#like I've found some trimming useful at times to make everything more comfortable but i will never ever put a razor blade or wax near it

[rosalesbeausderholle]

The alienation I feel from other women when they mention saving their pussies... why are you mistreating her? :(

[quinloki]

ABC HeadCanon - Eustass Kid

NSFW Alphabet!

18+ only

-:- Table of Consent -:-

NSFW Alphabet!

A = Aftercare (what they're like after sex)

He's never been exhausted after sex. You'd probably have to use toys on him to wear him out without also wearing yourself out, but because of that he's got plenty of energy to take care of you both. He gets you and himself cleaned up, being really warm and gentle in the shower or bath. He's really easy to rile back up, and he'll only give you one chance to let him know if you're legitimately too tired – it's a surprisingly sweet mix of cocky and gentle.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner's)

Kid likes his right hand – in AUs where he has both flesh hands he'll say he likes his tongue. For you it depends on where you are in the relationship. He'll say you have a nice ass at the start, admit you've got really beautiful eyes when he's admitting that he's caught feelings for you, and after that he'll admit that it's that one space he found on accident the other night that made you make that sound, and now that's his favorite part of you.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

He just wants to cover you in it or fill you up with it. He swears that you sound different when you orgasm right after he fills you up, but you think he's just being a bastard about teasing you.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

I... cannot imagine Kid having a dirty secret he wouldn't be willing to share. Which then wouldn't make it a secret. The trick would be figuring out if everything he's admitted to is legit, or if some of it is just him being a cheeky bastard.

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they're doing?)

Kid growing up on the streets mean he's got experience. His mouth probably got him into an intimate situation more than once because he wouldn't back down. He doesn't equate sex with love, but when he loves someone he tends to let them set the pace so he doesn't run them off by coming on too hard too fast.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

Any way where he can see your face. Whether via mirror or whatever, just being able to watch your face as he messes you up with pleasure is a real ego boost for him.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

He's probably had a couple moments where things went goofy unintentionally, but giggles would be turned back into moans real quick.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

Kid keeps himself trimmed and clean. He wants the focus to stay on yours and his pleasure, and not get derailed by errant hairs or anything else. If you like things hairier though, he'll let himself go feral. He won't shave or wax though, he doesn't like what it does to his skin.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

He's an action over words kind of guy, and that means he'll do a lot of little gestures and shrug them off if you point them out. Like bringing you a drink when you were just thinking you were getting kind of thirsty, or splitting his fries without you asking, or skipping a song because the last time it came on he saw you made a face.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

He certainly does, but he almost never mentions it to you. He doesn't want to accidentally guilt you into sex if you aren't up for it. He's a big boy, he can take care of himself when he needs to – and if you're up for it after he's already taken care of himself? Well, there was gonna be foreplay anyway, so he'll recover.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

I've said before, and I'll say again – Kid's kinks have kinks. He's got you comfortable with safe words for months before he does anything to even get you to say one of them. No matter what you ask for or want to try he's always up for doing it at least once.

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

He's not much of an exhibitionist – only because he doesn't want anyone else to see you looking and sounding like that – but he'll let you think he is one, if teasing you about it will turn you on more. Aside from that, he's up for any place and time, though one of his favorite places is the workshop.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

He's up for a good romp without prompt 99% of the time, but when you come to him and ask for it, there's a sweet chill that runs up his spine and he's struggling to restrain himself for the first few minutes, so he doesn't accidentally hurt you.

N = No (something they wouldn't do, turn offs)

Choking – it's not that he's exactly against it, but he's worried about getting caught up in it or doing it wrong. He'll steal your breath and make you dizzy in other ways, but unless he makes a prosthetic specifically optimized for it, he'll shy away.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

Kid takes pride in his oral skills. You make the mistake of doubting him at one point and he goes down on you for so long you were begging him to stop. He does like receiving as well, but you get the impression he'd rather give than get – not that he'd turn it down, but he rarely prompts you.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

His default is fairly rough, but he has the skills to run the whole gamut. You riled him up one time for an entire day and by the time he finally snapped he was rough and unforgiving. It was still hot as hell, but he was grumbling for a couple days afterward because you were too sore and needed to heal up. He'd rather do it every day than have to hold back, so you don't push him that much too often.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

Despite his personality, Kid doesn't care for quickies. He's not a fan of rush jobs in any sense of the word. The quickest he cares to go is somewhere around the 20 minute mark, and if things wrap up that fast there's going to be a round two or three afterward. (Good meals take time >.> )

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

Eustass is open to a lot of things, and is certainly a "try something once more if you like it" kind of guy. The only thing he prefers to avoid is anything that you'll have to spend a day or two recovering from. Certain things can be worked around, however, and you'll get to see his softer side if you're only dealing with rope burns the next day.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Eustass is a machine. He loves machines, he builds machines, he's part machine, and even his flesh parts seem to be machine too. You aren't sure what it would take to wear him out, but after a while you're convinced the answer is a harem.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

Eustass doesn't just own toys, he builds his own. He seems to make more the longer you two are together, and he's scary good at tailoring them. He does have toys for himself, but he generally uses them to calm himself down when he needs it and you're either not available or there's not enough time and he needs to focus.

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Eustass loves to tease. He generally uses it to rile you up and then make you a mess afterward, but he'll certainly tease you to tears with edging if you've, um, "earned" it. He'll bring toys into it, everything from feathers to a custom built sybian.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

He likes to talk dirty, but aside from the commentary he doesn't make much noise. You can hear him grunt and hiss from time to time when something hits particularly well, but usually he's enjoying the sounds he's making you make, and he doesn't want to miss those.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

He enjoys being pegged. He walked you through the whole process and you have to admit you were a little drunk with power making him cum that way. He fucked you for so long afterward you could barely move the next day, so it's not something you do often.

X = X-ray (let's see what's going on under those clothes)

I don't see there being much of anything going on under Kid's clothes. If it's an AU where there aren't any devil fruits, then he probably has some interesting piercings, but if he has his DF he's completely unpierced. He'd be too eternally embarrassed if he yanked a piercing outta himself because of a surge or awakening.

ETA: I have learned this is referencing one's size/shape and look – Eustass is big. Thick and definitely pushing the upper limits of "is that going to fit!?"

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

He's got a healthy sex drive, but once he got attached to you it's gone up. He does his best to restrain himself so you aren't put off/exhausted/bothered by it, but if you vacation with him and there's nothing solid planned, then you can expect to have rounds and rounds of sex for days straight before he's slowing down.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

He doesn't fall asleep after. He's usually wide awake after you're both done, and sometimes he'll even go work in the shop for a while because he's too energized. If you're not teetering on the edges of passing out he'll bring you with him to keep you nearby, but he'll also stay in bed and snuggle you until you fall asleep before he'll go burn off his excess energy on his own.

When you wake up, here's right there by you, so you're not sure how often he goes to the workshop.

[seefare]

#SEEFARE: an affiliated misha rp blog, trailblazing with mik (20, they/them, gmt +8). embarking on a journey to the stars that has already begun. rules and portrayal notes may be found under the cut!

RULES

ON AFFILIATION: this blog is affiliated with golden reveries. as such, personal blogs and rp blogs not affiliated with gr will be softblocked or blocked.

