#from left to right; first to second panel we have:

[quailfence]

[Image description taken from alt: Image 1: Digital sketches of Miles Edgeworth from Ace Attorney, as a butch woman. She's wearing the same outfit as in the games, additionally with black painted nails and light blue earrings. In the sketch on the right, she's doing the cocky finger tapping like her sprite, fully colored. In the sketch on the left, which is not colored, she's holding papers and squinting at them, looking through her glasses.

Image 2: Digital sketches of Phoenix Wright from Ace Attorney, as a butch woman. In the first sketch on the left, which is colored, she is pointing her finger and yelling, like on the defense bench. She's wearing the suit from the Ace Attorney: Phoenix Wright trilogy. In the second sketch, which is not colored, she's wearing the outfit like from the Ace Attorney: Apollo Justice game (hoodie and beanie), with the difference of her hair being longer and tied into a low bun. She is casually looking at the viewer with her hands in the hoodie pockets.

Image 3: A colorless digital sketch of Phoenix Wright and Miles Edgeworth from Ace Attorney, as butch women. Phoenix is behind Miles, smiling silly and groping her chest, saying "Oooh boy, those look heavy, need a hand?" Miles is shooing her hands away, blushing but looking annoyed, saying "Honestly, Wright. Be decent. We are in a government facility." They have matching earrings on their right ears.

Image 4: A colorless digital sketch comic of Miles Edgeworth and Phoenix Wright from Ace Attorney, as butch women. They are standing in front of a mirror. Miles is wearing her pajamas and Phoenix a tank top, with her hair in a messy bun. In panel 1, Miles is putting on a face mask, irritated as behind her, a little distanced, stands Phoenix, trying to hold in a laugh. In panel 2, Miles nonchalantly keeps suiting her face mask, and behind her Phoenix is now also wearing a face mask, staring unimpressed right into the viewer. End description.]

Butch women yuri WrightWorth

I was testing a brush and playing around with gradient maps

[hero-of-the-wolf]

Deep Shadows Analysis

all pictures belong to @/linkeduniverse

“I grew up in these woods.” The first sentence ever spoken in LU and a very strong opening. Time is in the lead here. It makes sense; not only is he their de facto leader, but he knows this terrain best. Warriors speaks next, continuing where Time left off. He says that they’re lost. This sets up the dynamic these two have and their role in the chain of command, for lack of a better word, very nicely. The last panel of the first page has Time reacting to something the audience can’t see yet, enticing them to continue reading.

He then gets absolutely bodied by this moblin. These guys are a HUGE pain to fight in Ocarina of Time, they really do come out of nowhere to hit you like a heckin freight train and that power and alarm is captured wonderfully here.

The monster gets snagged by Twilight’s clawshot and we get this really lovely reveal of all the other Links standing ready to fight, emphasizing how none of them are alone anymore. They’re a team! This is also the first time we see all of them together in the comic (minus Time, who is still on the ground rip)

Legend’s got his bow drawn, and he's the first one to attack. His arrows embed into the moblin’s forearm while Hyrule sneaks around to slash at its thigh. It manages to increase the slack on the chain, freeing up its movement enough to counterattack, but the traveler leans back out of the way. By this point Wild and Warriors have circled around to flank the monster.

But Sky? He rushes to the old man’s side, who concerningly still hasn’t gotten up, to check on him. Sky is consistently one of the first to react whenever someone gets hurt or needs help during battle and I love that this trait of his (probably from his training as a knight on Skyloft) is already established within the very first few pages of the comic!

Time waves him off, and together they watch as Warriors stabs the moblin in the back… only for it to turn around, wretching the captain’s sword out of his hands, and smack the side of his face (right on the eye it looks like!) so hard he goes down for the rest of the fight. Ouch. This is definitely not the normal difficulty level for a monster like this.

Legend, power gloves equipped, works with Twilight to tighten the clawshot’s chain and limit the moblin’s movement again. Wind takes the opportunity to CUT THE MOBLIN’S HAND OFF. Which is. INSANE. But to be expected from the Hero of Winds. Also Four’s got his bow drawn here, but afaik he never actually uses it in this battle.

Then Wild, in a quintessential showcase of Breath of the Wild’s combat, scales the moblin’s back (using Warriors’ still embedded sword as a foothold!!) and pulls out his own sword to attack. But the moblin is faster here and grabs him by the arm and tosses him away. His arm might be broken, given the way the champion clutches it for the rest of the battle. Four is at his side, unused bow still in hand. It is of note that Sky is nearby as well.

Then Hyrule!!! Using the iconic Down Thrust move from his second adventure (Adventure of Link) and probably also his jump spell, falls out of the heavens like a stooping falcon and stabs the moblin right in the back of the neck, finally felling it. Teamwork!

Hyrule stumbles back and Wind is quick to wrap an arm around the traveler and cheer. Hyrule is bashful here, but not uncomfortable. My favorite underrated duo <3 (also they’re nearly the same height here????? what????)

Warriors finally wakes up. (His poor eye, man 😭) I love all of their smiles as the adrenaline from the fight starts to come down, the relief in this panel is palpable.

Then Twilight, as worried about Time’s wellfare as he ever is, is shaken from the moment as he turns his attention to the old man. He’s finally back on his feet, though based on his posture here it doesn’t seem like it’s been for long. Legend has a hand outstretched, it looks like he wants to help steady the other hero or otherwise check on him, but Time waves him off.

Time worries about the strength of the moblin. He did not participate in this fight, but he just had a front row seat to just how hard it was to bring this monster down and how injured they all got in the process: Warriors’ eye, Wild’s arm, his own side… that’s a good third of their team significantly wounded enough that none of them were able to rejoin the fight. Against a moblin that Time had been able to take down all on his own previously. He’s right to worry. Twilight is still quietly worried too, in the background.

Legend cracks a joke to relieve the tension, prompting Time to praise their efforts. Then he continues his previous train of thought, musing about how Not Normal the entire encounter was, and we get a really cool visual representation of a voice over as we see Warriors retrieve his weapon and clean off the blood, subtly hinting at its later significance.

We get a name drop of our antagonist (side note: I think it’s interesting that it’s Four who calls it by name, “the Shadow”, when he’s also the one who’s previously had experience with a Shadow in his own adventure) and the significance of the blood is explicitly pointed out. Twilight then calls attention to their wounded, setting up his role in the group as the heart <3

With the threat gone the fairies of the forest return and heal both Wars’ and Wild’s injuries and attempt to heal Time as well, but he waves off their concern (after they’ve assumably already healed his side), establishing a lovely little rule of thirds and emphasizing his reluctance of having others worry and fret over him (“Don’t fuss over me”), which is very ironic considering what happens later on….

It seems that he shooes them away from his face specifically, seeming to imply to me that the fairies were interested in the old wound that claimed his eye. Obviously there's not much that can be done about that now, but it’s still interesting to note 🤔

Warriors finishes Legend’s sentence next (which Legend notably doesn’t seem to mind), we get some more emphasis on the blood, and the boys are off!

We end on the second ever shot of all of the heroes together, Time included this time (ha), and the words “seems we are on the right path to understand the cause of our meeting,” which is assumably still Warriors talking. I’m not sure if there’s significance or not in how they’re all standing here, but it’s incredibly epic all the same.

This first little arc is such an excellent and clever way to set up the basic premise of the entire story and to introduce all of our main players here, and I continue to be ceaselessly amazed by Jojo’s keen attention to detail. All within 20 pages of gorgeous art!

[cruisingheightswithdragons]

In which one super aggressive alien species meets another super aggressive alien species

[hiiragi7]

Not my usual content, but I made something I wanted to share...

Edit: Now with an ID from @a-captions-blog! Thank you for writing it!

[Art description: A Pokémon-themed comic featuring OP as a Pikachu. Long description follows.

1. The tips of Pikachu’s ears are shown with text that says, ‘I’m a Pikachu / My world is filled with lots of cool stuff. Sometimes it feels like anything is possible!’ Under this is a collage showing a Charizard, a Pidgeotto, a Nidoking, an Eevee, and an Ivysaur, all in the background as the Pikachu looks up in wonder. Text reads, ‘All sorts of types, all sorts of attacks, all sorts of Pokemon.’

2. Text says, ‘But...only two ways a Pikachu’s tail could look.’ Two boxes in the upper corners show the male and female Pikachu tails, respectively. The male has a rectangular end to his tale, and the female has a heart-shaped end to hers. Text continues, ‘So then, what am I?’ A large drawing of the narrator Pikachu is shown, with an arrow pointing to their tail, whose end is split somewhat like scissors and doesn’t match either the male or female drawing above.

3. Text says, ‘Too pointy to be [female], too much of a V-shape to be [male]. I thought there was something wrong with me.’ Under this are three cascading panels showing the Pikachu from below at an angle emphasizing their tail. The second panel shows mel further away, and in the final panel she have disappeared entirely. Text on the panels reads, ‘I felt / very, very, very / alone.’

4. Text says, ‘But then, something happened. I found others like me.’ The art shows the narrator reaching out to another Pikachu. Under this are three other Pikachu. One has a rounded tail, one has a tail that has been stitched up to be rectangular, and one has a tail with a slight spike at the tip.

