#and the way he draws al is so so so so so gender. love the way they do animal shapes and shapes in general SO much

[girlboyburger]

some sketches! cows n guys from my comic

layout/colors of these are v inspired by @/skunkes beautiful sketch pages :]

[blues824]

can you do the dormleaders reacting to a makima!reader from chainsaw man?

I admit it… I simp for Makima. I said it. Gender-neutral reader. Angst.

Riddle Rosehearts

This man thought you were totally normal at first. You were kind, gentle, friendly, and very professional. Basically his dream partner in the flesh. Well, he came to find out that the only reason why you were so close to him was so that you could try and capture him during his overblot to serve as your ‘pet’.

During his overblot, you brought out some of your best devils. It was there that he got a glimpse of how cold and cruel you were. You never cared about him, and that’s what hurt the most. You eventually managed to stop the overblot, but you didn’t care since that was one of the two goals you had in mind.

He feels manipulated, as he should. Sure, you still did care about him, but that wasn’t your main priority. Now he understands why his mother never wanted him to hang around anybody. It was to avoid him from getting hurt.

Leona Kingscholar 

He thought you were stuck-up until you showed him how kind you are. Even Ruggie didn’t suspect anything, so why would he have a reason to? Well, he should have because he found out that you were just trying to get him to overblot to see if you could manipulate him into being your ‘pet.

Leona was angry. He was angry at you, everyone else, but most importantly he was angry at himself for not seeing the cold and distant look in your eyes. Of course you wouldn’t be romantically interested in the prince. However, you seemed proud of yourself when your plans went haywire and you instead defeated the overblotting victim rather than captured him.

You betrayed him, and there was no other way to put it. Maybe you did love him; but it didn’t matter considering you put the blot above the beastman himself. The only thing to move past is the fact that you still held his heart in your hands.

Azul Ashengrotto

Mans probably thought it was love at first sight, but no. You were just so kind and ‘genuine’ (not really), there was no way he couldn’t fall hopelessly in love. But, all good things must come to and end in one way or another. He just didn’t know it would be so cruel.

When he overblotted, you were quick to reveal your cold and cunning nature. You had one plan in mind, but two goals in case your plan went south. You wanted to keep the overblot version of Azul as a plaything, but you accidentally defeated him instead. Oh, well.

He wasn’t angry. He was sad. Was this how others felt when he turned around and stabbed them in the back? No, none of them harbored the love that the cecaelia felt for you, and even when you tore his heart out and stomped on it… it still beat for you.

Kalim Al-Asim

His heart soared when he saw you acting so kind. You were the main character in a Disney movie, and he was the love interest in this little story. Your hands were gentle as you cupped his face, a deception that you’ve prepared for a long time.

However, when his Vice Housewarden overblotted, Kalim felt betrayed by both his best friend and now you. Your cold and manipulative side came out to play, and the Housewarden of Scarabia felt as though he was gazing upon a completely different person.

The thing is, his heart was still soaring even with its broken wings. Whenever he was near you, he still got butterflies in his stomach. His mind and Jamil tell him to stray away but his heart tells him to forgive you. And who is he to deny the thing that draws him closer to you?

Vil Schoenheit

He knew there was something more behind that kind facade. He knew he should have listened to his mind when he saw you. But you gave him the right amount of attention at the wrong time. You called him beautiful when he needed to hear it, and this clouded his judgment.

When he overblotted and saw how you really were, he could feel more ink falling from his tear ducts. He was already on an emotional rampage, but to see that you stabbed him in the back set him over the edge. How could you?

Oh, he was understandably angry. He wanted to blame you just as he wanted to blame Neige, but it was just as much his own fault as it was either of yours. He does stay away from you, and tries to avoid you. 

Idia Shroud

One of the only ones who had an inkling that you might not be who you seem you are, considering he saw an anime with a character that was very similar to you. Unfortunately, his initial suspicion was wiped away when you acted so kindly towards him.

He shouldn’t have been surprised to find out that you were just trying to capture him while he overblots for your own benefit. He was ashamed for himself for thinking that he could have this little shred of hope, but you just plunged him into despair.

You seemed pretty happy when you defeated his overblot, but he knew that it wasn’t your original plan. Honestly, he couldn’t blame you. If he were in your shoes, he would probably try and do the same thing, considering overblots were a very powerful thing.

Malleus Draconia

His retainers told him to be careful, but he wasn’t. You showed him kindness and friendship and even love, and he was attached almost immediately. He was smart, but you were always 10 steps ahead and he didn’t suspect anything.

However, it was when he witnessed you in battle that he noticed how cold you actually were. You never cared about the people you were helping; you cared about the power that harnessing and overblot victim would bring you.

Malleus realized that he might need to be careful about accumulating blot. If you got control of him if he overblotted, you would have an almost insurmountable amount of power. He is one of the top 5 most powerful mages, after all.

[ravenlking]

𝐓𝐘𝐏𝐄𝐒 𝐎𝐅 𝐊𝐈𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐒

𝐊𝐀𝐋𝐈𝐌 𝐀𝐋-𝐀𝐒𝐈𝐌 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐉𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐋 𝐕𝐈𝐏𝐄𝐑 beloved lovers they are, how would their lips kiss you?

gender-neutral warnings: none genre: fluff a/n: please give me feedback :)

Let me know if you'd like more!

Spiderman Kiss

Kalim often watches movies, with his status as the heir to the Al-Asim family, it was easy to purchase one of his likings and watch it the moment it comes out. Spiderman draws his attention, making because of how the superhero swings with his webs and flies around the neighborhood, something like how he does on his magic carpet.

He immediately raced to Ramshackle on his magic carpet, cheerfully calling your name. He watches as you make your way outside, a mischievous glint in his shining eyes before flipping him and the carpet upside down, trusting it to hold him.

A surprised squeal left your face as Kalim gently cupped your face before bringing it to his face, lips touching each other, the sensation like fireworks.

"That's so dangerous-"

"Hahaha! Let's do that again!"

Nose Kisses

Cuddles are a must in your relationship, so it came to no one's surprise when they saw their dorm leader and his significant other curled up in the Scarabia lounge. It practically happened on a daily basis (which makes Jamil's job slightly easier whenever he needs to find his irresponsible dorm leader). Kalim inhaled your scent, rubbing his nose on yours before pulling back. Watching your eyes widen with surprise made him laugh.

"Aww, you look adorable, my treasure!"

Cheek Kisses

No matter when or where, the moment Kalim's eyes catch sight of you, he'll immediately drop whatever he is holding and dash toward you. It doesn't matter if you're in the middle of a serious conversation with Riddle or running away from the Leech teens. He will briefly shout an apology to an exasperated Jamil but continues on his mission. A grin is set permanently on the cheerful boy's face as he bears hugs you, peppering cheek kisses all over your face.

He'll hop off the moment he senses you're about to fall before holding your cheeks and peppering them with kisses. Bonus if he's wearing lipstick because this boy is determined to cover your perfect face in his lipstick, showing off to everyone how gigantic his love is for you.

"Sorry not sorry!" Kalim grins before kissing you again on the forehead this time.

Neck Kisses

Sometimes, it astounds Jamil with how carefree you are, how unafraid of the potential of someone sneaking up behind you with malicious intent. Like today, only it isn't someone with malicious intent (or did he?)

Jamil smirked as he came closer to your still figure reading a book, a gentle smile on your face and the repetitive flips of the book made the atmosphere warm and comfortable. He held in his breaths as he crept closer before launching a kiss on your neck. You reacted instinctively, squealing and whirling around to meet your smirking attacker - none other than your darling boyfriend, Jamil Viper.

"Sorry, my jewel." Jamil didn't look that apologetic. "You were just so adorable, I couldn't resist."

Forehead Kisses

A sign of gratefulness and a quiet "thank you" from the tired boy, who wanted nothing more to crash on his bed and sleep for the next thousand years. However, fate wasn't on his side because he was dealing with Kalim's messes the entire day. From the time he woke up (Kalim cooked and blew up the kitchen) until not even five minutes ago (Kalim messed up the orderly layout of the treasury room), Jamil was constantly exhausted beyond belief.

