#angular updates

[techtrends]

Angular 18: New Features and Updates

Angular, the powerful web application framework developed by Google, continues to innovate and evolve. The release of Angular 18 on May 22 has brought a range of enhancements and new features that promise to significantly improve performance, developer experience, and overall robustness. In this blog, we will explore why Angular 18 matters and delve into its top features and updates. Why Angular…

[humlors]

Wait which billford fics pspspspsps

gotta say, it feels just a little surreal and silly to make a billford fic rec list in the year of our lord 2024, but hell yeah sure

There's an Endless Road by @agentquinn is one of those fics I reread like. at least once a year at this point. Post-canon, human!bill (absolute trash gremlin, as he should be), roadtrip with Bill, Stan and Ford. Cannot understate how much of a comfort fic this is to me. Do yourself a favor and read it

Also by Quinn, State of Dreaming is very much as the description of "One of Us AU, sort of". I remember for real gasping when figuring out what was going on. It's dark, it's just the right flavor of a bit surreal, it's fantastic

In All My Dreams I Drown (also by Quinn, I swear I've read fics from different authors) is a Pirates of the Caribbean AU with Bill as Calypso, Ford as Davy Jones that kickstarted me and @swiftboone talking non stop about this AU for months on end back in the day. Here's a masterpost of the AU of all of the wonderful peeps contributing to it!

While not really a billford fic, if you're on the Bill canon backstory high rn, please please PLEASE read Flat Dreams by @pengychan. It's an absolute masterpiece that very much made me weep reading back in the day. 100% one of those fics I want everyone who's into GF to have read at least once.

If you're not intimidated by long (LONG) fics, I slavishly followed Knowing Me, Knowing You by @f-imaginings back when. On surface, a typical 'bill gets trapped in a human body pre-betrayal' fic, but holy damn does it go places. equal parts rom com with an ABBA theme, equally character study/exploration with some great sci fi stuff

for something shorter, this fic by @marypsue is 100% one of my fave AU concepts of 'bill losing his own powers to make Ford a demon instead, making himself human in the process'. It's so good, bill being his usual trash baby self while coming to terms with the whole "being powerless" thing.

Anyway, these are the one's I can come up with from the top of my head! I've still got a whole heap of GF/billford fic recs under my fic rec tag, so that's another place to go searching! (and what the hell, shameless self promo of my own old fics lmao)

happy hunting for those fics my friend!!

[ivymp3]

project issue so bad i started asking people from other companies for help 😭😭😭😭

[riicahr]

Finally updated my headcanons for the main Ninja's appearances ♡ The ones from last year looked ew to me so this was overdue.

Lloyd: I know he doesn't have curly hair, but I was unhappy with the way I drew it before so I tried something different and really liked this so I stuck with it. Light freckles, scars too obviously. The little braid is a personal touch of mine representing a connection to my OC hehe

Nya: the markings from her Ocean form were so pretty I had to keep them faintly, and the blue streaks in her hair seemed fitting too. Also a small nose piercing because she would. I love giving her turquoise colors too. Round face features

Kai: his spiky hair is always a challenge so I tried finding a way that's easier for me to draw. I love giving him a mullet too. Slightly crooked nose, sharp features overall & moles. Lotsa ear piercings. Tattoos probably as well

Zane: the most fun to do, his robotic features give a lot of freedom to work with. Making his hair half dark half white was a random idea but I love it now. Straight and angular features

Cole: wider face and body shape, long scar from his forehead down to the eye. I gave my best drawing dreads for him and I think I did well. Orange-green eyes from his ghost phase. Oh and a slight stubble, I thought it fit him well. Originally wanted to give Kai one too, maybe next time

Jay: saw a cosplay of him with this lightning scar across his face and I loved it so much I took it over. Also heterochromia for him, it just feels right. Lots of freckles, super fluffy hair. One hair streak looks like a lightning bolt. Soft shapes and features

Bonus ~☆°•.*

Ninjago OC yeaahh ♡

Nemari: Sharp jawline, pointy chin and nose. Very light freckles, big scar on right shoulder. Pointy ears, few ear piercings.

[theachinghunger-if]

The Aching Hunger

Demo [9.4k Words | Last Updated 5/7/25]

You are a good, upstanding citizen. You’re a devoted best friend, get good grades in college, and life is looking up. You would go as far as to call yourself a good person. That is, until you aren’t anymore. 

When your best friend gets cheated on by her asshole boyfriend, you’re furious on her behalf. And when you see him at a party, something in you… snaps. In a fit of fury, you murder him. 

And this unleashes a bloodlust in you that no one would have ever expected, least of all yourself. Soon, a terrible, aching hunger forms in the pit of your stomach and travels up to gnaw at your heart. You want to kill – need to kill. The question is: can you get away with it, or are you destined to fall? 

The game has four romance options who go as follows:

Delilah (F) Delilah is the kindest, sweetest person you know. She would never even hurt a fly. But despite that, she helps you cover up the murder of her (ex) boyfriend with little more than a scolding look. There’s a burning in her eyes when you reveal your bloodlust before her. Could it be possible that she’s drawn to it?

Delilah is of average height with a lean, slender build. She has black skin, coiled black hair she keeps in locks, and dark brown eyes. She has a round, heart-shaped face and deep dimples.

Sebastian (M) Sebastian has always been a bright, easy-going guy. He’s always been a pleasant person to hang out with, despite his poor choice of best friend. But ever since his best friend’s death – well, ever since you happened to murder him – his joy has been muted. If he ever found out that you murdered his best friend, he would never forgive you.

(WARNING: Sebastian's route is unique in that it is meant to be dark, purposely deceptive, and potentially even downright abusive on behalf of the MC. )

Sebastian is tall with broad shoulders and a muscular build. He has sun-kissed skin and curly brown hair that reaches his shoulders. His eyes are a light shade of brown. He has a scar on his calf that winds all the way up his thigh.

Alexander/Alexandra (M/F)

A is the detective who’s been put on your case. They’re charming, with a silver tongue and a mind as sharp as a finely-honed blade. They’ll stop at nothing to discover who the serial killer haunting the streets of their city is. Too bad that that person happens to be you.

A is tall with a wiry frame. They have pale skin and light blue eyes. Their hair is a pale, platinum blond. Their features are angular and sharp, making them look almost shrewish. A scar slashes across their left cheek.

Hugo/Helga (M/F) H is your classmate who you’ve been assigned on a group project with. They’re a twitchy, nervous thing, often acting as if they’re afraid of the entire world at large. As your killing spree commences, however, they develop a fascination with your serial killing persona. Maybe they’re not as much of a delicate little lamb as you thought they were. 

H has a short, wiry frame. They have pale skin and light blue eyes, along with fiery red hair. Their features are angular and sharp, making them look almost shrewish. They have a smattering of freckles across their body.

Choose your MC's gender

Customize your MC's appearance and personality

Choose between four different romance options

Get away with murder or don't

Feed that hunger inside of you, or try to reject it

All updates will be posted on this blog. I'm totally cool with asks about the MC, ROs, and so on. I’m a-okay with nsfw asks too. Thank you for checking out the blog!

[platinumaspiration]

Lovestruck + Sims Delivery Express Updates

Howdy! Hair comes fresh out the proverbial oven to your table. Please enjoy, let me know if any issues.

Afro Puff and Long Braided Pulled Ombre are part of my hair default collection so throw out the mesh files if you have that.

Barrel Twist has an ombre option as well and Fringe has a femme version. I forgot pictures 😣

Download EP16 - SFS | MF Download SDX033 - SFS | MF Download SDX035 - SFS | MF

updated 8 Sept 2024

details below the cut:

EP16 Angular Fringe CU-EU | base colors | animated | 2.502 poly

EP16 Brush Up UM | base colors | 2.756 poly

EP16 Burst Fade UM | base colors + 5 ombre | 3.580 poly

EP16 Curl Pony TF-EF | base colors + 5 non-tinted | animated | 3.186 poly

EP16 Fringe UU | base colors | 3.599 poly

EP16 Long CF-EF | base colors | animated | 3.266 poly

EP16 Long Wavy TF-EF | base colors | animated | 3.704 poly

EP16 Short Hair Pin CF-EF | base colors | animated | 3.900 poly

EP16 Top Bun TU-EU | base colors | 2.110 poly

EP16 Twist Clip TF-EF | base colors | animated | 3.007 poly

SDX033 Long Braided Pulled Back Ombre TF-EF | 5 ombre colors | animated | 6.185 poly