5. Closeups are shown of each of the tails from the previous panel, with text that says, ‘Round tails, scarred tails, spiky tails.’ Under this is a drawing of the Pikachu all hugging with lightning coming from their cheeks. Text reads, ‘They told me nothing was wrong with me, and I wasn´t alone anymore.’

6. Text says, ‘There are many ways a Pikachu’s tail can look. I’ve heard there’s at least over 30 different variations.’ Under this are two panels. The first panel shows the narrator lying on their back on a background of male and female symbols. Text reads, ‘Some days are still hard.’ In the second panel, the Pikachu with the scarred tail is shown with text that says, ‘My friend tells me her tail used to look just like mine. It was taken from her.’

8. The narrator is shown sitting and looking upwards. Text reads, ‘Some trainers won’t accept Pikachu that aren’t [male] or [female]. They alter our tails without our consent. But things are getting better. We are making change. We’re fighting so that our tails will be left alone.’ Under this is a panel showing the four Pikachu running happily towards the right. Text reads, ‘We’re all on a spectrum. Every tail looks different; anything is possible.’

The final text reads, ‘This is a comic about intersex people.’ The watermark in the lower right says @ PostManic. \End descriptions

[spaceistheplaceart]

was gonna use terrible comic day to post this but its an idea thats been bonking around in my head for a min. if i knew how to program and the songs wouldnt all be copyrighted i would totally make this game.

ID UNDER CUT

BEGIN ID:

A grayscale sketchy comic.

Caption at the top: "A video game wherein you're driving alone and have to listen to the radio's clues to survive"

POV from the driver, hands on wheel with the radio to the right. It's night in a forest on a dirt road. The driver is approaching a fork in the road, indicated by a sign that points right and left. The radio plays the lyrics: "you better run, better leave this place- get lost and go a different way! go left! go left! go left! go, go!

The next panel we see the driver, who has long hair tied messily up in a bun, wearing a hoodie, a collared shirt, glasses, and has black nails. Two realistic hands reach from the darkness of the car behind them- one grabbing their arm. The radio plays: "Don't turn around 'cause you're gonna see my heart breaking-- don't turn around i don't want you seeing me cry--"

Underneath the panels are song credit. the first song is Radiant Children's "Go Left" and the second is Ace of Base's "Don't turn around"

END ID

[bullet-prooflove]

The Go Bag: Jack Abbot x Reader

Tagging: @kmc1989 @dizzybee03 @flyinglama @yousigned-upforthis @gabsgabsvaz

Companion piece to:

The Asshole King - Jack discovers you have an unusual technique for dealing with patients.

Bob Dylan - You help Jack to relax after an incident at the hospital leaves him temporarily blind.

Because Of You - Jack realises he's starting to heal in more ways than one after you spend the day taking care of him.

Balance - Jack reveals his feelings for you but they come with complications.

Off Limits - An awkward start to the day leads Jack to make a claim on your affections.

Your relationship with Jack changes the morning you find the second go bag in the trunk of his car. He has his own tucked neatly against the left side panel so you’re surprised when you find a lavender one sitting alongside it.

It must be for Cici, you think but then you remember she has already has her own stashed away for a rainy day. You try not to snoop but your curiosity gets the better of you and you find yourself unzipping it.

It has the usual stuff. Ration packs, first aid supplies, water purification tablets but then you come across the documentation. A passport sealed away in a plastic ziplock back to prevent water damage.

Maria Abbot, it reads and the bottom just falls out of your world.

You realise in that moment that Jack will never love you, not the way you want him to. His heart still belongs to a woman who has been dead for over a decade.

“I’m gonna head out.” You tell him, lingering in the doorway of the kitchen as he begins to remove the groceries from the tote bags. “I need to prep for that conference I have coming up.”

“Oh.” He says, his eyebrows furrowing into a frown. “I thought we were gonna do lunch...”

He trails off and the smile you give him, it doesn’t quite meet your eyes.

“I’m kinda stressing about it so I don’t think I’d be much company today.” You say as you place a kiss on his cheek and turn to leave. “I’ll call you tomorrow.”

“Faye.” He says, his hand catching yours. “I don’t understand what’s happening.”

You sigh then because you know it’s time to pull the ripcord. You can’t keep repeating the patterns of your past and hope for a different outcome.

“You don’t love me.” You tell him, pulling away and tucking your hands into the pockets of your silk bomber jacket. “You enjoy spending time with me, having a companion but you don’t love me, not the way you did Maria.”

Jack looks away, his mouth setting into a grim, firm line and that silence, it speaks volumes.

“I was married to a man who didn’t love me for years and I can’t do that again.” You say, pushing through the agony that radiates in your chest. It feels like you’re being torn apart inside, like someone has reached into your rib cage and ripped your heart right out.  “So I don’t think this is gonna work for me Jack and I’m sorry about that, really I fucking am because I wanted it to...”

You leave then and Jack, he doesn’t follow.

***

You don’t call Jack over the weekend and Jack doesn’t call you.

You may have cauterized the wound, stopped yourself from bleeding out but that scar, it’s always going to be there. A stark reminder that some people don’t get happy endings. That you don’t get a happy ending.

You’re immersed in your presentation notes when the doorbell rings, Fleetwood Mac is playing in the background. Little Lies, ironically. You don’t expect to see Jack on the doorstep. He looks tired, the creases by his eyes more pronounced as if he hasn’t been sleeping.

“I was getting rid of it. The go bag…” He tells you, his gaze fixed on something down the street. “It’s been living in the bottom of my closet for years now and I thought it was time to make space for something else, for someone else.”

He tilts his head up towards you meeting your gaze for the first time and those whisky eyes of his, they’ll steal your soul if you let them.

“You were right.” He tells you, his voice raw with emotion. “I can’t love you like Maria, she was my life and my entire world broke apart when she died. But you Faye, you’re my heart, and I can’t live without my heart, I will die without my heart. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

You breath catches as he steps inside the house, his hands coming to rest on either side of your face, cradling it between his palms.

“I love you Faye.” He whispers as his lips brush over yours. “I don’t want to live a single moment without you.”

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Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[sloaneispunk]

“master manipulator”

dark!inho x you

in-ho had a special way of getting to gi-hun. with the help someone as broken as him, he knew he could get under the skin of him. in-ho was a master manipulator.

⟢ ──── ●▲■ ──── ⟢

when in-ho first joined the game, he already had his eyes set on you, not because he wanted you romantically or as a friend. it was because he knew exactly how he was going to use you to get to gi-hun.

in the first round of voting, before he befriended the team, he spotted you in the crowd.

bingo!

“what’s a young girl like you doing in a game like this?” he would say. the way the heart was flattery, he knew that.

you didn’t take it well at first, often ignoring him or giving him short replies. but after many tries and his admirable resilience, you opened up.

as he got to know you whilst during the voting, he had somehow gotten to you. to him, it was the easiest thing ever.

“you know, you could clear your debt if you just played one more game.” he whispered in your ear before it was your turn to vote.

and luckily for him, you were player 002. it may or may not have been purely a coincidence but he enjoyed every second of it anyways.

in-ho made sure that when you walked up to the panel, you would have your mind straight on what he had told you to do.

and so you did.

team ‘o’.

when he casted in the last vote, he watched as the ‘o’s had easily overruled the ‘x’s.

when he was proud of you, his little plaything, he would brush up against you, throwing his arm over you protectively.

eventually, he brought you along when he joined gi-hun’s team. for some odd reason he felt that he couldn’t just abandon you like that after you had helped him.

throughout the next few games, in-ho protected you like you were his. during the ‘six legged pentathlon’ he ensured that you had a place in the team. when playing ‘mingle’, he would take your hand as he dragged you everywhere he went.

yea, he was using you for his own use but something in him made him feel awful about it.

it was rare for in-ho to feel that way, he couldn’t remember the last time he felt so protective of someone.

but of course, all good things must come to an end.

when the third game ended, you were approached by jung-bae and gi-hun.

“hey, are you okay?” jung-bad asked as he looked you up and down seeming as if he was checking for bruises or scratches.

“y/n… jung-bae told me something concerning happened during ‘mingle’. i have to ask you something and you need to answer me honestly.” gi-hun added.

“what is it?” you would reply, fingers nervously playing behind your back.

“is young-il making you do this? anything?”

you frowned at them. how dare they?

“what?! why do you assume that?! he has done nothing wrong, i-”

“is there a problem?” in-ho stepped in, gently pushing you behind him.

“we just felt something was off with y/n, we were asking-”

“y/n is okay.” in-ho would cut them off. “y/n, sweetheart, you’re okay right?” he turned to look at you.

as you stared into his eyes you couldn’t stand the thought of not obliging to whatever he said. he felt safe, warm, just like home.

you sheepishly nodded.

“see?” in-ho tried his best to refrain himself from throwing a punch at gi-hun for the spot he put you in. “why don’t you go lie down, my dear? you must be exhausted from the game.” he told you adoringly, cupping your face as you nodded.

it was that easy.

but then, in-ho knew, his feelings were getting in the way. he was risking whatever plan he had for gi-hun because of these torturous feelings for you.

when the rebellion formed, he was torn between keeping you safe or taking you with him. but he figured a naive, young girl like you couldn’t be left in that hellhole alone without him. ‘who was going to protect you?’ he thought.

however, as the team got closer and closer to the control room, he knew his cover was going to be blown.

he hid behind the stairwell with you and a fellow player. contemplating if he should handle it himself or get you involved.

eventually, he made up his mind.

