#aaaaaaaaaaaaa I love this piece from you!

[ella-norah]

Ella watching Love Sea episode 2

Okay, so yesterday, the second episode of Love Sea aired, and I am watching it today, and rambling about it. If you want to read my rambles, feel free to continue reading the post below ♥

Also, this time i'll try to be shorter than last time, so there will be only one post for the episode and less images, but hope it's good enough.

Starting the episode with direct continuation of the last one and the moment Mut and Rak are off the boat and on the beach. Rak is still pouting and grumpy, which is very understandable considering how scared he looked (and there's probably a story about that reaction that's likely deeper than just fear of not being able to get off the boat since he's in the middle of the ocean) when Mut jumped in the water and Rak didn't know where Mut was.

Right now, both Mut and Rak are being stubborn - Rak to push Mut away and Mut to get Rak to forgive him. Something tells me that it'll take more than the fresh clamps, though they do look quite fresh and delicious.

Peat's expressions here, his portrayal of Rak is so damn good. The way he wants to accept, but also fights it and looks at Mut annoyed is chef's kiss.

Here are some pictures of the beach scene that happened as Rak accepted the piece of clamp meat in his mouth. Gosh the expressions are making me go feral! *screams internally*

The almost kiss had me squeal out loud. Honestly! Like I didn't expect it to happen so soon (not that it did, but it's clear they both wanted to)

And yet, Rak still seems convinced it won't happen again. (what am i willing to bet it will happen...)

The scene with girls is so good. Mook is still a nervous mess because of Vi, and that is honestly such a mood. And Vi is still so manipulative. (and they're both so prettyyyyyyyyyyyyyy)

it suddenly feels very hot in the room (or is it just them??)

"I won't take you to bed" "This isn't bed" (bites her lip to not scream some more)

It will never happen again, huh?

Such amazing kissing scene - so much chemistry, heat and desire - i love this.

There's no screenshots because the scene simply needed to be watched - not screenshots time XD

I can't wait for Mut to find out that Rak gets sex and romantic scene inspiration from actually experiencing them -> this confusion would make so much more sense in that case.

I love that they used Peat's photos for google search about Rak. It just fits.

Tha amazing amazing manipulations from Vi, and the sweet innocence from Mook -> those make quite a dangerous and delicious combination. And I have no doubt Vi just loves the attention she gets from Mook. And who could blame her? Mook is so cute.

Another moment when the room feels so damn hot. Gosh, they are so hot! Rak watching Mut in shower, and then making first move! MAKING FIRST MOVE!!! Ahhhh

That lip bite is so aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

THE MARKS! GOSH, THE MARKS!! Mut is quite a biter, isn't he

I have a feeling Vi will make anything she can to keep Mook there in her room. Just a feeling.

Mook ranting how Vi is keeping her from going home and Vi is just nodding along and looking at Mook like Mook's the most adorable. (she so is, Vi's not wrong)

The conversation between Palm and Mut is very interesting, especially the bets part. And of course Mut is certain Rak won't be interested.

Rak is quite possessive, truly quite possessive. I love that so much!!! so so much!! The way he just walks up to Mut and the girls and leans in to kiss Mut on the cheek (i haven't gotten the angle for that particular screenshot, so bear with these two)

"He's mine" - why don't you just kill me now??

The look Rak gives to girls on the table is so aaaaaaaaaaaaa

And Mut is so not complaining about this

Ohhhh, I love a bike ride scene!!

I agree with Mut, Rak is really adorable!!

Of course Palm caught them! Why am I not surprised?

I love the little not-date Mut and Rak are on.

Poor Mut, kicked out of house at 15. I'm curious about what happened to cause that... Though, I really admire the way he's so hard-working and the way he managed to get as far as he has.

Ohhh, they're going diving! Sounds fun (for them exclusively, i could never go diving myself)

Rak's backstory is absolutely making me cry.

I am so thankful Mut got there in time. So thankful

Poor poor poor Rak - i want to give him big big hug.

And that concludes me watching this episode and rambling about it. I have to admit that this episode pulled all the feels out of me - first my brain was brrr-ing for NC scenes, and then I got all soft for ViMook, and then I cried. Such amazing episode, pulling my heartstrings like that.

[frankenjoly]

Stereotypes can be very misleading things. For example- you would hear “mafia member” and think of someone dangerous. Someone lethal and cold and heartless. Ruthless and manipulative and trigger-happy. And sure, many of them do fit that description. Which is why Akutagawa was a bit nonplussed to find Nakajima at the cafe holding polite conversation with the barista.

“Oh you have cats? What are their names?” Atsushi glanced up at the sound of his footsteps. “Akutagawa!”

“What are you doing here?” A few months ago, he would have been wary. A few months ago Atsushi handed him an omen from the man who tore his life apart. A man who thought his death could fix everything. A few months ago this boy, with eyes now so soft for him, had the audacity to come in this cafe and tell him his sister was alive. But that was months ago.

“Oh I was just stopping by for some tea-“

“I can see that.” He huffed and sat down next to the weretiger anyway. Killer, his mind screamed. But was he any different?

“Right…um-“

“You don’t need to talk.” Not after that day. Akutagawa exchanged glances with the other, and it was clear Atsushi thought of the same thing.

If it was any other day Akutagawa would have been angry, furious. Filled with a hatred that can only stem from grief. But grief for what? A revenge that would have consumed him whole? No.

He was tired.

“Akutagawa it’s not my fault.”

“So then it’s mine?” He snapped, and seeing the flicker of pain in Atsushi’s eyes, he bit his tongue. It wasn’t fair- it wasn’t fair that the mafia boss saw them as chess pieces. But there was no use fighting. Not when they were busy patching the hole that demon left.

“I didn’t mean it like that-“

“I know.” He pursed his lips, resting his thin hands on the counter. Hands that were covered with scars: ones he could see and ones he could not. Ones that Gin used to hold when she was scared. When she trusted him. When he wasn’t so…

“I’ll have another cup please. Four sugars.”

“Ever the sweet tooth.”

