#these aesthetics are so nice honestly i might do a few more

[shalomniscient]

convenience, part 1 || tsukishiro yanagi x reader [NSFT][MDNI]

Your heat, rather inconveniently, comes a whole two days early in the middle of your shift at your job. Your boss drops you off at a heat clinic, and you manage to get paired with who you think might just be the most perfect alpha in all of New Eridu.

cw. omegaverse, alpha yanagi, omega reader, all the usual omv stuff like knotting & breeding

notes. wrote this in a haze of horny delirium for tsukishiro yanagi. yes there will be a part 2 at some point because i will most certainly slip and slide back into horny delirium for tsukishiro yanagi one of these days

Heat clinic.

Such a nice, polite word for what’s essentially a fuck-centre.

Yes, you know in reality it’s just another facet of reproductive healthcare services, and there’s nothing really intimate about it—if the dozens of screenings, tests, and legal documents were anything to go by—but the concept itself is still a little funny. The idea that something so inherently primal could just be dressed up in some clinical wording and a facade with the aesthetic of a dentist’s office and suddenly be completely socially acceptable.

A foggy part of your brain is trying to do the same right now and draft up some polite excuse as to why you had to leave work early today, but with the way Yanagi’s cock is literally rearranging your insides, it’s an effort in futility.

You almost melt against the sheets with another low, drawn out moan feeling her all the way in your damn stomach. You barely even remember how you got here; your heat, the damn unpredictable thing it is, had hit early while you were still on your shift. Staying in the store would’ve been a terrible idea, what with it almost being rush hour, and so your poor boss—a beta man, thankfully—had sped you on over to the nearest heat clinic in Lumina Square. And you had writhed and squirmed on the bed that had too many too sterile pillows for God knows how long until they finally managed to send an alpha in to help you. She’d smelled of fresh laundry and warm bread and by that point there really wasn’t much else you wanted to think about besides getting her scent all over you immediately.

“Yanagi,” you whine, wiggling your hips petulantly at her slow, controlled pace. It’s strange, how well her name fits on her tongue despite you only learning it a few—minutes? hours? you don’t even know, honestly—ago. The alpha behind you croons low in her throat, leaning down to brush the bare, sweat-damp skin of your shoulder with her nose. But instead of that skin-to-skin you expect, you get smooth leather instead, and you remember that this is a damn heat clinic, and all heat clinic alphas have to wear a Mask.

It’s a safety precaution, and a sensible one at that; having an omega be accidentally marked during what should just be a transactional encounter would be horrifying for both the alpha and omega, and a world of legal pain for the clinic. Hence the invention of the Mask—a generally non-invasive little leather contraption that covers the alpha’s mouth completely, with well placed openings to still allow for easy breathing and speech. You’re normally more grateful for its existence in keeping omegas such as yourself safe, but right now it may as well have been invented by the devil.

“Breathe,” Yanagi reminds you, her voice ever so soft in a way you’ve never heard an alpha be before. Your previous heat partners, while still somewhat gentle—you’d specified as such in your documentation—still tended to have that typical alpha-ness to them. Demanding and commanding, eager to take and wring as many orgasms from you as they can manage. Which is, of course, exactly what you need, deep in the throes of heat as you are, but it leaves you with a rather heavy mental weight after that takes a while to lift. But Yanagi is calm, measured, and careful, even as she sinks balls deep into you, knot bumping the stubborn ring of your entrance. It makes your basest omega instinct preen with satisfaction at being so tenderly cared for, that you find yourself thinking, quite stupidly, that you could get used to this—to Yanagi.

She coaxes you out of that little reverie with the brush of her thumb against your clit. You jolt, startled but pleased, rocking forward slightly onto the sheets ruined with your slick. Yanagi follows with a roll of her hips, bumping the head of her wonderful cock against that spongy collection of nerves and drawing another warbling cry of her name from your lips. She moves with such patient elegance and finesse that you’d think she wasn’t in rut and had to find refuge in the nearest heat clinic like you. Or, rut clinic, in her case. This particular branch in Lumina Square did both, and what a blessing that turned out to be.

“Yanagi, faster,” you urge, whiny and out of your mind with lust, looking over your shoulder at her. Soft pink eyes meet your own, and her pupils blow just a little wider. You hear her breathe in deep through her mouth, the sound amplified by the Mask, and a primal giddiness runs down your spine. You know what she’s doing; inhaling your scent and letting it coat the inside of her mouth, her throat, and letting it fan the flames of her own lust. She relents with the quietest growl you’ve heard from an alpha, drawing her hands back to rest them on your hips, palms flat against your skin.

And then she’s snapping her hips forward, fucking you, and you’re completely and utterly gone. Your head drops, cheek against the mattress as your arms give out under you, and you melt against the sheets into a delicate arch that has Yanagi twitching inside you. Your brain drips out of your pussy around her cock, not a damn thought in your mind beyond the steady, rhythmic drives of her railing you senseless. You can feel her knot swelling, bumping against the lips of your cunt and it only makes you squeeze tighter around her.

Yanagi pants behind you, nails digging more into the meat of your hips. The scent of her floods your senses, and she almost smells like home were it not for the underlying, extremely faint but still somewhat noticeable scent of ozone and iron. She’s testing the waters with her knot, seeing how much you’re ready to give by pushing it forward ever so slightly then drawing back. It makes your fingers curl in the sheets, more needy whines falling from your lips as you beg her to stuff you full. Yanagi shudders at that, leaning down to—or attempting to—nose the dip of your spine between your shoulder blades.

“I’m going to knot you,” she promises gently, and you mewl in anticipation. “Be sweet for me, okay? Breathe, and relax. You’re doing so well, good girl.”

Holy fuck.

“Likes to be praised” was not an option even given to you on the forms, but somehow, either by luck or intuition, Yanagi had struck absolute gold. You nearly cum then and there at the praise, moaning unashamedly as your cunt clenches like a vise around her cock. Yanagi makes a small, choked noise in the back of her throat, clawing at your hips to steady herself again. It takes her a moment and several calming breaths before she can resume her slow press into you and you bite the sheets to make up for the fact you can’t sink your teeth into her shoulder instead.

Yanagi is already big, deliciously so, but her knot is certainly something else. You’re suddenly grateful for the generous amount of lube that was provided in the room and that Yanagi had the sense to use before she stuffed you full of her cock. It makes the stretch of her controlled slide into you far more bearable—not that you would’ve given up even if it wasn’t. Heat crazed as you are, you’re sure you’d find a way. Thankfully, Yanagi’s foresight made such extremes unnecessary, and she nuzzles soothingly at your neck, by your scent gland as she inches deeper and deeper, stretching you more and more until her knot slips fully inside you with a wet pop.

Your eyes roll back into your head and you cum with a loud cry, inner walls spasming and fluttering around her thick length. You almost feel like you might pass out, utterly light headed, cumming not in spite of the stretch but because of it. Fuck, Yanagi might just have ruined you for any other alpha. You feel your slick spray out and coat your thighs despite the knot buried inside you, and you make a noise between a moan and a sob as your orgasm rips through you viciously. Yanagi rocks and grunts behind you, riding that knife’s edge of stimulation until she’s tipping off of it herself, releasing your hips in favor of bracing herself over you, palms bracketing your head as she spills into you with a stifled, drawn out groan. You feel her throb inside you, pulsing with each jet of cum she deposits into your eager cunt. You can’t help but preen at the sensation of being filled so thoroughly, which Yanagi returns with a low, soothing croon.

She makes sure to lie on her side to recover, deceptively strong yet slim arms holding you close. It’s a welcome reprieve from the many alphas who would simply flop on top of you and crush you into the mattress, and you make a pleased noise, your brain buzzing with happy, satiated chemicals. Her cosy scent just makes you relax further, sweet honey on fresh toast, like home, and you find your eyelids drooping. Yanagi notices, and a lilting, melodic laugh resonates through the Mask.

“Rest,” she says gently, a hand caressing your side, “you did well.”

You have some time to kill anyway, knotted together as you both are. So you take her suggestion, and drift off into a satisfied slumber. What happens next is for your heat-free brain to deal with, but you’re certain of at least one thing: you’re not spending your next heat with anyone other than her.

When you wake, you wake woefully bereft.

Your thighs are parted, and you hiss when something wet and cold touches your skin. You blink open your eyes blearily, and find Yanagi looking down at you from where she kneels by your side, running a washcloth along your inner thigh. Her Mask is off, set on the bedside table now that both of you are somewhat stable enough to head back home and weather the rest of your respective heat and ruts privately. Her lips are curved into a small, glossy smile, and a pair of red-rimmed glasses rest delicately on the bridge of her nose.

“Did you rest well?” she asks, smoothing the washcloth down your other thigh. “I hope you don’t mind that I took some initiative. I didn’t want you to feel uncomfortable or sticky when waking up.”

It takes you a while to find your voice, but when you do find it, it’s utterly wrecked. Yanagi flushes slightly at the sound when you speak, looking ridiculously cute for someone who just gave you the most intense orgasm of your life.

