#see tumblr this is exactly the kind of thing having a pinned post would be perfect for

[thefangirlfever]

MIGUEL O'HARA x reader (18+, smut) MDNI

firefighter AU🧑‍🚒🔥🚒

Art credit: @kit-and-wolfe on Tumblr

Summary: You and Miguel are dating and he had hidden from you that he took part to a fireman’s calendar.

Notes: Just a silly idea I got from seeing multiple great firefighter Aus and a conversation with I had with @lazyjellyfish300 about Miguel! firefighter getting flustered. This story is a direct continuation of this post.

Tags: smut, F/M, AU, Firefighter AU, cunnilingus, PIV penetration, established relationship, fingering, no plot just smut, horny FMC, dirty talk (may be cringe), mention of masturbation (F/M), aftercare, breast and nipple play, hint at size kink, discussion around contraception

Word count: 3858 words

April was now your favorite month of the year. Most people would think that it was because you were excited about the upcoming Spring, the Sun in the sky and all those things, or maybe it was your birthday’s month. But you were unfortunately more pragmatic.

No, it was simply that the picture on your calendar for this month was to die for. Lying on glazed paper, in A4 format, a hand on his hip and his helmet on the other a tall, stupidly handsome man was looking at the camera with a bedroom look in his eyes. Firefighters have never been your thing, and you even considered it weird that a whole profession could be fetishized in a way or another but...that was different. You had to admit that you kind of see the appeal of it now. Honestly, this man could be anything else than a firefighter and you would probably still get the hots while looking at his picture.

Abs for days, rock hard chest with the right amount of thick, curly black hair that lazily trailed down toward a mouth-watering happy trail (that could only let you presume of a thick, happy bush), the infamous V-line that made his hips dip sensually under oily skin… Well, they really went all out with this picture. It was probably a bit edited but still...They even left his five o’clock shadow and the scar on his left arm. Good. Very good. That’s some professional job, you could tell.

You could have spend hours looking at this picture and still find new details about it. In fact the idea was very tempting, hence why your calendar was still stuck on the month of April despite being already mid-August. The calendar was pinned on your fridge and you could look at it every time you would cook or eat, which was exactly what you were doing right now. Well, at least you were trying because as soon as you would try to bring your fork to your mouth, your eyes would land again on the perfect picture.

The fact that you knew the model didn’t help at all your trouble.

You had met Miguel a few months ago through joined acquaintances and you didn’t even know he was a firefighter at the time. He would rarely speak about his job, not even to complain about it. And certainly not to brag. You quickly realized that he was quite secretive and shy when it came to his private life. It was very rare, almost impossible to hear him brag and he didn’t really take compliments very well. No idea where this insecurity could come from. He was quite a catch honestly, not even speaking physically. Miguel was overall someone nice and caring, as if his job didn’t already convey this trait of his personality enough. Maybe that’s why the two of you got along very well. When he was devoted to the well-being of most people and selfless, you were selfish, pragmatic and even a bit bitter. He was the type of person who would wake up at 4 in the morning to help the others and you were the type of person who after waking up at 10 am would shamelessly ogle the picture of a half-naked man, wondering about the size of his…

Your phone softly buzzed, taking you out your daydream. As soon as Miguel’s name appeared on the screen, you came back to your senses and picked up the phone.

“Hi…”

“Were you still sleeping?”, he asked with an amused voice. While most people would find you lazy, Miguel had simply accepted that your lifestyle was not his and that you were more of a night owl. This doesn’t mean that he wouldn’t tease you from time to time about it.

You rubbed your hand over your tired eyes and groaned into the phone:

“No...I was...eating...is there a problem?”

“You left your sweater in my car yesterday. I thought I could come give it back to you after training.”

Your brain took a few seconds to understand his words but when it did, your eyes opened wide and you jumped to your feet, scurrying toward the front door.

“You’re already here?”

“Well, I was in the neighborhood and I thought I could stop by. I also brought breakfast since I thought you would have just waken up…”

He sounded almost apologetic as if he had dragged you of bed. Your heart stammered into your chest and a stupid grin curled up your lips. Sweet, selfless Miguel. How did he manage to always make your cold demeanor crumble? That was a mystery to you.

You opened the door and there, stood Miguel, a large bag of edibles in his arm, your sweater perfectly folded in a small bag while he was still holding his phone. And as if the sight of him wasn’t sweet enough already, he was still wearing his athleisure clothes, ie a tank top and loose grey shorts. His skin was covered in a thin sheet of sweat and his brown locks were stuck to his temples and the back of his neck. A treat for the eyes.

The moment he saw you in your sleepwear, he turned off his phone and a small blush crept up his face. You were only wearing a short and a tank top but he didn’t mind. That was...quite a nice view.

“Well, you are definitely awake.”, he joked quietly as you made sign for him to enter the apartment. “I was afraid that I would wake you up.”

You could definitely wake me up anytime you want.

“No, don’t worry, it’s fine.” You grabbed the bag he was handing you with your sweater inside. It was neatly folded, even better than what you would usually do to your clothes. You might as well invite him over to share breakfast with you. Miguel gladly accepted and followed you to the kitchen and as much as he tried to be a gentleman his eyes would always end up following the sway of your hips and the very appealing bounce of your butt. He started to feel a bit tight in his shorts and this feeling only increased when he noticed that you weren’t wearing a bra under your top. He cleared his throat, trying to chase those thoughts away; it was too early in the morning for this.

“I found this small french bakery down the block and I thought you would like to try these…”, he said while putting down the bag on the central island of the kitchen. The buzzing sound of the coffee machine filled the air just when you replied to him:

“Oh yeah, I actually wanted to try this one. Thanks.”

And now your nipples were pointing under the shirt.

Great.

This definitely didn’t help the situation down his pants and he wisely chose to advert his gaze...only to fall on the dreaded picture he hoped you would never hear about. A rush of color filled up his cheeks and he was practically sure he wasn’t half-hard or hard at all anymore. What was this thing doing here?

You turned around to put his mug of coffee down the counter and that’s when you noticed where his eyes were. Not on you, unfortunately, but on the calendar.

Shit!

You didn’t even bother to put it on the right month. Hopefully Miguel would take it as it is, a compliment. But the moment you saw his brows furrow and his jaw tighten, you had a serious doubt.

“Hum...Miguel?”

He didn’t respond at first and when he looked back in your direction, he still seemed very ashamed, almost mortified. A pink hue was covering his cheeks and the back of his ears. Seems like you were going to have a lot of fun...

“Yes?”

You let the silence last a bit more before replying: “Is there a problem?”

“No. No...why would there be any problem?”

“Because you’re all red in the face suddenly. I was wondering if something was making you feel uncomfortable…”, you asked innocently. At this point of your relationship, he should know better. He should know what this coy tone meant but he still fell in the trap: “It’s just… Where did you even get this calendar?”

“Does it bother you?”

“No...it’s just...a bit tacky. I didn’t think you would like something like this…”, he replied in a sheepish voice. If you knew any better than this, that man was flustered.

“It’s practical.”, you simply reply with a shrug of your shoulders, dismissing the embarrassment in his voice. Miguel awkwardly chuckled: “Then why is it stuck on April?”

“Touché.”, you replied with a sly grin. You then took a sip of your coffee and his eyes wouldn’t leave the shape of your lips molding against the edge of the cup or the way your eyes still looked at him under your lashes, as if you were a cat playing with a mouse. All this little game was making him feel hot under the collar and he nervously ran his hand through his hair.

“Maybe...I just like the picture.”, his eyes were trying to avoid your gaze but they would eventually flutter back to the alluring shape of your silhouette. “Maybe...this is just making me feel curious.”

He didn’t need to ask about what it made you feel curious. Your tone was already giving him enough hints and he could only sheepishly chuckle, almost giggling while the red in his cheeks intensified. “You can’t be serious…”

“What if I am?”

Your blunt answer took him by surprise and you took this short moment to move a bit closer to him but still keeping your hands to yourself, even if the urge to rest them against his body was becoming stronger by the minute.

You had just been thinking about this these last weeks. Ever since you brought that calendar back home, all you could think about was the moment you would get to lay on top of him, run your hands down his abdomen, unto some more exciting territory, crossing every single line. The image of his body would haunt you during your alone time, making you wish it was his hands bending you, making you scream and turning you into some drained but satisfied mush.

His breath faltered when your fingers hovered above the soft cotton of his sweater. The fabric clung to his body, drawing out the shape and relief of his build silhouette, all in sharp angles and dips like some statue.

“Maybe I want to see a bit more..."

Your fingers trailed down his torso, from his chest to his abdomen and you could feel the way his heartbeat quickened as well as the way his body tensed and arched into your touch, yielding against your fingers. The hard contour of his silhouette was being traced, made more noticeable for your eyes and your eyes only. Your hungry gaze made him feel wanted in a way he didn’t know was possible; a special talent of yours. Standing there, still covered in sweat and fresh out of his training, he couldn’t believe you still wanted him. And yet…

“You want to see more?”, he asked under his breath and with a quick nod from you, he took your hands guided them over his body.

Your fingers soon slipped under the fabric of his tank top and you rose on your tip toes in an attempt to kiss him. Given the height difference between you, he quickly opted for the easiest solution. His arms scooped you up and placed your body on top of the counter, shortening the distance between you. Wrapping your legs around his waist, you didn’t waste a single second to pull him closer to you but you still managed to surprise him. He was not expecting for your lips to aim for his shoulder rather than his mouth and with a low groan, he welcomed the caress of your lips onto his skin as you traced your way up his neck.

The pressure of his fingers grew tighter on your sides as this make-out session turned steamier. Your nipping on his neck made him react almost immediately. His fingers slid down lower on your body and soon gave your ass a firm squeeze. He needed to get you out of these shorts and quickly. Your soft whimper onto his neck told him he was doing everything right and his hands kept kneading your soft rear while your own diligent hands removed his top, leaving your eyes free to feast on the sight of his after-work body. Every word you uttered seemed to get straight to his cock as he felt it practically twitch every time you would breathe a bit harder on his skin or tell him how nice he felt, how gorgeous he was.

“Lay down...just...get on your back…”, his breath was a bit more labored as he helped you lying down the counter. You were pinned under him when his hands finally lifted up your top, exposing your perky breasts. He had spent so much time fantasizing about them, this morning only they had been on his mind almost all-workout. Last night during your date, he couldn’t get his eyes out of them as soon as you would look away and they had been tempting too much since he entered your apartment. The perky mounds stuck out, resting on your chest like a crown, the tanned lines from your bikini making them stand out even more proudly. After a few seconds spent admiring them, he dipped his head onto the soft cleavage presented to him, not doing anything else than resting his face there at first.

Your hands stroked his hair, pulling him closer into your embrace and you began grinding your hips onto his aching cock. The shape of his erection was visible under the grey fabric as it strained against it, begging for release. He would wait. He always waited. There was no need to rush with someone like you. Even when he was alone, he would always take his time fantasizing about the endless possibilities of your body rather than bringing himself to climax quickly. There was no such thing as a quickie with him and today was no exception. He will focus on every single part of your body, take his time to taste it, to enjoy it to the fullest...no matter if it made his dick throb and swell with more and more arousal. No matter if he would end up practically whimpering while getting his face stuck in your pussy later.

Miguel nuzzled his face further onto your breasts. His face was smothered between your breasts, his lips occasionally licking and sucking on their plump flesh. Low growls would escape his lips every time his lips circled around one of your perky nipples, sucking in deeply, swirling his tongue around the rigid nub and the puffy areola. His hands were holding your waist where the hem of your pants slopped down, exposing your waist.

