#I need to draw self ship art of me and her later >:]

[fitzselfships]

Instagram jumpscared me today with this :]

[cthonyxa]

Later that evening, Donatello—back to his normal self—and April were sitting on the roof of her building looking across the skyline. Although the city lights made it impossible to see any stars, he had always found a stark kind of beauty in the harsh lines of the glass and concrete jungle. April sighed happily and leaned her head on his shoulder. “I’m glad you’re my boyfriend.” “Okay?” he said, not sure why she felt the need to say it just then. When he felt her disapproving nudge, he snaked his arm around her waist. “I’m glad you’re my girlfriend, too. Obviously.”

Chapter 6 of of my apritello fanfic Different with you is up on AO3.

───── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─────

Whew, the story has finally come to an end! Thanks for reading and/or engaging with my art, everybody 😊 I have a potential sequel in mind that focuses on Leon’s dating (mis)adventures, so if y’all are interested in that please let me know and I’ll bump it up on my list of priorities.

I’m planning on a grayro polyamorous Leon with multiple ships. The ones I’m sure about are Leon/Sunita/Cassandra and Leon/Aldo (my oc from this fic). Some other ones I’m considering are Usagi Yojimbo (probably using 2003 TMNT as his personality inspiration) and Bishop (also pulling from 2003, but less immortal angsty man and more freshly minted government agent), but let me know if there are any ships you’d like to see.

In terms of art, I'll be dipping into my buffer, which means I'll be posting original stuff and not TMNT for a bit. I have plans for a New Year apritello drawing, though, so stay tuned for that!

[lakka-arts]

HI heres a list of really great mcsm artists (personal recs)

mainly made for my friend @glitxhy-b0yy!!! :D who is a FANTASTIC artist themselves and has some great content on there!!

also partially as a self indulgent post to compliment my friends so lets go!! (yes this does mean that my opinions are going to be bias asf dont come for me--)

this is not a COMPLETE list but its just the artists that i can come up with off the top of my head-- might add more later!

polarized-here

polar's artworks is what i like to describe as comforting as it consists of neat lineart and cell shading with glowing effects! they're probably most commonly known for their admin!jesse au, which is a fucking BADASS au with the coolest concept artwork that i've seen?? like hands down, stunning with a stunning execution of it. polar's artwork are like,,, holy shit man. they're such a cool person :)

terracomets

rusty is a phenomenal artist AND writer who has an au series that i cannot recommend enough called Misfit Mania!! He has a BUNCH of great character designs, including ocs and other medias too! i consider him a jack of all trades bc no matter what fandom, no matter what kind of character it is, rusty always succeeds at great portrayal of them :DD his fav character is axel and as a result, he's got a bunch of fantastic axel artwork on his blog!! :)

mcs-art-etc/lukasdoodles

lukasdoodles has genuinely one of the most unique art styles that i have ever that is both adorable AND menacing /pos at times. their artwork consists of colorful lineart, and INSANELY detailed clothings, like oh my god. they're also INSANELY creative when it comes to it as well, putting in so many ruffles, and belts, and!!! so much more!! not only that but they have a bunch of blaze rods drawings on their blog!! including gill, who i think is one of the underrated characters in mcsm! they also do some animation every now and then, which is always so cool to see!!

zonerz

zonerz is one of those dual part artist and dual part writers with their great artwork and writing! they're really good at putting together lore and is super in-depth when it comes down to the nitty gritty! their armor drawings are really well done and i admire the attention to details with every single one of their drawings!!

zoomire

fel is one of the coolest fucking people i have ever met and #1 cassie rose fan. their artstyle reminds me of traditional paintings that you would find in a museum, like it is so refined and their character anatomy is ON POINT with how they draw muscles and scars so realistically. their aiden design is also one of the most dazzling to me bc of how they incorporate lightning into his scars. ALSO a huge aidrose fan if not THE president of the goddamn ship. they have so many character analysis on them both together and separately and they're always written SO WELL WITH SO MUCH RESPECT TO THE SOURCE MATERIAL.

a lost crow

crow has a bunch of fantastic mcsm content but one of their most fascinating ones is their command!lukas au, which has a whole story to go alongside it but i won't spoil it ;) and their individual jesse au where every single jesse has their own personality traits and they're so unique and well written!! absolutely love both au to bits!

acraftedmistake

acraftedmistake's art is unique in the sense that it is purely traditional and takes great advantage of paper texture as well as textures from markers and pens to make its presence known! to add to that, they do a bunch of mcsm work themed around horror! i do need to put a warning that they sometimes involve gore though it is very artistically done!! phenomenal artist!!

zhezhy

Zhenya has enough content to the point where i can make an entire POST this long to talk about her and the absolutely stunning drawings she makes about mcsm, particularly about the old order of the stone. she excels at drawing ivor, harper, and soren the most, though she has dwelved into other characters that haven't had the most light shed on them. my absolute favorite thing about her artwork is her artstyle because it is this GORGEOUS sketchy style where both the colors and the lines express themselves SO WELL and SO EFFECTIVELY! i can go raving mad about it honestly

offeathersandcube/novatheastropirate

Nova's artwork, i would like to define it, is filled with love and care. Her lineart and coloring patterns are colorful and light, as if they were drawn for the illustration for a book series, filled with so much delight. Nova's specialty is how she both writes and draws Ellegaard with so much appreciation for her character and through her portrayal of her. It's nothing short of dedication and heart. Nova's other works are also great as well and they do a lot to show Nova's artistic talent.

[cryptias-space]

The main characters of my book To Catch A Star.

First up we have Zelda Hollis, the human. Zelda is a 22 year old college student, forced by her adoptive parents and abusive boyfriend/fiancé, Ezekiel, to hide her true self in many ways. Forced to ignore her love for theater, forced to hide her sexuality, and forced to conform to their standards and needs. She loves musical theater, adores nature and animals, and loves skateboarding. Despite being extremely shy and closed off, she shines on the stage, thriving in the spotlight. Due to the stress of her parents and abuse from her boyfriend/fiancé throughout her life, she has dealt with a lot of depression and suffers heavily from PTSD. It's not until shes an adult that she gets diagnosed as Autistic, keeping it secret from everyone in her life. (Art is censored just incase Tumblr tries to take down artistic nudity) [More on her story later]

Next we have Spectra, the alien. Spectra is part of a species known as the Vadae. She fares from a nation called Vacilite on the planet of Gibasmir. Spectra is not sure when she was born or exactly how old she is, but in human years she is roughly 26. Born the daughter of the Captain and lead scientist of the Vacilite militia, Spectra was raised rather isolated. The only exception being her mother's second in commands twins, Elinoth (she/her) and Vohrix (it/its). Spectra was raised to take over her mother's place and that she did, Vohrix taking its father's place as her right hand Vadae. Spectra was cold and analytical, often being perceived by strangers to be mean or even cruel. But Elinoth and Vohrix know she's a sweetheart on the inside. Just recently before the beginning of the story she adopts Vaeshivka, a Tumultpa aka lava stone hound. [More on her story later.] (Censored for the same reason, but her nipples are shown in detail in the middle because they glow in the dark)

Summary of the first chapter or so of the book below the cut. I'm probably never going to post this story unless this post gets insanely popular or something. Also, for the sake of clearing things up, I have podophobia, aka a phobia of feet. Because of this it makes it insanely hard for me to draw feet since I can't exactly look at references. I tend to go with the basic shapes and nothing else that way I can still have full bodies and not trigger myself.

