#Cant believe i drew this in 1 hour

[nothingbizzare]

Running

Redraw of a page from jojolion :

Yasuho my fav character hehehe :))

[theslimeologist]

curious as to how you feel about slime rancher's gameplay as a whole, if you wanna talk about it

oh boy.

slime rancher has a unique chaos-focused gameplay design unlike any other game ive played while also going for a chill farming vibe. after years of playing the first game, and just a handful of hours in the second.. i believe the gameplay loop and level design to be the reason I havent played the series in recent years.

everything in slime rancher is random.

crop yield, crop grow time, slime spawns, slimes feeding themselves, everything. and this is the core, foundational game design philosophy they’ve dedicated themselves to. and they’ve doubled down on the randomness in sr2.

shop stock is random every day. unlocking blueprints come unpredictably. resource nodes are randomly scattered about. weather, which can dictate slime AND material spawning, is 100% random. not even to what weather happens, but what DEGREE the weather is.

this much random chance has made the series appeal to me less and less with time. i love to strategize beyond all else in a farming game, and slime rancher’s “chill chaos” just doesnt accommodate my style of gameplay anymore. i want resource extractors. i want to have a reliable income in terms of resources so i can do all the incredible decorating they’ve added.. but i dont think anything could get me to play hundreds of hours of sr2 to collect resources by hand at the mercy of rng. i did this with gilded gingers for fun. i never wanted to do that for EVERYTHING.

now, to look at sr2’s gameplay and design decisions more closely..

slimes live in corrals. boxes. this is one thing i thought could have always been expanded on. enclosures are as simple as ever, essentially what they always were right from sr1 beta. slimes being fed are still dictated by the chance of food hitting their mouths at the right angle, right time, with the slime in the right mood. it just doesnt work reliably, leading to slime chaos despite any player’s best efforts. the devs seem to see this as part of the game, and not something that could be revolutionized or improved upon. the ranch expansions are as simple as ever. we can decorate them though…! i guess…! i wish there was more thought and love put into the ranching. more involved slime care. i had a lot of ideas i never drew down for how things could change..

moving on to the level design itself, the areas in sr2 feel more confusing than ever for me to navigate. and ive stubbornly believed that is not on me. the islands are focused on experiencing beauty and wonder, but not really designed with normal gameplay quirks that can help players navigate without even knowing they’re being helped. like landmarks. sr2 has the volcano, split tree and the conservatory. these three things are actually pretty difficult to spot in most locations, which really fucking sucks. if you’re lost on the sr2 map, they really just want you to open the map or wander. another thing that has always bugged me a TON, is in the rainbow fields there is a fucking death drop into water that looks like youre walking home. like…. LIKE???? another thing that feels especially controversial to point out is how the super-saturated aesthetic of every area can make an area feel samey, confusing even. rainbow fields have rainbows everywhere. imo, you could have gone for that idea while having brightly coloured trees, rocks, grass, that are DIFFERENT COLOURS. FOR CONTRAST. pick bright colours that complement eachother and sculpt the world with it. when i think of rainbow fields, i honestly can only imagine the purply blue grass and moss on grey stones…

it feels as though sr2 was all about pushing the teams creative and aesthetic abilities with a huge sacrifice to regular gameplay design. a slime rancher sequel was an opportunity to build anew from the ground up and address huge issues with 1’s unreliability due to physics and loading zones, etc. the full game isnt out yet so i cant speak on whether they’ll ever take these kinds of issues into consideration in future patches.

anyway at the end of the day, for a game so focused on aesthetic, slime rancher 2 doesnt even have properly textured tangle largos. I wont bother to look or photograph them all myself because tangles are only from rare weather. but next time you’re in game, check out that flat batty tangle flower for yourself. until that flower gets a proper texture patch i dont really have much else to say.

[ngelwiki]

just watched Film Red last week! and guess what? I spent 2 hours screen capturing Bartolomeo. im his number 1 ultimate fan, cant blame me

i need to LICK his jaw im so serious

look at him, hes such a cutie.

cant believe they drew him in the badass outfit only for it to be only 5 FRAMES in the damn movie... anyway them biceps though slurps

i have more screenshots taken but tumblr doesnt let me post all 47 of them breaks down and sobs

[snakes-on-skates]

silly springtrap sketch

artists notes and progress photos under the cut

i always make the best stuff between 12-3am for some reason. sorry school! fnaf fanart is more important to my brain!

i really really like this one. took about an hour judging by the fact i watched the entire first gtlive playthrough of Into The Pit while drawing it

made this one while testing out some new markers i got :] i find that i enjoy using basic stationary more than fancy artist materials. 80% of this drawing was made with a single yellow-green sharpie. 10% with a gray sharpie. and then the rest is my assortment of markers and colored pencils for stuff like the eyes, wires, and the lighter fur color.

also dont mind that other sketch just out of frame. nearly this whole page is just differently colored animatronic rabbits. this is the only good one

i drew this from memory so if its inaccurate then uhhh *runs away*

anyways process photos time yayayyayy!!!!!1!!1!1!1!

first lil sketch :] and yes i did forget part of his ear is missing. sue me

this was originally supposed to be a springbonnie drawing lol inspired by the scene in Into The Pit where hes looking into the suits eyes while youre hiding. and then i did the eyebrows and i was like this. doesnt look very much like springbonnie. and then ding! springtrap exists! yayayayy

i do really like springtrap as a concept so im glad it worked out the way it did

but yeah most of the ""lineart"" up to this point was just me going over and over with the same sharpie

forgot to take any more photos till it was done </3 sorryyyyyyy ;p

took me ages to figure out how i wanted to do the lighter fur patterns :/ ended up just using a bunch of colored pencils on top of eachother

i cant believe its been 10 years. this franchise means so much to me aghhhh i love these dumb furry robots forever and ever and ever

[nylahsviewontheworld]

ear-worms

There is a constant playlist of songs rapidly flowing in my brain. The songs I find myself most connected to are songs about love and heart break. Although I have never had my heart broken, I love love and I find songs that tend to be about heart-break have deeper meaning. The comparison between who they were before they got their heart broken and who they are left to be draws me in. I love the raw, and uncivilized emotions and how they are now someone who is broken. Because I believe, that everyone is a little cracked.

The 5 songs I have chosen:

"Set Fire to the Rain"- Adele

"In a new bed"- Matt Maltese

"Moving on"- Kodaline

"Time has come again"- Last Shadow Puppets

"Scott Street"- Phoebe Bridgers

"Set fire to the rain" is a classic. I remember hearing this song when growing up, and feeling overwhelmed by the amount of angst this song has. This song makes me feel like I had gotten my heart broken, and I am now seeking for answers as to why they left. I specifically love the bridge, where she says "even now when were already over, I cant help myself from looking for you." This song is definitely the first song I will play when I am going through heartbreak. I found "In a New Bed", after I had heard Matt Maltese's song "As the World Caves In." I had fallen in love with the raspiness in his voice and how it combatted perfectly with the dark lyrics. I then found in a new bed and it shortly became one of my favorite songs of his. In a new bed is about how time changes and how she's moved on with someone else and is sleeping in their bed. Resembling the name of the song in a new bed. This song drew me in because it was one of the first heartbreak songs I had heard from a guys perspective. I had only heard guys perspectives on heart break from songs dating back to the 70's. This, was a fresh new take on modern music and it had drawn me in. "moving on" by Kodaline is one of those songs you can listen to on repeat and it would never get old. This song is so beautiful. It talks about how he sees the woman he used to love and she has moved on and became the woman she wanted to be and he was in awe of her. He questions how she remembered him. Then, towards the end of the song, he says that he'll keep on moving on to get over her. Hence, the name of the song. This song felt like poetry. I was drawn into this song because it was also written from a mans perspective. "Time has come again" by the last shadow puppets is such an enthralling song. From the beat to the lyrics, I was drawn in. They kind of reminded me of the arctic monkeys, but I felt their songs were more my style. They are now my favorite band. This song was something I had found purely based on luck. This is definitely the most poetic song of the bunch. It discusses how the time has come again for them to get back together after being on and off since they were 16. This song is truly beautiful, I have no words when listening to it. Finally, "scott street" by phoebe bridgers makes me cry every. time. Scott street is not a song about your heart being broken, but more so a song about growing up. I remember listening to this as my friends were leaving me for college and crying for 1-2 hours straight. This song is about leaving your hometown and all you know and coming back a different person. My favorite line from this song is "anyway don't be a stranger." I now say this to my friends all the time because I am worried they will forget me when they meet new people.

