#like how does the algorithm work when posting something

[cosmically-kissed]

I’m never gonna get over the forest for the trees

[godtier]

it amuses me how ppl will make PSA posts about how such-and-such platform uses "AI" and tells you to be Very Angry about it via context clues, but then the same ppl will happily reblog AI "art", even when it's very easy to tell and/or it takes two seconds to look at the damn comments on a post to find that it's AI generated, or that the very OP of the post tagged it as AI art, or answered an ask like "yeah I use a generator for the pics," or puts "I use midjourney to make the pics" in their profile on mobile, etc etc etc

I guess it's easier to screech about how an option in a program that you can turn off/disable within seconds and that won't actually do anything more than what your autocorrect or grammarly or siri or alexa or google assistant or photoshop filters have already been doing with/harvesting from your data for years now (spoilers: you've been using and training "AI" algorithms for longer than chatGPT has been mainstream! yes, it's basically the same concept!) than it is to do a few seconds of reading or double-checking to ensure you're not reblogging art theft and tagging it as "photography" 🙃

[koko2unite]

hmm feeling a little upset today again but what's new lol

[p0orbaby]

magic 8 ball

summary: What starts as Leah crashing your pity pint spirals, predictably, into something far less wholesome and far more hands-on.

warnings: SMUT 18+, just general sex stuff so you know the drill

a/n: i was inspired, not sure by what, but here we are

word count: 2.5k

-

“I’m not having a breakdown,” you say, peeling the label off your beer with such deep concentration you forget you have to breathe to survive. “I’m having a perfectly rational response to the current state of the world. And also to my boss, who thinks ‘relevance’ is when a TikTok account reposts our gallery’s Instagram.”

Leah makes a sound, something between a laugh and a sigh, and slides onto the stool next to you as if she owns the place. She probably does. Or knows someone who does. She’s wearing a camel coat from The Row that looks like it’s never seen a hanger. Soft, fluid, draped like wealth. Her hair is up—one of those deliberately lazy ponytails that costs £80 at a salon and makes people call you effortless like it’s a compliment. She probably just didn’t bother sorting it after training.

She orders a double gin and tonic. Not with Bombay or Tanqueray or any of the pedestrian options available to people who wear polyester and say OOTD. She points, without looking, at a bottle of something artisanal. Something with botanicals. Something brewed by a man with a beard who lives in Hackney and forages moss recreationally while naked.

“You’re twitching,” she says, when the bartender walks away.

“I’m fine,” you reply, tight. “I’m absolutely fucking fine.”

You’re not. You’re vibrating with the same energy as a microwave that’s just been asked to reheat a bowl of leftover soggy chicken chow mein.

Leah squints. “Your eye does this thing when you’re on the brink of homicide. It’s cute, all things considered.”

You think about stabbing her with the cocktail stick that came with the complimentary olives you got when you ordered. Instead, you finish peeling the label. The bar is now covered in neat, sticky curls of Beck’s branding. You take a vicious sort of pride in it—like this bar owes you something and you’re slowly destroying it molecule by molecule.

“I had to explain post-conceptualism to a man who unironically collects Funko Pops today.”

“God.”

“He said, ‘So it’s like Banksy but sadder?’”

“Oh, sweet Jesus.”

“And then he asked me if Damien Hirst invented fruit winders.”

Leah bites her lip to suppress a grin. You hate that she finds this funny.

“I’m in hell,” you say. “I live here now. It’s beige and the lighting’s fluorescent and all the curators wear Balenciaga in the wrong way.”

“There’s a wrong way to wear Balenciaga?”

“Yes. It’s when you do it with sincerity.”

Leah hums, amused. Her drink arrives. She picks it up like she’s in an advert for skincare. You hate her glass. It’s too clean. You hate how she sips, like the liquid is trying to earn her respect. You hate her in general, really. But it’s a specific, curated hate. The kind that comes with longing. Jealousy. Proximity.

“You’re not angry,” she says, “you’re heartbroken.”

“I am not heartbroken.”

“Fine,” she shrugs. “You’re artistically blue-balled.”

That, unfortunately, lands. You clench your jaw. You spent two months assembling an exhibit that got described as visually competent by someone whose own work consists of melting Barbie heads onto coat hooks. The only person who seemed to get it was a caretaker, and even he asked if it was “about feminism or something.”

Leah’s watching you with the sort of curiosity she usually reserves for rare mushrooms or political scandals. You feel exposed, like she’s mentally peeling your skin back to check for rot.

“I just—” You stop. You sip your beer. You stare at its froth like it insulted your mother. “I just want to make something that doesn’t immediately get filtered through someone else’s idiot-brand algorithm of what art is supposed to do. I don’t want it to do anything. I want it to exist. And I want that to be enough.”

There’s a pause. A proper silence. A respectful one.

Then Leah says, “Well. That’s depressing.”

You blink. “Do you ever have a normal human reaction?”

“I do,” she says, “just not to tantrums disguised as philosophies.”

You groan. Loudly. Obnoxiously. “Why are you here?”

She takes another sip, smacks her lips, says: “You texted me the words ‘I hope my body gets mistaken for a performance piece when I die.’ So I cleared my schedule.”

You rub your face. You did text that. You thought it was funny.

“You’re a masochist,” you mutter.

“You’re dramatic.”

You look up at her, eyes narrowed. “You think you’re better than me.”

Leah leans in, her face maddeningly calm. “Sweetheart. I know I am.”

You want to throw something at her. A pint glass. the chair you’re sitting on. Your entire unresolved emotional history. But instead you say, “Do you ever get tired of always being the most emotionally detached person in the room?”

She tilts her head. “Do you ever get tired of pretending your anger is intellectual when really you’re just sad and lonely and catastrophically underfucked?”

You nearly choke on your drink.

“I am not underfucked.”

“I can see how tense your jaw is from here. It’s clenched like a Victorian child repressing her feelings about having to crawl up another chimney. Go home and look at yourself in the mirror. Tell me that’s the face of someone getting railed regularly.”

You want to die. You also want her to say it again, slowly, in private, with less clothing.

There’s a long, crackling pause. You both know it’s no longer about art.

Leah sets down her glass. She taps the rim once, twice. Rhythm. Precision. Her nails are short, square, coated in clear polish that you don’t normally notice but have now because you can’t look her in the eye. Then you catch yourself staring at her hands for too long and quickly look away.

She doesn’t comment. But you know she notices. Leah notices everything. She notices the hair tie on your wrist has snapped and been retied in a knot, twice. She notices you’ve stopped wearing mascara, which you used to call your “armour” in that stupid, performative way you used to talk about beauty like it was actually important. She notices the crack in your lip that won’t heal because you’ve been biting it every time you think too hard.

She says, eventually, almost to herself:

“Right. That’s enough tragic brooding. Come on.”

You glance at her sideways. “Come on what?”

She lifts her chin, shrugs like it’s obvious. “It’s time for the three F’s.”

You blink. “The what?”

“The three F’s,” she repeats, counting them off on one hand like she’s listing dinner party ingredients. “Food. Fucking. And… I haven’t decided on the third one. It’s usually ‘forgiveness’ but tonight it might change depending on my mood or how close you are to bursting into tears.”

You narrow your eyes. “Are you having a stroke?”

Leah ignores this. She taps her temple. “It’s a system. A trifecta. A deeply spiritual practice.”

“Sounds like a religious cult run by Gordon Ramsay.”

She smirks. “Exactly. Chips first. Sex second. Existential clarity optional.”

You stare at her, arms folded. She’s smiling now, that crooked, smug half-smile that suggests she knows she’s funny, even when you want to shove her face into a vat of chip grease.

“You offering?” you ask, dry. “For the second F?”

Leah shrugs again. “No. I saw a homeless man outside and thought you two might hit it off.”

You snort, despite yourself. “You’re a bitch.”

She sips her drink like she’s just said something unremarkable and bureaucratic, like we’ll be closing early due to maintenance. She doesn’t look at you. You’re glad. You’re not ready for the look she gives you when she’s being sincere. It’s like being x-rayed.

Then she adds, almost as an afterthought, “Of course I’m offering. Don’t be daft.”

You freeze. A beat. Another.

“I thought I was a neurotic, emotionally volatile husk of a woman with a martyr complex and an inflated sense of artistic purpose.”

“You are,” she says. “But you’ve got a decent face and you’re good with your hands. So, you know. Swings and roundabouts.”

You scoff. And you’re trying really hard to stay calm because your doctor has informed you your concerningly high blood pressure is a direct correlation of your erratic emotions.

“What happened to chips first?”

“Oh, I still want chips. I’m starving. I haven’t eaten since three and I’m craving something fried and disgusting. Preferably served by someone with a name badge and an attitude problem.”

You nod slowly. “That’s the most grounded thing you’ve said all night.”

“Thank you. I’m a woman of the people.”

She drains her gin and stands, smooth and sudden, like movement happens to her rather than from her. You watch the line of her coat shift across her hips and hate her a little more. In a nice way. A respectful way.

She glances back at you, already heading toward the door. “You coming, or are you going to sit here frowning into warm beer like the ghost of failed gallery interns past?”

You mutter something under your breath and follow. Of course you do. It’s Leah.

It’s always Leah.

-

“You’re making that face again.”

Leah’s looking at you from the other end of the bed—half undressed, half mocking, propped up on her elbow like some god-awful, lesbianised version of a Greek statue who knows exactly how fit she is.

You’re topless and regretting all your life choices. “What face?”

“The one that says, ‘this is a terrible idea but I’m already wet so fuck it.’”

She’s not wrong.

You shoot her a glare and yank your bra off in one not so smooth move. It slaps the floor with the exhausted whimper of cotton that’s held too many disappointing breasts over the years.

“God, you’re hot when you’re angry,” she says, and you want to laugh. Or hit her. Or sit on her face. All three feel valid.

“Shut up and lie down.”

She does. Immediately. The smugness fades slightly, replaced by something quieter. More concentrated. She watches you crawl over her like a lion stalking its prey. Or more realistically like you’re some slow-motion car crash she wants to get hit by.

You kiss her. Sloppy. Unapologetic. More tongue than technique. It’s not romantic. It’s hot. It’s urgent. It tastes like gin and old rage.

Somewhere between biting her lip and grinding down against her thigh, you lose track of how long you’ve been pretending not to want this. Leah’s skin is warm and annoyingly soft. Her bra’s still on. She’s still wearing her bra.

You reach for it, fumbling. “Why are these always like a NASA launch?”

She laughs into your neck. “You’ve never undressed another woman before, have you?”

“Only emotionally.”

You finally get the clasp and she shrugs out of it, tits bouncing slightly. You both pretend not to notice how your brain flatlines for a second. You’re supposed to be cool. You’re supposed to be in control.

But her nipples are hard and you’re throbbing and when she reaches between your legs without warning, you gasp—loud and unedited.

“Oh my god,” you breathe. “Warn a girl.”

“You’ve literally been grinding on my thigh for five minutes.”

