#that our imperfections can be from a source of love

[winterarmyy]

Baby, Fever & Cuddles

Glimpses of the grumpy chubby alpha!bucky's love life.

Summary: When Y/N unexpectedly cancelled their date plan, Bucky’s troubled mind seemed to jump right into the worst case scenario, but the reality was not quite what he thought.

Navigation: Prequel || Main Story I || Main Story II || Main Story III

Pairing: chubby alpha!bucky x omega!female!reader

Words: 3.5k++

Warnings: a/b/o dynamics. fluffy and soft feels with our chubby!alpha!bucky.

P/S: My writing is quite rusty after months of not utilizing it, so forgive me for that. Nevertheless, I hope you enjoy this short fic and happy reading! 🤍

Read my other works here: Masterlist

Bucky has been staring, or more accurately, glaring at the reflection of himself for far too long now. Completely distracted with the image on the mirror, he did not notice how his well-made bed is now crowded with piles of his clothing items.

Hoodies, jeans, dress-shirts and even the dinner suit that he got last year; they were all mixed up in an untamed way. He might need a couple of hours to re-organize those but it does not matter right now.

What matters is what should he wear for his second date with y/n? So far everything he tried on was either too fancy or too tacky. “For fuck’s sake, it’s just a coffee date. Just pick one and go, Jesus.” Bucky’s inner Alpha has been nagging him to get this over with, because he’s going to be late to the date, especially if he plans to pick-up a bouquet for her.

Now standing in his red Henley, which he deemed was appropriate, he could not look past the soft bulge on his stomach. The bright colour of the fabric did nothing to hide the unflattering shape of his belly. He twisted his body to the side and unintentionally grimaced at the sight.

Bucky instinctively sucked in a deep breath, trying to hide the extra fat of his body; giving a glance of the shadow of his past self when he was but a man with a well-built body.

Bucky sighed out the breath that held, and his belly naturally morphed into the original shape. He really can’t hide his imperfections; not his belly nor his prosthetic arm. As he stares at the source of his insecurities, he remembered the night of his first date with her;

"Because Bucky, you are as lovable as a person can be." She placed his palm on either side of her cheeks, purring as the sensation on skin felt so right, "And I am absolutely honoured and proud to be standing here with an alpha like you." She smiled like she was the happiest omega on earth.

His cheeks heats into shades of red and pink as the memories remind him of her; the softness of her skin against his palms, that cute little purr she made and her sweet scent that he was already addicted to.

Before the blood managed to rush further down to his spine, he shook off the unholy thoughts produced by inner alpha. Bucky glanced at the mess on his bed from the reflection of the mirror and let out a sigh before glaring at himself, “What are you so afraid of?”.

Now that he was standing in front of her apartment, Bucky suddenly remembered why.

His heart pounds, his palms were sweating within his leather gloves, his fingers fiddled with the delicate material of the bouquet wrappings. The second date is different compared to the first; there’s more expectation, which means there might be more disappointment awaits.

Not that he would be displeased with y/n but he is afraid that she will be with him. A few sweet words that she spoke on their first date might work to calm him down at the moment, but it is not enough to make his years worth of insecurity disappear completely.

Bucky gulped nervously as he lifted his hand towards the door; he knew that he was quite early from the promised time, but he couldn’t help it. As much as he is afraid of what will come, he was as excited to see her again. She had been occupying his mind like no other; he misses her. A lot.

When he was about to knock on the door, his phone rang. Slipping it out of his pocket, his phone almost fell from his hands, when he read the name on the caller’s placeholder. Y/N. He took a deep breath and slid the icon across the screen, “Hello. Hi” Bucky’s tongue was already tied with just two words out.

“Hi, Bucky.” she greeted with softly. That alone was enough make his heart skipped a beat. “Hi, y/n.” Bucky could not control the dreamy undertone in his voice, if only she could see the soft haze in his gaze, “What’s up?”

“Really, Bucky? ‘What’s up’?” he mentally scolded himself for this choice of words. A brief silence followed his question. “Was that… hesitation?” a thought popped at the back of his head. “Ummm, listen, Bucky…” her voice dripped with uncertainty.

Bucky’s fist around the stem of the bouquet got a little tighter when she continued, “..I’m sorry. But, I think we should cancel our plans today. Umm, some, uh, something came up and I think I can’t make it...” Her cryptic reasons were just a buzzing sound in his ear now.

What was he expecting? That this time it’ll be different? He’s finally gonna have the happy ending he deserves? No. Of course, not.

“What was I thinking?” Bucky’s head slightly lean forward as he try to recollect himself, “I understand.” He replied. y/n quickly apologised for her sudden decision but Bucky was not really listening.

He was just trying to clear out the dark clouds in head by leaning his head to the apartment door. But when his hand was trying to support his weight against the wall, he accidentally pressed the doorbell.

“Shit!” he cursed under his breath. Panic arose when y/n asked if he could hold for a minute while she get the door. “No wait! y/n don--”, a few milliseconds later, the door was wide open, revealing the omega who's been occupying his mind for weeks.

“Bucky?” Her eyes widened; shocked at first but morphed into a pleasant smile. “You’re here?” she was awfully in glee to see the alpha, especially when she saw the pretty bouquet of carnations in his hand. But the joy only lasted for a short moment, until she realised, “Don’t tell me you were already here when I called you…” a soft gasp came from the smaller, her eyes glistening with guilt.

Bucky thought that there’s no way to go about this other than telling the truth, “Yeah. I’m sure you have a good reason to cancel our date. And since you’re here, umm, here.” hands trembling, he extended the bouquet towards her, his gruff exterior softened by the shy smile on his lips, “….for you.”

y/n’s cheeks flushed with delight as she accepted the flowers, “Awww, Bucky.” She held the soft petals towards her face, inhaling the spicy clove-y scent. Reminded by the time she first met him, the corners of her lips curled upwards into a tender smile before looking up at him with a sparkle of alluring mischief in her gaze.

In that split second, something was triggered at the back of Bucky’s mind. It seemed like he had seen this view before. In fact, it is almost identical. Including this very moment, when she tiptoed upwards, her tender gesture of cupping one side his chubby cheek and her soft lips pressed on the other, "Thank you for the flowers, alpha." She whispered against his skin.

A pleasant shiver crawled all over his body, his cheeks heated up and his ears reddened. Bucky’s eyes soften into a hazy gaze that if she look closely, she might see hearts twinkling in his ocean blues.

He wanted more. More of her lips, more of her gentle touch. More of her.

When the omega looked up at him with that sweet smile on her lips, his inner alpha was ready to pounce on her and it was all from just that one innocent kiss, “You’re welcome, doll” His hand snaked around her waist, pulling her body close to his, “Glad you liked it.” He returned her kiss with his own, a gentle grab on the side of her head and a loving kiss on her cheek.

The omega purred in delight to his gesture, her hand instinctively went to grab on his shoulder; literally melting in his embrace when she lost her stance.

Good thing Bucky had his arms securely around her because if not she would’ve ended up on the floor. Bucky chuckled amusingly when he slowly led her body to lean back, almost dangling on his arm, as his kisses lingered on her jaw.

Before the sounds of their soft laughter could spread, the loud shrieking sound of a crying baby coming from y/n’s apartment startled both of them to a freeze. y/n was quick on her feet, “Oh no, Daisy.” she gasped as she broke out from Bucky’s loose grip.

“Come on in, Bucky.” she shouted when she entered the living room area. Bucky didn’t reject her offer, and stepped into the foyer. Closing the door behind him, he saw how some of her shoes were organised at the entrance; he quietly took off his shoes and slipped into one of the fuzzy guest slippers that was laid on the side.

Stepping further inside, he realised that this was his first time in y/n’s home. He felt a wave of warmth enveloped him like a comforting embrace. His eyes wandered around the corridor, noticing the photographs on the wall; each frame a snapshot of cherished moments frozen in time. Smiling faces gazed back at him, capturing the essence of love and laughter that filled the air.

As Bucky entered the living room, he was met with the sight of y/n tenderly coaxing a crying baby into calmness; swaying the little bundle to the rhythm of her quiet lullaby. His heart skipped a beat at the gentle scene, though he knew instinctively that the baby wasn't her own. Any other normal person would’ve thought the opposite. But the lack of semblance in their scent gave it away.

y/n glanced up, a mixture of apology and relief in her eyes. "This is Daisy, my next-door neighbour's baby girl," she explained, her voice soft with concern. "Her mother caught a high fever all of the sudden, and Mr.Scott is out of town for work.”

Bucky’s steps stopped when he reached by y/n’s side, “The couple is not from here. They just moved from the UK a few months ago. They don’t have any family here.” Bucky silently listened to her explanation as his eyes peered at the baby in her arms; now calmed and curious of the tall stranger next to y/n.

“I volunteered to care for her while the mother went for a checkup at the nearby medical centre." y/n explained as she softly wiped the remaining tears on Daisy's cheeks, "I'm sorry," y/n continued, her tone tinged with guilt. "I know it's selfish of me to cancel our date because of this."

Her teeth sunk into her bottom lips. “I could’ve suggested a day care or something. But instead, I took the job.” She chuckled when Daisy babbled some incoherent words.

Bucky quickly intercepted her before she could come up with other lines of unnecessary explanation. He shook his head, a gentle smile gracing his lips. "No, don't be," he reassured her, his gaze softened as the baby chortled gleefully. "I can see why it's hard to resist."

The atmosphere shifted into something else; sweet and warm until the sound of the oven timer went off. "And that would be my lunch burning," y/n remarked, relief evident in her tone. Without missing a beat, she passed Daisy into Bucky’s arms, and he instinctively cradled her close.

It was his first time holding a baby. He knows that babies are small, I mean everybody knows that. But he never realises how light they are. No wonder people say they are fragile.

When Bucky’s hand reached to touch Daisy’s cheeks, he realised that maybe handling a baby with leather gloves and jacket was probably not the best idea. He skillfully took them off while cradling the baby close to his chest.

When he was done stripping to Henley, he brought his fleshed finger and poked Daisy’s round cheek.

It's the softest thing he ever touched, he could not believe it. So, he does it again and again. Apparently it is amusing to Daisy that Bucky was playing with her cheeks, the little sweetheart squeal and chortle every time he poked his finger on her. There was no denying the fact that Bucky’s heart was tugged in several different directions whenever she shrieked in joy.

Bucky momentarily lifted his gaze and observed the chaos unfolding in the kitchen with a sense of understanding, then turned his attention back to baby Daisy, who gazed up at him with wide, adoring eyes. "How about I stay and help you babysit little Daisy?" he suggested, a warm smile playing on his lips. "Seems like you could use a helping hand."

Y/n’s eyes widened in surprise, touched by his offer. "You would do that?" she asked, her voice tinged with disbelief. "I don't see any reason not to," Bucky replied with a shrug. "We're…" his words halted when he thought about it, "…mates. No, not yet." his mind spoke. Stumbling over the word as he corrected himself. "You, You're my girl, after all."

A blush spread across y/n's cheeks at his words, butterflies fluttering in her stomach. "Plus, I think little Daisy wants me to stay," Bucky continued, “Don’t you, flower?” his smile grew as the baby chortled and gurgled in agreement.

So, both of them took the role of being temporary parents while getting to know more about each other. If Steve was there to see this scene he’d tear up from how beautiful it was. The way they naturally tend to each other’s every need and how natural their chemistry clicked.

It was so effortless, as if they were two pieces of a puzzle finally finding their perfect fit. From the moment they stepped into the cosy haven of Daisy's world, there was an unspoken understanding between them, a shared connection that transcended mere words.

And the time flows like a gentle stream, Bucky and y/n found themselves swept up in the rhythm of their newfound relationship, even in the chaos of taking care of Daisy. Hours and hours passed, and when the sun set in the horizon, they nestled on the floor, a makeshift fortress of pillows and blankets cocooned them from the harsh reality of the outside world. Daisy, the tiny bundle of joy they were entrusted to care for, lay peacefully cradled in y/n’s arms.

As Bucky watched y/n’s gently sway with Daisy, he couldn't help but marvel at the tenderness in her touch. Her eyes sparkled with maternal warmth, a sight that stirred something deep within him. He had never seen such a sight before – so serene, so utterly captivating.

Daisy, in her innocence, reached out with tiny hands, her curious gaze fixating on Bucky’s metal fingers. With a playful gleam in her eyes, she chomped down on the cold material, eliciting a surprised yelp from Bucky. y/n chuckled softly, her laughter like music to his ears.

"Looks like Daisy's taken a liking to you," y/n remarked, her voice soft and affectionate.

Bucky grinned, gently wiggling his fingers out of Daisy’s mouth. His swift movement to wipe the string of saliva from Daisy’s mouth makes it look like Bucky was an experienced father, "Seems that way. Guess I'll have to watch out for that scary toothless mouth of hers."

