#anyways HOPE YALL LIKE THE COUPLE OR SO COMICS I MAY OR MAY NOT BE WORKING ON FOR THAT LAST IMAGE

[fujii-draws]

[spitefulcrepechan]

Allow me to spend the next few minutes rambling about why yall are stupid for hating Ice Juggler Cookie just because they're "rude"

Also since idk Ice Juggler's gender I'll be using they/them pronouns for them.

So the major complaint ive seen people have against Ice Juggler is the fact that they're very passive-aggressive and rude towards people. Not rude as in like Devil Cookie rude but like Karen-level sort of rude

I can understand why, some people just don't like rude cookies, some prefer more mellow cookies like Herb Cookie or depressed cookies like Sea Fairy Cookie

My issue however is that people are unjustifiably hating Ice Juggler for being rude without seeing WHY they are so rude.

And I'm here to insert that knowledge into your skulls with 2 simple bullet points

1. Their job in the circus

Jobs aren't always fun, the very definition of a job isn't to be fun. While people can have fun or are content with their job, some people don't exactly like it for various reasons; Too stressful, bad work enviromemt, low pay, etc.

Some people could argue that working in a circus, specifically as a clown, would be a very fun job. Other's however could argue that its bloody hell. While I can't say this for anyone, I can see why that other side would say that.

Picture yourself as Ice Juggler, you're suppose to go around on stage, rolling a ball around beneath your feet while you juggly at ice cream scoops while people laugh at you. You're struggling to try and keep the ball rolling, keep yourself juggling, and make sure you don't crash into anyone or anything, coupled by having to jump from ball to ball. One slip up, and people will either laugh at you or boo in disappointment, and if you get the latter, your boss won't take kindly to that. But if you get the former, you're probably still gonna be a bit pissed because people are laughing at you getting seriously hurt. I know the intent of clowns are to be comically injured, but Ice Juggler isnt a cartoon, theyre a living breathing cookie who can get hurt. And while it may not be so bad the first time, having it happen to you over and over again could probably chip away at your sanity.

And before you ask "Well, Ice Juggler can just get a different job if they don't like it!" You're still just be assuming shit simply by force glance. The circus could probably give them decent pay and they seem to be capable of doing their job right, so they may WANT to leave their job but they may NEED to keep it, either because Ice Juggling's the only good thing they're good at (duh its in the name) or because theyre need to money.

2. How they're treated at their work place

Even if they do passionately love juggling and rolling on balls, the way their boss, Choco Cup Cookie, treats them is just atrocious

(Credit to Royal Mike on youtube for the screenshots)

An example being how Choco Cup Cookie tells Ice Juggler Cookie to shut up after judging an audition of someone, later saying "someone might hear you"

Publicity is one thing but the welfare and the freedom of your employee's speech is another, and this is clear evidence that Choco Cup neither cares or is ignorant about how Ice Juggler feels about shit.

Now some people may assume that Ice Juggler is being way too mean about the cookie's audition, but we dont exactly see what the cookie's audition was. It could have been atrocious, it could have been brilliant, we're never told this. We just know that Ice Juggler found it awful and Choco Cup found it "not so bad", which may hint at it actually being as awful as Ice Juggler implies but for now, again, its just speculation.

The point here is that Choco Cup isn't allowing Ice Juggler to voice their opinion/criticism, especially when theyre doing a task THAT GIVES THEM THAT OPTION. The cookie auditioning asked to be judged by Ice Juggler and Choco Cup, and Ice Juggler gave them their judgement, to which Choco Cup tried to shut them up for.

Aaand to make matters worse, Choco Cup's literally telling Ice Juggler that they're not allowed to express their emotions, which Choco Cup's clearly aware of, since it'll damage the circus' reputation.

Dunno about that but clearly that is a sign of some major fucking mental manipulation.

If you have to say that one's emotions will ruin your company, then honey, your company is already running straight towards hell

Especially when you have to physically shut them up. (For context for those who weren't around during this event (like me), its Banana Cookie's turn to audition and its implied that Choco Cup covered Ice Juggler's mouth giving the *URMPH*)

And before you assume that Ice Juggler is being a douche solely for being a douche

Bitch

Literally saying that Banana Cookie's performance wasn't all that bad. Wasn't great, but wasn't horrid either.

EVEN BANANA HERSELF SEEMS AWARE ABOUT ICE JUGGLER'S CRITICALNESS AND WANTS SOME OF THEIR CRITICISM

AND WHAT DID GUD OLD CHOCO CUP COOKIE DO?

Put words in their fucking mouth

Am i making my point clear?

Can you see why ice juggler is so pissed? Because their boss is literally prevent them from being anything more than an ICE JUGGLER

Literally go to hell choco cup

Sorry that this one was alot longer than part 1 but i felt like i had to expand a bit more on this cuz theres a lot to unpack here. Theres some more atrocities Choco Cupfuck has done but this is prob enough to show a good reason why Ice Juggler is rude af

Anyway i hope yall like this post and while youre valid for disliking Ice Juggler, i hope you at least understand why they have one of the reasons you potentially dislike them for. Feel free to add your optinions or anything i missed, reblog, whatever

[number9robotic]

Long-Needed Progress Update (7-2021)

Hi so I know I haven’t been active here in a long while, though I wanna just let yall know that I’m actually the busiest I’ve ever been as a creator, and kinda just wanna fill you in on a few crops of stuff I’ve been working for the last several months.