“That’s different. That’s friendship.”

Leah slips her hand down your knickers. Finds you soaked. She hums like she’s impressed. Or smug. Probably both.

“Jesus, babe,” she says. “You’re soaked.”

You scoff. “Don’t call me babe. You sound like some weirdo on Love Island.”

“Fine. Darling?”

“Worse.”

“You’re tight when you’re annoyed,” she murmurs, and then pushes two fingers in. Just like that.

You moan. Too loudly. Your hips buck automatically.

“Oh, fuck—”

Leah grins like a wolf. She curls her fingers and your whole spine tries to fold in half.

“Yeah, that’s it,” she says, pumping slow, deliberate, unfair. “There. Right there. Don’t move.”

You immediately move. “Fuck, wait—fuck, there.”

She groans, her forehead pressed to yours. “You’re so annoying.”

You kiss her to shut her up and reach down between her legs. Her knickers are drenched too. You laugh.

“What?” she says, breath hitching.

“Nothing. Just didn’t know England’s golden girl got this wet.”

“I’m a footballer,” she pants, “not a cardinal.”

You pull her knickers aside, push two fingers in easily. She’s hot and slick and all kinds of fuckable. Her eyes roll back for a second. She grabs your arm, anchoring herself. Her nails dig in.

“Oh my god. Keep doing that.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. Don’t—don’t fucking stop.”

You thrust harder, matching her rhythm, both your hands moving now—sloppy and synchronised. Her hips are rolling. Yours too. There’s swearing. Lots of it. You’re both flushed and swearing and laughing in between grunts.

“Fuck,” she gasps. “Harder.”

You give it to her harder. You give it to her like a promise. Like revenge.

At one point you both reach for each other at the same time and bang foreheads. Loudly.

“Ow,” you groan, blinking.

She’s laughing. “This is the least elegant sex I’ve ever had.”

“Good,” you growl, sucking a bruise into her neck. “I’m not here to be elegant.”

You push her legs wider. You go lower.

“Wait—are you—oh fuck—”

You don’t bother answering. You just get your mouth on her. One long, filthy lick from her entrance to her clit and she arches like she’s being electrocuted.

“Jesus CHRIST,” she chokes. “You’ve done this before.”

You don’t dignify that with a response. You just moan into her cunt and keep going.

Her hand finds your hair and tugs. Not hard. Just enough to make you feel owned.

She’s close. You can feel it. She starts talking like a woman possessed.

“Yes. There. Don’t stop. Don’t stop, don’t you fucking stop—”

You don’t. Of course you don’t. You flatten your tongue and she breaks.

She cums hard, loud, practically shaking, her thighs closing around your head like a vice.

When she collapses, she pulls you up, kisses you like she’ll die if she doesn’t, and flips you over. She doesn’t even hesitate. Her mouth is on you like it’s home. She licks you open, groaning like you’re her favourite meal and she’s been fasting.

“Oh fuck me,” you cry, gripping the headboard like it’s a lifeline.

She hums against your clit. You nearly black out.

“Yeah?” she says, lifting her head. “That good?”

You nod, dazed.

“Use your words.”

“More.”

“More what?”

“More Leah.”

She moans like that’s the final straw and fingers you hard, mouth locked around your clit as if it belongs there. You cum embarrassingly fast. Practically scream. Collapse against the pillow like a dramatic Victorian wife.

There’s a beat. Silence. Both panting.

Then:

“I think I saw god.”

Leah wipes her mouth and shrugs. “Tell her I said hi.”

You both dissolve into hysterical laughter, tangled up and sweaty and slightly horrified.

“So,” you say, catching your breath. “The verdict on the third F?”

She grins. “I think I'll stick with forgiveness. For all the shit we’re about to pretend didn’t just happen.”

You nod. “Fair.”

And then you kiss her again. Because honestly, what else are you going to do?

[were--ralph]

why exactly do you dislike generative art so much? i know its been misused by some folks, but like, why blame a tool because it gets used by shitty people? Why not just... blame the people who are shitty? I mean this in genuinely good faith, you seem like a pretty nice guy normally, but i guess it just makes me confused how... severe? your reactions are sometimes to it. There's a lot of nuance to conversation about it, and by folks a lot smarter than I (I suggest checking out the Are We Art Yet or "AWAY" group! They've got a lot on their page about the ethical use of Image generation software by individuals, and it really helped explain some things I was confused about). I know on my end, it made me think about why I personally was so reactive about Who was allowed to make art and How/Why. Again, all this in good faith, and I'm not asking you to like, Explain yourself or anything- If you just read this and decide to delete it instead of answering, all good! I just hope maybe you'll look into *why* some people advocate for generative software as strongly as they do, and listen to what they have to say about things -🦜

if Ai genuinely generated its own content I wouldn't have as much of a problem with it, however what Ai currently does is scrape other people's art, collect it, and then build something based off of others stolen works without crediting them. It's like. stealing other peoples art, mashing it together, then saying "this is mine i can not only profit of it but i can use it to cut costs in other industries.

this is more evident by people not "making" art but instead using prompts. Its like going to McDonalds and saying "Burger. Big, Juicy, etc, etc" then instead of a worker making the burger it uses an algorithm to build a burger based off of several restaurant's recepies.

example

the left is AI art, the right is one of the artists (Lindong) who it pulled the art style from. it's literally mass producing someone's artstyle by taking their art then using an algorithm to rebuild it in any context. this is even more apparent when you see ai art also tries to recreate artists watermarks and generally blends them together making it unintelligible.

Aside from that theres a lot of other ethical problems with it including generating pretty awful content, including but not limited to cp. It also uses a lot of processing power and apparently water? I haven't caught up on the newer developements i've been depressed about it tbh

Then aside from those, studios are leaning towards Ai generation to replace having to pay people. I've seen professional voice actors complain on twitter that they haven't gotten as much work since ai voice generation started, artists are being cut down and replaced by ai art then having the remaining artists fix any errors in the ai art.

Even beyond those things are the potential for misinformation. Here's an experiment: Which of these two are ai generated?

ready?

These two are both entirely ai generated. I have no idea if they're real people, but in a few months you could ai generate a Biden sex scandal, you could generate politics in whatever situation you want, you can generate popular streamers nude, whatever. and worse yet is ai generated video is already being developed and it doesn't look bad.

I posted on this already but as of right now it only needs one clear frame of a body and it can generate motion. yeah there are issues but it's been like two years since ai development started being taken seriously and we've gotten to this point already. within another two years it'll be close to perfected. There was even tests done with tiktokers and it works. it just fucking works.

There is genuinely not one upside to ai art. at all. it's theft, it's harming peoples lives, its harming the environment, its cutting jobs back and hurting the economy, it's invading peoples privacy, its making pedophilia accessible, and more. it's a plague and there's no vaccine for it. And all because people don't want to take a year to learn anatomy.

[bernardsbendystraws]

a brutally honest post from me to you.

to preface, I know this is a corner of social media where we fangirl and write fanfiction. i'm aware that these issues are not as severe as irl problems, but just because it's not that serious doesn't mean that a stress/frustration/sadness just goes away.

so yeah, i do know that these aren't the biggest issues that people are gonna face in life, but it's some i wanna talk about. if you don't wanna hear it, scroll. this is a judgement free space and i'll block anyone who disturbs that.

[ posts not doing well hurts. ]

when you're brand new, it kinda sucks. getting traction is hard. people like familiar names with familiar writing styles and layouts. they know what they're getting into.

its not because you're writing sucks, it's because you're different. maybe you have some weak points, but everyone has those at some point. so no, it's not you or your skills, it's because you're new and people like gravitate towards familiar things.

when you're not new, it can really suck. now you know you can get the readers, but sometimes that's almost worse. you'll feel like there's more pressure, that you'll never be able to top xyz. and it really hurts, especially if you make something that you're so proud of and it doesn't get as much traction as you hoped it would.

its not because it's bad. there's so many factors. sometimes it's because one of the triplets posted, maybe just an active period on tumblr where the algorithm is really in your favor, or maybe it was because the readers were sharing your work behind the scenes because they loved it so much.

it varies and it sucks. there's pressure to 'do better' but then you feel kinda stuck. you can't always do better, but you can always do your best.

either way, it's not truly your fault. there's so many factors that contribute to how well a post performs. your efforts are still something you should be proud of regardless.

[ friends ]

this is something i've really struggled with. it's really difficult. social ques are not my strong suit, I take things as they are presented to me. every friendship is different and not all of them are created equal.

some people want to be friends for interaction as a transaction. some people want to be your friend to make it seem like they have a place on sturniolo tumblr publicly. some people want to be friends to be your friend. there's a difference.

doesn't matter who you are, how many followers, or how many fics you have. not all intentions are genuine, even if they aren't necessarily bad.

[ drama ]

i've been in drama and i've also watched it. i've tried hard to avoid it but sometimes it is necessary to call out. when i was a smaller blog there were a lot of big blogs people loved that were straight up mean.

i can say confidently that i've never been mean to someone right off the bat for no other reason than thinking i was better than them. that has and will never happen because i know exactly what it feels like.

talk to a person in private first. i don't care what it is. ask them questions and have them give you direct answers. if it is something deeply concerning like a predator, that is an instance where it is important to speak up since it directly effects people on here.

it broke my heart when the juno / bri situation happened and i had dozens of minors dming me saying something happened but they were too scared to speak up.

i really hope that never happens again, but if it does, people need to feel safe enough to go to an adult on here. i'm happy i was that person for a lot of people because i needed a person like that when i was a kid.

put mdni on all you want, but please don't isolate minors when they are wanting to feel included. that's puts them at an even more vulnerable position and people know that. draw boundaries but keep all of this in mind.

i can and always will admit when i'm wrong even if i'm still hurt by the other person. apologizing isn't something that says 'oh this person is wrong, that person is right,' it's something that is required for basic human decency and respect. if i hurt someone, i want them to at least have the closure of having an apology.

i can't take back the actions or words, but i can validate their feelings and that's really important since we're all human and have feelings.

agree to disagree if you need to at the end of the day, but leave people alone. exposing people for things that aren't necessary is never gonna make you feel better.

interacting and creating genuine friendships will you give a lot more peace and joy then hate and conflict ever will.

point is, treat others how you want to be treated. we're all humans with feelings and coming here for an escape to fangirl and write. do things to make the community better. do things to make yourself happy and proud in the long term.

i appretiate anyone who has stayed to read this, truly. i don't know how much of a difference it will make but i don't care. i said what i said and i meant it. if this helps one person, that already makes it worth it in my eyes.

i love being apart of this community and i hope we can build it to something we're all proud of and wanting to be apart of at the end of the day.

with love and big tits, rose 🫶🏻

[fixyourwritinghabits]

How to Tell If That Post of Advice Is AI Bullshit

Right, I wasn't going to write more on this, but every time I block an obvious AI-driven blog, five more clutter up the tags. So this is my current (April 2024) advice on how to spot AI posts passing themselves off as useful writing advice.

