#pretty sure this was in regards to a comment i made somewhere

[gillipopmoji-archived]

Do it. Say "ily" to the people you care about. Trust me, do it anyway.

thank you. i do. i do it all the time.

[steviewashere]

Thinking about a fic idea right now where Steve comes out (maybe with a little Steddie...maybe; might be best to start them pre-relationship in this). Walk with me here.

Steve Harrington who has always been a huge Wham! fan. And then eventually a huge George Michael fan. He's got all their albums. Collects magazines with interviews in them (y'know, if there's a U.S. release). So, he's pretty much up to date with all news, music info; that kind of thing. He's always on the money about when interviews are.

George Michael who comes out publicly in 1998 after his arrest. Which, you can watch the clip from the interview here. He's thirty-four at the time, had been private about his sexuality and romantic life up until then.

Steve who's freshly in his thirties.

He's thirty-one. He's had some thoughts in regards to his sexuality for years now. Since Robin came out to him in 1985, he's thought about little things. The way certain guys walked that caught his attention, maybe the plushness of their lips, how they styled their hair. She's introduced him to queer culture at the time—pride parades & protests, some lingo, the handkerchief code, etc. So, he's well aware of a lot of things before the CNN interview airs. He hasn't made any hard connections between his sexuality and the thoughts in his head; maybe he's had a few, soft, questioning moments like: Am I gay? Am I bisexual? Is this what I really think or am I searching for something I don't actually want? Am I just being too observant?

(Okay, thinking about pre-Steddie now. And a lot of platonic soulmates Stobin. Also, I totally (accidentally) half-wrote a fic. Stay with me here.)

Eddie's been a part of Steve's life since 1986. Somehow he survives (don't ask me the fine details, I don't know). And Steve tries his hand at being Eddie's friend because he kind of—no, really—wants a guy friend who's around his age. Cue their shenanigans: the chaos they cause together, the pranks they pull on their other friends, the shit Eddie makes Steve get into (drag racing (cars), stealing scrap from the junkyard, throwing rocks over the quarry to guess the impact they made, other little town shit). Eddie who learns that Steve's a true ally to Robin, so he comes out to Steve, too. They all form a very great, deep bond of solidarity. Become roommates outside of Hawkins, somewhere a little more progressive. They protect each other. Listen to each other.

Cue the day in 1998 when the CNN interview is being aired live, unseen up until then. Steve's already ready to watch, having taken up the middle cushion on the couch. Robin's on his left, criss-cross and making a set of beaded bracelets for the three of them. Eddie's on Steve's right, uncapping a couple bottles of beer to pass over. And they're watching with Steve because Steve likes George Michael and, well, they like Steve and his interests. So they're all there when George Michael comes out. They're all there when the words are said live.

Robin and Eddie are wide-eyed, then laughing something a bit triumphant, high-fiving over Steve's head, maybe chanting something: "One of us! One of us!" Maybe becoming huge George Michael fans as they speak. But, Steve's silent. He's sitting on the edge of his cushion, palms down on his thighs, staring off into nothing. All the celebration stops as the interview continues, words being missed. And Robin and Eddie share an odd glance, a questioning one. Until, finally, Robin asks, "Steve-O? You OD over there?"

Steve blinks back into existence. Mutters, "Did George Michael just come out on live TV?" Eddie answers him truthfully, voice a bit soft and concerned. Steve licks his lips, doesn't move his eyes from his socked feet. "...He knew for a little while," he comments. "Right? He knew for a while."

"Sure, Steve," Eddie answers again. "He probably knew about himself for a long time. Probably...Honestly, probably while he was still in Wham."

Maybe Steve nods at that. Maybe he just stays kind of stoic, thinking too hard. "He's thirty-four," Steve points out.

"That he is," Robin answers this time. "Thirty-four and proudly out."

Steve hums some sort of acknowledgement and then goes back to watching the TV, moment drifting away. He sort of watches in a daze. Up until he turns in for the night. Well after Robin has slumped over on the couch and Eddie's gone to bed earlier—because he has work, or so Eddie's said. And Steve maybe sits in his bedroom, up at his headboard, looking down at his albums. At his Wham! and George Michael albums. Turning the tapes over in his hands, reading the track lists, maybe tracing the edges of the cases with his thumbs. Thinking about how George had said he was telling his life story, even through some of his earlier solo work. He's thinking about how successful George Michael has been. And then he thinks about how George Michael came out later in his life. In his thirties, not in his twenties, not in his teens. Sure, yes, it was definitely more negatively criticized to do so, but it means something to Steve. To be thirty-four and freshly out. And he thinks, too, about being thirty-one and things clicking into shiny clarity—he's into guys, too. He's into women, but he's into guys. That word, "bisexual" looking like the final jigsaw piece. To be thirty-one and proudly out, too.

And he's comforted in that thought, as he drifts off to sleep.

And when he wakes up in the morning, he bustles around Eddie and Robin in the kitchen. They make a shared breakfast of scrambled eggs and sausage and toast with jam. They sit at the dining table, forks against plates, shooting the shit back and forth.

Steve cuts a slice of sausage, puts it in his mouth, eats as usual. And just as the conversation is beginning to drift again, he finally speaks what's on his mind. "I'm bisexual," he's able to proudly state.

Maybe Eddie and Robin cheer, too for that. They ask him for his taste in guys. Maybe they tease him a little. Maybe Eddie realizes he fits the bill a little; maybe he waits a little bit before taking a shot, but he still does eventually.

And right before they head off for their respective, regular lives outside of the comfortable space of their apartment, Robin knocks their shoulders together. "Proud of you," she states. "Thirty-one and proudly out. How does it feel?"

They're in the kitchen, washing and drying the dishes because Eddie left for work already with a promise to bring home pizza for dinner. They're in the kitchen, the lights a little fluorescent like the Starcourt bathroom. They're in the kitchen, in each other's orbits, two friends who've seen it all and will continue to see the world together.

"It feels...I feel good. Excited."

Robin smiles at him, something soft and understanding. And as his focus goes back to the plate he's about to hand off, she snorts. "So, Eddie, huh?" And he scoffs, rolling his eyes. She just laughs to herself. Then, when she's calmed a little bit, she states, "He kind of looks like Rowlf. You and I have a thing for Muppets, Stevie. Muppets."

And after their laughter dies down and they live out the rest of the day, Steve thinks about how he can send a letter of thanks to George Michael. And maybe he cherishes those albums a little closer. And he is confident in himself for the first time in a while, all because the representation he didn't know he was seeking, is finally right in his face.

Sorry that got long. But I'm just thinking about Steve who comes out later in his life. Maybe he couldn't make those connections because he didn't have the safe atmosphere to do so; feared the worst if his parents ever realized he didn't care too much about women sometimes, if his eyes drifted to men a little too much, fearing that they'd catch his contemplation. Maybe he found his safe space through Robin and Eddie, but needed a little more of a push and he just didn't find it yet. Up until now.

[andrastie]

So I'm about halfway (maybe a bit less) through Veilguard and am loving the game!

My biggest issue, however, is the lack of choices that carried through from Inquisition and the previous two game. I feel like Dragon Age Keep made the games more personalized based on the choices you made in the previous games.

For example, I was screaming when we got the little cameo of King Alistair in Inquisiton and the mention of my Coulsand Warden as the Queen of Fereldan.

Here are some things I wish had been included in the new game based on decisions made in my canon Inquisiton run (very very mild spoilers):

Divine Victoria mention - based on who we supported to be the new Divine in Inquisiton. I supported Leliana. When Harding is talking about the Inquisiton advisors and Leliana comes up, I would have loved a line about how she's settled in to her new position as Divine Victoria.

Codex entry about the Orlesian civil war - I read a codex entry in Veilguard about Empress Celene and I'm pretty sure one of the companions mentions her (I can't think of who). I chose to sacrifice Celene and put Gaspard on the throne with Briala pulling his strings. Maybe the codex could mention her assassination or another could talk about whether or not Briala still holds the power behind the Orlaisian throne.

Stroud - where the fuck is Stroud?? I sacrificed Hawke so that the Grey Wardens had a senior Warden with a brain that could step up and lead them. Yet their new Warden Commander still has no brain. Where is Stroud???

Hawke mention - an acknowledgement of whether or not we left Hawke in the Fade (I did). Maybe a comment or codex entry from Varric wondering if Hawke is still somewhere in the Fade, like he is now. We don't have to see Hawke, just a comment or codex would do.

Inquisiton companion updates from Harding - kind of like how in Inquisiton you could ask Varric or Hawke about the DA2 companions and they'd give you little updates. For example, "Cassandra rebuilt the Seekers," or "The Iron Bull and his chargers still take jobs across Thedas, more recently against the Antaam. That's gotta be awkward," or things like that, referencing what trajectory we set the companions on (Cassandra pro seeker-rebuild or Iron Bull Tal-Vashoth).

Grey Warden decision fall out - one of the big choices in Dragon Age: Inquisiton was choosing to banish the Grey Wardens or absorb them into the Inquisiton. I chose the later, knowing we'd probably need them in the new game. Maybe a comment from Davrin about how when he first joined the Wardens, he briefly served the Inquisiton, or one from Dorian when he confronts the Warden Commander, saying something like "My friend's mercy is the only reason you still stand to fight the blight".

Idk, I'd love to see people's own ideas and headcanons regarding their past choices so please let me know what you think they should have added based on previous game decisions!

I understand them wanting this to feel like a new game, not bogged down by the last games, but the suggestions I made were mostly one-off comments or codex entries that don't require voice recordings. Having three codex entries for the three Divine candidates and then just rotating them depending on the player choice wouldn't have been that hard... I don't think?

[spagyricqueen]

Discourse on Ascended Astarion

These are just my thoughts. I have them. This seemed like a place to share them. I dunno...