The short of it is that... yeah, I’ve found lots of work in comics and stuff, and I finally have a decent cashflow starting out doing commissions :D The sad news is that it’s taking up so much of my schedule that I don’t really have a lotta time to devote to my personal projects again. Perhaps once I eventually stabilize in finding a better series of gigs I’ll be able to pursue them more again, but in the meantime, works like this are my present occupation.

Further explanation of my whereabouts way below beyond Keep Reading if you wanna get into specifics

I’m not really sure if I can get around the explanation for what’s going on by mincing words, but the reason I won’t be directly linking any of the full comics I’ve been working on here is because it’s all dem le w ds. Maybe yall have already guessed that, I’m legitimately unsure of how well these screencaps are obfuscating this haha

My last announcement post before this mentioned that I was approached for a couple of busy drawing job offers, and I chose not to mention this at the time, but they were very upfront with me that the jobs were adult-oriented in nature, but they legitimately liked my art, thought my style would be a good fit, and offered me the best rate.

Following the initial batch, I actually ended up getting some buzz under my alternate pen name and have since capitalized on that by doing my own freelance commissions, and I’ve been doing like 3 big comics per month for varying clients over the last while. Not the greatest or steadiest of work, but it’s still honest work, I’ve made a lot of new friends and cohorts in this scene, and my profile there has actually grown pretty significantly.

But yeah, lewds. And not only that, but a kinda niche k ink that I’m pretty sure folks that might really really alienate a lot of followers, hence why I wanna keep this private. You may or may not have guessed what it is; please keep it to yourself.

I individually am NOT ashamed of doing lewd content. I have confusions of the work given that I’m ace as well as how the community is pretty damn easygoing and professional in spite of it being taboo, but I’m able to capitalize on my strengths can they be reinforced (I can still tell what “sexy” looks like lol) and people respond to it. Heck, a lot of folks really positively respond to my WRITING, which is great because I like writing comedy and character interactions.

but yeah, the reason why I’ve been keeping this on the down-low isn’t merely because this site is kinda bad for it, but also it is a pretty alienating topic and I don’t want my work to necessarily paint me in a crude, unapproachable, unsavory light. To me, it’s just a hustle I’m new to and am finding new success in that I’m ever grateful for, but I legitimately don’t wanna scare you off as like “ugh, so Nines went to the dark side now, gross.” I hope you please understand I legitimately do value and kinda need the financial backing right now -- “real” jobs here are still very terrible, kinda dangerous, and I need income right now bc we got a lotta bills to pay off (btw getting a dentist or a normal checkup within a reasonable insurance rate is a horrific slog)

Anyways, if you actually WANT to know my alt N SFW Twitter where I’m most active now, you can DM me, but I kindly request to keep the knowledge of that alias with this one private, because again: niche funk. I hope you understand :)

thank you all very much

[sleepy-exe]

Shapeshifter AU - 4

Iwaizumi x f!reader

<< Part 3 | Part 5 >>

Summary: Iwaizumi goes stargazing with Y/n at a park in the forest. She tries to find out what he knows. She then stays the night with him for more info, but what’s the plan? Sakusa just wants his friend to be safe.

Word count: 2.8k 

Warnings: y/n makes bad choices, and is kind of a creep but confronts that, poor Sakusa’s driving skills get shit talked and he ain’t even here, murder mentioned (1) one time, I prob got too detailed with the car reveal, sakusa is best boy, iwa’s a total dad 

Genre: sfw (for now, 18+ regardless), shapeshifter au, strangers to potential enemies to friends to lovers

a/n: I probably wrote too much about the car, but I’m a car guy (gal? person?). I hope yall like stars/stargazing. This is like borderline fluff. Also did you like Sakusa’s contact name. Cause I thought it was funnier than it actually is.

Part 4: It Can’t Hurt

Now outside the bar, the two of them headed for her car. There was only street parking when Y/n arrived earlier, so she had to walk down the street for a good 5 minutes or so to get there; all along they chatted about Ikuno. She never really came here except for the dive bar. It was only about a 15 minute drive here from work, so that was a bonus, but otherwise she had no reason to be in Ikuno.

Reaching her black Civic, the doors unlocked. She crawled into the passenger seat herself as Iwaizumi agreed to drive to the park. Being a shifter, she’s not too afraid of being in the car with a stranger. Surely she could defend herself against one guy - she’d be alone with him in the car and at the park. On the other hand, if he thinks there’s something weird up with her, such as being able to turn into a wolf, she wondered why he would even agree to tag along. Wouldn’t he be afraid of her?

Once he was in and shut the door, he was checking out the interior: black with red accents on the dash, doors, and steering wheel. In dash computer, racing style seats and petals. “When you said you drove a Civic, this isn’t what I was expecting.” He found the push start before bothering to ask for the keys.

“She’s cute, huh? ‘17 Type-R. My baby,” she went on, running a hand over the dash affectionately and giving it a little pat.

“’Cute’.. Not sure if that’s the word I’d choose.” He gave her a concerned look, “You really want a stranger driving your.. ‘baby’?”

“What are ya shit at driving?” She teased, “Please. I’m not letting you take off without me.” The memory of Sakusa learning to drive a manual in Type-R when it was new popped in her head. That was a rough day for her poor car. If this guy really knows how to drive a manual, then it can’t be any worse for it than when Sakusa is driving. She chuckled, “A friend I let drive it, I taught him to drive stick in this. He still isn’t great, but he doesn't stall it nearly as much as he used to.” She shrugs and taps on the screen in the dash, setting the GPS for the park.

