#on the standardized test. and i got a 10/10 so like it worked

[jmtorres]

i just saw a post about how we just have to "live with" covid and wanting more protections from our government is unreasonable because we'll never wipe it out, it jumps species and is in all sorts of animal populations (like, true ok) so why even try to

and apparently the argument was aimed at people (who I haven't seen in the wild) who are arguing we should still be in lockdown. and i have mixed feelings about the idea of extended lockdown or attenuating isolations; but my main feeling at this point is not that the government should keep us apart but that the government should be trying to make it safer for us to be together

things the government could/should be doing about covid:

we know that ventilation/air movement helps a shitton. we should be incentivizing upgrades to ventilation systems in all public buildings with shit like rebates or tax deductions, while phasing in eventual legal requirements. (and uh. it has occurred to me that the US might actually be doing this sideways by there's currently this decade enormous tax incentives in re energy efficient upgrades for slowing climate change and you know. energy efficient hvac does tend to improve ventilation. extra point to biden here.)

mandatory paid sick leave so workers aren't under social or economic pressure to work when sick

passing out RT-LAMP tests like metrix that actually work instead of the rapid antigen tests that have become less and less reliable as the virus mutates

i don't know how you'd write this law but like 95% or more of computer-based work can be done remotely and companies should not be allowed to force people to return to the office. I know there's people who want to be back in person and I'm not saying they should be forced to stay home but ffs I know of at least two people CLOSE to me who worked remotely before the pandemic and at some point their workplaces tried to tell them they weren't allowed to do that anymore despite the pre-existing contracts. stop canceling remote work for people that want, need, or prefer it.

for that matter, every college lecture that was an online class during covid should still be offered as an online class, there is no reason to force students into auditoriums in person. you got the communications infrastructure up and running, why are you tearing it down. give people the OPTION. it increases accessibility for everyone!

covid vaccine immunity lasts about four months. this should be well-publicized and everyone should be able to re-up for free every four months. "every year, like the flu vaccine" is demonstrably not often enough. actually "for free" isn't good enough start handing out $10 gift cards you will be shocked at how many people who are resistant to the idea of vaccines will fold for $10 a shot

are there already laws on the books about masks in medical settings that some medical professionals are blatantly ignoring because they forgot what best practices were before the plague and they're 'tired of masking'? if not, pass laws. if so, fucking enforce them

oh another incentives for upgrades phasing into legal requirements thing: brass doorknobs and railings over stainless steel or whatever. microbes do not survive on brass surfaces

i mean. i know this one sounds too extreme to a lot of people but. UBI.

most if not all of these measures will prevent or ameliorate other pandemics of different diseases that may arise in the future. and just. generally improve our health and quality of life for other reasons.

I haven't felt safe to go to a concert since 2020. Maybe if I knew a venue was legally required to have ventilation to a certain standard and that none of the ticket takers and ushers were on the job sick to avoid risking loss of paycheck or job, and knew a larger percentage of the crowd had up to date vaccinations--maybe if any or all that, I might ever feel comfortable going to a show again.

wouldn't it be nice if those of us who have been disabled, by covid or other conditions, had accessible remote options but also occasionally felt safe enough to interact with and participate in wider society?

one of the arguments on the post I saw was how isolation was massively psychologically damaging and various strata of society were affected in all sorts of ways, from undersocialized kids to increased depression in--well across the board, I think. and here's the thing: WE KNOW. PEOPLE WITH CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS, LONG COVID OR OTHERWISE, KNOW ISOLATION SUCKS REAL BAD. because we, both for our own health and due to disability ostracism, are still isolating and isolated more than most.

what are you as individuals or societies, what are our governments, doing to help make it safe and accessible to rejoin you????

[81pastrys]

Their Mechanic

Part 2 / 10

Summary— Lando’s been sending his friends for her to service; her only issue with the most recent one is he’s testing her patience.

Warnings— Oscar being a bit misogynistic. Lowkey bitchy attitude on her part.

A/N— Oscar doesn’t stay like this dw. (I like Oscar too much to make him a bad guy)

Series List

I meet with Gasly, Ricciardo, Verstappen, and Leclerc within the next few weeks. Today, I got another one, but it seemed he had no clue what he was asking for with his car.

“What needs to be done?” My dad asked the boy.

“My friend told me something about a ‘Trouble’ here, and I wanted them to look at my car.” He said, hesitant about my nickname.

I walk by, and my dad stops me and hands me the clipboard. “He’s yours.” He said. “Little flirt.” He mumbled as I smiled at the man in front of me.

“What kind of car do you have love?” I ask. He stuttered at the nickname and pointed to a Lime Green Artura. I admire the car before setting the clipboard down and leaning on a toolbox behind me. “Uh-huh. Start it for me.”

He starts the car, and it sounds heavenly. I hear a few tweaks to make, but nothing too serious. “I don’t think anything is wrong, but Lando insisted you check it out.”

“He does that, huh?” I lick my lips. He pops the hood, and I lean in and look. I go to point out something and accidentally touch a hot spot. I yank my hand back and shake it. “Damn, McLarens,” I mumble under my breath. I hear the man chuckle.

“Did I make a mistake?” He asked, taking me for a joke. “I guess that’s what I get for listening to Lando.” He mumbled.

I scoff and throw the keys at him. “Tune it yourself then.” I walk back into the garage, leaving him stunned. My dad notices and stops me.

“Did you just refuse a McLaren service?” He asked. I usually am happy to service expensive cars, but if the driver takes me for granted, I’ll refuse.

“He’s taking me for a joke,” I respond. “Because I touched a hot spot near the engine.” My dad knows cars in and out. He taught me everything I know.

“Damn McLarens.” My dad repeated. “Go back and see what he wants.” He never took my attitude seriously, knowing he could influence my decisions.

I roll my eyes and go back to the McLaren. “Lando doesn’t usually have issues with his 765LT, so I don’t know what you want me to do,” I admit. I’ve worked on it once, but it hasn’t returned to my garage.

“Oh, so you’ve never worked on a McLaren?” He smiled, making his assumptions accurate.

“I never said that; I said Lando’s McLaren doesn’t usually have issues,” I repeat myself, which I hate doing. “Usually, as in: I’ve touched it once and haven’t seen it since.” I throw at him with a cocky smirk.

“Like you touched mine and burned your pretty little fingers?” He threw back. I lick the inside of my cheek and glance at my dad working on a car. He’d be pissed if I walked away again. This is good business.

“Is he busy?” I ask, playing along with his persona of me. “We can call him and ask.” Lando doesn’t bad-mouth me, especially about my mechanicalwork.

“Sure will.” He said, grabbing his phone and calling the driver. “Hey, mate! Who’s the mechanic you said to ask for?”

I hear only his end of the conversation and see his face contort as he turns his phone to speaker. “Super pretty girl. She is the best mechanic there,” I hear on the phone and turn away from the man, blushing at the compliments.

“What do I even ask for?” The man said. He genuinely didn’t know why he was even here.

“A standard check-in for your car, Osc.” I’ve gained a new nickname for this one. He thanks Lando, and the line disconnects. He hands me the keys.

“Thanks, Osc. She’ll be ready in about an hour.” I say quirky and cute. “There are drinks in the lounge while you wait.” My voice returns to its cocky state as I walk off to the garage.

“Yeah, whatever.” He sighed. My dad walks up and fist-bumps me. I pull the McLaren into my garage spot and tweak the car based on what I noticed earlier.

“Why are McLarens so intricate?” I ask myself, confused. I groan at the new burn, forming a blister on my hand. I patch up my hand and return the keys to the man. “Just a few tweaks and shouldn’t need any more for about a year, I’d say.”

“What did you tighten? Nuts in it or something I could’ve done?” He asked. I'm still toying with the persona he created for me.

“I would tell you, but you’d be confused by the adult talk,” I say, handing my mom the clipboard. “Standard check-in for a McLaren, Ma.”

I walk out and back to the garage. A familiar car pulls up. I lean against my pink toolbox and see Lando leave his vehicle.

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - It's Quiet but Sweet RN

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

I'm early I know, I have a v busy weekend.

Jan 2025 Week 2

Ongoing Series - Thai

Your Sky (Sun iQIYI) ep 8 of 12 - So awkward and so cute! I love the sibling relationships in this show. They’re all so wonderful. 

Could we talk about Thomas in that aborted sex scene? That ultra sensual sniff test neck thing?

He did a phenomenal job at conveying Japanese thirst with Taiwanese payback, unique IMHO for Thai BL. Kong did a pretty standard Thai style uke call and response, perhaps a bit more sexy than most. But Thomas was really spectacular. All in all, a particularly sensual make-out scene, rare in this kind of BL. I applaud the actors and director.

These two are so lovely.

OMG Lee has a phi he likes? Where did this nugget of joy come from?

Hyung romance crumbs are a go! Just for me? How kind. Goodness Lee has got great game, watch that boy work. He certainly didn’t get it from his older brother. Also that was such a smooth approach, what a classy way to get permission to court. I don’t know why we got this inserted tiny short story, but I’m not mad about it. I hope we get more. But this is crumbs, can’t expect it. 

ThamePo (Fri YT) ep 5 of 12 - I love how Po understands Nano's feeling of heartbreak as just that, since to lose a friend (or friends) can be as painful as losing a lover. Po is such an empathic character, I love him so. 

The Heart Killers (Weds Gaga) ep 7 of 12 - I did bark with laughter at Style’s dad interrupting them. Also I enjoy the tension of knowing that there is doom in coming. It’s fun to watch these actors really stretch themselves to portray loving boyfriends with secrets. Bison looks like a determined little feral thing, Fadel just looks tired poor baby. 

Caged Again (Fri Gaga) ep 10 end - Pet fish baby + cat = snack…… EPIC. Also giving a cat a career as a stuntman is genius. 

Final Thoughts

A sweet and innocent show with an absurd premise = sunshine penguin + grumpy panther become human boys and fall in love. With great leads and sides, a solid (if campy) support cast, and sweetly queer backbone, this still never entirely resonated with me because it was just a little too slow. Still I can totally understand why others loved it so much. 8/10 

Fourever You (Thurs YT) ep 15 of 16 - I love that North has no artifice whatsoever. But frankly I’m really more interested in the 2 pairings still to come. If we are lucky. Arthit “getting bitten by piranhas” thing was hilarious. 

Sangmin Dinneaw (Sun iQIYI) ep 2 of 10 - Of course I love the argument over linguistics, this time honorifics. So good. But the rest of this ep was pretty slow. 

Perfect 10 Liners (Sun YT) ep 11 of 24 - Gun is a little dim, poor thing, but I do kinda adore him. Yotha is a bit of a melodramatic queen though I love how he deadpan responds to teasing and always acts exactly like a boyfriend. And I see GMMTV’s patented “single brain cell club” is back. 

The Boy Next World (Sun IQIYI) ep 1 of 10 - Well it’s certainly intriguing. And I like this pair better here than in their first series. 

Ossan‘s Love Thailand (Mon YouTube) ep 1 of 12 - Oof. Well, it’s better than the original, but that’s not saying much (from me). It’s slightly less overacted. I still find the lead utterly unappealing and I have no idea why anyone, including the audience, is supposed to be interested in him. But if he looks like Earth maybe it makes a little bit more sense? Mix is great. Honestly? This just made me wanna rewatch Thousand Stars.  

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

See Your Love (Taiwan Weds Gaga) ep 13 end - What a darling little show. I genuinely couldn’t have enjoyed it more. About a deaf care worker and his spoiled broken little prince. Taiwanese at its softest and best. Highly recommended. Easy 9/10

(for me the only flaws are the first 1/3 and the fact that it's unlikely this will be a big rewatch for me)

Our Youth AKA Miseinen: Mijukuna Oretachi wa Bukiyo ni Shinkochu (Japan Tues Gaga) ep 10 end - The feeding each other water thing when the water-bottle trope is so prevalent in JBL = just so good. 

Summation 

Adapted from a Korean Webtoon I can see why this went to Japan, it's super harsh for KBL Essentially a story about two lonely boys from opposite sides of the track who fall madly in love in high school, despite the fact that one is  repressed and the other abused. Despite a rough premise (trigger warnings) this is an oddly lovely little show. Darker than is my personal preference but sublimely stylish, turns out sometimes that combo works for me (see The 8th Sense). The world that springs to mind is “refined.” I enjoyed the restful distancing feel of the filming style.

This is an easy 9/10 from me. 

Eternal Butler (Taiwan Fri Gaga) ep 5 of 12 - I’m sorry but if you have a sex robot, he should be self lubing. Just saying. Also…… better at parking (pun not intended). I like the sides now. I’m enjoying this more than the first installment, easer power dynamic to digest. I do kinda adore the main couple and all their kinks. 

When it Rains it Pours (Japan Thurs Gaga) ep 1 of 10 - Convoluted story about a man in a relationship who is sexually unfulfilled and his friend who is in love with him, who accidentally become secret confidants.

Teenager Judge (Vietnam Sat YT) ep 15 of ? - no time this week, two next week.

It's airing but......

Winter Is Not The Death of Summer (Thai ???) - has been picked up to air on WeTV, or something? Criminals who meet in prison fall in love. I did find it on YouTube, initially un-subbed, then subs happened by which time I got distracted. It is very pulp but intriguing. For now it's to the wayside until someone tells me it landed safely. Occasionally Thai pulps want to be edgy and it's not a good look on them. But sometimes they do good.