So, I think the discourse on this subject is a little wacky, but as I read through some of the comments, I think I understand a little better? The new kisses for AA are causing all kinds of vitriol among the fandom, and I'm just trying to understand it.

People seem pretty upset that Tav (or Durge) has 'victim' expressions when Astarion is forcefully kissing them. I get the upset, if you're RP is related to the idea that maybe they want/like the forceful kissing or subjugation. The new animations, for me, did not surprise me and honestly made it a little more clear as it leaned into the idea of the Ascendant that I had all along; he becomes toxic, with a twisted idea of what 'love' is.

However, I've read very strongly opinionated defenses regarding the relationship as a whole. Primarily this idea that Astarion makes Tav/Durge their 'vampire bride'? I'm sorry, what? I thought it was pretty clear from the dialogue that you become his spawn (albeit his 'special' spawn, but still a spawn), and when you ask him if he would ever make you a 'true vampire', he deflects with saying something to the effect of, "All in good time. You need to adjust first."

I read somewhere that the dev notes on that line of dialogue specifically states that this is a lie. He lies a lot to you during that whole exchange. He is not the same person. Perhaps there is some strong debate over whether or not he kept his soul (in my prose, I describe his 'losing of his soul' to imply his core essence and not his actual immortal soul). But the power he gained fundamentally changed his perspective on life, on his relationships, and on how he views himself.

A vampire bride? First of all, from what I understand of D&D rules, this requires a lot of criteria that Astarion does not have. If I recall, it's a ritual that can be performed by an "ancient" vampire or greater. It takes more than one feeding from the sire to achieve this. It's a whole thing, called The Dark Kiss ritual. Astarion only granted "one drop" of his own blood, and he is not an ancient vampire.

They are a spawn, and that's all there is to it.

The expressions of fear, however, I'm not sure I have too much opinion about. Again, me personally, it makes sense and reinforces the idea of Astarion becoming comfortable with his power over Tav/Durge - perhaps a little too comfortable. This could always change later on in the relationship, perhaps, with Tav/Durge asserting themselves or learning to manipulate her sire (Astarion) in return. That's the beauty of fanfiction. Play with those 'what-ifs'.

In the end, it's all just fiction.

[whiskersz]

Hi, could I request a gender-fluid reader who’s masc aligned but feels insecure bc they like wearing stuff/presenting fem a lot and feels imposter syndrome when they are fem aligned once in a blue moon, especially bc some people were transphobic to them and made some jabs about their relationship not being genuine or that no one would want them bc of it with Husk and Angel separately?

Sorry for the word vomit, thanks and hope you have a nice day :)

Hey!! This has been in my inbox for a while, because I wasn’t sure what to write exactly since I didn’t want to do it in the wrong way. Hope headcanons are okay, and while I’m of the opinion that anyone can date anyone (as long as it’s legal) I still informed myself on what some GF people experience in relationships, since Angel is Gay :)

Angel Dust

Angel doesn’t like people dictating on how you two should live your relationship at all.

He knows very well that he fell for your masc-aligned side and you guys discussed this many times, with you reassuring him that it’s okay if he doesn’t feel as attracted to you when you’re feeling more fem-aligned.

You guys also discussed your preferences in regard to how your partner dresses and when it came out that there’s next to none and both of you are free to wear anything you like, you both immediately felt way more comfortable in the relationship.

So he highly dislikes when random individuals try to convince you or him that your relationship is not genuine and that you’re not deserving of love, and he will outright insult them and get into fights with them if these comments are being spewed in hearing distance.

Back at the Hotel he definitely reassures you that he does want you as a partner with a kiss and some cuddles, and if he needs to he’ll even list all the reasons why he’s attracted to you again for you to hear.

He’ll also remind you that he loves you and how stylish you are, and will even offer to lend you some of his clothes if one day you want to feel particularly pretty, as he owns a lot of fem things, and in case you’re not the same size some of them are even pretty oversized so you should find something that fits you either way.

I Headcanon that Angel would probably own some pride stuff, so he would definitely get some for you as well to remind you that he’s your number one supporter!

Husk

Husk is honestly chill with dating anyone; it doesn’t matter what their gender and sexuality are, or how they dress, or what they like to eat for dinner on a Saturday night...if he likes you, he’s going to try and make his best impression and be all gentlemanly with you. He’s going to do things he wouldn’t do with anyone else such as cuddling and gifting you roses.

So if somebody calls your relationship not genuine, it doesn’t take him much to call them out on their bullshit and prove to them that it’s nothing of the sort.

He also highly despises when people are transphobic to you, and he will try to reason with them but this is Hell after all and he doesn’t expect to find many souls worth explaining this kind of thing to down there. So after a while he just leaves it and leads you elsewhere.

He absolutely loves the way you dress, when you get all pretty for him it makes his heart skip a beat. Same thing for when you try your best to look handsome; he will look at you up and down with a smirk that he can’t really hide.

In a relationship, Husk is very romantic and affectionate, so after he’s done dealing with the people who insulted your relationship he’s going to shower you in kisses accompanied by his deep purrs.

It’s very obvious though that you took those words to heart, so he’s also willing to take you out somewhere if you need your mind to get clear once again. He doesn’t want you to turn to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as alcohol or anything like that as he does, so he’d rather spend time with you and slowly get you to trust his words instead of trusting theirs.

[reggies-eyeliner]

THE CLASSIC MATCHUP - @br4inr0tx

THE "MAYBE I JUST WANNA BE YOURS" COUPLE

#now playing ... just like heaven by the cure!

pavitr prabhakar hadn't walked into your life, he tripped over his feet and apologized once, taught you a handshake, complimented your outfit, talked about his day, asked about yours, and then left the room with a small wave. you had seen him around the spider society for quite some time, but you'd never really gotten the chance to talk to him-- if anything, you only really knew him from hobie. over time, you, hobie, and pavitr became a trio that took down villains, jammed out to songs, went on late night walks and had impromptu sleepovers together.

truthfully, pavitr had wanted to talk to you for quite some time, but being friends with hobie made it pretty easy for him to find you. the two of you got off to an abrupt start, but eventually things became much simpler. he doesn't mind that your wardrobe consist of mostly black (because, hey, he has a ton of friends like that, it's the spider society) and doesn't mind your rash comments either.

it's also important to recognize that pavitr isn't a naive or simply innocent spiderman, he's still hardworking and cares deeply for the people around him. pavitr is willing to stay by your side even through the roughest patches, and when you're having a bad day, he'll gently ask you if you need a moment for yourself or if you're in more need of comfort.

he definitely doesn't mind your one-liner comments or behavior tha you think is rude, he makes his own sarcastic comments on the daily, so he's actually pretty relieved that he can say them out loud with someone else! pavitr also definitely is alright with you being quiet from time to time, or if you simply need a few hours for yourself. he won't pry or beg you to hang out with him, and he'll instead ask you when you're free to chat with him or just want to go out somewhere !! when it comes to cuddling and overall love languages, this man goes ALL out-- from handshakes to hugs or embraces that make you feel like you're six years old coming home from school again, he will make sure that you feel cherished in every circumstance.

in regards to your spidersona (which is. SO cool by the way!!), whenever the venom causes them to go into a rage, pavitr remains patient. he won't loudly try to coax them into calming down or push them to suppress their emotions, and will instead just guide them through it, adding in a joke or two to remind them that it's okay to feel that way. after one of those rages and things go back smoothly, he'll definitely treat them like royalty and bring them sketchbooks, colored pencils, new headphones, blankets, tea, the whole package.

RANDOMIZED TROPE:

" patching up wounds "

pavitr realizes that he truly loves you when you feel like you're at your most vulnerable: he loves you when you want to take on the world, and he loves you when you want to stay in bed all day, and he'll continue to love you even when you feel as though it's difficult to do so for yourself. he'll let you talk about your day and will patch up your wounds from battle while playing that mixtape you made. he'll literally buy you guys matching pajamas to motivate you to go to sleep if you happen to stay up later than usual. pavitr doesn't like seeing you hurt, but he loves that he's the one that gets to look after you and remind you of your strength.

a/n: thank you so so much for the request!! i'm so so sorry this took me so long!! also i really want to say that your music taste is IMPECCABLE because i got recently introduced to those bands by a really awesome friend so this is so great!! >:DD i really hope you're doing well + take care!

[thatguywhodoesstuff]

Popping in to share some Levi brainrot I've been mulling over for a bit.

I noticed your idea of Levi making the Vees resentful, but I personally think the opposite is somewhat more likely, allow me to explain. Sure, Levi still has most of the market, but so do the other Sins, and they (or at least most of them) don't really have a concrete rival for their business, again, mostly *cough* Ozzie is shit at his job *cough*. Sorry...I've got a soar throat. Anyway, The fact the Vees are able to be an opposing monolith at all is enough to seriously get under Levi's slimy scales.

Speaking of his appearance, I have a rather ironic observation regarding Levi, given his nature, he's the most likely to be resentful of the other Sins' successes, he would also sometimes scheme against them. This made me think of the Divine Comedy and the treachery circle being a frozen lake. So I thought, what if Envy's ocean is distinguished by having a lot of ice in it?

Though everyone's heard his voice somewhere, Levi is generally more comfortable expressing himself through written means, this is partly due to it being easier to lie through writing, and partly because when people read a witty insult, it's easy for them to makeup the proper delivery for it in their heads.

Also relating to his work, Levi is a publishing titan and has an easy pattern for approval. 1- When someone submits a work, look for places you could insert discussion bait. 2- Tell them to add it in or you're not publishing their thing. 3- If they agree, go all out on promotion for like 3 weeks before release, if they don't follow their activities in the industry and crush them with a scathing review if they publish elsewhre.

Levi has 1-3 lairs of teeth, depending on what for he's in.

And that's it for Levi time, at least for now.

