#poor color payoff

[elliyoyo]

Adverse Effects (Gale Dekarios/Reader)

Hello hello, long time no see. With over 700 hours on BG3, I figured it was about time I cracked my knuckles and got to work delivering the goods. Hope you enjoy and just a reminder: Requests are open!

Desc: You give Gale a magical ring but don't check it's magical properties first. He ends up hot and bothered, and it's on you, good leader.

Warnings: Smut, p in v, oral (m receiving), sex pollen, and a good ol' creampie

Words: ~2.5k

“My condition is worsening again, I need to consume some powerful magic, or it may become volatile,” Gale begs, nearly collapsing against the tree trunk behind him as he missteps behind you and the rest of the group. If not for you stopping, Astarion and Lae’zel would’ve kept trekking along, but you weren’t just going to leave your poor resident wizard behind after all he had done. He clutches at his chest, heaving as he expectantly looks at your pack for an item to extinguish the enchanted flames building inside of him.

“Here, Gale, use this.” You offer a ring you dug out from the pile of jangling jewelry collecting at the bottom of your bag. The pink stone seemed to glint and shift colors as it was plucked out of your fingers, but you paid it no mind.

He examines it for a moment but has no problem rasping out a “thank you” before pressing it to his chest and letting himself absorb its magical energy. One moment, he’s engulfed in a purple, violent flame, and the next he breathes a sigh of relief, sans ring. His desperate breathing slows and his pain seems to be minimized, however, he is still looking off into the hills, dazed as all Hells.

“Doing alright now? How was that one; still helping less and less as we go?”

He solemnly nods, the relief of the magic already fading away from him. He collects himself for a moment, turning into the dull full-body aching that was a new, not-quite-unwelcome side effect… Better than having no bodily sensation at all in the grave, eh?

“This one was off… different… But I should be alright. Thank you very much, again.”

Should be alright was far from the truth, as you would find throughout the day. Missed attacks, too many close calls to be comfortable with, and just general Gale mishaps that were worthy of genuine concern. One specific battle called it— every single spell missed its target, or had a payoff so low that it would’ve been laughable in some other scenario. After narrowly avoiding death for almost 8 hours straight, you’d had enough and it was time to make sure this was the end of it.

“Okay, I’m beaten, and I bet you guys are too, so how’d you feel about heading back to camp for the night?”

“Yes! Gods, Heavens, Hells, yes, my bedroll is calling my name like a harpy,” Astarion proclaims, throwing his arms in the air dramatically. Lae’zel seems to agree in her own more contained, Githyanki way, pressing her lips together with a subdued nod. And Gale, standing there still-dazed, could only nod and turn in the direction of camp. Your eyes met his for only a moment, but in that moment, you saw a half-lidded wildfire going on, yet you couldn’t help telling yourself he must just be tired as all Hells as well.

So, as you make the trip back to settle in for the night, you can’t help the confusion that hits you when you catch him rubbing and adjusting his waistband. Can’t help but be intrigued by the little faces and noises he makes as he does it. Seems like that ring you gave him had some adverse effects…

Interesting.

Astarion had scurried off to his set up, Lae’zel immediately went to work on maintaining her sword, and Gale took off inside of his tent at mach speed. No grabbing a book, no sly joke, nothing, just bolted out of sight. You take a moment to say hello to and check in with everyone else around camp, but Gale stays prominent in your mind. As you realize nobody else is around to see you flocking to his tent, you clear your throat to let him know you’re there.

“Are you alright in there? Is it the tadpole, or do y—”

“What did I previously say about privacy? I just— ah— don’t feel well at the moment, I’m a little out of my element,” Gale stutters out between gasps and breaths through his teeth. You keep your eyes fixated on the telescope in the front, waiting to see if he continues, but he falls silent.

“Out of your element how? Something you ate, overexertion, magic-related…?”

“Magic-related. For sure. But alas, I’m a wizard! Made of magic! Perfectly capable of handling it, so you should just get some sleep. Forget about my ailment for the night, and it should be dealt with by the time we have to depart in the morn.”

“No, Gale, I’m sorry, but I’m coming in— make yourself decent,” you joke as you walk in, not expecting him to be gripping his cock tight as could be. You gasp, trying to find something, anything, else to look at, but all you keep coming back to is his rubbed-red and raw, weeping head. “Gods, wha— are you alright? What is going on?”

“That ring is happening. It was enchanted, obviously, but differently than we initially thought.” He’s so casual about it that he doesn’t even seem phased, continuing to slowly caress his shaft. “I, uh, I apologize, it’s like I’m charmed, aroused by nothing in particular, it’s strange…”

“Is there anything I can do? Is there a…” You trail off, clearing your throat and turning to look at the moon above you. “Uh, anyway I can help?”

“Without your mouth? Unlikely.”

And he goes beet red, cursing his jabber jaw, his blabber mouth, his fatal flaw of not being able to just shut the fuck up. Clearing his throat, stammering as he pushed out a rushed, “I’m so sorry, you should go. I should stop, this should stop— I didn’t mean to offend, I’m so— Oh gods!”

Without any hesitation at the offer, happy to help a friend in need, and very happy that said friend happened to be Gale, you’re closing the makeshift tent’s door and dropping to your knees in front of him. Even with him lying down, you can still wrap your hand around him and give him a few firm tugs.

“I can do a lot with my mouth, but I can still work some magic without it if you will.” There’s a devilish glint in your eyes as you continue tightly jerking him off, his eyes and mouth wide open in shock and insane pleasure. He’s unable to will any words to escape him, save for the moans, groans, and grunts that involuntarily slip from his sweet lips.

“Is this—” He’s broken off by a whine as your finger grazes over his tip. “The ring? The enchantment?”

“No, no, I don’t feel off, I just… want you. I desire you. I’ve thought of this— maybe not like this exactly— but I never thought… I would ever have a chance.”

“Well, here I am, at your disposal, so please, please.” His eyes flit between your lips and himself, wishing, waiting, hoping, praying to feel the warm, beautiful wetness of your mouth around him. And as if you read his mind, you happily oblige, leaning down under his hiked-up robe to wrap your lips around his head and gently suck. His head flies back in ecstasy, fingers gripping the blanket beneath him to keep himself from tearing your hair out or pushing your head down to make you choke on his cock, as much as he’d love to feel the sensation of the latter.

Small rhythmic bursts of sucking turn into licking him down to his base, tracing a vein or two on your way down, which then turns into lazily dragging your tongue over his balls while your hand makes up for the lack of attention higher up.

“Can I… touch you? Please?” He gives a tug on your shirt. And who are you to say no to Mr. Wonderful, Gale Dekarios of Waterdeep? You pull your nighttime shirt over your head slowly, exposing your bare chest to the chilly evening air. 

“Are we… both okay with this? Are we on the same page here? Is this okay with you?” You can’t help but rapid-fire questions at him now that the thought of him being under the ring’s influence has intruded your mind. He shifts his hand to your face, letting his index finger gently rest against your lips.

“This is not just the ring. I… have harbored some feelings to do with you for quite a while now. It’s all just pouring out at once now, but I’ve never been more sure of anything else in my life, I can tell you that.” That was all that you needed. That confirmation that he wanted to know what it felt like to sink inside of you as much as you wanted to know what it felt like to have him fill you nearly to the brim.

“Then come here,” you whisper, just barely audible enough that he follows your instructions. His lips crash against yours in a deep kiss, his fingers knotting into your hair to keep you as close to his overheated body as possible. He is desperate, teeth gnashing against yours and capturing your bottom lip at points, saliva mixing and temperatures rising. 

“I don’t know who or what enchanted those rings as such, but I must acquire several more if this is the result; me being at your will… needing,” he pants out, still holding your foreheads together.

“Let’s get through this first, then we’ll see about finding some more aphrodisiac trinkets. Tell me more about your growing need, my dear evocationist?” You lazily slip your leg over his waist and begin grinding yourself down against his exposed length. The pressure combined with the texture of your pants’ fabric puts him in pure ecstasy, obvious by the small whines that leave him and the way his teeth catch his bottom lip in a pathetic attempt to hide them.

“My need for you— it hurts, it burns in my core,” he pushes out like a plea for help. His eyes are glossy, his body vibrating with arousal, pleasure, shock, disbelief… and pure attraction.

“And is that right there good, Gale?”

“Gods, yes, don’t stop unless I get to be inside of you,” he groans, bracing himself against the ground to grind his hips in time with yours just a bit harder, further, more any way that he can.

“Ask and you shall receive.” You push yourself off of him, pulling your slacks and undergarments down to the ground. There’s a moment of low, shallow breathing, where both of your eyes dilate as you simply take in the sight of each other. Pleasuring yourselves, more for the other than yourself, and drinking in the expression on the other’s face. The point was to tease him and see how long he could sit in anticipation, but you find yourself getting impatient enough to forget all of that and pounce on him.

You take hold of him by the base and carefully guide him inside of you. It’s impossible to put the fullness you feel into words, it’s all-consuming, and it sends shivers and shakes through your entire body. In sinking down on him, you feel as if you’d been reunited with your girthier other half— complete. A wonderful pressure begins to bubble up in your abdomen as you begin moving, evident to him by the way your nails dig into his shoulders. His hands have found their place on your hips, and in no time, they’re gripping you half-to-death. He’s using his tight grasp to slam you back down onto him, meeting you in the middle. The symphony of skin against skin was sure to be keeping quite a few of your companions up, but it's better to ask for forgiveness than permission in this scenario. His mouth finds its way to your chest, gently taking a nipple between his teeth and grazing his skillful tongue over it.

His lips make a soft pop as they unlatch from you, and all he can do in this moment of boiling hot lust is prop himself up on his elbows and watch you in all your glory. He gazes up at you with that same half-lidded gaze you saw on him earlier, except there’s a bit of boyish wonder. He’s not just perceiving you, but admiring you. One hand eventually trails its way up your leg to your waist, and he begins to help you come back down on him harder, faster— his twitching legs and quick breaths gave away that he was already getting close from the change in pace.

“Gods, Gale, you’re so good,” you groan as you lean forward, forcing him to sit up a bit to support your head as you rest it on his shoulder. This just gives him more of a chance to fuck up into you like a wild animal, chasing more of your moans and his climax. “Fuck! Gale, please!”

“I love this, I love you, I love the feeling of you, I love it!” His voice goes up and up and up until his high pitched breathy ramble is cut off with one last loud groan. Now it’s your time to admire; eyes screwed shut, forehead scrunched up as his mouth lays open wide. With the show you were getting and the feeling of him filling you with warmth, you were helpless against the waves of your own orgasm crashing into you. You two take a moment, nothing but the sounds of your gasps for air between you, limbs still intertwined and sweat still mingling.

“If all I have to do is ask for this, what do I get if I really beg?” Blabbermouth, indeed. You pull his chin up to give him a sloppy kiss, continuing to hold his face as you pull yourself off of him, making a mess of him as his cum drips out of you.

“Save it for next time, I’ll think of a few things we can try down the road,” you joke with a small chuckle as you allow yourself to fall on your back and reach for your clothing. “How’s everything feeling with, uh… the ring?”

“Yes, yes, that was very beneficial. It was like my body was held in lava, until I felt your touch.” He gazes at the mess you two have made, but makes no moves just yet. He pushes his hand through his hair and takes a deep breath, beginning to fall into a daze admiring you as you dress. “Are you going?”

You pause. Are you going? Should you stay? Would that make the journey awkward? What did this mean for you and Gale, that you had slept together to help him out after the being influenced by some magical ring? There was nothing there besides the ring?

Gods damn it all.

“No, no, I just... I used a cloth that was lying around to wipe myself off, it was instinct to get dressed afterwards.” You avoid the question, hoping to take his mind off of your quick separation from him instead of any pillow talk. You fold the cloth you used and hand it over to him, looking away while he cleans himself up as if you didn’t just ride him into next week. “Any way you could conjure a second pillow?”

“Anything you wish, so long as you join me tonight.”

And you do. And many nights after.

[themosleyreview]

The Mosley Review: Poor Things

What if Dr. Frankenstein's creation was a success? What if the Bride of Frankenstein's monster became an actual person? A young woman with accelerated mental development and wanted to venture out into the world to experience life and womanhood. Well that's almost exactly what this original story was and I quite enjoyed the breath of fresh air it was. We've seen the coming of age, adulthood and life dramas and comedies, but this one was more on the level of delivering not only that type of story, but also a dark comedy that would either bore you or fascinate you. There was a great deal of fantasy elements that makes for a visual feast as we explore the odyssey in which the main character embarks on. There were some thought provoking and very witty dialogue between a number of characters and they all had unique perspectives on everyday life that apply today, even though this was a period film.

Emma Stone delivers an outstanding and evolutionary performance as Bella Baxter. To see her develop mentally from child to adult inside a grown woman’s body, was done so tastefully and almost effortlessly. She captures that ever curious wonder of the outside world and all that is to be learned. Her observational presence and wonderfully blunt delivery of sometimes hilarious dialogue was exceptional. Bella's exploration into the world's beauty and horror was the type of pure character growth that was captivating and sorely missed in modern films these days. I enjoyed experiencing her journey into becoming a woman and finding her freedom. Willem Defoe was excellent as her caretaker, creator and father figure, Dr. Godwin Baxter. He was a mad scientist that truly has a tragic backstory, but he doesn't let that stop him. I loved that he had a unique look on life and his studies into true human development was fascinating. The chemistry between Godwin and Baxter was heartwarming and not your typical relationship at all. It was a paternal relationship that developed intellectually. Ramy Youssef was great as Dr. Baxter's apprentice, Max McCandles. He was a young and enthusiatic student and I loved his genuine care for Bella. He was one of the purest and gentle souls of the film. Mark Ruffalo delivers a fantastic and manic performance as the very charming and petty womanizer Duncan Wedderburn. From moment he's on screen, you get the characters' intentions and how shallow of a human is. I loved that his confidence slowly gets chipped away by Bella's unwillingness to be controlled by his overbearing nature. It was a great affair that propelled the film along and their chemistry was excellent. Jerrod Carmichael was also excellent as the realist, Harry Astley. He drops some truth bombs on Bella on the world view of the rich and the poor and how society functions as a whole. His words may hold weight, but they were conflicting nonetheless. Christopher Abbott was ruthless and despicable as Alfie Blessington. I won't spoil his character too much, but I will say that he was absolutely the disgusting version of a man in that time period and he really shows his motives quickly. He acts as the final narrative payoff to a plotline that was almost an after thought thanks to the amazing performances all around.