The moment stretched on, each passing second filled with a quiet intimacy that seemed to enveloped them in a world of their own. Y/n leaned back against a mound of pillows, Daisy nestled contentedly against her chest. Bucky lay beside them, his gaze drifting between his omega and the sleepy child cooing on her chest.

Y/n's gaze lifted, her eyes meeting Bucky’s with a soft, shy smile playing on her lips. As she nestled further into the warmth of Daisy's soft head, a gentle blush crept across her cheeks, adding a rosy hue to her already radiant complexion.

In that moment, Bucky found himself lost in thought. He couldn't shake the feeling of déjà vu that washed over him, a fleeting memory of a similar scene with another woman.

It can’t be. She was a beta and y/n is an omega. It would be impossible. But what if…

"What’s on your mind, Bucky?" she asked, her voice soft and quiet as she settled Daisy into her crib for a nap before sliding back into his arms. Bucky wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close.

"I was just thinking..." Bucky began, his voice trailing off as he searched for the right words. "Yes?" y/n's voice was a soft melody, laced with curiosity as she looked up at him. Bucky hesitated, unsure how to articulate the thoughts swirling in his mind. "Have we met before?" he finally asked, his tone tinged with uncertainty.

A playful grin danced across y/n's lips as she teased, "I don't know. Have we?"

Bucky felt a pang of surprise at her cheekiness, but he pressed on, recounting the memory of rescuing a girl from a dangerous situation in a park. "I can't help but see similarities between her and you," he admitted, his browdls furrowing with concern. "So, you think that I'm her?" y/n's tone was light, teasing, but there was a hint of something more beneath the surface.

He hesitated, grappling with the uncertainty of his own memories. "I'm not sure...I never saw her face," he confessed, his voice tinged with regret. Y/n rolled her eyes playfully, a mischievous glint in her gaze. "Took you long enough to notice," she quipped, her words laced with humour.

Shocked with the revelation, his words stumbled, "But, but she's a beta, and you're..."He trailed off, his voice trailing as he struggled to find the right words. "An omega. Always was, still am," She finished for him, a knowing smile playing on her lips.

"But your scent?" Bucky questioned, his confusion evident in his voice, “It changed?”

"Scent blockers," She explained simply, her tone softening as she reached out to brush a stray lock of hair away from his face. "It's a long story, we'll get there soon enough. But for now..." She trailed off, her gaze meeting his with a warmth that sent shivers down his spine. "How have you been, Alpha?"

Bucky felt his heartstrings pull at the affection in her words, and without hesitation, he pulled her close, burying his face in the crook of her neck as he inhaled her scent deeply. "Better. Much better, 'mega," he murmured, his voice filled with a tenderness that spoke volumes.

Bucky briefly pulled away from her, their eyes locked in a silent exchange and he felt a surge of tenderness wash over him, his heart swelling with affection for this beautiful woman who had stolen his heart. He reached out instinctively, brushing a stray lock of hair away from y/n's face, his touch as gentle as a whisper.

As Bucky leaned in closer, the soft brush of his breath against y/n's lips sent a thrill through her. His eyes, filled with a gentle intensity, held hers captive as he closed the distance between them. With a tender touch, he pressed his lips softly against hers, a delicate caress that ignited a spark between them.

In that moment, time seemed to stand still as their lips met in a sweet and innocent kiss. She felt a rush of warmth flood through her, enveloping her in a cocoon of bliss. His kiss was like a gentle breeze on a warm summer day, soft and inviting, yet undeniably electrifying.

As they melted into each other's embrace, she lost herself in the sensation of his lips against hers; his hands rubbing the naked skin underneath her shirt.

While she was floating in the clouds, Bucky was at the brink of his sanity. He wanted to make his claim on her, to have her entirely to himself. and when the kiss deepened, he couldn’t contain his needy growl. His thick thigh naturally settled in between hers, gently guiding her hips down and her heat against the layer of his jeans.

Y/n herself could feel the steady beat coming from between her thighs, she was pretty sure Bucky could feel it too. Of course he could, and he enjoyed the symphony of longing and desire that pulsed against his thigh. If she ever snuck her tiny hands on his crotch, she would know how much he enjoyed her soft lips; and her pretty princess part.

Just as things began to heat up, a soft whine emanated from Daisy's crib, breaking the spell and bringing them back to reality. They pulled away from each other with shared laughter, their cheeks flushed with embarrassment as they realised they had been caught in the act by their tiny charge.

She glanced over at Daisy with a fond smile, her heart swelling with affection for the little interrupter. "So much for a second date, huh?" she joked, her tone laced with amusement.

Bucky met her gaze with a grin of his own, his eyes twinkling with mirth. "I wouldn't want it any other way," he replied, his voice filled with sincerity; they shared a final kiss, a promise of more to come, before turning their attention back to Daisy, who had already drifted back into a peaceful slumber.

As they settled back into their makeshift nest on the floor, Bucky and y/n knew that their love story was just beginning – a tale of unexpected encounters, stolen kisses, and the sweet promise of a future together.

End.

Read my other works here: Masterlist

A/N: im in my soft feels latelyyyyy and i miss this couple 😭 anyway, i hope you enjoyed this short fic 🤍

[yuff7e]

Yay! Okay so I'm gonna try this.

Could I please request Tanjiro, Inosuke, Giyu, and Sanemi with a demon male reader with:

...Damaged horns?

Bit of a backstory:

He's a kind demon with healing blood that can cure any illness and help to heal any injury. This also got him to be caught and held captive by humans and "work" in one of the local hospitals. And also because he was a demon and people hate demons.

People treated him badly, putting cuffs and chains on his feet, hands, and mainly on his horns, damaging them in the process. After some time people realized he's not bad and both sides made an arrangement...reader will have a source of food and shelter while continuing to help humans.

His horns used to be long, shiny, and just pride itself but now they look even worse than a rock by a sidewalk. Not only does it affect his self-esteem but it also causes him bad headaches.

The request:

Reader is healing slayers's small injuries until a headache strikes and our demon slayers comfort him (they know about his past and self-esteem) and show a gentle love to his horns as well. Maybe how would they show their love and care to reader and his horns differently.

Also the demon change made reader as closely tall as Gyomei, no matter the gender (if you decide to make this genderneutral).

Thank you so much for the opportunity. 🩷🩷

𝐓𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐎𝐔𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐒: 𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐁𝐄𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐒

𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

— heyy charliedakotariley!! sorry this took forever, i’ve been a bit inactive these past few days but im slowly coming back!! i hope this was what you wanted, enjoy :)

𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐝

tanjiro -> inosuke -> giyuu -> sanemi

♬♪ -> lıllılı.ıllı.ılılıı

tanjiro kamado

you’re kneeling beside a wounded villager, your healing blood working its magic to close the injury. as the skin begins to knit together, you suddenly feel a sharp headache, causing your large frame to tremble.

“are you alright, [name]?” tanjiro’s voice is soft and filled with concern as he notices your distress.

“just a headache,” you manage to say, trying to brush it off, but tanjiro isn’t convinced. he’s aware of your past, the harsh treatment you endured, and how it has left its mark on you, especially your horns. without hesitation, he places a gentle hand on your shoulder and helps you to sit down.

“let me see,” he says softly. he carefully touches your horns, feeling the rough, jagged edges where they have been damaged. his touch is tender, almost reverent, as he explores the scars.

“it’s okay,” tanjiro whispers, his voice soothing. “you don’t have to be strong all the time. you’re allowed to hurt.”

his fingers trace the grooves and ridges of your horns with a delicate touch, not shying away from the damaged parts. instead, he focuses on them, showing you that he loves every part of you, including your scars and imperfections. you can’t help but feel a deep sense of comfort from his care.

you close your eyes, allowing yourself to lean into his touch. the warmth of his hands begins to ease the tension in your head, filling you with a sense of peace that you haven’t experienced in a long time. tanjiro’s presence is calming, and his compassion is healing in itself.

“thank you,” you murmur, your voice thick with emotion, feeling tears of gratitude well up.

“you’re not alone,” tanjiro replies with a reassuring smile. “i’m here for you, always. no matter what.”

inosuke hashibira

inosuke barges into the room, his usual boisterous demeanor suddenly faltering when he sees you clutching your head in pain. the injured demon slayer, whom you’ve been healing, looks on with concern.

“hey, what’s wrong with you?” inosuke demands, though the worry in his voice betrays his tough exterior.

“it’s just...a headache,” you manage to say, your voice strained from the pain. inosuke’s frown deepens, and without saying another word, he stomps over and sits beside you.

“let me see,” inosuke says gruffly, his voice softer now. he reaches out to touch your horns, his touch surprisingly gentle as he traces the jagged edges. he’s heard about the mistreatment you suffered, and he knows how much it still affects you.

“they hurt, don’t they?” inosuke asks, his voice uncharacteristically calm.

you nod, unable to speak through the pain. inosuke’s rough fingers continue their gentle exploration, not flinching away from the scars. he looks at you with an intensity that softens as he continues.

“you’re strong,” inosuke says after a moment, his voice filled with genuine admiration. “stronger than anyone i know.”

the unexpected praise catches you off guard. you look up to see inosuke staring at you with fierce determination, and his sincerity is almost overwhelming.

“don’t let anyone make you feel less,” inosuke continues. “your horns, your scars, they’re part of you. and i like you the way you are. don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

the sincerity in inosuke’s words brings tears to your eyes. you lean into his touch, letting the pain ebb away, feeling a new sense of acceptance and warmth from his words.

“thank you, inosuke,” you whisper, your voice choked with emotion.

“yeah, yeah. just don’t forget it,” inosuke grunts, though there’s a softness in his tone.

giyuu tomioka

giyuu watches as you finish healing his wound, the cut on his arm closing seamlessly. he notices the moment you wince, your large frame jolting slightly from the pain of your headache.

“is something wrong?” giyuu asks, his voice calm and even, his eyes never leaving you.

“it’s nothing, just a headache,” you reply, though giyuu can see through your attempt to downplay it. he’s aware of your past, the mistreatment you’ve faced, and how it has left lingering effects, including the headaches. without a word, he moves closer and helps you sit down.

“let me help,” giyuu says softly. he reaches out to touch your horns, his fingers tracing the jagged edges with a tenderness that belies his usually stoic exterior. his touch is light, almost reverent, as he feels the damage.

you tense at first, but giyuu’s gentle touch quickly soothes you. the pain in your head starts to fade, replaced by a soothing warmth. giyuu’s presence is calming, and his compassion is deeply comforting.

“your horns are beautiful,” giyuu says quietly, his eyes meeting yours with genuine affection. “they show your strength, your resilience. don’t let anyone make you feel otherwise. they’re a part of you, and that’s something to be proud of.”

the sincerity in giyuu’s voice brings tears to your eyes. you’ve never heard such words spoken about your horns, never felt such gentle acceptance and care. it’s a balm to your wounded spirit.

“thank you,” you whisper, your voice thick with emotion.

giyuu simply nods, his fingers still tracing the contours of your horns. “you’re not alone. i’m here for you, no matter what.”

sanemi shinazugawa

sanemi watches as you heal the wound on his leg, the torn flesh knitting back together under your touch. he notices the moment you wince, flinching from the headache.

“what’s wrong?” sanemi asks, his voice rough but laced with concern.

“it’s just a headache,” you reply, trying to brush it off. but sanemi isn’t convinced. he knows about your past, the mistreatment you endured, and how it has left you with lingering effects, including these painful headaches. without a word, he moves closer and helps you sit down.

“let me see,” sanemi says gruffly. he reaches out to touch your horns, his fingers surprisingly gentle as he traces the jagged edges. he feels the rough, scarred surface with a careful touch, his usual harshness softened by an unspoken empathy.

“they did this to you,” sanemi says quietly, his voice filled with a mix of anger and sorrow.

you nod, unable to speak through the pain. sanemi’s touch is surprisingly tender, his rough hands moving with care and precision. his gaze is intense, but there’s a gentleness in his actions that contrasts with his usual demeanor.

“your horns are a part of you,” sanemi says after a moment, his voice softening. “they’re a sign of your strength, your resilience. don’t let anyone make you feel less. they’ve tried to hurt you, but you’ve survived. that’s something to be proud of.”

the sincerity in sanemi’s words brings tears to your eyes. you lean into his touch, letting the pain fade away, feeling a newfound sense of acceptance and understanding.

“thank you.” you whisper, your headache fading almost instantly.

sanemi simply nods, his fingers still tracing the contours of your horns. “you’re not alone. i’m here for you.”

