#nervous to post this 😬

[story-book-sillies]

Putting the text under the cut because I’m a little nervous to post this and I’ll probably delete this when the poll is done but there is a picture of the character I’m talking about below and of the Jellycats too-

I’m trying to decide which Jellycat suits Mina (from my favorite show bbc/neflix’s Dracula) the best because I want to buy one that represents her in the future. Since she’s my comfort character I feel like having a stuffed animal that reminds me of her would bring me comfort too! The problem is that I can’t decide which one to choose. Jellycats are one if my favorite interests, but they are also expensive so I don’t buy them often and I don’t want to buy multiple of them at the same time if I can help it because I have to be responsible and save money. Anyways, here are the two options and the reason I’m considering them (plus a photo of Mina for those who don’t know who she is):

Bat: I’m thinking the bat because Mina is from a retelling of the classic story Dracula, and even though she is not a vampire herself, every time I see this jellycat I can’t help but think of her. I could see myself making it little blue outfits or putting blue bows on its ears and it would be so sweet! The only thing is that bats are a big part of Mina’s trauma (for example Dracula in general and the fact that she is hurt by a bat in the show) so I don’t know if it’s unkind of me to associate her with a bat plushie…

Bunny: The bunnies are classic by Jellycat standards and come in so many colors! Again, I could see myself dressing it up, and with the bunny, it would be easier to replicate the actual outfit Mina wears in the show which would be super cute! With the bat it would be harder because of the wings. I put the baby blue bunny for reference, but there are a couple other shades of blue bunnies that Jellycat has that I’m also considering, so I would have more options.

Other: And perhaps there’s one that I’m not even considering! Maybe you have a suggestion! If so, you can comment or reblog with your answer!

You don’t need to have watched the show to answer, just pick based off of vibes alone or based on what I said! Any suggestion/vote will help me immensely in deciding because I am struggling to decide because I like them both for different reasons.

[off-mozzarella]

A quick drawing I made for fun :]

Non blood version under the cut bc it kinda looks better but it makes less sense 😅

[all-thestories-aretrue]

There are many jokes floating around the shadowgast nation about the nature of Caleb and Essek's relationship (eggplants and winky faces abound), and most of them are good natured and perhaps true (eventually or at some point). I find most of them entertaining and sweet, but some of what I have stumbled across post-reunion have highlighted that it's only a joke up to a certain point to me.

Please keep in mind that everything in this post is my opinion and my opinion only. I'm not asking that anyone agree with me. This post is mainly for me because I felt like I needed to make it.

I have seen several comments/posts/tags in many different places talking about Essek and Caleb and that scene in the reunion, and describing it as horny or saying they can't keep their hands off each other or following up that conversation with sexual intimacy. I know a lot of these comments or conversations are not malicious or ill-intentioned, and I understand that people are excited for the first new content in nearly 2 years.

But, one thing I have appreciated about Critical Role is the variety of sexuality and genders represented, including various asexual and aromantic identities. Essek is confirmed by Matt on Twitter to be demi (romantic or sexual is unclear to me so it could be taken as either. If anyone has any other sources I would greatly appreciate them). As someone who identifies as aspec, I deeply appreciate the representation that Critical Role has given me.

The shadowgast scene in the reunion was not sexual to me. It's only been six months since the end of c2, which granted, I have not completed yet. As of this writing, I am in the middle of episode 133. Whatever is going on between Caleb and Essek is still very new, especially for two people who thought they would never have love. An aspect of being demi is that it takes time and closenes and a strong emotional bond for romantic and/or sexual feelings to develop. Six months, to me, feels like an incredibly short time for those feelings to take root for Essek even if he is on the path of developing them.

Seeing people make light of Essek's sexual attraction or feelings for Caleb or treat them as common place or casual, even innocuously, has made me feel as though this aspect of Essek really is ignored or forgotten about sometimes. Not by everyone nor, I would even doubt, the majority. Maybe not intentionally or maliciously or maybe it's a lack of understanding about demisexuality or aspec identities.

This is a feeling I have had for a while, and I mean this about nothing in particular but rather a sum of the parts I have encountered over the months.

In addition, I think Essek's sexuality can be overshadowed by how sexual Caleb can be/is. He makes comments throughout the entirety of the campaign that directly or indirectly reveal his sexuality, and that part is clearly important to him, even if he has not acted on it in a very long time.

