#the second one truly captures his essence i think

[sagee-sketches]

helpsjwjdbeudbe i forgot to post this but i think it’s the best thing I’ve ever drawn

credit to @offbookkeeping for the idea, ilysm for this btw <33

[avelera]

Hob Gadling - the absolute maddest of immortal lads

One of the things I love most about Hob Gadling as a character (and as a result, do my best to capture in fic) is how unique his reactions are to immortality and to Dream, and how he so often does the opposite of what one would expect from the genre of "humans granted immortality" but also what the average person and most of the audience expects that they would do with immortality, lending well to the concept that Hob is, genuinely, unhinged and a truly supernatural creature in his own right, which is often lost when the character we see him most often juxtaposed against is Dream, who is even more odd and unhinged if in very different ways

(I've decided to be systematic about this and go through meeting by meeting so strap in, folks it got long, as usual!)

1389 - First of all, Hob simply bragging at all that he doesn't plan to die. OG hipster right there, loving life before it was cool. But also, ok, loving life after being born less than a decade after the Black Plague ended. And in the midst of a great many Black Plague aftershocks! The latter half of the 1300s was a truly abysmal time to be alive, with huge social upheaval, war, plagues, "two bloody Popes fightin'" and in the midst of all this is Hob motherfuckin' Gadling, cheerfully announcing that death is for suckers and he doesn't intend to ever do it.

The man is a soldier! You'd think he'd be more accepting and philosophical about his inevitable death given the time he lives in, the profession he has chosen, the fact that most young men his age were wiped out at age 9 by the second wave of the Black Death, and just, in general, doing all of this while having the misfortune to live in England at the time.

And then when Dream comes up to him, like a complete weirdo, and challenges him on this, Hob is actually pretty nice to him! He gives him a side eye but he also goes along with the question, tells him to ignore his friend's jibes, and cheerfully accepts the wager! I cannot express to you how many turns in the road there are between what a normal person would do and what Hob Gadling does in that moment.

1489 - This one bugs me because the most unexpected thing Hob does is seemingly regress in maturity despite now being 100+ years old.

Now, I'm a huge fan of the theory that he's conning Dream right now and putting on the innocent chucklehead routine to put Dream off from kidnapping him to Faerie Land in exchange for his immortality. HOWEVER, since that's just a headcanon, let's take Hob as he is on the page!

Hob has a job. A Freaking Job. He used to be a bandit and a soldier, things that kind of make sense to do as an immortal (like The Old Guard) when you can't die! You could theoretically make BANK there just by taking dangerous jobs. But Hob doesn't?? He gets a normal-ass job, though in that day's equivalent of getting a job at Microsoft or Apple before they became big, Caxton is like one of the first modern startups in essence, a new technology that made TONS of money once it was imported, and Hob was on the ground floor. Still. HE GOT A JOB as an IMMORTAL. He doesn't seem to have this immortality thing figured out yet? And he doesn't ask Dream hardly any questions about it either! You'd think he'd be frothing at the mouth to better understand wtf happened to him, but once Dream clarifies that he's not the Devil and Hob's soul isn't in danger, that's it! No further questions, your honor! WHAT??

Also, just when you WOULD expect him to beg for death (that IS the genre savvy thing to do, Dream's not wrong!) he DOESN'T. He's more in awe than ever, he seems to be experiencing a second childhood over the fact. He's just vibing and living life. That's so, so unusual in this genre.

Hob also hasn't done any of the savvy things an immortal might do after 100 years! He doesn't actually seem all that angsty about why is he immortal, beyond a bit of fear he might need to pay the piper (Dream) now for this gift. Most vampires in an Anne Rice novel would have gone through about 20 stages of grief after they dealt with the first 100 years of everyone they know and love dying but Hob seems to not only be unbothered but actively gearing up for the next century. It's so bizarre. IT'S SO BIZARRE and I love it because I LOVE characters who DON'T do what you'd expect!

1589 - Hob has a family. HOB HAS A FAMILY. Who in their right MIND would start a family, knowing you'd have to bury your spouse and your children? HOB MOTHERFUCKING GADLING that's who! It's incomprehensible! He does it anyway! It's why I headcanon that he planned to support and nurture his family throughout time, like it was all very deliberate to found a dynasty, but it need not be! Knowing him, he just saw a pretty girl and married her! He didn't even CONSIDER his own wife and children getting angry and jealous with him for having immortality he can't share with them? He didn't even CONSIDER the heartbreak?? WHAT?! Who knows! He just did!

Now, this Hob HAS begun to do SOME of the things one would expect of an immortal - like build up generational wealth, BUT he has a KNIGHTHOOD. What immortal in their right MIND would draw that sort of attention to themselves?? HOB, THAT'S WHO. What are you ON, man, that's INSANE! No wonder he got drowned as a witch the man had ZERO CAUTION AT ALL.

1689 - the man is destitute. HOW DOES THIS HAPPEN IF YOU'RE AN IMMORTAL? This is AS puzzling as anything else. Theoretically, Hob could just take a dangerous job with a high fatality rate for quick cash and rebuild his fortune pretty quickly, but he DOESN'T. What went wrong? The possibilities are tantalizing and painfully human that maybe he did do that and failed anyway, or hit even WORSE strings of truly abysmal bad luck.

But somehow, at 300 YEARS OLD it's not until 1789 that we hear Hob has begun socking money away for a rainy day! How does it TAKE YOU that long, sir?? How is that NOT something you figure out in your first century? I've seen a lot of fan writers ascribe a certain amount of immortal savvy to Hob but it's REALLY not there on the page! The guy is NOT genre savvy about immortality AT ALL he doesn't do ANY of the things one would expect, it's absolutely WILD that he falls this low after 300 years after completely failing to, theoretically, CONSIDER this possibility! And then, AND THEN, the guy STILL wants to live. I mean, this one hardly needs saying, that's nuts after what he went through, it's on the page that he's NUTS for this. But the guy is literally in the gutter dreaming of the stars, he is unstoppable I love him so fucking much what a force of nature.

1789 - OK, we've already mentioned that it took until 1789 for Hob to start saving money for a rainy day but let's talk about the fact HE'S NOT ACTUALLY CAREFUL ABOUT BEING CAPTURED?? Again, least genre savvy immortal EVER. You can't die so you'd THINK that being captured or imprisoned or god forbid, thrown down a mine shaft would be the SCARIEST possible fates when you don't have death as an escape, but the guy doesn't even blink at the thought of getting captured by an occultist like Johanna Constantine, dude's totally unbothered! DREAM has to tell him after 400 YEARS that maybe he should be worried about this? THE GUY GOT DROWNED AS A WITCH, picked himself up, dusted himself off, got into some crimes against humanity, and MOVED ON apparently without learning a single goddamn lesson he hasn't had since 1389 which is how to kick ass and look good doing it BUT HE'S NOT EVEN A PROFESSIONAL FIGHTER AS A CAREER, he's just a gentleman of means!

He just... lives a normal human life and seems to expect weird things like being kidnapped by occultists to not happen so long as he stays within those boundaries and you know what? IT SEEMS TO HAVE WORKED! Because to be fair, how many of us outside the bounds of fiction would ever expect the wild stuff like kidnapping to really happen? It's statistically quite vanishingly rare! And that's been all Hob has needed, presumably, to not need to stress since the damn witch trials about his immortality! So yeah, I read fic where Hob is like this very savvy immortal but by 400 YEARS he's BARELY learned to have a savings account under a different name and he STILL doesn't seem too bothered by the possibility of getting hurt or captured! Like, AT ALL?! Absolutely class act right here, top lad, unbelievable, no notes. HOW do you SURVIVE like this as an anomaly, Hob?

1889 - By now, it SEEMS like Hob has bought a clue. He's pretty understated, he's made some amends, SEEMS to have resolved to be less of a shithead, and he's got this immortality thing figured out. It only took him 500 FUCKING YEARS. But again, Hob ISN'T fabulously wealthy as far as we can tell. He's not a megalomaniac and he STILL seems to be vibin' as just a dude doing Just A Dude things like HAVING A JOB and if we borrow from Hob's Leviathan a bit, he's STILL just jumping between industries, just living life down at the normal human level. He hasn't detached from humanity, he lives in the day to day on a level that's just INCONCEIVABLE for a being that's 500 years old.

