#so not really something we're likely to be able to do regularly but at least it's something I know we do enjoy

[thethingything]

so we finally got round to trying to do a little bit of sewing and I embroidered a little ant onto a drawing glove we haven't used in ages as a kind of trial run, and it was so fun and went so much better than I expected, but at the same time holy shit and hour and a half of sewing has a very similar effect on our body to doing a 9 hour long drawing session. like I feel the same way I did after finishing an animation in 9 hours on the first day of Art Fight last year.

but look at this! little embroidered ant!

I genuinely really enjoyed the process of sewing it though. it's one of those activities that has just the right combination of repetitive movements and needing to focus just enough that it's really engaging but you can still let your mind wonder, and I would absolutely do this regularly if I physically could

[gentlethorns]

sigh. i love being chronically ill and not really knowing the root cause. like yeah i have pcos, inflammatory arthritis, degenerative disc disease, but i personally have an opinion that these things are all linked by something that is not diagnosed yet. there are other symptoms and shit i experience that don't have diagnoses yet that i also feel are connected. but even if i had a diagnosis it wouldn't change that i always feel like shit anyway. literally it's always something whether it's that i feel nauseous or have a debilitating headache or my neck is so tense i can't turn my head or my back is stiff and painful or the nerves in my spine are compressed and causing pain or my hormones are fucked up and making me miserable or etc etc etc. i think back to three or four years ago when i was able to be active and social and engage in hobbies bc i was healthy and not in constant moderate to severe pain and that person from back then is someone i don't even recognize anymore. i don't know if she's who i am and current me is the stranger or if the person i am now is who i'll be for the rest of my life.

[frenchkisstheabyss]

♡ Ｇｉｒｌ Ｕｎｄｅｒ Ｙｏｕ ♡

♡ Pairings: gynecologist!seonghwa! x chubby!afab!reader

♡ Genre: smut/fluff

♡ Summary: Scheduling your yearly check up with your OBGYN can be nerve-wracking. Especially when your doctor's Park Seonghwa. Finally getting up the courage to visit, you do all you can to conceal the not so appropriate feelings you have towards him. Not only is it inappropriate but he surely doesn't feel the same. Right?

♡ Word Count: 3.2k-ish

♡ Warnings: reader has a vagina and identifies as a woman. we're at the OBGYN so this is ultra vagina city. pervy Dr. Park Seonghwa, you too are a perv tbh it's mutual, shy/touch starved reader, body worship, nipple/breast play, fingering (gentle & rough), unprotected sex, cum marking, pet names (sweetheart, good girl, baby, etc), a lil rough sex, oral sex (f receiving), nonsexual use of the word slut (not in a bad way), it gets bitey for a second, examination kink, soft dom Hwa vibes.

♡ A/N: Listen, I can explain. It's all on @anyamaris for encouraging me to begin with. Blame her!

Important note: If you have a vagina go get it checked out regularly. Your doctor will certainly not be Seonghwa dicking you down BUT it's an important and sometimes life saving appointment sooo make it or I'll fight you. K, love you, bye ♡

♡ ♡ ♡ “I wanna be that guy. I'll wreck you right up, guy. I'll lie down face up, guy. The girl under you, guy.” ~ Lady Gaga ~ ♡♡ ♡

“Date of your last period? Any abnormal cramping or bleeding? Any chance of pregnancy?” the nurse fires off questions, tapping your answers into the laptop balanced on her hip.

Sitting on the exam table, your feet dangling off the edge, you try not to get whiplash from how quickly she whirls around the room loading a tray with supplies for your exam. The office is unexpectedly short staffed today, forcing her to play the role of nurse and human octopus. You understand how overwhelmed she must be but pray that she stops soon. Your anxiety was already bad enough coming in here. This nervous energy is not helping. 

“Last question, honey” she says, turning to face you, “Oh, have you been sexually active recently?” She cracks a playful smile, clearly expecting your answer to be something that it isn’t.

“No” you mumble, avoiding eye contact. Look at how shiny those tile floors are. Has this exam table always been this cushy? Such a marvelous generic art print that is hanging by the door.

The nurse’s eyes widen, a hand clutched to her chest in shock, “You went to Coachella and didn’t get laid?” 

“Nurse Kim! Can we not today?” you pout, in no mood to have this conversation right now. 

Being a longtime patient here has a lot of perks. Getting closer to the nurses especially has been great for you. I mean, who doesn’t like getting the appointment slot they want every single time? But the drawback is that they like you enough to pick on you. Maybe it’s their way of breaking you out of your shell, getting you to be less shy, but you wish they wouldn’t. 

Nurse Kim shrugs, miming the zipping of her lips, “Okay, okay. I’ll mind my business.” Placing the supplies on the table, she grabs you a fresh hospital blue medical gown. “You know the deal, right? No shoes, no bra…” 

You nod along with her instructions, hopping down to kick your sneakers off. Finally she finishes and heads for the door to give you some privacy. “The doctor will be in shortly. Let me know if you need anything” she says, stopping halfway out the door. “You really didn’t bang anyone at Coachella. Wow. Girl, you’ve got to learn to live a little. You’re too hot not to slut it up!” 

“Thank you so much for everything. Goodbye. Bye!” you laugh, inching the door shut until she’s on the other side of it. 

Alone at last, you’re able to get out of your clothes and into your gown in peace and quiet. Well, “peace” might not be the word to describe what you’re feeling but at least you’re able to panic in silence. 

You really shouldn’t be as nervous as you are. You’ve been coming to this office for years. Everyone’s kind and welcoming. They always make sure you’re comfortable and taken care of. There’s definitely no part of you they haven’t seen so you have nothing to be ashamed of. Still there’s one thing—one major, heart pounding, pulse quickening thing—that makes you too nervous to function every time you’re here.

Your phone vibrates in your purse and you contemplate not answering but dig it out anyway figuring a little distraction can’t hurt. Unlocking your phone, you spot a text from your best friend. 

It reads: “Did you see Hot Doctor yet?” 

You giggle to yourself, typing back to her. “His name’s Seonghwa and not yet. Still waiting.”

“On a first name basis are we? Seonghwa. That’s even hot to say.”

“Dr. Park, I mean. His name is hot to say though. He’s hot. I fucking hate it.”

“Just give him your number already!”

“Sure. While he’s swabbing me I’ll be all ‘Hey, Dr. Park. Wanna go to lunch?’”

Your best friend responds with a meme of Megan thee Stallion sticking her tongue out. “Plot twist. The lunch is between my legs, daddy!”

You’re choking back laughter and tears, scrolling your phone for the perfect meme to send back when there’s a knock at the door. You nearly jump out of your skin, shoving your phone back into your purse. 

“Come in!” you shout, returning to the exam table just in time for the doctor to step in.

Everything moves in slow motion when Park Seonghwa enters the room. Ahem, Dr. Park. He is, as you and your best friend have come to call him, a hot doctor. The hottest doctor you’ve ever seen. His dark wavy hair’s pulled back into a high ponytail, loose pieces hanging to frame a face too gorgeous to look directly at. His bone structure’s immaculate, his lips soft and pink, and his voice… 

“Long time no see. How’s my favorite patient been?” he says, flashing that killer smile of his. That voice. That smile. It makes you want to faint. 

You laugh it off, hoping not to come off as flustered as you are. “Dr. Park, I’m not your favorite patient.”

Seonghwa takes a seat on a nearby rolling stool and spins his way over to you, making a cute woo noise when he does. It gets a giggle out of you which is exactly what he wanted. 

“Who says you aren’t?” he asks, sliding in closer, his hands disappearing behind your legs.

It’s hard to breathe when he’s this close, staring up at you from between your legs. The smell of his cologne dances around you, a sweet woodsy scent that you imagine might smell even better on top of you. Just the thought awakens a familiar tingle between your thighs that threatens to make you wet the crinkly paper blanket beneath you if you carry on like this. You know that you shouldn’t feel this way. He’s a doctor. He’s just doing his job. And here you are perving over him. 

“Dr. Park, anything else you need me to grab?” Nurse Kim asks, popping back into the room. Her appearance snaps you out of your trance and you force a smile to keep things normal. If you weren’t brain rotted and horny you'd swear Seonghwa had been reading your reaction that whole time. That he saw the effect he had on you and seemed somehow amused by it. But that’s factually insane. Get it together. 

The foot rests behind your legs, the reason Seonghwa reached back there to begin with, unfold with a creak. “No, I think we’re good” he answers before turning back to you, “Lay back for me and put your feet up. We’ll be done in no time, okay?” You follow his instructions, laying back on the table, readjusting yourself however he asks you to.

Closing your eyes, you rest your hands on your belly, impatiently waiting for this to be over. Though Seonghwa’s interest in what’s between your legs is purely medical, the fact remains that you hope he doesn’t find it ugly. You shaved for this, used this nice pH balancing rose water soap on it. You did everything but put makeup on it and throw it in a dress. You feel kinda silly now thinking back on it but your brain isn’t exactly logical when it comes to him. 

A few cranks of a speculum and cotton swabs later you’re done with the first part of your exam. “Good girl, you did well. The hardest part’s over” he praises, swapping his latex gloves out for a new pair. Your heart skips a beat at being called a “good girl”. He didn’t mean it that way but your body can’t differentiate between reality and how devastatingly sexy that was. Seonghwa turns to address the nurse and you quickly press your thighs together for some relief.

“I’ll send these off and go set up for the next patient” Nurse Kim says, grabbing your samples. She turns to smile at you one last time before disappearing from the room. “Remember what I said” she whispers, “Slut. It. Up.” Unfortunately, of all the things she’s skilled at whispering isn’t one of them and Seonghwa hears her.

Rising from his seat, he walks alongside you, stopping when he reaches your chest. “Just lower your gown for me for a second.”

