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whatiscalligraphy · 2 months ago

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Calligraphy Pen Pressure Control: The Key to Beautiful Script

Calligraphy Pen Pressure Control: Unlock the Secret to Stunning Script

Maintaining control over your brush pen is crucial when first learning brush calligraphy. The brush pen is a great tool for beginners because it is simpler to use than the pointed pen. Unlike the pointed pen, which requires a specific grip and angle, the brush pen can be held in many different ways while still allowing you to achieve calligraphy. The key to writing with the brush pen is to focus on the angle of the pen to the page, allowing you to apply different amounts of pressure to create thin and thick strokes. Key Takeaways: - Control over pen pressure is essential in creating beautiful calligraphy. - The brush pen allows for different holding positions, while still achieving calligraphy. - Focus on the angle of the pen to the page to control pressure and stroke thickness. - Experiment with different grips to find the most comfortable and effective technique. - Practice regularly to improve pen pressure control and create consistent script.

Different Ways to Grip the Brush Pen

When it comes to brush calligraphy, finding the right grip for your brush pen is essential. There are different ways you can hold the brush pen, allowing you to achieve beautiful lettering. The traditional way to grip the pen is similar to how you would hold a pencil. This grip provides stability and control, allowing you to create consistent strokes. However, it's important to keep in mind that comfort is key, so don't be afraid to try non-traditional grips that feel more natural to you. The angle of the pen to the page is crucial for achieving the desired thin and thick strokes. As you hold the brush pen, make sure it is at an angle that allows the bristles to come into contact with the paper. This angle will enable you to apply varying amounts of pressure, resulting in different line thicknesses. Experiment with different pen grips and angles until you find one that works best for you, allowing you to create the desired effect in your calligraphy. Remember, gripping the brush pen is a personal choice, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. As you practice and gain more experience, you may find that your grip naturally evolves to suit your style. The key is to find a grip that feels comfortable, allows for control, and enables you to achieve the desired brush calligraphy effect.

Positioning Your Hands and Arms for Writing

Proper hand and arm positioning in calligraphy is essential for maintaining control and achieving consistent pen pressure. When preparing to write, make sure you are seated with your body facing forward. This position helps promote good posture and allows for easier movement across the page. Additionally, finding the right angle for your page is crucial for comfortable and effective writing. Experiment with different angles to find the one that works best for you. As you begin writing, remember that your pen should remain in the same angle, while your hands and arms move across the page. Avoid relying solely on wrist movement, as this can limit your control and lead to inconsistent strokes. Instead, aim for controlled, intentional movement from your entire arm. This technique allows you to apply the right amount of pressure and create beautiful, flowing letterforms. To develop good habits and maintain proper hand and arm positioning, it's important to practice regularly. Start by focusing on individual strokes and gradually progress to full words and sentences. By practicing consistently, you'll build muscle memory and improve your overall technique. Remember to take breaks to avoid strain and fatigue, and always listen to your body to prevent any discomfort or injury. Proper hand and arm positioning in calligraphy is essential for maintaining control and achieving consistent pen pressure. Benefits of Proper Hand and Arm Positioning - Improved control over the brush pen or pointed pen - Consistent and even pressure throughout your writing - Enhanced fluidity and flow in your letterforms - Reduced strain and fatigue on your hand and wrist Remember, practice makes perfect! The more you practice proper hand and arm positioning in calligraphy, the more comfortable and confident you'll become in your writing. So, take the time to establish good habits and enjoy the journey of mastering this beautiful art form. Hand and Arm Positioning Tips Common Mistakes to Avoid Keep your body facing forward, with your feet flat on the ground Avoid slouching or hunching over your work Find the angle of the page that works best for you Don't hold the pen too tightly or grip it too high Maintain a relaxed grip on the pen Avoid excessive pressure or tension in your hand and arm Focus on using your entire arm for movement Don't rely solely on wrist movement

Choosing the Right Penholder

When it comes to calligraphy, choosing the right penholder is crucial for achieving the desired results. There are two main types of penholders commonly used in pointed pen calligraphy: straight and oblique. Each type has its own advantages and considerations, so it's important to understand the differences before making a decision. The straight penholder is a popular choice for left-handed individuals, as it allows for a more natural grip and movement. It provides a straight alignment with the arm, making it easier to control the pen and apply consistent pressure. The straight penholder is also versatile and can be used for various writing styles. On the other hand, the oblique penholder is often recommended for right-handed beginners. It features a slanted flange that helps maintain the correct angle for achieving the desired line thickness. The oblique penholder allows for greater control over the pointed nib and is particularly useful for copperplate and Spencerian scripts. Table: Comparison of Straight and Oblique Penholders Penholder Type Advantages Considerations Straight Penholder Natural grip for left-handed individuals Versatile for various writing styles May require more wrist movement Less suited for certain scripts Oblique Penholder Maintains correct angle for right-handed writers Greater control over pointed nib Less suitable for left-handed individuals More specialized for specific scripts When choosing a penholder, consider your comfort and the style you want to achieve. Remember that you don't need to invest a lot of money in a penholder as a beginner, but as you progress and become more dedicated to calligraphy, you may want to invest in a higher quality penholder that suits your needs. Ultimately, the right penholder for you is the one that allows you to write with control and precision, helping you create beautiful calligraphy.

Cleaning and Prepping Your Pointed Pen Nib

Keeping your pointed pen nib clean and properly prepped is essential for achieving optimal calligraphy results. By maintaining a clean nib, you can prevent dried ink from affecting your writing and ensure that the ink adheres to the surface properly. Here are some tips on how to clean and prep your pointed pen nib: - Cleaning: Before using a new nib, it's important to remove the protective coating. You can do this by applying a cleaning agent such as water, dish soap, toothpaste, or a specialized pen cleaner. Gently scrub the nib with a soft cloth or toothbrush, making sure to remove any residue or coatings that may impede ink flow. - Prepping: Once your nib is clean, it's time to prepare it for writing. Dipping the nib in ink can be more effective when the nib is slightly roughened. You can achieve this by lightly scratching the surface of the nib with fine-grit sandpaper or running it over a flame for a few seconds. This helps the ink adhere better, resulting in smoother and more consistent writing. Cleaning and prepping your pointed pen nib should become a regular part of your calligraphy routine. By doing so, you'll ensure that your nib is in optimal condition for creating beautiful and precise letterforms. Table: Cleaning and Prepping Your Pointed Pen Nib Step Description 1 Remove the protective coating by cleaning the nib with water, dish soap, toothpaste, or specialized pen cleaner. 2 Lightly scratch the nib's surface with fine-grit sandpaper or run it over a flame for a few seconds to roughen it.

Lettering Tools for Pointed Pen Calligraphy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6dvHMztUII When it comes to pointed pen calligraphy, having the right lettering tools is essential for achieving beautiful, precise script. The main tool you'll need is a metal nib, which is designed to come to a sharp point and allow for variations in line thickness. While there are many different brands and types of nibs available, some popular options include Hunt 101 and Nikko G. Each type of nib has its own unique characteristics, such as flexibility and ink flow. Experimenting with different nibs can help you find the one that works best for your individual style and desired look. It's also beneficial to join online communities or attend workshops where you can learn from other calligraphers and discover new recommendations. In addition to the metal nib, you'll also need other tools such as an oblique or straight penholder, ink, and paper. The penholder is used to hold the nib and helps maintain the correct angle for achieving the desired line thickness. Oblique penholders are recommended for right-handed individuals, while straight penholders are often preferred by left-handed artists. When it comes to ink, there are various options available, including both bottled ink and ink cartridges. It's important to choose a high-quality ink that flows smoothly and dries quickly to prevent smudging. As for paper, using a smooth and thick paper specifically designed for calligraphy will yield the best results. Recommended Nibs for Calligraphy Nib Brand Flexibility Ink Flow Popular Usage Hunt 101 Flexible Generous Script and flourishing Nikko G Semi-flexible Consistent General use Zebra G Rigid Quick Detailed work Table: A comparison of recommended nibs for calligraphy

Guidelines for Calligraphy Practice

To develop your calligraphy skills and maintain consistency in your script, it is essential to follow some guidelines during your practice sessions. These guidelines will help you improve your technique, build a strong foundation, and achieve the desired results in your calligraphy. Calligraphy Guide Sheets Using calligraphy guide sheets is highly recommended for beginners and seasoned calligraphers alike. These sheets provide reference lines that assist in creating uniform letterforms and maintaining consistency in slant and baseline. You can easily find printable guide sheets online or invest in a calligraphy practice pad that offers guidelines. With guide sheets, you can practice your strokes, letterforms, and words with precision and accuracy. Start by placing your guide sheet under your paper or notebook, aligning the guidelines with your desired baseline and slant. This will help you achieve uniformity and legibility in your calligraphy. Maintaining Consistency in Calligraphy In addition to using guide sheets, there are other practices you can adopt to maintain consistency in your calligraphy. Here are a few tips: - Focus on maintaining a consistent grip and angle while holding your pen or brush. - Pay attention to your hand positioning and arm movement to ensure smooth and controlled strokes. - Practice deliberate, intentional movement rather than relying solely on wrist movement. By incorporating these practices into your calligraphy routine, you will gradually develop muscle memory and improve your consistency over time. Experiment and Incorporate Your Style While following guidelines and maintaining consistency are important, don't be afraid to experiment and incorporate your own unique style into your calligraphy. Calligraphy is an art form that allows for personal expression, and finding your own voice is part of the creative journey. Try different lettering styles, explore various scripts, and challenge yourself with more complex letterforms. Seek inspiration from other calligraphers, attend workshops, and join online communities to broaden your horizons. Continuously practicing and pushing yourself will help you elevate your calligraphy skills and create truly remarkable pieces. Remember, calligraphy is a skill that takes time and dedication to master. By following these guidelines, using guide sheets, maintaining consistency, and embracing your own style, you will see significant progress in your calligraphy journey. Enjoy the process, stay inspired, and keep creating beautiful script!

Elevating Your Calligraphy Skills

Now that you have mastered the basics of calligraphy pen pressure control, it's time to take your skills to the next level. By advancing in calligraphy and improving your technique, you can create stunning and unique lettering styles that truly showcase your creativity. With dedication and practice, you can elevate your calligraphy skills to new heights. One way to advance in calligraphy is to experiment with different lettering styles. Explore various scripts such as Copperplate, Gothic, or Italic, and learn the specific techniques and characteristics of each style. By challenging yourself to learn new scripts, you can broaden your skill set and add versatility to your calligraphy repertoire. In addition to exploring different styles, continue to practice regularly and seek inspiration from other calligraphers. Joining online communities or attending workshops can expose you to new techniques and provide valuable feedback on your work. Engaging with fellow calligraphers can spark creativity and motivate you to push the boundaries of your own skills. Quotes: "Calligraphy is the art of creating beauty with pen and ink. As you advance in calligraphy, remember to always stay curious and explore new possibilities. Embrace the journey of continuous improvement and enjoy the process of discovering your own unique style." - Anonymous Remember, advancing in calligraphy requires patience and persistence. Rome wasn't built in a day, and neither will your calligraphy skills reach perfection overnight. Stay determined, embrace mistakes as learning opportunities, and keep honing your technique. With time and dedication, you will see your calligraphy skills flourish and your artistry evolve. Ways to Elevate Your Calligraphy Skills Benefits Explore different lettering styles Enhances versatility and creativity Engage with fellow calligraphers Gains inspiration and valuable feedback Attend workshops or join online communities Expands knowledge and exposes to new techniques Continuously practice and refine your skills Builds muscle memory and improves consistency As you embark on your calligraphy journey, remember to have fun and enjoy the process. Celebrate your progress, no matter how small, and appreciate the beauty that calligraphy brings to your life. By taking your calligraphy to the next level, you can create stunning pieces of art that are truly expressions of your unique style and passion.

Conclusion

Mastering pen pressure control is crucial for achieving beautiful and consistent calligraphy script. Whether you're using a brush pen or a pointed pen, understanding the techniques for perfecting pen pressure is key. By experimenting with different grips, focusing on angle and hand positioning, and practicing regularly, you can improve your control and create the desired thin and thick strokes that define calligraphy. Consistent pen pressure in calligraphy is achieved by applying varying amounts of pressure while writing. This technique allows for the creation of elegant and expressive letterforms. The importance of pen pressure control lies in the ability to create contrast and dynamic movement within your script. As you continue your calligraphy journey, remember that mastering pen pressure control takes time and dedication. Practice regularly and push yourself to refine your technique. Explore different styles and scripts, seek inspiration from other calligraphers, and challenge yourself with more complex letterforms. Through continuous practice and exploration, you can elevate your calligraphy skills and create stunning works of art.

FAQ

Why is maintaining control over the brush pen important in brush calligraphy? Maintaining control over your brush pen is crucial when first learning brush calligraphy to achieve desired thin and thick strokes. Why is the brush pen a great tool for beginners? The brush pen is simpler to use than the pointed pen, allowing beginners to easily achieve calligraphy. Can the brush pen be held in different ways? Yes, the brush pen can be held in many different ways as long as the appropriate angle is maintained. How should I position my hands and arms for writing calligraphy? It is essential to sit with your body facing forward, find the best angle for the page, and aim for controlled movement with your hands and arms. What type of penholder is recommended for right-handed beginners? An oblique penholder is recommended for right-handed beginners to help maintain the correct angle for desired line thickness. How can I clean and prep my pointed pen nib? You can clean your nib using water, dish soap, toothpaste, or specialized pen cleaners before removing the protective coating and applying ink. What are some popular brands of metal nibs for pointed pen calligraphy? Some popular brands include Hunt 101 and Nikko G, but there are many other options to explore based on your style and desired look. How can I improve my calligraphy skills? Following guidelines, practicing regularly, and exploring different styles and techniques can help you improve your calligraphy skills. How can I take my calligraphy to the next level? Continuously practicing, seeking inspiration from other calligraphers, and challenging yourself with more complex letterforms can help you enhance your script's beauty. Why is pen pressure control important in calligraphy? Mastering pen pressure control is essential for creating beautiful and consistent calligraphy script, allowing for variations in line thickness.

Source Links

- https://www.loveleighloops.com/blog/intro-to-pointed-pen-calligraphy - https://piecescalligraphy.com/2015/06/28/how-to-hold-the-brush-pen/ - https://www.scribblinggrace.com/faux-calligraphy/ Read the full article

#beautifulscript #calligraphypen #calligraphytips #pentechniques #pressurecontrol

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lumbar-puncture-to-the-skull · 3 months ago

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WELP... I'm back from vacation. Back in my home, with my PC, and my drawing tablet... Oh no.

It seems my fear has been realised. I've gotten so used to drawing with a mouse that, now that I'm back, I've completely forgotten how to draw with a pad. The little muscle memory I had developed, out the window.

So, here's a little thing I did. Only attempt 5 of drawing anything remotely tangible with my drawing pad. Honestly... what if I just didn't switch back? Like, my style is pretty cartoony anyway, it's not like I need the pen for thousands of little brush strokes. Maybe, just maybe... I could make the mouse work.

Or not. Who knows? For now, I'm just gonna try to get my pen-holding muscle memory back. Wish me luck, I'm gonna need it.

#artchallenge #artchallenges #art challenge #art challenges #lumbar puncture to the skull #end my suffering

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env0 · 2 years ago

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I love this post and I want to touch on your points and I wish I had more information like a longer post on tumblr I had read, but I’ll see if I can find some of the sources.

Although firstly, I have never in my 30 years seen the argument that cursive is slower than other handwriting scripts. There are some cursive partial scripts, like how I write, but if I were to write each letter disjointed from another it would be slower. A goal of cursive was to not have to lift the writing utensil from the page, resulting in faster penmanship. In comparison to typing and keyboarding, yes it is often slower and less precise and registering a different motor muscle and fine motor controls.

To the next point, the ability to process and read cursive. I have seen an article discussing students changing their studies in college due to inability of reading cursive. But we are seeing accounts of students who are asking their parents to decifer teacher-written cursive and how technology as well as slapdash efforts of memory have replaced cursive education. This is seen in Gen-Z, and however is not the fault of Gen-Z due to not being in charge of their own education. (source) . I have seen due to lack of practice, my own handwriting has declined. The muscles, growing unused, are not as effective as they once wore at the fine motor cursive.

This is very much so true, and I want to draw attention to the history of Kawaii and how cultures developed from handwriting. maru-ji, koneko-ji, and burikko-ji, which means round writing, kitten writing, and faux-childish writing respectively, were some of the handwriting styles that were developed off of protests of young girls in Japan (source) So I wholeheartedly agree that there is a cultural and artistic loss when we move away form these mundane joys that we celebrate into something more than the mundane.

Minor related tangent, in my freshman year of high school we had an assignment in my English Language Arts class that required us to learn a new skill and document it. The skill was not important, but the documentation was. For a classmate, he chose to learn calligraphy, and for the remainder of his high school experience carried three calligraphy pens with him at all times. His penmanship and cursive was beautiful and he developed a joy of just the act of writing. Self expression through a creation of art is such a joyful thing. Note how much everyone on Tumblr adores the Shitpostcalligrapher. The gorgeous additions to posts are astonishingly impressive work.

It is very true that holding to these flourishes is important to stave of the simple manners of pragmatism for the imitation of the art we see in nature around, below, and above us.

I try to still carry a small notepad and either pencil or pen with me as it fits easily in a pocket, and allows for ease of writing, a habit I started when I found that I wrote poetry differently on paper than I do on electronics. As well as when I started texting myself shopping lists or reminder messages instead of simply noting them down physically. Learning styles are often misattributed, but the more ways we use our brain, the better retention is had. If you speak aloud your grocery list, while writing it down, and then later read it. You are using three different strategies and are more likely to retain that memory as time spent on it and different parts of our brain and body are used. We are engraving that within us. There has seen less memory effectiveness of typing vs writing (source albeit small sample sized)

On one hand I understand not teaching cursive in school anymore, because it actually is slower than regular handwriting and almost everything is typed on a keyboard now anyways.