1989 - Ok, moving on a bit from Hob being an immortal, because getting excited about technology like his brick phone is absolutely so charming I want to squish his cheeks, but he's hardly the only immortal to get excited about that. What I want to talk about is how HOB FORGIVES DREAM for 1889. Because, look, Dream is a prick there. Hob could have been more diplomatic but Dream could have waited for the apology and he didn't.

I have seen SO MANY TAKES where Hob would be MAD after 1889 and RIGHTFULLY SO. But he's NOT. He's not! There are so many fics where he has lingering hurt over it but that's just NOT what the character does! He blames himself! Guy did pretty much nothing wrong except maybe choose his words poorly, but he's blaming HIMSELF for making Dream uncomfortable. Absolute legend. Saints have nothing on this man, that is saint-like behavior. I'd be furious. Hob just misses his friend and BLAMES HIMSELF that Dream isn't there. Not an a single, microscopic trace of anger in sight.

2022 - And then, AND THEN, when he has EVERY REASON to flip out when Dream shows up, finally, after 133 YEARS, after Hob has APPARENTLY stuck around the area just in case, WAITING for him, what does this fucking legend say? "You're late."

THAT'S IT! He's not mad, he totally has a right to be! He doesn't jump out of his chair in shock, that would be a totally expected reaction to! He glances up! He acts like Dream is 5 minutes late instead of over a century WHAT IS THAT?? WHAT IS THAT?! HOW?!! They just settle back with a pint after that like it's nothing. That's not what I would do. I don't think that's what almost any human would do after a shock like that. I still can't wrap my head around it.

So anyway, Hob Gadling, absolutely FASCINATING character from the perspective of just not doing a single fucking thing you'd expect an immortal Just A Dude to do. Goddamn legend right there. Worth remembering for those like me who are obsessed enough to write this guy in fic. He is just so... opposite of everything you'd expect and that is so fucking sexy of him wow

[earlgarden-archived]

I hear a symphony

"I used to hear a simple song, that was until you came along."

synopsis. on days where he can't sleep, he turns to you for comfort

warnings. Might be a bit ooc?

a/n. Idk why but I think of Columbina singing when I wrote this

I wrote this in honor of Dazai after chapter 109 (let's pray him and Sigma are okay)

Dazai Osamu.

In the soft glow of the moonlight, you sat beside the sleeping Dazai, reading one of your favourite novels. The room was bathed in a hushed stillness, disturbed only by the gentle rustling of the curtains and the faint chirping of crickets outside.

Dazai always had a hard time sleeping, but ever since you appeared in his life, he felt like his mind was put at ease, allowing him to sleep peacefully. However, on this particular night, his mind was filled with thoughts about his past in the mafia. His abuse from Mori, the fight against Mimic, and Oda's death. After tossing and turning for god knows how long, you began to worry about him. "Dazai, is something wrong?" Your voice breaks the silence in the room, yet Dazai doesn't respond. Sensing his inner turmoil, you try to think of a way to ease his mind. After a few seconds, you finally think of something. Before Dazai could wonder why you suddenly got so quiet, your delicate voice filled the room.

Softly, you sang a heartfelt lullaby that was sung to you when you were younger, your words caressing the very essence of Dazai's soul. Each note carried a tender affection, a indirect promise that you would be by his side through any storm. As your fingers lightly brushed against the bandages on his hand, you felt the tremor in his grip ease ever so slightly.

"Rest now, my love," you murmured, your voice like a gentle breeze. "In this world of shadows and uncertainties, I'll be your anchor, guiding you through the night."

Dazai's dark eyes met yours, a flicker of surprise and gratitude dancing within them. "Your voice... it's like a siren's call, pulling me back from the edge," he admitted, his vulnerability laid bare before you.

With a tender smile, you leaned in closer, you continue to sing, your sweet voice never wavering as you continued to serenade him. The words of the lullaby wove a tapestry of comfort around Dazai, lifting the weight of his troubles, if only for a fleeting moment.

As the minutes turned into hours, your voice remained a constant presence, a beacon of solace for the weary soul beside you. Dazai's restless demeanor gradually ebbed away, replaced by a calmness he hadn't felt in a long time.

"You truly have a gift," he finally whispered, his eyes now softened with affection. "Your voice... it's like an enchantment that banishes the demons from my mind."

In that intimate moment, your heart swelled with love for the man who had captured your heart, and you knew you would continue to sing to him whenever the shadows threatened to torture his mind.

For that night and many nights to come, your melodic lullabies became a cherished ritual, a loving gesture that lulled Dazai into a peaceful slumber. Your bond grew stronger as you found solace in each other's presence, two souls entwined in a symphony of love and understanding. And amidst the darkness of their world, your love remained an unwavering light, guiding you through the darkest hours and into a future where they could face any challenge, hand in hand.

[mermaidsirennikita]

I’ve started watching The Artful Dodger and loving it, it’s far better than Bridgerton at actually capturing the essence of a romance novel (my first thought upon seeing Jack and Belle interact was that it could’ve been ripped straight from a romance novel). Do you have any recs for tv shows or movies that have the vibes of a romance novel?

Ooh yes!

Oldie but a goodie and if anyone hasn't seen it they should (and really, the whole trilogy--the second movie gets a bad rap, but I personally so enjoy it, and I love the third movie for a lot of reasons but the "REIGNITE. OUR. LOVE." sequence is absolutely one of them, the "we are gonna FUCK THIS SHIT OUT" vibes are sooo romance novel for me). Bridget Jones's Diary. Mark Darcy is just an amazing hero. Bridget is a legend. Hugh Grant as Daniel Cleaver is PEAK Hugh Grant, and his introduction in that film is one of the greatest character intros I have ever. Seen in cinema. I see some people knock on it because of things that have aged--Bridget worrying over her weight because it's the early 2000s and super skinny was the trend, the workplace harassment. I don't give a fuck. If you haven't seen Bridget Jones's Diary, you are doing yourself a disservice.

(It is based on a book, but that book is not a romance novel. The movies are.)

Ummm speaking of Hugh Grant, Music & Lyrics is an underrated BANGER and absolutely fucking reads as a romance novel. A washed up has-been pop star begins a creative partnership with the messy neurotic woman who waters his plants? He does a flop attempt at defending her honor to do the guy who did her wrong. There's a grand gesture/grovel moment ffs. It's GREAT. The music is AMAZING. POP! Goes My Heart!

This one is borderline because it is more of a girls trip comedy, but the romance is truly centered so well and is a swoony romance and it features peak Richard Madden and it is again, so underrated. Netflix's Ibiza, dude. Buttoned up marketing girl goes on a business trip to Spain, her two best friends (who are both much wilder than her) accompany her and they go to the club one night and see DJ Richard Madden (LEOOOOO WESSSSST) and he and the main girl have this amazing meet cute that involves someone drawing a dick on her face in glow in the dark marker and him coming to the rescue, but then he has to go to a gig in Ibiza and she and her friends decide to track him down because some people are destined to go to the moon, but her destiny is to FUCK. THAT. DJ. But Harper and Leo's connection is more like love at first sight than pure horniness? I just miss movies that like, unabashedly capture zany happiness and the flutters of first love (and the sex scene is so good???). This movie is amazing and I adore it.

Bros. Look dude. I know Billy Eichner fucked up the marketing for this one. I know he's annoying as hell. Bros is objectively a romance novel movie lol. It's not as inclusive as it could/should be, I will agree with that always--but the romance arc is so good, and it is legit funny, and it has a FAILED GROVEL which we all know is one of my favorite things. And I do think it has a deeply true heart and soul and is really amazing.

Brown Sugar. PEAK Taye Diggs and Sanaa Lathan. It's a slow burn friends to lovers movie in which there is sooooo much sexual tension and so much angst and so much follow the fuck through. Also, Taye Diggs has one of the most magnificent line deliveries of all time with "riCHARD LAWson".

