#check out the little headers on here though i did end up making a blog theme just not for my actual blog

[thecoffeelorian]

Hold My Hand (Crosshair x Reader)

Premise: This is the third installment of...what should have been a one-shot, but here we all are a long while later, so it's probably best to just keep on going down this road to see where it leads. Anyway, Part One was Understanding and Part Two was Red Flags, so if you haven't checked those out yet, feel free to do so now.

Story Notes: One small thing about the tagging system, if I didn't say it already: I hope to make a few more updates for this series, so just in case I am, in fact, keeping the folks who want to read and reblog in the loop, please don't hesitate to do so when you are able. If I'm not...you're welcome to ignore this from here on in, and I'll eventually stop tagging you altogether. Thank you, goodnight, and good luck.

Special Notes: As ever, the header was made by @stars-n-spice. Also, little shout-out to @talesfrommedinastation for inspiring me to use a form of sign language between two characters, one that was originally invented for speaking in deep space when the commlinks didn't work, and also mostly inspired by something similar in "The Expanse".

No-Pressure Tags:

@momojedi @moonstrider9904 @calicos-clones @bigboypantstime @youreababboon

@tink1221 @ms-grassi @galaxyglittering @ah-prick24 @littlefeatherr

@donntmindmejustwandering @housepartyfortwo @beatthisbi @urmomsmattress @mysticalgalaxysalad

@groguandthebadbatch @pendustt @weirdest-lights @flyiingsly @courtney0-0

@emmaflame1336 @briefexpertdeer @shadow-rebel-223 @littlemammoth69 @theosb0rnway

@shazkenobi @reader6898 @maxims-multifandom-corner @monster20045 @darkangel4121

@nevadastarrsworld @thatacefr @crosshair-lover @bennieandthejets-5 @jamine-boi-124

@lani03sstuff @ttzamara @beezez-blog @myeternalsin @sublimeclodkidcolor

@nish-xiii @ash04w3 @clonereeses @lllllmm @melymigo and anybody else looking for a tale that doesn't end in disaster.

🩶 It's my fault.

🩶 This one simple sentence, this confession, jolts through both you and Omega like a blaster bolt. It's more than enough to make the tears start forming in her eyes, and the questions to build up in yours.

🩶 He doesn't seem to be done talking yet, though, because what spills out of him next speaks volumes.

🩶 "I thought they would--protect us, but they lied. They've been lying this whole time."

🩶 By this point, his hand is shaking so much that you don't think about it, that you don't dare to ask any more questions for fear of making an already painful thing several times worse.

🩶 Rather, you're just moving in to take a gentle hold upon it, if only to offer him whatever comfort that you can.

🩶 To your own comfort, though, he doesn't flinch, pull away, or start telling you off in front of Omega even though you would understand perfectly if he did.

🩶 Instead, whatever's causing all of his ills today eases just a little at the moment of contact with you, because the next thing you both know, his panicked breathing is slowing down and his tense posture starts to loosen up.

🩶 This moment can't last very long, though, because as Omega quietly reminds you, she still has to call home and she thought she heard voices calling in the distance. There is literally no time to lose.

🩶 In turn, you don't mind bringing both of your guests to the old spaceport that used to be your family's business during the war, but since then has had to be converted to a ship repair shop like several more wartime industries have done on your planet. However, there are still a few things you can use here, because you haven't exactly let everything go to rust.

🩶 One of these things is the communication console, a somewhat rusted thing, but still able to access encrypted links like the one on board the Marauder. It's here that Omega hears the voices of her surviving brothers for the first time in what feels like forever, and like any other missing child would do, she's able to let a few relieved sobs out of her system.

🩶 She's also composed herself enough to plan her next few steps, for her next move is to go straight to one of Ryloth's moons for a pick-up...or so she tells the two men on the other end of this line.

🩶 You can only hope that this means she wants to surprise them, guaranteeing two returns of lost family members for the price of one flight, as the old sale slogan goes.

🩶 At this same time, though, Crosshair's got a surprise of his own, for as Omega's busy talking, he's busy signaling to you without saying a word. It's the old spacewalk sign language, the one developed by the first workers within the asteroid belt for when their comms stopped working...and right now, he's telling you that he won't be following Omega down the ramp when the time comes.

🩶 How come, you sign back, a look of confusion upon your face. Don't you want to go with her?

🩶 They'll be looking for two clones traveling together, not separately...and besides, I already know I won't be welcome there.

