#Semi-Formal Productions

[idleoblivion]

"Shopping Spree" Crewel x GN Reader

Synopsis: Your professor finally takes you on that shopping trip he promised, and you get more than just new clothes.

Part 1 Part 3

Word Count: ~2k

A/N: I can't explain why I am so down bad for this man but here I am with more smut of him. Let me know if I should make a part three, cause I'm definitely considering.

Warnings: Teacher/student relationship, gn reader, shy/nervous reader, semi-public sex, dirty talk, overuse of the word 'puppy', oral sex (m!receiving), masturbation, praise kink

You sat completely rigid in the leather seat of his red sports car. You shifted a bit, not uncomfortable from the seat but from this trip already being such a large departure from what you’re used to. A part of you felt like you were sullying the whole car by even being inside it, looking very pedestrian compared to the driver next to you.

Crewel clearly preferred to dress formal and polished even on his days off. Over his outfit he still wore his signature coat, fluffy and luxurious as ever. When he picked you up, he had laid out the plans he had for you today. He was taking you to a luxury shopping mall, where you could buy almost anything you wanted. The only condition was that every outfit you tried on you had to show him for approval. His justification was that he couldn’t let you walk out of the store with something that didn’t flatter you..

“If you’re going to be my puppy, you’re going to have to dress the part.” He had said to you earlier.

He pulls into the parking lot and you’re immediately struck by the grandeur of the building. It looked even larger than the malls you were used to, and even from outside it radiated an air of expensiveness.

He opens the door for you once the car is parked, and puts his hand on your lower back as you walk beside him. He guides you towards the entrance of the mall and you step in together.

The inside of the mall was incredibly intimidating. Every store in sight has windows filled with products you couldn’t dream of affording. You repeat a question you had earlier to him, with newfound concern at your surroundings.

“You’re really sure I can get clothes here? I would’ve been happy with a regular mall too.” He tsks at you, “Yes, I am sure. In fact I insist, because I won’t have a puppy of mine running around in clothes unbefitting of them. And there will be no talk of the price either, that isn’t for you to worry about. No more yipping, follow me. We’ll try on some things in here first.” He pulls you into what would be the first of many stores, and you start browsing their selection with him.

---

You had been shopping for more than three hours now, and you were a bit overwhelmed with everything you had gotten. You left every store he brought you to with at least one bag of new clothes, which he carried for you. 

True to his word, he made you show him every outfit you wanted to buy. Almost all of them he approved, sometimes adding something or taking just one thing away, but he hadn’t outright refused anything you picked out. What caught you a bit off guard were all the outfits he picked. You knew he’d probably be giving you suggestions, but weren’t expecting him to pick whole ensembles that he demanded you try on. They were all very much his aesthetic, elegant black and white pieces with an occasional hint of red. He looked extra pleased after you would try those on, and ended up buying every single item he had picked out for you. It wasn’t a big deal, if letting him choose some things for you was the price for a whole new wardrobe, you didn’t mind at all.

You were finally at what he promised would be the last store. You actually didn’t see much that you liked, but he had found a few things he wanted to see you in again. The salesperson brought you both to a fitting room in the back and left you there. The room was decently large, with a few different places to hang your clothes and a stool. You resumed the pattern you had both established; He would hand you an outfit, you’d show him and he'd give his judgment, he'd hand you another, rinse and repeat until he was satisfied. 

You stepped out of the room to show him the latest choice. He pondered for a second before giving his thoughts.

“Hmm…It fits your body very nicely, and the colors look great on you. Yes, we’ll get this one too.”

You smile at his compliments. You go to reach for the next outfit he has in his hand, but he doesn’t give it to you. He steps past you and makes his way towards the fitting room.

“Um…what are you doing?” “I’m coming in with you. This one has clasps in the back you’ll probably need help with.” He pushes through the door and waits for you to follow. You hesitate, but after a pause you enter anyway.

He stands to the side and starts preparing the outfit for you. You wait for him to turn or face away from you, but instead he looks right at you expectantly.

“Well?”

Realizing what he means, you slowly start undressing yourself. You feel his eyes staring holes into you the entire time, watching every movement you made and looking your body up and down. Once you’re down to just your underwear, you nervously turn to face him again. You expect him to hand you the clothes to put on, only to find they’ve been unceremoniously tossed onto the stool. He steps toward you empty-handed, and you have to fight the urge to back up a little.

He places his hands on your sides and holds you in front of him. He leans down to kiss you, gently at first, but increasing in intensity very quickly. He bites your lip which makes you gasp, and uses the opportunity to slip his tongue into your mouth. His hands start sliding lower down your body, and you push at his shoulder to get him to break the kiss. He pulls back, looking somewhat confused.

“W-we, we can’t…there’s people here, and the worker might-” “The worker won’t bother us in here, and the only other customers were all up front. If anyone came back here, we’d hear them. Nothing bad’s going to happen, puppy, not when you’re with me.” He presses his lips to your neck and starts sucking lightly, then moving to kiss along your collarbone. His hand trails upwards to fondle your chest, and the heat in your body becomes unignorable. You stifle a moan as he leans to flick his tongue over your nipple.

“Professor…” you whine meekly. The sheepish tone in your voice makes him groan.

“Do you have any idea,” He starts between hot kisses to your skin, “What you’ve been doing to me all day? Looking so cute in everything I put you in, being so good for me…”

He stands straight again and eyes you hungrily. “You like being good for me, don’t you puppy?”

You nod rapidly, but he shakes his head back. “Words, puppy.” “Yes professor, I like being good for you.” Your face is burning, but you make yourself say it anyway.

He reaches for his belt and starts undoing it. “Then get on your knees.” You obey and sink to your knees in front of him. He grabs your chin and tilts it up towards him, smirking at your doe-eyed expression.

“Keep your hands on the floor, no touching. Do you understand?”

“Yes, professor.”

“Good. Stick out your tongue.” He holds your chin still while you put your tongue out. He frees his cock from his pants with his other hand and taps it on your tongue a few times. You don’t break eye contact, knowing you’d probably be scolded if you did.

“Now open that sweet little mouth for me, puppy.”

Again, you obey, and he slowly puts his cock in your mouth. You suppress the urge to gag as it reaches into your throat slightly and he holds you there. He curses at the sight of you taking him in all the way.

“Fuck puppy, you’re good, so good for me. You’re gonna let me fuck that pretty face, right?”

You manage a small, choked “yes, professor” around his cock, which is all it takes for him to start fucking into your throat with fervor. Tears start welling up from his pace almost immediately. The fat tears rolling down your cheeks only make him rougher with you. You want to press your hands against his thighs, but you keep them on the ground like he instructed. He keeps praising you all through it, telling you how good you’re doing and how perfect you look like this. It makes you press your legs together and squirm a little on the floor, which doesn’t go unnoticed by him.

“Are you feeling needy, puppy?” He pants as he keeps thrusting into your mouth. “You can touch yourself if you need to, I give you permission.”

You take him up on that immediately, and reach down to play with yourself. The stimulation plus the almost feral look on his face has you moaning around his cock now, bringing him closer to the edge.

“Be good for me and swallow it puppy, and show me when you’re done. Fuck, that’s it puppy-” He continues to ramble as he approaches his high.

With a loud groan he finally cums in your mouth. He holds your head still while he does, and you do your best not to choke while you swallow everything he gives you. When he finally lets you go, you sputter for a second trying to catch your breath. Remembering his commands, you look back up at him and stick your tongue out again, showing you had left nothing.

“Good fucking puppy…” he pulls you up from the floor to kiss you again. He holds you close to him and you shakily grab him back. “Did so good for me, so good.” His praise again has you writhing in his grasp.

“Professor…” You start whining again with a slightly hoarse voice, “I-I, I need you…touch me, please?” “Hmm…no, I don’t think I will.” You look up at him wide-eyed. Was he seriously going to leave you so worked up like this? “B-but, you said I was good! I was good for you, right?”

He chuckles at your obvious desperation. “Yes, you were puppy. But I think we’ve spent too much time in this fitting room already. So we’ll pick up where we left off back at my house, alright?” That stops your thoughts in their tracks. “Your house?” “Did you think I was taking you back to that destitute dormitory of yours? Of course not, you’re spending the weekend with me and I’ll bring you back Monday. Plus there are a few…extra gifts I’d like to give you there.” His eyes turn a bit dangerous once again, and he smacks you lightly on the ass, making you yelp. He laughs and lets go of you, turning to exit the fitting room.

“Get changed, we’ll get something to eat and head there after.” Once he leaves, you stand still a bit in shock at your situation. The whole weekend, with him? If this is what he would do in a dressing room, what would he do when he had you alone at his place? The thought made heat start pooling in your stomach again.

Snapping out of it, you hurriedly get dressed again and make yourself presentable. You try to calm your nerves, reminding yourself that you still need to act natural while you’re at the register with him. After a few deep breaths and a final attempt to fix your hair, you meet him outside the room.

“Ready to go, puppy?”

“Yes, professor.”

[nyx-umbrakinesis]

Vox x FReader

CW: Smut, P in V sex, fingering, edging, overstimulation, erotic electrostimulation, semi public, fairly vanilla after hours office smut, lots of praise and various (excessive) endearments used... praise kink go brrr.

Late

Vox sat in his office working late one evening, focused on the screens before him, observing the general objects of his interest outside of the tower, he is consciously aware of the time due to the noises or rather lack of, in the areas outside his main (socially friendly) office. 

Rubbing a clawed hand wearily over his screen he sighs; he resigns himself to the fact there’s probably no more he can do so late in the day, and it be conducive to his productivity. 

So, he stands on heavy feet and exits his office, blinking a few times when he spots a certain little sinner diligently working away at their desk. This one seems to work as hard as he does these days, he wonders why for a moment, after all everyone else can’t seem to get away from work fast enough... Yet you... You linger. 

You look up and blink in surprise, having not noticed him leaving his office at first, and this is actually pretty early for him to make an appearance, usually he’s engrossed in his work until a much later hour. 

You shiver slightly at his intimidating posture, Vox is just standing and staring at you, seemingly lost in his own thoughts. You restrain yourself from reacting. It wouldn’t do well to give away how his mere presence affects you, especially not knowing how he... Or specifically his other male counterpart, might react if he found out exactly why it is you linger so late in the office night after night. 

Your thighs tense slightly under the desk, the safest move possible and it does help alleviate some of the ache within. 

“Can I help you sir?” You manage to pipe up as formally as possible, slightly unnerved and hyper aware of the isolation surrounding you both as has been a frequent occurrence lately. 

“Mhm.” Vox nods, his eyes scanning over you, you think perhaps hungrily, or rather you half hope, as he seems to maintain his composure with what appears to be effortless ease. 

 He takes a step closer, his voice low and husky, his glowing eyes trained upon you as he speaks. You try to manage your breathing to stay level as his scent hits your nose; slightly metallic, maybe a hint of something more but very subtle, his cologne overpowered by the heady smell of fuel or perhaps oil, your mouth waters slightly, it's an addicting smell either way, subtle but almost hypnotic... Just as he can be. 

“You know, I’ve been thinking about you a lot lately, Doll. Your work ethic is truly... inspiring.” His words are dripping with innuendo, your heart races, and eyes dilate, and, in your head, you panic, thinking over and over again ‘It’s happening’. There’s also an underlying sincerity that betrays his true feelings, one you don't seem to notice, but is a little too exposing for his comfort. 

He leans in slightly, his breath hot against your ear as he continues. “And those... ‘assets’ of yours. Absolutely fascinating. I can’t help but wonder how, you came up with such... efficient productivity plans.” His voice is barely above a whisper now, filled with desire and obsession, he idly thinks to himself how he would love to feel your ‘assets’ pressed against him. 

You shiver slightly at his proximity, his breath ghosting the nape of your neck and goosebumps erupting all over your skin, your heart pounding at his suggestive tone, you must restrain yourself from moaning out loud and embarrassing yourself. 

Vox straightens up, his grin turning wicked as he meets your gaze, knowingly guessing correctly his effect on you, after all there’s a reason you’ve also been working late, and it definitely isn’t due to your work ethics.  

Vox ploughs on... “You see, my dear, I can’t get you out of my head lately. I’ve been wondering if perhaps you also have been having the same... challenges I have seemingly been ‘blessed’ with upon our frequent encounters... And I’ve decided I’m done waiting and second guessing... I want you Doll, I’m not going to waste time beating around the bush, I’ll do whatever it takes to make you mine, name it and it’s yours.” 

You blush, as your boss leans closer, his heat making your heart race, his smirk widening as he sees the evidence of his effect on you, your blush, your tense body, the small bumps forming along your skin, the slight shiver and submissive tilt of your head, he feels his cock hardening, already desperate to find out just how good you feel wrapped around it, not a new feeling, but one he feels much closer to achieving, now more than ever. 

Vox steps even closer, looming over you now, his chest almost touching yours as he bends and speaks in a low, husky voice. “Do you have any idea how beautiful you look when you blush, Doll? Do you have any idea what that does to me... What you do to me? It’s like you’re inviting me to take you, to taste you.” 

You’re utterly mesmerised, speech unable to form as you bathe in his ever-present glow, his large frame dwarfing you, making you feel delicate and ready to melt just for him, the moisture between your legs already way ahead of you. 

Vox’s sharp, cyan-tipped fingers reach out, a moment of unnoticed hesitation on his end before gently brushing against your cheek and tracing down your neck, your breath hitches, your heart pounding so hard your vision blurs and ears feel muffled.  

“And your pulse... it’s racing. Are you afraid of me, my dear?” Vox teases, his fingers lingering right where your heart betrays you, he knows that the exact opposite is true, if his scent receptors were more sensitive, he would no doubt be able to smell the arousal currently pooling in your underwear, filling the office with such a fragrance you’d be utterly humiliated to be found as the source. You try desperately to control your reactions, trying so hard not to embarrass yourself. 