SDX033 Afro Puffs Ombre CF-EF | 6 ombre colors | 3.350 poly

SDX035 Barrel Twist TM-EM | base colors + 6 ombre colors | 5.462 poly

SDX035 Bombshell UF | base colors | animated | 3.636 poly

SDX035 Ponytail UU | base colors | 3.112 poly

[literaryvein-reblogs]

more words for worldbuilding: size & numbers (pt. 5)

attribute of quantity: about, affluent, altogether, below, better, bountiful, brimming/brimful, depleted, double, elephantine, excessive, exiguous, extravagant, extremely, flush, further, hardly, inadequate, just about, leftover, limited, lush, many, most, new, other, over, residual, rich, slender/slim, spent, supplementary, thin, unreasonable, wholesale

attribute of range: abysmal, across-the-board, all-out, besides, blanket, bounded, broad, catholic, comprehensive, dead, deeply, diffuse, eclectic, encyclopedic, expansive, extensive, far-reaching, full-scale, general, global, inclusive, indiscriminate, international, lower, mixed, more, most, motley, multinational, multiple/multifarious, overall, pervasive, primarily, quite, rampant, relatively, slightly, substantially, sweeping, universal, utmost, very, wholesale, wide, within, without

attribute of size: angular, baby, better, brief, burly, capsule, chubby, commodious, compendious, corpulent, cumbersome, elephantine, extensive, full, giant, grand, gross, hefty, hulking, immeasurable, imposing, incalculable, inflated, large, major, massive, midget, miniature, miniscule/minuscule, minute, monstrous, narrow, pocket, prodigious, puny, roly-poly, scrawny, small, small-time, stocky, strapping, stunted, teeny/teensy, thin, titanic, vast, wee, wide

capacity: brimming/brimful, compact, crowded, full, spacious, vacant, void

change of quantity: accession, develop, grow, growth

decreasing: attrition, cut, deduction, depreciate, diminution, drop off, fall, recede, sag, sink, taper/taper off, wane

depth: abysmal, profound, skin-deep, unfathomable

distance: about, away, contiguous, distant, far, far-flung, farthest, immediate, near, off, onward/onwards, yonder

height: alpine, elongated, gigantic, lanky, long, midget, precipitous, short, squat, stubby, tall, towering

increasing: accretion, accrue, amplification, bulge, enlarge, expansion, increase, inflate, leap, peak, reach, swell, widen

large: abounding, aggregate, appreciable, colossal, considerable, excessive, extremely, fantastic, generous, gigantic, great, handsome, hulking, incalculable, inordinate, legion, massive, mighty, monstrous, multitudinous, numberless, opulent, plentiful/plenty, prodigious, redundant, stupendous, surplus, tremendous, unwieldy, voluminous, whopping

length: extended, lengthy, short, tall

measurement: degree, mark, proportion

number: amount, estimate, number, pair, point, quotation/quote, sum, trio/triple, zero

portion: among, asunder, fragmentary, half, sectional

quantity: agglomeration, amount, avalanche, backlog, batch, bundle, cascade, cipher, deluge, duo, extravagance, figure, flow, gust, lot, mass, minimum, myriad, oodles, pile, plenty, surge, total, trio/triple, turnout

range: bound/bounds, compass, expanse, gamut, length, scads, scope, superabundance, waterfall, width

relative: cumulative, fairly, influx

small: compendious, dinky, few, infinitesimal, less, little, marginal, measly, miniature, minimum, miniscule/minuscule, minute, nominal, outside, piddling, scant/scanty, scarcely, skimpy, teeny/teensy, trifling

unit of distance measure: depth, foot, mile

unit of height measure: altitude, height, mile

unit of measure: acre, degree, dimensions/dimension, mass, measurement, proportions, size, volume, width

unit of scalar measure: above, lesser, over, under

unit of volume measure: capacity, volume

unit of weight measure: ounce, weight

width: broad, wide

NOTE

Excerpted from Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Updated and Expanded 3rd Edition, in Dictionary Form, edited by The Princeton Language Institute.

The above are concepts classified according to subject and usage. It not only helps writers and thinkers to organize their ideas but leads them from those very ideas to the words that can best express them.

It was, in part, created to turn an idea into a specific word. By linking together the main entries that share similar concepts, the index makes possible creative semantic connections between words in our language, stimulating thought and broadening vocabulary.

Source ⚜ Basics & Refreshers ⚜ On Vocabulary ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[mothandpidgeon]

Nine Lives (witch's familiar!Ezra x witch!f!reader) - Part 5

Moth's Masterlist // follow @mothandpidgeon-updates and turn on notifications to stay updated with my fics!

SERIES MASTERLIST

pairing: witch's familiar!Ezra x witch!f!reader

rating: E MDNI

summary: As you came into your powers and your curves filled in, Ezra realized he feelings for you were more than just affection. The only problem? He's a 300 year old crused witch. Oh, and he's a cat.

contents: age gap (like 300 years), alcohol, yearning masturbation, vegan slander, moth never uses y/n.

wc: 6.2k

a/n: Today feels like a really rough day in the US so I wanted to share this new chapter. Hopefully it'll take your mind off things. I've had a really really hard time writing this chapter. Really glad I stuck with it and struggled through. Could not have done this without input and beta from @moonlitbirdie @schnarfer and @whocaresstillthelouvre. Thank you my little witches!

🐈‍⬛

With Margot’s reprieve, life with Ezra becomes the new normal. Weeks pass and he’s slotted into your day to day so easily. Grocery shopping, breakfast at the cafe down the street. He comes to work with you. Except now, instead of lounging on top of a dusty bookshelf, he helps man the cash register. 

Despite your aunt’s insistence that she would not under any circumstances be involved with this “conspiracy” (her word), she had pointed you in the direction of a vieling spell that would keep Ezra’s transformation under wraps. You and he cast the ward around town hoping it might buy some time but you’ll have to come clean eventually.

“By Yuletide, you’d better come up with a proper appeal,” Aunt Margot said. “People will ask questions if you’re absent and I’m not going to lie.”

There’s still time and so you choose to enjoy this secret, this new chapter with Ezra.

You’re smiling to yourself as you climb the stairs to the second floor of the Page with a book in your hands. It’s an antique school primer someone just brought in for Margot to appraise. Nothing special except that the little darling that once owned it filled the margins with dirty limericks and pencil sketchings of cock and balls. Some things never change, no matter what century it is. Ezra will get a kick out of it. He probably knows a few lewd poems himself. 

You hang back when you find him beside the front window. Soft morning light falls over the angular planes of his face. There’s a divot in the center of his throat just visible above the collar of his olive sweatshirt that always catches your eye. You still haven’t quite gotten used to the fact that your old pal Ezra is so damn handsome. Not that you’re attracted to him. He’s just attractive. You’ve reminded yourself of the distinction between that many times over the past few weeks. 

But it’s not the cast of the sun that has you hesitating. Ezra’s talking to a customer, his crooked smile revealing the dimple in his cheek, with a tarot deck in his hands.

“And it was the exact image I’d seen when I took ayahuasca,” she says. “The four of cups.”

“Well, cards are certainly prophetic,” he says, his voice edging on a tease. 

You know her— Zoe’s a regular. She moved into town after backpacking through South America, and waitresses at the diner. She comes in to buy crystals from time to time and she’s good for business. Ever since the diner got written up as one of the “hidden gems of the Catskills,” she sends more and more of her customers over to the Page. 

She’s been stopping in even more recently, the shop’s newest doe-eyed employee obviously her motivation. Twice a week you find her in conversation with Ezra. In fact, she’s given up the pretense that she’s actually shopping for anything anymore. 

“Have you ever had your aura photographed?” she asks. 

“No. A picture of me is a rare thing, indeed,” he says. 

Zoe’s the exact kind of mortal Ezra detests– always talking about “getting into wicca” as if magic is a hobby she can try on– but she’s beautiful. She has hazel eyes and razor sharp cheekbones. Her slim arms are tattooed with delicate talismen and her haircuts seamlessly straddle the border between chic and edgy. 

“I know a place down in Woodstock where you can get it done. Next time I’m going, maybe you can tag along,” she offers. 

There’s a sparkle in Ezra’s eye that makes your chest tight.

You retreat to the stairs before you hear his answer. The sensation building in you is a stab, a flare of something bitter and dark. You’re not sure why you’re jealous because you don’t have feelings for Ezra. Okay, maybe a little crush. But you’ve got that in check. You’re not going to fall for your best friend just because he woke up with the most handsome face you’ve ever seen.

And you’re definitely not intimidated by Zoe’s waif-like frame and heavily lidded eyes. Next to her, you look like an ogre. But why would you need to compare yourself to her? And why shouldn’t Ezra get to bang a goddess when he has a mouth that should be sculpted in marble?  

You realize how ridiculous this train of thought is becoming so you shove it down as tightly as you can, actually shaking your head as though this insanity might tumble out of your ear.

“You okay?” 

Zoe’s standing in front of you at the register, the tarot deck set on the counter between you.

“You’re buying something,” you say, though it’s more of a question than a statement.

