#so an art career is ideal...but then I start planning it out

[sidhedust]

Aw, it's sad to see how much better I've gotten over the months but I can't exactly be the kind of person I need to be to make an art career work. I could TRY a shop/print shop, but I have no long-term ideas to keep a shop running.

Once I draw a few fairy tale pieces, I'll be out of ideas lol

[kaibutsushidousha]

The Hundred Line - Famitsu interview June 19th 2024

What does the title Hundred Line mean?

Kodaka: The simplest way to describe this game is: student have to live together in a school while fighting to survive 100 days. This "100 days" timeframe became a major keyword, so we decided to express it through the title The Hundred Line - Last Defense Academy.

The game has been described as "a tale of extreme x despair produced by the creators of Danganronpa". This "extreme x despair" keyword reminds me of the Concept Art 1 presented September 2018 at the announcement of Too Kyo Games. Caption: Extreme x Despair. A game co-written by Kodaka and Uchikoshi!

Kodaka: As you can imagine, this is the game from Concept Art 1. We finally managed to announce, but at first, The Hundred Line was developed as Too Kyo's first original IP. However, our company isn't capable of self-publishing, so now we're working with Aniplex, on a half-half split on production costs.

When did development start?

Kodaka: Since we founded Too Kyo Games (2017), so that has been 6 or 7 years. At first, Uchikoshi and I partnered with another major publisher to release our game, but unfortunately, the project was canceled...

In a previous interview, you mentioned a title not coming out as planned, but I didn't think you mean an actual cancellation...

Kodaka: I have so much I could talk about on this one, but I don't think the first talk about this game should be about what went wrong, so how about we save it for another day? Haha. Although The Hundred Line's project was canceled for a while, now, after finding what we needed to make it a good game, we rebranded it and restarted our whole internal development cycle.

We were initially fine with it being indie-sized, but as the story and character designs were getting polished, and the concept gained a more solid form, we started thinking we couldn't make our ideal game unless we went bigger. Determined to put our hand to the test... we took a loan.

A loan!?

Kodaka: It wasn't guaranteed that we'd have the working capital to maintain our enlarged development scope even if we sold all of our stocks. We advanced the production with the phantom of debt on our necks while we searched for a new publisher, and that's where I met Aniplex and smoothly sold our pitch.

However, since this game has simulation RPG sections, they said that'd need a third-party developer. For that, they introduced us to the accomplished Media Vision and had them join the dev team. We're also cooperating with Jet Studio, who worked with us before in Danganronpa and Rain Code.

After all that it took to get this game to a presentable state, we of Too Kyo Games consider it a proud symbol of our persistence, or better yet, the culmination and conclusion to the current stage of our careers.

Staking your life on your work has never been so literal...

Kodaka: True, if this game flops, we won't be able to pay our debt. In that sense, this also provides a rare opportunity to the playerbase too. They get to witness how much a single title's sales can influence the future of a creator and company.

That's not the kind of suspense I want as a game fan, haha. Still, with six years of development, is it safe to assume you've been through a fair share of hardships?

Kodaka: I did. That was my first time dealing with a full cancellation. Also, to enable to Too Kyo to continue its work, to partner up with a new publisher, etc, we couldn't continue the development in the direction we were before. We needed to restart on our semi-complete project, and that's already painful labor in itself.

In terms of creative workload, I can't say I was much busier than I was in the Danganronpa V3 days, having to work in the game and the anime at the same time, but in this situation, aside from my directing, writing, and screen composition duties, I'm also Too Kyo Games's president and producer, meaning I have more work outside my craftsmanship... Making the game and managing the funds at the same time would have given most people a mental breakdown (laughs).

It was mentally and financially taxing, but I don't think I'll ever get another opportunity to pour this level of effort into making a game happen. Putting my life on the line was a very valuable experience.

You mean to say you can feel Too Kyo Games's entire soul in the game? On another note, I couldn't find any of the characters from the concept art in the new key visual or the screenshots. Does the restart mean that those characters got shelved?

Kodaka: The game's general concept is still the same, but to put a new, clean start on it, we changed a few things completely. One of them being the character designs. But despite their changed appearances, they maintain the characterization of their predecessors, so you'll see characters similar to what those would have been.

However, the old politician you see in the upper left corner won't be in the game (laughs). He's a character Komatsuzaki made up on the spot for this illustration, so I know as much about who he is as you do. He's doomed to disappear shrouded in mystery.

(laughs) By the way, considering how The Hundred Line is "the tale of extreme x despair", I'm curious about how this keyword "despair" relates to Danganronpa.

Kodaka: The tagline "tale of extreme x despair" is to signify that this is the first game Uchikoshi and I are directing together. It has nothing to do with Danganronpa, but it is a game made leveraging all of my previous experiences. With that plus Komatsuzaki's and Takada's involvement, I consider it a spiritual successor to Danganronpa.

Who from the main Too Kyo Games roster is working in this and what are their roles?

Kodaka: Uchikoshi and I are splitting the directing and writing work, Komatsuzaki is on the character design, Shimadrill is doing the enemy design and the backgrounds, and Takada is in charge of the soundtrack. Also, Uchikoshi and I do screen composition for the scenes we write.

I didn't think I'd have to do the screen composition job here myself, but I'm the best at handling Komatsuzaki's art and Takada's music, so that job is dumped on me. I got a lot of material to work with. Maybe more expression options than Yuma had in Rain Code.

The Danganronpa series also had me personally choosing faces and soundtrack one by one, so I hope the fans of that series enjoy the familiar vibes in the visual novel sections.

The new announcement came with a key visual. Are these characters in uniforms going to be the main cast?

Kodaka: Yes. They're the students of Last Defense Academy and are living in the school for unknown reasons. The students have special powers called Hemoanimas. They normally have their own sets of clothes, but upon activating their Hemoanima, they change into this uniform and fight against their enemies.

Is the white character a mascot?

Kodaka: Yes. He's the squad coordinator character. So his name is just SIREI, from shireikan; commander. By the way, SIREI is the reincarnation of the raccoon illustrated in the key visual. Both forms of this character were designed by Komatsuzaki. I pointed him in a general direction I wanted but overall let him do whatever he wanted. Meanwhile, the students followed the usual process going through a lot of back-and-forth until their completion.

In Danganronpa, their designs reflected their Super High School Level talents. Does The Hundred Line have any kind of keyword or characterization element that informed their designs in the same way the Super High School Level talents did?

Kodaka: Each student masters a different Unique Subject and has a different weapon of choice. That's what their designs mainly reflect. I'll talk more about Unique Subjects and weapons of choice later.

I'm looking forward to the update. Next question. Danganronpa and Rain Code had all-star casts of voice actors. I have expectations for The Hundred Line's cast.

Kodaka: Unfortunately, I can't reveal the actors at the moment, but I will say half of them have performed in previous Kodaka or Uchikoshi game and the other half is people we're both meeting for the first time. But look forward to it, it's going to be as all-star as any previous game. I know the released PV is voiced by the protagonist, but who is voicing him is still confidential.

Will the creatures depicted flying above the main characters be enemies?

Kodaka: Correct. The enemies are unknown entities attacking the school. They're called School Invaders. If you take a really close look at the key visual, you may notice the academy is protected by a pink flame. That's called the Unextinguishable Flame and that's what prevents the School Invaders from attacking 24/7.

When the School Invaders get past the Unextinguishable Flame, the students will need to repel them. The students aren't informed about the academy's or the unextinguishable flame's secrets, nor they know why the School Invaders are attacking. The story progresses as they fight School Invaders day by day unaware of their circumstances.

Do you have anything noteworthy to say about your interactions with Shimadrill regarding his work designing the enemies?

Kodaka: My priority for the character design of the weaker School Invaders was that they had venomous pop aesthetics. At my first discussion with Shimadrill, we arrived at the idea of making their designs intentionally similar to the monsters of a famous game franchise, but we changed plans along the way. Ultimately, we got likable enemies with that pop aesthetic.

Playing aggressively even on the designs, huh? That's the Too Kyo Games I know.

Kodaka: We changed our aim because copying designs was a really bad idea we took too far. Our mindset at the time is that, true to Too Kyo's name, we wanted to make a game that was indeed too crazy. Too Kyo Games is a company that prides itself on its writing, designs, and music.

However, compliance is a lot more important nowadays, so there's a lot more we need to keep in mind. We were defanged by the corporate structure of our partner for the cancelled version of the game. Depictions of violence and dirty jokes that were acceptable in our previous works weren't fine with them. We had to be on our best behavior to adhere to their compliance demands.

