#so this was a fun challenge and i'm happy w/ how it turned out!!

[mintjeru]

hot girl summer 🔥

open for better quality | no reposts

[red-moon-at-night]

After doing some research on the types of pets people had in ancient Greece, I'd like to imagine that Helen is the sort of person who has a whole menagerie of birds — and she loves each and every one of them very, very much.

It fits well with her being good at mimicry, you know. Talking and imitating and singing with her beloved birds 💜

Close up under the read more:

I had to include that one necklace from the minoan 'saffron goddess' fresco because it's my favourite thing Ever

[ladyloveandjustice]

Yuri Manga for New (AND Not-So-New) Readers

I was talking on discord about some good yuri for beginners, and figured I'd repost here.

I get way more detailed some of these recommendations in this post, and there's great recs from another person too! Check it out!

I'm doing this accounting to various tones and tastes, so what works as a beginner yuri for one person might not for another, just read the info to figure out what your jam is.

I'll put a star by the ones about adults (which is the majority of them) since I've found that's always something people want.

Goodbye my Rose Garden (Victorian yuri w/ beautiful art, just beautiful all around)*

How Do We Relationship? (messy adult relationships and lots of actually realistic intimacy)*

She Loves to Cook and She Loves to Eat- (A woman loves to cook but doesn’t have a huge appetite, only to find the woman next door to her does! She cooks for her and they really start to bond over food and the trials of being working adults. Yes, this is the one where the woman googles lesbian. It's really good)*

Bloom into You- a common go-to yuri for beginners for a reason, about a girl who believes she can't fall in love meeting a girl who wants to date her specifically BECAUSE she can't fall in love. Find out more about it and hear my thoughts here. It has a gorgeous anime that doesn't cover the complete story.

Doughnuts Under the Crescent Moon (sweet office lady romance, ace rep) *

Catch These Hands! (These two women were delinquents and rivals in high school, they meet up again, one reveals she was always into the other, she challenges her to a fight on the condition that if the other woman loses she'll date her. Lots of slapsticky fun and great for any lover of girl delinquents)*

Run away with me, Girl (there's some abuse shown in this one, but it's a story about healing, the premise is these girls dated in high school, but one of the pressured herself "normal" and marry a man, that man turns out to be abusive, so when the former lovers reunite, they decide to run away together. It's got beautiful art and a well done story)*

The Moon on a Rainy Night (absolutely spectacular, explores the relationship between a hard of hearing girl and her closeted classmate, the characters are complex and the writing is so good!)

Kase-san And...- Starting with Kase-san and the Morning Glories, this is a very fluffy and sweet high school romance. It also has a short movie. (as the manga goes on they become college students, too)

The Two of Them Are Pretty Much Like This (slice of life about a voice actress and anime screenwriter who live together as a couple. Unfortunately the ending is a bit abrupt (and likely premature) but I love their relationship)*

My fave Otherside Picnic is great for scifi and (mild) horror lovers. It's Scifi creepypasta adventure yuri. It's a slow burn but does truly spectacularly deliver on the gay. Has an anime, it's not great, you should start with the novels. Wrote an article here. https://www.animefeminist.com/how-otherside-picnic-masterfully-uses-horror-to-explore-abuse-and-show-healing-queer-love/ *(v young adults, college students)

The Guy She was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All: (A web manga about a girl who works at a record shop. Her classmate , Aya, wanders in but doesn't recognize her because she has her hair hidden with a hat and is wearing a face mask, and Aya assumes she's a guy. They bond over music and slowly start to get closer...and Aya's finds her heart is fluttering not only over this mysterious boy, but her female classmate that seems a lot like him...) It's going to get a physical release soon.

This Monster Wants to Eat Me: (A depressed girl who's been searching for death gets approached by a mermaid who wants to eat her...but the thing is, our monster mermaid is a gourmet who wants her to be as delicious as possible, which means she's going to make her happy first (as apparently that enhances her flavor), and fight off all the other monsters who want to kill her. This is TOP TIER yuri horror and a must read for any lover of monster girls, especially monster girls drenched in the blood of their enemies, it's so good)

I Married my Best Friend to Shut My Parents Up (girl and her friend get married simply so her parents will stop bugging her about being single. You can probably guess where it goes from there) *

I Married my Female Friend (similar premise, except no parents involved, it's a platonic marriage they both agreed to with the promise they'll divorce if one of them falls in love. But one woman has decidedly not platonic feeling for the other that she's hiding from her, so It will likely turn romantic, it hasn't all come out here yet so I haven't finished it)*

Whisper Me a Love Song: (A girl named Himari sees her upperclassman, Yori, perform with her band and falls in love with her music. She confesses her love of Yori's music, and Yori mistakes it as Himari confessing to being in love with her. Yori falls head over heels at first sight. (if you don't like miscommunication, dw this is cleared up fairly quickly and new drama ensues) Has an anime covering early material)

Monthly in the Garden with my Landlord* (it didn't really hit with me but I might give it a shot again, it's solid despite the terrible title, a woman moves into a house and finds she'll be cohabitating with an idol) (Some more titles I haven't fully read that could appeal: Still Sick*, Cheerful Amnesia*)

Hana and Hina After School: (a cute three volume about a gyaru and shy girl working together at a shop after school and catching feelings)

After Hours: (A cool punk girl meets a girl who's been abandoned by her friend at the club, and she introduces her to the world of DJ'ing...and romance!)*

My Cute Little Kitten (two roommates adopt a cat...and maybe fall in love?)*

I think all of those work as solid intro- though it does depend on what flavor you're looking for!

This article also covers some of these recs and some manga I didn't mention due to not having completely read it. so check it out: The Beginners Guide to Yuri Manga.

Here's some titles to try when you're a little more familiar with yuri (or you can try them now! I'm not your boss!)

SHWD (action yuri that's taking forever to come out over here physically, featuring extremely muscular women fighting monsters. I think it was forced to end prematurely too)*

Kiss and White Lily for my Dearest Girl: (I'm only three volumes in, but it's really enjoyable. The main storyline is about two academic rivals, where one is determined to rank first in class, and the other is an effortless genius who becomes intrigued at the possibility of someone beating her. Honestly they have the kind of messy combative sexual tension I wish we'd see more often in yuri because it's so good. The story follows other couples too. However, big warning for some nonconsensual kisses in early volumes, and a storyline in volume 7 that has implied incest and an age gap, though the older sister doesn't go through with it onscreen).

Sweet Blue Flowers/Aoi Hana- (This one is a little bit dated, and boy is the ending weirdly paced, but a lot still holds up imo. A painful and sweet coming of age tale, it also has an anime that's good but ends too soon.

One teenage characters backstory involves incestuous (older cousin) the perpetrator of which pulls the "oh no did I turn you gay? thing" but it's definitely framed as a bad thing. )

The Summer You Were There: (For tragic and doomed yuri lovers. A deeply depressed girl starts her journey to healing thanks to a girl who courts her and enjoys her writing. Unfortunately, said girl is terminally ill. The manga is a heart wrenching meditation on grief, redemption, and how being sick doesn't mean you can't still be loved).

Yuri is My Job- a story about messy lesbians in a yuri-themed cafe, and how their real relationships differ from the personas they put on. Read more about it here. Big warning for sexual assault of a minor (by an adult villain) in volume 12. Has an anime covering early material.

[luvsymai]

Baking w/ Shoto Todoroki

Summary: Baking cookies with your boyfriend!

Pairing: Shoto Todoroki x GN!Reader

Genre: Romance, fluff

<- Masterlist

Shoto Todoroki had always been the calm, collected type. His demeanor rarely cracked, and he was known for his cool head in stressful situations. So when he suggested baking cookies together, you were pleasantly surprised. You knew he liked cooking, but baking was a whole new territory.

"My, My. Who knew you’d be the one asking to bake instead of me." you teased, a playful glint in your eyes. Eyeing the array of ingredients spread out on the counter. Flour, sugar, chocolate chips, eggs, and butter—all waiting to be turned into delicious cookies.

A small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "I thought it would be fun."

You grinned, feeling a warm flutter in your chest. "Alright then, let's get started."

Shoto's movements were precise and methodical, a reflection of his disciplined nature. You watched him measure out the flour, his focus intense and his expression soft.

"How's it going over there?" you asked, glancing at Shoto as you mixed the butter and sugar together.

"Good. Almost done with the dry ingredients," he replied, his eyes meeting yours with a rare spark of warmth.

As you combined the ingredients, your hands brushed against his, sending a small thrill through you. You couldn't help but smile at the way he seemed so concentrated on such a simple task.

"Should we add the chocolate chips now?" he asked, breaking you out of your reverie.

"Yeah, can i maybe do it?" you asked, Shoto simply nodded as he watched you poured in way too many chocolate chips into the dough.

“Are you sure that isn’t too much?”

“Too many chocolate chips doesnt exist!” You declared with an evil glint in your eyes. He sweat dropped before shaking his head lightly, glancing at you as the corners of his lips moved up, suppressing a smile.

You both took turns stirring, and you couldn't resist the urge to be a bit playful. "You're pretty good at this, Todoroki. Are you sure you haven't been secretly practicing?"

He raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "Maybe. Or I’m just good at anything when you’re with me." He shrugged.

"Flattery will get you everywhere," you teased, nudging him gently with your elbow.

As the cookies baked in the oven, you both leaned against the counter, enjoying the warm, sweet aroma filling the kitchen. Shoto's usually stoic expression had softened, and you couldn't help but feel a surge of affection for him.

"Shoto," you said softly, "this was a really great idea."

He turned to you, his expression gentle. "I'm glad you think so. I enjoyed it too."

You leaned in, brushing a light kiss against his cheek. "Next time, let's try making something even more challenging. Like a cake."

He smirked, a rare playful glint in his eyes. "You're on."

As you waited for the cookies to finish baking, you couldn't resist teasing him a little more. "You know, for someone so serious, you’re pretty cute when you're concentrating."

His cheeks tinged with the slightest hint of pink, and he looked at you with a mix of embarrassment and affection. "And you're insufferable when you're teasing," he said, his tone light.