“Yes to the first, no to the second,” you answer, pushing yourself up onto your elbows. “I appreciate it. Thank you.”

Yanagi’s smile broadens, and she shakes her head lightly. “I should be thanking you—my rut hit early out of nowhere, and if you weren’t willing…”

“I could say the same for you,” you rasp wryly, watching as she diligently cleans you. She takes care not to give too much stimulation to your sensitive sex, but makes sure to clean up the remaining drops of her cum that still leak from you. “I guess we both got lucky.”

“Quite,” Yanagi agrees, and you see her throat bob as she tries not to focus on the way her seed drips out of your cunt. “In any case, you were… very helpful. Thank you.”

You manage a dry chuckle at that. What a polite alpha. “You weren’t too bad yourself.”

The flush on her cheeks deepens ever so slightly, and she ducks her gaze away from yours, almost bashful. She sets the cloth down on a disposal bin on the bedside table, then turns to grab something further down the bed. A surprised noise leaves your lips when you see what it is: your clothing, all neatly folded. And if your nose is telling you the truth—

“I… took the liberty to scent your shirt,” she admits, still not meeting your eyes. “Just to tide you over until you make it home. It should deter any other alphas from trying anything.”

You swallow, throat suddenly dry. You wonder if you’re dreaming—do alphas this nice really exist? You’ve met your fair share of decent alphas, but they all have that typical alpha arrogance about them. If she hadn’t just knotted you, you might have thought she was an omega with how tender she’s being, and you find yourself thinking for the second time today how you could get so used to this.

“Thank you,” you say eventually. Yanagi nods, relieved, then rises from the bed. She’s already clothed; although, she didn’t take much of her clothes off while fucking you in the first place, just popping a few buttons of her shirt and hiking her skirt up enough to get it out of the way after ditching her corset. She fixes the tassels of her tie, ready to head out the door, and the words blurt out of your mouth before you can stop them.

“Do you want to do this again?”

Your jaw clicks shut as soon as Yanagi stills, turning to face you with a puzzled look on her face. She blinks, brows furrowing as she considers your words. “This… again?”

“There’s an option for, uh— scheduled sessions between an alpha and an omega, if they choose,” you explain, trying not to sound as nervous as you feel. “It saves on hoping for another presentation to be available when your heat or rut rolls around.”

“I’ve heard of that,” Yanagi hums, eyes drifting to the side as she takes a moment to consider.

“It’d be convenient,” you continue, unable to help yourself from pressing a little more. If you sound desperate, you can’t be bothered to be ashamed. You’d rather lose your dignity than this damn perfect alpha before you. “And you’re someone who likes convenience and routine, right?”

Yanagi raises a brow. “How did you figure that?”

“Well,” you shrug, attempting nonchalance, “I suppose it was a lucky guess. How did you know I liked being praised?”

Yanagi turns beet red at that, a palm shooting up to cover half her face. Even her ears are a delicate blush colour. “It just… felt right,” she mumbles, her home-like scent thick with embarrassment. You chuckle softly at that.

“See? I think this could be mutually beneficial, Yanagi. What do you say?”

The time it takes her to think feels like it stretches on forever. You can almost see the gears on her head turning, analysing, as if weighing the costs and benefits over every last detail of your proposal. Those pink eyes gleam with an intensity you can’t help but feel drawn to in a way you’ve never felt before with any alpha. Eventually, she turns back to you with a small, polite smile.

“We could give it a shot.”

You grin, feeling relief flood your system so strongly you nearly fall back onto the bed. “Sounds great. I’ll see you next month, then?”

“Next month,” Yanagi returns, and then she slips out the door with the click of heels on cold tile. You flop back onto the pillows when the door closes, unable to stifle a giddy, girlish laugh from spilling from your lips.

God, for once in your life, you can’t wait for your next heat.

[jujoobedoodling]

Chose violence.

This prompt made no sense so I turned it into a pirates AU (again). Sylvanas just needs...leverage.

[oldwritingm]

I wish I could go on a date with Nina :( but I might make a part 2 of this if you guys want :3

Creepypasta/MH - Dates With Them

Characters: Nina the Killer, Jeff the Killer, Tim/Masky, "Ticci" Toby

Nina the Killer

I feel like you have a good mix of types of dates with Nina

Some of them are super impromptu; like she'll pop her head in your room and tell you to be ready to leave soon

And then you'll head out for ice cream or to the mall or smth :)

But she also likes to plan things sometimes, particularly romantic things

Like picnics or romantic walks at night

Or, if you're also crazy, midnight murder sprees <3

She always seems to have the perfect outfit for whatever occasion though

And, if you're dating her, so will you

She would have showered you with enough gifts (and taken you to the mall enough times) that you also have like. the PERFECT outfit for a specific occasion

So neither of you really have to worry about what to wear

But Nina still does; specifically when it comes to planned dates

She'll fret over what to wear for at least a day, having long private fashion shows in her room until she finds the perfect one

She's always super confident in whatever she wears, practically beaming when you meet up to get going :)

And she will combust if you mention her outfit; she knows she looks great, but to hear it from you is just <33

Ofc she always compliments you too!!

But for more casual dates sometimes she will stop you like "ok you are NOT leaving the house like that. come on, I'll help you pick something that actually suits your stunning beauty."

No you don't have a choice when that happens ^

Dw though, she'll pick something nice that you both like and that fits your aesthetic :3

Jeff the Killer

Dates with him are always a surprise

In many ways...

There's no way to know what he's planning or when he's planning it or if it's even planned at all

Like, sometimes you'll just be out for a walk and he'll say:

"This is a date btw."

"What?! You could've told me beforehand, I would've worn something nice..." >:/

And he just laughs, because he thinks you're still gorgeous in your hoodie and jeans :)

But another way that his dates are a surprise is because his concept of a "date" is so broad and obscure

One time he literally just took you to look at this old truck that crashed in a creek

That was it. That was the date. You walked a short distance and just looked at the truck for like 45 minutes

Jeff rarely plans his dates ahead of time

The most of a head's up you're going to get is a text saying "dinner at 8"

(you got the text at 6)

("dinner" is most definitely either McDonald's or some trashy two-star hole-in-the-wall buffet)

Needless to say, Jeff isn't very romantic in the traditional sense

But for all his weirdness and un-romantic date planning, he still loves every second he gets to spend with you

He loves that you're beautiful in whatever you're wearing, he loves that you laugh at whatever lame joke he makes...

Maybe that's why he doesn't feel the need to do something showy... you're already perfect when you're casual :)

But he's also just lazy and kind of a dirtbag

Tim/Masky

Dates with him are rare

Unless you're the one planning them; he's not going to be the one initiating them in most cases

He just doesn't know how to plan a date

And he's nervous he'll get it wrong :(

But at the same time, sometimes he just really wants to go out and do something with you

So sometimes he'll ask you out for a meal, or for a drive

Something pretty quick and casual; something easy that's hard to screw up

It'll seem impromptu, but in reality he would've been planning to ask you for days at least

You guys definitely have a few favorite diners, or some scenic routes to drive

Honestly that just makes it even easier for him; he'll just shoot you a text:

"Dino’s tonight?"

And ofc you'll say yes; you both love Dino's :) (or whatever little diner)

If and when he does do something romantic, it’s rarely as big as a whole date

Like he’ll get you flowers or smth, but it’s super rare that he’ll take you on a really romantic date

But sometimes he will :o

And he’ll dress up and act a perfect gentleman, complimenting you, getting you little gifts, holding your hand…

It’s like he’s trying to make up for all his un-romanticness in one night

And maybe he is tbh :(

“Ticci” Toby

Toby just likes spending time with you; it doesn’t really matter what you’re doing :)

As long as it’s at least vaguely interesting to him, he’s cool doing whatever

So oftentimes he’ll be the one asking you what you want to do for dates

He doesn’t really have a set “date night” for you two, but he tries to have one every now and again

It’s usually when he has an idea that he decides it’s time for a date night

(Or just when he feels like going on a date with you)

Sometimes he’ll see a cute date in a movie (or when stalking “people watching”) and decide he wants to try it with you

Especially if it looks like fun, like a paintball game or trying a crazy new restaurant

But he also likes the sappy stuff, like a home movie night or stargazing

It ends up being pretty boring for him, but the way his heart races when you hold his hand is more than enough to keep him on board :)

Toby likes to do romantic gestures, no matter what kind of date you’re on

At first it was only because “it’s what people who date do” (stuff he saw in movies)

But he found himself actually enjoying your reactions, so he made a habit of doing those kinds of things

Getting you a bouquet of your favorite flowers, kissing your hand, pulling out your chair for you…

(grinning wildly at your subtle reactions all the while)

It almost makes him seem like a gentleman

But then he’ll spend the date yapping about the most unhinged shit and you’ll be reminded that he’s. Like that

But hopefully that’s what you’re really into if you’re dating him :)

Thank you so much for reading! Take care duckies <33

(divider by saradika)

[educating-bimbos]

The Pinned Post 2

new pinned post because tumblr hid my old one from my view so I can't see, edit it, or reblog it to add an addendum. I only have a few things to add, so I am just going to copy and paste it.

