#it’s abt progress not perfection
Explore tagged Tumblr posts
Text
stunning realization folks: when I write and don’t stop to take a Tumblr break every 2.5 seconds, I actually make significant progress relatively quickly!
#personal#writing#literally I just churned out like several thousand words because everytime I want to stop (often) I’m just like ‘‘ok but what happens next’’#and just write it#ignore that I am literally on tumblr right now and also have been reblogging occasionally#it’s abt progress not perfection
3 notes
·
View notes
Text
my hof was born to be a griffon rider, if they could've given him a griffon at the start of dao the blight would've been over in a week
#ailill mahariel#zevran arainai#dragon age#my ocs#my art#they PURR#by the way#in case you didn't know#just one of the many cruel ironies of his life that he would've made a perfect griffon rider and probably would've been much happier#and more enthusiastic abt the whole grey warden thing if he wasn't ~20 years too early for griffons#this is purely self indulgent content lmao it’s been all oc hours all the time lately BUT i made rly good progress on wyll’s reclass#over the weekend and im rly pleased w how it’s going so hoping to finish that soon :)c
3K notes
·
View notes
Text
the mere suggestion that they might cast a Black. Man. as fucking snape is enough to have me wondering if the brian thompson hit man is taking new clients
#when you try so hard to be progressive you actually regress!#hey guys actually casting a marginalised actor as the in world equivalent of a fucking KKK member is moronic! hope this helps#there's a world in which that works and has nuance and is thought provoking but the fuckign h*rry p*tter hbo show is not gonna be that!!#snape is the most textbook perfect example of the current phenomenon of lonely bitter incel white men being groomed by right-wing extremism#WHY WOULD YOU WASTE THAT OPPORTUNITY.#DONT FUCKIN PISS ME OFF RN#anyway i forgot they were making that piece of shit if anyone i know ever watches a second of it i'm cutting them out of my life lmao#my gf just texted me abt this and i took psychic damage so. here we are#ep
8 notes
·
View notes
Text
.
#my coworker who covers for me when I'm out (and vice versa) saw me getting progressively more sick throughout the week#so she was like omg go home :/ and i was like hhhhh okay ill wait it out a few days tho (bc i dont want to use all my sick leave already)#so i was like i just need to make it to thurs and fri so i can have a long weekend so wed afternoon i was like#are u good to cover me thurs and fri and she was like yes absolutely take off go home actually go home now#so i left and hour early wed and then let all my managers and supervisors and bosses know i was taking off#so why do i wake up today (still sick this headache will Not go away) and everyone has texted asking if im coming in today#and i saw all their messages late bc i was sleeping so now i just feel really guilty chxjcjx#taking time off always makes me feel guilty and anxious working life has beaten me down into the perfect employee 🫠#i always assume theyre gonna think im faking it#and my supervisor made a crack at our staff meeting abt me taking a bunch of sick leave lasg year??????#which isnt true i only used my 2 weeks vacation so idk what that was abt#it just made me stress more 😭😭😭😭#too late to worry abt it now but i still am :)
5 notes
·
View notes
Text
Mom: “God why do you give up so easily you can’t expect to be perfect immediately”
well you see mother when I’m not perfect immediately you burst into flames and bite my head off
#Angery#Ranting time but I’m getting yelled at for missing an “easy” mcat question#For misunderstanding how it was written/what it was asking#Like I’m looking at the answer explanation which was basically “it’s correct bc it’s the right answer :)”#And no one’s talking abt it on the internet#So made the fatal mistake of making an off handed comment abt how subjective some of these answers can be#To which she demands to read it and try to “help”#Then is getting angrier and angrier when telling me why it’s correct in a progressively louder voice doesn’t make me instantly get it#Like HEY! I KNOW I made a mistake! If I was perfect at it I wouldn’t need to practice!#That is the WHOLE POINT#But yelling at someone abt it isn’t going to make them ~better~#Also side note but bringing up a creative writing award I won in 10th grade as evidence of how I should be “better than this” is like wtf#Yes I won an award bc the teacher liked me and I wrote some bullshit#It’s not exactly reading an mcat level psychology/sociology passage#once again remembering why I hated those few years of being homeschooled
13 notes
·
View notes
Text
re: the latest tumblr news
is it really that shocking or alarming to people that the site is being put on a skeleton crew? no it's not dying, but it's definitely not receiving further updates
you either support the websites you like or you don't. this was coming. the best thing that could happen now would be for someone else to grab tumblr I guess... preferably a smaller group that actually cares
#melon talks#people will shit on tumblr as a platform and then when its gone they finally realize how good they had it here#yeah its obviously not perfect especially with the staff#but goddamnit if it isnt the best fucking place for fandom nonsense and fanart#I swear if tumblr is to go soon and I see yall crying abt it dont get weird when we go “we told you so”#im a lil salty yeah. we like to shit and talk abt how tumblr is the hellsite but people take it for granted so bad#when its gone good luck finding a similar space#dont say pillowfort because PF has slowed down considerably in its progress and updates --#--you only saw regular updates on PF during the time everyone was leaving#correct me if im wrong but I just went there and it still looks like a website in beta test
9 notes
·
View notes
Text
maybe i should have gone into practical effects instead of computer science...