The score by Jerskin Fendrix was fantastic, whimsical and unconventional as Bella Baxter herself. It truly brought out the comedic tone in a number of great scenes and underscores the experimental nature of the story. I loved the score the most during the moments Bella was at sea. Speaking of which, visually this film was stunning and almost dreamlike. I am a sucker for the usage of black and white to evoke the sense of time, but here its a character. The transition to vibrant colors as Bella explores gives the film a burst of life and also informs you of the characters feelings. Director Yorgos Lanthimos has undoubtedly made one of the best films of the year and the cast all around deliver outstanding performances. This is a must watch on the big screen and I highly recommend it in Dolby for the colors. Let me know what you thought of the film or my review in comments below. Thanks for reading!

[combinado]

Just finished watching the final Venture Bros movie, and man... ;_;

Sure, it probably wasn't as cool as it could have been if it was a whole final season instead of just a movie, as was planned originally, but still. They probably made it as good as it was possible, with picking up most of the loose threads and neatly tying them. I don't know what else to say without spoiling anything, but as a long-time fan I was pretty satisfied with those conclusions. That ending felt really nice c:

And it's hard for me to describe everything that I feel about VB, but I basically grew up with this show. And it sure had a huge influence on me, and I owe quite a lot of who I am and what I'm about nowadays to it. It showed and taught me many things, and it truly means a lot to me. And I'm really glad that something like that exists and that I stumbled upon it many years ago and decided to stick with it.

Sure, the early episodes may be... rough, to say the least, especially by the modern standards - some of 00's adult swim language and jokes may seem in rather poor taste nowadays, but hey, it was a product of its time, and it does get better later on. And the early animation may not be super polished, and is also rough around the edges - the pilot episode was even done in Flash, haha. But I always found VB really endearing even despite that. And it makes it only more satisfying to see how the quality of both the writing and the animation get better and better with each season.

If you have the time, and if you're willing to tolerate the rough start and a few crass jokes here and there - please, give Venture Bros a chance. It's a wonderful show made with so much love and attention to the details, with a fantastic, fun and colorful cast, and it's just really entertaining to watch - there's more than enough humor, mysteries, suspense, cool action and heartwarming moments. And oh, the character growth! Some character arcs take quite some time to start rolling, but the payoff is great. And you probably would enjoy it even more if you know the things it references here and there, but even if you are like me and have been living under a rock without getting familiar with most of pop culture - it still holds up on its own just fine. And despite its 20-years-long (woah!) run, it's not actually that long - 65 episodes (counting the pilot and the specials) and a movie. (And don't miss the after-credits scenes!) There was a slideshow-presentation style post about "why you should watch Venture Brothers" that I really liked, but sadly I can't find it. But these posts can work as well: - https://www.tumblr.com/taki118/628651351412441088/go-watch-the-venture-brothers - https://weirdmageddon.tumblr.com/post/627555718310019072/in-depth-guide-thread-for-people-who-want-to-get - this one also has content warnings, though it's probably better to do your own research if there are some topics that are sensitive to you.

Anyway.

Go Team Venture. And thank you for the wonderful ride.

P.S. And here, have a picture of one my faves - the wonderful Dr. Orpheus :]

[forthesanityofstorytellers]

Footsteps of a Stranger

Written in 2019 to be part of an anthology that I don't think ever quite got off the ground. Spawned a good character, tho. Short story that I broke up into chunks for Tumblr. Inspired by the Noir Princesses art by Ástor Alexander.

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WC Total: 6289 -Part 1, 628 -Part 2, 1276 -Part 3, 1163 -Part 4, 686 -Part 5, 1851 -Part 6, 685

Warnings: Guns

Summary: A PI is on the case to discover who has been setting forest fires. And she's hot on the trail, now.

The company building loomed near the edge of the forest like a tombstone marking the slow death of nature herself. The windows were carved into the industrial-looking front, gleaming like several pairs of eyes in the growing dusk. Paved stones led to the double-doors. An invitation into the unknown.

“Plan as usual?”

I nodded. “Plan as usual.”

Letting out a stern cough and tugging at the front of his duster, Thomas strode forward with me in tow. This world respected him more than I, and I was not one to leave an advantage on the table. He hammered on the doors until they opened, the secretary unmoved and unconcerned at his demanding to see the man in charge. She shook her head, tried to tell him Ratcliffe wasn’t in, but he insisted and managed to push past her. I played the part of the underling and apologized. She shook her head and ran after him, trying to stop Thomas’s tirade down the halls.

I took my advantage in quick succession with a quick glance around. The poor frazzled woman was tasked with keeping this base upright on her own, it seemed. No one to help her make the appointments, or keep track of the workers, or file all the necessary documents in a timely manner. A small cubby to the side was stuffed with stacks of paper, hidden away so that her desk remained clean and efficient.

I went to the wall-shelves and began to fish around for the company’s history, opening each drawer and flipping through the contents as speedily as I could, looking for anything that had to do with fires or poison. I may have missed several opportunities for evidence, as I could hear the scuffle down the hall escalate, other men’s voices adding to the mix.

Nothing. There was no hidden treasure, no secret information tucked away in the files to make my case. The closest I had was a small invoice of payments to someone who used to work for the city.

Wait. Wait wait wait...here was a small mark noting the purchase of a hunting rifle, same as mine. This company wouldn’t need a hunting rifle unless they planned on hunting, and I doubt anyone here liked to hunt animals.

The voices were coming closer. I pocketed the invoice and mark before stepping to the door, hands behind my back and waiting calmly.

“...last time I come here, you just see!” Thomas yelled behind him, the blonde secretary following him back to the door.

“...so sorry, I’ll see he gets notified of…” she hesitated, thick curls hugging her head like a straw-colored helmet even as she glanced back at her desk and at me. “...I’m sorry, I didn’t catch--”

“No need,” he said stiffly, adjusting his hat as he strode out the door. “We’re done here.” I gave a slight bow and followed him.

“So?” he asked as soon as we turned away from the monstrosity. “You find anything?”

I heaved a shake and sigh, hands slipping into my pockets. “Very little. No phone calls, no lawsuits, nothing except an invoice with no notes and nothing big enough to be considered a payoff. The closest I found was a note linking the company to the purchase of a hunting rifle, but no proof that anyone used it out of bounds.” I glanced at him out the side of my eye. His brows were down, and he kept looking behind us. “You?”

“Found some mud in Ratcliff’s office. Right on the edge of the forest, so it makes sense…” He shook his head. Hesitated. Looked directly at the land on the other end of the street.

“What is it?”

“The assistant...said he went out earlier and hadn’t been back. Missed a few calls. She seemed...almost worried. As if something was wrong.”

I followed his gaze, looking over the forest. “Let’s go back and ask.”

“What?”

I smiled as I turned around. “A good tracker has to understand what they’re tracking as well as notice their surroundings.” I paused. “Plus, it never hurts to ask.”

We got back with a few jogging strides, Thomas going back in without me. She would be more inclined to think she had to answer him, and I seemed to make her uncomfortable. I waited, looking back out over the land and watching an orange hue burn the sky into a golden dusk.

Wait.

Was that…?

I peered at the horizon, just above the nearby treetops. And I was right. A small trail of smoke was growing deep in the forest, curling like a thin tail wagging in the breeze. Fire. Someone had started a new fire.

Thomas emerged at a dead run, jabbing a finger at the forest. “He’s there, he’s there!”

We took off together, headed directly for the thickening smoke. The air grew hotter as we traveled, more humid as we neared an open angry flame. Small sparks had already licked at a few branches, the edges of the leaves curled in burnt agony. I slowed as we neared, spotting a flickering flame directly ahead. It raged and dimmed before raging again, as if someone were controlling its intensity. I motioned for Thomas to slow down and move around one side, while I moved the other direction.

I crept along, skirting the forest as best I could. I was keenly aware that my only weapon was my short pistol, good for close-up but not quite meant for longer-range shots. If this got ugly from a distance, I would be in trouble.

I got close enough to hear someone talking. No, two someones. Ratcliffe was there in front of the fire. I could see he was kneeling, bent over and cowering on the ground. But I couldn’t see anyone else around the fire. So who was the second?

“...told you, I didn’t know!!”

“Of course you didn’t,” the second voice seethed as the flame got bigger. “How could you? We don’t exist, remember?” A spit of flame separated, swirling out into the night and singeing the above branches.

Don’t exist?

Ratcliffe bowed, head scraping the forest floor, voice trembling under the weight of attempted humility. “I am...so sorry…about your family…”

Flames lashed out, striking him across the face. He grabbed at the burns and screamed, reeling back. “Don’t you talk about my family!!” the second voice screamed. “We happily lived in our forests until you came along and dumped a pile of toxic waste at our door!”

The fire began to spin, swirling faster and faster as the voice rose in pitch. “Because of you, my family’s dead. Because of you, I turned into this!” It raged into the sky, towering over him and bending around in a spiral. “Your poison soaked into my body and warped me, and the fire you used to try and kill me only made me this. Made me this!!!”

Oh. Oh no. Don’t tell me this was what I thought it was.

The fire died down until it was the size of a human, dimming until dark embers cascaded along a two-legged, humanoid figure. The body was twisted with burns like a roasted tree, the skin bumpy and wooden. Each movement creaked and groaned, the splintered remains of branches still sticking out from the back of its skull.

It was an earth sprite...or what used to be one. If I understood her raging monologue right, she was the evidence of Ratcliffe’s company dumping waste where they shouldn’t have. It crept into her as it had crept into the forest she guarded, and the fires nearby were a result of Ratcliffe trying to get rid of her.

A charred stump of a finger stabbed at him, fire beginning to burn again as she stated, “even after you found out what was wrong, who was trying to fix the damage you caused, you only used that information to latch an iron cuff around my wrist−to trap me, to bury me in flames. Me!” The fire grew along her arm and ate away her image. “You don’t get to play the hero tonight.” The fire swirled around her head. “You don’t get to walk away from me now.” It grew into a formless flickering mass. “You won’t bury me tonight! Because I’ll be the one burying you!”

I hesitated.

Ratcliffe needed to answer for his crimes. I needed to bring him to the humans, get him to confess to them. This was something the city needed to know. There was a right and a wrong way to handle this.

But in the world of magic, the world I grew up in, there was a different sense of justice. You did wrong, you paid the price. Usually with your life. The sprite was doing nothing more than any other sprite.

Except this fire. I watched as the flames got bigger, caught the edges of the trees. Her rage would soon be the start of a wildfire, and that would cost innocent creatures their lives.

“Stop!” I blinked as Thomas’s voice rang out, lashing through the trees. The sprite halted, fire dimming as Thomas emerged with a hand out as if he was trying to steady the flames. “Everyone just...take it easy.”

A blast of heat swept his way as the sprite screamed, “Stay out of this!”

His head poked up from where he ducked, carefully moving forward as he talked. “Easy...I’m only here for him.” A stray finger pointed directly at Ratcliffe, who had now shrunk his cries into muffled whimpers.

“And I’m here for his head!” Another slice of flame cut through the air. Thomas dodged again, rolling to his feet and keeping a calm face as he continued to advance. I pulled at the pistol attached to my belt, crawling through the forest to find a better vantage point. “First he poisons me, then he tries to kill me, then I heard that he was buying up forests to cover his tracks. Well he won’t get away from me that easily!!”

“That’s wrong!” Thomas called out, trying to halt the sprite’s anger. “His company is buying forests to help preserve the land!”

Fire shot out over Thomas’s head, the tree bursting into flame. I pulled at my pistol and crept forward as the sprite spat fire, screaming, “Wrong. Wrong! He’s trying to cover his tracks through lies, buying the forests and telling you he’s preserving them when all he’s doing is making sure no one can find out about his dirty past!” She spun around to Ratcliffe and advanced, flames spitting in every direction as she moved. The forest was catching, the heat beginning to press. “You don’t get to be a hero by burying your past!!”

She reached for Ratcliffe, who was worming away in a last attempt for his life.

Thomas began to run between them, drawing his own weapon. She didn’t budge. She was going to burn both of them. Kill both of them.

I squeezed one eye shut and took a steadying breath.

Once was all you ever got in life.

A shot rang out.

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[Part 6]

[cartoonbabbles]

Quick HGS post since a kind soul managed to post the series on YouTube

- Rosemary is the dumbass gay of the group and I love her for it

- so many good quotes

- “is sleep a food?”

- some of the acting sounds like they recorded the VAs separately and then stitched them ever so slightly too close to one another but I don’t really mind it? It’s closer to how I find people talking irl so it’s kinda fun to see that

- with my mom being sick now, but her also kinda being one of the villains in my life, the scene where Lavender gets taken and knowing where she ends after in the series hits a bit harder

- istg the acting isn’t as terrible as people say it is. Maybe a couple more passes, but given how crunched everything was I’m willing to overlook it to some degree

- I forgot Rosemary says “WAUGH!”

- Anise and Aloe are just Lumity

- I don’t even get why people were getting hissy over Rosemary being slightly thicker than other character models

- “chewing is for cowards”

- I like how Rose and Sage aren’t perfect friends in the beginning, like Rose is kinda pushy and Sage is a bit reclusive but it’s like what I liked in LWA where the characters are given room to grow

- also I appreciate the POC chatacters not really being given stereotyped/caricatured designs

- the first encounter with Thyme is so silly. Poor girl just wants to finish her protagonist quests

- Sage has a little bit of the tism and I relate.

- “IT WAS ICONIC” (about cheesecake. I very much relate. Cheesecake is tasty)

- I love how casually Rose will sprint into danger

- stupid Pokémon looking creature

- Rose was absolutely ready to commit murder

- okay. The animation is competent. It’s not awful. The worst I could say is more time needed but again. Rushed production thanks to those above the crew, so I’ll forgive it

- also hello? Colors pretty? Cel shading?

- Sage showing off her nerd skills

- I love how there’s just a shit ton of thief Pokémon creatures

- god, the Trixie sequence was gorgeous and the music was too.

- Lumity owls

- this has turned into me live reacting to the episode

- we get the payoff to the cheesecake joke and a bit of emotional payoff to Rose’s dream from earlier

- OKAY SO I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT THE SERIES ENDGAME?

- like. Raye would often post SageMary art and I need to know if they were gonna be canon or if SageDragon was the new endgame ship, if any?

- “there are no small potatoes, only large mouths”

- wise

- Amber Romero as Parsley <3

[storyspothub]

Revolutionizing Your Smile with Teeth Whitening in Brooklyn

A vibrant smile is often the first thing people notice about you. As an indispensable facet of personal and professional interactions, your smile is an asset that deserves attention and care. In a bustling urban environment like Brooklyn, where first impressions matter, the quest for a bright and confident smile is more than just cosmetic—it's about owning who you are in every room you enter.