Our story begins... Zelda first meets Spectra the day her boyfriend Ezekiel proposed to her and she was forced to say yes. He had threatened to tell her parents if she declined, and she knew how poorly her parenrs woild react. After a rough night of Ezekiel once again forcing himself on her, Zelda decides to go for a ride on her skateboard. She starts to sob while skating and tumbles to the asphalt. While she lays in the street, her knees and hands bleeding, she screams into the night for something to save her from this life that she never wanted in the first place. She passes out only to wake up aboard Spectra's ship. Upon meeting Spectra face to face, Zelda can't help but find the strange woman-like alien beautiful. And despite Captain Spectra's second in command, Vohrix's attempts, Zelda moves in with the alien who quite literally abducted her, feeling both hopeful for her life away from abuse, and terrified of living on the brand new planet of Gibasmir. Spectra and Zelda have to find their way through a weird and wholly unique relationship while struggling to come terms with this new situation.

[sang8262]

in a yapping mood, and i cant draw well, so here's some *gasp*, self insert-OC related ramblings?!?!?

the elevator pitch summary is:

A fledgling author and researcher who becomes unwittingly enthralled in JP's schemes after visiting Nayshall for a thesis project.

Forced to work for his NGO (and later Neo Shadaloo) as an advisor after showing promise with Psycho Power.

Wrestles with doing the right thing and opposing JP's influence, yet unable to abandon her deeper emotions towards him.

...with more deets below-

I don't even have a proper name for her yet, since I'm bad with that lmao. But I guess as a sorta self insert, they could be Millon.. for now?? Eh I'll figure it out later.

---

The impetus and circumstance for which she meets JP is that,

she's researching Nayshall's rapid devlopment, and the public health problems its facing as a nascent country. Particularly, how the visitors and participants of the Suval'Hal Martial Arts Tournament (SMAT) have access to the best doctors and emergency aid available... yet the greater local population lacking reliable access to affordable health care.

She has the chance to interview and speak with tournament organizer, Johann Petrovich, about the SMAT and current issues. She surprisingly finds him agreeable, polite, and level-headed. Realizing he has a lot of power as the country's policy advisor, she tries to convince him towards implementing healthcare policies that would allocate more resources for those who need it.

Her mistake is trusting JP as someone willing to aid the suffering, someone who wants things to be better for everyone. Once she does though, it's far too late to rid of his clutches on her.

---

I'm imagining she initially is on good terms with him. She respects his investment into developing the country, and even finds his NGO, Terra Network Partners (TNP) potentially a place to work at. Of course, this is before realizing the money laundering and his connections with Shadaloo.

I can see JP convincing her into relying on him and being complicit in his schemes by offering her a stable position within his NGO. Or funding her research and writing. Having the support and endorsement of someone his calibur would be a huge boon to her academic career afterall...

Then, maybe it's either from her own prying, or after a not-so-chance meeting with Kalima and the resistance, but she eventually realizes the kind of person JP is.

By then though, she's far too entangled with JP and his organization to cut ties and escape. In fact, she realizes that her discussions with him have been helping him make more predatory decisions.

---

In a heated revelation of the truth, he might use Psycho Power to fully subdue her: mostly with expectations that she'd not survive it, silencing any incriminating publication about him in the future. And because even if she didn't die, she would now be dependant on him as a mentor, to continue surviving the awful power forced upon her.

Turns out she has a lot of disdain and despair, enough to fuel and sustain Psycho Power. He's not fully interested in helping her per se, but decides she will do less potential harm if kept close under his watch. And so she struggles now, to find a way to escape Shadaloo and quell her bloodlust. But it's not an easy influence to overcome...

---

I mean, it's a self SHIP afterall, so I'm having it be like a development of:

-wow this guy is GREAT, i respect him a lot! he's so kind! we could work together to do a lot of good things :)

-wow nevermind, this guy SUCKS, i have to escape/ stop him!! >:(

-Psycho Power makes it very difficult to think clearly and all my worst emotions are amplified a ton! i am also forced to learn under JP, and work for him, and woah did he always look so handsome :0

Then throw in a healthy amount of manipulation and sweet talking on JP's behalf and poor self insert OC is doomed to tragedy.

---

Design wise, I have no idea!!!! I guess I would make them The Cooler Me, but right now I got nothing. I'll come back to it lmao

[buzzybee3]

I need help-

I have two au’s in my head atm and can’t decide which one too start on, kinda leaning towards greenhouse cause it’s like based on true event ft me. But I wanna see what some people think

Au 1: Experiment Au

Ships:

Y/n x sun/moon

Bonnie x Glamrock Freddy

Y/n parents:

Human: (tbd these are just filler names if anyone has suggestions) Sandra and Martin (younger siblings Reily and Alya)

Animatronics: Bonnie and Freddy

Y/n age: 17 when kidnapped, 19 during main story

Y/n Story: on family trip to the Pizzaplex with family, they are just leaving the area and she goes to the bathroom at a gas station across the street. Vanny happens to be around and kidnaps them on their way out. They wake up 3 months later in a laboratory, before being put back under again

Y\n behavior: Sassy, loves kids, nice, has an attitude when needed, calmer later on but still very jumpy, forgetful (thank god for tech), likes listening to music while in the daycare.

Y/n appearance: nothing specific, but for self insert, long hair, freckles

Y/n likes: Chicken nuggets, gets along with Vanessa, like both sunlight and dark places, stickers, rock en Español(specifically la flaca, lives playing it and one day sun hears it and it goes as one would expect),

Y/n dislikes: fazbear management, rowdy kids(nothing they can’t handle), sudden changes in light, cherry flavoring,

Names for Venus- Sun: Morning Star, sunshine, sunspot, Moon: Evening Star, moonlight, starlight, star,

Au 2: Greenhouse AU”

Timeframe: post ruin

Ships: Y/n x sun/moon

Y/n parents: tbd but not mentioned. Godparents are, they are important to story(tbd if you guys have any name ideas shoot): aunt/godmother: Yelina uncle/godfather: Rafael godsiblings/cousins: Ulices and Maddy

Y/n age: 23

Y/n story: they always wanted a greenhouse, grew plants all the time. Their godparents had land in Arizona, and they had surrounding land that hadn’t been bought yet. Y/n decided to buy it once they were older, and they have the land now, 3 acres, plus the two acres from her godparents that she used to build her house on.In her house she had a ton of plants, it is somewhat small but cosy, she has a giant garage for robotics and stuff since she had always wanted to work with that, and they make small little guys similar to helpy. Once they begin construction on their land they start looking for workers, there was going to be the main greenhouse area which they would tend to, a restaurant in the center, a small daycare for kids of adults who wanted to go to relax, and a small cafe, all inside the giant greenhouse. They start looking when someone catches their attention, they went out on a ride with their cousins on ATV’s and found robot parts by the mountains, that seemed to be mostly intact, they looked like the sun almost, and considering every time y/n found machine parts they would take them, they decided this time would be no different, they place the animatronic in their lap and continue their ride as per usual, and going fast over the bumpy parts of the dirt makeshift road because that is always fun. Once they make it back to the land, they show their find to their godparents, who are thrilled! And their cousins are excited too. They take them to their garage with the help of their godfamily and get to work on fixing up some damaged wires and cables, and also cleaning up the shell and endo skeleton. The animatronic seems yellow, like the sun, it reminds them of something but they can’t place it. Then they turn it on and shenanigans ensue.