Now that I got to remake the game as something else, I can see that not releasing it on its previous state was for the best. Because I couldn't express my strengths in full there.

The Hundred Line was my first collaborative work with Uchikoshi and our first original IP. Making a game that's simply good wouldn't be enough. There'd be no point in starting this over if we couldn't go all-out. We developed The Hundred Line determined to make a game someone with good sense couldn't make. A title to be considered a product of deranged minds. In the sense, we were very lucky to land on a partnership with Aniplex.

Tell me more about what do you mean by "lucky" here.

Kodaka: To leverage the strengths of Too Kyo Games, we're writing a very controversial narrative. Aniplex is being thankfully quite flexible with what we're allowed to depict, as they understand our fortes and respect our vision. For that reason, Uchikoshi and I were able to depict the crazy story we wanted to.

Kodaka, in a previous interview, you expressed determination toward making this game a story that make people question your sanity. A game people wouldn't expect to be possible to make. Would you say managed to fulfill this ambition?

Kodaka: I can't comment about the gimmick without getting into spoilers, so I have no plans to reveal the answer to this before the game's release. Playing the game for yourself should be enough to convey Too Kyo Games's outlandishness. I believe my reason to pair up with Uchikoshi will be equally evident, and it'll be easy to make sense of why this game needed multiple writers and recruiting new hires.

I know perfectly well this is a tasteless request, but can you drop a hint?

Kodaka: Fine, I'll tell you some details after the interview. You're allowed to address what I'll say in your opinion post (laughs).

I appreciate the gesture, but let's see if I'm up for the challenge (laughs)

Tell us what the general gameplay loop is like.

Kodaka: The Hundred Line follows a cycle of 3 parts: a visual novel section, an exploration section, and a simulation RPG section. I already explained at the opener that it's a game where you survive 100 days of combat, but that doesn't mean time will pass uneventfully.

Like in Danganronpa, something will happen each day, and you'll get chances to talk with your schoolmates and deepen your relationships. You'll get Free Time, you'll get training sessions to increase your stats, and you'll be able to get other power ups by sharpening your weapons. The goal in the visual novel and exploration sections is to enjoy life with your schoolmates while also preparing for the enemies that can appear at any moment.

Got it. Now explain the simulation RPG section too, please.

Kodaka: The simulation RPG section has tower defense elements. It's not just about defeating the enemies, you also have to fight defending the school. Also, since the School Invaders come in large flocks, the main gimmick here is that you need to fight on multiple grids of the board at the same time instead of taking it one grid at a time.

Our developer, Media Vision, has a lot of experience in simulation RPGs. We'll disclose more details about the gameplay later, but I'm glad they were able to come up with and implement hype combat ideas (such as unique traits and ultimate moves for each character) in a way that can satisfy the fans of the genre.

You mean to say the simulation RPG sections are going to be solid?

Kodaka: Correct. That said, a lot of people who buy my games are casual gamers, so I always put emphasis on ease of play.

Then first-time simulation RPG players will have nothing to worry about.

Kodaka: Another point of interest is Takada's soundtrack. I requested the battle BGM to have the intensity of an action game. It's inspired by technical rock bands from the 90s, mainly The Chemical Brothers and Boom Boom Satellites. The visual novel sections, on the other hand, have a more sci-fi-adjacent OST to match its strong sci-fi aesthetics.

Tell us a release date and the consoles.

Kodaka: Early 2025, Switch and Steam.

Less than a year before release. Do you think the team can make it?

Kodaka: We're still working on it, but I think we won't have to delay the release. To be honest, The Hundred Line is progressing faster than Rain Code was (laughs). Besides, Too Kyo Games can't afford to delay a game our creators are staking their lives on.

Messages to players and readers usually often saying things like "We're doing our best" or "Cheer for us", but for this title, I can't bring myself to be so casual about it. I feel like I'm issuing a challenge to the players here.

I have a marketing strategy to draw attention to the game, and I'm polishing it to make anyone who buys it say it's a good game, so I'm feeling more of a "Just watch me!" or a "Wait until you see this thing released!" for a closing message.

Giant Kuroda's editorial comment

As outlandish as promised.

That's the interviewer's honest impression on what Kodaka told me about The Hundred Line's gimmick. I [Giant Kuroda] have been the Famitsu interviewer in charge of Danganronpa since Danganronpa 2. I interviewed him pre-release for a game launched in 2012, which means I've been talking to Kodaka for at least 12 years.

Kodaka and his art surprised me many times. In a good way.

Danganronpa 2's final boss. Danganronpa V3's first case culprit, finale, and the secret hidden in the title. Danganronpa 3 simultaneous broadcast of Side:Future and Side:Despair. Rain Code's first case...

The list could go on forever, but The Hundred Line's gimmick is more impactful than of those. I can't deliver a final judgement until I play the game for myself, but depending on what the game has to offer, it could be his uncontested best. That's how much potential I felt in that spoiler. I get the point of staking their lives on it now.

Also, in what's rare for a Kodaka title, the game will be allowed to be streamed relatively far into the story despite earlier spoilers (information subject to change). Kodaka's story-heavy games are a double-edged sword. It's possible for players to feel like they experienced enough by simply watching a Let's Play that spoils all the twists. However, I believe this game actually benefits from unrestricted streaming. But I can't say why. It's a spoiler...

At any rate, this game is Kodaka's and Uchikoshi's first collaborative story, and as Kodaka said, its narrative is a product of deranged minds. I wait with bated breath to the day I can finally play it, and also look forward to reading opinion posts about it online. You can get your hopes up, Kodaka and Uchikoshi fans.

[uslessnoahtall]

Book Genre Legacy Challenge

Hello! I've been playing the Sims for what feels like forever at this point, and the only way I ever manage to keep myself invested in the game is by playing legacy challenges. I kinda wanted to try my hand at making my own legacy challenge, so here it is!

The Sims 4 Book Genre Legacy Challenge!

Basic Rules: - Reach the end of each aspiration. - Reach level ten of career unless specified otherwise. - Cheats are allowed but try not to use them (only because they make gameplay less fun). - Reach level 10 of each set of skills given for each generation - Heir can be any gender unless specified.

I did my best to make this as Base Game compatible as possible, if you’re missing some packs and I didn’t offer an alternative just pick your own or skip it.

Gen 1: Classics

Colours: Blue and Brown Traits: Family Oriented, Dog Lover (BG: Neat), Art Lover Aspiration: Lord or Lady of the Knits (BG: Successful Lineage) Career: Start as Business but quit once you have kids Skills: Knitting and Parenting

You’ve been called an old soul all your life. Everyone always laughed at you for your simplistic dreams. You’ve always wanted a simple life. White picket fence, perfect partner, two kids, and a dog, maybe even a rocking chair to knit on. Who cares if you don’t have big career plans, at least you’ve got a family.

Rules: - Must have at least two kids - Quit your job once you have your kids. - Have a good relationship with all children. - Adopt a dog once your kids are toddlers. - Only have one romantic relationship and marry them before you’re an adult.

Gen 2: Western

Colours: Brown and White Traits: Bro, Rancher (BG: Hates Children), Loner Aspiration: Championship Rider (BG: Bodybuilder) Career: Athlete or no Job (Horse Ranch) Skills: Fitness, Horse Riding, and Guitar

You grew up in a picture perfect home. You were adored by your parents and lived the perfect life. But not everything was as great as it seemed. You learnt very quickly how mean children could be, as you were the youngest of the family and constantly picked on by your sibling(s). You moved out as soon as your were able to and bought the biggest piece of land you could find. Anything to get away from other people. 

Rules: - Have a bad relationship with your sibling(s) - Move out as soon as you’re a young adult onto a plot of land - Buy a horse (if you have HR) as soon as you can - Have an unexpected child (one only)  - Don’t move in with your partner until you know you’re having a child  - Have a high relationship with partner and parents, no one else

Gen 3: Science Fiction 

Colours: White and Green Traits: Geek, Socially Awkward (BG: Clumsy), Genius Aspiration: Computer Whiz Career: Astronaut Skills: Programming, Rocket Science, and Robotics

As an only child, you were taught to entertain yourself. Your parents had never enjoyed company, and hadn’t payed much attention to you growing up. You kept yourself busy, ignoring their silly western ideals and searching for a more captivating life in the stars. You found a passion in technology, and found numbers far easier to understand than people. Maybe there’s life out there better than the people you’ve met on earth. 

