#along with being relatively quiet individuals

[quibbs126]

Ai generated Cookie number 5, this is Cabbage Rose Cookie

Again not too sure of the name, since cabbages aren’t really part of the design at all, but it’s just the name of the rose, so eh

I quite enjoyed this one, though I do also kind of wish there were more lighter colors too

I actually have a bit in terms of this character’s whole deal as well. So Cabbage Rose is young (probably no older than 15) and quite small, and has a meek sounding voice that never goes much higher than a whisper. If you were to meet Cabbage Rose normally, he’d seem rather fragile and a bit of a pushover. However, despite his meek demeanor he is incredibly powerful, able to carry his heavy sword and easily cut down large enemies. He’s used to people looking down on him and underestimating his abilities, but at the same time he’s aware enough that he understands why. Also, he’s missing his left arm, as he lost it in a battle. I imagine he comes from a noble house of roses, but as of currently he’s more a wandering warrior

I enjoy him and I hope you do too!

[ghostlykeyes]

HI honeyy I love ur blog!!! can u please write the headcanons for kayn and K/da f!reader...how do the two of them explain their relationship to their fans or maybe they give a moment in a few shows?

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HEARTSTEEL KAYN: K/DA READER ♡ Female Reader ♡ SFW, with slight touching/sensuality ♡ No TWs ♡ THIS GOT SO LONG. I am willing to write more for this situation, since I had to cut a lot of my OG ideas to make room for what felt the most important...truly Kayn floods my mind and cannot be expressed or exhausted

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KAYN

When Akali dragged you along to one of Kayn's birthday parties, all she wanted was a drinking buddy to keep her company while Kayn was doing, quote, "birthday boy shit". She wasn't expecting you and Kayn to hit it off so well. She definitely wasn't expecting to find you two wedged in a coat closet, shoving your tongues down each other's throats. She had two words for Kayn as she linked her arm in yours and tugged you out from between a leather jacket and an 80's windbreaker; "Do. not."

But, after two torturously long weeks of you never shutting up about Kayn during rehearsals, and Kayn texting her so much she has to threaten to block him for any sort of peace and quiet (at all hours of the night and day, "hey gimme your hot friend's number", over and over AND OVER AND OVER), Akali comes around. She's just worried for you. Kayn's got quite the reputation, and she doesn't want him to fuck around with you and break your heart. But, she figures, you're both adults, so who is she to stand in the way of whatever you've got going on. So she eventually texts Kayn your number, but not without a warning; "you remember I know martial arts, yeah? and that I can totally kick your fucking ass? don't break my girl's heart dipshit".

On the whole, K/DA supports your budding relationship with Kayn. Even though he's a bit wild, the group's whole thing is about being individual and true to yourself—it seems hypocritical to tell you that you can't be caught holding hands with Kayn in line at Chipotle anymore for the sake of the band's image.

Heartsteel is a bit more tentative about you and Kayn. Alune's nervous to have Kayn dating such a high-profile star when Heartsteel has literally JUST broken onto the scene. But, this is Kayn, after all. What are they going to ask him to do, stop seeing you? He wouldn't listen. Besides, you do seem like a good influence in his life, and if the way his eyes light up whenever he sees your name pop up on his phone screen say anything, he's crazy about you. Eventually Alune sways other management and teams to embrace your relationship, as long as the two of you try to keep it relatively low-key.

If anyone ever implies he's with you to boost Heartsteel's fame or that he's trying to ride K/DA's coattails to the top, Kayn blows up. "We don't need shit from anybody," he sneers, "we're gonna climb to the top all by our fucking selves. Oh, and if you think (Y/N) would settle for anything less than a born rockstar? You're fucking stupid."

For your part, you're more subtle when publicly discussing your relationship with Kayn, but you still shoot down any ideas that he's with you for your status. "Heartsteel definitely doesn't need K/DA's help," you assert. "They're superstars and they're earning their spot on the music scene fair and square."

Kayn is your absolute fucking biggest superfan. He knows your lyrics front-to-back, he shows up to every single event he can, and he even uses Ezreal's Mercari account to snag rare merch that's being resold. Kayn tries to play it cool, but come on. You've seen the amount of posters he tries to hide in his closet. Only a fanboy has a collection like that.

There's hundreds of paparazzi photos of you two floating around on the internet, and Kayn's got a love-hate relationship with that fact. On the one hand, he loves being seen with you—what better way to claim you as his own than a photo of him literally grabbing your ass on the cover of a trashy gossip mag? On the other hand, can't a guy get some goddamn privacy? He hates that he has to share you with anyone, prying 'journalists' included. To make light of it, though, you two have started a little game. You send each other the wildest claims you can find about your relationship, trying to one up the other. Kayn's still winning with the article claiming that he's exercising some kind of mind-control to make you his girlfriend.

Flipping off the camera and open-mouth kissing you is one of Kayn's favorite poses to strike if he notices paparazzi lurking. For your part? You're just happy for his attention.

Kayn loves when you sneak into his shows. You usually have to wear a hoodie and go incognito to avoid getting mobbed, but don't worry, Kayn can pick you out of a crowd no matter what you're wearing. Sometimes, if you're standing close enough to the stage, he'll take off his shirt and toss it at you. He gets off on the attention, on thousands of people all-but-worshipping him, and if his favorite person is in the throng, knowing his worst parts but screaming for him alongside everyone else, just the same? Ego-boost of the fucking century. He may not express it to you often, but he really, really appreciates when you come see his shows.

Your packed schedules present a challenge, and Kayn despises the fact that you're often touring hours away from him. He still tries to talk to you as much as possible, even if it's not in person. Expect daily FaceTime calls, frequent Discord DM's, and around the clock blurry pictures of Kayn causing mischief.

Bless Akali's heart because Kayn absolutely harasses her about you. Whenever you're busy, he bugs her; "tell my gf to come back from the ded". Anytime you're on tour, he Venmoes her money to buy you your favorite fast food. She complains to you constantly—"tell your purse dog to stop yipping at me"— but really, she doesn't mind spoiling you by proxy. She's just happy that Kayn dotes on you so much.

Kayn jokes about making you late for rehearsal a lot—especially if he's halfway down your neck in a heated makeout sesh—but the truth is, that's never going to happen. Sure, he dicks around a lot, but he never gives less than one-hundred-and-ten to Heartsteel and he's not about to let you slack off, either. That includes making sure you get to your K/DA commitments on time (even if your neck is littered with hickies).

Kayn loves when you show him your choreography. He listens intently as you explain how to go through the steps, or complain about what you're struggling with. Often, he'll offer critique; "you look a little off-balance, try standing this way," or "Have you tried positioning a little more to the left?". Sometimes, these are genuine tips. Most of the time, though, he's just looking for an excuse to feel you up. What better way to sneakily touch your boobs than "suggesting" your chest needs to come out more?

[gotham-daydreams]

how resistant would y/n be to them being brought back to the manor? would they try and escape again? and also; to what extent with their freedoms be taken away? will they still have any privacy at all?

Pretty resistant all things considered!

I did mention in another response to an ask, that how hard their resistance is does heavily depend on how the kidnapping itself goes, but for simplicity purposes, let's assume that it doesn't go very well and not only is the reader very awake- but very capable of fighting back.

Granted, in the same response I also said that Y/n has a higher chance of running away if they can help it, and should the opportunity present itself. So, again, for simplicity's sake let's say that while a slip up did happen- the Batfam was able to recover fast enough before Y/n could get away, and thus was able to successfully kidnap them. (Even if there was some difficulty.)

Y/n, in this scenario, is very prone to trying to escape- and their attempts can range from a variety of things depending on how desperate they get, and how long they're able to hold onto that hope of escaping.

An interesting factor to consider, however, is also the toll of how their failed attempts take on their mental health, and how much of their sanity they may lose- if any.

These attempts can range from your usual sneaking out, and trying to be as quiet as possible, to.... other ways that put their health more at risk. Even if it isn't necessarily "escaping", it is some for of it, yes?

Ah- but let's not go into detail about that.

Anyway! What kind of freedoms would be taken away?

I think it really depends? Kind of like my whole thing with the kidnapping, and how many variables play into that, along with how said variables can heavily affect how Y/n can react, if at all — this also does tie into that a bit.

I believe the extent that the reader's freedom's being taken away, and what limits they're willing to put up at the start, could and very well does depend on the situation leading to this moment.

Was the Batfam desperate? Did something tick them off? Did they capture Y/n because they just couldn't wait any longer, or was it because the Batfam believed their life was in such great danger that they needed to bring Y/n to the manor to protect them right now?

Depending on the answer to those questions, among a few other things, the restrictions can either start relatively tame or just be outright horrendous at the start. To which, I say "the start" since later behaviors and actions can always change these, but we'll get to that in a bit.

So! Since we're going with a situation that caused the Batfam to be a little sloopy in their kidnapping, but were quickly able to recover from ot since Y/n still got captured, let's say that they were a little desperate and just got antsy. Not being able to wait around for much longer, amd thus the kidnapping was impulse, but they managed regardless.

Considering that we're also talking about the reader from the "Not [ ]" series at the moment, I'd say that they would be a little loose, but not too loose on Y/n's restrictions. If you know what I mean?

They understand Y/n's feelings and anger, so they're willing to let a few things slide- and maybe even a one or two escape attempts depending on who catches the reader, and how the attempt was done. But not much else.