You do as you’re told, carefully rolling your gown below your breasts. “So, slut it up, huh? What’s that about?” he teases, cold hands cupping one of your soft breasts. You inhale sharply at the contact, a thankfully normal reaction to cold hands touching you. Though for you it’s more that they’re his hands than anything.

“She thinks I need to get laid” you blurt out, caught off guard by your own bluntness.

Seonghwa raises an eyebrow, his fingertips pushing gently into your breast. “I’ll have to talk to her about that. She shouldn’t be judging people for their life choices.”

“I mean, it’s not really a life choice. I’m just not…I’m not a girl who…” you ramble, shutting yourself up immediately after realizing what you’re saying. Seonghwa pauses, glancing over at you, two fingers circling the perimeter of your nipple. It stiffens at the closeness, your touch starved body grateful for the attention. 

“Not a girl who what?” Seonghwa asks, genuinely interested.

It doesn’t seem that he’ll keep going if you don’t answer so you give in. “I don’t know, guys just don’t hit on me I guess. I’m not that girl.”

Seonghwa continues his examination, flattening his fingers at the base of your breast and dragging them up to your nipple. They bounce back each time, looking rounder and fuller as if he’s worked some magic on them.

“I don’t think that’s necessarily it” he sighs, moving on to the other breast, “A lot of men are intimidated by beautiful women.” 

Beautiful women? Did Park Seonghwa just call you a “beautiful woman”?

“B-beautiful?” you stutter, at a loss for what to do with yourself, “That’s really nice of you but I’m not…”

Seonghwa can’t help but smile at how adorable you are when he compliments you. You’re as good at concealing it as Nurse Kim is at whispering. Seonghwa knows that you’re attracted to him. To be fair, a lot of his patients are, but you are truthfully his favorite. Always so beautiful, always so easy to tease, and such a pretty pretty pussy that’s always wet for him. 

“But you are” he insists, both hands cradling your breast, thumbs running up the side, “You must have a mirror at home, no?” 

“Dr. Park, are you trying to make me blush?” you ask, propping yourself up on your elbows. 

The pads of his thumbs graze your hardening nipple and your back arches, a whimper lighter than air escaping your lips. You catch Seonghwa quickly nibbling at his bottom lip, his eyes glimmering at the shock and pleasure painting your face. You caught him. You saw it this time. Really saw it. 

Seonghwa knows he should stop here, end the examination, and send you on your way before he does something stupid. It’s just…that little moan you let out? It’s a melody he’s been fantasizing about since the first time you laid across his table. He has to hear it again.

“I don’t know. Is it, aaah…” he breathes in, one of his thumbs circling the tip of your bud, “Is it working?” 

Slipping his left hand back across your chest, he palms your other breast, pinching your sensitive nipple each time he rolls his wrist.

“Yes, it…oh god…it’s working” you mewl, your mouth falling open, moans pouring out at the perfect volume for only the two of you to hear.

Your feet tremble in the foot rests, your legs still spread to leave your dripping, vulnerable pussy exposed to the cool air of the room. Hypnotized by the sight of Seonghwa playing with your tits, high off the electric current it sends through your body, it’s easy to forget that you actually came here for a reason. 

“I should probably finish your exam” Seonghwa whispers, doing his best to ignore the hard cock pressing against his slacks. Your body may be tempting but it is technically his job to make sure you’re healthy too. His hands gradually cease their movement, gliding down to do away with the gown that was hardly hiding to your naked body.

“Fuck, look at you” he gasps, massaging your squishy belly, tracing your love handles, and rounding the curve of your hip to reach your thigh. His fingers dig into your thigh, savoring their softness all the way up to your core.

His gaze travels back up your body to those starry doe eyes that hang on his every move, “Think I’ll need the lube or are you already wet enough for me, baby?”

Seonghwa rubs two fingers along your slit, collecting your arousal on the tip of his glove. He brings them to his mouth, extending his long tongue to lick your juices up.

“Mmm, you have no idea how long I’ve wanted to taste you” he hums, taking his time to enjoy the taste of you on his tongue. 

“Dr. Park, please…” you beg, thighs pressing together again, the need for his touch unbearable. 

“Oh, I’m sorry, sweetheart” he apologizes, his fingers immediately returning to their place between your legs. “You want me to finger that perfect little cunt?” 

“Yes, please, I want…need it so bad.” 

Seonghwa brings his lips to yours, your eyes gleaming with lust as they meet, “You need it, baby? That bad, huh?” 

Two gloved fingers push into you, your pussy welcoming them with the tightest of hugs. “Fuck, yes, so good” you whine into his mouth as you begin to ride his fingers. Seonghwa dips his tongue between your lips, your mouths passionately crashing together. You grab the collar of his white coat, drawing him closer to deepen the kiss as his fingers work your core. Inside of you his fingers stimulate spots men who aren’t in his line of work wouldn’t even know existed. Some you didn’t even know could bring you such pleasure until now.

Your eyes squeeze shut, elbows giving out from under you, “Harder, Dr. Park, wanna feel you so deep.” 

Seonghwa catches your head before it can hit the cushion beneath you, lowering it down carefully as he draws another kiss from your lips. “Only if you promise to be a good girl and be quiet for me.” 

“I p-promise. Quiet. I’ll be…” you moan, throwing your hands over your mouth when he suddenly picks up the pace. Shifting between your legs, he tucks a hand behind your right knee and pushes it to your chest. Your palms are sweating, fingers locked together to keep you from screaming. Seonghwa’s fingers are much deeper than you thought they could go and his pace is too unforgiving for you to brace yourself for any of it.

“Ssh, ssh, you’re getting too loud, baby” he teases, coming in to kiss your inner thigh. Your juices stream down his fingers, soaking the thin paper beneath you. Hating to waste something so delicious, he begins licking around his own fingers. Between your lips. Around your clit. Anywhere his fingers send it splashing, he licks it clean. 

Your hands begin to slip from your mouth, your poor wrecked little body going too limp to keep it together. Thinking quickly, you bite down on your hand just enough to keep the noise in but you aren’t sure how long it’ll last. You’re dangerously close to coming. You can feel it and Seonghwa does too. Your hole’s so greedy, sucking him in and refusing to let go. It’s just begging to come but he won’t let it. Not like this at least.

Reaching down, he blindly fumbles around with his pants until he feels his cock spring free. He groans into your pussy as he closes his hand around his cock, rocking in and out of his own grip.

“Dr. Park, I’m gonna, mmph, aaah, fuck…gonna come” you squeal, hips stuttering against his face.

“Fuck, yes, come for me, sweetheart” he grins, rimming the head of his cock with his thumb, “You wanna come on my cock?” 

Seonghwa’s proposal has you biting down on your hand hard enough to leave a mark. “Oh god, yes, fuck me please. Fuck me, Seonghwa.”

Popping his fingers free, he grabs you by your legs and drags you down until your ass hangs off of the table. “Seonghwa!” you cry out, eyes rolling back as he thrusts into you. That stretch. That one exhilarating, earth shattering stretch, is all it takes to ruin you.

“Mmm, that’s it, come baby. Give it to me” he moans, hips snapping into your fluttering core. You expect, like any other orgasm, for your high to fade after the initial peak but it doesn’t. You’re still there. And your body’s giving out. You brain’s going hazy. You can’t take it but you want to even if it makes you go crazy. 

Seonghwa’s eyes never leave your pretty face, never stop eating up how hot you are when you’re at his mercy. The sensation of his own high crashing down on him has him pushing your thighs together, the thickness of them making your pussy feel twice as tight around him.

“So fucking tight, shit, you’re gonna make me come. Where do you want it?” 

“I, ooh, I want it…want.” The words are there but you struggle so very hard to find them. You dig deep, collecting the strength needed to run your hand down your belly and spread your folds for him. Your voice is so cute and broken when you say, “On me.”

Seonghwa folds immediately, pulling out to coat your clit in the thick warmth spilling from his cock. Stopping to catch his breath, he leaves it there resting against your clit. Both of you twitching together, his seed dripping down your pussy so that no part of you isn’t marked by him. 

“Don’t clean it off” he instructs, kissing down your leg as he places your feet back in the foot rests, “Leave it so you’ll think of me when you’re driving home.” 

Easing your fingers from between your folds, you pop them into your mouth, sucking them like a lollipop. “Anything else, Dr. Park?” 

Seonghwa zips his pants up, searching his brain for any other pressing information. “That depends, are you free tonight?” 

“Hmm, let me think” you muse, staring off into space for dramatic effect. “I can be. That depends on what you had in mind.”

“Well, I was thinking I could pick you up for dinner and then…” He blows you a kiss that communicates his plan wonderfully, “Dinner.” 

You giggle, your sweet little crush on him more severe than ever, “Sure, I’d like that but, hold on, you don’t know where I live.” 

Seonghwa takes his gloves off, tossing them in the trash can by the door. “You’re my patient, remember? I literally have all of your personal information.”

“Isn’t that, like, a violation of patient privacy or something?” 

Seonghwa laughs off your comment, walking over to sneak in a goodbye kiss. “I’ve already violated your privacy once today, sweetheart. Can't hurt to do it again”

[gor3sigil]

Oh my GOD do I need to get something off my chest.

Let's talk about "name your price" events held by some "leftist" spaces a bit, that are NOT "name your price". Because this happened to me 3 times already this month while going to these events, to have organizers be really pushy that I make donation even when I couldn't do so and told them clearly.

So, I go from time to time at events held by local queer organizations to get out of my house. Being poor, you know it, is extremely isolating because you can't afford social events. And I've been feeling really lonely and depressed lately so I tried, 3 times this month, to attend queer events that were "name your price", with the understanding that you COULD attend these events even if you didn't pay anything (I even messaged the organisers first to be sure that I could come without donating). Everytime I tried to bring something to eat and/or drink to not come to these events empty handed and brought along some friends (who donated). So I wasn't "leeching" or anything.

