#why do i put more effort into these than most anything i've made in two months 🫠

[sweet-star-sketches]

Comic Sketch from January 12th, 2025

so being privy to @eleanorose123's Arc-V watchthrough has been fun lmao Though I imagine he'd be far too world-weary to have this kind of naivety after all he's been through, I am still thoroughly entertained by the idea of Saiou initially assuming that all the evils of the world come from external forces possessing people like it was for him, so whenever he sees somebody else doing evil he's like "no... not another one D:" so when he finds out that there are ones that do evil just for the sake of it he uh

well

you know

[kat-mobile]

Hey love ❤️ hope you’re doing good

Can I request Tommy with a gentle, empathetic and sensitive reader please. It was an arranged marriage and he found out his new wife would cry herself to sleep over a book she read or just a cat. His reaction to someone who is completely opposite of him

Thank you in advance ✨

Tommy with a wife who's his complete opposite

A/N: Hey baby, thanks for the request!! I'm doing good and I hope you are too ❤️ I forgot to put on the requests post to specify if you want it as a fic or headcanons so I've made it sort of a mix of the two, hope that's okay anon. I made this blog to try and improve my writing skills and as this is my first attempt it isn't the best, so sorry about that lol. Hope you like it!! (this is set sometime around series 1-2 cause those are my fave)

It was an arranged marriage and to be honest... you weren't particularly thrilled by the notion of being married to Birmingham's most known and feared gangster. But you would do anything for your family and if your father decided that this is what would be best for securing the future of the family then you'd follow through on your part of the deal, even if it seemed like you and Tommy had absolutely nothing in common.

This was a couple months ago now and you had somewhat settled into your new life in Small Heath and with Tommy by your side, the two of you living in comfortable tandem. You had settled into a routine and life was good, or as good as it could be with the risk of being married to a Shelby.

He would buy you any book that you so much as happened to glance at and in turn you would patch up and sew back together any unfortunate pieces of clothing that got in the way of Tommy and his dangerous life style and work, fighting back tears and worrying at your lower lip as you did so. You may not quite understand why he was constantly putting himself in danger but he was your husband all the same and you had grown to love him as your marriage progressed

you would also force him to go and see an actual trained medical professional whenever he came home with said ruined clothing, as a dead husband is less than ideal and you have grown attached these last couple months

Your empathy and tendancy to cry over him when he got hurt was a shock at first but he quickly got used to it, he even tried to avoid getting hurt just so as to not have to see you cry over him

He may not say it outright but he appreciates everything you do and how much you care for him

He doesn't like to keep secrets from you but he doesn't share all aspects of work life with you as he doesn't want you to worry too much, but if being kept in the dark would worry you even more he'd make an effort to keep you in the loop

Your gentleness and compassion is a welcome contrast to his life from before you were apart of it, Tommy didn't know that he needed it before you

If there's one thing about Tommy Shelby, it's that he protects what's his and as his wife he treats you with the utmost care (especially if you have a tendancy to seek out the good in all people)

One night when Tommy (finally) came to bed he found you curled up in a ball on your side with your back to the door, tears gently running down your smooth cheeks

Unsure of what to do when confronted by your distress but still wanting to help, he'd rush to your side and scoop you up onto his lap, holding you close with your tear-stained cheek pressed against his chest and an arm thrown protectively around your shoulders. He'd cautiously rock back and forwards whilst his hand moves slowly up and down your back in what he hopes is a soothing motion. He's a little awkward and stiff but damn if he isn't fucking trying

He'd use his forefinger and thumb to tilt your chin up and force your eyes to meet his own before softly questioning you on why you were crying

"What you crying for, hmm love? Ruining your pretty face"

He'd say, wiping away your tears with his thumb

Upon hearing that the reason for your tears was a sad ending to one of the books he bought you he'd be a little taken aback and he would honestly have to suppress the urge to laugh

It all seemed rather silly to him that you'd cry over some words on paper

"Tommy it isn't funny, it was really upsetting" you'd hiccup out through your tears

he'd just shake his head and sigh, apologising, before pulling you closer, finally laying down on the bed with your legs intertwined

Tommy had hoped it would be a one of chance but when he caught you crying in bed again over the ending of Of Mice and Men, he very quickly figured that he'd have to adapt

Tommy developed a system for when you had your... shall we say moments, he'd sit down on his side of the bed with his back pressed against the headboard before he lifted you up and placed you in-between his legs

Sitting you so that your back was resting against his chest and you could feel his heartbeat

You would then explain to him the sad moments in your books as he softly hummed and nodded his head along to your words

And when he got tired from your quiet voice lulling him to sleep he'd pull you down with him as he laid on his side, caging you in against his chest with an arm around your waist

Those were the nights that he slept the best

[mysteryshoptls]

SSR Jack Howl - Room Relaxation Vignette

"Happy Birthday"

[Sports Field]

[tup, tup, tup]

Jack: Pant, pant… I could really feel the burn on those last 20 meters.

Jack: What's my time…? Oh, not bad. I'll have to remember this feeling for next time. Alright, guess it's time to stretch and head back to the dorm.

Riddle: Are you doing solo practice after your club activities once again? You sure are diligent, Jack.

Jack: Oh, Riddle-senpai. When you say "again" like that… did you already know that I always stay behind longer?

Riddle: Well, when the Equestrian Club ends our activities for the day and leave the stable for our respective dormitories, we do pass by the field.

Riddle: I've spotted you running by yourself many times before. Are you training for a meet of some kind?

Jack: Ah, actually, recently my times have been fairly stagnant, so I've been trying to adjust my running form.

Jack: Nothing I was doing was really working… But I think I've really started to figure out what I need.

Jack: For now, I plan on heading back to my dorm and, starting tomorrow, I'll focus on working on my newest running posture.

Riddle: A good decision. It would not do for you to injure yourself by overworking.

Riddle: Besides, a student's priority should be their studies. Passion is well and good, however you would do well to not neglect your studies.

Jack: No need to tell me twice. I don't plan on neglecting my practice nor my studies whatsoever.

Jack: I made it here to Night Raven College, after all. I'll put forth even more effort so I can achieve even more.

Jack: Even if it's the day before my birthday, I'll have to continue doing my best… No, I'll have to do even better than my best.

Riddle: Oh, is your birthday tomorrow?

Riddle: Then I'm sure there's much for you to prepare. It would be rude of me to continue to keep you, so I'll leave you now.

[Riddle walks off]

Jack: Eh…? Oh, sure. Thank you, Riddle-senpai.

Jack: …Did I just say out loud that it's my birthday tomorrow? I hope he doesn't think I'm excited about it, or anything…

Jack: Ughhhh. Nah, it's no good worrying about something that's already done! Time to stretch!

[Savanaclaw Dorm – Jack's Room]

Jack: Whew… I feel much better after a shower. Guess it's time to finally get to my homework.

[Savanaclaw Dorm – Jack's Room]

Jack: Guess that's enough of reviewing today's lessons. I gotta put my homework in my bag before I forget, too…

[Roommate A speaks up]

Jack: … Huh? You wanna copy my homework before I put it away? I didn't work on it to help you guys out, why would I show it to you, anyway?

[Roommate B talks back]

Jack: You don't know the answers? Well, that's your fault for not listening during class. Don't come begging me for scraps.

Jack: Ugh, look at 'em, all grumbling over something stupid. Anyway… I guess I just have "that" left to deal with before going to bed.

「Survey on Quality of Life Improvements for the Student Body」

Jack: So they're looking for campus life improvements, huh. Well, there's the fact that some can be irritating just because they're a year or two older…

Jack: But it's not like the academy can really do anything to help improve personal problems. So, I guess…

Jack: I know I'd like it if they could do something about the rule that freshmen must live 4 to a room.

Jack: It's stressful enough having to share a small room with someone else, let alone 3 other people.

Jack: I can't wait for next year. Sophomores live 2 to a room, so it should be way better than right now.

Jack: There'll be more space in the room then… And I'll be able to find more sunlight for my cacti as well.

Jack: Even though I was able to beat the others to the spot that would provide the most light back when I first got here…

Jack: It's still not enough. Compared to the rooms reserved for the upperclassmen, it's still not as bright here, so I have to take extra care of the little guys.

Jack: Cacti are just like humans in that they don't do well if they don't get enough sunlight.

Jack: …That reminds me of back home for some reason. When winter comes, I always see people here and there sunbathing.

Jack: As a kid, I thought they were just lazy, and couldn't figure out why they'd want to just lounge out under the sun…

Jack: When I learned that there were health-related reasons behind it, I was both surprised and impressed.

Jack: It's not like I've been lacking any chances to be out under the sun ever since I've come to Sage's Island…

Jack: But if I could have a room big enough to roll out a rug, it might not be so bad to lay out and sunbathe on it a bit.

Jack: Alright… I've finished filling out the survey, so I guess it's time to sleep.

[roommates chattering]

Jack: Hey! You guys are being way too loud. How long're you gonna be at it?

Jack: You all better go to sleep right at lights out tonight… 10PM is bedtime! Don't keep me awake!

Jack: …Yeah, like those guys'll listen to what I say.

Jack: I should go back to the survey and ask for a canopy bed… Or maybe a partition.

Jack: Sleep is important for me to build my muscles… So I can't have them keeping me up… Yaaawn…

[Savanaclaw Dorm – Jack's Room]

[alarm blaring]

Jack: …Mm, is it morning already? Welp, then. First things first after waking up…

Jack: There's no question about it. TIME TO REPLENISH QUICKLY WITH SOME PROTEIN!!

Jack: I need to gain back all the nutrients I lost while sleeping. I'll swing by the kitchen for a protein drink and then head towards the washroom.

[Savanaclaw Dorm – Washroom]

[splash, splash]

Jack: Whew… No one's awake at this time, so it's nice and quiet here.

Jack: …Man, no matter how I look at it, my hair is tousled into a real mess. This happens every morning, sure, but…

Jack: Since I have thicker hair, it's so hard to tame the bedhead. Ah, tsk, there's even some pillow marks on my ears.

Jack: Well, I guess I'll just start with wetting the roots of my hair and then use the dryer while pulling the strands back…

[blow-dries hair]

Jack: Once the unruly strands are tamed, I'll comb it… Good, it's more or less better now. If I don't do this first, it ends up taking longer in the end.

Jack: I've tried a bunch of different hair products, but I ended up liking this wax the best.

Jack: Hair gel might be better to keep the shape, but it gets too stiff and takes too long to wash out.

Jack: Only using wax means that my hairstyle starts to lose its hold around evening time, but all I need to do for that is to just fix it up in the afternoon.

Jack: Nice, that looks good. All that's left is to spray it a bit…

[sprays hair]

Jack: Normally I won't use it 'cause I don't like it to get on my ears, but I want to make sure I look spot on today of all days.

Jack: As for makeup… Nah, I'll go without, like usual. I'd like to look good, but I don't want to get all dolled up or anything.

Jack: I'll just use my normal sunscreen. Can't say I really like how it feels on my skin, though…

Jack: But I remember the first time I ever went skiing by myself and the pain I went through when I forgot to apply sunscreen.

