#~its pure amazingness

[feraecor]

Also to add to the video game section of this post, I'm not the best gamer, not by a long shot. I'm like...noob level on everything. So I watch my lovely wife, Aya, play a lot of different games and she'll get me into them. Even if I don't play them myself.

On a side note, music is a large part of my mental health regimen. If I'm overstimulated, the ear buds are popped in and I'm lost to a playlist for a while. I have a very eclectic taste in music, thanks to my parents and personal tastes and Aya. So my music will bounce from pop to show tunes to rock disney covers to Dwarven ballads. Shit can get crazy.

Currently, Aya has me obsessed with E.pic therefore I'm also on a show tunes kick again.

[socalledsomethingorother]

just finished reading another bkdk masterpiece so i wanted to compile a list of my favourite bkdk fics! all of these authors are incredible!!

a promise (2k words) - katsuki and izuku get a chance to talk before the final war. every time i read this and see that it has hardly any hits or kudos i get offended because this is one of the most beautiful representations of katsuki and izuku’s characters. i love this, so much. it could be drawn out and considered canon and i wouldn’t be able to tell that horikoshi didn’t write it.

#letdekusmash + @/fuckmeupdeku (22k words total) - a news site gives deku some bad press. luckily there’s a thirsty stan account to back him up. who could be running this account? (it’s katsuki) this has been my comfort fic for years. it never fails to make me laugh and it’s just auagsgahsh i love it so much!!! also i reccomend reading fuckmeupdeku first, it’s the one from katsuki’s perspective. i think it makes reading izuku’s perspective that much funnier.

chasing stars underwater (52k words) katsuki has to go undercover for a mission and his death is faked. izuku grieves over katsuki’s “death” while falling in love with his undercover identity. NO FIC HAS REWIRED MY BRAIN CHEMISTRY QUITE LIKE THIS ONE. IT HAS EVERYTHING. IT’S GOT IZUKU. IT’S GOT KATSUKI. IT’S GOT KATSUKI AS A FASHION DESIGNER. IT’S GOT ANGST. ITS GOT AHDHUSVAVDBSBBEBEB I CANNOT PRAISE THIS ONE ENOUGH

deku, enchanted (94k words) izuku is hit with an obedience quirk and is forced to do whatever anyone tells him to. it gets quite awkward when katsuki constantly tells him to “go fuck yourself.” OH MY GOD THIS ONE. THIS ONE AUSUUSGSGDGSGHSGDGDGG. THIS AUTHOR AGAIN. AMAZING. THE ENDING STILL GETS ME.

improbable (75k words) izuku and katsuki meet anonymously in a discord server and talk 24/7. they have no clue that they’re actually talking to each other. THIS FUCKIGN AUDUSUGSGEGEHEHGEGEGEHEHGSVDVSGSHDHHDHDHDHDBDBBEBSBDBDHDH EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS WAS AMAZING. THE NICKNAMES. THE WAY THEY FIND OUT ABOUT EACH OTHER. THE ENDING. THE MIDDLE. THE BEGINNING. THE EVERYTHING.

off my chest (9k words) deku vs. kacchan pt. 3 and it’s pure hate smut. UAGHTHAGAHH AGAIN. ONE OF THE BEST PORTRAYALS OF THEIR CHARACTERS. MY FAVOURITE SMUT FIC. I LOVE THIS ONE MAN.

i’ve found hope in a heart attack (92k words) katsuki has a cancerous brain tumor and deals with it in the most katsuki way possible. THIS ONE HURTS, FOLKS. but man it’s just. it feels canon to me like this just feels like a “katsuki gets cancer arc” of mha. it’s written so beautifully and man. it hurts. a lot.

and now a section dedicated to my favourite author sapphicpandabear who writes pure amazingness every time even though they’re constantly writing. i admire them so much!!

heroes on ice!!! (71k words) a yuri on ice x my hero academia crossover in which katsuki and izuku are a part of a program where they’re taught by quirkless pros. along with those two, a few other members of 1-A visit hasetsu, where they’re challenged to create a short program figure skating routine. YOU CAN FIND MY THOUGHTS IN THE COMMENTS OF EVERY CHAPTER BUT ITS MOSTLY KEYSMASHES BECAUSE I LOVE EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS FIC AND THAT LOVE SHORT CIRCUITS MY BRAIN

break my heart (ongoing) izuku and katsuki haven’t seen each other in years, but they’re forced to work undercover together as a very sexually active couple. I GOT THIS AS A GIFT ITS LIKE PANDA READ MY MIND BECAUSE THESE ARE ALL OF MY FAVOURITE TROPES AND AUGH THIS IS ALREADY AMAZING

1 thru 5 (26k words) katsuki and izuku enter a friends-with-benefits type relationship and use a level system. I GET SO HYPED FOR SMUT FICS THAT HAVE A LOT OF COMMUNICATION AND THIS ONE DELIVERSSSS!!!! this was also gifted to me so ty ty

quirk entanglement (4k words) mina gets a bag of chocolate and each piece gives whomever eats it a random quirk effect. izuku gets an aphrodisiac quirk. i just love whenever mina is chaotically involved in things lmao

canada is too far away for this bullshit (12k words) while overseas, izuku sends katsuki a photo that happens to have a…toy in the background. katsuki goes insane about it. AUGH THIS ONE IS GREAT TOO!! also super funny lolol

[grimmgrinningclowns]

I love my lil puppet boi, its been so much playing him and I can’t wait for the next session.