In Case You Missed it

End of year wraps are here!

2024 Trend Report

MY BEST & WORST BLs of 2024

Best Kisses (and sex scenes) of 2024

BL's 2024 Quirky Awards

2024 Awards - Quick Picks

Next Week Looks Like This:

January Drops

1/15 Impression of Youth (Taiwan Weds Viki iQIYI) 9 eps - Same team as DNA Says Love You, so I have high hopes.

2025 Line Up

BL Announced for 2025 - PART 1

BL Announced for 2025 - PART 2

20 BLs Announced for 2025 That I'm Really Excited About

GMMTV 2025 Line Up - My Totally Biased and Wildly Flawed Feels

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

It me. (Fourever You)

Gayest bridge in Thailand is back!

Love a good lap lie.

I NEED MOAR!!! (all Your Sky)

(last week)

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @sunflower-positiiivity @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious @saezurumurmurs

[dragonshoardofworks]

Reincarnation Everlasting Trio Part 2 (DPxDC)

(The flu is kicking my ass, so I decided to fight back by publishing this! (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧ ...At least I'm at home and not at work? Small victories... And please don't hate me...!)

Part 1 | Part 2 (you're here) | Part 3 | Part 4

Gotham's second third best kept secret after the locations (and their related secrets) of the BatCave and Danny's resting place is the Stolon.

In the most hidden crypt under the corpse of the oldest greenhouse ever built in the gothic city, there's a thick net of roots and vines that cover every inch of the marmored chamber. Like a protective shell or a vegetal Fort Knox, the crypt enshrines Undergrowth’s (the Ancient of the Flora) most precious gift to the Green (their living offspring): the Gynaeceum, a cocoon-like structure capable of generating either an offspring or an avatar for the Green to inhabit and walk on Earth.

But since Professor Pamela Isley is an excellent avatar for them already, the Green doesn’t feel the need for a body at the moment, buuuut… conveniently their Parent loaned them a soul to look after recently and Poison Ivy deserved a reward and, let’s say, an incentive to keep pursuing her beloved Harleen Quinzel…

So, why not incubate the loaned soul with the DNA of both Pamela and Harley in the Gynaeceum? It’d be a huge success for everyone!

The soul, however, wasn't agreeing very much with the idea (like the rebellious goth child that she still is) and had to be coaxed through the stages until proper development, let's say until puberty begins to kick in for a standard human body, so around 8-13 years old, so the body had to stay in the cocoon until that age.

So after a “natural” test tube pregnancy of 10 years, Antheia was born as a pre-teen, right before the newly wed Pam and Harley, who were called there by the Green.

The two Sirens were taken aback by (but not averse of) the gift after the shock settled and they got an explanation as to why and how all of this happened.

(The only reason they didn't go apeshit on the Green for basically doing the same thing Lex Luthor did with Superman to make Connor was that Pam knows that the Green doesn't have the same set of morality and values that humans do, plus they don't even think in the same way, so she understood even if at the beginning she was a bit miffed for not being asked. Harley, since she trusts her wife, suspended her judgement until Pam explained the Green's reasoning and way of thinking. If she also can't hate the child because she somewhat feels familiar, it's another thing that she doesn't voice to anyone… And… she's so disappointed for having missed so much of her new baby's life! They could have visited during the gestation and human contact could have made the soul more cooperative and so have it latch earlier on their new body and so get birthed earlier!)

Antheia was mentally on the level of a newborn, but catches on quickly and in just 2 years or so she’s already behaving like (and with the knowledge of) her physical age. 

Pam and Harley absolutely love her to pieces and don’t-call-me-by-my-full-name Thea shares the sentiment. Both women have different connections with their daughter, tho: Ivy through Green’s powers and shared beliefs on nature and Harley by being fiercely protective of what they consider their own, not accepting (anymore) abuse by anyone.

[After failing to “cure” the Joker and falling into his clutches/partial insanity in her origin story, Quinn did kill people, but only criminals, as inexplicably something always stopped her from harming civilians and innocents. And while the Joker did punish these lacks, he still considered her useful, so he used her only where she was able to act. When and why did Harley finally manage to renounce everything about him, then? During the nth escape from Arkham, on a whim she went and checked her mail kept in the asylum deposit during the years. An enthusiastic letter from a girl in Illinois struck so many chords in her that made Harley say to herself: “Wtf am I even doing with my life?? This isn’t what I wanted to be!” And so proceeded to go and beat the everliving shit out of the Joker as he was starting to do the same with the newest and second Robin in one of Gotham warehouses, where the latter had been lured to. Having called Bruce (since she had figured out his identity a while ago because of knowing each other in med school), he rushed Jason to the ICU (remember the kinder timeline I mentioned in the previous post?) and managed to save him in time and the Joker got back to Arkham for a while longer than usual…]

The attitude that Thea inherited from her mothers (once 12) leads her to at first trying to sneak out and follow them in their night time activities of “anti-heroes”, but thanks to the Green, she always gets caught. After one too many times of that, the Sirens cave in and decide that it will be better to teach her the ropes and make her their sidekick, since it’s safer than letting her go solo and they can’t really stop her (much like Bruce does with all his Robins, tbh. (≧∇≦) )

During one of these escapades/missions, it was inevitable that the latest (the fourth, since it's been a while since Harley saved Jason) Robin and Thea (codename: Blossom) meet… and pick on each other like cat and dog.

The rest of the BatFam places so many bets on them, with Steph and Dick comparing them to Bruce and Selina, but with violence as a love language. Jason and Tim just hope that they won't tear each other out (since they got the burnt of Damian's hostility back when he came at the Wayne Manor, but without the canonical murder attempts, since Jason is still in rehabilitation and Tim had openly stated from the beginning that he was subbing in for the Robin role until the former got better to get back on the street if he wanted).

(Tim, in this, prefers to be the tech guy much more, with only some brawl in the mix, like Oracle’s assistant that does what Babs cannot anymore. The timeline is still kinder, since, while Babs won't recover the 100% of her functionality, she can still walk with a cane.)

Then it all changes when Phantom, or better, Danny joins in the mix. He and Damian!Tucker have so much to catch up with that they're practically joined to the hip and that leads to not meeting Blossom while they’re on patrol since they take different routes than usual.

Hearing the rumor of a new meta vigilante and the sightings of him only with Robin, absolutely doesn’t stir any jealousy in Thea (note the sarcasm) and so to set things straight with her rival, Blossom calls a favor with her mom to arrange a meeting with Batman and Robin. Harley is super amused by the whole thing, so she accepts only on the condition of chaperoning the whole thing (plus B wouldn’t come “just for Blossom”, she has to be there as well!)

In order to keep things civil (as a contingency plan agreed by both B and Harley), they meet on the roof of a Batburger (the highest one where no one could overhear them and it’s away from the plants), only the four of them. (They get Alfred distract Danny by asking him to do chores with him since “he’s getting old” *cough*BS*cough* and our boi is so eager to help/people-please.)

Blossom and Harley are already there when the Bats arrive and the former is already glaring at the boy.

“So? Where did you leave your new pet?” Blossom demands, looking around.

“He’s not my pet!” Robin snaps, hackles raised.

“Then how come he’s following you around like a puppy, uh? Bet he’s at your beck and call” 

“Don’t talk about him like he’s a thing! His parents already did that enough back when they were alive, so don’t you dare, allochthonous species!” Blossom gasps in outrage, since it’s an (ecology) insult he learned from her.

“So this is just a crusade to fix the new stray while forgetting your duty? Where were you when we busted that exotic animal smuggling ring? You abandoned us!” 

Hit hard by the guilt trip, Robin is quick to recover, though. “You managed just fine, didn’t you? I couldn’t leave him, as there’s no one other than me who’s able to deal with his breakdowns!” He snaps, then centers himself and frowns at her. “What’s your deal, by the way, dudette? You didn’t act like this when I collaborated lengthily with Superboy Jr.”

Getting the whiplash from the unfamiliar slang mixed with formal language, Blossom recoils, as a wave of vertigo hits her. Wtf was that?? She focuses back on the topic, steeling herself. “That ‘Supersons’ thing was nowhere near what’s happening here. You changed so much that I can barely recognize you. So don’t feed me this BS! What happened that made you leave me behind?”

Oh. That’s the crux of the matter, isn’t it? Before Danny’s return and the subsequent recovery of his memories as Tucker, Robin and Blossom had been vigilante partners whenever they teamed up, sometimes even more in sync than with Batman. But how to lay out gently that she’s partially right but he hasn’t meant to? It’s then that Tucker Foley’s famous nonexistent mouth-filter strikes, subverting anything Damian Wayne has ever learned about tact. “Hey, it’s not my fault! You would change too if the guy you like kissed you out of the blue!” He blurts.

(In the background Batman facepalms, hard, Harley gasps and the BatFam cackles in the comms, as Oracle is making them eavesdrop.)

“...So that’s how it is.” A pause, then rage. “You led me on!”

“Wha- Never!” The Tucker in him is still on the reins. “Circumstances changed and I swear I didn’t mean to stop thinking of you! It was a blast from the past, literally, that I had no idea it was available to me!”

“Oh so now it's because of your tragic backstory that you're dumping me? I thought we were partners in crime!”

“We still are, it doesn't have to be mutually exclusi-” Damian!Tucker begins, hotly, only to be interrupted by an alarm going off in the comms.

Everybody tenses as Oracle starts to interject. «Arkham just noticed that the Joker has escaped, they have a hole of two hours in the security tapes!»

«I’m tracking his goons as we speak, it seems that they gathered so much C4 that they could celebrate the Fourth of July!» Hiereus (priest in Greek, helper of the Oracle, new name I choose for Tim instead of Red Robin) informs them, sound of the keyboard being smashed in the background. 

“Where are the bombs?” B demands, tense, ready to grapple at a moment's notice, while the other three get ready too.

«Still searching, still searching… here! All the Batburgers’ roofs.» There's a pause of appropriate horror, before they all register the sentence. «B get out of ther-»

You know what they say about any kinder timeline?

The more you have to lose (the taller they stand)...

BOOOOOOM!

…The harder you (they) fall.

[idrawweirdstuffnominors]

I saw your Girl dad! Josh post!

….Bill in his girl dad arc when (JK! JK!….unless)

(Lol lock tf in chat this is gonna get interesting to say the least

Bill dickey as a Girl Dad headcannons

1. "You're Not Dating Anyone Until You're Thirty-Five."

Bill is insanely overprotective but in the worst possible way. He doesn't trust anyone, especially boys. If his daughter so much as mentions a crush, he launches into a 15-minute rant about how ��men are scum, and I should know, because I am one!”

2. Turns Her into a Nerd by Force.

He starts her on comics, sci-fi, and horror movies from the womb. Think “Alien” at age six and mandatory Sunday night viewings of Twilight Zone.

“You don’t get to sleep until you can name the entire creative team behind Swamp Thing vol. 2.”

3. Absolutely Cannot Handle Emotions.

She cries? He panics. He just stands there holding a Mountain Dew can like, “Uh… do you want… a Funko Pop or something? Stop leaking! I didn’t raise a weakling!”

4. The Most Toxic PTA Parent Ever.

He shows up to school meetings in a black trench coat, rants about the school’s media literacy failures, and says things like, “If my daughter’s being bullied, I will sue. I have lawyers. I know people on forums. Don’t test me.”

5. Secretly the Best Coach in a Weird Way.

Bill is a ruthless perfectionist when she shows interest in anything creative. “If you’re gonna draw anime, do it right. These proportions? Amateur. You call this anatomy? This is CalArts-tier crap, and I won’t allow it under my roof.”

But his standards push her to be really, really good—even if she wants to murder him half the time.

6. Grudgingly Proud Dad Mode

She wins an art contest or aces a project? He brags nonstop for a month—but never directly to her face.

“She’s not bad. I mean, obviously she got the talent from me. But yeah, whatever. I guess she’s okay.”

7. Hyper Fixates on Her Interests to “Vet” Them

If she likes something he doesn’t understand (like K-pop), he goes full rage-research mode. Watches 6-hour YouTube essays. Then returns to say things like:

“Okay. So this Jungkook guy? I guess he’s talented. Still don’t trust him.”

8. Accidentally Raises a Girl Just Like Him

One day she quotes The Thing perfectly, destroys a boy in an online debate, and calls someone a “poser” for not knowing Kirby’s original designs. Bill just stares and mutters, “My work here is done.”

9. Will Go to War for Her

She never sees it, but if anyone seriously messes with her? He’s already on the dark web tracking their IP address. His threats are too specific.

“You want me to drop their home address or are we playing the long game?”

10. Sentimental? Nope. Never. (Okay, Maybe Once.)

He keeps a photo of her in his wallet, folded and beat up. He never talks about it.

But sometimes, when she’s not around, he looks at it and sighs.

“She’s… fine. Not like she makes me proud or anything. Idiot.”

“The Coat”

Bill was elbow-deep in a tote labeled "CON BADGES / UNTOUCHED GARBAGE", muttering under his breath about how these kids wouldn’t know practical effects if they crawled out of a latex womb, when his daughter walked in—dragging the massive, beat-up orange flannel from the back of his closet behind her.

