#// i can not even juggle all the muses i ALREADY have

[formosusiniquis]

This one goes out to that old guy I saw at walmart yesterday loading up his pioneer woman cookware onto his motorcycle while enter sandman played

steddie | G | WC: 1154

---

“Hey baby, can you?”

“No.”

Steve's sweet tone sours immediately returning to the much more familiar gently bitchy tone Eddie knows and loves. “You don't even know what I was gonna ask.”

“Twenty-five years of marriage, lawful and not, Sunshine. I know when you're about to ask me for some shit we don't need.”

“Why would I be calling you if we didn't need it?”

“Because if you needed it you would have told me about it when I said, ‘Stevie, sweetie, light of my life, sun to my dawn,’” he looks around trying to figure out where the hell they moved the oranges and why the produce section is never in the same configuration anytime he comes here. He makes eye contact with a kid wearing an artificially faded printing of his own tour merch looking at him with a starry eyed look of recognition not of the celebrity but of family.

“Did you forget where you were going with that old man?”

He decides he might as well put on a show, both halves of this conversation already know he's going to do what he's told. “‘Stevie, my one truth north, my muse, my reason to continue living, my dearest husband, I'm going to Walmart,’ I told you not but thirty minutes ago and asked if you needed me to get you anything and you said no.”

“Oh, you aren't going to monologue for your adoring public all the sweet names I called you?” Steve is amused, he can tell, he's always been able to tell. He's accepting this as his penance for not giving Eddie an actual grocery list when he left.

“Well dear heart I am in public, but if you think we can find another grocery store to go to after getting banned from this one. I guess there is the Kroger on the other side of town.” The kid laughs, tries to hide it behind their hand, but if Eddie has had anything in this life it's experience with teens eavesdropping on conversations they shouldn't be.

“Oh you're really hamming it up, huh, Teddy. Can I tell you what you're getting me yet or do you still have a couple minutes in your set?”

He's given up on oranges, moves on to the onion he actually came here for, the lone ingredient for dinner that he'd forgotten from his clicklist. If they want to actually have the roast tonight it needs to start soon. “What is it that you remembered we needed, oh song of my heart.”

“I already sent you the link so you get exactly what I want.”

It's just ominous enough of a non-answer that he pulls his phone out of his pocket, juggling it and the five things he'd already grabbed that weren't on his one item list. He doesn't have the time to regret not grabbing the cart he was sure he hadn't needed when he sees what he's been sent.

“I'm on my bike! Where am I going to put that?”

“I'm sorry, am I hearing you correctly? Was I right when I said, ‘Teddy bear, my stars, my bard-’”

“You aren't on speaker.”

“My beloved damsel in distress, maybe the motorcycle isn't the most efficient of midlife crisis vehicles. Aren't you going to want something with more trunk space, why don't you get a Caddy or a Bimmer for old times sake. And what did you say?”

“I don't recall.”

“Probably for the best wouldn't want you banned from Walmart, what would the tabloids say?”

“Nothing that would match your wit, Sweetheart. Does it have to be this one?”

“Yes, the plaid matches the kitchen remodel, so be a good boy and strap it to your bike. And remember we've still got one kid to put through school if she decides to go, don't bring home any strays with you. Do you need to do your encore now, baby?”

“I accept your quest, my dashing prince. I shall return home with my bounty posthaste.” Encore complete, audience still enraptured, Eddie dips into the sincere. It's been nearly thirty years together and he's not once ended a call without saying, “I love you.”

“Love you too, my knight in denim battle vest. I'll see you when you get home.”

The call ends with the usual dull toned beep beep, the playlist the call interrupted starts to filter back into his earbud. He realizes he's going to have to walk right past the kid to get to the side of the store with Steve's Instant Pot.

“Hear they're about to have a reunion tour,” he says gesturing down at the reprint of their Came Back Wrong Tour shirt. The faux-fading has left a crack through his own face at the bottom making him unrecognizable, not that he looks the same now as he did at 25. “Those old bands just don't know how to retire.”

“I think it's smart that they're playing up the recent tik tok fame.” The kid says, “No one's even seen their lead singer since the 90s and after their first national tour he'd started wearing that mask.”

It hurts a little bit the way the kid says 90s like it's some bygone era lost to time. Tries to appreciate instead how good the mask idea had been, he'd really been an innovator. “That was a pretty sweet gimmick, you think he'll bring it back? It's kind of Orville Peck's thing now isn't it.”

The kid slumps, managing the impressive feat of looking desolate while standing over the tomatoes. “Probably, not that I'll see it. I couldn't manage to get a ticket.”

That is something he can fix, “Here,” he manages to grab ahold of his wallet, “as luck would have it, I've got a couple spares.”

The kid looks torn between fear and elation, it's likely at least the second strangest thing to ever happen to them in a Walmart. “Oh I can't-”

“No strings, I got it through work for my sister-in-law to go with my husband. She asked why none of the good bands ever have reunion tours so… not going obviously. And my husband insists he's too old to be that close to the stage. You'd be doing me a favor really.”

“If you're sure,” they say, the hesitance more a mannered necessity than real.

“Sure as shooting. Seriously, here give me your name so my husband knows who to make the thank you note out to.”

“Aspen, thank you really!”

Twenty minutes later when he’s got a kitchen appliance bungied to the back of his bike he’ll appreciate that something good came out of this. Three weeks later when he’s standing at the front of a sold out arena he’ll mostly appreciate another chance to be dramatic, “This next one is for Aspen who didn’t laugh when an old man tried to flirt with his husband in the produce aisle. Gareth, count me in.”

[bonefall]

heyyyy bonefallll!!! So uhm. Wind released. And if you read it, what do you think of it?

hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

I started ASC off with a lot of excitement. I had known to not get my hopes up, but for the first time in a long time, I felt like they actually had something meaningful to say about the problems in Clan society. For once, it felt fresh.

A conflict based on a murder mystery and a power struggle, political radicalization within another Clan with anti-Clanswapper bigotry turning violent, and the reluctant heir of a legacy sprawling several generations. Like a dark echo of TPB, implying the root issues had never been truly addressed by Darkest Hour. The Clans still have a terrible ruling system. The culture is still bigoted. Firestar failed to destroy the obsession with legacy-- he just founded a new bloodline.

And even if it wasn't THAT deep, it was at least a grounded plot that was based in the characters more than faith in StarClan. If Nightheart's arc about legacy fell apart, I'd still enjoy watching him struggle, lose people, grow, and find his purpose. Or seeing Splashtail juggle the power he'd managed to snatch and was just not smart enough to hold onto. Or the cool fights that would surely result from an invasion of RiverClan.

Wind tossed it. It was already having a downturn in the previous book, but this is a book that seems so afraid of having interesting conflict that it spends 75% of its time debating if something interesting should happen, and 25% of its time barking, "EVIL HEATHENS WHO HATE GOD WILL DESTROY OUR SOCIETY!!"

I can't get over how awful Splashtail's "descent" is. He's having a dumbass atheist stoner debate with Podlight when they go to the Moonpool, musing that maybe you have to eat 9 mice to get 9 lives, and then 2 appearances later he's foaming at the mouth with a dictator speech and kills harelight no miss.

They even seem to have tried to replicate Stonefur's execution but badly. It's jarring. Splashtail had a big dictator speech, killed the beloved deputy suddenly, and the whole camp looks Super Scared and Upset so that you know it's the Evil Leader and not a systemic problem.

His "TALENT FOR MANIPULATION" is saying he heard Curlfeather murmur evil plans in her sleep and (apropos of nothing) accusing her teenage daughter of "getting the wrong idea" about his adult romantic interest in her. I keep coming back to this because the ENTIRE book's plot is based on this successfully smearing Frostpaw's reputation.

you may be tired of hearing it, but I'm definitely more tired than you because I had to read and analyze an ENTIRE BOOK founded on it.

The plot is endlessly arguing over if they can trust Frostpaw or not, gathering "evidence" to this end, while Sunbeam and Nightheart's POVs uselessly languish in ThunderClan doing mentoring stuff.

Im SO sick of being forced to sit in thunderclan while more interesting things happen offscreen. stop adding MORE cats to ThunderClan, you already have Stormcloud and you do NOTHING with him why are they also getting WAFFLEPAW

Everyone's praising the fact that the book can remember previous entries, but actually, I'm going to drop a hot take; It's actually bad if they CAN obviously reference old material, and then it doesn't influence the actions the characters take. They namedrop Nightstar several times and then come up with excuses for why they still need to sit around and do nothing!!

THAT'S WORSE, ACTUALLY.

SCALDING TAKE, I'd RATHER see the cats have the memories of goldfish if the alternative is "We remember Nightstar! We're simply going to purposefully disregard Nightstar, because the plot needs to happen"

They also muse that maybe Splashtail's evilness is making all the RiverClan cats act evil, and they'll go back to normal once he's removed. This has been implied before, but never so blatantly stated.

But most of all, I can't stop going back to "Godless Heathen Bloodlust." What a fucking joke. For a shining minute it looked like we were going to have interesting villains, but no, they really are just coming out and saying that lacking faith is an indicator of a moral failing. What makes Splashtail so uniquely bad and scary is that he "disrespects the ancestors" (hey podlight. what if eating 9 magic mice gives you 9 lives? woah dude look at this. the bugle chips look like claws. lol haha) and hates love and peace and won't even let Jesus guide him.

The scenes with Frostpaw and her allies are the only parts of this book worth reading. Shadowsight, tigerHeartstar. Clinging to Whistlepaw like she's a life preserver. save me windclan

[neonscandal]

This week is Sk8 3rd anniversary.... So for celebrating, can I ask a few things :

-Who are your fav character from this series? Why?

-What are your fav moments from this series? -What are your opinions on this fandom's famous ships : Reki/ Langa, Cherry/ Joe, Adam/ Tadashi?

Season 2 and an OVA are coming (eventually)! Which is more than we can say for other series' so I'm going to remain delusionally hopeful. I think it'd be nice if, instead of announcing long awaited continuations, new seasons dropped like Beyonce albums. Without warning and like an unexpected blessing. Just like this ask so thank you for reaching out!

FAVORITE CHARACTER

Sk8 has a wonderful band of idiots who I adore but Cherry is, by far, my favorite. Most specifically through the interactions he has with Joe because they are just so catty and mean to one another but you just know it belies an affection from their entrenched history together whether you consider them a ship them or not.

I love that Cherry had this rebellious era and continues to do so as a respectable adult while juggling such a disciplined craft and career. Like, that dichotomy is just 😘👌🏾. Goals, honestly. He maintains this split by ensuring that his S persona and his everyday persona remain mutually exclusive similar to how Adam conducts himself. Which, now that I'm thinking about it, might be kind of sad but he is, somewhat, of a man of contrasts.

Like, the way his talents splinter is so interesting. He is a founding member of S wherein he remains a threat, an established and respected calligrapher... plus, I feel like he customized Carla himself. What a nerd! Plus, Cherry is so gender. ✨

THOUGHTS ON SHIPS

Reki & Langa - idiot x idiot, I love it? But also, how silly to show someone something you love so intensely only for that love to envelope them so completely. Both in how they receive your hobby but also in how they just become a part of your life. Plus, Langa sees Reki's strengths that he takes for granted and its so necessary because they both think the sun shines out of each others' ass. Also, I see them as a reincarnation of AshEiji from Banana Fish.

Cherry & Joe - Yes. Was that not evident from above? Yes. They fight like an old (and sassy) married couple and then will have a moment of saccharine sweetness that's just... too much. There's also a hilarious sense of patience Joe must have to adapt to Cherry vs. Kaoru and its more evident because there's who the pair are when they are around others, regardless of who the others are, and then who they are when they're alone. Like, why put on the act, guys? Just kiss already.