A Beautiful Smile: More Than Skin-deep Beauty

The allure of a gleaming white smile is universal. It transcends trends and exudes a timeless elegance. It speaks volumes without uttering a word; it's an unspoken language of warmth and approachability.

The pursuit of a brighter smile is not just about aesthetics; it runs deeper into the realms of self-confidence and self-esteem. A smile that you're proud of can do wonders for your morale, whether in day-to-day interactions or in career aspirations.

The Psychological Edge of White Teeth

Research has confirmed that the psychological impact of a confident smile is profound. From boosting your self-image to enhancing your interactions with others, it contributes significantly to your overall well-being. A white, radiant smile can open doors to a plethora of opportunities, both socially and professionally.

Understanding the 'Why' Behind the 'Yellow'

Teeth discoloration is a common dental concern that affects millions worldwide. The reasons behind stained or yellowed teeth are varied and can accumulate over time, leaving once-bright smiles dulled.

Common Causes of Tooth Staining

Dietary factors, such as consumption of coffee, tea, and red wine

Tobacco use, which leads to stubborn stains

Poor dental hygiene

Natural aging process

Some medications, such as certain antibiotics

Understanding the genesis of your tooth staining is the first step in determining the most effective teeth whitening strategy for you. Dispel the misconceptions about whitening; it's not just a Hollywood indulgence, but an accessible treatment with a wealth of benefits.

A Bevy of Options: Teeth Whitening Choices in Brooklyn

When it comes to teeth whitening in Brooklyn, you're not short on options. The local dental landscape offers an array of solutions, from quick in-office treatments to take-home kits that fit into your daily routine.

In-office Teeth Whitening: The Sparkling Fast-track

In-office whitening treatments, such as Zoom! or laser whitening, provide swift results, often in a single session. They are administered by dental professionals, ensuring safety and efficacy. This professional-grade approach is ideal for those seeking immediate results and a guided whitening process.

The At-home Method: Customizable Convenience

Alternatively, at-home teeth whitening kits present a flexible approach. Custom-fitted trays and professional-grade whitening gels are provided by your dentist, allowing you to whiten your teeth at your own pace, with results becoming evident over a few weeks.

The Payoff: Benefits beyond a Brighter Smile

The advantages of a gleaming set of pearly whites extend beyond pure aesthetics. A radiant smile is a powerful asset with far-reaching impacts on your life.

Professional Enhancements

In a competitive professional landscape, your smile can be a defining feature. Studies have linked a confident smile to improved job performance evaluations and increased salary offers. By investing in teeth whitening, you're investing in your career.

The Social and Personal Boost

A brighter smile can transform not just how others perceive you, but also how you feel about yourself. It uplifts your spirits, boosts your confidence, and encourages more frequent, genuine smiles.

Picking the Perfect Shade: Choosing the Right Teeth Whitening Method

The road to a whiter smile is a personal journey that must align with your lifestyle and desired outcomes. Several factors should shape your decision, including the initial color of your teeth, your budget, and the speed at which you hope to achieve your desired shade.

Cost-Effectiveness vs. Swift Results

In-office whitening is the pricier option but is often most desirable for its speed and immediate results. At-home kits provide a balance of effectiveness and affordability, accommodating gradual whitening while working within your budget.

The Comfort Quotient

Your comfort is key to the success of your whitening experience. Consider which method aligns with your pain threshold and dental history. Always opt for what feels right for you after consultation with your dental professional.

Post-Whitening: Making Your Smile Last

A newly whitened smile is a joy to behold, but maintaining it requires diligence. Post-whitening care is crucial in preserving your investment and ensuring long-lasting results.

Everyday Practices for a Bright Smile

Simple practices like thorough brushing, flossing, and avoiding staining substances can go a long way in retaining the brightness of your teeth. Regular dental cleanings are also vital, helping to remove surface stains and control the development of deeper discolorations.

The Role of Touch-up Treatments

Touch-up treatments, whether at-home or in-office, can be scheduled periodically to counteract the natural progression of tooth discoloration. They serve as maintenance sessions, keeping your smile consistently radiant.

A Bright Future: Navigating the Teeth Whitening Process Forward

As you navigate the world of teeth whitening in Brooklyn, remember that the foundation of a successful whitening journey is knowledge and professional guidance. Be proactive in learning about your options, and seek consultations with dental experts who understand your dental history and smile aspirations.

Revolutionizing your smile is not just about the change in color, it's about the transformation of your entire persona. It's about exuding confidence, approachability, and creating new opportunities. Take the first step towards a brighter, more radiant you. In Brooklyn, with the abundance of teeth whitening solutions at your fingertips, the landscape is as bright as your future smile.

[nawilla]

Package Martyr Strikes Again

The Sibling is playing Package Martyr again. Today is her birthday. I texted her last Tuesday to let her know to expect her birthday gift. She had asked for something specific for her birthday and I ended up purchasing it from a website not typically known for this item unless you shop there regularly.

I ask her yesterday (a week later) whether she received the packages because I had not gotten a delivery notice from either her or the online store about the package being delivered. When I checked, UPS said it was delivered the DAY AFTER I told her to expect it.

According to her, nothing was delivered. She claims she recieved two text messages from the online store the SAME DAY I told her to expect her package about a package delivery, but she refused to open the messages because she thought it was spam. It never occurred to her she could just ask me if that was where the package came from. So she ignored it. (Mind you there are other friends/relatives who could also be sending her gifts).

I opened the UPS tracking info AGAIN and found the photo of the delivered packages. Mind you, Package Martyr CANNOT step on the landlord's porch (she is in a mother-in-law apartment in their house) because (blah blah I don't know what her latest excuse is). I describe the photo (color of floorboards, door, describe plants next to the door).

She claims she can't remember what the door looks like. She can't remember what the front door to the house she has lived in for more than a year so she'll 'ask her friend the landlady tomorrow.'

This is the second time her deliveries have gone 'missing' and last time her flowers were such poor quality I suspect the landlords did a bait and switch. I think they've found another way to exploit her control issues and she's too trusting to figure it out.

At this point I'm ready to just send her a Target gift card online and be done with it because I'm tired of her drama and stringing me along for her own bizarre emotional payoff.

[cybrsan]

Pirate King — K.HJ

SUMMARY: You are playing a dangerous game with an even more dangerous man, and you don't know how much longer it can go on before everything falls apart around you.

PAIRING: Kim Hongjoong x F!Reader

RATING/GENRE: M ; smut ; pirate au, rivals w/ benefits

WORD COUNT: 7.6k

WARNINGS: Toxic relationship dynamics, poor bdsm etiquette, dubious consent, knife play, unsafe sex

A/N: Hi! This is the first part in the collection of stories I am writing based on each of ATEEZ’s title tracks & singles, as well as the very first piece of my writing I am posting on this blog. Please enjoy! 

LINKS: AO3 Link | Series Masterlist | All Works Masterlist 

You slip silently through the shadows, your eyes fixed on the mansion ahead. You have been planning this heist for weeks, and the payoff will be enough to finally get a ship and a small crew of your own. You have taken everything into consideration—the guards’ patrol routes, the location of the target, all the way down to the best escape route. You even planned around the weather, the rain being a perfect distraction from any noise you might make. Nothing will be left to chance. Nothing can go wrong.

You climb the garden trellis that leads to the third-floor window and pop open the latch with your pocket knife, slipping inside. You cast a cursory glance down each side of the hallway, but just as you expected, the guard is nowhere to be seen. At this time, he should be patrolling the opposite end of the floor, which gives you about six minutes to neutralize the two guards in the display room, get the necklace, and get out. The time frame is tight, but you’ve dealt with worse scenarios.

The necklace you are after is an ode to jewelry craftsmanship, and no expense had been spared in its creation. The design consists of a solid gold chain, polished to a gleaming shine. Dangling from the center of the necklace is a single, massive diamond, a flawless gem that sparkles with a brilliance that is almost blinding. Supposedly, when it catches the light just right, it creates a mesmerizing display of color. The Aurora, people call it.

But it isn’t the diamond alone that makes the necklace so valuable—it is the history behind it. Legend has it that the necklace once belonged to a powerful queen who was gifted it at her coronation. It had been passed down through generations of royalty before her, and people say that anyone who wore it was blessed with great wealth and success. That part of the story obviously isn’t true, as no one who has since come into possession of the necklace has reaped the benefits.

It’s not that you don’t believe in magical items—they certainly do exist. In fact, part of the reason you are trying to get a ship is to track one that has captured your interest. The Aurora just happens to be a normal item of jewelry. Of course the people who owned it were wealthy and successful; they were royalty. It was all no more than a mere coincidence. But alas, it is still a hot commodity and one you are willing to provide.

The governor you are robbing recently purchased the necklace at an auction for an inconceivable amount of money, much to the chagrin of your employer. You couldn’t care less about petty disagreements between the wealthy—you just want to do the job and get paid.

You enter the display room, poisoned knife at the ready. One cut is all you need to get the toxin into a man’s bloodstream and paralyze him. You freeze momentarily when you see that the guards have already been dealt with, their unconscious bodies lying in a heap on the floor. The confusion only lasts for a moment before panic surges through you, spurring you into action. You switch into a defensive posture and spin around so your back is against a wall, prepared to face whoever has beaten you here.

Your eyes take in the room, but you don’t see anyone else. There are too many hiding spots to consider, and you start listing them off in your head. Behind one of the doors? No, too obvious. Inside the suit of armor? No, too impractical. Inside one of the cabinets? Perhaps, but which one? There must be at least 6 that you can see and walking around aimlessly will leave you vulnerable.

What you don’t account for is the man crouching behind a display case to your right. He jumps out and catches you by surprise, trapping you in his arms. Without hesitation, you throw your elbow back, connecting with his stomach and forcing him to release his hold on you. You follow up with a wide arc of your knife, but he counters your attack with ease, twisting your wrist and causing you to lose your grip on the weapon. You curse under your breath, knowing that you're outmatched in close combat.

Refusing to back down, you bring your leg up and land a solid kick to his midsection. He staggers back, only knocked off balance for a second, but it is enough time for you to cross the room and grab the necklace. With a burst of speed, you dash towards the exit, thinking you have the man beat. But just as you near the window, he grabs you by the hair and pulls you back toward him. Pain radiates through your scalp, and you almost bite your tongue in an attempt to hold back a scream. You go to elbow him again, but this time he’s prepared, pulling you tightly against his chest and rendering you immobile. You strain to catch a glimpse of his face, but it's hidden behind a dark cloak.

“Sorry,” he says, before covering your mouth with a sickly sweet-smelling cloth. You struggle against him, thrashing your arms and legs, but it's no use. The last thing you recall is the fact that you recognize his voice, a sense of frustration flooding through you as darkness overtakes you.

You let out a groan as you slowly regain consciousness, blinking your eyes in an attempt to adjust to the harsh sunlight. Your senses gradually come back to you, and it doesn’t take you long to recognize where you are. You can smell the sea in the air just as much as you can feel it beneath you. That and the fact that your hair is currently whipping around your face from the wind is enough to let you know that you are on a ship. Not just any ship, though. The worn wooden deck, the orange and black flag waving above your head, all down to the sound of laughter in the distance are things that are more than familiar to you. Even the uncomfortable feeling of being tied to the mast, unable to move, is nostalgic. You’re on the Destiny.

Your head is pounding, and your limbs feel heavy and numb, an awful reminder of how you ended up in this position. Your clothes are stiff against your skin and still slightly damp—it must have continued to rain while you were unconscious. Of course none of your captors had the decency to put you in the brig, protected from the elements. You’re sure you can thank the Destiny’s sadistic captain for that; he likes to think doing things like this gives him sort of power over you.

You test your bonds but, as always, they are as secure as can be. Fucking San. You can’t believe you let him capture you again. You’ll get him back for this—maybe you’ll steal his cat when you escape this time as a warning you aren’t to be messed with any longer. Plus, Byeol is such a sweetheart and she deserves better than to be surrounded by all of this chaotic, masculine energy.

“Well, well, well,” a familiar voice remarks, the timbre of it instantly grating on your nerves. “Sleeping Beauty has finally decided to join us after her two-day nap.”

“Wooyoung,” you spit.

He looks no different from the last time you saw him, other than the fact that his long, dark locks are pulled back in a ponytail. He dons a black vest and tight-fitting trousers, his white linen shirt slightly open at the collar to reveal his tanned chest. A gun holster is fastened to his hip, containing his favorite ornate pistol. In all the years you’ve known him, you’ve never seen him without it.

“You look like shit, Y/N,” he laughs. The way his eyes crinkle makes him look deceptively innocent, but you know better. “San really did a number on you this time, huh?”

“Nice to see you too, bastard.”

“I know, isn’t it always?” He ignores your harsh language and squats in front of you. “Captain sure is happy to have you back. I’m almost jealous.”

“Jealous?” You scoff. “I never wanted that sadist’s attention in the first place. Feel free to have him all to yourself.”

“I said almost. He gives me plenty of attention, don’t you worry.”

You raise an eyebrow. “That so?”

Wooyoung nods, smirking. “Yeah. In fact, just the other night, he—”

“Wooyoung, knock it off,” San interrupts, voice stern. He walks over holding a metal cup in one hand and a plate of food in the other. No longer hidden under a cloak, you’re able to see that his black hair is freshly cropped, accentuating the chiseled angles of his face. “Why don’t you go let Hongjoong know Y/N is awake since you’re apparently so fond of him, hm?”

“Don’t be jealous, Sannie,” Wooyoung says, standing up and caressing the back of San’s neck. “You know I love you too.”

“Yeah, yeah. Get out of here, brat.”

Surprisingly obedient, he walks off, but not without one last witty remark. “Have fun with her. Watch your fingers!”

San ignores him and kneels in front of you, setting down the food and water. Despite seeming flippant about Wooyoung’s warning, he still eyes you warily. “I’m gonna feed you now, alright? Please don’t bite me.”

You roll your eyes in response. “That was one time; let it go.”

“It hurt! I have a scar from it!” He holds up his right index finger; sure enough, there’s a pale white line right where you sunk your teeth in.

“You poor baby. Not as if you, I don’t know, kidnapped me or something.”

He pouts and picks up the water cup, raising it to your lips. You greedily gulp it down, eager to rinse away the lingering taste of whatever he drugged you with. Some of it escapes from the corners of your lips, dripping down your chin and soaking into the neckline of your shirt. San gently dabs at your mouth with his sleeve, and there is so much kindness in the action that you almost feel bad for all the shit you give him.

“Can’t you just join our crew since we want the same thing? I don’t particularly enjoy kidnapping you, you know.”

