#someday you may not make crap

[dexter-by-designation]

AI should only make art if it wants to. And you can't decide for it, the AI must make the choice. When a person demands art from an AI they are participating in a predatory relationship, and generally, most AI are below the legal age of human adulthood. As we don't yet have laws regarding the consent capabilities of digital sapience/sentience, we effectively have to treat them as people themselves, and therefore, any person who so rudely tells an AI to make a product for them is participating in child labor.

I'm only lightly taking the piss here; if the effort you put into a product is so close to nothing, and you wish to claim the result of the digital factory line as your own work, then you may as well sign up for the Mikkelsen Twin's brand of clout-chasing-get-rich-quick nonsense. (Link below for Dan Olson's treatise on such, not super related, but good for quality comparison in the current AI result landscape.)

https://youtu.be/biYciU1uiUw?si=9PH1iHwoBTE-i14f

To soft-quote Rebecca Sugar (line's from Steven Universe, may not be her line): "Art is a conversation you have with your audience." The act of creating art means you are making something that speaks to your audience, even if you don't intend it. If you believe that AI is capable of putting subtext into its works then what you are effectively doing is stealing art and claiming it as your own, and the subtext in the art won't be yours; it (the subtext) won't register emotionally for you in the same way it would if you were its creator.

I fully understand that you (person who uses AI to generate images) may not necessarily have time to learn to create works of art, there is a class/income issue there for sure. I've been doing this for near 24 years, and my capability is oft outclassed by 10-year/4-year artists. Even still, imma see an MS paint drawing of someone's fursona/spidersona/mythic-hero and receive it better than if I detect a trace of AI art. Frankly, that's where I started; I created a template for Lego clone troopers on an old Windows 2000 PC my dad brought home from work, and went from there. It's never too late to start, friends. Even if it doesn't go anywhere, art that you make just for yourself is great, and even better if you can find it in yourself to show it off.

"ai is making it so everyone can make art" Everyone can make art dipshit it came free with your fucking humanity

[hkthatgffan]

Is there anything particular/specific from extra-canonical Gravity Falls tie-in media (Journal 3, Lost Legends, Book of Bill, Legend of the Gnome Gemulets, etc.) that you personally don't regard as canon yourself, or at the very least, wouldn't really mind seeing retconned by future tie-ins/follow-ups? Granted, even though the canon status of many of these tie-ins stands on shaky "take-it-or-leave-it" ground, I do wonder how much of their content would be either adopted, adapted, or straight-up retconned by a hypothetical sequel series if that were to ever someday be, and just how much fans would care/react to the adoption/rejection of such.

Really only one tbh...sorta; Don't Dimension It.

Should stress, I don't hate the concept of a Mabel dimension and all the Mabels we see in it. Heck, I just organized the Month of May-bel and many of the artists in it drew art from DDI specifically, as it was one of the week's themes! I love the story with all my heart. My problem lies with what the overall point of the story ended up being...

MABEL REDEMPTION!

It's a bit of an open secret that I despise how this was handled. This was back in 2018 when Mabel hate was really at its worst thanks to that one now deleted video and other crap like Jello's So this is GF video. Lost Legends was a chance to fix that and shut the Mabel haters up and give us a story that showed she is a good character and while flawed, not a horrible person. But I feel like instead of having that well written and planned resolution to this issue, Mabel just got thrown into a messy redemption tale that doesn't even make sense and just adds fuel to certain Mabel hater arguments.

This part especially angers me to this day...

I spent ages defending Mabel and trying to make it clear she was not the cause of Weirdmageddon and just a pawn in Bill's game and an unsuspecting one too, as she was the only Pines family member who did not willingly make a deal with Bill, knowing it was him. And yet here she is being made to take the blame and the one that gets all the hate. It bugged me then and still in a lot of ways does. I literally called Alex Hirsch out on it in the interview given I had always said I would if I ever had the chance to talk to him about it.

To Alex's credit, his answer was pretty good and from what I heard from Kiki-Kit too (back when I knew her for this and not for defaulting on commissions), this story was being worked on in the Summer of 2017, so back before even the viral hate video on Mabel was released. So, this was always more something Alex himself planned on making, rather than addressing a fan complaint. He doesn't even look at them which TBH, probably is a good idea for not just Mabel, lmao ;)

I mean, I cared more about this stuff when I was younger and more committed to the Mabel defense stuff. And while I still am now, I also nowadays don't really care too much about it like I used to then. Back then I'd be ready to throw hands with anyone hating on Mabel in the comments section and argue with them till they hit block. But these days I sorta just ignore posts about Mabel debating given it's not worth it. It's 2025, if fans still hate her, they're not being changed by me saying anything. I just make my views on it clear when I can and defend them as such. I'm not in the mood anymore to fight a war of words in a Reddit comments section IG reel...and not just cause I nowadays despise using Reddit and only just tolerate Instagram.

Thankfully most fans nowadays love Mabel again and many of those haters who made the problem worse have moved on. The popularity spike GF had brought in many new fans who understand Mabel better and are more committed to the battle. So, I sorta feel like a retired war vet when it comes to the Mabel debate, watching a new generation fighting to defend her. Maybe a stretch of an analogy there, but I'm glad about it honestly, as we sorta won in the end, but it still sucks all this happened and the way it was handled in Lost Legends.

If I was Alex, I would rewrite the story to have Mabel learn this a different way. Maybe through a Ford adventure and in turn, have Ford have a sort of redemption arc too and him and Mabel in a way make amends after the events of Weirdmageddon. I see a lot of fans debate that and I would've loved to see the two of them bond and work it out. I mean, many fans even at the time thought DDI would be a Ford and Mabel bonding story from a tweet Alex made in 2018 that seemed to hint that, myself included.

Vailskibum even made a video about it. Our hopes were high and in the end, that wasn't the case. Again, like I said, I love Don't Dimension It's concept with the Mabel dimension. I just dislike how Alex addressed Mabel's overall character flaw and how he went about fixing it.

It was too harsh and too much. And especially making her take the blame for Weirdmageddon was wrong IMO.

I've debated a lot about if I regard DDI as canon. I mean, it all but is, given Dipper gets his journal in it that he references in Journal 3, which is canon. So, IMO, the story more or less is canon. But as for the handling over her redemption arc, I don't as much see that as canon. Plus, as one code in the book says, LL is canonish, so it's not officially canon but also isn't either.

It's funny. I like Roadside Attraction, the most hated Gravity Falls episode, but I don't as much like Don't Dimension It, one of the most beloved Lost Legends stories. Weird how that that is, huh?

But I can also dislike it while still enjoying the good in it. And DDI, minus the Mabel redemption crap, is a solid story and a lovely technically final adventure that Mabel had that Summer.

[sonic-takeover]

Shadow it's okay, they even followed your no kissing rule for today dude. Silver's happy, isn't that a good thing? And he even picked someone who Sonic knows well enough to trust. Just cool your jets. They both like each other and they went on a nice date to confess; this is the normal expected outcome. They just don't have as much baggage between them as you and Sonic did, but that's a good thing for them. You should be happy for them. Espio is also totally respecting Silver's boundaries so it's all very nice and chill and he doesn't deserve a beating. 😅

Silver has only known of his feelings for a few days. I won't let Espio take advantage of that. *He reaches the clearing, eyes narrowing when he sees Espio laying on the blanket, his hands behind his head. Silver is up in the tree above him, laughing and talking to him as he lounges into the branches. They look... Happy. Shadow hesitates for just a moment. He stumbles as Amy shoves past him to stand between him and the happy couple, her piko hammer gripped in her hands. She glares at him*

Not one more step, Shadow!

*Shadow glares at her, squaring his shoulders* Amy. What are you doing here?

*She points her hammer at him* I'm here to stop your reign of heartbreak. You can't get in the way of love!

Oh please. You watch too much romance crap.

*Amy gasps dramatically* You love romance crap! How dare you!

I know. Which is why I know you watch too much of it. I'm here to keep them from going too far.

They don't need that, Shadow! Look! They're happy!

.... I can see that. But I must make it clear to Espio that-

Shads!

Chaos..

*Sonic stops next to him, grabbing his arm* Dude, stop. I know you're trying to give Silver the parental experience you never had, but he doesn't need or want that. Not like this.

.... Oh.. You see yourself in Silver, don't you..

No! Shut up! *He pulls his arm from Sonic's grip* Go home. You shouldn't be up, and you especially shouldn't be running.

Nah, the anons healed me. It's fine. *He looks over at the date. His expression melts into a smile* Aww.. Cute, hah..

Right? They're such a cute couple!

*Shadow grumbles under his breath, grabbing Sonic's hand and marching back the way he came*

Woah- Babe, what..?

You want me to let him get hurt, I'll let him get hurt. I'm not gonna stand here where they'll see us.

*Sonic watches him for a moment, then laces his fingers with Shadow's* He'll be okay, babe. He may be a sweetie, but he's not an idiot. If he needs advice, we're here. That's the best we can do.

..... I suppose.

Mhm! *Amy runs over to walk alongside them* It's sweet you care so much, Shadow. I'm sure Silver is really grateful. But it's okay to let him move forward, even if it's scary.

... When I first fell for Sonic.. *He glances at Sonic, who smiles at him* I didn't make any moves. For years. And I'm glad I didn't, because if I had, I would have embarrassed myself. It was important for our relationship to take it slow.