Vox smiles devilishly, leaning in even closer, his lips mere centimetres from yours, breath tickling your lips, his own heady scent wafting up your nostrils, making your eyes want to roll back and for you to present yourself like a bitch in heat, as he whispers, tantalisingly. 

“Or are you excited by just the mere thought of being mine?” His glowing blue tongue darts out provocatively, your eyes greedily following the suggestive action, a slight whimper escapes, making you blush even harder, hoping he hadn’t noticed, but the look on his face says everything. 

Vox’s screen flickers suddenly displaying various images of the two of you together in intimate scenarios, revealing his deepest fantasies and desires in just a fraction of a second, but enough for you to see, your whole body goes hot at his intentional display. 

You stammer over your words, attempting to communicate, utterly enthralled and speechless... You whimper slightly as his body heat radiates even closer to you, the main source... His screen... You lean forward unconsciously seeking the warmth... And him. 

Vox smirks, noticing your reaction to his advances. He takes advantage of your momentary vulnerability, closing the gap between your faces until his lips are almost touching yours. “You want me, don’t you, Doll?” He whispers, his hot breath mingling with yours. 

You visibly shiver, his grin widens impossibly further as you gaze up at him, your brain short circuiting. 

Emboldened by your reactions thus far, Vox’s fingers continue their exploration, taking a huge gamble but he doubts he’s read you wrong, moving down to gently cup your breast through your clothing. 

He feels you arch into his touch slightly in response, and it only makes him more determined to claim you, your whimper assures him his advances are not unwelcome. He marvels at the soft pliant feel of you in his hands, all just for him... Just the way he likes it. 

Vox is certainly glad you seem to take the time to work as late as he does, (whether his guess as to your motives is correct or not) as it’s left the office deserted for the two of you, fortuitous circumstances indeed. 

His thumb rubs over your nipple, he watches your reactions closely, savouring the sight of your arousal, the slight stutter of your chest on an inhale, the trembling of your upper body, the goosebumps rising incessantly on your flesh. 

“You see, my dear, I can give you everything you desire... All you have to do is submit to me.” Vox coos, trying to entice you further, wanting there to be no doubts in your mind, wanting your full submission. He wants you to want him, needs this more than he ever realised, before, maybe its infatuation, but he’s never felt so hard for another in his entire existence... Well except... But that’s never going to happen. 

Vox’s screen this time involuntarily displays an image of the two of you, entwined in a passionate embrace. It’s clear to you that he’s envisioning a future where you belong to him completely, it’s actually a rather wholesome scene of the pair of you entwined, his fingers stroking down you back as you read to him, his eyes trained on your face with a look in his eyes you’ve never seen before. 

You bite your lip, stifling a moan as your senses are jarred back to him and his touch as Vox kneads your breasts, feeling a fresh warm rush of desire and arousal flood between your legs, further ruining your underwear, if there is such a possibility at this point. 

You whimper softly as he teases your nipple with the tip of his claw, edging you and waiting for an answer before taking anything further, the raised eyebrow makes you realise all of this. 

“Yes please... Sir.” You manage to breathe out, finally finding and forcing your voice to do its damn job, feeling a little faint from the effort of not just letting him do all the work. 

Finally! Vox chuckles menacingly, his eyes flashing with satisfaction as they darken with desire as he hears your plea, still using his office honorific, he finds he rather likes that particular word coming from your enticing lips, as breathy whines escape you, encouraging him further with every reaction he drags from you. 

Unable to hold back, you feel as though you could combust right now with the overwhelming racing thoughts and sensations, your fear of getting caught in the act, your despair of the possibility of this being a use and dump situation, his utterly enthralling pleasurable ministrations, his scent... Just him in general, you whine even louder as he floods your senses to know nothing but him in this moment. 

You wonder why you’re holding back from something you’ve wanted and fantasised about for so long now. Perhaps it is because you’re both still in the office, your whirling fears a cacophony in your head, trying to warn you. 

Despite being the only souls who should be anywhere near at this late hour, there are the cleaning crew to still worry about, you have a thrill of fear, at this though, the thought of being heard or worse yet, being seen impaled on your boss's cock as he rails you seven ways to Sunday. 

Vox is completely unconcerned which such things, it seems, his touch swiftly becomes bolder, squeezing your breasts more firmly now he’s had audible consent, he leans in eagerly to capture your lips in a bruising electrifying kiss, and all thoughts about being caught fizzle from your mind as you moan into his mouth, finally getting a taste of the fuzzy static you had pondered would be present. 

He can practically taste your desperation, his tongue delving and exploring with impatience, now he’s got you he wants everything all at once, he needs every experience he’s rubbed his cock to, fantasising for months about you now as he’s observed your beautiful curves and sway of your hips as he’s let you out late each evening from work to lock up behind you.  

Using the VoxTec drone Vox had subtly followed you home as he’d rushed to the nearby janitorial closet, your walking rear displayed on his screen, he gasps and moans, his hand wrapping around the blue throbbing need and stroking himself with abandon and desperation, until he erupts into a nearby cloth, the frequency of these acts leaving him raw and yet unable to stop, even after he was caught by a cleaning staff member, promptly silenced. 

You sigh, bringing his thoughts back into the moment, he finally has you, why is he wasting time reminiscing when the glory is all right here, right now? Practically begging for him to enjoy, and enjoy he shall, he smiles, his screen heating to an unsafe temperature for a moment as the fans kick in. 

You moan, to his utter delight, he’s delicious, and it only fuels his own desire. His tongue explores your mouth fervently, he presses himself even closer dominating the space and pressing against you as he deepens the kiss even more, your mouth giving way to his. It's odd because his kisses leave such tingles on your lips, but it’s not a flat screen you’re meeting, its rather firm, but they’re definitely a pair of lips you feel, electrified, tingly lips, but they feel amazing. 

Vox breaks the kiss briefly, allowing you both some air, his voice husky, full of lust and confidence as he speaks, almost repeating himself word for word once more. 

“You’re going to be mine, My Doll. And I promise you, I will give you everything you’ve ever dreamed of.” 

He captures your lips again, his fingers still teasing your nipples as he claims you in a display of dominance and power, bearing down on you. His other hand moves lower, pressing against the fabric covering your wetness, making sure you know exactly what he intends, as if there was doubt at this point. 

You whimper, your hips bucking as he brushes your swollen aching clit through the fabric, and he smirks against your lips, the zing of his static causes your hairs to stand on end, his own cock jumps inside his trousers at the feel of your sopping cunt, not a dry patch to be found on your panties, and even your skirt and office chair had suffered the same fate. His arrogant grin widens at the thought of him being the cause off this, and the willingness emanating from your squirming whining form.

“Good Baby Doll.” Vox purrs, pleased with your response. He moves in, pressing his lips against yours in a bruising kiss, his tongue demanding entrance into your mouth. 

“Mmm.”  

Vox moans as he tastes you, his hands still fondling your breasts possessively, your back arching as you whimper and moan deliciously for him, after a few seconds, he pulls away, his electric blue eyes darkened with desire as he drinks you in. 

“You’re mine now, Doll. And I intend to use you well.” He promises, smirking sinfully as your body burns with desire, his tone dripping with arrogance, supported by the sight of your dishevelled needy state. 

He grabs your wrist, pulling you up into his strong arms as you gasp at his hardness pressing insistently into your abdomen briefly, before he tugs on you, leading you to the ‘waiting’ couch nearby, pushing you onto it before slotting his warm hard body against yours, fitting together so perfectly. Vox can feel you dampening his trousers, his hands already reaching for the hem of your shirt impatiently as your hands remember they exist and you run them up the smooth fabric covering the hard planes of his toned chest, you don’t bother to stifle the moan that escapes you this time, so far gone in the moment. 

“Say my name Doll.” Vox insists. 

“S-Sir?” You manage to choke out as he flings your top away indelicately and tuts amused at your unfocused gaze. 

“No, not ‘Sir’, Say my name, my little Bombshell.” Vox chides, light-heartedly. Teasing your nipples through the lace of your bra, using the slight pain from his claw tips to keep you further enticed... Not that you need any coaxing, as you moan so prettily for him yet again, he notices your cheeks darken again to his immense pride, “Fuck, Doll you’ve got such glorious tits. Now be a good little Sex Kitten and do as you are told.” 

“Vox!” You gasp loudly at his pinch on your sensitive bud. 

“Again.” He demands fiercely, not letting go, screen glitching slightly. 

“Vox,” comes out whined more breathily this time, “oh, mmmmmpppfff” You moan softly, leaning your head back as he fondles you more thoroughly and gently in reward, your body meeting his hands to press your chest further into his touch, begging silently for more. 

Feeling Vox’s finger trail down to your wet panties, you spread your legs wider, desperate and aching, hyperaware of the large hard presence of his cock throbbing against you insistently even as he focuses entirely on your body, a trail of sparks follows his touch stimulating you, the slight burn making you tingle and jolt, he keeps you in his dazzling gaze. 

Vox smirks as he observes your leg's part wider, giving him better access to your drench's wetness. “Look at you, desperate for more, for me, I can see it in your eyes Baby Doll.” He chuckles, his voice dripping with arrogance, his eyes unblinking as he takes everything in, trying to embed it all in his memory banks, unwilling to miss a single frame. 

Vox slides his finger under the fabric of your panties, teasing your entrance before plunging it inside without warning, you gasp and squeak in shock and pleasure, moaning as he slides in with such ease, your body moving to meet his movements obediently. 

“Fuck, you’re so wet.” Vox groans, his own self-control flickering, feeling your walls clench around his finger as he starts gently thrusting in and out, mindful to use his finger pad not the claw to press against the spongy spot of ecstasy for you, your tight heat gripping tightly on just his finger, his cock throbs eager to know just how much squeezing and teasing he’ll have to do to fit inside. 

His other hand continues to tease your nipples, pinching and rolling them between his fingers as he ravishes you. 

“You like that, don’t you?” Vox’s voice low and seductive, not expecting an answer as you moan again as a second finger joins the first, your whole body shaking from the tingles he’s causing within you, your body tightening and loosening with every tiny zap and rub, igniting much more than ever before, your body almost convulsing from the overwhelming stimulation. 

His tongue snakes out to lick his lips, biting down on it in concentration, his cerulean eyes, liquid, and locked onto yours as he watches your every reaction to his ministrations. 

“I could fuck you right here, right now. And anyone outside would be able to hear your desperate little moans.” Vox teases. 

You suddenly realise you’ve been making quite a ruckus, however when you try to shut your mouth and put a once again forgotten hand over it, Vox tuts. 

“Don’t you dare deprive me of this Doll.” Vox moves your hand away from your mouth gently, and places it right on his straining bulge, his hand cupping and encasing yours, firmly his hand holds over the top of yours as he moans, bucking his hips into your hand as you feel his own burning need for you, rutting desperately hard and frighteningly large, pressing your hand against him so you rub him, his other hand not forgetting it’s task for an instant, but you own eyes meet his again so aroused and intimidated, all it does is endear you further to him. 

“Look at what you do to me Doll, can you feel how hard my fucking cock is for you right now.” Vox growls and you shiver and moan again, as a third finger pulls you away from eye contact, the burn of the stretch as he attempts to prepare you for what’s to come, he’s not sure how much patience he has left at this point as it still won’t be enough. 

Vox smirks, his fingers sliding out as he gives into his desires, tracing back up through your wetness, making sure to tease you just enough to leave you wanting more as you whine needily, on the verge of an orgasm as he torments you with glee. His other hand moves upwards, gently gripping your chin and forcing you to meet his gaze yet again as you had been staring at his fingers longingly, not allowing you an inch of reprieve. 

“Look at me, Doll.” He commands, his voice firm and dominant as he holds your gaze. He can see the desire in your eyes, and it only fuels his own. He starts to tug at your bra, pulling it impatiently one handed, before growling and giving up, using a sharp claw to slice it off your body, upwards to reveal your bare breasts. His eyes widen at the sight, and he lets out a low whistle. 

“You’re even more beautiful than I imagined.” He murmurs, his fingers trailing lightly over your nipples before pinching them gently between his thumbs and forefingers again, zapping you gently to give you more burning tingle and your nipples go all puffy in their already pebbled state, as you can’t hold back a very loud moan, to his utter smug delight. 

Making sure you’re watching him, Vox slowly brings his glistening fingers back up to his screen, and you whine as you watch his long tongue wrap around the first digit wickedly, shaking and needy you watch as he hums and greedily devours your essence from his skilled fingers, slightly pricking his tongue in his eagerness, a drop of red escaping his mouth, your eyes following its path down his chin, but oddly doesn’t escape past his screen. 

“Delicious.” He leans in, capturing your lips in another heated kiss as his free hand begins to undo his pants, swiftly releasing his impressive throbbing length. He grins against your lips as he pulls back slightly, his eyes locked onto yours as you whimper scared and aroused at the sight of the veiny, blue member, it's so thick and long you doubt your ability to house such a monster, as you begin to protest. 

Vox silences you with another kiss, this time slow and reassuring, when he allows you mild freedom again, you bite your lip, looking back into his eyes as he stares down at you, you feel warmth suffuse your tingly body, reassured you nod. 

At his encouraging glance, you reach out, tentatively wrapping your hand around his shaft, giving it a gentle squeeze, and smiling shyly as he groans, his eyes half closing. You can feel the heat radiating off him increase, you bite your lip to hold in another moan as Vox’s cock throbs in your hand, twitching eagerly at your attention, you’re so tempted to taste, but shy from the idea at the last moment. 