“y/n, honey, shoot him please.” he told you in that same sweet tone.

“w-what?”

“you know i’ll keep you safe, he’s going to get in the way. you have to.”

just as simple as that, the player was shot down by you, laying in a pool of his own blood because of your betrayal.

“oh, attagirl.” he would praise, sending shivers down your spine.

even with a sight so gruesome as that, he could make you feel like the luckiest and happiest person alive with his praises.

without a question, you had followed him back to his headquarters, in-ho keeping you hand in his every step of the way.

“now, i need you to take this…” he told you, kneeling down, giving you a walkie talkie as you sat on his bed. “… watch the cameras and as soon as someone gets near this door i need you to tell me, okay?”

“but what’s going on?” you asked wanting an explanation for all the chaos, the wreckage.

“i’ll explain everything to you when i get back.” he brushed it off.

“don’t leave me here alone please.”

in-ho felt his heart break. your voice was so soft and gentle.

he brushed the hair away from your face and wiped your tears.

“it’ll only take a while, i’ll be back as soon as i can.”

and with one last kiss to your forehead, he was off.

he had a new addition to his team.

[yanderedrabbles]

Misery - Part Three

Based on Misery by Stephen King

Stuck in the mountains, you foolishly decide to drive through a blizzard. The man that drags you from your wrecked car brings you to his cabin and patches you up. But as the snow piles up outside, you start to suspect that your rescuer's intentions may be far from pure.

Previous Chapter

After Andy left, you managed to change out of your clothes. The flannel shirt he gave you was worn down just enough to feel cozy and the smell of his cologne still lingered 'round the collar.

You settled against the headboard and almost dozed off before he came back. He'd taken off his jacket and carried a pile of firewood in his arms. He dumped the logs in the fireplace and stood up, revealing a wife beater and arms thick with muscle. You were right about his strength - his body was just further proof of it.

"Sorry 'bout that. I should have brought some in last night but well..."

He turned to you, dusting his hands. "I got a good look at the situation outside. You might not wanna hear it but we're totally snowed in. Phone lines are down too."

"Oh. I didn't realise it was that bad."

You felt a dull sort of trepidation. Andy had been nothing but kind to you, but being stuck out in the mountains frightened you.

"Any idea when things will open up again?"

He sat down in the chair beside your bed and stretched out. For a second, the only thought in your head was how dangerous and lean he looked. His dog tags caught the light and winked at you.

"Hard to tell. We're far off the beaten path. Only folks nearby are the Roydmans and they're a good few miles off. 'Sides, snows too deep to drive through so even if they clear off the main road, we ain't getting there anytime soon."

You felt your heart sink. "Do you think I need to go to the hospital?"

He raised a brow and skimmed his eyes across your body. "It ain't looking pretty, but I reckon you can handle it."

"Hurts like hell though."

"Sorry princess, but it'll take a while for this sort of hurt to heal. Best I can do is give you something strong for the pain."

Your ankle still throbbed mercilessly and hearing him say that made you all the more aware of it. You searched desperately around the room for a distraction.

The room was much larger than you realised, with a panelled wood ceiling and big bay windows. From your position, all you could see was the sky.

It was comfortable and starkly clean. Oh God, was this his room or a guest room?

"I haven't kicked you out of your room, have I?" you asked, suddenly unsure of yourself.

He grinned and rubbed his jaw. "I reckoned you needed a nice bed far more than I did."

"Shit, I'm so sorry!" Your hands fluttered to your lips. You felt terribly guilty. "I can't imagine how much I've put you out."

He waved you away. "It gets awful quiet up here. You have no idea how nice it is to have company."

His eyes dropped to the shirt you were wearing. "Real nice."

He reached up to play around with his dog tags and you finally noticed the tattoo across his forearm.

"Semper Fidelis?"

"Always loyal."

He reached forward and let you inspect his arm. You took hold of his wrist and traced the tattoo with your fingertips. The words themselves were small and neat, but the rest of it was an intricate pattern of barbed wire that wound round his forearm.

"Did it hurt?"

"Tell you the truth? It stung like a bitch."

He was watching your face and when you looked up at him, your eyes met. Those eyes on the other end of a gun would have sent you running for the hills. You pitied the soldiers that faced off against him.

You let go of his arm and swallowed.

"When did you get it?"

He let his forearm rest next to your thigh.

"When I was deployed for the first time."

He was close enough that you caught the scent of his cologne and the sweet smell of pine from the wood he chopped.

"How did you end up in the Marines anyway?"

"I've got you curious, do I?"

You felt yourself blush. "Maybe a little."

"Hmm." He rubbed at his jaw, like he was trying to rub away a smile.

"Maybe I'll tell you about it someday. For now though, you need to take some tablets and get some sleep."

"But what about you? I've kind of colonised your bed."

"First thing you learn in basic is to sleep standing up. I'll be fine sleeping on the couch. 'Sides, I ain't the one who went crashing off the road less than a day ago."

He reached into his jeans pocket and pulled out a blister pack of tablets.

"These are Novril. They pack a hell of a punch, so I expect you to sleep through the rest of the day. Best thing you can do right now is rest, got it?"

"Yes sir."

He dropped two shiny white pills into your open palm.

"Good girl. Now drink up."

He passed you a glass of water from the nightstand. The tablets left a slightly bitter taste behind, but you hurt too much to mind it.

Outside, the snow started up again.

You smiled at him. "How am I ever supposed to repay you?"

He studied you for a second.

The shirt you borrowed was missing a few buttons near the top and gaped open just a little at your tits, but you were too drowsy to notice.

He grinned that slow, lazy smile of his. "I'm sure you'll think of something, princess."

You hadn't fully realised just how intimate this all was. You were wearing his clothes. Sleeping in his bed. Entirely reliant on him to take care of you.

He stood up and shook his head.  "You must be hungry. Any requests?"

"Nope. I'll take anything at this point."

His eyes flickered to your chest and then quickly away. "I can make you regret that real fast, y'know."

"Come on, you can't be that bad of a chef."

He huffed and shook his head. "You just sit pretty and I'll be back."

He returned with a bowl of oats sprinkled with brown sugar. His fingers brushed yours when he handed it to you and he lingered for a second longer than needed.

"I'm afraid it's all hospital chow until you're stronger. It's too bad - I make a mean flapjack."

You played around with your spoon and then gave in. Plain oats or not, you needed your strength.

Andy was quiet while you ate, watching the snow swirl across the window.

He tugged at his dog tags again and spoke up, "Does anyone know you're out here? A boyfriend, a sibling, anyone that knows where you were headed?"

You carefully put your empty bowl down on the nightstand. With the tablets, the pain was mercifully retreating. Not gone, never entirely gone, but a tiny bit more manageable.

"No. I wanted to surprise a friend but they don't know I'm coming."

You felt unnaturally drowsy for this early in the day. He must have noticed it because he stood up and gently pressed at your shoulders.

"Lie down and I promise you'll be out like a light soon enough."

You listened to him and found your eyes drifting shut as soon as you hit the pillow.

"Y'know." Your voice was muffled by your pillow. "You're a really great guy."

"Thanks, but save that until after you're better, yeah?"

He pulled the duvet higher and carefully tucked it around your shoulders.

"Not a soul knows you're out here?"

You hummed in agreement. You were almost entirely asleep and barely felt the hand that drifted across your forehead, gently pushing the hair off your face.

"Just you and me, princess."

You didn't hear it, but there was a strange note to his voice. Fear, maybe. Or longing. Hard to tell, with how similar they can be.

Next Chapter [coming soon]

Masterlist

Taglist

@pleorexicz @lem-hhn @mybelovedjupiter

[greenplumbboblover]

[WIP] TS3 UI "Krystal"

I figured it would be cool to finally publicly share what I've been working on behind the scenes, as well as some mockups!

A few of you on Patreon or Discord may have already seen sneak peeks/given feedback. I kept things quiet because I wasn’t sure I’d even do it in the first place as a next modding project, and I didn’t want to let anyone down.

Luckily, @lazyduchess’s Monopatcher made the job ten times easier. The biggest hurdle was that I would've had to make a core mod to override UI code (I’m normally anti–core mod), but the patcher solved that and let me push ahead.

(Psst, if you're looking at seeing the mockups bigger, I also posted this post on my site: Simblr.cc 😉)

Creating the Mockups

Fun fact: I actually have a degree in UI/UX design! (for websites) While principles like “How wide should this padding be?” or “Which colors send the right signal to the user?”—game UI is a whole different beast.😬

Main Menu

I started with the main menu:

Cut the SimPoints clutter and the “Buy TS4!” banner—after a decade, we get it exists 😉.

Grouped items into clean blocks

Added a text-free “Create New Family” icon

Swapped lot thumbnails for family shots (still baffled by EA’s original choice).

Dropped an options gear in the bottom-left; might label it if it’s too subtle.

Different backgrounds: one solid blue, one closer to the classic gradient.

A lil' sneek peek of where I'm at:

She's not finished, but it's definitely getting there! 😉

Load Screen

Not much has changed here! It's just less... busy I suppose, lol!