(Pics 1-6 100% I used expression stencils for practice and don’t claim the amazingness that is the expressions as my own, they were purely for practice sake.)

[tailanega666]

This cappuccino is great

I would give a tip if using the machine to add powdered milk in the cup before turning on the machine to add creaminess as the machine can only use water not to clog the tubes

But yeah delicious

And of course my gourmet ass wants to try and do it a fancy from scratch version of this later lol but on a rush day to day or just lazy this is just perfect and adding the powdered milk is even better

As I bought the wrong capsules to my machine oops

from this coffee drink I had to open the capsules to use it

which was awesome being able to do that instead of throwing food away

which is something I hate to do

I value food too much to do so mindlessly

gotta be grateful for our food always

And

unless finding someone to give to in short notice that would’ve been its end if I hasn’t been able to open it

But anyways good vibes

I did open it and it was awesome so thankful for that

And so I opened the capsules and poured it on whole milk instead of pure hot water and let me tell you super creamy for extra creaminess add a spoon or one and a half spoon of powdered milk woo amazingness

Loved it so much delicious and amazing aroma not too sweet awesome

Definitively a repeat soon hahahaha

[satorus-leftarm]

im SO anxious to go to school- im also excited- like i really hope ppl dont make fun of me bc im steve but still- ITS AN AWESOME AS HELL COSTUME!!! I HA THE BLACK EYE AND THE HAT AND UGH ITS PURE AMAZINGNESS!!!!!

[thegrandtortoise]

OMG YOU GUYS

my female asian badass classmate dressed up like a Straight White Fuckboy (sweatshirt with a flannel over it with a baseball hat and jeans) and she went on Instagram and proceeded to roast the SHIT out of them white boys

I don't wanna post pics cause of privacy but I'll describe each story she posted:

#1: pic of her posing with the caption "I saw at least four guys dressed like this at school today and I wanted to look cool too"

#2: pic of her posing with a pouty face and peace sign, baseball on the side of her head, caption "Hide yo girl I'm going out" (plus a lil fire sticker that says "lit")

#3: pic of her with her hand on her chin with the pouty face and a wink, captions "hmu😜😎", "thicc gorls only", "seeking bad b*tches", some kinda rainbow filter that makes it look like she's high or sumthin

#4: not really a roast just a pic of her with her hair in a braid still in the same outfit (w/o the hat) holding some fro-yo saying she "has a date with a cutie (she's the cutie tho)"

Y'all I'm having a bisexual breakdown

Idk if she broke up with her bf or what but she's going OFF and I'm here for it

[just-antithings]

I hate how people always assume they know exactly what it is you're getting out of a dynamic. I also enjoy older male / younger female ships, not because I LOVE it when dirty old men manipulate and take advantage of innocent young women. (Hell even if it's not for me I don't care if people DO like it because of that.) I like seeing a powerful man brought to his knees in pure wonder and awe of her sheer amazingness, that she's able to be considered an equal contender to him or even more. (And I know EVERY potentially toxic ship dynamic is always blamed on THE STRAIGHTS!! But, I'm lesbian and just like narratives and love stories that run off of the power of "girl is super cool and hot, wow!")

I also like the fantasy of a girl who's only known hardship getting with a man who's established in a position of power and wealth, and instantly having all her needs met by somebody who loves her while being elevated in status and getting to enjoy luxuries for the first time in her life.

Yes I love a big tough man on his knees for the tiny love of his life its just ssoooooooo good. Also yes the powerful man taking care of a girl who's been through so much and just deserves to be taken care of. Oh God that's the best 👌 .

[isabellehemlock]

@fandomtrumpshate made a post about the amazingness of fan labor and encouraged content creators to share a bit about how fantastic it is, so here we go 😎

Beta reading

I tend to edit my fics several times over before ever posting them, and have been blessed to offer beta help for others, because sometimes no matter the genuine effort - you just miss things, especially if you've read the same thing over and over again. A beta can really lend a fresh pair of eyes on things and catch something small, or big, and really help shape a story into something more cohesive that can reach even more people - because what's lovelier for a writer than to know their fic made its way to someone who felt seen/validated? The message becomes more clear if people aren't distracted by repeated grammar errors (one little caveat though, do not fret if you've edited something five times and a mistake still slips through, it happens to all of us and I can personally attest I have never hit backspace over a misspelling on someone's fic over that lol).