“Eres tan deliciosa...can’t wait to get more of you...”

His nose trails down the line of your abdomen, running over smooth skin while his thumbs rub in circle the skin over your sides. He tugged at the hem of your shorts with his teeth, silently pleading to get more of you.

“May I?” You groaned a small “yes” and he finally pulled down your shorts. When he nuzzled his nose onto your panties, pressing it right where your slit would be, your hips bucked. He giggled at your eager response.

“Sorry about that.”, you quickly apologized but he dismissed the said apology with a caress of his hand on your thigh, soothing your worry.

“There’s no need to worry.” He then pressed a soft kiss under your belly button and hummed, his breath warm on your skin: “You’re such a needy little thing sometimes.”

“I’m not needy.”, you replied with a growing blush.

“Mhh...who’s been keeping a calendar of half-naked men in her kitchen again?” His brow cocked in a teasing manner as he trailed a line of warm kisses all the day down to your entrance. Your breath hitched and you arched your back in response to his teasing:

“Are you going to remind me of this for a long time?”

“Yes.”

His hooked finger pushed your panties aside and he basked in the musky scent of your arousal, watching how your pubes glistened with arousal.

“Someone feeling jealous over there?”, you teased him which only earned you a chuckle.

“I have no reason to be jealous…”, his hands slipped under your butt and he lifted up a bit your body until your legs were wrapped around his neck, “...and I’m going to show you why.”

His lips dived into your parted legs, his mouth molding to the shape of your vulva as he suckled in deeply. Your essence spurted into his mouth, making you writhe slightly. His nose rubbed onto your clit while he swirled his tongue deeper between your slick folds. His cock was aching down his sweatpants, burning to be free and soon replacing his tongue.

As he kept lapping and sucking on your cunt, he slowly edged you until you couldn’t hold it anymore. The sound of you moaning and cooing his name was the sweetest reward he could get for his hard work; until you came undone. He could feel how close he was too to just climax, here and there on the spot. The sight of you, spread on the counter with your clothes ruffled and your puffy clit, throbbing and begging for more.

“Feeling good, mama?”, he softly asked while placing a soft peck on your thigh.

“Bedroom now.” Your enthusiasm made him giggle again and he kept placing soft pecks all over your face and shoulders while carrying you to the bedroom. Your eager hands slipped under the hem of his sweatpants and tried to grab a hold of his butt. As much as you liked this calendar, it was a shame it didn’t pay proper homage to the glorious work of art this man’s buttocks were.

Miguel finally let you go down the bed and slipped out of his sweatpants. He was rummaging through the nightstand, looking for the pack of condoms you always kept there.

You watched in awe as he tore open a condom and swiftly lowered his boxers. His cock sprung free, the tip almost slapping his lower belly as some precum already dripped from the swollen tip. His fingers quickly put on the condom and when he caught your gaze on him, he stopped, a sheepish smile on his lips: “Everything alright?”

“That was just the sexiest thing I’ve ever see you doing.” A sympathetic look took over his features as he crawled on top of you, peppering your face with soft kisses. It was probably the first time you’ve had a boyfriend who didn’t reluctantly put on a condom and who accepted that you just couldn’t put an IUD or take the pill. This was as refreshing as it was sexy and the delicate attention always made you feel grateful, no matter how much Miguel would tell you that it was nothing.

“How do you want to do this?”, he asked with his lips still pressed on your temple.

“I want to see you.” Your response seemed to please him a lot because he quickly obliged and soon you found yourself attached to one another, with his arms pinning you onto the bed while he kept moving back and forth between your warm walls. Every move he made was followed by a deep, throaty grunt on his side.

“Feeling good, sweetheart?”

You could only moan back at his question, wrapping yourself tightly around him as he was thrusting deeper into you. The heat between your two bodies was becoming unbearable as time went on and it only became stronger when he slipped his hand down your stomach and began toying with your clit.

“Gonna cum for me, okay sweetie? I want to make you feel so good…” The slight desperation in his tone didn’t go unnoticed on your side. He wanted nothing more but for you to remember this moment every time you would look at his picture. He wanted you to be as whipped for him as he was for you, completely and utterly transfixed.

“Miguel…” He knew what it meant when you cried out his name like that. It meant you were close and he made his mission to guide you through it with his fingers rubbing circles faster on your already sensitive and swollen clit.

“That’s it baby...just like that…”

Your body tensed and your grip on him tightened as he felt you reaching your climax. His praise didn’t stop soon and he kept placing soft pecks all over your face, especially around your furrowed brows, one thing he found adorable in these moments.

It took the two of your some time to calm down after this moment. Miguel had brought you back a towel from the bathroom to clean yourself and two glasses of water. It was a bit hot since it was the middle of the summer and he knew too well the risks of dehydration. However this didn’t stop him from cuddling with you, his arms tightly wrapped around your body, one hand tracing the curve of your hips, following the slope of it like a traveler climbing up a mountain. His eyes marveled at your body in silence, looking at the way the sweat had coated your skin. When he kissed the sensitive spot of skin behind your ear and playfully nuzzled his face into it, you squirmed a bit. But it was not enough to escape his grip and you just managed to rub yourself even more against him:

“Miguel...it’s already too hot. And I’m gross like that.”

Your words could have as well be heard by a deaf because he didn’t stop his kissing. In fact he even nuzzles his face lower on your body, his nose following the curve of your clavicle while he mumbled:

“You’re not gross. You’re perfect like that…”

You were glad he didn’t catch the blush that was blooming on your cheeks: “It’s still too hot for that…” But your protest wasn’t very convincing and none of you moved a single inch. It would soon be too hot to go out or even do anything at this point and your body succumbed to the promise of a lazy, indolent afternoon, resting in the arms of your lover.

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Notes: Thanks for reading this story! I hope you liked it. it's been a while since I've written smutty one-shot so I needed some time to get back on track. Hope it doesn't feel too awkward.

🌻🌻🌻

My masterlist

[shiny-jr]

how to steal a heart (I)

[ a dummy's guide on how to steal the heart of a poor pathetic man ]

- Warning: Yes, this is still a yandere thing. You have been warned. Female reader. 

- Note: This has been an idea (heavily inspired by Howl's Moving Castle) I had in my docs since fall 2022. I was talking to a mutual about how writing on Tumblr vs Quotev feels very different. If I leave something unfinished on Quotev, I feel incredibly guilty which prevents me from posting new stories. However, on Tumblr, I don't feel as guilty. Not sure why. Anyways, I know most of my followers here don't care for my ocs, and I've been wanting to post this for so long. So instead of posting on Quotev, I'll post it on here just to get rid of the urge to share this story (might delete this later). This is the same story I posted that little screenshot of not too long ago, and that screenshot was basically just the prologue chapter. So yeah. Hope you enjoy?

IN WHICH THERE IS A SEAMSTRESS . . .

Black smoke concealed the window like a thick veil as the walls around her shook. It was a sure sign that the train was inching by. The screech from its whistle and clanking against the railroad tracks, so loud that it must’ve been heard over a mile away, only confirmed her guess. Her hands continued to cut smoothly through the linen fabric, separating enough to fulfill another order placed this morning. As the young woman worked to separate the colors and gather more material, the corner of her eyes caught sight of the smoke concealing her perfect view. 

The train’s fading motion and clanging against the tracks was eventually replaced by chatter just outside her workshop. It all became background noise, as she began to utilize the sewing machine. Lines formed over the cloth, blending it and connecting so they formed an article of clothing. Needles, pins, and scissors cut and dug deep through the cloth. Buttons of all shapes and sizes were neatly organized in little boxes, so she could easily take what she needed. Time just seemed to fly as she worked so quietly and efficiently, oblivious to the hours ticking by. Any other noise fell on deaf ears, even as a knock resounded on the firm wooden door that happened to be wide open already. 

A pause before the person tried again, knocking a little louder again. “(Y/n)?” 

Snapping out of her efficient trance, the tailor snapped to attention and straightened her sitting posture. Gazing at the door and back the window where the sun was much lower than before, it took her a moment to figure out what exactly was going on and what time it was. It was later in the day, and the woman at the door was Dalena… Well, everyone called her Ma Dalena because she was a kind older lady who tended to see the young female tailors as her own children. At least, most of the tailors. 

“We closed up five minutes ago. You can go now.” Ma Dalena gave an encouraging smile that displayed the dimples on her skin, showing signs of age evident by the wrinkles. Judging by her long dress and small woven handbag hanging from her wrist, it was probably safe to assume that she had evening plans. “Why not spend the rest of the day with us?” 

Us. Correct she was again. As welcoming as the invitation was to join Ma Dalena and the other tailors, she wasn’t willing to join them anymore. Not after the first time when she dared to venture with them. After shifts, the tailors had a tradition of going out into town. Not that it was a bad thing. But they used their time cafe hopping, searching for flirtatious men to satisfy their need for affection. Oftentimes, they would get caught up with the pushy kind. And ever since some troops from the military have returned from their duties, well… encountering a bunch of men who hadn’t felt the touch of a woman in months, was not ideal. At least for her. 

Taking her foot off the pedal to pause her work and silence the sewing machine, she pretended to consider the invitation before mustering a polite smile with a shake of her head. “Hm… It sounds nice. But I promised the client I would finish this so they can pick it up tomorrow. So I’ll stay, but have fun. Have another drink in my place, alright?” 

Ma Dalena merely nodded in understanding, her polite smile turning somber as she turned on her two-inch heels and began walking to the front entrance. The chatter of the other tailors ready and eager for the rest of the day off, went quiet as she announced, “We’re leaving now. Hurry now if you’re coming!” 

The chatter resumed, accompanied by the sound of more heels tapping quickly against the wooden floors in an effort for the straying members to catch up with the group. They complimented each other's outfits they spent days making by hand, discussing various fashion trends, gossiping about clients and others in town. 

In a way, she did and she didn’t regret accepting the invitation. It may have been nice to have good company for once, but it never felt right when she was present within their clique. It was as if she were trying to forcefully add a puzzle piece to an already complete puzzle, which is why she stopped forcing it. She wouldn’t want to sit there awkwardly during tea, unsure what to say as they spoke so confidently and loudly. It felt as if she were an imposter, someone trying to disguise themselves to blend in. It was why she worked in a small separate room, away from everyone else. That, and because she was the fastest tailor there. Part of her wondered if Ma Dalena was beginning to dislike her since she turned down invitation after invitation. But how was she to explain what she was feeling, when it would only sound like whining? 

Drowning out her thoughts with work to occupy the space in her mind, she pressed her foot against the pedal and began sewing once more. The loud hum of the machine filled her ears as it worked against the red cloth under her fingertips. This was the way it was supposed to be. Mindlessly spending her waking hours working at a craft she didn’t excel at, but was decent enough to earn wages in. All while wondering what could’ve been, and secretly hoping that maybe soon there is something that can be–– 

“Look! Look out there! It’s Reyes’ temple!” 

“Reyes?!”

“Where? I don’t see it!” 

“There! Over the hill!” 

Now that was something you don’t see everyday. Everyone retreated back to the window, desperate to catch a glimpse, even Ma Dalena. Halting her work once again, (Y/n) too was the tiniest bit curious. 

In truth, magicians failed to interest her, not that she had an opportunity to see them much anyways. But all those in Etére knew to be cautious of two particular magic wielders: La Bruja de Bruez, the Witch of Bruez, and Reyes Ladrón de Corazones, Reyes the Thief of Hearts. The pair were like the local boogeymen, tales of their horrendous deeds spreading and becoming bedtime stories for children in order to scare them into good behavior. 