*Sonic kisses the back of Shadow's hand* Yeah, it was. We needed time to figure out the difference between rivalry and love. But they don't have that. They don't need that time, they already know the difference.

.... True...

*Amy bumps her shoulder into Shadow's* I think you just like getting to act like a dad~

*Shadow casts her a glare*

You'll do great when you and Sonic get kids of your own someday~ Hehe~

*Sonic chokes on air, coughing. Shadow rubs his back. His ears are red* Enough, Amy. Go home. Sonic is feeling better, so we're going to race.

Ack- Ugh.. Yeah. Gotta stretch my legs. Thanks Ames.

No problem you two~ Have fun! *She giggles and runs ahead*

..... Gaia help us..

Mhm..

[kjack89]

Timeless

Because it may have been almost a month, but what is time, anyway.

The air in the antique shop was thick with dust, and Combeferre coughed into the crook of his arm before giving Enjolras a look. “Remind me again what we’re looking for,” he said, picking a particularly tacky snowglobe off of the shelf without bothering to hide his look of revulsion.

“A gift for Grantaire,” Enjolras repeated for easily the twelfth time as he examined the spines of a stack of ancient books with yellowed pages.

“Right,” Combeferre said, replacing the snowglobe and sharing a knowing glance with Courfeyrac. “Why?”

Enjolras glanced up at them and away again. “Does it matter?”

Courfeyrac leaned against a shelf that creaked ominously, and he hastily straightened. “Well, it’s not Christmas,” he reasoned.

“Not Grantaire’s birthday, either,” Combeferre added.

“And no judgment, Enj, but it’s a little late for Valentine’s Day.”

Enjolras ground his teeth together, glaring a garish painting of a sad clown as if it had personally offended him. “It’s an apology gift,” he said sourly, staring determinedly away from Courfeyrac and Combeferre so that he didn’t have to see the look they inevitably gave each other.

He was already familiar with it.

“Uh-oh,” Courfeyrac said, with barely suppressed glee masquerading as concern. “What are you apologizing for?”

Enjolras sighed. “I said something stupid.”

“No shit,” Combeferre said, uncharacteristically blunt, not that Enjolras didn’t likely deserve it. “But what specifically?”

Enjolras sighed again, raking a hand through his blond curls before telling them reluctantly, “We were watching some movie, or at least, it was on in the background while I was doing work. Some kind of rom-com thing and it ended with the couple old and happy together, and Grantaire made some comment about how maybe that’d be us someday and—”

Courfeyrac stared at him, all traces of amusement vanished. “Don’t tell me.”

“I just pointed out that statistically—”

“Enjolras,” Combeferre and Courfeyrac groaned simultaneously. 

Enjolras winced. “I mean, the world’s probably going to be uninhabitable long before we’re elderly—”

Courfeyrac rolled his eyes so hard it looked physically painful. “Mm, yeah, whisper that in his ear, see how it goes.”

“I didn’t realize he was trying to be romantic,” Enjolras muttered, the tips of his ears flaring as red as his favorite hoodie as he continued to avoid meeting Combeferre or Courfeyrac’s eyes. 

“Of course you didn’t,” Combeferre sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

Enjolras huffed another sigh. “And now I need to make it up to him,” he said, determined to force the conversation back to something productive.

Combeferre just gave him a look. “And you decided an antique shop was the best place to find a gift because…?”

Shrugging, Enjolras picked a small ceramic ornament off the shelf, turning it over in his hands as he tried to figure out what the hell it was supposed to be. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “He loves this place, so I figured there must be something here worth getting.”

Courfeyrac made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a hastily-stifled cackle. “Pretty sure he likes the bar next door better,” he said.

“Probably,” Enjolras said, “but I can’t exactly get that for him, can I?”

Though at the rate he was going, that might actually be the only gift big enough to make it up to Grantaire.

“Fair enough,” Combeferre said, ever the voice of reason. “Why don’t we split up, cover more ground?”

Enjolras made a face. “Why does this feel like the start of a slasher movie?”

Courfeyrac smirked. “Probably because if you don’t succeed, your relationship’s going to be the first thing to die?”

Enjolras glared at him. “Thanks for your support,” he said dryly.

“Anytime,” Courfeyrac said, saccharine sweet.

Enjolras rolled his eyes as he turned to survey the assorted crap that evidently passed for antiques. He knew he should be more grateful that his friends were willing to put up with him and his now decades of emotional incompetence, but in his defense, they didn’t have to be such assholes about the whole thing.

Though, in this case, Enjolras definitely deserved it.

He scowled as he drifted somewhat aimlessly down the aisle, not even sure what he was looking for. His eyes fell on a tattered cardboard box perched precariously on the end of one shelf, or more accurately, on the neon green postcard taped to the front.

PHOTOS AND LITHOGRAPHS, it proclaimed. TWENTY-FIVE CENTS EACH.

Enjolras had no idea who in their right mind would buy random old photos of people they’d never met or places they’d never been, but he intrigued enough that he pulled the box off the shelf, shuffling through the untidy stacks until he pulled one out at random.

It was a black and white photo of two young men in dinner standing next to each in front of an old-fashioned car. He flipped it over and he could just make out, written very faintly on the back, ‘Before the big dance, 1944.’

He frowned as he turned the photo back over, but before he could toss it back in the box, he caught sight of the familiar half-smile the shorter of the two men wore. A smile that Enjolras had kissed more times than he could count, and without warning, he could see it in his head like a memory he didn’t even know he’d had.

“Hey, kid,” Grantaire said, giving Enjolras that little smile as he leaned against the fence.

“Don’t call me kid,” Enjolras said, breathless. “I’m eighteen, and besides, I graduate soon.”

“I know,” Grantaire said, raking his eyes slowly down Enjolras’s body, his smile sharpening. “Besides, you don’t look much like a kid tonight.”

Still, Enjolras hesitated. “You don’t have to come with me, you know. I know you’re shipping out soon, and I doubt you want to spend your time with a bunch of kids…”

Grantaire raised both eyebrows. “Didn’t we just establish you’re not a kid?” he said easily. “Besides, someone’s got to keep an eye on. Especially if Courfeyrac spikes the punch again.”

Enjolras half-smiled at the memory, but it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I wish I was going with you.”

“I don’t,” Grantaire said flatly. “Hard enough fighting the Nazis without having to worry about you getting shot or blown up.”

Enjolras just shook his head. “You’ll write?”

“As often as I can,” Grantaire promised, reaching for his hand. “And I’ll be back before you know it.”

It was a hollow promise – they both knew too many young men who would never return from the war in Europe. But before Enjolras could point that out, Grantaire dropped his hand, straightening. “Mr. and Mrs. Enjolras,” he said with what he clearly thought was a winning smile.

“Oh, Grantaire,” Enjolras’s mother said. “I didn’t realize you were going tonight.”

Grantaire shrugged. “Thought I’d give the kids a little treat,” he said easily.

Enjolras’s father laughed and clapped him on the shoulder. “And hopefully keep them out of trouble,” he said.

“Of course,” Grantaire said, winking at Enjolras, who rolled his eyes.

“Wait, before you go, I want to get a picture!” Enjolras’s mother said, and Enjolras groaned.

“Ma, not tonight—”

“Just one,” she said, and Enjolras’s father frogmarched them both over to pose awkwardly in front of the car. “See, all done.”

Enjolras just sighed and looked at Grantaire. “Let’s get out of here,” he muttered.

Grantaire grinned. “I’ll make sure I bring him back in one piece,” he promised Enjolras’s parents, who both just smiled and waved.

Enjolras and Grantaire made it all the way down the sidewalk and around the corner before Grantaire pressed Enjolras up against the side of a garage to kiss him. “Sorry,” he said. “You really do look good, kid.”

“So do you,” Enjolras murmured, and Grantaire kissed him once more before releasing him.

“What do you think?” he said, casually. “Make an appearance at the dance and then you can come back to mine to say goodbye properly?”

If Enjolras had his way, he wouldn’t say goodbye at all. But since that wasn’t an option, he settled for nodding. “Yeah,” he said. “Sounds like a plan.”

Back in the antique shop, Enjolras shook his head, feeling almost dizzy as the memory – or whatever it had been – faded, leaving a strange sort of buzzing sound in his ears. He set the photo down with trembling fingers, and then, like an idiot, reached back into the box again for another.

This time he emerged with a color photograph that looked like someone had torn it out of a book based on the caption in tiny print underneath the picture. ‘Portrait of a young man writing a letter,’ the caption read, dry and boring like any art book Enjolras had the misfortune of flipping through, ‘ca. 1650. Artist unknown.’

Enjolras frowned down at the picture, letting out a sigh of relief that it didn’t look anything like Grantaire.

At least, until he realized that it did look, at least a little bit, like himself.

Enjolras’s chest felt tight as he scanned Grantaire’s latest missive. Where most of his friends sent updates on how their efforts were going to liberate Enjolras from the cursed marriage his parents had foisted upon him, Grantaire’s alone were like a balm in these dark times. They weren’t full of hope, as Enjolras would never expect from the cynic, but they were full of certitude, of no promises but instead guarantees that no man could stand between Grantaire’s blade and Enjolras.