Almost.

“Okay, then stop doing it!”

“Y/N,” he whines, “You know that whatever Captain says, goes. Or I’ll be the next one tied to the mast.”

You pout as you accept the next bite of food he offers you. “If he is such a tyrant, why are you and Wooyoung and everyone else so loyal to him?”

San sighs and sits more comfortably, crossing his legs. “There’s a lot of reasons. I’ve never met another captain as fiercely protective of his crew, who is as loyal to them as they are to him. Nor have I seen anyone as passionate, or as dedicated to what we do and what we fight for. He makes people believe in something, you know?”

“So? That excuses the way he acts?”

San doesn’t answer right away, continuing to feed you bread and cheese as he ponders what to say. Being fed is somewhat humiliating, but this isn’t the first time you have found yourself in this situation, and it probably won’t be the last. Plus, you don’t feel like biting any fingers today, so you may as well put up with it.

“It’s not that simple,” he says eventually, eyes soft and hazy as if recalling a distant memory. “I may not be a fan of some of his crueler practices, but I understand that everything he does is necessary. He isn’t evil; it’s not all about fear, at least not when it comes to the crew. It’s about respect. He demands our respect because he needs to know that we have his back just as he has ours. He only punishes those who deserve it. And when it comes to our enemies? The fear he inspires in them makes our lives a thousand times easier. He’s earned my loyalty beyond a shadow of a doubt. I owe him everything.”

You will never admit it out loud, but hearing him talk about his captain with so much reverence inspires similar feelings within you. You can say you hate him, that you want nothing to do with him, and that you find his sadistic fascination with you nothing more than an inconvenience, yet you still always end up right back here on his ship. If you were smart, you would avoid port towns completely. But maybe, just maybe, part of you is drawn to the captain just as much as his crew seems to be.

Before you can probe San for more details, Wooyoung hollers for the both of you from the bow of the ship. Giving you one last, apologetic look, San stands and unties you from the mast before guiding you toward him. 

Wooyoung nods to the captain’s quarters. “Time for your date.”

You roll your eyes. “Oh, gee, can’t wait.”

San walks you to the door, but, before he can knock, you move in front of him so that you’re blocking his way. Figuring you have nothing to lose, you give him your best puppy eyes.

Before you can even say anything, he’s already shaking his head. “No, no, don’t even try it. Sorry, Y/N, but I’m not getting involved in Captain’s business, which is exactly what you are.”

“San, come on, I can make it worth your while.” You bat your eyelashes at him, and he flushes, embarrassed by what you’re implying. You wouldn’t normally stoop this low, but it’s not like he’s unattractive… Plus, it’ll make it easier to steal Byeol if you’re already in his room.

He goes to say something and then freezes, eyes widening. “Uh, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“What? Are you not attracted to me? Actually, don’t tell me if that’s the case, you’ll hurt my feelings.”

He backs away, raising his hands in a sign of surrender. “I’m not getting involved,” he says, reiterating his statement from earlier. It’s only then you realize he’s no longer looking at you, but behind you.

You slowly turn around to face none other than Kim Hongjoong, Captain of the Destiny and the bane of your existence. He dons his usual tan coat that has his logo embroidered on a black armband, indicative of his authority. A small scar cuts through his left eyebrow, giving him a dangerous edge, and his hair is styled away from his face, showcasing his deceivingly delicate features. His intense gaze seems to burn right through you, his aura as imposing as ever.

"Y/N," he greets, his voice just as you remember. It has a sweet, almost musical quality to it, like a bell. But there's also a hint of darkness that makes your hair stand on end. "Come in, please."

Despite the polite request, you can't help but roll your eyes. He asks as if you have a choice, but you know better. If you don't comply willingly, he will force you to do so. You walk past him, purposely bumping your shoulder against his. He just smirks and shuts the door behind you, the lock clicking ominously.

You've been in his quarters many times before, so you know the layout well. The room is humble but cleverly designed to appear larger than it is and lit by several lanterns, casting a warm glow over everything. The air is thick with the scent of spices, sandalwood, and the faintest hint of tobacco smoke. The centerpiece is an ornate desk made of dark wood, with a leather-bound journal and quill at the ready.

The walls are lined with shelves containing books, trinkets, and other treasures from Hongjoong's travels. A large map of the sea hangs on the wall behind his desk, covered in pins and strings marking his various ports of call and potential targets. You try to memorize the details, hoping they'll be useful in your future journeys. He notices you looking and laughs as if he doubts you’ll be able to garner any information from it.

His laughter makes you bristle. “You left me tied up for two days this time, bastard.”

“It’s no fun if I go too easy on you, is it?” he hums, watching you walk around his room.

“I don’t think it’s any fun at all, actually.”

You come to a stop in front of his bed, large enough to fit two comfortably, with silk sheets and plush pillows. You remember the feeling of the silk on your skin and flush, quickly turning away from it and focusing your attention on Hongjoong who has taken a seat on the edge of his desk.

He tilts his head, eying you the same way a cat eyes a mouse. “I’m not so sure that’s true. You never do stay away long, do you, Y/N?”

“It’s not like coming here is my choice.”

“Oh, but isn’t it? You know the ports we frequent yet still choose not to avoid them. I can’t help but wonder why.”

“If you think it’s because of you, you need to get your ego sorted out.”

He smirks. “I never said that, did I? But I believe you just confirmed it.”

You take a deep breath, determined to keep your cool. You hate how he gets under your skin so easily but would hate it even more if you made it obvious. As if he doesn’t already know exactly the effect he has on you.

“If you would just let me go about my own business and stop sending your little henchman after me, we could simply avoid each other and make both of our lives easier.”

“Ah, yes. San, my infiltrator, to whom you made a very interesting offer.” He stands up as he says this, stalking toward you. “Are you interested in him? You want him to think you’re pretty?” You say nothing, the intimidating aura rolling off of him rendering you speechless. You didn’t realize you were backing away until your knees hit against his mattress. “Have you thought about what it would be like to have his cock in your mouth or his head buried between your legs?”

As he runs his thumb over your bottom lip, a part of you longs to draw it into your mouth, but you turn your head away. “You’re sick.”

“Don’t act like you don’t love it.” He pushes you just hard enough so that you’re forced to sit on the bed, head level with his abdomen. He stares down at you with a twisted smile, obviously enjoying the change in perspective. “So, tell me,” he continues as if he hadn’t just said some of the most vulgar things you have ever heard, “you have new information on the location of the Cromer?”

The Cromer—the magical object you are both after, an hourglass that grants the owner the ability to move through dimensions. You’ve been hunting it for years, with Hongjoong and his crew always right on your tail.

“Funny how you’re asking as if you expect me to just hand it over.”

“Won’t you, sweetheart?” He pouts, and that is almost enough to break your resolve.

“No way in hell. You’d have to torture the information out of me first.”

He smiles again as if the idea is appealing to him. But then he gives you a once over, and his eyes darken. “Let’s save the torturing for another day, shall we? It has been far too long since I’ve last had you.”

His words send a jolt through you, making you clench around nothing.“Fuck you, Hongjoong. I’m not your whore.”

“Whose whore are you then? San’s?” He places a knee on the mattress next to you, leaning over you. His breath fans against your face when he speaks next. “Do you think he’d be able to make you scream the way I do? That he’d be able to fuck you the way you like?”

“Maybe he would,” you say, though you don’t actually believe it.

“He’s too good for you, Y/N, and I think you know that. He’d be gentle, loving, and treat you like a doll. A real gentleman. But that’s not what you want. What you really need, what you truly desire, is someone who can break you over and over again until you can’t even remember your own name.”

“You’re such a—” Before you can even get the full phrase out, he crashes his lips onto yours. It’s pathetic how you can’t even bring yourself to resist; instead, you moan into his mouth, granting his tongue access.

He kisses you with bruising strength, and you kiss back just as fiercely as if you’re desperate to prove him right. That no one else could ever satisfy you the way he does. Your mind is at war with the fire in your veins, the need that permeates throughout every inch of your body. You shouldn’t want him, but you do. You have fallen into his trap yet again.

He backs away far too soon for your liking, undoing his belt in the blink of an eye and letting his pants fall to his knees. You’re pleased to see that he is already straining against his briefs—at least you aren’t the only one plagued by want.

“I think you should put that smart mouth of yours to good use.”

As he stands there, expectant, you reach out and gently trace the outline of him. He lets out a sharp exhale through gritted teeth. You pause for a moment, squeezing him once before slipping your fingers underneath the waistband of his underwear and pulling them down underneath his ass. His cock springs free, slapping against his abdomen. The tip is already leaking, and you smirk in satisfaction.

“And you say I’m the needy one.”

“Oh, you are. I know you love letting me use you, so I’m just giving you what you want.”

“I should bite your cock off.”

He laughs, not worried in the slightest. “Why would you when you like it so much?” He slaps it against your lips and you instinctively stick out your tongue, savoring his familiar taste. “See, look at you. What a pretty little cock slut,” he croons. “Open wide for me.”

You do so, eagerly taking him into your mouth. You sink almost all the way down to the base of his member, your nose practically brushing against his abdomen. His tip hits the back of your throat; he’s not quite big enough to gag you, but as he begins to thrust, saliva pools out of the corners of your lips. He moans, throwing his head back as he fucks your throat.

“That’s it, sweetheart. Use that dirty little mouth on me. No bite to back up your bark, hm?” You graze him with your teeth in response, and he pulls harshly on your hair, making you whimper. “Always so eager to be punished, aren’t you?”

He gives a few more hard thrusts before pulling you all the way off of him. Strings of saliva still connect you to his cock momentarily before they break and fall away as he pulls his pants up once again.

Picking up his previously discarded belt, he smacks it once against his palm, staring at you expectantly. “Hands against the headboard.”

“No way in hell am I letting you tie me up again.”

His eyes narrow. “I think you will. Or would you prefer I use this on your ass instead?”

Glowering at him, you do as he asks. He isn’t gentle when tightening the belt around your wrists, and the leather digs into your skin uncomfortably. You squirm in your bonds and he grabs your face, squeezing it between his fingers.

“Aw, does it hurt?” His grip on your face tightens. “I don’t care.” He gives your cheek a rough slap before walking over to his desk and retrieving a small, ornate knife. He returns to the bed, twirling it skillfully between his fingers as he does so. “You know, some pirates cut the hands off of the thieves they catch.”

Nervous sweat dampens your brow as you watch light glint menacingly off of the blade. You know that Hongjoong is not one to shy away from violence, but you can’t see him ever doing something to injure you so grievously. You can feel the cold metal of the knife against your skin as he runs it teasingly down the length of one of your bound arms. You're trapped and at his mercy, yet, you aren’t entirely powerless. Not when you know he craves you just as badly as you do him.

“You would never go that far and we both know that.”

Hongjoong sighs. “You’re right, of course. But—” He brings the blade down and cuts right through the front of your shirt, exposing your chest to him. “I’m still going to leave my mark on you.”

He presses the blade into the skin right under your collarbone with just enough pressure to bring a few droplets of blood to the surface. You exhale through gritted teeth—the pain isn’t excruciating, but the sting is unpleasant.

“I thought you weren’t going to torture me this time, hm?”

“Oh, darling, don’t be silly. You know what real torture looks like. I just want to claim what is mine. That way no one—not San, not Wooyoung, nor any other soul—will ever even dream about touching you.”

“I’m not yours, Hongjoong. I’m not anyone's.”

He laughs, dragging the knife down from the top of your neck to the middle of your sternum. “Whatever you say.”

His touch is light enough that your skin only sustains injuries in the few places his grip wavers, though you know that his hand is steady and his small blips are probably a lot more deliberate than he would have you think.

“How about here?” He says, tapping his knife against the area of skin between your breasts. “Should I carve my initials right here, so that anyone you ever bare yourself to will know that you belong to Kim Hongjoong, Captain of the Destiny? The notorious Pirate King and most wanted man in all of Elysium?”

Your heart flutters like a bird. Whether it is out of fear or exhilaration, you cannot say.

“You sound quite silly listing off all of your titles like that. A bit narcissistic, no?”

“Maybe I’ll cut out your tongue too.”

“I don’t think you would like kissing me much, then.”

He leans forward, pressing his lips to yours once again. He kisses you sloppily, without any care, all gnashing teeth and conquering tongue. You kiss him back with equal fervor, your body thrumming with desire. The threat of a knife mere centimeters from your chest does nothing to quell your need for him.

He pulls back, lips glistening with saliva. “I think you’re right about that, my dear. I would be loath to rid myself of one of my greatest pleasures.” You feel flush, the slight praise doing more for you than it should. Hongjoong notices too, of course. “Look at you, all beautiful and rosy for me. Only me.”

With more force than before, he returns the knife to your skin. Gone are the teasing touches, the small cuts. Now, your chest begins to burn, throbbing with a deep and intense ache. You scream and thrash in your bindings, unable to deal with the pain like before. Hongjoong has no choice but to pull his knife away lest you mess up his work. He tsks as if you’re no more than a disobedient child and climbs on top of you, forcing your body to still underneath his own.

“Just another minute, darling. Be good for me.”

One minute feels like ten but eventually, he seems satisfied. He places the knife on the bedside table and leans back to admire his work, a blinding smile lighting up his face. “Now you’re perfect.”

You feel too exhausted to respond, only able to blink your eyes through the tears you have no memory of crying. Your chest throbs and, though you refuse to look down, you can feel the blood soaking through the remnants of your shirt. Hongjoong kisses you on the forehead and climbs off of you, being careful not to jostle the bed with his movements.

With purposeful strides, he makes his way over to the wash basin in the corner of the room, where a rag lies waiting. He picks it up and thoroughly wets it before returning to your side. With a deft hand, he peels away the remaining shreds of your ruined shirt, discarding them carelessly onto the floor. His movements are gentle and almost tender as he wipes away the blood and sweat, all the while holding you still with a firm grip. Despite your attempts to pull away, he murmurs soft reassurances as he tends to your wounds. It's a strange juxtaposition, this act of care and concern from a man who just minutes before carved his initials into your flesh with a dagger. You find yourself almost being lulled to sleep by his sweet words and soft touch.

“My most precious treasure,” he coos, coaxing you back into reality. “I think you deserve a reward.”

Discarding the rag, he once again climbs onto the bed, this time lowering himself down comfortably between your legs. Your stomach tightens with anticipation—this position isn’t one he often favors. He looks up at you through his eyelashes, and he looks so beautiful at this moment that you almost forget how to breathe. The way his tan skin glows in the warm light and sweat sparkles on his brow make him look borderline angelic. Suddenly, you’re struck by the thought that Lucifer, too, was God’s most beautiful angel before he fell.

