#you know that phase of your art where is just freedom?

[guaxinimraccoon]

they think they look really cool but in reality they're just weirdos

consistent art style? never heard of her

ALSO HI I'M KIND OF BACK more back than less that's for sure!

[twost3ps]

Since ya doing au and made Emily Michael and Adam's daughter what about an au where Charlie is Lucifer and Adam's daughter just curious how that would come out of your artistic mind. Love ur art is PEAK bro

AWWW thank you so much!!!! AUSGEHYSGEUSGSUWBSBS

But totes I’ve had thought of this b4. Thank you for giving this prompt so I had an excuse to draw and write it out!!!

An au where Adam and Lucifer are Charlie’s dad… umm well there are a couple of ways this could go….

But the first that comes to mind is the one where Adam falls with Lucifer and they have Charlie. Idk if either Lucifer seahorses it and has the baby or if Adam is the one that carries. Idk first man sure, but yk maybe god was like: hey idk what genitals to slap on this guy so let’s do both and gave him both. When Lilith’s gender was determined, it was a flip of a coin. Adam could have just been the mother if it landed on the other side lol. Or maybe if he falls, god strips him of his title as a man, like Lilith, and swaps his genitals. So basically intersex Adam.

Either way, silly girl Charlie, here ya go! (I don't draw her enough)

Even as Adam's kid, I don't actually think Charlie changes all that much. Personality wise, at least. She is very much like her dad lucifur- a silly lovable dreamer- but some of Adam still leaks through, obviously. She's definitely a mommy's girl, and in this case, I'd like to think Adam is the mom figure. So instead of taking liliths more regal and more elegant choices of fashion and way of goinh, she takes on more of a punk and grunge look with a mix of her original style and a bit more agression.

For her looks I think she'd have dirty blonde hair and it would be short (it's my preference, lol), and her clothes are a bit more... punk? She dresses much more losely imo , def because of Adam. She keeps her horns out for the fun of it and her emo face still kinda stays with her, especially after Adam praising her for her look when she was in that phase. She does some sick eyeliner and eyshadow. She HAS to play an instrument so she knows the bass and strangly enough the keytar. I also think she's a bit chubbier because she maybe shared her dad's appetite idk.

But overall, she is still a sweet girl with a dream to help sinners. She's just way more assertive and quick tempered.

I won't lie, I got inspired by one of my friends' relationships with her dad and both lovingly insult each other to death. They talk about how much they "hate" eachother, but everyone clearly understands that both would die for one another for sure, especially Adam.

He may say something like. "Oh Charlie? Yeah if it were up to me I'd sell her for a new guitar" right infront of her but she's laughing so hard as Adam holds her close in a side hug because she knows he's joking.

Idk how to explain it but ifkyk, they lovingly talk bad about eachother but somehow it makes you understand that they really do love eachother as parent and child.

As for Adam and Lucifurs relationship, I genuinely dunno. I kinda want them to be a bit strained because even after the fall, Adam is still loyal to heaven. He's not lilith, who wants freedom - Adam likes security, and even if rule under heaven is restrictive, atleast hes safe. Charlie, to Adam, is one of the only good things that ever came out of the fall, and he would fall again and again just so she could be his. Like Lilith, Charlie is mainly parented by Adam, but it's because Charlie was the only shining light Adam had down in hell. Overtime Adam and Lucifur possibly heal and truly get together, but when Charlie was really young, they were not an item at all.

Then there are other options of Charlie being Lucifur and Adam's baby-

Charlie is born under an angel Adam and fallen lucifur and Adam decides to take Charlie and raise her in heaven

Adam is in no way related to Charlie, but one way or meets her and kinda just adopts her. Lucifur doesn't know why but Adam stakes claim ig

There are more potential ones but I'm not really a writer or an idea maker lol. IM NOT THAT CREATINVE SJVDEHBSBS But I think that this is just a great concept lolol a bit harder to work with than the secret royal family stuff but still fun to think about overall

I might come back to this one day o3o

[myjunkisyuzuruhanyu]

You know, Shoma is generally nonchalant about the details of his artwork creation but executes it perfectly. Given his talent for executing what's conveyed by his coaches and choreographers without much curiosity about the background or specifics, what do you think would change if he were more involved in the idea phase of creation? Additionally, how is it possible for an artist to achieve such perfection without much thought on creation phase or background information?

I think Shoma's approach to performance is different than that of other skaters or artists. He let's the music do the work. He doesn't need the background - though I am sure he gets background info on the ideas of the programs he skated to - but he just needs the music. It's a very unique talent to be able to perform to any music and add to it in a way that it becomes your own art. That is what Shoma is doing. The choreography and ideas may not be his, but the performance very much is Shoma through and through.

I don't think he is univolved in the creation of his art. It may not be like drafting an idea from start to finish, BUT he always added his own ideas and movements to his performances and he is aware of his exact movement up until his fingertips you can see that very well when he analysed his own performances. And with Shoma it's not that he needs someone to tell him how to hold the arm or leg or whatever movement in the exact way and train it 'til it's perfect, but it's coming from a deep understanding from within what is needed to achieve perfection. Shoma has a very different approach to his programs. I feel like the choreography is more like a guide and then he creates his own art with his vision in mind. He will still try to be true to what was originally intended by the choreographer but he always adds. You also can see that he recreate programs and bc he doesn't remember or doesn't want to do every original choreo part he changed the programs to his liking. Like you saw that with him revisiting Ladies of Lavender at PIW 2024 or also the variations of his Great Spirit program when it went from competition program back to gala program. I think Shoma's creative process is a bit undervalued bc he wouldn't voice it as a creative process and doesn't really see himself as the creator that he is.

I think Shoma can come up with own ideas for full programs I just think he would need an initial inspiration to try create something very own from scratch. I mean I don't know how true that is but he said that he doesn't listen much to music so if you don't listen much to music a selection of music would be difficult. I also don't know if even with an initial inspiration he would want to create an own program. I think the way he is involved into his art process now is perfectly fine. And also he likes to highlight other choreographers visions. He first wanted ppl to appreciate Mihoko Higuchi's programs as programs by Japanese choreographers were long overlooked or deemed as not good enough for the Western dominated sport. Then after this he wanted to portray Stephane Lambiel's visions. I think he likes the process of initial ideas and evolving from there.

Not sure if this was a fulfilling answer, but interesting question nonetheless.

Shoma you will be dearly missed with your artistry in competition! Looking forward to where the new freedom will lead in his performances! 🫶

[causeimhappinesss]

Your lucky star (Joel Miller x reader)

Summary: Your town got attacked and you survived, before going to the west and then, you meet Joel. He doesn't seem to be receptive, but could he develop feelings for you?

Warning: angst, age gap, implied death of a family member, blood, some slight spoilers if you didn’t play the games

Pairing: Joel Miller x reader

Words: 4,7k

Disclaimer: English isn't my native language (I'm french), so you can correct me if you spot somes mistakes :)

*

As far back as you can remember, you understood that life was only an eternal suffering. You had never stopped questioning the existence of your life, even if some people told you that we were all born on Earth to fulfill a particular mission. You had never understood yours.

As far back as you can remember, you had spent your time in libraries. You were born in a city that looked more like a slum, six months after the apocalypse began. Then your whole family fled and lived on the road from the time you were three until you were six, in order to find the comfort of a city that wasn’t dictated by the Fedra. You were a family of beautiful doves in search of freedom, guided by the nostalgia of a democracy, of a normal life, where children laughed out loud in the street. Your parents wanted to find a place where you would grow up and learn all sorts of things; they dreamed of a school. A hospital. Warm, cozy homes, similar to the cocoon they had worked so hard to build before the world fell apart.

For as long as you can remember, you've been happy... Because you didn't know the misery of the quarantine zones, of trafficking of all kinds to survive. No, your family had been welcomed in a small town in the countryside called Wintervale. It spanned several streets, each one prettier than the next one. Sure, there were sometimes as many as ten people per household, which justified the sentence "it takes a village to raise a child," but you were safe. The 150 inhabitants lived peacefully, enjoyed hot showers, although a limit of water was decreed, comfortable mattresses, warm blankets, a school, two doctors, a bookstore and a few stores. As for food, it was distributed fairly and the city was self-sufficient. To protect the whole town, electric fences had been installed with guard towers, where each guard was relayed for a 24-hour protection. Thus, while living a normal life, you devoured many books, of all possible genres, from fantasy to science fiction – and those used to make you laugh when they talked about the apocalypse – through historical romance. Sometimes you even read more psychological books, about self-confidence, attachments and emotions.

During 14 years, you had suffered "only" six attacks. Attacks that had caused a few deaths and, thank God, mainly on the side of the attackers. All this was just the beginning... This is what convinced your parents that you had to learn to defend yourself. In the wild, who knows who you might run into, even if you rarely went out? Creatures weren't the only dangerous things lurking in the woods and cities... Looters, rapists, cannibals, slavers... A whole bunch of deranged guys you had to avoid or kill to defend yourself. From the age of 10, you were taught how to handle a bow, a sword and firearms, in addition to defensive techniques as a counterattack. At the same time, you were taught the art of hunting, if you were ever to do so.

All this... It was beautiful.

Despite all this work, you had lost someone essential... Your mother. She had died of a long illness, incurable, according to the doctors... For lack of material and serious medicine. It took you a long time to mourn and recover from her death.

But peace and apocalypse didn’t mix well, blood would flow. You felt that this departure in your life was just a phase to prepare you for the worst. After all, wasn't the role of a mother to love and prepare her child for life?

You could feel it in your bones... Something was coming. Oh no! A clan of raiders had attacked Wintervale with one goal in mind: to take this town, leaving no survivors.

You had fought alongside your family and the other inhabitants to defend this beautiful place tooth and nail... Until you lost them one by one. You could feel the sweat beading up your face, down your neck, and then tracing a furrow down your spine. Breathless, wavering, vision blurred, you knew it was over. You were ready to give up... A bullet whistled and split the air. It was meant for you.

But your father had decided otherwise. He threw himself on top of you to push you off, and the mortal bullet penetrated his flesh with a long, agonized scream. You could feel his warm blood on your hands and abdomen. A metallic scent floated in the cold night air. Your stomach heaved, bile rose up your throat and tears streamed down your face.

What had you done to suffer this?

No, what the poor inhabitants of this city did ? Defending your territory against evil people? No doubt it was the reason.

"Please, go away," your father murmured between coughs.

You wanted to protest, but the look in his eyes, from which life was escaping, begged you to fight...

"You are too young for eternal rest... Leave..."

Through this heartbreaking farewell, having only one way out, that of death for your father, you pressed a kiss on his cheek. What a strange thing, you had never been close to him. Not an "I love you", very few proofs of affection, simply because it wasn’t common in this family... But you found yourself saying these three words, heavy in meaning, loaded with emotions, with a trembling voice.

Your throat tightened, your stomach knotted, you waited for the agitation to calm down around you, your father already dead for a long time on you, to see a flaw... The flaw was the assailants who were dissipating in the city and who left you free to go back to your house. It was a considerable risk, but you couldn't just leave. You had gone back to get a photo album, some canned food, something to drink and provide for your basic needs for the next week... You didn't have time to say goodbye to the place where you had grown up in joy. Now it looked like a graveyard on the asphalt, with corpses lying in pools of blood.

Then you had to leave everything behind and sprint towards the woods with only one gun and two full magazines to defend yourself, a heavy bag on your back.

"Goodbye"... you breathed, without taking a last look at Wintervale.

Weeks passed and you walked across the country, not knowing where to go. You just kept going with old maps you found on your way. You ended up going west, far away from your old life, since your whole family had been dead for over a month and you didn't know anyone else. You were only focused on your survival, on finding edible food and drinkable water, on saving as much as possible. You avoided the places that led to the big abandoned cities, where it was not uncommon to see gangs shooting and kidnapping each other. You had of course come across a lovely couple, but they had only shared your life for a week and a half before they were bitten by some infected. You had no choice but to kill them... Out of dignity for them, but also to prevent new creatures from joining all the others. In fact, you were hoping that states like Wyoming or Idaho would be favorable to you, that you could find a new community based on mutual aid, with no penchant for human meat. Just the thought of it made you flinch.