Adam & Tadashi - As long as it's consensual, I guess, but I'm sure Tadashi could do better.

Oka & Shadow - Okay, but go with me here. Please thank the chokehold umikochannart had on keeping this ship sailing before they wiped their IG of all evidence.

Adding a few other artists guaranteed to give you the brainrot because I fell down a rabbit hole while looking for umikochann and fan artists deserve so much appreciation for covering the spread when we are awaiting new content so go follow them and join their patreons, buy them a kofi and bark on all their posts because we are not deserving of their labor: angrymorilas, bunbun.ji, @pochiikou and @ratcarney IG.

These artists are my gift to you. As a gift, that means that we should love and appreciate the people whose talents enable us to experience the characters we love even more and be thankful for, however long the stretch, the time that our favorite characters and ships were their muses. And to subsequently not be a prick when their muse changes.

⚠️ Spoiler warning for S1 of SK8 the Infinity anime.

FAVORITE MOMENTS

"Push me, Reki." - needs no explanation.

Reki defending Miya's honor - When you see Miya's backstory, his isolation is really sad and makes him vulnerable to Adam's predation but Reki punched well above his weight to defend Miya and it effectively brought the kid into the fold and I loved that. And that's on the power of friendship. ✨ Reki really subjugated everyone in that friend group and is not appreciated enough for it.

When everyone cockblocked Joe - Not every show needs a beach episode. This one does.

Sia La Luce after hours - the fact that Kaoru, after being bride carried by Joe, broke out of the hospital just to go running back to Joe is just so... beautifully chaotic and unexpected. Add a zest of Jonah Scott murmuring "We're not alone, right, Kaoru?" and I am undone.

When the might of Reki's rain wheels kicked in - Overcame insecurity by utilizing the gift he'd had all along? AGH. So perfect, so proud.

When Reki's laughter melts into that of young Adam's - only because that was really sweet

Not in the show but: sharing this series with my niece and nephew and them loving it just as much as I do. They're pretty young so the Venn Diagram of "Shows I Love" vs "Shows I Can Share With Them As A Discerning Adult" has a pretty narrow overlap. So imagine my surprise when my nephew randomly makes a SK8 joke or observation or when my niece drew fan art of Carla? We also sing and dance and laugh during the intro and outtro so I hope they remember the series affectionately when they're older.

[gctchell]

#red is the og. the VIP#one of the safest people I've ever met#spectacular writing and I've the privilege of being able to see the incredible progression#from the day we met to present day.#it's a while! and writing like hers is unforgettable. her Lilith and Niffty are delights#and she's taken what I liked about those two and intensified my love for them#only red can pile on reasons for me to love characters especially ones she takes on#an excitable writer and one of the best people u can meet. even if we're in hell.#and her improv???? I know I can count on her to roll with the punches. -- @jizzlords

#ive known red for some time even WAAAY before HH and they’re a wonderful person#great to communicate with and very loving and kind and open minded#wonderful writer to boot on top of all of that -- @therealricksanchezpleasestandup

i just signed on to the sweetest tags from some of the oldest mutuals i've had across my accounts. what the hell, yall. my darlings..

@jizzlords is wearing ozzie's skin. I mean that in the most complimentary way ever, because hel just pulls that man off with such ease it's like they're sharing the same body and he's just conducting the keyboard, taking down his autobiography online. the voice is crystal clear, you can hear iglehart in everything hel writes - down to the laughter.

hel loves this man and it is clear to see. the love for that muse is in there and the justice is being delivered right to the key. absolutely astounding portrayal, and hel even dives into ozzie being a fallen angel, and still having trauma from all that mess. hel gives him flaws, gives him green flags, brings him to life and makes him the icon of desire that he needs to be. I'm not surprised, though - hel's always knocked it clean out of the park when it comes to glamorous and iconic characters, bc hel is iconic. and just all-together so much fun to hang out with.

also, pssst: hel's writing is absolutely flipping beautiful. I've been lucky to be traveling alongside him for a long time now and watch it bounce from the characters he loves so dearly to the next. he's just gotten better, and he was already great.

@therealricksanchezpleasestandup is rick sanchez. I am not kidding lmao. you go onto that blog and it reads like rick. I've been a mutual of steffu's for.. god, a good few years, now? not even including the time on this account? and I have just watched her kick absolute ASS with this man. it's just like asmodeus and hel, it's another case of 'I think that man just lives in your skin and you're writing everything he tells you to', because damn. excellent portrayal, excellent handling, excellent managing of this man and his emotions, and just how messed up he is.

yeah, rick is a mess and steffu knows exactly how to write that while also making it so abundantly clear why and how it is that he has so many amicable relationships all over the multiverse. man knows how to juggle his personality traits and get those connections, find companionship in others that his family doesn't quite get to see that often - outside of morty. I always thought that was a pretty damn cool thing for her to cover.

because he's a universe jumper, it makes all the sense in the world that he has connects to others down here in hell. easy character to plug in with if you like rick and morty and want a rick to interact with. steffu has the man on lock, I am telling you.

[dudeandduchess]

Kyōjurō x F!S/O: Surprise (Modern!AU, Mild NSFW Scenario)

Warning: Mild angst with happy ending, Making Out, Dry Humping

Note: It was missing him hours, so I had this in my head all day while I was at the beach. 😢

Summary: (Y/n) gets a little wistful while Kyōjurō is away.

*** 

Beach days were always a double-edged sword for (Y/n). On one hand, being out and about was good for her— as well as the fresh air— but on another hand, the people there with her never failed to get on her nerves with their ceaseless chattering.

Or maybe she was just being particularly sensitive that day, since she was utterly missing her lover.

It had only been a few weeks since Kyōjurō had left for his business trip, and they talked whenever they could, but the words on her cold screen and his warm voice through her phone was barely enough to stave the sadness and longing away.

But (Y/n) was trying to distract herself as best as she could; hence, why she was at the beach. A friend had asked her to go out on their day off, and she wasn’t too keen on the idea at first, until she figured that a distraction from her constantly checking her phone for a message from Kyō would have been a good idea.

And it worked, for the most part.

She still found herself constantly checking her phone for a message from him, and repeatedly had to hide her disappointment whenever her message notifications would end up empty.

“You seem so distracted, (Y/n),” the young woman’s friend mused with concern in her tone. “Are you alright?”

Instantly, a smile forced its way onto (Y/n)’s face. “What? Oh yeah, yeah, no worries. I’m good.”

Before she could even realise it, majority of the day had already flown by… just like that. The sad part was that she didn’t know if she should have been relieved or sad that time had jumped without a single peep from Kyōjurō.

She knew that he would have been busy with meetings and whatnot, but a part of her was also a little selfish in wishing that he would just send her any indicator that he was also thinking about her.

(Y/n) was an adult, that was for sure, but she couldn’t quite tell her heart to stop being so needy for Kyōjurō’s attention.

What she could do, however, was distract herself even more.

“Hey, you want to grab some pizza for dinner later?”

So, that was how she found herself lounging in her friend’s bed, with carbonara pizza in-between them, and the latest episode of ‘The Last of Us’ playing on the TV by the foot of the bed. Her phone was even laying face-down on the side table, if only to keep her from checking on it time and time again.

Still, none of it was enough to keep thoughts of her lover off her mind.

Especially when she saw numerous characters kissing on-screen. Those parts had her thinking back to the moments when Kyōjurō had kissed her just as tenderly, if not more.

‘Kyō can do better’, she thought with a minute shake of her head; all while she let her mind drift off to the memories of those sweet and soft lips of his on hers— and his arms caging her in against the bed.

With her pride came an even stronger twinge of sadness, making her stomach feel like it had dropped, and having her chest tighten around her heart like a vise. But she couldn’t dwell on those feelings, because she knew that he was going to come home in two weeks… and their time apart would feel like nothing more than a never-ending fever dream.

*** 

It was a good thing that (Y/n) lived only two blocks away from her friend, because it had begun to rain as she was about to go home, and she didn’t want to be stuck in the downpour while juggling her bulky beach bag, her borrowed umbrella, and a half-eaten pizza together.

Yet she still found herself power walking to get home, all while cursing under her breath for waiting so long to bow out of her social obligations.

If she had just gone home earlier, she wouldn’t have to put up with puddle water splashing all over her legs. Then again, if she had gone home earlier, she would have just stayed in bed and had pizza all alone.

A sigh made its way past her lips when the rain picked up even more, yet she still powered through and ignored all her neighbours that were also on their way to their own homes; not in the mood to put on more false niceties for the night.

Especially when she hadn’t heard a peep out of her Kyōjurō all day.

“Goddamn rain,” (Y/n) muttered under her breath, as she walked up to her and Kyōjurō’s apartment, only to almost jump out of her skin in fright when she saw a man trying to unlock the door.

But all her fear vanished when she saw that familiar head of fiery blond hair, which was currently plastered to her lover’s head from the downpour.

“Kyō?” The young woman gasped out, still in disbelief as she took the sight of him in; looking as sexy as ever in his white button down and his grey slacks.

Kyōjurō turned to her then, sporting the brightest and warmest smile that chased the chill out of her bones— which unfailingly made butterflies begin to flutter in her stomach. “Hey, baby.”

She didn’t even wait for him to make the first move, simply tossing the umbrella to the side and chucking her leftover pizza in another direction, before running up to her lover and wrapping her arms around his middle. “You’re here! How?”

If she had felt warm from his smile before, it had nothing on the feel of his arms wrapping themselves around her shoulders, all before he cupped her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers in a chaste kiss.

“I told them that I had an urgent matter, so I had to go home.”

It wasn’t like Kyō to lie at all, especially when it came to his job; he was simply too responsible for that. But something in his words— his tiny act of being a rebellious bad boy— stirred something within (Y/n).

She closed the gap between their lips once more, this time going for a much deeper kiss— all while her hands made their way to her lover’s backside, cupping his ass through his pants, and pulling his hips flush against her body.

“I’m taking it that you missed me as well,” The blond teased with a smile, before surprising (Y/n) and pressing her back against the front door.

He caged her in with his arms then, hovering his face so close to hers that she could feel his breath fanning across her lips. It was such a heady temptation that neither of them could resist; finding themselves gravitating back towards each other’s mouths— sharing open-mouthed kisses, and playfully trying to get the upper hand.

That was until Kyōjurō lifted his lover up against him, making her wrap her thighs around his waist before he pushed the door open. Only, he didn’t make it that far into the house; settling for kicking the door closed and pinning her against it once more.

And since they were well within the confines of their own home, the couple shed their inhibitions and reservations even more. Their kisses grew much hotter— teeth nipping at lips, and tongues snaking into each other’s mouths to play.

All the while, Kyōjurō shamelessly nestled himself as close as he could to (Y/n)’s core; pressing his hard cock against her clothed pussy, and slowly thrusting against her to stimulate both of them.

(Y/n)’s body felt so hot all over, and all of the sadness that she felt before was nothing more than a bad memory in the back of her head. All that she could focus on at that moment was the feel of Kyōjurō’s hard and thick cock rubbing against her, making her wetter than she already was.

“I can’t wait to be inside you, baby,” The young man whispered against his lover’s lips, before capturing them in another searing kiss. “I’ve missed you so, so much.”

