#there's no reason for this set - i just really love the lighting/landscape + i think she looks really pretty here <3< /div> Explore tagged Tumblr posts

[liz-wes]

Lily James as Donna Sheridan

in MAMMA MIA: HERE WE GO AGAIN!

[herejusttosufferalong]

Ehhh totally understand if you don't post this because it's depressing af. I'm choosing violence today. I was awash with lovey dovey feelings for our couple after re-watching L&N interviews, re-watching B3, re-watching BTS footage. I was full to the brim with LOVE. These guys had me in a choke-hold. Actually had me reviewing and reflecting on my life and relationships, adding so much joy and self-acceptance, reflecting on my self-worth, improving my world view. Allowing me to breathe in deeply, and expand myself in ways I didn't expect it to.

BUT yesterday was a mess. For so many reasons, not just because of L&N-related content. There were some bad vibes circulating. Then I made a really poor life decision last night. I decided to do some stalking of third parties, which I don't normally do. And of course, it had to be the night where said parties were posting and I saw all things unfolding in real time. My predictions were coming true in real time. It was like the granting of a wish in reverse. And look, I'm not naive to think that these things aren't happening, but when you see it unfold in front of you, it just hits differently. These people are so. fkn. toxic. It drains the life from me. The same occurred this morning when I awoke to see a timeline of HBS. I knew about it, but seeing it, with receipts, fkn disgusted me to my core. It was a visceral reaction. All of a sudden, what looked cute and puppy dog became unsafe and ugly. My empathy dissolved. The thing that gave me the most discomfort was the possible connection to the young dancer who was in B3. It made me think such awful things. (the worst being, is he just a fuck boy who was starved during tour?).

But why, why does it have such an effect? I don't interact with these people, no real relationship. So why? I think because we have been sold a certain narrative, through B3 and the press tour, that being authentic, having depth, focusing on 'the real bones' of people is paramount. Beyond the aesthetic. 'The truth will set you free' kind of thinking, right? And here we have the literal antithesis to that. People who promote and value aesthetic over substance. People who are egocentric and appear to have a very limited worldview. People you expect more from given they sold that 'depth narrative' looking you in the eye. People who are old enough to know better. People who choose to surround themselves with younger folk so that personal growth is disallowed. People who care more about their shallow life fulfillment, their hedonistic desires, than the feelings of others whom they purport to love and care about. People who hide behind ignorance, as if that negates them from consequence. The stereotype celebrity. It's truly deflating. I expected so much more.

And my original thinking of 'oh it's ok, he needs to grow and learn from his mistakes, he needs to find himself...", well, I'm finding it more and more difficult to believe. Because why give him grace? Why is he deserving of grace? Because he acted real well? What does he add to society? What do these fked up people add to this already fked up world? You've got N literally changing a whole landscape, waving her wand and creating light in darkness, urging us to think deeply while laughing at the same time. And no, we don't all possess that kind of magic, but hell, shouldn't we all be striving to be authentic, kind, thoughtful people? Shouldn't we try to promote these things if we believe in them?

Look, in this life, people are always showing you who they really are, telling you exactly what they value, what fills them up, and it's up to us to really look and listen. I'm disappointed in myself for not properly seeing what was in front of me all this time... You can't change those who do not want to be changed. My respect and my fucks given need to be earned, and honestly, we need to reflect on our own self-respect if we are willing to fawn over or idolise someone undeserving. As always, I have hope for people, but I'm no longer holding my breath.

Please, give me that Xanax and wake me up when September ends.

#fkeverything #ohthereyouareteenangst

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[thefrogman]

Recently I took a panorama of the Pittsburgh skyline at night that got a positive response. That was done on the spur of the moment with an iPhone. I want to do that again and more, but this time with a dedicated camera setup. It's been years since I've had one, so I'm basically starting over again. I'm mostly interested in getting day and night cityscapes, and maybe the carryings-on at this year's Anthrocon. Would you have any particular knowledge to pass on as I set off on this journey?

Since you didn't specify a budget I'm going to assume it is in the $10K range.

And you're probably thinking I'm going to suggest a Leica. Every dentist and his brother (who is also a dentist) gets a Leica. But I just can't take a camera brand seriously when they charge you an extra $2200 for the privilege of not being able to shoot in color.

Sure, you can hit a single button in Lightroom to get B&W and save some money, but then you won't be able to brag about how limiting yourself to only shades of gray has opened up new artistic pathways in your brain while a clueless person responds in mumbles during their root canal.

What you really want for your landscapes is a Hassie.

They were the first camera on the moon! How could you *not* want a Hasselblad? That is some camera gorgeousness right there. And it's so reasonably priced*!

*compared to their previous $40,000 camera systems.

And if you are doing landscapes with the Hassie you'll need a nice wide angle lens to go with it. This one is actually quite affordable*!

*compared to their previous $8000 lenses.

Can we all agree that is a work of art? They even use their H logo as the knurling.

That is just so... extra. And I love it.

Out of the entire alphabet I've heard Hs give you the best grip.

Man, I almost wish I was a dentist just so I could buy a fancy camera.

Sorry... I was just having a little fun.

I never get to recommend the super cool expensive cameras. Because, ya know, the economy and the fact that only dentists have Hasselblad money.

You probably think I'm being silly but there actually is an entire community of dentist photographers keeping the high end camera market alive.

Okay, let's get started...

Landscape Buying Guide

Opening Thoughts

For landscapes I would highly suggest a full frame camera and a high quality wide angle lens.

Full frame has several advantages but it is not necessary. You can go with a smaller sensor like APS-C and get great images. Personally I would not go any smaller, but there have been some great landscapes taken on micro 4/3 and even smartphones. Technique, knowledge, experience, and composition will usually win the day over a camera, but having a nice camera makes things a lot easier.

At this point, with full frame options being very affordable now, the main reason to get a smaller sensor is if you want a smaller system that is easier to carry for extended periods and easier to pack when traveling. Or if you aren't sure you want to take on photography as a hobby, you can get an old APS-C DSLR for under $200 to learn with and test out.

So if you need a very cheap OR very compact system, APS-C and Micro 4/3 might be worth considering, but a bigger sensor will cause less frustration most of the time.

Froggie Note: The expensive Micro 4/3 and APS-C systems are the compact ones. The cheap systems are about as bulky as full frame.

The biggest advantages to full frame are low light shooting, lens selection, and field of view. Full frame cameras have many, many more lenses to choose from. And since the sensor is bigger, it is much easier to get a wider field of view that is often needed for landscapes. And the high ISO noise performance tends to be better on full frame.

However, you can use full frame lenses on APS-C camera bodies within the same ecosystem. They just get a little... zoomier. Roughly 1.5x zoomier. A 35mm acts like a 50mm, for example. So if you want to spend a little less now you can get an APS-C camera with a full frame lens and then upgrade to full frame later on without having to buy a new lens. Full frame lenses work on APS-C bodies but not the other way around.

Most landscapists have a really solid 16-35mm lens and that covers almost all of their needs. So I would suggest something comparable. Please don't get suckered into some crazy 18-300mm superzoom. Just get the focal range you need for the photos you want to achieve.

A purpose-built lens always outperforms one that was made to do everything.

As far as where to get used gear, I highly recommend using KEH or MPB when buying used camera bodies. They check every device and offer between 3 and 6 months warranty to make sure the device won't crap out on you. Lenses are typically a lot more robust and a safer thing to buy on eBay or Facebook Marketplace if you can find a better deal. But the security of having a warranty and a return apparatus if something goes wrong might be worth the extra price when using these two sites.

I am going to recommend Canon, Nikon, and Sony systems. I feel they have the most complete ecosystems with gear that spans all budget ranges. I'm not saying there aren't good cameras from other brands, but you have to remember every camera has an ecosystem surrounding it. There are accessories and upgrade paths and niche lenses that may not be available with other brands. I think Fuji has some tempting options and if you like the look of vintage film photography, their emulation options are quite stunning. Their cameras are also quite attractive and have very satisfying knobs. But I still can't recommend them unless you have a specific reason for wanting their gear.

Just remember that for every Canon DSLR I recommend there is a comparable Nikon option available as well. There are more lenses for a Canon full frame DSLR body than any other brand with Nikon coming in a close second.

So if you choose not to go mirrorless yet, the Canon and Nikon DSLR camera ecosystems are immense and have tons of gear and accessories available to go with them. And since used gear holds up really well, those ecosystems will survive for decades.

Should you buy a mirrorless camera or a DSLR?

Mirrorless cameras are the latest camera technology for interchangeable lens camera systems. At this point they are superior in every aspect and they continue to improve year by year. Because of that, used DSLRs have plummeted in price. This allows people greater access to a starter ILC (interchangeable lens camera) without a significant investment. You can get professional quality images on either format, but mirrorless has a shallower learning curve and much better automatic modes.

The in-body image stabilization (IBIS) stabilizes *every* lens and the eye tracking autofocus make "focus and re-compose" extinct. These are huge selling points for a lot of people. With IBIS you can take photos with up to 2-4 second shutter speeds without a tripod. And never missing focus on a human or animal or bird is pretty cool too.

DSLR camera bodies are no longer being designed by most of the major manufacturers. Thankfully Canon and Nikon developed plenty of bodies and lenses, so you will always have options and upgrade paths. But you will not be able to upgrade to systems with the latest advanced features.

The best DSLRs available are probably the Nikon D850 and the Canon 5D Mark IV. That is as good as it will ever get. The technology ends there. So if you want to enter an active camera ecosystem then you will have to get a mirrorless camera.

DSLR Camera Systems

Full Frame DSLR Camera Bodies

Canon

If you buy a used DSLR, there are some very affordable full frame options. In fact, the classic much-praised budget full frame Canon 6D can be had for under $300 right now.

This is an old camera. It has no fancy features. It only has 20 megapixels. It just does what it says on the tin. But it has a big sensor and a *ton* of really cool lenses available for it.

If you are specifically looking to create really high resolution panos, you could also look at the 50 megapixel 5DS R for around $1000.

There is a community of landscape pano-maniacs that love to create "gigapans" that have endless amounts of detail where you can zoom in and find new details in every photo. I was only able to create a 120 megapixel photo, but you can still find things like people starting a campfire and a dude fishing and a truck on a far off bridge. So even though this seems expensive for a DSLR, you are looking at another thousand bucks to find anything with more megapixels than this bad boy, so it is quite a good deal relatively speaking.

Nikon

Probably the best DSLRs ever made were the Nikon D800 series and you can get the Nikon D800 for $464.

This is a newer camera than the 6D with more megapixels (36) and a better sensor. It also has a more modern autofocus system and about 3 more stops of dynamic range which can come in handy for landscapes. This is an incredible camera for this price.

