#actually this may be the case tomorrow which is why i started the new sketchbook

[skunkes]

Sad to see u say you’re ‘ruining’ your sketchbooks! Those are supposed to be an artists safe space, your playground!!! Have fun in there and experiment and try things and if it doesn’t look good it’s okay! It’s just a sketchbook

Not every piece has to be the next big thing

i know! this is how i was/am treating my old sketchbook (still need 2 pages to go) but thats because it had already been uglified by past cheye so i felt i cld do whatever...starting fresh really does feel like the stakes are high until you get a few pages in for some reason....also ngl too many ugly pages also discourages me...idk.

i am usually not in any situation where i'd show people but my brain still feels like it has to be ready to show a stranger at any given time

Either way i hope to break it in and learn a lot ^_^

[theartoflovingthomashunt]

HWU101: A Transfer

Masterlists: [Hollywood U] || [Red Carpet Diaries]  || [Baby Hunt]  || [Love & Scotch HWU/OH]  ||  [#HollywoodHacks HWU/LH]

Characters: Alex, Thomas Hunt, Addison Sinclair, Holly Chang, Mike Tanner, Ben Park (#LoveHacks)

Series Background: This takes place in my current Hollywood U AU a couple of years before Love & Scotch. It also is set before the #LoveHacks Choices series. 

Hunt and Alex are dating openly. He had his tenure stripped and they are both on probation, but they are in the clear. With the success of Permanent Wound and the press from outing Richard Sheridan and The Silver Circle, Alex is in high demand. She wants to produce her first movie and Hunt has agreed to direct (coming out of retirement). Now if only they can agree on it!

(This starts off with the canon storyline of them moving forward with Centaurus Lost, but it falls apart at the start of this and moves on with an original story.)

Chapter Synopsis: Hunt agreed to come out of retirement to direct Alex’s first solo-produced film, Centaurus Lost, but the production is going anything but smoothly. Will things change with the arrival of new student, Ben Park?

☆  ☆   ☆   ☆   ☆

 “Cut!” Hunt shouted. His fingers dug through his hair as he turned away trying to gather his thoughts. “Get out! All of you! OUT!”

 “Professor?” Addison questioned, looking up from one of the actors, whose costume she was adjusting. “We still have two more scenes to shoot today.”

“Leave! That includes you, Miss Sinclair. I know how you feel about following directions, but just this once do as you’re told,” Hunt grumbled. “Everyone out! This isn’t working. I need to think.”

“Let’s wrap for today,” Alex stepped forward attempting to calm the cast and crew of Centaurus Lost. “Get some rest and be back tomorrow ready to pick up where we left off.” 

“It’s okay,” Alex continued, noting the looks of uncertainty on the faces of those around her. “Go! Enjoy the beautiful afternoon.”

Alex helped the crew clean up and put the equipment away for the day, her gaze shifting to Hunt. He continued pacing off to the side, deep in thought.

 “Hey.” Alex ran her fingers up Hunt’s back, once everyone else had left. “Tell me what’s going on.”

 Hunt shifted away, Alex’s hand falling beside her.

 “This film isn’t working.” Hunt’s scratched his jaw thoughtfully. “Miss Chang and Mr. Tanner did not stop bickering about the script all day. Every time we went to shoot a scene, one or both of them, decided there should be changes. They both have some ideas of merit, but right now, they’re hurting this film far more than helping it.”

 “Thomas,” Alex breathed. She attempted to move closer, but he avoided her once more.

“I walked away from directing once because studios fed me uninspired projects. I refuse to compromise my artistry or ethics,” Hunt ranted, his gaze stern and unrelenting. “As I said, the project has to be right for me and this one isn’t working.”

“Let’s just talk about this,” Alex suggested.

“I know how much you wanted this to work… You’re the producer, find some way to fix this!” Hunt paused for a moment before continuing. “Or... I’m leaving this production.”

Alex felt her eyes misting at his tone. “Fine!”

“Alex,” his voice was softer now at the hurt in her eyes. He moved closer.

She shook him away. “Compartmentalize. I know.”

He nodded. “Go fix this. Convince me why I should take a chance on this film when so many facets of it are falling apart already.”

Alex turned and walked away. She didn’t dare look back. The past few days had been a strain between them. Even if they had agreed not to bring work home, it was hard to turn her feelings on and off. It was one thing when she was just balancing Professor Hunt, with boyfriend Hunt, now she also had business partner and director Hunt to keep separate.

 She knew before she could fix the film, she had to save the screenplay. 

Alex texted Holly and Mike. “Campus Brew. 30 minutes. This is not an option. Be there or you’re out.”

“Nice try, sweetheart. You can’t make my movie without me,” Mike replied.

“Whose movie?” Holly answered. “I believe I’m the lead writer. My name is first on the script.”

“Relax, Pixie Dream Girl. No use getting mad and looking all hot when I’m not there to see,” Mike argued.

“ENOUGH! Act like professionals. Show up for this meeting. Or breach your contracts and be out. I’m serious.”

No wonder this film was sinking. These two were never going to play nice, which is why she had chosen a public venue for their meeting, at least that would force them to keep it together to some extent. (She hoped.)

Alex stormed into the coffee shop, barely looking up from her phone as she followed the heated text exchange from her screenwriters. At this point, nothing short of an epiphany would save the film and she knew it. Hunt was right. 

“Ahh!” A deep voice startled her as she bumped into someone, scattering their books and papers all over. 

“I’m so sorry! I wasn’t even looking.” Alex quickly apologized. “This is all my fault.”

“It’s okay, Jesse Quick,” He chuckled more to himself than anything else. He adjusted his glasses.

“I’m not sure who Jesse is?” She looked at him curiously. “I’m Alex!”

“She’s just..." He paused, noting how Alex’s red shirt hugged her petite figure and the way her brown hair appeared windblown from seemingly rushing off, perhaps to save Central City. His mind had already begun sketching her before he could stop it. Everywhere he looked he saw inspiration. He quickly shook the thoughts from his head as he noted the change in her expression. "You just kind of remind me of a character from one of my favorite shows.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” She smiled softly. 

“You should! She’s great.” He bent down to pick up his fallen papers. 

“These are amazing,” Alex marveled as she helped collect his scattered sketches. “You’re very talented… I don’t think I ever got your name.” 

“I’m Ben, Ben Park,” he repositioned his books and sketches in his arm so he could shake her hand. 

“Nice to meet you, Ben. I don’t think I’ve seen you around campus before,” she noted. She would definitely remember a face like that. 

“It’s actually my first day,” Ben admitted. “I just transferred from Grantmore University.” 

“In that case, can I buy you something to drink? It’s the least I can do for running into you,” Alex suggested. 

“You don’t have to do that,” he replied. 

“I want to,” Alex insisted. “I can offer you some tips about classes and any professors you may have–if you’re interested and have a few minutes.”

“I don’t want to intrude, you look like you have a lot going on,” he smiled shyly. 

“I’ve got a few minutes before my meeting. You’d actually be doing me a favor, keep me busy until then?” 

“Okay,” he agreed. 

“Great! So tell me more about yourself, Ben. What are you studying? Please tell me you’re here as a graphic artist, because if not you need to change majors ASAPs,” Alex laughed, she didn’t mean to come off so insistent, but she meant what she said. She ordered coffee for the two of them. 

“I am.” Ben blushed at the compliment. “I’m also looking into the writing program.”

“Oh, do you want to be a screenwriter?” Alex questioned. “I’m actually meeting with two screenwriters in a bit if you want to meet them.” 

Alex hesitated after she made the suggestion. Perhaps Holly and Mike were not the best exemplars of the program… at least, not at the moment. 

“I’m more interested in writing a graphic novel.” His fingers grazed a sketchbook, that he held tightly. “I’ve written drafts of a few ideas, but…”

“Do you mind if I take a look?” Alex asked cautiously. She knew how temperamental some writers could be about their unfinished work. 

“They’re probably not good,” he shook his head, considering her request. 

“You got to start somewhere, right?” Alex offered.

Ben reluctantly handed her his sketchbook containing his draft of an outer space superhero adventure. 

Alex leaned back in the armchair in the coffee shop and began flipping through his draft. Page after page, her expression changed as the story hit highs and lows. She followed the characters through joyful, devastating, and humorous moments. “This is really good, Ben.”

“You don’t have to say that,” he took his sketchbook back. 

“I mean it. It’s really good! You should definitely look into the writing program. Clearly you have a talent for it too!” She encouraged him. 

Alex and Ben continued drinking their coffees while Alex waited for Holly and Mike to arrive. Her mind had lightened with seeing the joy in his eyes as they talked about his creations, it was a lovely sight. One she had almost forgotten about while on the set of Centaurus Lost. No, it wasn’t just joy, it was passion. Passion for his creations, that’s what was missing on set. She just needed to figure out how to inspire Holly and Mike to that level of creative passion. If the screenplay had heart, the rest of everything would fall into place.

☆  ☆   ☆   ☆   ☆

Perma tags: @lilyofchoices ; @simplymissjulia ; @mfackenthal ; @the-soot-sprite ; @virtuallytakenby ; @zeniamiii ; @kaavyaethanramsey; @choicesobsessed; @xjustin-ethansgirliex

Thomas Tags: @alleksa16  ;    @flyawayboo    ;  @alj4890  ;  @twin-skltns   ;    @ab1901 ;   @riseandshinelittleblossom  ; @hopelessromantic1352  ;   @thearianam  ; @trappedinfandoms; @zodiacsign1 ; @curiouslittlefreak ; @sharrybh20​ ; @awkwardambition ; @jodibo ;

[votederpycausemufins]

Red: ch 3 Berries

This story is also posted on Ao3

Chloé visits Marinette’s home and designing happens.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Chloé did her best not to look nervous as she approached the Dupain-Cheng bakery. She may have been invited, but going to her former rival’s home was different to say the least, not to mention she was on Sabine’s bad side as far as she knew, and Marinette mom was someone you did not want to be on the bad side of.

    Chloé took a breath before opening the door to the bakery. The bell chimed and Sabine looked over. “Hello welcome to- oh, hello Chloé.”

    The blonde was surprised at the unexpected warmth in Sabine’s voice. Her best guess was that Marinette had told her mother that Chloé would be visiting, but it was still surprising there wasn’t a hint of anger in Sabine’s voice.

    Marinette came down the steps, nearly falling. “Chloé you’re here! Come on up!”

    Sabine turned to look at her daughter. “Would you like me to bring any treats up? I’ve got a fresh batch of strawberry crumble.”

    “Oh that’s perfect Maman! I’m actually designing a line based on different berries!”

    “You will have to show me when it is finished.”

    “I will Maman.” Marinette replied with a smile before dragging Chloé upstairs all the way to her room, which was tricky on the ladder.

    Chloé looked around the bedroom. The place was very… pink. In the one episode of Fill my Shoes, Chloé had seen Marinette’s room appear, and it looked pretty much the same, but the area around her computer looked different. “It looks empty over there.”

    Marinette briefly looked upset. “I’m uh… redecorating that area.”

    That’s right, Chloé recalled, that’s where Adrien’s pictures had been. Another sign about how Marinette liked Adrien, but of course she didn’t anymore after what he had done. “Well maybe you should put your sketches there.”