After months of loneliness, where you had almost died several times at the hands of runners and clickers, but also from severe dehydration... You missed your whole life. You had thought of killing yourself several times. It would have been easier. A bullet in the head, the barrel shoved in your mouth, and it was fine. You would have done it in a room that no one could open, so that your body would be left in peace, so that no one would eat it. For some reason, you kept going. Something was telling you to go on, even though you didn't know what it was.

"No matter what, you keep finding something to fight for"

And this sentence, you will remember it for the rest of your days. You had heard it from the mouth of this man, tall, slender, muscular, bearded, and especially much older than you.

You were screaming. You were biting. You scratched. You were kicking.

The man above you had already managed to take off your shirt to see your bra-clad breasts and his dirty hand was trying to get into your panties.

"Get off me, you piece of shit!" you yelled.

The man, a few years older than you, laughed. He must have been 25 or 26 years old. There was no age for sexual assault, let alone the latest outrages. This psychopath didn't seem to feel pain, despite your best efforts. You dared to hope to attract creatures, which would leave him no choice but to release you. Despite the darkness of the night, you glanced at the sky. You prayed to your lucky stars for help. Any way you could, as long as that scumbag stopped holding on with his weight, far too heavy for yours. You had been losing weight over the years and losing strength as well. In the past, you might have been able to break free from his grip. The shame was slowly overwhelming you and you were losing your strength. You were ashamed that you couldn't push him away. Ashamed that someone would defile you like that. Ashamed to live in a world like this.

You didn't have time to beg him to spare your life, when a melee bar slammed into his skull. His hot blood spurted into your face and made you feel nauseous. His eyes rolled back and his body fell to the side. Immediately, you straightened up and moved back a good meter, before looking up.

In front of you stood a man, accompanied by a little girl. He must have been in his fifties, much older than you, marked with wrinkles, memories of his experiences, his fatigue and the traumas he carried with him. A warm and icy aura at the same time emanated from the charismatic individual.

"Thank you... Thank you... Thank you..." you stammered, over and over.

It was him, your lucky star. There was no doubt.

Your savior had turned around to give you some privacy while you got dressed properly. You were still shaking with terror and wobbling. You took one last look at your attacker before spitting on him. He deserved to be pissed on... You came to your senses at the last second and cleared your throat.

"My name is Y/N..." you breathed, in a dull voice.

They turned around and immediately the teenager next to her, who couldn't have been more than 15, gave you a warm look and a reassuring smile.

"I'm Ellie and the grumpy old man is Joel."

Weren't they related? Your eyebrows furrowed, you scanned them, confused. After all, you wouldn't be surprised if you'd run into a pedo...

"He's kind of my old man. He's annoying, but you'll get used to him. He's a good guy." the girl added.

"Ellie..." growled her "dad" before rolling her eyes.

And that's how you met them. You appreciated Ellie's spontaneity, sarcasm and humor, simply because you shared it. You never imagined that you would share companionship for so long...

For weeks, you grew closer to this man with a solid shell, so hard to break. Something in him attracted you like a magnet. Love at first sight? The mere thought of him made your cheeks flush. You knew you shouldn't have perceived him as a man with whom you wanted to discover the pleasures of life... He was even older than your father. If your family was there, they would have put you in your place and tried to shake you up... But all you could see was Joel... Joel Miller. His name tasted like honey on the tip of your tongue.

September was long and rainy. You found a small house to spend the night in, while Ellie stuck around to flip through the latest comic book she'd unearthed, while eating a can of food. That left you alone with Joel to try to dig up some food in the overgrown neighboring houses, whose white paint had been peeling for ages.

"Do you think we're even close to Jackson County yet?" you tossed, grabbing some handyman tools you could use.

"We have two more days at most. Then we'll rest at Tommy's."

"Man, if you only knew how much I miss a hot shower..." you muttered.

"Did you have them often?"

"Do you really want to talk about the past, Mr. Never Talk About the Past?" you teased him, in a mocking tone.

"Why not?"

That surprising as heck, but you loved the idea, you were so curious about him;

"In that case, you should do the same." you warned him, turning around to look at him.

He scratched his salt-and-pepper beard and nodded. A real miracle was happening, so you smiled, satisfied. But you didn't know what was in store for you... If you told him about your wonderful childhood, he would tell you about his most painful experiences.

Sarah. Tess. Bill. Frank. Smuggling. Life surrounded by Fedra.

"Ellie doesn't know about Sarah and... I don't want to discuss it with her," he revealed, in an enigmatic tone.

You nodded as you followed him out of the last house you had searched. Night was already falling and thunder was rumbling as the wind picked up, crisscrossing the clotted green leaves. Then torrential rain fell on you, like the deluge announced for the apocalypse.

"Hurry!" you hurried, even though you were already soaked from head to toe.

Instinctively, you grabbed his hand and pulled him with you. Against all odds, he didn't reject your hand, but tightened his grip. His hand was warm, calloused and somehow comforting. Your heart was pounding, not just from your physical effort, but from the joy that washed over you. Your whole body was quivering. Once inside the house, you noticed that Ellie was fast asleep on the living room couch.

"I'm going to change, I'm soaked from head to toe. My clean clothes are in the bedroom," you said with an awkward smile.

"I'm following you, I left some of my things there too..."

You nodded, blushing, as your imagination played tricks on you, sending you images more erotic than the others. You shook off these embarrassing thoughts and headed for the only room in the little house. Once you retrieved your other clothes, which you had quickly cleaned and dried, you watched the man unbutton his shirt. Your eyes widened and only when his shirt fell at his feet, you turned around to face him. Your cheeks flushed, your heart pounding and your hands shaking, you took off your sweater and put on a new one, then promptly swapped your pants for another. You took the opportunity to wipe your wet hair, not wanting to get sick. That would clearly be the worst thing... A simple coughing fit could alert a lot of infected people around.

At that very moment, you felt his burning gaze on yours, sweeping over your senses, so that you felt uninhibited. This man had power over you that you loved as much as you hated it. Why did he make your hands shake and your heart beat faster? Why did his lips seem so attractive? Why did you want to curl up against his chest, wrapped in his arms? When you turned around, he had also finished and was sitting on the edge of the bed, taking off his shoes.

"Don't you want to eat? Shouldn't we wake up Ellie?" you questioned him, puzzled.

"She sleeps so well, it would be a shame to get her up just for a meal... Besides, it's better to eat before we leave, we'll have more energy."

In this world so rotten to the core, it was better to ration yourself and make smart choices when it came to food.

When Joel lay down on the bed, you realized that you were going to spend the night with him, unless you preferred the floor... Usually, you shared your bed with Ellie, between girls, while Joel found another mattress or rested on a sofa. You had never slept in the same bed as him, let alone this close. Nervous, you slowly moved closer, took off your shoes, then slipped under the covers. Eyes glued to the ceiling, stained with substances you'd rather not imagine –  probably mold stains from water infiltration – you enjoyed the softness of the blankets, even though they didn't have any warmth in them yet and they didn't smell like laundry. At least the bed was decent and you couldn't ask for more. Then you shivered at the cool air in the house and your damp hair.

"Come closer..." he whispered, in his rocky voice.

"What...?" you gasped in surprise.

"Come closer, Y/N."

You didn't have time to retort as he wrapped a warm, firm arm around your body and forced you closer. As you curled up in his arms, as you had been dreaming of doing for a while, you suppressed a smile and closed your eyes. Your heart was pounding against your rib cage, to the point that it was painful. Your hands were shaking on his chest. You dared to hope that he would mistake this for the aftermath of the rain.

"Joel..."

"Good night, Y/N." he whispered in the hollow of your ear, stroking your back.

You held back from stroking his chest, pressing warm kisses on his neck, then undulating your pelvis against his. However, you did nothing and savored the moment, knowing that it wouldn’t happen again soon. Since your childhood, your parents had taught you to cherish every magical moment, something you did, without asking yourself more questions... Questions to which you would have no answer. The heart has its reasons that the reason ignores.

The time passed and you found in the city of his brother, Tommy. The shooting had already taken place, the bodies had been recovered and their families were already preparing to bury them. Then... there was the conflict with Ellie. The situation became more complex, tense and you tried not to interfere too much between Ellie and Joel, because you understood both of their reactions. There was nothing left to do but leave for University in Colorado, was there? Before you could even say a word, Joel slipped an arm behind your back and pulled you with him, a little further away, so that Tommy and Ellie wouldn't hear anything of your conversation.

"Is there a problem...?"

"I want you to stay with Tommy and Paula."

You almost choked and shook your head. Miller pressed his hands on your shoulders and looked into your eyes. A dark look, full of mystery and danger. A look you always melted for... But this time you wanted to stand up to him.

"No way."

"Please. I need you to stay with them... I don't know what's going to happen on the way to this campus or with the Fireflies. We've been through a lot of perilous situations already and..."

His voice froze and he pinched the bridge of his nose, before looking away to the orange trees.

"And what...?"

Joel shook his head and turned back toward two others. However, you wanted him to follow through with his thought, intrigued. He couldn't start a sentence without finishing it, what's more, if you were to be separated and... maybe never see each other again.

"Joel! And what?"

He turned around and took a deep breath.

"I don't want something to happen to you."

You could have smiled and jumped of joy, but at that moment you couldn't. That serious look on his face filled your heart and brain with a poison called fear... An oppressive fear, ready to make your heart bleed.

"Nothing will happen to me. I can defend myself."

"Don’t try to make me change my mind. Do this for me, please." he insisted, in an authoritative tone.

An authoritative tone and a request more toxic than ever, the only thing missing was the "if you love me, do it"... You knew Joel and this man was capable of tying you to a tree if it wasn’t for you to not follow him. With a heavy heart, you resigned yourself to accept. What you didn't understand was that moments like this were like saying "I love you" to him, words they hadn't used in twenty years... words that were so hard to say.

Joel Miller was not a man of words.

He was a man of actions.

And that act meant more than you could ever know.

Months had passed and they had returned, when everyone thought they were dead. In the meantime, Tommy had found a nice little house for you, where Joel and Ellie would soon join you. Meanwhile, you were working as a librarian and organized activities for children. Even though you didn't technically have to work, it was the least you could do. This town offered you shelter, hot water, electricity and food, as well as protection... You felt indebted. You also got to know Tommy and Paula, wonderful people, who always taught you a little more about Joel, but with limits. You wanted the older Miller to open up to you on his own.

Joel was immediately useful to this charming community, from guarding the ramparts to collecting food and doing manual labor in the surrounding area. As he relaxed, you discovered a completely different man, with more humor and a real talent, especially for music.

He began to teach you to play guitar... but that was before he met Jolene, a sultry redhead, a widow with two children. Her husband had died two years before, of a long illness. They had met at a party you couldn't attend, being bedridden with a fever, while Ellie watched over you like a guardian angel. Yet, that night, you would have preferred her to keep Joel under control... Over the next few weeks, you noticed that he was drifting away, focusing on Jolene, whenever he had free time. You were almost forgotten.

Hurt and heartbroken, you made sure to avoid him. You didn't eat meals at the same times as him, you focused on your work, which filled your heart with a little bit of happiness, and you tried to make new friendships with people your own age. So much so that there were no more guitar lessons... and you missed it a lot. You just didn't have the strength to go back to him. Even though he never promised you anything or really showed you something, you felt betrayed. You felt so stupid for letting yourself go and falling in love with a man much older than you, who probably only saw you as a kid... Like Ellie. The very thought made you feel nauseous, twisted your stomach and made you shiver with embarrassment.