Jack: The way I got burned by the sun reflecting on the snow and I had to live with the embarrassment of the goggles leaving that imprint on my face… Augh, I don't even want to think about it again.

Jack: But thanks to that, I finally understand why my parents wouldn't shut up about not forgetting to put on sunscreen.

Jack: Looks like there's a bunch I'm able to understand more as I grow up, like that whole sunbathing thing. Guess that's another reason why it's fun to grow older.

[Savanaclaw Dorm – Jack's Room]

Jack: Alright. Now that I look presentable, I think I'll stretch out my muscles to prep for morning practice.

Jack: Phew… This old chair they supplied the room with really comes in handy for stretching.

Jack: Right after we got grouped together, none of us wanted it so we kept trying to shove it onto each other, but that was just a pain to deal with, so I kept it…

Jack: It's hard, sturdy, and it doesn't wobble so easily. Plus, the size is just perfect for someone of my height.

Jack: Next, I'll step onto the seat and… I guess I'll look over my class notes while I stretch, as usual.

Jack: I think we were on this page of the textbook for Magical History…

Jack: "The following year, the ancient incantations that were inscribed on the cave walls were successfully deciphered. The gathered mages then attempted to speak the ancient incantations…"

[Roommate B complains]

Jack: …Huh, what, I'm too loud? My voice woke you up? Well, good timing, the sun's almost up. Get up, already!

[Main Street]

Jack: Urk, is that who I think it is over there…? …Good morning, Riddle-senpai.

Riddle: Good morning, Jack. Have you finished with morning practice already?

Riddle: Happy Birthday. That's all I came here to say.

Jack: …Of course it was about that. Sorry to be a bother about it. I didn't mean to let it slip yesterday…

Riddle: Heh, you're no bother. We may be of different dormitories, however it is the duty of us upperclassmen to support our underclassmen.

Riddle: You should continue to do your utmost. …Of course, I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that.

Jack: Yes, sir! I'll keep on improving!

Requested by @farfalla049.

[eruscreaminginthedistance]

The tweets are giving pandering to a very specific subset of the fandom that are still complaining that their HoFs aren't still the main character ngl. Saying "you don't want characters to return cos we'll do something mean to them" is bizarrely juvenile. Like yes, unironically I think anyone who engages with your stories in an intelligent way sees the value in killing off or ruining the happy endings of beloved characters in service of a compelling narrative and showcasing the impacts of our choices.

The choice to sacrifice Hawke or the Warden - potentially Alistair - in The Nightmare was one of the best moments in Inquisition, one that was diluted in playthroughs where one was stuck with, say, Stroud. Mass Effect 3 is full of amazing moments like these - are Kirby and Weekes saying that we wouldn't want another Mordin? Another Legion? All the incredibly impactful moments of that third installment where our decisions played out to either the benefit or detriment of beloved characters? Are Kirby and Weekes really putting all of the fandom under the umbrella of a minority of entitled fans who would rather their faves be the specialist most happiest characters in existence in favour of the dark and high stakes narrative the first two games set the series up to be? What a bizarre response this has been.

All this to say, I wish these devs would just be honest and admit carrying over all those decisions is just too much work. Turning the finger to the fandom and claiming the fans just don't know any better isn't doing anyone any favours. As if returning creator-favourite Morrigan is in any danger or will have anything go wrong for her in any way. Just stick to your guns, guys; overwhelmed at the work is way more understandable than this made-up position that this is secretely what the fans want. Yes, I expect that when you keep bringing back significant characters in Veilguard that you do put in all that effort and do something more interesting with them than just fanservice, hence why I've been asking for months why Varric isn't dead yet.

But for the most part, nobody is expecting fully voiced and mocapped cameos or questlines from every single fan favourite or potentially relevant character. It's really just the throwaway lines and codex entries that people like me would want; just getting a sense that the world is a living thing that is breathing and acting even while we're away, and that even if our impacts did not influence the game itself, they still had an effect on the world.

[cloudnineminusnine]

so, i tried a little something based on that and it's comments (づ_ど)

bm! sun wukong x gn! reader | slightly suggestive so no minors allowed.

(it's poorly written since english is not my first language!)

not getting any response made the monkey king uneasy, specially given the faint blush that made it's way down to your soft cheeks. you've been acting a little suspicious for a few days now, he could say. in a way that left him intrigued. the sudden touch of your hand on his face startled him, just enough to not pull him away.

"taking a closer look..." you starts in a soft whisper, as if it were your little secret, while your dark eyes crossed each and every detail of his partialy furred face "i can conclude that you really are the most beautiful creature i've laid my eyes on."

out of nowhere.

could it be that you were joking?

actually you used to tease him so much over so many things – as much as he did to you – that it naturally was the first thing that occured to him.

you said things like that before but never in such an intense way... plus your brown eyes held too much sincerity for you to be joking. it felt cozy and unsettling at the same time.

this kind of interaction souldn't have any major effect on him. you were only caressing his face in the most lovely way ever, with the light touch of your fingertips, so why was he suddenly having so much trouble over breathing in a steady pace? that reaction was definitely deviating from his usual demeanor. he was only feeling that way because you caught him off guard, that's it!

in the morning after there was a different aura surrounding both of you. the monkey king seemed to be annoyed by something he couldn't put his finger on, while you were behaving more introspective, as if your mind was so full that you couldn't escape from it even if for seconds.

sometimes you would feel like losing it, fantasizing on being even more intimate with him or touching him in a less innocent way – dear lord, he couldn't imagine the absurdities that inhabited your mind even if he tried. which was good! who knows what kind of reaction he'd have if he knew just how much you wanted him to have his way with you?

poor thing, you needed to do something as soon as possible. before your unbridled passion for him could consume you entirely. then, with that resolved, you could put your efforts into overcoming your feelings. it was ridiculous to even imagine that the sun wukong would reciprocate you.

a few days later, when your relationship with him finally seemed to be less awkward, you saw the perfect opportunity in front of your eyes. and took it.

you two were stargazing while chatting about anything and everything like you used to do, and it was like the things had never changed between the two of you. being able to hear that boisterous laugh again warmed your silly little heart – those pointy canines of him were terribly adorable so what could you do?

on that night specially his gaze towards you seemed to be sweeter than normal. he would also stop and stare whenever a loud laugh came out of your mouth, which was kind of strange from your perception. impossible.

you needed to take action and you did.

without any warnings you then started talking about how you ended up becoming attached to him regardless of his arrogant nature and, as if the "i fell in love with you" wasn't shocking enough, you went even further by ending the lengthy confession with a conformed "i'm determined to get over it".

you would definitely be rejected by him anyway, so why not get that out of your way? it would be even easier to forget him once you parted ways. perfect plan!

with a baffled tone to his voice, sun wukong promptly confronted "why would you get over it?" he forced a scandalous laugh, trying to feel more like himself. "so you're not even going to try to court me? now that's weirder than you just confessing your feelings to me." of course he would end by joking his way out.

how dare him?

your usually relaxed eyes were now fully open in surprise "so you want me to court you? that's a good one!" you let out a hearty laugh, not believing your ears or the audacity of him. "if i already know that i don't stand a chance then why should i try?" that was obvious, wasn't it? well, maybe not for him and his big ego.

his eyes gleamed, as if challenged by your words. sun wukong approached his face close enough to mix in your breathing and with a suggestive whisper he declared "heh, i only thought you were bold enough to lure me in..." his nails brushed slitghly over your exposed arm, causing a deliciously chilling sensation. you felt your legs go weak as a giggle reached your ears.

what's gotten into him? where did that came from?

even though your heart almost gave in to desire, you remained firm in your decision. that would be better. sun wukong was obviously making a fool of you, even if both his sultry gaze and provocative touch tried to make you believe otherwise – in your defense he seemed too flirtatious, like he'd never been before.

the next day the embarrassment was so much that you choose to act as if nothing happened, as if his touch wasn't ghosting over your wrist since the night before when with a sudden grip he tried to stop you from leaving him behind. you tried your best to hide how shaken you've been, not wanting to put any distance towards sun wukong who, somehow, seemed to be restless since that fatidic event. you couldn't and wouldn't go back on your plan – too prideful –, but he sure made you think on changing it...

without any discretion, he would analyze your behavior constantly while searching for any glimpse of what've been confessed by you. his eyes started to gravitate towards your figure more than he would like to admit, as if he was under some kind of spell.

whenever you caught him staring he would try to appear as indifferent as you appeared to him. his ego seemed to be hurt and it was honestly funny to think that it could be because of you. at first you were weirded out by wukong's behavior but now you could only be amused by his reactions.

"i may not be the smartest person out there, but i have a feeling that you've been staring at me quite a lot lately." unfortunately for his pride, that's how the first conversation related to that topic began. "may i ask what do you want from me, almighty monkey king?"

now that was bold of you. too bold for his liking. bold in an annoyingly enticing way. your lazy eyes were so full of expectation and need that it made his insides turn, oh, you still wanted him so bad! he just knew it.

now he was fully determined to make you regret on saying that you would get over him. just you wait and see.

[jpitha]

Voiding The Warranty

Lauren was running back and forth across the ship, searching for something.

After a demi-cycle of this, Captain Shimmering Heat finally called her over her personal comm. "Lauren? What is it you're doing? You are running around like we're under attack from a Gren Warfinder and yet we're just cruising."

Lauren looked up and toggled her comm. "Sorry Captain, I'm looking for my toolkit, I could have sworn I left it in Engineering but it's not there."

Captain Shimmer made a noise over the comm that translated to something near to surprise and amused resignation. Lauren wasn't their first human. "Why do you have your own toolkit Lauren? What's wrong with my tools?"

"Oh Captain Shimmer, I know that you provide the crew with everything they need to keep this ship running smoothly. My tools are a little different."

"Different? You're telling me human tools are different?"

Lauren rummaged around in a closet until she found was she was looking for. "Ah. Found it. Why was it in the cleaning closet? Oh well, no matter. Come on down to the engine room Captain Shimmer if you want to see what I'm working on."

A few millicycles later, Captain Shimmering Heat came into the engine room. They tended to stay out of the engine room. It's not that they weren't allowed to be there - they were the Captain after all, technically the ship was theirs for the duration of the contract - it's more that... they weren't... allowed to be there. As they passed through the pressure door, a few people in the engine room looked up and frowned. Lauren saw them though and waved. "Come in Captain Shimmer! Come here!"

Seeing that Lauren invited them, everyone put their head down and went back to their work. Shimmer came over, their claws clattering quietly on the deck plates. As they approached, they didn't see Lauren, but they rounded a corner and came across a stack of equipment in pieces with Lauren under it. Their feathers rippled in worry. "Lauren! Are you all right?"

"I'm fine Captain." Lauren's muffled voice came from much deeper inside the machinery than Shimmer thought possible. "In fact, I'm better than fine!"

"Oh? Why is that?"

Lauren slid out from under the machinery. It turned out she was on a small, flat wheeled plank. It rattled as she slid herself out. Sitting up, she wiped... something from her hands with a rag tucked into her pants. "Because, I figured it out!"

Shimmer's face feathers began to slowly puff out, making their face look larger than normal. It was an ancient predator/prey response, meant to frighten attackers millions of years ago. "Figured what out?"