    Marinette tilted her head as she looked at the area. “You’re probably right. Could you grab my sketchbook?” Chloé didn’t move and after a few seconds staring at the wall, Marinette turned to look and the blonde. “Oh right, you’re not Alya. It’s fine if you don’t want to help.”

    “No, I would grab it for you, but not only don’t know where it is, I also still remember last time I tried taking it.”

    Marinette covered her mouth. “Oh that’s right! I completely forgot!”

    “Here is it Marinette!” Tikki came flying over dragging the sketchbook along in the air.

    “That looks heavy” Chloé commented, grabbing it from the kwami to give to Marinette.

    “Just a little. I’m stronger than I look.”

    Chloé gave a nod as Marinette carefully took out some pages. “Those don’t look like some of your best work, why bother putting them up?”

    Marinette shrugged. “I guess I’m just paranoid with everything that’s been happening. It’s better if I put out the worse stuff in case someone tries stealing it.”

    “That’s pretty clever. Like with your signature that looks like a design.”

    “Yeah, I started designing them with that after Adrien’s birthday.”

    Chloé’s eyes widened. “So that scarf was made by you! Of course his father wouldn’t wouldn’t give him a present like that. Ugh, he’s as bad as Hawkmoth sometimes.”

    Marinette gave a small laugh. “I actually thought he was Hawkmoth until he was akumatized.”

    “Right. So, you said you’ve been doing some designs?”

    “Oh, yes!” Marinette smiled and opened her sketchbook to near the back. “I’ve finished blueberry, strawberry and raspberry. I’m still working on cranberry.”

    Chloé looked at the designs. She had to admit, they did look nice. “These mainly seem more feminine. Anything a bit more masculine?”

    “Well, the berry theme seems more oriented to dresses and other ‘feminine’ styles.”

    Chloé studied the designs for a little bit more before handing the sketchbook back. “Maybe counterpart outfits, like bilberry and bramble berry.”

    “Oh! That’s a good idea! What about strawberry and cranberry?” Marinette asked, grabbing a pencil and quickly writing some notes.”

    Chloé pauses, thinking for a bit. “Well currant for cranberry, but strawberry is a bit harder. Maybe… lychee? Do you know what that is?”

    “Yes, my uncle has made some recipes with Lychee, though not too many. It’s mainly for deserts. But that’s a great idea for the counterpart to strawberry!”

    “Now if there were only something yellow.” Chloé said quietly, though loud enough Marinette heard.

    “Well, bananas are classified as berries actually.”

    “Look, yellow is okay, but actually picturing a banana is a line I will not cross!” Chloé states firmly, crossing her arms.

    “That makes sense. And I know it’s not yellow, but I may have made a design or two for you. I’ve done at least one for everyone in the class. Well except Lila.” Marinette gave a quick shrug and grabbed a different sketchbook. “It’s got some purple in it, but I could recolor it if I make it.”

    Chloé took the sketchbook that was handed to her. It looked… nice. The design had her with a long sleeved dress shirt with the cuffs slightly rolled up. Over it was a vest like shirt. It was a light lavender and in the middle there was a white and purple diamond design. The pants were a simple middle grey tone. The shoes were the same color or a little darker with lavender and white accents in the same diamond pattern.

    “This is… amazing. Can you make this for me actually?” Chloé looked up from the sketchbook. “But change the colors. The purples make yellows and the white in the designs can be lavender.”

    Marinette looked shocked. “Wait, really?”

    “Well various magazines say changing how you dress can help change how you act.”

    “Alright, I guess I’ll redraw it with those colors. I might change the design to better fit them, so if I do, I can send you a picture! But wait…” Marinette turned to look at Chloé after turning to her designing area. “I don’t have your phone number.”

    “Ugh, that’s right… fine, give me a piece of paper. Just make sure you get rid of it once it’s in your phone. I don’t want anyone else getting it. Adrien and Sabrina are already enough. I want to block Adrien, but it might be suspicious.”

    “You could just do it anyway.” Marinette suggested.

    “No, no. It could make him worse. Besides, who knows if it could be useful in the future. Now, let’s stop talking about him. So, you’re working on those berry designs?”

    “Right! Designing!” Marinette grabbed her sketchbook but fumbled with it, somehow managing to smack it, flinging it towards Chloé and hitting her in the face.

    “Dupain-Cheng!” Marinette flinched at the yell. “How are you so graceful as Ladybug and so clumsy as you?!”

    Marinette gave a small sigh of relief that Chloé wasn’t being mean then listening as the blonde continued. “Look, we’re friends now I guess, so I’m not going to be too mean outside of school. But at school I will be mean. I have appearances to upkeep.”

    “Is that why you acted mean when you invited me to your table?” Marinette raised an eyebrow.

    “Yes, exactly. I’m known as a bully, especially yours, and if I was suddenly just nice, it would be worse than half nice.”

    “I guess, though you don’t really have to pretend to completely like me.”

    “What’s that supposed to mean?!” Chloé glared at Marinette before her eyes softened. “Oh, you mean that. Look I’m still getting used to having a real friend. Which we have only been for a day.”

    “Maybe, but you’ve been nicer to me than anyone else in our class in the past week.”

    Suddenly Tikki flew away and hid as the trapdoor opened to Sabine. “Here are the treats girls.”

    “Thank you Mme. Dupain-Cheng.” Chloé thanked Sabine and took the platter from her.

    “I’m just glad Marinette has someone coming over again.”

    Chloé nodded and took the treats over to Marinette as Sabine went back down. As the designer picked up one piece, Chloé picked up another. “To new friendships I suppose.”

    “Right, to new friendships.” Marinette nodded, then pressed her piece against Chloé’s for a moment as if they were clinking glasses after a toast before she took a bite.

    Chloè took a bite of her own and was amazed at how it tasted. She barely ate anything from the bakery if she could help it, but she had to admit, everything they made was delicious. “This is amazing!”

    Marinette laughed. “It must be if you’re talking with your mouth full.”

    “Oh shut up!” Chloé said, failing to stifle a laugh, proceeding to playfully push Marinette a little. It took her back to their first year of school together. Well it wasn’t quite school. It was a day of daycare while their parents were working together on something. It was the first and last time they were together before Chloé really started to act like a bully. Just before her mother left for her nearly permanent move to America.

    “Thanks Marinette. For letting me have the chance to be your friend.”

    Marinette gave a small smile. “I’m glad you’re willing to change.”

    The two gave a quick hug before continuing their time together, eventually losing track of how late it was getting, leading to Chloé calling her father to say she was staying over, which was fine since tomorrow they didn’t have school.

    Chloé was surprised to find that Marinette had some Queen Bee pajamas, though she seemed to have a set for each of the heroes. Marinette dressed herself in what was likely her regular pajamas. The designer then set up a place on the floor with plenty of blankets and pillows. “There, I can sleep here and you can have the bed.”

    “Thanks Marinette.” Chloé smiled before getting into the bed. They were just getting situated and ready to sleep, when out of nowhere, there was a knock on the door. The door to the balcony.

[aonorunic]

History on Repeat, Chapter 1: All Coming Back, Fire Emblem Fic

Summary: Byleth slept after she lost him, awakening ages later to Garreg Mach University. She is drawn into the friendly competition between dorm floors, an argument as to which D&D group is better, trips to coffee shops, and the questions into her own lost memories.

Claude could not help but be suspicious of Seteth’s niece who appeared out of nowhere, but there was something so familiar about her, something that made his heart ache. How had she appeared in his dreams years before either of them even came to the University?

Read on AO3.

Prologue

A forest. Darkness, so thick it clouded all sense. 

Fear, not for himself.

“I don’t believe anything you say! Our professor is still alive!” He knew that voice. Yes, Lysithea. She was wearing that strange uniform he kept seeing. Why did she look like she was about to cry?

“That’s right! Our professor is no ordinary human!” Flayn? Why was she there? And who was this professor they kept talking about.

“I refuse to believe that Teach would die in a place like this!” The words came from his own mouth this time.

“It is possible that death has yet to find your friend. But there are worse things than death.” The voice made him angry, that twisted face burned into his memory. 

“Hey, all I hear is good news. Teach is still alive. And if that’s true, then there’s only one thing to do. Defeat you while we wait for Teach’s triumphant return!”

“Prepare yourself. We will avenge our leader here and now!” Yeah, that definitely sounded like something Leonie would say.

“How trite. But if you wish for pain, I shall oblige. If you prefer it so, you shall also be added to the ranks of the dead!” 

Anger rose in him, but he fought it back. He needed to remain in control. This twisted creature before him had hurt someone he cared about. He was going to destroy them.

And then the sky itself opened.

Claude woke with a gasp, sitting bolt upright. Where? Right, his dorm room. When? Middle of the night, both too early and too late. What? Nightmare, just a nightmare. His breathing slowly evened out, all while he tried to hold onto the images of his dream. He needed to remember them. He needed to remember her face.

He stood and threw on a black t-shirt and a pair of sweatpants before exiting his room. His feet took him to a door decorated with charms and images of birds. Claude beat once loudly before resting his head against the wood. “Hilda, it’s me. Let me in.”

Muttered cursing came from behind the door, but a moment later a sleepy pink haired woman opened it. “What’s going on, Claude?” Hilda asked, her words ending in a yawn.

“I need my sketchbook.” 

Hilda stepped out of the way even as Claude moved into the room. He went straight to the desk that was actually organized (Marianne had somehow managed to create chaos over on her side of the room again), and picked up the leather covered book inlaid in gold with a stylized crescent moon.

“Another dream?” Hilda threw herself back down onto her bed, scooting back until her back was against the wall. 

Claude took his usual place beside her, his full attention on his book. He was already flipping to a clean page even as settled himself in. “Yeah,” he answered distractedly. 

Across the room, Marianne, still tangled in her own blanket and looking very much like a cocooned caterpillar, made the short trip to Hilda’s bed and curled up on Claude’s other side as he sketched out the first few lines.

The two women watched him in silence as Claude put his dream to paper. It was a rough drawing as he tried to get the whole thing down before he forgot, but the woman who cut open the sky did not fade. His mind held onto her, as if terrified that he would lose her again. 

Again? Had he lost her before? Had he dreamed and forgotten her already?

“She’s beautiful,” Marianne murmured, mouth covered by the cloth she was snuggling into. “Like a goddess.”

“She might be,” Claude answered. There was something about her that made him think of her as...more. He was not sure what more actually meant.

“That outfit is terrible though.” Hilda rested her chin on Claude’s shoulder, her judgement coming from a professional standpoint. “You have to let me redesign that. Oh! She’d look so cute in a dress! With a ribbon in her hair!”

Claude felt heat in his cheeks as he imagined the woman he had just drawn wearing the outfit Hilda described. Why was he blushing? There was something about this woman from his dream that both made him passionate and distressed. He had thought getting her down on paper would be the solution, but he still felt as if he were missing something. “I don’t think she actually likes wearing her hair up,” was his intelligent response.

Hilda straightened so she could look him in the eye. “Claude von Riegan, you woke me up in the middle of the night, took over my bed, and are making me lose my much needed beauty sleep before my test tomorrow-”

“Today,” Marianne interrupted. “It’s in three hours actually.”