Culture-picking

I joined The Old Guard fandom in August 2020, and have been blessed and amazed by all the resources shared to try to remain as culturally sensitive as possible to the international characters 🙏🏻❤ Reading various posts, and the links shared within, allows me to add more depth to the characters outside of the cultures I myself was raised in, both with my writing and my art. Between these, and my own theological studies, I really felt honored by opportunities to chat one on one with people and exchanging information to broaden each other's views and hopefully that is reflected in my fandom engagement (second caveat, there is no way to make everyone happy and offend no one - we are simply too varied person to person - but by knowing you invested time and energy in an effort to be culturally sensitive, you at least can be assured that your intents were pure, and that counts for something).

Sensitivity reading

This probably goes hand in hand with the above as well, but my personal experience was having people I could further discuss various aspects of the day to day life with both Muslims and LGBTQ+ folks. I myself am aspec, but my lens is framed differently in that I'm a Christian CIS gendered heteroromantic woman - and though again, there is no way to satisfy everyone, I wanted to at least strive not to be woefully ignorant and inadvertently feed stereotypes. Being able to discuss with multiple people about day to day things - beyond what you might try to gleam from say, an academic article about the theological aspects of Islam, or statistics around a study about LGBTQ+ issues - has only helped me grow further as a person, as well as (hopefully) add to the content I create (third caveat, there is a difference between telling a story that is not yours to share, and writing about characters finding acceptance and safety with the people around them which can resonate with readers. Always be humble first, and accept that we all bring biases that we must unpack at any given time, and be open to growth and learning. Again, there's no way to satisfy everyone, but it is our responsibility to learn along the way, and I for one am grateful for the people who were willing to share with me).

So there ya go, some of my personal experiences with the lovely fan labor that people bring into fandom ❤

These, and more, options will be available within the auction itself - which opens on the 23rd, but browsing period starts tomorrow! There will be ~100 plus fan labors of various needs featured, so if you've been debating tapping into this vital resource, please do consider this as a gentle sign that also benefits so many lovely causes 🥰

[dangermousie]

Fall In Love eps 13-14

Somehow this drama keeps getting dumber. By now it’s digging its way to the earth crust. But it also gives me this so...

This really cracked me up. Old man, are you sure that’s the time frame you are looking for? It seems he’d only have to be peaceful for two weeks, since you look ready about to croak.

(Side note - I am very amused he’s apparently a nice fluffy caring warlord. Ummm.)

There are two very beautiful people with only two and a half expressions between them.

Even when she smiles she looks like she’s scowling btw. My late grandmother used to tell me not to grimace or my face would freeze that way. Clearly this actress didn’t have a similarly loving grandmother. (This actress is TRULY bad. She, however, doesn’t annoy me the way some of other ones I can’t stand because at least she has decent chemistry with her costars and doesn’t have hordes of fans drooling over her amazingness.) All I can say about Evan Lin’s acting is he has very nice hair. Luckily, I ff through most of his scenes so whatever.

Awww, hugs!

CXX: acting

Heroine: Hmm, did I forget to turn off the stove? Maybe I can take a nap on his shoulder? What was the address of that florist shop again? SCOWL SCOWL SCOWL. If they ever genderbent 2a, she is a great choice for Chu Wanning, seeing that she’s 100% pure wood.

[bbyannabeth]

I have been reading pjo fanfics for the last 8 years and i dont think i wait for one as much as i waited for iwla pleaseeeeee pleaseeeee if its possible give us more than once a week it is pure amazingness (if it is a word:))

im very tempted to update early this week because i’m getting my teeth stolen on monday, meaning i may be out of it by wednesday and i don’t wanna risk posting late… so maybe there will be an update t*morrow

[sun-stormz]

So, sapnap has the axe of peace, and just killed karl with it in todays stream

And sapnap and karl went to bads egg, and made fun of it

Generally today was one onf the first sapnap streams i fully watched live cause mans gotta stream when its 1 am here ( why are they all Americans, my European ass just wants to watch their streams)

It was wholesome, and i always love to see sapnap and karls dynamics

Also karl demanding sapnap drive to him rn and then saying: wait wait my moms coming today and sapnap going: suddenly i really want to come visit you.