It feels as if the weight of the world had been lifted when he finds you cleaning and cooking dinner for you two, setting up a nice dinner date in the balcony window. Jamil gives a heavy, loud sigh of relief before standing next to you, admiring your work. The chicken looks perfectly cooked and the vegetables glistened under the evening light. Jamil wants you to know that he loves you for doing this, popping a light kiss on your forehead before sitting down and eating his food.

"Thank you so much."

French Kisses

Sometimes, all Jamil wants to do is kiss you until you're red and breathless. He just wants to taste your intoxicating you, learn every part of the cavern that is your pretty little mouth that makes such addicting noises. Jamil tugs you closer, every inch of your bodies pressed against each other like you were a puzzle piece clicking together just right. As he kisses you, he inhales the scent that is so delectable and so uniquely you. Jamil Viper just loves you and wants to show it in the best way possible. And if you so happen to end on his bed, well...he'll simply smirk and continue.

"Shall we take this somewhere more...private?"

[elsdaydreams]

Selfish (requested by anonymous)

Malik x Gender-Neutral!Reader

Warnings - none.

Word Count - 592 words.

Description - The days in which you and Malik slept in were few and far between. So perhaps it's not selfish for you to revel in the rare moments. | “Playing with their hair while their head’s in your lap.” For Malik Al-Sayf if you have the time, thank you!

Authors Note - In a completely shocking not at all expected turn of events, I went m.i.a. on this page. My love for these characters, however, never left. I am active occasionally, just have had major, major, things going on in my personal life. It's such a safe space for me to take time off from writing, but to come back is so relieving. I love writing, and this page will always be the place I come back to. If you're still here, still looking to see if I've written something new, still liking my old works, know that I appreciate you infinitely. I'm never far off, so if you ever feel like leaving me an ask, you can always do that (even if I don't respond, I do see them!) I hope you enjoy this little drabble that I absolutely did not proofread at all. Ella

Your body woke up before your mind did. Shifting underneath a familiar weight, you felt groans of protest from the man laying on top of you. Your hands flung up to what you assumed was his head, his short fluffy hair meeting your fingertips affirmed to you that it was. Sleepily, and with your eyes closed you stroked aimlessly.

Behind your eyelids the sun gleamed onto the two of you. It was unusual for the two of you to be in bed so late, but the lack of urgency to be up and doing something was relaxing. Even now that your mind had begun the process of waking up, aware that it was daytime and there was likely things you could be doing, ultimately it was easier to bask in the sun with the love of your life curled up next to you.

You were positive that the pair of you hadn't gone to sleep this way, with him practically on top of you. The nights brought a chill that the day did not have, and as natural as it was during the day for you to find each other, your bodies seemed to unconsciously do the same during sleep. Maybe it was the fact that you were already starting to feel the uncomfortable heat from the sun that caused you to stir. It didn't help that Malik was practically a human furnace, his body temperature always unusually warm.

Against your chest, you heard him begin to stir, your eyes not open still to preserve the laziness you felt in your bones, but the groggy mumblings seemed to draw you in. Knowing that he would be the one you could look at seemed worth breaking the peace of sleep. Finally, prying the sleep from your lids, they peered into the familiar room, locking onto the man with a sense of deep love. It wasn't often you got to feel protective over Malik. He was often reminding you, chastising you that he was grown, that he could take care of himself, that he had for many years. When he was resting, however, you got to enjoy feeling a bit protective over him, cuddling into the rather cozy feeling it brought you.

You'd memorized everything there was to know about the man, yet your eyes took him in with reverence. The scar that was just barely there above his eyebrows, which were thick and almost always in a deep scowl. The sleep warded that away though the remnants of it were still there, in the wrinkles that remained as a permanent reminder of the familiar face. Your eyes traced down from the etched lines to his nose, and his lips, and the stubble along the cheeks and jawline. He would probably shave it down soon, Malik liked a shorter facial hair himself, protested when it got too long. You didn't mind the peculiarities that he had, in fact you reveled in them, in him.

If he knew what you were thinking about, he would likely stoically roll his eyes at you, once again reminding you that he was not a novice assassin that you trained. Still, the blush on his cheeks would betray him at once, promising an appreciation of someone caring so deeply for him.

For now, you would enjoy the feeling, of caring for him freely in the sanctity of the space the two of you created. For now, you would enjoy the warmth between the two of you, the hair so familiar underneath your fingertips. For now, you would simply watch him sleep.

[salted-caramel-tea]

what are your favorite met gala looks, if you have those? could be any year

oh my god okay so i could talk about this all day but i’m gonna choose a masculine and feminine look from my two favourite gala themes and talk about them

2018: HEAVENLY BODIES

this is by far the BEST met gala theme there has ever been . this was the most iconic year with honestly the most beautiful garments . it’s hard to pick a favourite bc there was so many gorgeous ones like shot out to zendaya and her joan of arc outfit that was gorgeous, and blake lovely rihanna cardi b sza EVERYONE tbh the looks were fantastic but here’s two i want to talk about

chadwick boseman !!!!! rest in peace chadwick you were an icon and i love you :( but this was genuinely my favourite masculine costume that year it’s so regal . it’s simple but the ornate details across the front of the cape and the suit bring this element of delicacy that is just so elegant. almost referential to elements of design in the vatican . the off white suits the undertones of his skin as well had the entire costume been the pure white of the button up shirt it would have washed him out the warmer tone suits him. it’s so gorgeous .

for feminine i chose katy perry !!!!! al thought he outfit itself is a little basic being just a golden mini dress and high boot, the wings pull it all together for me. the absolute intricacy in the maker of these wings the designer is so fucking amazing . she is THE archangel. the added mesh layer over her dress and sleeves was a good idea i think so that there is some kind of pattern for some added detailing but nothing that’s too loud that would conflict with the wings or draw attention the bodice . this for me is one of the most underrated looks from this year everything down to the colour of her hair is perfect and the haircut itself works so well with this had she wore a wig it wouldn’t created too much going on around the neck she looks so beautiful and the impurity of the colour of the wings moving between shades of cream golds and off whites is so beautiful to me. absolutely gorgeously constructed garment . fantastic .

2019: CAMP

SO many people had trouble understanding the theme for this one just wearing ugly clothes but no girl . camp is a theatrical performance of gender art and fashion . you’re not just wearing something ‘so ugly it’s good’ you’re wearing something carefully curated to display a flamboyant and theatrical performance deeply rooted in queer culture . anyway .

lady gaga. she fucking gets it . it’s the performance of femininity and sexuality . it’s the theatrics behind her costume, the orchestration behind each reveal and her attitude change with each new outfit she appeared in . it might not be intended this way but the evolution of female sexuality present in her performance from standards of beauty representing the modest neckline and wide hip illusion created by the flowing petticoats towards the modern movement of sexual liberation ending with her present in front of a crowd in clothing that is considered inherently sexual, or ‘skimpy’ having men as the ones who removed each layer of her clothing as theatrics and the performance of sexual liberation and the entitlement to the female body . that’s just my interpretation tho .

ezra miller . I KNOW WE ALL HATE THEM THEYRE LITERALLT A CRIMINAL . but this fit went hard. the outfit incorporates both traditionally masculine and feminine aspects like the corset representing the feminine silhouette as well as the train a mockery of the masculine tailcoat becoming the feminine train indicative of the blurred lines between modern gender created by a sense of periodic fashion . the mask a hint to the experiences of the queer person hiding their uniqueness their ‘flaws’ and ‘imperfections’ that can be seen as unnatural by those looking upon them . red lipstick hidden by the mask again hinting towards that hidden femininity associated with the queer man . the multitude of eyes as well indicative of the queer persons constant vigiliamce and need to constant be aware of how they present themselves their mannerisms their appearance the way they speak it’s a reflection of constantly watching how peopel perceive you from behind the mask OUGH . maybe i’m reading too much into these.

anyway these r my favourite looks thank you for your time

[quewea]

I SO GREAT STUPI- i- i say and here is my presentation in English! :D

About me!: I just remembered that I should introduce myself to dpjvkpo well let's start precious person who see me right now

Call me Danny (you can call me whatever you want too! No problem with nicknames, in fact I love them!) and my gender is hermaphrodite :D sometimes I draw (I swear, my mom says we're cool) my sexuality is: Pansexual

I am originally from Ecuador and I have been following Missasinfonia for about two years or more, in fact he is one of the first YouTubers that I followed and continue to follow (right now I follow him on Twitch and I don't usually talk in the chat because it makes me sad-) and I don't know if I can consider myself a Missasaur…but if I could then I would consider myself one

My favorite color is four and my favorite flavor is cyan, I half-know English but sometimes I don't understand it, I have a certain obsession with Cuarteto de Nos and Missa's songs (I love "Tiempo" and "Cancion al Mar") Sometimes I drink too much coffee (my bestie wants to annex me so that the coffee goes down) and I also usually drink a lot of chocolate milk… (I add coffee secretly, don't tell Sofi that she annexes me later), currently I am someone who doesn't usually talk or socialize much but if you want to talk to me you are free or if you want me to draw something I will always do it when you ask in a respectful way! (Everyone deserves respect, especially those you don't know yet, it's your decision what you will do next nvn)

My age used to be a secret for fear of being doxed or not being believed or something bad happening but with Sofi's help I feel like I can be honest, well I'm around 15 years old, I'm almost 16 now and in two years I'll I will go to uni if ​​I pass the exam and all the procedures, I would like to study something that will give me money so I can repay all the love and help or financially support those little people who always gave everything for me, and I would also like to study law and criminology!