“Yes, that exactly.” Hilda gave him a withering look that did not truly have any power behind it. As annoyed as she was at being woken up, Hilda never denied Claude when he had to deal with one of his dreams. “So, that being the case, I will draw your little goddess there in whatever outfit I like, and I will put a cute little ribbon in her hair, and you will just have to deal with it.”

Claude held up his hands in surrender. “All right, all right, I relent. Put her in whatever outfit you want. Did you finish with my other designs? I have more I want to do right now.”

“Yeah.” Hilda yawned and stretched, falling back across Claude’s lower legs. Marianne followed her example and snuggled into Claude’s side. “I’m going to sleep now. You can keep sketching so long as you don’t wake me up.”

“Well, you did kind of trap me.” Claude laughed softly as he flipped to another clean page.

“Me? The delicate flower that I am? Why, Claude, I am shocked and appalled. Now shut up.”

It was cramped on the small bed, but there was something deeply comforting about the warmth of his friends surrounding him. At the very least, his heart no longer felt like it would beat out of his chest.

/

“Your hair certainly grew very long.” Flayn smiled at Byleth in the vanity mirror. Byleth simply started back at her. There was a bit of puzzlement in her eyes, but Flayn really had to search for it. She had forgotten how little emotion Byleth had shown when she first arrived at Garreg Mach, and it unnerved her to see one of her favorite people revered back to such a state. She had liked when Byleth began to smile more. “We tried to keep up with it, but over the last few decades you grew more restless in your sleep. With the Sword of the Creator next to you, it really was not safe for Seteth and I to try. We will have to cut most of this off.”

Flayn picked up a pair of scissors and measured out where she would cut, just below Byleth’s shoulders like the woman had always kept it. Byleth shook her head, causing some of the mint green strands to slip through Flayn’s fingers. “Lower.”

Flayn blinked at Byleth’s reflection in the mirror, but quickly recovered and nodded. Byleth had not said more than her and Seteth’s names since waking up, rolling the sounds around in her mouth as if trying to memorize a foreign taste. “It will be impractical to keep all of it,” she noted, eyes sweeping down to where Byleth’s hair brushed against the floor. The other woman had been asleep so long not even her own divine magic had protected her from adverse effects. Seteth had had to carry her out of the underground tomb. Flayn worried that keeping Byleth’s hair so long would only cause the other woman to trip on her already unsteady feet. 

“How about here?” she asked, indicating a length that would leave Byleth’s hair down to her waist.

Byleth thought for a moment before nodding her acquiescence. 

“Wonderful!” 

Flayn continued to chat to Byleth as she worked, filling Byleth in on little things she remembered the woman liking, or discussing new things she would experience for the first time. Byleth seemed to lean into the sound of her voice, finding comfort in being near someone else after so long. Whenever Flayn would pause, Byleth would fidget ever so slightly, twisting her hands together, or poking at her now shorn hair upon the floor with a toe. So Flayn continued.

She brushed out Byleth’s hair, working out knots and tangles, until it was smooth once again. Without really thinking about it she began to braid Byleth’s hair, just as her mother had done for her so very long ago. It was a bittersweet experience. 

A knock on the door interrupted Flayn’s latest story about music videos. “Flayn, may I come in?” Seteth’s voice floated through the wooden barrier.

“Yes, Father.” It felt wonderful to be able to call him that in this new age. She had never enjoyed the deception, despite knowing the need for its existence.

Seteth took a moment to look over Flayn’s work, a small smile on his lips, before grabbing a chair to sit next to Byleth. “I wanted to show you how to use this,” he told her, holding out a cell phone. “Flayn and I will be here as much as we can. And Indech will help you when we are not here. There are two other servants who come to clean the estate and a cook, but Flayn sent them away for a few days. We told them we wanted to get you used to your new environment a little at a time. But this will allow you to contact us if we are not here.”

Byleth took the phone and looked at it with interest, following along as Seteth showed her how to work the device. She followed along without much issue, picking up on the new technology with the speed Flayn remembered her mastering tactics and strategy. 

“There,” Flayn said proudly once she was done with Byleth’s braid. 

Byleth looked up from the phone, studying herself in the mirror. She touched the braid and pulled it over her shoulder, before finally nodding. “Thank you.”

Flayn could not help herself. She threw her arms around Byleth, crying in relief against her shoulder. “I am so glad you returned to us.”

She felt Byleth pat her back awkwardly, but the other woman did not push her away. It made Flayn cling all the tighter.

/

“You have all come together in the Guild Hall to hear the announcement of the Grand Challenge,” Claude announced, standing in front of all three D&D groups gathered in the common room. He was in full costume, dressed in gold and black. He had even worn the cape Hilda had added onto his original design. “Listen up, for anyone who makes our jobs harder will find themselves disqualified!”

Next to him Dimitri shook his head. The blond man was wrapped tightly in a faux fur trimmed blue cape, making it impossible to see if he had worn the rest of his costume or not. 

Edelgard cleared her throat and stepped forward. She had only elected to wear her dramatic red cape and that fantastic horned crown. Even with a casual black dress on underneath, she still looked intimidating as hell. She reached over to open the golden chest Dimitri held, and pulled out the piece of paper Claude had stained with tea to imitate age. 

“As you all know, the Grand Challenge offers both prestige and riches. This quest will not be for the faint of heart. Only the most skilled of adventures should consider undertaking this endeavor. The Challenge,” she continued, now reading from the paper, “is the retrieval of the Sword of Creation. Wielded by a goddess at the beginning of time, it was stolen and used to destroy her and her children. Although the thief is said to have been defeated many centuries ago, his tomb has become a resting place for all manner of wicked and vile creatures. Credible rumors of its whereabouts have reached the king, and he has issued this quest himself. All those who would face the darkness of Shambala step forth and be known!”

Immediately all three groups began to cheer and boast their own credentials. Edelgard allowed it to continue for a moment before raising a hand, silencing them all with a less than amused look. Claude was both impressed and slightly envious. 

“The expedition to Shambala will depart in seven days. You must have your intentions known to the guild before that time. The Guild will be providing transport, but only to those who have proven their worth to us. If you have not, I suggest you get to work over the next few days.”

With a dramatic sweep of her cape, Edelgard turned and walked away. Claude and Dimitri joined their fellow dungeon master on the other side of the common room, watching as their groups began to plan. Claude stretched out on the sofa next to her, while Dimitri settled himself into an overstuffed chair, still wrapped up in his cloak. “Nicely done,” Claude complimented.

Edlegard ducked her head in acknowledgement. “They were your words, Claude. But, it was rather fun to act as the Guild Master.”

“This is certainly going to be interesting, having all three of our groups on the same quest,” Dimitri said, his eyes fixed to where Felix seemed to be threatening Sylvain with a plastic lightsaber. 

“It’s going to be chaos,” Edlegard added. 

Claude smirked. “Isn’t that what we’re after? It’s the best part about D&D after all.” He did not know who had said what, but Hilda was waving her foam replica of Gimli’s axe at Casper, standing in front of Lorenz as if she was defending his honor.

“I’m excited to see where this leads. It was certainly entertaining just working on this quest with the two of you.” Dimitri stretched out his long legs, and Claude could finally see that yes, he was at least wearing the boots and pants of his costume. He didn’t even attempt to hide his smirk. “Do you think we should intervene at some point? It does seem to be becoming rather heated over there.”

Claude watched as Petra deflected a plastic water bottle from hitting Dorothea with her wooden keyblade. “Nah, we left them with a list of available quests they can do before the Challenge. They’ll be fine.”

“It is our job as RAs to break this up if they become too rowdy,” Edelgard pointed out.

Claude gave her a look. “Who even says rowdy anymore?”

As the three of them fell into their own lighthearted argument, Claude could not help but note how glad he was to have found such good friends. 

[yoon-kooks]

Blossom🌸

Pairing: Stripper!Jimin x Reader

Genre: Stripper!AU, College!AU, Fluff

Summary: You infiltrate your local strip club to gather research and inspiration for your next painting and end up bringing home a stripper who also happens to be your cute neighbor.

Warnings: stripping, mentions of sex 

Word Count: 3.3k 

⤐ Story 1 in the Blossom!Universe; Read Blossom-pt.2 on my masterlist!

A/N: i know what yall are thinking!!! this is a stripper!au without smut??? but theres a good chance ill be writing more drabbles in this universe so look out for those!🌸

“Cute.” Your studio arts professor hands you back your print sample of a swimming platypus.

“…Is it not good?” You examine the print again to see where you went wrong. If anything, you thought this painting had turned out a lot better than the one of a goblin shark.

“Y/N, it’s amazing. It really is,” she tries to reassure you with a chuckle, but you know there’s something wrong with it. “It’s just… you’ve practically drawn the entire animal kingdom this semester.”

“…and?”

“Don’t you think you should try painting something else…? Like, I don’t know… a human?”

“But I’m more comfortable with animals.”

“That’s what I mean! You should try stepping out of your comfort zone? Plus, your portfolio will look better with more of a variety!”

“And how do you suppose I all of a sudden get inspiration for painting a human subject? I need something before the exhibition tomorrow.”

“I don’t know, try going to a strip club or something?” Your professor thinks she’s funny. “Just be creative!”

-

You lay on the floor of your dorm, desperately searching for inspiration. With animals and nature, it’s so easy for you to just sit down and paint whatever comes to mind. But with humans? You don’t even know where to start, and it certainly doesn’t help your concentration when a puppy is barking on the other side of the wall like it’s begging for you to draw it.

And in addition to the barking, you’re also being harassed by the constant replaying of your professor’s advice. Sure, you’d like to paint something that your professor and peers will approve of, but that becomes awfully difficult when what they want is not what you want. You just wish you could paint another animal and be done. But now even that’s impossible when all you can think about is trying to make everyone else satisfied.

“Shit.” You drag yourself off the floor, thrown on a fuzzy sweater, and walk out of your dorm with a sketchbook and pencil.

To your surprise, sneaking into a strip club undetected is a lot easier than one would think. And once you’re in, you squeeze your way through the crowd, inspecting the flashy lights, the booming stereos, and the big stage until you spot a table for one in a secluded corner. Perfect. No one will bother you there.

When the main show starts, the first thing you do is flip open your sketchbook with your pencil ready to draw. The second thing you do, however, is yawn. You aren’t sure what people enjoy about strangers prancing around naked on stage, but it could just be an acquired taste. Although the strippers are attractive and they have beautiful bodies, you’re just not interested nor inspired. Maybe it’s your artist block acting up, but it seems you’ve wasted your time.

Before you can get up to leave the club, you’re alarmed by a sudden eruption of screams. Giving it one last chance, you glance up and see the spotlight on an incredibly handsome boy in all white, running his fingers through his dark hair. Still fully clothed, he dances, moves, spins on stage, and somehow it’s so different from the previous acts. So much that you forget where you are until he flips his jacket off his shoulders and tosses it aside as he continues to dance.

The way he graces the stage is elegant and almost angelic. You flip your sketchbook back open and wait for the demon to show itself. He makes his way down the catwalk to engage more with the crowd, and money’s already being thrown before his body’s even exposed. Once he loses his tank, however, the cheering gets twice as loud and the stage is showered with crumpled bills. But you don’t have time to worry about that.