No Personality - Look up a long-running writing blog, you'll notice most people try to make their posts engaging and coming from a personal perspective. We do this because we're writers and, well, we want to convey a sense of ourselves to our readers. A lot of AI posts are straight-forward - no sense of an actual person writing them, no variation in tone or text.

No Examples - No attempts to show how pieces of advice would work in a story, or cite a work where you could see it in action. An AI post might tell you to describe a person by highlighting two or three features, and that's great, but it's hard to figure out how that works without an example.

Short, Unhelpful Definitions - A lot of what I've seen amount to two or three-sentence listicles. 'When you want to write foreshadowing, include a hint of what you want foreshadowed in an earlier chapter.' Cool beans, could've figured that out myself.

SEO/AI Prompt Language Included - I've seen way too many posts start with "this post is about..." or "now we will discuss..." or "in this post we will..." in every single blog. This language is meant to catch a search engine or is ChatGPT reframing the prompt question. It's not a natural way of writing a post for the average tumblr user.

Oddly Clinical Language - Right, I'm calling out that post that tried to give advice on writing gay characters that called us "homosexuals" the entire time. That's a generative machine trying to stay within certain parameters, not an actual person who knows that's not a word you'd use unless you were trying to be insulting or dunking on your own gay ass in the funniest way possible.

Too Perfect - Most generative AI does not make mistakes (this is how many a student gets caught trying to use it to cheat). You can find ways to make it sound more natural and have it make mistakes, but that takes time and effort, and neither of those are really a factor in these posts. They also tend to have really polished graphics and use the same format every time.

Maximized Tags (That Are Pointless) - Anyone who uses more than 10 one-word tags is a cop. Okay, fine, I'm joking, but there's a minimal amount of tags that are actually useful when promoting a post. More tags are not going to get a post noticed by the algorithm, there is no algorithm. Not everyone has to use their tags to make snarky comments, but if your tags look like a spambot, I'm gonna assume you're a spambot.

No Reblogs From The Rest of Writblr - I'm always finding new Writblr folks who have been around for awhile, but every real person I've seen reblogs posts from other people. We've all got other stuff to do, I'm writing this blog to help others and so are they, the whole point of tumblr is to pass along something you think is great.

While you'll probably see some variation in the future - as people get wise to obviously generated text, they'll try to make it look less generated - but overall, there's still going to be tells to when something is fake.

I don't have any real advice for what to do about this (other than block those blogs, which is what I do). Like most AI bullshit, I suspect most of these blogs are just another grift, attempting to build large follower counts to leverage or sell something to in the future. They may progress past these tattletale features, but I'm still going to block them when I see them. I don't see any value in writing advice compiled from the work of better writers who put the effort in when I can just go find those writers myself.

[anitalenia]

˖ ᡣ𐭩 ⊹ ࣪ ˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ ౨ৎ˚₊ 𝓱𝓮𝓵𝓵𝓸 𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻𝔂𝓸𝓷𝓮!! I’ve been getting so many requests and messages about the resources I use to make my graphics + dividers soooo I made this cheat sheet for the resources + apps I use. Please keep in mind not everything is free to use or easy to use!!! These are the apps & browsers that I’ve been using for years and they work for me. I’m sure there are better & easier ways of doing things but this is what works for me and that’s okay <3 I also didn’t have the patience to make this aesthetically pleasing like I always do… so forgive me 😭

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐓 ᝰ.ᐟ Pinterest is a visual discovery and bookmarking platform designed for inspiration and idea curation. Unlike traditional social media apps focused on social interaction, Pinterest centers around interests.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I use pinterest for PNGs, theme inspo, basically what the app is used for. My Pinterest is this, you can follow me if you want and see all my boards!!! I’ve had it for years so it’s a little chaotic, but one thing at a time…

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: You can create your own boards + sections. It’s very good for organizing your different thoughts and aesthetics. Can be used for different purposes. I have boards for writing, my OCs, really just random things. Has a lot of different aesthetics, every one you can think of from angelcore, mcbling, Sanrio, cybercore, goth, etc. You’ll have a harder time not finding something you want or like.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: A lot of artwork is published on there with no clear credit to the original author who made it. A lot of photos are also recycled so you’ll start to notice there’s a lot of the same aesthetic icons or photos under different accounts. This can be a pro or a con just depends on how you see it.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: I love this app a lot, I use it for so many things. A lot of my PNGs come from here for my dividers and what not. Usually I edit them too so I’m not directly taking something without giving it my own twist.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 10/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐆𝐈𝐏𝐇𝐘 ᝰ.ᐟ GIPHY is a GIF search engine and creation platform—basically the internet’s go-to hub for finding and sharing short looping animations (GIFs), stickers, and reaction clips.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I use GIPHY strictly for stickers. They’re animated PNGs I use for dividers from time to time. GIPHY is a pretty goofy place so there’s a lot of goofy things that don’t fit my aesthetic. With that being said there is also a lot of stuff that is cool and worth using once you take the time to find it. You can find accounts that are more professional & aesthetic that post cool stickers.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: Has png animated stickers you can use. Has accounts that are pretty cool and post cute & aesthetic stickers. Easy to download images and easy to use in general.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: Doesn’t really go by aesthetics like Pinterest does. If you type in an aesthetic it doesn’t really post things relating to it. Hard to find cool stickers worth using (in my opinion)

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: none

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 7/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐓𝐔𝐌𝐁𝐋𝐑 ᝰ.ᐟ Tumblr is a microblogging platform and social network that blends creative expression, personal aesthetics, and niche community vibes all in one. It’s a hybrid space where users post multimedia content—text, images, GIFs, videos, quotes, and audio—onto their customizable blogs.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I think it’s pretty obvious what i use tumblr for. But on a business basis it’s good for PNGs and divider inspo when you need it.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: Creative freedom, fandom & subculture heaven, expressive & honest environment, aesthetic curation, no algorithm timeline, anonymity, ad-light. You can really find your community here and stick with them. You can post whatever you want, design your blog however you want, expression is fun and encouraged. A lot of creators give dividers & PNGs for free with only a credit requirement.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: Bots, gets political sometimes, trolls. I never deal with them or have to deal with rude comments or bots, but they exist. People can steal your works as use as their own (hasn’t happened for me but ik it’s happened to some). Sometimes the database doesn’t work randomly (can’t tag others, can’t queue, etc.) minor grievances that happen randomly and can take hours to days to randomly fix itself.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: Overall I use this app for running my own blog (obviously). I do use it for inspo a lot but because I make my own graphics I try not to use anybody else’s. And if I do use someone else’s graphic I always try to edit it my own way to fit my blog. Be aware of creators rules & guidelines if you’re going to use their things, everyone has their own regulations when it comes to content recycling.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 10/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐄𝐓𝐒𝐘 ᝰ.ᐟ Etsy is an online marketplace focused on handmade, vintage, and unique goods. It’s the go-to platform for shoppers looking for personalized, artistic, or non-mass-produced items—and for creators who want to sell them.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: To be honest, I might only use this option like once or twice a year but I’ll go ahead and add it anyway. Sometimes if I’m feeling lazy or unmotivated I’ll buy a digital set of dividers I build off of. Obviously Etsy is its own thing but I’m just speaking on a divider editing purpose.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: You can find digital downloads of dividers, PNGs, anything virtual related you might need. Sellers have cute borders and PNGs handmade from them that they sell for others. A good starting point if you don’t have any entirely original or creative ideas but need to start somewhere.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: Obviously because this is a store you have to buy the products. They’re usually pretty cheap for a set of lace borders or PNGs, nothing I’ve used in the past was over $5 but I don’t use this option enough to have real understanding of its cons and pros 😭

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: none

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 10/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐆𝐄 ᝰ.ᐟ PicCollage is a fun, beginner-friendly photo editing and collage-making app that lets you easily create aesthetic collages, scrapbooks, cards, and digital layouts using your photos, stickers, text, and backgrounds.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: This is my primary way of making gif dividers. It’s a weird option for sure but it goes to show you don’t need really high tech software and fancy apps to make beautiful things!!! I’ve been using this for a while and it does the job so I never bothered looking for anything else. Maybe someday I’ll upgrade lol

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: You can add gifs and still images to the same post.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: There are no transparent background options, you have to remove the background from another source. Unless you pay for its services it gives you a watermark when you’re done. Makes the collages into videos if there is an animated GIF in it.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: This one is iffy for me as I use it in my own way with my own understanding of how to make it work. I’m sure there are better options out there like actual photoshop I just don’t have the patience to buy a pc and do it. I do everything from my own phone so this is from an entirely IOS standpoint.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 6/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐕𝐀 ᝰ.ᐟ Canva is a graphic design platform that makes it easy for anyone—beginner or pro—to create beautiful visuals. From social media graphics to business presentations, Canva gives you drag-and-drop design power without needing to learn complex software.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I actually don’t use Canva, maybe once or twice in my history. I do reference it from time to time but it’s very rare. I’m only adding it in because it is a good platform to use with reliable PNGs and beginner friendly software. You don’t need to be a pro.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: Has a lot of good resources and once you find aesthetic and cool creators you can follow them. It’s easy to use and has a lot of good stuff made my people or uploaded by others.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: Some stickers / PNGs you need to have some kind of subscription for them or pay for them + AKA many features have a paywall. Doesn’t include advanced photo editing software.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: I do like this app I just don’t use it personally. It’s good for business / professional matters with a lot of good templates to use. It can also be used for aesthetic tumblr purposes if you know what you’re doing :).