Some resistance here and there is fine, but if it gets too out of hand then they'll resport to punishments. Which is generally more freedoms being taken away, as none of them really want to hurt Y/n, however- manipulation and such should very much be expected later on, as they are pretty much willing to break the reader's mind and reconstruct it to their liking. But you didn't hear that from me.

As for privacy? Nonexistent, sorry!

Again, the Batfam feel as if they've spent enough time away from the reader, and so they will be around Y/n as much as they can. Individually or together, it doesn't matter, someone is hanging around somehow.

Usually, again, this would be something that could change depending on Y/n's behavior, but let's just say that they're pretty set on escaping.

The more Y/n tries to escape and the more dangerous said attempts become, the less they're left alone. Thus, the more freedoms are stripped from them.

No internet. No communication with the outside at all. No leaving the house. No going anywhere without anyone, at least not without someone going with Y/n and or telling someone about it. It could even get to a point where Y/n can't even go to the bathroom without someone at the door, or them basically not even having a room anymore. As no one trusts them to actually stay there, and so either regular sleepovers happen, or Y/n constantly goes from room to room. This may also happen because maybe Y/n was able to mess with the cameras and such, so now the surveillance is much more personal.

Not that the Batfam is necessarily complaining, but it does still hurt seeing the reader trying to escape so much despite its 'perks'.

They begin to look for other methods to snuff out Y/n's attempts at escaping before they can even start, and just other ways to show that this is their life now, and they're not leaving ever again. Y'know, the usual stuff.

However at some point they just really crack down on the punishment. Maybe it was a particular attempt, or the Batfam notices/realizing that they're punishment of taking away each amd every last right and freedom Y/n has slowly, isn't exactly hammering in the message, they resort to other means.

They begin to use isolation as a punishment. Not wanting to harm Y/n too much physically, as they do still have a need for them to have all of their body parts in tact for the most part. Seeing as the Batfam wants the reader to still be able to play music for them. So... if they can't break Y/n physically, they'll break them mentally.

The Batfam will make it so that the reader loves them, and care for them- and that Y/n is basically the closest they can be to the person they were before all the trauma. Before the neglect.

Even if in the end, Y/n is still a shell of themself, as long as the Batfam can hardly tell the difference, does it really matter? As long as everyone is happy, should they really care?

It hurts at first, of course, especially since Y/n tried to fight back so hard when they were first locked up in a bare guest room, and it only got harder with time, but at least they did eventually begin to see progress this time!

It's no secret that the Batfam is super manipulative when they want to be, and this moment does clearly show it.

Through the door they still talk sometimes, and perhaps it'd bring comfort at some point, that's the problem.

They leave Y/n alone, by themself, in a room where the only thing to do is to listen to their own thoughts- but now, also occasionally accompanied by one of them. They voice their thoughts and feelings, maybe even chastising Y/n for their behavior, and as much as the reader doesn't want to listen- there is nothing else to listen to. Nothing else to do.

Maybe they try to ignore it at first, who wouldn't? But with time, even that begins to fail them.

No matter how they cover their ears of create a loud enough noise to even block themself out, it's like the voices of the Batfam begin to slowly seep in. They shout too, forcing the reader to hear them at times, or purposefully playing noises in Y/n's room practically made to drive them absolutely mad until they finally listen. Until they give in- or at least hear that little voice of their's that they've been tryinf to sneak in.

And y'know what? It works.

Eventually, voices that Y/n could only associate with discomfort, pain, annoyance and cold began to make them feel warm and seen. So loved and cared for even if they never felt such things from the Batfam before.

They don't want it, this feeling. They hate it! They try to scratch it away as it seeps into their skin, and they hate the way they begin to perk up and brighten at the sound of any voice from beyond that damned door. Even going as far as to physically restrain themself from moving any closer, just so that they could hear the voice more clearly and feel more of that warmth-

But it works. Of course it does.

Tldr: Y/n would be pretty resilient and resistant. In this particular scenario they would try to escape quite a lot! And to ensure that all goes well, the Batfam is willing to take away every freedom they can, and maybe even some rights, if it means getting their desired outcome. The only thing really off the table is physical violence, but nobody said anything about using psychological torture as punishment.

I hope this answer your questions! If it didn't, I apologize as I am writing this at midnight so it may be a little all over the place (I'll edit it a bit in the morning). If you'd like me to clarify anything or have another question, feel free to send in another ask!

[accio-victuuri]

Sugar Rush : November CPNs

What started out as a relatively quiet month after a chaotic October, turned into something else because of a few candies. Especially the whole 11/19 fiasco that surprised us all. LOL. As usual, this is for cpn-loving turtles only. Keep an open mind but still clown responsibly. I can’t believe we only have one month left for this year!

If you wanna recap other years I have archived : 2021 ( one | two ) 2022 ( one | two ) 2023 ( one, july, august, september, october ) 2020 candies and some other sweets before I was doing round up posts may be found on my masterlist.

Let’s review the past month…

• Some side by side / parallel photos of GG ( Tod’s Milan ) and WYB ( Chanel Shenzhen ). They are both photographed with the very beautiful Liu ShiShi. Also the way they are the center of attention. KINGS! 👑

• hoping they play tennis together 🎾 ; there is also a cpn out there about yibo being fully prepared for the game cause he had lacoste shoes and bag then a jacket that he used in wuzhen. people are speculating that XZ bought stuff for him to use cause he is the one who knows more and thought of this brand. this may seem like a stretch but you never know with this fandom when a seemingly insignificant observation becomes a big candy along the way.

• 2021 vs 2023 beach photos similarities + xiamen coincidence and it’s connection to ZZ’s ideal life painting

• LHK ( Liu Haikuan ) giving clues about BJYX? + Part 2 of comments

11/7, GG was announced as Boucheron’s global brand ambassador, then people remembered that one time WYB wore stuff from the brand. So now we have an unintentional couple jewelry incidence😂😂

• the sound of an eagle 🦅

• some similarities in forwarding 119 message, yeah i know celebrities like them are sort of required to bring attention to stuff like this. however, WYB is known to support this cause and even made a VCR specifically for it. if you look at the actual post, theirs is the top 2 in terms of likes and the rest of the celebrities are not the usual ones similar to the boys’ caliber. Another clue that this is WYB’s advocacy of sorts, most, if not all top comments are from his fans. so ZZ joining in on spreading the message seems ( to me and some cpfs ) like influenced by WYB.

Next is they both filmed VCRs for "People in My Heart" - "Classic Characters" series. We just love seeing them support the same projects ^^

• NARS live drawing

• Candies from WYB’s 11/12 douyin post. Mainly the parallel about the same walls and floor.

• XZ fell asleep on WYB during the golden core scene

• Interpreting YBO’s 11/16 weibo caption

• 11/19/23 double update candies

• similar necklace??? ( cough in vain )

• the full story ( so far ) behind 11/19 📝

• Talking about this a bit late considering when the whole CPN started about this GG mural for GG. There are side by side comparisons of the eyes on the mural and Yibo’s. The CPN being they used WYB’s eyes for that mural.

I usually let people have free reign on clowning but this one isn’t for me personally. just because it’s obviously a mural commissioned by GUCCI which a big brand that couldn’t care less about the CP. Maybe it’s a coincidence how similar it is? Because there is a reference photo that should be followed. Also, this is GG’s time to shine. This mural is his & him. I think this is an example for cpfs to learn to separate the boys as individuals, especially for things that are work related and most especially their achievements. While I do believe they influence each other greatly, it’s important to not make every single thing a romantic relation.

• the mystery driver is seen again 👀

• 11/22 Yibo scenery post 🍬

• One night in Beijing Song + 11/23 XZS post

• I don’t really wanna clown with Redmi but the black and white theme from XZS and then the next day it’s Redmi. I was surprised with this cause all the promos were supposed to be related to the scifi themed ad blockbuster!

A coincidence 👀👀👀👀

• small candies form IQIYI scream night 😱

• wyb acknowledging light signs and calls us wangba

• XZ’s 11/27 Airport and Selfie Clues

• there is some talk with BXGs regarding WYB’s redmi appearance, it looks like he was bitten by the mosquito again. lol. I usually just find cpn like this funny cause there is always deniability. also hello to the mosquito who loves to bite the center of his neck.

I’m separating these next entries cause it’s not new. I just found myself revisiting bts content and clowning about it. old candy still tastes good! 💯

WYB signs 520 to GG

WYB’s small steps to GG but robe gets caught

Something is funny and XZ has to tell WYB

Flirting and Fighting? “WYB’s love you”

XZ got hurt and WYB said he is gonna kiss it better?

-END.

[weepinwriter]

“Love letters and marriage proposals may flood my path, but in you, I found the rarest gem amidst a sea of admirers.”

Name : Emir (m.) | Evara(f.)