#when i was in middle school i used to use red and black pens + spit for blending to make it look like the backs of my hands were torn open#i can't believe it's almost 4am. i just spent 5 hours typing up an essay about MM's erik that i just fuckin privated bc i was embarrassed#AND I STILL NEVER SPELL HIS NAME RIGHT THE FIRST TIME AAAAAAAA#i was right but im going to save all my points for the fanfic im currently planning out and promptly NEVER GOING TO ACTUALLY WRITE#I say shoving my plans for my h2o s3 rewrite off the table#yes i skipped from s2 to s3 i had a BRILLIANT idea [season 3 h2o spoilers ahead be wary my mutuals who are still watching]#okay so you know how lewis goes to the american institute of marine bio in the middle of 3? since this is tied to my s2 rewrite fic i wante#to actually finally reasonably re-introduced dr denman to the story because i never liked that she just fucked off at the end of s1#despite WITNESSING the moon pool magic. so i made it so she runs into lewis while doing a presentation for the college and they have a chat#(because her JAW paper plays an important part in my s2 rewrite bc i imagine lewis is the kind of guy who SAYS he deleted every copy of#it... but ACTUALLY he secretly printed himself out a copy to study in private to compare to his own notes bc#[lewis voice] come *on* guys just THINK of the progress that he could make with this! [grabby hands in front of chest])#so yeah they have a chat and Linda kind of gives Lewis the opposite dilemma in s3 that Louise gives him in s1 about science and magic#since SHE knows about the moon pool and has been biding her time and she knows Lewis knows and Lewis is like ah... uh oh.#it will eventually tie into the idea it's not about forcing science and magic together or separating them#its abt respectfully and responsibly utilizing both to see their fullest potential. which lewis learned in s2 and Linda has... not.#BUT#later on she gets a call from 1 (one) ryan who is like 'hey so i heard u did environmental studies on mako for dr bennett a couple years ag#and i was wondering if you've seen anything weird there as im currently doing a-' and she's immediately like 'YOU SON OF A BITCH IM IN'#and he's like 'wha-' and she's like 'i have already booked my plane tickets we're going to have a great time we have lots to talk about :)'#and wheeee now they have someone who knows about mermaids on their team and it's the perfect way to bring lewis back to relevancy in s3 :D#it also gives me reason to have two bad bitches (linda and sophie) meet and get to know each other which is not a dynamic ive seen in#any of the H2O fics i've ever read so im very hyped to delve into how they'll play off each other#also charlotte is there so technically three bad bitches (only in my au Charlotte never lost her tail and is part of the gang she just move#because she felt like she needed to leave to really be able to find herself without being in her grandmother's shadow but she comes back bc#well... it's season 3 mako is sounding the fucking emergency alarms everyone is showing up sdkghkfjhg)#im also so so so hyped to show u guys who's coming back in the s2 rewrite because it ISNT denman and i think everyone thinks it will be :3c#(i said she when telling ppl to look forward to a familiar face... but can u blame me for getting hype she's one of my favorite characters!#i love u H2O#cruddy rambles
2 notes
·
View notes
Text
Beginners guide to my Jackie and Olivia universe thoughts except the handwriting might be kinda unreadable so idk figure it out
#keese draws#oxygen not included#olivia broussard#jackie stern#also to be clear everything I have for the rabbit and raccoon universes is completely pulled out of my ass lol#I just wanted to play around with the idea of every universe in oni having the same results despite wild differences#in canon they’re both probably near identical outside of what critters olivia works with#but I find it fun imagining those moments in the logs as the moments that come closest to converging#three olivias who are all wildly different but despite it all still end up in a lab feeding their favorite critters in near perfect sync#three separate jackies with varying amounts of respect for olivia each deciding to rid of olivia’s critters#three separate pairs each holding near identical conversations through text that even then could have varried wildly in tone if heard#two women who have a strained relationship two women who don’t realize how bad things are between them and two women who are on the offense#anyways rabbit universe is my favorite of the other two to think abt because god it’s so fun imagining jackie slowly realize that olivia#may have slowly but surely become like super dangerous to both herself and others and that it was initially to support her but now it’s#gotten Way out of hand and jackie doesn’t know how to try to bring it up because she has things that she deems more important to do#and anytime she does try to push her away from the work she’s been doing to focus on other things she at best does it in secret#the problem with people who consider themselves righteous is that they can become incredibly dangerous if they aren’t#now jackie sort of considers herself righteous but I don’t think that’s her primary motivation in scientific advancement#she is far more motivated by the thrill of progress and as such operates less on is what I’m doing right and more how do I most effectively#get this done and as such she’s incredibly strict and shitty to people and is more than willing to cut corners that she rly shouldn’t#the thrill of progress also appeals to olivia deeply but she generally sees herself as a moral person#which even in canon leads to olivia coming off as kind of hypocritical as anything that doesn’t make her actively uncomfortable doesn’t rly#seem to register to her as a problem#her morals are kind of dictated by her personal comforts and as such an olivia who is comfortable with doing questionable experiments is an#olivia who doesn’t see them as questionable at all#now I do imagine rabbit universe olivia is generally nicer to employees than jackie is#but mostly in the sense that she gives them proper breaks and lets them do fun activities and such#she is still mostly invested in optimization she just knows that rested employees are productive employees unlike jackie#like if someone has a breakdown over the work they’re forced to do she’ll send them home early but she will expect them to get back to it#so she’s not actually like. that good to the ppl working under her. she’s just not as bad as jackie
5 notes
·
View notes
Text
sorry all i post is podcast stuff lately. it's all i have
#been working my ass off on sculpture stuff and podcasts are PERFECT for that#anywho ive made good progress on white vault.... feeling normal abt it#car talk
2 notes
·
View notes
Text
boy does Fluri make me feel things. a lot of things. i love. them.
