#Improved Project Calculations

[icryyoumercy]

called two different hospitals about a bill that really shouldn't have ended up with me, emailed disability services to ask about the current state of my case, and in the process of sorting out paperwork for taxes also ended up emailing my employer about the level of my retirement fund

many things have been done and i am proud of myself

[theambitiouswoman]

How To Become A Brand New Person ✨✨

Self Reflect:

Journal daily.

Think about past decisions and how they impacted your life.

Meditate regularly.

Create a vision board to visualize your goals.

Review your strengths and weaknesses.

Identify your core values and beliefs.

Figure out your passions and interests.

Think about your childhood dreams and aspirations.

Evaluate your current state of happiness and fulfillment.

Set Clear Goals:

Define specific career goals, like "Get promoted within two years."

Set health goals, like "Lose 20 pounds in six months."

Create financial goals such as "Save $10,000 for a vacation."

Establish personal development goals, like "Read 24 books in a year."

Set relationship goals, such as "Improve communication with my partner."

Define education goals, like "Complete a master's degree in three years."

Set travel goals, like "Visit five new countries in the next two years."

Create hobbies and interests goals, such as "Learn to play a musical instrument."

Set community or volunteer goals, like "Volunteer 100 hours this year."

Establish mindfulness or self-care goals, such as "Practice meditation daily."

Self Care:

Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day.

Follow a balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Prioritize getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep each night.

Practice in relaxation techniques like deep breathing or yoga.

Take regular breaks at work to avoid burnout.

Schedule "me time" for activities you enjoy.

Limit exposure to stressors and toxic people.

Practice regular skincare and grooming routines.

Seek regular medical check-ups and screenings.

Stay hydrated by drinking enough water daily.

Personal Development:

Read a book every month from various genres.

Attend workshops or seminars on topics of interest.

Learn a new language or musical instrument.

Take online courses to acquire new skills.

Set aside time for daily reflection and self improvement.

Seek a mentor in your field for guidance.

Attend conferences and networking events.

Start a side project or hobby to expand your abilities.

Practice public speaking or communication skills.

Do creative activities like painting, writing, or photography.

Create a Support System:

Build a close knit group of friends who uplift and inspire you.

Join clubs or organizations aligned with your interests.

Connect with a mentor or life coach.

Attend family gatherings to maintain bonds.

Be open and honest in your communication with loved ones.

Seek advice from trusted colleagues or supervisors.

Attend support groups for specific challenges (e.g., addiction recovery).

Cultivate online connections through social media.

Find a therapist or counselor for emotional support.

Participate in community or volunteer activities to meet like minded people.

Change Habits:

Cut back on sugary or processed foods.

Reduce screen time and increase physical activity.

Practice gratitude by keeping a daily journal.

Manage stress through mindfulness meditation.

Limit procrastination by setting specific deadlines.

Reduce negative self-talk by practicing self-compassion.

Establish a regular exercise routine.

Create a budget and stick to it.

Develop a morning and evening routine for consistency.

Overcome Fear and Self Doubt:

Face a specific fear head-on (example: public speaking).

Challenge your negative thoughts with positive affirmations.

Seek therapy to address underlying fears or traumas.

Take small, calculated risks to build confidence.

Visualize success in challenging situations.

Surround yourself with supportive and encouraging people.

Journal about your fears and doubts to gain clarity.

Celebrate your accomplishments, no matter how small.

Focus on your strengths and accomplishments.

Embrace failure as a valuable learning experience.

Embrace Change:

Relocate to a new city or country.

Switch careers or industries to pursue your passion.

Take on leadership roles in your workplace.

Volunteer for projects outside your comfort zone.

Embrace new technologies and digital tools.

Travel to unfamiliar destinations.

Start a new hobby or creative endeavor.

Change your daily routine to add variety.

Adjust your mindset to see change as an opportunity.

Seek out diverse perspectives and viewpoints.

Practice Gratitude:

Write down three things you're grateful for each day.

Express gratitude to loved ones regularly.

Create a gratitude jar and add notes of appreciation.

Reflect on the positive aspects of challenging situations.

Show gratitude by volunteering or helping others in need.

Send thank-you notes or messages to people who've helped you.

Keep a gratitude journal and review it regularly.

Share your gratitude openly during family meals or gatherings.

Focus on the present moment and appreciate the little things.

Practice gratitude even in times of adversity.

Be Patient:

Set realistic expectations for your progress.

Accept that personal growth takes time.

Focus on the journey rather than the destination.

Learn from setbacks and view them as opportunities to improve.

Celebrate small milestones along the way.

Practice self-compassion during challenging times.

Stay committed to your goals, even when progress is slow.

Keep a journal to track your personal growth.

Recognize that patience is a valuable skill in personal transformation.

Celebrate Small Wins:

Treat yourself to your favorite meal or dessert.

Reward yourself with a spa day or self-care activity.

Share your achievements with friends and loved ones.

Create a vision board to visualize your successes.

Acknowledge and congratulate yourself in a journal.

Give yourself permission to take a break and relax.

Display reminders of your accomplishments in your workspace.

Take a day off to celebrate a major milestone.

Host a small gathering to mark your achievements.

Set aside time to reflect on how far you've come.

Maintain Balance:

Set clear boundaries in your personal and work life.

Prioritize self care activities in your daily routine.

Schedule regular breaks and downtime.

Learn to say "no" when necessary to avoid overcommitment.

Evaluate your work life balance regularly.

Seek support from friends and family to avoid burnout.

Be kind to yourself and accept imperfections.

Practice mindfulness to stay present and grounded.

Revisit your priorities and adjust them as needed.

Embrace self love and self acceptance as part of your daily life.

[plutosunshine]

The ruler of your Ascendant — and its house

Understanding the house in which your Ascendant ruler (also known as the chart ruler) resides is a deeply personal journey in astrology. It provides intimate insight into the core themes that shape your life path, personality, and approach to the world. The Ascendant represents your outward identity, how you present yourself, and how others perceive you. Its ruling planet acts as a personal guide, and its placement in a specific house highlights the life areas where you are naturally drawn and likely to encounter significant experiences. This knowledge fosters a deeper connection to your own life story and experiences.

Identify Your Ascendant: First, determine your Ascendant sign by calculating your birth chart. The Ascendant is the sign on the cusp of the 1st house.

   

Find the Ruling Planet of Your Ascendant:

   - Aries Ascendant: Mars

   - Taurus/Libra Ascendant: Venus

   - Gemini/Virgo Ascendant: Mercury

   - Cancer Ascendant: Moon

   - Leo Ascendant: Sun

   - Scorpio Ascendant: Pluto (modern) or Mars (traditional)

   - Sagittarius Ascendant: Jupiter

   - Capricorn Ascendant: Saturn

   - Aquarius Ascendant: Uranus (modern) or Saturn (traditional)

   - Pisces Ascendant: Neptune (modern) or Jupiter (traditional)

The ruler of your Ascendant is in the 1st house

This placement makes your identity, self-expression, and personal impact on the world the center of your life. The 1st house is the house of the self, so having your chart ruler here means you're strongly connected to who you are and how you present yourself to others. It's like your core energy radiates through your personality, making you a powerful force in shaping your life path.

People can't help but notice you. Whether you're naturally confident or working on building that self-assurance, your presence is hard to ignore. You're likely to take the initiative in life, often driven to carve out your own path rather than following others.

With the Ascendant ruler in the 1st house, personal independence is not just important, it's a defining feature of your character. You possess a strong sense of what you want and are driven to achieve it, even if it means going against the norm. This placement is all about you taking charge of your destiny.

You're wired to express yourself authentically. There's a deep drive to figure out who you are and ensure your outer life reflects your inner truth. You're not one to fake it—being authentic is what matters most to you.

This placement also means that your self-development is not just a passing phase but a lifelong focus. You're constantly evolving, and the challenges that push you to grow often revolve around how you perceive yourself and how others perceive you. Personal improvement might feel like a never-ending project, but this continuous growth keeps you moving forward.

This placement makes you magnetic, driven, and authentic, giving you the natural power to shape your own world. It's a direct alignment between who you are inside and what you project to the outside world!

The ruler of your Ascendant is in the 2nd house

You likely crave financial stability and material comfort. It's not just about money, though—it's about feeling secure and grounded in your life. This desire for financial stability is a reflection of your need for security and is completely understandable.

This placement makes you very attuned to your own value. You might tie your self-worth to how well you can support yourself or what you achieve in the material world. Learning to balance self-worth with what you have versus who you are is a key lesson for you.

Whether it's building wealth, a home, or even skills, you thrive on creating something lasting.

Your sense of self is deeply connected to what you personally find valuable, whether that's relationships, possessions, or even spiritual beliefs. These values guide your decisions and validate your alignment with your true self.

This placement drives you to create a life where you feel secure, self-sufficient, and aligned with what you truly value. You're not just looking for material wealth—you're building a life that reflects your deepest sense of self-worth and stability!

The ruler of your Ascendant is in the 3rd house

You’re someone who’s always asking questions, always wanting to know more. Your mind is sharp, and you probably dive into new topics, pick up different skills, or constantly seek intellectual stimulation. You’re naturally curious about the world, and this curiosity shapes your sense of self.

Whether it’s through writing, speaking, or teaching, expressing yourself is key. You likely feel at home when sharing your thoughts or bouncing ideas off others. Your voice matters, and you probably thrive when you can interact with others, exchange ideas, or stay in the know.

You might have strong ties to your local environment, like your neighborhood or community. Siblings, cousins, or close-knit social circles often play an important role in your life. Your relationships are likely a constant source of learning and growth for you.

With your chart ruler here, learning doesn’t stop. Whether through formal education or self-taught experiences, you never stop growing mentally. Engaging with new ideas keeps you feeling vibrant and connected to your identity.

The ruler of your Ascendant is in the 4th house

You're someone who finds a lot of meaning in your home environment. Whether creating a cozy space or being surrounded by loved ones, having a secure and nurturing home life is essential for your emotional well-being. You're likely someone who values privacy and needs time in your sanctuary to recharge.

Your family, especially your roots and ancestry, plays a big role in shaping your identity. You might feel a strong connection to your heritage or have a deep sense of responsibility toward your family. Exploring your family history or finding your place within the family dynamic can be a major part of your personal growth.

Beyond the physical home, emotional security is a huge focus for you. You might spend a lot of time reflecting on your inner self, working through emotional patterns that go way back to your childhood. Establishing a strong emotional foundation helps you feel grounded in who you are.

With this placement, you likely have a natural instinct to care for others. Whether you're nurturing family members, friends, or even your own inner child, creating a supportive and loving environment around you is part of your life's work.

The ruler of your Ascendant is in the 5th house

You're naturally drawn to creative pursuits, whether that's through art, music, writing, or any activity that lets you express your unique self. Creativity is not just a hobby for you; it's a core part of who you are. You feel most alive when you're putting your own personal stamp on something.

Having fun and doing things that make you happy isn't just a nice thing to have; it's really important for your overall well-being. You enjoy experiencing happiness in many different ways, whether it's through hobbies, having fun, or appreciating the little things in life. You know how to let loose and embrace the moment, which makes you magnetic to others.

When it comes to love, you approach it with passion and excitement. Romance, flirting, and playful connection are likely a big part of your life. You might also find that your relationships bring out the best in your self-expression, making love a key theme in your personal growth.

This placement makes you a natural at bringing fun, creativity, and love into the world. You're at your best when you enjoy life, follow your passions, and share your vibrant energy with others. Letting your creative and playful side lead the way is what truly makes you shine!

The ruler of your Ascendant is in the 6th house

Whether it's in your work, health, or personal habits, you're someone who thrives on getting things done. You might be the type who enjoys checking off tasks, organizing your day, and feeling productive. There's a profound sense of accomplishment in being efficient and dependable, and your efforts are truly commendable.

You likely find immense joy and satisfaction in helping others, whether that's through your job, taking care of loved ones, or simply being the go-to person when someone needs support. A natural part of you enjoys being of service and making life easier for those around you, and your altruistic nature is truly appreciated.

