#but this was my old painting style from school so it’s really nice to be able to try it out again

[kismetmoon]

icon of unity

[ID: a digital painting of an original, stylised Flatland character named Stella.

Stella is a humanoid character with dark grey skin, a round head with one point sticking out from the top and each side of her head that fades to black, and a black tail with a geometric heart-shaped tip. She is wearing a long cream robe and a shorter navy shoulder cape on top. She also has a simplistic solid black crown floating diagonally on the top left of her head.

She is positioned standing with her back to the viewer, facing away. Her arms are bent by her sides, with her forearms out of view - hidden by her torso. Her navy shoulder cape flows as if the wind were blowing it towards the right. Her cream robe touches the ground and the fabric sits folded loosely on top of itself. Her tail is peeking out from under the end of her robe, laying out flat and straight on the ground.

The background fades from a periwinkle colour to an earthy yellow, going from the bottom to the top of the image. There are faint blue and yellow outlines of circles around Stella, with a large pale yellow outline of an isosceles triangle cutting through them all to frame Stella’s entire body. There is also a yellow crescent moon shape laying on its back around Stella’s head, akin to a large halo.

End ID.]

[monakisu]

rating oil paintings i did in high school based on their likability (to Me) ⊙▂⊙

light study 💡 - the earliest one out of all of these bcuz i technically painted it in middle school but then went back in HS to add the seagulls and boat so i could fit it into the theme of my AP art portfolio LMAOOO but still one of my favorites, which is sorta sad cuz it’s so old… 9/10

filial love - honestly didn’t care for this one very much because it was meant to just be more fodder for my AP portfolio but turns out my mom likes it a lot!! she says it reminds her of “the lion of judah ✝️” (whoever that is) so i was happy to give it to her! she displays it in her room so her fondness really carries this one’s rating: 10/10

play nice with your brother!! 🐻‍❄️ - i like this one a lot! because it’s one of the only paintings my hardass art teacher let me use neon colors on (or at least as neon as u can get with oil paint). usually he just paints over my colors to make them grayer. that guy… otherwise this one is just not very interesting. 8/10

koi pond 🎏 - PRIME EXAMPLE OF WHAT I MEAN when he paints over my stuff with gray!!! i was so excited to paint this one and added all sorts of flair that i like—pink dots as leaf highlights, super detailed colorful water—AND THEN HE JUST WENT AND SMEARED ALL MY DETAILS 💀💀💀 so i Hate this one and avoid looking at it as much as possible. 0/10 below it is a version from a diff angle that i did in an hour with shitty free acrylic verrryyy recently in college, and u can just see how i went ham on the colors right?! eugh. what could’ve been… 🪦

with heavy heart ❤️ - a pretty big old lady (18x24”). i feel obligated to like her because she won me the congressional competition for my district so i got to go to the capitol to see her framed there and briefly meet my stale white bread representative but HONESTLY all i can think about is how hideous my makeup was at the time and i get upset. 🙁 i do think this granny is very pretty though!! 7/10

my ocean blue 🪼 - this one im not sure if i like it or only tolerate it. i just wanted to paint a super colorful coral reef!! "🐠🪸🫧" you know?? but my mom and teacher said it Needed a message for ~intrigue~ so they brainstormed together (without me) and made me add this random ass child with a VR headset smack dab in the middle… something about cyberreality? IDK i just want her ass gone so badly. i also never got around to finishing the stripes on that fish in the front but nobody calls me out on it so it's whatever 🤷‍♂️ LOL 4/10

radial self portrait 🎯 - HUGE DEVIATION IN STYLE not only bcuz this one’s gouache instead of oil but also because i got to paint without an old man (art teacher) hovering over my shoulder!!! 😸 it was my first time painting something super stylized and i realized that painting can actually be Not Agonizing!!! 😸😸 this was at my summer camp where we had to come up with a radial pattern using a compass (i hate that little pointy shit) and then combine it with our self portrait. it’s me having a headache! i painted this in a single stressful sleepless night because i have HORRIFIC time management when i’m left alone so it’s pretty sloppy. also at the time i had those blonde e-girl bangs hahaha… i still like this one a lot!! i was just SO happy i didn't have to go photorealistic AND i could use my favorite colors (mainly hot pink)!!! 10/10 😸

overall my high school painting in experience was spent beefing with my art teacher and inhaling paint fumes. sort of miserable honestly -_-

[mistressroxielove]

Hey everyone~ I'm back, and this time with a new fixation!

Long story short, I've discovered the new Fairly Oddparents reboot, absolutely loved it and was inspired to make this AU idea for the show! With a slight reimagine/redesign of the characters as well. And the first one I decided to do was Peri!

Here's some more info about my AU:

Fairly Odd Parents AU/Rewrite

Au Name: FairlyOdd Brother

Summary:

Perri (previously known as Poof) recently graduated from Fairy Godparents School and is eager to start granting Wishes for his very own godchild! Only problem is that with his lack of experience Jorgen is weary of giving him an assignment and keeps finding excuses/reasons to not give him a godkid. Realizing it might be a 1,000 years before they give him a chance to be a Fairy Godparent, Perri decides he needs to be a little bold and perhaps, bend Da Rules, to get his foot in the door so to speak. And his answer comes to him from a new neighbor in his human home, a family with a sweet shy 10 year old girl who is absolutely miserable. Perhaps Perri might be able to offer this girl a little comfort and fun as her new Fairy Godbrother!?

(Basically the same premise of the show, except Perri’s first godchild is Hazel, and through a technicality in the rule book, becomes her god brother instead of her godparent.)

ALSO please note this AU is more of a slight reimagine of the original show, meaning I did tweaked / changed some of the characters personality to match the new story I made for them. Nothing majorly different, but again just a heads up before you read on. Hope you like it~

Name: Perri Poof Fairywinkle Cosma (He goes by Perri now but still keeps Poof as a middle name to honor it)

Age: Human equivalent of 22 years old

-Usually it takes at least 1,000 years for a fairy to grow from a baby to an adult, however since Poof spent his first couple of years being raised alongside Timmy, his body magically enhanced itself to basically go through a growth spurt and age as a normal human. But now that he’s fully mature he won't physically age anymore and will stay a 22 year old for at least a couple hundred thousand years.

Sex: Male

Human Physical Description:

-Basically just did a mix between Wanda's and Cosmo human designs. Something simple and fun, I also added some blue to his color design just to make him stand out more.

-I also gave him crocs, I just found the idea cute and thought it would give him a more casual look for his human design

-I was originally gonna give him glasses similar to Cosmo but for the life of me I couldn't make the design work with his hair style, so I just gave him a earring with the same design his wand has

Personality:

-Similar to Cosmo Swavy car sale business man personality from the pilot.

-He’s a smooth talker with a deep rich voice to match, could sell a refrigerator to a eskimo

-Knows his way around rules and is always eager to grant wild and crazy wishes with the most imaginative interpretation possible, this eagerness to break rules can be a blessing and a curse, as this is what gets him in trouble the most

-Is a bit of a smart ass (But in a nice and lovable way), always has to have the last word, can be really petty when he’s mad

-Is really good a persuading people into doing things, though he doesn’t use this power to be malicious, only uses it to get small favors and mostly for Hazel to wish for crazy stuff, again it's never meant to be malicious

-Though he still has a lot to learn before becoming a godparent, he’s extremely sweet and caring to hazel and his friends, and will do anything to keep them safe and happy

-Is eager to proof himself to be useful and mature, is tired of every fairy treating him like a kid despite being older now

-Is a bit flamboyant and cares about his appearance, likes to paint his nails and wears earrings similar to his mother

-Though he does have a good head on his shoulders, he does have a tendency to interpret wishes in uniquely bizarre ways sometimes, something he inherited from his father.

Other fun facts:

-Peri really likes marine life/fishes, since he spent the first couple years of his life living as a fish, he has an appreciation for the creatures. And even has a pet goldfish!

-Despite being 22 years old, the fairy’s still treat him like a baby since a normal fairy baby would have taken at least 1,000 years to grow to maturity. This is what caused him to change his name, desperate to make the other fairy’s take him seriously and to not literally treat him like a baby

-Lives in an apartment building in the human world that is also connected to the fairy world, he’s the first of his kind to have a home like that. For most fairies it's extremely hard for them to ‘act human’ 24/7 which is why most prefer to turn themselves into childhood pets whenever they’re living with their god kid. As being human means they have to walk everywhere, not being able to use magic, and if they mess up once it could expose the existence of fairies and magical creatures in general. Peri however, once old enough to move out of his parents house was vocal that he wanted to live among the humans. He told Jorgen and the fairy council he wanted to live there to understand humans better to be a better godparent to them, but he mostly did it because he missed earth. Missed all the stuff that he grew accustomed to when he was a kid and also likes being able to find people ‘his own age’ to talk and relate to. After his endless demands and persuasion the council finally budge and allowed him to live on earth. But was warned if he was ever discovered to be a fairy, he would lose his godparents license and would never be allowed back on earth ever again.