"This whole trip, I've been feeling like the engines have been sluggish. I know using FlashWarp isn't as fast as a Flip drive, but I figured it wouldn't be that bad. But, it sure seems like we're moving even slower than normal!"

Captain Shimmer opened their beak to deny it and then stopped. Actually... things did seem like they were going slower than they should. "Okay Lauren. I did feel like our last two warps were slower than they should have been. We were only a cycle behind though, so I wasn't worried. What did you find?"

Lauren stood. She was about one head taller than the captain and had a tendency to loom. One of the braver crewmates told her about it though and she now made an effort to take a half step back when she spoke. "I found all sorts of things! First I didn't know what I was looking at, so I went back and got the design docs and-"

"Wait, you opened up the engines without knowing what you were doing?"

Lauren waves her hand dismissively. "It's fine, it's fine. I didn't touch anything... important... that time. Anyway, I dug up the design docs and noticed - hey Captain, when was the last time you had the engines overhauled? I think they're way overdue."

Lauren had a habit of jumping from topic to topic as what she called her 'train of thought' brought her from point to point. She was able to keep on tasks for the most part, but if she came across an interesting or 'fun' problem, it was all Shimmer could do but hang on while she bounced around. "Uh, I don't think it's been done since I was issued the Star Leaf. Why? How often should it be done?"

Lauren's eyes went wide. "Way more often than that. According to these-" She swung a pad around and Shimmer caught a glimpse of engine diagrams "-a clean cycle is supposed to be run after every kilocycle and a full teardown every five kilocycles. How long have you been captain?"

"Uh... eight kilocycles."

"We're way overdue then. That might explain some of what I found. Hmm" Lauren looked off into the middle distance. Shimmer was used to this too, and usually gave her a few moments to come out of her reverie on her own before they gently prodded them. "Uh, Lauren?"

"Oh? Captain Shimmer! Right right, the mods!"

"The what?"

"Mods! I modded the engine. Since it's been so long since we've had an overhaul and it gets completely taken apart, I figured it was fine to do some light warranty voiding and see if I can claw back some performance."

"Warranty... Voiding?"

Lauren nodded, then looked at Shimmer's confused expression. "Uh, Human Thing I guess. When we sell machinery to each other usually it comes with a Warranty. Something that says that for X days or X amount of use, if it breaks prematurely we'll either replace it or pay to fix it, provided-" She raises a finger "-we don't mess with it ourselves first. They don't want to fix it for free if we were the ones who broke it."

Shimmer's tailfeathers ruffle, a nod. "Okay, I understand, but wh-"

"Oh, it's a joke mostly. I have a feeling that only engine techs get in where I was, I was pretty far inside. I spent the last few demicycles reading up on FlashWarp theory and I think that I can get a few more kilolights out of your performance. In fact, I just finished so we can try it out!"

Shimmering Heat looks helplessly at the pile of tools and access panels on the floor. "But you said that you needed your toolkit?"

"Oh yeah, needed my voltmeter. I found it though, and was able to verify the current."

"But... the mess?" Shimmer's voice sounded resigned.

Laurent looked back and seemed to see it for the first time. "Oh, we'll leave it like that and run it with the covers off. If it works, I can button it up."

"And if it doesn't work?" Shimmer feared Lauren's reply, but found themselves unable to stop.

Lauren looked at Shimmer and was about to answer and saw them practically shaking. "Oh Captain. I wouldn't do anything to risk the ship or the crew. Worse comes to worst, it won't do anything. As I see it, there are three options for what will happen. One, nothing. That's pretty unlikely, but still possible. Two, it'll work the same as before. That's the most likely to be honest. In that case, I'll revert the changes and button it up. Three, it'll work better! We'll be able to make up lost time and get to our destination faster. Come on, let's try it out."

Captain Shimmer knew they were within their rights to order Lauren to put the engines back the way they were and continue on with their mission. Captain Shimmer also knew about how humans tend to have 'an idea' and suddenly they have their Flip drives, or they do something that makes no sense and then they run their gravity generators as thrusters. He knew all this an signed on a few humans anyway.

"Admit it." They tell themselves. "You hoped that this was going to happen. It's why you hired humans and let them have more or less free rein over the ship. You wanted them to tinker. If they make real improvements, you can submit them to the Coalition and if they're adopted you get a yearly bonus."

Shimmering Heat remembers their childhood. They were one of many nestmates. Their familial unit worked hard to provide, but there were many cycles where they went hungry. If the human's work paid off, they would get a bonus and be able to help his nestmates who still had trouble.

More importantly, they would be remembered.

"Okay Lauren. Let's try it out."

Shimmer lead Lauren up to the Command Room and bade her sit in a spare seat. Captain fluffed themselves and sait in the command chair. Here. Here is where things felt more certain, more sure. "Helm, plot a warp to Station 754, best speed."

"Yes, Captain Shimmer. Plotting. Please wait while the navacomputer works."

"You know Captain, I bet we-" Lauren starts.

"One thing at a time Lauren. I know about humans and their propensity to make computers faster."

Lauren wisely keeps quiet.

A short time later, the navigator calls out that a navigation solution has been found. Captain Shimmer turns back one more time to look at Lauren. She sticks both of her hands forward, fingers curled up except her inner, shorter thicker digit, which are pointed straight up. Sighing, Shimmer turns back to Helm. "Warp."

What happens next did actually make it into the history books, though not quite for the reasons that Captain Shimmer wanted.

Star Leaf leapt forward through the rainbow colored, prismatic gate that opened in front of them, and they warped. In much less time than anticipated, they exited the warp. Captain Shimmer, surprised at the lurch, looks around. "Sensors! Where are we? Engineering! How is the engines?"

The helmsperson looks up, shaken. Their fur fully bristled in fear. "Captain... we're at Station 754."

"What?" Of all the outcomes that Captain Shimmering Heat could have anticipated, that was not one of them.

"Confirmed. Station 754 has opened a channel and is asking how we got here so fast."

The comms clicked. "Uh, Captain. This is Engineering.... You should come and see this."

Captain Shimmer turns to leave. They look to call Lauren with them, and her seat is empty. Figuring that she went ahead, they leave the Command Room. They make their way across the ship in a daze, as everyone aboard looks out the windows in amazement or fear as they realize that they have made five cycles of travel in a millicycle.

Chief Ham'itar is standing at the pressure door as Shimmer approaches. His polished, lacquered claws slide in and out of their hands, a stress reaction. "You.. you have to see this."

He leads Shimmer towards the engine that Lauren was working on and...

It's beautiful.

The entire engine is covered in the prismatic light of a FlashWarp field. It's just... sitting there, glowing, pulsing slowly.

Shimmering Heat looks at Ham'itar and says nothing.

"No, that's not normal captain. Well, okay, when we execute a particularly good FlashWarp, some old engineers say that the engines glow with a prismatic light, but only for an instant, less than the swipe of a membrane. No time at all. This-" He points a laquered claw at it accusingly "-this is Not Normal."

"Is it dangerous?"

"Long term? No idea. Currently? Doesn't seem to be. Everything I can throw at the engine says it's perfectly fine. Better than perfect actually."

"Where's Lauren? I want to ask her about this."

"Who?"

Shimmer slowly looks away from the engines and stares at Ham'itar, all their feathers completely fluffed out. "Lauren Ingram, our human Engineer. We took her on back at that Orbital around Lemmin."

Ham'itar shakes their head, their fur moving with a slight delay to their head. "We don't have anyone like that aboard, Captain. We looked into taking on a couple humans on Lemmin, but I didn't like the look of any of them, we passed on them all. Besides, I wouldn't let anyone tinker with the engines enough to make this happen.

Shimmer involuntarily backs away from the engines, towards the door. "Captain?" Ham'itar looks at Shimmer curiously as they turn and run full speed out of the engine room.

[ninii-winchester]

Behind Closed Doors (Part 5)

Pairing : Boss! Dean Winchester X Assistant! Reader

Word count: 1.4k

Warnings: angst, slight violence (a well deserved punch), language, John and Mary Winchester, not proofread.

I DO NOT GIVE PERMISSION TO COPY MY WORK, TRANSLATE IT OR POST IT TO ANY OTHER PLATFORM. REBLOGS ARE APPRECIATED.

Y/n emerged from the women's room and went back to her work space. She knew she looked like a mess even after putting her best efforts to look presentable. With a deep breath she sat back on her desk, thankful Dean was in a meeting. She had zoned out and hadn't realised how much time had passed until a knock on her desk pulled her out of her thoughts. She looked up to see a pair of blue eyes staring at her.

"Earth to Y/n." Cas grinned but his grin faltered the minute he saw her eyes, puffy and red, the sight made him furrow his brows.

"Cas! What're you doing here?" She asked happily getting up from her chair and rounding the desk to greet him with a hug. "I thought you were in France." She said wrapping her arms around his torso. The man didn't hesitate to return the embrace.

"I was, but the event wrapped up early so I came back." He replied pulling away slightly so he could look at her better. "What happened?" He questioned. His gaze fell to her hand where he was expecting to see a ring on her finger but the vacant finger confused him even more. Dean had told him over the phone that he'd proposed and you'd said yes. So why on earth is your finger empty and your eyes red.

Dean stepped out of the elevator after he was done with the meeting and he watched Cas and Y/n talking outside his office. He took in her disheveled appearance and his heart clenched in his chest. She looked so small, and broken, all because of him. He'd promised to never hurt her and that's what he ended up doing. He could tell she'd cried, her puffy and red eyes had given that away.

"Y/n? Where's your ring?" Dean heard Cas ask and his gaze fell to her hand, the sight broke his heart. She'd taken it off. "Didn't Dean propose? He said you said yes." Cas prodded further but she didn't say anything until her gaze fell upon Dean approaching them, not necessarily them, but his office. She watched as he moved past them and reached his office door and that's when she spoke.

"Propose? Cas you've known me since college, I've never been the one they proposed to, I'm the one they 'love' and leave." She sneered and Dean's grip tightened onto the doorknob. He hated hearing her talk about herself like that but shes not even giving him a chance to explain. He felt his anger flaring up and he went inside his office slamming the door behind him.

Cas looked between his two friends feeling completely out of the loop but he felt this was bigger than a petty argument and he's never known Y/n to overreact so if something happened it was big. And most probably Dean's fault. All rationality left his brain when he saw his friend hurt and his best friend being the reason of her tears. He went inside Dean's office, where Dean was pacing back and forth. He grabbed the CEO by his arm and punched him straight in the jaw.

"What the fuck, Cas?" Dean growled holding his jaw.

"What did you do?" Cas glared at his best friend.

"Why do you think I did something?" Dean asked feeling offended his best friend was accusing him.

"Your face says it all so spill, or Lord so help me." Cas threatened. He was gonna beat him to a pulp if he didn't come clean right here, right now. Dean knew Cas was a peaceful person and if he's threatening to choose violence, he will resort to it. He's already lost his fiancée, he doesn't want to lose his best friend too. The two men sat on the chairs placed on the either side of Dean’s desk.

"I went to see mom and dad a week ago." He started.