Really sorry for the late response, I’ve been pretty busy today and then I lost the original draft to my reply. I really enjoyed these ideas, so I’m going to address each point:

You raise a good point about Levi being the jealous one. Honestly, that opens the door for a really fun dynamic. While the other Sins don’t think the Vees, or any Overlord for that matter, are anything to worry about, and you’ve got Leviathan whose just seething in his custom built underwater mansion and ruminate over how a trio of dead people have managed to build up their own mini empire over a period of decades when it took him, a proper demon, centuries to get his publication business the way he likes it. Not to mention how they’ve got a hold over a good chunk of the Pride ring, while his influence is rooted in Envy (The fact that he has a pretty strong presence in the other five rings isn’t good enough). The other Sins have probably gotten on Levi’s case for obsessing over (what they see as) relatively minor stuff like this in the past, so he’s begrudgingly decided to settle on just trying to slander the Vees and their brand.

The Vees for their part see the fact that they caught the ire of a Sin as a mixed bag. On the one hand, one of Hell’s biggest names sees them as a big enough deal to try and slander them. On the other, they recognize they are in a precarious position given the possibility of Levi actually taking a more active approach to dealing with them. Of course, this doesn’t stop them from taking time to subtly aggravate him. Then of course, there is the possibility of the Vees actually being mutually jealous of Levi, if only for the fact they covet the power and status being one of the 7 Deadly Sins grants.

The idea that Envy is a massive ocean populated by frozen islands is really interesting, especially given how much it differs from all of the other locales shown in both shows, barring Andrealphus’ mansion.

Levi is definitely that relative that makes passive aggressive comments or backhanded compliments when you succeed and tells everyone when you’ve failed, and given his field of work, I do mean everyone.

You cannot convince me that Levi is not petty and selfish enough that he started complaining the second Lucifer and Lilith announced they were having a child, strictly on the grounds that it would take the public’s attention away from him.

Leviathan preferring nonverbal means of communicating is a neat idea, especially given how nicely it ties with him potentially being the “creepy one”. I mean, being in the presence of a massive sea serpent is bad, but being in the presence of one that just silently stares at you and covets what you possess is even worse. Then of course is the rare instance that he does address someone verbally, because that shows, without a shadow of a doubt, you have Leviathan’s full, undivided attention.

That abusive way of managing fits really well, but I feel he’d take it even further and pit those under him against one another, fostering a toxic work environment where all of his employees are at each other’s throats and jealously doing anything to make sure their work gets approved for publication.

I think Levi having multiple rows of teeth is really fitting given you suggested he looks like an eel, as real eels have a second set of retractable jaws and (it could just be me) how there have been some subtle hints that Envy has a subtle duality motif. But I feel that it would be neat if the concept was pushed even further and each row of teeth is actually an individual, nested mouth Levi could talk out of, both for added demonic appeal and the fact it would literally allow him to lie through his teeth.

Now, with all of that said here are some ideas I had after reading them:

I will die on the hill that Leviathan was once the smallest member of the Sins and used to be envious of the others for their greater statutes. Fast forward to the present, Levi has done a complete 180, because unlike the others, he can’t make himself smaller, only bigger than he already is. This in turn makes him envious of the more “normal” sized demons, as he’s now stuck as a big fish in a world that doesn’t always accommodate him.

While reading your Leviathan ideas, I actually had a Golden Goose idea. I imagine Mammon revealing he found love with Stella completely floored the other Sins (especially Asmodeus), as he had been married to his job for millennia. After Mam leaves the meeting the others talk between themselves about this development, which leads to Levi going on a tirade about how Mammon found love before he did (which he’s done every time one of them has taken a lover), which leads to this:

Leviathan: “What the fuck!? Mammon!? Fucking Mammon!? What does that green sack of shit have that I don’t!?” Satan: (Not even bothering to look up from his phone) “A girlfriend.” Leviathan:

Thanks for the ask, I hope you enjoy my ramblings.

[heartofspells]

on the etiquette of fandom respect

I'm not sure why I'm doing this, really. We've all seen those other posts that circulate around (or the vast majority of us have, at least from my notice) discussing things like negativity towards creators and proper etiquette when it comes to commenting and bookmarking and sharing another person's work. It always seems to fly in one ear and out the other, yet here I am, preparing to write an essay, mainly because I don't think we should ever stop saying it in the hopes of improvement.

Let's start this with bookmarks on AO3, because it seems like people either forget, they don't know, or possibly they simply do not care. Bookmarks can be seen by creators. Meaning they can see your tags, your bookmark collections, and your bookmark comments. There are numerous creators who enjoy going through the bookmarks on their works to see these things, because it's extra insight into why someone liked or even loved that creation, most times. There are also, in my experience, a lot of people who bookmark works and do not comment, so again, it gives the creator that extra special boost to keep doing what they're doing, to create more.

Leaving personal rating scores for a work, downgrading comments, or, in all honesty, opinions on what you did not like in the work is unkind. No one is coming to attack how you choose to keep track of your bookmarks, but please remember these are PUBLIC unless otherwise chosen by you. You can, however, make private bookmarks that only you can view. Even the creators cannot see these beyond a number of how many bookmarks a work collectively has. If you have a rating system or opinions on a work that could even remotely be construed as unkind, please make your bookmarks private. It's incredibly simple. There is a checkbox to select.

Now onto comments and the etiquette behind it. No one is forcing you to comment. While it is appreciated by all creators, it isn't a requirement. Creators love hearing from everyone who views their work. Comments bolster creators, encourage them to continue creating if they love doing it, which most creators do. But if the only thing you can think to say is something demeaning, criticizing, or has no bearing on the work you just viewed, it's probably better not to say anything at all. If you have questions, ask them. Creators love talking about their works, typically. Most will jump at the chance for a discussion. But this does not give anyone the right to ask accusatory questions that degrade a person's work. Also, leaving a comment about any work that blatantly goes against the very obviously stated tags/warnings, or leaving a comment that is short and brief and really doesn't make any sort of reference to the work itself is rude, plain and simple. Do not do that.

You are not being asked to leave a novel behind in your comment (though that's almost always appreciated to a massive extent). Leave a few kind words about liking or loving the work, because just something as simple as "loved this!" goes a long way as encouragement. If you have the time or something specific, tell the creator about a part you liked. They'll adore you for it. But again, none of it is a requirement. All creators ask for is a bit of common sense and respect from people in exchange for what they've created. Basic rule of thumb: ask yourself if you made something you were proud of and showed it to someone, would you be happy or hurt by the comment you're about to leave?

Lastly, let's discuss credit. It's seen a lot, and pretty much everywhere now. Someone finds artwork or a fic or maybe even a simple quote from a work they enjoy, and they repost it with no credit, not even a title (in regards to fics). No reference back to the creator at all. Stop gatekeeping works that do not belong to you. You do not own those works. They have been shared with you, nothing more. By transferring them or even a piece of them somewhere else without proper credit, you are not only removing someone else's ability to properly view this work without directly asking what it's from (if they ask at all, which most do not), you are taking that potential encouragement away from the creator and making them feel worthless.

These works, whatever they may be, were created for you. You may try to argue that they were shared in a public forum, and the creator should understand that by doing so, they're opening themselves up to potential criticism, theft, and even bullying. And you would be right, creators are fully aware of this. But here's the thing: these works, at least in a fandom setting, are being created for FREE. A person is taking time out of their life to make this wonderful thing, and they are offering it humbly solely for the pleasure of doing it, to bring you pleasure.

And you might even argue that creators are not making these things for you, but for the world. But aren't you part of the world? Did you find and are you reading/viewing/listening to these works? If so, then yes, they were created for you, with you in mind. All creators ask for in return, literally the only thing, is some basic human kindness and decency, because creators are not required to share anymore than you're required to comment or spread their works around.

Some creators have thicker skins than others, but keep going as we have been, and one day, the content you love so much might be gone. It's already beginning to disappear for lesser things. Don't be the reason it continues.

[bluegekk0]

top 5 things about making art

1. Being able to visualize the things that are on my mind 24/7 - I have aphantasia so I struggle with mental images a lot (the concept of mental imagery is a bit confusing to me, but considering I can't relate at all to people with vivid visual imagination, I'm pretty sure I fall somewhere on the other end of the spectrum). Drawing is the primary way for me to actually see the characters I can't stop thinking about, there is honestly no better feeling than looking at the finished drawing and knowing that I have the capability to give life to my imagination and make it look good (most of the time at least). I'd be a lot more miserable if I couldn't experience that in any capacity.

2. Looking at my past work and seeing the improvement - self explanatory. I'm probably a bit annoying in this regard if you ask my friends, but I seriously love comparing my new art to some older pieces to see how much I've improved, and how much my characters changed. It's a nice warm feeling to know that despite being happy with my art, I'm not stuck in one spot and can still expand my horizons.

3. Experimenting with shapes and textures - I'll mention Vyrm here first. Ever since I made him more fat and soft, playing around with the round shapes and the physics of the fat became extremely fun (and it feels good to represent that aspect of myself in him). Similarly, I once disliked drawing fur as it always ended up looking stiff and flat, but as I dedicated the last year to drawing almost exclusively Grimm and Vyrm, I think I improved a lot in this regard, and now I find the process of making the fur look as soft and giving it volume to be super engaging.

4. The process of coloring - it's very fill the piece with colors. In particular, I absolutely love coloring Vyrm, and seeing him come to life as I add the pink hints to his colors that I associate with him. Ever since I started using the color jitter brush, it became a lot more fun to play around with different hues and make the drawings look less flat.

5. Seeing the feedback to my art - putting this one last since it's less to do with the actual process and more related to doing art in general. Receiving nice comments, and especially those unhinged love tags under my art is just such a nice feeling. And in those times where people tell me they find my work inspiring, or that it has affected them in some way, I find comfort in knowing that I'm making positive impact in others' lives. I do struggle sometimes with feeling like that's the only thing I have going for me, but generally it's a positive feeling more often than not, and I'm incredibly thankful to have it.