ON ROMANCE: i'm not open to shipping as of the moment, but i do want to note that misha is a YOUNG BOY. please do not make any unsavory jokes about him, whether in character or not.

ON FORMATTING: i make a separate title post and use trim reblogs for my replies, which is a practice i got from the other rp groups i've been a part of. i use small text with icons and colored dialogue text in my writing. if you have any issues with readability or would like me to change my format, please let me know! as for my personal preference: i would prefer it if my partners could use small text in their replies so i can read it more easily <3

ON OOC CONTACT: as tumblr's IMs have been acting up recently (for me at least) i prefer discord dms. my username is emblian! i am part of gr's discord server so you may also ping me there. i will let you all know now that, while i have grown more comfortable speaking with others ooc, i am still prone to bouts of anxiety and may pull back at any given moment. please don't take this personally! i may just need some space and time to get myself together.

ON REPLIES: my schedule has gotten considerably less free since i'm starting my semester so expect me to take anywhere from a week to a month to reply. i'll do my best to avoid having my partners wait for too long, of course, but i just want to be clear just in case you think i might be ghosting you or forgetting our thread. though that's not out of the question—i'm also a pretty forgetful person, so feel free to ping me if you feel that may be the case!

ON TRIGGER WARNINGS: i will use general trigger warnings for things such as gore, extreme violence, suicide, and other topics that i deem sensitive enough to warrant it. i will be using "tw // (word)" as a tag. if you have any triggers you'd like me to tag, please feel free to let me know through a dm. i also tag spoilers under "hsr spoilers"

PORTRAYAL NOTES (NOT SPOILER-FREE)

note: my portrayal is subject to change with the story of gr, as well as my own understanding of the premise. so not everything is final!

ena's dream has graciously allowed (read: forced) misha back into the dreamscape. by the grace of the order, everything that was put out of place is now back to where it ought to be. we are all happy. sweet dreams for all. huzzah!

so... deja vu, huh? well now that he's back, misha's memories have been wiped. he has no recollection of the things he's discovered: he doesn't know he's mikhail, he doesn't know the truth of what he is. it's essentially back to misha before you complete 'then wake to weep.'

though, of course, he feels there's something... missing in his memory. like there's a name at the tip of his tongue that he can't quite speak. something that leaves him grasping at straws, feeling incomplete. ah, don't we all?

in any case, he's back to working at the reverie. so there's no need to worry about any of that strange stuff, right? riiiiight?

other notes: i treat clockie as an npc and might occasionally write him into my work. if ever we get someone who apps in clockie (if that's even possible omg) i will defer to them.

also: in line with my current portrayal, i will treat misha and mikhail as separate entities. though, of course, there is only so much distinction to be had between them, considering how misha's existence is tethered onto mikhail's memories. and again, like i've clarified, everything here is subject to change with the story of gr and whatever development i get with misha through ic threads and interactions. don't rule out the possibility of misha getting his memories back yet.

ALSO: in canon, misha cannot be seen by anyone save for the nameless, gallagher, and black swan. this post goes into more detail but, essentially, you can assume that misha can now be seen due to the freaked up nature of penacony messing with the memories he's made of.

[oneunexpected]

Omg hey andie!

I love asking games! Answer which ones you want, im sorry i asked a lot fujdhf

28, 29, 4, 3, 10, 11

*sends hugs*

Omg I'm sorry I reblogged this ask game and then disappeared for two weeks, thank you so much for the ask!

28. Any writing advice that works for you and you feel like sharing? I think my advice is sort of... "just do it." Practice really does make you a better writer, and even if you just write something quick in your notes app and it never sees the light of day, I find that can be a really nice way to get some thoughts out of your head and on paper. Another thing I do, both when I'm writing fic and in my day job as a journalist, is if I'm having trouble with something specific — for me, usually scene openers or ledes — I just won't write it. I'll leave placeholder text in all caps, write whatever I can, and then by the time I work back to whatever I was struggling with, it's usually easier to come up with something.

29. What's the hardest thing about writing? For me, it's staying consistent, eating the elephant one bite at a time. I have a tendency to get struck by inspiration and want to get everything down on the page right then and there, even if it means I'm sucked into a hole of writing for four hours at a time. Fine for one shots, but not conducive to multi-chapter works.

4. Do you have any OCs? Do you have a story for them? I don't really have any OCs for TUC, although when I was younger I had a sort of self-insert-y daughter of Gregor and Luxa that floated around my head... perhaps one day I'll return to her.

I did come up with a few new nibblers in Mars Quirinus, and I've thought about writing about them again one day. Or at least making character sheets or something.

3. How would you describe your writing style? Hm... it depends what I'm working on. In more narratively-driven fics, I tend to be pretty direct. In character studies, a little more vivid and purple prose-y.

I took a class in school where the professor was a long-form nonfiction writer and he told us to "write cinematically" but also was really strict about trimming fat, keeping things from getting too florid. I try to keep that advice in mind, and I would say it influenced my writing style a lot (although most of my published fics were written before I took it, so you'll just have to trust me lol).

10. Top three favorite fic tropes? CUDDLING FOR WARMTH. Followed by its sibling, there was only one bed. Third, hm... does found family broadly count? I'm a disciple of the James Cameron School of Hanging Out Scenes. I like moments of downtime where you can tell there's genuine affection between characters, outside of whatever conflict drives the narrative they're coming from, so I really like fics that have that.

11. Three tropes that are fine but overrated. Sick fics, a lot of hurt/comfort, modern/high school/coffeeshop AUs. Still some good stuff in there, but doesn't usually get me going.

Questions are from this post. Thanks again for the ask, Sofia!

[banana-milk-enthusiast]

beat Forspoken, and while I probably will write an in-depth review down the line cuz i have many thoughts, I'm just going to pointform my basic thoughts while it's still fresh.

PROS

Great designs all around, the Tantas look so breathtaking with their extravagant designs and yet it doesn't take away from their world, it fits just right in. Absolutely love it.

Good world building most questions i had were answered either through the main story or extra archive stuff. Nothing felt too weird yknow

Gameplay gameplay gameplay. The magic system is literally amazing. I dont think I've had this much fun fighting in an rpg in a long time. Theres so much fun variety so you can focus on whats comfortable for you while also looking sick as fuck. Have i mentioned how good the battle system is cuz i avoid playing mage in every game because its such a slog but here its so fast paced and hits hard. Perfect for me.

The music is soooo good, I love the main theme and find myself humming it literally all the time.

Great graphics but maybe a lil too many particle effects but otherwise really pretty.

The story is technically a pro. Like its good, not bad, not great, just good. Basically something you'd find in the YA Fantasy section, thats the kinda quality it was. Which isn't a insult I did enjoy the story and characters. It just needed polish, fix up the dialogue and trim some of the story fat and i wouldn't have any complaints tbh. Probably would do better as a book series tho ngl, not sure what game format would have saved it.

Shoutout to the accessibility options. I'm glad more games are including these. I'll never understand complaints about them though, like just dont use them if you dont want/need to thats it.