#GTF Things#sometimes I wanna just write like. this gigantic post abt them. and why their relationship is perfected in context#but with the context of all the side material too? like drama CDs and the movie and the novel#bc plot/story inconsistencies aside it all really adds up in a straight line and creates an amazing story of their relationship#and for the life of me I cannot stop thinking about how all of it adds up into this super deeply realistic relationship#like it's not idealized. it's not perfect. it's not a shiny happy little ship where everything goes perfectly#it has all the bad moments where they still love each other through it but they DO hurt each other without truly meaning to#it's just that sometimes i wanna talk abt the depth of their relationship and how it goes so much deeper than#just what we got in the game but how all of it cumulates into what we have in the game from beginning to end#and how everything in the game (JP bc the dub removed a LOT of important tone between them vocally)#does also have a full progression of their relationship that ends in their favor and probably wouldn't EVER be rocky again after that#like I think by the end of the game they've come out on top of any possibility of ever letting that happen again#the unfortunate part is really just. idk who cares abt reading ship essays or who cares abt Fluri#except like idk five people LMAO. I know I'm kinda new here and don't know many ppl but#I legitimately don't know many ppl who care abt the ship at least particularly deeply as an OTP#but narratively speaking they are literally one of my favorite ships ever bc of how deep the content for them goes
3 notes
·
View notes
Text
I get two fucking sentences in on every new draft for every new idea lately, and then my brain goes 'hm, no, actually that's stupid/boring/cloying/not going to be something you can write at your current ability'
I am. vibrating with rage at my brain rn over this bout of writer's block. Bro we literally want to die whenever I go longer than like. a fucking week without writing SOMETHING; why the fuck are you making this harder!!!!!! Just let me write a full fucking thing even if it sucks!!! but i literally physically start to feel sick and can't push myself to keep typing as soon as the above thoughts hit. I have a stupid number of untitled, barely started to almost completely done drafts, for multiple fandoms (mostly our flag tho admittedly lmao), all of which have been started within the last maybe fourteen days.
i wanna scratch my brain out of my fucking skull lmao. free to a good home after i get it out, if anyone else wants to try and rehabilitate it
#text post#everyone tells me i should be grateful that writing comes to me naturally and I am! but also sometimes it does This to me#and the longer it goes on the worse it gets#and affects the rest of my mental health on top of it all#brain pls some of these ideas are cute!!! fun even!!! others are gonna be heavier pieces but they might turn out okay!!#but we don't know if they'll turn out okay or not IF WE DON'T FUCKING FINISH THEM#god. sorry y'all just. pls know if ur waiting on me to finish something in progress ive posted or want to see something new from me#and are upset abt the current lack of stuff. i am also upset abt it and i am working on it i swear#also i need to address this bc im running out of storage space on gdocs with all of these#so they gotta either be written and posted or given up on and deleted for space fdlkafjlasdjf#it's nearly one thirty in the morning. i should probably just go shower#aka the place where my brain immediately gives me perfect fucking dialogue like last night THAT I FUCKIN FORGET BEFORE I CAN WRITE IT DOWN#it's fine. it was some of the best dialogue and most in character i felt id ever thought of. and i can't remember it and it's gone forever.#it's fine
3 notes
·
View notes
Text
can we talk about the male gaze and what it actually means now. how it’s not just ‘women hot’ and it places men as the subject of a narrative and women as objects with little or no substance and assumes the cis straight white male experience as universal
#or at least what we Should get stories about. could we talk about that.#and how it’s why any show that centers. women. queer people. any poc. is ‘woke’#because it breaks out of that and ‘decreases relatability’ according to that standard we’ve set#not saying i’m perfect in eliminating this and the effects of western media from my brain just u know.#perhaps a conversation to be had. something that would explain why i want to blow up male centric shows with my brain rn.#and why i want to throttle people who fixate on any rando side character guy over god forbid. a woman.#and why it’s maddening when u literally don’t treat them like people and then still pretend to be progressive.#abby talks#lots of stuff is um kind of better about this or at least pretending to be and is at least less intense with fetishizing women#but u know.#anyway media isn’t the only space of activism you should care abt etc just u know.
6 notes
·
View notes
Text
Disappointment to my parents disappointment to my school disappointment to the government disappointment to the universe. But good thing i also cannot do art. But luckily when it comes to video games, i am a pretty shit gamer tbh as well. But asides from all that, atleast my personality is mild at best.
#night thoughts#just thinkin abt how like#ever since i was little i imagined everything i did to be on my biography#in the same way ppl in history have things like They composed their first symphony at 6 years old They were a master at painting by 9#They made 3 major scientific advancements before they were 18 years old#and like for mine itll be#Cayden foxtriestobiteandmaimandkilland was a shit to average human who made major changes in our understandings on just how badly#someone can exist#before the age of 10 he almost drowned 5 times and has never touched a body of water since#despite this she managed to amaze the nation by excelling in academia before becoming depressed at age 12#and flipping this progress on its head#he has not completed a single exam since he was about 13 years old and will continue to disappoint everyone around him#however Caydens life didnt end at school as she had another hobby at home - art#her extensive collection of unfinished fanart and shitty doodles of her cat could cover her bedroom walls which arguably#woudlnt be too difficult as he is also a known hoarder and there is barely any wall left to cover#but despite these various challenges and many undiagnosed illnesses Cayden spent most days sleeping playing minecraft or listening 2 dnd#truly an inspiration to us all; a perfect example of what not to do with your life
0 notes
Text
"fine, I'll do it myself."
#nqh art#work in progress#had a vision of a perfect eel plush but i couldnt find it#got sad. then remember i can sew#going out tomorrow to get fabric#thinkin abt using those real nice textured faux furs#mad texture rubbing
1 note
·
View note
Text
I'm getting my practice in drawing skulls with cotl drawings lol!! overall this was really fun and took like 11 hrs ish
probably expect more cotl bc it has me in a chokehold- it's great, though, bc ots helping me overcome this strange inability I have to make art for things om passionate abt?? idk I usually chicken out when drawing for games I like but so far haven't with cotl so progress!!! :D
(ramble warning bc the only thing that stops me yapping are word limits :] )
I started then restarted this drawing bc this pose was just rlly perfect but I'm quite happy with how this came out! I tried to find as many excuses to put bells on the lamb as possible- I kinda feel like bc they aren't very sneaky in the game, might as well make them be as shiny and loud when walking as possible :D also I just rlly like shading gold, and red - the cape was so funny had some iddues wirh the face - had redid ot a few times and settled with that one- it's alright I can live with it, I was initially worried?? abt the hair since I'm not used to drawing more textured hair types- something I absolutely need to study but I think it didn't end up terrible, albeit bc I added so much glow to it u cab really see any rendering, woops 🫣🫣🫣 the candles were a lat min addition as it looked too empty and boring - they were hard and a bit of a slog to draw eughh also, somehow, I managed to forget the red crown!!! for 10!!! hours!!! literally how finally sparkles everywhere bc reasons
1K notes
·
View notes
Text
actual footage of me after reading this
bound beyond time (i’m forever yours) ft. mr. reca ☼ honkai: star rail
selected fandom : 崩坏:星穹铁道
xoxo, ieva ✶ @theother-victoria hiii, vic! i got you for secret santa; i hope i did him justice for you 💗
syn. in the center of every stage was you, yours was a face he couldn’t and never wanted to forget. the contrary applied to you in every life you’ve lived, all except this one. to his surprise—this time, his was the face you remembered from the times he extended his hand out to you after every performance.