Dean walked into his childhood house, he was greeted by smiling faces of John, Mary and Sam. It brought a smile to his face as well. Dean teased Sam about how Jess’ not here since they’re always attached to the hip. Mary cleared her throat before speaking,

“There’s something I need to tell you. I wasn’t sure how you’d react so I thought it’d be better if it’s just us.” That made Dean tense up. He didn’t like the way this conversation started.

“Is everything okay?” Dean asked looking back and forth between his parents.

“On the surface yeah.” Mary replied. “Dean you’re thirty. You’re not getting any younger and I want you to settle down.” She said getting straight to the point.

“Okay..” Dean trailed off, this isn’t as bad as he thought it would be. He just has to tell them about Y/n and their engagement now.

“And the way you’ve been immersed in work, I don’t see you getting settled anytime soon so we’ve decided to arrange with you someone.” Mary said and Dean’s jaw dropped to the floor. Did his family really think he’s that much of a workaholic that he can’t find a partner for himself? That’s bullshit.

“Excuse me?” Dean growled standing up from his seat.

“She’s the niece of your dad’s old friend. Her name’s Rachel.” Mary said with a finality in her voice.

“Rachel? The one I went to school with? What the fuck is wrong with you all?” Dean yelled.

“She likes you.” Mary added, trying to convince her son.

“I don’t give a fuck. You have no right to meddle in my life.” Dean growled. John who had been quiet all this time finally spoke.

“Dean, don’t talk to your mother like that.” His voice boomed.

“And you’re not hearing what she’s saying?” Dean retorted.

“Dean calm down.” Sam said setting a hand on his brother’s shoulder which the older brother shrugged off.

“Dean this arrangement is for the benefit of the company as well. And your mother wants you to settle down. What’s so wrong in that?” John exclaimed loudly.

“My company is doing great without anyone’s support and what’s wrong with this arrangement is that I have someone in my life and I won’t marry anyone else besides her.” Dean declared.

“Watch your tone, boy. That company is mine, need I remind you I’m still the owner of that company. And you’re the CEO because I made you.” John asserted making Dean scoff.

“You made me CEO because i worked hard for it. You didn’t just give it to me, I earned it.” Dean sneered back at his father.

“The decision has been made. You either marry Rachel or you lose the title of CEO.” John bellowed and the room fell silent. The only sound that could be heard was Dean’s harsh breathing. Without another word Dean left his parent’s house, slamming the door on his way out.

“Dude that’s fucked up.” Cas muttered as Dean finished his story.

“Yeah tell me about it.” Dean rolled his eyes, leaning back in his chair.

“Did you tell her?” Castiel asked gesturing outside the door. Dean shook his head staring at the ceiling. “What’re you gonna do now?

“I don’t know, Cas. I love her to death. I don’t want anyone else. But I’ve worked too hard for where I am. It’s so fucking complicated. I don’t even know what to tell her.” He sighed rubbing his face. “How am I going to tell her that I can’t choose between her and my work?”

“You’ve worked hard for this, Dean. Everyone knows that.” Castiel said softly. He felt dejected he couldn’t help his friend. “And I know Y/n. She wouldn’t want you to give it up.” He added.

“That’s also something which scares me. She’d tell me to choose this.” Dean said gesturing to his office. “She’d put me first and I can’t even imagine to bear the look on her face when she does it.” Dean could feel tears springing in his eyes, just at the thought of loosing her for good. “I thought I’d deal with this mess without her knowing about it. But then Rachel showed up.”

“Dean.” Cas said seriously that made Dean look at him. “You have to tell her. She’s falling down in a deep hole of self doubt.” Dean nodded agreeing with Cas. He knows its going to be hard, but he has to go through with it.

Tags:

@spnfamily-j2 @galway-girlatwork @deangirl96 @queensilber

@s0urw00lf @monkey-d-hoshizora98 @deans-baby-momma @fullbelieverheart

@riah1606 @xx-spooky-little-vampire-xx @hobby27

@starkleila @suckitands33 @m3ntally-unstable @kanekilovelove-blog @candy-coated-misery0731

@blackcherrywhiskey @ladysparkles78 @goest-and-fuckest-thyself-blog @graywrites5567

@thelittlelightinthedarkess @enamoredwithbella @winchesterwild78 @myuhh8

@10ava01 @jackles010378

[palenutbasement]

(all scenes are depicted as platonic)

So every Inktober I try to do something more challenging, and this year I thought I would make a short comic/fanfic. I think I got the idea for this one a year ago but I was already wrapped up with another Inktober. Eventually I solidified the idea by making my own prompt list some time ago.

This comic is split into three parts with 10 days focusing on each of them, 30 in total, everything is compiled here. I wanted to post them after October in case I wanted to change anything.

This first part takes place in the summit.

The comic is basically all improvised, that means no planning for the composition, plot, or sketching any drawings. The most planning I did was write a few scripts ahead of time within the month to save me some time but most of them would be changed last minute anyways.

As for the plot, I won't go too deep into it because I don't want to talk too much, so you'll just find commentary on the making of the comic and stuff.

This first part is a little gimmick-y compared to the next two, with new elements appearing almost every day. It’s because I relied a lot on the prompts (dog, milk, etc.) to keep things happening, eventually I move further away from them.

What is surprising to me is how much the art changes as the days go by especially within the span of one month. I did refine a few things to keep it more consistent but this is nearly indistinguishable from the original drawings.

I should also mention that my favourite aspect of this project was adding references to the game and subtle details (if you can find it all, awesome!!) This may have been done quickly but I like to have those things and put at least a bit of effort into the dialogue.

Part 2

Eventually I figured that drawing the same setting for 30 days straight would drive me insane, hence why this comic is split like it is. I’m glad I did because it makes the story a little more interesting, seeing the characters have different attitudes in different places and whatnot.

This one takes place in the cave directly after pt 1. Admittedly I do better drawing outdoor settings, it's what I'm used to, but the cave wasn't so bad to figure out.

I remember these two days I was streaming drawing the comic to my friends, so I kinda zoned out while we were talking lol

One of the prompts was about napping, so I made Dwarf sleep. I believe I was tired that day too and it was therapeutic to draw and include that. Also they look cute, I think.

18 & 19 have some of my favourite drawings in the comic. The campfire lighting is what we'd get if I had a bit more energy each day, and I like the perspective in the first panel of 19.

I find this last section interesting, because of all the 30 days, it’s the only one in Dwarf’s POV. I felt like it was fitting to do something like that at the time.

Part 3

Since we were approaching Halloween, I wanted to have a special part for it. It’s related to the other two parts but it takes place some time after. I’m really sorry it’s out of season, if it were up to me I would have had this post out earlier (thank my midterms for the delay)

Out of all the other parts this one is my favourite. Maybe because it’s more recent I’m inclined to think that way but it has some of my fave moments that I've written here.

Other than that I don't have much commentary for this part. More thoughts at the end!

I was caught up everyday atp, but I didn’t have much spare time to prepare for the ending (I wrote it the morning of that day). I think this is a decent conclusion though.

I intend on coming back to this story, maybe next year to make a continuation but we'll see what happens. There are definitely things that I want to come back to someday.

Thank you for making it this far btw. It's been an eventful month for me beyond this (Untitled) comic, but there wasn't a single aspect of this that I didn't enjoy doing. It's a silly project and I care about it.

Also, I'm not going to neglect the 31st of October! That day will get an illustration, where I will pick my favourite panel and redraw it. I want to take my time with this one so it's not out yet, but hopefully I can finish by Christmas.

[brainworms-all-night-long]

Hello hi, I'm Brainworms and this be an all inclusive intro to the hellspace that's my brain and this blog!! Do not attempt to find any parallels in my blorbos to my behavior and desires I promise it says nothing about the very core of me as a living being haha

I also have a Bsky and PillowFort in case this place kicks the bucket fr

And if you feeling like you have a lot of money and don't know where to put it, you can Commission me (OPEN) or Buy Me a Coffe!! I am currently saving up for a new phone and headphones

While you're still here, please donate to these fundraisers for Sahar Shehab, Maryam, Wasim, Heba Al-Dahdouh, Mahmoud and Ali as I'm unable to do so myself

Every silly appearing above lives full time in my brain and refuses to pay the mortgage, in fact, is very adamant they will never do so. Henceforth, I yap about them sometimes!! Some more than others *coughNinecough* but they are always present

>Now to the tags I actively use!!

sonic prime / sonic the hedgehog / miles nine prower – The most of thoughts at the actual documented begining of life for this blog, and I like Nine!! A lot!! A character made specifically for me I think....

murder drones / arcane / nimona 2023 / dreamtale (UTMV) – Other stuff besides Sonic that I draw and yap about, although this is still mainly a Sonic blog

me does arts / littol doodl / actually finished doodl – My art tags!! I've been drawing the same character for over two years now help :D Have no idea why I decided to split them into three separate categories but I believe the names are pretty self explanatory

me when I finish writing – I do a drable or two sometimes as well just, don't expect for me to actually finish anything I start writing even though I say I will, that tag name is a lie

the silly text box – answered asks whenever I remember to use the tag lmao

silly brainworms – my yappings, Nine character analyses and headcanons!!

There's no talk tag, if you see my random unrelated thoughts, it was destined and once in a lifetime event

>I also have a few AUs but mostly of the "What if crossover" variety

Prime bros – a more or less non committed collaborative effort of random.headcanons and drables between me and @/000marie198 and anyone else who has thoughts and wants to join in on the fun on the idea of having the Shatterverse foxes (Nine, Sails, Mangey and Tails) living together in green hill and causing mayhem because the way the show left them was bullshit and unsatisfying!!

The same but different is my own personal version of the prime bros universe that is now actually being incredibly slowly written and the first three chapters are on my Ao3!!

Project 09 – a Tails gets adopted by Eggman AU except it's Nine getting "adopted" by the Chaos Council and to no one's surprise, it fucks him and everyone else up in a special way

Over the hills – is a Dreamtale and Sonic crossover brought on by The Nine-tailed travel guide through the multiverse event conceived by @/Donelywell and mashed with my long time held dreamswap au idea of Dream taking Night and running away from the village after taking some drastic measures that is also posted on Ao3!! (more stuff will come to it in time. I hope)

running from a Nightmare – another Dreamtale au, this time about corrupted Nightmare being set loose on the Sonic world by none other than Eggman and the suffering that comes with it (also fighting tooth and tail to get it written)

the n 'n n's (read as m&m's) – unserious crossover where I put Nine Night and Nimona together and have them be silly (perhaps Nuzi will tag along some day too...)

And because I keep having Dreamtale & Sonic thoughts, I do lump them all together under the dreamtale and sonic tomfoolery tag!!

prime arcane – as seen above, I like arcane!! Jinx and Nine are eerily similar in their sibling and identity struggles, I put them together, boom an Au :D other characters are there too but I need to get around actually designing them....