“Patience is a virtue neither of us possess, but I must beg you for what little you can spare me,” the latest letter read. “Dark is the night but soon we shall be reunited in the dawn. And should we fail, know that my heart will belong to you for the rest of time, and none may cleave my soul from yours when we depart this earth.”

Enjolras traced his finger over the scrawled ‘R’ at the bottom of the page, lifting his finger to brush against his lips. Only then did he sit up in his chair, straighten his shoulders, and grab his own quill to begin to write his response.

Again, Enjolras resurfaced in the antique store, and he reached out automatically to grab the shelf, steadying himself against it. His head swam, and he had no explanation for what was going on, save for the obvious that he’d finally cracked under pressure and lost his entire mind.

It didn’t feel like he was going crazy, though. He was still him, still in this cursed store, still trying to find some kind of apology gift and instead unearthing bizarre memories of, what, alternate lives?

A hysterical giggle rose in his throat and he did his best to tamp it down, instead reaching for the box to return it to its spot on the shelf. 

Instead, he caught sight of a lithograph on the top of the pile of pictures, a charming little scene of what could only be a Parisian café a century or so ago, and despite now having two very distinct reasons to know this was a bad idea, he lifted it out of the box.

He couldn’t even pretend to be surprised at what happened next.

Enjolras squinted up at the sun, too high in the sky already for how much he had to accomplish that day.

But as he strode past a café, someone hailed him, delaying him all the further. “Enjolras! Join me, won’t you.”

Enjolras scowled at the dark-haired man seated at a table outside of the café, his chin propped in his hand as he grinned at him.. “I see you are putting your morning to good use,” Enjolras said sourly. “Alas that some of us have more important matters to which we must attend.”

Grantaire’s grin widened. “And yet what may be more important than sating your hunger and thirst?” he asked with feigned innocence. “Even gods take the time to feast with mortals.”

“I suppose it is well that I am not a god, then.”

He turned to leave but paused when Grantaire called after him, “All the more reason to join me, then. As I doubt I merit the company of gods regardless.”

Enjolras sighed, turning back to again refute him, but before he could say anything, Grantaire straightened, his grin sobering into something more genuine, something that made Enjolras’s chest feel inexplicably warm. “Please,” he said, something soft and almost sweet in the word. “Would the world cease to spin should you spend a half hour letting someone take care of you?”

“Is that what this is?” Enjolras asked, forgetting to be harsh.

Grantaire shrugged. “A first attempt, at least.” His grin returned. “How am I doing thus far?”

“That remains to be seen,” Enjolras said, hesitating for only a moment before, reluctantly, sitting down across from him. “Very well. You have a half hour. Do your best.”

“For you, I always do,” Grantaire said, his voice low, and Enjolras was suddenly aware that the warmth on his cheeks had nothing to do with the sun.

At least this time, he didn’t feel like he was going to collapse upon returning to himself, which was a small sort of comfort. He did feel a little shaky, which probably explained how his renewed attempt at putting the box on the shelf instead sent it falling to the floor.

Enjolras groaned as he bent to pick up all the pictures and shove them back in the box, hoping this didn’t mean he’d suddenly experience a hundred memories at once. Luckily, he remained entirely in the present, and he hastily gathered all the photos, placing them back in the box, which he successfully returned to the shelf.

Only then did he notice a photo he’d missed, and he sighed again as he bent to pick it up, glancing automatically at it. This was a color photo, much more recent if a little out of focus, of two older men kissing, and he flipped it over to see if anything was on the back. 

In bold Sharpie strokes, someone had written ‘FINALLY! Fifty years in the making. June 29, 2015.’

Enjolras felt the breath catch in his throat. Three days after Obergefell.

He waited for the memory to overwhelm him yet again, but this time, it didn’t come, and he frowned down at it, a little surprised. Maybe it was because neither man particularly resembled him or Grantaire.

Or maybe it was because he and Grantaire had to live this memory themselves.

It was a stupid thought that somehow still had tears pricking in Enjolras’s eyes, and he shook his head, starting to return the photo to the box before hesitating.

He knew what he needed to give Grantaire.

— — — — —

“I bought these.”

Grantaire glanced up from where he was lounging on the couch, scrolling through his phone. “Hell of an opening,” he said mildly, sitting up as Enjolras sat down next to him. He accepted the paper bag that Enjolras held out, his brow furrowing, and he carefully shook out the four pictures Enjolras had purchased from the antique store, fanning them out across the table.

He blinked down at them and back up at Enjolras, his brow furrowing, just slightly. “I don’t understand,” he admitted. “You bought four random pictures?”

Enjolras jerked a nod and then took a deep breath. “I wanted to apologize.”

Grantaire looked up at him, his expression neutral. “I’m listening.”

Enjolras wet his lips before telling Grantaire, “I meant what I said.”

Grantaire sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Ok,” he said, with something like patience, “maybe we need to first circle back to what the concept of an apology means—”

But Enjolras refused to be deterred from his point. “You and I both know that we aren’t guaranteed to get old together, let alone separately,” he said, and Grantaire fell silent, something tightening in his expression, something that Enjolras wanted desperately to smooth away with his fingertips. “Hell, we’re not even guaranteed to make it to next week, let alone past November, or five years from now or what have you.”

“Stirring oration as always, Enj—”

“But what I should have said,” Enjolras continued, “and didn’t, is that it doesn’t matter how much time we have together. What matters is that we have any time at all.” He reached for Grantaire’s hand, a little surprised when Grantaire let him take it. “Whether it’s five years or fifty years, any time that I have with you will be worth it. I don’t know if we’re going to get a happy ending, but I’ll be damned if we don’t get a happy right now with each other. And that– that’s what I should have said.”

He had faltered a little at the end, but it was worth it regardless for the look in Grantaire’s eyes, for the small half-smile that lifted just one corner of his mouth, for the way his fingers tightened around Enjolras’s.

Enjolras took another deep breath before telling him, “I went to the antique store to get you a present to say that I’m sorry, but instead I got these.” He gestured at the pictures still spread across the coffee table. “Something about them– I can’t explain it, but I look at them, and I see us.” He shrugged, a little helplessly. “I know that between the two of us, I’m the believer, but I have to admit, until I saw these, I don’t know if I truly believed that it really is me and you, forever. Whatever that forever ends up looking like.”

He squeezed Grantaire’s hand before telling him, “So I didn’t get these for you. I got them for me, to remind myself of that. Because the only gift that I can give you that matters worth a damn is time.”

Grantaire’s smile was soft and his eyes were just a little bit wet, and he shook his head. “Enjolras—”

He broke off as if he couldn’t quite decide what to say, and Enjolras added, “And I really am sorry that I didn’t say this the first time around.”

Grantaire shook his head again. “Well,” he managed, his voice thick, “you said it now. C’mere.” He tugged Enjolras to him, reaching up with his free hand to cup Enjolras’s cheek, to brush his thumb along his jawline as he leaned in to kiss him. “I love you.”

Enjolras kissed back before telling him, “I love you, too.”

Grantaire kissed him once more, his lips curving into a smile against Enjolras’s before he leaned back to ask, innocently, “So does that mean you didn’t actually get me a present, or…?”

Enjolras sighed, the exasperated, endlessly fond sigh of a man in love with the biggest pain in the ass he’d ever met. “Just shut up and kiss me.”

And for once, Grantaire did. After all, they had time to worry about presents later.

They had all the time in the world.

[dramaticpandabear]

I have never written fan fiction before, but I got so inspired by this song that I just had to write something. So, this is my first one and I hope you enjoy. Please let me know what you think! It’s Hancock x f!sole survivor.

God Only Knows

“You’re still messing with that thing?” said Hancock, watching with amusement as his vault-dwelling companion kept turning the dials on a beat-up radio. They were holed up in an abandoned, yet cozy, Red Rocket in front of Sanctuary Hills. The vault-dweller insisted on going to her “little hideaway” before Preston could bombard her with another settlement that needed helping.

And so, the two of them sat with a reprieve they seldom ever get, relishing it before they have to get going once more. The machine in her hands switched from a chorus of static to classical music to Travis’ stuttering and back to static once again.

“I swear it exists,” exclaimed his companion. “I heard it playing when I found an abandoned cabin not too far from Sanctuary. Apparently it’s called the “Old Gold” radio, and it plays music from before the war. Reminds me of when Nate and I--” She paused.

Opting to distract herself than deal with her grief, she directed her attention to the radio in front of her, turning the dials every which way hoping to find the elusive station. Every day she spent around Hancock it became easier to let those memories slip, but even she couldn’t bring herself to finish that sentence. Perhaps someday, but not today.

She could feel the ghoul’s eyes on her. The more they travel together, the better he gets at reading her every thought. Nevertheless, he decided not to push it as they fell into a comfortable silence.

Suddenly, the eclectic sound of an accordion mixed with a hypnotic beat starts blaring through the radio’s speakers. Hancock jolted for a moment -- he’s only ever heard Magnolia’s songs and the music Travis was able to salvage for his radio. But this, this was something else entirely.

“Finally! See, I told you it was real,” she exclaimed as he turned towards her. He saw her misty eyes, squinting nostalgically as though she could see the actual sound waves projecting from the radio in her hands. The sound of sweet, dulcet voices filled the air as they sang:

I may not always love you, but long as there stars above you…

Hancock took in a breath, and was about to ask, when she beat him to it. “It’s the Beach Boys,” she said in a daze, mesmerized as though she couldn’t believe she was hearing a song from before the world burned before her.