“Don’t act like you’re any better, mr chocolate bars.” Akutagawa let out a faint chuckle, a rare smile gracing his face. Wait, he what?

“So that’s how it is, hm?” Atsushi laughed, and it was breathtaking. The boy laughed so fully, with his whole body and as if they weren’t who they were. Nakajima laughed with a brightness in his eyes as if the world had let them be young.

“What do you find so funny?” He mused, raising an eyebrow. This only caused the mafioso to laugh more. And if he could, Akutagawa would have paused time right there. He would have kept him laughing, if it meant hearing that sound for the rest of his life.

It was a known truth Akutagawa forgot himself easily.

“It-it’s just- you have a bit of cream on your-“ He felt his cheeks burned bright as he hurried to wipe it off. “Did I get it?”

“N-no here let me-“ Atsushi reached out a hand that was just as scarred as his, and for a moment he was tense. Threat, killer, threat, danger- They were soft. And they tickled his rough palms while guiding his hand to the bit of cream on his lips.

“…ah.” It was stupid. It was so stupid, embarrassing honestly. He had done this a thousand times for Gin before everything fell apart. But this felt different. And yet so very warm.

“Ah- um- you don’t mind that right? Sorry-“ Atsushi began to pull away, just as red as him. It was a Polaroid. It was something he never knew he needed. Wanted. It made him feel, for just a moment, like he was allowed to want. Akutagawa tightened his grip.

“Stay.” Golden, almost amber eyes met his dark ones. This was a boy made of sun, who did not lose his brightness even when shrouded in the night. This was a star, in its purest form.

“Okay.”

And for the briefest second, he could feel Oda’s gaze on his. Smiling maybe. And another he couldn’t place. The man now in his grave.

And for the briefest second, caught in Atsushi’s orbit, Akutagawa discovered the bliss of not caring who watched.

AAAAAAAAAAAAA THIS IS SO COOL I LOVE IT

[ddarker-dreams]

Hiii, it’s me (again sorry) I have a quick (and very rushed) sketch it’s bad, but uh. Yeah.

(That sword kicked me in the ass, I’m crying weapons are so hard to draw.)

AAAAAAAAAAAAA NGKJSFNKS ARHGHJHGN NHNNNNNNNNNNN HNGN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! A!?!???AAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!? HHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT HER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

this stole the breath from my LUNGS.............i love this so much. wtf wtf. that intimidating expression with the shadow cast over her face, beautiful flowing hair, her black ribbon, her using an individual armor piece just as she would in most fights ... you draw her outfit so well it always looks so elegant 🥺

THEN THE SWORD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! she can strike me down any day. her weapon is rather difficult to draw 😭😭 but you did such a fantastic job AAAA everything about this has me giggling and twirling my hair ... she is by far the most intimidating MC when she feels so inclined. seriously though, the colors and overall composition go together perfectly i am going to burn this into my retinas 👁👁

[dynamic-k]

Hi!!! I'm Multifandomwriter101 from AO3, and I recently made a tumblr acc

figured I'd say this cause you're one of my favourite authors

I LOVE YOUR WRITING SM AAAAAAAAAAAAA

recently read all of Super Sticks Arc One in one sitting and am in the process of reading Arc Two :D

ahesdfxbvciojnjkehrdfbcv it's so good HOW

DUDEE I WISH I COULD WRITE THINGS LIKE THIS

I'LL ALWAYS HAVE THIS AWESOME IDEA FOR A STORY, PLAN IT ALL OUT IN MY HEAD, WRITE DOWN SAID IDEAS, GO TO WRITE THE STORY ITSELF AND THEN LOSE ALLLLLLLLL MOTIVATION

coffee does nothing for my little ADHD brain so I just kinda have to sit there suffering

but it works for you~ here is a coffee from my fave local cafe

also I made a batch of rocky road for a party recently - want a piece?

I might make some fanart- I'm usually pretty busy but I love your stuff so we'll see how my schedule allows it ;v;

HIIIII :DD

WNjdjfUShskfhjJDJxjwSJDwjdofjskgu1jfufHIZQfuwoH- I'M BEING COMPLIMENT MOUNTAIN PILED ON-

:o Oh my cursors I would love fanart

I have my own precious photo album full of fanarts I've gotten, they never cease to make me grin even on a bad day. U vO

U vU thank you for your virtual treats~

And thank you so much for the askkkkk I love asks ejdnenfj hehehehehe

[queenofsliferred]

r, u, and t

R - Which friendship/platonic relationship is your favorite in fandom?

this is legit so hard cuz im a multishipping hoe... most of my friends ships usually turn into friends-to-lovers. hm.

lets go with Yugi/Joey! their friendship is what truly kickstarts yugioh so :)!!!

U - Three favorite characters from three different fandoms, and why they’re your favorites.

Judau Ashta - Gundam: He reminds me of my fave character of all time, Judai from GX! i love his spunky energy, his dedication to his friends and family, his selfishness selflessness... he's just so cute and stylish too AAAAAAAAAAAAA

Judai Yuki - YuGiOh GX: he was just the kind of person i wanted to be for so long; energetic, cheerful, friendly and confident. i may not like s3 for the tone switch but i love that he's shown to be selfish and lonely and idk he just feels so real. i adore him to pieces.

Junpei Iori - Persona 3: falling in love with him was like falling in love with your best friend. i love his goofiness, i love his shaky confidence that stems from insecurity, i love how he just cares about people despite his minor sexism arc. he's just... a good man. a good man who grows from his mistakes.