Vox moans as your hands feel so very soft on his raging erection as he finally feels one of the things he’s been dreaming of for months... Any part of you touching his bare cock willingly, hell if you back down now, he’d have wanking material for the next several decades, after all he had less to go on before with... And that never stopped him. 

He shakes his head slightly to ground himself, refusing to let the past taint what is finally in his grasp, a chance at true pleasure, perhaps even happiness, if he can make the right impression. 

Vox’s eyes flutter closed momentarily as you wrap your other hand around his cock, a low growl rumbling in his throat. He can feel the anticipation building within him, his desire for you reaching new heights. 

“That’s it, Doll.” Vox murmurs, his voice husky and filled with need. “Touch me... Feel how hard I am for you... It’s just us right now, this is all for you, you do this to me every time I see you, I’ve wanted this for so long.” He bites his tongue for giving far too much away too soon luckily not hard enough to hurt. 

He opens his eyes in his panic, meeting your gaze once more as he starts to thrust his hips forward, hoping to distract you enough to not think on his words, grinding his cock against your soft palm. Each movement sends waves of pleasure coursing through him, his cock twitching eagerly in your grasp. 

“Fuck, you’re driving me wild Doll.” Vox groans, his other hand reaching out to caress your leg, inching closer and closer to your dripping cunt once more, wanting just to flip you over and drive into you again and again until neither of you can stand for several days. In his ecstasy he had almost forgotten your pleasure. His trusty thumb brushes against your aching pulsing clit, circling it gently as he continues to grind against your hand, both of you let out a long low moan simultaneously. 

You jolt as a bolt of burning pleasurable electricity zings through your clit, stronger than the ones before as he loses control slightly, with a glitch as evidence, you whine loudly your hips bucking and tears pricking your eyes as you’re basking in the blue glow of his attention, like the sun, but better. The zap had caused you to gush so much the sofa would definitely need replacing as your legs twitch and tremble. 

“You’re so fucking ready for me, aren’t you? Fuck you feel so good.” Growling as he recovers just enough. 

“I can’t wait any longer, Doll.” He whispers, his voice filled with raw desire. “I need to be inside you... Now.” 

You nod rapidly, gasping and complying as he touches you, guiding you, your legs spreading wider without conscious thought, offering yourself to him as he pulls your hips adjusting you almost frantic now. 

“Please!” You beg, desperate for release, the heat between your thighs becoming unbearable, droplets of your juices glistening on your thighs. 

He greedily drinks in the sight of you, his screen fritzing slightly again making you blush at the scrutiny. 

“You sure Doll?” He double checks, sweetly and you melt, nodding, unable to form words. 

His fingers which had been working away at you once more pick up and your head flings back, hurting slightly on the cushioned impact of the sofa arm, as your pussy throbs and contracts as he brings you to the edge, your juices slicking his fingers, proof of your need for him. 

You bite your lip, staring up at him, pleading silently for him to take you, to give you what you need as Vox watches you hungrily pumping his hot hard weeping cock. 

When he finally positions himself at your entrance, you spread your legs wider, straining them with seer need, eager for him not even thinking twice about denying him now, not when you’re so close, he savours the sight for just a moment, his cock poised and ready to enter you. 

As he sinks in slowly, you cry out, arching your back as he loads himself inside you, fighting and teasing the soft clenching cushioned sopping hole every step of the way as it clings to him like his own personalised cocksleeve, only better, filling you completely, stretching you deliciously as you almost cum right then and there. 

You wrap your arms around him, pulling him down to meet your lips in a brutal kiss, needing more, your legs wrapping around the backs of his thighs, pulling him deeper, making you cry out as he impacts your cervix half painfully half pleasurably, the heat from his screen making you crave him more. 

Gripping his shoulders tightly as he begins to move inside you, you could cry in thankfulness as he finally gives you both everything you need, dragging and splashing, moaning and groaning, his thrusts becoming harder and faster with each passing second, lips joined together in a dizzying kiss, you’ve never felt more wanted... More possessed... More pleasured. 

He breaks the kiss panting, his screen fritzing again and buries his face in your neck, angling his and your head just so, to give him access, clearly well practiced by now, just so he can hear your unimpeded sinful gasping moaning and sounds of ecstasy for HIS cock. His teeth scraping against your skin, leaving a trail of fire in their wake as he claims you in every way possible. 

The sound of skin slapping against skin fills the room, along with your loud moans and cries of pleasure, mixing together in a symphony of pure ecstasy. Vox’s hands roam your body, squeezing your breasts again just enough to have your moans change pitch, pinching your nipples between his fingers as he continues to ravish you. 

You finally remember your own hands again and cling to his flexing forearms which only serves to bring you both more pleasure with another shared moan in confirmation, your legs not allowing him to drag out for too long, like he would be tempted to tease now he's finally in your heavenly depths. 

Vox groans as he continues to thrust into you, his body coming alive with each movement. He can’t believe he finally has you beneath him, your bodies joined in the most intimate way possible. His hands continue to explore your body, revelling in the softness of your skin, the curves of your body. He can’t get enough of you. 

“Fucking divinity, right here you pretty perfect Little Petal.” Vox moans in your ear. 

He pulls back slightly, his eyes locking onto yours as he begins to thrust harder and faster, the pleasure becoming almost unbearable, building heat in you both as your walls tighten around him, and he begins to throb, fire in your lower abdomens. 

Vox can see the pleasure in your eyes, and it only fuels his own determination. He starts to thrust even harder, each movement sending waves of pleasure coursing through your bodies as he pounds you into oblivion. 

His hands move lower, gripping your hips as he ruts into you, the sound of skin slapping against skin filling the room. His cock pulsing incessantly inside you, driving you closer and closer to the edge. 

Vox leans in, his lips brushing against your ear as he whispers hotly. “You’re mine, Baby Doll.” 

His hands continue to explore your body, revelling in the softness of your skin, the curves of your body. He can’t get enough of you, every dip, curve, hard line, and every glistening bead of sweat utterly entrancing. 

He moans, his hips thrusting forward as he pounds into you relentlessly, his cock throbbing inside you, his need for you growing stronger with each thrust. 

He trails his lips down your neck, nipping and sucking at your skin, leaving love bites in his wake, you enjoying every overwhelming sensation as your nails dig into him and you cling for dear life, unable to match his pace and just letting him take control sliding your whole body up and down on his cock at one point. 

“You’re mine, my dear. Mine to fuck, mine to ravish, mine to possess.” Vox growls possessively as proof, his fingers digging into your hips as he continues to pound into you. 

He can’t get enough of you, he needs more, he needs to claim every inch of you, your tight soft cunt feels so perfect wrapped around his cock, just like he knew it would, and Vox is never letting go now he’s had a taste. 

“You’re so fucking tight, I can barely fucking think!” Vox grunts, his thrusts becoming more erratic as he nears his climax, you moan in agreement at how perfect he feels burrowing a Vox shaped imprint deep in your pliant cunt. 

His tongue snakes out, tracing patterns on your skin, leaving a burning electric feeling behind with every lap against you, you moan as you hear it crackle so close to your ear. 

Vox’s breath suddenly hot against your ear as he whispers sweet nothings to you, sending waves of pleasure coursing through you. 

“You’re so fucking perfect, so fucking delicious, such a delicate Little Flower aren’t you Pet, you were born to be as beautiful as all the Flora, an entire meadow of Roses could only hope to compare.” 

“Please.... Don’t... Stop... Oh fuck.” You whine, your body convulsing again, feeling his cock spreading you open forcefully with each thrust, it’s maddening, delightful, sinful, heavenly, you can’t think up enough adjectives as your mind also shorts out. Vox watches as your body bounces with the force of his thrusts, your tits mesmerising him. 

He can’t believe he finally has you beneath him, you wet right cunt trying to drag him in deeper as he has to fight each thrust, just to drag his warm member rubbing every inch of it through your hot wet cunt, just to do it all over again, never wanting this to end, yet desperate for it to end all at the same time. 

His eyes flicker down to your breasts, watching as they bounce freely with each thrust. He reaches out, his hand wrapping around one of them, squeezing it gently as he continues to pound into you, feeling as it tries to resist staying in just one place, to pillowy mound making him throb again and you moan feeling everything. 

His other hand moves lower, teasing your clit with his fingertips, rubbing it in slow circles as he continues to thrust into you, your moaning and thrashing increasing to new heights. 

He leans in, his lips brushing against your ear as he whispers hotly.  

“You like that, don’t you, Doll?” He growls possessively, his fingers pinching your nipple gently. “You love the feeling of my cock stretching you out, filling you up, don’t you? Your cunt is like a little Lotus, so soft and delicate and beautiful like an Azalea... Or perhaps you’re more like Nightshade, as I feel like you could be the death of me” His voice is husky, full of desire and need as he continues to own you. 

His sweet words a massive contrast to how he’s treating your helpless body, not that you’d complain as his cock throbs making your cunt clench again reflexively with another loud moan. 

All you CAN do is moan helplessly your nails finding purchase on his back this time, digging in through his suit jacket, he hadn’t had the patience to discard it in his eagerness to claim you. 

Vox glitches again at your reactions to his rough treatment, enjoying every moment of it, his fans working overtime as he tries to stay in the moment, not wanting to miss even a second. 

“You like that, don’t you, Doll?” He purrs, the glitching making him repeat himself. 

His hands move back up to grab your breasts, obviously an obsession for him at this point his enthrallment with them hard to miss, squeezing them firmly again as he continues to thrust into you relentlessly using them to steady himself. 

“You’re so fucking sexy; I could fuck you for hours and never get tired of this.” His lips crash down onto yours in a hungry kiss, his tongue demanding entrance into your mouth as he ravages you. 

“F-f-fuck... ‘Ellmmmm... ‘Ellllp...” You manage to stammer out as you’re so overcome, he’s so very entertained by your plea for mercy, his hips snap forward, driving his cock as deep into you as he can, hitting that spot that makes you scream in pleasure in response. 

You’re panting, moaning loudly, every muscle in your body quivering, he slows slightly as he sees you trying to speak meaningfully. 

“I’m close... Please... Make me cum...” You gasp, begging him to let you release. 

“Not yet...” He growls, pulling almost all the way out of you before slamming back in, the sudden change in pace making you scream in agonised pleasure, so overstimulated, tears pricking your eyes at his denial, but he doesn’t want this to end, not yet, not now, not ever. 

He does it again, and again, pulling almost fully out before slamming back in with a wet slap, driving you higher and higher until you’re sobbing from pleasure. 

“You’re going to cum for me, right though Baby Doll... All over my cock... Just like that... Soon I promise,” His voice thick with passion. 

He keeps driving you towards the edge, again and again, never letting you fall over, keeping you on the razor’s edge until he’s ready for you to explode. 

You’re a pleading, soaking, begging mess when finally... 

“Cum for me, Doll... Cum for me now!” He demands, his voice a low snarl, his eyes burning with desire, his thumb merciless against your throbbing needy clit, his cock filling every part of you, your walls fighting him every step of the way as you clamp down so tightly. 

As you reach your peak, the sensation washes over you like a tidal wave, suddenly pulling you under. Your whole-body tenses and spasms, your legs kicking and writhing as he continues to thrust into you as you cum hard, and he moans as your walls ripple and clench around him trying to milk him for everything he has desperately. 

A flood of liquid squirts from your pussy, spraying his belly in powerful bursts, trickling down his cock and onto his balls, pooling in his lap and running down your thighs, making a huge mess as his thrusting causes the sweet-smelling droplets to splash on anything in the near vicinity. 

The sound that escapes him is inhuman, his screen going completely blue momentarily. 

Vox gasps, his eyes flickering back in and widening in shock at the sheer amount of fluid that still gushes from you, he knew you were wet, but nothing could have prepared him for this, his eyes glued to the sight of your pleasure, entranced, his hips faltering ever so slightly, before picking up again, determined to wring as much from your bucking body as possible. 

Vox definitely found a new obsession as the floral scent hits him, strong enough for him to actually smell as it fills the entire office, he’s never needed anything more, and it was something he had no idea he’d ever wanted, moaning at the sheer warmth and feel of your squirting cunt, it was utterly divine, heaven could suck it, because he just found his. 

He keeps trying to control the fritzing of his screen, it would be a crime to miss a moment of this utter glorious display. 

He groans as he continues to thrust into you, maintaining his pace, his fingers rubbing more gently on your overly sensitive clit, prolonging your orgasm as he chases his own release within your spasming cunt. 

Vox’s eyes roll back in pleasure as he finally allows himself to let go and cum, pumping his load deep inside you, his hot seed mingling with your wetness, filling you up completely, even spilling out the sides of his embedded cock and flowing out of you in thick spurts as he finishes. 

You moan as you feel the burning sensation of his cum spilling inside you triggering a small involuntary convulsion within you as you scream helplessly as his cum makes you milk him for every last drop, the static electricity seeming to force your body to take every ounce... If only you could breed, the swift thought crosses Vox’s mind momentarily. 

Vox collapses onto you, his chest heaving as he pants heavily, cock still buried deep inside you, arms wrapping around you as he kisses you deeply, tongue exploring your mouth lazily, as he thrusts his hips lazily, making sure to fuck every bit of his cum inside you even deeper. 

You’re panting, moaning weakly, completely spent, your body still tingling from the force of your orgasm, trying desperately to recover enough to at least think straight. 

Vox’s still moving inside you, you vaguely register, driving his cock deeper with each tiny thrust, the pleasure is too much for the both of you, but in the best way possible. 

“So good... So, fucking good...” Vox murmurs against your lips, his breath hot against you, far hotter than you'd ever felt before, you could almost burn yourself on him but miraculously he doesn’t seem to be causing any harm. 