[overlookingviewx]

i swear most of these r cooler and funnier in my head, i swear

extra:

i was zooming out to check if there's something wrong and realized from afar it looks like an album cover LMAO

[skenpiel]

the other day we were visiting some family friends and their 8 y/o daughter drew a picture of me and i am SO in love with it im honestly considering pulling a temmie and just making it my sona everywhere

[maggiedelusional]

Let Me Go || Part 2

Pairing: Hangman x f!reader, (eventual) Rooster x f!reader

Warnings: none, lots of innuendos

Word Count: 2.1k

Summary: Reader is married and shares a child with Hangman, life and circumstances drives reader into Rooster’s arms, but Hangman isn’t giving up that easily

Author’s Note: I cant believe I’m posting the second part of this story in less than 12 hours I was honestly pleasantly surprised at how much you all enjoyed this premise. I mostly wrote the story down for me and my sister bcs i could not get it out of my mind. I honestly couldn’t stop thinking about the next part of the story so I knew I HAD to write it down. I know that Hangman was a little ooc in the last part, in my defense I wasn’t completely used to writing him yet, and I feel like that ooc’ness was large in part due to the tension between him and the reader. I hope he’s a bit more in character i this one. And to my rooster fans, bare with me, just a little bit more until he makes his appearance. Thank you to my little sister (@jhelly-bean) for editing some grammar. And please let me know if I should keep going, or if you want to be added to the tag list :)

Rooster Playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4tS2I0YnKUSrBOMSUCqLgh?si=6a1898d0be474904

Hangman Playlist:

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2z4lAcBPvbCx19NWni8DVS?si=f7da4ba91773424e

Part 1| Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9

Italics is past

Jake stares at the spot in the driveway where your car was parked, a small migraine forming from the amount of travel he endured in the past two days. He knew you were still upset, but he’d never felt this much ice from you before.

In the past, when you were mad at him you would scream, yell, and on one or two occasions, throw a shoe at him. This time around was different. You were….cordial. Jake could handle anger or heat, that’s what drew you to one another in the first place. He’d never met anyone whose fire matched his. 

The Hard Deck was packed despite being a Tuesday night. Its patrons consisted mostly of uniforms, with a small mix of civilians. You were working the bar that night, while simultaneously reading from a thick purple book, adorned with the large block letters “LSAT”. You were already annoyed at the pilots who sauntered into the bar, egos the size of an elephant, your patience only wearing thinner as the night progressed. 

Jake “Hangman” Seresin walked in around 10 o’clock with an ego that could rival the other pilot’s in the establishment combined. “Hey baby, you wanna get me a beer?” You hear his voice behind you as you bury your nose into your book.  You respond by not turning around or looking up. “First of all, I’m not your ‘baby’ and I’ll get to you when I get to you. You’re not the only person at this bar.”

“Okay I may not be the only person at this bar, but I guarantee you. I’m the sexiest.” Jake says with a smirk.

You were now officially irked. 

You looked up from your book to see possibly one of the most attractive men you’ve ever laid your eyes on. His blonde hair seemed to reflect the moonlight despite being indoors. He had a jawline that you were sure was sharp enough to cut one of your beer taps, and a body probably carved by God himself. But what caught your attention the most…the mischievous glint in his eyes, a small fire building that begged you to challenge him. 

But of course, you would never let him have the pleasure of knowing that you found him breathtaking. “Sexiest? There are other S words I would use to describe you.” You smirk.

“Oh? what would those be?” He inquired smugly. “Spectacular, Stunning, Sublime, Satisfying?” 

“How about Self Absorbed, Simple Minded, and Stuck-up?” You challenged.

Jake stared at you with a grin on his face, eyes twinkling in interest, as he scanned your body up and down. 

“Sharp tongue you got there, I wonder what else it can do?”  He said with a wink.

You felt the fire grow, leaving a tingling sensation in the pit of your stomach. Not sure if it was anger or desire but you were determined to put the cocky pilot in his place. 

“I’ll tell you what, play me in a round of pool. If you win, then maybe I’ll let you find out exactly what my tongue can do.” You paused, watching that mischievous glint in his eyes twinkle.” But if I win, then I ring the bell.” You proposed as you pointed to a sign on the bar: 

“Disrespect a woman, the Navy, or have your phone on the bar and you buy a round”. 

“I’ll agree to those terms, but try not to be too upset when you lose Sweets. By the way, I’m sure you will have no problem with this but I don't like teeth.'' He said arrogantly, only to be met by a roll of your eyes.

“Stripes or solids, Sweets?” He asked as he tosses you a pool cue.

 “Cash or credit, Zuko?” You rebutted your own nickname for him.

“Ouch Sweets you wound me, I am so much foxier than John Travolta” the handsome stranger replied as he dramatically clutches his heart

“You may be, but you’re just as arrogant.” You say, with a bat of your eyelashes.

“How about this, I’ll stop calling you Zuko, if you stop calling me Sweets?” 

“No can do, Sweets, looks like I’m going by Zuko now. Unless you wanna know my real name, so you know what to moan later after this is done.” He said with a wink.

You couldn’t help the heat that was now traveling lower down your body. You quickly turned your face away from him so he didn’t see the redness spreading on your cheeks.

“Call me whatever you want Zuko, but when this is over you will be buying me and everyone in this bar a drink.” You retorted as you bent over to take the break shot.

“If you just wanted me to buy you a drink Sweets, you should’ve just asked. I’m not the one to deny a pretty la-Hggh!” He hunched over in pain as you hit him in the stomach with the pool cue, sinking 2 different solid balls in the process.

“Oops!” You said with a smile.

 “Your turn Zuko.” 

You two continued an intense game with both of you neck and neck the entire game. There were moments where he stood a little too close to you. Moments where you could feel the heat coming off of him, making the temperature of your body rise even higher. The game ended with you finally sinking the 8 ball. You stood up straight, smiling satisfied at defeating your opponent. 

“Looks like you owe me a drink, Zuko.” You smiled at him. His smirk dropped for a second upon his defeat, but it was back as quickly as it left. 

“Good game Sweets.” He admitted as he offered a handshake. You grabbed his hand to reciprocate the handshake, accidentally noticing how his larger hand enveloped your smaller one. You couldn’t help but notice the warmth that radiated between both of your hands. 

“The name’s Lt. Jake Seresin, call sign, Hangman.” He said, you let go of his hand after what felt like an eternity. You nodded in acknowledgement. 

“And your name, Sweets?” Jake asked.

“Nuh uh. You haven’t earned that quite yet, Seresin.” You flashed him a smile, as you walked away. 

Jake watched you in awe as you strutted back to the bar and rang the bell, causing everyone in The Hard Deck to cheer. 

That’s when Hangman knew he found a match in you. 

After 3 persistent weeks, he finally learned your name and 2 weeks after that you agreed to go on a date. You were never the type to go down easy and Jake lived for your constant battles. Even his proposal to you was during the heat of an argument.

“(Y/n) I don't understand why you refuse to hear me out on this!” Jake yelled exasperatedly.

“Because I’ve told you over and over again, I am not going to give up my dreams just so I can follow you around the world like a sad puppy dog!” You replied with equal fervor.

“I am not asking you to give up your career, I am just asking you to take a job that will give you more flexibility, we hardly see each other as it is!” 

“Jake, I did not bust my ass at law school, and brown nose at this firm for a whole degrading year just so I can leave because you want me to!” 

“Why are you incapable of any compromise (y/n)?! Do you even care about making this relationship work?” Jake screamed in a huff.

“You’re unbelievable, I’ve done nothing but support your dreams and your ambition for the past 4 years Seresin, I have been the one sitting in this goddamn house while you’re shipped off God knows where?! I can never know how long you’ll be gone or if you’ll even come back! I have not once complained or stood in your way. The one time that I ask for your support, I’m suddenly selfish? I’m the one who doesn’t want to make it work?” Your screams turned into anguished cries as you tried to wipe off the tears spilling down your face, struggling to hold yourself up. You slid down the wall tucking your legs into your chest.

Jake paced angrily as he processed what you said, “UGH FUCK!” He exclaimed as he threw his phone across the room. He walked into the closet and came back out, but you didn’t notice the small black box he brought back with him. 

“I never want to stand in the way of your dreams (y/n). It’s just so fucking hard only seeing you for days at a time and not having you beside me/” His voice still boisterous, but less aggressive. “You are the most aggravating woman I’ve ever met, how we haven’t killed each other yet I don’t know, but you challenge me, you keep me grounded, and I cannot imagine another day where you are not my wife!” 

His last words caught your attention and left a gasp in your throat as you looked up. Your eyes met as he kneeled in front of you with a ring. 

“Please spend the rest of our lives humbling me (y/n). Marry me.” He stared at you as he awaited your response. 

You nodded your head as the tears threatened to spill over once again. But this time, it was happy tears. 

You accepted his embrace and sat in his arms.

“I will marry you, as long as you admit that I’m Spectacular, Stunning, Sublime, Satisfying.” You said with a smirk.

“Anything for you Sweets.” 

He did admit that you were all those things that night and showed you just how satisfying he could be. 

All he’s ever known in your relationship is fire, if you were screaming at him or locking him out of the house or even giving him a bitter remark, he would know how to handle it. It's not like you were being particularly unkind to him, that would make sense in his head. But this… pleasantness, almost indifference, coming from you left a very bad taste in his mouth. 

“Daddy! You’re not paying attention!” His feisty 4 year old exclaims at him, sitting at her child sized piano. Astrid had his eyes and his blonde hair but everything else was all you. The sassy attitude, the way that she put her hands on her hips when she demanded your attention, her love for spicy food despite only being 4 years old, the way that you both furrowed your eyebrows and grit your teeth when hungry, and especially the way that you had him completely wrapped around your fingers.

“Aww I’m sorry Pixie, can you play the song again?” Jake asks his daughter with a smile.

“Fine daddy, but this is the last time okay?” She threatens with her small toddler sized finger.

“Yup exactly like her mother through and through.” He thought to himself.

Astrid plays the opening chords of a song Hangman (unfortunately) knew too well. 

“You shake my nerves and you rattle my brain, too much love drives a man insane, you broke my will, oh what a thrill, goodness gracious great balls of fire!” 

