#the only problem is the time i have and whether i can find a decent house around here thats affordable

[beelinx]

heyyaaa! If you have time in ur schedule, could you please do ‘protective boyfriend’ head-cannons or a blurb for Tsukishima and Osamu? (I humbly ask of you if you’re able to and if you can Matsukawa or Tendo as well😔🙏ONLY IF YOU WANT TO THO)

remember to drink water heh

haikyuu men as protective bfs <3

ft. tsukishima, osamu, matsukawa, and tendou !

note: honestly it was sm fun to write this, but i think most of this is ooc and over exaggerated 😭 anyways chat think of this as a new year's gift ! 🥳 warnings: annoying men... mention of tits in osamu's. use of babe, bitch, and prude in tendou's. use of babe in matsukawa's. ooc tendou and matsukawa probably 😖 fem!reader !!

✧｡ kei tsukishima

going to your boyfriend’s volleyball matches was always a fun experience. the electricity and passion some players exuded was truly contagious. 

also, you got to see him being all hot and sweaty.

definitely an amazing time!

everyone in the sendai frogs were always incredibly welcoming to you, too. his teammates even ask about you when you’re not there (or, at least that’s what tsukishima tells you). regardless of whether or not he’s telling the truth, you would say you do feel truly welcome and comfortable around there.

today was match day. you made sure kei had everything ready, though it’s not like he’s the type to be forgetful or anything. still, he lets you fuss over him all you want without uttering a complaint (which you know must have been truly difficult for him).

once you got to the location where his team would be playing, he bid you goodbye with a short peck on the cheek. his teammates waved to you, too. there were two new teammates, just as kei had told you. you recognized kentaro from highschool, and though he still had the same grumpy attitude, he was nice enough to you. the other guy, though… you had no clue who he was.

settling on a seat with a decent view of the match, you prepared yourself for the exhilarating time you were probably about to have.

and that you did.

the sendai frogs won 2-1, and you really couldn’t have been happier. well, actually, it felt as if you were about to have a heart attack throughout the duration of that whole game. everytime kei jumped up to block a powerful spike you felt your heart jump. you imagined any doctor would think you’re close to having your heart malfunction.

you basically raced out of the audience seats, already ready to jump into your boyfriend’s arms and congratulate him with many kisses and hugs that he will probably complain about. whatever —he can mutter all the complaints he wants about pda and stuff, but you’re too happy to not smother him with love.

one problem, though.

you could not find him anywhere.

no matter, you figured he was probably in the changing room or something. you could just wait outside for him for a bit, and if he didn’t come out, you’d go look for him.

meanwhile, tsukishima was trying his hardest to not blow up at his new teammate.

“is she your friend, then?” he asked him. it was probably his 100th question regarding you at this point, and he was well past his tolerance limit.

“no.”

“so… your sister?”

tsukishima scoffed, you two didn’t even look alike. “no.”

“jeez, no need to be so harsh, dude. i just think she’s hot,” the guy stated, while changing into a clean shirt.

koganegawa, who’d been listening in, cheerfully piped up. “well, she’s his girlfriend! so i don’t think tsuki appreciates that very much.”

the guy’s eyes widened. “oh. i didn’t know dude, my bad.”

tsukishima cast him a cold glare and resumed changing without another word.

you were getting antsy waiting for him. what is taking him so long? you were bored. well, you figured enough time had passed that it’d be okay for you to go looking for him, so you did. but, while you were heading his way, you bumped into a man.

“oh! i’m so sorry! i was distracted,” you apologized deeply.

“it’s no problem, really. i-” the man said, before stopping abruptly.

“...is something the matter?” you asked, noticing the way the man’s wide gaze roamed over you.

a sudden grin appeared on his face, his expression resembling one of someone who’d just won the lottery ticket. 

“you’re absolutely gorgeous.”

you sputtered, taken aback by his directness. “oh uh… thank you?”

“can i have your number?” he asked, smirking at you.

“i have a boyfriend so uh…”

“awe come one, he doesn't have to know, right?” he chuckled. suddenly, you recognized the man in front of you. this was tsuki’s new teammate, the one you didn’t know anything about. he saw you with tsuki before the match, so why would he be asking you out? surely he knew you were his teammate's girlfriend?

“come on, just your number, yeah?” he persisted. “you’re allowed to have friends, aren't you?”

you laughed awkwardly, “well i um…”

“move.”

your boyfriend's harsh voice saved you from answering. the guy’s head snapped back, towards his teammate who was now towering over him. he suddenly seemed incredibly flustered, as if he hadn’t been expecting to be caught.

“oh, sorry man. i was just-”

“hitting on my girlfriend?”

“n-no! we were just talking, right?” he said, directing his question towards you.

tsukishima didn’t have to wait for your answer, he knew well enough what this man’s intentions were. “i would suggest you leave her alone, unless you’d like to make this a bigger problem than it has to be.”

the guy hesitated for a second, before he finally spoke. “y-yeah, of course. my bad.”

he scurried away, not without taking a few looks back at you two. your boyfriend scoffed, seemingly angrier and more upset at the situation than you were.

“that was hot.”

tsukishima’s widened as he snapped his head towards you and stared as if you were the most insane person he’d ever met.

“excuse me?”

“you’re hot when you’re protective,” you giggled. “do that more often.”

he raised a brow at you. “you’re crazy.”

“aww, that’s mean!” you fake pouted. “you have to make it up to me now.”

he tilted his head quizzically at you, deciding to humor you. “how?”

you grinned from ear to ear. “let’s go shopping!

noticing the way your eyes sparkled as you suggested that, he couldn’t possibly say no.

he rolled his eyes and adjusted his glasses. “fine,” he agreed. “but we’re eating first. i’m starving.”

✧｡ osamu miya

most of your dates with osamu were indoors, in a private space where the only people around were you two. just relaxing with you is his favorite type of date. still though, he loves to spoil you. so, that’s exactly what he’s doing today.

“‘samu this is too much,” you’d told him.

“nonsense,” he replied simply. “i’m your boyfriend, therefore it’s my duty to spoil ya, isn’t it?”

“but this,” you said, signaling to the expensive outfit he’d bought you. “this is too expensive.”

he simply shook his head. “get dressed, yeah? i’m taking ya out.”

all you could do was roll your eyes and try to smother the grin that was threatening to come up.

the outfit he’d bought you was nice, really nice. you’d seen it at a store before, and you couldn’t help but think it was incredibly beautiful. he’d noticed, apparently, as he’d bought it without even taking note of the price tag. it was also kind of revealing, but nothing all that scandalous. you felt beautiful, really. you took note to make sure to be extremely grateful to him.

osamu loves cooking for you, he really does. he’s basically become your private chef, which works out since you also adore his cooking. tonight, however, he was temporarily relinquishing his title and taking you to some expensive restaurant. though he’d try to deny it, this was more a treat to him than to you. after all, he’s the one practically drooling as he looks over the menu.

you giggled as you looked at him, quickly scanning over the menu and deciding on what you’d be having.

“hello, are you both ready to order?”

you tilted your head up to look at the waiter, straightening your back as you realized you’d been slouching. “oh, yes, thank you,” you replied, quickly listing off your order, pointing at the items in the menu.

when you turned to look at osamu, he was staring daggers at the waiter. you frowned and kicked his leg under the table. he coughed awkwardly and listed off his order, too.

“what was that?” you asked, both concerned but also slightly amused.

“my order?”

“don’t mess with me, ‘samu.” you threatened.

“he was starin’ at ya.” he answered simply.

“well. yeah. i was ordering.”

“no, i mean like… staring at ya,” he emphasized. osamu sighed, “put this on.” 

he took off his jacket and handed it to you. “ya can take it off when we leave. or we can ask for a different waiter.”

you scrunched your eyebrows. “‘samu i really don’t think-”

“he was starin’ directly at your tits.”

your eyes widened. “oh!”

“yeah, so unless ya want me to bust open that guy’s head, please wear this for now.”

it was impossible to smother your grin as you put on his jacket. you giggled softly, “you’re so cute when you’re mad.”

he rolled his eyes lightheartedly, “sure.”

“oookay, here we go,” said the waiter as he returned minutes later. he gave osamu his food wordlessly, maybe too intimidated by the way he was glaring at him, or maybe just because he didn’t care.

“and food for the beautiful lady!” he chuckled as he placed your food in front of you. osamu’s jaw tightened. you looked down to your plate awkwardly.

“...thanks,” you said, starting to eat.

the waiter didn’t leave. it seemed he was waiting to say something, but didn’t. he hesitated, and once it finally seemed as if he was going to get the words out, osamu cleared his throat.

“we’re all done here, no need to linger,” he grumbled.

the man seemed taken aback by osamu’s hostility. you kicked him underneath the table again. “of course. right. i’ll be back later with your check.”

osamu hummed in reply. when he turned back to you, he was scowling. his silly face almost made you forget immediately about the awkward interaction that just took place. almost.

“you looked so mad, ‘samu. i almost thought you were gonna walk out of here.”

he looked at you as if you were a lunatic, then turned his gaze towards his food. “no jerk could ever make me waste food.”

you laughed. of course, nothing could ever come between osamu and his love for food. not even an annoying waiter. you suspected that, if an apocalypse ever took place, he would also prioritize his food over anything. except maybe you.

“when we’re done we should go get dessert. not here, though. i don’t want to see that fucker again.”

all you could do was laugh and roll your eyes at his pettiness.

✧｡ issei matsukawa

matsukawa is an easy going guy. he doesn’t lose his temper that easily. he doesn’t get mad over silly jokes. he lets maki tease him, doesn’t he? he tries his best to keep his composure during games. he even keeps his cool when his little brother is being all pissy. and yeah, he might get pissed at kentaro every once in a while, but who wouldn’t, what with that guy’s attitude and all?

that is the mantra he keeps repeating to himself over and over as he watches some jackass try to put the moves on you.

okay, well, that jackass is actually a really good friend of yours.

…which actually might make it all worse for him.

he can’t insult the guy or fight him, he’s your friend after all. at least that’s what you think. you seem blissfully oblivious to the guy’s painful crush over you.

matsukawa figures he can either break the news to you, or let you remain happily unaware. 

or better yet, a secret third option!

he can just break the guy’s jaw and make him never bother you again.

actually, that one might be a little extreme.

well, he had to do something. watching that jerk trying to get all touchy touchy with you pissed him the fuck off. even more than kentaro’s snarky comments.

“babe,” he called.

your head snapped towards him, your mouth immediately twisting into a delighted grin at the sight of him.

“issei!” you exclaimed. “i didn’t know you’d be here today. i thought you were hanging out with maki?”

he was, but maki had to leave early for a job interview. the detail didn’t matter, though. “oh, i just missed you so much i had to come back to you.” he snaked his arms around your waist, burrowing his head on your neck.

you slightly scrunched your eyebrows at his odd behavior. it wasn’t like him to act this way.

“i hope maki isn’t upset that you ditched him to hang out with me.”

“oh, not at all! he knows how important it is for guys to hang around their girlfriends.” he said, adding emphasis on the last word as he pulled away from you. he stared down the guy and pushed his shoulders back to appear taller. though it’s not like he needed to, mostly anyone can confirm how intimidating matsukawa can be thanks to his height.

your friend laughed nervously. “y-yeah.”

matsukawa wrapped an arm around your shoulders. “we should go on a date, then. what do you feel like eating?”

“oh, we were actually just about to go have lunch,” your friend chimed in, his voice suddenly sounding sure of himself.

matsukawa cast a dismissive glare towards him. “well she’s my girlfriend, isn’t she?”

your friend scoffed, “i don’t think-”

“perfect, then!” he interrupted your friend before he could object. “let’s go, babe. we can go to your favorite place. my treat, of course.”

“o-okay?” you replied, confused at the interaction that had just taken place.

you let matsukawa drag you all the way to the parking lot before pulling your arm away.

“what the hell was that?” you exclaimed.

“what was what?” he said, already seemingly back to his normal attitude.

“you were so rude to him!”

“i don’t think you should be friends with him anymore.” he simply answered, not exactly taking into account your previous comment.

you sputtered before finally saying, “since when do you have a say in who i’m friends with?”

he cast his gaze on you, soft, despite the current conversation. “i just don’t think he’s good company to have around.”

“what do you mean?”

he sighed, before finally admitting, “he’s in love with you.”

you blinked repeatedly at him in shock. “he is?”

“yes, and i don’t like that.”

you opened and closed your mouth, unsure on what to say.

“i didn’t know.”

“i know.”

both of you stood silently in the parking lot, before he finally gave in and spoke first. “i don’t want to control who you are or aren’t friends with. it’s not my job,” he sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “but i don’t feel exactly comfortable having you around him, knowing his intentions and all.”

you stared at him before meekly replying, “okay.”

he tilted his head, “okay?”

you nodded. “i understand what you mean. i, uhm… i’ll have a chat with him, to see if he does have feelings for me. i’ll cut him off if he does, because i don’t think i’d feel very comfortable around him then either.”

matsukawa nodded too. “alright. let’s go have lunch then. i think the place closes earlier today.”

you paused, “actually… can we go to the new place that just opened up nearby instead? i’ve been wanting to try it out.”

he laughed, “sure, whatever you say.”

✧｡ satori tendou

parties are fun, aren’t they? all the people, blasting music, drinks, and more, make an amazing atmosphere for those who enjoy it. and halloween parties are even better! who doesn’t enjoy a fun costume?

tendou can’t really say it’s his atmosphere. he also wouldn’t say that he fits into the group of people who don't like them. he’s just… okay with them. though, for you, he’s more than okay with them.

he let you put him in some cheesy halloween costume. a chef, you told him. you were dressed as some rat, though he thought you looked way too gorgeous to be called that. you had insisted the idea was cute, it was from a movie, after all. and, while he wasn’t entirely against the idea to begin with, all your insistence convinced him he had no way out of it either way.

“don’t you like it when i pull on your hair?” you had teased him. “it’s the perfect role for you.”

“and that is why i’m buzzing allllll my hair off.”

“don’t you dare!”

so, here you were. a big halloween party, both of you matching in a couple’s costume. he looked okay, but you… you looked absolutely breathtaking. before you left you had made a comment about being a sexy mouse, chuckling afterwards. a reference, he figured. he’d have to make you watch the movie with him later.

he definitely wasn’t the only one who thought you looked amazing. you know, taking into account the guy that was practically hanging onto you for dear life.

immediately, once he noticed that and how uncomfortable you looked, he rushed over to save you.

“ohhh, what do we have here?” he asked, trying to keep his tone light to hide his clear annoyance.

“oh, hey dude,” replied the man, having a noticeably slur to his words. “just tryna convince this babe to give me a little kiss, or come to the bathroom with me for some fun, ya feel me?” the man laughed, the smell of alcohol so strong he bet everyone in the party would have smelled it. 

tendou narrowed his eyes. “personal space sure is a fun thing, huh!” he said as he grabbed the man from his shoulders and tried to get him away from you.

the man pulled away and got closer to you once more, making you scoff in irritation, trying to pull him off once more. “ugh, this asshole just grabbed onto me while i was getting a drink!” you complained, turning your attention back to the man. “and i already told you, i have a boyfriend!”

the man faked being upset. “he doesn’t have to know, gorgeous. now stop being a prude bitch and-”

tendou’s fist moved faster than the man’s mouth.

the man stumbled back, caressing his jaw in shock. you scurried far away from him, standing behind tendou, whose fake cheerful attitude was long gone. 

he turned back to look at you, his face laced with concern.