T - Do you have any hard and fast headcanons that you will die defending?

jotaro kujo is autistic as fuck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[caffeine-clouds]

Are there any specific sonic fanfics you’ve enjoyed? Could both be longfics and oneshots

Oh Gosh if I have to list all the ones I've read and loved I'll be here all day so I'll list a few that I've read recently and really loved. You can find most of these on my Bookmarks page tbh lol. These can all be found on Ao3 unless stated otherwise. Prophecy of Chaos by @//pajulammas and @//tillytilli - it's a Sonadow version of She-Ra, I don't need to say more to advertise this fic to you. So much wonderful effort is being put into the fic as well as the chapters usually include several art pieces! It's incredible work - and everyone involved is obviously passionate When the Day Met the Night by Leandres (idk if they have a Tumblr) - It's a ship fic.... focused on Bark and Jewel. Bear in mind I've never really cared for these too but like - this fic is fucking cute?? Give it a read if you haven't! Also great for people who love the romantic trope of large height differences - because come on who doesn't? Also Tangle and Whisper are girlfriends. Duets Under the Spotlight by @//chaos-and-the-emeralds - Casual Vibes? Music? Band AU? Sonadow? Gosh, when you need a break from the Sonic action fics - slow down and drink a cup of coffee with this one. It also does neurodivergant representation really well. Red to Green, Blue to Red by @//sonicku and Something's Calling Me by @//pollyannawog - Sonknux oneshots that I found cute and heartwarming and lovely and aaaaaaaaaaaaa Cause I'd Never Treat Me This Shitty (You Make Me Hate This City) - @//mad-hatts - In it's early stages with a lot of intrguing mystery being built up, at the moment we have Silver working at a coffee shop that Amy and Shadow own together. Ya'll can see why I love it. And uuuuuh, anything by @//chaoxfix - all their work is great. You probably already know who they are and the fics they write but this is your call to read their fics again. AAAA There's so much more I could have included but I'm bad at remembering and I have stuff to do so aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah Thank you for the ask Khalewren!

[khaleesiofalicante]

When bapak leaves, Rafael looks at dad. “I’m sorry about the Shinyun thing.”

“Me too,” dad sighs. “I’m glad he is moving on. I’m glad he is happy.”

“Are you?” Rafael asks.

Dad doesn’t say anything in response.

Rafael knows bapak is dating Shinyun.

But that doesn’t mean he is happy.

But that doesn’t mean he is moving on.

He looks at dad.

He can see the pain in the man’s blue eyes.

He can see the desperation for hope.

For something to hold on to.

A dream.

A piece of the past.

Anything.

Rafael walks over to bapak’s wardrobe and opens the door. He looks at the long rows of shirts. He pushes away the clothes to the sides.

He smiles at the man who is smiling softly back at him.

He turns around and looks at dad.

“I’m gonna change,” Rafael says and heads to the ensuite bathroom in bapak’s bedroom.

“Okay,” dad smiles. “I’ll see you on Saturday?”

“Okay,” Rafael smiles from the bathroom door. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” dad smiles back. “Goodnight.”

“Dad!”

“Yeah?”

“Can you grab me a shirt from bapak’s wardrobe?” Rafael asks. “Leave it on the bed.”

“Sure,” the man smiles at Rafael and walks over to the wardrobe.

Rafael closes the door – just in time to hear a small gasp leave the other man’s lips.

Rafael smiles to himself.

AAAAAAAAAAAAA If I had money I would pay you to find out what Alec was thinking

I think it was more of a "no thoughts head empty" kind of moment for Alec.

[dietraumerei]

Episode 5! I have ordered sushi for dinner, and also am actually hoping to get some use out of this little list of impressions, because Iiiiiiii am quietly but gently freaking out over how to write them outta this one.

i know he's a pita and I know he still thinks he can change heaven and he is going to break my heart but I just love this manipulative-ass angel. we cannot help how we are made.

once again, I am a simple creature, the fez made me smile.

i hope miranda richardson had the TIME OF HER LIFE filming this show

hi Eric!!

the running joke of Azi speaking absolutely shit french is honestly funny i love it

as a person who had to sit through meetings not unlike this for several years Nina's desire to talk about the Christmas lights made me SCREAM

crowley everyone thinks you two are married on account of you're married, sorry.

i know he'd bite me, but I want to hug crowley

I think my cat is audibly snoring from several feet away, aw, buddy.

from the credits, the bridges that shift and meet in the middle feel like a nice metaphor.

It really is noticeable that they don't linger over meals together, share a table. Crowley even set up this romantic little moment! At least they are on their proper sides?

TALKING Aziraphale WHAT A CONCEPT MAYBE YOU COULD TRY IT SOMEDAY

there is so much happening here with Crowley interrogating Jim and he loves Aziraphale so much and he's so angry and he has no idea what on earth to do.

real good, not pretendy good.

Crowley, you're so nice

why does this delicate little piano piece make me want to cry so hard

oh!! I love this little pastoral motif from the first season!

Of course Crowley can convince Nina to trust him, she's the Aziraphale stand-in. It wouldn't work the other way round.

JIM'S SUIT IS THE GREATEST THING I HAVE EVER SEEN IN MY ENTIRE LIFE I WANT ONE I WANT TO WEAR IT EVERYWHERE I'M SCREAMING HE'S LIKE AN EVEN GAYER ORVILLE PECK AAAAA

Maggie, my precious babygirl!!!

oh that's a sweet discworld nod

this dance is so sweet but ngl I'm kind of wigged out by Aziraphale making everyone into...kind of dolls, to perform this evening.

ok, sushi break, played with the cat, and now I am back with water a nice glass of Shiraz.

hang I have to get some goss from a friend

how many awards does John Hamm have he deserves a few more.

shades of Caberet/Stories from Berlin -- they dance, as the world threatens to end around them, they dance and I die

oh this was a terrible angry dance. oh. oh this is what it's going to be like isn't it.

luckily I have [redacted] gossip to distract me I can't wait to watch this season over again without stopping every two minutes, lol.

crowley did you learn that rules-lawyering from Aziraphale or vice-versa or are you just both...like that.

"i won't leave you on your own" "i know" DYINGGGGGGG

also, tbh, the quick-talking is...really encouraging me to not have to write a fucking battle, which fills me deep and lasting ennui. Also I don't know if I want to *watch* a battle next season? They will talk and love and be brave out of this, not lead a platoon.

tbf I think that *does* about cover Miranda rights these days, weren't they kind of lowkey killed in the last term or three?

ok, last one. aaaaaaaaaaaaa

it feels like everything else was just weird dilly-dallying, and this is the episode where things *happened*. They almost properly talked to one another, instead of past each other.