It was practically a robe on her. Oversized, worn, and clinging to the smell of years of conventions, bad takeout, and Bill’s lingering rage.

Daughter:

“…Can I wear this to school tomorrow?”

Bill turned like she’d just asked to burn his comic collection.

Bill:

“That? You mean my coat? The coat I wore to every screening of The Thing between ‘92 and ‘06? The coat I nearly got kicked out of Wizard World for wearing over a Gremlins tee because some idiot thought I was doing a bit?”

Daughter: (nodding calmly)

“Yeah. That one.”

Bill: (offended beyond comprehension)

“Why would you want to wear that? You trying to look like a failed screenwriter with back problems?!”

Daughter:

“It’s warm. And I like how it smells. Like… your weird soap and burnt pizza.”

Bill: (pointing dramatically)

“That’s character! You don’t earn that smell, you live in it.”

Daughter:

“I want to live in it. Just for the day.”

That shut him up for a second. He looked at her—dwarfed by his rage-blanket of a coat, arms poking out like she was wrapped in a sleeping bag—and muttered something under his breath that sounded suspiciously like: “…you’re a menace…”

Bill: (grumbling)

“Fine. But if anyone spills anything on it, anyone—you, your friends, some gluten-free goober with a juice box—I will rain hellfire upon that school. I will march in there, I will quote John Carpenter until they expel themselves, and I will not be held responsible for what happens next.”

Daughter: (grinning)

“Love you too, Dad.”

Bill:

“I didn’t say that. I don’t believe in love. I believe in practical effects and staying angry.”

She rolled her eyes, already backing out of the room.

Daughter:

“Sure. I’ll be careful. I swear on your limited edition ‘Murder of Crows’ box set.”

Bill: (horrified)

“DON’T YOU JOKE ABOUT THAT—!”

But she was gone. And he was left staring at the empty spot where the coat had been, rubbing his temples and muttering:

Bill:

“Kid’s gonna be the death of me. In the best possible way.”

[dear-ao3]

hey since yall are cologne experts (or one of u is idk) what cologne do you recommend to confuse ppl abt my gender

I need a scent that is feminine AND masculine all at once

aright so i am not a cologne expert whatsoever (not sure where you got that one from honestly) but i do happen to have a friend who works at a perfume store and when i asked her to weigh in her opinion on this she was absolutely delighted and wrote you all a novel on how to choose the right fragrance

(very fair warning, this is quite long)

Lessons in Fragrance (by Roza, Saph’s friend)

Buckle up buttercups because I’m about to learn you a thing or two about scent! I used to work at one of the largest “niche” perfumeries in the New England area so I’m like kinda qualified to give advice on fragrance I guess lol

1.scents will smell different on skin than on tester papers due to the fragrance interacting with your body chemistry so something you like on paper you might not like on your skin and vice versa! It’s always important to test on your skin before you buy, most websites that sell fragrance will sell a sample size for a few bucks or even a sample set for $20-$60 depending on how many samples and how high end the brand is! 

2. At the end of the day fragrance (how many times will I say this word probably at least 50) is gender neutral. Cologne versus perfume (or aux de parfum) just denotes how strong the scent will be and how long it will last. The order of weakest to strongest is: aux de toilette, room sprays, linen sprays Essential oil fragrances Cologne Perfume, aux de parfum 

3. there are many types of fragrances some examples of overarching categories are: gourmand: smells like food in some way Fougére: “traditionally masculine” Floral: predominantly flower notes Green: outdoorsy but more grassy and earth based Woodsy: outdoorsy but more tree and wood based Aquatic: notes that create scents reminiscent of bodies of water, ambergris is a common note Oriental: earthy, musky, and warmer notes usually having some sort of amber note Spicy: having heavy spice notes wheather it be peppery or your traditional baking spices These are just some of the most common categories of fragrance.

4. additional to categories, fragrance is further broken down into different sizes and different note tiers with each having its own wear time: you have your top notes, heart notes, and base notes. True to name top notes are the notes of scent you first smell. As the fragrance starts to settle the heart notes will become more prominent as the top notes fade. The base notes have the most longevity and will usually be the hints that you can smell even several hours later.

Sizes: tester sizes tend to be 2-5mL of product. The 4 most common denominations that fragrance come in are a 10-15mL (travel size), 30-35mL (smaller side but still decent amount), 50-60mL (pretty standard size and good amount), 100mL (“full size” and will last a hot sec) Based on personal experience: I’ve had a 30mL fragrance that I wear daily last for about 2 months, I have an 88mL that I wear about once a week that has lasted a year and a half (with 3/4 of a bottle still left), I have 10mL travel sizes that last about 2-3 weeks with daily wear, I have a 50mL that I wear weekly and on occasion use as a room spray too that’s lasted about a year (still have 1/4 bottle left). When talking about wearing the fragrance is talking about one spray per wrist, then tapping them together (NOT rubbing) to help distribute the scent. Sometimes I add an additional spray on my neck. There is never a reason to spray fragrance on your full body b/c it can then become to overwhelming and you’ll be a walking hazard to society (think a 12 yo boy with axe body spray). On occasion if you know it will be a sexy night a spray of fragrance on the ankle can go a long way especially if your legs will be hooked around someone’s head.

5. now without further ado below are Roza’s recs for gender confusing fragrances. I will include the name of the fragrence and line/company, some of the notes, and price point! disclaimer: I am only really familiar with niche fragrances not mainstream or “drugstore”, “department store”, “your typical designer” fragrances

The Recommendations:

My recs: I can’t grantee the spelling on all of these but c’est la vive, the listings are as follows: name of fragrance, line (if applicable), company, maybe a fun fact about the company or scent, description of notes and/or story of how to describe the scent, price point with size of bottle

supernatural #6: by Caswell Massey the oldest American perfume company, was a fragrance worn by George Washington, it is a very clean herbaceous scent (yk to cover up the stench of the unbathed in colonial times since the scent was created in 1772), it has main notes of bergamot (that earl grey tea kind of floral scent) rosemary, neroli, rose, clove and amber, very musky, $40 for a 7.5mL travel size or $225 for a 100mL, also comes in soap form.

LX48: also Caswell Massey, smells like leather chairs and pipe tobacco with hints of florals reminiscent of an old school gentleman’s club, notes of violet, geranium, oakmoss (one of my fav notes across the board), tobacco, cedar wood, and vintage leather, same price points for 7.5mL and 100mL as Supernatural #6, comes in soap form as well.

Beaver: Beaver-Bee are all from the same Canadian line called zoologist which conceptualize their fragrances after the stunning cover art to encapsulate what each animal would wear as a fragrance taking inspiration from their habitats, smells like moist earth and a light breeze carrying greens and florals. Notes of outdoor air, linden blossom, wood shavings, wild vegetation, damp air, dry wood, water, light musk, heavy musk, dark woods, vanilla, amber, castoreum, and leather, pricing the same for Beaver, Snowy Owl, Sloth, and Squid tester for $8, 10mL for $48, and 60mL for $175

Snowy Owl: zoologist, smells like the transition from winter to spring as the snow melts and mud season begins as light florals start to fight their way to the surface, notes of snow accord, lily of the valley, mint, coconut, Turkish rose, frankincense, galbanum, ambrette, cedar, tonka, vanilla, oakmoss, civet, and musk

Squid: zoologist, smells like an inky Black Sea thrashing about in a storm until you reach the calm black depths, notes of pink peppercorn, solar salicylate, incense, black ink accord, opoponax, ambergris, and benzoin musk

Sloth: zoologist, smells like a Victorian apothecary with wooden shelves a plenty mayhaps even thatched awnings overhanging the front windows ripe with scents of various herbs, florals, tinctures, potions and oils a delicate and peculiar balance, notes of chamomile, açaí berry, lavender, violet leaf, marigold (also known as calendula), beeswax, anise, jatamansi, jasmine, cumin, hay, frankincense, myrrh, mushroom, oakmoss, vanilla, tonka

Bee: zoologist, fragrant blossoms that play beautifully with fruity undertones to create a rich and mead like scent, notes of orange, ginger syrup, royal jelly accord, broom, heliotrope, mimosa, orange flower, benzoin, labdanum, musks, sandalwood, tonka, vanilla, sample $8, 10mL travel size $59, 60mL $210

Blackbird: Olympic Orchids, this is my personal favorite scent to the point that I consider it my signature, to me it smells like an ancient forest witch coming out to dance amongst the moonlight a pungent earthy smell full of ripe blackberries, damp cedar and oakmoss to complete the alluring scent, notes of blackberry, dry grass, dry leaves, elemi, cedar wood, resin, woody amber according to, for balsam absolute, and musk, pricing is the same for blackbird the California chocolate and woodcut, sample $3, 5mL $18, 15mL $35, 30mL $65, 100mL $120

California chocolate: Olympic orchids, a fruity chocolate fragrance to encapsulate California, notes of wild orange, grapefruit, yuzu, white cognac, neroli, dark chocolate, patchouli, gourmand musk, bourbon vanilla

Woodcut: Olympic orchids, smells like walking into a scene shop with fresh cut wood or even a cedar closet, notes of fractional distillation of pine and cedar, oak wood, roll balsam, olibanum, caramel, burnt sugar, vanilla

902: bon perfumer, a French company that makes 3 note fragrances perfect for layering with each other a scent you already own or just a subtle fragrance that can stand alone, this one is described as what the peaky blinders would’ve worn, notes of white tobacco, cinnamon and brandy (armagnac), 30mL $60, 100mL $120, 100mL + 15mL set $140

Noir tropical, Maria candida Gentile, smells like an expensive drink at a beachside resort in Italy, notes of bergamot, almond accord, heliotrope, vanilla accord, bourbon, and rum, 7mL 20€ ($21.56), 15mL 37€ ($39.88), and 100mL 155€ ($167.08), also comes in liquid and bar soap form, and a set with the 15mL the candle and the soap

Finisterre, Maria candida gentile, it smells like a breeze on the ocean filled with ambient damp sand and slight citrusy notes caught on the wind from fellow beach goers snacking on fresh fruit, notes of marine accord, wet wood, helichrysum, pine, grey amber, sandalwood, same prices as noir tropical

Plum in cognac, scents of wood, the bottles (for the full size) look like anatomically correct hearts and the colors are customizable when you order, this smells sensual and proactive with its sweet and smoky depth with a realm of familiarity to bring comfort, notes of caramel, tobacco, cinnamon, nutmeg, juicy plum, vanilla, vetiver, aged in a cognac barrel (made with sugar cane alcohol so it absorbs some of the scent notes of the wooden barrel it’s aged in), 10mL $55, 75mL $240

Bulletproof, Margot Elena, TokyoMilk dark line, this reminds me of what a pirate could smell like, notes of smoked tea, coconut milk, crush cedar, and ebony woods, 45mL $52 one size only

Eclipse, Margot Elena, TokyoMilk dark line, smells like a unique mix of spices and florals as mysterious and ever changing as the solar and lunar cycles, notes if black anise, mint leaf, smoked amber, and gardenia, 45mL $52 one size only

Nocturnal, Margot Elena, TokyoMilk dark line, smells like a walk through the woods on a crisp early spring evening, notes of cypress, dark patchouli, vetiver, and night musk, 45mL $52 only one size

Wild whims, Margot Elena, TokyoMilk, smells like wanderlust and wild abandon frolicking through fields in the summer sun, bites of sweet grass, clary sage, verdant (very green smelling) florals, and citron, 30mL $48 one size only, this one layers especially well with green spell!! Most of TokyoMilk can be blended with other fragrances b/c they’re are 4 note fragrances similar to bon perfumer in that sense

Green spell, Eris Parfums, an alluring garden full of specimens for all over the world cultivated with care and just a touch of magic and whimsy, notes of Italian mandarin, French black currant bud absolute, Iranian galbanum, Egyptian violet leaf absolute, French narcissus absolute, tomato leaf accord, fig leaf accord, Haitian vetiver, Ambroxan, and musk, 50mL $165 one size only

Spezie De’ Medici, i profumi di firenze, spezierie palazzo vecchio, this is a very old fragrance line dating back to Italy even before the famed Catherine Di Medici there are whispers that she even wore a few of these fragrances, smells like a warm hug from loved ones in your life as you all bake spice cookies for the holidays, notes of orange, lemon, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, ginger, pink pepper, black pepper, 50mL 46€ ($49.59)

L’uomo di pitti, i profumi di firenze, spezierie palazzo vecchio, an outdoor market in Florence Italy filled with the latest fashions from visitors and importers all of the world with deeply aquatic and herbaceous hints, notes of pink pepper, iris, amber furan, ambergris, labdanum, sage, and rhubarb, 50mL 48€ ($51.74)

Bulls blood, imaginary authors, they create stories of fragrance from books that don’t exist each package (full size) is made to look like said book that doesn’t exist, smells like the perfect balance of brutality and elegance a scent for the lovers and brawlers deeply bold, animalic, and sensuous, notes of geranium, Spanish rose, patchouli, black musk, tobacco, sandalwood, and bull’s blood, sample $6, 14mL travel $42, 50mL $105

Every storm a serenade, imaginary authors, smells like the eye of the storm a day full of moody and choppy waters finally sailing into a brief moment of stillness to absorb the environment, notes of danish spruce, eucalyptus, vetiver, calone, ambergris, and Baltic Sea mist, same pricing as bull’s blood