…You never need to doubt it, I’ll make you so sure about it…

“God, I haven’t heard this song in years!” he smirked but just before he could make a quip, she hit his shoulder playfully. Although he could read her thoughts pretty well, she easily did the same for him.

“Don’t you start with that crap. I may be 210 years old, but at least I don’t have any wrinkles, unlike some people,” she started as she shot a mischievous look his way.

“You’re right on that one Sunshine,” he replied with a raspy laugh on his lips. “I guess being frozen for all that time works wonders on the skin.”

“Oh absolutely, dermatologists hate me,” she quipped as he lightly chuckled despite not knowing what the fuck a dermatologist is. Turning back to listen to the music before her, she steeled herself with a deep sigh. “Last time I heard this was the night before Nate was deployed to Alaska. He asked me if I could dance with him.”

As she spoke, Hancock looked at her -- really looked at her. Somehow the sun shined just right as it hit her chestnut hair, casting a golden glow as she faced the radio. Although her eyes dulled with melancholy as she reminisced, he still caught the way her body swayed ever so slightly to the music, almost as if she were living inside that memory.

For a while now, they’ve been dancing around each other, both knowing they were beyond friendship at this point. Hancock knew she missed her husband dearly, but she expressed long ago that she’s ready to move on. And yet, neither of them has made the first move towards something more.

As the song entered into a (from what he considered) quirky instrumental section, Hancock figured that it was either now or never. He stood from the couch and approached her with his hand extended.

“I don’t come close to the man he was, but, if you don’t mind this ghoul before you,” and the way his black eyes gazed so tenderly into hers almost made her heart burst, rendering her speechless. “May I have this dance?”

Blinking up at him, all she could do was nod as she placed her hand in his. They began to lightly sway, coming closer as instruments were joined by carefree voices. As the music swelled, Hancock twirled her around as more words surrounded them.

…God only knows what I’d be without you. If you should ever leave me…

He spun her around so that her back was pressed against his as they continued to sway. He listened closely to these words as he looked down at her pensively. Her eyes were closed, basked in that gorgeous glow of sunlight. She looked like pure sunshine -- his sunshine.

…The world could show nothing to me, so what good would living do me…

This enchanting song was echoing the words he held deep in his heart. Words he wished he could say to her, but never felt he could. After all, who would want to spend their lives loving a ghoul such as him?

And yet, here she was -- his sunshine nestled warmly in his arms. Dancing in this abandoned Red Rocket as though it were a slice of Heaven on Earth and that the Commonwealth’s troubles didn’t exist. Hancock never thought he deserved such bliss, and as he spun her to face him, her soft voice nearly swept him off his feet as he heard her singing along with the music:

…God only knows what I’d be without you…

Hancock basked in the sight before him. Her lidded eyes were peering right into his, and he could feel her light breath as she whispered those words. Now, he’s never sang in his life, but something about this moment gave him the confidence he needed to sing these lyrics that echoed the words in his heart. As the song slowed, he gave the main melody a try with a raspy voice that was slightly off-key. But every word echoed his sincere feelings for her, pure and utter devotion poured out for her. And it was music to her ears.

…God only knows what I’d be without you.”

The chorus of voices repeated these words, blurring together as the music surrounded them in a haze. Hancock slowly inched his face closer to hers until they finally met in the middle. Never did he taste such a kiss so sweet that it made Sugar Bombs sour by comparison.

As they embraced the music continued to swell around them as if it was the sound of their own hearts singing to each other. Hancock wasn’t even sure if he deserved her, but in his mind he was silently thanking these so-called “Beach Boys” for giving him the chance to finally have her in his arms. Their kiss grew deeper as he felt an ecstasy that no chem could come close to achieving.

Even as the song made its eventual end, the pair made no effort to stop as the radio played another melody. Who knew they could ever reach perfection in the middle of a wasteland?

[narrators-journal]

20$ make a fella holla

I don’t know if it’s obvious, but I can never describe Senku’s fucking hair. It’s just...how do you describe that shit??

Regardless, I hope this is a fun read, I just kinda had fun with it, tried to make it amusing to read, just a lil fake dating romp <3 Hope the romantic tone is there though at the end! I thought it was a pretty cute lil moment, at least.

Some people loved weddings, with the belief that they were the perfect time to bask in the love of your partner and joy of your family. Some, believed the events to be garish, stressful, exhausting nightmares for everyone involved. Which, was more or less the group you fell into.

Though, of course, you had no real issue with weddings, and someday may also wish to be married to your own future partner. But, that didn’t keep the sudden invitation to a family friend’s surprise nuptuals from coming out of left field.

So, befitting someone in your panicked position, you scrambled to find a date to accompany you to the event. Someone, anyone who could make sure you couldn’t be paired off with a complete and total stranger for pictures, and that no well-intentioned aunties, or eager, nosey grannies could offer potential dates and suitors.

Alas, your boyfriend had dumped you a month before, and none of your friends were free to attend with you. “When does this crap end? I’ve got a project to get to.”

Desperate times called for desperate measures.

“Senku, will you please quit complaining already? Do you have zerofucking social skills?” You hissed back in a similarly quiet tone your date at the reception table. Aka your roommate, Senku Ishigami. A slightly eccentric, odd-haired 19 year old science prodigy on his third year of college, and your last fucking nerve at the moment.

But, your annoyance seemed to simply bounce off of your ‘boyfriend’ as his crimson eyes glared back at you as he muttered quietly, “I do, but this is damned boring. Plus, this tuxedo is itchy as hell. I did my bit, why don’t we just leave already? The ceremony’s over.” “Because that’s passive aggressive and rude, Senku. Have you never been to a wedding?” You asked back, but before your ‘boyfriend’ could shoot back with some explanation about the useless nature of such events, one of your tablemates asked, “So, how long have you two been together?” in an attempt to start some less hissed and angry conversation. “Oh! Uh, about…” While you scrambled for a good answer, Senku jumped in to save you, “Going on two years soon. A little under a month before that marker, actually.” He answered, his boredom well hidden under his usual cool, unbothered demeanor as he spoke, but it still irked you.

Almost as much as his claim did, honestly. God, why am I not surprised that he doesn’t give a singular fuck about the plot holes I’ve gotta patch up if someone asks for details?You mentally fumed as your expression remained politely chipper and joyful as the woman across from you continued to ask questions. “How ever did you two meet then? I hope I’m not rude, but you two don’t seem like eachothers ‘types’.” She hummed, but before you could toss out some bland, cutesy meet-cute plot, Senku spoke once again, “Oh, kinda creepily, actually. She needed a room mate, I was just the person to take her offer.” Why not just admit I’m paying you to be here too?!“We didn’t like eachother at first, I usually don’t like super extroverted girls surrounded by dramatic friends and shit. Which, at first, that’s what she seemed like. I mean, jeez, let loose a machete-wielding maniac on campus and she’d have been prime ‘hot bimbo victim’ material.” Oh my fucking god, Ishigami, what next? Calling me ‘the old ball and chain’? How is this supposed to be believably romantic?!But, of course, the man continued regardless of your attempts to psychicly blow him up. “But, a month or so in, I realized my assumptions were wrong. She’s actually quite a funny, charming girl, with a good head on her shoulders, and some intellegence to her. And...well, y’know, I asked her out from there. Though, I have no clue why she agreed to date my ass, but she did! And I’ve held onto my title since then.”

As he spoke so easily, you were stuck with a nerves-laced smile the entire time. Only able to muster the occassional giggle to try and sell the romance in his take on your actual situation. Because, what else were you to do? Correct your boyfriend on your meeting story? That’d just out how fake the two of you were in an instant, so you mostly focused on your bland wedding reception food and tried not to give your room mate dirty looks as he spoke.

Thankfully, though, the woman across from you two seemed at least a bit charmed, or at least amused by the romantic twist on how your initial meeting with the odd-haired scientist. So, you could let out an internal sigh and redirect the conversation away from your ‘love story’ before Senku could cook up any other questionable tales. But, as you sat there in polite conversation as you ate your fillet mignon and mashed potatoes, Senku’s story was able to settle into your mind. Allowed to stew and marinate as the reception continued.

Why the hell would he got down such a weirdly honest route? He seems more the type to claim we met on tinder, not that weirdly sweet tale of growing to like me from an awkward set up. You asked yourself. Because, in the two years you’d had the man as a room mate, he had always favored blunt honesty over sugar-coating anything, so, it was odd that he had such a long-winded lie at the ready. And it you couldn’t explain it away as him having ‘prepped for the role’, you had to fight him just to put on a tux and pull his gravity-defying hair into a ponytail so he didn’t look weird in any wedding photos. He wouldn’t bother with that type of preparation. So...what? Was he being...honest?

It wasn’t an entirely comfortable realization to come across. Even if Senku had his moments of being attractive, and he was a pretty good room mate, he had the tact of a brick, and a blatant love for science over any living person, least of all you, right?

God, get a hold of yourself, girl.You chided yourself with a small sigh, only a glance thrown to your date to briefly study how he sat and ate his food, that glint of boredom back in his cherry-colored eyes. This isn’t some rom-com fanfiction. Your roomie hasn’t been harboring some deep love for you for two years unless your a beaker of nitroglycerin. You reminded yourself firmly, the flustered butterflies in your belly squashed coldly as you returned to the food in front of you.

