. so to be given the means of sharing our art in such a way, to have such a community that fosters so much creativity, it's amazing. i don't really get that anywhere else.

and especially to have this in like, a casual setting, you know, where you can just be yourself and do things according to your own time and energy without the pretenses of professionalism and a perfectly curated resume or portfolio, and all the confines of a rigid work schedule, which would all make the process of creation less fun and less genuine, and instead just more taxing and chore-like.

because fandom is essentially meant to be about doing what's fun for you! it's about sharing your creations and enjoying what others share with you. you make friends and you go ham with it.

and also it's why it's more frustrating when people take things too seriously and legitimately get upset over assumptions of other people's beliefs and hold the most minor grievances that could only be felt if you're like, chronically online.

but on that note, there are definitely still honest-to-god bad people in fandom spaces too (see: racists, TERFS, homophobes, groomers, harassers, etc). but that's the case with all communities, because bad people are always going to exist, and thus statistically speaking, the bigger a group or community is, higher chances are there's gonna be some awful people in there. but honestly that is its own can of worms and also that's not what this post is about, but i felt it necessary to address because i don't want to paint fandom as like, the best thing ever in the world, because fandom spaces are incredibly flawed, as everything is.

but i've always been one to appreciate things despite its flaws. and though this may be very personal to me, when i love things so much, i am still willing to stick around and try to change the culture around it in the ways that i can (like promoting internet safety measures, creating safe spaces for thoughtful and polite discussion, raising awareness on harmful stereotypes and fandom depictions or opinions, etc).

so regardless of the bullshit that online fandom spaces tend to perpetuate, i do very much still love the way that fandom allows me to connect with folks over something as silly as our little blorbos, and from there end up making life-long friends, or at the very least new acquaintances. insert reinforcement of my thesis statement about stories fostering human connection here. the end. send post.

[marzipanilla]

Back at you for the writer asks! (*^^*) ♡♡♡ 12, 17, 19, and 7!

7 - Your preferred writing fonts

I'm pretty bad about this and honestly just tend to use whatever default is for whatever I'm writing in. I think I've divested myself of having a preference because I am instilling the habit in myself of writing when I have the idea instead of insisting I'll remember it later, which means with my garbage hand writing I actually write A LOT in the notes app on my phone. Not really a lot of font options there. I mentioned before that I used to write in 10 pt times new roman a lot, but I don't have much of a preference now. I think it comes down to font size and not too much style. I do not like writing with large letters. To the point that since I'm checking out how the new ellipsus program works and the fact that their (very useful) outline options makes a specific word MUCH LARGER than other words and it bothers me. If there is a way to change this I have not found it yet.

I guess I do have a fondness for Courier/New though I don't actually write in it all that much because I own typewriters and have done script writing in the past, and that is the standard font for that.

12 - A trope you're really into right now

Whump. Character studies. Hurt no comfort/little comfort. That category lol Look, the two most recent WIPs I've posted have been pretty lighthearted but what I've really been working on lately is not that vibe. I smashed out 3k of some very rough conversation between take-a-guess and I'm pretty excited for it, though I still need to get all the connecting tissue to that moment in.

17- talk about your writing and editing process

Chaotic mess. I write down snippets of dialogue and conversation mostly. Which depending on where I am when I get A Thought can mean it will be scattered across several docs. Or notes on my phone. And then I have to go digging for it later and hope I remember what story I meant it for if I didn't label it. I am trying to get so much better at labeling.

Which means I have the note 'leggy teeth out of prison' and know exactly what it means, but have the sentence 'He was an honest man, and he could be gentle, but I do not think I would ever call him kind.' and have no idea what I had originally intended with it and now I just scroll by it on my phone sometimes.

When it comes to new stories I tend to start either with A Very Specific Conversation, or just a specific description for an emotional moment a character is going to have in the story. A lot of times I am just working off of A Vibe because I write so many AUs. I generally don't outline, but I do write insanely out of order and will jump around between 'oh this should definitely make this happen!' or 'this scenario means THIS needs to be said but I don't know the context in which the characters are going to say it yet' or 'wouldn't it be fucked up if this happens?'. And sometimes that means I end up deleting a lot when I finally move on to that story moment because things have changed drastically, or I end up going back to the beginning and completely rewriting something in order to give that story beat better set up.

I mostly edit as I go, while I am writing I tend to re-read everything up to that point of the story to make sure it's fresh in my brain, and if I was smart and didn't post all of those chapters yet (I rarely am..) I'll do little tweaks along the way. I generally try to convince myself to at least get one sleep in before another edit before posting, but since I don't have someone around to wrap a blanket around me and force me to stop generally I'll do a typo pass and just post something if I feel it is good enough. Or if I'm mad enough at a story idea and just want it not stuck with me anymore.

19 - The most interesting topic you've researched for a fic

Okay hmm maybe the interesting physics rabbit hole I went down recently. Where I found out once you go fast enough your weight starts to not really matter. At least, there seems to reach a point where the pressure exerted on you doesn't make you any denser or something. I was trying to find if there were any layman discussions I could peak into about what would theoretically happen if two objects moving at the speed of light crashed into each other. Did not quite find what I was looking for. The scenario I am thinking of for the fic is just somehow worse and less worse than what I was hoping would happen? Anyway, Viltrumites are a fucking problem and I will never be over the 'mundane' things that have to be true about specific heroes in any media that is overlooked in favor of trying to fit them into a framework that makes it possible to fight them.

[themushroomofdeath]

The Healer and the Warrior f!original character x law | just rotten fluffy, ship dynamic

Some people spends their life fighting, while others are natural protectors.