And 3 times, I always got at least one of the organizers pushing me to donate because "even one € euro helps :) we're not FORCING you but you know, these events cost money and it'd be great to give back to the community :) but no pressure if you can't you if you find a coin in your pocket haha jk but yeah :)" and the last one took the fucking cake.

The dude, a so called super leftist anarchist, every time we took a break from watching the queer short films, came to me cracking a joke about how it'd be great if I donated in a very "commercial" way of joking without totally joking.

I snapped at some point and told him more harshly that I had brought food and drink, that it was all I could afford to do and it was supposed to be OKAY. And that one € for me meant a kilo of pasta that feeds me and my partner for 2 days. And he tried to imply that the orga wouldn't be able to hold events like this if everyone comes like I do.

It was a FUCKING SHORT FILMS SCREENING.

I left the event so upset because I just wanted to have a good time and meet people and get out of my flat where money issues is the ONLY SHIT I THINK ABOUT. And I wish it was a one time thing but it happens so regularly I don't even want to attend these events anymore.

If your organization can't afford to hold events you have 2 options:

You can make price ranges for people, so people who have more money can donate more, and those who can't pay a little fee.

You fucking don't hold events.

You don't make your event a "name your price" event, do all your com about the fact that EVERYONE can come even if they just bring snacks or drinks, to harass these people during all the event until they give you the scraps they have because you guilt tripped them. That's just bullshit.

And coming from people that gloat that they're proud leftists/anarchists/communists or whatever the fuck, bitch, shut your crap up PLEASE you have the same method as a marketing professionnal.

I'm so fucking upset. Guess I'll just stay home then.

[brain-n-body-in-disarray]

What the h*ll is "basic hygiene" anyway?

If you're like me, you've been struggling with hygiene for a long time. I'm neurodivergent, I have chronic fatigue and chronic pain, so yeah, it's been hard, my whole life.

Here's a few tips that helped me or some of my friends.

1. Redefine "basic hygiene"

No, really. Redefine it. Neurotypical and able-bodied people will tell you all can of things about what is "basic" hygiene.

The rule is: do what you can. That's it. The rest of the post will be tips to increase what you can do. But in the meantime, just do your best. You're fantastic the way you are.

2. Time

There's two thing here.

The first is: find the right time for you. It's not always easy, because we often have obligations, and we're supposed to be clean at those right moments. It's not easy. Sometimes it "helps" because it gives us that "boost" we needed to start getting clean, but most of the time it's just stressful. So instead find the moment that works best for you. I know there's moments in the day when it'll be easier for me to start tasks that I would struggle with at an other time, but I prioritise other things instead for a reason or another. Try washing yourself then, even if people will tell you it's strange to have a shower at three pm. Who cares.

The second is: divide to conquer. You don't have to wash ALL the parts of your body at once. You don't necessarily have the energy for it and it's okay. Also it can feel daunting to face that long list of steps. A body has a LOT of parts to wash and clean. Really, that's scary and exhausting. So the solution might be to do smaller things here and there. Do what you can when you can, that's okay. At least you've done something, that's great!

You are also allowed to take breaks in the middle. It can help if you are tired, or if it makes you anxious.

3. Wipes.

I personally hate washing with soap and water, whether it's a bath, shower or just at the sink. It takes time, it's a lot of steps, and it feels horrible. I do it when I can, but I don't enjoy it. The partial solution is wipes.

Baby wipes are great, they're soft, some smell good but faint, some has no odor. You can clean yourself quickly without rinsing. And they don't let that terrible feeling on your skin.

There's wipes made for your private parts. Which is an important part to clean. Also wet toilet paper is good. (For private parts wipes, buy the organic ones, you don't want anything too harsh there)

Make-up removal wipes are not just to remove make-up. They do clean you face.

Don't use antibacterial wipes though. At least not regularly. They are too harsh for your skin, you'll just damage it. Also too much antibacterial stuffs just make bacterias more resistant.

Bonus point: wipes can easily be carried in a bag. Handy.

4. Charts and lists and apps.

Whether you forget to do it or it you have done it already, or you can't get motivated, or you can't manage to start washing, or there's so many steps you get overwhelmed, or you start but can't remember what to do next, etc., those tips might help.

There's apps like Habitica (it's the most well known but there's others) that help you building habits and remembering to do stuffs and making it fun (help with rewards). It's about general tasks but can be applied to washing. A friend also told me there's a pokemon app to brush your teeth but I haven't tried it.

If you get overwhelmed by the steps and get lost in the middle, making a list of those steps, laminating and putting it in the bathroom near the sink or in the shower can help you keeping tracks. You can even put a dry erase marker near the list to check what have already be done.

5. The "bath buddy"

If you live with someone, you can ask their help.

I'm not saying they have to wash you. Or maybe I am? A friend takes his showers with his boyfriend to help getting motivated.

It can just be your platonic roommate behind the door talking to you, telling you funny stories.

Having company can help start the task and make it more enjoyable which help in itself but also make it less daunting the next times. Having a bath buddy also helps if you get lost in the middle of a task, they can tell you what the next step is. They can also keep you on tracks and in the present (I know I tend to dissociate a lot in the bathroom). And they keep your mind off the bad stuffs (body dysphoria for example, or sensory discomfort)

6. You're never too old for "kids' stuffs"

Because you're never to old for fun stuffs.

No, really, there's no reason why you should deprive yourself of something that would make washing more fun.

Wash your teeth with bubblegum flavored toothpaste.

Play with bathtoys. Buy those little plastic boats and those little squirting animals. (Seriously, the fact that the only fun thing for bath for adult is bubbles is a crime)

The word here is "fun". Make the bathroom fun. Buy a shower curtain with cute elephants playing with water. Put adhesive ducks on the tiles. Make that darn room a place you want to be in, not just to distract you from the bad stuff but to enjoy your life.

7. Teeth. Oh no, the teeth.

First thing: as I said, you don't have to use that "adult toothpaste". The menthol contained in it can be sensory hell. You can use kid toothpaste, it cleans just as well. If you can't use any toothpaste try brushing without it with just water. You can also try toothpaste tablets (you chew on them and then brush). You can try mouthwash. You can try oil-pulling. The point here is to remove some bacteria from your mouth.

About brushing. There's different hardness in toothbrushes. If you're using hard, try medium. If you're using medium, try soft. If you're using soft, try baby toothbrush. If no toothbrush works for you, try a wet cloth, or your finger. Try using toothpicks to remove the remains of food and then use mouthwash.

If the storebought mouthwash doesn't do with you, make it yourself. There's recipes online with essential oils (optional, but maybe there's one you might like), baking soda and water. (I don't recommend using lemon juice, it might damage your enamel.)

My friend just told me I should mention dental floss. I personally hate it, but it might be useful to some of you. It's probably more effective than toothpicks. They also comes mounted on these little plastic sticks if you struggle with the thread alone.

8. Chair

No, really, you have the right to sit down during washing. Buy a shower chair. Put a bench on your bathtub instead of struggling to stand up. Put a chair in front of the sink to sit when you brush your teeth.

You don't have to be physically disabled to use a chair to wash. And if you're disabled there's still no shame. Standing up can be boring, it can be painful, it can be tiring. So sit. You are allowed.

And if you prefer standing, do. You can pace. You can dance. You can do gymnastics. (Just be careful if you're brushing your teeth, okay. Or if you're in the shower. Don't hurt yourself.)

9. Music

If you don't have a buddy to talk to you, music or even podcasts, anything to listen to, can be a nice way to help. They makes the experience more enjoyable. They keeps your head away from the bad sensory experience or the awareness of your own body.

I also find using the same playlist useful to keep track of the time I've been spending in the shower. I even time the steps on the tracklist, I know I washed that part of my body for long enough if that song is over, I need to do the next step.

Also, for me me music is part of the ritual. It helps me to get in the right mind, it motivates me, it makes the routine.

10. Multi-purpose products.

I've seen all those beauty posts about "layering". It's nice if you have the energy and the time, but no, it's not for me.

I hate moisturising creams. I really do. They smells funny, they feels gross and sticky, and it takes forever to apply. It's an unnecessary step for me. But I have dry skin (at least on my body). The easy solution is to use surgras soap or surgras shower gel. (Not just the "moisturising" soap, that won't hydrate as well.)

I don't just remove the unpleasant experience of moisturiser, I remove a step. I save energy.

Also, multi-purpose products help with organisation, there's less things to think about. There's less risk of taking the wrong bottle because you're too headfogged. Less chance of chaos in the bathroom.

I personally can't do that for everything. I'd like to have one soap for everything, but my body skin and my face skin and my private parts and my hair all need different stuffs. But I do try to keep things to a minimum, because the number of products can be quickly overwhelming. So try to balance your sensory needs with your organisation problem.

(Also, if like me you hate the feeling of moisturiser, aloe vera gel is great. It is a bit sticky, but in a different way than cream. I personally prefer that one. There's also the option of oil, there's different kinds for different skin types, even for oily skin.)

11. Japaneses know best: the bidet.

This one might sounds strange for some folx. Where I live, bidets used to be extremely common but they are disappearing. We used to have a bidet next to the toilets in our homes. Japanese toilets have a built-in bidet but they are expensive. There is a cheaper (but still not cheap) alternative. You can buy a bidet toilet seat attachment to put on your own toilets.

Why am I telling you about bidet? Because when you struggle to wash regularly, bidets are incredibly useful.

Toilet paper is highly unhygienic. Wet toilet paper is a bit better. Bidets, that spray a jet of water on your privates, clean so much better.

And they are easy and quick to use. You just press a button and you are clean.

If you have a vagina, it's even more important, because it lowers significantly the risks of getting UTI and the likes.

If you can afford it, I recommend it.

12. The hat, or "well, f*ck it"

You can fail to wash in time for whatever obligation you have. That's okay.

Just use the card "camouflage".