I am not saying that Essek is NOT sexually attracted to Caleb or that their relationship does not involve sex at some point or at the time of that scene. I do think, at the very least, that Caleb and Essek would have a conversation about it as some point, and I find it likely it would turn sexual. At the very least, Caleb is attracted to Essek. Liam has confirmed that. I would guess those feelings are a combination of romantic, sexual, platonic, etc.

But I cannot imagine, and again this is my opinion, that feeling sexual attraction or acting on it for the perhaps first or second, maybe third time, is not a life-altering moment for him, let alone acting on it. From what see of his character, he's extrmely gaurded, extremely lonely, extremely shameful. Showing his emotions and attraction to Caleb, or to anyone really, is an extreme show of trust and vulnerability, and I don't think it should be taken lightly.

Treating it, at least in those early months, as though it is common or casual, something taken for granted, feels, to me, as though it undermines the importance and gravity of Essek's feelings, whatever they may be. Further, it undermines aspec identities, relegating them to sidelines if it is even acknowledged at all. I feel as though a lot of the jokes ignore Essek's demisexuality and how integral it is to how he builds relationships and interacts with people.

As someone who is aspec, I find it disheartening to see these sort of jokes and offhand comments being circulated about a character who is confirmed, canon aspec whose identity centers on deep bonds that take time to develop. Applying sexual under/overtones to scene where a small chaste kiss and an innocent pet name are shared feels like, in a way, a forced sexualization of a new, developing relationship that may never turn sexual.

There is such little aspec representation in media, and Critical Role does a fantastic job of showcasing a variety of aspec identities which is so, so rare. To turn around and have the fandom ignore or disregard these identities (intentional or not) that the cast and crew work hard to incorporate feels bad. It makes me feel as though I still have to fight for my identity to be seen and understood by people who, theoretically, support and want to understand and respect various identities, who claim to love Essek and Caleb and their relationship. It hurts.

I have spent a lot of time convincing myself that I and my sexuality belong in the queer community, that I deserve to have a voice, that I deserve to be respected and heard. With my feelings about Essek and his demisexuality, I didn't feel right standing by any longer and remaining silent when these portrayals were bothering me.

I am not asking anyone to change their opinions, to agree with me, to change the fic they write, the art they draw. The Critical Role fandom is beautiful and amazing and absolutely incredible. I have met so many kind, caring, wonderful people since joining. It's an experience unlike any other. But, I needed to make this post for me and anyone else who was feeling like me.

[timid-raccoon]

New Year's

Another New Year’s Eve had come and gone without you. I still remember our first one, just shortly after we had met. I remember you looking at me across the small crowd with that dazzling smile, cheeks rosy from the cold and the drink in your hand alike. Your warm eyes sparkled with the fairy lights that were wrapped around the pergola on our mutual friend’s patio. This was the night we shared our first kiss, under the flashing lights of the fireworks illuminating the night sky that mirrored the fireworks erupting in my chest.

A quiet walk home, memories of a lost loved one, and a snowflake.

Author's note: This is the first fic I’m releasing into the wild, so please be nice, but also, constructive criticism is appreciated, as this isn’t exactly beta read (other than me sending this to my sister and her saying she liked it). I recommend listening to the piano versions of the EP “One” by Sleep Token - especially “When The Bough Breaks” - while reading, which can be found here.��

Crossposted on AO3

Word count: 1.1k

I buried my head deeper in my scarf, pulling my shoulders up to shield myself against the cold gust of wind that tousled my hair. The fingers gripping my umbrella were starting to go numb despite the thick gloves I was wearing. The walk home was quiet, the fresh snow that was softly crunching under my feet laying a silent blanket over every sound, swallowing and muffling it. Hardly anyone was out on the streets – people were surely still sleeping or nursing their hangovers from partying until the early morning hours. It was only just after 9 a.m. on New Year’s Day, after all. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath of the crisp winter air through my nose to help wake me up, having only gotten a few short hours of sleep myself. The smell of the softly falling snow filled my lungs and I opened my eyes again, blinking into the bright white morning light as I exhaled a cloud of condensation.