My favorite songs are: bonsai, Cancion al mar, and soldier poet and king My tastes usually vary but I also like musicals such as: Hamilton, Epic and Ride the cycle + heathers

Content creators I usually watch other than Missa: Philza,Roier, Quackity, ElMariana, and German, Estailus, Aquino, Locochon, Soaring, Duxo

My favorite animals are among the top (including birds and sea animals!): -Crows -Sharks -Felines like cats and leopards! -Capybaras? capybara!! :D -I love dogs too! (in fact I took care of one of some uncles and ended up getting attached)

My phobia: Orcas-, I really don't know what it was called or if this phobia exists, but I'm really afraid of orcas, they cause me a certain rejection and I feel panic when I see them (maybe in another life I was a penguin or a Polar bear… Would that make me furry?)

I have around 13 cats and I usually look for a place or home for them, because I can't have them forever, so I usually see a kitten and I take it home to find a home for it (hehe, toy looking at your beautiful cat hehehehehe)

My laugh according to my friends is like cleaning a window or a hyena or idk, but my laugh is pretty… right? :,D

favorite insect!: Dragon tail butterfly (I will upload it again but only in English and through Google Translate… I'm sorry I don't know English very well - my teacher always tells me to try hard and I do it, I swear-)

(please ignore what they say deathduo shorts…it was the only pin of mine and I know, the presentation was very colorful but it was so that it wouldn't look serious :,) )

[wallacejwriting]

Alejandro "Al" Hunter ☆ He/Him

name | Al Hunter age | 20 pronouns | he/him (trans man)

personality | impulsive, easy-going, rebellious, loyal, playful

appearance | Dead even between both pictures. Permanent flush to his cheekbones. Double piercings at the top of each ear and none at the bottom. Usually bruised and bandaged. Usually very light stubble above his lip and on his chin. Tyler Posey, on the right, serves as Al's inspiration.

metahuman power | Friction Manipulation metahuman level | Gamma

☆ DESCRIPTION

The youngest of a three sibling family, Al's used to being told what to do - and just as used to ignoring it and doing his own thing. He and his siblings, both significantly older, have been on their own since Al was very young. His parents were caught in the Scarborough Zero Impact Incident, which Al and his siblings missed by only a few blocks. He remembers more than he's ever told his siblings, despite only being 4 years old at the time. It haunts him. Al started going to the gym as a way to affirm his gender and make his body look the way he wants, but he fell in love with the beauty of activity and athleticism. He doesn't enjoy fighting so much as playing the trickster, the jester, but he's been learning for over six years now and has some moderate skill in a couple areas. But what he really loves to hone and play with is his meta power. Al uses his friction manipulation to skate with his shoes anywhere, to turn his skateboard into a high speed transport, to dance, to play, to tease, to prank, and more. He is a meta who lives and breathes his power and his love of other metas. And it's part of what draws him to Nat, initially. But the city leaves his dissatisfied. He can't figure out why. No thrills, no excitement, no dangers, have ever left Al feeling satisfied in Veda, and he's running out of ideas to chase. Sure, he can just hang with people, but he's always aware of the walls around him - even when he's outside. Nat's life promises to be the danger - the adventure - that Al's been dreaming of. One that might finally drag him out of his funk and back into the light. And if he gets to help them along the way - perfect. He'd love the chance to repay them for reigniting the spark in his veins.

Al Hunter is one of the supporting characters in The Metahuman Initiative. Learn more about him and the book he appears in, Descent, here. If you want to check out more content, try the series tag, or the first book’s tag.

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

reading update

hello lovers, it's once again time to blather at you about my bookish pursuits. last month was a weird and paltry hodgepodge; this month I feel I can safely say I've gotten my proverbial groove back. I suspect next month will be very largely shaped by book recommendations I picked up from various workshops this weekend at a MBLGTACC, but I suppose we'll have to wait until the end of November to see.

in the meantime, what have I been reading?

Belly of the Beast: The Politics of Anti-Fatness as Anti-Blackness (Da'Shaun L. Harrison, 2021) - a small book that hits like lightning. Harrison draws heavily on Sabrina Strings' excellent Fearing the Black Body and expands in even more radical directions, examining the ways in which anti-fatness and anti-Blackness collude to demonize Black masculine folks in particular. the way Harrison talks about the concept of health is particularly shattering, as they underline the ways in which modern American concepts of health have been shaped by ideas that exclude Black bodies inherently. I actually thought of Harrison a lot this weekend while I was listening to Imani Barbarin speaking, because she made a similar point in connection to queerness, talking about how enslaved people running away from plantations was considered a manifestation of mental unwellness in much the same way that queer expressions of gender and sexuality have been. I love digging up these seemingly ubiquitous ideas and finding new angles at which to poke at and complicate them, and Harrison is phenomenal at facilitating that.

Jade War (Fonda Lee, 2019) - and now for something completely different: the second installment of Fonda Lee's door-stopping Green Bone Saga. holy FUCK these books rule; I'm never NOT having a blast reading them. Jade War builds on the conflicts established in Jade City and expand them to a more international level, jetting the surviving members of the Kaul family off to new countries to grapple with the cultural impact of their magical, ability-enhancing jade across the world. there were a couple of moments in this book that had me genuinely gasping out loud, mainly because Lee's ability to balance the tension of day to day politics and business with sudden eruptions of brutality and danger is absolutely unmatched. I'm really excited to see the Kaul family starting to raise the next generation, and I can't wait to see how the family's fate keeps unfolding in Jade Legacy.

One Day We'll All Be Dead and None of This Will Matter (Scaachi Koul, 2017) - I've been a fan of Koul's journalism for years - she's mean and she's funny and she's always right - but I have Tajja Isen to thank for getting me to finally read her essay collection. you may recall Isen's own collection, Some of My Best Friends, from last month's roundup; in the chapter critiquing the demands placed on essay writers of color, she highlights Koul as one of the best writers working. and I have to agree; when she gets personal Koul writes with a kind of hysterical melancholy about nearly everything - about her immigrant parents, particularly her prickly father; about her older white boyfriend; about the ways in which her body marked her as different growing up in a white Canadian neighborhood. Koul's chapter reflecting on her cousin's exhausting traditional Indian wedding was painful and sweet and will, I think, do something to anyone who regards their family's traditions with an equal mix of huge love and a deep desire to depart. I hope Koul's got another essay collection in her, because I would love to crawl in her brain and live in her thoughts on the pandemic for a bit.

The Sandman: Dream Country (Neil Gaiman et al, 1991) - okay, so, we've gotten to the bit where (in my extremely humble opinion) the Sandman actually starts getting really good. the stories collected in Dream Country particularly rule because they're not really about Morpheus at all; he (or, sometimes, his sister Death) are just Around, a small part in other people's stories unfolding around them. I often say that I think a lot of the best Batman stories barely have any Batman, and that also applies here; it's an especially pleasant breather before Season of Mists starts really getting the Plot rolling. the Sandman is, of course, a story about stories, capable of holding almost any kind of story you can imagine, so it's fun to watch Gaiman kick back and get weird for a bit.