APS-C DSLR Camera Bodies

If you aren't sure you want to commit to this hobby, you can look into a Canon APS-C sensor body like the Canon Rebels and Canon 60D through 90D models and get good results.

And there are many Nikon DX APS-C bodies that would be great starter cameras as well. If you get a Nikon, you'd have an upgrade path to the D800 if you get hooked by the photography bug. I would miss a few very special Canon lenses like the 100mm f/2.8L macro and the 400mm f/5.6 telephoto but I'm sure I could figure out some reasonable Nikon alternatives that would do roughly the same thing.

Canon APS-C

There is a Canon 60D for $139 right now that would be perfectly adequate for landscape work on a tripod.

That was my first camera and I took some very nice photos with it. Only 18 megapixels but it has a very convenient flippy screen which was really helpful for a disabled photographer trying to get low angles.

This was in 2014 and I didn't know what I was doing but that is a pretty stellar-looking sunset for a (now) $140 camera.

Nikon APS-C

And the Nikon D3400 would be a great option as well at around $184.

You get some extra megapixels (24) and it is a bit newer than the Canon. I get the sense that used Nikon DSLRs give you more value for your money right now but I don't have a large enough sample size to confirm that.

Full Frame DSLR Lenses

Froggie Note: I am recommending full frame lenses even if you choose an APS-C DSLR body so you have an upgrade path. But also very few purpose-built APS-C lenses had superior glass. Just remember, crop sensor APS-C cameras add ~1.5x to your focal length. So a 16-35mm will have the equivalent field of view of a 24-50mm lens. Still quite acceptable for landscapes, but you may benefit from doing panoramas more often. And if you upgrade to full frame down the road, you'll already have the ideal lens.

Canon DSLR Lenses

If you get the 6D or another Canon you could pair it with the beloved-by-landscapists Canon 16-35mm f/4L.

Honestly, it is blowing my mind you can get that combo for under $600. Me from 12 years ago is super jealous right now.

If you are worried you might need something to work in lower light and still want a zoom, the f/2.8L starts at around $434.

This might be the most famous landscape lens of all time. Kinda boggles the mind how many gorgeous vistas this thing has captured the light of.

If you can live without the zoom, you could get a much sharper prime lens that can also be used in even lower light. A used Sigma 24mm f/1.4 Art lens is $439 would be a fantastic option.

24mm is still a very good focal length for landscapes and the sharpness of this lens lends well to panoramic stitches. Seriously, these art lens are so freaking sharp. Although 35mm is typically preferred for most street photography, I think this would do great for that purpose as well. It couldn't do close up portraits, but 3/4 and full body portraits would look great. I also love this focal length for doggos. It enlarges their heads a bit which enhances adorable-ness.

Though I probably wouldn't recommend the 24mm on APS-C for landscapes as it would put you near a 40mm full frame equivalent field of view.

Nikon DSLR Lenses

And on the Nikon side of things you could get the Nikkor 16-35mm f/4 for $399.

This is a great lens too. Very comparable to the Canon L glass. And paired with that D800 you would have a better shooting experience than with the 6D if it fits within your budget.

It's a little harder to find, but you can also get that same Sigma 24mm f/1.4 Art lens for Nikon at around $528 used on Amazon and in the $400 range on KEH and MPB when it is available.

The older and softer Nikkor 28mm f/1.8 is a little more affordable and easier to find.

What if you are not a dentist but are willing to save up for something a little nicer?

Enter the world of...

Mirrorless Camera Systems

Sony currently has my favorite ecosystem of mirrorless cameras and lenses and they are consistently ahead of the other brands as far as technology and features. In fact, many other manufacturers use Sony sensors. They literally supply their competition with their own tech. They are also pretty good about updating firmware—even with older models. So I feel like Sony has a lot of future-proofing advantages over other brands. Sony has a great selection of 3rd party lenses like Sigma, Tamron, Viltrox, Laowa, Samyang, etc. These lenses often have nearly the same optical quality as Sony's G Master lenses at a fraction of the price.

Full Frame Mirrorless

Currently, I think the best value full frame mirrorless camera for landscapes would be the Sony a7R III.

This is very nearly a top-of-the-line landscape camera for a little over $1200.

That might sound like a lot, but I want to be clear...

This isn't just decent. This isn't "good enough." This is a spectacular professional grade full frame camera.

10 years ago you could spend $6500 for a *worse* camera. 5 years ago you could spend $3000 for a *worse* camera.

It can do every genre of photography except for maybe fast paced sports/action. It has an amazing 42 megapixels—which are not necessary but they do make editing and printing a lot less of a headache. The file sizes can get a little big, but storage is a lot cheaper than it used to be.

Oh, and it can be used for professional quality 4K video work too.

The a7R III comes with all of the modern bells and whistles including in-body stabilization (IBIS) so you can handhold at very slow shutter speeds. It has one of the best autofocus systems—complete with eye tracking. But not just human eyes! Dog eyes. Cat eyes. Bird eyes. If it has an eye, the Sony can probably lock focus on it. And it has an admirable 10 fps burst shooting mode.

APS-C Mirrorless

If you want to enter the Sony ecosystem but can't afford full frame quite yet, you could do the a6400 for about $600.

You still get the eye-tracking and the in-body stabilization, but you will lose some image quality at higher ISOs due to the smaller sensor size. However, you can get the same full frame E-mount lenses for it and upgrade to a bigger sensor later on and not have to buy new lenses.

Mirrorless Landscape Lenses

I think a good value landscape lens would be the very impressive Tamron 20-40mm f/2.8.

This is a newer lens so there aren't many deals on used options yet. But this is still a great price for the quality and versatility you get. You will never regret spending a little more on glass.

The 20mm range can fit an entire cityscape in the frame without needing to do a panorama. But if you zoom to 40mm and mount the camera vertically, you could stitch together several photos to get well over the 100 megapixel range.

Also, the 40mm focal range is long enough to do street photography and even head & shoulder portraits. The wide f/2.8 aperture combined with the high-ISO friendly full frame sensor and in-body stabilization means you can shoot in very low light without a tripod. You can also get some great pictures of stars if you travel to someplace with minimal light pollution.

The cheapest landscape zoom lens I could find was the Sony 16-35mm f/4 at $384.

It's one of Sony's older lenses and may not take advantage of all of the a7R III's pixels, but it would be a good option to get you started in this system and upgrade the lens later on.

Mirrorless Prime Lenses

Zoom lenses are great but you have to spend more to get tolerable quality. Kit zooms can be softer than even the tiny plastic lenses on your phone. So a great way to stretch your budget is to get multiple fixed focal length "prime" lenses. Primes can be built inexpensively while still having good low light performance and decent sharpness.

For instance, you could start with something like the Tamron 20mm f/2.8 for $175. And if you want to do more than landscapes you could add the Sony 50mm f/1.8 for $170 later on. Cheap primes will outperform any of those mediocre kit zoom lenses in that same price range. You lose some versatility and have to deal with the pain of changing lenses or zooming with your feet, but sometimes a tight budget demands a little pain.

There is also a higher quality 3rd party wide angle prime lens that is very popular right now. The Viltrox 16mm f/1.8 is only $549 and the reviews say it has similar quality to lenses 3 times its price.

If you have to choose between a better camera body or a better lens, a good lens will help your photos more than a fancy camera body.

Froggie Note: These are examples. You should always do your own research before making a major technological purchase. This post could be a year old by the time you see it and there could be new stuff that is better. But all of the principles I tried to convey should hopefully guide you to a good decision. Also, feel free to message me if you want to ask about specific gear you are considering purchasing.

More Resources

This is my Encyclopedia of Lens Terms which is a helpful primer in understanding all of the wonderful and different lens options available on ILCs.

This is my buying guide for low budget used DSLRs. Similar to this post but less geared toward landscapes.

And this guide for getting decent landscape photos with any camera.

This is a free tutorial that teaches you everything you need to get started with an ILC system.

And this free tutorial by Karl Taylor is quite good as well.

[invisibleraven]

"Can I use a picture of you as my background?" for Rulie please and thank you

Reggie picked up his first camera pretty young-an aging Polaroid belonging to Pops who taught him how to use it, then setting up a dark room in the downstairs powder room when he bought him a real film camera. A lot of those shots were fuzzy and off centre, but as he grew they got better, and it was actually a shot that Reggie took that they ended up using in Pops obituary.

Regie kept taking pictures after they moved to LA, filling albums to send back to MeeMaw, scrapbooks for the band, then eventually made it his career. Sure he'd rather be shooting landscapes than ads for perfume, but it paid the bills.

Then he started working with Ray Molina. He liked Ray, who took him under his wing, teaching him all the ropes. Let him do weddings and real estate, as well as headshots and sunsets-the full gamut. Reggie loved it.

But it wasn't only because Ray was a great boss, there were other perks too. Like Ray's gorgeous daughter who brought them lunch every Friday, catching up with her father, and then started chatting with Reggie too.

Julie was his dream girl-funny, beautiful, talented as heck from the little snippets of her singing he could hear-she had a tendency to sing under her breath while she was cleaning; something she did every week because neither he nor Ray were what you would call organized.

Reggie would never make a move though-not only was Julie his boss' daughter, he genuinely liked her, and he didn't want to ruin a friendship on a chance, especially when she had never expressed any interest in him.

That didn't stop him from playfully flirting though-he was a naturally flirty and Julie laughed every time he gave her an over the top line. Plus Ray smiled at it, confessing Julie hadn't had much reason to smile and laugh recently, so to see his little girl being happy was a joy for him.

Julie also stepped in to help with gigs when she could-nothing where you could see her face, but she would model for them when the person supposed to do the shoot backed out last minute and the brand wanted it done today.

Julie was a natural on camera-always glowing and radiant.

"You ever think about doing this professionally?" Reggie asked her.

"Absolutely not," Julie said with a laugh, all while holding the bottle of perfume steady. "I know what that kind of life is like, and it's not for me. I don't mind helping you and papi out, but I'd rather be in magazines for my music."

The shoot was done, the two of them left to chat and clean up-everyone else hd headed out for dinner, with Ray promising to bring back tacos. The sun was streaming in as it set, painting the studio in pinks and reds.

"Can I get another shot?" Reggie asked. "Just for me, the light is perfect."

"Sure," Julie said with a shrug. She smiled at him, not even faltering as he pulled out his phone, taking the snap. "You're using your phone when we're in a literal photo studio?"

"Told you, this one is just for me. Plus none of these cameras are mine." The picture was perfect-but of course it was, the subject was too. "Can I use a picture of you as my background?"