“i’m fine,” you told him. noticing his doubt, you added, “i promise, okay? i’m fine.”

he nodded, seemingly convinced for now. and turned his attention back to the man.

it was almost like a switch turned on, really. first he was sweet and worried about you, then he returned to his mocking face. you figured it was an act, though. he wasn’t the type to get incredibly angry at others. but he messed with you, so tendou would probably murder the guy if he could.

the man spit into the ground and scoffed, “what the hell is wrong with you, man?”

“ohh, you know, i was just testing my theory on how many hits it would take for a pervert to get knocked out!” he fake-giggled. “do you want me to keep going?”

the man’s scornful gaze was casted onto tendou, who didn’t really seem like he was joking.

“you’re creepy as fuck man,” coughed the man, “and you’re insane. dunno why she’d choose you.”

“well i know why no one chose you,” tendou said, dragging the last word in a mocking way.

“let’s go.”

tendou snapped his head toward you, his wide eyes curious as he tilted his head.

“huh?”

“i’m tired. i just want to get some sleep,” you said, your voice so quiet you could’ve been an actual mouse. it broke his heart, really. how excited you were for the party, just to have your mood destroyed by some random creep.

he blinked at you, then blinked at the man, before abruptly standing tall. he decided it was best if he let the man be, and put his focus towards bettering your mood. you could watch that movie you referenced before, but you’d have to stop and buy snacks first. no matter, you are in dire need of more snacks in your pantry, so it’d work out. 

his looming frame towered over you as he replied, already set on his plan, “okay, let’s go!”

[princessbrunette]

˚˖𓍢ִ🐰໋✧˚.🎀୨୧ ⋅˚₊

let’s go back to my roots. let’s talk about girly, prissy, spoiled bunny!reader with rafe.

you’re untouchable, kook royalty just for your attachment to the cameron’s but you don’t even care about all of that. all you care about, is rafes time money and attention.

he loves you a lot, but more so — he puts up with your shit. whilst you don’t have much of an attitude, soft in all corners of your life, you can still manage to be a nightmare. you clutter his sink with your makeup and skincare, decidedly a maximalist when it came to your self care and beautification rituals. he plucks a clump of mink eyelashes from the side of the sink, something he nearly mistook for a spider and sets it aside— only calling out a “jesus chr — bun, told you to clear out your shit. my bathroom looks like fuckin’ sephora. in here, now.” before he hears the soft padding of your feet come tottering along, happy to do as your told.

if that’s not making him huff and puff — it’ll surely be the outfits, moreso scraps of fabric you parade around in. expensive, according to his black card, for items of clothing that cover so little — and he can’t say you don’t get your moneys worth, toddling around in strappy powder pink dresses that leave nothing to the imagination or white mini skirts that cling to the fold of the bottom of your ass cheeks, giving not only the chumps at the country club a good look — but his closest friends too. his life had become a sequence of tugging down your hem, manhandling you to be decent. “you—y-you think i need my fuckin’ friends getting an eyeful of your pussy each time you move? are we gonna have to have another talk about what’s appropriate, bunny girl? huh? or maybe the belt will help you learn a valuable lesson. fuck.” he sulks, stomping around after his threat. you’re clung to his bicep with a dazed smile only five minutes later because his mean treatment usually flew through one bedazzled ear and came out the other. soft and dopey as ever.

back to him ‘putting up with you’, there’s a ton of reasons why that is. like aforementioned, he does love you a lot. you’re his little prized possession, his trophy. you were soft in all the ways that mattered and understanding, always listening when no one else would, even if he was admittedly in the wrong. that, and you really did fuck like a bunny rabbit.

you had a libido that was constantly set to high, all hours of the day. you were a chronic pillow humper when rafe wasn’t available to sate you, the man often times walking in to find you teary eyed with a white lacy thong binding your spread knees, pulled down just enough to grind your messy, glossy pussy against the fluffed white pillow from his side of the bed. because really, you were a chronic rafe humper— but you were well behaved enough to know that sometimes he had to handle business and didn’t have the time to feed your greedy cunt.

you’d grown accustom to taking him in any position too, whether it was in doggy style — waving your plush ass in the air, pointing that fluffy pink bunny-tail butt plug straight at him as you mewl into expensive pillows, or you’re crouched on his lap on the couch, feet planted either side of him, a high pitched whimper punched out of you each time you slam your hips back down on his cock, mushroom tip thumping your cervix. you said you liked the pain, liked when it bruised, liked when you could still feel him the next day when you missed him. reminded you of how grateful you are to have a boyfriend who dicks you good.

you had a little obsession that was serving as a problem though— having to give you plenty of ‘sit down talks’ when he talks to you real slow like you’re stupid because you keep begging him to breed you. it seemed no amount of “sweetheart, i’on know how many times i have to say this to get it through that head, but you are too young for a baby. i—i gotta get my shit together first, alright? promised you as many babies as you want after i secure tannyhill did i not? i…i really need your patience… okay?” would stop you from bouncing on his cock with a feverish and determined look in your eye, or locking your legs around his waist when he’s about to nut— babbling tearfully as you beg “please daddy, please gimme a baby. please want — want your babies!”

you’re lucky he was so much stronger than you, often wrestling you down to straddle your face and aim his cock at your mouth before he blew his load, gritting out a spiteful “well you’re gonna have to fuckin’ swallow them ‘til the time comes. fuck.” through gritted teeth as you mewl miserably (but lap it up nonetheless)

you gave him trouble, but nothing he couldn’t handle. he wouldn’t trade his spoiled bunny girl for the world.

˚˖𓍢ִ🐰໋✧˚.🎀୨୧ ⋅˚₊

[kittenface40]

Helluva Boss' Racism is Hollow & Nonsensical - Helluva Boss Critique

Racism is a sensitive and mature topic, to talk about not only in the media we consume but in general real life, with many news outlets covering it, the effects it has on everyone, and the many reporting of racism in the world.

Now those of you are wondering, 'why am I talking about this?' Well this relates to today's topic in which I'll be discussing Helluva Boss' portrayal of racism, and my problems with it. 'Why am I talking about this?' some of you are thinking. Well due to the recent episode of 'Full Moon' on Season 2 Ep 8, specifically these lines said by Blitz to Stolas, towards the end of the episode: "Treat me like one of your butler Imps. You can just dismiss me like that! I mean you royal fucks think you can do this every time! Like you can just play with our feelings because we're smaller and not as important!"

While this line is incredibly well delivered by the voice acting, it falls flat on it's face through the writing from the previous episodes and the world building as well, it doesn't hit as hard as intended from the writers.

It Started Off so Good (Season 1):

Surprisingly, the world building wasn't all that bad, it was pretty decent (but not perfect, as I'll explain later) at the start of the series, with Imps and Hellhound racism.

This is shown with how Stolas treats Imps, by him looking down on them through his demeaning comments to Blitz calling him; little bitty imp, my impish little plaything; and even calling other imps racist comments, 'littler ones' referring to Moxxie and Millie, 'tiny wrath ring imps' to the Imps in the Harvest Moon Festival.

Aside from making racist comments, Stolas does other things, such as pinching Blitz' cheek, using his horn as an ashtray, ignoring Blitz comments on how he says his name and finally but most importantly of all, coercing Blitz into having sex with him in exchange for having the book, to keep his job.

They even show that Hellhounds are considered bottom of the barrel, with Millie's rude comments towards Luna, referring to her as a 'Hellhound' rather than saying her name, or referring to her as Blitz daughter to her parents.

However, as the series goes on there are examples of the racism in Helluva Boss being incredibly inconsistent throughout the show.

It Slowly goes Downhill:

Surprisingly, the problems start off in Season 1, where many of the Sinners that hire IMP, aren't even racist towards them, while hiring them. They just talk to them as a customer instead of the Sinners looking down at them condescendingly, making racist remarks about them, being shocked that imps are starting a business, or even opposing to the idea of imps starting a business; whether they hate the idea of imps rising up to power by starting a business since it goes against the societal norms of Hell or they feel like the business of IMP is flawed. The idea of sinners being stuck with the same person that got them killed is something that should be called out in universe, but it isn't. Another good point I forgot to mention, is that no one is even put off by Blitz, hiring and adopting Loona. A Hellhound as his daughter, giving her a job and Blitz treating him incredibly well. None of the sinners/clients, none of the Goetias (Octavia & Stolas), and not even Moxxie, Millie (who was quite racist to Loona) and the other Imps in Hell find that weird and unusual. This would establish to the audience that Imps and Hellhounds are the lowest class of hell, by how they're treated by much higher classes in Hell. The problem is that the writers use sinners who have died moments ago that ended up in Hell, such as Mrs Mayberry, Loopty Doopty & the Camp Counsellor. Instead of using Sinners who have been in Hell for years, and have been exposed to how Hell works, being racist towards IMP, Loona as a entitled customer, Blitz has to bear being mistreated and get used to it for the sake of his company and those around him.

A Snowball of Problems starts:

Before we go onto Season 2, there are massive problems. We need to address the elephant in the room in Season 1, more specifically in Episode 8 of Queen Bee, where Beelzebub the embodiment of Greed is dating, Tex, a Hellhound. Now the reason as to why this is bad, is because that no one in the show even bats an eye to it, Loona doesn't, the other Party goers don't, this doesn't have consequences of Tex talking about his relationship to Bee, such as rumours spreading from those outside the party within Hell and effecting the lives of Tex & Bee. But some of the defences may say, "Beelzebub is the sin of Greed and she's overindulging in her sin, by dating a Hellhound." If she was to overindulge in her sin, she would be eating copious amounts of food and drink, not dating Tex, someone who is a part of the lowest class of Society. She would represent her sin Greed, instead of being stupid and breaking class rules, that would possibly get her into some really serious trouble.

The weirdest part is that in the previous episode 7 called 'The Finale', where Fizz & Ozzie call out Stolas for dating a lower class Imp. Ozzie telling him, "he sold his life for a thrust" as well as Stolas worryingly glancing around at the guests in Ozzie's, worrying what will happen now that people know that he's been sleeping with an Imp.

(Side tangent: But how does Ozzie & Fizz know that Stolas has been sleeping with Blitz, just because they were seen at a club, that doesn't mean they were sleeping with each other, yeah they were at a club for lust, but .)

This problem spirals out of control, in Season 2 Episode 3, where Moxxie's Dad, Crimson, is introduced as a Mafia Boss in the Greed Ring, working with Loan Sharks.

Many people have pointed out their grievances with this idea, the reason is because that it's been established by Striker back in Season 1 in the Harvest Moon Festival, where Striker learns that Blitz, an imp, is leading his own business:

Striker: "Boss huh? *Meets Blitzo for the first time* Oh! So you're the bold imp that started his own killing bizz!" Blitz: "Yeah well when you're good at something, you should capitalise!" Striker: "Not many imps start their businesses on their own, that's impressive sir! *winks at Blitz*" Blitz: "Oh? Yeah, it is, I guess, I guess it is, isn't it!"

This scene gives exposition to the audience that imps running their own business is rare and uncommon in the realms of this Hell, to the point where it's considered 'impressive' by another imp, for his own species to lead his own business.

So Crimson, an imp, is able to run a mafia with ease, undermines the idea of imps and hellhounds being the lowest class in Hell, as he is a Mafia Boss and being able to lead a gang of sharks with ease without any problems. Since none of the Sharks goons express any racism towards Crimson, cause he is their boss or other imps, like Blitz, Millie & Moxxie.

The fact that Millie and Blitz are not shocked about Crimson, an imp, leading a Mafia or even mentioning it once during 'Exes and Oohs' is really weird, they don't talk about how he came into power or wonder how an imp was able to lead on a gang of Sharks into obeying him without any troubles. Even more unusual, is that Moxxie doesn't even talk to them on how Crimson became a Mafia Boss. Honestly, I'm surprised that Striker, didn't make a comment on Crimson being a Mafia Boss when he and Crimson met for the first time.

Speaking of Striker, let's go onto Season 2 Episode 4, 'Western Energy.'

The Snowball of Problems Gets Bigger:

This problem grows bigger in this episode, where Stella, a Goetia, who is supposed to be racist towards imps, right next to other royalties and blue bloods, is willing to pay a imp to have her husband be assassinated. It gets even worse that she's willing to pay him extra just to have him tortured. It's even worse when you take Blitzo's line from Full Moon: "I mean you royal fucks think you can do this every time! Like you can just play with our feelings because we're smaller and not as important!"

This line doesn't hit as hard as it should due to imp racism not being showcased throughout the show, the most we get it from was Stolas talking down against Blitzo. Cause the imps get treated well throughout the show, they can have jobs, they can get their own homes and are even IMP are paid by Sinners. They're even allowed to build their own families, if an imp couple would like to do so, as shown with Millie's parents. It's even worse with Hellhounds, when you consider that Vortex is allowed to date Bee, the Sin of Gluttony, or without any kind repercussions from Satan nor Asmodeus dating Fizz (since that information is now public, from FIZZ & MAMMON episode).

In Conclusion:

The racism in Helluva Boss, is hollow, due to the discrimination towards imps, not being shown in the show at all, from the Ars Goetia, to the Seven Deadly Sins, to even the Sinners who have lived longer within Hell.

[sepublic]

            I find it interesting that even in the epilogue, four years after Camila has had time to be more acquainted with the Boiling Isles under non-threatening circumstances, she’s still creeped out by it. And this is fine! The narrative isn’t condemning her for it. It’s not demanding that she enjoy these things like Luz does; It’s just asking for her to respect its existence, and to support Luz’s interest in it and love her too.

            In For the Future, we see Camila horrified by what she encounters in the Boiling Isles; But she also spends the whole episode pushing through it anyway for Luz’s sake, being there for her as much as she can. Because she knows these are just feelings and nothing more, and she’s choosing to be kind in spite of them.

            By contrast, in this same episode we find out Belos does feel empathy and guilt towards his brother and nephew, he wasn’t purely 100% only interested in what they could do for him; And yet, he’s still just as cruel and violent towards them. He’s still cruel and violent towards witches and demons, sometimes using the ‘tragedy’ of Caleb as a justification. Hell, he even resents the ghosts for making him feel guilty, telling them to “Shut up.”

            Isn’t that fascinating? Disgust is portrayed as a morally neutral thing. It’s not an indictator of morality, it doesn’t mean something is bad… But it doesn’t mean the person who feels it is bad, either, people don’t consider that enough. It’s just a gut reaction. Sometimes people have internalized biases they need to work through, but other times, it’s pretty harmless as long as they’re self-aware and don’t do anything bad over it; This even applies to the process of unlearning the aforementioned biases.

            Likewise, empathy and guilt don’t actually, necessarily make you a good person. The example with Belos shows how some people will actually be crueler because of empathy, because they resent people for being upset, and thus making them feel upset because they naturally empathize. Hence those who get angry at people in pain and need for “ruining their vibe,” because now they feel bad too.