Imagine Me and You. The sapphic romcom we deserve. A bride falls in love at first sight with hot florist Lena Headey while walking down the aisle to marry her groom, as you do. What follows is a woman desperately trying not to cheat on her husband while experiencing extreme sexual tension with Lena Headey. Surprisingly soft and super romantic.

Lady Chatterley's Lover (2022). Required viewing for historical romance novel fans. Obviously based on a book, but again, that book is not a romance lol. The movie is. And it's one of the hottest movies in recent memory. Jack and Emma did the WORK. The kiss right before he goes down on her is maybe my favorite movie kiss of all time.

Obviously. Pride and Prejudice (2005). I shouldn't have to include this, but to be fucking clear lol. I will always maintain that while P&P (the novel) is a predecessor and a shaper of romance novels, it is not a romance novel. It is a contemporary novel with a lot of social commentary and a good love story. This movie? Makes it a full, sweeping romance with some of the best tension ever committed to screen.

Faraway. Omg, an amazing slept-on movie that is a rare romcom featuring a middle-aged woman! Basically, right when her mom dies she finds out her husband is having at min an emotional affair with his younger employee, and she also discovers her mom had a secret property on a Croatian island. She goes there, and is immediately courted by this younger real estate developer guy, but why is she constantly butting heads with the gruff guy who's been living in her mom's house????

Far and Away. Hate to recommend a Tom Cruise film, BUT it is is very romance novel, and it does star Nicole Kidman as well, and I hate to say it but those two did have bomb chemistry when they were married. The Irish accents are rough, but the plot is delightful because he's a poor guy who ends up getting roped into her scheme to leave for America (after his harebrained revenge scheme against her dad fails lol) and they live in a boarding house together pretending to be brother and sister... But like, everyone can tell they aren't because of their extremely obvious sexual tension lol.

When Harry Met Sally. Cliche, but it is a classic every romance lover should see. I'm not a big Billy Crystal fan, but his chemistry with Meg Ryan is MAGIC in this, and you really do get the sense of two people slooowly falling in love without even realizing it until suddenly they do all at once.

[atla-confessions]

"that 'Iroh the hypocrite' confession is a lot of words to say you don't understand

The whole point of the "Azula needs to be taken down" is it goes against what Iroh is usually about, thats not Iroh being hypocritical, that is the writers highlighting just how dangerous Azula truly is"

Of course, Iroh's 14 year old niece is so dangerous and severly deep into the propaganda of his nation and the parenting of his abusive younger brother that even he, the one who is mature enough to realize all of the topics mentioned above, is spiritually enlightened and is basically always seeing the good in everyone (proof is his weird idolization of his nephew), can't stop for a second and put himself in the shoes of this child, his own family, in order to at least understand why she is like this. That's not at all a writing that betrays the essence and themes of his character(becoming a good person after doing bad things, seeing the spiritual balance of the world and hence being able to see that people can do both good and wrong and forever trying to offer guidance for those he encounters so that they can be able to lean towards that inherent goodness, hopefully), not at all a flaw in his character, that's just him being once again Perfect and anything that opposes this idea, is definitely wrong and evil, right? Thnx for the good laugh you gave me, hopefully, I'll leave you too a bit better with this educational discussion as you did to me.

"And the sending Zuko to fight Azula has nothing to do with a power struggle between siblings, Azula had no real power, Ozai just named her fire lord to continue to manipulate her, thus Zuko fighting her wouldn't been seen the same as Iroh taking down Ozai"

Oh, so a publicly known traitor going back to his country with the intent to usurp the position of power and governance, that was given to his sister, now the publicly known figure and power of authority due to the fact she's been chosen by the ultimate authority, the phoenix king to be the leader of the nation, and is quite literally the only ruling figure staying in the country and tasked with governing it, somehow, this Traitor vs The Leader of the Nation isn't actually a power struggle being painted in action here? Do enlighten me to what it is, if you can, because I seem to have misunderstood all the politics I've studied.

"And imagine thinking Zuko's never done anything good without "the good guys" givinf him chances, as if The Blue Spirit wasn't wanted by the fire nation from before Aang even wakes up."

Of course, the Blue Spirit must've been a noble hero fighting against the Colonizing Entity and doing heroic deeds, right? I mean, the fire nation wants him captured! Of course he must've been doing something good! Two questions came to my head right now, why and for whom did he do these deeds? All I know about this character is that he does things for his own benefit, things that ultimately did serve the world good such as kidnapping the avatar and brought harm too, such as stealing from people. And guess what, all of these actions came from a place of self interest and personal gain, they didn't come from a moral sense of doing it for other people so who's to say that, perhaps, the Blue Spirit being wanted by the Fire Nation is because he would do things that would once again benefit him, such as infiltrating military groups and centers to acquire knowledge that would aid him in his search for the avatar?

"Try thinking about why things are said rather than what is said"

Believe me, I don't share my thoughts unless I'm positively assured of what I didn't and did understand and I'm always welcome, happy and ready to be proven wrong and be taught what's correct and right. Do you do that too?

X

[riddlesrhymesandfear]

Dork Squad fall for that one reporter who makes photos of them for the newspaper/online news.

Summary: Mad Hatter, Riddler, and Scarecrow falling for a reporter.. (2nd person/ gender neutral)

A/n: I am slowly working on requests again, I have some that are almost done and should be out in the next week :) (also I wasn't sure if you meant 'takes' or not, so I just went that route,,)

||> Mad Hatter

Oh, Jervis wasn't sure who was taking such photos of him with crisp shots and lighting at first, but he does not waste another second finding out! It helps that your name was credited below his recent photo in the newspaper he came across.

He becomes much more careful and observant of what goes on around him, keeping an eye out for anything out of the regular in hopes he may find the reporter that's been taking his photos. And when he does, he doesn't let the opportunity pass.

At first it's curiosity, but it's not long before he grows interested in learning about you. Even outside the fact you take photos of him, the way you do so has him waiting for the next new edition or article to come out to see if there's a new photo of him (or anything really, but himself especially) you've taken.

The lighting, the care in the lack of blure or style, just the entirety of how you take your photos—it's caught him, line and sinker. And it's not long before you manage to snag his heart the same way.

||> Riddler

Finally, someone finally understands and appreciates his person to capture him in polaroid form! And not in an amateurish sense—professionally, for all of Gotham to recognize him! Just who is the individual he has to commemorate (or "volunteer" for his next death trap)?

He's quite enamored with the attention and detail to your photos of him, although depending on what the subject matter and setting of the photo, was, he may have a different reaction. If it's during a time he's out and 'in action,' he's far more likely to seek you out for some words of your talent and appreciation for models and matters of his own essence.

However, if it's during a less appealing moment (facing a nother loss against the Batman), or in a place of private (like his workshop or home), he may be inclined to seek you out for a few selective words and threats...

Regardless, congrats—you've gained Edward's attention, and there's little to nothing that'll pull it away, save for the Dark Knight. Whether you've obtained his liking or his irritation, he'll be on the lookout for any new photography you may have out on the next newspaper or online article.

||> Scarecrow

He's.. put off, to say the least. At first, anyway. Mostly by the fact that your photos have enough speciality to them to give out details of himself that most other photographers would end up blurring. And it frustates him.

The Scarecrow is meant to be a beacon of fear, of terror—people should think twice before walking across his path—but you? You take photos of him in a way that he's certain you've been up close to take them.

He will admit that they catch his likeness, however—most reporters' photos of him are humilitaing, such as being taken back to Arkham or losing to the Bat; or are blurry to the point only the shape of the photo's subject is determinable. But yours, as much as it frustrates him, are taken neatly and without flaw. Many of them even capture his formidable stature—truly give due credit to the alias he dons.

Jonathan has many ways of finding what he wants, and you've caught his attention. Your photos make him wonder what you fear—what limits you have that'll scare you off, or keep you coming back. And he's determined to figure out each and every one of them.