[earthssprout]

happy new year to you & yours, friends ! 🥳🌷🍃 I hope you all had a wonderful & safe time while celebrating, if you enjoyed any such kind of merriment at all 🥺

as I mentioned in the tags on a previous post, I've been meaning to share how I intend to handle Ari's blog as I struggle to balance real life responsibilities & writing. after much discussion with close friends & exploring important parts of myself on my own, I've decided to put Ari's blog on an EXTREMELY LOW ACTIVITY status, of which will remain so until the end of my studies. seeing as I'm pursuing an English degree, there will never be a semester when I'm not writing a bajillion things a week to satisfy course requirements & perform well academically. this, of course, takes precedence 🥺 it is my future, after all !

with all that being said, I don't want to separate myself from this space entirely, so I won't be putting Ari's blog on an indefinite hiatus. however, during the rare opportunities given to me throughout the semester which allow me to be somewhat present on here, I'd like to keep my "obligations" to roleplay as low as possible. therefore--for at least the foreseeable future--I will no longer be accepting new threads or engaging in starter calls/posting my own. if we had any threads going before, consider them dropped. I plan to make this blog what you might call ... " ask - centric " ... meaning that the only method of interaction I will be accepting for a while are asks. I will be answering prompts that are sent in to me, as well as sending the same to others. any asks that I send, however, will not be continued ( except for perhaps on the very rare occasion ). my partners are welcome to continue the ask if they would like to, but just know that it's highly unlikely I'll respond to anything that is turned into a thread. I may, however, toss the response into the treasure box tag ! 🌷🍃

I understand that this, in turn, somewhat prioritizes the relationships that Ari has already built with other muses and, in a way, limits opportunity for her to create new ones. while this restriction isn’t something I’m intentionally enforcing — rather, it is a passive effect of the current state of affairs — given the busyness of real life & all else that is equally important to me, I simply don't have the energy to juggle many things at once on here--in fact, I've been unable to do so for a long while, & I'm only now facing & accepting that fact 😔 the most meaningful & important relationships that Ari has made with other muses were primarily built by lots & lots of ooc discussion, so while I am not opposed to starting new things & building similar relationships, the chances of such happening are much higher with those that are willing to engage in thoughtful discussion about our muses despite my circumstances — plotting over interaction, to put it simply 🌱

regardless, I will still be very slow on here, and I expect I will keep a similar pace when responding to im’s as well. even though asks will be the only interactions/things I respond to on here for a while, please don’t expect me to reply to such with any haste either. I may have the time and creative energy to respond to five asks in a single day, or I may lack both for a month straight. this is, unfortunately, something unpredictable, and therefore I cannot make any promises about how often I'll be here 😔 overall, the greatest shift this blog will be experiencing is how much creative energy I can spend on it and where I decide to invest that. I don’t want to abandon this space entirely, as it is a comforting place to be, and Ari is still very much alive and well in my heart ! I want to comment on posts to support my fellow writers, participate in the occasional dash shenanigan, post random thoughts and ideas I have about Ari throughout the day, and maybe even still actually write ! however, some balancing is in order; I want to improve upon my writing through practice, but most importantly, I enjoy this hobby again 🌷🌼😭

to anyone that isn’t interested in writing with a blog that has such sporadic activity and limited methods of interaction, I completely understand. I always want to be a person that encourages others to do what’s best for them, so if parting ways because of this change is what you need to, then please do so. you will be missed, of course !🌷 but know that this decision to limit my interactions so severely is because I have the same desire in mind — I have to do what’s best for me, in a way that cares for my mental health and nurtures my creative spirit 🌻that being said, this may change. I may limit my interactions even more in the future ... I may open everything back up again ... who knows 🥺

since everything in my ask box is covered in about seven thick layers of dust, I'll also be deleting everything in there too--starting completely anew !

to those who remain, thank you for your ongoing understanding, patience, and support 🌿 at some point, I’m sure, Ari and I will see you outside again ! 🐸🌱🪻🌷🌳🐝

[the-werdna]

Title: Robcina Week Day 6 - School

Description: Another day at school comes. After solving the misunderstanding he'd had with Lucina, Robin is hopeful that today can pass uneventfully. That isn't too much to ask, right?

Notes: Takes place after all of the other Persona Au chapters, those being chapters 41, 47, 61, 64, 68, 74, and 79. Takes place the day after the events of chapter 75

Words: 2051

The buzzing rumble of his phone sounded as it vibrated against the table, stirring him from his slumber an instant before the shrill ringing of the alarm sounded. Dragging himself out of his futon, Robin scrambled for the device. Today was the rare occasion where he managed to seize it on his first try, swiping the screen to silence the chorus of beeps.

For a moment, he laid there, half on the floor, half still entangled in his covers. With a groan, Robin pushed himself into a sitting position before taking a look at his phone. Rubbing sensitive eyes from the brightened screen, his vision began to clear.

September 18th. Wednesday. It was time for school.

Heaving himself to his feet, Robin set about gathering his things, shoveling his books and other supplies into his bag. A quick shower later, he stopped by his room again to change into his uniform before heading downstairs. The lower level of the house was still and empty when he got there. No real surprise there. Chrom would be at work already, and Lucina got up early for kendo training before school. From the sounds of activity downstairs, he'd heard while getting ready, and the absence of Cynthia's bag now told him she must have only left a few minutes ago.

So much for waiting. Though I suppose I could still run into her or one of the others at the station, he mused. Yawning, he stopped by the fridge, picking up the boxed lunches he'd prepared the evening before, juggling his phone, schoolbag, and lunches at the same time, Robin checked the time while fumbling the slip boxes into the bag. Not much time left, gotta hurry to make the train. Toast will have to do for breakfast. Setting his phone down on the counter, he popped two slices into the toaster, managing to zip up his bag at the same time. A few moments later they popped out with a chime. He ate quickly, then hurried for the door, slamming it behind him. Then immediately ran back inside, snatching up his phone.

Okay, now I can go, Robin told himself. He paused, running through a quick mental checklist to make sure he didn't forget anything else. Satisfied, he headed back outdoors.

. . . . .

As packed as the train was, Robin saw neither Cynthia nor any of his other friends there. They must have all gotten on earlier trains. Shrugging, Robin decided he would try to continue reading the book he checked out from the library, provided he managed to find a seat.

The train arrived a few moments later, screeching as it came to a stop at the station. Robin hurried inside, managing to find an empty seat before the big rush as the other commuters jostled for places aboard. Reaching into his bag, he fished out the book: Expert Fishing. There was quite a bit left, it would probably take today and at least another train ride before he finished it. It should help make his fishing trips more effective, however. Which meant more fish he could then trade for gems with that weird cat that hangs out at the old shrine and then use those to buy-

Robin frowned. Do you ever stop and think to yourself, 'Wow, my life is weird'? Because I didn't until this year, he thought, directing the statement at no one in particular. Shaking his head, he resumed reading. Weird or not, it was a good use of his time. Maybe he'd try to finish the book that evening if he didn't find anything else to do then.

Minutes passed as he flipped through the pages

+ until at last, he arrived at his destination. Returning the book to his bag, he slung the strap over his shoulder. There was only a short wait before enough people ahead of him disembarked so that he could slip through the packed car and out onto the station. Then, he was off on the short walk to school.

. . . . .

Robin slipped his shoes into his cubby before bending down to put on his school shoes. Just as he finished he felt a buzzing of his phone in his pocket. He ignored it, continuing to do up the laces. Again his phone rumbled, signaling another notification. Then a few moments later, another rumble. Then a fourth. Sighing, Robin brought it out, opening up the screen.

Let's see… Cynthia wants to hang out after school… and so does Inigo… and Owain… and it looks like the photography club is holding an optional meeting today. He sighed and put the phone away. He could decide which to do later once school ended. So many Social Links, so little time.

Heading to the home room, he found the class already half-full, students mostly out of their seats in groups chatting with one another. Owain and Severa were already there as well, and, as was typical of them, bickering about something. He knew the pattern, Owain did something foolish or eccentric that annoyed Severa and then they'd argue about it. Had it been earlier in the day, Robin would have set in to mediate it, but it was frankly still way too early for him to care.

Taking his seat and willing himself not to register what they were going on about this time, Robin unpacked his school supplies.

Just as he finished, his phone buzzed once again. Momentarily annoyed and half considering just silencing the damn thing, Robin glanced at the screen, only to pause as he saw the sender. It was from Lucina.

"TO ROBIN. THANK YOU FOR SPEAKING TO ME YESTERDAY. I ENJOYED TALKING. LET'S DO IT AGAIN SOMETIME WHEN I AM NOT BUSY. Y/N?"

Robin found himself smiling as he always did at her odd manner of texting. It was cute. As for the message, of course, Wednesdays were one of the days Lucina was busy with Kendo practice after school, so that was a no-go. Besides, he had to still spend time with his other friends and continue to deepen those bonds.

"Sure, I'd love to. Next time you're free?", he texted back. He moved to slip his phone back into his pocket, only to stop, considering it for a moment, remembering the extra boxed lunch he'd brought today. When he'd cooked the extra meal last evening, he hadn't had anyone particular in mind for it. He figured he'd decide which of his friends to split it with later, maybe see if any of them hadn't brought anything. But now… maybe he should ask Lucina. That way they could spend some time together sooner. He certainly wanted to, but…

Would that seem too weird? He still didn't quite know how the two of them stood or how Lucina really felt about him. Was it too soon to make any move, or-

"Hey, what are you sitting there blushing about? Get a love letter from your crush or some other sappy nonsense?" Severa interjected, turning around in her chair to stare at him in almost incredulous amusement. Evidently, he had failed to notice her and Owain finishing their little morning spat.

Only then did Robin realize that he was indeed blushing. "No, it's- Just, mind your own business," he told her, his words doing nothing other than heightening her amusement. He hastily put his phone away, doing his best to brush aside her comment.

"Sure, whatever you say, Romeo," Severa grinned, rolling her eyes sarcastically at his own glare.

Mercifully it was then that their homeroom teacher entered, beginning the school day proper. It was rare that Robin was thankful to see the man, but right now he'd do anything to change the subject.

Let's just hope the rest of the day goes better. I could use it better. And normal.

. . . . .

The lunch bell rang, signaling the morning's end. Gathering things, Robin gazed at the two boxed lunches inside. He needed to decide who to have lunch with.

I could ask Lucina, but… He frowned, remembering the times they'd hung out yesterday and the day before. Things were less awkward yesterday, but… I still don't know if Lucina likes me that way or not. What if we are just friends? Would sharing a lunch be too romantic, or…

He shook his head, banishing the jumbled doubts and second guesses. He'd made lunches like this for most of his other friends before. This was no different than that. Making up his mind, he sent Lucina a text. Moments later his phone buzzed, Lucina agreeing to his offer to meet him.

Heading to the rooftop, Robin found Lucina already there. As it was a school day, not to mention the fact she tended to be a stickler for the rules, Lucina was wearing her Ylisstol High uniform in the standard, unmodified fashion. The only visible accessory was her trademark long red and blue scarf that she wore with nearly every outfit of hers.

Lucina peered around intently for several moments before her eyes laid upon him amongst the other students who'd taken their lunch there. Smiling, she headed towards him, Robin doing the same to meet her halfway.

"Robin, there you are! I wasn't certain if you were already here or not, but I suppose I was just early," Lucina said, her words sounding almost half an apology.

"It's alright," Robin assured her. He laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. "I am a bit shocked you got here so quickly. So, um… shall we?" he asked, motioning for one of the benches.

"Oh, yes," Lucina blushed, taking a seat as he did the same.

Robin handed her one of the bento boxes he'd prepared the night prior. Inside was rice, pickled daikon and cabbage, and slices of crispy fried pork chops. "I know it's not anything fancy, I am still getting the hang of cooking my own things. I hope you don't mind," he explained.

"Oh, no, I don't mind it at all Robin," Lucina said. She bowed her head in thanks. "I appreciate the thought of preparing something for the both of us." She took a few bites of the food, smiling. That seemed to be a good sign.

