#ahhh this made me happy to do

[good-beanswrites]

A drabble for an anon asking about the prisoners watching their music videos! This is focused on specifically Mikoto’s initial shock at seeing MeMe for the first time, but just know that Double comes with a whole new set of shocks as he truly listens to John for the first time ;-;

Mikoto was no criminal. 

He didn’t know how to break into locked rooms, or hack into complex prison security systems. He figured there was no way in hell he’d be able to see these so-called incriminating videos that the Warden was recording, and had resolved himself to an eternity of wondering what they could be. He was shocked when he didn’t need to do a single thing to gain access to them – Es simply adjusted the computer monitor and told him he could hit play when (and if) he wished. Then they left the room.

“A-are you sure?” he called, but they were already gone.

Mikoto blinked at the screen. It showed a stretched version of his apartment couch, near his bathroom wall, broken to reveal sky above. He thought he could spot his tarot cards at the bottom of the frame. Had Milgram broken into his home to film this? 

He scoffed, and hit play.

Distorted guitar started up. He flinched as his own face appeared for a moment – looking directly into the camera and making a wild expression he would never have made if someone was recording. His body tensed up more as he heard his own voice start to sing lyrics he’d never spoken before in his life. He wasn’t even a good singer, and here he was sounding like a professional. 

There were plenty of ways to accomplish all of this, of course. Software could mimic one’s voice, making him say anything these crazy reality hosts wanted. A team could easily add some digital effects to a stunt double and match his appearance perfectly. Knowing that didn’t make the experience any less unsettling.

He watched himself commit a nasty murder. He watched himself return home bloodied. But it was all ridiculous. How could Milgram even claim that this was him? He’d never raised a hand to anyone in his life. Were the other prisoners’ videos as outlandish as this one?

But then, a switch. 

The song shifted to a new melody. He appeared to wake up from his couch, and suddenly Mikoto got the sense that this was him.

He was struck with how familiar this new segment sounded. It simultaneously felt like a favorite song he must have played on loop not too long ago, and one that he’d never heard before. As it played, each new note and lyric felt right on the tip of his tongue. 

It ended as quickly as it began. The song returned to the heavy-metal-murder aesthetic it had started with, and once again he felt like he was watching a cheap copy of himself onscreen. He watched another murder, a shower scene (had the warden seen all that? How embarrassing…) and then he turned to his bathroom mirror.

At the same time as his musical counterpart, Mikoto leapt backwards in horror. 

His eyes remained glued to the screen. His hand flew up to grab the lower half of his face. It was fake, he told himself. AI and CGI and all that. It was fake. It had to be. 

Something deep inside of him said “no. That’s real. That’s me.”

Something else deep inside of him echoed the sentiment.

The video was less than four minutes of music, but by the end he was panting and tugging at his hair as if he’d endured hours of prison torture. He burst out of the room. He sucked in breath after breath. The melodies still played in his mind, lines repeating in his memory as he tried to put as much distance between himself and that little television screen.

He found the others in the common room. They gave him a knowing look, but somehow he knew his experience had been very different from their own. Es approached him.

They studied his expression for a moment. Thankfully, they didn’t ask anything stupid, like “how did it go?” or “what did you think?” 

Instead, they just told him, “if you ever want to watch it again, just let me know, I can get it set up for you.”

He would want to see it again. Of course, it would be better, then. He would take a moment to calm down. He’d watch it later and everything would be okay. He’d have a clearer mind. He’d pick out all the little camera tricks they used to make it. He’d be sure it was a fake, and laugh about how ridiculous he was being now. 

Of course. Of course. 

He nodded to Es, unable to produce any words. Es left him.

The rules in this prison never made any sense, but in this case, he was grateful. He wouldn’t need to figure out any snooping or hacking to get access to the video again. After all, he was no criminal.

… he wasn’t, was he?

[sysig]

It always seems like such a good idea in the moment (Patreon)

The first four are in reference to a great idea I had of - since I’ve finished my lower-limit page number testing for making books; shorter fics take up less page space, and just increasing the font size isn’t as handsome! - simply making a mini book! All it would take would be to halve the pages again, right? Just cut them right down the middle! Easy peasy!

As I’m sure you can tell by the second, no. Not easy peasy. Difficult painful un-fun >:(

Obviously I still did it tho! What do you take me for, someone who could have the idea of an even tinier book and then not do something about it?? No It’s also the only one so far to have a paper bookmark rather than a ribbon!

All told it’s a bit smaller than your average manga (I love the monochrome covers on these under their dust jackets haha <3) - you can see even with effectively doubling up the pages by halving their size, it was still very small-spined!