[helenofjupiter]

assigning taylor swift songs to bridgerton couples (part 2)

with explanations that no one asked for (proceed with caution)

part 1 for a, b, c and d

eloise & phillip - i hadn’t even read the book and i knew paris was their song. i feel it captures their essence. “no, i didn't see the news 'cause we were somewhere else” while benophie are just as deep in the countryside, i think philoise truly don’t care about anything that goes on in the ton. “i want to brainwash you into loving me forever” i’m not sure why this line in particular stands out to me in context of their relationship. maybe because going into it they both had their agenda. also phillip constantly thinking he has to find a way to make eloise stay forever. “confess my truth in swooping, sloping, cursive letters” i think this one is self explanatory. secondly electric touch, i was hesitant about this one cause i’m just not a fan of this song sonically but the lyrics were too on point. “just breathe, just relax, it'll be okay // just the first time ever hanging out with you” - eloise sitting in her carriage on the way to meet a man who basically proposed to her without meeting once. from phillip’s “i've gotten used to no one callin' my phone” when eloise shows up and the servant’s “hey, we got a caller” and phillip going “wtf no one comes here, you sure about that”. also “i've grown accustomed to sleeping' alone” yeah eight years will do that. “i was thinking, just one time maybe the stars align, just one time and maybe I call you mine” 

francesca & michael - so i have a story regarding this one. as i got to the second half of the book and the spice started flooding in, i felt like the need for some equally sexy music in the background and i remembered (honestly don’t know how i ever forgot) the altarpiece of taylor’s music  false god. truly all the stars aligned, while i read the words “she felt cherished. worshipped. loved” miss taylor swift sang “we'd still worship this love”. other than that it does fall into the vibes category. tho if one day we are blessed enough to actually get their season i am expecting every social media feed to be drowning in edits of  franchel to this song. but also alternatively to don’t blame me. again, sexy. well the spice in this book was just on another level and i also couldn’t figure out if taylor has a song about being in love with your cousins spouse for six years. i think this is more from michael’s perspective. i mean “i've been breaking' hearts a long time” he even broke mine by being fictional. “if you walk away i'd beg you on my knees to stay” michael stirling would absolutely do this and frankly i can’t stop picturing it. if we do get to them in the show some glorious day, this is my official plea to include this song in the soundtrack. 

gregory & lucy - speak now is the somewhat lazy choice but have you read the prologue timed to this song. “i hear the preacher say, "speak now or forever hold your peace"” the church went silent “there's the silence, there's my last chance. i stand up with shaky hands, all eyes on me” the priest stopped his drone, and every spine in every pew twisted until every face was turned to the back. to him. “horrified looks from everyone in the room but i'm only looking at you” she said nothing, but he saw her. // she looked so beautiful. i rest my case. it was really hard to pick a song for them because there’s so many twists and turns in the book so my honourable mentions are haunted (when gregory convinced everything is solved and then lucy goes and marries another man) and daylight. finally i settled with ivy. “my pain fits in the palm of your freezing hand, taking mine but it's been promised to another” i mean lucy has been promised to another man from the start of the book. it just fits them, okay (can you tell i’ve been writing this for four hours at this point).

hyacinth & gareth - dear god, hyacinth is my favourite character in the whole books series. i adore her but for the love of god i could not figure out what songs to choose for hyareth. it was truly a headache and if anyone has any suggestions, please do not hesitate to tell me. because they are such a chaotic and energetic duo, i wanted something that would fit them musically but ended up picking cowboy like me and peace. both are truly in the vibes category, i don’t have much of an explanation. in cowboy like me “and the skeletons in both our closets plotted hard to fuck this up” felt kinda reminiscent of the whole polt line with gareth and his father who wasn’t really his father. peace has a little more substance to it. in my head this is more from hyacinth, she is wild and you will never get bored with her but she can also be a lot and tiring. “you know that i'd swing with you for the fences, sit with you in the trenches. give you my wild, give you a child” this is who hyacinth is, she is a ride or die, and i truly believe she would sit in the trenches with gareth.

[bradycore]

okay here’s the thing about bloody mary. it’s one of the most essential episodes of one of the best seasons of the show. it’s literally the kickoff for the beloved psychic sam arc, and the way it’s done is BRILLIANT. the rambling is under the cut, but first i’ll say that of course the born-again identity is a fantastic episode. it has sam 1) making a friend and 2) suffering immensely, plus the plot-driven sam elements too, so i’m here for it, i am! but it’s NOT bloody mary.

so you’ve got all the nostalgic classics of this era of the show (which i'm having to cut down on for length oops): familiar lore but a good mystery; the lighting & desaturation, the clothes & hair, the shots that are eerily similar to ones seasons down the line (the ahbl and levee parallels alone, oh my god!!!); salmondean lying out of their asses and failing miserably; the bantering; “it might not be our thing” “when is it ever not our thing”; more lying and snooping; the side character of the week experiencing some genuinely scary shit, like, actual horror-movie horror; lines that are funny when you watch them but horribly ironic in hindsight (“600 years of bad luck”); committing b&e and property damage...you get the gist. and sam comes from all this. you can take s7 era away from sam and still have him, but you can't take away this. the roots of the show are the roots of him.

anyway, throughout it all, sam has nightmares. horrible nightmares that we experience with him, but we think they’re normal, and dean thinks they’re normal, and then sam says he has a secret. and we realize that it’s been building up to something. the pinnacle: sam, eyes bleeding, black veins crawling up his face, trying desperately to kill his own reflection as it tells him he’s inhuman. how many times did we see this happen metaphorically over the next five seasons? how huge is this theme for his character? and right here, right now, late at night in an old antique store in midwestern ohio, this is when it starts, when it’s raw, when he’s face to face not with a random character parallel but with himself and the literal mirrors all around him are the inescapable threat and we the audience have our stomachs drop as we realize for the first time that he’s not the Normal One. he’s the Other. there is something Wrong. you had those nightmares for days before she died.

and his reflection told him it was his fault jess died. and he tells the motw victim’s daughter that it’s okay, you couldn’t have stopped your loved one’s death, you should forgive yourself; but when he gets in the car with dean, he keeps his secret. to be normal, to be safe.

and then that last fucking shot, oh my god, those five incredible seconds of cinema: jess standing on a street corner as they drive away with the classic rock music in the background. continuing to raise the question of his psychicness, and ephemeral as ever in her white nightgown, wind in her hair, staring right at him and then she’s gone. and 15 seasons later he will still be thinking about her, and this moment is the last time he ever truly sees her.

this episode is so fundamental. it captures the essence of old-school-spn sam while having narrative and cinematic elements that set the stage for his character throughout the entire rest of the show. born-again identity is sam with a crisis in a hospital; bloody mary is sam with a crowbar and a secret. born-again identity is one of those episodes that’s about him; bloody mary is one of those episodes that’s the heart of him. and bloody mary deserved to win.

[pastel-rights]

Do you have any favorite sona designs?

... actually, I do have my biases towards different sona designs, yeah. Especially since I've drawn so many of them and I just have a collection of the official council-approved sonas. I can name a few under the cut~

Let's see... this IS in a somewhat particular order tbh? Not least favorite bias to most favorite bias but... I DO have my favorite sonas, both lore-wise and design-wise. You'll see as I get further down that I DO say "so and so is my third/second/most favorite" or whatever but the beginning bit is just. YOU. you know. Well, that's enough of that, let's actually get into this, huh.

I think the first sona I want to mention is Blackwail actually! ( Originally designed by @paperbcy )

Blackwail is Yuu's sona, and I've always had a certain affinity towards their sona, even if I didn't get the chance to draw them a ton. I loved their purple and red color palette a lot, and they were always just really delightful to draw in any capacity. They were always just... a lot of fun. And their different AU variants were always so silly, especially Whitewail and Doodlewail...

Of course, I can't talk about Blackwail without mentioning their right-hand protagonist, Nerissa! Nerissa isn't a sona technically speaking, but rather, she is an in-universe character Blackwail created! And ough she's so pretty I'm SKJEDFNKSJDFNKSJDNF /j

I think a good shoutout here would be their hospital variants? I like them a ton, but... not so MUCH they get their own spot. But they are very pretty variant designs and I do feel they are worth the mention.

...