Ever since her youth, she heard stories of La Bruja de Bruez. It was said that she was a wicked woman who’s lived for over a hundred years. A slight against her is taken seriously, and she curses those she comes across. But she was no mere fairytale. The witch has been a thorn in the country’s side for a long time, as she terrorizes the towns she visits. There hasn’t been much action taken against her, because she’s so powerful that hardly anyone stands a chance and she’s so elusive. Besides, the royal family don’t particularly care if the witch curses a random citizen every month or so, as long as they don’t have to risk pawns in their own arsenal of magicians just to take her down. 

Only a few years ago, a second magician with fearsome spells and a horrible reputation, appeared. Reyes Ladrón de Corazones, or more commonly known as Reyes, was another brujo many feared, although not as much as his counterpart from Bruez. There were rumors, yes, but they were more lighthearted with little evidence to ever back up the claims. While the Bruja de Bruez spared no one, it was said that Reyes chose to pursue only young beautiful women. If you asked around town, half of the population would consider him a threat, while the other half would giggle and whisper about his rumored good looks. Maybe that’s how he lured them in? With charms. Either way, he was a cause for concern. It was said that at a young age after abandoning his position as apprentice under the royal sorceress, the most powerful known magician, he not only challenged her but won and stripped her of her powers. Of course, no one can neither confirm nor deny it, as the king kept a tight lid on the situation and supposedly those who approach Reyes meet a terrible fate. But his abode was proof enough of his sheer strength. It was like a castle, a temple wandering on mechanical legs, rumored to not only be fueled by magic but also made of it.

Through the mist and low hanging clouds, just over the rolling hills on the horizon she could make out the distinct shape of a temple. A magnificent temple that appears so small from so far away. But she knew that it was a beast, a titan wandering the wilderness where very few dared to venture. It prowled around on its mechanical legs, spewing black smoke as the only trail it left behind. Reyes’ moving temple disappeared behind the clouds, seemingly vanishing from sight. Onlookers within the tailor shop could only awe and wonder aloud what the brujo was like, what was true and what was not, their minds creating horrible fears and outlandish fantasies that would take root as rumors. 

Lowering her gaze back to her work, she resumed once more, but the rumors overpowered the hum of her machine until their words reached her. The other tailors proceeded back to the front entrance, marveling about what they just witnessed. Was he hiding from soldiers practicing their flights just outside the town? Did you hear that he literally steals the hearts of women, but only beautiful ones? Someone said that a pretty waitress on the other side of town had her own heart torn out and stolen by Reyes just last week! 

The door was shut and she was alone, left with her work and the noise outside. Swiftly she worked, able to repair tears and wears with ease and create other things. Able to get lost in the work for much longer, until she felt the ground shake and the screech of another whistle. The afternoon train. It’s smoke covering her window once again. It was getting late already. Not wishing to waste the rest of the day by continuing work or go to bed with a book she had already read twice, she switched off the machine and organized all the tools back into their places. Brushing off all stray strings from her dress, she then rearranged her completed work thus far and prepared to have a different kind of day. 

Today, she would try to make it a can be sort of day. Even if it meant just visiting a close friend like Lía at the bakery. Just putting out the effort to go out today was more than she was usually willing. Although wishing it would be something special, a proper can be day without even trying, was like wishing to be acknowledged by a person you admire but never once talked to, it was much like winging it on a test without studying and praying you would get a perfect score even though knowing that it’s almost near impossible. But it isn’t statistically completely impossible, so you cling to that thin shred of hope that’s as taut as a piece of string. 

The whirring of small planes buzzed overhead, the flying machines brandishing their flags like the proud and numerous soldiers. On nearly every home and business, there was the flag hanging over the door, a symbol of patriotism and support of the war effort. (Y/n) quickly crossed the streets and reached the trolley station that would take her further into town. Right now there was not a soldier in sight, but that was sure to change the closer to the center of town she got. She only prayed that there wouldn’t be any trouble with them. 

The trolleys were full, people all going towards the center of town, in the same direction the planes overhead flew towards. If she had to guess, most of the people within the trolley were likely friends or family of returning soldiers. All giddy from the victory high of a major battle just won. 

While watching the scenery go by, she wondered how Lía was fairing. 

It was because of Lía and her family that she now worked in a tailor shop. (Y/n)’s parents had met an unfortunate end while traveling outside the kingdom. They were doctors dedicated to a good cause, determined to stay in dangerous war torn lands to heal and treat the poorest of folks. While she was busy with school and often alone but checked on by family friends, her parents were saving people an ocean away in a faraway land where Milavi’s war had spread. They had been too close to Milavi claimed territory, likely mistaken for doctors healing rebels, and were thus punished for their good deeds. With no one left to turn to, her family’s closest friend, Señor Obregón, adopted (Y/n) and treated her as one of his own. 

Señor Obregón was a quiet but respectable man that spent his time either working or with his family. He was the one that taught her how to sew, knit, and tailor, after she became curious of his skills. There were two other girls, Lía and Cova, a few years younger than (Y/n), which is why she became the oldest sibling. Lía was the beauty admired all throughout their childhood and still beloved to this day. She most resembled her mother, but she wasn’t half as vain. Cova was the youngest and somehow the smartest, as she was able to quickly grasp the concepts from lessons even in (Y/n)’s class, despite being a few grade levels apart. She mostly resembled her father and his own wits. Then there was her, (Y/n), who had… whatever was left. Of course she never held any resentment toward her sisters, since they were always well behaved but perhaps a bit annoying with their squabbles. Lastly, was Señora Obregón, Rosita, who she just called Tia Rosa for short, was never rude or dismissive to her. Tia Rosa was actually very outgoing and talkative, but she was the sort of woman that wouldn’t be caught dead wearing something from last season. She desired the finer things in life and settled for no less, which is probably why Señor Obregón ended up in an early grave due to working himself to death just to try and afford the luxuries his wife craved. 

Immediately after the funeral, while they were still dressed head-to-toe in black and their eyes were puffy from crying, Rosita sat all three of her daughters for a conversation about the future. It would be impossible for her to keep them all in school, especially considering she hadn’t worked a day in her life. However, she wasn’t cruel enough to just toss her young girls out into the streets with nowhere to go. So, she devised a plan for each girl. Cova would be able to best utilize her smarts in a challenging field full of promise, which is why she was sent to a good witch in the next town over, to become an apprentice in magic. Lía was already very popular around town, she would thrive in a social environment like the bakery on main street where to this day men constantly asked for her hand. As for her, (Y/n), she would stay here in Obregón’s tailor shop, where Tia Rosa deemed was best fit. Afterall, she did know how to carry on the business, she had even helped their reputation grow substantially as more people came in every day and profits increased. Although, she hardly had the time to spend the earnings on herself, that’s what Tia Rosa was there for. Rather, never there for. She’d collect earnings from the business (Y/n) ran and would disappear for weeks or months at a time to another town or city. But that's besides the point… 

By now, the trolley she was on was near the center of town that happened to be within blocks away, the streets became crowded with people walking on foot. On roads below bridges, there were lines of military tanks rolling by. Not much further in, the sidewalks were jam packed with hundreds, upon thousands, of people. Confetti rained down, banners and flags were strung from every corner and door. Every window was occupied as citizens cheered and waved at the parade of temporary victors, a show of military strength. Soldiers in their crisp uniforms marched in unified lines, cavalry on horseback carried large flags. 

As the density of the crowds increased, and the volume of cheers and the parade along with it, she felt her heart beat louder. This was too much, it was too loud, she couldn’t even think…! But she had come this far, to go back home now when she was so close would be a little pathetic. Avoiding the commotion like a plague, she decided it best to take the maze of alleyways to calm her nerves. There were hardly any people on those backstreets, just the occasional stationed soldier. Focusing her gaze on the war propaganda posters on the brick and clay walls underneath window boxes filled with colorful flowers, she pretended to carefully study them as she increased her pace from a calm stroll to a quick speed walk, examining the items as if they were the most fascinating objects she ever saw. Really, she’d rather not make awkward eye contact with the soldiers on guard that watched her like a hawk, which is why she hurried along until they were out of sight.

Now that she was alone, with the crowds and their entertainment separated from her by walls of homes and businesses, she felt relief as the once loud sounds melted into background noise. For now she could concentrate on the address scribbled out on the folded piece of paper in her hands, and her anxiety could be replaced with confusion as she attempted to navigate these small hidden paths. This was only the second time she was on this path, since (Y/n) barely had time to ever go out due to work and her own incompetence. The first was on a holiday some weeks ago when the shop closed early, which granted her a few hours to venture on the main roads to the bakery where her friend worked. This was the second time, and she’s never taken the back roads, which was why she couldn’t tell left from right here. 

Just in time, she looked up from her note to stop her feet from moving, as she came face-to-face with an obstacle. It wasn’t another dead end, this obstacle wore clothing and golden pins, and had a head that could easily look down from his height and see the top of her hat. Immediately she stiffened up and took a step back, hesitantly forcing her eyes to look up at the smiling soldier that casually leaned against the wall. 

The young man only appeared amused as she jumped a step back in surprise. (Y/n) noticed that delighted sparkle in his eyes, as if her skittish self and startled reaction was his entertainment for the afternoon. Before she could open her mouth to mutter an apology and force her head down to continue ahead, the man leaned just a few inches closer to get a better look at her face hidden by the rim of her colorfully embroidered sun hat. “Huh, just like a mouse. Are you lost?” 

A mouse… A skittish field mouse. Would that then make him a rat or a predator? Holding her tongue so not as to speak her mind, she merely shook her head. Offending a soldier would not be good. Not that she had the confidence to say the quick comeback that came to mind anyways. “No… I’m not lost.” That was a lie. 

The young soldier persisted, refusing to move off the path as he continued to block her way. “You look lost. Say, what do you say to an invitation to tea? Afterwards, we can go over directions and escort you to where you’re heading.” Even his partner in patrol, an older gentleman, also a soldier but likely more experienced by at least a few years, moved from his post and approached in curiosity. 

As the second man stepped closer, she could distinctly hear his polished shoes tapping in a steady rhythm as he stood beside his friend. Her own heart rate easily outpaced his steps, and it wasn’t increasing due to excitement, it was due to growing unease. Yes, she knew rationally that these soldiers likely meant no harm and merely wanted to flirt, but her mind could only conjure up the worst possible scenarios as she reminded herself that they outnumbered her, they were stronger, and they had their long firearms strapped to their backs. Keeping her head down, she replied, “Thank you, but no. I’m supposed to be meeting up with someone.” 

Just like the first did, the second soldier bent down a bit to peer at her features. Just like his accomplice, he wore an amused smile as he shook his head and remarked. “A mouse? That’s not very nice. Don’t worry, you’re much better than a simple little mouse.” 

Rolling his eyes, the younger soldier only continued, “If you’re old enough to drink, we can go to a bar if that’s more your style? Do you live around here?” 

This was getting ridiculous. Did they never learn to accept rejection? No means no, even children could comprehend that. But for now, she was at their mercy, no one would come to help her here. It would be up to them to decide she was no use for any fun and let her go, or continue to persist for their selfish desires. “No. Please let me pass.” 

Barely phased by her firm reply, the younger of the two turned to his partner and scoffed, “See? I told you the girls don’t like the beard you’re growing out. It scares them.” 