Who is Educating Bimbos?

My name is Nicolette. I am a technical artist, musician, and an outdoorsy type of gal. I enjoy the finer things in life, and I fancy myself a traditional woman and a bimbo. I don't really enjoy mindlessly obsessing over labels, but if it helps people gauge where my brain is at, I am pro-patriarchy, in favor of traditional gender roles and dynamics, an ex-feminist, and before all else a believer in one's ability to exercise personal freedoms. My beliefs, mannerisms, and presentation attract the ire of feminists, born-again-religious types, and any number of anti-fun douchebags. At the end of the day, just remember that behind this silly blog is a silly person.

What is Educating Bimbos?

It is a blog and small community of bimbos looking to learn more about and express a traditional lifestyle. It is also about people who may not be familiar with or comfortable around things like BDSM get a nice and soft introduction to it without being exposed immediately to the idea of how people can enjoy things in a pseudo-sexual context. At the end of the day, it is a blog and community where I and other like-minded people can express silly ideas without the fear of being lambasted by people seeking to harm others.

Where is Educating Bimbos?

Educating Bimbos can be found in one of these two places.

Why is Educating Bimbos?

Well for a while I was annoyed by the lack of communities that focused on a kind of "hyper-feminine" aesthetic while also promoting more traditional ideas. There was also the issue of communities that have tried this before of devolving into bigoted and abusive communities that would do everything under the sun to create an insular and ToS breaking community. I spoke with a friend of mine who runs a similar community a while ago and she inspired me to give this a shot. Now - close to 3 years later - I have a steadily growing community that pulls from all corners of ideology, cultural, ethnic, and interest level and the discord has been almost completely drama-free in its whole existence.

When is Educating Bimbos?

I am alive and doing silly stuff all day, every day. Except when it is nap time in which case I will be in the realm of dreams.

What's an ex-lesbian and why do you call yourself that?

For a number of very personal reasons, I have decided to call myself an ex-lesbian. I did this of my own volition, and I was not pressured into doing so. For a long time, I had thought of myself as a lesbian, mostly because of socialization and how all the girls around me were so might as well follow suit. I experienced a number of harmful and traumatic events when I considered myself a lesbian and it effected how I view myself. After a while and talking to some friends who I trust dearly, I came to the realization that I am not a lesbian and that it really isn't a thing I identify with the same way others do. I am still trying to come to grips with that given I only relatively recently had that realization. I also feel that people use that term in bad faith to harm people and to push bad narratives and ideas so I thought "hey might as well try and take back what should be an innocuous phrase."

In short, I think an ex-lesbian is just a way of identifying one's sexuality similar to asexuality or demisexuality. It is not that I am one sexuality or another, it's that my sexuality is defined by my experience and coming of age.

I have had a number of people confront me about this, talk to me about it in sincere curiosity, and even attack me. I welcome anyone who is curious or has a genuine contention to come to me in DMs, I am not a mean person, and I will love to talk honestly and respectfully. I find that disagreement is not grounds to discredit or avoid befriending people, I hope you can do the same.

Further questions for Educating Bimbos?

If you find that these questions are unsatisfactory in any regard, or you wish to try your hand at doing what I do, follow these two links!

Ask me anything!

Ask me anything you want! I have some personal rules with regards to what I can and cannot upload, but this is generally the best way for me to answer any question you may have. I also have anonymous asks enabled just in case you are shy.

Submit a post!

If you think I should be made aware of something, post something, or if you just want to signal boost something try this. So far, I have no real rules or expectations so do whatever you want with this button.

[yeahiamjustalittleguy]

Ask and you'll receive!!

Can I get some headcannons or a scenario with any hermits you want where the Reader owns a little Diner, kinda like your basic 80's-90's aesthetic?

Have a good one :]]

Multiple little blurb mode activated. Also I am at my parents place for a bit and my laptop has a few broken keys so I am unresponsible for any spelling mistakes :[

_______________________________________-

Grian:

It was super early in the morning, having basically just opened up the store moments earlier when Grian came in. Usually, you knew him to be more of a late riser, but it was nice to see him. Especially since seeing a very tired and cute Grian was not something you got to see very often, despite him basically coming to your diner every day for breakfast. Walking over to him, a bright smile on your face, he gave you a small smile despite clearly being too tired for it. Still, you appreciated the efforts.

“Late night, Grian? The usual?” You asked, and he nodded, planting his head on his hand as he watched you working behind the counter. Honestly, you couldn’t say it wasn’t flattering how you could feel his eyes following along as you moved about the kitchen working on his breakfast. It struck you that he had probably been up all night, cause if it had really been a late night for him he would just still be asleep. Finishing up making his plate, you placed it on the counter in front of him. Having no one else in the diner at the time, most of the hermits (except Bdubs) were probably still asleep, you stood opposite him. 

“Why are you still awake, Grian?” You asked, curious as to what he might have been doing all night that had kept him up. It was something that had never happened before, to be honest. Grian really liked his sleep. He swallowed a piece of his pancake before speaking. “I had to do some work, and I didn’t want to wake up too late because then I couldn’t come see you.” He explained, munching away again. You laughed, and flicked his forehead softly.

It did make you blush, though. “You don’t have to come here to see me, Grian. You’re always welcome with me.”

“Yeah, but I like your uniform.” He said, letting a comfortable silence befall you.

______________

XisumaVoid:

It’s late, middle of the night when he comes around. You’ve already closed up the diner, but you’re trying to get everything done for the day tomorrow. You’d wiped down the tables and counters, and cleaned most of the kitchen at this point. When he softly put his fingers to the glass outside, knocking very lightly so as to not give you a scare, you had been sweeping the floors. You hurriedly put down the broom against the counter, wiping your hands down on your apron before unlocking the door to your diner. Xisuma stepped through, hiding one hand behind his back and when you noticed you raised an eyebrow at him, nodding towards his arms. There was a goofy smile painted on his face. “What’s all this, then?” you asked.

“Nothing, I just thought I’d check in on my favourite person.” He says, feigning ignorance and innocence. You squinted up at him, letting him know you see through him. You lunge for his arm, wanting to peel it from behind his back to look at what he is trying to hide from you, but he quickly steps back to avoid your arm. “Hey! Show me what you’ve got.” You demand from him, starting to walk towards him again. He pivots, still keeping whatever he has hidden behind him, away from your line of sight as he sprints to the other side of the counter.

Caught off guard at his moment, you make an effort to follow behind him. But he’s placed whatever he was holding behind the counter, and making his way to meet you he stops you from making your way behind the counter by grabbing you by the waist and pushing you back. You whine. “Sumaaa, I want to know what you have.” He laughs as you push against him, still shoving you back lightly. A thought pops into your head, and you stop trying to get away from him, instead leaning against him and looking up at him with big open eyes. “Is it something for me?” You ask. His mouth turns up in a very soft smile.

“Why would I get you something?” He then asks, putting a piece of hair behind your ear. You make a sad face up at him and he just laughs at you, and then hearing him laugh you can’t help but also burst into laughter. Having him caught off guard too you push him to the side, releasing his grip on you and making a dash for the other side of the counter. Laying there is a small bouquet of wildflowers. You grab them, pulling them to your chest. “Oh, Suma! These are for me right?” You ask excitedly, and he lets out a sigh at his jig being up. 

“Of course they’re for you.” He says, and you smell them, smiling to yourself, ready to close up shop and go home with Xisuma. 

___________________

ZombieCleo:

It had been a very busy day at the diner, the day only now starting to wind down. Basically every hermit under the sun had visited the diner today, Doc even having visited twice just because he couldn’t be arsed to make or get any food of his own. You didn’t mind, in the end, it just meant more diamonds to spend for you. But it was odd, having so many people pop around all day. Not once had the diner been empty. And now, as the day was settling in, and the sun was setting, you felt the exhaustion take over. If one more hermit came through those doors you would lose your mind. 

Just as the thought crossed your mind, the little bell attached to the door rang, signaling that someone had entered the small diner. You were still open, so you couldn’t just turn around and scream at whoever just entered, but the thought did cross your mind. So when you turned around and saw Cleo a giant sigh of relief escaped your lips. She noticed, and let a giggle slip as well. “Rough day, then?” She asked, and you nodded, letting your shoulders slouch. You started explaining how every hermit under the sun had paid you a visit. She seemed to get more and more nervous during your walkthrough of how your day went, and you knew something was up. So you just asked what was on her mind.

“Well, it’s my fault they all came through. I let it slip that I was going to come ask you something today and I guess they all wanted to be there. I don’t know where they got the idea I’d do it with them all there, but they’re nosy.” She explained, scratching the back of her head and looking away as to not let your eyes meet. She was clearly nervous about whatever she wanted to talk to you about. “Well, I don’t mind. You can ask me now.” You said, fiddling with the end of your frilly apron. You and Cleo had always danced around each other, and even if you did want her to ask you out. 