I think the next sona worth mentioning is Pins' two personas!! Personally, me? I love the Eel Sona, she's always been my favorite out of the two sonas, so I'll mostly be talking about her. ( Originally designed by @one0p1nk )

Miss Eel is just sO PRETTY. I love her. Mwah. I want to give her a kiss (on the cheek) (respectfully) (and with permission)

Okay so enough of that, but I just really love what Miss Eel has going on with her palette and design... I really love those purples and the pops of white and pink. I also just love the butler-like vibes Miss Eel has going on, and the characterization of Miss Eel is just sooo good. Pins usually goes with the pink version of her sons (Miss Vampire) and usually that's the version you will see me draw most times but let it be KNOWN Miss Eel has a special place in my heart.

Miss Eel doesn't have a ton of lore unfortunately so she won kind of based on aesthetic appeal (and dream world shenanigans) over some other options inside my folder of sonas... hehe...

...

The next one is going to be... Linzer! ( Originally designed by yours truly )

I love myself a bad bitch with red hair I won't even lie to you.

Linzer makes her way onto this list for a few reasons. Design-wise, she's mostly neutral colors with this pretty red color for her hair. Lore-wise, she's an author who's responsible for stories such as "The Emerald Masquerade", "The Theatre of Darkness", and "The DECORA Incident" to name a few. She's supposed to be the version of me who runs Essence and AU lore!

I don't know what it is in particular that I adore about Linzer specifically, I just kind of enjoy Linzer as a whole in general, more than some of the other sonas. She's also just a bad bitch in general so. bonus points!!

...

This one might come as a surprise to you guys but... I think Satoru and Nihil are my third favorite sonas...??????

Especially if you know the beef I have outwardly with Satoru himself and how MEAN he is to my poor poor wife... He's actually really chill and fun behind closed doors. And he's really funny (he needs to stop calling me babygirl though /j) and I think this sona just captures their vibes really well... a little too well actually... it's giving "silly little freak" actually. I also like his secondary form a ton, ngl??? His secondary form technically has a different name but that's for later (not EVER /j)

As for Nihil, unfortunately, those two are kind of just "do not separate" coded. I really like Nihil lore wise and design wise, which is why she's so high up among the several dozen sonas. You might think these two are new, and you'd be. half wrong??? Satoru is new, yeah, but Nihil has been around for a while now, she just finally got herself officially drawn alongside Satoru.

Enter: The Boundary Walker.

That's Nihil's title! She's present in a lot of AUs and concepts (as well as the world where my ocs all originate from), but always on the outside, looking in. She's a record keeper and the main manifestation of an entity known as "The Nihility", which is where her name originates from.

and like, the lore these two have is it's own whole thing that also kind of got them all the way up here but that isn't what you came to hear so.

...

Okay so. Don't be mad. But my second favorite sona... isn't just one. But rather, everyone from the Halloween sona set. But if I had to choose just one, then.......... these two. Specifically, Joe. (The one on the left side in purple)

Simply put... these two are the highest up here because they are based on video game hackers! The purple and green color schemes the two of them has going on has always been one of my favorite schemes, but Joe in specific is based on a galaxy, and galaxies are one of my favorite things in the world to color...

I also just really love the asymmetry in the design, it's all over their design. I also think Klai's complimenting design just really adds to Joe's Halloween design?? Joe's design in a mix of light colors with a pop of neon purple, while Klai's is more the opposite, dark and neon with a pop of light green and white. Alongside these, they both have the other's signature color somewhere in their design and. God, I love it when designs compliment each other heheh.

As for them lore wise... chaotic hackers... chaotic hackers for life... look at them... this IS favoritism at its finest...

Joe and Klai just have really nice base sonas in GENERAL anyways so... I simply put a trick or treat spin on them and if Halloween isn't my favorite holiday <3

...

oh we're at number one already??? wow. damn.

so you might be wondering HOW did I get all the way up here to my number one, my FAVORITE sona, the sona to SLAY all other sonas... without even ONE of my wife's several sonas appearing??? It's baffling, I know!

Do I just not love my wife enough? Have I BETRAYED MY MUSE.

...

no lmao

Tae has so many really nice and really pretty sonas, like Tama, Tazai, Jason and more. And honestly, it was kind of hard to choose just one Tae sona since, there's so many and they're all so pretty...

And I hate to disappoint everyone by saying that it isn't Tazai and Yabel taking the number one spot.

It's surprising, yeah. From the amount of stuff I've drawn of them to their complete character lore to just how much I love Tazai (for better or for. worse.) and while he's quite far up there... I could never fully say he was my favorite sona. Not just of Tae's but out of everyone total.

And yeah, Yabel is a really fun sona both lore-wise and to draw but she was never my favorite of my own sonas either. But still I can't deny the facts those two would always be the most well-known and most popular sonas I've ever created and I probably ever WILL create.

Everyone knows their name, their faces, their personalities, and who they are as sonas. As people.

They are well known and well-loved for a reason.

......... but they aren't my favorite. Sorry if you bet money on them even appearing in this list /j

But, uh. my favorite sona of all time is actually someone I hate drawing lmao. Funnily enough. There isn't anything wrong with his design per say, I just struggled with it a lot... so it always put me a little off of drawing him again.

I've drawn this sona a total of... one time... (well technically twice because I JUST drew him today specifically for this ask when I realized I didn't have ANY other art of him... but that doesn't really count to me) which speaks to the testimony of whatever the FUCK he's got going on lmao. Every sona on this list has been drawn at least three times (with the Halloween sonas being an exception) so to only be drawn once... seemed a little dramatic for the number one spot...

Insert, the number one spot and the pain in my ass.

this guy.

...

yeah. /lh

There's a multitude of reasons I gave him this top spot... but if I had to give just one right now... it's something many of the others here on this list kind of lack to be honest?

... I just think he's silly! He's just generally (hehe, general) a lot of fun no matter what situation he is in, and he just has a really sweet and pleasant personality??? Like... he's just a guy. Everyone else has so MANY thoughts behind their eyes...

but this is just the look of a man who loves his wife

Everything about this sona (he doesn't technically have a name...) is just... really soft. He looks as sweet and soft as he actually is and he's just. really pleasant to look at????

I kind of just want to give him a kiss on the cheek he's so pretty. aaaaaaa.

He's always got this soft, almost dream-like expression that you just don't get with most sonas. Like, it isn't JUST tae sonas, no it's ALL of my sonas.

I don't know what it is, I can't really explain it without getting into the lore and the aus and his secondary variant and this post is already super long so you'll just have to take him as IS.

[asktheeagle]

Hi Warren! It's me again, the one who draw you :3 I just wanna ask you a question, I'm sorry if this offended you or anything but do you have pronouns or sexuality?

Anyways here's some arts of you :3

The first one is my drawing from computer and the second one is on phone! Anyways, bye, love you and have a great day! <3

Oh, I love them!!!! You’ve truly captured my perfect eagle essence! As for your question, well, I haven’t really given it a think, so I guess just call me whatever you want! Unless it’s rateyes or worm….That wouldn’t be good at all..!

[pinkrose787]

BroZone Makes an RPG

Decided to write this as a challenge to see if I could write a story in under 50 minutes. Chose to write something light, because all my other Trolls work has been so angst riddled. I hope you enjoy :D

Ao3 Link

Branch’s room is a mess. Papers filled with different ideas and drawings are scattered about the room. There’s soda cans and bags of chips on the floor. Crumbs of different foods litter the floor.

For some reason that Branch can barely remember, him and his brothers decided that making a video game would be fun. It started when their family therapist recommended they do some sort of project together. Somehow, it snowballed into making a full-blown RPG.

Unfortunately for Branch, his room is the only room with a PC. So, all of his brothers have been gathered in there while they make the game. He sits at the computer, because he does not trust any of them with it. 

Right now, they’ve separated into roles. Branch is the main programmer for the game. Floyd is on art. John Dory is on the game’s soundtrack. Clay is the game designer. Bruce is the writer, though all of the brothers addon to the story of the game.

The game’s plot is utterly incoherent at this point. The main protagonist is a cheese maker who has a jet-pack and leaves his cheese making job to fight space moths in another galaxy. Originally, the game was a simple farmer goes to fight magic being. They all decided that was too basic. 

“I have an idea!” John Dory proclaims. Whatever he’s about to say is only going to make the game’s plot more ridiculous than it already is. “We add in ourselves.”

Everyone turns to him. “What?” Clay asks.