It’s as if her plea went through one ear and out the other, not swaying them in even the slightest bit. The older gentleman merely rubbed the stubble on his chin, “It makes me look better. Besides, I’m sure she doesn’t mind. She might even prefer a man with facial hair.” Actually, the word gentleman did not describe him well. 

In that moment she was wondering, would she truly risk it all just to snap back in reply? It must’ve felt so satisfying, but was it necessary? Later, would she come to regret her decision or revel in it? Would she seriously use this sprouting frustration, minimal not only compared to her current fears but also in the grand scheme of things, to temporarily push past her anxiety and say something…? Probably not. As annoying as these men were, like the constant buzz of a pestersome fly, they hadn’t caused any harm except to waste a bit of her precious free time. 

“Ah, there you are, mi corazón. I was worried about you.” A smooth and silky voice interrupted.

[districtunrest]

Countdown to Sunrise on the Reaping (SotR) book release 🔥

What's the burning questions about Haymitch you hope is answered in this book?

What are your predictions about Katniss' family or ancestry in SotR?

Were you shocked about Haymitch's life story in the chapter preview that's been released?

Any other thought about SotR?

Thank you 😊

@curiousnonny

ahhh it's so crazy, only 8 days to go!!

I plan to stay off tumblr until I finish it and let it marinate a bit to avoid spoilers & all the initial reactionary posting. I actually held off on starting Ballad for a couple months until I saw the overall reception even out and tell me it was worth a read 🫣 but ofc I'll be reading this one right away, haha

my burning questions:

what's Haymitch like as a teenager? bc tbh I don't get the sense he's a smart-ass punk from the excerpts we have so far... he seems funny but otherwise pretty easygoing and normal tempered? Idk, I'll be curious to see how snarky & arrogant he is once the story gets going. I'd hate for that to be only an act for the Games and not what he's like beforehand, too.

what's Maysilee like?!?????? I'm most excited to meet her 👀 and, if the mockingjay pin was her token, why wasn't it there/mentioned by Katniss??

who's this 'like a little sister to him' tribute and why didn't Haymitch ally with her? my guess is either there was some implicit agreement between them or she was killed (by the butterflies) before they could meet up...

who, if anyone, was his mentor? is Plutarch actually going to show up or have we all been clowning?

was the Victory Tour forcibly normal or altered in light of everything? like, are they still going to interview him about his talent(?!), home life, etc? or cut all that 'for his sake' and get him out of 12 to 'celebrate?'

what were those 2 weeks like between his crowning and his loved ones' deaths? and how exactly did the latter happen? was it as soon as the cameras left? was it all of them at once? was it public? was everyone gaslit about it afterward? (and so on and so forth)

I think Katniss' dad will be Covey adjacent somehow. I like @thesweetnessofspring 's idea that he was an orphan they took in (I do want to meet a Community Home kid, if possible). I left Ballad assuming Maude Ivory was his mom but it's notable he didn't pass on the naming tradition to his daughters, unless he and Mrs E had a reason for that... we shall see! maybe 🙃

I mean, I was shocked Haymitch's mom has a similar backstory to my Hazelle! 😅 (which, I think all we're meant to glean from that is he had a soft spot in hiring her as his housekeeper in CF. hopefully that's where any allusion/mention of Hazelle ends, unless she's his mousy next door neighbor lmao) other than that and his birthday being July 4th, I haven't been too surprised 🤷🏻‍♀️ as I predicted here and confirmed in my initial thoughts here, so far it's read how I figured it would bc pretty much every Haymitch's Games fic opens that way, lol. what's surprised me the most is that it's a first person Haymitch pov, when the previous prequel had been a third person outsider-to-the-D12-victor pov, and I felt we already had enough of Haymitch's backstory - more so than say, Katniss' parents.

my only other thoughts are that I hope I love it and that it doesn't retcon things Katniss saw & Haymitch told her himself, that we've had for well over a decade, in the name of pushing the propaganda angle (like I kind of don't want everything explained away as, oh it was edited!! bc that gets lazy fast imo). but yeah, I really do hope it's good. who knows, it might become my favorite of the series!

tbh, as interesting as Ballad was, I could've done without it and so now I am nervous bc it's my favorite character's turn, who I've thought & read & written a lot about... but SC is the one that gave us this character in the first place, so I am going in trusting it won't be awful or a disservice to him. it's just, you know, a little nerve-wracking 🫠

[amphiptere-art]

oh your the person who did the jack-o thing I very much enjoyed that I don't think we've had a conversation but I think I have seen you around I haven't interacted because you would like to write really long messages and I probably would read them but by the time I have the energy to read a long thing it's lost (at least I hope that's you that would be weird to say to you if it wasn't)

I'm kind of hungr and sleepy been like that for a while more sleepy than hungry though probably cuz I'm more stressed then I think I am

I probably shouldn't say that oh whatever I'm not erasing it I hate formatting in Tumblr asks and I love formatting but just Tumblr is bad for it I would not recommend writing in Tumblr I mean at least on mobile I don't use Tumblr on my computer

Hmmm want a poem? Too bad you're getting one

BY ROBERT FROST

Whose woods these are I think I know.

His house is in the village though;

He will not see me stopping here

To watch his woods fill up with snow.

My little horse must think it queer

To stop without a farmhouse near

Between the woods and frozen lake

The darkest evening of the year.

He gives his harness bells a shake

To ask if there is some mistake.

The only other sound’s the sweep

Of easy wind and downy flake.

The woods are lovely, dark and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep,

And miles to go before I sleep.

This is one of my favorites I really like poetry I also like sending it to people a person I usually send it to has their asks closed though I actually write some to it on ao3 it's linked in my thing pinned post is the word I'm looking for I'm very sleepy anyway in my pen post is like a bunch of other stuff I do not to shamelessly advertise in your asks

this is non-negligent manslaughter she say 'mew' not right now cuz she's sleeping on my chair she lets me touch her toe beans i got her for 20 bucks from the shelter she came without a uterus and with a microchip and I'd say that's a pretty good deal she is very kitten though she's only 5 months old 4 months old when I got her and I wanted a cat not kitten but the shelter didn't have any cats

I'm going to go eat a frozen pizza now maybe something else probably frozen pizza

Well hi! Nice to meet you too. I'm glad you like my little Jack thing! I think Jack has become my favorite DCA....

But yeah it's understandable We haven't talked. I'm trying to curve my big long paragraphs be shorter but we're still working on that. I've seen you around too. It's just usually in conversations I can't talk in.

Heheh. Yeah Tumblr can be a angry beast. Mobile isn't exactly fun. But that's what I do most of my stuff on so.... I suffer in silence.

That's an interesting poem? Is it supposed to be a horse slay? I've written poems before. Mostly because a lot of my characters talk in poems, or rhymes. But that's one intrigues me and I'm going to have to puzzle out what it's about.

I'll have to see if I can read up on some of your AO3 stuff. I've been reading more of that stuff lately, So it might be a treat.

Hello non-intelligent manslaughter. Hehehe. She looks like a sweetheart. Pretty lass. Hopefully the little kitty won't drive you insane. I know sometimes they can. I'm so glad all my cats are out of the kitten hood.

Enjoy your pizza! I think I'm going to reheat some mac and cheese.

[acourtofthought]

I had a few friends mention that I'm a topic of conversation for the other side because I've "stolen" their idea that Elain is a healer.

I'm not sure why this is suddenly something they feel I'm guilty of since my recent post isn't the first time I've mentioned it.

As soon as I realized Elain was pinned by SJM as a Goddess of Spring (I can't remember exactly when that was however I have examples of posts below after I had been thinking about it) it had been rattling around in my head that she can bring about new life for people (not necessarily bringing them back from the dead, just a restorative healing) and the lands of Spring.

Was I the first person to think that? I'm sure I wasn't because unless it's a farfetched theory (like my thinking Elain wasn't granted Seer powers by the Cauldron, the Vassa's curse actually being a Valg type infection or the Lucien / Gwydion connection), I'm guessing most people have come up with similar ideas because the text and interviews and pins are there for everyone to see and I haven't been in the fandom as long as many have.

Does that mean I stole the idea from someone? Also no because I barely understood how to use Tumblr in the beginning and I wasn't actively searching for theories, (most of my time was spent in FB groups). I only signed up here to keep a record of my own and I eventually shifted to this part of the fandom. If I did find inspiration from somewhere or someone posted something that further supported the idea, I gave credit (see below). Again, two people out of the thousands and thousands reading these books will have eventually come around to things that are kind of a no brainer when we learn of things SJM has done or said (sort of like the many people who feel strongly that Gwyn is tied into the Little Mermaid based on SJMs Pinterest). If the theory ends up coming true, it's because the author created the storyline, not the readers, and we just picked up on the supporting evidence.

I think it's also important to consider that many of my theories surrounding Elain and any healing powers involve Elain in Spring, along with Lucien in Calanmai, Elain and Lucien with Koschei, Elain during any future wars, and possibly Elain with the Pegasus considering Helion (Lucien's father) is the one who owns them. I would think E/riel theories would have their own spin that don't involve Elain in Spring / Day, etc. Taking one idea and having your own interpretation that differs from others is what we all do every day.

I did give credit to a happyhermit podcast that someone directed me too as she drew my attention to the fact that Elain may have been healed by Cassian. Before that point, I didn't have an example of Elain actually (possibly) performing healing and only based the headcannon around it being something she'd be able to do in the future.

Not that my identity is a big mystery at this point but I blocked my name anyway 😂.

Even before that:

(excuse my dusty as hell laptop 🤣)

In the end though, it's kind of sad that someone who shares the same positive idea about a character is someone people are gossiping over rather than being excited there are people on both sides of the ship war that support something exciting for the character of Elain.

Also, there's apparently uproar over Elain's ring possibly being a made weapon and how I stole that theory.

Yesterday was the first time I ever heard that and it was shared with me by someone else, hence why I gave them credit for the idea. I only added my own thoughts based on my personal knowledge of what's in the books. Yesterday was the first time I ever considered it.

Had I wanted to make a post about it before, after supposedly seeing it from an E/riel and deciding to "steal it", I would have done it back then.

Instead, a mutual gave me the inspiration and I only expanded with my own ideas.

I'm not trying to be rude but some in the fandom are giving themselves and their page a bit too much credit because the only time I ever happen to see anything an E/riel posts is when I check the "Tags you follow" section because I follow the Elain tag (which I don't often do) or the "because you follow Elain Archeron tag" recommendations and that means I end up finding out bullshit like this through others who let me know when I'm being mentioned.

Job well done to them for also coming up with Elain's iron ring being a made object (which again, was not my idea to begin with) but after checking out what the fuss is about, it seems like our interpretation of it is different. And any similarities shouldn't be that shocking because we're all working with the same text. 🤦. Other people are in fact capable of figuring out 2+2=4 without some accusing them of only knowing the math because they copied their work.

And in general, just because we wrote about it doesn't mean we're the first person to ever think of something.

There are many non fandom readers and "quiet bloggers" who are capable of making connections but choose to stay hidden because of the bullshit in the fandom. None of us are the only ones to ever think of something when it comes to these books, regardless of who wrote it when. Anytime we come up with an idea, I'd say there's a good chance someone we're not aware of came up with it first.

So to the other side of the fandom, maybe consider that you're giving yourself more credit than is deserved by thinking you're the only group to come up with certain ideas. Unless you're talking to every person out there, Gwynriels, Elucien's, etc, even the ones who don't blog their theories, then you shouldn't pretend you're the gatekeeper of a a theory.