“You taught your friend to drive in this?” He started the engine, put it in first gear, and pulled out of the parking spot flawlessly.

“To drive a manual,” she corrected, “He could already drive. He just only drives automatics. I tried telling him these are a lot more fun.”

The bar isn’t that far from the highway, so they were on it in no time. Driving down the highway, again he was shifting through gears smoothly. A nice change from the rough shifting she usually experiences while riding passenger. She should really get Sakusa to practice more. Not that he wants to. Deciding to text Sakusa, she pulls out her phone and sends him her GPS location for their little outing. Just to be safe. It’s not even quite 10pm yet, so he shouldn’t care. Though regardless he’d never complain about this sort of text.

More time went by as they traveled down the highway. They sat in silence, other than the engine and various street sounds. It wasn’t too awkward and Iwaizumi has yet to complain like she’s used to. If anything, he might be enjoying the ride.

With a buzz, she checks her texts. Sakusa replied and asked that she check in later so he knows she's safe. As much as she mentally shit talks his driving, she knows he’s an amazing friend and she loves him to death.

Checking his text, she was reminded of Oikawa’s text in the bar essentially asking if she were single. Though he was likely teasing and just trying to text something other than ‘hi’ or his name, but why not have fun with it.

>> To ’Oi-chan‘: “who’s asking?”

“So,” she breaks the silence, “Have you been to this park?”

“What one is it again?” He glanced at the GPS’s listed destination, “No, I haven’t been in that area. At least not that I can’t think of.”

“But you’ve been south of there then?”

He hesitated. “I haven’t been in the forest or surrounding parks. I've just been by them. I have friends that live around there and down the street is a convenience store right by the tree line that I sometimes run to if I’m over there.. But other than that, I don’t know the forest or the area for that matter.”

“I see.. It’s really beautiful out there.”

“Maybe I’ll have to go sometime when the sun’s out then. You’re a regular, right? Maybe you can show me around?”

Well. Sort of.

Not a regular at the trails and parks. Or being there during daylight hours. “I wouldn’t say regular.. I haven’t been to this park in ages.”

He had no response. Only looking out the windshield as he exited the highway. The GPS showed only 8 minutes left. The area ahead full of trees.

Y/n directed Iwaizumi where to park as the gates to the parking lot were closed. All nature parks are closed at night after all. There was even a sign stating that and warning visitors not to enter after dark, but where’s the adventure in following those warnings?

“You.. Sure we should be here?” Iwaizumi asked warily, walking alongside her in the grass. They left the car along the road, but no one should be out here this late so it’s fine.

“Like legally or..?”

“Y/n!”

She laughed and led him to an open field. The trees were far enough from this spot to give a clear view of the sky, stars twinkling, crescent moon shining. This really is the best place to stargaze. She wasn't lying about that.

“Hey! Don’t run!” He yelled as she took off for the middle of the field, giggling in response.

“I’m sure you can catch up, Mr. Athletic Trainer!”

“That’s not-“

But she wasn't listening. Instead she was slowing down as she reached the perfect spot, sitting down in the grass. Very soon he was sitting down too, a couple feet from her.

He wasn’t even in arms reach. “Okay, so what now.”

She smiles at him then looks to the sky. It can be hard to see the stars with how bright the city was, but out here was far enough away from any unnatural light source that she could pick out constellations. Well, the ones she knew anyway.

The both of them sat quietly, looking to the stars, hearing nothing but the nocturnal sounds of the woods surrounding them. Generally such spaces were incredibly calming, but with the anticipated conversation her heart was pounding. She still didn’t know anything for sure and her excuse of too many people around to ask questions, like at the bar, didn’t work here. Alone, far from anyone, in her element - what better time to find her answers.

In a low voice, still admiring the stars, she spoke, “So.. You’ve seen me ‘round before, huh?”

She peeks at him from the corner of her eye. No response, he’s only staring forward. So she continues, “Like at that bar? ..I’m not in Ikuno much, and deeper in the city can be so crowded, I doubt you would have noticed me anywhere there.” She tried not to jump straight to the point. Frightened prey always ran after all.

In a similar tone, he answers, “Maybe the bar.. Maybe we crossed paths elsewhere..”

Still looking up, though not at anything in particular, she hummed. “I think I’ve seen you before too.” She could feel his eyes on her now, but chose to not make eye contact and instead point up to a small constellation she found. She named what she thought it was aloud, pointing it out to Iwaizumi.

“Where?” He squinted at the sky, no idea which stars she was pointing to.

With a snicker she inched closer to him. Tracing a finger in the air, “Look. Right there. A few kinda go in a line and some off the side.”

He keeps staring at the sky, “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Pretty sure you’re just crazy.”

The look she threw his way was comical, “No! I’m not!”

“Uh huh.. Definitely crazy.. You didn’t bring me out here to kill me, did you?” He looked back to her, serious as ever, “..‘Cause Oikawa will be so upset if I don't show up for lunch tomorrow. Seriously. He’ll whine so much, and he has your number now. He’ll absolutely call you and whine, thinking I’m ignoring him. You don't want that, right?”

She stared blankly at him. For a second there she really did think he was serious. “..Yeah. That sounds really annoying. I’d hate to have to deal with a sobbing Oikawa.” She attempted a playful tone that may or may not have failed. She followed up with a chuckle for good measure, “Guess I can’t commit murder then. That’d look bad on my record anyway. Plus, someone as pretty as me in prison? No thanks.”

He laughed and leaned back on his hands, gaze back at the sky. Tension down, she scooted closer. “There really is a constellation there, I swear.”