“We should put ourselves in as characters in the game!” John Dory has a wide grin on his face. It’s apparent that he’s really proud of this idea. “You know, make space version of ourselves that the player can meet! It’ll show off just how cool we are.”

“I call being a vendor!” Bruce says. “I want my character to sell the player food items, and be really chill.”

Floyd quickly scribbles on the sketchbook he’s holding. He holds up a very sloppy drawing of Bruce in a Hawaiian space suit. His long purple hair flowing in the anti-gravity. “What do you think of this?”

“This is great!” Bruce exclaims.

Branch agrees. Despite being drawn in only a few seconds, it looks really good. Plus, he can completely see Bruce as being a chill vendor that gives players a brief respite from the chaos of the rest of the game.

“Well, I want my character to be a jet-pack safety enforcer.” Clay crosses his arms. “I don’t think people realize just how dangerous jet-packs are.”

Branch nods. Truly a great choice for Clay’s character. It’s something really necessary for world-building.  People can barely handle moving on an XY axis adding in a Z axis would only add to the chaos and destruction.

Floyd scribbles on his sketchbook again. He shows Clay the drawing he made of Clay’s character having a green argyle space suit with a hazard vest on top holding a stop sign.

“This is great!” Clay takes the sketchbook from Floyd. He holds it high above his head, admiring it.

“My character should be a suave cool adventurer who has been fighting the space moths for years,” John Dory says. Those first two words are really turning this sci-fi into a fantasy.

Floyd takes the sketchbook back from Clay. He scribbles down another drawing. This one is mostly just John Dory in a space suit. Nothing has really changed.

“This is fantastic!” John Dory exclaims. “You really captured my essence well, Floyd.”

It is literally just a drawing of John Dory in a space suit. If anything Floyd managed to make him look less cool. The space suit doesn’t really work on him.

“For my character, I should be the one to give players advice on how to fight and give them weapons to defend themself with,” Branch says. That feels like the most fitting thing for him. He wants his character to help the player on their way.

“Giving items to the player. That’s too close to being a vendor!” Bruce exclaims.

Branch rolls his eyes. “There’s nothing that says that only one of can be vendor. Besides, selling food items is different than giving weapons.”

“I guess,” Bruce says.

While they argued, Floyd drew Branch’s character. He has a backpack filled with different weapons, his character has war paint on his face. The spacesuit that he wears has a design reminiscent of Branch’s vest.

“I love this!” Branch exclaims.

“What do you want your character to be, Floyd?” Clay asks. “You’ve drawn all of us, why not yourself.”

All eyes are on Floyd. He awkwardly laughs. “I don’t know. I can’t really think of what I would want to be.” He shrugs. “Don’t really see myself as being in space. You know?”

Everyone is silent for a second.

Bruce gasps. “That’s it!” He slams his fist against his palm. “What if you were a musician on Earth that was a friend of the player’s before they left for their journey in space?”

“Well, then I’d be on Earth, but all of you would be in space,” Floyd says.

“He’s got a point it doesn’t make sense for only one of us to be on Earth.” Branch scratches his head. He knows how much it sucks to be the only one left behind. Even if it’s only in a video game, he doesn’t want to leave any of his brothers behind. “Players would probably be confused as to why only one brother is on Earth.”

“Are our characters brothers in-game?” Clay asks.

“Of course, they are. They’re just us but in a video game,” Bruce says. 

He has a point. These characters are them. They’re brothers in real-life and in the game. Branch thinks for a second. How could they fix this issue? 

“I’ve got an idea!” Branch exclaims. “Floyd’s character could be a DJ on Earth that plays different songs for the player to listen to! And what if there was a small chance that if the player went back to Earth, they could find all of us hanging out.”

Floyd smiles softly. “I like that.”

“We should all have something to show that we’re all connected too.” Clay says. “A symbol that shows our characters are connected!”

“How about a BZ with stripes that match our hair color! That way everyone would know that they’re us!” Bruce exclaims.

Even though it is very obvious that the characters are them, just in a sci-fi setting, that’s still a great idea. “I like it,” Branch says.

“Yeah!” Clay exclaims.

“BroZone in space!” John Dory exclaims. He pulls all his brothers in for a hug, Dragging Branch in his computer chair. “I just now that this game is going to be a major hit!”

Despite his doubts about them making a game together, Branch is still happy that he gets to work on something with his brothers again. The best part is that there is no pressure. No one expects them to make a perfect game. There’s not going to be a huge terrible fight that fractures their family again.

It’s just five brothers in a room working on something that they may never end up finishing. That’s alright. Whatever they make, even if it’s bad, incomplete, or both, is going to great. Because for the first time in a long time, they all worked on it together.

[yonderghostshistories]

Which actor from Holy Flying Circus do you think did the best job at portraying their Python??

Thank you for the ask @michael-palin-is-the-loml !!

Short answer: All of them.

Long answer: Tbh, I think all the actors did a pretty great job at portraying the Pythons! But ESPECIALLY Charles Edwards as Michael Palin, like not only does Charles PHYSICALLY look like he COULD be Michael Palin, but he (Charles) got Michael's mannerisms down TO A TEE.

Darren Boyd as John "Basil Fawlty" Cleese was also pretty great, and I think he ironically got John's mannerisms pretty accurate as well! Also, idk if it's just me here, but I think Darren's portrayal of John is actually kinda nuanced, despite what his "Basil Fawlty" persona might suggest. Like Darren/John, even though he is shown throughout the film to be more or less largely sarcastic, DOES and CAN show emotion (see the "I do love you.....Mike" scene as emotional damage evidence) and shows that he DOES care for other people (especially Charles/Michael), plus "John Cleese Vs the Islamaphobe" scene is pretty epic imo, and actually does has a point about the difference between FREE speech and HATE speech.

Tom Fisher as Graham Chapman was, ofc, ABSOLUTELY PERFECT. RIGHT DOWN TO THE TEE. His mannerisms, his quotes, his cool asf jackets...his..his... EVERYTHING. Tom truly served cunt with his portrayal of Graham FR FR, even if he had minimal screentime. Also, Tom/Graham really portrayed Graham's debonairly sassily gay charm pretty well, as well and Gray's bonkers & wise self too!!

Rufus Jones (unfortunately no relation to the actual Jonesy) as Terry Jones was pretty great tbh. Like other people have said, Rufus J/Terry J felt more like Jonesy when Rufus J/Terry J played Jones the Wife/Mrs Palin (aka Mike's Wife), which i can agree with tbh, since Jonesy did mostly portray the women in MP! But I'd argue that Rufus' portrayal of actual Terry J was pretty great too! I think his mannerisms felt very accurate to Jonesy in some ways, also Rufus/Jonesy's (slightly exaggerated) speech impediment with pronouncing the letter "r" was pretty funny tbh, and also because of this in HFC, I did learn that the actual Jonesy DID have a mild speech impediment! Tbh, Rufus/Jonesy is pretty adorable<333

Steve Punt as Eric Idle was pretty great tbh, not only capturing the quote unquote "Money Grabbing Bastard" side of Eric pretty accurately (imo), but as well as Eric's cheekiness as well! I think Steve/Eric is pretty funny tbh. Also the fact the Steve actually DOES look like Eric FR lmao 🤣.

Phil Nichol as Terry Gilliam was pretty adorable tbh. Phil's portrayal of Terry G as a lil goofy goober chaotic child-like goblin of a man who grabs random bits and pieces and makes a paper cut animation in, like, a second was pretty funny tbh. Phil/Terry G certainly does capture the essence of Terry G very well imo.

Overall, i think all the HFC actors did a pretty great job at portraying their Python pretty great!......BUT, but, but, BUT....

If I HAD to choose ONE(/two) actor(s) who did the best job of portraying their respective Python, it would have to be Charles Edwards and Darren Boyd.

BUT BUT BUT.....honourable mentions for the OTHERS who did a pretty great job at portraying their respective Pythons would be (imo), Tom Fisher and Rufus Jones!

Thank you for coming to my TED-ED Talk, I hope you enjoyed it!