-He wears a curler in his hair similar to Wanda when he sleeps, just a cute detail I wanted to mention

-Also just like his mother he has a tendency to call the kids/Hazel Buddy similarly to how Wanda likes to call people Sport but still has his own fraze, just a small detail that I thought would also be a cute nod to his parents

-He's also crazy for Chocolate, this is based off an episode in the original show where Wanda went insane just to eat some chocolate. It was just a one off gag but I really love that gag and decide to include it. He loves chocolate and has a dangerous addiction to it, but its still not as bad as Wanda's addiction to the stuff

Short summary of how he ended up with Hazel:

Peri has just recently graduated Fairy Godparent School and is eager to get a godkid, since his parents are still on their 10,000 year old trip he wanted to surprise them with the news of him having a godkid to make them proud of him. However Jorgen is extremely reluctant to give Peri a kid due to his extremely young age, inexperience, and his tendency to always try and bend ‘Da Rules’ as he pleases. So he puts Peri off again and sends him home, much to his annoyance. Irritated and now back at his human home in Dimmadelphia, Peri begins to hatch a plan to get himself a god kid since he knows it would take 1,000 years at least before Jorgen would finally give him a chance. But how could he possibly bend the rules to allow him to mentor a kid without Jorgen assigning him?

The answer comes to him from his new neighbors, a small family with a sweet but shy 10 year old girl who’s having a tough time adjusting to her new surroundings. Due to some hijinks Peri ends up babysitting for Hazel as her parents are now busier than ever with their new jobs and don’t have as much time to watch Hazel. They don’t mean to leave her alone so often, and actually apologize to her constantly for the unforeseen high work time. But it does little to help Hazel with her adjusting to her new environment. With the addition of her having a bad day in school and her brother, do to the storm, is unable to come up and visit until his next break (which is a few months away) Hazel, being miserable and finally had enough and in a fit of rage and desperation, wishes she could just fly to her brother. This wish for the first time activates Peri magic, before he can stop his wand appear and grants Hazel's wish, turning the girl into a fly.

The part of the episode happens similar to the original first episode, with Peri trying to get Hazel home before her parents come back from their work. He eventually does but again similar to the first episode Hazel gets stuck in a venus fly trap as Peri tries to get her to wish to turn back into her original form. After the talk with the ant Hazel realizes her mistake and finally wishes to become human again before her parents could discover what went wrong.

After the commotion, the next day Hazel goes to Peri’s apartment to question who he is and what the heck just happened. Peri tries to deny it but during their conversation he realizes that technically speaking…..Hazel did have good and caring parents. They weren’t the reason why she was sad and miserable, she was miserable because her brother wasn’t with her anymore and she desperately missed him. And technically speaking, there was no rule or need to ask Jorgen or the fairy console to become a kids Godbrother. He only needed their permission to be a Godparent. And besides……..he more than understood the feeling of missing a big brother.

Making his decision he officially introduces himself as Hazel Godbrother (In a similar manner to Dev introduction) and promises to bring a little magic to her life~ Much to Hazel shock and joy, as for the first time since moving to Dimmadelphia, she felt true joy and happiness.

Sooooo ya, tell me what you guys think! Any questions or suggestions for the AU I would love to hear, good to be back!

Previous - Next

[wen-kexing-apologist]

Who is Mew Anyway?

I realized we are over halfway through Only Friends now, and that I have only talked about Mew once in my write ups. Which…makes sense for me, all things considered, until now he’s kind of been a blah character in my eyes. And I am leaning in to and really appreciating how intentional that is beginning to feel on behalf of Jojo and co. 

When you think about it, until literally halfway through the show we have known almost nothing about Mew besides the fact that he is the table keeper for his friends, he is a hotel management student, and he’s a virgin. If you asked me to list any other facts about Mew’s life or his role in life, I would not have been able to answer much of anything. 

And that’s because Mew isn’t really anything. Personally, I feel like Mew thinks he has a strong sense of self and the second that something comes along to question that, all those illusions he has of himself start crumbling. When I look at Mew’s character, and I mean start getting in to the nitty gritty of Mew’s character, I don’t think Mew has any idea who he is. Which, for a show about college students is fucking brilliant. I thought I knew who I was in college, and then I graduated and promptly became queer and trans. I thought I knew what career I wanted, and then I ended up going to grad school for something outside of my initial plans. I know @waitmyturtles mentioned something similar about trying on different personalities in college in her Episode 7 Review. 

Think about Mew’s apartment, it was his mother’s old place. He took it over after she moved out. He didn’t choose this place, we can’t be certain this is the type of apartment or the location that Mew would actively decide to be in. When he brings Top home the first night they meet, Top comments on the place:

“Your room is nice, it suits you” 

To which Mew replies ‘It’s my Mom’s old room. I decorated it using ideas from the internet” 

Which says to me that Mew’s own personality, his own interests weren’t even involved in the creation of his own personal space. He decorated it based on inspiration from what other people had done to their own places. And Mew’s apartment fascinates me further, as a color-coder in BL kinda person. Because Mew’s apartment is all over the place in its decoration. 

On one wall we have striped wallpaper, in orange hues.

On another we have light blue walls with white and golden patterning. A yellow couch, a blue bookshelf. 

In his room he has a wall that is painted a solid green

And I can’t quite get a good image of it, but the opposite wall in his room is painted a dark turquoise with white patterning, which is different from Ray’s house, but still evokes a similar visual point of comparison.

Even Mew himself, when we first meet him is alllllll over the place with his colors. He has lines all over his shirt, with squares of different colors. His second look of the show is a solid light blue shirt over top of a striped shirt with orange, green, yellow.

His bed sheets are similarly stripes with dark gray, green, yellow, and orange.

Which is to say, at the beginning of our time with Mew, it is hard to pin down who he is as a person. He doesn’t have a color, he doesn’t have a pattern, to associate with his character. He fluctuates between rich, saturated colors and light, washed out pastels. 

When I think of Mew, I think of all the outfits he’s worn that have a strong green tint to them, but honestly, looking back through his wardrobe, Mew has a broad range of colors he chooses from. 

(Now, I recognize that all of this could be because the costuming department does not actually care about color coding, and that the eclectic styling of Mew’s apartment was just how it already was. And that’s fine, but I’m here so I’m gonna overanalyze it.)

All this to say that, Mew’s colors, Mews home, Mew’s pattern choices are all very disparate. All this to say that as a result I am now assuming that Mew does not know who he is, and neither do we. He could go any number of ways. Mew could go orange, yellow, green, blue. He could be complicated (with complex patterns) or straight forward (with solid colors). But none of us know at the beginning of this show quite where he will go. 

Truthfully, the only aspect of Mew that I have seen be steadfast throughout the show, is Mew’s moral superiority complex. Everything else is mutable. Mew has throughout most of the show, regarded himself as a good person. He doesn’t drink much, he doesn’t dance much, he doesn’t sleep around at all, and that somehow in his mind, grants Mew the opportunity to talk down to his friends. 

He’s not an alcoholic like Ray who he has no problem lecturing in the bathroom about how he is  going to be dead by 30, despite knowing that Ray is/was suicidal. He’s not a slut like Boston, who is far too obsessed with Mew’s virginity, etc. etc. etc. Mew fucks with Top, deciding that he is going to wait to have sex with him for awhile. And that is his right, but Mew doesn’t say he’s waiting because he isn’t comfortable with sex. He tells Boston and Cheum that he is waiting to have sex with Top to make sure that Top is serious about their relationship. Because if Top is serious about dating Mew without sex being involved, that means that Mew is worthy of the top tier because he is top tier, and not because he is an easy lay that Top can use for bragging rights (bagging a virgin). 

And I would have previously entertained a conversation around whether or not that is true, but unfortunately for any dissenters to my read of Mew, now that Mew has decided to #embracethenasty, there is no convincing me out of my observation that Mew does not know who he is. 

Why? Because the second that Mew starts retaliating against Top, the second he decides to ruin Top’s life, to stoop low, to be the lesser person…Mew starts dressing like Ray. I am certainly not the first person to notice this, it has been circulating in multiple different forms across my tumblr page, but.

Gif from @firstmix

Mew doesn’t know who he is, Mew doesn’t know how he fits in to the world now that he has decided to make Top’s life a living hell. I am not convinced Mew is capable of seeing himself as a bad person, because he isn’t a slut or an addict or a cheater. [As an aside here, this is Mew’s thinking, not my own personal beliefs on what makes someone a good or bad person]. So, of course, if he wanted to become a bad person. If he wanted to play at being as toxic and terrible as the people around him, it makes sense Mew would don the wardrobe of his “best friend”, Ray. Ray, who Mew looks down on for being an alcoholic, for not valuing his life. Who Mew has told time and time again to love himself, and to quit drinking and doing drugs, as if that is going to cure Ray’s addiction. And who in under five minutes just took a blowtorch to everyone’s relationships. 

Why? Because Mew is so self-righteous that he looks down on others around him. Mew isn’t ready or willing to look at and acknowledge the nasty, flawed parts of himself, so he adorns the nasty, flawed parts of others, to abstract himself from his own behavior. He uses Ray’s clothing, Nick’s methodology, and Boston’s personality to retaliate at the people he feels wronged by. 

Mew uses Boston against himself, wielding Boston’s sexual prowess, his willingness to fuck, his Hunter charm to get himself in to Gap’s apartment. He uses Nick’s methodology to steal the video of Boston and lords the knowledge over Boston’s head (like Nick did to Top), and again, he is wearing Ray’s clothing. But while Mew is trying to be a chameleon in his behavior, his appearance, his strategy to get back at Top, Mew’s own flavor of flaw starts becoming ever more clear. 

Mew has a superiority complex.

It is absolutely, unbelievable shitty and vile to threaten to out Boston to his father. To treat Boston’s privacy and safety with such disdain. Boston records others and he keeps those images as evidence, so Mew steals Boston’s MO. Mew takes the recording of Boston, looks Boston in the eye, and makes Boston think that he is going to hold on to that for evidence.