In the center of every stage, there was you. From the cadence of your voice delivering every line to the precise movements of your hands emphasizing every emotion, you embodied perfection in his eyes. To him, you weren’t just a performer—you were the performance. The curtains couldn’t conceal your brilliance; instead, they framed it, accentuating the glow of your stardom with every rise and fall. It was every actor’s peak, one that he believed you were destined for.
Mr. Reca was an eccentric man, his reputation preceding him as one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the cosmos. His days were consumed by plotting intricate narratives, brainstorming ideas that pushed the boundaries of imagination, and nitpicking the finest details, all in pursuit of the masterpiece he dreamed of creating. Among the countless memories he had meticulously archived—keeping the vivid and discarding the uninspired—the moment he first saw you shone brightly in the former category. That meeting, etched into his mind, marked the beginning of something extraordinary. You weren’t just another actor; you had become the axis around which his creative world turned.
It amazed you how someone could devote themselves so entirely to their craft. Your perception of Mr. Reca had shifted over time, from initial awe to something more layered. If you could choose one word to describe him now, it would be finicky.
On set, Mr. Reca’s presence was undeniable. When he stepped into the center, a magnetic energy followed—commands spilled effortlessly from his lips, drawing immediate action from the actors and crew around him. His brilliance was as much a curse as it was a blessing. Inspiration often clouded his judgment, and you could see it in the furrow of his brow or the glint in his eyes, revealing whether he was boisterously elated or utterly dissatisfied with the unfolding scene. A lack of passion is discardable, while a hunger for new heights always reached the surface— it was the pinnacle for success.
As devoted as you were to your own craft, you knew you could never match his obsession. It wasn’t just passion for him—it was compulsion, a relentless pursuit of perfection that left no detail untouched. To stand in his world, under his scrutiny, was as overwhelming as it was inspiring.
Mr. Reca’s gaze lingered on you, sharp and unrelenting, as though he were dissecting every fragment of your soul. His eyes, dark and gleaming like polished obsidian, held a peculiar mix of scrutiny and reverence. It wasn’t a passing glance—it was the kind of look that peeled back layers, that saw beyond the surface, straight into the essence of who you were. It was the kind of gaze you’ve never grown accustomed to, yet were eagerly anticipating. Being valuable, being of use, it added a sense of belonging—as if you were born to be a performer.
(Deep down, you wanted that to be true too.)
Finally, he spoke, his voice low but resounding, filling the room with the weight of his words. “Do you know what you’ve done here?” He stepped closer, the intensity in his eyes burning brighter. “This... this isn’t mere performance. This is art, raw and untamed. Brilliant, utterly brilliant!”
The silence stretched as if the galaxy itself held its breath. Then, his voice dropped to an almost reverent whisper. “You don’t just act—you become. It’s a skill not many possess, your ability is what I’ve been searching the cosmos for! And yet... even perfection is not enough. I need more from you. Do you understand?”
“But director—”
He raised his hand, signaling for you to wait for him to finish.
He paused, his gaze softening just a fraction. “But mark my words—you are unlike any I’ve ever seen. You are the center of this world I’m building. It is your time to shine!”
You barely managed a nod, his words heavy with both expectation and strange admiration. Mr. Reca’s intensity was like a force of nature, sweeping everyone in his orbit along with it. He stepped back, his hands already sketching shapes in the air, as though he could see the entire film projected before him.
“More,” he muttered, half to himself. “More than this. This is a star’s performance, yes—but it must be a supernova. I need to see every raw nerve, every flicker of despair, every shred of hope clawing to survive. Anything less is mediocrity.”
His gaze snapped back to you. “And you are not mediocre.”
The words struck you, not for their praise but for their precision. They felt less like a compliment and more like a decree, as though failure wasn’t just unacceptable—it was unthinkable. It came off as a form of pressure, weights beginning to tower on your back as you took a deep breath.
“You ask for so much,” you replied quietly, your voice steady but tinged with frustration. “But what if I can’t give you more? What if I’m already giving you everything I have?”
He paused, visibly caught off-guard by your honesty. His hand, mid-gesture, stilled in the air. Then he laughed, a sound both unexpected and startling, sharp as glass but somehow rich with amusement.
“My star,” he said, his voice dripping with theatrical flair, “you misunderstand. It’s not that you lack—it’s that you don’t yet know how much you possess. My job is to pull it out of you, to strip away every inhibition, every doubt, until only brilliance remains.”
(I will break down the wall that is blocking your potential.)
His steps carried him closer, his figure looming as he peered at you with a ferocity that gave you goosebumps. “It’s not perfection I demand from you,” he murmured, his voice dropping lower, almost conspiratorial. “It’s truth. And truth is messy, painful, glorious. Do you understand now?”