“Yeah. I see it.” He glanced towards her for a split second, “I was just fucking with you.”

Her jaw dropped. “Rude!”

She returned her attention to the sky, searching for any other constellation she might recognize. He even pointed one out to her, though he couldn’t remember what it was called. Unfortunately, she couldn’t either, but it was definitely a constellation. Had to be.

“..The convenient store you said your friend’s by. I think I’ve seen you there before. Maybe you recognized me from there?” Silence, but she noticed he was looking at her again. Slowly she turned her head to meet his gaze. Keeping calm, she gave him a light smile. He didn’t look all that uneasy, like she felt in her gut. She spoke with warmth, desperate to keep the conversation from getting uncomfortable, “Iwaizumi?”

The corners of his lips ticked up and mischief shined in his eyes. “What are you a stalker or something?” He laughed as she scoffed. “Fine. I've probably been there enough times. Maybe I did see you there before.”

Leaning her head back, she looked at the sky once more, but this time she wasn't searching the stars.

He doesn't seem like he’ll be a problem..

She was sitting much closer now than when they first arrived at the park. Carefully, she leaned her head on his shoulder, inhaling orange and sage and something else. She glances up to him before quickly averting her eyes to the stars one more time.

Soon both of them were walking out of the field. “I can take you home,” she offered.

Iwaizumi was trailing close to her side, heading back to the car that was left forgotten along the small paved road. Luckily, no authorities showed up. “I might take you up on that. It won't be out of the way will it?”

“If you’re in Ikuno, then that’s not too awfully far off from my drive home.” She gave him a teasing look, “Unless you would rather go to my place.. Though Ikuno is closer. Maybe I’ll just stay with you.”

He rolled his eyes and complained, “Are you really inviting yourself to my apartment?” Nudging her arm with his, and teased, “Think I wouldn’t invite you myself?”

She cocked a brow, “Oh?” Car now in sight, she heads for the driver’s door, making the car unlock. “I’ll drive.” Opening the door she added, “Just put your address in the GPS for me.”

Mini mission complete.

>> To ‘Emergency Contact (‘Kusa)’: “didn’t die. didn’t go home tho”

Following Iwaizumi into his apartment, Y/n kicked off her shoes by the door and hung up her coat. He had done the same and was headed for the kitchen to the right. “Hungry? Want anything?”

“Nah, thanks though.” She helped herself to the armchair in the corner across the room. His home felt warm and cozy, the sofa now to her right looked just as comfortable as the chair she’s in, coffee table mostly neat with books and a stack of papers. A soft area rug covered the center of the living room, covering a large portion of the wooden floors, the walls were a soft tan and to her surprise not completely bare. An entertainment center sat against the wall opposite of the sofa, a bookcase next to that. And there’s the large window to her left on the wall behind her. It gave that homey vibe. Looking lived in, but not a mess.

>> From ‘Emergency Contact (‘Kusa)’: “Do you plan on going home or are you going on one of your late night runs?”

>> From ‘Emergency Contact (‘Kusa)’:“Should I stay up waiting on a I’m home text?”

Iwaizumi walked in from the kitchen with two glasses of water and placed one on the coffee table in front of her.

>> To ‘Emergency Contact (‘Kusa)’: “neither and no”

>> To ‘Emergency Contact (‘Kusa)’: “go to sleep sakusa”

>> To ‘Emergency Contact (‘Kusa)’: “and thank you”

>> From ‘Emergency Contact (‘Kusa)’: “I want to ask but also don't want to know so goodnight Y/n. Don’t do anything stupid.”

Without spilling his water, Iwaizumi fell back on the sofa, watching as she typed away on her phone. “Letting someone know where you are?”

“Maybe,” she mumbles, setting her phone in her lap, she reached for the water.

“I mean, that’s a good habit to have if you are.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Sure you don't want anything to eat?”

She laughed, “Do you normally parent the people you bring home from bars?”

“I’d hardly say I brought you home when you invited yourself over and then complained about being tired halfway here,” he complained.

“Well, I appreciate that ya offered to take over and aren’t forcing me to drive home tired.” She smiled then looked around again. “Do you have a dog or anything? Anyone live with ya? ..Ah! If you don't mind me asking.”

He shook his head, “No. No pets and it's just me here.”

Finishing her water, she carefully set the glass back on the coffee table. “I’m not hungry, but don't let that stop you from eating if you are.. If you don't mind, I may clean up while ya eat.”

“Of course,” he leaned forward to set his half empty glass down and retrieved hers before standing. “I’ll show you where everything is.”

She followed him down a short hallway as he led her to a bathroom. He pointed out anything she might need and got her a towel, as well as offering her clothes to sleep in to be more comfortable. She sniffed different soaps and such while he stepped out for a moment. Returning quickly with what appeared to be a t-shirt and sweatpants. She thanked him as he left the bathroom once more.

“Oh hey,” he stopped in the doorway and pointed in the opposite direction of the living space, “My room is that way. I’m just going to sleep out here.”

“Oh no no no,” she held a hand up, “You sleep in your bed. I’m fine with taking the sofa. I’m already using your place for tonight, it's no bother.”

“I can’t let-“ With the look she shot him, she cut him off. He lifted his hands, “Okay.. I’ll be in the kitchen for now.”

And with that he was gone, door closing behind him. Flipping the lock, she turned back to the shower. Turning it on, she messed with the temperature until it was just right before stripping and getting in.