[raayllum]

She Must Pay the Price, or A Drop of Mercy :: A Rayla and Leola Meta

Quick:

You're a young elven girl, and you show mercy and compassion to a human that you definitely weren't supposed to. When it's found out, you're punished, with elves even calling for your execution (6x09, book 1 novelization). Your father does what he can, but there's only so much. You're put on trial. You're found guilty regardless of intent, and only by association. You die for this; you die for them. You're a star. A guiding light. There's even a Great Fall off a precipice (though only one of you hits the ground).

Your name is Leola, or Rayla.

You're the beginning and the end, respectively.

So let's talk about it.

Tests of Love

For years, I had wondered where Aaravos' assessment of "Those who fail tests of love are simple animals. They deserve to be motivated by fear" (2x09) came from, cause you don't drop in a line like that if it's not going somewhere. It's quite a statement and worldview, after all. Now, with Leola's trial, it seems we know.

We can see, then, perhaps that Leola's gift giving was the first test of love — are you willing to break the Natural Law, the Natural Order of things? — to help another? To show another a source of power in order to share, to be compassionate, and in Rayla's case, to be merciful (though we'll get more to that in a minute).

We also know that the love Leola had was powerful and all encompassing:

She didn't care to follow the order set in the stars. Though she was born an immortal being from the Heavens, she loved this world... and all its flaws. Her heart was warm and open.

And she befriended mortals. Animals, elves... and humans.

ETHARI: Who I love, where I love, what I love, are all specific. But to Runaan and those like your parents... love is rooted in all families, all creatures. Souls like that feel called to protect everyone as fiercely as those they hold close. (Bloodmoon Huntress)

Okay, so Leola and Rayla both have big compassionate hearts and befriend creatures from all over the place. So what? So do Callum, Ezran, Soren, and most of our other main good guy characters. Even Claudia to a degree (though she could work on not using magical creatures for spell parts).

Well, specifically, it's because of how they intersect currently more with anyone else on the concept of

Mercy

KOSMO: Daughter of the Moon, yours is a wondrous heart. In a moment of mercy, you sent ripples out into the ocean of time. Ripples that have not yet stilled. (6x05)

Rayla sparing Marcos, as noted in multiple interviews by the creators and by myself in previous metas, is ultimately the inciting incident / lynchpin of the entire series. Without it, there would've been no soulfang proposal or Ez running away to find the egg or any of the number of other elements that had to come together to make achieving peace possible.

While we still have details to discover regarding Aaravos' Fall and development of dark magic, we know that a lack of mercy was ultimately what sent him on his path of vengeance. Leola was not shown mercy, and while it seems there were already "flaws" for an imperfect world, things were (probably) better than they currently are in Xadia in a variety of ways. Then, to kick off the entire Saga, we have Rayla sparing Marcos in a soundtrack literally titled "Mercy" and have Kosmo, seasons and seasons later, spell out directly what a big deal this was for well, the ocean of time.

None of this is to say Rayla can't act out of revenge — she did ("when I first came here, I was on a mission for revenge") and she has ("but I became so obsessed with revenge"), much like Aaravos ("he isn't doing anything out of love, he's doing it for revenge") — but that her general compassion and love for others has always been stronger than her grief or rage, and that even when she had every social and personal reason to, she was and is fundamentally unable to hurt someone innocent.

Even when she's shamed or punished for it by herself or by others. RAYLA: The human looked up at me, and I saw the fear in his eyes. RUNAAN: Of course he was afraid, but you a job to do! (1x01)

EZRAN: Yeah, but then you saw he was scared, and you knew he was a person, just like you. RAYLA: That shouldn't have mattered. I had a job to do. (1x08)

The Cosmic Council — and to a degree, the Silvergrove — say that the reasonings or motivations, the intentions, behind Leola and Rayla's actions do not and should not matter when it comes out to doling 'Justice'. So Leola faces her justice, being literally killed in the one manner that can kill a Startouch elf, and so does Rayla, being metaphorically Ghosted / 'murdered' by her community, regardless.

Neither are enough to ultimately quell their light or their love/power, however.

A Star

RAYLA: That beautiful shining star you just pointed out? We call it Leola's Last Wish. (5x02)

So both Leola and Rayla are stars in season 6, literally and metaphorically respectively. Leola's is more self-explanatory, whereas Rayla's is mostly about the role she has in Callum's life as a guiding light and star. I don't think it's a coincidence, though, that just as Rayla placed Callum on his path of being a primal mage, though, that Leola did the same for humanity. I also don't think it's a coincidence that Callum's love for Rayla restores Callum's own light and agency amid Leola giving humanity the same through light and fire.

It happened long ago, when humans had only just learned to hold fire in their hands without burning. They nurtured their precious primal flames secretly—in the dark of night, beneath shadows and shrouds—as cultivating its glow drew the eyes and ire of monsters. Eventually, for the audacity of their fire, they were hunted, and—though they looked to the stars for salvation—the stars, too, looked down upon them with disdain. Humanity had been given something it was never meant to have. (TDP shorts, Ripples)

In this way, we see the manifestation of a repeating parallel of Rayla representing Leola, a gift giver of life, magic, light, unjustly punished/killed, and Callum representing humanity, looking to the kindest brightest star for guidance, magic, restoration, and salvation if he's just given the chance to grasp it. After all, presumably, Leola's last wish would have something to do with primal magic and humanity, and who represents that better than Callum, with two arcana under his belt and possibly more on the way? With that in mind, I want to return to another quote from earlier but with a different focus on

Ripples

Daughter of the Moon, yours is a wondrous heart. In a moment of mercy, you sent ripples out into the ocean of time. Ripples that have not yet stilled.

The wisest of the humans looked upon the water. His own reflection smiled back at him, and he dared to imagine what such power would feel like in his own hands, should he be allowed to hold it. Imagine, he thought, if I were more than what I am. With a trembling hand he touched the surface of the water. Ripples spread from his fingertips. [...] I hope the stars were watching. I hope they saw it: the moment their perfect reflections turned warped and ruined, churned to chaos by the touch of a single human hand. In this, the humans taught me another lesson. And so I touch the surface of the water. I watch the ripples spread.

Water in TDP is a strange beast, symbolically speaking. There are some more straight forward motifs (reflections, "don't try to control where the river [of life] goes, there's one thing you can know and control: yourself"). For Aaravos, it's connected to deep loss but also his own sense of patience in playing and winning his game, as illustrated above. For Rayla, it's linked to shame, self-reflection, bravery, and loss. Aaravos weeps and creates a sea upon losing Leola; Rayla says goodbye to her family by the lotus pond times three.

We don't know what water represents for Leola. Not distinctly, anyway. The best we can figure though, is that by following the through line of the Rayla and Leola parallels, that the ripples Leola wanted to send out or did send out — not the distortions caused by her father and his grief — are ones that Rayla received, and then continued.

Rayla has always been a foil to Aaravos, and this hasn't changed. She is the one who set Callum on the path initially of being a mage, which put him in Aaravos' machinations as prey; she retrieved his Key; and she's the reason Callum's done dark magic, twice. At the same time, much like the moon, Rayla carries Leola's light as much as she shoulders Aaravos' dark. She literally represents light in Callum's life, helps lead him through the darkness, and him being a primal mage and it's possible growth to other humans is the best possible thing that could've ever happened to Xadia.

Sol Regem says that "no one can save" Xadia or fix what is deeply broken. The Cosmic Council said that Leola had broken the Cosmic order and had to pay the price. Rayla has repeatedly been willing to pay the price for both hers and other's actions in hopes of making things right, of sparing others' pain. Sometimes to her detriment, but—if Rayla as Callum's one Truth could fix the darkness within him, if she's the lynchpin for breaking the Cycle, for bringing back Runaan and fixing her family's souls, in opposing and presenting mercy amid the Council's lack of mercy, in the face of Xadia's violence—

Then Rayla's act of mercy in 1x01, and potentially beyond in S7 with Callum, will be what fixes Xadia.

Leola's gift of magic is what 'broke' Xadia, and her execution is what literally did so, leading to the division of the continent. She wrongly paid the price in the absence of mercy and love. Rayla is therefore her thematic successor — welcomed this time as Light and Truth — as the carrier of Mercy and Love, and she will 'fix' Xadia through her ripples and dynamics. She will mend them back together. There will, at last, be no price to pay.

Misc. Thoughts / Predictions

One thing I was always curious about going forward into future seasons was the prospect of a 'trial' or reunification of the Silvergrove. It felt like a no-brainer the Silvergrove would have to change in order to reflect Runaan's character arc, much the way we see Katolis and the Sunfire elves change to better accommodate the new, more compassionate world order. Pre-S4 a trial felt a little strange as an idea, though post-S4 the parallels it could provide to the Lucia tribunal made more sense about why include either (or both).

However, Leola's trial seemed to hammer home the almost necessity (as this is still a prediction, after all, that may not happen) of Rayla and/or Runaan saying their peace to the Silvergrove leaders. This would be a great opportunity to provide a contrast to the Cosmic Council, reaffirming that Xadia is ultimately better than them because the Moonshadow elves and everyone else can change, and the Cosmic Council seemingly cannot or will not. But I guess we'll have to wait for S7 or beyond (#GiveUsTheSaga) to find out if this'll come to fruition or not.

I also wanted to touch on what we see with Leola ("I'm so scared!") and the repeated emphasis on "recognizing fear as a moment of empathy and personhood" and the horror that can come if you don't have that moment of recognition. This is something I've touched on before most notably as a striking difference between S1 Rayla and S5 Claudia, but I thought it was worth mentioning as S6 added to it specifically with Viren towards Soren and Lissa. This is another point in the "Rayla is an inversion of the Council's lack of mercy" column, as Leola's — a child's fear, and Aaravos willing to pay the price and take her place — earns her no mercy. Rayla, meanwhile, sees someone innocent that she has 'every right' to execute is afraid of her, and that strays her hand; it steadies her sword, and she spares him. Because if someone is afraid of you, it's worth asking yourself why, and what you might want to do instead.

Last but not least I wanted to talk about Leola's parallels to Callum and Ezran as well, since they are very much there (though yet not perhaps to the same extent).

Ezran has Leola's friendliness to animals and soft heart. He too is a child whose death is called for as a means of Justice, and he is granted mercy through Rayla and the discovery of the egg, able to live and grow and help usher in peace. He is, I think, what Leola might've been allowed to be if she'd lived in different times. Callum, meanwhile, carries the gift giving motif through his cube, staff, and tokens he both gives to (moon-phoenix bracelet) and receives (the moon opal necklace) from Rayla, and previous 'human-Leola' magic dynamic. Callum being able to break free fully from Aaravos' and dark magic's control in S7 and turn his eye instead to primal magic will be what helps bring true justice to Leola and hope for humanity / Xadia in righting the Cosmic Council's fundamental wrongdoing. Hopefully, anyway.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this deep dive into some parallels and potential narrative goings-on between Leola and Rayla as characters. TDP loves its historical and ironic layers in TDP (Ez and the Orphan Queen, Viren's arc from S1 to S6) and I think this layered thematic dynamic between the two merciful young girls was a good, brilliant choice by the creative team. I'm excited to see where this thematic thread goes in the future and how it may continue to be woven into the story. As always, thank you for reading, and I'll see you in the next one.

[so-i-did-this-thing]

I just want to say thank you for all the things you say on here. I also want to ask, if it’s okay, how did you handle transitioning when it came to the what ifs? I’ve found myself thinking I might be trans more and more- but every time I think I’m getting close to deciding what I want to do about it I keep hesitating and now I’m worried it’s too late. I’m almost 30- I know it’s possible to transition at any time. But I don’t know if it’s worth starting a process unless I’d be satisfied with the result, and I don’t know if I’d ever get the opportunity to present how I want to.

I really admire that you’ve found what works for you. You seem so confident and comfortable, your style is incredible, and I always look forward to the good night pictures of your cats. I sometimes think that I could be like that someday, but I keep talking myself out of making decisions because I’m so scared of the risks. How did you know when it was time to start transitioning? Did you have to push through doubt or did it just feel right?

Thank you, and I hope you have a lovely day.

Heya, Anon. Thank you for the kind words. <3

I'm not the best person to ask about transition doubt, as I've always had a very strong male identity ever since I can remember. Once I learned about HRT and top surgery at 18, I knew they were for me.

But where I can help is if it's family that is holding you back. This article is something I desperately wish was around when I was younger - I spent an extra 10 years in the closet to appease family and it nearly destroyed me. (I came out the first time at 20, and started HRT at 33. Top surgery not 'til 40 because I was poor.)

Remember, there's always ways to try out a new gender presentation. I used cosplay to get used to presenting male in public. Haircuts, clothes, and binding go a long way. And even things like HRT -- you can start on a smaller dose, stop, start again... you're really in a lot of control here as long as you are aware of the timeline of effects.