[riddlerosehearts]

HELLOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!! its idiavil anon again i m just. gonna yap abt idiavil if u dont mind. my current ideas for different idiavil fics is up to 32 and i have 10 idiavil playlists on spotify as of right now. i shocked my twst friend w that last fact. I HAVE TWO SETS OF IDIAVIL KEYCHAINS I GOT OFF OF ETSY ASW i love them os much . my friend has been working on idiavil art 4 my birthday and im super excited.... ive actuallybeen able to focus on writing recently SO I HAVE SOME DRAFTS IN FHE WORKS!!!!!!, the brainrot only grows with each passing day. i have moss in my brain. like a chia pet. ALSOO THE TWISTED TSUMDERLAND EVENT LITERALLY HAD ME IN AGONY ROLLING AROUND AND SCREAMING IM NOT EXAGGERATING. LIKE HELLO GUYS WAKE UP NEW IDIAVIL CANON INTERACTIOSN JUST DROPPED. MY FRIEND LET ME INFODUMP TO HER SOMEXLAST NIGHT AND EVERY TIME I MENTIONED THEM I WOULD START TEARING UP 😭😭 also also ive been getting back into drawing and i have idia and idiavil doodles literally everywhere. the grind DOES NOT STOP. ok thats it ive just been in agony since my creativity stats are like maxxed tf out rn.......... AS ALWAYS I LOVE UR BLOG AND MERRY EARLY CHRISTMAS ASW!!!!!!

ANON IT IS ALWAYS OKAY TO YAP ABOUT IDIAVIL TO ME!! i still don't post about them enough but trust me i think about them a lot... i wish i had the creativity and drive to write fics haha, i've had ideas about all my favorite twst ships bouncing around in my brain for a long time but i'm not good at putting things into words and i'm always working on other projects! i don't know if wicked is something you're familiar with or interested in but i saw the stage musical live back in april (for the first time ever lol!! i've had an over a decade-long obsession fueled only by collecting bootleg recordings of it until this year!), and then just saw the movie earlier, and lately every time i think about wicked i think about vil and idia. if i could, i would love to write a wicked AU for them that follows the general plot/themes of the musical but ultimately still gives them a happy ending and i'm constantly torn between two different ideas for who to cast as fiyero and how exactly to do it since i'd be casting vil as glinda and idia as elphaba and making them end up together in my AU. i could go on about it BUT since you literally did not ask, i won't!! i would also just love to put them in a hercules AU if that hasn't already been done because i need people to understand my vision here. like they literally canonically recreated the scene where hercules saved meg from the underworld in the movie. genuinely how many other twst ships have something like that?? vil RISKED HIS LIFE and GAVE UP HIS YOUTH so that he could JUMP INTO THE FUCKING UNDERWORLD and BRING IDIA BACK. LISTEN--

OKAY ANYWAY! i did take a look at the fic ideas you shared when you came off anon before, i don't know if you saw the silly rambling tags i left on your post but i loved all of your ideas and omg i love that you have 10 playlists for them?! i won't ask you to share the playlists but i think it's so cool that you've put that many together and i'm curious about what kinds of songs you think fit them best! i'd also love to see the keychains but i don't think tumblr lets you send images on anon so you don't have to haha! i have these enamel pins of the dorm leaders (all except leona and malleus, but i might get those two someday as well) and i specifically keep vil and idia next to each other on my corkboard, like this:

(those are almost all pins of different JRPGs above them. idia would love my pin/keychain/button corkboard ASKJGHDF)

ALSO YESSSS I WAS SO HAPPY TO SEE IDIA AND VIL INTERACTING AGAIN IN THE TSUM EVENT. THEIR BANTER IS SO FUNNY EVERY TIME. and omg is your birthday coming up?! if so then happy early birthday, and merry early christmas to you too!! 💖

[hollygl125]

On January 15:

Am I declaring another GSR holiday?  Maybe.  Why not?  This is my Tumblr account, so I guess I’ll do what I want to do.  Is it already over in pretty much every time zone except mine?  Yep, that too.  (Edited to add: it’s over here now, too, by the time of posting.)

January 15 is a pretty significant day in GSR history—perhaps the most significant.   (Surely the first day of the AAFS conference would be in the running in the fictional world. But in the real world I’d say January 15 beats out most.)  First, twenty years ago, on January 15, 2004, we got “Butterflied” (04x12). Then, exactly five years later, on January 15, 2009, we got “One to Go” (09x10), the episode that really should have tied it all up with a bow (and, for a time, did).

Last week I made a GIF-set for Sara’s introduction in “Cool Change” (01x02) then a day or two later I continued my CSI rewatch with “Invisible Evidence” (04x07).  Inevitably I watched the (“Pin me down”) scene repeatedly before continuing with the episode.  I know season 04 is the GSR angst season (*insert “TM” I can’t type here*).  But, spending that much time with “I don’t even have to turn around” and “Pin me down” in such quick succession, I was particularly struck by the sadness of these two people having gone from friends (or “friends,” if you get my drift, of course) who were, despite the tragic circumstances surrounding their reunion, pretty darn happy to see each other to, in about three years’ time, colleagues who could barely have a normal, non-awkward conversation.  (See: “I’m always over-talking around you.”)  Viewed in retrospect it’s an enjoyable though angsty loop in the GSR roller coaster ride, but it feels really sad when viewed from the perspective of the time.

At the end of season 03, Grissom turns down Sara’s dinner invitation (“Play with Fire,” 03x22).  In “Invisible Evidence,” “Pin me down” aside, he’s kind of a jerk to her (when she’s concerned about the murder she’s already investigating, he gives her the terse “It’s not a negotiation”).  He lets her down again in the next episode (“After the Show,” 04x08), when he lets Catherine take over Sara and Nick’s case just because the suspect thinks Catherine is “the pretty one.”  Sara doesn’t know it until much later, but she suffers another (metaphorical) blow at his hands in “Eleven Angry Jurors” (04x11), when he recommends Nick for the ultimately-cancelled promotion to Lead CSI (whatever the heck that is) over Sara.  Of course, at the same time, Sara and Grissom get some ridiculous cuteness in that episode, as seen here, when Grissom makes a corny pun over a bee (of course a 🐝) corpse and checks to make sure Sara thinks he’s adorable.  (Newsflash: she does!)

(As an aside, on which I will possibly ramble more at a later date, I tend to see Grissom up to this point as a wounded animal—occasionally accidentally lashing out at his would-be rescuer, Sara—who is simply unequipped and unprepared for the situation in which he has found himself, so I think he is trying his best but does not really realize how deeply wounded he is.)

Then we continue on the GSR roller coaster with the beloved and angsty “Butterflied.”  CSI being a show about forensics, this really could have been the kind of relationship that always simmered under the surface but never came to much of anything for the presumably star-crossed lovers.  We know the writers planned to let the whole thing disappear after Sara’s failed dinner invitation.  But WP and JF liked playing the relationship!  (JF has, repeatedly I am sure, said it was her favourite part of the show!)  They didn’t want it to go away!  So instead in the first half of season 04 we get first “Pin me down” and then the David Rambo-penned “Butterflied,” which finally confirms (as we all knew all along!) that Sara does not just have some unrequited schoolgirl crush on her boss and mentor.  This is the real deal, and Dr. Grissom has been suppressing some deep feelings for the young and beautiful Ms. Sidle—really deep feelings, as seen in the original script for Grissom’s “Butterflied” monologue.

I don’t actually remember watching “Butterflied” for the first time.  At the time most of my attention was focused on my first year of [professional] school.  I was definitely a more casual fan and not down the rabbit hole (although I am the kind of person who manages to ship couples on shows she’s never even watched).  The first episode of CSI for which I have a clear memory of having an emotional reaction was “Bloodlines” (04x23), because I felt pretty upset by Sara’s almost-DUI.

On the other hand, I have a very clear memory of first watching “One to Go” (09x10), which originally aired fifteen years ago today (yesterday now), although I did not first watch it on that day.  I was in Pakse exactly fifteen years ago, or so my photo evidence tells me; so I assume I would not have managed to watch the episode live in Laos (I didn’t even have a laptop with me), but I must have watched it soon after I got home at the end of the month, and I was wholly unspoiled for the experience.

I don’t know whether anyone at the time had hints of whether JF was showing up at all for WP’s last episode.  (Fi?  Anyone?)  But as far as I am aware they all pulled an ER/George Clooney and didn’t let anyone in on the last scene.  (GSR has echoed Doug on the docks on more than one epic relationship occasion.  And yeah that song is so perfect that it’s on my GSR fic playlist for the first post-“Immortality” reunion chapter.)  They held JF’s name from the initial credits so as not to give her appearance away.  So there we were in the last scene, with Gil Grissom walking through the “Costa Rican” rainforest, and Sara Sidle still nowhere to be seen, and I vividly remember thinking, “Please just tell us he goes to Sara, please just tell us he goes to Sara, please just tell us he goes to Sara, please just tell us he goes to Sara, please just tell us he goes to… Sara!!!”  I’m in tears just thinking about it—I kid you not.

Anyway, I am sure that scene in Costa Rica is ingrained in the hearts and minds of GSR fans everywhere, but—just in case you needed to see another version—I made a two-part GIF set for it, which you can find here and here.  I think “Wild Heart” by Bleachers is a perfect song for Grissom going into the rainforest in search of his beloved, so it makes me pretty emotional (and of course “Unbound” by Robbie Robertson is a GSR classic).

On another note, this weekend I also made a season 04/CSIV GIF-set (not linked because it’s currently sitting in my drafts, uncertain as to its fate), and I have to say I find it really pretty remarkable that we got to see our two lovely science nerds go from a cute-turned-angsty under the surface maybe-relationship to a real relationship, to our awkward bugman going on a heroic journey (“from the isolated figure we first meet him as to the one who, when he leaves us, believes, above everything, in love”) and following his beloved into the rainforest, to places we don’t talk about (okay, I could have skipped that part), to sailing off into the sunset together, to being the world’s cutest old marrieds.  It really was a roller coaster ride, but I think it’s pretty special (and I feel pretty privileged) that we got to experience it all.

I’ll stop rambling now.  Usually I proofread everything I write about twenty times to make sure I haven’t missed any typos or accidentally written anything that could offend anyone, but tonight I’m posting this immediately before going to bed.  So, if you’ve actually read this far, please be polite in pointing out my typos, and please know that I really didn’t mean any offence (to anyone, on anything).

Those are my (very rough) thoughts; obviously your perspective may differ! 💛 Happy tumbling!

[somebodysaidimpulsive]

✧✧ smth smth intro post wooo ✧✧

hello and welcome to my random horde of cool fanart and other stuff I find neat! I'm Impulse, (or whatever other names I have on my list,) aroace agender gremlin, and my pronouns page is https://en.pronouns.page/@Feral_Gremlin !

I am not a fundraising blog, I only reblog GoFundMes occasionally and not consistently, if you are genuinely seeking for donations and not a scammer, I wouldn't recommend sending an ask. It will likely be deleted if you do. I don't particularly have funds to give people and neither do my few mutuals.

✧ tag system ✧

#the gremlin answers - answers to asks!

#random shit - exactly what it says on the tin; various random shit that falls out of my mind and winds up here somehow.

#gremlin psa - stuff I think is important, helpful, or a good message to spread!

#lookit this persons art!! - cool art reblogs!! Because I like giving validation and compliments to whatever random artists I think are neat.

#sentimomentos - wholesome or poetic posts that hold a special bit of sentiment to them!