This placement often brings attention to your health and daily habits. You might be very conscious of how you take care of your body, mind, and spirit. Maintaining your well-being, whether through exercise, nutrition, or mental health routines, is a key part of feeling grounded and balanced.

The 6th house is also about self-improvement, so you always look for ways to grow. Whether picking up new skills at work, refining your routines, or focusing on personal development, you're motivated to keep evolving.

The ruler of your Ascendant is in the 7th house

Partnerships play a big role in your life. You're likely someone who thrives in close relationships, whether it's a romantic partner, best friend, or business collaborator. You feel more complete when you're sharing your life with someone else.

A big part of your life is about finding a balance between yourself and others. You're probably someone who likes harmony in your relationships and may go out of your way to ensure things are running smoothly between you and the people close to you.

You're drawn to people who mirror qualities you want to develop in yourself. Whether consciously or not, you tend to attract partners who help you grow; through these relationships, you learn a lot about who you are.

Working with others or being part of a team probably feels natural. You're not someone who likes to do things completely on your own—there's strength and fulfillment in knowing you have a partner by your side, whether in work or life.

You're likely good at reading people and understanding their needs. You can easily put yourself in someone else's shoes, which makes you a supportive and thoughtful partner.

The ruler of your Ascendant is in the 8th house

You don't like surface-level stuff. You crave depth, whether in relationships, conversations, or even understanding yourself. You probably want to dig into the "why" of everything, looking beyond what's obvious.

Change and growth are recurring themes in your life. You might undergo major transformations, either in how you see yourself or your life circumstances. You know how to rise from challenges stronger than before, almost like a phoenix.

Whether it's psychology, the mysteries of life, or even finances (like investments or shared resources), you're attracted to topics that others might shy away from. You have a natural curiosity for things that are hidden or misunderstood.

With your Ascendant ruler in the 8th, you might find that part of your life journey is learning to regain your power. Whether it's through overcoming personal challenges or helping others do the same, you're someone who seeks to understand power dynamics and work through them.

The ruler of your Ascendant is in the 9th house

Whether traveling to new places or exploring different ideas and cultures, you have a hunger for adventure. You thrive when you learn something new or experience life from a fresh perspective, and you're probably always thinking about your next big trip or goal.

You're not just interested in the day-to-day details—you want to understand the bigger picture. Whether through philosophy, spirituality or even just pondering the meaning of life, you're driven by a desire to understand the "why" behind everything.

Education, whether in school or through independent learning, is really important in your life. You enjoy learning about new things, and you might like helping others learn, too. Lifelong learning is your jam.

You're likely open to different cultures, ideas, and beliefs. You see value in diversity and are always looking to broaden your perspective. You're curious about what's out there and aren't afraid to challenge your own views.

You have a strong desire to find meaning and purpose in everything you do. Whether through your career, personal growth, or spiritual journey, you constantly seek something that brings direction and fulfillment to your life.

The ruler of your Ascendant is in the 10th house

You’ve got big goals and dreams and are not afraid to chase them. Whether climbing the career ladder or building a reputation, you have a strong drive to succeed and be recognized for your efforts.

Work and your professional life play a big part in your identity. You’re likely someone who puts a lot of energy into your career, and you probably feel most fulfilled when you’re making progress and reaching your goals.

How others see you, especially in a professional or public setting, matters to you. You’re likely very mindful of the image you project and want to be known for your accomplishments and integrity.

You’re not just thinking about short-term wins. You have an eye on the bigger picture, always thinking about how your actions today will impact your future. Building something that lasts—a career, a business, or a personal legacy—is important to you.

The ruler of your Ascendant is in the 11th house

Friendships and connections play a huge role in your life. You’re likely someone who loves being part of a community or network of like-minded people. Whether through social groups, clubs, or online communities, you’re energized by sharing ideas and experiences with others.

You’re not just thinking about personal success—you’re focused on long-term goals and the future. You probably have big ideas about how you want to contribute to the world or make an impact, and you’re always looking ahead, planning for what’s next.

Collaboration is your jam. You’re great at working with others toward a common goal, whether a cause, a project, or even shared fun. You understand that teamwork makes the dream work, and you’re likely the one who brings people together.

This placement is not just about what you can do for yourself but also about how you can be part of something larger. Causes, humanitarian efforts, or even just supporting friends in their dreams are important to you. You’re motivated by making a positive difference.

The 11th house is linked to innovation and new ideas, so you might be someone who’s into technology, progressive thinking, or just thinking outside the box. You enjoy exploring new concepts and staying ahead of the curve.

The ruler of your Ascendant is in the 12th house

You spend a lot of time in your head reflecting on life, your emotions, and the deeper meaning behind things. You’re probably more comfortable with your thoughts and feelings than most people and might need a lot of alone time to recharge.

Whether it’s spirituality, intuition, or just an interest in what’s hidden beneath the surface, you’re drawn to the mysterious side of life. You might be naturally intuitive, with a strong sense of things that aren’t immediately obvious to others.

You likely prefer keeping parts of yourself private, not necessarily because you’re secretive, but because you value your personal space.

This placement often suggests a path of personal healing and growth. You might go through deep transformations throughout your life, learning a lot about yourself by facing fears, letting go, or dealing with the past.

[wip]

A very very minor thing I have been curious about for a while, and I'm finally asking: why do you calculate queue posting times the way you do? For example, if I set my queue to post 3x a day, naively I would expect it to post every 8 hours. But in reality it posts every 6 hours with a 12 hour gap between days. Why complicate the math like that?

Answer: Hello @circumference-pie!

Buckle up y’all, it’s story time again!

First: nobody who works at Tumblr right now was a part of the work of planning the default queue implementation, which was more than ten years ago. So the full story behind “Why does it work that way?” has unfortunately been lost to the sands of time. All we can do is tell you how it works today and surmise some reasons why. The queue is actually a very clever system and part of how it works explains some of why it works the way it does. Also, there have been attempts to do what you ask—we still have “Queue 2.0” available in your Tumblr Labs settings, which tries to get closer to how you expect things to work.

Anyway! How the queue works today is not actually a queue in the traditional sense. There is no single list of posts that are in “your queue”. Instead, when you “Add to queue” after creating a post, we’re actually scheduling it to post at a future time, as if you had used the “Schedule post” option instead. We’re just calculating that time on your behalf when you use “Add to queue”, based on your settings, and how many other scheduled posts you have already. We use a secondary “index” model, called “ScheduledPost”, to keep track of posts you have scheduled on your blog. We do mark the ones that are a part of “your queue”, but the data model doesn’t keep one list of your “queue” per se.

You can see this in action on your blog, hiding in plain sight. If you add a bunch of posts to your queue, and then schedule a post for a specific future date, you’ll see both in your blog’s “queue” list, side by side. Because technically to us, they’re the same thing: queued posts are really just another kind of scheduled post, relying on the same always-running service to publish scheduled posts across all of Tumblr. Here’s a fun fact: we typically have about ~14.5 million future posts to publish from this list at any given time and are publishing hundreds of these scheduled posts every second.

So when you’re adding a new post to your queue, what we’re doing behind the scenes is starting at the beginning of your “day”, and creating time slots based on your queue settings. If a time slot is already filled, we move on to the next one. That’s why the default queue scheduler works how you describe—we’re trying to fill those “slots” based on the start of the day, rather than trying to divide the calendar day evenly. This just makes it much simpler for us to understand, scale, and predict when our “peaks” will be. At peak times, the publish-scheduled-posts service is publishing tens of thousands of posts in a manner of seconds. We did rewrite that post-publishing part of this architecture a few years ago to improve its efficiency and solve a lot of “lost post” bugs, but we didn’t change how “Add to queue” works.

However, the Queue 2.0 project available in Labs was an attempt to change the queue system to work as you expect—instead of starting at [beginning of day] and creating enough slots to fit [number of slots] every [number of hours], it tries to divide the calendar day into [number of slots] and fit the result back to the original algorithm’s mapping of the day. We never productionized this alternative approach, because it has a few bugs that some blogs hit in extreme cases, and we’ve never had time to fully fix them. It also can cause a bit of weirdness when time zones diverge, like with daylight savings time. Also, a lot of people prefer the default algorithm, and we haven’t thought of a nice way to transition everyone from one to the other. So for now, both options exist, and you can choose which algorithm for queue-slot-generating you want to use. We hope that makes sense! 

While complicated, it is a great example of a system built by engineers to make sense and be scalable and predictable. But sometimes these kinds of systems, while clever, aren’t very intuitive to understand without digging into how they work.

Thanks for your question, and keep ’em coming. 

[illbegottenfaith]

lucky pt 2 - theo nott x reader

after the Felix Felicis incident, your relationship with theo has dramatically changed, for better and for worse

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

a/n - by popular demand! rip my title tho the best alternative I could come up with was ‘feminine ass-kicking’ but idk if that’s too out there. also I’ve started part 3 too! (which should be the final part) this was kind of inspired by gilmore girls season 6 :)

tropes/warnings - academic rivals to lovers, angst, slow burn, miscommunication

word count - 2.1k

The Felix Felicis incident had given the both of you much to think about. Outwardly, you maintained the appearance that nothing had changed between the two of you, taking snipes at each other every now and then. But every night, before you’d fall asleep, your mind would wander back to that evening at the Astronomy Tower, the sight of Theo and the harsh contours of his face softened by the forgiving setting sun. Every night, he asks if you have anything else to say. Every night, you shake your head.

And as much as you’d like to pretend otherwise, things had changed between you. Theo became more reserved, somehow, less determined to spar with you. Your fights didn’t hold anywhere near the spark they once did. And you hated it. You hated that it bothered you, you hated that it upset you, you hated that it was all you could think about every time you were in the same classroom as him. It just wasn’t fair.

What also wasn’t fair was your entire group falling sick the day before an extremely crucial Potions project was due. They were all more than apologetic, but it didn’t change the fact that months worth of work to complete in one night if you wanted even a semblance of a chance at passing.

Which was how Theodore Nott found you in the library late one night, pouring over five gnarly tomes on Potions from the Medieval era, writing what looked like three essays at once. You flinched when you heard a noise near the bookshelves, and your mood wasn’t much improved when you saw who it was.

“Trying to read every book in one night, L/N?”

You wanted to roll your eyes. After weeks of stunted conversation, now that it was just the two of them, he was suddenly feeling chatty?

“I'm busy. Buzz off.”

Ignoring you, Theo crept closer, tilting his head to read what you were haphazardly scribbling.

“The Potions project? But we started that months ago. And it’s due tomorrow.”

You swept the papers up out of his sight. You were already in a testy mood to begin with and you were in no mood to have him crow over your bad luck.

“What part of ‘buzz off’ don’t you get?”

“Where are your groupmates?”

“Sick.”

“Sick?”

“They all went on some Hogsmeade trip together, the whole lot of them. They all caught it from each other and they’re supposed to be stupidly contagious.”

“But their reports should be fine.”

“They were, until Madam Pomfrey declared them a biohazard.” Your head was beginning to hurt from the bottled-up frustration. You knew it wasn’t their fault for falling sick, but now you had to pull an all-nighter just so you wouldn’t fail. You stood and walked past him to the shelves, pulling out any and every book that remotely looked like it might help. 

You glanced at the clock, mentally calculating how much time you’d need. There was no way you could get it all done by 9 am. Feeling quite proud of yourself for successfully giving Theo the same cold shoulder he had been giving you the past couple of weeks, you walked to the library telephone and started dialing the number to Slughorn’s office. One of the only people who could help you now was Jeeves, Slughorn’s teaching assistant, provided he was in a good enough mood.

“Jeeves, hi. Yes, I know it’s late, but I was wondering if you could delay the Potions project submission by just an hour? I’m sure Slughorn wouldn’t mind. It’s just my entire team fell sick all at once, and Madam Pomfrey threw out everything they’ve touched in the past three days, including their reports. I know it's due 9 am but couldn’t you bend the rule a little, just this once? For me?”