Hangman sat as he listened to his daughter sing the entire song, she missed a few notes and got some of the words wrong or jumbled up but he was very impressed with her skill especially at 4 years old. 

Hangman clapped, whistled, and gave a standing ovation as Astrid finished her performance and did her dramatic bows. 

“Wow, that was amazing, Pixie! I didn’t know you could play piano!” 

“Thank you Daddy! Uncle Roo Roo taught me!” Astrid said with a big smile

“Uncle Roo Roo?” Jake asked with an amused grin

“Uncle Rooster!”

Jake felt his stomach drop. 

“So Uncle Rooster has been hanging out with you and your mom?” He asked his daughter cautiously.

 “Yeah sometimes, I usually see him whenever Mommy is sad, he makes her smile and makes me chocolate chip pancakes!” The 4 year old answered enthusiastically.

“That’s good Pixie. Come on it's getting late, let's get you in a bath so you’re not stinky when Mommy comes home.” 

“Okay!” Astrid says as she starts up the stairs. 

Jake loved the time he spent with his daughter, and he was thankful that (y/n) still let him be around after what he did. But he couldn’t help but feel a brick form in his stomach as he got Astrid ready for bed. 

Jake patiently waited for (y/n) to return, sitting on the couch in the living room. He eventually fell asleep waiting. He finally hears a car pull up into the driveway and he checks the time to see it was a little past 11. (y/n) walks into the house, immediately finding Jake’s eyes.

“Hey Zuko.” She said with a small smile.

“(Y/n), how’s ‘Uncle’ Rooster?”

@alldaydreamers-blog1 @luckyladycreator2 @lunamoonbby @n3ssm0nique @and-claudia  @marrianena @hummusxx @writeroutoftime @abrielleholland

Let me know if you want to be added to or removed from the tag list :)

[illfoandillfie]

5 Simple Rules for a Successful Relationship: Blurb

This wasn’t requested by anyone but the idea has been kicking around my head basically since I wrote the Ben POV chapter

Warnings for fluff and smut but it’s all very soft

5 Simple Rules Series Masterlist

Blurb Advent Day 1

Taglist since it’s part of a series: @vee-ndetta @atomic-watermelon @kellypenac @labessieisallama @deakyclicks @jennyggggrrr @drowseoftaylor @hannafuckingsucks @i-cant-hangout-im-drumming @queenmylovely @taron-egrotten @johndeaconshands @borhapbois @stardust-galaxies 

@coni-martina @hardforbenhardy @cubedtriangle @vicouscirce @arianabrashierstuff @pattieboydwannabe @maggieroseevans @theprettyandthereckless @friccinfricks 

Ben had it all planned out. He’d known how he was going to ask for a while, before he’d even picked out the ring. But, so far, he hadn’t been able to put his plan into action. As much as he wanted to ask it never quite felt like the right time. There was always something going on, somewhere to be – work or dinner with friends or general errands to sort out. But he knew how he wanted it to happen. He’d cook dinner, your favourite meal of course, followed by dessert made from scratch, really bring out the big guns. Afterwards he’d put on some music, a playlist of love songs he’d been adding to for months now, maybe ask you to dance. It was a little corny but sometimes corny was okay. Later on he’d pop into the kitchen and pull out your two mugs and place the ring in the bottom of yours before returning to the couch to sit with you. And then, at the usual time, he’d say he could really go with a hot drink before bed. He knew you’d volunteer to make them since he’d made dinner so he’d wait for you to leave the room before following. He’d listen for the gasp of surprise when you checked the mugs and saw the ring. That would be his cue to step into the room and get down on one knee and ask you to marry him. He had the speech ready to go too, knew what he wanted to say. How fast he’d fallen for you, how glad he was you were with him, how much he loved you.

Thinking about actually popping the question made Ben nervous. But the good kind of nervous. Of course the topic of weddings and marriage had come up before, abstractly. It was nearly unavoidable when his mum would not-so-subtly check for an engagement ring every time you visited, and then even less so when Gwilym got engaged and invited you both to the party. So he’d asked you about it, whether you had ever considered the whole settling down thing – marriage, kids, white picket fence, the lot. He was pleased to find out you liked the idea, had even imagined what the future might be like with him. The only thing you didn’t want was a public proposal which Ben fully supported. After all the attention you’d received as a result of the relationship, all the magazine articles and snapped photos while you were just trying to buy milk and bread, it felt wrong to voluntarily make such a private situation public. Ben was sure you’d be asked about it in future interviews and on social media and he wouldn’t mind sharing the story then, after he was sure you’d say yes. He had no reason to believe you wouldn’t but there was always that slight uncertainty, that intrusive doubt that made him wonder if you’d just tell him to bugger off instead. He found comfort in the plan though. Knowing exactly what he would do was reassuring. But even the best laid plans weren’t guaranteed.

Ben’s actual proposal caught him off guard as much as it did you. It was early on a Saturday, sometime between two and three. Usually you’d both be fast asleep but instead you were stumbling into the house, lit only by the grey light of the morning. You hadn’t meant to stay at the afterparty for so long but people kept handing you drinks and drawing you into conversations and music was still pumping through the speakers and before you knew it five more minutes had become a couple of extra hours. Ben emptied his pockets onto the hall stand as he watched you lean against the front door and kick off your shoes. He couldn’t resist catching you in a quick kiss before he wrapped his arm around you with a soft, “C’mon cuddle bunny,” and lead you towards the bathroom. Both of you set about brushing teeth and washing faces and changing into pyjamas. He chuckled as he watched you extract an almost obscene amount of bobby pins from your hair before you retied it to sleep in. But, even after everything was done and you’d both climbed under the covers, sleep didn’t come. Ben, eyes closed in an attempt to trick sleep into taking him, felt you move under his arm and peeked through his lashes to find you facing him.

“You okay?” His voice was hushed though there was no real need and when you responded yours was too.“Yeah just not really tired,” “Me neither,” “Do you wanna…?” “Now?” “Well just lying here waiting to drop off is a bit boring but I also don’t really feel like getting up,” “Alright then, why not.” “If you fall asleep half way through I won’t hold it against you,” “Shut up and take your pants off,” Ben laughed, already wriggling out of his. “You just didn’t sound very enthusiastic,” “I am always enthusiastic about this,” Ben forgot everything else he might have said as you pulled him into a kiss.

The sex itself was okay. Nothing special really. You’d had better sex plenty of other times, though you’d also had worse. The best way to describe it was fine. It wasn’t mind blowing but it was comfortable and reliable and fine. Ben felt a little clumsy as he kissed you back, his hand roaming over your side and down to your arse. He supposed the dark of the room and the drinks you’d both put down over the course of the night were having an impact, but, by the way you giggled against his lips, it seemed you found it cute more than anything else. To compensate for his inelegant fingers, Ben moved slowly, enjoying kissing you as much as he could. He hummed when you slid your hand down between your bodies and found his dick, stroking it unhurriedly. There wasn’t a need to go faster, no built up passion to release. The sex was a way to kill some time. Even when you hooked your leg over his and he sank into you, nothing really changed. But Ben knew what you liked and did his best to hit those spots as he wrapped his arms around you and kissed you again. He decided he must be doing something right based off the small keening noises you made. All the same he didn’t expect your next outburst, said softly right against his lips.

“God Ben, I want you inside me forever,” It slipped out before he could second guess himself, “Then marry me,” “What?” Ben paused his movement, not totally sure he’d actually said it until he drew back enough to look at you and saw the stunned expression you wore. His heart pounded as he realised this was it, this was the moment, “Might be easier to do that if we’re married is all. So, will you? Will you marry me?” It took a few moments for the question to sink in but once it had you nodded in agreement. You felt the same. “Yes?” “Yes.” “Yeah? You’ll marry me?” “Yes, yes, I’ll marry you,” Ben broke out into a grin and swept you into another kiss though he cut it off abruptly, “Wait, hold on,” somewhat ungracefully Ben pulled out of you and rolled out of the bed, switching on a lamp and heading over to his chest of draws. He dug around in one for a moment before he pulled out a small box which he brought back to the bed. Kneeling in front of you, he popped the box open to show you the ring before taking it and sliding it onto your finger.

You couldn’t help but stare, holding you hand out in front of you to see how it looked. It was beautiful, not too over the top but not exactly understated either, and it fit perfectly. When you raised you eyes back to Ben’s face you noticed his eyes glistening. “I love it Ben, I love you,” “I love you too Y/N,” he whispered back, kissing you again and laying you back down.

As Ben sank back into you, you placed your hand on his chest, picking up his body heat except where the cool metal of the ring lay. You could feel his heart beating under your palm as he rolled his hips against you, trying to finish what you’d started. It took a little while longer, though things moved less slowly than they had before the interruption of the proposal. Ben dropped his fingers to your clit as he felt you getting closer, drawing gentle circles until the warm wave rolled through you, pulling a soft sigh from your lips. He kept his fingers there as if to try to give you another orgasm, maybe one not quite so soft, but you pulled his hand away, linking his fingers with yours as you kissed his throat and encouraged him to finish too. It didn’t matter that your orgasm hadn’t been particularly powerful. All that mattered was that Ben was with you and he always would be.