One night, after a long day, you came home. Usually Ellie was already asleep or in the shower. There was not a sound, a sign that she was already snoring under all her covers. You took off your coat, scarf, and shoes before stepping further into your house. You walked down the hallway, which opened to the kitchen and the living room, and out of the corner of your eye you saw Joel's guitar. It was in plain sight, whereas most of the time he kept it in a corner. He probably had time to play a tune before he left for Jolene's house, where he slept half the nights... In fact, you were sure he wasn't just sleeping...

Don't think about it, you're hurting yourself for nothing... your conscience whispered. But it was so hard to accept.

A throat clearing pulled you out of your lethargy and made you jump. Quickly, you turned around and saw that Joel had returned without you noticing.

"Hey... I'm going to bed, good night," you whispered.

"Wait."

You frowned and watched him as he moved closer to you. Suddenly closer, he towered over you, so that you lifted your chin and he lowered his nose at you. This proximity made you miss a heartbeat. Only about ten inches separated you, something that had not happened for so long...

"I thought we could play a song together, it's been so long," he suggested, in a warm tone.

"I probably lost everything, it's a waste of time."

You didn't say this with aggression, but as a logical thing. You hadn't practiced since he was dating Jolene and it was late, the fatigue of the day was taking its toll.

"Please, just once..."

Joel wasn't a man you said "no" to so easily, he could be so stubborn and you didn't have the head to bicker with him. No, far from it. So you nodded and followed him into the living room, before sitting on the edge of the couch. He soon joined you with his guitar, which he placed on his thighs, before tuning it.

"I'd like to play you a song... I heard it today, it's been a long time since I heard it and it made me think of you."

With your lips sealed, you admired the way he prepared himself. He cleared his throat another time and began to pluck the strings in a soft melancholy tune. You recognized the notes immediately. Your mother loved this song that came out a few months before the world fell apart. Then, his husky voice, with a so particular tone, which never failed to make you shiver, took you with it and vibrated in the air.

I wanna take you somewhere so you know I care

But it's so cold and I don't know where

I brought you daffodils in a pretty string

But they won't flower like they did last spring

And I wanna kiss you, make you feel alright

I'm just so tired to share my nights

I wanna cry and I wanna love

But all my tears have been used up

On another love, another love

All my tears have been used up

Why are you doing this to me, Joel...? you thought, your eyes moist. You had the feeling that he was doing this to torture you. How could he sing that song to you, with his eyes locked in yours, when he was in a relationship with another woman?

A tear rolled down your cheek as the last notes of music wavered in the air until they disappeared. You wiped it away with the back of your sleeve and jumped to your feet. You couldn't stand this humiliation any longer and be so weak in front of him. It was unacceptable.

"Y/N..."

"Leave me alone. Do you like making fun of me? Well, get the hell out of this house and back to your Jolene, before I beat the crap out of you!" you threatened, in a hoarse voice.

A gleam of guilt shone in the eyes of the older man who tried to take a step forward, but you pointed your index finger in his direction, in order to tell him not to move.

"Y/N, I broke up with Jolene. I have no feelings for her."

"Oh yeah? Nice? Shall we pop the champagne bottle?" you retorted, in a sharp tone.

"You're worse than me, you're stubborn. I just made a declaration of love to you.”

"More stubborn than you? Are you kidding me..."

You stopped dead in your tracks, when you realized what he had just said, confused.

"Wait... Can you say that again?"

Joel didn't like to repeat himself, you couldn't count on him to do that. Instead, his hands framed your face and he pressed his lips against yours. His rough beard teased your face, but you savored the moment. Your hands clutched the back of his neck and your body moved closer to his. You should have gotten mad and pushed him away, but your heart didn't care. For the first time, your heart was truly exploding with joy. Your heart was pounding, your legs felt like cotton and you felt like you were floating. In your bubble, you prayed that this moment would never end.

Love is a war made of battles, each one more difficult than the other and this day, you were triumphant.

*

Now, I’m thinking about writing a smut part… Should I do it?

My Ko-fi: betrayedwriter

My AO3: BetrayedWriter

My Instagram: carolinemertz_

[loveemagicpeace]

🧚🏼‍♀️🧸Life Events 🎨🧁

🪐I get a lot of questions about saturn and I don't think a lot of people are familiar with the energy of saturn. Many people think that saturn is bad and that it will bring them karma. I don't think Saturn is a bad planet, I never thought so. Saturn energy is difficult and challenging - it's true. But it doesn't always have to be like that. Saturn is the planet of time, days, seasons, lessons and learning. You learn with Saturn - he teaches you how to overcome something so that you can become something better. He shows you the path you are going through. Save you from bad people. Saturn is a silent planet that shows and guides you through life. At the end, he gives you a reward.

⚡️Mars is a planet that can constantly put you in front of challenges, missions and ignorance. It is the planet of aggression and shows itself outwardly, but at the same time it can cover up big things.

💕Jupiter trine Venus in natal chart means that you have a passion for travel, that you can show your talents and creativity in other countries. Traveling makes you feel fulfilled. And there you can also meet the love of your life.

💚Mercury in 9th house- you learn foreign languages ​​very quickly and you like meeting people from foreign countries. And you also really like watching series from other countries. You have a great interest and passion for everything new and different.

🦋Venus conj Mars- you are intense and passionate in relationships. Your level of intensity may be too much for a partner to cope with. Because you want passion and someone who knows how to show you love in a more intense way. You need a partner who will handle your energy and you as a person. It is difficult for you to deal with people whose energy is not too calm. These people are also magnetically attractive.

🫀Mars sextile Jupiter- You possess a steady confidence paired with a unique talent. You fundamentally believe that you should be able to try anything at least once. This also gives you strength, courage, honesty, and generosity.This can also lead you to fame. This aspect is considered one of the luckiest of all. You are bold and strong. This adventurous nature is just one reason others find you very attractive.

🔥Aries rising you might identify yourself as a warrior. Mars who is your chart ruler will show you what kind of warrior you are, how your energy is showing and what provokes you to fight.

⭐️The Sun stands as a symobol of where we seek to shine, achieve, where we find inspiration and take pride. If your sun is in the 9th house in Libra you are looking to have spiritual mentors, meaning you need people who can help you have a clearer view of the world. You discover personal power by embracing freedom in partnership. Your central purpose is to expand existing ideas of what it means to be paired up with someone.

🐚The Ascendant / 1st house also show a new beginning of something and a new chapter of your life. Virgo Ascendant there might be a degree of anxeity about how things will unfold. You want everthing to be organized. Pisces Ascendant each new phase begins with an inner vision. Capricron Ascendant a new beginning can always be something related to your independence, respect, discipline, career.

🧼6th house is all about your daily life, routine, work , habits. Mars in this house it can show that you go to the gym regularly. You can often do things obsessively. It's important to you to do things for yourself. Neptune here might mean you need to bulid in time for daydreaming or listening to your fav music. For you if you miss your joga class, meditation session you don't feel so good anymore.

🧸12th house is our image& imagination. Mercury here you might be interested in myths & fairy tales. Venus you are always looking for the perfect partner. Perhaps art or photography appeal to you. Mars here -you can be very good at things you do yourself. You can have a natural talent for many things related to you. Saturn here might serve you well if you are designer, the manager of an art gallery.

Fire signs tend to seek fun and adventure with friends. Someone who cheers them up and with whom they can do crazy things. Air signs prefer intellectual and social connection. They like everyone to understand each other. Water signs seek an emotional type of bond. Earth signs often conduct relationships at a slower pace than other signs.

🧚🏼‍♀️Venus is a cohesive force, suggesting your style of making bonds and finding common ground. Even in the closest friendship. Venus in Aquarius, for example, the eclectic nature of your friendship group might be based on a belief of giving equal value to all. Venus in Scorpio you will want to have only one person to yourself. And you will want to have a deep relationship with the person. Venus in Sagittarius you will want to create unforgettable moments with your friends and want to feel alive with them.

👄Which side of sex signs are looking for: earth signs are usually very slow and in general are focused on the physical side of sex. Fire signs love passion, drama, romance all together. This make them adventurous lovers. Air signs like someone they can dream about but also someone they can talk to. Water signs are looking for something deeper, intense and mysterious. Only for them. They need to be on the same emotional level for love to blossom. They experience everything through emotions.

-Rebekah🦋🌊🐚

[cygninae]

Hi! 👋 Could you please do 20 and 23 for the Quagmire triplets for the character ask game? :)

Hi Ven ! Sure !!

20 (Weird headcanon)

Quigley

i have literally SO many headcanons for Quigley but I'll try and hold back and only share a few. (I'll refer to Quigley with they pronouns because that is my headcanon !)

if they had been raised in the 2000s, would absolutely have thomas the tank engine or cars bedsheets. so embarrassing

couldn't take serious photos, always had to be pulling a face or doing bunny ears or something

tried to pierce their ears with a safety pin and lemon (did not go well.)

disastrous handwriting. Like incomprehensible.

Isadora

gay awakening was Veronia Lake in I Married A Witch (dir. René Clair)

went through a goth phase (after discovering Mary Shelley and Edgar Allen Poe) where she attempted to dye all of her clothes black. They came out brown.

Duncan

tried to pull a prank on Carmelita Spats by balancing a bucket of water on a doorframe and have her walk through, getting drenched. Forgot to let himself out of the room first and drenched himself.

obsessed with lava lamps

23 (Future headcanon)

Quigley

felt so betrayed by Jacques leaving, that they completely turned away from VFD. Lost a lot of their love for cartography and it took a long time for it to come back. They began to prefer sketching landscapes and people they loved.

discovered David Bowie (this depends on your theory of when ASOUE is set) and he changed their life. Became obsessed with Ziggy Stardust and embraced gender fluidity through makeup, piercings, shiny clothes, etc. learnt to love themself :)

finally got that ear piercing they had botched when they were younger.

actually became really good friends with Fiona. She taught them that it was okay to view the world with more criticism. They got along and were actually really similar. Bickered a lot.

moved to a big city with Duncan and Isadora and got really into the world of music, art, freedom, self-expression. They probably joined a band at some point, no doubt.

Isadora

in the big city, joined a sapphic society and made friends who loved poetry (and girls).

got her poetry published in the paper on multiple occasions, but anonymously. She wanted to spread the beauty of poetry without getting attention for it.

opened up to the idea of writing prose too, and learnt that she was really talented in that area, too, joining writing societies and book clubs and learning so much more about literature. it gave her the opportunity to express herself in more ways than one.

her and Klaus (if reunited) absolutely became an unstoppable best friend duo. They were practically unseperable, and he was in a lot of the same book clubs with her. He worked at one of their local libraries and let her sneak in the back to write in the staff room while he ate his lunch or read on his break.

Duncan

aside from writing journalism, he actually got really into photojournalism. He loved the peace of the dark room and the process of developing photos. He got into the habit of photographing his friends and siblings to immortalise them and kept his favourite pictures in his shirt pocket.

got an internship at a newspaper (NOT the daily punctillio, lol) and had a niche in foreign correspondence, (with the rise in use of the telephone) and he made so many connections across the world. Learning about so many cultures gave him a sense of freedom after feeling so trapped post the death of his parents.

and a dunklaus headcanon, since I can't hold back: after he and Klaus started dating, he would very occasionally sneak coded messages into the newspaper, just sappy stuff saying he missed him and hoped he was having a great day :)

interviewed Lemony Snicket once without knowing it was him.

This was so much fun !! Thanks so much for asking :)

[lqtraintracks]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

Thank you @maesterchill @danpuff-ao3 and @nv-md for the tag! <333

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

314

2. What’s your total AO3 word count?

1,295,054

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Harry Potter is the big one. I've also written some Captive Prince, Locked Tomb, and one Call Me By Your Name fic

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Right Hand Red; Hung Like a Horntail; Slip Into My Lover's Hands; Weeds or Wildflowers (written with the very talented @unmistakablyoatmeal); and check this hand 'cause I'm marvelous

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try. I'm seriously behind. The truth is, I'll never get around to replying to them all. I will someday die with a thousand unanswered comments. But I do try. And I read each and every one and they touch my heart. I'm so very grateful for all the wonderful comments I've received and continue to receive!