A Prayer for the Crown-Shy (Becky Chambers, 2022) - having been feeling a bit depressed of late I decided to make a conscious effort to lighten up my reading a bit, and our queer sci-fi solarpunk queen Becky Chambers had my back as always. A Prayer for the Crown-Shy is the second installation in the Monk and Robot series of novellas, and follows our titular monk and robot as they descend from the wilderness where they met and begin introducing the robot, Mosscap, into a human society that has gone generations without seeing any robots. what ensues is a gentle story about travel, belonging, and what it means to be a person who's part of the world, what we contribute and what we owe to one another. I read this book in a day and cradled it like a mug of hot chocolate the whole time, feeling warm and cozy long after the last page.

The Sandman: Season of Mists (Neil Gaiman et al, 1992) - friends, this is one of my favorite plots in the entire series: our boy Morpheus gets clowned into going to Hell to free his ex girlfriend, only to find that Lucifer is calling it a day and shutting Hell down - and leaving Morpheus with the key. what ensues is the world's worst dinner party as figures from all across creation and mythology descend on Morpheus' house to try to threaten or tempt him into giving them the key, all while he's already in the middle of a depressive episode and really doesn't want to be doing any of this. absolutely delicious, 10/10 from me. I'm happy every time Morpheus is having a terrible horrible no good very bad day.

How to Read Now (Elaine Castillo, 2022) - the thing about this book is that it rules and makes me want to read everything Elaine Castillo has ever written, because she's insightful and mean and funny and furiously, deeply principled in how she writes. her book feels like an excellent companion to Some of My Best Friends (I really owe Tajja Isen this month) in how it really probes into the expectations placed on marginalized writers to be Marginalized above all else in their writing, the way publishers and readers alike focus on marginalized writers as tools of education and social betterment rather than just, you know, artists creating art. she has some CHOICE words about the severe limitations of analyzing writing purely through the lens of Good Representation (spoilers: it sucks) that made me cheer out loud. in a very weird and unpleasant cultural moment of anti-intellectualism and a buckwild aversion to literacy you need to read How to Read Now literally right now.

Harley Quinn: The Animated Series: The Eat. Bang! Kill. Tour (Tee Franklin and Max Sarin, 2022) - the thing about this six issue series is that it's, like, impossible to read it without the vile online harassment Tee Franklin faced for writing the series weighing heavily in my mind. she caught the usual bullshit you'd expect from exactly the kind of people you'd expect who were angry that a queer disabled Black woman was writing queer characters with a diverse supporting cast, which is annoying but typical, but then there was the brigade of picrew pride flag icons flinging wild accusations of lesbophobia at Franklin for everything from pointing out that the Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy she's writing aren't lesbians (that's pretty obvious if you've ever even casually watched the show this series spins off from) to making Ivy "emotionally abusive" (see: writing conflict that's more than addressed and resolved by the series' end). that harassment campaign is also, I suspect, strongly motivated by Franklin's status as a disabled queer Black woman, wrapped up in social justice terminology to make it palatable to the picrew icons, and it casts a long shadow across this series. which is like... fine, by the way. it's just fine. it makes some nice callbacks to the show (which I really like, despite my usual no tv policies) without ever quite managing to hit quite the same tone; it's a little too saccharine in ham-fisted in some places for me, and later issues are reliant on thought bubbles in a way that I find grating for no particular reason. but on the flipside it establishes that Harley and Ivy are immediately starting their relationship by fucking on, like, every available surface, which I love for them! I actually think it's great and cool when queer artists get to make stuff that's kind of mid for huge corporations; god knows straight white men have been getting away with it for decades. so what if the plot could have used some tighter editing? that's true of literally every comic series I've ever read. I'll be reading Franklin's Harley Quinn follow-up, Legion of Bats, just as soon as I can get my hands on it, partially out of spite, and I personally hope DC keeps her on the payroll for a million years.

Our Wives Under the Sea (Julia Armfield, 2022) - oh, what a novel! short and sharp and aching, romantic in the most painful way imaginable. alternating chapters are narrated by Miri, whose wife has just returned from a submarine voyage gone wrong acting nothing like herself, and Leah, the aforementioned wife. Miri narrates the present, in which she is exhausted and exasperated by the unknowable woman who's come back seemingly in Leah's place, while Leah's chapters explain what went wrong on the submarine with the chill of steadily increasing dread. it's about love and devotion and also the fucked up things that happen in the darkest part of the ocean; what's not to love?

[jordanianroyals]

Queen Rania’s interview with BBC’s Kirsty Young

London, 5 May 2023

KIRSTY YOUNG: Queen Rania Al Abdullah of Jordan, Your Majesty, welcome and thank you so much for taking the time.

QUEEN RANIA: It’s a pleasure.

KIRSTY YOUNG: There is nobody sitting in that congregation tomorrow who's going to understand more what Queen Camilla is undertaking. The scrutiny, being on the world stage. How would you describe the role of being Queen?

QUEEN RANIA: Well, you know, I think for all of us, the love and support of family members is so important, but when you're in a public role, it becomes indispensable and that usually falls on the spouse. And so, you know, there's no job description for Queen Consort, but I think the late Prince Philip gave us a real life roadmap of what it means to be the partner of a monarch, and at the same time, you know, stand behind them, support them, and represent your own country.

Obviously, it's a very public role, which brings its challenges with it, but it also is an opportunity – it's a very rare opportunity to draw attention to issues that are critical but that can go unnoticed. And, I think it's a privilege and an honor and something to take very seriously. And Queen Camilla clearly feels the same, because she has used her platform to empower women, to support victims of gender-based violence, you know, giving them a real advocate inside Buckingham Palace and I think she's spent so much time building her relationship with the British public.

KIRSTY YOUNG: This is an interesting parallel between the two of you, because it is something of a signature of your queenship that you often have taken on causes that might have been potentially uncomfortable culturally, that you have talked a lot about the education of young girls and women. You also were there back in 2002, I think, when Camilla made her first public speech. And how was she before? I mean a lot of water under the bridge now, more than 20 years ago, but at the time, did you give her some words of advice? Was it was it a shaky start?

QUEEN RANIA: Look, Queen Camilla is someone who is very sincere. She's very candid, you know, what you see is what you get. And I think these are the qualities that have served her so well over the years and have endeared her to the British public. And I think that empathy that she has, that sincerity, that genuine spirit that she has, I think will serve her very well as queen. And so I don't think she needs my advice when it comes to that. You know, I think she knows exactly what she's doing. And, she really has a very strong track record of using her platform to support important causes that are that are close to her and King Charles’ heart

KIRSTY YOUNG: In 2013, as part of a tour of the Middle East, they came to visit you in Jordan. Did they decide the sort of projects they wanted to see or did you suggest them, and what was it they seemed most interested in as a couple?

QUEEN RANIA: Well, you know, King Charles, we have a very deep respect for. Over the years, I've come to known him as somebody who's very compassionate, very perceptive, very sincere. He's always great company, but he's at his best when he is talking to people and interacting with the initiatives and the causes that he really cares about. So, he came to Jordan a year and a half ago on his first overseas trip post pandemic.

KIRSTY YOUNG: Oh, right.

QUEEN RANIA: And he made a point of visiting the local chapter of his foundation and speaking to the beneficiaries, refugees, and the local communities that benefited from the project. And it's always such a pleasure to see him interacting, and it's very touching because he has a way of disarming people. The conversation is always easy. There are no airs or pretenses. He asks people questions and he genuinely listens, because he cares. And Queen Camilla is very much the same. She also is always eager to meet people, to speak to them… She also visited a Child and Family Center that deals with domestic violence.

KIRSTY YOUNG: …Which is one of her chosen causes.

QUEEN RANIA:  Which is one of her chosen causes. And her empathetic spirit and her gentle approach really touched every single person that she spoke to that day and left a lasting impression with them.

KIRSTY YOUNG: In one of your visits to London, you went to visit, I think it was called the Mulbery School for Girls, and it's interesting that tomorrow, we will see within the service in Westminster Abbey within this Church of England service with all its ancient associations, leaders from many faiths represented and there in the congregation. In terms of how that means that your own country and countries that surround it see our royal family and see Great Britain, do you think it has an international perception? Do you think people care beyond our borders about that representation?

QUEEN RANIA: Absolutely, and I think this is a trademark of His Majesty's approach. He really wants his coronation to be very inclusive across ethnic minorities, and religions, and cultures. And I think this is something that has always – he's always spoken of diversity as an aspirational value, and you see his respect for other cultures in his work, in his sincere support to projects whether in Jordan, or Afghanistan, or other countries. So diversity is very much part and parcel of who he is and how he wants to approach his role.