Fricken comedy

To say the least i love the two of them, add quackity to it and its just, pure idiotic amazingness

I love their friendship so much

[youngboy-oldmind]

ALBUM REVIEW- Alfredo

“Scammin' n****s maxin' out, ratchet b*****s actin' out/ God made me sell crack so I'd have somethin' to rap about/ Lobster lollipops and crustaceans, ho, what you mad about?/ I f****d you twice in Vegas, that p***y wasn't shit to brag about”

Alfredo, the dual album co-created by Alchemist and Freddie Gibbs (hence Al-Fredo), is a fantastic album. Its a nonstop ride of near perfection that makes me wish it was longer than 35 minutes. Alfredo utilizes low-key, smooth production backed by Gibbs’ intense delivery. This pairing fits perfectly and creates a listening experience unlike one I’ve heard in a long time.

Alfredo mainly features Gibbs storytelling. He talks about his experiences with life, fame, gangs, and drugs on tracks like “God Is Perfect”,  “Something to Rap About”, and “Babies and Fools”. He also has several tracks named after people that have impacted him “Scottie Beam” and “Frank Lucas”, along with a track titled his nickname “Skinny Suge”. Overall the content of this album is mostly intense and dark. But it is not depressing or sad, just raw and truthful.

The production is very subtle and transitions smoothly from track to track. I believe that records stand out if listening beginning-to-end feels like an experience instead a playlist. This album creates a perfectly fluid listening experience. He uses spoken quotes pulled from various sources to maintain the theme and setup each track. The instrumentals also flowed into each other so it never feels like a song ends. I often found myself checking my phone because there were times I couldn’t tell the song changed. And that is always a great experience.

Gibbs’ didn’t invite many other artists on this record, but the guests he did include were excellent. He only featured four artists: Rick Ross, Benny the Butcher, Conway the Machine, and the best feature, Tyler The Creator. These four held their weight and contributed to the amazingness of this album. Gibbs kept on par, matching the skill of each guest he brought in. And none of the features felt forced or purely for promotion and sale. Each feature felt organic.

This may be a shorter review than normal simply because it is an excellent, brief album that comes and goes before you know it. I HIGHLY recommend this record to really anyone who appreciates hip hop music. Alfredo is a modern epitome of hip hop excellence, and one of the best albums I’ve heard in a long time.

Top 3 Tracks:

1) Something to Rap About

2) Skinny Suge

3) Scottie Beam

Overall Grade: A

[watchingspnagain]

Meet Mace

Hi, I'm Mace, and this is my Intro Post. Ab Spectando Condito and all that. (I sometimes channel Livy when I'm nervous, don't be alarmed.) And I'm nervous because my memory is absolute crap so I can't actually remember all the details here, even though this all started only, like, two years ago. It's also hard to wrap my head around the idea of trying to describe this thing that Lor and I have started (created?) and how and why it has become so important. So, well, bear with me.

Okay, here goes: For years friends had been telling me that I *needed* to watch Supernatural; it was right up my street, they'd say. But I kept putting their recommendations aside, thinking that, sure, Dean from Gilmore Girls is in it and he's adorable, but that other guy looks like a frat boy cliché, and overall the show seemed like it was probably Buffy but with Dudes (and I LOVE Buffy and will brook no substitutions or messings-with The Buffy). Eventually I decided to give it a try anyway, a decision wholly based on how hilarious the memes were. Maybe the non-Dean guy (His name is Dean? *His* name is Dean? Wait, no, that's not...but why tho?) isn't so bad? The first attempt didn't go well: my husband, who is so very not interested in SPN, was away on a business trip and I waited until my then-10yo son was in bed, crawled into bed myself, and started the first episode. At night. Alone. I made it 10 minutes before actually saying out loud, "NOPE" and turning it off. Cripes, that first episode (and most of the first season, really) is actual, full-on scary! I mean, what. Why have Handsome Boys making Hilarious Quips on a show that I can't watch because I'm too scared?! Sort of rude, to be honest.

And that was it for, I think?, a couple of months or so. Then - and this is one of the places where my memory gets foggy (I tried three times to type that correctly and the first two came out as "goofy" and honestly yes that too) - the watching of SPN was mentioned on another site I spend much amounts of time on. I suspect Lor remembers the details much better than I do, but somehow we starting talking about how we both had been thinking about watching SPN for a long time, but hadn't actually done so because past attempts on both sides had resulted in fright and flight.

Now, Lor and I have been friends on that other site for several years, but never before really corresponded much outside of that site's chat-like forum section. I pretty much admired her from afar, as it were, and held her as a Fantasy BFF in my daydreams - she was (and still is to this very day) cool and *so* clever and smart and had (and still does to this very day) such a brilliant knack for turning a phrase and I admired (and still do to this very day) her wit and snark and general amazingness, but, again, mostly from afar. So when we somehow decided to try again with Supernatural, but this time together, I was ridiculously excited. I had no idea, though, just how life-changing that decision would be. We bonded, it seemed, almost instantly over our love (second time is the charming one, I guess?) of the show and over discovering how much we have in common with each other. It's comical, almost, just how alike we are in all kinds of areas: similar childhood experiences, nearly identical (like, eerily so sometimes) tastes and opinions on all manner of things, and we're essentially twins in our list of Things That Make Our Anxieties Spike.