2 Different backgrounds to choose from

Moved the Game Tips to the bottom, so the main focus stays on that loading bar 😉

I also have a third option but I'm strongly leaning towards just having the loading bar as it's the most clear!

Live Mode

The hardest of them all lol. Kudos to EA for figuring that one all out! I really struggled with this one in regards to shape and what to even move around/remove!

I figured, it should be nice to pull really into that glassmorphism I've been using over the Mockups! Now I do realise that it can hamper user experience in the sense of not being able to read anything. But these are pictures! So that should be all fine and dandy.

The active item in the queue will now be more "visible". The queued item however, you'll see look a bit more "unactive" compared to what the current version has.

I also completely overhauled the thumbnails for your sims, showing their moods a bit better, and giving the active sim a tiny plumbob! :D

And now the real deal: The control panel! You might notice it's not the whole thing, but I'm still working on that part.

I removed the camera controls from the panel. However, upon feedback, I did hear that it's better to have them as some people are limited in their hand movements on their keyboard and that those controls are really useful. So I will make sure to share 2 versions :)

I also realised I completely forgot the Build/buy mode buttons 😬 So, err, stay tuned for that? lol.

Notifications I really just tidied up :p

I am aware that the space where the text is and the thumbnail is huge, and normally I'd wrap the surrounding text, but apparently in TS3's UI stuff that's practically impossible. Hence that they got this "2 column" effect to them 😉

About releasing the UI:

I'm hoping to release them all in bits and pieces! So first up is the Main Menu (and possibly the Loading screen given it's simplicity).

After that, I hope in my second "update" to release a big portion of Live mode, but that's a bigger task on it's own of course 😉

Any feedback at this point is also completely welcome by the way!

[sam-keeper]

Hey Look At This Comic: Calvin and Hobbes

I liked the idea of putting some more daily strip comics into my rss reader, and gocomics DOES post old strips in sequence every day (keeping archival materials in lively circulation 👍), and there IS a site that generates an rss feed for gocomics (they don't provide rss feeds themselves because they want you to subscribe 👎) so, I added the current Nancy run to my feed, alongside Peanuts and Calvin and Hobbes. a few days later it paid off big time with this strip:

I love this strip, but it's a bit weird, isn't it? I'm sure some people read the way you're "supposed to" move panel to panel in a typical comic: left to right across the top strip, then the middle, then the bottom. Easy. I didn't, though. My eyes darted across the page, circled around the upper left hand panels, before zipping to the big point of interest on the page: that big panel of Calvin's teacher as a great pink alien monster! the second panel in strip two, the view through the spaceship porthole of the alien landscape, got orphaned, turned into something I glanced at after the fact as I pieced the sequence back together.

which might just be how comics reading actually goes, in practice. more recent theories of comics, particularly ones coming out of the Franco-Belgian tradition, suggest we take in the page as a whole first before diving in panel by panel. that bottom left corner is also kind of a privileged position on the page, with a beautifully lumpy and toothy monster filling up almost the whole frame. no wonder my eye was drawn there "ahead of sequence"!

is that a mistake? one of my friends, when I posed the question, thought so, that the strip means to build up to that point but the page composition encourages you to read ahead. She also, intriguingly, suggested to me that even though we enter the strip seeing the whole page, we induce a kind of forgetfulness in ourselves so that we don't get spoiled. when we see the monster, do we already know it's there while experiencing it for the first time? (hypnosis, she suggested to me, is "merely a set of circumstances to help the mind do a set of things that it already does every day".)

others corroborated the weird reading orders but suggested it was deliberate. for Sarah, the whole left side of the page draws your eye down compositionally, from Spaceman Spiff's (Calvin's alter ego) gloved hands on the wheel, down to the Z shaped mesa, to the monster. this cuts out almost two thirds of the comic! but for her and a few other friends, that made sense: Calvin is daydreaming in class, and the point where his teacher pops up in front of him to demand his attention is a moment of concrete interest in a hazy sea of nonlinear sensation. another friend drew a diagram of an even weirder reading pattern:

actually, I think this makes some sense. theorist Thierry Groensteen's notion of "braiding" in comics suggests that we're constantly recomposing comics in our brains, not just panel by panel, but over the whole corpus of panels, looking for rhymes and resonances and ways the story relates to itself. it feels a little like panels 2 and 3 rhyme, to me. the frames are long and thin more than any of the others, they both have this prominent horizon line, and they both sit on top of panels 4 and 5. they relate to each other, to the point where I see how you could jump from one to the other, then back up the page and over! if I understand Groensteen right, he's not suggesting we necessarily jump around the page this way, I don't want to put words in his mouth, but I do think one of the implications of braiding and of taking in the whole page is that we might get off track and start wandering through time and space... which is exactly what Calvin is doing, after all.

I love that the actual joke of the strip hinges on these two little panels buried at the bottom of the page: the only shot not from Calvin's point of view, of him looking frazzled after Mrs Wormwood's dressing down, and then a little panel of him holding the book. that's braiding too: we understand the previous and future panels because we draw an analogy between all the perspectives we've seen elsewhere of hands (or claws) and get that Calvin is drifting into a daydream again, taking on a new role. the scenario shifts, and the color scheme changes to a complimentary one (red to green), but both daydreams are much more powerful, on the page, than the interruption by reality.

how do you read the page?

you can read more reviews in the Hey Look At This Comic tag and support me on Patreon.

[allosaurusfragilis]

I keep forget to add image text, because I am a privileged so-and-so! So here is image text: The header text reads: Trans Problems #113: Sneeze Dysphoria

First panel: A white, brown-haired woman -hair in a braid- sits at a table. There are small paint bottles of green and yellow at her right elbow, as well as an old glass jar full of water, and and a crumpled paper towel with paint stains. She is holding a paint brush in her right hand, and an unpainted Griffin BattleMech miniature in her left. A blue and yellow velociraptor snoozes on the table, as is their wont.

PANEL THE SECOND! We see our heroine scrunching up her face, clearly undergoing something unpleasant! A weak "ah-" escapes her lips. The velociraptor's eyes pop open, an obscure 7th sense alerting them to approaching danger!

3rd panel: The woman's face scrunches up even further, and her mouth opens wide. She is either having a small aneurism, or this is a lead up to a terrible sneezing (as foreshadowed in the header text). A louder "AH-" sounds through the small panel! The velociraptor looks up, frozen in place!

4th panel: A horrific "CHOO!" sounds in this panel, and for the duration of this barbaric yawp, the representation of the young woman changes to that of a huge, bald, bearded man. The velociraptor is blown off the table.

5th panel: The woman appears as her self again, her magenta hoodie blown off one shoulder. She stared in wide. blue-eyed shock at the havoc she has rendered.

6th Panel: Essentially the same scene as the 5th, but the velociraptor has righted themselves, glaring at their friend. "Bless. You." they say, but you can kinda see from their expression, they probably don't mean it as much as they probably could.

And that's the end.

Hilarious, right?

I KNOW!

Okay, I love you! Sleep well!

[swizzlemynizzle]

Underneath the Noise - George Clarkey

—————————————————————————

Masterlist

Chapter 5: Pub Crawl Survivors' Club

—————————————————————————

By the time they stumble out of the last pub, the air’s gone crisp and a bit damp, like London’s gently trying to rinse them off. Y/N’s socks are still squelching in those cursed size elevens, her mascara’s halfway down her cheek, and she’s just realised she hasn’t eaten since what might’ve been a sausage roll seven hours ago.

But she’s buzzing. Not just from alcohol—though the tequila shot she did with a woman dressed as a human-sized inflatable penis certainly helped—but from something lighter. Looser. Like a knot she didn’t know was there has started to come undone.

They’ve officially completed the entire bingo list. Every chaotic challenge checked off, documented, and occasionally filmed at unflattering angles.

They’re still laughing about the fountain.

“Right,” Bach says, his voice suddenly taking on a strange level of authority for someone who earlier tried to chat up a statue. “Now that we’ve all sacrificed our dignity for digital content, I vote we find somewhere warm before one of you gets hypothermia and I have to be the adult.”

“You are never the adult,” Arthur Hill mutters.

Bach glares. “I am now.”

ArthurTV, who has been silently staring at a Pret A Manger sign across the street for a good thirty seconds, suddenly chimes in: “Did you know the Thames used to freeze over in winter? Like, solid. They had entire frost fairs on it. People selling pies and everything.”

Everyone pauses.

“Cool,” Y/N says. “Do you want to lie down?”

“I’m fine,” ArthurTV replies calmly, before nearly tripping over a curb.

Chris snorts. “Right, let’s get you indoors before you try to reenact the Great Fire of London with a vape.”

They end up at a little pub just off Soho—wood-panelled, dimly lit, the kind of place that smells like spilt ale and second-hand stories. It’s mercifully quiet. No DJ, no inflatable penises. Just a few locals muttering over pints and a dog asleep under one of the tables.

“Perfect,” Bach says, already at the bar. “This place looks like it’s never even heard of TikTok.”

They pile into a booth that’s too small for all of them, limbs overlapping, coats tossed in a pile, laughter still spilling out in waves. It’s the first time all day they’ve been still.

Y/N finds herself wedged between Arthur Hill—who’s gently mumbling about how he peaked in Year 10 during a school play—and George, who seems entirely unbothered by the fact that his left leg is pressed firmly against hers.