Now, right before this, Mew does actually draw a comparison point between himself and Boston. 

“You and I have something in common.” he says

“We’re both gullible” 

Mew makes Boston beg. And after he has made Boston sweat sufficiently, he throws the flashdrive on the ground. He says: “I’m kidding. No matter how much I hate you, I won’t do it. Because I don’t betray my friend like you did. 

“Then I’d be just as filthy as you are.”

While Mew is able to identify a potential flaw of his own, being gullible isn’t a fundamental aspect of Mew’s personality or character, being gullible isn’t who Mew is. It’s a flaw that he is pointing out only because he is still reeling from allowing himself to be fooled by Top and Boston. It’s a flaw that he is point out so that he can weaponize his superiority complex. 

In other words: “You and I have something in common, but I am better than you because I don’t betray my friends”  As if he didn’t just threaten to publicize Boston’s sex life to his father, the implications of which could have a national impact.

And while it is ultimately unsurprising that Mew channels Ray in doing all of this, it is interesting. Interesting because Mew is using Ray. Mew not only knows that Ray is capable of fucking up his own life, and the lives of the people around him, he also knows that Ray is the least liked by both Boston and Top. Boston’s distaste for Ray is subtle, as his obsession with Top and Mew has been more at the forefront of his interactions with his friends. But we have seen from the very beginning of this show that Boston does nothing to care for Ray. Boston is assigned to take care of Ray and make sure he is safe when he’s been drinking too much. Boston literally never once helps Ray when he’s drunk. Boston sees Ray and Sand crossed, cuddling, and generally having a good time, and Boston goes and airs Ray’s dirty laundry. Ray is the first person to confront Boston about cuckolding Mew. 

So wearing clothing that is reminiscent of Ray when Mew goes to Boston’s house to threaten him is a flavorful undertone for how Mew is hoping Boston will see him. 

At the points in which Top and Mew interact during the episode, Mew is not dressed like Ray, but he sure as shit does lord Ray over Top just to fuck with him. When Top comes to apologize to Mew, Mew asks Ray to find a new designer, literally asking Ray to replace Top. When Ray helps treat Mew’s injury after the group fight, Mew decides to use Ray as a rebound. To use Ray’s feelings for him as a way to experiment, once again, with the type of person he wants to be and the type of person he wants to be with. We end the episode with Ray and Mew dancing together at the bar, Mew dressed in a very Ray style

Because Mew is trying Ray on for size, trying his fashion, his company, his lifestyle (as we see from the promo for next week) and that is prone to make RayMew crash and burn, because Ray is self-destructive enough as is, and I don’t think Mew is going to do well with treating himself with Ray’s level of self-care.

Mew doesn’t know who he is, Mew doesn’t know what he wants, the only thing Mew knows is that he’s better than everyone around him, and he can only stoop as low as them is by pretending he is them, rather than facing the fact that he's just as terribly human as the rest of the group.

[hellsite-yano]

STEAM NEXT FEST DEMOS I PLAYED:

>500 CALIBER CONTRACTZ Highlight of this list. Literally Super Mario 64 x Cruelty Squad with a Suda51 coat of paint. Highly recommend.

>Antishoot / Morn FPS games that feel terrible to play. Avoid.

>SAEKO: Giantess Dating Sim Title says it all. Pretty solid and unnerving writing.

>Mother Hub Like if the abandoned vaults in Fallout 3/NV were the whole game. Your enjoyment of this depends entirely on your tolerance for slavjank. I liked it tho.

>Year Unknown Good so far - if you've played games like Manifold Garden and NaissanceE you know what you're getting here. Combine that with the terminals from The Talos Principle and you get this game.

>Elation For The WonderBox 6000™ This is SHORT (less than 5mins) but I've had my eye on this for ages. The writing is very online but in a good way.

>Skyward Dream Kinda boring first-person platformer.

>THRESHOLD Another short one. Kinda reminds me of Pathologic but on the PS1. The grimy aesthetic is nailed down perfectly. If you liked Paratopic check this one out.

>Galaia Dev describes it as TUNIC x Enter the Gungeon but it's not really. Gameplay reminded more of Geometry Wars if anything. Was kinda fun but don't think I'll get this.

>BRUTAL JOHN Been seeing this around on twitter and avoided it due to it seeming bland. And I was right!

>Kitsune Tails SMB3 with a traditional japanese aesthetic. Solid and the characters are cute.

>Sparedevil A 'shooter' where you're in a bowling arena and need to knock down as many pins as possible. Couldn't really get the hang of this.

>I Am Your Beast SUPERHOT / Hotline Miami fans will want to check this one. I liked it but the story is presented pretty obnoxiously.

>Bloodless Beat 'em up where you play as an old samurai who doesn't use a sword (anymore). Gameplay takes a bit of getting used to but it's fun and the story's intriguing.

>Poke ALL Toads Puzzle game structured like Baba is You with really good and expressive art. Liked this one a lot.

>Caravan SandWitch One of those slow exploration-focused games like Sable. Liked the aesthetic and music but dialogue was a bit long-winded.

>ODDADA You play with toys to make music (and you can even save your creations offline). Very nice.

>B.C. Piezophile Control a weighty mech looking for a lost ship or something like that, the encyclopedia (yes, there's an encyclopedia) is written pretty esoterically so it's hard to figure some things out. Requires patience but got my eyes on the full release.

>Old School Rally PS1 styled racing game, takes a bit of getting used to the feel of the car, PROTIP: it's better to pump the brakes instead of holding them.

>Goblin Cleanup Viscera Cleanup Detail except you're a sexy goblin maid cleaning up a dungeon. Was pretty fun, especially online.

>Scarmonde Final Fantasy 1 but it's a dungeon crawler. Not my sort of game but if you're into this genre you'd probably like this.

>Bedrotting You're stuck in bed and got to keep yourself sane by eating, smoking, and not looking at the horrific abominations. Good stuff.

>Blue Prince You inherit a mansion and need to find the secret 46th room. Won't say too much about this because it's best discovered by yourself. Was very good though.

>Stardust Demon Didn't like the physics on this. Pass.

[siblingskissing]

vance hcs pleeeeease 🤲

Vance Hopper Headcanons

-Momma's boyMomma's boyMomma's boyMomma's boyMomma's boyMomma's boy -Vance has anger issues that I believe are both trauma based and also possibly an undiagnosed disorder/mental health issue. It was the 70s so he likely wouldn't have been diagnosed but you see what I mean -He's not rich but he's also not dirt poor either. I imagine his dad probably has a really nice job and forced his mom to be a housewife/caregiver 24/7. That being said- Vance has a pretty humble mindset when it comes to finances despite the fact -When Vance went missing he was out walking after a fight with his old man- likely had some bruising already when the Grabber tried coaxing him into helping him. I feel like Vance probably didn't try to help but rather tried to fight him and that's how he grabbed him

- (I'm not gonna go into my headcanons for his captivity in this post but I will happily do a separate post if yall want that)

-Vance hates sweets but sour candy has a grip on his soul -He also loves salty foods

-His style is inspired by both his own need to rebel but also his mom's style when she was younger. I think she had hair similar to this:

-I think she actually has dark hair to and the color comes from his dad's side

-Vance actually is really smart and would do well in school if he was given the chance. however, do to both his environment and his temper he can't actually show that -He loves dogs. He prefers cats some days but he likes to feed the stray dogs that sit in the alleys -He loves bananas. Ever since he was a toddler he would munch on them. His mother once got concerned that he had a potassium issue. Nope. Just likes banana -He's allergic to kind of a lot. Cinnamon, peanuts,almonds, eggs, honestly he has a laundry list of allergens that his mom keeps handy -Thankfully most of his allergies (minus the peanuts and almonds) are mostly just irritants so he can still eat things he likes. However those two will kill him. -He likes horror films but isn't huge on them. He'll sometimes sneak into the drive in to watch them but that's more for the rush than the actual film. His favourite horror film is Halloween -I don't have a specific sexuality headcanoned for him. I guess most people would say Pansexual but i think he's unlabelled. He doesn't like many people but if he gets involved with someone? Well, good for them. -chocolate chip pancakes lover -Watches the Twilight Zone with his mom every week. His favorite episode is 'To Serve Man' - Vance always secretly wanted to be a firefighter when he got older. He thought they were cool and when he was like 5 he used to play with his mom that he was a firefighter rescuing her. - His favourite ice cream flavour is vanilla. He does not care that it's basic, he likes the simplicity and how its not too sweet. -Same reason he likes dark chocolate. -IDK why but I imagine him as an older brother?? Maybe his mom had a little girl after him or was pregnant when he went missing. -IDK but either way he is so protective. -He hates reading with a passion. He hates silence and he hates being silent the entire time he reads. He does however enjoy when people read to him/he can follow along with someone reading. -Rip vance you would've loved audiobooks -Know how I said he likes horror? He HATES horror stories. They aren't as fun for him and he things they're boring -I imagine he has a very clean room for some reason?? Like he likes things to be in their place, how he likes it and its organized for his needs -Kinda similar in the idea of this?? Like i doubt he has tons of decor but he has what he needs

-Secret art kid. He's really good at drawing but doesn't do it much outside of his room. He prefers traditional pencil drawings since paint leaves too much residue but if he gets his hands on colored pencils? He flourishes. -rip vance you would've loved alcohol markers-

[dearabby1990]