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Oof. I hardly ever end things badly. But there was one wee ficlet; lemme go hunt it down. (*plays elevator music*) Ah, here it is: Not-Forever Is Still Forever. It's not MCD or anything. Draco just leaves for Argentina for two years. *shrug emoji* But I like to think I've gotten pretty good at baking some realistic angst into the middle of things, if not writing angty endings. I prefer it that way.

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

All of them except for Burning the Ground, which is an open ending. I'll be honest, I don't like the word fluff. I'm never trying to write fluff, which, to me, denotes a level of uncomplicated sweetness. Maybe others define it differently. But I don't think happy endings are necessarily fluffy. I want my happy endings to put tears in your eyes, to move you. I want to evoke different things with different sorts of happiness for different phases of life. RHR's ending is about a feeling of freedom mostly, of getting to face the next part of their lives without dread. Take You Home has a similar vibe but with them a bit older; they've experienced the painful and mundane disappointments you have to weather in this life that have nothing to do with fighting a dark wizard and everything to do with existential questions about who we are, how we go on, what do you do when it doesn't work out, when you've changed and you don't know who you are anymore. I loved ending it with all their friends, at a march for trans rights. Heart Like Neon has an ending that makes *me* the most happy. I modeled it after an episode of Grey's Anatomy where you find out at the end of the ep that two important characters got married. The whole ep, none of their friends know, then at the end they play 'Bones' by Josh Record, and you go back in time by a few weeks and you see it. When I wrote the end of HLN, I had that song playing in my head from the end of the party at the Weasley's, to jumping three months earlier, to Harry and Draco in Paris. That's a pretty goddamned happy ending. It makes me cry. <3 (Also the art that @bluebutter-art made for it makes me bawl happy tears!!!)

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I was going to say hardly ever but then I *just* got some last week! LOL. Still, I'm very lucky that it's not even once in a blue moon. That stuff is so arbitrary too. I'm going to quote my good friend @elrhiarhodan: People... they're fuckin nuts. :D

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

LOL yes. A lot of different kinds? I want to try a little of everything as a writer.

10. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

No. I mean, I probably have a couple times over the course of my literal decades in some fandom or other, but they're not worth noting.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Yes.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yes, several, and into multiple languages. I think that's so cool!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Definitely! In HP I've written with sdk, @the-starryknight and @nv-md, plus I once did a wild round robin with a big group of people. I'm not good at round robins, I've realized. Too much of a control freak.

14. What’s your all time favourite ship?

Drarry, totally. But right up there is Harry/Teddy and Harry/Teddy/Draco. Then Ginny/Pansy, Charlie/Teddy, James Sirius/Albus Severus (with Teddy too sometimes). In CaPri, I love Damen/Laurent, but @linecrosser had totally made me ship when Damen lends Laurent out to Nikandros for a threesome and also Auguste/Laurent. I also hardcore ship my own original characters from my novel. <3

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

I don't do WiPs really.

16. What are your writing strengths?

Oof, this is tough. Pacing? Interpersonal relationships? Smut, for sure. LOL. I think I do well writing things that are transgressive or maybe even filthy with a lot of tenderness and compassion and deep, deep love mixed in. And I think I'm getting really good at making people cry when I want them to. Readers, that is. :D

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Convoluted plots. Can't do them. I wish I could. I can't write a mystery to save my life. I'm also pretty bad at heavy angst. I also wish I could write something nonlinear, but my brain just doesn't work that way.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

It's interesting that this is a question because it's meaningful to me not because of fic but because of my novel. I have a Spanish-speaking character, fluent in English, but sometimes he says things in Spanish. I'm very VERY lucky that @capiturecs read my novel both as a sensitivity reader for Latinx/Latine/Latino aspects but also to correct my Spanish and make it realistic and conversational! I'll be forever grateful! I also now really REALLY want to learn Spanish! <3

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Sorry, I don't share this publicly.

20. Favourite fic you’ve written?

Oh this is mean. This is cruel. I can't possibly answer this! RHR has got to be in there. Heart Like Neon. Blood and Fire. Phoenix in the Fire. Take You Home. Wonderful Electric (cover me in you). A Pain of Our Choosing. My Name in Your Mouth. Bloom. collarbones like a bow, skin an arrow to the heart. I'll stop there!

Okay, this was fun! I'll tag @corvuscrowned @ruinsplume @floydig @sweet-s0rr0w @lettersbyelise @magpiefngrl @skeptiquewrites and Elr! <3

[rjschoicesstuff]

I've made 2 Immortal Desires oc's so far

The first is a human guy named Miguel, cause I really wanted to explore Ripley's dynamic with a human her age who Knows what she is.

And the second is a vampire girl who shows up in Crimson Beech claiming her whole coven got wiped out by the creator. Which is true but she conveniently leaves out that she joined the creator once it became clear that her coven didn't stand a chance and betrayed them.

I'll drop some more info and art for them below the cut

Both of them are just for little au's I 'write' (more like think of and draw cause I'm Not a writer) cause I love au's yahooo

I wrote all this down at 2 in the morning so idk how much sense it makes + HDDB it's a lot but I found that I enjoy using tumblr as an archive for these things

More about Miguel:

-He's 19, graduated high school in a different city a year ago and recently moved in with his aunt and a cousin in Crimson Beech. He works as a janitor at the hospital.

-I haven't completely figured out the storyline yet cause I mostly just wanted to add a character that's 100% Mine, but so far the gist is that he finds out that Ripley is a vampire, she tries to keep this a secret with him for a while to save both their asses and grow closer in this time because Ripley would go check on him a lot. But eventually someone would find out and they get in trouble. He'd survive his Nexus trial and they keep hanging out. Like I think to Ripley it'd be really nice to have a human friend who knows what she is. And also Ripley gifts him her old talisman bracelet and gradually 'rewards' him with new talismans so he can protect himself if he has to. A lot of this might still change, I'm someone who comes up with characters and the plot follows lol.

-He's a lil shy and doesn't talk a lot, but he's very open about it when he likes people. And he's very Generous with compliments. He's not much of a fighter especially against vampires who are much stronger than him anyway and he'd likely freeze if he ever got into such a situation. He enjoys taking care of people and I think that sorta extends to him Really enjoying giving his blood to vampires lol.

-He has a car that he named Hailey and no one but him is allowed to drive her because he saved up real long to buy her. Like he'll get kinda mad if you even dare to suggest wanting to drive or borrow his car.

-He has a weird sense of humor and often wears shirts with weird/funny/vulgar texts on them.

-Him 🤝 Ripley never completely grew out of their scene phase

-He kinda like Really wants to be part of whatever Ripley, Cas and Gabriela have going on. Like just from the start he has a crush on all of them. He starts out just with Ripley, but eventually the rest follow too.

-He likes how they all make him feel small and fragile in a good way lmao

-I think that while he likes the Idea of becoming a vampire, in reality he doesn't want it. And he knows this. And eventually he would realise it's not going to work with the whole relationship he has going on with everyone in the long run. He'd decide to move out of Crimson Beech and break everyone's hearts lol. Kinda similar to my au where Ripley stays human, tho I haven't shared that one yet..

-I gave him a genderbent version too, just cause everyone else also doesn't have a set gender in the books lol. They are very similar except she feels more freedom in how she can express herself regarding her appearance (like long nails, showing more skin etc.) than canon Miguel.

More about Sabine:

-She's very eccentric and fun to hang out with if she likes you and she's on your side.

-She's a scary good liar and sometimes just makes shit up because it's Funny. Especially because she's definitely over a century old so when talking to younger vampires she'll just make shit up about things people used to do in the past.

-She'd join the Venandi's because she's used to hunting and has a high prey drive.

-She's terrified of dying and will do whatever she has to do to protect herself, she would never put someone else's safety before her own, no matter how important you are to her.

-She betrayed a lot of friends in her old coven, she tried to convince them to join the creator too, so they could all survive, but everyone was set on protecting their coven and town, even if they had to die protecting it. She thought it was insulting that they seemed to suggest she should do the same and left them behind. She feels no responsibility or guilt for their deaths, but rather anger that they didn't make the right decision, like her.

-She's good at reading people and generally knows exactly what to say to make people like her. She'll lose interest in people if they don't 'give back' enough, especially if they aren't fun or interesting enough to make up for it.

-Her love language is stealing shit for people ❤️

-I like the idea that the creations in book 1 could switch between that form and their og human looking forms, so I imagine she can turn into a creature if she wants. I think she has mixed feelings about that form though cause it's kinda ugly 👎 and nowadays she can't switch anyway because it'd blow her cover

[ruelin024]

I wanna have opinions so uh, what do you think of my SacredFell AU? (So far anyway haha)

Hello, my mutual compadre, @littleyukki5033 , I have traveled down to the depths of your blog and will now commence judgment.

Kehehehe. ψ(｀∇´)ψ

[Gonna be long, I like/wanted to try making my responses worthwhile and attentive, to show you I went in on your AU and posts.]

(And you can laugh at me or with me on this, but I may not be the best at giving opinions, 😖 I think. Just know I'm typing this with my miniscule overthinkin’ brain and hurt wrist.)

START!

Feb 4: Don’t be afraid to post your AU and talk about it, beautiful or not, unique or not, complicated or not, similar or not, cringe or not, demented or not, eh or not. 

Share your mind, you’ll find people who share it with you. And if you get hate, show them San’s ass or something. It tells others how nonexistent they are to you. (though I’ve seen someone draw Sans very beautifully thicc, we will keep in mind he is bones, which we indeed simp for). 

Observe Exhibit A:

(I found this silly image saved on my desktop, so I thought it'd be cool to share it with you.)

So never let a negative comment change your love and view of your au and undertale. 

Undertale is amazing, it’s good to ramble, even if others don’t talk about it, even if you’ll never get reciprocated. There’s other people there reading it, like me sometimes I read and forget to heart, or I don’t heart a post because I don’t wanna bombard their notifications and all that. 

Yes, post your art, even if you’ve got no idea what to post, doodle, ask for ideas, or even take a break. I think it’s beautiful to share your mind’s eye. Show no fear, you’ve got this!

Everyone starts where you were once. 

Feb 12: Your Introduction of your own Underfell AU called SacredFell

I am interested. I am in fact one of many who are and will be interested for days to come, for as long as you build and love your AU, as it becomes whatever completion you dreamt of it to be, so on and so forth, even if one day you stop.

I’m finna be there bruh, late or on time.  

And imma let you know that right now as you reading this. You actually asked me first about your AU and lemme tell you, you beat me to it. I actually have fanart for you. AND was gonna find a time to ask you first.

(~(>_<。)＼ Usually I'm ready to send art cause I plan before hand, but someone used a wrist twist move on me for fun recently. ಥ_ಥ)

Anyway, moving forward.

Frisk and Chara of SacredFell: I enjoy teh designs. And me personally, I like Frisks design, the fact Frisk went through multiple design phases is nice to know. Would you ever show Frisk's previous designs?

Oof, you changed SacredFell Sans height from 5’2 to 6ft, damn what a stretch. And he part of the Royal Guard, whoa! 😆hotsome big skeleman.

Also, I love the art style of @/melikitinas, too. 💖

Feb 14: … ScaredFell Papyrus…. I-... 11ft height, yeah, we gonna need a height chart. I short, so they a fucking tree at this point, imagine Paps just bending at the waist towards a shorty like me, he’s gotta be prone on the ground or something. AND his fine ass a 2nd in Command Royal Guard, too. ○( ＾皿＾)っ AWWHEHESJDHWU ✨

Feb 21: LORE Ah, so the beginning is different, interesting. *reads through it with glasses* (I was recently working on my other OCs at the time as well :D.) 

Yukki sounds like a good character! And portaled? Oooooh, portaled, I wanna know backstory! 