After a probably longer than necessary shower, she felt clean and now smelled of sage, orange, and black pepper. Sweeping her damp hair back and out of her face, she got into the clothes he left for her. Which admittedly didn't fit the best, but they’d work. She stared at her dirty clothes for a moment before deciding to just leave them in a neat pile in there and picked up her phone.

Stepping into the hall, she didn't hear anything. Walking around the kitchen and living room, she determined he must be in bed already. Setting her phone aside, she situated the newly found blankets and pillows on the sofa and turned off the lights after opening the curtains to let some light into the room so she could find her way around the unfamiliar space. Crawling into the blankets, she played on her phone quietly, too awake and unsure about the decision she made to stay here. She was supposed to find out what she needed and go home. And yet somehow she was in the home of the very person who kept her up all those nights ago, wondering if he had seen her and what was going to happen if he did.

But nothing has happened. And the last sighting was over a week ago.

And he’s been nice to her even though she’s been a total creep.

What’s the plan?

Part 5 >>

[emybain]

Iconic Day in Press History

I saw a post last night before going to bed about nova and Adrian getting engaged (I cant remember the post for the life of me but I know the topic has been discussed before so) and the wheels in my head started turning while I was trying to sleep, so I told myself I would write it first thing in the morning. I get the vibes that if nodrian decided to get married after Supernova, they would take their sweet time and not care that the press and the media were on their knees begging for the “power couple of the world” to tie the knot. Nova especially would enjoy messing with the paparazzi just bc she hates all the attention and would eventually just be like “fine. if you take pictures of me then they’ll be what I want them to be” and do a lot of things out of spite, such as her and adrian getting engaged. plus, they wouldn’t tell anyone other than their friends and family bc its a private matter, leaving the media scrambling for answers. anyway, yeah this is bad and rushed, but I dont really care; hopefully yall get the point *peace sign*

SPOILERS FOR SUPERNOVA

SPOILERS FOR SUPERNOVA

SPOILERS FOR SUPERNOVA

    The most memorable day in press history around the world was when Captain Chromium and the Dread Warden, two members of the famed Renegades, announced their marriage to the public. Despite the world being in a global Age of Anarchy, the marriage promised hope for the future and gave many people courage. Right behind it, the second most memorable day was when the couple announced they were adopting the son of the late Lady Indomitable, Adrian Rawles, soon to be Adrian Everhart. The world was touched by this act, seeing that it proved coming together and helping one another in dark times was better than the Anarchist ideology of acting selfishly.

    Despite the significance of these events, they were both knocked down nearly twenty years after the end of the Age of Anarchy when it was discovered that none other than Adrian Everhart, former Renegade, and Nova Artino, former Anarchist-turned-hero, were engaged to be married. 

    The press had a field day, to say the least. For years, they had hounded Gatlon’s, and the world’s, for that matter, power couple about tying the knot. Their union would be a symbolic event in the history of the world; it would be further proof that love conquered all hate. But, the couple seemed unbothered by the media’s many futile attempts at getting one to propose to the other. Every year, there was always a tabloid declaring the two had finally gotten engaged, even going as far as including a heavily photoshopped image of the two posed together, a gleaming ring on Miss Artino’s finger. Other tabloids wailed their desires for them to be wedded, fantasizing how the wedding would be and what the bride would wear on her special day. Four years before, they had watched as two other heroes and friends of the couple, Oscar Silva and Ruby Tucker, walked down the aisle together. They had hoped this wedding would have a domino effect, pushing couples around the world to do the same, especially one of the couples closest to the husband and wife. While there was a global spike in weddings that year, the one wedding everyone had been anticipating never happened. 

    Despite these attempts, the Everhart-Artino duo never announced they were getting married. Maybe they had already tied the knot in secret; the tabloids discussed this as a possibility for some time. Maybe they were only staying together for the public image and they really couldn’t stand one another; this was also speculated, but it was scoffed at by readers because there was no way it could be true. Everyone had seen the couple together, and not even the best actors in the world could convey that much love and affection for another person and it not be real. They were an inseparable match, made by the universe specifically for one another. They gave some the idea that soulmates did in fact exist. There was no doubt that they were in love, and that they would be in love for as long as they both lived. 

    So when, the press questioned, was the wedding?

    When the young Everhart turned twenty-five, and then Artino twenty-four, the press finally gave up all attempts at getting the couple to wed. They came to the conclusion that the couple, at this point, was not getting married out of spite to everyone pressuring them into it. It wouldn’t surprise the press if that were true; many headliners from the past were of the couple being silly or messing with the media. One time, Nova Artino had jokingly flipped off a group of photographers while she was at lunch with her boyfriend, scrunching her face up until it was comical. Another time, she showed off a ring-less finger to the paparazzi as the couple was out for a stroll, faking a shocked face. And once, the couple posed with a magazine that had their faces on the cover, the headlining statement “GATLON’S SWEETHEARTS BROKEN UP?” and made goofy faces at the photographer that captured them. Eventually, the press took the hint and stopped all talk about their marriage. 

    At least until Nova Artino, now twenty-five, was seen out and about on her motorcycle with her close friend Danna Bell. The paparazzi treated it as another normal occurrence and started photographing them for the media outlets. All was well until Artino removed her gloves, showing off a jewel on her left ring finger that was most certainly new. The media hadn’t heard much from the power couple in a while, so seeing this sent a shockwave through every outlet around the world as photos soon circulated of the ring and what it could mean for the young individuals. 