"Don't mention it," Robin said. He laughed nervously, again. He needed to stop doing that.

"You have cooked for others before too, have you not?" Lucina asked between mouthfuls.

"Oh, uh, yes, I have. The first few times I am not sure I did the best job, I only started cooking regularly this year," Robin explained. "I guess my practicing has paid off since you and the others seem to have enjoyed it."

"I see. I really should work on my own cooking skills. My own are quite basic, I am afraid," Lucina said. She smiled again as she finished another bite, setting the half-eaten box aside for the moment. "So, how has your day been?"

Robin smiled back. For some time the two chatted, sticking mostly to small talk for the time being.

Lucina enjoyed your lunch!

You feel that your relationship is going to become closer soon…

Just as they'd both finished, a bell rang in the distance, signaling the end of lunch break and that it was time to return to class.

"Oh, look at the time. We both must get going it seems," Lucina said. She stood in unison with him, turning to hand the empty bento box to him. He accepted it, and in doing so their hands brushed against each other. They both blushed, quickly pulling away. Lucina glanced at the floor, Robin glancing off to the side.

"I- Thank you for the lunch, Robin. I really appreciate your thoughtfulness in inviting me," she assured him. She seemed to hesitate a moment, then pulled him into a brief hug. Then, blushing all the more fiercely, she hurried away, heading down the stairs back to class.

"D-Don't mention it," Robin stammered, even though she was no longer there. He was incredibly thankful Several or any of the others weren't there to see him at that moment. They'd never let him live it down.

He reached up, touching his shoulder where Lucina had embraced him. Now, he realized, I need to figure out what the heck that hug was supposed to mean. Shaking his head, he headed down the stairs as well, ready to resume what remained of the school day.

[sasster]

🗣️ Demuye + Contra

Send me a (🗣️) + two muses (one has to be mine!), and I’ll make them have a conversation whether they know each other or not! --

For what it’s worth, Demuye has been able to go a considerable amount of time with Persep’s actions existing on the periphery of his life. Bigger fish and all that. That’s why he can’t be too mad having to help pick up the slack at the Bait and Hook while the rest of the staff juggled taking care of Aelium and Areios in the aftermath of all of that nonsense.

Days at the bar have been getting longer and longer as he started to assume more roles; Barback, bartender, he even spent one exhausting morning taking Lopard’s place in the kitchen. Those were some seriously big shoes to fill. As tiring as all of that was, he has to admit it has been nice to take some stress off the backs of his friends. Loathe as he is to even admit that verbally.

The walk back to Antare’s place is a lonesome and cold one, so of course his mind continues to wander and toil over his place in the life of his friends. His family? Antare’d once called them his family and his reaction was to cackle at the thought. But now, ah, well he can see where he might have gotten that idea. By the time he makes it to the hive, the sun is already settling into the horizon, replaced by the two easier-on-the-eyes moons slowly approaching their crest.

Demuye pushes into the apartment, making use of the key that he thought was kind of silly when it was gifted to him. Though Antare insisted it was in the event that his pets needed attention while he was out, he thinks it might be something a mite more than that. It’s still quiet, strange to see of a hive with so many occupants and usually bustling with activity. He pushes on until he gets to his kismesis’s room and lets himself in.

The bed is taken over by a mass of blankets that the overtired rainbow drinker struggles to wrap his head around the logistics of adding a third body to. It is not unexpected, though, with the way the cold takes out the seadweller hidden somewhere in the mess.

Speaking of, he doesn’t get to worry about those logistics for too long, because suddenly the violet blood that was swallowed up by all of those covers pops her head up out of them. Her hair sticks out in messy frizzes that highlights her lethargy. She blinks her eyes a few times to get them to cooperate with her.

“Demuye?” She says around a yawn. “Is that you?”

“You sure aren’t concerned enough that there’s a possibility of a strange jadeblood standing in front of you.”

Contra stifles a giggle into the comforter that is being turned into her cape, and Demuye has to quickly come to terms with the fact that he missed that laugh since his life had gotten so busy.

Fuck. Something to unpack later.

“Well, since you’re up, how about I get you some breakfast before you fall back into that coma, hm, Sleeping Beauty?”

The seadweller stares at him for a little bit, studying his features with eyes still bleary from her sleep. Concern creases her brow, but that is interrupted by another yawn.

“Breakfast?”

“Yeah, like, food.”

“Aren’t you tired?” She sits up fully, pulling the blanket around her shoulders up with her. “You look tired, Dem.”

”I could always eat. C’mon, Princess.”

Contra doesn’t protest, instead she continues climbing up out of the bed and dragging the comforter along for the ride, with that layer out of the question, she reveals the sleeping form of Antare curled up underneath. “If you’re sure,” she mumbles, finding her footing in the slippers she immediately puts her feet into.

Demuye leads the way out of the room and out to the kitchen. “Speed up, I’m making french toast.”

She perks up immediately and speeds up to catch up to him, wrapping an arm around his to snuggle up into him.

[pinkhairedlily]

perks of a wallflower

for sasusaku shoujo week 2023. prompts: high school, festivals, love confessions, accidental kiss, kabedon, wallflower. sasuke first person pov

here's an accompaniment to your reading

I, Uchiha Sasuke, seventeen years of age, only want nothing but peace in the last year of my high school life. So far, I have been successful ducking away from high-energy (like Uzumaki Naruto who I think takes five energy drinks in a day the way he’s always loud-mouthed and laughing and screaming in the hallways), and high-activity people (like Haruno Sakura, student council member since freshman and is now the current president. She probably has magical time management skills because I don’t know how she can fit everything in her schedule).

I am simply content in acing the expectations set by my family name.

Excellent grades.

First place in exams.

Official representative in academic competitions.

The successor of the alumnus with distinction, Uchiha Itachi.

The official top rank nobody in Konoha High, in other words.

Except I’m not.

Not really.

Not when President Sakura is always near second to me, short only by one point or two. And maybe it’s because she’s juggling everything in those two dainty hands of hers that she can’t be perfect all the time.

It’s not that I pay attention. It’s just that her hands are tiny.

And soft.

She grabbed my arm when classes broke for lunch one time and told me to go to the clinic.

“You’re hot.”

I wouldn’t know how to respond if I wasn’t running a 40 degree. “Gee, thanks,” I sloppily replied.

“No, but really. You need to go to the doctor.” Her face was painted with concern. There was nothing different about it; she dons this exact same expression to all her constituents. 

It was the fact that she saw me, in the midst of class, battling a fever I thought I perfectly hid.

She didn’t wait for my response then. She dragged me towards the room, and pulled me into her orbit.

There’s a phenomenon called Zero Shadow Day when the sun is at the zenith and its rays fall perpendicular to an object. The shadow, usually cast behind it, falls directly under. Being skin-close to her is exactly that kind of phenomenon; I become engulfed in her.

My brother never fell in love in high school, but I did with Haruno Sakura.

xxxx

“Sasuke, you still don’t have a role.” The teacher taps his pen on the bound script. “Naruto beat you in signing up for the tree.”

“We have district finals!” screams the blonde baseball captain.

I clear my throat, but it just attracts even more unwanted attention. “What’s left?”

A beat passes which is more suffocating than the irritated throat I have now. “An understudy.”

“Great—”

“—of the princess.”

I could hear the blonde stifle his laughter behind me.

“Okay,” I sigh, “so long as the real princess shows up.”

After rehearsals, the prince comes up to me and taps my shoulder. I wish she wouldn’t untether me from the ground.

“I know you’re only doing this because they made it mandatory for graduation, but I’m still glad you’re with us,” Sakura says with a grin. 

“Yeah, sure.”

Shouldn’t I have more words in my arsenal?

“Do you want some bread with mulberry jam? I finished half of it already.”

“That’s a lot.”

“I tend to devour food when I’m nervous.”

“Nice.”

That’s a horrible reply, Uchiha Sasuke.

xxxx

It’s a slow rehearsal, but I’m privileged to endure the multiple ‘back-to-the-start’ behind the curtains, against the wall, mindlessly scrolling through pages of dialogue. A big  figure surprises me out of my musings—and oh my God, why is Sakura so close?

“I need my personal space,” I manage to croak out, but that made me sound more like a douchebag than a guy panicking over his crush standing a few inches away from him. It’s hard to breathe but I somehow manage to smell the faint jasmine in her hair and the strawberry on her lips.

Sakura complies in good spirit, rather too quickly for my liking (aren’t you panicking @/self?!). “Just practicing for the last scene.”

“I’m a spare.”

“You never know when it’ll come in handy, Sasuke. Besides, familiarizing this proximity lessens the ick-factor for you eventually.”

I’m pretty flexible when her mouth curls up in corners. The bound papers fall to my side, as a prop, as it should be, and I retrace the steps she took earlier. In my hazy vision, she wavers in her stance when in fact she stays rooted on the floor. It’s me who’s losing footing.

I reach her, approximately three inches away, and I breathe her in again uninhibited, along with her verdant eyes that learned not to look away. It’s a role I’m supposed to play. “This close?”

Her green eyes capture me in still frame. My mind makes up the vision of her throat closing up and her breath hitching. “Closer.”

My foot feels like lead. It’s just one step, I tell myself.

“—Break time’s over everyone!”

xxxx

My luck strikes on the day of the cultural festival wherein our little production happens to be the culminating activity in the gala night. This is so much fun (sarcastic).

Normally, I wouldn’t get too hung up about this, considering I am only an understudy, but lo and behold, the teacher informs me thirty minutes before the second act that the princess is sick.

“No.”

“Yes.”

“What do you mean by 'the princess is sick'?”

“Her stomach pain has become unbearable so you need to do what you are tasked to do, Uchiha.”

“I am an understudy.”

“Of the princess.”

“....”

“The princess is just lying down most of the time for this act, Sasuke. Your dialogue is literally on the last part.”

Which I didn’t know by heart.

 I swear.

“Okay fine.”

The story is one you are already familiar with. The princess tries to escape her fate by going on an adventure but somehow gets cursed to fall asleep indefinitely until she is awakened by the true love’s kiss. We don’t know anything about the prince, but we know that it’s the person the princess loves the most.

It’s the opposite in my  case, as I lie rigid and stoic against the greatest battle waged in the princess’ journey. No one knows who I am, but I know who I love the most.

Sakura is cool, judging by the cheers and almost-fanchant screams in the audience. I keep my eyes shut (I don’t think I’ll ever recover when I find her hovering above me, inches away), and all sounds fall mute to my drowning ears.

I hear the strings of words I’ve memorized from behind the stage, even the liminal pauses in between where her breath rests. I think of the patterns in her footsteps—ten until she gets to my deathbed on the center of the stage. What I’m not prepared for is the graze of her stray strands against my cheek. I take my fill of her scent and all her emotions suspended in the silence she closes the distance in.

There’s a slight shift in the background. A raucous scraping against the wooden stage, and I zero in on Naruto moving a little earlier than expected, and one of his very very long branches hit Sakura on the back.

A yelp becomes the next line.

I open my eyes the exact moment I taste strawberry.

xxxx

The cultural festival ends with the traditional dance around the bonfire.

It’s momentous in the sense that anyone can get a free pass to spill their guts in the dancing flames to their person of affections and expertly hide their pained expressions in the shadows.

I choose the bright lit classroom on the fourth floor where President Sakura spends the last hour of the night as my tragedy milieu.

For some weird reason, I kept the costume on, minus the hair in case this Ancient Greek montage goes either way. I am Snow White with the same ebony hair and pale skin. I offer an apple sans the poison and apologize.

“The great Uchiha Sasuke saying sorry!” She shrugs and bites down on the apple. “Shouldn’t you be the one who’s angry?”