"Admit it, you love it," you said, leaning closer to him, your voice barely above a whisper.

He sighed, a soft smile playing on his lips. "Maybe I do," he murmured, his voice low.

Before you could tease him further, Shoto leaned in and pressed his lips softly against yours, silencing you in the most pleasant way possible. The kiss was gentle, his lips warm and sweet, just like the cookies you were baking. When he pulled back, his eyes were filled with a warmth that made your heart melt.

"You're impossible," he said quietly, but there was no mistaking the affection in his voice.

"And you love that too," you replied, your smile matching his.

As the timer beeped, signaling that the cookies were ready, you couldn't help but feel grateful for these quiet, happy moments with him. They were the little things that made everything worthwhile.

[gadzooksgalore]

Ever since I started crocheting and discovered just how much I enjoyed it, I wanted to take a stab at recreating one of my own characters. So I've been chipping away at this little Mip doll in my free time for the past three months, and to see her finally complete is super exciting!

Much of this project relied on a seahorse mermaid pattern by PinkMouseBoutique, but there are a handful of details in Mip's design that weren't covered by the pattern - including arm fins, ear fins, wavy hair, and her blue markings/facial features. I had to do a lot of experimentation and internet scouring to find solutions for these details (which is probably why this doll took so dang long, haha). But the creative problem solving involved in this project was honestly really fun, and to see it all come together was very rewarding! I even created my own pattern for her hair and I'm SO proud of that! This challenge allowed me to develop a bunch of skills that will definitely help during future projects c:

I'm honestly just really happy with how she turned out and am so grateful for this new art form I can enjoy!

She also has a wire skeleton, which means her arms and tail are posable! I'm glad she's able to hold the shells she loves so much ;w;

[dr-spectre]

WE DID IT!!!!!!!

THANK YOU SO MUCH EVERYONE!!!!! This is such a big milestone. Halfway until 1000 followers... that's absolutely insane!!

This will be the last follower update until we reach 1000. But, I wanna share something special with you all and get rather personal...

So, about a year ago, I wanted to learn how to draw because I was feeling depressed about "not being productive enough." Basically I got sucked into the bullshit productivity self help stuff that wants to turn your life into a cold calculated work obsessed nightmare, rather than living in the moment due to fear mongering about the future and how "if you don't grind now you WILL be a failure and die alone and get no pussy." (No wonder I picked Team Present for the Grand Fest...)

Plus I dropped out of uni at the time and welp, to put it lightly, I was feeling fucking god awful and I was scared into basically "putting in the hard work" by all these self help channels and other bullshit online. Whatever the FUCK that vague shit means, my autistic brain still doesn't get it.

It was BY FAR the worst period of my life, but, at least I tried to do SOMETHING. And I wanna show you all some of the things that I drew last year....

This was between October 2023 to February 2024. I stopped drawing due to it causing me much frustration and anger.

So yeah! Uh... enjoy?

So.... not the best work you've seen, right? HAHAHAHAHA!

Would you freak out if I told you that I got upset and damaged a book and a fan because I got so mad at myself over not being able to draw or do anything right?...

I feel like this ain't for me, and you know what? That's okay! I've learnt that it's okay to try new things, it's okay to experiment and if shit doesn't work then it doesn't work. Plain and simple. It's perfectly fine to give up and try something else.

You are not a robot, you are a human being. Don't feel like you "gotta do something everyday otherwise you'll die alone and you'll be broke and you'll never be successful and you'll be forgotten!!"

Do feel pressured to feel like you have to "find your thing" or "be productive" or whatever kind of... heh.... BRAINWASHING you hear online.

I wanted to draw because I was jealous of others, including my friends who are skilled artists... and I did it for the wrong reasons which is why I stopped in February.

I am very happy that I've decided to actually focus on what i like doing and what gives me energy. A quote that has stuck with me for years now is a quote by Jordan Peele from an interview, and it's basically this-

"Follow the fun." And you know what? He's right. Following what gives you that good good boost of dopamine while also feeling like you're accomplishing something is one of the best feelings EVER!!!! Whether it's art, writing, modelling, sculpting, architecture, making music, acting, clay sculptures, etc. FOLLOW THE FUN!! FOLLOW THE SHIT THAT EXCITES YOU!!! I literally always have multiple projects spiralling around in my head all the time and cycling between them at every given moment.

I'm not even saying do only what makes you comfortable or be lazy either, do shit that makes you go "BRING IT ON!!!! I WANNA DO THIS!!!" Get that blood pumping!!! Challenge yourself fairly!!!! There's healthy and unhealthy stress. Healthy stress should make you feel like a fucking PREDATOR!!! AN ANIMAL ON THE HUNT!!! While unhealthy stress makes you feels like you're the prey, the one who's being chased by an unknown force that's out to get you!!

I feel like I'm kinda rambling... anyways!!! ENOUGH WITH THE INSPIRATIONAL BULLSHIT!!! THANK YOU ALL!!!!!! 99% of you have been awesome and incredible!!!

It's also been an honor to get to know so many people who feel the same way as I do about a certain squid lady and her best friends.... before I went onto tumblr I genuinely felt so alone and so insane. I felt isolated, I felt like no one saw these characters the way that I do... I thought my perspective of a certain squid lady and her rebel phase was invalided and false... But now I know that I have people who have my back and understand what I'm trying to express...

One final time, thank you. I'll keep going.

STAY FRESH!!!!!!!!!!

[zankydraws]

IT IS FINALLY FINISHED. It took me a long time to draw this but I'm happy with the result and I really hope you all like it ^^

I have never drawn something this big before so I know there's probably loads of mistakes and stuff but I tried my best ;w;

click read more for highlights and my ramblings lol

Scooter looks a bit goofy but ehh, his clotes are hard for me to draw okay. MJ was very fun to draw as always, same with El Cool P.. my love my husband

Boom Fuzz was really hard to draw due to me not planning things out and not doing proper sketches lmao but he looks Good Enough now. At least M.O.G. looks nice 😎

D.Invaders got hit with a shrinking ray because I didn't know what to do with him lol so he's just a little baby machine now :D also KC Glow with freckles. Very important. My friend suggested I give Blue GT different eye colors and I loved the idea

Swingy experiencing The Horrors.

Some of you thought my boy Memphis did something wrong but he was also experiencing The Horrors. Drawing Arashi was a challenge since I can't draw metal 😔or robots.. and I love robots..

Tfw you're just chilling and your buddy is doing some hippie shit

Most important part of the drawing. I had so much fun drawing them <3 ASAP Bee with mittens for your consideration

It's kinda hard to draw 8-Bit in a style that isn't 8bit but I think I did well, he looks pretty funny. I had lots of fun drawing Kevin, especially his hair, he's a pretty boy

I really like how Boo 9 turned out. He's a ray of sunshine. Drawing Lil Blaze was really cool too :D finally got the chance to draw the boi

bonus:

Scooter's pineapple socks

KC's wacky shoes and pants

[heyidkyay]

And I'm petrified of being alone, now |

Part Fourteen

Matty Healy x reader

Summary: She’s just trying to get by, really. What with being a single parent to her four year old son whilst simultaneously trying to kick start a successful career as a radio presenter. She’s got everything she’s ever wanted though, friends close by, a mum who’s merely a phone call away, and of course her baby boy. What else is there to wish for? But then, it’s not long before her relatively normal life gets upended and turned on its head, and she’s suddenly forced to deal with situations she’s never even thought to imagine.

What happens when one mention of a certain controversial singer on her show sends a flood of unexpected challenges her way? 

Authors Note: First bit is a lil messy! BUT it's just a way of moving through time whilst letting you know what's going on. Apologising anyway, tried to make it as simple as possible! Idk how I’m really feeling about this series atm ngl, hopefully I’ll find some more inspiration soon x

> Just a reminder! We left the last update with Mouse and her mum talking about Matty:) You can look back here if you'd like!

Masterlist

Mirror

14:04, 26 Dec 2023

For Christmas Denise Welch reunites with..

LOOSE Women star Denise Welch had a fun-filled Christmas this year with her two sons and...

*picture: family gathering featuring Matty Healy in red beanie*

comments:

@/user1  Glasses and beanie combo>>> @/user2 He was wearing that yesterday too @/user3 I wish my family was chill enough to take a xmas pic😭

[HOMESCREEN] 11:12

Facetime now Matty:)!! Incoming Call

Messages 4m Finnleyyy So will I be seeing my best mate this nye??

Instagram 11m Trumanblack mentioned you in a private story

TWITTER: ‘75 updates @/75updateacc Matty spotted out in Manchester!  *picture: long trench and red beanie*

Ugh! @/user1 Matty on new years! *with old friends // red beanie tucked into a jacket pocket* > Loveme @/user2 The beanie is spotted again.. >> Saidhello @/user3 @/user2 Been all over his ig stories too 👀 friends? @/user4 I'm sort of obsessed w it and the fact it's stirring up so many questions💀 ppl, @/user5 it's so nice to see him actually happy!! lemmebepartoftheband @/user6 WAITING ON THE NEXT ALBUMMMM

Instagram

Trumanblack Story today

The Sun

23:47, 31 Dec 2023

MATTY HEALY SPOTTED OUT FOR NEW YEARS CELEBRATIONS AFTER 'SUPPOSED' SOBRIETY

The 1975 frontman was seen out in London this evening with friends and other members of the band celebrating a...

*picture: Matty Healy all dressed up and sporting a red beanie*

comments:

@/user1  shit like this ruins people @/user2 That hat again! Was it a Christmas present? @/user3 another celeb trying at sobriety, another bullshit article @/user4 Where in London even was this?

TWITTER: ‘75 updates @/75updateacc Band's interview with Variety today, click here for the video! Will be updating later on today:) *boys all pictured: George/shades, Matty/beanie&longtee, Ross/hairdown, Adam/leatherjacket*

[HOMESCREEN] 13:52

Messages 3m Matty:)!! Just wrapping up now, should be able to call in 10 x

Youtube 9m Recommended: The 1975 - Talks of tour? | VM Radio Uk

Instagram 21m Trumanblack just added to his story

AdelineWells sent you a direct message

23 New Notifications click to open

TWITTER: Partoftheband @/user1 Talks of tour??? Are they trying to kill me? Gotabf @/user2 The beanie!! It's back!! Milk @/user3 You reckon he's washed it? People! @/user4 He wears so much designer shit, why's he wearing a hat that looks like it was knitted by my nan??