For the first time that night, your pencil starts gliding across the page in your sketchbook. You roughly sketch out his body, his motions, his movements, his smirks. You’re too busy drawing to notice when he catches a glimpse of you as he kicks his pants off to reveal a very healthy ass, or when he teases several customers with his rolls and thrusts.

With several pages filled with new sketches, you hear the collective aww from the crowd, assuming that means the handsome boy is done for the night. The only one in the crowd who isn’t sad is you, because you finally collected all the research material you need to be inspired. And before you leave, you decide to flesh out the details of what you witnessed, in case the vivid images and inspiration escape you before returning home.

“Would you like a drink or a dance, Baby?” A stripper with pastel mint hair eyes you up and down, leaning against the table with his head cocked to the side. You’re shocked he even bothered approaching you when you didn’t tip at all. Unless that’s what he’s after.

“Uhh, no thanks, I was actually just on my way out,” you throw your sketchbook and pencil into your bag and get up to leave.

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that, Sweetheart. Did you not enjoy your stay? Maybe I could change that.” The stripper continues to pester you, and you wonder if the smallest tip will help you escape.

“This one’s with me, Sugar.” An unknown voice appears behind you as the stripper named Sugar shrugs and walks over to another customer waving their money around.

With a sigh of relief, you turn around, only to have your heart racing again in an instant. It’s the handsome boy you had sketched. Only instead of wearing an all-white costume, he’s now engulfed in an oversized black hoodie. You assume he’s off duty, so you aren’t sure why he’s approaching you like the other stripper had.

“Are you the freeloader everyone’s talking about?” he asks you.

“I suppose I am…” You look around and realize you’re probably the only broke college kid at the club, hence the only one who can’t afford to throw money around for lap dances.

“Can you at least show me your sketches?”

“What.”

“I saw you drawing something in your sketchbook during my performance earlier,” he does a cute little drawing gesture with his hand. “If you aren’t going to tip anything, the least you can do is show me what you drew.”

You suppose he’s right. Besides, you really do appreciate it when people take interest in your art, so you hand him your sacred sketchbook and watch as his expression changes from curious to awe.

“Are you an art student?” he asks while flipping through the quick sketches of his body.

“Yeah, I was just gathering research for a painting I need to do for tomorrow’s exhibition.”

“Oh? And I’m your muse?” He hands you back your sketchbook and catches a glimpse of your name written in the corner of the cover. “Y/N?”

You nod, getting your pencil ready to jot something down.” And may I ask what my muse’s name is?”

“It’s Jimin, part-time stripper, full-time dance student.”

“Wait, you’re a student, too?” You know you shouldn’t be surprised because the boy does look around your age, but still. You didn’t realize strippers had time for school obligations on top of work. “Which school?”

“Seoul Institute of the Arts.” No. That can’t be. There’s no way this handsome stripper goes to the same school as you. “Why do you look so shocked…?”

“I go there, too…” You shrink your body as if that’ll help you hide. You’re suddenly feeling super shy. “But you don’t happen to live in the dorms, do you…?”

“I do… Do you…?”

You nod.

-

“So what you’re trying to say is, we’re neighbors?” Jimin says as he stands outside his dorm, room 324, and you stand outside of yours, 325.

“I guess-” You’re cut off by a cute bark. “That’s your puppy making all the noise then?”

“Uh, yeah… I got her a week ago after saving up enough from work,” he opens the door and a tiny white fluff ball stretches its body in the door way before trotting over to greet you. You squat down to say hi to the little puppy who gives you her paw. “But anyway, the whole stripper thing needs to stay between you and me, yeah?”

Of course you have no intentions of letting people know you infiltrated a strip club anyway, so that means you also can’t be telling them your neighbor is a secret stripper. But Jimin doesn’t know that, and you’re going to use that to your advantage. “Okay, yeah, I won’t tell anyone… as long as you agree to be my model for the rest of the night.” You open your door and gesture for him to come in.

Jimin scoops up the feisty puppy and tucks it comfortably under his arm. “I thought I already was your model?”

“All you have to do is pose for me for a few hours,” you say, leading the stripper into your dorm-turned studio.

“Naked?”

“Shirtless is fine.” Anything more than that would be far too much for your eyes. You pretend not to peek as he promptly removes his hoodie and t-shirt to reveal a picture-perfect torso and something you didn’t catch as the club. You tilt your head to get a better look at the word inked to his ribs. Blossom. “Is that the name a stripper girl you’re in love with?”

“For your information, Blossom is the name of that little one over there,” he points over to where his puppy is trying to dig a hole into your pillow before brushing his fingers over his tattoo. “But, it’s also just a reminder to myself.”

You nod, “Ooh, fascinating…” Once all of your art supplies are set up on your cluttered desk, you glance up at the clock on the wall. Midnight already. “I’ll keep that in mind for my painting.”

The boy has a lot of good poses, some suggestive, others charming. One second he’ll be licking his lips with his hands at his belt, and the next he’s laying on your bed while running his fingers through his hair. Oh, and he also has this really cute smile when he’s watching you be so immersed in your art.

Once you decide on a pose to paint (the one on his back with the fingers running through his hair!), you hop off your chair and walk over to the half-naked boy on your bed. He blinks up at you with either innocent eyes or inviting eyes—you aren’t really good at telling the difference. You don’t know what he was expecting, but his face looks awfully surprised when you extend your phone for him to take.

“Can you take a pic of yourself in That™ position?” You do the fingers-running-through-hair thing.

“You don’t want to take the picture yourself?”

You shake your head.

“You don’t want to get on top of me and see with your own eyes?”

You shake your head again. He chuckles as he sits up, doing the fingers-running-through-hair thing a couple of times. Must be a habit. You didn’t notice the fifty other times he did the hair thing, but this time you’re made aware of his cherry blossom cologne, its alluring scent trying to pull you closer. But you know to keep a distance.

“You’re no fun to flirt with, you know that?” It almost looks like he pouts before finally taking your phone and tossing himself back against your mattress.

“I’m a lot flirtier when I don’t have a project due in less than ten hours.”

“Really?”

“No.” Your answer makes him frown, but he takes the selfies you asked for anyway.

You watch your bed sheets wrinkle with every sensual movement of the boy’s body as he finds the best angle for your research photos. Not only does he adjust the positioning of his head and arm, but also his squirmy lower half with his waist where his underwear is peeking out and his legs unable to keep still. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think he was frustrated, needy, and a tad bit horny.

As you wait for him to finish, you start mapping out your painting with a rough outline. You lightly sketch Jimin down to his waist and surround him with-

“Done~” the boy yawns, handing you back your phone. Eager, you swipe through the 37 photos taken by Park Jimin, all of which have an overwhelming amount of sex appeal. You don’t know how you’re going to narrow it down, though you suppose the one he set as your lockscreen is the best in his humble opinion. And it has a perfect view of his tattoo.

You feel Jimin’s eyes on you as you painting. The sensation of being observed is oddly comforting rather than pressuring, and maybe it’s because you know it’s not with judging eyes. From your bed, he follows your paintbrush’s every stroke against the canvas as you fill it in with a splash of color, bringing your subject into bloom.

“What made you choose me specifically to be your model?” the boy asks as you’re defining his abs.

You pause your painting for a moment to think about his question. “I don’t usually use people as subjects for my art, but my professor suggested that I step out of my comfort zone.”

“So you went to a strip club and surrounded yourself with naked people?”

“Exactly,” you nod and continue, “I took a chance, went to a strip club for the first and last time in my life, and met a boy. And out of all the humans in the world, he was the first to lend me inspiration.”

“I can’t believe you found inspiration in someone who sells their body for money,” Jimin chuckles but his words bother you.

“I know I’m literally painting your abs right now, but believe me when I say I took more inspiration from you than just from your body.”

“Well I’m glad,” he says, rubbing his toned belly. You’re still not convinced.

“Do you not like being a stripper?”

“I don’t hate it, and the performer in me really does enjoy being on stage. Plus, it pays for my puppy,” Jimin sighs because he knows you’re not going to let it go until you get a proper answer. “But there’s always this feeling of being trapped in a bud of expectation and insecurity. As long as I’m a stripper, my body will always outshine my dancing. And yet, I can’t bring myself to quit, in fear of not being a good enough dancer for anything else.”

You can only nod because you don’t know how to offer support. The boy sounds a lot less confident now than how you remember him dancing on stage. But you get it. Taking that first step out of your comfort zone is as scary as that painting you did of the goblin shark. But that’s the only way you’ll ever blossom.

After several hours of endless painting and the occasional puppy whining in her sleep, you rise like a zombie from your desk to show your muse the final product of your blood, sweat, and tears. But of course he’s already fast asleep on your bed with his puppy at ass o’clock.

Not wanting to disturb the two cuties, you carefully pull the covers over them, make a nice bed for yourself on the carpet with three spare blankets, and turn out the lights.

When you wake up, however, you smell cherry blossoms and feel something warm pressed up against your back. Thankfully, what you find when you roll over on the bed is not a sleeping Jimin, but instead a puppy licking her butt. As soon as she realizes her privacy’s been violated, she wags her tail and does some morning stretches.

You flip the covers and bed sheets over in search of a half-naked boy, but he’s not there. Instead, you see him all bundled up in his black hoodie and the three blankets you’d been using on the floor. Somehow the two of you mysteriously swapped places. You can only assume he woke up in the middle of the night and tucked you into bed. Because coincidences like that don’t just happen.

Relieved from everything, you take time to play with the puppy on your bed for a bit before you have to get ready and leave for the exhibition. The little one explores the dark depths beneath your bed sheet, her cold wet nose sniffing everything including your exposed legs, until her fluffy head finally pops back out with a tiny bark.

You’re startled by half-asleep mumbles and rustling blankets. Jimin sits up as his hood falls down to reveal a wicked bedhead. He tousles his hair around and you can’t decide whether it looks messy or really fucking hot—like he just had a quickie. “Did you finish your painting?” He blinks at you.

“Oh right.” You stop yourself from any sort of fantasizing and hop off the bed to grab the colorful canvas from your desk. Once it’s in the hands of the boy at the center of the painting, you plop down next to him on the blankets and wait for his response.

Before saying a word, Jimin’s eyes examine every inch of the canvas. From the pastel palette, to the boy’s fingers-running-through-hair pose, to the pink bed of flowers beneath him and petals around him, to the bold tattoo on his ribs.

“Are you calling me a flower boy?” He’s unable to hold back a smile creeping up.

“You’re the one with the tattoo,” you say, softly poking the boy’s ribs through his hoodie. “So you tell me.”

He shakes his head, “I still have a long way to go before I, you know, blossom…” You find it adorable how he cringes and shrinks his body at his own word. “But until then, I’ve found another flower to inspire me.” He’s totally talking about you.

“You mean your puppy?” you tease him, picking up the curious white pupper and tapping her wet nose against the boy’s cheek. He plants a soft kiss on her little head before taking her into his lap where she quickly curls up in a ball.

“Yeah her,” Jimin continues to stroke his baby’s fur as her eyelids grow heavier. It isn’t long before the precious bean is fast asleep, and your heart melts a little.

“I was pleasantly surprised to wake up back in my bed with her all cozied up next to me,” you reach over to pet the puppy even though it’s right at the boy’s crotch. “You didn’t have to do that, you know… But I appreciate it, Jimin.”