You held his gaze, unwilling to let him intimidate you, and yet there was a flicker of something unfamiliar in your chest. Admiration, yes—but also a strange yearning, a desire to rise to his impossible standards. Not just to meet them but to exceed them, to see that glimmer of satisfaction in his eyes again. It was almost tugging at your heart, desire overcoming your senses. Even if the slightest hint of doubt remained, you’d lift your chin to stare him in the eyes—for it was the only way you’d ever be content with yourself.
“I understand,” you said, your voice firmer now.
“Good.” He straightened, his expression shifting back to his usual manic determination. “Because the next scene must be unforgettable. The audience must feel the weight of your love, your grief, your longing. As if you’ve lived it yourself.”
Your breath hitched. He wasn’t asking for a performance anymore; he was asking for something deeply personal, something real.
Incorporate your feelings into your voice; let it be apparent what you’re trying to convey.
Don’t let the audience “guess”, let them “know”.
It was the mantra you played in your head, several minutes before the soles of your shoes collided with the wood on the stage. The straightening of your shoulders, balanced posture, and a prayer that you wouldn’t forget any of your lines. You controlled the pitch of your voice, and the rhythm of the story you were demonstrating to the crowd. It almost seemed as if you weren’t doing a good enough job at that from his critique.
“And how would you suggest I do that?” you asked, folding your arms in apparent offense. “Pluck longing and grief out of thin air? Or perhaps you think I should have lived a dozen lifetimes to understand such emotions.”
His lips curved into a smirk, sharp and knowing. “Perhaps you have.”
The comment caught you off-guard, and for a moment, you weren’t sure if he was teasing or if there was some deeper meaning hidden beneath his words. He turned abruptly, his coat swirling around him as he strode toward the edge of the stage with haste.
“Come,” he called over his shoulder, extending a hand towards you. “We’ll rehearse until the stars themselves grow envious. I won’t rest until this is the greatest scene ever captured on film.”
You followed reluctantly, the weight of his expectations pressing down on you. But even as he barked commands and paced relentlessly, there was something in the way he watched you, his gaze softer than before, tinged with an emotion you couldn’t quite name. It caused you to allow him to take your hand, sharing the warmth and determination in his slender yet calloused fingers.
The rehearsal dragged into the late hours, the rest of the cast dismissed long ago, leaving only you and Mr. Reca under the harsh glow of the stage lights. He had become quieter as the hours passed, his energy focused entirely on you.
-
Practicing with Reca felt like an endless marathon.
“Again,” he said, leaning forward in his chair, the intensity in his eyes undiminished.
You delivered the line for what seemed like the millionth time, your voice cracking with exhaustion.
“Better,” he murmured. Then, after a pause, softer still, “You’re getting there.”
It was the closest thing to praise he’d given all night, and for reasons you couldn’t explain, it made your chest tighten.
“Do you ever stop?” you asked, half-joking but half-serious.
He looked at you sharply, as though the question had offended him, but then his expression shifted. “Stopping is for those who are satisfied,” he said, his voice unusually subdued. “And satisfaction... is for the ordinary.”
You tilted your head, studying him. “And what about happiness? Do you think that’s ordinary too?”
The question seemed to catch him by surprise. He leaned back in his chair, the shadow of a smile playing on his lips. “Happiness,” he echoed. “Perhaps. But happiness is fleeting. Creation—true creation—is eternal! Once this is ingrained into your soul, you will find what you truly desire.”
You stepped closer, emboldened by the rare moment of vulnerability. “And yet, for all your talk of eternity, you seem afraid of anything that lasts.”
His gaze snapped to yours, startled, and for a moment, the air between you felt charged with something unspoken. Then, slowly, he smiled—a small, sardonic thing. It annoyed you greatly, but your thoughts remained unspoken. After all, the director’s words were law in the field they were trapped in.
“You have a way of cutting to the case,” he said. “I’ll give you that.”
“You make it easy,” you replied, your voice tinged with amusement.
The silence that followed was different this time, less tense and more... intimate. His gaze softened, lingering on you as if trying to unravel a mystery he hadn’t yet solved. You could sense his delight through his eyes, that shined with a lovely brilliance as though the world had revealed its most precious secret.
“You are extraordinary,” he said finally, his tone low and almost reverent. “Even if you don’t realize it yet.”
For the first time, his words didn’t feel like a critique or an expectation. They felt like something else entirely.
-
Seeing you in another lifetime was something he’d never imagined was possible. Your position on set, the props, the lines you were rehearsing, he could view them in his mind as horizontal frames. The world seemed to momentarily glitch, as if the fabric of time itself had slipped, and he was stepping through a scene he was familiarized with. Is this what Deja Vu feels like?
He’s felt as though he’s done this before, standing in front of you like this—asking a question he never thought he’d ask. It was pure, unbridled curiosity—a rush of water that needed a blockage, your answer.
“Why have you decided to become an actor?”
“It wasn’t a choice, really,” you admitted. “It was... instinctual. Like breathing. I suppose it’s where I feel most alive, where I feel like myself. The stage.. feels like my home.”
He nodded slowly, as if turning your words over in his mind. “That’s how I feel about directing,” he said. His gaze drifted upward, past you, as though seeing something far beyond the theater walls. “Just as you were born to be a star, I was born to put your abilities to use—to create a revolutionary film with you as my main character!”
He is meant to control the narrative, yet often—he’d find himself oppressing your influence of turning this into something uniquely yours.
“I feel as though this is something I've told you before,” he spoke, his eyes snapping back to you, locking onto yours with a sudden intensity. “Do you remember anything?”
You swallowed hard, your pulse quickening. There was something about his words that struck a chord deep within you. A faint memory stirred—hazy and fleeting, like a dream you couldn’t quite grasp. You drew a blank, leading to your next words that carried a hint of uncertainty.
“No,” you admitted, “I’m pretty sure this is the first time you’ve said this, Director.”
“Then the lack of rehearsals is causing me to misremember, the universe is beckoning for us to get back on stage!”