[deathbxnny]

Hello there! How are you? This is me from the anon before so my graduation is tomorrow and I want to request a head canon or scenarios with caelus, dan heng, jing yuan, yanqing, blade with s/o that is like momoe sawaki from wonder egg priority

So technically a little info about momoe is an attractive, androgynous looking tall and thin girl and is also is often mistaken for a boy due to her masculine looking appearance.Momoe is a kind, charming and polite girl, thus she's generally very well-liked by people she meets. Despite her insecurities, she's very selfless and brave. She has a strong sense of justice, is often seen acting selflessly for the sake of other people. and appears to care deeply about those she trusts or considers close to herMomoe is very insecure about herself, particularly about her masculine appearance—she cries when looking at her reflection It is one of her main complexes; she's been seen as a boy since childhood solely due to the way she looks. In this regard, many girls she meets say they fall in love with her because of her masculine charm, which seems to worry Momoe very much, since she does not want to be perceived as a boy and believes that she is "deceiving" these girls by misleading them with her appearance.

I wanna see a scenario with them about this I love momoe so much and the whole anime of wonder egg priority and you can search no about momoe sawaki!

Also make sure to have plenty of rest and this is my request once more

From anon! (◍•ᴗ•◍)

-----♡

A/N: Hello Anon! I have a limit of 4 characters, which is why I decided to leave out Dan Heng! I also tried out a bit of a new format with this, as you asked for scenarios and not headcanons, so I hope you'll like it! Thank you for resending the request and congratulations on graduating tomorrow!<33

Content: Established relationship, fluff, some angst, hurt/comfort, mentions of reader being unhappy with how she looks, unwanted flirting attempts?, bullying?, threats of violence

Reader is afab and reffered to as a "woman/girl" or "girlfriend"!

((Not fully proofread))

-----♡

》Caelus

Caelus never gave you the feeling of insecurity you usually felt, whenever you looked in the mirror or spoke to people who commented on your looks. He made you feel loved and never mistook you as a boy either, often calling you his pretty girl whenever he could. It made you smile and forget all about your worries... until you were unfortunately reminded by them again eventually.

It was supposed to be a nice date for the two of you, as you sat in a cozy café somewhere in Belobog. Caelus was drinking his tea, his eyes only focused on you, whilst he attentively listened to you happily tell him about your latest adventures with March the other day. "And then she took a photo of us infront of the statue, which turned out really cute-" "-Excuse me?" You blinked in confusion, when someone tapped your shoulder, your head turning to the source of the voice.

A young girl your age stood there shyly, a blush on her cheeks. "I'm sorry for bothering you and your friend, sir! But I found you pretty handsome and wondered if you'd like to go out sometime?" The giggle of what seemed to be her friend group was heard from another table nearby, as the girl shuffled on her feet at your surprised look.

You practically sank into your seat from the embarrassment and humiliation, not knowing what to even say. You did your hair all pretty, wore a cute outfit and even painted your nails today... and someone still mistook you as a guy? Tears burned in your eyes, when you suddenly heard Caelus nearly slam his tea cup down with a slight glare directed to the girl.

He usually never got angry so fast, but seeing you so hurt and defeated was ticking him off. "That's my girlfriend. She's not a man. How can you say that she's "handsome", if your eyes aren't even working properly to detect something so obvious?" He nearly hissed, standing up as he took your hand, paid for the meal and simply left the café with you.

You two walked in silence for a moment, before he suddenly halted with an embarrassed blush on his face. "I'm sorry....I just didn't want someone to bother you and I got so angry..." He trailed off, when you just hugged him. "It's okay. Thank you for that." He nodded at your words, hugging you back with a loving smile on his face.

"Anything for my pretty girl."

-----♡

》Blade

Blade never got what the big deal about your looks was, as in his eyes you looked perfect no matter what you wore or how you looked. But he also understood why you were so sensitive about it, since your insecurities unfortunately affected you alot. He wasn't sure how to comfort you and often just tried showing you through his actions, that he's always there to support you.

Like today, when someone tried to be funny and bother you about your appearance. You were waiting on Blade at a meeting spot for a mission, when you were approached by some girls. They didn't mistake you for a boy, but for once you wished they did, as they just teased and questioned you about your androgynous appearance.

You were too polite to tell them off, so you just teared up and shifted away from them with your head hanging low. But you didn't get far, when you bumped into something, or rather someone, behind you. "Who the hell do you think you're talking to? Get lost, before I kill you all." Blade's voice was dark and booming, as he practically loomed over everyone.

The girls let out shrieks of horror, before scrambling away in fear. Silence washed over you to, when you slowly turned around and hugged him. He felt guilty for not getting there earlier, but at least you were in his arms now.

"Don't listen to a word they said. They're just lowly life forms you shouldn't care about." His words once again reminded him of the fact that he didn't know how to comfort anyone. But hearing you nod and thank him softly, made him wonder, if he was finally learning how after all.

-----♡

》Jing Yuan

You were getting ready for a formal event that you were invited to with Jing Yuan, but quickly found yourself getting frustrated with the way you looked in the mirror. Every dress you wore seemed to not fit you right or look weird on you. It made you angry at yourself and eventually tears of frustration reached your eyes, as you nearly ripped off another failed dress.

Jing Yuan calmly filtered into the room, when he noticed your upset tears and heard the hurtful words you whispered to yourself. He watched you for a moment, before sighing and approaching you carefully. He knew how you were like and how upset you often got over the way you looked. In his eyes, you were the most beautiful woman in the world, but you unfortunately had a hard time seeing it.

His arms surrounded your form from behind, as he rested his head on your shoulder. "What is it, my love? Are the dresses not to your liking? I can always get you other one's." He hummed into your ear, watching you shake your head and wipe your tears away in the mirror. "I look hideous in all of them! Maybe they are right, maybe I really do look like a man in a dress-" A hand rested over your lips, when Jing Yuan kissed your neck lovingly.

"Don't say that... you're the most breathtaking woman in the entire galaxy to me... how about you dress yourself pretty and we out on a dinner date? Just the two of us?" He asked, making you give him a confused, but hopeful look.

"What about the event? It's important-" "-Not as important as you." He simply said, before letting go of you and summoning some maids to get you ready for a nice date night with your lover.

-----♡

》Yanqing

Yanqing always took any chance to compliment you. Whether it be on your talents, your skills or just your appearance in general. He always complimented you for anything and everything. He didn't take any criticism of you lightly either, mainly due to him believing that you were perfect and divine in every way.

And so, whenever anyone dared to make fun of you or even flirt with you thinking you were a guy, he made a huge scene out of it to embarrass the person. Even if it slightly embarrasses you two at times, but it also got you to laugh and that's all Yanqing cared about.

A good example of it was from today at the sword market, that you and Yanqing often frequented for dates. He was looking through the many endless swords, when he suddenly heard some girls talking about you nearby. You unfortunately heard them too, as you uncomfortably fidgeted next to the blonde boy, your hand gripping onto his.

Yanqing frowned, his body turning to them before you could stop him. "Hey, why are you talking about my girlfriend?" He asked bluntly, ignoring the way you pulled at his clothes in panic. But then he smiled brightly, getting up on a random stool and puffing out his chest proudly. "You don't have to answer the question actually, because I know why! My girlfriend is the prettiest girl in the world! In all galaxies possible as well! I'd be jealous too, if I saw her!" He practically yelled, before proceeding to shame them with infront of everyone.

You stood there with a slight deadpan, your cheeks burning, as he eventually jumped down and grabbed your hand, before proceeding to run off with a happy laugh. This stunt might get him in trouble later again, but hearing your soft giggles behind him made all of this worth it.

-----♡

A/N: Alright, this was a long one. I hope it was somewhat coherent too, because I feel like my English has been failing me lately lmao. But anyways, thank you for the request and congrats on graduating once more!<33

[anxious-witch]

Inertia 7

Summary: Newton's first law expresses the principle of inertia: the natural behavior of a body is to move in a straight line at constant speed. In the absence of outside influences, a body's motion preserves the status quo.

Jan choose a direction of his life the moment he walked out of his parents house and cut all contact with them. He didn't want anything to do with them, or God anymore. Even his soulmark he wished he could leave behind. But when Nace Jordan joins the band, with a mark matching his own, can Jan keep going the same way he did? Or will the force make him change a direction?

Pairings: Jan Peteh/Nace Jordan

Warnings: None, I think? Please do tell me if I'm wrong I'll edit ot immediately

Notes: AO3 link

urprise! Early update of the last chapter. Thank you everyone who made it this far, especially people who consistently commented throughout. I have several things to say before you jump right in.

1) I am aware JO didn't actually preform at the EMA, but since this is already and au and I really liked the concept of the scene, it is here. Just roll with it 2) There will (hopefully) be two fics following this one, one with the focus on Bojan and the other on Kris. I am not sure exactly when I'll be writing and post them though, since December is quite busy, but until then, at least this is finished.

Anyway, this part is pretty much all fluff and very cheesy at the end, but I figured we all deserved it after all the angst

I believe that witness is a magnitude of vulnerability. That when I say love what I mean is not a feeling nor promise of a feeling. I believe in attention. My love for you is a monolith of try.

The woman I love pays an inordinate amount of attention to large and small objects. She is not described by anything. Because I could not mean anything else,

she knows exactly what I mean.

Once upon a time a line saw itself clear to its end. I have seen the shape of happiness. (y=mx+b) I am holding it. It is your hand.

What Space Faith Can Occupy By TC Tolbert

Jan wondered if light green walls of the therapist's office were suppose to somehow elevate the space. Made it seem more colorful.

Personally, it only reminded him more if a hospital.

Still, just as in all previous sessions, he had to remind himself he wasn't there just for himself. Kris had been genuinely worried after his breakdown. Jure and Bojan didn't know about it, but they likely suspected something had transpired.

He would need to tell Bojan about him and Nace eventually. But that, at least, was a problem for future Jan.