He keeps thrusting seemingly reluctant to stop despite the little jolts of his whole body indicating his own overstimulation, your own lax body matching his jolting with its own. 

He breaks the kiss to press his flat smouldering forehead against yours, his eyes locked with your well fucked gaze, the intensity in his ocean deep eyes taking your breath away. 

But his screen dims enough so he doesn’t hurt your vision, and it helps him begin the cooling down process much faster. 

“You’re mine now, Doll...” Vox whispers possessively, his voice husky with desire and satisfaction. “I’m not letting go of you without a fight, you better believe, the Sins themselves couldn’t pry you from me now.” 

He eventually pulls out slowly, mindfully of your likely sore body, his cock sliding out of you with a heavy thudding wet sound as it hits his thigh, dripping your combined fluids onto the floor as he stands. 

“Y-yes sir.” You manage to shakily pant, your legs trembling and dripping. At his warning look you correct immediately, “V-Vox.” 

“Much better Little Petal.” His suave confidence returning now with ease, he’s the big boss man himself again. 

Vox chuckles as he sees you watching the swaying of his limp cock as he moves, not a clue what you’re thinking, but he likes the look in your eyes, so he starts taking off his clothes properly. 

This time he’s determined to take his time with you and show you what more you could expect from him, his half hard cock standing proudly trying to regain its attentive state already. A much faster refectory time than he’s even used to, he’s definitely not done with you yet... 

Vox smirks, seeing the look of surprise and apprehension on your face, he decided he loved surprising you... Especially with his cock, it’s his new favourite thing. His grin dangerous, promising to devour you.

“What? Did you seriously think I was done with you already Doll? No... Not now I finally have you. It’s late, and you’re Mine.” 

[sl-vega]

0.1; retired theater kids-(y/n's squad)

project: love liason! - a scaramouche smau

y/n:

hopelessly in love with childe (has been since freshman year) you are on fairly good terms with him, (even if half of your interactions play out in your head rather than reality)

(ridiculously) hopeful romantic

you were the one who started your friend group after you met everyone else in a drama camp during eighth grade (hence the name retired theater kids)

the "responsible" friend (even though the general consensus is that lynette and navia are the actual responsible ones)

mona:

your best friend and scara's academic "rival". having been forced to have tons of classes together in the past two years, mona and him have been pretty cut throat when it comes to them competing with each other

mona finds him insufferable, and has vented to you about him on numerous occasions, even though you've never even met the guy

super into astrology and zodiacs

she's well known around campus for having scary accurate predictions

"that wasn't on your 2024 bingo card? well it was on MINE."

furina:

president of the drama club at your school, and is often put in charge of directing all of the drama club's shows

she used to be a semi-popular child actress that frequently appeared in famous kids shows, but she took a break recently to focus more on her directing career

was essentially a guarantee for any lead in school productions when she was younger

absolute drama queen

navia frequently keeps her up to date with all the latest gossip so she's a real treat to talk to

lyney:

lynette's older twin brother, and a part time magician for kids birthday parties

one of the girls

also a member of the drama club

both an actor and member of the stage crew as he helps with special effects for productions as well

wants to continue working in the film industry after high school

bounces around as a freelance worker instead of being tied down to a specific gig despite having many offers from several places

says that if he waits the salary offers will get higher

lynette:

lyney's younger twin sister and part time magic assistant

her brother often jokes that she ditched him, but she just preferred to explore her own interests outside of lyney's career

member of both the drama club and science club

unlike lyney she only helps with behind the scenes work

most notably special effects, but she's more interested in the scientific aspect of making it work

navia:

DEFINITION of an fbi friend

knows everything about everyone, does loyalty tests on people's boyfriend's sometimes if they pay her

picks up crazy amounts of info, and has a shit ton of connections to tons of people and places

doesn't disclose how she finds out all of this

the type of friend that can find someone only by their first initial

give her a single piece of info and BOOM

she has their full legal name, all their social media accounts, the location of the grocery store they frequent, and their parent's Facebook pages

currently in a situation ship with chlorinde

additional notes:

profiles are out!

not much I wanna say but yeah :D

i'll try my best to do frequent updates

if you wanna be tagged just send me an ask/comment!

𝜗𝜚 SYNOPSIS: you're head over heels in love with childe, and scaramouche is (begrudingly) smitten with his "rival" mona. and, by sheer divine coincidence, you both happen to be the best friends of each other's objects of affection, so you strike a deal with each other. if scaramouche helps you ask out childe, you'll set him up with mona. so with the annual spring formal right around the corner, the two of you vow to be each other's wingmans so you can end your junior year on a high note (and maybe even kick off your senior year with a new relationship!). between, scheming, planning, and researching, you and scaramouche find yourselves developing a new relationship via helping each other out. now the real question is whether this friendship will remain as a pure platonic bond, or blossom into something more?

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🎀 - taglist!;

@agaygothicmushroom, @035814, @freyao7, @sketcheeee, @tsukimara, @shyentsmissingink, @justpeachyteastea, @aries-afk, @lxkeeeee, @sakiimeo, @sugxryratz, @shutingstar, @lalaloveallmydays, @bellflower1257, @haruumei, @kichiyosh1, @littlemisssatanist, @dee-zbignuts, @candyescapism, @crimxeorcremeexistspeacefully

[slightlyunconventional]

hi! i received an ask about making a snz prompts list, and it seemed like a cool idea so im gonna do it !!

slightlyunconventional’s prompt list debut 🪻

(these won’t have any particular theme or anything, just some nice prompts/scenarios that i myself enjoy writing so you might too :3 feel free to use these and i would love to see if anyone writes anything)

☀️ a character waking up to the sun streaming in through their window and having a photic reaction

❓ a character finding out for the first time that they’re allergic to something (their first time encountering a certain animal/flower etc)

🥂 character(s) going to a formal event and everywhere they turn there are people with expensive and strong perfumes on - one or both of the characters being sensitive to it

🔊 a character with typically soft/subdued sneezes catching a cold that turns their sneezes massively more harsh and uncontrollable

🧴 strongly scented beauty/bath products causing a character to sneeze - do they realise right away what’s triggering it, or does it take a while (or perhaps a tip from someone else)?

🫧 a character running a bath for their sick partner, then sitting beside the tub keeping them company whilst they soak - a cold bath for a high fever, or a hot bath for the chills

🌙 a character waking in the middle of the night to find the other side of the bed empty, then finding their partner having a sneezing fit in a different room having left to avoid waking the other one up

❤️‍🩹 a character encouraging their sick partner to stop stifling all their sneezes (maybe it makes them sneeze even more, maybe it worsens the pressure in their sinuses, maybe it amplifies the headache they already have)

☕️ the steam from a mug of hot tea teasing sneezes from a sick character

🔥 a character realising their partner has a fever by feeling the heat of their skin by accident - holding their face to kiss them, feeling their skin when they cuddle in bed, etc

🕰️ a character having to hold back/stifle all day (their job? anxiety/insecurity of sneezing around people? not wanting to spread their cold if they have one? your choice!) and finally getting to let loose once they’re home, sneezes tearing through them unrestrained

💫 a character with the kink inducing their partner, instructing them to hold back for as long as possible (my favourite scenario to read/write. can you tell)

💐 a character with awful hayfever going to a florist’s shop to buy flowers for their partner

🏖️ a character coming down with a cold in the middle of summer - they can’t appreciate the warm weather because they’re wracked with chills

⛓️‍💥 a character with a cold turning down all help/care they are offered, under the pretence that they’re fine on their own, until the end of the day when they end up collapsing (metaphorically or physically)

🩹 a character sneezing for whatever reason whilst they are injured (so much potential here - a broken/bloody nose that they can’t even touch to quell the itch, broken ribs that clench with a spike of pain at each outburst, an injured arm that hurts to cover or stifle with… endless possibilities)

🦋 a nonhuman/semi-human character not being used to sneezing finds they’ve come down with a cold, or developed an allergy

🍷 alcohol making a character sneeze, but they keep drinking, and as they get tipsier, their sneezes become more indulgent and unrestrained

💤 a character about to fall asleep, or who had just woken up, and their drowsiness finds its way into their sneezes

🕯️a character in the candle/perfume/etc section of a store, sniffing each one whilst their partner (who insisted on coming along) sneezes helplessly beside them, assuring them it isn’t the candles/perfume/etc when it most certainly is

i’ve never done a post like this before, so i hope these were okay! if anyone uses any of these i would love to read what you write, too! i also added a different emoji for each one incase anyone wanted to use it as an ask game

[pattern-recognition]

my favorite sport coat, made by Engineered Garments in NYC, vs an example i found of a work jacket made in the DDR circa the 1950s/60s. juxtaposed together they really show how A; private corporations can only aspire to match what socialist, centralized planned economies were able to achieve but are intrinsically incapable of delivering the same levels of production and B; how far fashion has been casualized in that garments that were once endemic to workers and suited for physical labor are now seen as semi-formal

[la-galaxie-langblr]

I was feeling some Despair and imposter syndrome about my french level so to prove to myself that I wasn't as good as I thought I was I looked up some B2 past papers

........those exams are so doable. The texts are the same level if not a tad easier than what I read for class every week. The audio for the listening is fast but clear. I think I'd struggle a bit on the production parts of the exams because my grammar and formal vocab need work and I've written v few structured texts, but it's not impossible??? If I had the money to spend on an exam I don't need I'd feel semi confident about walking into an exam without too much direct prep and passing??? Maybe my tutors are right that we'll be B2 by the end of second year and my imposter syndrome is wrong?? Who would have thought????

[meanbossart]

Some art-advice asks I've been meaning to reply to!

I use Clip Studio Paint Pro, though I'm not sure what tips I could give just in general. Just experiment with new things often, draw as much as your lifestyle allows, watch how other people do their work but try to avoid "Dont do THIS thing ever" type lessons and tutorials. Use as much reference as you'd like and take your time! To this day a simple sketch can still take me several hours to do depending on what it is.

Thank you so much!!! I didn't do any kind of formal art schooling but I've always been inclined towards arts and crafts, and started taking drawing semi seriously when I was about 17 (I'm 27 now). I draw a lot of inspiration from western comics and my favorite artists are jason shawn alexander and sean murphy.

Oh I'm so flattered to hear my stuff's inspired you to take up drawing again, I have a bunch of little crafty hobbies but art is by far the most fulfilling one to me - largely because you're constantly learning and improving.

You're definitely onto something already, I am constantly looking at other people's art (even If it isn't a style I would want to emulate) and analyzing how the pieces come together to create the final product. In my opinion this is pretty much the best way you can go about learning besides real-life reference drawing. You can even take something into your software of choice/print it out and trace it (just to yourself, of course) to get a sense of hand-motion and line use.

As a beginner I think there's no shame at all in taking heavy inspiration from your favorite artists, as long as you aren't straight up copying things and calling them your own. Your personal style Is likely to come out naturally, with time. That's very much how I started myself!

Also, just be patient with yourself, try to have realistic goals for your skill level while simultaneously being proud of everything you do. Even if you absolutely despise a drawing, you still drew something! And even if it doesn't feel that way you most definitely learned from it. Use learning tools and tutorials to whatever point you feel comfortable with but don't get stuck on people's arbitrary rules - unless we're talking about something tangible like real-life application of traditional art tools, things like anatomy, perspective and light are to be referenced from - but It's not the goal to emulate them 100% unless you ARE going for hyperrealism. As someone who uses a ton of reference these days, I can tell you first-hand that I often find myself straying from it on purpose to make a piece look more interesting.

Lastly, draw things you enjoy! Don't let anyone else dictate what you SHOULD be doing and don't fall into the trappings of wanting to stick to one specific style, process, or subject matter.

Good luck!!!

LOL thank you so much for your very evocative compliments! I haven't ever done a timelapse, not that I remember at least. I'm not sure how they work but I do so much of "I'm gonna try this thing 5 different ways and then decide what I like" that I'm not sure how comprehensive that would be LOL

I could put together a process showcase or something though, I feel like that might be better even, since I get to explain a little of what I'm doing through text and display how I use reference. Something to consider!

[faulty-writes]

[ Hello followers and or fans, I present to you, Chapter Three of my Tensei holiday series. You can find the first few chapters by searching this tag on Tumblr or you can find Chapter One by clicking this link. This series will probably go on into early next year, but we could all use a little more Tensei in our lives. ]

[ Nothing could get worse between discovering his letter and the broken heart you felt...or so you thought. After arriving at the Iida Estate for the scheduled dinner, Tensei’s parents finally tell you what they want to talk about. Unfortunately, it’s not what you expected and despite declining their offer, they aren’t willing to listen to reason. On the bright side, at least Tensei didn’t see it coming either. ]

On your way to the Iida Estate, you stopped by the agency, which was filled with eerie silence except for your hurried footsteps. It seemed every rational thought in your mind was absent because you couldn’t explain why you wanted the crumbled-up letter.

Despite your lack of sleep, you hoped that when you woke up, it wouldn’t be there. Maybe you just wanted to confirm if it was real or not. Unfortunately, that ache in your chest returned immediately when you spotted the torn and crinkled piece of paper.

It was tempting to tear it apart, but instead, you folded it up and tucked it inside your burgundy blazer. Although you were certain that the Iida family members would all be wearing formal attire that you could only hope to afford, you tried your best to coordinate an outfit that would at least please them.

In addition to your blazer, you also wore an ivory-colored, button-up shirt. The collar of it was adorned with a silky black bow tie which matched the black-hued trousers you wore. The finishing touch to your outfit was a pair of semi-polished black dress shoes.

Overall, you hoped that you gave the aura of a sophisticated individual while also representing the festive season. You took a deep breath, willing the ache in your chest to go away. You needed to be mindful and alert during your visit with the Iida family, which meant you couldn’t let this distract you.