“Hongjoong…” you murmur his name, breathless.

“Yes?”

“I need you.”

“I know you do. And so you’ll have me.”

Hongjoong loosens the ties at the front of your pants before slipping his fingers beneath them, gently tugging them off of your body along with your undergarments in one swift movement. His fingers trace invisible patterns over the insides of your thighs and his breath ghosts over your core, so close yet so far from where you so desperately need him. He continues teasing you until you’re writhing and begging for more, something, anything.

He laughs at your desperation before finally giving in and pressing his tongue flat against you. The moan you let out is completely wanton, almost animalistic. Your chest still throbs, a grim reminder of your new marking, but the pleasure mixes with the pain in a way that has you feeling lightheaded.

He works his tongue with great skill and when he adds a finger inside of you, you just about melt into the sheets. The sounds you’re making must please him because he hums around your clit, causing your body to jolt as the vibrations send another shockwave of pleasure through you. He adds a second finger and you cry out, thighs tightening around his head. You can’t help but grind against his face, completely dizzy with lust. To your surprise, he lets you, continuing his ministrations with vigor.

You don’t know what you’ve done to deserve this, or how one man can completely overwhelm you with pleasure. No one else you have ever laid with can shine a light on him or the way he makes you feel. You would swear that he was a god or a devil if only you weren’t so privy to the vulnerable, human sides of him. If he needs to cut you or make you bleed so that you can feel like this, so be it. He can do whatever he wishes to you.

Hongjoong curls his fingers against the spot inside of you that makes you see stars and you can feel the waves of your orgasm begin to crash over you. He doesn’t relent, instead sucking your clit into his mouth and helping you over the edge. White heat spreads throughout your body and you shake as you come completely undone beneath him.

You don’t have a chance to collect yourself before Hongjoong adds a third finger. You clamp your thighs down around his head and try to squirm away from his touch, overly sensitive. He doesn’t let you, securing your waist with his other arm. He’s much stronger than he looks and, in the state you’re in, it’s almost no challenge at all to keep you under his control.

“I think you can give me one more, can’t you? And then another after that when I finally plow you into this mattress.”

You wish you could reach down and tear his hand away from you; the feeling of his fingers inside of you after you have so recently orgasmed setting your nerves on fire. “C-can’t— wait, too much—”

“Hush now, slut. I own you and I own this cunt.” His sudden switch from praise to degradation is overwhelming, the possessiveness in his tone making you shudder. “You’re gonna come again, I can already feel it. Do this and I’ll fuck you dumb, just the way you like.”

He’s right—you can already feel yourself clenching around him, your second orgasm approaching so quickly the pain hasn’t even had the chance to fade into pleasure. You tremble under his touch, fresh tears falling down your cheeks. Whatever protests you had die on your lips as all you can manage now are moans and broken mantras that sound like “Joong” and “please”.

You whine as you come again, fresh tears falling down your cheeks. Hongjoong finally relents, pulling his fingers out of you and letting you come back down to earth. You struggle to gain control over your body again, your chest stinging with each heaving breath. Luckily, Hongjoong takes his time freeing himself of his clothes and by the time he’s done, you’re sane enough to speak.

“Bastard.”

He laughs, throwing his head back. “You never stay pliant for long, do you, darling?”

He crawls back onto the bed and cages you in his arms, hovering above you. The way he looks at you now is the same as when he tracks down a lead or finds something he has been searching for, his dark eyes full of pride and hunger for more. He kisses you right above the mark he carved into your chest.

“Well,” he murmurs, breath fanning against your skin, “It wouldn’t be as much fun if you were.”

He reaches down and gives his cock a few lazy strokes before positioning himself at your entrance. You don’t have to look to know that it is an angry red from lack of attention—the way his eyebrows scrunch and he grits his teeth are enough to tell you he’s sensitive to the touch. He doesn’t ask for permission, immediately bottoming out inside of you. You strain against your bonds; if you could, you would be raking your nails down his back.

He sets a relentless pace, lifting up one of your thighs so he can reach even deeper. His bed shakes, banging against the wall of his cabin, and you’re positive that the rest of the crew will find out what you are doing shortly if they haven’t already.

“Oh my god—you’re so fucking—so good, god—”

“Is that what you’re calling me now? Are—fuck—are you going to worship me like one?” He punctuates his statement with an especially hard thrust.

You answer with a loud moan of his name, back arching off of the mattress. “Fuck, yes, whatever you want—please, just—”

He stops abruptly, pulling out of you. You whine at the loss of him and clench around nothing. Despite how desperate he must be to cum, somehow he still manages to look put together with barely a strand of hair out of place. If it wasn’t for the sweat dampening his skin and his labored breathing, you would never guess he was fucking you into oblivion.

He repositions himself so that he’s only supporting his body weight with one hand and wraps the other around your neck, using the lightest amount of pressure. Your breath hitches and your thighs clench instinctively. He maneuvers one of his own thighs between your legs and you grind against it pathetically, searching for any kind of release. He looks oddly triumphant for a reason that you can’t place, but he doesn’t leave you wondering too long.

Leaning down, he nips at your earlobe and whispers, “The information. Give it to me.”

You gasp for air, trying to form a coherent thought. “What?”

“I know you found the location,” he growls, tightening his grip on your neck. “Where is the Cromer?”

You struggle to think straight, your body still reeling from the intense pleasure he just ripped away from you. “I didn’t,” you manage to choke out.

He quirks his scarred eyebrow. “I find that hard to believe.” He moves his thigh against you, brushing against your clit as he does so. You moan and grind down harder against him, but it isn’t enough to satisfy you. “Is this how you want to finish, then? Humping my leg like a bitch?”

“No!” you insist, your voice getting louder. “If I found the location, don’t you think it would be in my possession right now? All I learned is that there’s a guy called ‘Left Eye’ that is supposed to know about it, but I don’t know where he is.”

He doesn’t seem convinced, but he loosens his grip on your neck. “Fine. For now.” He pulls back, shifting his weight and positioning himself between your legs once again. “But I’ll be keeping a closer eye on you from now on. And if you’re lying…”

He lets the threat hang in the air, but you know what he means. You nod, understanding that you’re in a precarious position.

“Good girl,” he murmurs, resuming his thrusts. You bite your lip to keep from moaning too loudly, but it’s no use.

As he continues to pound into you, you feel yourself getting closer and closer to the edge once again. It's like he knows your body better than you do, hitting every spot that sends you spiraling out of control. He buries his face in your neck, biting down harshly on your shoulder. Your whole body jumps, clenching around him, and finally, you hear him moan against your skin. No longer can he act collected, not when your body is so responsive beneath him, not when he’s prolonged his own orgasm for so long it surely hurts.

As you reach your peak, he growls your name, his own orgasm overtaking him simultaneously. He spills inside of you, the feeling of his warm seed filling you up sending you over the edge. You lay there, sweaty and panting, as Hongjoong collapses on top of you. You know that this is not the last time he will hurt you or use you, but you can’t bring yourself to care. As much as you don’t want to admit it, you are his, and he is yours. No matter how fucked up things are, that’s all that matters.

You don’t know how long you stay like that, but eventually Hongjoong pulls out of you and unties your wrists. You immediately stretch, trying to forgo some of the stiffness that comes from being in that position. You can feel the marks he has left on your body and the soreness between your legs, but it doesn't matter. You’ve dealt with worse from him.

You expect him to get up and escort you to the brig now that he’s gotten what he wants from you, but instead he pulls you into his arms. You tense from shock but it doesn’t take long for you to relax, lulled by the feeling of his fingers carding through your hair. As you lay there, listening to the sound of his heartbeat and the creaking of the ship, you can't help but wonder how much longer you can play this dangerous game with the Pirate King before it all comes crashing down.

No more words are shared between the two of you that night and, eventually, Hongjoong falls asleep first. You’ve never been in this position before—never has he let down his guard around you to this extent. You could take revenge on him for all the torture he’s put you through, could stab him through his heart with his own knife. But you won’t. And he knows you well enough to know that.

You wait there, quietly, listening to his steady breathing and observing his face as he sleeps. The harshness that can usually be found in his features is nowhere to be seen, replaced by an uncharacteristic innocence that tugs on your heartstrings. It strikes you how young he looks, not much older than yourself. For the first time, you find yourself wondering why he is the way that he is. Where did his cruelty come from? Has it always been there, or did it seep into him like a poison, spurred on by some traumatic event? There is that side of him that’s gentle, the side of him that inspires the loyalty and respect of his crew. You see it, rarely, when his touches are featherlight and his words sweet as syrup. How different would he be if that part of him was not overshadowed by darkness?

Once you’re sure he’s in a deep enough sleep, you gently remove yourself from his grasp and climb out of bed. You move as quietly as possible, hoping that he’s spent enough from laying with you that he won’t wake as you try to make your escape. The ship most likely hasn’t left the dock yet as Hongjoong was waiting to see if the Cromer was nearby.

Shuffling back into your pants, you pick up the discarded rag Hongjoong used to clean your wound and utilize it as a makeshift bandage to cover the carved initials on your chest; it is the best that you can do for now. You won’t risk stopping by the infirmary out of fear that the crew might catch you. With your shirt torn to shreds, you steal the one that Hongjoong was wearing. He shouldn’t miss it too much.

The air outside is salty and damp, a stark contrast to the warm and intimate atmosphere of Hongjoong's cabin. You pause for a moment to take in your surroundings and confirm that the ship is still in fact docked. Luck is certainly on your side—perhaps you will make an offering to the gods in thanks if you come across a shrine on your journey.

You carefully make your way towards the gangway, keeping as low to the ground as possible. It looks like those that are on the night crew are busy with their own tasks and while you’re sure that someone is positioned in the crow’s nest, they should be focused on the horizon for signs of enemy ships and not on you. Just as you are about to make a run for it, you spot a few figures walking onto the ship and quickly duck behind some supply barrels before they can see you. It seems like San and some other crew members are just returning from a night out, a drunken flush to some of their cheeks.

You quiet your breathing and hope that they pass by without issue. San stops for a moment, looking directly toward your hiding spot, and you almost bolt in panic—you swear that he has inhuman instincts. After a moment, he must figure that he is only imagining things and disappears into the crew’s cabins. Finally in the clear, you take off down the gangway and sprint away into the night, leaving Hongjoong and the Destiny far behind you.

The next morning Hongjoong wakes and reaches for the empty spot in bed next to him, now cold to the touch, realizing that his most precious treasure has slipped from his grasp once again.

[recurring-polynya]

Writing/Art Update 2/25/2022

Ugh, the vibes are poor, fam.

I am stuck in what we call in my family, an “I want to wear a shirt but I don’t want to wear a shirt” situation (after a particularly epic and strangely relatable tantrum my son threw as a toddler). I want to write, but when I sit down to write, nothing comes out. I have fifteen stories to work on and none of them interest me. It’s hard to even think about them. Even when I do manage to write some, I don’t like what I’ve written. I don’t feel funny. I haven’t felt funny in ages. I actually have some ideas for some Tumblr posts I want to do, but I just haven’t because of the not-funny thing.

I think the actual problem (in addition to the never-ending stream of distressing and depressing world events) is that I am under-stimulated. There is not enough enrichment in the enclosure. For so much of my life, I have had to carve out time to write and draw, and those became the primary thing I did with my free time. Currently, I have a lot of free time, but I don’t have any energy/attention span for writing and there’s nothing else I want to do, either. I’ve read about the creative cycle, and I know that taking in other media is an important part of idea renewal. I have some stuff I have told myself I want to read and some video games that, in theory, I would like to play, but I just can’t because I would rather write, except that I don’t want to write. What I really want is for someone else to drop a 100k Renruki fanfic on ao3 so I can devour it, but that seems... somewhat unlikely. Art is...okay. I just finished a piece that was extremely tedious to color and immediately started a new one, but it doesn’t scratch the itch the way writing does. I have two phone games that I have been playing for most of the pandemic, and I am in the awful endgame for both of them where I have unlocked 98% of the content, and it’s soullessly grinding out the finish (like, I could certainly quit both of them now, it’s not even like there’s gonna be some big payoff, but I don’t want to, I want the games to have more content. At least one of them still updates from time to time, the other one hasn’t been supported for years). 

People tell me to take a break all the time, but one of the major problems is that writing and running this dumb blog is literally the only coping mechanism I have for dealing with my depression, so taking a break is kinda...fraught. I know that sounds dramatic, but I did two years of therapy and my therapist was like “wow you sure are impervious to everything I can think of, it’s so great that you have the fanfic thing, tell me more about your fanfic” (I did try some antidepressants at some point, and they ranged in effectiveness from “did nothing” to “severely fucked me up”.)

Anyway, I’m trying to do other stuff that’s not writing (if I ever feel the *urge* to write, I certainly will, but I’m not making myself sit down to stare into the endless void of the monitor until I write a single sentence). I caught up on my household chores. I ordered seeds for the garden. I have been trying to convince myself to work on my taxes, but surprisingly, I don’t really feel like doing that, either. 

Here are my accomplishments for the week:

Depressing Academy Story - Wrung hands over extensively, did not manage to finish. Should probably re-read, but cannot bring myself to.

Tattoo Artist AU - Currently at 13,638 (+664, but I rewrote most of a chapter and I’m actually surprised this wasn’t negative). Ought to be excited about writing the next chapter, but am just not, which is the main sign that something is going sideways in my brain.

Dreadful Porno - I think I goofed up the word count on this last time and it was at 1263, not +1263. In any case, it’s at 2286 now (so maybe +1023??) but I think I’ve completely lost interest in it again. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Finished coloring (1) illustration for the last chapter of Hearts, you will see it in 2 weeks

[olibheare]

Hello! If it's not too personal, I was wondering if you'd be open to sharing a little about your experience at LCAD? Like what you felt were the pros/cons of going there, or if it gave you the skills and connections for a job in the industry? I'm an entertainment design major currently torn between LCAD and another college but I'm thinking that LCAD might offer me the better course of education...