There was also Nace to think about. In the past three weeks, there had been slow, almost painful progress made between them. Still, he was trying. That counted for something, right?

He turned his attention back to the matter at hand.

His therapist was a young woman, Jan would guess somewhere in her thirties. She hat jet black hair and looked perfectly put together. She reminded him of Kris in that regard.

Which made sense, considering he only got a spot so quickly due to Kris' connections. Jan really, really didn't want to think about how he managed that.

"So, Jan," Nina said, "do you want us to continue on where we stopped last time, or do you have something from this week you'd like to discuss?"

Her voice was unkind, or even cold, but Jan still had to force himself to talk sometimes. His trust issues weighted heavily on him in moment like these.

"Well, no. Except that Nace and I actually went to play basketball, but I mentioned we will last week anyway."

Nina patiently waited for him to continue. When he didn't, she spoke again.

"How was it?"

Jan sighed. It was awful. Jan felt genuinely bad for even going along with it, considering how much Nace hated any sport that you had to play with the ball. It ended when Nace didn't manage to catch the ball one time Jan threw it. It hit him in the face and made his nose bleed.

Jan supposed there was a metaphor there somewhere.

"It wasn't great. Nace is...really bad at basketball."

She quickly wrote something down and Jan tried his best not to feel judged.

"And how did you feel about it?"

"Shitty, I guess. I didn't make him play, but it kind of felt like I did."

Nina tapped her pen to the notes.

"From what I have here, it seems Nace usually initiates these activities and they seem to be activities you like. Am I correct?"

Jan shrugged.

"Yes."

"And what do you think about that?"

How many times could she ask him that? Wasn't she supposed to tell him what to think about that? Jan felt increasingly annoyed.

"Why do you keep asking that? If you want to say something, then say it."

She pursed her lips.

"I am not here to tell you how to feel, Jan. I am here to help you verbalize it."

That was the dumbest fucking answer he ever heard.

"I already said I feel bad about it. What more do you want me to say?"

"Have you thought about doing the same for him?"

Jan paused. He haven't. Or well-he had, but he wasn't really sure there was an activity Nace liked that they could do together.

"I don't know if we have anything in common. Other than music, I mean. I know he is trying, but maybe this wasn't a good idea, after all."

Nina nodded, his face neutral. Always so goddamn neutral.

"Have you talked to him about it?"

"What, and break his heart? He'd just try even harder. I don't-"

I don't know what to say to make him give up on me. Jan clenched his teeth.

"I think you should consider trying one of his activity. Surely, there is something he likes that you don't hate."

Jan took in a deep breath. He was fighting the urge to mess up his nails even more, but if he started bleeding during practice again, even Bojan will notice.

"I guess. But that doesn't solve the main issue, does it?"

Nina sighed.

"Alright. How about you think about it, and we talk about something else for the rest od the session?"

Jan agreed and they moved on, but the thought stayed with him. Was he simply not putting enough effort?

The question haunted him enough for him to drive to Nace's apartment few hours later. He only sent him a text asking if he was home, and once he got a confirmation, he sat in the car and drove here.

It was probably rude, but Jan figured that if Nace had an issue with him being rude, they wouldn't be here in the first place.

It wasn't until he rang the doorbell and heard the barking did he remember Nace had a dog. Ollie.

He knew that, of course. It was just that the two of them usually met outside of Nace's apartment and several times they came here, Ollie was being babysat by Nace's sister.

Well. Jan supposed it was bound to happen to or later. If Ollie hated him, did that mean he was immediately disqualified from soulmate status?

Nace opened the door, trying to keep Ollie from rushing into the hallway. Jan felt caught off guard, despite the fact that he was the one who rang the doorbell.

Nace was wearing a tank top. Had Jan ever seen him in one before?

"Please get in before he runs out, I don't feel like trying to catch him."

Jan quickly stepped into the apartment and Nace closed the door behind him. The Nace carefully let Ollie come closer.

Jan kneeled down, offering his hand for him to sniff at. He liked dogs well enough, but he was always at a bit of a loss on what to do with them.

Cats you had to build a bond with. Usually just being in their general vicinity was enough at the start. You let them come to you. Even if you offered them treats, you had to leave them at the same distance at first.

Dogs? Dogs were unpredictable. They could love you or hate you your smell. Or whatever it was that they could feel around you.

"Dogs can always tell if a person is good or bad", his brother used to say. Jan, who had dogs both love and hate him for no clear-cut reasons over the years, couldn't quite agree.

Dogs could feel something, certainly. But that something was only a first impression and they choose that intangible thing as a base to be loyal or not.

Cats, at least got to know you first before making any judgments.

Ollie sniffed his hand and cocked his head to the side, as if trying to gauge if he was alright or not.

"Hello," Jan said awkwardly.

Ollie came closer, nudging his snout against his hand and Jan carefully petted him on the head, waiting to see the reaction. When he started wagging his tail, Jan felt relieved.

Nace's dog hating him wasn't something he wished to deal with. There were plenty of other things that made him want to turn back and run away.

"He seems to like you," Nace said softly.

One bad call he share with his owner, Jan thought grimly as he stood up.

"That's good. I think we should talk."

Nace sighed.

"As much as I love how direct you are, that sounds very ominous."

Jan simply took his shoes off and shrugged off his jacket.

Ollie followed them as they went into the living room. Jan wondered if they were creating some sort of bad karma for the place, having all their fucked up conversations here.

Or perhaps he spent too much time around Bojan and his superstitiousness was starting to rub off of him.

"Do you want something to drink first or-"

"How about we just get this over with and then after you can offer me stuff if you want me to stay?"

Nace awkwardly sank into the couch, far enough that Jan would have to stretch to be able to touch him, despite his long arms. Was it for his own comfort, or for Jan's?

They were closer physically since they talked the last time. Sitting closer, hand brushing against each other, squeezing each other's shoulders on occasion. That sort of thing.

Now, though, there was no of that. As if Nace was already getting used to the distance. Which Jan supposed was fair, even if he felt a familiar burning at the soulmark.

Before Jan could say anything, though, Ollie jumped on the couch and attempted to nuzzled at his chest. Jan felt thrown off balance a bit as he petted him, which only prompted Ollie to settle in his lap.

"I don't think I am doing this whole thing right," Jan confessed, not taking his eyes off Ollie.

"Could you please be more specific?"

Jan scratched behind Ollies ear. Matej's dog liked that. Ollie made a content sound so Jan continued.

"You keep putting so much effort into liking things that I like and trying them out. And I-I mean I can do it too, but I don't know if it's even right. Like, shouldn't we already have matching interests? Is it even healthy if we both have to change?"

He took his hands off Ollie and clenched them in frustration. He hated how his tongue always felt like lead when he was supposed to talk about these things. He harshly pulled at his hair and tied it back with the tie around his wrist.

"This works like any other relationship would, Jan."

Jan scoffed.

"Does it? I don't remember any of my friends tailoring their interests to fit me."

Nace took in a deep breath. Jan learned he always did that when he was frustrated, like he was stopping himself from saying anything before he was ready.

"Really? Kris never tried listening to metal for you? He knows you favorite brand of tea on accident? You always keep ear plugs in your car if he gets overstimulated because, what? You did that before you were friends?"

Jan felt speechless.

"That's-

"Different? Yeah, of course it is, because this is Kris we are talking about."

Nace sounded resigned. Hurt, even. Jan slowly looked at him, but now it was Nace avoiding his gaze. He was staring at his hands, his expression troubled.

"I don't mean to say discard your and Kris' friendship. I think it's amazing you have him, but I'm jealous. Not because I think there is anything going on, but because you seem to allow others to get close to you while keep me at arms length. And I don't know what to do at this point to change your mind."

Jan's heart squeezed painfully. He never heard Nace so resigned. He was always the one to try and find a solution and not give up.

He gently set Ollie on the couch, despite his small, protesting whine. Then he stood up sat closer to Nace. Close enough that their shoulders touched. This time, he was the one to take Nace's hands in his.

"I'm sorry. You are right."

Nace's head slowly rose, like he barely dared to be hopeful and look at Jan straight on.

"I was, well I am scared. We said we'll be friends, but I don't think I can be your friend. From the moment we met, I kept you at arm length and for one single moment I didn't, we ended up hooking up. You terrify me, Nace."

Nace's breath stuttered. Jan leaned his forehead against Nace's and closed his eyes.

"I had all but convinced myself everything about soulmates was bullshit, that all that was stories and people kept confirming them because they were desperate for it to be true. But that was all it was, a placebo effect. And then you came along. Shattered everything I thought I knew."

For a moment, there was silence. Then Nace's hand touched his neck, just a bit below the soulmark. Jan took in a deep, shuddering breath.

"May I?"

"Yes."

The first time Nace touched the soulmark, Jan was too terrified to even appreciate the sensation. But he did now. The feeling was warm and safe. Jan expected his heart to race, but instead it calmed down, as if soothed by Nace's touch.

Something about a gesture made something deep inside him uncoil and words just started pouring out of him.

"When I was fifteen, I started secretly listening to metal. The first time I did, I felt so guilty, I ended up crying and not allowing myself to eat for a day, as a penance. For weeks, I had been worse off than if I had never listened to it. It took me months to gather the courage to try again."

Jan hoped Nace would understand he was saying. He wasn't sure he could say it outright. Nace hummed.

"You are afraid, but you also know that doesn't mean this is bad because you are afraid."

Jan nodded, but Nace didn't say anything immediately after. When he finally spoke, he didn't say what Jan expected him to.

"When I was twelve, I was bullied a lot because of my weight. I remember being terrified of going to school. The only place I felt safe in was the church, because nobody bullied me there. I felt safe. Even if the conditions and rules weren't perfect, it was still better."

Jan opened his eyes, almost indignantly.

"I am not a church."

Nace cracked a small smile.

"No. But you are a safe space, even if the conditions and rules you impose aren't perfect."