Did Yukki not go through the ruins? She just collapsed in Snowdin? Was she unconscious the entire time she was taken to Asgore, up until Toriel saved her?

And usually humans, are strong, is Yukki weak due to something? (you don’t have to reveal too much lore unless you wanna) How much power does Yukki have? Why does it drain so quickly? 

Also, love Toriel, to save one instead of all, what a mother. Even if Yukki wasn’t her own, that was such a big sacrifice for the price of saving one child over freedom. I would love to see how you draw that part out.

And Toriel left Yukki behind the waterfalls, why not take Yukki with her? 

Why out of all the souls, Kindness was taken, would this serve as a significant plot point in the AU?

Would Yukki grow to harbor bad intent or negative emotions towards the monster or would she end up sacrificing herself after understanding the monster’s want for freedom, would she find another way, would she resort to genocide at some point(despite her being weak)? 

Would Toriel come in clutch next time Yukki is in grave danger? 

And what plans would Asgore have after he gets Toriel, I would’ve expected that he wanted Toriel dead, not with a bounty on her head to be returned ALIVE to his home. I'm probably just thinking to the extremes. 😂

I like this plot. I’d love to know how Frisk and Yukki will come together. And if within the one or two years, Yukki stayed with Sans and Papyrus, would the brothers falter when they need to get their jobs done for Asgore when the time comes? Would Sans and Papyrus eventually come to value Yukki as their own friend? Does Yukki know Sans and Papyrus are working to gain her trust to betray her in the end? 

Also is Toriel and Sans doing the knock knock joke through the gate in this AU too? What’s Toriel’s relationship with the characters so far? Within the time Yukki was living in the Underground, does she come to meet Toriel again?

Feb 23: YUKKI I agree Yukki is a main focal point in the beginning of this AU, I really like this. I can’t wait to see how you build this lore up. Would Toriel act again when Frisk comes? Would Toriel talk to Frisk about Yukki? How old is Yukki again? To me, Yukki looks like she has a strong presence, tongue sticking out, seems playful. ✨

Feb 27: Comic Heh. Middle school art is always nostalgic to look back on. I wish I still had some of mine. I threw most out due to the fact, I didn’t want physical evidence of my cringe art tying back to me, but looking back on it now. I was stupid and paranoid. 

Now cringe art is one of my favorite art pieces to discover, it brings a certain emotion outta you, am I right? Yeaahh.  

Anyway, I admire you for sharing your old art and comic. 

An AU, especially when a creator is lovingly dedicated to it, can become hectic and mentally crowded and out of order, or as you say “all over the place.” Good luck on that journey, creating comlex stories is hard! I was overwhelmed by my own ideas and burned out at some point and stopped entirely. You make me wanna go back to my little world.

And Yukki and SacredFell Sans look like they get along noicely. yukki hand on her hip, confidence and power ✨👌 makin' Sansy sweat.

Mar 7: Yay Toriel Character Sheet Me like tall woman. She taller than Sans, haha. I gotta learn how to draw a goat at some point. And she looks good in my opinion. Do SOUL Protectors gain power from the souls? Wouldn't they accidentally at some point absorb the soul? Has any of the protectors even thought of doing that? Doesn't the barrier need one monster soul and one human soul to break the barrier, or is that different in this AU?

Mar 11: Another comic redraw, SacredFell Asgore WIP

Aw SacredFell Sans and Yukki smiling together, your old drawing of them is cute. ANd that’s a jump, good to know they're out of the underground. Hope you eventually find the right design for Yukki, that you’re gonna be satisfied with. I’m excited to find out how they got out of the underground, too.

What's the key on Sans? And the heart necklace on Yukki?

And yes, I think Tumblr does something with the quality of an image when posted, because compared to my computer view, my phone view of some posts are different a bit.

Yass, show off the Goat man. 

ANd I also saw your Avatar DTIYS, looks awesome! I love the coloring, shading, and perspective! 

Mar 15: Update Eh, it didn’t take a while for me to gather info on your AU, it was spread out a little yes, but not so much, for me the pacing was alright. 

Ah and the ask blogs, yeah I dunno how I’m doing this tbh. 

And a webtoon would be great! But I hear it’s a lot of work to put into it, take small steps, so you won’t stress or burn yourself out. But I would definitely read teh webtoon if you were to make one. 

Mar 16: SacredFell Undyne WIP I love Undyne, I just dunno how to draw her yet. Love the art! She pretty. 

Mar 16: SacredFell Flowey Flowey in a bag, hahahahaha. I like how annoyed he looks in the drawing.  

Mar 17: SacredFell Monster Kid Another main character, you developing a lot of lore right now I bet. I wonder how MK will play out in your AU. 

Mar 18,22 : It’s UNDYNE >.< Fangirling. Another Tall strong woman. And missing parents during gaster’s disappearance, is this what I think it is, a lore hint?!?!   

Mar 23: Alphys Alphys is gonna be somewhat of a sly character in the plot huh, wow! And she fights, you gotta make art of that at some point! Alphys having bravery is interesting! 

Pfft, you spelled “Bavery” I didn’t even notice until you mentioned it. 

Mar 23: Gaster I love how you drew Sans and Papyrus in at Gaster’s “You’re in Trouble” expression.

And me like the tinted glasses as well.

Mar 24: Mettaton! He a Bravery SOUL Decoy! Was that Alphy’s idea to make him like that? Is he famous in the underground as well? He’s a looker. And he got four arms! Yuuusss! 

Mar 26?: Muffet Indeed a 5’7 lady spider is a cutie patootie, the arms are good, multiple is betta. Good design!  And she is also part of the Royal Guard, what will the fight be like? I’m curious! 

Mar 26?: That Sacredfell Mini Comic/Story was nicely put together! The end where SacredFell Sans responds with, “I don’t know.” I enjoyed reading this conversation! And Undyne in her royal armor MWUAH!  

So from all this, hopefully I did something good for you, most are just questions and comments, but I hope it served as an answer. *ahem*

A new character was added. [Yukki] = Will lead to more plot. *Check*

There’s a different backstory before the arrival of Frisk. *Check*

Toriel makes an act against Asgore before leaving, Asgore ordering Sans and papyrus to gain Yukki’s trust until the “time” comes = Complicated relationships *Check* 

I can fangirl, which means I can simp, which means, I’m invested. ✨ *CHECK CHECK CHECK*

The concept is really good! (The fact Asgore would entrust the souls to another and make them SOUL Protectors, and you still fight Alphys even in the pacifist route, and I sense "things" though not sure what, but it makes me look forward to your lore.) *ChecK* 

It’s a Fell type Universe. (I love Underfell) *CHECK* 

The art is noice!!!! *CHecK* 

I find interest in how characters will interact or encounter each other. *Check* 

I can see the work put into this AU! I see their dedication based from the dates you posted things about your AU. I really look forward to seeing how you continue to develop and make art for your SacredFell AU! With what you’ve shown at this time, I can happily tell you, for me this AU is interesting, there’s potential in many areas, character development, choice of dialogue, different relationship dynamics, personality, world building, plot changes, etc.

I wish I had more to say, I think most of my response here sounded... I think repetitive, maybe some questions were even answered already and I didn't catch it? Though hopefully I conveyed to you that I think you're doing well for what've you've shown thus far!

That's my grand opinion. 😁✨

Also, I found you through graphictale au. 💕💖👌✨

😙 Both ya'll wonderful.

[spindrifters]

dude i really dont know how to tell you this in a comprehensible way but im just so in awe at you. i've been following your blog for maybe two months or smth bc of the constant wolfstar spam and really enjoy that.

but also i find it so so nice to see an adult in fandom that is comfortable with being an adult in fandom. i've seen lots of people turn away from fandom activity as they grow older (especially from harry potter related stuff. ig it becomes embarrassing for people) but i couldn't imagine that for myself as it is a big part of my own life. why would i stop engaging in a community that shares art and stories and beliefs?

(also as i'm a nonbinary teenager my heart just kind of jumps seeing an adult whos comfy presenting themselves like that on the internet. i'm finishing school soon and growing into the age where lots of people in my social circle seem to expect from me to grow out of this "phase". ALSO i make art myself and its just cool to see "real" writers in fandom. (i really hope me telling you this doesn't bother you.))

i just wanna tell you that your silly little posts always make me giggle and this blog feels like its own little safe space :) hope you're having a nice day <3

I want you to know that it really made my day to wake up to this.

I remember being a teenager and seeing my 30+ fandom friends and just sort of thinking well that's great for them, but there was an underlying assumption that I'd probably grow out of it by then. which made me really sad, but I assumed it was just a natural part of growing up. and then I didn't grow out of it. but more importantly, like you've said, I became really comfortable with it. if football fanboys can have their niche obsessive interests their whole life, then so can I. that's something that happens across the board, at least in my experience. I hit 27 or 28 I think and started embracing things I thought I'd have to put away as an adult, only now I had the freedom to do it in ways I didn't when I was younger. (I'm not just talking fandom. I'm talking dying my hair pink after 7 years of blonde because it made me happy and I stopped caring about it looking professional.)

and I do think part of this is because there's no actual way to 'be an adult.' part of that's because the markers and milestones boomers and much of gen x had don't really exist for us anymore. so you get older and it's a realization that, "I don't have to look and act like an adult. an adult looks and acts like me, because that's what I am." and then you start to meet other people who think similarly. the community of 30+ fans here on tumblr dot com are honestly some of the best people I know.

anyway, all this is to say, I so remember what those growing pains you're going through/can see on the horizon were like, especially relating to the interests I had that society messaged to me were shameful to have. I was a teenager during peak fangirl shaming of the 00s/10s. so I turned it into a fucking career instead.

I'm really, really glad that this feels like a safe space for you, it makes my lil gremlin heart very cozy and warm. xx

[djsherriff]

This piece won’t have any tags regarding the situation happening in the world despite the message being obvious to some, and I will explain why:

I remember first hearing about the phase “never again” in high school where we learned about the First World War, how soldiers were found dead in poppy fields and how the flower became a symbol of remembrance, especially after the horrific atrocities of the Second World War.

Yet it seems time and time again , we keep forgetting that is what the poppy represents and the importance of it.

Time and time again , we ignore genocide after genocide.

The people of Palestine, the people of Congo and the Uighur people are innocent and do not deserve the inhumane treatment and cruelty they’re being subjected to , no one deserves to experience genocide, especially in the modern era where we should know better.

I come from England , a country where I do not have to fear for the safety of myself and my family , where I can ignore the news and live in ignorance of the cruelty of mine and various others’ governments’ actions, where I reap the privilege of my country’s colonial history.

Therefor this will not be tagged with the hashtag connected to the various topics I’ve discussed here. I think it’s more important the hashtags be used for stories of people who are not as privileged as I am and by those who are currently fighting for peace and freedom to simply not be erased from existence.

I usually just draw to make myself and others happy and have a laugh , which I will continue to do so, but I will try my best to share others’ stories on my various social medias and spread word. I hope my art can at least comfort people in this horrible moment of history.

I’m not an activist, I admittedly don’t have the courage to protest like many others do , as well as just personal reasons I rather not share. But I hope this piece shows my thoughts are with the people of Palestine, the people of Congo , the Uighur people, and countless others who are facing modern day genocide as the powers of the world turns a blind eye.

I hope you know that I’m here , that I’m listening and your words are being heard.

[wot-tidbits]

10 Years Anniversary

PART 3

The bad memories

For 10 years I can tell many stories where I was the center of controversies with scandals and all that shit but two stories stand out among trivial ones with their unique meaning for me.

I have angered many people through the years, I am the Asshole after all, and from very early phase I got used to the flexibility of the followers counter. I wondered what the ratio is so I start counting manually who unfollowed me. Yes, I know your names... for the stats. I stopped around 2017 and for my first 3000 followers there were around 1000 unfollowers.

And this was long before the TV series drama.