[m1ckeyb3rry]

Hello there!! OMG you don’t know how I just sped to read the Saturday date I think I’m actually in love with your writing. Also 7K WORDS?!?! Guys I’m being fed too well omg chefs kiss a million times over <3 Found another piece to burn into my brain and reread over and over again I was kicking my feet reading this THEYRE SUCH DORKS ITS SO CUTE AHHJDKSHD This has to be some witchcraft because I can’t even express in words how good this was!! Reading this made my week omg! The beach aspect incorporated his fear of water PERFECTLY he’s such a gentleman and a menace at the same time this is literal perfection!!!

And SAME we can be (blue) locked in together HAHA I seriously can’t wait for him to be animated!! Speaking of, you saw the Epi Nagi movie, correct? If so, what’d you think?? Just in case I won’t spill my thoughts quite yet hahahaha but would love to hear what you think

Also I LIVE for the hilarious interactions between Karasu and other characters too!! I completely forgot to mention before but I think I died laughing with the Hiori cameo you added in the first part of the Karasu piece - it was so on brand and so goofy of him I love how you added that! And the Hiori mention this time too was gold, you’ve captured the essence of their characters and relationships so well!!! Otoya interactions with Karasu are also a fav of mine so IM SO EXCITED TO SEE WHAT YOU HAVE IN STORE!!!

On that note, I’m not sure if you’ve read the EpiNagi manga either but there’s some great interaction content in there if you’re looking!! Their dynamic is also so goofy and I love them too!!!!

You’re also a GENIUS I hadn’t even thought of Karasu interacting with Yukimiya for the first time that’d actually have me rolling omg I can imagine him just glaring at him and sizing him up all the time doing his analysis and just muttering insults like “he’s just an mediocre dude” etc LOL

Once again, thank you so so much for entertaining my thoughts and requests you didn’t just deliver you ATE and DEVOURED, above and beyond truly!!! If you’re ever lacking Karasu writing ideas or just thoughts generally I’ll always have some handy for you o7 HAVE A LOVELY DAY!!!! THANK YOU FOR FEEDING THE KARASU COMMUNITY HSHSHSH I have a feeling I’ll be in your inbox quite often LOL (esp when he finally gets fully animated!!!)

On my way to go reread that piece again orz

-Karasu anon :)

OMG YAYYY I’M SO GLAD YOU LIKED IT!! hehehe smth abt karasu always gets me rambling…both times i’ve written for him the pieces have ended up being almost double the length i intended them to be 😭 I LOVEEEE HIS AND READER’S DYNAMIC they’re so stupid and they truly match each other’s freak so well LMAAOAO i think the whole “Why do you think he’s so interested in me? It’s because of the kindness that radiates off of me in waves!” ~ “That’s not kindness radiating off of you, that’s the scent of your hair gel.” exchange is one of the funniest things i’ve written in a WHILE i was giggling coming up with that whole convo 😫

i think his fear of water is so interesting!! since it was established in the first part that y/n loves swimming i thought this was the best way to include that without it feeling too random 👆🏻 HAHA i really wanted to show that despite his snarkiness he truly is a green flag at heart!! him being a bit of a jerk is so integral to his character but at the same time i am 100% confident that he would be sooo down bad if he liked someone and he would absolutely treat his gf like a princess (even though he’d simultaneously be a jackass abt it)

YES i did watch the epinagi movie last thursday when it came out in the us!! ofc nagi is my fav so i liked it but i do think they cut out a lot from the manga which made it feel a teensy bit rushed. i almost wished they would’ve waited until the manga finished up w the second selection and then animated that too (biased because i want to see more karasu + barou) overall though it was good!! the tabieitaken + kurona cameo at the end was sweet if not a bit crunchily animated 💖 also i distinctly remember there’s a scene (i think at the end) where they show reo and nagi like standing next to one another and THEY DO THE FUCKING PRIDE AND PREJUDICE PINKIE THING LMAOAOAOA i hope you know what i’m referring to it had me dying 😭😭😭 i fear reonagi is not a ship i care much about (LOVE both characters, find them kinda boring together tbh) so it wasn’t emotionally impactful to me i just found it hilarious…like ok wyd here mr darcy ⁉️ but i’d love to know what you think!! i am caught up with everything blue lock so feel free to talk about anything related to it in my inbox 😤

I LOVE HIORI IN THIS SERIES TBH he’s like karasu x y/n’s biggest shipper (besides y/n’s bff) but also kind of their weird little freak child?? idk how to put it but karasu + y/n both feel like they are probably role models of some sort for hiori (which will be shown a bit more in the next continuation i hope) so he kinda just follows them around as he has been so far and at some point they just give up and pretty much adopt him. like yeah that’s their son what abt it (this is based on that one scene of karasu and hiori in the epinagi movie where karasu looks like he’s taking his child [hiori] to the doctor’s office for the first time because his wife [y/n] is busy 😭)

OTOYA AND KARASU ARE SUCH A FUNNY DUO I LOVE THEM TOGETHER!! i’m so excited to write otoya meeting y/n i think it’s going to be entertaining for sure!! and PLEASE karasu meeting yukimiya in blue lock has been on my mind since you requested him going into the program…he does his stupid little analysis for the first time and immediately has a breakdown because yukimiya is canonically 1cm taller than him 😭 otoya has to tell my man to stand tf up HAHAH i bet the trash talk after they won/after karasu got ranked third and yuki got ranked fifth for third selection was VILE (on karasu’s part. meanwhile yuki is like “great game 😄 you’re super talented bro 👍🏻” because he’s unproblematic and also has 0 idea why this random crow boy holds such a deep hatred for him)

i loveee the epinagi manga i wish it was updated weekly because i’m so impatient i need to know what happens next!! the current match going on is making me sooo happy because it has my top three bllk boys (nagi, karasu, and barou) in it…plus my bestie chigiri 💖 the art style of the manga is so pretty though so i don’t mind waiting longer for chapters…perfection takes time after all 🤩 the way karasu especially is drawn in epinagi is so hfdkskjs like bro is ASTOUNDING. the panel where he’s first introduced in it and his name is written and he’s all smirky…lives were changed dare i say!!

i have so much fun reading your thoughts!! and once again i’m glad you like the way i’m taking your requests 🫶🏻 i will hopefully get the next ones done soon too and you can lmk what you think of them!! always proud to serve the karasu fandom 🫡 i’m like that one video of justin bieber that goes “hey. just working. working hard so i can please you.” but it’s me writing for minor bllk characters instead of just the itoshi bros typical suspects.

come into my inbox whenever you want!! i will always be happy to read whatever you want to talk about (even if it’s not karasu related hehe)

[siriuslysatorusimping]

Ok so most and least favorite instalments? Hmmm

I don't think I'm able to choose one favorite intalment, so here are a few:

- Show your hand. Instalments like this one that show the influence Yuzuki had on Rinko and how she thinks now as an adult really have a special place in my heart. The fact that she subconsciously internalised her mother's words and optimistic worldview and her becoming aware of it. And how her adopting an almost caretaker role to Maki and Mai, allowing her to better understand her mother and the relationship between them from her perspective really emphasise Rinko's growth as a person. And I love that we get to see her acknowledge that herself and I've always loved their mother-daugther relationship so I enjoyed seeing the positive impact Yuzuki's love has had on Rinko and her being mature enough to understand that and understand that Maki and Mai would benefit from such love as well being children that were shunned by the Zenin clan like her. This instalment also shows Rinko's first panic attack (i think?) as the stress really gets to her and the first time she breaks down in front of Gojo, who eventually becomes her safe place where her body instinctually knows it can break down when he's near her (as a person struggling bad with anxiety- jealous) which is one of my favorite details about the level of trust they have for each other to the point of it being instinct.