[darnwafflessideblog]

for your consideration

Razia's Shadow Ranking

1) The Exit 2) The Missing Piece 3) Toba the Tura 4) Meet the King 5) It's True Love 6) The Spider and the Lamps 7) The End and the Beginning 8) Holy the Sea 9) Doctor Doctor 10) The Oracle 11) A Hundred-Year, Minute-Long Intermission

1) love love LOVE this whole song. Listened to it religiously before ever knowing what the musical was and STILL DO. I feel like everyone has a dream animatic of this one. Absolute banger and look at that which surrounds me, I'm supposed to call this hoooOOooome-- DON'T YOU EVER DREAM OS SOMEPLACE BETTER OR A LIFE THAT'S GREATRRRR~~~ 2) dunno why but totally fixated on this song. Realistically I actually like it less but right now I am OBSESSED. he is just SO in love with her i physically ache 3) need I say more? BANGER 4) I love the back and forth, the king is an interesting character in that he's RIGHT but for the wrong reasons. Favorite song to do laundry to 5) MY HANDS SHAKE / OUR MINDS RACE FROM THE THOUGHT OF LOVE / YET WE CURB OUR SPEECH BECAUSE WORDS ARE NOT ENOUGH / TO ETCH THIS ISNATNT / BURN THIS MOMENT INTO OUR MEMORY / LEAT GO / TAKE MY HAND / TRUST IN ME 6) BIG SWOOPY LYRICS with SHORT CHOPPY LYRICS AAAaaaaAAAAAA 7) LOVE Pallis' tango and the switch between the upbeat tango n the sweet guitar bits SO GOOD 8) mouth sounds peak my headphones :[ otherwise it's really good 9) gives me the ick but love the upbeat back and forth 10) love the vocals but there isn't enough of an actual song there to be higher in rank. still good tho 11) eh

[starrierknight]

for the fanfic ask thingy!!!!!

8. the way u write feels very gentle<3 like u put a lot of care into it nd ure truly putting pieces of urself into ur art which as an artist myself is always very nice to see and be able to tell.

13. this is a little sillier than the other answer but i was talking about satoru with a friend the other day and i spent 40 minutes talking about ur drunk n nasty fic (nd all ur other fics cause u get his character so well but i went on 7 different rants while talking about that specific one cause i just loove talking)

8. What I like the most about your writing

I am crying into my pillow. oh. oh. gentle... my heart. my heart is fragile and cannot take this. I am so happy you think so!!!! and wow. you see me!!! you get me!!!! you get it!!!!

13. If i've ever shared/talked about your fic to someone else

OH MY GOD???? REALLY???? IM SO DGJOSFJDGK AAAAAAAAAAA 40 MINUTES?????? PLEASEEEEE YOU ARE SO SWEET I'M GOING TO EAT YOU (<- with the utmost love)!!!!! you think 😭 I get 😭 his character well 😭🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷 I'm so happy rn my face hurts from smiling......... AAAAAAAAAAAAA (I love that you love talking!!! you are so real for that. love it when ppl go on little side quests as they talk. it's great hehehe)

fanfic asks!

[endwalkr]

FUCK the strings in the heavensward main theme make me so fucking emotional

[narcoticwriter]

Me: (looks at leaks) Okay, new characters! Can't wait for their storylines . . .

Genshin Twitter: WHY ARE THEY WHITE-PASSING AND PALE AND STEREOTYPICAL AAAAAAAAAAAAA-

Me: (looks at my roots and being a historical nut) (cracks knuckles)

In what may be one of my most controversial posts yet, I attempt to explain and process what the hell is up with the Sumeru leaks.

I do not expect to not be clowned for this.

Folks, you kinda jumped the gun on this one. Seriously. I have a few points to make on this and it may not be liked, but as a history enthusiast and someone who loves to learn, I have to clarify some things.

If I do get some things wrong, feel free to correct me on them! That's kind of the point here. I'm always ready to learn some more.

1.) Sumeru is somewhat based on the Abbasid Empire.

If people bothered to look at the content we've received about Sumeru so far and actually pay attention, you will be able to tell that there are Indian, Persian, and South Asian elements to the region as well as Middle Eastern. This is shown in the little bits of information that you can find here.

And if one looks at the reaches of Islamic empires throughout history, it will show that at some point, these elements have mixed, matched, or have come into contact with each other during the Islamic Age.

The picture below represents the reach of the Islamic Empire during its initial run from 622-750 CE under the Umayyads along with the Islamic Golden Age under the Abbasids.

The regions that are shown here include Egypt, Persia, the Arabian Peninsula, Northern Africa, Central Asia, India, Turkey, Iberia, and Central Asia, but they do not do justice to the spread of their culture and Islam at the same time periods.

(Please note that while the empires did not reach these areas the places shown were heavily influenced by Islamic culture and religion, thus forth making them majority Muslim at the time.)

And as you can see, South Asia is right there.

Now look at these maps compared to a modern map of the same areas and tell me with a straight face that this region wasn't diverse enough to hold multiple cultures besides Egyptian and Arabic.

This would not only explain the different regions featured in Sumeru concerning the characters but also why they may or may not look different and dress as such. I'll go into the really gritty bits about the dress later.

2.) The Baghdad House of Wisdom definitively inspired the Dendro Archon's basis as the Archon of Wisdom and Sumeru Academia

This point speaks for itself, but just to be sure people get it, the Baghdad House of Wisdom was considered the height of knowledge and intellect for centuries during the Islamic Golden age.

As the crown jewel of the capital of the Abbasid Empire, every nation in the known world and their rivals wanted a piece of what was in that place! We got math, language, science, stories, art, music, and all sorts of stuff from them. In fact, we have them to thank for preserving a good chunk of human knowledge, even with its destruction in 1258 by the Mongols.