On the other hand, so much of our (even recent!) history was written in cursive, and having a whole generation of kids who can't read letters written by their grandparents, momentos saved by their great-grandparents, or even photo albums from theur immediate family seems like a dangerously quick way to detach us from previous generations.

And on the third, related but slightly malformed hand, I feel bad that yet another form of small, everyday art that brings joy in the middle of mundane tasks, which celebrates personality and individual style and self-expression, is about to fade into obscurity because it wasn't efficient enough for today's world to put up with.

Like... if we continue to whittle away the small arts out of every day life, what's going to be left except stark, ruthless pragmatism?

Maybe writing a grocery list is less mundane when you get to feel elegant for a moment. Maybe you're a little more proud of what you write when you see it flow together like a painting

#writing #cursive #handwriting #education #learning #kawaii

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poojalate · 5 months ago

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The Ultimate Guide to Ball Pens for Fast Writers and Students: Mastering Speed, Comfort, and Performance with LINC Limited

The Need for Speed and Clarity

In today's fast-paced world, students and professionals often need to write quickly and efficiently. Keeping up with a lecture, jotting down ideas during a brainstorm, or completing an exam under pressure, having the right ball pen can make a significant difference. The ideal pen should not only keep pace with your writing speed but also provide a comfortable grip, smooth ink flow, and clear, crisp lines for better reading and understanding. This guide explores essential factors to consider when choosing a ball pen for fast writing and provides valuable recommendations from LINC Limited, a leading manufacturer of high-quality ball pens in India.

Demystifying Ball Pens: Ink, Tips, and Technology

Ball pens are ubiquitous writing instruments, but not all are created equal. Understanding the key components that influence writing experience is crucial for selecting the best pen for your needs.

Ink Type: Oil-based ink is the most common type used in ball pens. It offers smooth writing and dries quickly, minimizing smudging. However, it can feel slightly thicker compared to:

Gel ink: Favored for its smooth, vibrant writing and comfortable flow. Gel pens are excellent for fast writing, but their ink can take longer to dry, increasing the risk of smudging.

Hybrid ink: Combines characteristics of oil-based and gel ink, offering a balance between smoothness and drying time.

Tip Size: The tip size of a ball pen plays a major role in writing speed and line thickness. Fine-tipped pens (0.5mm - 0.7mm) are ideal for detailed writing, but they can feel scratchy at high speeds. Medium-tipped pens (0.7mm - 1.0mm) offer a good balance between speed and detail, while broad-tipped pens (1.0mm+) are faster to write with but produce thicker lines that may be less legible.

Grip Design: A comfortable grip is essential for maintaining speed and preventing hand fatigue during extended writing sessions. Consider grips made of soft rubber or textured materials that provide a secure and comfortable hold. LINC Limited offers a variety of pens with ergonomic grip designs specifically catering to fast writers and students.

Unveiling the Champions: Top LINC Ball Pens for Fast Writing and Students

LINC Limited boasts a diverse collection of ball pens catering to various needs. Here are some top contenders ideal for fast writers and students:

LINC Pentonic: This popular pen features smooth-flowing, hybrid ink that keeps pace with your writing speed. Its ergonomic rubber grip provides exceptional comfort during long writing sessions, and the sleek design ensures it remains a reliable companion for students and professionals alike. The LINC Pentonic comes in various ink colors and tip sizes, allowing you to customize your writing experience.

LINC Glycer: This classic ball pen utilizes oil-based ink for clean, consistent writing. Its smooth tip glides effortlessly across paper, enhancing writing speed. The LINC Glycer features a comfortable grip and a professional aesthetic, making it ideal for both classroom and office use.

LINC Signetta: This retractable pen incorporates a comfortable elastomeric rubber grip and a steady-flow ink technology for a smooth and consistent writing experience. Its 0.7mm tip provides a good balance between speed and detail, perfect for quick note-taking and exam writing. Available in a variety of vibrant colors, the LINC Signetta adds a touch of personality to your writing.

Beyond the Pen: Tips for Enhanced Speed and Clarity

Choosing the right pen is just one piece of the puzzle. Here are some additional tips to improve your writing speed and clarity:

Develop Good Posture: Maintaining proper posture helps prevent fatigue and allows for smoother arm and hand movements for faster writing.

Practice Handwriting Drills: Regular practice can help improve muscle memory and writing speed. Focus on forming consistent and well-spaced letters.

Learn Shorthand Techniques: Techniques like abbreviating commonly used words can significantly enhance writing speed.

Organize Your Thoughts: Having a clear understanding of the content you want to write allows you to focus on writing it down quickly without getting bogged down by mental revisions.

Conclusion: Partnering with LINC Limited for Success

LINC Limited recognizes the specific needs of fast writers and students. By offering a diverse range of high-quality ball pens with different ink types, tip sizes, and grip designs, LINC empowers you to choose the perfect tool for optimal performance. Remember, the best pen is the one that complements your writing style and helps you achieve your goals. Explore the LINC Limited collection today and discover the pen that will propel you towards writing success!

#ball pens #ball point pens #best ballpoint pen

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howget · 10 months ago

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How to Increase Writing Speed for Exams Offline or Online

Are you tired of watching the clock tick away as you struggle to jot down your thoughts during exams? Whether you're facing the traditional pen-and-paper or the digital realm of computer-based exams, mastering the art of How to Increase Writing Speed for Exams. Here are some methods and tricks to help you boost your writing speed and leave procrastination in the dust.

How to increase writing speed for Exams (Paper):

How to increase writing speed for exams 1. Practice Makes Perfect: Grab an old notebook and start practicing your handwriting regularly. Consistent practice can help you develop a smoother and quicker writing style. 2. Shortcut to Success: Identify common words or phrases you often use and create your own set of abbreviations. This way, you can save precious seconds by jotting down shorter versions of frequently used words. 3. Time Yourself: Set a timer during your practice sessions to mimic exam conditions. Gradually decrease the time allowed, pushing yourself to write faster without sacrificing legibility. 4. Mind Your Posture: Believe it or not, your posture affects your writing speed. Sit comfortably with a straight back and relaxed shoulders to maintain a steady flow of writing. 5. Chunking Technique: Instead of writing word by word, try grouping words or ideas. This chunking technique can help you maintain a rhythm and cover more ground with each stroke. How to Increase Writing Speed With Good Handwriting

How to Increase Writing Speed With Good Handwriting-eng teach 1. Choose the Right Pen: - Opt for a pen that feels comfortable in your hand and glides smoothly on paper. - Experiment with different pen types (ballpoint, gel, or rollerball) to find the one that suits you best. 2. Maintain a Proper Grip: - Hold your pen in a way that feels relaxed yet controlled. - Avoid gripping too tightly, as it can lead to hand fatigue and decreased writing speed. 3. Practice Regularly: - Just like any skill, writing speed improves with consistent practice. - Set aside dedicated time each day to engage in handwriting exercises or simply write about your day. 4. Use Shortcuts for Common Words: - Develop a list of shorthand or abbreviations for frequently used words. - This can significantly reduce the time spent writing without compromising legibility. 5. Focus on Letter Connections: - Work on connecting letters seamlessly to create a continuous flow. - This not only enhances speed but also contributes to the overall aesthetic of your handwriting. 6. Embrace Your Natural Handwriting Style: - Strive for a balance between speed and maintaining your unique handwriting style. - It's okay to have quirks in your writing as long as they don't hinder your speed. 7. Leverage Muscle Memory: - Train your hand muscles to remember common letter formations. - Muscle memory can significantly boost writing speed as your hand becomes more accustomed to specific patterns. 8. Time Challenge: - Challenge yourself with timed writing sessions to track your progress. - Gradually increase the duration as your writing speed improves.

How to Increase Writing Speed for Exams for Computer Exams:

1. Master the Keyboard: If you're faced with a computer-based exam, familiarize yourself with the keyboard layout. Knowing where each key is located can significantly improve your typing speed. 2. Learn Shortcuts: Keyboard shortcuts are your best friends. Practice using common shortcuts for actions like copying, pasting, and formatting to navigate through your digital document swiftly. 3. Touch Typing Training: Enroll in touch typing courses or use online tools to enhance your typing skills. Being able to type without looking at the keyboard allows you to focus on your content and boosts overall efficiency. 4. Customize Your Workspace: Adjust the font size, line spacing, and screen brightness to create an optimal writing environment. A comfortable workspace minimizes distractions and helps you maintain a consistent writing pace. 5. Practice Digital Mock Exams: Familiarize yourself with the digital exam platform by practicing mock exams. This not only helps you get used to the interface but also improves your confidence and speed.

Common Tricks for Both Paper and Computer Exams:

1. Prioritize Your Thoughts: Quickly jot down key points or an outline before diving into detailed explanations. This roadmap can help you stay on track and avoid wasting time on irrelevant information. 2. Stay Calm and Collected: Nervousness can lead to hasty writing, resulting in a messy and hard-to-read answer sheet. Take a deep breath, read the questions carefully, and approach them with a calm and composed mindset. 3. Review and Edit Wisely: Allocate a few minutes at the end of the exam to review and edit your work. Use this time to correct any spelling or grammatical errors and ensure your answers are coherent and well-structured. Conclusion In the world of exams, time is of the essence. By implementing these practical methods How to Increase Writing Speed for Exams and tricks, you can increase your writing speed and tackle any exam with confidence. So, whether you're wielding a trusty pen or navigating the digital landscape, embrace the power of efficient writing – your ticket to acing those exams with ease! Read the full article

#Exams #howto #WritingSpeedforExams

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cainkaye · 1 year ago

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I consider myself fortunate to have been raised in an affluent family yet humble. My mother hails from a farming background, and I take great pride in being the granddaughter of my grandparents. As a child, I used to wake up at 5 a.m. to deliver their breakfast, giving me the opportunity to interact with other farmers and even try my hand at farming. I must say, it was quite challenging to grow rice (palay) successfully. I was only 8 years old at the time, and although my father, being a city boy lol, would get upset when he found out about our dirty clothes, my mother wasn't strict about it. I genuinely enjoyed the simplicity and modesty of that lifestyle. I even ventured into selling barbecue, pancit, and halo-halo.

I never resented my mother for allowing us to experience the hardships of life. During my college years, she would provide us with only 20.00. Just imagine, 20.00. That's why I developed well-toned leg muscles from climbing the stairs at SLU every day. 😎 During vacations, I worked at my aunt's business to earn money. One of my fondest memories was when I’ve got a line of 7 grade for Draw100 because my parents refused to buy me a new set of technical pens.

We also faced financial difficulties in our family. My father had to return to Ph, and due to his age and medical condition, it was challenging for him to find employment. I was known as the most laid-back among the Marpuri siblings, the girl who participated in beauty pageants and ballroom dancing, not particularly focused on academics. I already know I am intelligent and I do not need to prove anything. Lol 😌 My two older siblings were already in college, so someone had to put their education on hold. My older brother was in his fourth year at that time, and my sister was a student at UP, so her tuition was never a concern. The idea of coming to a halt filled me with fear, but I had no other option.

Fortunately, my tito and mother came up with Plan B. My mother needed to assist my grandmother in Japan with her business. Unfortunately, my father passed away in La Union due to a heart attack. We hadn't seen him for two months. Although my mother wanted to return to the Philippines, we had to use the money for my father's funeral expenses instead of purchasing her a plane ticket.

Life was a blend of hardships and beauty. My mom embodies the essence of womanhood and serves as my ultimate inspiration in life. She never asked us for anything. So we are doing anything for Tanya now, my dad’s beloved daughter, we are committed to fulfilling any wishes or desires that our dad had for her.

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carpe-aurore · 3 years ago

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There are 8 weeks left in 2021 alone. What are you most proud of and least proud of this year, could be drawings, work, etc. Your work is awesome!

Hi, anon! First, thanks for the compliment! Second, I'm still refusing to believe that 2021 is almost over, I'm still processing 2020. In terms of what I'm proud of this year I'd say I'd be my progress in my art, for example going from the first calligraphy card I made, which was techno's :

To my most recent being FoolishG:

And Ponk's card, which I had a lot of fun making:

I started out not even knowing how to hold a calligraphy pen properly, and I had a horrible time at first but for anyone wanting to learn this type of artwork, the saying IS true. Practice makes perfect. You'll waste paper and ink and constantly have stained hands and achy fingers from holding the pen, but you'll get better eventually. TRUST ME. Calligraphy is not an easy art form to learn, but it's one that gives so much satisfaction once you get the hang of it. Just grab your pen or quill and go nuts, have fun with it. Let your hands develop that muscle memory and create whatever mess your mind comes up with on your paper and I promise, you'll have a grand time. Happy Halloween, anon, and everyone else who sees this :)

#dream smp #mcyt fanart #technoblade #foolish g #ponk #mcyt ponk #mcytblr #calligraphy #lettering #art #Mcyt

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otonymous · 4 years ago

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It’s The End Of The World (MLQC Headcanon)

Dear Nonny...

I say that now, Nonny, but the truth is that the ONLY thing I love more than smut is angst! Mwahahaha! 🤣🤣 That being said, let’s take a one-way trip to Angst Town! Everybody got their seatbelts on?! LET’S GO!!! (Please note warnings below before reading 💕💕💕)

Warnings: angst, explicit language, trigger warnings (mentions of speeding, near-death experiences and flashbacks, nausea & vomiting, insomnia, slight mention of possessive behaviour, workaholism, loss of appetite and weight loss, anger and violent behaviour (not towards other people though!)) and SPOILERS (basically up to chapter 24 in the EN server; includes dates and Rumours & Secrets for the boys)

Gavin:

DEVASTATED. This man is absolutely devastated.

Gavin has known you since high school and loved you since then

You were his dream girl — the one he thought had got away until his duties brought you back into his life. He had vowed to protect you till the very end, had absolutely no qualms about giving his life for yours. He made a solemn promise to himself that he would never lose you a second time

Until that fateful day when you invited him out for lunch at Lynn’s Kitchen on the grounds of your old high school

You order his favourites, spicy noodles and lemon tea; wait until his stomach is full before you open your mouth to gently broach the topic

“Gavin…I…”

A single glance at your face tells Gavin that something is terribly off. He’s immediately setting his chopsticks down, asking, “What’s wrong? You know you can talk to me about anything. Whatever it is, I’ll help you—”

“Shaw. We…we’ve decided to be together. I know you’re not on good terms, and he did insist on coming today, but I thought it would be best if I told you myself…”

He cannot hear

He cannot move

And it isn’t until the burning sensation in his lungs catches up with him that he realizes he hadn’t even been breathing

Amber eyes, listless and dull, float from your lips to the wall decorated with Post-It notes just behind you, moving from one colourful slip of paper to another

“I hate it when people leave without saying goodbye.”

Gavin still remembers the loops and dashes of your handwriting on the Post-It note you had written so long ago, the way you dotted your i’s with hearts

And all of a sudden, he is back in his high school uniform, bloodied and bruised and free falling from the roof of the four-storey building

Except this time, he cannot hear the strains of a piano, no matter how hard he tries. The gingko leaves around him flutter to the ground just before…

“Gavin?” The touch of your hand on his snaps him out of his reverie. He tries to force a smile and fails.

“I…I’m sorry. There’s somewhere…I just remembered…I have to go….” He hurriedly puts a few bills on the table — more than enough to cover the entire meal — and dashes out of the restaurant

Gavin hops on Sparky and just goes…riding for hours on end with no destination in mind. He’s taken with an intense urge to go fast, as if his body were trying to outrun the feelings he doesn’t have the means of dealing with. At one point, an overwhelming wave of nausea hits him and he stops at the side of the road, retching and retching until his stomach is as empty as his hollowed-out heart

He’s still thinking of you the entire time he’s MIA. The last text from his phone is one sent to you, telling you not to worry about him and apologizing for the way he behaved back at the restaurant. He’s asking if you’d still be okay with talking to him when he gets back, and of course, to contact him immediately if you need anything at all

He still feels you in the wind

Believe it or not, for a short period of time, Gavin actually develops a fear of flying: it reminds him too much of you, brings up too many memories of him holding you in his arms as you traverse the skies together. He’s not confident he can do it anymore, partly because he thinks his Evol might suddenly give out when he’s high up in the air

The turning point comes when Gavin visits his mother’s resting place. There, for the first time since you broke the news to him, he actually cries, and it gives him the strength to carry on

Let’s be clear: Gavin will never, ever be over you. The two of you will remain friends though because Gavin intends to watch over you for the rest of his life (that is one promise he would never break)

With time, he gets used to seeing you with Shaw, even starts to relax a bit when he realizes that his younger brother is capable of protecting you

Someday, Gavin will marry — likely someone who was set up with him either by Minor or his colleagues (Birdcop would never take the initiative to actually meet somebody). This person is absolutely smitten with the handsome officer and his gruff ways and cannot wait to start a family with him. They would also have to be thick-skinned and stubborn enough to turn Gavin’s “no” into an eventual “yes”

And while Gavin would prove to be a loyal husband and doting father who would do anything for his family, a part of him would always, always, continue to burn for you.

Lucien:

How do you expect this man to behave when he’s lost the only colour in his life?

Lucien would never, ever recover from this. He doesn’t want to. The man for whom love was never meant to happen has no need for such an emotion. He wants nothing to do with it unless it has to do with you

The professor’s world literally returns to being a drab shadow of blacks and greys — the rainbow disappeared when his little butterfly flew into the palm of another’s hand

“Do you love him?” He’ll ask you, dark eyes almost hypnotic in their intensity when he pierces you with that gaze

You’re ashamed to find that you have to think twice before replying that you do indeed love Victor

Ba-bump, ba-bump, BA-BUMP — Lucien breaks out into a cold sweat as his heart begins to race, face becoming pale as a sheet

His shaking hands are pulled into tight fists within the pockets of his lab coat. He’s running his finger over the cap of his pill bottle inside one of them, not wanting to take them in front of you because in spite of it all, the last thing he wants is for you to worry about him 😭😭😭

Lucien nods, placid smile a mask on his face when he says, “I wish the two of you nothing but the best.”

“Lucien!” You start after him when he turns to walk away. “We…we’re still friends, right?”