It was like being on a mission or apprehending a villain. You needed to be coordinated, calculated, and ready for the unexpected, which in this case, might be the conversation Mr. and Mrs. Iida wished to have with you. Yeah, you were still dreading that. But there was little to be done about it now.

Taking another deep breath, you locked the door to your office and made your way down to the main floor of the agency before locking the entrance doors and climbing into your car. “Well here goes nothing…” you muttered before starting the engine.

The drive to the Iida Estate was short, and the only thing that made it somewhat bearable was the holiday music blasting from the radio. In a way, it was comforting. But you frowned knowing that this festive time of the year would be over soon.

At least you could take pride in knowing that it was a productive year. This was evident because the Idaten Agency had made the Top 50 list of the Best Agencies in Japan, and you knew that was partly thanks to the new team members who certainly pulled their weight and made the agency just a little better.

The thought made you smile, and you knew that Tensei was also proud of the way you were taking care of his former agency. Nobody knows what tomorrow, let alone next year will bring. All you had to do was your best. This is what you reminded yourself as you drove past the gates of the Iida Estate.

After parking and getting out of your car, you heard someone shout, “Hey!” and turned to see Tensei rolling down the ramp toward you. Before you realized it, a smile came to your face. Guess that was the power he had over you, and his handsome appearance might have had something to do with it.

Like you, he sported a blazer but colored a deep evergreen with golden trim along the cuffs of it in addition to golden cufflinks. A crisp white dress shirt lay beneath his blazer, although the collar of it was open, and a silky red tie encircled it and you noticed there were small snowflakes across its fabric.

His tie complimented the bright red pocket square located on the left side of his blazer. His trousers were a deep shade of charcoal and black oxfords were on his feet. “You look nice,” you complimented, and he smiled. “Thanks, Tenya helped pick this out for me,” he replied, and you chuckled.

Yeah, that sounded like something Tenya would do. “That figures,” you said before opening the side door of your car to take the gifts you had gotten for the Iida family out. A moment of silence filled the air before Tensei said, “You look amazing.” You cried out when your head hit the ceiling of the car and stumbled to turn around.

The gifts you had piled in your arms fell partly on Tensei’s lap and on the ground. He looked startled but immediately addressed your well-being. “Did you hit your head?” He asked, reaching out to you. “No, uh, I mean yeah but…” you rubbed the top of your head and like a ripened tomato, your cheeks turned crimson.

As you knelt to pick up the gifts, you hoped Tensei wouldn’t comment on the color of your face. “Y-you uh, just surprised me with your compliment, and uh…” You shook your head; this wasn’t how you normally act around Tensei.

Jeez, finding that letter really messed you up, but you couldn’t let him find out. ‘Right. He’s…my friend and I must be supportive. No matter how much it hurts,’ and boy did it ever. “Um, sorry for spilling those on you. I can take them,” you said, attempting to organize the gifts in your arms before reaching out to him but he rolled back.

“I can help you carry them!” He insisted with a smile. “Besides you seem a little out of it today, guess the busy holiday season caught up to you, huh?” Tensei had a way of being blunt when he wanted to be, and while that bluntness may come off as rude, most of the time he didn’t mean anything by it.

“Right…busy holiday season…” you replied before walking past him. “Thanks,” you nonchalantly said before respectfully removing your shoes and walking into the Iida Estate. The interior was bathed in a soft beige color, with white trim molding across the top.

The polished marble flooring reflected the light from the chandelier suspended from the ceiling. The center of the foyer was adorned with a grand staircase, its balusters carved with precision and created slender forms that enhanced the allure of elegance that lingered through the room.

At the bottom of the staircase stood a magnificent tree. A string of evergreen encircled it, and flickering lights of red, blue, and yellow provided it with an enchanting glow. Delicate handcrafted ornaments hung from its branches, and a sparkling star adorned the top of the tree.

Beneath the boughs was a delightful array of presents, each one wrapped in festive paper that created a vibrant hue against the marble flooring. Somehow the Iida’s always outdid themselves when it came to decorating and you looked at Tensei who too seemed hypnotized by the tree’s majestic appearance.

The sound of his mother’s voice, however, broke the hold the tree held over your mind. “Oh, I’m so glad you’re here,” both of you turned to look at her. A sumptuous crimson kimono hugged her figure, its fabric embroidered with intricate snowflakes.

A green obi with golden swirls encircled her waist and layers of silk bellowed from beneath the kimono, leaving the impression of modesty and poise. The sleeves were long and flowing, with golden trim. On her feet, she wore plain white tabi socks with zori sandals.

Overall, she represented a traditional elegance of beauty and charm. Things that made you feel somewhat subconscious about your outfit, but hey, you tried. She approached the two of you, a smile playing across her features.

“Oh, you brought gifts. Please place them under the tree,” she said, gesturing to it. “Oh right,” you replied, kneeling, and carefully placing each present underneath said tree, making sure the labels were facing the correct way.

Tensei rolled over and handed you the presents that were currently sitting on his lap. “Thank you,” once you were sure all the presents were organized, you stood up. “Dinner is still cooking, why don’t we have tea in the parlor while we wait?” She suggested motioning to the archway located to the left of the foyer.

“Oh, uh,” you glanced at Tensei who nodded. “That…sounds lovely,” you replied before bowing. “Thank you very much,” you leaned back up and made your way to the parlor. Much like the foyer, its walls were painted beige, and plush armchairs were scattered around to enhance the purpose of conversation.

The scent of fresh flowers with subtle citrus undertones mingled with the musky aroma of aged books. The large bookcase surrounding the room and the vase of fresh flowers on the ornate table that took center stage in the room were the sources of the smells.

Overall, the room conveyed a sense of comfort. However, this was short-lived because when you saw Mr. Iida seated in the furthest chair, you tensed up. The conversation he was having with Tenya, who sat next to him, halted when he noticed your presence.

A shiver ran down your spine when he locked eyes with you, and you were about to blurt out a greeting when Mrs. Iida brushed past you. “I’m so happy everyone is here,” she commented before walking over to her husband. “I’ll go make some tea, Tenya will you help me?” She asked and he immediately sprung to his feet.

“Why of course, I would be delighted to help!” He replied, chopping his hand rapidly through the air. You noticed his outfit was a little different from Tensei’s as it was slightly more casual. Instead of a suit, he was wearing a forest green vest that fit snuggly against his chest.

A white button-up shirt complimented the vest, allowing its stark color to stand out. He appeared to be wearing dark, well-fitting jeans that still somehow conveyed a hint of sophistication as did his black dress shoes. “It is wonderful to have you here, Y/n,” he said, his hand moving through the air again.

“I do hope that the festivities occurring today will not be interrupted as they were previously,” you knew he was referring to the incident that happened yesterday. “I guess we’ll see,” you replied, shrugging and Tenya offered you a smile before he left the room with his mother.

“Do you wanna sit here?” Tensei asked, gesturing to one of the open chairs. You were about to respond only to have Mr. Iida speak first. “No,” he said, his voice slightly raspy and authority coated it. You tensed up and looked at him. Like his wife, he too was sporting a kimono although a tad less colorful and more traditional.

It was a deep emerald and you noticed it was partially hidden by the haori he wore. A simple red obi complimented his kimono and was tied behind his back in an artful knot. He too was wearing white tabi socks and zori sandals. Tensei laughed.

“Do you want them to sit closer?” he joked, and Mr. Iida nodded before gesturing to the seat that Tenya was previously sitting in. ‘Oh boy…’ You grimaced and looked at Tensei for reassurance. He offered you a smile and lifted his hand to the side of his mouth.

“I’ll sit next to you,” he whispered, knowing you were still a little uneasy when in his father’s company. “Oh um,” you nodded and reluctantly sat in the requested seat. As promised, Tensei rolled over to take his spot next to you and locked his wheelchair.

“So, Dad,” he began engaging in casual conversation with his father while you sat there with your hands in your lap. It was strange to think you were a Pro Hero, and leader of Team Idaten and could talk to fans, crowds, and villains with little to no problem.

But Tensei’s father…that was an entirely different challenge. His intimidating nature constantly got to you, and it made your mind go blank, making it nearly impossible to speak to him. The minutes that ticked by felt like years, and the tension in the air grew thicker by the second.

Like a fish out of water, you felt like you were unable to get oxygen. Even as the chatter between Tensei and his father continued, you felt awkward. But like an angel descending from the heavens, Mrs. Iida broke the tension when she walked back in with Tenya who was carrying a silver tray that housed a black tea kettle.

Its glazed surface was adorned with a subtle depiction of cherry blossoms. Surrounding the kettle were five cups, each one painted with a unique pattern. You assumed this was so everyone knew for sure which cup was theirs.

As she got closer, the earthy richness and sweet undertones, somewhat reminiscent of roasted seaweed permeated the air and managed to put you at ease for the time being. “You can place it on the table Tenya,” she instructed and once that was done, she carefully poured everyone a cup.

You held yours snugly between your palms, enjoying the subtle heat that seeped through its porcelain body. The weight of the cup in addition to the overwhelming aroma acted like an anchor, grounding your troubles for the moment.

The heat intensified when you brought the cup to your lips and gently blew on it before taking a sip, enjoying the feeling of the warmth of it rushing over your tongue. “Ah,” you said, licking your lips. “This tea is delicious Mrs. Iida,” she smiled at your compliment and took a sip from her cup before looking at Tensei.

“Do you and Y/n have any special plans after dinner?” She asked, making your eyebrow raise. There was a good chance you and Tensei would be doing something after dinner, permitted work didn’t require your attention. But you couldn’t help but feel she was asking that as if she wanted to make sure there were no plans set in motion.

“Not sure,” Tensei replied, smiling when you looked at him. “I’m sure we’ll figure something out,” he said, giving you a playful wink before drinking his tea. You knit your eyebrows before Mr. Iida said, “Don’t make any solid plans.” You looked at him, watching as he drank from his cup before returning your stare.

His gaze was cold and authoritative but that could be because he didn’t want you or Tensei to argue with him. Luckily Tensei found his response just as concerning. “Oh, did you want us after dinner for something?” He asked. His parents were known for last-minute surprises.

Mr. Iida’s gaze lingered on you, making that awkward tension surround you again. ‘Why the hell is he looking at me?’ You glanced to the side and resumed drinking your tea, hoping he would get the hint that his stare was making you uncomfortable.

“Hmp,” he grumbled and rose from his seat to place his cup onto the tray. Mrs. Iida turned to Tensei, “Your father and I were hoping to celebrate something else today as well,” she explained, being as vague as possible. “Something else?” Tensei repeated before looking at his brother.

As if reading his mind, Tenya said, “I am afraid I am unaware of any premeditated plans mother and father may have contrived.” With that, he finished his tea, and placed it on the tray as his father had done. You blinked, trying to process the lack of information and make sense of it.

“Pardon,” all your heads turned to see a man wearing a toque blanche and a white double-breasted jacket. The sleeves of which were rolled up, revealing his rather dry-looking skin. In addition, he was wearing a pristine apron that cinched around his waist, a few stains were visible on the surface of it.

Underneath the apron, he was wearing dark pants. It was safe to assume that he was one of the many chefs the Iida family employed. He bowed respectfully and gestured toward the kitchen. “Dinner is served,” he said, and Mrs. Iida smiled.

“Oh wonderful,” she stood and placed her cup on the tray before instructing Tenya and Tensei to wash up for dinner, then she looked at you and your stomach twisted. Oh no, this was the part where you were going to find out just what they wanted to discuss with you.

That uneasy ache returned, spreading through your chest like wildfire and a feeling of nausea washed over you making your face appear pale. “Huh?” Tensei noticed your odd change in complexion. “Are you okay? Heh, you look like you’ve seen a ghost,” he said, placing his hand on your thigh.

You paused, ignoring the tremble that coursed through your body like a bolt of lightning. Then your lip quivered, his touch was so gentle and loving. “Y-yeah,” you replied, swallowing heavily. “I-I’m-” The sound of throat clearing interrupted you. The two of you turned your heads to see Mr. Iida.

His arms were crossed, and his facial expression was stern. “Tenya, please assist your brother to the restroom,” he stated. “Yes, father!” He immediately and enthusiastically replied. Before Tensei could say anymore, Tenya unlocked his wheelchair and quickly escorted him out of the room.

You curled your fingers so tightly in your lap that your bones began to ache, you had never been so nervous to talk to Tensei’s parents before and maybe you wouldn’t be this nervous if you hadn’t read that damn letter. ‘Whatever happens…happens,’ you reminded yourself after taking a deep breath.

“Y/n,” you looked up at Mrs. Iida who was standing proudly next to her husband. “Y-yes?” you replied, bracing for the worst. “You’ve been a part of our family for quite some time now,” she said, walking over to grab your hand, giving it a gentle tug to signal you to stand up.

Despite the frown on your face, you did as she wanted and placed your now empty cup of tea on the tray. “I still remember when Tensei introduced us to you during your first year at Yuuei, he was so happy to find a classmate who supported the idea of his future agency,” she smiled as she replayed the moment in her head.

Yes, she knew something had changed in her son shortly after he enrolled in Yuuei’s hero course. That certain spark in his eyes was nothing short of admiration and she had her suspicions that maybe, just maybe, her son had found someone to fancy.

The day Tensei brought you home confirmed her suspicions and from that moment on, she hoped that the two of you would end up together. But as the years passed, this hope dwindled. She thought for certain you’d fall in love with her son after the Hero Killer incident that rendered him paraplegic, but again, she was proven wrong.

She knew that the only person her son had eyes for was you. And as far as she knew, you didn’t have any romantic interest in anyone. Yet, Tensei and you remained inseparable. She was very grateful for all that you had done for him and likewise, she assumed that you were grateful for everything Tensei had done for you.