Another New Year’s Eve had come and gone without you. I still remember our first one, just shortly after we had met. I remember you looking at me across the small crowd with that dazzling smile, cheeks rosy from the cold and the drink in your hand alike. Your warm eyes sparkled with the fairy lights that were wrapped around the pergola on our mutual friend’s patio. This was the night we shared our first kiss, under the flashing lights of the fireworks illuminating the night sky that mirrored the fireworks erupting in my chest.

It was only a few months later that we decided to move in together. From the very beginning, everything with you had just felt right. When Steven had first introduced us, conversation was immediately flowing easily, skipping the superficial small-talk and cutting straight to the deeper questions that life and the universe held. I was captivated by your intellect and the way you expressed yourself, going from profound philosophical musings to sarcastic remarks without missing a beat.

With you I had felt like a queen. You were very attentive, always making a point to remember every detail about what I liked or disliked, knowing what I needed before I even said anything. Like how once we had settled in our cozy 2-bedroom apartment with a small balcony and a beautiful view of the sunrise from the kitchen window, it was only natural to you that we would adopt a cat, just because I had mentioned once that I was bummed I couldn’t get one because my own 3rd floor studio apartment was too small for an indoor cat. When we went to the shelter just to look, it was love at first sight. He came straight up to us, happily meowing and pushing his head into your hand as you squatted down to pet him. I thought I might dissolve into a puddle at the sight. The two most beautiful creatures I had ever laid eyes on right before me – one with long auburn hair held up by a claw clip, eyes shining in utter adoration, the other mostly grey with barely visible tabby markings on his back, a white moustache, and the biggest blue eyes, purring contentedly. We took him home the next day after getting all the essentials and named him Frodo.

Sometimes you almost felt too good to be true and I was honored you had chosen me out of all people to do life with. The most mundane things turned into cherishable memories just because I had you by my side. Even the one New Year’s Eve we spent at home just the two of us because you were sick, cuddling on the couch with Frodo and watching old movies, felt special.

On our last New Year’s together I didn’t know you would be ripped from me just shortly after, leaving your own dreams and aspirations unfulfilled, leaving me and your friends broken and empty.

On that final morning when I left for work, I didn’t know I would never again come back home to you greeting me with the lightest of kisses on the tip of my nose, like you always did, making me scrunch up my face with a smile. Frodo kept searching the apartment for you for weeks, meowing at the front door, like he would when you were gone on tour, but this time I couldn’t console him by assuring him you would be back soon. Your office chair became his favorite place to nap in.

Nicholas and I still hung out every now and then, even though I only knew him because of you, him being your long-time best friend. We didn’t see each other often these days with you gone, but when we did it was always like greeting an old friend, being connected by the grief and pain we felt and a mutual understanding for it that was always there, without having to say a word. Even two years later I still saw little glimpses of you in him, tiny mannerisms and phrases he had picked up from you and I was sure you had left the same imprint on me for Nicholas to see. He knew, New Year’s was still just as hard for me as it was for him, that day being the last time he had seen you, so when he had asked me to come over for a small party with his closest friends, a sense of gratitude had flooded me. I wouldn’t be alone, I would be with people who understand, celebrating life in all its beauty and all its darkness.

I had left Nicholas’ place before most of the others had woken up, after roughly cleaning away the worst of the mess in the living room quietly, carefully stepping over the sleeping bodies on mattrasses on the floor and giving the still sleepy host a quick but tight hug goodbye, putting all my appreciation for him in it and promising to text him when I got home okay. The night had been fun, but with my social battery drained and the weight of everything still heavy on my heart, I just wanted to get home, take a hot shower, and spend the day wrapped in a blanket, cuddling Frodo.

When I arrived at the door of my apartment building, the snowfall had subsided and even the sun tried breaking through the tiny patches of blue in the otherwise still overcast sky. As I fumbled for my keys in my deep coat pocket, a lone snowflake flurried its way under my umbrella and landed right on the tip of my nose. A warm shiver spread through my body and I closed my eyes, scrunching up my face.

“Hi Noah,” I breathed into the air with a soft smile on my lips.

[roscoehamiltons]

happy race day everyone 🤪

[scuorge101]

I like how I drew Polites here though you probably could never tell it’s him because he doesn’t have his glasses or headband on…

Have this wip I guess I’m kinda nervous to post the full thing just because it’s ship art lol

[graveyardxghoul]

francis crozier // let me follow

[des8pudels8kern]

I spent half of yesterday at the clinic, listening to explanations of everything that could go wrong during my surgery on Friday. Then, due to scheduling issues, it got moved up a day it's tomorrow morning (like, morning morning). Work was as a result very harried.