“This deck has a really good vibe,” she tells you. “Ezra picked it out.”

Hearing her say his name, you’re like a cat with its hair standing on end. 

“He’s got the same name as your cat. Isn’t that funny,” she notes.

“I see how you look at him,” you say. It’s not meant to come out as an accusation but there’s a bite to your words you weren’t expecting. You’re being ridiculous so you decide to prove to yourself once and for all that your feelings are strictly platonic. The faster you see Ezra with someone, the quicker this little crush will die. 

Luckily, Zoe doesn’t notice it. “That obvious, huh?”

“You should take him for a drink. He’d like that,” you say. Something like relief comes over you. Obviously you’re not jealous. If you were, you wouldn’t have tried to set him up.

“You think so?” she asks, glancing back towards the stairs. “I tried to give him my number but he told me he doesn’t have a phone.”

You try to keep yourself from laughing at what a devastating rejection that would be if it weren't true.

“He actually doesn’t,” you say.

“Really?” 

You shrug.

She nods. “That’s smart. The EMF really messes with your brainwaves.”

“Hm,” you say with a noncommittal nod. “Well, I’ll have him send you a letter or something.”

–

Ezra used to trot down the stairs of the bookstore. Now he has to duck to keep his head from smacking into the shelf that hangs over the doorframe. 

It’s taken some time to get used to his body again but after these few weeks, he’s navigating the world with ease. Ezra hasn’t felt this happy in hundreds of years. He’s doing magic for the first time in a long time and he spends his days working in the bookstore. It’s oddly enjoyable even despite the fact that it’s dull and full of silly mortals. Best of all, there’s you. 

He still can’t comprehend how lucky he is to be given this gift. To be yours. Even if he isn’t anymore, not beholden by the fetters of a familiar, he’ll never stop thinking of himself as belonging to you. 

You’re smiling at him as he comes to the counter and he has to resist the urge to nuzzle his head into your shoulder as he used to greet you. If there’s one thing he misses about being a cat, it’s your scratching behind his ears.

“I got you a date with her,” you say.

“The vegan?” Ezra asks.

“Yeah,” you say with a laugh. “The vegan that you shamelessly flirt with.”

Ezra furrows his brow. He was once quite the charmer but he hasn’t intended to do anything more than amuse himself. Over and over, this woman batted her eyelashes at him and Ezra carefully demurred each time. She was pretty. Perhaps some time ago he would have liked to bed her but he has no designs on her now, not when he falls asleep swimming in the scent of your skin each night.

”You shouldn’t have done that,“ he says.

”Why not? She’s so into you,” you reply.

Ezra says nothing because his answer would give it all away. Instead he grabs a handful of bookmarks decorated with pressed flowers and busies himself putting them on a table on the other side of the room. 

“You’ve been celibate for how long?” you go on, following behind.

“No need for reminders.” 

“We need to get you laid!” you say so helpfully. ”Are you blushing?”

If Ezra’s red in the face, it’s only because he’s realizing what a fool he’s being. You’re ready to send him off to another while he’s madly in love with you. He shouldn’t be surprised. He couldn’t expect that you were going to suddenly leap into his arms with any of the enthusiasm Zoe’s shown him. Maybe he thought there was some chance, some faint hope that you could belong just as much to him. 

But this makes your feelings so clear. You’re not interested. You’re ready to pawn him off on some ridiculous mortal.

”What’s wrong? She too young for you or something?” you tease. 

Zoe is, no doubt, attractive and she’d made it clear that she’s ready to take him to bed, both facts that should have elated him. The problem was, she wasn’t you. And you were someone he’d never have. 

“I can manage my own matchmaking,“ he grumbles. He moves on to a stack of books, straightening their spines though they’re hardly askew. Anything to keep himself from looking at you, being reminded that you’re off limits.

“Ez, she’s been throwing herself at you.“ 

”I suppose in my time I’ve learned to savor the hunt.“ 

“Oh please. You used to eat out of my hand. You should be thanking me,” you say. 

Thanking you for pushing him into the arms of another. His despair calcifies into a rotten resentment. You don’t want him, you never will. 

“I’d much prefer it if you didn’t involve yourself,” he says. It’s nearly impossible to keep the venom out of his voice.

You scoff. In the corner of his eye, you’re frowning. ”Okay. If I’d known you were going to be such a dick about it, I wouldn’t have bothered,” you say, and then you turn around shaking your head and walk away.

He watches you stomp into the next room, regret flooding him. He shouldn’t be so mean, not to you, but the damage has been done. There’s hardly time to think about it because Margot is breezing in from the back door with Percy riding high on her shoulder, the sound of her bracelets filling the store with their music. Ezra sets his features in as neutral an expression he can manage.

“Oh, Ezra, dear. Just who I was looking for,” she says. “Come here a minute.”

She sets a wide box that’s tied with a grosgrain ribbon on the counter.

“What’s this?” he asks.

“Open it.” 

He looks from her to her familiar before he pulls the dark ribbon and lifts the lid. Inside is something he hasn’t seen in a dog’s age. The memories it brings back makes his lips tick up in an absent smile. 

“Robes,” he says. “How did you—?”

“We found a description in Goody Cartwright’s diary in the basement,” Margot said. “Dusted off the old sewing machine.”

Percival scampers down her arm to climb into the box. He crawls beneath a sleeve and lifts the hem in his paws, standing on his hind legs.

“I hope they turned out,” Margot says.  

“Mine were nearly identical,” Ezra says as he wistfully inspects the fabric.

He still remembers the feel of the homespun linen against his skin. His robes always smelled of woodsmoke from the moon revels. They had been stained with wine and goat’s milk, the bottom edge besotted with moss and rainwater.

“It was Percy’s idea,” she says.

The mouse ducks his head bashfully when Ezra looks up at him. 

Ezra swallows down the lump in his throat. He’s moved, jaw gripped as he tries to stop from shedding tears. Another gift he’s not worthy of, compounded by the fact that he’s just upset you again. You were doing for him what you’ve always done– taking care of him, showing him that you loved him. If only he could accept it’s not the way he wants it.

He sets his hand out on the countertop. 

“Percival,” he says. 

After some hesitation, Percy steps into Ezra’s palm. Ezra brings the mouse up so that he sits at eye level. 

“I deserve a much starker retribution from you, friend,” Ezra says. “I hope you’ll forgive my misdeeds.”

Percy cocks his head to the side. 

“He says he’ll think about it,” Margot tells him. 

Ezra grins. He offers a finger which Percy takes in his paw and they shake hands. 

“You can wear them this weekend. Sunday’s your first full moon since you turned,” Margot says. 

Ezra had forgotten all about the phases of the moon. How could he be expected to keep track of such things when there were so many new things to experience?

”We’ll celebrate,” Margot insists.

He wants to protest. Right now he doesn't feel much like frivolity, can’t imagine you’ll want to join in with any festivities when he’s been such a complete and total ass. But he knows he ought to learn his lesson and accept.

“I look forward to it,” he says.

Percy squeaks happily and Margot claps her hands together.

“Come on, Percy! There’s much to be done!” she says before disappearing into the back room.

-

The rest of the day is tense between you and Ezra, with few words exchanged. He’s lived with you long enough that it’s not your very first squabble but, in the past, it was much easier to stay out from underfoot. The apartment feels so much smaller now that he’s human, its walls crushing when there’s silence between you. It’s at its worst when you announce you’re going to bed. It feels cold, lacking an invitation, and so Ezra waits in the kitchen for a long while wondering if you want him beside you at all. 

Some time after you’ve turned off the light, he slinks in nervously. He might as well be sneaking into the bed, though for all intents and purposes, it’s become just as much his as it is yours. He’s shared it with you from that very first night. Neither of you raised the notion of his sleeping elsewhere so it became a habit. He wonders now, more strongly than ever, if he’s overstayed his welcome. 

You lay facing the window but he knows your breathing well enough to see you’re not yet sleeping. He lays on the cold sheets hating himself for loving you, for taking advantage of you, for disappointing you.  

“I shouldn’t have accused you of meddling,” he says quietly.

Ezra has accepted the fact that he’ll have to take this mortal out despite having no interest in her. There’s no good reason not to, as you so aptly showed him, and if he doesn’t you’ll want to know why.

At some point in the late afternoon he decided that he would make the best of it. He would stop kidding himself and accept that you had no romantic feelings for him and try to keep an open mind with Zoe. At the very worst, he’d finally get a long overdue fuck. How could a man mope over that? 

But seeing the slope of your shoulder in the moonlight, your eyelashes fluttering as you turn your face up to the ceiling, makes him realize just how impossible is the task that lies ahead of him. 

You sigh and turn over, sheets rustling with your movement. There’s just enough light in the room to shine in your sweet eyes as you look at him and tuck a hand under your pillow. 