Now, wisdom is typically defined as the application of knowledge and intellect combined with practical experience, which Sumeru may or may not have a lack of at the moment if Lisa brings this point up once or twice with the state of Sumeru's intellectual elite. This may or may not be the hinting of inspiration from the Abbasid Empire's decline due to bureaucratic corruption, heavy taxes, social strife, civil war, and the impending Mongol invasion.

With this, it's no mistake that Sumeru Academia and the area surrounding it sounds a hell of a lot like that intellectual haven and that it may or may not serve as a tragic future plot point.

3.) Dori's design does take some checkmarks for orientalism, but for less reasons than you think.

Yeah, you guys need to look at this first. You need fresh eyes.

First of all, I'm going to tell you to completely banish Disney's Aladdin from your mind. It holds no bearing on what I'm about to say. None. It's a cheap copy. Don't even process it, because I'm going to bring up the real inspiration of One Thousand and One Nights.

Contrary to popular belief, the stories contained in One Thousand and One Nights is not based in just the Middle East. There's actually a lot of it based in Persia and Mesopotamia as well as in India, South Asia, and some of China.

If the time period of this is to be believed (the book itself was published around the same Islamic Golden Age I keep bringing up), the style of dress was vastly different from what people think, and speaking of their style of dress, I'd like to introduce you all to something called the shalwar kameez.

The shalwar kameez is popular in Central and South Asia (Pakistan, India, Afghanistan) and As you can see, the bagginess of the bottom is very accurate, and given the established fact of Sumeru's basis, this dress has some historical basis and concrete reasons for it to exist.

Now, let's talk about the lamp. There is real basis for this to be a thing, but I need to clarify some things first. This lamp is based on an oil lamp and to be fair, the basic design for it being made of metal and its look stay true to its purpose and sticks to the regions discussed here. Bronze oil lamps of this look were definitely around.

Now I will briefly touch on the djinn. Djinn are classified as beings of elemental energy and naturally inclined to pranks, harmful or playful as well as possessing an unholy amount of power and knowledge. Djinn in Islamic canon have been known possess people, produce offspring with them, and be described as a force of good or evil.

In the tales within the One Nights, however, they are typically trapped in small objects, typically a ring or a lamp. The rubbing of either of those things can summon them out. In the tale "The Fishermen and the Jinni", the jinni (djinn) is the one to grant the fishermen three wishes, while in the tale "Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp", Aladdin acquires a djinn in a ring and a more powerful one in an oil lamp.

So the djinn in the lamp at its basis is not stereotypical at all as the idea of having an all-powerful being trapped by something relatively insignificant to its existence is common enough.

However, the overarching cry of what I believe the rest of the design is based on is something that I can see wholeheartedly. The 'dancer girl' top does not mesh at all with the time period described in detail and does indeed give to the stereotypical orientalism. This video goes more into length on that here.

So yes, there is issue with the dress and inspiration behind it, but it was not the egregious crime it was made out to be.

4.) I am personally terrified that appearances have such large precedence over personality with people in this fanbase.

We haven't met them. We don't know them. We have no idea what they're really like at all. And yet, despite this fact, everyone loses their shit once they aren't what they envisioned them to be based on what they look like. Even if they are pale as hell, why does it matter so much? Do I wish that they could consider that? Sure! Will it cripple my enjoyment? No!

As someone quite dark-skinned myself who has suffered constant mischaracterization and bullying at the hands of literally everyone around me for acting certain ways while looking the way I do, I find it puzzling and concerning that people are so quick to write people off because of the color of their skin as the very same thing has happened to me.

As a result, this point has to be made as controversial as it has become:

Culture does not equal looks and there is no difference between discriminating against skin colors because the basis of it is the same.

Let that sink in for a second.

People really call themselves 'not racist' and 'educated' and then they pull this kind of heinous shit in public discourse and pretend that it's completely okay because they looked white.

And I guarantee you that if they were dark-skinned, people would still call it racist for being 'the stereotype'. I've seen it happen and it will likely happen again. You can't please anyone anymore.

----

So those are my thoughts on the leaks and everyone's reactions to them. Feel free to agree, disagree, or do something in between because I don't care anymore. I'm tired of skin color determining everything here. It exhausts me.

Take the L and go.

[lemonlurkrr]

@aureateart​ ok. My favourite parts of twilight princess  (and some other random thoughts about TP sprinkled in there) taken from my monster TP word vomit google doc :

Link lmao

Ok but for real, I like this incarnation of Link :)

I love Ordon (it just seems like such a chill and cozy village)

ALSO love how easy it is to interpret Link as being a sort of older brother figure to the Ordon kiddos. It’s just,, super cute? AND GHHH nice nice good thanks nintendo for giving me characters to care about/characters that I can imagine Link caring about

He didn’t sign up for any of this (tbh, none of the Links really signed up for this jshdjsd). But I mean like, dude was just going to take a trip to castle town, drop a gift off for the royal family, and come back. But haHA oopsies he did get to castle town eventually but definitely not the way he expected hsjdhsd

He’s just a little dude?

AND FUCK. HE REALLY HAD NEVER BEEN OUTSIDE OF ORDON UNTIL ALL OF THAT

everything is new for the player AND Link

Midna

She’s cool :)

she really just

*teleports into your jail cell* hello whore.

I am no master at writing but AYYYY she do got a character arc!!!

She was actually pretty helpful sometimes, I ALWAYS checked in with her before turning to a game guide

Other NPCs

NICE

Love all of the TP character designs (ASHEI’S ARMOUR??? AOWOAOAOOAO)

Saving Zelda and all of Hyrule was important yea but thinking back maybe it was more like, the Ordonians and the kids were what was pushing Link to keep on going

I like the Resistance members :) Very video gamey of them to have one NPC assigned to each dungeon but hey!!! Kinda cool getting to see a little glimpse of each of em

Idk, it’s just fun to imagine Link popping into Telma’s bar after each dungeon and taking a little rest :) (or to celebrate? maybe just chat, idk, give this man some downtime!!)