--

With January, came sleet and heavy rain. Forcing us all indoors and making quick regrets over arduous New Year’s resolutions.

I had half a dozen interviews lined up in the first month alone, which was a promising start to the year but also incredibly nerve wracking. I’d spent the majority of the wavering days between Christmas and the 31st fretting over each and every detail, beyond thankful that my mum had stuck around a little longer after the festivities to help keep Teddy preoccupied.

Adi, thankfully, was stuck in the exact same boat, which meant that we could both bear the burden together. Leading to a whole lot of time being spent on the phone, making plans, or down at the studio, where Teddy could roam free. We were moving up in the world, as Matty now liked to claim, and so that meant more of our time being taken up by mundane tasks such as asking Hozier’s PA what kind of drink he preferred and avoiding a couple of Podcaster's sudden opinions on us.

Still, we were forever grateful.

Though it wasn’t just the radio show getting shafted with a shit ton of toil either, it appeared that work had Finn headed off to the States for a few gallery openings, and Matty pulled in all sorts of directions whilst the band sorted out their upcoming album.

I hadn’t heard a word of it, although the singer kept on endlessly chattering away about how much he loved the songs they were now producing, suddenly leased with a newfound life. Which always left me feeling happy, even if I did have to wait alongside the rest of the world to listen in. It was nice knowing that he was enjoying it all once more. Seeing as, music made Matty and Matty made music. And all that.

So anyway, what I’d been getting at there was that the last few weeks had been all too trying. Enough so that Matty and I had hardly seen hide nor hair of each other, and our Facetime calls had been fair and few. Which was something that didn’t just sadden me, but Teddy too it seemed, who’d come to quite like the musician and all of his odd quirks.

That fact in itself had almost sent me running, in truth.

And maybe that was silly of me, but Teddy was my everything and it killed me to see him upset over someone he barely even knew. But then again, I supposed he did know Matty in a way. Whenever Matty called, Teddy was there to tell the man about his day, whenever Matty texted he never failed to ask after Teds, whenever he sent pictures and videos of the studio and whatever else he was doing they were usually for Teddy to see. 

I didn’t think Teddy had ever attached himself to a person so quickly. Which really did surprise me. Though oddly enough, what surprised me much more was the fact that Matty had just soldiered on and stuck with it, instead of running for the hills the first chance he’d gotten, like I’d expected. 

Which was perhaps a bit of an unfair assumption on my part, but it was something I didn’t feel too guilty over- I’d made that clear to Matty the very first day the two of them had met after all.

Saying that though, I was left to eat my words as I watched that same man galavant his way around a London Zoo with a four year old plopped atop his shoulders. Doing so without complaint, and thoroughly enjoying it too.

“There! There, Matty! You see?” I heard Teddy call out in loud excitement as I trailed my way on after them, his little fingers holding onto the red beanie Matty now often favoured. Something I relentlessly teased him about but which left me feeling all warm every time I saw it.

“Oh yeah! I do now. Wow monster, how’d you even spot him over there?” Matty replied, feigning obvious awe and grinning madly when Teddy leaned over the top of his head to poke his face into view.

“I eat carrots.”

I snorted at the simple answer Teddy gave and Matty, forever charmed by my toddler’s antics, nodded around a low chuckle of his own. “I’ll make sure to buy a couple on my way home then.”

Stepping closer, I found it strange to be in a zoo so lifeless. Which probably sounded even more peculiar, but then again, it hadn’t been my idea to go ahead and rent the entire place out just so that we could have a nose around at all the wildlife without Matty getting mobbed. What a diva, hey?

“I still can’t believe you did all this.” I murmured to him once Matty had set Teddy back down on the ground, leaving my son to run on over towards one of the caged fences, calling out to the languid lions that laid beyond it.

“It’s sick.” 

That had been Matty’s only defence since having arrived and me figuring this all out, it was as endearing as it was bewildering. 

“It’s mental is what it is, you idiot.”

He glanced over at me, hands tucked up in his pockets, a smug grin now painted on his face. I crossed my arms over my chest, refusing to be charmed by him and his inane antics. 

“Admit it, you’re loving this. Not having to worry about losing the kid and actually being able to get a look in at this lot.” Matty argued, and if he were anyone else he’d be swaying back and forth in utter delight- Wilmslow’s very own Willy Wonka- but all he did was simply look back at Teddy with a prideful grin, who was now currently trying to lure a lioness in closer.

Thing is, he wasn’t wrong. And Matty was enough of a git to know it too.

I didn’t grant him a reply though and instead wandered over to drag my son away from the ever nearing lion. “Did you see, mama? She likes me!”

I had to grin and bite back my sudden hysteria, although Matty snorted from his place now back beside us. “I did see, lovely! How about we go look at the snakes though now, hey?” And with that, Teddy was eager to part from us (and thankfully the lion) , sprinting ahead in the direction of a lizard sign that stood not too far away, leaving Matty and I to trail behind.

“Where all the animals are locked behind glass, yeah?” Matty piped up after and I narrowed my eyes at him in return, refraining from giving him a right good shove.

“Shut it.”

He merely cackled and looped an arm around my shoulders.

–

“They should just get back together. I mean- the money alone!”

I chuckled quietly to myself, moving about the tiny kitchenette at the studio and rolling my eyes at the man propped up between a Guinness World Records book we had and the sugar tin.

“I’m not saying that they shouldn’t! I’m just saying that they won’t.” I argued back, still rifling my way through a drawer in search of a sharp enough knife. “Those are two completely different things.”

“So what?” Matty scoffed, his displeasure with the whole debate managing to seep its way through the phone. “Fucking pair of pillocks, can’t even imagine how the world would react, the industry alone!”

I smiled, all too familiar with the daily rants of one Matthew Healy. This particular tirade of his had been spurred on by a comment I’d made on today’s show, it seemed he’d been listening in.

“Oo, is there a brew going for me?”

I glanced behind me just in time to spot Adi making her way into the studio, a large duffle bag for tomorrow's shoot thrown over her left shoulder. 

“Who else?” I quipped back, grinning victoriously when I finally found the trusty blade I’d brought over from mine so many years ago now that laid between a wooden spoon and a jar opener.

“What are you even doing?” She asked me next, having already tossed the bag down onto the sofa and made her way over. She waved when she spotted Matty’s familiar face upon opening the fridge, used to his presence cropping up here and there by now, “Alright, Healy? Thought you had big meetings today.”

“We do. I’m currently hiding out in a bin.”

Adi paused to blink at the absurd reply and then shrugged, not seeing the point in questioning it any further. “And you?” She prompted me, plucking a pint of milk from the fridge and slamming it closed.

“So full of questions today, high inquisitor.” I sang, already moving to slice into the whole watermelon I’d brought on my way in, having right fancied it when I’d passed by the fruit & veg stall up on the high street. “And what do you think, Ads? Exactly what it looks like.”

“Yeah, but why?”

I just shook my head in answer and Adi seemed to take that for what it was, a blatant dismissal. Matty though, ever so sweet, must’ve felt a bit bad because I heard him pipe up again, “She’s gone and brought a whole watermelon. Paid five quid for the thing, you believe that?”

“Five quid! Did he ask if he could spit in your face too?” Adi all but exclaimed, eyes as wide as saucers as she looked over at me.

“Yes, five quid.” I stressed, having already heard enough of it from Matty, who didn’t have a leg to stand on here. “Now leave off, or I won't share.” I wielded the knife between the pair of them jokingly and Adi relented easily enough, already moving to skim a piece I’d just cut from off the counter. I cast a shrewd glance towards my phone, “And besides you can’t talk, Mr. Millionaire.”

Matty snorted.

“Is it really that much?” Adi wondered out loud, sweeping over to get a better glimpse at my screen and the man hidden within it.

I rolled my eyes and smirked, already figuring that she’d try her luck with just that thought alone. 

“Piss off, Wells.” Matty laughed, amused by the ever so sweet smile Adi had suddenly conjured up for him and the way she was now batting her lashes, “How the fuck did we go from watermelon to my networth anyway?”

“Extortion.”

“Nepotism.”

I stopped slicing to taste test a chunk of watermelon and heard Matty heave a heavy sigh.

Adi, though, just moved to ask, “Did you threaten the fruit & veg man then?”

“Fucking should’ve.” I muttered, but couldn't quite bring myself to regret the wasted fiver then, not when the fruit was almost heavenly.

“Can you stop eating? I’m in a crisis you know, and fucking starving.” I heard Matty complain, his voice practically petulant.

“Actually, you’re in a bin.” I corrected, taking another chunk, “So don’t be a drama queen. If you’re hungry, order a Deliveroo or fuck off home.”

Matty was almost pouting when I slid on over to join Adi by the phone, a plate overwhelmed with watermelon now towering between us. His frown deepened. “You’re proper evil, you know that?”

I simply grinned, “You love it.”

Only Adi noticed the faint hue that bloomed across the singer’s cheeks then. Seeing as I was already rambling away once again, talking about the weekend get-together we’d planned now we all had some time to spare.

“You’re still coming, right?” I then asked Adi, who was now smirking for some reason. I raised a brow.

She merely hummed around her next slice and dipped her head at me, “Wouldn’t miss it for the world, babe.”

Matty’s eyes narrowed at that but I deemed it better to ignore whatever the two of them had going on, I found life to be much simpler that way.

–

It was almost gone nine and still no sign of her. 

She had texted almost half an hour ago now, saying she was headed out, but Matty still kept his phone in hand, spinning it this way and that, just in case she tried messaging again.

“You’re driving me mad with that, man.” George suddenly announced, drawing Matty’s attention back to the table at the overcrowded club they’d picked out. “Stop it.” He added, swatting at Matty’s forearm when he’d barely acknowledged him the first time round.