“Ez, it’s okay. I know why you got upset,” you say. 

His heart skips a beat. Of course you know. He’s been so obvious, how could you not see it? He swallows hard, unsure of what he’ll say when you call him out. It feels like an age passes as he waits for you to say the words. 

“You haven’t been with anybody for a long time. If you’re not ready, I get it,” you say and you put a gentle hand over his. 

A little laugh escapes him. How absurdly wrong he’d been. He sinks deeper into his self pity. How could he ever imagine a creature as kind and beautiful as you would want him? A reprobate, hundreds of years old. A fucking cat.

“Yes, well, I suppose if she’s as smitten as you believe I’ve nothing to worry about,” he says. 

A smile cracks across your lips and your gaze melts over his face. You brush your palm across his cheek and Ezra can’t help but close his eyes and lean into the touch of your warm skin. 

“How could she not be?” you say.

Your gaze lingers on him, your expression difficult to read. There’s nothing but the sound of your soft breaths and the whisper of dry leaves outside the window. His heart aches, wishing he could curl himself around you and say the words that live on the tip of his tongue. But the moment passes as you pull your hand back to your side of the mattress and the gulf between you feels wider than ever. He lays awake for what feels like hours wishing he was still a cat so he could sleep in your embrace.

-

You lay on the couch with a book spread open on your lap but you haven’t been able to read a single page. Ezra’s out with Zoe which is fine. Totally fine. You made it happen after all, even gave him some cash for drinks and coaching on the dating scene. 

“I’m newly human but I wasn’t born yesterday. I’m well acquainted with the customs and mores of modern courtship,” he protested. 

“Do you even hear yourself right now?” you asked. 

For a moment, you almost fooled yourself into thinking he wasn’t interested in her. He’d been so prickly when you brought it up. There have been times when you wonder. You’ll catch him looking at you in a way that makes your heart flutter. Or his touch will remain just a moment longer than it needs to, days when you wake up and question if his morning wood is actually for you and not just a fact of human biology. But of course not. And that’s fine.

It’s been a while since you’ve had the apartment to yourself— certainly not in the weeks since Ezra became human— and you’ve had little down time. There’s always some new adventure to take him on. Not that you’re complaining. It’s been the most thrilling time of your life. 

This whole date situation is good, actually, because you could really use a night alone. At least that’s what you’ve been telling yourself. 

You poured yourself a glass of wine and lit some incense, cracked open the book. A good start. That’s about all you managed. You keep thinking about how it’s going with Ezra. What could they be talking about? Is he having fun? Maybe he’ll actually like her. Wouldn’t that be….something?

Things could never get romantic between the two of you anyway. You wouldn’t risk your friendship, so many years of trust and affection. It’s too precious to you. Besides, there must be something unethical about dating someone that’s been sworn to serve and protect you.

Not that you want to do that.

You snap the book shut and toss it on the coffee table, sitting up. You need to stop being weirdly obsessed with this date. Ezra is your friend, you remind yourself, and you’re excited for him. You just need something more engrossing. 

You put on a period piece. Nothing like a night in with ballgowns and wine. You put your feet up on the table and try to lose yourself in the movie. Ezra is such a pedant when it comes to historical dramas, always pointing out the inaccuracies, complaining about the costumes.

You wish he were here now groaning over the cut of a coat. You wish he was here instead of–

This isn’t working. You know what always clears your mind? A bath. 

The clawfoot tub is filled with oils and herbs, the little bathroom flickers in candle light. You slide deeper into the warm water, focus on the way your muscles unwind. You hadn’t even noticed you were so tense. This was a good call. There’s a knot in your shoulder you massage with your hand. Finally feeling serene, your wet fingers coming to slide across your chest. The water drips peacefully out of the faucet and your cheeks bloom with the alcohol and heat. Maybe Ezra should go on more dates, get the place to yourself more often.

You know what would really make you feel relaxed? Your fingers drift below the water, and skate down your belly and your eyes come to close. It’s been over a month since you got off– Connor (though most of the credit should really go to your passion elixir). It’s been impossible to rub one out with someone else in your bed. At least when Ezra was a cat, he spent a lot of time prowling the woods and being moody. Maybe he’d heard you back then, a thought that somehow equally horrifies and thrills you. 

You touch yourself with a slow, delicate hand and you’re lost in the idea of him watching you now. His chocolate eyes hungry but his body still, the only movement he allows is the rise and fall of his chest. How many times had he seen you, all of you, and not looked away? 

You shiver imagining him, urging you to show him how you take yourself apart. Studying, appreciating. Savoring. Throbbing at each twitch in your brow as you crest and your breath hitches. Even in the water you can feel yourself growing slick, a coil of need winding, and you bite down on your bottom lip. Your mind swirls, your body taught.

He’d be calling you dirty and pretty and good in his flowery prose, stroking your cheek with his knuckles and you unfurl a moan so loud because you don’t have to stay quiet, you’ve got the place to yourself.

Before you’ve even come down from your high, you're flooded with the sting of reality.

No matter how wrong or immoral or risky it is, there’s no denying it– your feelings for Ezra are anything but platonic. And he’s on a date with another woman.

You press the heels of your hands into your eyes with a groan. 

The thought of facing Ezra after this revelation makes your stomach turn. You can almost see him sauntering in, hair mussed, body slack from his sexual conquest. It burns a hole in your chest, a scream practically rising in your throat. And you’ll, what, go on living with him, smelling his musk on your sheets and not go completely insane?

You pull the plug from the drain. So much for the bath. It’s early yet but the only thing you can do to help yourself now is be unconscious. There’s no way you’re going to fall asleep with your thoughts racing so you brew up a sleeping draught in the kitchen. With any luck, you won’t have any dreams either.

-

Ezra’s side of the bed is empty and cold. Mid-morning sun glows on the walls of your bedroom and you’re just waking up, the effects of the potion still making your head groggy. But eventually it dawns on you. He’s not there. 

It shouldn’t hurt as much as it does. Your eyes sting with tears, your gut sinking with the weight of it. You imagine Ezra curled up in bed with her. Morning sex. Breakfast. You want to puke. 

After a long while pulling yourself together, you realize it’s better this way. The last thing you need is to wake up next to Ezra smelling like sex and the patchouli notes of Zoe’s perfume. 

You can’t sulk. You need to get up, get over it.

When you step out of your bedroom, you stop short at the discovery that Ezra’s asleep on the couch. So he didn’t spend the night. It does little to soothe your aching heart. In fact, it somehow feels worse. He looks so perfect, long legs bare and brow smooth, mouth turned down in a pout. It’s not fair you have to survive around a man so perfect.

You go into the bathroom and close the door a little too loud a little on purpose. 

Maybe there’s a potion for falling out of love.

-

Ezra’s dragged himself up by the time you step back into the living room, woken by the slam of the door. He had the damndest time sleeping on that couch. Never realized how lucky he’s been to share the bed. 

You stop outside the bathroom door, arms akimbo, and your oversized sleep shirt rides up your thighs. 

“Well?” you ask. 

Ezra can’t help but smirk at your down to business attitude.

Well indeed. 

Zoe had been fine company. Not hard to look at even if the conversation left a little to be desired. His favorite part of the evening came when Zoe brought up the shop and, in turn, you. It was difficult not to let his words run away from him.

Despite his best efforts, knowing that he should give over and accept this, his mind kept slipping back to his little mage. What you would look like in the little frock Zoe had chosen, the jokes that only you would understand. You’d helped him pick out clothes for the evening, a soft woolen sweater you swore wasn't too tight. All night, he kept remembering the drag of your eyes over his arms before you said, “You look really good.” He wants you to look at him like that all the time.

”She’s not intolerable for a mortal,“ he says. 

“‘Not intolerable.’ Sounds like Ezra for bangable,” you say. “So?”

Perhaps in another universe, Ezra would have had a splendid time, would have debauched himself. He’d left after only two drinks, a look of disappointment on Zoe’s face that he wouldn’t soon forget. Had he been a better man, he would’ve felt worse about it but he couldn’t care about anything but you. As he walked briskly from the bar, he resolved to tell you everything, that he couldn’t stand even the suggestion that he sleep with someone else when you consume him. Good sense be damned. What was the point of being human if he had to live like this?

But he came home to find the apartment dark, your bedroom door shut. He listened there before opening it ajar to see you sleeping peacefully. Reality sunk in, fast and hard. A confession could ruin everything. His home, the only family he knew, the people he loved. He couldn’t risk losing you. 

If he woke you, he’d have you face the question you’d just asked so he’d curled up under the throw blanket on the couch, as he had so many times before.

“I won't make a braggart of myself,” he says, sidestepping the question.

You roll your eyes and head back to your bedroom in a hurry. 

Ezra’s shoulders sag with a deep sigh.