🩶 Oh...? And where do you plan to go, if not with her?

🩶 I'll improvise. Now...act natural.

🩶 Both of you fall awkwardly silent as Omega finishes her comm; then skips back to you with the most heartbreaking of hopeful grins.

🩶 "They're coming to pick us up," she announces, twirling around in place like a happy little service droid. "We get to go home, home, home!"

🩶  "That's--that's great, Omega," Crosshair manages, forcing out the words as though trying not to choke on them. "Just--don't forget not to leave anything behind, all right?"

🩶  That's your cue to signal to them to go back to the house with you--you definitely have to hide the extra used dishes and utensils until further notice, what decent person wouldn't--but before you do, you're careful to make sure that the shop sign stays upon the word "Closed". The last thing anybody needs right now is some pushy customer demanding service.

🩶  Once you take all of the necessary precautions, though...you have to take just one more look around this little home of yours, if only to reassure yourself that you'll return to it soon, if not eventually.

🩶  After all, just like your mother used to say, the galaxy can be a huge, scary place.

[winterrrnight]

edith's 600 followers celebration!

I absolutely cannot believe my eyes! 600 of you! (well, there are bots too but STILL!!!) this really means sooo much to me <33 writing is my vice, my way of letting out emotions, and to share stories of scenarios dreamt and words thought. To see so many of you enjoy reading it, share such beautiful views with me, always makes me so giddy with happiness 💓💓 thank you so so much for the continuous support 🥹 I hope to always keep on providing you guys content <33

navigation

STARTED: 29 february, 24 ENDED: 10 march, 24

EVENTS

go on without me: choose a prompt from here and a character from drew/rafe/zach and I will write you a concept/blurb!

sitting in traffic: ask me anything from here + give me your answers too!

japanese whiskey: give me a character out of drew/rafe/zach and a concept and I will make a 9 pic moodboard of it!

let the grass grow: send me this ask and I will tell you what I associate with you and your blog! (moots only!)

you against yourself: send me this ask and I will share one of my favorite drew/rafe/zach edits off pinterest or instagram! (Inspired by @runningfrom2am's celly event <3) (you can specify if you need one of a certain character out of the three :))

if and/or when: send me a profile picture and I will give you matching navigation post pictures and headers!

end scene: recommend me something! recommend me any of your favorite movies, shows, albums, artists, books etc, and in turn I’ll recommend you one from my collection of favs!

no tumblr games like fmk, cym etc. because they stress me out LMAO

RULES

be nice and respectful in the ask box and to everyone else participating in the event!

please be patient as I go through my asks, I am a full time student so I unfortunately have a life outside tumblr which at times needs more focus than my little tumblr blog does </3

please be mindful of my requesting rules, main one being I only write sfw content!

only one request per ask please! you can send infinite number of asks though <3

my regular requests will be closed for the time being!

anonymous asks are very much welcome! <3 (I also accept anon emojis :))

tagging my mutuals and my taglist who are the reason this blog exists and keeps on running 🥹💗 you all give me reason to wake up each morning <3

@runningfrom2am @saccharinesammie @maybankslover @totalswag @madelynie @chenslucy @ietss @elle-mp3 @viawritesstuff @wallsdreams @lunalitva @sadfury @newsies-pape-girl @jamesbuckybarneswify @xxxlaura @thatsthewaythechrissycrumbles @callsignwidow @assmaaaaa @starkowswife @drewstarkeyswifehoe @jjchaer @f4ll-for-you @wearemadeofstardust0 @drewsmusee @rafegirly @addriaenne @leighbronk @rafesdrew @bejeweledreverie @raf3sgff @aerangi @drewstarkey1bae @moneymaybank @spideysimpossiblegirl @tortured-poets-depxrtment @xxbutdaddyilovehimxx @oceandriveab @rylie-m @obaex @b1mb0slvt @cameronspecial @congratsloserr @rafeinterlude @brioffthegrid @flonkertn @milo-manheim-luver & my beautiful anons <3

so sorry if you did not want to be tagged, feel free to ignore!

check out the tag ‘edith’s 600 followers celebration! 🪄’ to remain updated with everything I post for the celly!

[acoldsovereign]

FOR THE MAN WHO WEARS HIS HEART ON HIS SLEEVES.