He hasn’t said much since the fountain. Just small comments here and there, occasionally catching her eye when something ridiculous happens—like Chris attempting to explain the bingo list to the bartender like it’s a UN mission report.

“So which of us actually won?” Y/N asks, sipping her pint.

“Us, obviously,” Chris says, looking offended. “You think your team could out-do us? I saw you trying to convince a pigeon to high-five you.”

“That was ArthurTV,” Y/N corrects.

ArthurTV nods solemnly. “It understood me.”

Chris raises a brow. “Did it?”

Arthur Hill sighs dramatically. “If this is what peak content looks like, I’m quitting YouTube and becoming a lollipop man.”

“You’d cry the first time a kid called you cringe,” George says dryly.

Arthur shrugs. “Fair.”

Y/N snorts into her drink. She’s still wearing the cursed trainers. Every time someone mentions them, she threatens to launch them into the Thames.

“I swear these shoes are actually cursed. Like, haunted by the ghost of failed pub crawls past.”

“They’ve got better grip than your dignity,” George murmurs next to her, not even looking up from his drink.

She whips her head toward him. “You did not just—”

He lifts his pint, calm as anything. “Just saying. You were two seconds away from face-planting into the fountain.”

“I was being graceful under pressure,” she insists.

Chris raises his glass. “To Y/N. May she one day regain the feeling in her feet.”

They all cheer.

Even George.

ArthurTV zones out again, this time staring at the jukebox like it holds the secrets of the universe. Bach gently tugs the menu from his hand and hands him a packet of crisps.

“There we go, mate. Something salty to bring you back to Earth.”

“Did you know there’s a tree in London older than the Tower of London?” ArthurTV mumbles, munching.

“No one asked,” Chris deadpans.

Y/N leans back in the booth, warmth creeping into her limbs. It's loud and chaotic and completely mad—but she’s in it. Fully in it. Not watching from the outside. Not pretending to belong. Just… there. Part of the joke. Part of the group.

George catches her looking again. Doesn’t smirk this time—just meets her gaze, a little too steady for comfort.

She looks away first. Again.

But not because she’s afraid. More because… it’s something. And she’s not quite ready to name it yet.

Outside, the rain has started again, light and lazy, brushing against the windows like a reminder that London doesn’t stop just because you’ve had a weirdly transformative day.

Arthur Hill lets out a deep sigh. “Well. If I die tonight, bury me in Soho. Let my ghost roam the back alleys, lamenting missed shots and poor shoe choices.”

“You’re not dying,” Bach says, handing him a pint. “But I might smother you if you keep monologuing.”

Y/N laughs, curling further into the warmth of the group, her head fuzzy and heart strangely full.

Somewhere between the bingo chaos, the soggy trainers, and the questionable renditions of Wonderwall, something clicked.

She’s not quite sure what it is yet.

But she’s in no rush to figure it out.

———

The laughter softens eventually. Drinks dwindle. Chris is mid-rant about how hobbits would “absolutely thrive on Deliveroo,” and Arthur Hill has slumped halfway down the booth, quietly singing Mr Brightside to himself.

George nudges Y/N’s elbow. “Want some air?”

She blinks, surprised. But nods.

Outside, the street’s mostly quiet now. Slick with fresh rain, glowing under yellow streetlights. The pub’s hum drifts through the door behind them—muffled laughter, a clink of glasses. Everything feels… suspended.

She hugs her coat tighter. “Didn’t think you were the ‘let’s step outside for a chat’ type.”

“I’m not,” he says. “But you looked like you needed it.”

She glances sideways. “Do I?”

George shrugs, shoves his hands in his coat pockets. “You get a look when you’re overthinking. Kind of like you’re bracing for impact.”

Y/N lets out a breath that’s almost a laugh. “I hate how accurate that is.”

They fall quiet for a beat, the sound of a bus hissing by filling the space.

“I’m still figuring it out,” she admits eventually. “All of it. The group. Where I fit. If I even… do.”

“You do,” he says simply.

That makes her look up.

He’s not teasing. Not playing it off.

Just saying it like a fact.

It catches her off guard in a way that makes her throat feel tight.

“…Thanks,” she says softly, gaze flicking to his. “Even if you did make fun of my trench foot shoes earlier.”

George smirks. “Big head, remember? It’s full of observations.”

She rolls her eyes but smiles anyway.

And just like earlier, he catches it. That flicker of her unguarded. But this time, she doesn’t look away.

They stay there a little longer, side by side in the London drizzle, letting the noise fade behind them.

No chaos. No challenges.

Just quiet.

And maybe that’s its own kind of victory.

---

Last bingo video chapter!!! I might wait a day or two to post the next ones xx

Tags

@madforgeorge

@wherethezoes-at

@sundarksposts

[icantbelieveitsnotbutler]

Who is Ciel Phantomhive?

Manga spoilers under the cut.

The events of the manga (so far) have led readers to believe that o!Ciel is the younger brother of r!Ciel and took on his identity after the older twin's death. This would mean that o!Ciel has a true name, as of yet unrevealed.

However, I believe it's possible that o!Ciel was actually born Ciel Phantomhive, while r!Ciel is the younger twin whose name we don't know.

I propose that o!Ciel first began showing signs of his illness in infancy or very early childhood. His parents, knowing that it was the same lifelong illness Rachel suffered from and would impede his duties as the queen's watchdog, decided to switch their identities and raise r!Ciel as Ciel Phantomhive, the heir to the earldom.

If they switched them early enough, at the first signs of illness, no one else, not even the twins themselves, would be aware. In fact, Madame Red and Elizabeth, the ones closest to them and featuring the most in their childhood flashbacks, couldn't tell that o!Ciel had taken on his brother's identity after their kidnapping.

Tanaka is the only one I believe might be aware, but is keeping it a secret for his own reasons (loyalty to the previous earl?). While he is currently seemingly on r!Ciel's side in the manga, he could be acting as a double agent.

There might even be evidence that o!Ciel was born first.

This is from the twin reveal flashback:

By this time, the hair direction of each twin is firmly established. Rachel is holding o!Ciel, with his hair going to the (our) left, while Madame Red is holding r!Ciel, whose hair swoops right. But which was born first?

Here's part of Madame Red's cinematic record, which I will break down panel by panel:

In the first panel, the midwife is holding r!Ciel, who we can tell was born just moments ago because she is announcing his sex.

In the second panel, Rachel is holding o!Ciel, who was born first. She is telling him that she's glad that r!Ciel was born.

In the third panel, Rachel tells Madame Red to take r!Ciel from the midwife.

Panels 4-6 are Madame Red holding r!Ciel. In the sixth panel, Rachel is still holding o!Ciel, but he's out of frame because the twin reveal hasn't happened yet.

In the seventh panel, she tells the baby who she's holding, o!Ciel, that his nose is just like 'that person's.'

While I believe that o!Ciel actually is the legitimate earl and born as Ciel Phantomhive, that isn't why he is clinging so vehemently to the name and title.

Getting called out for identity theft wouldn't make someone react like this, entering a near-cataonic state, followed by an angry outburst. The shock could be from seeing his brother come back from the dead, but why should o!Ciel be so enraged that his beloved brother should reclaim his (seemingly) rightful identity?

I don't believe that it is jealousy, pride, or entitlement that caused this reaction.

O!Ciel believes that he himself is fundamentally incapable of being Earl Ciel Phantomhive.

The only way he can fulfill this role and achieve his revenge is by becoming his older brother.

Even in his dealings with Sebastian, he believes that he can't handle the demon as himself, and must act as his brother instead.

This can be seen in his personality change after he takes on his brother's identity; he assumes a cold, aloof, independent demeanor, more like r!Ciel and his father, whereas before he was sweet and allowed himself to be open and rely on others.

When he is triggered in the green witch arc, this artificial self falls away and he becomes the self that had been suppressed to that point. That self had been stunted, still 10 years old and freshly traumatized, believing himself to be inferior and incapable.

When his brother comes back from the dead, o!Ciel can no longer become his brother to disassociate from himself and regresses again.

What o!Ciel doesn't realize is that r!Ciel's strength is also a facade. R!Ciel believes that he must be strong to protect his sickly younger brother.

Contrary to what o!Ciel believes, he is just as capable as his brother, if not more so. The things he's achieved as earl have been done by him, not his brother. He is pretending to be his brother, but that doesn't magically give him his brother's abilities. His successes have been due to his own intelligence and persistence.

Sebastian isn't contracted to him and desire his soul above all others because he's an earl or because his name is Ciel. He was called across dimensions not by a lord or the persona o!Ciel has adopted, but by the strength of o!Ciel himself.

On this page, o!Ciel is not pretending to be his brother. He's not an earl and doesn't yet have a demon to protect him. He is a child, completely alone and vulnerable, and instead of cowering and giving up, he threatens to kill the room full of his adults captors.

My wish for the manga is that o!Ciel realizes his worth outside of his identity as Earl Ciel Phantomhive, real or not. But if I'm being honest, I do hope that the boy Sebastian is contracted to is named Ciel, because the idea of a demon pursuing the soul of a person named 'heaven' is extremely satisfying to me.