-

Sunday morning in the shop is slower than usual. It’s maddening, leaving you with too much time to meditate on your sorrows as you hide behind the cash register. Every time your eyes land on Ezra, you’re treated to fresh torment. For some reason you can’t stop picturing him fucking her doggy style with wild thrusts of his hips.

“Tea, dear?” Margot asks. Her rings tink against a spoon as she stirs honey into her tea cup. Mint and ginger fills your nostrils. 

You merely grunt in reply but hear her setting another cup out for you. There’s a clink of porcelain and Margot clicks her tongue.

“Your bad mood is sullying the energy in here,” she tuts.

You turn to find her wicking spilled tea off of her hand.

“I’m not in a bad mood,” you say too quickly. 

What kind of mood are you supposed to be in when you realize you’re in love with your best friend who was, until recently, a cat, and said friend spent the night with another woman? When there’s a chance that this was all for naught when the Elders find out and turn you into a newt?

Margot scoffs and lights a stick of palo santo, wafting its smoke in your direction. 

“You’d better not bring that energy into the full moon,” she says. “I don’t need to feel all mopey for the next fortnight.”

You cross your arms. 

“Are you still mad at me?” you ask. Margot’s been welcoming to Ezra but you still feel her ambivalence towards you. It hangs in the air the same as your sour aura. 

“Mad at you,” she repeats, pouring another cup of tea. “Why? Because you implicated me and Percy in a crime that I’m concealing from the Elders? I should be, shouldn’t I?” 

You sink deeper into your frown. Margot hands you the teacup. 

“But I haven’t seen you this happy in a long time. Besides whatever bee is in your bonnet today,” she adds with an arched brow. “And that’s made me very happy.”

You look at her, your lip quivering. Margot’s been there for you longer than Ezra, taught you everything you know about magic and given you an unconditional love you can hardly fathom even in adulthood. You nearly spill your tea again, setting it aside so you can throw your arms around her.

She stumbles backwards with an “Oof” and chuckles into your ear. Her open palm warms your back.

“It’s all in the stars,” she says.

And, right now, you have to believe she’s right.

-

Through the long sleeves of your velvet dress, you feel the chill in the air. It’s much colder than the last time you were in these woods for the solstice. Of course, this is a much different kind of celebration. The fire is smaller, there’s less paraphernalia involved. It’s just the four of you— you and Ezra, Margot and Percy— but it feels more joyful. 

Margot leads you in a ritual to draw down the moon, then sets out an ornate jar of water to charge in its light. You and Ezra help her cast some spells. She swears the ones done under a full moon have the strongest effect. 

But mostly the night is for merry making. There’s wine and incense and apple cider caramels. Margot perches on a tree stump and plays a few songs on her concertina and Ezra insists that you dance with him.

You do, putting your hands into his and letting him spin you in circles. Margot’s words ring in your ears. You can be happy that he’s happy even if it makes your heart ache. At least now, safe from the rest of the world, hands clasped together, you can pretend. 

Ezra looks so handsome in his new robes, you almost wonder if there’s an enchantment on them. The white patch in his hair glows as if the moon came down and kissed him on the forehead. His cheeks are pink and he’s as breathless as you. 

You’re both laughing when the music ends and you let your hand stay in Ezra’s for a while, wanting the fantasy to last just a little bit longer. 

“Now I must insist on a dance with you,” he says to Margot. He holds out a hand to her but doesn’t let go of yours yet. 

“I’m playing the music!” she says. 

“There must be an incantation that will make that squeezebox play itself,” he says and he slips from your grip to pull her to her feet. 

Percy scrambles off of her lap and hops onto your knee as you flop down on the ground. 

“I’ll sing!” you say.

“Goodness no!” Margot says. 

You all laugh and Ezra releases her after a few twirls.

Since it’s his party, Ezra takes the liberty of sharing his favorite stories. He sits beside you on the ground, animatedly narrating his wildest adventures. You’re pretty sure half of them are pure fabrication but he’s having so much fun recounting them, you don’t question even the most outlandish of details. The fire warms your face. Though, considering how it’s dying down, it could just be his glow. Ezra loves being at the center of attention and you wonder the last time he had the chance to command so much of it. He hasn’t stopped smiling since the sun set, that gorgeous dimple growing deeper with each hour. You love seeing him like this, full of excitement and life. 

Eventually, the moon hangs full overhead and Percy curls up to sleep on Margot’s shoulder. The crackle of the fire slows and you throw your head back to look at the sky dotted with so many twinkling stars. For the first time since Ezra left for his date, you feel peaceful. He’s quiet now and you try to catch another glimpse of him in the dark only to find his dark eyes shining at you. He smiles tenderly, and your whole body warms with affection. You can almost believe it’s a look of longing.

Margot slaps her hands against her thighs and stands, breaking your gaze. 

“Well, I’d better go before I turn into a pumpkin,” she says. 

“Oh, come on. It’s early,” you say. 

“We’ll brew you something to wake you in the morning,” Ezra offers. 

“That’s alright. Enjoy,” she says. Before she heads back into the trees, she takes Ezra’s hand and gives it a squeeze and pats you on the shoulder. 

You’re quiet for a long time, watching the fire die down. It comes back to you, slowly at first, then a flood of emotion, the uncertainty of your future. This night has been a gift but, one way or another, you’re destined to lose Ezra. There’s a melancholy look on his face that hints he might be thinking about the same things. 

“Should we retire then?” he asks after a sigh. 

“Wait. I want to give you something,” you say. Margot arranged this whole evening and you feel like you’ve shown up to a party empty handed.

“You’ve given more than enough.”

“Well, apparently I’ve been putting off really bad vibes. So a protection spell.” You rise to your feet.

Ezra pulls himself up with your help and this time you don’t allow him to let go. You take both of his hands in yours, his rough fingers entwined in your own, and he watches you, with a fond curiosity on his face. He flusters you. His gaze is so intense, you have a hard time meeting his eye.

“Okay,” you say, shaking out your limbs. 

Magic tingles where your palms meet and you notice that his thumb traces yours gently. Having spent the night before without him seems to double the intimacy of the moment. He looks downright beautiful like this, the angles of his face outlined in fire and moonlight. It’s almost unbearable. 

“Ezra,” you start.

His lips part at the sound of his name.

“I protect you with my magic and my spirit,” you say.

He can surely feel it surrounding him like an embrace. It’s so intense, you can barely fill your lungs. His eyes are so soft, round and sweet. They glisten in the darkness. 

“And my heart,” you add, your voice breaking.

You put your palm against his cheek, the pad of your thumb tracing the hairline scar there, to seal the spell and he takes in a sharp little gasp at your touch. There’s a look in his eye, beseeching, and you feel the tug of his magic, drawing you in closer like a knot tightening between you. It’s a whisper, so faint you’re probably imagining it, but you follow it to him, to his lips. 

Before you even realize it, you’re kissing him. Tender and aching and it feels like relief to have his mouth on yours, to taste the wine on his tongue. His lips are soft and hesitant. Your body molds against him, it always does. You’ve been in his arms so many times before and yet it’s never felt more right than this very moment. 

Except that it’s wrong. There are all of those reasons why this can’t be, how awkward it will be when he stops you, when he goes back to sleeping on the couch. Suddenly you’re pulling away despite your body screaming for you to do anything else.

“I’m sorry,” you breathe. “I shouldn’t have– Shit!” You swallow down a lump in your throat.

Ezra holds you firm by your elbows, pulling your hand away from your lips and shaking his head.

“Little mage, I have wanted nothing more for longer than you can know,” he says, his eyes crinkling with a smile.

You stare at him, wide eyed, mouth agape, trying to make sense of his words. Your heart flips and you let out a sound somewhere between a laugh and a sob.

And then he kisses you again and again and again.

🐈‍⬛

Comments and reblogs appreciated! Asks always open! I'd love to hear from you!

[yourlocalgremlin]

I understand why this would never have happened but part of me cannot help but yearn for a reality where instead of making everything completely modern the new Star Trek media set during the TOS era had done an updated version of that aesthetic. Making it modern in terms of quality (higher detailing, less clunky, etc), but still true to the general design choices made in TOS. I want fuzzy uniforms and beehive hairdos! I want a cramped bridge and dramatic angular sets! I want things to be less smooth and perfect!

[hometoursandotherstuff]

This 1925 bungalow in Jackson, MI is likely a flip. It looks very nice and the 2bd, 1ba, 1,332sqft home just sold for $219k, but I've never seen anything like this. A would-be buyer who was interested in the home found some things wrong with it, got pissed, and posted his findings. Check this out.

I thought this living room looked kind of sharp, but he didn't like the stain on the floor (this photo no longer appears in the listing).

In fact, they repainted it, but the stain remains.

The green.

And, the new tan color.