Age : They're in their early thirties

Height : 5’8

Appearance : E. is a visually stunning person of 5’8”, possessing rich caramel-colored skin, hair as brown as the richest chocolate, and coffee-colored eyes you could simply lose yourself in (as you often do) As a male, E.’s hair is short and spiky, and as a female, E’s hair flows in luscious, full locks to the middle of her back. E’s female form also frequents hot brilliant red lipstick. They are a tasteful dresser, usually frequenting elegant dress clothes (be it dresses as a female or suits as a male) in shades of brown to match their appearance. The slightest bit of gold accents brings everything together into one attractive and irresistible mommy/daddy person. (ahem- all credits for the thirsting shall go to my co-editor @headdaze)

Personality : E. possesses an undeniable charm that captivates those around them, yet they remain a person of few words. Wherever they go, heads turn, drawn to their enigmatic and noble presence. The attention they receive is of little consequence to them, for they care not for the spotlight. Instead, they seamlessly integrate themselves into any setting, molding it to suit their own needs rather than others. Quiet by nature, they prefer to use words sparingly, reserving their speech for matters that ignite their passions. They possess a remarkable ability to switch between personalities, adopting the persona that they desire, skillfully using it to disarm and charm. It is only when their guard is down that they reveal their true self, shedding the masks they wear with calculated precision. In the realm of their ambitions, they are cold and cynical, unafraid to cross lines that others dare not tread, yet prideful enough not to easily bow to anyone. Indifference masks their actions, or so they wish it to be. They frown and sympathize, yet remain resolute in accomplishing their objectives, disregarding personal feelings along the way. Once they set their mind on something, there is no turning back. Determination is one of their most unchangeable traits, driving them forward regardless of the consequences.

Background : The only heir to the economic giant, The Quinn Industries, the Subject is an interesting and enigmatic individual that should be carefully looked into, as HUSH has noted. The Subject has had a relatively mundane childhood, raised to be the perfect heir to the company. They walk in a relatively small albeit powerful circle of elites, yet have shown no interest in intimately interacting with any potential suitors. Does not show any indication of having possible connections with X. Currently the Subject is under strict surveillance for undisclosed reasons.

Likes : manicures, insects, the pleasant smell of rain falling on dry earth (aka petrichor), intellectual debates, cats

Dislikes : liars, being controlled, talkative people, snakes, boiled potatoes, unhygienic people

Pet peeves : sneezing or coughing without covering one's mouth, unnecessary or forced small talk, the sound of nails scratching a blackboard

Trivia :

has a large collection of antique pocket watches and can correctly identify the model and even time period of all

is an expert in solving Rubik's Cubes and can solve one within 6 minutes and 39 seconds, that's their record

they have an extraordinary sense of direction, and can navigate complex mazes and labyrinths without getting lost

[delopsia]

So you don’t have to answer this unless you want to but what are your thoughts of how reader, Bob and Rhett ask for comfort when they’re having a down day or when they’re upset.

Like I’ve had the thought that when Rhett is feeling down and just in need of some TLC he quietly walks up to one of his lovers and just wraps his arms around them, resting his head on their shoulder and watches whatever they are doing and just basking in the warmth of his lover.

Anyways what are your thoughts!

ohhhhh omg :( this is perfect. For the sake of organization, I wrote out Robert and Rhett individually and then included a bonus combination at the end💐

✧˖° Robert “Bob” Floyd:

Robby's quite subtle when it comes to asking for comfort. Not necessarily out of shyness, but because he genuinely doesn't think to ask for it a lot of the time? Being on his own in the Navy for so long has sort of put him in this headspace of dealing with his emotions and distress by himself. So, a majority of the time, it doesn't occur to him to reach out to you and ask for comfort. More often than not, the signs are loud and clear. To you, at least. He pokes at his food. His shoulders grow tenser. Spooks at small things that typically wouldn't surprise him, like a knock at the door. But because he hasn't thought much of his own distress, he's not entirely sure what to think when you ask if he's alright. Every once in a while, he gets to a point where he feels like he needs to reach out. And that almost always ends in him lingering in the doorway, silent until you acknowledge him. Only then does he mutter a soft, "bad day." Regardless of how you learn of his low mood, his preferred comfort never changes. Distraction. A long walk on a trail, buddying up and reading each other's favorite books, a movie marathon, visiting the library, and finding the most obscure novel or DVD on the shelves. He's not too particular about what you do, as long as it's done together and a relatively relaxing experience. Nothing that'll stress him out even more, y'know? That being said, Bob can sniff out a bad day from a mile away. You still haven't figured out what you're doing to set off the alarm bells. Sometimes, you'll come home from work to find that he's set up a nest of blankets and stuffed animals in your corner of the couch. Your favorite drink is always nearby, even if that meant he had to go out to get it. He doesn't press very hard. Usually, a small "Do you wanna talk about it?" is the most he'll offer. Generally suggests all of the things you like, but if you don't want any of those, he falls back on absurd suggestions to make you laugh. Do you want to go skydiving? Rocky mountain climbing? 2.7 seconds on a bull named Fumanchu? ...he is not above making a fool of himself just to get you to laugh.

✧˖° Rhett Abbott:

More than often, this ol' cowboy goes completely silent. Doesn't want to talk about what's got him upset. Refuses to recollect the events of the day that lowered his mood. He goes off by himself for a while, wallowing in the emotion of it all, and as soon as he's recollected himself, he's latching onto you. Snuggling up to you in bed. Coming up behind you, looping his arms around your waist, and resting his head against your shoulder until you're doing with what you're doing. Tagging along on your errands and sitting in the car while you head inside. Particularly enjoys it when you let him lay down and put his head in your lap. Especially when you run your fingers through his hair, gently raking your nails across his scalp. It'll put him to sleep within mere seconds. Rhett craves the quiet comfort of being with you and not saying a word. He doesn't need anything else, just an afternoon recharge with you. If you're having a bad day, all you need to do is quietly walk up to him and open your arms. He gets it. Of course, verbally asking for comfort works, too, but silence is a language this cowboy speaks the best. He loves on you the same way he would want it, a quiet presence that doesn't push for explanation or recollection. If you want to talk about it, that's fine with him, but he's not the type to press. And when he does speak, it's quiet. A whisper. Suggesting all of the things that make you feel better. Asking if you want to come to the feed store with him, promising to let you stop and see the new shipment of chicks. Suggesting a nap, a movie, or a long drive that may or may not get you both lost.

✧˖°Together:

...they're a mess. You would never think it, but one is easily affected by the other. Rhett's upset over something Perry said to him? Robby's upset right along with him. Usually doesn't even know what's bothered Rhett. Bob's having a bad day? Well, now Rhett's down in the dumps, too. You're upset? The entire household might just crumble apart. Poor Bobby has learned the hard way that Rhett needs some space before he's ready to be fussed over. There was an instance very early in the relationship when he unintentionally pushed before the cowboy was ready, and it sparked an explosive argument that ended in Rhett storming out for a couple of hours. Bob just wants to help, but Rhett's not ready for said help. It's only happened once, fortunately. The growing pains of a relationship, if you will. Nowadays, Bob's the first to notice when someone else is upset. Again, there's something about tiny interactions that set off alarms for him, and he falls into a routine. If it's Rhett who's upset, he'll settle up on the couch with a movie and wait until Rhett comes slinking around the corner like a feral cat. Rhett can and will lay directly on top of him and use him as a pillow. If you're upset, then Bob will go out of his way to get Rhett in the loop, and they'll set something up together. Usually ends with Bob comforting you and Rhett coming in with something he picked up on the way home from work. Sometimes, Rhett will notice Bobby's in a low mood, but Bob will deny it and say he's okay. All until a big ol' cowboy snuggles up on top of him like an oversized lapdog and stays there until the fool gets the picture. Think of Rhett as a gigantic weighted blanket. Similar to Bob, Rhett reaches out to let him know when you're upset. It's more of a 'hey, you're better at this than I am' than anything. Comfort isn't his strong suit, so if he can't figure out how to make you feel better, he can and will go out of his way to haul Bob into the room. Has actually swept the poor man off his feet and carried him to the couch for some family comfort time. Oh, but if they're both upset, it can go one of two ways. Bob's instincts kick in, and he devises a plan to make them both feel better, or they come bumbling into the room you're in like a pair of puppies. Glued at the hip, never once letting go of each other as Rhett snuggles into your side and Bob squeezes in to hitch his chin over your shoulder. A lot of the time, they unintentionally make themselves feel better by doing it because someone almost always starts giggling. Group naps and cuddles are the best things you can give them. Something quiet for Rhett but enough to distract Bob's wandering mind. Squish their cheeks, play with their hair; it all works. Being loved on is all they really ask for. And, of course, loving on you in return 💐

dlkjhfg this got long fast, omg.

[confinedmadness]

A Case of Withdrawal Symptoms: Ace of Diamond

I’ve followed the Ace of Diamond series (both anime and manga) regularly for years and to this day. Ace of Diamond remains one of my all time favorite stories. Act II, in particular, I feel was even better than the already amazing Act I.

I avoided reading the last 30 or so chapters for a while but the other day I finally read everything and now I feel so in need of something to fill the DnA shaped hole in my heart. So today, I decided to just write about a few of my favorite characters in the manga. Along the way, I’ll also slightly touch upon story points and character relationships/interactions.

～★～☆ ～★～☆ ～★～☆ ～★～☆ ～★～☆ ～★～☆ ～★～☆ ～★～

Kawakami Norifumi

Nori is my favorite character in the whole Ace of Diamond series, hands down. There is no contest, not even close. Nori is not only a character who we see from the very beginning of Act I and continue to see until the end of Act II, Nori is a very well-written character. He develops gradually in a believable way and at a realistic pace. He is someone whose growth we get to witness.

The best part? Nori is one of, if not the most relatable character among the main cast because he is not a genius, he is not particularly attractive or strong or smart. He has above-average baseball skills at best, with a relatively quiet personality that does not stand out, but a whole lot of resolve and mental fortitude.