Y/n behavior: Nice, assertive, loves doing fun or dangerous stuff(ridding atv’s at 60 mph on dirt paths on the mountain) but also loves arts and crafts, is good with kids but never wanted them, which is why the greenhouse has a daycare, like to joke around a lot, and hanging out with their cousins even if they make fun of them sometimes, they have a ton of hobbies like sewing, crocheting, 3d printing, drawing, building crafts out of cardboard, 3d modeling, and building with legos.

Y/n appearance: is often seen wearing gardening clothes, a sun hat, or mechanic clothes and a bandana(that they made by crocheting it)

Y/n likes: doing crafts, dangerous things like riding the atv’s, having fun, relaxing, robots, sun/moon, learning about psychology, always 3d printing stuff, playing Mexican music over the greenhouse speakers(like la flaca) especially in the restaurant,

Y/n dislikes: karens, people destroying their plants in the greenhouse.

Y/n nicknames: Cabron(a), Sunshine, sunspot, moonlight, star,

Silly moments and memories: y/n is sitting with her grandma by a fire pit with their family, she notices she is eating peanuts, they ask if they could have any, and grandma pulls an endless well of peanuts out of her pocket, with some candy, surprise lol. The whole family just looks in shock at grandma, like how tf???

They had a piñata one day to celebrate Christmas and a hook was sticking out, so y/n gets a small gash on their hand (horizontal from the base of their thumb to the other side of the hand(no this is not very specific wdym)) while blindfolded and going at it on the piñata. (Yea y/n is sorta Hispanic I’m sorry but it’s so fun to write that stuff)

So what do you guys think?

[trevorendeavors]

How much do you charge for commissions?

I charge $15 per hour!

I do digital art, fanart, book covers (yes, fanfic covers included), graphic design, logos, business cards, acrylic paint, watercolor paint, washi tape art, Minecraft skins, custom stickers, etc.

I accept PayPal, Venmo, CashApp, Zelle, and I'm working on a Stripe account.

"How many hours does it take to complete a comm?"

That depends on the nature of the comm. Here are some of mine from this year:

1 HOUR ($15) - These were commissioned by CrustySoap. These drawings took roughly an hour each. Generally speaking, scanned sketches and scanned sketches with flat colors are my quickest styles. If you're on a budget, this may be the style for you.

2. 2.48 HOURS ($37.20) - This one was commissioned by Ian. She wanted a self portrait based on one of her outfits. The background is made of a recycled filter made in one of my previous drawings.

3. Roughly 8.46 HOURS ($127~) - Commissioned by my good friend Nicole Straussman-Allen for her husband's bday. She approached me with the prompt of having Link from TTOK and Solid Snake from Metal Gear Solid shaking prosthetic hands. Since they have the hands on the same side, I suggested a fist bump instead, to which she heartily agreed. The result is something I'm very proud of.

However, these are not all the art styles I can do.

I was also commissioned by none other than Avi Roque this year! Their prompt was to create a physical painting/sketch of a scene from The Owl House. Disclaimer: I collected $50 + shipping for this painting - the prices listed on my website are approximately such, but as of this year they are currently out of date.

As with anything I make, $15/hour is the charge.

Here are other examples of my art!

Here's how I operate commissions:

Think of a character(s) you want me to draw and in what style. This can be a style I've already drawn in or one you'd like me to emulate. If you're not sure, I can give you recommendations based on your budget and aesthetic preferences. I can draw backgrounds as well, or even use a photo (either yours or mine) as a background.

From there, I'll give you a time estimate on how long it'll take. This varies greatly depending on the chosen art style and complexity of the comm.

Once we agree on the estimated price and style, that is when I begin timing myself as I work on your comm. I count strictly the hours I am working on the comm - not days between drawing sessions.

I'll send you work in progress photos/screenshots throughout. If you see something you'd like changed, it's better to let me know sooner rather than later so I can reduce the time needed to make adjustments.

Once you're satisfied with the final result, that's when payment is due. I take PayPal, Venmo, CashApp, and Zelle. I'm working on adding Stripe as well.

It is then that I'll email you the final result in high resolution and your preferred file format. NOTE: I also do painting commissions. If you would like a physical painting shipped to you, you will be responsible for shipping charges (thankfully my post office is relatively cheap, so depending on the size you're looking at an additional fee of $5-10, if that).

WILL DO / WON'T DO:

I will draw pretty much anything except for deliberately fetishistic art. For anything nsfw, I require proof of age. I reserve the right to terminate a comm for any reason.

That said, I look forward to working with you!

[curedeity]

HAPPY FANFIC FRIDAY YALL! Since artfight will be starting soon, I'll be taking a break from fanfic friday. I decided what better way to celebrate this new hiatus than to draw one of my own fics!

This scene comes from "Gasher's Dilemma" one of my earliest and most popular beyblade fics. I really think it is the first fic people really knew me by, and the one that stuck with people the most in my early days in the fandom. And I'll be honest, it is a pretty good encapsulation of my image.

Despite what this art might look like, this is not actually ship art. This isn't supposed to be that romantic of a moment at all (though I get that interpretation), and is one of the ones that stuck with me most upon rereading this fic. I'll be summarizing more later, but this scene is supposed to be a show of solidarity from Madoka to Hikaru as they both deal with their identity as women.

"Gasher's Dilemma" is a tough fic for me to look back on. If you haven't read it yet, I'd like to encourage you to, as it stuck out from my others for a reason. It is an in-universe exploration of sexism, and I think still interesting in that regard. At the same time, the fic is (I am knowingly exaggerating here) a flaming piece of shit in dire need of a rewrite or three.

I'll now be explaining the fic, explaining the scene I depicted, and then giving my thoughts and rambles about the fic below the cut. Thank you for humoring my amazing self-indulgence.

"Gasher's Dilemma" is a fic from Madoka's perspective that serves as an in-universe examination of the sexism in beyblade. It is structured through a scene of Madoka with each girl in the series, up to Sophie. The girls will pass off advice to one another, or rant about their own treatment and the emotions that's causing them. This structure is pretty important, because it centers the focus on all the girls, allowing for a narrative of community and solidarity to shine through. It deals with a lot of themes, but specifically the feeling that you are not doing enough to break stereotypes, that you are the problem, that you are only this way because an outside oppression has shaped you to be so.