>This will get updated in case I get possessed by something new or remember a tag I forgor

——

Hey you scrolled this far might as well put some more random trivia abt me here :D

>paleontology and zoology nerd, but only as an avid listener to four hour YouTube documentaries, I don't actually know shit- (Miniminuteman, Casual Geo and Lydnsey Nikole hyper carry this special interest shoutout to them)

>Obviously a followup to previous point needed, favorite dinosaur is the Archeopterix and the animal ever is the Blunt Headed Tree Snake (which is also my Sonicsona by the name of Shoelace)

>I have a pet snake, her name is Ebi and is a black head spider python!!

> Graduating a four years study of Mechanical engineering in a weeks time I also have no fucking clue what I'm doing ill be happy if this is finally over

>Favorite color is pink!! (In case you couldn't tell by my art and this whole post lmao) I went through a goddamn hero's journey to learn to love it alright you can pry the seven plain hot pink shirts and hoodies I own from my cold dead hands

>I'm Slovak!! Niečo niečo hokej, Tatry, a zlatý Bažant

>Aro, Ace and Agender (that's where the AAA battery comes in lmao)

>undiagnosed but there's.... something...

> I could recite the story of the ugly duckling backwards as a kid (unrelated to previous two points)

[the-ellia-west]

Khenan and Wild my babies - JoR yapping session

My goal here is Nuance (tell me if I did a good job, but mind you, it's 2am when I write this, so I may explain it really bad)

-

Khenan is an abusive father, and Wild is the victim, but the moral of these two's story and JoR as a whole is that everybody is human, no matter what they've done, and most people can change.

Especially in this scenario. Abuse Is a horrible crime, and it itself is not to be forgiven or forgotten, but abusers are not 100% evil people and CAN change. It's uncommon, (hence why I have several, multiple of whom do not change) but it is possible and they're not evil and don't deserve to be treated as any less than human. Everybody sins, everybody commits crimes against other humans, and if they see the problem with their actions they can and MIGHT change.

I'm yapping bc I'm exhausted but essentially: "Hurting people doesn't make you unredeemable as long as you put in the effort to change and make it right."

So Khenan's whole theme is that he's driven by emotion and impulse. He was raised Corrupt but he wants to do the right thing, only it's often undercut by bad things he finds himself wanting that he often gives into.

To understand this situation better, you have to understand that Wild is NOT the son of Khenan's wife. However, the marriage wasn't one of love at first, and Wild was the product of this after Khenan's wife (who remains unnamed for the moment but I'll call W) had to return to her home city for political shenanigans

I won't elaborate much on Wild's past for the sake of spoilers, but long-story short, Wild's powers are not natural for someone of his species, and his true mother had something to do with it. She died in childbirth, leaving Khenan without the first woman he truly loved, and Wild without his biological mother.

Now, another detail I've forgotten to mention, Khenan has a younger sister, more cunning and thought-oriented than himself. Suited for the job they were both born into where he wasn't. And what Vimadè loves to do more than anything, is dissect. And what more fun to dissect than the person who in her eyes, stole her birthright from her with only a few years. And because of her cunning and her quiet determination, she catches quick to his emotional cues and learns to yank her poor brother around like a Puppet.

(Not helped by this is that Khenan and Vimadè's parents preferred her because of her skills and Khenan was hit and burned and shut in dark rooms to negotiate his way out as long as he made himself useful to the family)

Now, because Wild was his illegitimate child, Khenan couldn't claim him publicly as his own, and ashamed of himself, would hand Wild off to the servants to be raised in the house. Wild would only be around four when one of the servants leaked that Khenan had likely hinted toward Wild being his son, (Maybe Khenan told his wife??????)

But over those years, when Khenan and W would talk to one another more and would establish more healthy communication, they would begin to truly fall for each other. But the leaked rumors not only got back to Vimadè, who made sure the rumors ended with the servant as she found the information more useful as blackmail, but Wild's two older brothers would find out as well, and would blame him for the injustice their mother received at the hands of Khenan's immediate older family

Skipping more because spoilers, Wild is used as a bargaining chip and a hostage, alongside some carefully-placed poison, to convince Khenan to give up his birthright and promise a bi-monthly meeting with Vimadè, who begins to plant seeds in Khenan's head about Wild's species and his mother's death. W takes an interest in Wild and begins to treat him like a son a little after all of this.

Eventually, things happen, and Wild loses his memory in a traumatic event that also modifies his appearance, causing him to wander the streets at 7-8 years old aimlessly without purpose

He's picked up by W because he 'reminds her' of himself. W becomes ill and later dies, after treating Wild the best he's ever been treated in his life, singing him songs and telling him she loves him and telling him stories, Vimadè convinces her parents to take custody of Khenan's older children from him, and he finds himself alone with Wild. (All Wild remembers is his name, that Khenan is his father, he thinks W is some sort of mother, and he's never been good enough to be considered a noble himself)

Khenan recognizes Wild. And up until now, he's tried his best to ignore his presence, as he looks like his mother and acts like W. And Khenan can't stand to look at him.

Later that Month, Khenan, agitated and unable to keep on as things are, impulsively hits Wild with a fire poker. Thankfully the flat bit so it causes no permanent damage, but it's what starts the downfall. Wild is 10 when his father hits him for the first time.

Now that all that backstory out of the way. Let's get into the real meat of this.

Khenan loves his son. He does. Khenan loves him more than Wild could ever imagine. But he'd angry, and the seeds of doubt and mistrust Vimadè planted in his head caused his emotions to turn darker, into an almost sense of Betrayal and fury. Because after all, hate comes from love.

Wild is terrified of his father. He loves him, but he fears him more. All he wants is to escape, he's been stripped down to his bare survival Instincts, suppressing all emotion but fear as he is desperate just to not be hurt. He's down on his knees, apologizing constantly for any mistake he makes, and is jump and hyper vigilant to other's vocal and visual cues and emotions, and just wants to avoid Khenannat any chance he can get.

In his heart he wants nothing more than for his father to love him, but he dares not to get too close because he's been hurt before by hoping. However, over the course of the Story he becomes more confident, he's still terrified of Khenan, but not quite so much as before, and he soon begins to resent him.

Khenan on the other hand, when he finds out Wild ran away, he panics, and frantically joining up with the villains and scouring the continent for news, finding out his son has joined a rebel group, but seemingly a relatively benevolent one, he begins to reconsider his actions and his love for his son, and who Wild is, and as the realization of all that he's done comes crashing down on his head, he slips into a deep depression, all his grief and other suppressed emotions flooding back in and he becomes desperate to make up for what he's done.

He decides Wild would be better without him, and even though he's desperate to see him again, he needs to make sure the group is good enough to take care of him, and he begins to work behind the scenes helping the villains to gather Intel just to make sure Wild will be okay with his new family, willing to settle for never seeing him again or even Wild hating him as long as he's safe.

But what neither of them realize is that Wild doesn't need Hate to distance himself from Khenan. He needs closure. They both Do. They need to talk.

By the way, if you stuck around to read my whole yapping session, plaleade leave a comment, even just a single letter or a period would just let me know you read this. Feedback would be greater appreciated, but anything is good! <3

@an-indecisive-nerd @sunflowerrosy @urnumber1star @homelessnerd @vesanal @darkandstormydolls @supercimi @corinneglass @sm-writes-chaos @thebookishkiwi @blargh-500 @lunaeuphternal @write-with-will @yolbert @thewritingautisticat @carb0n-m0n0xide @theweirdbox123 @inspirationallybored

[cookiepie111]

༊࿐ 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐜𝐚𝐧'𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐰 ༊࿐

Part 2 of drink from the leche of sirens

Part 1 here

A/N: I'm back after what felt like f forever! Crying screaming throwing up it's finally finished! Part two of könig x nymph! Black Reader. I'm over the moon so many people liked part one i loved writing it. Love to hear your thoughts on this chapter or any ideas. Feedback,likes and reblogs are appreciated🙏🏾 also if you wanted to be added to the tag list please let me know. I've read this like a thousand times but if theres mistakes im sorry oop(Yes this title is from the new hunger games. I watched it and I'm obsessed! Please talk to me about it! )

Sisters in order of appearance Aganippe, Bolbe

Tag list: @montenegroisr @kneelingshadowsalome @havikshoochiemama @wordstome

       𓇼 - - - - - - - - 𓇼 - - - - - - - - 𓇼

Red. you wouldn't say it was your colour. It's a harsh and rough colour that didn't suit you. A colour you've never taken any notice of before. But you're seeing it everywhere. It's in the berries, the birds, and the flowers. You're seeing /him/ everywhere.

"Sister! Sister! What about this one? " You watch, fiddling with the braslet on your wrist as your sisters pull up a man from the water, he's tall but too skinny and smooth. not your man. A shake of your head, and he's shoved back down the water. Why was it so hard to find this man? You should have paid better attention to his armour, although that wouldn't help much. You're not well versed in the human wars and their armies.

"When did you see him?"

"Around the willows and lake i think it was xxxx "

one of your sisters hums, coiling her hair around her finger, oak skin still wet from the water. "That was Around the date from the Eastern fight, so he's probably with the reds or the greens " that was something the most you've gotten about him "but they're both pretty big armies." She stills looking up at you

"are you sure you were supposed to heal him" huh what did she mean, were you supposed to do anything with him? he just found his way there to you, you could do whatever you wanted with him right?. You weren't sure what your sister was asking, the look on your face must have made her nervous "I mean, maybe you shouldn't have let him go"

       𓇼 - - - - - - - - 𓇼 - - - - - - - - 𓇼

Magic is believing its a lot faith. There aren't any other options könig has so faith and believing are the only things he can hold on to. Belief, that the charm held tightly in his hands, will bring out a nymph, and faith he'll see you again.

The water ripples in the centre, slowly then rapidly, as bubbles ascending into the air.

This is what könig hates about magic it's too unpredictable, it's recklessness, and lacks control. Makes it hard to challenge and counter it. He needs to be in control, know all the moves his enemy could make, and magic doesn't allow that.

The lady standing in the water isn't the one könig's looking for. Her presence is off in every wat, from her appearance to the way the air moves around her. Her hair falls straight down her body it only moves at the tilt of her head. He expected this. Of course, finding his little nymph wouldn't be in easy task, but he more than ready.

"You're not the one I'm looking for," his efforts to keep composure are wasted on her, try as he might to stay neutral, its hard to miss this annoyance that slips in his voice.

"I'm sure I can be just as good," she responds, wearing a warm and gentle smile that never reaches her eyes. It's wasted time trying talking to her, he needs answers not idle conversation.

The waters are calm and still, yet his legs weigh heavy in the water. He's fighting against the waters just to make it to her, he shadows the sun just standing infront of her. He knows his presence is off putting, most women would have turned and run they wouldn't let him get his close. She only smiles the closer he gets.

König feels his feet sinking, or at least it seems that way. When he turned to gaze at her, she's still adorned with that same smile. Only König's looking up at her, not down, His knees are immersed in muddy water. She's now beaming with joy from her new catch.

Her hand catch könig's chin as he struggles to break free, forcing his face to her "hey don't worry. I'll tell her how good you tasted!"

So she does know where she is. That's all könig needs to know, ripping himself from the mud. She stares blankly at him, unimpressed by his display of strength.