Musc, Molinard, a French perfume company founded in 1849 with many fragrances full of notes that end up encapsulating one feeling, note, or moment, smells warm, woody, amber heavy musk, notes of muscade nois, bergamot, juniper berries, incense, patchouli, teak wood, musk, amber, and labdanum, 7.5mL 11.67€ ($12.58), 75mL 57.50€ ($61.98)

The Original, Eight & Bob, this fragrance was worn by a young JFK who discovered it through a young man and his family he met while on vacation in the French Riviera, a very classic clean fragrance that can lean on the side of aftershave-esque, notes of cardamom, lemon, pink peppercorn, dried woods, violet leaves, labdanum, evergreen wood, amber, sandalwood, and vetiver, 30mL 80€ ($86.24), 50mL 120€ ($129.36), 100mL 190€ ($204.81), 150mL 210€ ($226.37)

Winter nights, Dasein, comes in a line that is meant to smell like the different stages of winter there is also one for greens and the daytime, smells like a fire pit with friends in late January as the snow has started to pile up but on a blissful day where it is warm enough to go outside a gathering occurs with the rich smell of pine all around, notes of coastal forest, driftwood bonfire, cardamom tea, lavender flowers, wild musk, and woodsmoke, 50mL $125

Almost single, Confessions of a rebel, this is a collection known for making provocative and sexy fragrances with cheeky names, a hazy spicy scent tempered by woody florals, notes of black pepper, cardamom, iris, rosemary, and sandalwood, 8mL $28, 100mL $125 Ray-flection, masque Milano, opera line, an avant garde what would a flower from an alien planet smell like, notes of mandarin essence, sparkling aldehydes, cardamom pure jungle essence, mimosa absolute France, violette leaves absolute, solar rays accord, beeswax absolute, cedar wood essence, and musk accord, tester 6€ ($6.47), 10mL 46€ ($49.59), 35mL 133€ ($143.37)

White whale, masque Milano, opera line, a nod to the novel Moby Dick an adventure for any sea fairer, notes of candles, olibanum, salty rope accordion, black pepper Madagascar, ambergris accord, osmanthus china, violet flower, orris concrete Italy, cedar wood Virginia, patchouli Indonesia, vetiver Haiti, cistus laudanum, tester 7€ ($7.55), 10mL 49€ ($52.82), 35mL 151€ ($162.77)

Lost Alice, masque Milano, opera line, the tales of Alice in wonderland captured via scent in different stages of tea with the mad hatter, notes of bergamot, ambrette seed, clary sage, “Too Much Black Pepper”, carrot heart, Oreos concrete, English tea, white roses (painted red), sandalwood India, broom absolute Italy, and Fleur de lait (steamed milk accord), same pricing as ray-flection although lost alive does have a 100mL option too for 379€ ($408.55)

Pale fire, apoteker tepe, smells like a rich and slightly drunken hot cocoa after coming in from taking the leaves on a blustery fall day, notes of amber, olibanum, palmers, whiskey, and cocoa, sample $8, 6mL $20, 35mL $130, 105mL $280

The holy mountain, apoteker tepe, this is what I imagine the misty mountains to smell like to the point of almost being able to hear singing around a hearth in the background, notes of pine smoke, incense, balsam fir, labdanum, and guaiacwood, same pricing as Pale Fire

After the flood, apoteker tepe, true to the name it smells like the damp earth that’s still waterlogged after immense amounts of rain, notes of violet leaf, water lily, mushroom, patchouli, and wet earth, same pricing as the other two apoteker tepe

Le castiglione, jovoy Paris, from Les cocottes de Paris, another one of my personal favorites that I wear quite often, has been described as smelling like Dracula’s mistress based on a rumor started in the early to mid 19th century surrounding a model who (was described as the world’s vainest woman) once she “got old” (all of 40) she would only leave her house at night and donning all black and the rumors flew leaving behind only whispers and whiffs of this scent as she would walk by, a fragrance that is both earthy and citrusy, with an almost apothecary feel to it that keeps you sniffing the sample trying to figure out what it reminds you of, notes of mugwort, citron, juniper, licorice, patchouli, grey amber, myrrh, and styrax, sample $3, 50mL 75€ ($80.85)

After hours, antica farmacista, smells like sipping on a berry filled night cap paired with a fresh crème brûlée to enjoy in your favorite leather chair by fireside in an old family library, notes if blackberry, cocoa, tobacco, davana, black rose, single malt bourbon, cognac, oud, leather, crème brûlée vanilla, and amber, 10mL travel $22, 50mL $86

Late harvest, fort manle, the packing is really cool and the scents come in bottle that look like vintage ink bottle topped with an ornate golden cap that would work as a wax seal in a pinch, smells how I imagine an older bilbo baggins to smell like while relaxing in the shire smoking his pipe, notes of cherry pipe tobacco, vanilla, cedar wood, rosewood, leather, and rose, sample $10, 50mL $250, it’s pricy but the wear time is insane (I’ve tested it before and had it still smell fairly strong the next day even after showering)

Bojnokopff, fort manle, the story behind this is the famed Russian magician Bojnokopff (idk if he’s actually real tho lol) performing in 1897 St. Petersburg the closing act of his final show before retirement and to amaze the masses he disappears into a cloud of purple haze leaving behind only whiffs of lavender, oud, and chocolate this is a very dark and punchy scent (I find that people either love it or hate it with no inbetween), notes of French lavender, vanilla, dark chocolate, oud, and cedar wood, sample $10, 50mL $250 there is also a discovery set of the entire fort manle line that is $70 for a sample size of 7/8 of their fragrances

Uomo, carthusia, smells like the hot Italian partner you can’t take home to your family who rides a motorcycle while wearing a tank top with a leather jacket while smoking, notes of lemon, bergamot, freesia, green leaves, lily of the valley, jasmine, geranium, cedar wood, patchouli, sandal, palmers, amber, white musk, 50mL 70€ ($75.46), 100mL 90€ ($97.02)

Terra Mia, carthusia, smells like a coffee shop right before open there are notes of citrus roasted nuts and coffee in the air along with the smell of light florals that grace each seating area, notes of bergamot, neroli, pink peppercorn, rose, jasmine, orange blossom, Arabic coffee, hazelnut cream, amber woods, vanilla, ambroxan, and white musk, same pricing as uomo

Mediterrano, carthusia, a bright and sunny fragrance with notes of green tea, notes of wild mint, lemon, eucalyptus, litsea cubeba, red thyme, bergamot, jasmine, cardamom, flowers of the fields, tangerine, green tea, and white musk, same pricing as terra Mia and uomo

Broken Theories, Kerosene, the packaging is cool seeing as it is a nod to the city the fragrance is created in (Detroit) each bottle is painted in motorcycle paint and the metal label is hand stamped, it smells like a fire pit while drinking a spiced mimosa, notes of blood orange, tobacco, spices, vanilla, sandalwood, our, and incense, it’s a heavy but not overwhelming scent that covers you like a blanket and can last several hours without needing to reapply, 100mL $152

Meltdown, elder & willow, these last two are roll on essential oil fragrances that are very budget friendly, this one is meant to calm anxiety and help with grounding, bites of lavender, lemon, ylang ylang, bergamot, rose geranium, vetiver, Roman chamomile, benzoin essential oils, and scent is all in a coconut oil as the carrier, $12 per 10mL roll on

Sweet dreams, elder & willow, meant to promote sleep, notes if lavender, vetiver, Roman chamomile, cedar wood, benzoin essential oils, scent is in coconut oil as the carrier, $12 per 10mL roll on, I love elder and willow they also have teas, bath soaks, and skincare products

And thus concludes fragrance lessons/recs with Roza! I hope this was more informative and less of a fever dream than perfume ads on screen that don’t actually tell you anything about the fucking fragrance and just go off of vibes and celebrity presence!!

[zerosconsort]

Zero's Fic Binding - Archive Anthology - Stony Volume 1

A collection of fics all written by Areiton (@areiton)

let me hear (your battle cry) | chains around my daemons | monsters of sea & sky | inspired | muse

Fandom: Marvel

Ship: Steve Rogers / Tony Stark

Start Date: 10/07/24

End Date: 11/25/24

Pages: 355

First Archive Anthology book. This is a collection of 5 of my favorite Arei Stony fics. They are all also from 2021, which I did not mean to do but just so happen to realize as I was typesetting. I wanted to start this proof of concept project with someone who I A) knew and B) would be cool with me using their fics as a test.

So, the cover. She's beautiful. For the AA series, I want the covers to be the uniform - so every Stony book will copy this cover type, but the colors will shift to blue and white for Vol 2, and then back to red and gold for Vol 3. I sketched out the Iron Man that I wanted myself and made an SVG for the first time, leave me alone, adding the swoosh marks to him and to Steve's shield. I wanted a simple, classic looking font for a universal text title. This book series wont have quotes on the back so instead I have a full spread of the graphic. Tony's the icon on the spine this time - and I think he looks great~

Ah! The side shot. I used my guillotine for the first time - so the chop on this bitch is CHRISP. Headband is gold and handstitched. The whole side profile? Crispy like fall leaves.

Title page shots. A TOC (that I only notices was a little low after I had printed both copies) with a new and customized copyright page. I looked at a bunch of pages in the Renegade Bindery discord and compiled something that felt right AND specific to this project going forward.

Typesetting this was not…bad. It did take a while while I worked out fonts and overall ideas, but ones I had them I was able to fly through. There are quite a few here, so lets take a peak...

I kept Let me hear a little simple - with more medieval drop caps and banner headers. This fic is the only one with a nontypical drop caps - but with how simple the titles were I wanted a little bit more. I also - as per my standard - did this fic first, and then started to dig down and get more complicated the further in I got.

Chains has a little more flavor - each chapter has a splash of color. Originally I had hyper detailed headers for this fic, but they just look like SO MUCH, and I couldn't figure out a way to make them look uniform with the different daemons I was showcasing. Scaling back with a flash of color, but not to much, feels much better for this fic. Also realized that I need to figure out how to trim to what my printer considerers a 'full page'.

mos&s has a little more character for the headers, where I pull peace out from each chapter to add to the title. This chapter header - and the last one - are my favorite. I used hand drawn lines to highlight under each chapter title, and pulled a color for the splash image to match with both that line and the matching line breaks in the chapters.

inspired is told from Tony's point of view - so I kept the chapter titles black and white, with harder linework and a focused idea from in each of the chapters.

In contrast, muse is told from Steve's POV - so every chapter header is an explosion of color. They're all based on a variety of art mediums - spray paint, stamp art, charcoal, oil pints, anything I could find that I remember ever doing myself. I also colored each of the drop caps a contrasting color to what the header art is.

All in all, I'm very happy with how this came out. This is the blueprint I'll use for any of my Anthology books going forward. I already have at least three more in mind for Stony specifically, and then a collection of Raven Boys and Good Omens ones that are not long enough to be a book by themselves but I still want THEM ON MY SHELVES.

Thank you again Arei - your wonderful <3 Go read Arei's fics ASAP!

[occasionallyprosie-mc]

MyStreet Headcanons (pt. 1)

Aphmau & Aaron / Katelyn & Travis / Cadenza & Laurance / Garroth & Zane & Vylad

AKA- How I make their PDH/MS actually reflect their MCD equivalents & how I lessen the questionable aspects

btw this is congruent with a MyStreet/MCD rewrite I have floating in my head and am slowly penning :)

Aphmau

(As someone who was homeschooled and then moved to public schooling later in like, I feel appropriately qualified to discuss this)

She was held back a year due to anti-Homeschool stuff but was supposed to enter PDH as a sophomore/is the age of a sophomore

Slyvanna got caught up in working so they could move to Phoenix Drop for the good school system, and then the chaos of house hunting and moving

As a result, Aph never took the 9th grade standardized test

Thus, she enters PDH as a freshman and is forced to repeat her classes

This is also why her and Garroth were best friends as little kids, they are the same age

By MS, she works security at an arcade but because of the high fatality rate she makes insane money (call back to her FNAF series; it might be her canon job?)

Because she’s been there for a couple years now & hasn't died, they can’t afford to lose her

Is naturally a great leader but ask her a leadership question and the crickets are chirping

Or she says “I’m just nice to them wdym ‘How do you make them listen’??”

She Knows things

"What do you think Vylad's up to?" "Oh he's in France." "Cool!"

Everyone assumes she's just still in contact with everyone or keeping up with their socials

She isn't

Sure she's still in contact with a lot of people, but not to the point that she knows where they are and what they're up to at all times

She Just Knows

Comes from being the MS equivalent of God, and also the self-insert of the creator of the story

She is unnaturally good at video games, it’s how she and Aaron met

They joke that yeah, Aaron totally carried her, the reality is she carried him

Dated Zoey after FC/before MS and still gets Christmas cards of her and her two baby brothers

If I remember PDH right, her and Aaron take care of a neighbor's baby (Lilith Garnet I think)?