The scene depicted here is from after Madoka and Lera talk. Lera is the first girl Madoka encounters in the fic to be more confident about her place as a woman. Lera calls out the sexism she experiences, showing she knows it is someone else's fault, not her own. She encourages Madoka to ignore it, and continue her passions confidently. This leads Madoka to remember Hikaru, who is so scared she is letting people down by stepping away from blading, and encourage her to stop worrying about others thoughts and expectations. She will never be good enough to change the mind of a sexist, so she should only focus on being happy as herself.

It's an important show of solidarity, that even as Madoka is finding herself more and more unsure, she reaches out to the women she knows to share their words, and try to improve together. It is about telling people what you need to hear, and also genuinely wanting the best for them.

Its an emotion that really sticks with me when leaving this fic, as it reminds me of the good experiences that inspired this fic.

"Gasher's Dilemma" is one of the more specifically inspired fics from my own life that I've ever written. At the time of writing this, I was thinking back on my high school gym class. It was only for a semester, but it really destroyed my self-esteem as a woman in a way nothing had before (and I did martial arts throughout all my years in school, played basketball in elementary, and never had a problem with gym).

At first, the gym class was normal, this was during the sports that could be considered more feminine. But then we switched to more physical games like soccer, and it all changed. We would start class by getting into teams, and there would be 2 girl teams, and 3 boy teams. Then, the gym teacher would pair up the three boy teams and the 2 girl teams, and set the girl teams against each other for the entire class period, not rotating us out.

What was the worst thing is he made us agree to it each time. He asked us and we always agreed that we were fine just going against each other. I always agreed.

It made me feel like shit, to tacitly admit i "wasnt good enough" to go against the boys because of my gender. Especially when i didn't believe that at all. I had never particularly struggled going against boys, not anymore than against girls. But as class went on, I found myself believing it a bit more, and hating myself for that.

It created a pretty bad environment too, a lot of girls were ticked off at the situation, and occasionally would mutter about blaming others. The boys, many of whom I'd known for years and many who I'd never had problems with, also started trusting us less. Whenever gym was brought up, the girls would always have a gendered issue to complain about, normally even a bit tiredly and anxiously, like we didn't even fully comprehend the situation yet.

But even then, we all still stuck together. I had many friends who sympathized with what was going on, and would commiserate, even if we were still working out. We would encourage each other, or just be there through the situation. It's that solidarity that is key in the structure of this fic, and this drawing.

I think it was these clearly personal feelings I was working through in this fic that resonated with people. It's why, even now, I'd still encourage people to read it. I know it connected with people, and I'm glad.

The fic is a mess though.

I reread it every so often, and am struck by how lazy my style is in this fic. The scenes are far too short, and the character work is still a bit wonky because i havent written these characters much. The narration is bland and there is so much work to be done on it. I critique this so much because I know I am a writer who could do better, who could execute this idea better.

Not to mention, there are elements thematically in the fic I'd change. While I've come to the realization having a narrow focus would still help, my gender commentary is pretty lacking. It doesn't really bring trans realities into the picture, and understanding just how constructed gender is makes for a better social commentary. It doesn't comment on the realities of race at all. It's, overall, a critique that could still use some work.

I'd also want to add Selen and Motti in. They weren't there because I didn't know how to add them initially. Both of them stick out even among the small cast of girls. The Garcias have so much to critique in their portrayal, and Motti is almost a joke character. I would've struggled to integrate both originally, but now I have thorough ideas of how they'd lend themselves to Madoka's journey and the themes of this fic.

Basically, it's a fic I really want to rewrite someday, because the idea still speaks to me after all this time. This is a fic and a subject that means a lot to me, and maybe I should return and reexplore these memories. But if any fic deserved to be the first fic of my own I drew for fanfic friday, it would be this motherfucker.

[another-trans-nerd]

This post is discussing why Mileven is unhealthy. Don’t like? Don’t interact.

Funky fresh reminder that mike referred to el as a superhero while max referred to her as someone with superpowers…..

Hmmm 🤔 almost as if mike only sees her as what she does while max sees her as her while still appreciating her for what she can do

And yet milkvan still is viewed as “healthy”?

To compare it to the book series keeper of the lost cities (spoilers ahead), it kinda reminds me of part of Sophie’s arc in the last book.

Essentially, she finally is officially dating the boy she’s liked for years (his name is fitz) but something is…off. When they do their telepathic bond excersises, she sees exactly how he views her in his mind: perfect. He sees her as completely perfect. While a lot of other protagonists might swoon, it just makes Sophie uncomfortable. Why? Because she’s not perfect. She’s made shitloads of mistakes. She’s almost started wars, she’s tripped a bunch, she’s been tricked, lied to, kidnapped, been impulsive, and more. She is complex and flawed and struggling, AKA she is a real person. Fitz doesn’t see her flaws, and therefore does not accept them. It makes Sophie wonder if he’ll still want her when he does accept them. It’s also been showcased in the books that fitz is shocked and enraged when Sophie does mess up, as if she’s not a sixteen year old with the world on her shoulders. He only sees her as the good she’s done and some imaginary picture perfect happy girl, so when things go wrong he lashes out.

This dynamic is later confirmed when Sophie looks at some drawings via her other love interest, keefe. The art is beautiful and really realistic. More so it’s real. He doesn’t filter out any of Sophie’s appearance, like her posture and scars. He recognized the societally dubbed imperfections but doesn’t think she’s any less beautiful. The way he roots for her shows that he sees her for what she is: a capable and powerful person, but still a goofy and clumsy teen. He sees her, all of her, and still loves her fiercely. That’s what Sophie needed, that’s what makes her feel truly loved. Keefe knows of every scar, every mistake, and every problem Sophie has ever had, and he adores her even harder. So Sophie chose him (for now, the series isn’t over).

(I’m not being anti-sophitz, I think it’s a perfectly fine ship (though I don’t ship it myself), but it was fairly toxic the last book, with Fitz’s expectations and neither really being ready for a relationship)

My point is that milkvan is not healthy in the way mike sees el, and she knows it. She’s got darkness in her that mike never acknowledges or talks to her about. He sees her just for her special parts, like her powers, looking past the fact that she has killed people (they deserve it obvi, but like bro you should prob at least talk about the time she exploded like ten peoples brains). Max knows that el has powers, but encourages el to use them how she wants to for once, instead of self defense or for someone else. Max helps her claim ownership of her powers, making them a part of her not just who she is. She’s clearly trying to move past the mentality of doing everything for other people (mike) but goes back to it when it becomes clearer that mike sees her just for her powers.

El deserves to be selfish and have fun. The happiest we see her is when she is doing so. Mike never seems to accept that.

Mike is seemingly only like this with el, and only when they’re actively dating. He doesn’t pressure his other friends like this.

Mileven is an unhealthy relationship.

The duffers show us it’s unhealthy by comparing it to healthier relationships like elmax and how different they are.

Mike and El had a healthier relationship when it was platonic, and they will again when they (hopefully) break up next season.