Rules: - Build a rocket ship  - Travel to Sixam and bring an alien back to earth with you (if you have GTW) - Marry the alien and have a kid  - Never make friends  - Don’t talk to your parents after you move out 

Gen 4: Comedy

Colours: Green and Yellow Traits: Goofball, Self Absorbed (BG: Noncommittal), Outgoing Aspiration: Joke Star Career: Entertainer (Comedian Branch) Skills: Comedy and  Charisma

Your parents always had their head in the stars, and being half alien you felt like an outcast as a child. You hated how hard it was to make friends and only wanted to be like everyone else. Once you reached a teenager however, you realized that if you tried hard enough and got everyone to like you, no one would even realize you were a little odd. 

Rules: - Make a bunch of friends as a teenager, but never stay close with any of them - Host house parties once a week - Have at least three kids and have a good relationship with them all - Sever all connection to your alien parent after you move out

Gen 5: Contemporary

Colours: Yellow and Pink Traits: Ambitious, Snob, Materialistic  Aspiration: Fabulously Wealthy Career: Doctor (BG: Business) Skills: Logic and Painting 

You grew up in a very loud family. Everyone was always laughing and there were parties almost every week. As a child you loved it, but as you got older you realized there were more important things in life than laughter. You decided to take a different route than the rest of your family. To you, there was nothing more important than success, other than money of course. 

Rules: - Marry someone in the same career field as you. - Have a large house and hire a maid/butler as soon as you can afford it. - While your children are young, hire a nanny for them instead of sending them to daycare. - Have an over-the-top wedding. - Decorate your house with your own art (no one else makes art that is good enough for you)

Gen 6: Romance

Colours: Pink and Red Traits: Romantic, Good, Music Lover Aspiration: Soulmate Career: Entertainer (Actor Branch) or Acting (GF) Skills: Charisma, Acting, Piano or Violin

As a kid, you always felt like the outcast of the family. Your sibling(s) were super smart and seemed likely to follow in your parents successful footsteps, while you were always a little behind, more interested in making friends than success. You feel in love with romantic stories and tv shows at a young age, as everything always seemed to work out for the main characters. Your parents were a little cold and  you barely saw them be affectionate with each other. As you got older you decided that the world needed a little more love.

Rules: - Must be a woman  - Date as many sims as you want but don’t woohoo until married - Have at least two close friends and one best friend - Adopt a dog - Have a music room in your house

Gen 7: Horror

Colours: Red and Black Occult option: Vampire Traits: Gloomy, Perfectionist. Unflirty (BG: Hot-Headed)  Aspiration: Villainous Valentine Career: Secret Agent (Villain Branch) Skills: Vampire Lore, Pipe organ or Piano, Mischief 

Your mom drove you crazy growing up. Her insanely positive outlook on life made you laugh. You believed she’d just gotten lucky in her love life, there’s no way anyone else could achieve that sort of perfect romance. All that being said, you do love her with all your heart. But as the only official black sheep of the family, you made it your goal to make your family the complete opposite of the one you grew up in, staring with the worst career you could think of. 

Rules: - Have a good relationship with your parents and invite them over for weekly dinners  - Adopt a black cat -Partner should match your values - Don’t settle down until aspiration is complete 

Gen 8: Fantasy

Colours: Black and Purple Traits: Loves Outdoors, Jealous, Creative Aspiration: Freelance Botanist  Career: Gardener (BG: No Job) Skills: Gardening, Flower Arranging, Baking

You loved the whimsicalness of your grandmother when you were a child. If you had the choice you would’ve had her raise you instead of your own parents. Growing up in such a dark environment made you want to fill your own house colours. The one thing you and your parent do have in common however, is your twisted outlook on love, as you are constantly convinced that your partner is cheating on you.

Rules:  - Have a good relationship with your grandmother  - Have at least three partners before you find the one, and be the one to break up with them all - Have a greenhouse  - Don’t have any kids until your grandmother dies - Have a rocky relationship with your spouse

Gen 9: Mystery

Colours: Purple and Grey Traits: Paranoid (BG: Loner), Loyal, Slob Aspiration: Master Mixologist  Career: Detective (BG: Secret Agent, Diamond Agent Branch) Skills: Mixology, Photography, Charisma

You had a pretty normal childhood, aside from the occasional screaming match between your parents. Unfortunately you inherited one of your parents tendency for paranoia, and constantly think somethings out to get you. Instead of taking it out on your partner however, you take it out on the criminals in town, and the occasional drink. And hey you never know, maybe some criminals can be trusted. 

Rules: - Have at least one drink a night after work (either at a bar or at home) - Marry someone in the criminal career branch (can be cheated) - Move houses at least three times (best to never stay in one place too long) - Never hire a repair service, fix everything yourself 

Gen 10: Memoir

Colours: Grey and Blue Traits: Perfectionist, Ambitious, High Maintenance (BG: Creative) Aspiration: Best-selling Author Career: Writer (Author Branch) Skills: Writing

Growing up you loved your parents, but something about how much they drank always rubbed you the wrong way. You always liked things to be set up in specific ways and you hated the fact that your parents always left a mess. You spent a lot of time reading as your parents were too preoccupied to take much care of you. One day you find a bunch of dusty old books that appear to be about the older generations of your family, but it’s hard to make out. Annoyed by the lack of information about your family lineage, you decide you should be the one to write it all down. 

Rules: - Have a complicated relationship with your parents  - Publish 10 books, each named after a different generation. - Read 9 books prior to starting your writing (as research). - Have a library in your home 

I think that's everything! I hope you guys enjoy this challenge! Please tag me in any posts about this challenge or post it with the hashtag #bookgenrelegacy

Happy Simming!

[deepestdelulu]

Hi! I’d like some advice about something I’ve been thinking about for a while. I’ve realized that I’m not at all the person I want to be, and I really want to change that. I’ve been thinking about simply uninstalling my social media and truly starting over in a more radical way, becoming someone like Paris Geller. Something truly transformative, you know? I’d love to hear your opinion on this, especially since you inspire me so much.

(I love your blog from the bottom of my heart! 🩷)

Hii sweetheart, let me just say: you’re about to make such a bold, amazing move. Deciding to change and become the person you’ve always dreamed of being is not only possible—it’s totally within your reach. And aiming for that Paris Geller vibe? Love it! She’s ambitious, focused, and unstoppable, so you’re setting the bar high (as you should!).

Now, you must remember that real transformations is a journey, not a single dramatic leap. It’s all about small, consistent actions that lead to big changes. So don't despair if the change is not as fast as you expected. Since I love lists, here’s a list to help you start turning your vision into reality (hope you like it!!):

Get super clear on who you want to be.

Write it all down: What does your ideal self think, do, and believe in?

Make a vision board (digital or physical) to keep yourself inspired and focused.

Set clear, actionable goals.

Break your goals into categories: health, relationships, career, mindset, hobbies.

For example, if you want to be as well-read as Paris, commit to reading one book a month or taking an online course.

Cut out distractions and prioritize what matters.

Replace that time with things that actually fuel you, like journaling, meditating, or learning a new skill.

Build routines that boost productivity.

Start your mornings intentionally: plan your day and set your top priorities.

Use tools like planners to stay organized and on track. (Make sure to find a cute diary to motivate you) :)

Focus on healthy habits.

Move your body every day, even if it’s just a walk or a quick workout.

Fuel yourself with good food that energizes you and keeps your mind sharp.

Surround yourself with inspiration.

Find people who motivate you and push you to grow.

Join groups or communities where you can share goals and ideas. I started going to the gym few months ago and there I found a lot of people with the same goal as me (change my mindset and body)

Master the art of saying “no.”

Channel your inner Paris and focus on what actually matters. Protect your time and energy like your future depends on it (because it kind of does).

Celebrate your wins—big or small.

Every step forward is progress. Acknowledge it and enjoy it.

Most importantly, remember this transformation is for YOU. It’s not about impressing anyone else; it’s about waking up every day proud of who you’re becoming. Radical changes are exciting but can also feel overwhelming. If you stumble, get back up. If you doubt yourself, reread what you wrote about who you want to be. And above all, trust yourself. You’ve got everything it takes to make this happen.

I’m already so excited to see the incredible person you’re going to become, (at least more than what you already are). You’ve got this girllll!!!

Love yaaa ♡

[dazz-linglight]

Oii! How do you think it is to have a polyamorous relationship with Jake and Jay? Amo seu blog!

(aaaaa obrigada ♥️)

Jake x reader x Jay

(pure fluff)

Congratulations, now you have a cat and a puppy as your boyfriends.

You met Jake first and your friendship turned into being cuddle buddies in the free time.

You would cuddle in your living room, your head on his chest while talking about anything, warming each other, bodies as close and intertwined as humanly possible.