"Why me?"

Reggie turned the phone to her. "Can you blame me? You're beautiful."

"Reggie you regularly with real life models."

"I meant what I said."

Julie looked at the picture again. "I do look good. But you made me look that way."

Reggie snorted at that. "I did not. Simply captured the right angle. You and the sunset did the rest."

"Is this how you see me?" she asked.

Reggie blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well yeah. I might joke around a lot, but I really do think you're gorgeous Julie."

"Do I get a picture of you in return then? Seems only fair."

"Sure." Reggie was confused, but he had never been one to turn down a request from a pretty girl. He let Julie pull them in together, shoulder o shoulder as she lifted her phone. He smiled, awaiting the click of the button.

But then Julie pulled him into a kiss as she took the shot, and Reggie was sure his expression was worth a thousand words.

Julie was smiling as she pulled back, admiring the shot. "I may not be a professional like you, but I think it came out pretty darn good."

Reggie looked at the photo, and smiled. "Yeah, I think I want that one as my background instead."

"You can use the other one for my contact info," Julie suggested. "Maybe put me under Muse."

"Can I put you down for tonight at eight too?"

"I think you can-just leave the camera at home. That's more of a third date kinda thing."

[moononmyfloor]

In the 3rd Quarter of 2024 Cdramaland...

1st Quarter, 2nd Quarter, 4th Quarter

(Aka the review post where I speak like I'm a hyping announcer at a presidential debate 😆)

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16. Favorite Parents/Parent figures of the year

Papa Gu (Zhang Fengyi) from A Lonely Hero's Journey, Master Li (Qiu Xinzhi & Zhang Chenxiao) from Dashing Youth

Usually the uber principled, patriotic, larger-than-life parents are stereotyped as negligent and ruthless towards their children or incapable of expressing their true affections. Not Gu Xixing. He was a strict father but for all the right reasons, and never hesitated to throw his prestige and life aside for his children any second and he made sure his children knew that, which was the most important part. The kids knew their father wasn't someone to be trifled with, but also that they were so incredibly loved and protected. Having him as the father was a big part of why the ML grew upto be such a stable and well-adjusted young man who would never sway no matter what catastrophe befell him.

Li Changsheng was, hm, admirable in the COMPLETE opposite way. One of the most convincing character designs for an immortal I've seen, he was often insensitive to the mortal struggles his students went through, and came across as snobbish and heartless at times, but that behaviour made sense and was understandable for once. Plus, when he did decide show that he cares, he went big. Earth shatteringly, Dynasty-topplingly, Heaven-shakingly big. Quite literally. He always had life advise and cultivation tips to give, if you were able to tolerate his cryptic speech and dark humor resulting from having lived for too long. I was both disturbed and fascinated by him, I even wrote character analysis for him here and here, lol.

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17. Favorite historical drama of the year

A Lonely Hero's Journey

Set in Suzhou during 1940' Japanese Occupation era, this drama is by no means the most perfect espionage/spy/war show that China has to offer, but I REALLY enjoyed it because it had so much heart despite all the bloodshed and devastation going around.

It didn't have the most accurate-to-history depictions of this specific time period, the costumes weren't necessarily period appropriate etc, BUT THAT'S OK, because even still it did such a GORGEOUS job of its wardrobe, and it's not like didn't do some research (3 meta pics from official weibo posted above), delivered heaps upon heaps of world-famous Suzhou architecture and landscaping aesthetics (3 collages from weibo below) and used this mesmerising old gramophone track 【Teach Me How Not to Think of Her (教我如何不想她) by 赵元任 (Zhao Yuanren)】 in its bgm and also did a modern cover for it, all of which made for a very atmospheric viewing experience.

And most importantly, it depicted almost all the characters with empathy no matter they were a main character, a villain, a traitor, a Chinese or Japanese. If you see people spouting that Cdramas always have clear cut black and white censored portrayals of stories that take place in sensitive historical time periods, that they bend over their back to ensure the audience wouldn't root for the characters on the wrong side, just slap a show like this in their face.

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18. A drama that was a pleasant surprise

Snowfall

When the premise said "Republican era Vampire Cdrama with an age gap relationship" I didn't really expect it to be anything more than a cheaply produced light fantasy thriller with the said age gap couple being portrayed by two same age actors where one character simply happens to be labelled as immortal.

Snowfall was anything but. Excellent cinematic visuals, sets, styling and costumes from Director Li Muge, who is like China's second God of Colors after Dir. Zhang Yimou, veteran actor Vengo Gao (Age: 42) as the immortal half of the pair and Ouyang Nana (Age: 24) as the younger half, who actually do share a very visually age-gap dynamic that was so masterfully explored so it was 100% about mutual respect, adoration and sexual tension without being creepy, and the show never let you forget that the main lead was a vampire who could unleash some serious, gory violence if he wanted. Yes, his vampirism was still explained as the fault of alien meteorites (as always 😂) but they compensated with delivering an immaculate antagonist who was 10x unhinged than any paranormal disease could ever be. He had a competency kink, abandonment issues, he was emitting the desire to be held by throat and be topped wherever he went like a jumbotron, he loved to torture AND be tortured... the list is endless. Watching this drama was absolutely delightful.

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19. Favorite adaptation of the year

Adventure Behind the Bronze Door/Tibetan Sea Flower

The DMBJ fandom was waiting for this for what felt like a decade but OH MAN IT DELIVERED. Not only that it was faithful to the book in ALL the ways that mattered, it fixed up a lot of not-so-good parts in the original material, fixed continuity issues and became the DMBJ show with the most cohesive, well-paced narrative. It was about time.

From the super-well thought out opening credits animations, to the casting, book references, props designs, CGI, bgm and the to the freaking ENGLISH of all things, it was perfection. 9.5/10 Stars No Drama.

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20. Screenstealer of the year

Ye Dingzhi (He Yu) from Dashing Youth

Tumblr user @fortycumber said it all, couldn't have said it better😂. Despite the promising start, Dashing Youth fell apart by the end (though I did enjoy that drama a fair amount, I made an edit too for Dingzhi and his poor wife Wenjun) with the scriptwriting failing almost all characters including Dingzhi himself, but He Yu's soulful acting did SO much to singlehandedly keep the show worth watching to the end.

It is especially amazing considering how He Yu is still a new actor, he had studied Architecture and started pursuing acting only recently, other than the gorgeous face he had little in common with the gazillions of his peers in the same show, yet he was the one who hit it out of the ballpark. An orphan in the Jianghu whose family was brutally murdered in his childhood, brought up by a just as loner Dark Cultivation Master, a prodigy who is admired but never understood and therefore feared by everyone, an ardent, loyal lover, a struggling young father.... he nailed it all with the perfect amount of gravitas.

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21. A drama that made me cry

Adventure Behind the Bronze Door/Tibetan Sea Flower

When I tell you just how much ZHH got the vibes right, I was impatient for the subs and randomly clicked here and there on ep 30 already, without subs. I saw glimpses of certain scenes that were happing in the ep and I just

stared at the screen

scared at the screen

A shudder passed through me and I instantly started bawling like a baby.

That hadn't happened to me in a long time. 😭

.

22. A drama that made me laugh

The Flower of Lust

A low-budget simple comedy with copious GL undertones, this drama didn't offer much meat to bite on, but it was unexpectedly some good fun. Fast and easy to follow, there was lots of turned-around gender expectations going on for the roles.

For example, this laobanniang played by Word of Honor's Beauty Ghost is the main lead, there's no Male Lead, but a clutzy female assassin who's going to kill the Lady and they develop a classic wuxia sworn-sisterhood relationship where they share energy (😏) and sacrifice for each other. It has two side male characters played by hot young actors (Huang Junjie and Li Zhuoyang), but they are simply himbos who were saved by the boss lady and now work as her bodyguards! At most, they only have hots for each other.

Also it has a theme song that sounds TOO good for the production quality. Plus each ep is only 15 mins long, you won't lose out if you give this show a chance. The full version is only 3.5 hours.

.

23. An old drama I watched this year

My Girlfriend's Boyfriend (2017)

On paper-

"An otaku wants to order a love bot in the form of the girl he has a crush on, but accidentally orders a male bot who is programmed to love him forever, and the otaku re-purchases the girl bot but she accidentally gets programmed to love the guy bot, and the Otaku suffers. A lighthearted comedy with some gay jokes."

What it actually was-

Polyamory negotiation, feelings realisation, coming out, internalised homophobia, learning to love yourself, multiple thorough discussions on how a relationship arrangement doesn't have to be this predefined textbook thing and how it's sometimes as simple as just staying with people who make you happy, the biggest gathering of explicitly-acknowledged queer people I've seen in a Cdrama including the ML himself, a butch, a crossdresser, a BL writer, a girl who believes everyone is in love with her...... who are shunned by the rest of the campus for being "weirdos" so they create this space for themselves that is so full of love and acceptance and *literally* decorated in rainbows, and there was a scene of a gay bar with a married gay couple...... I can go on and on.

Is it a perfect show? No. But I would give it even more than 10/10 if possible, simply for existing. It's not a masterpiece and is full of silliness sometimes but it is so painfully clear that this show was made by people who knew what they were doing.

The Before-2018 Cdramaland was a RIOT. Highly rec that everyone watch this, especially if you are interested in seeing what queer portrayals in recent Cdrama scene used to be before censorship rules tightened.

.

More posts by me

[phanfictioncatalogue]

Post Coming Out Universe Masterlist

Basically I'm Gay: Dan's True Colors (ao3) - trancelover99

Summary: This was it: The one video that would change his entire life. A part of himself that Dan pushed deep down for YEARS. With a little encouragement from Phil, Dan uploads his coming out video. But will he be prepared for the comments that follow?

Big crowds means judging eyes (ao3) - Tarredion

Summary: From their hotel room Dan and Phil can see the crowds they'll encounter at this years vidcon. In a post-coming out world, comfort is needed for the prospect of many judging eyes

Devilishly Endearing (ao3) - Nefertiti1052 (Succubusphan)

Summary: Dan and Phil are making a mess in Karen's kitchen, luckily for them, she thinks they are cute.

from the starting line (ao3) - possumdnp

Summary: Dan and Phil visit Dan’s family for the first time in a post-coming out universe.

endings are like beginnings (ao3) - wiccamoody

Summary: Dan wakes up in the post-coming out universe.

hey, brother (ao3) - lestered (clonetrobed)

Summary: It’s time for Phil to reintroduce himself to Dan’s family in the proper context, but there’s one member that he’s not entirely confident about connecting with.