“I won’t let this masterpiece stagnate while I still have time! Tomorrow, we rehearse Act Three until it sings—or until we all drop from exhaustion!”
You couldn’t help but giggle as he stormed off, already muttering notes to himself about lighting angles and blocking. Despite his eccentricities—or perhaps because of them—he had a way of drawing you in, of making you believe you were part of something monumental.
-
Under the dim glow of the stage lights, the set was transformed into a cavernous, otherworldly temple. The scene was surreal, layered with blues and silvers that shimmered like moonlight on water. Columns twisted upward into the darkness, vanishing into a false infinity. You and Mr. Reca stood at opposite ends of the stage, the energy between you crackling with tension.
“Ready?” he asked, his voice unusually soft, almost hesitant. Something was wrong. He seemed almost fidgety and it was beginning to bother you.
You nodded, unsure why this scene felt heavier than the others. The script was straightforward—a confrontation between a prophet and a wanderer, an exploration of fate and choice. Yet something about it felt... wrong, or perhaps too right, as though it didn’t belong to the film at all but was borrowed from somewhere else.
He stepped forward, his character—the prophet—looming with an unsettling grace. His robe billowed with each step, as if a phantom wind followed him. You remained still, the wanderer, your figure clad in tattered attire, a stark contrast to his grandeur. A contrast in energies paired with it.
When he spoke, it wasn’t Reca’s voice you heard, but something older, deeper, resonating in your very bones. “You’ve come far, traveler. But tell me, what is it you seek?”
You hesitated, your lines faltering on your lips. The stage around you blurred, its edges distorting like ripples in water. The script’s dialogue faded from your memory, and instead, words spilled from you unbidden, as though summoned from a place beyond thought. You could feel your words wavering, a habit Mr. Reca had forbid you several times, but you never remembered his exact words.
“I seek... clarity,” you said, your voice trembling. “A truth that eludes me. Something I feel I’ve lost.”
Reca tilted his head, his dark eyes glittering like twin stars. “Truth,” he echoed, a faint smile curling at the edges of his lips. “You ask for the impossible, for truth is fleeting. It is a reflection in shattered glass. And yet, you persist. Why?”
Your hands clenched at your sides, and without thinking, you took a step forward, emboldened by the unfolding scenario. “Because it’s all I have left! A memory I can’t place, a face I can’t name... but I know it’s there. Somewhere. I feel it.”
He froze, his gaze sharpening, and for a heartbeat, it wasn’t the prophet staring at you—it was Mr. Reca. His lips parted slightly, as though he recognized something in your words. But just as quickly, he slipped back into character, his voice cold and unyielding.
The way it should be.
(The way he needed it to be.)
“Memories are not absolutes,” he intoned. “They are fabrications of the mind, stitched together from fragments of dreams and shadows. What you seek is folly.”
“No,” you shot back, your voice rising with raw emotion. “What I seek is mine! And I will tear through the heavens if I must to reclaim it!”
For a moment, he looked at you as if seeing you for the first time. His hands, usually so precise in their gestures, wavered. He remembers you.
Then, breaking the tension, he closed the distance between you with sudden ferocity. He reached out and grabbed your wrist, his grip firm but not painful. His eyes bore into yours, his next words quiet but resonant.
“Do you remember me?”
(Do you remember this scene?)
The question wasn’t part of the script.
Your gaze was illusive, attempting to recall a line— even trying to conjure one from thin air. The temple around you seemed to ripple and fade, the illusion breaking apart. The stage, the lights, even the props—all felt like a thin veneer over something vast and incomprehensible. Like mesh fabric, it wasn’t difficult to see through—only if you paid close enough attention.
By now, he would’ve uttered your line to you if you’d forgotten—but that wasn’t the case. This was real.
“I...” Your voice cracked. “I don’t know.”
His grip tightened slightly, his gaze desperate now. “Think. Feel. There’s more to this than you understand. I’ve seen this before, lived it before—you’ve lived it before.”
The words struck like a bolt of lightning, leaving you breathless. A flicker of something surged through you—an image, a feeling, a name that hovered just out of reach. What was he talking about?
(Do I remember you?)
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you whispered, your voice trembling. It was like staring at a wolf who bared his fangs, where an incorrect answer could cost you your life.
He released you, stepping back, his expression unreadable. The prophet’s mask shattered completely, leaving only Mr. Reca—his vulnerability laid bare in a way you’d never seen before. “Then we’ve already lost time,” he murmured, almost to himself. “But perhaps this time, we’ll get it right.”
The moment lingered, heavy and tense. Then he shook his head, clapping his hands sharply. “Again!” he declared, his tone snapping back to its usual commanding presence. “From the top! And this time, don’t hold back.”
A scene fueled by pure, utter desperation.
But you couldn’t shake the feeling that the scene was more than a rehearsal. It was a fragment of something deeper—a connection that transcended lifetimes.
-
You didn’t remember him.
It was a devastating blow, one he couldn’t overlook no matter how much he tried. After so many lives together, only his memories remained intact—a cruel imbalance, as if the universe itself delighted in reminding him how fleeting your connection could be. It was like trying to hold water with your bare hands, watching it slip away no matter how tightly you clenched your fists. The offense he felt struck him like lightning, he could already imagine the dark clouds above his head—pouring heavy rains down his coat.
And yet, he clung to you, or rather, to the idea of you. To the fragments of the person you’d been in the countless lives you’d shared. Perhaps it was his curse, to be the only one who remembered, to carry the weight of your shared past while you looked at him with eyes that held no recognition. A cruel twist of fate, where you were always the star and the forgotten shadow trailing behind you.
This life, however, felt like the harshest punishment of them all.
He stood frozen on the street, staring up at the towering billboard where your face was plastered in bold, cinematic glory. You were radiant, even in stillness. The advertisement was for a new film—a blockbuster directed by someone else. Someone who wasn’t him.