            There’s a juxtaposition in how Camila seems genuinely more scared and creeped out by the isles on a visceral level than Belos, and yet Camila has the common sense to still respect and fight for its existence; Whereas Belos chooses to make a mountain out of a molehill because it’s not just hatred, it’s pride. It all boils down to his ego at the end of the day. In many ways, other characters struggle with dilemmas more difficult than Belos’, yet still do better than he ever has.

            This all plays into my thesis that TOH is arguing your feelings are secondary to your actions, and that the latter is what decides whether you’re a “good” person or not. In the end, someone who’s had a good life and was a dick for selfish reasons, only to choose to be better, is more sympathetic and morally superior than someone who suffered a million unfair grievances, and proceeded to dole out a million unfair grievances, with no sign of stopping; Especially from an IRL perspective, and I think our IRL feelings sometimes influence how we engage with media, and vice-versa.

            That’s why the finale –and the show as a whole– emphasizes choices, over inherent, instinctual feelings. A decent chunk of Camila’s arc could be summarized by the word Squick; In the sense that it’s meant to describe things that one feels personal disgust and discomfort towards, but otherwise has no moral condemnation or problem with; It’s just a Me thing, is the point of Squick. Camila is like that sex-repulsed ace who nevertheless supports kink at Pride.

            That gets me to how my ruminations were prompted by a similar observation; How some people lump sex-repulsed aces in with the oppressive Puritans who hate sex in anything, but that’s not true at all. Obviously there’s the rare Exception, but as a whole, sex-repulsed aces are on the side of other queers who ARE sexual and are demanding to let these things be normalized; It’s not for them, but they have no moral condemnation and will fight for it in solidarity anyway, especially since both are hated by the system regardless. Sound familiar?

[snoringkitty1]

Figured why not, might be fun. Sebastian Solace, Pressure.

𐙚

• Sebastian is, of course, not a fan of touch, naturally after all he has experienced, so if he does not trust you enough, I'd advise you not to let your hands wander from his hands, yet.

• He is very lonely down there, being fueled only by spite and revenge, but he ultimately has learned how to survive with minimal positive interactions.

• Visiting Painter can at times be more of a chore whenever the depressed AI is feeling extra depressed, it only serves to bring his mood down exponentially.

• He slept maybe once every other day until you came along? He didn't feel comfortable leaving the shop unattended for even a few hours, he didn't need Expendables to wander in even with the vent grate on and steal what Research he had and any of his items regardless of whether he got them back or not.

• When he trusts you enough, however, the shop will be in your care while he sleeps. You aren't as intimidating as a giant mutated snake fish man, but if any problems arise he was a light enough sleeper to have his gun ready and waiting.

He has resorted to cannibalism to survive, eating whatever is left of expendables or operatives, there is no food down there after ten years, at first he struggled to force it down, wanted to retain the smallest amount of his humanity but, at the end of the day, it was that or starvation, or wall dwellers, which weren't much better and harder to find.

If you also have to resort to cannibalism, which you probably will if you're stuck down there with him, a long cuddle session will probably follow, with both of you probably crying like babies at what you'd done, even if for survival, even if they were criminals, even if they were trying to kill you.

• When you two have spent enough time around each other to be a little more comfortable, he'll slowly but surely lose bits of clothing, sleeping in all of that can be incredibly uncomfortable, so he likes stripping down when he feels comfortable enough to do so and knows none other then you will see it.

• Because at the end of the day, he is insecure about himself. He knows there is nothing to be done about the way he is now, it's been too long to reverse it if Urbanshade even would, and he wouldn't let any of their surgeons anywhere near him ever again.

• He misses being human, having the dexterity of ten fingers, and feeling your legs get weaker after running for a while. Perhaps he envies you, for retaining a humanoid figure, though he wouldn't admit it.

• His mama raised him right, he would never treat his lover wrong, especially if said lover was there for him in the hell that is the Blacksite. He won't do anything to hurt you and will do anything to keep you safe.

• On that note, he is very gentle, he knows how strong he is, and the last thing he wants to do is to somehow harm you in some way. So his hold can be loose, at times, not out of distaste, but concern that if he squeezes too hard, he might hurt you.

• He likes to lay in rooms with Sea bunnies, the cozy comfort of the curious and sweet little life forms makes him feel comfortable. When combined with you he might just fall asleep like a baby.

• He might try to limit your interactions with other expendables, he doesn't want them to know he plays favorites...

• Ultimately, as a boyfriend, whether Human or the way he is now, he is gentle and loving. He is there for you if you are there for him.

• We all know this guy misses his cigarettes, I bet he would get them before he set everything free. Sure he had to spend a decent bit of what little money he earned to feed his addiction but it eased his stress and helped him think, probably helped him think up how he would fuck everyone over.

• His love language is probably a form of mean banter, calling you names with a lopsided grin while actively patting your head or holding you. If you indulge him and play along, or call him names back, he'd probably be a little dramatic, act soooo wounded over your words.

• He's a silly dude like that

• He probably calls you an idiot or moron on occasion, and flicks the side of your head now and then, before grinning like a bastard when you get annoyed with him.

• His lanky serpent body is definitely a comfortable heater, never have to worry about being cold if he's sleeping with you. Though there might be times his tail will end up on you in your sleep, and might make it hard to breathe.

• That's why his favorite position to sleep in is on his back, with you lying on his chest. He couldn't care less about being your mattress if it meant he always knew you were ok in your sleep, able to feel your heartbeat if he pressed on your upper back a bit.

• He stresses over your well-being quite a bit, who knows what random things could happen, he might be no doctor but he will do his damn best to make you feel 10x better.

• He is sorta 'afraid' of mouth-to-mouth kisses? Believe it or not, he isn't very experienced. He has spent his life as an adult in the Blacksite after all.

• With some assurance he'll give kisses more often after a while, though his favorite place to kiss is probably your head or hands.

• You gotta be careful if you end up swimming with him. If you don't pay enough attention you might accidentally get smacked by his tail, it's hard to keep track of where the whole thing is at times otherwise he wouldn't let that happen.

• He misses his mom, we all know this, he misses home-cooked meals and his bed. Wanting to play guitar again like he used to, he wants to feel the warmth of sunlight again, though he knows he may die before that ever happens.

• He does not cry, if he does, he will do his damn best to hide it from you, or anyone for that matter. If you catch him in such a state, however, he probably doesn't have to will to push you away, so give him a hug and some love, it won't fix everything, but it will make everything a little better.

Now for the freaky headcanons.

He is still gentle in bed, if he was rough in any regard he'd be too scared of hurting you.

Because of snake DNA, i do think he has two, i don't think there's enough female angler DNA to really effect that too severely. To accommodate his height, it is defffffffffinetly monster cock but, hey, monster fuckers exist.

The snake DNA really pulls through, i reckon his tongue is decently longer then a normal persons, nothing too big but the difference is noticeable, i think it might also be why he's afraid of kisses initially.

Sharp teeth make it hard to leave behind any marks that don't bleed, so hickies aren't really his thing as much as he would probably love to mark his lover up.

I think he has decent libido, though his sex drive isn't the highest, once you get him going he is gone.

Switch energy personally, it depends on how he's feeling at the end of the day. Whether he's been tired all day, or if he's had the opportunity to rest at some point, all depends on his energy levels.

I do think most of the time he is a top though, he's a little controlling, position and such will be up to him unless you straight up tell him no.

He definitely dirty talks, with a voice like his??? Bro, me personally i think i would lose my mind. He'd speak low and softly, a whisper that'd rumble in his chest and send shivers running up and down your body, leaving goosebumps in their tracks.

In terms of aftercare, his options are very limited. There isn't really warm water he can supply to ease any soreness left behind, and if he lingers too close to you, you'll probably get too hot.

So at the end of the day, or round, he'll lay with you and tease and mess with you until you fall asleep listening to his playful or sly remarks. It's the best he can do with options so limited, it's not like he can cook a decent meal either.

[ethereal-writes]

How hyper is too hyper for each of the brothers?

I can get sugar rushes easily and I just wanna enjoy some coffee without the need to run around the house and chat with people. I have to have decaf coffee.

(I like the post I found once where Mc drank an energy drink Levi handed them and is running everywhere creating chaos.)

Obey Me Brothers With A Hyper GN!MC

Warnings: None!

Length: 0.5k words

Summary: How well would the demon brothers put up with a hyper MC?

A/N: Thank you so much for your request! I know it's been a very long time since you sent it in, I apologize for that, but I hope I did the concept justice :D

-Ethereal (ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

Lucifer can handle it better than you might think. He has to spend all day putting up with his brothers after all, and is pretty used to all the chaos. If you want to sit there and talk his ear off while he works on his copious amounts of paperwork, he wouldn’t have a problem with that…though how much he’s actually listening to you is up for debate. If you’re still going by he time he’s finished, he’d probably be willing to take a walk with you to burn off the rest of that energy. Overall 7/10.

Mammon and Asmo are both extremely hyper, so they’d be happy to match your energy. You want to sit there and talk for hours? Mammon will tell you all about his latest money-making schemes while Asmo goes on and on about his latest skincare routine. You need to get up and move? They’d be down to walk around the neighborhood or go dancing. Overall 10/10.

Leviathan would be fantastic to talk to if you want to talk nonstop. He’s a really good listener, and if you want to go on tangents while the two of you are gaming he wouldn’t mind at all. He’ll probably return that energy, going on his own tangents about the latest in-game events or fandom discourse (regardless of whether he’s caffeinated or not). However, if you’re physically energized, you might be on your own. He might play a few rounds of DevilDance with you, but after that he’d probably watch you until you tire yourself out. Overall 5/10.

Satan would probably struggle a bit to keep up with you if you were rapidly jumping from topic to topic. It's not really his usual way of conversation, he prefers to stick to one and delve deeper into it. He probably won't jump in too much, but he'd find it very interesting to listen to the way you connect one thought to another so insanely fast. And if you needed to burn off some physical energy, he'd be happy to take you on a walk around the neighborhood. He knows where all of the local stray cats hang out, and y'all can make a day of it :D

Beelzebub would be pretty decent regardless of how your hyper energy manifested. If he notices you being incredibly restless, he might ask you if you want to go to the gym to burn off some of the energy. If that’s not your thing, he’s also happy to just walk around the neighborhood with you. If you’re talking a lot, he probably won’t match your energy. Partially because he doesn’t talk much anyway, but he also wants to let you talk uninterrupted and listen to everything you have to say. Overall 8/10.

Belphegor would objectively be the worst one to go to when you’re hyper. Not only does he probably not want to spent a lot of time physically exerting himself, but if you’re talking while he’s trying to sleep (which is most of the time) he’s either going to ignore you completely or probably shush you. Overall 1/10.

[wisteriaiswriting]

Hello! May I request for Sova, Iso, Gekko, Jett, cypher, and Reyna reacting to a reader who absolutely loves sour things? For example she eats lemons like oranges in a daily basis and eats super sour candy like it's nothing

𝔼𝕒𝕤𝕪 ℙ𝕖𝕒𝕤𝕪 𝕃𝕖𝕞𝕠𝕟 𝕊𝕢𝕦𝕖𝕖𝕫𝕪

Words: 864

He’ll search around for any type of sour recipes, to either make them himself or find someone else if he has a lack of time.

Most of the time he’ll try the food, whether or not he actually likes them (I imagine him as a spicer type.) you’ll be able to have the majority.

He’ll search around for any type of sour recipes, to either make them himself or find someone else if he has a lack of time.

Most of the time he’ll try the food, whether or not he actually likes them (I imagine him as a spicer type.) you’ll be able to have the majority.

***

Hours ago he left, and the only answer you got when asked was ‘Market.’ It seemed he was planning something as he would normally tell you, and even ask if you would accompany him.

This time though you were left in the dark until he returned. Which luckily wasn’t too long ago, now you had to endure him removing you from the kitchen for who knows how long. First he leaves you then bans you from your own house? What was he up to?

Well luck seemed to be on your side today as he was quick to call for you. Returning to see a bunch of packets on the counter, a closer inspection only showed Russian writing on them. Even with the images you had no clue.

“Y/N, I believe you’ve been asking about my homelands candy?”

Oh…

Majority of the time he just… doesn’t notice the amount of sour stuff you eat.

The only items he notices are the wrappers, fruits and other foods, although he won’t question you about it.

***

Recently Iso had started noticing a few things. Such as candy wrappers, especially sour candy. The fruit bowls had more lemons and other citrus fruits then the normal ones, the pantry was similar.

It wasn’t weird though, he had his preferences and you had yours. It just seemed to be sour food. While he wouldn’t eat it much if you enjoyed it he wouldn’t complain.

He’s learnt to handle anything but sour growing up.

If you eat anything sour in his sight he will openly cringe, might say something as well.

***

Gekko was bored. Everyone else was either on a mission or just too busy to deal with him, except you. He found you in the kitchen, eating what he assumed were grapes, from a bowl.

“Mateo, what some?” You held your hand out, which held the fruits. Ones he took gracefully. The sweet flavour never showed, instead covered by immediate sourness. Causing him to spit them out.

“What was that?”

“Hmm?”

“Those!” He pointed at the mess.

“Oh, they’re Gooseberries.”

She's cooked and tasted more than her fair share of sour food, so she’s learnt how to handle it.

Is aware not many people can handle sour well, but that won’t stop her from teasing anyone.

***

It was Jett’s turn to make dinner, and this time she made Tungsuyuk. She’s grown so used to cooking for the both of you she honestly forgot how others couldn’t handle the sourness of it.

But she also made yours special, able to give you a larger portion. Even then the others couldn’t handle it.

“Jett! What did you put in this?”

“C’mon Neon, I thought you could handle this?” Turns out she couldn’t, watching the group either give up or drink more water.

Due to his connections and access, if there's something you want he’ll be able to get it, the only problem is if he will.

He is kinda a picky eater, also much prefers spice over sour. So he won’t try many, only a select few me might enjoy.

***

The mission brief had just finished, and unluckily for you Cypher managed to scurry off from you. So until he came back around you’d have to either entertain yourself or find someone, but it seems he thought of that already.

As a decently sized box sat on your bed, seemingly just delivered as all the agents were in the meeting. And on top sat a note.

‘My Dear,

Hopefully these are to your liking, I’ll be waiting for your answer.

Love, Amir.’

And you guessed it, the box was full of sour Moroccan snacks and foods. Knowing he’ll be ready to order them and more.

This woman is not fazed, as she’s seen worse things. But will look at you like you asked the dumbest question ever if she sees you eating a lemon, at all.

From her experience souls taste… different to say. And a good few are weirdly sour, so she isn’t too put off by their flavour and sensation.

***

The day was just another, this one neither you or Reyna were to be sent on missions. So you spent it hanging around with others, while she was training. When she finally finished she started walking back to her room, passing you and Gekko in the living area.

A quick glance had her brain assuming you held an orange, nothing out of the ordinary. Until Gekko spoke up.

“Ew dude, why would you- stay away!”

At first she was alarmed until she remembered who you two were. Slowly stepping back to see you holding out the orange- wait no, that's not an orange. You were holding a lemon, one that currently had a bite mark.

At the realization she could only stare at you, turning into a glare when you made eye contact.

“Want some?”

[baby-tini]

Heyyy!! Ily GURL 💗 I love your contents so much. It's a shame now requests are closed. But when requests will be open can you please answer this?

How'd all time line Mikey would react to their darling getting pregnant accidentally? What kind of father they might be?