I’ve said this before in a post I wrote way back, and I will say it again: Nori is the kind of person I strive to be. Good at what he does even if he’s not out-of-this-world amazing. Dependable and trustworthy, someone the people around him rely upon. Hardworking and resilient in the face of being looked down upon. Most of all, does not give up on improving himself despite being around people who are naturally better than him.

It’s so easy to lose motivation to learn something when someone else younger and newer comes along and has the abilities you don’t. But Nori reminds me that there is value in improving yourself for your self, that consistency is gained through hard work not “natural talent”, and that center stage cannot shine without the backstage hands.

At the end, when Furuya told Nori directly how much his presence makes him feel at ease, I just cried. Because yes, I did say that everything Nori represents is a good thing to work towards, but it’s also true you may not receive as much recognition as the geniuses. And being acknowledged like that? Hits you right in the feels and the tears of joy just won’t stop.

Miyuki Kazuya

I think most people who know me in real life or who’ve read my blog think Miyuki is my favorite character because I fangirl about him a lot. Miyuki has a lot of traits I love about a person: talented but hardworking, serious but knows how to have fun. In fact, no matter how much I love fanfiction and fanarts, I tend to be really picky about the ones featuring Miyuki because I find that they often forget or ignore the facets of Miyuki’s personality that I love. 

Fan creations tend to depict Miyuki as quiet, cold, and aloof. But for me, the best parts about Miyuki is his fun-loving, goofy attitude and his whole-hearted love and passion for baseball. He likes annoying enemies, poking fun at friends, laughing at other people. He’s not stuffy about hierarchy and judges people based on merit not seniority. He loves new challenges and finds excitement in playing with or against strong baseball players.

And yet, no matter how much I love Miyuki on his own, I feel that his relationships with other characters are some of the best in the series. A lot of his character growth is spurred by a relationship with another character instead of a more individual progress like Nori’s.

In terms of baseball and as an athlete, his rivalry/friendship with characters like Mima and Narumiya are some of my favorites. I love the wholesomeness of their rivalries. There is never malice or spite when they go against each other in games. Narumiya is probably the person in the series who has known Miyuki the longest. I’ve said this before but I love that Narumiya and Miyuki call each other by their first names. It emphasizes the fact that they’ve known each other since childhood. And now here they are, the stars of their respective teams.

In terms of leadership and as a person, his growth was shown a lot through his partnership with Sawamura and Furuya, his relationship with the Seidou coaching team, Chris, Yuuki, and Maezono, among others. He changes from being relatively self-centered, to thinking more about his teammates and the team as a whole. He learned to be more mindful and sensitive about others, as well as knowing that he can rely on his team as much as he is relied upon.

Finally, his friendship with Kuramochi is one of the most stable, most frequently depicted, and also often overlooked relationships. Though never explicitly stated in the series, Kuramochi is probably the closest thing Miyuki has to a best friend. They don’t have many really emotional moments together, but they understand each other and have each other’s backs. Kuramochi is the person Miyuki confides in when he has problems. And they’re both the first to notice something good or bad about the other. I don’t know about you, but that constancy is amazing. Regardless of whether they remain close in the future or not, I think a friendship like theirs is something to treasure for life. 

Sawamura Eijun

DnA is one of the few series whose main character I love. I think it was in one of my first ever posts about DnA that I mentioned how Sawamura is someone you really want to cheer for. A lot of anime/manga, especially in the sports genre, tell the viewers/readers that *insert main character name* makes you want to support them and help them succeed. But, Sawamura is one of the very few who actually makes you feel that way.

Personally, I believe this is due to the effective way the author shows that Sawamura is a multidimensional character. He has a very clear base personality that defines him as a person, but like every human in history, he is not just that. Different situations and even the shortest moments can bring out anger or frustration or even silence.

Sawamura is loud, optimistic, hardworking. But he can also get annoyed at his teammates, can feel jealous of his rivals, is susceptible to judging people without getting to know them, or can put far too much pressure on himself unnecessarily. I love that the series shows all of this unapologetically. He is not good with certain types of people, but even if he never becomes their best friend, he learns to get along with them. These types of character building make him human, and make you appreciate his usual noisy, laughing self even better.

My favorite part about Sawamura is how open he is to both learning new things and being corrected when he’s wrong. Not only is he willing to be taught, he does not ignore people that point out his mistakes. Of course, he gets embarrassed but he apologizes if he hurts someone, and trains when his skill or knowledge is lacking or wrong.

If not for this attitude, Chris would not have taught him all the baseball basics he clearly lacked, he would not be close enough to Miyuki to experiment with his pitches together or hangout in his room, Kataoka would not have given him the chance to be on the roster, Okumura would have stayed disappointed in him. He would never have been good enough to be the ace of the team.

And what’s even more amazing is that it’s not just the readers who go through a getting-to-know phase with Sawamura. His own teammates go from getting annoyed at his yelling to actually looking forward to hearing it, from wanting to support him to being supported by him as well, from cheering him on to relying on him as their ace.

～★～☆ ～★～☆ ～★～☆ ～★～☆ ～★～☆ ～★～☆ ～★～☆ ～★～

I don’t know if I’ll do something like this again, but I definitely want more DnA content coming my way because I am missing it so much. Tereading the series right now only makes me even sadder, but what can I say, I love making myself happy-sad.

[insipid-drivel]

This is why we shouldn't use night vision CCTV in the swamp

As is probably well established by now, I live in a swamp that's in the same region as a lot of Bigfoot sightings. I've grown up in this wilderness my whole life, seen and experienced a whole lot of weird crap that is filed away in the "Hey, don't worry about it," part of my brain with the rest of The Horrors.

My mom also did most of her growing up here, but more in the woodlands and plural spaces around housing developments and cities. Basically, where you're more likely to encounter a homeless person or a pigeon in the underbrush than a cryptid or some cool wildlife.

I grew up so deep in these forests and swamps I stay the hell inside after dark and live in blissful ignorance of what goes on outside my bedroom window every night. Some shit I've seen looking in at me. Sometimes it's animals (which was how I found out a storm had knocked over our neighbor's horse fence one night - I suddenly had a Welsh pony pull up to my bedroom window like it was a Wendy's) - sometimes it's just eyes in the shadows that may or may not speak, who cares? Definitely not my little brother's girlfriend who confirmed she sees them too whenever she's here and goes out after dark for a cigarette and runs inside panicked every time they appear. Let's not dwell on it. Moving on.

My mom decided, after becoming thrilled with the huge amount of bird and squirrel traffic I get with my small seed-and-pollinator garden outside of my bedroom window, to set up a motion-activated night vision camera pointed at my feeders to see what may visit in the dark.

Fully-bragging here, but I pretty much have every single species of native bird (and a couple of fucking starlings) that isn't a raptor visit my garden every day. Yesterday I completed my Pokedex when a family of quail came visiting. It's not weird for there to be 15-20+ birds in my garden at once with at least 5 or more individual unique species eating and (mostly) getting along (which some of us could learn from by example, starlings).

I made the tactical decision to bite my tongue about the camera, because this morning, I found I actually wanted to see some of the footage.

Everything was fine when I woke up this morning; my feeders were still rapidly being depleted of birdseed I spend too much of my disability checks on so I can delight my cat and feel like I'm taking care of some of my local wildlife. I use a small trough that I fill will feed for squirrels and the occasional deer that usually takes a couple of days for the locals to empty.

This morning, after having just ROUNDED OFF the ground-trough-feeder with a fresh supply of food the day before, I found the trough completely clean and empty, and dragged several feet away from where I usually leave it. So I asked my mom if she'd review the camera footage, figuring it was probably the same derpy yearling buck with slightly wonky baby-antlers that I've seen eating out of it before.

Nope.

Just a mom with kids to feed. My mom was appalled at the number of them (one of the ways I know she's still domesticated), but I quietly approved and told her that it was probably a mother raccoon and her adolescent babies. I've seen raccoons raising up to 5 kits at a time in places where food is plentiful and the predator count is relatively low. I let my mom know it's totally fine; that the ground feeder is there to feed the nocturnal as well as the diurnal.

The morning quiets down for a few minutes, and I get ready to snooze to the birdsong outside. My mom is still on her phone, half-birdwatching at the foot of my bed, half-scrolling through clips of footage from the rest of that night (which usually is just moths and a stray cat or two setting the camera off), and that's when I heard what I like to wearily call the "There's A Cryptid On My CCTV Gasp".

Look. If you set up cameras in a place like this, you're GOING to see weird shit you can't explain. Part of why I like living out here is because only other people that understand this also live out here. My neighbors and I are all out of our fucking minds, but that's why The Swamp embraces us. If you don't have the psychiatric diagnostic equivalent of a ghost pepper in your brain, you probably won't do well out here. The Swamp is nature's Void: If you gaze long into it, it will gaze back into you. My System of alter personalities smile like idiots and wave into the Void while some of them full-on make out in front of the Void with reckless abandon.

My mom just stammers at first, and and then is like, "I... don't know what that is? It looks like a cat? But I've NEVER seen a cat that big..." Ironically ignoring my cat, who I rescued as a tiny "standard size" kitten from a shelter and found out the hard way that she's actually very much a Maine Coon.

My mom, shaken, shows me the best still she could get from the clip the camera took of The Creature:

She's pale, and visibly unnerved as she brings me her phone with the actual clip of this animal in it. Of course the footage is shittier than when we just had raccoons out there. Didn't you read what I just wrote? The Swamp will not abide your attempts to spoil its fuckery.