The sight twisted the knife further. Out of every life you’d lived together, this one just so happened to be his least favorite. You didn’t know him. You didn’t work with him. And, worst of all, you didn’t belong to his world anymore.
A heavy sigh escaped his lips as he adjusted his grip on the bouquet of flowers in his hand. The bright, delicate petals felt absurd in contrast to the weight in his chest. What use were flowers when you wouldn’t pay any mind to him?
To you, in this life, he was nothing more than a stranger—a nameless admirer who might approach you after a performance with stammered praise for your acting. Not that such an assumption was false, but it was painfully incomplete. Admiration was a drop in the ocean compared to the depth of what he felt.
He wanted to be more than that.
He had been more than that.
He ran a hand through his already-disheveled hair, his fingers trembling as they brushed against his forehead. How many times had he vowed to stop chasing after you in lives like this? To let you go and trust that, somehow, fate would realign your paths? And how many times had he broken that vow the moment he saw your face again, his resolve crumbling to dust under the weight of his longing?
He couldn’t turn back now.
Not when his leather shoes had already trampled the floors of the grand theater, carrying him to the ticket booth just to be the first in line. Not when he had spent hours rehearsing how he might introduce himself to you. God, he was an utter mess—a man reduced to shambles by the memory of a love you couldn’t even recall.
The theater doors loomed before him, an entrance to a world where you shone brightest. He hesitated, clutching the bouquet tighter, the edges of the paper crinkling under his grip. What would he even say? What could he say? Should he even approach you?
For a fleeting moment, he wondered if he should leave. But his feet betrayed him, dragging him inside as though the gravity of your presence was impossible to resist even in this life.
He didn’t know what he was hoping for. A spark of recognition? A fragment of the soul-deep connection you used to share? Or perhaps just a moment, however brief, where he could bask in the warmth of your light again.
As he stepped into the theater lobby, the familiar hum of anticipation filled the air. Posters of you adorned the walls, each one a reminder of how far you’d come in this life—how far from him you now stood.
The flowers in his hand suddenly felt heavier. What use were they when he was chasing a ghost of who you’d been? When the version of you he loved existed only in his memory?
And yet, he stayed.
Because no matter how many lifetimes passed, no matter how often the story ended the same way, he couldn’t stop himself from hoping that this time, it might be different. That maybe, just maybe, you’d see him.
Not as a stranger, not as a fan.
But as someone you’d once loved too.
As he embraced the role of the spectator this once, he sat in one of the seats in the front row. Each seat is typically upholstered in rich and comfortable fabric, in a deep hue of crimson. The padding is firm yet inviting, crafted to cradle the audience through long performances.
It was almost as if he were dreaming.
He’s familiar with this scene, but his role was different in this life. He’s used to the praises from the audience for his directory work, glimmering eyes with the most reverent expressions—but this work was not his. You weren’t his.
The seats were filled to the brim, and the film was nothing short of astonishing—though he couldn’t give too much credit. There were too many plot holes that contradicted earlier events, some of the injuries looked feigned, the sounds were recycled one too many times for his liking— he could continue until sunrise if that was what it would take. The only thing that saved this film was you. In his professional opinion, of course.
It wasn’t simply films that laid buried in your inventory, but plays as well. It was an opportunity he wouldn’t miss for the world. The stage was yours, and everyone else belonged in the background—that was how it’s meant to be. As your tears kissed the tiles beneath your feet, the emotion in your voice had risen. What a wonderful sight it was.
The 25th of December, a holiday of caroling and the tearing of gift-wrappings. For him, it was only a day of solemnity.
The sight of you speaking to the other director made his heart ache, a sharp and visceral pang that tightened his chest. There you were, laughing softly at something the other man said, your hands gesturing animatedly as if you were sharing a private moment of camaraderie. He hated how natural it seemed, how effortlessly you connected with someone else in a way that used to belong to him. His fingers tightened around the stems of the bouquet he carried, the soft petals brushing against his wrist, as if mocking his hesitation to go through with this.
For a moment, he considered interrupting. He could stride over, extend the bouquet with a flourish, and perhaps even say something witty enough to draw your attention away from the other man. But what would be the point? To you, he was nothing more than a fan, a stranger whose presence was as fleeting as a gust of wind. The thought stung more than he cared to admit.
Ultimately, he decided against it. It wasn’t as if he could cut into your conversation, especially not with the radiant way you were smiling. The last thing he wanted was to tarnish that expression by making things awkward. Instead, he turned toward the hallway leading to your dressing room.
The narrow corridor felt suffocating, the plush carpet muffling his hurried steps as he made his way toward the door with your name displayed elegantly in bold, golden letters. A simple yet personal marker of the star you’d become. The star he assisted you in becoming in so many lives. He cherished those memories greatly.
He hesitated as he reached the door, staring at the handle for a long moment. The bouquet in his hand suddenly felt absurdly extravagant—delicate white lilies interspersed with soft pink roses, wrapped in a sheer ribbon. Would you even appreciate it? Would you know it was from him, or would it join the countless other gifts you received daily from fans and admirers?
Still, he couldn’t leave without doing something. With a sigh, he gently placed the bouquet on the small table outside your dressing room, arranging it just so. He adjusted the ribbon one final time before taking a step back to admire his handiwork. For a fleeting moment, he imagined your reaction upon finding it—your fingers brushing over the petals, your lips curving into a small, puzzled smile as you wondered who had left it.
But even that wasn’t enough to soothe the ache in his chest. He lingered a moment longer, his hand brushing against the edge of the table as though it might tether him there, might convince him to stay. But the sound of distant laughter echoing down the hall reminded him of reality.
With a deep breath, he turned and walked away, his steps brisk but heavy. The bouquet remained behind, a silent confession he couldn’t bring himself to voice.
Little did he know, you caught a glimpse of his face before he turned on his heel.