Chapter 35: Best friends day out

You’re finally done drying your hair & add a little makeup just to brighten up your face a bit & spray some of your favorite perfume. Heading downstairs towards the living room you noticed how oddly quiet it is for a house full of guys only to be met with gareth relaxing on the sofa watching Miami vice he notices you & sits up “hey goober the others went out shopping for god knows what you know how Eddie gets when he wants something so I figured I’d stay behind maybe we could have a best buds day beings it’s been awhile since we hung out just us two figured we could grab a bite & hit the record store or something” you smile and plop on the sofa next to him “sounds good fluff & stuff” you giggle & toss him your car keys & you barely let anyone drive your baby it’s a 1961 Chevy bel air not as spiffy as the one you all had for prom but still you cherish it beings it was your moms car putting lots of love & care into it replacing parts with Eddie’s help & she just got a new paint job as a gift from your love he knows how much you love light purple so he went ahead & had jimmy paint it all for you. “Really?! I can drive Paula?! Sweet!!” You laugh and you both take off to the car “man this is so fuckin cool jame!” He starts up the engine & the radio pops on you dig through your cassettes & pull out Billy Squire & show it to him “oh fuck yeah pop it in!” “Alright this is gonna be the best day ever!” My kinda lover comes on & you & gareth are singing & using your bottle of cola as a microphone laughing having a ball “oh I have an idea gare bear watch this” you flip the switch to drop the top and his eyes bulge from his head “no fuckin way this is so bad ass!” You both have the wind in your hair & not a care in the world your glad you got to spend time with gareth you both haven’t had fun like this since middle school. He pulls into the parking lot & you notice he took you to your old fave spot his parents would take you guys here before the end of the camping trips before your parents would pick you up. An old 50’s style malt shop with the best milkshakes & burgers Indiana had to offer waitresses on roller skates 🛼 glide up to your car with a note pad & pen “welcome to Marybeth’s malt shop my name is Dolores I’ll be your server what can I get for y’all this fine afternoon?” She says with a megawatt smile teal dress white apron pink skates blonde hair in a high ponytail chewing gum gareth knows me well enough to where he knows what I always get so he orders for us both “yes can we get 2 bacon cheeseburgers an order of cheese fries & 2 black cows” (old school drink gross but very popular it’s cola & ice cream like a root beer float) “sure hun anything else for you & your lovely lady?” “Oh we’re just best friends but that’s all thanks” she winks at gareth “I’ll be right out with your drinks” she skates off. You start laughing hysterically “WHAT?!” He’s confused as to why you think something is so funny “she was totally checking you out man as soon as you said we’re friends her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree” you start laughing again “bullshit she’s just being nice it’s her job!” You try to calm you laughing for a minute “okay we’ll see about that” he turns to you “what does that mean?” “Ohh you’ll see” she comes skating back with your drinks “here you both go here’s some straws is there anything else I can get you both?” You look at gareth and smirk “actually Dolores my friend here has an extra ticket to guns & roses & needs a date & you’re so beautiful maybe you two can go together hed need your number though” his face is red he looks like he wants to kill you “really?! Yes I’d love that!” She scribbles down her number and hands it to gareth and skates back off into the restaurant “how the fuck & I don’t have an extra ticket to shit Jamie what the hell?!” You pull out an envelope & pass it to him “this was supposed to be a part of your graduation gift but I can see you need it now more then later” he rips it open to pull out two front row center seats to guns & roses & flies across the gears to engulf you into a hug.

You both eat your lunch talking of ideas of what to look for in the record store. “I still can’t believe this shit what a day & it’s only the damn afternoon not only did I get a date but I have tickets to the hottest concert in Hawkins this month thanks to you jame thanks for hanging with me today” he nudges into your shoulder you chuckle “no problem fluff & stuff but let’s hurry I have to get something for Eddie at the record store as part of his graduation gift OH! Before I forget I wanna throw a graduation party for Eddie & hellfire but I want to surprise him you think you guys could help me out?” “You don’t have to tell me twice I’m here for whatever ya need”. Pulling into a parking spot you both bolt into the record store grabbing the new Iron Maiden album for Eddie knowing he’s been wanting it for quite some time. Gareth finding all he was looking for “so what else did you get him for graduation?” You smirk at him “well… I was gonna keep this a complete secret but since I know you’re good at not spilling the beans I’ll tell you since it involves us all.. so I have an account from when mom passed I haven’t touched a red cent at all I have it for future decisions but I wanted to splurge a little so I went ahead & got us all tickets to fly out to Detroit for a few days not only to go on a trip but two concerts I got us all tickets to see Kiss & 6 days after that we go see… METALLICA!!” His eyes bug out of his head “I LOVE YOU I LOVE YOU!!” He’s swinging you around the store almost taking out a whole display you’re cracking up. “I love ya too gare bear but remember secret!” He nods like a mad man “my lips are sealed promise.. oh man this is gonna be so fucking cool!!” You both head to check out it’s almost dinner time you’ll have to head back to start cooking sundown isn’t too far away. Hopping in the car you & gareth had a ball & have to try and make time for all your friends from now on.

[katlyntheartist]

How did you develop your style? It SEEMS like most people find their style and stick with it forever, just making improvements and iterations. What your journey was and how you got feedback and improved while staying true to what you enjoyed?

Honestly I just did what I liked haha.

When I was 6, anime had a big influence on me. I watched Mark Crilley tutorials on You Tube and had several "How to Draw Manga" books. I didn't really watch anime as a kid but Sonic X was kind of my first introduction to it and I had an old friend who loved Pokemon so that also helped.

It wasn't until I was around 9/10 when I started watching Fosters Home for Imaginary Friends and Craig McCracken's other works that I was like, "yeah I want to draw like that ." And it's the art style I've stuck with ever since.

In turns of feedback I'd get the usual "you are so good" automated responses from adults who didn't really care but were trying to be nice. The only source of feedback I'd get was from my art teacher, who was amazing. He made official watercolor paintings for Smoky the Bear, he was so cool :)

During Middle and High school I did fall into a heavy period of depression and my art suffered because of it. Never let it be said that Depression and sadness helps artists. It doesn't (unless it actually works for you then good for you). I almost lost my ability to draw at all, it was that bad. But after getting help, I started to remember how to draw again. I thought I had forgotten how but I realize I never did. Art has always been a core part of me.

Then I got my first digital tablet, spent two years learning how to use it and Clip Studio Paint and now here we are, haha. There's a lot I still have to learn but I'm very happy with how I've been progressing so far.

[gerrymike]

I LOVE your writing style. The details you think of to include and how you can go from something so poetic and profound I’m knocked on my ass directly to something that has me rolling and they feel absolutely congruous? your WORDS. The PICTURE YOU PAINT. It’s a delight to read, and I was wondering if you had any advice to offer on achieving something like that in my own writing? I struggle to abstract from literal details a lot of the time (and find myself beholden to run on sentences more often than not) and if you had any tips for that I would be delighted!

Thank you kindly! This is a real nice message and pretty helpful to get because I’ve been blocked recently and probably should get my facts straight too so I can get back into the swing of writing. You mentioned ‘abstracting from literal details’ and imagery in general - I thought about it and hope my advice coheres.

I don’t think these are skippable even though they may not seem immediately relevant, but my first Considerations:

- Know your speaker. I find writing in close third person or first person the most rewarding for getting interesting imagery. Essentially, you’re in a character’s head, and they see everything based on what they know, what’s familiar to them, and what they believe. Different people interpret literal details differently

These are Mike Crew examples probably because to date he’s my favourite close third person to write in. #1 is almost low hanging fruit - cracked spine of a book, he sees lightning where Gerry might see a wrinkle in the skin of an old woman. Being intimate with someone he doesn’t really care for, there is no metaphor: just “large hands” - “a face on his face”. You don’t always need abstract because it really depends on how much your character is willing to abstract something. If you make sure not to overload on your metaphors/abstractions/pretty images, they punch a bit harder when they’re there.

For #2 it’s a chunky example because it’s a montage paragraph - equivalent of quick cuts in a movie. I like to think of my writing as cinematic firstly. To me, sentences that go on for days are fine (my roots were the Donna Tartt school of commas). But they should have new information for each lengthening clause - and it’s even better if you can end it with a picture that stands out from the rest. Here Mike goes to uni in a lulling sequence of “and…and…and…” except the very last and is him lying in bed in absolute terror watching the Lichtenberg lurk outside his window.

There’s also a trick I abuse in #2. Which is the Dream. Sometimes you want a more surreal picture to flavour the images you evoke. Enter the Dream, where you can basically make your characters witness anything you like. I gave him “camphor and crystals on his feet”, because where else could you use the word “camphor” in your Magnus archives fanfiction? But honestly I am/used to be a very vivid dreamer and I think there’s an inexplicable texture to dreamscape images that can be used to very satisfying effect.

So it definitely helps to be very familiar with the character whose perspective you’re using. I do try to balance the poetic with the lighthearted/funny and I’m glad you like it! I think, again, it mostly comes from character work, like how they speak to each other, interpret situations, etc. I liked the previous Mike excerpt #2 where after a very dramatic “I’ve lost something and I can never get it back” (paraphrased) he tells us “I tried smoking but it gave me sore throat. So I stopped.” It’s not too out-there or comedic, but it’s definitely more chill than the existential anxiety from before. Picture him coughing and making faces and deciding he’s not THAT tortured that he’s gonna keep having nicotine. So…

- Listen to people talking

People can be pretty funny. A lot of my insp comes from just hearing what people will say - especially those people who will simply say shit, filterless. I dislike writing where everybody sounds the same, or worse, sounds like they’ve all had therapy (though my own Achilles heel is that everybody I write sounds like they were a joy to have in English class). But I digress honestly

Now for the main thing - Painting pictures

In my opinion metaphors should 1) sound good 2) be the tense surface layer of a deeper body of water, instead of just oil sliding around on it. Sounding good is a matter of typical linguistic features - consonance, assonance, alliteration, pretty words, etc. being good is different.