Greasy hair? If they are long, brush them and tie them tightly, and put on a fashionable hat. Or you favorite, silly, hat. Or just a random hat that your aunt gave you (you know the one, you wondered for three weeks if you smiled enough when you received the gift because you didn't want to offend her). Scarfs are nice too.

Other idea to hide greasy hair? A wig. They are higher maintenance, but they are good to have for occasions where you have to look a bit better or if you can't wear a hat for whatever reason.

About odors... Well you know the trick of deodorants and perfume. Not what I recommend, at least not alone. For once not everyone can stand their smell. Also, they aren't that great to succeed at masking odors. If you can, use wipes to clean your armpits (also the underbreasts if you have them) and the neck and chest area. It might not remove all the odors but it'll help and with some deodorant if you can stand it, you should be good.

About deodorant: you can use a dollop of moisturiser (yes, I know I said I hate them, but listen), it will help to stop the formation of odors but the fragrance is usually mild or absent. It's also less harsh than the usual deodorant. You only need a small amount for it to work. You just need to clean before (wipes should be enough)

13. Don't stew in your dirty clothes.

Try to change your clothes often even if you don't wash. Especially your underwears.

I know it might sound counterintuitive to wear clean clothes when your skin is dirty, but staying in old clothes is like wearing a petri dish. By keeping the same clothes on you, you also keep the bacterias that live on it and your body.

It's especially bad in some areas, like your private parts, your feet and your armpits.

If you live alone, or if you live with someone who don't care, don't put clothes on at all. You'll just stew in your bacterial crock pot otherwise.

Staying naked also has the upside of reducing the amount of laundry you have to do.

14. Use your strengths.

Sometimes it's as simple as using your other hand because your dominant one is achy.

Sometimes it's listening to a podcast about your special interest.

You're an artist? Put a whiteboard in the shower. Or, I don't know, draw your body, laminate the drawing, and color the parts you have already washed with a dry erase marker.

Your thing is to make lists of animals of Paraguay? Recite them alphabetically and make a song with them while you brush your teeth and wash your face and clip you nails.

Dancers here? Each movement you make is part of a choreography.

15. Aftercare.

Hygiene is immensely stressful and energy consuming. You don't just deserve a reward, you need aftercare.

It's okay to take a nap. It's okay to need to engage with your special interest. It's okay to need a hug. It's okay to want to be alone. It's okay to feel bad too. Have a cry. Be moody. Don't be ashamed of what you feel. Of course it's better if you manage to avoid these emotions. But it's okay if you have them.

And give yourself a little treat. Have a cup of your favorite tea. Put a shiny sticker in your "things I've done good today" diary. Cuddle with your pet. Read the Swedish dictionary.

Drink a glass of water and eat something.

Also, if you have chronic pain, like I do, take your meds. (My joints are always a bit achy after standing too long, or my shoulder are stiff after washing my hair)

Write an essay about why keeping up with your hygiene is a pain.

Do what you want and do what you need.

16. Shame has no place in the bathroom.

If you've read my previous post, you know what I mean.

I've said it in this post, it's okay to struggle, to not be perfect, or as perfect as neurotypicals and able-bodied people say we should be. Their criterias are bullcrap.

Shame won't help you to keep up to these unachievable standards. They'll just undermine you.

Also, it's okay if some of what I've said here seems unachievable also. I shared what helps me and some of my friends, but your needs might be different and that's totally okay. Maybe someone will make a post with tips that'll help more? I hope so.

Anyway, you do what you can and you congratulate yourself for it. Every step is an achievement worth of praise.

[blackdagger456]

Let's Talk About: MHA 430, How This Fandom Can't Read, How Leaks Ruin Chapters And While Imperfect This Finale Was A Good Sendoff

So, here we are.

Ten years. Ten years and 430 chapters we've been with My Hero Academia. Ten long years of excitement, fandom interactions and so many fics I won't bother to count saved, subscribed and bookmarked.

It's strange really. To be apart of this fandom for so long...and find out that so many still can't read.

Like holy cheeseburgers Batman, so many of my fellow MHA readers/fans can't read it's astonishing.

So, for what'll be the last time for this series, let's go over the latest chapter of MHA and allow me to inform you of what it means. Or at least, that was the plan before the leaks came out. Just with the added addition of going over how people have reacted to chapter 430 before it was even officially out, and we're going to start with the first stone that began toppling Dominos.

[Official Spoilers Below]

This. Oh god, this sentence has been nothing but a headache for me and so many others. Because of the leaks ,and subsequent mistranslations, being taken as fact the reaction to the finale started out as shit. This entire week leading up to today has been frustrating for me and many others as we tried to explain what should be obvious.

Firstly, none of this is coming from any official translation. What people were seeing before today were things fans and unlicensed translators are spreading around as if it's fact. This does NOT mean that they are correct and therefore these translations shouldn't be treated as such.

Secondly, in no way shape or form does Izuku imply or state that his friends abandoned him after he lost his powers. All he said, was that it was a bit more difficult to meet up regularly. Something that makes sense not only because they were working in different fields but also because work in general is like that.

It can be hard to meet up with the boys n girls for hang outs but that doesn't mean you don't talk. That doesn't mean you don’t call or text or keep in touch. Something which is easier to do when you've fought and lived through an entire war together!

His friends didn't abandon him. They didn't stop caring about him because he became powerless. Hell, the ending of the chapter proves this wrong if nothing else!

Now, is it a shame the ships didn't get officially confirmed? Yes. But I think the implications are more than enough to satisfy. Even if they aren't, there's no reason not have fun with things being open ended. It opens the door to so many fun possibilities OUTSIDE of this whole NTR trend people are trying to start. [Thankfully that's a small part of the fandom]

But moving on, lets go into what he's been doing since becoming OFA.

In what way shape or form does him becoming a teacher make him 'fall off'/make the Mc Donald’s meme become a reality?

 First off why are we hating on the man for enjoying his life without conflict after saving the world? We doing my boy like Gohan now? If he wants to retire to a teaching role, one he very clearly enjoys, let him. What do people think they can take him? Ya'll forgetting exactly what he had to do BEFORE he was able to get OFA in the first place. Izuku is still physically stronger than most normal people both in MHA and in reality.

But, I'm getting off topic. The point is Izuku has and continues to be an inspiration to those that will follow after him. Even to the point of mirroring his starting point with All Might when he inspires yet another young kid to become a hero.

Is he a bit sad he isn't an official hero? Yes. Is he frustrated or unhappy with where he is in life? No. Not at all. He's content. His goal was never to be the No.1 Hero it was to be like ALL MIGHT. To inspire and protect people like his mentor had.

He's done just that and for it---for it he's rewarded.

His kindness, his determination and his faith in those around him comes back to him in the best way for it was those people he spread said traits too that spent those eight years putting together the thing that would bring his dream back to him.

That would bring HIM back to standing by their side on the field of battle. For Izuku Midoriya never truly stopped standing by his friends. For they too had become their own inspirations to Japan and the world. But now, finally, their friend...their inspiration...their Deku could lead them on the frontlines once more.

They, and he, couldn't ask for anything less.

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

WIBTA for calling out my friend's spending habits?

✈💸 to find later

I (NB 20s) have been struggling to find employment for a long time. I've been struggling a lot with money- I'm technically indebted to my bank due to an overdraft I dipped into during my last weeks of university while paying off surprise fees, and in the entire year since have been unsuccessful in paying it off for any meaningful length of time. The stress has been immense and I've been avoiding like the plague any kind of personal purchase or leisure activity that might cost me anything. It's a mindset that's been making me profoundly miserable and that I'll probably struggle to get out of for a long time.

However, in the past few weeks, I've managed to land what I can only describe as my dream job. It doesn't start for another couple months, and the pay won't be fantastic (it's an internship), but without a doubt it will change my life. Desperate to do something nice and give myself a break, members of my family agreed to lend me money via plane tickets to do a nice trip this summer and see my best friends abroad, my last big hurrah before entering the full-time workforce for the rest of my life (and being able to pay them back). And I've been really excited! I've been saving even harder than usual, scraping up cash and politely asking grandparents. It won't be easy to support myself in another country in my financial situation, I understand that, but I'm at a point where I think I can do it for a short time and not be a burden on the people who are hosting me.

However, the only issue comes with my friend (NB 20s). I've known them for years, we're extremely close, and we've been waiting for a chance to see each other again for most of that time not knowing if it would ever happen due to my financial situation, so this is the opportunity of a lifetime. They really want to host me, for at least 2 weeks, and do all these nice things together we've been planning. But in the past month or so they've all but drained hundreds of dollars from their bank account in art commissions and room decorations for themself, all of which they've been excitedly showing off to me and our other friends, all the while running out of money entirely. They can't pick up work from their (seasonal) job anymore, either, so there's no way for them to earn back the money now, and recently they've started having to push their commissions just to cover their student loan payment this month. In ordinary circumstances I wouldn't mind and would try and help them out, but I won't be in any financial position on the trip to cover their bills as well as my own (at least not regularly), and I feel like this would have been so preventable if they'd just... picked less wildly expensive things to buy as a treat, knowing the circumstances.

They've said they're also stressed and need to buy themselves nice things sometimes, which I totally agree with! I'm not that much of a party pooper, they are in a rough situation themself right now and the stuff they bought does make them genuinely happy. But it also sucks to watch them then have to struggle to pay for bills and necessities because of it, and I feel really selfish for thinking of it in the framework of our time together later as well. I've done my absolute best to be able to spend at least a few weeks having a great time with them not worrying and pinching pennies while taking care of myself, but now I'm worried we're just going to spend the trip with both of us stressed out of our minds and stuck at home struggling to pay for gas. I'm an anxious person, and the few times I've tried to bring up my worries in a more gentle way, they've vehemently reassured me everything will be fine, but now I'm leaving in just over a week and everything seems like it's getting worse instead of improving.