El is caught in the same trap she’s been in since br*nner wired it into her brain. She equates her self worth with what she can do for others, and what the current presence in her life wants from her. It’s not her fault, it’s a result of her trauma.

Which is why she needs to be without a partner or major male presence in her life for a while. To learn to love herself regardless of what she can do for others, and without the influence of anyone else.

TLDR: milkvan needs to break up Jesus Christ

[spoodlebat]

OC-tober Day 5: Relationships

Quick thirty minute sketch before bed, I said to myself. Six hours of sketching later, it had become apparent that I had lied to myself ;w; I'm so tired...

In other news; alright, 5 days done! Wait, what do you mean it's day 7?

There was no real contest for this one; it had to be Terry and Maria. They're disgustingly in love and it gives me the fuzzies even as an aroace person myself ;w; It's been so long since I got to draw my birdie, and in a rare moment of positive emotion too, wow~

Timelapse and rambles below, as always

Maria is my girlfriend's oc, but it's my art and I get to draw what I want. Nyeh.

Credit for the pose reference I used: I believe that says @dyeng0258 Also someone tell them that hand is backwards, I barely noticed in time to fix it

Terry and Maria met in interesting circumstances. It's a very long story, but the short version is thus:

Maria, a galactic tyrant, is a shapeshifting alien who was on a conquest to enslave the universe. Capturing powerful members of each planet she infiltrated, conquered and destroyed, she would torture intel out of her prisoners in order to steal their ideas, abilities and any other knowledge/skills that may end up useful to her and her clone army.

Posing as a friend's long-lost mother, she abducted Terry and several members of his found family, planning to use his psychic powers and governmental position to her advantage. She mostly worked on Terry himself, taunting him with never seeing his family again and inflicting great pain on him, forcing him to submit and freely give her access to his knowledge and auric abilities. After her most recent captives managed to escape, however, they critically damaged her cloning machine, leaving her plan to instill each generation of soldiers with new knowledge and ever increasing strength in shambles. No longer able to carry out her goal of galactic domination, coupled with being the last member of her universally-reviled species who would be killed on sight anywhere in the galaxy, she set free her prisoners and then self-destructed her ship.

However, even during the torture and interrogation, Terry had somehow managed to convince her that even she was worth loving; that she could change and do good, find people who were worth staying for. Teleporting to the planet's surface at the last moment, she pleaded with Terry for a second chance, which he willingly gave her. She now lives with him and his family, and has become a solid member of the group.

Though there's still some definite therapy needed on both sides of this relationship, both of them are completely mad about one another; there's nowhere they'd rather be than in each other's arms, sharing sweet nothings and being sappy at one another.

[mythicaldemigoddess-of-deltarune]

Now I Want To Ship TFA-Shockwave x Pearl From Steven Universe...

[Note: Do Not Reblog Without Permission.] 

yeah after seeing a fan art of the Hazformers version of Shockwave (which I love Blitzy-Blitzwing’s Hazformers and their fan fic.)

but anyway thanks to what Shockwave says in the drawing, I kind of want to ship TFA-Shockwave with Pearl from Steven Universe....

note to self, after watching Tenchi Universe, and playing Undertale & Deltarune, I am going to draw a Crossover ship drawing of TFA-Shockwave x SU-Pearl.

I know in canon never meant, but I don’t care, I ship it. XD

not everyone has to ship them, but I’m going to.

it can be romantic or platonic, of course if it is platonic it would be friend zone.

and yes I like that song ”I Ship It.” by Not Literally Production.

it’s just something that Shockwave says in the drawing, that reminds me of Pearl, and now I want to ship them....I’m weird and this is going to be me weird shipping, I don’t care, I ship it! XD

ShockPearl or Pearlwave, I’m going to ship them and I now plan to draw a ship drawing of them later after watching Tenchi Universe, and after playing Undertale & Deltarune....and I might watch a movie as well.

I do have other drawing plans on my to do list of course, like one drawing request.

 I am still going to view Chaz from Helluva Boss as a “Tuna-Himbo” because well that nickname pop into my head when watching that episode with him in it, which of course is for mature audiences and is NOT for kids....

and parents need to have some sense to know that not all cartoons or movies or video games or books, will be for kids, and will be for those who are old enough and mature enough to view them.

so I know it was wrong for my Mom to let me watch a certain movie, that was for a mature audience, I guess she might of had to cover my eyes in some parts of it.....but I know I was no where near being a teenager or even close to it, to see that movie....so yeah, even if we might end up early exposed to mature stuff, but hopefully not the super mature kind....it does give one a life lesson.

that parents blaming the mature stuff that isn’t for kids, and how they should make sure to say “No” and tell them they have to wait until the proper age to view it, instead of doing that whole “Sure” and then end up regretting it and then end up doing that scapegoating bull...at least some parents have more sense than to do that scapegoating bull, and know to make sure to keep their kids from mature content until they are the proper age to view it.

anyway I did like the new episode of Helluva Boss, and it was a good thing that it had some censoring, I am still not going to talk too much about what goes on in that episode, and it’s best to wait a bit more before talking about the stuff that went on in that episode.......but I’m still going to call Chaz a Tuna-Himbo.         

maybe I would try Crossover ship Chaz with Jasper from Steven Universe....

or maybe him with Niffty from Hazbin Hotel, oh, that would be fun. XD

so anyway it’s either Crossover ship Chaz with Jasper or Niffty...

I can decide later, maybe tomorrow....

anyway I am still going to draw a Crossover ship drawing of Shockwave and Pearl, and well the idea of wanting to ship them was inspired by a drawing I saw.....which of course was of Shockwave, the Hazformers version of him.

but first things first, watch Tenchi Universe, play video games and maybe watch a movie, then it is down to the whole drawing a crossover drawing of Shockwave x Pearl.

if those two got married, would that make Shockwave the Step-Dad of Steven...?

I mean Pearl can be viewed as Steven’s Mom, even if she wasn’t the one who brought him into the world, but some fans will still view her as his Real Mom, even if they aren’t biologically related.

well I did do a crossover ship between Amethyst from Steven Universe

and TFA-Perceptor, yeah it might be weird to ship those two, but I couldn’t help but like the idea of drawing a ship between those two, and well I am pretty sure it was only two ship drawings of them being together so far, and they are suppose to be married to each other in those crossover ships.

anyway I am inspired to want to crossover ship Shockwave x Pearl....

and I will get to work on that drawing, right after watching Tenchi Universe, then after that playing video games and I might watch a movie next after that.

and then I will work on the Crossover ship drawing of Shockwave x Pearl. :D       

[evergardenwall]

The new Jason liker is back! Honestly-- maybeeee jasico is winning out after scrolling thru some blogs 👀👀👀

If you have a second, love to hear why you love the ship / what drew you to it

oooohh 👀 feel free to share more of your jason thoughts here! i would love to read them :^)

as for my jasico journey. well. there's how i was first drawn to the ship when i was younger, and there's how i actually joined the fanbase and read fics when i revisited my pjo/hoo phase in 2021....which makes not just one but two origin stories!