But I nevertheless watched this 2-3 second clip of this animal walking by the ground feeder. It's about the size of a medium dog, has no tail, and walks with a very feline gait. My mom is practically freaking out at this point, her voice actually trembling when she keeps asking me "What do you think it is?"

There's a long, heavy silence as I replay the clip a couple more times, just watching this thing move and confirming that, indeed, it's too big to be a domestic cat, but too small to be a mountain lion, and has no discernible tail.

"Mother, it's a bobcat."

"That can't be!"

>therewere5raccoonsthereandit'sabobcatgoodlordmom.mp4

So I pulled up a google search and showed her:

"Oh."

[grimslyreaper]

It's JoJo OC time >:)

I originally created these two last year if I remember correctly? These are actually heavily redesigned versions of two characters who were formally known as Mocha Napoleone (top) and The Candy Man (bottom). Though as you can see I renamed them too

Mistico was originally a self-insert/sona though I now consider her a completely separate character from myself. However, she still shares a lot of my traits (such as her personality being similar to mine, and having an interest in art and animation)

Old designs

More info under the cut (Part 4 spoilers ahead. Plus it's a relatively long post lol)

Name: Mistico Missoni Namesake: Missoni (Italian fashion brand) Age: 19 Birthday: March 12th Gender: Genderfluid Height: 4'10" Ethnicity: Italian Occupation: Freelance artist, animation student Stand: 「Enter Sandman」

Notorious for her strong sense of justice, Mistico is a person who has a great deal of care about the health and safety of those around her. This even applies to those she doesn’t or barely knows, which is heavily implied by the fact she was so determined to solve Shigekiyo’s disappearance and keep Morioh safe. Besides this she’s relatively quiet and soft-spoken, typically being reclusive and preferring to keep to herself. She has trouble picking up social cues or understanding the difference between what’s sarcasm and what’s serious, though she tries her best to do so. Though regarded as a shady and weird individual by those who don’t know her, she really is a kind person who wants nothing more than to live a quiet and safe life. She also seems to be quite paranoid, this is made especially evident by the fact that she was quick to assume that Josuke and Okuyasu caused Shigekiyo’s disappearance, causing her to keep a constant eye on them whenever they came into her line of sight or general vicinity.

Those who manage to get to know Mistico and even befriend her will soon find out that she’s a much different person than she initially appears to be. When around people she trusts she becomes a surprisingly more talkative person who loves to share her interest in art. She can even come off as vulgar with her language, usually cussing out people in Italian, though her vulgar language typically only gets directed towards people she hates or considers a rival.

Name: 「Enter Sandman」 Namesake: Enter Sandman (Metallica song) Localised Name: Sand Man User: Mistico Missoni Type: Long-range Artificial humanoid Sentient Reconnaissance

Enter Sandman is a completely sentient Stand. Compared to Mistico, they’re much more sensible and mature and display a usually calm disposition. Even so, Enter Sandman can still show fear and worry, typically when their user is placed under high stress levels. Enter Sandman personifies Mistico’s sense of justice and reflects this in their actions, personality and mannerisms.

Enter Sandman is a Long-Range Stand with great scouting potential. Along with this, they are able to increase their power by staying in shadows and darkness. Their abilities centre around and take advantage of the fact they’re more powerful when shrouded in darkness.

Places with little to no shadows pose a problem for them as they’re unable to reach their full potential.

When in contact with shadows, Enter Sandman can phase themself into them and travel along as they see fit. This allows for great secret scouting potential when plenty of shadows are around, though this ability can be limited by a lack of shadows. Another limit to this ability is the fact that only shadows on solid, non-sentient surfaces are accessible.

When shrouded in the darkness of shadows or the night, Enter Sandman gains more physical strength and capabilities. The darker the area, the stronger they become. Pitch-black darkness can make them near invincible, though it comes with the disadvantage of themself and their user being unable to see. Being moved out of shadows or into lights will cause their strength to return to normal, and having intense light shone onto them can weaken them.

[dragxnborn]

𝖒𝖞 𝖋𝖎𝖗𝖘𝖙 𝖌𝖎𝖗𝖑𝖋𝖗𝖎𝖊𝖓𝖉 𝖙𝖚𝖗𝖓𝖊𝖉 𝖎𝖓𝖙𝖔 𝖙𝖍𝖊 𝖒𝖔𝖔𝖓 , aaand cue! hello everyone i am helia and quite late to the party but here i am to introduce to you all crown prince YI SERYEONG ! he is a big wip but i promise he's got cool vibes.

everything i have for him is extremely bare but i do have a small plots page up with a few listed general connections? if you'd like to write or brainstorm a pre-established connection with seryeong please give this a like and i will slowly saunter into your dms!

 : ̗̀➛   twenty-eight years young , a firebender from the royal house of yi. many know them to be calculating . how unfortunate , truly … i’ve always found them to be gallant . they oft fulfill the duties of a prince , though i expect them to be present at the 25th agni kai as a mentor . well , you know how every storyteller bends the tale they tell . 

PRESENT

seryeong is going through some spiritual stuff! he's always been deeply aligned with the beliefs and traditions of the royal family. in fact, so much so that he was completely ready to take place as one of the tributes for this year's tournament. something he had looked forward to for years but there was a shift in his dynamic with his dragon that changed everything during the process of his considerations.

his decision and desire to become a tribute hurriedly wavered and seryeong was faced with a lot of different truths and realities from different perspectives he had never had. in a moment's hesitation, he choose to become a mentor instead to fulfill a part of the wish to partake in the tournament somehow.

seryeong has lived a pampered life. privileged maybe, but nevertheless pressuring and overwhelming as well. things always came naturally to seryeong which has made life easy to navigate but it's also taken away a key thing - his identity.

from his role as the crown prince to who he is as an individual, seryeong seems to be the pillar and image of what everyone would expect a crown prince to be. but in building that pillar, seryeong doesn't quite realize how hard it's been to hear his own voice amongst all the hundreds of voices that speak to and for him.

PERSONALITY

at his mature age, seryeong is having some trouble with identifying his true self right now but he's pretty resilient through and through.

has great energy, and a pretty playful personality in comparison to what most seem to hear about the 'serious' crown prince.

he's pretty friendly all around but don't mistake that for trust or kindness! those are lengths that people really have to travel to be able to genuinely receive from seryeong. even then it's a little hard to tell who seryeong considers a 'true' friend when it comes down to it.

PLOTS & CONNECTIONS ( copied from plots page )

it’s easy being crown prince. on the flipside, it’s not always easy being yi seryeong. especially when it’s been drilled into him from his first waking breath that one day he was meant to lead an empire. remind him that he still belongs to himself every blue moon , won’t you ?   ( a close friend )

during seryeong’s free time, he typically requests being left completely alone. in a quiet fashion, he dawns a new face with a painted scar and walks along the citizens with an unknown identity. it’s mysterious isn’t it? how scarce the scarred man you know is .   ( a friendly acquaintance )

his eyes never quite seem to meet yours. but he’s far from shy. there are more things on his mind than a companion to have by his side. maybe he’s lost to the comfort or blind to the potential. if he hurts you, it’s never truly intentional .   ( a romantic interest , f )

mentees

family and relatives

friends (real, fake, platonic, romantic, etc)

[charthanry]

Liberating the Talented Mr. Gu

This is my first non-Bad Buddy post so feel free to scroll past. For I’m about to wax poetic (at length) on my latest obsession. Will attempt to keep this relatively spoiler free.

I just finished binge-watching My Liberation Notes and my ladies and my misters, this drama made me feel big, ginormous emotions. Feelings so large that they’re threatening to burst out of me if I don’t let them out. 

You know that feeling of consuming media and already missing it even though you’re still in the middle of experiencing it? Like, your heart is subconsciously preparing you for being without it. You want the episodes to both slow down so that you can savor while also wanting to find out what happens next. How seeing the opening credits envelops you like a warm embrace signaling that you’ve arrived home. This was one of those dramas for me. I haven’t felt this way since Bad Buddy ended, over a year ago. And not for nothing, but BBS inspired this entire Tumblr into existence so…. yeah.

This slice-of-life, character-driven, nearly-plotless drama was scripted for introverts like me. It trudges on at a snail’s pace with its audience urging it to hurry along and do something (insert meme of stick person poking at that thing to c’mon and do something interesting already). It puts the slow in slow burn, making all other slow burns feel like you were hit over the head at first impact. It’s sloooooowww. The characters walk slowly, they eat slowly, pour shots of soju slowly. Slow is the name of the game. Why hurry when you have no where else to be? Having said all this, what fueled my obsession was the show’s execution. Because oh boy, did this show execute.

I’ve never watched a drama quite like this one. Where the director lets a scene simply exist and breathe. Where the silence between characters is more revealing than the dialogue itself. The loudest parts in this drama were the quiet moments where the characters aren’t even looking at each other. How brave of the director to let the silence exist rather than fill it just because. The direction here is both evident yet clearly understated.

Bravo also to the incredible cinematography. Dull colors and muted tones set the atmosphere because this drama was an entire MOOD. We have close ups of subway hand hold straps, we see condensation sweating off of glassware, we feel the seasonal changes as the chill of impending winter seeps into the bones of the characters. We hear the gravel underneath plodding feet and the sliding of doors open and shut when a character reaches their destination. Who knew that the sound of two bottles of soju clinking against each other while inside a black plastic bag can be both deafening and most welcoming. How characters come together for a meal and all that can be heard is the scraping of utensils and chewing. The silence is palpable as everyone is just trying to get through a meal while fighting individual battles of brokenness.