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 9/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐕𝐈𝐓𝐀 ᝰ.ᐟ VITA is a mobile video editing app that’s perfect for creating aesthetic, stylish, and professional-looking videos—especially for social media. It’s beginner-friendly but packed with trendy, powerful features.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I use it to make my edits of the gifs I use for my very once in a blue moon super rare fics.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: You can add effects and words to gifs and make an aesthetically pleasing short edit. It’s a good beginners point if you do want to go into editing videos. I really like the effects and the way I can write on gifs. I believe it’s pretty easy to use for editing purposes and offers a lot of cool effects and options.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: VITA uses a watermark but I believe you can turn that off for free. It saves any animations you make as videos so you have to turn it back into a gif using a second source. Some features are behind a paywall but I’ve never needed them so I don’t worry about it.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: I really do like this app for making a small cutesy edit for a fic or a pinned post or something. It’s not something to use for real video editing where you can manipulate more specific cuts, audios, etc.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 9/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐒𝐀𝐑𝐓 ᝰ.ᐟ Picsart is an all-in-one photo and video editing app that lets you turn ordinary content into aesthetic, creative, and eye-catching art. It combines the power of Photoshop-level tools with the ease of a mobile app.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I use picsart for just about any divider I make. My account is this, where I also provide stickers and resources on there. Of course I haven’t posted everything I’ve ever used as I couldn’t be bothered to edit every single png and post it but you get the idea. I use the transparent background which is key to making dividers. You want to avoid having to remove the background from images as much as possible as it can make it look grainy and weird.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: Has soooo many cute and aesthetic PNGs & stickers for making dividers. Like I said, I use this primarily to make mine. It’s very versatile for a photo editing software that incorporates cropping, drawing, effects, overlays, collage making, transparent backgrounds, etc. Many core features are primarily free. You can follow accounts with cute stickers and reference them for any post / divider you make.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: Like many other services Piscart’s pro features are behind a paywall, you’d need a subscription to access everything (which I have because that’s what I want to do and it makes it easier for me). When you’re like me who makes dividers a lot having the subscription is a lot easier than not. With that being said you can still access very cute and aesthetic things to make something dazzling, you don’t need the subscription in order to use the app how you want to, it’s just a bonus.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: None, I think I got my point across.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 9/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐎 ᝰ.ᐟ Phonto is a simple yet powerful mobile app (iOS and Android) focused exclusively on adding text to photos—perfect for creating quotes, social posts, invitations, and more.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I use it for a lot of my posts, especially my pinned posts or more aesthetic posts. I use it anytime I need an image of works or when I need words for my dividers.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: Has a simple, user-friendly interface. Has a massive font library where you can also upload your own fonts (I use dafont.com and always have). Has highly customizable text options where you can make your own colors, resize, curve, center align, shadow, spacing, etc. The app is completely free and so easy to use. I use it for everything honestly. No sign-up required, you start creating immediately.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: none really, it’s not a photo editing software it’s strictly only text on photos.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: I’ve been using this for years. Get it if you don’t have it trust me.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 10/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐏𝐎𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐑 ᝰ.ᐟ Polarr is a robust and versatile photo‑ and video‑editing platform available on mobile (iOS/Android), web, and desktop (macOS/Windows). It blends professional-grade features with an approachable, user-friendly interface—ideal for both beginners and seasoned creators.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I use it to edit any PNGs or dividers I want to make a more cohesive color. I use it to edit photos, change hues, etc. Another app I rely on religiously.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: Despite the many advanced photo editing features it’s very easy to use and understand. It has precision masking and selective editing, my go-to for editing photos or dividers to match the theme I’m going for. It’s also good for a lot of professional photography as well. I really love how many aesthetic filters are on there and you can follow the creators you love as well as make your own filters. You can also find a lot of filters on Pinterest and easily upload them to Polarr.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: Like many other things advanced features are behind a paywall. In my opinion if you don’t have the subscription to it it’s not worth using unless you wanna watch a 30 second ad after every filter you apply and save to camera roll. When you use it once in a while it’s fine but when you’re like me who’s constantly editing something it’s better to have the subscription than not. Also, while it does have advanced features I can see that those would be intimidating to new users. It’s a learning curve you need patience with if you do wanna apply effects to your own photos.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: I will say this is one of those apps that if you don’t have the subscription to it’s kinda annoying to use, but the subscription is so worth it and it’s not that expensive. Obviously I pay for the subscription but there’s other alternatives like Photopea you can apply filters to for free. I just like this one more because I’m comfortable with it and it’s more convenient than having to get a PSD, go on Photopea, duplicate layer, blah blah blah 😭

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 9/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐃𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐓 ᝰ.ᐟ DeviantArt is a social platform where artists and art enthusiasts connect by sharing, discovering, and critiquing all kinds of creative work—digital art, traditional drawing, photography, literature, animation, sculpture, and more.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I use it strictly for PSD’s that I use for my gif edits. I don’t really use it or actually go on it only when I need a photo effect or PSD.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: Speaking on a strictly divider making premise it’s not really used for that but there are PNGS and virtual download options you can use. I only use it for PSD’s for Photopea and most of the time I can get them for free.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: Some PSD’s you need to pay the creator or however DeviantArt works 😭 I just don’t get those and get a free one instead.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: none really

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 10/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈 ᝰ.ᐟ Remini is a powerful AI-powered photo and video enhancement app—available on iOS, Android, and web—that specializes in restoring low-quality visuals through one-tap magic.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I actually don’t use this anymore, I used to back in the day and thought it was worth mentioning. I used it to enhance any photos that were blurry or grainy. It makes them smooth and removes the blurriness & graininess.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: Helps make dividers or PNGs AI-enhanced and gets rid of any grain or blurriness.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: The free version is limited and ad heavy. You have to watch an ad before the photo or video is enhanced. I don’t use it that often or really at all so I don’t mind the ad every once in a while.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: none

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 9/10

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐏𝐈𝐗𝐄𝐋𝐂𝐔𝐓 ᝰ.ᐟ Pixelcut is an AI‑powered photo and graphic editing platform—available as a mobile app (iOS/Android), web tool, and even via API—designed especially for e-commerce sellers, content creators, and small teams.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: Another website I don’t use as much. I use it to remove the background from photos from time to time and it’s not that bad in my opinion. I’m offering it as a second option to my main option.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: none, just a backup for remove.bg.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 9/10

. ݁⋆ ۶ URL ৎ ݁˖ . ݁ pixelcut website . . .

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐄𝐙𝐆𝐈𝐅 ᝰ.ᐟ Ezgif.com is a free, web-based toolset focused on creating and editing animated GIFs—but it also supports formats like APNG, WebP, AVIF, and offers basic video editing functionalities.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I use this website for anything gif related. Cropping, resizing, removing gif background, turning videos into gifs, etc. It’s a website I swear by and if you don’t use it yet or haven’t used it yet you really really should. Whenever I make dividers I use this to make an image into a gif (moving sparkles, moving objects, etc).

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: It’s totally free and easy to use. You can add simple / basic effects, adjust settings + hues, remove background, crop, etc. for gifs and it really comes in handy for simple things you need to do.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: It doesn’t use advanced features for video / gif making like Photopea. I’ve found that some of the tools are a little wonky to use like overlays. It can seem confusing at first when it comes to optimizing, tint hue, things like that that are a bit more specific.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: This is my go-to for any basic function I need to use on a gif or divider. For simple animated dividers like moving sparkles, moving hearts, etc. This is what I use by making several still images into gifs.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 10/10

. ݁⋆ ۶ URL ৎ ݁˖ . ݁ ezgif.com . . .

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐕𝐄.𝐁𝐆 ᝰ.ᐟ Remove.bg is a fast, AI-driven background removal website and app that automatically isolates subjects—people, objects, animals—and removes the background in just seconds, with a single click.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: This is my main go-to for background removal on PNGs or anything I need the background removed from. It’s my first option and is always super reliable.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: Easily removes backgrounds clean and easy with a tap of a button. Provides eraser or restore tools to areas you don’t want erased or need to erase.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: Back when I started using it everything was completely free, but I’ve noticed that for an hd version of the finished protect you have to pay for it. I’m not sure what the difference is but it looks like the site is getting popular enough to put a paywall on its features. Be wary 😭

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: I’ve never had to pay for anything, and I’m sure that it offers other services but I just use the remove background tool, so you’d have to explore on your own.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 9/10

. ݁⋆ ۶ URL ৎ ݁˖ . ݁ remove.bg website . . .

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐓𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐀 ᝰ.ᐟ Photopea is a browser-based, ad-supported graphic editor that runs entirely in your browser—no uploads, no installations. It processes files locally, keeping your data private.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: Okay so Photopea is definitely a more advanced software even I haven’t fully understood yet. I use it to add PSDs, combine gifs, or whatever else I need to do that involves gifs or photos. I’m not perfect at it and really only know how to do the things I need to if that makes sense. It’s another version of photoshop but I just prefer using this one as I’m on my phone and it’s easier for IOS users 😭

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: It offers many advanced features like photoshop, and is my favorite one to use since I can’t really use photoshop on my phone. It supports a wide range of file types like JPG, PNG, PDF, etc. It’s free to use and you don’t need to pay for anything. It’s a browser and there is no installation needed. It’s fairly simple to use in my opinion when you have experience with photoshop / editing (as I do), so it’s even easier to use once you really know what you’re doing.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: There are ads in the free version but likeee I don’t use it as a professional so idk what a paid version would offer as the free version offers everything you need. The interface is definitely complicated to new users and can be intimidating. Not as refined as Photoshop itself but it’s definitely a good mobile version.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: I personally really do love this browser and once you learn the basics of what you’re doing it’s much easier to understand.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 9.3/10

. ݁⋆ ۶ URL ৎ ݁˖ . ݁ photopea browser . . .

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐓𝐄𝐗𝐓 𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐍𝐓 ᝰ.ᐟ This website is what I use to edit my text colors & gradients. It offers, single color, three color gradients, two color gradients, & rainbow gradient.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: This is your go-to website for making gradient texts on your posts. It offers variety on what kind of gradient you want and is so easy to use. I obviously use it for any colored text I have in my posts.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: Gives you a variety of gradient options and is very simple and easy to use.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: none

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: none

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 10/10

. ݁⋆ ۶ URL ৎ ݁˖ . ݁ text gradient website . . .

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐎 ᝰ.ᐟ Amino is a mobile-first community-based social network where users join or create “Aminos”—small, interest-driven communities (like anime, K-pop, gaming, art, writing, LGBTQ+, and more) to chat, share, and connect .

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I don’t use this much anymore but I definitely think I should mention it. I know Amino is its own thing but it has good pages with cute symbol combos and aesthetic blog designs. That’s all I ever used it for.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: This app isn’t used specifically for symbol combos but you can find pages that offer cute aesthetic symbols and designs. I used to go on here a lot for them but then I just started making my own for the most part or going to my other website mentioned below.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 6/10

. ݁⋆ ۶ URL ৎ ݁˖ . ݁ amino website . . .

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐄𝐌𝐎𝐉𝐈 𝐂𝐎𝐌𝐁𝐎𝐒 ᝰ.ᐟ This website is used for the majority of my aesthetic symbol combos I use on posts if I don’t make any myself.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I use it for every symbol combo you’ve ever seen on my page. I make a lot of my own symbol combos using these and sometimes I just copy and paste.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒔: Has many aesthetic symbol combos made by users + you can make your own. There’s a search engine where you can type in what kind of symbols you want and it always provides based on what you searched. This is my go-to.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒔: There’s not really any cons but I definitely see political statements from users from time to time.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: none

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 10/10

. ݁⋆ ۶ URL ৎ ݁˖ . ݁ aesthetic emoji combos website . . .

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐂𝐑𝐎𝐏 𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐄 ᝰ.ᐟ This is a website that offers many photo editing services such as cropping, resizing, rotating, any more. All free of charge with no account or sign up needed.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: Pretty self-explanatory. I use this to crop really really thin dividers because picsart has a limit on how thin you can crop something.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: none

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 10/10

. ݁⋆ ۶ URL ৎ ݁˖ . ݁ crop image website . . .