ALMOST FORGOT THE COOLEST THING. THE NAILS. I'm sorry but the idea of using nail art to inscribe magic runes to give you buffs is the coolest fucking idea ever, why has this concept not been used till now. We always see rune tatoos or written on gear and stuff im fantasy media but this is such a neat ideaaaa and im forever thankful for it. Her capes are cool too I guess, with there was more variety rather than recolors tho. Kinda wish we could also get different outfits for her tho. Those jeans probably chafe.

CONS

THE OPEN WORLD IS SO BIG FOR NO GODDAMN REASON. I honestly wish this wasn't an open world game tbh, its so unnecessary. Halfway through the game, i got so frustrated and ignored everything that wasn't story points cuz getting everywhere takes so damn long, especially early on when you dont have fancy parkour or stamina. Easily its biggest fault for me.

I understand they thought it'd do way better than what happened but planning out a story as a trilogy in the gaming industry is not a smart move. I've yet to play the dlc so idk if we get closure but the loose ends werent a great way for the game to end.

Oh, the dialogue. Its easily one of the gamest weakest points. Like the type of dialogue i was writing in my original stories when i was 13 (not that ive gotten any better tbh). Basically, it's not what you expect from such a vaunted company. Frey is great when shes excited or angry, which is most of the time, but occasionally, they'll hit me with the cheesiest line I've heard in years, and idk how to handle it. Like the stuff she says in the final chapter is honestly so robotic, there is no natural flow present. Which is a pity cuz the actress was killing it tbh, like she definitely carried the lines with her emotion. Unfortunately, it couldn't save them. Like if it was something they dropped on ps3 or wii, it honestly would have done fine. What i mean to say is the dialogue is very outdated in this age of gaming. im actually surprised how out of touch it feels. Especially since otherwise its a solid game all around. Regarding Cuff and Frey banter you do have the option to make it less frequent or just turn it off but i never really found them annoying regardless.

Maybe its just me but the control scheme feels so weird, the games makes you feel like you should be gliding most of the time but holding O while spaming all those trigger buttons feels so awkward to me. But then again I also didnt care enough to change the control scheme so.

[horrorslashergirl]

Slasher OC: Decebal Avram Chirilă

Full Name: Decebal Avram Chirilă

Nickname(s): Dacia, Dece, The Impaler, Vladislav, Tiger, Lynx, Dracula, Casanova

Age: 38

Gender: Male

Nationality: Romanian

Place of Birth: Bucharest, Romania

Current Location: Travels from country to country

Occupation: Former Romanian Soldier; Now Hitman

Languages: Romanian, English, German, French, Italian, Hungarian, Russian, Turkish

Appearance:

Height: 6'8

Weight: 240lbs

Body Type: Middle Bulky and Atheltic

Skin Color: Warm Beige

Hair Color: Dark Brown

Hair Style: Short on the sides and longer on top, wavy

Eye Color: Pale Grey, almost white, giving the impression he is blind

Face Claim: Stephen James

Clothing: He opts for comfortable clothing mostly because of his job as a hitman and because he is always on the run. He mostly goes with black T-shirts or shirts, a khaki army coat with many pockets, along with camo army pants again with many pockets and black combat boots. He has a long black scarf with the colors of the Romanian flag trimmed along that belonged to his father.

Other features: He has many scars on his broad back and down his arms; his back's scars are covered by tattoos of an eagle and a grim reaper with two swords in an X shape. His has full sleeve tattoos down his arms, picturing all kind of nature scenarios from his country, mountains and wild animals and AK-47's on each forearm. His neck, chest and legs are also covered by tattoos along with his hands. This guy is all inked up. He also has a silver earing on his right ear. He also wears an eyepatch that is covering his scarred eye that he got from a fight with his brother Alexander, the scar mimiking the ones Alexander has, coming from his eyebrow down his eye and over his cheek.

Weapons: Twin Swords, Twin Guns, and throwing knives.

Power/Skills:

Murderous expertise

Brute strength

Skilled usage of weaponry

Skill in hand-to-hand combat

Knifesmanship

Swordsmanship

Multilingual

Cunning Nature

Charisma

Driving expertise

Ruthlessness

Fearlessness

Manipulation

Marksmanship

Master tactician and strategist

Stealth mastery

Symbols: Here is the link to Decebal's symbols

History/Bio:

Decebal was named after a Romanian king by his parents, father Apostol Chirilă, and his mother, Maria Stratulat of Moldovic heritage. They were a poor family that lived in Bucharest during the communist times, a hard period for them. Decebal's father, Apostol was one of the rebels that were against this form of a system of social organization in which all property is owned by the community and each person contributes and receives according to their ability and needs.

Because of this Apostol and Maria, along with their three years old son, Decebal, were dragged into the communistic jails where they were tortured in all kinds of ways from whipping to starvation to being chained into coldness.

Decebal tried to protect his parents even though he was a small child and the army warden that took care of the horrific jails was surprised by the child's braveness and he took him away from his parents, not before forcing him to watch how his parents were killed brutally.

During the rest of his childhood and teenage years, Decebal spent most of his life in the dark underground jail, training with the soldiers, doing hard work. Despite that, the warden thought Decebal about all kinds of languages, cultures, and history. 

'Just because you're a stray dog that doesn't mean you cannot learn to bark and bite.'

In his late teenage years as he grew into an adult man, he got more to the light outside, following the warden wherever he went and did was his so-called 'father' figure did; smoke, drink and got laid with all the ladies.

The warden's words during a drunken late-night:

'You know boy, you will do something big, much bigger than you can imagine. I saw how all these sluts looked at you... You make them fall into your arms like they are desperate whores.'

'Use everything you got; charms, brains, muscles. In this world, there are the ones that walk every inch of the ground as they own it and the ones that follow, all chained. Tell me, boy... Which one you are?'

One of the greatest abilities that Decebal earned during years in the darkness was that he got so used to it that now as an adult, he sees perfectly into the darkness, just like cats do. 

Some people called Decebal 'Lynx'; the moniker originates from the fact that Lynx has exceptional night vision, remarkable hearing, and incredible instincts. The spiritual lesson Lynx carries to you is a reminder to partake of quiet observance, remembering there’s more to the world than what’s accessible through the physical eyes and ears alone.

After communism fell down in Romania, Decebal still maintained the attitude he grew up around; being sadistic, cold, and cruel. People weren't too fond of his attitude; his habits including fighting and torturing people that opposed him, getting laid with other men's wives, strolling down the streets like he owned everything.

He disappeared from Romania when there was a reward on his head to be finally executed. The Romanian army was hot on his trail, turning against him, but he simply vanished.

He strolls from country to country, not having a definitive home and working as a rogue hitman to earn money and to survive.

After a brutal fight between him and his twin little brother, Alexander; the two brothers which resulted in both of them almost dead, they get on an agreement of peace between them, with the help of their third part, their little sister Nadia.

Family: His little brother Alexander Chirilă and his little sister Nadia Nikolina Chirilă

His favorite killing style:

He prefers a kill that will put on a good show, he will shot his victims in both their knees, then he will dismember them with his sharp twin swords.

Personality:

Decebal has two paths of personality; the civilian one and the hitman one, that sometimes cross path depending on the situation at hand. In hi day to day life, he is a charming, handsome man, confident and sure of himself, but also having a modesty edge, just to draw people in closer, because he loves the attention, having a God-like complex.