Nope, instead, they do a 'Fledgling Program' in high school where juniors/seniors adopt either a sophomore/freshman or a middle schooler

Either way, Aphmau's fledgling is a girl named LG (Lilith Garnet) who's an outspoken, bright, sassy girl with a little sister she adores (Alina) but loves loves loves to tease

Dante is her (adoptive) twin

They do a survivalist thing in college together, get lost in a snowy forest, and now they call each other twins

Same birthday as Dante, like year/month/day are the exact same they were just born hours apart (partial reason for twin thing)

She refuses to do couples costumes with Aaron on Halloween because her and Dante are doing a costume together

Aphmau 100% cannot swim because Sylvanna tried to teach her when she was little and got scared of her baby drowning so she keeps Aphmau away from pools from then on

She is a 10/10 skater though, it's the only sport-y thing she can do

ice skating, roller-skates and rollerblades, skateboards, scooters, all of that

She can do spins and kick flips easily, but she's hopeless in other sports

Ask her to kick a ball straight, and yeah it's straight, just to her left and not forward at the net

Has kicked a ball behind her

She tries to teach Zane how to skateboard and he kicks the skateboard into her face (they don't go to the skate park together again)

Is genuinely so smart, absorbs information like a sponge and will infodump whatever obscure thing she's learned on you if you're quiet for 0.2 seconds too long

Aaron

Not super senior, just regular senior

He skipped a grade in school

He transfers into PDH at like 16-17ish

By age/when he was born in the year, he should've been a junior

Derek makes him skip a grade because he doesn't like Aaron being at a public high school

He's like two years younger than Melissa

Anyone who's seen JJK -- Aaron and Melissa are the Fushiguro siblings

In middle school, Aaron's always angry and always getting into fights

He has a sense of righteousness and he will inflict it on others whether they like it or not

This travels through high school and into adulthood, but he's better at restraining himself as an adult

Is good at video games but Aphmau consistently beats him

It's half of what why he fell in love with her after learning Shu = Aph

Tried to tear out his eyes once after PDH S2, Melissa caught him and stopped him

It's why he wears his blindfold in GD and FC

He doesn't wear a blindfold in MS at all (until Emerald Secret)

Instead he works between PDH and MS to control his eyes with a motivation he lacked as a kid

Does boxing and gets Katelyn into it

They fight a lot but its like spars so they're chill

Bonds with Garroth during LLP and starts being dragged into his shenanigans without escape

Zane unsettles him, for no good reason, he tries very hard to make friends bc he's Aphmau's best friend and Aaron is consciously aware of the person Zane is

But he still feels some underlying hatred toward him and it does not make sense

He originally thinks its jealousy, but then they talk at the end of S1, and he's trying so hard to tamp it down but it's always just there in the very back of his mind

Works as a dog trainer; loves it but Derek hates it

Volunteers at the same puppy hospital as Travis

Their coworkers make fun of his last name (Lycan) and the fact that he works with dogs

The running joke is that Aaron is actually one of the dogs turned human and he's there to break them all out

Travis will reference this when they're not at work and they both refuse to elaborate

During Starlight, Aaron frequently leaves his and Aphmau's room to go to Melissa's and just sits on the floor by her bed

Most of the time, Melissa will wake up tell him just get in the bed or find a couch

It's because of nightmares

Before Aphmau, Melissa was the one who helped him control the whole Ultima thing, so he always turns to her on instinct for help or comfort

Goes to therapy at some point between FCU and MS, Dottie is his therapist and she's amazing at it

She also doesn't let Derek pay her under the table to tell him how Aaron's doing with control, unlike Aaron's past therapists

He and Aphmau are the "He fell first, she fell harder" couple but a little skewed

He fell in love with her in PDH, she fell in love too but when they broke up in PDH S2, Aaron never gets over her and Aphmau learns to

By MS S1, he's still in love, but she's convinced herself it was puppy love like high school sweethearts usually are

She gets hit with a truck that says "you still love him" at some point in S1

Aaron dated Lily (MCD!Aaron's wife) in FCU to try and get over Aphmau, it doesn't work and Lily can tell, she breaks it off with him because she knows she deserves better

Is the most mentally stable of the mentally unstable group while also being the most mentally unstable

His mental stability is an extremely solid skyscraper on top some dry spaghetti noodles

Aaron's the age of a junior but he's a senior, Aphmau's the age of a sophomore but she's a freshman.

I understand that Jess made the age gap as it was to reflect hers and Jason's, but Aphmau and Aaron are in a diff situation. You're can't really lie about their ages when you're in school together.

[py-dreamer]

@violetjedisylveon

I am alive, sorry for being so inactive lol.

Busy with test preparations, ANYWAYS

I know this isn't quite the design you made for rotten fruits au but I just wanted to delve into the idea of Wukong once being a juvenile criminal who was wrongfully tortured has been through hell and back but has been rehabilitated and is now a fruit seller.

I don't remember how old he's meant to be but I assumed given he and mac are similar ages and Mac has kids that are like around 10 maybe they're probably in their mid-thirties by demon standards so yea, very chillaxed uncle vibe, the eyebags support that but also cause he been through da trauma :(

(Can definitely tell he's seen some sh!t)

You said he's built quite the reputation and in one of the asks he thinks he could just slap on a hat and sunglasses as a disguise lol so I thought why not give him the bucket/sun hat and sunglasses he has in the beach scene

Then the rest of the outfit fell from there.

Idk, why but I thought a cool shark-tooth or maybe like a claw or geode necklace would be cool as like a small good memory from his criminal past.

The peach shirt, I'm pretty sure I've used before I'm not sure BUT I knew I had to include the hoodie somehow so I just tied it around his waist since if most of the year Megapolis (or at least I'm assuming the au takes place there) is sunny and he's hauling lots of fruits around then short sleeves are more practical for him.

Sweatpants and sandals, not much else to say, just seems like some good ol practical wear at a fruit market, but the fingerless gloves were a fun touch to still give him that hint of a youthful spirit and maybe hint at his criminal past...

Then I realised his design looked way too much like his beach outfit sans the hoodie and pink fur so I added the fanny pack since that's basically a staple for any shopkeeper in a market but he still looked too much like a beach bum so I made the second backup outfit just in case

(Though maybe that could be his downtime outfit?)

Second outfit, thought it'd be practical for him to put his hair up in a ponytail since he's working and I love long hair Wukong and all but why not have fun with the hairstyles.

I think the apron and the cap really sell the fruit seller look. Very classic and the face mask is just a bonus on top.

I also didn't draw the scar where the circlet would be because I imagine he'd try to hide it with hats so you'd rarely see him without them.

I also have to wonder despite the fur, did he have any tatoos since he was like in a gang and young and dumb?

Maybe the pink was meant to cover up those marks and make up for the loss of noticible missing patches of fur from torture (poor baby...) Just food for thought.

I'd also imagine before finding his footing at his fruit stall, he'd help work for pigsy as like a waiter and I saw this meme of like restaurants in Malaysia where the waiters scream your order at the freaking top of their lungs and that just seemed so Wukong coded lol

(also @ainnur, just curious but do you happen to be Malaysian or live in Malaysia at one point cause I saw your ask of Wukong using ringits at the fruit stall with your OC who asked for durian and I had a sneaking suspicion lmao)

And don't be expecting any frequent updates cause Ima most likely be really busy in the following months but glad this piece got me out of the weeds for a bit

EDIT: Forgot to include in the sketch but I think a bandana (not the strip type like MK's, more like the square bit of fabric like cleaning maids wear) tied around his head would be cute, then he and MK could match!

[pepsiconcoction]

The Perfect Tutor | Lee Know x Reader

pairing: CompSci Student! Lee Know x gn!Reader

tags: fluff, no smut, just a little flirting at the end, minor explicit language, partially proofread

You think he might be perfect. And that pisses you off. Surely he can't be, right?

Why did you have to take the comp sci unit? You’re a graphic designer, you don’t need to know how big scary servers work! 

Those have been the thoughts running through your head most recently. Especially at this moment as you try to “install Windows Server 2019” and “set up Active Directory”. Yeah… because those are definitely real words… that you definitely know the meaning of.

To your dismay, at the beginning of the semester, you found out that you had to take the general computing unit, alongside your regular classes, to gain the number of credits you need to get into next year. Being a graphic designer who uses a computer, you thought that ‘general computing’ sounded like something you could do, you spend most of your time on one for god’s sake!

You’ve been staring at a loading screen for the past 10 minutes, and you’re quite honestly beginning to doubt whether it’s going to turn into anything. The Professor speaks up, dismissing the class, signalling it’s the end of the day. 

After choke-holding the computer to death (holding the power button), you slowly gather your things, watching as the other students begin to leave the computer lab. Once most of them have left, you walk up to the front desk.

“Y/n, what can I do for you?” The Professor, looks up from his school-assigned laptop, glasses on the bridge of his nose.

“Hey, Professor. I think I’m falling behind a bit, just a little out of my depth with everything,” You force your sincerest smile, talking quietly. “So I was wondering if you’d be available for extra lessons?”

“I wish I could, but I’m so busy with the department being understaffed. How about you ask one of your classmates?”

You mindlessly turn back to the room where there are a few stragglers left.

“Oh, I don’t-”

“How about Minho?” He gestures behind you.

“Minho?” You turn around making eye contact with the man mentioned. His eyes widen in curiosity at his name.

“Yeah, he is more than capable to tutor you, aren’t you, Minho?” 

Minho’s desk is only a few feet from the front but he takes a few steps towards you, holding a pair of wireless headphones in his hands. He is definitely more than capable to tutor you, and you know this. He’s quiet and keeps to himself, but you’ve seen his grades in passing. You don’t think he’s gotten below 95% on any assignment or test. You’d happily have him as your tutor, it’s just that, well, he might possibly be the most handsome guy you’ve ever met. Okay, the standards in the Comp Sci department aren’t exactly high, you’re lucky if most of them are wearing deodorant, but Minho? He dresses well, styles his hair, has a side profile worthy of painting AND he wears the perfect amount of cologne, not too much that it’s overbearing but just enough that it’s refreshing whenever you walk past him.

“Yeah, I probably could.” Minho looks at you and then back to the Professor.

“Great!” He closes his laptop and stands, gathering his things. “I’ve got to run to my next class, you guys can sort the rest.” 

With that, your Professor is halfway out the door. You look up to Minho who is half chuckling at his bluntness, and he turns to you.

“Are you sure you wanna tutor me? You don’t have to say yes, he's not here anymore.” You say, half-jokingly. 

“If you need help, I’m around. I have some free time this Friday if you want to set something up?” Minho asks.

“Yeah, Friday works great for me!”

“Perfect.” You end up swapping phone numbers to discuss the details, and you leave the classroom feeling partially accomplished. Now you just need to be professional, and not think he’s the hottest guy in the world whenever you catch a glimpse of him. You can do that. You can be normal, right?

You absolutely cannot be normal. Friday came around and he rocked up to the empty computer lab looking gorgeous in fitted black jeans and a denim jacket, coffee in hand. Thankfully you had gotten there slightly earlier to try and get ahead of the game with your notes. The two of you had decided to start with the basics, installing the operating system of the computer. Easy. 

“Remember, you don’t want to partition the hard drive, it’s not worth it on these machines at this level.” Minho explained as you quickly scribbled ‘don’t partition’ down in your notebook.

You had discovered that Minho was not only a sight for sore eyes, but also possibly the nicest, gentlest, calmest person you had met. Of course, he had his moments of energy and you two found yourself easily joking around with each other, but he was such the opposite of the gamer stereotype that you had come to dread.

“So, do you play any video games?” You asked, keeping the conversation going as the two of you were forced to sit through long progress bars.

“Not really, no. Not really my thing.” He says.

“Really? A computing student that doesn’t play games? That’s rare.” You chuckle, almost in disbelief. 

“I mean, I’ve played games. With friends and such, but I’m just not crazy into them.”

“So what are you crazy into? Computers? You seem pretty good with them.” You look towards him. The both of you are sat around a single computer, and yes, you’re very conscious of that fact.

“I guess? I’m only really taking this class for the credits.” He leans back in the chair.

“Wait, so am I!” You laugh. “So why are you so good?”

“I used to take computing in high school, and I was a bit of a nerd back then.” he laughs. 

“So what’s your major then? Mister I-only-need-the credits.”

“Dance.” He smirked.

“Liar.” You rolled your eyes.

“I’m serious. I’m a dancer.” He sat forward, chuckling.

“Show me.”

“I don’t dance for free. You’ll have to come to one of my performances,” he says cockily, crossing his arms.

“Whatever, I’ll believe it when I see it,” You say, turning back to the computer which is now conveniently asking a series of questions. After that, you finish the installation pretty quickly and decide you’re done for the day. You and Minho part ways and you find yourself back in your dorm after a stress-induced power walk through the campus. You immediately call your best friend.

“Hey, Y/n,” she picks up.

“Code Pink.”

“I’ll be there in ten.” She hangs up. Nine minutes later your best friend is letting herself into your dorm room. 

“Tell me everything.” She takes a seat on your bed. You proceed to tell her about Minho: how handsome he is, how nice he is, how funny he is, God! Are you really gushing about a boy you barely know?

“I’m like, mad! I want to hate him,” you say, from your spot on the bed. “He has to have a fatal flaw, right?”

“For sure, maybe he’s homophobic? Transphobic? Misogynistic? He’s a man! He has to be sexist somehow!”

“Yeah, you’re probably right…” You trail off in thought (and partial disappointment). “Okay, now I gotta just get it out of him, so I can justify my disliking of him, and then boom! Crush gone!” You finally say.

“Easy, now, you wanna watch a movie?” your best friend grins up at you.