So, there was no reason to delay the exciting decision that she and her husband came to. “We’d like to share the plans we have for you and Tensei,” you knit your eyebrows. “I-I’m sorry?” you replied, what the hell did she mean by plans for you and Tensei?

Didn’t they know that Tensei had feelings for someone else? Or so you assumed he did. The letter was evidence enough! He wrapped an arm around his wife, pulling her closer as if sensing your conflicting aura, and firmly said, “We’d like you to marry our son.”

Your world shattered when you heard those words, and your breath was stolen away. You had joked several times that it was a surprise that they hadn’t proposed that you marry Tensei, and now that joke turned into reality, and it made your heart both race and sink like an anchor.

The war of conflict between selfishness and selflessness and your heart’s lovesick needs versus your brain’s logical reasoning hit you like a brick. “I…um,” words weren’t coming easy now, and you squeezed your hands together, making your fingers turn red.

You swallowed thickly. “I…appreciate your proposal but um…” you latched onto your lip, trying to ignore the saddened look that fell across Mrs. Iida’s face. “I need some time to think about this,” you bowed before scurrying out of the room, guilt flooding your heart like a deadly plague.

This was just too much to process at once, who knew that your greatest enemy would be love? A frown decorated her lips as she turned to look at her husband, hurt and confusion shining in her eyes. It was not an expression he favored seeing on her and he vowed to fix it.

“I believe we’ll be late for dinner,” he said and ignored her perplexed reaction as he guided the two of them out of the room. The long rectangular dining table was covered in an ivory tablecloth that pooled over the edges of said table.

Fine China decorated with subtle festive patterns laid on appropriately themed placemats in front of each chair. The silverware sparkled with a mirror-like sheen and was placed on either side of the said China plates. The glassware gleamed like freshly fallen snow and stood at attention beside the complexly folded linen napkins.

A base of evergreen branches dusted in a coating of artificial snow surrounded by rustic pinecones lay in the center of the table. Their rich brown hues created an earthy contrast that gave the feeling of the holidays with a touch of the outdoors.

Along the branches were clusters of fake cranberries, adding a pop of color and further capturing the essence of the season. Three slender candles, aglow with artificial flames stood like pillars amidst the greenery and each one of them was dressed in a delicate red bow.

At the head of the table sat Mr. Iida, and next to him on the left was his wife. Across from her sat Tenya and next to him Tensei, and finally you took your place next to Mrs. Iida. You shyly glanced at Tensei from across the table as all of you waited for the food to be brought out.

A few minutes of silence passed before the savory scent of roasted turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, green beans, carrots, cranberry sauce, and mouthwatering dinner rolls filled the air. You swallowed as the food was placed on the table, and your stomach gave an approving growl.

As the last of the food was being brought out, you followed Mrs. Iida’s lead and unfolded your linen napkin before draping it across your lap. After expressions of gratitude were complete, Mr. Iida went to work cutting the turkey and everyone filled their plates.

The sound of silverware clanking against said plates echoed, as did the gentle clink of glasses. Regardless of the lack of conversation, there was a peaceful and familial atmosphere. You had almost forgotten about the earlier incident until the repetitive sound of a spoon gently hitting the side of a glass echoed.

Everyone at the table looked at Mr. Iida, the one conducting the noise. He stood up when he was certain he had everyone’s attention. “It’s an honor for the Iida family to be together to celebrate this festive occasion,” he turned his glance on you and unlike before, you weren’t intimidated by any means.

Rather you cocked your eyebrow at him, wondering where he was going with this speech. “And it’s time to celebrate the newest member of our family,” he said. While he knew you had declined the offer, he and his wife so graciously gave you, he would make it happen regardless.

This is what his wife wanted after all. There was no better gift he could give her than watching their son get married to the one she believed would make an excellent spouse. What? You looked around, almost as if you expected someone else to spontaneously manifest out of thin air.

Naturally, you became quite concerned when you noticed that everyone’s gaze was turned on you. ‘Why is everyone looking at me?’ You thought for a moment that you had food on your face or perhaps that you spilled something on your outfit.

But you quickly realized when you looked back at Mr. Iida that he was now gesturing in your direction. “Uh...” you glanced away, feeling quite awkward. Mr. Iida lifted his glass into the air, the contents of it swirling around as he made a toast.

“I’m honored that Y/n has agreed to marry our son,” he stated causing Tenya to jolt in his seat. He blinked, and his lips parted as he looked at his brother who was equally as shocked. But Tensei’s eyes were focused on you as if you would have the answer to what had just happened.

Your mouth hung open and you shook your head slightly as if to convey to him and Tenya that you had no idea what was going on. Well, other than the fact that Mr. and Mrs. Iida didn’t respect the answer you had already given them and were now twisting it in their favor.

You frowned, understandably angry, in addition to the other confusing emotions you had been dealing with since yesterday. Even if marrying Tensei would be a dream, you couldn’t let him do that if he had feelings for someone else. “Mr. Iida I-” he ignored you.

“I propose a toast to the new couple,” he said before looking at his wife who was absolutely beaming with happiness. “We’ll start planning the wedding accordingly,” with that, he swallowed a mouthful of his drink and sat back down. “I’m so honored that you changed your mind,” Mrs. Iida said, turning to you.

Despite wanting to tell her that you, in fact, did not change your mind. You knew that was disrespectful and you didn’t want to ruin dinner. So instead, you nodded and remained quiet as you continued eating. You focused your attention on your plate, refusing to look at the members of the Iida family.

Your mind was too preoccupied to carry on a conversation anyway. It was a strange feeling, you finally got the chance to be with the one you had adored for years and yet, you couldn’t because he had feelings for someone else.

Granted, there was no name mentioned in the letter making it nearly impossible to figure out who he was referring to. Asking Tenya did cross your mind, but you felt like that was going behind Tensei’s back and the last thing you needed to do was to hurt him.

The most important thing now was not your feelings but Tensei’s. If you could have a private moment with him after dinner, then maybe you could explain how you found his letter and ended up reading it out of curiosity.

You could potentially also explain what had just happened and how you initially refused the offer his parents gave you to marry him. You wanted to sigh but instead latched onto your lip. This holiday season just turned into a Hallmark love triangle tragedy.

[ Chapter IV ]

[mariacallous]

On Jan. 29, 2022, Sir Michael Morgan Jr., an 18-year-old member of the Muscogee Nation, shot and killed Isaiah Jones, also 18, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Morgan couldn’t legally own a handgun, so he had borrowed one—a 9 mm semi-automatic Canik pistol with room for 19 rounds of fire.

The shooting coincided with the United States’ peak COVID-19 outbreak, when Americans were buying guns in record quantities and those guns were turning up at crime scenes at record pace. But as inflation rose and some U.S. factories closed for pandemic lockdowns, guns were increasingly imported from countries where production was cheaper and uninterrupted.

Leading that trend was Turkey, which since 2021 has been the United States’ top gun exporter. And top among Turkish brands is Canik, owned by the parent company Samsun Yurt Savunma (SYS).

At the time of Jones’s murder, the Canik pistol had become a hot commodity, uniquely suited for the growing U.S. market. Gun designers and marketers were trying to expand their customer base among women, children, and Black consumers like Morgan and Jones, and Canik’s 9 mm pistol—designed for small hands, with an easy-to-use trigger and a light frame—was ideal for a shooter with little experience. More importantly, the Canik pistol was cheap, usually costing less than $400.

“Turkey kind of occupies this niche all on their own,” Iain Harrison, a marksman and editor in chief of Recoil magazine, told Foreign Policy. While Turkish manufacturers’ price points compare with lower-quality guns from countries with less developed industries, “quality-wise, even despite the price, they’re right up there with the European guys.”

Though U.S. gun sales have dropped since their peak in 2020 and SYS’s competitors’ sales have largely shrunk, SYS’s brands are growing beyond their pre-pandemic numbers. The company says it can produce up to 460,000 9 mm pistols a year, which would make it second in production after the German giant Sig Sauer—but, crucially, at half the sales price.

Turkish companies’ success in the United States is partly due to their pivot to producing semi-automatic 9 mm pistols—a type of gun that has been linked to gun violence, which disproportionately affects poor neighborhoods. Of the guns traced to crime scenes in 2023, 74 percent were pistols, according to the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); almost half of those were 9 mm. While information on the makes of these guns is spotty, in a recent study by Everytown for Gun Safety that collected data from 34 cities, four of the 10 most commonly traced brands in 2023 were foreign, including those marked Century Arms, Canik’s importer.

“It’s pretty simple; economic factors influence firearm purchases,” said Sarah Burd-Sharps, former senior director of research at Everytown for Gun Safety. “More access to very cheap guns equals more potential for harm.”

Cheap foreign guns have outperformed local ones in the United States before, but this is the first time that a country with such a young industry and such low production costs has done so well. Further, as U.S. tariffs stand to jolt prices up across the board, Turkish guns may be spared from the biggest hikes.

To those who see gun ownership as a right to self-defense, the popularity of Turkish guns marks a step toward expanding access and diversifying options. But to those who worry that high gun supply spells more harm, it may contribute not only to a more violent United States, but to a more violent world.

Ankara invested little in modernizing its small arms manufacturing prior to the 1990s, when war against Kurdish guerrillas created a need for more sophisticated weapons. The state-owned Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKE) distributed permits to factory owners, formalizing pockets of a sprawling gun cottage industry.

SYS was the most ambitious of Turkey’s young firms. The family patriarch, Huseyin Cahit Aral, had made a fortune as an industrialist, founding Turkey’s first fruit juice and frozen food factories. His son Zafer bought a small arms workshop in 1998 and, through partnerships with national and multinational defense companies, grew it into a multi-campus, high-tech operation.

This transformation was possible in part because of reforms beginning in 2004 by then-Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that aimed to free Turkey’s defense industry from its dependence on Western firms. In this effort, he has largely succeeded. The defense and trade ministries now extend subsidies, marketing support, and favorable loans to enterprising Turkish defense companies and reward them with hefty contracts to arm the military and police.

By the 2010s, boosted by growing gun ownership at home, Turkish firearm companies started eyeing the U.S. market. In 2012, SYS representatives traveled to the Las Vegas SHOT Show, where they met with Century International Arms, the United States’ biggest surplus gun importer. The two agreed to try out a partnership in which Century Arms would help SYS understand American tastes and navigate the legal landscape.

To start, Century Arms executives sent a wish list to SYS engineers of pistol features that would please American gun buyers. The pistols based on these designs sold well, and the profits were reinvested into better engineering.

Canik pistols are now Century Arms’s bestselling gun. And Turkish brands, once marginal, have stacked up multiple industry awards. They have their own fan groups and dedicated forums, and their stands at gun shows bring in loyal crowds.

“I think this is a very beautiful example of a symbiotic relationship,” Adam Ruonala, vice president of marketing and business development for Century Arms, told FP.

The United States has generally prohibited gun imports since 1968, following President John F. Kennedy’s assassination using an Italian Carcano rifle. But this prohibition has only had two major updates since then, and carve-outs remain for guns used for “sporting purposes”—a definition importers quickly found ways of expanding and manipulating to include certain military-style models.

Because of the United States’ patchwork gun laws, some models can be imported but only sold in certain states. Some Turkish semi-automatic pistols are banned in a handful of states because of their large magazine capacity, but dealers simply sell the same gun there with smaller magazines. (Some models, such as several by Austria’s Glock, can even be converted into fully automatic weapons with a cheap but illegal switching device.)

Even guns that fail the “sporting purposes” import test can eventually be sold in the United States. One way of doing this is for a gun maker to import the parts and assemble them locally with a minimum number of U.S.-made parts. The other way is for the foreign company to open a factory in the United States to bypass the compliance process entirely.

In 2022, when its new pistol model did not pass the import test, SYS subsidiary Canik USA decided to build its first U.S. factory in Florida and bypass import rules altogether. The factory, which opened in December, has started production with this Canik pistol model and will eventually branch out to heavy machine guns and medium-caliber cannons.

With this move, SYS joins other foreign companies that have onshored production, including Germany’s Sig Sauer, Austria’s Glock, Israel’s IWI, and Brazil’s Taurus. By opening American factories, these companies now have better odds of winning big U.S. government contracts and an easier process for making military-style models, whose sale and manufacture are often much less controlled at U.S. bases than in their home countries.

This onshoring not only deflates companies’ importation figures, but it also obscures the fact that revenues generated in U.S. headquarters eventually cycle back to these companies’ home countries—and their national defense industries.

Last year, SYS brought in $190 million, more than three times the peak amount of U.S. security assistance to Turkey. Washington reduced this assistance in 2020 as it blocked arms exports and sanctioned Turkey for buying a Russian S-400 missile system. Today, even as U.S. defense sanctions remain, American gun buyers are still, in a way, helping fund Turkish companies’ military weapons production, such as SYS’s cannons and turrets and Sarsilmaz’s drone systems and killer robots.

Turkey avoids selling such conventional arms to U.N.-sanctioned countries—with some exceptions—but its small arms sales are tougher to track and regulate. Top gun-producing countries such as the United States and Germany report their firearms sales regularly and even monitor where they end up to help crack down on trafficking; Turkey does not. It also has not yet ratified the U.N.’s Arms Trade Treaty, which bans the sale of both conventional and small arms to countries where there is a “substantial risk” that they will be used in human rights violations.

Total Turkish firearms sales abroad are therefore unknown, but SYS and Sarsilmaz reports show that Turkish handguns have been sold to police and military forces in Pakistan, Egypt, Sudan, Iraq, and the Philippines. They have also shown up in smuggled stockpiles in embargoed countries such as Burkina Faso, Chad, and Libya, according to Interpol and U.N. reports.