And, internationally, I think people look at this occasion with a lot of admiration. You know, you just have to see how many people will be tuned in tomorrow, hundreds of millions around the world, and all the people camped outside now for days. And that tells you a great deal about what this day means to not just the British people but to everyone in the world.

KIRSTY YOUNG: Queen Rania, thank you very much for taking the time to join us and we wish you a very good day tomorrow. Hope you enjoy it.

QUEEN RANIA: Absolutely, pleasure.

[artisticvillain]

De nuevo yo aquí de preguntona, buenas noches

En caso de familia...los chicos serian buenos padres?

Y si es así como actuarían con MC estando embarazada ?

Esta acaso el juego inspirado en parte en la película "PIRATAS DEL CARIBE " Donde aparece Jenny Depp ? XD me encanta toda su saga de películas

Pregunta para el autor

Como prefieres al MC hombre o mujer ?

En que app haces tus dibujos?te quedan preciosos 💖

Les gustaria que MC cocinara para ellos ?

( historia alternativa)Que pasaría si vieran a MC estando sonambulo y lo vieran ir directamente a la orilla del barco para tirarse al mar debido a ello ? XD me deje llevar por la película animada de Anastacia

Good evening to you too, although it's morning for me right now :)

(I'm using an AI to translate the questions, correct me if the translation's wrong.)

If they had a family, would the guys be good fathers? And if so, how would they act towards MC when she's pregnant?

Dia would stay by MC's side 24/7 when MC is pregnant. He would be morepanicked than MC in any situation and would do everything Mc asks for. Even the things MC doesn't ask for, Dia would be there to make MC's and their baby's life easier. Once the baby is born Dia would still act the same towards you but good luck trying to take the baby from him. He will cling to the baby like there's no tomorrow. So yeah, Dia would be a great father. He'd sacrifice everything for MC and their baby. And he is probably the best dad compared to the other 3. (Once the baby grows up, Dia and his kid would basically become best friends!)

Yoru would also take care of MC when MC is pregnant but he wouldn't be as enthusiastic about it as Dia. Not that he doesn't like kids, but because MC is having a hard time. However, once the baby is born he would make sure to look after the baby and take care of the baby. Again this isn't because he cares much about the baby, he just wants MC to be less "bothered" by the baby's problems. He wouldn't neglect his child or anything but I still wouldn't make a family with him if I were you. His behaviour towards the child might change when the child grows up but that doesn't justifies anything >:(

Riley would have fun taking care of you throughout MC's pregnancy. He would make sure not to overwhelm MC tho. So a safe distance is his go-to technique. I just know he would cry at the day MC gives birth. :) And since Riley is a free spirited guy, he would want his family to be the same way. He'd get really excited about the thought of going on adventures with his family and get even closer with them. So yes he'd also be a great father.

Leon would really love to start a family with MC. And he loves the idea of having a baby with MC. He'd do everything to take proper care of MC throughout MC's pregnancy. He'd also take care of the baby once the baby is born -but not as much as he does to MC- He is a good father too, just not as much as Dia.

Is the game partly inspired by the movie "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN" where Jenny Depp appears?

This might surprise you, but I've actually never watched any of the Pirates of The Caribbean movies. I like Jack Sparrow tho. (even though I don't have the slightest idea about the character itself lol) Sooo no it's not inspired by it :)

Do you prefer MC to be a man or a woman?

As a person who doesn't care about gender -like in general- I can't really say I'd prefer if the MC is a woman or a man. I've never imagined the MC as a woman or a man and when I try, it doesn't feel right. Sorry :')

What app do you use to make your drawings?

Thank you, I'm so happy that you find them beautiful. I use Clip Studio Paint for all my drawings.

Would they like MC to cook for them?

Who wouldn't enjoy the cooking of a loved one! (Unless they are terrible at it. Just kidding, it's the thought that counts.)

However, rather than letting you cook by yourself, Yoru would offer his help. He thinks it's such a nice moment to cook with the one he loves the most and be able to share something he's passionate about.

Leon can cook but he obviously is not the best. So he would very much like if MC were to cook something just for him.

Riley can't cook so he'd really appreciate that MC thought of him and cook for him. Riley will then proceed to cook something for MC, only for it to be a fail :D

Dia would love it too. In fact, he would hug MC from the waist when MC is cooking, and give MC some kisses along the way.

(Alternate story) What would happen if they saw MC sleepwalking and going straight to the edge of the ship to jump into the sea because of it?

Funny thing, I used to sleepwalk when I was a kid. Anyways, I don't know if the whole "don't wake the person who's sleepwalking up, it's dangerous" things is true, but our boys don't care about that at all in this situation.

They wouldn't hesitate to pull MC immediately, but if they were to be far away from MC, they would just shout MC's name really loudly so MC can wake up. That way they can gain more seconds to go up to MC and hold MC. Whoever found MC would take MC to their room and stay by MC's side till morning.

Thank you for your questions! Hope you'll have a great day :)

[greenunoreversecard]

{Introduction}

Hi! I'd figure I'd do an introductory post.

INTJ-T, enneagram type 8.

Virgo sun, Libra rising, Sagittarius moon.

Sirius kinnie. Also a rise! Leo kinnie.

• I'll mainly go by greeny online on this platform ^^

• I am neurodivergent, so I might have trouble with tones and processing things, please be patient with me when i ask for clarification.

• i am a minor, so please don't be to creepy. I'm fine with mentioning some light NSFW topics, and will tag a post accordingly if it has any. The reason I'm partially fine with NSFW is because I try and normalize stuff of sexual nature, seeing as it's normal. Just don't make any weird comments about me or other people, or my hyperfiaxtion.

• I'll probably do a lot of different writting things, headcanons and random thoughts I have.

• I use he/him pronouns, and am queer <3 and vv single lmfao

Link to my discord here

<Quick Fun Facts!!>

I love horror games.

Please talk to me about music it's my favorite ever.

on top of drawing, I also adore reading and writing.

I watch quiet a bit of game playthroughs on YouTube. (I watch a lot of eddievr, juicyfruitsnacks, slimecicle, ranboo)

《Things I'm not comfortable with:

●Pedos, rasicm, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, misogyny, religious hate, and other stuff of this nature.

●Purposefully tracking me or others down and doxxing myself or others, and trying to make people uncomfortable on purpose.

●threatening mine or others safety, and any type of hate speech. I'm fine with general curiosity of why things are the way they are, just be respectful about it, and don't be a dick

●I'm fine with cursing, and venting, just be sure to add trigger warnings if you dm me a vent so I know what to look out for.

●no z00philia, b3ast!al!ty, r@p3 or sa comments, or inc3st.

●just generally don't be a shitty person and hate on other people because you got your tick tac dick in a twist, please. 》

~Fanfic guidelines~

I will write for

Tmnt specifically mutant mayhem and rise (strictly platonic)

Hazbin Hotel (romantic and platonic) NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Marauders Era (Harry potter subgenre)(platonic and romantic)

Possibly helluva boss in the future

Ninjago (platonic and romantic)

I reserve the right to deny requests.

And currently in time, I will only do light steam and no full on NSFW.

I will also only do gender identities that the characters are attracted to (ie, queerplatonic exclusively for alastor, male for angel, etc, etc)

I will ONLY write for gender neutral and male characters, as well as identities under the Trans umbrella as there is a severe lack of Trans and male character rep. That is also why some characters are strictly platonic.

If I am unaware of a characters identity, please let me know so I can be aware and change things if I need to.

Matchups are also a possibility, but I will not be doing them as of currently.

Same rules and guidelines go for my fanfics as for the boundaries I set for myself. (See above)

Also, absolutely no tcest or incest of any kind. I will block you immediately.

I am also a busy person, so I am limiting requests. I run with my inspiration which is mildly fleetig considering I'm always exhausted from everything.

Also, I will only take requests from the inbox, bc it's easier for me to manage that way

Rules are subject to change. Some may be added or taken off.