Then a month later you met Jay from Jake's circle of friends and also became friends with him too.

Jake were happy that two of his dear friends were getting along.

Jay started showing interest in you very soon after meeting you, so he asked if you wanted to go out with him in the weekend.

You of course couldn't resist and said yes! Jay took you for a very nice cafeteria where you stayed until the evening, getting to know about him and letting him know about you. He made you laugh many times and treated you with care until it was time to part ways.

Jake didn't know what was going on until jay came back to the dorm with a dumb smile and asked what happened. Jay told him about the date and Jake were fuming because he also liked you.

The next day, Jake sent you a text asking if he could show up in your house and you agreed, but you didn't expect to have a stressed young man on your door.

Jake got in saying how it wasn't fair that you went out on a date with Jay without considering him.

You were like "Boy, what??", because you never thought it would be a problem for you to go out with anybody, but Jake had other idea.

He confessed his feelings right then and there, saying how he met you first and that he wouldn't let someone else take his place in your life.

You were shook now having mixed feelings with both men.

Days passed and Jay and Jake started a kind of battle tô conquer you, trying to outdo each other to get the special place in your heart. They were making you crazy!

One day both of them came to your door and asked if you could choose one of them at that moment. You were speechless for a minute and then you had your answer.

"I don't wanna choose one of you." You paused and saw both men wither in sadness, thinking you were ditching both of them.

"I want to date both of you. I like both of you. If you guys can't deal with that, then I'm sorry, but I won't choose one." Jay and Jake started at each other and both mentally decided that would be better to accept the condition that being without you.

Having a poly relationship with Jay and Jake, two vibrant members of ENHYPEN is a big ride. This relationship thrives on mutual respect, affection, and shared experiences, allowing each partner to connect uniquely while enjoying the collective bond. You managed to minimize the fights between jay and Jake for your attention and you divided time to spend with both of them together and individually. In this relationship, daily life would be filled with laughter, music, and creative collaboration. Mornings would start with shared breakfasts, perhaps cooking together while chatting about upcoming schedules and personal goals. Jay, known for his leadership and nurturing qualities, takes charge of preparing a good meal, while Jake’s playful spirit brings lightness to the kitchen, teasing Jay and engaging in playful banter. With the busy schedules due to their music careers, they’d prioritize quality time with you. They plan regular “date nights” where they disconnect from their work and focus solely on you, whether that means going out or cozying up at home with a movie marathon.

As a trio, they might enjoy activities that strengthen the bond. For instance, exploring new cafes in Seoul would be ideal. Traveling together could be another highlight, allowing them to explore new cultures and experiences. Imagine them wandering through bustling markets, trying local foods, or visiting art galleries, all while enjoying each other's company and creating unforgettable memories.

While the three of you enjoy the time together, individual connections are equally important.

*Jay and You: Spending one-on-one time with Jay would involve deep conversations about life and ambitions. His thoughtful nature would shine as he listens to your thoughts, offering insights and support. You might find yourselves at a quiet park, discussing your dreams or listening to his favorite music while he shares stories from his childhood. When you guys stay at home he will play his guitar and sing romantic songs for you, making your heart melt.

*Jake and You: With Jake, one-on-one moments would be filled with energy and laughter. Whether it’s a spontaneous car trip to an amusement park or a casual stroll downtown, Jake’s fun and loving personality would keep things light-hearted. He might challenge you to games or engage in friendly competitions, fostering a carefree atmosphere that encourages connection and joy. At home, he's calmer and will bring you to his chest to cuddle and encourage you to talk about your passions.

Being a poly relationship with those two, communication is crucial. The three of you would regularly check in with each other, discussing feelings, boundaries, and any concerns that comes in mind. Having open dialogue would help maintain balance and ensure everyone feels valued and heard. When challenges arise, such as jealousy or time constraints, you’d address them together. Jay’s empathetic nature would facilitate these discussions, ensuring everyone feels understood, while Jake’s humor would help diffuse tension, reminding you all of the strength of your bond.

On special occasions, you might surprise Jay with a heartfelt letter or a thoughtful gift that reflects his likes, while Jake might get a spontaneous adventure planned, like a day trip to a theme park or a new activity to try together.

[cyberwitchhhhhhhhh]

What does your ideal job look like ?🤎

Pile #1

Cards:Page of swords (reversed) ,Two of pentacles The magician,The tower

Okay pile one ! So I’m seeing your ideal job maybe helping people achieve there goals and where they want to be you may want to help people in counseling or a school therapist or even the law here but you want to help people make the right decisions because maybe in your past you didn’t do something right away or you might of made the wrong decision or you didn’t do something quickly you may also want to help people get there creative thinking going here and help people make decisions I’m also seeing marriage councilor someone who has something to deal with affairs or a divorce attorney I’m seeing what you want to do has a connection to what you went through and I’m seeing helping people get over grief or hard times so someone who deals with people struggling with mental health so I’m seeing this is all about helping other people so they don’t fall down the same hole as you .🤎

Pile #2

Cards:Strength,The Devil,Queen of pentacles,Three of swords

Okay pile two I’m seeing your ideal job maybe writing books or art and drawing and I’m seeing you picking this type of career is because it helps tame with anger or feelings of sadness so you put it into a job because it helps you tame bursting out of having breakdowns this hobby really helps you i see im also seeing you owning a business of either a nursing home or a daycare im seeing you really like people or kids here something were your nurturing and protecting im also seeing you dealing with people who just lost or had a baby or people who are infertile so this connects to you being a really artsy and nurturing person .🤎

Pile#3

Cards:The hermit,Six of pentacles,The Star,Queen of cups

Okay pile three ! Im seeing your ideal job maybe all over the place at the current moment your spending to much time worrying and soul searching for the right job or right career it will naturally come to you when the time is right No need to find out and figure everything out right away your still young but im seeing mainly you getting a chance at a law firm of a families business or advocate or fashion designer or you creating a food bank for people and your getting benefits from it but your plans are very all over the place you still have time if one plan doesn’t work out go on to the next and have hope that everything will come together I’m also seeing with this queen of cups you either want to start a group or lead something to help other people .🤎

[dinolich]

FAQ

One click spot for frequently asked questions, pertaining to HELLAWEEN and art in general. This will be linked in my bio and updated over time.

HELLAWEEN -What was the inspiration behind HELLAWEEN/How did it come to be?

In 2014 I had just graduated college and moved across the country for a storyboard internship at a film studio. I had a huge quarter life crisis when the environment clashed with me in every way, which left me questioning if I had made a massive career choice mistake. To help take the edge off I decided I needed to come up with some characters that were as self indulgent as possible. So I asked myself "What if there was Halloween level of a Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater game?" and "What if My Chemical Romance wrote the soundtrack to Scooby Doo?" and thus, the main cast was born. Originally I didn't have any plans with them, I was just having fun drawing them for inktober and developing their personalities. Once the internship ended and I was able to set my career back in motion with some significantly better studio atmosphere fits for me in California, I started getting more serious about developing a linear story. I spent some time pitching different versions to tv studios and shorts programs. Got some great feedback but no real bites. Fortunately, I had a post blow up that caught the attention of my publisher who reached out to see if I was interested in doing a book instead and I LEAPED at the opportunity! HELLAWEEN is very much inspired by my own teenage years, growing up in the Bay Area, being surrounded by alt and skate cultures in the 2000's. As well as exploring identity, and growing up queer but the words for "how" didn't really exist yet. Plus a deep love for spooky cartoons and stylish anime, of course.

-What kind of music pairs the story/characters?

Great news I have playlists for everyone

Gwen- Ashnikko and My Chemical Romance Miles- 100 gecs and Oingo Boingo Sloane- PUP and The Cure Hiro- Gorillaz and Maximum the Hormone Bea- AFI and The Used -Do you have any voice claims for the cast?

I’d mostly want them to be played by actual teenagers. But I have a couple in mind that I think could work—

Gwen I could see Valeria Rodriguez (Lagoona and Spectra on the current MH series) Miles maybe someone like Zeno Robinson (Hunter Owlhouse) Sloane I have no idea, but definitely a VO who’s non binary who can sound like a strong leader.

With Hiro and Bea it’s impossible to not hear Dante Basco and Grey Griffin in my head. The Jocks I would kill to cast any actor from Riverdale I could get my hands on. The rest I have no idea.