“Great! Uh, so..  I was thinking I could maybe, if you wanted, pick you up and go somewhere tomorrow when you close up shop.” She managed to squeak out, and you giggled, jumping to envelope her in a big hug. 

“I’d love to, Cleo!”

[transmasc-advice-blog]

Bathroom Problems

Sorry I just realized after writing this is super tmi but I just really need advice

Help. I'm transmasc but I haven't really started using men's bathrooms yet because I don't pass and I'm honestly kind of scared. However, there are a few things that I think will change that: I'm starting testosterone soon, and I want to buy an stp/packer. So the testosterone I think will probably make me look masculine enough that I can't use the women's restroom anymore without scaring people, and the stp will allow me to use the men's room. But like there are still problems with that. For one thing, they're super expensive! I've been looking on the transguy supply website, and I found one that I like, but it costs 50 dollars, and it also doesn't look like it will fit in the harness (made by the same company, sold separately on the website). I found another one that's small enough for me to pack with (I'm short so I really don't want anything big, I literally pack with a single pair of socks) and that would work with that harness, but it's $75. They have one for $15, but it says in the description that it's not good for packing. Also, I don't particularly want balls. Which is a problem because nearly all of them have balls. The $50 one doesn't, and I like the look of it, but like I said I don't think it will fit to wear it, just based on its shape. There's one on the site that has all the attributes I want (small, discreet, skin tone, no balls, would work as a packer), but it's over $100 and there is no way I'd ever be able to afford it. So I'm probably going to end up with one that doesn't fit the aesthetics I want. Which is fine, but I just really need to find one that's more affordable. Between the packer I want, the harness, and the underwear, it could easily add up to at least $150. I can't ask my parents for help because the first time I brought up packing my mom said she wouldn't buy me one because it "feels like a sex thing" and it makes her uncomfortable. So like if anyone knows where I can buy a cheaper one, that would be much appreciated.

Also, once I get the stp, I still don't know how confident I'll be using it in men's bathrooms. Would it be weird if I went in the stall to pee, at least at first? Do people do that? Would it be wrong for me to use the disabled accessible stall when it's the only stall?

Also, I don't know what to do about people who know me. I'm out as nonbinary, but given the way I dress most people assume I'm a girl, and I think people would get uncomfortable with me suddenly switching bathrooms, especially if I started using the urinals. Plus I occasionally wear dresses, so what bathroom am I supposed to use when I'm wearing a dress and have facial hair? Like that's how I want to look, that's what makes me feel like me, but I feel like that's also what would get me assaulted in a bathroom. I guess I'm starting to realize how my transfem friends feel :/

Sorry for the long ask, if you or anyone has any advice that would really help. Thank you

-🚹🚽🍌💵 (emojis so I can find this later)

Lot to unpack here! I don’t have much experience with STPs but i’ll try my best to help :)

First off, you know those STPs that don’t look realistic? (linked one is for $12) they might not be ideal, maybe don’t use it if the urinals are crowded, but it’ll work just fine if it’s just a few people in there! no one’s looking at you. you could keep it in a bag or a nice big pocket, discreetly whip it out to pee, have a lil plastic baggy to put it back into maybe once you’re out of the bathroom… i’m not sure exactly how that one works but i’m sure you’d figure it out eventually. i also found this one and watch the ad! the woman in the video keeps it in her pants and just. pops it out. it can stay in your pants! perfect. $18.

Next thing, can a friend help you out with cost at all? Maybe a sibling? Also, once you get the STP, you probably know this but just making sure. do NOT immediately, right away after getting it, go out in public and use it. you’ve gotta practice at home first. until you’ve got the hang of it.

Nextttt, no it is not weird at all for you to use a stall. I do that all the time. The bathroom might be busy, with all the stalls in use. super awkward waiting there as the urinals free up. but that’s the only problem i can really think of? i just go super fast. in and out. no time for anyone in there to see my face. i’ve never had any problems. a few times i’ve had to go to the women’s. wasn’t great but it was all ok! for the disabled stall thing, id say use it, just be fast.

Onwards, you can let your friends and family know “i’m ready to start using the men’s restroom now so that’s what i’ll be doing just a heads up”. it’s just a bathroom, right? just a place to pee, why should anyone care? for the wearing a dress thing, make sure you’re in a safe area. you might get strange looks, ignore them. if someone tries to talk to you, go into a stall or leave. or, on days when you wear a dress, you could strictly go to places with gender neutral bathrooms. there are apps that can help you find which places have them. i think one of them is bathroom refuge? not sure.

congrats on starting T! good luck, i hope this helps, i am sick rn so this might be nonsensical

[losingdcgs]

[ … ] ❀ you’re not from around here , are you? i figured because you totally just missed { marcela everly } walking by. don’t tell me you don’t know who { she } is ? they kind of look like { giovana cordeiro } and i could be wrong but i think that they might be { twenty-eight } years old right now. they’ve been living in palmview for the last { twenty-eight years }. and i don’t know if anyone has ever told them this before but they kind of remind me of { fleabag } from { fleabag }. if you stick around the town long enough you might catch them in action working at { retro roots } as a { salesperson }. you see this town isn’t really that big of a place, some folks like to call them the { black hole } of palmview! they took a liking to the name too after a while, go figure. oh crap, they must have heard me yapping. they’re coming this way. i got to warn you though, rumor has it they can pretty { self-destructive } at times. i wouldn’t take it too seriously though, from the times i’ve spoken to them they seemed pretty { humorous } to me. we see each other all the time since they live in that { three bedroom } apartment beside me over in { sunset villas }. i better leave you to it. it was nice meeting you! 

Basics !

Full name: Marcela Everly

Nickname: N/A

Gender: Cis woman

Pronouns: She/her

Age: 28

Birthday: July 17th

Sexuality: Bisexual

Relationship Status: Single

Occupation: Salesperson @ Retro Roots

Time in Palmview: 28 years

Counterpart: Fleabag (Fleabag)

Label: The black hole

Enneagram: 7w6 (the enthusiast, the adventurer)

Aesthetic: The end of a brand new lipstick already smushed, last night's makeup smudged around your eyes, unread text messages, waking up with a pounding in your head, a trail of disaster following you, a wine bottle shattered on the floor, laughter masking tears, uncertainty hanging over your head

Quick Backstory ! (minor neglect tw)

Early childhood is one big, chaotic blur for Marcela. Maybe she's lucky that way, barely able to remember the unfit home she spent her first few years in or the memory of the social worker collecting her. What she does remember clearly is getting welcomed into the Everly family with opened arms. She lost a family who didn't seem all too interested in fighting for her, so what? She gained loving parents, a big brother, and sisters in the exchange.

It should've been a comfort, knowing this family chose her, but she couldn't shake the feeling that maybe they would change their minds. To be clear, it wasn't anything they did that made her feel this way, it was more just the fear that it would happen again. The fear didn't manifest in her trying to be some picture perfect daughter or chase her to the other extreme, instead, it just left her lost.

She made her way through life, feeling no real sense of direction and this growing void in her chest that she filled with meaningless and fleeting connections. Maybe these were things that everyone grappled with? Feeling lost in the transition from childhood to adulthood was perfectly normal, right?

Well, that feeling hasn't gone away. Stuck in Palmview (or maybe just too scared to leave the people she knows love her), Marcela is now working a sales job at Retro Roots, hoping for some sort of sign from the universe to jump out at her and let her know what she's supposed to be doing with her life.

Misc. !

The type of person to use humor to cover any serious emotions or problems until she literally can't anymore and breaks down(not ideal to her, she would prefer to continue to deflect with humor).

Lowkey a little awkward, especially when her jokes or snark doesn't land with the person she's speaking with. It doesn't seem to really bother her.

Genuinely loves the people in her life, but can honestly be a bit self-sabotage-y in romantic and platonic relationships. She's far from perfect and has definitely caused some damage in her relationships.

She got extremely lucky with her adoptive family, don't get her wrong, but there's still this lost, empty feeling inside that she generally tries to fill with physical relationships.

Would likely say disaster follows her around, when in reality she very much has a hand in the problems that plague her.

Has a love/hate relationship with her job. On the one hand she hates it because she doesn't know what she wants to do with her life, just that she doesn't want to be a salesperson forever. On the other though, there is something appealing to her when it comes to selling vintage things.

Wanted Connections !

I'm going to have all my wanted connections here (I still have to go into detail about them), but I'm genuinely open to anything! Give me all the wholesome, angsty, messy connections your hearts desire <3

[gunpowder-arti]

THE CENSUS HAS CONCLUDED!

thank you to everyone who sent in their responses!

results are under the cut:

for context i didn't post it on twitter but i wanted to include that on the off-chance someone reposted it there. but no one did! sad.

interesting that surv and hunter are tied in the vanilla poll, earlier on hunter was far in the lead.

about what I expected, tbh--saint in the lead with 14 votes and arti close behind with 13. big win for... murder enjoyers, i guess

also gourmand came in third which is cool

honestly, i expected fp to have a much higher percentage of the votes than this! but nope, he's got less than half as many votes as moon, at only thirteen compared to her twenty-eight. win for women

not sure what i was expecting here, but it wasn't this! i had no idea sky islands was so popular. although i suppose it makes sense--it's a very nice area aesthetically

also shoutout to the one (1) farm arrays fan

interesting results here! i honestly expected silent construct to score higher, but that's what I get for assuming my personal preferences are universal, I suppose.

i wasn't expecting outer expanse to win out by such a large margin, certainly!

