#of which i understand approximately 0% but him so cute

[remcocoa]

[gb-patch]

Ask Answers: July 10th

I really let asks get away from me lately. I was super focused on working on that Patreon Moment. With that done I can finally think about doing other things, so here’s a new collection of answers!

Thank you for sending in questions everyone ^^.

For the new Patreon moment, will you be able to reference it in step 4? Or just like a tiny nod to it if you pick certain choices?

There won’t be. I’m sorry if you were hoping for that! The Patreon moment is meant to be entirely optional, it’s not something that gets you extra content in the main game.

Is the new CG artist the main one now? :0 I’ve noticed theres been a difference in the art style recently. Is the old CG artist still going to make art for the game? :0

The original artist still makes CGs for the game sometimes, but he mainly focuses on character sprites.

Are you going to put the NSFW our life moment on a website other than patreon? I would love to get it but I can't use patreon atm.

I don’t know. I'm afraid we can't release the Patreon Moment on a normal game storefront because we can't mix 18+ content with our family friendly game. If there's some other place similar to Patreon where it's not the normal type of full-scale public content releases we'd consider using that, but I’m not sure if there is another site that’s better than Patreon in that regard. I'm sorry.

Out of curiosity, in all of your games so far, which characters in each were the most fun to write? They obviously don't have to be your favorite characters!

Buffalo Seer in AFA, really everyone in XOD/XOBD is pretty equally entertaining to write, The Guide in LoV, and Cove in OL!

idk if you accept "personal" questions, but is there anything you've been watching/ listening to lately

Mostly, I’ve been watching/listening to Authortube videos as of late! It’s people who talk generally about the process of how books become traditionally published and/or share their own experience as they attempt to be published. I don’t have an interest in writing normal text based books, but it’s really interesting to hear about that world. I’m listening to a video about royalties right now as I answer these asks.

Will one of the desserts we get to pick be fudge? That'd be such a cute reference! 

Haha, yeah, it should. Unless I completely blank on it and forget when trying to include the various referential food options.

I don't know if this has been asked previously but what would be the approximate heights for the presets MC can choose from Step 2 ~ 4? Are there any measurement you had in mind? Sorry if I didn't make myself clear kk I've been struggling with my English lately 💀 

I don’t know, ahah. I didn’t have any numbers in mind for that. So it’s whatever you imagine it is!

I noticed a bug with the Patreon moment when it comes to what your character wears. When Jamie and Cove are kissing while my character only had dresses selected, I had both the option to remove the dress or to remove the shirt... Picking one of the options to interact with Cove, after he removed his shirt, it had Jamie remove their shirt followed by ther pants despite only having dresses picked. 

Thank you for reporting ^^

I keep refreshing steam to see when the new doc for xobd will be released. I noticed you haven't posted anything about it in quite some time. Would it be possible to ask about a timeline/potential date? (If it's even this year—) I know you and your team are probably working super hard, I'm just super curious! ~Thank you!~ 

There are more stories done, I just haven’t gotten around to publicly releasing them. Hopefully I will have a chance to spend the time on that sooner rather than later!

hello!! i’m not sure if it’s an update but i’ve just replayed our life and at the end i can’t propose to cove anymore? :(( i’ve actually tried playing twice but the options are not there anymore, did you guys remove the options? i’m sorry if you’ve answered this before!! thank you and have a good one :) 

I’m afraid things haven’t been changed or removed, so I think you might’ve accidentally picked the wrong things somewhere along the way and locked yourself out of being able to propose by mistake. Sometimes you meant to say you want to get married but instead you mis-click and have it so the MC isn’t thinking about marriage or something. All I can suggest is starting from the beginning of Step 3 and making sure to follow the steps listed in the FAQ. I’m sorry for that.

Did yall remove some of the options for when youre making out with Cove in the charity moment? I could've sworn you could grab his bonkadonk and its not there anymore 

This is the same situation as the above. We didn’t remove things and you’re not wrong that there are sometimes those options. But there are various choices you have to make to get those options and it sounds like you accidentally missed something. If your relationship isn’t long-term, you can’t do it for example.

HI IM SO EXCITED I CAN FINALLY GET THE STEP 3 DLC 

Thank you for getting it!

Is Shiloh super totally straight bc I’m very gay and a huge Shiloh fan, would my man make an exception?😩

Sadly, he is one of our super straight characters. I’m sorry.

Hi, I have a very dumb question. In Step 2 does Cove not wanna share his drink with us at the mall (or rather why he stops drinking it) because it's an indirect kiss? Or is it like ...weird to him to share? Because if I remember right he eats off our spoon in the birthday scene right? 

Yeah, he’s awkward about it because he likes the MC and it feels very personal to share a straw with his crush.

Hi! If you don't mind me asking, who is the artist for OL2? Their style is so pretty! 

Thank you for saying so! This is her Twitter- https://twitter.com/redridingheart

Do Beginnings & Always and Now & Forever exist in the same universe? 

Yep! XOXO Droplets also exists in the same universe. It’s one big GB Patch world, haha.

Do Pran's parents regret the way they raised him? Do they feel ashamed of it?

No. They’re the type of people best cut out because they’re not gonna change. Which is why Pran does go very limited contact when he’s an adult.

Hi! I just wrapped up my second playthrough of Our Life, and I absolutely adore it, but I had a question. I went to the gallery and found I was missing 2 CGS (specifically Step 1-3 and 2-3) and I had no clue where they would've shown up. Which moments are those found in? 

You get it by telling Cove about his dad offering you money to be his friend in Step 1 and Step 2. You can’t get both in one playthrough, since you can only tell Cove the truth once. I’m really glad you liked it!

Hi hi! Please, how tall is Baxter and Derek? Love the game so much and I can't wait to see more! 

I don’t know, aha. I think Baxter was around 5′10 and Derek was like 5′8/5′9, maybe. I really am not one who has specific heights for things in mind.

is adult cove a bottom, top, or switch? 

A switch, though would choose the top if he had to pick.

I was wondering if there is a way to transfer save data? Even if through the game files. I wanted to be able to transfer my save data from my desktop over to my laptop so that I could continue playing right where I left off from but I'm not entirely sure how to go about that. 

If you save the save folder/persistent data of the game from your desktop and put it into the game folder on your other device, that could work.

Hi! Is it possible for us to know the date when our life: now and forever comes out on steam? Sorry if you've mentioned it before but I haven't seen it and I'm looking foward to that happening and just wanted to know :) 

It’s gonna be a long time, I’m afraid. There’s no estimate right now.

I started playing Our Life with my sister a while ago, and I think you guys should know that we discovered your secret. >:)

L from death note and Cove are clearly the same person, and this whole game is just an origin story!!

I’ve never seen that show so I’m sorry to say I don’t understand the connection/reference you’re trying to make. I’m pretty out of the loop when it comes to media. I don’t watch movies or TV.

Will OL2 have options for disabled MCs?

I understand if it's too complicated, just curious

Unfortunately, it’s not really something we have a plan for. We couldn’t finish the game if we tried to include every disability and have it be meaningful. It’d just be too much content to create. But if we decide to only include a few, how would we choose which disabilities get to be represented and which are left out? I don’t know. It’ll probably have to be something we don’t include as an option again, sadly. I’m sorry.

playing our life > anything else 

Haha, I’m glad you’re enjoying it.

Honestly, I would like to thank Our Life for helping me come to terms with my sexuality. Before, I never would've actually thought that it was possible to like boys romantically and still be asexual. Almost all of the BL visual novels I've read had unskippable sexual content in them and it honestly just didn't click with what I feel. I'm glad I found Our Life. I love the game, the developers, and this fandom so much. Now, I can safely come out as homoromantic AND asexual (at least anonymously here anyway; my parents are still huge homophobes 😂). 

Aw, it’s great to hear you felt comfortable being yourself in the game! That’s wonderful. I’m really sorry about your parents, though.

Will the demo for OL2 be on android? Really not sure if I could wait any longer than I have to aha 

Yeah, it’ll be available for Android once we eventually release a demo!

Do all these reveals perhaps mean development is progressing ahead of schedule? Please let that be the case I'm already obsessed with Qiu 

No, sorry, aha. Art comes along much faster than script/programming-work for us. It’s gonna be a long time before the game is a finished thing you can actually play. But at least we can look at the beautiful images.

Hey! First of all I wanna say I reallllllyyyyy loooovvveeee Our Life and XOXO Droplets! I have over 300 hours of playtime on Our Life… Anyways, I was just wondering, are the Derek and Baxter DLCs going to come out at the same time? If not, which one do you plan to release first? :3 

They will come out separately and Derek will be first! Glad you like the game.

I keep replaying Our Life to get every possible iteration and I am loving it <3 I was wondering if Cove gets locked out of his confession because MC was talking to Lee, would it be possible to confess to him in step 4? 

Yeah, you can avoid the confession in Step 3 and then get it in Step 4.

Hi, my Cove wears bracelets through step 2 and 3 but I still don't get an option to give him a bracelet? I didn't even know that was possible until I seen someone else ask about it lol 

Hm, did you use the Cove creator? Maybe there’s a bug where using the creator to add bracelets doesn’t fulfill the requirement to give Cove a bracelet in Step 3.

Wait, I'm dense, when does Baxter appear in step 2? Is it from big park firework? I feel so bad since i really love Baxter and waiting to buy his dlc. 

It’s in the Soiree Moment. You have to be just friends with Cove, indifferent, or crushing but not ask Cove to the dance at all. Then while there you can find someone new to dance with. But if you bring Cove to the dance while crushing, the MC won’t wanna dance with anyone else so you can’t get the scene.

In step 2 when we go to the soiree I made my mc go alone and baxter chooses the mc to dance, i'm curious, why did he pick the mc? sorry if this has been asked before! 

Because the MC looked to be around his age, seemed to also be searching for a partner, and had nice legs. A perfect option for him.

I read some of the FAQs, and I saw that we could tell Baxter about the condo that he rented there was previously the mean old grandparents. how do we get the mc to tell him that? 

It happens in the DLC Moment “Late Shift”. If you don’t have a job you instead get a longer scene with Baxter.

I don’t know if you’ve addressed this or not, but are you planning on paying voice actors for our life: now and forever? 

Yeah, we pay our VAs in all our projects.

hey can i ask how you did the moments thing in ol? im trying to get into making visual novels and while im VERY sure its out of my comfort zone and all that atm i kinda wanna know just for the future, bc im p sure it would work well for something i wanna do :O but its also fine if you cant say for other reasons :> 

I’m afraid I’m not sure what you mean. Are you asking how we programmed the screen or something script related? Adding Moments like that is pretty straightforward, though. You just have buttons that open to different labels and then the scripts are essentially individual short stories/vignettes. Good luck with your VN!

Since Autumn becomes gender fluid later in the game, will there be a character who remains as he/him to romance in game? 

OL1 has the he/him LIs, OL2 is all about other genders.

I don't want to impose on your creative plans, but a parrot could possibly make a good pet in an OL-type game? They're pretty long-lived and likely to still be thriving by the end even if the MC got them back in step 1. 

I do appreciate the suggestion, but I’m afraid it’s not likely going to happen. I understand there are technically some animals that could theoretically live long enough to last the whole game that or we could have the MC only get a pet after some years have already passed. But the many things that would have to be considered/accommodated for makes it just something we probably can’t manage adding. I’m sorry.

As time passes will we be able to see Qiu and Tamarack's other stage arts as well?

They are both so cute i can't wait to be friends with them!

Yeah, we’ll show content from other Steps in the future. It’ll be a little while from now, though.

Can you date Cove and still have your family comfort you in the car?

You can’t get Cove’s Step 3 confession scene if you have the family comfort you in the car. But that’s not the only way to date him. You can get together with him earlier in the game or later on in Step 4.

Is Mc always going to be the one walking down the aisle or could Cove do it? Also could you choose to have one of your moms walk you? 

No. Cove wouldn’t want to walk down the aisle like that and the MC automatically respects that. And the MC also gets to have their preferences respected, so it’s up to you whether they want to do an aisle walk or not. You also can pick who, if anyone, walks with you.

Once step 4 is out, will you be able to go the whole game on crush/love without either of you confessing? 

Yes, as long as you tell the game you don’t want to progress the relationship. Even in Step 4 it won’t force you to officially get together.

Howdy, so in Step 4, there will be any Romance with Derek that is not part of any dlc? 

He’s only a friend unless you get his romance story.

Will the step 4 in OL2 be one big step or are you considering moments? 

Step 4 is just an epilogue in both games.

hi kind of a weird question but!! we know tht cliff doesn't start dating again but. wht abt flings? like does he ever do 1 night stands or anything? thank u!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Nope. Cliff has a very small interest in sex. If he’s not in a real relationship with a partner he’s crazy about it simply isn’t something he feels a need for, so one night stands wouldn’t even cross his mind.

sorry if you've already answered this, but i was wondering if there were plans for there to be bonus love interests in OL2 like how we have derek and baxter in OL1.

Maybe! There are side characters who could be given romance stories, but whether or not it will happen depends on funding and how long everything else takes to finish.

I don't know if i'm allowed to ask about ol2 here yet, if not u can ignore this or answer it later. My question is can you date one of them and be good friends with the other? I don't want to be strangers with the other bcs i love them both a lot :<

Yes you can!

what patreon level do i have to be to unlock the nsfw moment? im on the $5 one right now, will that give me access to the moment, or just access to the moment progress? 

That’ll give you access! Tier 2 and anything higher allows the player to download it.

[jess-rewatches-prodigalson]

Episode 1: Pilot

Hey Prodigies. 

Welcome. My name is Jessica. I will be posting my weird thoughts/comments (with approximate time stamps) for every episode of Prodigal Son as I rewatch the episode. I like to be completely absorbed in the show the first time I watch an episode which is why, even for new episodes, this will always be a rewatch commentary.  

I’ve done this for some of my other hyper-fixations and I’ve had a lot of fun doing it so here I am making another one for Prodigal Son. I doubt anyone is interested in my thoughts but I’m just doing this for fun so sorry, not sorry. 

Here we go with episode 1

SPOILERS AHEAD

0:10 - Baby Malcolm is so freaking cute. 

1:00 - after 60 seconds I’m hooked. This show is incredible. Little boy watches his serial killer father become arrested? Yes. Please. What. A. Concept.

1:47 - Is Bright the only FBI agent on the premises? Maybe I’ve watched too much Criminal Minds but I thought FBI agents travelled in groups for cases?