So ask yourself: What’s under the metaphor? I’m gonna do a cop out real quick and attach someone else’s opinion here. Ocean Vuong on metaphors - I’m not the majorest fan of his work and he’s actually frequently corny but he is 90% accurate here

You get the gist…..!

And to end off. My Quick Inspiration Notes:

those old Tumblr “choose an aesthetic” posts, where they list items like: “white-hot sunlight. black-eyed glares. a pin in the sole of your foot. chequered picnic blankets. promises you won’t keep. the slow creeping approach of sundown. a hand running over the sharp comfort of a buzzed head.” It was THE shit back then, and the idea is you just have pictures and pictures of things that form a coherent whole while being different images that introduce new dimensions and ideas. I ate these UP back in 2017. This is a good example of how I might portion out my painted pictures: nothing that repeats, only things that redefine, or even contrast with what’s already there.

Colour/texture/pattern fashion advice. This goes - if an outfit isn’t interesting by colour, it has to be interesting by texture…if it’s not interesting by texture, it has to be interesting by pattern…. Okay what the hell, you get the idea. You could rephrase this also but saying it like, for a really good outfit, you need an interesting colour, an interesting texture, and an interesting pattern. Now apply this to your writing - you are describing the literal detail of a person’s face. For eyes, you might go for colour. “Old moss” for green - but psych! That’s also texture. That’s also kinda pattern. You suggest softness, wiseness, maybe darker flecks in the iris. You can start from “green”, think up something else green, then work your way through all the implications until the final picture works the way you want it to. Just like dressing yourself in an outfit based around one item of clothing.

And movies…for contrasting pictures, the way people talk and walk and sit down. Photography helps too in terms of visual stimulus. I like to think of my writing as being the written equivalent of old school 35mm film, muted colours, grain. It’s up to you what type of picture you want your writing to evoke. Black and whites, or sharp digital focus, or blurred surreal avant garde… anything really!

[kraaico]

Where/how do you get the ideas to make these super cute art? I love art but I basically copy others and I wanna have my own style.

What a nice question!! I could honestly write a book about this, but for now I'll keep it condensed. (maybe uhhhh a blog post later or smthn) ....Sorry it's long anyway lol

These are my thoughts as an independent illustrator/artist that has the time and freedom to create what I wish, keep that in mind. I can't vouch for what it takes to get through art school or build a portfolio for <specific thing X> cause I don't know shit about that, this is just for creating art that you love making.

✨️Developing a style ✨️

A lot of people talk about 'finding your style', but I'm personally an advocate of developing a style - and most importantly it being a process that never stops. Now I don't know how old/experienced you are, but especially when you are just getting into art (and with 'just' I mean years) it'll change a lot because you will be improving a lot!

Now for me personally, I've been busy ~finding a style~ since I was 10. And up to like 2 years ago (I'm now 28) I was frustrated I just wasn't able to find one. Every half year or so I'd try to get back into art "for real this time", stick to one medium and general style and/or subject, and within a matter of weeks become frustrated and then not draw for a good while. That style-mentality really took a toll on the fun I had in making art, but also stunted my own artistic development. I was restricting myself at a stage where I should be everything BUT. I told myself I wasn't good enough, not cut out to be a professional, wouldn't be able to sell myself if I couldn't stick to one thing, yada yada. Great mentality. I'm now in therapy!

Anyway, what broke me free of that was a promise I made to myself back in 2020. I told myself I would get back into making art, but this time, just do what feels fun *at any given moment*. Let go of the pressure. I didn't post to socials and just shared with my friends, and eventually started posting to my then very humble Twitter following. I liked Twitter, cause there wasn't the pressure that Instagram always gave me of having to have a perfect feed. So I drew digitally, I drew with pencils, did some painting, got oil pastels, tried collage. And those experiments all influenced one or another. That's been key for me. If I feel like I hit a creative wall, I just try another medium or another CSP brush or another app on my tablet. Just experiment with lines and colors and not worry about what ends up there. (it's usually cats) Creating like this kept the fun in it for me and I've created nearly every single day since then, and that too is key to style development: Create A LOT. Don't hyperfocus on one perfect piece when you can also create 4 good-enough pieces in the same time.

Now on the topic of copying: it's a natural thing to do. Just be responsible about it! (don't share on socials if you blatantly copy something. While it's a good method to learn certain techniques, it's something that should stay in your private sketchbook) Also be sure to study from many different places, don't fixate on just a couple of artists! Find what inspires you in real life: be it buildings or nature or animals or people or objects, and try to capture them in different ways: from realistic to just the basic shapes. You'll find out what kind of style and level of detail you're naturally drawn to soon enough. Creating your own visual library in your mind by drawing many different things is ultimately what will allow you to put your ideas to paper in a quick and intuitive way. Having a (cheap!) sketchbook that you don't show anyone but just goof around in and explore everything and anything is a very helpful tool.

✨️ Generating ideas ✨️

I get my ideas from SO many different places. Many of my cat paintings were actually created to deal with a strong emotion or feeling I was having at the time.

Now externally, I get a lot of inspiration from nature and from the place I live in. I used to live in a fairly urbanized area, but it wasn't until I moved to the country side with wide and far views that I saw daily that I started getting interested in drawing landscapes. I didn't draw a lot of cats until they were chilling in my garden everyday. When I lived at home I drew a lot of fish, cause my dad had an aquarium. What you see and observe everyday matters. Taking your camera or phone on a walk in the neighborhood and capturing small details is a great way to gather inspiration, even if the area is a bit boring. I have a Fujifilm X100F that I try to carry to most places I go, cause I can quickly photograph things and I like it better than phone photography.

I also draw a lot of ideas from the media I consume: shows, movies, games, comics, music... Sometimes it just hits that inspiration button and lights a lil flame that'll turn into an idea. I love the magical worlds Studio Ghibli creates for example and the soothing calmness that games like Animal Crossing and Stardew Valley have. Things like that just work their way into my art, often subconsiously.

I also draw what I yearn for: be it a doodle of a comforting hot bowl of soup when I crave it, or a beach scene cause I want to go for a beach walk. It's fun, and lets me daydream a little about things I maybe cannot have in that moment.

Another big thing is worldbuilding and storytelling: I have this fictional world in my mind that I desperately want to get out, and it will, piece by piece.

So yeah. There's many places to grab inspiration from. Writing down what inspired you is useful. Doing it every year or so is too, cause then you'll start to see trends and get a better understanding of what drives you. Cause in the end that's what's most important, I think: Find the things that ignite a flame in you and then let it out in a way that is fun and comforting to you. Don't worry about what other people are making or that you're not making what you 'should' make!

I hope this was somewhat helpful - it was fun to write at least, I have many thoughts about this :')

[in-a-nook-with-a-notebook]

Your Hand Is Cold | Anything For You

Masterlist

Franchise: Percy Jackson

Pairing: Luke Castellan x Nick Oliver (original character, pronouns are he/him/his)

Word Count: 1.4k

Warnings: swearing, a little violence, mentions of a few minor injuries

Series Summary: Nick Oliver was on track to figure out his life after high school. One day in a bookstore, and suddenly, post-high school plans were the farthest thing from his mind. One day in a bookstore, he met Luke Castellan.

Chapter Summary: Nick went to a bookstore. Nick just wanted a book. Nick did not, in fact, leave with a book. He left with a card for some camp, and a promise.

A/N: Here's a sample/first look/first chapter of Anything For You! This is also technically the first draft and I upload inconsistently right now because I'm beating off my writer's block with a stick. The following Picrew is how I imagine Nick to look in the beginning, and here's the link to the one I used! Enjoy!

Nick wanders somewhat aimlessly around a used bookstore in Brooklyn Heights. He hasn’t visited this one before. It’s probably the biggest one he’s ever been to, floor to ceiling shelves and countless aisles. There’s a little café in the back with drinks named after famous books – like The Great Gatsby and Little Women – and music plays softly from speakers in the high ceilings. The whole place (excluding the coffee smell of the café) smells like old books, which is the best smell, in Nick’s opinion. He feels drawn towards a certain part of the store and before he knows it, his feet are carrying him down an aisle full of mythology books. 

At the other end of the aisle is a boy that looks to be around Nick’s age, so about college age, with short-cropped, sandy blond hair. He’s wearing jeans and an orange t-shirt. A leather necklace with five beads on it rests around his neck. The boy must have sensed Nick staring at him and he looks over. What surprises Nick the most is the deep and pale scar that runs from the bottom of the boy’s eye all the way to his chin. Nick forces his gaze off the stranger and the two of them continue browsing the shelves. 

If either of them are thinking about how they keep getting closer to each other, they don’t show it. While Nick’s finger runs along the spines, the other boy’s eyes scan the books, clearly looking for something in particular. Then, while Nick’s touch lingers on a book about the Greek gods known as the Olympians, the other boy reaches for the same book. His hand grazes Nick’s and he pulls away like he’s been shocked. 

“Sorry,” the boy mumbles. “Your hand is really cold.” 

“Yeah, they usually are,” Nick replies, flexing his fingers. “No matter what I do, they’re always like ice. Uh, I’m Nick, by the way. Nick Oliver.” 

“Luke Castellan,” the blond says. 