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐄𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐏𝐈𝐂𝐊𝐄𝐑 ᝰ.ᐟ ImageColorPicker is a streamlined, web-based tool that lets you extract exact color codes from any image, entirely within your browser—no uploads or accounts required.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I use this to help me make gradient text to match a color centered post. Every fic I’ve ever written follows a color scheme mostly, and I’ll use this to help me pinpoint exactly what color to make my gradient text to match the theme I’m going for.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: none

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 10/10

. ݁⋆ ۶ URL ৎ ݁˖ . ݁ color picker website . . .

જ⁀➴₊⊹ 𝐂𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐑 𝐇𝐔𝐍𝐓 ᝰ.ᐟ Color Hunt is a popular, curated platform for discovering and sharing beautiful color palettes—perfect for designers, artists, developers, and anyone in need of color inspiration.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊 𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓: I use this as another way of editing a photo to a certain color scheme / mood. I upload my color palettes from here to Polarr and use that as a coloring scheme / overlay whenever I need to.

‧₊˚✧ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒄.: none

‧₊˚✧ 𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒂'𝒔 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: 10/10

. ݁⋆ ۶ URL ৎ ݁˖ . ݁ color hunt website . . .

At the end of the day making dividers or graphics takes time and effort. I’ll spend all day on just one or two things 😭 It takes creativity but there’s nothing wrong with taking inspiration from others. I hope this helped a little bit for those who wanted help in getting started on their own. Once ya’ll get into it and find your own websites + apps that work for you I’ll be out of a job 😫🩶🤍

[luv4arinn]

I Just Wanna Feel

Author’s Note: So—sorry for not posting in weeks, but I had a massive writer’s block, and well… I’m back! I was heavily inspired by THAT Robbie Williams song. Yes, I watched his biopic. Yes, I cried. Yes, I recommend it. And… surprise?! There will be a whole chronology with the others, all themed around Robbie’s songs! Yayy <3!! Consider it a gift? from me for taking so long 🥺. Love you all.

Pairing: Bayverse!Donnie x female reader

Tags: Intense fluff, nerd having an emotional crisis, extreme overthinking, unexpected kisses, Donatello’s mental breakdown, romantic panic, “oh no I messed up” but in HD, happy ending.

The sound of the keyboard echoed through the room—a rhythmic, steady tapping that blended with the low hum of the monitors. The bluish glow from the screens cast irregular shadows across his face, reflecting off the lenses of his glasses with every line of code appearing and disappearing on the monitor.

Donatello was there, as always.

The work was easy. Thinking was easy.

It was like a well-structured algorithm: receive information, process it, execute a plan of action. The world had rules, patterns, probabilities—formulas that predicted outcomes with near-absolute precision. No matter how chaotic a situation seemed, there was always a logical solution waiting to be uncovered.

Computers don’t lie.

Data has no biases, no whims. It doesn’t suffer irrational fluctuations. It doesn’t beat faster without reason. It doesn’t have to remind itself to breathe.

But then…

There’s you.

And everything falls apart.

Not immediately. Not like a fatal error shutting down the system in the blink of an eye. It’s more subtle. Like an unexpected variable in an equation that had, until now, been perfect. Something that doesn’t fit into the rigid structure of his world—but something he can’t ignore either.

He thinks about it often. About how his brain operates like a well-calibrated machine, each thought clicking into the next like the teeth of a moving gear. Logic is his native language. Reason, his compass.

And yet, when it comes to you, all that logic becomes blurred.

The gears grind.

The code becomes erratic.

The equation fills with unknowns.

Because when you step into his space, when your voice disrupts the steady rhythm of his keyboard, when you lean over his desk without a second thought for the scattered circuits and switch off his monitor without warning…

His first instinct is to think. Analyze. Quantify.

What does this mean?

Why does his heart react this way?

Why does his skin register the shift in temperature more intensely when you’re near?

But thinking doesn’t give him answers.

Feeling does.

And that is terrifying.

Because feeling isn’t predictable. Feeling has no neatly arranged lines of code, no graphs to chart behavioral patterns, no equations with exact solutions.

Emotions, in themselves, are a chaotic system.

And you…

You are the anomaly he still doesn’t know how to decode.

Nights shouldn’t feel this short when spent alone in front of a screen. And yet, when his mind drifts to the memory of a laugh, the fleeting image of a glance, the echo of an accidental touch… time dissolves in a way not even quantum physics could explain.

When he feels the weight of his name on your tongue. Like an access key to a system he never thought anyone would try to hack.

And he watches you from the corner of his eye as you lean closer, and in that instant, every variable in his mind shifts. Every equation rewrites itself.

A shiver runs down his shell.

Feeling.

He knows because his chest tightens with an undefined pressure, a sensation he can’t attribute to any specific physiological variable. His heart rate isn’t elevated from exertion. He’s not under attack. He’s not in danger.

So why does his body react as if he is?

There’s no equation to explain this.

Because if there were, he would have solved it long ago. He would have identified the problem, broken it down into its components, eliminated any errors. But every time he thinks he’s close to an answer, another unknown appears, shifting all previous solutions out of place.

Music filters through his headphones, slow and melancholic.

“I just wanna feel, real love…”

A shiver runs down his spine.

His body reacts to the sound before his mind does. It’s absurd. It’s ridiculous. There is no logical reason why a progression of chords and a set of words arranged in a certain way should have this effect on him.

And yet, here he is.

Fingers hovering over the keyboard, motionless—caught between the instinct to keep working and the strange, undeniable realization that… he can’t.

Not because he’s tired.

Not because he lacks information.

Not because there’s a problem that requires more processing.

But because, for the first time in a long time, the data isn’t the most important thing.

The screen flickers with information he should be absorbing, but he isn’t. His glasses reflect numbers and graphs that would normally hold his full attention, but his gaze is empty, unfocused.

The room remains unchanged—draped in shadows, illuminated only by the bluish glow of his monitors and the faint blinking of LED lights from his equipment.

The mission had been difficult. The margin of error had been higher than he liked to admit.

It wasn’t often that his calculations failed.

But sometimes, calculations weren’t enough.

Sometimes, reality simply… refused to adhere to logic.

“Feel the home that I live in…”

His jaw tightens.

He doesn’t know how that song ended up on his playlist.

But he has a reasonable theory.

One that involves Mikey, his blatant disregard for personal privacy, and his insistent need to “help him connect with his emotions.”

(Sure. Right.)

And yet…

The lyrics hit him harder than he’d like to admit.

It’s not the melody itself. It’s not the chords or the rhythm. It’s the way the words seem to slip through the cracks in his mind, seeping into the spaces that logic has never quite managed to seal shut.

“I just wanna feel, real love…”

Donnie exhales slowly, his fingers still hovering over the keyboard, motionless.

He thinks about the battle.

The mistakes.

The risks they took.

Numbers flash through his mind like a simulation running in reverse—impact probability, the margin of error in his calculations, the reaction speed needed to avoid damage. Fractions of a second where the difference between victory and absolute disaster depended on decisions made under pressure.

But more than anything—he thinks about you.

He thinks about the way, at the end of the fight, you rushed to check if he was okay.

About how, without even thinking, your hands—warm, alive—ran along his arm, searching for injuries he had already identified and dismissed milliseconds before with his visor.

He could have told you it wasn’t necessary.

That he was unharmed.

That he had concrete data to prove it.

But he didn’t.

Because logic dictates that worry should be extinguished by facts.

But feeling…

Feeling dictates that your touch lingers, even after you’ve gone.

That the sensation of your skin against his stays beyond his capacity for reasoning.

That the light pressure of your fingers on his forearm still burns in his memory, like an unsolved equation looping endlessly in his mind.

“Come and hold my hand…”

Donnie closes his eyes.

He could turn the song off.

He could erase the anomaly from his system.

He could rewrite the equation, adjust the variables, find a way to rationalize what he feels.

But… he doesn’t want to.

Because for the first time in his life, the result of a problem doesn’t matter as much as the unknown.

He doesn’t just want to think.

He wants to feel.

He wants to understand why being with you feels like the only constant that truly matters.

And then—you arrive.

Without warning, without fanfare, without the slightest idea that the world inside Donatello’s mind is teetering on the edge of a collapse even he can’t explain.

The lab door slides open smoothly—barely a whisper against the silence, thick with static electricity and the faint murmur of music in his headphones.

He notices everything.

The shift in air pressure.

The sound of your footsteps, softened against the floor.

The faint scent of shampoo and fabric laced with the chill of the night.

The way the temperature in the room rises by just a fraction of a degree when you step inside.

But he doesn’t turn around immediately.

Because he doesn’t know what to do with the anomaly that you are in his equation.

He doesn’t know where to place you within the rigid parameters of his logical, structured world.

His operating system slows, his brain—so used to processing information with the precision of a surgeon—stalls in an endless loop, searching for a resolution that refuses to exist.

And then—your voice.

“Donnie?”

Soft. Not because you’re hesitant, but because you know him. Because somehow—through a method he can’t quantify—you can read the tension in his shoulders. You can see the way his fingers have stopped typing, even though the screen is still waiting for input.

He closes his eyes for just a moment, as if that alone might be enough to reboot him, to restore the control that feels like it’s slipping through his fingers.

He knows he should say something.

He knows he should act normal.

But his normal means efficiency, speed, precise answers delivered at the exact right moment.

And right now, every command in his mind is failing.

You watch him with quiet curiosity, tilting just slightly toward him—just enough for the air between you to feel heavier, more tangible.

“Everything okay?” you ask, voice soft in that way that completely disarms him. Then your gaze sharpens slightly, scanning him with quiet scrutiny. “Are you hurt?”

He doesn’t answer immediately.

Instead, he looks at you.

His mind runs an automatic analysis of your expression—eyes slightly narrowed, lips barely pressed together, the faintest crease in your right brow, as if you’re already calculating the probability that he’s lying.

Logic dictates that he should reassure you with data. That he should tell you his visor has already run a full diagnostic scan and that his physical condition is optimal. That there is no rational reason for concern.

But then his gaze drops.

And he sees his own hand, still resting on the desk—still tense.

And for the first time in a long time, he chooses to do something without overthinking it.

He looks at you again.

His throat feels dry. Without realizing it, he wets his lips—a quick flick of his tongue over skin cracked from hours without proper hydration.

Then, in a voice so quiet it barely sounds like his own, he asks:

“Can I… hold your hand?”

It’s not the kind of question anyone would expect from him.

And he knows it.

Because it doesn’t fit his usual patterns. It’s not something that makes sense in any logical context.

But right now, logic is utterly useless to him.

Your lashes flutter in subtle surprise, as if the words take a few extra seconds to fully register.

“What?”

His instincts scream at him to backtrack, to rephrase, to find a way to explain what even he doesn’t fully understand.

But he doesn’t.

“I want to…” He inhales, trying to reorganize his thoughts. “I mean, just—”

He shuts his eyes for a second, frustration flickering across his face. He has never felt this clumsy with words before.

When he opens them again, you’re still there. You haven’t moved. You haven’t looked away.

And somehow, that alone gives him the courage he’s lacking.

“I just… want to feel it.”

The truth escapes him so easily, so quietly, that it almost embarrasses him.

Your expression shifts.