I liked it better green and white, but this is the dining room that leads off the living room. It has a nice big window seat.

I don't know what he's objecting to here. Gaps in the cabinet and dishwasher, but what's wrong with the fridge? Oh, shoot! They say it's an extension cord. No! You can't sell a house like that. I never would've thought that's what it was. Very bad situation. That wouldn't pass inspection.

Terrible. Very half-assed.

The kitchen from another angle looks better.

There's also a plant window in the kitchen.

What he didn't like about the sun room- the vents? Niches?

I would never guess by the realtor's photo.

He really found fault with this room- the stove pipe, the vents - the placement? I don't know.

That photo was replaced with this one, so you can't see the vents.

I don't know what he objects to in this bedroom.

Very angular primary bedroom with lots of cubbies and original built-in storage.

The updated bath.

He didn't like that one of the plastic hooks is missing, but the obvious blunder in here is that there's no room to swing. This silly room does not appear on the listing.

The house is deceivingly large in the back. Look at how big the deck is.

There's a large garage and what appears to be guest quarters.

Pergola over an old hot tub.

1.8 acre lot.

https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/2005-1st-St_Jackson_MI_49203_M35951-00116

[whhomecooked]

Mini Theory:

We're Being Sucked Into Home

Images borrowed from: @cat-mermaid , thank you so much for posting these I couldnt find them anywhere LOL

Im going to put the following images in timeline order. Dont look at the homes- look at the size of the path around where the clock is or should be, and the angle that you're seeing the trees at.

Some Key Points

The Spiral

Notice the size of the spiral between the first and second image, and how it starts to web out from its initial hole. It's spreading- or, trying to.

We may have been pulled closer had Wally not colored over the spiral.

Im of the belief that Wally covered up the spiral before he was scratched out of the website, to note. Its his colors, and whenever we've talked to him in writing he's only ever used crayons. He's nothing if not consistent <3

Footsteps

There are footsteps behind Julie's house, judging by the shape leading from her house to the forest

My current theory is that W is going to remove those crayon markings in the next update,

We know how annoyed they get when someone messes with their website, even more so if they now know that it's Wally. [See image] [Its mostly the second paragraph I stole this photo from another theory of mine so, the underlining is only partially relevant]

Pawprints

The pawprints next to Barnaby's house have changed. They go from being circular to more angular, and from blue to red, with a heart shaped center shape. YK who's feet we just saw this update?

Well if that isnt an oddly similar heart shaped center pad :) [This turns into FNAF more and more every day- im counting toes]

The Grave

Behind Barnaby's house is a lightly packed grave with a flower marking it. I only call it a grave because of the marking, though I have an idea or two of what could be in it.

The Marlo Flower

The Marlo flower [The Flower Julie Tweaks Over] being in the grave correlated with the last video, of Julie saying that noone will find it, and the hidden image of Frank looking worried. It make sense that after seeing Julie tweak and presumably kill the flower, Frank would have seen all of this, and buried the flower- hide the evidence, if you will. Why mark the grave then? No clue- but that feels Frankcore to me.

[the-sunhold-coven]

The Sunhold Coven

This is the writing blog for my WIP, I'll try to update about once every to every other month depending on how long the updates take.

Summary:

It has been over a decade since the plague swept the nation of Korim, claiming folks both young and old, fit and frail. No cure either magical or alchemical could stem the tide. The silent streets were filled with corpses, and the people were scared, searching for an explanation. So their heads turned to those who remained unaffected by the plague, the magic folk of Korim.

Soon all magic folk were persecuted, shifters, nymphs and witches were killed in droves. Now only a few remain.

You are one. A witch.

Traverse the land of Korim in a fight for your survival.

Make new friends and possibly romance one of six companions.

Rebuild the old coven.

Companions and RO's

Alarik:

Alarik grew up on the tales of witches. Self-serving and power hungry with no exceptions is how you were portrayed and that is what he believed. He has always been driven by a need to protect those he around him. The hound that accompanies Alarik is called Lady.

He is a very tall man with an athletic physique. His eyes are the telltale silver of the Witch hunters, and the streak of white in his hair barely visible against the platinum blonde. His features are stern and severe softened only by the stubble on his jaw

Midora:

Midora is a forest nymph with a profound love for all that grows and blooms. Despite having seen the worst of people, she still always chooses to believe the best. She values loyalty and kindness above all else.

Everything about her appearance seems soft, her short and curvy body, her round face and hazel doe eyes. Long oak brown braid fall down to her hips, gradually becoming a moss green. She almost always braids in little flower into her hair, kept alive by her magic.

Felina:

Felina is a feline shifter. Her other shape is that of a lynx. She keeps most at a distance and claims she prefers solitude, but her eyes will soften as she sees something small and vulnerable.

Felina's pale human shape still bares some cat-like features, with sharp amber eyes and button nose framed by her chin length brown hair. She is of average height with lean, ropey muscles.

Caden:

Caden is a lupine shifter, his other form that of a great black wolf. He is a man that struggles to stay silent, his playful manner occasionally bordering on juvenile.

His human form is of average height, muscled and strong. His features are sharp and angular, his yellow eyes almost always lined with kohl, and a mop of wavy black hair atop his head.

???- Unknown

???- Unknown

Links:

Forum post:

The WIP:

[undiagnosedcruelty]

Bound By Mistake | k.seungmin

Chapter 4: Congratulations, You’re Cursed.

Sypnosis: you accidentally summon Seungmin, a high ranking demon with an attitude problem, you find yourself bound to him by an unbreakable contract.

Pairing: demon! k.seungmin x afab!reader

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Bound By Mistake masterlist here.

Content Warning: supernatural elements, mild profanity and sarcasm, banter, demon presence, seungmin being a menace.

Word Count: 2.3k

A/N: sorry for the late updates. I my files crashed for this story so I had to re-write some of the lost chapters😬..

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | next chapter coming soon..

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EVERYTHING WRITTEN IS PURELY FICTION──NOTHING DIRECTLY RELATES TO ANY REAL LIFE EVENTS.

Okay. So. You were officially losing your mind.

Between the whispering voices that slithered through your walls at night, the shifting shadows that darted just out of sight, and the flickering lights that made your apartment feel like a malfunctioning horror movie set, you were one more creepy incident away from marching into the nearest church and demanding an emergency exorcism.

Not that you actually believed in exorcisms before now, but desperate times called for holy water, salt circles, and maybe a priest on speed dial.

Honestly, if someone had told you two weeks ago that you’d be living with a demon—a very sarcastic, very rude, and questionably attractive demon, at that—you would’ve laughed in their face. Hard. Maybe even snorted a little.

Now?

Now, you were torn between screaming, crying, or just accepting that this was your life now: haunted, tormented, and occasionally insulted by a creature from the underworld.

Because, of course, your uninvited guest wasn’t just a run-of-the-mill demon. No, that would be too easy.

He had to be infuriatingly smug, lounging on your couch like he paid rent, one arm draped over the back as if he owned the place.

 His sharp, angular features were the kind that could belong to a fallen angel—elegantly dark tousled hair, full lips curled in permanent amusement, and eyes like polished obsidian reflecting just enough light to make you question whether they were truly black or something deeper, something endless.

He rolled those very eyes now, exhaling long and slow as you stared him down from across the room, your fists clenched like you were actually considering throwing something at him. The fact that he was taller than you, stronger than you, and definitely more supernatural than you did not deter your rising frustration.

Spoiler alert: You were the main character in a horror movie. And possibly having a mental breakdown in real time.

It started subtly at first. A feeling.

You were lying in bed, curled under the blankets, phone in hand, aimlessly scrolling through social media. The soft glow of the screen reflected in your eyes, illuminating your face in the dimness of your room. The world outside was quiet—too quiet.

No distant car horns. No wind rattling the windows. No muffled sounds of late-night television from the neighbors next door. Just a deep, unnatural silence that made your skin crawl.

You shifted, adjusting the pillow behind your head. Your body was at ease, but your nerves? They were coiling tighter with each passing second.

Then—

A flicker.

Just at the edge of your vision, in the farthest corner of your room, a shadow shifted.

Your entire body locked up.

It was subtle, just a flicker of motion against the wall. But it shouldn’t have been there. That corner was empty—no furniture, no hanging coats, nothing that could cast a shadow like that.

Your breath hitched in your throat. Slowly, pulse pounding in your ears, you lowered your phone, the screen dimming as you turned your full attention to the thing in the corner.

The shadow stretched long against the wall, its edges jagged and wrong, like a distorted silhouette.

Like something was standing there.

A sharp chill licked up your spine, sinking deep into your bones. The air felt heavier, thick and suffocating, pressing against your skin like an unseen weight. Your fingers clenched around your blanket, heart hammering.

You could feel it.