Now I'm home, and should do the dishes, cook, do the dishes again, shower, and sleep.

What I want to do is crash, and not have surgery. The nerves are really hitting now.

Plus, I'm already exhausted rn, so how bad will it be once my body is recovering from having several holes cut into and people rooting around in it?

I have already vacuumed, and piled almost everything I need to pack for my 1-2 nights onto the couch to sort between gym bag and normal bag tomorrow morning, so I shall have a little bit of crashing now, as a treat.

[sp00kypumpkaboo]

Made my first junk journal spread in awhile tonight and I like how it turned out :) I haven’t touched my junk journal since May, but still was collecting junk and stuff since. I’d still like to get myself some more washi tapes, more stickers and lots of pattern paper/paper pads, but I’ll work with what I got for now

[e77y]

Just had the CRAZIEST missed connections moment? This guy I befriended for like an hour at a choir event just sent a message to my poetry club gc (I haven’t seen him at any club meetings) asking about collaborating with a lyricist (which we had talked about), so I texted him to see if it was the same guy and IT WAS??? And he was like “dude I’ve been searching for you” 😭😭 SO WILD

[izkashai]

alright i tried very hard this past week to straighten out my thoughts on my OCs but ACTUALLY... i just tangled those thoughts all up. and added more thoughts. and tangled those up too

so this is an unofficial intro post for these idiots bc i need SOMETHING to be in order.

okay here they are.

Senna: human; sweet, cares SO much, often unsure of themselves, perfectionist, sometimes abrasive & judgemental, easily frustrated; likes wearing turtlenecks and skirts

Haven: human (but prefers to shapeshift into a young black jaguar); cuddly, sensitive, curious, intelligent, very in-tune with everyone's emotions

Alden: human; often sarcastic, covers emotions with humor, likes stargazing, thinks everything is his responsibility, gets jealous easily, prone to anger; usually wears sweats/joggers and a hoodie

Lucas: human; reserved, curious, likes reading nonfiction & historical fiction, often blunt, rational, misses emotional cues often, tendency to self-sabotage; usually wears sweaters or crewnecks

that's all i'm sharing for now! i am slowly practicing my digital drawing/painting skills so sooner or later yall will see these dumbasses

[trans-xianxian]

eeuughk way more people are going to be at my destination than I originally thought. people who haven't seen me since I was 14. *transgender dread*

[https-reverie]

i can't play the game but if i can manage to keep up with the lore of genshin without playing for years (and i'm still doing it!) i can get to know these characters in hsr with a little quick dive and that is what we're gonna do.

okay first off boothill!

without even diving into it, i can already tell he's an out there sort of character. the type that screams energetic in his movements. i seen his teasers.

you're loud? have you met this guy? friends or more you guys might as well be a perfect match!

he's got bounties on his head, and he eats bullets. he's a robot who can't curse and may even accidentally compliment someone trying to insult them. how weird right?

he's the type of guy who probably wouldn't be very happy hearing you talk about yourself like that. i mean, boothill might as well be called "obnoxious" himself. his voice lines stand for pretty good reason enough for people not to like him, and that's not counting whatever he's done to gain those aforementioned bounties.

"loud" and "loud" funny don't ya think? there's no canceling each other. but boothill won't let you go quiet. you think he cares how others see him? he's a robot! be loud all you want, i'm sure he won't mind a few more bounties if anyone has anything to say!

i certainly say he'd like you a lot, love.

and dw i'll get to blade.

gonna finally get these out of my inbox.. I still think of these devil hehe <33

[whysamwhy123]

“Decide” for the wip ask thing!

Better late then never, so I'm finally getting to this now, thanks for sending this my way! As it happens, that word pops up in a lot of my WIPs, so brace yourself with a fuckton of snippets under the cut!

1)

(My most recent WIP and boy, is it a silly one. It's my flimsy excuse to write Fuckboy DG hitting on various members of the rosters, and striking out each time)

As he approaches her, Daniel tries to figure out what his opening line should be.

Hey, what's up, mommy? Your baby boy has arrived…

He’s one hundred percent sure that would work, obviously. But he decides to take a different approach.