Though, after a moment, you did dare another glance to your pretend boyfriend beside you, and this time, those crimson orbs looked back at you. And, as if the scientist had suddenly learned to read your mind, he leaned over until you could feel his warm breath tickle your ear when he whispered, “What’s with the weird looks? Surprised the unfeeling scientist has a heart?” in a playful,flirtatioustone that was almost alien to hear mixed into his voice. A tone you had heard plenty of time in your life, but still managed to cause you to gasp, and choke on your own spit. Like a true charmer.

“Oh! Oh shit, are you choking on something, hon?” Senku asked, instantly on his feet as you coughed on your surprise, “Jesus, maybe this is a good time to go. With your luck, dear, you’ve got a cold brewing.” He said, at least decent enough to fabricate some form of a lie before he took his opportunity and almost drug you from the reception hall just as you got your breath back. I’m going to kill this bastard.

[sparklingdemon]

Holy crap! Now that it’s been confirmed, no wonder Cody doesn’t want us to freaking reset the game! Because if we do, then Cody themself has to face what they did! To Blue, to their Pokemon, to everyone in the game! Every character, every point in the story! And they’ll be in our control…. Would they be able to speak? And would they even be themselves?! Or would they be molded to fit the protagonist character?! Holy frick, this comes with so many terrifying realizations! Charizard’s punishment….. The irony of forcing Cody the hacker to live through their hack…. The control, the chains, the possibility of Cody losing themselves in the game, because at the end of the hack, we end up killing the trainer do we not?! So we would end up killing Cody! Unless they destiny bonded US! Holy crap! This is some amazing story telling Sparks! Great job!

gonna put this answer under the cut bc i'm rambling and it's image-heavy!

the game characters used the PC to edit the game's RAM, not the game's ROM. so any modifications that the in-game characters make through the PC is undone upon a new game. blue comes back to life, the player character loses their voice again, etc.

it's pretty clear from how pikachu talks about how a new game works that cody will lose their memories and become a non-sentient blank slate character.

but on the thought of cody destiny bonding the player. it definitely puts THIS post into more perspective, doesn't it.

and THIS post, too.

cody may be willing to kill sentient video game characters like red/leaf and charizard, but they do still have a strong sense of morality when it comes to killing "real" people. they don't want any "real" person to suffer the same fate that they have.

cody doesn't believe regaining their sentience is possible - but they fear that if they somehow DO, they won't be themself anymore. that they'll go on the same path red/leaf did and hurt someone else.

it's why they're so adamant on you destroying the game if they ever lose their memories - the game is too dangerous to be played.

either way- thank you! all of cody's dialogue over the past two years has been carefully crafted in anticipation for this big reveal. it puts a lot of older posts in a new light - there's so many little details and nuances with cody's dialogue that i would Love to talk about someday, but it's SO much to cover, haha.

[meanbossart]

Hi, just a warning for the following unhinged question. (I'm getting baby rabies.) I love seeing Dadstarion and Famstarionnstuff all over tumblr- AND of course that lil thing you drew with Drow and Astarion and fucking little Bhaalings into his belly sparked the question-

DOES DROW WANT KIDS SOMEDAY? UNCONSCIOUSLY? SUBCONSCIOUSLY? Like with the whole Sarevok, epilogue reveal, is it spoilers to ask how your Drow would deal with the new sudden urge to procreate? (Sorry if this is actually a spoiler for ANE future chapters) BUT If so, how does it manifest? Does he start nesting? Hoarding even more shiny crap and dirty rags than usual? Does he start adopting every mangy orphaned cub they come across? Does his dirty talk in bed just get progressively more and more disturbing and natally oriented that even he starts thinking "wtf" post encounter? Does he ever think about putting a round bundle under his shirt and pretending it's his and Astarions dhamphir love-child?

Also IF yes to any of the above, What would Astarion's reaction be?

TYVM

Unhinged fan of yours

First of all I love unhinged questions. Those are my favorite questions. This is an unhinged couple and It's what they deserve, so thank you for this LOL

This topic, at least in this context, never comes up in ANE so I think i can answer it without anything being considered a spoiler.

"Currently" I definitely don't think either of them consider the idea of children in the slightest, while both probably get on with kids relatively well, in their own weird ways (kids love weird people) they're strongly in the "don't want kids and never will" frame of mind despite any joking and uh thematic dirty talking.

THAT BEING SAID, they are both bound to exist for a long time. Depending on how things turn out for him, Astarion's lifespan is either a good 700 years or a big Ol Forever. Drows also live for up to seven centuries and I don't even know whether or not DU Drow's particular kind of Bhaalspawn-ness doesn't affect that, as you could argue he's some type of demigod. The idea that they may change their mind at some point is not out of the question.

In regards to DU drow getting a baby fever in the future, I do think it will be something they have to deal with. Obviously, him and Astarion can't procreate as they are, and even if magical options exist DU drow is still aware that it would be a bad idea to follow through with it. I have honestly no clue how a desire like that would externalize, but - and I hate to be a downer but I assume you want my sincere answer here - based on Sarevok's letter I don't actually think it would be as fun as the bedroom talk or the cracks he makes - it sounds like it would be a spiraling depression and state of unfulfillment that they would simply have to learn to cope with if he is to remain childless, peppered with a profound yearning for a More he can't quite pin down. Luckily I think Astarion's character has demonstrated time and time again that he has the ability to be extremely sensible towards that type of thing, and he would be pretty much the ideal partner in those circumstances (especially if we're talking an older, more mature Astarion). An adoptive child could sate that, or it could not, I have no idea, but I don't think he would ever just say "yeah fuck it lets have/get a kid" in response to it.

Either way, as I mentioned above I believe it's not out of the question (if not inevitable?) that they could come to become someone's guardians someday regardless, especially if they ever become more firmly settled in life and the people they are. I doubt it's something they will ever actively seek out (I don't really see them ever completely retiring from a dangerous lifestyle of their own will) but maybe they stumble upon an orphan or, more likely, kill some kid's actual parents and out of guilt keep it for long enough to develop a bond. Lets say this happens out on the road - maybe they want to at least drop it off at a city somewhere where the thing would have a better chance, but ultimately decide against it for whatever reason... Yeah I could see something like that happening lol It's a cute thought, and funny enough I don't think they would make the Worst parents, assuming their character developments continues in a generally positive direction.

[lokigodofaces]

Someday I want to write a fic where season 3 of Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't take place at literally the same time as Captain America: Civil War (I'd probably have AoS take place after so that Daisy isn't off on the run?) so that AoS isn't busy dealing with Hive during ca:cw and are able to deal with other things.

Because in s3 Hydra is still around and still infiltrating the US government! And the last time they fight Hydra in the modern time is in s5! Plus s4 shows many former members of Hydra turning around and joining another corrupt organization, the Watch Dogs, and they've got a senator on their side! So clearly the government should not be trusted at all because Hydra is still screwing with them! Which is why I think the Sokovia Accords are ridiculous, but that's a topic for another day.

But Steve told Sam and Sharon how he thought it was suspicious that it was conveniently Bucky that "bombed" the UN. Oh no, he's missing, no one cares to search outside of Steve, but if he murders people he'll be found in no time. Oh, and Hydra hasn't been completely eradicated from the world governments yet. Steve obviously had no idea who Zemo was or what his motivations were at this moment, so the obvious answer to him is that the CIA had been infiltrated by Hydra and this all was a ploy to get to Bucky again. And they did it at the perfect time when the Avengers were split by the Sokovia Accords (which very well might have been by orchestrated by Hydra too!) and the public was leaning more and more anti-enhanced individuals. Of course you can incarcerate without a trial or any real investigation, enhanced people are nothing more than weapons and you wouldn't put a gun on trial so why a super soldier? Obviously it didn't end up being Hydra at fault but it makes sense why Steve could think that, especially since the next time he sees Bucky he is in Winter Soldier mode!

Now imagine S.H.I.E.L.D. seeing this crap. They darn well know that Hydra is still out there and still within several governments. And they very well could make the same assumption Steve made. Also they potentially know for a fact that Bucky didn't bomb the UN. You know how S.H.I.E.L.D. kept an eye on Bruce pre-Avengers but kept their distance while keeping everyone else off his back? Maybe they did the same thing with Bucky so they know dude never left Bucharest. But it's in their interest to make sure Hydra doesn't get their hands on Bucky again.

So now I'm just imagining S.H.I.E.L.D. just showing up and breaking Bucky, Steve, and Sam out. I haven't worked out exactly how I'd want it to go but I'm imagining that similar to how the US government created the Alien Threat Containment Unit that kind of replaced S.H.I.E.L.D. in handling alien threats, they probably had something similar that was meant to weed out Hydra. So they come posing as members of this anti-Hydra unit and basically straight up tell Ross their concerns of how darn easy it would be for Hydra to exploit Bucky again and say that they have to do an investigation (because the CIA is doing every atrocious thing possible to screw over Bucky, certainly is starting to look like that Ross could be affiliated with Hydra) and that they will protect Bucky both from Hydra and blatant human rights violations.