“The student body thinks I defiled the perfect prince.”

She shakes her head, breaking in a chuckle, “It was theater, and they were just overreacting.”

“Still, I don’t think it’s proper.” I brace for the truth. “It might have been your first kiss and I took it away.”

“It’s all right. Maybe it’s the same for you? Aren’t you bothered by it?”

It’s hard to focus and stay serious when Sakura is ahead of me in her nonchalant grace, eating my attention away in every bite. “I’m all right with you as my first kiss.” Maybe if I tell the truth, she wouldn’t hear it over the mulch.

She wipes the juice from her lips as they transform into a smile. “Then that makes the two of us.”

I’m the one who chokes on the imaginary fruit. “What?”

“I said that makes the two of us.” No more munching this time.

I think I’m having problem swallowing. No way. All those people, and she likes me?

And I think I said my thoughts out loud.

She laughs, and the melody turns her redder than the almost fully consumed apple in her hand.

“Are you still playing along?” I seldom have my heart on my sleeve, but I’m wearing mine on the roses embroidered on the chest.

“It’s not part of the script, Sasuke.” The pale core of the apple makes a stark contrast against her cheeks.

“I like you.” I tell her the lines I rehearsed over and over again this past year. “It’s not part of the dialogue.”

“You look so silly saying that in a princess dress.” She laughs again, and this time she couldn’t stop. I’m not sure if this is going the right way. “You know, I’m not sure if you’d notice, but that only means I did a good job hiding it.”

What’s the proper response for that? “My head hurts.”

My disconnected reply does not deter her own confession. “I like you, Sasuke.” Her gaze lands on anywhere but me. “For a long time now. How else would I know you have a fever that day?”

Actors get stuck on lines. They forget the next words. Some people depend on off-stage prompters, others improvise. I’m not an actor, no matter how much I practice and make up scenarios which I would rather describe as overthinking, but I choose the latter.

My steps are still too heavy for all the nervousness that holds me down, but I reach her soon enough. “I think the student council president deserves a last dance for her last cultural festival.”

She quickly finds her spaces within the expanse of my arms. Maybe that’s what happens when I’ve carved out the place for her.

“This is not part of the play,” I whisper.

“It is,” she replies, “The teacher just cut it out because of the runtime.”

She steps on the hem of my dress, and the resulting sidestepping makes her double down in another fit of laughter. She’s closer to me now, much closer than the three inches we practiced.

“Oh Sasuke, I have another confession.”

I don’t think I’m  ready—

“It wasn’t Naruto’s fault.” She’s breathless. “It wasn’t an accident.”

“Oh.”

I make a step, an attempt at fumbling. She holds me steady at my waist. I learn that my hands can cradle her entire face while hers seep cold against the fabric of my dress. This time, I taste apples as I bend down. “This one isn’t too.”

I, Uchiha Sasuke, want nothing but peace in the last year of my high school life. So far, I managed to find and keep it.

ao3 link | buy me coffee ☕

[ravarui]

❤️ + alyafae

Send ❤️ + a URL and I’ll write something nice about them/their blog! Accepting From @benevolentgodloki for @alyafae

Buckle up my friends, cause this is gonna turn into a long rant on how much I adore Gin again.

Where do I start with her? Gin is without a doubt my best friend and she was one of the very first people I interacted with back in the day on my Tony Stark blog.

I remember how intimidated I was all those years back already, because her writing has been so beautiful and she had such a good grip on her Pepper muse, seeing and reading her replies felt always so in character it was unreal. It didn't matter if it were just commentaries or threads. I read it and my first thought was always: Yep. This is exactly what Pepper would do/say in such a situation.

We've been writing for eight years together now and til this day it was one of the best decisions I ever made in my life.

Because not only is Gin a talented writer, but also such a kind and compassionate person. If you have problems and you're her friend, you can always count on her having your back, no matter what. She'll lend an ear and offer advice if you need it. Or just listen to you and give you a hug. The advantage of living relatively close to each other.

But back to her writing skills: They are phenomenal. She writes so many muses, from so many different fandoms and puts a lot of love into her OC's it's amazing. It takes a special skill to be able to juggle so many muses with vastly varying personalities. On top of it, she also doesn't shy away from writing muses of fandoms she is entirely unfamiliar with. There is so much diversity going on it's amazing. I dare to say that her list of muses offers something for everyone in one way or another.

Special shoutout to her Shakky muse, who's existence on her roster is entirely my fault, even if Gin is not in the One Piece fandom at all.

Writing however isn't her only talent! Oh no! Gin is absolutely talented when it comes to sewing and drawing as well. Whenever I see pieces she created I am left in awe by her creativity.

Without Gin this blog wouldn't exist at all. She was the who encouraged me to make it. Who helped me picking an url, made my icons, set the whole blog up with me together and also promoted me. Not to mention that in the beginning she was the one who helped me getting a feel for all my muses, because she made sure I got interactions for all of them.

All in all Gin is wonderful and every day I am thankful to be able to call her my friend. She's the better half of this blog. The Pepper to my Tony.

I recommend everyone who follows me and likes my writing, to follow her too. You get bonus points if you tell her that you're mutuals with me too btw! She doesn't shy away from all kinds of AUs or Crossovers, so don't worry about that. Just start chatting with her and I am sure you'll figure something out for your muses. And if not, well there is always her beautiful writing to look at and read.

PS: She also got a cat who is very cute and fluffy.

[fivefeetfear]

CHP 16

First of all, give me my fucking PROPS!! I hit the characters on the fucking head with only ONE episode as a ref!

Clocked Ozzie “ Not my story to tell”.

Them being a cute and cuddly couple.

Clock Fizz is a soft boi!

The $69 sale ref!

The Fizz body pillow.

Ozzie is able to shrink in size!

Pet nicknames!

Stairs by the bed!

And technically the “bad people” in my story can be Mammon soooo!

This will still follow MY story but with the new episode theme.

……………………………………………

"Kitten, I've tried everything, but he just won't listen to me. Can you try talking to him?" Ozzie asked. Fizz had left the bedroom and took shelter in the bathroom to get ready, leaving the two of us on the bed. I sat in Momo lap as he stroked my swollen belly. Baby (B/N) is due in a few weeks, and (B/G) has been the easiest pregnancy so far. Thank Satan.

Humming, I placed my hand over his, trying to help soothe the demon.

"Believe me, I've tried, but he seems really set on this. I wish he would just take a break," I mused as I leaned further into Asmodeus' chest. I didn't want Ollie going to this so-called talent show either, but each time I brought it up to Fizz, he was just super stressed out. Like he has something to prove.

"OW!!" Cried one of the twins. I knew the house was too quiet. Groaning, I slowly sat up, only to be stopped by Momo.

"Kitten, let me go check on them." Waving him off, I went to the stairs beside the bed.

"I got it. You need to get ready so you can go with Ollie. Keep our husband safe; he's too sweet for his own good sometimes."

"But I don't think he wants me to go," Momo said as he got up from the bed.

"Asmodeus, he needs one of us to be there, and unfortunately, I am out of commission."

I could see the concern on the King of Lust's face as he shifted his eyes around the room, debating on what to do.

"I'm gonna make a call," I nodded my head at him as I left the room to check on the children. I made it to their bedroom to see the two trying to juggle the poor puppies while on a unicycle. Of course. I carried them for nine months just to birth two more Fizzarollies.

"KIDS! Put the dogs down before you break your neck!" I scowled as I walked further into their bedroom. The two yelped in surprise as they quickly got off the unicycles and tossed them under their beds. The puppies scattered in every direction before fleeing out of the room towards freedom. The twins stood before me with wide smiles as if they didn't do anything wrong. Just a typical day in motherhood.

"Hi mom!" They chimed together. I crossed my arms over my chest as I stared them down.

"What have I told you about juggling the puppies?" I asked.

"Not to," they answered together as they mirrored each other's movements.

"And what about the unicycle?"

"Not in the house," they groaned quietly shifting on their feet. They are so fucking cute! AH sometimes I just want to throw this whole act away and give them everything they want! But then I’ll spoiled rotten children and I already have two spoiled husbands.

"So what possessed you two to defy the rules?" My kids pointed at each other as they began to yell over one another.

"Well, (K/N) said they were better at juggling than I was!" My youngest shouted.

"That's because I am! Besides, juggling isn't even cool!"

"It's only a little cool, at best," came another voice from behind me. Of course, when shit is hitting the fan he seems to somehow conjure himself up from the shadows.

"UNCLE BLITZ!" The twins shouted as they raced by me to the imp himself. He easily scooped up the kids and gave them big hugs. Both children then grabbed each end of his horns, weighing his head back as he fell hard onto the ground. A smile made its way to my face as I shot him a look.

"Excuse me, I was in the middle of disciplining my children here," I stated playfully. Blitz was currently wrestling with the kids, and he was, of course, losing miserably against the feral baby clowns.

"Oh, is that what that was? I just heard you killing fun. When did you get so uptight? We used to ride unicycles down three flights of stairs, near the street where that creepy old pervert used to live down the road. Remember him? He died, not of old age because I hit him with the van about a week ago."

Oh, how he never changes. With a deep breath, I rolled my eyes at my friend needing to gain control of the situation.

"That's because neither of us had parents that cared for our safety! Or us in general. I want my kids to have fun safely."

"YAWN!" Blitz shouted as the twins followed suit.

"Yeah! YAWN!" My children mimic their Uncle. Who wore a shit-eating grin. I swear if I wasn’t pregnant I would have strangled him already.

"Alright, alright, that's enough of that. B, I love ya, but what are you doing here?" I asked trying to switch off the topic of my failing to discipline my kids and Blitz. The red imp sprung up as he quickly dusted himself off and adjusted his trench coat.

"Oh, your sugar daddy called me to go with him and Fizz to Mammon's bullshit talent show."

"He did?" I mean, it makes sense. He can help keep an eye on everything, but I don't know how Ollie is going to feel about that. I felt a tug at my pants and saw (K/N) clinging onto me.

"Daddy has sugar?" they asked. A smirk quirked at the corner of my lips, trying to hold in the small giggle. How cute. Blitz kneeled down and patted (K/N) on the head, making the bells on they’re hat jingle.

"Daddy has a lot of sugar." With a loud cheer, both the kids left to go find Asmodeus somewhere in the manor. Taking B's side, we both walked slowly behind the running children, their jester hats ringing violently down the corridor.

"And why did you agree to go? I thought you hated Mammon." I, for sure, do. That guy always gave me the creeps. And I never really liked how he treated Fizz; it was so possessive and greedy. The imp simply shrugged his shoulders as he answered.

"Extra eyes and ears to keep your boy toy safe. You know Fizz's fans are horny little fucks with no social skills and lack boundaries." I let out a loud "HA," startling my friend as he glared in my direction.

"That's rich coming from you! Because you know, you are the KING of social interactions and respectful of people's boundaries." I teased bumping my hip with his.

"Ohh you little bitch, you think you are so funny. You know I don't have to knock on the window so you know when I'm watching the three of you fuck, ok?"

He what?

"You watch us-"

"I am keeping Fizz safe, and I'm doing it for free, so you should be a little more grateful," he backtracked on his previous statement. Again, this guy. Shrugging it off for now, I kept the conversation going.

"Thank you, B. I was very worried about him going. Knowing you and Mo are going to be there when I can't means a lot. Thank you so much." B pulled me into a tight side hug, pressing our cheeks closely together.

"I got it handled, so calm your double D knockers down, baby maker."

Before the trio left, I pulled Ollie to the side to wish him luck. He reluctantly followed me to our bedroom, expecting a lecture of some kind. Asmodeus had already expressed his dislike for him going and Mammon several times, and it was only stressing out the poor clown.