Okay. Get evidence he is a shitty guy. Surely this can’t be hard. You can do this.

Except the next time the two of you are studying, he comes in wearing a white t-shirt. Plastered on the front of it are the words “trans rights are human rights” in a bold, italicised font. Okay, not transphobic. You find yourself staring at it, coincidentally staring at his chest. He definitely notices.

“Y/n?” he questions as he sits down next to you.

“Oh, sorry, I was just looking at your t-shirt.”

“Ah, yeah I got it for the pride parade a few months back.” He starts looking through his bag, taking out his notebook.

“Nice, the one in town, on Main Street?”

“Yeah. My best friend is gay, so I went with him and his boyfriend, and a few of our other friends.” He explained. Probably not homophobic either.

“That’s great, I went too, with my friends as well.” You smiled.

The two of you got to work, tackling “ADDS” and “DHCP”. You probably weren’t going to remember what those acronyms stood for in a few hours but for now, it was going well enough. Minho had been scrolling through his phone for the past few minutes as the two of you relaxed, taking a quick break, when he spoke up.

“Damn, have you seen this?” he turns his phone screen to you. “Scotland has made free sanitary products a legal requirement in all public government buildings.”

“I heard about it a few days ago. It’s sick.” You responded. He locked his phone, putting it down on the table. Okay, not actively a misogynist either. Fuck. 

You left that study lesson slightly more frustrated at your slightly bigger crush on Lee Minho.

At the third tutoring session with Minho, you were so sure you were going to nip your little crush in the bud. From down the hall, you spot him standing outside the classroom on the phone. As you get closer you seem to realise that he’s mad? Frustrated? You’re not sure.

“I don’t care if it’s a stupid idea, I’m getting him. I’ll pay for everything.” You hear him say, beginning to feel bad for eavesdropping. He must sense your presence as he turns around and shoots you a smile. 

“Alright, I have to go, I’ll talk later, love you.” He hangs up and shoves his phone into his pocket.

“Sorry, that was my mom, her and I are disagreeing.” he fake smiles.

“Oh? What about?” you ask.

“I want a cat. Another cat, I already have two. But I just saw a cat on one of those re-homing websites and my heart is screaming at me to get him. So I’m currently trying to convince my mom.” He explains, sheepishly.

“Are you serious?” you deadpan.

“Uh, yes? His name is going to be Dori and I-”

“For god’s sake,” you sigh, admitting defeat.

“Uh, sorry?”

“Why do you have to be so perfect?” You sigh. His eyes widen a little.

“Like seriously,” you continue. “You’re such a nice person, you’re funny, you’re not shitty, you like cats, you have two of them, for Christ’s sake! And if that wasn’t enough, you’re possibly the most attractive man I’ve ever met. Please just tell me what is wrong with you.”

There are a few seconds of silence. A smile begins to grow on his face. You realise what you’ve done.

“You think I’m perfect?” He grins, cockily.

“Great, and now I’m an idiot.”

“You think I’m attractive.” he beams.

“Oh, shut up, surely you must know what you look like,” you sigh, rolling your eyes.

“Well, yes, but there’s a difference between knowing I’m conventionally good-looking and you finding me attractive.” 

“And you’re smart,” you groan. He begins to laugh and when you look back towards him, you notice he’s blushing a little. You begin to laugh as well, hoping to break any potentially awkward tension.

“Okay, since I’m so smart, I have a great idea.” He smirks down at you, taking a step forward.

“Oh god,” you begin to dread. Your breath definitely doesn't catch in your throat.

“Let’s skip on the tutoring and I take you out for lunch, how does that sound?”

Your eyes widen as you take in his offer, he may be giving you his best flirtatious look, but under all that pink on his cheeks, you know he’s being serious.

“I’d like that.” You smile.

“So would I.” He responds, eyes shifting nervously down the hallway. 

“Do I get to see you dance?” You giggle.

“We’ll see.”

[twopoppies]

Gina, have you seen the article about Hs workout routine for LOT? I mean, we all saw the results… but I find it almost even more impressive to learn how its been done! His dedication and work ethic is so inspiring and surely part of why I adore him so much 🫠🫶

Holy hell. No wonder he’s in such great shape. Just a note that Thibo David was his old trainer with Live On Tour. I assume Brad Gould was his new trainer for Love on Tour. But I doubt his regimen was any less insane.

[…]

If you include the one-mile run and bodyweight challenge, this is the hardest warm-up I’ve ever done, but, given the intensity required for the next two elements I’m promoting them to workout status.

[…]

David says Harry Styles can run a mile in an impressive 5min 13sec—a standard some of the professional athletes David coaches can’t match—but I was urged to run my own race.

[…]

This was far closer to my wheelhouse as a CrossFit fan. I chose to tackle it in alternating sets of 10, transitioning quickly between exercises to finish within the eight-minute limit. But even commando rolling from push-up to sit-up then springing into the squats left me little time to spare.

[…]

I took 7min 39sec, and, somewhat unexpectedly, given I can barbell squat more than 300lb, it was my quads that blew up the most. Whether this was the result of the one-mile run before it or heavy front squats the day before, I couldn’t say, but my thighs were on fire by the final rep.

“I like to say that I train very smart, but you also have to be very stupid sometimes, you know? Do this type of workout in the most stupid way; go hard at the task at hand, like when you throw a ball for a dog and it goes super crazy.

“This is a very good workout for that. Very good at building everything that needs to be added after the aerobic base; aggressiveness, speed, that go-hard mentality.”

[…]

Things did become particularly spicy during round three and four though, as my body began to tire with the sustained effort.

My posterior chain (the muscles running along the back side of the body) took a battering from the kettlebell swings and sandbag-over-shoulders, my already-fried legs felt heavy during the box jumps, and my shoulders grew tired from two minutes of straight clean and presses—it was a serious test of muscular endurance.

[…] I also did 12 total rounds—I wanted the full Styles experience, after all—but I’d live to regret this. The hill I chose grew progressively steeper as I worked my way up it, and by the eighth round I felt like death. My sprints turned to slogs, and the time it took me to complete the distance I established in the first interval grew longer.

[…] The prior running and box jumps didn’t help either, but I got it done eventually in less than 30 minutes.

[…]

This was a relaxing way to wrap up a far from relaxing morning of training, and gave me a second to catch my breath after a monumental effort which lasted a little over two hours.

I swapped his day of training for one of my usual CrossFit sessions and had a lot of fun doing it. Every part of my body felt like it had been put through the ringer thanks to the muscle-burning circuit and lung-taxing running elements. I was also very, very hungry.

Another thing that impressed me was Styles’ evident fitness levels and work ethic; how he has the energy to perform for two hours during a stadium tour is no longer a mystery.

Another thing I liked about my chat with David was his openness and honesty. I often see articles online saying celebrities do a few Pilates classes or HIIT workouts each week to stay in unbelievable shape, and he was keen to dispel this myth.

“Collaborating with Harry Styles was an absolute delight; his commitment is unparalleled,” says David.

“But it’s important to note that this level of training isn’t suitable for everyone. Harry was inherently fit, but achieving the level of fitness needed for this session still required time, work and effort. Rushing into such high-volume workouts can pose risks.”

David also stressed that sessions of this intensity weren’t done every day, and the nature of his workouts will often “depend on the day and the state of the athlete”.

“It’s crucial to emphasize the significance of proper periodization,” says David. “Not every day constituted an intense session. In fact, we strategically incorporated recovery sessions which often involved a light run combined with core exercises and mobility work. Every workout was thoughtfully placed within the overall training plan.”

Read, full article here

x

[morgan-va]

Chapter 10: Automation (Serial Designation N x Reader)

Short double post cuz I felt bad about the last one being so sad :3

Masterlist

The shrill sound of your alarm jolts you awake, the bright red numbers on the clock declaring that it’s already Monday morning. A wave of grogginess settles over you as you sit up, the ache of a restless sleep clinging to your limbs. You slept the entirety of Sunday away, pat yourself on the back.

You glance around the room, half-expecting something—or someone—to be there. But the room is silent, lifeless. Just like yesterday.

With a resigned sigh, you push yourself out of bed. Everything feels distant, mechanical, as you go through the motions of your morning routine. Shower. Dress. Toast some bread. Not because you’re hungry, but because skipping breakfast will only make you feel worse later.

The drive to work is no different. Your hands grip the wheel, your eyes focused on the road, but your mind drifts. The radio hums in the background, but you barely register the words.

You park in your usual spot and trudge into the building, the gray walls of the office swallowing you whole. Everything looks and feels the same as it always has, yet somehow it feels more… hollow.

As you settle into your desk, pulling out your to-do list for the day, your mind flashes back to the weekend—the park, the library, N’s smile as he hugged that golden retriever, his wide-eyed wonder as he quizzed you about random groceries.

You shake your head, trying to focus, but the memories won’t stop coming. You find yourself clutching the branded pen in your hand tighter, as if holding on to it will somehow ground you.

The office buzzes with life around you—phones ringing, keyboards clacking, conversations blending into a dull roar. But none of it reaches you. You’re here, physically, but your heart is somewhere else entirely.

You settle into your usual rhythm, replying to emails, logging reports, and checking off the mundane tasks that make up your day. The work keeps your hands busy, but your mind won’t stop wandering. Every time you pause to think, you see N’s smile, hear his laugh, feel the warmth of his embrace.

“Hey!” a voice cuts through your haze, and you glance up to see one of your coworkers motioning toward the boss’s office. “You’re being summoned.”

Great.

With a sigh, you push back from your desk and head toward the corner office. The door is ajar, and you catch sight of your boss leaning back in his chair, his feet propped up on the desk, a cigar clamped between his teeth despite the “No Smoking” signs plastered everywhere.

“Come in!” he barks as you knock lightly on the doorframe. He gestures for you to sit. “Got some things to go over.”

You take a seat, trying to gauge his mood. His theatrics never make it easy.

“So,” he begins, puffing on his cigar as he swivels his chair back and forth. “I’ve been looking over the reports from that assignment I dumped on you.” He squints at a file on his desk. “Not bad. Not bad at all. Honestly, didn’t think you’d pull it off. Drones like that can be... unpredictable. Liability is our passion, after all!” He laughs heartily at the company motto.

You force a small smile, waiting for the hammer to drop.

“But,” he continues, leaning forward, “don’t worry. I’m not gonna make you do something like that again anytime soon. You’ve earned a break.”

The words hit you like a punch to the gut. You knew this was coming, but hearing it confirmed still stings. N won’t be coming back. You’re alone now, for good.

“What, uh…” You hesitate, your throat dry. “What happens to the drones after testing is done?”

He waves a hand dismissively, like it’s the most trivial thing in the world. “Standard procedure. Memory wipe, clean slate. Then we box ’em up and ship ’em off to the nearest JCJensonMart for sale. Customer gets a fresh drone, none of the baggage. Good for business.”

Your stomach churns. “Memory wipe?”

“Yep,” he says, chomping down on the cigar again. “Can’t have ’em remembering personal details from testing. Liability, remember? In fact, the one we sent you was whining and moaning about wanting to see you again, wouldn’t shut up. Can’t sell a drone like that! Anyway, that’s it. You’re free to go.”

You stand, your legs feeling like lead at his words. “Thanks,” you mumble, turning to leave.

“Oh, and,” he calls after you, “keep up the good work, yeah? Corporate’s watching.”

You nod, not trusting yourself to speak, and shut the door behind you.

Back at your desk, you sink into your chair, staring blankly at your computer screen. You try to focus, to drown your thoughts in spreadsheets and emails, but it’s no use. The image of N, bright and joyful, keeps intruding.

A memory wipe. He won’t even remember you, his last moments were spent begging to see you again, and the company effectively killed him.

You clench your fists under the desk, willing yourself not to break down. You can’t afford to. Not here. Not now.

With a deep breath, you force yourself to return to your work, your fingers flying over the keyboard in a desperate attempt to drown out the ache in your chest.

The day drags on, every tick of the clock feeling like an eternity. You go through the motions: answering emails, filing reports, checking off tasks. But it’s like you’re running on autopilot. No matter how hard you try to focus, your thoughts keep circling back to N.

The way he laughed. The way he marveled at the world. The way he made you feel... alive.

And now, he’s just gone.

The thought eats away at you, growing heavier with every passing hour. By the time the workday finally ends, you’re drained—not from the work itself, but from the weight of your own emotions.

You gather your things and head to your car, the parking lot bathed in the soft orange glow of the setting sun. Sliding into the driver’s seat, you sit there for a moment, gripping the wheel tightly.

“Get it together,” you mutter to yourself, but your voice sounds hollow.

Starting the engine, you pull out of the lot and onto the familiar route home. The drive is uneventful, the scenery blurring past as your mind drifts. The hum of the engine does little to drown out the emptiness gnawing at you.

When you finally pull into your driveway, the sight of your house—a place that once felt like a sanctuary—feels cold, lifeless. You sit in the car for a moment, staring at the front door. The thought of going inside, of facing the silence and emptiness waiting for you, feels unbearable.

But you can’t sit out here all night. With a heavy sigh, you step out, the door closing with a dull thud behind you. You head inside, the familiar creak of the floorboards greeting you like an unwelcome reminder of your solitude.

The house is quiet, too quiet. You drop your bag by the door and stand there for a moment, unsure of what to do. The thought of eating, of doing anything, feels exhausting.