3:34 - This scene. As a fandom, I feel like we don’t give the adorable actor who plays baby Malcolm enough props. Seriously, his facial expression combined with his delivery of the lines, “They call you a monster....are you?” Breaks my heart. Every. Time. It is the moment I fell in love with Malcolm as a character. Also side note - Michael Sheen is killing it as usual. 

5:10 - This cop shouldn’t be allowed to carry a gun. Seriously - can you say immoral?

6:24 - “Next time you call someone crazy, ask for their gun first.” He’s not wrong. In fact this line is amazing. 

7:00 - I think college!Malcolm is really interesting but that hair part is not ok. Also. The way he tries to hide his hand tremor in this scene is heart breaking. AND. The way Martin talks to Malcolm in this scene (as someone with a manipulative, abusive father who fooled family friends/teachers, etc. that he was a stand up guy) is truly haunting. He is putting up an amazing act. He is calm, kind, understanding, and concerned. He also killed people. That duality is just...upsetting.

9:04 - He sleeps in restraint with a mouthguard. Immediately I want to hug him.

10:04 - This conversation between Ainsley and Malcolm reminds me of my own brother and I (I was ten when my abusive dad left and he was 7, he doesn’t remember much but I do). My ability to connect this scene to my life is probably why I find the dynamic of Ainsley and Malcolm’s relationship so real and believable. These siblings are close, they can go from talking about real problems in their lives to teasing each other and whining about mom in an instant. 

11:00 - THIS. THIS HUG. IS. EVERYTHING. This scene is everything. This is the moment that I became curious about Gil. Who is he? Why does Malcolm (who has already been established as very emotionally wounded) trust him? And why does this guy care so much about the son of a serial killer?

12:05 - Is this the only time we see Dani chew gum?

12:10 - I love the way Bright is introduced to the team. You immediately see that Gil is Malcolm’s fake dad and that Malcolm is very socially awkward. 

13:00 - Something about this scene is reminding me just so slightly of BBC’s Sherlock. 

15:03 - Does no one else on the roof hear this conversation?!? You can see other people on the roof.

15:20 - I love how many subtle nods there are to Malcolm’s hand tremor in this episode.

16:12 - The interaction between Jessica and Malcolm is wonderful. It really showcases how extra Jessica is and how much Malcolm is suffering. Also the fact that Jessica’s pill holder is bedazzled is HILARIOUS.

18:00 - The only thing running through my head right now is how fine Tom Payne looks in that long sleeved polo. 

18:45 - Edrisa is a breath of fresh air. She is awkward and funny and she lightens up the very serious aspects of this show. 

19:00 - “He’s the killer right? We agree?” JT is honestly such an underrated character. He’s honest (a little blunt) but he also has a huge heart. Also the line about Malcolm not sleeping is heartbreaking. 

20:05 - ngl. The whole Edrisa/Malcolm dynamic (in the first few episodes) really grosses me out. It’s awkward and creepy. 

20:21 - What is JT’s facial expression here?!? That weird pout as he looks at the ground?! It’s hilarious but honestly sooo out of place in this scene. 

21:15 - Sooo the killer broke into Nico’s apartment. Why did he cover everything in plastic? I mean why? It’s so bizarre. Also - why did he hang out in the dark? He was just in the apartment. He definitely didn’t turn off the lights as he prepared to flee the scene.

22:10 - I love that Dani, the woman, is the officer to pursue the killer. Not JT who is the most physically imposing. 

23:15 - This scene always gets me. It’s just soooo crazy. I mean everything about it is just wild. 

24:40 - More of my boy and his shaky hand. <3

25:05 - As I rewatch this episode I notice all of the subtle looks that Gil gives Bright. They’re concerned looks. I love them. 

25:30 - It looks physically painful for Malcolm to swallow. :( Also the looks that Ainsley and Malcolm give each other as Jessica prattles on about Egypt are amazing. 10/10 would recommend.

26:00 - “Not with the sound on” Yikes. I like Jessica but she really needs to work on being a better mom to Ainsley.

27:27 - The lighting in the case room is suddenly flickering? Really? Well that’s convenient I guess. 

28:40 - Dani saving Malcolm is so important. She just met this guy. She clearly thinks he’s a little off. But she’s a good person. She wants to help him. She protects him from himself and the gun wielding police officers. 

28:55 - ....Malcolm put on a coat before he went to talk to Gil about his night terror? Interesting. 

29:00 - I love this scene. We find out about Jackie. We find out more about Gil. We see how much Gil cares about Malcolm. AND we can see JT and Dani in the background talking and looking over at Malcolm. It’s so good. Character development for the win. 

30:18 - Ok. So. Martin Whitly is an amazing artist. He drew those. Dang. 

31:07 - How did Martin manage to keep a medical license after killing all those people?!? 

31:10 - Martin and Malcolm’s first conversation in 10 years is so interesting. The dynamic of their conversation is complex and intriguing and honestly I could write a freaking novel about their relationship. 

34:35 - The first hint we get that Martin might care more about merely having company than having a relationship with his son.

35:40 - This scene is peak comedy. “Maybe you should draw your gun.” hahaha. 

37:48 - Malcolm has no sense of self-preservation. Honestly. He walks into a room containing an armed serial killer when he himself is unarmed. 

39:15 - This scene. Malcolm’s speech. You can see how much Malcolm hates himself. How much Malcolm hates his past. How much pain he carries. It’s haunting. 

40:48 - I love that even after finding out that Bright’s dad is a serial killer, Dani takes a minute to make sure that Malcolm is okay. She cares more about his wellbeing than his past. That’s an incredible distinction. 

41:23 - Gil’s speech. Gil’s story about Malcolm. Wonderful. Chef’s kiss. This is why I keep watching the show. The idea that the cop who arrested a serial killer became that fake dad to the serial killer’s son is such a beautiful and complex concept. I’m obsessed with the father/son dynamic between Gil and Malcolm. 

If you actually read all (or any) of this - Thanks for hanging out. I wish I could say that my thoughts for subsequent episodes will be shorter but honestly I forced myself to be brief with this one. 

Basically - I love this show. I’m someone who is, generally speaking, fascinated with character development and whump. This show is a gold mine for both. 

I’ll post again soon. Read it if you want. Or not. I’m mostly posting this for myself. Because you know, COVID-19. I’m at home. I have way too much time alone with my thoughts and doing this is fun. 

[itsybitsylemonsqueezy]

3, 8, 11, 19, 22? (for t he fanfic meme!)

Thank you friend! (Sorry for the long silence guys, I’m in the last month before my wedding and shit is Real. But it’s all for a very happy occasion X3 Just bear with me a bit longer.)

3. What is the best fandom you’ve ever been involved in?  

Oh, NBC Hannibal, hands down. I’m sorry, not trying to be mean to other fandoms, but the Hannibal fandom has legit spoiled me For Life. Not only are all the people you meet nice (and that’s true for every fandom I’ve ever been in for the most part), but the content is NOBEL PRIZE worthy, the meta is ASTRONOMICAL, the fan vids and gifs are gorgeous, the content creators are generous, gracious, and actively involved with the fandom. Just... I hate to use the word, but the level of discourse in the Hannibal fandom is truly a cut above. I’ve never seen meta like I’ve seen Hannibal meta, not even in the LOTR or Untamed fandoms, it sates a deep and precious desire in my soul. I fucking love the show and I fucking love the fandom, bless every last little cannibal heart <3 

8. How did you get involved in your latest fandom?

My wife had mentioned that her brother was starting to play this game, Yakuza 0. I had heard of it before but knew nothing about it. Her brother is a game designer though and has very good taste so if he was enjoying it, it was probably good. Still, I wasn’t particularly interested until my wife started telling me about it. How there were these two protags, a young man trying to clear his name and beat the odds and another young man with an impossible responsibility. And no matter how bad things were for the first young man, and they were Bad, things were somehow, always, 10 times worse for the second young man. Sounded like a pretty good story to me. 

But I still didn’t get into it until I cam home from work one night and my wife was watching probably the fifth fight with Kuze. She wanted to stop since I had come home and she knew I wasn’t into it. But I didn’t want to make her stop so I sat and watched for awhile, because it was very pretty and the graphics were very smooth. And since we were neck deep in plot, she backtracked for me to Kiryu meeting Tachibana and then... him. The manager of the Grand. Oh brother, sister, I ain’t got words for my reaction to that. 

So yeah, that’s approximately how it happened and then I just slammed through the rest of the games with her and here we are : |

11. Who is your current OTP?

Oh man, Yakuza’s got a lot of good ships. But mmmmmmm. There is but one king. 

19. Is there a ship which you wished you could get behind, but you just don’t feel them?

Always! There’s always a couple ships in every fandom I’m in that are popular and I can see why, but I’m just not feeling them. 

Daigo/Ryuji is the big one. I know it’s very popular, but I’m just not feeling it. I’m not quite sold on the whole rival thing, but then I don’t like how “rivals” are written 99% of the time. There’s a lot of cute Majima/Nishitani content on my dash right now, very sweet, and I get ti, but definitely not my ship. Hmmm, there are probably others, but those are probably the big ones for this fandom. 

I go back and forth on Kiryu/Nishikiyama. I like it a lot as a past history thing, an aborted relationship, something they tried that didn’t quite pan out, or maybe something they wanted to try and never did. Especially because I think Nishiki definitely did have confused feelings on his side, or at least was willing to entertain romantic notions. His attachment and hero worship of Kiryu often skews that way. Not sure about Kiryu’s side. I mostly think he thinks of himself too much as a big brother to Nishiki, too responsible for him, to view him as a possible partner. But I think that background history would be a really cool thing to influence Kiryu’s take on later possible relationships. So I dunno, I go real back and forth.

22. Is there anything you regret writing?

Oh, woof, probably. If you look deep on my AO3 account, there’s some Sherlock shit. So, there’s a scarlet letter for that. I’ve written some trash for Doctor Who, I’ve written some good stuff too, but I’ve written some trash. 

You have to understand, I’ve been writing fanfic since I was 12. That’s 15 years I’ve been writing, more than half my life. So sure, I’m embarrassed of the shit I started out with and that’s why I don’t have links back to my FF.net account. That was a different me from a very different time and not at all a reflection of who I am or my capabilities now. However. Those gave me a great deal of joy to write while I was writing them and I was quite proud of them at the time. I do not wish to do them a disservice or my past self a disservice by calling them bad. They’re not bad, they were the best I could do at the time and I was right for posting them. I try not to look back and cringe because that’s not fair to past me. I was doing my best and they made me happy. I’m still doing my best and it makes me happy. So really, how can I scoff or judge? 

I do sometimes worry about all my unfinished works. If you’ve been following me for awhile, you’re probably well aware that I don’t finish shit all the time. And I know I have disappointed many with my inconsistency there and I do genuinely feel bad about that. I’m trying to do better and am very proud of myself to have completed two major works (major for me anyway) during the pandemic. That’s a great deal of progress for me and I’m proud of that. I’m trying to form good writing habits and expectations and not do injury to myself or readers with poor writing habits. 

We all have regrets man but I think I can say that I work very hard at not having writing regrets and mostly I have been successful c: 

[rogers-sweatbands]

what hogwarts houses the members of queen are in

A/N: oops this contains some hot takes (in my opinion) but this is what i wholeheartedly believe. enjoy !!!!!!!!!

Freddie: Gryffindor

okay this mans is 100% a gryffindor

like this should not be a surprise to anyone

first off, we all know that harry potter is 100% problematic and loses house points for them all the time

now imagine freddie

he would totally make gryffindor lose points on a daily basis just because he was being himself

gryffindors are also judgemental

and freddie is the king of the judgmental face

we all know this

it takes approximately three (3) minutes hanging out with a gryffindor before you get into some ~*trouble*~

freddie’s parties were def the same way, y’all

3 min in ?????? things got fucking insane

it’s hard to admit this, but without gryffindor, there wouldn’t be much of a story for hogwarts

because not much shit would go down

and hogwarts would be a whole lot safer

and the same is true for queen

like, without freddie, queen wouldn’t have much of a story either !!

moving into gryffindor qualities:

brave-

this honestly doesn’t need much of an explanation

an lgbtq+ icon

went through AIDS during the 80s (such a scary time)

did not give a single fuck about what anyone thought of him

is the actual definition of bravery

loyal-

not to be dramatic, but freddie would have died for any of the other boys

he loved them so fucking much

i hope they know that oof

although he had his moments, freddie was so loyal to all the guys and was/is so fucking amazing ugh

wise-

because of his life experience and different outlook on life, i feel like that made freddie so wise

he had all of these different perspectives compared to a lot of other people

and he would showcase these perspectives in his music

freddie was just so fucking amazing, my heart

i think freddie is muggle born

and he owns it !!!!

he is so proud of his heritage but is also so into the fact that he’s a wizard

freddie is the cutest gryffindor ever awwww

plus he’d look amazing in scarlet and gold

Brian: Ravenclaw

this choice should come as no surprise as brian harold may is a true and true ravenclaw

we’re going to start off with how ravenclaws are all so goddamn cool and intelligent ????? like wow, no one can top that shit

brian may is literally a rockstar and astrophysicist and that’s some hardcore ravenclaw energy right there

ravenclaws are also so hardcore interested in the universe

they nut for philosophical conversations and that sort of shit

look at luna lovegood for example

this girl always had the coolest and most interesting shit to say

she is also so fucking smart and no one really believed it for a hot minute and that makes me so angry

ravenclaws also have the ability to see past the surface of what’s in front of them

brian totally has the ability to see past the front that someone has so carefully put up and would get to know you for who you are

also, he looked up at the stars one day and saw them for so much more than glittery things in the sky

it sparked such a passion in him

ravenclaws also take friendship so fucking seriously

friendships are cherished so much within ravenclaw, sometimes even more than their cleverness

bringing up my girl luna again

we find out in deathly hallows that luna literally had decorated her room with portraits of her best friends in the entire world

and all of these paintings have a thin golden chain weaving around them to connect them that literally reads the words “friends” over and over

that’s some cute ass (and kind ass) shit right there

moving into ravenclaw qualities:

intelligence-

we all already know that this man is smart as shit

he has a fucking phd

(i’m repeating this for emphasis) a phd

in space dust !!!!!!!!!!