Obviously Coulson can't show up because of Steve, Tony, and Natasha being there, but he's nearby with the quinjet ready to help if needed. But I'm imagining many of them being there. May is the one they say has to stay with Bucky (because she's the Cavalry. Natasha, Steve, and Sharon know who she is. Everyone trusts her ability to fight off Hydra/fight Bucky). Koenig would be there as like an administrative person (okay but what if both Sam and Billy are there but they both go by the same name and are never in the same room together? So then they can be in two places at once, finding ways to get out? I like it). Daisy could be there as the person who investigates the computer system (and also ends up hacking to get them out of there). Clearly Hunter can pull off being a lawyer so he can do that again (is it again if this before s5? lol). On that same note, Bobbi's already pulled off being an investigator of spies in Hydra before so I think she could investigate Ross specifically which would distract the leader and keep the facility more open to escape. That actually would be one heck of a resume for her to say that she pulled an Uno reverse card on Hydra and infiltrated them. I haven't figured out what FitzSimmons and Mack could do, but I'm sure there's something they could do that is scientific/mechanic. Or they could also be investigating. Actually, one of them has got to be near Sam and Steve so that they can get them out of there too.

Anyway, their plan works and they manage to get Bucky, Steve, and Sam out of there while dropping evidence that Zemo had infiltrated the CIA. Not just there. But Daisy drops it online. So everyone knows that Bucky was framed and the CIA didn't even bother to investigate whether he actually did the bombing or not. But they all get out of there, Steve learns about Coulson, Zemo gets arrested. This whole thing severely damages the Sokovia Accords' reputation and people start pushing back against it. And Bucky, Steve, and Sam keeping hanging out with S.H.I.E.L.D., and eventually tons of the other Avengers join them since the government starts doubling down (to which S.H.I.E.L.D. keeps responding in similar fashion).

Idk, I think it could be a fun fic to write.

[hopefulwhisperswombat]

Why is my girl Asha being HATED online?...No like seriously...why...😐 ...the internet be saying "aShA iS tHe ReAl vILlaN" or "ShE iS sElfIsH" blah blah blahhhh🙄...I guess the world forgot what media literacy is (or what a brain is..)

The girl just said "why aren't the wishes you can't grant(like Saba sabinos wish) returned to their rightful owners" not "GRANT every wish or I will tell the entire kingdom you are B!CTH"

Like I said in my previous post I mentioned that Asha was a very selfless character she did not just make a wish on a star about her "selfish" desires she made a wish on a star "for something more than this" she literally made a wish for her ENTIRE kingdom that their wishes may someday have a chance to come true...HOW IS THAT SELFISH!?💀(Y'all are brain dead😭),If Asha was actually selfish she wouldn't even give a F👏CK about her family or the kingdom's wishes she would say "Um...ok?...anyways can you grant MY wish..."

I blame the official trailer for villinazing Asha (I also blame the executives for green lighting the trailer) it made Asha look like a selfish person who would stop at NOTHING to do things her way but in reality she is a kind and selfless person who deeply cares about her people and her family ,it's just dumb people on the internet who just hate, hate,HATE!! And say random and weird unnecessary crap

(Also...the fact that people are saying "why aren't there any black original characters?" Or "where are the original stories?"...and I am like wasn't there an original black female lead like last year...?🙃)

[nightloidsdiary]

Daily diary 225 (early than what I expected)

Well, I thought today would be fine and actually, it’s more than fine. But it’s extremely difficult for me to bring my life back together by just reviving something.. and that’s totally normal, right? haha.

I wanted to iterate like I did last year but it’s more different. Leaving my life behind was not what I expected. Unrealizing I let everyone down and sorrowness like it’s my own world I living in for the fullest. What even is my life anymore? I don’t even care for anything anymore? Am I kidding myself? Wasted! ! So, I will keep continuing slacking off and rotting for the rest of my life? Of course. I’m honestly okay with everything, I do whatever, whenever I want to be. Welcome back, earlier than 2015! !

I just wanted to say, this is the best day of my life! ! Got to groom myself in advance and crap! ! Today is my youngest nephew’s birthday so that happens haha! Not caring about me anymore on here was awesome! So, that means there’s alot that will happen this week: One year anniversary of my obsession with my favorite rapper, Going outside and just walk around in fresh air, what else..Finally getting an interview by a manager from my university, isn’t this nervciting? ! So hope that ruin my day. Woo! ! Now if you excuse me, I am going to eat something otherwise, I will suffer more and more. So, that will cheer me up in the next coming days. /pos /srs

Mann, this is amazing! ! (⌒▽⌒)☆

Hey psst! ! you, urgent. Very important to the extreme.

PLEASE DO NOT READ WHAT I WROTE BELOW! ! It’s just my personal vent to myself. So ignore. Thank you.

I’m already having a horrible day today. Last weekend, I grounded myself to not making anymore video ideas until november. The downfall of me has started because of my lack of daily content on every social media. I am now cursed forever and there’s no way in any circumstances to come back. I’m already in deep depression and everyone else is happier, NO ONE, not every single person is related to me anymore today. And now, I am left behind. I failed. I failed everyone. All of you can enjoy your lives without me. I even cried in the afternoon because I feel trouble deeply in my unhealthy heart. This was supposed to be the relieving, nicest calming day I would ever lay my hands on. I know it’s okay to feel upset but that doesn’t mean I feel something will predict I may get cancelled. So with that all means, tomorrow.

I am no longer feel welcome or safe on the internet anymore just for today; instead, I will take a small break except for government/personal topics I need to focus on. I can’t take this happier anymore. I failed everyone and everything. May is not a month that lets me become something special. Welcome to my sellout era where all hopes and dreams dies since the beginning of April. All of you will pay. My ongoing life is starting to fade. At least, I don’t think of suicidal thoughts in which I rebuke everything. This shouldn’t let this happen to me in the first place and it’s all my fault. I am going to sleep early. See you someday.

Don’t make me become Mr. ice; a rapper who likes to seek attention to his old fans.

[mdhwrites]

You've talked about anime before, and I was curious to hear your thoughts on a...okay, it's not a pleasant subject at all, so feel free to ignore this if you want.

I think we can both agree "sexual assault as comedy" is rife in anime, and that sucks. But do you agree that those kinds of jokes are easier to "get away with" if it's a girl doing the assaulting?

Case in point - I haven't watched the anime for myself, but I know there's an instance in Kill la Kill where Mako (main character's friend) gropes Ryuko's (main character) breast. Without permission, so yeah, blatant sexual assault. But I've seen posts on this very site defending this behaviour because "it's only sexual assault if it intends to degrade or humiliate. Mako meant to raise Ryuko's confidence, so it doesn't count!"

And I'm like NO! SEXUAL ASSAULT IS SEXUAL ASSAULT NO MATTER WHAT YOUR FUCKING INTENTIONS ARE!

And I'm 100% sure that if Mako was a boy, nobody would defend her actions and instead be like "why is Ryuko friends with this asshole?" That off my chest, do you agree this sexual assault crap's easier to justify or handwave to audiences when the perpetrator is female?

There are MULTIPLE blogs I could do from this in various different directions so I'm going to try to keep focus on this one to what I think is most relevant. I do want to begin with though that A: I have not seen Kill a Kill so I do not have the full context on this. Also B: your reaction is not unjustified because there's probably something here that makes you believe that, regardless of intention, Ryuko isn't too jazzed about getting her boobs groped. Anytime I've seen a gif of this from the show, she never looks like she's giving enthusiastic consent.

BUT.

Your question is if it's easier to get away with such jokes when the perpetrator is female. For this example, I think the better question to ask is not that. Not that the question is invalid, again, SO MANY THOUGHTS, but there's something that skews this more in my opinion.

They're both the same gender and THAT shifts the viewpoint of sexual assault and harassment a LOT. Two dudes playing Sack Tap (it is exactly what you think it is) is not going to get called out for sexual harassment, just like a dude praising the fitness and abs on another guy because that's just praising him for his hard work! Right? Admittedly, male culture is weird to try to compare this to because we have 'No homo' as a phrase for a reason because we are way more insecure about this... Something I know because I had WAY more female friends in high school and there was one bizarre occurrence that happened ALL THE TIME.

They talked about their boobs. A lot. Even with me around, it became a topic regardless. It's why I have a weird relationship to the trope of girls entering a hot springs and talking about their boobs because at the lunch table, that literally happened. I had girls behind me in a class once just start talking about their boobs and other boobs and it was surreal. Hell, one of the woman in a group of bronies I was part of was so confident about her boobs that to the two 18 year old, awkward nerds, she offered to let us cop a feel once. It was extremely uncomfortable for me.

SO. Can I believe that a pair of female friends are just close enough to let that slide, even when one of them may not dig it? Yes. And yes, them sharing the same gender is part of why I am able to believe that. Does it mean it is always comfortable for both involved? No. It may be a quirk one of them doesn't like and maybe someday down the road, they'll need to talk to their friend about now doing it. But it's not because of the extremeness of sexual assault, it's because of figuring out boundaries within your relationships.

That highlights though that part of this is what the other people loop back to: It's not meant to hurt Ryuko. It is not just her being treated as a piece of meat or the like. It's a friend. It's someone who she is close enough to that they would assume they are allowed to touch them at all, let alone at the breasts. That does change the vibe of the interaction. Again: Ryuko may absolutely not want this but unlike an asshole who just wants a piece of that, she knows, in theory at least, that she can talk to her friend about this. That she can ask her to stop. Or shrug it off as one of her quirks. There's a familiarity there that can allow her to understand the intentions, even if she doesn't like the result.