Without another word, you head straight to your bedroom. Kicking off your shoes, you collapse onto the bed, not even bothering to change. You curl up under the covers, closing your eyes and willing sleep to come.

But even as you lie there, the ache in your chest remains, a constant reminder of the warmth and light that’s now missing from your life.

Days bleed into each other in a monotonous blur. You wake up, drag yourself through the morning routine, and head to work. At the office, you do what’s required—barely. Emails, reports, meetings. Your coworkers don’t seem to notice the change, or if they do, they don’t say anything.

You return home, the weight of the day pressing harder each time. Dinner becomes an afterthought. Some nights you eat, but more often you just crawl into bed, too drained to care. Sleep doesn’t come easily, and when it does, it’s restless. Dreams evade you, leaving you staring at the ceiling for hours, the silence of your empty home deafening.

Dishes begin to pile up in the sink. Plates with crumbs, cups half-filled with stale coffee, forks haphazardly tossed on the counter. The laundry basket overflows, but you tell yourself you’ll deal with it tomorrow. Paperwork you meant to organize instead spreads across the couch, untouched. You sit among it each evening, staring blankly at your phone or the TV, not really processing anything.

The house feels colder. Not in temperature, but in spirit. Like the warmth N brought with him is gone, leaving a void you can’t seem to fill. You glance at the empty spot on the counter where his mug once sat, or the couch where he’d eagerly leaf through a book, and the ache in your chest tightens.

It’s the same every day. Wake up. Breakfast—if you remember. Work. Home. Sleep. Repeat.

You don’t know how long you can keep going like this.

Friday soon arrives, the process is the same, but a lonely weekend is on the horizon. Not even pizza and a documentary will salvage it. You finish up at work with a final email, a faint hope in your heart that a Manila folder will fall into your hand when you reach for your coat, maybe N needs more testing, maybe they didn’t wipe his memory. But that doesn’t happen, your boss isn’t waiting to ambush you with golf clubs slung behind him; sadly, and ironically so, you’re free to go home.

You sigh to yourself, stepping into the elevator.

The doors slide shut with a soft chime, and you lean back against the wall, staring at the floor numbers as they light up one by one. When you reach the ground floor, you shuffle through the lobby and out into the parking lot, the cool evening air brushing against your face.

It feels like any other night, but that doesn’t make it easier.

You make your way to your car, unlock it, and slide into the driver’s seat. Turning the key, the engine rumbles to life, and you sit there for a moment, gripping the steering wheel. It’s not like you’re in a rush—there’s nothing waiting for you at home. With a quiet sigh, you shift into drive and pull out of the lot, the usual podcast playing over the speakers to drown out the silence.

The drive home is rough. Each mile feels like it drags on longer than the last, the hum of the tires against the road doing little to drown out the thoughts spiraling in your mind. The quiet hum of the podcast fades as you focus on the familiar path ahead, but it's hard to ignore the weight that's pressing down on your chest.

N is gone.

The thought hits you again like a heavy blow, and your grip on the steering wheel tightens. His memory wiped, a clean slate for whoever ends up buying him, his purpose reshuffled like everything else. All the moments you shared—the laughter, the quiet talks, the warmth of his company—it doesn’t matter. Not anymore.

You can’t shake the gnawing ache in your chest as you drive. It’s the same routine. The same cycle. You were fooling yourself if you thought anything would change. It’s just you, again. Alone.

The city lights blur past you, but all you can think about is the emptiness that waits. You can't remember the last time you felt this... hollow. It wasn’t even just him. It was everything. The silence that greets you when you walk through your door, the same tired routine that only serves to fill the hours with nothing but monotonous tasks. No real conversations, no one to make you laugh, no one to talk to at the end of the day.

Just the quiet.

You pull into your driveway, the hum of the engine finally stopping as you shift it into park. The familiar stillness of your neighborhood feels suffocating now, the calm before an inevitable storm. Your headlights cast long shadows across the driveway, stretching over the sidewalk and up the front steps. You’re about to get out when something catches your eye.

The lights inside your house—they’re on.

Your stomach drops.

You didn’t leave any lights on. You were barely there earlier, just enough to grab your things and leave for work. That’s it. So why are the lights on now?

You freeze, fingers stiff on the steering wheel.

Then, as if on cue, your eyes are drawn to the front door.

It’s cracked open—just a few inches, enough to make your pulse spike. Your heartbeat echoes in your ears, and the quiet that had once been soothing now feels ominous. You hadn’t left it open, had you? You’re sure you didn’t.

And then you see it.

Mud.

Fresh, dark footprints leading up to your doorstep. They’re unmistakable, leaving a trail from the front garden straight to the door. Whoever came inside didn’t bother to wipe their feet.

Your throat tightens. A chill runs down your spine.

Every instinct in you screams to leave, but you can't. Not yet.

You glance toward the back seat of the car. The crowbar, your trusted tool, rests within reach. It feels reassuring to see it there, a small comfort against the tension growing in your chest. You reach for it, your fingers curling around its cold metal handle, the weight grounding you. Thank Robo-Jesus that JCJensonMart had a Buy 4 Get 1 Free sale on crowbars.

Gripping it tight, you open the car door, the gravel crunching underfoot as you step out. Every movement feels like it could echo across the night, but you’re careful, deliberate, staying quiet. You have to know what’s going on inside.

Approaching the front door, you feel the cold air settle around you, and the sound of your own breathing fills your ears. The door stands ajar in front of you, almost mocking you. The light from inside casts long shadows, but there’s no sign of movement. Still, you feel like you’re being watched.

You can hear the faintest sound, a rustling. It’s not an animal. It’s... too human.

You draw a slow breath, steadying yourself. Your fingers tighten around the crowbar, and you take one step forward, then another, until you’re standing right in front of the door. The shadows inside seem to stretch towards you, pulling at you. You can’t see anything clearly yet, but you know something’s wrong.

The handle feels cold beneath your fingers.

You slowly press down.

The door creaks open.

Just a crack.

Your heart races, every part of you on high alert, waiting for any sign of what’s inside. The silence feels deafening now, and the tension thickens, making it hard to breathe. You’re not sure what you’ll find when you step through that door, but you know one thing for sure.

You have to know.

With one final breath, you push the door open just a little more…

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - Some Surprises

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top.

NOV 2024 Week 1

Ongoing Series - Thai

Fourever You (Thai Thurs YT) ep 5 of 16 - I love this show, but I absolutely hate the main couple's communication style. Or complete lack of communication style. I really hope the other couples are not gonna be this bad and it’s just because this one is leaning into the worst of BL archetypes. But I’m not confident. Poor Ter dating Hill put a big old target on his back. Earth being a dramatic stressed gay queen was peak comedy tho. Apparently the good kisses are only on WeTV (I am annoyed) so props to the giffers who keep me supplied. You're doing the BL gods work.

I suddenly realized, after the bullying sequence, that one of the reasons I’m liking this so much is it reminds me of early Japanese yaoi. There’s something about the dynamics of the characters and the way they're reacting to situations that’s not very Thai BL feeling. And if I think of this is more JBL, I forgive it. Or maybe that’s just why I’m liking it so much despite its flaws? Difficult to understand my own feels about this show.

Jack & Joker (Thai Mon IQIYI) ep 8 of 12 - I don’t like this new evil-bonkers rich kid character and whatever is going on with Jack and Rose and that whole story. It’s boring. And then my brain short circuited. No further thoughts... just War in a wife beater. 

Love Sick 2024 (Thai Sun iQIYI) ep 7 of 15 - Phun's bitch face really is epically wonderful. I kinda enjoy everybody ribbing the two of them because they have no idea what’s actually going on. I'm chronicling my experience with 2024 as compared to 2014 here.

Kidnap (Fri YT) ep 9 of 12 - Omg cutest boyfriends EVER. I don’t even mind how cheesy their bf era is. Does this lull jive with the rest of the story? Nope. But ya know that’s GMMTV’s thing these days, flailing during the final act.

Perfect 10 Liners (Thai Sun YouTube?) ep 1 of 24 - Pretty standard Thai BL university fair. I am hoping it’s better than ForceBook’s previous offering. Yet another sniff test. Is this the trope of the year? Meanwhile, they also deployed the crash into me trope in episode one. Who do they think they are? Taiwan?

New is directing this uni BL with a massive cast + massive run time. It's an endurance test ya'll - we will be watching this until APRIL of 2025! Su su na.

Every You Every Me (Thai Mon Gaga) ep 4 of 10 - I really like that they had the bandwidth to give us a little side couple with this installment. Fun crumbs. Meanwhile, the thing with the shirt in front of the mirror was extremely sexy. This installment was very sad though. And, of course, I’m not happy about it. To top it all off, next week is musical themed, so you know I’m disgruntled about it. 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

See Your Love (Taiwan Weds Gaga) ep 3 of 13 - Aw spoiled neglected rich boy wants to be cared for and spoiled honestly. I do love them. Also tiny idiot syndrome is spreading. 

Teenager Judge (Vietnam Sat YT) ep 6 of ? - The side couple (teacher student, hyung romance but he’s using em) interesting. Not sure how I feel about them. The subs are so bad it’s largely incomprehensible but I’m still enjoying it for no defensible reason. 

My Damn Business (Korea Sat YT) eps 5 of 7 - I love that our uke can be such a little shit. I love it when a tsundere has some serious snark and attitude to back his petulance up. Also liquid courage. At least we got to the root of the tsundere. Also neck kisses and cuddles! 

Eccentric Romance (Korea Weds Viki) eps 7-8 of 12 - Oooo, cute kiss. Drunken but adorable. I do like it when they use older Korean actors in KBL, they actually know how to kiss. Has the kiss saved this show? Possibly. I’m shallow. 

Love is Like a Poison AKA Doku Koi: Doku mo Sugireba Koi to Naru (Japan Tues Netflix?) 7 of 10 eps - Our con man is such a good little homemaker. And it’s sexy yukata time! Love this trope. 

Love in the Air: Koi no Yokan (Japan Sat Gaga) ep 1 of 10 - Same plot as the Thai original, only from Japan. Very similar so far. I hope Rei is a bit more smart and Arashi is a bit less of a sleaze. I still get too much secondhand embarrassment and my mame alert is blaring.  I'm wary.

Blue Canvas of Youthful Days (China Sun iQIYI) eps 1-2 - Triggers for child abuse, alcoholism. Two artists, one an abused rich kid and the other a tough scrappy poor kid, in the same art prep school. I of course adore the side couple of the much younger kid and the older teacher. Oh, I do like it. But it's CBL, I'm very scared as to where it might go.

Bad to Bed (Taiwan Sat YouTube) ep 1 of 10 - Influencer Wan Xiong suffers from insomnia, it’s a physical and mental battle. As he tried to find a solution, he encounters five boys along the way. I'm putting this on the list because it's airing and I just found out about it but I didn't have time to watch it yet. I hear it's v weird.

It's airing but...

The Hidden Moon (Sat WeTV) 10 eps - Supernatural romance (my ghost boyfriend trope) by Violet Rain (I Feel You Linger). A man is hired to write an article about an old mansion. He sees the ghosts of people who died at the mansion, falls in love with one of them. Was substantially recast. I loved IFYLITA except the ending so I think I'll let this one run it's course you can tell me if it's work tracking down... if they managed to land it. I have my doubts.

Bad Guy My Boss (Thai Sun Gaga) 10 eps - I DNF'd at ep 7, I couldn't make it. I am weak. Life is hard enough right now, this show is making it harder. It’s not what I want from my entertainment.

Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo (Korea Thurs Gaga) eps 4 of 8 - I put this one on pause. It's too heavy for me right now. I'll wait to know if the ending is hard fought happy (and then watch) or not (and won't finish). Sorry all, rough times this side of the screen.

Random I watched it

Vending Machine Sabi Koi AKA Can I Buy Your Love From A Vending Machine AKA Sono Koi, Jihanki de Kaemasu ka? (Japan 2023) - This show is utterly adorable, impossibly awkward, and kinda old fashioned. About a cute nerdy little office worker (he's out!) who has a big'ol crush on the tall hulking vending machine guy. They fall in love. And that’s it. And it’s charming. There’s some first name eroticism, because Japan, and there's emphasis on communication, which is so not Japan, but turns this into an organically loving and talkative relationship. There’s a bit of an age gap, and our office cutie may or may not have a muscles fetish (the hot bod not the shellfish) because (if I’ve told you once I’ve told you 1 million times) Japan always goes kinky. And you know what, I loved it. 9/10

Next Week Looks Like This:

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

November BL:

11/4 Our Youth AKA Miseinen: Mijukuna Oretachi wa Bukiyo ni Shinkochu (Japan Mon Gaga?) 11 eps - Minase was an exemplary high school student who hates Hirukawa, head bully and top delinquent. But then Minase uncovers Hirukawa’s secret and the two get intimate.

11/15 Caged Again (Thai Fri WeTV) 10 eps - Penguin escapes zoo by turning into a human. Gets trapped again and a panther falls in love with him.

11/17 Your Sky (Thai iQIYI) 12 eps - Due to an unforeseen situation, a naive freshman and the campus’s popular senior agree to pretend to be a couple - but their fake deal begins to generate real feelings.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

Honor the crumbs indeed. This pair is so much crumbs it's practically dust. (Love Sick 2014)

God he is so stupidly in love.