like this mans started his phd, went and became a member of one of the biggest bands of all time, and then literally went back and finished his phd

he is so smart it makes me want to cry

creativity-

what’s so amazing about bri’s creativity is that it all derives from how fucking smart he is

look at the songs he’s written... like, he’s a musical genius

and even on the songs he didn’t write, he was still super helpful with coming up with the guitar lines which is fucking sick as hell

they’re all so fucking good too

we stan a creative king

acceptance-

from a young age i think brian realized that his interests were probably a lot different than his peers

not only was he constantly thinking about the stars and what was going on in the universe, he also had such a passion for music

this prob led to him standing out from everyone else in a good way

and he had to come to terms with it 

but boy did he bc look at him now, that rockin’ space man

tbh i see brian being a half-blood

because he’d have understanding of both the wizard and muggle worlds

something that would benefit his intelligence even further

the tea is that brian may is such a perfect ravenclaw it makes my heart hurt

Roger: Gryffindor

ok so we are starting this out with the fact that roger meddows taylor is in no way a slytherin

he is a gryffindor in the same way the weasley twins are gryffindors

they’re all so fucking cheeky (sorry for using british slang as an american, we just don’t have a term to perfectly embody what they all are)

rog is chaotic in a gryffindor way and not in a slytherin way

gryffindors literally die if the attention isn’t on them and that’s just the tea

they are always constantly throwing themselves into shit they have no reason to be involved in

this boy would literally throw hissy fits all the damn time and that is true gryffindor energy

HE LOCKED HIMSELF IN A CUPBOARD BECAUSE HE DID NOT GET HIS WAY FOR FUCKS SAKE

in summary, roger meddows taylor invented being the boy in the cupboard before harry potter

gryffindors are also a bit arrogant about the fact that they’re gryffindors

sorry, it’s the truth

and roger literally lives up his own asshole

which is really hot but besides the point

they also think their opinion is best

always

we’re bringing up i'm in love with my car again because this boy would not fucking let it go

tbh he prob thought that song deserved song of the year... lbr

gryffindors break the rules all the god damn fucking time and always get away with it

literally rog with anything

that boy probably could have killed a man and everyone would’ve been like ????? did u see something ?????? he’s got all my uwus, that sweet lil murder baby

also gryffindors are hella hot headed

“he would fly off the handle all the time” -brian may

he would throw televisions out the window

the literal definition of hot headed

moving into gryffindor qualities:

brave-

this boy gave literally zero (0) fucks about what anyone thought of him

his friends used to call him rainbow and he WENT WITH IT

toxic masculinity in reference to his wardrobe ????? not here !!!!!!!!!!!!

loyal-

despite all the fights he’d get into with the boys, he loved them so fucking much and could never imagine himself without them right there

like yeah, they disagreed a lot

a lot, a lot

but they’d always come back together in the end

cunning-

FIRST OF ALL, ROGER TAYLOR IS SO FUCKING SMART AND FUCK ALL OF Y’ALL WHO MAKE HIM SEEM LIKE THE DUMB MEMBER OF THE BAND

because he isn’t

ok tea, to be cunning, you gotta be smart

also, he could be quite cunning with the ladies & we all know this

like damn, that man could say “butterbeer” into my ear and i would probably cum

also rog is def skillful and used his cunningness to get what he wanted in the end

i'm in love with my car being the b-side of bo rhap ???? yeah, he played the band like a fucking harp

i think rog would be a pure-blood

prob because he can be so cocky (and most pure-bloods are seriously so cocky about the fact that they’re pure-bloods)

even harry could get cocky about it sorry but it’s the truth

also rog looks like a lion and gryffindors literally nut about lions

John: Slytherin

i’m going to start this by saying i know this is a hot take but john being a slytherin is seriously one thing i hold so close to my fucking heart. don’t @ me

we’re going to start off with the fact that even when he had his soft™ moments, he still exudes chaotic energy 100000% of the time

john is the most chaotic member of the band and he knows it too

as a slytherin, i can honestly say that we are literally the most chaotic people in the world

slytherins also exude big dick energy 10000% of the time

john is the perfect representation of this

his bde is seriously off the charts, holy fuck

slytherins will push you to succeed

this is because we have so much confidence

sometimes our confidence is confused for cockiness though, not all confidence is cocky !!!!!

guess what ??? that confidence we possess goes toward other people too !!

john ????? yeah we all know how supportive he was towards the other boys

seriously wants nothing more than for them to succeed

he still is that way

moving into slytherin qualities:

resourcefulness- 

THIS MAN MADE HIS OWN FUCKING AMP?!?! LIKE, HE LITERALLY BUILT THAT SHIT ON HIS OWNNNN

he also loved to discuss how much he loves diy projects in written interviews (as a fun pastime of his)

lemme tell you, diy-ers are the most resourceful bitches ever

seriously, go speak to your local diy-er

they could probably make a refrigerator out of a toothpick, three thumbtacks, and a litter box

cunning- 

this mans was known as the “shy” and “more reserved” member of queen (which we have all learned isn’t the fucking case)

he literally let himself slip under the public radar despite having such chaotic energy

he ran with that shy boy™ title and played us for so long

not that i'm mad but like, damn boi

ambition- 

this bitch literally got an honors degree in electronics while queen was recording a fucking album

he literally sat his FINAL EXAMINATIONS WHILE RECORDING A DAMN FUCKING ALBUM

sorry but if that ain’t ambition idk what is

it’s also hella sexy he did that oops

fraternity- 

john richard deacon, born the 19th of august 1951, embodies the definition of the word fraternity 

he loved each of the other members of queen with his whole fucking heart

the definition of fraternity is “the state or feeling of friendship and mutual support within a group” and john literally did that

the tea is that i think john would be a pure-blood

but he wouldn’t be a dick about it

but like, he’s definitely a pure-blood

and slytherins are most commonly pure-bloods

which sucks because muggle borns and half-bloods are dope af

also, john could be such a sneaky snake, don’t test me

plus, you can’t be that fucking kinky (ya know, freaky deaky if you will) and not be a slytherin

sorry, i don’t make the rules.

in summary, john is a slytherin. thank u for coming to my ted talk.

[comicgeekscomicgeek]

Their Hero Academia: Chapter 16

As always, raw and unedited until it gets added to AO3 and FF.net 

Chapters 0-12 can be found here.

Chapter 13 (unedited) is here

Chapter 14 (unedited) is here Chapter 15 (unedited) is here

Their Hero Academia – Chapter 16: Tensei Iida Has No Idea What He’s Doing

Tensei Iida looked himself over in the mirror and hoped that what he saw was good enough.  He wore a white t-shirt that was right across his muscular frame, specially tailored in the back to accommodate his Jetpack, paired with a pair of blue jeans.  He’d pulled his pink, tubular hair back into a tight ponytail.   Simple, but effective enough, he supposed.  Not that he was sure he could tell.

Considering it was the fifth outfit he’d tried on for his date with Takuma Sero, he really hoped he was making the right choices.

He turned to his friends, for their opinion.   Like his sister’s room, his was mostly cluttered with works in progress and blueprints, things he could work on without access to a larger workshop. Most were half or more finished, but the allure of new ideas, not to mention the joint projects with his sister, kept everything in a state of near completion.   That, however, left very little space in his room for other people. Sora was perched on the bed, while Toshi Midoriya leaned back against the wall.  He had offered Izumi Todoroki the one chair that was not covered with other things, while Chihiro Kaminari and Asuka Tokoyami both sat on the floor.

“How do I look?” he asked.

Toshi gave him a thumbs’ up. “Looking sharp, Tensei!”

“It is… a little tight?” Izumi said.

“A necessity,” he said. “Fitting around my Jetpack requires additional tightness in another areas.”

“And it shows off your muscles!” Kaminari piped in.

Asuka gave her a curious look.  “Why exactly are you here, Kaminari?  You just walked in and sat down.”

Kaminari’s Extension Cords bobbed up and down in the approximation of a shrug.  “I’m a sucker for a dress-up montage,” she said.   “Besides, I’m bored and Mika’s sulking.”

“Is she okay?” Toshi asked. Mika Mineta may have been… a bit much, but they were still all friends to some degree or another.

Kaminari laughed. “She’ll be fine.  She’s just pouting because Iida here is, and I quote, “off the market and eating from one of the same menus as me.’”

“She did not know my orientation before now?” Tensei asked.  “I did not believe I had made any secret of it.”

“She did not,” Kaminari confirmed.  “Of course, neither did I.  You don’t exactly talk about your preferences like that.  Even when Mika and me were making plans to seduce you and your sister, I figured I maybe had a chance.  Of course, I was mostly humoring her…”

She gestured at Tensei, pointing at his abs.  “But I figured it was worth a shot.  Gave up after the first day, though.  Got bored.”

“You were what?” Sora gasped.

Tensei pinched the bridge of his nose.  “I should be more surprised at this.  But given the large swath of previous data points, I am not.”

“Wait,” Sora said. “Go back to the part where Mineta was planning to seduce me?”

“She tries to seduce everyone,” Kaminari said.  “It’s kind of her thing.   Except me, Kirishima-Bakugo, Todoroki, and Sero.  And now you, Iida, I guess.”

“Good to see she has some boundaries,” Asuka said.

“Hold on a moment,” Izumi said, holding up a pale hand.  “I understand not trying to seduce you, her friend.  And I understand not trying to seduce Tensei or Sero.  And I know that Katsumi has threatened her enough to at least make her back off with regards to attempting to seduce her.  But why am I on the “do not seduce list’?”

Kaminari gave her a look that Tensei could not entirely identify.  “Please never say ‘seduce’ again, Todoroki.  That just sounds weird when you say it.”  

“Nevertheless, you did not answer my question.”

The electric blonde looked guiltily around the room.  “I refuse to answer on the grounds that Kirishima-Bakugo will explode my head.”

“She threatened you?” Toshi asked.

Kaminari nodded rapidly.

Toshi sighed.  “Of course she did.”

“Always looking out for me,” Izumi mused, a small smile pulling at her lips.

As usual, it was Asuka who pulled them back on track.  “When are you and Sero leaving for your date?” she asked.

“I am meeting him downstairs in,” Tensei began, checking his watch, “five minutes ago!”

His heart seized up in his chest and he bolted from his room towards the stairs.   Behind him, he could hear his friends calling out and wishing him good luck.

It was the first date of his life.  He was going to need it.

***

“Okay, he probably just got distracted, maybe doing blueprints or something,” Sero said to himself, as he paced in the Common Room.  “He hasn’t bailed on you.  You still got this.  It’s only been six minutes.  Seven. It’s only been seven minutes.”

“Sero!” Tensei called out, as he burst out of the stairway.  “My apologies!  I lost track of time preparing for this date!”

Relief washed over the pink boy’s face.  He was wearing a loud, Hawaiian print shirt, which was garish and clashed with his pink skin, and dark pants and boots.  His dark hair had been slightly spiked.   Tensei did not know much about the ways of dating, but he did know what he liked, and he liked what he saw.

“Iida!” Sero said. “It’s all right, sorry, I was just kind of freaking out.  It’s been a while since I’ve been on a date and I was making myself kind of nuts there.”

Of course Sero had been on many dates before.  Who could not help but fall for the cute, pink-skinned, dark-eyed young man?  Even if he did not always understand the purposes of Sero’s antics with Sato and Ojiro, the enthusiasm he brought to everything was contagious.

But Tensei?  Tensei admitted he did not always understand the expected social conventions.  He was much more at home with machines than people, or in the presence of likeminded individuals like his sister, mother, and father.  These were things and people he could understand and predict.  Having a clearly defined rules helped as well, something his father excelled at, even if his Uncle Tensei occasionally referred to him as being “too tightly wound.”   Clear rules helped define your responses and also allowed a clear opportunity for the necessity of invention, when you spotted the loopholes between them.

“Again, my apologies,” he said.  “I was having difficulty deciding what to wear.”

“Well, you look good,” Sero said, giving him a thumb’s up.  

“And you are certainly…” Tensei hesitated, trying to think of the best word, “interestingly dressed.”

Sero laughed at that. “Dude.  You can say I’m an eyesore.  That’s the point.  Show of the colors, make people notice you.  First rule of entertainment.”

“If you say so,” he said. “I am not very “with it,” as people say.”

“No one says “with it” anymore, Iida,” Sero said.  “But that’s all right.  I’m “with it” enough for both of us.  And speaking of entertainment…”  He pulled his phone from his pocket.  “Selfie with me?”

“Ah… sure?” Tensei said. If that was something that was “with it,” then he could do that.

“Awesome, thanks.” Sero stood next to him and put one arm around him (and didn’t that make him flush!), holding out the phone with the other.  “Smile!” he said, as he pushed the camera button.  The phone made a shutter sound and Sero released him (too soon!), checking the picture.

He showed the picture to Tensei.  “Perfect,” he said.  “Definitely making that my new lock screen.”

***

Dinner was a quick bite, purchased from a “"Noodle Noodle, Come Get Your Noodle" cart, run by a man whose Quirk manifested in the form of a little blue goblin, probably somewhat similar to Tokoyami’s Frog-Shadow.  Sero had insisted on paying, in spite of his protest that he pay his own share.  They found a bench to sit on while they people watched.   All around, people were walking, while the air could be seen to be full of people flying, and even the “speed quirk” lane next to the sidewalk had quite a few people in it.  The small relaxation of the laws on public Quirk use since their parents’ generation had opened up a lot of travel possibilities, among other things.

“I asked you, out” Sero said, slurping noodles. “You can get next time.”

That was certainly an optimistic proclamation!  But Tensei nodded.  “That seems fair,” he said.

Tensei was bad at small talk, he knew, but Sero seemed quite able to fill the silences.  “You know,” Sero said, “when I asked you out, I wasn’t sure if you’d say yes.  I wasn’t even sure you were into guys.”

That seemed to be a common statement.  “I have made no secret of it,” he said.  “But I admit, I have not exactly broadcast it either.  Perhaps I should have.”

Sero shook his head. “Nah, it’s all right, dude. Everybody’s different.  Besides, what’s life without a little risk?”

“Precisely!” Tensei agreed. “There is something to be said for venturing into the unknown, pushing boundaries, never knowing whether you might be met with success or an explosion!  All part of the learning process!”

Sero tilted his head. “I… don’t think we’re talking about the same kind of risk, dude.  But I still get it.”

“Possibly not,” he said. ��I may have something of a unique definitely of acceptable risk.  Father is always warning my mother, my sister, and me about the dangers of our experiments and projects.   Sensei Power Loader does too, for that matter.  I think they are overreacting.  We always manage to put the fires out before they spread.”

“Uh…huh.”  More noodles disappeared into Sero’s mouth. “Worst my dad gets up to is wearing socks with sandals.  Mom tries so hard to make him be cool, but he just doesn’t get it.”

“That is… a sartorially incorrect choice?”  Granted, the times when a person would wear both were probably limited, but it was not something he had enough data on to make a determination on.