This drama is a visual and audio feast.

The scenery is its own, living and breathing entity. We have a countryside village with fields of greens and uneven pathways of dirt that take our characters away and back home again. Rinse and repeat. We have strong gusts of wind rustling through the trees and ruffling the sheets and garments hanging dry on makeshift clotheslines. The sounds of cloyingly humid nights where you can just hear how muggy and hot it is—all of this juxtaposed by the noise and brightness of Seoul, the supposed defining mecca for success in life. 

The countless unpacking of delicious metaphors left to viewer interpretation. Underlining that the best stories are still ones that are shown and not told. How a pack of wild, roaming dogs are metaphors for freedom and imprisonment. How the subway serves as the division between the land of the living and those merely surviving. How the buzzing of an incoming text is a long held lifeline.

But more than any of this? This drama gave us the talented Mr. Gu portrayed by the incomparable Son Soek Koo.

I first discovered SSK years ago in the Korean adaptation of Suits where he played David Kim, an extremely intelligent rival lawyer and antagonist for the main lead. Think Moriarty to Sherlock but in the legal field. His guest role arc was only three episodes long but he was so magnetic and spoke perfect, impeccable English (kinda rare in kdrama-land, at least enough so that it's noticeable when it's spoken well). Fluent English that was delivered with such swagger that I quickly became a fan. It didn't hurt that the man knew how to don a fitted suit.

I next watched him in Designated Survivor: 60 Days where he played Cha Young Jin, senior advisor to the designated acting president, a meatier role that saw him on the good side of the fight. And in watching him passionately urge and support President Park's will to run the country, I learned how versatile SSK could be. Magnetic enough to take over the screen while also willingly staying in the background for others to shine.

And then along came Mr. Gu.

Mr. Gu, the neighborhood alcoholic who is shrouded in mystery. A man of very few words, but with an expressive face that conveys tomes of meaning you can’t wait to decipher. He portrays a lonely soul with hints of a dark and dangerous past. He never apologizes for who he is and even tells people: I’m a bad guy, you won’t like me when you find out what kind of person I am. Only to be met with: I don’t care. I accept you entirely.

He’s not a pretty boy by Korean standards, but there’s no denying the charisma and swagger that SSK (and Mr. Gu by portrayal) reeks. Honestly, everything about SSK is pretty average. Average height, average build, average looks—let’s be real. BUT the way he carries himself in this role… he dials the sexiness to a boiling point. Looks are fleeting…but presence? Presence can’t be denied. Both scruffy and clean shaven, Mr. Gu oozes presence. 

How does he make dirt and sweat look so damn delectable? How does he look so sexy in a sweat-soaked, oversized shirt that desperately needs laundering and an immediate introduction to an ironing board, while also filling out a cable knit sweater and an overcoat like nobody’s business? How does one look so desirable dressed like a homeless man (actual words a character on the show used to describe Mr. Gu). And damn, can this man lean on things—against a subway railing, beside a car, against a building, walking up a dark, hilly path. Body language that is an entire character, one that tells its own story. The lean while delivering his rare, lopsided smile is a true sight to behold. It’s beautiful.

And why did I watch this show hoping for glimpses of Mr. Gu in Pat’s sleeveless tees and jean short cut offs? Because arms. And calves. And a face so delicious that I yearn to slap the confident smirk right off of it. I could make a home for myself inside his cheek dimple. Dimples that rival only Nanon’s. Excuse me as I find a tissue to wipe my drool.

Make no mistake about it—when Mr. Gu is on the screen it’s impossible for me to look anywhere else. He is that mesmerizing. I grew so attached to his character that when Mr. Gu’s past indeed catches up to him, I fervently watched with bated breath hoping he comes out of the other side unscathed.

This show is not perfect. No show ever is. But for me, it does come close. I give it a resounding 9.5/10. The same rating I gave BBS, coincidentally.

I know I talked at length about SSK and his Mr. Gu, but this show features an ensemble cast of massively talented folks who all excel at micro-expressions. It’s Kim Ji Won’s most mature and impressive role to date. It’s Lee Min Ki in his least Lee Min-Ki-est role. It’s Lee El churning out a sympathetic and realistic character who yearns for love while realizing she's her own obstacle at obtaining it. It’s about the entire Yeom family existing alongside each other without ever truly talking or listening to one another. And still yet, it's in seeing each other for who we are and less of who we want the other to be. It's the idea of escaping and running from a past that we can never truly leave behind.

As much as I’ve touted the show, I understand that it’s not for everyone. The slow pacing can be off putting. There are parts that can be a slog to get through (it never was for me for what that’s worth). Some may even drop it for lack of moving plot, but man…. the journey is so wholly satisfying simply because it’s entirely relatable. These people are my people, my fellow introverts who are trudging through life one day at a time, piecing together small moments of happiness to offset their loneliness. It’s in the measurement of self-worth and finding your place in society. It’s discovering and accepting that you’re lovable.

It all speaks to me so much that after the end credits rolled, I immediately clicked replay on episode one. I never do that. Not even for Bad Buddy did I do that with such immediacy and need.

In an interview, SSK referred to playing Mr. Gu as possibly his role of a lifetime. He urged viewers to pay attention when watching, for it might just change their life. It certainly did mine. I'm jealous of any of you who are still reading that have yet to experience this extraordinary drama. If you decide to give My Liberation Notes a go, consider yourself warned, you might just catch some very big feelings along the way.

[freesia-writes]

Howzer + Aurelia Ch. 7

Howzer stole our hearts when he appeared in TBB, and I wanted to write a bit of a backstory for him. It begins with his newbie days during TCW and stretches to where we last see him in TBB. Enjoy his character arc and some heartwarming romance, action, adventure, yearning, angst, and growth.

Master List of Chapters

Content/Trigger Warnings for Entire Work (individual chapters not labeled): wartime peril, injury, and death; pregnancy, birthing trauma, and infant loss; sexual assault up to kissing; relationship passion up to making out and heavy petting; sexual relationship alluded to but not described (no smut, sorry) ;)

Word Count: 1.5k

7. Tricky Navigation

Another shift spent mostly outside the Senate chambers left Howzer restless. Hex had been particularly quiet, offering one-word answers to any attempt at conversation, and Howzer had settled instead to pass the time by counting the elaborate golden circles on the arch around the doorframe. They had been standing there silently for nearly ten minutes when Hex suddenly spoke up.

"So this is my last shift here," he said, as if they had been in the middle of a conversation.

"What? Why?" Howzer said, forgetting all 147 of the circles he had just counted.

"Joining the 138th as a resupply. Sounds like we're going to Anaxes."

"I've heard it's wild out there," Howzer said, the sadness and jealousy barely concealed. "Well... good luck."

"Hmm," Hex said as thanks, and they spent the rest of the Senate session in silence. Even the golden circles weren't worth the focus anymore; Howzer wondered if he would ever get his chance to do what he was actually made for. He imagined the adventures Sprint would be having, on a planet as notable as Ryloth, and he sighed out loud as he compared his dreams to his present station.

The Senate door slid open and Orn Free Taa trudged out, along with a couple other representatives. They were laughing about something, and Howzer felt a sudden desire to swat the many jiggling chins he was met with. But alas, there was a shift to finish.

***

"Ahh, cheer up, trooper. You'll get your chance," said Pivot, slapping Howzer on the back at the bar counter of 79s. He had made the mistake of asking what was bothering the messy-haired "shiny" and had received quite the earful about the ridiculousness of others being promoted before him, all that the war effort was missing, and the unbearable injustice of it all.

The females at the establishment had been left relatively alone as well, so Aurelia could tell something was quite "off" tonight. She ran a wet rag across the counter for the 92nd time, ending in front of Howzer and tilting her head at him from behind the bar. She wasn't very good at emotional support, and struggled to think of something to say that might encourage him. Coming up with nothing, she instead pulled out a bottle of fizz from the fridge, popped the cap off, and put it on the counter in front of him, giving his hand a gentle pat.

He looked up at her with eyes that seemed larger than usual and a face that was uncharacteristically serious. The corner of his mouth curved into a small smile, and he gave a nod of thanks. She smiled back, wanting to find more to say, but she was already getting hollered at from the other end of the bar. Never a shortage of thirsty patrons.

As she shook the two drinks up and poured them over the large chunks of ice, Aurelia had an idea that might bring the sparkle back to his eyes. She pushed the glasses across the counter and dropped the credits into the register, then headed back his way. As she approached, a woman slid onto the stool next to him in the smoothest motion possible. Her skin was luxuriously dark, and her slender figure was accentuated by a form-fitted green dress. Her long black hair was tied into a high ponytail, and stunningly sharp purple tattoo lines across her eyes and cheeks gave away her Kiffar lineage.

"Seems like you could use some company," she crooned, placing a delicate hand on Howzer's forearm. An immediate wrenching sensation in Aurelia's chest stopped her in her tracks. She was surprised by the protectiveness she suddenly felt. And was that... jealousy? The woman was undeniably beautiful; her brown eyes and full lips would be the pièce de résistance of an already-gorgeous specimen. Howzer's head whipped up at the attention, and his eyes immediately roved from her head to her toes. Aurelia could tell that he liked what he saw and felt as though an anvil had been dropped into her stomach.