#my silly lil guys - stuff related to my ocs or about them!

#pinned posts - stuff i have pinned or wish to pin, but tumblr says I can only have one :< so they go in this tag instead

#fucked up shit - things that are actively bad news or disturbing things (e.g. fucked up world news), but things that I do not wish to go unnoticed. If you're sensitive to stuff like this, please either block this tag or just move on with your day. Give it a signal boost if you can, but if you absolutely cannot for your own mental well being, I'm not here to cause more suffering. Just to spread awareness about already messed up stuff that deserves more eyes on it.

✧ other blogs ✧

My writing/art blog: https://www.tumblr.com/the-horde-archive

✧ DNI ✧

sexists

racists

aphobes

transphobes/terfs

homophobes

Literally any kind of bigot. Get out, or get blocked. I will not welcome that kind of attitude here.

MAPs/p*dos

Most NSFW/18+ blogs (Nothing against it, ofc, I'm just not super into that kind of stuff and would prefer not to see it popping up on my dash thank youuu)

candy corn haters (/SILLY)

that should be about it! Thanks for reading, and I hope you have a lovely lovely day :]

[nayvwriter]

Alright two characters ramble here I go....

... Hm.

Well, this one can just be a 'no', but, do you think Grunda knows of Salem?

oh!

I cannot say this is a thing I have ever thought of before, but...

Okay I started writing this as a tumblr post and it turned into a oneshot so here

https://archiveofourown.org/works/58398961

and I'll paste the text here for convenience sake.

(nexomon abyssals spoilers)

There was a child in the woods.

Mentor wasn't sure at first. But some of his kids liked to sneak out into the woods, and as much as he tried to supervise them sometimes they really did slip right past him. And sometimes - only when he hadn't seen - they let something slip about the little girl they'd seen in the woods.

Her hair was brown. Her name was Salem. She dressed like a Nexomon. She was a little older than them, or a little younger – a child, to be sure. Someone who lived around here? No.

He did see her, one day. Only a glimpse, but – he knew all his children and that wasn't one of them. She seemed to know he was watching somehow – she turned her head, looked at him, her eyes widened and – he blinked and she was gone.

She seemed… scared of him. He knew he could be intimidating – he didn't really know how not to be – but he'd try to learn, because there was a child in the woods and he didn't want to leave her there.

When he took this job, he didn't expect to enjoy it. But it would be a change, and someone ought to do it. Over time, he'd become attached to his children, but… he hadn't really expected this to extend to children that weren't his own. But there was a child in the woods and Mentor wanted to protect her.

She was… hard to find. She seemed to have some sort of sense for his presence, and hated his eyes on her. The children, fine, but him? Never. And it was just him – even some of the others that helped out had spoken of her, sometimes.

He'd done a little investigation, in his spare time (which was little and far between due to having a whole host of kids to look after). He hadn't heard anything about her from anywhere outside the Orphanage and the woods – and it was kind of hard to miss a girl in Nexomon cosplay, unless she was hiding from you. Or unless, of course, she only wore that when visiting the Orphanage.

No-one knew of a girl named Salem. No-one knew where she could possibly live. He even asked Eliza, but she couldn't tell him anything. But she was real, he knew she was.

He hadn't forgotten about her exactly, by the time that his sister's child set off on their journey. But she had ceased to become as important as them – especially when everything went horribly pear-shaped. After it all, they were still dealing with a lot of things, so he didn't really notice when Salem went silent.

Well, perhaps he did a little – a worry in the back of his mind, one he couldn't quite pin down… until Salem's return swept it away. He noticed that she'd been gone for a while, then, but convinced himself that it was a coincidence – and a coincidence still that she'd shown herself only when Solus came home.

When the Admin got involved, the Mentor thought that maybe he'd find the solution to the Salem mystery after all. She was a fierce and determined woman, and when she talked to him of a child she'd seen deep in the woods, he told her everything.

The Admin was the one to point out, upon hearing of the times she'd been seen, that it seemed like this child had been the same age for several years, which wasn't exactly normal. This, the Mentor had to admit, was true. In his defense, so had he. So… a ghost, perhaps? It made far more sense than anything else they could think of. (He'd considered their youngest, for a second, but no matter how many forms Metta might have taken he had always been the same gender.)

The ghost of a child, within the woods. The Admin had looked up if there were any children that might have matched that pattern, but found none. The Mentor spoke to his sister's old champion – they'd never seen her. Did she hide from them too? Was it other ghosts she feared?

And in the end, it was Solus. Solus, with their mother's tendency to try and do everything themselves – or perhaps that was something to do with Solus's circumstances. But it was Solus who found Salem, talked to her. It was Solus, who found the truth.

And what a truth it was. He could hardly believe it – all this time, she'd been… but then – why had she shown herself only to play games with the children? But there was an obvious answer to that, really.

Generally speaking (Metta was the exception, and that worried him) – generally speaking, if someone didn't have a solely physical form, say a shapeshifter or a ghost, the form they'd take would be dependent on their subconscious. The Mentor was comfortable as an old man, Merida as a young woman, and his sister's champion liked to be an adult. But Salem was a child, and that meant some part of her wanted to act as one.

She must have been lonely. All this time alone… no wonder she sought the children for company.

They still didn't know what, exactly, she wanted. Solus and the Admin were going to try and find out. But as long as she wasn't harming anything he cared about… the Mentor couldn't stop himself from hoping she was okay. Years of habit were hard to break, it seemed.

[dolliecworpse]

Aaaa I just discovered this blog and it's really interesting! I don't know too much about xenogenders/neopronouns since they kind of get me very overwhelmed due to my need to Absolutely understand everything and categorize/label stuff when I'm in a community (ex: fandoms, archetypes, tropes) so this might be a dumb question but.. what exactly are titles and what are they used for? And how should someone go about when making a gender-system? I'm asking because I plan on making one for a story and don't really know how to go about it.. anyways, so sorry for this dumb ask! I hope you're well and have a amazing day or night!!! Keep up the great work!!

there are no dumb questions here!! i’ll put the two explanations under the cut since it’z kinda long. sorri abt that! the gender systems i mention have alreadi been created, and i’ve linked them where i mention them if you wanna check them out!!

okk so titles are basicalli a name that describes someone or a certain aspect of them. does that make sense? it’s kinda like a name or pronouns in that they can give someone euphoria and they’re a way of describing a person. like a realli simple one that’z used outside the mogai communiti bc it’s an actual like position would be the prince!! more creative titles that aren’t used in day-to-day life might be “the creator of the heavens” or “(pronoun) who creates life.” these are more creative and descriptive than just a “job” title (i put in quotes bc i’m not sure if being a prince is considered a job LOL. but a more job-like one would be the baker). but yeah, they’re p much used as one would use a name or a pronoun, which is to address people.

as for gender systems, there are a few things that are considered sort of…gender system etiquette, shall we say?

1) think of the concept you want to convey. do you want a gender system where one’s gender is decorated with smth (genderdecorated)? or maybe one where one’s gender is related to certain fonts (genderfont)? then take that idea and turn it into a single word. most gender systems don’t have commonli seen gender endings like -ic or -gender, but just the word. am i making ani sense? i hope so 😅

2) take that word and put gender in front of it!! like with genderdecorated and genderfont. people will replace the word gender with the concept (or with genderfont it’z the font name) name of their choosing. like for example, if they want to coin a gender under the genderdecorated gender system where one’s gender is decorated in cuteness, it would be known as cutedecorated.

3) before we go ani further, check to see if the gender system alreadi exists!!!! look up gender_ in the tumblr search bar, and if nothing comes up, you’re probabli good to go!!

4) the next step is creating the flag template. try to make a unique flag template outside of just straight stripes, if possible. if you’re not sure how to do that, check out this quick tutorial here. if you have ani questions regarding this step, feel free to send in another ask!! below is the greyscale color palette i use for my templates. ik it looks boring, but people will use the template as a base and recolor it! this is commonli done w the bucket tool, but there’s probabli other methods. aniways, here’s the palette. simpli put an image layer into your canvas with this as an image and sample out the colors so that you can use them in your flag!!

ignore the colors above and below the greyscale line, i could onli crop it sm </3 keep in mind that you don’t need to use all of these colors in your template!!! they’re just there if you need them.

5) craft the definition, adding in blanks for people to fill in with the concept they want. for more info on what i mean, check out the coining posts to the gender systems i’ve mentioned above (dw, they’re linked!!) or check out any of my gender system coining posts, which can all be found linked in the pinned post of @bloodygendersystems !! sorri that i’m not great at explaining this part. it’z probabli just best to look at examples.

6) this part is optional, but it’z helpful for people who may want to coin under your gender system. upload your flag template(s) to deviantart!! when saving flag templates straight from tumblr, they get a bit blurri, making them harder to recolor. if this has ever happened to anibodi reading this, dw!! i got you. upload the flag you’ve saved from tumblr to this upscaler website, click the highest upscale option available to you, fill out the captcha, click download, and voilà! it should be readi for you to recolor!! ik the website name is kinda weird, but it’z upscale power is unmatched. i’ve also seen other people use it without issue so it should be good!!! i think it’z also an app, but i’ve onli ever used the website.

7) post your gender system!! if you plan on coining ani genders under your gender system, add the names of them into the post so people know not to coin those ones!! you could say smth like “planning to coin x, y, and z, so please don’t coin those unless i get overwhelmed and say you can.” some people might reblog with genders they’re going to coin as well, so make a mental note not to coin those ones.

i think that’z everithing? lmk if i’m forgetting ani important steps 😅

[xjulixred45x]

I'll try my best but if it's okay can I also ask for a soft yandere Yui komori with ema

Like say she escapes the sakamaki brothers

By the way she is an OC of mine you can find more information about her on my picture here on Tumblr

Oki Doki! Thanks for the Request!(and for doing my Request) so, lest do it now that i'm inspired!

(Normally I don't make requests for fandoms that aren't in the pinned post, but given the circumstances, I'll make an exception for you cutie✨)

Soft! Yandere! Yui Komori x Ema! Reader

This is going to be more of a Drabble, like Yui x Itadori, I hope you enjoy it.

In itself, a NORMAL Yandere Yui is very soft, whether due to her already passive and submissive nature or because of all the trauma she went through, she is not the type of yandere from whom you would expect aggression of any kind. She is more of the Stalker type, somewhat jealous and a little manipulative (she is very afraid of being the victim again, so she will do ANYTHING to avoid it).

Yeah, I know that in games he has certain behaviors that are VERY yandere, BUT THAT'S IN THE BAD ENDINGS, when his mental state deteriorates extremely. so that doesn't apply here.

NOW, if we passed that on to a Soft Yandere Yui, the result would be a Yui EVEN MORE soft in her unhealthy habits, not only trying to keep them a secret, but being SELF AWARE that she should get help, she does not achieve it solely for one reason, the poor view of mental health that Japan has in general. It is much easier for her to contain these bad thoughts than to have to deal with the stigma.

AND THEN, Ema comes. And it's a DISASTER(in a Good way).

First of all, fellow church members! Maybe that's exactly what they know about each other, Yui trying to get back to "normal" and meeting Ema, who gives her a kind of sense of security that she hasn't experienced in a long time, which quickly becomes an addiction and triggers her obsessive behavior.

Second, they both quickly empathize with the "absent father for x or y reason", although of course, Yui gets very angry when she sees how Ema's father was so careless with his daughter. Having had such a positive relationship with her father (even with his ups and downs) Yui loves him unconditionally and the feeling is mutual, so seeing that Ema's father is the complete opposite makes her angry.