Sero laughed.  “Oh, dude.  Funny.”   He stopped when he saw the confusion on Tensei’s face.  “Oh, wait.  You’re serious.  …Ah, sorry.”

He looked so forlorn that Tensei could not help but forgive him immediately.  “Do not worry about it.”

“Okay, if you say so,” Sero said.  “But yeah, major fashion error.  It’s even worse when he combines it with cargo shorts.   If they’re going anywhere together, Mom doesn’t let him leave unless she pre-approves his outfit.”

“That seems harsh.”

“Trust me, dude.  He deserves it.”

“I will take your word for it.”   Tensei smiled.  “Father sometimes attempts to exert control over Mother’s choices like that as well, usually when he feels she is not eating or sleeping enough.”

“Is she?”

“That,” he said, “is an interesting question with many variables to the answer, including statistical averages for humans, which admittedly have been highly skewed due to the wide variety of Quirks…”

“I’m gonna take that as a “maybe” and not ask any more questions.  About that, anyway.  I have plenty more questions.”

“I am happy to answer any I can.  Provided I am also allowed to ask questions.”  Tensei certainly wanted to know more about the handsome pink boy. True, all of the children of the former Class 1-A knew each other to some extent, but there were also small if somewhat variable cliques within that group, just as there had been with their parents.  His and Sero’s had not been especially close, so they were not as close as he was to, say, Izumi or Toshi.  Granted, Toshi was probably a bad example, as he was close to almost everyone.  

Probably for the best, however.  It gave him an exciting and new set of possibilities, with plenty of uncertainties. A brand new venture into the unknown.

“Sure, dude,” Sero agreed. He finished the last of his noodles. “You ‘bout done, though?  I’ve got so much I wanna show you at the arcade.”

Tensei popped the last of the noodles into his mouth and nodded.  “I am ready!”

***

Sera helped him sit down on a chair in the arcade’s small café, easing him down gently.  “I am okay,” Tensei said.  “I just… need a minute… for the room to stop spinning…”

“Dude,” Sero said.  “I am so sorry!  I just figured that with how you zip around,” he made various motions through the air with his hands, “that the virtual roller coaster wouldn’t be a big deal.”

Truthfully, Tensei had not expected to react so poorly to it either.  He had often pushed his body to the limits, flying through the air. While he was best at traveling in a straight line, he could execute rapid turns when he had to, even barrel rolls and loop de loops.   As he grew, so too would his Jetpack, enabling him to execute even more precise maneuvers.  So a virtual roller coaster should have been nothing more than a bit of excitement and a chance to tightly hold hands with the boy that he liked.

It had not worked out that way.

Instead, he had felt overwhelmed almost immediately after the first hill and drop, letting out a sharp scream.  He was also pretty certain he had squeezed Sero’s hand painfully tight.  He had emerged from the VR pod disoriented and dizzy, ready to drop.  He was just grateful he had not thrown up.  Tensei was pretty sure that throwing up in front of or on your date was a very good way not to get a second date.  And he very much wanted a second date.

Nevertheless, it was still quite embarrassing.

Tensei shook his head. “It is not your fault.  I had no statistical framework to in which to predict that that would happen.”

“If you say so…” Sero said, though he sounded uncertain.   Tensei wished there was more he could do to reassure him.  

Fortunately, Tensei’s recovery was rather quick.  “Perhaps something… a little less intense?”

Sero brighted, his dark eyes sparkling with the light of an idea.  He snapped his fingers.  “I know just the thing.”

***

Sero’s eyes had been growing steadily wider.  “How,” he asked, “are you so good at this?”

Carefully and with the utmost previous, Tensei maneuvered the claw with the joystick, dropping it only when he was absolutely certain it was in the right place.  He might not have had his mother’s Quirk, but his vision was very good and years of working with precision tools in his mother’s workshops had given him a very deft hand indeed.   It dropped, easily snaring the Froppy plushie and depositing it in the hole.  Tensei fished the plushie of the prize slot and handed it to Sero, whose arms were already quite full with plushies of Tentacole, Tailman, Lemillion, Phantom Thief, Chargebolt, Pinky, and Cellophane.

“Compared to setting microcircuitry,” Tensei told him, “this is quite easy.”   He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.  “Though perhaps that makes it a bit unfair, both to the arcade and anyone else who would want to try.”

“Ah… maybe?” Sero said, with a small shrug, struggling not to drop the plushies in his arms.  Tesei reached out and took a few of them from him, then they started walking out of the arcade.

“Can I keep some of these? I kind of want to taunt Mom with the one of her.  She’s never been happy with it.  She thinks it makes her look fat.  She’s made it her mission to find as many of them as she can and dissolve them in her acid.”

“Keep as many as you like,” he said.  “The skill challenge is reward enough.”

“Really?  You sure, dude?”  Tensei nodded in response.  “Well, thanks.  Baby sis will love these, especially.”

“Ah, that is right,” Tensei said, “you have several younger sibling, don’t you?”

Sero nodded.  “Yeah, three brothers, one baby sister.  Mom likes to say Dad’s just that irresistible, but she only does that when she wants to see us squirm.”

Tensei wasn’t sure he followed all that, but he decided it wasn’t worth questioning.  “That seems like it would make for a very crowded household.”

Another nod.  “You have no idea, dude.  The dorms are the rest time I’ve had my own room in years.”

“Sora and I shared a room for many years,” Tensei told him.  “Until we were about twelve.  After that, it a modicum of privacy became necessary.  Not that either of us slept there more than forty-percent of the time. Usually we slept on cots in the workshop.  Or simply fell asleep over a workbench.”  Not something their father had been especially happy about, but he had his ways of navigating around it.

“Man,” Sero said, “I could not do that.  I am a sleep-a-holic”

“A waste of perfectly good time that could be better spent working,” he replied.

Sero made a face, putting a hand to his chest.  “That was painful, dude.  Absolutely painful.  Never say the word “work” around me again.”

Tensei had a general feeling he was joking, so he smiled.  “As you wish.”

***

Tensei had walked Sero back to his room, which was as unusually decorated as Sero was dressed. The walls were covered in what he would have called leopard print, except that the prints were all bright pink instead of a golden-yellow, and there were multiple lava lamps.  From what he could determine, the bed appeared to be a waterbed, which must have been quite the feat to get inside.  His desk had been set up with multiple monitors and multiple webcams, obviously to further his efforts to become an internet sensation.  Not a goal Tensei understood, but Sero certainly seemed devoted to it.   They dropped the plushies in a corner.

Sero seemed much more uncertain than Tensei could ever recall seeing him, save perhaps for when he had asked him on this date.  He was usually brimming with confidence and showmanship.

Sero rubbed the back of his head, nervousness radiating off him.  “So, I, ah, I had a good time tonight, Iida.”  He smiled and Tensei could see that it reached his eyes.

Tensei smiled, and he realized that his own heartrate was quite elevated.  “As did I, Sero.”

“I, ah, don’t suppose you’d like to do this again some time?  Maybe go see a movie or something?”

Tensei was aware he was given to a certain amount of impulsive behavior, but in this case, he already knew the answer.  “Absolutely.”

“Great!” Sero said, perhaps a little louder than he intended.  “I mean, great.  And, ah, you know, if you, ah, really wanted to… you could call me Takuma.  Since we’re, you know, dating.  If, ah, that’s what we’re doing.”

Tensei realized that Sero—Takuma—was very adorable when he was nervous.  He was vaguely aware that he and his sister could make other people nervous.  Toshi had gently reminded them of this from time to time.  But this seemed to be very different from those scenarios.  He had never made anyone nervous like this before; he found it somehow flattering.

“I believe that is what we can call this,” he said.  “So, please, if you wish, you may call me Tensei.”

“Tensei it is,” Takuma said. “I’ll, ah, see you tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow,” Tensei agreed. “Good night, Takuma.”

“G’night, Tensei.”

He left and started to head back to his room.  And for the moment, Tensei was feeling pretty good about life in general.  He had successfully completed one date and now he had another. He was officially “dating.”  He knew his sister would be expecting a full account of the evening, but for once in his life, he did not care about analyzing results or accumulating date.  He was happy just the way things were.

[deactivatedaccountsorrylol]

Amethyst Reference In A Sense Here's the best I can do so far. You have her in her More Blood Attire , Panda Outfit , School Uniform , Underwear and Bare Naked/But Censored. Information on her Most of her information is in this collection https://plus.google.com/u/0/collection/gf50WE so if you want to know more about her go there. Amethyst is my persona/self insert character for Diabolik Lovers. She is shipped with Yuuma Mukami but also an OC named Chris (Formerly Keah) (+мαѕтєя кσυ ブラチスアイドル). She was adopted by the Tsukinami's upon them saving her but she later was claimed as the adoptive sister of Ruki, Kou and Azusa Mukami.. Mainly because of her relationship with Yuuma. Amethyst is a Dimensional Guardian, A form of Guardian Angel in a sort but a whole different species whose role is to protect certain dimensions from chaos (AKA Dialovers). Ame is in a contract with Karlheinz, The vampire king, The contract is for him to use her as a test subject and abide by his rule in return she is allowed to use his name when needed and was given a chance to go to the school that the other vampires went too. In doing that she met the vampires and somewhat bonded with few of them, Gaining relationships and other things with them all. Amethyst is not designed to be "cringey", She does have weaknesses even if it is impossible for her to die. Amethyst, Of course, Cannot be killed. She can die from a natural human like death but that is mainly old age. *She can die from something else but I am yet to develop what exactly can. But she has weaknesses.* * Such as in human form she is weaker and more prone to being damaged. In Guardian form she is almost invulnerable but due to her species she is pretty much harmless to most life forms. * Amethyst after coming back to human form needs twenty four hours to regenerate, In those hours she is weak, immobilised to the point of near paralysis, Light Headed and impossible to communicate too. * Another weakness of hers is her loved ones. Family, Friends, Lovers. She wouldn't bring herself to harming them and she would never forgive herself if she did by accident. It makes it an advantage to those that consider her an ally to turn cold and attack her. * Amethyst also during healing processes is paralysed and vulnerable to secondary attacks if need be. Amethyst on the other hand has many strengths * She has a very fast healing factor. * She is incredibly strong and fast. * She can hover if needed. * She can heal others and mend things with magic. * She can bring objects to life. * She has the power of telekinesis. * Obviously she can change her form to her Angel self, But only when necessary or forced.     Those are only few of her abilities, There are more but I am too freaking lazy to jot them down xD So there we are, Those are just some tiny bits of information for those that wanted to understand my character. As stated there is more information on my collection about her and I will be posting more trivia posts in the near future. This is a character I am going to keep and make one of my mains for this account. I would love to hear feed back for everyone on what I should maybe fix around and or what else I should write about next. Thank you to those that do read this! Ame out~! Also do not hesitate to ask me if you want to roleplay with this character as I am very happy to do so, I just don't do romance and I also have to be on my laptop to roleplay, Thanks again guys~! I use a game which is http://pochi.lix.jp/k_kisekae2.html

Quick Short Profile Information [ Name ] Amethyst. I don't really have a last name. [ Age ] Let's just say human wise I am seventeen years of age and leave it at that. [ Race ] Well, I guess I have to announce I am a Dimensional Guardian. So I'm basically something that looms around the dimension vortex and then gets thrown into different dimensions to guard it and live out a normal human life there. I have been assigned to the dimension of Diabolik Lovers and I think I am being condemned to protect it for eternity... How swell! [ Nationality ] I've picked the nationality of Australian! [ Sexuality ] Bisexual. If that helps. [ Gender ] This body wise I am a female. My real form also tends to look feminine but in reality none of us have actual sexes or genders. [ Height ] This form wise I am approximately one hundred and forty seven centimetres which is equivalent to four feet and eight inches in height. [ Weight ] That for a fact I am uncertain about... But by Yuuma's words I must be very light... Or he must be really strong. [ Body Type ] I have been cursed with this body. I'm short with very thick thighs... My legs seem longer than my damn torso which in fact has a bent spine. My spine sticks out in so I look like a freaking duck. I am rather thick as well... Chubbish? Yeah.. [ Breast Cup ] In this form it is possibly a very large C going towards D. [ Blood Type ] O positive or O negative. I forgot which one I am.. [ Zodiac Sign ] I am the water sign Pisces! [ Birth Date ] This body was created on the twenty sixth of February. [ Place of Birth ] I couldn't really say... I forgot as to which location it was but it was possibly in Australia somewhere. ============================================================== Background information If I remember correctly I decided to travel to Japan at around the human age of fifteen? Yeah. I abandoned my human family due to knowing my search was rather in a different location. I arrived and went to the location as to where these vampires lived. Upon going there I was stopped in my tracks by a man named Karlheinz... This so called man happened to be the King of Vampires and he offered me a deal which I accepted. I became the next possible wife of Karlheinz which wasn't the wisest idea for me. Hence why I have this collar on the majority of the time. Anyway, He taught me some things and enrolled me to the same school his sons went to. Obviously hoping to meet them I ended up encountering and being taken hostage by the two First Bloods. The youngest grew a fascination with me and bit me, Claiming me as his... Which was false because I was first bitten by Karlheinz... Ahem , The two first bloods eventually calmed down and took a liking for me taking me as their sister. After awhile they let me go back to school and then that is when I encountered the Mukami's and grew a connection with the second youngest brother, Yuuma. We became close friends and then closer... I guess Ruki saw this and dragged me away from my other, "Brothers" and took me in saying they where my new "brothers," I guess I didn't mind but I still went back to see Shin and Carla, They did save me after all. Yuuma and I grew a special connection in secret just before I had a rather off first encounter with the Sakamaki family, The same family that hosts my lover, Keah. I had befriended Keah after the fighting and I also became close with the red head male Ayato and Albino Subaru. I later managed to earn the favour of all of the brothers be it good or bad... When I found out about Keah and Reiji's secret relationship , Which was by getting to Reiji's inner nice side and having him blurt it out by accident, I didn't know exactly how to feel... A few years passed and now here I am in a relationship with the Vampire King's adoptive daughter, I have a relationship with Yuuma and I have been accepted by the Sakamaki's almost completely, Seeming I may be marrying their beloved sister sooner or later they are going to have to deal with it~ 

Nicknames Amethyst has gotten from the dialovers boys ~Sakamaki's~ Shuu : Duck, Cuddly-chan, Squishy, Walking chest/thigh pillows. Reiji : Panda or Little girl. Ayato : Duck Butt or Grapefruit titties Kanato : Ame-chan, eventually : little sis. Laito : Half Blood's Bitch, Scary Bitch. Subaru : Ame, Weirdo, Rabbit (Usually comes with cute). Kino : Ame, Woman. ~Mukami's~ Ruki : Goat, Llama or little sister. Kou : Little Sister, Angry Kitten, Panda-chan, Sometimes refer's to her as "Yuuma's Chew Toy". Yuuma : Ame, Baby Girl, Panda, Fishy (Referring to her star sign), Wolves Bitch (If he is pissed off with her.) Azusa : Little Sister, Ame-san, Angel-san. ~Tsukinami's~ Carla : Refers to her as "Our Sister" or "Our Possession", Little Sister, You (Rudely). Shin : Refers to her as "His" usually, Rabbit, Prey, Panda. 