For what is possibly the first time in his entire life, Lucien can’t think straight. His mind is a mess, logical thoughts tangled up with sorrow, hurt, anger, and the sense that the world could end at that very moment and he wouldn’t even bat an eye.

He takes a deep breath, composing himself before he turns to face you again: “Of course. You can always come to me if you ever need anything.” It takes everything in him not to fall apart when he lays a hand on the crown of your head, savouring the heat of your body for the very last time

In the days immediately afterwards, the people around Lucien better watch out as his ability to keep cool, calm and collected is challenged: he’s giving the side-eye to his colleagues at the research institute more often then usual, and Black Swan members literally want to run the other way when they see him coming. If they thought Ares was ruthless before then they’d better watch out now…

As if it were even humanly possible, the professor sleeps even less now: if he’s not in the lab, he’s literally wiling away the hours watching old Hollywood films

Sometimes, he’ll place his hand on the handle to the door of your apartment, closing his eyes and doing his best to pretend that he can still feel your palm in his (he knows you’re not home. You so rarely are these days…)

Unbeknownst to you, Lucien spends his weekends revisiting the places you used to go together: sitting on the same bench at the aquarium where you kissed him without a second thought, wandering to the theme park you ran away to as a child just to watch the carousel spin round and round, trying his best to keep a smile on his face when the kids at the orphanage ask him where his “pretty lady friend” is

Lucien actually has a kite that he bought ages ago, intent on fulfilling his promise to one day fly it with you. It sits in his apartment still. He can’t bring himself to dispose of it.

Gives you his pen, Iridescent, as part of his wedding gift to you. “May it always bring you luck, wherever you are and…whomever you’re with.”

Regardless of where he is, Lucien will always be keeping tabs on you. If Victor ever trips up, you can bet that Lucien will be there to swoop in and take his place

The professor will never love another person for as long as he lives. That’s all there is to it.

Victor:

Throws himself into his work when you break the news to him that you’ve accepted Lucien’s proposal

“If that dummy can’t see that I’m the most suitable choice for her, then let her suffer the consequences of her foolishness.” — Victor will tell himself that, but don’t believe it for even a second

Victor has always been obsessed with working, but this is on an entirely new level, even for him: the man’s been missing meals (or taking them at his desk, at most) and doesn’t leave his office until close to midnight, most days of the week

Like a watch whose gears are irreparably damaged, the LFG CEO is broken on the inside. He has to focus on work because he knows that if he stops long enough to fully consider the consequences of having lost you, he would never climb out of the depths of his despair

Even his dad and aunt become concerned, especially when they notice that he’s lost weight: “Victor, you have employees for a reason. Delegation is not a weakness.”

His mind often drifts to you, especially when he’s driving. There are many times when he finds himself absentmindedly heading in the direction of your office after work before he catches himself (the man is so used to picking you up that it’s become like muscle memory, in a sense)

Weekends will find him holed up in his attic space, fingers tracing over the uneven surface of the cup you had accidentally dropped and shattered, the pieces of which he had spent an entire night glueing back together

He shuts down Souvenir for a while: Victor cannot bring himself to step foot in the kitchen because he can’t help but see your face, smiling in rapturous joy to indulge in the caramel pudding he made especially for you

He spends his nights lying wide awake in a bed that suddenly seems much too big, wondering if you would’ve chosen differently if he took the time to tell you all the things he always thought were obvious: that he respected your fighting spirit, admired the brazen way you never gave up on the things you believed in, loved every single thing about you, even the things he seemed to disapprove of

His biggest regret: that he never had the chance to tell you that you were the love of his life

He often fantasizes about what it would’ve been like to stop time before you informed him you were choosing Lucien, to exist forever with you in a single moment when you made him the happiest man alive just by sharing your time with him

He still checks your Moments account religiously, murmuring “Dummy” with the faintest hint of a smile on his face to see your ridiculous posts, but he can never bring himself to reply. Victor’s pride won’t let him. He would rather die than let you know that each moment spent without you makes him feel like he is suffocating

Eventually, his worried family — especially his aunt — decides that enough is enough. They force Victor to take a vacation while trying to discreetly set him up with daughters of other wealthy and prominent families

Victor is beyond annoyed at having his personal affairs meddled with like this, but is essentially strong-armed by his aunt, who turns on the waterworks and starts sobbing about wanting to see the progeny of her dearest nephew before she passes on or withers away from want of new blood in the Li family

Victor will eventually have to marry and have kids — he needs to have someone to pass LFG on to. It will be a long while before he does settle down though; at one point, it’ll seem like he’s content to be a bachelor for life, married to his work

He will show up for your wedding though, and you can bet the most generous gift will be from the LFG CEO

“Try not to be such a dummy from now on. I won’t be there to set you straight and your husband may not be as patient of a man as I am.” Those jet black eyes are wavering with emotion when he reaches out to lay a hand on your head. But he halts midway, awkwardly pulling back because he’s realized that he doesn’t have the right to touch another man’s wife so casually 😭😭😭

Kiro:

“Ahahaha! All right, all right…you’ve got me. You can stop playing around now, Miss Chips,” Kiro will say, hands held up in defeat when you tell him that you’ve accepted Gavin’s proposal

When he realizes you’re being serious, it’s like all the warmth and light has suddenly been sucked from the room

Those blue eyes go wide, the smile dropping from the superstar’s face. For what seems like an interminable amount of time, Kiro just sits there staring at you, almost catatonic

When he speaks again, you’re so surprised you almost jump out of your skin: “Gavin…he’s that cop, right? The friend you’ve known since high school?”

You nod and all of a sudden, it’s like the floodgates have been opened: Kiro’s grasping your hands in his, expression panic-stricken as his questions come a mile a minute:

“Was it something I did, Miss Chips? I swear I’ll change! I…I won’t eat junk food anymore! Won’t even look at that stuff! If you don’t like your nickname, I’ll call you by your real name, anything you want! Or maybe it’s because my schedule is always so crazy? I’ll cut back on my jobs, I don’t care about the money! If you’re tired of running from the paparazzi, I’ll quit. Just quit, stop everything — I don’t care, ok? The only thing I care about is you! Miss Chips? Please don’t cry…I’m your hero, remember? So please…please…”

A single tear rolls down his cheek — you have to look away or else your resolve would crumble

“I’m so sorry, Kiro. I…I wanted you to be the first to know. I wanted you to hear it from me…”

It’s like all the life has been drained from him; it actually frightens you to see him like that

“Kiro?" You hesitantly lay a hand on his. It’s almost cool to the touch. Kiro gives his head a little shake, seeming to come back to himself

“I’m…I’m so sorry, Miss Chips. I don’t know what came over me. I didn’t mean to get hysterical. God, what an awful way to react….” He forces a laugh, but it is wooden and so goddamn heartbreaking to hear. You almost wish he would scream obscenities at you instead

“He, Gavin…he’s a good man. He’ll be good for you. I’m happy that you’re happy, Miss Chips.”

The next day, Kiro drops off the face of the Earth: he’s MIA, no one can reach him

Everyone is panicking: his agent, Savin, and management, his legions of adoring fans all over the world, and most of all, you

That is, until he sends two text messages, one to Savin and the other to you, telling you all that he’s safe and not to worry; he’s just taking some time to work some things out for himself

In actuality, the only thing that’s happening is that Kiro is reverting back to who he originally was before you came into his life

His sun has been eclipsed by crushing sorrow and loss, the brilliance of your light and warmth forever taken from him and he is left in the cold shadow of solitary darkness

Kiro wants to be happy for you, and he hates that he can’t — this dissonance so disconcerts him that he’d rather not feel anything at all

When the superstar does eventually return to the world at large, there’s something about him that’s changed — Savin and the rest will be largely fooled by that ever-cheerful mask he puts on, but you won’t

Those blue eyes seem just a bit darker, the radiance of his being almost imperceptibly dimmed

Poor Kiro, loved the world over, would never love another person for the rest of his life. It would always be you or nothing.

Shaw:

Hurt. Angry. Confused.

Shaw is angry with himself for ever believing that you and him had a future together; he hates that he saw the signs that you would always, always, always choose Gavin in the end and still continued to lie to himself in spite of it

He hates that he let himself become vulnerable by falling in love with you (Shaw sees vulnerability as the biggest weakness one could have, that’s why he’s always kept himself emotionally guarded in his dealings with people)

But for whatever reason, when it came to you, he just couldn’t help but fall (“Guess brothers are hard-wired in the same way after all, no matter how different we think we are,” he’ll say with a bitter laugh)

A lengthy and most unusual storm will hit Loveland City; expect an extended light show with lots of thunder and lightning

The boy is trashing his place, throwing whatever he can get his hands on: cans of Coke and Pepsi, dishes, clothing and books

He breaks the deck of his skateboard when he smashes it against the wall, bringing down a good chunk of plaster along with it

You won’t be there to witness the destruction. Shaw will continue to front like nothing could ever faze him when you tell him that you’ve chosen to be with Gavin. He’ll chuckle, brows raised as he bites on the tip of his straw, saying, “Whatever. It’s your life. Do what you want with it.”

Then suddenly, he’s standing up to leave, hand half-raised in goodbye as he makes for the exit without so much as a glance back at you.

“Take my umbrella. And don’t worry about returning it.”

Those are his last words to you. Not long after, you spy the handle of the black umbrella sitting in the stand near the front of the café (the only one there, since it had been bright and sunny out). And suddenly, the clouds are rolling in to blanket Loveland City in grey, sheets of rain pouring from a sky cracked in half by a fearsome bolt of lightning

Shaw walks, letting cold rain soak him to the bones to take his mind off the ice that’s already started to freeze the blood in his heart

“Don’t cry…don’t let them f*cking see you cry…" he's saying to himself, over and over again like a mantra

Starts hanging out at the Live House more than ever, losing himself in the music and packed crowds there; he can’t stand to be alone right now.

When he’s not playing bass guitar as a last minute backup for the bands, he’s literally working on his thesis at the bar, sipping on his Coke and Pepsi blend (the staff know him so well that they’re pretty much cool with him doing anything at this point LOL)

STILL blows off every person who comes to proposition him for a good time

I’m sorry, but you know it’s pretty much gonna rain on your wedding day, right? (The poor boy can’t help it, okay? He is SAD, SAD, SAD!)

Much like his brother, Shaw will never really get over you. You were, after all, the first person he ever truly loved

Would likely remain an eternal bachelor, only engaging in meaningless sex but never opening his heart to anyone ever again. One lesson was enough for him. 😭😭😭

💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔

Thank you so much for reading! Check out more of my work here! 📚

#mlqc #mr love queen's choice #love and producer #mr love dream date #evol x love #mlqc headcanons #mlqc angst #mlqc lucien #mlqc xu mo #mlqc victor #mlqc li zeyan #mlqc gavin #mlqc bai qi #mlqc kiro #mlqc zhou qiluo #mlqc shaw #mlqc ling xiao #source: giphy

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mimzy-writing-online · 4 years ago

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I Found a Lost Scrap of Blindness History Today

While visiting my grandparents, my grandma told me why she loves birds so much. When she was a child, her mom would take her to visit her three aunts for tea. The sisters would drink tea while she played in the aviary they had. This is all new information to me. Then she says that one of her aunts was blind and would write letters to her “on a special board with wires on it” which stunned me...

I pictured what it might look like. I board about letter size with stiff wires running horizontally in narrow parallel lines. There would be a small space to slide the paper between the board and wires, or perhaps the wires were in a rigging designed to be removed like the top to a box, or as a lid with hinges to open and then press shut. The wires would be stiff and firm.

I imagine this woman who went blind as an adult sitting down to pen a letter to her adorable niece. Her desk is known to her, everything has its place. The parchment is rough on sensitive fingers. She sets up her writing board, pins the paper down, dips her pen, and begins writing. She has the muscle memory and years of practice writing by hand to guide her, and with the board holding everything just so, she continues to engage in one of the most meaningful and long living conversation forms in history.

I’m sitting silently, overwhelmed by the sheer joy of knowing someone in my far distant yet very personal history was blind too, and she had learned and created her own methods to navigating life blind. I’ve literally just been handed the tiniest scrap of blind history that was nearly lost. Nobody thought to make any sort of lasting record about the existence of this writing board, not what its purpose was or how it was made and used or who first came up with the idea. Or if there is a written record, it has been lost in time. It’s another tiny, tiny piece of history that slipped through the cracks like so many others.

Watch historians cry over the tiniest, hyper-specific questions they have that history never thought mattered enough to record because either everyone already knew it or very few people needed to know it. (Bernadette Banner comes to mind for me. I’ve been watching her for over a year now and the dedication she puts to her research inspires me.)

So I have to look at the history.

It’s the early 1900s. My grandma was born in 1928. So that must be kept in mind. What technology, methods, and information about blindness was available then?

Braille existed, but it was far, far from accessible in that

1. Even today, brailling machines are STILL expensive and hard to come-by in our era of mass manufacturing and same-day delivery.

2. Teachers who taught Braille were few in number, and clustered at the very few schools for the blind around the world. Good luck travelling across a country to learn basic life skills and Braille

3. it’s still not an ideal writing method between you and your sighted loved ones.

Information traveled slower then. There’s no internet, no search engine to type in “shit, I’m going blind, what do I need to know now?” It travels through mail and newspapers and scholarly writings and radio. And the slower information travels, the harder it is for it to reach those who need it most. The easier it is lost.

Guide dogs were suddenly a thing, and a big part of that was because American Dorothy Harrison Eustis wrote an article about dogs being trained to guide blinded veterans in Berlin. It was published in The Saturday Evening Post on November 5th, 1927. It was a national sensation and led to her connecting to Morris Frank, blind 20-year-old who asked if it was possible for her to help him with getting a guide dog. Together they went on to co-found The Seeing Eye, the first guide dog school.

[Hey, fellow Witcher fans, I think you’ll like this. Morris Frank named every one of his guide dogs Buddy. His first guide dog was a female German Shepherd named Kiss.]

But this wouldn’t have been possible if not for newspaper, mail, and the telephone, all of which Frank and Eustis relied on to begin their work together.

And this is by no means the origin story of guide dogs. We will never have the “origin” story of the first ever guide dog, only another reboot as the concept was developed and lost with time over and over again.

The same must apply to canes, and methods of writing and reading. There must be O&M methods that were learned and lost because there weren’t other blind people to teach it to. Like old family recipes.

So here I am with the tiniest scrap of blind history, only a small detail in a larger story that just tilted my world on axis a bit. And here is the internet, to which I can record this information and make it available to everyone.

(...and tell myself not to think about the internet being another Library of Alexandria and losing so much priceless knowledge...)

#actuallyblind #blindness #guide dogs #accessibility #disability history #disability #writeblr

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agent-absinthe · 4 years ago

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foreigner’s god pt. 1

marvel. bucky barnes/reader. canon divergent. heavy fic. 5k+

Blaire Briar gets through the day by telling herself that James Buchanan Barnes and the Winter Soldier are two different people. It makes knowing he’s been pardoned and walking free easier for her to process. Only when she’s forced to assist on a mission with him on the team roster her carefully constructed coping begins to crumble. Forced to finally deal with their shared trauma Blaire and Bucky begin the difficult process of healing. The process is made more difficult when Bucky realizes that despite everything he has feelings for her.

warnings: assault, rape/non-con, violence, blood, sexual content, language, No Snap AU

“Sir, I can’t take this assignment.”

Director Coulson looked up at the woman from his desk where he had been staring at the phone, currently on hold with Stark, a record 48 minutes now.

“That assignment requires your skill set, I would think after complaining of not feeling useful you’d be happy for the opportunity.”

“Sir,” she tried again- almost pleading, “I cannot take this. Not with this team.”

He leaned back in the chair and considered the woman in front of him. Special Agent Blaire Briar, who worked mainly as a grunt in Comms for recon teams. Except when her special talent of Energy Vampirism brought her out into the field. Although she wasn’t used often for the skill set, when it was needed she became invaluable. Briar started out as an intern for Shield brought in by Maria Hill on a Stark recommendation- a series of personal traumas set off by Alexander Pierce led to her current position.

“The team was hand picked and is non negotiable. Captain Rogers prefers to work with those he trusts and he says he needs you, this isn’t a request.”

“I have trauma with the Winter Soldier. I can’t-”

“Sergeant Barnes,” Coulson corrected feeling guilt at her desperate expression, “he was pardoned so as far as the government and all other agencies are concerned all reparations are paid. Any personal feelings are just that- personal- and are to be dealt with in your own time.”

“And if I refuse?”

“You’ll be reprimanded and will most likely cost thousands of people their lives if not more. I know that’s not something you want on your hands Agent, so just take the assignment. You’ll be back in comms by the end of the weekend if all goes well.”

This was fucking bullshit.

Blaire couldn’t see straight as she stomped down the hall back to comms, gripping the wall from a sudden bout of nausea that overtook her. The folder was delivered to her in the afternoon by a security personnel and at first she had been thrilled to receive the assignment. There were ruins on a small island off the coast of Ireland thought to contain a training base for Hydra recruits. Files inside the base could provide names of remaining Hydra agents, contracts and agreements that the terrorist organization made, among other intel that could be incredibly useful. It sounded interesting and she was itching to get out there and live a mission instead of listening in on one.

“Whoa, you ok? Jesus, Blaire you look like you’re about to throw up.” Hill’s voice sounded like it came from far away even when she put a concerned hand on her back.

“Tell me this job is worth it.”

“What?”

“I need you to keep me from walking the fuck outta here. I can’t do this shit anymore, I can’t fucking do it. I could be at Stark Industries or- or working with Strange or pouring goddamn drinks at Starbucks getting verbally abused by assholes.”

Her hands were on her knees now as she tried to focus on her breathing and stave off the panic attack building in her chest. She was too young for this kind of stress. Was any of this worth it? The manilla folder containing her assignment was tossed to the floor, open on the team roster page so his name glared out at them.

James Buchanan Barnes

When Maria saw the name she knew what was wrong immediately and knelt in front of Blaire, hands on her cheeks so she had to focus on her.