Most likely, when she saw the burns on Ema's hands, Yui assumed the worst. She caught herself thinking of ways to kill Ema's father for mistreating her new Crush, I mean best friend (Cordelia, is that you?) until Ema tells her that it was just because she got burned learning to cook.

As for the brother thing...Yui doesn't take that shit. She's fighting so hard not to let her obsession get the worst of her, but it's SO hard when it reminds her SO much of what she went through...she'll still be very cut and dry with most of Ema's siblings, maybe not so much. with those who lost interest in her, but she is still VERY cautious... did I mention that she is paranoid?

CHANGE THE SUBJECT, cooking both together! and they go for everything! desserts, fine dining, soups, McDonald's, etc. You say it, they have done it. It would be especially nice if they made food for the people of the church 😊

I think the most toxic thing Yui would do to Ema (aside from following her without her knowing it) would probably be to use her PTSD to avoid any conflict, if Yui is being jealous, she excuses it with her trauma, so to speak. but, as I said, Yui is trying to contain herself, but now that she has Ema, she doesn't want these habits to last, she will do everything possible to make them a "normal" couple.

[drakkensystem]

Ok there's something I need to get off my chest.

Caveat that I assume the assholes I'm about to complain about are just a vocal minority, but when that vocal minority reduces my enjoyment of some kind of media and worsens my mental health so they can feel smug, I think I'm justified in complaining about it.

So I saw a Tumblr post recently where someone (derisively) told someone else to "just pick up a comic" if they wanted to know more about DC canon and while there was a brilliant reply mentioning how convoluted DC canon is, I want to highlight my perspective.

Hi, I have aphantasia and a visual processing disorder (also ADHD and autism). This means that my visual perception of my surroundings is absolute dog shit, even when I am actively trying. I went to the same restaurant one to two times a week for years before noticing that one of their major pieces of decor even existed. I have a hoodie that, if I didn't know better, I would think my sibling was gaslighting me about it being green and not blue (yes, I have taken colorblindness tests, both online and officially in an appointment- no, I'm not colorblind). I always watch shows with captions bc my special interest in language means my eyes will automatically track the words, making it more likely that I'll actually see what's happening on the screen. Even so, I often pause and rewind (when I can) so that I can actually see what happened. For a few months, I had migraines so bad that I spent the majority of my time awake blindfolded, but I found that I used my vision so little when navigating around my own house, it wasn't very much more difficult while blindfolded- basically only things that moved gave me trouble.

One of the other consequences is that I find reading comics very difficult. I often compare me reading comics to someone with dyslexia reading regular books: yes, I can do it, but it takes me so much more effort that it's hard for me to enjoy it. (I just happened to be lucky enough that no one pins my academic success on my ability to read comics, unlike dyslexics and traditional books).

There are exactly four comics which I have managed to finish a major chunk of, all of them were franchises I was already hyperfixated on before reading, and the one that isn't also a long term special interest happened in a time in my life that I was incredibly lonely and bored. They were all also manga- aka, significantly easier for me to read bc they are in black and white (and thus there is less visual detail to take in).

So when I say that reading comics is hard for me, I mean it is hard.

And to hear comics fans say things like "just pick up a comic, bruh" (a vocal minority, but they do exist)- it disheartens me so much. I would love to experience those stories for myself. But when I have to re-read each page 3-5 times in order to actually process anything beyond the words on the page, it's too exhausting (note: manga normally only takes me 1-3 re-reads per page).

It is so extremely frustrating for people to act like reading comics is so easy when it's something that I legitimately struggle with. Reading a traditional book? I can read a 650 page novel in less than 3 days. But comic books? I struggled to get through the first 20 pages of a compendium a friend let me borrow once before giving up and returning it.

So next time you feel like deriding someone for engaging more with an adaptation than the original, remember that there is no kind of media that is universally equally accessible. They might just find it significantly easier (and therefore more enjoyable) to engage with the adaptation.

[sunnnfish]

Tagged by @aranarumei ! Thanks a bunch :D going under a cut bc i feel like it

1. Are you named after anyone?

I thiiiink my middle name is named after like a great grandparent or something like that? I forgot. My first name might be too but i also forgot. 👍

2. When was the last time you cried?

Like two days ago? I also cry easily when im frustrated …

3. Do you have kids? / recommend a song?

No kids so im gonna recommend People Become Ghosts by ive… specifically an English cover by UmbraticForest on youtube. Ive recommended it before ill recommend it again i love that song

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?

I dont… know? Maybe like. If someone asks an obvious question I’ll say the opposite answer sometimes. Maybe im like a medium sarcasm user…

5. What sports do you play/have played?

Growing up it was like. Soccer->softball->soccer->competitive cheerleading->soccer again until like 11th grade. Then no more sports bc i moved schools and there wasn’t any soccer nearby :(

6. What’s the first thing you notice about people?

Hmm maybe like the way they move/hold themselves? If I actually talk to them then like their voice. ACTUALLY i will be immediately enamored if i see them wearing like a pin or a shirt or whatever of something i like. Locked on.

7. Eye color?

Hazel :)

8. Scary movies or happy endings?

The only reason i watch scary movies is bc of my friends. I find them on a scale of boring to actually scary and i dont like either of those feelings mostly. But ill watch them if my friends want to and some of them turn out actually interesting. Just wouldn’t watch them on my own. So yeah happy endings i guess?

9. Any special talents?

I can make a really realistic water drop sound with my mouth 👍 i can also hum and whistle at the same time and i can snap with all my fingers :)

10. Where were you born / what made you make a tumblr account?

A hospital 👍 i actually dont remember when i started using tumblr or when exactly i made an account but i know i started posting January 2020 because of Bakugan and Danganronpa. Mostly bakugan because there was like NO art and it made me sad. And then i got obsessed with danganronpa </3

11. What are your hobbies?

Well uh. Art. Drawing. Yeah. I also do crochet :) and then reading + video games + anime etc etc the whole shebang. Non-media activities include puzzles and gardening :)

12. Do you have any pets?

We have like a billion cats. Seriously. I thiiink we have like 9-10 total? I dont keep track. Long story short one had babies and then two babies had babies and my sister didn’t let us get rid of them. I only care about one hes a huge black cat <3. Plus we also have a dog.

13. How tall are you?

…5 foot even. Tiny guy

14. Favorite subject in school?

Does art count. Also math though i looove math i love how theres only limited solutions unlike English where you get judged for having opinions. And i guess grammar n stuff. Anyways math and logic my beloved.

15. Dream job?

I’d love to illustrate a book… like any kind. Problem is i dont like writing :( and ive yet to know anybody who would work with me… but yeah like a children’s book or a comic book or like illustrated novel like please…. Im trying though 👍

Anyways thats it :] thanks again for the tag… not gonna tag anyone myself because thats so scary so. Open to anyone :]

[ms-demeanor]

Great question! This is legitimately an important thing to ask when you're presented with advice online.

Some tips for when you see instructions/a how-to/educational guide online and you aren't sure if you should trust the source:

Find out what else the author has done; you can do this by searching their name online or by following the links they may have attached to their writing. In my case, I've got information about myself in my pinned post which includes links to previous guides I've written on a variety of subjects - including tech-related subjects - and a link to my personal website that you can investigate.

Find out what experience the author has in the field being discussed. During the height of the pandemic we saw how important this was, because there were often GPs and nurses giving advice that contradicted the information shared by virologists and infectious disease specialists. It's not just important that someone presenting information is knowledgeable about one subject, it's worthwhile to find out if they're specifically knowledgeable about the subject they're talking about. To find this kind of information you'd want to look into a writer's history; check their publication history by searching their name on the site you found their writing on (so if it's a magazine click the author bio, if it's a journal search research databases). On tumblr you can click through someone's archive or you can run their handle through the jetblackcode tool to see what their most popular posts are about. I try to make this easy, so I (again) link a bunch of posts in my pinned. Tumblr search is notoriously terrible, but you can also search keywords on someone's blog (and it's a good idea to do this on anyone's personal website if you're following up about something they've read online). Personally, I have a long history of posting about various kinds of scams (medical and pseudoscience scams, as well as email and phone-based scams) and social engineering; you can find this in my archive but also in some of the many sideblogs I list in my pinned.

Think critically about the information being presented. Ask yourself: - If this information is incorrect, how could it cause harm? - If it does do harm, WHO would it harm? - Who is this information aimed at? - Does it seek to change someone's behavior? How?

Fact-check the information yourself. If something stands out as sounding wrong or incorrect to you, or if it is directly counter to something else you've learned, do some research.

Compare the information presented to what other writers in the field have to say. If the information is way out of line with other writing in the field is there a reason why (is it highly contextual? based on new research? predicated on an unusual behavior) and if so is that reason explained?

Do exactly what you've done here and ask questions. People who are operating in good faith generally don't mind being questioned about their work and why they did it. (They won't always have time to answer, but they should at least be *open* to being questioned)

Anyway, the 30-second answer on why you should trust me specifically on this topic: I am a tech professional who has spent 13 years educating people on how to avoid being scammed online as part of my job. I also have a background in journalism and have a great deal of interest in increasing media literacy in general; I consider this kind of thing an aspect of media literacy.

How to avoid sharing Social Media Scams in the Wake of a Disaster

The world is full of disasters. It is also full of people who have learned to profit off of disaster. It is an unfortunate fact of life in the modern social media/online environment that in order to avoid spreading scams, you have to make a continuous effort and you have to be cynical.

There are a lot of wonderful, well-meaning people in the world who want to help everyone who asks for it. Unfortunately, those people are easy to scam.

These are some rules to prevent you from either falling victim to scams or from passing scams along to other people.

These are not suggestions, these are not things to take into consideration, the rules listed here are RULES that you need to adopt in order to keep from spreading scams on social media.

Rules:

Never, ever share screenshots of fundraisers or resources that you haven’t verified yourself. If you see a screenshot of, say, the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds Instagram announcing that they will be accepting evacuees with RVs, you go find the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds website, you find the social media linked on their website, and you check that the post you’re seeing actually came from the entity it’s claiming to. Once you have proved that the post actually came from the entity it’s claiming to, double check that entity with a couple of verifiable sources. So, for instance, if I was checking on the Guitar Center Music Foundation I’d check Guitar Center’s website and maybe I’d look for news articles about donations from the foundation. If I was looking up the Antelope Valley Fairgrounds, I’d look for a local newspaper calendar of events that linked to the fairgrounds or would check the city websites in the area and search “fairgrounds” on them. I would not share a link to a social media page for an organization until I was 100% certain that it was actually associated with the organization. You shouldn’t either. If you see a post that claims to come from a specific group but all you have is the screenshot of the post, go find the group’s website and if it all checks out you may share it IF AND ONLY IF you add the link to the post. And if a post has a link already, click through it and STILL check that everything looks okay.

Never give money or information to someone with a free email address. This sucks. I know. But if the group you’re looking at only has a gmail address or a protonmail you have no way of knowing if they’re legitimately associated with the organization at a glance. And even if they ARE associated with the organization, the free email account demonstrates a lack of planning/commitment that has troubling implications for the handling of your money or data.

Do not share screenshots of “resources,” headlines, social media posts, or news articles. I’m done with screenshots. Screenshots are easy to fake and almost always remove context from the discussion. A standalone screenshot isn’t information, it’s a trap to get you to share something without thinking. Do not *trust* screenshots of “resources,” headlines, social media posts, or news articles. Always assume a screenshot is faked unless you have found the original post yourself. A screenshot isn’t a “resource” it is an un-source, it is intentionally removing information from the viewer and we are well past the time when people should have understood that sharing screenshots without a link to the original text in context is never, every trustworthy.