Jan's answer was to kiss him. Not roughly, like he did before, but softly and slowly. Giving Nace time to pull away.

He didn't, instead he kissed him back and pulled him closer. One of Jan's hands curled around Nace's nape and the other reached for his wrist. He knew exact moment he touched his soulmark, because Nace shivered.

The only way Jan could describe the feeling was that the bond between them sang. Like the world slightly tilted and found a perfect balance.

Like they were perfect together.

Jan had to pull back from the kiss, fighting a near overwhelming fear that washed over him. Nace didn't let him go far this time, instead pulling him in a hug.

"It's okay."

Nace's voice was soft, and he was warm and comfortable and it was almost unbearable.

"I know it's fucking okay," Jan said, his voice breaking.

He buried his head in Nace's chest and hope he didn't feel the tears soaking his shirt. Nace didn't say anything after that, he simply held him as he cried.

Until the tears dried out and the fear slightly pulled back. Still, some doubts remained.

"What if the rules and conditions can't be improved anymore? What if this is just...who I am?"

He pulled back a bit, to study Nace's face as he answered. Unexpectedly, Nace grinned.

"Well, if a church gets a new priest-"

Jan rolled his eyes at the awful joke.

"You've been hanging with Bojan too much."

Nace was still grinning.

"A priest can also recommend new way of worship-"

Jan groaned loudly and pushed Nace back, so he landed on his back, laughing openly. He had a beautiful, infectious laugh that Jan couldn't help but laugh along as well.

"Please don't use church metaphors anymore. They are awful."

Nace stretched his arms over his head, exposing his muscles and tattoos even more. Jan couldn't help, but let his gaze linger on them.

"Make me."

Jan was never the one to avoid temptation. And Nace had always been so tempting. Almost like a red apple in a garden without color. Jan leaned down and kissed him again.

Nace melted into the kiss and reached out to him again. His hands reached Jan's hair and Jan tense slightly, but Nace gently pulled at the tie, until his hair spilled from the ponytail.

Jan was distracted enough by the kiss to let him. He wanted Nace closer and-

They were interrupted by a loud, insistent whine. Jan pulled back enough to look in the direction it came from, finding Ollie looking at them with the saddest expression he could possibly muster.

Nace burst out laughing, his whole body shaking.

"I think he doesn't like me hogging his new favorite."

Jan chuckled, sitting back up. He held his hand out and petted Ollie gently, immediately receiving a lick on his hand.

"Maybe I could have some sort of tea, if the offer still stands," Jan said, not looking away from Ollie.

"It absolutely does. I have mint tea Kris mentioned you liked."

Traitor, Jan thought, giving away my secrets.

"Nace?"

"Yeah?"

"Which one is your favorite?"

Jan turned his head to look, catching a surprise that flitted across his face before it melted in a soft smile.

"Probably chamomile."

Of course. The calming thing one always drank when they felt unwell to soothe and comfort. It fit him.

"I'll remember that."

With that Nace went into the kitchen, and Ollie brough Jan a ball he could throw for him. Jan took in a deep breath, feeling as if he just climbed a mountain. Whatever happened after this, he had a feeling he could handle after.

As terrifying as it could get.

Jan was nervously tapping his fingers against the wheel, resisting the urge to bite his nails. It was not a smart thing to do while driving.

"Are you really not going to tell me where we are going?"

He chuckled a bit at Nace's pleading tone. This really was an unusual role reversal for both of them, wasn't it?

"I told you, it's a surprise."

Nace huffed and settled back in his seat. Jan sneaked a glance at him when he stopped at the red light. Nace had his arms crossed over his chest, his warm brown jacket tightly wrapped around his biceps.

"One would think I am taking you to get shot," Jan teased, turning his gaze back to the road as the light changed to green.

Nace laughed at that, at least, his shoulders relaxing.

"No, I just-I am not used to surprises. You barely gave me any hints on what to wear!"

Jan smirked.

"I said wear something comfortable that you don't mind getting dirty."

He could feel Nace's unimpressed stare on him.

"Very helpful."

Jan chuckled and took a left turn, parking to the side. Nace immediately started glancing around, trying to gauge where they were. Jan couldn't help but think it was kind of cute.

He unbuckled his belt and got out of the car, waiting for Nace to do the same. When he did, he led him to a nearby building.

Nace was frowning, trying to piece together what they were doing. Jan decided to take pity on him.

"It's a pottery class."

His head immediately snapped towards Jan, his eyes widening.

"You are taking me to a pottery class??"

Jan swallowed, growing nervous all of a sudden. Did he misjudge? Did Jure mix something up?

"Jure mentioned you wanted to try it since your sister did pottery. I thought..."

"No! I mean, yes, I love the idea!"

He sounded so eager, so terrified that Jan would change his mind and snatch the offer away from him. Jan felt bad. Was he truly treating him in a way that made him think he'd play him like this for a joke?

"Alright then. Let's go."

There were people inside already, and their teacher quickly introduced himself. He gave them instructions on hand-building techniques with clay, saying they need to get used to that before they can move to the pottery wheel.

The process was messy and Jan underestimate just how bad he was at shaping the clay. When Nace looked over and saw his wonky cup, he doubled over laughing.

Jan side-eyed him, before taking a bit of clay and smearing it over Nace's shirt. Nace gasped.

Then he grabbed a piece of clay and smeared it over Jan's cheek. Jan slapped his hair away, trying to rub it off.

"If this gets into my hair Nace, I swear-"

Nace laughed again and someone shushed them.

"Can you two please let the rest of us work?" A blond man left of them said.

He was short, with blind hair just below his ears. He was frowning at them intently, reminding Jan of an annoyed cat.

His tall, tattooed friend-or partner, how could Jan know, really-gently pulled him by the sleeve.

"Lovro, com'on. They are just having fun. Look at this."

The man, well maybe even a boy, with how soft his features looked, immediately turned to the other man. He looked at him like...oh.

Jan looked at Nace, who was clearly eyeing the situation, seeing if Jan could handle it or if he needed to get involved.

Jan was hit by the sudden realization of how much he had come to care for him. Despite all the back and forth and his own grievances, he was-

He stopped his thoughts before any bigger words came to mind. It was still too early to think that. But maybe it wouldn't be, eventually.

Jan never thought of himself as someone who could settle down and yet that spark of hope still lived, nestled deep in his chest.

Maybe.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Nace asked, titling his head to the side.

Jan shook his head.

"Nothing. Let's try to shape these into something decent before we do that...wheel thing, yeah?"

Nace smiled, like a sudden light igniting in the dark.

"Yeah."

As Jan tried to save his clay cup, he suddenly felt bolder. He could ask, right? At worst, Nace will refuse, but when did Nace refuse him before? Jan cleared his throat.

"You could...come over after, if you'd like. You didn't meet Igor yet."

He didn't look up as he asked the question. It would be easier to take a no when he didn't have to worry about which expression he was making.

"You want me to come over?"

There was that tone again. Like Nace was shocked by this. Like Jan wasn't trying to do better for weeks now. He supposed he'd just have to keep trying.

"If you'd like to, yes. I did get some chamomile tea recently."

He sneaked a glance in Nace's direction. His eyes were soft and his mouth was lightly open, as if in wonder. Jan's heart started beating fasted.

"I would like that," Nace said quietly, looking directly at him.

Jan had to look away, but he couldn't help but smile slight. There was slight fear in his stomach still, but there was no ringing of the church bell, or an urge to reach for a necklace that wasn’t there.

He was still himself and he was still in control of it all. Simply taking steps in the right direction. It had been as if he was in inertia for very long time. After being stuck for so long, it was hard to get back into motion, but once he did, he knew it would get easier.

All he had to do was keep moving.

All Jan could hear was a drum of his own heart as they waited for the host to announce them. Thud. Thud. Thud.

It was finally time for them to preform at EMA. To try and get chosen to represent Slovenia at Eurovision. The importance, the fragility of the moment made all the colors more intense, almost as if they were in new, swirling patterns.

Jan took a look at his bandmates. Each of them in a different outfit that fit them perfectly. Bojan, in his loud combination of green shirt and pink pants, that he somehow managed to pull of regardless.

Kris, in a gold sleeves shirt and lighter pink pants that match. Of course-Kris always knew how much attention to draw to himself. Not too much and not too little.

Jure, with sky blue button up that perfectly fit his sunshine personality and darker purple pants for contrast.

All of them looked amazing, really. But it was Nace that Jan couldn't look away from.

Nace, who finally wore color. A purple suit with a silver shirt underneath. The suit had intricated details that made Jan want to run his fingers over the material and feel it's shapes.

When he arrived, he was always pale beige in their mix of chaos and color. Slowly but surely, that changed. And here they were now.

Jan shuffled closer to him, almost as if pulled by an invisible force. He could feel it, but he found it more comforting now, rather than scary.

"Ready?" He whispered, smiling at him.

"Ready," Nace answered, briefly brushing his hand against Jan's.

"And next up, we have Joker Out!"

They stepped on the stage as the people clapped and Jan could feel the adrenaline fully hitting him. He couldn't concentrate on whatever Bojan briefly said before he started singing.

All Jan could focus on was playing. His fingers slid over the strings just as perfectly as they did the very first time he nailed a song when he was sixteen.

Everything else faded away, like looking at the world through a sort of fog. Only music existed. Even Bojan's singing was slightly muted in that moment. Like Jan was alone with his guitar.

Then his gaze slid to Nace and he found him already looking in his direction. Nace, who still had the ability to be in Jan's bubble that one else could touch.

He didn't mind the company, though. Not anymore.

He sent him a little wink and watched as his cheeks turned slightly red. Then he turned back to the audience and took a deep breath. Then let the bubble snap and all the sound and sensations rush back to him.

Because there was never really a need for the bubble at all. Not when he was at the safe space.

There was no divinity here. None other than the music itself, that they shared with the audience.