My inbox isn't open yet, but I had this idea in my drafts for a while and my baby fever with Mikey is baddd. OG\Timeline- He wouldn't hate it but, he'd be pretty distant for a couple days, he would need time too come to terms with the news and how he feels about it. When he does come too terms with it though, he actually would be a pretty decent father, his only big problem is he'd be quite absent, because of his.. job. He'd take the next couple days, after you told him, too sit you down and talk about it, how you wanted everything too go, if you even wanted too keep it. Dating him obviously comes with dangers, for you, but even more so with a child involved. He'd let you know everything that could happen, with carrying his child but he'd leave it up to you on whether or not, you'd wanna keep it. He'd definitely step up and be a father, taking care of you and the child, protecting you both with his life. The child obviously can't have a normal childhood but this version of Mikey would do the best he can in order too make his child feel normal. Manila- He'd have a mixed reaction, he'd be pretty silent at first, maybe leaving the apartment for a couple days then he'd come back, feeling a little better after taking some time too process everything, he'd be pretty excited about having a kid. After loosing all his friends, by his own hands, he'd be pretty scared that he'd hurt his child but with a lot of reassurance, he would be a good dad. He'd do lot of the work as well, when you're tired, he'd change the baby, if the baby is taking formula or is bottle ready, he'd feed the baby as he held them, starring down into their little eyes as the baby grabs at him. He did start tearing up when the babies first words were dada, Mikey had the biggest, cockiest smirk on his face and he bragged about it for days on end. He would also absolutely teach his child martial arts, all the Mikey timelines would, but with Manila Mikey it'd be a fun little activity. Kanto- When you tell him you're pregnant, he'd just stare at you for a bit, his eyes dark and blank as he reads the pregnancy test over and over again. He really didn't want you too keep the baby at first but as your stomach grew and your pregnancy moved further along, he started too like the idea of having a child with you. This version of Mikey takes a while too become attached to the child, not wanting too build a bond with the baby, knowing something could go wrong or they might get hurt, but evidently when you find Mikey holding the sleeping baby in his arms, telling them that he'd protect the baby with his life at three in the morning, you know he loves his child even if he can be a little cold. He can't be super active in his babies life but he does always carry a picture of the baby on him. He does let the baby sit on his lap when he's in meetings, he dares someone too say something about it. To be honest, he surprisingly has the baby more then you do, scared that if the baby leaves his sight something bad will happen.

Bonten- He'd stare blankly before asking you too repeat yourself too make sure he heard you right the first time. When you do, multiple times at that, repeat yourself and show him the test, he goes quiet and just sits there, starring at your stomach. He's not very helpful through-out the pregnancy, being that, he is constantly busy so he'll have, mainly, Kakucho help you, getting you anything you, whenever you need it. All of the executives are made aware of your pregnancy and are told too do as you ask. They are also expected too protect you with their lives, meaning you're under security constantly, you don't really have much privacy, if any at all. Mikey expects constant update through-out the day, he doesn't care if it's meaningless, he wants too know about it. He will spend more time with you though but it takes a couple days for him too even hold the baby after they're born, scared that he'll drop them or hurt them. I will say however that your child is the safest human being in the world, there's constantly very armed security around you and the baby. That child will be so spoiled, anything they want, whenever they want, whatever they want. Street Racer- The best father out of all the Mikey timelines. He'd be very happy if you got pregnant, accidently or not. He is cannonly a very family-oriented person, so he'd be so happy too have his own little family. As soon as you tell him, he's calling everyone, all his friends, his family and he's so excited. As he's talking too Draken and telling him the wonderful news, he does start crying, he's so scared about what kind of father he'd be and that something could still go wrong in this timeline. Meaning that something could still happen to his family but when Draken explains that, while his worries are valid, Mikey would make an amazing father and that this timeline is safe and he has nothing too worry about. With the reassurance from his friends and family, but most importantly, you. He calms down a lot, this version of Mikey would be and is the most active in his child life. Going too all their school functions, their sports games, attending every graduation. He is literally the perfect father. Just a cute little HC of mine but I picture all Mikeys too be a girl dad, but I think it would be so fucking cute if Mikey had a son named Tanjiro (not because of demon slayer but because it's similar to Manjiro.) that looked exactly like him, the black eyes, the blonde hair and the love for Dorayaki. It would just be so cute, too have a little mini Mikey running around.

[mikelogan]

Hello. 🥺I hope you can still remember me! 😂 would you mind provide me the specific tutorial on how to make these HQ gifs especially this post: https://www.tumblr.com/sinnersmovie/781373995991826432/the-pitt-2025-created-by-r-scott?source=share ? 🥺 the quality is really nice! I have the problem of gif making, the thing is that I have followed many tutorials on how to make HQ gifs but it always turn out differently even tho I follow every step.. I am too confused. Literally, so desperate to fix the problem 😭 not sure what did I do wrong..

yes, hi!!! so, for this gifset from the pitt, i can walk you through my process on capturing footage and coloring, but if what you're struggling with is quality, the most important part is the file and definition of the footage you're working with.

i personally almost exclusively use 1080p footage with a decent file size. a file can be HD and still vary in size from a couple hundred megabytes to several gigabytes. this will also depend on the length of the episodes (half-hour episodes vs. an hour-plus). since we're talking specifically about my gifs of the pitt, my DLs of the episodes are all in the 2-3.5gb range, give or take.

i know there are gifmakers that swear by 4k footage and i certainly won't deny that gifs made from 4k files are stunning, but i've already spent a lot of money on external hard drives and don't have the space to spare for the frankly massive sizes of 4k movies and tv. besides, most 1080p quality gifs turn out perfectly well!

below the cut, i'll show you how i capture, gif, and color scenes from the pitt like this:

note: this tutorial is beginner-oriented!

step 1a: once you obtain your file (this is not a piracy tutorial lmao, but if you google "piracy reddit" you can find a lot of reputable suggestions for sites to peruse), it's time to screencap or clip the scene(s) you want to gif. i would say that, from what i've seen, most gifmakers use screencaps, but i highly prefer taking short video clips (which i keep and usually label for future use/reference), so i'll be showing you that version. if you would prefer to screencap, please check the "beginner tutorials" tag on my resource blog @gifmakerresource

step 1b. i only use windows pcs, so i can't give any specialized info regarding macs, just as a disclaimer. i use the program VLC Media Player, both for clipping scenes and as my regular media player on both my laptop and my desktop. to initially set up vlc's recording capabilities, i used this website (please just ignore all their annoying advertising for movavi).

step 1c. now that vlc is set up to record footage played through it, i open my video clip (ctrl+o) and navigate to the scene i ultimately want to gif. i typically recommend recording an extra 5-10 seconds before and after the clip, especially if you need to convert the clip afterwards.

step 1d (optional). depending on the file format of your episode, you may need to convert the clips you take before photoshop will accept them. for example, a vast majority of the files i download are mkv files, but photoshop works best with mp4 files. for this, i use another program called HandBrake. once downloaded, i add whatever file(s) i need to convert, select the appropriate preset (which is almost always "Super HQ 1080p30 Surround" to maintain as much of the original quality as possible). you can select where the converted files automatically save for organization purposes, just like with vlc.

step 2. now that we have the clip we want to turn into a gif, it's time to bring it into photoshop. to do so, select file -> import video frames to layers. once you select your video clip, photoshop will pop up with a little media player with a few controls. here's what that looks like:

the box on the left that i've highlighted is what you'll adjust depending on whether you want to load in the entire clip or a specific range of the clip. with the way i clip scenes, i have quite literally NEVER used "from beginning to end." instead, i use the toggles on either side of the progress bar (circled in red) to select a specific range. you don't have to be overly precise with this as you can always delete extra frames, so i'll navigate using those little arrows until i roughly have the shot i want to turn into one gif and click okay. i would not recommend checking "limit to every x frames" because while this can help with file size, it will make your gif appear choppy. make sure "make frame animation" is checked.

this is what photoshop looks like after clicking OK:

across the bottom are the frames. make sure that "forever" is selected at the bottom left rather than once or three times. this makes sure that wherever you post your gif, it will play continuously. the 0.04 below each frame is the frame rate -- at this setting, each frame plays for four tenths of a second. this might vary depending on your source material, but i HIGHLY recommend using 0.05-0.06. we're not going to worry about that yet, though, so don't bother changing it right now.

over on the right under "layers" are, you guessed it, each frame's corresponding layer. now, i could go more in-depth on this, but i don't gif using frame animation. i used to a very long time ago (over ten years ago), but i use a series of actions to convert to timeline animation. before doing that, however, i execute a couple more steps first.

step 3 (optional). i may be a slob irl, but i'm extremely organized and neat on my computers, so the first thing i do is use an action i created to select all the layers and put them into a group. to manually do this, you can either click on the first (or last) layer and then click on the last (or first) while holding down shift OR you can go to select -> all layers OR you can use the keyboard shortcut alt+ctrl+a. i just turned this process into an action to save time.

step 4 (optional). delete any excess frames. because i don't bother with being extremely precise with photoshop's media player, i usually have to trim off extra frames at the beginning and/or end of my gif. to delete frames, select the first frame and either hold down control and click each one or hold down shift and click the last one to select everything in between. once the frames you want to delete are selected, click the little trashcan below the frames (near the left side just before the horizontal scrollbar).

note: to watch your gif at any time, simply press the spacebar. press it again to pause.

step 5. while everyone's process is different, i prefer to crop my gif to its final proportions here. there's nothing wrong with doing it later, but sharpening and coloring can take longer at larger dimensions. the width of a single gif in a row on tumblr needs to be 540px. two gifs in a row are both 268px wide. three gifs in a row are 177px, thus making tumblr's gutters (the small transparent spaces separating gifs) 4px.

step 6. this is when i sharpen my gif and convert it to timeline animation. when it comes to sharpening, i think everyone probably does it a little differently. here's how i sharpen my gifs (which i turned into an action to save time) and here's the sharpening tutorials tag on my resource blog. as with most things gifmaking-related, i recommend trial and error. try different things until you find what you like! once again, to save time, i turned that sharpening tutorial (and its base sharpening) and the timeline conversion into a single action.

to convert your gif from frame animation to timeline, you need to select all your layers and all your frames and select "convert to video timeline" from the menu after clicking these three lines:

this is what i have once i've run my action to sharpen and convert:

you can adjust how zoomed in your timeline is with the slider at the bottom and if you're having issues with playback (though especially with larger/longer gifs, it always takes a while to load before playing smoothly) click the gear icon near the top of this screenshot and make sure it's set to 100% and to loop playback.

(group 2 is my vivid sharpening per the tutorial i linked, so if you don't use that, yours won't look exactly like this.)

step 7. time for my favorite part: coloring! now, i'd recommend taking a look at coloring tutorials as every show and every movie is going to be different. even separate scenes in the same episode can have totally different lighting. i have a bad good habit of saving just about every psd (photoshop file that contains all coloring adjustment layers), so there are times where i can just reuse a coloring i've already made rather than having to color each gifset from scratch, but you might be surprised just how much i DO color from scratch.

in several of my other gif tutorials, i explain and go step-by-step through my entire coloring process and why i use the adjustment layers i use, but as i said, what works for one scene may not work for another, so the best thing i can recommend is to familiarize yourself with commonly-utilized adjustment layers. play around with them, see what each one does, and over time, you'll be able to recognize which ones to use and when to use them. the adjustment layers i use are brightness/contrast, curves, selective color, channel mixer, gradient map, vibrance, hue/saturation, photo filter, levels, and exposure. the bolded ones are the ones i use on almost every single coloring.

on the navigation page on my resource blog, you can find a lot of tutorials that are specific to one or more types of adjustment layers and i encourage you to check those out as well as explore the navigation page itself.

here's an overview of my coloring for the pitt:

and here's a visualization for you of what each layer does:

(top to bottom, left to right) no coloring, brightness/contrast, adding curves, adding selective color 1 (black, neutrals, and white), adding selective color 2 (blue and cyan), adding gradient map (b&w set to 25%), fully colored, without vivid sharpening, and a comparison of the original to the full-coloring.

step 8. it's time to save! i HIGHLY recommend using this save action from @anyataylorjoy as it's a total lifesaver. if you save your gif right from here, photoshop will automatically set your frame rate to 0.07. while i used to gif at 0.07, i cannot believe how slow and choppy that looks now. all of my gifs are now 0.05, which is what this action does in part. without this action, you'd have to save your gif here and then open that file, change your frame rate, and re-save.

once this action has finished running, you go to file -> export -> save for web (legacy). here are my save settings, which do make a difference:

just remember, to be uploaded to tumblr, a single gif must be below 10mb in size. # of frames, #of colors, and dimensions all play a big part in the size of your gif. here's the finished gif at 540px:

to sum up, what's most important when trying to make high-quality gifs is the quality of your footage. generally, the larger the file size the better, but you do not have to use 4k instead of 1080p. and a 3gb 1080p file will likely look higher quality than a 300mb 1080p file. sharpening and coloring go into it, yes, but they're probably not going to make or break your gif.

as always, if you have additional questions or need clarification on any part of this tutorial, please let me know! i don't believe in gatekeeping and will always help to the best of my ability (it just might take me a few days).

[wandaluvstacos]

I am begging people to stop buying this damn sewing machine for anyone older than 12.

As a toy for children, it's acceptable. If you ACTUALLY want to sew something, do not get a cheap piece of crap from Walmart for $35!! You'll work on this thing for 15 minutes, it will suck, you will get frustrated, and then you'll tell yourself that you are simply incapable of sewing and that it's too complicated for you. But it's not your fault-- you are working with a child's toy. That's like giving up on driving a car because your Barbie Jeep's battery dies the first 5 minutes you're in it.

My two recommendations:

First and most recommended: You get a LIGHTLY USED modern plastic machine for cheap off Facebook Marketplace or your local sewing machine repair shop. I'm talking less than 10 years old. You ask the seller "do you use this regularly" or "has this been serviced". Try to buy from someone who has used the machine recently because they'll know its ins-and-outs. You can find a modern machine for like $30 on Facebook Marketplace from someone who has actually used it (I would not recommend Goodwill or anywhere you can't speak to the person who used it before you, if you are just starting out). One highly recommended modern machine for beginners is the Singer Heavy Duty.

It's $200 new but you can easily find one much cheaper used. It's simple to use and will hold up to basic sewing for the time it will take you to decide whether you want to sew or not. Other modern Singers suck ass; save yourself the trouble. Go with the Singer Heavy Duty or a Brother, or even a Janome if you can find one cheap enough. Stay away from anything that's not a time-trusted brand.

The Brother CS6000i is a decent beginner's machine.

Again, do not buy machines off eBay unless they make it CLEAR that it has been fully serviced and is in perfect working condition. They honestly aren't much cheaper used on eBay than they are new, so best to buy it from someone on Facebook Marketplace or at a sewing machine repair place.

Second recommendation: Buy a VINTAGE METAL machine that has been fully serviced or in perfect working condition. These are more difficult to find serviced, so I wouldn't recommend it unless you find one on FB Marketplace (though the one I got on eBay worked perfectly out of the box). There will be TONS of very cheap vintage machines on FB Marketplace, but the problem with these is that they've often been sitting in a cabinet for 20 years, unused. Not great for learning on. You can also buy one of these machines and have it serviced, but having a machine serviced will cost more than the machine is worth, more often than not.