Afterwards you curled up, leaning your head on Ben’s chest, his arm around you. He sighed contentedly and kissed the top of your head. “So much for sleeping,” he chuckled. “What we did was better than sleep,” “Definitely. And if we hold out for a little longer we could watch the sunrise,” “I don’t know if I’ll last that long,” “No, me neither. It’d be nice though,” You agreed and lapsed into a comfortable silence. And then a thought struck you, “You know, we’re going to need a cover story,” “What?” “People are going to want to hear the story of how you proposed. Felicity, Joe, Gwil, the rest of our friends, our families, not to mention paparazzi and the press, they’ll all ask.”  “Fuck.” “So you don’t want to look your mother in the eye and explain it happened mid shag either? Good to know we’re on the same page,” Ben laughed, “Funnily enough, that was very unplanned. I had something much more romantic and better prepared in mind when I thought about how I’d do it. A whole big speech about you being the love of my life and how I want to spend every day of my life making you feel happy and safe and loved,” “Go on then, what was it,” Ben explained his original idea, about the dinner and the mugs, all the while playing with your fingers as if he didn’t want to break contact.  “That does sound wonderful, but I have to admit, I really love how it actually happened,” “Me too,” he laughed, “But that’s good. Because now we have a story to tell everyone and a slightly more accurate story just for ourselves.”

[fluffyglass]

THE MR. RUDE APOLOGISM MASTERPOST

you may be asking "Oh dear god what has Finn gotten up to this time?" well, that my friend, is a very valid question! The answer to which is as follows: He's rewatched every single TMMS segment with Mr. Rude in it to prove that he's done nothing wrong!

After many many hours of rewatching, I've come to some conclusions on the depressed tomato man. I'll give a quick rundown here, then throw my episode by episode analysis under the cut.

Season 1

Mr. Rude is in 30 episodes in Season 1.

In only 3 of these episodes does he do anything wrong.

In 4 of the episodes where he's innocent, Mr. Fussy yells at him for no reason.

Season 2

Mr. Rude is in 30 episodes in Season 2.

In only 6 of these episodes does he do anything wrong.

In 1 of the episodes where he's innocent, as well as one where he did do something wrong, Mr. Fussy yells at him for no reason.

Conclusions

In total, Mr. Rude only actually did anything wrong in 9 out of the 60 segments he's in, which is 15%. That's less than a quarter of the time. Even counting the three episodes I was unsure about, that's only 12/60. 20%. Still less than a quarter.

Why have I been bringing up Mr. Fussy? Because this experience genuinely made me not like him anymore. In only one out of Mr. Fussy's 7 appearances with Mr. Rude does he not yell at him, and in five of the times he does - it was completely unjustified.

Now, onto the episode by episode section!

Ah, you wanna see my episode by episode analysis? Well, I'll give you a quick color legend first.

Yellow - Mr. Rude does nothing wrong

Red - Mr. Rude does something wrong

Blue - Mr. Fussy yells at Mr. Rude for no reason

Pink - I have no idea what to put for this one lmao

Also, there's a ton of cursing in here because I wrote these notes as I went along and I don't feel like editing them to be more professional. You get what you get when it comes to Mr. Rude apologism.

SEASON 1

Flying - He does nothing wrong, he just asked Mr. Grumpy to do his fucking job. Though, I will admit, he was a dick about it.

Music - He does nothing wrong, Miss Naughty is a fucking bitch and Mr. Fussy targeted him for no got damn reason even though he has fucking ears and should have heard Miss Naughty going off on her fucking cymbals. Miss Naughty also tried to poison him so

Farm - He does nothing wrong, those bitch ass crows broke his fucking robot I cant believe this.

Booboos - He does nothing wrong, he literally just wants some decent service while he is in the fucking hospital and Mr. Scatterbrain is a fucking moron about it

Mall - He's barely in it and I will admit he is a bit of an asshole in this one but he doesn't do anything explicitly wrong

Birthday - He does nothing wrong, he just wants to buy a birthday present for his homie Mr. Grumpy. In fact, he shows that he cares about his friend because he knows what he would want (and gets something he wouldnt like, presumably as a joke). Hes a caring friend but also a troll.

Superstore - He does nothing wrong, he just wants to return his shitty toaster. It ends up well for everyone involved :)

Books - He does nothing wrong, he is literally just neurodivergent and cannot read social situations

Camping - He does nothing wrong, he tried to warn everyone that they were going the wrong way, and then called out Miss Whoops on her fucking bullshit and putting everyone in danger. He then proceeded to fucking die. Miss Daredevil doesnt even give a shit about two of the raft riders fucking dying what the fuck.

Paint - He does nothing wrong, he just wants to finish his painting commission.

Jobs - This is the one I time I'll admit he does something really wrong. He commits multiple driving related crimes, as well as throwing his sandwich at Mr. Quiet, splashing Mr. Nosey and Mr. Small, and taking advantage of Mr. Scatterbrain's stupidity. He also crumpled up Mr. Scatterbrain's drawing of a hamster.

Trains - He does nothing wrong, Mr. Fussy's a bitch ass motherfucker, and he did more good than bad because he rescued Mr. Messy at the end.

Fair - He does nothing wrong, he got a fucking pie yeeted at him of course he wouldn't like it. He does put the pie in Mr. Scatterbrain's face though but he already got it in his face so it's just even now. He then proceeds to be pelted with pies. But thankfully it seems like they're both having fun by the end.

Movies - Yeah he's a bit of an asshole in this one. He puts too much cheese on Mr. Happy's nachos (and then throws them at him). He does get his karma though cause he gets fucking trapped in the popcorn machine someone please save him oh my god.

Dance - He does nothing wrong, he just has taste.

Inventions - He does nothing wrong, Miss Chatterbox just doesnt like him for the way he is which is super fucked up of her. What the fuck, man. He accepts Miss Chatterbox's invention regardless. He then proceeds to be abused by everyone around him. Hes totally justified in being mean at the end.

Amusement Park - Okay yeah he was an asshole in this one, cause he was rude to Miss Calamity about her supposed grooming habits. However, he was also abused a lot during multiple of the bumpers, which I guess counts as karma.

Adventure - He literally doesnt even do anything in this one

Rainy Day - Dude, his entire fucking family died. Give him a break.

Games - He did nothing wrong, he won the fucking game but Mr. Scatterbrain took the credit what the fuck he only had 3 POINTS MR RUDE HAD 4 MR. HAPPY YOU DUMB YELLOW FUCK LEARN HOW TO COUNT

Restaurants - He does nothing wrong, Mr. Fussy is so fucking mean to him I will never get over this he deserves so much better what the fuck

Cars - he's just vibin man

Canned Goods - He does nothing wrong, he just ate some beans man

Collecting - he's barely in it and just kinda vibes

Full Moon - He does nothing wrong, he legit just got kidnapped by some fucking aliens with his alien husband

Heatwave - He does nothing wrong, 6 gay men just casually committed acts of Home Invasion and are going to be arrested for their crimes against him.

Sleep - He does nothing wrong, and I doubt anyone would have even noticed he was asleep if Miss Chatterbox kept her fucking mouth shut. He cant control what hes doing if hes fucking asleep. Even after all that he still clapped for Mr. Fussy, who hates him, at the end. What a champ.

Carwash - He does nothing wrong, Miss Calamity technically fucking kidnapped him what the fuck.

Lawns - He does nothing wrong, he didn't want to take his lawn to begin with and then got his lawn ruined for literally no reason, even after warning Me. Nosey and Mr. Small that their invention was gonna explode. He even gave Miss Chatterbox the joy in knowing she "won".

Parade - He does nothing wrong, he legit just made a float and Mr. Fussy fucking bullied him for it. What the fuck.

SEASON 2

Clean Teeth - Yeah hes a bitch in this one but Mr. Fussy was also a bitch so it evens out.

Airports - He does nothing wrong, he just wanted to go on his flight. Of anything, Miss Scary was more rude than he was.

Game Shows - He does nothing wrong like. Genuinely nothing, and then gets physically assaulted.

Hats - He does nothing wrong, Mr. Grumpy's just a fucking bitch and took credit for both his and Mr. Tickles hats. What the fuck, man.

Robots - He does nothing wrong, he legit just got his baguette burnt wtf

Up and Down - He's fine for the first bit but I will admit hes an asshole in the second one

Gifts - He does nothing wrong, he's just trying to keep Mr. Tickle from fucking assaulting people. Then his entire store is destroyed for no reason.

Sun and Moon - He does nothing wrong, he barely did anything at all

Telephone - I refused to watch this one I just know hes a bitch in it

Washing and Drying - He does nothing wrong, he just wanted his laundry done and he got assaulted at the end. Why is this a trend.

Fruit - He stole Miss Sunshines fucking fruit and then proceeded to endanger everyone around him by driving recklessly. What the fuck, man.

Radio - He does nothing wrong, Mr. Scatterbrain is just a moron, and Miss Whoops is a dumbass.

Supermarket - ???

Cinema - He doesn't do anything wrong, and he looks very nice in his new hat.

Post Office - He doesn't do anything wrong, hes trying his best okay (he also gets covered in stamps at the end)

Pets - He doesn't do anything wrong, he doesn't do anything at all

Dance Dance Dance - He doesn't do anything wrong, Mr. Fussy's a fucking bitch

Trees - He doesn't do anything wrong, someone free him

Library - He didnt even do anything man

Pirates - He doesn't do anything wrong, in fact he is the first to jump in and protect his crewmates from the aliens. He also saves the entire space crew in the end.