Turkish semi-automatic shotguns have also dominated legal gun sales in various conflict areas. Miles Vining, a defense consultant who previously researched small arms in the Middle East, said that he saw Turkish shotguns “all over the place” in Afghanistan, Iraq, Myanmar, and Syria. He said that to criminal actors and insurgents, buying these guns is a “no-brainer” because of their low price and accessibility, and because they have military-esque features such as pistol grips and collapsible buttstocks.

“They occupy a big part of these markets because oftentimes they’re some of the only legal firearms that civilians can have per the books,” Vining said. Not only do these authoritarian countries impose strict gun control on their populations, but arms embargoes prevent them from buying guns from abroad, with the exception of shotguns, whose sale is legal almost everywhere.

The spread of cheap Turkish guns—to militaries, rebel groups, and criminal gangs around the world—may stem just as much from weak trafficking enforcement as from weak gun control in the United States, which has lifted these brands’ prestige and profits. Tightening U.S. gun laws is certainly more straightforward than tightening international regulation; however, it has proved elusive even to leaders who want to make changes.

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, however, might be the first in more than three decades to shake up the flow of foreign guns. In Trump’s first term, the associate deputy director of the ATF had proposed bringing the “sporting” category up to date with action sports, which currently embrace AR-15s and AK-47s.

But this time around, Trump’s presidency may end up upsetting U.S. gun makers more than it rewards them. The ATF is expecting dramatic slashes to its budget, personnel, and purview, perhaps even closure. This may cause a de facto green light for all gun imports, but more likely confusion and backlog for those awaiting arrival.

Moreover, ongoing trade uncertainty is forcing globalized firearms supply chains to untangle themselves from important steel and parts importers, including Canada, China, and Mexico, which will likely drive prices up and sales down. Amid the prospect of uneven worldwide tariffs, the price of European and American firearms stand to climb, just as Turkish guns—which expect only a baseline 10 percent tariff and are made of locally produced steel—are positioned to keep prices low.

While Trump may hope that tariffs will onshore foreign gun manufacturing, they may instead shift the advantage to gun makers less affected by rising costs and relocations. If that is the case, then Turkish companies will not only weather the trade war, but they may also emerge with an even wider lead.

[sanctuaryofspirits]

Campuseidon Update!

Note: Ken doll anatomy for later reference for clothing. There is no NSFW here!

Anyway, with that out of the way: here’s ‘Campuseidon in his humanoid form! Super messy sketch because I wanted an idea from my description on Poseidon’s humanoid form I typed out.

Something to note with ‘Campuseidon is that he has several spots along his body. Especially the ones that glow an ocean green. These ones specifically are from Cronus chewing and breaking his bones! So yes, if Antinous did complete what he said he’d do in Hold Them Down, Poseidon is gossiping with everyone who’ll listen, especially Odysseus, because he knows too well how it feels for bones to break. Besides that, I’m probably not adding his post “600 Strike” scars as that is 24-ish puncture wounds that’ll be glowing an ichor gold. Especially when doing a chibi. Plus the sword strikes are like- around as thin as a paper cut so that would be counter productive to add all of them.

Humanoid!‘Campuseidon does not cover his upper half outside of a golden metal front plate harness, with the back being made of the finest leather. May add his horn rings + diadem combo as well. Though he’s wearing his chiton and himation like a skirt. The chiton is thinner, white, and is longer. His himation is shorter, is lapis blue, and thicker. The himation also has some seaweed patterns. I will be adding armbands and greaves to him too.

Basically just semi-formal look.

As another fun little note to his design! When I finally can draw up a proper design, his beard is very reminiscent of his trident! He also has a 5 o’clock shadow mustache. Everything is pretty close to the face, so it’s not a “run your fingers through the beard” length. It’s just long enough that it’s not prickly

[dertaglichedan]

Explosion at Iran’s Bandar Abbas Port Kills 18, Injures About 800

A powerful explosion and subsequent fire ripped through the Shahid Rajaee container terminal outside the southern Iranian city of Bandar Abbas on 26 April, according to state and semi-official media. The blast, which occurred around midday local time, triggered secondary explosions and sent a plume of smoke over the strategic Persian Gulf port.

By early Sunday, the Director General of Hormozgan Province’s Crisis Management and Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni said the official death toll had climbed to 18, with more than 800 people injured. The casualty count rose steadily over the course of Saturday as emergency services reached additional victims and several of the wounded succumbed to their injuries.

Authorities have yet to release a definitive cause, but multiple officials told local outlets the incident likely began in a storage area containing chemical materials, possibly related to a shipment of ingredients used in missile-propellant production. Fire-fighters from nearby provinces were deployed as high winds complicated efforts to contain the blaze, which continued to smoulder more than 17 hours after the initial explosion.

Shahid Rajaee is Iran’s largest commercial port, processing roughly 80 million tons of goods a year. While officials said oil facilities were not affected, operations at the container yard have been suspended pending damage assessment and a formal investigation. The Interior Ministry has promised a public report once forensic teams determine the exact sequence of events.

[sandra-writes]

Harrison Slytherin is not dead!

I know, I know - one more year has passed and still no news on my little Harry Potter re-write. But I've been surprisingly productive on that front latley, so hopefully this really is the last update you'll get from me before I am ready to upload the next school year.

And what do I have so far? A whooping 233k words, so once I actually manage to finish it, edit it and post it, there should be plenty to read before the drought comes back. As for how am I doing story-wise, I am writing a scene in the second half of June 1995, so I am really hoping to be done with the school year before long.

However, there is a lot of editing in my future, so please, don't get your hope too up. Still, I am mostly optimistic about not needing to write another post in a year for fourth anniversary.

And as a little treat, I have a small surprise for you under the cut once again. Hopefully it won't disappoint.

Love, Sandra

Harry is not happy about being in the uniform on a Sunday, but this time he understands it. There are two other schools coming and since this meeting is at least semi-formal, school uniforms for everyone involved makes sense. It even makes sense for everyone to stand with their own house and by their grades. If nothing else, first years in the front means that they might even see something. What that something is going to be, on the other hand…

“How do you think they are coming?” Harry asks quietly once they’re all piled in front of the school. He has Pansy to one side of him and Draco on the other. Theo stands next to Draco with Blaise next to him and on the other side of Pansy are the girls. The fifth years are right behind them with the prefects standing at the ends of their rows and the third years are in front of them. Daniel took his place in front of Theo and Harry smiled when he saw it, unsure whether Daniel did it on purpose or just absently.

“In a flashy way, certainly,” Pansy grumbles a bit, obviously displeased how… common their display is. But then again, they’re already here and it’s hard to make an impression that way. “Maybe by water?” But she sounds uncertain as she glances at the Great Lake. Harry slowly nods.

“It would make sense, wouldn’t it? The river leads straight to the sea, doesn’t it?”

Pansy shrugs just when Dumbledore speaks up.

“Ah! Unless I am very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!”

With one last look towards the lake (where nothing happens), Harry looks towards the Forbidden Forest while Draco looks up, Pansy following his lead a beat after him. Excitement rolls throughout the student body, but while the Slytherins and Ravenclaws are busy looking around, Hufflepuffs whisper among themselves and Gryffindors outright yell. Luckily, Harry is so far away from Gryffindors that he doesn’t understand what they’re saying.

“There!” Draco whispers, excited, and all the people around them check to see where he’s looking. Harry catches it just when it soars above the forest, the dark shape of it quickly soaring to the ground in between them and the forest. It’s a big, powder-blue, horse-drawn carriage pulled by a dozen Abraxans. Harry can’t help his awed look as the carriage draws close. A number of first years jump back when it comes hurling towards the students, but the Abraxans touch down and then with a thud the carriage lands and they stop just in time to be perfectly positioned in front of the Hogwarts students.

A young man in pale blue robes jumps off the carriage and unstraps a set of golden stairs that unfold from the carriage. Then he steps back a bit and out of the carriage steps the tallest, biggest woman Harry has ever seen. Dressed in black satin, her tan face looks towards Hogwarts with her dark eyes, her hair drawn back into a simple, but elegant bun.

She steps out of the carriage and stays looking at them. Then Dumbledore starts to clap and Harry hesitantly joins him. He hoped there would be a better greeting for their guests than this muggle way of showing awe.

“My dear Madame Maxime,” Dumbledore says happily as he steps closer to her. And Dumbledore is not a short man, but as this Madame Maxime hands him her hand, he hardly needs to bend to kiss it.

“A half-giant?” Pansy asks in bewilderment. Harry frowns but doesn’t look at her.

“Well, she is the headmistress of Beauxbatons,” Draco says carefully as Madame Maxime exchanges pleasantries with Dumbledore in heavily accented English. “And although I am not fond of Hagrid, he is not… giant-ish.”

“There’s not much about cross-species breeding,” Harry hears Theo say softly, obviously not wanting anyone to overhear, “but there is some evidence that when it comes to wizard-giantess breeding, the child though looking… unusually big is more like a wizard than a giant.  And she is the headmistress. It will be fine.”

He doesn’t sound entirely sure of it himself, but Harry is still glad for the vote of confidence.

Harry keeps an ear on the niceties exchanged between the two heads of schools, but most of his attention is turned towards the handful of students who exited the carriage after Madame Maxime. There’s about twenty of them, all in robes or, in cases of girls, dresses with short capes in pastel colours. There are five different colours of these… uniforms; pale blue that the boy that opened the carriage for Madame Maxime wore, mint green, pale pink, light violet, and light yellow. Three girls also have matching scarfs draped over their heads, hiding their hair, and Harry is a bit surprised to see that. Isn’t hair a source of pride for witches?

There are also two adults standing with these students, a man and a woman, both wearing something similar to their students, though it’s obviously not uniform. The woman is wearing a blue dress with long sleeves reaching almost to her ankles. The dress is dark blue, and her light brown hair is tucked into a fancy hairstyle at the skull of her head with a delicate-looking headband making it a touch fancier. The man has short blonde hair and blue robes that manage to be lighter than the woman’s dress yet darker than the blue of the uniform of their students. Harry’s eyes stray towards him and a student in a pale blue dress with platinum hair. She fidgets a bit with a loose strand of silvery hair, the rest of which is braided in a half-circle at the lower part of her head, with tiny white flowers woven into it. It takes considerable effort for Harry to pull his attention away from them.

Madame Maxime accepts Dumbledore’s offer to go warm up in the castle, which gives them some moments before Durmstrang arrives. Harry leans closer to Pansy.

“Have you seen the scarfs?”

Pansy frowns a bit as she glances at him before looking around again. The whole student body is a little louder than before, everyone talking either about the Beauxbatons students or how Durmstrang is possibly coming.

“I’ve heard about that. Apparently, it’s something about religion?”

By Pansy’s confused voice, Harry guesses the religion in question is muggle. That makes him frown as well.

“How many muggle religions are there?”

Pansy smirks and shrugs, but as she opens her mouth Harry frowns and raises his hand, stopping her from speaking. He swears he can hear something…

Darkness fell slowly, so that now Harry almost can’t see the Dark Lake. But he swears that he can hear a sound coming from there.

And of course, that’s when the whirlpool in the Great Lake starts. Harry and Pansy take a second to smirk at each other, before they turn their attention to the lake just in time to watch a great ship rise from the water. It looks somewhat ghostly and makes shivers run down Harry’s spine, but it still looks majestic.

In a few minutes they can all hear the splash of an anchor being thrown in the shallows and the thud of a plank being lowered onto the bank. Soon after, they watch the Durmstrang students disembark. There’s also around twenty of them and as they walk up their way to the Hogwarts students, they all seem to have wide shoulders and figure to match it, but as they come closer it becomes obvious that it’s just an illusion created by their furry coats.

There is just one figure that looks slim and elegant from far away. And when they come close enough to recognize them, it’s obvious that it is the headmistress. Her coat looks sleeker and more fitted, but she does have the same warm hat as everyone else.

“Professor Dumbledore,” she curtly nods at him as she steps closer to him, her voice a little rough, but commanding respect. She offers her hand and Dumbledore grasps her forearm in greeting.

“Professor Kopachesky,” Dumbledore smiles at her, his eyes twinkling. “Welcome to Hogwarts!”

“It’s warmer than we were expecting this time of the year.” Her accent isn’t as strong as Maxime’s, but it’s still palpable. Clearly east European, but Harry is not sure it’s actually a Russian one. “Sorry for the delay. Your octopus was not too happy to see us.”

“Yes, yes, she’s a little protective of her territory,” Dumbledore laughs, and shivers run down Harry’s spine. He’s going to guess Dumbledore’s laughter is fake, then, as is his cordiality with Durmstrang’s headmistress. “Come, come. Madame Maxime already arrived, so we can start the feast.”

Oh joy.

[astrxlfinale]

Lil bundle of Lighter HCs to kick things off with.

. His least favorite movie genre is action movies. Its not due to the production quality of them, rather, he has more than enough real time experience for all needs to be met on that. More character driven flicks are very much enjoyed however. He enjoys a field of movies that allows him to see particular decisions from a multitude of angles

Just having moments of 'perception widening' thinking is a favorite. (However, the tracks these films can have? LOVES them.)

. Sightseeing and wishes for longer trips are heavy in his heart. They live in a world where the more natural beauties is rapidly dwindling, and being able to capture that view point whether in a Hollow or more hopefully, in reality itself has become a longing ingrained in him. This is also why he can often be found on solo drives, often picking many places upon higher ground to just see the world at.

. Happens to be an early riser due to his trained diligence. He keeps things light with the daily stretches and a more formal routine, moreso prepping his body with a warm up before getting it on the mood. Routines in general are just a way for his mind to keep a sense of ease. Training to improve isn't about the body and more about the soul now days, refining technique to be better applicable with his Ether and personal strength.