(also, as a note: LTTM [region] is underrepresented here, because i forgor about her until a few days later, meaning that many votes were cast before the option to select her was added. im sorry women)

approximately what i expected, this! i already knew cyans were incredibly popular. not much to say here, tbh

not much to report on here. scagenger

the people love yeek, but they love vulture more, it seems

approx what i expected tbh

also approx what I expected! everybody loves rhinestones

breezing past this one because im not into shipping so i dont have much to say. i do find it a bit funny how artihunter is the only ship what was submitted on its own by multiple people

modding might be over-represented here as by far the biggest server i sent this in was the modding academy. oh well

....and i hit the tumblr image limit. uh. this is continued here! likely, when all is said and done, this will all be copied over there for the sake of cleanness, but I need to get this out today so I don't have much time to fix such things. Sorry for the inconvenience!

[aqua-dan]

What are your thoughts on preboot Garth vs reboot Garth? You seem to be one of the only people who like reboot Garth. What is appealiong about him?

Well, "like" might be a strong word.

It's really no surprise that I'm saying this, but Reboot Garth has NOTHING on Preboot Garth. Let's not kid ourselves and pretend that Preboot Garth isn't superior in literally every conceivable way.

Preboot Garth is such an incredible character. He is kind, gentle, smart, and powerful. He is emotionally impactful and occupies a space that is so specifically Him that no other character could fill it. He is so compelling, so relatable, and frankly he's downright adorable too! When I have been at some of my lowest points in life, he's been a character that I've grown up alongside and used as an example of emotional strength to help me stand back up and carry on despite the anxiety and sadness and pressure. Truly, he is one of my comfort characters of all time. His story and the things he can do are also extremely interesting!

Physically strong ✔️

Control over water ✔️

Magic ✔️

Eye blasts ✔️

Diplomacy ✔️

Like 50 other things that he forgot to mention that he can do, but totally can ✔️

So you may be wondering then, why I still like Reboot Garth who is… hardly at all like what I just described. And my answer to that is: I don't know.

You would certainly be right to say that for the most part*, Rebirth Garth is nothing like his pre-n52 counterpart. (*World's Finest: Teen Titans was the closest we've gotten. It was kind of nice in regards to Garth, with the exception of a few gripes I have here and there.) And you'd be right to be upset about it. I know I am. Quite often, to be honest.

But for some reason I just can't bring myself to fully condemn Rebirth Garth. At the end of the day, I'm in fandom to have fun, you know? And if I spend all my time hating something that's out of my control… well what good does that do me? At this point, I feel like I've resigned myself to the knowledge that I simply will not be getting what I want in regards to Garth, and so I've turned to becoming a bemused spectator at the things happening in current comics. I can still become excited about it when I DO manage to find a bit that I like. There was a post a while back that went something like,

"N52 and Rebirth suck except the parts that I like. And those bits I'll toss into a blender, puree, and mix in with preboot canon."

Yeah, that. Basically, when it comes to Reboot Garth, (in my own head) I ignore the reboot and then blend up the little bits I enjoy to create the utopian world of Canon+. And from my little imaginary perch, I can choose to still enjoy this character who has taken my blorbo's name, but sadly isn't really him.

With how changeable comics are as a medium though, I do also believe that there will be a writer someday who is willing to do the legwork necessary to bring Garth back around to being the blorbo I once knew. Some currently canon things will definitely have to be tossed out, but hey, that's the nature of comics!

That said tho, I think another one of the things that prevents me from disliking him is (surprisingly) the design. It's a controversial take amongst Garth fans for sure, but I honestly like it for the most part. There are a few things I'd tweak to make him look like more of an extension of Preboot Garth (CURLY HAIR, PLEASE), but there are a lot of elements that I just so happen to find aesthetically appealing and thus don't really mind. That isn't to say that Garth didn't already look fucking incredible, because he ABSOLUTELY did. I'm just not that bothered, I guess haha!

[mossypidder]

If you click the names of the birds below, you will find photos of the actual birds I’m referring to; mostly provided because the second two are morphs

EDIT: So honestly. Contrary to final poll results and my initial lean toward the grosbeak, I think I might just go with the crow. The design’s grown on me and in the last week I’ve collected many bones and observed many local crows and found myself just quietly very drawn to them. Nothing’s set in stone, but. . . It feels more right than the grosbeak- there are still things that draw me to the latter, and I still really love them and might switch in the future, right now I relate more to crows I think.

Rose Breasted/Cutthroat Grosbeak (female)

Similarities (between myself and the bird) - small and chunky - eats mainly seeds, fruits, and nuts - elusive and relatively solitary aside from nesting season - very intricate, unique nest type - monogamous - take care of young for a month after fledging (which is longer than quite a few birds) - dwells mainly in deciduous forests - I honestly think I do look a bit like a grosbeak overall - there is limited information on them (which is obnoxious, but kinda goes with my aesthetic honestly)

Things I Like About Them - very pretty markings, especially on face which makes for fun character design - they were my favorite bird as a child and I would get so excited during the brief period that they would be at our feeder

Differences - females don’t sing as much as males - I am very much a mimic- I echo other people’s words as well as animal noises a lot, mostly without thinking, and grosbeaks do not mimic. The males learn songs from their fathers, but that’s different, and I’m not male anyway.

Black Billed Magpie (cinnamon)

Similarities - eat a lot of fruit and grain - they are skilled mimics - mate for life something I aspire to achieve one day - have only been seen in Michigan ten times in the last hundred years, so it fits the “elusive bird who’s sightings should be documented” narrative - parents allow their young to stay with them as long as needed, sometimes even years - males and females are both very vocal and sing, talk, and chatter quite often - wary of new things and will shy away from bright colors and flashing lights (yes, that includes shiny things) - many widely believed myths spread about them (such as tendencies to thievery, attraction to shiny objects, and hoarding things tho I am guilty of that last one)

Things I Like About Them - Gorgeous wings and tail (though rather plain facial markings which is sad) - they’re just nice, funky little guys and they were one of my favorites when I was younger as well

Differences - not a bird I’d really call chunky lol - they eat meat (mostly bugs) and meat is not my favorite honestly - while some do only stay in groups of two, many others have tribe of up to twelve

Common Crow (cinnamon)

Similarities - will bring people they like random bits of things such leaves, rocks, lost keys, and bones, as gifts - stops for roadkill (though I don’t eat it, I’m just there to steal feathers or check opossum pouches for potential surviving babies) - bones is good, we like bones - also talented at imitating human speech, other animals, and just random noises they find intriguing - mate for life - very family oriented and good at taking care of each other. They’ve even been known to adopt unrelated fledglings - stay in the nest up to forty days after hatching and often remain with a family group for two years, helping their parents look after younger siblings - males and females are very vocal - wants to eat rocks - scavengers - likes fruits, nuts, and seeds - seen as weird or gross by the majority - slow to trust humans, but is very loyal once they do - could be considered chunky - cinnamons tend to have blue or silver eyes

Things I Like About Them - they are just. very good. - wing markings of cinnamons are very interesting, and while I’d like more intricacies to work with for facial markings, they’re still good and simple

Differences - they are very social birds (but most of that social time is spent with their family, which is where most of mine is spent as well, so I’m not sure this is a true difference) - consumes a lot of meat (which, as stated, is not my favorite) - they are very common in Michigan and easy to spot almost anywhere

[littleeyesofpallas]

So, Shutara in the anime, huh?

okay okay yeah i got around to e13 this morning and I see what everyone was excited about. Some of the new lore i'm a little iffy on, but ooo the visual designs are more than enough for me to chew on.

So the obvious highlight is Shutatsu Karagara Shigaraminotsuji[娑闥迦羅骸刺絡辻]

Shutatsu[娑闥]: Oldwoman* gate

*weirdly this kanji does not appear to be commonly used in Japanese at all, but does have the Japanese specific(as in Chinese and Korean don't use it this way) meaning of "old woman" but I have no idea in what context it would be used or if there is some other usage of it that could be evoked here other than to mean "old woman."

The "Gate" in question though seems to be a more obviously superficial reference to the shape of the bankai itself using the bits of sewing machine to make a tori gate.

Karagara[迦羅骸]: "Kala" Husk

So it appears that the Kara[迦羅] here is from the Chinese writing[摩訶迦羅] of the Sanskrit Mahakala[महाकाल] which is alternatively named Daikokuten[大黑天] in Japanese, and is a Buddhist god of wealth. (it is also the way the Japanese write the name of a 6th century Korean kingdom? but that doesn't feel relevant here...)