When they played the last note, there was a thunderous applause and part of Jan already knew. He could feel it in their bones that they won.

The knowing of being at the right place, at the right time. With just the right people, too.

The rest od the night passed in a blur. Jan knew he talked to people, but later he'd be unable to recall what he said. He'd remember the high of the announcement that they won and all of his friends rushing into a group hug.

It wasn't until they all changed back to their everyday clothes and were waiting for Bojan in the cold, that the realization finally started to sink in.

"We won," he whispered into the night air.

"We did," Kris said, smiling.

Whatever makeup they put on him made him look more ethereal than usual. He looked more content than Jan had seen him for awhile.

"What is Bojan doing for so long?" Jure wondered, his eyes lingering on the doors they all cane through.

It was odd. As much as Bojan paid attention to his looks, he never took this long.

"I'll go check," Jan said, getting to his feet.

Jan felt slightly guilty, over how little he talked to Bojan outside of the practice in recent weeks. Being caught up in the whole soulmate dilemma, he didn't take the time to pay as much attention to his friends.

Well, that was another thing he could start fixing now.

He found Bojan in the changing room, completely dressed, but staring off through the window.

"Bojan? Is everything okay?"

Bojan flinched, as if woken up from a very deep sleep. He blinked at Jan, confused.

"Ah, yeah! Yeah, I was just a bit lost in thought. Did you guys wait for me for long?"

Jan stepped closer, putting his hand on Bojan's shoulder. Bojan leaned into the touch, breathing out slowly.

"Are you sure you are alright?"

"I-" Bojan bit his lip, his gaze jumping around the room almost frantically, never staying for long and completely avoiding Jan's face.

"I just...this is a lot. It feels enormous. And of course, of course I am happy we won. It just feels like we set a new course all of a sudden, if that makes sense. Like it feels like my life already changed."

Jan pulled him into a hug. Bojan took in a sharp breath and then relaxed, hugging him back. They just stayed like that for a moment.

"I know. It's terrifying but it's going to be okay. You have us, alright?"

Bojan's arms tightened around him for a bit.

"Yeah."

They were silent for a bit and Bojan already pulled away from the hug when Jan spoke again.

"I actually owe you an apology. With how I reacted when you brought up soulmates for all these years."

Bojan shrugged.

"It's fine. I figured it was a sensitive topic."

Jan shook his head.

"Yes but it's not an excuse. I am sorry, Bojan. You were allowed to be excited at prospect of meeting them without me putting you down for it."

He rubbed tips of his fingers against the nail of his thumb. Resisting the urge to mess it up more.

"I won't say I completely understand, even now with Nace. I still very much love being independent from him. But I am saying I understand more."

Bojan smiled, reminding Jan that if Nace was the light in darkness, Bojan was certain a sun, his rays bringing about a new day.

"Thank you for saying that. I am excited to meet her, one day. Whenever destiny decides we are ready."

Jan rolled his eyes, more for the dramatic effect than anything else. That was still extremely cheesy, but it was very on brand for Bojan.

"Sure, lover boy. Now, can we go before the rest of them freeze outside? It is December, y'know?"

Bojan laughed and grabbed his bag. He dramatically pointed to the door.

"To wherever destiny may lead us!"

Jan cracked a smile, unable to keep up the brooding persona.

"To whenever destiny may lead us," he repeated quietly.

Then he stepped over the threshold after Bojan and for the first time in many years he knew everything would be alright. As long as he had his family, soulmate included, by his side, everything would be alright.

No matter the challenges that awaited them.

[jamiesfootball]

🥐🌵🍓🍬🎱 -> any or all for your enrichment!!

All of this got long so under the cut to save people from scrolling it goes-

🥐 ⇢ name one internet reference that will always make you laugh

Not a reference (I don't think. I'll be real, I don't think I understand this question) but I sure do like that twink on tiktok what does the cooking

🌵 ⇢ share the link to a playlist you love

Please enjoy this nostalgia playlist of songs that have made me go 'how do I remember the fucking words to this' which I have appropriately named after a Celine Dion song.

There are two Celine Dion songs.

Toni Braxton is on it. So are The Cranberries.

The only two dudes to make the list are Boyz II Men and that guy from Sixpence None the Richer

🍬 ⇢ post an unpopular opinion about a popular fandom character

Questions about unpopular fandom opinions always throw me for a loop. I'll go with saying that season 1 Jamie has more emotional maturity than people give him credit for, especially in regards to him and Keeley's breakup.

🍓 ⇢ how did you get into writing fanfiction? 

After spending most of my life daydreaming elaborate scenarios, I tried to write some of them down when I was like twelve.

They sucked so I went back to drawing fanart, which I was getting pretty good at.

Then when I was 15 I started writing some of them down again. They were pretty good, but wildly disconnected from canon in many cases. I would write down bits, discuss them with friends (who were writers writing things), and then go back to doing other things (mostly art). I still have some of those somewhere, I think.

Then when I was 20, an art major, I started to realize that fuck man, I sure do need something to do that isn't more fucking art. At that point, I had a pretty good idea for writing voice and structure, as I'd been voraciously reading fic for a decade. I wrote some things. It was fun. I went back to doing art.

Then in 2015 a friend and I went and saw this movie, The Man From UNCLE, and it was really really good. Between the two of us, she was more of the writer, but as we spun up a whole sequel/story together she asked if I wanted to write any of it. I said yes. She would write the first draft and I would fill out other scenes, and both of us would workshop and storyboard and bits we got stuck on. Occasionally I would add in entire sections of scenes to flesh things out.

2016, same friend and I start doing another co-writing thing but this time for The Musketeers (BBC show). This time there was a difference- instead of friend writing scenes and me adding bits, there would be entire scenes I'd write and then she'd come back in and edit/add bits.

Then some real life stuff happened and I stopped writing.

Then I briefly got into batman and wrote some stuff there, but never finished or published it.

Then I briefly got into OFMD and wrote some stuff there, but never finished or published it.

Then last year I got into Ted Lasso because of some amazing fic and in the lead up to season 3 airing I was like 'I sort of....want to write something?' And I wrote some stuff. Then, emboldened by everyone else posting things I figured- hey! What if I actually wrote something, finished it, and published it!

So to answer your question: I've always been here, but in a very real way my answer is 'last year.'

🎱 ⇢ post your AO3 total stats 

Most of it is pre-Ted Lasso and doesn't feel like it should count since I wasn't doing the bulk of the work, so here is the adjusted to just Ted Lasso stats:

Fic Total - 6

User Subscriptions - 49

Kudos - 669

Comment threads - 78

Bookmarks - 146

Subscriptions - 170

Word Count - 30,040

Hits - 6,074

[brain-rot-central]

Writer Interview Game

thank you for the tag, @kittenintheden!

When did you start writing?

I didn't start writing like I write now until I was in my mid-late teens, but when I was a kid I used to draw stick figure comics of my friends going on adventures or having conversations about various things. My earliest writings are lost somewhere on ff.net and I don't even remember what my username was so, RIP.

Are there different themes or genres you enjoy reading than what you write?

I like works that read like journal entries. I used to eat that shit up hard as a kid. It made me feel very connected to the character, like an intimate view into their head and how they think and feel about things. Not sure what kind of genre that is, if it even is one. I'm able to describe what I like but I lack the knowledge of being able to say "oh I like this theme/genre." 11th & 12th grade AP english at work, I guess. If I like it, I like it.

Is there a writer you want to emulate or get compared to often?

Not really. I've had a couple comments from people say I write like Anne Rice and it was enough to get me to start listening to The Vampire Chronicles (granted I'm writing about a fictional vampire so I take it with a grain of salt). But I really just wish to write things that people enjoy reading.

Can you tell me a bit about your writing space?

Usually laying on my couch on my phone, lmao. I write/edit entirely on my phone and then post via desktop.

What’s your most effective way to muster up a muse?

Not the best thing but weed tbh. Otherwise my brain is screaming at me that everything I do is stupid and discourages me from even trying to be creative.

Are there any recurring themes in your writing? Do they surprise you?

Suffering, lmao. Everyone has to suffer in some way before getting to the good part. But I think that comes from a personal spot within myself.

What is your reason for writing?

I don't know, honestly. At first it was to explore sexuality because I've been very repressed for years in that regard, but as I go on with Sonnet it's touching certain parts within me that I didn't realize I'm not really comfortable with at all. And it's been a real fucking struggle continuing to write this fic. But I can't get my head into another state of switching to something else because I feel like I have to best it.

Is there any specific comment or type of comment you find particularly motivating?

When people tell me they've reread my work, but also when they spam comments about how dumb a character was in that chapter, or that it made them cry. Idk, to realize something I made invoked emotion in someone else astonishes me, always.

How do you want to be thought about by your readers?

I just hope they enjoy what I put out. I don't ask for much else.

What do you feel is your greatest strength as a writer?

I think I've gotten pretty good at describing emotion. Emotions have always been really hard for me to feel/work through and admittedly I'm severely emotionally stunted irl, so I try challenging myself by thinking about certain situations and what kind of emotional responses it would bring up for certain characters. And then I go from there.

How do you feel about your own writing?

Eh, 50/50. I haven't done much writing these days because I've pretty much lost my steam. Too much personal shit going on to really think about much. But I know I've written some good and some bad. But it's a struggle to allow myself to believe I write well.

When you write, are you influenced by what others might enjoy reading, or do you write purely for yourself, or a mix of both?

I try not to think about that because I'm guilty of comparing myself to others constantly. To the point where I guilt myself out of wanting to write because "oh they did this so much better than me," or "oh their flow is so much cleaner, they articulated this so much better etc." So I write how I feel something would go in a certain situation. Which, I guess, is self-indulgent in nature?