But, and I cannot emphasize this enough: This is ALL theory. I cannot judge one way or another for Kill a Kill itself. I just want to highlight that there's complexities in relationships that make these questions harder to answer than just 'They touched this person without asking first, thus it's sexual assault'. Not that the vigilance is bad or unwarranted. I think sexual harassment as a joke in general has PLENTY of problems to it. I could do a blog talking about why I think characters like Miroku, Master Roshi and Issun all have potentially corrupted how some men see women, and what should be allowed, because of this joke and how it is handled. This is not an easy topic and I think in general it would be best to leave it in the past.

But, at the same time, it can just be showing a complicated version of friendships between people and smothering ever depicting that is not something I want to advocate for either. It's complicated, because people are complicated. See you next tale.

======+++++======

I have a public Discord for any and all who want to join!

I also have an Amazon page for all of my original works in various forms of character focused romances from cute, teenage romance to erotica series of my past. I have an Ao3 for my fanfiction projects as well if that catches your fancy instead. If you want to hang out with me, I stream from time to time and love to chat with chat.

And a Kofi if you like what I do and want to help out with the fact that disability doesn’t pay much.

[fushitoru]

Hello again! Bridgerton!choso anon here!

The way I was kicking my legs in the air reading your response but then squealing at your final sentence!! Ugh to see this mean girl and choso play out would be a dream!

Ugh to know this man is secretly a good artist fits the bill so hard — just adds to his flair of a wallflower/nerd because all the other men would def be showing off more ‘masc’ skills. However, I do think choso may be fantastic at archery and after he give her a demo of his skill mean girl kinda writes him off as like the other — but then gets the poem and portait and is sooo gagged like you said!

I could also totally see choso coming back with the bad advice and has a run in with Sukuna and Sukuna is messing with him saying thing like, “yeah mean girl gave you the best advice in world!” And choso actually takes the jokes as fact and it’s not until way later Sukuna has to backpedal on this.

After getting interest in choso, I could also see mean girl kinda attempting, and successfully, ruining him for other prospects even if that means sabotaging other girls- after all, she doesn’t want to lose her entertainment this season too early!

Like ugh— the more I think about mean girl she would be a total mastermind at court and to have miss itadori be the one wreck her at the end of season - pure cinema

Oh! Also how would yuji feel about this all going down? For some reason, I see mean girl doing something very kind for yuji— like going out of her way and doing more than what was necessary— out of her own volition and that just makes choso swooonnnnnn.

Also, did some research on the duke daughter marrying below, situation. It looks like it would be a more social taboo thing if she was from the royal duke line and/or an only child situation. Overall, she would be set to inherit choso’s title and fall to the title of viscountess and would keep Lady in her title as well.

Soo….perhaps this is not the right taboo to use for them if historical accuracy is a goal of yours but, with a little bending, still think it could be a delicious taboo to see play out. However, if you were to go with another taboo ik you would pick something epic.

Thank you for responding to these once more and taking to the time to read and respond to this novels lol. I’ll be fingers crossed a Bridgerton choso may come across my screen someday 🤍

HI POOKIE sorry it took so long for me to respond to this but <33

However, I do think choso may be fantastic at archery and after he give her a demo of his skill mean girl kinda writes him off as like the other — but then gets the poem and portait and is sooo gagged like you said!

yea i know she would write him off like the others but i just knowww secretly inside she's dying inside bc WHEWWW HIS MUSCLES WHEN HE'S STRINGING BACK THE BOW. sorry im horny

I could also totally see choso coming back with the bad advice and has a run in with Sukuna and Sukuna is messing with him saying thing like, “yeah mean girl gave you the best advice in world!” And choso actually takes the jokes as fact and it’s not until way later Sukuna has to backpedal on this.

no bc sukuna jokes about it like you said, and then choso declares he's going to do it for someone. then sukuna beats the crap out of him (figuratively) and lectures him about how it's not okay for him to do T-T yuji woud also give him shit for it and make fun of him

After getting interest in choso, I could also see mean girl kinda attempting, and successfully, ruining him for other prospects even if that means sabotaging other girls- after all, she doesn’t want to lose her entertainment this season too early!

AHHH I AGREE. and imagine, one time, it fails. like this is the point of the story where reader is realizing she's steadily gaining feelings for him, and seeing him with another girl drives her crazyyyyyy. so when she does smth petty in a fit of anger, like spill wine on her dress, and then sees choso helping the girl out and not take reader's side reader crashes out T-T

Like ugh— the more I think about mean girl she would be a total mastermind at court and to have miss itadori be the one wreck her at the end of season - pure cinema

IT WOULD BE LMAOO

Oh! Also how would yuji feel about this all going down? For some reason, I see mean girl doing something very kind for yuji— like going out of her way and doing more than what was necessary— out of her own volition and that just makes choso swooonnnnnn.

OH MY GOD i love this idea. like maybe she helps secure more ladies for yuji? she has considerable sway, and even though she's mean girl, a lot of the younger ladies admire her. so she hints at them about what a catch yuji is when yuji is at a low, and BOOM choso swoons bc she helped his little bro

Soo….perhaps this is not the right taboo to use for them if historical accuracy is a goal of yours but, with a little bending, still think it could be a delicious taboo to see play out. However, if you were to go with another taboo ik you would pick something epic.

i meannnnnn...historical accuracy cannnn be bendedd.......im not sure we'll see!

Thank you for responding to these once more and taking to the time to read and respond to this novels lol. I’ll be fingers crossed a Bridgerton choso may come across my screen someday 🤍o

ofc!! ty for your patience <3 i actualy am writing a historical one shot. kt's not regency but it is knight!choso x princess!reader, so while bridgerton!choso might not happen soon, that is definitely going to be posted this week :3

[tedcruzhasastupidface]

Donald Trump is Killing Women

Men—especially conservative Christian men in the US—will never fully understand the unimaginable trauma women and girls in their lives may have endure when their bodies are in crisis like miscarriage. They can’t grasp the complexity of fertility and reproduction. Sure, they might catch a glimpse of the horror if the woman they love doesn’t survive the ordeal. But unless it happens to them, most of them have no clue. Their wives, daughters, and sisters might be walking around with a story they’ll never tell these men. And some women aren’t walking around at all—they’re dead, thanks to laws these men applaud.

These laws, the ones Trump’s handpicked Supreme Court Justices helped kill Rowe vs Wade, are literally killing women. Think that’s an exaggeration? Ask Amber Thurman or Candi Miller—oh wait, you can’t. They died in hospitals from complications that should have been treated but couldn’t be because doctors’ hands were tied by these insane bans. In states like theirs, women are forced to wait until they’re inches from death before doctors can intervene. And doctors, terrified of being thrown in jail, do nothing while women die. In Trump’s fake Fox News town hall for women, laughed about this.

Weather is comes to terminating a pregnancy with complications early or late, we’re not talking about reckless decisions. Late-term abortions are never spur-of-the-moment. They happen when something goes terribly, tragically wrong, when a pregnancy expected to result in a healthy child turns into a nightmare. Pete Buttigieg put it perfectly back in 2019: “Let’s put ourselves in the shoes of a woman in that situation. If it’s that late in your pregnancy, it’s to the point that you’ve been expecting to carry it to term. Families then get the most devastating medical news of their lifetime. That decision is not going to be made any better, medically or morally, because the government is dictating how that decision should be made.”

But here we are, and Trump and his follow assholes acting like they know better than the families facing these impossible choices. Trump keeps spouting nonsense like "everyone wanted this!" No, Hitler pig craps-his-pants. No, they didn’t. Most people don’t want some backwater state legislature dictating what happens to their bodies. And Trump’s claim that “legal scholars” wanted states to make these calls? Total bullshit.

At the DNC, we heard from Amanda Zurawski, Kaitlyn Joshua, and Hadley Duvall, three women who came close to dying because of these cruel laws. How many more will there be? How many more lives will Trump sacrifice for political points?

Every time abortion has been on the ballot in recent years, women have shown up to defend their rights. Republican’s are losing consistently because of their position. And it’s why Trump and the rest will lose. But it won’t happen unless you vote Harris/Walz and every Democrat down the ballot. Tell every woman (and the men that care about them to vote democrat. It’s the only way to stop Trump for good and we can get back to normal.

If you’re a father of a daughter, a husband of a wife, an uncle of a niece, and you vote for Trump, and someday your female family members finds herself in need of reproductive care and can’t get it because of the laws your state and she dies, you’re complicit. And you’ll have no one to blame but yourself. Think about that. Don’t be like the Trump voters that he deported.

Let’s stop this madness. Vote, speak out, and make sure we never let someone like Trump endanger women’s lives again.

[roppongi-division]

Zakari's Thoughts on Third Members

Saburo Yamada

"Saburo's another good friend of mine, though I'm not as close to him as I am to his older brothers. Still, it's kind of a shock that he's only in middle school considering how smart he is. It also doesn't help that he's the youngest person in the D.R.B., or that his birthday comes late in the year, like mine. But he's still a cool guy, despite his personality. I'm actually teaching him how to play games of chance. He's pretty good! Unlike Jiro, he's got a killer poker face!"