"Hey! Can I get some service over here?" came the call from behind her, and Aurelia turned quickly to avoid seeing any more of the delight on Howzer's face. She attended to the demanding customers, fighting the urge to watch every interaction as he chatted with the Kiffar. A sudden movement caught her eye -- the toss of a head, the swish of luscious black hair -- as the woman laughed jovially at his words, giving him a playful push on the chest and letting her hand linger a few extra moments.

Howzer looked as if he couldn't believe his luck. His swagger was back in full force, and he was laying on the charm. Every stolen glimpse Aurelia allowed herself to take seemed to be a moment of wildly successful flirtation, and when the two of them rose to her feet, she couldn't help but stare. The woman led him out to the dance floor, where she turned and reached her arms out to him, which he gladly took. Leading him in some kind of borderline sensual dance, they weaved between others and each other to the obnoxious thumping rhythm.

Washing out a few more glasses, Aurelia watched him plainly, as he laughed and moved to the music. She felt a sickening sense of envy, as well as a surprising interest in his movement. Most of the clones had an adorably restrained sort of dance, except for the occasional boisterous bunch (and don't even get started on the 501st; they're a league of their own). But Howzer revealed a strength and agility, as well as a surprising amount of grace, that she somehow hadn't expected from someone who was always strutting around as he did.

The music quieted a bit, fading from one track to the next, and the Kiffar woman leaned in to say something in Howzer's ear, pulling away and smiling at him. He looked down at her in a clear pause of hesitation, now standing still, and gave her a grin. He ran his fingers through his hair, leaving his hand on the back of his neck as though deep in conflicted thought, then he leaned forward and said something back to her. Aurelia strained to make out the words on his lips, but she'd never been very good at it. He finished with a small shrug, dipped his head toward her, then turned to head back to the bar counter. The woman sidled over to a table where a few of her friends had apparently remained, sitting with them in a slightly less-than-graceful way.

Scrambling to look busy, Aurelia grabbed a handful of bottles and pretended to be tightening the pouring spouts on all of them, forcing her eyes down to them as if she were completely clueless of anything else going on around her. She felt his presence as he plopped onto an empty seat in front of her, and she looked up, trying to arrange her features in the most innocently curious and unsuspecting way possible.

"Feeling better?" she asked, unable to resist a small smile at the considerably more jovial expression he was now wearing.

"Eh. For now," he answered, lifting his shoulders in another shrug. "How's your shift going?"

Aurelia was bursting at the seams with curiosity, and she never had been one to keep her thoughts to herself. Completely ignoring his question, she had to ask, "What are you doing here talking to me?"

"Ahh, you noticed," Howzer accused, smiling broadly now.

She was caught and she knew it. A flush crept up her cheeks, and Aurelia silently thanked the Maker for the customer that suddenly appeared to place an order. Turning quickly away, she scampered to make the drink, taking as long as she could without being obvious. But there were only so many things to do, and when she passed it into the eager visitor's hands, she was forced to return, equipped with the best attempt at a diversion she could come up with.

"I just didn't want you to be too busy to find out that I've got a place to show you that will top even your fancy little rooftop," she said, feeling a bit more confident behind her witty facade.

"Oh really now?" Howzer answered, tilting his head and lifting his chin. Why was every little movement so disproportionately appealing to her? "You talk a big game, but we'll see if you can deliver. Let's go!"

"I'm kind of in the middle of a shift," Aurelia laughed, still unable to believe that he was sitting in front of her instead of being tangled in the arms of the gorgeous Kiffar woman. She felt a tingly excitement, mind racing with a million possibilities. The next couple of hours could not go by quickly enough.

Feel free to tag a friend who loves Howzer, or comment to be added to the tag list! <3 (ALSO -- always feel free to message to be removed from the tag list! LOL) xoxo

@mary-on-the-contrary @doublesunsets @523rdrebel

[t-h-i-n-g]

Hey, can you make headcanons about fem reader dating with Michelle Jones?

(gif not mine credits to owner)

a/n: hi! theres not enough mj love on this app so tysm for requesting! i hope you like it.

word count: 643

summary: fem!reader x mj general headcannons

warnings: none, but if there is any let me know!!

marvel - masterlist m.masterlist

--------------

She didn’t really even recognize that the feelings she has for you were like… feelings.

But once when she was ranting nervously to you, the smile on your face froze her right in her place. MJ dipped so fast once she realized why she was being so anxious around you.

You had to approach her first to see what had happened and she tried to not let it slip out but it did. Once she got going, especially around you, she couldn’t seem to stop talking. You always knew how to calm her down. And you really did this time.

Telling her that you have had a thing for her for a while you just didn’t know for sure if she liked girls. MJ looked down at her outfit giving you a quirked brow which caused you to express that the fear of rejection was real. (fr fr)

The relationship started off slow. Only sitting next to each other and you driving her home after school when she needed it.

But then it started to pick once you got past the holding hand stage.

Your first official date was a movie night at your house. Snacks laid out on the table and a single blanket to share on the couch. It was simple, which MJ was fine with. For the fact that she was silently freaking out when you fell asleep on her shoulder.

She’s not a big fan of PDA. She thinks its gross when people decide to make out in the hallways and personally wouldn't want to stick her tongue down someone’s throat in front of other individuals. 

So she’ll stick with the pinky link. Maybe even a full hand hold down the hallway if you’re lucky.

The first kiss you guys shared was awkward to say the least. It was when the two of you were going on a date in the local library. You went to lean in as she went to look down. Foreheads = collide. Soft laughter bounced off of you both as to keep it down. Once everything was settled down you gazed into each other's eyes. Slowly closing the gap once more but this time with a more pleasant outcome.

Peter and Ned are your guys’ number one supporters. Always giggling to each other at the simplest actions between you. 

For instance when you gave your jacket to MJ when walking with the group along a street in the fall. Ned elbowed Peter motioning him to look as she slipped it over her head before resuming her hand holding yours. They gave each other a knowing looks and tried to suppress their smiles.

Quiet nights with MJ were the best. Either watching something on TV or maybe both of you being sprawled across a couch. The two of you both resting on an arm while your legs were tangled together. A blanket covering them. Only speaking when something happened in either situation. 

It may take a while for MJ to open up officially. You’ll have to earn her trust enough for her to express if she’s battling with something internally.

Even after she gets more comfortable you would still have to sit her down and ask if somethings wrong most of the time.

For example, MJ isn’t the most jealous person in the world but she can be insecure with herself if someone who is relatively attractive is making you laugh and veering your attention to them and not her. 

She can close herself off, only responding with short answers. However when you do bring it up it’ll all come out in a jumble. Like water breaking a dam. She just can’t control herself around you.

At the end of the day she knows you only have feelings for her and her you, but she just needs a little confirmation sometimes.

Giving her a kiss and some gentle words is a simple solution to it.

-------------

likes and reblogs are appreciated :)

[acourtofthought]

Hiiiiii I asked the question earlier about the Azriel centric book, mentioning my more casual reader friends and their lack of feeling or interest in E/riel, etc etc. Thank you for the response 🥰

In HOFAS, so many things happened and I’m still trying to let it all sink in so I don’t remember it exactly but when Nesta Bryce and Az were talking about Bryce’s (and the Asteri’s) light, they debated if it was starlight or light or maybe even DAYlight. My Elucien ears perked up! Were the bonus chapters and HOFAS not as Az heavy as it was relative to the other characters and SJM bringing him up more than Elain in interviews lately, I would be 💯 convinced that Elucien is next. But I still have my hesitations, I guess we’ll find out! I so badly want it to be Eluciens!!

I feel like whichever couple is featured in the sixth (last?) book, they will not get as much page time or attention where we can really dig deep because SJM will be tying up a lot of things. So if I had to choose, I’d rather get Elucien in ACOTAR5 and not the sixth book so they get proper page time and exploration and explanation. I adore Gwynriel! But idk man, we’ve been with Elain and Lucien for way longer and that mating bond was revealed to us way earlier. Ultimately, in my ideal world, SJM will write a full book for both ships and write a 7th book to wrap it all up with all of our MCs POVs (including Feyre and Rhys!) and that would make for a wonderful full circle book! But the chances of that happening are way way slimmer. It sounds like after ACOTAR5, she’s gonna turn her attention elsewhere so who knows when we’ll get ACOTAR6 or even the possibility of ACOTAR7!

Again, thanks for answering, you’re awesome xx

Thank you for the follow-up, it's always fun to get a response to the first anon!!

I am pretty curious if Helion / Lucien will end up being tied to descendants of the first Starborn with the light they have and if so, will that play any important role to the plot as it did for Bryce's story as Theia's heir.

I think it's understandable to be going back and forth on the next book.

You're right, Az has gotten a lot of attention in the last two releases (SF and HOFAS) and if SJM is marketing the next book the way she did Nessian's than it would be valid to assume he's next.

But if she's marketing the next book the same way she did ACOMAF, where she was super quiet on Rhys's future role and what he would become to Feyre or the ending of CC2, where she kept it a secret from everyone than that could indicate "less is more" and Elucien is next.

There's precedence for both scenarios which is why I think the arguments on both sides are valid.

But with her saying that she's focusing on the next ACOTAR book then looking forward to a different project after that it makes me wonder if we are going to see some sort of major resolution to the Koschei / Beron / Spring / Vassa plots.

She wanted to move directly into CC3 after writing CC2 so if the next ACOTAR book sets up for the "final" spin-off, where the big bad is finally defeated, then wouldn't it make sense for her to continue on with the ACOTAR series rather than something else?