    The press revived their anticipation at a potential wedding of the century; every tabloid had the ring on its cover; it was all the TV show that reported the latest celebrity gossip could talk about. There were skeptics, as there always were, who believed the ring was just another photoshopped image. They claimed the ring wasn’t big enough, that people with as much money as the Everharts didn’t purchase small rings. The fact that Artino wasn’t seen after that for weeks further strengthened the doubt that the media was right. 

    And then there was the annual Peace Gala, which became a tradition after the final defeat of Ace Anarchy. It was held every year to prove that the world had finally stopped fighting, that love is the greatest asset to have, and that hate has no place in the recovering world. It was always hosted by a high elected official, for after Ace Anarchy was defeated, the Renegades stepped down from power and implemented a democratic system of government. This year, it was held by the mayor of Gatlon. While mayor wasn’t a high seat in government, it was decided upon so that the gala may be held in Gatlon for the first time. 

It was no small event; elected officials from around the world and well known names were invited, and it was open to the public. Full of food, music, dancing, and even fireworks, it was something people looked forward to every year. This year, perhaps more than others, for Nova Artino and Adrian Everhart were expected to be in attendance, and it would be the first time anyone would see the two since Nova’s appearance weeks prior. 

So when the couple showed up, along with Everhart’s family and fellow heroes, the press nearly went wild. Sure, there would be articles about the elegant red cocktail dress Ruby Silva wore, as well as the matching red suit worn by her husband. There would be designers doting over the butterfly-inspired dress worn by Danna Bell, and even more people doting over the looks between her and her long time girlfriend, Narcissa Cronin. Journalists would write about the suspected new romance between Gatlon’s latest heartthrob and hero, Max Everhart and his friend Margaret White. But every newspaper, every magazine, every media outlet around the world would be headlining the modest band wrapped around Nova Artino’s left ring finger. Photographs would all be zoomed in on her hand curled around her fiancé’s arm. 

But perhaps the best photo taken from that night would not be of the ring or of the couple kissing. No, the photo that everyone talked about and laughed at was of Nova Artino, peering over her shoulder at the lucky photographer’s camera from where she was dancing with her soon-to-be-husband. From the backless jumpsuit to the way her short hair was curled to perfection, and to the laughter in her eyes and a tiny, but smug smirk on her lips as if she were saying, “You don’t know shit,” there wasn’t a thing about the photo that the world didn’t love. 

Yes, the engagement of Nova Artino and Adrian Everhart, the universal sweethearts, was perhaps the biggest moment in press history.

[jenroseyokel]

Awesome of the Year 2018: The Books

Happy New Year! ‘Tis the season for year end lists left and right as we attempt to figure out the best of everything from 2018. And of course, as a fan of books, music, and movies, it’s only right to get in on the list-making. Over the next week or so, I’ll be sharing my 2018 favorite lists. First up: books! This year, I set my Goodreads reading challenge at 40 books, and actually passed it. I’ve been setting arbitrary book goals for years, but I’m pretty sure this is the first time I’ve succeeded since 2007. Probably because of all the graphic novels and comic trades I read this year WHICH TOTALLY COUNT BTW. Ahem. Anyway. This isn’t really a best of 2018 list so much as a Here’s a Bunch of Books I Really Liked in 2018 list, split up into categories. I hope you’ll find something interesting here, especially if you’re looking for ways to spend bookstore or Amazon gift cards you got for Christmas… ;)

Newish Books by Rad Christian Women:

Every Arbitrary Book Goal should have a small correlated goal attached. This year mine was to make sure I read at least 50% women authors… and there have been a lot of GREAT new books from women writers in the past few years. If the “Christian women” section of your local bookstore makes you cringe a little inside too, check out these three wonderful books, all released in the past couple years:

Courage, Dear Heart by Rebecca K. Reynolds (NavPress, 2018)

Anyone who has read Rebecca’s writing knows she needed to write a book. She has a sharp mind, a poet's soul, a scientist's eye, and the most beautiful, tender heart. Also, she's an incredible writer who loves her readers with a love that radiates off every page. Buy a copy for everyone you know.

Wearing God by Lauren F. Winner (HarperOne, 2017) Girl Meets God was a formative book in my early 20s, and I’ve always meant to read more from this author, but somehow haven't. I finally picked up this one and oh man, for a solid month afterward I couldn’t stop thinking about it. With the eye of a scholar and the heart of a poet, Winner draws on personal stories, deep Biblical study, and a love of language to explore lesser known metaphors for God. Liturgy of the Ordinary by Tish Harrison Warren (InterVarsity Press, 2016)

Several years ago, James K.A. Smith’s Desiring the Kingdom helped me see liturgy in a new way, as not just religious practice, but the embedded routines that shape us. In this book, Tish Warren brings that idea to life as she walks through an ordinary day explores the holiness in our most mundane moments of living. You may not look at brushing your teeth or losing your keys the same way again.

Good Stories

This year, fiction reading was… all over the place? I don’t know if I read much that was OMG amazing, but here are a few that were fun…

The Fairyland Series 2-5 by Catherynne M. Valente (Feiwel & Friends, 2012-2015)

I am notoriously awful at finishing book series. I read the first Fairyland book maybe… two years ago? Yikes. Just finished the last one and wow, so fun. Colorful characters, a whimsical narrator, crazy locations, and a whole lot of heart make this Victorian fairytale meets contemporary fantasy a delight to read. 

Til We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis (Harcourt, 1956)

Lewis’ contemporary retelling of the Cupid and Pschye myth through the eyes of Psyche’s jealous sister Orual. Second read for me, and even better this time around. Pretty sure this is Lewis’ storytelling at his best.