I Want to Hold Your Hand (ao3) - CaibrynM

Summary: A minor incident/misunderstanding while traveling to IOM for Christmas leads Dan to reflect on boundaries and comfort levels in the post coming out universe.

i’ll meet you in the light (ao3) - possumdnp

Summary: Phil looks at the photo and sees them how he sees them in his own head, not them as their larger-than-life internet personas. It’s them, happy and at peace with their lives and who they are in 2019. And he suddenly has the strangest urge to share the photo, to show the world how damn happy he and Dan are, despite everything that’s happened in the past.

i'm ready now (ao3) - orphan_account

Summary: “When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.” -Billy, age 4 (2 of 2)

Lighter Than Air (ao3) - silentdescant

Summary: Dan and Phil are sappy drunks and they're heading home together.

little comfort card (ao3) - Tarredion

Summary. Phil goes to VidCon alone. Cue separation anxiety, something Dan seems to have accounted for..

meet the howells (ao3) - toffeelemon

Summary: After a decade of going home alone, Dan finally brings Phil along to see his family. As his boyfriend.

(set after the awkward email, before the video)

Nana (ao3) - ahappyphil

Summary: “The thing is, coming out to his family proved to be the easy part. It’s what followed that’s been difficult, more emotionally draining, more vulnerable. It’s like the invisible wall that’s been between them now has physical form. It has a name now.“

On The Road (ao3) - yikesola

Summary: Phil still isn’t quite used to it all being okay. He isn’t used to Dan not fearfully dissecting a tweet reply that called them queer icons. He isn’t used to things like what the two teenagers they bumped into at the airport said when they stuttered out, “I met my girlfriend because of you,” feeling only good. No twinge of bittersweet.

A fic about changes and landscape.

rainbow, proud (ao3) - Tarredion

Summary: Phil really wants the corgi shirt, but Dan thinks he has enough already

Safe (ao3) - TearDrop1234

Summary: Phil is in a mood and works his way through it with a naked Dan.

Safe Place (ao3) - ahappyphil

Summary: The Isle of Man is warm and unseasonably sunny, or maybe it’s just Kath. Maybe her maternal glow just radiates off this little island.

secrets (ao3) - waveydnp

Summary: of sharpie tattoos and facing the bittersweet truths of a post-coming out universe

some killer queen you are (ao3) - possumdnp

Summary: Dan’s enjoyed taking a break from YouTube, but for some reason, he still feels like something is missing. Determined to fill the creative void in his life, he decides to try out something new: drag.

stop speak support (ao3) - calvinahobbes

Summary: There’s just an extra layer of awareness in his mind as he sits next to Phil on the sparsely populated tube on their way to a meeting, and the group of lads in their school uniforms stream into the carriage and start filling up the empty seats.

Strike a Pose (ao3) - ahappyphil

Summary: Walking a red carpet in a post coming out world

words that water flowers (ao3) - neopold

Summary: He would call his nan and ask, like he usually does when life asks unanswerable questions. But she would most likely refer to a bible verse, and he’s not sure he’s up to listening to a book constantly trying to invalidate his existence.

your hoodies (come wrapped around me) (ao3) - Tarredion

Summary: Unpacking for their move into bigger quarters, Dan finds an ancient treasure in the back of their conjoined closet.

[sovonight]

Hey there!

I love how you draw backgrounds, and I was wondering what your process for that is?

ahh i'm almost not sure how to answer, i feel like i haven't done a proper background in a while!

i think the most important part is to go into drawing a background with its purpose already in mind. even if you're not drawing a dedicated background, and it's just a backdrop for your characters, there should still be a reason why it's there. like, maybe the character(s) are interacting with it (leaning against a door frame, sitting in a chair, having their hair swept by the wind), maybe it provides a certain dramatic lighting that you want the character(s) to be cast in, maybe it adds a physical barrier between two characters who really need to talk something out, etc.

i feel like this is much easier in a comic because 9 times out of 10, the background is already woven into the setting and movement of the scene so you already know what you need from it, but you can also do the same for a single illustration. if i know i want a character to be shelving a book in a bookstore, and to have a ray of morning sunlight come in from the right that just catches the edge of her face and her neck, then I know that I need to draw a bookshelf near an implied window, and then maybe a few more books that she hasn't shelved yet, another bookshelf or two to imply there's an abundance of them, and then a few things i think a bookstore would need to have: a checkout counter, the counter is by the entrance/exit, the entrance/exit has large glass windows, additional light is coming in by the counter.

after i decide what elements i need in the environment, i sort out how i'm going to separate those elements out into layers--foreground, midground, background--and then i start working on composition. i value composition right after context because even if you can draw an environment with technically correct perspective, if it lacks a pleasing composition that completes the piece, it just feels dissatisfying. of course it's nice to have both a pleasing composition and correct perspective, but if i had to sacrifice one i would always sacrifice perspective. composition is hard to give tips on, because all i can really say is rule of thirds, feel it out, trust your gut, do your best, and remember that color and lighting affects composition too so try to plan with those in mind as well. at this point i usually try to start a color sketch and add in all the lighting effects i had in my head in order to get a full picture of the environment so far, so that i can judge if the composition & the colors work well together or not.

for coloring, i start by coloring everything its base color, which means the background starts out looking very flat. you can add depth into this base--and i sometimes do by just adding a few washes of darker color using normal mode layers--but for my comic backgrounds i actually prefer to add depth by relying on the lighting that i apply through layer modes, to keep my layer count down. for lighting, i like to stick with one main source of light that i can use to justify glowy highlights, and then i'll use a soft brush to airbrush some ambient light in the background. i'll mess around with my favorite layer modes, like multiply, linear light, and add glow, and i'll also try to have different gradients of light going in the foreground, midground, and background to maintain some contrast and depth between them. sometimes, if you're pushing something further into the background, and you're tempted to add more shadow and make it darker because you think that'll push it back, the right move is actually to focus on reducing contrast. like, if you look at a landscape, the hills in the far distance almost just blend into the sky; it's objects that are close to you that have the most distinct shadows and high contrast.

as for perspective, you can always fudge perspective, and should feel free to mush and squish it around if it benefits other aspects of the piece (composition, eliminating tangents, symbolism, whatever). messing around with it too much can break the illusion (unless your style completely supports that), but a little bit is healthy. everyone has an innate sense of perspective, and as long as that sense says "yeah feels good to me," then you don't necessarily need to pull out the formal perspective tools for every single background. a huge part of faking perspective without many tools is just to get so familiar with different angles that you can just toss them out on demand, and for that you can study a bunch of photo refs of different angles from real life, or you can do what i did and get a freecam mod for your favorite game and fly around taking screenshots of environments of interest from different angles.

[wetcatspellcaster]

Not only do I love your writing, with many a snippets living rent free in my head, and now you are spoiling us with these DVD commentary posts! Oh, and here's on:

As her arcane vision opened, and she was greeted by a hexagonal chamber, wrought from white marble. The proportions of the chamber were briefly dizzying, and off-putting enough to require adjustment to - its walls were high, suggesting a tower, with long, thin, arched windows and a mural in the domed ceiling. Everything was deathly still, and quiet.

And at the chamber's centre, a pristine white coffin.

Its lid was carved into an ornate frieze of flowers, foliage, and winged birds. All its fastenings were pale white gold, the clasps inlaid with rubies. Rose felt her consciousness tugged like a boat anchored, as the hairpin focus called her forward.

When Rose approached the coffin, she heard stifled, harried breathing within. This was truly Astarion’s resting place, then - and close enough for him to cross planes in the time it had taken them to make it to their own sanctuary. He was already inside, recovering from the death she’d willed upon him. If she’d been real, in this moment, Rose would’ve laid her hand upon the surface of the casket.

Echoing from within the coffin, came a long, gravelly groan, that ended in a series of stuttered breaths.

Ah, Rose thought, skin burning in the material plane. Not in too much pain, then.

And... definitely Astarion.

She hastily backed herself away from the coffin, rising up through the centre of the strange, pristine room to the nearest window. It seemed the quickest way to find out more information on their current location, and to leave him to whatever… that was. She felt the connection finesse itself and stretch taut, finding the limits of her own concentration as she drifted up-

Rosalie felt the temperature drop drastically as she came up to the arched window. Its glass was rimed with frost, small glittering starbursts of ice lining the edges and patching the view in places with fronds of glimmering crystal. Beyond, a pale, snow-covered landscape with no signs of life, only mountains that were impossible to scale, and a sky that was brutally dark. A night blue as ink with not a single star to light it, only pulses of colour in an aurora of paler blue and deep, bruise purple, fluttering in and out of existence and rippling through the endless, dark sky like a wave.

Rosalie did the disembodied, arcane equivalent of pressing her ear against the glass. The metal of the window frame felt so cold, it burned across her mind like flame. Though the air inside the chamber was still, she thought she heard the high, roaring howl of a merciless wind.

...why did I not realise that when I offered up DVD Commentary the 'is he wanking in his coffin' segment was bound to come back to haunt me :-)

Curse you, anon (affectionate).

I spoke a lot about where I wanted to put the coffin in the endnotes, but there are many spoiler-y reasons why I decided on Cania as the ideal place, to the point where it caused me to ignore the fact that it technically broke Scry. I'm going to try and give teasers here for the fun of it, but unfortunately a lot of my commentary on this section is going to be [REDACTED] bc it's setting up some (I think) very fun and sexy plot-twists later. Maybe I'll just use this space to be really indulgent and point out some instances of foreshadowing just to annoy readers into guessing what they might mean.

I really love the Hells in general in D&D - I'm not just brain poisoned by the House of Hope, I've always been obsessed with the very D&D specific distinction between Lawful Evil and Chaotic Evil and what Hell, as the Lawful Evil plane, looks like as a result.

Cania is Mephistopheles' domain, I based the choice that they would be in contact not just on the fact that the Black Mass is Mephistopheles' plan, but also on that one line in Ascendent!Astarions dialogue with spawn!Tav when he mentions 'Mephistopheles' gifts', as if they're on first name terms and pals now.

The description of Cania was based on what lore I could glean from online searches and also Descent Into Avernus. Cania isn't actually spoken about in great detail to be honest, it's basically lifeless, cold, and barren. Which...was already prime Gothic vampire imagery, tbh, but then I found this line on the wiki: 'Preserved corpses were frequently uncovered after collisions between glaciers.' I see Ascended!Astarion essentially, at this point, as a 'preserved corpse', particularly when contrasted to Rose's aging, so I figured it was fate.

Also idk if people have googled Mephistopheles but based on his wiki description... it seems like him and Ascendent!Astarion would get along :)))))

The flashes/aurora in the sky are meant to be a sign of arcane activity, Cania is characterised by Mephistopheles 'overseeing endless experiments with arcane magic [...] conducted throughout the wastes of the layer.'