“Hey, hey, hey breathe for me, Briar. That’s it. Listen, they’re two different people- two completely different people.”

“I know that. I know.”

“You can do this, you’re strong and I know for a fact that you’re too much of a bitch to let something stop you from doing your job, right?”

Briar laughed at that, the laughter dissolving into tears momentarily before she regained her composure, “right.”

“You are the only one that can help them on that mission, you’re the one that’s gonna be calling the shots. Now let’s go ahead and go down to development so we can get you measured for your gear.”

“Are you listening to me, James?” Dr. Raynor asked with a forceful tap of her pen against the notepad to get his attention.

“Not really.”

She sighed and started writing waiting until he looked up with irritation before continuing, “I said done correctly this could be an opportunity for you to cross another name off the list. Emphasis on done correctly.”

Bucky let out a breath he was holding in and turned to the window so he could pretend not to hear what Raynor was saying. The therapist was right and so was Steve when he approached Bucky last week to let him know about who they needed for the recon. He’d apologized to people he tried to kill easy enough, but it didn’t feel like there was a proper way to apologize for what he did to her.

“And what am I supposed to do when I see her? Just walk up and say sorry? It’s like you and Steve live in this perfect little world where forgiveness is just handed out the minute someone says sorry.”

“Steve and I live in the real world where we face our problems-”

“Oh, here we go.”

“-where we face our problems and hope that we can be forgiven for any harm caused. You’ll be working with this girl so you will have to face it sooner or later, make sure Rogers is there when you do it if that will make you feel more comfortable. That’ll be your homework until our next session- try to come to terms with what happened and make an effort to talk to Briar.”

It was just the same shit Steve told him over and over. Dr. Raynor sure as hell couldn’t know what he was going through even Steve didn’t understand this part of adjusting.

Of atonement.

When he closes his eyes and concentrates he can still see Pierce with a smile telling him about a “special” side mission, a “treat really”, that he wanted The Winter Soldier to complete.

Her apartment was quiet when he entered through the bedroom window to begin the first step of the mission. Placing a small hidden camera in the framework of her gaming setup tucked in a corner across from the bed. When he walked into the rest of the home he was stopped by a curious mew and looked down to find a fat, grey cat weaving between his legs. The cat observed him for the rest of the camera placements and sweep of the apartment, disarming any weapons he found. A loaded gun under the sink, a taser between couch cushions, and a knife on the bathroom vanity.

“Your target’s not on her way yet so hang tight. Fix the camera in the living room while you wait, I want it more focused on the couch and turn on your body camera.” Pierce’s voice came over the earpiece sounding almost bored as he sat at his desk and looked through the new feeds.

He gravitated back to her bedroom when he wasn’t given another task finding that the room was pleasant to be in. Warm and dim, smelling like the floral perfume bottle he inspected earlier. The cat followed and jumped to the bed meowing at the soldier in annoyance when he didn’t pet him. Something like muscle memory took over and Bucky lifted his flesh hand out to the cat who purred rubbing it’s face into the palm.

“Good cat.” He mumbled earning another meow and purr.

After a few more minutes of radio silence he sat, the mattress and box spring groaned under his weight and the softness felt foreign. When another minute passed he leaned back in the unmade bed and didn’t move as a purring weight laid on his stomach. It was all so...comforting. Only when his eyes began to close did the earpiece screech on.

“Target’s in transit, be ready when she gets there-”

The front door opening interrupted Pierce, “Tikki! Where is my fat little man?”

Tikki jumped off of him and he could hear the cat meowing to it’s owner as she walked to the kitchen, tossing her bags down on the way. The woman looked normal enough to him, a little heavy for an agent but nothing he couldn’t handle.

“She’s worn out from training but we still don’t know how long her power can last. You need to get the implant in her neck to block the absorption if she tries anything.”

Bucky fished in his utility belt for the dime sized, pronged disk and held it in his fist as he stalked closer to the kitchen. She was singing to herself while stacking up dirty dishes to make room for a take out bag.

“Thank god I got there before they closed and yes they did give me some grilled chicken for you, Tikki. Such a fat kitty, lucky you’re so cute. Sure as hell don’t keep you around to pay rent, you’re a freeloader and you don’t even care!”

Pierce was telling him to proceed, but Bucky stood in the doorway and watched her set a small bowl down in front of Tikki who ignored it to eye him and meow louder, suddenly puffing up as if realizing that the strange man was now a threat.

“What’s the matter you crazy cat? That’s all you’re getting so deal with it.”

A low growl and hiss.

“Jesus Christ, what? Is there a fucking-” She started and turned around only for her voice to die in her throat as they stared at one another.

“Ok, Bucky?” Dr. Raynor repeated.

“Ya ok.”

This was it. They were getting briefed this morning then they’d be flown out, Blaire could barely stand without shaking so she sat at her small cubicle in comms until it was time. She should have known that Steve would try to play good guy and come find her.

“Hey, Blaire.”

“What do you want?”

“Briefing is gonna start soon, thought we could walk down there together.”

“To make you feel better or me?”

The super soldier leaned against her desk and crossed his arms, “you know I wouldn’t put you in this position if I didn’t have to. There’s no other way for us to get through those doors, trust me we’ve tried.”

“Let’s just get it over with.”

She wasn’t trying to lash out at Rogers on purpose but it was hard to control her anger when she felt this shitty. Steve and her used to be good friends, introduced by Tony who thought Blaire could make the soldier blush, they ended up balancing each other out nicely. After what happened with the winter soldier and Shield they grew apart not talking unless Tony had a gathering they were both obligated to attend. It was a loss on both ends when they stopped hanging out, the easy back and forth humor between them almost nonexistent now. It was early enough in the morning that the pair walked in silence without many other agents around until Steve broke it.

“I know I don’t have any room to say this, but Bucky’s a good guy. Begged me to find another way so you wouldn’t have to see him, tried to back out of the mission, he feels like shit about this and he wants to apologize to you.”

Blaire already knew where this was going, “and you’re the buffer?”

“His therapist suggested it. Dr. Raynor.”

That wasn’t something she expected. Therapy was a good sign, taking the therapist’s advice an even better one. Blaire wasn’t stupid she knew that Barnes was under the influence of years of systematic abuse when he attacked her, practically brainwashed and nearly physically impossible for him to defy an order. He was a victim too. That’s what made being angry at him still so hard.

Her thoughts were interrupted by Steve opening the door to the conference room to see Barnes pacing. The hair was shorter and the arm was new, but his body had the same heavy muscle and wide stance. She found that she couldn’t look at him when they finally made eye contact, not directly anyway. Focusing instead on the zipper of his gear or scruff on his chin.

He’s handsome. Why the fuck does he have to be handsome? It wasn’t fair. None of this was fair. The world was playing some kind of fucked up joke for her to still be attracted to him. That wasn’t new of course; she found him attractive since she first saw the winter soldier in photos and videos from the attack on Fury in Pierce’s office. She had been standing there staring at the holograms when Pierce made an offhand remark about it, teasing her for her flushed cheeks. Now that she knew he was the one who ordered the attack the memory made her boil with shame.

“Agent Briar.” At least he was trying to be polite.

“Sergeant Barnes.”

“I-” he stopped, his adam’s apple bobbing with anxiety as he swallowed. “I am no longer The Winter Soldier, I am James Buchanan Barnes and you’re part of my effort to make amends-”

“Your therapist knows how to write a good script.” Blaire interrupted.

Steve didn’t make a move to intervene and stayed off to the side sipping a coffee and watching.

“Look, I know that you were not in control of yourself when it happened and because of that you are also a victim in the situation,” she said it slowly trying to sound reasonable, “There isn’t a lot that you can apologize for. Pierce is the one who owes me that and he’s been dead for a few years now so I doubt I’ll be getting it anytime soon.”

“Thank you for understanding, not a lot of people do, but I still have to tell you how sorry I am for the pain that I caused you. I want to try to make things right or as right as they can be.”

“If you really want that then you’ll interact with me as little as possible. Please understand that it’s not personal. I just can’t fucking look at you.”

Barnes nodded quickly, the words cut him to the core in a way he had never experienced. Yet he still apologized, still at least tried to make amends with Blaire and despite her blunt reaction he hoped Dr. Raynor would consider it a success.

“Yeah, of course. I can do that.”

Bucky thought he was doing a good job with it so far too. He stayed in the flank of the group during the mission and got to see her work after she was able to duplicate an energy reading and get through to the bunker. Three Hydra agents crumpled to the floor as soon as they rounded a corner to stop their progress, Briar released the pent up energy she absorbed from them at the next group they came across. Leaving their bodies broken and bloody in a heap against a wall.

“Hey, Cap why the hell did you drag me outta bed on a Saturday? Looks to me like Miss Atom Bomb here’s got it covered.”

“Miss Atom Bomb sounds like way too pretty of a hero name for me, Sam.” She laughed tossing a smile back at the Falcon, “guys on the Strike team just used to call me Leech.”

“Those guys were assholes.”

“Ya, they were pretty awful most of the time. M’not gonna be able to keep it up much longer though, I fill up on too much and I burn out quick. I got a few more bursts in me before I start seeing doubles.”

The bunker ended up being an intel goldmine opening up several leads for the team to follow in their mission to eradicate Hydra once and for all. Being part of that kind of adrenaline high in person had made Blaire even more dizzy than her burn out, no wonder field agents dreaded being behind a desk. It wasn’t until they were strapped back in the plane with the sun rising that she was beginning to feel that same dread. She was dirty and tired but helped more in this mission than she had almost her entire time in Communications.

“How ya feelin’, Briar?”

“Like shit, Romanoff. How about you?”

Natasha laughed and handed her a rations bar, “good to see you out in the field. Started feeling like the boy’s club for awhile.”

“How on Earth will you cope with my loss come Monday?”

“A quick word with Coulson and I won’t have to cope with anything.” She offered. Producing another rations bar from her pocket like a bribe.

“Nat, I can’t. Look at me, I’m not fit for field work-”

“You just obliterated more than 50 guys in that bunker and I’ve seen your hand to hand combat, it’s not bad.”

“Ya but I’m about to fucking pass out now. I mean- it’s complicated.”

The assassin stretched out and settled in next to Blaire trying to think of a way to talk her into it. Wanda and Vision were off trying to live the domesticality that Tony now had, leaving their team bare bones. There was no telling when or if Thor would show back up from trying to fix shit back home, they were missing a super and Blaire seemed the best fit.

“You wanna be in communication so bad then why don’t you be our guardian angel when we don’t absolutely need you in the field? It would get you out of that cubicle more often anyway, sure we could talk Coulson into a pay raise too. Plus you’ll get to listen to my voice and boss Steve around, what more could you want?”

“You’ve operated without a guide in HQ for so long. No one’s gonna buy it.”

“They will if Golden Boy and Wings asks.”

Blaire took the second ration bar and rolled her eyes, “I’ll think about it.”

She ended up taking it of course once Nat wanted something she almost always got it, Blaire sure as shit wasn’t going to tell her no. For the most part it started out really well with the exception of a few hiccups in finding her place on the field when it came to real action. Off the field was a different story- Blaire knew how to operate a team in a way that both got the job done safely and felt like borderline workplace violence at the same time. Bucky tended to be the target for the latter on most missions.

“You don’t listen! Jesus fucking christ I am going to buy a goddamn adult tether backpack for you! And ya know who’s gonna have to hold the leash? Wilson!”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa don’t drag me into this. I’m doin’ my job.”

Bucky wanted to dig out the earpiece and throw it, “I still took care of it, didn’t I?”

“You fight like you have handlers still, Barnes. News flash, you don’t! I’m the one who has to file all the paperwork when you go off course on your own and cause mayhem and destruction like its the fucking Winter Soldier Show.”

All Bucky did was ignore her suggestion to not engage with the hostiles ahead until Natasha and Steve followed suit. There were only three guys from what he could see and a hostage was waiting for them with time running out so he did what he thought was best. There ended up being six instead of three and the hostage received a minor injury when he wasn’t able to get to them fast enough.

“Well, it’s over and done with now so could you just shut up?”

Everyone on the line went dead silent for a few seconds.

“Quinjet is waiting at the extraction point for pick up. Good job team, we look forward to your safe return to the hanger. Briar signing off.” Came the calm check out.

Sam landed next to Bucky with a satisfied chuckle, “oh you fucked up big time, buddy.”

“I hate you.”

She wasn’t waiting for them like she usually did when they landed, coming in a few minutes later with a small med team in tow to look over injuries. Barnes waved off the attempts to dab blood off of his brow where he caught a stray punch and focused on getting his gear off. Blaire wasn’t about to let him off the hook just yet, still too blinded by her rage to consider letting them both cool off before talking.

“That’s the third time you ignored me when I told you not to run blindly into enemy fire. What’s your problem, Barnes?”

“I’m not the one with a problem.”

“Are you kidding? It’s like you do this shit on purpose just to piss me off.”

“I do!” He yelled, turning around to make eye contact with her. “The only time you ever acknowledge me is when I get you riled up.”

“Oh, you poor baby do I not pay enough attention to you so you feel like you gotta act out?”

Bucky dropped the rest of his gear and started towards her, already feeling his energy dropping with each step from her defense. He didn’t let it show and only stopped when he was in front of her.

“You’re the one with the problem here. How am I supposed to fix this when you won’t talk to me? You won’t even look at me dammit! I’m the only one making an effort and I can’t let go of it if you won’t.”

Their voices boomed in the near empty hanger as Steve was making his way over to break it up after releasing the rescued hostage over to medical, fearing that he may be too late to salvage their already rocky relationship.

“What do you want, huh? You wanna hit me? Go on doll, take a shot and get it out of your system.” Bucky continued leaning down to her height tauntingly.

“Maybe I do.”

“Great, let’s go.”

“I don’t think this is a good idea-” Rogers started.

“Stay out of it, Steve!” They shouted in near unison before Blaire turned on her heel and began speed walking to the exit with Bucky right behind her.

The night air was shockingly cold against their flushed skin and it made Bucky think a little more clearly as the door slammed shut behind him. Only when he went to say something Blaire caught him by surprise with a haymaker to his cheek. Her punch held more power than he would have thought, momentarily knocking him off balance enough for Blaire to ram him. The impact of their bodies knocked both down to the wet grass as they struggled until she was on top raining half pulled punches down that she didn’t follow through with. Her hits fueled by emotion slowly got weaker and weaker until she slid off of him sobbing.

“I didn’t get mandated therapy. I lost my dignity and my job and my will to live in the span of a fucking week.” She choked out, nails digging into the artificial turf. “Then everyone found out it was Pierce that put out the hit and all that footage was just uploaded to the Hydra file. Oh don’t worry Blaire it’s classified it’s so classified but no we can’t delete it or anything sorry. I can get into it, I can see that file and I only have level green clearance. It’s just sitting there for anyone to look at it. My coworkers, bosses, the fuckin’ guys in coding. They can just type in credentials and watch me get raped.”

This must have been what Dr. Raynor meant by coming to terms. Pulling everything ugly out to the open so they didn’t have to dance around it any longer.

He looked strange without any of the guns and knives strapped to him, but it was still The Winter Soldier. Blaire knew that in an instant from the face mask strapped to him like a muzzle and the silver arm shining against his black modified jacket. She was frozen. Never in her life had she experienced Freeze instead of Fight, but then again she couldn’t remember the last time she was this scared. Thoughts ticked off in rapid fire until Tikki jumped up on the counter with a hiss breaking the spell. She threw the take out bowl of hot matzo ball soup that he easily dodged and turned around to feel under sink for the gun only to find it gone. A hand clamped something down on the back of her neck, his metal one coming down around her mouth like a vice when she yelled out for help.

“Any of your neighbors try to help they die.”

No, that wasn’t right. He sounded local, like he was from New York. That wasn’t possible. The metal crushing her jaw came off when she threw her elbow back with full force catching his ribs. It came darting back out immediately and shoved her to the kitchen floor on her stomach, his heavy weight on her lower back and ass was crushing as he straddled her.

“Fuck off! Better kill me because I’m not saying shit about anything.” She growled trying to buck him off.

There was no answer only his body going still like he wasn’t sure of the next move himself. Then the weight was gone and for a second Blaire thought that maybe she could get away or at least get to her phone on the counter and send a message to Shield. It was when she tried crawling away that she felt his fingers hook into her shorts and jerk them down.

“No!” More panic now than before. The prospect of death was always looming over her working where she did, but not this. Please anything but this.

With the shorts off she was rolled to her back as he straddle her hips, his hands trying to catch her wrists again while she fought. Nails raked down his face and neck, leaving rivets of red and tearing off his mask as they went. When Blaire caught sight of his face she knew it was over. There was no emotion there, just a slack jaw and blown out pupils. He was going through the motions like someone was telling him what to do, a machine being controlled by someone else. When the soldier did catch her wrists and pin them down with his metal hand he went still again, staring down at her as blood dripped off his face.

“I don’t wanna do this.” He suddenly announced maybe to her or to no one.

“You don’t have to! Just leave, just get up and leave. It’s not too late.”

She could hear the faint static buzz of someone screaming from his earpiece and then the slack look was back and her thighs were being kneed open. It was happening so fast and Blaire found herself completely powerless, he had done something to her to stop her energy absorption and without that she was just some intern with a little gun training. No amount of fight, of pleading, would help her now. Somehow that was more terrifying than anything else.

“Stop it! Get off me, get off! I’ll fucking kill you!”

The threats sizzled out into broken shrieks as he thrust into her hard enough to hurt both of them with no prep. Tears pricked at the corner of her eyes from the pain and violation, droplets of his blood now falling faster onto her as he moved. Blaire tried catching his hip with her heel to get him off and keep fighting but the metal squeezed her wrists tighter in warning til they gave way with a crunch, his pace never slowing and only growing sloppier. The pain was too much for her to even scream for help, not that she’d want to. Didn’t need poor Miss Hoffman coming in here waving her cane to the rescue only to end up dead.