[iamashamedofmyfanfics]

The Ability To Know

The Ability To Know (by iamashamedofmyfanfics)

Pairing: Woozi & Mingyu Genre: Friendship Universe: AU where harsh words cause physical scars Rating: PG13 Warnings: Swearing, mentions of verbal abuse (both purposeful and unintentional). Length: Oneshot (5765 words)

Notes: I wrote all this in one day please save me. part of the Skin Deep Reality AU but this AU is a collection of oneshots so there’s literally 0 need to read the others.

{ao3 version}

Summary: There’s a distinct difference between being afraid of people as a whole, and being afraid of giving them power over you. Being scared to leave your home, for fear someone will say something and give you a new pattern of insults on your skin, is inherently different from being afraid that you’ll allow someone the chance to speak, only for them to take that chance to do something which breaks whatever trust you’re allowing them.

Jihoon isn't scared of people. He really isn't.

What he's scared of are the scars already resting on his skin.

Though you’ll never fully understand someone with just a first meeting, there’s a lot you can learn in the first few minutes you know someone. In the nearly seventy years before Jihoon was born- before the generation born around that time and everyone born after started gaining scars from harsh words- and the years since, this has become even more true. There’s a lot you can tell about someone, if you can see their scars, by what words stick with them. What words they, at one point, believed or hated enough for them to be carved into their skin.

Not every mean thing shows up, after all. If you don’t realize it’s an insult, or, maybe, if you truly, with all your heart, don’t believe it, it wont scar. If you can block the words out, wholly and completely, then they wont be seared into your skin by whatever yet unknown force decided humanity didn’t have enough ways to hurt each other. And, the less you believe them, the more the existing scars will fade into soft marks, instead of blistering, blaring, reds.

There’s a lot you can learn, when you first meet people, by just looking at them. If they choose not to hide their every scar, then which ones are startlingly red- new, or old and truly believed- which are faded, despite matching the same word, somewhere else, that’s harsh and fresh looking- the ones that were more self inflicted, than given. There’s a lot you can learn, in just a few seconds.

Which is as good a reason as any to wear long sleeves, and jackets, and scarves. To make sure that whatever scars he has- few, and faded, but there- aren’t visible when meeting new people. Not that Jihoon makes a habit of meeting new people. More often than not one of his already existing friends introducing him to someone is the only way that happens.

As is, currently, his- unnecessarily tall- friend, Mingyu, has dragged him out of his dorm- when he’s supposed to be studying for a test, the next week- to meet his new friends. A group of people Mingyu apparently shares multiple of his courses with, this year. Not surprising, since he’s downgraded his number of classes to be more manageable, and most of them are relating to his major. Last year he’d signed up for far too many, and spent most of his time stressed. Something which did no favors for him, especially when multiple stressed people spending time together was a disaster waiting to happen.

So, he’d cut back this year, and decided to primarily focus his attention. Thus leading him to meet his new friends. Friends who, of course, needed to meet Jihoon. For some reason. Jihoon’s pretty sure this is just an excuse to make him leave his dorm, but he was also offered free food. Hunger won out over the want to never interact with another human being.

“I still stand by the fact that this is entirely unnecessary. Can’t I just meet your new friends naturally? Or, you know, never.”

“Because then you wouldn’t get free food?”

“I hate you, and your using my weaknesses against me.”

“That’s a lie.”

The first generation often talk about how difficult it was to grow up in a world where not only did harsh words cause physical scars, but also where nobody really understood anything behind it. It’s only a recent study- nearly five years old, now- that figured out that how much the person hearing the words believed them, or were hurt by them, had an affect on how they appeared. Over time, though, things have gotten arguably better.

At the very least, people know better what is going on. How much of an affect their words have. This had always been true, but the fact that it causes physical damage, now, helps solidify what people had been saying for hundreds of years. Words hurt just as much as anything else.

That doesn't stop some people, of course. It certainly doesn't help that sometimes the words aren't even meant to insult, or were simple things twisted around by tone of voice. 

So, really, is it any surprise some people choose to avoid new people, and the risk they’ll say something that causes new wounds?

People who didn’t avoid them are either thick-skinned enough to ignore the words, or open enough to admit that they hurt, but not give up on people in general. It takes a lot for people to be public figures, or even to pursue careers where lots of people will see them regularly. Though he’d met his fair share of both people who were unbothered, and those who chose to interact with others regularly either way, it is still hard for Jihoon to understand the reasoning of it.

Why give anyone else that kind of power over you? The ability to carve reminders of your own doubts into your skin, despite your best effort.

It took a lot to trust the people he was close to, while spending time with them semi-regularly, but strangers? They aren’t worth that effort. People are either worth the risk, or they’re not, and it’s far too easy to find out when they’re not.

People who are worth it are harder to find, and it’s an effort that seems unnecessary when you already have plenty of people in your life.

Unfortunately, despite any complaints Jihoon has, Mingyu is his friend, and he probably would have agreed- eventually- even without the promise of food. Not that he’d go around admitting that any time soon- he’s known Mingyu long enough to know he wouldn’t let that go if he did. Mingyu had been his friend since they were middle school students- Mingyu in the year bellow Jihoon, but being his new neighbor, at that time- and even though they get annoyed with each other, that friendship has lasted so far. If they had to put a reason for it, it was probably that they knew each other well enough to know times when they can use certain words- ones one or the other has as scars- without causing more damage. Because they’re well aware of each others limits, and aren’t nearly as willing to let each other hear those words from other people, as they are from each other.

And, in general, because they’ve both at some point been aware of every one of each others scars.

“Try me, I’ll turn back right away, you giant loser.”

“You wound me, you tiny, bitter man.” Mingyu rushes forward, ahead of Jihoon, to avoid being hit by him. They’re nearing their destination- an on-campus coffee place that also happens to sell the best, sweetest, bread on campus- so Jihoon doesn’t bother to give chase. He still makes mental note, however, to hit Mingyu later. It’s a mental note added to a pile of mental notes consisting mostly of violence towards people he calls friends.

“That’s a lie, shut the fuck up.”

By coincidence- and the fact that their college is fairly small- Jihoon already knows at least one of Mingyu’s new friends. He shares a class with Seungcheol- a class said man happens to be failing- and they’ve briefly talked on one or two occasions. The other two- Wonwoo and Hansol- he’s only ever heard of from Mingyu, and even then it was without knowing their names.

They aren’t, by any means, bad people. At the very least, they don’t seem it. Still, it’s hard to ignore the ever-nagging voice that says that someone doesn’t have to be bad in order to hurt someone else. Idly, Jihoon runs his hand over his left arm, as they talk to him.

“I think Mingyu exaggerated how scared we should be,” Hansol says, leaning against the table.

“Don’t be fooled,” Mingyu puts a hand on Jihoon’s shoulder, only to have it immediately shrugged off, “I was serious about him being evil.”

“How dare you. I’m an angel.”

“Don’t lie to the people.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You once punched me in the face and broke my nose because I tried to wake you up.”

“That was an accident, and also: shut the fuck up.”

People think they’re being nice. 

Contrary to popular belief, he actually used to considered a taller kid. Then most everyone had growth-spurts, and ended up approximately 7ft tall, and suddenly it wasn’t true anymore. People think they’re being nice, sometimes, when they say things that personally offend you. It isn’t as if they’re trying to, it isn’t as if doing so makes them inherently a bad person.

People think they’re being nice. So the faded, curvy, letters- overlapped by the same word, multiple times over- that curl their way up his left forearm really aren’t things he can actively blame anyone for.

Cute.

When they were in high school- Jihoon in his last year, and Mingyu just one behind him- they spent a lot less time together. It wasn’t as if they were suddenly not friends, and more often than not one of them would spend dinner at the others home, since they lived right across from each other. It was just that they had other friends, and didn’t need to see each other much. Then, at one point Mingyu disappeared for three days in February.

It wasn’t like he was just gone or anything. He was at his home. Jihoon knew that much because his parents mentioned it, briefly. But Mingyu didn’t leave his house, or come to school, for those few days. Then, when he returned, it was like nothing happened.

People assumed he was sick. Most people assumed he was sick.

Except one person makes a comment about thinking that they, “finally made one he’d be too ashamed to come back to school after,” and, really, it should have been more surprising than it was. Should have been harder to process. Because Mingyu is a good person, really, and nothing burned into his skin is something he deserves.

And, so, it’s not really surprising when Jihoon gets a detention for kicking someone in the face.

He finds that Mingyu’s shoulder is engraved with tiny, faded, lettering. Giant, followed by a mess of overlapping letters that’s indecipherable. Caused by multiple words, unable to be made out, but hateful none the less, being thrown at the same time.

They separate from Mingy’s new friends (“They’re basically yours now, too,” Mingyu says when Jihoon says something about them seeming like good friends for Mingyu) as it begin to get dark. With excuses about studying, and a pointed look at both Seungcheol and Mingyu, Jihoon manages to escape the situation. Mingyu follows him all the way to his dorm- since they’re only three doors down from one another- in surprising silence.

“Thanks,” Mingyu says, just before Jihoon closes his door on Mingyu.

There’s a pause. Jihoon nods. “You did promise me food.” He closes the door.

Once, when he was very young, Jihoon heard an insult thrown at him that, despite knowing lots of words, for his age, he didn’t understand. All he knew was that it was said harshly, like an attempt to tear him down as a person. So, even though he didn’t know what it was supposed to mean, it etched its way over his right leg, in blocky font.

It wasn’t until years later, when he looked down at it and had a startling moment of realization that it didn’t mean anything.

Fairy.

Mingyu and Jihoon have a mutual friend- most of their friends are mutual, actually- who wants to be a dancer. He’s good, too. He- Soonyoung- has a honestly admirable amount of determination. Even when scars trail over his skin, over even his hands, visible. He doesn’t shy away from attention, nor his scars, and it’s admittedly a feature of his that one can look up to him for.

It should be something that is purely that, too. But people don’t like knowing that they’re incapable of doing something. The fact that he’s able to wear those words so openly on his sleeves- in a literal sense, as well- when Jihoon more often then not hides his from himself, is frustrating.

The fact that it bothers him, is frustrating.

“Hello you’ve reached the phone of Lee Jihoon please don’t leave a message ever.”

“I know this isn’t your answering machine.”

“Beep.”

“Jihoon.”

“What do you want, Soonyoung?”

“More people to come to my performance.”

“And you called me?”

“We’re friends.”

“On occasion.” Soonyoung laughs, and Jihoon finds himself rolling his eyes, despite knowing Soonyoung can’t see him. “Yeah, okay, I’ll try.”

“Thanks.”

When Jihoon was twelve years old, he decided, very adamantly, that he would never leave the house again. He was forced to go to school, despite his insistence that he could be home schooled, but outside of that he’d chosen never to go outside again. It last, too, because nobody really wants to force him outside. His logic is something that his parents can’t argue with, really, even though they want to. Even though they want to assure him he’s wrong.

“If I don’t go outside then I can’t get any more words.”

It’s not entirely true. He could insult himself, and have the same result, if he means it enough. But there’s such a smaller chance, if he doesn’t leave his house. They try to argue that he has to leave the house sometimes. That he can’t avoid people entirely. That there’s enough good to come from it. Just as much of it as there is bad. Maybe even more.

Jihoon is having none of it, though. Refuses at every chance, and ignores everyone when he is forced out of the house.

He keeps this up, too. For years. Then Mingyu become his friend- all but forced into his life by his parents inviting the new neighbors over almost daily, or the other way around- no matter how much he tries to pretend they aren’t. Then, Mingyu makes friends with someone he promises Jihoon will like, and tries to get Jihoon to leave the house to meet him.

Refusal is kept up for a while. Jihoon doesn’t give up so easily that it happens right away. But, as stubborn as Jihoon is, Mingyu is just as persistent.

“You can wear headphones, and not speak directly to him, or whatever you want this time, just please? I want my friends to know each other.”

“Fine.”

Jihoon leaves his house, bundled up far more than anyone needs to, in the late spring weather, with headphones on his ears, and the volume turned up enough it might just damage his hearing. He communicates purely by typing things out on his phone. To his credit, Mingyu still seems to see this as a success, and that’s how Jihoon meets one Boo Seungkwan.

Seungkwan is an energetic, bright, person a couple years younger than Jihoon, who takes the state of their meeting really well. It’s through him, that Mingyu and Jihoon both meet Soonyoung.

Soonyoung, who’s hands bare scars of words that Jihoon has a hard time picturing anyone saying. He wonders, somewhere in the back of his mind, if it’s difficult. If looking at them every day, unavoidably, is painful. If they hurt, still, like fresh, burning wounds.

But they’re faded, soft, and if they hurt, Soonyoung would wear gloves. If they were too much, he’d hide them. If he was as messed up about them, as Jihoon is of the few, easily hidden, scars he has, then he would cover them.

Whatever frustration he feels, part of him does take solace in that. In the fact that it is possible to move past them. To look at them and not feel anger, and guilt, and pain.

It still hurts, knowing he isn’t able to do that yet, but it’s something. And, maybe, the bitter feeling in his gut will turn into a motivation to stop believing other people.

When he’s sixteen, Jihoon stops adamantly refusing to leave the house, even if just every once in a while.

As it turns out, Soonyoung’s performance is just an hour after Jihoon has a final for his English course. A class he only took because it would help his overall progress towards his major, and one he dislikes immensely. It would be easy enough to just say that he has a final right before, and that he wont be able to make it. Even if it’s only partially true- he’ll be a bit late at most, if he does go- it would still work.

Which is why, when he leaves the class, that afternoon, he isn’t really sure why he only rushes to his dorm to drop off his stuff, before heading there. It would be easy enough to avoid, and he’s usually expected to avoid anything that means being around other people.

Still, this is important to his friend, and he cant actually bring himself to lie in order to get out of it.

Mingyu seems surprised, when Jihoon finds him and drops down next to him. Soonyoung’s performance is just a minute away, he managed just barely not to be late.