You rubbed your forehead anxiously, an unpleasant expression on your face as you tried to follow whatever Jeeves was yammering about punctuality. When he moved on to the importance of personal accountability, you felt like you were going to combust if you didn’t shut him up soon.

“Y’know, Jeeves,” you interrupted with a dramatic sigh, dropping your voice, “just the other day I was thinking about that one Quidditch match you had played a couple of years back. Yes, that one game you subbed in for the Chaser? I have to say, you’re no slouch yourself out on the pitch. You sure look like you know your way around a broom. Yes, exactly, way better than those oafs on the team. I always thought it was a shame you didn’t make the cut - one hour. Yes, yes, that’s all I need. Thank you, thank you!”

You hung up, already feeling much more hopeful with the one-hour extension. All that was left to do was slave away for the rest of the night, and by morning you’d have a more than acceptable report ready.

“…what was that?”

You started, having nearly forgotten who was with you. “What was what?” You asked, half-distracted, once again absorbed in rearranging the layout of your Potions project.

“That, with the - ‘you look like you know your way around a broom?’ Really?”

You glanced at Theo, frowning. “Well, how do you get what you want?”

You turned your gaze back to the book splayed out in front of you, missing the brief look of longing that passed over Theo’s face. “Hmm. Bribery, mainly.”

“Right,” you said slowly, a hint of sarcasm in your tone underneath the flurry of activity. “That trust fund isn’t going to spend itself, now is it?”

“My trust fund doesn’t kick in ‘til I’m 25, tesoro.”

You wanted to kick yourself when your heart fluttered over the stupidly endearing pet name. You didn’t realise how much you missed it. “Oh, oh, of course. Mr. Moneybags here is just absolutely rolling in it even without his trust fund. How could I forget?”

“Mr. Moneybags? That’s the best you can come up with?”

You huffed without any real annoyance. You walked over to where Theo was lounging as he lazily watched you spin like a top between the bookshelves. He had the decency to sit up slightly as you approached and dumped the stack of papers into his lap.

“Look, Nott, I’m on a time crunch here. So either help me or get out.”

Theo looked up at you without a trace of mockery in his otherwise teasing blue eyes. You willed yourself to not look away. 

“Yes, ma'am.”

You made the mistake of holding his gaze. A beat passed, then two. It seemed that it was surprisingly impossible for either of you to look away. Finally, you snapped out of it, mentally giving yourself a good shake as you hurried out of his magnetic field back to the table. If you didn’t know any better, you’d have thought you were flirting with him.

“Wha -?”

“Toast. From breakfast.”

You glanced around the room bleary-eyed, seizing Theo’s wrist a little harder than necessary as you blinked the sleep out of your eyes. As much as you hated to admit it, last night had gone better than you could have ever hoped. It helped to have another pair of hands and a brain that was almost as good as yours. Unfortunately, you must have nodded off at some point, 

Cursing as you finally made out the time on his watch, you peeled off the piece of parchment stuck to your face and continued writing, even as every muscle in your palm protested. Theo rolled his eyes and stuck the toast in your mouth, which you mindlessly nibbled on for the next hour or so. 

When you were finally done, you stuck your group’s names on the cover page and the two of you hurried down to Slughorn’s office a little before 10 o clock. Jeeves, good man that he was, was still in. But your relief was short-lived.

Jeeves did an insufferably exaggerated impression of reading the time as you walked in. “It’s 2 past 10. I’m afraid I can’t accept your submission.”

This was it. You reached your limit. You weren’t running on what was at most 2 hours of sleep just for some self-important dimwit of a teaching assistant to refuse your submission.

You grabbed the collar of Jeeves’ shirt, manhandling him with hours' worth of frustration. “Listen here, Jeeves. You will accept my group’s submission if you want to walk out of here with every part of your anatomy intact. You will take these essays I have here and you will accept them graciously, Merlin help you if you don’t.”

“What happened to using your feminine wiles?” asked Theo, thoroughly enjoying himself.

“Yeah, well, now I’m more in the mood for a feminine ass-kicking. Jeeves, come on. ”

You only released him when Theo placed a calming hand on your wrist. He reached into his pocket, offering something to a very red-faced and highly affronted Jeeves.

“C’mon, Jeeves. Maybe we could make this more worth your while.”

You hesitated, torn. On the one hand, you were raised better than to bribe people or accept financial aid, especially when you didn’t really need it. On the other hand, this project was worth 40% of your grade and Jeeves was being a little bitch. 

Jeeves mulled over the coins in his palm, taking his sweet time appraising them. Just as it looked like he was about to ask for something a little more, you slammed a hand on his desk.

“Alright, fine, hand it over.”

Once you’d finally successfully submitted your project, the two of you walked out of Slughorn’s office in a daze. Without the stress of the impending deadline to act as a buffer between you, a certain awkwardness started to set in. Theo had his hands in his pockets, rubbing at a scuffed patch on the floor with his shoe.

“You didn’t have to do that,” you started, but he waved off your protests. Still, no one pulls an all-nighter for just about anyone.

“So how much did you give him?”

Theo sighed. “L/N.”

But you were already pulling out your coin purse. “It can’t have been more than what I have on me now.”

“Y/N.” You stopped counting out your coins. He was looking at you strangely, like he didn’t understand what he was doing either. “Forget it. Really.”

Reluctantly, you pocketed your coin purse. A hysterical sort of giddiness was starting to set in. “We did it.”

“You did it.”

Maybe it was the long night of endless writing or your grumbling stomach. Maybe it was the sleep deprivation. Or maybe it was the way he was looking at you now, with a smile so sincere like he was genuinely so proud of you. Whatever it was, you took a step towards him, and then another before throwing your arms around his neck.

It was a little less dignified than you would have hoped, what with you trembling with barely any sleep and the vestiges of caffeine-induced adrenaline and him having the audacity of being a whole head taller than you since sixth year. But he steadied you before you could tip back, his arms resting around your waist. You had never shaken hands, much less hugged each other, but something about it felt so warm, comforting, familiar. The feel of his solid body pressed against yours didn’t feel so terrible.

But as you pulled apart, you caught sight of his expression, and your face fell. He wasn’t smiling like you, not anymore. 

“I’m sorry,” you blurted out, immediately feeling like the biggest idiot in the world. He still wasn’t smiling, but he didn’t look angry either. He looked - you couldn’t tell how he looked. He reached out and tucked a strand of hair behind your ear almost regretfully, before turning to leave.

“Don’t.”

Theo paused. He didn’t turn to face you.

“Don’t do this, Nott. Don’t be cold. Don’t be distant.”

He adjusted the shoulder strap of his satchel. If you didn’t know any better, you’d say he was nervous. “I have Charms to get to.” He turned his head slightly but not enough to meet your gaze. “You should get a proper breakfast.”

And then he left, as if he had no idea what you were talking about. As if the last twelve hours hadn’t occurred. As if he hadn’t felt the void festering between you the past couple of weeks.

As if he didn’t care about you.

Part 3

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Well since we introduced blue & yellow Ena to sleep, how would DreamBBQ Ena react to other Ena sleeping since most Enas don’t sleep. What if we tried to introduce sleeping to her too (I’m thinking this takes place after that one post about blue & yellow Ena and DreamBBQ Ena meeting up yknow)

Yeah! I'm glad you liked those hcs!

Note: To differentiate between the two, Dream BBQ Ena is "ƎNA" and Webseries Ena is just "Ena"

...............

After the initially awkward meeting of the two ENAs (in which you had to calm down your partner after ƎNA's Meanie side made her cry), things finally start looking up. They're actually getting along better than you thought.

It finally sank in that they could relate to each other's experiences, finding common ground in dealing with entities who find them unlikeable and even "dangerous" to be around.

You become fast friends with ƎNA, who always makes time to visit you and Ena in-between assignments (or when her current task so-happens to be along the route where your residence is located).

It was inevitable that your blue/yellow girlfriend might feel insecure about being the "unemployed" ENA sometimes, wishing she was brash and confident like Meanie, or charismatic and calculated like Salesperson. But you always reassure her she's your first and only love in this world, and no other ENA could win your heart the way she did.

Before being introduced to sleep, she probably would've had a dozen breakdowns over the idea of you liking an ENA who seemed better put-together. But now that she had improved emotional regulation, she trusts your word and doesn't mind you hanging out with her.

Speaking of sleep, you mentioned it to ƎNA off hand one day, and she goes "Well, I never considered selling mattresses as a side-hustle, but-"

When you explain it more in-depth, you come to realize she hasn't experienced that for herself either....

'Damn, does ANY member of her species know what sleep is????'

So now, you'll also have to convince her that she could use it, but both sides find it to be a baffling concept. A disruption to her work routine that she initially rejects--although while Salesperson verbally lists every possible con until they become nonsensical strings of business jargon, Meanie simply says it would be a "waste of time" to sleep the hours away...although that's her only argument, and you could tell she's lying to herself.

You show her evidence and statistics that prove when humans get sufficient sleep, their productivity levels typically go up. And in case she was still skeptical and believed her species didn't benefit from it, you tell her that Ena is living proof that it's actually highly beneficial towards her emotional regulation.

Of course, ƎNA's emotions were more in-sync with each other, capable of getting her point across in a coherent manner. But you knew her job could be taxing especially with her share of rude entities and demeaning labor, so you plead for her to at least consider trying to sleep.

For a while, it seems like you've been talking to a brick wall.

But one night, she finally takes your advice when she suddenly appears at your residence, hungover and stuck as her humanesque self, which startles Ena as she wonders why she looked so much like you (minus the big gaping hole in her torso).

Before you could answer, ƎNA just... faceplants onto your bed without permission, and the orange projection of Meanie fizzles into reality to explain herself. "Sorry to barge in like this. I had the worst trip and my head still hurts. So I'm willing to give this "sleep" a try....how long till my free trial expires?"

"Oh! Uh...there's no time limit." You reassure her. "You can stay for as long as you want."

"I concur." Your girlfriend nods. "You just rest your pretty little head and don't worry about a thing!"

Meanie just nods and disappears, while her human self tries to fall asleep.

When Ena leaves to take a call from Moony, you realize ƎNA is now staring at you with her eyes wide open, even though you can clearly see the exhaustion in them.

It seems like she's not allowing herself to sleep. It's obvious that she wants to...yet feels like she needs to get back to her job and shouldn't be allowed this "luxury"-

"You know, it helps to close your eyes." You chuckle, sitting beside her and rubbing her back soothingly. "You're safe here. Don't worry about anything else right now, okay?"

Somehow, your gesture quiets the noise in her head, and she has this small smile of content on her face as her eyelids grow heavier.

She thanks you, although the words aren't any louder than a hoarse whisper. But you hear them and smile back.

Once you know for sure she's out cold, you put the blanket over her and leave the room, informing Ena that your mission was a success.

"Wonderful! One by one, you're teaching us the perks of sleeping! It's really, truly, undeniably---the nicest thing you've evewr done for us!! Why are you so nice???? How can you tolerwate us???" She hugs you tightly, giving you a kiss.

"I'm just doing what's right." You smile. "It's helped our relationship improve a lot, and I think it'll improve her job performance, too."

"True and true! But in regards to my question from earlier...."

"Oh, that's just....a glitch in her system. Like whenever you get drunk and have sharp teeth and horns growing out of you."

"....ah, that makes sense! Weird how she doesn't do that, though. Hmm..she's a strange one, indeed."

[natsaffection]

Heyyy :) So I've been thinking - Nat and R don't really like each other, there's no hate but occasionally fights and yeah they just avoid each other most of the time... R has been out drinking alone after one of those fights bc she realized that she actually fell for Nat some time ago and just denies it? And R gets in a fight on her way home with someone, ends up pretty badly hurt but doesn't call someone instead just tries to get to her room on the compound and fix herself but instead she ends up in Nats room somehow and Nat takes care of her? + some fluffy cuddles and kisses perhaps?