A quick shot while it was still being made hehe ♪ It’s Out! Paired here - and the earlier one, just without its dust jacket haha - with my Zarla SC2 collection (ft. Family, Negotiations are Going...Well, and With No Obligation) - I absolutely kicked myself after the fact for not including Out as the run-up to everything, I was really trying to make a full collection in probably-chronological order! Out would’ve been a perfect start! And it only would’ve taken like four pages!!

Ah well, it was still quite a learning experience - I probably wouldn’t make another standalone of under 4k-ish just for formatting reasons but I did get some good ideas of how to do so if I wanted to! Although, my next project is going to be even more of a formatting nightmare........I’ll get there when I get there! Lol

[redrattlers]

feeling so emotional after the most fun wonderful and healing weekend 🥹

[cedobols]

hello,,,,ur art is so lovely...i am a huge fan of ur work and i thought i'd doodle you something bc i love it sm. i hope u have a good day ^_^. - @zhoubottas

IVE GOT NO IDEA WHAT I DID TO DESERVE THIS BUT I LOVE YOU AND THANK YOU SO MUCH??? THEYRE SO CUTE… SEBS TUMMY… THE STICKERS… MARKS DOGGY EARS… ITS PERFECTION ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

i love u thank you… so mcuh..

[carrotpiss]

🐰🧡🐻

[rucow]

!!!!!!!! amazing news!!!!!!!!!! i sang SO much today and had such a great time !!!! 🥹 i LOOOVE singing SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!! i want to do it every day aaaah but i have neighbours so i can't be loud 😭😭😭 IM SO SO HAPPY WITH MYSELF THOUGH I DID SO WELL TODAY 😭

[i23kazu]

Hello hello!

As a stressed out student, I wanted to extent my sincerest thanks for your most recent piece of writing. It was so fluffy and sweet and genuinely warmed my heart so much, especially Lyney, Kaeya, and Childe's sections (not to say all of them weren't amazing, because they were! But those three are some of my absolute favorite characters in Genshin, Lyney especially).

Anyway! All that rambling to say that your writing is amazing, I absolutely adored your most recent work, and I hope you're having a wonderful day/night <3

nonnie you sweetheart :') i wish you all the best in your studies!!! make sure to take breaks often – there's no such thing as too much rest, ok? lyney, kaeya and childe are cheering you on hehe :')) thank you for such a sweet message on my silly little work!!! i'm glad it's made you as happy as it's made me :')

(psst. let me know your next 3 favourite characters...)

[cherrysnax]

I’m so excited for the mattress topper you guys

[ni-kol-koru]

this is transmasckagami - I was definitely talking about you :)))) I love how shiny and polished your art looks. The colors are fantastic and the care and attention you put into everyone’s eyes is something I really enjoy and try to incorporate in my own art :)))))))

This is genuinely the sweetest and best thing I have ever heard, you actually made me tear up ahhh!! 🧡🌟 I am kind of at a loss of words! Thank you so so so much, it means so much to hear something like this! I am reading your message over and over again, I don't know how to explain how grateful and happy and proud I am feeling right now! 🥲

I am just so happy that my art inspired you so much that you want to incorporate some of its elements into your own art,, like, that is literally the best compliment that an artist can ever get!? You just made my day so much better ahhh! Thank you so much for this message, thank you thank you thank you 🧡🌟

[daffi-990]

One of the comments on remember to remember me has me crying all the good tears 😭😭😭😭.

I’m so happy everyone is liking it so far.

ily all so much 💕

[good-beanswrites]

Happy Valentine's Day @artsy-azure ! Here's your gift for the @milgram-valentines-exchange 💖

Fuuta x Minato (oc) ~ The first section takes place right after his T2 interrogation, and then skips ahead to a tiny post-milgram scene :3 I hope you enjoy!

Fuuta thought he would drown. Not sink into water or anything like that; he was worried the voices filling his mind would completely suffocate him. There were too many of them. Too many people, all of them knowing every dark corner of his mind, and shouting into it. It should have been impossible for one voice – one softer than all the rest – to reach him.

Then again, everything about that voice should have been impossible.

“Fuuta… Hey, Fuuta… Are you alright?”

He blinked. He scrambled over to the nearest wall. There were no visible openings in the cell, not a single imperfection across any of the surfaces, yet Milgram’s intercom system functioned just fine. Most days it would just deliver the ear-rattling bell to tell him the time. On bad days, it carried Es’ summons to the interrogation room for his extraction. On worse days, it carried Es’ summons to the courtroom for his verdict.