Trains and Planes - He doesn't do anything wrong, he barely does anything to begin with

Out to Sea - He doesn't do anything wrong, it makes sense for him to act in his own self interest because he was stuck on a deserted island with those three morons for 30 fucking days. He didn't intend to take the boat, because the tide rolled him out. He is now inevitably going to die.

Next Door - Yeah hes a bitch in this one, but he didnt deserve to get his fucking car crushed.

Lunch - He doesn't do anything wrong, Mr. Stubborn drew first blood.

Machines - This is a weird one. Is he really in the wrong for wanting to go home? I mean, it's safe to assume Miss Giggles is fucking dead if she was taken by a dinosaur. He even vows not to doubt Miss Daredevil at the end and is happy to see Miss Giggles okay

Fairies and Gnomes - even though he thinks it's silly that Mr. Nervous is scared of a garden gnome, he still "arrests" it to make him happy :)

Home Improvement - He doesn't do anything wrong, Mr. Stubborn is just a moron.

Birds - He doesn't do anything wrong, he was even nice enough to invite Mr. Nervous along for the birdwatching trip. He's totally justified in not giving a shit about Mr. Fussy because Mr. Fussy has been nothing bit horrible to him the entire show.

Parks - He does nothing wrong he just wanted a burger

Surprises - Refused to watch this one again, I just know hes a bitch

Wow, that's a lot. Anyways, as a proud Mr. Rude apologist, I conclude that he's an innocent man and doesn't deserve the shit he gets. I can get taking his drivers license though that man cannot drive for the life of him

[witchcraft-in-wonderland]

Carnival of Carelessness (Pt.1)

-------------------------

The carnival was a place of many things. During the day it was a place of joy, mystery, laughter, amazement, terror. But at night it was a place of solitude, a place that most wouldn't dare come near. No one knew why, except for the people inside.

One of these was Virgil Whitlock, a boy in his twenties, who had no intentions of telling anyone just how much he knew about what happened when the carnival lights went out. Of course it wasn't from a lack of trying, oh no there'd been plenty of close calls, but he could never seem to remember anything that happened to him or anyone he met the day prior. He never questioned it, and more often than not no one knew enough about him to ask, so of course he was perfectly fine.

So here he was sitting at his booth before the show started, giving out fortunes neither he, nor anyone he have them to, really believed. But this was his livelihood, give out fortunes before the show, spin on fancy ropes and hoops during, and go right back to fortunes when its over. Fairly simple, just how he liked things to be.

"Show starts in thirty minutes!" Virgil flinched as the Ring Master's voice sounded from the speakers. He was loud enough without them, in Virgil's opinion he didnt even need a microphone.

Virgil stood up and closed down his booth, walking in through the back of the tent and into the dressing room. As he reapplied his makeup for the show, he ignored the whispers from the other performers. He'd been here since he was a child, he wasnt about to let them tarnish his opinion of himself.

Once he finished his makeup he sat on a ring covered in purple and black fabric, using the rope in front of himself to pull it up. He looked down at the crowd, a sort of sad smile across his face. He caught the Ring Master's eyes on him and gave a small wave before handing the rope off to one of the assistants.

This was Virgil's true element, soaring over the audience, watching the awed faces of the children as he let the ropes fall, yet somehow stayed above ground. It was bliss, no men barking orders at him, or whispering things in his ear that made his stomach turn. Just open air and music, just Virgil and his dance.

But a performance always has to end, and so Virgil swung himself back onto his hoop, using the same rope as before to lower himself back to the ground. Almost as soon as his feet made contact with it again he felt a sense of dread wash back over him.

"You were wonderful Virgil," the Ring Master said, ruffling Virgil's hair.

"Thank you, sir," Virgil said simply, smoothing down his skirts.

Now it was back to fortunes and ignoring other people.

"Hey! Are you the fortune teller dude?" Virgil looked up to see a man with a pale face and a mustache. His eyes were so red it was like they'd been spotted with blood.

"That's me," Virgil said simply.

"Can you do my fortune?" He said, sitting down.

"For five bucks yeah," Virgil said with a smirk, the man across from him laughed and handed him some money. Virgil searched his expression and demeanor for something he could use.

"You've got a lot of trouble in your future, lots of enemies," he said.

"Yeah that's pretty obvious," said the boy with the mustache.

"A very nice love life it seems, though," Virgil said, raising one eyebrow. The man stared at him for a few seconds before smiling.

"But that all depends on your decisions, most would say to accept the death your enemies might bring you, but destiny is more like a river, and it splits into different lakes of fate based on your decisions," Virgil replied.

"Smart advice," said the man.

"I'm Remus by the way," he said with a grin.

"Virgil," Virgil said, clearly unamused. He watched Remus leave his seat and walk back into the fray of carnival-goers.

Virgil hadn't expected to see Renus again, but apparently he'd misjudged him. For later that night as Virgil was walking back to the Ring Master's house, there he was, accompanied by a slightly shorter boy with sunglasses and a leather jacket on.

"Hey! You're not supposed to be here!" Virgil marched up to the pair of them, well aware that both were over a foot taller than him.

The shorter of the two placed a pair of styrofoam grapes back in a bowl. "Oh- really? I didnt see any sign, did you Remus?" He said, turning to the other.

"Cant say I did Remy, cant say I did," Remus said with a grin.

Virgil clenched his fists "How about the employee's only sign right above where you're standing?" He said, pointing to it. The two looked up and shrugged.

"I dont see what the problem is, we're just having a little fun," Remus said.

"Beat it before I call the boss." Virgil said, snarling slightly.

"Oh come on we're not causing any trouble," Remy said.

Virgil sighed "Look, I'm not supposed to talk to customers outside of work hours unless I'm getting paid to, so beat it before I get caught." He said. The two boys exchanged worried glances before finally leaving. Virgil continued on to the Ring Master's cabin.

"Virgil! I was getting worried!" He said when Virgil finally opened the door.

"Sorry for the wait Mr. Drew, got caught up with something," Virgil said as he sat at the table across from Drew.

"Its no trouble, now take your pills, wouldnt want you getting uncomfortable during a show now would we?" Mr. Drew said, sliding a glass of water and a few different colored and shaped pills towards him. Virgil counted out his birth control, anxiety medication, and antidepressants, as well as one last pinkish colored one that Mr. Drew had him mix into the water before he took any of the others.

He went to bed that night feeling relaxed as usual, and woke up the next day feeling just as refreshed.

Virgil sat at his booth as usual, then a tall man in a coat and and hat approached him, sliding a picture over to him.

"Have you seen either of these men? Their names are Remy and Remus, I've been sent to apprehend them," said the man.

"Who are you?" Virgil replied, not looking at the photo.

"Janus Forge," the man replied, tipping his hat. Virgil eyed him for a second before looking at the photo of the man with a mustache and the boy with glasses.

"Never seen them in my life," Virgil said in a tired voice.

"Are you alright? You seem exhausted," Janus said, a concerned look on his face.

"I'm fine, I've never seen the men in this photo and I've never heard those names," Virgil said.

He hadnt done the show today, he was much to tired for it, so instead he sat at his booth. The boy in sunglasses ran up to it, slamming his hands down on the counter.

"Virgil right?" He said.

Virgil froze "How did you know my name." He snarled.

"Remus told me," Remy said, tilting his head.

"I dont know anybody with that name,"

----------------------------------------------

Tag List:

@nerosdayinhell

@meowthefluffy

@thecolorfulolive

@youtuberswithalex

@spooky-scary-virgil

@misunderstoodshadowling

[squibo]

do you draw from references? how often do you draw? my art is hardly nice and i cant seem to improve. im close to hitting 30 and i feel like it's too late for me to actually draw good anymore :'''D

Yeah I use em all the time! Or whenever I need a certain specific pose i hella search for it. I draw pretty often. Like on a good time of the day around 5p all the way to 3a I could draw that long , obviously there’s the brakes I gotta do around the house, obviously. OR like today I was busy and when I was just drew for about 1-2ish hours.

Oh man my art ain’t all that nice either anon don’t u worry about that jaja it’s ok to be messy in your sketchbook, that’s what it’s meant for. Hmmm about improvement i read just find one thing you want to improve and practice on that as warm ups; repetition is key.

I too am alwayssssss trying to improve on my art, I lack on a LOT of stuff. also don’t even worry about your age, it’s literally never late to start to improve. I believe in you anon!!!!! 💪

[inknose]

mdzs read diary part IV, the end

It’s inspiring how much self care wwx is gonna finally get now that his husband will go along with whatever he does, so he’s gotta look out for lwj’s well being if not his own. that is emphatically the STUFF

dragging my hands down I face as I read this, after all these chapters of getting up close and personal with ghouls bleeding from every orifice, slaying ancient beasts, rebelling against the entire cultivation world, the two of them are absolutely paralyzed by middle school crush sleepover math

chicken

he actually drew kissy doodles .... he....