That unmistakable sensation of being observed, like something unseen was crouched just beyond the veil of darkness, studying you.

Your instincts screamed at you to move, but your body refused to obey. You sat frozen, a cold sweat prickling at the nape of your neck.

Then—

The shadow twitched.

Too fast. Too sharp. Like it had noticed you noticing it.

A strangled noise caught in your throat. Your fingers, suddenly numb, fumbled for the bedside lamp. Every movement felt unbearably slow, like wading through honey. Your breath came in short, uneven gasps.

The shadow shuddered again.

Your vision blurred at the edges, panic clawing up your chest. And then—You slammed your hand onto the light switch.

Click.

Warm, golden light flooded the room.

The shadow jerked. And then—It was gone. Like it had never been there.

But the feeling remained. That thick, suffocating weight in the air, the ghost of something unseen still pressing against your skin.

Your pulse roared in your ears, your entire body still locked in place, waiting for something—anything—to happen.

And then—

“What the hell are you doing?”

You screamed. The sound that left your throat was somewhere between a strangled yelp and an outright banshee wail. Your phone flew from your hands, hitting the bed with a soft thump as you whipped around.

Seungmin stood in the doorway, arms crossed over his chest, one eyebrow raised in deep, judgmental disappointment. He was barefoot, clad in loose sweatpants and an oversized hoodie, looking like he had just woken up and instantly regretted it.

His dark eyes flicked from your face, down to your death grip on the blanket, then to the very empty, very normal corner of the room.

Then, slowly, deliberately—he looked back at you. And rolled his eyes.

“Oh no,” he deadpanned. “A shadow. How terrifying. Want me to hold your hand?”

You opened and closed your mouth like a fish, struggling to find words.

He tilted his head, expression flat. “No? Should I tuck you in, too?”

Your jaw snapped shut. Your brain finally rebooted, and heat flared in your face, chasing away the cold terror from moments before.

“I hate you,” you blurted.

Seungmin exhaled, the most exaggerated sigh you had ever heard. “Yeah, yeah.” He waved a dismissive hand, already turning away. “Try not to die of fright before morning.”

The soft patter of his footsteps faded down the hallway, his presence retreating like a ghost.

Silence settled over the room once more. You swallowed hard, forcing yourself to look back at the corner.

Empty. Like it had never been anything else. But you knew better.

Shadows shouldn’t move…

…Right?

The next night, it got worse.

You stood in the bathroom, lazily brushing your teeth, staring at your reflection with the dead-eyed exhaustion of someone who had officially given up on understanding their life. The fluorescent light overhead buzzed faintly, flickering just enough to make your skin crawl. The off-white tiles underfoot felt colder than usual, as if the chill in the air had sunk into them, making its way up through your soles and into your bones.

Two weeks ago, you had been a normal person with a normal apartment and zero supernatural problems.

Now? Now, you were soul-bound to a demon who treated your ever-growing terror like a mild inconvenience.

You spat into the sink, gripping the edges of the porcelain as you exhaled sharply. Maybe if you ignored the flickering lights, the shifting shadows, the feeling of something watching you, you could—

“...Mortal...”

The whisper was low, warped—like a voice speaking through cracked glass and static.

Your toothbrush slipped from your fingers, clattering against the sink before rolling onto the floor.

A chill stabbed down your spine, sharp and immediate. You froze, fingers twitching, breath caught in your throat. The air in the bathroom thickened, pressing against your skin, dense and suffocating, like unseen hands were trying to push you down.

Slowly—so, so slowly—you turned your head toward the mirror.

Nothing.

Just your own wide-eyed reflection staring back at you, the fluorescent light above humming faintly, casting sickly shadows under your eyes. The dark circles under them were almost bruiselike at this point, a testament to your steadily unraveling sanity.

Your stomach twisted. And then—

A second voice. “...You should not be here...”

The words slithered through the air, sharp and echoing, as if something was standing just behind you, breathing down your neck.

Your heart exploded against your ribs. You did the only logical thing your panic-flooded brain could come up with.

You screamed.

Loud. Embarrassingly loud.

Footsteps thundered down the hall. Half a second later, Seungmin appeared in the doorway, his lean frame backlit by the dim glow of the hallway.

His dark eyes, sharp with irritation, scanned the room. His expression flickered between concern and sheer exasperation.

He took in the scene—your wild eyes, your trembling hands, your death grip on the sink—and groaned, dragging a hand down his face. His shoulders slumped slightly, an indication that, once again, he had to deal with whatever nonsense you were losing your mind over.

“Are you—” He exhaled through his nose, his voice flat. “Are you kidding me right now?”

You whirled toward him, pointing aggressively at the mirror like it had just committed a crime.

“IT TALKED. THE MIRROR. IT TALKED.”

Seungmin stared at you. Then at the mirror. Then back at you.

He blinked once. Slowly.

Then, with the most exasperated sigh known to mankind, he rolled his shoulders and muttered, “Oh my god, it’s too early for this.”

“TOO EARLY FOR DEMONIC WHISPERS?!” you shrieked. “THERE IS NO GOOD TIME FOR DEMONIC WHISPERS.”

Seungmin squinted at the mirror like it had personally offended him, tilting his head slightly. His gaze held no fear, just a kind of distant annoyance, like someone who had seen this before and found it tedious.

Then? He just. Shrugged. “Oh, that. Don’t worry about it.”

You stared. DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT?!

Seungmin yawned, rubbing the back of his neck lazily as he turned on his heel. “Happens sometimes. Just ignore it.”

“IGNORE IT?!”

But he was already walking away, mumbling something about how mortals overreact to everything.

You stood there, pulse pounding, eyes still locked on the mirror like it might try to swallow you whole.

So.

That was it. That was your life now.

By the third night, you had fully accepted that you were, in fact, cursed.

You had watched enough horror movies to recognize the warning signs— • Flickering lights? Check. • Ominous whispers? Check. • Moving shadows that shouldn’t be moving? Biggest check of your life.

And yet, every time you tried to bring it up to Seungmin?

He just shrugged. “Not my problem.”

You were going to combust.

After the kitchen light flickered for the third time that day, you finally snapped, slamming your hands down on the table hard enough to rattle the salt shaker.

“WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!”

Seungmin, who was very comfortably drinking your coffee, barely even looked up from his mug. He took a slow sip, watching you over the rim with unimpressed eyes.

“Nothing.”

“You are lying.”

He raised an eyebrow, setting his mug down with infuriating ease. “Am I?”

You jabbed a finger at the ceiling light, which was going haywire like a strobe at a haunted house. “EXPLAIN. THAT.”

Seungmin sighed, stretching his arms over his head, his posture so relaxed it was as if he had personally never experienced fear in his life. “It’s just lingering energy from the summoning. It’ll go away.”

Your eye twitched, the last fickle of your sanity felt like it was slipping off by a single thread. “How long?”

“Dunno.”

“DUNNO?!”

Seungmin rolled his neck with a lazy pop, his tone utterly indifferent. “Relax. At least nothing’s tried to kill you yet.”

And the moment those words left his mouth—

Your window shattered.

The explosion of shattering glass sent a spray of shards across the room, the sound so sudden and violent that you barely had time to react before—Something huge lunged into your apartment.

It landed in a crouch, limbs bent at unnatural angles, claws clicking against the hardwood floor like nails tapping on glass.

Your blood ran cold.

It was tall—too tall. Its body was stretched thin, its fingers elongated, tapering to razor-sharp points. Its head tilted at a wrong, inhuman angle, black veins twisting under its pallid skin.

Its eyes—pure black voids, dripping with something thick and inky—locked onto you.

And then It grinned, rows of jagged teeth stretching impossibly wide, black saliva dripping from its maw.

Your stomach plummeted into the abyss.

Seungmin groaned, rubbing his temples like he had a migraine. “Ugh. This guy.”

THIS GUY?!

The demon lunged like a hurled football aimed towards your head. Your brain malfunctioned. You did the only thing your survival instincts could come up with—You grabbed the nearest object and hurled it with every ounce of desperate strength you had.

A fork.

It bounced off the demon’s head like a rubber toy. Absolutely useless.

You were so, so dead.

But before you could even think to do anything more stupid—Seungmin moved. One second, he was leaning against the counter, unbothered.

The next? He was in front of you.

The air rippled. Like an electrifying crack through the atmosphere conspiring against the natural laws of nature.

The demon froze mid-attack, its entire body convulsing, eyes bulging in shock. Seungmin tilted his head, watching it struggle like a bored cat watching a bug. “Do I know you?”

The demon let out a guttural snarl, struggling against something unseen, something invisible to the naked eye. Seungmin’s expression flattened. “Oh. Never mind. You’re just some low-level idiot.”

Then, with a flick of his wrist, almost like he was swatting an irritatingly annoying fly away—The demon collapsed in on itself.