“You came?”

“Obviously. You can see me.”

“I just mean, you had a final today…”

“Yeah.”

He doesn’t have to say it, for Jihoon to understand what the look on Mingyu’s face means. He hits him- because he hadn’t forgotten his mental note to do that, and because he doesn’t like the look- so he’ll stop. Mingyu has no right to look so damn proud about this, of all things.

Mingyu is, undeniably, far too tall. Like, unfairly so. It’s a fact no one would really argue with, and is the reason that comparing someone to him, in terms of height, is entirely ridiculous. Most people would, in turn, think this is a good thing. A quality that, more often than not, is the one used to mock other people. Mingyu has never really cared much about it, according to his own words. He’ll occasionally use this trait as a means to halfhearted teasing of people who are shorter than him- which is most every one of his friends, but especially Jihoon- but otherwise it’s not something he thinks much about.

It’s not.

By the time they are both graduated, Jihoon and Mingyu are fully aware of each others scars. When you’re close friends with people, for a long while, you tend to know them fairly well. Tend to find out things that they don’t always share, or don’t always think about themselves. It’s a scary thing, to have someone know so much that they could use against you.

By the time they both graduated, Jihoon and Mingyu are fully aware of each others scars. There’s a perfectly type-font word on Mingyu’s back that might as well be a matching piece with the messy scrawl on Jihoon’s right shoulder blade.

Sometimes, even if the word doesn’t sound bad, its meaning is enough. The reason it was said, is enough.

Building, is a stark contrast to, child.

The first generation is sprinkled in between people lucky enough to be born just a year, or a few months, before the generation that would end up with scars. Before the populations slow transition into one where words marring your skin is normal. Jihoon’s grandmother was lucky enough to be born just before then, and she, sometimes, looks at him far too sadly.

“I wish you didn’t have to deal with them. You shouldn’t let them get to you, they’re not true.”

It’s strange, really. To hear someone talk about people insulting them and, despite the words mentally sticking with them, having nothing to hide, physically. It’s stranger, still, how words of comfort feel so… wrong. How, “shouldn’t let them get to you,” makes him feel sick to his stomach.

It isn’t like he has a choice.

“How’d you get into my dorm?” Jihoon glances shortly at Mingyu, who’s leaned back in Jihoon’s desk chair.

“Your dorm-mate let me in.”

“Damn it, Jun.” Jihoon would make a mental note to hit Junhui, if it wasn’t for the fact he sees his dorm-mate approximately twice a week in passing. Their schedules being practically the opposite of each other, had more benefits than negatives, but not being able to complain to the person himself when Junhui did something like this, is certainly a negative. “Why are you here?”

“Can’t I just visit my friend?”

“You could. But you don’t.” Jihoon drops his bag next to his bunk, before flopping onto it and glancing at Mingyu, across the room. “What is it?”

“I really did just want to visit.”

“Are you avoiding studying?”

“No…”

“Fine, fine. But did you even come up with something to talk about, while you’re here? Or do you plan to just shut up for once?”

“Have you ever known me to shut up?”

“Yeah, back when you were scared of me.”

“I’m still scared of you.”

“That’s good.” Jihoon sits up, stretching in an attempt to shake off exhaustion. “So what’s wrong?”

“I told you I just wanted to visit.”

“You wouldn’t have had Jun let you in, if that was the case.” Mingyu usually just waits for Jihoon to get back, if he wants to visit. The only reason he wouldn’t, is if he was upset and didn’t want to risk that Jihoon wouldn’t let him in. Jihoon knows him too well not to realize that.

“Was just thinking.”

“A dangerous thing.” Jihoon glances at the clock, before sighing. “Next time bring food.”

“No promises.” Mingyu laughs, spinning in the chair. “I just wanted to share my sweet new scar with my best friend.”

“But you came here instead?” Jihoon motions Mingyu over, despite his joking tone, and Mingyu rolls the chair towards him.

“Yeah, well, he’s really mean, so.” Mingyu shrugs. Jihoon only nods, taking Mingyu’s arm when he holds it out. “It’s not a new word, but…”

“Doesn’t really matter.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s pretty faded already, though.”

“Yeah, well, I’ve already dealt with it, haven’t I?” There’s a bitterness to his tone that is so unlike Mingyu that Jihoon actually fails to come up with a response right away. He knows, if he’s honest, that it’s a very him-like response, more than a Mingyu-like one. The feeling like it shouldn’t have done anything- shouldn’t have scared, shouldn’t have hurt- because he’d already dealt with those feelings. Already reflected on that word. Already understood why it hurt, and why it shouldn’t.

Already moved past this. Should be fine, now.

“Yeah, well, when have feelings ever decided to be logical for once?”

“Sometimes I get ice cream and feel happy. So that’s logical.”

“Now you’re just mocking me with food.”

“Ice cream isn’t food.”

“It is if you hate yourself enough.”

“You worry me.” Mingyu shakes his head, before turning to cough. Jihoon instinctively moves away, knowing Mingyu has a habit of not taking logical precautions not to spread disease. If he’s honest, the fact that none of Mingyu’s scars are related to being a walking epidemic, is surprising. Good, but still, maybe if one were he’d be more cautious. Which is a terrible thought, and one Jihoon pushes aside.

“You worry me, you sky-scraper sized walking illness.”

“Whatever, kid, you’ll survive my coughing.”

“I’m older than you, you walking epidemic.” Jihoon kicks at Mingyu’s outstretched legs, then the chair, forcing Mingyu back a few inches.

“And here I was, going to offer ice cream.”

“I don’t want food that’s gone anywhere near you.”

“Rude.”

Left forearm. Right thigh. Right shoulder blade. Left wrist. Left rib. Under the right of his collar bone. Lower, left back. Words, different fonts. Mostly all easily hidden, with long sleeves and scarves. There aren’t any mirrors in the dorm that aren’t hand mirrors, and it’s easy, really, to hide them from himself. To pretend they don’t exist, because he never has to look at them.

Cute, and Fairy, and Child, and Evil, and Hermit, and Get To You, and Failure.

If you take them, one by one, and go over them- think about why they aren’t true, or why they aren’t insults, or why they shouldn’t hurt- they really shouldn’t hurt. Why do they hurt?

If you take them, one by one, and go over them, you might get over them. Get past them, and decide that they don’t matter, that they don’t hurt. That nobody has enough power over you to make you think about something they said so much. (To make you look at it and know that someone meant it.)

But no matter how many times he goes over the words, again and again, for some reason he comes to the same conclusion.

Even if he should be over this, he isn’t.

And he hates that.

“Are you sure about that? It’s ice cream, after all, which is apparently food.”

“It is food.” Jihoon rolls his eyes. “But actually, real food is probably a good idea.”

“Have instant noodles?”

“Yeah.” Jihoon nods, understanding. Despite joking about not wanting food that’s gone anywhere near him, Jihoon knows Mingyu is actually pretty good at cooking. Even if noodles aren’t exactly a challenge. “Go ahead.”

It’s strange, really, Jihoon thinks. Mingyu stands to move to what could be called the dorm’s ‘kitchen’ while Jihoon flops back to maybe get some rest. It’s strange, but he knows no comparisons to building from him will do anything to Mingyu. Just like any use of all but one of Jihoon’s words from Mingyu wont do anything to him. They’ve mastered using them in ways that make them easier to hear, at least from each other, over the past few years. It’s strange, he thinks, that he can’t hear the words from himself, still, despite this.

“Why are literally all of your pans dirty?”

“Jun is a heathen.”

“Don’t blame your roommate.”

“Fine, we both are. Happy?”

“Yep.”

There was a time, when Jihoon was twelve- and a few years following that- when he refused to leave his house except to go school. The logic of why, and the habit of it, haven’t ever really left. It’s not unusual for him to stay in his dorm for days on end, except if he has to attend class. Nobody is really surprised by this, when it happens.

There was a time, when Jihoon was twelve, that he decided that going out into the world, that interacting with people, wasn’t worth the risk.

There’s a time, when in college, that Jihoon locks himself in his dorm for nearly a week, before he decides that he really can’t get away with this anymore. When he remember that his classes are important, and that most people will just ignore him anyway.

“You’ve risen from the dead, again. How rare. I was worried I just made you up.”

“It’s a talent, truly.” Jihoon breathes a sigh, not bothering to look at Mingyu. “Somebody put me on a cryptid show or something.”

There’s a distinct difference between being afraid of people as a whole, and being afraid of giving them power over you. Being scared to leave your home, for fear someone will say something and give you a new pattern of insults on your skin, is inherently different from being afraid that you’ll allow someone the chance to speak, only for them to take that chance to do something which breaks whatever trust you’re allowing them.

Jihoon spends at most five minutes with Soonyoung, on one summer afternoon. It’s nearly the end of the year, and despite the usual weather for the area, the summer heat is worryingly warm. Soonyoung takes note of this and, without any hesitation, removes his jacket. There are more scars, there, nearly looking purposeful in their patterned arrangement.

Jihoon spends at most five minutes with Soonyoung, that day, and is immediately reminded of something he both admires and hates in the other. It’s less than five minutes, really. Just a few minutes.

“Do you think anyone would notice if I started wearing short sleeves again? Summer is murdering me, and college was already doing that well enough on it’s own.” Jihoon’s question is directed at Mingyu, instead of the person that prompted it.

“Notice? Yeah. Care? Probably not. If they do, I’ll hit them?’

“You’re not about to fight anyone.”

“Are you insinuating that I’m not totally prepared to beat someone up?”

“I’m insinuating that I once watched you try to punch a stationary punching bag and miss.”

“To be fair, I’m pretty sure he had also been spun in circles before that happened,” Soonyoung adds, from where he’s packing up his stuff to leave. He has a final later in the day.

“No this was before that. Somehow he did better that time.”

“Can we just… not remind me of this?” At Mingyu’s frown, the other two nod.

During finals week most people are far too caught up in their own heads to pay attention to anyone else. This is something Jihoon takes solace in, when for what may be the first time in years, he allows some of his scars to be visible.

There’s an itching in the back of his mind, about how bad and idea this is. About how it’ll just make things worse. How it-

“Oh wow, you actually did it. And here I thought It was just me.” Mingyu’s voice is vaguely startling, and Jihoon spins around to face him. They’re just outside the dorm building, so he’s not sure why he’s so surprised.

“Why are you...” Jihoon doesn’t need to complete the question, glancing over Mingyu.

“Solidarity.” Mingyu raises on of arms, the newest scar readily on display, and makes a fist.

“Don’t be dumb, that’s not necessary.”

“Most things I do aren’t.” Mingyu shrugs. Despite not knowing exactly what that’s supposed to mean, Jihoon gives a small snort of laughter in response.

“Yeah, okay. That’s fair.”

If a middle school Jihoon was asked to describe his worst nightmare, it would probably be something along of the lines of being forced to go outside, without absolute certainty that all of his scars were hidden away.

If you asked Jihoon, now, what his worst nightmare was, it would probably be something like having a new scar appear somewhere visible while around other people. That’s probably it. The reason he feels anxious the second he no longer has a test in front of him with which he can distract himself.

Mingyu spends most of the day trailing behind Jihoon when they aren’t in classes (they don’t have any together). It’s borderline annoying, but there’s just enough fondness in having known Mingyu for as long as he has- and the reason behind his actions- that he allows it.

“Hey, you’re back early,” Junhui greets, when Jihoon enters their shared dorm, closing the door in Mingyu’s face. Jihoon shrugs. He doesn’t miss the brief second where Junhui glances at his arms, but Junhui doesn’t comment on it. “Are you really going to leave the poor guy out there?”

“He lives literally three doors away.”

“Yeah, but you know he’s still standing there.” Jihoon doesn’t want to admit Junhui is right, but he knows he is. So, with a sigh, he turns around and opens the door.

“Fine, you weirdo, come in.”

“I’m not weird. Closing doors in your friend’s faces is weird.” Mingyu glances around Jihoon- not that it he actually needs to, so he’s just leaning to the side to annoy Jihoon- and waves at Junhui. “Hey Jun.”

“Hey.”

The one day is far too stressful, and Jihoon has returned to his usual habits by the next day. Still he feels a small amount of accomplishment, at managing to make it through the day before. Something reflected in his unusual willingness to be genuinely nice without even pretending he’s not being. Something Mingyu wastes no time pointing out.

“Who are you and what have you done with my friend?”

“You’re the height of comedy, truly.” Jihoon rolls his eyes.

“Yeah, obviously, why else would you keep me around.” Mingyu shrugs, moving back when Jihoon halfheartedly kicks him.

“Don’t say shit like that.”

“Yeah, yeah, okay. What’s up with you?”

“I’m counting yesterday as a success, but that doesn’t change that I’m back at it again today.”

“Progress takes time. Or you know, overcoming years of habits takes times.”

“Don’t suddenly become one of my smart friends.”

“Jokes on you, I was one the whole time.”

“Shocking. Heartbreaking. Call an ambulance I think I’m having a heart attack.”

“Nevermind what I said earlier, you’re definitely yourself. Just as mean as ever.”

“It’s my only defining feature.”

“Okay but, on a serious note: you’re okay?”

“Yeah, obviously. If I wasn’t I wouldn’t be out of my dorm. I don’t know, I guess I expected so much worse that I’m pretty okay at the moment.”

“Well, that’s good.”

“And, uh…”

“Yes?”

“Thanks.” Jihoon meet’s Mingyu’s eyes briefly, and the other nods. “I said it was unnecessary- which it was- but, you know... it might have made it slightly easier.”

When meeting people, in a world where harsh words can leave physical scars, you can learn a lot about a person, right away. Even if you can’t see a single word, there’s a lot to be gathered by the way they hold themself or dress. And while over analyzing these things when meeting someone isn’t really good for anyone, it tends to happen.

A middle school aged Lee Jihoon meets Kim Mingyu and instantly knows three things. Mingyu immediately seems smaller than he actually is, because of his posture. Mingyu’s attempts to cover his own scars are so obvious, that Jihoon can instantly pinpoint where are least two of them are, despite not trying to. And Mingyu isn’t the kind of person he expects to be friends with.

When meeting people, In a world where harsh words can leave physical scars, you can learn a lot about a person, right away. College student, Lee Jihoon has been friends with one Kim Mingyu since middle school, and wonders what he’d think, if he just met him now. If his thoughts of that Mingyu, and current Mingyu, would be different, when it comes to first impressions.

“You know, I thought I’d hate you when we first met.” Mingyu gives a small hum of acknowledgement at this.

“Weird, I thought I would hate you.”

“The perfect start to a friendship.”