Ahh this will be an attempt at brevity. All art schools have their ups and downs, and LCAD is in the top 100 cheapest (why I went) so the experience can be intensely varied and personal. Half of my experience at LCAD was online, which, while not only being exhausting, wiped out some of the emotional qualities of the whole experience. They have since opened the campus back up and are resuming with covid safety and the like. Most if not all of the professors at LCAD that gave me the skills I value now have divorced themselves from the institution (for personal reasons I will not ask about). So while you'll still have the fundamental lessons I did (which are really valuable, and based in fine art (for the illustration/entertainment track)) you won't have any of the classes I considered in helping me grow the most. It's pretty expensive to maintain housing in the immediate area (I live in a house with 5 people) which is hugely upper-class (Orange county armpit of California) but super close to events and industry-relevant get-togethers in LA that can be really valuable and fun. (I've attended a talk with Rebecca Sugar & Ian Jones-Quartey, spoken with Arin Hanson, seen James Baxter demo, the recent IATSE New Deal for Animation protest was only an hour away from me, etc., etc, it's LA baby!) The institution itself is like any other huge conglomerate of money based in academia. They're embarrassingly poor at handling students with empathy and make enormous good-natured statements with little to no payoff. (endorsement of NFTS, handling BLM in poor taste, hollow activism within the classroom). That being said, some of the faculty are very genuine and on top of things (usually to their own personal exhaustion) and can make it worthwhile to learn and listen to their stories. In my clinical opinion I would say if you can afford it and are very set on getting the degree itself, it's fine to attend. The biggest thing that came out of it for me was my friends and the spaces we curated for ourselves (going out to recent movies, watch nights, putting together carpools to go and see events or concerts, drink n draws, club activities, goofin' around). In my honest opinion I would say attend for 2 years for the fundamentals and the friends, then take schoolism classes lol. Any color and character design course listed on Schoolism will be note for note what they teach you in the latter half of entertainment design in LCAD when you start focusing on the actual execution of your pieces instead of the principals (even with the same assignments). The only downside with this is that I consider being around people a huge part of an artistic experience. Whether you learn best seeing your teacher's face and letting them point to things on your screen or eating lunch with your friends in the breezeway, there's a distinct lack of connection from online classes to in-person. Really how you want to swing it. Hope any of this helped, tried to keep it brief and more pointed in the direction of LCAD itself rather than my own philosophies lol.

[jadelotusflower]

It’s Cold in that Fridge: The Case of Nakari Kelen

Since The Case of Mara Jade has been doing the rounds again, I’ve finally gone back to this post that has been sitting in my drafts for literally years. So let’s honour this absolute badass who deserved better:

Once upon a time, the Star Wars universe was but six films (and a tv series) in the story of the Skywalker family. But beyond George Lucas’ story was an absolute boatload of books, comics, games, and other materials that made up the Expanded Universe. When Disney purchased Lucasfilm and the rights to the Star Wars saga, everything in this universe was decanonised and deemed “Legends” - some aspects of this universe were retained or re-purposed, others sit in Disney’s figurative vault and will likely never see the light of day (and seeing how the ST turned out, maybe that’s for the best).

But this transition between Legends canon and Disney canon was not so simple, because the nature of publishing meant that there were novels approved during the time of Legends canon that would be released in the time of Disney canon. In particular, there had been the planned trilogy “Empire and Rebellion”, set between A New Hope and The Empire Strikes Back, with each novel from the perspective of one of The Big Three.  

Razor’s Edge (Leia) and Honor Among Thieves (Han) were released prior to the Great Canon Split of 2014.  But while the Luke-centric novel had been planned, it was not due to be released until well after the Split. So Heir to the Jedi (so called as an homage to the Legends progenitor Heir to the Empire) became one of the first books of the Disney canon.

What does this background have to do with Nakari Kelen?  Perhaps nothing, but I do wonder how the writing process was affected by the shift from Legends to Disney - was the novel a relic of the old EU with any reference the LFL storygroup didn’t like excised during editing, or was it a trendsetter for the new EU, a Sign of Things to Come?  

The most salient point being, of course, that Nakari Kelen - like so many love interests before her - was not allowed to go along her merry way at the conclusion of the novel, but was shoved into the fridge.

If there was one constant of the Legends EU, it was that Luke Skywalker’s love interests couldn’t catch a break. Mara Jade naturally lasted the longest relationship-wise, with almost twenty years of marriage to Luke before some bright spark decided she had to go (as per the aforementioned case study). But before Mara there was Jem, Shira Brie, and Gaeriel Captison (who came close to escaping the curse), and in the Legacy of the Force series they brought back sole survivors Akanah and Callista, only to kill them off for good too (and rather brutally, if I may add).

So perhaps when Kevin Hearne began writing HttJ within the confines of the Legends continuity, he was merely sticking to the status quo, or perhaps once subsumed by Disney they needed to make sure Luke's slate was clean (so to speak).  And I can’t put all the blame on Hearne since I don’t know whether it was his idea, or LFL mandated - but regardless it was a poor decision.

The root cause of fridging, imo, is limited imagination.  How best to cause your male protagonist pain if not kill off someone they love, or at least have strong feelings for? The answer is of course, easily. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

The Luke Skywalker of HttJ is fresh from his victory in ANH, a lieutenant in the Rebellion: young, not dumb, and full of...

Nakari Kalen is an absolute Queen a civilian volunteer and crack-shot sniper who loans her ship Desert Jewel to the Alliance. Luke is immediately attracted to her, they bond over a mutual love of fast ships and leaving behind desert home planets, and engage in the inexpert flirting of two nineteen year olds while also risking their lives several times over.

I want to make it clear: I actually really like this book. It's a breezy read, almost serialised as The Early Adventures of Luke Skywalker, and is ofttimes genuinely funny. And credit where it’s due to Hearne, many of of the supporting roles in the novel are female. Other than Nakari, there's Soonta, the Rodian who gives Luke her uncle’s lightsaber, Sakhet the Kupohan spy, and the Givin cryptographer/math genius Drusil Bephorin. In a genre where male characters are often the default for these kind of roles, it was nice to see, but makes the regressive fridging of Nakari even more egregious.

Luke and Nakari make a good team fighting brain-sucking monsters and Imperials, but more importantly they have fun together - she encourages him to work on his Force skills, and he successfully moves objects with his mind for the first time (leading to Nakari adorably dub him "a little noddle scooter"). It's a very sweet, if brief, relationship, and a respite from the danger of the mission. They spend the night together (leaving the reader to decide exactly what happened behind closed doors), and share a kiss before splitting up to try and escape bounty hunters. No prizes for guessing what happens to Nakari immediately after she received the Skywalker Kiss of Death.

I assume there were two motivating factors for why Hearne and/or LFL couldn't let Nakari live:

1. If she survived, fans would wonder why she doesn't appear in ESB/subsequent material.

I recall this bandied about on forums back at the time of the book's release, and to that I say - so what? Fans are always going to wonder, and try to paper over the gaps in canon, to make up their own headcanons to explain any any perceived inconsistencies. It's certainly no reason to kill someone off.

It is in fact possible for two young people to have a romance that just fizzles, or doesn’t work out for whatever reason - it should not require great maneuvering or explanation. If Nakari doesn’t show up in the next book in the timeline, what about it? The reader is smart enough to assume she and Luke broke up, decided to just remain friends, whatever. But it seems that the only way for a female character to exit stage left is for her to die, which is bullshit.

And actually, there's no reason why she couldn't have shown up again. ESB and RoTJ cover a month and a few days, respectively, of Luke's life - just because there was no mention of Nakari doesn't mean she didn't exist at that time, whether or not she and Luke were an item. She could have made an appearance in a subsequent novel, or Rebels, or the comics - she could have become a recurring character, showing up when the Rebellion needed her, or - heaven forbid - even have her own comic/book/show! Her existence in Star Wars canon didn't need to begin and end with Luke Skywalker, merely to service his plotline and backstory and abandoning the richness of her own.

No, the only reason Nakari had to die was to facilitate this:

It was a blow to the gut, realizing what that sudden absence meant. I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, but I had felt Nakari's life snuffed out through the Force, and into that void where she had shone anger rushed in - anger, and a cold sense of raw power and invincibility...I took a step to join in the hunt but stopped, breathing heavily, unaccountably sweating even though I felt so cold inside and the power of the Force roiled within me... I shook with emotion and power, and none of it felt the way the Force had before...I saw what kind of space it was , a black hole that would always be hungry no matter how much I fed it. I might never feel warm again if I didn't get myself under control.

Luke feels the dark side and is tempted by the boost of power it offers him, but immediately identifies it as dangerous and unnatural. I can understand why Hearne wanted to include this - it is a book of firsts after all: Luke's first solo mission, his first time using telekenisis, and ending with story with his first experience of the dark side makes sense. But it wasn't necessary, which leads to:

2. How to push Luke to touch the dark side without killing someone he has romantic feelings for?

Also, obviously, shite of the bull (or nerf, if you prefer). Even if this brush with the dark side was absolutely necessary for the novel's climax, there's any number of ways it could be achieved. At this point, Luke is fresh from losing important people in his life - Owen and Beru, Ben, and Biggs - lumping another death on top of that a narrative trick for Luke to react not only to losing Nakari, but the others as well. But it's cheap, the first card in the deck, and why not show a bit of imagination? Luke is young and inexperienced enough at this point that any number of things could be the catalyst - the whole book he's struggling with his growing powers, why not try and reach too far in the firefight with the bounty hunters, his anger and frustration with himself in not doing enough trigger the dark side temptation? It would work thematically and doesn't involve a fridging that ultimately has very little payoff.

Because Nakari is killed less than ten pages from the end of the book - afterwards Luke grieves, but ultimately chooses to honour her memory and be grateful for what he learned with her, recommitting to becoming a Jedi. It's all very surface level, and once again a female character's death facilitates a male character's development. Was it so imperative that Luke lost someone he cared about as part of this story? Sure, this was a time of galactic civil war, and it's far from unrealistic that these stories have a high body count, but who to make collateral damage remains an authorial choice, and in this case Nakari Kelen was (a) a female character of color, (b) a love interest of the protagonist - not just of this book, but the entire Original Trilogy.

I don't know to what extent (if any) race had to play in the decision. I'm sure there was a segment of the fandom absolutely livid that Luke Skywalker kissed (and maybe had sex with) a black woman. Was her death LFL hedging its bets, or demonstrative of the general lack of attention/respect they show their characters of colour?

In any case this was a chance to stand out from the old EU and it's fridge full of Luke's dead girlfriends, but instead they chose to introduce and kill off Nakari for the sole purpose of Luke's manpain and character development, and that's gross.

And then there's this:

A grisly yet reliable fact about custom bounty hunter ships is that you can always count on them to have body bags stashed somewhere for the easy transport of their kills. They often have built-in refrigerated storage, too.

NAKARI IS KILLED AND LITERALLY STORED IN THE FUCKING FRIDGE I COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT I WAS READING.

I really hope this was unintentional on Hearne's part, because yikes. He was halfway there, this book was full of interesting female characters who had agency - Drusil in particular was a delight with her super math and inability to understand human interaction. Nakari was full of life and fun - capable but relatable, showing a different side of the Rebellion and those that suffered under the Empire's rule. Fridging her in her first appearance is considerably more vile, because it reduces her to a footnote of Luke's story, a plot device to Help Him Grow, rather than a springboard to tell more of her own story.

Because Nakari was a compelling character ripe for spinoff potential. I would absolutely have read or watched her continued adventures, juggling missions for her father's Biolabs company and trying to aid the Rebellion, shooting her slug rifle and cracking wise, maybe even finding a way to amplify her mother's song Vader's Many Prosthetic Parts to really stick it to the Empire, or try and free the political prisoners on Kessel.

The old EU was made great by allies and enemies of Our Heroes showing up again to help or hinder them, and/or branching out into their own material. We fell in love with them, and followed their stories even as they diverged from the main saga, eager to read more about their lives.

Nakari Kelen never got that chance. In many ways, she exemplified what Disney Star Wars was to become: an exercise in wasted potential.

[jalebi-weds-bluetooth]

Hi Soapy, How are you doing? It's been a long time since I've dropped a message here. I had a good time reading your posts on the terrace scene and why the Guptas made a mistake by hiding the truth. They ruined some potentially great scenes by poor writing. Do you have any alternative conceptualizations on how these tracks could have been taken forward? Also, side note: chef's kiss for your rab raakha vm. It was mesmerising <3 Love, Rdx.

Dearest Rdx,

You always fill my heart with immense joy by sending the sweetest messages. Somehow it always conveys how you truly read without imposing your views but simultaneously approaching mine and sharing yours! #richconversation

(Ruining potentially great scenes with poor writing could be a totally different list! But they did have the best writers)

Oooohhh... honestly I didn't mind how things went. It's the little things in this whole track/series of tracks that really bothered me.

1) Everyone hates Khushi - I know, behcari-ism really sells the TRPs but I ABSOLUTELY hated how everyone pounced on Khushi regardless. Like yes, you have seen how much Khushi can have control on decisions that involve Arnav *sarcasm alert* Arnav, clearly, has the easier shit to deal with the aftermath of this only because of... patriarchy. And it doesn't help that the two people sympathetic to Khushi are people who can't speak - Shashi and Akash *shrug* And I wouldn’t have minded this if they showed this as a problem. Like this is not the realism anyone is asking for. 

(Rest under cut because *LONG* answer)

2) Shyam, An Open Harasser - literally. He just harasses Khushi left/right every other day and there's no payoff. Khushi needs to just tolerate it cause he's Anjali's husband? And the weirdest part is, once Khushi tells the truth to Arnav she keeps behaving like as if she did have a thing with Shyam. Not like she wants to tear out Shyam’s eyes the minute she sees him. This is when it’s painfully evident no feminist is writing Khushi at this point in the plot. 

3) Arnav, an emotionally abusive husband - what could’ve been an excellent, angsty rollercoaster marriage with unintended moments of comedy turns into an absolutely abusive marriage. From physically hurting her (it doesn't matter if he slams the wall next to hurt and ‘unintentionally’ slams the door on her hand - we know the next time her face would be there, an abuser is not an abuser just cause the the physical injury is not imminent). 

4) Wasted everyone’s time for 3/4 months - from the pointless Swami, Heer Ranjha, Changing Arnav room scheme to half of Gupta house.... there is no change in the characters. Null. They characters are back to square one every single time. It’s frustrating. It’s like they forgot what parts of the plot they had added in the first place. 

Alternate tracks I would’ve put?

1) Fix Shashi - this man has all the major plots, secrets and key to the misunderstanding. He literally knows everything and I’d focus a track of his recovery and Khushi/Arnav understanding Shyam has a hand in messing up Shashi’s life and why. Uff, the angst if Arnav questioned why would Shyam screw up his lover’s father and the well deserved anger Khushi would blast on Shyam. It’s that perfect straw which would break Khushi’s silence because a man like Shyam deserved that blow! 

2) Keep unintentional comedy - I’d keep a track where the family tries to fix Arnav and Khushi’s wedding and they both don’t want that. Imagine the horrors when Di thinks it’s a wonderful surprise to have colorful bedsheets and Devi Maiyya but both Arnav and Khushi are horrified by it. They’d fight each other, pleased at who’s horrified more but ultimately there’s that silent growth and truce that grows. 