There are benefits to a vintage metal machine over a modern plastic one. it will last your lifetime. It can sew through thick, difficult fabrics. They're much better looking imo. They likely won't break unless you drop them down a stairwell. However, the oldest ones only do a straight stitch, and speaking as someone who has vintage and a modern machine... the automatic buttonholer and overlock stitch are nice to have! But the vast majority of the stitching you will do will only be zig zag (for stretch knits/elastic) or straight stitch. The zig zag feature became available in most domestic sewing machines by the late 1950s.

Any vintage machine made before 1970 will be fine to sew with; everything was pretty good quality back then. 1970s era Kenmores are ugly and basic but they are cheap while also being excellent machines, and they're the "newest" domestic machine you can get that's still all metal.

Any Singer will have easy-to-replace parts, have easily findable user manuals, and every sewing machine repairman will be able to fix them. The uglier ones in the 1960s are dirt cheap, if you make sure it's not younger than the 628 or 337. Both of these machines are the cheapest vintage all-metal Singers you'll find and they work fine (and they do zig zag stitches).

Do NOT get a Touch n Sew or Stylist made in the late 1960s or later. Generally if it has plastic buttons, it's got something plastic inside (not always, but with Singers, often). These Golden Touch n Sews are in fact Touch n Throw (away).

Any old black machine will be fine and very simple to use, and I think they look gorgeous, but they only straight stitch, so you won't be able to sew your own leggings on them. If you only want to make curtains, quilts, or bags or something, they will work fantastic for that. Just make sure they're serviced, as these things usually are not.

I'm going to talk to my younger, beginner self: Just because it's a used, older machine does not make it worse!

Even used modern plastic machines can work fine. It's rare that people are selling a machine as WORKING when it doesn't work. People tend to be honest about it. Usually they are selling it because they lost interest, it was given to them by a family member, or they just don't use it enough to keep around. Buying used is almost always the best, cheapest option for a beginner. Stop buying these cheapo gadgets on Amazon! They will only make you hate sewing machines.

[birinboom]

My Roommate and I

Kirishima Eijiro x Fem!Reader Word count: 6,336 words Summary: You don’t know your roommate all that well. He’s fine as roommates go, cleans up after himself, bills paid on time. But he isn’t around enough for you to actually get to know him. Things begin to change when the pandemic forces both of you to stay at home and your social butterfly of a roommate loses IRL access to his friends. Genre: Quirkless AU, roommates to lovers, pandemic fic, forced proximity, domestic fluff, romance Warning: mention of past Kiri-Mina, food/eating, swearing, alcohol, Eijiro calls Reader ‘babe’ Note: This fic is a part of the @ficsforgaza initiative - thank you so much to those who sponsored it!! 💖💖💖

The first time you meet Eijiro, you could only describe him as big and bright. Big and bright smile, big and bright personality, big stature in a bright outfit, big and bright hair. You wonder briefly if his hair is dyed and whether he dyes it himself. Then you shrug. The two of you have separate bathrooms so if he leaves red dye streaks everywhere, that’s his own problem. He can take it up with the landlord when he eventually moves out.

You’re happy, though, that he agreed to meet up with you before moving in. You'd be a bit freaked out seeing a stranger in your home, even if you knew that he’d be moving in. And this makes it easier to sit down with him early on to go over some general rules and a chore chart for the common areas.

It turns out that Eijiro’s a pretty decent roommate. He keeps his clutter out of the kitchen and living room, he cleans his assigned areas, he leaves your food alone, he pays rent on time. Most of this, you think, is probably attributed to him only really using his room for sleep. You rarely see him outside of early mornings when you're both preparing for work. After work he usually hangs out with his friends, or goes to the gym, or whatever a guy like him does, only coming home long after you've retired to your own room.

You don't really mind; you have the apartment mostly to yourself this way. And it's not like you really know him, anyway. He's just a roommate.

Time passes. You count yourself lucky, hearing some of your friends’ horror stories about their roommates from hell. 

Then the pandemic lockdowns happen.

You’re fortunate that you’re able to do your job remotely. Eijiro, however, is fired; he tells you so in passing. But he quickly adds that he’ll get by on unemployment until he finds another job, so no need to worry!

You're honestly surprised that he doesn't go stay with one of his friends. But he unfortunately doesn't, which means that you’re now stuck with him constantly at home. And you learn yet another aspect of his personality: just how frustratingly loud he can be. He cranks the volume on video calls with his friends -to the point where you can hear their voices clearly through his headphones- and he laughs boisterously at almost anything they say. He shrieks and hollers at the online games they play. And even though he's quick to turn the volume down with a sheepish ‘whoops, my roomie got mad’ when you poke your head out of your room to scowl at him, it still frustrates you to no end. You still have work for goodness’ sake! 

You soon come to realize that Eijiro’s very existence is loud, even when he’s not yapping with his friends. It seems that all he does during his waking hours is never-ending chit-chat and exercising in the middle of the living room, grunting up a storm. These two things sometimes happen at the same time, making you want to scream. 

Adding onto your frustrations are his so-called ‘cooking experiments,’ the stench of burned food often hanging in the air for hours after he finishes cooking, pots and pans left to soak overnight. You do have to admit, though, that they might very well need the soaking, given the amount of charred food on them. And Eijiro usually cleans them up the next morning without prompting. Usually. 

It’s just two more weeks, you tell yourself, then things will open up again and he can go spend time SOMEWHERE ELSE!

Things go on like this for months, your urge to throw him out a window slowly growing with each day.

Then, one Saturday morning, you find him sitting at the dining table, eyes red-rimmed and nose running. Your first thought is that he caught covid. But there’s something off about the scene; Eijiro isn’t behaving like someone who’s sick. He absentmindedly moves his cereal around in the bowl, lifts the spoon, then lowers it again. His breathing stutters, he hiccups, then lets out a shaky sigh. And it hits you; he’s not sick, nor is he potentially hungover. He’s trying his best to not cry. 

You almost wish you could back into your bedroom, pretend like you didn’t notice anything to give him some privacy. But it’s too late.

“Oh!” you hear him croak as he sees you, followed by a very wet sniffle.

Guess I’m dealing with this now, you think. The two of you had a pretty decent -if almost non-existent- relationship before the lockdown, right? You really ought to be a good roommate.

“Are you alright?” you ask. It seems stupid in hindsight, he’s clearly far from alright.

And Eijiro admits as much. 

“I… … no.” 

You watch as he clenches his teeth, lower lip wobbling, trying to breathe through whatever this is. And you sigh. Yeah, it’s time to be a good roommate. 

Moving into the kitchen, you begin fixing your own bowl of cereal. You figure this conversation might be easier for him if you’re not looking straight at him. He’s always seemed like the type of hyper-masculine person who’d hate crying in front of others.

“What’s going on?” you ask.

Eijiro sniffles again. He’s silent for a moment, then he draws in a deep, shaky breath. “I’m so fucking lonely,” he admits.

Humming in response, you eye the pot of coffee he made earlier. Surely he won’t mind if you have some, not when you’re listening to him vent. You pull a cup from the cupboard.

“But you talk with your friends all the time, don’t you?” You have to fight not to make a snippy comment about how loud they usually are; now isn’t the time for that.

He shifts in his seat. “’S not the same,” he says, then adds in a smaller voice, “Not at all.”

Placing your filled coffee cup next to you, you finally turn to face him, leaning against the counter, cereal bowl balanced in one hand. Sitting in front of him at the table still feels a bit too intimate with the mood he’s in.

His silhouette is dark against the light from the window at the end of the room, mirroring his emotions. You realize that his hair isn’t styled into the normal spikes; instead it’s drooping around his face, making him seem smaller, almost like he’s folding in on himself. Like he’s trying to hide. You barely recognize him.

“How is it not the same?” you ask, deciding to prod just a little bit. “Is it because you’re not in the same room?”

“It’s not just that!” he responds. “I can kinda get there if I really crank the volume, but…”

Oh, you think, is that why he prefers it so loud? Here you just thought he was obnoxious and had no respect for your working hours. Or your sleep.

“But?” you prod again.

Eijiro sighs deeply. When he speaks again, his voice croaks with held-back tears. “I miss physical touch. We’re pretty tight, me ‘n my friends. We hug each other a lot.” He sighs again; it almost sounds like his heart is breaking. “Not being in the same room as them, not being able to hear their voices except through headphones - it already hurts. But not being able to reach out and touch them is… it’s so much worse.” 

He swallows hard, then continues, “Denki’s roommate moved back home with their parents; to assist them, I think. So he’s alone too. He cried on our call yesterday. And I couldn’t do anything; couldn’t offer him a tissue, or a hug, or anything!”

You have no idea who Denki is. But it strikes you that Eijiro described him as ‘alone too.’ Denki, it seems, really is alone if his roommate has moved out. Did Eijiro truly see himself in the same situation, even with you here? You swallow hard. Maybe you haven’t been as good a roommate as you thought. 

Looking at the cereal bowl in your hand, you absentmindedly stir it, much like Eijiro had done with his own bowl just a moment before. Seems like you might have misjudged him too, if he truly gives physical affection to his friends as freely as he just described. You hadn’t expected that - you’ve always seen him as the classic, super macho gym-nut who might catch the gay if he’s in the vicinity of the color pink. Not that he’s ever given you any reason to believe that, you slowly realize. This was all your own prejudice. You really haven’t been a good roommate. And that realization stings.

Looking at Eijiro again, you feel like you see him in a different light. You read an article just the night before about how the pandemic has left a lot of people touch-starved when they can’t participate in their usual social activities. 

The article suggested moving in with friends, with family, even with friends-with-benefits, just to stave off touch-starvation and loneliness. You have to admit that you feel a bit touch-starved too, now that you can’t spend time with your friends or family. And isn’t there something about humans needing a certain amount of touch a day to thrive?

Eijiro’s voice pulls you out of your thoughts. 

"D’ya think I could have a hug?" he asks, finally facing you, his eyes brimming with tears.

You realize in that moment that a hug sounds really, really great. And maybe this is an opportunity to actually get to know your roommate. Especially when you don’t know how long this pandemic will last. The promise of two weeks to flatten the curve has already been extended several times.

Putting your cereal bowl on the counter, you wordlessly spread your arms. Eijiro is up in an instant, chair clattering against the floor. Then you find yourself swept up in what you can only describe as a bone-crushing embrace. You know he’s buff, but you haven’t realized just how strong he is. Gasping for air, you tap his biceps.

“Not so tight!” you wheeze.

Eijiro lets out what you can only describe as a wet bark of laughter. But he loosens his grip on you instantly.

“Sorry,” he mumbles, sniffling again. “Got a bit too enthusiastic.”

“That’s okay,” you say. “Guess you really needed it.”

It’s comforting, you realize, as you sink back into the embrace. He’s warm, and his arms around you feel safe for some reason. You can almost imagine falling asleep standing like this, certain that he’ll keep you upright. But you want your coffee while it’s still hot.

Eijiro seems reluctant to let go when you begin pulling away, scrubbing at his face behind your back.

Finally, he looks at you again, tear streaks on his cheeks. “Think we could do this again sometime?” he asks shyly.

You smile at him and nod. “Yeah. I think we’re both gonna need it.”

Eijiro blows his nose again, managing to make a sound reminiscent of a trumpeting elephant. 

“Sorry ‘bout all that,” he says, sniffling once more. “Crying to you wasn’t exactly manly of me.”

Resting your elbows on the dining table, you tilt your head and look at him over the rim of your coffee cup. “Crying is human. It’s not feminine, it’s--”

“That’s not what I mean,” he interrupts. “I agree, nothing shameful about crying; I meant complaining ‘bout all my issues. It’s not manly of me to put that burden on you.”

You decide to ignore the issue of not wanting to ask for help for now. Instead you say, “We’re gonna be stuck together for a while. I want to at least try to help. Besides, this might be better for both of us in the long run. Being at home all the time hasn’t exactly been great for me either…”

Eijiro nods thoughtfully, pulling his bowl of soggy breakfast closer. You look towards the movement, your brows furrowing.

“Is that my cereal?”

He looks at you like a deer caught in headlights. “You… you said I could have some, didn’t you?”

You can’t help but laugh at his expression. “I did! I’m not going back on that, don’t worry! I’ve just never seen you eat sugary cereal before.”

Eijiro relaxes again, then gives a small shrug. “Felt like I needed a sweet treat today.” 

“Don’t we all these days...”

You take another sip of your coffee, then look back to the man at the opposite side of the table.

“I think we need to put down some new rules while we’re both home all the time. The voice calls with your friends are really starting to bother me, especially when I’m working.”

He nods. “Yeah, kinda figured. I swear I’m trying to be quieter, but I always end up forgetting when I’m in the middle of it. I’ll try talking with everybody, see if we can find a different time or something. Maybe meet up outside once the weather’s better…” Leaning back in his chair, Eijiro scrubs at his face. “If only I could find a new job, then I’d actually have something to occupy me. Haven’t had any luck though.”

You realize with a pang of guilt that you don’t even know what he does for a living. Or… did. But Eijiro just grins when you tell him as much.

“Guess I was never really around so you could ask. I was a fitness instructor at this privately owned gym. They had to close because of the pandemic, but the owners promised me that if they have any hope of keeping the gym going I’ll be back on payroll once they open up again. They only really let me go so I could get unemployment.” He sighs fondly. “I really like them, they’re so… manly!”

You fight not to make a face. There it is again. Manly. Manliness isn’t exactly something you’d be looking for in a gym, but you guess you also aren’t a masculine gym-nut. At least Eijiro isn’t nearly as bad as you had originally thought.

You really do fight not to make a face… But you fail. And Eijiro notices instantly.

“What’s wrong?”

“It’s just… I’m not sure I’d personally want to go to a ‘manly’ gym.”

He just blinks at you for a moment. “Not sure why you think that-- oh.” He laughs to himself. “I need to explain something. ‘Manly’ doesn’t mean masculine to me. ’S not based on gender at all. When I was a kid I used to be a really big fan of this action hero, Crimson Riot - do you know him?”

You shake your head. Never heard of the guy.

“He had this habit of calling things he favored ‘manly,’” Eijiro explains. “It was a way of living, a way of staying true to yourself, or so he’d say. Guess I never grew out of this way of seeing things.

“But the owners,” he continues, “they’re a gay couple, and they’re some of the sweetest and most helpful people I’ve ever met. They face a lot of prejudice but they never let it get to them. They choose to stay kind. It’s awesome. It’s… It’s manly! You see?”

You look at him for a moment. Then you nod. “Yeah, I… I think I do.”

Eijiro beams at you. “I think you’d like the gym. We’re very supportive, and we take harassment complaints very seriously. One of my buds was a regular when it was still open, and she told me she felt very safe there.” He chuckles. “Though anyone who wanted to harass her should fear her, not the management. She’s never been shy about punching someone in the gut. And it hurts!”

You raise your brows. “Wait, she’s punched you??”

Eijiro grins. “Yeah! … Wait no, not because I deserved it; I asked her to! She wanted to know if she could do anything to punch better, so I said ‘well, punch me!’ and she did. It was perfect, 10/10 no notes. Took me close to 15 minutes to be able to breathe regularly again.”