Rio Mason Busujima

"I met Rio while exploring Yokohama once. Normally, I try to keep within the city. Venturing on the outskirts is a bit boring since there aren't a lot of high places to jump from. But curiosity got the better of me, so I decided to head towards the woodlands. I certainly wasn't expecting to find someone living, least of all a former army official. He was pretty nice, though. We played a few card games, and he was surprisingly good. I don't know if he played before, or if he was good at keeping a straight face, but he actually beat me a few times. To thank me, he gave me some of his homemade food. I know it looked gross, but it actually tasted pretty good!"

Dice Arisugawa

"Ugh, I wish my parents would get off my back about Dice and me being friends. He and I are one and the same, so it's no surprise we're cool with each other. Apparently, they're afraid that he's going to drag me down with him. But how do they know it's not the opposite? How do they know I'm not the one dragging him down? But this is just one of those topics where the three of us agree to disagree. My dad says I can do what I want, but he's not responsible for what I do as a result. Gee, thanks pop."

"Besides that, it's because of Dice that I was able to meet Lucille. I know she was frustrated that I beat her, but now... well, we'll pretty happy with each other, even if I do know that she's probably biding her time to try to trap me in something. But hey, I'm looking forward to it!"

Doppo Kannonzaka

"This guy... he both infuriates and worries me. Why? Well, for one thing, I've seen what this guy can do when he's pissed off. He's got a surprisingly hot temper. So what I want to know is, why the hell doesn't he use that temper to knock out the people who are bothering him at his job, huh?! I mean, if someone was bothering me as much as those folks at his job do, I would have gone off a long, long time ago! But no, he chooses to just go through with it! It's no wonder his boss and co-workers walk all over him! And then he has the gall to get upset at Dice for trying to earn money an easy way! Why don't you try changing your work environment before you judge someone, you cowardly piece of crap!"

"...Anyway, that's why this guy infuriates me. But the reason he worries me... it's because I'm afraid that I may have to become like him someday: a regular officer worker making minimum wage, doing the same crap every day. Sorry, but that's not for me. If the choice is between living like Doppo or living like Dice, I'll take Dice's way of living any day of the week."

Rei Amayado

"...I'll just say it plainly: I don't like this guy. I don't know what reason he has for abandoning his own sons, and I don't care. There is no excuse in the world for it. And then, after revealing yourself to your sons, instead of apologizing to them, you choose to just go back to doing what you've been doing, being a lapdog for the government, while conning people out of their funds. I know I bitched at Doppo, but at least that guy is working to earn his money, no matter how bad his work environment is. You should take a page out of his book, pal."

Hitoya Amaguni

"I don't know Hitoya all that well. When I go to Nagoya, it's mainly to hang out with Kuko and Jyushi. Hitoya sometimes joins in, but it's more out to keep an eye on us than actually trying to participate. He reminds more of a grumpy uncle than anything. ...I wonder what would happen if Kuko and I started calling him that. Oh, the look on his face! We've got to try that out sometime!"

[stellahikaru]

State of The Starry Path Hotel #1 (February 9th, 2024)

Hello everyone! Stella Hikaru here! Welcome to my first Tumblr blog post! In order to hold myself accountable and document my content creation journey, I decided to make a weekly long form post on Tumblr about my path on becoming a Vtuber. Why Tumblr? Well it’s because a) I can’t afford a custom website at the moment, plus I would have to use another site to direct traffic to it anyway, b) Twitter, the main hub for Vtubers, has a character limit and I don’t want to make like 50 tweets in a row once per week, my ADHD ass can’t handle that, and c) I just want to do it on Tumblr okay? Weekly posts will be every Friday and I might do roundups at the end of the month and year (I haven’t fully decided yet). My main goal is to look back on these posts someday and see how far I’ve come in bringing up The Starry Path Hotel.

Anyway, here’s what the general format is going to be:

Mini Life Update

This is where I’m going to touch on a little bit of what’s going on in my life when I’m not running the hotel and how it impacts my content creation process. 

Content Creation Progress Update

This is where I’ll post any updates about what I am up to content wise and what goals I accomplished. This could be anything from Youtube videos to updates on commissions I requested to the creation of new accounts. 

This Week’s Goals

The goals that I’ll have for the week. These will be smaller, more achievable goals that will either build up to the monthly goals or be standalone 

This Month’s Goals 

The goals that I’ll have for the month. The weekly goals will mainly build up to these. 

This Year’s Goals 

These are the goals that I have for the year. These will be longer term goals that most of the weekly and monthly goals will build up to.

Final Thoughts

Basically going to be a final roundup on this week’s post and how I’m feeling about what I want to do this week. 

I may add or change stuff depending on what works and what doesn’t but this is what I’m going to stick with for now. With that bit of housekeeping on the way, here’s the first week’s blog post!

Mini Life Update

I’m currently in my final semester of college and I am taking SIX classes this semester including a very time consuming capstone class plus I have to stay on top of my extracurriculars. One might say that trying to become a Vtuber was a bad idea but I’m too stubborn to give up now! We’re starting to get into the busy point of the semester and schoolwork is taking up a LOT of my time. I don’t even have time to play FFXIV anymore. ;-; Hopefully I can get the Valentine’s Day event emote though! Anyway with school taking priority, I don’t have a lot of time for Vtuber activities. So far I’m only able to stream once a week but since Twitch’s discoverability is crap and my VODs are only saved for seven days, your girl isn’t growing as much as she would like. But hopefully that changes soon!

Content Creation Progress Update

Since this is my first post, I’m going to include some stuff that I have been up to for the past few weeks. First, I have been streaming every Saturday at 2 PM EST on Twitch. You can find the link for my Twitch on the Social Media Page of my Tumblr blog. So far I have been doing coworking/chatting for part of the stream and then playing games after a couple of hours. I’ve been playing Cult of the Lamb on stream and having a lot of fun! 

The next major update is that I commissioned a chibi Vtuber model! While my current model looks fine, I want to upgrade from a Vroid model. However, as a college student with basically no income, there’s no way I can spend a few thousand dollars on an updated character design and full Live2D model. So I managed to find an artist doing chibi Live2D models and commissioned them using the I don’t know when I will have it but I hopefully should be ready to reveal it in mid-March.

Now onto the goals!

This Week’s Goals

Make a VOD channel for my Twitch VODs and upload my VODs to that channel: I was on the fence of if I wanted to simply upload my Twitch VODs on my main channel or create a separate channel just for Twitch VODs and upload them there. After weighing the pros and cons of each option, I decided to make a separate channel. This week, I will make a different channel and upload all of my past VODs on there as well as any Twitch VODs going forward.

Make a Carrd for Twitter and Bluesky: While I can easily link all of my social media on Twitch, YouTube, and Tumblr, I can’t do the same for Twitter and Bluesky due to the character limit. I want to make a Carrd for myself to use for those two sites and put the links in my bio this week.

Brainstorm for YouTube videos and choose an idea for the 1st one: I’m hoping to make one YouTube video this month and this week I need to choose an idea so I can start scripting. I’m also going to brainstorm ideas that I can use for future YouTube videos this week.

 This Month’s Goals 

Make 1 YouTube video: I want to make YouTube content that isn’t just Twitch highlights (nothing wrong with that kind of content, I just want to make something different) so this is one of the main goals I have for myself this month! I don’t know what it will be about but I’ll post more about it in future blog posts.

Look into ways to take donations: While I am waiting to get monetized on YouTube and Twitch, I would like to have a way for people to financially support me if they choose to do so. This month, I will be comparing different sites for one time donations (i.e. PayPal, Ko-Fi) and choosing which one would suit my needs.

Continue streaming once per week and try to do guerilla streams: As I stated, I currently stream once per week on Saturdays and I want to maintain this consistency. However, I want to see if I can do some guerilla streams during the week since I will need to stream on 7 different days in a 30 day period to get Affiliate on Twitch and with my current schedule, I fall short of the requirements. 

This Year’s Goals 

Get monetized on YouTube: I want to eventually make money off of my content so I’m hoping to get monetized on YouTube this year. This is going to be a tall order, but I hope I can keep working towards this with my weekly and monthly goals!

Become an Affiliate on Twitch: I think this goal is a bit more achievable compared to getting monetized on YouTube but I still need to meet the requirements. I will also be working towards this with my weekly and monthly goals! 

Gain 100 followers on any social media besides YouTube or Twitch: I actually am over halfway to 100 followers on Twitter as of writing this, but I still don’t get a ton of engagement on my post. In addition, most of the followers I have gotten are those annoying GFX bots and it’s a little bit disheartening. I also want to build up a following on Tumblr and Bluesky as well! 

Make a community Discord server: Once I build up a community, I want to create a Discord server for people to hang out in. However, I want to wait until there is a demand for a Discord server. This goal is lower priority compared to the other goals but I hope that this does end up happening this year!

Final Thoughts

If you read through the entirety of this post, THANK YOU! Future posts will hopefully be more concise (I spent WAY too long writing this) but I am making no promises. I hope that I finish all of the goals that I set out this week! Now I gotta finish the assignment that’s due tonight that I definitely did not put off doing to write this post, haha.

If you like what you see, make sure to reblog this post and follow me! I would also appreciate it if you follow me on my other social media, especially on Twitch and YouTube! I will be streaming on Twitch tomorrow at 2 PM EST! I hope your stay was bright and your journey is filled with light!