Do not give money or information to accounts without a history. This may mean individual social media accounts, or it may mean a shiny new mutual aid project that popped up near your house. It’s unfortunate that people have their accounts deleted, it’s unfortunate that new orgs have trouble finding support, but the likelihood that a new account is a scam is simply too high to trust your money or information with it. If someone is asking for money or offering help on an account that hasn’t posted for years, or that suddenly changed all its content, or that has only existed for a month with no links to other, older sites and socials, you shouldn’t trust that account.

Okay, those are the RULES. Those are the lines you draw in the sand. The TL;DR version is this:

Don’t share posts you haven’t personally verified

Don’t give money or information to accounts with generic email accounts like gmail

Don’t share or trust screenshots that have no links or further context

Don’t give info or money to brand new accounts

I absolve you of any guilt you have surrounding this. You want to share that post to help a stranger but they have only had an account for a week. You want to spread that resource, but unfortunately it is only available as screenshots of an anonymous instagram account. You think that perhaps that mutual aid group really can help people, but the only way contact them is to put your info into a google form and send an email to their gmail account. That post seems really helpful, but actually you can’t find anything that suggests that the Mt. Pacifico Aquatic Center exists outside of this twitter account. No more guilt! Guilt be gone! You do not have to feel bad for not sharing these things, or not reaching out, or not giving money because doing so would be irresponsible and would put other people at risk of being tricked by scammers or wasting what money they can donate on a potential fraud.

Now, some tips:

Always, always, always take at least ten minutes to think about giving someone money or your information online. Read the post that moved you, then re-read it, then go sit away from it for ten minutes and think about it. There’s a good chance you will still want to give, or sign up, but ten minutes away will give you a chance to consider if there are any red flags in the post that inspired you.

Independently search everything you’re going to share. Go outside of social platforms and check on search engines. Check Wikipedia. Look up the website and send a while clicking around. Go on a *different* social media platform and check their account.

Just straight up search “[SUBJECT] Scam” before you do anything. See if this thing you’re looking at is actually an old scam that’s revamped for a new disaster. See if you can find an explanation of how something might be a scam or risk in a way that you didn’t understand before.

Get used to getting away from social media. Go check websites.

Learn domain name syntax. “musicfoundationguit.arcenter.com” is a bullshit scam. “guitarcenterfounditaon.org” is a bullshit scam. “guitarcenter-foundation.org” is a bullshit scam. The actual domain is “guitarcenterfoundation.org” and the link to the correct page isn’t going to be “guitarcenter.foundationfires.org” it’s going to be “guitarcenterfoundation.org/fires”  

Tips for Orgs:

If you do not want your org to look like a scam you are going to have to put some effort into it. Unfortunately this will probably also require at least a little bit of money; I know it’s hard to get money together at the beginning, but it will pay off in the long run.

Invest in a domain and hosted email. You can get relatively inexpensive hosted email through most domain registrars and even if you only get one email address for your domain you can forward it to all the free gmail and protonmail accounts you want. But buy a domain, set up a simple website, and get an  info@[yourdomain].com email set up because you don’t want people emailing “MyOrgInfo@gmail.com” because it’s super fucking easy for a 1337 hax0r like me to set up “YourOrgTeam@gmail.com” and scam the people who want to reach out to you.

Make a blog on your actual website, not on a social media site. A blog means that you can make regular posts and establish a history to prove that you are real and you do real stuff; it will also help with SEO and help to ensure that when people search for your org YOU are what comes up. Keeping up calendars of previous activities with links to those activities is also good.

Set up social handles on all the sites you use, make a “socials” page on your website, and link to your handles so that people can verify if you’re the one posting something. If you don’t make it extremely easy to find your socials, that means it’s extremely easy to set up fake accounts claiming to be you. Then put the link to your website in the bio on your socials.

If you are offering something or holding a fundraiser or doing anything on your social media page, link it back to your website. If you have an IG post offering resources, you should include a url for your site in each image. If you share a photo on twitter with the info for a march, that should link back to your website with more info about the march. If you post a fundraiser on tumblr you need to link the fundraising page of your website on that post.

If you absolutely positively cannot set up a website and a real-ass email address, set up a linktree, choose a primary social media to post on that all the others refer back to, and very explicitly state what your email address is and that you do not have other email addresses somewhere that's difficult to miss. Build a history of posts and link to other orgs that you work with or any writeups or stories about your events or projects. The point of all of this is making yourself easy to verify. "northfullertonfnb@gmail.com" sucks but it sucks a lot less if it's in the bio of "@northfulltertonfnb" and that page has a two year history of posting meal share schedules and menus.

In conclusion, don't share things that you haven't personally checked. When in doubt, it is always safer not to share.

[gnotknormal]

Spotting art scam accounts- people who are pretending to be artists edition.

My GOD I am getting so tired of these fuckers. They annoy me to no end but I'm so sad and concerned about how many people they might trick. I'm even more concerned about the art they steal from other artists in order to pretend they are who they are saying they are.

My guess is they take your money and run, or they just AI some shit and then disappear. So here's some tips on how to find them.

I recently got followed by a "rabeccartist" (clearly Rebecca was taken) This is your first clue. They almost always just use a normal western sounding forename. Never an artist nickname or anything. While its true a lot of legitimate artists use their name, its very rarely just their first name - how would you ever be searchable by potential clients?!

Let's see what's on Rebecca's profile!

Could seem innocuous enough, but the hints are here.

Really, first and foremost pushing their commissions without even explaining who they are or what their vibe is.

Almost always say or imply they can do nsfw commissions

No links to a portfolio or mentions of other sites they're on (yes I know not everybody goes everywhere but tumblr isn't exactly the place you get exposure - and how would these artists have got commissions already if not posting on other sites?)

Claims that aren't backed up by posts on their pages

E.g. "creating a world of unique characters" is huge bs. This profile only features "client work" and reblogs of other artists.

This is the pinned post. Showing some other red flags.

Incorrect/unreasonable tags (some real artists do mess with tags to get some exposure, so this isn't always a red flag on its own)

"Client work done"/"commission completed" - with no indication of how they even know the client or got the commsion from. No mention even of what is included in the picture or what the request was for?

Next image

Apparently another commission! But this one is a totally different style "furry oc"?? Really? Whose OC? Tag them! Link to their website!

Also I only just notice they just straight up tagged this as AI art so...

And this page leads me to another blog by someone called Helen. (Again, another name- and they pretty much are always womens names).

It was the only picture liked by Rabecca. Rabecca's page doesn't show any of her original characters or artwork for fun or any sort of world building despite her profile offering a "world of unique characters".

So over on Helen's page

Same vibe. Nsfw commissions mentioned, all it says is they love to draw. They usually also offer 3D and 2D commissions. Profile image is clearly not the same artist that drew that lion.

Now I don't watch this show, but someone in the comments helpfully noted this was just a screenshot from the show. Also, this profile doesn't even mention Helluva Boss on it like the other one does (don't come at me if this isn't Helluva Boss I just said I don't watch it). "Client work done" again with no name, no specifications, nothing.

There's the lion. Fan art? Of who? Why? It's lovely art but clearly different from the only other thing on the profile that claims to be done by this artist.

And looking at Helen's likes...

Ah! What a surprise!!!

These are both scam accounts. Most likely by the same person. And honestly? I see these on Instagram all the time so I was kind of surprised to see them here. They all have the same or similar MO.

It's kind of funny, although I'm concerned people COULD, I'm so confident that people don't fall for this. I don't know why you would. After all, I am a legitimate artist @gnot-art with years of art under my belt, who sells commissions and showcases my own work on multiple platforms and people rarely commission me XD people don't generally just commission random artists they find on the Internet!!! It's so absurd.

What's even funnier to me is the other main art scam- where someone pretends to be a paying client and rips you off. (I can make another post about how to spot those, too, if anyone wants it). I just find it hilarious to think these 2 types of scam accounts are constantly only ever interacting with each other because they haven't even worked out how unlike actual art profiles what they've made is.

Anyway, I recommend that if you want to commission an artist, you follow them for a bit and get to know them and their style to see if it fits with what you want.

And no legitimate commissioning artist will EVER DM you begging for you to buy something from them.

Have a great day ya little frogs ✌️

[hees-mine]

you said you wanted people to ask you how you've been doing but you clearly stated in your pinned post that you don't want no friends. so you can't expect a stranger to keep track of your blog and feelings. if i were ur moot or something maybe i would've cared a little more for what you do than just reading for my sake but since u didnt wanna make no friends, i guess not. i mean we all have busy lives so its kind of unrealistic to expect strangers to keep up with your whereabouts or wellbeing. there's tons of other blogs out there and some authors might have a better bond with their readers (not saying you don't) and so it might make the readers more inclined to check in on the author.

and i know its not that hard to reblog and comment and be appreciative of someones work but a stranger might just be scrolling, unaware of the struggles and standards that author had to go through. and they might not feel comfortable openly reblogging smut but it depends on people really. so it'd be wrong to blame random people. everyone may feel different towards your works or anyones work.

also, that "part two" rambles might just be because the readers found a common interest among others who commented and asked on wanting part twos and then it led to your inbox and cmnt section being filled with pt 2 asks.

most readers often ignore praising the author bcuz they think others will or have done it looking at the amount of notes your works usually receive. but i guess thats how tumblr mostly works? the amount of notes a work has is considered the sole form of support for the work/blog and readers mostly assume it'd be likes.

yeah i understand u want praises for your work bcuz ngl it really makes one smile to receive open love for their work. but now that you've decided to leave so suddenly bcz of the lack of appreciation and pt 2s, we wont be able to change our actions and support u the way u want it anymore cuz ur leaving.

I don’t think I exactly said I “wanted it” I said it’s something that could be done instead of just coming up and demanding even if you don’t ask about me you could say hey I loved your work do you plan on posting a part 2

There what I said below ⬇️

All I ever saw was “part two please” and that’s the end of it

I stated that I don’t want friends because I just simply don’t have the mental energy to befriend someone and I also said that I’m a nice person I also don’t think most people even read my introduction

And I never said I wanted anyone to keep track of anything all I’m saying is before you asking for a part two maybe just say hi

Asking about someone’s day and well being has absolutely no correlation with being friends

I’m not asking you or anyone to care I’m asking for common decency cause I’m a human I don’t expect people to keep track of what I have going and I already stated that people get busy as well

I don’t know if you read the post where I addressed things in more detail so I’ll link it here

Same I get a random reader doesn’t know but also you can’t be that random if you ask for a part two without even a “hi”

I also did say some people are nervous and are silent readers and I get that as well and if you don’t want to reblog smut that’s okay too maybe just leave an anonymous ask I understand

Maybe so that others were led by readers to ask for a part 2 but when is anyone going stop? Once you see that I already said no what exactly promps you to ask again?

A lot of other readers say all the time that likes do nothing for them however I don’t mind if I just get likes but I do see where they’re coming from cause likes doesn’t exactly show any real feedback other than a number but that’s a conversation for a different time

I’m not sure how many people would really be interested in listening to me I posted before how I felt and it didn’t stop

I think the only reason things are being looked at so deeply is because I am leaving and it is such a drastic stance to take on the matter

However I appreciate your standpoint I thank you for being honest about how you feel i do wish next time you’d consider my words and read them more carefully but again thank you🩵 everyone’s input helps