"Where is she?" König's hand wrapping round her throat

"Haha, what's this? Are you trying to hurt me?" she dismisses him. König watched as her body phased between liquid and solid trying to worm her way out. Her face drops as she panicked, clawing at his hand while he tightened his grip. " You'll talk"

They struggled for a bit before she let out a screech, causing König to loosen his grip just enough for her swim away. Regaining his wits, könig stands straight in the water, looking around. He'd lost her, but He'll remember this for next time. The spirits are tricky things

       𓇼 - - - - - - - - 𓇼 - - - - - - - - 𓇼

A high-pitched shriek ripples through the air, your sister rushing by, tears streaming down her face, complaining to everyone she passes, "YOUR STUPID SOLDIER ASSAULTED ME!"

"Your soldier?" Your attention sharpens at her call – she found him. She found him! Oh, she found him.

"That stupid man asked for you. He nearly killed me! He's such an ugly and scary thing, why else would he cover his face?". I thought you said he was cute!

Another sister chimes in, "You're just mad you have terrible luck with masked men." Your sister's face burns, her eyes sharpening as she turns to you, "If I see him again. That man is as good as dead." Ah, she's serious. It's best you find him soon.

𓇼 - - - - - - - - 𓇼 - - - - - - - - 𓇼

There isn't a better colour for könig than red. It suits him quite well. It's the colour of the flag he waves high, the flames that light the night, that clear the way for a sege.The blood that paints his body in all its many shades after battle. more than that. It's His source of comfort, his efforts, and proof of his labours turned physically in the form of a carnelin bracelet that sits on his wrist.

The only proof of his nymph he ( had). He'd never be so careless as to lose it. in all his years, he never lost it, if its gone, it's only because it's been taken. He can't lie he is a bit annoyed You took it, but in exchange for his life, he couldn't complain.

He should go clean up he's a mess from that encounter with that other nymph. It's not enough to warrant a full bath, just his face he can wipe his body down with a towel. He wipes the towel across his face, reaching down to wet the towel. In that moment, he freezes, there atop the bubbling water, a carnelin bracelet.

[theambitiouswoman]

How do I overcome self-esteem issues in dating?

Growing up, I don't have pretty privilege like some of my girl friends do, and guys normally would not approach me because I come across as "intimidating" (I have a RBF). I've approached guys I had crushes on at school but I always get rejected, they say that I'm better as a friend than a romantic partner.

I thought my luck finally turned around when I met my ex on a dating app. He checked off many things on my list e.g., successful career, financially independent, exercises regularly and takes care of himself. But after several months I realized that he only dated me because he was lonely and it was convenient for him. He didn't want to commit to me when I asked for something serious. I was crushed. I felt like I was undeserving of love and am convinced that I'll never find someone who will accept me as a partner because I'm not my type's type.

I'm trying to pick myself back up again. I started going to the gym, doing proper skincare, eating healthier, and dressing up better to feel good about myself. But I still find myself secretly hoping for the validation of successful and attractive men when I'm in social settings, as if that proves that I am an equal or "at their level".

I'm aware that this mindset is toxic but I'm struggling to find an effective way to grow out of it. Appreciate your thoughts on this.

Hi beautiful girl

I just want to say how much I admire your self awareness and the effort you’re putting into bettering yourself. It makes you stand out in the best way 🤍 It’s so hard to be dedicated to growth when we don’t feel our best. Use this as a building block for your confidence in case no one has ever told you.

Now, let’s talk about this whole “pretty privilege” thing. Yes, some girls might have an easier time getting attention, but attention and genuine connection are two very different things. You’re not looking for surface level validation—you’re looking for someone who truly sees you & trust me, that’s worth way more than a few extra DMs from guys who just like a pretty face who want you for bad reasons. Pretty privilege is not just about looks and I hate how much the internet emphasizes it. Because pretty privilege is also about your confidence and self respect. How tall you stand. How you put yourself together. How you treat others. I see countless girls who aren’t wildly attractive by societal standards who get treated with “pretty privilege” and you know why? Because they are confident.

I totally get the frustration of feeling like you’re “not your type’s type,” but that’s just a story your past experiences have made you believe—it’s not a fact. First of all, men don’t date who they want, they date at the level of their self esteem. I’ve said this many times before and I’ll repeat it. Men literally never know what they want. Anything you hear men say that they do, it really means the opposite. I’ve never seen this not be true. Because men will always cling to a woman who makes them FEEL, since men have so much trouble with emotion. The right person will find you incredibly attractive, not just in looks but in energy, presence, and personality. You already have so much to offer & you don’t need to prove your worth to anyone, especially men who don’t recognize it. So instead of worrying about if a guy likes you, ask yourself if you like him. Learning to disconnect from the approval of others is important for confidence. And if you approve of yourself, you don’t care what other people think.

You’re already doing amazing things for yourself—the gym, skincare, eating well, dressing up—and that’s exactly where your focus should be. Instead of seeking validation, shift the energy into being the woman you admire. And when you walk into a room, don’t wonder if successful men will notice you—ask yourself, Do I even find them impressive? (promise most aren’t lol — you’re going to have to trust me on this) Do they bring the same value to the table that I do? That little mindset shift will change everything.

Become your own biggest fan. Ask yourself, If no one could see or comment on what I do, would I still want to do it? If the answer is yes, that’s self approval. Unfollow or distance yourself from anything that makes you feel like you need to prove your worth. Instead of trying to impress others, focus on whether they impress you. The most magnetic people are unapologetically themselves. Thats incredibly hot. And everyone is drawn to a woman whose life revolves around herself. Seriously that’s all you’re missing!!! You’re doing so great!

Decenter everyone and center yourself!

You’re not behind, you’re not lacking and you’re absolutely deserving of a love that feels easy, mutual, and aligned. Keep growing, keep glowing and trust that the right people will come into your life because of the confidence and self worth you’re building—not because of how much you chase external validation.

Love you, most of these guys don’t deserve you anyway. Especially with all of the work you’re doing for yourself. Too good for most. A man needs to earn you and work twice as hard to keep you. And men love working for something babygirl.

[rainytypology]

A view of each MBTI type by an INTJ:

Saw a few of these lately so why not? Lol

___

INTJ: My type and the best type obviously. Kidding. Not really. Healthy/mature ones are interesting and helpful, nice and easy to talk to. I've noticed immature ones try a little too hard to seem edgy and cool to fit into the "cold" INTJ stereotype when that's not a flex at all. I think a lot of us are impatient and stubborn too.

ENTJ: Often driven and motivated individuals who put in a lot of effort into what they do. I admire their hardworking nature. I've unfortunately come across a very unhealthy one before who was quite possessive and narcissistic. I did not have to deal with them personally, but a few of my friends did and their horror stories of that ENTJ will probably be stuck with me forever.

INTP: Their minds are...unique. I wonder what goes on in there. Such weird yet interesting individuals. Sometimes a bit rude, unintentional or not. My younger sister is one and I have to resist the urge to fight with her a lot lmao, but maybe that's just us being siblings.

ENTP: Love them. ENxPs in general 🤌🤌. I've never come across a boring ENTP. Often so chaotic. Never fail to make me laugh. I can have the funnest conversations with them. So witty.

INFJ: One of my best friends is one and it's kinda funny how similar yet different we both are. Ni dom things I guess. Other INFJs I've observed seem to have a lot of patience and kindness. Genuinely have a good heart and want the best for others.

ENFJ: I've only met two personally. Can be funny and witty, really approachable people. Both are very loyal and care a lot about their families, they carry a lot of responsibilities for others. Do not like to show their struggles, will probably mention it briefly before changing the subject.

INFP: Probably my least favorite type due to having bad experiences with them. Unhealthy ones can be so whiney and pathetic. Always want to cry and complain but never actually do anything about it. Can burst emotionally without warning. They can be so exhausting to deal with. I'm not gonna automatically hate you if you're an INFP though, that's just stupid lol, but I will be wary. I only have one INFP friend for now and likely because she's a lot older than me, she's much calmer and more considerate compared to the previous INFPs I've encountered.

ENFP: Some weirdos fr but I love it. Always so talkative and excited. Why are you guys lowkey kinda sad though 😭

ISTJ: I haven't come across any irl yet, but a few of my favorite fictional characters are ISTJs. One of my fav kpop idols as well. Not really sure where the boring stereotype comes from as I think ISTJs are quite nice.

ESTJ: I don't think I've met any yet and have typed a few idols as an ESTJ. I know they get a bad rep, but I honestly just think it stems from ESTJ's tendency to be direct, no bs, which can be intimidating/overwhelming for people. They can be really weird and silly only if they're comfortable.

ISFJ: I don't know any ISFJs irl, but seeing ISFJ idols/celebrities, they're just usually nice and kind people. Quiet but do enjoy being with others.

ESFJ: Honestly think my other best friend may be one 🤔 I do think she has a high Fe for sure. They seem to care the most about their presentation and other's opinions of them.

ISTP: I've only met one and they were okay. Pretty chill and had immense "idgaf" energy. But that attitude was also what made them a bit unlikeable as it extended to having a disregard for feelings and morals. Nobody's perfect, but I don't think it's that difficult to have common human decency. I do like a few ISTP characters and celebrities though.

ESTP: One of my older siblings is one and we get along fine. She has a good eye for aesthetics. Her and other ESTPs I've seen don't really seem to be super serious people, they're just trying their best to enjoy life. Adventurous and open minded. Can't seem to stay still.

ISFP: Have only met a few irl and I've also typed several kpop idols as one. From what I've seen, they are a lot calmer compared to INFPs. They're quite passionate but more realistic individuals though, always going for what they want (likely due to aux Se). Also quite blunt lol but it does not top IxTP's honesty.

ESFP: Have not met any irl yet, but from observing an ESFP I follow and ESFP celebrities, I like their straightforwardness. Passionate and expressive. Funny.

[swannieluv]

.𖥔 ݁ ˖꩜ Portraits and flowers- PLATONIC Albedo and Klee x Child!Reader

✦⸼࣪⸳ 𝐆𝐍!𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

✦⸼࣪⸳ 𝐖𝐜: 1,4k

✦⸼࣪⸳ 𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆!!: Slight mention of a bruise.

✦⸼࣪⸳ Part II of: Alchemy, bombs... Family?

✦⸼࣪⸳ A/N: HII!! Writing for Klee is so nice, she's just a silly ball of energy. Hope you guys like it!! Also, a friendly reminder that you're free to send whatever thoughts you have about this or my other fics on my asks <3

"Stay still."

These two words had been repeated thousands of times over the last two hours. A single command that should be simple, if it weren't terribly boring to sit in an armchair posing for so long.

"I still don't understand..." Their eyes turned to the back of the easel, which concealed Albedo's work. "Why do you want to make a portrait of me?"

"Because you're our new addition to the family; it's only fair that we have a portrait of you to put on the wall."

He wanted to present them with a painting that he would do himself. Although most of his drawings didn't make it out of the sketch phase because he always found other inspiration and left his unfinished projects lying around, Albedo was clearly making an effort for them.

For Albedo, this wasn't just a gift. It had been a few days since [Name] had joined the small family made up of Albedo, Klee and Alice; although they still hadn't had direct contact with the latter.