[selfless-desires]

[ tie ] sender helps receiver with their tie, either by putting it on or adjusting it / for steve! fellas... dsfgfsdgf no but mb it's cute if they're going to a fancy event or smth idk... think they can have fun

‏‏‎ ‎

He shouldn't have agreed to come, beads of sweat gathered beneath the boy's hairline as he stormed down the hallway, trying to shake off that sickening feeling at the pit of his stomach— he should have known better, it should be no surprise they wouldn't come for him all the way out in Texas. ‏‏‎ ‎

Perhaps he was a fool to believe his mother's words, though he's always had a soft spot for her. Promises were made 'bout his father changing for the better— that they could re-unite as a family, have a pleasant dinner together… though only a day prior did he learn they wouldn't be alone, that there'd be business partners his old man wanted to get him acquainted with— that there'd be guests, people with money to their name and opportunities he was expected to show interest towards regarding his lack of success in terms of education. ‏‏‎ ‎

Another lecture disguised as words of concern would be voiced at their table, scornful remarks throughout the evening, looks of disappointment that weren't unfamiliar though left the young Harrington just as unnerved as it did throughout his teenage years. Each and every comment was a jab at his already declining confidence, led to trying to avoid conversations, though he'd still feel perceived by the people around him— and not in the way he wanted. ‏‏‎ ‎

‎Aiming to find solace would he find himself here, staring down his reflection before feeling sick of seeing his father's face within his own. Cold water would be brought to it within handfuls, trying to cool himself off, or perhaps find an excuse for him to be here— to keep his hands occupied, a breath of relief. Feeling high-strung meant Steve had to bring his focus somewhere before his mind would explore questions he wasn't sure he wanted answers to, though his options were limted-- perhaps a cigarette, he's pretty sure he brought one with himself. ‏‏‎ ‎

‎It wasn't until he heard footsteps that he's become aware he wasn't alone, the presence of another not welcome until he looked up in the mirror to see a familiar pair of browns staring back at his own. Leant against the sink did Steve watch Leland consider whether to break the silence between them— to ask the obvious, or to leave things be. It would be when the athlete stepped forward that Harrington stood up straight, lips parting with an intent to speak though words would die on his tongue when careful fingers were brought to adjust his clothing. ‏‏‎ ‎

Doe eyes would seek for intent before they'd ease & be brought to his own reflection, admiring the other boy's work upon his tie being adjusted. "…Thanks," voice barely above a whisper, a faint smile would tug at the corner of Steve's lips despite the sadness that lingered behind hazel brown irises. "I swear, the amount of times I did this back home…" a scoff that seemed forced would escape his breath as he turned to meet the other's gaze, thankful that he's come along upon his request the previous evening— that he'd keep him company, make this experience less miserable compared to how it would've been if he did this all on his own.

‎" … You'd think I know what I'm doing . "

[effingunicorns]

14, 23, 24 for the choose violence ask?

I know very little about fma but I promise to take all your fandom opinions on it as gospel.

you are exceptionally kind (◡‿◡ ) this post is now front-loaded as hell.

14. that one thing you see in fics all the time

god, how to pick? obviously there's the whole bottom Ed thing--I don't usually care about top/bottom discourse in m/m ships unless someone's trying to say Dean Winchester's not a bottom, but there are literally only 51 Roy/Ed fics on AO3 where Ed tops out of more than 4,000 total fics in the ship tag, or out of a little under 2,000 if you restrict it to mature, explicit, and unrated fic. That's 1-2.5%!!! and I wrote two of them!!! why does no one believe in variety here!!!

but it gets better, because there's also several things that scream "I don't know how to deal with the passage of time in canon". basically, due to a huge personal fuck-up, Ed starts canon with two prosthetic limbs and the ability to transmute things into new shapes with a clap of his hands, as opposed to studying and making advance preparations like anyone else. he's also incredibly short for his age. he slowly and measurably gets taller as canon goes--which is weird enough for a manga/anime even before you factor in that his being sensitive about his height is key to a running gag--and at the very end there's a sequence of events where his prosthetic arm gets destroyed, his brother sacrifices himself to get Ed's original arm back, and then Ed sacrifices his ability to do alchemy at all to bring his brother back, having finally learned the lesson that people are more important than power. then everyone lives happily ever after and Ed grows to a perfectly normal height for his age--arguably even tall.

so naturally every post-canon fic is Edward Elric Keeps His Automail or Edward Elric Keeps His Alchemy, or both at once, or both at once and not even tagged for, or not in a way that can be properly wrangled. Ed still being short is such a given that the only tag regarding his height is if he actually gets tall like canon says he does! and there's a frankly weird amount of self-loathing over things he never had a problem with in canon, or things he pretty clearly came to terms with--it's exactly like that post from the other day about characters who are funny or mean to conceal their real feelings getting mischaracterized because fandom is too focused on the chewy bits.

and all of this isn't even getting into the fics where he stays in the military, but there are other questions to get into!

23. ship you’ve unwillingly come around to

I wouldn't add it to my wheelhouse or anything, but I've learned to see where the Elricest shippers are coming from. Ed and Al basically raise themselves for most of their childhood. Most of their few age-appropriate friends are some combination of fellow genius, royalty, and assassin, and the rest of their friends are mostly adults who treat them as fellow adults. their respective concepts of normal are off on another planet somewhere, and so it doesn't seem like as huge a leap as I used to think for them to say fuck it and add another taboo to the list. sure, they screwed up hard on the last one, but at least this one isn't likely to cost them body parts, right???

24. topic that brings up the most rancid discourse

so far I've actively made an effort to not go searching things out. partially this is because stirring the pot in such an ancient fandom feels mean, and partially this is because I've got other wank to look at when I'm hungry, but legitimately I think most of the really bad stuff is buried in 15- to 20-year-old LJ comments, abandoned message boards, and the like. there's evidence of fancops in these lands, to be sure, but when the two actual most popular m/m ships in the fandom are 14-year age gap starring a teenager and brother/brother incest, and the most viable alternatives to either are all m/f, they don't really have room to shit all over everything.

(I kind of want to invite folks to send me evidence to the contrary so I can preemptively block, but I pretty much never get trouble here, so it wouldn't really make a difference 🤷🏻‍♀️)

the choose violence ask game! (or in app mode if my theme is too much)

[construingseacats]

Umireread - Turn of the Golden Witch: Chapter 7: 'Furniture' and 'People'

Sat, Oct 4 1986 - 6:00PM

The following contains spoilers for the entirety of Umineko. Please do not read if you are yet to finish it.

Is the sky worsening? Or is the mood? With the talk of blue and grey skies, could the typhoon not just be a plot device to facilitate the classic setting of a murder mystery, but relevant to the deeper commentary of perception as a whole?

Poor Yasu. It must hurt a lot whenever she hears about George’s eventual dreams and desires and how they’re incompatible with her. The reality of the situation setting in, I suppose.

We’ve talked about finding joy in the mundane, and I do find myself wondering about the silly details of reality that don’t get addressed here. Who’s eating all the extra meals that get made? I presume whoever takes Kinzo’s meal to the study gets his, Yasu probably has to eat for both Kanon and Shannon whenever Gohda is cooking for everyone (since they can just cook a single meal and pretend both Kanon and Shannon has eaten when they do it themselves), but how are they handling Beatrice’s meal? Is Yasu eating all three? Are they throwing the food somewhere and hoping no-one finds it? This is one of those things that really doesn’t matter, but is fun to think about.

I do really love Gohda as an outsider to the servants - he adds a nice dynamic by not having everyone in the staff automatically being together on team Yasu. Thinking about it, I kind of wish we had more of a dynamic between Battler and Gohda, given they’re both “outsiders” to the family. I could see a natural bond happening there - and while the Ushiromiya tend to be naturally prideful and look down on the servants, we’ve already had scenes with George and Shannon falling for them, so there’s a precedent there for the new generation to look at them as humans rather than furniture.

And Kumasawa’s at it again. Still not quite sure what to make of this.

So this scene is interesting by itself - but it’s also another reflection on the absolute meaninglessness of tradition and seniority (even if it’s being done through Gohda’s tinted lens of desire). Is there something to be said about the western fascination detailed through the Ushiromiya being tied to a criticism of Japanese society unconditionally demanding respect for elders? This would be a pretty hot take for a fairly fundamental part of society, but I don’t think it’s inconceivable - we’ve already seen how Krauss, as the eldest, is easily the most incompetent of Kinzo’s children; and a good portion of the tale dwells in Kinzo’s sins as well. Perhaps, once again, Ryukishi’s past as a social worker has made him reconsider this axiom of society, given the amount of terrible elders he’s no doubt had the misfortune of encountering?

Another pretty heavy scene of Yasu questioning herself regarding the upcoming events of the night - although the phrasing of this “discreetly” taking place in the corner of the kitchen is rather amusing given how emotional Kanon is getting. Of course, if this was all taking place as an internal dialogue…

Yasu literally caught daydreaming, ha.

Can’t wait for the Nanjo black magic arc. I wonder if the book he picked up is one of the ones in a foreign language that he can’t read? Wouldn’t put it past him, if he’s sufficiently bored.

Interesting comment - is this reflective of Battler for this game?

I think there’s something to be said about all the times that Umineko is stating the central message in the early episodes, but you’re not going to pick up on it while your brain is focused on solving the mystery. Kinzo talking about how chess is about having fun isn’t going to tell you who the culprit is, why the murders are happening, or reveal any new information - but that’s exactly what’s happening on the meta level, isn’t it?

And we’re even literally talking about it going on in purgatory. It’s incredible how on the nose we can get at times.

It feels odd to ignore the Shannon-Beatrice scene here, but I’m withholding my thoughts on that. The inner monologue is inherently intensely complex, so it’ll be better suited to the Wake than a liveblog.

Another classic “Obvious” from Umineko.

Gee, Rosa is saying this like she’s under gunpoint. I wonder if she’s been coerced into something.

Well yeah, we have an entire Epitaph designed for that exact purpose.

There’s certainly something to be said about how the clock sound is the same one used for the guns being cocked. Quite a loaded concept, eh?