Current requests: 0/10

beta reader:

@amat3ured1t0r

Anon list (ask to enter):

None currently. Check back later

Characters I am willing to do per fandom:

Hazbin Hotel (no longer available for requests):

Alastor (platonic and queer platonic only)

Husk

Angel dust

cherri bomb

Velvette

Sir pentious

Huskerdust poly

Charlie and vaggie (platonic)

Niffty (platonic)

Lucifer (platonic and familial)

hazbin hotel masterlist here!

Marauders:

Remus Lupin

James Potter

Sirius Black

Regulus Black

Barty Jr.

jegulus poly

Wolfstar poly

Moonwater poly

Poly! marauders

Marauders Masterlist Here!

TMNT (platonic only):

Mikey (mm and rise)

Donnie (mm and rise)

Raph (mm and rise)

Leo (mm and rise)

CaseyJr. (Rise)

Peepaw! Teetlz (romantic is allowed, but with limitations)

Ninjago:

Lloyd

Cole

Kai

Ninjago masterlist here!

Types of fics I will do:

Headcanons

Oneshots and twoshots

Multi chapter fics

Drabbles

reader pov, character pov and 3rd/non biased pov.

Fluff

Angst

Hurt/comfort

Lemons/limes

Most tags. Literally just send it in and I'll let you know in the a/n if I can't do smth.

More boundaries will be added as time goes on and I figure myself more and what I'm comfortable with.

Anyways, hope yall have a good day/night/afternoon! Nice to meet ya! :)

-Greeny

[cfkingdoms]

toby regbo, genderfluid, they/she/he, 31 — dear all nations, AUGUSTUS has crossed the city borders to edinburgh to the sound of GROWING SIDEWAYS by NOAH KAHAN. the CROWN PRINCE of ENGLAND is known to be AGAINST making peace. THEY remind me of CLASPING A HAND OVER YOUR MOUTH TO MUFFLE YOUR OWN SCREAMING & THE BURN OF REJECTION AND THE BURNING IN YOUR LUNGS --THEY BOTH FEEL THE SAME BY NOW however did you know that THEY HAVE NO INTENTION TO REMARRY FOR THE SAKE OF ALLIANCES?

tw for implied pregnancy loss, pregnancy, postpartum medical complications, spousal death, grief, mental illness, period typical ableism

STATS.

FULL NAME . augustus NICKNAME(S) . auggie AGE . thirty-one DATE OF BIRTH . july 14 MARITAL STATUS . widowed CHILDREN . wynflæd, 7 ZODIAC . cancer sun NATIONALITY . english GENDER . genderfluid PRONOUNS . they/them (default), she/her, he/him ORIENTATIONS . gay but shit happens RELIGION . christian LANGUAGES SPOKEN . latin, english, old saxon, french, german, frisian TATTOOS . none SCARS . several small scars from previous sparring bouts, a thin scar across the chin from a childhood mishap, a chipped left canine tooth from the same incident SLEEPING HABITS . struggles to stay asleep. a very light sleeper. tends to mumble, usually nonsensically. anywhere from 4-7 hours at a time EMOTIONAL STABILITY . 5/10 they uh...they try ALCOHOL USE . doesn't drink often, tends to overindulge in especially social settings POSITIVE TRAITS . compassionate, protective, meticulous NEGATIVE TRAITS . harsh, impulsive, vindictive FEARS . failure. failing their daughter. failing their kingdom. failing to be what the people around them need. HOBBIES . drawing, reading HABITS . chronic nail biting, tends to bite at the skin on their lips, cracks their knuckles frequently FAVORITE WEATHER . thunderstorms FAVORITE COLOR . green FAVORITE INSTRUMENT . lyre FAVORITE BEVERAGE . ale like a weirdo FAVORITE FOOD . grouse FAVORITE ANIMAL . otters

BIO.

you're born with the world upon your shoulders, and in time the devil perches himself there, too. it's the only explanation you have. you're the first born son and for that you're sentenced to a life trying to measure up. and so you try. you do what you can. you become learned, educated to the best of the abilities of some of the finest minds in your kingdom. you're not as sturdy as your peers. you can't hit as hard and you don't take hits as well. but you've got heart, at least. you do what you can. you're betrothed to a girl in one of the more powerful families in your region, and. well. she's okay. the two of you get along.

you're shy of 17 when the cracks appear. you feel as though it comes on suddenly, the way a mania grips you tightly, leaving you agitated and paranoid for days or even weeks at a time, often up until exhaustion drags you under, your mind too ragged to continue on high alert. at least in those days you can, at times, be roused to your duties. in the days that the exhaustion truly takes you, you feel as though each step is lead, each daily task you usually approach with ease now a mountain you must scale. you do what you can to push through, ignore it, proceed on as you always have. but you're only human. by now, it's not much of a secret you're...delicate.

you'd worried, when the fits had begun, that everything would crumble. your betrothal would be rescinded and, though you don't hold affection for her in the way you know you should, it would spell the beginning of disaster. no one else would betroth their daughter to a madman, you'd die with no legitimate heirs, the crown would go to your brother of all people...calamity.

but she surprised you. she did that a lot. god rest her soul, you loved her. she lit no fire in your soul, there was no passion in your gaze, but the devotion planted itself all the same. she called, and you came. she needed, and you would provide. she stayed at your side, encouraged your, ahem, wandering eye --she knew, of course she did, it was something you couldn't bear to keep from her-- and in turn you allowed her her own freedoms. marriage was strategic, but in it you found a lifelong companion just as dear to you. you settle in to married life. of course you both know what's expected of you now. you know from here comes children, a continuation of the line. and so.

life, you find, rarely works on a perfect schedule no matter how badly you want it to. honestly, when it affects you the first time you're surprised by it. children had been something you'd planned for simply because you must. when, finally, all goes well and your daughter is born, you're overcome by how strongly this hits you. you've never loved anyone the way you love wynflæd, and honestly you don't think you ever will. for as much as you do love and care for her mother, it pales in comparison.

it feels fitting that calamity never left you, simply bided its time. the pregnancy had been no easy deal, the birth anything less than arduous, and though you'd both assumed with rest and time she would improve, she just...didn't. she was tired, constantly, often complained of a shortness of breath, pressure in her chest, and began experiencing dizzy and fainting spells. the healers could do little for her, treat the pains and bring her to when her head swam but as for clearing the malady? it seemed no such cure could be found. the two of you just...adjust. you find yourself doing most of the care and the work, insisting on letting her rest. you'd hardly call it a hardship. you settle into fatherhood so much easier than you'd thought you would. the fits...complicate matters, but you're a prince. it's not as though the two of you are alone. you can do this.

it finally takes her, in the night. you're the one to find her, because she's right next to you. she's your wife. and now she's left you to raise a young girl who doesn't understand where her mother has gone, just knows she has left but everyone else who has left before has come back. you don't know how to explain it to her. she's just past her third birthday. should you even explain it? it feels more cruel to let her hold out hope that today will be the day her mother returns. you know the grief affects her too, even if she doesn't understand the concept of forever yet. neither of you sleep well, she throws tantrums and demands to see her mother, demands she come back home. you try to keep telling her it won't happen. you're not sure which of you hurts more each time you say it.

still, the years progress. winnie grows up, and she looks more like her mother with each year. acts more like her, too, though others are quick to point out the roll of her eyes and the scoff are, in fact, your own hallmarks. she's a small thing, but ferocious. by her own accord, she's got a bow in her hand more often than a quill, and she's taken the hint and finally stopped asking but you see the way her gaze lingers on the swords and daggers other sharp, shiny things. it's one of the few things you've been firm on. when she's older, and not a moment before. you repeat it like a mantra. when she's older. when she's older. she just keeps getting older.

[vals-book-nook]

Liebestrasse Critical Review

Lockard, Greg, et al. Liebestrasse. Dark Horse Books, 2022. (ISBN: 9781506724553)

I was excited to pick up Liebestrasse, a story of forbidden love in Nazi Germany. This is Greg Lockard's debut graphic novel, although he's worked as an editor for several critically-acclaimed works, including The Unwritten - another social critique, just on celebrity and fiction. Working alongside artist Tim Fish (best known for his gay romance series Cavalcade of Boys), this was sure to hit close to home, even with a setting so far in the past, and I was not disappointed.