IDK I THINK I JUST DOCUMENTED THIS PART CUZ I WAS STILL SCREAMING you cant expect me to have very useful things to say at this point

this is torture you are both so mushy you are so GONE

This part really stood out to me, it’s an attitude I feel like wwx implies with his inner narration a few times but most clearly says here: he’s not one for allowing himself to exaggerate how bad his circumstances are/could be even a little bit - he’s already lived through some extreme low points and found a way to keep going, so he never makes sweeping statements about what he couldn’t live without (Inner JingYi: you’re supposed to say you’d be lost without him here!!!) Instead he seems to accept as a given that being alive doesn’t guarantee him any pleasantness or joy at all, and as a result his feelings toward being in TRUE LOVE are surprisingly pragmatic, but also colored with such gratitude. There are a lot of things in the novel that struck me, like this, as being just a little to the left of familiar tropes/sentiments, and were more touching for it. Whether it be the influence of culture difference as opposed to what I’m used to reading in most western romance stories, or MXTX’s unique outlook, or a combination of both, it was really refreshing and made me pause over it. Not “I can’t imagine living without you” but “I could be living without you, but instead I get to be with you and I think that’s the best thing that could happen.”

ADJFDKFJ THE UST BEING SO STRONG THAT EVEN THE VILLAIN COMMENTS ON IT IN THE MIDDLE OF EXECUTING HIS EVIL PLANS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT WILL NEVER FAIL TO MAKE ME LAUGH MY ASS OFF. hes like god damn! here I thought I had problems

it was at this moment that I realized we were doing this Now... I’m still recovering. What a scene. I am so glad I saw the most incredible fanart soon afterwards, bc the fact that someone has already drawn a perfect comic of this part means I don’t have to

I love you so much, you are so annoying, you are perfect... I like how he’s been experiencing openly requited love for all of ten minutes but he’s already figured out how to weaponize it to piss people off

doing!!! his!!! job!!!!!

ahh... it’s a really good story. JGY is a great character. One of the most interesting differences for me between drama watching vs. novel reading experience is that without an actor to bat his vulnerable doe eyes at you and smile faintly with his cute dimples, the book does not go much out of its way to try to lull the reader into a false sense of security around him or *endear* him to you the way the show does. But just by seeing events through wei wuxian’s POV, its still enough to evoke pity or understanding towards him. The overall impression is a bit more detached though, there’s less emphasis on the spectacle of how he could manipulate everyone closest to him and more of a general feeling of resigned tragedy that everyones the worst on this bitch of an earth.

I CANNOT DEAL WITH YOU FOR EVEN ONE MORE SECOND!!!!

I clearly paused to take note of less and less parts at the end & the extras due to: a) too excited to reach the end b) too spicy to photograph and c) too sleepy cuz I kept reading in the middle of the night. but I absolutely took the time for Bro We Are Teens appreciation corner:

I’d absolutely read 40 more extra chapters of their monster-of-the-week field trip antics.

god... poor Jin Ling now basically has to deal with divorced parents that talk shit about each other to him whenever he is saying with one of them. except they are both his uncles. just a disasterhood of all uncles from start to finish. AUUUGH wei wuxian and jiang cheng have fucked me up completely, I dream of them reconciling but I also REFUSE to believe it would ever be easy. let me know if theres a fanfic that absolutely tortures you for decades before they hug

HAHAHA oh no this man ain’t making it to immortality thats for damn sure. HE’S JUST GONNA TRY AS HARD AS HE CAN HIS WHOLE LIFE NOT TO LOOK AT HIM BUT THEYRE *MARRIED* SDLKFJSF ohhhh it’s too funny, like... the mundane domestic family drama IN the fantastical swords and sorcery setting is what really ratchets up these things from amusing to fucking hilarious I think

aaaa the end... final random thoughts? No not final, I would like to please keep discussing at length and exhaustively, all the time please - CQL has gotta be one of the best TV adaptations I’ve seen. ANY adaptation of anything would be lucky to be so good!! reading the novel has just made me appreciate it even more.

- I don’t think I can do justice to what I find most fascinating about comparing the two versions briefly, to do that I need to get drunk and ramble at my friends for hours but... the condensed version is something like this. Really all the significant differences between the two versions (besides the ones which can be attributed to censorship and therefore aren’t worth discussing) are a side effect of the structure of how the story is told - there’s barely anything changed arbitrarily. Aside from having a cold opening, the drama sticks to a very linear version of the story, and I think for a TV show or film, that’s probably the best way to do it. We see everything, we get shocked and tricked and betrayed and surprised along with the characters, we feel the biggest impact at the climactic scenes having experienced all the build-up. The novel on the other hand is not only much more non-linear in WHEN we learn bits and pieces of information, but that information is also obfuscated under wei wuxian’s multiple layers of Unreliable Narratoritis, which are as follows: 1) difficulty remembering things because of personality/avoiding painful memories/actual memory loss, 2) No Homo Goggles still on, and 3) a wry sense of humor that makes the reader unsure of how much they can trust his attitude toward things, especially near the beginning. The experience of reading is a puzzle the reader has to mentally piece together through all of the above listed camouflage, and the puzzle itself is a three-sided mystery: One - How Bad of a guy was Wei WuXian really, and how exactly did all the bad stuff in his life go down; Two - wangxian epic pride & prejudice gambits; Three - political murder mystery. (I love stories like this btw... though I fully admit I’m glad I watched first this time bc it might have taken me a long time to tackle otherwise.) Because of this, where the drama wants to pull you in and submerge you in all the most potent emotional parts, the novel in direct contrast deliberately side-steps around these things and asks that you hurt yourself by filling in the blanks. In fact the more intense emotions and painful memories involved, whether it be his relationship with jiang yanli, his DEATH, the darkest days of war times etc, the more the novel evasively withholds details. I actually really like both styles of storytelling but each one is obviously way better suited to its medium. ANYWAY.... THATS BASICALLY WHERE MY BRAINS AT WHILE IM READING GAY SWORD WIZARD BOOKS

- The extras are so saturated with domestic married bliss that it’s a good thing I stopped taking pictures because I’d just take a picture of every page. this is too much for me to take... I did jump the gun a few times and read a few fanfics while I was still mid-read of the book (I tried to hold out but alas I am mortal) and at one point after finishing I was like “wow what fic was it in where lwj says something cute and wwx kisses him in public but they’re in the corner of the restaurant so no one really sees... OH NO WAIT that was actually in there.” and ... and that’s the LEAST OF IT... *stares into the distance* theyre married wow

- I ofc couldn’t help but see a few vague blogs beforehand so honestly I was braced for something like, wildly ooc for the sake of porn to happen in the extras... I definitely appreciate how the incense burner porn interludes could be uhhh a lot for many people and not my personal cup of tea in terms of smut however [here follows the words of a poisonous frog who has dwelt her whole life in the rainforests of BL] the concept is also surprisingly SWEET SDFLKJF like wwx sees lan wangji’s darkest mixed-up violent teenage fantasies and he’s just like aww babe you had a crush on me!! just... good for them

- I swear I’m not gonna rehash every cute married thing they do but wei wuxian grading papers in the tub........................rEALLY GOT ME

- I want to Draw - ok thats enough if I keep going I’ll just write “wei wuxian grading papers in the tub” seven more times probably

[griefstage6]

Stage 1 (My story)

The first stage is Denial, when You first hear about someone you love dying its unbelievable, you cant exactly believe what they say because how can it be true. I have never felt this kind of grief, I loved my grandparents but when they died I was sad yes very much so, but when it was my dad, it was different, it was painful. 

That morning I felt something was off, something made my body uncomfortable, but I didn’t know what. My younger sister had texted me and told me that something was wrong with dad, our step mom had told our older sister that she had to leave because dad was in the hospital. I told my sister not to worry because it would be okay, this hadn’t been the first time our dad had been in the hospital, and I believed it wouldn’t be his last. I went to school with the same bad feeling and in the middle of my first class I was told I was going home. I got to the front office and my mom rushed me to the car and said we had to leave now and go to Florida. 

We lived in Virginia at the time. Before we got on the road we had to stop by our house to get clothes and by the bank to take out a loan. We didn’t make it two minutes after we left our house to get to the bank when I got a call from my older sister. When I saw it my stomach dropped and I answered hastily. She was crying and I could hear my step mom screaming in the background, she said. “I wanted to be the one to tell you because you need to hear it from me but, dad died.” 

I never know what people meant when they said that the world quieted and they could only hear the ringing of silence. But in that moment I understood. My mom was asking me what she said over and over but I couldn’t hear her, hell I couldn’t even talk. I handed my phone to my mom and she talked to my sister. The world became a little more grey as I looked out the window. 

My mom ended the call and looked at me, “are you okay?” she asked. She placed her hand on my leg and rubbed it in what she believed to be a comforting way. When I am in pain I don’t like to be touched, it just makes me angry, I didn’t know that meant emotional pain too. But I just stayed quiet.

We pulled up to the bank and she stared at me for a moment, “I’ll be right back” She left the car and went inside. Once I couldn’t see her I don’t know what happened but I just snapped, I screamed as loud as I could tears poured from my eyes and my body was shaking. I hit the dashboard so many times while yelling “why! its not true, she’s a liar he isn’t dead he promised!” 

When I was younger my dad made me a promise. He said “I’m gonna live till I’m fifty.” morbid thing to say to your daughter right. He died two weeks before he turned forty. When mom came back to the car she saw me weeping and she thought in that moment to say the wrong thing. See my mother is a self centered person, she believes that she has this power and that she was a god in a past life. She can believe what she wants I have no qualms, but she pushes her believes onto me. And I hate it. 