“Obviously.” Mingyu laughs, not looking up from his phone.

“Hey, make food.”

“Why do I have to?”

“Because you love me?”

“Try again.”

“I’ll help you edit an essay next year or whatever.”

“Deal.”

[flowerconcept-blog]

prince!ravi

was just a goofy awkward kid before puberty, but when he hit puberty and got super handsome prince wonshik became a tabloid STAR and everyone started to invite him to parties etc because…..well…. he’s a hot prince

although he’s still pretty awkward in person, the image he portrays to the country via tabloids and his instagram is like….. chic sophisticated rebellious prince

not rebellious in terms of politics but in the way he lives his life and especially his fashion choices!!! the country was in uproar when they found out he had a tattoo

once he did a shirtless spread in the country’s top fashion magazine and it was a huge scandal but also it sold out within an hour and pretty much every teenager in the country has the cover pic up on their wall

and also he’s always being photographed in like……… bright purple adidas tracksuits and the snooty politicians go on shitty news channels like “and THIS is our NEXT KING?!?!?!??! *point at his gucci slides in disgust*”

but even though the tabloids make him out as a partier wonshik really really REALLY cares deeply about his country, he’s always been very involved in court politics because he wants to be a king that makes his citizens lives better

in particular he does a lot of trips to retirement homes and orphanages and among those groups he’s super adored because he’s actually a huge softy and he always listens to their requests and does his best to make them happen

people always forget this because of the shittalkers but he actually went to one of the top universities in his country and majored in economics+law so he could have a better understanding of the country’s finances and laws!!!!!!

basically is a big soft prince who loves his people but isn’t appreciated enough!!!!!!!!!!

not that he minds that much because as long as he’s helping his citizens and has his close friends he doesn’t care about what the annoying councilmen are saying about him

you’ve known wonshik your whole life but from afar, because your father is a court politician and you grew up in the same circles as the prince without ever being friends or anything

but your dad is also……...a bit sleazy…. and not a great guy……..

famously your dad and the royal family have always been political rivals, and your dad is a really big critic of the family because they have much more liberal views and your dad is just like “more money for the rich!!!! tax the poor!!!!!”

while you really don’t agree with your dad’s political views and don’t talk to him much anymore, he was a big influence on you as a kid and he was always like “prince wonshik? terrible guy. we don’t like him” and you still find yourself believing that

plus the news stories you see about him all the time are like “prince wonshik partying in the mediterranean!” “prince wonshik caught making out with model at friend’s birthday bash” etc and you can’t help but think there must be SOME truth behind those headlines

anyways you work for a non-profit organization because you want to distance yourself from your dad’s bad reputation and help the people he’s constantly screwing over, and wonshik actually collaborates with the organization a lot

you’ve never been in close proximity to the prince but whenever he’s around the office u sort of glare at him from afar…….. feeling like he’s just doing the charity work because he has to, not because he really cares, and growing up around politicians you HATE people who aren’t authentic

so while your coworkers gush about his good looks you’re thinking…….can his sharp jawline fix the poverty crisis in the capitol…….can his smolder feed the homeless……...i didn’t think so

it isn’t until you end up organizing an event that wonshik is the main guest/spokesman of that you actually interact, and as soon as you do you feel ,,,,,,,,,,, really bad because he’s super sweet and doesn’t treat you badly at all despite knowing your dad is a dick

he recognizes you and is like “y/n!!!! we grew up together!!!! i didn’t even realize that was you, you look so different…..nice different of course…..i mean you look great……” and starts stuttering and blushing and ur like….. was he always this cute and awkward oh my god

while you work together he totally destroys all the misconceptions you had about him because he clearly really cares about the charity event and raising money for the poor and is just super super sweet

you can’t help but develop a little bit of a crush on him because !!! he really is so handsome but more importantly, his personality isn’t something you find everyday and he keeps flirting shyly with you during your meetings and you wonder???? could there be something between you and the PRINCE????

but you keep your feelings to yourself because it could just be an act or something, until the night of the charity event (which is sort of like a fancy dinner/gala) and you’re dressed to the 9s

and then wonshik walks in…..in this tight fitting black suit and black slacks and smoky eyeliner and your mouth goes dry because you’ve never been up close to him in formal wear

and he looks DAMN good

slowly he walks up to you and kisses your hand and you’re standing there speechless because it’s like formal wonshik is a total different person….the person you always saw in tabloids and magazines

with a smirk he’s like “you look amazing” and then walks away like he didn’t just make your heart stop

at that moment ,,,,,,,,, both of you know you’re going home together after the event ,,,,,,,, and you make eyes at each other for the whole gala and by the time everyone is packing up you’re feeling VERY hot under the collar

you sneak off and make out in the empty coat room, and as wonshik presses hot kisses to your neck, his hand starts to sneak under your fancy clothes and u……….well things happen…...in that coat room…. but when you’re done and he smiles the blinding smile you are used to seeing from wonshik, you don’t regret it at all

and even though a part of you is half expecting him to ditch you, he wraps his arm around your waist and takes you to your house, where you invite him in and the two of you pass out together on your bed

in the morning wonshik sleepily kisses you w/ stinky breath and asks you out to dinner, and after the two of you go to the bathroom and brush your teeth he goes down on you in the kitchen

it takes a while to get used to the paparazzi following you during every single date, but it still feels like you’re the only two in the world when you’re out eating dinner together and he stares into your eyes

there are a lot of tacky news reports that are like “MODERN ROMEO AND JULIET????? FAMILY RIVALS DATING????” that you think are hilarious and you and wonshik get matching framed versions of the really absurd ones

it’s also hard to get used to your bf going from 0 to 100 in approximately 0.5 seconds, but you sort of learn to go with the flow when wonshik stops being the cute awkward dweeb you love and turns on his charisma and becomes Prince Wonshik

says things that are supposed to be sexy but it ends up being super corny and you laugh at him...which makes him pout….. which only makes you laugh more

buys you a matching purple adidas tracksuit to wear to the airport when you go on vacation, and u want to die but you wear it anyways because you love him

takes you as his date to all his royal events and news reporters are like!!! prince wonshik when r u getting married!!!! and he just winks and you roll your eyes at him

your dad totally calls you and goes on a long angry rant when the news breaks that you’re dating wonshik, but you couldn’t care less because you have a very handsome prince bf waiting for you to watch bad reality tv with him

[quinnyandco]

I tried to put the questions in instead of just numbers but alack, too many questions, too little space. 2, 3, 8, 13, 14, 15, 19. And -- *copycatting*-- FOR ALL

THANKS THIS IS GONNA TAKE TWELVE YEARS 

2. Say your OC made a playlist on Spotify. What bands would be on that playlist? Any specific genres?

Berlin - He’s this weird mix between folksy stuff like Fleet Foxes and indie rock like Bastille. Lark - She would be blasting the Maroon 5 and Halsey through her car speakers, but also listening to stupid stuff like Bad Lip Reading songs on the down-low. Kes - 10 hours of Latin prayer chants, and her side playlist of random Florence + The Machine/Lana Del Rey/Daughter stuff that she listens to on private mode.Arthur - half his playlists have like one song in them, and it’s always something that you’d never actually figure that he’d listen to, and you’d be right because he hasn’t clicked on that playlist in 4 months. he makes his own music more than he listens to it. the playlists he does regularly use are for parties. lark also made him a playlist that he keeps meaning to listen to but somehow every time he clicks play, he never hears anything and then it’s over. Amber - doesn’t know what a spotify is, doesn’t care, has better things to do |Sitara - like, I WANT to listen to her playlist. because she’s one of those people who loves music but gets tired of it quickly, so she’s always finding new stuff and her playlists are a total mess. Every genre. It doesn’t matter what it is, she can find an occasion for it. Edward - a playlist containing nothing but “Be a Man” from Mulan on loop3. What kind of video games would they play? Any specific titles?Berlin - Lol okay, he was MADE for first-person shooters. But is he actually playing them? No. He’s playing those cute little flash games with bunnies hopping onto logs or something. Lark - Overwatch, because of the team-building element. She’ll usually only play video games in general if she’s with other people, except for the Sims which she’ll play alone if she needs character inspiration.Kes - Is somehow ridiculously good at the first-person shooters. This freaks her out. And she still doesn’t *get* the Sims but she plays it sometimes anyway because it’s fun to pretend to have a happy familyArthur - he will be HORRIBLE at anything he tries, unless he hyperfocuses on it, and then suddenly he is champion at everything and people refuse to play with him anymore. Amber - she’s really good at portal and she doesn’t even try to be. it just kind of happens. also she finds surgeon simulator to be horrendously inaccurate and she refuses to play it. Sitara - why on earth would you kill people in a video game when you could do it in real lifeEdward - DITTO. but he’s like, super good at tetris and doesn’t tell anyone. 

bonus: Nick plays Crossyroad. Don’t ask. he just does. 

8. How does your OC keep track of time? Do they have a planner? A calendar?

Berlin - He has a lot of people barking instructions at him, so he never really has the chance to forget what he’s doing or when he’s supposed to do it. But he’s naturally really organized so he’d probably have a planner otherwise. Lark - She’s usually on time because she hates to be late to the action or disappoint anyone counting on her. But sometimes she gets distracted by like, people on the street during her commute. Kes - time is a human construct, who needs it? the goddess will tell us when to leave and when to arrive. the moon spirits speak her truth into the ears of those who will listen Arthur - has owned approximately 500 planners in his life. it doesn’t matter how much he writes in them. he forgets they exist and is late anyway. Amber - has owned approximately 0 planners in her life. she is a perfect piece of ENTJ timekeeping. she doesn’t need a watch, or the sun, or you, probably. Sitara - has neatly plotted out her day, or hired someone to do it for her. Usually on time, but if she’s not, it’s because she decided it wasn’t worth her time to be there in the first place. Edward - is honestly more of a diva than sitara most of the time. he shows up if he wants to show up. you can’t tell him where to be. 

13. If you are an artist, and if your OC can draw as well, could you replicate what their artstyle looks like? Or, if you can’t, could you describe it?

Berlin - once he smeared some blood on a rock and called it art Lark - doodles on the margins of reports and discarded typewriter pages. Is better than she thinks she is but’ll never do anything with it. Kes - paints and writes all over the walls of her shed. No specific style; she’ll try anything you’ll teach her. Arthur - Cannot draw, doesn’t try Amber - wouldn’t actually be bad at it if she’d just sit down and learn for like five minutes Sitara - Has developed her skill over the years and is probably the only character I have who could actually paint your portrait and would gladly do it. Edward - what is paint. it has the word pain on it. is it like that 

14. If your OC owned a Tumblr blog, what kind of content would they post?

Berlin - I actually have a private blog for Berlin and it is entirely pictures of snakes, jackets, bunnies, and depressing quotes. Lark - She has two blogs–one for her professional stuff, and the other for maximum memeing and opinion pieces. Sometimes she mixes them up and her professional people get a horrible wake-up call as to her sense of humor. Kes - Meditations, uses it as her personal journal, a little bit of a SJW when she’s tired. accidently follows a NSFW blog because she thought they just wanted to be her friend and she didn’t look at the content first.  Arthur - if there was ever a theme, it died long ago. also he might still be confusing facebook with tumblr because the colors are too similar. forgot his password. Amber - queen of throwing shade to people. has 2000 followers and she doesn’t know why because she didn’t ask them to be there. why are 2000 people following a blog about sutures. surely they have lives. leaves arthur to answer her hate mail, and answers serious asks from medical students if she feels generous. Sitara - KITTY PIX Edward - I tried to ask him what he’d have on his blog and he just looked at me really scarily and i stopped asking. 

15. How do they type? Do they use emojis? Do abbreviate and shorten words?

Berlin - if he likes you, he doesn’t care. you’re getting whatever he’s dishing out at that particular moment (this includes random bouts of existentiality that you never asked for). Lark - Always has the perfect word for every situation. Understands emojis and internet speak the day it emerges on Tumblr. probably started the “me, an intellectual” meme. gif queen. Kes - doesn’t know why you’d type when you could just….talk to people?Arthur - Autocorrect is NOT his friend. But he never corrects autocorrect because by the time he realizes his mistake he’s already forwarded it to you and your boss and your aunt. He and Lark have gif wars.Sitara - Doesn’t even have a phone because someone would probably find a way to hack it and she is NOT being taken out by a camera phone scandal. Amber - Only answers texts at 2 AM. Perfect grammar. Has never used an emoji in her life. Deletes them if they automatically show up. Edward - you texted him once, and he replied telling you exactly where you could stick your texting. you were never brave enough to contact him again.  

19. Does your OC like to collect things? What kind of things do they collect?

Berlin - he picks up rocks sometimes, and then puts them back because they might be some convict’s soul and he’s not in the mood to cart around convict souls in his pockets.Lark - she has an entire drawer full of feathers. she picks them up off the sidewalk every time she sees one while she’s out walking. she also has a pen collection and a playbill collection from all the shows she’s been to. she draws mustaches on the ones she didn’t like. Kes - hordes books. also doesn’t really have any books. but if she had money and a house she’d have a lot of books.Arthur - he’s got a touch of kleptomania about him so he’s inadvertently stolen every pen that anyone has ever given him. I guess that counts. (Some of them are from Lark’s collection, and if she’s noticed, she hasn’t asked for them back)Amber - does not see the point of useless junk hanging around. just clean up your life. Sitara - she has a collection of pawprints (ink pressed onto paper) from every cat she has ever owned/cared for. they’re in a little drawer in her room and she looks through them whenever she misses them. Edward - do scars count because he has a lot of those and they don’t seem to be stopping. 

If you’re not too mad at me for clogging up your feed, send me an OC ask here! 

[deborhmoore]

The Best Baby’s First Christmas Gift Ideas in 2018

When the month of December approaches, there is always one single day that is most valued all over the world. If you guessed right, you already know that I am talking about the Christmas Holiday which is normally celebrated on the 25th of December every year. It can be considered as the climax of the December holidays.

Now come to think of it, you have a baby who was born after the previous year’s Christmas day and he is yet to celebrate the first Christmas day ever. How would you go about it? How would you make sure that it is a special day for the baby? Perhaps you have thought about getting him an ornament, a photo and even a special outfit. How about a Christmas gift?

If the thought of a Christmas gift crossed your mind then you are at the right place to get what you want. We have carried out our research so that we could get perfect Christmas gifts for your baby this year. Each single Christmas gift that has been featured here has the capability of topping off this special milestone in your baby’s life and making it indeed memorable.

Having been arranged in no particular order, here are 20 of the best Christmas gift ideas for your baby. The selection has been based on the available features of the gifts, the customer reviews as well as the general ratings.