She looked past his blank face to stare at her kitchen ceiling focusing on the water mark in the corner she kept meaning to paint over. His flesh hand came up to her face to cover and turn it away as if he didn’t want her looking at him. The kitchen filled with the scent of soldier’s blood making her mouth taste like pennies. Droplets of it felt like scalding water as it fell on her check and neck. How long would it take to scrub his scent off? Her body couldn’t seem to adjust fast enough to allow her any relief but by the grace of whatever cruel god watched the display his hips stuttered and stopped. A sob bubbled up from the sensation- too hot and too full, seeping out of her before he even pulled out.

There was always a point in his missions where the targets gave in and stopped fighting. He watched that happen with this one after he stood. Watched her curl in on herself as she laid there crying with his cum dripping out of her and down the back of her thighs. Then he was back to her bedroom window without retrieving his mask or the blocking device, no longer listening to whatever was coming through the earpiece. Mind going absolutely haywire and telling him he just needed to get out.

“I’m sorry, Blaire. I didn’t know.” Bucky sat up with his own chest beginning to tighten at what she was telling him, it made him sick.

She cried harder and shook her head, “it’s not your fault, Barnes. No matter how much I want it to be so I wouldn’t feel so shitty for hating you. It’s not your fault.”

Without thinking Bucky leaned over and wrapped an arm around Blaire pulling her to his chest. She tensed at first but relaxed and returned the hug when she felt him begin to shake too. So they sat together on the wet turf and cried until Steve managed to herd them back inside thankful they hadn’t killed each other.

Bucky kept a hand on Briar’s shoulder as they entered, “Are we good?”

“Ya, we’re good.” She clapped him on the back and then punched his arm as an after thought, “but if you ever tell me to shut up during a mission again I’ll tell your therapist and make sure you have to go to sensitivity training. This doesn’t mean we’re friends.”

“I’ll only get a rise out of you when I want you to yell at me then.”

He watched her roll her eyes and could have sworn he saw the corner of her mouth turn up into a smile. That made him smile too and Bucky felt a new sense of ease. Unsurprisingly at his next session with Dr. Raynor he found it easier to open up.

#bucky barnes x reader #bucky barnes/reader #Bucky Barnes #marvel #rape/non-con #assault #fanfiction #ao3 #eventual fluff #smut #trauma #ok so i havent posted anything on tumblr in a long time but I really wanted to post this #kinda way out of my comfort zone as far as topics since i dont usually write so much trauma #next part coming in a few days since it's already written

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whatiscalligraphy · 3 months ago

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Calligraphy Angle and Slant Tips: Perfect Your Script

Calligraphy Angle and Slant Tips: Master the Art of Perfect Script Today!

Welcome to our article on calligraphy angle and slant tips, where we will explore techniques to help you perfect your script. Achieving consistent slant in calligraphy requires attention to detail and a focus on the angle and slant of your letters and strokes. By following the tips and techniques provided in this article, you can enhance your calligraphy skills and create beautifully slanted scripts. Key Takeaways: - Focus on the angle and slant of your letters and strokes to achieve consistent slant in calligraphy. - Experiment with different pen holds to find the most comfortable position for you. - Use guidelines that match the slant of the style of writing you are learning to maintain consistent slant. - Practicing regularly helps develop muscle memory, which is crucial for achieving consistent slant. - Consider using oblique pens for right-leaning slant and rotating the paper for optimal angle.

Finding the Right Pen Hold for Proper Slant

One of the key factors in achieving the perfect slant in calligraphy is finding the right pen hold. The way you hold your pen plays a crucial role in the angle and slant of your letters and strokes. To ensure a proper slant, it is important to hold the pen lightly with a steady, gentle grasp. This helps prevent heavy and shaky strokes that can affect the overall aesthetics of your calligraphy. Experimenting with different pen holds can help you find the most comfortable position for your hand. Everyone's hand is different, so it's important to find a grip that works best for you. Focus on finding a hold that allows you to maintain control over the pen while still providing enough flexibility to create graceful, slanted strokes. When holding the pen, make sure that the nib tines are parallel to the paper. This ensures a smooth ink flow and helps maintain consistency in your slanted writing. If the nib is not aligned correctly, it can lead to uneven strokes and an inconsistent slant. Hand Positioning Tips for Calligraphy Angles - Hold the pen lightly with a gentle grasp. - Experiment with different pen holds to find the most comfortable position. - Ensure that the nib tines are parallel to the paper. - Practice with different pressures and angles to create varied slant effects. By paying attention to your hand positioning and finding the right pen hold, you can achieve the perfect slant in your calligraphy. Remember to practice regularly and experiment with different techniques to refine your skills. Pen Hold Advantages Disadvantages Overhand Grip Provides better control and precision May cause hand fatigue Underhand Grip Allows for smooth, flowing strokes Less control over pen movements Sideways Grip Offers flexibility for various slant angles Can be challenging for beginners Experiment with different pen holds and find the one that works best for you. Remember to maintain a light grip, align the nib tines parallel to the paper, and practice regularly to improve your calligraphy slant. With time and practice, you can master the art of creating beautifully slanted scripts.

Using Guidelines to Maintain Consistent Slant

Consistent slant is a key aspect of mastering calligraphy. To achieve this, utilizing guidelines can be incredibly helpful. Guidelines act as a reference, allowing you to maintain the proper slant in your strokes. By aligning the nib and flange with the slant lines, you can ensure a consistent and aesthetically pleasing slant throughout your script. When using guidelines, it's important to choose ones that match the slant of the specific calligraphy style you are learning. This will help you create letters and strokes that align harmoniously, resulting in a cohesive overall script. Additionally, adjusting the paper angle to match the slant lines can contribute to achieving a consistent slant. Remember to practice patience and precision when following guidelines. Take your time to ensure that each stroke aligns with the slant lines, paying close attention to the angle and direction of your pen. This attention to detail will help you develop muscle memory, making it easier to maintain consistent slant as you continue to hone your calligraphy skills. To further enhance your understanding of the importance of guidelines and their role in maintaining consistent slant, refer to Table 1 below: Table 1: Benefits of Using Guidelines for Consistent Slant 1. Provides a reference point for slant angle 2. Ensures cohesion in letterforms and strokes 3. Helps develop muscle memory for consistent slant 4. Allows for adjustments to paper angle By incorporating guidelines into your calligraphy practice, you can master the art of maintaining consistent slant. This attention to detail will elevate the quality of your scripts, transforming them into beautifully balanced and visually appealing works of art.

The Importance of Practice and Muscle Memory

To achieve consistent slant in calligraphy, it is crucial to practice regularly and develop muscle memory. By dedicating time to practice, you can train your hand and eye to create beautifully slanted scripts. During your practice sessions, focus on the shapes and strokes of the letters, paying attention to the angle and slant. Use slant lines as a guide to help maintain consistency in your slant. Practicing with these lines will help your hand become accustomed to the proper angle, resulting in more uniform and aesthetically pleasing calligraphy. Remember that muscle memory is built over time, so be patient with yourself. Consistent practice will yield gradual improvement, allowing you to perfect your calligraphy angle and slant techniques.

Using Oblique Pens for Right-Leaning Slant

When it comes to achieving a perfect slant in calligraphy, right-handed calligraphers can benefit from using oblique pens. These specially designed pens help create a proper right-leaning slant in your script, adding an elegant touch to your calligraphy. With an oblique pen, you can apply even pressure to both tines of the nib, resulting in consistent and graceful slanted strokes. Experimentation is key when it comes to finding the right oblique pen for you. There are different types and sizes available, so try out a few to see which one feels most comfortable and allows you to achieve the desired slant. Some calligraphers prefer a more pronounced angle on their oblique pen, while others find success with a more subtle slant. Ultimately, the choice will depend on your personal preference and writing style. Using an oblique pen requires a slight adjustment to your pen hold. To achieve the best results, hold the pen at a slight angle, with the nib pointing towards the right corner of the paper. This will ensure that your letters have a consistent right-leaning slant. Remember to practice regularly to develop muscle memory and refine your technique. Table: Comparison of Oblique Pens Pen Type Nib Angle Features Straight Oblique Pen 30° - Suitable for beginners - Versatile and easy to control - Provides a subtle right-leaning slant Offset Oblique Pen 45° - Ideal for more pronounced slants - Helps achieve bold and dramatic calligraphy - Requires a slight adjustment to pen hold Adjustable Oblique Pen Customizable - Allows you to adjust the nib angle to your preference - Provides flexibility and versatility - Recommended for experienced calligraphers “Using an oblique pen has transformed my calligraphy. The right-leaning slant adds a touch of elegance to my scripts, and the even pressure on the nib creates beautiful, consistent strokes.” - Calligraphy enthusiast By incorporating oblique pens into your calligraphy practice, you can achieve a perfect right-leaning slant in your scripts. Experiment with different pens, practice regularly, and refine your technique to create stunning calligraphy that showcases your style and skill.

Rotating Paper for Optimal Slant

To achieve the perfect slant in your calligraphy, you can experiment with rotating your paper. By adjusting the angle of the paper to match your natural writing flow, you can ensure that your letters follow the desired slant consistently. Rotating the paper can help you find the optimal angle for achieving the perfect slant in your calligraphy. When rotating the paper, pay attention to the direction and angle in which you naturally write. Some calligraphers find that rotating the paper slightly clockwise or counterclockwise can help them achieve a more comfortable and consistent slant. Try different angles and see which one works best for you. Remember to maintain a steady hand and avoid excessive pressure on the pen. Keep your movements fluid and controlled to create smooth and consistent slanted scripts. Practicing with rotated paper can take some time to get used to, but with patience and practice, you will be able to achieve the perfect slant in your calligraphy. Table: Pros and Cons of Rotating Paper for Slant Pros Cons Allows for personalized slant May require adjustment period Helps achieve a natural writing flow May require experimentation Can improve overall consistency Requires practice to maintain control

Tips for Calligraphy Angles: Mastering Calligraphy Slant

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dNcGS9aXHN0 When it comes to calligraphy, achieving the perfect slant is crucial for creating visually appealing scripts. In this section, we'll explore some valuable tips and techniques to help you master calligraphy slant and improve the consistency of your lettering. Utilize Slant Lines and Guidelines One effective method to maintain a consistent slant in your calligraphy is by drawing slant lines based on a reference letter or using a rolling ruler. These lines act as guidelines that dictate the angle at which your letters should be written. By practicing with these slant lines, you can train your hand to develop muscle memory, resulting in more consistent and aesthetically pleasing scripts. Experiment with Different Pen Holds The way you hold your pen plays a significant role in determining the slant of your calligraphy. Experiment with different pen holds to find the most comfortable and effective position for you. Remember to hold the pen lightly with a steady grip, allowing for smooth and controlled strokes. Keeping the nib tines parallel to the paper also promotes a consistent slant and ink flow. Focus on Muscle Memory through Practice Regular practice is key to mastering calligraphy slant. By consistently working on your calligraphy skills and focusing on the shapes and strokes of each letter, you can develop muscle memory that helps achieve a consistent slant. As you practice, pay attention to the angle and slant of your strokes, making adjustments as needed to create the desired effect. Summary: Mastering calligraphy slant requires attention to detail and consistent practice. By utilizing slant lines and guidelines, experimenting with different pen holds, and focusing on muscle memory through regular practice, you can enhance your calligraphy skills and create beautifully slanted scripts. Keep in mind that achieving a consistent slant may take time and patience, but with dedication and perseverance, you'll see significant improvement in your calligraphy.

Tips for Calligraphy Angles and Hand Positioning

When it comes to calligraphy, achieving the perfect slant requires attention to detail and proper hand positioning. In this section, we'll explore some useful tips and techniques to help you improve your calligraphy angles and hand positioning. By following these recommendations, you'll be able to create beautifully slanted scripts with ease. One effective method for maintaining consistent slant is to use templates and light boxes. By placing a template with slant lines inside an envelope and using a light box, you can create consistent slanted scripts. This technique is particularly useful when working with light-colored envelopes. The template serves as a guide, ensuring that your letters follow the desired slant. Another important aspect of calligraphy is proper hand positioning. When holding your pen, make sure to have a steady and gentle grasp, avoiding heavy and shaky strokes. Experiment with different pen holds to find the most comfortable position for you. Additionally, ensure that the nib tines are parallel to the paper to maintain a smooth ink flow. By using templates and paying attention to hand positioning, you can significantly improve your calligraphy angles and achieve the perfect slant in your scripts. Practicing regularly and being mindful of these techniques will help develop muscle memory and refine your calligraphy skills. Benefits of Using Templates and Light Boxes for Calligraphy 1. Consistent Slant: Templates and light boxes provide a guided reference for maintaining a consistent slant in your calligraphy. 2. Improved Accuracy: Using templates and light boxes helps you achieve precise letterforms and strokes, resulting in cleaner and more professional-looking scripts. 3. Enhanced Efficiency: By using templates and light boxes to guide your slant, you can streamline your calligraphy process and save time on correcting uneven angles.

Tips for Mastering Calligraphy Slant: Importance of Ergonomic Body Positioning

When it comes to calligraphy, achieving the perfect slant requires more than just the right pen hold and guidelines. The importance of proper ergonomic body positioning cannot be emphasized enough. By maintaining a comfortable and aligned posture, you can ensure consistent slant and avoid discomfort or pain during your calligraphy practice sessions. Here are some tips to help you master calligraphy slant through ergonomic body positioning: - Sit up straight: Keep your back straight and shoulders relaxed. Avoid slouching or hunching over your work, as this can cause strain on your neck and upper back. - Align your joints: Position your elbow, wrist, and hand in a 90-degree angle. This helps maintain proper alignment and reduces the risk of strain or fatigue. - Take breaks: Calligraphy can be a meticulous art form that requires focus and concentration. Remember to take regular breaks to stretch your muscles and relax your eyes. - Stretch your hands and fingers: After prolonged periods of writing, it's important to stretch your hands and fingers to prevent stiffness and promote blood circulation. "Proper ergonomic body positioning is crucial for maintaining consistent slant in calligraphy. By taking care of your body and adopting good posture habits, you can enhance your calligraphy skills and create beautifully slanted scripts." By following these tips, you can create an ergonomic working environment and maintain a consistent slant in your calligraphy. Remember, mastering calligraphy slant takes practice and dedication, but with the right tools and techniques, you can elevate your skills and create stunning works of art.

Conclusion

Achieving the perfect slant in calligraphy requires practice, attention to detail, and a focus on the fundamentals. By following the tips and techniques provided in this article, you can improve your calligraphy skills and create beautifully slanted scripts. Remember, it's all about the angles and slants! Start by finding the right pen hold that works best for you. Experiment with different positions and grips to achieve a steady and controlled hand. Remember to hold the pen lightly to avoid heavy and shaky strokes. Using guidelines is essential for maintaining a consistent slant. Let the guidelines be your reference point and adjust your paper accordingly. Aligning the nib with the slant lines will ensure that your strokes follow the desired angle. Lastly, don't forget about the importance of practice and muscle memory. Regularly practice calligraphy using slant lines and focus on the shapes and strokes of the letters. With time and dedication, your hand and eye will become trained to create beautiful and consistent slanted scripts.

FAQ

What is the key to achieving a consistent slant in calligraphy? The key to achieving a consistent slant in calligraphy is focusing on the angle and slant of your letters and strokes. How should I hold my pen for proper slant? Hold the pen lightly with a steady, gentle grasp to avoid heavy and shaky strokes. Experiment with different pen holds to find the most comfortable position for you. What role do guidelines play in maintaining a consistent slant? Guidelines serve as a reference point and help you maintain the proper slant in your strokes. Adjusting the paper and aligning the nib and flange with the slant lines can also contribute to maintaining a consistent slant. How can practicing calligraphy regularly help with achieving consistent slant? Practicing calligraphy regularly helps develop muscle memory, which is crucial for achieving consistent slant. By practicing with slant lines and focusing on the shapes and strokes of the letters, you can train your hand and eye to create beautiful slanted scripts. How can oblique pens help with achieving the right-leaning slant? Right-handed calligraphers can benefit from using oblique pens to achieve a proper right-leaning slant. Oblique pens help apply even pressure to both tines of the nib, resulting in a consistent slant. Experiment with different pen options to find the one that works best for you. How can rotating my paper help achieve the perfect slant? Experimenting with rotating your paper can help you find the optimal angle for achieving the perfect slant in your calligraphy. By adjusting the paper to match your natural writing flow, you can ensure that your letters follow the desired slant consistently. How can drawing slant lines help maintain consistency? Drawing slant lines based on a letter or using a rolling ruler can help maintain consistency in your slant. These guidelines provide a reference for the angle at which your letters should be written. By practicing with these slant lines, you can improve the overall consistency and aesthetics of your calligraphy. How can templates and light boxes assist in maintaining a guided slant? Templates and light boxes can be useful tools for maintaining a guided slant in your calligraphy. By placing a template with slant lines inside an envelope and using a light box, you can create consistent slanted scripts. This method is particularly effective for light-colored envelopes. Why is ergonomic body positioning important in achieving consistent slant? Proper body positioning is important for maintaining consistent slant and preventing discomfort or pain while practicing calligraphy. Ensure that your joints are in a 90-degree angle and that your posture is aligned. Take regular breaks and stretch to prevent muscle fatigue and pain.

Source Links

- https://kallialitheia.com/the-secret-to-slant-with-calligraphy/ - Read the full article

#angleincalligraphy #calligraphytechniques #improvehandwriting #scriptperfection #writingslanttips

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bxdbxdboy · 3 years ago

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Character Development

BASICS

Full Name: Luz Noceda

Alias: Apprentice

Nicknames: Bad Boy, (Luz Squad) B.Boy, (herself) Soft Boy, (Cottage) Baby Boy, (Eda) Nice Boy, (Sunny) Sweetheart (Bee)

Sex / Gender: Female, Nonbinary (she/her/hers, he/him/his, they/them/theirs ) .

Right or Left: Left

Age: 16.

Height: 5'6″.

Eye Color: dark brown

Hair Color: Dark brown

Distinguishing Marks: She has a raven tattoo over her scar she received trying to stop her villain in her timeline. She’s shaved her left eyebrow in the middle to match her friend’s scar.