The inside of Astarion's infernal palace registers to Rosalie as warm, but the world outside is very, very cold. There. That is my only piece of foreshadowing that I can highlight here. Make of it what you will.

Also.... yes, he was wanking in the coffin :') at least, in my vision as an author. But tbh the responses in comments were so valid, and I now also have a very funny image of it being a combination of a wank and a panic attack, which... you know... if you're an invulnerable, all-powerful vampire who's become alienated from your own humanity and your own emotions, maybe being scared *does* get you off?

Also shout out to the commenters who imagined what she overheard was actually just a Blood of Lathander style temper tantrum. Imagining an alternative version of this scene where Rosalie goes over to the coffin, here's a tea kettle high voice going "Power Word Kill! Power Word Kill!!" and goes "...ah, that's Astarion alright. Just like the old days." and then moves on with her life.

DVD commentary ask

[outofangband]

Tagged by @slightnettles to share part of a WIP (like three weeks ago I’m sorry :(

I think I am at least caught up on WIP tag games now!

I decided to share from a couple to make up for the delay! Plus a bit of a ramble about horror which I apologize for

The theme for today are “fics and scenes I rewrite again and again”

Whatever explanation Aerin had been expecting, it was not this. The weight of these words she feels as a coiling unease. Despite their proximity to the hearth she finds herself cold, pulling her worn cloak more tightly around herself. For warmth, but also to fend off the sudden and familiar feeling of exposure. She understands acutely what this play is, what Brodda expects her to do in response.

“Is this truly believed by all?” Aerin asks with the knowledge that it does not truly matter. There is something wrong in her voice, or perhaps in her own ability to hear it.

The other shrugs wearily.

“I doubt it,” he says, “But none will gainsay him let alone where he might hear.”

Note: this scene has been SO difficult for me to write. It’s undergone like three rewrites over months and it’s still just very shaky :(. The background is basically that Aerin, who is already not in a great place for like, obvious reasons, has gotten extraordinarily bad news about two days before. She’s been trying to process this when she gets further information about the previous news that complicates things further. @nelyoslegalteam you know the premise so you might be able to guess what news Aerin got :)s

Second note: I am still working on the mind games and Leonine contract prompts for Aerin, estimated to be finished in two weeks to three years

…

From a horror fic of Maedhros in Angband

When he lay on the cracked ground, agony coursing through him, Maitimo might wonder if they were merely the creation of his own mind, somehow thinking that these further tricks of light and darkness would amuse, distract him as he lay exhausted. Maybe they lived in the minds of all here. The place was foul enough to cause such visions in the purest of souls. Maitimo knew he was far from that.

But there were creatures at home in the dark of the Iron Hell, ones that could move through spaces orcs could not. He had seen shadows take form here. Sometimes at the obvious bidding of another.

Why it was that even darkness crept to life here, Maitimo could not say. He knew not if these might be truly sentient beings, crafted and released by the dark Vala himself, or if they were merely drawn to the place, carried by the denizens who swarmed to the Moringotto like the creatures that favored the volcanic landscape? 

Note: too heavy handed here I think. I really really love horror but I’m not very good at writing it.

I am working on a few horror projects about Morwen including a couple from the point of view of well, not particularly reliable sources, that have been really fun to play around with. I am just continually obsessed with how visceral of a description we get of Brodda’s fear of Morwen when the scene is imbued with the threat of horrific violence against her and her child. Anyways I will move to the next WIP so I don’t ramble about this forever especially because I already have so many posts on that specifically

…

“You will keep your distance, Witchwife, or you will suffer far worse than what has befallen Lysant.” Morwen says nothing to this. Her expression is distinctly cold, head tilted as she considered him. The man’s horse paws nervously at the ground and Sador sees his hand go to his sword. Only briefly but it is enough that he wishes more ardently than before that he had not lost his prowess with a blade. The only one he keeps now is the one that had been Túrin’s, tucked into his satchel. It had mended the traps they had set well enough but it would serve little use here, if there should be need.

Note: sigh, another scene I cannot get write though I have just been feeling not great about my writing in general lately so that doesn’t help

[kimium]

kimium you do not know me but I read almost all your Hitman Reborn fics because even after 10+ years this hellhole series won't let me go, and each one of your 10051 fics are like an oasis stumbled upon after days meandering in a dusty barren landscape. also your writing is just plain good.

The way I remember it that Hanahaki Disease wasn't really a trope until after the manga curled up to die with the bulk of the Fandom, but it SHAKES me that I cannot locate any Byakuran hanahaki fic. It's just unnatural feeling. Like Graham crackers and chocolate without Marshmallows. An ominous void in nature where there shouldn't be one. Light without shadows.

Please share your thoughts about 100 hanahaki to satiate this thirst of mine. Only if you want too though of course! Thank you for listening!!!

Hello Anon!

Thank you so much for this ask! You are so sweet to describe my 10051 fics as an oasis in a barren, dusty landscape. That's such a fun comparison and makes my heart warm to have such high praise.

While I also cannot exactly pinpoint when I kept seeing "Hanahaki" as a trope in fics, you are correct that it was long after the bulk of KHR was an active fandom. It certainly feels like a trope that fits Byakuran well and your analogy to a s'more without chocolate is also a very fun image. Love it.

Now, as for my thoughts on Hanahaki, let's break it down.

In general, I do not like the "traditional" hanahaki trope. However, I understand why it's popular. In fact, I wrote more "traditional" hanahaki trope fics once upon a time, so I used to like the more "traditional" trope. Unrequited love is a topic that can be cathartic for the writer and readers to explore in fiction. We've all experienced rejection (romantic, platonic/friendship, professional, etc.) and the heartbreak we feel truly feels like we are going to die. Also, flower symbolism is always Top Tier and my favourite kind of symbolism.

The main reason why I dislike the "traditional" hanahaki trope is because to me it feels very self-entitled. "You didn't return my love and thus I will die!" I cannot help but make the comparison to people who try to guilt trip someone for breaking up or not dating them.

Also, the idea of "I have to completely forget about this person" cuts off so much emotional growth and development. Yes, I know "falling out of love" is an option, but I rarely saw "traditional" hanahaki fics go that route. Makes sense though: magical amnesia is such a juicy trope (and also one of my favourites). Of course, I do not mean the traditional trope advocates it, but I cannot shake this thought out of my brain.

What I enjoy more is "seasonal hanahaki" where the symptoms are less severe and more akin to a seasonal cold/fever/mild allergies. Nothing to dismiss but also the person will recover from it with time. How the writer can set this up has a lot of flexibility which I enjoy. I've seen writers write is as literally seasonal where people who experience "seasonal hanahaki" do so in spring and fall time (where traditional cold/fever/mild allergies kick up). I've also seen people write it where the person "catches" their "seasonal hanahaki" when they first realized their feelings aren't requited.

Regardless, because this isn't deadly could you imagine the world building? The Drama! The work place or friend gossip??? This opens so many more avenues than "pity" which I find most traditional hanahaki goes towards because someone is dying.

So, where does this place Byakuran in my mind? While I am not a big fan of "traditional hanahaki fics" I think the trope suits him. Even seasonal hanahaki opens up so many avenues to explore! Could you imagine the denial he'd soak himself in?? Shouichi -obviously- loves him! They're destined to be together! The list goes on. This could lead to all sorts of irrational decisions/ways of coping for Byakuran.

Again, thank you for sending me this ask! I love taking about KHR and I'm so happy for all your support. Feel free to pop on by in my inbox again or if you're not too shy, in messages!

[lapiscasuali]

There's this boy

I was poking around an old (non-tumblr) blog of mine, long abandonded, login forgotten. I guess my computer remembered the login for me because in my haphazard clicking I ended up falling into the backend, a list of posts before me. Including drafts. Posts never posted, that I barely if at all remember writing. Snapshots of a younger me, seperated from now by just over a decade. So focused, so idealistic.

I thought I'd finally let some of those words see the light of day. I've changed somewhat, I've definitely lost the surety of gender, but I like to believe that I have retained some of that idealism, and that the sentiment of last sentence remains true.

"There's this boy" 24th Feb 2013

Labels: Futurism, Sleep deprivation

There's this boy, and all he wants in life is to live in the future. Not so much to get older quicker, more to experience the far future. So he devours sci-fi and spec-fic media. Books like Neuromancer, and The Diamond Age, where humans blend seamlessly with the technology around them. Games like Mass Effect that demonstrate a relatively newly space-faring humanity, veritable virgins in the galactic landscape. Settings like Revelation Space, where humanity, wiser but still possessing it's myriad flaws, is verging on transhumanism, moving beyond regular evolution, to Eclipse Phase, where transhumanity is all there is. Consciousness can be uploaded and downloaded, tinkered with and altered as easily as one might get a tattoo.

Science is another passion. Physics in particular. He doesn't remember which came first, his love for the future, or his love for science, but it doesn't seem to matter. Each lead directly to the other, and he studies hard, or at least as hard as a boy will when surrounded by his beloved tech, so he can be part of as much of the future as his human life will allow. And he hopes beyond hope, that that limit keeps moving further and further away as science and technology continue to make breakthroughs in longevity.

I think about this boy and I think, all he really wants is what any, or at least many of us want deep down. He is working under the same mental drive that forces people to believe in a supernatural afterlife, or reincarnation. He wants immortality. He fears death, yes, though he will not readily admit it to himself, but it is not this that drives him. You see he loves science and he loves the future because he loves humanity, as one loves and worries about a dear friend. He wants to see humanity's potential realised, to witness them reach out into space and explore and learn. To beat disease, and eventually death. To inevitably become greater than humanity itself, and be born into something wholly new.

He fears death, but more often he fears that this will remain in the realm of sci fi and spec fic. He wants to live long and learn, and for humanity to learn with him, for he knows that we live in a finite universe, and learning is all there is. There is no greater goal, no greater reason to live than to learn and experience and love, and there is so much of it to do, so much that his heart screams out in joy and terror at the shear magnitude of it all, and he cannot do it alone. So he studies his physics and follows his technology, and he hopes. He loves humanity and he hopes.

[fatgumsurpremacy-remastered]

I just love Maddox! He is so awesome and robot arms!!?

can I request reader play fighting Maddox and snuggling afterwards? (Like still covered in dust and dirt etc)

TY I LOVED making him. And his arms are so versatile since he and his family constantly make new ones. It’s Franks fav pastime.

The sun was setting over the horizon, casting an orange glow on all that lay below it. Beads of sweat hit the ground as the rays kept beating down, heat not swaying just yet, still resting in the ground. Had it been any hotter that day that little drop of sweat would’ve fizzled out of existence.