Today is around 1.5-2 to 1 ratio probably. The record is around 100 unfollowers for 24 hours. But this is not the point. I never considered being unfollowed/blocked as "bad memory". You might be impressed if such numbers happen to you but I got used to that behavior to be normal. Nobody is obliged to follow me or to stay. What I feel is pity which is not for me, but for the people who unfollow/block. Like, imagine seeing all this amazing content of great fan posts, art, memes, etc., one of the best places for WoT fans for exploration and to decide to shoot yourself in the foot. Because why not handicap yourself to prove how angry you are. And do not get me wrong - everyone has the freedom to choose what to do.

So about the stories that I want to share today.

For the first one we have to go back to 2015 when there was created a Skype group chat for WoT fans from Tumblr. At that exact time by coincidence I was in my biggest controversy where pretty much the whole active UAF ganged on me and I was left alone to defend myself as nobody wanted to get involved. I won't get into boring details why and what happened, not because I am ashamed or something but as this is completely irrelevant for the point of this story. So because of the drama it was out of question for me to be member of that Skype chat group. But the Pattern had other plans. By pure accident I got access to their chat logs. I want to be very clear - I did not pretend or lie to be someone else, nor I asked someone to pretend or lie for me. I did not plot it to trick anyone, it just happened.

At the time of the scandal basically this chat group acted as tool for coordination for my opposition on what and how to attack me in the scandal. They could not suspect anything so you can imagine how free and safe they were in slandering my name without any hesitation. I read amazing speculations and many various labels about myself. It was surreal and brutal experience to know what exactly was going on in real time. I do not recommend anyone such revelation. Especially if you cannot handle people to speak your name in bad faith. This is not the first time where I tell the story as I have talked about it here and here.

And I make this reveal not to play the victim or to play the creep. You can imagine that by having this priceless information this was dangerous “weapon” for me as well as for the people involved. For many of you this is nightmare and you probably start imagining various horrible scenarios of cyber harassment.

I wouldn't tell this story if such was the case. No one was threatened, hurt, stalked, harassed or whatever action by me. The only thing that truly angered me was how third completely innocent parties got involved and slandered for nothing. I did not care for myself. At the end after time I had chat with some of the members of the Skype group. And with one of the members I even got to be on friendly speaking terms.

The point of the story is not to tell you how badly I was treated in that hidden chat but that while I was in my lowest point in the fandom, reading all the shit about me, knowing who told what - after the drama I did not hold any grudge and I wanted to communicate. And I did communicate and no one can come out and show disrespectful DMs of mine because of what I have known.

And while for the first story I succeeded to not be bothered what false lies strangers on the Internet tell about me, the second one broke my heart and hurt badly my state of mentality.

For four years I considered and treated a group of people on the Internet as my close friends. Yeah, huge mistake. Do you know what the feeling to be betrayed by friends is? Better not finding out. It did some damage on my mental stability for quite a time as I haven't ever been betrayed at such severe degree before.

I got backstabbed in the heart with no warning out of a clear blue sky. And I stand by these words. I have not talked on my blog about it in the last 2 years but for the purpose of this post, I will tell some of it. No one can come out and say that I did something inappropriate in public or in private. At the end I got betrayed for being "potential threat". This accusation could fly if I was some newbie. But after 4 years? For 4 years of constant communication any real evidence couldn't be found? People couldn't look with their own eyes that 4 years I have never been a threat for anyone despite having admin position to do so much? On the contrary, my introverted ass was constantly pushing around to connect with people and push for the community to be active. I have not changed for these particular 4 years and I have not changed till now. For 10 years as I am on Tumblr no one can come and tell real story of harassment or bullying. With the generic exception of the usual "he is an asshole" because I challenged their opinion and did nothing else.

But again. The point is not making myself victim, or how badly it affected me.

The point, as with the first story, is communication. I am still here. I am still willing to talk with people who do not share my views. We are all different after all. For many of you it may seem impossible and you will forever live in fear and pain.

It doesn't matter how badly I was treated, there is always a bigger goal. I may live in fear, suspicion and pain from all the bad treatment. But this cannot compare to the bigger disaster and the bigger pain watching the superficial manipulated division in the fandom. If we do not want to communicate and talk through our differences, no one else will do it.

Do you know who I credit for my mentality to go through the blur of pain and to still willing to communicate with the people who wronged me? That's right.

Robert Jordan.

Let the Light keep you safe.

LightOne

[ananya-chatterjee]

From Zero to Hero: Navigating the Advanced Features of Illustrator

Welcome to the world of Adobe Illustrator, where creativity knows no bounds, and design possibilities are limited only by your imagination. In this blog, I invite you on a journey—a journey that spans my transformation from an Illustrator novice to a virtuoso of its advanced features. Together, we will explore the significance of mastering Illustrator's advanced capabilities, my personal evolution, and what you can expect to discover throughout this narrative.

The Novice Stage: Getting Started with Illustrator

My journey with Adobe Illustrator began like many others—with curiosity and a blank canvas. As a novice, I was eager to dip my toes into the realm of vector design, but I had a long road ahead.

Reflecting on the Early Days

In the beginning, Illustrator felt like a vast and intricate puzzle. I was fascinated yet overwhelmed by the sheer array of tools and options. But every designer starts somewhere, and I began by mastering the basics.

Embracing the Fundamentals

The basic tools and features of Illustrator were my foundation. I delved into concepts like shapes, paths, and colors. It was a phase of exploration, trial, and error, but it laid the groundwork for my journey ahead.

The Novice's Misconceptions

Looking back, I can't help but chuckle at the misconceptions I had as a novice. Some tools seemed mysterious, and I wondered if I'd ever need to use them. Little did I know that they would become indispensable in my advanced design work.

The Turning Point: Discovering Advanced Features

Every artist has a moment when they decide to venture beyond the familiar. For me, it was the allure of Illustrator's advanced features that beckoned me to explore new horizons.

The Turning Point

There came a day when I realized that Illustrator offered more than just basic shapes and colors. It held a treasure trove of advanced capabilities waiting to be uncovered. This realization marked a turning point in my Illustrator journey.

The Fascinating Advanced Features

What advanced features fascinated me the most? The answer lies in the realm of precision and creative freedom. Features like the Pen Tool, gradients, blends, and intricate text effects opened doors to endless design possibilities.

Motivation to Excel

The motivation behind delving into Illustrator's advanced features was simple: the desire to excel in design. I wanted to create artwork that not only captured attention but also pushed the boundaries of my creativity. Illustrator's advanced tools promised just that.

Mastering the Pen Tool: Precision and Control

The Pen Tool—a powerful yet enigmatic instrument in Illustrator's arsenal. It became my first stop on the journey to advanced vector design, offering unparalleled precision and control.

The Pen Tool Unveiled

The Pen Tool was my gateway to vector mastery. Understanding anchor points, curves, and handles was like learning a new language. But with practice and patience, I unlocked its potential.

A Journey of Precision

Mastering the Pen Tool is akin to mastering calligraphy—it requires a steady hand and an eye for detail. I share my learning process, tips, and techniques for achieving precision and control in your vector designs.

The Pen Tool in Action

From creating intricate illustrations to crafting custom typography, the Pen Tool played a pivotal role in my advanced projects. I showcase examples where precision and control were paramount.

Beyond the Basics: Gradients, Blends, and Meshes

Beyond basic shapes, Illustrator's advanced features brought gradients, blends, and gradient meshes into focus. These tools added depth and realism to my designs, transforming them into works of art.

The Artistry of Gradients

Gradients became my go-to for adding depth and dimension to my designs. I delve into advanced gradient techniques, sharing step-by-step tutorials and examples of complex gradient-based artwork.

Seamless Blending

Blends allowed me to seamlessly transition between objects, creating smooth transitions and captivating visual effects. Discover how I harnessed the power of blends to elevate my design game.

Mastering the Mesh

Gradient meshes—the secret sauce for creating realistic shading and textures. I unravel the complexities of mesh creation and provide insights into its application in advanced Illustrator projects.

The Art of Typography: Advanced Text Effects

Typography is the unsung hero of design, and Illustrator offers advanced text effects that can turn a mundane text element into a stunning visual centerpiece.

Typography's Vital Role

Text effects can make or break a design. I discuss the significance of typography in design and how advanced text effects became a game-changer in my projects.

Showcasing Text Mastery

I proudly showcase examples of intricate text designs and typography projects I've undertaken. From 3D text to custom lettering, these advanced text effects brought my designs to life.

Manipulating Text with Finesse

Manipulating text effectively in Illustrator is an art in itself. I share insights into techniques for fine-tuning typography, achieving visual harmony, and creating typographic masterpieces.

Illustrator's Hidden Gems: Lesser-Known Advanced Tools

Illustrator harbors hidden gems—lesser-known advanced tools and features that can significantly enhance your design workflow and creativity.

Uncovering Hidden Treasures

Exploring these lesser-known tools felt like stumbling upon a hidden garden in a bustling city. I unveil some of Illustrator's hidden gems and explain their potential impact on your design work.

Practical Tips and Use Cases

I offer practical tips and use cases for these hidden gems. Whether it's using the Shape Builder tool for intuitive shape manipulation or harnessing the power of the Width Tool for expressive strokes, you'll find valuable insights here.

Streamlining Your Workflow

These hidden gems aren't just novelties—they are efficiency boosters. Discover how incorporating these tools into your workflow can streamline your design process and elevate your output.

Real-World Applications: Showcasing Advanced Projects

The true test of any skill lies in its application. I share a glimpse into real-world design projects where I applied advanced Illustrator techniques to solve complex design challenges.

From Concept to Creation

Walk with me through the creative process of these projects, from concept development to execution. Each project posed unique challenges, and Illustrator's advanced features were my trusty companions.

Challenges and Solutions

Designing at an advanced level isn't without its hurdles. I candidly discuss the challenges I faced and the creative solutions I devised to overcome them. These experiences enriched my journey.

Elevating Design Quality

The advanced skills I honed in Illustrator undeniably elevated the quality of my work. See for yourself how these projects reflect the power and versatility of advanced Illustrator techniques.

Bridging the Gap: Integrating Illustrator with Other Adobe Apps

Illustrator doesn't work in isolation—it thrives when integrated with other Adobe Creative Cloud applications. I delve into the advantages of seamless integration and offer tips for collaboration.

The Adobe Ecosystem

Adobe Creative Cloud is a family of applications, each with its strengths. I explain how Illustrator complements other Adobe apps like Photoshop and InDesign, creating a harmonious design ecosystem.

Enhancing Design Capabilities

Integration isn't just about convenience; it's about enhancing your design capabilities. Discover how the synergy between Illustrator and other Adobe apps can empower your creative endeavors.

Collaboration Made Easy

For designers, collaboration is key. I provide insights and strategies for collaborating seamlessly between Illustrator and other Adobe software, ensuring a smooth workflow in team projects.

Continued Learning: Resources for Aspiring Virtuosos

The journey from novice to virtuoso is ongoing, and the quest for knowledge never ends. I recommend a curated list of resources for those aspiring to advance their Illustrator skills.

Books for In-Depth Learning

Reading has always been a great way to learn new things. I recommend essential books that delve deep into Illustrator's advanced features, offering in-depth insights and tutorials.

Online Courses and Tutorials

The digital age brings learning to your fingertips. I point you to online courses and tutorials that cater to various skill levels, helping you master advanced Illustrator techniques at your own pace. Think about enrolling in extensive educational platforms like the ACTE Institute, which provide a wealth of materials and programs especially designed for Adobe Illustrator students. These platforms frequently offer structured courses, mentorship, and certification alternatives, enabling you to systematically lay a solid foundation.

Joining the Illustrator Community

The Illustrator community is a vast and supportive network of fellow designers. I encourage you to join forums, social media groups, and communities where you can learn, share, and grow with like-minded enthusiasts.

In conclusion, As I reflect on my journey from Illustrator novice to virtuoso, one thing becomes clear: the path to mastery is marked by curiosity, practice, and an unwavering commitment to continuous learning.