I was lucky that my paperback edition of Liebestrasse also included a behind-the-scenes look at the creation process. After walking through The Memorial to Homosexuals Persecuted Under Nazism, Tim Fish was haunted by the idea of being happy in love, then one day being stormed by the authorities. He sketched a couple (that would one day become Sam and Phillip) falling onto a bed with the caption "Liebstraße." Years later, he reached out to Greg Lockard with the challenge to write a short story with just that premise and that scene - and to somehow include a car, because Tim Fish loves drawing cars.

A three-panel opening page and sketches of Matchbox cars turned into a full graphic novel of forbidden love, created during the Trump presidency and a new rise of homophobic legislation in the United States. It was then published in 2022, at the height of books being challenged on the basis of queer representation. The fears Sam and Phillip face throughout the story reflect the current reality it was published into - a sad, but powerful, truth.

The story follows Sam, an American businessman in Berlin, and his romance with Phillip, a German entrenched in the local (soon-to-be illegal) art scene. As Fascism rises around them, reality soon crashes in on them as every choice they make threatens to expose their love to the authorities.

The pair meet at an art exhibit in 1932, but seem fated to be together as they meet again at an underground gay bar later that evening. Sparks fly between them, and Phillip takes on the role of romantic tour guide, showing his "American cowboy" the Berlin art scene - one that was quickly becoming questionable in the eyes of the Nazi Regime. Opportunities arise for the characters to escape, with each reacting in different ways - with many consequences.

This is a story that I highly recommend everyone read - the creators did an incredible job subtly (and intentionally) linking the homophobia of Nazi Germany to the rise we're seeing today.

The bright, red Nazi flags clearly ground the scene in 1932 Nazi Berlin. However, Tim Fish made the deliberate choice to keep the Nazi uniforms as generic as possible. This generalizing helps link the past crimes with our present hatreds. Even Sam's narrations blur the lines between 1932 Nazi Germany and 2016 United States. The book burning is especially poignant: 2,570 books were challenged the year Liebestrasse was published, with gender identity and sexuality being among the most common themes to face criticism.

And Greg Lockard does a brilliant job in keeping the story true to both times, past and present. The platitudes said by the aristocrats in Liebestrasse echo those heard on today's podcasts, yet they mirror the language of memoirs speaking out about homophobia experienced in Nazi Germany. And the characters' reactions are human in their diversity. Sam's instinct to hide. Phillip's blatant disregard for safety. Hilde's decision to run. And each of their decisions is justified by their experiences, shown in vivid detail. Every line of dialogue has an earnest honesty that brings life to the characters and makes their story (sadly) timeless.

The creators are also thoughtful in the way they portrayed the more idyllic escapes of the German country sides and Switzerland during this time. It further shows the divide seen in today's politics - while certain areas are enraptured in the cruel realities faced by minorities, others can hide and ignore what is happening by simply turning off notifications and watching the sunset.

Because I don't want to give any spoilers, we'll be switching focus to how the layout of this graphic novel helps accomplish one of its goals: making you cry.

These are two scenes, a handful of pages and decades apart. The first scene is in a gay bar in 1952 America; the second, an underground gay bar in 1932 Berlin. Side-by-side, they look nearly identical, specifically because of the three panels in the middle of Sam ordering a whiskey. His posing is the same and the number of people in the background is the same. The major changes made to these story arcs take place in the first and last panels - by the time the reader reaches the 1932 bar scene, a sense of déjà vu naturally settles over the reader.

The creators were smart in their choice of paneling here. There are three major changes between these pages: (1) The establisher, or the first panel, where we are either introduced to Sam or the scene; (2) The initial, or the vertical panel, where Sam's order changes; and (3) The release, or the final panels, where a blond man is introduced. The two panels with no major chances are just prolongations - they could be removed entirely and the major story beats wouldn't change. However, the creators deliberately kept them in to show the uncanny resemblance between the two events. It's what's stayed the same that makes the reader do a double-take upon reaching the 1932 scene. The man in 1952 is strikingly similar to Phillip, the man Sam meets and falls in love with in 1932, but by the time the reader reaches Phillip's introduction, we already know that this is just a memory.

Greg Lockard is a master of this kind of narrative foreshadowing. Pages before tragedy strikes, hints are placed that aren't obvious the first time you read them. But upon the final action occurring, a dreadful realization of why a previous sequence took place settles in the pit of your stomach, and it's the best kind of worst feeling. Every "mistake" Sam and Phillip make, that should only be them living, can be seen clearly on a second reading, and the conclusion is painfully clear from the moment they meet in the art gallery.

This may be the only slight criticism I have for how the story's told. While I love the attention to detail to have Sam's memories be in sepia tones, my first time reading, I was a bit thrown off when the story started in 1952. While it creates some powerful creative opportunities (like the foreshadowing shown above), it did make my initial reading a bit harder to get invested in, since I already had an idea what was going to happen. While the story in 1932 ended up being incredible and heart-wrenching, and the ending sequence in 1952 closed everything out nicely, I wished the story started in 1932, so I could experience the turmoils with Sam and Phillip, with no sense of dramatic irony holding me at a distance.

However, I will say that this flashback-narrative structure does make for a powerful second reading. It made some details even darker, like marching Nazis in cafe windows:

Reading Liebestrasse is an experience of both past and present. Reading Sam and Phillip's story - one of persecution in Nazi Germany - while receiving notifications of legislation against gender affirming care felt surreal. Stories like this, so well-told, are so important. I hope Greg Lockard and Tim Fish collaborate on another powerful piece soon (and if they can rope in Héctor Barros and Lucas Gattoni again, that would be top notch as well!) They've shown incredible talent and eye for detail, design, and storytelling with Liebestrasse, and I can't wait to see more from them.

[vodoriga-art]

Can you tell us more about your scourge assimar? I am absolutely invested, he has such an interesting and unique design

Of course 🥺🖤

✦  His full name is Karim yn Mahtab al Kelemvor yi Sheirlantar. (Calishite naming conventions...) He refers to most if not all people including close friends with at least their full first and last name, adding their titles and place of origin etc. if known. He's 25-26 y.o. I’d say he’s more lawful neutral than neutral good.

✦  He's male in the sense that it's his assigned gender and he refers to himself as such but ultimately gender doesn’t matter to him, he views himself not so much as a person, but as a tool or instrument of god(s) to be directed by his celestial guide, almost as a construct with one singular purpose.

✦  He was born in Sheirlantar to two human mothers - Mahtab works as an embalmer and some other things related to burials or funerals, Azam is a carpenter or woodcarver of some sort. They're a happy healthy family.

✦  Him not being human was evident immediately (unnatural eyes, echoing voice when yelling/crying). He was never given special treatment or anything for being aasimar, but with all the clergy in the city he knew he was different and in what way.

✦  Kelemvor is the civic deity of Sheirlantar so that's always been Karim's religious focus. He's not the kind of person to sit and study to be a priest or cleric (can't focus on reading..), but he picked up a blade early to help with the undead and necromancers that plague the area due to numerous old tombs in the city and surrounding mountains.

✦  He's very soft spoken, loves art, poetry, music, flowers, all beautiful things. He enjoys whittling as a form of meditation and he’s decent at it.

✦ He holds himself and sometimes moves in a weird way, and his proportions are not quite human (his torso and limbs are oddly elongated and at first glance he just seems tall and lanky but when you look hard it can be a little uncanny valley) and he's not a very elegant warrior (think Gael or Artorias from DS), especially when raging. He has a penchant for decapitations but in the heat of battle he’s more likely to stomp someone than give them a clean death.

✦ He has prayers, angels and such tattooed on his body, he paints his nails, and wears kohl eyeliner.

✦ The worst of his facial scarring is the result of an incident when he was about 20 years old. He wears radiance burn scars as proof of god working through him, and he sometimes lets the radiance burn him further while meditating (at a safe distance from everyone and everything of course).

✦ I often draw him with it but he doesn’t really have a halo. You might see a glimpse of it when he’s transformed and raging - like flames licking up an invisible disc or several behind him

✦ The mask he wears has a dual purpose - to cover up scarring (doesn’t want to make people uncomfortable), and to further diminish his identity as anything other than a servant and tool of Kelemvor (the mask is modeled after a statue of the god). His face isn’t very expressive anyway so it’s not like a mask has a major impact on his communication of emotion.

✦ He reveres priests, clerics, paladins, and all people who serve gods to the point where he could easily be manipulated by such a person, or someone merely claiming to be one.

✦ He has a playlist and a pinterest board.