It’s not amusement.

It’s not rejection.

It’s something softer. More intimate.

And without questioning it—without hesitation or unnecessary words—you let your hand slide over his.

Not hurriedly.

Not hesitantly.

Just with the quiet certainty of someone who understands exactly what he’s asking for.

And when your fingers intertwine with his, Donnie feels every equation, every algorithm, every carefully structured rule in his mind… simply dissolve.

As if they had never really mattered in the first place.

“Well?” you ask, your voice carrying a faint attempt at lightness.

Donnie knows you’re trying to sound casual, that you’re masking your uncertainty behind a relaxed tone. But he notices.

He notices the delicate dusting of pink on your cheeks, the almost imperceptible tremor in your lower lip, the way your thumb brushes against the back of his hand—like you’re adjusting to the contact just as much as he is.

And something inside him… softens.

His lips curve, at first unconsciously—a smile, small and barely formed. Then, from deep in his chest, a quiet laugh escapes, unbidden and genuine, as weightless as the air after a storm.

It’s not mockery. It’s not disbelief.

It’s something purer. Something real.

—Nothing, —he murmurs, his thumb moving awkwardly against your skin— Just… this is nice.

The confession catches him off guard.

Because he hadn’t planned it.

Because he hadn’t filtered it through his logic before speaking.

Because it simply happened.

And then, you look at each other.

Maybe for too long.

Maybe just long enough for the world around you to blur into a distant murmur, as if nothing else exists except the space you occupy together.

He finds himself mesmerized by you.

Fascinated.

But not in the way he is fascinated by a new equation, by an unexpected pattern in the data, by the perfect symmetry of a well-designed structure.

This is different.

This is raw.

This is visceral.

This is feeling.

His other hand, trembling in a way he doesn’t understand, lifts with a slowness that borders on reverence.

And when his fingers brush against your cheek, the touch is so light it feels like an experiment in itself.

He feels.

He feels the warmth of your skin beneath his fingertips, the way it molds so effortlessly to his touch, the way your body leans ever so slightly toward him—responding to an equation he hasn’t yet written but, for the first time, doesn’t feel the need to solve.

He feels the erratic pounding of his own heart, too fast, too unsteady, as if it has forgotten its natural rhythm.

He feels the heat gathering in his chest, expanding outward like a shockwave, defying all logical explanation.

And then, he hears you sigh.

Small.

Soft.

Almost imperceptible.

But he feels it.

He feels the warmth of your breath against his skin, the subtle vibration of your exhale in the nonexistent space between you.

Feels,

feels,

feels.

As if every one of his senses—once so meticulously calibrated to process information—has now been repurposed for a single objective:

You.

Your warmth seeping into his skin.

Your quiet, rhythmic breathing.

The barely-there weight of your gaze resting on him.

The familiar scent of you, imprinting itself onto some hidden corner of his mind he never thought necessary.

Just you.

Only you.

Nothing else exists.

Nothing else matters.

And then—without thinking, without calculating, without rationalizing it into exhaustion like he always does—

he kisses you.

It’s brief. Just a brush of lips.

A moment suspended between doubt and need, between impulse and fear.

A single heartbeat contained in a single point of contact.

And then—

He hears you gasp.

His entire body locks up. Every muscle goes rigid with a tension so sharp it’s almost painful.

His brain—so efficient, so precise, so relentless in its ability to analyze every variable in a situation—enters a total shutdown.

He stares at you, eyes wide, pupils blown.

Oh, no.

No, no, no.

He misread everything.

What the hell was he thinking?

You don’t see him that way.

Why would you?

Why would you ever?

Shame crashes over him like an unstoppable wave. His stomach twists, his skin burns, his heart clenches into an invisible fist that threatens to crush it from the inside out.

He pulls back, his hands loosening, his voice catching in his throat.

—Oh, God, I didn’t mean to— —he stammers, his voice cracking under the weight of his own panic. His thoughts are a mess of unsolved equations, of probabilities collapsing into a singularity of pure dread— I just… I thought it was a good moment, I—

—Yes.

Your voice cuts through his spiral.

His brain short-circuits.

—It was.

…

What?

His breath halts.

The air thickens, pressing in from all sides, as if the entire universe has stopped—right here, right now, in these words, in this reality he never accounted for.

And then—

You close the distance.

You are the one to bring your lips back to his.

And his mind—his brilliant, overanalyzing mind—

for the first time in his life—goes completely silent.

And he simply—feels.

[meadowfics]

new director

namgyu x f!onlyfans!reader

this is a part two to my namgyu fic linked here

warnings: minors do not interact. 18+, smut. sex work involved and included in this fic. vulgar dialogue. switch!namgyu. switch!reader. vocal namgyu. p in v unprotected. breeding kink.

a year has flown by since you and namgyu became partners, both as a couple who happened to grow as each other's best friend as well. everything has clicked into place.

you’re still fantasygalaxy on onlyfans, your online empire thriving with subscribers who can’t get enough of your photos, videos, and sultry voice calls.

the money’s steady and flowing (big bank ayyy), the work’s fun, and you’ve got it locked down. there is never in-person stuff, just digital seduction from the safety of your penthouse.

namgyu was the one exception, the only guy who’s ever crossed that line from screen to reality. he’s cool with your hustle, never bats an eye when you spend nights filming, transforming into whatever role your fans are craving.

thats one great thing about your boyfriend, he respects you outside of this work. he loves you as y/n, even though he appreciates fantasygalaxy too.

sometimes he is there just off camera, watching you while he’s still pentagon.gyu. he loves throwing cash at your content like it’s a game.

he does it half to support you, half to mess with you, like he’s staking his claim as your number-one fan.

“I gotta keep the algorithm happy,” he’ll joke, but you know he loves it. early on, you both set a hard rule: he stays out of your videos. no appearances, no hints of a boyfriend.

your subscribers, especially the men and gay women, would lose it if they knew you were taken, and neither of you wants to tank your income over some drama.

you’ve built something solid with namgyu.

it’s not just sex, though there’s plenty of that, it’s coffee runs, late-night takeout, him teaching you how to play some dumb video game while you laugh at his nerdy excitement.

he’s your boyfriend, your bestfriend, and it’s weirdly normal despite how you met.

still, you keep your worlds separate: fantasygalaxy is for the fans, but namgyu’s for you.

one night, you’re prepping to film, hyped for a new role-play you’ve been teasing on your page. you’re going full naughty housecleaner—think skimpy black dress, frilly apron, thigh-high stockings, maybe a feather duster for extra flair.

you’re arranging your setup in the living room, candles flickering for ambiance, when disaster strikes.

your tripod, that trusty piece of junk you’ve been meaning to replace, snaps in half mid-adjustment.

“are you fucking kidding me?” you shout, hurling the broken legs across the room. they clatter against the wall, and you’re fuming, pacing like a caged animal.

“this is just my luck tonight.”

namgyu’s sprawled on the couch, scrolling through his phone, one eyebrow raised at your outburst.

“ you good? what’d the tripod do to deserve that?” he’s teasing, but when he sees the genuine frustration in your eyes, he sits up, tossing his phone aside.

“okay, for real, what’s the problem? you look like you’re about to set it on fire.”

you groan, slumping against the table.

“it’s fucked. i was supposed to film tonight and I promised a big post, got everyone hyped, and now my setup’s ruined.” you kick at the broken pieces for emphasis.

“i can’t just hold the phone myself. it’ll look like amateur hour.”

he stands, stretching, and walks over, nudging the wreckage with his foot.

“so what’s the move? you canceling?” you shake your head, chewing your lip.

“no way. i’ll lose momentum if i skip. i just… ugh, i don’t know.” then it hits you, and you look at him, eyes narrowing with an idea.

“actually… you could help.”

he freezes, hands halfway into his pockets.

“help? like, what, hold your props or something? i’m not getting in your videos, y/n. we agreed since I don't need weirdos to come into club pentagon and jump my ass.” you laugh, waving him off.

“not like that, relax. i mean film. hold the phone, get the angles, be my director. you stay behind the camera, no one sees you, no one knows. you could be a friend for all they know.” he blinks, processing, then a slow grin spreads across his face.

“director, huh? you trying to put me to work now?” you step closer, poking his chest, voice dropping playfully.

“come on, it’ll be fun. you get to boss me around for once, and i’ll… make it worth your while later.”

he’s sold, eyes glinting, “deal. but i’m not going easy on you. i want oscar or daejong worthy shit.”

you snort, already heading to change, “yeah, yeah. just don’t drop my phone.”

you slip into your outfit with a tight black dress that barely covers your ass, lacy apron tied loose, stockings gripping your thighs just right.

the tattoos on your arm, those starry swirls namgyu’s obsessed with, peek out as you adjust the straps. you catch him staring as you step back into the room, and he clears his throat, picking up your phone like it’s a lifeline.

“fuck, you look…” he trails off, shaking his head.

“nevermind, let’s just do this before i lose it.”

you tweak the role-play on the fly. instead of a solo housecleaner bit, you pitch a new angle: you’re a maid who’s slacking off, and the

“director”—namgyu, behind the camera—catches you, ordering you to make up for it with a show. it’s perfect. he’s involved without showing his face, just his voice barking commands to sell the fantasy, and you can play off it without breaking your no-boyfriend rule.

“so,” you say, twirling the duster, “i’m lazy, you’re pissed, and i gotta make it right. sound good?”

he nods, already in director mode, “yeah, but you better sell it. i’m not holding this thing for nothing.”

you start filming, and it’s electric from the jump. you saunter over to a table, bending low to “dust,” your dress riding up to flash your panties—black lace, a fan favorite.

you glance at namgyu, and holy shit, he’s struggling. the poor man's joggers are doing a bad job hiding his boner, the outline of his dick clear as day, but you bite your lip and stay focused.

“is this good, sir?” you purr, dragging the duster slow across the table, arching your back for the shot. his voice comes rough from behind the phone.

“not good enough. you’re slacking... make it worth my time.”

it’s hot, the way he’s leaning into it, and you’re feeding off his energy.

you strip halfway, peeling the dress off to reveal a matching bra and panties, tossing the apron aside like it’s an afterthought. you climb onto the table, crawling slow, letting your hips sway as you look at the camera...not at namgyu, but it’s hard not to when you know he’s right there.

“better?” you ask, spreading your thighs just enough to tease.

“keep going,” he says, and you catch the strain in his tone.

“you’re not done till i say so.” you roll onto your back, trailing your hands down your stomach, stopping short of anything too explicit.

it’s a tease, not a finale, and you want to keep the fans begging. you slide off the table, straddling a chair, running your fingers along your thighs, smirking as you hear namgyu shift, probably adjusting himself.

“cut,” he finally says, voice like gravel, and you’re on him in seconds. you snatch the phone, toss it onto the floor somewhere, and crash your lips into his, climbing into his lap.

he groans, hands flying to your hips, pulling you flush against him.