We started off watching the episodes separately (I think I was a little ahead of her for a bit? Gah - stupid faulty memory) and then typing up our comments and emailing them to each other, then responding with comments on our comments. And it quickly became one of the highlights of my days, getting those emails, reading through her clever and hilarious remarks, feeling pure glee when we had almost exactly the same thoughts - sometimes even typing the exact same phrases, word for word. This, then, at some point, evolved into watching the episodes at the same time and live-texting each other, which means that now we very often are typing exactly the same reactions, word for word, and then geeking out at how SAME we are in real time. Of course we have differences, too, but even those seem to complement each other: she's the Hufflepuff to my Slytherin; she's a Dean girl and I'm a Sam girl (well, and also a Crowley girl - Sam girl in the streets and Crowley girl in the sheets?); she likes Wuthering Heights, which slightly baffles me but, okay, because we both agree that MacFadyen is the best Darcy.

We had big plans to have a meet-up to watch the series finale together. See, we've never actually met in person. We became friends online, then became closer friends through this mutual SPN watch, but that's also online. And so I've never been face-to-face with my best friend. Because the meet-up for the finale didn't happen, of course. Because Covid, of course. For both of us, anxiety added a special sauce of NOPE to leaving the house this last year and we've both, I think, been pretty much isolated, staying home and not having much interaction with others outside the other members of our households. Which means that our SPN watching and our growing friendship took on an even greater meaning and importance for me. I'm honestly not sure that I could have handled the massive stress and anxiety of this last year without Lor's friendship. It just feels...natural, at this point, that I spend my days texting her back and forth about all sorts of things, the small and mundane to the big and important. Lor has become a huge part of my life and if a full day were to pass by without talking to her, I'd feel that loss fairly keenly. On some level it seems pretty bizarre that I owe such a debt of gratitude for this amazing friendship to a TV show, but here we are. This show, its characters, and the actors and writers who have made them so outstanding and special? Well, I owe them all incalculable amounts of thanks.

Anyway. So.

We're now on our second go-round with our SPN watching (because I think neither of us can now even begin to fathom a life in which we're *not* watching this show together), and Lor, (hello - did I mention she's brilliant and amazing?) low-key drops the idea that we should be blogging our live-text conversations. We've talked before about really wanting to have a record of *waves hands around* all this, and a blog seems like a great way to do that, regardless of whether anyone else ever reads it. I'm content for it to be an open and ongoing love letter to Supernatural and to our friendship, even if it remains a largely unread one.

And finally, here are a few Thing You Should Maybe Know About Me:

I'm a farmer's daughter with a PhD in Classics, a one-time professor, turned stay-at-home mom, turned part-time librarian, turned Classics prof. again, living in the Midwest with my husband, 12-going-on-80yo son, and a goofball of a golden retriever.

I love reading as much as I hate housecleaning, and I'll read pretty much anything unless the dog dies or the child gets hurt.

I also really like knitting and sewing and one of my very favorite things is to make ridiculously-tailored Halloween costumes for my son (thank the gods he's totally into it, too). I missed my calling to be a cosplay designer. Maybe in retirement...

I fall in love easily and fast and hard for fictional characters, especially the ones that are 1) evil and/or generally villainous, 2) tormented, 3) super smart and/or skilled, 4) filthy rich, 5) completely unattainable, and if they're all of the above, Holy. Damn.

[cursegirlrabbit]

HAPPY ONE MONTH ANNIBERSARY TO MY DARLING, WONDERFUL, NEAUTOFUL, GENIUS EMI!!! @emitroll I know it's only been a month but its been just the most perfect happy month ever!!

And thanks to the one and only amazing, flattened artist @munchkinlatte who did this for me, thank you so so so so so very much your art style is pure amazingness

[bcdaily]

Up on the Rooftop (Lily/James, Drabble)

A/N: Did someone ask for a pure fluff drabble to close out the decade? No? Oh well, here it is anyway. Thanks for another decade of amazingness, friends. <3 

A03 ~ FFnet

“How did I let you talk me into this?”

From behind her, Lily feels her boyfriend’s chest rumble in quiet laughter, the vibrations radiating through numerous parts of her—enveloped as they are, with her neatly tucked between the vee of his spread knees, her back curled tightly against his chest, arms casually intertwined, his chin resting idly atop her head.

It’d be decidedly cosy—delightfully so, even—if they weren’t at that very moment cuddled up on an ancient castle’s decidedly questionable roof, with the frigid late December air battling their hastily cast Warming Charms, about to ring in the year 1978 with a dash of danger and slate roof debris chaffing their thickly-layered arses.