There will always be things about medical transition that you won't be satisfied about. It helps to cultivate gender envies that share physical traits with you. There will be surprises, bad and good. But a lot of imperfections feel less so simply with age. And there is a lot to love about having a trans body.

So your real criteria is -- "will I be happier overall?" For a lot of us, transition erases a lot of the background radiation in our lives that kept us from flourishing. I knew it was time to transition because my world had gone so very grey with depression - I had increasingly become unreliable and wasn't taking care of myself or my home very well. I wasn't exactly suicidal, but I absolutely wasn't living.

I transitioned when I was dead broke, and though it was a slog at times to pay for things, it was the best decision I have ever made in my life. Transition removed a major source of trauma in my life so I could focus on fixing my other shit and become a better person. I still have depression, ADHD, and my autism sometimes gets in the way, but they're manageable in a way that was impossible prior to HRT. And yeah, I also get to enjoy days of euphoria, too. :)

There's risks to everything and transition is a lot of work, rewarding as it is. The risks range from embarrassment to violence, and the former is survivable and the latter can be mitigated with planning & vigilance.

I'd suggest simply planning for the long term while you try things out. Build your safety net with affirming friends, work on your job prospects, and simply be honest and kind to yourself. Remember that emotional vulnerability is not a weakness and that doubt can guide you on what to prepare for.

And even if you decide transition is not for you, the introspection and planning should put you in a better place for what seems to be an uncertain future for us all.

[the-cosmic-cauldron]

💫Awakening Through the Planets: Look Up — The Stars Are Guiding Us💫

Your soul came here to experience Earth—something drew you to this place. Whether it’s to indulge in the simple pleasures of the flesh or to share your soul’s unique essence with the world, your presence has purpose.

Today, we will explore how the planets can guide your evolution and awaken your higher self.

Some of us arrive on this Earth and quickly discover our purpose, while many of us experience a kind of amnesia, forgetting why we chose to come here in the first place.

☀️ Awakening with the Sun

Awakening through your Sun means understanding and embracing your light. You were born to shine, express yourself, and share your essence with the world. The world craves your authenticity, urging you to radiate the fire, water, earth, or air within you. Your presence is needed.

🌙 Awakening with the Moon

Awakening through your Moon means recognizing the wounds in your heart—the spaces where past experiences have left their mark. It is understanding that without the natural flow of your emotions, you would never truly experience love or ecstasy. It means honoring your ancestors by healing the wounds they were unable to heal. Awakening through the Moon also calls you to connect with your intuition and dive into your subconscious, creating balance in your emotional world.

🧠Awakening with Mercury

Awakening through your Mercury means viewing your mind as a powerful tool rather than a relentless critic. It is about stimulating your brain instead of allowing it to overwhelm you. To be truly heard and understood, you must learn to communicate with clarity, mindfulness, and confidence.

🔪 Awakening with Mars

Awakening through your Mars means taming the primal force within you and using your higher consciousness to act beyond mere survival. It is about finding deeper meaning in your ambition while surrendering to your imperfect nature, trusting in the divine source that supports you. It is learning that ecstasy is not limited to the orgasm itself but also exists in the space between—where intimacy allows you to feel profoundly connected to another soul.

🌸 Awakening with Venus

Awakening through your Venus means realizing that love is the thread weaving itself through life’s most beautiful pleasures and experiences. It is understanding that love is not about trapping someone’s soul in a tightly sealed bottle but allowing it to roam freely. It means recognizing that your worth has existed since the moment you were born—you do not need to prove it. Awakening Venus is about silencing the need for external validation and tuning in to the voice of your soul.

👷‍♂️Awakening with Saturn

Awakening through your Saturn means understanding that nothing lasting is built with ease. Every enduring structure has been forged through patience, perseverance, and hardship. Yet, those challenges did not prevent its creation or its continuation beyond lifetimes. Awakening through Saturn is about leaving a legacy that withstands time, learning from your struggles, and facing death with wisdom rather than ignorance.

🌅Awakening with the Ascendant

Awakening through your Ascendant means realizing that you are not confined to the labels or expectations others place on you. It is understanding that who you truly are may not always be visible on the surface—and it doesn’t have to be. Awakening your Ascendant is about aligning your soul with the face you present to the world, not fearing that your inner world will lead to destruction or unwanted revelation, but recognizing that it will bring balance to the fabric of your existence—the one you were given at birth.

🤕 Awakening with Chiron

Awakening through your Chiron means recognizing that somewhere within your soul, there is a wound. No matter how pure you intended to be when you entered this world, life doesn’t work that way. Your mother’s pain, your father’s pain—all of it was imprinted on your soul before you even took your first breath. And while this may feel unfair and heavy, it is also the very place where you have the power to become a healer, a guide, and a source of wisdom. If you can see that your ancestors’ pain was never meant to bypass you, but rather entrusted to you, you will realize they believed in your ability to heal it.

👉Awakening with the North Node

Awakening through your North Node means realizing that you are here now, in this life, with a new path to walk. Your past life is long gone, and the fabric of this existence is different. It is understanding that your soul has already experienced what feels familiar and effortless. Comfort is simply your soul’s way of saying, I’ve done this before. But this lifetime is calling you toward a higher purpose—one that requires you to step beyond familiarity. Awakening your North Node means surrendering fully to this journey, embracing the unknown, and committing to making this life the one where you fulfill your soul’s ultimate mission on Earth.

🎭Awakening with the Midheaven

Awakening to your Midheaven means realizing that life is a stage, and everyone is meant to step onto it and play their part. The stage is not something to fear—it is what makes this Earth a vibrant, dynamic place that souls are drawn to. So step forward and embrace it. Practice makes perfect, and you weren’t born with your talents for nothing. The stage is calling, and the more you perform, the more color and depth you bring to your soul.

[soleauclub]

How I Trained My Body to Crave Movement (Not Caffeine)

by Soleau Club

There was a time when the only thing getting me out of bed was a triple-shot oat milk latte and the promise of doomscrolling in peace. Movement? She was not on the mood board. Energy? Came in the form of cold brew, not clean habits.

But now? My body literally craves movement the way it used to crave caffeine. Like, I wake up thinking “ugh, I need a walk” instead of “ugh, where’s the espresso?” And no, I didn’t magically become one of those people who “just loves working out.” I trained myself to get here. And here’s exactly how:

Morning Movement > Morning Coffee

I made a rule with myself: move before I sip. Even if it’s 5 minutes of light stretching, a little cat-cow, or shaking my booty in my robe to Doja Cat—it signals to my body:

“Hey babe, we create our own energy now.”

It’s gentle. It’s not a punishment. But it rewired my brain to link movement with waking up, not caffeine.

My soft-girl secret: Put your mat, ankle weights, or yoga blocks by your bed. Let it be the first thing your eyes land on. Caffeine can wait. The glow can’t.

I Romanticized My Sweat Rituals

You know how we make skincare feel luxurious with candles, oils, serums, and soft music?

I did that for workouts.

Matching cute sets? Yup.

Soft lighting + mood playlists? Of course.

Post-movement gua sha and chlorophyll water? Non-negotiable.

I made movement feel like a self-care ceremony, not a chore. Now my body associates moving with pleasure, not pressure. And that… changed everything.

I Focused on the FEELING, Not the Burn

Instead of obsessing over calories or gains, I asked myself:

“How do I want to feel after this?”

I started chasing clarity, confidence, and calm instead of soreness. And guess what? When you actually focus on the high, not the hustle, your body starts to crave that clarity more than it craves the caffeine jitters.

I Did a 7-Day “Move First” Challenge (And It Worked)

Every day for 7 days, I challenged myself to move before any stimulant. Not even a mushroom matcha. Just vibes, sunlight, and breath. At first it was hard. But by day 5? My body was begging for movement. Like a cute little puppy with a yoga mat.

Try it: Walk. Stretch. Dance. Pilates. Foam roll. Breathwork. Anything goes—just do it before your fix.

I Let Movement Be Imperfect

Some days it’s a 45-minute strength sesh. Other days it’s lying on the floor doing lazy bridges and scrolling Pinterest.

Both count. I stopped making it this all-or-nothing thing. I removed the drama. Now my body just knows—we move because it feels good, not because we have to perform.

I Supported My Energy With Real Nourishment

If you’re running on Starbucks and vibes, of course your body’s tired. I started prioritizing hydration, protein, minerals, and real meals to naturally boost energy—so that movement didn’t feel like a punishment.

Caffeine spikes your energy and then crashes it. Movement creates energy and sustains it. The math is mathing, babe.

The Results?

I have more energy before 10am than I used to have all day

I don’t crash at 3pm anymore

I sleep better, think clearer, and feel lighter in my body

And wildest of all… I reach for a walk before I reach for a coffee now. Who is she!?

Final Vibes from Soleau Club

Training your body to crave movement isn’t about willpower. It’s about consistency, gentleness, and giving yourself something to look forward to.

This is your sign to reprogram your energy source. Don’t just sip energy—generate it. Move your body, honor your rhythm, and build rituals that make you glow from the inside out.

And if you still want a matcha after? Babe, you earned it. Extra cinnamon.

Follow @soleauclub for more wellness rituals, soft fitness, and hot girl lifestyle upgrades.

[thesimstree]

SRWE or AI? Best Ways to Upscale Sims 4 Screenshots

Are you also tired of seeing social media mercilessly crush your The Sims 4 screenshots? We’ve tried every trick in the book to keep our pics crisp – SRWE, AI upscalers, you name it – and now we’re ready to break down how to save your favorite sim’s photos from pixelation, quick and easy. In this article, we’ll explain (no tech jargon, promise!) what actually works, plus share our hands-on experience and top tips.

Your upscaling method depends heavily on the source image and the look you’re going for. We all have different ideas of what makes a sims beautiful – some love natural textures, even slight skin imperfections, while others prefer flawlessly smooth, hyper-sharp results.

We’ve tested different upscaling tools to help boost your screenshot quality. But to find your perfect match – the one that makes your shots look just right (by your standards!) – we recommend trying a few yourself.

You can enhance screenshots both before and after saving them! We’ve covered both approaches, so pick whichever suits you best.

Before Saving the Screenshot: SRWE (Simple Runtime Window Editor)

This tool is well-known in The Sims 4 community – there are tons of YouTube tutorials covering it. When it comes to improving image quality before taking a screenshot, SRWE is one of the first solutions that comes to mind.

It works by bypassing Windows' DPI scaling, allowing you to capture screenshots at a higher resolution without blurring.

Pros:

— A fantastic tool: it delivers the exact same image but in much better quality.

— No conflicts with GShade/ReShade: your presets will look exactly as intended.

— Free and easy to install, no hidden costs or complicated setup.

— No post-processing needed, preserves original texture and UI quality.

— No extra plugins or presets required, works right out of the box.

— Great performance even on low-end PCs. If your computer can run GShade, SRWE will work just fine.

Cons:

— Limited functionality.

— Some users find SRWE a bit tricky to set up (though we personally disagree).

Now, let’s break down how to use it and what results to expect.

If you prefer a video guide, check out this link for a detailed walkthrough by Chii. 

Step 1

First things first – you'll need to download the program itself. It's available for free on GitHub – you can grab it here.

There's no real benefit to getting the version with pre-configured profiles, so just download the standard version without profiles.

Step 2

Extract the files from the archive.

It doesn’t matter where you store them on your computer – it won’t affect how the program works.

Step 3

Now it’s time to launch the game and switch from fullscreen to windowed mode in the settings. You can also do this with the Alt+Enter shortcut.

Step 4

Set up your shot exactly how you want it. Open the location, pose your sims, apply any presets if needed. At this point, you can take a regular screenshot (for comparison) using your usual method.

Step 5

1. Go back to the SRWE folder.

There are only two files inside – one of them launches the program (no installation needed).

2. In the window that opens, select The Sims 4 from the list.

3. Check all the boxes.

4. Image Size

You can set your screenshot size in a few different ways:

— The easiest method: Multiply your current resolution by the desired factor. For example, to upscale 1080p to 4K, multiply by 2. Tap Set. 

— Manual input: Enter your preferred pixel dimensions. Tap Set. 

— Aspect ratio mode: Choose a format (1:1, 16:9, 4:3, etc.) and set your target megapixels. The program will automatically calculate the dimensions. Tap Set. 

Honestly, you can experiment with any size. During our tests, even a weak PC handled an 8K screenshot without issues – though realistically, 4K is more than enough for most purposes.

Plus, if you're capturing in-game scenes (not just CAS), your screenshots will already be pretty large in file size. You probably won’t want them taking up even more space unnecessarily.

Step 6

Now when you return to the game, you'll notice the image has become significantly larger and no longer fits your screen resolution – you're only seeing a part of it.

Don't panic! Just wait for your preset to fully load (if you're using one), then take your screenshot as you normally would.