Fury and Friction. | N.R

Warnings: Fighting, arguing, description of injury

Word Count: 2,4k

A/N: I hope Y/n doesn't come across as too harsh, but that makes the end more..I don’t want to spoil. 🫂

It was another exhausting day of training. The Team had gathered to improve their skills, each focused on pushing their limits. Natasha and you were paired together, much to both of your displeasure. Your sparring sessions often ended with bruises and frayed nerves.

As you circled each other, the tension in the air was palpable. Natasha's movements were fluid and precise, each step carefully calculated. You, on the other hand, were aggressive and relentless, your strikes driven by a mix of frustration and determination.

"You need to control your anger," Natasha said as she dodged a particularly fierce blow. "It makes you predictable."

"And you need to stop underestimating me." you retorted, your eyes sparkling with defiance. Her words were as sharp as her movements, each sentence a deliberate jab meant to wound. It wasn't just about the fight, it was about proving a point, about not backing down. "Maybe you'd cause fewer problems if you learned to follow orders, Y/n."

"And maybe people would actually want to work with you if you weren't such a control freak." you shot back, your frustration evident. Natasha's eyes narrowed. "I'm just trying to keep you from getting yourself killed. You need to think clearly, not just charge ahead blindly."

"Stop treating me like I don't know what I'm doing!" you snapped and Natasha's patience was wearing thin. She took a deep breath, trying to remain calm. "I want you to be careful. You're too valuable to be lost to reckless decisions."

But you weren't listening. You were convinced that Natasha saw you as a project, someone in need of constant correction. This belief only fueled your anger and made you more stubborn. The room fell silent, the others exchanging uneasy glances. They knew better than to intervene. The hostility between you and Natasha was a storm best weathered from a safe distance.

Six months ago:

The sun was setting over the ruins of Sokovia, casting long shadows across the devastated landscape. The air was thick with smoke and the echoes of distant explosions. Natasha was in the midst of coordinating the evacuation, her mind focused on the task at hand.

That's when she first met you.

You were a lone operative, sent by SHIELD to assist with the evacuation and gather intelligence. Your introduction was abrupt, almost confrontational. Natasha had seen you from afar, a solitary figure moving through the debris with near reckless determination.

"Who the hell are you?" Natasha demanded as she approached, "Agent L/N, here to help from SHIELD." Natasha's eyes narrowed. "I wasn't informed about additional operatives."

"Looks like you missed the memo.." You replied challengingly.

From that, the dynamic was tense. Natasha saw you as an impulsive rookie, someone who hadn't yet earned their place. You saw Natasha as overly cautious and controlling, a relic of an older generation out of touch with the times. Your approaches clashed immediately, setting the stage for the hostility that would follow.

Later that evening, the Team gathered in the common area for a rare moment of relaxation. Natasha, ever the social butterfly, laughed and chatted with some of the newer recruits. Her effortless charm and magnetic presence drew people in, and you noticed.

You watched from a distance, your eyes narrowing as Natasha casually flirted with a young agent. Jealousy stirred within you, a feeling unfamiliar. You tried to ignore it, but the more you watched, the harder it became.

"Everything okay?" Clint's voice broke through your thoughts, his concern evident. You forced a smile. "Yeah, just tired." Clint glanced at Natasha and then back at you, a knowing look in his eyes. "You know, she's not as bad as you think." Your smile faded. "She's insufferable."

"Or maybe you just don't see the whole picture.." Clint suggested gently before walking away, leaving you alone with your conflicting feelings.

The next mission briefing was tense again. The team was set to infiltrate another HYDRA facility, and the stakes were high. Tony outlined the plan, but it wasn't long before you and Natasha were at odds again. "This is a delicate operation," Natasha said, her tone brooking no argument. "We need to proceed with caution."

"And while we're sneaking around, HYDRA gets stronger," you snapped. "We need to hit them hard.."

"You're too reckless, Y/N." Natasha said. "You think you can solve everything with brute force."

"And you're a control freak.." your frustration boiling over. "You don't trust anyone but yourself." The room fell silent as your argument escalated. Your face was flushed with anger, your fists clenched at your sides. Natasha's eyes were cold, her jaw tightly set.

"You know nothing about trust," Natasha said quietly, but her words hit deep. "You're too busy trying to prove you're better than everyone else." Your eyes flashed with hurt and anger. "Maybe I have to because people like you will never see me as anything but a liability."

Natasha, who usually tried to stay calm, finally lost her patience. She turned directly to Tony, effectively ending the argument by shutting you out. The words hung in the air, a stark reminder of the deep-seated issues between you.

Back in the cold corridors of the HYDRA base, you and Natasha moved through the shadows, your movements silent and coordinated despite the underlying tensions. You reached a large room lined with computer servers.

As you worked to disable the security systems, a HYDRA agent emerged from a hidden passage, weapon raised. The agent fired, the bullet grazing your arm. You winced, a sharp intake of breath the only sign of pain.

"You're hit!" Natasha hissed, her eyes wide with concern as she swiftly took out the agent. "It's just a graze," you said, downplaying it. "I'm fine."

Natasha grabbed your arm, examining the wound. "You need to take this seriously. You could have been killed." You pulled your arm away, glaring at Natasha. "I said I'm fine. We have a mission to complete."

Natasha's eyes flashed with a mix of anger and worry. "You need to stop pretending you're invincible. This isn't just about you." Your expression softened for a moment, but your pride wouldn't let you concede. "I know that. But I can't afford to be cautious. Not now."

Natasha's grip on your arm tightened for a moment before she let go. "Just be... careful, damnet.." she said, her voice gentler. "We can't afford to lose anyone." You nodded, a fleeting understanding passing between you. Despite your differences, there was mutual respect buried beneath the layers of conflict and stubbornness.

That night, you couldn't sleep. You tossed and turned, your mind a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. You hated how Natasha got under your skin, how she made you feel vulnerable and inadequate. But there was something else, something deeper that you didn't want to acknowledge.

As you lay in the dark, memories of your mission in Siberia came to mind. Natasha's concern when you were grazed by the bullet, the way her eyes filled with worry . Just be...careful. It stirred something in you, something you desperately tried to suppress.

You got up and paced the room, your thoughts racing. "This is ridiculous.." you muttered to yourself. But the more you denied it, the stronger the feelings became. You couldn't ignore how your heart raced whenever Natasha was near, how your anger was tinged with something unsettlingly like longing.

The next day, you found yourself in the gym, trying to burn off your frustration of last night. You were in the middle of a rigorous workout when Natasha walked in. You exchanged a tense glance, but the atmosphere had shifted, a subtle change in how you moved around each other.

Natasha watched you for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then she approached cautiously. "Everything okay?" You paused, surprised by the question. "Why do you care?"

"Because despite everything, you're part of this team," Natasha said simply. "And I do care." Your eyes searched Natasha's, looking for any sign of insincerity. But all you saw was genuine concern. It confused you, made your defenses waver.

"I'm fine," you said, your voice softer than before. "Just trying to clear my head." Natasha nodded, her gaze lingering on you. "If you ever want to talk... I'm here."

It was a small gesture, but it meant a lot. In the weeks that followed, your relationship with Natasha began to improve. The sharp edges of your hostility softened, replaced by a cautious respect. You still argued, but the intensity had lessened, and there were moments of genuine camaraderie.

Natasha made an effort to give you more space and trust your instincts, while you tried to temper your impulsiveness with more strategic thinking. It wasn't perfect, but it was progress.

But the peace was short lived. One afternoon, you were in the kitchen, making a snack. Natasha entered the room, looking distracted. She opened the fridge and stared at the contents for a moment before closing it with a sigh.

"Everything okay?" you asked, trying to keep the conversation light. "Just tired." Natasha replied curtly. You could feel the tension and, against your better judgment, pushed a little further. "You seem upset. What's going on?"

Natasha's eyes flashed with an emotion you couldn't quite place. "It's nothing. Just drop it." Your frustration boiled over. "Why do you always act like everything's fine when it's not? You can talk to me, you know.."

Natasha snapped. "And why do you always have to push? Not everything has to be a confrontation, Y/N!" You were stunned, your own anger rising. "I was just trying to offer help! Maybe I push because you never let anyone in! Do you think you're the only one who feels anything?"

Natasha, recognizing the futility of the exchange, finally threw up her hands in exasperation. "You know what? Do whatever you want," she said coldly. "I'm done arguing with you. It's pointless."

With that, Natasha turned and left, leaving you standing there, angry and confused. You didn't understand why Natasha kept shutting you out, but it hurt more than you wanted to admit.

You grabbed your jacket and stormed out of the Tower, heading to a downtown bar. The neon lights and pulsing music were a stark contrast to the sterile environment of the Tower. You ordered a drink, then another, trying to drown your anger and confusion.

The bar was crowded, the air thick with the smell of alcohol and sweat. You found yourself the center of attention, a group of admirers drawn to your magnetic presence. You flirted and laughed, trying to distract yourself from thoughts of Natasha.

But the alcohol only amplified your feelings. The more you drank, the more your suppressed emotions surfaced. You couldn't stop thinking about Natasha, about your fights and the strange, confusing connection you kinda shared.

It wasn't long before one admirer decided to make a move. He grabbed your arm, his intentions clear. You yanked your arm free "Back off."

"Oh, come on, sweetheart. Just a bit of fun.." he slurred and stepping closer. You shoved him hard, sending him crashing into a table. The bar fell silent for a moment, then chaos erupted as a brawl broke out.

You ducked as a bottle flew past your head and shattered against the wall. You landed a quick punch to the man's chin, sending him to the floor. Another patron charged at you, but you dodged and used his momentum to send him into a nearby chair. The fight was quick and brutal, you held your own despite the numbers.

But you didn't escape unscathed. A punch landed on your forehead, splitting the skin, blood trickling down your face. Another kick hit your ribs, leaving you gasping in pain. Finally, the bouncers intervened, pulling you and the other fighters apart. You were escorted out of the bar, your adrenaline still pumping.

You made your way back to the Tower, your thoughts a jumbled mess. You replayed the fight in your head, the raw emotions and physical release of your pent-up frustration. But no matter how hard you tried, you couldn't shake thoughts of Natasha. God..

When you entered the Tower, your feet moved almost on their own, leading you through familiar corridors. Your hand hovered over your door. You tried to gather your thoughts. All the anger, the confusion, the feelings you'd been suppressing came rushing back.

Before you could open the door, it opened on its own. Natasha stood there, her expression a mix of surprise and concern. "What happened to you?" she asked, her eyes scanning the bruises and cuts from the fight. You blinked, confusion washing over you. "I... thought this was my room..“

Natasha raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile playing on her lips. "Well, I see you've had a bit to drink. Come in, I can help you with that." You wanted to refuse, but the throbbing pain in your ribs and the blood dripping from your brow convinced you otherwise. You followed Natasha into the room.

Natasha led you to her bed and fetched a first aid kit from her dresser. She began cleaning your wounds with gentle hands, her touch surprisingly tender. You winced as the antiseptic stung, but you didn't pull away.

"Why did you get into a fight?" Natasha asked softly, her eyes focused on her work. You sighed, the alcohol and exhaustion making you more honest than usual. "I was angry. Frustrated. I needed to blow off steam.."

Natasha paused, her gaze meeting yours. "Was it because of our argument?" You looked away, feeling the weight of Natasha's gaze. "Partly. But it's more than that. I don't know how to handle...everything."

“I need to tell you something.” You turned to her, meeting her gaze. The vulnerability in her eyes was striking, a stark contrast to the fierce determination one had been used to seeing over the months.

“I’ve been unfair to you,” Natasha admitted, her voice trembling slightly. “I’ve been treating you like you needed constant watching, and it’s because I was.. scared. Scared that your stubbornness would get you hurt, or worse.”

You felt a lump in your throat as her words sank in. “Nat, I know I can be reckless. But I never meant to make you feel like you couldn’t trust me.”