- Another one would be the most recent one 'All that I am is Yours' when Gojo finally says I love you. Everything about it. From Rinko's breakdown finally being in his arms safe enough to break down, to Gojo deciding to not wait any longer and tell her, to her initial rejection- because of course she would not accept that as truth, after years of them being in their 'atypical friendship' and Gojo being Gojo and his freakout just a year prior- of course Rinko would think he's just lying to her to get her to calm down and refuses to accept it. To Gojo clinging to her tighter, repeating it and hammering the fact that he means it and making a dumb joke that makes her chuckle and finally calm down and listen to him. To their happy grins and Rinko feeling light and loved because my girl deserves so much happiness after everything she's been through and her insecurities and she's finally getting it and I'm so happy for her😭. And of course Gojo goes right back to being a horny boi 1 second after. Truly my favorite thing about these two is how WHIPPED Gojo is now about Rinko and how happy he is to be abld to show it in public too. Their relationship runs so DEEP I honestly love their dynamic and how well their personalities fit together, not because they are soulmates mde for each other, but because they grew together, and learned how to take care of the other and love them and lrioritise each other. Honestly I could talk about their relationship for HOURS. But the level of detail in the wedding ring as well has me AMAZED. I really truly think the flow of this chapter was perfect for the 2 of them a perfectclimax of their relationship. How things unraveled and how their feelings and emotions mixed and clashed was so in character for who they have become and has stayed true to the essence of their characters and their relationship. Your writing truly is amazing.

Speaking of, I also loved every angsty bit as much as I hated it because again it flowed so well with the characters emotions and ways of thinking. It felt natural and the fact that Gojo and Rinko learned and grew from their mistakes really made it feel constructive and integral to the story and their journey, rather than the sake of drama. Also during Shibuya, and during Echoes in the Void- your use of the repeated phrases and just your writing blew me away in how well it captured Rinko's slow spiral and mental/emotional deterioration. You managed to capture her struggles so well and how she has limits, like any real person.

And of course any time Rinko was a little murder bean😂. ESPECIALLY when she took out Naoya. That. Might just ne my absolute favorite moment.

Oh and all her bonding moments with the kids. Rinko truly has become a mother figure for all and I love it🥺 Her learning the flashcards to speak to Toge and Megumi acknowledging her as his adoptive mom are esoeckally my favorite.

As for least favorite. Probably 'I say sayonara' just because Rinko and Yuzuki's relationship reminds me of me and my own mother's😅. And when I read it I genuinely got choked up because it made me think of the possibility of losing my own mother. And it also made me appreciate our dynamic more.

I'm sorry this is so long, but I just want to pay tribute properly to you and the amazing character you have created. Honestly every moment she was in was my favorite moment. Rinko is my favorite fictional character period.😄 and I annot wait to read more about her finally getting and living her happy ending that she deserves so much with a man that will love her the way she deserves to be.

I HAVE NO WORDS FOR THIS WONDERFUL MESSAGE OTHER THAN THANK YOU 😭

You have said everything that I could say so I'm just going to LEAVE THIS AS IT IS 🥹💕🥹💕

THANK YOU AGAIN FOR READING AND BEING PART OF THIS CORNER!!!! 💕😭

[upper-moon-4askblog]

Hmmm, random question. If you could have any hairstyle what hairstyle would you have? To the main 4 clones.

Sekido's eyes twitch with annoyance. His eyebrows become more furrowed and he glares at you. — "This is stupid. Why do I have to answer this? And I don't know. " His words are full of aggression and he seems irritated that you even asked this question.

Karaku considers for a moment, thinking about the hairstyles he has seen over the centuries that he has lived. — “If I had to choose a hairstyle… hmm, it would have to be one that represents me the best and truly captures my essence as an upper moon. I think I would go with a spiky yet elegant type of hairstyle, something that makes me stand out, shows off my personality and shows off my status!”

Aizetsu was silent for a few seconds, thinking about what you said. He then spoke. — ".. I… like my hair the way it is… it's simple and easy to look after… but I'd like… to have long braids… like… those of women…" He said in a low voice, feeling a bit awkward as he said this. He stayed quiet for a few seconds, thinking about it before he continued. — ".. Why…? Do you have… something you'd rather me have…?"

It takes a few seconds for Urogi to contemplate this question, as his eyes shift back and forth in thought. — "My little friend, this is certainly an intriguing proposal. I suppose if I had to pick a hairstyle, I would opt for a slicked back and long hairstyle that covers one of my eyes. I've always admired the look and style of such a haircut and it suits me well." He shrugs and tilts his head. — "What about yourself? What hairstyle would you prefer to have?"

[beyondthebackup]

Masterpiece

"I want you to create a masterpiece!"

Chroma's wrinkly hands weigh heavy on B's rigid shoulders. He smells of alcohol. He always does.

"What?"

What's the point in trying to hide his irritation? This man won't remember their conversation in the morning.

"Think of it as...an end-of-year assignment. A final exam, if you will, but I am offering this opportunity only to you.

I want you to create something - it can be anything - that captures the core of your being. Your soul. Your essence. Whatever that may be! I want you to dig deep, and give me an explosion of self-expression! Rules be damned! If you can do that, you'll be top of my class for the rest of the year. No questions asked. You don't even have to show up to class."

B stares at Chroma as if he just arrived from another planet.

Chroma shakes him.

"Listen to me. I know that you're special, Backup. All this...detective stuff, everyone knows they're going to pick that A kid. He's safe, he sanitized, he's...well-behaved! But you. You have the mark of true genius. It takes pain, it takes darkness, it takes insanity to create art! What do I always tell you? I will not allow your talent to go to waste!"

B slaps Chroma's hands off his shoulders, barely able to contain himself from going any further.

"I don't understand anything you just said. That's not an assignment. That's not even a prompt. You're telling me I can just make anything?"

"No! Absolutely not! Not just anything! And believe me, Backup, I will know if you do..."

Chroma sticks his finger in B's face. In his mind, B pictures in graphic detail biting it right off.

"I will only accept it if I can see without a doubt that it tells me who you truly are."

B stands still as a statue, searching Chroma's glossed-over eyes for some indication that this was a joke.

Always with these fucking special projects, ALWAYS with these fucking speeches about how troubled I am and how much I remind him of himself...EVERYTHING I EVER MADE was some reflection of the kind of bullshit he expected from me... THAT'S the deal.

A masterpiece...

My true self...

WHAT THE FUCK IS HE TALKING ABOUT!?

B's shoulders relax. He smiles at Chroma.

"Understood."

---

B slams the bedroom door and kicks his desk chair over, tears up the work of the unfortunate soul that used the desk most recently, rips the blankets and the sheets and pillow cases off both his and his roommate's beds, and for good measure, opens a window and tosses out the nearest lamp.

He locks himself into the bathroom and faces his own reflection.

The core of your being. Your soul. Your essence.

Who you truly are.

B searches his own impenetrable reflection,

and finds nothing.

He screams at the top of his lungs and punches the mirror once, twice, and a third time before his hand hurts too much to do it again.

B glances wide-eyed at the shards of glass and ribbons of blood slithering down his fingers, panting. More than the pain, so much more...B can hear something in his ears. Buzzing, like a thousand wasps being baked in an oven. Static, growing louder every second.

One thought, over and over and over and over and over and over and-

B jumps onto the toilet and loosens the one of the ceilings above. He retrieves a bottle of stimulants and swallows a handful of them. B seals his stash and flees the room.

Chroma is passed out in his chair, so he doesn't notice B returning to the art room and hauling off its entire supply of charcoal, pencils, and paint, along with two enormous rolls of canvas. It's all dumped in the common room, and lucky for everyone else, it's currently empty.

B shuts the giant double doors and barricades it with anything he can reach before falling to his knees in front of an unfurled sheet of canvas.

Nothing.

B grabs a pencil scratches out the pulsating, ever-present image in his mind.

---

"Doc...

...can you hear me?

Hey, B!"

B startles awake, sitting upright like a wind-up toy and swiveling around to stare at his interrupter with wild eyes.

Obelus.

"Jeez, I was getting worried...you've been locked in here for over 24 hours. Are you okay?"

B doesn't hear a word he says. His gaze drifts vacantly back to the canvas beneath his body.

An incomplete, but panoramic and hyper-realistic sketch of Wammy's House.

Strange lines dotted the skies just above their looming towers...like an outline for a future finishing touch...

But B doesn't remember a single thing.

"Doc?" Obelus repeats himself.

"WHAT!?" B screams, turning to Obelus again in a moment of genuine rage, only now realizing that several children and a staff member or two are wandering into the common room to inspect the commotion.

Obelus furrows his brow, and points at B.

"It's just...I think your hand is broken."