Step 7

Once you've captured your planned screenshot, head back to SRWE and click "Fake Fullscreen" to return to the original resolution.

Now let's compare our results.

Gameplay Scenes 

CAS

For in-game screenshots, this method works much better if you have at least a moderately powerful PC. After upscaling, navigation can become tricky due to lag. That said, it's still completely doable since we've prepared our scene in advance.

Post-Processing Screenshots

We've tested several post-processing programs: two paid options and several free ones.

Let's start with the paid options – Topaz Gigapixel AI and Let's Enhance.

Topaz Gigapixel AI

A specialized tool from Topaz Labs designed specifically for AI-powered image upscaling.

It doesn’t include extra features like noise reduction or face correction, but it delivers more precise upscaling, which is especially useful for The Sims 4 screenshots.

Pros:

— Upscale up to 600% (6x) without losing detail.

— Preserves texture clarity (hair, clothing, patterns).

— Automatically restores lost details (e.g., small decor items).

— Supports batch processing (multiple screenshots at once).

Cons:

— $99 price tag.

— Requires a powerful PC for 4K upscaling.

— Limited functionality (just upscaling, no additional edits).

— Trial version doesn’t allow exports.

Example:

Let's Enhance

A convenient online AI-powered tool for enhancing screenshots. No downloads required – just head to https://letsenhance.io/boost and you're good to go.

Pros:

— Automatic upscaling up to 16K, boosts resolution without losing detail (hair and clothing textures become sharper).

— Dead simple to use: just upload your screenshot, pick a model, and download the result.

— AI doesn't just upscale, it subtly "beautifies" images too (though this is subjective, of course).

Cons:

— Free version limits you to 10 images/month (watermarked downloads; subscription starts at $9/month).

— Internet connection required (no offline mode).

We found these settings work best for Sims screenshots:

Now, let's see the results:

Free Upscaling Tools: Upscayl (with detailed usage guide), Bigjpg, and Waifu2x.

Bigjpg

A handy tool for basic image upscaling tasks, though the free version has limitations on processing speed and number of images.

Pros:

— Solid baseline results: boosts resolution effectively, making images noticeably sharper with genuine quality improvement.

— Free 2x/4x upscaling with watermark-free downloads.

Cons:

— Free version restricts image quantity, size, and processing speed.

— Lacks advanced parameter fine-tuning.

Our recommended settings combo: 

The 4x upscale delivers noticeably weaker results.

Sample Bigjpg output: 

Waifu2x

A free neural network-based tool. Originally created for upscaling anime images, but works perfectly for The Sims 4 as well.

Pros:

— Upscales images 1.5x–2x without noticeable distortion.

— Preserves art style, doesn't turn pixel art into a "blurry mess" (unlike some other upscalers).

— Available in both online and offline versions.

— Offline version supports batch processing of screenshots.

— Free 2x upscaling with no watermarks.

— No powerful PC required.

Cons:

— Free online version has a 5MB file size limit.

— Maximum 2x scale (no higher options).

— Lacks advanced parameter tuning.

Our recommended settings:

Waifu2x results: 

Upscayl

A free, open-source program that uses neural networks to upscale images without quality loss.

Pros:

— Upscales images without distortion.

— Enhances fine details.

— Supports multiple AI models for different screenshot styles.

— Offline version handles batch processing.

— Free 4x upscaling with no watermarks.

— Doesn't require a powerful PC for 2x upscaling.

— Works offline, no internet needed after installation.

Cons:

— Requires a powerful PC for 4x upscaling.

— Minimalist interface – fewer beginner-friendly guides.

— Lacks advanced parameter tuning.

Given Upscayl's minimalist interface and lack of detailed tutorials, we decided to provide a more thorough walkthrough.

Step 1

First, download the program from its GitHub page. It's completely free and open-source.

Multiple versions are available – choose the one matching your system. For standard Windows, download the file highlighted in the screenshot below.

Step 2

Run the installer as administrator.

Install location doesn't matter – it won't affect performance. Select the destination folder. Click "Install".

Step 3 

Upscayl includes several built-in AI models (good for testing), but we strongly recommend downloading custom models for better results:

1. Download the custom models pack here (also accessible via Settings → Add Custom Models in-app).

2. Extract the archive.

3. Navigate to custom-models-main → custom-models-main.

Move this folder to your Upscayl installation directory (optional: rename it).

Your Upscayl folder should now look like this: 

4. Add Custom Models:

— Launch Upscayl.

— Go to Settings and click Select Folder.

— Navigate to Upscayl → custom-models-main → models

Critical: The folder must be named "models" – don't rename it.

Step 4

Now that you have both the default and custom models loaded, it's time to start enhancing your screenshots.

1. Click Select Image or simply drag and drop your file into the processing area.

2. Choose Upscale Factor.

While Upscayl supports up to 16x magnification, it warns that anything above 5x may severely strain your system.

For optimal results, stick with 2x to 4x.

3. Select AI Model.

Click the Select AI Model dropdown: default models show before/after previews, custom models appear as a text list.

4. Experiment! Try different models on the same screenshot. Test various scales (2x, 3x, 4x) – sometimes better results come from modest scaling, while 4x might degrade quality. 

For this demo, we'll use the first default model.

5. Click to begin enhancement.

6. Processing time duration depends on original image quality, selected parameters and your PC's power (may complete quickly or take several minutes). 

After processing, you'll see a clear side-by-side comparison of the changes.

7. Click the three-dot menu (⋮) for advanced viewing options. 

Magnifying lens compares original vs. enhanced versions side-by-side. 

Also you may reset to original and revert all changes instantly.

8. Save your image.

By default, Upscayl saves to the source image's folder. To change this click Set Output Folder.

9. After this, use the Ctrl+S keyboard shortcut, and the new image will be saved. The original filename will be appended with the name of the AI model used and the upscaling scale applied.

You can also use batch processing. Before loading images, you simply need to enable batch loading.

In the settings, there are different format options for saving processed images: PNG, JPG, WEBP. To preserve the best quality, we recommend choosing PNG.

Finally, we're sharing the AI model options we liked best for processing Sims screenshots:

— Remacri (default model)

— Uniscale Restore (custom model)

— Unknown-2.0.1 (custom model)

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[sitp-recs]

Hi hello how are you!! I feel like I’d seen a competence kink list you did some time ago, but I can’t seem to find it on your masterlists :( I’m wondering if maybe it’s lost or I’m imagining things lol?

And if not, I would be sooo grateful if you or your followers had any recs for me :) Thank you so much, love your blog!

Hi anon! I did this list with talented Harry (beyond his job) but here are some classic competence kink recs:

Competent Draco:

The Slytherin Urn by @icmezzo (E, 4k)

Nothing turns Harry on quite like redemption.

The Study of Change by p1013 (M, 4k)

Harry's going to hell. He's going to hell immediately. Even with all of the good he's done in his life, he's never going to overcome the impure thoughts racing through his head at the sight of Draco Malfoy looking like an academic wet dream in a room full of barely legal adults.

A Song, Incomplete by RurouniHime (E, 11k)

Draco’s photograph took up the entire top half of the Prophet’s front page. Below the photo: DRACO MALFOY DEFENDS SON OF FORMER LOVER. As if that were breaking news.

Countdown by dysonrules (M, 14k)

When the Wizarding world is plagued by random outbreaks of Dark Magic, the Ministry assigns Curse-Breakers to assist Auror teams on their missions. Harry shouldn't be surprised when Draco Malfoy is assigned to his team, but is Malfoy a Curse-Breaker, or a curse-bringer?

A Year in Training by Omi_Ohmy (M, 25k)

Harry is finally living his dream and training as an Auror, but nothing seems to be going right: he’s just so angry all the time. And Draco Malfoy’s presence on the programme really isn’t helping with that, either.

measures of our days and nights by @flimsi (E, 40k)

Draco returns to London to help the Ministry decipher a spell, but things aren’t quite as simple as they seem.

Heal Thyself by astolat (T, 47k)

"Are you going for the course?" Lovegood asked. "You have the NEWTs.” “What course?” Draco said, then, “No, don’t be ridiculous,” when he realized she meant the notice pinned up on the board he’d been staring at: Applicants To The Introductory Mediwizard Course For The Coming Term Shall Present Themselves In The Chief Mediwizard’s Office By August 24th.

The Vanishing Department by @dictacontrion (E, 47k)

The things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end, even if that involves a lot more form-filling, bickering, covert glancing, miscommunication, and flying furniture than we might expect.

Take the Air by dysonrules (M, 51k)

Someone or something is attacking Muggles and leaving them for dead. Auror Harry Potter is assigned to the case, but with his usual partner unavailable, he is stuck with the most annoying Auror ever to walk the halls of the Ministry.

The Darkness Before the Dawn by Ren (E, 55k)

A mysterious creature is loose in London, stalking and killing people. Auror Harry Potter requests the help of a liaison from the Beast Division and gets saddled with Draco Malfoy. Will they be able to stop the creature before it claims more lives?

Kept in Cages by @sweet-s0rr0w (E, 77k)

Deep in the heart of the Ministry lies the Beast Division: a hidden room where ancient beasts roam, and winged creatures soar, and grumpy giant ferrets eat all your biscuits unless you keep them well hidden. Draco Malfoy would know – he’s been working there for five years now, after all.

Reparations by Saras_Girl (E, 87k) - both

Harry is about to discover that the steepest learning curve comes after Healer training, and that second chances can be found in unexpected places.

Balance, Imperfect by bixgirl1 (E, 91k) - both

When Harry sustains an injury in the line of work, he no longer knows how to navigate the life he loved, and finds help and solace from the most unexpected source.

All Our Secrets Laid Bare by firethesound (E, 149k) - both

Over the six years Draco Malfoy has been an Auror, four of his partners have turned up dead. Harry Potter is assigned as his newest partner to investigate just what is going on.

Competent Harry:

Unfinished Business by cupiscent (E, 20k)

Ten years after the War ends, Harry and Draco still haven't got their act together. But maybe it's not too late.

Better To Burn Than To Fade Away by Ren (E, 23k)

Harry Potter is a legend in the world of broomstick racing. He's won almost every cup, trophy, and bowl – except for the historical London-Nome which has been on hiatus for the past several years. Now the London-Nome is starting again, and Harry will do anything to pull off one last big win.

Safe As Houses by @xanthippe74 (T, 24k)

After five years abroad, Harry’s thrilled to be home and working at the most prestigious ward-building firm in Britain. But everything gets turned upside down when he's assigned to work for Draco Malfoy—who somehow grew up to be just the sort of sexy bastard Harry goes for.

The Unplottable Time Conundrum by @writcraft (E, 45k)

When the past starts bleeding into the present at Grimmauld Place, an old academic article pulls Draco Malfoy out of his life of luxury. Haunted by the memory of a fleeting post-war kiss and thrust into the ghostly spaces inhabited by Unspeakable Harry Potter, Draco’s easy life is about to get a whole lot more complicated.

REVOLVEVLOVER by firethesound, zeitgeistic (E, 46k)

The work Harry does is justifiable. It’s justice. He works for his country, and his country is a republic—the magical side, anyway. It’s not laudable work, it’s not work he’s proud of, but it’s necessary work. Harry has always taken the necessary jobs that no one else has the stomach for.

The Boy Who Only Lived Twice by lettered (E, 54k)

Harry Potter is an Unspeakable. Draco Malfoy is the wizard who shagged him. Adventure! Intrigue! Secret identities, celebrities, spies! It's all right here, folks.

Timecode by Rasborealis (M, 73k)

Harry Potter has been dead for two years, and Draco would laugh in the face of anyone claiming differently. Well, anyone but Hermione Granger.

Among Ancient Pines by @graymatters (M, 74k)

Every day, Draco Malfoy tries. With every fiber of his being he tries. But he doesn’t much think about what he’s trying for. In his final term of Healer training, Draco is unfortunate enough to find himself on a plane, the only means of traveling to a small, magical town in rural Alaska.

Azoth by @lol-zeitgeistic (E, 88k)

Now that Harry is back at Hogwarts with Hermione for eighth year, he realises that something’s missing from his life, and it either has to do with Ron, his boggart, Snape, or Malfoy. Furthermore, what, exactly, does it mean when one’s life is defined by the desire to simultaneously impress and annoy a portrait? Harry has no idea; he’s too busy trying not to be in love with Malfoy to care.

Who we are in the shadows by @quicksilvermaid (E, 100k) - both

What happens when you’re forced to become the very thing you despise? Ex-Auror Harry Potter, tossed out of the Ministry for something he had no control over, has been looking for a way back to his former life. When he comes across Draco Malfoy in the criminal underbelly of Wizarding London and in need of protection, Harry figures bringing him in to face the Ministry's justice is his ticket back to everything he's lost.