-What are the character's pronouns/orientations? Gwen- She/Her Miles- He/Him Sloane- They/Them Hiro- He/him Bea- She/Her Jarrahdale- She/Her Headless Horse Kid- He/Him Fritz- They/Them Whitney- She/Her Hazel- She/Her Kyle- He/Him Dom- He/Him Ester- She/Her In general I don't want to define their sexual orientations. I'm an aroace author and it's not something I'm interested in writing about. Ideally, I'd like to give the audience room to project themselves onto the characters. Don't get me wrong this book is QUEER and themes of identity are important, just don't expect any kissing in the canon story. Headcanons on the other hand, go nuts!!! The Jocks however, are all bi or pan. Can I get HELLAWEEN in ____ country/language?

Getting it published outside of the US is not out of the question, but at the moment I don't have any concrete info on that. I've heard folks have had good luck getting the book through their country's Amazon site or Bookshop.org Can I draw fanart/make my own playlists/write fanfiction/make a character?

oh my GOD yes ART Who are your artistic inspirations?

Jhonen Vasquez and Aaron Alexovich, FLCL, Jamie Hewlett, The Muppets, Mike Mignola, Mob Psycho 100, Rem's Devil's Candy, early Tim Burton, 2000's Neopets, Pokemon, plus online artists I’ve looked up to for years or grew up drawing with. What programs do you use?

Comics- Clipstudio Paint Sketching- Procreate Storyboarding- Storyboard Pro Writing- Final Draft/Google Docs What ink markers do you use in your sketchbook?

Copic markers, pentel pocket brush, pilot brush pens, micron fine liners Check out my episode of Creative Block!

[bearlyfunctioning]

Don’t panic ‘The Bear Minimum’ will still show up every now and again, just a lot less than it used to. This is a continuation of my thoughts on the comic I posted here last. I’m just not enjoying making art anymore, like -not at all- & it’s really getting me down. Art is an intrinsic part of my identity, so not wanting to do it feels awful. This reticence has been building for at least 4 years now & as of last year I have been acting on my desire to leave art as a career, before I burn out to a crisp. Please note this is the first time in a long time I am feeling mentally healthy & have the resources to go without my portion of our income for some time (while I try to get IRL work). So, I really need to seize this moment of security to make big life changes. Even if it means we’re going to have to tighten our budget a lot while I try to find work. Some of you may remember that I am attending school full-time for an assistant administration diploma, ideally to have a broad skillset to bring with me while job hunting. I’ll be graduating from that course at the end of May if everything goes as planned. I have been on a commission hiatus since the start of this year to put schooling in action, continuing only with the weekly comic & monthly Patreon exclusive work. This brought my monthly income down to 1/3rdof what it usually is, but that was all I could manage alongside fulltime school. Doing so much less drawing has been incredibly beneficial to my RSI hand pain! For the first time in years, I can go to sleep without restrictive arm braces & I don’t need maintenance from the physiotherapist. I honestly thought that was permanent so I can’t even convey my relief there! However, despite drawing a lot less, my love for making art did not return. I enjoy making comics, but they are a whole lotta line-art & that can be a very repetitive process. Being a comic artist has been extremely good for my growth online; to the point where I owe half or more of my current following to it. Some people don’t even know I draw other things, that’s how good their reach is compared to my other art. Despite that I am going to be taking the comic off schedule. Even if it means sacrificing most or all my Patreon income and kneecapping my reach on every platform. I’ve been making the comic 4 times a month, with little break for 6 years. It started as a good outlet for my thoughts & an exercise in consistency, as I had never had a schedule of any sort prior. Doing the comic weekly was a great lesson in self motivation, but no one is forcing me to continue with it other than me. Plenty of times the deadline came I didn’t have a good idea & just made something I wasn’t proud of, because it was income and because I had just done it every week for so long. If you don’t enjoy my non bear/comic art, then I suppose we’ll part ways. In the end I must do right by me though & I feel like this is the best choice right now. Patrons have been notified on what will be happening over there in their own post.

[wings-of-ink]

If you're still looking for thoughts on Patreon: I haven't subscribed to many Patreons before, but so far it's been for extras + early access. Unfortunately I don't have enough money to subscribe to everyone I want to or for long periods of time, so I normally dip in for 1 or 2 months when something is released, cancel my subscription, and resubscribe at a later date.

It seems like people are willing to pay more for RO content (like side stories & RO POVs), nsfw content, + early access. So those might be ideal to place at higher tiers? I've also seen some creators do tiered early access. Like the highest tier will get the demo update 1 month early, then the next tier 3 weeks early, etc. with the lowest 1 week before it's released to the public. That might make the higher tiers worth it over the lower tiers, instead of giving them all the same amount of early access.

One concern is that some creators get burnout from having to create all the extra content for Patreon. I think a lot of people underestimate how much time & effort it takes and it may not be worth the payoff (depending on how successful the patreon is). I'd also be concerned that with Patreon extra content + multiple new WIPs there won't be much time left for the main game and it's likely progress will slow down. I've seen this happen many times before, even without Patreon it seems like most creators who have multiple WIPs don't end up finishing any of them.

Absolutely, thank you for sharing your thoughts with me, I appreciate that a lot.

The feedback I've had has given me some ideas on how to streamline what I would do. When I've done Patreon for others, I've rotated support between the projects that resonate with me the most as well. There's so many to pick from, I can't blame anyone for popping in once every so often instead of staying subbed. If you have the ability to afford it, more power to you, but most of us just don't.

Those key benefits are really what I'm wanting to focus on. I do like the idea of a tiered early-access too especially for peeps who just want that.

Patreon burnout is something I want to work hard to avoid; I've seen other creators struggle and stop enjoying their arts too. I want to do this in a way that I can produce things for you to enjoy in a way that is still enjoyable for me too. This is my passion and I don't want to turn it into "work."

I have the benefit of probably being less busy than most others who do this, at least as far as I can tell. I'm married with no children and no plans for any either. I'm older, out of college and settled in the drudges of a career. I've been at my job long enough I could do it in my sleep and it doesn't cause me a ton of stress at this point. When I work on the IF or on Tumblr, it's because I want to and it drives me - it's a form of entertainment for me as well. I'd rather do this than watch TV or scroll mindlessly. Even before I started the IF, I'd get comfy and just write something all evening, lol.

I do also have a tendency to take too much on because I get excited, so I'm using the info I've gathered to help me roll things back and keep myself realistic. So, I've determined that anything I do will be reserved to just a few tiers. We can always grow bigger later. I still do plan to rotate up to 3 projects. The second is to keep me from burnout on GC, and the 3rd is simply an outlet for me that I think others will find entertaining as well.

I have some solid time available coming up in October for me to hammer things out more definitely, so I'll be posting more around then about it. ^_^

Thanks again, my dear!

[bejeweledblondie]

The Lakes

Johnny “Soap” MacTavish x F! Reader

Summary: While on leave for a vacation road trip, Y/N & Johnny come across the Windermere Peaks & talk about their future together. Based on “The Lakes” off of Folklore by Taylor Swift

A/N: Miss Swift is a big inspiration for my work she has a huge discography so yeah, legit this is all I want too. If I could resort to living a small cabin in the woods by a beautiful lake I’d be seventh heaven

Warnings: none

“I don’t belong, & my beloved neither do you”

It had been a few years since you & Johnny took a vacation all to yourselves. He had been working overtime consistently for the past few months & finally he was given some time off. You put in for vacation time & the both of you decided on a road trip. There were still parts of the new country you called home you hadn’t seen before & you wanted to see them in a fun way. Johnny & you had been driving all over the UK for the past two weeks. You planned on ending your trip in Edinburgh so he could show you around his favorite locals spots.

Johnny pulled the rental car you two had chosen into the parking lot of the bed & breakfast the two of you were staying at. It was a old Tudor style cottage in the northwest English countryside. You studied literature at university & wanted to see where William Wordsworth spent the final years of his career as a writer. He parked the car & the two of you started to unpack the car. The air was crisp & refreshing compared to the smog that sat over London. You looked up at the cottage, admiring it’s wisteria & ivy that grew along the side of the building.

“Come on love let’s get settled, then we can go for a nice lunch.” Johnny said grabbed your suitcase from your hand. He never let you carry your own luggage. The both of you walked in & were amazed by the decor. Victorian furniture & carved oak woodwork decorated the interior. A small older woman greeted the two of you from the top of the stairs.

“Oh you must be the MacTavish’s!” She said & started down the stairs.

“Yes ma’am, we are.” Johnny replied smiling at her.

“Oh well I am Mrs. Harkness,” She greeted them. “But please call me Rebekah. Come follow me upstairs I’ll show you around & to your rooms.” The more you looked around the home the more you realized this was your ideal home. The cozinesses & tranquility brought a sense of comfort to you. The room Johnny had rented could’ve made you melt into the floor. A marble fireplace with a Edwardian clock faced the art deco style bed with green velvet bedding. “I’ll leave you two, enjoy your stay. Breakfast is from nine to eleven am tomorrow.”