Smiling to himself, he adds, “Mina is one of the manliest girls I know. Been friends since high school and she’s always been unabashedly herself. She really helped me grow into the person I am today.”

Mina. He sounds so fond when he speaks of her. You can’t help but wonder if there’s something more there than he’s admitting. Pushing the thought away, you focus on Eijiro again.

“I guess being a personal trainer explains why you’re constantly exercising. I thought you were just obsessed with it.”

Eijiro shrugs with a smile. “I’m actually working out more than I did before getting fired. I’m used to being on my feet and moving almost constantly while at work, and exercising burns off some of that energy. ‘N I want to be ready to go back instantly.” He’s quiet for a moment, then adds, “Oh, let me know if you want me to show you how to work out at home, or some stretches or anything. You sit still a lot, ’s not good for you.”

You try to wave him off with an awkward laugh. “I know. But I’m not interested right now.”

You’re admittedly surprised when Eijiro backs down instantly. 

“Well, let me know if you ever change your mind. I’ll let ya borrow any equipment you need!”

A couple of days later, Eijiro asks to sit down with you again.

“I’ve been thinking,” he starts. 

“Did it hurt?” The words are out before you can stop them.

Thankfully, Eijiro just laughs. “Lil’ bit, yeah. I prefer to just cruise through life without having to think too much. But I can’t right now, so I need something to keep myself occupied while I’m looking for a job. And I was thinking: how about I take on more of the chores? Cleaning’s a good workout, right? And it’d give ya more free time.”

You just look at him for a moment. “Is that really fair? We pay the same amount of rent, so shouldn’t chores be split evenly too?”

He shrugs. “You talked about wanting to help me the other day. I like being helpful too, y’know. So I thought about maybe getting a wireless headset so I can talk with my friends while I clean. Might make the noise easier on you too, knowing that I’m not just sitting on my ass while talking.” He stops for a moment, then adds, “Was thinking about doing the grocery runs too. Y’know how they’ve been saying that thing about only having one person per household shopping? Might as well be me.” He scoffs. “Got nothing but free time.”

You’re speechless. What he’s saying makes sense, yes. But it still feels wrong to let him do most of your chores just because he’s bored.

It’s like he can sense your unease. 

“We could also take turns on groceries,” he offers. “Then you can get all the intimate stuff ya need without needing to involve me.”

You can’t help but grin at him. “What, too much of a chicken to buy me tampons?” 

Eijiro grins back. “Nah, ‘s not that, I don’t mind. I’ve done it before. It’s just that there are so many kinds I’d need pictures to make sure I got the right thing. Might be less of a hassle if you got it yourself. But! If you’re ever in a pinch I got your back!”

You look down at your lunch for a moment, thinking over what he just said.

“If we’re combining groceries, it might be easier if we coordinate our meals. I’m already cooking for myself, I don’t mind cooking for…” -you eye him for a moment- “for two more people. It’s not that much of a difference.”

“Two people!” he sputters. “That’s… … actually probably accurate. I do eat a lot. I like the idea, but…” He scratches at the back of his neck. “I was actually thinking we could take turns cooking.”

You can’t stop yourself from making a face this time. Eijiro just laughs.

“Yeah, I know. I’m terrible. But I was thinking that this is the time to get better. I don’t mind eating what I cook, but I wouldn’t serve it to someone else. So cooking for you as well would force me to pay more attention.”

You sit back in your seat, crossing your arms. “You want me to be your guinea pig.”

“No, I want ya to hold me accountable!”

When you just glare at him, Eijiro holds up his hands. “I’ve got a plan. One of my friends, Katsuki, he’s really good at cooking. Like really, really good. He’s been laid off as well, and he just started a Youtube channel where he shares cooking tips. He’s suggested helping me and Denks cook some meals, so he can figure out what some common mistakes might be. And we can get better at cooking at the same time.”

You stay silent, thinking. It makes Eijiro fret.

“So? Whaddaya think?” he eventually asks.

You sigh, feeling your resolve crumble. It’s too difficult to say no to his puppy-eyes. “Yeah, okay. I’ll at least give your food a try.”

Eijiro rewards you with a beaming smile. It makes your cheeks burn.

It only takes a few days before Eijiro decides to try his cooking experiments on you. He spends the afternoon getting barked at by whom you can only assume is Katsuki - with you listening in on every word. It’s Eijiro’s own fault for having his phone on speaker, you try to reassure yourself. And Katsuki’s tinny voice is piercing.

“Show me what you’re doing, Shitty Hair! … No, you need to cut them smaller, they’ll cook too slow as they are!”

‘Shitty hair’? you think. Do his friends really speak to him like that?

Eijiro just groans, ignoring the insult. “I don’t think I can, Kats, I don’t want the knife to slip.”

“Then sharpen your fucking knife! It’s meant to cut easily, if you’re fighting to cut small pieces then it’s too fucking dull!”

You roll your eyes. As charming as Gordon Ramsey.

“Are you keeping an eye on the meat?” Katsuki asks, his voice smug. “It’s gonna burn if you don’t…”

“SHIT!!”

The food turns out a lot more palatable than you’d imagined. It’s a little bland, a little overcooked, but you really wouldn’t mind eating it again.

And you’re surprised at just how fast Eijiro improves. Over the next few months you grow more and more thankful that he suggested taking turns cooking. It’s a weight off your shoulders, even if you still feel a bit weird that he does most of the cleaning and grocery shopping. But the extra free time and knowing that he’s being productive during his loud voice calls do make things easier on you. In the end you suggest to him that you take on a few more of the financial responsibilities -just a bill or two- to make things a little bit more even. 

You look up from your screen when you hear the front door slam; Eijiro has arrived home with a load of groceries. Stretching, you get up from your chair. Helping him put away the groceries assuages your guilt just a little bit. And -if you’re being very honest with yourself- you’ve recently noticed finding every excuse to spend more time with him. Just five minutes here and there. Helping put away the groceries fits nicely into that too.

Leaving your room, you notice a bag of groceries leaning against the dining table. You turn to Eijiro -who’s already busy putting away groceries- and ask, “What about this one?”

Eijiro smiles at you, which makes your stomach flutter.

“Break time?” he asks. “I got you some ice cream at the store. Didn’t do great in the heat so you might wanna eat it soon.”

You thank him, finally moving from your doorway to actually help. Then you ask again, “What about the bag by the table? We’re not emptying that one?”

He shakes his head, grinning. “That one’s not for us. You know the elderly couple down the hallway?”

You nod silently, unwilling to admit that you don’t.

“I’ve been chatting with them a little bit. Distanced, of course! They’re not doing great so I thought I’d buy them some staples to help out. I’ll take the cost out of my own budget, don’t worry.”

You pause for a moment. It’s such a kind gesture to someone he barely knows. He really is a giant sweetheart. Then you make an instant decision. “I’ll split the cost with you, I wanna help too!” 

You’re graced with a brilliant smile, like the sun rising over the horizon.

“Really?? Thanks! I’ll let them know it’s from both of us!”

You’re numbed, ears ringing as Eijiro talks about taking a quick shower before heading over to your neighbors. Then you’re left alone in the kitchen. 

Sliding onto the floor, you lean your forehead against your drawn-up knees. You’re in deep. Maybe too deep. Ever since his breakdown and the following hug, your feelings have only been growing. And now you don’t know how to make it stop. You aren’t entirely sure you want to, either. But… It’s a bad idea, isn’t it? You’re worried that telling him will only lead to hurt and heartbreak. And yet, you’re not sure how long you can keep your feelings contained.

You decide that you need an in-depth vent session with your own friend group.

The vent session only helps solidify that you definitely have feelings for your roommate. But you still have no idea whether to act on those feelings or not. And Eijiro only makes things harder by being himself - sweet, kind, and maybe a little bit too touchy.

He comes up behind you one night as you’re cooking, loudly sniffing the air.

“Something smells amazing!”

He leans in over you, hands resting on either side of the stove, his chin on your shoulder, just watching as you cook. It’s almost too easy to melt against his chest.

You pull away instead, turning to face him as you try to laugh. It comes out strangled.

“It’s not ready yet, you have to wait!”

Eijiro pouts at you. But he thankfully moves away, instead opting to set the table. You sigh, equal parts in relief and disappointment. You’re not sure how much longer you can keep going without spilling the secret.

You’re doing the dishes together after dinner. It’s become a routine to do them as a team - they get done quicker that way. Eijiro refuses to let you do them alone, even back when your shared cooking routine began. Your idea of ‘you cook, I clean’ fell on deaf ears. And now you appreciate the extra time with him.

And you decide to let him know as much.

“Y’know, I’m actually kind of happy that we got this chance to get to know each other,” you say, nudging him with your hip. “If we hadn’t been stuck at home, I don’t know if we’d ever have taken the time to actually talk.”

You’re rewarded with a brilliant smile.

“Me too!”

You keep chatting while Eijiro washes the dishes, handing you clean ones to dry. The conversation jumps from the two of you, to your apartment and how thankful you are that Eijiro took on more of the chores, to the lives you led before the pandemic. And eventually to your individual friend groups.

“There’s Katsuki - you know him already,” Eijiro says. “And Denki and Hanta and Kyoka. We all met in high school. But Mina and me, we go back to middle school.”

���Mina,” you mumble. There she was again.

He pauses, looking at you questioningly.

“Did…” You hesitate, then you decide to just ask what’s on your mind. “She’s clearly very special to you. Did you ever date?”

Eijiro looks down at the soapy water, a fond smile on his face. “We did, back in high school. Only for a few months, though, then we decided that we were better off as friends. I guess we both felt pressured to give it a try.” Turning back to you, he finds your gaze again. “She’s my oldest friend. She’s my rock, not afraid to tell me if I’m being an idiot. N’ I do the same for her! But that’s as far as it goes. We didn’t work out back then, and we sure as hell wouldn’t work out now.”

You feel your cheeks heat under his gaze. It doesn’t sound like he regretted breaking up with Mina at all. And the way he’s looking at you makes your stomach flutter. 

Eijiro breaks eye contact for a moment to empty the dish tub and dry his hands. Then he turns to you again, leaning against the counter.

“If you’re not busy tonight, do you maybe want to watch a movie or something?”

It’s your turn to beam. “Yeah, absolutely!!”

Maybe saying yes to a movie was a bad idea. You had trouble sleeping last night, work was particularly draining today, and now you find yourself struggling to keep your eyes open. As much as you want to pay attention to the movie Eijiro picked, your mind is steadily turning into soup. You blink hard, trying to force your eyes to stay open. It doesn’t work. They slowly close, and you sag sideways.

You have no idea how much time has passed. All you know is that you are comfortable and warm. You can still hear the movie playing. Or maybe it’s a new movie. You can’t bring yourself to truly care.

Eijiro shifts in his seat. It makes you realize that you’re leaning against him, his arm wrapped loosely around your waist. Your eyes snap open. Then you decide to close them again. If he doesn’t mind -which you assume he doesn’t, since he hasn’t pushed you away- then you won’t mind either. It’s too comfortable, anyway. 

The two of you stay like this for a while. It’s cozy. Then a frown forms on your face. Something is tickling your waist. It’s most likely a hair stuck to the inside of your shirt. You try to ignore it, but it only gets more irritating, brushing over your skin every time you breathe.

You snap, pushing Eijiro’s arm out of the way to get at the itch. 

Eijiro flinches away from you. “Sorry! I didn’t mean to-- You were leaning on me pretty hard and I thought this would be more comfortable! I-I didn’t--”

“It’s fine,” you say, as you sink back against him. “I don’t mind, it’s cozy. Just had an itch right where your arm was.”

“O-oh.” He hesitates for a moment, then he puts his arm back around you, gently hugging you to his side. “It’s… Yeah, it’s pretty cozy.”

You close your eyes again, not fully registering how flustered he sounds. Or how happy…

Eijiro sits as still as he can, despite the credits rolling over the screen. You’re still nestled up against his shoulder, your forehead pressed against his neck, your breathing soft and even. He’s certain you’re asleep again. And he cannot bring himself to move a muscle, worried he’ll break the spell.

Slowly lifting his free hand, he scrubs at his face. “I’m really in it now, aren’t I?” he mumbles to himself. Falling in love with his roommate. Isn’t that one of the things people are always advised against?

“Fuck, Kats’ll never let me hear the end of it!”

You stir in your sleep, sighing softly. It only makes him wrap his arm tighter around you. Katsuki will have to be a problem for another day; right now Eijiro doesn’t want to think about anything but the sensation of you pressed against his side.

“Need your advice on something, Kats.”

The blonde makes a non-commital sound on the other end of the line. Eijiro swallows thickly, suddenly happy that it’s only the two of them on the voice call. And that you aren’t home to accidentally overhear anything.

He hesitates too long.

“What fucking is it?” Katsuki barks.

Eijiro sighs, steeling himself for the barrage he’s sure is about to come. “I think I’m falling in love with my roomie.”

When the barrage doesn’t come, he wonders briefly if the connection has been cut. 

Then Katsuki groans. “You gotta be fuckin’ kidding me. Really, Shitty Hair? Your fuckin’ roommate?”

“Hey, she’s a sweetheart, I--”

“NOT what I meant! I’m sure she’s amazin’ if she can tolerate your ass. But what the fuck are you planning to do? Tell her?”

Eijiro can feel himself blush. “I.. I mean, yeah, I’d like to. That’s what I wanted advice on.”

Katsuki practically growls. “Well, my advice is DON’T! We’re in the middle of a fuckin’ pandemic, if she says no, you won’t be able to easily move out.” He grumbles for a moment. “Of all your shitty, hare-brained ideas… But knowin’ you, you’ll never be able to let it go unless you find out, right?”

Eijiro chuckles, scratching at his cheek. “Ya know me too well, Kats.”

“‘Too well’ is right.” Katsuki is silent for a moment, then he groans again. “Alright, fuckin’ fine. Advice. Try to figure out if she feels the same b’fore you tell her anythin’. If she rebuffs you at all, then fuckin’ leave it alone, ya got that??”

Eijiro’s face splits into a wide smile. “Got it!! And if she says no, I can move in with you, right?”

“Like fuck you can’t!!”

Meat and onions sizzle in the pan. You give it a stir, peeking at Eijiro out of the corner of your eyes. He’s currently chopping vegetables, broad shoulders barely moving as he uses the knife. You have to admit that he’s gotten a lot better in the past few months, to the point where you’re looking forward to every meal he makes.

He’s gotten a lot more forward with you too. He’s become touchy-feely and quick to give compliments. And you don’t mind it one bit. You just hope it will continue once the pandemic ends. 

You really ought to tell him how you feel. But… You can’t help but worry about whether he feels the same. Sighing softly, you push the thought away for now. 

Eijiro turns to you with the cutting board, ready to add the veggies to the pan.

“By the way,” he says, “I got a surprise for dinner.”

You tilt your head, unable to stop your coquettish grin. “Oh? Should I be worried?”

Eijiro’s features soften as he looks at you. “Nah, probably not. Unless you don’t drink wine.”

“I do!”

You slowly swirl the wine in your glass. It’s the last of the two bottles Eijiro bought, so you want to savor it.

Across the table, Eijiro watches your movements with rapt attention. You can almost feel the intensity of his gaze. Or maybe it’s the wine.

He draws in a deep breath, almost like he forgot how to breathe for a moment. “You’re fuckin’ beautiful.”