so. first of all, you need to know that when i first started reading heroes of olympus, i was already obsessed with nico from reading the pjo series before, and also related to him a lot re: the rejection he faced and his feelings of alienation from both camp half-blood and camp jupiter....it's actually mind-blowing to think abut how my eleven years-old baby queer (who didn't know they were not straight yet) self completely latched onto him, both had a crush and projected onto this character, would spend hours looking at fanart and have their friend drawing shippy art of them with him-- yes, this is a thing that happened (and yes, i was one of those younger nico fangirls back in 2014... kind of cringe, i know, but that's part of why i still am attached to him to this day! he is so important to me! and hey, i turned out not to be a girl so 👀). LIKE. hello. younger sam. i know what you are

and then, house of hades happened; the cupid scene and nico having a crush on percy and actually becoming canonically gay had a stupidly huge impact on me. like, yeah, heroes of olympus is objectively the least good series riordan has written in terms of writing quality, but i would not be the same person today if hadn't read it 😞 and it's my favorite rip

i remember reading hoh for the first time back in february 2014, after a day out in paris with my grandmother during which i had dragged her to a bookstore because it had just been published in france, and feeling shaken to my core -- in a good way --, so closely drawn to this character for a reason i could not articulate. and there was jason's reaction, the way he also was drawn to nico, and his support for hades' son, later sealed with the chalice scene in blood of olympus. which was probably one of the gayest jasico scenes. btw (in my opinion, at least. and frank's pov is so fucking funny). so i was like... 'oh my god. jason and nico. [cannot articulate why they love the later beginning of friendship they have going on so much]' and completely latched onto them, but without realising it nor sharing it with other fans this time! because i was too embarrassed!

i already liked jason as a character before the cupid scene, but his chapters in house of hades and blood of olympus as well as his whole identity crisis storyline, torn between greeks and romans, made me love this character even more. imo, his best scenes are in these two books (although after re-reading the lost hero, i have grown to appreciate this book's jason a lot... thinking about when he meets thalia and the moments with leo 🥺)-- and i loved his dynamic with nico. i didn't openly ship them, because i was too intimidated too explore non-canon pairings back then, until i got into jercy on wattpad (it was certainly another time wdxwshdjs). at this moment, not only reading these silly little fics made me more confident in being a jason fan who read him as bi (because i was 13-14 back then, and all my friends at the time thought he was lame and straight), but it inspired me to write a tiny jasico fic, which i never finished but hey, the passion was there :)

after that, i got into so.langelo for a couple of years-- i wasn't familiar with archive of our own, nor fluent in english, which didn't help me finding content besides from minuiko's work (i regularly stalked her blog despite not having a tumblr account) and amvs with stolen fanart on youtube, so i ended up continuing to keep my interest in jasico for myself. seeing nico having a canon boyfriend when toa started releasing had me very excited, although i didn't really care about will..... (whereas i strongly dislike so.langelo but have a lot of headcanons about will as an individual character now. lol.)

fast forward to 2021: for a reason i can't remember (perhaps the first pjo adaptation news? having met my cousin's girlfriend and talked about the books -- and jason! -- with her very enthusiastically? someone putting random fanart on my dash? the world will never know), i decided to start re-reading pjo for the first time in a while, and because i was finally on tumblr, i decided to look at the different tags to see if jasico had a fanbase... and fell into the rabbit hole! and here i am now, sharing conspiracy theories 😞 /j

more seriously, my 2021 obsession with jasico was the first time i actually gave coherent thought to this pairing besides from the Vibes i was getting when i was younger, and rediscovered the things that made me love each character when i was younger. and oh my god, jason... i projected onto jason so much.

it was very comforting, too, like reuniting with old friends, and somehow made me understand a new thing or two about myself. i love the parallels between jason and nico's storylines and how compelling their pairing is from a narrative viewpoint. like. it makes SENSE. on that topic, i will never stop linking this presentation because it analyses the whole thing so well and i wish i could be this articulate instead of just being like.... poetic cinema reaction picture dot jpg. (my mutuals are way smarter than me. go follow them 🔫)

but anyway, long story short: jasico is very Good and i'm glad to see it's kind of becoming relevant again? <- i am unsure of whether we're witnessing a renaissance or if it's just my dash having a mass hysteria event... but i *am* seeing jasico posts getting more notes than usual and it is intriguing so 👀

[alma-amentet]

I’ve been tagged by @katastronoot and @sheirukitriesfandom

Feel free to take if you haven’t been tagged already.

1) Describe one creative WIP project you’re planning to work on over the summer.

Just a few days ago I decided to pull myself together and finish my drafts, debts and references queue. There’s a number of tabs with refs hanging in my browser... Need to get rid of them! Then I’ll also finish some tutorials from my previous lessons as well as rewatch the ones I already did, just to get back in shape. And will probably dive into some other courses - I have some good videos.

Was thinking about making some doll, clothes after a long break. My drunk shepherdess needs this, as I changed my mind to sell her away! (she’s another story). And a bag for my favorite tarot deck, now I use the the bag I made for another one, while that another one rests in a bag that once was part of friend’s Christmas present.

The rest is optional for now, but I hope to start drawing more portraits again. Maybe, by the end of the year I’ll be taking requests and trades for your OCs and favorite characters... That would be super cool.

I wanted to start attending my IRL art class again, but looks like I won’t be able to afford it 😢 Sadly I’m not making much money these days, and there are some unexpected expences.

2) Rec a book!

Tanith Lee, The Night’s Master. I think Elden Ring fans will appreciate 😉 Made a post about it a while ago.

I also liked The Winter Players - finally, a good and strong female protagonist! Not evil, unlike Zorayas - the one from the Night’s Master 😉

3) Rec a fic!

False Azure in the Windowpane by Tulak_Hord

If you don’t mind het Malenia ship. I don’t because it has a lot of fluff and an interesting Tarnished. I loved the first 55k words, excluding the chapter where they sparred (for me, that felt too long and boring). But I keep reading it.

Also Flamed Aeonia by BadMonsterFr  

This one has fem shipping, also a lot of hurt/comfort and fluff - just the way I like it! 

I love Malenia fluff. So more Malenia fluff pls! If you can rec me anything else like this, you're welcome! (yes I know and love Unalloyed, esp. the epilogue. It’s somewhat different, more on Millicent and Miquella, but just my vibes as well).

(also I’m really sorry for not reading some of fandom’s buddies works, I do - I’d like to support you more ... started some of them, but couldn’t keep up. I’m a bad and slow reader, and prefer smaller sizes to long ongoings. There are just two long ongoings I'm reading, False Azure and Rebecca's, because they are updated not really often).

4) Rec Music!

I’m on my Breton and Francophone folk kick again, so I recommend 

- La Boutine Souriante, folk-rock from Quebec (so far I’m listyening to their earliest albums, but they’ve been around since 70s and have many albums)

- Tri Yann. Modern Breton classics, I’d say! Love those old men who are still fit and well.

5)Share one piece of advice!