“Oh John,” You sighed looking around the room. “This room is beautiful.”

“I knew you’d love it.” He said smirking to himself as he put your suitcases on the small loveseat that was in the corner of the room. “You want to get some lunch?” He asked. You nodded following him out of the room. After getting a recommendation from Rebekah you guys decided on a small sandwich shop. The both of you decided on a outdoor picnic the autumn air was perfect for it. The two of you picked a willow tree that sat upon a hill over looking the lakes.

“This is perfect John.” You said turning to look at him. He brushed some of the hair that had flown into your face over your ear.

“I know darling.” He replied. You leaned into his touch & he leaned in for a kiss. He placed one hand on your waist deepening the kiss. Once the two of you were coming up for the air you rested your foreheads together.

“This is what I want for us John.” You softly said. “Imagine it, us maybe a sheep dog & two little ones running around. A cottage that overlooks the lakes.” You smiled just at the thought of it. “I want for our little ones to grow up with grass, trees, for them to be adventurous.”

“Just like their mother,” John started & kissed you again.

“More like you Mr. MacTavish.” You replied & booped his nose. You took his hand pressing it to your little now growing baby bump. His large hands started to rub small circles on your stomach. You brought a hand up to his face your finger tips danced along his stubble. Just you wanted to basking this intimate moment for as long as you could.

“God I love you so much.” John whispered.

“I love you most.” You replied kissing him again. “We should get going baby MacTavish has decided they want something sweet.” You giggled.

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

batman recommendation anon!

i've been looking to get back into comics lately so i'd be up for a bigger series

i prefer a more serious tone but typically try to avoid gore simply for the sake of it

i don't know if this is canon to the comic books, but i like the kind of partnership between catwoman and batman in some of the movies

oh, ideal! this is such helpful information, thank you!

bearing in mind that these are some personal preferences, my taste is what it is, more recs are welcome but nobody give me shit about my shit:

Batman: Year One (Frank Miller and Mazzuchelli, 1987) - this is a short, 4-part series that locked down the new official origin story for Batman after Crisis on Infinite Earths. it's pretty serious but not gory, following Bruce and Gordon as joint protagonists as they each struggle through their first year protecting Gotham. Selina is also present whooping Bruce's ass before they ever become Batman or Catwoman, and if you want to see more of her side of things there's a Catwoman mini-series (Mindy Newell, J.J. Birch, and Michael Blair, 1989) that takes place alongside the events of Year One (warning for that one dealing much more heavily with the violence Selina was facing as a sex worker!). also I don't know how important the art is to you but I LOVE the art in year one, it's so moody and evocative and really makes the most of an extremely minimalist palette.

for serious, self-contained stories you really can't do better that Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale's triptych of the Long Halloween (1996), Dark Victory (2000), and When in Rome (2004). the Long Halloween is iconic for a reason, taking you on a tour through Gotham's rogues gallery early in Batman's career when costumed villains are just starting to overtake the old mob families with a newer, much more unpredictable breed of crime. the story is fairly simple - an unknown killer strikes each month on a holiday, and Batman, Gordon, and Harvey Dent are on the case - but sweeping and atmospheric. the sequel, Dark Victory, sees young Dick Grayson added to the Bat-family, and When in Rome follows Selina on a solo adventure to Italy seeking out information about Carmine Falcone. you only need a broad strokes understanding of Batman lore to follow along with the plots here, and Bruce and Selina's relationship in here is interesting and tense because they only know each other as Bruce and Selina, while Batman and Catwoman are still unsure how much they're on the same side. also I just really like how Loeb writes Selina, especially when she gets to be the star in When in Rome.

for a story that is part of the larger Batman narrative at the time but can be read as a standalone, I like Heat (Doug Moench and Russ Heath, 1993)! It's a 4-part story from Legends of the Dark Knight, a series whose rotating cast of writers and artists could introduce a brand new Batman story every few months. Heat is a pretty grounded crime story, featuring Batman, Catwoman, and Gordon all chasing a cat-themed serial killer while Gotham is in the grip of a crushing heatwave. aside from the costumed vigilantism of it all it's a relatively grounded story, with Catwoman dealing with the fallout of being a suspected murderer and Gordon having to quell racial tensions that arise in the city when the serial killer is suspected of being a Black man.

skipping WAY ahead in time, can I tell you about Their Dark Designs (James Tynion IV, Tony S. Daniel, Danny Miki, and Tomeu Morey, 2020). TDD runs from Batman vol. 3 issue #86-94 and is SUCH a fun story, centering on old plans that the Batman's fab four - Catwoman, Joker, Riddler, and Penguin - made in the early days of their crime careers coming back to bite everyone in the ass and rock Gotham to its fucking core. Bruce and Selina's relationship is very central, as she's officially made the leap to be more hero than anti-hero as she works alongside him, and it's very grounded in well-known characters while still serving up just a heap of premium bananagrams comic book bullshit. the plot is convoluted but a lot of fun, I had a great time with it and I infamously don't care for modern comics. this is important: you will be tempted to read what comes immediately after this. it's Joker War, and it's very bad. do not say you weren't warned.

lastly, if you want to get Catwoman-heavy I cannot recommend Catwoman: Lonely City (Cliff Chiang, 2022) nearly enough. although it takes place in a Gotham 20 years after Batman's death, Selina is still heavily influenced by her relationship with him and spends much of the series trying to puzzle out the legacy he left behind. it follows her fresh out of prison in a Gotham where Mayor Harvey Dent has outlawed costumed vigilantes and criminals alike, and you get to see Selina fighting to rebuild her life when the entire world around her has changed. you get middle-aged versions of classic characters - Selina, Dent, Barbara Gordon, Killer Croc, the Riddler - and some sparkling original characters - Edie Nygma, my beloved!!! - taking on a world after Batman, once again requiring very minimal knowledge on behalf of the reader to just sit back and enjoy the world. also, I'd be remiss if I didn't point out that Cliff Chiang's art if fucking gorgeous.

[princeblack]

it’s not long before the wedding now and tensions are high, the planning of the ceremony taking up everyone’s time. it’s winter break so it’s only a week away now, salem staying with regulus, both because the wedding is so soon and because he’s never letting her go back to her mother, knowing that she’d most likely be hurt if she did.

it’s their first dinner back and it’s a big event, walburga inviting some of the neighboring wizarding families and organizing a small feast. during the day everyone gathers in the garden, dressed in high end clothing and drinking enchanted alcohol, most everyone in good spirits. orion and one of his friends take turns playing music on the piano, giving background music to the party. there’s wizard chess and even owl racing, some of the adults bringing their children as well. they use the bigger dining table, the one in the garden, to magically set out the feast when it’s time for dinner.

regulus gets drunk faster than he should, playing two truths and a lie with salem to get to know each other more (and taking a shot every time one of them gets something wrong). he guides her through the garden to show her all of his favorite pieces of art, his fingers intertwined with hers as he explains each sculpture. this is her second night staying here and he didn’t get to spend enough time showing her everything last time, gettng cut off by their parents before he was done.

it’s hard to keep his eyes off of his bride-to-be, looking so beautiful in the black, lacey outfit she chose alongside his own. his coat and pants are black silk, matching the dark color of his lace material top, slightly unbuttoned to show off his chest and the silver necklaces layered upon it. his dark curls look even darker against the outfit, the silver snake choker glinting on his neck. their clothing seems to draw eyes, especially from the handful of guests that are their age, regulus and salem knowing them from hogwarts. astoria and daphne had even said hi earlier, speaking to them for a moment before regulus had guided salem off to look at more art.

by the time they make it to the dining table, he’s smiling faintly, glad that she seems to enjoy it here even if there’s still a lot that’s unfamiliar. he pulls her chair out for her, allowing her to sit before he takes his own seat next to her. at first things go smoothly, everyone filing over until most of the party is participating in dinner (roast beef, vegetables, dinner rolls and various other appetizers). orion introduces salem to one of the families they’re closer to and they make small talk, mrs. greengrass even asking salem about her own career plans for the future. regulus can feel orion listening raptly to salem’s response, knowing this is one of the things his father is a stickler about. he wants regulus to work in the ministry with him and he lets his father believe he will for now, still not giving it a lot of thought yet.

by the end of the party, regulus is drunk enough that he’s feeling it as people start to leave, kind of wanting to sneak off with salem but getting caught by his mother and asked to join them inside for dessert. he agrees somewhat reluctantly, tugging his fiance along until they’re in the dining room inside, the table already set with chocolate gateau and whipped cream.

at first dessert goes well too, orion telling them about some vacation the malfoys are on and how they sent souvenirs, but eventually he finds out why his mother really set up a family only dessert. “i wanted to talk about your plans together, as a couple,” walburga starts, her dark brown eyes finding salem briefly before moving to her son. “how you’re planning on behaving, and representing us… we decided that salem is to move in here, so certain family ideals need to be upheld. right, regulus, dear?”

regulus’s good mood evaporates as soon as he hears the tone she’s speaking in, picking up on the way she looked over at salem for a little too long. “like what, making sure the hedges are trimmed a certain way? extending a pinky finger when we take a drink?” he shouldn’t be joking about it but it’s hard to answer her seriously when he’s kind of wasted, a smile on his lips. 