By the Grace by lettered (T, 140k)

Harry is an Auror instructor. Malfoy wants to be an Auror.

[agenericplaceholdername]

Nadakhan, Arrakore, and the Rules of Wishing

Have we been wrong all along?

[This post began as a response to this post by @cboffshore, but ended up getting much longer than I anticipated. I'd recommend reading that post first, since I think it's a perfectly reasonable way to explain the discrepancies between DRS3 and Skybound, and a lot of this post's logic and conclusions are fairly similar, just expanded on.]

In the 6th episode of Ninjago: Dragons Rising's third season, "Fallen Wishes," Arrakore the Djinn grants several wishes to our protagonists Nya and Sora, including, but not limited to:

Striking a Dragonian with lightning

Turning a Dragonian's bones into jelly

Interestingly enough, both of these wishes were made by Nya, who had already made two wishes from Arrakore in Season 1 of Dragons Rising (wishing the removal of the Howlers chasing her and Sora and wishing to find one of the Dragon Energy cores). Why is this important? Well, let's look at the rules of wishing as established in Ninjago's 6th season, Skybound:

You cannot wish for love (Nadakhan, "Infamous")

You cannot wish for death (Nadakhan, "Infamous")

You cannot wish for more wishes (Clouse, "Infamous")

You have a maximum of three wishes (Clouse, "Infamous," confirmed by Nadakhan in "Misfortune Rising")

You cannot wish to harm others (Captain Soto, "Enkrypted")

If a Djinn is in earshot, they must grant any wish they hear (Lloyd, "Wishmasters")

As established above, Nya has already violated rules 4 and 5 by making four wishes and wishing to harm others, and Arrakore makes no objection. Not only that, but rule 6 is also broken in "Fallen Wishes" when Arrakore refuses to grant Dareth's and Rox's wishes, outright stating that he can refuse to grant wishes for any reason.

Here is a theory to explain this discrepancy: only rules 1 and 2 are real. The rest were invented or propagated by Nadakhan for his own benefit. Why do I believe this? Let's look at each rule at a time:

I don't think you can wish for love. I have two reasons for this. The easiest is that we hear from Nadakhan that you can't wish for love. Given that he is a Djinn and therefore a decent (though imperfect) source and we have no evidence to the contrary, it's probably okay to take it as a fact. Second is that the ending of Skybound becomes extremely disturbing if Jay successfully wishes for love by wishing for Nya to take his hand. I do not like the implication that her subsequent love for him is due to magic mind control, and this is my head canon, so I'm rejecting it. Besides, as Pythor says in "The Corridor of Elders," "magic has its rules," and I think this is a fine rule.

I don't think you can wish for death. Again, we hear this one from Nadakhan upon release. Despite Nya wishing for two things that should kill a Dragonian (lightning strike and jelly bones), these wishes do not kill the Dragonians they affect. While people have been known to survive lightning strikes (and I have no reason to believe Dragonians are less resilient than humans), surviving the transformation of one's bones into jelly seems doubtful. Maybe Arrakore is choosing not to kill that Dragonian out of kindness, but I think it's totally reasonable that he also just couldn't kill the Dragonian and some wish magic is also keeping it alive. I'm less convinced of this one, since Arrakore does get rid of the Howlers in Season 1, but a) I'm not sure if those things were even "alive" to begin with and b) he doesn't necessarily kill them, he just carries out the wish for them "to be gone"

A wish for more wishes is nonsensical if you have unlimited wishes, which is what the rules in Dragons Rising Season 3 imply. Instead, Nadakhan may have just created this artificial restriction to make sure anyone who came to him to have their wishes granted was put under stress, increasing their chances of a mistake.

You do not have a maximum of three wishes. Interestingly enough, prior to "Misfortune Rising," when Nadakhan reminds Kai that he has one wish left, the three wishes restriction is only stated by Clouse when brushing off Nadakhan by saying, "I know the rules." It's very possible that this "rule" come from stories about genies (that is what Clouse calls Nadakhan when Clouse releases him) and Nadakhan is simply using those stories to his advantage, again placing pressure on his victims. Given that a Djinn can refuse to grant wishes, a wish limit can be enforced by a Djinn if they so choose (they refuse to grant any fourth, fifth, etc wishes) but they are not magically bound by it.

You can wish to harm others. At no point does Nadakhan say he can't harm others -- that restriction is stated by Captain Soto when explaining why you can't wish a Djinn into a teapot. I don't think I need to explain why it would be beneficial for Nadakhan to invent a rule that says no one can wish him away. He could just choose to not grant a harmful wish anyway, so to an outside observer, there's no distinction between a genuine magical rule and a choice by Nadakhan. Besides, since this rule comes from Soto, it could mean that Nadakhan didn't even have the gall to make this one up -- if Djinn are meant to get rid of things like Howlers, then maybe harming others isn't just something Djinn can do but are supposed to do.

Djinn do not have to grant every wish they hear. This is easily the hardest rule to justify in the context of Skybound because a core part of "Wishmasters" relies on the idea that Nadakhan has to grant every wish he hears + the entire plan to defeat him relies on that as well. If Nadakhan could deny a wish, then why not deny Jay's last wish? On the other hand, if Djinn must grant every wish they hear, then the events of "Fallen Wishes" don't hold up. Could I explain this away by saying that this rule applies exclusively to Djinn royalty as some sort of tradeoff for the fact that they are capable of or have the potential for infinite wishes? Sure -- but making that concession arguably defeats the point of this whole exercise. Let's square the circle with one set of rules: all Djinn can, in normal circumstances, reject wishes. This does not apply to Djinn who are imprisoned by Rox's magic pyramid timepiece or afflicted by Tiger Widow venom (yes, the Tiger Widow thing is a copout to explain Jay's wish, but this is my headcanon)*. Nadakhan chooses to grant every wish he hears or at the very least, make it seem like he is. If Nadakhan is a victim of wishes, unable to control what other people use them for, then that furthers his own drive to make wishes for himself, while putting the onus on the wisher to be careful -- that means more pressure and ironically a greater chance of messing up. Plus, Nadakhan loves a challenge (notably not simply striking all the Ninja with the Sword of Souls when he wanted to catch them) so trying to grant every wish he can while twisting them as much as he can is probably gives him some fun.

But why have this theory? Wouldn't it be much easier to just say that Djinn have different rules (as I hinted at in 6. and has been confirmed by Doc Wyatt on Bluesky)? And how am I building off the original discussion? Well, aside from providing an answer to how the wishing rules are seemingly different in DRS3 from Skybound without resorting to creator posts on a social media platform through a clearly delineated new set of rules, there are also three things that have bugged me about Skybound that are actually resolved by this theory. It was the resolution of these “plotholes” (I’m sure you could find an equally contorted way to resolve them using Skybound alone, but I’ve never seen a satisfying answer) that inspired me to actually write this post:

Zane's wishes are explained. In Skybound, Zane's first wish is that for his wishes, Nadakhan won't "twist [his] words, nor find a loophole [emphasis mine], but understand the true intentions of the words that [he] speak[s] and carry out their will as [he's] thoroughly instructed." Zane then wishes that any harm done to him is done to Nadakhan tenfold. Nadakhan immediately responds by finding a loophole and doing harm to PIXAL (and emotional harm to Zane) by deleting her. He claims he understood Zane "perfectly" and then grants Zane's third wish to "make it all go away" by trapping him inside the Sword of Souls. That is, Nadakhan, in violation of Zane's first wish, found a loophole in his second and twisted the third to make a vague wish into a specific one to trap him in a sword. This doesn't make sense if Nadakhan had to grant Zane's first wish -- but I posit he didn't and just said he did. There's no physical evidence that Nadakhan is bound to Zane's wish, and he didn't even say, "Your wish is yours to keep" upon hearing it.

Clancee's first wish is explained. According to Captain Soto, you can't wish to harm others and wishing a Djinn into a teapot counts as harming another. However, Clancee wishes Lloyd and Cole into the Sword of Souls. If a Djinn can grant wishes to harm others, this wish is fully explained. You don't even need Dragons Rising to prove this one -- at no point does Nadakhan mention this restriction.

Jay's last wish is explained.** Jay's last wish is arguably two wishes: one for Nya to have taken his hand and one for no one to have ever found Nadakhan's teapot. Since Jay already made two wishes, this would violate the "no more than three wishes" rule, but if that rule didn't exist, then there would be no problem.

Do I really believe this? I think Occam's Razor probably points to different rules for different Djinn. When I first watched DRS3, that was my first thought: a Djinn Prince has more rules on his wishes as the tradeoff for being able to grant infinite wishes for himself upon marriage. Or maybe the Merge changed Djinn rules. But it's not unreasonable that Nadakhan is a liar, and if that's the case, all these rules are called into question. I'm still inclined to believe Nadakhan until proven wrong since his rules were almost certainly meant to be seen as real by Skybound's creators (which is why I kept rules 1 and 2) but once a rule is shown to be broken, I wouldn't call it a retcon or say its necessary to establish two system of rules to explain away any discrepancies.

Feel free to trap me in the Teapot of Tyrahn if you disagree!

-----------------------------------------

*While Zane and Clancee’s wishes might have some explanation, I have never seen a solid explanation as to why Nadakhan grants Jay's last wish in the manner that he does. It is super easy to twist (Nadakhan could make it so no one, including Soto, ever found the teapot) and the closest thing we have to an explanation in season, that it was "from the heart," is barely a rule we can point to. Wouldn't Zane's wish be from the heart, as he made it right after the apparent death of his love in response to his grief over her loss? Yet Nadakhan twists that too (unless Zane really wanted to be in the Sword of Souls, which I doubt). "Fallen Wishes" introduces the idea that Djinn can be forced to obey wishes using magic or technology, so why not some venom from a fictional creature that already has a unique effect (it is "the only way" to slow a Djinn down)? For all we know, that’s part of how Soto was able to beat him. We never learn exactly how Nadakhan went into the teapot besides the fact that Tiger Widow venom was needed.

**I wrote a post last year about Jay's final wish and it actually doesn't contradict this theory at all.

[considerablecolors]

big old personal post on what william finn means to me and how he honestly kind of saved my life.

the summer of 6th grade, my best friend and i took a trip to the beach. while there, he wanted me to watch a musical called falsettos with him. this was pretty normal, as we had a habit of one of us discovering a musical and immediately sharing it with the other, but i was incredibly wary to watch falsettos, because i knew it had gay people in it.

at the time, my father had come out as gay a few years ago and left our family, and my mother, extended family, and church all despised him for it. the first time i heard the word gay was from my mother on the phone speaking about him negatively, and once i heard, i continued to have vitriol on how sinful the queer community was shoved down my throat for years... and then my best friend came out to me. and i decided him feeling comforted and supported was more important.

for months, i shit you not, i had to practice not being homophobic. i would search up videos of gay people kissing on youtube until i was able to watch without wincing. i fought tooth and nail to be an ally, and i ignored any part of me that resonated with what i was seeing. so, my best friend starts to show me falsettos, and i'm apprehensive. i'm even more apprehensive when i realize... oh. this show is my life right now. "you're literally jason," my friend jokes, and he's totally right. i am.

i continue watching, growing more and more confused and uneasy, but not for the reason i expected. i'm uncomfortable because i'm getting attached to these characters, to this relationship. it's incredibly flawed, it's all the things my mother's said gay men like my father are, but it's so much more than that too. by the time we get to act two, i'm sitting in awe. what more can i say plays and i start crying, because oh my god. he's human. he's not some monster, he's just like any other person, and his love is strong and imperfect and beautiful just like any other love.

i'm sobbing by the end, which- how could i not be? anyone watching falsettos cries at the ending. but it's so much more than just the show to me- it's acceptance. it's understanding. it's revolutionary. maybe my friend even notices a shift in me, because later that night, he comes out to me again, and i accept him with no struggle at all, and for the first time, i find myself wondering about... well, myself. i'm not sure enough to say anything yet, but that night in bed, in between googling how to support a trans friend, i'm also googling how to know if you're gay or bi or trans or anything like that.

through the years, falsettos has continued to be a huge piece of my life, one of my favorite musicals of all time. the i love you song from the 25th annual putnam county spelling bee has held me during so many crying sessions. a new brain guided my technical theatre class and gave me a reason to hope during a hellish semester. genuinely, william finn's work has saved me so many times, and is quite possibly my biggest source of inspiration as an aspiring playwright- i dream of writing characters and songs and stories as intoxicating as his.

thank you for everything, william finn. may your memory be a blessing. it always will be to me.