But of note, the Japanese name itself made up of ka[迦] which has no meaning(?) and is just used phonetically? and ra[羅]: referring to "Silk" or "gauze" or other similar lightweight fabric. The -ra at least seems to have more literal applications here, but honestly it feels less pertinent next to the extremely conspicuous word choice...

And gara[骸] is "shell"/"husk" and other similar things that get left behind when you remove the innards. The character itself can also mean a "corpse"/"cadaver" but not generally when it's pronounced as "gara." (The image it evokes to me is letting a robe or gown slide off your shoulders and drop to the ground, the robe being the "husk.")

(but apparently some people think this could be a play on the sanskrit karagara[कारागार], meaning a "prison"/"jail" or otherwise "place of confinement"? But i have no idea why anyone would have chosen the kanji in question to approximate that... I'll be honest, I don't buy it; it gives me very "I'll send you to the netherlands!" translation flub vibes. The techniques themselves do feel reminicent of the Buddhist naraka in theme and aesthetic, but the leap from "prison" to "naraka" seems unsubstantiated by the wordplay here.)

Shigarami-no-tsuji[刺絡辻]: Bloodletting crossroads

shiraku[刺絡] is the bloodletting technique used in old Chinese medicine. It's sometimes thrown under the umbrella of "acupuncture" but the methods are different. Where as the needles in acupuncture are meant to be precise and release pressure, the blood letting involves a few semi-random pricks in a localized area and then the use of a heat cup to create a vacuum that draws the blood out.(better than leeches at least...) The thing with the heat cups is what's being referred to here.

But broken down it's, shi[絡] "thorn"/"prick"/"splinter" + kara[絡]: "entangled"/"entwined"/"enmeshed"/"wrapped up in" etc... literally describing being "in the middle of (many) needles"

tsuji[辻]: a "crossroad." Nice and straight forward.

my issue however is that I'm not entirely sure where the "mino" phonetics here came from, or what that very deliberate choice of alternate reading might mean in this context... (see comments section)

(also, sorry if anyone's squeemish about cups full of blood, but I tried to find an image that at least obscured the actual needle wounds)

and then there is...

Shideno Rokushiki Ukimonnohata[死出六色浮文機]

Shideno[死出], lit."death+exit" a more specific term for "Death" from shide-no-yama[死出の山]: "mountain of death" that refers to a mountain the dead cross to get into the afterlife. Appropriately evoked by forcing the Sternritter each through their own illusory ordeal.

Rokushiki[六色]: "Six Colors" appears to just refer to the fact that there were 6 of them.

Ukimonno Hata[浮文機]: "Brocade Loom." "Brocade" being made up of the words [浮文]: "Floating+Character" referring to the raised patterning. and [機] being a kanji for "machine" but when pronounced "hata" it specifically refers to a loom or other textile machine.

Much easier to pick apart by comparison at least...

[anghraine]

I meant to post a bit more about the Jedi: Survivor experience with my best friend and Ash, and keep ... not doing it, mostly because I couldn't think of a way to do it without massive spoilers. But here are some (yes, massively spoilery) impressions of the first half (or so?) of the game under the cut:

There are definitely traces of the usual Star Wars uncritically colonialist assumptions, IMO—we're still discovering exactly what ye olde Jedi got up to on Koboh and how the narrative will ultimately treat it, but it's even more striking in some ways in Cere's dynamic with the Anchorites on Jedha, I feel? I like Cere a lot and it's not uncomplicated, but ... yeah.

Aesthetically, Jedha fucking rules. For all the variety and diversity of Koboh, Jedha feels so drastically different in every way, and the locations there are just incredibly cool and distinctive while still feeling recognizably "Jedha." I've loved just about everything we've seen there, especially the singing temple stuff. The revelation that the Empire didn't even know this amazing ancient temple they were destroying was a safehouse and were just destroying Jedha's wonders for unrelated casual Imperial reasons made its destruction hit even harder, honestly.

I also love Koboh a lot. It is nice to spend time in a planet with varied biomes and some of the specific locations are deeply interesting—I like the old meditation chambers/puzzles a lot, the Lucrehulk "dungeon" was absolutely fantastic, and I love the way Pyloon's evolves as you recruit people and do quests and things. It reminds me a bit of one of my favorite mechanics from the beloved game of my childhood, Might and Magic VII, in which your initially shitty castle evolves over the course of the game as you build up your reputation with people who can work on it. That was a lot rougher and more basic than Survivor's development of the saloon, though, so I'm really loving this base-building kind of aspect to it. You can even grow a garden <3

OUR GIRLFRIEND MERRIN IS THE GREATEST <333 I don't even like the concept of Nightsisters and I adore her to pieces. The romance is incredible. J, who is handling the controls (Ash and I have admitted we don't have the nerves for the game's parkour requirements), managed to navigate the whole "Do you trust me" portal sequence without a single failure, so it was just this wildly cinematic experience following from one of the few really good game kisses I've seen. I'm pretty sure J was sweating after the portal sequence though—it was wild. Definite MVP.

I really enjoy the variations in personality between the random indistinguishable enemies. Even the basic raiders have people who sound like Sith cultists and others who talk about how sad it is that the Jedi are gone, and the B1s are funny but also the fact that there are some who are ambitious and wildly overconfident, some are just kind of amiably clueless, some are scared and actually say they don't want to be used by the radiers ... B1 rights, honestly.

We have a lot of reservations about Santari Khri and also enjoy the sheer obnoxiousness of Dagan Gera. There's obviously quite a lot to learn about what exactly his deal is (apart from being the latest in the SW tradition of Scary Disabled Men, I guess!), but he's such a dick, lol. J trashed him in our most recent fight and the whole time, Dagan was sneering about how pathetic and pitiable Cal is and how everything is part of his master plan before running away with his tail between his legs. Ash went, "this guy, what is his deal" and I was like "Obviously it was all a social experiment!"

I think the raider bosses who have been rewarded with ancient recovered lightsabers are really interesting as foes in combat, because the first time it happened, we were like "what the fuck?? is this another Jedi apostate or what" and as the fight really kicked off, I went "...actually, I can't exactly say why, but I'm pretty sure this guy isn't Force-sensitive." J went "yeah, it really feels like he was never any kind of Jedi, but not for any especially obvious reason..." It's an interesting element of game design that you get such a distinct vibe from lightsaber-wielding combatants who can't use the Force without a single obvious element.

Fratricide guy was creepy as fuck, what the hell was that character design, God

I love nearly all the other named locals, though. Not just Greez (though I love Greez), but the bar regulars are just such a fun crowd. Not sure anyone can surpass SKOOVA STEV but Caij is a delight, the random finance bro is hilarious, Monk is one of my favorite droids ever, Zee the droid is more truly Jedi than most actual Jedi, etc etc.

There's a random interspecies gay couple, which was kind of charming, in part because their relationship is apparently built on the strong basis of them both being haters. Love it for them, though the one is so visibly inhuman that it's like... okay, cool, but feels like LF definitely hedging their bets still.

It's taken a long time to mention the protagonist, but I actually do really like Cal. He definitely doesn't exist in my personal OT-based vision of this era, but I don't feel like I need to accept him into my personal Star Wars Prime Storyline to enjoy this for what it is. I wish more SW EU products felt that way, honestly.

[feng-huli]

The Blood of Youth x Pokémon Ideas

Sikong Qianluo: unintentionally leans towards using bug types and flying types, but really just cares about how stabby they are. Beedrill, Escavalier, and Fearow could all suit her style. Moltres could represent her role as the Vermillion Bird.

Tang Lian: poison type specialist. Despite this, his ace is a Meowscarada who also uses a flower trick to take down foes. Ariados can lay traps with webs and Nidorino uses its needles to poison opponents. He has an Accelgor from when he helped Qianluo evolve her Escavalier. Torterra, Terrapagos, or Drednaw could represent his role as the Black Tortoise.

Jin Xian (Jade Deity): experienced with fighting, steel, and ice type Pokémon. Cobalion and Gallade suit him well aesthetically, conceptually, and personality-wise. Articuno could go well with his Blizzard Sword. He could probably have a Lucario, too. (Was thinking about Alolan Ninetales at one point, but that may be more suitable for Li Hanyi. Honestly, Jin Xian and Li Hanyi do have quite a few similarities, especially with them both connected to Kunlun Mountain.)

Jin Yan: ghost and dark specialist. Sableye and Gengar bring the chaos and the fun. Tyranitar could be nice for him, but it might be too heavy of a hitter for him to handle. Other possibilities include Liepard (which would be a great match aesthetically) and maybe Grimmsnarl.

Jin Xuan: probably favors psychic types, but has no obvious specialization. He uses a formidable Gardevoir and Dusknoir to protect the Emperor. His secret ace is the legendary ice dragon Kyurem, cold and empty as the Art of Detachment he practices. All his Pokémon would probably be shiny.