The Best Baby’s First Christmas Gift Ideas in 2018

1. Baby Einstein Sea Dreams Soother

Do you want your baby to celebrate this Christmas holiday in style? Why don’t you get her this baby Einstein Soother that will contribute so much in making her grow into a fully developed child? This soother has been made using soft blocks that the baby’s little hands stack, squeeze, tumble and toss.

Apart from that, this soother has over 25 classical music tunes and soft lights that will soother her to sleep easily. What’s more, it has four soothing modes which include ocean sounds only, melodies only, ocean lights-sound motion and lights-melodies-motion. All these modes will soothe your baby to fall asleep during and after the Christmas holiday.

Key Features

Fits in all cribs

Four soothing modes

Drift off feature which turns the light on in intervals of 10 minutes and softens the music

2. Plush security blanket

During this Christmas holiday, every baby needs a special friend that she can cuddle with at night. When you acquire this velvety soft and secure blanket, expect your baby who may have nuzzles and snuggles to get calm and enjoy her sleep at night. What’s more, this soother normally comes already accompanied by an animal who has been attached securely too while also ready to snooze your baby’s night away.

Acquire this gift for your special young one and let her feel a special taste of what Christmas is normally about. Even though she may not understand what is going on at the moment, it just feels special to let her get such a great Christmas gift.

Key Features

Made using 100%polyester

Suitable for babies from birth

Measures 18 by 13 inches in size

3. Rotating Music Box

Now that your baby has started to discover his hands and feet and is also learning how to roll over and perhaps even how to sit up, you will be needed to encourage such babies with cool and awesome Christmas gifts in terms of toys. The toys you get them at this age should be able to allow them to engage every new milestone they pass in life.

This Music box normally plays some musical notes as it rolls hence encouraging the baby to roll, push and somehow crawl while trying to get it. It is suitable for any babies who are between 3 to 6 months of age. This is a great gift that will help your baby enjoy using her developing body parts and know how to use them appropriately.

Get her such a gift this Christmas and make her feel like that special member of your family.

Key Features

Ideal for new-born going up

Includes musical symbols

Encourages young people to explore music

Elegant and durable

4. Grape Baby Beads

Can you imagine how cute your little one will look when he sits among a collection of his baby Christmas gifts while trying to nibble on this cluster of wooden beads which have been strung together on a cord which is elastic? He can turn and twist the pieces into various configurations. These configurations will be ideal for the development of the baby’s fine motor skills.

What’s more, each of the grapes is approximately 1.5 inches in diameter which is a perfect size for new-borns to grab. As long as your baby is over 3 months of age, this will be an ideal gift for her from you as the loving parent.

Features

Brightly colored

Suitable for 3+ month old babies

Baby beads stung together using elastic material

5. Pay Mat

The two things that babies do well in is sleeping and playing. Why don’t you then encourage your baby to keep playing as much as she can during this Christmas season? How best can you do this other than by buying her this special play mat? This gift can also be considered as the baby’s activity gym as it features at least 20 developmental activities.

These include the Magic Motion Track that is capable of attaching to either the mat (perfect for tummy time or when the baby is ready to sit on his own) or the padded arches located overhead( ideal when the baby lies on his back). If your baby is between 0 to 12 months of age then this gift will be ideal for him.

Key Features

Dual Music Modes

Easily configured for various stages

Easy to attach

Flower faced rattle included

6. Press N’ Go Monster Truck

Is your baby showing some interests of being a car enthusiast as early as now? If yes then why don’t you consider getting him this awesome gift at such an early age?  The baby will be thrilled when this toy takes off whenever he presses down on the toy’s head.

You might be surprised when your baby who is reluctant to stroll suddenly decides to shoot across the floor as he tries to catch up with this truck. When your baby soon discovers that his actions can make things happen by playing with this stroller, he will be learning so much about life quite early.

What’s more, when the baby scrolls, he can boost his gross motor skills in the process.

Key Features

Soft rubber teeth

Horns

Wheels move by the press of a button

Dashes around the house

7. Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube

Here is yet another awesome baby gift for your adorable kid during this Christmas holiday. It is a musical toy that is fun to play with and will teach your kids about several things. These include sounds, music, colors among others. It features sides that are capable of lighting up to the beat of the music being played hence making it a perfect play tool for babies.

It comes with eight Mozart compositions and an orchestra button which plays all the instruments. When it comes to the musical part, it includes French horn, a harp, violin, piano and flute instrument sounds. What’s more, it also comes in bright colors such as magenta, green, purple and yellow which will all attract your baby’s attention.

Key Features

Comes in several colors

Lights up to the music tempo

Recommended for kids of all ages

Educational toy

8. Infantino Grow with me Activity Gym & Ball Pit

Shine some light into your baby’s life this Christmas by buying her this gorgeous Christmas gift. This awesome activity gym comes in the form of a turtle in its design and will keep changing with your baby as she keeps growing bigger and bigger.

While it starts as a basic play mat, it also features special removable netting that will transform it into a ball pit in just a matter of minutes. It also has a BPA free teether and over 40 colorful balls stored inside the turtle’s head. This is not only one of the best play toys for your kids but is also one of the safest ones.

Key Features

40 colorful balls

Bigger play surface areas

Netting for safety

A 2 in 1 toy product

9. Playskool Play All Day Elmo

Because babies love watching Elmo playing with his friends, here is an opportunity for the kids to play alongside Elmo. With over 150 responses, this interactive and cuddly Elmo keeps kids engaged as it also has about 8 more activities and games tailored to achieve that.

When your baby has played for long and is now tired, she can simply cuddle with him while at the same time listening to a special lullaby. This one will be an awesome one for your baby during this Christmas holiday.

Key Features

Batteries included

Teaches cause and effect

2 modes of play

Over 150 responses

10. Hedgehog Accordion Toy

Are you interested in pleasing your little one this Christmas season? Why don’t you get her this hedgehog accordion Toy and transform her life for good? This is basically a woodland critter that is very easy to pull, push and make some music even for younger babies which small hands.

There are even movable beads already attached for the sole purpose of working and sharpening your baby’s fine motor skills.  If your baby is more than 6 months old then this toy is ideal for her.

What’s more, to aid in proper development of your baby’s teeth, it has rubberized details that are specifically meant for teething. The vibrant colors that it has also make it attractive to the baby.

Key Features

Easy to grab handles

Sliding beads

Multiple colors

Wrapping Up

As parents, we need to make our kids feel special even if they still too young to even know about it. There is no better way to treat your baby this holiday season if not by buying her the best baby Christmas gifts. Let your baby’s first Christmas gift idea be an awesome one. The ideas that we have discussed here will most likely work quite good for your baby.

The post The Best Baby’s First Christmas Gift Ideas in 2018 appeared first on StrollerAdviser.com

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The Best Baby’s First Christmas Gift Ideas in 2018

When the month of December approaches, there is always one single day that is most valued all over the world. If you guessed right, you already know that I am talking about the Christmas Holiday which is normally celebrated on the 25th of December every year. It can be considered as the climax of the December holidays.

Now come to think of it, you have a baby who was born after the previous year’s Christmas day and he is yet to celebrate the first Christmas day ever. How would you go about it? How would you make sure that it is a special day for the baby? Perhaps you have thought about getting him an ornament, a photo and even a special outfit. How about a Christmas gift?

If the thought of a Christmas gift crossed your mind then you are at the right place to get what you want. We have carried out our research so that we could get perfect Christmas gifts for your baby this year. Each single Christmas gift that has been featured here has the capability of topping off this special milestone in your baby’s life and making it indeed memorable.

Having been arranged in no particular order, here are 20 of the best Christmas gift ideas for your baby. The selection has been based on the available features of the gifts, the customer reviews as well as the general ratings.

The Best Baby’s First Christmas Gift Ideas in 2018

1. Baby Einstein Sea Dreams Soother

Do you want your baby to celebrate this Christmas holiday in style? Why don’t you get her this baby Einstein Soother that will contribute so much in making her grow into a fully developed child? This soother has been made using soft blocks that the baby’s little hands stack, squeeze, tumble and toss.

Apart from that, this soother has over 25 classical music tunes and soft lights that will soother her to sleep easily. What’s more, it has four soothing modes which include ocean sounds only, melodies only, ocean lights-sound motion and lights-melodies-motion. All these modes will soothe your baby to fall asleep during and after the Christmas holiday.

Key Features

Fits in all cribs

Four soothing modes

Drift off feature which turns the light on in intervals of 10 minutes and softens the music

2. Plush security blanket

During this Christmas holiday, every baby needs a special friend that she can cuddle with at night. When you acquire this velvety soft and secure blanket, expect your baby who may have nuzzles and snuggles to get calm and enjoy her sleep at night. What’s more, this soother normally comes already accompanied by an animal who has been attached securely too while also ready to snooze your baby’s night away.

Acquire this gift for your special young one and let her feel a special taste of what Christmas is normally about. Even though she may not understand what is going on at the moment, it just feels special to let her get such a great Christmas gift.

Key Features

Made using 100%polyester

Suitable for babies from birth

Measures 18 by 13 inches in size

3. Rotating Music Box

Now that your baby has started to discover his hands and feet and is also learning how to roll over and perhaps even how to sit up, you will be needed to encourage such babies with cool and awesome Christmas gifts in terms of toys. The toys you get them at this age should be able to allow them to engage every new milestone they pass in life.

This Music box normally plays some musical notes as it rolls hence encouraging the baby to roll, push and somehow crawl while trying to get it. It is suitable for any babies who are between 3 to 6 months of age. This is a great gift that will help your baby enjoy using her developing body parts and know how to use them appropriately.

Get her such a gift this Christmas and make her feel like that special member of your family.

Key Features

Ideal for new-born going up

Includes musical symbols

Encourages young people to explore music

Elegant and durable

4. Grape Baby Beads

Can you imagine how cute your little one will look when he sits among a collection of his baby Christmas gifts while trying to nibble on this cluster of wooden beads which have been strung together on a cord which is elastic? He can turn and twist the pieces into various configurations. These configurations will be ideal for the development of the baby’s fine motor skills.

What’s more, each of the grapes is approximately 1.5 inches in diameter which is a perfect size for new-borns to grab. As long as your baby is over 3 months of age, this will be an ideal gift for her from you as the loving parent.

Features

Brightly colored

Suitable for 3+ month old babies

Baby beads stung together using elastic material

5. Pay Mat

The two things that babies do well in is sleeping and playing. Why don’t you then encourage your baby to keep playing as much as she can during this Christmas season? How best can you do this other than by buying her this special play mat? This gift can also be considered as the baby’s activity gym as it features at least 20 developmental activities.

These include the Magic Motion Track that is capable of attaching to either the mat (perfect for tummy time or when the baby is ready to sit on his own) or the padded arches located overhead( ideal when the baby lies on his back). If your baby is between 0 to 12 months of age then this gift will be ideal for him.

Key Features

Dual Music Modes

Easily configured for various stages

Easy to attach

Flower faced rattle included

6. Press N’ Go Monster Truck

Is your baby showing some interests of being a car enthusiast as early as now? If yes then why don’t you consider getting him this awesome gift at such an early age?  The baby will be thrilled when this toy takes off whenever he presses down on the toy’s head.

You might be surprised when your baby who is reluctant to stroll suddenly decides to shoot across the floor as he tries to catch up with this truck. When your baby soon discovers that his actions can make things happen by playing with this stroller, he will be learning so much about life quite early.

What’s more, when the baby scrolls, he can boost his gross motor skills in the process.

Key Features

Soft rubber teeth

Horns

Wheels move by the press of a button

Dashes around the house

7. Munchkin Mozart Magic Cube

Here is yet another awesome baby gift for your adorable kid during this Christmas holiday. It is a musical toy that is fun to play with and will teach your kids about several things. These include sounds, music, colors among others. It features sides that are capable of lighting up to the beat of the music being played hence making it a perfect play tool for babies.

It comes with eight Mozart compositions and an orchestra button which plays all the instruments. When it comes to the musical part, it includes French horn, a harp, violin, piano and flute instrument sounds. What’s more, it also comes in bright colors such as magenta, green, purple and yellow which will all attract your baby’s attention.

Key Features

Comes in several colors

Lights up to the music tempo

Recommended for kids of all ages

Educational toy

8. Infantino Grow with me Activity Gym & Ball Pit

Shine some light into your baby’s life this Christmas by buying her this gorgeous Christmas gift. This awesome activity gym comes in the form of a turtle in its design and will keep changing with your baby as she keeps growing bigger and bigger.

While it starts as a basic play mat, it also features special removable netting that will transform it into a ball pit in just a matter of minutes. It also has a BPA free teether and over 40 colorful balls stored inside the turtle’s head. This is not only one of the best play toys for your kids but is also one of the safest ones.

Key Features

40 colorful balls

Bigger play surface areas

Netting for safety

A 2 in 1 toy product

9. Playskool Play All Day Elmo

Because babies love watching Elmo playing with his friends, here is an opportunity for the kids to play alongside Elmo. With over 150 responses, this interactive and cuddly Elmo keeps kids engaged as it also has about 8 more activities and games tailored to achieve that.

When your baby has played for long and is now tired, she can simply cuddle with him while at the same time listening to a special lullaby. This one will be an awesome one for your baby during this Christmas holiday.

Key Features

Batteries included

Teaches cause and effect

2 modes of play

Over 150 responses

10. Hedgehog Accordion Toy

Are you interested in pleasing your little one this Christmas season? Why don’t you get her this hedgehog accordion Toy and transform her life for good? This is basically a woodland critter that is very easy to pull, push and make some music even for younger babies which small hands.

There are even movable beads already attached for the sole purpose of working and sharpening your baby’s fine motor skills.  If your baby is more than 6 months old then this toy is ideal for her.

What’s more, to aid in proper development of your baby’s teeth, it has rubberized details that are specifically meant for teething. The vibrant colors that it has also make it attractive to the baby.

Key Features

Easy to grab handles

Sliding beads

Multiple colors

Wrapping Up

As parents, we need to make our kids feel special even if they still too young to even know about it. There is no better way to treat your baby this holiday season if not by buying her the best baby Christmas gifts. Let your baby’s first Christmas gift idea be an awesome one. The ideas that we have discussed here will most likely work quite good for your baby.

The post The Best Baby’s First Christmas Gift Ideas in 2018 appeared first on StrollerAdviser.com

Appear first on https://strolleradviser.com/ The Best Baby’s First Christmas Gift Ideas in 2018 published first on https://strolleradviser.com/