Despite his childhood, he is a very educated man that speaks many languages, sometimes taking people by surprise, he can even put on fake accents. He also has vast knowledge about other countries history, mostly because that's what his 'father-figure' talked a lot about.

He is a flirt, he simply adores to make women swon by his charming looks and mysterious persona wherever he goes, people always wondering from where he comes. He knows how to sweet-talk people, being extremly manipulative. His looks; big and strong, in his eyes a flaming white glow.

You will rarely see Decebal without his charming smile or dark smirk that makes the ladies sigh and faint. He always puts on a winning attitude, knowing for creating many divorces along his travelings. 

Here goes his saying: 'If the female raised her tail, who I am to deny.'

He has a romantic side, after all he does speaks the romance languages, but it's highly influenced his his Casanova attitude.

He is blunt; this man will tell if you're damn gorgeous or if you're down-right ugly or stupid. He has no problem putting his opinions straight on the table.

His favorite drink: Țuică- is a traditional Romanian spirit that contains ~ 24–65% alcohol by volume (usually 40–55%), prepared only from plums.

His favorite food: Sarma is a dish of vine, cabbage, monk's rhubarb, kale or chard leaves rolled around a filling of grains, like bulgur or rice, minced meat, or both. It is found in the cuisines of the former Ottoman Empire from the Middle East to Southeastern Europe.

His scent: Decebal's scent could be described as a 'game of seduction' with an "exciting rush" of citrus and cool spice top notes. Pungent bergamot "bites" with freshness, revived by cardamom and lavender. Caviar gives a provocative and erotic touch “like a trickle of sweat on a man’s chiseled body.” Masculine and rough notes of tobacco and orris root facilitate the heat of the composition. He has that scent that could be described as smoky confidence irresistible to women.

Other Characteristics:

He is a very good dancer, especially traditional ones and he also knows singing. Attending important parties with his 'father-figure' he learned from the women how to dance and sing. The women basically made him such a charismatic man.

He is a heavy drinker and holds his alcohol like it's water; his moldovic genes showing off. 

He is more of a night person that a day one, mostly because of his very good nocturnal sight.

He is pretty much an Outlaw.

His accent sounds like italian, latin, but with a little bit of russian or another slavic accent. (That's how a Austrian woman described his accent one night)

He is a master at Poker. Another way he earns a lot of money is through poker and plus, he is a master cheater. FUN FACT HERE: He won a man's wife through poker for one night.

He is a sword swallower, bonus he has no gag reflex.

He also loves to smoke from his pipe.

============================================

There lived a certain man in Romania long ago

He was big and strong, in his eyes a flaming glow

Most people look at him with terror and with fear

But to Bucharest chicks he was such a lovely dear

He could preach the Bible like a preacher

Full of ecstasy and fire

But he also was the kind of teacher

Women would desire

DE DE DECEBAL

Lover of the ROMANIAN queen

There was a cat that really was gone

DE DE DECEBAL

Romania's greatest love machine

It was a shame how he carried on

He ruled the Romanian land and never mind the Tsar

But the kazachok he danced really wunderbar

In all affairs of state he was the man to please

But he was real great when he had a girl to squeeze

For the queen he was no wheeler dealer

Though she'd heard the things he'd done

She believed he was a holy healer

Who would heal her son

DE DE DECEBAL

Lover of the Romanian queen

There was a cat that really was gone

DE DE DECEBAL

Romania's greatest love machine

It was a shame how he carried on

(This is an interpretation of the song ‘Rasputin’ by Boney M, mostly because the song inspired me into creating him)

For power became known to more and more people

The demands to do something about this outrageous

Man became louder and louder

"This man's just got to go!" declared his enemies

But the ladies begged "Don't you try to do it, please"

No doubt this Decebal had lots of hidden charms

Though he was a brute they just fell into his arms

Then one night some men of higher standing

Set a trap, they're not to blame

"Come to visit us" they kept demanding

And he really came

DE DE DECEBAL

Lover of the Romanian queen

They put some poison into his țuică

DE DE DECEBAL

Romania's greatest love machine

He drank it all and said "I feel fine"

DE DE DECEBAL

Lover of the Romanian queen

They didn't quit, they wanted his head

DE DE DECEBAL

Romania's greatest love machine

[Spoken:] Oh, those Romanians...

=======================================================

But when his drinking and lusting and his hunger

[bleepblopbloop56]

100 things to do under the stars

(Analogical, no warnings)

1: stargaze

  Virgil dragged Logan out from the warmth of the truck and into crisp fall air. They were in the middle of nowhere, it was nearly midnight, and the clouds were practically nonexistent. There wasn't a light for miles, aside from the still dimming headlights of Virgil's pickup truck. They had to be in someone's backyard or private property, but with a field so vast and expansive who would know to say anything. 

“Virgil-” Logan started before swiftly getting shushed by Virgil. He jerked open the door to the backseat, pulling out piles of blankets and pillows. 

  “Lo, i'm gonna need you to ignore how sketchy this looks and help me pad the bed of the truck, there's a meteor shower tonight and i want you to see it.” Virgil tossed him some handfuls of quilts and stuffed animals. It seemed as if he found every even remotely soft thing in his apartment and shoved it in the car. They passed the truck bed and Virgil hoisted him into the makeshift bed, before bracing the side of the truck and hoping for himself. 

 They stayed silent as they got comfortable, that was Logan's favorite part about their friendship, they could just exist around each other without any pressure to perform social cues like small talk.. They could just be. Logan reached down and intertwined their hands, making virgil's heart skip a beat. 

“Thank you,” he mumbled, shifting closer to his friend “I needed this” Virgil swallowed roughly, laying his head closer to Logan’s as they watched the stars 

7: contemplate existence + 11: drink coffee

 “Do you think there's something else out there?” Virgil asked after a long stretch of comfortable silence. This time, they sat on the roof of the truck, coffee in hand and feet dangling off the edge of the truck. 

  “Be more specific.” Logan took a sip of his coffee, bringing it to his mouth with both hands. It provided a nice warmth against the chill of the night, something his black wool coat was vaguely failing to provide.

   “Life.. do you think we're alone here?” Logan wanted to say no with a definite certainty that Virgil was looking for, but that would be irresponsible to answer with a certainty he didn't have. 

   “Arthur Clarke once said ‘Two possibilities exist: either we are alone in the Universe or we are not. Both are equally terrifying.’” he settled on instead. Virgil grimaced and pulled his legs up to sit cross-legged and turned his body to face Logan. He tried to make eye contact with him, but Logan continued to look up into the abyss.

  “That's not what I asked,” he said “I wanna know what you think.” Logan took another slow sip of his coffee to stall. Eventually, he brought it away from his mouth and turned to face Virgil

   “I dont know..” he admitted “it seems.. impossible that there's an infinite universe beyond our capability of comprehension that is simply empty. I don't believe there will ever be certainty on our end, so,” he put the coffee down and laid down, putting his eyes back on the stars “i'd rather not worry about it.”

32: question your own mortality *

   “What do you suppose the point of it all is Virgil?”  he had become rather acquainted with the empty field he and Virgil spent nearly every clear night in. They hadn't even got out of the car this time before Logan started their nightly talks.