(lask week)

The tag BLigade: @doorajar @solitaryandwandering @my-rose-tinted-glasses @babymbbatinygirl @babymbbatinygirl @isisanna-blog @mmastertheone @pickletrip @aliceisathome @urikawa-miyuki @tokillamonger @sunflower-positiiivity @rocketturtle4 @blglplus @anythinggoesintheshire @everlightly @renafire @mestizashinrin @bl-bam-beyond @small-dark-and-delicious @saezurumurmurs

Sigh, Tumblr in its infinite wisdom doesn't like too many at-ings.

[operationslipperypuppet]

alright. as an expert (based on a hell of my own design), i'd like to present to you my bracket, completed, for march sadness.

now, a thing they wanted to consider is what's worse at the end of a 15 hour day. i tested this. my results are based on that.

explanations of each matchup will be under the cut. i'm not having two mile long posts two days in a row lol

winners are in italics

Shit Sixteen

Picnic in Pac-Land vs Oh, Mr. Toad! - easy. picnic was a nightmare, happy birthday was cute. Night of No Tomorrow vs Kevin in Videoland - harder. both suck. ultimately the banana-ing of Kevin vs the nostalgia of all the d&d cartoon characters looking magic school bus-esque gave this to videoland. Wrath of the Dragon God vs Flying Fortress - flying fortress broke me. absolutely fucking killed me. but the absolute husk that was wrath of the dragon god wins this race. fuck that movie. more on that to come. The Hexer vs Warcraft - warcraft was absolutely fine. it's not good, but i've had fun watching 45 movies exactly like it. the hexer was confusing and geralt was unconscious every eight seconds. A Thin Line Between Love and Ape vs The Phantom Menace - i'm not gonna pretend to like the prequels, and definitely not phantom menace. but duel of the fates rules, and love and ape does not have anything close to that. Dungeons & Dragons vs Viva Rock Vegas - fully fuck viva rock vegas. that movie is fucking ass. but dungeons and dragons is one of the most miserable pieces of shit i've ever watched and i've watched it twice. The Ringer vs Mario & Joliet - mario and joliet is funny. the tax drama redeems it. the ringer is a sex pest bothering a princess ft. an amateur magician competition. easy win for that one. Flintstones Christmas Carol vs Halloween is Grinch Night - christmas carol was bad. grinch night was stupid and should never have existed. easy handing it to that.

Hated Eight

Picnic in Pac-Land vs Kevin in Videoland - picnic is the same plot looped 15 times in ten minutes. that's so stupid. kevin in videoland at least has something going on, it's setting up a series. give it to pac. Wrath of the Dragon God vs The Hexer - unfortunate matchup for the hexer here, on another path it'd make it to the foul four. it's so bad. the visuals are appalling and the plot is so scatterbrained. but there are so many visual crimes in dragon god. and like. 3 party members fucking die and i??? didn't care???? Dungeons & Dragons vs Love and Ape - love and ape fucking sucks, the idle animation is dumb. but the songs kinda rule. there's nothing in dungeons & dragons that rules. absolutely nothing. The Ringer vs Grinch Night - this one, a bit, has my personal biases contributing to it. i hate dr. suess. hate that shit. i don't mind the standard grinch, but that's it. i have no attachment to the rest like many american children. also the ringer isn't as nothing as grinch night is. so it doesn't deserve to move forward over that.

Foul Four

Picnic in Pac-Land vs Wrath of the Dragon God - this is where i must deviate from the two crew. don't get me wrong. picnic is horrific. no one should watch it. it should be lost to time. but it's also a thing where cartoons of that era are just kinda like that, so it's kinda okay. it's also 10 minutes. i'll put up with a lot if it's only for ten minutes. wrath of the dragon god made me genuinely consider fighting a random cinematographer. the staffs that the wizard council had were so fucking weird. the scenes in the woods looked like the original intro to critical role. (worked great for cr, do not get me wrong, that's just not a vibe i want in a film) it was so untenable and fucking horrible. Dungeons & Dragons vs Grinch Night - ultimately i can excuse a thing that is nothing more than a thing that is pretending it's trying its goddamned best but falling flat on its face and rolling around in a pile of shit. don't fucking watch grinch night. but it's got an attempt at something. it's a good night for eyebrows (i'm also confused, dw). dungeons and dragons has a single shining moment and it's a soon-to-be-dead-man getting dunked in oatmeal.

Championshit

Wrath of the Dragon God vs Dungeons & Dragons - on january 1, 2020 (and i promise this is going somewhere), i was at my cousin's house after a nye party hanging out, for the entire day. we decided to have a chill day and watch a couple of movies. we happened upon what i can only describe as two of the worst movies i've watched in my entire life - iron sky: the coming race and iron sky. (you just have to trust me on this. do not, under any circumstances, watch these movies). we watched them in the wrong order, completely on accident, and it was such a colossally horrible experience that my cousin's now husband, who was a participant, likes to pretend he wasn't involved. watching these movies back-to-back, after everything else i'd seen yesterday, was an eerily similar experience. absolutely fucking horrible. truly what the fuck. wrath of the dragon god had me cheering for damodar. the props looked horrible (the barbarian had a sword that looked like it was worse than one you could get in a mall). the plot with the wizards and melora felt so unnecessary. i didn't give a shit about any of the party members, and three of them fucking died. (out of five). it looked like found footage. the barbarian wasn't ripped. god it was horrible. it has no fucking heart. dungeons & dragons had plot happen inside a map. there were two goddamn council meetings. they found a dwarf in the trash and pretended he was important and every time i saw him onscreen i said, aloud, "you're still here???" they kept saying important things could only be handled/done by jtt, which is completely against the spirit of dnd as a ttrpg. these props were also horrible, the important rod looked like it was made of plastic. you could barely tell the dragons at the end apart in color. both of these are dogshit films. flaming piles of dogshit, burning on a doorstep. i ultimately hand it to the original because it set up there being a second one, because it was trying harder, because it fell flat in so many places. ask me again tomorrow and they might switch. but truly, it may also be a tie.

thank you for coming on this journey with me. i'm sorry i did this, everyone. have a great day, especially if you read all of this.

[drdemonprince]

spiraling slightly about finally applying to grad school with a low gpa. I’m proud bc even getting to this point took a lot of work facing shame and I know my essay is strong but it might not even get read. I have an idea of what I’ll do if I don’t get in anywhere this first round but the whole thing is just so frustrating 😖 wish I could just pluck out the menty-b year from my transcript

Here's a little reassurance that's also very grounded in stastical reality and academic process, for what it's worth:

Depending on the graduate program, you're looking at about a 10% rate of acceptance on average. So receiving some rejections is normal -- it's typical to expect 90% of the schools you apply to to ultimately reject you. So if you get some rejection letters, know that it's not a reflection that you have failed, or that you're not graduate school material, it's a built-in part of the experience.

Additionally, *most* graduate programs have a GPA and standardized test score cut off, and all applications that fall below that cut-off are not even examined. For example, I applied to my undregrad alma mater, OSU, for graduate school, but my test scores were *one point below* the threshold they require, and so it didn't matter that I had been working for three years in two different social psychology labs for like 20 hours a week and had stellar recommendations from the school's own faculty. They didn't even look at that stuff. So, if you get some rejections, know that it's often nothing to do with your application materials at all. Yes this is fucked up. I think it's good to know that it's due to a built-in discrimination that THEY are doing, not anything you did.

Most people have to apply to multiple programs or apply multiple times over the course of a couple of years to find an acceptance at a school that is a good fit. It sounds like you have a back-up plan, which is definitely wise of you, but if you know in your heart that this is the path you want to pursue, don't let some rejections get you down on yourself. You can dust yourself off and apply again. I applied to I think 15? programs and got rejected by like 10 or 11 of them. That's par for the course.

The last thing I'll say is that graduate schools are exploitative, ableist environments that cause immense trauma to nearly every neurodivergent person who goes through them, so make sure you know what you are in for and have a really robust support system in place should you choose to pursue it.

It also *rarely* leads to any career prospects. To put it in perspective, blogging on tumblr helped my career more than 5 years of graduate study did. The blog The Professor is In by Karen Kelskey is a must read if you want a gut check for all the labor exploitation and poor preparation for the job market that happens in academia. you know your life, your values, and what excites and motivates you best, but graduate school is never an experience i proactively recommend to people.

ultimately i got very, very, very lucky as far as PhD's go, and even with that being the case in the end, graduate school still ruined my life and physical health.

[nocandnc]

i dont know if you've answered a question like this already, but what would your different kaiju no 8 ships react to learning they are going to be parents?

This hasn't come up before, so thanks for the interesting Ask! How would my Kn8 ships react to being parents, huh... let's see... I'll cover OkoHoshi, KafMina, AkarIharu... KikoReno is growing on me, and heck, let's throw in NaruRin too!!

Okonogi x Hoshina

I feel like neither of them would fully plan to have kids, but it'd probably happen eventually. Maybe there's some prompting from Hoshina's family regarding legacy and such that gets the gears turning, but in the end I think it's something like... an accident they didn't try very hard to avoid ^^;;;

I think Hoshina would be really happy at first - thrilled even, to have a kid or two he could pour love into and support in a way his family never did. But once reality sinks in he panics because what if he dies and leaves them all alone? What if he's more like his dad then he knows and gives them crippling self-worth issues?? He's both overjoyed and terrified.

Okonogi would be a little more ambivalent overall. Becoming a parent had never been on her bingo card... but neither was her relationship with Soshiro and that happened somehow, so she might as well keep rolling with it. The more she thinks on it, the more she likes the idea of having a little one around - even if they'll outgrow her sooner rather than later. Hoshina's glad that she's so calm about it all because he sure isn't.

No. 10 expresses interest in teaming up with the combined sum of their genes once Hoshina bites it. Okonogi explains over and over that there's no guarantee they'll be interested in kaiju slaying at all, but the sentient weapon remains optimistic.

Kafka x Mina

They strike me as wanting to start a family together, but whether they can actually make one or not is another matter. While Kafka is firmly a kaiju through-and-through, it seems like his human form is a near perfect mimic right down to the DNA (which is why he was never flagged by standard blood/urine tests) so it MIGHT be possible... but I rather like to headcanon Kafka as sterile.

So, I think they'd adopt instead!! Maybe it's a fully planned process, both so excited to expand their household - or maybe it's a spur of the moment decision after rescuing some orphaned kids during a kaiju attack and saying hey, why not come live with us? Either way, I think they'd feel really good about it. They're both nervous about how Kafka's kaiju form might go over, but by this point No. 8 would have gained a reputation as the friendly neighborhood Kaiju who's beloved by all... or so they hope.

Akari x Iharu

Out of everyone, this is the couple that really, really, really wants to have kids. Like trying at every opportunity, visiting the doctor for tips and tricks to improve their odds, the works. Iharu is stoked to be an awesome dad and Akari, with her sweet and caring nature, really can't wait to be a mom. They talk about it a lot while dating and are in full agreement on starting two or three years after marriage - maybe once Iharu receives a promotion or two and Akari finds confidence in more of a field medic role to suit her strengths. Iharu cries the first time Akari announces she's pregnant, and the second, and the third...

Kikoru x Reno

While the notion of having a family is something that appeals to them in the back of their minds, they're both a little hesitant on really going for it. Reno would be a very responsible dad of course, if a bit high-strung. Kikoru isn't interested in kids initially, but as she grows older she thinks more and more on how her mom was awesome, and wouldn't it be something if she could be an awesome mom to a kid of her own - only this time no one dies, and she can raise them up with love alongside Reno...

But! But... Kikoru is such a powerful asset in battle that she worries about the ripple effect it could have. What if the baby got hurt inside her? Would wearing No. 4 have ill effects? Who would cover for her time off during emergencies once she's too far along? What about the potential toll on her body...?

With these concerns in mind, I actually think having a surrogate carry the baby for her would be a pretty viable option. Hakua might volunteer, but I think Akari would ultimately do the honors after breezing through a child or two of her own. And Iharu would be completely on board with how tight he and Reno are. Reno wouldn't quite know how to feel at first, but after much discussion the plan goes forward.

Whether it's a boy or a girl, I think they'd name the child Hikaru~

Narumi x Rin

How do I put this... I think they'd be racing each other to the grocery store pharmacy for some Plan B >.> Narumi gets a vasectomy after their first broken condom scare.

They're both so focused and proud of their careers in the JAKDF, I can't see either of them wanting kids at all. Narumi is good with kids of course, but he strikes me as more of a big brother or uncle type... never a dad. He is likened to Isao who did become a father... but lsao wasn't exactly winning any Dad of the Year awards, so it's hard to say. Rin also feels so much like a cool aunt to me - I'd really like her to stick to her guns even when everyone around her is having kids. Maybe things would change over time, but for now I think they're not interested in the slightest. It's also just nice to have a couple that's happy being child-free, choosing to focus on work and each other instead! Everyone deserves to be happy as they see fit ^^

All that said, I do think they'd donate generously to various orphanages and relief funds for families affected by kaiju attacks given Narumi's background. They want to help, they just don't want to be parents.

Aaah, that was a lot!! I hope folks enjoy my little thoughts, but also, feel free to enjoy your own ideas if mine don't fit your viewpoint!! I'm just rambling as I like ^^;;;