On the very best days, it would bring him the voice of Hoshizawa Minato.

(Though, seeing as he had just returned from a catastrophic extraction, he wasn’t sure what type of day it was yet.)

He tore his attention away from the chorus of judgements and insults. He pressed his shoulder against the wall, still unsure where the sound was coming from, but knowing it was nearby.

“I’m here,” he said, hushed. More than anything he wanted to yell and scream, but he would never risk it, now. Minato had gone through a hell of a lot to break into Milgram’s systems, and he wouldn’t let his big mouth ruin all that. It had already ruined just about everything else.

“How are you holding up?”

Fuuta pressed his lips together. “Any news on getting us out of here?” was all he said.

Hundreds of miles away (or perhaps next door – neither of them could really know), Minato’s fingers adjusted his headset.

“I’m still working on it. These things take time.” 

“I’m definitely gonna need it after today.” 

“Your interrogation… I know.”

Fuuta pulled his hood down tighter, tufts of ginger hair ruffling underneath. “How much did you see?” 

Minato’s eyes flicked over to another monitor. It displayed the files he’d gained access to a few hours prior. It would crush Fuuta to hear about yet another person peeking into his personal moments, so he opted for a non-answer.

“I don’t have cameras. I don’t see much at all.”

“Tch, I’m not a damn idiot, I know that! I meant, how much did you hear?”

“...Everything.” 

Fuuta squeezed his eye shut. He bit a curse back. There came silence.

Minato actually double checked some of his monitors, making sure they hadn’t been disconnected.

“So then, you know,” Fuuta said at last. “There’s no fucking way I’m getting forgiven this time around.”

“You can’t be so sure. The–”

“No one in their right mind would forgive me after that.” He winced, remembering his harsh cries at the end of the interrogation. What kind of accused murderer shouted “I’ll kill you” as their plea of innocence? When he wasn’t running his mouth with threats, he’d been pleading with Es like some kind of coward. And Minato has heard all of it. Fuuta could only imagine the horrors that the extraction held. Who could forgive him after they saw his anger, or worse, his pleasure? Who could ever look kindly on someone like that?

“I would.”

Fuuta’s eyes widened. He let himself sink further into the wall. A strangled laugh escaped him. He let his head hang down. No matter how much he wanted to protest, Minato was as honest as they come. If he said he forgave Fuuta, he meant it. 

“Yeah, like I said, no one in their right mind.”

Minato cracked a smile. 

“You don’t think I’m in my right mind?”

Fuuta scoffed. “You post pictures of clothes for a living. And in your free time, you plan impossible jailbreaks for murderers. Doesn’t sound quite sane to me.”

“Aw, come on. Do you think it’s impossible?” 

Minato was still smirking, ready for some more of their typical back and forth. Fuuta surprised him by pausing. 

“Well, it should be impossible. But…”

They’d been speaking for some time now. Whether it was quick comments when Es wasn’t around or long conversations into the night. Fuuta had seen many sides of him, and knew that he had what it took. He wasn’t like the vast majority of internet personalities – weak or needy or inexperienced. He’d proved himself time and time again. If anyone could pull this off, it would be Minato. 

“If it’s you… there’s a chance.”

“You’ve got that right. You can count on me, alright?”

Fuuta took a deep breath. The tightness of the uniform and the bandages seemed to lessen.

“Although,” Minato put on a falsely serious voice, “we’re gonna have a long talk when you get out… about that yellow jacket you own.”

“Haaah? What’s wrong with my jacket?’

“There are a hundred stylish ways to wear it and that was not one.”

“The fuck does that mean?” 

“You’ll be grateful when someone who ‘posts pictures of clothes for a living’ helps with your wardrobe.” 

Fuuta could feel his chest release even more. Minato spoke so easily about the future, as if it were something real and waiting for him. 

“As if I’d let you touch any of my outfits.”

“As if you could stop me!”

He took another breath. He smiled. No drowning today.

---

After checking the clock fourteen times, Fuuta thought once more couldn’t hurt. It was still two minutes to noon, just like the last few times he’d checked. His frequent checking hadn’t brought the train to the station any faster.

Minato had told him that he was safe. He’d said this meeting wasn’t that big of a risk. The dust had settled. He just had to relax. 

The announcement overhead signaled the next stop was his. It screeched into the station, a slight murmur rising as the doors opened onto a platform of moving people. 

Fuuta lowered his head. His eyepatch would surely draw attention to himself, so he kept his hood down and his mask up. He just needed to make it to the station entrance. 