Paragraph Of Physical Traits: She’s got a rather strong build which means she has no weak nerd arms and a significant amount of muscle to her arm. Her hair is slicked back like a wave and it’s always been like that it just has always naturally curled and folded over in that direction. When she sleeps it gets wavy or spikey sticking up like a parrot.

FAMILY / RELIGION

Parents / Guardians: Camilla Noceda

Siblings: n/a adopted Brother King.

Marital Status: Not married.

Significant Other(s): Bee (Amity-Bee), Blushy (Amity in her timeline)

Children: N/A.

Other Relatives: Many Many cousins, aunts and uncles and cousins on both sides of the family.

Pets: Bunga, (familiar, honey badger) Saturn, (familiar magical Owl) Calypso. (palisman Sable)

Friends: Cottage, Sunny, Iris, Bee, Lucky, Otter, Puppy, Gus, Willow.

Enemies: Emperor Belos.

Ethnicity: Latina

Religion: None.

Beliefs: N/A

Superstitions: black cats, broken mirrors. KARMA!

Languages: English. Spanish.

Diction / Accent: Spanish

SCHOOL / WORK / HOME

Education: Public School / High scool leverl/ Hexside

Degree(s): Not yet.

Occupation: Local Power washer for her boiling isles, Food delivery, Potion distributor.

Own or Rent: Neither.

Living Space: Eda’s home in the owl house, Her home in the human realm, and Magic Treehouse bedroom.

Work Space: N/A.

Main Mode of Transport: Skateboarding, Walking, running, or flying. Can drive, will learn, will drive without license.

PSYCHOLOGY

Fears: Being replaced / abandoned, her anger issues, her home getting concurred, loosing her friends, venomous snakes, possessed creatures, dark mimics. spiders, The deepest depths of the Ocean, Slender Man, Siren Head.

Secrets: A big softie just doesn’t want many who meet her to realize it.

IQ: Was never formally tested, but she may not be as intellectually gifted as the other Luz’s There’s a big jock mentally mindset to her as a whole.

Eating Habits: Ravenous Appetite, no matter how much she eats she’s always asking for more. She can put some food away if someone has something they’re saving it’s too late she’s already gotten to it.

Food Preferences: She enjoys Hot Wings they are her most favorite food besides Pizza coming around at a close second She likes a lot of junk food candy, cookies, chips of all kinds. On occasion she will eat something green though like some lettuce with taco meat or a green pepper. She’ll eat it all everything under the sun and even be adventurous eating a wide margin of other foods. She almost always has hot sauce on her there isn’t a single kind of meal she doesn’t love covered in the hot stuff.

Sleeping Habits: She sleeps well, for the most part, when she isn’t attempting to be a night owl she falls asleep relatively quick, even rivaling some of the younger Luz’s with how early she can fall asleep. It’s likely she has sleep apnea as she has tendency to snore so very loud and wakes up during the night in cold sweat, when she stops breathing from night terrors. She will oversleep until almost 2:00 in the afternoon if not monitored.

Book Preferences: She’s not a big egg-head book reader like the rest of the squad is the most Bad Boy read in school was “Animal Farm”, and The “Lord of the Flies”, in high school two books that peaked her interest a little bit. She also enjoys listening to Cottage read some horror books it’s the most she’ll really listen rather than use her eyes to read, in fact, one would say she struggles to read efficiently.

Music Preferences: Hip Hop, Rap, Dubstep, 80′s music, The Weekend, Various artists.

Leader or Follower: She likes to be the boss, but will occasionally follow if she doesn’t have to do much.

Planner or Spontaneous: Spontaneous! All of her ideas are never planned out she definitely does not look before she leaps. Her leaps are full of optimism and happy stupidity. The only time she tends to plan is when Bee holds her hand and forces her to take a step back.

Journal: Nope

Hobbies: Dancing, listening to music, training, watching videos / shows, exercising, roasting members of the Luz squad, doing dangerous stunts, skateboarding, basketball, baseball, (more so the batting range) Surfing (Prior), Deep woods exploring, practicing her magic, teaching her familiars, (Saturn and Bunga) Listening to music, Swooning Bee, Video games, Baking Pizza, Breakdancing, Beat Boxing, Collecting Hats, Serenading, Dancing, Snuggling King.

How Do They Relax: By listening to some calming beats privately, counting to 10, or at any point stroked by Bee she curls and becomes softer.

What Excites Them: Competitions, Wild magic, Magical Creatures, Parkour, Plane Crash videos, Unus Annus, Dogs! Kitties, Being in charge, Buffalo sauce, Food!, Flirting,

What Stresses Them: Bossy individuals, Strict Parents, Rude people, Being inside the Emperor Castle, Being the butt of the joke, Tests, Explosives. Needles.

Pet Peeves: Vegan food, Whining, losing games, Being accused of being a perv, mocking, people stealing her hat, Lucky sending her cursed images.

Prejudices: high horse, pretends not to be a trouble maker to stay in good graces, struggling to not be hostile towards her doppelgängers,

Attitudes: Closed off, Laid back, Aggressive, or chill and cool depending on who you are. Bad Boy appears to be the “scary” anger issues Luz that is liable to explode at any moment and when she does her face and ears can get as red as Bee’s. You’re either in good graces with her or your not, she’s not always easy to approach unless you have a good sense of humor than she cracks up with you about stupid jokes.

Obsessions: Her shoes and hats, her favorite music, lids, BEE

Addictions: Does addiction to sugary cereal count? because oh my god-!!

Ambitions: Defeat Belos in her timeline, find a way to get adopted as a sibling by Cottage Core, Have her own identity outside of Cottage and the Luz squad. Become a powerful witch, Make her mom proud.

ASTROLOGY / PHISIOLOGY

Birth Date: November 26, 2005.

Sign: Sagittarius

Traits Associated with Western Sign: loyal, smart, assertive, and compassionate personality

Chinese Zodiac Sign: The rooster

Traits Associated with Chinese Sign: active, amusing, and popular within a crowd. Roosters are talkative, outspoken, frank, open, honest, and loyal individuals. They like to be the center of attention and always appear attractive and beautiful.

Handwriting: It’s okay…; fairly sloppy.

Sexual History: N/A.

General Health: She takes pretty good care of herself as far as hygiene and having a good confident attitude. experiencing some struggles with her adhd, bad posture leaves her with some back pain.

Mental Disabilities: PTSD, ADHD, depression,

Allergies: Seasonal.

OBJECTS KEPT IN

Purse / Bag: Wallet, towel, water bottle, Treehouse keys key chain,

Wallet: Photo ID, Gold, Cash, rings, Brass knuckle,

Fridge: Chalked full of between meal and frozen pizza.

Medicine Cabinet: Bandages, Healing Potions, Icey-hot muscle rub,

Glove Compartment: Parking tickets, Trespassing tickets, concert tickets.

Junk Drawer: fidget spinners, gum, pens, sharpies, stress balls.

Backpack: Hats, Snacks, Mints, hair gel, Extra clothes, socks, pepper spray, hand sanitizer, suntan lotion, hair brush

Desk: Doodles, Paper Airplanes, Crumpled up Paper.

Clothes Pockets: Phone, Hot Sauce packets, hand warmers, stress ball.

OTHER

Halloween Costumes: A zombie, the cementary is hiring.

Talents: break dancing, beat boxing, fighting in close quarters, self defense, making Luz squad question their sanity, making jokes, flipping her hat. being annoying.

Politics: Nah.

Flaws: stand offish, moody, blunt and direct, vain, doesn’t like to be on the losing side indecisive, selfish,

Strengths: Her optimism, strong sense of personal integrity, avoiding the status quo, free spirited, confidence level, good sense of humor.

Drugs / Alcohol: N/A. No who invited?

Passwords: The most random shit.

Prized Possessions: Her hat passed down by her oldest cousin, her unus annus sweatshirt, a small wolf plushy named Akela

Time and Place: Currently, at the Treehouse interviewing new members of the Luz squad. She just got back from a trip and she has jet lag.

Special Places: The treehouse, her original house, The owl house, the forest where she goes to meet Blushy, The cliff by the Grom tree, the beach.

Special Memories: Meeting Eda and King then running into Cottage and Bee, Becoming friends with Cottage Core learning magic from them, Teasing Belos and Hunter with Cottage Core, Dancing with Bee at her Grom, becoming a polyamorous couple with Bee and Cottage. Being accepted into the Luz Squad.

Tagged by: Stole it from @witchesborn

Tagging: You, if you want to do it.

#hcs #the bad boy #;Bad Boy #long post #info dump #about b.boy

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omoi-no-hoka · 5 years ago

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Hello! I'm sorry if this has been asked before, but how do you become proficient at handling conversations in Japanese/handling grammar very well? I read your post on the JLPT, and it addressed issues I have been tip toe-ing around--indeed, passive actions such as listening or reading are easier than the active ones. How did you go about that? Did you write a bunch of sentences daily? Did you have a conversation partner? What would you rec. to someone who lives outside Japan? Thank you!

This is an excellent question, and one that I get asked a lot irl by Japanese people in particular. Let’s talk about gaining fluency and the ways we can go about it!

How to Gain Fluency in Japanese (and Other Languages)

Speaking Fluency versus Accuracy

Language proficiency is divided into two separate categories:

Fluency: Although there are no widely agreed-upon definitions or measures of language fluency, someone is typically said to be fluent if their use of the language appears fluid, or natural, coherent, and easy as opposed to slow, halting use. In other words, fluency is often described as the ability to produce language on demand and be understood.

Accuracy: Correctness of language use, especially grammatical correctness and word choice.

By the above definitions, a “fluent” speaker may make grammatical mistakes, but they can speak without having to stop and think too much about conjugations, word choice, etc.

An “accurate” speaker can speak with nearly zero grammatical/word choice mistakes. However, the speed of their utterances isn’t generally taken into account, so it could take an “accurate” person twice as long to articulate the same idea as a “fluent” person.

Ideally, you need to strike a good balance between these two qualities when speaking. I have a boss, God bless him, who is 100% fluency and 0% accuracy and…man is it hard to understand what he’s saying sometimes, but he can generally get his point across just barely. I have another coworker who is 100% accuracy and takes about 3 minutes to form a sentence because he wants it to be perfect.

How to Increase Speaking/Writing Accuracy

First, let’s talk about the easiest thing to improve, which is accuracy. It’s also (in my opinion) the least fun thing to improve, because it means grammar books and vocabulary memorization.

You can only use a language accurately if you know what is correct and what is incorrect, and you can only learn that by studying grammar and vocabulary (or if you’re a native speaker and picked it up innately, you lucky bastard).

So here’s some things you can do to increase your accuracy:

For example, if you’re having a hard time using the passive, you need to review that part of your textbook and find some exercises to drill it into your head.

Say the correct thing aloud. Lots. Sometimes I just walk around my apartment and narrate everything I see/do like a crazy person, but that’s good practice.

Write example sentences using the grammar you’re struggling with and say them aloud too.

There’s a bunch of cool apps that connect you with native speakers that can help correct you too! I used to use HelloTalk, I think.

If you’re a creative soul, when I was studying for the JLPT, I took 1 grammar point and 5 vocabulary words from my JLPT study books and used them to write a 2-page short story about the adventures of ネギ, a stray black cat that smelled like green onions because she napped in an onion field. Then I had a Japanese friend check it over for me and mark mistakes. I hand-wrote them to improve my abysmal handwriting at the same time. It was really fun! I sometimes think about doing it again just for funsies.

When someone corrects you, don’t feel like your entire life is over and you’re a failure and you’ll never get it right haha. I’ve seen people fall into that hopeless mindset, and that’s just nonsense. It’s a good opportunity for learning and nothing more! Say the correct thing you’ve just been taught out loud, then write it down if you can. And, if possible, find a chance to use it in conversation asap.

How to Increase Speaking/Writing Fluency

Now this is the hard one. Especially for those learners who do not have native speakers nearby.

I’m going to be dead honest with you. I started formally studying Japanese at uni, and I had a Japanese roommate/best friend since year one. I had a 4.0 GPA in my Japanese classes (and only my Japanese classes lol) because I was and still am a MEGA NERD about it.

...But it wasn’t until I studied abroad in Japan my 4th year of uni that I gained fluency.

There are a lot of things that can hold us back from fluency. An interesting thing I’ve noted is that Foreign Language is perhaps the only subject in which a student’s personality can directly affect their progress. To gain fluency, you have to go forth and speak, but if you are naturally a shy person, that is going to hinder you. If you are the kind of person who takes mistakes/failures poorly, you will be less likely to take risks and try to say harder sentences. In contrast, you can get full marks in math regardless of the above personality traits.

I’m not saying that you have to be an outgoing explosion of a human being in order to gain fluency. But what I am saying is that you have to be willing to seek out conversations, and you have to be willing to take chances. Get out of your comfort zone. Use that new word you picked up the other day. Try to explain something that is difficult for you.

My problem was that, while I lived with a native speaker who would have happily taught me anything I asked, her English proficiency was much higher than my Japanese proficiency. And when I struggled to say something in Japanese, I’d fall back onto English. And when she told me something I didn’t understand in Japanese, she’d repeat it in English instead of Japanese, because that was easier for us both. The same thing happened when I was in Japanese class as well. I always had the assurance that I could fall back on English.

But when I elected to study abroad in Japan for 3 months, I knew that this was my big chance. So on the host family form in the “other requests” area, I wrote that I specifically wanted a host family that could not speak English. I was setting fire to my crutches, and I was scared but excited to see them burn.

By the end of my three months in Japan, I had gone from “Chotto matte kudasai” and needing a minute to form my reply, to “Okay, yeah I see that movie too and I liked the action scenes, but I didn’t care for the story little.” (I’ve underlined mistakes that I would have made in Japanese, to show you that I sacrificed some accuracy to obtain higher fluency.)

So, in short, the easiest and quickest way to increase your spoken fluency is to throw away all the crutches you can and use the language as much as possible. Every single day. Even if you’re just having an imaginary conversation with yourself! And like I said, there are a bunch of cool apps that connect you with Japanese people who want to learn English and you can do language exchanges with them. I had a lot of fun with those in the past.

As for increasing writing fluency...well. That’s a tough question with Japanese, because I can type Japanese at like 100 wpm, but my Japanese handwriting fluency is at a 10/100. I can read and type at the level of a native Japanese high school student, but I can only write the kanji that 7 year old can write. That’s no exaggeration.

The big reason for that dichotomy is that my work is paper-free. 100% of my work is done on screen, so about the only time I have to write out something is when I’m filling out a form, which includes my name (katakana), address, and maybe occupation.

If you want to increase your Japanese handwriting speed, just keep on writing. Write those little short stories about ネギ like I did, or find some writing prompts (I just started a side-blog with writing prompts yesterday btw) or keep a little diary. Make opportunities to write.

How to Have Nice Handwriting in Japanese

Okay, full disclaimer: I am the absolute LAST person qualified to talk about this, because I have awful handwriting in Japanese.

Unless you have prior experience with a different language that uses kanji, or you lack the keen eye of an artist, you will likely struggle to develop neat handwriting.

Personally, I really like using this app called Japanese Kanji Sensei. It’s on Android (not sure about iOS), and if you pay just a few bucks you can make your own kanji sets and stuff. Anyways, it will show you how to write the characters prettily. It gives you a good frame of reference for what nice, pencil/pen-written characters (versus calligraphy characters). It has hiragana and katakana on it too!

I get a stylus and write out the characters on this app for the muscle memory, so my hands remember the sensation of writing a certain character. (The muscle memory is different if you only use your fingertip.) This muscle memory and repetition is how Japanese people learn how to internalize kanji as well. I really enjoy and recommend this app. I’m sure that there are others out there like it too.

Summary

TL;DR: Review your textbooks, take risks, use every resource available or make your own, and just have fun with it! 💗

#Anonymous #ask me anything #Asks are open #study japanese #learn japanese #japanese language #nihongo #japanese fluency #second language acquisition #jlpt #studyblr #langblr #japanese langblr #japanese resources #kanji #study kanji #learn kanji

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tchallasbabymama · 4 years ago

Text

God is a Woman (Finale)

Wow, this is it y’all. Thank you for staying with me on this journey. Playlist was the first full-length story I started and I can’t believe I was able to pump out 15 chapters. I really just got back to writing in December after years of doubting myself...so this really means a lot to me. Y’all really mean a lot to me. Enjoy 😘

CW: smut

Word Count: 8202 As soon as the sun peeked out over the horizon, Ashanti’s eyes blinked open. She woke up smiling, and it only intensified when she felt her husband’s arms tighten around her as she reached for her dream journal on the nightstand. She flipped through her entries before she landed on a blank page. Using the sliver of sunlight sneaking into the room to see, she put her pen to the paper and thought back on her dream, making sure to record every detail she could.

In her dream, she was at the lake. Their lake.

It was a beautiful day outside, and she heard children’s laughter behind her. She turned around and saw a salt and pepper T’Challa swinging a young boy around with a man who looked just like T’Challa. Another laugh was heard and she turned to see a grown Siyanda and another man that looked like T’Challa surrounded by three rowdy children. T’Challa, his first mini-me, and the young boy all lit up at the sight of them and the kid ran to greet the new additions to their party.

The man with Siyanda hugged the boy tight before he ran off with the other kids. Ashanti couldn't take her eyes off her daughter. She looked to be about thirty, and she wore her hair cropped short. She got her strong stature and graceful movements from her father, and the heart shaped herb no doubt. One of the kids ran back over to ask her something Ashanti was too distracted to hear, but she clearly heard the kid say “Ok mama!” and a lump formed in her throat. She was pulled out of it by the feeling of T’Challa’s arms going around her waist.

“Are you ok, Kitten? You seem a little out of it today.”

Everything about him felt the same. The timbre of his voice against her ear still set her ablaze, and the smell of his cocoa butter covered skin still made her melt. She turned in his arms to get a better look at him and the gray hairs dispersed throughout his beard and short curls made her smile. His eyes were just as bright as ever, with a more pronounced crinkle in the corners. He stood strong and tall, but his softness for her shone through every time he looked at her.