I summarize the transformative experience of navigating Illustrator's advanced features and how it elevated my design prowess. Illustrator is a canvas of limitless possibilities, and my journey is far from over. I encourage you to embark on your own odyssey, embracing the challenges and triumphs that await. To those aspiring to become virtuosos of Adobe Illustrator's advanced features, remember that the path may be daunting, but the rewards are immeasurable. May your creativity know no bounds as you navigate the advanced features of Illustrator.

[seriouslyblacklikemysoul]

Ancient Dreams in a Modern Land - Bucky Barnes x Reader

MASTERLIST

Part I| Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V| Part VI | Part VII

Part VIII - Furnace

Hot like hellfire; the sensation spreading through your head. You weren’t sure what had happened. You knew that it was more than a month – maybe two. Or maybe a year in this… captivity. Injecting you with serums in all colors and shades, was your interpretation of fun these days. Trying to make you comply was not so fun. You had no idea if their methods were successful or not. You did have blackouts and a lot of blank spots in your memory, but you couldn’t be sure it was that or it was because they had just knocked you out. You hoped for the latter.                 You were gasping for air but all you could inhale was fire. You opened your eyes just to witness a pool full of what seemed to be boiling water. It couldn’t be. He needed it you alive. He needed you alive. You kept repeating it like a mantra, but you knew that if his patience run thin, you were disposable.         “I see you are getting familiar with our heating system. It is remarkable, working like a finely tuned clock, all those years” Faustus told you and you forgot all the pain and the torment. This was the first time you had any hint of where you were. If this was used as a heating system, and it was old enough for him to choose those words, you had to be somewhere in Central Europe. And this had to be a big ass building if it needed an Olympic-sized pool to heat it up. Slowly, you took in the room you were in. Big limestone plates and other sedimentary rocks were covering the wall and huge plates of limestone were covering the dirt of the floor, worn out by all this time… If you were in Europe, the only type of building that would this big with such architecture would be a castle.                 Your mind was spinning. You had to have your eyes and ears open all the time. Anything, even a crumble of information could prove enough to find a way out. You didn’t know Faustus, but you had guessed of German origin. Germany had castles but there was something almost too easy for that hypothesis to be true. From what you could understand, and the three rooms you had seen – this castle had gone through many phases. You had to find out more.         “A boiling pool. What, are you going to skin me alive?” you sassed because you knew he wanted your co-operation, as much as he could get it out of you. He chuckled which was unexpected. Then again, engaging in any sort of conversation with him was a risk, because he had a way to make you believe his words, a manipulating ability better than anyone.             “Sie würden kunst nicht verstehen” he told you in German with a hint of a baroque accent. You pretended you had no idea what he said. You wouldn’t understand art. So, wherever you were was considered art or at least… an attraction? Ideas spinning around your brain; were people actually visiting this place? An upper level maybe, but still. If visitors came here, you had a big chance to escape.                     Faustus thought for a moment; you guessed about all the ways he could manipulate you into obeying him. He looked over a couple of files, while you tried to figure out a way out. There were two doors – one leading back to your captivity and one leading to your freedom. If you made a run for it, your guess had to be the correct one. You weren’t sure if you could count on your gut feeling.                 You turned your attention to him again. He seemed pleased. You didn’t like the look he was now giving you. He walked closer, his ginger hair falling like a credits curtain. Ending.                   “You should be proud little shadow devil. You were magnificent” he complimented you and you furrowed your eyebrows in confusion. What? His face became smug and arrogant. He was about to deliver some big news. News you weren’t going to like. He took two pages from the file he was examining.                 “Your work is impeccable. Just take a look. Yesterday’s mission was an absolute success” he commented and handed you the pages. You didn’t really understand what those pages were showing. They were photographs, that much you got. But other than that, your eyes didn’t really catch what your mind was trying to shield you from. Maybe it was the only protection it could offer you.                   A body was covered in blood. A face, rather familiar, was white. Silverish blue eyes were looking at you, open and lifeless. A metal arm was dislocated, and torn into pieces. You were there too. Covered in black from head to toe. A mask had been ripped from your face. Your eyes were dead. No. No.               You looked at him with all the hatred in the world but without having been convinced. You would never hurt him. You could never. No.             “You should be proud. You single-handedly took out that failure, Barnes. You are flawless” he let you on. All you could think were the three words. Took out Barnes. No, that man wasn’t Bucky and you weren’t his little pawn. No, you weren’t a soldier for him. No, he couldn’t have.               “Now, we do have a little more work. You do have to give us the formula, willingly or not. Your choice, of course” he deadpanned, and you tried to catch your breath. You threw the photographs away and screamed at top of your lungs as you launched forward to attack him, kill him, turn him to dust. Had he really made you kill the only person in your life that…               With a calm and calculated swift, he moved away and laughed.     “You may not want to believe it but take comfort in the fact that you didn’t kill him. The Shadow Devil did” he informed you, unruffled. You broke down. You looked at your hands, red was still there, on your fingers and nails. You crushed to the floor, and stayed there, like a broken doll. His tone was offering you pity and pride.                   “He was looking for you, but you didn’t find him. Our work did. The perfect soldier. Absolute excellence” he went on and you were growing number by the second.             “I don’t believe you. Not until I see the body” you offered between pained tears and a black feeling, as cold as ice, spreading where your heart used to be. He seemed more patronizing than ever but he offered exactly what you asked.  “Of course, I will take you to the lab. We’ve been running some tests to see where he failed. We do learn from our mistakes” his frozen tone made you turn it off. You never expected him to agree, trying desperately to believe that this was one of his acts.

  You just nodded and one guard, out of nowhere, placed a cloth on your mouth and nose. 

  You don’t remember how you got there but your eyes could not lie this time. It was him. He was laying there, right there. The only thing that was separating you from him was a thin protective glass. For gruesome scientists had hooked him up with wires, running serums in and out. Watching it happening in front of you, you could no longer deny it; you had killed the man you loved. It was him and it was not an elaborate prank. There was no trick this time; Faustus had really gotten into your head, had really found a way to make you one of his soldiers, had really made you forget who you were, had really made you pull the trigger. He had really made you kill him. Your mind was no longer your own, your will was no longer free, your actions were no longer your own choices, you were no longer you. You became an empty vessel for his commands, another Winter Soldier, a shadow devil as he called you. You were not. And it was this moment you stopped fighting. You let go. There was nothing to fight for anymore. There was no hope, escaping had no meaning, finding a way out was pointless, trying to keep him out of your head had failed. Returning home was no longer an option. You no longer had one. You had killed it. 

[tipsycad147]

How To Become A Witch – 12 Illusive Tips From An Actual Witch

“Some find their home in the Witches’ Craft, Touching magick, drawing down the moon and wielding power, But each must seek and find their path, Is this your way, is this your hour?”I Am a Witch” by Amber K

How To Begin Your Journey Into Witchcraft – A Magickal Guide For Beginners

‘Merry Meet’ – That’s a traditional greeting amongst witches – we’re so glad you found us! As some of you may already know Wicca Now is a place where Amaria and I write all about witchcraft, magick and Wicca. Lately, we’ve been writing about moon magick, water magick and kitchen witchery and today I thought we’d cover another popular topic, namely how to become a witch.

The first thing that any baby witch or person curious about witchcraft needs to know is that pretty much everything you’ve seen television or in the movies about witches is wrong. The witches you see in the movies are pure fantasy, they are the make-believe creations of a clever scriptwriters mind and bear little resemblance to real-life witches. Witches (as far as I know) are not able to fly on broomsticks, turn princes into frogs or dust into diamonds. You might be disappointed to read this but it is the truth and from experience, the truth is always the best place to start.

Both Amaria and I define ourselves as witches so you can be sure that this information is coming straight from a reputable source, however, the world of modern witchcraft is so diverse there may be those who disagree with what we have to say and others still who would tell you a completely different story about witches and witchcraft and swear upon its truth. This is perfectly fine and the choice of whom to believe or not is yours. To walk the way of witchcraft requires one to be an explorer and as with all adventures, not knowing the final destination, and instead, finding joy in the journey itself is what makes it interesting.

As a beginner witch, you can be sure of one thing: there is no One True Way to be a witch. Witchcraft is no place for dogmatics and if you happen upon a witch who tries to enforce his or her rules upon you my advice would be to run. What witchcraft IS is a place of Freedom and Diversity. It is a place where spirituality and the Craft (the art and science of magick) meet. It is a place where you can learn about yourself, express your creativity and connect with your higher self. The world of witchcraft is colourful, diverse, magickal and available to all those who seek it.

Why Do You Want To Become A Witch?

There are so many reasons you might feel drawn to witchcraft. Maybe you’ve always felt drawn to mystical and magickal stories, felt a connection to the gods and goddesses you learned about during history lessons or felt intuitively connected to nature and the rhythm of her cycles (the seasons, the tides, the phases of the moon). Perhaps you’ve experienced synchronicities in your life, things that made no logical sense but seemed to happen for a reason.

You might have family or historical connections to witchcraft or to magickal ways of being. You may feel drawn to Pagan or Wiccan rituals and beliefs. You might like to explore your power as a female, as a male or in whatever form you choose. You might have a curiosity about the deeper mysteries of the universe and about the laws of attraction, manifestation and healing. You might feel misplaced within your current perception of reality and be seeking to find new ways of understanding the world around you.

Whatever your reason for choosing to express interest in witchcraft the choice is yours to make and you are also free to change your mind at any time.

The Wrong Reasons For Deciding To Become A Witch

For as many wonderful reasons there are to choose witchcraft there are also, in my opinion, just as many wrong reasons for choosing the Craft.

Witchcraft is not a way to make yourself more ‘special’ (you are already special and unique), it is not a tool for impressing people or for making yourself feel better than others. It is not a tool for acquiring power or influence (although some use it as such in the form of black magic) nor is it an easy way to get what you want. Witchcraft will not allow you to simply manifest your desires with the shake of a wand. Become aware of your motivations before choosing the path. Understand your own desires and know what it is that you seek.

Please also keep in mind that there are many dishonest people, including those who call themselves witches, who might attempt to scam you. Some people use spirituality and witchcraft as part of a scam to get your money, acquire power over you or influence you into doing things you might not feel inclined to do. Keep your wits about you and trust your intuition when it comes to these matters. Anyone can start a coven or call themselves a witch. That doesn’t necessarily mean that they have your best interest at heart.

The Rewards Of Witchcraft – Merry Be

Being a witch has so many awesome benefits and can be incredibly rewarding! Because witchcraft is so diverse and open to personal interpretation the range of benefits to be expected can be wide-ranging depending on where you choose to set your focus.

I can say from personal experience that being a witch has helped me to feel more connected and loving towards myself as well as helping me to feel more connected to the earth, the moon and the stars. Being a witch has also taught me so many new skills like divination and herbology as well as allowing me to get in touch with my own psychic abilities. 

Some of the benefits of being a witch might include feeling more connected to mother earth as well as to nature in general. You might also feel a deeper connection to your ancestors and those that went before. Because witchcraft is a path of constant learning, witches are often some of the most well-read people you’ll meet.

Witches are also often skilled in the healing arts and may be able to communicate with the animal realm. Some of the other skills you can expect to develop as a witch include divination, herbology and kitchen witchery, knowledge of the moon and stars as well as heightened psychic abilities. Because witches learn to gain control of their own energy and thoughts, you’ll often find that they have very grounded and peaceful energy.

What Is Witchcraft? – A Witches Tale

If you’ve made it this far it seems fair to say that you have a real curiosity about witchcraft but you probably have a lot of unanswered questions am I right? The first question I often get asked by beginner witches is ‘what is witchcraft actually’? As you may have noticed already, witchcraft is a multifaceted domain open to interpretation and wildly diverse. Because of this, it’s hard to put a clearly defined label on it but I’ll try and give you some examples of witchcraft in action so that you can create your own idea of what witchcraft might be.