I agree with @vidvana Take care of yourself! Also don’t skip meals, get enough sleep. And if you feel you’d use some support, seek it any ways. If you can’t afford therapy or anything, there’s plenty of books and resources. Sometimes it’s even easier to help yourself than to find help. I’m quite experienced in self-help, I know what I’m talking about. 

For me, Julia Cameron’s “The Artists’s Way” has become that single straw I grasped in my darkest times, and it actually helped greatly! I also used her list of further reading and quotes, thus finding Shakti Gauvain, whose books are inspiring and supportive as well. Later I was a moderator for several groups for the Asrtists’Way. Not an easy experience, but it taught me something as well.

But if there’s a chance of any therapy, groups, any other support, don’t give it up as well.

[ask-obsidian-snatcher-ew-oc]

Ask Obsidian Snatcher (Eddsworld OC)

(Wonderful art and icon by melodythebunny!)

Sid: Hi I’m the Obsidian Snatcher, but you can call me Sid!

My hobbies include:

 Sneaking around the Red Army base .

Getting lost in the Red Army base.

 Smashing Red Leader’s dangerous inventions.

 Pranks.

 Sneaking into the kitchen to make cupcakes.

 Playing Sunshine Lollipops and Rainbows over the PA system.

And making sure those darn Red Army soldiers take care of themselves some of them don't drink enough water.

 I also like interacting with Red Leader himself even if he's mostly trying to shoot me. He needs self-care the most tbh.

Recently, a friend of mine recommended that I reach out to you nice people, since asking questions apparently helps with my weird memory problems. he'll probably be here too,  right E.V.?

E.V.: ...

Sid: Maybe he’ll talk later. He’s usually so friendly.

A/N

For the record, Sid is a Cis female in her twenties.

Rules

(there will be only one or two ships in the series and spoiler alert: it’s Tord x OC, and maybe some OCxOC. so i may be uncomfy talking about other ships. this isn’t to be disrespectful, i just wanted to say something now so that there aren’t hurt feelings if i don’t answer a question. I think we can all still have fun even if this blog doesn’t ship what everybody else does.

No pr*shipping or NSFW requests. i mostly want to tell a story with this, partly with ya’lls help and inspriation.

Crossovers will be fine and even encouraged to an extent but they may be limited at first. this is because of a plot reason

Because of hand pain, the drawings may be limited-to-nonexistent. Instead, this will be more text-based, and i’ll try to indicate the speaker through speech tags or colored-text if possible. Sid’s dialogue is black tho since that’s her signature color.

Also, in addition to asks, I have a basic overall plot in mind for this AU. So if things are slow or something planned and important to the plot needs to happen, I may post even without it being prompted by an ask.

And there is no set schedule for this.

More rules may be added later and if I’m talking out of character, i’ll try to make it in bold and in parentheses.

Disclaimer: That being said none of the characters are meant to be the real people, though if the creator/staff at Eddsworld are uncomfortable with this I will take it down. Also I am aware that there is at least one other Eddsworld OC that looks a little bit like Sid and I just want to give a disclaimer that I am not trying to copy anyone I've had Sid in my head for a few years now And I've only just recently even looked at any other ask blogs in this fandom.)

(reuploading my old posts cuz the tags were a bit hectic)

(also gonna create an order to the posts as i go)

Next

[hellsitesonlybookclub]

Little Women, Louisa May Alcott

Chapter 44-45

XLIV.

MY LORD AND LADY.

"Please, Madam Mother, could you lend me my wife for half an hour? The luggage has come, and I've been making hay of Amy's Paris finery, trying to find some things I want," said Laurie, coming in the next day to find Mrs. Laurence sitting in her mother's lap, as if being made "the baby" again.

"Certainly. Go, dear; I forget that you have any home but this," and Mrs. March pressed the white hand that wore the wedding-ring, as if asking pardon for her maternal covetousness.

"I shouldn't have come over if I could have helped it; but I can't get on without my little woman any more than a—"

"Weathercock can without wind," suggested Jo, as he paused for a simile; Jo had grown quite her own saucy self again since Teddy came home.

544 "Exactly; for Amy keeps me pointing due west most of the time, with only an occasional whiffle round to the south, and I haven't had an easterly spell since I was married; don't know anything about the north, but am altogether salubrious and balmy, hey, my lady?"

"Lovely weather so far; I don't know how long it will last, but I'm not afraid of storms, for I'm learning how to sail my ship. Come home, dear, and I'll find your bootjack; I suppose that's what you are rummaging after among my things. Men are so helpless, mother," said Amy, with a matronly air, which delighted her husband.

"What are you going to do with yourselves after you get settled?" asked Jo, buttoning Amy's cloak as she used to button her pinafores.

"We have our plans; we don't mean to say much about them yet, because we are such very new brooms, but we don't intend to be idle. I'm going into business with a devotion that shall delight grandfather, and prove to him that I'm not spoilt. I need something of the sort to keep me steady. I'm tired of dawdling, and mean to work like a man."

"And Amy, what is she going to do?" asked Mrs. March, well pleased at Laurie's decision, and the energy with which he spoke.

"After doing the civil all round, and airing our best bonnet, we shall astonish you by the elegant hospitalities of our mansion, the brilliant society we shall draw about us, and the beneficial influence we shall exert over the world at large. That's about it, isn't it, Madame Récamier?" asked Laurie, with a quizzical look at Amy.

"Time will show. Come away, Impertinence, and don't shock my family by calling me names before their faces," answered Amy, resolving that there should be a home with a good wife in it before she set up a salon as a queen of society.

"How happy those children seem together!" observed Mr. March, finding it difficult to become absorbed in his Aristotle after the young couple had gone.

"Yes, and I think it will last," added Mrs. March, with the restful expression of a pilot who has brought a ship safely into port.

"I know it will. Happy Amy!" and Jo sighed, then smiled brightly as Professor Bhaer opened the gate with an impatient push.

545 Later in the evening, when his mind had been set at rest about the bootjack, Laurie said suddenly to his wife, who was flitting about, arranging her new art treasures,—

"Mrs. Laurence."

"My lord!"

"That man intends to marry our Jo!"

"I hope so; don't you, dear?"

"Well, my love, I consider him a trump, in the fullest sense of that expressive word, but I do wish he was a little younger and a good deal richer."

"Now, Laurie, don't be too fastidious and worldly-minded. If they love one another it doesn't matter a particle how old they are nor how poor. Women never should marry for money—" Amy caught herself up short as the words escaped her, and looked at her husband, who replied, with malicious gravity,—

"Certainly not, though you do hear charming girls say that they intend to do it sometimes. If my memory serves me, you once thought it your duty to make a rich match; that accounts, perhaps, for your marrying a good-for-nothing like me."

"O my dearest boy, don't, don't say that! I forgot you were rich when I said 'Yes.' I'd have married you if you hadn't a penny, and I sometimes wish you were poor that I might show how much I love you;" and Amy, who was very dignified in public and very fond in private, gave convincing proofs of the truth of her words.