The hunched figure of a man sat up now, taking look over the work he’d done to the perimeter of the base.

A docile grin crept upon his face as he took a liking to the landscaping done.

The darker bushes and pebbles would catch the sun here, hopefully providing a good lounging area.

The man found himself smiling for another reason though-

Behind him a shadow stretched, brown with the light hitting it just right. The creeping, puppet-like silhouette easing in on him.

As he felt the shifting behind him he kicked his foot out in a sweeping motion.

The sound his offender made was one of pure shock, and defeat.

He crawled above his pursuer and attempted to wrestle their hands to the ground. Not wanting to put too much weight into their body he flipped them over so they were above him.

And now they were the one in charge.

A roguish, taunting smile dawned as they made themselves a target. With a confident bout of laughter they lightly mocked them.

“Why give in cowboy, don’t think you can best me from above?”

Maddox rolled his eyes as his partner attempted to roll him back. He sat forward instead.

“I wouldn’t say that just yet dear.”

Confusion wrought their smug façade, and the next look brought pure gold to Maddoxes eyes. With a small thrum of sound vibrating the inside of his arm it extended, twisting around his partners arm till it met their neck.

“Upsie Daisy!” With a flick of his other hand they were upturned. Their shock didn’t allude the metal man as a swift motion pulled them up and away from him.

When the world stopped spinning they caught Maddox about three feet away. Charming smile dancing on his features as he gestured to the new ground he’d planed that day.

“Like the new look rookie?” He spun himself around in a show of emotional dominance. “Or are you trying to get yours evened out?” He teased lightly, though the mocking tone left bristles on his opponents neck.

“Better watch yourself Doxen, you didn’t beat me last time.”

“Arms were in the shop sugar, let’s boogie.” He cracked his neck, sharply, to the left leaving a refrain from the wide area around him. More cracks followed as he swung his head wildly back and to the right.

His feet stood shoulder length apart and one turned out to the right. Taking a front stance. His fists balled in ready position right infront of the left.

They took on a different stance, a counter to his, before they slowly rounded a circle with their feet.

“What’s wrong happy foot? Too anxious to make a move?” They gabbed humouresly.

Maddox tilted his head upwards, letting strands of hair fall down his neck.

“Not really, more anxious to see how you’ll react. See if you’ll cry uncle when I get to ya’.”

They scoffed before moving in, intentionally missing his head as Maddox moved exaggeratedly too slow. They did the same moving fast backward then slowly pretending to kick sand at him.

He went faster this time, coming around like a ballerina before taking his handkerchief from his left side and slapping their side.

A yip escaped them as they attempted to slap him.

“SIR!”

“Oh! Oh! You can’t handle me, face it!” He pranced around like a goofy, pompous chicken. Stopping only momentarily to make a face of sarcastic shock, morphing into a battle cry as he checked his muscles.

“LETS DO IT!” They threw a stone at him the rock only lightly tapping his shoulder as he fakely started making weird chimp sounds before falling ‘dead’ to the ground.

His opponent ran to his side, covering his face from the last rays of sun.

They grabbed his face so hard it smushed his cheeks in, puckering his lips as he squinted up at them.

“Speak to me man, speak to me!” He grabbed the collar of their shirt before making an odd squawking noise. They let go of his cheeks barely keeping their composure.

“Tell my wife… that I farted.” His head lolled limply to the side, and his tongue stuck out as his partner dramatically shook their fists at the sky before slamming them down on his chest.

“OUGHN!” He gasped, lurching up from the impact. His shocked brown eyes zeroed in on them as they snorted to hold back the tears they had in them. He covered his eyes and started keeling over with laughter.

They did the same leaning forward and clutching desperately onto his tank for repreive.

“PLEASE.”

“God-! Gughhhg that hurts. WOOF.” He’d lain back chucking as they rested beside them. Hands still grasping his shirt. He layed his arm out so they could rest on it.

They scooted closer as a cold chill fanned across the sand, blowing some across the pairs legs. He turned his head to stare at them. Soft oranges blending into his eyes as he did.

“I needed that after a long day ‘a work.” He proclaimed meekly, rubbing his neck as he typically did. They were still coming down from their dopamine high as they pat his chest.

“Shit, i needed that too. You cannot believe the day I had.”

“Oh yeah?” He asked, crooking a dirt plastered eyebrow up.

“Yeah.” They responded confidently.

“Why don’ you tell me about it?”

The sun finally set as they began their story. As they looked up into the sky, Maddox closed his eyes and listened to their voice as he relaxed his aching muscles.

Night had fallen on the base, and all was peaceful, just the musings of two partners, and the gentle breeze of New Mexico.

[away-ward]

Another willemmy Hc. tbh it could be for either will or emmy but i’ve always pictured one of them probably emmy to take up photography as a hobby.

I love this HC!!!

And I think it could totally be both of them, but that they'd get into different things.

Emmy might lean more towards objects and landscapes. Architecture for obvious reasons. Maybe it started because she was taking pictures of buildings for inspiration, to study them, and finding the interesting details she wanted to keep when renovating. Then it grew because she wanted to be able to capture what she found so special about them, getting the lighting and mood just right. So she studied how to use manual settings.

Will I can see focusing on people. He was always the one with the camera in the series, and he even pulled it out in Kill Switch to record the prank on the teacher. I think Will is probably extremely sentimental, and I see him wanting to capture special moments. I bet he'd get some fantastic candid shots. At the same time, if he continued to develop his skills in tattooing, he could also want to take pictures of his pieces. That could develop into portraits, and really capturing people as they are.

At the end of the day, I think Winter, Emmy, and Will are probably the most creative of the group. Damon might come in as he develops his skills in building and design. But Will and Emmy are really well matched in that aspect already.

Thanks so much for sharing! That's a great HC.

[gldenhrs]

                               (—) ★ spotted !!   luciana  “ luna “  santiago  on the cover of this week’s most recent tabloid ! many say that the 22 year old looks like cindy kimberly , but i don’t really see it. while the model / socialite  is known for being  passionate  my inside sources say that they have a tendency to be  irresponsible i swear, every time i think of them, i hear the song crazy by aerosmith .

*   ◞  ╰   general   .

full name :   luciana kristiyana santiago .  nicknames :   goes prominently by  luna  , only her dad calls her  moon  . birthdate / zodiac sign :   april 12th / aries .  birthplace :  madrid , spain . sexual orientation :  bisexual / heteroromantic .  family :   victor “ vic “  santiago (  lead singer in Aerosmith )  &  indah prasetya  ( band’s groupie )  languages spoken :   fluent in english  &  spanish , conversational in indonesian . pets :   two cats named freddie purrcury  &   madam meow  occupation :  model / socialite . love language :  physical touch . + traits  :  passionate , adventurous , enchanting , valiant , energetic , optimistic , affectionate  &   honest . - traits  :  dramatic , stubborn , querulous , insecure , irresponsible , impulsive , impatient   &  moody .   aesthetic :  red lipstick on plump lips , freshly baked coffee , spontaneous dance parties , strawberry lemonade on hot summer nights , heart shaped sunglasses , pigmented eyelids , european music festivals , setting off firecrackers at midnight , laughter floating through a room , missed calls at 2am , ripped bralettes , bare chest in the mornings .   muse inspo :   fran fine ( the nanny ) , francesca farago ( too hot to handle ) , kelly taylor ( 90210 ) , rachel green ( friends ) , jackie buckhart ( that 70s show  ) , hanna marin  ( pretty little liars ) ,  phoebe halliwell ( charmed ) , kiara ( outer banks ) , gabrielle solis ( desperate housewives ) , caroline forbes ( the vampire diaries ) , stassi schroder ( vanderpump rules ) ,  maddie perez ( euphoria ) .

*   ◞  ╰   quick history   .

victor  “ vic “   santiago  (  aka luna’s dad  )  is a  famous lead singer in a rock band .  think steven tyler from aerosmith ! !  so basically , growing up she’s been constantly surrounded by  GOOD  80s rock music  &  being on the road which definitely shaped her personality .

luna’s mother  ,  a groupie  ,  is someone who followed the band around on the road for numerous years , but vic never took her seriously  (  only took them to bed )   &  the only reason she even got pregnant with luna is because vic wanted a child , knowing he would most likely never marry .

soooo , incomes luciana “ luna “ santiago ,  his pride  &  joy  , his  MOON .  yes , he actually calls her that bc he’s always had an obsession with the stars   &  constellations .  tbh luna’s been the love / light of vic’s life from the moment she was born , adored by not only her dad , but the band , team  &  fans too !

as for her mother * cough *  , who knows where she is now , she doesn’t stay in touch tbh , only comes in town every couple of years to  “  see her “  aka  “  ask for money “ .  

with the better part of early years where she was home schooled due to her dad’s insane tour schedule , luna was always an insanely energetic  &  menace of a child , constantly running around , causing trouble , etc !  

at some point , she realized just how much she  LOVES  traveling , nature  &  being barefoot .  yes , kind of a wanderer but who can blame her when she grew up with 80s rock legends ? ?  so , she spend almost every waking moment traveling to exotic places , going to music festivals , walking bare chested in the mornings , painting landscapes  (  SHE’S V TALENTED ) , having spontaneous dance parties at 3am , etc !

as far as doing things outside of being a socialite / a nepo baby go ,  she’s been in her dad’s music videos since she was 15  (  think liv tyler in crazy  )  ,  and in many others , which naturally resulted in a numerous calls for modeling gigs , tv shows …. she took some modeling jobs out of fun  &  recently also out of pure fun , went to a famous tv show called  “ too hot to handle “   (  think francesca farago here’s inspo hehe :  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2rUY_xAF0T0  )  .  in a way , the only reason she went to that show was to show the world she can be something other than vic santiago’s daughter , so here she is ! !