She said “I’m sorry this happened honey, it’s my fault for letting him go, he was a piece of my soul and he died because I let him go, it should have been me.” Usually I let her spout whatever nonsense she wants because I wanted her to love me. (That’s a story for later) But I drew the line here, I loved my father more than life itself. I looked at her with fury and said “This isn’t about you and why would you even say that, I wouldn’t want to lose either of my parents, dad’s death has nothing to do with you so don’t make this about you!” Mind you I now had a 9 hour road trip with this woman. 

She wasn’t mad at me, she was taken aback. She rubbed my back and said she was sorry and we started driving. She put on pandora and played a usually upbeat station. I cant remember much of the road trip, I remember that it rained heavily, And that I cried a lot. I would stop for a few minute’s but then cry more. After about two hours songs that I would listen to my dad with came on And I quietly sung along while crying heavily. But then Never say never by the fray (or frey I cant remember) came on and I lost it and started bawling again while trying to sing it, I listened to myself and realized I never sounded more broken.

Memories I made with my father played through my head and I leaned against the window watching the scenery pass by. I remember mom stopping to get food but I didn’t get anything except a water, I couldn’t eat. 

When we got to Florida we went to my dads house instead of the hospital and I was confused. We went inside and My stepmom was on the couch crying, I hugged my siblings and step mom and we all just sat and cried for a while, my mom talked with my aunt and uncle who were her best friends and I asked the question. “Do I get to see dad.” My step mom cried some more and my aunt (Who doesn’t like me) said “No honey, he was cremated earlier.” I had to walk outside I was livid. Not only was I not there when He died I also didn’t even get to say goodbye.

None of us really talked to each-other as the house cried itself to sleep.

For the next few months I denied it, didn’t believe it was real. Next Passage will be a few days later at my dads send off.

[diveronarpg]

Congratulations, EMMA K! You’ve been accepted for the role of HERMIONE. Admin Rogue: There’s something about the warmth of your writing that gets me every time, Emma K. The quiet ache I felt throughout reading your portrayal of Harriet hurt my heart, but it was her strength that caught me, and how she uses it so differently from what someone in Verona might expect. She’s private without being closed off, warm without being weak, and there’s a spark she hides so carefully, tending it within her until she can cultivate something out of it. What I loved most of all were your headcanons; her interests, her goals, her dreams, they all felt so lived in to me. You’ve managed to take someone with no power and show us how she would build it for herself, and Harriet’s journey will be so beautiful to witness, I absolutely cannot wait! Please read over the checklist and send in your blog within 24 hours.

WELCOME TO THE MOB. 

OUT OF CHARACTER

Alias | Emma Kate

Age | 24

Preferred Pronouns | she/her

Activity Level | I am normally online every second day to get replies out but constantly work to do better at it! I’m normally on discord every day for plotting and discussion.

Timezone | GMT +1

How did you find the rp?  | I was recommended the RP from a friend who was a member at the time!

Current/Past RP Accounts | gertrudezhang.tumblr.com

IN CHARACTER

Character | Harriet “Hermione” D’Angelo

Harriet - “keeper of the hearth”

Mother. How ironic that her name reminds her about what could have been, the beautiful fleeting moment that was taken away as quickly as it was given to her.

Hermione - “messenger”

Potential. The name that had been given to her by the Witches, like a gift. It was another reminder, though this time from the ones who came before; a reminder of what she could be.

D’Angelo - “of the angels”

Angelic. That was often the word that came to mind when people spoke about Harriet D’Angelo, not only in the physical sense but in her attitude as well.

What drew you to this character? | Harriet offers a unique perspective when juxtaposed with other characters, someone who has been directly affected (in a really, really, brutal sense) by the mafia without having warranted it. Most who are punished by la famiglia deserved it, in one way or another, but her son had been in the wrong place at the wrong time and she had suffered as a result.

In spite of that, she seems to have found peace in the fact that she has picked herself up - not once but twice - and is something that she won’t let anyone take away from her. In Verona that small modicum of calmness must be protected but, like a fire in a rain shower, that will take effort and I adore that she is willing to give that effort!

It was the last couple of lines in her bio that made me fall in love with her, when, honestly, I had almost disregarded her; “Harriet has no cards of her own - and perhaps that is why Mona’s let her in as much as she has.” That’s the true beauty of her, making her special and memorable to boot, a woman with nothing left to lose and no front to hide behind.

What is a future plot idea you have in mind for the character? |

i. SAY MY NAME

Harriet has heard stories about them, how the people fear them. Odin Bello and Matthias Warren. They knew their faces, she just had their names. Names that lingered in her mind like an image from an old dream, yet, were it a dream she could escape them. Far harder a feat when they were living, breathing, people that walked among those who she often wouldn’t give a second glance to. The men are a band-aid slapped haphazardly over the wound of her son’s death, confronting them (and ripping that off) is inevitable, but she forgot the scab beneath is barely healed.

(Harriet does not intend to murder either man for what happened to her son, as made apparent in her bio, but she is not shy to make her feelings known. I feel their response could influence her current view on the mafia as a whole which I find particularly interesting considering one is Montague and one is Capulet, but the confrontation is something she needs for closure.)

ii. IN THE SHADOWS

Enviable, people watch as she stands at the side of the Dark Lady herself, head canted back in mutual laughter and a drink in hand. Harriet has been afforded certain clemency from Mona Chen that others have only dreamed of but one does not stand at the right hand of a goddess without garnering attention from her clientele. The question in the back of her mind; did she want the recognition?

(Harriet, as a neutral character, has the potential to be connected to the mafia through her connection with the Dark Lady. It is purposefully broad as I can imagine it going a number of directions - using information she has learned against someone who threatens her, someone seeking her out for the information they believe she knows, or even being used as leverage against Mona herself! Overall, I want to use the Dark Lady to draw her closer to the mob.)

iii. HEY THERE, DELILAH

Delilah; a woman who dared to step beyond the boundaries that the mafia had drawn for her and suffered the consequence, still offering Harriet the comfort that she was not alone. Their affliction was different but their diagnosis was the same; heartache. Their connection is particularly interesting given that Delilah was stabbed at the cathedral, a deathly reminder; that the mob will continue to tear those who try to better themselves down unless it fits their agenda.

(I think after what happened at the cathedral that it will be a reminder for Harriet about the cruelty of the mob, perhaps making her thankful that she isn’t directly connected to either camp. The fact that Delilah and Odin were a couple, that the woman she might grow to consider a friend danced with the devil and emerged unscathed, physically, at least, would make Harriet both respectful and fearful of her - did this woman know what happened to her son?)

Are you comfortable with killing off your character? | Once you turn her into a statue…

IN DEPTH

In-Character Interview:

Harriet had to grapple with reluctance until it seemed agreeable to host the interview at her home. Her space had been her own for so long that the thought of letting someone else in, however temporary, seemed alien to her. Hesitation, thankfully a yielding creature when faced with resolution and resolve, still manifested in the nervous tapping of her feet when positioned at her work station. The soft cadence of the doorbell soon echoes within the confines of the modest apartment, a soft smile lined her lips as she answered the door. The shock that greeted her in response turns her expression sheepish as she remembers the scalpel held loosely in hand. Great start, she thinks to herself, though what she says is a hushed apology.

“Please, come in,” attempting to rectify the damage she had managed to inflict, she stands back in what she hopes seems like a welcoming gesture. “Can I get you anything, signora? Tea? Coffee?” Harriet waits for their answer, nodding her comprehension as she busies herself with making a beverage for each of them, returning to take a seat opposite them at her table. Her home was modest, and she liked it that way, unburned by the expectations of a lavish lifestyle and unchained by memories that she would have rather forgotten in the large house she had once lived in. Nice might not have been the word for it, but she would have said it came close.

“What is your favourite place in Verona?”

“The Cathedral was one of my favourite places in Verona, before -,” her sentence trails off, it didn’t need to be finished; everyone knew what happened to the building that had once stood proud in the centre of the city. Harriet had gone there every day when she had been married, used to pray that she was somewhere - anywhere - else. Safe. Odd, that the girl who had been content with what she had, to have wished for something beyond her reach. There had been a moment - between the explosion and the acknowledgement of what had happened - where relief had surged through her.

“Now,” she lapses into a brief silence, consulting the softest part of herself that still beat beneath her ribs, “I’d have to say that the natural history museum has a special place in my heart.”

“What does your typical day look like?”

“Is anything typical in Verona?” Head cants in tandem with her question, the corners of her mouth quirking upward as she gradually relaxes into the situation. “Bene,” relenting, acknowledging that the woman in front of her was serious about the task at hand, “I’m afraid I’m rather dull. I spend the majority of my time at work and, when I’m not there, you’ll find me here.” Hands sweep outward, away from her body, motioning toward the explanation for her scalpel, her latest project cast to one side in favour of the mug of coffee she held between her hands. Harriet doesn’t mention the club where she spends the majority of her evenings, everyone in Verona knew the Lady and had formed their opinion on her, and her business was her own.

“What has been your biggest mistake thus far?”

Breath sucked in between her teeth, pause ensuing, she is unsure how best to answer. “I want to say being too free with whom I give my heart to,” even as she says it aloud it sounds like she was answering one question with another, answering one of them, she continues, “but I don’t think of that as a mistake, a learning curve perhaps, but it is never a mistake to love.” Her heart aches, she can feel it in her chest, an assault against her ribcage in protest of her response. Harriet had been burnt by the flames of devotion before, again and again, yet she was willing to ignite that fire again and let it dance within her soul.