“what the hell, y/n.. stop teasing me?” he pants, already grinding up into you. you can feel him through the joggers, hard and throbbing, and it’s driving you wild.

“tease?” you murmur, biting his lip.

“i’m about to give you everything, baby.”

you slide off him, tugging his joggers down, and his cock springs free... thick, leaking, begging for you. you don’t hesitate, you climb over his lap and sink down onto him right there on the floor, his length stretching you in that perfect, aching way.

“oh, fuck, yes,” you gasp, rolling your hips as he grabs your ass, thrusting up hard.

“fuck you’re such a desperate little slut,” he growls, voice dripping with venom, “couldn’t even wait to post that video, huh? needed my dick right fucking now.”

you laugh, clenching around him, making him hiss.

“talk all you want, namgyu, but you’re mine. i can ride this cock whenever i damn well please and you know that.. you let me every time.”

he’s losing it, hands roaming your back, your thighs, like he can’t get enough.

“shit, you’re so fucking soaked,” he moans, slamming up into you.

“I love watching you work for those losers online, but this? this is all mine.” you lean forward, nails digging into his shoulders, voice sharp.

"ahhh-- fuck! its all yours.”

it’s vulgar, messy, skin slapping as you fuck him hard, chasing that high.

“you love it, don’t you?” you taunt, slowing your hips just to mess with him, “knowing you went fro being one of them to being the only one who gets to fill me up.”

he’s close, you can tell since his thrusts are sloppy, desperate, and he’s cursing under his breath. you’re right there with him, but you try to hold off, squeezing around him to drag it out.

“don’t you fucking dare,” he snarls, catching your game, “don’t hold what i’m trying to get out of you.”

he thrusts harder, deeper, and it’s game over...you’re cumming, a sharp cry ripping from your throat as your body locks up, pleasure crashing through you.

he’s right behind, groaning your name as he finishes inside you, hot and thick, spilling inside of your walls until you’re trembling.

you collapse against him, both of you gasping, sweaty, wrecked. Namgyu's arms wrap around you, loose but warm, and he kisses your shoulder, muttering, “holy shit!”

you laugh, still catching your breath, head resting against his chest, “you’re not bad for a first-time director.” he smirks, already cocky again.

“give me a week, i’ll have you nominated for best actress.” you roll your eyes, but you’re smiling, content to stay there for a minute, his cum still warm inside you, feeling like the world’s just you and him inside of a studio... when in reality it is just your sky-rise penthouse.

masterlist

[pinkyqily]

ONLY YOURS - JUJU WATKINS X READER

Summary: Because of recent speculation, online, it makes you rethink your relationship with juju.

Warning: cursing, angst to fluff, reader bluffing, miscommunication from r

Author's note: this fic was requested by @atditsitzjt and I hope you enjoy reading this, we love Otto in this house, I just needed someone who juju is close to build up fic tension.

feedbacks are always welcome and happy readings readers 💐

To be honest, you had no reason to think that juju would cheat on you.

But overthinking is a bitch and that how you and juju found yourself in this messy position in you're relationship.

It all started with when you saw a comment about how juju is always with Otto and doesn't she have a girlfriend to go to.

That comment didn't bother you at all until the sudden change of your algorithm.

You started seeing post of people shipping them together, pictures that looked way too intimate.

how they are always together from practice to hanging outside of campus together.

You felt like your heart got twisted and toyed with. You waited until she would come over to your place to try and bring it up, not wanting to jump into conclusion yet wanting to give her the benefit of doubt.

Juju came around, and she could tell something was wrong, but she didn't want to push your buttons after the long day she had.

You both enjoyed each other company, but the sense of lingering tension was obviously in the air and if anyone was to enter the room they would most likely feel suffocated.

You were laying on your girlfriend as she scrolled through her phone on Instagram.

But you couldn't keep quite anymore and got off her, she looked at you a confused.

you cleared your throat to speak.

"So you and Otto hang out with each other a lot." You started with.

"Yeah, she's my best friend, you know that." She said.

"You guys are really close for best friend".

"What point are you trying to make?". She said, looking irritated.

"I'm gonna be straight with you, Juju are you cheatin-. Before you could finish you heard her cut you off. "Don't you finish that sentence, what made you come to this." The way she reacted caught you off guard.

"Oh, I'm sorry that my supposed girlfriend loves hanging out with her best friend more than her actual gf, that it has the internet speculating if you guys are dating".

"You have to be serious, you're getting your claims from delusional people on the internet?". She said looking really hurt by the not so accusation you put against her.

"Yeah because they make more sense than whatever your fucking saying juju".

"What can't you understand she's my best friend just because we're always together, means nothing to me." You heard her say, she tired grabbing your hands but you simply moved back creating more space between the two of you.

"But it does to me do you ever think about how I would feel huh, you don't see me always hanging out with my best friend like that". You told her getting upset that she couldn't understand your point of view.

"One she's been with me since day one, she works with the team too, so of course we're always gonna be at the same place two just because we're always together means nothing to me". She explained to you. Grabbing both your hands as she continued speaking

"You're my girlfriend, not her, the person I love and adore you make me feel all sorts of things when we're together."

You felt a little shakend, she was someone who was always straight foward but doesn't to pushy with it. You had nothing to say to her they only thing you could do was leave the living room.

where you both we're staying so you could get some air.

You felt like a huge asshole for doubting her. What type of partner accuses there significant other, onto of that you use the internet as some type of excuses just because of your insecurities instead of communicating with her.

Oh you felt bad, after what felt likes hours but was only a few minutes you went back inside after staying outside. Juju was just how you left her, she was sitting on the arm of the couch fidgeting with her fingers.

You stood in front of her, but there was still the lack of distance between two of you.

You started by saying

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have accused you like that I don't know what wrong with me everything people were saying just got to me". You told her.

"I'm not gonna lie, your accusations hurt me, especially when you know I would never do you like that." She said, pulling you closer as she laid her head on your shoulder.

After your conversation with her that night, you expected her not to stay over like she normally does but she did.

You're both laying down in bed you couldn't fall asleep yet.

"Baby, I just wanted you to know I'm really sorry, and I feel so stupid thinking about it." You said, thinking she fell asleep.

"It okay, just go back to bed mhm". You heard her say as she pulled you closer by your waist.

"Goodnight, I love you." You said to her as you slowly able to fall asleep and be at peace without your mind playing tricks on you.

"I love you too." She said her arms stil wrapped around your body.

[birdburrito]

I have been a huge Harry Potter Fan in my Childhood. Harry Potter was the first book i enjoyed reading. I won a reading contest in my school witha part of the first Harry Potter book. I wanted to become an author in fourth grade because of the books. I wrote my own fantasy story based on the books and i loved pottermore when it first came out. I can emphasize with the Harry Potter Fans who dont want to let go of the series because it means so much to them like it meant so much to me as a child. Often in online debates people get very defensive. Short snappy comments are better for the algorithms and its easier to hate people who still like Harry Potter despite knowing what J K Rowling political stance is on many issues. But I believe you cant convince anyone by just attacking them so here are some general thoughts from me on losing something you used to really really like. Im german and in Germany we have some very old children stories called Struwwelpeter. They seem very cruel to modern readers. A boy for example gets his thumbs cut off because he keeps sucking them. As a child these stories were very disturbing to me. Later i learnt that this story for example was written in a time where children often would die because they would get diseases from sucking there thumbs. Medicine was not evolved enough to save these children and the concept to keep children save by scaring them seemed like a good idea. The fairytales, a lot of people only know the disney version of, many of them also have a more cruel ending for similar reasons. Why am I bringing this up? Context matters to a story. Harry Potter wasnt a perfect story that got ruined by Rowlings tweets in the last few years there are many bigoted ideas in Harry Potter from the beginning. Also just because you liked something as a child it doesnt mean it was very good media. Lets talk about behaviour therapy shall we. The whole idea of behaviour therapy is that you can become a happier person if you change your behaviour (very simplified). The process of that however means a lot of times, that first you are going to be struggling or unhappier then before. Change is never comfortable. Humans love to stay in there behaviour patterns they know and new things are scary. But in the end behaviour therapy does work! If you get over your discomfort you will develop healthier coping mechanisms for example and you will get better. Now back to Harry Potter. Yes it is uncomfortable and sad to admit something you love isnt as good as you thought it was. Yes it can also feel embarassing to admit you were wrong. But to change is to grow. It might sound over dramatic talking about a children book series like this, but giving J K Rowling more money does cause real harm for people (especially trans people) in the real world. Also my concern is if you cant let go of a book you really like how far will it go? What about a person you admired that turns out to be bad for you? What about a political party? Its not nice to be wrong but its something we all have to learn to live with and its ok. You will be fine. This post is specifically about harry potter fans that are not transphobic, terfs or agree in any other way with Rowlings political views ofc Here are some youtube videos about things being wrong in the original Harry Potter series:

(you can also search harry potter bad on youtube for many many more videos)

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

i really liked your post about judges of character!! its the first post i saw of yours and its super cool!! followed!

i was wondering if you were willing to expand on more characters and why they aren’t good judges of characters. i totally agree with leona being ss tier, i just wanna see you articulate more characters if possible!!

in order of desire and namely, i wanna read about ruggie, trey, ortho, floyd, malleus, cater, yuu

thank u sm!!!! your writing and analysis is a total treat to read. take care of yourself!!

[Referencing this post!]

Thank you for enjoying my stuff and welcome to the fold (flock?) ^^

You listed a lot of characters so I’ll do a rapid-fire round and try to avoid dragging this response out for super long 🙂‍↕️ In your order:

Ruggie — He pays attention to people only in so far as to see when it the best time to swoop in and ask them for stuff (unfinished foods, donatable items, etc.) or to offer his services (for a fee). I don’t think he cares to look beyond that and seek a person’s hidden character. What comes first and foremost is his own survival, which is very focused on… himself, rather than how he reads other people and their character. It simply does not matter so long as Ruggie has his needs met.

Trey — Briefly covered in the tags of my previous post. He tries his best to keep out of conflicts, but this also means he must observe a lot and knows how to keep a distance. Trey notices some things that others don’t (like how Cater doesn’t like sweets in book 1 or how Vil is tired in his Labwear vignettes), but I wouldn’t call these instances evidence of Trey being a good judge of character. The Cater thing is something Trey picked up on from always seeing Cater go for savory foods or suggesting things to cover up sweet tastes. Noticing Vil being tired feels like a skill Trey may have learned from acting like a caretaker, especially with his younger siblings and dorm members. When Trey does try to discern people’s characters, it seems to fall flat because he takes them at face value and assumes goodness on their part. For example, he mistakes Jade as someone meek and being taken advantage of in Jade’s Ceremonial Robes vignettes.