“Nice to meet you, Luke,” Nick says softly. He pauses, then clears his throat. “So, um, the Olympians, huh? You into Greek mythology?” 

“Kinda have to be, with the family I have,” Luke answers tiredly, taking the book off the shelf once Nick moves his hand. 

“What kind of family would that be?” 

“The Greek kind.” 

“You speak very good English for a Greek person.” 

“I’m American,” Luke murmurs, flipping to the table of contents. 

“You just said Greek, though.” 

Luke looks up, his eyes sweeping from Nick’s reddish-brown hair to his black Converse with Dia de Los Muertos style sugar skulls painted on them. His blue eyes meet Nick’s green ones, and he speaks in Ancient Greek. 

“Eímai lígo kai apó ta dýo, pragmatiká.” 

Nick isn’t sure how he knew that Luke spoke in Ancient Greek. He’s even less sure of how he understood that Luke had said, I’m a bit of both, really. He stares blankly at him. 

“This’ll be really awkward if you don’t know what I said,” Luke remarks. 

“No, no, I understood, but… how?” 

“I took a chance.” 

“Based on what, exactly?” Nick asks skeptically. Luke gestures to Nick’s shoes, as though that’s an answer. Seeing that Nick was still confused, Luke rubs the back of his neck.

“So you’re interested in the Greek side of things, too, huh?” Luke inquires. 

“I mean…” Nick hesitates, thinking. “I’ve always been interested in mythology as a whole, no matter the origin, but I guess I kinda felt drawn to this book, this one in particular. It was like something was pulling me towards it.” 

Luke nods, studying Nick again. “Can I ask you something weird?” 

“Shoot, Castellan.” 

Luke’s cheeks turn pink when Nick calls him by his last name. “What would you do if, somehow, the gods of Olympus were real?” 

“Aren’t they?” Nick counters. Luke tilts his head and Nick continues. “The influence of gods, no matter the religion, is everywhere, isn’t it? Zeus in thunderstorms, Hestia in architecture, Dionysus in wine tastings. I mean, are they real in terms of walking among us, I could never be sure. But we keep them around.” 

Luke blinks. He blinks again. 

“Did I say something wrong?” Nick asks, frowning. 

“No- no, you seem to say everything just right.” Luke clears his throat nervously. “Listen, uh, Nick, if I don’t get myself killed over the next few days, would you wanna… I dunno, hang out sometime?” 

Nick smiles, a blush creeping up his neck. “I’d like that. Yeah, I’d like that a lot.” 

Luke returns the grin. “Cool. Uh, how about we meet here in three days? At noon?”

“I’ll be there. Er, well, here.” 

Luke laughs quietly and Nick smiles again at the sound of it. “I will be, too. But, um, if I’m not…” Luke trails off and fishes a little card out of his pocket. “Come to this address. I can guarantee that, unless I’m dead, I’ll be here.” 

Nick reads the address in his head. “What, you’ll be at a camp?” 

“Year round.” 

Nick nods. “And, uh, I’ve been meaning to ask, Luke, what’s with the dagger?” 

Luke hardly appears surprised at the question. “Protection,” he replies, glancing down at where it’s strapped to his ankle in a sheath. 

Chatting about the Olympians, Nick and Luke wander back to the front of the store for Luke to buy the book. Just from talking to him, Nick deduces that Luke seems to have some sort of personal vendetta against Hermes. Nick stands with him while he pays. Just as the cashier passes Luke his change, three figures crash through the glass of the doors into the store. Luke quickly pockets the change and draws his dagger. 

“Are we not gonna talk about the guy fighting with two empousai at once?” Nick asks. 

“Beckendorf, what in the name of the gods-” 

“Luke, would you just shut up and help me?” The guy in the fight hollers as he’s knocked to the ground. He immediately gets back up. Luke surveys the situation.

“Nick,” Luke mutters anxiously, “we could use your help, you know.”

“Who, me? Fight? With what, the damn throw rug?” 

In the umbrella stand, says a voice in Nick’s mind. It’s not the weirdest thing to happen to him today, so he decides not to question it. He quickly locates the umbrella stand by the door. A black umbrella with a faint purple glow, plus a matching black cane – glow and all – catch Nick’s attention. Luke leaps into battle as the voice in Nick’ head speaks again. 

Open the umbrella and twist the handle of the cane. 

Nick does as suggested and the cane transforms into a black metal cutlass. The umbrella, on the other hand, becomes a rotella shield in the same material. 

“Stygian iron,” one of the empousai hisses. “You’re a child of Hades.” 

“I’m a child of no one, my parents died when I was two.” Nick moves into a fighting stance with no sweet clue what he’s going to do. “You got a problem? Come for me.”

————————

“Are you hurt bad?”

Nick looks up from where he’s laying on a bench outside the bookstore, clutching his cane and umbrella to his chest. Their glow has faded a little, but traces of purple are still visible here and there. There’s yellow dust caked on the bottom of his sneakers, as well as a couple cuts on his arms, his left leg, and his right cheek. Luke stands over him, his hands on his hips as he gives Nick a once-over.

“I’ll live,” Nick states reluctantly. He lowers his head to continue staring at the cloudy sky. “What the fuck just happened?”

Luke perches on the arm of the bench, fiddling with his hands. “Do you really want to know? Do you want the whole truth?”

Nick frowns, sitting up. He rests his cane and umbrella across his lap. “No. Not right now, anyway. Maybe some other time. Right now, I just wanna go home, patch myself up, and forget a few dozen things.”

Luke nods solemnly. “I understand.”

Nick pushes himself to his feet, careful of his injured leg, and turns to the blond. “I’ll meet you back here in three days?” He inquires.

Luke looks up at him, a glimmer of hope in his blue eyes. “You still-” He shakes his head, grinning. “Yeah, three days, noon. Don’t be late.”

Nick smirks, tapping his new cane against Luke’s leg. “Wouldn’t dream of it.”

A/N: This has been a work in progress for probably over a year now and I’m only just getting to a point where I feel like I can post it. It’s simultaneously a first, second, third and fourth draft with how much I’ve adjusted it since I started, but it’s technically not finished 😭 I’ll try to upload as often as I can. I hope you enjoy and thank you for reading! Feedback is encouraged and appreciated! Have a lovely day!

[theothersarshi]

So, one of my hobbies is looking at real estate websites and checking out the best and worst out there. I like seeing what crazy things people come up with.

I would like to take you on a ride. Today, it's not a good ride.

The first thing you need to know is that I live in Romania, so the real estate websites I look at tend to be Romanian. The best known is probably imobiliare.ro, which literally means "real estate dot ro".

The second thing you need to know is that Romanians tend to be home owners, not renters, unless they're students or young.

The third thing you need to know is that ther's a wide availability of offers for everything home-related, and it's not that expensive, but taste is in short supply.

That being said, I was looking at houses in Bucharest today. I found one that was built in 1999, 5 rooms, 3 bathrooms, 1 kitchen, 1 balcony, 312.58 square meters total, built on 120 square meters on the surface. Selling price: 239,000 euros, which feels too cheap for such a big place in the capital (even if it's in an undesirable area).

Are you ready?

This is the place. Look at that building. Somebody went creative on it. It's like you bought your own plot of land, but missed the apartment block aesthetic and wanted to recreate it. Except maybe with some really weird choices regarding the... gables? Roof? I can't tell from here.

It's nice having a courtyard that you've cemented. It really cements the fact that this is your property and you can do whatever on it.

I'm more used to seeing this... cement marble mosaic or whatever indoors, in institutions. Schools, maybe?

Oh. Wait. They've added it indoors and I don't even. Why would you use it inside your house? Why do the stairs not have a railing? Why do the doors look like they miss the castle they were stolen from? Why is there an extra step next to the stairs? Why is there what appears to be a tiny door towards the *inside* of the stair? (Cupboard maybe?)

This will be a ride.

The kitchen! The owners went wild here. I'm not sure what they were going for, but they definitely got something. I wonder if the table truly matches the walls or if it's just an impression. I feel like every color here clashes with every other color.

I used to live in a place that had a similar kitchen, except the walls were shades of pink. I used to cry when cleaning it, because its colors showed under the grime.

The back of the chair has writing on it saying "back of a chair 1 person 6 pieces"

Where are the other 5 chairs? Don't answer that.

The bathroom! Huge. Blue, except for the cement. No cupboards. A toilet and a bidet. I think I'd feel awkward taking a bath there. It would feel like taking a bath in a disused storage room. Not sure why.

Going up the stairs, these people *really* don't believe in railings, but they at least have a desk to block your impending doom if you wander too close to the stairwell.

The cement mosaic stays and feels oppressive. I'm loathing it with a passion, but the Greek-style, waist-high decorative column on the left distracts me from the ugliness with confusion. There seems to be a bonsai on top.

Next to a mirror, someone who might be a silver Virgin Mary stares at us.

A photo taken from the opposite direction shows us more castle doors and shelves hold porcelains, mostly depicting animals.

This house feels disconnected. Like the rooms are probably their separate, individual places. These huge hallways are just meant to connect them. Maybe this place belongs to 5 separate people who each do their thing.

Maybe not.

Finally, a room.

This looks like granny's workout room. The pale blue walls, the watercolor painting in the gilded frame, the old-style, cheap, lacquered wardrobe... All it's missing is some stucco.

I wonder why they bought two identical smaller carpets when they could've bought a bigger one.

But at least it has wooden flooring! It doesn't look as uncomfortably cold and hard!