“What has been the most difficult task asked of you?”

The sigh slips from her before she can stop it, “I’m not sure.” Instinct was a cunning thing, faster than the plethora of other options that formed from its dust, leaving her no time to reinforce her armour. “I think to live when the odds are stacked against you can be quite difficult at times.” Harriet forces a faint breath of laughter, half for her sake and half for her interviewer, self-deprecation lingering in the corners of her expression. “This interview will seem terribly sad, won’t it? I’m not so serious all the time, I promise.”

“What are your thoughts on the war between the Capulets and the Montagues?”

Harriet remembers the feeling of her fingers brushing across the small, neatly printed, card affixed to the wall of the gallery, mouth turned into a reflection of the contented guise she had donned in that moment. Her gaze had drank in the black ink on white, like iced tea on a summer day, and she had felt happy. In loving memory of Maximillian D’Angelo it read. The display had been one of the first that she curated in the Twelfth Night, and it had felt right, seeing the butterflies (in various artistic guises) peppered throughout the room; her old life and her new merged into one.

“It has been happening for as long as I can remember,” she muses, truthfully, “and so many have been injured as a result. Their war has cost me my son, I know that I don’t want to be involved with it.”

Extras:

Mock blog – https://mockhermione.tumblr.com/

Pinterest board – https://www.pinterest.ie/em_kl/misc-oc/

Playlist – https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Kdebdsmt4FI2KCbEHuVZx?si=yhdor2ObSiSXrbVM9sy4JQ

HEADCANON: (TW Death)

Harriet was born January 4th 1984, making her a Capricorn, the only child of Claudia and Gabriel D’Angelo.

Her mother had chosen to be a stay-at-home wife, abandoning her role as receptionist in a law firm once she had Harriet, her father worked as a lessor of real estate which turned a profit.

Harriet has a BSc in Biology and a MA in museum studies.

Uberto Regio had not lived up to the meaning of his name, yet she had married him, aged 22, in an effort to appease her parents. In making a long story short, it was not a pleasant marriage.

Maximillian Regio was born on December 27th 2006, a belated Christmas gift, becoming Maximillian D’Angelo when Harriet reclaimed her maiden name after her marriage ended in the New Year.

Harriet was offered a job in the Museo Civico di Storia Naturale, the Natural History Museum of Verona, transferring to the Twelfth Night & the Tempest after her son died.

Max was 7 years old, just shy of turning 8, when he was murdered.. [I’m going to purposefully leave the cause vague as while I imagine he was caught in the crossfire between opposing sides of the mob coming home from school I would like to discuss with admins and relevant writers as necessary]

Harriet keeps butterflies and releases them from a butterfly garden every year as it was something her and Max used to do.

Her personality type is the Defender: ISFJ. Kind, quiet and devoted. She is a natural protector of the weak and good-hearted once you get beyond her initial awkwardness.

One of her more unusual hobbies is taxidermy which she learned from her grandfather, and touched on in her degree.

[ineffablefool]

(1/4) hey uh ur bio says that u r demiromantic and if it's not too much trouble could i get some help? so i'm starting high school next year and so far, i haven't gotten a crush or anything. romantic attraction? don't know her. but whenever i thought or pictured myself "grown up" i imagined myself with a boyfriend. (i'm a woman) all the evidence is pointing towards me being aromantic, but a little slice of my brain is still, "oh, you're just super demiromantic and violently straight, all of your

(2/4) super close friends have been girls, you just have to become really close friends with a guy and there! instant boyfriend" but i know that won't happen. i won't have some man come and suddenly i'm head over heels. but i've always figured i'd have a boyfriend. i know i'm ace, and i am calling myself ace, but whenever i go to call myself aro, my brain goes "but what if ur actually demi and then all the people you told u were aro will think you were a liar" which i kNOW is stupid but i cant

(3/4) stop thinking it. i dunno why i can't fully accept the fact that i'm aro. is it society claiming that you need a partner to be happy? is it the fact that being in love sounds amazing and like floating on clouds and i want to feel like that? i have no fucking clue. and it's not something against aros, like, i know that if someone told me they were aro i'd have no problem with it. which makes it worse because why is it so hard to let go of the fantasy that i'll have a romantic partner one

(4/4) day? i know, in my heart, that there is a like a 1% chance i wont be aro. but i still cant call myself aro my brain won't let me >:( when did you get your first crush? when is it normal for a demi to first feel romantic attraction? did you think you were aro at first? also i sometimes feel like i shouldn't call myself ace bc im too young to know if i like sex yet? when did u start calling yourself ace? ugh sorry for the super long ask,,, also fun fact it's "how do u write kisses" anon hiii

Hi anon.  I cannot promise you excellent help, but I am still glad you wrote to me again, and I really hope you are about to have a straight 72-hour period of Good Days.  (It might take you that long to read this.  Oops.)

So, first of all: there is nothing wrong with calling yourself aro now and then later deciding you aren’t.  Or realizing you aren’t.  (Two different framings for the same thing -- both are good.)  Or deciding or realizing that you’re somewhere on the aromantic spectrum which you feel is better described with a more specific term.  Demiromantics are still part of the aro umbrella!  It’s not an exclusive club where You Must Be Pure Aro To Enter!  (Anyone who tells you otherwise is setting themselves up as Decider Of What It Really Means To Be Aro, and where are their credentials for that?  Hmm, hypothetical gatekeeping person?  Can I please see your certification from the Institute Of Defining Other People’s Identities For Them?  Oh.  Oh you don’t have one.  Because it doesn’t exist.)

Me saying that doesn’t magically make your brain accept the label, of course.  I am just trying to gently show your brain the door, and it’s the one that has to walk through it.

Assuming you want it to walk through it.  Maybe you decide you don’t.  That’s fine!  But “yes, I am indeed aro -- I am on the aro spectrum somewhere so I am using the label” is a perfectly fine thing to tell people, and if they are not carrying forged credentials from the Institute Of Defining Other People’s Identities For Them, then they will probably be okay with this.

I am not any kind of expert on being aro, or ace, or anything.  I am only an expert in being me.  But to somewhat exhaustively answer the questions from your last part...

I had my first crush when I was thirteen or fourteen.  When I was about ten, I was friends with two girls who both had a very public crush on the same boy, and I claimed to also have one on him in order to fit in, but I was completely lying.  Sorry, Drew.  I’m sure you were quite the catch, but I was not feelin’ it.

I don’t know if there’s a specific time when it’s “normal” for a demiromantic person to start feeling any particular way.  It just sort of happens if it’s gonna.  Maybe it never does.  People are complicated and different and that’s wonderful.

I didn’t know what being aro (or being ace!) was when I was your age, because they weren’t really identities yet.  “Asexual” was for amoebas, or maybe robots.  “Aromantic” was, like, dude, did you misspell “aromatic”?  (Keep in mind, there was technically an Internet in approx. 1995, but there was no Google, no Wikipedia, no YouTube, no social media, the concept of what is now called a “blog” didn’t even really exist yet, and often your parents would not let you on the Internet connection if they could even afford it themselves, not least because it was frequently billed by the amount of time you spent using it. It was incredibly hard to know what things existed in the world back then to even begin to learn about them! Now is so much better. I have all the treasures of the world in my pocket via my telephonic device.)  When I started to learn about asexuality, specifically that you could be ace but not be “an emotionless robot” (gosh has unlearning that kind of judgement been a journey), I jumped straight on that label and never looked back (this was roughly when I joined Tumblr, so I would have been about 32).  I thought I was alloromantic for a while after that, but I’ve come to realize that my feelings on romance probably put me somewhere on the aro spectrum.  And that’s where I am now.

I started calling myself ace, again, when I was about 32, but I didn’t have that label available to me when I was younger.  Ya boi was 13-14 years old, sitting in his bedroom writing letters-to-never-be-sent to his crush, which included long sections about how I had already decided I would never have sex so long as I lived, so once we obviously got married because how could we not when I had such Emotions, he would have to find some other way to get that if he wanted it.  I had no interest in it then.  I never developed an interest in it since.  If I had had the knowledge I have now, back when I was in junior high, I am absolutely convinced that I would have taken the ace label then.  Was I too young to know for sure?  I dunno, we don’t say that people are too young at that age to know they’re heterosexual, so why do other sexualities have to pass a higher bar?  (Because compulsory heterosexuality.  That is why.)

Regardless of your age, if the label of ace resonates with you, you can apply it to yourself.  If the label of aro resonates, you can apply it to yourself.  Or a more specific variant of either, or something else entirely.  And the day you realize “oh gosh, this is not, in this moment, actually me”, you can let the label go, because its only purpose for existing is to be useful to you.

Finally -- this is not something I can personally speak to, but I have seen people who identify as completely aro also state that they enjoy things that our (my? I do not know where you are from) culture frequently sees as romantic.  Like, if you want to have a person who you can snuggle up with, hold hands with, say “I love you” to and have them say it back and both of you mean it -- there are aro people who do all that with their partners, and enjoy it, and don’t see it as interfering with their aromantic identity at all.  I believe them, because they are the expert on being themselves, and I have nowhere near the ego required to decide that I know better.  So that’s something to keep in mind -- cloud-floating and an aromantic identity do not have to be completely separate, because there are lots of kinds of love and of affection, and people are complicated, and that is wonderful.

I hope you enjoy this novel, anon.  It is for you.