“regulus,” orion warns, but he can hear a hint of amusement in his father’s voice. he probably knows what walburga is about to say, and it doesn’t help that he’s also been drinking so he isn’t taking it very seriously at the moment either.

his response clearly frustrates her, dark eyes narrowing a bit. “very funny. no, i’m talking about how it’s already going to look to people that she’s staying here before the marriage ceremony… this isn’t how normal pureblood families do things. we’re bending our rules to suit your demands, so i think it’s only fair to ask things in return…”

“we’re bending the rules because salem isn’t returning to stacy’s home,” regulus interjects sharply. “that’s non-negotiable. i won’t have my fiance be in harm’s way.” his parents know vaguely about why they’re cutting stacy off and orion fully supports it, agreeing that a husband shouldn’t allow something like that (and that it would make their family look bad anyway, if it got out). his mother had been more quiet, seeming as if she finds the situation disasteful but not enough to argue against it, ultimately agreeing with her husband.

walburga’s mouth is set in a hard line before she continues, looking irritated at the tone he’s taking. “be that as it may, we should go over family expectations. starting with the first one, i expect a certain level of respect from both of you when under my roof together. you’ll act in a way that would reflect well upon us if anyone else in the village were to see.” her voice is stiff, as if she’s holding back something that’s making her more upset.

regulus isn’t in the state to analyze what she means, her words rolling off of him because of his inebriation. “luckily for you, mother, i left my ‘i love muggles’ t-shirt back at hogwarts, so…” “that’s more than enough, regulus,” his father interjects, voice strict and a little cold as he glances over at his wife in concern. he knows how things go when walburga and regulus fight, and how inconsolable she gets. “perhaps we should have this conversation a bit later, when the drinking has worn off, walburga.”

“no,” she says coldly, and there’s full anger in her eyes now as she looks between them. “you won’t speak to me that way.” she seems a little taken aback, probably because this doesn’t ever happen, regulus tending to keep an agreeable tone with her. something about the intoxication mixed with his protectiveness of salem is making him act out, feeling annoyed and very much like whatever his mother is displeased about doesn’t make any logical sense. 

regulus glances over at salem to make sure she’s okay, the room a little twisty because he can’t seem to get sober even as he reaches over to chug some water from his goblet. “mother…” he can feel her about to launch into another demand, already hating the slight tremble in her voice. / @ghstdoll

[dreamofmetoday]

CHISA IN DEPTH PERSONALITY READING

profile: the pursuer ♡

chisa is someone with a very active energy - someone who finds enjoyment in a lot of things but is also easily bored, so she keeps herself busy with a wide range of interests. new hobbies will attract her quite easily and she will have a lot of phases, i wouldn’t be surprised if further into her career this is what she’s known for by fans. for example, she could have things like, a lego building phase, an oil pastels art phase, an origami phase, a knitting phase, a baking phase etc. she will be quite invested and enthusiastic while her interest is piqued and can become quite skilled in most of her hobbies. even if she is only interested in some of them for short periods, she always wants to be trying something. 

this also extends to her interests and overall activeness in general, she wants to be doing a lot of things and finds a lot of things enjoyable. for example, if she likes reading it is unlikely she sticks to one or even two genres, she might have phases, but she will always want variety or, if she likes movies, then she watches all kinds. she can also usually adapt to what others want to do because she likes doing most things. for example, she can enjoy going to a party at 1am as much as she enjoys waking up at 6am to do yoga - she actually feels she needs these varied activities as time passes (she can’t stick to one way of living for too long).

chisa is pretty chatty and is the person in group settings who keeps everyone in a good mood and wants people laughing, even as i was doing this reading chisa was very happy and excited to do it, eager to talk and form a connection. she is a witty, charming conversationalist and storyteller. she tries to be understanding of different personality types and is a reliable figure in her loved one’s lives. on the downside, she can compromise too easily - others are able to appeal to her emotions rather easily, and if she happens to be dealing with particularly dominating personality types, she can be walked over and behave in a way she doesn’t truly agree with (will change her opinion to fit theirs, change some of her behaviours etc.). being too idealistic about people in general can also cause her problems (more so when relationships become closer, when she sees you pretty often) - when people go against what she believed of them she can be unforgiving (leaving the other person shocked since they feel they did nothing wrong), but she can also give way too much to people who wouldn’t give her the same energy in return. 

chisa wants to be someone who believes in true love, she wants to wooed and have a fairytale romance. however, there’s a few reasons why this is complicated for her. one, when relationships get difficult or past the honeymoon stage she has the tendency to run away (and then reminisce on the relationship and wonder why it went “wrong”). two, she has a lot of needs and desires, meaning what she seeks in a partner is prone to fluctuation - her ideal type changes frequently, when in a relationship she can suddenly switch up and go, “actually, i don’t want the practical and steady type anymore. i need someone more spontaneous”. three, she can be far too compromising too quickly (trying to adapt herself to her partners wants and needs), so she sometimes needs to end (or at least take a break from) the relationship in order to regain her independence.

she should also be aware of beginning to undermine people (especially women) she views as competition. even if someone isn't necessarily a threat, when her insecurities are getting the best of her she can start to lash out (just underhandedly) - she looks at what other women have and can do and compares it to what she doesn’t have and can’t do.

chisa also likes attention and money a lot. this is good for her career because she genuinely enjoys being in the type of position where she can be admired, looked at and praised and if it all goes to plan, her job is also high-paying. this is negative because as her career progresses she has the ability to become more and more materialistic and out of touch (especially as she experiences romantic and friendship failures). this will cause her to become less open and cheery and her focus will become very, almost solely, oriented on career and acquiring wealth. this is an area where she should really put in an active effort to keep herself in check. but overall, she is very hardworking and consistent in order to achieve her goals and material wants. she will even work when she doesn’t have to.

lastly, chisa is someone who can understand a lot of information. she can understand different points of view and also has an innate understanding of how life works in general. in this sense, she is highly independent - “we’re born alone and we die alone” vibes. she wants to be loyal to others and for others to be loyal to her but she knows that at the end of the day, we only have ourselves and no one can hold her hand in life - she must make the proactive effort to be her own person and do what she wants, so she does this to the best of her ability and tries to make the most out of what life has to offer.

[valerileygreen]

this has everything to do with the beautiful boys you put on my feed on a daily basis xD what are your headcanons/ideas on arthur and eames firefighter!AU .. would the both be in that profession or would one of them be a medic? how would they be? Have fun! Xoxo

Hello darling! This is a really fun question!

I can see both of them as firefighters, it's the sort of chaos they both thrive in.

I'd say Arthur would be dual certified as a paramedic too, because he's just that sort of selfless overachiever (I don't know if it's actually a thing but in any case if someone can pull it off it's him). This way he can more swiftly and efficiently reach people in need, aiding them on the spot even if the scene isn't 100% safe yet, since he's trained to deal with riskier situations too.

Ideally this AU is going to be set in New York or some other place where one can work as both without having to choose only one career path (and let's ignore the fact Eames is British, for the sake of this AU he obviously moved to the US at some point in his life). But if he had to choose, I think Arthur would ultimately lean more towards medic. He's just so naturally caring and nurturing and has the right sort of patience, I think it would be his true calling. Maybe he'd miss the sheer adrenaline rush of running into fire at times (he's an adrenaline junkie after all), but with his training he'd be called to perform some more daring rescues when patients are in immediate danger, so there's that.

Now, as to how they came to be in this profession, I must admit I don't have a set idea, I have too many and I like them all, but I'll limit myself to what I think more plausible for them.