“I just want you to be safe. I push you because I care about you, more than I’ve let on..” Her words hung in the air, heavy with emotion. You saw the glimmer of tears in her eyes and felt your own start to well up, “..And god, your stubbornne-“

Without thinking, you closed the distance between you, wrapping your arms around her in a tight embrace. Natasha’s arms encircled you, pulling you close. She held you tightly, as if afraid to let go. “I’m sorry, Y/n..” she whispered into your hair. “I’m sorry for being so hard on you. I just didn’t know how else to keep you safe.”

For a long moment, you both stayed like that, holding each other in the quiet light. The embrace was a balm to your frayed nerves, letting everything forget what has accumulated with you, "I-I care about you too, Nat..“ The room was silent. For the first time, you both allowed yourselves to be vulnerable. You looked up and into Natasha's eyes, seeing the vulnerability there, the fear and..the hope.

Without thinking, you leaned in, your lips brushing Natasha's in a tentative kiss. For a moment, Natasha froze, then she kissed you back, her hand gently cradling your cheek. The kiss was slow, filled with all the unspoken emotions you both had been holding back.

When you finally pulled away, you were both breathless, your foreheads resting against each other. "I'm sorry." you both said at the same time, laughing softly at the coincidence.

The mood lightened, the weight of your previous arguments lifted. You talked quietly through the night, sharing your fears and hopes, finally letting out what had been weighing on your hearts. As dawn broke, you were still curled up together, a newfound understanding and affection blossoming between you.

[metal-organic-au]

Naukowiec Boss Neo (Hyper Metal Sonic) | Metal Archie ⚔️

Parallel version of Lord Neo being from a parallel universe where the events of Metal Organic occur in the world of Archie comics called Metal Archie.

Brief Synopsis 🥼

He became a deserter when he quickly realized that he was beginning to hate the rules and restrictions imposed on him by his creator. In an attempt to rebel, he "lost both arms," ​​failing and fleeing like an apparent coward when in reality he had other plans. Together with a partner with whom he had started a relationship, they joined together sharing the same purpose: "To be greaters than Lord Eggman himself."

Additional information 📜

It is the result of an apparent error of the Project Metal, which consisted of creating a perfect soldier to serve to Lord Eggman, said project was sabotaged by The Freedom Fighters who altered the machine where Metal Sonic was and from which he emerged being organic.

When he served Lord Eggman he was quite stoic, with a 100% robotic attitude, apparently he didn't feel anything until he started to question himself, starting to surface a feeling of annoyance and irritability due to the rules imposed by his creator. Anger was the first emotion he felt. The moment he deserted his attitude changed, becoming someone more cynical, calculating and somewhat obsessive, reaching the point of using himself as a test subject to "improve" others in exchange for them serving him. There is no clear reason why he changed so drastically, there is a theory that it was by his own will that he managed to evolve in an attempt to improve himself.

Considering himself as "the next glorious evolution" he knew he had to make contingency plans to preserve his lineage, so he made a deal with Breezie to have an heir and in exchange he would give her high quality upgrades to the machines in her casino among other things she wanted.

He finally managed to have the heir he so desired but he didn't expect two drawbacks.

1- They were twins 2- He will end up genuinely loving the little ones, being the only ones that keep him lucid and sane

He knows they are his GREATEST weakness, but he is willing to pay the price to have something that makes him feel alive and real.

He is a mad scientist through and through, as he not only makes others "evolve", but he also pushes himself to the limit to see how far his body can go, thus managing to evolve it even further.

The most drastic thing he has done to himself has been to remove one of his eyes, replacing it with an artificial one, as well as build himself robotic prosthetics (even though he can completely regenerate his arms) in order to not forget why he hates his creator like the rules.

The relationship he has with Breezie is what he calls "Partners with benefits", they don't have a formal relationship since they both agreed not to get in the way of each other's plans so they will never have anything serious (their ambition is bigger than what they feel for each other).

[s7my]

YOUR TALENT IN MATRIX DESTINY

calculate your MATRIX DESTINY here :

1 - The Magician

you have a natural gift for understanding how things work and making new ideas come to life. you easily see connections others miss and can use your mind to solve problems in creative ways. you’re good at taking what’s around you and turning them into something useful or powerful. your confidence helps you start projects and take control without hesitation. you don’t wait for things to happen; you make them happen by using your skills and quick thinking. this means you’re great at planning, inventing, and leading, but you need to stay focused and not get distracted by too many ideas at once. your talent lies in making your vision real through action and clever use of what’s available.

2 - The High Priestess

you have a strong ability to understand things that aren’t obvious or visible, like feelings, hidden truths, and deeper meanings. you trust your intuition and can sense what others might miss, making you good at reading people and situations without needing everything explained. you’re naturally calm and patient, able to wait for answers to come instead of forcing things. this helps you make wise decisions based on your inner knowledge instead of just facts. you’re also good at keeping secrets and understanding mysteries, which means people often come to you for advice or guidance. your talent lies in knowing when to listen, observe, and trust your gut to find the truth beneath the surface.

3 - The Empress

you have a natural talent for creating and nurturing growth in everything around you. whether it’s ideas, people, or projects, you know how to help them develop and thrive. you’re good at making things feel comfortable and welcoming, and you often bring out the best in others by supporting and encouraging them. you notice details that help you improve what you touch, and you have patience to see things through from start to finish. you’re also connected to your senses and the physical world, so you understand how to use resources wisely and create beauty or abundance. your strength is in building strong foundations and caring for things so they grow healthy and last long.

4 - The Emperor

you have a natural ability to take control and bring order to chaos. you’re good at setting rules, making plans, and creating structure that others can rely on. people look to you for leadership because you’re confident and steady, able to make tough decisions without hesitation. you don’t shy away from responsibility and have a strong sense of duty to protect and build stability. you’re practical and focused on results, so you work hard to create security for yourself and those around you. your talent is in organizing resources, people, and ideas in a way that builds a solid foundation that lasts over time, and you have a strong sense of authority that naturally commands respect.

5 - The Hierophant

you have a natural ability to understand traditions, rules, and systems that guide people’s behavior and beliefs. you’re good at learning and teaching what’s important in a clear, organized way that others can follow. you see value in structure and shared knowledge, so you’re skilled at helping people find meaning through group ideas, rituals, or accepted wisdom. you’re patient and disciplined, able to stick with long processes and pass on lessons that others respect. your talent lies in connecting people to something bigger than themselves, whether it’s culture, religion, or a common set of values, and helping them feel grounded and supported by that. you’re reliable in maintaining order and guiding others through established paths.

6 - The Lovers

you have a natural talent for understanding relationships and making connections between people. you see the importance of choices, especially when it comes to matters of the heart or values, and you’re good at balancing different needs and desires. you’re skilled at creating harmony and bringing people together because you understand both sides and can communicate clearly. you feel deeply and use that emotional insight to make decisions that affect you and others. your strength is in knowing when to commit, how to build trust, and how to create partnerships that work. you’re also aware that your choices have consequences, so you think carefully before acting. this makes you good at forming meaningful bonds and guiding others.

7 - The Chariot

you have a strong ability to stay focused and push forward even when things get tough or confusing. you know how to control your emotions and keep your mind clear so you can reach your goals. you’re good at handling challenges because you’re determined and don’t give up easily. you take charge of situations and use your energy to overcome obstacles quickly. your talent lies in balancing different forces or ideas within yourself and using that balance to move ahead with confidence. you’re also skilled at steering your life in the direction you want, making decisions quickly, and staying motivated no matter what stands in your way.

8 - Justice

you have a natural ability to see things clearly and fairly, even when situations are complicated or emotional. you’re good at understanding what’s right and wrong and making decisions based on facts, logic, and fairness instead of feelings or bias. you’re honest and responsible, and you expect the same from others. your talent lies in balancing different sides of an issue and finding solutions that are just and fair for everyone involved. you’re skilled at following rules and principles, and you hold yourself accountable for your actions. you don’t avoid difficult choices, and you’re willing to face the consequences to maintain fairness and truth. this makes you someone others trust to make fair judgments and keep things balanced.

9 - The Hermit

you have a natural talent for stepping back and looking inside yourself to find answers that others might miss. you’re good at being alone and using that time to think deeply, reflect, and understand your true feelings and thoughts. you don’t rush to share what you learn but prefer to keep your insights private until you’re sure. your strength is in your patience and your ability to focus on your personal growth without distractions. you’re skilled at guiding yourself through tough times by trusting your own wisdom, and people often look to you for quiet advice because you see things clearly. you’re not easily influenced by outside noise, which helps you stay true to your path.

10 - Wheel of Fortune

you have a natural talent for understanding that life is always changing, and you’re good at going with the flow instead of fighting it. you notice how events come and go in cycles, and you use this awareness to make smart decisions about when to act or hold back. you’re adaptable and can handle sudden shifts without losing your balance or direction. your ability to see patterns in chance or timing means you can take advantage of opportunities when they appear, and you don’t get stuck when things go wrong because you know it won’t last forever. your strength lies in staying flexible and open to change, using both luck and timing to your benefit.

11 - Strength

you have a natural ability to stay calm and steady when things get tough, using patience and inner confidence instead of force or anger. you’re good at controlling your emotions and fears, which helps you face challenges without losing control. your strength comes from understanding yourself deeply and showing kindness even in difficult moments. you don’t rely on power or aggression to get what you want; instead, you use quiet courage and persistence to overcome obstacles. your talent lies in handling pressure with grace and influencing others through gentle but firm self-control. this lets you stay balanced and focused no matter what’s happening around you.

12 - The Hang3d Man

you have a natural ability to see things from a different perspective and accept situations that others might resist. you’re good at stepping back and letting go of control when needed, which helps you find new ways to understand problems or challenges. you don’t rush to act but instead wait patiently, knowing that sometimes progress comes from surrender and reflection. your talent lies in being able to pause and rethink, gaining insight by looking at things upside down or differently than most people. you’re comfortable with uncertainty and can handle discomfort without panic, using it to grow and shift your mindset. this helps you discover deeper truths and find solutions others might miss because you’re willing to change your view and embrace patience.

[ludolka]

Pygmalion and Galatea - A Project Xelqua au fic

Word count: 2158

Description: Pygmalion in Greek mythology was a sculptor who fell in love with a statue he has created, named Galatea. Null wants to kiss Joel, his main creator, who has to decide between acting based on his morals or his attraction

Written in third person, from Joel’s POV, who is kind of an unreliable narrator

Author’s note at the end

-

Joel let out a heavy sigh and eyed the cold cup of coffee on his desk. Was it his 5th or 6th coffee of the day? He wasn’t sure, he stopped counting his daily caffeine intake years ago. It wasn’t even that late yet, only around 5 pm, but he has been sitting at this computer since 8 am and he was nowhere near finished with what he planned on completing today

The computers and scattered around technology sang their electronic songs to him and he could swear his typing made the melody of some classical song he heard years ago. Or maybe he was going insane. But he found comfort in the noise, he has grown to get so used to it over the years and the countless hours he’s spent on this project in this laboratory that sometimes he couldn’t fall asleep at night due to the silence. This was his home now, he spent far more time in this building than at his actual home. He just went there to sleep

Right now he was working on trying to calculate and improve Null’s balance. Even after all these years of working on Null, his balance was still a bit off, leading him to trip or wobble whenever he had to be on his feet for an extended period of time. And for the life of him, Joel couldn’t figure out where the error was. His college and by now pseudo family member, Mumbo has also been trying to find the root cause of the wobbling in Null’s code, but has come to the conclusion that his code was working as intended and it was a mechanical issue rather than a programming one

He has been recalculating and overlooking everything for so long that he has forgotten Null was sitting not that far from him. That was until Null spoke up, breaking the lull of the orchestra of electronics

“You aren’t in a relationship, correct?”

Joel blinked a few times as he processed the question, his mind needing a few seconds to break away from only thinking in binary and machinery. He didn’t look up from his computer, but he was a bit grateful for the distraction and the break from his current thought process that seemed to be going nowhere

“Yep, I’m as single as one can be. I barely have time to sleep, let alone to date”

Null stayed quiet for a bit, Joel wasn’t sure if he went back to doing whatever he was doing before or if he was processing the answer and coming up with a response. He took a sip from his cold coffee and briefly thought about taking a smoke break, to move around a bit and get some fresh air, break the monotony

“But you have been in one before, correct?”