. Outside of his Calydon brand uniform, Lighter is a fan more semi-formal fashion. Enough to personalized, but never enough to entirely outweigh his preferences in style. Where he grew up originally made him a big fan of attire that have ties involved with them, he finds it trendy.

. If there was a favorite TV show he's come to have, he's a fan of those irl game shows that do ridiculous stunts or challenges. (Like investigating a room to see what's cake or real.) Stuff like this is just dumb fun, and it's incredibly good for the mental as a good laugh can assist in decompressing from the daily woes.

. Despite his heavy reluctance to ever take the position of leader again, his growth since those days have made him incredibly capable to pick up that mantle for operations and incentivizes personal/team growth. What serves as his biggest challenge in that field is moreso a mental burden, a very real fear that despite all of his progress, that arrogance and being a failure in decision making would become horrifically costly again. Its one of those things a touch of positive reinforcement for his strengths could help with.

. Never be afraid to press him! Lighter often needs a touch of stubborn insistence to be more open with others. He's created a baseline of (things that are fine/general) to (this might be too much/what if they just fine it uncool?). Just as he admitted once that he's bad when friends are angry with him, he also never wants his company with others to be more burden than relaxing for them to bask in. He has a tendency to be a turtle if he's actively allowed to be one.

. He absolutely takes Lucy's boars on little trips to slack off. You can often catch them off in Lumina square catching a new flick or him having to stop their rioting urge to 'buy it all' at 141's convenience store. So if you ever find them huddled around Lighter and he says 'It's just his vibes' he's bullshitting you, he's the one spoiling them (and at time adding to their laziness.)

[banyanas]

Okay there is no Way this is gonna fit in the fic wordcount limit (and a lot of it is background understanding to all my other fics too lmao) so who wants to talk about fiddly somewhat mundane toad-centric worldbuilding in regards to Imperial Amphibia -> Caste System Implementation time period??? And even if you don't want to I'm showing it to you anyway.

The 4 tower lords (Cardinal Lords used as an older title when I write) as participants and vassals to the Newtopian military is... pretty new. Especially because toad clans didn't really have a formal military in the first place (and still don't- toad army we see is an arm/branch of the overall Newtopian/specifically Leviathan-ruled Amphibian military). Previously, of course everyone paid fealty (and taxes but we will get to those) to the crown, expected to follow the laws of the united empire under the Leviathan dynasty, but toad clanheads and lords acting in a formal military position in direct vassalage to another army is... definitely new. As far as 'new' goes for a place with an implied-lengthy history as Amphibia does.

Nowadays becoming a Cardinal Lord means becoming an officer- if said lord wasn't already one in the first place. It's a more concrete requirement in the modern era, but before that, hey, remember what I said about taxes? It's relevant just stick with me a bit pls.

So, with the Me-Brand toadbuilding, toads were traditionally nomadic, and likely a more pastoralist society (tarantula cheese...). This did include very few permanent communities toad caravans cycled through, usually as a place of trade/commerce and cultural significance (specifically cairns and mass gravesites) for individual and allied clans. And from there, the majority of toads split into a bunch of much smaller semi-mobile camps that joined and split, in accordance to whatever understanding or trade agreement or alliance or rivalry their clan might have with other clans. These towns are still around despite how vastly different they are, and three of them are in the territory of a Tower- South Tower is the exception to this, since the southern toad population used to be so heavily intermixed with frogs they lived pretty equally spread inside the same township. Which oof, way to show how things change for the worst in a thousand years.

Pre-Andrias, taxes could be paid in both currency and bulk goods or productions- and they could make that work, because of the seemingly-infinite power source music box battery maintaining all their tech and infrastructure. Frequently, this was how toads paid their taxes- a bit harder to do pure currency payments, as well as y'know not rlly paying property taxes due to not privately owning much land.

(It was also, I want to note, supplemented by raiding rival or enemy clans, because they’re still a martial society- they aren’t peaceful nomads before Andrias fucked up everything, they’re violent and there’s inherent problems with gatekeeping someone from community aspects on the basis of whether or not they've killed something/own a weapon. Which we will get to the owning a weapon thing Also in a bit).

Buttttt after the box was stolen, there were a few policy changes. Taxes were required as coppers- ostensibly to bolster restructuring efforts and stabilize the economy now that the Calamity tech that was the fulcrum for their ENTIRE INFRASTRUCTURE was burglarized. Coppers which they don’t have much use for and thus don't have much circulating… yeah. But hey, specifically military service can be offered instead of coppers for taxes, at least for toads and some newts. Doesn't hurt that offering an out from taxes via military enlistment keeps toads and some newts from kicking up a very bloody, very messy fuss while the whole 'I invented speciesism and an oppressive caste system because I'm mad at my girlfriend and boyfriend' thing was being pushed through to law. Between breaking the law with all the severe risk of a nasty punishment/heavy fine that entails, or military service with some Perks of Power for an already highly combative culture? Yeah, no-brainer for why we barely see any non-military toads on screen. (This entire thing is a pretty damn slick move when it comes to enforcing ranks and systems. And admittedly less hamfisted than what we see in modern canon because frankly I think Andrias stopped caring about being careful with his enforcement of it once it became more self-sustaining)

The very messy, very bloody messes did happen, btw. After the last rebellion early into Andrias's reign (mostly made up of toads and frogs working together. Man this just makes it even more depressing to see the state of things in modern eras), only toads that were either in training, currently enlisted, or veterans were allowed to own and carry weapons. Which, beyond the practical problems of 'Amphibia is a dangerous place with lots of things that want to kill, eat, and/or poison you', when toad rites of passage and traditions, up to and including standards for being considered and allowed to act as a legal adult, rely on the use, ownership, or exchange of weaponry and blades... hm. Oh dear.

It's even worse for the frogs btw. Unless a frog somehow ended up actively serving a military term (which they are discouraged to), frogs were disallowed weapons at all. Because de-fanging and controlling who is allowed to be armed is kinda one of the first steps to suppressing and controlling groups of people, with one of the OTHER steps being financially suppressing and controlling (see the taxes thing, upward movement being nearly impossible for frogs and toads). Also contributes to casualties for frogs being way higher than they used to, since if they're a law-abiding citizen and get caught by a hungry predator, or bandits on the road, or any number of things they cant just drive off with pitchforks and slingshots, they're kinda screwed! It's messed up! And it's usually disregarded by newts and toads, because frogs are light on their feet, quite springy, they can just run, yeah?

Fun fact tho, this makes the Plantar basement stash SUPER illegal for some spicy revolutionary reasons. Hell yes good for them.

[wickedadaar]

Julius Laidir / Lenarium Master List

He/him. Rogue, Veil Ranger, bow specialist. Lord of Fortune. 29 years old, 5’9. Brash and cocky but still suave and persuasive. Earned his chops by taking down any Antaam trying to invade Rivains. As deadly in close-quarters combat as he is with a bow. Self-described ladies man, while, in reality, being a super awkward flirt who cannot quite say what he means because he jumbles his words up. Meticulous about his grooming, especially his beard. He loves his hair and takes a lot of pride in it. If hair products were a thing, he would have an entire shelf in the bathroom dedicated to them.

Photo album still being accumulated, but can be found here: https://www.tumblr.com/wickedadaar/785089395085754368/julius-photo-album?source=share

Rook’s Roost AU: Julius Lenarium

Background: He was born into the Lords of Fortune, and he, as well as both of his parents, are pirates on Isabella’s crew. He grew up sailing the high seas and plundering ships and abandoned ruins. Because of his smaller frame and speed, he was often used to squeeze into places his adult counterparts could not. As he grew up, he maintained the same nimble and fast nature. He was able to slip past nearly any trap and plunder nearly any ruin. He was one of the best lockpicks in the Lords as well.

How he joined the Veilguard: With the Antaam presence growing in Rivain, Isabella and Julius agreed it would be a good idea to send someone to join the Veilguard and try to make allies there. The more allies they had when facing the Antaam, the better. Their dreadnoughts were wreaking havoc on the pirates and their way of life. 

Personality: Cocky and brash, self-described ladies man. He’s his own hype man, but it’s largely just an act he developed being around the other Lords. He’s actually goofy and dorky, but he just hides it behind his tough, shiny exterior. He loves to read and especially loves romance novels and serials. 

Romance: He’s had his fair share of one-night stands and trysts, but he’s never really had a serious relationship. Due to their migratory nature, most pirates weren’t exactly what one would call monogamous. Even more rarely did they engage in relationships that were long-term. All he really wants is a woman to love him like he loves her, someone to come home at the end of a long journey, or someone to journey with him. He’s a romantic at heart and wants a great love story of his own.

Lighthouse Tinder: Julius Lenarium

Name: Julius Lenarium

Age: 26

Male (he/him), Heterosexual

Faction: Lords of Fortune

Motto: Better short life daring than a long timid one

Appearance: 5’9”, average height, lean but muscular, strong ;), gorgeous long dark brown hair, and a beard that would make anyone jealous

Likes: Drinking, hanging out with friends, treasure hunts, fighting in the Halls of Valor, trying new food, going to new places, going with the flow

Dislikes: people who take themselves too seriously, rigidity, slavery, blood magic

Looking for: A girl worth fighting for ;)

Wardrobe:

Casual/Lighthouse:

Armor/Battlefield:

Beach Ball/Semi-formal:

Bedroom aesthetic:

Characterization Cheat Sheet - Julius Lenarium

Credit goes to @seizethemage-main for the idea

This is a rough guide, and you don’t have to follow it to the letter. Also, feel free to use Julius in any fics or art :)

Age: 26

Gender: Cis Male (he/him)

Race: Human

Faction: Lords of Fortune

Skills: Veil Ranger, bow specialist/sniper, lock pick extraordinaire, hasn’t met a wall he can’t climb with shocking ease

Languages: Common/Trade, some Qunlat, some Tevene, bits and pieces of other languages picked up from other Lords 

Body Language/Physicality

General Behavior:  Generally pretty suave and smooth. He always has a relaxed demeanor. He carries his head held high, always confident, a trait his parents and Isabella instilled in him. 

With Friends: Very warm and platonically affectionate. Arms around them, hugs, etc. Sometimes, even hand-holding if he feels like they need extra reassurance or security 

Flirting: He’s big into leaning against walls, gentle touches, and playing with their hair. Will pick them up without hesitation as long as they’re okay with that

With an Established Romantic Partner: Will randomly pick them up or carry them just because he likes to do so. Hugs, hand-holding, his arm around them. He likes to be physically touching them if he can be.

In Combat: Very quick on his feet, but he prefers to fight from a distance since his primary weapon is his bow. He is well versed in using his daggers, but he’s deadliest with his bow (head shots for days)

Dialogue/Speaking

Voice: In my head, he sounds like Adam Rodriguez (aka Luke Alvez from Criminal Minds). 

General: He’s always teasing and joking. He doesn’t take much seriously. He is very slow to anger

With Friends: Lighthearted, funny, joking. Has a very sunshiney demeanor most of the time, especially when someone he cares about is having a tough time. His mom  made sure he was in touch with his emotions so he’s able to help others process theirs too

Superiors/Leaders: Generally very respectful of his superiors/seniors unless he thinks they’re incompetent, in which case he will outwardly sass them and mock them.

Romance: The cockiness and arrogance are normally just an act he learned to adopt among the Lords (if you can’t beat em, join em, right?). However, once he gets to know someone a little more, the attitude fades away, and he becomes his genuine self. Goofy, sweet, but still charming. Will knowingly flirt with someone’s partner if he hates them just to piss them off. (am I building this into his character so I can spark more fights between him and others in the Lighthouse? Absolutely, I am). He will tease his partner at every given opportunity, but he does so lovingly. He’ll never pick on them about something they’re sensitive about (not on purpose, at least). He loves using nicknames and pet names, especially while flirting. 

Humor: He loves teasing and making jokes. If he thinks something will make someone blush, he will absolutely bring it up/make a joke about it just to fluster them.

Anger: He doesn’t really get angry easily. He’s more of a laugh-it-off kind of guy. If something really pisses him off, he goes silent and broody.

Cursing: He mostly uses colorful phrases from various different languages, but the main ones are from Trade/Common because that’s his first language. He’s picked up a few phrases in Qunlat as well as Tevene.

Combat: Cocky bastard when he wants to be, but he doesn’t tend to be one unless he’s aiming to piss somebody off. He knows just what buttons to push to send someone over the edge. He really likes to poke the bear when he’s fighting, even when he’s fighting someone he knows (e.g. Grey in the Lords common room)

Tattoo Reference Guide:

Character Inspiration

Top to bottom, left to right:

William Turner from Pirates of the Caribbean

Hook from Once Upon a Time

Schmidt from New Girl

Robin Hood from Disney's Robin Hood

Legolas from The Lord of the Rings

Jeff Winger from Community

OC Vibes Game: Julius Lenarium

Rules: Show a picture of your Rook, then 4 pictures and songs you think match their vibe. If anyone wants context, they can inquire in the comments.

[broadwaydivastournament]

well now I want to ask about KMK (I wish they’d filmed the broadway cast instead)

Have I got semi-good news for you, Anon. They filmed the 1999 Broadway direction and staging for Great Performances and released it in 2003. It was, however, the West End transfer production with Brent Barrett and Rachel York, and they are wonderful. I cannot rave enough about Rachel York's rendition of "So In Love." I have yet to formalize my rankings for this song, but hers is easily in the top five.

I am forever devastated that Marin Mazzie did not stay with the production for the filming. Her role had two replacements, including Carolee Carmello, who also performed on Broadway, and Rachel York (who closed the production and was in the taping). And if only we had a proper Brian Stokes Mitchell/Marin Mazzie recording... oh...