Matty’s brow pinched but he let the mobile go with a clatter to the tabletop, “Happy?”

George exaggerated his smile in the same sense Matty just had whilst he clasped his hands in mock prayer before him, “Incredibly.” Then he relaxed back in his chair once more, face softening as Matty’s eyes shot out across the floor for the umpteenth time, “God, you’re really fucking strung up on this one.”

“Eh?” Matty immediately asked him, his head spinning back around to spare a glance at his mate.

“Just,” George began with a slow shrug, his chin dipped against his chest now in the way that he’d leaned back making his eyes appear all the more solemn. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you so invested, is all.”

“Invested, fuck’s that meant to mean?”

Goerge just huffed. “I don’t know, Matty. Just, you’re not usually the type to get so caught up on a girl you’re chasing.”

“I’m not chasing her. We’re mates.” Matty hastily defended and could feel the way his face had instantly scrunched up with the force of it.

He was gifted a short snort in return, “Yeah man, sure, and I can fly a shitting plane.” At Matty’s ever darkening expression, George sighed once more and moved to prop himself up on his knees, “Look yeah? I didn’t mean nothing by it, only curious. It’s weird seeing you all moody and pent up about somebody. Been a while.”

It had been a while since he’d last seen someone properly, but that didn’t suddenly mean that he and Mouse currently had anything going on. He’d been too focused on staying clean, working on the album, and trying to forget the last year and a half had ever happened. And Mouse… well, she had a kid and didn’t seem the type to take to anyone so easily. They were mates. Just, mates.

Matty must’ve been quiet a little too long though because when George spoke again his voice had softened, as had his face. It almost looked pitiful now, enough that Matty wanted to force him away from his line of sight. But he didn’t, only glanced back out towards the floor.

“Matty, mate. I really didn’t mean to piss you off, you know that. I’m just saying it how I see it.” Matty rolled his eyes but George only continued to talk, “It’s obvious that you like her, man. Whether it’s just as friends or something more. But do me a favour and just have a long think about it, yeah? She’s nice and all, but I don’t wanna see you hurt.”

Matty bit back the scoff that lodged itself in his throat, “If anything, G, it’d be me hurting her. Wouldn’t be that unexpected though, would it?”

George’s hand came to grasp his shoulder at that and with a firm but gentle grip he forced Matty to better face him, he leaned in so his voice would carry over the music, his forehead now furrowed. “You’re not a bad person, man. Not everyone’s expecting you to fuck up all the time.”

Didn’t that feel like a fucking lie.

The hand pressed further and George shook Matty a tad, wanting him to comprehend his words. Take them in. “You’re doing good, mate. Really good. And we’re proud, alright? We are. All I’m saying is, have a think about what you want. Make sure you’re happier for it, make sure… that you can deal with everything that comes along with it. Understand?”

Matty’s mouth felt a little dry as he stared up into George’s eyes, seeing the genuine care held within them. Almost immediately Matty felt his walls crumble down around him and he struggled to find the right words to respond with. They were proud. So instead, he just nodded and George’s hand clapped the back of his neck with a winning grin.

“Good. Now, go get her, yeah?”

Matty frowned at the words but before he could think to question it the table was moving to welcome in a couple of newcomers and he turned in his seat to meet the eyes of a smiling Squeaks.

“Hey you.”

“You made it!”

She grinned back at him, beamed actually, and Matty felt his eyes flicker down to her lips for a second, then down further to the lovely little dress she’d decided on. He hastily stood up to greet her, wrapping her up in a hug- something that had come more and more naturally to them in the last few weeks- and rocked slightly. “Get all dressed up for me, did you?”

Mouse pulled away with a laugh, her head thrown back a tad before her glistening eyes set themselves back on him, she squeezed his arm, “You wish.”

He did wish. But he didn’t voice that passing thought out loud, filing it away to stress about later, and instead shuffled nearer to whisper, “You do look gorgeous though.”

The skin by her ear prickled with goosebumps and Matty pulled away before he could get too caught up in what that might have meant. He graced her with a slow smile, “Drinks?”

She let go of a breath, then smiled brightly back at him with a dip of her chin, “Drinks.”

–

“I haven't heard a word of it!” I said, pushing my drink down onto the table. I was currently on my fifth of the night, but the guys were forever getting new rounds in and so I knew it wouldn’t take me long before I was handed another. 

“You said you didn’t like our stuff!” Matty immediately answered back, his voice a tad bit higher now.

I gaped at the claim, “I did not!”

“Yes, you fuckin’ did!”

The rest of the table was watching on in ever growing amusement, Ross’s eyes were dancing back and forth between Matty and I, whilst Adi wore a grin that could probably help power Blackpool Tower. 

“I said I loved your earlier work. I didn’t say I hated the newer stuff!” I rebuked, desperately trying to think back to that first show I’d mentioned Matty in. Had I really said that?

Matty went to speak but Hann cut in before he could, “You two are mental. All I asked was whether she’d heard anything we’d been working on.”

George snorted, managing to drag his eyes away from his fiance to smirk at the pair of us. “Remember she claimed the band looked spent.”

Matty jumped to point in George’s direction, pleased, whilst my eyes widened, “I wouldn’t!”

“You did, love.” George laughed, looking more amused than hurt which was the only thing keeping me from being physically sick. “It’s alright, no harm done.”

I fish-mouthed, but even with that having been said, Matty was still grinning victoriously. “Fucking told you.”

Wrinkling my nose, I turned to neck the rest of my drink. “Yeah, well. I do love your songs, alright?”

Matty’s brows upturned, as if he was about to deny the claim and accuse me of lying, but Adi cut in, “No it’s true, she's been listening to your shit nonstop since you two met. Like it’s grating at this point.”

“Harsh.” Ross dragged out and Adi gave him a coy smile when she went to pat his chest, “You try listening to his gob on repeat and then we’ll talk, yeah?” She retorted easily, dipping her head towards Matty, whose face scrunched up unhappily.

“Careful, Wells. Starting to sound like you might not like me.”

Adi flashed him a toothy smile, “Who claimed I ever did?”

I was quick to reach out and grab Matty’s wrist when he frowned, ready to open his mouth once more. The motion seemed to grab most, if not all, of his attention because he wavered in his stance before letting himself be pulled over.

“He’s fragile, Ads.” I chuckled to her, hand cradling the back of Matty’s head when he leaned in to press his face against my shoulder. “All the big rockstars have delicate egos.”

Adi snorted and I watched as she let Ross drape an arm over her shoulders, her hand finding his.

“Not fucking fragile.” Matty said, but the heat of it was lost in the mumble against my skin, I laughed.

“Sure, babe.” I murmured fondly, smiling when I felt the curve of his grin against my neck. I started to run my hand through his hair almost unconsciously, letting the alcohol dim the anxious worries that would typically cloud my mind. “You’re a real man.”

“A real fuckin’ man.”

I rolled my eyes with a shake of my head that must've disrupted Matty’s newfound peace because he pulled away slightly, hands falling to rest on my hips, keeping us close.

“You’re proper nice, you know?” He mumbled in contradiction to our previous argument, his head falling forward to press his forehead to mine. His eyes appeared so much darker in this light, the little space between us had me holding my breath. “So nice.”

Instantly I was reminded of one of the first conversations I’d had with Adi about Matty, he’d been nice then too. “Thanks.” I chuckled before swallowing, eyes trailing between his before I voiced the thought. “You’re nice too.”

He smiled, one of those lazy ones where his eyelids drooped and the skin around his mouth wrinkled. His stare dropped ever so slightly and my mouth parted on instinct.

Matty licked at his lower lip, teeth grazing it ever so slightly. “I’m glad I met you.”

My heart stuttered in my chest, squeezing in on itself so tightly that I thought it might just give out, before it finally let go. “I don’t think I’ve ever been told that before.”

Matty tilted his head at me causing the tip of his nose to brush against mine, I struggled to remember to keep breathing. “I’m glad I met you, Squeaks.” He repeated with an air of finality, either unaware or uncaring for the reaction it drew from me as he raised a hand to drag his thumb across my jaw.

I looked up into his eyes, unblinking. Aware that I’d never felt quite like anything this before.

“I’m glad I met you too.”

–

Metro News

Feb 2024 06:21

SETTLING DOWN? | ‘75 SINGER CAUGHT IN CLUB WITH SINGLE MUM

Last night it seems our local heartthrob was back out on the town again after a few weeks of silence, only this time he wasn't alone! Read more...

[HOMESCREEN] 07:59

Facetime now Finnleyyy Incoming Call

Messages 7m Adi x Babe wake up, shits going down over on twitter!! Also (very much related) did you shag Healy last night???

Twitter 11m You now have 378 notifications

TWITTER: ‘75 updates @/75updateacc The Band spotted out in London last night with the MouseOnAMic girls! *picture: a story from Adelinewells instagram//blurred group photo*

backofmyvan @/user1 Is this real?? *picture: blurred Matty and Mouse in a dark club* Funnyface @/user2 Is that the radio host? she has a kid?? Saidhello! @/user3 I woke up to chaos. On another note, how are my matty girlies doing today?

[thegryffe]

GRYFFE ART UPDATE

my friend has convinced me I should post this so I will but aaaaaaaaa sharing art is scary

so this was made on june 4th AKA day 2 of learning how to draw

I decided to try out just straight up copying (but not tracing) a reference image so I went with May guilty gear

I'm actually super happy with how it turned out even tho I just kinda copied it... I did try colouring it as well but I prefer the sketch version tbh

it posed a fun challenge because in the image I was using obviously has May's arm blocking some of her and since I refuse to attempt to draw arms yet I just kinda had to fill in the blanks myself

please don't stab me with forks I am doing my best >w<

you should get into art if you haven't!!! it's SO FUN!!!!

[twstgarden]

✿ ❝ 𝗺𝗶𝘅𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘀 ❞

━ idia shroud x gn! reader ━ idia and you are the best of friends, but he keeps giving you mixed signals. f/n means first name.

this happens right after chapter 6.

do not steal or translate without my permission.

"idia?"