Honestly it was just kind of nice that Link wasn’t entirely alone. I mean, I know Midna was there the whole time, but I am always for giving Link a big group of friends (see my love for hyrule warriors, age of calamity, and LU LMAO)

Hero’s shade, very very cool, kinda sad he died with regrets but HEY. He got to pass on his knowledge eventually

AND the connection to OoT?? AND assumed to be related by blood too????? GOOD SHIT

Ilia, I REALLY really wanted to like her (er, it’s not like I dislike her, she’s just,,, kinda there for me).

It definitely seems like Nintendo was pushing to make her the romantic interest, but GHHHHH they really threw that out of the window for me by having her lose her memories

I saw a text post a while ago that said it would have been interesting if Ilia was Link’s sister instead and YES!! That would have been cool too :0

Wish we got to know Zelda a little more

I feel like we barely know anything about her

Idk man, like I said earlier, I never really had any sort of drive to save Zelda during my playthroughs

She obviously knows Midna, so maybe if they gave us just a little bit more of that relationship I’d be more interested in her?

TP WORLD BUILDINGGGG

Botw has good world building too, but each race felt kinda,,, isolated? I absolutely love the different architecture and vibe each town has (and all the the weapons too) but ghhh yea everyone felt so separated. As far as I can remember, we don’t see tooo much of the races interacting with each other? Now that I’m typing that out maybe that’s to be expected because of the calamity but KLSJDKJFD ANYWAYS THIS IS ABOUT TP

The world feels nice and alive, love how populated everything is

Castle town I like castle town a lot, it feels dense and busy and I really like how you can’t talk to every NPC you see

Very cool very fun that we got to see the Gorons hanging out in multiple spots

kinda wish we got to see the Zoras a little more (I guess they are a bit limited since they need water but GHHHH the tp zoras are so prebby,,)

BUT HEY, I do remember seeing a zora or two hanging out in the hot springs around death mountain after beating the lakebed temple (I think, might have been a different dungeon) 

but aaaa would have been nice to see them in at least a couple of other places. I think it would have really added to the “congrats Link!! You’re restoring peace to Hyrule” feeling you get from seeing the Gorons hanging out in Kakariko and Castle Town

ORDON

Love how chill it is and how it’s kind of separate from Hyrule proper

They really do seem to be doing their own thing apart from the rest of Hyrule

Just kinda adds onto the “he’s just a regular dude minding his own business” kind of vibes I get from TP Link

Also I like Ordona :)

THE LIGHT SPIRITS,,

Love their design

And love how they’re not exactly like a pure white?

Different spirit representing each aspect of the triforce my beloved

But yes hi I think Ordona is very cool

Who are you, how did you get here, which goddess do you represent? Do you even represent one of the three golden goddesses? Do the Ordonians know about you? Have any of them ever SEEN you??? Do they worship you? Does anybody even know about the existence of the light spirits?? FUCK so many questions but ghhh I like how they broke the status quo a bit by throwing in a fourth spirit :)

I feel like this one is kinda weird but I like that voice sample they used in the light spirit music. It’s spooky and pretty at the same time :)  

cutscenes mmmmm

Ok ok, the spooky lanayru cutscene is very good

BUT THE “Link, Chosen Hero! Lend us the last of your power!” CUTSCENE MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM LOVE IT SO MUCH

IT just

Idk man

It just hit different

I like the music

And seeing the light spirits swimming around in the light juice water whatever it is

Summoning the light arrows?

AND HHHHH “Lend us the last of your power!” THIS IS IT. This is the final battle.

Seeing Zelda bow down, and then Link putting his hand out 👌👌👌

Link: ok bud, let’s do this together :)

Connection to OoT (did I already mention this? Maybe., Whatever)

Very cool nintendo :)

I love seeing connections between all the diff zelda games.

Because like, on one hand, they’re all separate from each other because of yknow, individual hero stuff. BUT ALSO, they’re all connected because of the reincarnation stuff

Grrrr walking through the sacred grove and going “The Hero of Time walked around here a long time ago” FUCK THATS SO COOL

Is the Hero’s Shade watching me? What does he think of me? DIsappointed? Proud? The Hero of Time went through HELL so this timeline didn’t have to deal with any of the shit Ganon was gonna pull with the triforce, better not fuck this UP Link!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Midlink is cute

Kinda hurts that she smashed the mirror but that was probably so Nintendo didn’t have to worry about people going “but what about the twili??????” for any of the other games LMAO

BUT ALSO LIKE SKJDKLJFJ There are some pretty massive plot holes in TP anyway so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ whatever it’s fine we’ll just use this for angst because GOD do y’all like angst

So is Shadlink

Honestly don’t know where this ship came from but it’s cute so whatever

THE MUSIC??

Love Midna’s theme and how they referenced the dark world theme from ALttP (I remember trying to learn the dark world theme on the piano and doing the Leonardo DiCaprio point meme at the little jingle I recognized from Midna’s theme)

Hyrule field theme SLAPS.

Apparently references a couple of the other over-world themes from the previous zelda games (I got this from 8-bit Music theory’s video on the over-world zelda themes, he talks about TP at around 11:40 but def recommend watching the whole video if you’re into music analysis stuff)

So there’s this bit of the Hyrule Field theme, I don’t know the official name for it but I remember seeing somewhere it being called the “at an advantage theme” since yeah, you hear it during the boss music whenever you expose their weak points. FUCKINGGG LOVE THAT. Didn’t notice it during my first playthrough, but hearing it during my second was like a little easter egg for my ears every time :)

Midna’s lament is very pretty (and fun to play on the piano)

COURAGE THEME.

I didn’t care for it too much when I started playing the game but hearing it in ZREO’s arrangement of the Hyrule Field theme literally makes me turn into a puddle of emotions. Also hearing it around and of the Ordon kids (I think it plays after Link saves Colin) AAAAAAAAAAAAA

Orchestra piece #1 and #2 HOLY SHIT???????????????? 