I know I should be just glad to spend time in their company, even if it is just at home, but I can't stop feeling like the way they've been spending money in the leadup to this has been really irresponsible and preventable. But even if so, it made them happy in the moment so i should be happy for them too, and surely it's just straight up none of my business? It's also not like they can take it back now- it's already happened, and they can't earn the money back if they wanted to. I feel like if i called them on it at this point it'd just be a dick move and come across pointless and jealous, but I also can't help but think it's unproductive to let this gnaw at me the entire time, like I should really be communicating this kind of upset and talk it out first in case it comes to a head and boils over and ruins our whole time together.

I'm aware I'll be long into the trip by the time this posts but it'd be nice to look back and see other perspectives.

[arovalentines]

gggfied some old ocs (ramblings about thought process + (hand gestures) about the story under cut)

started with the idea of turning reverie into a ggg oc n worked from there to make a fake level

reverie being the god of safety came immediately initially i had trouble figuring out how to go about with them bc my og idea felt too similar to what we're told is going down in buzzhuzz but focusing back on three specific elements of og reverie helped a LOT n gave a lot of direction those elements being escapism dissociation and fire

the level takes place in the wunderholz hotel which is currently in disrepair and only being operated by one person ie the receptionist cupid d. andrews as the rest of the staff are doing literally anything else as the request of reverie before their domain became basically inaccessible

location was vague originally all i had in mind was wanting there to be physical danger throughout the level similar to the finale of milldread so originally it was gonna take place in a forest (hence the hotel being named wunderholz. literally just wonderwood in german) n the danger element was just gonna be that the forest was on fire but that doesnt really work bc like. fire department?? + extremely visible + would easily spread to the other areas so it needed to be something less obvious n not as clear of a fix-it bc its supposed to be tied to reverie (like miss mitternacht's flood n cobigail's vines) THEN remembered the shining (book not movie) which snapped into place the danger being an overheating boiler n the level taking place in a hotel

other stuff reverie was chief of safety when the hotel was being built (which they got elected for) their domain is in the basement right next to the boiler (formerly n still kind of employee breakroom) n in universe it wasnt originally supposed to be a hotel but construction got switched to one after reverie ascended (pretty cool to have a god in ur basement tbh) also hobbyhoo implies that the letter shenanigans have been going on for at least a few days bc of the last few episodes sucking n im running with that for this with it being like two weeks or so

marcelee d'vonair used to be a sfm oc whos design i never nailed down her thing back then was just she was an uninspired fashion designer n u gave her some photos of fashionable habitants to cheer her up marcelee now is the chief of safety at the hotel n the one in charge of the boiler but is instead outside chatting about fashion with vib during the level and you have to get vib away from her for the end sequence (crucial thing vib is actually working on stuff while marcelee is all talk n dodging questions)

she n cupid are (currently until i play with things further) the only reverie followers in the level (bc other followers typically go into fields more immediately relevant to maintaining safety (osha god) like repairmen or health inspectors) n were the two that were (attempting) to keep the hotel in shape during reverie's absence until a few days ago where the stress of not being able to fix the boiler (+ inability to get help from specifically reverie) got to marcelee n she stopped trying n avoided the issues by dreaming up fashion ideas (n not doing anything bc its safer not trying than it is to fail)

cupid's changed the least of the three hes just been redrawn in the style n had his story adjusted accordingly (rip stupid paper bag he used to have 😔✌️) hes the character godpoke would be interacting the most with n provides the hints for progressing (for reasons that will become clear when we get to reverie) n he also provides the obligatory flirt line with his greeting ("hey sweetheart!")

for the last few days cupid has been solely responsible for keeping the wunderholz together which hasnt been going very well bc hes just one person n while he has the knowledge of all the stuff thats done to keep things running he doesnt have the practical skills or experience to fix things like leaks (which the hotel needs regularly bc its oldddddddddddd) or The Boiler so hes stressed n no one's listening to him bc hes just the receptionist what does he know n he can't leave to get help bc everything Will fully fall apart if he goes (believe it or not this is actually much better than his situation in his og story. mostly due to it being significantly shorter but still) and is deeply grateful for godpoke's help although was startled by them initially bc their room is... "unavailable due to damages"

the entrance to the basement is superficially blocked off with a paper danger sign (similarly to the woodboards in front of mitternacht's entrance) n u just get rid of it with megapon after cupid gives the ok for godpoke bc well they have a mask so they should be fine

hearthy haunt is a lush green forest with a fireplace (? is it still called that if its outside) thats perfect for cozying up n unwinding however that is not the hearthy haunt you get to experience during the level as the place is filled with smoke obscuring everything from sight and rendering the area near uninhabitable

reverie themself is completely out of it not even aware that someone else is in their domain (or whats happening around them) n unfortunately this means that reverie isnt too much of a character for the level (marcelee n cupid are more prominent to fill the story gap) but is used as a puzzle solving mechanic by throwing stuff at them to steer their daydreams to get specific lines to twist n stretch (was also thinking maybe that u have to suck up some smoke with megapon to be able to hear their responses similar to drying sirena off but that sounds Really Annoying mechanically so probably not)

dont really have specifics in mind for whats said in the letter reverie received just like what its about n what its angling for the angle is to get reverie out of the picture obviously so the rift can continue to open but the means is emphasizing the disharmony between gods (that are literally a result of the letters) n doing so heavily on the disconnect between thespius-click clack n bauhauzzo-huzzle mug bc those are the dynamic duos!! we're really screwed if even they arent getting along!! n the letter being more.. sympathetic ig by being about letting people live in blissful ignorance that end times are near cause theres no way we- i mean you would be able to close it without the other gods help it's best to just give up n try to have fun with the time you have which results in reverie trying to see the logistics of only 3-4 gods closing the rift by themselves coming to the conclusion it wouldnt work (didnt talk to the other gods bc well the god of innovation is in a quarrel n as the next best thing they dont think they stand a chance) n asked the staff to do as they please before lying down n giving up bc its safer to leave them now than to watch everything end

end of level stuff end sequence (ie getting the milldread berry or romantic bulb) is triggered by getting a whistle from the boiler (it gets louder n more shakey as the level progresses. also can be used as a flirt line on other characters bc i think that's kinda fucked up) n throwing it at cupid netting the line "THE BOILER'S BEGGING TO BURST!" to then throw at marcelee who cracks admits to avoiding her responsibilities (n cupid) forms an evacuation plan n gives the two final lines to throw (in the order marcelee says them "oh reverie... looks what's been done." (shes not addressing reverie here its more like shes saying oh dear) n "i'll get everyone outta here lickety-split!") which are thrown reverse order at reverie to shock them out of their episode and reveals what remains of hearthy haunt

reverie's domain is desolate the once tranquil woods is now charred logs and ashes with only the hearth and reverie themself being left standing

surprised by godpoke being there reverie reflexively puts on their psa bravado but still somewhat dazed n the destruction clear around the two its dropped quickly while reverie puts the pieces together of what's happened n bides godpoke farewell while drawing together some cleanup plans

leaving their domain has a quick cutscene of the boiler stabilizer now no longer being superheated by the fire n you go back upstairs n outside for the final cutscene of the area where everyone rejoices upon realizing the boiler's not gonna blow

goodbye dialogue stuff reverie's is about prioritizing getting some stuff that needs to be fixed done before they leave for the rift how they shouldnt have given up without a fight n a joke about how reverie has literally no idea who godpoke is (as in joke to us reverie isnt making a joke. they refer to godpoke as puppydog tho bc they dont know their name) marcelee laments leaving cupid to deal with things by himself n being too ashamed to get help from another town but remarks they did at least help vib brainstorm some outfits cupid is SO relieved that everything worked out n the line about godpoke's room comes back with cupid revealing that its unavailable bc its where cupid was staying as he wasnt able to go home during the whole ordeal jokes about giving godpoke a share of their next paycheck bc they never clocked out n have been working overtime "but seriously sweetheart at least let me comp your room... whenever i get it fixed up that is." (if the sweetheart line was used on cupid the paycheck joke is replaced with him offering a pity date)

n thats all for the story other misc stuff both cupid n marcelee capitalize They/Them when referring to reverie n while theyre both followers of reverie marcelee leans more towards it being bc she's a fan of reverie as a person while cupid is more about what reverie represents vague idea for bizzyboy video for the area is about deferring to authorities n professionals ie what they position themselves as (styled like schools psas about calling 911 in emergencies. bizzyboy home invasion skit) idk how much more i'll do with this outside of doodles but if this was an actual legel there'd probably not like a lot of interactable npcs in the area with some being bizzyboy van driver adjacent as in theyre in the environment to show theres people n in my mind theres one interactable npc thats a family on vacation (even got a specific set of old ocs in mind for them) but functions like a normal npc outside of their dialogue (as in u throw something at the family n they all react to it rather than each character being a separate npc) cupid is nonbinary n gendered language is a mix of neutral n feminine (he/him only for pronouns tho) n capochin is the only character who the sweetheart line doesnt work on as a flirt line bc he recognizes it as cupid's voice n immediately (and vaguely) complains about something that happened before godpoke arrived (i have something specific in mind but its funnier to leave it vague. capochin is the only bizzyboy in the level that doesnt appear inside the hotel for related reasons)

reverie's relationships n views of the other gods was decided entirely based on reverie being the god of safety so theyre extremely fond of bauhauzzo huzzle mug inspekta (ruh roh) n king bc theyre all gods of things important for safety (+ bonus industrial revolution for buzzhuzz duo) n then for the rest reverie doesnt like cobigail bc she likes scary type pranks n reverie doesnt (wimp 😔✌️) neutral towards thespius n click clack n neutral leaning positive towards miss mitternacht bc of her being the oldest god so they should show her some respect

[acti-veg]

hello! im vegan; I love our nonhuman friends and hate speciesism. but like what is to be done about cockroaches. i have an infestation in my apartment. i recognize that humans are a minority on this great big planet, that we have taken space that belonged first to insects and animals, but. cockroaches. are there ethical ways to make them stay outta my place? is that an ethical desire in the first place. also great blog you are eloquent and patient and i tell all my vegan friends about your posts in da group chat

Thank you for the support, I really appreciate that! This is a common ethical dilemma for vegans, and I've answered it in general terms in my FAQs here, but I'll offer some more specific advice as well.