   “I thought it scared you to talk about things like that.” Virgil jokes to mask that he didn't have an answer. He jerked open the door but didn't get out. 

    “Do… Do you ever question why we're here?” Logan knew the answer to that, and Virgil constantly thought about his life and his purposeless existence. Virgil took pity on him when he noticed his big brown eyes sparkling in the light the car turned on. So mundane, and yet Virgil had seemed to romanticize the smallest things around Logan.

    “Get out, I wanna show you something,” Logan followed wordlessly. “I think..” Virgil continued, once they were out of the truck and on top of it “that it's different for everyone. For me, I just want to spend my short existence here experiencing life for what it is. Good and the bad, mostly good.” Virgil smiled softly as he laid down on the roof “ look at that… all the stars feel so close i could touch and yet impossibly far away. I can't see a horizon from here, it feels like I'm in the middle of all of them, here with you.”

    Logan laid on his side beside him, still not fully getting it. “You think you were put into existence to look at stars?”

    Virgil hoisted himself up on his elbows, craning his head back to continue looking at the abyss. “I think that's what i'm choosing to do with my existence, what are you choosing to do with yours?” Logan stayed quiet for a long time, just looking at Virgil and thinking before he jutted his head forward and kissed him. Virgil pulled back, heart beating  a million miles a minute. 

“Logan?” he whispered.

“If we get to choose what we do with our lives then i wanna spend mine like this, with you, and i've wasted too much time thinking.” he almost had tears in his eyes as he leaned forward again, letting Virgil close the gap this time. 

* (+ 53: have your first kiss) 

65: and your second

72: and third

83: and many many more

99: propose

    They continued going to their favorite spot for years, when they got older they bought the plot of land that they called theres and built a tiny cabin on the edge of the field. And one night, after 5 years of dating, virgil pulled logan into the middle of the field, walking this time. Fireflies and the moon are their only real source of light so far out in the field. 

Logan giggled as he attempted to keep balance while Virgil swung him around 

“What's got you in such a good mood?” Logan laughed, getting pulled into a nervous kiss by his boyfriend 

    “Virgil!” he smiled a little wider, “what's the occasion?”

   “Look up, and name all the constellations you can see,” Virgil asked quietly, hands fisted in his jacket pockets. Logan looked suspicious before doing as he was told, listing all he could remember the name of. Just as he was getting to the end of his list, Virgil cut him off. 

“Hey Logan?” When he looked back, Virgil was kneeling on the ground with a small navy blue box in his hands. “Can I ask you something?” 

Logan did not consider himself overly emotional, he nearly prided himself on it, and yet he couldn't seem to stop the hitch in his breath and rush of tears to his eyes. He wordlessly nodded, not trusting himself to speak.

    Virgil opened the box and revealed a ring with a simple diamond in the middle of a black band with stars engraved into the side. He stayed silent as the tears started cascading down his face. “Do you remember when you said you wanted to spend your life with me under the stars?” Logan  had to pull his hands to his mouth to contain the sob of happiness he couldn't. Virgil was also crying, a wide nervous grin on his face “will you make that official with me?” 

    “Yes!” Logan choked out, nodding profusely and collapsing into Virgil's arms when he stood up to hug him. He pulled back and kissed him, he kissed him for the millionth time with all the passion and love of the first. He pressed his forehead into Virgils, having to bend a little to accommodate for the height difference. 

“I love you” he mumbled, tears starting to end their freefall, even if only for a minute. “So so much”

100: get married.

    Roman bustled around their small cabin with the kind of nervousness more reserved for the grooms than the best man. He had been preparing this day- well, night- for months and had been more of a bridezilla than either of the actual men getting married. Guests were starting to arrive just after the sun went down and the stars were starting to peek through the darkness. Fairy lights shone just enough to allow the guests to find their seats without hassle, but not too much as to outshine the stars. 

    “Are you sure everythings ready?” Roman asked Logan once again, meeting a hard eye roll with an exacerbated grin. 

    “Yes Roman, I'm positive.” He couldn't help the feeling of joy riding in his throat when he checked his watch. He was getting married… to the most beautiful man on earth, under the stars, in his own backyard with all his friends… holy shit

    “Logan!” Patton called from the doorway, excited to be helping even if he'd been there since noon “its time! Come on “ 

    Virgil was…. He couldn't think of the right word.. Gorgeous, ethereal, amazing, perfect, genius, beautiful, unreal, indescribable… Logan felt in his heart as he was walked down the aisle by the designated group dad friend. He wore a velvet deep purple suit with black trims and converse sneakers, hair freshly dyed from a week before, and on top of his head sat a small crown with diamond stars. As much as he despised wedding traditions, this was his “something borrowed” generously lended by Roman to tie in the night theme. The wedding was small, neither of their families even invited to attend, and their friend group tiny but close knit. Patton bounced down the aisle with Virgil's arm intertwined in his, Logan didn't think the concept of “handing off the “bride ``'' was appropriate here, but neither of them could deny Patton's puppy dog eyes. 

The rest of the night went off without a hitch, dancing, kissing, crying, a small potluck with a modest red velvet wedding cake, and in the center of it all was stars. The decorations, the rings, the vows and the night sky, all of it was perfect. When all the guests left, and Virgil and Logan were finally alone, Logan pulled out a wedding present he had gotten for virgil. 

“What's this?” he asked, still riding the high of “Holy shit i'm really married” 

“Open it.” virgil undid the navy wrapping paper, and opened the box. Inside, there was a book titled “100 things to do under the stars, by Logan Cade” 

Virgils heart jumped when he realised logan had used his new last name.  

[miss-kittys-magical-library]

Last Christmas

Words: 2900

Warnings: Here we see the smut chapter. Fluff and smut.

A/N: again thanks to my homies @joz-stankovich and @robertsheehanownsmyass for encouragement!! Tag list: @magic-multicolored-miracle @elliethesuperfruitlover @super-unpredictable98​ @bisexualnathanyoung

Chapter 3- White Christmas

Violet unlocked her door and dropped a handful of bags in the foyer. The mistletoe and pine still softly twinkling where Nathan left it made her flush at the memory of their kiss. She shook it off as she struggled to drag in a large heavy duffle bag she collected from the casino.

“Hey, Seamus Finnegan!” she gave a shout and smiled to herself. “Come help me with your shit! Also you've got eight hundred messages on your phone.” Violet finally faced her apartment and gasped. Nathan had decorated while she was out.

White lights trimmed the door to her balcony. The island where they ate earlier shared a similar style to the one above her front door: Pine and some bows and lights scattered throughout. There was a six foot pine tree in the corner by her television showered with white lights as well (in fact all the lights Nathan used were white. Some twinkled, some were stagnate). There were ornaments of every shade of purple, flowers and silver tinsel littered the tree, and again the pine around the wood of the table her tv sat on. Any bow used was a deep purple with silver trim.

“Oh, Nathan.”

That's all Violet could whisper as she ran her hands along the bough that lined the kitchen island. She knew in her heart he would open his mouth and ruin the feeling of contentment and she had right now. Something witty or obscene, so she kept quiet and allowed it all to soak in.