Jin Yu: favors bug types and normal types, but doesn’t appear to be interested in battling. He has a connection with butterflies in the novel that’s subtly referenced in the show and his palm technique is warm, so Volcarona could be a good ace for him. An Icy Snow Pattern Vivillon as a gift from Jin Xian could be a sweet way to represent their friendship. Indeedee could be a great match for him in terms of abilities and temperament. I also like the idea of him having an Absol that was abused/neglected by his late master, because Zhuo Qing doesn’t seem like the kind of person who would treat his Pokémon well, and the foreshadowing nature of Absol would almost be poetic.

Jin Wei: specializes in ghost and steel types. His sword is a bit more exciting in other mediums and is very ghostly, so Aegislash would be an amazing fit. He could also have an Alolan Marowak that he raised since it was a Cubone, and possibly a Spiritomb. As more of a ceremonial sword, Zacian could be under Jin Wei’s watch.

Lei Wujie: fire type specialist. Personality-wise, Growlithe would be a great fit and he could probably start out on his journey with it. Darmanitan could suit him well, since it also fights with fire and fists. Mega Charizard X could represent the Azure Dragon role that he has. Feucoco is no thoughts, head empty, cute and on fire.

Li Hanyi: ice specialist. Has a terrifyingly strong Chien-Pao, as well as a Glaceon and Alolan Ninetails who help keep out unwanted guests to their mountain.

[humbledragon669]

S1E1 - In the Beginning Write Up P1 - Introduction and The Garden

If you haven’t read it yet, I would encourage you to read my intro which covers a few points about my write ups. Otherwise, enjoy!

Where else to start than at the beginning of In the Beginning?  There’s a lot of information being fired at the audience from a really early stage here – we have God as a narrator, God being (or at least sounding to be) a female figure, names of actual historical figures, and the confirmation of a date that will be referred to multiple times over the course of both series (4004 BC aka “6000 years ago”).  However, the first thing that stood out for me here was the use of the Tadfield Advertiser and its headlines:

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that any time there’s something to read on the screen in this show, it’s worth stopping and taking note.  In this instance, there’s a slight contradiction – if we are to understand that the newspaper is the one published on the day of the Earth’s creation, we should all have some pretty serious misgivings about R P Tyler’s background!  Personally, I am interpreting the use of this particular newspaper as an opportunity to provide a couple of Easter Eggs to attentive viewers, rather than a literal representation of the daily news for the day of the Earth’s birth.  What I do find interesting is that we have two headlines here that give a nod towards the maintenance of Tadfield in the condition that a certain Antichrist will come to know and love, and they might even go so far as to suggest that it’s his doing that the village is saved from having a motorway run through it in the same way that the weather is always perfect there. And who visits the runner up village of the year anyway?  It’s a nice title but won’t exactly be drawing the crowds (or housing developers…) in for a closer look.

Moving on to something more obvious…

GOD: It starts, as it will end, with a garden.

…at which point we are presented with an overhead shot of the Garden of Eden. So we have the “starting” garden. The “ending” garden will presumably become obvious at the end. Which brings me to the next puzzling element of God’s statement. What exactly does she mean by “it”? This story? Life on earth? Warlock’s 11th birthday party? I think we can safely assume that “it” (in this context at least) isn’t the last of those options. Spoiler alert - the book’s final scene does indeed play out in a garden but the same cannot be said of the show (yes, I know there is a scene in a “garden”, and that Crowley makes a direct reference to it whilst sitting in it, but that isn’t the final scene of the show. More on that scene in the episode 6 write up), so what exactly is “it” in this context? Does it suggest that there is something yet to come that will end in a garden? Honestly I’m not convinced that there is anything in this other than it being a nice way to start a show with the idea that the audience would have a nice rounded finish to the series (and given that there was no promise of a season 2, let alone a season 3, at the time the first series was made, that’s not out of the question), but it does provide the Sherlocks amongst us to claim a potential Clue for what’s to come in later seasons.

We are now presented with the only time we ever see Crowley as an actual serpent, despite the number of times he is referred to as a snake.

I suspect this was done for two reasons:

To form part of Crowley’s story and character arc.

For the audience to understand that his eyes, which will later become a pretty important characteristic, are modelled on his serpentine form.

The latter point amounts to a matter of aesthetics at this point in time of the episode.  Expanding on the former point, the introduction of Crowley as THE original temptation and the cause of the “downfall” of humanity should have the audience paint him with quite a heavy tar. However, we see very quickly the conflict he feels at the consequences of his actions, which not only provides comedy but allows us to form a bond with him from the outset. As far as he was concerned, he was only going to “cause some trouble” but perhaps more importantly for his character, he believes people should be given a second chance (“Bit of an overreaction if you ask me. First offence and everything.”). This response could be seen to tie directly into his own personal downfall (aka Fall), particularly when combined with his opinions on having knowledge (“I can’t see what’s so bad about knowing the difference between good and evil, anyway.”) – we will come to discover later that he considers his asking questions of the Almighty (seeking of knowledge) to have contributed heavily to the reasons for his Heavenly expulsion.

I have also considered the huge amount of responsibility that Hell would have placed on him in giving him this task. We will see that happen multiple times across both seasons – Crowley is given jobs that have immense consequences (destruction of Job important enough?  How about delivery of the Antichrist?) but he appears to have little importance in the hierarchy of Hell – we will later discover that Hastur is a Duke of Hell and outranks Crowley. This does strike me as strange but I am not (yet) at the point where I think that there is anything in this other than convenient story-telling. Note: Crowley’s Angel status (prior to his Fall) is another matter and will be discussed in a later post.

As this scene plays out, this would appear to be the first time of meeting for the angel and demon, and on first watching, there’s nothing inaccurate about this.  With the full knowledge of series 2 however, we are presented with some notables about their first exchange.  If we are to understand that both Aziraphale and Crowley were sent to Earth at the time of its creation, this would likely be the first time these two beings have met in their opposing angel and demon forms (I cannot see how they could have seen each other after Crowley’s Fall). Is Crawly/Crowley so unrecognisable in this scene from his original angel form that Aziraphale wouldn’t remember him? It’s possible, given that millions of years could have passed between their starlit meeting and this exchange on the garden wall. Perhaps Aziraphale only asks for Crawly/Crowley’s name because he doesn’t know what his demon name now is? After all, we have no idea what his angel name was prior to his disgrace. Personally I feel like the latter is more likely – the talk between these two seems far to congenial for this to be a first-time-of-meeting conversation, particularly given that they are supposed to be adversaries (and that’s without taking into consideration the exchange we see play out in the first episode of season 2 – I think it’s made clear that Aziraphale will not be forgetting that angel any time soon…). Despite the friendly tone of the conversation, it’s made clear to us that Aziraphale’s opinion of Crawly is pretty black-and-white – he automatically believes that Crawly will do bad things purely because he is a demon. This serves well to lay the foundations for his character development. That said, we see Aziraphale looking to impress the demon with his knowledge and, what he appears to hope, is an impressive grasp of language.  This is also the first time we hear Aziraphale use the I-word – we heard God using it during the philosopher-palooza of the introduction and its placement in this scene shows that as an audience we should understand that Aziraphale is following his script quite nicely, thank you.

And so we move into what I believe, and many others I think, is the first hint of flirting between these two.

It’s pretty obvious that Crawly is doing all the work here, whilst Aziraphale seems pretty oblivious to the attention he’s getting.  I’ll discuss parallels and contrasts with the beginning of season 2 when I get to that episode. What I find interesting about Crawly’s interactions here is that he’s clearly been watching Aziraphale prior to this meeting – he knows about the flaming sword. Not only does he know about it, he seems downright disappointed to see that he no longer has it. I totally read that as a sign that the sword, at this point at least, has contributed pretty heavily towards Crawly’s attraction. I’m not going to go into the fairly obvious double entendre possibilities that could be explored through the use of a “flaming sword” here – I do not wish to descend into smut (yet) - so I’ll just leave this here:

If Crawly’s attraction starts with a flaming sword, it’s cemented with the knowledge that it was given away. Crawly’s expression when he discovers that the angel gave the sword to a needy young couple, acting of his own free will and putting their needs (or humanity’s) ahead of Heaven’s rather hollow wishes is priceless – surprise and amusement and not just a hint of smitten.

I like to think he’s already placed the angel on a pretty high pedestal here, not least because he might actually have found another being that thinks along the same lines as him – different from the other beings, and having something that resembles a conscience, which Aziraphale shows with his discomfort at the potential consequences of God’s actions in throwing Adam and Eve out of the Garden. But he’s not done with the flirting just yet – there’s still one last opportunity for him to pay the angel a compliment with an undertone of sarcasm that goes completely over Aziraphale’s head.

I love the way David delivers this line – the tone he uses and the little hint of a smile that plays around one side of his mouth. It’s just a second or so of film but for those of us paying attention, you can’t miss the playfulness in it. I don’t mind saying I’d give my right arm (or maybe someone else’s…) to have a man that looked like that speak to me like that! Too bad Aziraphale is totally oblivious to the undertone and just gives him a heartfelt thank you.