*   ◞  ╰   personality & dating life   .

luna’s a bit of a spoiled brat which is a given ,  &  while she does come across a textbook example of a nepo baby with no real world problems , she’s really not bc she never cared much about the fame she just likes having  FUN  .

v v enchanting  &  can charm her way out of any bad situation  &  make u swoon .  tbh 10/10  she’ll annoy the living shit out of u or u’ll find her irresistible lol .

given her spanish roots , she can be hella’ dramatic just like her fav characters in telenovelas , but beside that she’s a truly good person with a good heart ok ! !   she just has a flair for dramatics , throwing fits , pouting   &   making puppy eyed faces whenever things don’t go her way .

can be hella hella flirtatious to a point she doesn’t even realize the effect she has on other people  &  more often than not she leads people on ? ?   she regrets it later but eh .

loves to party , drink , dance , wear skimpy outfits  &  kiss on the lips but also wear mickey mouse pajamas while someone softly combs through her hair ? ?   yeah , she needs to grow up . also kind of  LIVES  for summer  &  music festivals where she can just dress in glitter  &  fall in love with a different person every night !

v fun to be around bc she hates being bored  &  is impatient af !  she can’t stand being in one place for too long soooo catch her doing v dumb , impulsive decisions while bored like jumping on her father’s private jet to pet a koala in australia , go bungee jumping or snapping u a nude bc she’s bored at home jfnerjfgjsrgf .

some cute headcanons ? ?  ok , here we go ! !   to this day loves watching telenovelas  &  she might cancel her plans with u to binge watch them (  like rebelde , rubí ,  pasion de gavilanes , la reina del sur … ) , still cries like a baby when mufada dies or miguel  &  mia break up ,  very childish  &  dumb at times but will also surprise u with some random wisdom at 2am , will react if someone offends her or her friends best believe she’ll throw a dramatic telenovela shit in public  &  call u  “ un desgraciado “ lmao .

*   ◞  ╰   connections  .

she could use a squad  ?  like PLS .  i want her to have a squad of friends she can party with and overall do dumb shit lmao . 

also her  BFFS .  the thelma to her louise , the cassie to her maddie ! !   overall just two muses who are her family  &  they’re always tagging along w her , like vic probably treats them like his children too ! 

someone she’s  dating  atm but it’s nothing too serious , maybe he’ll end up breaking up with her or she’ll break up with him we’ll see but main thing is they WON’t last bc they’re messy af   &   luna’s heart isn’t 100% in this .

a  close friend  who party  &   hookup with other people when they’re out but always end up going home together  &  having this super open friendship where they have no problem hooking up with each other 6/7 days of the week ? ?

also gimme  caleb fuck buddies  that everyone ships  &  one of them is in love with the other while the other seems them just as a good time ?  ewfjwesbf.

also also gimme  a messy ex  plot where they are constantly on / off  &  the fans love em but they’re just so fucking toxic ? ?  maybe bc they’re too alike  &  won’t admit it’s love   &  just won’t settle down  (  like imagine cheating scandals , public fights caught by tmz ... but also cute ass insta posts when they’re in a good place )  just think of nate  &  maddie from euphoria or  francesca  &  harry ! ! 

a plot where luna  uses them  to make someone jealous but they don’t know  &  actually think it’s a  legit  relationship ? ?   then obvi they find out luna was just using them  &  y’know  :  drama .  

family friends ! !  someone who could know  EVERYTHING  about her life n be there for her like pls .

someone who is her  HOME .  it doesn’t have to be potentially romantic just someone who makes her feel completely safe , warm  &  protected  ? ?    they can also just…talk, and make each other laugh  &   smile, because they feel comfortable enough in themselves  &   with each other to be vulnerable in that way ? ?  some fluff never hurt nobody .  

someone who’s using her bc of her dad ? ?   YES .  gimme fake friends .

tbh exes she cheated on , exes that cheated on her , fwb of all kinds , crushes , childhood friends , good / bad influence on her dumb ass would be good , gossip queens n kings , party friends , enemies for whatever reason , etc ! !  

[definitely-mothman]

The Reflection of a Prince Ch 2

Summary in a Nutshell: Jade Overblot fic, mostly just a story fic but Jade/Azul is somewhat present, due to some shared childhood experiences/conflicts.

AO3 Link

Part 1

“Attention, everyone! Your Housewarden has an announcement for you!”

“You don’t have to yell at them Claude, now this is really awkward, god..”

Within the light reds and greens of Coralliadom’s central hall, the dorm’s body had been gathered before the small performance stage. At the mic was the awkwardly tapping Housewarden, a boy about 18 with waved hair tied back in a bow, a vibrant red that cradled his head like a firey bonnet. He lightly tapped the mic, which let out a piercing sound before eventually quieting and letting him speak.

“..Hey! So you guys already know for the most part, but for the freshmen who don’t, NRC and RSA always host this cross-campus kinda event. Most of it happens this following Friday but pretty much the whole week is shut down for people to visit the campuses…and all that.”

Rielle nervously shot a glance to Claude for a moment, a darker ginger with antennae jutting out from in between his eyebrows, curving and sitting above his ears. It was a glance of wanting reassurement, greeted with the slightest side eye and a small scooping motion with his right hand. The awkwardness of it all seemed to make time stand still.

“…so! Last year our cousin dorm, Octanivelle, hosted our lovely little group in their walls for the festivities, everyone who isn’t a freshman should remember that.” Each word seemed to stumble a little, like a tadpole trying to walk. “Because they hosted last year, now… we have the honor to host their entourage in our own dormitory!”

Students exchanged glances on the floor, hinting many emotions, but none positive. Claude turned, Rielle handing over his microphone.

“Hey. It’s an obligation, I’m not necessarily jumping for joy either. But we’re still going to perform our absolute best here. Octanivelle runs a tight ship, and me and Rielle intend to as well. The last thing any of you would want is for any of them to have something to mock you for.”

As opposed to Rielle’s shifting stance, his Vice Housewarden held an almost militaristic stance, and most of the dorm held a respect for his air of authority. The straight-lacedness of it made Rielle want to cringe.

“We’ll be starting preparations tomorrow, seeing as we have a week to put together decorations and also adorn the dorm with them. That isn’t including having everything wiped down, the group of you tasked with the musical performance and respective rehearsals, some cleaning up of landscaping, and what the principle has already asked of us. I know I seem to be starting way in advance, but it’d be great to get to ease up Friday when we have guests, instead of scrambling at the last minute.”

“Aye.” A collective sound of agreement came from the student body.

Rielle took the microphone back.

“Uh, everyone in the rehearsal group is good for tomorrow, right?”

Claude murmured over to him. “I sent that out 2 days ago”

“Oh! Uh, nevermind, sorry guys, you’re good.”

Claude winced.

“So that's the meeting adjourned, right- I don’t think we have anything else to go over.”

“Yeah, we’re good-“

“Meeting adjourned! Make sure to check your emails tonight so we all stay on schedule!”

Rielle felt a buzz in his right pocket. He instinctively went to pull it out, but before he could do that Claude already was escorting him off stage.

“Rie, you know what your schedule is for tomorrow?”

“Pft, yeah. I have like. A million reminders set.”

“Ok. I just ask since you tend to forget stuff like this.”

“I know, it’s reasonable, I’m good though!”

“Ok.” Claude spoke with a sense of not really believing him, which made Rielle huff a little bit. Rielle broke off, moving towards the residential side of the dormitory.

“Are you heading up to your room?”

“Yeah, it’s nothing, just a text from dad.”

“Oh, ok- just let me know if there’s something I need to talk to the Principal about-��

Rielle was already out of earshot by the time Claude had begun speaking.

• • •

“When are you going back through the mirror? Me and mom need to know so we can meet you there.”

Rielle was typing away, stumbling on the stairs trying to text with both hands and keep an eye on if he was heading the right direction to his room.

“Uh I think Sunday? Sorry I’ve just been trying to make sure everything’s good with Claude before I head out for the week.”

“No worries, we just wanna make sure you’re there sweetie. It’s important that Grandfather gets to see the darling young prince you’re growing into.”

Ugh, it was so embarrassing when dad texted like that.

“Ok, yeah I’ll be good Sunday night, will confirm tomorrow, just in case anything comes up.”

“Alright, mom will be texting you tomorrow just in case.”

“Ok.”

Rielle slipped his phone back into his pants pocket, opening his room’s door with the key stored in his RSA jacket. Shutting the door behind him, he fell back onto the plush canopy bed, and groaned loudly to nothing and no one.

Ughhhh…there was really no winning here, was there?

Downstairs he could hear the underclassmen scrambling around and Claude directing. Why couldn’t his Vice sit still for literally 3 seconds, didn’t he just say they were going to start tomorrow? Claude expected him to be there, the underclassmen definitely expected him to be there. I mean, he was the Housewarden. Not Rielle’s first choice, but where he ended up.

And then on the other end there was dad, and this big family reunion thing he’d been hyping up for the past few days. The festival had been set in before the reunion date was set, but it’s not like he could just tell him that he couldn’t show up.

He could see it now. A call to the principal from King Pelagaeus, saying that he would not have the Coral Sea’s heir held up by “small scale school activities.” The entire festival could get rescheduled if he whined enough, and the other Housewardens would be no less than pissed at him for making them redo everything. And I mean, it would be on Rielle, wouldn’t it? For telling “daddy dearest” about it and said person throwing a hissy fit. He kinda had his hands tied on attendance.

But on the other hand, him dipping out wouldn’t sit well with the Principal, Claude, anyone in his dorm, and no one at NRC would like it either. I mean, it’s kinda rude to see people you went to elementary school with as a kid like, once a year and then not even show up right? He cared more about the dorm than he did some family members he hasn’t seen since he could form memories. But also, again, dad, hissy fit, dorm ends up mad anyways.

Ugh! This was all so stupid! There wasn’t a good decision, so the lesser was probably fulfilling familial duties over the Housewarden ones. But he couldn’t sit still with the thought of Coralliadom not having their Housewarden for the whole week, not to mention what Octanivelle would probably be saying when he didn’t show up for the event…

His phone buzzed, with the default ringtone. That was weird, Rielle thought he had set one for everyone in his contacts list. It was a DM on magicam.

“Hey, Rielle! We shared some classes in middle school together, although idk if you remember. I was just checking your story and decided to ask if everything’s alright?”

Rielle raised an eyebrow a bit. The student in the profile picture wasn’t one he had a particular memory of, but then again middle school was kind of a blur, wasn’t it? The account was legit, it was some NRC sophomore, run of the mill stuff. Rielle flipped back to the DM.

“Yeah, everything is chill rn! Is there something you wanted to ask?”

Immediate response.

“Yeah, I just saw that there’s some gala thing your family’s hosting on like, Friday right?”

“Yeah, how did you know about that?”

“Mom’s been telling me about it, since they’re decorating the Atlantica Castle already for it. She’s sent me a few photos of what they’ve gotten done already.”

“Oh. Yeah, there’s a family gala thing coming up. I’m still a bit conflicted about it, but I think I’ll be going.”

“But isn’t the Sage Island Celebration that day? Our Housewarden said that we’re all heading over to you guys’ dorm for that day. Are you just like, not going to be there?”

“Probably, although I’d like to avoid being absent for it. There’s not really a winning option right now.”

There was a period of pause, little ellipsis fading in and out for about a minute.

“That kinda sucks. Could I do anything to help with it? Literally anything, this sounds like a huge pain LOL.”