// @scarlxtleaves / @thuganomxcs / @peoplcshope

---

{{ Happy Birthday, you fuckin' fucker! (I say this with love). I remember when I first came to the DBZ RPC months ago and I was so shy I didn't know how to communicate properly. People scared me. Following people scared me. People following me back scared me. I was freakin' scared of EVERYTHING. I even unfollowed a person I followed (and then followed them back when they checked in with me) because I realized how bad that looked/how problematic it could be if I didn't address it. I felt so bad, and I still do sometimes. I'm so glad that mutual was understanding and patient with me, aaaaaaaa. Needless to say, ya girl had SO many issues in the beginning. I was a HOT MESS. Hell, I didn't even have all of my muse info up but you didn't give a shit about none of that. You just took one look at my blog, saw 'despot of the universe' on my header and said 'LET IT RIP' like Beyblade. DUDE, you were ballsy as fuck and I'm so glad for that! You gave me my first ever starter here!!! THAT made me remember you! Everytime I logged in, it was to respond to our Future Gohan/Maiz fight thread. (I'm actually looking for it now because that's gonna be something I continue after I reply to someone else first 👀). You're one of the first people I ever plotted with too, even if that intimidated me a little. I mean, granted it was after you gave me the starter because I was freaking worried about everything, which was why I was all over your inbox, "okay, so she can do this and that...", "i have no problem with them having this sort of dynamic", etc. Gosh, you were overwhelmingly sweet and kind to me and I appreciate that. I know this is not something I should apologize for, but I'm still sorry that I scared you slightly when I changed my username to acoldsovereign from maizthefemalesaiyan, and didn't tell you in advance. I didn't realize you wouldn't recognize me so I had to put the former name in my old promo post. YOU'RE why I did that. I didn't know what other accounts you had and I just wanted to let you know it was meeeeeeee! ;w; But then you forgot your password to the blog so we couldn't even communicate anyway! One thing I will say-- it is funny I recently posted about Toriyama and Future Trunks and what the latter means to me because guess what blog I found you on. Guess what reunited us. Yeah.

FUTURE TRUNKS.

YOU SEE WHAT I MEAN?????? That man is always doing something for me! You would've thought he was REAL. But anyway, it was so cool to have you back on my dash again! It took me an embarrassing amount of time to realize who it was. I saw the name "Jay" on your promo post and it didn't cross my mind it was you, man. Not until I went down the blog and saw the writing style matched up. Remember how I just burst into your inbox and made some noise? And then you realized it was me? That shit was hilarious. We were so happy to see each other. Everything's been smooth sailing since then and we've created so many cursed memes, threads, jokes and storylines. Dude, we fuckin' made Rengakura. That little psychopath LOL. Well, moreso I made him but your response to that thread in particular made it so that he didn't come out any worse than he could've. Damn you for having Trunks make the right decision! (Again, I say this with love). At least in one verse, Trunks finally gets a happy-ish ending though. He lives with his mostly mellowed-out/former-tyrant for a wife and a pseudo-sane Saiyan-hybrid child on a spaceship, having space adventures. 🥺 Papa Trunks isn't something I knew I needed until I got it so thank you. I also did not know Maiz was actually capable of chilling the eff out-- THAT was a surprise to me. The fact that she's actually a decent mother is hilarious, considering all the fucked up stuff she's done before without blinking an eye. I also love how through our threads, you can see how she naturally came to care for him, even if she's sadistic and still messes with him from time to time. One of my favorites scenes with them unironically was when she offered to take Trunks to a tropical planet for his birthday. She was actually affectionate towards him the proper way more or less, but he didn't realize it because he was so used to her being busy/selfish/frosty/teasing. Bro thought he was dying. That was tragically sad yet funny all at once. I'd say more but this is already a lot and you already know how I feel about your Yusuke and our favorite assassin, Sanosuke.

Long story short- thank you for warmly welcoming me into this small, but chill RPC. I'll always love and appreciate you.

Happy birthday, Jaybird.

[redfoxrunt]

So, hey babes. The like, two of you who probably aren't reading the blog anyway, and all of the hot singles in my area. Just feels more like... talking to the potential of someone here than on Dreamwidth, where the follower count is one account. This is gonna be crazy, but I'm fairly sure I already warned you (nonspecific) about that in the header or pinned post or whatnot; it's what you get, right?

Talking about my parents.