"are you there?"

a sigh escaped your lips as you sent a message to idia. he was ignoring you for a while now and you have no idea why, you thought of sending him a message to see if he would reply, but there was no sign of him ever reading or replying. it was merely a few days ago when you two were having fun, playing video games together and binge-watching your favourite anime for the whole weekend, and now he's suddenly ignoring you.

feeling downhearted, you locked your device and placed it back on your desk. a few moments passed and you decided to visit idia over at ignihyde, to see if he was alright, and so you did.

you found yourself standing before the ignihyde dormitory manager's dorm room, knocking on the door as you spoke, "idia? it's me. are you there?"

it was silent for a while until you received a notification from your phone. you took out your device and looked at it, realizing it was a text from idia that says, "come in."

a slightly disappointed sigh left your lips as you entered his room, crossing your arms as you said, "you could've verbalized your presence... anyway, are you alright, ids? you've been kinda ignoring my messages lately."

idia was seated on his chair, facing the screen as he did not even dare to look at you. his room was completely dark with the blue screen being the only source of light. ortho was nowhere to be found, presumably back in his room to either take a rest or work on his schoolwork.

"i'm just a little busy."

his response was curt and soft, making you blink your eyes in confusion before turning around, "oh... okay, i won't bother you for a while, then! let me know if you need any help."

seeing you turn around as you were about to take your leave, idia's bored expression suddenly changed into a slightly surprised one as he called out to you, "w-wait! uh... i'm free right now..."

he then paused for a few seconds, likely regretting his impulsive actions and realizing he can't back out now, seeing as you turned to look at him with a curious gaze, "...i'm free right now... um... do you want to... hang for a bit?"

you hummed softly as you sat beside him, patting his shoulder with a cheeky grin as you spoke, "sure! wanna play star rogue?" idia's eyes twinkled at the mention of his favourite game as he nodded, and you two spent quite some time challenging each other on who gets the highest score.

a few hours have passed and you were lazily sitting on idia's bed with a bowl of candies in hand, eyeing the screen as he set it to a new anime that was released recently. your eyes were glued to the scenes as you ate some candies, paying no attention to idia who was dividing his attention to both you and the screen.

he had no idea what was going on with him. sure, you two have known each other long enough to be considered best friends, but why is he suddenly feeling so... warm and nervous around you? this was odd. this is totally out of character for him, as he says, but still, he could not fathom the reason why he felt butterflies every time he sees you smile, or how he felt so spoiled and happy every time you'd hang with him and pour all your attention on him.

'that was so damn cheesy,' thought idia as he shook his thoughts away. he let out a soft, heavy sigh before looking back at the screen, nibbling on some candies as he focused his attention back on the anime.

you heard his heavy sigh, which caused you to turn your head to look at him. "you alright?"

he merely hummed in response as he pointed at the screen, "i'm just a little pissed at that character... that was a stupid move."

you chuckled at his words, shaking your head gently before looking back at the screen and focusing on the show that was running.

there it was again.

another week has passed and idia's been doing the same thing again, completely ignoring your calls and texts, refusing to see you or speak to you in public even through his tablet, and lately, he wasn't even answering as you knocked on his door.

"goddammit, is he ghosting me?"

you mumbled to yourself as you sighed heavily, placing your hands on your head as you keep your phone on the desk, still unlocked as it showed your most recent texts to idia.

"yo."

"hey."

"idia?"

"are you in your room?"

"i met with ortho today, he told me you didn't want to see me."

"are you angry?"

not even left on read, he totally left your message in his inbox. how frustrating yet depressing. he was your closest friend on the entire campus, he knew your deepest darkest secrets and you knew his. you were there during his overblot incident, you were there when you saw how he willingly would give up his own life just to be with his brother again, you were there when he needed a shoulder to cry on, you were there when he needed you the most, and he was the same with you.

at least, before he started giving these mixed signals.

you did not know what to do. should you cry? should you lash out at him? should you act on impulse? should you ignore him back to teach him a lesson? grim was not around as he was at heartslabyul and the ghosts are presumably somewhere else, so you were all alone in your room.

whatever.

you hugged your knees to your chest as you sniffled, holding your phone with one hand as you stared at the screen. soon, you started typing a few messages, hoping that if he ever does read your texts through his notifications, this might catch his attention.

"idia... are you mad at me? did i say something bad? if something is going on, you can tell me rather than giving me these mixed signals. it's frustrating... you want me to hang out with you and then the next minute, you ignore me and push me away as if i was nothing but a stranger to you. i don't want to keep inconveniencing you if our friendship is too much for you to bear, just please let me know..."

and send.

a heavy sigh of relief left your lips as you closed your eyes, but that relief was mixed with anxiety and tension. you deeply cherished your friendship with him, you really do, but if he doesn't feel the same way after all that happened, then you think there is no point in staying friends with him.

meanwhile, back in ignihyde, idia was receiving your texts, but he was not opening them to read or reply. as soon as your message came through his notifications again, he read its contents before sighing softly to himself.

"i'm sorry, f/n. i don't have the guts to tell you how i feel. you're better off without me anyway..."

ortho was in the same room as him as the younger shroud frowned at his brother's words. he had long figured out how his brother feels for you, and he can say for certain that you feel the same way, but seeing this exact scene in front of him where you both were suffering because none of you dared to confess frustrates him a lot.

well, the little shroud is more than pleased to help out and fix this mess for you two.

© twstgarden 2023 || please do not steal, translate without my permission, or use this to train a.i.

[ijwrff]

Hey. I love your work, just an idea you don't have to do it. Yandere Antisepticeye x male reader who is weak. With some fluff?

Thanks? Hope you have a good day

Hiya! I hope you're doing well, I'm glad I could get to do this fic! It's not often that I write for male readers, so it's always a fun challenge ^^

Tw; bullying, injury, condescension, yandere typical behavior, and Anti typical behavior like a tantrum and a whole lot of swearing. Yanno. As he does.

Taglist: @thattiredanimator1t0mblr @serenitydusk @viciouslyyearning @jacksepticeye-simp

Word Count: 1,196

It wasn’t uncommon for you to get bullied in college, but for the most part, everyone had grown out of their bullying phase. Your campus was pretty safe, so you never thought something like this could happen. People said mean words, sure, but it never got physical. Today was special, you guess. 

You sighed, and opened your apartment door after fumbling with the keys. It wasn’t surprising when you walked into your house nearly trashed. Every time Anti visited, it was like this. He had a habit of making everything difficult for you, but you’d never tell him that it was actually welcomed. Today though, you didn’t hardly say a word to him, and just tried to brush off his presence. You didn’t want to get teased any more than you already had been, not when you were hurt like this. 

“Dude what the fuck?! You can’t just come in here and ignore me!” You heard him run over and it only pushed you to move to your room quicker. He wasn’t even human, so of course he’d be able to beat you to the door. You dropped your chin to your chest, before trying to turn away from him. “Are you being serious right now?” He scoffed, and grabbed your shoulder to turn you towards him. “The fuck is your deal? W-” He paused when he saw your face. 

It was silent, and you couldn’t meet his eyes, ashamed you couldn’t put up more of a fight against the bullies that did this to you. Your eye was swollen, and there was a gash across your cheek from how hard the guy punched you…you cursed him for wearing so many rings, they only helped to tear into your skin further than it would have otherwise. Your sleeves covered the bruises for the most part, though one of them was clearly in the shape of a hand. 

The air shifted, small charges of electricity coming from Anti’s form as he seemed to nearly glitch in and out of reality. You took a step back, but he grabbed your shoulder to keep you close. “Who the fuck did it?” He spat, his eyes glowing green as it struggled to keep his emotions in check, only to fail miserably. His grip was nearly painful on your shoulder, and it seemed like it was taking every last ounce of his control not to leave even more bruises, intended or not. 

You sniffled once, and flinched from how intense the situation had become. “It doesn’t matter…” He was lightyears stronger than you, so it wasn’t surprising that when you tried to pull away from him, you didn’t get far at all. “Just some guys. I fought back though, so it’s okay.” You gulped, and struggled to meet his eyes.

He grabbed your chin roughly, and forced you to look at him. It was intended to direct your focus at him, but when you flinched he growled and let go, storming into the livingroom and throwing your couch against the wall, leaving a large crack that seemed to go through all the way if the neighbors screams were any indication. 

“A-Anti stop!” You called, and rushed up to him, but soon all of your emotions were contradicting each other. Lashing out at him wasn’t something you wanted to do, but your brain was speeding through a million scenarios in the blink of an eye. “Why do you even care? You bully me all the time! How is this even different? I figured you’d be happy with how much you seem to hate me.” You winced at your own words, hoping you didn’t take it too far, but you did effectively make him freeze in his rampage of breaking most of the belongings in the living room. 

“Hate you?” He chuckled, before it turned into a cackle that could have come from a villain in a tv series. “Why the fuck do you think I hate you?” The electricity crackled around you, and he turned and stepped closer to you. “If I hated you, I wouldn’t bother spending time with you. I’d probably just kill you.” His grin was wicked, and you had a hard time focusing on his words while that terrifying look was on his face. 

“Y-You just kind of bully me a lot, so…” You mumbled, feeling like you’d upset him. That was the last thing you wanted right now, and his emotions were so unpredictable you never knew what he’d do next. It was a game with him, really. One second he could be beating the shit out of someone a few streets down, cackling wildly, and the next second he’d be sitting on your couch throwing popcorn in his mouth laughing at some bad horror movie. 

He scoffed and raised an eyebrow, but his grin never left his face. “Yeah. I do bully you, but I’m the only one allowed to.” He shrugged, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. “If anyone else fucking messes with you, they’re gonna have to deal with me.” He cracked his neck, then his fingers as he stalked closer to you. 

It was a terrifying sight, and you backed away. Beforelong, your back was to the wall and he was towering over you. That grin only seemed to grow as your eyes widened in surprise. He elaborated, but really it only posed more questions. 