“No problem, Little One,” he gives you a cute duck face. “I’d want to make sure I have your permission before we sleep together anyway.”

You suppose that’s his way of asking for sex, but you really can’t take a hint. So you ignore him. “Do you want to come to the exhibition with me?”

A little disappointed that you ignored his invitation, Jimin sulks and grabs his duffle bag as he walks towards the bathroom, “Fine, but let me change into clean clothes first.”

“You’re fine with stripping down at a crowded club, but not in front of me?” you ask, not because you want to see it again, but because it’s ironic.

After pausing mid-step, he spins around and stands right before you, his beautiful dark eyes meeting yours. And rather than running his fingers through his own hair for the fiftieth time, he runs them through yours for the first. “Maybe I’m not a stripper when I’m with you.”

“Then what are you? A vampire?” you look up at him with a teasing grin.

“You’re impossible, you know that?” The boy shakes his head and does a cute little eye roll to pretend like he’s annoyed as he walks off to the bathroom. And when he comes back in a very casual boyfriend look, the two of you head over to the exhibition on campus with the painting tucked under your arm.

[italicwatches]

Comic Girls - Episode 05

It’s kind of rude to just claim the one working bathroom for two hours for a shower without checking with anyone first, right? That’s not just me? I’m not going crazy here?

Anyways anime. Comic Girls, episode 05! Here we GO!

-We begin with a gorgeous ocean, and clear blue skies…Is it a beach episode? It’s the girls on a boat! Koyume has dragged them all here for summer fun! This may be difficult, considering the others are what you might call indoorsy.

-Opening!

-To the beach proper! Koyume is super enthusiastic about her bikini! Look, look, everyone! Oh they’re looking. They can’t stop looking. I think you broke Kaos.

-…Koyume please stop turning the entire beach gay. You’re causing a ruckus.

-Also the other three didn’t bring swimsuits because…Well…Like I said, they’re indoorsy types. Do you know what Kaos’s typical summer memory is? Closing the blinds tighter so the room stays darker and cooler, aiming a fan directly at her face, and drawing all day. Fine, they’ll go rent swimsuits!

-As ever, Kaos ends up looking small and innocent and adorable. While Tsubasa boldly goes for a tiny bikini with zero shame and shows off her muscles! Such bold muscles! Okay, so what’s Ruki going to wear? Ruki doesn’t want to. They already picked out your swimsuit, go go go. …I think she pulled a runner. Actually she just couldn’t dare come out, even though Kaos likes what she sees.

-Okay, out to the beach!

-Why are all three of you just sitting there.

-Well, in order: Tsubasa thinks those cliffs would make for a great background for an epic battle. Ruki is seeing all these swimsuited couples and getting ideas for a beach chapter. And Kaos just doesn’t want to go anywhere near that much water. I told you, they’re indoorsy types. So Koyume finally abandons them…

-And makes new beach friends out by the water! It’s her intense power. As opposed to Kaos’s ability to be a small Disney princess. She’s summoned a small crab army. Crabs, attack the interlopers stealing their Koyume away! …No? Kaos you need to learn to use your power for evil.

-But soon enough they’ve got Kaos out in the water with an inner tube, and…Kaos that’s not love you’re feeling, that’s a jellyfish stinging your foot. The sea has claimed her for its own! And finally they even get Tsubasa and Ruki to ditch the sketchbooks and come have fun in the water. Fun like playing with a beach ball���Which leads to Ruki despairing over her lack of, shall we say, bounce. And when the others try to comfort her, now she’s just surrounded by bounce. Yes. Bounce.

-Also Kaos is getting thirsty. Thirsty enough that she eats a beach ball to the face. But yes, they get up to all kinds of fun! Playing in the water, playing in the sand, playing with water guns, eating frozen treats…Until finally, the sun is low in the sky, and it’s a wonderful, gorgeous view. The clear warm sky, the glow on the water, the sound of Ruki’s sketchbook being carried away by the tide…Wait what was that last part???

-Finally it’s back to the dorm, where as soon as Tsubasa and Kaos get back…It’s a dark room and some vintage gaming action, as the others are out shopping. Tsubasa gave no fucks, and Kaos was just plain scared of going to fancy fashionable places. Speaking of, cut over to Ruki and Koyume, who are trying stuff on, and Ruki doesn’t much like wearing sailor outfits herself…But she certainly enjoys watching another girl strip out of one. God dammit Ruki, stop saying the quiet part loud. Even the employee heard it.

-But okay, fancy clothes bought, and Ruki’s super enjoying having someone to hang out with that actually has fucks to give. They should go get some fancy pasta! Cut back to Kaos and Tsubasa, who are eating instant ramen in the dark bedroom. The contrast is…shall we say…profound. Then it’s back to Ruki and Koyume, who have their fancy pasta…As a couple enjoys a fancy drink together with two straws. …I think that’s the first time we’ve actually seen a guy the entire show so far, outside of manga sketches.

-And it has Koyume realizing her difficulties of getting anywhere in her shoujo manga dreams without enough experience…Ruki tries to perk her up by talking about her own success, but, well, that also means admitting she has never laid with anyone. Or even gone out with anyone. DESPAIR. And at the same time, she’s so thinly stretched that trying to have a relationship between school, manga work, and basic human existence…There’s no more room left.

-But you, Koyume, you might just be able to pull it off! Is there anyone you like?

-BIG SPLASH IMAGE OF TSUBASA IN CASE YOU DIDN’T GET IT YET

-S-She, um, that’s, she doesn’t know any…You know Tsubasa pretty well by now, Ruki thought. And then all of Koyume’s passions just start spilling out. Just go on a damn date with her you dork. …So Koyume’s panicking now.

-Episode 05: Amisawa-san, Do You Cosplay?

-And we’re back! They’re waiting for the train, and Koyume’s trying to be all “but I can’t love girls, I’m a girl!” Koyume, again, let me introduce you to the hot new trend of yuri. It’s like all the shoujo manga you admire, and the erotic manga Ruki writes, but instead of the guy, it’s another girl. Also, Tsubasa’s been getting asked out by girls ever since middle school. She’s about as dense about it as a neutron star, but…

-Also Koyume’s idea of a date with Tsubasa is being lost in a terrifying cave when the noble hero in her cosplay cape shows up to save her. I mean everyone’s into something…

-Back at the dorm, Tsubasa and Kaos are still playing fighting games. Tsubasa is letting out her chuuni side…When Tsubasa is attacked by Nyaos long enough to lose the round! And that turns into an argument which turns into wrassling which turns into OH GOD THE DOOR’S BEEN OPENED IT’S TOO BRIGHT yeah so the others are back.

-And now Ruki has to shove Koyume in there. Go on, do it. But Koyume panics. Again. …Cue the landlady, with two tickets to the amusement park that expire, tomorrow! Whatever will she do? Oh, if onl—KOYUME WILL TAKE THEM wait what does she do now? …You really have no self control, do you, Koyume.

-To the park! After Ruki’s slick way of backing out of the offer, and Kaos’s…Well…She tried. Give her a pat on the head for effort, the little moeblob. Anyways the point is Koyume and Tsubasa are here on a d-d-d-d-d-dato, and Koyume doesn’t know what to dooooo. Oh god this poor girl. …Also NATURALLY Ruki and Kaos are secretly here to observe and possibly coach if need be. They will get these two together if it kills them! (Also good lord how much did the landlady spend on getting everyone into this damn amusement park just for some young love to bloom?)

-Soon, Tsubasa is treating Koyume to ice cream. And a cute ear headband. And a stuffed animal. And snacks. Name whatever you want, and she’ll make it happen! Um, er, how about just a nice picture of that mascot character? TSUBASA WILL TAKE HIM DOWN WITH ALL OF HER MANLY MIGHT

-Tsubasa

-Tsubasa that’s not how it works

-That’s not how anything works

-Tsubasa no

-Tsubasa yes. That poor mascot worker clearly got punched at least once.

-But what now? Now, Koyume’s able to relax a little and take the lead as she loves this place…But where will they go? The haunted house? A thrill ride? Or…That’s a terrifying rollercoaster. Tsubasa quietly clings to Koyume’s sleeve. I know the fear of loop-de-loops, Tsu—

-SUDDENLY LANDLADY

-SHE WAS HERE THE WHOLE TIME

-HERE TO OBSERVE THE DATE

-Anyways Tsubasa has a panic, Ruki finds she loves rollercoasters when they go on after the pair to observe, and Kaos just breaks. I’m afraid we need to replace her with a new one. Oh hey, there’s a cosplay area! Complete with someone dressed up like Tsubasa’s protagonist! Really well, too. They should totally get a picture! And the dark hero…Panics and flees?

-…Wait. Hold on a tic. I need to roll back. Timestamp 17:22, aaaand comedic reversal of the video footage go go go Okay, back to timestamp 12:45. The flashback to when Tsubasa was asked out back then! Hrm, short bob hair, more black than brown…Okay, got what I needed. Forward MARCH!

-Back to the present where the dark hero takes off her wig and it’s…Bright brown hair tied back. Okay, so it’s not the girl from the confession, which was my first thought. That whole bit I just did was pointless. Pointlessssssss.

-Especially when the landlady comes up and recognizes Miharu and Mayu…And oh. Oh. It’s two of the girls’ editors, isn’t it. Yep Mayu there, in the fancy dress, is also known as Amisawa-san, Kaos’s editor. And she just fuckin’ OWNS IT when she has nowhere else to go. I suppose that’s all you can do.

-Back to Tsubasa and Koyume. When Mayu has been shanghai’d into the observation effort…As Tsubasa and Koyume end up having a real talk, and Tsubasa totally expected Koyume would have a boyfriend. Look how cute you are, anyone would totally want you! She could find someone for you right now! But Koyume…There’s only one person Koyume wants…Come on, Tsubasa. Get it. Get what’s going on. Understand what this dear bishoujo in front of you wants you stupid idiot!

-Nope, it’s their turn on the ferris wheel and they both just fall back into easy patterns. YOU STUPID IDIOTS. Of course, now they’re up in the middle of the air on their own in a tiny carriage, the entire world shrinking to just them…Koyume, you love her just accept it already you stupid dork. But, when the conversation turns to manga, all of the doubts that Koyume pushes down with her sparkly genki attitude just come spilling out. The fear that she’ll never make it, that all of her effort is for naught, that she’s doomed to failure…

-And then Tsubasa reaches out, takes her hand, and just keep moving forward. You already have so much fun drawing, and that’s all that really matters. Just keep moving forward. She’ll be waiting for you on the other side, however long it takes…

-So by the time they come back down they’re talking about how unlike herself Koyume was and the others hear it and DID YOU FINALLY CONFESS?! Wait have you four been there the entire ti—LANDLADY DEMANDS YOUTHFUL LESBIAN ROMANCE Also by the time they all leave, Kaos is feeling all unsure again and finally Mayu has to haul her up and learn from your friends how to be confident in yourself you stupid moeblob. abababababa

-Credits!

-Aftercredits? Wait…That’s a terrifying ghost at the haunted house. Like a Ringu girl. And she’s…Crying?

Dammit Koyume, you were so close. Well, maybe next time. Unless we end up learning more about the lives of the adults around these four stupid idiots. That’s possible too. Or…What the hell was with that after-credits scene…? …We’ll figure it out next time, in episode SIX of Comic Girls! Wait for it!