[stars-and-darkness]

hi! saw that you're a darklina fan...do you have any good fic recs? loved your darklina fics btw

i am a darklina fan (my beatiful toxic shaylasssss, they are so unwell), though ironically enough over the years i've come to prefer the books to the show, meaning my own fics aren't to my taste now ashdjhdjkdfnh

but i'll never pass up on an opportunity to rec stuff, so:

show-based stuff:

All Is Bliss (Until Someone Loses An Eye) by AquitaineQueen24

'There is this; Kirigan is going to hate sharing his big find with Peter and the Apparat. You’ll look like a saint incarnate when the Emperor starts screaming and throwing a tantrum.’ ‘Indeed. Praise saints for once that I’m married to a complete and utter moron.’ Empress Catherine may have only wanted to change the world for a few days at this point, but that in no way means that General Kirigan is permitted to monopolize the Sun Summoner. General Kirigan, who has been planning to change the world for nearly three hundred years, thinks the new Empress is very sweet. Emperor Peter just wants people to be afraid...of how much they love him. (Why doesn't the Empress love him?!?!) Alina Starkova very much wants to change the world, but also wants everyone else to calm the hell down and stop trying to recruit her for their coup.

Ember Island Players Present: SOL KOROLEVA by PresidentHades

SOL KOROLEVA is a new production from acclaimed playwright Aidoneus Prazident. She has scoured all of Ravka gathering information on the Sun Summoner Alina Starkov. Her sources include the orphanage matron at Keramzin, First Army officers, Little Palace chambermaids, a stableboy, and a plethora of acerbically witty diary entries from an anonymous contributor. This production is brought to you by the critically acclaimed Ember Island Players.

The Book of the Raven by qqueenofhades

To my dear and unfortunate successor: I have debated for many years whether I should finally commit this story to paper. In one sense, the decision might seem easy: I am a historian, after all, and the reconstruction and understanding of the past is our profession’s stock in trade. But there is always the question of where it crosses over into autobiography, where scholarly objectivity gives way to subjective memory, where one cannot always be sure that the historian is, in fact, the best person to tell the historian’s own story. Does the weight of academic responsibility, of factual clarity, of reconstructing events as they truly “were” (itself an utter fallacy, but that is a discussion for later), overrule the understandably human impulse to make it a better tale, to clean it up around the edges, to present one’s own actions in the most benevolent and justifiable light? Despite my unique circumstances, I am no more free from that impulse than anyone else, and so I must ask whether you are willing to trust me as the narrator of my own history.

Social Sciences by yrulikethis

Extremely private Professor Morozova simps over happily married Sunshine-y oversharer Professor Starkov. Gossip and speculation ensues.

Our Lines in the Sand by GaleSentinal

In which being an orphan, a soldier, and a cartographer is more integral to Alina’s identity and she pays attention to the world around her. Meanwhile spending some 400 years in power confers certain advantages to the Darkling, but also certain blind spots. In this fight to secure a better tomorrow, both will be confronted with the same question: What are they willing to sacrifice in order to win? A reworking of the series from the ground up, where the politics are more realistic, grisha abilities are more than just magic artillery, people aren't inexplicably stupid, the religion and history are more present, everyone has an agenda, everyone has their secrets, and imperfect people love, struggle, laugh, fight and strive for a world that they can live with.

kato stara rana e nashata lyubov, mili moĭ by Darnaguen

First part of a trilogy of forehead kisses I promised to write for a Tumblr prompt. I chose Netflix's new Shadow and Bone as the subject against my better judgement, having not read the books it's based on. So… be gentle?

Saints and Sinners (Are you the Hunter or the Prey?) by BrytteMystere

Through the centuries, they change the world, and are changed by it in turn.

Ten Suns in the Sky by PresidentHades

Alina has a happy childhood in a border town that never gets razed. Her father is a clever otkazat’sya blacksmith who labors over creations to rival any Fabrikator’s. Her mother is a Shu Inferni who teaches her daughter to embrace the sunlight in her hands and their heritage. When the family makes a fateful attempt to cross the Fold, the Darkling finds not a pawn but a queen.

kołysanka by Darnaguen

“Sing me a song, Alina.”

book-based stuff:

backstage behaviour by limnaeus

“If you told them the sky is green, they would believe you. If you told them to, they’d kill themselves trying to attack the Grand Palace. Are your fanatics so different to my loyalists?” It is an alluring thought, an intriguing power she hasn’t mastered – shouldn’t even attempt to master – half as much as the sunlight. It is a fine line she must perch on. He doesn’t realize there is also danger in being so loved. Her devotes would tear her to pieces just to keep a part of her with them. They would spit on her and burn her as soon as they found out just how little of a saint she truly is. Or; Alina is a Saint and the Darkling is into it - for political reasons, of course. A visitation of plans and prayers and Ravka's destructive love.

Serendipity by DukeOfDucks

It was him but she had never seen him like this, not even when he had collapsed in her arms, a dagger in his heart. He was still the same— the sharp jawline, the pale skin, the lips— and yet his cheeks were stained red like a child in a fever. His quartz grey eyes were half-lidded, unfocused yet looking up at her, and his perfect lips were parted to let out small struggling pants. His cheekbones had always been sharp, but now he was downright gaunt, and she wondered when he had last eaten. “Alina,” he finally whispered, so quietly it could have been the wind murmuring in her ears. She leaned closer, her hand still on his shoulder, not pulling away when he wrapped his own around her wrist again. “I didn’t know where else to go,”

Three's a Crowd by InsectKin

Alina and Mal's quiet night in Keramzin is interrupted by a newly not-dead visitor. They never made a very good trio.

To Demand Aim by manico_del_lume

To be immortal is to often pick up new hobbies: it keeps life interesting. This time, the Darkling tries out darts.

Saint of Heretics by NoAngelKnows

For six hundred years Sankta Alina has ruled as the physical personification of the nation of Ravka's spiritual and national identity. With the persecuted Grisha flocking to her side as a fanatically devoted army and aligning with the Lantsov family to establish an unbroken line of ruling tsars, under her reign Ravka has risen from a dark age of unending warfare to a unified kingdom bound by peace. But after six hundred years under the heat of an unrelenting queen of the sun, Ravka is suffocating from the traditions and laws of the past. Once meant simply to preserve and protect Ravkan culture and lives, it is employed to ruthlessly strangle and suppresses any attempt of progress. Now the land is boiling with rebellion and revolution and the question is being whispered all over the land: "If the people have grown ready to rule themselves, what place is there for the ancient Mother of Ravka?" Then, down from a mountainside in the heart of Ravka, comes a black-haired boy with grey eyes and a power unseen in any Grisha for six hundred years. The scales are precariously balanced, which side will his power uplift and which will it bring low?

Worst Laid Plans by goblins_riddles_frocks

(fair warning, this one's darknikolina)

Nikolai seeks to make alliances with both sides of Ravka’s civil war.

Winter in the Little Palace by redsixwing

Baghra and Alina's wildly different perspectives on the Darkling, and how things could have gone if nobody listened to Baghra.

The Silence of Your Touch by goatsandgangsters

Set during Ruin & Rising. After Alina first uses their connection, she wants more. Only this time, he isn’t alone. But that just makes it more fun. Or, “How to Frustrate (in more ways than one) Someone Who Can’t Talk Back: An Exploratory Study ft. Alina Starkov” — In her quiet moments, she would pick it up and study it, like a rare and beautiful gem. The sharp lines of his face. The slant of sunlight through the window. The stillness of him, the hitch in his breath, the waver on the edge of a precipice he so wanted to fall into. She had known that feeling many a time, the waiting, the wanting, the lure of it. But she hadn’t expected to see it in him. She wanted to see it again, the catch of his breath. She wanted to know what she could do to him.

Fata Morgana by DukeOfDucks

The future is bright. Bright with the strength of an ardent sun. Hot with the blaze of all-consuming grief.

Vulnerability by goblins_riddles_frocks

Alina visits the Darkling and finds him unconscious, still recovering from their last encounter in the chapel.

i am singing now as rome burns (mash your mouth against me) by bellemon

“Don’t say her name. You killed her,” he hisses, fingers closing around her neck, even as his thumb caresses the curve of her throat, even as his fingers intertwine with the fall of hair that lies at her nape. “She died for you.” “She died because of you,” Alina snarls, even as she leans into his touch, even as she hates herself for it. “We both killed her.” He gives a growl of rage and surges toward her. For a moment, the rage in Alina’s heart gives way to fear, to relief, to desire. He’s going to kill me. But then he is kissing her, lips crashing against hers like flint on steel, and isn’t that the same thing? ---- Alina does not resist the pull of their tether. The Darkling welcomes her in his own way. (Or, Alina and The Darkling are just two people hiding their Thirst through power plays)

[seriousbrat]

a post of yours was on my for you, it was about james potter and an ask (who was pretty rude and i don’t want to come off that same way) told you that james potter never changed and you started talking about how it was impossible he never did, that it’s crazy to think he was a manipulator etc etc but it’s rather simple imo. james was a frat boy who had friends he liked and he was good to, except maybe peter, he didn’t like severus because he was friends with his crush and he bullied other kids with his friends, because he could. he felt entitled to lily’s love because he was a blood traitor. that’s ok characters can change, but did he stop bullying severus? no (i saw your argument about sirius and remus saying snape never lost an opportunity to hex james, but 1 wouldn’t have lily noticed then 2 i don’t trust the words of the same people who said snape was angry at james because he was jealous of his good looks and his quidditch abilities) so what is that about? he acted as if he had became better person (which he may have, but he was still bullying severus and we have no proof of him becoming a better person except lily marrying him which is crazy leave the girl alone she’s not a moral compass) around lily whom he wanted to impress and then still bullied severus. i don’t think that’s a crazy thing to say, it’s actually very possible and it happens a lot of time in real life.

Thanks for the message, you don't come off as rude at all so dw!

"it happens a lot of time in real life." The thing is that this isn't real life. It's fiction, and I feel like I'm always saying this so sorry lol but that means we have to analyse the author's intention in showing what she did. These are fictional characters and not autonomous real people who do things "off-camera" that we can speculate about based on statistics or our own experience.

We're given evidence that James changed. If the truth was supposed to be that he actually didn't change and was always secretly the same dickhead and maliciously hiding this from Lily the entire time, we would have been given evidence of that. Everything we're shown about Lily and James as a couple is that they loved each other and had a good relationship. Again, if he was meant to be an evil conniving manipulator who was tricking Lily, it would have been shown in the text.

If you don't trust Remus and Sirius's word there are two other major pieces of evidence that James changed. The first is that Lily started dating him when previously she couldn't stand the sight of him. The second is that he was made head boy, and whatever Dumbledore's faults I sincerely doubt that he gave Head Boy to a person who was actively going around terrorising the student body. We know that circa 5th year, his behaviour was very public and apparent to everyone. For me, that lends credence to the idea that James "deflated his head" during sixth year, enough to be given responsibility over others.

The fact that Remus and Sirius mention James changing and also the fact that Snape was giving as good as he got during 7th year, and this is never contradicted but reinforced by other sources, means it's probably mostly true. Obviously Remus and Sirius's account is biased and imperfect, and we have to read between the lines. But, and I say this as a fan of Snape, there is plenty of evidence that Snape had an aggressive side. As a child he causes a branch to fall on Petunia and he invents an incredibly violent spell. As an adult he throws jars at a 16 year old boy and loses his shit at Fudge among others. Some of these are understandable, sure, but it is a part of his character and I don't understand why people are so hell-bent on ignoring it.

Like, it's fine. Part of Snape's arc is learning to control his emotions and limiting these outbursts of aggressiveness, which is why he's shown to be much more uncontrolled and violent as a child, whereas as an adult he's more collected and circumspect. It makes sense why he is the way he is, because it's implied he grew up in a home marked by violence. Personally, I think this is a VERY interesting aspect of his character and for me it makes absolute sense that he would attack James during 7th year. Particularly given that James and Lily were dating at the time. I am cheering him on from the sidelines. I am enjoying the show. Meek little harmless spineless Severus, idk him.

Also I'm sorry, but a lot of this is your own interpretation, likely based on your dislike for James. there's NO evidence that james "felt entitled" to Lily's love for instance. That really seems like a conclusion you've come to on your own. It's fine to have your own interpretations ofc, but they're not necessarily supported by canon. Personally I disagree with them, but that's fine too!

I appreciate the Lily appreciation though!! Let that girl do whatever the fuck she wants 👏

[oceane4loveu]

wonyoung:don't compare yourself to others ♡

wonyoung's mindset emphasizes self-acceptance and confidence in one's own abilities. She knows her values ​​and does not compare herself to others. How to have the same state of mind as her?

1-become aware of your value: remember that your value does not depend on your appearance, your success or the validation of others. each of us has our own qualities and talents that make us unique and special. take the time to remind yourself of everything you have accomplished so far, your strengths and everything that makes you unique and special.

2-avoid the pitfalls of social networks: social media can be a source of comparison and insecurity. but remember that the images and stories shared on the networks only represent a fragment of reality. Start to limit your time on the networks and keep in mind that each represents this best versions online.