Strange Practice by Vivian Shaw (Orbit, 2017)

This was a year to embrace fun, nerdy reads. So there was the Star Trek spoof Redshirts (with a plot twist I totally saw coming... and I am not good at guessing plot twists) and my first trip into the Star Wars extended book universe (or whatever the heck they call it these days) and… this. A story about a doctor for the undead in London, trying to solve the mysteries surrounding a murderous cult and keep her monster friends safe. Not the greatest, but a fun Halloween read. I’ll get to the sequel eventually. (See also: bad at finishing book series.)

Poetry for Everyone 

Another new reading practice this year: always keeping a poetry book on the bedside table. Poetry books are best for leisurely dipping in and out rather than reading cover to cover. If you think poetry is only for the ivory towers, give these writers a try and think again.

A Child's Year by Christopher Yokel (Independent, 2018)

Okay, I’m biased here, but hey! Chris quietly released a new poetry book into the world this fall, and I’m a big fan of Chris AND his poems. A Child’s Year is a season cycle, sort of like his last book A Year in Weetamoo Woods, but this time it’s anchored by a four part poem recalling the journey of seasons through childhood eyes. And according to our friend Kirsten’s 7-year-old son, he gets the experience right. ;) 

The Jubilee by John Blase (Bright Coppers Press, 2017) For his 50th birthday, John Blase released his first poetry book, with a poem for every year of life. It’s rare for me to make it through an entire collection start to finish but these were just so good. There are poems about aging — the author’s and his parents’ — and poems that evoke wide spaces and natural wonder. There are psalms and parables, and meditations on dying and, yes, living. All of them finely tuned with wisdom, gentle grace, and a touch of humor in all the right places. How I Discovered Poetry by Marilyn Nelson (Dial Books, 2014)

When I heard Marilyn Nelson read her poem “Thirteen-Year-Old American Negro Girl” on the On Being podcast, I was captivated. And when I found this lovely hardcover in a used bookstore back home in Florida, I knew I needed to read more. This is a memoir in poetry about growing up in a black military family during the American Civil Rights era, told with gentle lyricism, warmth, and humor. Plus, the book itself is lovely with whimsical illustrations and family photos.

Comics!

I’m always on a quest to get more comics in my life. Plus knocking out a whole series in a couple weeks is a solid way to pad out your Arbitrary Book Goal.

Amulet 1-7 by Kazu Kibuishi (Graphix, 2008-2016)

After their father’s tragic death, Emily and Navin move with their mom to a strange old house that belonged to their great-grandfather… and so the adventure begins. In this fantasy series, the two kids find themselves in an underground world of demons, robots, talking animals, and a dangerous and powerful Amulet. A captivating and beautifully illustrated fantasy tale. Ms. Marvel 1-5 by G. Willow Wilson (Marvel, 2014-2016)

Y’all, I super want to be a Marvel nerd. But alas, I can't keep up, so I get my sister to loan books to me. Ms. Marvel is my new fave. A Pakistani-American girl from Jersey City has the power to grow, shrink, and stretch her body at will. So she’s trying to fight crime, keep up at school, and well, stay out of trouble with her parents. So fun. (Dear Disney: I really want this kid to show up in Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. before it gets canceled kthxbye.)

The Legend of Wonder Woman by Ranae De Liz and Ray Dillon (DC Comics, 2016)

Weren’t we all mildly obsessed with Wonder Woman after the 2017 film? Another one I borrowed from my sister. A solid take on Diana’s origin story that’s accessible for comic n00bs (ahem, like me) who can’t figure out where to begin with beautiful art and a lot of heart.

The Classic I Finally Read 

Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen I always try to tackle either a thick intimidating novel or an unread classic in the wintertime. This year, I worked on my Austen deficiency and discovered I relate a little too much to Elinor Dashwood.

What’s Next?

In the new year, I think my goal is less about numbers and more about reading widely. I liked the 50% women authors goal because it helped me actively choose to support women writers. This year, hoping to read more books by authors of color, explore some new ideas and genres, and hopefully do a better job reading deeply and taking notes. I’ve got my eye on Book Riot’s Read Harder Challenge too, perhaps as a way to dig into new things I wouldn’t normally notice. And yeah... perhaps a monthly reading life update is a thing I can do here on the blog. :)

If you’re curious to see the full list of What I Read This Year and follow along with me in 2019, feel free to follow me on Goodreads!

What were some of your favorite reads in 2018? And what are your goals for the new year? I’d love to hear all about it in the comments!

[ravenswood]

ed (if no one has asked), vivi, aaand leopardpool! you asked me about a cat i ask you about a cat,

ed

as much as i call him out constantly for his creepy-ass paintings, he has actually made something of an effort on denny to tone it down, especially with lorraine around. he’s kind of gotten the feeling it might upset her after the whole valak thing, which is also the reason he’s hidden that one with the Collection after it showed up in the icc attic. silent hills may or may not completely destroy this tho

ed is the absolute 100% most lukewarm person when it comes to halloween. he gets enough of that spooky stuff on the job okay leave him alone with it for the rest of the year. he’s a total sap when it comes to handing candy out to the neighborhood kids tho

he gets really domestically into christmas tho and yall can BELIEVE its gonna be An Event on denny this year considering that he actually has people to celebrate with now. 