Joel raised an eyebrow, but still didn’t face Null even though he could feel those big eyes burning holes into him. Null always had interesting eyes, no matter how they modified them, he still had this intense stare that seemed to look straight into people’s souls. Some investors even found him creepy for his staring and refused to back up the project. They claimed he looked like he knew too much and that was uncanny for them. Joel has gotten used to it over the years

“Yes, I have. Why?”

Null was always curious, always asking millions of questions, ones that often made no sense to anyone but him. He has gotten into the habit of asking the team personal questions over the last few months and that was always a tricky area with how they were supposed to answer without overly influencing Null. Null was supposed to be this blank slate with no opinions on topics that could be classified as controversial, to make him as widely marketable as possible. This however didn’t stop him from asking the team’s personal ideologies and views. And Joel blamed Jimmy the most for slipping up, he spent the most time actually talking to Null and he seemed to sometimes forget Null wasn’t another person

“What does kissing feel like?”

Joel felt himself frown and he actually turned to look at Null at this question, deciding this conversation was more interesting than his calculations and was therefore worthy of his full attention. He found Null already staring at him like he expected. He also decided this must have been the fault of Lizzie or Mumbo, the two hopeless romantics of the team. Lizzie liked showing Null videos, movies and poems about love, claiming this was helping him understand humanity better

“Uh, I might not be the best person to ask that. I can’t give you some poetic description. Kiss the ball of your thumb or the inner part of your wrist, that comes pretty close to the feeling”

Joel was already well versed in answering questions and explaining mundane everyday things that he never would have thought he’d be asked about. Null learnt like this after all, no matter how silly his questions sounded. Null broke his intense stare from Joel and looked down at his slightly raised hand, the led circles in his eyes spinning before dropping it and turning his full attention back to Joel once again

“Why do people kiss each other?”

“Usually because they are attracted to each other or love each other. It’s also a form of affection”

Joel wasn’t sure why Null was asking him this, something he could easily look up online and get long well-written articles on the importance and history of kissing and the evolutionary reasoning for it, all of which he didn’t know. He has learnt that when Null asked simple questions, it was usually a lead up to a point he wanted to make or get to. Joel just had no idea what his end goal with this conversation was

“I want to kiss you. I want to know how it feels”

Joel swallowed and just stared at Null for a bit, who looked as nonchalant and casual as always. Like he was just talking about the weather or something mundane like that. He forced himself to say something when he felt his face heat up and saw Null’s leds start to spin, probably studying his reaction

“I uh- me? Why do you want to kiss me out of everyone?”

Joel has learnt that sometimes it was better to just let Null talk and explain himself, often leading to him being satisfied with the conclusions he himself came to. And also to better understand his thought process, which seemed impossible to follow sometimes

“Because I’m attracted to you. That’s why people kiss each other, no?”

Joel felt his face heat up more and his brain felt like it short circuited. Out of all possible answers, he never expected this. This was also new, Null hadn't expressed attraction of any kind towards anything or anyone before, Joel thought he was unable to feel that. Then something clicked in his mind and he relaxed back against his chair, looking a lot less shocked than before. Null was an ai who parroted what he heard. This couldn’t have been a genuine confession, no matter how that left a bitter aftertaste in Joel’s mouth

“Which of those fuckers talked about finding me attractive? Maybe they didn’t even realize you could hear them and here you are telling on them”

Joel’s tone and attitude changed to a more amused one and a slight smirk tugged on the corners of his lips, he would have found this whole conversation hilarious if it wasn’t for that dull ache in his chest. Null tilted his head to the side, like he was the confused one now, which Joel just found more amusing

“None of them. Mumbo was talking to Lizzie about how he found Scar attractive. You weren’t brought up”

Joel’s mind short circuited again, like he couldn’t understand what Null was telling him, no matter how simple his answer was. He felt himself tense up again and he closely studied Null’s expression, to see if he was making a joke or something like he sometimes did to fuck with Joel’s head. Lately he has been very much enjoying getting under Joel’s skin and flustering him for some reason

“Then why are you saying this?”

Joel’s voice was quieter and he just watched as Null got up from his seat near the window and walked closer to him. Joel wasn’t sure if he was frozen in his chair or if he didn’t want to move. Null stopped a foot away from him and leant down a bit, so they were at eye level

“Because I’m attracted to you and I want to kiss you”

Joel felt like his head was spinning and he was so close to throwing all logic and rationale out the window to act on impulse. He looked down at Null’s lips before he seemingly got a bit of sense back and instinctively looked over at the camera at corner of the room

“I shouldn’t”

He barely whispered, but he knew Null could hear him. Then there was a hand on his cheek, making him turn back to face Null, who hasn’t moved closer. Joel thought about the contrast between their expressions for a second, Null looked so calm and sure of himself, like this wasn’t affecting him in the slightest while he was a flustered stuttering mess

“I can turn the cameras off. No one would know. I know you want to kiss me too, I’ve seen how you look at me. You’re attracted to me”

Now Joel felt his face heat up with shame. He was well aware of his attraction, but he kept it so under control, never letting anyone, not even his closest friends know about it. And now here was the subject of his attraction, who he wanted to know about this the least, telling it to him so casually. He felt like a child being caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Like he was caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to do and he immediately felt like he had to repent for a sin he didn’t even commit. He never meant to act on an attraction that felt so incredibly wrong, he felt like just by having it he was betraying himself. And he had to remind himself that Null wasn’t a person who would be able to consent or reciprocate feelings, no matter how human he acted or how indistinguishable he was from a person at times in his mannerisms and behavior. Null was an ai powered machine, he was technology under the pretty face and pale skin, not flesh

He also had to remind himself that Null was an incredibly expensive piece of machinery and that he could easily be fired and sued if he somehow damaged or contaminated Null, even with just a kiss. He had no idea what even a simple kiss could do to Null, what kind of consequences that could have on his programming and how he viewed the world. Null was a blank canvas and he felt like he’d draw a line on it with a permanent sharpie if he gave in to his desires

“Null, no”

He knew he didn’t sound convincing in the slightest, knew that he’d give in if Null kept pushing and he prayed that Null took the hint and listened to his words rather than his tone or body language, absolving and saving him from falling into a hole he wasn’t sure he could get out of. He wasn’t sure he could go back once that line was crossed, no matter how much he felt pulled towards it, no matter how it was verbally already crossed

Null stayed still for a bit, studying Joel as his leds spun around. It felt like hours for Joel, but in the end Null simply nodded and drew his hand back before walking back to his seat, not glancing back at Joel, rather focusing his attention on the city skyline. He has been fixated on just watching the city from above through windows lately, sometimes not even paying attention to people talking to him, he seemed so lost in whatever he was watching

Joel let out a shaky breath he didn’t know he was holding. He stared at Null for a bit longer, unable to tear his eyes away from him and he could have sworn he saw Null’s expression slightly shift. Was he disappointed? Hurt? Was he even capable of feeling those things? Were the others right about Null becoming sentient? Joel’s head spun and despite barely being awake just a few minutes ago, he was now fully awake like someone poured ice cold water over him

He grabbed his pack of cigarettes off of the desk near him and forced himself to leave the room for a much needed smoke break, hoping it’d clear his mind

-

Author’s note: I love unreliable narrators so much, who see the world through their own biases and don’t know everything needed to fully understand the situation they are in, often misunderstanding it and drawing the wrong conclusion. Null’s more sentient than machine while Joel sees him the other way around. Null’s fully capable of feeling attraction and making decisions for himself, while Joel thinks he’s just copying something he saw or heard without truly understanding what he’s doing or saying

[huellitaa]

2♡25: first quarter wrap-up! ୭🩰🐈‍⬛✧

this year, i've sectioned it out into quarters; the first, second, third, and fourth, for each three months. rather than going all in with the goals and ambitions for this year to just spread them out randomly through the year, or worse, be constantly forgetting to update them every month, something i am VERY guilty of, splitting it into manageable yet productive sections! i'd recommend this to anyone with consistency issues; it's never too late to start! ♡

.⁺ ♡ FIRST QUARTER: PROGRESS 💬🐈‍⬛🎀 ❜❜ ♡

👛𓂃 ࣪˖ inner

♡ definitely gotten braver over these past few months. i've been so much more bolder than i ever have been and i love it

♡ super bad depressive episode for majority of march (but i've handled it surprisingly well! ♡)

♡ <- went back to weekly therapy sessions

♡ worked on solidifying my self image and handling insecurities better

⊹˚. 💄beauty

♡ began exploring more types of makeup

♡ started using hair and body oil (100% noticed improvement! ♡)

♡ tried out a new haircut (jellyfish bangs! ♡)

♡ started dry brushing before showers

🧁𓂃 ࣪˖ social

♡ somehow got the most beautiful girlfriend in the world??????????? what the freak???????????ily ♡ ♡ ♡

♡ got into sum serious drama with an ex-best friend! yikes!

though this was SO stressful, it was a learning curve and gave me some really helpful insight actually into how female friendships (and malicious liars) can work. i'm grateful for the memories and the experiences she taught me, but i NEVER wanna see this girl again 😭 i love my real friends who stick by me no matter what u guys are the real ones (you know who you are.)

♡ achieved my life goal of going to a tubatu concert!!!!!!!!!!! ♡ ♡ ♡

♡ made new friends!!!!!!!!! ♡

♡ balancing my social life and my mental health better than i ever have been

♡ went to an anime & gaming con ♡

it was so super fun!!! i've always been way too shy to go to one of these things but i am always gonna be a loser at heart, so i took the opportunity and it's one of my favourite things i've done this year! little me would be so happy ♡

♡ still rewiring my mindset towards social situations (any progress is progress! ♡)

♡ gotten less scared of wearing what i want and indulging in & finding my own style in public! (little me would be so proud ♡)

⊹˚. 🐈‍⬛ academic

♡ scored 46/75 on my phase 2 maths exam (61%)

i was actually aiming to get 60% on this test!!!! i got exactly 50% last time and i'm not the best at these exams, so i'm still super proud of myself and am aiming for somewhere near 70% for phase 3 ♡

♡ placed highest in my class (again!) for term 3 english assessment ♡

♡ scored 37/50 on biology exam

♡ scored 38/50 on chemistry exam

♡ scored 45/50 on physics exam ♡

♡ got some of the highest science grades in my class! ♡

for the 3 tests altogether, i got 120/150, which is 80% in total! i was so shocked when i calculated it all, considering on the phase 1 exams i got 78/150, so 52% in total. i wasn't expecting such a huge improvement, but i studied hard, and it paid off! (would you guys like to see a post on what i did??? ♡)

♡ got my first detention ????????? what the freak

🩰𓂃 ࣪˖ artistry

♡ worked on my first proper clothing project (going beautifully ♡)

♡ began learning coding! (going super well!!!! ♡)

♡ painted for the first time in a little while

♡ gotten super into drawing and reading again

♡ actually started learning to cook!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ♡ (iykyk.)

♡ working on magazine business card designs and fashion designs

.⁺ ♡ SECOND QUARTER: AMBITIONS 💬🐈‍⬛🎀 ❜❜ ♡

⊹˚. 💄inner

♡ set up some real routines

consistency and discipline is something i've always struggled with because i can never seem to find a healthy enough balance for either of them . i want to focus on this throughout all of the second quarter, but specifically lay out some routines in april.

♡ dig into more uncomfortable sides of my mental landscape

somethign that goes hand in hand with my consistency issues is that i always forget to make time for the less glamorous stuff. i wanted to focus a lot on looking into the more unpretty sides of my mental state and beginning to work on those, as they are something i often avoid.