With cockroaches, prevention is the best thing you can do. I realise that it is too late for this for your apartment now, but you should start doing these things regardless, if you don't already, since they may drive out the roaches already there:

Do a deep clean immediately. That means disinfecting everything, paying special attention to areas like the top of your fridge and behind it, the backs of cupboards, behind the oven (if you can move it), under your bed, the tops of doors, behind furniture. Anywhere that you don't clean on a regular basis. Get all your furniture and appliances out and clean thoroughly. If you're doing this properly, it should take a full day of work.

Once you have done a deep clean, throw out or seal away any clutter that cockroaches could live and nest in. Paper is especially attractive to them - so any books, letters, cardboard, but also linens, piles of clothes, dishrags, tea towels etc. Get rid of it or seal it away in plastic boxes. You want your space to be as empty as possible, at least until they are gone.

While we're on throwing out, look up what their eggs look like. If you find anything with their eggs on it, sterilise it or throw it away. If it is something like a book, you will not be able to sufficiently sterilise and you'll need to throw it away (in an outside bin). Check all of the books you own, even if they look pretty clean on the shelf.

Keep your space extremely sterile after this, you need to go overboard on this now. Especially make sure you clean all surfaces that you have prepared food on, or eaten nearby. Do this daily, or as often as you can.

Wash plates and utensils immediately after use. Dry them and put them away, don't leave them on the rack.

Keep bins completely covered, clean, and empty them regularly. A separate bin for food waste (emptied daily) is a good idea. This applies to pet bowls as well.

Cockroaches are most active at night, so before you go to bed, check all the above has been done. Leave nothing out over night that they can shelter in, eat, or drink. Make the environment as inhospitable for them as you can.

With you being in an apartment, they may be coming from a neighbouring property. Seal gaps around doors and windows to prevent entry - you may need to speak to the landlord or property manager about this if you're renting.

Cockroaches need water, so take a look at whether you have any leaks around water pipes that could be providing them with a drinking source. Things like mop buckets, wet toothbrushes, drip trays in the fridge, the bottom of the bath/shower, and wet sponges also count. Anything moist needs to be covered up, or dried off after use.

This alone may well be enough to drive them out and prevent them from returning, but there are also natural deterrents (and chemical ones) that you can use. This includes bay leaves, pepper, garlic powder, dishwashing liquid, essential oils and baking soda. There are many pre-made natural ones online too, if you're concerned about chemicals.

Try these things over a period of weeks, but if that doesn't work, you need to call an exterminator as your last resort. You just cannot live in close proximity with cockroaches, they pose a health risk and they may damage the property. Your landlord or housing association may be able to pay for it or at least help with the costs, especially if you can get one or more neighbour to come out and say that they have cockroaches as well. The law requires this in many places.

Hopefully it won't come to that, exhaust everything else here before you call a professional, but don't feel bad if that is what you have to do. So long as you're doing everything possible and practicable to try and drive them out humanely, then you really don't have any other choice available to you. Just know that even if you do call an exterminator, if you don’t do everything else on this list, they will almost definitely come back

It speaks well of you that you’re concerned about this from an ethical perspective, but remember that veganism has to be practical for it to work. You have to look after your own wellbeing first, and it just isn’t reasonable to expect anyone to tolerate cockroaches in their home purely on ethical grounds.

[aziraphales-library]

hello lovely people!

i was wondering if there were any historical fics that specifically look at queer history? it could be just aziraphale or just crowley, them together or not together. it could be as far back as sappho and as recent as legalisation of gay marriage.

thank you!

Hi! We have #queer history, #pride parade, and #queer guardian angel aziraphale tags on which you will find fics of interest. Here are more to add to the queer history collection...

An Angel and a Demon Walk Into a Bar- and there is No Punchline Because this is the 80s and Everyone is Sad, Gay and Repressed by DontOffendTheBees (M)

“So you’re not here to dance.” Crowley ducks his head, his long and impressively voluminous hair tumbling about his face as he nudges his aviators down his nose, peering at Aziraphale with those cunning yellow eyes over the top of them. He smirks like the wily old serpent he is, savouring the next words he speaks. “Now, what else could possibly lure a confirmed bachelor such as yourself to an establishment like this?” In which Aziraphale gravitates to the comfort of a queer space, and winds up in need of further comforting.

and at least in this lifetime (we're sticking together) by vivelegalite (T)

[GOD, NARRATING] People tend to be torn as to which side could be credited with legalisation of gay marriage across all of the United States of America. Most people consider it an act of Good, which it is of course, and attribute it to Heaven. Some, a much less pleasant lot, argue it to be the work of Hell. They tend to back their claims up with improperly translated lines from a book the Almighty had never actually written or even really bothered to read through — I tend to outsource that kind of work — and speak of God’s will and whatnot. Both groups are, however, mistaken. The legalisation of gay marriage across all of the United States of America was brought about not by Heaven, not by Hell, but by a tragically smitten demon with a rather high alcohol concentration and a plan.

Eziraphael's Gifts: A History of Queer Faith and Longing, by Natasha Marie Johnson (Beacon Press, 2019). by actualbat (G)

"If Eziraphael has come to be known--in today's language--as the 'guardian angel of sad queers,' then it makes sense for him to have shown up more regularly in the past once that became a recognizable historical category." Natasha is really glad that she's given this talk enough times to be able to do it on autopilot, because those two funny-looking men in the back just made the most absurdly astonished faces. (Or: Not all historians ignore gay subtext, and not all immortal celestial beings have their shit together. Also, voodoo.)

it's the light (it's the obstacle that casts it) by bibliocratic (T)

It's like having a curtain pulled back on something he wasn't expecting to see. A surprise punch-and-judy at an up-scale restaurant, a lobster thermidor when he's ordered an ale. Crowley's gleefully trying to wrap his head around the fact that Aziraphale is speaking Polari. Because of course he is. Or: The Patron Saint of London's LGBT Community is real, and he lives in Soho.

Under the Blazing Sun, Thy Footsteps Track by Elfgrandfather (T)

Aziraphale and Crowley keep finding themselves mixed up with a rather queer lot, and eventually have to contend with what it might mean, both about their own identities and their relationship to each other.

Surpassing All the Stars by KannaOphelia (M)

There was a faint tracing of scales along the woman's cheekbones, tracing down her thin arms and lean thighs. The nipples on her pale, almost flat breasts were dark as night. Fiery red curls fell over dagger-sharp shoulders sprayed gently with more black scales, and the golden eyes were wide and snake-like. The woman was beautiful, but hardly human. "Crawly," the woman said with disgust. "Was that the best you could do, angel?" "I said I didn't have much imagination." Aziraphale's lips were heavy, and she was almost sure she wasn't forming the words properly. There was some kind of spell over her, holding her almost immobile. The venom must have been paralytic. If she had been human, she supposed she would have been dead. Her corporation didn't like it much either. "What name would you prefer I use for you?" The stranger tipped her head on one side, considering. "Crowley?" Aziraphale almost laughed. The whole situation was simply too irritating. If she was to die now, at the hands of some local deity, the paperwork hardly bore thinking about. And her precious work on Sappho's poetry, gone. "Crowley, then. You're a nymph of some kind, I take it?"

- Mod D

[general-ysines]

im gonna shoot myself if i see one more person say in complete confidence that the hightiers were never held accountable for what they did, that john was punished too severely in comparison, or that the high tiers didnt grow as characters.

johns actions are much more extreme than the high tiers', except maybe arlo. isen, blyke, remi, and most other high tiers were more focused on their own lives than terrorizing weaker people. most of the high tiers' (basically all of them sans arlo) problems were naivete, not realizing the flaws in their system. while johns actions did serve the purpose of showing the high tiers what its like to be weak so that they can realize what is wrong with the hierarchy, johns violence was more extreme than his bullies' and lowkey he was terrorizing EVERYONE, even the people who never did anything to him. johns actions are more extreme, so he gets more extreme repurcussions.

unordinary fans look me in the eye and say that john, who had been terrorizing everyone for at least a month Minimum, shouldnt have to deal w people bsing terrified of him. girl use ur brains. people are scared of john bc he has proved himself unreasonable and cruel, while none of them had problems w arlo (bc arlos actions towards most of them were 1. almost 3 years ago, and 2. considered normal by their society bc as the leader of the school he is also considered the disciplinarian whenever students act up, not considering teachers. his beating up people was different than johns beating up people) and none of the other hightiers had done really anything. cecile isnt innocent btw but none of them had problems w her either bc the few interactions weve seen her have with the common student (juni) seemed friendly..basically the people had little reason to fear the other high tiers outside of their power but john had taken his time making himself a person to fear. fr he was trying to terrify them?? why are we prtending that its unreasonable for them to be scared of him can we please be serious

also johns legal punishment in new bostin and suspension in wellston were both reasonable bc he was regularly hospitalizing people and completely out of control. i dont think u guys realize how strong john is. whenever someone who is seriously described as godlike in power ("god" tier as a term is not that much of an exaggeration by regular human standards) starts going around and beating the shit out of everyone important in a show of power something has to be done. john was EXTREMELY dangerous. also "the punishment wasnt equal" is literally kind of the plot. johns mental spiral at wellston was supposed to expose the unfairness in the system and show how bullies and vicious people should not be able to get away with the things they do to weaker people. we dont think john is that strong bc we're surrounded by the strong in the story, but he is IMMENSELY powerful and should not have been left unchecked. (note, im not saying he deserved readjustment. there should have been a punishment for his literal several counts of felony assault but readjustment was literally psychological torture and he was a month into being 16.)