It takes a little too long for his words to make their way through your drunk brain. 

“What did you just say?” you exhale. Your face feels like it's on fire.

Eijiro blinks. Then he sits up straight, shaking his head. “Fuck, I-- I shouldn’t have-- It’s just… I dunno how much longer I can stand not saying anythin’.”

You swallow hard, trying your best not to melt against the table. “What are you trying to say?”

He looks at you again, features softening. “That I’m in love with you.” Looking away, he scratches at the back of his neck. “I-I don’t even know if… if you return my feelings, but--”

You down the rest of your wine, trying to gain some liquid courage which you honestly don’t need at the moment. Then you get up, moving around the table. 

He peers at you, smile evaporating. “What are you…”

“I do!” you finally answer him, placing a hand on his shoulder and leaning in, face level with his.

Eijiro blinks hard. “What…”

“I do return your feelings. You’re pretty fucking cute yourself.” 

He just looks at you for a moment, letting your words sink in. Then his face splits into a brilliant smile. You should’ve worn sunglasses.

Raising a hand, he gently cups your cheek, his smile widening when you lean into his touch. His thumb rubs over your skin, slowly moving downwards until it brushes over your bottom lip.

“Can I?” he asks.

You don’t answer. Instead, you lean in to kiss him first. His lips are warm, tasting like wine. Eijiro interrupts the kiss briefly to push his chair back, getting to his feet.

Pulling you close, his hand finds its place on your cheek once more. “You’ve no idea how fuckin’ long I’ve wanted to do this,” he mumbles against your lips. Then he kisses you again.

You sit sideways on the couch, feet propped up against Eijiro’s thigh. He’s gaming with his friends again; you can feel the muscles in his thigh tense as he leans into the curve of the race track on the screen. 

“C’mon, c’mon, c’mon… YES!!!”

He jumps to his feet, whooping as he wins. You eye him over the top of your magazine, pouting at him.

Grinning at you, he sheepishly rubs the back of his neck. “Sorry, babe, didn’t mean to get that loud!” 

You hear someone loudly exclaiming something through Eijiro’s headset.

He chuckles. “Yeah, my girlfriend got mad.”

The voice call erupts into shouts. You can’t help but giggle when you hear Denki screaming ‘what??’ over and over again, with whom you assume is Mina cheering loudly in the background. 

Eijiro just laughs. “Didn’t I tell you? Me and my roomie started dating!”

He talks for a moment longer, then bows out of the game with his victory, deciding that he’d rather spend the rest of the day with you. 

[forthevillains]

Okokok this is gonna sound weird, BUT, pretty please hear me out 😘

So imagine being Albert Wesker's "childhood friend" Like when he was a teen he'd sneak out to spend time with you every so often if he had a bit of free time in his busy af schedule. Idk what to do about this idea from there. I just think it's kinda fun. Maybe he's secretly a yandere lol. No idea.

That’s such a good idea!

The fact that Wesker would have someone to talk to without Spencer knowing at all. Like he’d be so excited to actually have a friend he’d risk his everything only to get to see you. As smart as he is, it wouldn’t be that difficult for him to create a plan, but making it work with all the people around him would be much worse.

Alex surely caught him at least once, questioning his intentions, curious on why in the hell would her brother go out during such a time while they have so much to do. Wesker was tense the whole time they were talking, he felt stupid, it all looked and sounded much better in his head, but when he said "I found a friend.” - he cringed at himself. No matter this reaction though, as much as Alex used to tease the hell out of him and even make fun of him, she was still his sister and he was closest to the family she’s lost years ago. Something about Albert being able to make connections with people after all that’s been done to him is still on her mind and so she lets him go, having his back whenever Spencer asked of his whereabouts.

Wesker would sneak out more and more often, the more he got to know you, the more he wanted to be with you. It became something he couldn’t live without, seeing you smile at him every now and then, interested in him. If you asked about his parents he would go quiet, so you made a mental note of not asking about his personal life again. You became the talker and did he love listening to you. He got to know the smallest of things, everything about your own family… He made sure to remember every detail about you, especially the type of places you liked so that he could take you there when you guys would get older. It was the first time for him having a friend like this so he cared for you like for no other.

I can imagine Wesker getting really fixated though, after some time, he wouldn’t know whether its love or obsession he’s feeling, but deep in his guts he’s aware that it’s no good, not for him, not for you. He’s destined for big things, he has so many lives on his hands. He’s nothing like any other teenager, he has an important duty (and trust that sometimes he hates it very much). Though you always make him feel like a normal teenager, like a normal human being… And that’s special to him, by treating him like a decent human - you’re making him feel special.

And even when he loved to spend his time with you, everything good in his life apparently had to come to an end. You left, because your parents insisted on moving away and that was when you and Albert got separated. It hurt, both you and him, but in his case it was hard to move on. So hard he just couldn’t do it. He’d feel sad, always thinking of the times spent with you, away from all his problems and now it was all gone. While you were quick to find new friends, he became so lonely that not even William or Alex made him feel better.

You haven’t come back in years, in almost two decades. And Wesker was still thinking of you sometimes, even though he was somewhere completely else. He changed physically and mentally that’s for sure, now that he was captain of S.T.A.R.S. with even more responsibilities than before. He became cold, stern and hardworking man with clear goals in his mind. He didn’t include you in his plans anymore, even though he wondered where you were a lot, he wondered if you got married and had kids, he wondered if you thought about him the same way he thought about you. Obsession it was indeed.

One day however, you ran into him, on an accident. You didn’t see it coming as you were texting your co-worker of an important matter when you found yourself basically walking into his muscular form, immediately dropping your phone and if it wasn’t from him - you’d be lying on the ground right next to it.

"I’m sorry-“ you were ready to leave, but he stopped you before you could go any further. You were familiar, everything about you felt that way and when you looked up at him, all confused, he recognized those eyes. It was as if the time stopped for him, finally seeing the woman he liked when they were young, someone who overlooked all his flaws and made him smile almost each time they met.

"What is it?” You turned your head to the side, narrowing your eyes in curiosity and only then has he realized that he’s been staring at you through his shades and not saying anything.

"Y/N…” he only muttered your name, completely taken aback by the sound of your voice. He couldn’t believe that he was seeing you now. "It’s been so long.”

You don’t get what he means at first, but when he takes the sunglasses off to get a proper look at you. "Al-“ before you finished saying his name he pulled you in for a hug, wanting nothing more than to feel that you’re real. He only used to hug you when you initiated it, but now it was his turn, he felt as if it wasn’t real at all, that it was too good to be.

No matter the shock, you hugged him back after a while, wrapping your hands around him, taking a note of how much bigger he got over the years. He’s grown to be a handsome man to say the least.

"What are you doing here?” You asked when you pulled away, giving him a small smile.

"Going to work.” He made it up. He wasn’t going anywhere now that he’s learned that you’re around. He’s not gonna make the same mistake of letting you go now that he has more control over his own life. It might feel crazy to some, but he wanted to keep an eye on you, getting to know your habits, where you worked, where you lived and he wouldn’t wait for you to tell him yourself, it’s already been too much time without you. He wanted to make up for it now.

"Oh alright! Sorry, I must be wasting your time,” you apologized.

Wesker shook his head though. "Of course you’re not.” He was so gentle talking to you that if someone has heard him they probably wouldn’t even recognize him.

"Well in that case, we should catch up with each other. Are you free this evening? I’ve got so much to tell you!” There you were, the girl he used to know, immediately showing him your interest even though you haven’t seen him in decades. He couldn’t even say no to you, immediately cancelling whatever plans he’s had to make sure he’s indeed free in the evening. This time you’re not getting away from him, he’s going to make you his at some point. He’s been stupid enough to let you go once, he’s not gonna do it again;)

[mrmeowziii]

Roti Shuffled AU!

They were decided randomly, though there were a couple I stepped in for, lol. The elimination order and teams are different.

More info about each cast member below! + Bonus pic

Cast- (in OG elimination order)

Staci -> Cameron- Cameron is a small, sheltered boy who’s never had any friends. Desperate to form connection, Cameron began taking on the persona of a genius in an effort to impress people and get their attention. He usually doesn’t know if what he’s saying is true- but he’ll say it anyway to sound smart. He talks a LOT, too.

Dakota -> Lightning- Lightning has lived a very nice life. He’s hot, he’s rich, and he gets everything he wants. He’s a fitness model who gets a lot of media attention- the man loves himself so much, he’d probably marry his reflection. Under all that, there might be more to him- but the right somebody’s gotta be there to make it happen.

B -> Staci- Staci’s a quiet girl who’s spent much of her life being bullied- so much so that she barely talks. She didn’t even want to sign up for the season- some of her bullies forced her to film her audition tape. She’ll try her best in the game, but she doesn’t have any confidence in herself. She’s sure she’ll be the first boot.

Dawn -> Zoey- Zoey’s always been a bit out there, but she really came into her own when she discovered tarot and the healing properties of different minerals. She has a YouTube account where she posts daily readings for her subscribers- and she has a decent following. She plans to use the money to support animal conservation efforts.

Sam -> Dawn- Dawn’s family is rather well off, and thus have enabled Dawn’s addiction to video games since she was little. She picked one up from one of her friends at school, and has never looked back. She’s pretty out of touch in most instances, but she knows a LOT about all kinds of games. Gaming references are speckled into most conversations with her. Despite the fact that she’s usually looking at a screen, she’s far more perceptive than you’d think…

Brick -> Dakota- Dakota’s dad is a high ranking military general, and their family is quite well respected- or at least, Dakota’s father is. Dakota has always been quite attractive, but nobody ever takes her seriously- in fact, her appearance only makes it worse. She wants to prove to everyone that she’s more than just a pretty face- and that she deserves just as much respect as the others serving with her.

Anne Maria -> Mike- Vito is taking Mike’s place here- Mike doesn’t exist. Vito’s a hotheaded, cocky boy from Jersey whose family actually stars in Jersey Shore. He’s already got time in the spotlight, but he wants to try out something else- something a little more rugged. Oh, and maybe find a girlfriend is there’re any babes around. That’s definitely not his top priority.

Mike -> Brick- Brick is a sweet boy who’s been through a lot, but still follows his morals regardless- even if his alters arent exactly as keen on keeping up appearances. He wants more than anything to be liked- and to be seen as normal. He auditioned to prove to himself that he can keep himself under control. Whether that happens is… debatable. But maybe he’ll learn that he’s not the problem- and never was. (His alters’ names are Corporal, Jupiter, Cosmo, and Tiffany. I’ll draw them at a later time.)

Jo -> Anne Maria- Anne Maria is a fitness instructor who’s very confident in her own body, and wants to help others feel the same way. She’s used to being in charge, and any of her siblings will tell you that she’s not one to talk back to. She’s got a temper, for sure- though she really does have good intentions.

Scott -> B- B’s a very smart big guy who’s used to getting what he wants- and doing whatever it takes to make sure it stays that way. His family doesn’t come from the nicest background, and that shaped B into the person he is today. In a dog eat dog world, only the strongest survive. He’s seen TD before, and he’s sure he’s got what it takes to win. He’s all about working in the shadows- never putting himself in the spotlight. That’s where the previous villains failed- they were too obvious. B is confident he’s got what it takes.

Zoey -> Sam- Sam is a quirky guy who’s always been kinda lonely. You probably wouldn’t know who most of his favorite bands are- not that he wouldn’t love to show you! He came for fun more than anything- to see more of the world, meet new types of people, experience things he’d probably never see otherwise. And he hopes he can make some friends!

Lightning -> Scott- Scott is an aloof high school quarterback who’s popular in his small hometown for his many football victories. He may not be the smartest, but kid’s got skill. Everybody in town knows Scott Murphy- even if no one *actually* knows him. He very closed-off- perhaps from his home life, or perhaps it’s just how he is, but Scott never lets anyone get too close. He’s softer on the inside than he’d like to let on though- he’s just never felt comfortable being himself with anybody. He is pretty confident he’s got this in the bag, though.

Cameron -> Jo- Jo is a prodigy- smarter than anyone in her town, and by a large margin. She’s always been so far ahead that she had a bad habit of drawing lots of unwanted attention to herself in elementary school. After a move, she decided to change who she presented herself as to avoid the stigma she’d gotten from her peers in the past. Jo strived to come off as more jock-ish, and threw herself into sports. Nobody suspected a thing. She’s hoping to use her less threatening image to go under the radar, all the while pulling out the win form under everybody’s nose.

[pain-in-the-butler]

Out of curiosity…if Ono is your third fav Seb. What’s your Offical Sebastian Ranking™️?

Just as with the ask about the Anime Expo panel, it's fortunate for me that someone reached out, because I was thinking of making this a post on my own eventually someday anyway. What follows might be more information on my opinions of Sebastian than you care to have, so apologies in advance. Let's count down from worst to best:

6. Hiro Mizushima from Black Butler (2014)

There's a reason no one talks about this movie. It's because it sucks, and somehow I feel I can't really blame Mizushima for his performance, but... it is still a mixture of weird and unmemorable. That hairstyle does him no favors either, but maybe the fact that I find him a little bit frightening to look at should give him points rather than detract them. Off-screen, he looks like a completely normal man; somehow the film's efforts to make him a sexy butler were unfortunately funneled into making him unnerving and unappealing. And the movie is two entire hours long.

There's a lot I've deleted from my memory about the Black Butler live action film, but that lack of memory seems a sign that he should sit in dead last. Whether he's acting like a total weirdo or actually successfully impressing me, Sebastian should never be a forgettable character, and all I can think when I consider Mizushima's performance is that I never need to see it again.

5. Yuya Matsushita from That Butler, Friendship, The Most Beautiful DEATH in the World, and the first run of Lycoris that Blazes the Earth

I know some people may find this placement to be blasphemous, but honestly, the only thing I really like about Yuya's Sebastian is his singing voice, and even then I'm not that wild about it. It's been a few years since I watched TMBDITW, so it's not super crisp in my mind, but I will give him some recognition as an early Sebastian who still had little material to work with. He probably had to do some of his own legwork to adapt the character to the stage and to the original stories he was expected to act in. That can't be easy, and it makes sense that his Sebastian would be one that had to stand somewhat independent from the canon. I also appreciate that he is playing Sebastian with purpose behind his actions and not a sexyman who just serves whatever convenient purpose the narrative dictates, like Mizushima's Seb.

With that caveat out of the way, I still don't like his Sebastian portrayal. It's clear Yuya really drummed up the "I'm no one but I can become anyone" aspect of Sebastian. He can invent personas that suit the situation, like when he decides to seduce Undertaker, but as soon as the problem is solved, he reverts back to being robotic and unsmiling. You get the feeling that he's rather cold and calculating and that he is only interested in doing things that will earn him Ciel's soul. I didn't watch with subtitles, so perhaps that evaluation is misplaced, but his mannerisms dictated that energy to me.

Also, I can't get behind the sort of sexual and romantic tones that sometimes felt present, especially when real children were involved. It will always taint his work for me. There's one song where he and Ciel look at each other the entire time and it's three and a half minutes long but it felt like a year. I wanted to crawl out of my skin because it was so horrifically awkward. Stick this man in fifth.