“I’m ok,” she smiled and pulled him down into a kiss.

“Ewwww, they’re being gross again. Make it stop,” one of the men teased from afar, making them laugh and pull apart. T’Challa grabbed her hand and led her over to the group. Ashanti looked at the twins and marvelled at how they managed to both steal T’Challa’s face. They seemed to be in their early twenties so Ashanti did some quick math in her head and found she still had some time before she’d get to meet them in real life. Just as they sat down to enjoy their family picnic, the children joined them and a little girl crawled into Ashanti’s lap. She smiled up at her with her two front teeth missing and Ashanti kissed her forehead. Right when she laid her head on T’Challa’s shoulder, the sun woke her up.

She scribbled down her dream as quickly as she could before it left her memory, and just as she closed her journal she heard T’Challa’s raspy morning voice.

“Was it a good one?”

“One of the best,” she said through a smile and turned over to face him, planting a good morning kiss on his lips.

“Tell me about it.”

“Mmmm, this one I think I’ll keep to myself. You’ll find out eventually.”

“Oh, another premonition?”

“I hope so.”

In the two years that had passed since Ashanti came into her powers, she had also developed the ability to receive premonitions through her dreams like several of the women in her family.

She tried to turn back around to get out of bed, but he wouldn’t let her go.

“Uh-uh, where do you think you’re going?”

“You know where, I need to get my run in,” she giggled as his arms tightened around her waist.

“I need help with something before you go,” he whispered into her ear and grinded his morning wood between her naked cheeks and slid into her pussy, pulling her leg back to open her up. “And you need to stretch.”

All Ashanti could do was moan as he filled her from behind, her hips grinding back into him.

“I love how you’re always ready for me, Kitten. Such a good slut for your Kumkani.”

“Y-Yes, thank you Kumkani.”

He closed her legs and flipped her on her stomach, straddling her as he grabbed her ass and plowed into her. Ashanti damn near ripped the sheets from the bed as she held on for dear life. Normally their morning sessions were languid and sensual, but T’Challa woke up this morning ready to break her back in. One of his hands ripped off her scarf and grabbed her twists, craning her head to the side so she could look at him. He planted a wet kiss on her lips as his body weight came down on her thrust after thrust and a tear rolled from her eye.

“You feel so good wrapped around me,” T’Challa‘s hips wound inside her and she cried out, releasing her juices all over him as she came from his head dragging across her g-spot. “Mhm, just like that, Kitten. Soak my fucking dick.”

He lifted her hips without slowing his strokes and pushed her upper body down to the bed. He squatted over her and the angle of his thrusts drove her wild. She couldn’t stop cumming and he bit his lip as he tried to hold onto his own release, but the way her walls were squeezing him left him no choice.

“I’m about to cum in my pussy, Kitten. I want you to fucking drain me. You better not push it out, either. You hear me?” His strokes got impossibly deeper and her pussy responded by clenching around him yet again.

“Fuck!” T’Challa couldn’t help himself any longer and he released himself deep inside her. Ashanti grinded her hips and clenched around him some more, making sure she got every last drop as he continued to spill into her. She could feel the small bursts of liquid as they splashed her cervix and painted her walls, and she moaned as she reached under and played with her clit. She came for him one more time and he sat back on his heels and watched some of his cum slowly leak out of her drop by drop.

“Mmm, how am I supposed to go run now?” she whined as she slid back down onto the bed and rolled over.

“I’ll have the bathtub ready for you,” he kissed her and his hand travelled down her body to her clit.

“Challaaa,” she whined some more and moved her hips as his fingers rubbed her in slow circles.

“You either go now or I fuck you into this bed some more, and I’m sure the general wouldn’t accept that as a valid excuse. I’d hate to have to watch her make you run laps.”

“Ugh, fine. Stop touching me,” she fussed as she got up and he chuckled at her frustration.

“You might want to wear your black leggings.”

“Why?”

“I was serious, you’re not pushing it out.”

“You want me to run around with your jizz seeping down my leg?”

He laughed at her choice of words as he sauntered into the bathroom to start his day, without answering her question. Ashanti rolled her eyes and threw on some sneakers, her hot ass black leggings, and a sports bra before heading out to the gardens, peeking in on Yaya still asleep in her bed before she left. When the sunlight hit her face she smiled and started limbering up her muscles before she took off around the palace grounds. About forty five minutes later she returned to the palace and walked into the living area to see T’Challa and Yaya in the kitchen making breakfast as usual.

“Good morning, mama!” she said as she stirred some batter.

“Good morning, baby girl. Are you ready for your big day?” She came over and kissed Siyanda on the cheek before turning to her husband and doing the same.

Siyanda flashed a snaggle-toothed smile and nodded her head vigorously. Today would be her first day of school, and the entire Udaku household was buzzing with excitement. Before she could start getting sentimental Ashanti left the kitchen to go wash off her run. She hopped in the shower first, then settled into the bath T’Challa had run her for her aching muscles. She didn’t stay long, just long enough to relax. When she joined the family downstairs again, she walked in to see a hologram of Kwame and his husband Omar projecting from T’Challa’s beads. Ramonda had taken over in the kitchen while Yaya sat in T’Challa’s lap as her two uncles wished her a happy first day of school.

“So you two almost forget my birthday, but call for her first day of school? Fairweather friends, I tell you.” Ashanti joked as she entered their line of sight and leaned down to place her head on T’Challa’s shoulder.

“You know I still love you, Yaya’s just my favorite,” Kwame quipped back and she feigned offense. “Anyways, loving the twist-out. And Miss Yaya, those braids!”

“Enkosi, baba did them,” she said proudly, looking back at T’Challa.

Ashanti’s mind flashed to the night before. The three of them sat in the living room watching The Princess and the Frog, Siyanda’s favorite movie. Ashanti was trying her hardest not to cry for the millionth time when Ray died, when she looked over at her family and her tears dried up at the sight. Siyanda was seated on a pillow on the floor, eyes glued to the screen while her baba braided her hair with the concentration of a brain surgeon. His eyebrows furrowed as he thought about how he wanted the last couple braids to wind about her head, and she could see the exact moment it came to him and she chuckled. He looked up at her and winked before going back to the very important task at hand. By the time he was finished putting the beads on the ends of her hair, the movie had ended and she was almost falling asleep. They put her to bed and watched her sleep for a little bit before leaving the room.

Their convo didn’t last long, and pretty soon the king and princess were back on breakfast duty. He let her pour out the eggs into the skillet and he started his famous spiced plantain pancakes on the griddle. The turkey sausage was already done and the cheese grits had just come off the stove, and Ramonda had already found her way to the fruit Ashanti had chopped up the night before. Shuri rounded the corner with her usual morning grumpiness, but changed her tune when she saw Yaya and remembered what day it was.

“Good morning, family,” she yawned before shuffling over to her niece and covering her in kisses. “Someone has a big day today...I wonder who it is? Ashanti?”

“Nope not me.”

“Mama?”

Ramonda shrugged, “I don’t know who it could possibly be.”

“Ubhuti?”

“No special plans over here.”

“Hm, must be Daka then.”

“It’s me,” Siyanda giggled.

“You? What are you doing today?”

“I’m going to school!”

“Whaaaat? I had no idea!”

“No idea about what,” N’Jadaka asked as he entered the room. He had made sure he was in town for his Punkin’s big day.

“Did you know Yaya is starting school?”

“Nah, she’s not old enough for that.”

“I am, too!”

“How old are you?” he asked, already knowing the answer.

“Five!”

“Since when?”

Ashanti and Yaya had switched places and she was helping T’Challa plate the food when she noticed him stop and sigh looking out at Siyanda arguing back and forth with her aunt and big cousin.

“She’s growing up so fast. It feels like she’ll be queen by next week,” T’Challa said barely loud enough for Ashanti to hear. She thought to her dream and smiled as she wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed his jaw.

Just then, Chidi and Bisa entered the kitchen. They had gotten back from another trip abroad the night before just to make it to see Yaya start her first day of school.

“Sorry we’re late, jet lag is rough on us old folks,” Bisa said as she went around greeting everybody with a hug.

“Old? Speak for yourself, woman. Don’t forget you have two years on me,” Chidi quipped as he made his rounds, too.

Bisa cut her eyes at her husband and everyone sat down at the table to eat.

“So, mama, baba, how was Indonesia?”

“It was lovely, you two should add it to your list,” Bisa responded before stuffing her mouth full of T’Challa’s delicious food.

“We just might do that.”

“Where are your glasses, intyatyambo?” Chidi asked Yaya while Ashanti and T’Challa both beamed at their little girl. She had finally outgrown them and could look at people without the blinding pain from the brightness of their auras.

“The colors don't hurt my head anymore, so I don’t need them,” she said proudly.

“Wow, we were only gone a month,” Bisa was surprised at the quick change.

The family ate together and had their fill until about thirty minutes later T’Challa looked at the time on his beads and realized they should wrap things up.

“We need to get moving if you’re going to be on time for your first day,” T’Challa said to Yaya and she hopped up from the table and ran to get her things. The king and queen stood next, both taking a second to compose themselves.

“It gets easier,” Chidi offered as he grabbed his daughter’s hand. “I was a wreck on your first day.”

“Oh my Bast, I remember I had so much trouble getting him to let you go.”

Ashanti looked to T’Challa knowingly and he looked away. She could already tell he would be a problem.

“On Shuri’s first day of school T’Chaka wanted to stay and monitor the teacher.”

Ashanti shook her head at her husband, already seeing the wheels turning in his head.

“It’s not the worst idea…” he said under his breath.

Just then Yaya reentered the room with a pep in her step. “Ready!”

Her family waved goodbye, not a dry eye in sight, as T’Challa and Ashanti walked with Siyanda out of the palace and through the streets of Birnin Zana, their Dora close behind. Even Okoye fought to remain poised as the little princess that she loved so much walked ahead of her parents, seemingly already knowing the way. When they got to the school, she immediately tried to run off and play with the other kids, but T’Challa held her shoulder as the teacher walked over to introduce himself.

“My king, my queen, princess. It is a pleasure to have you here with us. I am Abayomi, I’ll be Siyanda’s teacher this year,” he saluted them and held out his hand for them to shake. Ashanti took it, as did T’Challa after she nudged his side for staring at it for a beat too long. Abayomi recognized the look on T’Challa’s face and decided to offer him some comfort, “If you’d like you can stick around and make sure she’s settled in ok.”

“Yes, let’s-”

Ashanti cleared her throat, interrupting him and shaking her head.

“Thank you Abayomi, but it’s probably better that we leave. The longer we stay the worse he’ll get.”

The teacher smiled and nodded in understanding before crouching down to Siyanda’s level.

“Hi Siyanda, I’ll be your teacher this year. Are you ready to have some fun and learn some cool stuff?”

She nodded vigorously and turned around to T’Challa, “Can I go now, baba?”

His heart broke and Ashanti saw it happen.

Abayomi went and stood by the door to give the family some privacy as they said their goodbyes. Ashanti crouched down and hugged Yaya goodbye before T’Challa knelt down and did the same, refusing to let her go until Ashanti gave him a look.

“It’s ok, baba, it’s just school.” She noticed the tears welling in his eyes and wiped one away that fell to his cheek.

“I know, sithandwa. You be good, ok?”

“I will, baba.”

He let her go and she ran towards the school doors and met her teacher. They both waved one more time before going inside and T’Challa’s dam broke. Ashanti helped her husband up and wiped his tears.

“How are you not crying right now?” He asked, confused by how she was able to keep it together. Ashanti smiled and thought back to her dream from the night before.

“Because last night I saw her as a queen. She was fully grown up, had kids of her own and everything...our baby isn’t a baby anymore, Challa. She’s growing up.”

“I hate it,” he grumbled as she grabbed his hand and led him back to the palace.

--------

Ashanti‘s chest heaved as she gulped down her room temperature water.

“How was that?”

“Pretty good, except for right here,” Shuri pulled up footage of Ashanti fighting in the simulation. “You let him get in too close. He could’ve done some real damage, so watch your back.”

Ashanti nodded and shook out her muscles.

“Again.”

“Ashanti, we’ve been at this all day. You should take a break. Bast, I need a break.”

The queen sighed and wiped her brow, “Come on, just one more?”

“So this is where you’ve been all day,” T’Challa said as he leaned up against the door leading to the private training room’s observation deck, surprising both of them.

“Brother, please get your wife. She’s going to exhaust herself if she keeps this up.”

“Snitch!”

Shuri leaned over the railing and stuck her tongue out at Ashanti before turning back to her brother and thrusting her holopad into his hands. “I’m going to take a nap, please don’t need me for the next two hours.”

T’Challa shook his head as she left and he reviewed Ashanti’s footage.

“You’re doing well.”

“Not well enough,” she said under her breath and rolled her eyes.

T’Challa looked up from the tablet and his brows furrowed, sensing her attitude. He strolled out of the observation deck and down the ramp to the training room, examining her body language as he went. He knew where this was going, and he didn’t like it one bit but he had to ask.

“What is it, Kitten?” He reached for her hand and she barely held onto it.

“Nothing,” she mumbled while avoiding eye contact. He pulled her in closer and lightly grabbed her chin, making her look into his eyes.

“You’re a horrible liar,” he said and she pouted. He smirked at her poked out lip and leaned in to kiss it. “Tell me what’s wrong.”

“I just want to get better, that’s all.”

“Why are you pushing yourself so hard?” He braced himself for what he felt was coming. He really didn’t want to have that conversation. She looked away again before her eyes found their way back to his.

“I want to go on a mission.”

There it was.

“A mission? Why?” he asked nervously, and she could hear the faint waiver in his voice.

“Because I have these powers I never do anything with, T’Challa. I know how to use them now, I’ve been doing combat training for over a year now...Yaya saw us fighting monsters,” she pointed to the both of them for extra emphasis. “So...when can I start?”

T’Challa really didn’t want her in the field fighting. He knew what his missions entailed sometimes and he wanted to keep her as far away from harm as possible. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh, and she wiggled herself out his arms. That wasn’t the reaction she wanted. She left him standing on the training room floor and stormed back to their quarters. The king’s shoulders slumped as he watched her march through the door. He looked up at the ceiling and spoke to Bast, “Give me strength.”

He decided it was probably best to give her space the rest of the day, and they didn’t run into each other again until dinnertime. Ashanti mostly ignored T’Challa and focused on Siyanda as she excitedly told them all about her day at school. She had been in school for a couple weeks now and was just as excited about it as she was on her first day. T’Challa tried his best to focus as she told them about her best friend Ade, but he was in his head the entire time thinking of the impending conversation he’d have to have with his wife.

Ramonda and Shuri could tell something was off, so after dinner Shuri offered to take her niece for the night so they could hash out whatever was going on between them. Ashanti was the first to leave the table, and T’Challa followed behind her shortly after, still wanting to give her space. Well, he wasn’t actually sure if he was doing it for her or for him, but it was needed nonetheless.

When he arrived at their quarters he found her stress painting on the balcony. She splattered the paint onto the canvas at record speed and he changed out of his royal threads and into a pair of sweatpants he wouldn't mind getting paint on before joining her outside. She saw him, but made no effort to acknowledge his presence.

“So you’re just going to ignore me, now?” he asked as he leaned against the railing. A couple stray red droplets found their way to his stomach and he almost smiled at the intense concentration on her face.

Ashanti dipped her paintbrush into white paint and lightly flicked it at her masterpiece, sprinkling white dots over the red splotches. She looked up at him for a second before her eyes travelled back to her masterpiece.

“Kitten…”

“What?” she said under her breath, her voice flat.

“Talk to me.”

“For what? You said all there is to say.”

“I didn’t even say anything.”

“Not with your mouth. Body language, T’Challa.”

“Damn. Full name, eh?”

“T’Challa Jahi Udaku. Is that better?” She rolled her eyes and reached for the black paint.

“No, it’s not,” he sighed and rubbed the back of his neck in frustration. “Ashanti, look at me.”

Her eyes flickered up to him over the canvas.

“I just don’t think you’re ready yet-”

“Okoye does. She even complimented my combat skills yesterday. You saw how I did with Shuri’s simulation, so what’s the problem?”

“There is a lot more danger out there than my sister can cook up for your training. I just want you to give it more time.”

“I’ve been training for a year! How much time do you need?”

“This isn’t about me.”

“Isn’t it? Give me one good reason why you think I’m not ready to fight.”

“I just need you to be safe, that’s all.”

“Oh like I don’t worry about you every time you put on that suit? Because I do. I pray to Bast and the Ancestors every time that you’ll come back to me unharmed, but I know you have to go because it’s your job. It’s who you are. You have your powers for a reason, so what about mine?”

“Your powers are defensive-”

“That’s why I’ve been in combat training, T’Challa! I know that, but you mean to tell me you never have any use for invisibility? A fucking force field?”

T’Challa sighed. He knew she was right, but he just couldn’t let her go out into the world and face danger like that.

“Siyanda-”

“Also has powers and will have even more some day. Are you going to tell her to stop seeing auras?”

“No, of course not, that wouldn’t even be possible.”

“Then why won’t you let me use mine?,” she shuddered at her own words, “Ugh, the fact that you even have to ‘let me’ do something is disgusting.”

“You can use your powers whenever you wish, that’s not what I’m saying.”

“Yeah, I love when I get to really put them to use for hide and seek and snowball fights,” she said sarcastically. “Do you know what it feels like to not be able to be your full self? I was given these powers for a reason, and I’m doing something with them whether you like it or not.” She got up and wiped her hands on her smock before taking it off over her head and tossing it at T’Challa, covering his torso in wet paint splotches. He rolled his eyes at her maturity and went to wash the paint off. When he emerged from the bathroom he caught her gathering up her pillows in her arms.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m sleeping in one of the guest suites tonight.”

“Kitten, we-”

“Don’t go to bed angry, I know, but this is getting nowhere and I’m tired.”

“Then stay here. If anything, I’ll go.”