Making her way to the Christmas tree, Violet reached out to touch everything. It was real, solid. Nathan made all of these with his.. magic? She couldn't believe that’s what it was. Magic. He was magical.

His face certainly is magical, too she thought to herself. Cheeks hot as the sensation of his tongue in her mouth flooded her memory. It's been so long, Vi. What would it hurt?

Except it wasn't just about wanting to sleep with Nathan. He challenged her with his smart mouth. Always tacking on a statement that would get him the most attention. That he couldn't just say anything nice or complimentary without sexual or sarcastic wit sprinkled in. But he was vulnerable with Violet when he was still locked up and just last night as he lay dying in her arms. When Nathan trusted someone his walls came crashing down.

And he could be selfish, but so far he used his powers for others. The money he tried to steal to give Marnie and someone else’s baby a better life. Violet knew the young mother didn't steal the poker chip, Nathan gave it to her and told her to take off so she wouldn't get caught up in his mess. The decorations and breakfast this morning, carrying her to the couch instead of leaving her on the floor. That asshole’s tongue at the club. Even trying to comfort Violet as a knife stuck out of HIS chest.

And Violet assumed he drove everyone insane, himself included. Yet he survived. Or found a way. He survived being homeless and whatever went on in London after that storm that affected him and his friends (She googled it, would bring them up later). He even survived prison; for a guy like Nathan that was impressive.

Violet liked some of her clients. She even struck up friendships with the better of them. ACTUAL friendships where they called and hung out whenever her schedule allowed. But this was a tiny seed planted in her heart that started to grow and blossom like the flowers on her Christmas tree. They weren't supposed to see each other ever again, and Violet would be able to uproot her feelings for the flirtatious Irishman and throw them away.

Except he was in her apartment, occupying more than just physical space. With his stupid green eyes and even dumber way he laughed loudly at all of his own jokes before anyone else could. Let's not even start on his stupid, handsome face caught between boyish and a man like puberty couldn't make up it's mind during Nathan’s late teen years and just decided to linger into his twenties. Or his weird body with the baby Bambi spindly legs but muscular arms (with dumb scene kid tattoos) and that chest she touched. With all that death she figured he would be cold, but he was human. Hot blooded, warm-skinned human.

God dammit, Duval. You can't do this. He's probably just doing what he does best when it comes to you. Surviving until he gets home to London. Plus, he's like, way too young for you.

Her sisters were gonna have a field day with this tomorrow at dinner. Would Nathan even want to go with her? She was so lost in her thoughts, that she only just noticed the flowers decorating her tree were her namesake, violets.

Somewhere far behind, Nathan cleared his throat. Violet still jumped, plucking a flower off as she did. “Hope you don't mind I jazzed up the place. Rather boring for a bird like you,” he said with a devilish grin. “I wasn't sure what ye liked. I closed my eyes and t’ought of you and all this happened.” He swept his hand around the room.

“It's rather thoughtful for you.”

“Don't you mean thoughtful OF me?”

“No I definitely meant FOR you” Violet challenged.

For only the second time since they met, Nathan was rendered speechless.. Mouth agape, thick eyebrow furrowed in confusion as he grappled for a comeback and failed. It was only when Violet looked at him struggling that she understood what was going on with her guest as he casually lounged against the wall.

Nathan was wearing one of her sheets wrapped around his lithe body in a makeshift toga. A tinfoil halo laid crookedly on his shaggy head. Violet also took notice of the outline of his member under the sheet. She couldn't help but gawk knowing he was naked. He didn't bother with the wings, as if he was “angel” enough for what he thought he was doing.

Violet laughed out loud and covered her mouth to hide mirthful giggles. Tears sprang to her eyes, and at one point she felt out of breath. Nathan, meanwhile, had a crimson climb up over his face. His eyes betrayed that for once maybe there was some sort of embarrassment going on. He crossed his arms self-consciously and rolled his eyes.

“Are ye done having a laugh?!” just a smidge of hurt in his voice. “Last time turn myself inta a sexy angel!” Nathan jerked his hips and sneered.

“You look so cute! You halo did me in! Be honest,” Violet pursed her lips to express another giggle, “What are you doing?” She could feel the answer before he said it.

Nathan waltzed over to just a few feet from Violet. He ran a hand down the length of his body with mischief in his eyes, “Who me? I go on top, love.”

“Not if I have a say in it.”

Nathan’s mouth hung open in disbelief. “What if I get there first?”

“I've got way more experience than you do. And I always come out on top.”

There was electricity in the air.

“Key word being come,” Nathan’s voice came out sleepier than usual.

His eyes drifted from Violet’s down to her mouth then back up as he teeth bit his entire bottom lip. If that was meant to be seductive it worked.

Violet felt out of her body when she clung to the back of Nathan’s neck so she could bring his mouth down to hers. Their tongues doing battle as she got her fingers wrapped up in the back of his head. Nathan’s strong hands on the curve of her waist so that he could bring her lower half onto the bulge under the sheet. She moaned unintentionally into his mouth.

Nathan was a little aggressive the way he almost choked Violet with his tongue. She bit into it between playful and defensive causing him to back off. Only breaking the kiss to remove her shirt. Their bodies molded together again as they made out in the living room.,

His hands kept flitting over her body in quick succession like he couldn't decide between her shoulder blades or her ass. Making up his mind instead to start fumbling around with the clasp of her bra. To Violet’s delight and surprise he managed to unhook the thing and helped her slide it off.

In a whirlwind Nathan picked Violet up so that she could wrap her long legs around his thin body. Violet took note that he was stronger than he looked as they stumbled through the hall. Tongues at war again while Nathan crashed Violet into a wall where he devoured one of her breasts.

“Ow,” she winced but giggled into his mouth. Her nails deep into the skin of his shoulders and neck for balance.

“Not sorry,” Nathan mumbled.

He bit at a nipple harshly before sucking on it and repeated this back and forth. Growling into her chest with his face inside her cleavage. Violet laughed louder than she meant to at the absurdity.

“OI!” Nathan cried, but joined in the laughter this time.

Now they lumbered towards the bedroom, Violet tugged on his hair and cried out as his tongue flicked and devoured her nipples softer than before. Once inside, Nathan literally threw Violet back on to her bed towards the pillows.

“What the fuck?!” Her face hurt from smiling and laughter. Afraid of what might happen to her expensive Versace panties, she took them off before Nathan could tear into the fabric himself.

Violet bit her finger, her skin goose-pimpled in the cold air of her apartment. Her patience began to grow somewhat thin even as her sex started to pulsate at the sight of Nathan’s erection under the toga he fought with.

“Do you want help?” she offered.

Nathan waved her off and it fell to the floor. His cock surprised her with the still attached foreskin strained against the head. Then she remembered most European guys were still intact.

Violet's view was mostly a short one because Nathan crawled across the bed towards her. That Lord of Chaos shit eating grin from ear to ear as he palmed her knees. He spread them till they touched the sheets. He sucked on her collarbone and pumped a finger or two deep inside Violet. The palm of his hand meeting her sex causing her to buck unexpectedly while he repeated himself a few times. Her actions only encouraged him to keep going

“Where did you learn any of this foreplay? Porn? Trial and error? Juvenile girls with low standards?”