3-love yourself: learn to love yourself and accept who you are. Compliment yourself, repeat positive affirmations to yourself in front of the mirror and fall in love with yourself. work on your self-esteem and try to do better than you were yesterday. Also surround yourself with positive people and start activities that strengthen your self-confidence and your self-love.

4-practice gratitude: focus on what you have rather than what you don't have. Get in the habit of writing down a few things you are grateful for. This will help you develop a possible attitude and appreciate your own journey without comparing yourself to others.

5-practice self-comparison: develop a caring attitude towards yourself by granting yourself kindness and compassion. replace criticism and judgment with understanding your imperfections and your errors.

6-focus on your personal goals: define your own goals based on your passions and desires then make a realistic action plan to achieve your goals. measure your success based on your personal projects rather than comparing it to that of others.

7-Avoid constant comparisons: It’s easy to get caught up in a cycle of comparison by looking at what others have or do. Focus on your own path and distance yourself from influences that fuel constant comparisons.

8-you are you, I am me: this expression from wonyoung simply means that each individual is unique and that it is important to concentrate on your own personal path. this implies not comparing yourself to others and not trying to imitate or follow the same path as others. wonyoung encourages self-acceptance and valuing one's own talents, qualities...she also emphasizes not being influenced by the opinions or expectations of others.

[darklinaforever]

Just because Emma D'Arcy says Daemyra is grooming doesn't mean that's the case. The actor, in the same interview, was literally wrong about Rhaenyra's age in episode 4.

Emma D'Arcy is an imperfect human being who can say stupid things. Especially today, many people use big words without knowing their real definitions.

I will add that even if Emma was talking about grooming, they did not agree and still did not find the scene where Daemon strangled Rhaenyra coherent, and rightly this time. Emma also said that they reads Daemyra fanfiction. So that basically means that they ship despite the problematic aspect. I wouldn't call it a victory for the antis.

Essentially, Emma D'Arcy seems neutral on Daemyra.

Also, Emma D'Arcy is an actor, paying to say certain things in interviews. Who's to say they's not just following the writers' stupid agenda ?

Then, I have already explained countless times that no, Daemon is not a groomer, notably in these posts, where I have also for some addressed the case of Emma D'Arcy and they grooming statements :

Moreover, even if the writers seem obsessed with a non-existent story of grooming between Daemyra, they do not seem to deny that it is a romance either. These people, and even HBO, obviously still have their ass between two chairs :

I will add that no, Daemon is not a pedophile either. Go to @nrilliree to get the definition because I'm clearly too lazy to explain again :

Especially since if you give me the example of the young prostitutes (which the antis also love to pass off as younger than they probably realistically are, like under 13 years old, just to make it really disgusting) when Daemon was in his 20s, know that they were all maidens.

“Maidens” is a term they use to refer to young unmarried women. In brothels these maidens were most likely between 15 and 17 or higher do to the lack of nutrition of the peasants. A bad nutrition causes someone's period to come later.

So no, they weren't little girls. This was for the time of young women literally according to society's of Westeros marriageable age.

The worst you can say about this case of prostitutes is that Daemon had a fetish for virgin maiden for a period in his younger years. (And even if it's obviously not great, I'm not sure #irony that we can put it on the same level as a groomer, a pedophile and a rapist... Yes I'm making an insituation in Aegon II for the last 2 points. We're getting there...)

Aside from that, Daemon was in a relationship with his then favorite, Mysaria, an adult, he also married Laena later, also an adult, and also married Rhaenyra when she was an adult (all according to our modern standards), although yes, he courted her when she was 14. But I remember that Rhaenyra had reached the age where she could marry and had already been courted by men. It's not surprising in the context that Daemon courted her. Especially since there is no evidence that anything sexual happened between them at that time. (One talking about sex is Mushroom, and we know to what extent he is obsessed with it and therefore that his testimony is almost worthless, and the second is Eustace, pro greens. And I remind you that the greens were already making up bullshit on Rhaenyra's sexuality before Daemon's return)

Basically, Daemon has always slept with maiden, and always of varying ages. (which is completely wrong with the definition of pedophile)

Limit, you can talk about ephebophile, but as @nrilliree already said, there is no evidence on this subject, especially since Daemon has also been with adult women several times (Mysaria for a little more than 1 year, Laena for 5 years, and Rhaenyra for 10 years), and this by our own standards modern.

Also, what makes me laugh is that these same people who will claim that Daemon only likes young girls who are essentially minors according to our time (because obviously they will look at age only according to our time, which is an error given that the historical context of this universe is completely different from ours, but in short), claiming that Daemon only married Rhaenyra for power and striving to say that Laena was 15 / 16 years old like in the HOTD show when he married her, while no, she was 22 in Fire and Blood. Well these same people will come and tell you and claim that Daemon did cheat on Rhaenyra with Mysaria, in addition to Nettles, during the dance.

An event whose veracity we also cannot prove and which seems somewhat strange when we take a closer look (so you will guess that I don't particularly believe in it either). See @horizon-verizon posts for that.

Why do I say it's funny ?

Well because Mysaria is an adult woman, much older than Rhaenyra and Laena.

But tell me... if Daemon is so obsessed with underage girls... why would he have slept with a former lover of his, who was already an adult at the time, and even older at this point there ?

We see that what really interests them is more to say bad things about Daemon whoever he is, rather than having any real consistency in their comments and accusations. (And if anyone dares to say that Daemon was sleeping with Mysaria to ensure he got her on his side... wtf ? Rhaenyra is the queen. She pays Mysaria and assures her safety. Why would sex with Daemon be the only way for Mysaria to ensure her loyalty to the team Blacks ? She literally hasn't seen Daemon in over 20 years I think. What would she care about him sexually or otherwise at this point, except perhaps for personal revenge ? And then, if Daemon really was with Mysaria to ensure her loyalty to his side... Well he's a bit much of an idiot if he really slept with Nettles after that. These people love to say that Daemon is a great master manipulator who places his pawns well in advance, especially when it comes to women, except that... Daemon does not seem to have been very intelligent if we follow this belief that I have already seen among antis, which is once again inconsistent with the speech Daemon was a master manipulator of women... I mean, according to their point of view, Daemon knew how to pretend for 10 years with Rhaenyra. Why couldn't he have lasted longer to play the charade with Mysaria ? Once again, the consistency of their words does not interest the antis. They only care about saying bad things about Daemon !)

And don't come for talk to me about Nettles, because I've already made some rather long posts on the subject, go see them if you want :

As well as I highly recommend the extremely in-depth analyzes of @horizon-verizon.

Basically, the story with Nettles could never be proven, and I personally don't believe it.

On the other hand, Aegon II is a character who could be described as a pedophile (by Westeros standards and ours) in Fire and Blood, having been with a girl (= child for Westeros. There is no adolescence in this society. Only childhood and adulthood. As a girl and not a maiden, a woman having her period and therefore marriageable, the individual with whom Aegon II was therefore indeed a child), and not a maiden, from precisely 11 / 12... And he's being also reported as having several inappropriate behaviors / touching towards women, strongly insinuating that he is a rapist (by the own maesters being on his side). And no, Eustace never denied the girl's age, and continued even though he referred to her as girl and tried to downplay the scandalous event.

And why am I talking about Aegon II fans ?

Because it's systematically them who come to me to tell me the bullshit about Daemon being a groomer and a pedophile while sometimes maintaining that their little favorite is not a rapist, and a potential pedophile.

Which is still pretty damn cheeky...

[sitp-recs]

Can I please have some recommendations along this plot, "where britain mistreats Draco forcing him to leave it. Few years later he becomes successful and now Britain requires his help?? Please recommend Drarry ones

We all love a badass Draco giving ‘em the middle finger 👌🏼 I’m sure I’ve read more but I couldn’t think of many titles off the top of my head. Not all of these will fit all your boxes but they’re great reads with successful Draco living abroad:

Un Noël très parisien by Femme and noeon (E, 14k)

When Draco crossed paths with Auror Potter at a political function in Paris, he was not expecting their former animosity to change into something rather more intriguing. But he could be certain their casual flirtation would not last more than the night, couldn't he?

And Back Again (Where You Belong) by eidheann (E, 16k)

He thought back on their previous handshakes, and smiled faintly at the fact they always seemed to mean so much more to him than they did to Potter.

measures of our days and nights by flimsy (E, 40k)

Draco returns to London to help the Ministry decipher a spell, but things aren’t quite as simple as they seem.

The Light More Beautiful by firethesound (E, 81k)

Thirteen years after Draco accepts Potter's help escaping the horror of his sixth year, he returns to England where he makes the unfortunate discovery that Potter is still as obnoxious as ever. And worse, more than a decade overseas hasn't been enough to dim Draco's obsession with him.

Balance, Imperfect by @bixgirl1 (E, 91k)

When Harry sustains an injury in the line of work, he no longer knows how to navigate the life he loved, and finds help and solace from the most unexpected source.

A Case of You by @epitomereally (E, 97k)

Draco was doing just fine working as an Unspeakable in Paris, hanging out with his living and ghostly pals, inventing new spells, and definitely not thinking about Potter. Then, Lucius just had to break out of prison and turn his world upside down.

Any Instrument by dicta_contrion (E, 131k)

Draco Malfoy wouldn't go back to England for anything less than an exceptional case. Being asked to figure out why Harry Potter can't control his magic might be exceptional enough to qualify.

[silverlining-ships]

I'm deeply curious! You understand and analyse Jasper very well. Where did you start with this? I'm wanting to understand the characters of my f/os on a deeper level as well so I can be confident writing and drawing them, but it feels daunting when there's so much to cover and consider! Arcs, themes, motivations, connections to other characters, how they change... Is it just a matter of time/paying prolonged attention?

this is SUCH a fun ask, thank you for giving me the opportunity to go into this a bit!! character analysis is SO much fun to me, even outside of self shipping, so I'm so grateful for this!!

so disclaimer. I have engaged with steven universe specifically since it aired, which is probably too many years. this world and its mechanics are incredibly familiar to me just from how long I've played in this world. so it sometimes is partially a matter of time! but character analysis doesn't always need time, sometimes it just needs a bit of playing around! some of the things I do are:

wiki hopping:

this is SO much fun to me. I'll read a characters wiki until I hit something that makes me think wait... why is that? fandom wiki is always imperfect so no matter the character there are normally inconsistencies or things that just seem thrown in there

an example with Jasper is I was reading her wiki and reread the piece where it says she's implied to know how to pilot a Roaming Eye (piece of surveillance spacecraft) and was like. . . wait. I know she is a Quartz soldier, which are like ground level front line muscle in the caste system. so WHY would she know how to pilot SPACECRAFT?

so that's my question, and I'll hop around the wiki overall to try and find an answer! in this instance I refreshed a lot of my memory on the caste system, some of the other Jaspers, the spacecraft in the show.

sometimes I won't be able to find an answer - which is where I can use headcanons to fill in the gaps! I could go on and on about the conclusions I've reached with Jasper, but overall I feel as though she is a specially designed soldier made when the war was at a low point, and with her ground expertise and stellar record they pulled her into other necessary tasks during the war - like piloting!

essay writing:

no I'm not kidding and everyone who's reading this knows that. I LOVE building essays. no it doesn't have to be perfect grammatically sound text, but it can be so fun to start a text post posing a question/commenting on something you noticed from a character, and just. elaborating on it!

like for example, I have a text post somewhere where I pose the question that - if Jasper is so against fusion, and fusion is taboo in Homeworld, how did she know its functionality enough to initiate fusion with an entirely different Gem? and I just went through stuff. considering different scenes I've seen her in, the wiki, of course. it's a lot of rambling! but I feel the rambling helps draw you to a conclusion

engaging with the media itself:

one, our source media is always fun to come back to, so now you have another excuse!

two. . . you will always notice something new when you re-engage with the media. maybe the character reacted to a conflict in a way that you didn't really think about that much before. maybe you notice the character's physical expressions or the way they gesture.

engaging with the media also gives you a chance to really feel out a character arc as well. you can read the wiki all you want, but really diving into the source material helps you feel the pace that it was intended to go at.

other things to consider:

really when you're doing char analysis for fun you want to focus on what interests YOU specifically. for Jasper, I am consistently so so fascinated with who she was behind the screen and trying to figure out her history from the very little the show gave us, so I tend to analyze those things specifically and try and figure them out. always start with what YOU want to learn first and just. . . build it up from there!

"Arcs, themes, motivations, connections to other characters, how they change…" - these are all SUCH fun ways to explore a character, but which ones fascinate you the most? what do you love about your f/o, and then. . . why are they like that? why do they DO that thing you really like?

I hope this wasn't too rambly I love talking about char analysis hahaha