That is also something that makes me lean towards Elucien being next. Along the lines of what you said, if the next book deals with the Illyrians / Valkyrie / Time Travel (really big storylines) and that's then going to connect to Koschei / Beron / Spring / Vassa /the treaty, it seems like a lot for the final book.

But if she were to break those down into individual plots / series, it's less ground to cover.

If Elucien was next and they only dealt with Koschei / Beron / Spring / Vassa / and the treaty and their book did not need to bring in Time Travel / the Illyrians and the Valkyrie (because why would the Valkyrie / Illyrians be connected to Koschei in the next book then suddenly be meaningless in the final one?) that wraps up the arcs that were introduced in ACOWAR.

Then, SJM goes on to work on her new mystery project, then CC4 or hops back to the ACOTAR world. But at that point she calls it a new series that deals with the Valkyrie / Time Travel / the Illyrians and that will connect to the future crossover stories. And maybe that new series will not consist of only traditional romance standalone dual POVs. Maybe it will shift POVs between ACOTAR characters and even characters from other series but because it would then be labeled a "new series" it could standalone from Feyre's trilogy and the two books following her sisters.

There's a lot of different and valid ways to look at what SJM has planned and honestly, any single one could be right because we just don't know. She seems to be spinning a bunch of plates at the same time and we're all just trying to get inside her brain and think like her but she's managed to surprise us all time and again!

Thank you again for your new anon, I hope you have a wonderful weekend! I'm about to go try an aerial class, here's to hoping I'm still in one piece at the end of it, haha.

[horce-divorce]

thinking about how, even as a young kid who had never had a job, I started to question what the point of working so hard for so little is. when I got old enough to join the workforce, I had about four or five good, abled years left in me, relatively speaking. over the next 7 years I would have more than 15 different jobs, sometimes 3 at once, trying to find the magic combination that would pay my bills without bleeding me dry. I never found it. Instead I gradually lost my jobs along with my ability to work, I quickly became homeless, and have been struggling to "get back on my feet," whatever that means, for the ensuing 10 years and counting. I have not once had stability in my adult life. I expect to be homeless indefinitely.

nobody looks at any of the stuff I actually DO, though. no, because I'm disabled and I had to quit my jobs, all they see is what I DON'T do. and it's so weird, like. people moralize poverty and disability, right? they ABSOLUTELY look down on me for those things. And once they realize I'm not working because of that, they get jealous. They get insanely, transparently JEALOUS of the fact that I'm deathly ill, simply because I'm not working. clearly that means I have so much extra free time to be a person. (I hate that it bears repeating, but I DONT! being sick is a full time, 24/7/365 job that I DONT get breaks from, EVER.)

They'll say it like, "oh but you don't HAVE to work." False. I DO *HAVE* to work, just like you! I merely CAN'T. I dont get paid for the work i do end up doing; i cannot be additionally employed. "But i have to work to live? We all do? Isnt that hard?" YES!!!! You get a gold star for finally fucking noticing!!!!! WOW!!!!

But even then it doesnt stop the jealousy!!!! idk that dissonance is something that never stops fucking me up. Shame on your disabled ass, you have nothing to be proud of, you should be spending every last drop of energy fighting not to be disabled anymore, fighting to get back into the workforce primarily before anything else, and fighting not to need help EVER AGAIN. and if you die trying, fine! that's just life! You are lazy and entitled! Everyone only hates you because they wish they could be you :)))) Lmfao!!!!

It's wild how much a society that places this much importance on "individualism" will turn around and condemn me for supposedly "not contributing to society" (by letting my labor be exploited lmao). I thought that was called "giving handouts" and that we only do Me, Myself and I here in America? Why is it suddenly only all Team Spirit once your employer busts out the wiggly eyes and says "but we're a FAMILY"? Where's that spirit from your employer when YOU need someone to pick up your shifts? Let me guess, it's typically, "you're gonna have to find coverage for that yourself," isn't it? Yeah. And you hate ME for not "having" to deal with that anymore, instead of your boss for doing that to you.

It's pretty transparent how much abled people don't like being treated disposably either. They fucking hate this life lmfao. But because they have more utility left in thier bodies, they can go on pretending that they're actually "contributing" somehow, instead of instead of being milked dry for future discarding just like any other resource.

Instead, they'll get to spend thier whole lives believing they did something- until they're retired, and suddenly realize that having given their whole entire lives and selves still wasn't enough. It was never enough to keep them afloat, never enough to make them rich how they dreamed, Not even enough for just a few years of peace and quiet before they die.

I guess yeah, on the bright side, I do get to miss out on that whole song and dance. Because I already learned that harsh lesson at age 20, that NOTHING I ever do will actually be enough. And in the meantime there's, u know, just, all the debilitating chronic pain, the lack of dignity, the homelessness, having to beg to buy fucking toothpaste, EVERY. SINGLE. interaction you have with a housed person being moralized and scrutinized endlessly, the constant, never ending tug of war with social services, and MORE... did I mention the CONSTANT, CHRONIC, DEBILITATING PAIN?

You don't really wish you were me, lmfao. You just wish your work meant something. You wish you HAD a work-life balance instead of just work and no life. You wish it was dignified. You wish you chose to work instead of being forced to, under threat of becoming Like Me. You wish it so bad that you're jealous of someone who's fucking disabled for life and homeless most of the time. And for what? Because it precludes me from doing what you're doing anymore. Because now I can sit outside of that sphere and make this type of commentary about my experiences in the workforce, and you don't have the energy, the time of day, or freedom to speak out against your employer in the way i can now speak. So you take it out on me instead.

Think about that. Is that normal? Is that what you want from a job? Is that dignified? Is that how you want to treat yourself and other people? Is this the status quo you're fine with upholding for the rest of your life? Is this what you want for your kids? Is it worth it? Is it doing it for ya, bud? Is it paying the bills and everything? NO??? Damn. Ouch! Maybe think about that before you make some stupid comment directed at disabled people next time 👍

Anyway, when you're nearing the end of your utility, it's really easy to see the way all employers, even the "good ones," juice you dry and then discard you for a replacement, among other bigger structures that demand this. It's also easy to see when you're NOT disabled, it's just really uncomfortable and requires admitting some hard truths about all those "nice things" your boss supposedly does for you. If your job was really that great, you wouldn't be seething with jealousy at a disabled guy and wishing you were dying instead. That's not very hashtag sigma grindset likeaboss of you :/

[infj-zen]

Hi, I have just waltzed in your profile and I can see you are an INFJ, but I saw your post about potential indicators and I wondered... Could you make one like that for INTJ and ENTJ? I do apologise if you have denied a request such as this, and you have already posted about not accepting commissions.

If you do accept though, it would be very interesting paraller as ENTJs are Introverted Extroverts and INTJ are Extroverted Introverts. It would intriguing to be able to pinpoint them in a room.

Hello! Thank you for your question.

I don't think I posted about not accepting commissions? I think I said something more along the lines of not feeling comfortable giving people life advice, especially if I don't know them well or don't have expertise in the matter. This is more just a fun, personal blog.

Also, I think that people often have very different ideas on MBTI types. So, your idea of what an ENTJ is might not be the same as mine. For instance, many people who I have seen get xNTJ on the MBTI tests are what I would consider ESTPs or ESTJs.

Yes, I could do a comparison of ENTJ and INTJ. It would be more as an outside observer as I am not in that headspace.

Also, trends for these types are more like indicators rather than facts and could apply to an individual of that type or not. Many of the trends are re-occurring observations from people on mbti-sorted and people I know in real life.

Potential indicators of introversion and extroversion in NTJs

INTJs

Moderately stimulated when alone in a room

Enjoys being around close friends and needs quality engagement with them for moderate stimulation and well-being

Enjoys reading, watching well-written tv series, listening to music, walking, hiking to relax

Unbelievably neat, ordered rooms, shelves, binders, closets, sock drawers devoid of clutter

Encyclopedic working memory for facts and in-depth analysis; clear, steady, (relatively) slower thinker/speaker who requires more preparation for public speaking

Usually has a more quiet tone of voice and laugh

All types of scientists and scientific researchers, engineers, medical professionals, mathematicians, economists, policy makers/analysts, lawyers, essayists, literary fiction writers, musicians are popular careers

Dress is often classic-gamine; often pants/shirt/suit that blends in with the environment and doesn't stick out; occasionally a bold-out-there choice for an event

ENTJs

Low brain activity when alone in a room

Needs to engage with smart/quick-minded/entertaining people who can keep up with them and enjoys participating in or running structured social activities for moderate stimulation and well-being

Has trouble sitting still and doing nothing: organizes closets to relax, engages in continuous learning whether through academia or self-taught (ie: plays around with stocks online, teaches self about computers, exercises using brain games, physical activities like walking, biking, or group sports)

Love of the broadway musical

Sometimes has a loud, scary, belly laugh

Innate ability to do the death stare

Encyclopedic working memory for facts and in-depth analysis combined with an excellent facility for and clarity in public speaking

All types of scientists, engineers, medical professionals, mathematicians, economists, politicians, military professionals, business managers, researchers, directors, administrators, teachers, architects, professors, lawyers, essayists, literary and young adult fiction writers, film directors, musicians are popular careers

Dress ranges: power suit; classic white shirt and casual tailored beige pants; dad/mom jeans; bold wtf fashion choices (their concept of high fashion for daily wear or events?)