[fuckyesbrucewayne]

I was debating on whether to make this post or not, but then I realized that if I cannot be annoying about Bruce Wayne in my Bruce Wayne Sideblog™ then what's the point. So here are basically my thoughts on why Bruce's characterization on Batman and Robin: Year One doesn't work for me, especially on this last issue.

So without further ado, let's begin!

First things first, I'm going to show the panels that are the whole reason I am making this post first, and then analyze what is happening and why I think it doesn't work for a young Bruce that is just beginning. And yes, I will be using as a basis Golden and Silver age Bruce, because he's the blueprint whether Mark likes it ot not.

(To give some context Robin got himself kidnapped, but he saved himself. Alone, I might add.)

This scene begins... with not much promise. This whole comic makes it a point that Bruce is not only clueless about raising Dick (an idea I'm not entirely against) but also makes it seem like he's kind of forced to take care of the kid? For some reason?? The comic treats it like it's a chore he has to do, and that it falls more on Alfred's shoulders than anything... and Alfred is also not very good at it, but that's another story (I'm not completely against that as a characterization choice on Alfred's side).

My whole problem with this basis is that if Bruce is not only clueless but also kind of not interested in raising Dick... Then why did he even take him in in the first place? Like, what was he thinking, and more importantly, what am I supposed to get from this? Because I'm going to assume that the reason he took him in was because he saw himself in him, right? So... it was just a selfish act?? On a whim?? That's it??? You'll understand why I feel that idea is kind of shallow, at the very least.

But going back to the page at hand, we can see that Alfred is making a point of not interfering and letting Bruce figure himself out, but also letting it be known that he... Kind of doesn't like Dick either (which is surprisingly in character with Dixon's Robin origin story, so I guess there's some basis there).

Robin's first question when they're left alone is that if he's going to get fired, which I find "fascinating" that so many modern retellings focus on, because the idea of firing was not that important in the original stories. Like, the fear of being fired was less important than the fear of being abandoned by Bruce or being replaced, that last one was very common... But firing in and of itself wasn't necessarily that big of a deal, and it never was until that infamous story of Nightwing's second origin (which I think you can guess it's not my favorite, not when the first one was so good already... But also because Max wrote himself into a corner with that one. So you're telling me Bruce fires Dick because he doesn't want a young partner and then immediately accepts 12-year-old Jason. As his partner. What.). Anyways, Bruce's answer to that loaded question is "not yet", which is. A choice. Because what are we doing here, why is Bruce taking in an orphan who has lost every semblance of family he had but is also making his position in his household so... flimsy. There was a time when it was literally only the two of them against the world, and I understand we cannot do that anymore because of Alfred, but even then writers have made it a point to write about how these two were a set, a "do not separate" team. They're the dynamic duo for fuck's sake, why is Mark making a point to write Bruce reaffirming Dick's fears about his position being temporary, what am I supposed to understand here about Bruce's character as a caregiver. And also why is he making Bruce separate himself from Dick by saying that he is rich, that the money is his, not theirs. Why are we giving the 12-year-old or however old he is supposed to be here financial insecurity.

I know you will be surprised to know this, but Bruce has always been kind of a workaholic... but not surprisingly, and contrary to what everyone wants you to believe, in his earlier years it was not so exaggerated. He used to do a lot of fun activities with Dick! If Dick wanted something he would cave like a house of cards because that was his little boy.

They went fishing a lot, they had pillow fights, they went to the lake, to the beach, camping, they had fun a lot of the time, HE USED TO TELL DICK TO TAKE IT EASY!!!! Hell, they didn't even go looking for cases most of the time, they would go to a museum or try to relax and a bomb would fucking explode.

So... why are we making a point to show Bruce IN HIS FIRST YEAR WITH DICK telling him that "yeah actually every day matters and if you are not doing something productive you deserve to suffer or whatever". What is going on here. I'm not saying that Dick's workaholic tendencies don't come partly from Bruce, but we all forget that Dick has been a child star athlete since he was five at the very least.

Hell, this comic literally goes into a tangent in the next page about this.

And here we arrive to my last straw with this comic. I'm going to kill someone I fear. In what universe, in what fucking universe, is Bruce Thomas Wayne telling Richard John "Dick" Grayson that he made a mistake in taking him in. Why are we accepting and even praising this characterization. I'm not even going to say anything I'm just going to leave comic panels here.

But yeah this was the page, the panel, that ended it for me. We're not coming back from this. And if you think next page fixes it because Bruce is known to be very autistic blunt and say the first thing his brain is thinking without realizing it can be misinterpreted... Just look at this.

What is this, what is this supposed to be. What the fuck. In other circumstances the idea of "we're here to help each other" is something I wouldn't be against, but it's just the whole conversation before it that ruins it. So basically, after Bruce threatens to throw him out, reaffirms Dick's fears that his position is temporary and that Bruce has all the power in this dynamic, THEN he's like "we're here to help each other yippieeeee help me child" are we stupid. Are we stupid.

Basically I think I've made my point clear. But if not, my biggest problem is this: if Bruce has been a cold-hearted paranoid jackass since the beginning... then what's the point.

What's the point of Jason's death, of the accidentally good storytelling of Bruce going through traumatic event after traumatic event (Jason's death, Knightfall, No Man's Land, Fugitive, Identity Crisis, etc., ETC.) and coming out of them more cynical, more changed, more broken. If he's always been cold and callous, if there was never any fun, any whimsy, any love... then how did Dick become so devoted to him.

Why do they both miss the good old days if there is nothing to miss.

What am I supposed to be understanding here, about the dynamic duo's relationship. And most important of all... What's the point. If this relationship is based on abuse, if this relationship has nothing good going for it, if Bruce has been always an abusive monster and Dick a poor victim that didn't know any better, then what's the point. What is the point of Batman and Robin, if this is all there has always been. Is this all Bruce is allowed to be using this toxic view of masculinity as his basis. Is he not allowed to be fun, to be loving, to feel anything outside of anger or annoyance.

Why does he barely smile at Dick in this comic, even when they're out of the suit, if he is supposed to be in his first few years? Where's the tragedy then, in knowing he used to make him laugh.

Why does he suddenly not seem to like Dick for who he is? Because that's the thing, it just seems like he doesn't like him, like there's no reason he took him in other than a sudden whim, like they are not the fucking dynamic duo, like they are not the blueprint. They just feel like two people that don't even like each other and are forced to live together. And how is this dynamic more interesting, how is this supposed to be better than what we had. What's the point, man.

What's the point.

[whatifitis]

♡ this love - LN 4 ♡

Summary: Despite every losing battle, this love found it's way back to each other.

Author's Note: hey guys! this is the FINAL final part of this fic but can be read as a stand alone! i hope yall enjoy it <3 also this shit was not proofread and i think it could be a lot better but idk how to fix it 😭

WC: 2782

CW: fluff, tears, wedding shit, overuse of song lyrics, i think that's it

Maybe, when we’re ready, we’ll meet again.

That’s what you always told yourself. The sort of mantra you told yourself everyday since you had to say goodbye to the love of your life. Almost as if trying to convince yourself that you truly did the right thing in the end, letting him go. Letting go of the person who you’d loved and lost countless times, the person who you thought was your forever.

Were we a moment, or a lifetime?

Years of back and forth, always questioning every moment. Was it the right decision? Is it worth the time you’d already lost? Did it make sense? Was he the way to find your way home?

But now, everything makes sense. The answer has never been clearer, for this man loves you for who you are. You don’t fall through his hands like water. Instead, he holds you like the stars hold the moon. Safe and sound, bound in the warmth of him and everything he is.

And today is the day. Today, you get to marry the person who makes you feel whole. The person who has held you together and fixed what was once broken. All your bad decisions feel less terrible the second he listens. You truly never could have seen him coming.

Nerves rattle your body as you’re being pampered, getting your hair and makeup done for this big day. You had instated your best friend, Pietra, as your maid of honor and you’re honestly grateful that she accepted with no hesitation. She has been on top of every miniscule thing, making sure everything is perfect for today.

You were sat in the makeup chair when Pietra came up and gently held your hand in hers. With a gentle squeeze she asked, “How are you feeling?”

“I’m… excited.” you say sincerely, a soft smile gracing your face, “It’s been quite the journey. But I’m happy, genuinely. I’m excited to see where we go from here and for the first time in my life, I don’t have any doubts or regrets.”

“Good. You deserve this, darling. Honestly, all the shit you’ve gone through led to this moment. Everything made you the person you are today. And I think you’re pretty fucking amazing.” Pietra laughs and watches as you join her in doing so.

The two of you share a moment of quiet and calm, despite the chaos that surrounds the two of you. Bridesmaids are scrambling to put on their dress and do finishing touches, some wedding staff communicating to each other, making sure everything goes according to plan.

“I’m gonna need the bride, maid of honor and all the bridesmaids downstairs in about 30 minutes. So everyone please make sure you’ve got your dresses and shoes on, grab your bouquets and make your way down. Thank you.” someone shouts from the door before shutting it behind them.

Pietra looks at you with raised eyebrows as she lets out a deep breath, “Are you ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

-=+=-

Two wooden doors now stand before you, towering and all mighty. Intricate detailing along the panels now blockade you from your person.

It’s hard to believe that this is real. For so much of your life, it was a constant battle of fighting for love even when the other person didn’t deserve it. Time after time, you were left out in the cold, living off little light. Now, your heart is so full of this person that you can hardly call it your own anymore.