“D. All of the above.” He groaned into Violet’s neck. Fingers still gliding in and out of her.

“Have you ever been with an older woman?”

Nathan startled Violet by staring at her all of a sudden. “How old is older woman?”

Violet grimaced, “Nope. Nevermind.”

Before long, Nathan stopped using his hand and all too hastily started to lap at Violet. His tongue swift and sloppy over her sex not even bothering to find her clit. Rapidly he licked at her slit like she was an ice cream he tried to eat before it melted. It wasn't unpleasant but it wasn't exactly getting her off.

“Nathan?” she cried out the question. “NATHAN!” louder.

He raised his head, mouth glossed with her wetness. “Ahyep?” His eyes heavy with desire.

“This is oral sex, Lucky Charms. Not a fucking pie eating contest. Slow down and put your mouth here,” she brushed fingers over the top of her sex and spread it enough to show him her clit.

Nathan’s eyes widened and followed her finger to the bud of nerves she all but pointed at. “So that's what it looks like,” he marveled.

Violet glanced heavenwards but a part of her felt bad. “I'm being serious, has no woman EVER told you how to get her off?”

Nathan littered her thighs with kisses from the knee towards her pelvis. Making his way up the other to the opposite knee. He smiled at the way Violet’s body arched into the sensation. “Nah. Usually get a quick toss in then never see ‘em again. Marnie was my first missus.”

“Well then just use the tip of your tongue and make small circles.” Her breath caught when Nathan obeyed. “You can suck on.. Like. Fuck,” her hips writhed under his mouth “and just..” she mewled and lost concentration.

He caught on quickly. The rhythm of his tongue matched the way Violet rocked herself into mouth. More and more rapid he worked his tongue between circles and sucking. His actions and her wrapped up in a cycle of give and receiving

Violet vibrated. One hand clawed at Nathan’s neck. The other clutched the headboard as she felt electricity course through her. She bent forward at the power of her unexpected orgasm. The hood of her sex contracted around his tongue, liquified, she screamed his name.

Nathan pushed himself up and laid down on top of Violet before she could get her bearings. His tongue deep inside her mouth again as the head of his cock twitched and poked at her cunt.

“Na-Nathan, what are you doing?” she managed to catch her breath.

“Getting a toss in. Ye had yours, now it’s time t’give us a go. Right?” he teased her with the head slick already with his pre-cum.

“Not without a condom you don't.” Violet wedged her hands between her chest and Nathan’s to push him away. She searched around in her nightstand drawer, hyper-aware of the immaculate knife placed back inside. A flash of his dead body, but she held up a condom instead.

A kiss puckered on lips that fell. “A what?”

“You don't have condoms in Europe?” her eyebrow curved.

“Well sure but I've never used one.”

Nathan was so matter of fact it took Violet by surprise. Still, he took the package from her, hesitating to open it. He was rather tentative about what was inside.

“You've got to be fucking joking,” Violet took the rubber from him in haste and rolled her eyes. “I don't know where your dick has been.”

Nathan kneeled over her legs, his cock at perfect attention. “Aw COME ON!” he whined. “They're mostly clean council estate girls! Once there was one of those Thai ladyboys,” he stroked his chin, “but I didn't even realize my cock wasn't in a fanny”

“Fuck me.”

“I'M TRYING, SWEETHEART!! NO ONE’S EVER SHOWN ME HOW T’PUT ONE ON!”

Violet softened once more and sighed. She laid the condom on her chest and took Nathan by the waist to make him scoot towards her. For shits n giggles she raked her nails down his hips and he buckled with slight pain and pleasure. Violet smirked but took his cock in one hand while rolling the rubber over the shaft and down to the base expertly. She kissed his stomach, erection twitching as he came in proximity to get mouth.

Violet traced a fingertip over the stars he had tattooed down his pelvic bone. “What the hell possessed you?” She gazed up at him through her bangs.

Nathan caressed her cheek down to her lips where Violet sucked on his finger. She nipped playfully at it waiting for an answer. “It's shooting stars (stairs) all the way down t’ the milky fucking way”

Violet immediately regretted her decision to ask. Again. She had to remind herself he wasn't immature per se, more like stunted. Nathan had a good heart under the cushion of sarcasm and arrogance. A heart she placed the palm of her hand against to feel its steady beat.

“I'm only joking. Was a good place t’ hide it from mum. We can shag now right?”

Violet laid back on the pillows and opened up to him. Without hesitation, Nathan plowed into her. That pelvic bone collided with Violet’s as the breath escaped her lungs. Sweat gleamed along his chest and forehead mixed with the scent of her sex as his pace became almost ludicrous. There was pounding and diving into the hilt. As far inside of Violet as she allowed.

This is actually ok, she thought to herself as she attempted to match his speed and failed.

Violet laid under Nathan while he rutted like a wild animal. Breathless and panting as he attempted multitasking: Kissing her and fucking her. He failed at least one and opted to immerse himself in her hair as his body spasmed a release so violent and sudden all that escaped Nathan's throat was a strangled cry.

He collapsed on the pillows beside Violet and almost immediately passed out. She merely snorted, rolled away to check the time. It was then she felt soft, cold pinpoints on her bare arms and chest and hair. What was going on outside in the Nevada desert she registered as happening inside her bedroom.

Violet rolled over to face her lover. Snowflakes covered his bangs and long eyelashes. She held out her hands to catch giant fluffy flakes. Those same flakes fell inches high on her balcony but nowhere else. Violet snuggled into the chest of the man who slept beside her. Lost in his ecstasy, it appeared that he made it snow.

Nathan had given Violet her first white christmas.

[xenbiology]

I work with a rescue as a foster caretaker, and we recently got in a bunch of Silkies removed from an unlicensed mill, so I'll be taking in a few soon. This is the first time I've had one that wasn't already socialized (ie. turned over from a wealthy family that didn't know what they were getting into), and in that case, the Silky was old enough that they didn't get up to much mischief, and only wound up staying with me for a few days. Do you have any advice for handling them safely? I've got plenty of experience with general Headcrab care, but, y'know, this is a special case.

Oh boy... the poor guys. Silkies are a pain and a half to care for, especially an unsocialized one.

Below the cut once more, since this got long!

I’m sure you’ve already done some research, but the most important thing to watch for with silkies is injury. Even something as simple as the corner of furniture can cut them pretty bad, because of the thinness of their skin. Because they get injuries so easily, and injuries are usually worse than normal, silkies are very prone to infections (and worse case scenarios, blood loss from even ‘minor’ injuries).

Young, rowdy, or otherwise skittish silkies can easily hurt themselves on simple furniture, or even on themselves. If they’re not already, you must file their claws and put beak caps on them.

Abscesses can become a problem if small injuries aren’t treated, or their environment isn’t clean. Keeping a clean, safe, soft environment is key with silkies- especially the clean part. Not only are they more prone to infections, inbreeding in the population has led to immunodeficiencies (as well as a whole host of other problems), meaning that they can get sick quite easily. Making sure everything is sanitary and their space is nice and clean is very important!

The issue then arises with the fact that, if they’re unsocialized and skittish, it can be very, very hard to properly file, trim, treat, and clean them and their space.