“Look mama I already know what you are going to say. “It’s a bad idea, I shouldn’t go, Mammon is a jerk who looks like a deformed Christmas tree with scoliosis.” A smile stretched across my face as I sat him down on the loveseat taking a seat next to him.

.

“Sweetie if anyone has scoliosis, it’s you.” I crack getting a small smile from him. Good.

“I’m not here to give you shit my love. I support whatever you want to do within reason. So if you want to do this, I’ll stand by you. Do you want to do this?” I questioned softly lacing our fingers together. Fizz held a little tighter as he fiddled with the Sinners Eye he proposed to me with.

Letting a deep sigh he answered.

“It’s not a WANT but more of a NEED. I need to do this and I need to win. B-becasue if I d-don’t….I j-just…you s-see…..I just need to, I need to be perfect.” Fizz rarely holds back what’s on his mind, so seeing that he couldn’t share with me what was really going on hurt. However, this isn’t about me, he will tell me if he’s ready to.

All his life he struggled with being perfect, he had to be the best all the time. The thing is, he was already the best! Has been for a really fucking long time. Fizz could never see that he already had it all and his need to be perfect constantly was the reason we fell apart in the first place.

I wanted to ask why he still felt this after all these years, but it will only take us in circles. So I kept to my word and decided to not push it and just support him. I gave a soft smile as I leaned over and nuzzled his nose with mine.

“Ok baby, do your best and knock them dead! Me and the kids will be watching from home. Give them a bit of a wave, you know they love watching you perform.” I coo placing butterly kisses on his adorable face, careful not to smudge his makeup. Ollie let out a giddy laugh as he curls into my affections. His arms looped several times around my waist as he gave me a gentle squeeze.

“Thanks, mama.”

……………………………………………

“Mommy, where is daddy?” My eldest asked as the twins sat in front of the large TV. Mammon was currently on stage trying to reassure the audience that Fizzarolli was going to come out and perform soon. I tried calling him but each time it would go to voicemail, same with Momo and B. No one was answering me! Fuck they know how to stress a pregnant person out, I swear if I slingshot into labor and they aren’t around I’ll kill them myself.

“I…I don’t know honey. Don’t worry, daddy will be out soon.” I didn’t know that! I don’t what the fuck was happening! My mind was running ramped, did something happen to them? Did they leave the show?

“I-I’m sure Fizzarolli will be out soon with a grand fucking performance,” Mammon announces to the crowd, and just like that a cloud of blue smoke explodes behind him making the crowd go wild.

Oh thank Satan.

As the smoke cleared, I could see Ollie silhouette in the dark room with a cigarette between his fingers and Asmodeus's blue flame lit it up. The accordion began to play, setting the tone for the song. Moody, that’s different. I like it! As the song progressed the tempo of the song picked up revealing the true message of the song.

“FUCK YOU! Here’s my two minutes notice fuck you!!”

Oh Satan. Fizzarolli was in it to lose it and I was loving it. I watched in amazement as Ollie put on his best show yet as he sang his feelings in his resignation letter to Mammon. The kids cheered as they watched their dad completely own the stage as he balanced on two balls rolling along before launching himself in the air and executing several flips.

“Say goodbye while I look you in the eye and say, Fuck you!”

That moment gave me chills as I watched my husband be amazing. The warmth in my chest blossomed leaving goosebumps down my arms.

He has no idea how fucking talented he is, he brings everyone so much joy once he hits that stage. Yes with fame, there are ups and downs, but he always knew how to work the crowd in his favor each and every time. He was born to do this.

I wish he could see what we all see in him, a big loveable, adorable, and insanely skilled imp. He has so much to offer, I hope he sees that now.

“Hope you die! Kiss my ass goodbye you cuck, fuck you!”

“CUCK!” I was immediately ripped out of my daydream as my children screamed the word cuck at the top of their lungs. Oh goodness, the two somehow got their large balls trying to attempt the tricks Fizz was pulling off. My eyes softened as the kids supported the other on the share ball doing their best to balance on it while rolling around the open space.

The poor bulter had to follow them around so they didn’t fall off, a large smile adored my lips as I switched my gazes from the twins back to my husband who once flew out of a coffin. He tossed his neckpiece aside as he sang his heart out. I literally could not contain my excitement, I am so fucking proud of him!

“You’re a fucking ass clown.” He has such a way with words.

I hummed along with the tune as I witnessed my husband freeing himself from Mam's clutches. He swung above the crowd when a demon attached himself to his leg. The demon dog's horny moment was short-lived when he was shot off him.

Tears began to swell in my eyes, this is just AH! So fucking incredible! Watching him strip any associate of Mammon on live TV while having B and Ozzie back him up was such a heartwarming experience to witness.

Fizzarolli my love if you could see yourself, be fucking proud. You are finally out of the pit and I am grateful to have seen your growth. You worked so fucking hard to get to this place, you deserve peace.

As his set came to a dramatic end, Ollie turned to the camera and gave a wave.

“Hey kids!”

“Hello daddy!”

………………………….

“MOMMY! THEY’RE BACK, THEY’RE BACK!!” The twins cheered as they opened the door for their dad’s. I picked up the pace to greet my loves.

“Fuck you! Here’s my two-minute notice! AH! Ollie fucking brilliant mate!” I sang out to him, his face quickly blushed as he made his way over to me. He easily lifted me off the ground and into

his arms, squeezing the other tightly.

“I’m so fucking proud of you darling,” I whispered to him, I could feel his grip tighten while he buried his face in the crook of my neck.

“Thank you, (N/N).” My face warmed up when I felt his lips pressing kisses onto my neck.

Momo picked us up in his arms for a bear hug as he twirled us around.

“Our Froggie was fantastic Kitten.” Asmodeus hums happily, finally being rid of Mammon. But he knew that this peace was only temporary, until then he was going to enjoy this moment.

Little bells jingle from below and the twins remove their collars, and cuffs and tear their outfilts like Ollie.

“Yeah, daddy you showed that CUCK!” Not expecting that response Fizzarolli burst into a laughing fit as he stretched down to his kids. He tickles their side before placing the eldest on his shoulders and the youngest in my arms.

“I’m digging the new look kids. Alright! Sing it with me now kids! Fuck you! I wished I’d said it sooner! Fuck you!” Ollie started off.

“Cut you off just like a tumor, hope you die~” I sang along with Asmodeus.

“Kiss my ass goodbye you cuck, fuck you!” The twins ended happily.

All of us cheered while we walked through the halls of our home. I watch as Fizz plays with the eldest racing down the hallways. For the first time in a long time, he looked at ease. I turned to Momo and we shared a tender kiss. Finally, this shit show is done. We can finally live in peace and Fizz can live for himself again.

………………………….

“Fuck you, say goodbye~” I sang softly to myself in front of the bathroom mirror. Once the twins were down, the three of us hand a long warm bath getting ready to sleep in.

“I think you like the song more than I do.” Ollie jokes as he kisses my cheek from behind.

“How could I not! It’s so catchy!” My hand reached back, caressing his cheeks before moving up to his horns. I traced along the edges while admiring his beauty from our mirror.

“You are so beautiful Ollie.” I muse softly making him once again blush. His magenta hues shift away from his reflection to his feet. He grew quiet but I didn’t mind. Like I said, today was a lot.

“Mama, I gotta tell ya something.” I hum letting him know I was listening.

“So….you know how I-I said I needed to win?”

“Yes.” His grip on my hips tightened as he tried to find the words.

“I felt like I had to because…because of you.” Oh. Mhm, didn’t expect that. I turn in his arms with confusion in my eyes. I wanted him to explain himself.

“Um, me? Why?” Fizzarolli's shoulders dropped further as he placed his forehead against mine, his eyes still not meeting my own.

“B-because…I put you through s-so much shit to g-get here and…and I felt like making you go through all of that would have been for nothing. You supported me from the beginning even when I d-didn’t deserve it. S-so I just figured, I m-made my bed so I had to lie in it.” He finished. My heart broke, that’s the reason he clung on so hard to Mammon. Because he felt the need to punish himself for hurting me?

My chest squeezed when I spotted the tears at the corner of his eyes, I gently swiped them away with my thumbs as I held his face in place.

“Ollie, look at me.” The taller imp took a bit but his glassy eyes finally met mine. I could see the remorse harboring in his hues, this sweet sweet dummy. Why would he ever think I would want him to continue to punish himself?

“Please stop beating yourself up about that, I forgave you. You need to stop torturing yourself with the past Ollie, we no longer live there. I forgive you, please forgive yourself, my love.” With a loud sob, Fizz's knees buckled under him as he cried harder in my arms. I slowly got on my knees with him on the bathroom floor holding him close. My hands rubbed his back softly as I placed kisses on his forehead.

“It’s ok,” I whispered. His shoulder shakes as he cries, this must of been weighing on him for some time now. I’m disappointed in myself for not seeing the guilt he holding onto and how much it was hurting him.

A few minutes passed and his crying slowly subsided. He lifted his head from my chest as he wiped more of his tears away.

“I love you so much. And I’ll work on moving forward,” he mutters sniffingly quietly as he gathers himself together.

“And I’ll be here to help, I love you too, Fizzarolli.” And with that, I pressed our lips together in a much-needed kiss.

……………………………….

AND done! Maybe later! Hope y'all liked it!

Also, Viv if you need another writer, I got you!

Sorry for the errors.

[setirophx]

Meet the Writer

ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀᴅᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘɪᴄᴋ ᴜᴘ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴜʀʀᴇɴᴛ ᴍᴜꜱᴇ(ꜱ) ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ?

(CANON MUSES) - i dunno man. i like 'em a little broken and a little fucked up. and a bit of a smartass with a soft heart under it all. that really applies to most my muses to some degree. reno started out as my fresh start after leaving a pretty terrible stint in another fandom. he was easy to approach or to approach others. he was a blank slate enough that i could be creative with crafting a background and development while still having a basis to work from. there also weren't several variations of him over decades of ever changing content via movies and comicbooks to narrow down from. and now he's practically straddling that canon vs oc line for me. this version of him is mine and mine alone. for sephiroth specifically, i'll be honest, i didn't really care too much about him for the longest time. mostly because he felt too empty and boring to me as a villain. so i didn't feel compelled to making up some background to fill in the gaps. then i played crisis core and that humanized him for me. but i still hesitated to actually write him. and then evercrisis came out with him as a teen. and just. i just think he's neat now. (OCs) - aw man, i love ocs so much. i have such a penchant for creative overflow and end up making them in batches. (usually all related to a single story or universe) but i know they can be a hard sell if they aren't already aligned to a fandom. which is totally understandable! i really have too many ocs that i'd love to write, especially in ff7 verses, but its hard to juggle them all. a few of them still have blogs, so maybe one day i can bully some people into writing with them. (:<

ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇ?

its not that i dislike writing anything in particular. on the contrary. i would love to write more questionable content. though i'd prefer to write these less savory themes with people i'm most comfortable with and understand that its just exploring things in writing and not some fucked up reflection of myself.

ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ᴡʀɪᴛɪɴɢ?

what i really love writing are moments where characters who don't know love or trust is open and vulnerable with someone. they're opening up and learning to really trust someone for the first time. they're showing the real person hidden within. the actual moment or connection doesn't matter. it could be friends, lovers, enemies, or whatever. tho i will admit that i do enjoy writing some raunchy smut from time to time.

ʜᴏᴡ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴜᴘ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜᴇᴀᴅᴄᴀɴᴏɴꜱ?

a lot of them start as mundane thoughts about whatever numdane thing i might be doing in that moment. cooking, cleaning, eating, whatever. then i wonder how that character would react in that same situation. then the thoughts and what-ifs only grow in complexity and depth. or more abstract and philosophical depending on mood and development.

ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡʀɪᴛᴇ ɪɴ ꜱɪʟᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴏʀ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘʟᴀʏ ᴍᴜꜱɪᴄ?

music is an absolute no. it gets me distracted. but i also can't do silence. to i meet in this weird middle where i que up a bunch of random videos on youtube into a playlist and let it play in the background. most of it is like, reddit comps read by some soothing voice. i don't have to actually think about what i'm listening to. sometimes i'll get real lucky and listen to some deep dive into a character i'm writing and it gets the thoughts flowing.

ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘʟᴀɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʀᴇᴘʟɪᴇꜱ ᴏʀ ᴡɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇᴍ?

its a little bit of both. a goal is in mind, whether its my goal or a shared goal with my partner, but its something to reach. however, the actual journey to that point doesn't matter. that gets winged to hell and back. even with a goal in mind it can and sometimes does change in the end. and i'm perfectly okay with that. i like seeing the trajectory change over time one post at a time.

ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ꜱʜɪᴘᴘɪɴɢ?

very much so! both romantic and non. because shipping isn't just romance, but that deep connection between two characters. i try to not focus too much on romance, i swear. i enjoy ans strive to give my characters a variety of relationships.

ᴡʜᴀᴛ'ꜱ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴀʟɪᴀꜱ/ɴᴀᴍᴇ?

when i was new and young on the internet for the first and i was hot emo trash, i chose possibly one of the stupidest anime weeb ass handle i could. oni-sama666. and ever since then my nickname has been oni. the only exception is during my time playing ff14. those that know me from there first, or period, call me reno.

ᴀɢᴇ?

i might as well crumble into dust. age 31

ʙɪʀᴛʜᴅᴀʏ?

Sept 23rd

ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ᴄᴏʟᴏʀ(ꜱ)?

purple, preferably lighter shades like lavender and lilac

ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ꜱᴏɴɢ(ꜱ)?

ugh never make me choose. it changes literally every day. but a consistent favorite right now is savin' me by nickelback

ʟᴀꜱᴛ ᴍᴏᴠɪᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ?

a silent voice (eiga koe no katachi / the shape of voice). shit makes me bawl like a doddamn baby every time

ʟᴀꜱᴛ ꜱʜᴏᴡ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀᴛᴄʜᴇᴅ?

the first two episodes of x-men 97. i'm super gay for gambit in a croptop.

ʟᴀꜱᴛ ꜱᴏɴɢ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪꜱᴛᴇɴᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ?

wasted on you — morgan wallen

ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ꜰᴏᴏᴅ?

a am a slut for a good plate of spaghetti

ꜰᴀᴠᴏʀɪᴛᴇ ꜱᴇᴀꜱᴏɴ?

firstly, i want to state that i live down south in the states. our winters are incredibly mild. but i'll take our winters over all three summers we have.

ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ᴛᴜᴍʙʟʀ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ꜰʀɪᴇɴᴅ?

i'm not as close as i'd like to be. i think very highly of many people here and want nothing more than to be the weird little monkey banging symbols in their dms. but i also don't want to be annoying! my little noggin is always so full of feelings and thoughts about both my muse and about other people's muses. but its so hard getting over my nervousness.

Tagged by: tagged MYSELF

Tagging: be gay. do crime. steal it.

[grcveyacd]

💕

send 💕 and i will tell you some muses of ours i think could work as a ship. ( no longer accepting! )

celine and anna jane — i have yet to do anything majorly figure skate-y with celine yet. she is a ex figure skater who had a career ending accident during a competition. she is now a photographer and she does often still mingle with her old skater friends, and will typically offer to take photos of them for her portfolio. maybe anna and her were rivals at some point? and now with celine no longer being competition, something other than just rivalry could be pursued? maybe she was even there at the very competition where celine had her accident, and would’ve placed under celine if it hadn’t been for her accident? so maybe at the time she was excited cause that meant that she won? open to anything really. 

victor and beatrice — even though we already have a thread with vic, i just wanted to throw him out again with a small idea? okay, he does have younger siblings ( one from his fathers first marriage to vic’s mother and then the other from his second marriage ) and they are extremely rich and often go on trips, that victor often disappears from as soon as the plane lands. he’s a total prick as we well know but, it would be interesting to see their interactions since they would see one another quite a bit? and he would be the type to try to get under her skin, especially on trips, and maybe during one of these trips he actually convinces her to go to a party with him, or maybe he’s told by his step mom to take her with him so that she can get out / away from the children for a little while? again, open to any and all ideas! 

samuel and guinevere — okay, first off we love a soft boy and second, guinevere may come off a little full of herself but she is a softie at heart. she isn’t the relationship type, and does have a hard time juggling her work life and personal life which is why she typically settles for one night stands, or just friends with benefits. maybe she’s trying to scout a large enough boat for a party a client hired her for, and they meet on the dock? it would be a fun little meet cute. and then maybe after he points her in the right direction of who she actually needs to talk to, she could very casually invite him to the party, and it goes from there? i could see her being scared of being something to somebody so, there could be a lot of angst there and just her always be unsure all the time but, at the end of the day, she does want to be with him, despite her fears. 

[lonelyasawhisper]

Brian May Brings Out the Stars

Steven Rosen, Guitar World, March 1984

The Queen guitarist brought together some heavies with Eddie Van Halen on guitar and Phil Chen on bass – for his Star Fleet Project.

BRIAN MAY emerges from one of the myriad cubicles housed within the Capitol Records tower, his six-foot-plus frame showing signs of fatigue due to overwork and a bout with the flu. He is in town finishing tracks for the upcoming Queen album (their twelfth), overseeing the release of his first jam-oriented solo record, coordinating a band video and frantically looking for a way to pick up his child at school. After much juggling and rearranging of schedules there appears to be a free moment and with that May settles his lanky frame into the divan, removes his clogs, and oh-so-calmly inquires "So, what would you like to talk about?"

And before word one is spoken there is a buzz on the lounge telephone. It is May's son informing him that he has arrived safely at home and, as if mentally checking off another responsibility taken care of, Brian settles even deeper into his seat and beams a wide smile.

May has much to smile about. Since the quartet's first album release in September, 1973, Queen has garnered eight gold albums (four of which went platinum), and recorded four singles reaching gold status (two of these went platinum). May, for the most part, has been the helmsman of the band's success. His unique approach to the multi-tracking and orchestrating of guitar parts has set the band apart from all others and the singularly distinctive sound he creates with a self-built guitar stamps Queen indelibly.

May's guitar architecture has been a process many years in the making. The son of a banjo playing father, Brian was taught a few chords by the elder May and after seeing a film of English rock idol Tommy Steele demanded a guitar of his own. It was a small-bodied instrument, owing to his then eight-year-old hands, and with great confusion he attempted to translate the four-string chords from the banjo to the six-string forms on the guitar.

"I never had any tuition on the guitar," explains May. "I did have piano lessons from about twelve to fifteen but I got really impatient and didn't like practicing. I gave it up, which I really regret now."

In grammar school he was involved in a series of bands playing the lunch hours and in fact he started a guitar club which seemed to attract most of the "eccentrics" on campus. These primal bands never performed in public because it went against Brian's fundamentally academic background, a philosophy highly espoused by both parents. The musical muse had already touched the young May and he further set the wheels in motion by electrifying that first acoustic guitar.

"I wound some wire around some magnets," describes May, whose penchant for electronics and construction would later lead him to design his own guitar, "and I plugged that into a record player and that was my electric guitar. It was pretty bad but it's amazing how much you can learn from something as simple as that. You get so involved." He later built an instrument of his own. "My father and I set about it and came up with different designs and finally built it. Originally, I designed the pickups but I ditched them. And although they had a good sound they didn't have a uniform enough feel on top. So I threw them out and put Burns pickups which were commercially available at the time. And that's what I still use. And I fill them up with this epoxy to stop them from being microphonic. Apart from that they're standard."

The guitar – dubbed The Red Fireplace (due to its brickish color) by the Queen members – had a number of peculiarities allowing May to play on it in a fashion denied by other instruments. The tremolo assembly is a far-reaching unit designed to lower the bottom string over an octave. In an age where Floyd Rose and Kahler vibrato pieces are common hardware on most Stratocaster-influenced instruments, this octave-lowering ability seems inconsequential. However, May designed this well over ten years ago and in that period it did have special properties. The guitarist does look at it merely as an effect and has not integrated it into his style in the fashion of someone like Edward Van Halen.

"I like to do airplane noises and crap like that," chides May. "Any kind of cheap gimmick."

The guitar, he admits, is not an easy one to play. Other musicians have strapped on the instrument and while they were impressed with the concept, became depressed by the function. The switches – all bought stock from the hardware store – are positioned in strange fashion and even the playability left most other artists dumbfounded. The neck is fashioned from a piece of old mahogany removed from a fireplace and is treated with several coats of clear finish which gives the fretboard a plastic feel. The main stress points of the body (where the neck is attached to the body; the bridge attachment, etc.) are built from oak while several other types of softwood permeate the main body shell. A semi-acoustic body (no f-holes but an abundance of hollow areas) creates a very live sound and this, too, has proved bothersome to other players in attempting to eliminate feedback. All in all, the instrument is tailored strictly for May's needs.

May's needs live are quite far-reaching. Because he must duplicate – or attempt to duplicate – the tangle of guitar parts liberally sprinkled on virtually every Queen track, he has developed an amplifier setup linked to a series of echo units resulting in a veritable web of sound. In the earlier days of the band, the guitarist wheeled nine Vox AC-30's on stage but only two were actually used. Several other amplifiers were used to house the echo signal (supplied by a modified Echoplex) and in May's own words, this is how the system ran:

"I basically used two amps for the guitar and an Echoplex which was specially extended so I could get long delays. I modified that myself. The modification was to put in a long rail instead of a short one and to turn the feedback back to zero so it's just a single repeat. And the delay comes back into another two (amplifiers) and yet another delay which goes into another two. At the most there are six working at one time."

Most recently he has found that digital units are more technically capable of handling these echo chores and he also realized their durability was far greater than the rather moody – and primitive – Echoplexes. He now makes use of a Digital Recorder because it features the facility of setting time by hitting buttons rather than turning a knob. This frees him to set a rhythm, press once and press again, and lock in the time of the repeat in a single motion.

The only other effect used in a live setting is a self-made one-stage preamp booster producing more signal and increasing the lead gain. By May's standards it is the "crudest" preamp in existence and only offers a gain of about 10 and a very slight bass cut.

May used an abbreviated version of this same setup when he recently and informally jammed with Edward Van Halen; Phil Chen (former bassist with Rod Stewart and Jeff Beck); Alan Gratzer (drummer for REQ Speedwagon); and Fred Mandel (former keyboardist with Alice Cooper and auxiliary player with Queen), in Los Angeles' Record Plant studios. The event took place on April 21-22 of last year when May was in Los Angeles biding time between Queen projects. A long-time friend of Van Halen, May gave Edward a call, assembled the other musicians and brought them together for two days of simple jamming and playing. What resulted was a mini-album (three tracks) titled Brian May & Friends: Star Fleet Project, produced by May and self-described as "A relaxed set of people just laying back and enjoying the fresh inspiration of each other's playing."

This shot of new blood, as it were, was an injection the guitarist sorely needed. Queen had just completed a tour of Japan that previous November and for virtually five months the group had not spoken to each other.