You stand and wait, feeling the palms of your hands grow sweaty from the nerves and elatedness you feel. As you take your final deep breaths before the doors open, you feel an arm intertwine with yours and you look up to see your father. He smiles at you and tries not to let any tears fall as it was your day.

You watch your fathers eyes and silently thank him for standing by you, giving his arm a little squeeze when the doors open and sounds of violins begin to drown out any whispers or creaks from wooden chairs. Everyone stands and watches as you begin to walk down the aisle, arm in arm with your father. Tears are shed and sniffles can already be heard. But none of that is heard by you as your wild boy comes into view.

Lando is standing at the altar, wearing a black suit, pink carnation pinned to the lapel. His hands are locked together in front of him as he tries not to fiddle too much. His heart is racing faster than the cars he drives. You can see him trying to take breaths, trying not to burst out crying yet but it’s no use. Some tears have already escaped his eyes as he’s filled with so much exhilaration.

You can’t help but let out a little laugh when you see the tears that have already fallen on both your faces, remembering the conversation you’d had the day before where you were so confident that neither of you were gonna cry. Safe to say you’re thankful no bets were placed for that.

Once you’d reached the stairs at the bottom of the altar, you turned to your father and kissed his cheek, whispering a thank you and handing him your bouquet of flowers before you walked up the steps to meet your soon to be husband.

The violins died down and your officiant, Oscar Piastri, quietly cleared his throat before beginning. Lando was already reaching for your hands before Oscar could even get a word in, making a few members of the audience giggle from watching Lando’s eagerness.

As everyone quickly takes their seat, Lando leans into you and whispers “I won’t lie. I’m so anxious right now I feel like I might puke or shit or maybe both.” to which you let out a laugh.

“Same.” was all you could get it between laughs.

Once everyone has taken their seat, Oscar begins “Good afternoon, family, friends, and loved ones. We are gathered here today to celebrate the union of Y/N and Lando in marriage. Love is a journey, and today marks the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. When Lando had first met Y/N, you could just see it in his eyes, that she was the one. He loved talking about her and talking to her. The amount of times I would have to bring him back to earth during shoots was insane. He truly loves her and he does everything to show her and everyone that she’s his person. Though the two have had their ups and downs, they still held strong and came back better than before. Marriage is a bond built on love, trust, and commitment. Y/N and Lando, do you come here freely and with full hearts to join in marriage?”

With a soft squeeze on your hand, Lando says “I do.” smiling with his eyes wrinkling in the corners.

“I do” you reply softly, already feeling your throat attempt to betray you and make you cry tears of joy.

“I was told that the bride and groom would like to share a few vows so we’ll go ahead and begin those.”

Oscar takes a step back as Lando lets go of your hands for a moment, reaching for the inside pocket of his suit and pulling out a small journal. Once he’s opened it up, Lando grabs one of your hands in his again and begins to read “Y/N, I don’t even know where to begin. I guess, firstly, I wanna say thank you. Thank you for so many things. Thank you for loving me, for staying by me, for forgiving me for all the stupid shit I’ve done. Ehm, all those years ago I said some stupid things instead of ‘I love you’ . And I guess that was cause I was scared of what I was falling into but… now, being with you and talking to you and stuff, it makes it all seem so much easier than what I imagined it to be. Like, no matter what happens, I know that being able to be by your side will make it so much easier. When we met, I knew that you held so much in yourself. Like, I knew from one moment with you, that you loved with your whole self, you worked hard for anything you wanted, and you did anything for others. You’re the sort of person who puts others before yourself and I find that admirable. And I know that after everything, you still often have fears so I just wanted to remind you that no matter what, I still love you most. We argue, I still love you most. You are mad, I still love you most. You are upset with me, I still love you most. I’m mad, I still love you most. You are having a hard time, I still love you most. You are overwhelmed, I still love you most. You are feeling empty, I still love you most. I still love you most, for my love for you is unconditional… like the Katy Perry song. I wouldn’t trade my love for you for anything in the world, not even a WDC. And lastly, no matter how much I say I love you, I always love you more than that.”

Both you and Lando have tears spilling down your faces now. He tucks his journal back into his pocket as you gently wipe away a few tears from his face. The warmth and comfort of your hand makes Lando lean into them slightly before you have to pull back and read your vows from your own little journal. You shake one of your hands to try and dry away the clamminess of them. You reach for one of Lando’s hands again and speak, “Lando, fuck. Where do I even start? When we first met, I wasn’t looking for anything. We had just found each other and after some time, I fell in love with you. It was like you just came out of the blue. Since that day, I’ve thanked the universe everyday for pushing us into each other's way. We got lost a few times along the way but we always found eachother again. A lot of people may call it fate but I think you just masterminded me. Either way, I’m happy this love came back to me. And you always gave me a choice. You always made sure to remind me that it was okay if I didn’t choose us. You understood why I wouldn’t choose you and you knew you would have to be okay with that and that you would have to let me go. Today, as I stand here before you and the people who love and care for us, I can say that I don’t know much about certainty, but what I do know is that I choose you. And I’ll choose you over and over. Without a pause, without a doubt, in a heartbeat. I’ll keep choosing you.” you finish.

Throughout your vows, it was difficult for you to continue. Tears were constantly flowing and the lump in your throat made it hard not to break every few words. Lando was profusely wiping tears off his face but at some point, he realized there was no use so he just let them stay.

Oscar steps forward again with a red nose and somewhat puffy eyes from crying, “May we get the rings please.”

Once both you and Lando are holding each other's rings, Oscar continues officiating, “These rings are a symbol of love and promises you share. As you place them on each other’s hands, let them remind you of your vows and the unbreakable bond you share now. Please place the ring on the other finger and repeat after me ‘With this ring, I thee wed.”

Lando, almost dropping the ring due to his hands being sweaty and shaky, placed the ring on your finger and stated “With this ring, I thee wed.”

You follow after him, placing the ring on his finger and stating “With this ring, I thee wed.”

“By the power vested in me by a sketchy website on the internet that Lando sent me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss!”

Before the crowd could even erupt with cheers and applause, you were in Lando’s arms with his lips attaching to yours. You grabbed the side of his face with a hand while the other wrapped around his shoulders and you held on tightly, not wanting to let go for even a second. All that pain and heartbreak has led to this moment, and it was all worth it. It wasn’t easy but the two of you managed to make a not so great thing into something so beautiful, no one could believe it.

-=+=-

The reception was filled with laughs, tears of happiness, and so much love. It was now time for some speeches and your dad was first up. You took a sip of your drink and felt Landos hand reach for yours and rest on your lap. You put your drink down and held his hand between yours as you watched your dad stand and speak into the microphone, “Hello, everyone. To those who don’t know me, I am Y/N’s father. I wanna start off by congratulating the happy couple. I hope the two of you really take in and appreciate this next part of your love. It’s a really beautiful thing to share with the person you love the most. Lando, I won’t lie, I wasn’t always your biggest fan. But then again, it’s hard to impress this old guy. You went ahead and did the impossible, however. You made my little girl happy. You made her feel safe enough to wanna get married. For the longest time, she always said she’d never want to get married. Said it was a waste of time and money for it only to end in divorce. To give her credit, she made a presentation about it and added statistics so I can see why she thought that way. Anyways, when you asked me for her hand in marriage, I remember saying that I was just so pleased. I was so pleased that you had found each other because you just got each other. You really do. And I see you in those quiet moments when the two of you are around and you’re just cuddled up on the sofa. The two of you just laughing and talking and the way Lando looks at Y/N and I just look at you and know that you two are just so in love. I know that through everything that’s happened, neither of you stopped loving each other. As a final thought, I would like to thank you, Lando. Thank you for loving her as much as I do and thank you for always looking after her. Sweetheart, if he ever pushes your buttons, I’ll gladly make him clean all the stables at the farm.”

Through tears and blurry vision, you laugh at the ending of your father’s speech. As he walks towards you, you stand to give him a hug and let him know how grateful you are for him and to let him know how much you love him. After a moment, the rest of the speeches began. More tears were shed and laughs were shared.

As the final speech was wrapping up, you turned to your side and looked at him. The person you were gonna spend the rest of forever with. Lando feels you staring and turns to you, “You’re staring.” he jokes.

“Yeah. Staring at my beautiful husband. Thank you for loving me.” you softly say.

“Nah. I should be the one thanking you. You’re the one who is letting me love you. And now I get to flex my hot and beautiful wife everywhere I go.” he says while wiggling his ring finger that is now happily bound by a simple gold band.

This is it. The start of forever. Now that you really have him, you never wanna know what life is like without him. You spent too much time apart and second guessing yourselves. It’s time to just let go of whatever may have happened when you were kids and just fall in love with life together. This love that was fated or willed will continue to grow and prosper as time goes by. You will love each other intentionally and love with every bit of conscience you were born with.

[kissandtellus]

𝙻𝚊𝚙𝚍𝚘𝚐🦴🎀

Synopsis: Gojo and Geto take in a Puppy!Hybrid who is so willing to please! Until she’s left alone for longer then an hour.

Warnings: Smut, pet!play, use of Daddy/Papa/ Hybrid!AU, Choking, washing your mouth out with soap, punishment, etc.