“Where’s your sense of adventure?” James asks.

“Inside,” Lily replies. “Where it’s safe and warm.”

“Then that’s your first resolution for the new year: an embracing of escapade.”

Lily’s head tilts back. She eyes him with dry pointedness. “Still dating you, aren’t I?”

Dark eyebrows disappear into his truly ugly brown knitted hat. His mum had given it to him for Christmas. Lily is rather certain there are holes in it. It’s utterly impractical.

She’d got one, too. It’s purple and deformed and her new favourite thing.

“Are you calling me an escapade, Lily Evans?” he demands.

“Among many other things, James Potter.” She reaches up and pulls the hat down over his eyes. The strained fabric pokes out where his specs indent and she laughs. Successfully blinding him, she then tugs his neck down until their lips meet.

Maybe—maybe—it’s not so cold up here.

She lets out a long sigh and snuggles deeper into James’s embrace. He pushes the hat brim back over his eyes and then drops his head into the crook of her neck, where he burrows until he somehow finds skin.

With the hot press of his mouth on her, Lily arches and sighs again.

“I’m going to miss 1977,” she comments idly. “It was kind to me.”

“1978 will be better.”

“Know that for certain, do you?”

“Definitively.” His teeth scrape against her skin, then he soothes it with his lips. “Already resolved to embrace more escapade, haven’t you? Improvement is nigh.”

“You resolved that I would embrace more escapade,” Lily laughs, finding his gloved hand on her stomach, covering it with hers. “I’ve resolved to eat more greens. And quit swearing so much.”

“Fucking hell.”

“And—” She leans slightly out of his embrace, which he protests vehemently with garbled noises, and reclaims the open bottle of champagne they’d left sitting beside them. Lucky it hadn’t toppled over at some point, drenching an unsuspecting passerby below. She settles back against him with the bottle cradled in her arms. She takes a long swig, nose crinkling at the bubbles. “And drink less, too.”

She offers the bottle up to James, who makes a scoffing sound.

“Straight from the bottle,” he sneers. “Got your germs all over it now.”

“Yes,” Lily says sympathetically. “I know how much you hate my germs.”

“Despise them.” James takes the bottle from her, placing it back on its spot beside them, so he can get to her mouth. “Disgusting.”

Up on an unsafe rooftop, Lily feels quite safe in silly, happy, cosy love.

James starts unzipping her coat and she thwacks his fingers with a laugh and another kiss, contrarily grabbing the tab and sweeping it all the way up until her chin and part of her mouth are buried behind the closed fly.

“What are yours?” she asks, voice muffled against the heavy cloth.

James fights her idly for possession of the zipper. “What are my what?”

“Resolutions.”

“End zipper production.”

“Logical.”

“And—” He pulls a sneaky maneuver, fingers somehow dodging up and then down again, ignoring her squawk of indignation as he successfully gains control of the zipper tab. He zips the coat all the way down…then zips it straight back up. And grins. “Be more elegant in my many victories.”

She flicks his nose. “Good one.”

“Also.” His arms shift, closing around her. His lips drift to her ear, warm breath playing there. She’s so distracted by the toasty feel of it, she almost misses his whispered, “Marry you.”

Heart immediately jumping in her chest, Lily lets out an inelegant snort. His breath—surely, it’s his breath—sends shivers down her spine.

“Bold goal.” She turns her head to look up at him, the brisk wind reddening her cheeks. Surely, just the wind. “Perhaps—and this is just me absently ruminating, mind—perhaps one should be dating longer than five months before making such a decision?”

“Fair point,” James concedes, his face noticeably stolid in this joke—surely, a joke. “Except, of course, that I didn’t make this decision five months ago. Ages before that, I’ll have you know.”

“Ages, you say?” For the first time, Lily notices that his fingers have settled back over her stomach. Settled…and have a slight tremor to them. Her heart begins to pound harder. “Love at first sight, was it?”

“Love at first—are you kidding?” He pulls a face. “Hate at first sight. You were a terrible eleven-year-old.”

“I do recall something about a terrible eleven-year-old,” Lily muses. She covers his hand—surely, the cold. It is surely the cold that sees them shaking—with hers. “Didn’t I try to plow your trousers with pumpkin pie first year?”

James sniffs. “Yes, you did.”

“And you deserved it wholeheartedly, as I also recall.”

“Conjecture. I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“If we got married, we could never keep pumpkin pie in the house.”

James buries his face in her hair. “Never much liked it, anyway.”

“James?”

“Hm?”

“You’re…you’re kidding, right? About…”

“I’m not about to ask this very second, if that’s what you mean.”

“That’s not what I mean.”

“Have the whole year to get to it. That’s the point. The resolution is for the year.”

“James.”