“If anyone’s going to break you, it’ll be me. You’re mine to tease, to taunt, to torment, and above all that? To protect. No one fucking messes with what’s mine.” He cackled, and leaned closer until his lips were only centimeters away from yours. “Anyone that hurts you only deserves the worst of what this world has to offer.” He leaned in, closing the distance between your lips. 

You gasped in shock at the sudden kiss, and he wasted no time in deepening it, one hand tangled in your hair as he pulled harshly and the other just barely at the base of your neck. It was nearly a desperate kiss, and you could barely breathe from how long he dragged it on for. Though after several moments of his tongue exploring your mouth, he pulled back. His smile was…still a wicked grin, but there were traces of tenderness in it. Very slight traces, but they were there. 

“Clean yourself up. I’ll be back.” He demanded, his voice sounding far too serious to have come from him. He snapped his fingers to make a display of his exit, before dissipating rapidly into particles and disappearing entirely. 

You pant to catch your breath, and stood there motionless. Did that…really just happen. Your hand trailed up, touching your lips softly to try and process the events that just unfolded. It wasn’t even clear how long you stood there, but a text notification popped up, and you pulled out your phone to see a message that gave you a genuine smile…despite questioning if it should have made you as happy as it did. 

“Sorry I wrecked your shit. Clean up your wounds. I’ll double check when I’m back from dealing with these pieces of shit.”

[flare-the-pyrowing]

FROGS FROGS FROGS FROGS FROGS

Aka a ninja, a monk, and a confused punchy boi.

(Ramblings under the cut)

Hehehe artists commentary time. Cause idk I wanna talk about it.

This took me a long time ngl. I mean part of that was a took a break and then had to actively make myself sit down and finish it, which I don't regret.

This was the first time I've drawn Ranno and Liligator (as well as greninja from the front), so between that and the character spacing, posing, lineart, the fact I didn't have an actual lineart pen for most of this, and attempted color matching (cough cough perfectionist cough), it was a challenge. Dude color matching Liligator's blue was really frustrating for a while, but I'm happy with how it turned out. And its As Close As I Can Get™. Ranno's bubbles gave me hell when I started coloring them. I swatched a lot of potential strategies before I tried on the sketch, so eventually it worked out and I think they work pretty good. I've drawn greninja a couple times cause they're my main in ssbu, but MAN. Drawing them from the front. Not doing that again anytime soon I'm doing just great with a three quarters angle thanks. I still think their face looks off, but I redrew their eyes at least 50 times and had to just Leave It if I ever wanted to continue.

Despite all of that, I had such a clear image of this idea in my head so I went and put it on paper. Honestly this was really fun and I like having a project I can chip away at for a couple days.

Anyway here's some alt versions cause I wanna put them here.

W/o question mark

Individual frogs (can you tell I went from left to right lol)

And I know absolutely zero (0) people care but if you wanna use these for icons you can just credit me ig.

Seeya

[beevean]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.beyondgames.biz/43436/from-vampire-video-game-to-hit-netflix-animation-an-interview-with-the-castlevania-nocturne-creator/%3famp=1

This...should also be interesting

man you're having fun sending me peak :P

This got a bit long, so under the cut it is - I'm also afraid I'm annoying others with this lol

Castlevania, the long-running and influential platform game series launched by Konami in 1986, follows the generations-long battle between the Belmont family and vampire lord Dracula. The Castlevania TV show told that story across four seasons.

This is a lie. Not only the og show only adapted one adventure and not the entire legacy, but that adventure barely took half of the runtime.

Yes I'm being petty, but can you blame me? They can't even gush about Best Videogame Adaptation Of All Time right.

I didn’t know the games, but I’d seen the earlier [Castlevania] show and liked it very much.

I had no doubts 🙂

Even as a fan of the show, though, Bradley's knowledge is lacking. Dude forgot basic worldbuilding like Devil Forging and the effect of crosses on vampires.

"Konami also gets sent notes and the scripts." I find funny how there is zero mention of their input lol. "yeah they get kinda warned that we're doing stuff with their brand. just in case someone cares"

I did quite a bit of reading up about it, especially the two games in particular. One of the difficulties in terms of working out a story is that in many of the games, including these two, Dracula was prominent. But in the original TV series, the Dracula story is kind of put to bed! Dracula gets a happy ending after season four. So I had to work out how – or whether – to handle Dracula. I started looking into other villains. There were two. I researched the games and cherry-picked what I could use. Olrox is in the game, but he’s different. And there’s Erzsebet Báthory, who appears in a different Castlevania game with an Anglicised name. I knew who she was already: she’s a famous historical figure. I decided to treat her as the historical character (who’s supposedly the worst female serial killer in history – [folklore] turned her into a vampire).

Nice to see Bradley has learned from Ellis' school of thought of just randomly selecting elements you might recycle with no further consideration. I'm surprised he chose Erzsebet and not, say, Barlowe, who was definitely alive back then.

To be fair, though, I can understand his frustration at the absolute idiotic ending of the og show.

[The Deats brothers] know how to use things from the games creatively and in ways that will work even if you don’t know the games.

... no. Moving on.

There is a character called Annette in Rondo Of Blood who is Richter’s girlfriend. She’s trapped in Dracula’s castle, and he has to rescue her in the game. Now, I was never going to do an eight-episode season, never mind two seasons or more, of Richter running around a castle rescuing a girl.

I can just hear the scoffing.

Alright, fair, I understand his point. You want a more dynamic plot, I get it. But you basically went "this is shit, I'll just turn her into my OC", just like you did with Olrox and Erzsebet, and just like Ellis did with pretty much everyone in the cast. You all just take names and create your own stories by leeching off the popularity of the source material and then expect to be clapped for writing the Best Adaptation of all time.

One of the tasks in developing the show and its story is that, of course, the reason it exists at all is because of the game. So you want to please fans of the game. But it can’t only be for fans of the game. It has to have a broader appeal. There’s a significant fan base, but you need more to justify a Netflix show. You have to have something that will work for a wider audience. It has to be something on its own, and you have to find the logic of the story that you started to tell. Sometimes, the problem with adaptations (especially if they aren’t very complex stories to begin with) is that if you keep trying just to come back to that, you’re going to lock yourself into a dead end. What you do is you develop characters and then the characters have a logic. And the story has its own logic. And you have to allow that to happen, or it will fail on every level.

... so, what was I saying?

This speaks for itself. I have nothing to add.

The name seems to work for a Mexica background – although it’s not really Aztec

the fuck are you saying? Olrox is a mistranslation of Orlok. It's German! What, just because there's an X there suddenly it can pass off for Aztec? So much for hiring writers that can help you with writing other cultures

So we have a bunch of kids who are out of their depth. Richter’s too cocky. He thinks he can handle everything, and he can’t. Maria is even younger than Richter and Annette. They’re all very obviously out of their depth. And there’s something very Buffy about that, in a way.

And Annette is just perfect, isn't she :) it's not like her brash outburst lead to Edouard becoming a Night Creature and she, instead of blaming herself, kept snapping at Richter for wanting to make her reason :)

also lol that Maria is only described as "young". She really has no personality and contributes nothing to the story.

There’s a lot of that in Olrox, and Drolta also has a touch of Anne Rice about her. Those particular vampires are quite ambiguous – and sexy!

Drolta is literally what the fandom believes game Isaac to be, a shallow evil horndog simp, but with tits. Ambiguous my ass.

We knew that the vampires in this universe are aristocratic.

bro accidentally wrote a story about vampires infiltrating human nobility to the point of becoming an accepted part of their world because he forgot that not all vampires are inherently aristocratic. i'm shitting myself.

The Night Creatures are in the old Castlevania show, and the game. But they tended to be a bit gross-looking. In contrast, we wanted something a bit more beautiful. It fits with the story about [transformed singer] Eduard. It felt important that in his Night Creature form, you could still see the beauty of the character. He needed to be a beautiful Night Creature, preserving his voice, and you needed to see the sadness in his eyes and everything. And he couldn’t be stupidly different from all the other Night Creatures, so they changed a little, too.

... what?

So you fucked over the entire lore of Night Creatures just to have a pretty Edouard??

I. No. Moving on again.

(also this is an insult to abel, even the one in the show)

There’s been less complaint about the portrayal of the Church than I thought there might be!

Yeah, because the audience of NFCV is so anti church that they cheer at the sight of the Devil sending human-eating demons to slaughter peasants who did not stop one execution.

Talk us through some of the other characters, please. You’ve got some great voice actors! Alucard was always going to be in it right from the beginning of working on this. The question was just when. We decided to end it on a cliffhanger. If you’re going to have a cliffhanger, you might as well make it as good a cliffhanger!

question: hey would you like to talk about the voice actors

bradley, not containing his boner: OMG HAVE YOU SEEN ALUCARD ALUCARD IS SO COOL WE ALWAYS WANTED TO GO BACK TO ALUCARD THE ONLY CHARACTER PEOPLE CARE ABOUT

One of the things that was great with this – and it’s a credit to Kevin Kolde and to Netflix – is that it is a very ‘free’ adaptation. They were very open to that and okay with it. Nobody at any level was saying, ‘Hold on a minute! You can’t do that.’ With any adaptation, there are things which you probably want to be more faithful to, because the story is already so great.

... is it me, or does it seem like he's saying "we were free to do as we pleased, while usually we can't because the OG story is already great - which was not our case, RoB's story was so shallow that nothing was worth keeping"?

Like. I don't think it's what he meant because it would be rude as fuck. But it sure sounds like it.

But yeah, I can tell no one gave a shit about Nocturne being an actual adaptation.

[juunobox]

──★ ˙ ̟ after a night out w nikolai, he teases u in the backseat of the car... (nikolai gogol x gn! reader)

summary : taking advantage of his ability - the overcoat; nikolai teases u in the backseat of the car. that's it. warnings : suggestive themes!!!!!!! note : i hc that nikolai doesnt enjoy fancy dates blah blah he'd rather go somewhere outdoors:3 i also hc him to enjoy sweet desserts lol, this fic mentions these personal hcs of mine.. so keep that in mind before reading

You managed to convince Nikolai to go on a dinner date with you. It wasn't that he would outright reject the idea, but Nikolai wasn't typically one for fancy indoor dinners. He found the most joy in unconventional outings, in the great outdoors – whether it be gardens, forests, cliffs, or atop tall buildings. As long as he's with you, indulging in his favorite sweet treats; he would be happy. Though he does have a preference for outdoor dates...