the hightiers were criticised and held accountable, either by themselves or others. arlo knows full well that he played apart in johns mental spiral and apologised multiple times. remi knows full well that she was naive and should have realized the problem sooner, then takes active steps to solve it and creates a safe space for people of different ranks. blyke literally apologised for shooting at john and had a whole arc of realizing low tier conditions during the x rei outings and trying to be nicer to john and low tiers. idk if isen apologised properly but it is also clear that he knows better than to do what hes done now. the safe house was literally their way of trying to fix their mistakes and be better going forward. aka taking accountability and then working towards being better people??? hello???

also saw somebody say that they acted like the royals had the "moral high ground"... as if they didnt. hello who were the ones actually fixing the problems. who were the ones with real solutions. john was the last in the cast to take accountability and work to be better. john was the schools resident terrorist ??? hospitalizer ??? FELON ??? he has literal FELONY ASSAULT charges fam. and LOTS of them. half his graduating class is actually crazy. since he was rank 427 or something when his ability hadnt come in yet, we can say that there were probably at least 100 people in each grade, since hs is 4 grades. a graduating class is a grade. john beat up 50 people not counting zirian and whoever else in different grades might have attended, not assuming the half the grade thing was an exaggeration. we also arent counting the charges he added at wellston itself. seriously this guy is an absolute menace and the royals were actually better than him morally i dont know why thid is a controversial take in the unordinary fandom. do i have to spell out why "guy with criminal charges for severely injuring 50+ people, probably sending them to the hospital considering he put HIGH TIER remi and blyke in the hospital, who has been terrorizing the school for a while at this point" is worse than "trio of individuals who were raised ignorant to their society's flaws realize the problem and take active steps to fix it, even being so kind as to eventually forgive the guy that put two of them in the hospital like a month prior"

the joker arc is as much johns mental spiral as it is the high tiers' character developments. if u somehow didnt realize that the characters were changing for the better then now u know why fhe english teacher wants you to analyze why the curtain is blue. media literacy come back the kids miss you

[until-another-one-comes]

I remember your headcanon that if Francis was forced to draft in the army, he and Steven would meet. What happens if Mr Mosses did end up enlisting his son in the military? I don’t think Francis would be the type who’s good at fighting. Perhaps he’d be stuck as a low ranking soldier or something. How would Francis and Steven meet and how will their relationship go? How does Francis feel about being in the army, especially when his life is put on the line. Would Francis’s relationship with his father change in this timeline?

I'M SO GLAD YOU REMEMBER THAT CUZ ITS HONESTLY ONE OF MY FAVORITE HEADCANON- what could've been...

Okay admittedly its a bit hard to guess this because I'm not 100% sure on the timeline and what not (tbh I kinda feel like Steven is YOUNGER by a few years than Francis so...??) or when they both enlisted or how the US military even works.

Okay lets do this one at a time- if Mr Mosses went through with his decision (his wife is distraught) I agree that Francis would have a hard time dealing with the situation. He is NOT a fighter, not the way Steven is, and training would absolutely be hell for him. HOWEVER, I do think he would still do his best to adapt and while he's absolutely not the best, he still survived training. He'd def be a low-ranking soldier though but at least he's still alive.

Now in come Steven who I think arrives a year or so after Francis. Again its kind of hard to guess this because they're in completely different group (Steven I'm sure voluntarily joined the army and obviously enlisted for the pilot training) and again I have NO idea how the military works but fuck it they still meet somehow. They meet up in a group one night and got to talking about their lives and home. Francis doesn't spill about his home life right away of course but Steven is a friendly and mostly open guy so he talks about his family and his ma and his pops who's insanely proud of him (Francis is kind of envious about this) and how he'd always dreamed about being a pilot and how great it is to be able to fly and see the open sky and everything he wants to do after he finally gets the position and Francis is. Enamoured. Steven is open and adventurous and brave and they continue to meet each other throughout training despite not having much time for that but they made it work. Francis eventually opens up to Steven about his homelife and Steven comforts him which made their friendship grew stronger.

After Steven finally graduates as a high-ranking pilot and sent for missions they still keep in touch through letters and photos. They both talk about wanting to meet each other's families and get to finally spend time with each other outside of missions and trainings after all of this is over.

Okay this is where I'm really just BUTCHERING logic and timeline I'm SO sorry- but eventually Francis got out of the army (after surviving the war) and went back home. Do you remember the Moral Orel talk earlier about Clay? I imagine Francis and Mr Mosses relationship is similar to how Orel feel about his dad after Nature. He no longer cares about pleasing his dad or making him proud. Mr Mosses's actions proved that he doesn't care at all about Francis and he was done with him despite Mr Mosses for once finally showing approval at his son for being a soldier (a position that HE forced on him). Francis stayed around in his town for his mother but then left and cut off contacts with his father. This time because theres no lingering shame or guilt Francis regularly visited his mother and was there when she died so og!timeline pain where he didn't get to be there during her final moments is erased.

(another thing thats erased is him meeting Nacha but uhhhh thats for another day MEKDKDK)

Okay so we're back to where things are supposed to be but with a completely new timeline. I can't see Francis continuing being a soldier so after his contract was up he just went and got odd jobs rather than go back to the military. I'm not entirely sure WHAT he does for a living (I'm sure soldiers get pensions or smth??? but idk) but its a little bit like the og timeline with the addition of military experience and ex-soldier in his list. While Steven is off on missions Francis also visits Mclooy who Steven talked about a LOT and who he always wanted to meet and he became the father figure that Mr Mosses never was.

(also sidenote but about Mclooy's wife- I kind of feel like she's dead before the game began and he's a widow?? Idk it just feels like it to me the only thing I'm unsure of is when she died but I also have this headcanon that Steven and his dad only started living in the apartment after she died)

Back to Steven. Again, we circled back to how canon went with him continuing being a pilot for the military. He still does live with his dad, the only difference is that he and Francis are much closer because they've known each other for years through hell. I like to imagine after the war is done they regularly visited each other and Francis spends a lot of night at the Rudboys's house before they moved into the apartment. They're best friends and have the strongest bond out of all the residents (besides married couples and families)

(also off topic BUT if you want to see a Francis who enlisted in the army check out @/phatkochi's Milkplane swap au where Francis is in the navy! just a suggestion cuz I can't draw or write any of my headcanons down, at least not something this detailed)

[gabessquishytum]

There is not enough Yandere/Jealous/Possessive Hob fics in comparison to Dream being the Jealous/Possessive one, so why not change that? (Also, Obviously!Dream because, again, why not?)

Maybe, after everything happens, Dream starts to regularly visit the New Inn and Hob's very happy with that, up until he realizes people are flirting with His Dream.

First, there's this really beautiful woman who, thankfully, Hob was able to resist his initial reaction of wanting to rip her eyes out for looking at His Dream and settled for throwing a possessive arm around His Dream's shoulders as he took a seat. After all, she is His Dream's older sister.

Then, one day, Lady Johanna Constantine is sitting across from His Dream and that won't do at all. Crowley, bless his demonic soul, does owe him some favors. It is only much later does he learn that she is a descendant of the late Lady Constantine and wasn't granted immortality too. At least she survived and, Crowly bless him, would no longer darken the inn's doorsteps.

Calliope is hard, because this is the mother of His Dream's Orpheus, the son His Dream mourned for in his arms (the first time Hob every got to really hold His Dream) and he'd promised His Dream he'd do all he could to ease that pain. Hob couldn't outright kill her or even have one of his associates do it for him. Thankfully, all it takes is a ticket back to Greece and she's gone. (He may have also paid a hefty amount to have a spellcaster bare her entry from the Dreaming and England altogether, but no one needs to know that.)

Hob thought he had it all under control, that he got used to all the lovely woman that surrounded His Dream as none of his darker urges reared their head when a young lass with colorful hair was all but sitting in His Dream's lap the next time they meet up. His Dream was all too happy with how he treated Delirium that night, sending him soft smiles that Hob coveted form himself and himself alone.

He was even polite to Rose Walker, despite wanting to rip her to pieces likes she'd torn apart the Dreaming (the Dreaming was His Dream and His Dream was the Dreaming; that meant, she'd hurt His Dream) when she'd been a Dream Vortex.

However, the night he arrived late to the New Inn and found His Dream sitting at the bar rather than at their table with some guy openly flirting with His Dream and His Dream (obviously to the man's flirting) talking with him, Hob snapped.

Thankfully, his bartender (who wasn't all that of a reformed convict as she pretended to be) knew him well enough and pleaded with His Dream to help her getting Hob's wine down from the top shelf in the backroom (and it made something flutter inside Hob that His Dream only assisted her because it was Hob's wine). When His Dream returned with the wine, Hob had taken the seat the other man stole from him with a fresh cut to his jaw and a bloodstain on his shirt which he readily reassures His Dream was from a minor trip on his way over. Nothing to worry His Dream over and hey, look, His Dream had his favorite wine, they might as well share it together up in his flat where His Dream could clean his injuries if he was so inclined.

So yeah, feral/yandere/possessive!Hob, we need more of those.

Bloodthirsty possessive weirdo Hob is for sure an underrated concept! And you know what? I think Dream would love him.

I mean, we're talking about the Dream who literally wears the skull/spine of an enemy he killed AS A HAT. He put his ex girlfriend in hell. He doesn't exactly have the most shiney moral compass.

And Dream isn't stupid. He knows that Hob has been reigning in his darker impulses and he's actually quite impressed that his friend is so chilled out these days. He knows about Hob’s mercenary past and he knows that it isn't easy to let go of those physical impulses. Even so... it would be nice to see Hob get a little possessive over him. After the whole Burgess fiasco, it would kind of nice to have someone going all defensive, big bad bodyguard-ish for him?