Another angle makes this room look entirely different. Almost like the wardrobe isn't hanging out on half the wall awkwardly. We see another framed watercolor and what seems to be an overly crowded table.

This bedroom doesn't contradict my theory that people might be living here separately. It's big enough that I can see someone hang in there whenever they're home. And there's the workout equipment. All it needs is a TV.

Never mind, it has a TV, too. (But no place where you might sit with a laptop.)

A picture of another bathroom, this one in black. It has a cupboard and a shower curtain and looks like it might be used on purpose.

Another room!

This one's blue. Blue-painted wooden floor, blue-ish carpets. Someone put some thought into making it comfortable and nice. It has shelves, and a wardrobe that stretches the whole length of the wall, and loads of light. I can even see a theme here, as each room seems to have some workout equipment.

While a breath of fresh air, it reminds me of camgirl aesthetic.

It's also the last room we get to see.

Except this one, unless it's a hallway. It has a ping-pong table! Neat. And loads of maps on the walls, presumably so the owners find someplace to run that's not this house.

A picture from the other side shows us more workout equipment. What even is this place?

More workout equipment. What is this, a gym with bedrooms attached? I've got nothing.

And that's about all the relevant pictures.

What can I say? The more I look at it, the more perplexing, ugly and uncomfortable it seems. It never ceases to baffle me that somebody chose to make it like this. Presumably they liked it, if they either lived there for 20 years or bought it and moved there at some point during that period.

You can see the listing here, with a few extra pics from different angles.

[musicfeedsmysoul12]

Reddit Style Fic: I got revenge on my long term bully and I feel pretty great about it.

 I, 16M, have been bullied since I was a toddler by the son of my mom’s best friend (same age and we’ll call him Pomeranian cause he looks like it). I have oddly vivid memories of him giving me a horrible nickname and then utterly mocking me due to a Quirkless diagnosis. (I was later found to be a False Negative). He was cruel to me and would use his Quirk on me. He would also bully others, something I’d try to stop. He eventually did when he figured out the teachers didn’t like him hurting them though I was fair game. 

 I was really oblivious to the fact he was a bully because our parents would hang out often and make us play nice. I honestly took these as signs he was my friend because his mom was watching and he couldn’t burn me or destroy my things. 

 Fast forward to me at age 13 and I ended up making an online friend who was really cool. We talked a lot and eventually, with permission, arranged for us to meet up publically. My mom came with me, and his mom did too. I’ll call my friend Speedy. He was also being bullied at the time due to his family being rich and having a hero legacy but he was really… rigid. He got tormented a lot. It was through him I realized what Pomeranian was doing was wrong, and I stopped trying to be his friend at all. You’d think he’d like it but noooo he was upset I was ignoring him.

 Our parents were upset to because I stopped trying during our meetings. At least our moms. His dad did not care and told his wife off when she tried forcing us to talk. But it got progressively more awkward as they kept forcing these get together. Mom would complain at me and I just said I was done trying to be friends with someone who hated me. She hated that and the cycle would begin again.

 Now I don’t want to paint her as a bad mom: she’s the best. Kind and generous and helpful. She’s gone to bat for me before. It’s just this one giant blind spot she has because she is so… obsessed with us being friends. 

 Anyway, fast forward a bit more, I finally get my Quirk and get into a hero school. Speedy did too and, unknown to me, used the connections his family had to arrange a meeting with the principal and first-year teachers to explain what was going on with Pomeranian and me. I don’t know how this was done, but he managed it, even bringing me with him to said meeting. (Speedy is very particular and extreme, so honestly, maybe I shouldn’t be surprised). I explained everything and that I’d prefer to be separated because it’s my word against his and blah-blah. They agreed to keep us separate.

 However unknown to me my mother had sent in a request to have us in the same class. When the teachers found it they reached out to me to ask. I told them no please don’t. I did not talk to my mom. Instead I just went on with life.

 The first day back from school she asked me about it and brought up Pomeranian. I said he wasn’t in my class and I was happy cause I didn’t like him. She acted offended and asked why. I said because he treated me badly and she should know this given how many times my clothes were burned. Mom got huffy and said until I could prove to her he was a bad friend she would keep making us meet. She then said Speedy had to be at fault and she didn’t like him as my friend.

 I got angry and as soon as I could went to the computer. The idiots in my old school had video taped a lot of the bullying in and posted it, though never with tags and always without Pomeranian in the camera. Except his Quirk was always visible and if you know him it’s obvious. I gather three hours worth of evidence but needed more. So with help from Speedy and a new friend in our class I confronted Pomeranian and demanded to know why he wasn’t fighting our parents. He hated me.

 “You’re a worthless bug who should have taken my advice and jumped off a roof.” Where his words, mocking me no one would believe me. “And your mom likes me better anyway you freak.” More curses and insults, and then we left. With a. Recording of the convo. I added it to the evidence and planned to show it to my mom when I got home. But I ended up called to the principal’s office where my mom, the Pomeranian and his parents and our homeroom teachers were waiting. Mom demanded we be put together since we were friends and claimed Speedy was manipulating me. Pomeranian’s mom nodded along while his dad looked done.

 I then revealed I had the evidence mom wanted. She got mad and demanded I show it. In front of everyone. So I did. Each incident of bullying, burning my belongings, the insults and the death threats. Even showed the times kids left spider lilies on my desk and the laughing from Pomeranian. And to top it off was the convo with him earlier. 

 Silence in the room. No one spoke and no one moved, simply stared at the computer I’d used. Mom looked so pale and horrified I’d feel bad but she hadn’t listened. 

 The principal then declared in light of this evidence, he was tempted to expel Pomeranian who went mental and started screaming abuse at me. He got shut up by the teachers. The principal said I was free to go but requested I did not go home with my mom. She became offended, but he just said he worried for me since she refuses to listen to anything. It quieted her. I felt bad, but honestly, I just wanted my friends. He then told me to take photos of my room which made both me and mom sick.

 Thinking about it, I think he did it on purpose to provoke those feelings. To make Mom realize what she did. It worked since Mom really came through after that for me. She spoke to Speedy’s parents and asked for them to keep me for a while. She then arranged a meeting with my school counsellor, her and myself. We talked for a few hours, and she said she was going to try actual therapy. My counsellor told us that as me living with friends and keeping in contact seemed to be going well to perhaps continue. He wanted me back with my mom, but he’d prefer no setbacks. 

 Good thing to because my mom ended up needing to go into care for a while. I was shocked by this, but Pomeranian’s dad got in contact to explain things. (Mom knows about this post and said go ahead)

 My bio-dad was physically and emotionally abusive towards my mom and once beat her so hard she lost a baby. My maternal grandparents were physically abusive to, and actually killed her younger brother. This resulted in extreme attachment issues, mixed in with her Quirk. Which confused us until we learned her Quirk was mislabelled. It’s a mental Quirk, and we didn’t actually realize that. In hindsight, it’s obvious. But part of this is she ‘attached’ herself to things, and it all ended up affecting her health WORSE. 

 I’m not sure of the full story. I don’t know if I’ll ever know the ‘full story’. I don’t know if I want to either. All I know is that she had a lot of personal issues that cause her to use her Quirk and attach herself to the idea of a ‘amazing friendship between her and Pomeranian’s mom and me and Pomeranian’.

 Mom is doing better now. It’s been about six months, and I’m still staying with Speedy. Mom is seeing a therapist who is working through things and a Quirk counsellor. She also admitted it was best I keep staying with my friend as she feared that she’d backslide and try to force things again. She also no longer sees Pomeranian though she keeps in contact with his mom.

 But as for my old Bully… Pomeranian ended up transferred to a different course in our school and was put into therapy. While the video was proof for them legally it could be contested easily. A kid from my class transferred to the other and then we got a kid form another course. By then somehow everyone in the school knew what had happened and my False Negative status got out. It wasn’t bad though. Everyone was actually really chill about it and they fully accepted me. I got extra help after class, and even made a buddy who has a mild form of DQD. 

 But anyway: that’s how I accidentally got revenge on my bully.

[make-me-imagine]

Hi, lovely. Can I ask for a, Male Marvel/Avengers ship. If it's alright with you, please.

Features: I am a short woman 4'9. I have curly golden honey-blond hair which goes to my bra-strap length, I have dark chocolate brown eyes, and a little bit of chubbiness in my cheeks. I have a butterfly-shaped scar on my forehead which is from skin cancer from when I was 5-6 years old.

My birthday is July 29, Leo. My sexuality is bisexual. I go by she/her.

Disorder/Disability I have: Dyslexia, Epilepsy, and Anxiety.

Personality: I am a sweet, loving, stubborn, caring, gentle, and understanding woman but if you mess with me/hurt me, my family, friends, or the people I love I become scary-scary.

Likes/love to do: I love to drawing/painting, embroidery, reading (I am a bit of a bookworm), anime, cosplaying, doing any type of math, loves plants/nature, and baking in my free time.

I don't like/afraid/scared of: afraid of Spiders, don't like people insulting or making fun of family/Love ones/Friends, and I don't like being yelled at because it scares me from past traumas and anxiety.

If I had a superpower and was a hero in the Marvel world, what would it be: I would have the power/ ability to control plants like DC Poison Ivy. Poison Ivy is able to control all plant life on a molecular level, enhanced physical abilities, and Poison immunity. Also I am a plant nerd and I just really connect with plants/nature.

Style: I love to wear, off-the-shoulder shirts, leggings, jeans, button-up shirts, dresses, and once in a while a shirt with a long skirt. My home aesthetic is a mix between astronomy and witch.