Ortho — I think Ortho would theoretically be a good judge of character, but it is complicated by him relying on drawing conclusions from algorithms and data sets he is fed. It’s true that Ortho acts more human than a typical android, but he learned how to act this way by watching movies, which are mostly inaccurate depictions of real life. I feel this would “poison” his data and lead to him processing cues incorrectly. He can accurately tell the time and read your vitals because those are objective facts and numbers—but gauging human character is much less concrete. Maybe Ortho can fine-tune his skills by observing more humans irl (especially considering his advanced learning capabilities), but right now I think he’d still be working on it.

Floyd — I think judging people’s character comes more naturally to Floyd than to Jade (as there is a recurring theme of Floyd being a genius while Jade has to put in effort to be competent). Like many things though, his proficiency shifts with his mood. I don’t see Floyd as being super observant in spite of this, as his track record is kinda spotty. He also didn’t seem to sense something was “up” with Jamil despite arguably spending a lot more time with him in the same club. However, Floyd was able to tell that “cute” doesn’t suit Epel and picked an appropriate birthday gift for him to match Epel’s preferred vibes. (This is in spite of Epel being forced to appear dainty and cute by Vil.)

Malleus — Malleus notoriously had difficulties understanding others, albeit this is definitely influenced by his sheltered upbringing. He missed Rollo’s weird vibes (too blinded by the thought of genuinely being invited to an event) and even describes himself as “[being] no good at divining humans’ minds”. This could be considered a cultural misalignment rather than him being a poor judge of character, but considering how he frequently uses on his own (very limited) POV as reference (which is what led to Endless Halloween Night and misunderstands with his fellow dorm leaders at meetings), this still puts Malleus in a situation where he cannot read others well because HE also doesn’t project his own emotions or true character very openly; he always has to maintain a certain air about him as a future king.

Cater — He’s great at reading the room and using social standing to get what he wants. For example, Cater knows his underclassmen will defer to seniority so he tricks Adeuce into helping him do his chores. He is also shown intervening multiple different times when the situation gets heated to get everyone to cool their heads. This means Cater is socially savvy and intuitive rather than a good judge of character. Because Cater spends so much time online and intentionally holding people at a distance, I don’t think he bothers to look deeper into them than what’s presented on the surface. For example, he’s always clout chasing (seeking pics with important and notable peers) but doesn’t make an effort to really see or judge people on a deeper level.

Yuu — Ehhhhh 🤷‍♀️ Yuu is a blank slate character for players for project themselves or sonas/OCs onto. How good or bad they are at judging others is defined by the individual. Instances like Yuu being friendly with Malleus aren’t so much of them seeing the goodness in him as it is Yuu being oblivious about who he is. We don’t really get any comments from Yuu that have insight into their peers’ characters either, only surface-level remarks and observations along the lines of, “oh, they’re being kind of rude again” or “wooow, he’s being nice for once?”. Twst leaves Yuu vague so you can fill in the gaps using your own imagination.

[watchersleuth]

I didn't think I'd use this blog to make a post like this, but I'm seeing more and more comments and posts criticizing Watcher for their recent decision to layoff their production staff, and I want to try to explain some things. I also have experience working in film and television production so I hope that's helpful in this case.

For background, on March 17, 2025 people discovered via LinkedIn that Katie LeBlanc had ended her employment with Watcher. This, of course, caused some alarm.

I'm not in the habit of sharing things posted in the Wiscord, but Shane did let everyone know an important detail that I think is getting overlooked

I want to point out the part where he said that they were taking some "full-time positions and converting them to freelance"

Note: Almost every US television show that you watch from a major network runs on a freelance model

Yes, that one that you're thinking of right now. Also that one. Most exceptions to this would be a show like a news program or talk show that runs year-round and doesn't only film for a few months out of the year. When a crew member is freelance and one job ends, they use their networking connections to find another job. That's the way it's been done for over a hundred years in Hollywood.

This isn't ideal for everyone, for many reasons. And of course it would be preferable to live in a society where we valued creative work and people could get steady employment and benefits from being in this, or any artistic, field.

That's why Watcher hired folks on full-time as soon as they could. Remember in the 2022 Making Watcher when Steven talked about how they doubled their staff from 10 to 21 and how they were reinvesting into their own company? That was by design to try to give as many creative folks a shot at a regular full-time gig and I'm so proud of them for that!

Knowing this, I would bet that Watcher didn't WANT to convert anyone to freelance positions. People need to stop talking about the layoffs like this is something they wanted to do. They told us last year that they were launching the streamer to stay afloat, because YouTube isn't as beneficial as it used to be for creators.

Not to sound parasocial, but if you think that any of the Watcher Founders wanted to layoff the staff that they've worked with for years - people that have been with them since Worth It and Unsolved - then you don't know them at all.

Even if you think that they laid off everyone just for fun, consider that now when Watcher wants to film a new season of say Puppet History they will need to ask their previous staff if their schedule aligns with their filming time so they can be hired on to work the shoot. If not, they will have to advertise or go word of mouth, to find crew. That's more time and resources spent to staff a shoot than pulling from their regular crew.

TLDR; There's no controversy behind this news. This is normal for many media companies and is what Watcher had to do to remain in business.

It's not ideal, and I wish the streamer would have been so successful that they could've went the other direction like they planned all along - to bring on new hosts and make the diverse shows they've wanted to since 2019.

If you want to help Watcher:

-Subscribe to Watcher TV if you can. They've been running constant promo deals for the past year so if you do get an annual subscription make sure you use the discount code. The banner is always on top of the site.

-Subscribe to their main and podcast channels on YouTube

-Watch the videos as they get uploaded to YouTube, even if you're already a Watcher TV subscriber. Try to watch within the first day or two of uploading to push it up the algorithm. Make sure you "like" it and leave a positive/friendly/funny comment too! YT is looking for engagement and watch time, so the likes and comments help. And so does watching the video all the way through. (Bonus: Watcher has been using audience comments from videos on their social posts and it's fun to see what they choose!)

-If you're short on time or don't want to rewatch a video you already saw on the streamer you can always put it on a separate tab on your browser and mute it. Let the new videos or your favorite playlist stream in the background while you surf the web!

-Share their videos with friends, family, co-workers, etc. The more people that watch them the better! The Watcher channel is one of the more diverse that I've seen on YouTube so there's something for everyone.

-Make posts about what you enjoy about their shows and you'll find more friends that way.

Thanks for everyone who read this far. Comments are open if anyone wants to ask general production questions and I'll try to answer. Probably can't speak for Watcher specifically but maybe I'll know the answer from a Making Watcher video I can point you to.

And if you read all of this and still feel like you want to choose chaos (ie. harassing Watcher via their social media posts with accusations about the economy that they can't control) then I would urge you to direct that energy at your elected officials no matter what country you're in, find a fandom you enjoy engaging with instead, and maybe go touch some grass.

[olderthannetfic]

I keep being baffled by the amounts of readers who seem to have fits whenever a fic doesn't have chapters. How do they deal with all the Real Literature TM that doesn't have chapters?

Apart from the very simple "don't like, don't read" approach, if it's because you lose your place because the browser reloads, several options have already been suggested, and I sincerely hope it helps whoever feels that was the big problem.

I am one of those who post all in one go, regardless of the length, so I don't see the point of chapters. Yes, I know, "Post chapter by chapter anyways to improve readership and max your comment count and be more popular" or whatever the equivalent of "Game the algorithm" is on AO3. It feels like cheating to me; it's already all written down, and I am not here to play a numbers game. I crave feedback and interaction, of course; that's why I'm posting, but I don't want to use that kind of trick if it's already, well. All there already. Readers can take breaks whenever they want if they like breaks; I'm not their parent.

I also don't like reading WIPs because I will not have the immersion I prefer, or will forget half of what happened before, and I don't have time to reread everything each time I pick it up again, so I guess I don't see the appeal. You do you, etc. To each their preferences. (As a reader, I am team finished work + full_work or, more often, just download it all. That's how *I* roll; it doesn't mean *you* have to do the same, you know?).

I did try to post chapters a few times. Once, I inverted two of them while posting (still smarting over that years later), and another time, I was posting once a day to follow a daily prompt list… which gave me Big Angst because what if I dropped dead partway? (Yes, someone had access to my AO3 to post the drafted chapters if I croaked). Each time, I was really anxious about where to put the cutoff, or change the POV - at this point it makes the chapters more balanced length-wise, but it would be more interesting to have this scene from X's POV! This scene ends a chapter's subplot, but thematically goes with the next chapter's prompt! It might be stupid, but it is what it is, and I don't see why I should choose to torture myself for something I, as a reader, couldn't care less about.

I just… don't know when to break things up. I write linearly, and while I know the rough idea of where I'm going, I don't have a definite plan and sometimes things will be shaken up as I write. I use visual markers for scene changes and POV changes (not the same markers, actually), but sometimes a scene or POV will be much longer/shorter, so it would all make chapters super unbalanced, so??? Choices? I have to make choices? Nope. Visual marker it is, and I can breathe.

If that's grounds for muting/blocking me, then go for it, I guess? I just don't get the virulence of some of these anons on the topic - it's a you do you situation, and sometimes we just don't get why people do things differently, but that's how it's like sometimes. No need to be mad at people for not doing things the way YOU like.

--

I don't care about maximizing readership, but chapters are the norm in many styles of writing. I prefer to divide a longer work into them instead of using anemic little section dividers. I save those for a sub-chapter division, should I need one.

Honestly, genre fiction is mostly divided into chapters. Yes, there are famous authors who don't use them, and I'm sure you're about to pull five out of your butt, but I think their work reads more poorly than the many, many authors who do use them. Yes, even Mr. Extra Famous And Loved By Fandom, whomever he is this time.

I don't particularly care about non-genre fiction, but plenty of multi-POV literary fiction does use chapters to divide the points of view.

It is common for chapters to be different lengths—desirable even. If a writer can't figure out how to divide something, I think that's a failure of skill... but no, I don't think it's that big of a deal in fic, and I'll read whatever has my blorbos and looks good even if it's formatted poorly and/or in a way I don't prefer.

[artficlly]

Hey! I just want to say you’re an amazing author and I love your stories. I hope this doesn’t come across as me being mean — that’s definitely not my intention. It’s just that you repost comments a lot, and I keep hoping it’s something new, but it usually isn’t. It fills up my feed with stories I’ve already read, and it makes my phone act up a bit. If it’s possible, could you maybe repost a little less? No worries if not, I just wanted to ask kindly.

Have a nice day :)

Hello,

Firstly, thanks, I'm glad you enjoy my work. Secondly, unfortunately, this does make me feel like shit!

If we're talking post notifications, it's easier to follow my updates blog @artficlly-updates - that way you'll only get notified when I post something new.

For general posts, I can also start doing #artficlly reblogs so you can just block that tag so it doesn't appear in your feed. The amount I reblog won't be the cause of your lag, it'll be the Tumblr app/servers since Tumblr as a whole is a little janky.

Reblogging is just kind of how Tumblr works. It's how I am able to interact with my readers and show gratitude for them reading and sharing my work. Since there isn't really an algorithm on here, sometimes reblogging is the best way for my posts to be seen / not buried in my follower's feeds.