So when he sees that Hob just got in a freakin fistfight while his back was turned for five minutes. That's kind of hot? Dream feels all warm and fuzzy inside for the rest of the evening.

He keeps getting into conversation with random guys at the Inn just to goad Hob into a reaction. Sometimes Dream brings along his own Guy (one of his poor dreams forced to manifest in the waking world so Lord Morpheus can live out his fantasies ig 🙄). Hob gets himself into a tizzy every single time beating these guys up or threatening them or slipping something gross into their drinks. He's getting more and more unhinged every week.

The only problem is that one time Dream brings Destruction along to genuinely meet Hob but Hob is by now so conditioned to go ham on any man he sees talking to His Dream... he ends up in a scuffle with Literal Destruction. It goes about as well as you might expect, Destruction is very apologetic afterwards lol.

The one silver lining? Hob gets to sit on a barstool while Dream patches up his wounds and fusses over him. He even gets a kiss on the cheek!! Scaring off 50% of the inn's patrons with his antics? Entirely worth it.

[thefirstknife]

Getting real sick of a certain subset of Destiny players complaining that it’s a baby game and crying to Bungie to nerf exotics and abilities when their ENTIRE POINT IS TO BE STRONG in specific ways as if they are being locked into using them.

IF YOU WANT AN EXTRA CHALLENGE STOP BEING SUCH A DPS GOBLIN AND JUST EQUIP SOMETHING THATS NOT TOP TIER META AND STOP COMPLAINING JESUS FUCKING CHRIST

MOOD. Go off.

It's incredibly annoying to me. They always use the argument of "the game should FORCE me to do things, I should not SELF-IMPOSE challenges." And like. ? I'm sorry but what? It's a video game for a big audience, it's here to be playable and accessible to the widest possible playerbase. There are plenty of ways to make the game difficult for yourself, so knock yourself out if that's your thing, but don't force others into it.

Like, I enjoy hard content, I regularly at least attempt day 1 raids, I do master raids, GMs, solo and solo flawless content and all that. But only when I want to. Sometimes I don't and I don't want to suffer in a patrol zone or struggle in a seasonal activity I'm doing for the story. The majority of the players don't want that. Designing games for the professional gamers only has NEVER been a good idea and never will be. Fifty streamers can't sustain a video game. It needs casual players who will want to come back to the game instead of feeling defeated.

One of the reasons I really enjoy helping others is because I know that casual players tend to struggle in stuff that's basic activity for me. I've seen people unable to get through a strike. I've sat for 10 minutes rezing someone who couldn't do the jump in a seasonal activity. I want those people to be able to play basic content without feeling frustrated and I want them to know that there are people out there who will help them out.

And this doesn't apply just to basic content, although it should start with that. I think all dungeons and raids and everything should be things that all players can complete. Fine, doing a master raid with all challenges should be tough, but it should be achievable with time and practice, not impossible. What a lot of these "pros" want is just completely divorced from reality.

It takes days and days of practice every time a new master raid is out for me and my team (all with thousands of hours of playtime) to get comfortable to finally finish it. We're far from casual players and it still takes a lot of time to be able to finish hard content. Making it even harder is insane to me. Like, if something is so hard that my team full of people, each with 5000+ hours of playtime and a coordinated team that's been raiding together for years now can't finish it, that means it's absolutely impossible for probably 90% of the playerbase. That's wild to me. Raids and GMs should have more people playing them. If master raids are too easy for you, Mr. I-Play-Destiny-For-A-Living, that's on you buddy. Unequip the super god tier god roll meta guns and loadouts or play something else.

And ofc, another excuse they make is "if I don't use meta, I am not going to win a raid race!" Then don't. Idk. Let me play you the tiniest violin. This affects literally nobody except a grand total of 50 people. Run your meta in day 1, and play with random shit otherwise. Play raids with all white weapons. Play without mods. Play without a HUD. Do things solo only. I don't know, make up a way to spice things up for yourself. I'm not interested in that and neither are 99% of the players out there. The game is genuinely hard enough for the majority of the players. On top of that, I am here to feel like a powerful space fantasy superhero. I am NOT here to die to dregs in patrol zones. If there's ONE thing that I know for a fact that put people off from Lightfall (as in this year of Destiny), it's the difficulty changes. They're annoying, frustrating and for some a barrier to entry more than anything else.

[cbk1000]

So the other day a coworker and I had a meeting with a manager from a different department to help answer some pricing questions she had, and she was bizarrely hostile right out of the gate, acted super condescending toward my coworker, who was trying to help her, then snapped, 'I know; I've been doing this for 40 years' when he was trying to explain something to her (this was after she said a couple of things that even I knew were not correct, and I've only been in this role for six months). Then after he said he'd have the pricing director reach out directly to her about her concerns, she was like, 'Well, I'm going to reach out to corporate compliance.' (Keep in mind the pricing director had already reviewed what she was asking about and said it was correct, and she does have to pull in the regulations/compliance team regularly, and I'm confident she got them involved to okay everything if necessary.) My coworker asked why she would go to compliance, he'll have the director reach out to her directly and hopefully she can answer her questions better than he was able to. And then when he said the pricing director's name, she said, 'I don't even know who that is' in a really snotty tone. (I honestly don't think it's poasible she didn't at least have some idea of who he was talking about, because they've both been on the same email chains several times regarding pricing.) So, basically she spent the whole call acting like we didn't know what we were talking about, and we're trying to do something shady and/or get one over on her.

It was INCREDIBLY strange. I kind of just sat there in shock for most of it, like, what the fuck is this lunatic so mad about??

Anyway, coworker told our manager how unprofessional she was and how inappropriate that was when he was trying to help, and when I, a new person, was on the phone, and he had specifically introduced me to her at the beginning of the call as someone new to the department who was being included for training purposes. (He was going over something I am kind of familiar with, but so far we've only touched on it at a surface level, so he thought it would be good to include me in the call.) Our manager and the pricing director had a call with her, and she did tone it down some, but our manager said she was quite snippy even with them, and it validated what my coworker said even though she was a little better behaved.

Anyway, today I find out that she's done something that looks like she's trying to circumvent the pricing director by putting in a ticket to have the price of a code set to what she thinks it should be, not what the director set it as, which is a BIG no no, so pricing director is pissed and looking into it. And the director of our department is also apparently now involved after hearing about her behavior, and is apparently really not happy to hear how rude this lady was to us.

This seems like a case of someone who just cannot admit to being wrong, but like. Do you want to potentially blow up your job to die on this incredibly small, stupid hill??

[quibbs126]

So I’ve been drawing this today

It’s a redraw of this picture I made a good 3 or so years ago

Funny enough, this isn't technically the origin of the picture either, as I made a pose base for it that I just ended up reusing with these two, which was originally taken from a Pokémon anime screenshot that featured Jesse and Steven in wedding outfits (I don't think I have a picture of that original)

Anyways, so I made this because I was drawing these guys again, as you already know, and I just wanted to redraw this piece, seeing as how I was already redesigning them. This also gave me a good time to figure out Rasmus' green design

Also note I ended up asking my friend for ideas with the trio's new names, and she suggested Cinder for Rasmus. The name fits his theme, but I don't know if I'm personally sold yet. Personally, I like Cedar but upon looking it up, cedar isn't really a dark brown color, if anything it's more red, so

I did end up changing his colors to a more yellowish hue, which made me think of olives. So I think I might make his birth name Olive

I feel like Olive is seen as a more feminine name, while Basil would be more masculine, when it's the opposite here. Ah well

I tried to give them more "western" style outfits, but I really did end up just making something up. I think it turned out fine though

The flower in Periwinkle's hair is supposed to be like a rose, but I don't actually know how to draw roses, and can only vaguely remember how a super cartoony rose I saw was drawn, so have a flower that's kind of just...something

Also, she doesn't normally wear a flower in her hair, but the depicted scene is supposed to be when they got married, so it's a special occasion. They eloped to be together, so their marriage wasn't really much of anything other than paperwork and a nice dinner, but it was still a very happy day for them

I was originally going to give them the normal colored outlines I give characters, but I got this dark blue and was like "screw it, make that the whole outline color" and so I did. Gives me a blue ballpoint feel and I like it. I did do Olive's horns a different color, but I usually draw those horns like that, it just doesn't look right with normal line colors

And I just realized I forgot their tails. They do have them, but I keep forgetting they exist when I draw them. I mean I suppose they aren't that important, but still

Also, while I wasn't able to portray it, Olive is supposed to be very fluffy. It didn't feel entirely right to have his chest fur be out so you can see it, and I was struggling with giving the characters chin fur prior, so I didn't put that. I do have to come up with a solution to that. Also, while Olive was fluffy and soft, after his transformation his fur basically singed off and he hasn't been able to grow any more than short, rough fur. It is something he mourns but isn't that pressing in the grand scheme of the disaster he found himself in

Also while we're here, I might as well explain some backstory between these two

So Periwinkle comes from a rich, aristocratic family while Olive came from a somewhat poor one, where he and his mother worked at the local tavern. Olive's parents had him young and on accident, and a few years in his dad dipped due to his rising music career (though he did regularly send them some of his earnings), and Basil's pretty bitter about the whole situation

Anyways, so Perri and Olive eventually met and fell in love. However, Perri's family disapproved of their romance due to Olive's status, and Basil disapproved because this was exactly how she got into her situation (it wasn't exact, the two couples had very different relationships, but it was close enough for Basil to see their relationship as rubbish). So they eventually decided to run away so they could be together, with some help coming from Perri's sisters, who thought that Olive's status also didn't matter and they knew he was a good guy

Things would end up going horribly for them, but at least for a couple years, they were happy together

And yeah, that's this. Legit, I'm really proud of how this redraw came out, and I like looking at the clear improvement