It was a cycle. He’d leave a beautiful bouquet in your dressing room, striding off with a snarky expression as if he’d just gotten away with a crime, completely undetected. He was aware of your gaze, and the slightest glimmer of hope filled his chest at the thought that maybe, just maybe, you’d seek him out.
The sky was beginning to darken, leaving him no choice but to exit the doors of his second home—letting the snowflakes drift onto his skin.
Footsteps.
And they were yours.
“Excuse me!” you called out, rapidly moving towards him before letting out a few pants—hinting at your rushed response to him leaving.
He froze mid-step, his breath catching in his throat as the sound of your voice cut through the cold evening air. The snowflakes fell in slow, lazy spirals, dusting his coat and hair, but he couldn’t bring himself to move or brush them off. His focus was on you. Come to think of it, when was it not? It almost caused him to chuckle.
His heart, however, betrayed him, hammering wildly in his chest.
You came to a halt a few steps away, clutching the bouquet of flowers he’d left in your dressing room. The sheer ribbon fluttered slightly in the winter breeze, and your cheeks were flushed—not just from the cold, he thought, but from the exertion of chasing after him.
“Are you the one who’s been leaving these?” you asked, holding the bouquet up slightly as if to emphasize your point. Your voice carried a mix of curiosity and something else—was it gratitude?
For a moment, he considered denying it. It would be so easy to shrug, to claim it wasn’t him, and slip away into the snowy night. But as his gaze met yours, he knew he couldn’t lie to you. Not when you’d gone out of your way to find him. Just as he hoped. Maybe this was the chance destiny had brought him to, would you remember him?
“Yes,” he admitted, his voice steady but quiet, the word lingering in the frosty air between you. “It was me.”
You blinked, clearly not expecting the direct confession. “But... why?”
He hesitated, the truth teetering on the edge of his tongue. How could he possibly explain it? That he remembered lives you didn’t, that he’d loved you in ways words could never encompass? Instead, he opted for something simpler, something you might actually understand.
“Do you know what you’ve done here?” He inquired, his voice filled with reverence and glee. “What you’ve conjured is no mere performance. This is art, raw and untamed.”
“These,” he pointed to the flowers that your hands clutched with the smallest amount of strength, enough to keep them from being blown away—yet not enough to dim their beauty. “Are gifts from an admirer of your craft, for you—my star, have cast your glance to even the dimmest areas in the theater!”
“Well,” you said after a beat, a kind smile tugging at the corners of your lips, “thank you. They’re beautiful.”
The silence between you was only filled with the sounds of children’s laughter as they gazed at toy trains through glass windows. This kind of atmosphere suited you, he believed.
“I never got your name,” you added, tilting your head slightly.
He hesitated, knowing that revealing too much could complicate everything. But then again, you’d sought him out—maybe, just maybe, this was a step forward.
“It’s Reca,” he said finally. “Just Reca.”
You gave him an amused look. “No last name?”
“Not one that matters,” he replied with a faint smirk, his usual snark slipping through despite himself.
You laughed softly, the sound like a melody he hadn’t realized he’d been longing to hear. “I think.. I remember you from somewhere, have we met before?”
Genuine surprise filled his features at your question, he almost felt his knees go weak at the realization that you remembered him.
“I believe we have.”
It was the only acceptable answer, every fiber of his being was begging for you to hold onto that recollection.
“I’m surprised I forgot in the first place.”
“Why, am I truly that forgettable? Let me make an impression so great to make sure that isn’t the case, hm?” He suggested, extending his hand—a gesture that you could reciprocate without hesitation.
“Coffee?”
“It’s eleven pm.”
“Please?”
(I’m glad you remembered, don’t ever forget me again.)
taglist 🔔 : @snobwhimsicality @mitsvriii @papiliotao @bladism @tragedy-of-commons @thestarswhisper @meirvelle @somatchajade @gladiolus-nyx @milk-violet
#YONA#IM SCREAMING#OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH MY GODDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD GOODNESS GRACIOUS SCRUM DILLY UMPTIOUS GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRMNNNNNNNNNNGHRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRF#YOU DID HIM SOOOOOOOOOOOOO GOOD#YOU PUT SO MUCH LOVE AND DEDICATION TO THE CRAFT INTO THIS I CAN TELL#reca would be proud of u LMAO#still wont let you live down ur near crashout in bell's dms over writing reca#“i will break down this wall that is blocking your potential” IM LOBOTOMIZING YOU /j#THE WAY HE KEEPS DROPPING HINTS AND IT DOESNT WORK AND HE PROGRESSIVELY GETS MORE “:(”#I NEED TO SMOOCH THIS MAN UNDER A LIGHT SNOWFALL AT NIGHT WITH NO ONE AROUND#the way his obsession with perfection and going above and beyond is evened out with (name)'s content attitude toward the present THE DUALIT#oh he thought he was SO slick with his bouquets dumbass man we saw it ALL#i hear his voice in EVERY DAMN LINE yona u got him down PERFECTLY (said and heard in his damn voice)#the bystander in front of the billboard reminded me of that drawing challenge a while ago idk if anyone else knows what im talking abt but#iykyk#the longing in that scene.........#AND TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE#IT WAS FOR A FILM NOT UNDER HIS DIRECTION#(NAME) GOT FAMOUS UNDER ANOTHER DIRECTOR NOT HIM#reca stronger than me cause personally i wouldn't let that slide#lvl 100 crashout in the middle of penacony#“im glad you remembered” THEN GIVE ME SOMETHING TO REMEMBER YOU BY IN EVERY LIFETIME DUMBASS (lovingly)#i cant believe you were cooking this hard behind my back THIS WHOLE TIME IM IN SHAMBLES#heh............ sneaky yona#overall absolute cinema/10 read#will be going back to this as my nightly fic before bed without fail EVERY NIGHT#victoria.reblog#hsr x reader#mr reca x reader#reca x reader
91 notes
·
View notes