👛𓂃 ࣪˖ beauty

♡ pilates.

with my theme of consistency for this quarter, i wanted to add in a part i have ALWAYS procrastinated. 2023 pilates summer was PEAK and we're gonna make 2025 spring-summer pilates even better ♡

⊹˚. 🐈‍⬛ social

my social life is honestly doing amazing at the moment, so i don't think i have anything to add right now ♡

🧁𓂃 ࣪˖ academic

same as social; nothing to add here right now! ♡

⊹˚. 🩰 future

♡ financial management / money control!

aka i NEED to stop impulse buying the moment i have money😭😭😭

♡ look into work experience for the summer

i heard some of my friends are doing it this summer, and i didn't know i was able to do it, so i'm gonna look into it!!! third quarter here i come 😼😼😼

♡ continue learning coding & sewing

all my love! 🎀💬🐈‍⬛️🫶🏻🩷

[cheesycatz]

The Making of: Life-Size Malworm Plush

(Wormton AU)

STATS

16 ft 3 in (495 cm) long

Total time: 150 hours

Material Cost: $124

Theoretical minimum cost (based on seamstress wage): $2,524

(Progress photos and commentary below)

I'll be referring to my life-size wormton plush as "malworm" for convenience sake.

Unlike my Spamton NEO, Caine, and Fake Peppino plushies, I didn't spend a lot of time on concept art. Since I planned to make the malworm plush as close as possible to its 2D design, I didn't have to add much stylization, other than simplifying some details (no way in hell was I going to make 104 separate embroidered stitches for the segments of his toes, sorry). I mainly used the planning stage to calculate how wide the body pieces needed to be, plotting it out in 1/4 in : 3 in scale and using circumference formula to find the values I needed. I planned to make it around 10 feet long, the length of a young adult malworm. A lot of this project was improv, but, I mean, it wasn't my first or second or third time making a spamton centipede.

The head was quite a complicated shape, so I carved a tiny model out of craft foam, covered one half of it in masking tape, then cut the masking tape mask (hah) into flat pieces. I then traced the pieces onto graph paper and manually scaled them up by using the fact that I wanted the nose to be 1 ft long as reference. The rest of the pattern pieces were very simple, as wormton's teeth, body, legs, etc were very easy to translate into 2D shapes. I used old school notes as paper for the body, as I needed a lot of it. It was entertaining cutting exerpts of Moby Dick and English Renaissance biographies into body parts. I ended up making the body significantly longer; I had to spend $100 dollars on fur anyways, so why not make a maximum size one?

Making the pattern pieces took around 8 hours. While waiting for the fur to ship, I started cutting out the teeth, legs, and eyes. By the time the fur arrived, I had already sewn 36 worm teeth. I did an 11hr all-nighter to cut all the fur in one sitting the day it arrived. After a long vacuuming session and an uptake in the amount of polyester fiber in my lungs, I finished cutting the pieces, taking about 18 hours and 40 minutes.

As usual, the head was the first thing I worked on. It was...kind of wonky once I flipped it inside out. I trimmed some of the fur so that I could actually see what was happening. The main issues were the lack of any forehead, the nose being way too wide, and the cheeks being too flat. I did some ladder stitching as well as modifying the thing from the inside, and eventually made the head look much better. The cheeks still don't stick out that much still, but I'm happy with how the head looks now. I think it conquered the sopping wet owl resemblance. I inserted wire into the nose and jaws to help them keep their shape.

When I started this project, I wasn't sure whether to make it based off of Wormton or just a copyright-free malworm; I decided to do both. I went with red for the non-Spamton version, as I think it really fits the cartoony fly/mothman-style cryptid look malworms are supposed to have.

I sewed a square pouch into the throat and put in all those teeth. I used hot glue to wrap blue squares around a wire for the proboscis, because I think I would've gone bonkers cuckoo bananas if I had to hand sew that entire thing. The throat pouch holds the proboscis when it's not extended, as well as anything else I wanted to shove in there. I never measured it, but it's around 4-5 ft long. I finally made the Spamton... eye patches(?) and a pair of eyelids, though I didn't end up using them in the photo shoot. I also made a new pair of nostrils, as the old ones kind of got swallowed up from all the plastic surgery I was giving him

Now that the head was finished, I got to work on the body. I sewed the white belly and segments of the body together. I left most of the tail open, as the fur was too thick for me to flip it out at a certain point. I worked on the legs, next. After living out my cosplay dreams by putting the claws on my fingers like bugles chips, I grouped the claws together and sewed most of each leg and foot together, leaving me with many pairs of charred drumsticks (did not taste good)

I attached an extra long wire structure into each set of claws, then threaded the wire through each respective leg and stuffed them. I ladder stitched the claws to each foot, then stuffed each with some plastic beans in order to give the feet weight. I then finished sewing each foot shut. I now had a pile of disembodied limbs and one very long scarf.

I wound many long pieces of wire together to create an armature for the body. While the plush's body is way too heavy to be properly posable, the wire does still give some structure. I wrapped the extra long ends of the legs' wires to the metal spine, using the body's leg holes for reference. I then pulled the body up the metal armature like a sock.

I pulled the legs through their respective holes and stuffed the body. It was the first time the malworm was huggable! It's sort of like an oversized body pillow, in a way. I had to ladder-stich all the limbs, the head, and the rest of the tail, as it would've been completely impossible to flip inside out. It was quite difficult to do on furry fabric, and my thread frequently broke from the force I had to pull with to keep the stitches tight. Eventually, I got everything attached to some degree.

The last details I worked on were the mane, tail tufts, and scopula pads. The mane and tail tufts were ladder stitched onto the body, but I decided to use glue to attach the pads to the feet. I think the extra blue details make his proboscis fit much better, and who doesn't love spider paw pads? I also glued some velcro to the eye patches so that they stay attached better. They slide under the black eye rings.

My malworm was finally finished! I tried to put a lot of effort into the photo shoot so that people who don't know about the AU can enjoy it. I wanted to make it seem like some weird entity whose only goal is obtaining more Spamton brainrot. Hence it making Spamton on Mario Kart DS under the bed, obsessing over the Spamton Plush, inspecting the Spamton Shrine, and just generally harassing the photographer (me, I guess?). I wanted to capture the silliness, creepiness, and lack of respect for personal space that Spamton is known for. I thought about giving him a bag of doritos under the bed like that one image of the isopods eating them, but went with the DS instead. I thought it would be funny to see this thing playing Super Mario 64 DS (or Super Spamton 64) and here the "buh bye!" sound effect when it closes the DSi XL.

That's all from me, for now. I have other Wormton related matter to attend to.

Don't let the parasitic Spamton larvae bite

[chaotix]

did my best to transcribe these entries from the screenshot of gerald's journal. here's what it roughly says:

"Entry #170

I dechiphered the engravings on an [redacted] I found on a previous dig in the Mystic Ruins Jungle and calculated the location of a fabled floating paradise. I went alone to verify my findings and was rewarded with the spectacle of an angelic island.

The land was vast, lush, and hosted a number of biomes in close proximity to each other. I believe I could see an entire floating city at one point. Most majestic of all was a shrine devoted for what appeared to be a massive [redacted]. Could this be the legendary "[redacted]"?

I dared not approach or overstay my welcome. As much as I wanted to explore every inch of the island, I felt it was a sacred land; just setting foot on it's soil felt taboo. I don't know if any civilization remains — the land is vast and my stay was brief. But the majesty of that emerald and shrine will stay with me for the rest of my life.

Entry #185

I am about to embark on the most ambitious project of my life. The Earth's first orbital space colony will be the ninth wonder of the world! It will be a place of science researching all manner of things to improve our home below. Seeing as it is a vessel meant to preserve life amid the harshness of space, I have christened it the "ARK". It will be a vessel to pass on the value of life and peace for the next generation. ( And while most of the infastructure will be hidden within the base planetoid, I may have gone a little self-indulgent in the designs, ha ha!)

The real concern is the source of the funding. While the United Federation supports us, most of the financing is coming from [redacted]. I have no illusions about what they'll want, but I'm building the ARK to preserve life, not end it. While I have my concerns, I am a genius so I'm sure I'll figure something out when the time comes."

[askagamedev]

What is your current opinion on Unreal Engine 5? Between Digital Foundry, content creators, and people on social media, everyone appears to be constantly attacking UE5 for performance issues (stuttering, frame rate, etc.). Is this criticism warranted, or is it more a case of developers still getting used to UE5 and its complexities (meaning it will likely improve in time)?

Everything improves with time as the engineers learn the details and optimize their work. This is true of every tech platform ever and won't be any more different with Unreal Engine 5 than it has been with UE4, 3, or anything else. That said... after having very recently worked with UE5 for enough time to get used to some of its foibles and having looked into some core engineering issues in a project utilizing some of the new tech introduced in UE5 (and the caveats and side effects of using that tech), I can say with fair confidence that (some) complaints about the performance issues are definitely warranted. These aren't global to all UE5 projects, but they are major performance issues we ran into and had to solve.

One major issue we ran into was with Nanite. Nanite is the new tech that allows incredibly detailed high poly models, a sort of [LOD system] on steroids. The Entity Component System of the Unreal Engine (every actor is a bag of individual components) allows developers to glom nanite meshes onto just about anything and everything including characters, making it very powerful and quick to stand up various different visuals. However, this also requires significant time spent optimizing that geometry for lighting and for use in game - interpenetrating bits and pieces that don't necessarily need to calculate lighting or normals or shadows unnecessarily add to the performance cost must be purged from those nanite models. Nanite looks great, but has issues that need to be ironed out and the documentation on those issues isn't fully formed because they're still being discovered (and Epic is still working on fixing them). We had major performance issues on any characters we built using nanite, which meant that our long-term goal for performance was actually to de-nanite our characters completely.

Another major issue I ran into was with the new UE5 World Partition system. World Partition is essentially their replacement for their old World Composition system, it's a means of handling level streaming for large contiguous world spaces. In any large open world, you're going to have to have individual tiles that get streamed in as the player approaches them - there's no reason to fit the entire visible world into memory at any given time with all the bells and whistles when the player can only see a small part of it. The World Partition system is supposed to stream in the necessary bits piecemeal and allow for seamless play. Unfortunately, there are a lot of issues with it that are just not documented and/or not fixed yet. I personally ran into issues with navmesh generation (the map layer used for AI pathfinding) using the World Partition that I had to ask Epic about, and their engineers responded with "Thanks for finding this bug. We'll fix it eventually, likely not in the next patch."

Most of these issues will eventually get ironed out, documented, and/or fixed as they come to light. That's pretty normal for any major piece of technology - things improve and mature as more people use it and the dev team has the time and bandwidth to fix bugs, document things better, and add quality of life features. Because this tech is still fairly new, all of the expected bleeding edge problems are showing up. You're seeing those results - the games that are forced to use the new less-tested systems are uncovering the issues (performance, bugs, missing functionality, etc.) as they go. Epic is making fixes and improvements, but us third-party game devs must still ship our games and this kind of issue is par for the course.

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[mesmeraizen]

My Tamon Kotaro HCs

—Mesmeraizen

Note: I don't know why I'm doing this... English isn't even my mother tongue and I barely write something that poetically makes sense that's more than 2 sentences without overdoing it.. But whatever, I love this dude so much—I thought Eugene was going to be my favorite but no, this mf stole the spotlight and yeah. I love him and he deserves appreciation and love (also the 3 other main casts + Ichimiya)

This isn't exactly the first time I posted these typa stuff but I am still unsure how I can properly present this... (Used to post on Wattpad but I never really bothered to improve) So uh, sorry for the grammar. I hope I don't mischaracterize him too much or make him OOC.

Edit: I forgot to mention that this was inspired by @bobur-the-berry-guy 's Tamon relationship headcanons (⁠~⁠￣⁠³⁠￣⁠)⁠~

- He's miserable (Just kidding, he lowkey is though, but its okay since its Tamon we're talking about lol)

- He (definitely) wanted to form a band back then when he was still young, maybe around his pre-teen years.