As much as I hate to say it- if they’re not already filed and capped, I would recommend finding a gentle way to capture and restrain them, and do it immediately. With any luck, they will find the process uncomfortable at best, and not downright terrifying. They certainly won’t like it, but it’ll keep them safe enough until you can properly socialize them, and make the process much, much easier.

As far as physically handling a silky- it’s the same as with any other crab, but try to be as gentle as possible, since they bruise very easily. If possible, try to use a blanket or towel instead of your bare hands, as even a very firm or tight grip can bruise them.

Once they are trimmed and capped, I recommend keeping them together in a single room with any dangerous objects removed, lots of soft toys, bedding, and hiding places. They need all the same thing as other breeds, but extra bedding, since they can get cold a bit easier.

Silkies don’t do well with other crabs, as other crabs can easily injure their castmates on accident, even while just playing. Keeping silkies with other silkies is a much better option, and keeping silkies alone with just people is the best. But considering they seem to have been raised together, keeping them together will make them much less stressed.

Another thing to note is the room should have lots of dark places to hide, and if there’s any windows, some curtains will do wonders. Though any crab can get sunburn, it’s especially nasty on these guys.

While they’re in their room, you can work on gaining their trust first and foremost to make the care process much easier. Same process as any other crab- time, treats, and exposure!

Hopefully by the time they’re properly used to you, they’re probably old enough not to get into too much trouble if you let them wander the rest of the house. Start with removing anything particularly sharp just in case, and keep some supervision on them until you’re sure they won’t find a way to hurt themselves, hah. They’re quite good at that.

If you plan on rehoming them, it’s important to get them used to other people. Their socialization is the same as any other skittish crab- start small with just friends and family visitors, and work up to their comfort level. The only difference is, again, a silkie’s aversion to sun and sharp objects. They should never be let outside, even on walks, as just sticks and concrete can hurt their feet and skin. The best way I’ve found to get them used to new sights and smells and sounds is one of those screened-in baby/pet strollers and carriers. It’s soft, provides comfort, shade, and keeps them from getting out. Honestly? I use this method for all of my crabs starting out. The only difference is that silkies don’t ever graduate to ‘walking on their own not in a carrier’... usually.

If they’re comfortable with it, it’s also possible to put little outfits on them to keep them warm, safe from the sun, and greatly reduce their risk of injury- including little boots to keep their feet safe if you think they would benefit from going on a real walk. Just make sure the fabric is soft and comfortable!

Other than the obvious, it’s important to just... keep an eye on them. All purebred crabs have an increased risk of health complications, but unfortunately, silkies have it bad. Bad immune systems, skin problems, infections, heart problems, and even complete blindness are all relatively common due to low genetic diversity. It’s doubly important to get them regularly checked out by a veterinarian to catch things while they’re early and treatable.

Aside from all of that- a silkie’s behavior is almost identical to that of any other crab. They might need slightly more protein and fats in their diet to keep them warm, but if you’re keeping them in a heated environment, it’s not a huge issue. They don’t require any other special foods, enrichment, or sociological treatment. They’re simply crabs who have a bad habit of getting hurt and sick, so you have to keep an extra eye on them!

Best of luck, and if you have any more complications, feel free to ask me (right after you consult your vet, of course).

[consplaysuperior]

I'm trying to make a mtmte tailgate cosplay but I've never made one before,and I'm not sure what to use or do. How do you all figure out the proportions and measurements of the costume; and is cardboard ok to use or just foam? Also do you just use a black Halloween jumpsuit under the armor ? Sorry for all the questions. 😐

I’m gonna put this under a readmore because it’s complicated.

First, the easy question - you can definitely use a Halloween jumpsuit under your armor, or you can use separates. For Starscream I opted for gray leggings and an exercise shirt. We pretty much all used some combination of leggings and a shirt, but anything form fitting and thin will be fine. 

Ok here we go.

The way to figure out the proportions is to start from a size you can’t change, and use that for the main structural piece of the costume. For example, you can’t decrease your height (you can add if you must) and you can’t compress your shoulders. Those are your starting point. 

For a boxy character like Tailgate, it’s a good idea to start with a base like football shoulder pads. It will make the costume more comfortable and more durable. So measure your height in whatever shoes you’re using, and measure across your shoulders in the shoulder pads (or just your shoulders if you decided to forgo the pads, as they can be pricey - try and get some used ones).

At this point it helps to also take a photo of yourself from the front and side, and you can sketch the character over the photo. Try to get your sketch to be close to the proportions of the character so you can estimate where the various costume pieces will fit on your body. Once you have that general idea, it’s easier to figure out the next steps, which will use a combination of on the fly fitting, and actual math.

On the fly fitting is used for parts that must fit close to the body. An example might be the waist of a robotic character. Each of our characters has either a shirt that was modified, or a sewn bodice, for their waist, and the armor is glued directly to that. It’s easiest to fit that on the body and trace directly on the cloth, then add a zipper. Tailgate looks like he has 3 layers of plating on his waist/torso. You could also simply make a cylinder of foam and layer up the plating, depending on your build, and if you don’t mind the costume being kind of stiff.

Everything else uses math, and then you adjust your measurements. Tailgate is kind of a broad shape, so widening out his shoulders, chest, and hips will give you some nice proportions. For the math, you need to know the proportion between measurements made on you, and measurements made on your reference. Redo this math if you have different refs with different scales.

Here’s how to find a proportion. First measure the size of your actual body (for example, your height). Then measure the height of your reference, and divide your real height by the height of the reference. Say you’re 5′6″, or 66 inches tall. Say you reference is 6 inches tall. 66÷6=11. That means you are 11 times the size of your reference, and any measurement you make on your reference needs to be multiplied by 11. Make sure you check your units and keep the same units. You might switch to measuring things in millimeters if your reference is small, and that’s fine, but just remember that your sized up numbers will now be in mm as well. For example, say you measure a piece of kibble as being just 3mm across on your reference. On the costume, it’s going to be 33mm, or 3.3cm.

You can also create makeshift angles for shaping your armor, by tracing the angles found on your reference and then extending the lines out longer, based on the proportion you found. Here is a video on how to do that, and I plan on making a clearer one soon since I found my tripod. I’ll post in on this blog when I do.

Don’t worry too much about the math being perfect, since you are a different structure from a robot. You’ll have to make some adjustments to make it fit you. With that in mind, remember to make your patterns on something cheap like poster board or old posters, or even old paper bags. Anything large and slightly sturdy will work fine, and the color doesn’t matter. My mom gave me a whole bunch of old school board election signs and they’ve been great. This part is easier if you have a helper (I didn’t when I made Starscream and it was really hard). Have them tape the pattern pieces onto you and check the fit. You can trim them or tape on extra paper here and there until you like how it looks, then trace them onto your end material and cut them out.

You could use cardboard, but there are things to be aware of. One is that cardboard tends to dent and crease more noticeably, and the other is that it’s harder to do any curves. Tailgate isn’t too curvy, so it should be OK.

Hopefully that explanation helped and wasn’t too confusing. There are a lot of pictures of our process on our facebook page. Soundwave process. KO process. And as always, feel free to send more questions.

~Mod Starscream