2)

‘’You sure?’’

Hook’s back to squinting again. ‘’Why wouldn’t I be?’’

Orange decides to test his theory. ‘’I saw what’s going on with you and Brian.’’

Hook’s calm, I don’t give a shit demeanor breaks slightly. It’s only for a brief second, but Orange spots the glint in his eyes, the slight pursing of his lips, the tightening of his body language. He was right on the money.

‘’Yeah, it’s…whatever,’’ Hook says, trying to play it cool.

3)

‘’What is this?’’ he asks.

Hook wonders if that’s a trick question. His mind’s coming up blank though so he decides to answer literally. ‘’Uh. The sink?’’

‘’Oh, good, you know what that is,’’ Orange says. ‘’So, are you aware that most people use these things to clean dishes? Generally, after they’ve eaten and they’re all dirty, human beings will then wash them so that they can be used again. What a concept! Would you like to give it a try sometime?’’

(Sassy Bitch OC strikes again)

4)

‘’Bros before hoes,’’ Zay said, firm.

Daniel rolled his eyes. ‘’What, are we in high school?’’

‘’Nah, ‘cause you never had hoes in high school,’’ Zay grinned afterwards, earning himself a glare from Daniel.

Daniel decided not to correct Isiah and instead he looked back in Julia’s direction. God, she was so fucking hot. He had to have her - he just had to.

(I'm sure nothing bad could come of this. Nope, I'm sure nothing bad happens to Daniel in this fic, nothing whatsoever 🙂🙂🙂)

5)

(Disclaimer - Hook is high as a kite in this fic. Orange is not. Oh, the humanity...)

Orange decides to take a different approach. ‘’You know what would be really fun?’’

Hook legitimately gasps. ‘’What?!’’ he asks, looking up at him with those wide red eyes.

‘’If we went to bed. Right now.’’

Hook giggles. ‘’We are in bed…’’

‘’Then let’s get some sleep, huh?’’

Hook grins. ‘’Don’t wanna.’’

6)

Orange’s head slowly turns, his first movement since Hook dropped the bomb on him. Fear shoots ice through Hook’s veins. But when he meets his eyes, he doesn’t look mad. His face is weirdly neutral. But then the cracks start to show. A slight crease in his forehead. A grim, sad little glint in his eye. He opens his mouth but the only sound that comes out is a terse exhale. His mouth opens and closes a couple more times, as though he can’t decide what to say.

Hook braces himself for whatever’s about to happen.

(Uh oh, did Hook do something baaaaaaaad? Something he regrets? Something that would make his boyfriend upset?🙂🙂🙂)

7)

Eventually, Daniel decided he’d done enough, laid the groundwork as best as he could. So the next time he and Julia found themselves alone, he just straight up asked her if she wanted to head back to his hotel room later, after the show.

He didn’t know what he was expecting. But what Julia said in response - the request she made - left him completely stunned.

(This is, in fact, a different fic from the other Daniel/Julia snippet. But arguably both ideas are equally awful and embarrassing on my part 😬)

[darling-gemini]

First/Last Sentence Tag War

Tagged by @anotherbluesunday, thank you again🥺💕

Hi! This is for a fic that I've been working on for a few days based on the idea of lifeguard!Tyler and a Wednesday who doesn't know how to swim, so here's (part of) what I've gotten so far!!

First Line:

The early June heat settled into the tiny town of Jericho with only a note of warning. It was a balmy sort of heat, the kind that felt like a physical weight on one’s shoulders, and it left everyone in town to suffer in its glory.  Though usually one in favor of torture, even Wednesday Addams had found that the stifling heat, though similar to that of the summers of her childhood, was nearly unbearable.

Last Line:

He was decent now, dressed in his lifeguard shirt that she had seen him in earlier, and wearing the same swim trunks as before, red in color to match the emblem on his shirt. The look was a bit garish for her, but the lifeguards had to be identifiable, she supposed. Then, without any further conversation, she said, "Goodbye, Tyler," then turned on her heel and headed off after her friends.

This is part of a multi-chapter fic at this point and I'm hoping to make more progress in the next few days, should life permit that to happen!!

I'm not sure of who to tag, but if you're part of the fandom and looking for a reason to share the first/last line of your wip, please consider this me tagging you!!

[antisocialxconstruct]

.