“Fine by me.” Ashanti threw her pillows back down and walked past him to the bathroom to get ready for bed. By the time she came out he had already gone and she plopped on the bed, suddenly regretting her decision. She knew she couldn’t back down now and crawled under the cold, empty covers to get some sleep. Except sleep never came to her. She tossed and turned until about two hours later, and when she had finally had enough she decided to get up and drink some chamomile and lavender tea. She shuffled down to the kitchen and was met with the sight of her husband making two cups of the exact tea she wanted. He looked up when he heard her approaching and slid the teacup over to her.

“I can’t sleep,” she said before blowing on the tea to cool it down before taking a sip.

“Me neither.”

There was silence for a while as the two of them stood on opposite sides of the island sipping their tea.

“How did you know?” she gestured towards the cup.

“You told me once that you sleep better when I’m there, and I know you like tea when you can’t sleep. I figured you probably couldn’t turn your brain off, so you’d be down soon.”

“Well, thank you.”

“You're welcome.”

Ashanti grew quiet again, but T’Challa eventually broke the silence with a sigh.

“I know how it feels to want to get out into the field so bad it hurts. That’s how I felt during my training...I didn’t realize you felt the same way.”

“Yeah, well, I do and it hurts that you don’t see me as good enough to fight.”

“I never said you weren’t good enough-”

“You said I wasn’t ready.”

“I did, but I thought about it some more...I don’t want you in the field because if something happens to me I want Siyanda to still have you. If we’re both out there…”

“I know, I’ve thought about that too, but Bast gave me this for a reason. I don’t want to waste it, Challa.”

“I know…”

“Then put me in the field.”

He looked at her for a moment before coming to his decision.

“You’ll need a suit.”

Ashanti’s face lit up and she almost dropped her teacup.

“You mean it?”

“Yes…”

“You don’t sound too sure.”

“Because I don’t like it, but...anything for you,” he closed the distance between them and kissed her forehead then her nose then her lips. “Besides, you have to start some time since we know you’ll be fighting ‘monsters’ at least once. And you’re right, I shouldn’t have to ‘let you’ do anything.”

Ashanti beamed up at him and pulled him in for another kiss. “Thank you, baby.”

“You’re my wife, and my queen, and I never should have tried to stifle you. I am sorry I made you feel that way.”

“I know you only did it because you care about my safety, but trust me, I’ll be fine.” Her hand cupped his face and he leaned into it, pressing a kiss to her wrist. “Come on, let’s go to bed.”

They finished their tea and made their way back to their quarters in comfortable silence. T’Challa removed his sweatpants before they crawled into bed and Ashanti curled up on his chest, swinging her leg over for him to grab. Just as they settled in good T’Challa looked down and kissed her forehead.

“I really am sorry”, he whispered.

“I know.” She craned her neck up and kissed his lips softly once, then twice, then by the third peck she had already started crawling up onto him, straddling his waist as she leaned over him, exploring his mouth. He pulled her silk nightie over her head so he could see her naked body in all its Bast-given glory.

“Ride me, Kitten,” he said softly. They didn’t argue often, but when they did Ashanti loved how soft he was with her after. When they had angry sex it was always fiery and rough, but Ashanti loved their “I’m sorry” sex, especially when T’Challa was the one apologizing. He was still his usual dominant self, but softer.

She grabbed his already hard dick in her hand and stroked it slowly from base to tip, rubbing her thumb over the precum seeping out of him and bringing it to her lips, sucking it into her mouth and cleaning her thumb off. He loved to watch her taste him, but he needed more.

“Stop playing,” he grumbled, making her giggle and place him at her entrance, slowly sliding down and taking him into her.

He thought she looked like a goddess when she rode him. Of course, he was often dominant in the bedroom, but when she got on top he liked to sit back and enjoy the ride. She knew how to work his body like it was her job, and as soon as she settled on him she started to bounce and he let out a low moan. He was completely at her mercy as Ariana Grande’s words rang through his head.

You, you love it how I move you

You love it how I touch you

My one, when all is said and done

You'll believe God is a woman

And I, I feel it after midnight

A feelin' that you can't fight

My one, it lingers when we're done

You'll believe God is a woman

I don't wanna waste no time, yeah

You ain't got a one-track mind, yeah

Have it any way you like, yeah

And I can tell that you know I know how I want it

Ain't nobody else can relate

Boy, I like that you ain't afraid

Baby, lay me down and let's pray

I'm tellin' you the way I like it, how I want it

And I can be all the things you told me not to be

(Yeah)

When you try to come for me, I keep on flourishing

(Yeah)

And he see the universe when I'm the company

It's all in me

“Just like that.”

He held her hips as she squatted on his dick, dropping her entire body weight down on him and taking him in deep. She came down on him repeatedly before switching up her approach by getting down on her knees and rocking into him. He sat up and wrapped his arms around her waist as her hips wound on him. He opened his mouth for a sloppy tongue kiss and she obliged, wrapping her arms around his neck as their bodies slowly rocked together in an intimate embrace. She tightened her walls around him and he groaned into the kiss and thrust up into her.

You, you love it how I move you

You love it how I touch you

My one, when all is said and done

You'll believe God is a woman

And I, I feel it after midnight

A feelin' that you can't fight

My one, it lingers when we're done

You'll believe God is a woman

I'll tell you all the things you should know

So, baby, take my hand, save your soul

We can make it last, take it slow, hmm

And I can tell that you know I know how I want it, yeah

But you're different from the rest

And boy, if you confess, you might get blessed

See if you deserve what comes next

I'm tellin' you the way I like it, how I want it

And I can be all the things you told me not to be

(Yeah)

When you try to come for me, I keep on flourishing

(Yeah)

And he see the universe when I'm the company

It's all in me

She let out a high pitched moan and he grabbed her tighter, whispering sweet nothings into her ear.

“You’re a goddess.”

“I love how you feel inside.”

“You’re so beautiful.”

“I’m so sorry, my love. Do you forgive me?”

T’Challa flipped them over so she laid on her back and he slowly grinded into her as she tried her best to get the words out. He kissed up and down her neck, leaving little love bites as he went, knowing it drove her wild. Ashanti started to involuntarily clench around him and he groaned again, stirring his dick inside her when without warning, she flipped them back over and sat up.

You, you love it how I move you

You love it how I touch you

My one, when all is said and done

You'll believe God is a woman

And I, I feel it after midnight

A feelin' that you can't fight

My one, it lingers when we're done

You'll believe God is a woman, yeah, yeah

Yeah, yeah

(God is a woman, yeah)

My one

(One)

When all is said and done

You'll believe God is a woman

You'll believe God

(God is a woman)

Oh, yeah

(God is a woman, yeah)

(One)

It lingers when we're done

You'll believe God is a woman

“I wasn’t done,” she said, riding him with a vengeance until the tension in her lower half bubbled over and her body shook on top of him. She collapsed onto his chest and he chuckled, loving her brief flashes of dominance. It only ever reared its head when they made up after a fight, but he liked the power struggle. He spread his legs for leverage and thrust up into her, hands gripping her ass so tight he was sure to leave marks.

“Come for me one more time, Kitten. Can you do that?”

“Mmmm, y-yes Kumkani.”

He drove into her repeatedly, and Ashanti’s eyes rolled back into her head.

“Oh my Bast, right there.”

“Right here?”

If it wasn't for her basic understanding of human anatomy, she could have sworn his dick reached her lungs. He found that spot over and over and tremors travelled through her body once more right as he began to twitch inside her.

“T’Challa!” she cried out as she came, and he was just a few seconds behind. His body tensed up and released as he emptied himself into her. Their heavy breathing was the only sound that filled the room for a while before T’Challa spoke up, a smile plastered on his face.

“Nice flip.”

“Mm”

Ashanti grinned lazily and laid her head down on his chest, getting comfortable with him still nestled inside her. She loved sleeping with him filling her, it was the closest she could get to him without crawling into his skin and since he loved the feeling of being inside her, he never complained. He smiled down at her and noticed she was already falling asleep. He left a kiss on her forehead and got comfortable under her before dozing off himself.

--------

“You can’t tell T’Challa, but I made you something.”

“I can’t lie to my husband, Shuri. Even if I wanted to, he’s a walking lie-detector.”

“Ugh fine, but only if he asks.”

“I can do that. So what’s the big secret?”

Shuri was vibrating with excitement. “I made you a suit.”

“You didn't.”

“I did!”

“Oh my Bast, show me!”

“Ok, close your eyes.”

“Shu-”

“Just do it, please. And no peeking!”

Ashanti sighed and closed her eyes, impatiently waiting for the reveal.

“Now open.”

Ashanti’s eyes blinked open and she saw a jewelry box in Shuri’s hand with what looked to be two bracelets and a pair of earrings of her own design. She was in awe as she reached in the box and ran her fingers over the small gold filigree earrings.

“Try it on,” Shuri pushed and Ashanti was compelled to do just that.

She went for the earrings first, popping them in her ears before sliding on the bracelets.

“Ok, what now?”

Shuri scanned the small vibranium ink tattoo behind her ear with her beads. “In your head, just tell it to go on.”

Ashanti took a breath before willing the suit to extend from her new jewelry. Her skin tingled as the nanites travelled from the bracelets and stretched over her body. She looked down at her all-black suit in complete admiration before she realized she was missing something.

“Does it come with a helm-”

As soon as she started the question, her earrings buzzed and she felt the tingle of the nanites covering her face.

“This is so fucking cool!” She yelled in excitement and ran to the closest reflective surface to check herself out. She turned around and saw her ass was looking right and smirked.

“Really? That’s what you check?” Shuri and Ashanti bursted into laughter just as they heard the doors swish open. Ashanti called the suit back in, but wasn’t quick enough. T’Challa caught a glimpse of it retreating right as he stepped into the lab.

“You made her a suit already? It took you forever to make mine.”

“That’s because I had to make new tech- wait, you’re not mad?”

“No, why would I be? If she’s going to be going on missions with me she needs a suit.”

“You two worked it out?!”

Ashanti laughed, “Yeah, we worked it out. We decided I’ll go with him on the next one.”

It seemed like Shuri was even more excited than Ashanti, but all three of them were ready to test out Ashanti’s new suit.

“Ok, so what can this bad boy do?” Ashanti asked her sister-in-law.

“It’s equipped with our cloaking technology, so when you turn invisible the suit can camouflage with you-”

Ashanti disappeared from view and laughed as she looked down and saw nothing below her.

“-and you have all the same weaponry as ubhuti, but I figured since you can explode on your own you didn't need the kinetic energy absorption.”

A still invisible Ashanti slowly formed a force field around her hand and pushed it out, growing it until about the size of a volleyball.

“And a couple more things: first, throw it,” Shuri said with a satisfied smirk on her face.

“Throw what?”

“The bubble.”

Ashanti had never successfully done that before, but she gave it a go. She thrust her hand towards the wall and the bubble she had formed in her hand crashed into it.

“How did I do that?”

“Long story or short story?

“Short please.”

“Magnets.”

“Works for me. What else can I do?”

“Press that button on your left wrist and then try again,” she said while moving backwards, which prompted T’Challa to do the same. Ashanti pressed the button and felt another tingling sensation. She formed the forcefield in her hand as usual, but this time it had little volts of electricity running towards it. She chucked it at the wall and laughed as she watched it crash while the electricity fizzled out.

“I want to try something,” Ashanti smiled mischievously.

Shuri and T’Challa both saw her wheels turning and left the room as quickly as they could, turning back to watch through the glass doors. Ashanti lifted her hands and quickly formed a forcefield around herself, charging it with electricity and pushing all the way out. She smiled as she completely ruined the testing room, too caught up in the new suit to care. .

“You ruined my lab!” Shuri shouted through the door.

“It’s just the test room, relax,” Ashanti hollered back and retracted her suit.

T’Challa couldn’t help but smile at his wife. He was proud of her progress, no matter how much it still scared him to think of her going on missions. She was still the fiery artist he fell madly in love with, but she had become a warrior right before his eyes. He was in a daze the whole time watching her. She amazed him more and more every day, but today he saw her in a whole new light. Her strength, her powers, her hold over him...she really was a goddess. There was no other explanation. A dreamy smile appeared on his face as he thought of how blessed he was to be in her favor.

“What are you smiling at, goofy?” Ashanti poked him in his arm as they rode in the Talon back to the palace.

“You,” he looked down and kissed her lips softly. “You were amazing in there.”

“Aww, thank you baby,” she looked down as her face got hot and her ears tingled. All these years and he could still make her blush. Just as he leaned in to kiss her his beads rang and he looked down to see it was coming from the Avengers Compound.

“Looks like you might be getting out there sooner than we thought.” He answered the call and Nat’s hologram appeared hovering over his communication bead. “What is it this time? Aliens trying to blow up New York or something?”

“Hello to you, too. You’re close actually. Genetically manipulated creatures in New Jersey.”

“Monsters?” Ashanti popped into view.

“Oh, hello Queen Ashanti,” Natasha bowed her head in deference.

“Just Ashanti is fine. So monsters?”

“Yeah, some defamed ex geneticist did some experiments on a bunch of animals and now they’re basically demolishing Newark. I’m talking things that used to be bears and wolves, cougars even. We gotta do something, so T, you in or you out?”

“We’re in.” His voice was unwavering.

“We?”

“Yes, both of us.”

“Wow, ok. So yeah, we will see you two when you get there.”

The call ended and Ashanti beamed up at T’Challa, vibrating with excitement.

“I’m going on my first mission!” She jumped up and down and flew into his arms, kissing all over his face. “And it’s monsters!”

T’Challa laughed as Ashanti started doing a little celebratory twerk. He thought back to Siyanda’s drawing of them from when she first started having premonitions a couple years ago. It was still hanging on their fridge since Siyanda insisted it go right next to her family portrait.

When they arrived at the palace, Ashanti had started to get nervous. It had just sunk in what she was about to go do. She wasn’t second guessing herself, but she felt the gravity of the situation. She already knew the outcome thanks to her daughter, but still…

“You ok, Kitten?” he asked her over the ding of the elevators as they rode up to their quarters.

“Hm? Yeah, I just have some first time jitters, that’s all.”

“That happened to me too. It still does.”

“Really?” She looked up at him in surprise. She never thought about him getting nervous before, it seemed so out of character for the Black Panther.

“Yes, every time now. I’m always worried about making it back to you and Yaya, but I use that feeling to push through and make sure I get home. Think about her, and use it to fuel you.”

Ashanti nodded and her mind drifted to her daughter, her intyatyambo, her baby girl. She would do anything for Siyanda. Hell, she developed a whole superpower to protect her.

“I will.”

The two of them quickly packed their things. T’Challa called Ramonda and let her know of the plan, and she excitedly agreed to be Siyanda’s guardian while they were gone. Chidi and Bisa were on a flight to Italy at the moment, so Ashanti left them a voicemail telling them the good news. The king and queen then went to pick up their daughter from school early, like they always did when T’Challa had to leave in the middle of the day, and when they brought her back to the palace they dropped the news on her.

“Yaya, baby, we need to tell you something, ok?”

“Ok mama, what is it?”

“Well...I’m going with your baba this time. We’re gonna go fight monsters,” the smile on her face grew as Yaya’s eyes got bigger and bigger until she ran out of room.

The princess jumped up and down in excitement. “You’re a superhero just like baba!”

T’Challa chuckled at his daughter, “She certainly is.”

It was a clear, sunny November day in Wakanda. The kind of day where people couldn’t help but to be happy because it felt so good outside. Ashanti walked with her head held high as she and her family made their way to the Royal Talon. Shuri and T’Challa both kept sneaking looks at her in her suit, but for very different reasons: Shuri was proud of her handiwork, and T’Challa was thankful for Bast’s.

“Ok baby girl,” Ashanti said as they both crouched down in front of Siyanda. She cupped her face in her hands and kissed her forehead, then all over her face. Siyanda giggled and T’Challa reached in with a sneak attack and started tickling her, making her laugh ring out even louder. The more she laughed he could see Ashanti’s nerves melting away and being replaced by a look of complete love and adoration. It was the same look he got when he thought of his girls, and the same look that twinkled in her eye when their eyes met. “You be good for your grandma. We’ll be back as soon as we can.”

“I know mama, I saw it before. Remember?”

“We remember,” T’Challa grabbed her and planted kisses all over her face like her mother just did before hugging her tight.

The two adults stood to their full heights, looking to each other and nodding.

“It’s time for us to go,” T’Challa said as he hugged and kissed Ramonda and Shuri goodbye before hugging Siyanda tight just one more time. Ashanti did the same and the two of them walked towards the Talon hand in hand.

“Thank you for trusting me enough to do this, Challa,” Ashanti said as they reached the stairs. Before taking the first step she turned around and faced him “I love you so much.”

He smiled down at her and kissed her forehead then her nose then her lips.

“I love you too, Kitten.”

“Now let’s go kick some monster ass!” She ran up the stairs and into the Talon, leaving him behind at the foot of the stairs shaking his head in disbelief at the turns his life has taken. Just ten years ago he couldn't see himself with a wife and child...he didn’t even think he’d be king yet, but here he was. When he walked into Taj’s that day he had no idea he would meet the love of his life, his child’s mother...hopefully children someday soon-ish. He loved her with his whole self, yet somehow always had room for growth. The excitement on her face kept him grounded as he tried to focus on the mission at hand and not getting lost in Ashanti’s assets.

The door closed behind them and the king and queen waved goodbye to their family through the window and caught the kisses Siyanda blew at them from the ground. As the ship continued it’s ascent and their family became as small as ants, Ashanti turned to T’Challa.

“So what now?”

He flashed a gap-toothed smile and reached for her hand, pulling her in close to him and planting a kiss on her lips.

“Now we go over intel and formulate a plan. You ready?”

“Yes sir,” Ashanti stood up straight and nodded, saluting him.

He smiled and returned the gesture before stilling himself. Ashanti watched as T’Challa melted away and his facial features took on a more stern look. She wasn’t looking at her husband anymore, she was looking at the Black Panther.

“Then lets go kick some monster ass,” he said with a predatory grin as the ship disappeared through the shield and into the outside world. Ashanti’s nerves melted away as the Talon flew through the air and she knew she was ready. She could do this. They could do this, together.

The End

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