It let out a horrible, distorted scream that was loud enough to shake the walls and quite possibly rupture your ear drums if you hadn’t instinctly moved to cover your ears before it vanished into nothing.

The silence that followed was deafening. You stood there, still frozen, still processing. Seungmin dusted off his hands. “Well, that was annoying.”

You turned, slowly, painfully.

“What. The. Fuck.”

Seungmin smirked, eyes gleaming with amusement. “Still think I’m the worst thing that’s happened to you?”

You glared.

“Yes.”

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Series taglist: @maisyyyyyy @hyeon-yi @chuuyaobsessed @alisonyus @eastjonowhere @sseastar-main @sweatyracoon @keiizzx @s3ungm1nxxl0ve

[assassiowl]

Outer Wilds - Owlk Undertale pixel animation - sprite update Process notes below - breaking down a sprite and how it feeds into my learning decisions:

I really liked this original sprite, at the time I thought it was really cool and captured the feeling I wanted to go for. With a sprite update, it's great to keep the original idea in tact. So going off of that, I wanted to see if I could make it more threatening overall and fix up some issues that were present. 1. Antlers This is a form and anatomy issue - based on how the antler is attached, it looks like it bends backwards, when you pair it with the left side, it makes the bird feel a little less scary. It clashes with the spikey, angular antlers and has a competing feeling. By turning the new antlers into a focal point, I exaggerated them to make them be extremely noticeable. It's wide, thick and intimidating. The big block of white draws the eye. This happens due to the size and the simplicity. The rest of the sprite has a lot more detail, so the thing that sticks out most is the least detailed part. You can achieve the same by reversing this, for example having simple clothes and extra detail around the head. 2. Left arm It's not particularly bad, it's just a bit idle and plain in comparison to the rest. I brough this in by rotating it, adding some claws and bolstered the intimidation by exaggerating the muscles. Checking for areas that don't really fit the mood is more of an emergent issue.

3. Feet Something that stood out was the weight behind the foot. I gave the sprite a grounded feeling. The issue was the shaky anatomy, since I didn't really know how to draw it from this front facing angle. I wanted to emphasise this weight factor, in the animated version the planted feet are the only static part. It's subtler in pixel art, but you can add a little bit of foreshortening to make it seem like it's stepping forward. 4. Ambiguous parts One of the most important things for pixel are is having a readable form. If you can read the silhouette when it's all painted in black, even when you add in details, it will really help keeping the form. I adjusted the mass so the bulk is now centered around this central torso and shuffled some of the leg positioning to be a bit clearer what is going on. 5. Right hand Hands are hard, sometimes it's about are you able to make it look passable, and it's ok. As you learn more things get easier, and you can start envisioning and making changes with intent instead of winging it. I went with a closed hand position, almost like it is grabbing, with this monochrome style it can be a little tricky to define form properly, or you end up with far too much going on. So I simplified this area with the power of suggestion to lift up this part. We can't explicitly see what it's grabbing onto, but that isn't necessary. This vague star shape moves in unison with the hand with a clutching motion, so we can tell it's holding -something- to imply a handle without explicitly drawing it.

6. Expression The face will make or break a sprite. You can tell SO much with just moving a couple of pixels. It's really evident when you are working with an iris on the whites of an eye, shifting it one pixel will change the entire vibe. In this case, I opted to simplify the whole head area, removing a lot of the dithering on the cheek and instead pushing the texture onto an elongated neck. I'll take on a reflection process after each piece to address what I like and don't like, making notes on what I should work on next. It's a really helpful exercise, especially if you can be specific as to what is happening with each issue. I'm a big fan of pixel art, the small canvas forces you to think about these things very concretely - it's using a magnifying glass to see which aspects are falling behind. So looking at this final one, I feel like I was compressing the torso a lot, and ended up with a much more compact design - which sometimes is the goal, especially if you're working within constraints for a game. Since I'm not working on it for a specific project, I'd then consider just using a taller canvas next time to allow more breathing room. My head is a bit more chaotic than this though. Pixel art let's me get those ideas out quickly - it's like thumbnailing or sketching.

[donelywell]

October 5 2023

I changed things up because it's got Frontiers Final Horizons Spoilers. I know the updates been out for like 2 months now but I'm being really cautious.

Super Sonic was really fun to play in the base game, having the auto combo thing on and just seeing so much bombastic energy and over the top moves being thrown at giant titans was so much fun.

I did however, not read the instructions where they tell you to hold the parry, I thought it was a perfect timing thing like a normal parry. So fighting Giganto and Wyvern for the first time was a nightmare for me until I actually read the instructions. =v='

For the design, I didn't change much, Super Sonic is really cool. I basically just changed the green parts of his shoes to red to reflect his new eye color.

Super Sonic² was so cool! The casual backhand slap, the sass, the move where he basically does the idw move, the finger point when he gets back in the game!

The only issue I had is that I didn't understand at all how to fight the final boss. I didn't 100% complete the map so I didn't get the hints. (I am still stuck on the stupid ball hoop map puzzle thing, I swear there is no way to do it) So unfortunately, I had to look up a guide. That kinda dampened the experience, but there was no way I was fighting Supreme over again, getting to the same glitch because I killed him too fast, and then fail the final boss fight again because I didn't know I was supposed to press r2.

I made his quills seem like they are turning into flames at the tips, I made his torso kinda have a sun symbol on it, I made his secondary fur white and his base fur/ quills bright yellow to kinda give it more sun imagery. His arm patterns are a little more detailed, his gloves have kinda formed into the body, making the cuffs look like they're on fire too. His socks turned into bandages and blue rings floating on him with the soles of his shoes kinda smoking on the back. It was a lot of fun interpreting this design differently, giving it a more ancient vibe with a modern twist. The original design is still really cool too!

Cyber Super Sonic... one of the coolest forms in my opinion and yet we see him for less than a minute in only a cutscene. I'm not complaining, the cutscene was so cool! Me and my sibling were star struck when we saw it!

I love the Fleetway elements! The sharp teeth, the crazy eyes, the chaotic behavior that almost made it seem like if Cyber Super Sonic wasn't being literally shot out to his enemy, he'd not be able to tell between friend or foe! God, it was so cool!! Even if it was just limited to a cutscene where you can barely see the entire design in a single image!

I did actually have a static version of this image too, but I'm not including it because it gave me eye strain, and I don't want to hurt you.

For the form I actually decreased the amount of polygons on Sonic. If you look, he's more angular & simplistic and his legs and arms are rectangles! I thought it'd help give him more of a Cyber Computer vibe. I used the blue static and made it kinda an accent color so you can see where things are. I don't really know why, but I also made some parts of him detached? The inside parts have the white spirals that Cyber Super Sonic's eyes were.

The update was a lot of fun to play when it came out, even if it was EXTREMELY challenging for a casual player like myself. Almost made me quit a few times and a couple guides were begrudgingly looked up. Playing as Tails and Amy were definitely the highlights of the update for me though. I hope it was as much fun for you as it was for me. :)

[azmodeusjay]

The Og Jarthur shipper

(Rambles about Kitty Kayne and Lillith owl under the cut)

First and foremost, my obsession with this little guy got so bad I got a gray cat in minecraft and named it after him.

(The orange one is named Khoshekh.)

Onto my headcanons for my little guy:

-He's a brittish shorthair. I understand that most Kayne designs are thin and sleek, dare I say angular, and so is my HUMAN design for him. But for Kitty Kayne I find it way more funny if he looks round and adorable.

You wouldnt look at this guy in a suit and think he's evil. But oh you're so very wrong. He claws, bites, creams and talks smack. Imagine every annoying thing a cat can do, but with the contiousness of a human and godly powers.

-Lillith is a Stygian owl. Mostly black as the night with rusty feathers on her stomach, and specks of gold on her wings like stars in the sky

(I havent thought a whole lot about her, YET. But I'll keep yall updated. (And by "yall" I mean myself, and anyone who might be bored enough to read this))

More random things I can think of:

- I've said before that Kitty Kayne is hiding in the Waylay with the Manager. They trauma bonded over being hunted by Kayne and being scared for their lives. They gamble together. Their favorite past time is Uno and Poker.

-He plays the catpiano (amazing idea by @rvamphitrite)

-He hates that the Manager smokes. Not for any moral or health reasons, he just hates the smell.

-Kitty Kayne (like any other cat) loves taking naps. You'll find him in the dumbest playes like drawers, between the bed and the wall ect.

-He loves sleeping on people or in the hoods their robes and hoodies. 1 because its comfy and warm. 2 because it inconveniences others and he thinks thats funny.

-He joke shipped his Arthur and John. He knows Arthur is aro, he just doesn't care. Because, again, annoying them with kissy sounds entertains him.

-His John and Arthur are dead, obviously. He misses his playthings everyday.