[thran-duils]

Siren Song (Drabble)

Title: Siren Song Summary: Reader x Dark!Tony Stark. The reader’s spouse keeps falling behind on rent and Tony has far too much fun emptying himself into them to make up for the difference. And it turns out he was expecting more eventually.... Words: 626 Warnings (for the whole fic): Dub-con, smut, infidelity, power dynamics Author’s Note: I tired to keep the reader AND their spouse without gender, so I hope it comes off that way.

The salt air was brought in on the breeze. You always kept that window open above your bed. It did not matter if it was winter or summer; the smell brought such a comfort.

Usually.

Ever since your partner had stopped finding good fishing spots, you had fallen behind on rent. And your landlord had come to collect when they were not around. Now the smell was to distract you from the sheer desire you held for Tony, your landlord. You had offered up the most immediate thing. And he had been satiated, and honestly, becoming too comfortable with it. He called you his siren when he was worked up or a few ales in; he bent to your will as long as you let him in.

You had fallen for him… nay, his attention. But you loved when he was buried deep, praising you.

Right now, he was collecting and was drawing so much from you. Tony was driving you into the mattress roughly. He groaned obscenely; he was so close. Your eyes rolled back, your teeth digging into your bottom lip, hands clenching your thighs to keep yourself open for him.

“Oh, no, no, sweetheart, keep those beautiful eyes open,” Tony husked, slapping at your middle. Your eyes popped back open, and he moved quicker. His cum was hot and thick. Tony rolled away from you, letting you relax your legs back down on the bed, your lungs working hard to find air again. He stretched as he stood up, grabbing his cigar he had clipped before starting to collect on what you were short on before exiting out onto the bedroom balcony to get some air.

The footfalls on the stairs made you snap to attention. And then the bedroom door opened, and your heart was stuck in your throat. Tony was still here.

Your spouse walked into the room, and they saw you sprawled out on the bed, completely naked. The sheets were too tousled, the room smelled heavily of sex. Not to mention that Tony’s clothes were still thrown over the back of the armchair. There was no way you could say that that Armani suit was one of yours.

Their brow furrowed. “What…”

Your mouth was still formed in an ‘o’, the shock tremors still moving through you.

Tony stepped in from the balcony, taking a deep drag on his cigar. He blew it out in rings as your spouse watched, looking as suspended in stupor as you. You never wanted this to come to light… the fact you made sure the two of you kept your house when rent came short was spreading your legs for the landlord. And Tony found far too much comfort in you… having you at his beck and call because of your circumstance. So much so that he had no issue making himself known. It was as if he wanted you to break up with them, leaving you available. The thought turned your insides, especially seeing the hurt painted on your partner’s face.

Taking another quick drag, despite feeling the tension in the room growing, Tony met their eyes and said, “Rents paid this month. Don’t worry about being a fuck up. At least for now. I might actually come to collect the boat next month though. You owe minimal on that but without you having any income, Y/N might not have any choice and they’ll have to come with me to make sure I don’t cut you up into tiny pieces to feed to the sharks if they don’t come when I order them to.”

He winked at you with a malicious glint in his eyes as he brought the cigar back up.

Tony would get what he wanted. As he always did.

~~~

Marvel tags: @coconutqueen21​​ @undecidedsworld​​ @holl2712​​ @agustdowney​​  @biiskuitx​​ @buttercupfangirl​​ @namjoonwatcheshentai​​ @kaylamcd2000​​ @damntonystarkandhissmile​​ @aditimukul​

[doctorofmagic]

Defenders #4 review

First of all, my apologies for the late review! Been a busy last couple of weeks but gladly things are good now.

Aaaaand let’s begin!

This chapter will be focused on Cloud and how they struggle to make themselves understood in a world that lacks words to describe their existence.

I’m not sure if Al Ewing had already come out but this week (or last week? I’m lost in time) I saw one of his tweets supporting trans rights and, while I’m not sure about his sexuality (if someone knows, please feel free to correct the pronouns I’m using for him), Cloud is a full experience and talks deeply to me, personally. Because Cloud is coded as non-binary/genderfluid and uses they/them pronouns. And if you follow me for a while now, then you know I identify myself as nonb as well. So yes, this chapter speaks to my very soul. And I’m pretty sure Al Ewing was not subtle to show tons of metaphors about this. Mostly because I do know the weight of being raised in a place whose language is rooted in gender, I too find myself lacking the words to express my whole existence on a daily basis because languages take decades, centuries even to evolve. They’re too rooted in stern rules and gods, we are evolving faster than the hardness of this current mindset of living. And, of course, there is the lgbtqiaphobia.

I believe this is pretty important to understand the chapter as a whole, but we’ll get there. For now, let’s take a look at other details as we read. Here we see Betty talking about the elephant, that is, the Hulk in the room. So the Fourth Cosmos is basically a world of “archetypical beings”, which means the heroes we know are some kind of primitive avatar. That includes the Hulk, Iron Man, Captain America and so on. I’ll make a special mention later, by the way, because I can and it’s about my agenda /j

And suddenly we’re introduced to the Four-Are-One - and I must admit that it took me some time to realize that they’re actually the archetypical being of the Fantastic Four haha. Taiaa even mentions Sue’s force-field, I feel so dumb for not noticing it before.

A break just to say that every time Betty roasts Stephen, I earn more 10 years of my lifetime.

The Four-Are-One manages to communicate with the Defenders, revealing that there’s uneding conflict in their world. But the coming of a stranger (Zota) and the Defenders may be a sign that the cycle is breaking. They arrive at the battlefield and it seems like a archetypical of the Civil War. I recognize many characters such as Wolverine, Spider-man, Daredevil, Ant-man, Thor, Hawkeye and so on. But one in specific draws my attention.

This is definitely definitely definitely an important moment to me because this is Doctor Doom, and Stephen immediately recognizes him, for he asks “Where’s his mask?”. He KNOWS Victor needs his mask since it’s an important trait in his character. It’s the first thing he asks because he KNOWS Victor. Ngh, my heart. Thank you for my Doomstrange crumbs, Al Ewing.

Okay, but after that, the chapter reveals that Zota stole Doom’s mask and is riding a devourer of worlds once more. I wonder if Taiaa made a reference to Doom’s mommy issues tho haha

Masked Raider fights the Devourer but the Defenders fear it will not be enough. So Cloud decides to evolve, rising from their two “female” and “male” bodies and becoming something brand new, in which I understand is the metaphor I was talking about. “And if we cannot be described in words... we can learn new words.”

“Outside the old patterns. Outside their boundaries. And ready to make myself heard.”

If this is not a clear metaphor about breaking gender and language, I don’t know what it is, for real.

And with that, Cloud convinces that there’s a way towards a brighter future, and it is through love. Love wins.

I think it’s also important to point out that Iron Man uses the word “levity”, while Captain America uses the word “stoicism”. It matches their personalities so well.

Zota then escapes to the third cosmos and this Galactus shows an interesting development. Because he evolves to something more, a golden figure which is DEFINITELY a reference to Al Ewing’s Ultimates. Galactus in that run was turned into the Bringer of Life. See? Being a nerd sometimes pays off haha.

The sentience of the Fourth Cosmos then comes to life and chooses the heroes as their defenders.

The sentience then explains that nothing will die but actually be reborn to the new Fifth Cosmos. They will take the Defenders with them but only four can go. Cloud then decides to stay, but they mention they will see the Defenders again when they reach the mystery. I have no idea what Cloud is talking about but I’m curious.

Lastly, I love this. I love Stephen’s sassiness so much, you don’t understand.

And the last page is this. Who is this entity? I dunno. Perhaps things will become clearer in the next and last chapter!

I must confess, reading Al Ewing’s Defenders run is HARD. Too many abstract concepts that demand previous reading and deep interpretation. But I do love his writing and all the metaphors. He has always been one of my favorite writers and it shows. It’s true that the way he explores the Defenders individually is very unique but we also have to consider that he has only five issues to do so. And yet, he still manages to accomplish such a task. Not to mention Javier’s art, of course. I’m loving this book, they took the Defenders to a place they’ve never been before. They’ve dealed with cosmic events before but this is just so special. It’s not mandatory but it’s truly a love letter, at least for me as a fan.

Now bring back my Norrin for the last chapter and all is good! I can’t wait!!