Your knees were swollen and bruised from the hardwood floor. Only good puppies were allowed on the dog bed. You had chewed through a corner of the wall out of pure boredom. Waiting patiently for your Masters to get home wasn't working anymore so you had to find other means of enjoyments. You hadn't been a good puppy and you knew it. You just prayed that Geto got home before Gojo.

Geto and Gojo had rescued you around 5 months ago from a Cursed Spirit attack. You were homeless and just trying to find shelter when the grocery shop you were taking shelter in was overtaken with Curses. Geto and Gojo had been partners for a few years prior and convinced one another to let you stay with them.

It had been all fine and dandy and they given you everything you needed. They never forced you to do anything you didn't want but were always at your beck and call when you came crying.

You were their little good girl and could do no wrong. Or at least you thought. With the both of them being at work so late, you got bored very easy and tried to find ways to lash out.

The door creaked open and someone was cursing even before they stepped through the threshold.

Oh shit.

Gojo was talking on his phone and didn't even see you cowering under the table, tail tucked between your legs. When he saw the mess you had made of the wood paneling, he growled to the other person on the other line and slammed down the grocery bags.

"This stupid mutt chewed our shit, Suguru! She's been a very bad girl." He squatted in front of you and angrily pushed away the chair you were hiding behind. He grabbed your collar and dragged you out from the table. He pressed his phone against your ear. Geto's cool voice echoed from the phone.

"Tell daddy what you did puppy. Go ahead." Your bottom lip quivered.

"C-chewed up the wall..." It was silent for a few seconds before Geto groaned and you could visibly hear how upset he was.

"Oh puppy...Daddy isn't home right now so you know Papa has to punish you. I'm sorry it has to be this way puppy. Daddy will be home in a few." And with that, the line went dead. Gojo snapped his phone shut and drug you by the collar all the way to the front door. He hooked your leash up to the metal ring on your collar and struck your barely covered breasts with the handle.

"Didn't you hear Daddy? I'm the one punishing you mutt. Suguru takes it far too easy on you and that's why you keep tearing up shit. First our shoes and now the wall? We should tie you up outside." You whimpered and laid at his feet, giving him the biggest puppy eyes you could manage. You hated being outside and you hated storms even more. Gojo wipes away the wall crumbs from your mouth. "Fuck, I have to clean you up. C'mon mutt." He stood again and lead you to the bathroom.

Most dog-hybrids liked baths but you hated them. When you caught sight of the bathtub you were howling and trying to pull away. Gojo growled and tied the end on your leash to the tub claw. He rolled up his sleeves and grabbed the bottom of your shirt. He pulled it over your head and left you completely exposed from the top up. Your bottoms and the tiniest of underwear were stripped from your body.

You stood naked shivering with the leash and collar. Gojo grinned and shut the door, locking it behind him. "Only good girls get to take hot baths." Gojo started the water and your body instantly chilled. It was going to be a cold bath. Gojo grabbed your jaw and forced you to open your mouth. He examined every crevice and grunted.

"It doesn't look like you hurt any of your teeth. That's a good thing, you hate the vet." You whined at event the word vet. The white haired man chuckles evils and stopped the water flow. He lifted you with ease and sat you down in the nearly freezing water. You whimpered and nearly shot out of the tub completely. Gojo was quick to grab your leash and tug you back down in a sitting position.

"Stay still." He growled. Your Papa wasn't one to be disobeyed. Gojo poured a cup of ice water over your head and you shivered and howled again. This, in itself was a punishment. Your core was hot at how he manhandled you but the cold water was brutal on your cunt. He squinted some body wash on a rag and rubbed it all over your body. It was a quick but efficient way to clean you of any dry wall. He pulled the plug on the tub but you were cold to the touch. Your lips were nearing a slight blue color and your ears were flat against your skull.

Gojo let his body heat warm you and held you against him as he towel dried you. You cling to him and soak his clothes trying to get more warmth. His kindness didn't last long and he pulled you back by the scruff of your neck. "Dumb dog. Stop getting my work clothes wet." He ordered. You tucked your (f/c) tail between your legs and looked down in shame. He finished drying your off and unhooked the leash. A moment of relief washed over you but you knew the punishment was far from over.

Gojo stripped off his black button-up and his chest was bare. "Clean me off puppy. Clean up your mess." You didn't take long at all to start lapping up the water droplets that soaked through his shirt. He groaned at the feeling of your tongue. You rested your hands on his shoulders to balance yourself. Gojo slapped away your filthy paws and you yelped. "Did I say you could touch me?" You pulled out your puppy dog eyes again and Gojo just rolled his eyes and your pathetic attempts to apologize.

"Crate. Now." Oh no. He was serious. You had never spent more than 5 minutes in your crate. It was mostly because Geto would also complain to his boyfriend about how inhumane it was to watch you sit in the (rather super comfortable) cage when their bed was big enough for all three of you. Usually it ended by Geto cuddling you to death and Gojo angry that you hadn't learned your lesson.

But Daddy wasn't home right now.

You kept looking over your shoulder as you crawled naked to the bedroom. Gojo walked behind you with arms crossed. He wasn't giving you an easy way out. When you crawled into the bedroom and looked at the cage, you tried giving him one more look to try and persuade him. "Inside y/n." Ooo first name. This was bad.

He locked the metal crate behind you and tried to ignoring you pressing your face against the side and begging to be let out.

Gojo stood beside the cage where you could clearly see him. He looked down at you and unbuckled his belt. You stopped whining and started flicking your tail back and forth in excitement.

You loved playtime.

Gojo wiggled the jeans down over his hips and pulled his member from the confines of his red boxers. Your mouth watered at the sight of his cock, drool forming at the sides of your mouth. "Aww, poor pretty puppy. I bet your cunt is aching isn't it? You haven't had a treat in a few days." He lazily strokes his cock. Precum began to build at the top and drool fell from your mouth.

"Aw Satu, have you been mistreating my baby?" Geto's voice had you running circles in your cage. You yipped happily at the sight of the dark haired man. His long hair was pulled back into a low bun and his sickening sweet grin was ever present. He gave Gojo a quick kiss and kneeled down to the entrance of your cage. He put his fingers through the wiring and watched you lap happily at his fingers.

"Satu, ignore her. She needs to learn." Gojo huffed with crossed arms. Geto pouted and stroked your ear with his finger.

"My sweet girl could never do something like that right?" You were so quick to deny everything. You just wanted to touch both of them and cover them with your scent. This was torture. Geto's eyes darkened and he linked his fingers under your collar and pulled. Your cheek was pressed right up against the metal and you whimpered when he leaned in closer. Geto was never rough with you.

"You lied to me puppy. You know what liars get right?" Gojo came from your side with a cup in his hands. Geto opened up the cage just enough to grab your jaw and forced your mouth open. Gojo poured a strong smelling liquid over your tongue and you started coughing.

He had poured soap on your tongue.

You sobbed and tried to break out of Geto's hold. The dark haired haired man cooed at you and stroked back your ears. He let go of your jaw and held you up against him for a second. "All done puppy. No more soap." You tried desperately to get the taste out of your mouth but there was no way to get rid of the foul taste. "Your punishment isn't done puppy. Papa and I are going to play, and you are going to be a good girl, kneel by the bed and watch." You pouted and buried your face in Geto's strong shoulder.

Geto brushes your hair behind your ear and pulled you away from him. "Keep that pretty mouth open puppy. If you’re lucky, you can be on cleanup duty." Your tail thumped at the thought. Gojo pulled Geto to his feet and you followed the couple to the bed, watching them battle for dominance for a few moments. They shared laughs and clashing teeth before Geto came out on top and was fisting the white haired man's swollen cock. 

"Puppy come here. Get me nice and wet for Papa." You crawled between them and opened your mouth wide. "Good girl. Nice and easy." He presses his cock head past the barrier of your throat and watched your eyes roll to the back of your head. He fucked your mouth at a slow pace and stroked his boyfriends cock in rhythm. Both men were squirming in pleasure and you felt empty.

Geto pulled the sensitive hair between your ears and fucked your mouth in earnest for a few more seconds. He then pulled completely out of your mouth and let your spit soak your tits and chin. "Use your tongue on Papa, little one. You know it doesn't feel good when it goes in dry." He held the sides of your head with one hand and pushed Gojo's legs up so his knees were near his ears.

You took no time in lapping at his puckered ass. Alpha and Daddy always tasted so manly, so sweet. Your tail was swinging so fast Geto was afraid you would injure yourself. He rubbed your ass and gave you encouraging words as your tongue slipped inside of Gojo. The white haired man moaned and pressed against you so your tongue could delve deeper. You began to crawl up on the bed, eager for more but Geto chuckled and pulled you back down to the floor again.

"No, no puppy. That's enough. Floor. Now." He snapped his fingers and pointed to the carpet next to the bed. You grumbled and nipped at Gojo's thigh before settling down on the carpet and staring up at both men. Geto coated his cock with lube and pressed a few fingers into Gojo to prepare him.

"Fuckkk Sugu'!. I'm fuckin' ready. Just do it." Geto clicked his tongue and eased his huge cock past each tight muscle ring. Gojo sounded weak for a few seconds, struggling to take all of it. Your tail thumped again and drool started to form again. You wanted to help them.

You were a good dog, you'd show them both!