And so to the end of the Garden scene. I don’t think I need to dwell too much on how adorable the wing shelter is. What I will say is that it’s notable Crawly doesn’t ask but Aziraphale knows he needs it and gives him what he needs without argument or dissent. This hidden communication thread will run throughout the series, in varying degrees of obviousness and I do think it’s interesting that we are introduced to the idea that the couple can understand and interpret each other’s thoughts and needs at the appropriate time so early on.

[infinitethree]

Okay, you know what?

The bastard is almost, on an aesthetic level, not terrible to look at while he’s like this.

Asleep, he can’t be a fucking sociopath or an asshole. Those too-clever eyes of his aren’t judging and dissecting, they’re closed.

The absence of that bright blue gaze makes him seem surprisingly vulnerable.

So does the way Daz has, in the short while he’s been asleep, already snuggled up to him and is being clingy.

After the last few hours of running around looking for him, it’s a relief to know that he’s been mostly fine all along.

Naturally, when Daz didn’t come home, Raine got worried. The Council, aside from Lee who had been kept out of it, have been searching his known hidey-holes for hours now.

Obviously the HQ was one of the first places they checked, but the wall that leads into the hidden room was sealed off. They assumed that meant he wasn’t there, so they ignored it.

It wasn’t until Aster, in a last-ditch attempt, decided to open it up and check that the bastard was found.

He’d been fine, thankfully. Just having hyper fixated on the code and shut out everything else.

Aster carefully takes his com out and taps out a message to the others.

ShiningAster: bastard located. fine but asleep. focused on coding body for Innit, forgot he has a human body.

RaineStorm: seriously?? uhg, at least it’s normal shit this time

RaineStorm: as opposed to soul crushing despair and existential terror

Khons: need help moving him? ShiningAster: staying here. fell asleep on me, he has nightmares. also touched starved. might be less bastard if he gets good sleep

It’s only a little bit of a lie. Technically, none of that was wrong, but the implication was that Daz wasn’t strongarmed into accepting.

RaineStorm: yeah his nightmares are BAD and music only kinda helps.

ShiningAster: I think I can fix it. saying more will make him pissy

Khons: well if he’s not in trouble and staying there we’re going to bed

ShiningAster: night

RaineStorm: gn

RaineStorm: it’s gonna be really funny seeing him fall for you ngl

ShiningAster: its gonna be weird as fuck for me

After a moment, he switches to DMs.

ShiningAster: at some point we have a kid. Not adopted I think. looks just like him. her name is Azira. means rising star.

RaineStorm: WHAT THE FUCK??????

ShiningAster: also he made a deal to help with Innits body for seeing the same shit I do. but for me obviously

RaineStorm: oh my god that stupid asshole

RaineStorm: maybe he’ll learn his lesson. bc you’re def good to him, I know you.

ShiningAster: hes capable of being good to me back. too busy being petty for now though

RaineStorm: yeahhhhhh. he’s def an acquired taste. but he really is a great guy when you get past his him-ness

ShiningAster: lol

RaineStorm: he figured out I’d want a heated tub, art studio, and a porch. it’s freaky tbh but it’s nice.

ShiningAster: sounds fake but ok

RaineStorm: you’ve never seen him be like that so it’s hard to picture but it’s true!

That’s not quite right; Aster has seen Daz be kind and generous to others…he’s just never been the target.

No, maybe that’s not fair. He’s dragged Aster to a place of being better in a way he never would have done on his own. Despite his attitude, it did still benefit Aster.

Granted, he’s also been an asshole on purpose for literal years, so. That kind of events out.

ShiningAster: honestly just want to eat his damn food without being drugged

RaineStorm: something something the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach

ShiningAster: it sucks so bad to play chicken on if Ill suffer when I touch his cooking

ShiningAster: usually its worth it. at least until whatever he put in it hits

RaineStorm: and now we know why

ShiningAster: maybe therapy will fix him

RaineStorm: ngl I think not thinking he’ll kill anyone he loves will do wonders on its own

RaineStorm: but therapy will help too probably

ShiningAster: cant say much for obvious reasons but hes fundamentally broken. has been for most of his life.

ShiningAster: but Id never have a kid if he didnt seem in a good place. so whatever he does works

RaineStorm: have you considered it might be the power of love

ShiningAster: fuck you

RaineStorm: I’m serious!! think about it, he’s spent like 4 years thinking being loved will get that person killed

RaineStorm: he might have divine confirmation but he’s stubborn. might not feel real

RaineStorm: soooo someone who loves him despite his bullshit might be the thing that makes him be less…yknow

Ah, another reminder of how deeply fucked up Daz actually is.

ShiningAster: could be having someone who knows his secrets or even just Innit being out

RaineStorm: remind it that it needs a new name btw. too close to existing ones

RaineStorm: but yeah that probably helps too

RaineStorm: I feel awful I never noticed he was so…unwell

ShiningAster: hes good at hiding what he wants to hide. cant blame yourself when hes a master manipulator.

Said master manipulator mumbles into Aster’s chest, voice small, “I missed you.”

And, fuck, something in his chest feels like it cracks when Aster realizes what and who Daz must be dreaming about.

There’s nobody it could be but his former mentor. The person who gave him everything he ever wanted…and then committed an unspeakable sin against him.

Clearly, Daz still misses him. Despite what Dream had done to him, a part of him still misses the person who crushed him infinitely worse than anyone before him.

Despite only getting brief glimpses of that time, Aster gets the impression that Dream had been someone whose preciousness went beyond words.

Yet Daz couldn’t stomach letting him have his way after what he did. He rejected a place as a near-god beside someone who, despite the sickness in his soul, was devoted to him to a disturbing degree.

That…takes a strength of will that Aster isn’t completely sure he could match.

Fuck, nor does the decision to use the lethally broken enchantment as a backup plan.

If the rest of the server had failed to kill him, Daz would have chosen a death so agonizing that it chills Aster to his core.

It’s not hard to see why Daz is so…himself, honestly. Aster might not be able to think like him, nor agree with his actions, but in a fucked up way he can follow most of the logic now that he has the pieces.

He swallows as Daz’s voice wavers and cracks. “You said you’d protect me, so why…”

Aster adjusts his arms to a more comfortable positon, and messes with his hair more. “I’m not him, Daz. You’re not Tommy any more. Dream was sick– you know that.”

Horrifyingly, Daz starts shaking as he cries.

He rushes to add, “But– but you can have something new. Fuck, if you can be even halfway decent, I’d fall for you pretty damn quick. You can be charming, you know? And– and pretty romantic. It was– maybe it wouldn’t be awful. If you just stopped being such a bastard–”

At a loss for what else to do, he cuts himself off and starts humming.

Eventually, Daz slips back into deeper sleep.

But the memory of this unsettlingly fragile side of him will remain in the back of Aster’s head. Even when Daz is being the biggest bastard he can be…Aster knows he’ll remember this.

[strawberry--bride]

The results are in!

// Yesterday I posted a poll where you guys could vote on which DL boy you would ship with Sharon and these are the results...

In last place ーー Laito and Kino with 0%

Laito I can understand but honestly I kind of enjoyed the few Sharon and Kino interactions I've had on this blog. 🙈 While Kino would obviously abuse her kindness, I also think their dynamic is kinda cute idk??? Is it just me???

In fifth place are the Tsukinami brothers, Ruki and Kou with 1.6% each.

Sharon has had a few cute interactions with Shin, but I haven't interacted too much with Carla, Ruki or Kou muses. And if Sharon did interact with Kou, it was also under the presumption that she's already dating Subaru.

In fourth place are Reiji and Azusa with 4.7% each.

Reiji is too strict/serious for Sharon imo, but I think she pairs up quite nicely with Azusa? Although I don't necessarily see their relationship as a romantic one, but more so Sharon acting as a caring, older sister.

Third place goes to Yuma and Kanato with 7.8% each.

Okay, I know, I know. Sharon and Kanato look really nice aesthetically since they're both small and like to wear a lot of pastel colors. But let's the real, she would probably not survive very long around Kanato. She might survive a couple of weeks by bribing him with sweets but then it's game over for her lol.

As for Yuma, that's totally my go-to ship for Sharon when it comes to the Mukami's. I absolutely love the farmer boy x foodie girl dynamic. uwu Also the height difference is an added plus!

In second place we have another tie between Shuu and Ayato with 10.9%.

Shuuron was the OG ship of this blog so that one's hardly surprising to me. I think Sharon would be a nice fit for him too with how caring she is. (Also have you seen those thighs? A++ lap pillow material right there)

Ayato is the real shocker. I know he's a boobs guy and Sharon does not lack in the chest department, but I have barely interacted with Ayato muses. I'm honestly not sure if I can see them together but you guys clearly think there's potential. :p

And in first place - by a landslide - we have Subaron reigning supreme with 48.4%

I guess you guys love this ship just as much as I do. uwu While I don't rule out the possibility of shipping Sharon with one of the other boys, or even an OC, my go-to partner for her will always be Subaru.