For Arthur I have the most varied headcanons for some reason. If we stick to the background I usually give him in canon that he comes from a family where money is tight, his real dream would have been to become a doctor, but since they had no means to put him through med school he decided being a paramedic was the next best thing since it's just as important and vital. I also really like him being a military brat but ultimately choosing to help people in a different, non-violent way, his own way. I like these scenarios because I like the idea of Arthur having always been sure of his own path in life and career, but actually I think my favourite may be the one where Arthur really joined the army for whatever reason, but then got badly injured and had to be discharged. He felt lost and directionless for a while but eventually decided he neded to start over completely, he moved from Chicago to New York and applied to become a paramedic, because emergency treatment on the field is what saved his life and he wanted to give others the same chance he got.

As for Eames I think it wasn't something he really thought about at any point in his life, he just sort of stumbled upon it. As a boy Eames always dreamed of grand adventures growing up, but unfortunately his father was very strict and had his children's paths already planned out to be successful in his business. With this premise there are 2 possibilities (apparently I'm unable to just stick to one hc, sorry): the first is that Eames actually tried to follow his father's wishes, always craving for his approval, and went to study business or something. It was too dull for him though, he felt like it was sucking the life out of him even with the help of his art minor. He endured for a while, till his dorm caught fire and the firefighters had to rescue him, as he made sure others were able to escape before he did so himself, getting stuck. And he was awestruck, so much so that a little while later he quit uni and applied to become a firefighter. In the second scenario he ran away from home right after school and became some sort of petty criminal, but one night he saw a building on fire and heard screams, and instinctively rushed inside and was able to save a kid trapped there. It changed his life because for the first time he felt he was doing something good and important with his life and he felt good with himself (this is heavily inspired by an episode of NCIS I rewatched yesterday).

As for the relationship between them, well... I think it's a given they wouldn't get along at first, they're too competitive and their styles are too different, and the sexual tension and physical attraction doesn't help. Eames thought Arthur was a stick-in-the-mud too attached to rules and doing things by-the-book (which is only partly true and it's mostly out of concern for everyone involved), and Arthur thought Eames was too flashy and only interested in the glory of spectacular and overly dangerous rescues (absolutely not true though he does use his more unusual skillsets sometimes). Also, while Eames is just a firefighter he has a penchant for understanding people and have them admit things, so maybe he sometimes helps by talking to uncooperative patients/witnesses, something Arthur didn't appreciate at first, thinking it was a slight at him, that Eames thought he wasn't good at his job. They both care a lot about the people and have good instincts and follow them, they just start from different opints of view, though it took them a while to realize that, and being buried under a collapsed building for hours alone with only each other for company and help while waiting. After that they became friends but it would take even more time for them to take their heads out of their assess and admit their feelings for each other.

[udon-udon]

anyway, depresso vent post again

not sure if it's just a coinkidink but god, i've been getting depresso BEFORE my pre-period PMS which sucks cause i get twice the depresso come on man wtf

but anyway, idk things have been triggering me a lot lately and idk if it's cause of the stress of all the things i have to do + lack of art career direction + seeing everyone advance and im not advancing/feeling like im being left behind + the stress from work + internal battles and issues i haven't solved yet that i keep gaslighting myself that i've solved but clearly they are not solved + the existing family issues. I feel like yeah most likely that's causing my additional wave of depresso but i also hate that it just comes out of nowhere. I was pumped and all cause I started going to the gym and then suddenly i'm like falling to the floor help ive fallen and can't get up.

i'm also not much of a crier, i hate crying simply cause it takes a lot of energy so i don't really cry much unless im super frustrated or wtvr, but i've been finding myself wanting to cry more so than ever, starting from a few months ago????? I still try not to cause i hate crying, but theres always that tight feeling in my throat like i want to cry u know. And yes, I know crying it out is good for you, but ugh.

I also have been yet again putting a shit ton of more stuff on my plate than I should be what's new, and that's also causing stress as well cause I want to do so many things but I obviously don't have the time for it. I'm still slowly chipping away at my art commissions and I planned on having them done by Feb 1 but i dont think that's gonna happen.... But after art commissions is art print grind cause I need to overhaul my old anime convention art prints... And then I had the idea of creating a side brand that sells only udon related merch (so less anime, and more cute) and because it's a whole new brand, there's a lot of effort/designing/money to be put in and.... that's... more things to do in so little time. Why do I do this to myself. I still really want to do it though!!!! But at what cost, udon... at what cost....

And of course, seeing people be successful makes me feel down cause I don't have what they have and they have what I want yada yada insert pitiful stuff. I'm happy for these people but obvs i can't help but be envious and my brain being like "you're never gonna be enough/never gonna get what they have" and then i want to stab a knife in my brain hello. It's hard to see my own successes when I keep looking at other people's successes, which sucks, cause I've done a lot of cool things, but I keep unregistering them because it's not my ideal success or something idk

Also I think what mostly triggered this month's mood swing is seeing/feeling that someone's leaving me (?) Seeing someone I enjoy being with happier/enjoying someone else's company more. And I'm being totally irrational with that because ofc there are so many other factors. I can't control what other people feel/do and I'm not the center of the universe!!! But in this/that moment it makes me feel like I'm not enough, that I'm boring or wtvr, not loved. And we all know how much I struggle with that 🤪 basically my abandonment issues kicking in, but also my brain being really irrational

I guess this month's theme is I feel like I'm not enough :' ) and also way too many things on my plate yet again, and the stress that I kind of forgot during the December holiday catching back up to me again :)

[houseofhurricane]

Against Nostalgia | Chapter Eight

Summary: Fifteen years after the end of the second war against Voldemort, Hermione Granger is invited to Hogwarts for a one-year appointment as the professor for History of Magic, forcing her to take a break from a successful career at the Ministry of Magic. Draco Malfoy, meanwhile, is Hogwarts’ Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. He’s a former Auror, despite the fact that he still bears the Dark Mark. Though there’s mutual distrust between them, sparks quickly fly between Hermione and Draco…sometimes literally. And although the war is long over, it doesn’t take an interest in History of Magic to see that history is intent on repeating. Between them, Hermione and Draco have the power to shatter the world they know. Or, maybe, the could make it into something new. (Imagine if they fell in love at the same time.)

Pairing: Dramione

Word Count: 5,923

Chapter Summary: Everyone is some combination of hot and/or bothered in this chapter.

Thank you to @iftheshoef1tz​ + @poisonivy206​ + Carter + Farrah + Gillian for beta reading this. You all are the epitome of squad goals. All mistakes, as always, are my own.

Thank you all for the love and support on this fic! I hope you enjoy this chapter 🧡

You can read Against Nostalgia on Archive of Our Own.

The next few weeks fall into a rhythm that, if not quite ideal, is more than bearable. Hermione settles in to teaching, trying to be contented with the fact that approximately half of her History of Magic students are listening. She consoles herself with the fact that she’s given some really good lectures in Contemporary History of Magic, with McGonagall sitting in, actually rapt, when she spoke about the duel between Grindelwald and Dumbledore, the specifics and the implications for the years between the war. Her next lecture, about what Voldemort learned from Grindelwald, is even better.

Every evening before dinner, Malfoy uses a spell to hoist her in the air by her ankles, and Hermione works to break herself out. Within three days, she’s learned to master her panic, and a day later, she can reverse the spell wordlessly. But casting the countercurses without a wand proves more difficult. Another week passes, and then two, and Hermione’s mind goes bright and blank.

“Why don’t you try thinking of your poetry?” Draco suggests as they walk to dinner after two weeks of unsuccessful effort.

“Didn’t it take you a month to figure out how to break these curses without a wand?” she asks, adjusting the bag on her shoulder. She’s caught up on her grading, and she’s made her recommendations for Rebeca’s proposal on Muggle relations, and she’s somehow still waiting for the literature on security wards. So despite the fact that Hermione still has plenty of books in her satchel, tonight it is mostly filled with sheet music.

She’s going to slip off to the piano room as soon as dinner is over.

Malfoy looks bemused at whatever he sees on her face. “I would have thought hearing about my record would make you want to beat it in half the time.”

“I’m planning to catch you off your guard,” she informs him with unearned asperity. She hasn’t bested him in any more duels. That hasn’t stopped her from practising diligently. Not only spells, either: Hermione has begun rising early in the mornings to run around the Hogwarts castle in the exercise clothes she bought with Ginny in Muggle London last year. Her bright yellow trainers look more than a bit ridiculous on the castle grounds, but she’s been able to dodge nearly all of Malfoy’s spells since she started her runs.

“That will take longer than the time you have left at Hogwarts.”

She frowns, because it suddenly seems as if her return to the Ministry in July is too near. Then she changes the subject. “Have you heard any more about this threat against me?”

Read the rest on AO3.

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