The first story is about a teenage boy who’s pet goldfish is sick and appears to be swimming listlessly. At night after his parent have gone to bed, the boy walks over to the aquarium and places four pink candles in front of it. He lights the candles and recites a prayer to the god Bast. As he recites the prayer he imagines waves of healing energy flowing towards his sick fish and surrounding it with light. He continues to recite the prayer and hold the image of the healing energy in his mind until he feels its power has reached a zenith. Thereafter he blows out the candles and thanks Bast for helping him with the healing. The next morning he returns to the aquarium to find the fish swimming normally, appearing to be in the best of health as it nibbles on a piece of fish meal. You’ve just seen a young witch in action.

The second story concerns an older woman who has just found the courage to leave her abusive husband. She is sitting alone in a small empty room (the only place she can afford at this time) with her eyes closed. In her mind, she is weaving a picture of her future life. She is experiencing the touch of new comfortable surroundings as she mentally enjoys having a space of her own. She is weaving an imaginative picture of well being and abundance so powerfully that she knows she will begin to draw it into her material experience. She is freeing herself from the bonds of abuse and low self-esteem as she feels connected to a higher power. You’ve just witnessed a witch in action.

The third story concerns a young couple. The family of the young woman are unhappy about the match and are doing everything they can to make her partner feel unwelcome. The couple invites the disapproving family members over for tea and cake to try to smooth things over. The cake is served. It’s delicious and slightly unusual tasting. As each member of the family finishes their plate the energy in the room begins to lift and someone laughs. Soon the laughter catches on and the room is engulfed in a great feeling buzz of warm soft joy and laughter. The family begins to feel connected to the partner of the young woman and new friendships are born. The cake was baked by the couple using a blend of special herbs and spices, blessed with intention and served with clear intent. You’ve just seen two witches in action.

Seasons, Moon Cycles And The Wheel Of The Year

Many witches, especially those following the Wiccan or Pagan path celebrate eight sabbats or holy days throughout the year. These sabbats comprise a yearly calendar called ‘The Wheel of the Year’.  Again, as with all things concerning witchcraft, it’s very much up to you if you would like to celebrate these holy days or not.

The sabbats are as follows: 

Yule (or Midwinter, Winter Solstice): December 20–23 

Imbolc (or Oimelc, Brigit’s Eve, Candlemas): February 2

Ostara (or Eostre, Spring Equinox): March 20–23 

Beltane (or May Eve, Mayday, Walpurgis): April 30

Litha (or Midsummer, Summer Solstice): June 20–23

Lughnassad (or Lunasa, Lughnasadh, or Lammas, August Eve): August 1

Mabon (or Harvest Home, Fall Equinox): September 20–23

Samhain (or Hallows Eve, November Eve): October 31

The sabbats are a way of reflecting the changing seasons and the energies that accompany these changes. If you’d like to learn more about the Sabbats why not check out our blog post on the Wheel of the Year.

Witches also often feel intuitively drawn to the moon and may follow the eight phases of the moon closely. Each phase of the moon brings different energy with it and understand each phase and its corresponding energy forms an essential part of moon magick.

Some witches (including myself) like to perform special rituals on the night of the full moon as this is considered to be the time when the power of the moon has reached its peak power.  As well as working with the eight phases of the moon, many witches like to take their moon magick a step further by incorporating the zodiac signs. 

The energies one can expect as the moon moves through the zodiac are as follows:

Moon in Aries

(the Ram, a fire sign ruled by Mars): Spontaneity, energy, enthusiasm, action, openness, independence, passion. 

Moon in Taurus

(the Bull, an earth sign ruled by (the Bull, an earth sign ruled by Venus): Security, conservatism, nature and strength, health, stability, endurance, Calmness, strength, health, stability, endurance, also stubbornness, slowness.  

Moon in Gemini

(the Twins, an air sign ruled by Mercury): Thought, recklessness, communication, intelligence, knowledge, analysis, social skills, ideas, words. 

Moon in Cancer

(the Crab, a water sign ruled by the moon): Attachment, home, roots, intuition, motherhood, caring, receptivity, emotions, memory, moodiness, stubbornness.

Moon in Leo

(the Lion, a fire sign ruled by the sun): Light, sun, warmth,  love, passion, drama, expressiveness, charisma, pride, generosity, confidence; also self-absorption, craving for attention, egotism.

Moon in Virgo

(the Virgin, an earth sign ruled by Mercury): Task orientation, organization, competence, effectiveness, facts and data, perfection, cleanliness, low visibility, simplicity, personal relations, young people; also self-abasement, moralism, perfectionism, fanaticism.

Moon in Libra

(the Scales, an air sign ruled by Venus): Awareness, diplomacy, partnership, peace and harmony, intellect, wisdom, understanding; also instability, oversensitivity, manipulation, and fear of solitude or conflict.

Moon in Scorpio

(the Scorpion, a water sign ruled by Mars and Pluto): Emotional intensity, passion, devotion, wholeheartedness, intuition, transformation; also introversion, selfishness, and addiction to drama. 

Moon in Sagittarius

(the Archer, a fire sign ruled by Jupiter): Idealism, enthusiasm, vision, passion, friendliness, dislike of conventions, need for freedom; also fanaticism, impracticality, lack commitment need for freedom; also fanaticism, impracticality, lack commitment.

Moon in Capricorn

(the Sea-Goat, an earth sign ruled by Saturn): Responsibility, solidity, reliability, self-control, family bonds, security, conservatism, tradition; also lack of spontaneity, distancing from others, lack of flexibility and openness. 

Moon in Aquarius

(the Water Carrier, an air sign ruled by Saturn and Uranus): Intellect, community, collective effort without intimacy, observation, perception; also emotional detachment, isolation, lack of self- knowledge, erratic behaviour. 

Moon in Pisces

(the Fish, a water sign ruled by Jupiter and Neptune): Sensitivity, empathy, connection, kindness, understanding, imagination, solitude; also daydreaming, impracticality, emotional parasitism, over- sensitivity.

Beyond the cycles of the moon, the seasons and the year, witches may also like to work with the cycles of day and night, life and death, inner and outer worlds or the astrological cycles of the planets.

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What Is Digital Illustration and How Has It Changed the World of Digital Art?

The creative process, the mystery, the science, and the beauty behind art have always held the power to captivate the audience. Digital illustration, like all art, defies definition and can't be contained in a single box because of the infinite variety of possible interpretations. 

A Definition of Digital Illustration

Digital art, also known as digital illustration, is a relatively recent art form that combines the traditional techniques of drawing (using tools like pencils, brushes, and oil pastels) with modern computer graphics software to produce stunning visual effects.

A History of Computer-Generated Artwork

We have a long history of trying new things and employing art in our endeavors. Even though we've come a long way since the time of prehistoric cave paintings and rock art, it won’t be wrong to say that art has always played an important role in human culture.

Digital art's meteoric rise in popularity has resulted in its proliferation across a wide range of media, from billboards and brochures to online platforms and galleries. 

Critical Resources for Computer-Generated Artwork

The term "new media art" can be used to describe both digital illustration and digital art. It's a form of artistic expression where digital tools are integral to the production phase. 

This can refer to works that were created entirely digitally, or to images and works that were initially made using traditional methods but then finished using digital software.

We know it can be difficult for a digital illustrator to sort through all the options when it comes to hardware and software. That's why we compiled this list of digital illustration and art resources to make your life easier.

Hardware 

The hardware component is one of the most important parts of digital illustration.

There must be some sort of tool at your disposal to make your fantasies a reality. One tool that can be helpful is a graphics tablet.

Users can take advantage of a pen-like tool called a stylus to draw on the screen with their hands. 

Then, this gadget will use the stylus data to create an image. These graphic tablets are the most common ones used for digital art.

1. Digitizer Pen Tablets Or Graphic Pads 

These are the bare bones of the graphic tablet world. A stylus is used to draw on a touchpad as the artist looks up at the screen. 

A digitizer pen tablet, once connected to a screen or monitor, can function indefinitely without power.

However, this is only helpful if you are accustomed to this method of operation. Many people find it difficult to use this tool properly because it requires so much practice.

If you are just starting out and don't want to break the bank, this is the tablet for you.

2. Monitor Tablets

Graphic tablets with a built-in monitor are known as monitor tablets. This tablet performs similarly to a high-end version of the regular Digitiser Pen Tablet. However, a computer screen or laptop is still required for connection. Its visuals give artists a lot of room to work in because they allow for precise line control. 

3. Multi-Purpose Tablets

This is the best option available on the market, provided that price is not a major consideration.

It has numerous high-end features, such as palm rejection, variable pressure limits, swift reactions, and tight line control.

One of its defining characteristics is its portability. This gadget can function independently of a computer screen. The iPad Pro appears to be the best option. Its premium features come at a premium price.

Software

The second and most important step on the road to becoming a Digital Illustrator is locating the right software. It's crucial that you and the program are in complete sync with one another. What an artist produces is influenced by the tools at their disposal and the freedom they have to experiment.

Check out the various interesting programs we've included below and pick the one that suits you best. Here are a couple of examples:

Adobe Illustrator

Procreate

Affinity Designer

Inkscape

Adobe Photoshop CC

Autodesk Sketchbook

Corel Painter

Adobe Fresco

How Do You Get Started as a Digital Illustrator?

It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the seemingly infinite number of paths you can take in life and the thousands of people who will offer their advice. So, allow us to help you out with this issue. If you are thinking about a career in this area, consider the following advice:

1) Become more competent in your craft

Improving one's skill set is essential for reaching one's full potential.

You might be very creative and have tried out different ways to play with design, color, and pattern. You need to put in a lot of practice time if you want to reach the pinnacle of your profession.

2. Keep a pen and paper handy at all times.

Pen and paper will forever be an artist's best friend, regardless of the genre or medium they choose to work in. 

The creative process allows for ideas to come from anywhere and at any time. As a creative person, you should be observant, so carry a pen and paper with you at all times. 

3. Create connections with others.

Evidently, we can't achieve instant fame. Making a name for yourself in any field, but especially the arts, requires a lot of hard work and dedication over the course of many years.

Just starting with a few baby steps will help immensely. Since you're just starting out, it's imperative that you connect with other creative types.

4. Never stop learning and always be open to criticism

If you want to grow intellectually, you should never stop questioning and probing the world around you. Many things can serve as sources of motivation, but in the end, it's up to you to discover your own unique contribution to the creative process. Gaining experience is always beneficial. 

Accepting constructive criticism of our work is a difficult task for many of us. But it's important to actively look for criticism so you can learn where you're falling short and make changes. 

5. Become more comfortable describing works of art

To make it as an artist, you need to do more than just stay in your studio and draw whatever comes to mind. Finding your voice to articulate your artistic vision is a sign of maturity.

Where do you see digital illustrations going in the future?

Some believe it is to stimulate deep thought in the viewer's mind. And for others, it's the freedom to try out new ideas and see if they work, or the realization of a long-held dream.

What's most important is that the artist and their work get the maximum exposure possible. 

No one, not even the smartest people, could have imagined that technology would be so common in just a few short decades. Today's story is quite different.

The advent of new technologies has reshaped every aspect of modern life. The field of art is constantly developing. When put together, they create a synergy that elevates the whole artistic endeavor. 

Future Trends in the Field of Digital Art - Year 2022

The art world has been completely transformed by technology, with daily updates. 

Every day brings a new piece of technology, and it's crucial that digital artists stay abreast of the latest developments.

Artists working in digital media have been investigating how technologies like augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), holography (VR), and natural language understanding (NFTs) can be used to create new kinds of user experiences in recent years.  It is predicted that this will develop into a more complex system over time. You should keep up with the most recent technological developments. Check out Sceam'NPixel for the latest developments in the world of digital illustration. The digital art you create can be made more interesting, simple, and fun with the help of the many tools and resources available in our online store.