They were still adapting to the new reality they were living in, in the midst of a great deal of internal confusion because they couldn't remember anything about their past. That's where the idea for this gift came from, something that would make them feel embraced by him and Klee.

Albedo then returned his attention to the painting. He seemed focused, trying to capture every possible detail in his work and create the best possible representation of the person in front of him.

"It's already a great honor to have the opportunity to be painted by the 'genius' Albedo..."

They teased him in a light-hearted way. Albedo was known to many as a 'Genius'. Something in his mind said that the person who told [Name] about this title was a certain Cavalry Captain with, apparently, too much free time for his liking.

He wasn't particularly fond of being called that, thinking it was a big exaggeration on people's part. Nevertheless, he decided to join in.

"And it's a great pleasure to be able to paint the great Dodoca..." he smiled and looked at the canvas, his eyes analyzing every detail of what he had already done so that he could correct the mistakes.

"The mini terrorist will surely want a portrait if she sees it."

"Mini terrorist? New nickname for Klee, I see."

In a small family of three - or four if you count Alice - Klee was the bomb-maniac little sister. Although Albedo was the one who spent most of his time looking after the little girl, now that [Name] is here, she has been dividing her time between the two of them. Whenever Klee met [Name] along the way she would jump around and show off her new bombs, causing the two to end up in solitary confinement more than five times before even a week had passed since their arrival.

And today would probably be no exception.

"Mr. Albedo!"

Klee appeared as energetic as ever. The girl looked as if she had just returned from her adventures in Mondstadt, adventures she could only experience outside solitary confinement. In her hands was a bouquet of orange flowers: Windwheel Asters.

"I did it! I've collected all the flowers!"

Albedo stared at Klee in silence with wide eyes, his panic inside was apparent. He had agreed with the little girl to deliver the flowers after the painting was finished, not before!

But seeing Klee's sparkling eyes, he could only laugh softly and stroke her head gently. The little girl was really excited to hand over her present.

"Thank you, Klee."

As soon as Albedo's hand left her head, she ran and threw herself over them in a tight hug. Causing some of the flowers in her arms to slip, not that that was a problem at the moment.

The seat didn't have a back support, so as soon as Klee jumped, they both fell straight to the hard floor and remained there completely motionless while hugging each other.

The sound of two awkward giggles echoed around the room. The fall was funny, but a little painful for [Name]'s back.

"That was so fun!"

Klee stood up awkwardly; her backpack weighed a lot, even if she could carry it around. The contents of the backpack? A mystery, she always took the most random trinkets out of it. The only thing you could be sure of was the dozens of bombs she must hide in there every day.

"Klee picked the best flowers she could find! Just for you!" She brought the flowers close to their faces; a sweet but early surprise for [Name].

"You didn't have to..."

They prepared to get up, wiping the accumulated snow from their clothes. Their efforts were met with a gentle hand extended to them, just like the day Albedo and Klee had helped them.

"Thank you."

They accepted the support and were finally on two feet. Their sore backs would probably end up having a few bruises from the sudden impact they had suffered, but they didn't want to have to worry when they were having such a good time.

“Did Klee hurt you? I didn't intend to…” she mumbled under her breath, a hand over her mouth as the worried girl looked at them.

“I'm not hurt at all. It's okay.”

It wasn't exactly the truth, but what heartless person would say that to her? She looked so guilty right now, fearing having hurt her new friend like that.

“You could've used your vision to avoid your fall. Why haven't you done so?”

That was a reasonable question. The fact they wielded an anemo vision and weren't actively using it when needed was quite curious for him; maybe he could get the answer he was searching for. All evidence, from their vision's shape to their past clothing pointed out their origins coming from Snezhnaya.

It would start to make sense if they truly had come from the snowy nation, since they could stand the cold naturally without feeling slightly bothered by the lack of natural warmth inside his lab – unlike Klee, who would complain to no end about how her ears were “freezing” before getting her vision and becoming the walking heater she is – and their effortless pacing around the mountain, when even skilled adventurers would find the area rather hostile for exploring sometimes.

Yet, no answer would be concrete while [Name]’s memories continued to stay locked inside their mind for who knows how long. But even so, Albedo was more than willing to help them and wait for the right time when things will finally become clear.

“I don't know…” they answered with a rather puzzled look on their face. Their hands clutching to the hanging vision on their side.

“It's alright, just take your time.”

He put a hand on their shoulder, it was a reassuring action to make sure they knew he truly meant those words. Behind him was Klee, picking the flowers that fell when she jumped.

“Remember, no one's pressuring you into remembering anything”

Albedo's tone always carried a wave of gentleness with it. Years of taking care of Klee had surely improved his skills when dealing with children, she was the perfect definition of a ball of sunshine that could melt everyone's hearts.

“Yes, thank you—”

“What's this?” Klee’s question caught you two by surprise. She was standing close to the canvas, eyes exploring the painting quickly as if she was searching for something specific. Yet her facial expression showed a hint of confusion. “Oh, a drawing?”

“Yes, I'm important now so I can have one.”

They playfully stuck out their tongue to her, which she responded by leaving the flowers on a table and putting her hands on the hips with a pouting face. Of course Klee found [Name] amazing now that she was their friend, yet it didn't prevent her from feeling slightly jealous of Albedo's attention. Though it was more of a lighthearted, childish kind of jealousy.

“Right, Mr. Albe—”

He was gone.

“Oh.”

Albedo disappeared without saying a word, leaving them both alone in the lab without any kind of explanation.

“Let me see it.” [Name] ran to where Klee was, in front of the easel. Instead of a half done portrait, there was only a sketch.

Two hours, two freaking hours staying still like a porcelain doll for a sketch. It was quite infuriating, but maybe that's how artists worked? They wouldn't know.

“...”

They were so focused on their representation in the canvas that had failed to see the other two faces composing the picture. It wasn't only them; Albedo and Klee were also present in the sketch by their side. Written delicately in a small blank space was the word “family”.

“Family…"

A cozy home, big dinner, and a fireplace. Those images appeared for a second in their mind alongside the face of a familiar woman, but they couldn't remember whose face was that. It was blurred, just like everything else about their past.

"[Name]?" Klee's voice cut their thoughts. She had the flowers in her hands, ready to gift them with it.

Klee finally gave them the Windwheel Asters. A small smile on her face as she placed them carefully in [Name]’s hands. Maybe, just maybe, they were accepting it better than they thought.

“Klee wants you to be happy. Let's be siblings! I promise I won't explode you with my bombs, really!”

This time, though, the one to start the hug was [Name]. Their arms cautiously wrapped around the smaller child, afraid of hurting her somehow.

If Klee was a small flame due to her vision, [Name] would be the calm breeze to carry her with themselves. It's the very concept of siblings, right? Fighting, yet hugging by the end of it all.

“Thank you, Klee.”

[somepsychopomp]

Would you be willing to share some of your headcanons for how you like the Greek gods to be portrayed? This could be about their character design, personalities, tidbits or anything else, and is not strictly limited to EPIC or PJO.

Yeah sure, but fair warning I ramble for way longer than is necessary or probably even wanted. Here we go:

Of all the Greek myth fandoms I've ever been a part of, I have to say hands-down my favorite portrayal of them (including appearance, mannerisms, etc) would be Hades the video game. I'm not gonna refer to Hades II in this response because I've yet to play it, but I absolutely love the world of Hades precisely because it's extremely clear Supergiant put a ton of effort and research into their characters.

Obviously, they took a few of their own tiny liberties (like giving a lot of the Chthonic characters pants/leggings, including neon colors/highlights, and little things like that), but for the most part, the breadth of their research is staggering. And the gods especially are incredibly well done imo. And it's probably not very remarkable of me to lavish praises on Hades when it's won pretty much every award a game could ever win, but it's earned it all and more.

The way the gods are adorned in gold and silver and vibrant colors (colors that would've had mortals in ancient Greece drooling with envy), and their regal yet petty mannerisms are so spot on and really in touch with actual mythology.

I just really love the gods in Hades. I don't think I actively make my own HCs for how the gods would behave because I don't really interact with mythology that way, but if I had to, they would pretty much fall in line with Hades' interpretation.

Which is going to make the rest of my response sound really, really mean in comparison. But I don't care. This is my honest opinion and I'm willing to stand by it.

In comparison to actual mythology & Hadesgame, PJO is fine at best. Rick made Ares a hothead bully who rides a motorcycle, Poseidon a fisherman in Hawaiian shirts, etc. It's fine. It's exactly how I would expect a man writing for kids to portray ancient mythological deities to make them palatable to his audience. And in the show version, they sort of tone down Ares' blatant aggressiveness by not giving him the fiery eyes, which I kinda wish they kept. I don't miss Poseidon's neon shirts tho.

The two things I'll give Rick credit for is that I actually really like the idea of Aphrodite changing appearances to best reflect the taste of whoever's viewing her, and Calypso being technically imprisoned on Ogygia for helping her father during the Titanomachy. But I also have an issue with these two characters in particular.

I think the vast majority of people who don't actually read the myths but interact with Greek myth-based fandoms (like PJO and Epic, of which there's probably a lot of overlap between) think these traits are canon to their original counterparts, but I'm like 98% sure both were Rick's own inventions. I really need to reread the actual Odyssey, it's long past due for me to refresh my memory, but I'm pretty sure Calypso was just a nymph/goddess who really wanted to bang Ody. And according to some sources, she was treated like the goddess of solitude/isolation, hence why she herself didn't or couldn't leave her island.

So people treating these PJO-isms as canon to mythology kinda drive me crazy yet I can't fault Rick for that. He was mixing mythology with his own ideas, like having monsters regularly resurrect. And that mixing of ideas is something a ton of authors before and after him also did/do, and I can't blame anyone for it.

But if I were to ever write an original novel based off of Greek mythology, I would 100% not use these interpretations for Aphrodite or Calypso because it already drives me insane how many people there are who love PJO, Epic, Hades, Lore Olympus, etc.... who don't ever try to read the source material and take everything they consume for granted.

Speaking of! There's this thing that the Epic fandom does a lot that I've never seen done in any other Greek mythology fandom before and I genuinely hate it. It's a huge pet peeve of mine and I don't think I'll ever be able to get over it.

To be clear, if you like this thing or want to portray the gods in this way, it's completely fine if you do so. It's not to my taste and I strongly dislike it, but how I feel shouldn't impact how anyone else wants to engage in the Epic fandom. But since you asked,

I really fucking hate designs of the gods that give them physical animal features.

To preface: I'm not saying this to sound haughty or smug or superior to anyone else, but I love Greek mythology so much that I got a minor in Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies in college. I took Latin classes, read the original Iliad and Odyssey (translated into English bc I'm honestly not crazy enough to try to learn Ancient Greek), read Sophocles, Euripides, Plato, Sappho, etc. (And especially anything written/translated by Anne Carson!) And I kept pretty much all the books from those classes. They're sitting on my shelf behind me as I type this very response.

All of this to say: I studied Greek mythology in a formal academic setting and loved every minute of it, even if learning Latin made me cry a few times from the sheer stress of it all. That's how much I love this stuff.

Granted, a decent chunk of my memory is a bit faded around the edges from a few years of being out of college, but I remember enough.