He made his way around stiff businessmen and sticky children. He tried to shuffle around a young man, but he seemed to step further into Fuuta’s path. Giving the stranger a quick glance, he started to mumble something to squeeze past. 

“Fuuta,” the man said, gaping in surprise. “It’s me.”

He inhaled sharply.

It was only three words, but it was enough to recognize his voice from a thousand conversations. 

Fuuta’s eye widened as he took Minato in. It was strange to finally see his face. Finally, here was the person he’d spent hours talking to. The person he’d spent days passing the time with. The person he’d spent nights falling for. Here was the one who had saved his life, in more ways than he could count.

His first observation was, fuck, this guy is way outta my league. His next was, he’s shorter than I was expecting. Then, gah, I’m probably shorter than he was expecting. He was in the middle of realizing, he has the nicest smile I think I’ve ever seen, when Minato crushed him in a hug.

Fuuta returned the embrace. His arms tightened around Minato. He was real. He was here. Fuuta’s hands grasped at his clothes and his hair. He was unable to control a laugh bubbling up inside of him. 

“You did it. My god, you did it.”

He breathed into Minato’s shoulder. His chest shook with some laughter, some tears. 

For a moment wondered if people would notice the heartfelt reunion outside of the train, then he realized he didn’t care in the slightest. 

Minato was laughing along with him in that beautiful, familiar voice of his. No more crackling speakers or hidden intercoms – he spoke right into his ear, hair tickling his cheek. Fuuta could have stayed forever in his arms, just like that. All that mattered was he felt safe. At last, he felt happy.

Talk about impossible. 

[caffeinatedopossum]

My girlfriend bought me breakfast in bed 😭

[vargaslovinghours]

Gosh I am so in love with the dating sim idea <33

Partially because I'm interested in computer programming and partially because, like, the ✨dynamics✨ man!!

The idea of Scriabin internally struggling between "I don't *hate* this person" and "This person trying to steal Edgar from me >:0" is just asdf-

What type of endings would there be?

Could you befriend one/both and not go as far as dating?

Could you date both?

Also love love love the UI concept art so much like the yarn-themed dialogue box and hearts system is so creative aaa

Sorry if this is a lot of questions just <333 going feral over this concept <33

Haha no no, no problem at all ♪ We’re both on the same page here, I love the design side of games, backend stuff is super fascinating to me ♫ Plus I just super love the idea of them in a Dating Sim ah ♥

It sounds like a whole heap’a your questions are answered in my first post in the Dating Sim tag :D

However, since I have The Most fun imagining what it’d be like to write/play a Vargas Dating Sim, I will take this opportunity to talk about it more lol:

As you can see in the Endings flow chart, yes, there are a bunch of different endings, all based on the ✨dynamics✨ that the Player pursues with each of the Vargases. In my current draft there’s not a way to date both exactly - at least, you can’t date both behind the other’s back, they will always be generally aware of the relationship status the other has with the Player, Scriabin moreso than Edgar, but Scriabin can’t help but gloat and they talk in their own scenes, so Edgar still knows. You can positively pursue both of them though, which leads to its own ending!

(You can keep both of them at ~5 ♥s and under, but that will still culminate in the Neutral Ending; at least one of them has to be at 7+ ♥s to get a different Positive ending; so, yes but no but also yes??)

You can also deepen your relationship with one over the other! Those, of course, lead to the Bad and Worst Endings, who could’ve guessed :3c Those are some of my favourites, because who’s “Bad” ending it is really depends on the perspective - the Bad (Edgar) Ending is one of Scriabin’s better Endings, as far as his manipulation and possessiveness is concerned. It’s definitely a Bad Ending for the Player tho lol

While the Best Ending doesn’t get as messed up as the Bad Endings (I mean - ideally lol), there is still definitely a lot of tumultuous emotions! They have to share the Player with each other, and each other with the Player, at least to better get to know each other! Scriabin isn’t the only one who feels possessive, even in routes where the player gets closer to Edgar there are still a lot of mixed feelings about being away from Scriabin, even as he starts to get more violent. They’re always weird about each other, they’re the ultimate package deal! 💕

[milo-is-rambling]

Don’t get high and then watch the only team you care about lose

[thefoooconspiration]

du är där när jag vaknar

baby, allt som jag önskat få

vet jag har inga svar

för du är allt jag vill ha ;

[honeyvanity]

me: i'm getting worse. i don't know what to do. everything is hopeless and i want to kill myself so much

me, 5 minutes later, having placed a deposit on an arthur morgan action figure: well actually---