She understood it the moment she met him, the real him. He was a fighter. A child who had to survive horrors no human should've to, walked many lengths for a chance of living another day, persevered through many cruel and harsh obstacles because he couldn't succumb to it, he had to persist for those who didn't have a chance to, for their legacy. Put on a mask of indifference and severity, to keep going. Close your heart, because everything you know is how to fight for your life. You don't have time to heal, your world is merciless and ruthless. 

But she was a healer, someone who only knew how to care. She lived an isolated life, but she craved for something to protect, yearning to serve, useful, needed - to love. And as if it was meant to be, she found someone who longed for someone like her.

Fluffy hat thrown somewhere between the mess of limbs and blankets, silky strands of hair tickling her skin with every soft breath from his sleeping form. Her fingers tenderly caressed his scalp, helping lull the tired man to slumber, preventing him from leaving her embrace today. Yet another day of fighting him into allowing himself to relax for once. It was honestly hard to keep his brain from the incessant need of studying, working, planning, making sure everything (and everyone) was safe and in control, repeat. Nights where he just relaxed were becoming ever so scarce, and as a fellow doctor and his lover, she knew it was time to step in. It took all her manipulation methods to stop him from dramatically sighing (multiple times), telling her off, almost shambling her back to their shared room, before he relented. They both knew he was powerless to her reassurances, affections and big puppy eyes, and after being in such a long term relationship with the Surgeon of Death, she was shameless about using it whenever necessary. It was all worth it in the end, watching his face finally relax after hours of being scrunched in a frown – sometimes from concentration, sometimes from pure annoyance. The mere sight filled her chest with warmth and love for the man. It was not easy to love the captain of the Heart Pirates, even to someone who could call herself his best friend and confident, he would be always someone used to the safety of his tall and thick internal walls, never ready to let someone in, afraid to be hurt and to hurt a loved one in the process. But she understood that beyond those walls, laid a scarred child, too used to loneliness and rejection – crying for comfort. And by the time she reached his inner child, she had already sworn to herself to love and cherish him till her last breath, and perhaps beyond that. I will protect you. Willing her thoughts reached for that child, hidden by the darkness of his hidden walls. I will not leave despite how many people wish to take me from you. I will make myself invincible, I will hurt whoever stands in our way, if I have to. I'm not afraid. And kissing his physical and figurative forehead, she vowed one more time. I will be by your side and I will hold you, no matter how long you need me to.

“I love you, Trafalgar Law.” - Smiling at the new tightness of the arms around her, who seemed to acknowledge her tender whispers, she continued. - “Only you, my heart. Forever and beyond.”

[youknowwhoiamperiod]

hello ariel!

would you tell me something mermaidghost? anything you want to talk about for the ship, something you’ve been dying to share but just haven’t had the chance yet, or a little detail you think should get more love. your choice!

xoxo sunnie (@fic-over-cannon)

sunnie sweetheart heyyy!! you've been on my mind all morning during english class since the topic this semester is film analysis hehe,, i'm so sorry it took me so long to answer this i've just been so busy preparing for uni :((( hope you've been well!!

aaaaaaa simon has been on my mind way too frequently this summer and i fear the brainrot is only getting deeper... ever since i discovered the cod franchise he's been my fav among the 141 mainly cause he reminded me so much of jason (specifically ak) but also not at all?? they're so similar in their critical thinking and acting but simultaneously could not be any more different? like. i don't know. and he's just so fascinating as a character it's dizzying. his persona just opens up so many possibilities and i thought my interest was tamed and moderate at first until aurore started cod posting... unleashing a beast within me....

mermaidghost is a ship that originally was intended to be very tragic. i'm a psychologist hired to work with the 141 studying their ennemies and targets but also keeping track of their mental state... and in all honesty simon's character is not just a walking red flag he's a literal siren sounding. trying to break through him for professional purposes is already a challenge and i don't think he'd necessarily be the worst person to date ever and beyond saving but i wanted to keep it realistic so knowing myself i really wouldn't be able to go on with someone like him. but somehow angel aurore once again broke my fourth wall and i decided to opt for a happy ending but we (he) have to work for it and it takes us a break and years apart to finally come around, making you question if it was truly worth it...

i think what i love the most about this ship and i told aurore about it is the implication that comes with it!!! i'm thinking of a man who's been turned to a weapon meant to destroy every human life he's ordered to. one who makes his adversaries wiggle in fear at the sight of his shadow because they won't live long enough to get a grasp of the brute of a man standing behind them. a silence broken by a bullet sounding is the last thing they hear as it pierces through them and a haze slowly falling upon their eyes before the light flickers out of them, a blurry ghost mask being the last picture they have of this world. a man who has been hardened by his past and time on earth over and over again erasing any type of fear from his dna, a foreign feeling that he's now overwhelmed with as the terror of falling for his best pal's little sister who's desperately trying to break into his psyche befalls upon him. a woman who's laying down her life for the belief of resurrecting broken human lives by the power of the brain and giving everybody a chance for a peaceful life. he's so tormented cause he doesn't deserve to be haunting the mind of someone who stands for everything he's been trained against and he doesn't deem it fair that i'm wasting my time on trying to get him to love me when he's the least deserving of affection and a coward who hides behind a mask, a ghost, the cage locking simon riley from this world. it's such a complex and delicate situation like he holds himself in the lowest standards and i'm just trying to get him out of his own head to realize that he's worth so much more...

anyway i've rambled a lot but he's truly been eating at my brain and i just love love love this type of dynamic... thank you sm for indulging me sunnie sweetheart mwah!!!!