4. Toshiki Tateishi from The Public School's Secret

So I went into this musical fully prepared to hate Toshiki's performance, considering the act he was following, and... I thought it was actually pretty decent. When I think of Sebastian in the Weston arc, I think of the "sexy professor" angle Yana kept trying to push, and I was worried Toshiki would play into that, especially considering Ciel was being portrayed by a legal adult onstage for the first time. I was pleasantly surprised! That's not what happened at all.

Though likely unintended, I would say Toshiki gives off a rather maternal vibe, behaving more like Seb does in memes: kind of silly, kind of fussy, an overworked single mother who cares for her boy. Toshiki's Sebastian was very attentive of Ciel. He was frequently pleased with his kid's impish nature and didn't seem that annoyed to be taking on extra tasks, only complaining lightly, "Even though I have things to do too!" at the end of the chores song. When Ciel came up with a plan to foil Maurice, Toshiki seemed excited to praise him and gratified to help. He was like Sebastian Lite, only a bit insidious at times, mainly the ever-attentive helper.

To me, it's the first time one of the musicals has made Sebastian feel like a supporting character rather than the driving force behind the story. I prefer when he and Ciel are both treated evenly as protagonists, but I hate it when it's All About Him. I think Toshiki's performance has a good heart and he made me laugh at times. He's not quite canon Sebastian, but I like him. I trust him not to eat the sonboy just yet. Mostly.

3. Daisuke Ono from the Japanese dub of the anime

Daisuke Ono was a part of my first experience with Black Butler, so there's something about his voice that feels like it's just right for Sebastian. And it kind of is. It's a really flexible voice, and one that is clearly giving a performance when you listen to him. He also infuses his dialogue with what sounds to me like inherent smugness, which I think suits Sebastian perfectly. Ono's performance is the most self-satisfied in nature. It makes you think of a well-fed cat licking its chops while it considers its next meal.

His voice is not sexy to me, but I can see why people find it to be. At the same time, Ono isn't afraid to give Sebastian different inflections, even ones that some might consider too embarrassing or OOC for Seb. He's a veteran voice actor and he knows how to do whatever is requested of him. Sebastian treats his career just the same: he too will do essentially whatever Ciel requires. I think Ono is a natural match is what I'm saying, especially having now seen him in person and observing the way he works a crowd so effortlessly.

All that said... Ono's Sebastian is perfect. I don't mean that as a compliment: I mean he's too lacking in flaws. Sure, he has the big flaw (okay with killing a child) but he isn't really giving "silly idiot." Ono's Sebastian is the one the girlies write about in their self-insert fiction. And for the first two seasons, that's kind of who he was supposed to be, so fine. But even when he has silly or idiotic moments, it doesn't feel quite authentic, if that makes sense? I think to Ono, Sebastian's stupid mistakes are just a fluke, quickly corrected. It doesn't feel like they're a fundamental part of who his Sebastian is.

If you consider this nitpicking, you're right! The next two Sebastians are just that good. I still consider Daisuke Ono to be a very talented and accurately-portrayed Sebastian.

2. J. Michael Tatum from the English dub of the anime

While it's possible that I pick up on more nuance in Tatum's performance because he's the only one here who speaks the same language as me, how fortunate we are to have him doing Seb's English voice. He might not actually have a real British accent, but he's just too charming not to love. To me, he has all the vocal command of Ono but is more candid in his delivery. Ono may be Sebastian the perfectionist and Sebastian the performer, but Tatum is Sebastian the butler, well settled and confident in his human role.

I really appreciate the ways you can hear Tatum's voice change notably depending on Sebastian's emotions. This is especially prominent in Book of Atlantic during the flashback sequences: an annoyed Sebastian is an entirely different sounding dude than when he's being cunning, and again when he's being subservient. And he really does have this very silky, ASMR-ass way of speaking that suits Sebastian to a T. It's inherently convincing.

And more to my own interests, Tatum's voice for Sebastian has a really paternal nature to it, and I like that. I think it adds to the complexity of Sebastian's role in Ciel's life when you can hear this caring quality in the voice of a demon that will one day kill the child he works for. He can also be snipped and punctual, and then he can be gentle and reassuring, all in the same scene. And he can be scary too... and I'm super looking forward to hearing how this plays out during season 5.

To compare him to Ono again, I think Tatum knows Sebastian can be an idiot at times, but that quality still takes a backseat to the suaveness. He's almost perfect. And I probably would even say he is perfect, if we hadn't seen perfection itself. As he is, I think Tatum is an excellent voice actor for Sebastian, and I'm grateful that we have him in the position that we do.

1. Yuta Furukawa from the second run of Lycoris that Blazes the Earth, Noah's Ark Circus, and Tango on the Campania

Yuta Furukawa. What a legend. What an icon. This is where I would say "he isn't just playing Sebastian, he is Sebastian," but Furukawa is even more than that. He's what Sebastian should be. And that's not just me being rude to Yana. Yana has flat-out said that Yuta knows Sebastian better than she does herself. She's right.

If you have yet to see Yuta perform, then congratulations: you're in for a treat. What I wouldn't give to forget my first watch of Tango on the Campania and relive that magic all over again. Yuta knows who Sebastian is with every fiber of his being. And the fact that you see him over the course of three plays means you get to witness for yourself how his Sebastian goes from being a smirking demon who lives to impress, to a creature who understands fear, hardship, and pain. And yet you still wonder: is he really learning and growing after all? Or am I too being tricked by this suave being who appears to be emotionally moved?

I'm also proud to report that Yuta plays Sebastian as a true idiot. He says silly things, he behaves in silly ways! He's embarrassing enough to make Ciel roll his eyes, he uses his brawn before his brain, and he's often surprised enough to gasp. He's not afraid to look impressed or astounded or even frightened: he wears his emotions on his sleeves, but he can hide them just as quickly. This Sebastian lives for attention from humans, but what he loves even more is learning from them — perhaps so he can become a better hunter, perhaps so he can become a better scholar. He leaves you wondering which in the most intriguing way.

And I may be biased, but Yuta to me is the most paternal of all the Sebastians. Whether or not a fatherly nature is intended, I'm at least happy to report that his Sebastian is not one romantically inclined towards Ciel. His coworker is an actual child, so there's no reason that should be an acceptable angle anyway, but it really shows in all the little ways he primps at and supports Ciel on-stage. His rapport with Reo is especially adorable and shines through in their every scene.

Not to mention, he's so endlessly entertaining to watch. He has legs for days and he can fuckin groove. He may be playing a demon but he has the voice of an angel. If I called him to my house, he'd probably fix my leaky shower. What can't this gift of a man do??

I could literally go on and on and on for paragraphs. Yana is just the same. We all love Yuta Furukawa, the only Sebastian who is more Sebastian than Sebastian and probably the best thing, in my humble opinion, to come out of the Kuroshitsuji franchise. Thank you, based Yunbastian. We did nothing to deserve you.

[xoxobuckybarnes]

July 2024 Reading List

Complete

Donut Forget Our Love (Rated: T, Words: 1K) by dontcallmebree / @dontcallmebree

Summary: Steve Rogers is snoring into his neck. Again. It’s the third time they’ve fallen into bed in the past month alone, and Bucky’s accepted that he’s got a problem. There’s a reason they broke up. Not that Bucky’s been able to remember why lately, with every happy hour that’s gone a little too happy, Steve inching his way across the room and Bucky unable to resist. Tonight, Bucky wishes he had. Bucky gets a little reminder of what his heart has always wanted: a decent bed, bite-sized donuts, and loving Steve Rogers.

I Am Ash From Your Fire (Rated: E, Words: 177K) by lavenderpanic / @lavenderpanic

Summary: Whether they’re making love or Brock’s punching holes in drywall, he just cares so damn much about Bucky. Bucky doesn’t understand why. He’s terrified someday that Brock will grow indifferent, that’s why he feels a rush of relief every time Brock calls him a stupid fucking bitch or slaps him around for screwing something up. He still cares, that’s all Bucky can ever think.

comic books and coffee cups (Rated: T, Words: 4K) by sparkagrace / @sparkagrace

Summary: Based on the prompt: Bucky Barnes is a comic book writer with a very specific idea for a new story, but he hasn't yet found an artist who will work with him on this project. Enter Steve Rogers.

Under His Protection (Rated: E, Words: 21K) by MelanieKS

Summary: There is a nefarious plot brewing in the White House against the president. After an attempt on his life, President Barnes’ detail can’t be trusted and he’s not sure who he can turn to other than his friend Natasha Romanov. Five years retired, Steve Rogers is asked to pick up his shield one last time to protect the president while S.H.I.E.L.D. works on finding the mastermind behind the plot. It’s unconventional, but the safest, while Steve and the president hide away in a secluded cabin in the middle of the mountains of New York. Attraction sparks. Tension rises. Steve vows to keep his distance and remain professional but his attraction grows by the minute, until he can’t deny it any longer.

Podfic

Podfic: Stay and the night would be enough (Rated: T) by ForeverShippingJohnlock

Summary: Written by perfect_plan. Original summary: Things haven't been going well for Steve; he lost his apartment and his job as well as still trying to cope with the death of his mother. Crashing on his friend's couch soon leads to something more for him and Clint's roommate, who shares more with Steve than they both would have expected.

dance with a ghost (Rated: T) by lightupstars

Summary: “Captain America is haunting me,” Bucky says over a bowl of ramen. His pronouncement is met with a round of silence. “Captain America,” Natasha says. “As in--” “The first Avenger,” Bucky confirms. “Supersoldier and hero of World War II. The fabric of the American conscience.” “But he’s--dead,” Sam says. His look of perplexed concern, ever perplexed and ever concerned, only increases. “You’re aware of that, right?” “I know,” Bucky says. “That’s why I said he’s haunting me.”

WIP

War & Peace and the Redemption of Bucky Barnes (Rated: E, Current Words: 44K) by ThePirateStorm / @fsbc-librarian

Summary: Bucky Barnes is running from his problems. He’s housesitting for his best friend while she’s on her honeymoon - the almost a year prior that he’s been staying in her house doesn’t count - when he’s woken in the middle of the night by an angel and a demon. Okay, maybe they’re not a literal angel and demon, but Steve Rogers *looks* like an angel, and his daughter Charli certainly *acts* like a demon. The father/daughter duo are running from their own problems, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t crash headlong into one another’s lives. Throw in a cursed book for good measure, and it’s about to get a whole lot more interesting.

Gold Must Be Tried By Fire (Rated: M, Current Words: 18K) by lavenderpanic / @lavenderpanic

Summary: The pamphlets about escaping abuse always glossed over this part, and Bucky finally understands why. Nobody would fucking leave if they knew how hard recovery would be. In the midst of a trial that questions every hard-won truth out of Bucky's mouth, can he possibly allow himself to heal- physically and mentally? **Sequel to I Am Ash From Your Fire**

Rereads

Heart of Mine (Rated: E, Words: 133K) by deadto27 / @deadto27

Summary: It's been three years since Bucky pulled Steve from the river. Three years where Bucky has tried to get back to the person he was, to be better, to be recovered. Three years where his motivation for getting well has been Steve Rogers. To get to see him again. But when he finally does, he gets more than he expected. Because he never expected that he’d find Steve with a child. And he really never expected that he’d find Steve with his child. ----- “HYDRA…they were using DNA to try to repeat it,” Steve continues softly. “Your DNA,” he adds, meeting Bucky’s eyes, a solemn look on his face as Bucky suddenly catches on to what Steve’s getting at. His eyes widen in shock as Steve increases his grip just slightly on his knee. “The baby…she’s, well…” Steve seems to struggle for words as Bucky’s heart starts beating faster than ever. “She’s yours.”

[avsanderoth]

Writing Problems #1: Motivation

Motivation is, in many ways, the “great decider” of creative hobbies. If you feel like you have the motivation to write, you do; if you feel otherwise, you don’t. There’s nothing wrong with that idea of motivation, because for most people, it’s completely true - if you sit down to write with zero will or lustre to do so, it’s not gonna go well! If you’re at all like me, it’ll end up with you sitting there for thirty minutes getting practically nothing done until you say “oh, screw this.” and proceed to do something else. 

Where motivation becomes tricky, and also quite deceiving, is in how you define it. I’m sure we can all recognize the feeling of knowing we probably should be writing, but instead choosing to “let motivation come” so that we know we’ll be at our best. After all, if you’re not in tip-top shape when writing, what’s the point? Chances are you’ll have to delete whatever you force out of yourself and start over. 

But that’s not true. Motivation isn’t this gradual wave that comes and goes throughout the day, it’s a reaction that you must coax from yourself and direct towards the effort you want to make progress on. In committing to a hobby, any hobby, you commit your motivation - be that videogames, reading, writing, both creative and consumptive hobbies work the same way. 

Quick disclaimer, I want to say that this is all based on my own experience. I don’t want to speak for how anybody’s brain works, but I know that I see cases like mine in other blogs extremely often. Whether or not their issues stem from the same root problems as mine, I cannot say, but I think the strategies I’ve worked out are pretty decent nonetheless.

The biggest and most important thing you can do for your motivation is to not wait to direct it where you want it to go. Start writing in the morning before you get sidetracked doing other things, because it’s much easier leaving the writing state than it is to enter it. That sounds a little melodramatic, but writing really does mean a certain mindset in terms of getting in the “zone” for describing your characters, the world they live in and the forces that control it. For me, that zone is easiest to get into when my mind is a blank slate. 

What I consider the second most important thing (though this is debatably just as important) is to not go into a writing session thinking “I have to get this many pages or words done in this amount of time!” because that thinking will only lead to disappointment. The only requirement you need to put on yourself is to get something out of writing, and that isn’t bound to how many pages you’ve written, or how long you write for, or even how much progress you feel you’ve made! 

For me, writing is stimulating in the sense that I feel like it lets me be more than I am in the real world. Or, that it lets me make more of the world than what it has to offer at face value. I explore myself through the characters I write, and I explore my view of the real world through the one I describe and how I describe it. That doesn’t feel more or less fulfilling if I get 3 pages done in an hour or only make it halfway through one, it’s the very process that makes me feel good. 

Again, writing - like all creative hobbies - is an intensely personal thing. You probably won’t have the exact same motivation as me, it won’t come at the same time, and it might require a slightly different effort to coax out of yourself. Still, I want to believe that every one of us can control our motivation, rather than letting our motivation control us.

I have some other miscellaneous tips that can massively help with motivation, but they’re not universally applicable:

Make a playlist for your story, or find one that feels fitting. Music and storytelling go hand-in-hand for me, and I have a playlist dedicated to the book I’m trying to write that goes a huge way in getting me in the right “mindset”. Listening to it as I write makes me feel like I know my story better.

If music isn’t your thing, surround yourself in other stimuli that makes you think of your story. Change your browser theme to a color that makes you think of it, or (if you have them) change the LEDs in your space to do the same thing. It’s about establishing a “vibe” that you associate with your work.

I haven’t tried this a huge number of times myself, but freewriting on a separate paper about random, only semi-related things can help focus your mind on a certain kind of writing, or a particular story. Like warming up your brain!

This one is a little more bizarre, but I sometimes like to look at sites like pinterest to see art that, aesthetically, reminds me of my story. Be it imagery, or even pictures of what you envision your character to look at, or sceneries that I can use as a reference. It’s honestly really inspiring, if sometimes unreliable. 

That was all I had to say about motivation without going completely off-track. Thanks for reading, and I hope this helps you!