[parttimestorier]

Some Thoughts on Ace Attorney: Dual Destinies

I recently finished reading the fifth Ace Attorney game, and really enjoyed it overall. However, while I’d definitely call myself a fan of the series, it’s always had its flaws alongside its strengths, and Dual Destinies especially requires wading through some irritating mechanics to get to its great finale. The following post highlights the pros and cons of Phoenix Wright’s fifth adventure in my opinion, with minimal spoilers until after the second screenshot.

One consistent issue I have with the series is its increasingly annoying witnesses. For every witness who’s actually an interesting and developed character—or who’s just a weirdo but at least a funny one—there seem to be five who drive me absolutely insane. One thing that really bothers me personally is when the witnesses’ quirks involve long animations that play in between their lines, like Vera and her sketchbook in the last one, or Aura and her repeated assault of her robot companion. I’d rather cross-examine Oldbag again than watch a character I’m already annoyed with impede my ability to find out what happens next by repeating an action I’ve already seen before getting on with their dialogue. And I could just be noticing it more the more I play, but I feel like that’s become more frequent as the series goes on. Maybe increasing budgets and/or technological advancements have been making more sprite movement possible, but just because you can do it doesn’t mean you should.

This line made me laugh because I actually do have a “most annoying witnesses ever” list, which I’ve been meaning to update to include several Dual Destinies characters.

I also have mixed feelings about how Dual Destinies seems to be easier and more linear than some of its predecessors. I sometimes felt like it was underestimating the intelligence of its audience when it would show a flashback to something that had just happened as if it thought I had forgot, or when the characters monologued internally about their ideas rather than letting me solve the mysteries myself. But some of its changes may have been for the better, such as the removal of superfluous evidence in between courtroom days, and the way investigation scenes now highlight objects you can interact with more clearly. While most Ace Attorney cases aren’t too hard to solve, I always had at least one moment in the older games when I got stuck, and ended up wandering between rooms aimlessly or futilely trying to present every piece of evidence I had. The streamlining of Dual Destinies prevents those moments of frustration, although it may also come at the cost of removing some of the challenge.

Thanks for making it easier to try to advance the plot through process of elimination when all else fails, Trucy.

That being said, while I’m not sure any case can beat the third game’s “Bridge to the Turnabout” in terms of tying everything together into a fun and surprising finale, “Turnabout for Tomorrow” comes pretty close.

When I first started Dual Destinies, I was pretty skeptical about the new characters and mechanics that were introduced. Why did they have to bring in Athena and her widget thing when there was already a ton going on both narrative- and game-mechanic-wise with Phoenix and Apollo? Why did they also introduce a new detective instead of sticking with the adorable Ema Skye, and what was up with the ridiculous notion of a convicted murderer working as a prosecutor? Of course, all of these questions were answered in “Turnabout for Tomorrow”, with the important roles Athena, Blackquill, and Fulbright had to play, and with the connection between Athena’s psychological cross-examination methods and an overall theme of the importance of expressing and understanding emotions. And the twist that the seemingly jovial and enthusiastic Fulbright was really the sociopathic phantom was quite a shocking one for me—I suspected Yuri Cosmos and even Candice Arme before gasping at the real revelation. Even after all of that, I initially thought the phantom’s layers of masks were just silly, but they set up that wonderfully disturbing sequence in which he switches between multiple masks while breaking down over his lack of a real identity just before his death. I should have learned by that point to trust that just like in the original trilogy, the Apollo Justice games are always headed somewhere interesting, even in their sillier moments.

It was also fantastic to see a reunion between Wright and Edgeworth, with the latter possibly acting more like a realistic prosecutor than any character in the series has before. I’ve talked a bit in the past about how it bothers me that so many prosecutors in these games seem to be motivated to do the job by either cartoonish villainy or their own personal vendettas, rather than a desire to work in tandem with the defense to ensure fair trials and uncover the real truth. Edgeworth did exactly what I wanted him to in this case, by being as objective as possible rather than trying extra hard to either help Phoenix or convict Athena. And the cutscene in which they began the trial in the ruins of the bombed courtroom has to have been one of my favourite moments out of the whole series. The defense was born ready!

This case did a lot to help fuel my Wright/Edgeworth shipping too.

All in all, while I found some aspects of Dual Destinies frustrating, I’m glad I kept playing through them in order to experience its great story. I’m really looking forward to starting Spirit of Justice soon.

[cosmosogler]

hello, today i slept in for 45 minutes because no matter how long i sleep i don’t seem to feel rested at all in the morning. so i got up at 9:45.

i should start practicing lucid dreaming again. might help me remember things a little better. or help me steer clear of exhausting nightmares. i guess the type of dream doesn’t matter. i could be sitting and exchanging terrible puns with a dream person all night and i’d wake up tired.

anyway i got out of bed and immediately returned to the thing i had been reading last night. i got up for lunch at around 12:30 and finished my hummus and made some soup. i only had a tiny bit of the soup though. 

also the group therapist called. insurance hasn’t even looked at the appeal yet. so we’ll have to see what happens tomorrow. i asked her to call me after 9. 

i made some backup plans in case the insurance really doesn’t come through. i should have worksheets to keep me busy between individual therapy sessions for the next two weeks either way. i feel bad, because the insurance guy said that they will “probably” cover more therapy sessions. but if i miss three in a row i’ll be discharged anyway, and also, “probably” doesn’t mean “definitely.” if i go to a session and then insurance decides NOT to cover it, my family will be down a thousand dollars, and right now with the busted car and the geriatric dogs and the various house repairs that will come with summer it just isn’t a good time to be spending money. 

lisa did say that this is for my health, and i do need treatment, and i... agree. but a thousand dollars is more than i have in my bank account (full of mom’s money). i dunno. i’ll have to make a decision tomorrow. i guess i’ll sleep on it.

i mean, i’ve already made my decision depending on what feedback i get, but, we’ll see.

then i went straight back to reading and regretted it immensely for the whole evening. i finished around 4. after that i took a look at my closet and pulled everything out all over the floor. and i cleaned my dresser and threw out a bunch of old stuff i wasn’t using any more and had an approximately 0.1% chance of needing in the future. and if i DO for some reason need a 2008 model ipod, there’s always ebay.

i talked to asher for a little bit about the stuff i was finding. it was kind of emotionally difficult. not just the bad grades. while looking through my notebooks i found, like, sketches of craig, and other people’s characters from a long time ago when i still talked to them. 

but i also found some genuinely funny doodles that i laughed at. good to know my sense of humor has remained flawless. i also found a bunch of old character designs, drafts, temporary names, aus i designed based around different fandoms... some of my characters haven’t changed significantly in appearance in basically 7 or 8 years. the only reason they look different is because my style changed over time, but their features and details are the same.

i’m... comfortable with that knowledge. i mean, there’s always room for improvement and change, and things i could streamline or flesh out, but having a solid idea of a character for so long is just, kind of nice? i don’t know if that can be classified as stagnation or not. it’s hard to look at something you made and be all “yeah, this is good enough to send out into the world.” 

i guess... with characters it might be different. like i still haven’t FINISHED the story they are supposed to be in. and over the years i’ve written for them a lot. so the permanent state of being for the characters was the fact that they were a work in progress. and i got comfortable with the idea that i could make mistakes or hash out really dumb ideas with these guys and it would be fine. so improving until i got to a place i was happy with wasn’t as hard as publishing a picture online for the public to see, and then publishing pictures frequently for years. i still see major problems with my visual art. heck, i still see major problems with my prose.

i also found some yearbooks and a scrapbook i made where i cataloged that time i was on the today show with david hasselhoff in new york city. also my tooth braces game was pretty strong.

looking at myself in the pictures got me pretty distressed though. and i went looking through a box trying to see if there was room for all these letters and i found... stuff that made me really unhappy actually. like the diary my old friend angel composed and then left on my doorstep when i asked him not to come to my house. where he detailed all his feelings and stuff. about. like, i don’t know how to describe it. one page was a love confession that i didn’t address. mostly because i was dating nic at the time, but also, because i just didn’t know what to do at all.

i don’t know why i kept the book. i guess it seemed rude to throw away the only copy of something that someone else wrote.

i also found my old diary, which i kept during a family vacation about fifteen years ago. i remember the trip pretty vividly and it was odd to see how my account of it didn’t quite line up with my memories. 

i did mention the panic attack i remember most about the trip though. i glossed over it really fast in the entry and was pretty vague about it. just said i didn’t feel good so i stopped playing my game. the diary picks up three years later when i mention that i was sad because my gramma’s best friend died. then my prose gets shot to hell the year after that because i had started posting on the internet and my ability to write like a normal person suffered drastically. the last entry is me talking about being really bummed that i had asked mom for a hug, and instead she yelled at me because i had forgotten something.

i know... i’ve always been depressed. but seeing a little kid give such a clinical description of their day through the depression lens was kind of rough. writing something down and immediately following it with “but i don’t like to think about it.” 

however i got everything organized and put away. i hope... i can start doing all the projects i have on shelves around my room. while i was putting some things in the goodwill pile i was kind of wishing i could go back and add to my experiences these little projects that i’d hidden away and forgotten about. the puzzles, the wood construction kits. that giant rollercoaster that i built in my room and left for like a year before dismantling it and never touching the box again.

but, all i got is now. so i gotta toss the things i didn’t do, and probably won’t ever do, and see if i can devote some energy to working on the stuff i kept. i don’t know if i will and that bothers me.

it is kind of nice to condense all my belongings though. i’ve got a whole empty shelf to work with now. well, a shelf and a half. i need to figure out how i want to arrange the shelves that are not in the closet. 

at least i got stuff to do if the group therapy falls through. so... either way i will win? 

less for mom to find when she next decides to snoop around in my room.

i basically only did those two things today. my sister went and got manuel’s for dinner at around 8:30. i wasn’t really hungry... i ate less than half my food. i anticipated my nausea though and got something that’s easy to reheat. and also a quart of salsa? manuel’s makes the best salsa i’ve ever had so i required a large supply. for myself and no one else. my mom said i need to ask my aunt for her salsa recipe so i can make some for myself in florida.

i was considering going through my clothes and culling some articles i no longer wear as well, but then i remembered that everything fits a lot looser than it used to so nothing’s really... uncomfortable to wear. maybe i will take a look through my shirt collection so that i have fewer things i will be tempted to drag along to florida.

i found a ton of art supplies and some old sketchbooks that i hadn’t started using yet. perhaps i could pick up a project there too. i have a lot of options. almost too many options to be able to make a quick decision. i may have to begin utilizing the to-do jar again. the anxiety jar was kind of a bad time. i haven’t touched it. 

ok, now is a good time to go to bed. i feel like there’s something else i wanted to talk about as usual but i didn’t actually do a lot of different activities today. just really long ones. 

i had kind of a heavy conversation with asher but i don’t really feel like rehashing it for the blog. it was mostly a running commentary on things i was finding in the closet anyway. i don’t need to immortalize it. 

the point is that i am still really uncomfortable with thinking about my childhood. or seeing myself as a child in pictures. i do not like the way my face looked. i do not like my writing voice. it’s pretty tryhard. i do not like the way i interacted with other people.

ha ha, as if i’m not a total tryhard now anyway. 