Literally, the first time I listened to those I just,,,, plugged in my headphones, volume 100, layed on the floor/against my desk and silently vibed. I don’t know what the hell it is, but those two just fit so well with TP?? I still avoid listening to them nowadays cause if I DO I definitely will get overwhelmed with the “god I love this game so FUCKING MUCH” kind of feels.

Wolf link sucks at singing

the first time I heard him howling Zelda’s Lullaby I lost my shit because LKSJLDKSGLKJFSKG god that was.,, Bad. Anyways, hearing him howl some of the songs from OoT was cute :)

TP STAFF ROLL??? 

VERY GOOD. IT’s like 10 minutes long and GOD do I love every single second of it. It doesn’t have the same energy as the skyward sword staff roll or the orchestra pieces but GOD does it hit good??

Nice and calm after that big exciting adventure. Maybe it would have been more fun or emotional to have a higher energy piece but it was really nice getting to sit back and watch the camera fly around Hyrule. Seeing like, the Gorons and the Zoras having a good time, the kids returning to Ordon? GOOD SHIT.

and AAAAA that end, when you hear the main Zelda theme and see Link riding off out of Faron woods on Epona… good shit. It gets you thinking, where the hell is he going? What is he doing? Off ot do more adventuring? Going to help out the resistance or something? Going to help Zelda? Or maybe he’s trying to figure out a way to restore the mirror of twilight? Whoooo knows.

hhHHHHhhh it’s just that final reminder that YES!!! YOU JUST PLAYED A ZELDA GAME. JUST ANOTHER STORY APART OF THE WHOLE EPIC OF THE ZELDA SERIES AS A WHOLE

I also want to acknowledge the instrument/samples they used for all the twili stuff.

They’re all just so unique and contrast SO well with the rest of the TP OST. LIKE FUCK!! Anytime I hear the screech from the Twilit Kargarok? Sends a shiver down my spine. I associate those sounds SO strongly with the twili realm. (Like, the same way you associate the BSHEWW VVWWMMM sounds with light sabers)

I love it so god damn much

literally any time there’s a certain sound or motif associated with something I lose my shit

Sacred grove sacred grove sacred gro-

lovely lovely lovely so much fun playing that on the piano. AND again, I did the Leonardo DiCaprio pointing meme when I heard the theme from the lost woods come in GHHHHHHHH

shoutout to TP Faron Woods for helping me study and get through all of my schoolwork

BLEGUUHHH can you tell that I really love music?

and also yea I guess TP is kinda cool too :\

IF YOU READ ALL OF THAT THANKS I GUESS

[rosella-writes]

Happy Friday Ro!!! For your consideration... Lavellan, Solas, & Felassan + “ We can't keep this up forever. ” from the Angst, Fluff & Smut list. :D

>:] thank you so much Niriiiiii you gave me a chance to try out a funky lil headcanon I spun up today. Just a head's up — in my canon Virelan finds Felassan as a tranquil and puts in the work to cure him. He was once a bodied spirit of Hope. I credit @dreadfutures for the final line and the headcanons surrounding it (you'll know it when you see it and I'm sorry Blue for borrowing aksfhjgkfjhgkfdjhg). It's rambly and all over the place aaaaaaaaaaaaa