"I realized a big gap in my life was not playing with other musicians. I wanted to get out and find out what it was like to do that. I had almost never done it. We've never been into the superstar thing of people guesting on the albums. In this case we really needed it because we got sorely fed up with each other. We decided we couldn't stand the sight of each other for a few months and we had to take a break. And we did. So we needed that new energy. Roger went out and did another solo album and Freddie did some stuff with various people, including Michael Jackson, and John did some playing with other people and this was my thing. I produced a group called Heavy Petting, played on a few sessions and did this thing. I still think that Queen is stronger than any of its parts; that's why there's still a band called Queen."

On the album Brian uses his array of Vox AC-30's along with The Red Fireplace and while the album is completely live (including May's vocals on an old composition entitled 'Let Me Out') the guitarist's sound is unmistakably present. Because of the live setting May is placed in a rather naked situation without benefit of overdub or second take. He does manage to tear off some stinging blues licks in 'Blues Breaker', a twelve-bar jam dedicated one of May's main influences, Eric Clapton.

"I was a huge Clapton fan," acknowledges May. "I was very, very impressed with Cream. I saw one of their very first shows at Eel Pie Island [an early English stamping ground for many of the then-emerging British bands]. It was obviously an adventure for them at that point. It was really electric and they were all feeling each other out. There was 'Clapton is God' scribbled on all the walls in those days."

Hence the dedication to Clapton on the May solo album. So strong was this attraction that one of Brian's early bands (Smile) covered several Cream compositions and the band itself comprised a guitar, bass and drums setup. Smile was composed of May on guitar, Tim Staffell on vocals and Roger Taylor on drums, and even at this early point the guitarist, a bachelor of science in physics, was experimenting with the guitar orchestration which would come to full fruition several years later on the Queen II album.

"The second album [Queen II] was much different. Then we had a chance to do with the studio all the things we wanted to do. The multi-part guitars and all that. 'Procession' is a completely guitar-orchestrated thing but when the song ['Father to Son'] comes in and you expect just the crunch of the guitar, there's awash of harmony guitars behind. I always wanted to do that and that fulfilled a dream. I wanted to get that on record. I was very upset because I heard Mike Oldfield was doing guitar orchestra things and I wouldn't let myself listen to it. Because I was afraid he was doing what I always wanted to do first. But it turned out to be very different. But that sort of stated what I was into. And when Queen II came out it really didn't connect with a lot of people. A lot of people thought at that time we'd already forsaken rock music. It just didn't relate in their head and they said 'Why don't you play things like "Liar" and "Keep Yourself Alive" which were on the first album. And we said, 'Give it another listen, it's all there, the hipness is there but it's all layered. And it's a new approach.' But nowadays people say Why don't you play like Queen II?' [laughter] A lot of our real close fans think like that. And I still like that album a lot. It's not perfect, it has the imperfections of youth and the excesses of youth, but boy, I think that's our biggest single step ever."

While there are flaws – Brian's parts on several tracks are painfully obvious and highly undramatic (particularly on 'Procession') and the quality of sound on a few of the solos ('Father to Son' has an instrumental passage which is both gritty and metallic) is embarrassing – it is the foundation for the mesmerizing May sound to come. Part of this deficiency in quality is owing to the album's sixteen-track format.

From the beginning, though, May had a vision in his approach to the composition of guitar parts. Part of Queen's stance was the denial of keyboards or other electronic equipment as embellishment to sound (each album was tagged with a "no synthesizers!" warning) and not until The Game did they include any instrument of this type. May saw the guitar as a far more human musical device than the cold steel sounds being generated by an ever-increasing numbers of synthesizers. He felt that every guitar part should embody the same tension and emotion as the main line.

"The guitar for me is an emotional thing and you consciously play it, you consciously mark out the notes and squeeze the string. But there's sort of an unconscious thing there too and the emotion comes from that. There are things going in there which you almost don't realize you're putting in. That's the thing about the guitar, it has this tension and this real emotion. And I wanted the orchestra behind the guitar, every part to have that tension and emotion in it. And that's when I thought you would get the maximum impact and effect. So I just didn't want someone hitting a chord on a keyboard and synthesizers were already beginning to be around and most of the synthesizers at that time were very cold and had no emotion. I wanted it all to be guitars and so that's why I did it. On every part I was out there and pulling everything into it I could. All the emotion and bending just where I thought it should be bent.

"And the thing about a lot of guitar harmonies that people still don't realize is that they shouldn't be parallel any more than vocal harmonies should be parallel. That's not the way to get the real feeling into it. They should do all this crossing over and little discords and all this weaving in and out. Just the same way people build up orchestral scores."

To further tattoo the May sound, the guitarist early on discarded conventional picks (heavy) for an English sixpence, a coin roughly the diameter of an American nickel but with serrated edges. May likes the flexibility of the attack to originate from the fingers and not the pick and he has found that by positioning the coin in a sideways fashion one can obtain a smooth attack owing to the basic malleability of the metal. Angling the pick results in a very raspy and metallic tone due to the serrated edges.

"I find it very sensitive. My fingers are just about touching the strings and you can feel everything that goes on between the string and your finger."

May went on to further develop this layered guitar technique on such songs as 'Killer Queen' (unique in that the three-part harmonized guitar had each line beginning on a different bar), 'Another One Bites the Dust', 'Bohemian Rhapsody', 'Rock It (Prime Jive)' and a list with too many entries to mention. Aside from the Star Fleet Project album, May has been working doggedly on a new Queen album scheduled for release about now and tentatively titled The Works. It will undoubtedly feature May in new and exciting situations and while the band has loosened its stranglehold on the application of synthesizers, Brian's description of the album as "heavy" is an assurance that his guitar will be the predominant instrument.

"I see it (The Works) as being a lot closer to the middle period than the last three or four albums. A lot closer to A Night at the Opera and News of the World and a little bit like The Game. But some of the writing is the next step beyond, it's not going back in time. Because we've integrated some of the modern technologies. But we haven't gone totally toward machine music because the fact is we don't like it.

"Everyone thought we had this huge monster plan, the Queen Machine, but it's an illusion. What happened was we followed our noses and we were lucky enough to find an audience who went along with us. It's as simple as that. We're very fortunate."

Retrieved from rocksbackpages.com

[imsonormalabtduskwood]

About Me

Introduction

This blog is going to be about the game Duskwood made by Everbyte; I’ve finished all of the game so feel free to talk abt spoilers :)

You can call me Eros, and I use vae/they/it pronouns. My main blog is @confusedbutstillgay if you want to follow me there, which is where I post about the other fandoms I’m in

I take requests for writing and moodboards :D you can feel free to send in fanart ideas, but I'm not a huge fan of doing the art thing. Still, I’d love to hear some ideas :)

Even if I’ve not been very responsive, I promise I’m around to answer asks and chat about Duskwood!

Rules:

Please keep all conversation out of DM’s. If you want to talk about Duskwood, I have anon asks on and I try to check my inbox as frequently as possible. I also have anonymous (heh) asks turned on, so feel free to use that.

Please be patient with me if I suddenly stop being really active, I'm juggling a lot of stuff right now and this is just a blog for me to indulge in my love for the game!

Please do not send asks or submit posts about not safe for work content. Swearing is fine.

If you would like to be added to my tag list, I’ll gladly add you! I can definitely form separate tag lists for separate ships, characters, anything you want to request! Thanks!

Tagging System:

(Everything in these marks: || are tags! Also, everything in blue from this point on will be a tag!)

Important Topics:

I'm personally going to put both: | #chapter x spoilers | as well as | #duskwood chapter x spoilers | when posting about spoilers. As of right now I only plan to spoiler posts about chapter 10, seeing as the rest of the game has been out for some time.

I'm going to tag triggering topics, even small mentions of those topics, with |#tw x | and |#x tw |. I will not be tagging swearing as a trigger unless asked to.

| #updates | - any posts with this tag are referring to my updates of this post. If you ever see a post from me with this tag, please come back to this post

| #announcement | - announcements about something I’m doing new or changing

Creativity:

|#raven's [moodboardz/writing/art] | - my moodboards, writing, or art, respectively

| #writing prompts | - other people's writing prompts that I've reblogged- you can send in a prompt (please try to send the link of its original post, too), characters, and/or pairings for me to write about! As well as any musings you have or any ideas you'd like to tack on :)

| #the writing deities are calling | - reblogged posts that made me want to write something based off of it- you can always request writing based off of posts I’ve tagged with this; just make sure to link the post :>

| #raven's theoriez | - my Duskwood theories

| #raven's headcanons | - my Duskwood headcanons

| #raven thinks about duskwood for too long | - basically what the tag says. Sometimes words spill out of my mouth and like a volcano already about to spew, they can't stop

| #oc | - anything regarding my Duskwood OC[s]

| #not my [art/writing] | - art or writing that isn’t mine; usually reblogged. Can also apply to gifs, moodboards, etc.

Interactions:

| #asks | - asks that have been sent in. Requests for moodboards, writing, etc will not be tagged with this tag!

| #[moodboard/writing/art] request | - requests for moodboards, writing, or art

| #ask game | - ask games that I’ve reblogged; you always free to bring up old ask games, but please link them, otherwise I’ll think you’re doing it for the most recent one

Feel free to correct me if I missed tagging a certain post :)

If you would like to ask me to tag a post with a certain trigger warning, feel free to ask, and please link the post, too. If you want me to trigger a certain topic in general, let me know about that, too

That's all I have for now, but I'll send posts if I ever update this list :> thanks for reading!

[clemencetaught]

🍁 + what is professor patrick's grading style? uwu does he use a rubric? does he leave comments in the margins? is he strict about the 11:59 p.m. submission deadline, or does he give a little more leeway? if he's ever done online lectures, is he savvy with virtual meetings, or is he the "can u guys hear me" (no professor ur mic is muted,,,) kind of instructor?

*insert leaf puzzle here* ( leafy meta meme w/ @interxstitial )

send 🍁 + any question you’ve been curious to know about my muse(s)!

i'm assuming this is for verse one, so i'll put this question in that verse <3

you know those professors who genuinely love what they teach and want to spread that love to their students to the point that grades aren't nearly as important to him? yeah, so that's patrick. unfortunately, he has to give grades as mandated by the school so here we are :/ that being said, i would when he's grading while he is giving students feedback on their work when he grading he's not using a rubric as a basis so much as he's evaluating how much the student has grown overtime in his class. every student in this manner is coming from a different point so he always keeps this in mind when giving grades and feedback. one of the biggest things he wants his students to come away with is the ability to write well but also read well and in order to do that, students have to be able to make mistakes....what he'll usually do is give a preliminary grade when a paper is turned in, and then a week later give the papers back w/ feedback so students can make revisions and get a better grade.

i would say the only thing that he's strict is about is the deadline- of course if it is an emergency that would make a student unable to turn in their paper, he'll give a grace period, but for the most part, i do think patrick has a very good bullshit detector ( thanks hyuk ) so if he gets the sense that a student is trying to take advantage of him, he will knock them down a peg or two. i think the fact that at every point in his class from the feedback to the office hours to even the chance to revise papers, he gives students the chance to improve their grade and thereby their writing, he can be strict on the deadline bc he has other priorities he needs to juggle too- a student's inability or unwillingness to respect his time is not going to be a reason his life is thrown out of wack.

( that and all papers must be turned in double-spaced with times new roman font size 12- a student once turned in their paper in comic sans and while he didn't take points off for that, patrick would really prefer not to go through that painful experience again. )

that being said, i do think when he was starting out, he was a tad bit too lenient with his students esp. because he knows what it's like to be a student and therefore doesn't want his class to be too stressful on them when they already have like 4 others to juggle too...however, he found being too lenient often resulted in him having much less time to himself and so boundaries are very necessary- they're here to learn and grow, not to coast by after all.