So, seeing countless portrayals of Zeus with bull horns & a tail, or Athena with owl wings, or Poseidon with horse/fish features... it all screams to me of a very surface level understanding of Greek mythology. Like someone who's not very familiar with the original myths or their authors/culture heard that Zeus' sacred animal was the bull and said to themselves, "Oh! He must've physically been part animal then!" or "Athena's sacred animal is the owl? She should have wings! That would look super cool!"

To be clear, I'm not trying to pretend that there's no Greek gods with animal features at all when Pan was a satyr. And depending on the interpretation, Hermes either had a helm with wings or wings sprouting from his actual head. But that half-animal, half-human hybridization is not the norm in Greek mythology or art.

But if an artist wanted to create a character inspired by Zeus and gave that OC bull horns and a tail or eagle features, that'd be completely fine by me.

But the Epic fandom definitely developed its own sort of Greek mythology subculture where its interpretation of the gods very much doesn't have to reflect actual mythology in order to be recognized as those mythic figures & accepted as such. Which is fine because Epic and the Odyssey aren't actually the same thing, despite some people assuming so.

I acknowledge that this animal/human trend isn't hurting anyone, but it bothers me personally because it feels so weird and alien to what I know.

And I honestly wouldn't be surprised if Epic is how a lot of people got into Greek mythology in the first place. Ex. I remember Neal Illustrator saying in some stream or video that everything she learned about Greek mythology was from her comments & against her will, but she's done an absolutely stellar job portraying the gods in my opinion. (Also I'm assuming that statement is a bit of an exaggeration because I'm so certain she's def done her own research, and a lot of it.)

And that's because she and a few other artists do the same thing that Hades does: they understand moderation. IN MY HUMBLE AND INDIVIDUAL OPINION, Epic's love of gods with animal features is an example of a fandom sort of inflating a canon text to its extreme. In contrast, Hades is very meticulous in how it incorporates a god's sacred animals, colors, or motifs into their design.

Athena for example has Medusa's likeness embossed on her chest plate and perfectly balances a little golden owl on her finger, reflecting her mythology & her sacred animal in a way that's not super in your face. Plus, her overall appearance exudes grace and strength in equal measure while not discarding her femininity (peep those purple and pink draping cloths, a nod to her status as a weaver). And if you look really closely, she has gray eyes! Which isn't actually a thing Rick invented! Athena was often called Gray-Eyed in mythology! That is a fact!

Granted, would the people actually living in ancient Greece have imagined Athena with purple lipstick & hair, and a purple plume? Probably not, but Hades has gotten the essentials down so it's not as outrageous when they go crazy on their unique sense of stylization.

And just today actually, Neal posted an animatic featuring her design for Dionysus and it fucking rocks. Would highly recommend watching it!

My love of Neal's character design is already pretty well known so I'm just gonna also use her as another example. Her Dionysus has an undercut (or at least some shaved hair?), which probably wouldn't have been a thing in ancient Greece, but she nailed everything else. The leopard print cloak, the grapes ofc., and in another portion of her video, her Dionysus has a pinecone-topped staff! Which was a real symbol of his that isn't as widely known as the wine & leopard!

(Dionysus Riding Panther- Credit to the Archeological Museum of Pella)

Is Neal's interpretation of Dionysus hella stylized and modernized?

Yes, of course it is. Any depiction of an ancient figure by any artist will reflect said artist and the time period they inhabit. But it's not so over the top that it feels like she doesn't know what she's doing. Dionysus doesn't have leopard print skin or a tail and paws. He's an ostentatiously dressed, hedonistic young man and that's basically perfect.

To be completely fair, I also believe Neal went to animation school? Maybe I'm misremembering but I think she at least studied art in a formalized setting. Now, is it fair to compare the likes of Supergiant, which has a team & a dedicated budget at their disposal, to fans of Epic that just want to show their appreciation for Jorge's musical?

No, it's not. Is it even fair to compare a lot of casual fans to Neal, who has a lot of artistic training under her belt? Also no.

But those are some of the most readily available examples I think I can draw upon to make my point & what I enjoy in any depiction of the Greek gods. In contrast, I’ve seen some Epic artists give Athena a cloak/cape that resembles wings and IN MY OPINION design choices like those that take artful consideration of how to incorporate her sacred animal into her design are way cooler than just giving her actual owl wings.

I also didn't want to grab anyone's depictions of the gods where they do have animal features because I don't hate any one artist in particular or want to throw shade at them.

I just really don't like it when the Greek gods have animal parts. Again, in my opinion, it kind of fundamentally misunderstands what a sacred animal even is or how it functioned in mythology and/or Greek culture. In some cases, a god's sacred animal was a sign they were nearby and watching, or it was an omen of sorts, or it was just an extra detail in a piece of art, and in some other cases it was an irl crime to kill a god's sacred animal, stuff like that. I'm very much simplifying it and that's because it's almost 2 am for me and I'm very tired. In essence, the gods weren’t literally their sacred animal, though they could shapeshift if desired.

Which, disclaimer I guess, don't come at me being like "But what about XYZ from myths?"

I didn't major in classical studies. I don't have a job researching ancient history. My major was in creative writing, which means I was trained to examine stories, characters, and their presentations, and to some extent critique them with the intent of improving them. I just so happened to study Greek mythology enough to have a decent understanding of it and the culture it came from.

I acknowledge that most people in any Greek mythology fandom (again, whether that be PJO, Epic, Hades, etc) do not have the luxury of formally studying mythology, going to art school, or having a lot of money or people to do the researching for them. Nor do they always want to. Most people are just doing this and participating in the fandom for fun, and that's exactly what a fan community should be.

But you asked for my opinion, so here it is! Hope I haven't pissed anyone off in the process!

[my-castles-crumbling]

Anon Advice Asks - April 16

pictures anon, ⭐️ anon, tempted anon, midnights anon, ab anon (new)

pictures anon

Hi!

Ugh this is so bittersweet. I'm glad she made you feel special but I know it still hurts. I'm sorry <3 if it's any consolation, I can;t see her putting in an effort to make you feel special if she didn't care at all.

Sending love!

____

⭐️ anon

Hi!

Okay so I really want you to know that there is NO rush to have a relationship. Especially because of your past, please don't push yourself to do things just because your friends are. I promise, when you're ready and if you want it, those things will happen. But right now, it's okay to be unsure. It's actually VERY normal. A lot of people just force themselves to do things anyway, and end up hurt.

As far as liking reading MLM fanfic, please don't feel guilty. It's fiction, and you're allowed to like whatever fiction you want. No judgement. Fanfic is a great way to explore your liked and dislikes, and just get away from the real world. It's okay, I promise.

And about your weight. Hon, I weigh more than you (by a decent amount, mind you) and I am happily married to someone I consider far more attractive than me. I know weight feels like such an important thing right now, when classmates are obsessing over it, but there are plenty of people out there who are attracted to people of all shapes and sizes. I know right now that's difficult to believe, but I promise it's true.

I'm sending you so much love <3

___

tempted anon

I am SO proud of you for talking to your therapist! Like...SO proud.

Yeah, sometimes therapists talk weird. They do that because they're trying to not create shame, and because they want you to have a plan if you feel that need. But it can come off as weird.

I'm so proud of you though, omg!

___

midnights anon

Hi! It’s midnights anon once more,

Thank you for the encouragement, it’s helped a lot. My school is still putting me through the wringer, but it’ll be okay one day

I’m just stressed still. I have an essay due soon (the same one that was due on Monday) I’m nearly done and I just have to finish a few more sentences, but i know I’m not doing it today. I just want to rest, I just did karate and chores and am doing nothing but because I have something to do, I feel paralyzed. I can’t bring myself to do anything because my hearts beating too fast and I’m so tired and scared. I set an alarm to make myself do stuff soon (like dishes, Duolingo, etc.) but while I wait I want to paint but because I’m anxious I can’t bring myself to . I don’t know why I’m so scared! My essay’s fine, I can finish it in a day! I just need 2 quotes, and a conclusion! And my mom said she’d keep me company and help! Why am I so scared????

I feel like I’m scared of everything! I’m scared of how sad and beige and cold it feels outside! I’m scared of getting out of bed! I’m scared of putting on my records! I’m scared and I don’t know why

Thank you for reading, writing this down has already made my heart stop going a mile a minute

Have a lovely day <3

Hi!

Honestly, a lot of people experience that decision/work paralysis and it's SO frustrating. Have you tried breaking things onto smaller tasks? Maybe since you're scared of the tasks, if you break them up and check the parts off as you go, it will feel easier to do, and encouraging when you finish a part?

Also OMG congrats on the guitar! I got my first guitar in high school and it got me through a lot- I'm so excited for you!

____

ab anon

hey, so that's a bit of a weird ask, but i really need help to understand human feelings…(that’s gonna be a very long ask, sorry)

Okay so basically there’s three people involved in this story: a boy, who is a very close friend of mine (let’s call him A), a person who I have a small crush on (let’s call them B) and me.

so i have a crush on B, but I really don’t know them well, we’ve barely ever talked, and they’re two years older than me (they’re 18). Most of my friends know it and I've stopped trying to hide it because I don't even think they know who I am, so it’s common knowledge for people around me. BUT these past weeks, some of my friends and I (including A) have been fake flirting A LOT (yk, like friends do) like every day, every hour every minute. We really do that as a joke between us, and we all know there’s zero feelings involved. 

But A and I have been getting closer because of that, becoming closer friends and all (which I never expected to happen since he’s a white cis straight man and I'm a white enby pansexual person). he started to open up to me more and more, and i became sort of a safe space for him. We kept flirting, even when I kinda stopped with the other ones, and it became our thing, to flirt and act like a couple all the time (like we hold hands, hug a lot, kiss on the cheek/forehead/nose and everything a fake couple would do). it became so so much that he asked me if that was still friendly or if i had feelings for him (when he knew that i have a crush on B) and i obviously said i didn't.

But the thing is: now, we say “i love you” all the time, we send each other these insta reels that you’re supposed to send to your s/o, we say we miss each other, and how the other is so pretty and shit like that? And I'm starting to question if he has feelings for me? i’m really not sure, but he’s the one who initiates most of the stuff we do (at least physical contact, for example: he’s the one who asks for me to kiss his cheeks every time we say goodbye) and i really thought it was just a joke but the line is starting to blur a lot, and I really don’t want him to fall for me, it would kinda be weird for our relationship (at least for him, i wouldn’t change my behavior), and i’m scared i might hurt him, because i talk a lot about B.

Yeah, sorry for the huge ask, you obviously don’t have to answer to the literall book i just wrote

Hi!

I would be VERY shocked if he didn't have feelings for you. It sounds like the lines have blurred a lot. I know flirting with friends is common, but if he's the one to always initiate, to move things further..yeah, it sounds like he has real feelings.

I know it sounds scary and horrible, but you need to tell him in a very clear way that you don't like him like that. As in "X, I need to make sure you understand that I don't have feelings for you. And if joking like this makes you think I do, we need to stop."

It sounds cruel, but acting like this for a lot longer is more hurtful in the long run, because then his hopes are high and he'll be even more upset later.

Good luck!