The only other thing is that I wear a heart-shaped ruby necklace around my neck which was a gift from my whole family. I never take it off.

I hope I didn't over do it, lovely and if so, I am sorry. I hope you have a nice day. Please keep up the good work, writers like you deserve more love and credit.

Thank you for the commission ship, I appreciate it! I hope you like it <3

I ship you with Peter Parker! (Specifically Tom Hollands).

I know I know, you said you don't like spiders, BUT he doesn't look like a spider, so I hope that wouldn't bother you. And he would always be super aware of this. He would take care of any spiders that made their way inside, and would slowly and gently try to help you get over your fear of them (but would never force it).

He would never raise his voice at you, and any time someone did he would step in, taking your hand in his to keep you grounded and to remind you that he was right there for you.

You two met in school when you were younger, and had a really close friendship that developed naturally into a relationship. You were both book-nerds and math nerds, so this only helped your bond grow.

You both realized around the same time you had feelings for one another, and it was also around the time he became Spiderman. He didn't hide it from you and told you immediately, which then prompted you to tell him about your own mutation.

He always knew you had a green-thumb, but realizing it was because of a power only made him more amazed and enamored by you. He wasn't angry that you kept it from him, understanding that you were afraid he might be afraid of you. But now you were both aware f each other's secrets, and would take the to the grave.

You ended up helping him when villains would show up, and you two became a team (with Ned as well of course). He always wanted to keep you safe and was protective of you. Even making you a suit to hide your identity and keep you from harm.

Though one day, the two of you were attacked by surprise and you got hurt.

--- --- ---

Peter's mind went blank when he saw you disappear as the explosion rocked the building. Smoke and fire clouded his vision as he yelled out for you before being tackled by the villain the two of you had been trying to track down. It turned out, he had been trying to find him as well.

The fight seemed to drag on as Peter tried desperately to end it so he could find you, so he could know you were okay. But the villain kept keeping his distance, fighting long range and Peter couldn't quite get to him to knock him down.

Relief washed over him when the villain had lunged for him, and instead of reaching him, was pulled to the ground my vines wrapped around his legs. You bound the villain so he couldn't move and Peter took the moment to knock him unconscious before he ran through the smoke to find you.

You were on your knees, breathless but alive. Peter felt tears brim his eyes as he collapsed next to you, wrapping you tightly in his arms. Your arms snaked around his waist as you both held each other for a few moments.

As Peter pulled away he looked over you, seeing blood soaking your shirt. He felt his gut clench as choked out his words, "Please tell me that's not your blood."

He knew it was, but he couldn't fathom that you had been hurt so badly, that he failed to protect you.

Meeting your eyes he saw how drooped they were and his chest tightened.

You smiled softly, though it didn't reach your eyes. "I wish I could."

Then your vision swam before going black, all you remembered hearing was Pete's desperate please for you to stay awake.

When you woke up, the bright light of the hospital room caused you to squint your eyes. You could barely get your barrings before someone appeared beside you, their hands gently cupping your face.

As you met a pair of familiar eyes, you felt relief wash over you.

"Madison" Peter spoke softly, tears in his eyes.

"Pete." You mumbled out, your throat dry.

As he pressed a kiss to your forehead, right on the scar he had grown to love so much, he let out shaky breath, "Please don't ever scare me like that again Sunshine."

You felt your lips curl into a soft smile. "I'm sorry."

He pulled away from you as he shook his head, "It was my fault. I was too slow to react I should have protected you."

You took his hand and squeezed it, "You pushed me out of the way of the explosion. Yeah I still got hurt, but I would have died if you hadn't Peter. You saved me, don't feel guilty, please."

He remained silent but nodded his head softly as he looked down at your bandaged hand. You knew it would take a while for his guilt to pass. You squeezed his hand again and he met your eyes.

You smiled at him, "I'm okay, I'll be okay I promise."

He felt a small smile forming on his face as relief slowly coursed through him as he nodded, "I know." Leaning forward he pressed another kiss to your forehead, "I love you Sunshine"

"I love you too Peter."

xx

I hope you liked it! <3

(Commission Ships)

[themuffinman-taylorsversion]

debut tracks 1-5 review

TIM MCGRAW

as I was listening this time and really thinking about it, this song is so "rainy cloudy morning in a field of flowers near the lake". the music video really captured this, imo. also, is the letter real? if so, I would LOVE to read it.

I wonder what song she was referencing. and I do indeed think of Taylor when I think tim mcgraw.

as for the song itself, it feels like nostalgia. I think this is kind of a common theme on debut. I don't think it's really anything special.

score: 6/10

points for style, chorus, verses, instrumentals, vocals, pretty privilege

favorite lyric: he said the way my blue eyes shined put those Georgia stars to shame that night, I said "that's a lie"

PICTURE TO BURN

so many childhood memories of this song!! and you know what? it's still AMAZING

i wouldn't say the lyrics are superb in the traditional way, but they've got their own charm and I am HERE for it. this song also reminds me of the color orange (probably because fire) and it is the epitome of singing vengefully in a car

I also love the rage in her voice. and the pettiness in "there's nothing stopping me from going out with all o' your best friands" (I know it's spelled wrong but that's how she says it and this is my post soo)

(side note: my cat will NOT stop climbing on my keyboard. ughhhhh why)

score: 6/10

points for style, personal bias, chorus, verses, instrumentals, and vocals

favorite lyric: STUPID OLD pickup truck you never let me drive

TEARDROPS ON MY GUITAR

this song is also so nostalgic for me. and she sounds really nice on this song. she also writes so eloquently about a high school crush. like, debut is by no means her best work (lyrically) but wow does she still write very well.

I also think it's pretty funny that the cover for the holiday ep is from the tdomg music video (which is GORGEOUS, by the way)

and she really called drew out by name lol

score: 6/10

points for style, personal bias, chorus, instrumentals, vocals, pretty privilege

favorite lyric: he's the time taken up but there's never enough

A PLACE IN THIS WORLD

this one HITS for me and I honestly don't understand some of the hate it gets. her voice sounds a little shaky and stuff, but that's just debut for you.

anyways, I associate this one with I hate it here from ttpd. don't know why.

the lyric I feel really resonates me is "i'll be wrong, but life goes on". I really need to remember that sometimes.

also, wouldn't it be funny if this was the origin for those annoying "im literally just a girl" memes?

score: 4/10

points for style, personal bias, chorus, and instrumentals

fav lyric: I'll be strong, i'll be wrong. oh but life goes on

COLD AS YOU

i LOVE this one. Taylor at age 14-16 is really writing better than I do currently (speaking of which, you should go read my book on Wattpad called sockpuppet)

with the self promo out of the way (I'm sorry about that) I can go back to the song.

i associate this one closely with the outside, in that I used to get them mixed up A LOT. "you put up walls and paint them all a shade of grey" reminds me of dear john. like a lot. and, in turn, coney island

also, the lyric "but you wouldn't have told nobody if I died, died for you" relates to peace "all these people think love's for show, but I would die for you in secret" and I think that shows a lot of character growth.

on a completely different note, tayor sounds SO country on this song. she was really letting that twang out and if I don't hear that on the rerecording I might cry

she also sounds so upset and I love that in a song

score: 7/10

points for lyrics, style, personal bias, chorus, verses, instrumentals, vocals

fav lyric: "so you come away with a great little story//of a mess of a dreamer with the nerve to adore you" OR "so I start a fight cause I need to feel something//and you do what you want cause I'm not what you wanted" OR "no use defending words that you will never say"

[eerna]

Hi I checked out Girl from the Well at your recommendation . It was cute! The beginning of the first book reminded me sm of Stolen Heir actually it hurt. I liked the prose in the first book a lot! I am not a hater most of the time and I would say my standards are pretty low, so any "old" sounding prose is good prose to me, and prose is make or break for a book in my case. Tark actually reminds me of Percy ( the Jackson one) lmao but I didn't really laugh at any of his ~ quips ~ . He became more endearing as I read the second book, although I had my misgivings because from the first chapter alone I thought I would not like his narration, and the change from Okiku's. I did not take a close look at your art initially, but I did right now and it is lovely !!

I had some trouble properly visualizing Okiku so your art helped, she is delightfully monstrous. Ending was very satisfying, for me, I liked that they were doing the same thing as what they did in the start but it was a choice. Very nice conclusion. It was kind of "they win through the power of love" but it also makes sense, which is to say while that trope might be overused occasionally it's done well. And most of the time not so much. No shade at HB, none at all 😃

I also think this could be a nice animated show, like a bit more mature than R. L. Stine . When I used to read RLS I wanted the horror but for some reason I never quite felt scared by any of his books, at best I only used to get surprised by his endings, so idk, if there's any kid like that out there, this could satisfy them. This is to say that this is very tailored to younger me. So the Suren shaped void in my heart is like, half filled, TGFTW isn't quite the same (unfair to expect it to be Ik) but it was delightful anyway. Again, ty for the recommendation post ❤️

AYYYY so glad you picked it up and had fun!!! Yes, I was also an RL Stine kid and read TGFTW in high school and it gave me everything I wanted from YA horror... The style was cool bc it painted Okiku as really really strange and otherworldly, and then book 2 is done in that PJO style sarcastic teen boy manner, and it is whiplash but so much fun. The power of love was sooooo cute and heartwarming and yeah kind of messed up but who cares as long as it works for them, you commit and you march on!! Hint hint HB!!!!!! An animated horror adaptation of this duology would slap So Hard UGH... Okiku and all the fun ways she is like water...