For @dadrunkwriting

Pairing: Felassan x Virelan Lavellan (with past Solasmance for both of them) Rating: M for casual nudity? they're in bed

~~~

Felassan didn’t have the heart to tell Virelan that she cried in her sleep. 

She was so strong otherwise — head held high, shoulders braced, spine curved like a tensed bow — and to know she showed such vulnerability would steal the iron of her will. But he held it close, that knowledge, and her when she allowed it. 

It was rare, but happened with increasing regularity, for her to invite him into her bed. It was not her heart — for she showed that only to her son now — but it was a comforting, safe place to be. She didn’t expect platitudes and explanations and professions of love from him. They knew each other’s pain and burdens as only two people who loved the same person could. 

They never spoke of Solas, but he was the ghost between their lips all the same. 

It was during one of these nights, when she had dared ask him to stay, that he felt most drawn to her. He woke with a start when her hand gripped his wrist — expecting her to be awake, to need him — but stilled when her sleep-stricken voice called out with raw, wordless anguish. 

He curled close, barely taller or wider than she, and allowed her grip on his arm. He reached out to touch what remained of the arm Solas had taken — she reached back, as if the hand remained. Felassan wound up awkwardly clasping the end of her stump, swallowing back tears of his own as she screamed hers into her pillow, then his chest. 

“Ir abelas,” he murmured beneath his breath, dragging her sleeping body close. “Ir abelas, falon.”

This pain in her — raw and unfiltered, fresh in her dream as if happening at that very moment — spoke to a pain deep within him that matched. While he had settled somewhat in the wake of Tulin and Cole bringing him back to himself, ragged, torn pieces did not always fit back where they had been whole before. Some festered and rotted, worn more ragged still by this muffled scream against his chest. 

Felassan took as much of Virelan into his arms as he could, searching for the old comfort he could once offer. He used to know exactly what to say, what to do, how to find that one shining piece of possibility in the impossible. But now, in the dark, in the room that smelled of Virelan’s soap and their blended sweat, that swam with the sounds of sobs and gasping breaths, there was nothing but the cold chill of finality. 

In the end, he didn’t need to tell her. She woke herself, her sobs suddenly cutting short with a startled gasp. For a moment she seemed as if she would remain in his arms, clutched close, but with a deep, heart-rending groan she shoved at him and tore away. What had ached for her now bruised deeply with his own hurt.

“No,” she stammered thickly. “No, stop, I don’t need —”

“Of course not,” he snapped, feeling his pain sharpen further to a cutting edge. “You don’t need anything or anyone, do you, lethallen?”

Her eye was bright in the darkness, and there was an audible snap when her dropped jaw closed. Felassan leapt upon that chance, leaning up on one elbow and jutting his chin in defiance. 

“You stand alone. You go your own way. You call upon me on your own terms, asking for cheap comfort, borrowed closeness, and shove me away when your tears escape on their own? Do you know who you remind me of?”

“Stop it,” she snapped, chest heaving. The moonlight glinted off a silvery scar on her breast. “I’m not… no.”

His nose wrinkled as his lip pulled back over his teeth. “You are not the first I’ve held in such a way. But where before I could offer hope for a brighter future, there’s nothing in me now. Would you kill my comfort too?”

Her hand rose to cover her face, and she shook her head frantically side to side. It looked as if her fingertips dug into her flesh. “Stop it. Stop it.”

Something loud, frantic, hopeless sprang up in his chest, screeching aloud its despair until he let it out in a whispered, “We have to talk about him.”

“No!” she all but screamed. 

“We have to!” Louder, this time, but not nearly a shout. “We can’t keep this up forever. We can’t.”

“I want to,” Virelan begged. She lowered her hand and plucked at his — he could see gouges from her nails underneath her eyes. “Ignore it with me, put it away in that unspoken place where it can’t hurt us. I thought you understood —”

“And that is why I must insist upon it now,” he said firmly, returning the clutch of her hand. He grasped her other arm, which reached as if with its missing hand, and ignored her wince at the touch. “You’re using me. I’m using you. We can’t. All it does is hurt us.”

At the confession, the sharp hurt, the bruised hurt, the rotting, ragged pieces all coalesced into an ache that was the ache of cold. It spread through him, icy and leaden and heavy, and there was an odd, self-indulgent comfort in it. It satisfied him, this despair, and he reached for her with it. 

“You are loving me in the place of Solas, aren’t you?”

Her lip shook, and her eye darted away. “No, I —”

“Don’t lie to me.”

A wordless groan, paired with a weak pull, was not enough to free her from his grasp. He didn’t let go. 

“I know because I am doing the same,” he hissed. “I use you to bandage my pain and yet I bleed through.”

She turned her eye to the ceiling, her mouth working open and shut. No sound escaped. 

“I feel this despair of yours,” he continued, “as surely as it is my own. It fills me up, like so much poison, and yet it will not do me the pleasure of letting me die. No, we keep on living, Virelan, we keep on going, clutching at each other like drowning rats. We pretend like we can stop him if given the chance, but can we?”

“Of course —”

“Could you kill him, Virelan?” Felassan said, his voice rising finally into something resembling volume. “Could you? Will that rage drive your sword through his heart, or will your misery drag you down into uselessness?”

Her eye finally met his, and tears streamed from it down her cheek. She held on to him tight, until he could almost feel her fingers wringing the blood from his frozen hand. 

“No,” she sobbed. It pitched up into a strangled wail. “But I have to, Felassan, I have to —”

He shook his head and pulled his hand from hers, raising both instead to cup her cheeks. “You don’t have to do anything. Haven’t you done enough?”

The steel of her spine collapsed. He caught her, clasped her close, and drew her beneath the blankets once more. She was nearly as cold as he felt. What echoed within him, between them, perhaps even inside her now, was a soul-killing refrain. 

Futile. Futile. Futile.

[chaoslynx]

Here's that art I was talking about of the kiss scene from "You don't need to understand feelings to feel them." This incredible piece is by @cuteeiji, who is currently open to commissions on their Twitter!

I love this artwork soooo much. The attention to detail is incredible! The fact that Eiji's still wearing the walking boot, the way his hand is hovering awkwardly in the air just like I describe in the fic, the folds on the bedsheets, Ash's scar and Eiji's soulmark! It's all so perfect aaaaaaaaaaaaa

[house-of-laminations]

I MUST RETALIATE!!! This is WAAAAR!

*scratches head as I try to figure out how to write simeon*

“Soooo… do you have wings?”

You had been invited over to the purgatory dorm for studying today, which ended up just being you and Simeon. Luke had agreed to bake sweets with Barbatos and.. well who really knew what Solomon was doing in his free time.

Going over demon anatomy was simple. It was a lot like human anatomy but magically imbued and with just a couple extra pieces. As you grew bored you had started looking around for something interesting, which is how your eyes ended up on Simeon.

Through the beams from his window that somehow seemed brighter than the rest of devildom, casting new light on his features, you stared. He wasn’t what you expected an angel to look like, nor was he even close to biblically accurate, but he was.. pretty. Yeah, pretty seemed to fit.

His eyelashes were long, and his hair even though it looked stringy, was smooth and nice. You didn’t get the whole shirt and shoulders thing, but you didn’t think it looked bad persay. As you stared, soon he started to notice. At first he just rolled his shoulders and tried to ignore it, but your gaze was intense and he felt like you were unraveling him. When he finally asked what you were thinking, you were well into thought and didn’t actually think about your answer.

That’s how you got him to actually blush. He was surprised if he was honest, but gave a firm nod, “Indeed I do. Most demons still have wings from their times as angels, but not all of them as I’m sure you’ve seen.”

You tilted your head. You’d noticed only a select few demons had wings, yes, but part of you doubted Diavolo was ever an angel. “Are yours fluffy and white and such?”

“Haha.. come on now, this isn’t a lesson about angels. We’ll never get done if you keep distracting me.”

You sighed but nodded. He was right. Back to the books you went.

The truth was though, he didn’t want to tell you how his wings were slowly turning grey. The more and more time he spent down here, the more time he spent with you, his wings ever so slightly started tinting. They were still plenty white.. no one would mistake him for a demon by any chance… but he noticed.

He noticed around you he didn’t quite feel like an angel or holy for that matter. He felt.. average at best. Like he was almost just another human, but he knew that wasn’t possible. It was angel or demon for him, human itself not being an option. Part of him found it unfair. He wanted to hold you close and refuse to let you go, for his own selfish reasons.

He smiled and shook his head. That wasn’t very angel like, now was it? -🥀

Simeon Commits A Thoughtcrime!

Words cannot describe how much I love and appreciate this. How little choice angels/demons have to be either one or the other - not something in between. Him being physically brighter, different in the devildom which could be his angelicness or just him and. Just. aaaaaaaaaaaaa 💛💛💛

This will be a war of no losers only winners