he’s also 100% That Husband who will just like bring home flowers or something for lorraine for no occasion other than the fact that he was just thinking about her. Disgusting

alright listen to me. listen. this is a thing i had to briefly ponder last night for his icc with volle but if u think for a second ed would be like..... anything-phobic u need to get the hell out of my christian home in jesus name ah pray. like listen there was absolutely that kinda shit going on in the 70s but have you MET this man. can you imagine him with that kind of hatred like honestly

this one’s based on a dumb inside joke but the only reason he thinks exorcist 2 is better than the original is that a) he’s never seen the original exorcist and b) i don’t....think exorcist 2 is a traditional exorcism movie? i’ve only seen reviews of it but anyway he was kind of :/ when the original exorcist came out because it felt like capitalizing on and sensationalizing what’s actually a dangerous ritual irl. i’ve put way too much thought into this for a joke wtf

he and lorraine don’t/didn’t (depending on whether we’re talking about them on denny or not) actually have too many like Close Adult Friends. neither of them are super eager to place that kind of trust in people not to be skeptical/dismissive of their work and thus, they just kind of keep to themselves and the few people they’ve managed to meet through their work. drew is a good example of this.

in that vein, ed usually tries to keep in contact with the people he and lorraine help out, especially in the wake of a case that was particularly hard on a family ie the perrons and the hodgesons. it’s usually just a phone call or something to make sure that everything’s okay and they’re not experiencing any kind of activity, but he and lorraine have been back to the perron house a couple of times for casual visits and he’ll occasionally like write a letter or something to the hodgesons. 

literally the only reason he has a normal-ish sleep schedule on denny now (even more normal than it would be at home) is that there’s like literally nothing more comforting to him now than getting to have lorraine next to him while he’s falling asleep. he may or may not be mildly clingy when it comes to curling up with her at night. 

HE’S A GRYFFINDOR im cementing this now.

vivi

she has a mild caffeine addiction and will legit get migraines if she doesn’t have her morning coffee. 

she’s dyslexic, which is a fact that tends to surprise people considering how much she likes to read. the pink tint of her glasses helps her eyes to better make sense of the words on the page in front of her, and tbh she’s really into stuff like comic books and manga, where she can follow the story through visual pictures, and also audiobooks.

this isn’t headcanon but she plays electric guitar! and acoustic too, but she prefers the Loudness of the former.

listen mystery ben can pry the fact that vivi build arthur’s prosthetic arm out of my cold dead hands. she actually has a bachelor’s in engineering, particularly robotics, but given that she’s pretty focused on her paranormal investigating, she hasn’t done very much with it.

also not headcanon: her favorite video game series is silent hill. 3 is probably her favorite of the franchise and she definitely has Opinions regarding the later games in the series. 

in that vein, she ran an cr1tikal-esque lp channel back home where she played a lot of horror games straight-facedly and rolled her eyes at a lot of them. sh4 and homecoming were definitely among these. 

she’ll take any nicknames you wanna throw at her. ‘vivi’ is actually already short for ‘vivian’ but phoebe and arthur both have occasionally called her ‘vi’ or ‘viv’ and ‘blue’ and ‘blueberry’ were both affectionate nicknames from the latter. lewis would probably also have dorky nicknames for her if he did the talking thing.

mystery is her familiar and, back home, he typically shied away from talking around random strangers. on denny, he’s way less cautious about it and just kind of openly talks to anyone. it’s v freeing, if you ask him.

she has a fondness for spicy food and one of these days she’ll remember it’s because it was a specialty of the restaurant lewis’s family ran. she’s also big into cultural food, especially japanese, given her heritage.

she’s a ravenclaw if we’re doing hogwarts house sorting for all of these.

leopardpool

she’s Very Gay although given that she’s staunchly against taking a mate, this isn’t very likely to come up in her life.

she has a scar running down between her shoulder blades from a kithood incident -- she and tangleclaw and dappledawn were a Trouble-making Squad when they were younger

herb-gathering is a v relaxing thing for her, particularly because her knowledge of what different herbs look like is one of the few things she’s fairly confident in re: med cat skills.

she never knew her ~biological father, harepath, and never really considered him family (he died in a border dispute before she and her siblings were both), given that she was raised by a pair of Gay Moms. she’s met him in sharing tongues with starclan, though, and their relationship is only slightly awkward. 

her main starclan guide, though, is rowanfall’s old mentor, ratnose who will prooobably be a starclan npc at some point on denny. he’s played a big part in soothing leopardpool’s insecurities and anxieties after rowanfall left and is kind of quietly disappointed in his apprentice for this nonsense. he’s fond of sagepaw too tho.

her relationship with sagepaw is.........a work in progress. she’s tried her hardest not to let memories of her mother taint their mentor/apprentice stuff, because even if it was against the warrior code and resulted in so much shit hitting the fan, it was dappledawn that kind of bluntly pointed out to her that it wasn’t sagepaw’s fault. it’s lucky that patience are some of sagepaw’s virtues tbh.

she adores dappledawn’s daughters, nettlepaw and smokepaw, and was eagerly anticipating being made an aunt again before the rifts took her -- tangleclaw’s mate was with kits at the time. 

med cats are taught a little of how to defend themselves and how to hunt, but leopardpool has never been particularly good at either of them. at best, she relies on her dark pelt and light pawsteps to get close to prey, but she has a bad habit of not paying too much attention to where she’s stepping, resulting in a lot of snapping twigs at the last second.

which is kind of a shame, since her mothers named her leopardkit in the hopes that she’d be as quick and stealthy as a leopard one day. whoops!

i’ll just finish these all off with hogwarts houses -- she’s a hufflepuff.