"You don't really think I am such a mercenary creature as I tried to be once, do you? It would break my heart if you didn't believe that I'd gladly pull in the same boat with you, even if you had to get your living by rowing on the lake."

"Am I an idiot and a brute? How could I think so, when you refused a richer man for me, and won't let me give you half I want to now, when I have the right? Girls do it every day, poor things, and are taught to think it is their only salvation; but you had better lessons, and, though I trembled for you at one time, I was not disappointed, for the daughter was true to the mother's teaching. I told mamma so yesterday, and she looked as glad and grateful as if I'd given her a 546 check for a million, to be spent in charity. You are not listening to my moral remarks, Mrs. Laurence;" and Laurie paused, for Amy's eyes had an absent look, though fixed upon his face.

"Yes, I am, and admiring the dimple in your chin at the same time. I don't wish to make you vain, but I must confess that I'm prouder of my handsome husband than of all his money. Don't laugh, but your nose is such a comfort to me;" and Amy softly caressed the well-cut feature with artistic satisfaction.

Laurie had received many compliments in his life, but never one that suited him better, as he plainly showed, though he did laugh at his wife's peculiar taste, while she said slowly,—

"May I ask you a question, dear?"

"Of course you may."

"Shall you care if Jo does marry Mr. Bhaer?"

"Oh, that's the trouble, is it? I thought there was something in the dimple that didn't suit you. Not being a dog in the manger, but the happiest fellow alive, I assure you I can dance at Jo's wedding with a heart as light as my heels. Do you doubt it, my darling?"

Amy looked up at him, and was satisfied; her last little jealous fear vanished forever, and she thanked him, with a face full of love and confidence.

"I wish we could do something for that capital old Professor. Couldn't we invent a rich relation, who shall obligingly die out there in Germany, and leave him a tidy little fortune?" said Laurie, when they began to pace up and down the long drawing-room, arm-in-arm, as they were fond of doing, in memory of the chateau garden.

"Jo would find us out, and spoil it all; she is very proud of him, just as he is, and said yesterday that she thought poverty was a beautiful thing."

"Bless her dear heart! she won't think so when she has a literary husband, and a dozen little professors and professorins to support. We won't interfere now, but watch our chance, and do them a good turn in spite of themselves. I owe Jo for a part of my education, and she believes in people's paying their honest debts, so I'll get round her in that way."

547 "How delightful it is to be able to help others, isn't it? That was always one of my dreams, to have the power of giving freely; and, thanks to you, the dream has come true."

"Ah! we'll do quantities of good, won't we? There's one sort of poverty that I particularly like to help. Out-and-out beggars get taken care of, but poor gentlefolks fare badly, because they won't ask, and people don't dare to offer charity; yet there are a thousand ways of helping them, if one only knows how to do it so delicately that it does not offend. I must say, I like to serve a decayed gentleman better than a blarneying beggar; I suppose it's wrong, but I do, though it is harder."

548 "Because it takes a gentleman to do it," added the other member of the domestic admiration society.

"Thank you, I'm afraid I don't deserve that pretty compliment. But I was going to say that while I was dawdling about abroad, I saw a good many talented young fellows making all sorts of sacrifices, and enduring real hardships, that they might realize their dreams. Splendid fellows, some of them, working like heroes, poor and friendless, but so full of courage, patience, and ambition, that I was ashamed of myself, and longed to give them a right good lift. Those are people whom it's a satisfaction to help, for if they've got genius, it's an honor to be allowed to serve them, and not let it be lost or delayed for want of fuel to keep the pot boiling; if they haven't, it's a pleasure to comfort the poor souls, and keep them from despair when they find it out."

"Yes, indeed; and there's another class who can't ask, and who suffer in silence. I know something of it, for I belonged to it before you made a princess of me, as the king does the beggar-maid in the old story. Ambitious girls have a hard time, Laurie, and often have to see youth, health, and precious opportunities go by, just for want of a little help at the right minute. People have been very kind to me; and whenever I see girls struggling along, as we used to do, I want to put out my hand and help them, as I was helped."

"And so you shall, like an angel as you are!" cried Laurie, resolving, with a glow of philanthropic zeal, to found and endow an institution for the express benefit of young women with artistic tendencies. "Rich people have no right to sit down and enjoy themselves, or let their money accumulate for others to waste. It's not half so sensible to leave legacies when one dies as it is to use the money wisely while alive, and enjoy making one's fellow-creatures happy with it. We'll have a good time ourselves, and add an extra relish to our own pleasure by giving other people a generous taste. Will you be a little Dorcas, going about emptying a big basket of comforts, and filling it up with good deeds?"

"With all my heart, if you will be a brave St. Martin, stopping, as you ride gallantly through the world, to share your cloak with the beggar."

549 "It's a bargain, and we shall get the best of it!"

So the young pair shook hands upon it, and then paced happily on again, feeling that their pleasant home was more home-like because they hoped to brighten other homes, believing that their own feet would walk more uprightly along the flowery path before them, if they smoothed rough ways for other feet, and feeling that their hearts were more closely knit together by a love which could tenderly remember those less blest than they.

550

"He's a born Weller," laughed Jo, as her parent gathered himself up, and her nephew tried to stand on his head, as the only mode of expressing his satisfaction that school was over.

"What have you been at to-day, bübchen?" asked Mr. Bhaer, picking up the gymnast.

556 "Me went to see little Mary."

"And what did you there?"

"I kissed her," began Demi, with artless frankness.

"Prut! thou beginnest early. What did the little Mary say to that?" asked Mr. Bhaer, continuing to confess the young sinner, who stood upon his knee, exploring the waistcoat-pocket.

"Oh, she liked it, and she kissed me, and I liked it. Don't little boys like little girls?" added Demi, with his mouth full, and an air of bland satisfaction.

"You precocious chick! Who put that into your head?" said Jo, enjoying the innocent revelations as much as the Professor.

"'Tisn't in mine head; it's in mine mouf," answered literal Demi, putting out his tongue, with a chocolate-drop on it, thinking she alluded to confectionery, not ideas.

"Thou shouldst save some for the little friend: sweets to the sweet, mannling;" and Mr. Bhaer offered Jo some, with a look that made her wonder if chocolate was not the nectar drunk by the gods. Demi also saw the smile, was impressed by it, and artlessly inquired,—

"Do great boys like great girls, too, 'Fessor?"

557 Like young Washington, Mr. Bhaer "couldn't tell a lie;" so he gave the somewhat vague reply that he believed they did sometimes, in a tone that made Mr. March put down his clothes-brush, glance at Jo's retiring face, and then sink into his chair, looking as if the "precocious chick" had put an idea into his head that was both sweet and sour.

Why Dodo, when she caught him in the china-closet half an hour afterward, nearly squeezed the breath out of his little body with a tender embrace, instead of shaking him for being there, and why she followed up this novel performance by the unexpected gift of a big slice of bread and jelly, remained one of the problems over which Demi puzzled his small wits, and was forced to leave unsolved forever.

558

[nadineselfships-archived]

I redrew a hella old drawing and forgot to post it so ayee *finger guns*