“Except it won’t happen at Christmas. Everyone always does it at Christmas. That’s a cliché.”

“James?”

“Not until after graduation, either. I’m not going to have you walking around with a big, hulking thing on your finger, trying to take exams. You’ll get carpal tunnel.”

“I don’t want something big and hulking.”

“Noted.”

They’re quiet on the rooftop. Quiet, but for the whistling of the wind, and the far-off splashes of the squid in the lake, and Lily’s heart, which is surely beating so loud the entirety of Scotland can hear it.

She’s not cold anymore. Not even a bit.

Her lips press together. They press together so hard, it’s nearly painful. There’s a biting sting at her eyes, sharp as the wind goes, and she takes in a deep breath, holding it in.

“Well.” His voice is short. Tight. He leans his cheek against her hair. “It’s just a resolution, anyway. People break those all the time.”

“Don’t,” Lily whispers. Her lips feel numb. “Don’t break this one.”

Behind her, Lily feels the tension in his body freeze for a long moment—lengthy, lingering, hard as slate, and still as the silent evening, as this burgeoning moment on the cusp of a new year, on the brink of a rooftop, on the possibility of…then he exhales.

“Okay.” His head drops back down into the crook of her neck. On her stomach, his fingers flutter.

“James.” She twists around in his vise-like grip. “I love you. You know that, right?”

“You’ve mentioned it a time or two.” His voice is muffled against her skin. Then his head lifts. His brown eyes are bright in the moonlight. “I just wanted to make sure you knew…that I…that this—”

“I know.” She brushes at the tufts of his dark hair poking out from beneath the knitted hat. There’s something bubbling in her stomach. It’s not champagne. “And you’re right—Christmas is a cliché. Don’t do it at Christmas.”

The corners of his mouth tip, one side higher than the other. “That’s all I’m saying.”

“You should—or, you know what? Maybe I will.”

“Sorry?”

“I’m supposed to be embracing escapades, after all. Stealing a proposal? Definite escapade.”

“You can’t steal my proposal.”

“Can’t I?”

“No! That’s completely—”

They are still arguing as the clock strikes midnight.

[shekissesturians]

Animes Watched Since Quarentine Started ~

So I just sat down and realized... I have developed a problem X’D  BUT it could be worse! So I figured I would share for those looking for something new to watch! Also, what have y’all been watching!?

Full list below the line + reviews! * No spoilers, I promise! I wouldn’t do you dirty like that! *  ;-*

1. Kakegurui 

This show took me by surprise, I had no idea gambling could be so thrilling! Plus let us take a moment to appreciate the facial expressions animated in this show! Beautiful, just beautiful. Beware though, this anime gets dark, and sick, and you will definitely forget to breath at times. It is a thorough joy.

2. Steins;Gate

3. Steins;Gate 0

Honestly, Steins;Gate + Stains; Gate 0 is one of the best animes I have EVER seen. Legit. Also, It is one of the best stories of time travel I have ever encountered. The way it is explained in the anime is brilliant! Compelling, thrilling, emotional, so much amazingness. I watched in chronological order instead of season order which I really enjoyed. Also one of the most moving anime endings I have seen. All the characters you will fall in love with, and their character development is one heck of a ride. A must watch, 100%.

4. Fullmetal Alchemist

This was a nostalgia back flash for me! It was been years and I felt like reliving it all over again. Which I am glad I did, cus boy was there a lot of heavy themes and topics I did not pick up on when I was younger! One of the biggest themes was this existential undertone throughout the whole show that explored the ideas of humanity, authority, morality and race.

5. Fullmetal Alchemist Conqueror of Shamballa

A must follow up to the original FMA series. It just ties the whole story up in a pretty bow. I remember when I first saw this movie, it was my first encounter this the idea of multiple dimensions and it just blew my mind. The whole this felt so exciting and surreal, and I loved the addition of our timeline playing a part. Watching FMA + Movie over again leaves me a bit torn on which is better, Brotherhood or first adaptation. I think both should be watched for a full understanding of the lore. The first anime series definitely has some holes and details missing, but it’s also so nostalgic and they really give you a better development of characters and feels than Brotherhood does, as they rush through that to get back to the main plot.... so grab some popcorn and watch both and just enjoy the ride :)

6. Angels of Death

This anime has such a unique premise!! And morally it is just all sorts of twisted, which I love! The music is fantastic in it and all the characters you encounter are very unique and fun... it’s dark though, don’t get me wrong.. and twisted. BUT a fun ride if you are down for that kind of adventure!

7. Another

WHOOOO BUDDY! If you want to go on a journey THIS IS ONE! It’s a mind bending premise and each episode ends in so much suspense. I literally could’ve watched the whole thing in one day. This anime is like a jar of Pringles, once you start you just can’t stop!