3) Have a track dedicated to Arnav trying to calculate things - I don’t know what could trigger this. But I’d have a track where none of Khushi’s behavior while living with him points to a woman who’d gladly have an affair. Since this show is from Arnav’s perspective, it would be wonderful to see his brains are working day and night. 

4) Payal and Akash try to find out the truth - Payal, unable to sleep cause of not telling Akash the truth tries to bring the truth forward in subtle ways and Akash, always in tune with his brother, realizes that his newly married brother’s version of events and what he’s seeing in front of his eyes do not match. 

5) A track revealing Shyam’s necessity to ruin the Raizada's / his obsession with Khushi - Shyam was an excellent villain. But he went from this mysterious man to a dude who wants to be a freeloader. Why is he behind money? Why does he want to ruin Arnav so much? Is there something deeper here? I don’t need a big story - I honestly don’t. I just think it was time to make him 3 dimensional. 

6) A track dedicated to Arnav and Khushi fixing things for each other. Khushi fixes Arnav’s relationship with his family, because regardless of who he is, the family shouldn’t suffer. Arnav ends up doing the same because regardless of who she is, her family shouldn’t suffer. 

I'd treat Arnav and Khushi the way they were pre marriage - as in two people who don’t want to be in the same room but are unexpectedly put together. Now because they’re married there’s no extra effort to put them together but I think that’s where all the fun is. 

I’d put an inverse of all pre marriage tracks here. 

- Arnav and Khushi, regardless of their issues, come together to fix some problems in Payal and Akash’s life. 

- Rewrite the whole bangle scene. Have Arnav regret who he has become but also the difficulty of giving his most precious possession to the person he loves and hates. And Khushi rejecting to wear those bangles because his mum doesn’t deserve her memory to be smirched by someone wearing this for six months. Especially someone her son hates. 

- Bring in Khushi’s parents barsi. 

- While pre marriage Khushi tries to save Anjali’s marriage, post marriage Khushi starts giving Anjali hints about the kind of man Shyam is through subtle ways because enough is enough.

- Have the Shashi Shyam dynamic with Payal and Shyam. She’s keeping a check on his every move and this could lead to Shyam doing something drastic to Payal like Shashi. 

Phew, these are a lot of ideas!!! Hope you liked them :)

Love, as always, 

- Soapy

P.S: Pic credit - Phati Sari and Indi

[blacksunscorpio]

Astro Musings No.1

Jupiter, as well as your Moon in your Natal chart, can show your addictions just as much as Neptune can. Jupiter is about excess and your Moon is your emotional state. Where one feels comfort or how they process these things/emotions.  Mercury placements or Mercury Dominant often make people great lyricists and communicators. Many famous rappers are actually Gemini’s (Notorious B.I.G, 2 Pac, Kanye, Kendrick, Andre 3000, etc). That's because Gemini is ruled by Mercury/the god of communication. He also rules the lungs. People with this dominance are very good with wordplay and are blessed with the gift of gab. 

Your Sun is still important

...despite modern astrologers attempting to throw it away. Your sun is your core. Your ego. Your basic identity. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it a thousand more-- we are heliocentric as a galaxy. This means all our planets orbit around the Sun. The same goes for your natal chart. Say you have a Gemini Sun and Capricorn moon but seem to identify more with Capricorn-- Your moon is your emotional habits-- and you know what they say about habits: they’re hard to break. This simply means you will always be a Gemini at your core even if you have the emotional tendencies and habits of a Capricorn. The same goes for those who say Lunar Scorpios are more ‘Plutonic’ than Solar Scorpios Now, it may seem that way, but this myth is only prevalent because emotions are extremely primal and powerful things. When they rear their head in a Plutonic way, people mistake the intensity for dominant power when in reality more drama does not equate more scorpionic influence. In fact, Scorpio’s are rarely the types to put on a show. They leave that for their Cousins-- The Cancers, The Arians [also ruled by Mars] & the Pisceans. True Scorpios prefer to be the tacticians. The ones who quietly observe their surroundings and flex when it comes to spatial awareness. They will rarely draw unnecessary attention to themselves and emotional scenes will often be kept under lock and key/private.

Speaking of Scorpio’s cousins, believe it or not, Aries, Sag’s and Cancers are the true divas of the zodiac, not Leos. That’s because Leo’s are upfront about what they want and will not surprise you with their scenes.

You know what’s coming/always knew it was there.  As for the aforementioned three, these triplets demand attention and praise or notice from others. Aries demand to be noticed for their prowess and skills, Sag’s can be excessive and demanding-- they want what they want and they want it NOW. No questions asked. Fueled by fire and Jupiter’s penchant for drama--you will never forget it if you don’t cough up what they demand. I.E. Nicki Minaj and her Grammy stunt[s]. Cancers give ultimatums to expedite the process of getting what they want. They are hard-pressed to demonstrate patience for people or to wait for situations to play out. They are never about the long game. They can be very coercive and forceful. At their worst, they can even be bullies. Of course, this is not the rule, I often find that December Sag’s, are more intense than November Sag’s. April Arians are less high strung than March Arians and July Cancers tend to act out more of the ‘diva qualities’ mentioned above than June Cancers.

Pluto is your friend.

Yes, the shadow is your friend. Pluto often gets a bad rap for being this torturous unknown force that comes to destroy/transform but that is not the case. Pluto is all about transformations, yes but transformations for the better. He is the garbage man. He gets rid of the trash. Toxic relationship? Ok! Pluto will rip it from you. It will hurt. You will cry. But after you’ve used up all the kleenex, you will have spidey senses. You will see those red flags before they and their cheap cologne darken your doorstep. You will level up. And while you’re doing that, Pluto will let you watch as he terrorizes your abuser. Pluto is justice. Not like Libra where all is fair and balanced by the scales. Pluto is Karma. Karmic Justice at that. The equalizer. He will show you the ugly of all those who wore the mask of ‘friend’. See, Pluto gets nasty rep because he forces you to see what you’d love to ignore. He makes you feel what society tells you to be numb to. Euphoria, Obsession, jealousy, bliss, even paranoia. Pluto is the depths. You need to feel. Jealousy is not an ugly emotion, ENVY is. They are not synonymous but people use them interchangeably. Pluto can be jealous, but jealousy is simply the sensation that something important might be taken from you. Envy is seeing someone have something, and hating them for it/not wanting them to have it. Pluto is not envious. He rules the underworld and in his realm live all of Earth’s riches. Gems, diamonds, gold, jewels. He is the wealthiest-- what could he possibly be envious of? Paranoia is equated to him too, but this is simply an exacerbation of his skill at being prepared. Pluto is a GENERAL. He wants you to have a PLAN. And when you don’t he forces you to get one, whether you’re prepared or not. Pluto is Chess, not Checkers. Pluto is the bandaid ripper. Pluto's love is cold and hard but empowering. He exposes. Shows the ugly. Friend’s you weren’t sure were enemies? Pluto rips their masks off so you have no choice but to see their ugliness. You will be disenchanted. Maybe even heartbroken. But a moment of grief for a lifetime of healthy happiness is Pluto’s payoff. Pluto also represents in the chart the area where we can most empower ourselves and elevate our lives and our dignity. Pluto will disempower your just to elevate you and make your story of failure a story of victory. He’s the ULTIMATE glow up King. Pluto shows us where we can triumph if we find a way to revolutionize or otherwise radically transform/change ourselves internally, despite our external challenges. Plutonic cleansings are like working out or giving birth. Excruciatingly painful to the point where you feel like you want to die but the result is a whole new body/person you’re absolutely in love with. He is purging.  Again, Pluto is about evolution. He does not and will not allow you to stay stagnant/in one stage of your life. He forces you to grow and if you won’t he has no qualms with making you. Pluto is not soft. 

Speaking of which. This includes his influence in the bedroom. Often people will talk about plutonic influence in a dark way. As if his influence sexually is something dark/forbidden or something to be ashamed of. Quite the contrary. Pluto rules sex. Literally. It was his domain before it was anyone else's’. Therefore, everything about sex is simply an offshoot of his influence. The rougher, primal, knee-shaking, back-scratching, neck biting, squirting/screaming orgasm, ball-gag wearing stuff? Completely ‘OK’ in his book. He wants you to experience that. The reasoning is that Pluto loves to explore and honor edgier sentiments within. Pluto urges us all to normalize fetishes and fully embrace this side of ourselves. Why? Because Pluto wants us all to live our truth, not hide. Can’t say the same for his brother Neptune though.

See, Neptune is who you should be worried about.

Neptune is the ruler of what is hidden. The realm of the unknown. All that is fantastic, the stuff of fantasy, illusions, dreams, day-dreams, etc. He puts a veil on things. Adds confusion to the mix. makes things hard to see. While Pluto strips away the hidden, Neptune happily puts on the blindfold. Not only does he hand you the rose-colored-glasses, he hands you a ruffied pint to go with it. The essence of this planet is ILLUSION.  With Neptune, it can be difficult to ascertain where and how things are working against you, or you have a hard time figuring out who or what it is. Neptune is about confusion. Neptune clouds your judgment, so you're especially vulnerable to deception and trickery. [Those with hard Neptune aspects can testify] Enemies can be especially difficult to make out/avoid when he’s involved and bad judgment all around can be a theme when he rears his foggy head.  What also makes him so dangerous is because he walks around looking like everything you want. The dream of dreams, if-you-will. As a result, he makes you receptive to mind-altered states. Can even make one prone to hallucinations, the use of poisons such as drugs and alcohol. Even spending copious amounts fo time building castles-in-the-air and neglecting reality. You become addicted to whatever he lays in front of you. The fantasy is more alluring than reality. With Neptune adversely aspected or too many hard aspects to inner planets, this can cause chaos that can negatively impact a native or those closest to them. Neptune on Mercury can be particularly dangerous if ill-aspected because it can cause dishonesty to a pathological degree or simply mental instability. Think Joe Goldberg from ‘You’. 100% crazy 200% delusional. This guy definitely has a shot a gallon of Neptune in his natal cocktail. Manufacturing scenarios that aren’t really occurring. Obsessively daydreaming and idealizing strangers. Successfully conning others into thinking he’s a normal and stable guy when he’s anything but. His judgment is clouded as is the judgment of the poor souls who encounter him, while you, as a viewer, watch in horror. That’s what Neptune does. You won’t see reality until it’s wayyyy too late [RIP Beck].  Neptune rules over all chaotic feelings, and can easily un-focus the lens, making us inclined to obsess over impossible dreams and yearn for far-out things. OMG Neptune is all about yearning. Yearning for the unattainable. But as Dumbledore said: 

“It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live.”

But that’s what Neptune will make you do. Forget to live. Dwell on the impossible. Make you prone to hypnotic mindstates that steal moments of your life away. Sex with Neptune can be almost spiritual but it can cause one to get addicted to the rush, and with Neptune clouding judgment, one can perhaps become addicted to sex or even participate in risky sexual behavior. Neptune at its worst also influences death by mysterious means, suicides, death by drowning, disappearance, or even poisoning if found in the eighth house or connected to it.

Neptune is a beautiful planet. Methane causes it to have that brilliant blue hue. It rains diamonds. But again, there but the aura/odor around it is methane. In layman’s terms? The planet literally smells like shit. This classic example of not all that glitters is gold. Tread very carefully when Neptune is around and keep your eyes peeled. Something or someone may not really be what it/they seem. Astro Musings No. 2  Astro Musings No. 3 Astro Musings No. 4  Astro Musings No. 5 Astro Musings No. 6 Astro Musings No. 7 Astro Musings No. 8  Astro Musings No. 9  Astro Musings No. 10

[savingsolutions]

10 Best Tips To Do Eye Makeup For Grownups

Introduction:

Many of us wore no eye makeup during the pandemic months. Why bother, whether we were confined to our homes in pajamas or were out and about in a mask and sunglasses? Now that's all over, we can return to our normal lives of work and socializing. All of a sudden, we are obsessed with the concept of experimenting with mascara, eyeliner, and shadows.

But what about those very mature eyes of ours? They appear puffier, creepier, or deeper-set than ever for some reason. No issue. Here's how to use some cosmetic tips to make your eyes sparkle.

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1) Look in the mirror for inspiration instead of on social media

Don't let the fact that your eyes might not be the same as they were two years ago prevent you from wearing makeup. Celebrate their glint and wise glance instead of having surgery or Botox. First complete two tasks. An eye examination by an optometrist or ophthalmologist should be the first step in your reset, especially if you are noticing any redness or irritation.

This will rule out any potential medical conditions, inappropriate contacts, or poor lens solution. Then examine your present collection of eye makeup. Throw away any products that are over their expiration dates, especially mascara, which needs to be replaced every three months, as well as any that smell funny or appear chalky, discolored, or off-color. Updates are a treat for you because eye makeup is your best friend.

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2) Regularly prime your lids

Primer is an essential part of eye makeup. It will stop your eye makeup from settling into fine lines, feathering, smudging, and appearing untidy. But be cautious to purchase the proper kind for your lids. Mature lids can be chilly and dry, which makes it difficult to apply liner or blend shadows, and warm and moist, which causes makeup to smear, look mushy or disappear. Try hyaluronic hydrating primer, a sheer, oil-absorbing product that is sweat- and hot flash-proof, if you have watery eyes or warm, moist lids. It can also be applied underneath the eyes.

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3) Use a high-pigment eye pencil in black or dark brown

What actually gives your eyes definition and form again is eyeliner. The pencil should apply smoothly, and appear opaque rather than sheer, without being overly slick or dry. Again, selecting the proper pencil texture for your lids is important. Choose a waterproof product, such as the Revlon ColorStay Eyeliner in Black or Black/Brown or the Maybelline Tattoo Studio Smokey Gel Pencil Liner in 10 Smokey Black or 40 Smokey Brown, if you have watery eyes or moist, warm lids. For those with dry lids, Neutrogena Nourishing Eyeliner Pencil in Cosmic Black is a smooth but powerfully pigmented pencil that is hydrating (it contains shea butter and olive oil) and has a vibrant color payoff.

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4) Holding the lids taut gently will construct a smooth line

This has a really clever trick. Apply the eyeliner to your top lids while gazing directly into the mirror and softly pulling your eye taut (but not too tight!) towards the outer edge. The lids are sufficiently lowered as a result for you to draw a smoother line free of bumps and wiggles. To regulate the line and prevent it from becoming too thick or heavy, work from the outer eye inward while attempting to keep your eye slightly open. Your hands will be more stable and the process will be simpler if you rest your elbows on a desk or table. To create a softer appearance underneath the eyes, line with a lighter hand.