That's why, today you wanted to set a different mood for the date. And after a bit of convincing, Nikolai agreed. The setting for this evening was a rooftop restaurant, an elegant and classy place. It was a first-time experience for both of you, stepping into such a refined dining environment. The atmosphere was undeniably romantic, and the cuisine was exceptional. Worth every penny.

Nikolai donned a monochrome suit with striped pants, a reminiscent of his usual attire as a member of the DOA. Yet, he had swapped his usual hat for a more sophisticated option this time, completing the look with black oxford shoes. He looked positively radiant, bringing a touch of class to his familiar style.

Your attire perfectly complemented his, too. An elegant and refined outfit that seamlessly matched Nikolai's black-and-white suit. The two of you concluded your fine dining experience by strolling along the moonlit street, leaving the rooftop restaurant behind. The cityscape painted a captivating tableau of lights in the night sky. It was a delightful evening.

With a soft smile, you turned to Nikolai, curious to hear his thoughts on the experience. "Kolya, what do you think of tonight? Trying something new like this, I mean," you asked, a chuckle escaping your lips. "We haven't done something like this together before."

Nikolai's laughter filled the air, his warm amusement matching the pleasant mood. "Haha! Well, it was fun, dove," he replied, "I've always enjoyed our outings, but it also feels nice to try new things with you." A mischievous smirk graced his lips as he studied your appearance briefly. "Not to mention, I got to see you in this dazzling outfit, and I get to match how you look, too!" Leaning in, he planted a tender kiss on your cheek. "We look cute together~" He spoke in a sing-song voice, offering you a wink.

"I'm glad you feel that way," you said, the smile on your face reflecting your relief. You were worried that Nikolai might not enjoy this fine dining experience, given his usual preferences.

"Mhm, we should try something new again sometime soon!" Nikolai suggested enthusiastically, throwing his hands in the air. "We should plan a date in a tree! Or in a treehouse?! Have you sat on my lap while we enjoy something sweet together, what do you say?!" 

His unconventional date ideas never fail to make you smile. You always found his ideas endearing- it was fun, and although at times those experiences almost made your heart leap from your chest, Nikolai always ensured your safety in the end.

"As long as you won't let me fall, I'm up for that idea," you replied.

He nodded eagerly, clearly excited. "Yes, of course! Why would I let you fall~ I'm going to hold on to you soooo tight that you don't even want to think of escaping!" He giggled and pulled you into a warm; tight embrace from behind, humming softly.

Blushing at the close proximity, you continued walking, albeit a little challenging now with Nikolai clinging onto you like this. "You know, [y/n]. We should take a taxi tonight!"

You raised an eyebrow at his unexpected suggestion. "Wait, a taxi?"

"Yes, yes! Let's go!" Nikolai let go of you and took your hand in his, pulling you slightly in his direction.

You blinked, "But my place isn't far from here, so we can use overcoat...?"

Nikolai acknowledged your response with a nod, yet his expression remains determined. "I know, I know! Buuut! We are trying new things, right? Something we haven't done before. We always use my overcoat, but tonight I want a different way of transportation." He grinned, a hint of playfulness in his heterochromatic eyes.

You thought about it for a moment, oblivious to the plan he had in mind. After a brief internal debate, you decided to agree. "Alright, alright, let's take a taxi tonight."

Nikolai's excitement for riding a taxi was unlike anything you'd seen before. His smile grew wider at your agreement, and he led you to the opposite side of the street where he signaled for a taxi.

After a few failed attempts of stopping a passing taxi, the two of you finally managed to step into one. Seated beside Nikolai, the car's interior felt cozy with the engine's gentle hum and the distant city sounds in the background. Despite the promise of a prolonged ride back home due to the traffic jam, neither of you is bothered.

As the city lights flickered through the window—unbeknownst to you, Nikolai's mischievous side came alive once again. He had his own reasons for wanting to ride a taxi with you tonight. You were gazing out the window, watching the streets you passed by, simply enjoying the view... until you suddenly felt a hand on your waist. You gasped at the sensation, surprised.

You immediately turned to face Nikolai; your cheeks turning a little red. He had employed his ability- the overcoat, to caress your waist. You reached for his hand and attempted to stop him, but he deftly evaded it. "Kolya! What are you trying to do?!" you whispered.

He lets out a soft giggle and placed a finger to his lips, urging you to remain quiet. The touch of his other hand continued, tracing feather-light patterns along your hip, sending shivers down your spine. His hand continued to trail down; making it challenging for you to keep your composure.

Nikolai knew this, but his mischievous intentions didn't stop there. He scooted even closer to you, inching his way to your side while he maintains a casual conversation with the driver. His touch grew bolder and bolder— slowly but surely getting dangerously close to your more sensitive areas.

"Stop touching me, we're inside someone's car!" You whispered again, your protest filled with embarrassment and a hint of panic. Your plea was met with a widening grin from Nikolai, rather than compliance.

The silver-haired clown took obvious pleasure in watching your reactions. He drew nearer, his lips lightly brushing against your ear. "My cutest dove, if you want me to stop, all you have to do is ask~" he purred, causing your cheeks to turn an even deeper shade of red as his fingers continued their playful assault.

With a sigh of surrender, you discreetly glanced at the driver, who seemed completely oblivious to the scene unfolding right behind him. Summoning your courage, you murmured, "Alright, Kolya... please..." Your fingers tightened their grip on his vest.

He hummed in response, and his fingers finally retreated from your thighs. He shifted his attention to the driver, his tone cheerful and innocent as if he hadn't been groping you just until moments ago. "Is it possible to take another route, good sir?" 

The driver nodded and adjusted the route, taking you both on another route through the city's quieter streets. Thanks to this, it didn't take long for the two of you to arrive at your destination, your apartment. Relief washed over you as the two of you stepped out of the vehicle, your fingers interlocked with Nikolai's, walking side by side.

He then turned to you with a wicked grin. "Now that we're here, how about we continue our little tickling game?" With that sly grin on his face, you knew that the night was far from over.

You rolled your eyes in a playful manner, "That was not even close to what I'd call a 'tickling' game, Kolya." You rubbed your arm nervously, still feeling the lingering sensations from his earlier touches. Despite the embarrassment, your body yearned for more of him.

"Hahaha! Oh, that might be true… but does it really matter what I call it, [y/n]~? You seem to enjoy it!" Nikolai squeezed your hand a little tighter and led you inside.

[vivitalks]

like a burst of technicolor in a world of black and white

for the prompt "painting nails" on my @jasico-challenges bingo card. guys i am really having fun with this bingo thing have yall heard about this. this shit rules anyway imagine an AU where trials of apollo is a collective hallucination we all experienced and then decided never to speak of again. and instead jason stayed at CHB after the showdown w gaea. okay you are now prepared for the events of this fic xoxo

title from extraordinary magic by ben rector :) read here on ao3

“How come you didn't go to school?”

Fair question, but pretty random.

They're spread out on the floor of Cabin One. When Nico marched in armed with a bottle of nail polish the color of a cloudless sky and insisted on painting Jason's nails, Jason tossed his sketchbook aside. Any activity with Nico is better than drawing shrines alone. 

Nico got to work and they descended into easy silence. Jason figured that was for Nico's focus, so he didn't break it, just allowed his mind to wander aimlessly.

When he tunes back in at Nico's inquiry, he sees two nails painted — left index and middle, coated in light blue. Jason has never had his nails painted. He doesn't know if it's always this soothing, but if it is, he can understand why so many people do it.

“You mean instead of staying at camp year-round?”

Nico nods and takes the brush to Jason's next finger. His face of concentration is extremely cute: narrowed eyes, teeth digging into his lower lip, one rebellious strand of dark hair he keeps blowing out of his face only for it to fall right back in his eyes.

“You could have,” he says. “You’d only have two years before graduation. Could get a diploma.”

Jason shrugs. “Yeah, but why would I? It’s not like I was getting a formal education before. Praetor was a year-round job.”

Nico hums. He's really very good at this. If the demigod thing doesn't pan out, he has a future as a manicurist.

“Plus,” Jason adds gamely, “I don't exactly have a parent or guardian to enroll me anywhere.”

“I'm sure Chiron would be more than happy to falsify some legal documents.”

Jason chuckles. “You think so?”

“Are you kidding?” Nico snorts. “Percy told me Chiron posed as his Latin teacher for a full year when he was younger. He would love to invent a transcript for you.”

Jason gives this a dismissive laugh so they can put the topic to rest. He thought about trying to go to school, for sure. He spent about six minutes seriously considering it. I could have some normalcy, he'd mused. Be a high school kid. Sure, I don't have any surviving mortal parents, or anywhere to live during the school year, or any money, or any previous course credits, or any documents to prove I'm a real person, but. Those are solvable problems.

Then he’d thought, Or I could stay at camp, and the decision made itself.

Maybe it's bleak to say, but there's nothing for him out there. In the real world. He has no memory of being a baby living with Thalia and his mother, and after that, his whole life was the legion. Training with Lupa was the closest thing Jason had to elementary school. Everything that matters to him — his friends, his family, his sworn duty to the minor gods — starts and ends in camp. His youth is tattooed with the brand of Camp Jupiter. His freedom is a leather necklace tied by Camp Half-Blood.

Why leave?

“I'm good here,” is all he says.

Nico isn't ready to drop it. “But then why stay here? You didn't want to go back to Camp Jupiter?”

Jason raises both eyebrows. “Did you want me to?”

“No!” Nico scowls. “I'm just curious.”

Methodical brush strokes turn Jason's fourth fingernail blue. It's a pretty color; Jason wonders what inspired Nico to choose it. It's probably not Nico's first time painting someone's nails, because he's very skillfully managing not to get any polish on Jason's skin. He has good hands for the job — thin and precise. Careful. Deliberate.