[miraculoustrashblogger]

Season of Miracles Chapter 11

What’s this?  I posted two chapters in two days?  It truly must be a season (cough weekend cough) of Miracles!  Wow!

Chapter 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 X  12  13

AO3

Christmas Day, 11pm.

Adrien finally retired to his bedroom for the night.  As soon as his door swung shut behind him, Plagg flew to his favourite spot-- his garbage bin under the desk.  Adrien opened his minifridge and grabbed some cheese for his companion, leaving him to his snack.  The boy himself flopped down on his bed, staring at the ceiling.  He smiled.

Today had probably been the best day of his life.  He had spent all day with his father in a way he hadn't in years.  He spent time with his friend and her family, and just thinking about it all made him feel the need to hug something.  So he rolled over and grabbed a pillow and hugged it to his chest, beaming with happiness.

There was a knock at his door.

He sat up, dropping the pillow.  Checking that Plagg was still in his hiding spot, he called out.  “Come in!”

The door opened, and his father walked in.

“I realize we should both be heading to bed, but I almost forgot something.”  Gabriel said.

“Oh?  What did you forget?”

“Your gift, of course.”

“O-oh!”  He said, surprised.  Gabriel pulled a package out from behind his back and handed it to his son.  Adrien carefully peeled back the paper to reveal a very thick, heavy picture frame, despite it being only five or six inches wide.  There was a button at the bottom.  Adrien pressed it.  The screen lit up, with a video.

The video showed a snowball fight between his parents and Adrien when he was a child. His mom throwing snowballs at him and his father, his father dumping a handful of snow down the back of his moms coat.  Adrien himself even nailed his father in the face with a snowball.  How did he not remember doing that?  He watched it play through, ending in him being scooped up into a hug, all three covered in snow, and them turning to Nathalie, holding the camera, all smiles and happiness.

“There's sound, too.”  Gabriel said.  He gently took the frame and turned it over, revealing the advanced controls and the memory chip slot.  He turned the volume up, and Adrien watched the short video play through again, this time including the laughter, squeals, and faint poofs of the snow hitting its mark.  Nathalie's voice spoke quietly over the sounds.  “Never doubt that you are loved.  So much.”

Adrien stared in awe, speechless.  He didn't move for a few moments.  A tear rolled down his cheek.

“I-I thought she just took pictures that day?”  Adrien asked, not looking up.

“She did pull some stills, but it always was a video that she took.” Gabriel replied.  “I noticed you had put that photo out, downstairs.  I decided you needed to have a copy of the whole thing.”

Adrien looked back at the frame, and started crying uncontrollably.  He set the frame down and jumped up to hug his father.  “I miss her Papa. Every day.”

After a moment, his father hugged him back.  Gabriel wouldn't admit it, but he shed a few tears himself with his son that night, over the memory, over the loss of his wife, over the sorrow of his son, over his own shame of letting a distance grow between the two of them.

“I miss her too, Adrien.”

The two held each other, finally allowing themselves to share that pain, and maybe, just maybe... beginning to heal.

After a few minutes, Gabriel gently pulled away.

“I should let you get some sleep.  You still have a photo shoot tomorrow.  Since my schedule is clear, I think I will join you there. Perhaps afterwards we can find something to do together.”

Adrien wiped his tears away and nodded.  “I... I think that sounds good. I'd like that.  A lot.”

Gabriel turned to leave, but was stopped by a hand on his arm.

“Wait, I forgot something too!”  Adrien said.

He ran to his closet and dug around, pulling out a bag.

“It's uh... not wrapped.”  He admitted.  “I was going to, but I thought I had a few more days before I saw you next.  So... here.”  He handed his father the bag.

Gabriel reached in, and pulled out a CD case.  There was a hand drawn cover, and the back had a matching image, and the list of songs on the back. It didn't list a band name, or an album title.  The songs were by a mix of artists.

“I was really stumped on what to get you.”  Adrien admitted. “I asked my friends for ideas, and it was Nino's suggestion of a mixed CD.  He showed me how to do it, and even taught me how to remix a few of them.  Marinette helped me with the design on the cover.  She's done it before, for Jagged Stone himself, so I knew I could count on her to help me out.  Alya gave me ideas of what kinds of songs to use.  She's really smart, and was able to help me find the ones I was thinking of when I couldn't remember what they were called.”

Gabriel looked at the song list again.  The first song was the song his wife and he had danced to at their wedding.  Another was her favourite piano piece.  Her favourite song to sing around the house.  The song a famous musician had dedicated to her during her modeling days. Their favourite song from the first concert they attended together. Each one meant something to them.

“A few of them are mash-ups, like, you know, two songs blended together? Nino does that all the time, and he really knows his music theory. A few of them are piano only, and he helped me record them.”

“You put some of your own playing on here?”  Gabriel asked.

“Y-Yeah. I just didn't like some of the versions I found, the quality was bad.  So I made my own versions of them.”

Gabriel hugged his son again.  He didn't have words to describe how much he loved it, and besides that, he was very out of practice expressing himself.

“Thank you Adrien.  It's perfect.”

Adrien and his father smiled at each other, finally on the same page after years of being out of sync.

Gabriel said goodnight, and went to his own bedroom, putting the CD on while he prepared for bed.  Adrien changed into pyjamas, and turned off the light, climbing into his bed.  Plagg came out of hiding, landing on the pillow next to his chosen.

“Wow. I didn't think he was capable of any of that stuff.  He always seemed so cold.”  Plagg said.

“He comes off that way, but he's just introverted.  He does have a heart under it all.”  Adrien replied.  “He just hasn't shown it in years.  Mom always pulled out the best in him.  When she left, he kind of shut down, and shut me out.  I'm glad he's figuring out how to let me back in now, though.  It's been the best day I've ever had. I'm sorry you had to spend all of it stuck away in my bag.”

Plagg reached over and placed his forehead against Adrien's.

“Eh. I've had worse days.  I'm glad you're happy.”

“Thanks Plagg.  I wonder if Marinette has had a chance to look at my present to her yet.”  He yawned.  “I guess I'll find out soon enough.  I wonder if she'll call me, or wait until patrol...”  He mumbled, dozing off.  “Of course, she may not be Ladybug at all, in which case I'm going to get in a lot of trouble...”

As Adrien fell asleep, Plagg recalled his day.  Despite Adrien thinking he spent the day in the bag, he had actually snuck out and hung out with Tikki.  They had had a nice, peaceful day together, the first one in a long time.  He hoped she was faring well now...

“Goodnight Mama, goodnight Papa!”  Marinette called as she went upstairs.

Tikki flew out of her hiding spot, her little nook by the window.  Blocked from view by some fake potted plants, the pots actually had holes cut in them, filled with little pillows and a stash of cookies.  One of Marinette's more ingenious creations.  Sunlight, hidey-holes, snacks, and in the winter, a space heater only a few feet away.  She and Plagg had spent the better part of the day there, napping.

“Hi Tikki.”  Marinette smiled.  “I hope you weren't too bored hiding up here alone all day.”

“I wasn't!”  She chirped.  “I napped for a bit, and watched videos on your computer.  I hope that's okay.”

Marinette chuckled.  “More gardening videos?  Alya is always teasing me about my youtube history, why it keeps recommending plant-themed stuff.”

“Sorry, they're just so fascinating!”

“It's okay.  I don't mind.”  She kissed Tikki on the forehead.

She woke her computer up, and upon seeing the image of her and her friends that she had switched the background to, she was reminded of her gifts.

She walked over to where she had stashed them, and started putting them away.  She tucked the embroidery threads from Alya with her sewing supplies, and she tucked the art supplies from Nino in a nearby drawer.  She had the sketchbook from Adrien in hand, when she remembered she was interrupted while trying to read it.

She moved over to her chaise, and sat down, opening up the sketchbook on her lap to the first page.  She began reading, her eyes growing wider with each line.

'To my dearest Marinette,

To the girl I can't forget,

You, with your heart of gold,

You with strength and soul untold.

A fire burning beneath the oceans blue,

A volcano lifting islands new,

For you are the girl who will rise,

And now I see through your disguise.

With all nine my lives, to you I vow,

To be yours alone beginning now,

To always protect, always to serve you,

And never be anything but true.

My lady kind and brave,

From this impurrfect knave,

I willingly unto you impart,

Will you please accept my heart?'

She reread it.  And again.

Marinette wasn't sure whether to cry, scream, or jump for joy.

First off, it was clearly a love poem.  No two ways about it.  It was also from Adrien fucking Agreste, and the fact that he had written this himself, to her, by name, made his love confession all the more real  and terrifying and exciting.

But that wasn't the thing that had her on the verge of screaming.

“Tikki!”

“What is it, Marinette?”

“Is... is Adrien Chat Noir?”  She asked, her eyes searching the kwami for any hint of confirmation.

“What makes you think that?”  Tikki evaded.

“I mean, listen to what he wrote here.”  Marinette read the poem aloud.

“Wow, Marinette, he wrote you a love poem?  How romantic!”  Tikki swooned.

“That's besides the point right now Tikki!  I think he's hinting that he's Chat Noir, and that he knows I'm Ladybug!”

“Where does he say that?”

“Uhh, 'I see through your disguise'?  'My Lady'?  'Nine lives'? 'Impurrfect'?”

“What's wrong with 'imperfect'?”

“No, no, he literally wrote purr in there, like a cat pun.”  Marinette said, pointing at the line.

“Ooohhh. Well, that certainly seems to be hinting pretty strongly, doesn't it?  Do you think he's really saying that?  Do you think he's telling the truth?”  Tikki asked.  She knew the answer, but she needed Marinette to discover this and make the decisions herself.  It wasn't her place to meddle.  Adrien had discovered Marinette's secret, and was trying to tell her, even if it was kind of cryptic.

“I- I don't know, Tikki... it seems like too many coincidences at once for it to not be the case.  And Adrien-- and Chat too-- would never lie to me.”  She mulled it over.

On the one hand, Chat was a goofball.  Always punning, his lopsided smile, his playful flirty nature... but... Adrien punned a lot too. Hadn't she seen Adrien smile like that from time to time as well? Adrien flirting though... she reread the poem and realized this poem is really effing flirty.  Chat Noir was also protective, honorable, and kind.  Check, check and check for Adrien. Blond hair, green eyes, about the same height and build... after her argument with Chat about Christmas gifts, she had to admit, he probably was from a rich family.  The more she thought about it, the more it made sense.  Adrien and Chat were never in the same room at the same time.  She started thinking about every interaction she had with both boys, and it slowly started clicking in place.

“Oh my gosh Tikki!  Adrien's a dork!”  She covered her mouth with her hand.

Tikki giggled.  “You're only figuring that out now?”

Marinette giggled a little, and then again.  She started laughing harder, and it evolved into a full bellied laugh, tears streaming down her face. Tikki was briefly worried that Marinette was having a psychotic breakdown, but the girl started trying to talk through the laughter.

“P-poor Adrien!”  She choked out.  “During Simon Says!  Back and forth! Being in the shower!  It was a ruse!”  She broke out in laughter anew.

Eventually she settled down, laughter coming out in short spurts as she remembered funny events or imagined him changing back and forth for different akumas.

She sighed happily, clutching a pillow to her heart.