Rielle looked at the message. Something felt…off about it. But he shook it. The account was legit, he’d gotten too many spam messages to not check at this point. The account even had a legitimate phone number and email attached to it. He typed back.

“Lmao, unless you can make it to where I can be two places at once I don’t think you’ll be able to help.”

Again, an immediate response.

“Actually, I think I could maybe help with that. I’ve been practicing some potion stuff recently for finals and I’ve been waiting to try it practically.”

“What, like an illusion potion? Those only last a couple of hours at most, I’d need a stand in for at least 5 days lol.”

“No it’s not an illusion potion. I’ve been working with using potions to enchant objects to imbed them with properties. It’s cool as hell.”

“…so you're going to make an illusion potion and imbed it into a book or something to keep it up the whole week?”

“No, it’s a piece of jewelry. Really small, nobody’s even noticed I have this thing in my dorm lol. I just keep it in a small desk drawer, and redip to change what the cast properties on it are when worn. I can show you in person if you want, I’m serious about this.”

Rielle’s hands flashed a little faster over the keys.

“You’re Octanivelle, right? That’s what your profile looks like. Wouldn’t Azul notice you’re like, gone?”

“Nah, I’m just one Sophomore lol. There’s like 600 of us here. At least, it’d be less noticeable than you not being there.”

“True.”

“If you want, we can meet up tomorrow and I can switch out w you. Unless you’re heading out a different day.”

His finger hung above the screen for about a minute before answering.

“What are you wanting in return for this? I know you guys don’t do this kinda stuff for free.”

“I just need you to give me the stuff for the potion honestly, I’m partway looking for some street cred with the other sophomores yk.”

“…street cred?”

“Yeah, yk, it’s like the Benevolence dorm. So this gives me some bragging rights. That’s the only real thing I can think of rn. Everything else is just stuff I need so the fill-in works.”

“Alright. Lmao I won’t knock you for wanting to climb the pecking order ig. What is it that you’d need me to bring? Illusion potions for people have to do with things like, personal items right?”

More pausing waiting for a response.

“Yeah, illusion potions need personal items to represent parts of your appearance. So like, a strand of hair for obvious, some fingernail clippings, some spit, a song in a bottle for voice. I probably will have to borrow smthn else tho.”

“Oh, so just some gross hair and shit LOL, thank goodness it’s a necklace bc drinking that potion sounds awful. Are you needing to borrow my magic pen for the week or smthn?”

“No, I can just paint my magestone and click it in your dorm staff. I’m probably gonna need to borrow your UM for the days I’m acting as you. Idk how often you use it, but I imagine it’d be really sus if you just suddenly couldn’t use it for the whole week, yk?

“My UM? How would you transfer that over? I know your dorm got knocked for that kinda stuff a while back, but I thought it was a unique magic.”

“The Housewarden has some blanks lying around for his convenience, so I just planned to snag a paper and bring the thing up prewritten. You can hold onto the contract if you want tbh, carrying it around is just weird if I’m you.”

“Wait, you can just write yourself as the recipient like that? That’s nuts, I’m surprised I haven’t heard abt incidents with that stuff.”

“Yeah, most people are just too scared to snatch things from the Housewarden like that lol, but I have a good enough rapport to know when I’ll be good enough to grab one. It’s just a single blank, dude can just make a new one.”

“Lmao we’re both being sneaky ig.”

“LMAOOO true. So we have an agreement right? We meet up tomorrow, exchange stuff, I’ll slip and redo the necklace and slip off in your place. Just like, go on a walk near RSA and send a PM with the location attached.”

Rielle sat up in his bed, and crossed his legs. He looked across his room, seeing the large vanity in his room, a spiraling pink coral going up towards the top. He looked back down at the message. Again, a slightly weird feeling. Like, a slight nausea in his stomach.

No, he was probably just kinda nervous. I mean, he got that same kinda feeling when he walked out of the water the first time, right? Besides. Claude was a micromanager. If the kid got caught by Claude, he would already be gone and just have to deal with it when he came back. At the worst case. Best case? No one would know. It’s not like his friends would pry into him taking a walk tomorrow, and he was used to meandering a bit when he went out and did things.

And beyond that, did he really have a better choice?

“Yeah. See you tomorrow, I’ll keep the hair and stuff in a box so I don’t lose it. I’ll even brief you on some of the celebration stuff so you can flow right.”

“Coolio! Pleasure talking.”

• • •

“…hey Jade, why’s like, your burner phone out on your desk. I thought you never used that thing lol.”

It sure was. Huh. Must have forgotten to put it back in his desk drawer.

“I was looking through some of my alternate accounts and seeing if there was anything I could gather about Coralliadom’s planning schedule. Rielle’s Vice has my normal accounts blocked, and as far as I’m aware he’s the one who’ll post updates of their process.”

“Uh…ok. You know that sounds like, hella creepy right?”

“I’m…conscious of it. My name isn’t attached for that very reason. I didn’t find anything though, so I’ll probably have to check tomorrow. Saddening.”

“Ok, whatever, it’s still creepy that you even have a burner phone.”

“‘Burner phone’ is a strong word, Floyd. I’m merely making use of an old phone. It still works, but I have better, so it’s just been relegated to side activities.”

“Can you just put that thing away, I was trying to text you earlier, and not checking your main phone was getting mad annoying.”

Jade sighed. “Ok. I have errands I need to run anyways.”

He took up the burner phone, and went into his wardrobe, opening the drawer at the bottom. In the back corner of it, a small wooden box with a latch lid, wrapped in a blanket. He unwound it, opening the box. Putting in the burner phone, there were only two items in the box. He shut the lid, rewrapped the blanket, and slipped it back into its corner.

The nautilus shell had lost some of its luster from the last time he had used it, and he would have to replace the string. But that hardly mattered.

It would work as well as ever.

[ladyniniane]

This or That? Tag

Thank you for tagging me @violets-in-her-arms-writes! It was fun!

|| HISTORICAL or FUTURISTIC ||

I love reading historical fiction. But I’m also aware of my limits, I’m not an historian or a specialist of any period. Beside, writing historical fiction is bit...restrictive. I like to be able to shape the worlds I want. I prefer researching specific eras or cultures to use them as inspiration for my fantasy cultures, though I never aim at reproducing them faithfully.  I always add my little twists. With a futuristic setting, all the possibilities are endless from technologies, to alien civilisations, to landscapes...

|| OPENING or CLOSING CHAPTER ||

Both are honestly really important. I love starting new story and I love finishing them, though I always feel a strong rush of emotion when I write the last lines of a story. I’m 300% invested in my writing. Seeing that my character are alright after the long journey they have been through is something really powerful.

|| LIGHT+FLUFFY or DARK+GRITTY ||

I write to breathe, I write to heal, I write to be happy and make my readers happy. I can and I do write dark things, my stories aren’t all rainbows and sunshine, but I would be unable to do just that. Darkness without a glimmer of hope isn’t what I want for me and my readers. This wouldn’t be fun, this would just be rubbing salt on old wounds.

Beside, though that’s a matter of personal taste, I don’t think that fluffy thing are inherently boring. There’s beauty in that too, and strength in optimism, especially in the time we live in.

|| ANIMAL COMPANION or FOUND FAMILY ||

My stories definitively need more animals (more cats. You always need more cats). I have numerous examples of found families in my stories, the heroines of my fanfic are a big found family for instance.

|| HORROR or ROMANCE ||

I don’t write horror often, I mostly use psychological horror when I do, but I prefer romance, for the same reasons I explained above.

|| HARD MAGIC SYSTEM or SOFT MAGIC SYSTEM ||

For me, magic is always something a bit mysterious and difficult to grasp, something that can be dangerous and unpredictable. I’ve trouble designing rules and very logical system. For me, it’s better if there’s some mystery. The only rules I have are “this magician can cast this or that spell”, “no magic (whether it comes from the darkness or the light) is inherently good or bad”, “healing magic can’t fix everything and won’t restore you perfectly” and “if you do too much magic, you will exhaust yourself”. That’s it.

|| STANDALONE or SERIES ||

I usually write standalone. I like stories that are self-contained. Though, I sometime writes several stories set in the same universe. And my fanfic won’t exactly be a standalone since there will be extra stories and a sequel, though centered on a different character.

|| ONE PROJECT AT A TIME or ALWAYS JUGGLING 2+ ||

I like to focus on one project and advance as fast as possible. The only time when I juggle is during the NaNoWriMo or the Camp. Then, I will work on my main projects and on a few less important things on the side.

|| ON AWARD WINNER or ONE BESTSELLER || 

I’m not sure. I’m not sure I would even want to be published. Though I chose the bestseller because sometimes I would like for my fanfic to get more traction and returns but...It’s alright as it is. I’ve made my mind.

|| FANTASY OR SCI-FI ||

I write mainly fantasy, maybe for aesthetic reasons I guess. You can have this ancient feeling, these universes out of time, magic, ghosts, the beauty of the countryside, castles...A world that is like ours but not exactly like ours.

But I’m not against writing sci-fi. I have several ideas that I may or may not explore. Especially a story mixing futuristic elements and japanese sprituality, with an heroine on a quest of self-discovery. Pilots, temples, buddhist nuns, kimonos, neons, that would be the aesthetic of this story.

I also have an idea about two aliens sisters, their complicated relationship and rebellion against their father’s tyranny.

|| CHARACTER DESCRIPTION or SETTING DESCRIPTION ||

Both. I think I’m quite good at providing descriptions that convey the personnality and essence of my characters. And I love describing settings and change ambiances every time.

|| FIRST DRAFT or FINAL DRAFT ||

First draft all the way. The revisions are the most tedious part of the process.

|| LOVE TRIANGLE IN EVERYTHING or NO ROMANTIC ARCS ||

Ok hear me out: I hate love triangles. Especially the love triangles in young adult novels. “Oh no, I don’t know if I love random badboy or friend next door teehee”. Seriously, give me heroines who know what they want. When I was 15-16 I mostly read adult novels because young adult books where full of this stuff. Anyway.

I would like to write a story without a romantic plot. Most of my stories feature proeminent romances. I write them because I find them cute and heartwarming. But I’m also aware that it contributes to the cliché that you need a SO to be happy. And I would like to write characters like me, who aren’t interested in romance (at least, many of my characters resemble me in the way that they don’t want to have children. Oops.). So maybe one day I will write a story about those two friends who have a café/library in a magic town and who aren’t interested in romance, thank you very much.

|| CONSTANT SANDSTORM or RAINSTORM ||

I love being inside when there’s a rainstorm and I love the smell of rain!

I tag...whoever wants to do it.