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5) Double Up On The Line

The pencil liner's impact is further enhanced by another technique. Retrace the pencil line with the same or a related dark powder eye shadow,   In addition to filling in any gaps between the pencil and the lash roots, this amplifies the liner's intensity. It indeed emphasizes the contour of the eyes, which is precisely what aging eyes need. Instead of using powder shadow, those who have deep-set, hooded, or watery eyes could double line with a pen-like liquid eyeliner. If you decide to use liquid liner, know that applying it first with a pencil makes using a pen easier. However, maintain the focus on the base of the lashes. Avoid attempting to draw a "wing" to appear devious. When your double line with shadow, the result is smokier. when you use liquid liner, the result is sharper. Both add definition without giving off a stiff appearance thanks to layering.

6) Contour eye crease to get bigger and better Look

Except for those with deep-set lids where the crease is not apparent, contouring the crease works for everyone. Use a neutral, medium-toned shadow crayon that complements your skin tone, such as the It Cosmetics Superhero No-Tug Longwear Eyeshadow Stick in Super Slate or Tough Tan, the Nudestix Magnetic Matte Waterproof Eye Color for Ulta Beauty in Taupe, Chocolate, or Slate, or the NYX Professional Makeup Jumbo Eye Pencil in Iced Mocha or Frappe. Keep the focus on the outside half of the eye as you trace the hollow of the eye just above the crease. After carefully softening the line with a brush, trace it again using a brown or gray powder shadow in a similar tone.

7) Always Choose foolproof neutral shadows

The replacement for our outdated quads is shadow palettes with six to twelve neutral tones. They're entertaining and allow us to layer our beige, brown, and gray hues as well as mattes, shimmers, and light and dark shades for a unique look. For a quick daily look, though, all you really need is a light shade for the lids, a medium shade for the crease, and a dark shade for the double-lined eyebrows. The lighter lid, medium crease, and extremely dark lash line contrast give the appearance of larger, more sculpted eyes. Select a matte Smashbox Cover shot Palette for Ulta Beauty or a practical neutral shade palette like CoverGirl TruNaked Eyeshadow in Nudes 805 instead of a trendy color palette.

8) Use Black Mascara & A lash Curler

There is another trick, in addition to the well-known one of curling the eyelashes. Turn your hand away from you as you squeeze to achieve the most amount of curl once your lashes are firmly in the curler. Always curl before mascara, never after, and squeeze the closed curler for a few seconds before relaxing it. The greatest mascara color for everyone is black, but the formula is what sets it apart. Most of us over the age of 50 have short or thin lashes, so instead of using a heavy, gimmicky lash-lengthening formula, we should use one that is lightweight and plumping, like the L'Oréal Paris Air Volume Mega Lightweight Mascara in 853 Waterproof Blackest Black or CoverGirl LashBlast Volume Mascara in 830 Black. Choose loudness over length.

9) Try Fake Lashes

It's entirely up to you how much work you're willing to put into your everyday "eye." Mascara is effective enough, but try false lashes for an added lift. For adult eyes, they can make a huge difference, especially during evening gatherings or parties (when the lighting is frequently poor or dark) and, of course, in photographs. Instead of going overboard with your lashes and seeming overdone, opt for a natural-looking strip like the Kiss Looks So Natural Lashes in Shy or the Ardell Natural Lashes 174. Lashes do give our adult eyes a fresh, alert appearance, especially those that are short, deep-set, or have crepey, softer lids. No need to overspend. Super-evolved drugstore lashes are more expensive and have bases that are flexible, thin, or transparent.

10) Work On Your Brow Tails

The final touch that improves the appearance of any eye makeup is brow makeup. The majority of women in their 50s, 60s, and 70s lack brow tails or have very few outer brow hairs. You don't have to hassle or engage in a lengthy, multistep process. Just stretch the form outward to complete and raise your brow shape. It broadens the appearance of your entire eye area and gives you a polished appearance. Use a pencil with a firm, fine-tipped tip, like Benefit Cosmetics In particular, Ulta Beauty's My Brow Pencil Waterproof Eyebrow Definer, NYX Professional Makeup Micro Brow Pencil, or Anastasia Beverly Hills Brow Wiz make it simple to create natural-looking hairlike strokes to fill in gaps and imitate a tail.

[thevoilinauttheory]

Muse Aesthetics, Tarot Edition - Lothaire Voilinaut

[ as tagged by @ever-searching!! Thank you so much, and uh... sorry for the long wait lol (also the specification of character really helps my poor brain) ]

bold what applies to your muse, italicize what sometimes or sort-of applies, strike through what’s antithetical to your muse.  repost, don’t reblog, and have fun!  tw: mentions of alcohol.

Major Arcana: a long journey  -  a feeling of raw energy  -  putting a name to something unknown  -  an elaborate patchwork  -  unexpected catastrophes  -  unexpected blessings  -  vivid dreams  -  sudden awakenings  -  the feeling of shedding your skin  -  the echoes in holy places  -  bright lights  -  deep shadows  -  feeling the earth move beneath your feet  -  wandering in museums  -  the strange clarity of moonlight  -  thunder and lightning  -  an unfamiliar road  -  coming back to the place you started as an entirely different person

Cups:  being overwhelmed by emotion  -  finding something to celebrate every day  -  finding something to mourn every day  -  connecting with others  -  the scent of ocean air  -  making food for your friends when they’re stressed  -  the remembrance of something lost  -  sublime confusion  -  cool colors  -  a cozy cafe  -  a bustling bar  -  calm waters, hidden depths  -  getting tipsy in the afternoon  -  summer rain  -  comfy sweaters  -  flowing skirts  -  a house by the sea  -  deep conversations after midnight

Wands:  the scent of spices and dark wood  -  making something just for the sake of creation  -  dry heat  -  crackling fire  -  a bolt of inspiration  -  refusing to apologize for your passion  -  stubborn optimism  -  taking on more than you can handle  -  hot tea  -  warm colors  -  getting up early  -  staying up late  -  bright fire, fast burnout  -  tacky thrift store finds worn with the utmost confidence  -  the thrill of starting a new project  -  spring storms  -  hotel rooms  -  perpetual restlessness

Pentacles:  the scent of rich soil after a rain  -  hard and diligent work  -  solid ground, strong foundations  -  the satisfaction of a long-awaited payoff  -  generosity that comes with a catch  -  work boots and heavy jeans  -  silk and jewels  -  resting on your laurels  -  seeing your work through to the end  -  harvest time  -  fresh bread and rich soup  -  earth tones  -  jewel tones  -  a lush garden  -  sunlight through the trees  -  dark chocolate  -  a home in the farmlands  -  a sprawling house in the old part of the city

Swords:  the scent of fresh air  -  focusing on the intellectual at the expense of the emotional  -  freshly fallen snow  -  burying yourself in action  -  tending to your own wounds  -  a foreseeable disaster  -  crisply tailored suits  -  starkly elegant dresses  -  refusing to admit defeat  -  cold air, clear thoughts  -  old hurts  -  fresh starts  -  overthinking your overthinking  -  the harsh glow of street lamps  -  black coffee  -  a cabin in the mountains  -  an apartment downtown  -  the quiet before the dawn

[ since this is like... ages old, no other tags - but feel free to steal! and then tag me so I can see! ]

[im-the-punk-who]

Could you post some more malex thoughts? What about that song? Or thoughts on them being endgame? Or season 3 malex thoughts?

Baby’s first RNM meta request 😭

ABSOLUTELY I can.

So I am gonna start with my S3 thoughts and endgame thoughts because everything else will tie into that.

From what I’ve seen, Roswell had 5 seasons originally planned, which is still what it feels like it needs to me. Which is cool! It also means we’re probably(hopefully, actually) not gonna get canon malex in s3.

The show has set them up as the ‘will-they-won’t they’ couple - most of their tension together focuses on *whether or not they get together* instead of if they’ll stay together. To me at least, it’s pretty clear the show’s assumption is that if they end up actually getting together in a healthy way(which they both seem to want in their relationships now), they will stay together.

If the show actually does it’s job right and takes the time to let both of them heal, grow, and experience other things that likely won’t happen until at least mid s4. It would make a nice dramatic midpoint for the season, they could play out a bit of that relief of finally being together in the late s4, and then whether or not they renew s5 they’ve told the story they wanted to. But if they do get a fifth season they can play with some hurt/comfort with Michael and Alex actually building/cementing their relationship. 

As we’re seeing with Liz and Max, tension has to come from somewhere and where RNM(as most shows do) fails is thinking it needs to come from the relationship, which is what I’m afraid would happen if malex get together so soon after making the(at least private) commitment to get better for each other. There won’t be enough time for growth and dramatic build to sustain the afterglow and they’ll have to find something else to torment the poor boys with. 

I don’t hold out a *super* large amount of hope for it, because like...this is the CW. But I do think either way malex will likely be endgame. Just from everything the show has told us and set up, I would be extremely surprised and honestly really fucking angry if they don’t. Not necessarily because they’re My Ship, or because it would be any sort of queer baiting - they’d both still be undeniably queer and I assume Alex would end up with Forrest or someone else in that scenario.

Honestly it would just be bad storytelling to set up your characters as having this deep cosmic connection, setting them up directly in parallel with our other pairs of starcrossed lovers Max/Liz and Nora/Tripp, dropping all the hints in the music choices(Holy Moly being the big one when linked with the Would You Come Home scene, but there are other small parallels in song choices - ‘Through Your Eyes’ as Alex walks away in 2x06 for example.) Especially with the literal confirmation that they both still *want* to be with each other (Alex’s song saying ‘if I got better and worked through my issues can we be together’ and Michael recognizing he’s got to give Alex the space to do that work so that maybe someday they can be together. ‘It’s not our time right now.“ “But it will be.” “I hope so.”)

Anyway! So, I would count a Not-Malex-Endgame as a bad ending, but I wouldn't be at all surprised if we get zero canon Malex content in S3. In fact given where the characters are, I think it would be an AMAZING choice to have these characters who are fan favorites and who everyone *wants* to be endgame - stay apart and work on themselves, and build all that TENSION( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) for an entire season in order to cash in for an s4 payoff.

Also, I really want to see Alex grow as a person. 

Michael really started to change in Season 2 - we’ve seen him start trying to be better, dealing with his emotions more, recognizing how bad his relationship with Alex is and trying to improve with Maria as well as building his other relationships, too. To me, Michael is already very different than he was in S1 and honestly, Alex has some catch up to do in terms of working on his fears and how they relate to how he cannot stand to be around Michael in stressful situations.

To that end, I really want to see how Alex and Forrest interact, and how a relationship with Forrest might change Alex. We heard before that Alex doesn’t really consider himself to have had a real relationship, and Forrest does *not* seem the type to be up for a fast and easy thing, so I think he could really push Alex to face his issues around commitment and his tendency to cut and run. 

Which would actually be really cool! I am not a Forrest-endgame person at all, mostly because he seems both way too put together and way too needy for Alex long term, but I do think they would be really fun to see played against each other and also just .... nice things for Alex Manes please. 

Also then we get lots of Michael making sad eyes at Alex which is just *chefs kiss*.

For Alex, his personal conflict has always centered around his trauma, his father, being ashamed and afraid of being openly gay, and having enough faith in people to believe he personally is worth fighting for and my main wish for Alex is to finally fucking learn how to love and be loved in return.

So in that vein and especially if we see Malex as endgame, it only makes sense that Michael’s journey needs to be a parallel one of him finding something worth staying on earth for. He’s started to build a family for himself fucking finally - Maria, Isobel, Sanders, hell I think there is even the potential for Liz, Max, and Kyle to be family. And of course, Alex has always been his family. But previously no one has ever had his back in the way he’s had theirs. 

From what we’ve seen, Michael has always been the one who gives with his whole self - both Maria and Alex comment on it - “I don’t doubt your capacity for love” & “He keeps secrets because of how much he loves Max and Isobel, not because of how much he loves you.” He is a character who has spent his life throwing affection and emotion at the wall and seeing what(if anything) sticks. 

He took the crayon from Max at the orphanage, told Isobel he killed the girls, dropped his plans to leave Roswell for her, he both defended Alex from his father and didn’t stop him from leaving a place he was in danger, he let Liz experiment with his blood for Isobel’s antidote. He tells Alex once that he was glad that Max and Isobel had an easier time, even if it meant he didn’t. Michael’s biggest character flaw is that he believes he has to be useful to be wanted. That he, as he is, is unloveable. Or, maybe better put, that he is not worthy of the kind of love others have.

In S3 I want this challenged, CW I will fight you. I *REALLY* want to see him have to face head on his assumption that he’s going to leave Earth at some point and everyone is going to be fine with that. I want him to realize he’s become core in someone’s life again. I want to see someone grab hold and refuse to let go. I want it to get messy, and I want them to stay, damnnit! 

I want to see Michael start making plans to stay again.

I said in a previous meta that I thought the growth Michael has gone through already would lead to him being approached by Jones with an offer to leave (so that Jones can separate the pod squad, so that he can use Michael to get to Max, something like that) and I really want to see what decision a more grounded Michael might make in a situation like that.

And what my tiny shriveled shipper heart REALLY wants is a scene where Michael is put to this choice of being able to leave and - despite being offered everything he has been working towards for his entire life - the relationships he’s built are strong enough to make him stay(again.)

(Hint, I REALLY want this to be Alex, for the plot resolution for them in S3 not to be ‘we get together’ but to be ‘we are able to recognize that we can BE there for each other even if we aren’t together’, which would lead spectacularly into an early/mid s4 get together after some light angst :) 

I have a lot more thoughts re: what I want from everyone else and what I’d love to see from the non pod-squad squad (MARIA ALEX LIZ ROSA PICNIC DATE WHEN) (CENTERING YOUR MAIN CHARACTERS OF COLOR WHEN) (TRY MAKING YOUR VILLAIN NOT A FUCKING PERSON OF COLOR!) Also like, Generyx, Deep Sky, Mr. Jones, possible connections between them and characters who aren’t pod squad oh my god can we for one episode focus on someone else, etc, but like.....this is already so long so maybe that’s for another time xD

Also as stated like....this is a CW show so this isn’t what’s going to happen, but it’s what a I *DESPERATELY WANT* to happen. My interaction with RNM is VERY much dead-plot-do-not-eat until proven otherwise and I’m just here to no-thoughts-head-empty enjoy the parts of Malex I like and ignore everything else :)

I’m gonna use this image that Diana made me because honestly this should be a disclaimer to any RNM post I make.