“The plan was really to split my time,” Jason says, just as careful, just as deliberate. “I was already at Camp Half-Blood, so I figured I'd spend a little while here, then a while at Camp Jupiter, and, you know, so on.”

“But…it's been two months,” Nico says.

The unspoken question: why haven't you gone back yet?

“Well, yeah,” Jason says. His own stillness is becoming uncomfortable. If he moves, he risks ruining Nico's artwork, but sitting this stationary isn't in his nature. Like most demigods, he has a compulsion to fidget. It's less noticeable in him — less than, say, Leo — but in moments of extreme stagnancy, it doubles down.

“Are you planning to go back at all?”

It's not an interrogation. At least, Jason doesn't think so. It's not small talk, either. Nico is his friend. This is a friendly conversation. There are no wrong answers here.

“Eventually,” Jason says. “To visit. But…to stay?” He shakes his head. “I don't think so.”

“All your friends are there,” Nico says, and he's still looking down, focused on his task, like this statement is a reflex, requiring no thought.

“Not all,” Jason says, watching him. “You're here.”

That gets Nico’s attention. He looks up. “Me?”

“You're my friend,” Jason says.

“Don't tell me you stayed here just for me.” It comes out like a bad joke. Like it couldn't possibly be true.

“Well…” Jason pauses. “I don't know if that's the only reason, but it definitely helped.”

“What? Are you joking?”

“Why would I be joking?”

“Because that's—” Nico stops halfway through painting Jason’s little finger. He gestures like words aren't enough. “That's crazy!”

“You just said I should go to Camp Jupiter because my friends are there,” Jason says, puzzled. “Why is it crazy to stay at Camp Half-Blood for the same reason?”

“I’m one person. Friend, singular. Meanwhile your entire cohort of friends is over in California.”

“Yeah, but…” Jason gnaws his cheek. He has this suspicion Nico won't like any of his answers, then decides he doesn't care. “They don't need me over there. I gave my praetorship to Frank, so I'm officially released from leadership duty, and I don't regret it for a second. It makes no difference to the legion if I'm there or not, except as this— I don't know, symbol of greatness that I…really am not.” He grimaces, examining his semi-painted pinky nail, this half-finished, imperfect thing. “Here, I feel like…maybe it matters if I'm here or not. And not because of who my dad is or my rank or anything, just because…well, we're friends.”

Nico stares. Then he lifts Jason's hand and starts painting again, picking up where he left off. With his gaze trained downward, away from Jason's, he says, “It does matter. To me.”

Jason smiles. He gets the same feeling as stepping outside in the morning into perfect weather — pleasantly, comfortably surprised.

“There you go, then,” he says. “I mean, if you want me to leave—”

“No,” Nico says quickly, then glares as if he's mad about being tricked into admitting he wants Jason to stay. Recovering, he snarks, “If you leave, I won’t have anyone to subject to my nail-polish schemes.”

“I bet Will would let you paint his nails.”

“Will wouldn't let me anywhere near him with any kind of artistic implement, as well he shouldn’t. I would absolutely deface him.”

“Honored that you've elected not to deface me.”

Nico turns a rosy shade of pink. “This time.”

This is that other kind of Nico threat, the kind reserved for friends. For Jason. The kind that, underneath, isn't a threat at all, but a promise.

This time means there will be a next time. That's Jason's favorite kind of threat.

“You're weirdly good at this,” Jason says. Nico has finished his left hand by now and moved on to the right. “Since when is this in your skill set?”

“Bianca,” Nico says. Matter-of-fact, without room to grieve. “A couple nights when we were in the Lotus Hotel, she asked me to paint hers. First time I tried, it was such a mess. She did mine to show me how, so I could learn.”

Jason catches his breath. “Clearly it paid off, ‘cause you're killing it.”

This was something Nico did with Bianca. And now he's sharing it with Jason. That gives Jason a feeling in his gut that's both warm and heavy, like a big dog is curled up in there, taking a sunbeam nap.

“You'll have to do mine after,” Nico says, still no-nonsense. “Black, obviously.”

“I don't have any nail polish.”

“I brought some. Lacy gave it to me. From Cabin Ten. Magical, so it doesn't smudge or chip.”

“I didn't even realize nail polish did that.”

“You have a lot to learn.” Nico nods sagely. “That's okay. Everyone starts somewhere.”

“It is very relaxing. I can see the appeal,” Jason admits. He wiggles the fingers of his finished hand, admiring them. “How’d you land on this color, though? Or was it just a random pick?”

 Nico looks strangely at Jason. Some of that blush from earlier returns. “You're…the son of the sky god.”

Jason studies the color. It's not quite sky blue, but close enough. “Huh,” he says, feeling silly for not having made the connection. “I suppose that makes sense.”

“Besides,” Nico says, a little quieter like it's not exactly for Jason to hear, but not not for him to hear, either, “it's the color of your eyes.”

That sleeping dog behind Jason's navel starts thumping its tail.

“Oh,” Jason says. He's not sure he could confirm that, but Nico sounds utterly certain. The fact that Nico has spent enough time looking at Jason's eyes that he can pinpoint their exact shade is its own can of worms. For future opening. At a later date. “Well, I like it. It's pretty.”

“Yeah,” Nico says, and his fingers press gently into Jason's palm as he continues to paint. “It is.”

[grapenehifics]

20 Question Fic Writer Tag

Hell yeah I'll play. Thanks @palfriendpatine66 :D

How many works do you have on ao3?

AO3 says ten, but one of those is a series continuation of another one, so I count it as nine...although tomorrow that will go up by one, after the reveals for the Ghost Window challenge go out.

2.) What's your ao3 word count? 

Oh god. 690,376. I honestly think I was happier not knowing that fact about myself.

3.) What fandoms do you write for? 

I don't multitask well. I can write Star Wars fics or I can write Star Wars fics. I haven't even ventured outside the Clone Wars era yet.

4.) What are your top five fics by kudos?

Some Technical Difficulties - big gap - Solsbury Hill - An Uncivil War - medium-sized gap - An Unlikely Duo - another gap-ish - Down by the Seaside.

5.) Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yep. I like it when authors reply to me when I leave a comment, so I try to pay it forward. Also sometimes we get into fun little side chats.

6.) What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

At the moment, not one single damn one of them. They have angst in them, but none of them end on angst. However as of about twenty-four hours from now, my answer will be, Ghost Window AU.

7.) What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Literally all of them. I'm happy to read angst, but when it comes to writing I am firmly in the happy endings camp.

8.) Do you get hate on fics?

I had some people tell me they were dropping out of Solsbury Hill because it wasn't getting to the Obikin fast enough, but I wouldn't call that hate. So, no.

(Side note, though: you don't have to tell authors that. Just delete your subscription quietly.)

But, I am also very ready to delete any and all negative comments. This is my fun side project; good vibes only.

9.) Do you write smut? If so what kind?

...pretty vanilla kind, honestly. Again, I read much more adventurously than I write. (Although, as recently as two years ago I would have said I don't write smut at all, so hit me up two years from now and maybe I'll be writing hardcore d/s, I don't know.)

10.) Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

By the strict definition, no. If you're talking 'dump Star Wars characters into settings of other movies', then hell yeah, that's kind of my jam right now. Down by the Seaside is Obikin Overboard. Next year I'm planning to publish Obikin Jurassic Park, Obikin Parent Trap, and Obikin Princess Diaries II. And I have a couple more on my to-do list.

11.) Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Is this a thing I need to worry about?? Shit.

12.) Have you ever had a fic translated?

@kittonafoxgirl did a podfic of Some Technical Difficulties and it is still like one of the top five most rad things that has ever happened to me; does that count?

13.) Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

No but @fulcrum843 are currently mulling something over...

I do get a lot of help with my writing though. @piecesofeden11 basically wrote all the DnD stuff in An Unlikely Duo. I talk stuff out on Tumblr with folks all the time before I actually sit down to write it (or during, lol).

14.) What's your all time favorite ship?

I have no plans to write anything other than Obikin, and there's so much new good fic that it takes up most of my reading time as well.

15.) What's a WIP you'd like to finish, but doubt you ever will?

I wouldn't call it a WIP because there are no words on a page but I love the *idea* of a fic based on Jenn Barkley from Parks & Rec but have no idea what direction to take it and may never get to it. (If anyone wants to take this idea and run with it please do; it is very much up for grabs!)

16.) What are your writing strengths?

This is a weird thing to answer about myself but I hope I write with a sense of movement, propulsion, even a little suspense - as a reader I love to feel that I have to turn the page, I have to see what comes next, I don't want to put this fic/book down - and I try to work towards that goal in my own writing.

17.) What are your writing weaknesses?

Getting bogged down in details. It drives me crazy in movies when characters have these huge mansions but seemingly never go to work and somehow this has translated into me being incapable of just writing a smutty one-shot or whatever because what is everyone's job and how much is their mortgage payment and do they get paid on Fridays or Mondays and how many bedrooms does that apartment have.

18.) Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

See answer above about over-complicating things: I came up with this whole system for An Uncivil War for whether I'm writing out the dialogue in a language other than Basic (I feel like we really only have enough information for me to be able to do this in Huttese and Mando'a, and even then only short conversations in certain subjects), or simply noting that a character is saying something in another language ("he said in Ryl" or whatever), or mixing Basic and a word/words in another language within the same sentence. It was important to me to capture that multilingualism, but it's also a lot of work, ngl.

19.) First fandom you wrote for?

Technically Johnlock but I never finished/published anything.

20.) Favorite fic you've ever written?

I love all my babies equally, she lied.

It's the Can't Stop the Suns series, which is An Uncivil War, Pick Up the Pieces (more than halfway completed), and Sometimes Fate Steps In (loosely outlined). Sometimes I'll just look over my notes and get giddy about how much good stuff I'm packing in there and how much *more* good stuff I haven't even gotten to yet. I'm throwing the kitchen sink of stuff I love at it. Even if the final version doesn't quite live up to the vision I see in my head (it rarely does), as long as I get close I'll be happy.

I tag @piecesofeden11, @underacalicosky, @fulcrum843, and, as usual, anyone else who feels up for it!