“Adrien is Chat Noir, Tikki.  He really, really is.  And he loves me.  Both sides.  He's my best friend, and I'm in love with him.”  She stared, eyes unfocused.  “Oh Tikki... what do I do?”  She bemoaned.

Tikki smiled fondly, and landed beside her chosen.

“You tell him, Marinette.”

Marinette pondered her words.  It really did seem to be the best course of action.  She smiled.  “Yeah.  I think I will.  During Patrol tomorrow night.”  She yawned.

“Get some sleep.  You'll need your energy.”  Tikki laid a kiss against Marinette's forehead, and curled up on the pillow beside her.  “Good night, Marinette.”

“Good night, Tikki.”

The kwami smiled as she watched her chosen fall asleep.  Tomorrow was going to be an interesting day.

Well, now I’ve done it.  I’ve gone and gotten your hopes up for another speedy update.  Way to go me.

Unfortunately, I have plans all day tomorrow (visits with family), and then I work 3 days in a row.  I DO then have two days off, which might yield some creativity, but it may not.  A work shift friday, and a day trip to do some wildlife photography saturday, and probably work on sunday... yeah, it might be a week or so.

I think I’ll squeak it out soon enough though.  A little patience my little bugs and kitties.

I hope you enjoyed it, and as always, I love hearing your thoughts!  :)

[greaterthannine-blog]

Quarter-Annual Favorites: July, August & September 2017

A Richer Take on "The Favorites"

You probably know the term "favorites" from the plethora YouTubers and beauty bloggers of past and present plastering their half-formulated opinions on a monthly basis. Those dodeca-doses of diluted opinions more often than not have about as much substance as an unfilled cream puff; decadently appealing on the outside, but wholly disappointing in their entirety. 

I believe those sorts of monthly reviews are too time and money consuming to be sustainable. A month just isn't enough time for me to purchase, use and adequately evaluate things I want to use regularly. For me to be thorough, I need more time. Plus, I don't want to scour retailers and internets just for the sake of producing "monthly favorites" content. That's a fuck-ton of cash and I don't want to gain readership based on displaying exorbitant consumerism. That just doesn't feel genuine.

Altogether, those factors considered, I'm going to do Quarter-Annual Favorites! Every quarter or three months of the year, I'll publish a collection my favorite things. A year will be divided into quote-on-quote "seasonal" quarters with the first being January, February & March, followed by April, May & June, then July, August & September, finishing with October, November & December. Since I didn't launch this site until August, I missed the first two quarters, so I'm just jumping right in with the summer one.

Style

Tom Ford Grace Cat-Eye Sunglasses in Brown & Tan: 

If there's an accessory that I love most, that would be sunglasses. I'd been on a hunt for these Tom Ford's when I stumbled upon a pair for sale on my favorite website ever: The Real Real. These sunnies retail for $480 but I copped them for $95. They have been sitting on my face or top of head ever since. 

Printed Scarf: 

While we're also on the topic of the head, I have to mention this lil' cherry & pear print hair scarf that I snatched from my mom's closet (I honestly couldn't find an equivalent for the life of me, so here's a lovely Hermès scarf). This is a perfectly sized small scarf that I either wrap a French-girl-esque manner snugly around my neck with a lil' knot or tie it around my hair to frame a ponytail.

Dr. Martens Valentine Arcadia Shoes:

While I've had these shoes for many months now, I've only been wearing them regularly as of the past couple months. They're leather and have a English school-boy feel, which gives them quality yet quirky character.

Riveted Leather Bracelets: 

I love consignment (and if my love for The Real Real doesn't show that then I don't know what would) and a while back I purchased these genuine black leather studded bracelets (a not-quite-so-similar similar) at a local consignment shop for $12. Adorned with denim rivets, these bracelets are a chic and spunky wrist accessory.

"Tomorrow Will Be Better" Strap iPhone Case: 

I'm a sucker for phone cases, and this one has been horribly useful. The strap on the back has a velcro strip on that allows you to strap the case (and your phone) to almost anything. Because I like to use my phone as an activity tracker, being able to attach my phone to my belts is ingenius.

Miscellaneous

Tod the Succulent: 

In one of my many farmer's market excursions, I purchased a succulent for $1. His name is Tod and he's great. If you want a Tod, please go to your local nursery.

Bonsai Care Set: 

Speaking of plants, I began a grand plant-care experiment by purchasing three bonsai trees. I am determined to keep these high maintenance shrubs thriving and this  has aided in my quest with tools to move soil and trim. 

J. Herbin Roller-ball Fountain Pen & J. Herbin Éclat de Saphir Ink Cartridges: 

The allure of fountain pens is real, but I could never get used to their somewhat scratchy writing. Then I found this J. Herbin roller-ball one that I use with cobalt blue ink. The roller-ball nib makes writing graceful, smooth and scratch free. It's honestly the only pen I've used all summer.

Duck Silver Duct Tape Regular and Mini: 

This is silver duct tape, and not the regular-duct-tape-silver, it's chrome. I've been using it to tape photo prints and paper into my sketchbook and journal to add a dash of reflective dimension to pages.

IMG Fashion Camp: 

I attended this camp at IMG Academy campus in Bradenton, FL and boy was it fan-freaking-tastic. I talked bunches of amazing people in the industry, my favorites of which were Bon Duke, Jimmy Moffat, Ivan Bart, and Brooke Wall as well as IMG WME peeps Rachel Fleitell, Jibran Siddiqui and Peter Knell. I also made some great buddies, Alexandra, Shawn and Ian, at the tennis courts. I'm going to make an entire post or two about this camp and my experience, so keep a look out for it.

Now for the Actual Favorites

I now present to you the first Quarter-Annual Favorites for July, August & September 2017. There are five categories for this first post. If I ever have the time or desire to expand for more than five areas per edition then I will, but for now five non-exclusive categories are the way to go. This quarter's categories are:

Style: which encompasses clothing, shoes, accessories, jewelry, etc.

Photography & Tech: which is exactly what it seems.

Beauty: which is very self-explanatory for today's day and age.

Media: which includes books, magazines, films, TV shows, podcasts, YouTube, other blogs, websites, you get the gist.

Miscellaneous: which is a complete mishmash of things that don't fall under one of the other categories.

For each thing I mention, I've written lil' tidbits that I recommend you read because information is important and all that snazzy-jazz. Plus, I imagine you want to know why I like these things above others, right?

IMPORTANT:

item links are attached to their names, so to go to that thing's page, just click on the name in this black typeface.

Beauty

Fresh Vitamin Nectar Moisture Glow Face Cream: 

Brightening, whitening, radiant, glow are the four adjectives plastered all over my top shelf. So, when I laid eyes on this moisturizer I knew it was love at first glance. It smells of citrus-y creamy candy and evened my complexion in a couple weeks. I swear I will never use another moisturizer. Ever. Go buy it.

Glossier Balm Dot Com in Cherry: 

My lips are about as dry as a prune buried for multiple millennia under 50 feet of Sahara Desert sand. So, in short I need some heavy duty moisture for them, even during summer. This Glossier one hydrates without seeping into the face flesh surrounding the lips (which is a real and legitimate problem people) and gives a lil' pop of cherry red tint. It does smell of cherry medicine or Icee, but I can ignore that.

Burt's Bees Lipstick in 502 Suede Splash: 

For as long as I can remember, I have been an advocate for very light or "no-makeup makeup." Luckily, there lip colors that aren't matte and are formulated to look like your lip color. This one is my lip color but better, and elegantly fades with time. And it's cheap. Perfecto.

Chanel Joues Contraste Powder Blush in 55 In Love: 

I love blush. A nice flush of a peachy beige nude suits my skin best and this Chanel blush has been my go-to this summer. It possesses a barely detectable smidge of in-pan shimmer that brings just a tad of definition to the cheeks. The only issues are it's price and it smells of old fancy lady. But then again... It's Chanel.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Bronzer in Nude Bronze Light:

My issue with bronzing and contour is it makes people look like they've smeared sparkly dirt on themselves and have been burnt to a crisp. And for those reasons I've disliked bronzer. That is, until I discovered this Hourglass one. It produces a light sun-kissed shade that hardly looks like a contour. It looks ultra natural; a criteria that makeup must meet for my approval.

Photography & Tech

Olympus 35 RC Point & Shoot Camera:

Out of my two metal-body point & shoot cameras this one works best. It has a nifty-ass manual rangefinder focus which allows you to focus (albeit limitedly) on the subject in frame.

Kodak Professional Ektar Color Negative 100:

 Typically I reach for AgfaPhoto Vista Plus 200 but that has recently become difficult to acquire, so I've branched out a bit. This Kodak is slightly more saturated and the temperature is minutely warmer than the cool-prone Agfa.

Nintendo 3DS XL & Pokémon Moon:

I've been a Pokémon fanatic since I was seven and only recently have I had time to get back into the games. The 3DS I bought two years ago and Pokémon Moon have been a wonderful get-to-know-you-again experience this summer.

Aukey USB-C to USB 3.0 Adapters:

For graduating high school I received a new laptop from my Paw-Paw (grandmother). However, it only has USB-C ports so these adapters have been lifesavers to connect anything to my laptop.

Media

Vivi Magazine October 2017 Issue:

I know that October isn't a month in this quarter of the year, but because this is fashion, this issue was available in August and plus it featured one of my three role models Kiko Mizuhara (who funny enough is a professional model). This is a very vibrant and stylish magazine that I pretty much buy every month. I purchased my copy from Magazine Café and requested in the comment box the October 2017 issue, but you can also order it here.

her. magazine v. 04 spring/summer 2017:

Another favorite magazine!  This mag was created by The New Order founder James Oliver, a native New Zealander. It features Asian women in creative and artistic fields. I love reading about how these ladies started out, made it to where they are now and what they currently do in their craft. Terribly inspirational for a lil' hapa like myself.

Ready Player One by Earnest Cline:

I brought this book with me to IMG Fashion Camp in August. Some good ole science fiction was the perfect escape from the social-media obsessed teenage girl demographic surrounding mefor the week I was down in Florida, and I believe this book lives up to the hype. While it had a fairly predictable plot, it was a very interesting and detailed read. And the protagonist, Wade Watts is the ultimate lovable nerd-geek.

Pokémon: Lucario and the Mystery of Mew:

If you didn't know, Pokémon is the best thing ever. And accompanying my game-playing revival has been a resurrection of watching Pokémon the series and especially the movies. Getting to sit back and rewatch one of my favorite films (no joke this is one of my Top Ten Favorite Films) has been exceptional, especially since it features Lucario, one of my favorite Pokemon.

The Grand Tour Season 1 (Not Pictured):

Top Gear was one of my all-time favorite TV shows. That is, until the departure of the best and most nincompoop-ish hosts in the world. And now it has become terrible. Fortunately, the three British Stooges have made a deal with Amazon to produce The Grand Tour. It's not quite as good as Top Gear used to be, particularly regarding the weird-ass Celebrity Brain Crash segments. But regardless of it's oddities, it is still hilarious. Go watch it. Now.

Hope that this Quarter-Annual Favorites: July, August & September lives up to some already sky-high standards.

Tell me your quarterly favorites in the comments! I really would love some recommendations and feedback!

And as always,

Thanks for popping by.

Toodles.

Abe