8. Death Parade 

This anime gets the prize for the most misleading opening ever! X’D But it is such a BOP Please watch if you can. The anime overall is a joy, its very thought provoking and touches on the darker topics of death and mortality. Who is really good? Who is evil? Where do they seamlessly blend into each other? Besides the premise being so unique and tantalizing, the artwork is breathtaking! The background and environments the characters exist in are gorgeous. As an artist and a writer, I appreciate this anime on so many levels.

9. Sekkou Boys

Oh god, this anime is a joy. Just pure, clean joy T.T The episode are VERY short so you could finish the whole thing in an evening. But if you are an artist, a Renaissance history lover, or a J-pop fan, you will especially appreciate this joy of a creation. Watch it for your soul, you will feel better afterwards.

10. Kokoro Connect

This is a very intriguing coming of age story to say the least. There is an element of fantasy/science fiction that comes into the picture that stirs all sorts of trouble for our dear group of friends. It makes you really reflect your own intra- and interpersonal relationships and how we perceive and interact with one another. Overall a fun trip to go on.

11. Occultic; Nine

HOLD ONTO YOUR HORSES CUS THIS ANIME IS FAST! Omgsh, if you watch in Japanese like I did, get ready to have tired eyes cus the pace and speech of this anime is like nothing I have encountered before, but it is soooo much fun! It is mystery combined with the supernatural. It’s one of those animes where there is a lot of characters involved and some how everyone is connected in some way, like Baccano! if you have seen it. I would say to watch this AFTER you watch Steins;Gate if you have any interests because it is written by the same writers and there is little things that reference back to Steins;Gate which are really fun to pick up on.

12. School-Live!

I didn’t know what to expect when I started this series. It is not the kind of art style I am normally drawn towards but I am soo glad I watched. The characters are all really fun and cute! Especially the puppy!! <3 You deal with psychological stress as well as a nice mix of slice of life all in the midst of a zombie apocalypse! It’s a combination I never knew I wanted in my life, but now I am glad I have it. Don’t let the cute animation style fool you... it gets DARK. I was full out trying not to sob at one point, but I think that just shows how many levels are involved in this story. Have fun with this ride my friends <3

13. My Hero Academia

GUYS ARE YOU FREAKING READY!? This was the story I never knew I needed in my life, but now I don’t know how I lived without it. Dear god, I binged this one so hard I think I forgot to breath for a week. All of the characters are so dynamic and the overall tone of the series is so uplifting and positive. If you are in a depressive slump just turn this one on. I promise you, you will be smiling and feeling better in no time! It is so motivational as well. Humor, action, suspense, thrilling, emotional- I don’t think there is anything they don’t touch on. Uhg gosh, I could prob write a dissertation on all the themes and undertones expressed in this work. I promise you, this is a journey you will not regret taking <3

14. My Hero Academia: Two Heroes

I’ll be honest, I think sometimes series’ movies miss the mark, or just feel lackluster, like a power hour of filler. This one my friends.... DID NOT. I was really glad I watched it too, because I felt as though it added so much to the main story line. Plus you get to see college years All Might... so bonus! X3 But seriously, it is a very fun movie and it gives you more background to the world you wouldn’t otherwise get.

15. Shiki

First off... THE ART. This anime’s art is so unique and fits so well into the overall narrative. But honestly, I feel like this anime is a work of art, it feels like an old folk tale/dark fairy tale you would elders talking about in a pub late at night. The narrative never went where I expected it to, and by the end I was so morally conflicted I didn’t know what to do with myself. It’s a dark fantasy that really explores all the little nitty gritty grey areas that are often passed over in stories. There were definitely a few scenes that made me so uncomfortable I was squirming. Human nature is truly a sight to behold, and this anime shows it to you.

16. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress

The Feudal Japan- Post apocalyptic- Steam punk journey you never knew existed! Gosh this anime is amazing. First off the art is breathtaking and many scenes reminded me of Miyazaki. Second, the music is SO GOOD. It’s a concept on the undead that I find to be very unique and truly thrilling. Most of the anime takes place on a train which is such an intriguing element. You also go into human fear of the unknown and how our nature can truly be our biggest hindrance. The characters are great and you get to the point of really rooting for them. Get ready for this feast for your senses!

17. Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress Movie: Battle of Unato

After watching the series I felt like my heart was still missing something. Honestly the whole thing felt like it went by too fast. I still wanted more! This movie helped fill the void in my heart. You get to see relationship begin to form between characters as well as more insight into kabane and all their abilities. Standing alone, this movie is a really fun adventure and gives more insight into the state Japan is in overall.

So THERE YOU HAVE IT! I hope you might have found some new things to watch. I would love to see others lists of things they have watched, feel free to leave in the comments! Or if you have watched any of these, I would love to hear your thoughts! Let’s chat <3