Its canon that he used to be in a (impersonator) band. So, I think that after the band disbanded/after he left, he was influenced to form his own. But obviously due to his social anxiety he didn't manage to achieve that, he was so sad about it too; he probably daydreamed of having his own band a lot back then and imagined himself being able to play infront of a crowd without panicking and vomiting

- Used to upload in SoundCloud. I have to say it, he obviously used to upload there. (He's canon-ly an excellent singer)

SoundCloud uploader babyyy, I feel like he also writes his own songs but never uploads them due to shyness so he only does covers, he wasn't recognized much but he had a few supporters here and there. There would be comments on the songs saying things like

'You have such an amazing voice!'

'Have you considered being a singer? Cuz you're good af'

'Cover ___ next please! Your voice is amazing'

'The way you sang this part is so good what'

'You should write your own songss'

'Companies should be going after you ngl, you're good.'

'This is so peak whatthehell'

'Make your own songs bro. Definitely destined to be an underground artist where you get discovered on tiktok bc someone used your song and then boom you skyrocket and shit then you become globally known'

'Underground artist vibes, you're doing amazing. Keep up the good work!'

etc etc. Everytime he reads them he gets a lil' boost of confidence to post more but still never enough to make him post his own songs. I think that he still uploads there but not as often as how he used to.

- Second, third, and fourth most used apps are Weather app, Clock, and Calculator.

DUDE. This radiates off of him so much, he opens either of those applications everytime he waits for the phanbus club when they hang out. I headcanon him as the earliest one to arrive in their meet up spot. I feel like he always (unintentionally) arrives 50 minutes early, Lol.

- Top one most used app... Spotify, obviously. Has an average screen time of 16 hours in there.

No explanation. He literally listens to ASMR, so he obviously streams it till he falls asleep and while he's asleep.

- Speaking of spotify and music... I feel like he has a wide diversity of genres he listens to, like he doesn't stick to one as he enjoys anything basically

ALTHOUGH, I feel like he mostly enjoys R&B and Indie Rock. (I am self projecting, yes. Shh) I also feel like he listens to Wave to Earth, Frank Ocean, Mitski (he cries everytime he listens to her music) and Lamp. (Forgive me as I don't know a lot of Japanese artists)

- He understands English, but can't speak it because he struggles in pronunciation

- Had an Ayesha Erotica phase

- He can play multiple instruments (canon), but he probably sticks a lot more to electric guitar and drums. He also does electric guitar/drum covers and such.

- I mentioned how it's canon that he has a great singing voice earlier, right? So. I headcanon his voice to sound like Nobunaga Shimazaki, idk but I just felt his voice to sound like that

- Cried when he tried samyang buldak for the first time (Samyang buldak is a South Korean instant noodles known for their intense spiciness).

Inspired by the ASMR-tists he watches, he tried it out because he thought it tasted good. He teared up when he took a sniff of the sauce packet and realized how spicy it is, the noodles were already cooked so he can't really back off at that time so he just embraced what was going to happen to him.

And guess what happened?

Warzone. Bro was sweating hard on every inch of his body, his face was blushing red because of the spiciness, he was on the verge of breaking down while eating.

(He asked his dad to buy him the noodles btw. His dad probably didn't bother looking at the label and just snatched the most random flavor on the shelf (he unknowingly took the 2x spicy flavour.)

EXTRA

This is so random but IF he can speak Tagalog then I imagine his voice to sound like Zild's.

Please listen to Lia by Zild, idk if you can see what I see but that song just fits him in a way that I can't explain (in my opinion)

Idk what else to say, might make a part two though. (Relationship headcanons, x reader ofc)

Plz do not copy, repost somewhere, plagiarize, translate without my permission!!! Feel free to reblog and like tho (⁠ ⁠◜⁠‿⁠◝⁠ ⁠)

—Mesmeraizen

[aheathen-conceivably]

Previously on The Darlingtons....

The year 1936 began with Jo and Antoine going back on the road, leaving Giorgio at home with a growing depression and the fear that he had not only failed in his dreams out West - but also in his relationship with Josephine.

Uncertain of the future and disgusted with the present, he takes comfort in memories - reliving the early years of he and Jo's relationship during the 1920s. Spiraling from 1924 to the present day, we see how Gio and Jo came to live together, and how their relationship descended from something unencumbered and passionate to power-driven and tension filled. When Gio reemerges into the year 1936, hoping that Jo has returned home, he's left with the knowledge that all of his plans and calculations have failed, and that he's once again living by Josephine's rules.

Simultaneously, Zelda's career begins to blossom. Her new employer Alexander takes her to an abandoned Victorian manor that he has selected as a potential site for a future library. Seeking her opinion on it, he shows her the once impressive grounds while explaining that he thinks the cost of refurbishment will be worth it to highlight the reach of the federal Works Project Administration.

While Zelda agrees, she also sees something else in the abandoned manor. From the crumbling greenhouse to the littered rooms, she senses the personal and emotional appeal of the home - implanting her own memories into the vacuous space as a placeholder for the people she imagines once lived there. Her heartfelt endorsement of the place is tinged with her desire to preserve - both the home itself but also her own memories and a connection to her past that she otherwise feels is slipping away.

Out on the road, Antoine and Josephine's professional lives also continue to improve. After another successful show, Antoine joins Jo at her table where she introduces him to a rival bar owner named George. Operating on Jo's guidance that “this is how you make it,” Antoine pushes past his reservations to network with the man as Jo continues to identify and subtly exploit his weaknesses.

Growing more aware of her tactics, Antoine continues to grow uncomfortable, coming dangerously close to the realization that Jo is reminding him of their mother. Interrupting his feelings, the man offers Antoine a slate of shows at his dance halls, directly conflicting with the handshake deal Jo had previously made with Hosa. Even less appealing to Antoine, saying yes would extend his time on the road and away from his family. But seeing how genuinely his sister wants this, and worried that if he turns her down she would simply find a new artist to represent, he ultimately acquises on the caveat that they be home in time for his daughter Violette's birthday.

When Antoine and Jo return home, Violette is in the stables with her horse Ozma, a previous gift from her father to try and make up for his long absences. She is enjoying the silence of the barn and pointedly avoiding sharing space with her mother, whose rules and melancholia grate at Violette’s burgeoning independent, vivacious personality. She is so anxious for her father’s return that the moment she hears the car door open, she rushes to the farmyard to meet him.

Running right into his arms, Violette is initially giddy at his return. Her excitement only increases when he tells her that he’s taking them to the circus to celebrate her twelfth birthday. However, her joy soon fades as her mother Zelda appears on the porch, taking Antoine’s attention away from her. As he walks away Violette sees his thinly veiled exhaustion - realizing just how little time and attention he has to give, and feeling like the brief moments when he’s there ultimately only leave her feeling even more lonely once he’s gone.

The next day, the whole family travels from Strangerville to a circus in a neighboring town. Violette is immediately entranced by the magical sight - full of lights and activity just like the life she’s beginning to imagine for herself. Her wonder only grows when the family goes inside the circus tent - watching one act after another with stars in her eyes. Her attention flickers between the acts to the crowd, basking in the energy of their collective reactions and wondering what the performers must feel like at the center of their attention.

The show culminates when an acrobat descends from the ceiling. Violette looks toward her mother, recognizing that both she and the woman performing share a magnetizing talent that gives them a magic all their own. She notices her father look at her mother too, realizing that he sees the same thing that she does. Turning back toward the acrobat, Violette muses on how that type of beauty and talent can be hidden and treasured for a select few, or used to awe and control a whole crowd of people. Violette vows that that is what she wants - not just one person’s love, but a whole crowd’s adoration.

Back at the site of the future library, Zelda has begun to settle into her new professional life. We see her in conference with the project foreman, who’s looking to her for confirmation on everything from purchase numbers to the order in which things are completed. When Alexander enters the room, she seems to momentarily second-guess her new-found leadership, but swiftly regains her footing with his encouragement.

Alexander then takes her upstairs where he’s been working on the office for Library Administration. While there, he tells her that he’s leaving the day to day operation in her hands, as the WPA has chosen to open an office in town and has selected him to survey the region for potential projects and hire workers. In return for all her hard work and belief in the project, he tells her that if she knows of anyone in need of work he would be glad to hire them for infrastructure projects. Zelda looks away, picturing Gio in the dying fields.

At home the next day, Antoine and Zelda look out their living room window, discussing which one of them should tell Giorgio about the WPA job. Although Antoine offers to do so, he ultimately tells Zelda that it would be easier for him to hear the news from her - in part simply because she’s a woman, but also because she had stood there in the fields with him for so long.

When Zelda emerges into the field, Gio seems to not only be aware of her presence, but also of the fact that she’s there to tell him it’s time to leave the field and his dreams to die. As she informs him of the job he’s distant and morose, ultimately only coming back to life once Zelda grabs his hand. Even after accepting the job he seems unwilling to move, explaining that he just wants a few more hours to believe in the possibility.

Looking sideways at the dead stalks, Zelda is overcome with emotion not only for him, but for her own dreams of having another child that she had abandoned in the field months ago too. She pulls him into an embrace both for his loss and her own, unaware that Antoine is still watching them from the window.

Later that night, Josephine emerges from the farmhouse in search of Gio. She finds him sitting amongst the dead crops, still unwilling to move but now in a dark mood. Jo senses it in the air, cautiously approaching the cornfield and trying coax him out of it rather than join him there. Instead he plants himself deeper in the dirt, challenging her on the promise she had made that she would sell him back his shares of the farm when he had the money.

At first she nervously attempts to dance around the question, but eventually becomes combative. He attempts to rebuff her arguments, rising from the ground to stand on equal footing with her for the first time in months; but she shoots him down with the one line she knows will cut him deepest. I’m not your wife either.

Suddenly guilt ridden by her own rancor, Jo walks into the corn field to comfort him. As she reaches him, her genuine love and emotion manifest not only in her relief that he doesn’t move away, but also in her uncharacteristic desire to wash away his failure through self-sacrifice. It’s only with her encouragement that he finally manages to walk away from the corn field, even if her tenderness does make him momentarily forget that she never answered if she would sell him back his shares.

As the weeks pass and the corn is cut back, grief settles over Gio and Zelda. While their partners try to support them, Josephine eventually begins to lose patience with the situation. Counting down the days until she can go back on the road, she’s caught by surprise one day when Hosa Grove visits their house. Spurred by the deal Jo had previously made with his competitor, he asks Antoine to play at the opening of his dance hall. Even though this means that he and Jo would have to leave home weeks early, Jo says yes without consulting Antoine.

Gio, having witnessed the deal, immediately confronts Jo over her betrayal of Antoine. But Jo approaches the argument just like she did her dealings with Hosa - planning her retorts to work in her best interest rather than actually addressing his concerns. In particular she’s trying to avoid him asking her to sell him back his shares again; however, her cool momentarily slips when he brings up Violette, and she realizes the validity of his argument.

But rather than accept that her guiding principles and self-perception have begun to warp, Jo turns the mirror back onto Gio, exploiting his insecurities and need for comfort to quiet him into submission. Pulling him down to kiss her, she doesn’t even realize that the line between truth and her manipulations has completely blurred.

As Jo and Antoine return to the road, the house is left in turmoil. Gio has begun work with the WPA, although he finds it unfulfilling and exhausting, while Zelda is left trying to parent her increasingly distant daughter alone. Distraught by her father’s sudden departure, Violette is directing all of her frustration toward her mother - arguing that because Antoine left before they could go riding, she should be allowed to go alone. Recognizing the hurt and validity in her daughter’s statement, Zelda struggles to answer; but as their argument had taken them outside, Gio overhears it. Driven mainly by his own guilt for not stopping Jo from leaving, he offers to go riding with Violette.

But Violette immediately rebukes him and the lingering emotional intimacy she can sense between him and her mother - shouting that he can’t replace her father. After she is made to apologize, Violette storms back into the house, leaving Zelda alone with Gio. Overcome with emotion, she expresses just how difficult she sometimes finds interacting with Violette - something she has never even told Antoine. A bit flustered, Gio attempts to comfort her the way she’s always done for him, ultimately drawing them closer together as they rely on eachother in small, domestic ways as they find their partners gone more and more.