I'm in an insanely unique position, being the child that my parents lost. You don't really get perspective like that from most cases, and yet. I also have it on two levels, rather than just one; first I was the child that was estranged from them, stopped returning calls, etc., and then the child that died. I assume they were at my funeral, but maybe not. I honestly can't even tell if, under the circumstances, they would have been notified that I died. How much of it was in the news? How much information are you entitled to if you're not listed as a contact for the person who's dead? Like, the whole thing is a fucking mess, and obviously I wasn't there to witness any of it, so yeah.

It's not because they did a bad job with me (or D, for that matter.) We always got the best in life as far as they could provide, we were middle class and privileged in that our parents loved each other and loved us and practiced good parenting to the degree that two human beings can. Sometimes they were tired, sometimes they were pissed off, sometimes we tired them, but at the end of the day we were always loved, and that's not something you can take for granted in life. I guess that's part of the problem, though, like - as shitty and entitled as that sounds. Because after Danny died, it was like... the illusion shattered. I spent weeks back home after, because I couldn't exist in my own skin with what had happened and what I'd seen and what I couldn't understand or put into words or any of it, and the child part of me was like... when things are scary and don't make sense, you go home. Real home, not your flat where you're all alone and all the sounds from outside freak you out like you've never heard your neighbours exist before. And the reality check was when none of that helped. My parents didn't come to my bedroom (guest bedroom; they'd repurposed the house since we moved out, like normal people tend to do) for more than to let me know dinner's served or to ask me if I wanted to go out for a little while. And when I didn't, that was all. The realisation that that was all they could do, that no amount of me crying would have them bring my brother back, it killed something in me that I didn't even know I'd had before then. I realised that I can't go home because home isn't this magical safe space where everything will be alright, even though they'd taught me that as a kid. Home had always been the magical place where you go to make everything better, but after D's death, after the funeral, it felt just as fake as - you know? Like a staged play. Nothing in it was real anymore, everything I'd been taught was a lie, and the world is a shitty, horrible, fucked up place that doesn't care about you or your loss or your grief or your pleas. And your parents are just people. And I guess I hated them for it, because they'd lied to me that they were something omnipotent when all along they were just people, just like me, just as powerless and unable to change anything that had happened or would happen next or ever. Blowing on a bruise never did fuck all to heal it. It's all a fucking lie.

So, I don't know how much anybody else knows about what I did after that, I have a really skewed idea of how much of that is "known" and how much of it I just think should be known, but once I got back on my feet, I was vengeful as fuck and not thinking straight. Part of my revenge was to cut my parents off. Stop answering calls, one word text messages if I needed to reply to something, and when they did what I was clearly asking them to do which was leave me the fuck alone and stop trying to poke their noses into my life, I saw that as further proof that I was right to be angry at them for... failing me, or Danny, or something. For not being fucking wizards.

So that's child loss on child loss for them. I don't recall really thinking about it much at the time. I don't think I was thinking much in general, period, it's just - every time they'd contact me, I'd get this surge like heartburn but in my veins and get this urge to chuck my fucking phone at a wall or out the window. Like fuck off from my life, stop reminding me of everything that's wrong, stop trying to approach me like I'm being unreasonable, because what I feel and how I'm acting is the most reasonable thing in the world. "Tim you need help" just reinforces that there's no help to be had and I'm in this shit alone and other people just make it worse because when I look at them, I know they're the same as me. Nobody can do anything about anything. And it's the sense of powerlessness that I can't take, right? That feeling that we're all just lying to ourselves and each other about having control.

I don't have the energy or interest to go into the rest of that story. There isn't much to talk about in terms of my parents anyway, since I'd cut them off. But it's a sore subject to talk about, like most things, when we try to approach it with D here. When I'm not ignoring he exists to begin with because I just fucking cannot and what am I even supposed to do with any of this, it's still like we're mostly making small-talk about subjects that barely matter while maybe tapping the ice on shit we really need to be talking about with a thin stick, because that's all the ice can take. Diving into child memorial pages, child loss blogs, etc. was both accidental and the bravest and most direct thing we've done so far to address any of it. Felt good to do it together, and just not say a thing while at it. Just experience that side by side and know that he's feeling what I'm feeling and thinking what I'm thinking and that's enough for now. He's joked that maybe it's in the genes for us, the not being able to address things, not wanting to talk. He's better at it than I am, though. At least he tries. I don't know if I'm trying or if I'm just being led along like a blind ass, but either way, it's things we've got to get to if I ever want to feel... less like shit again, I guess. It's fucked trying to do this without a proper therapist but then again talking to a therapist didn't really work the first time around, and now we don't have one to go to. But yeah, reading through all of that was soothing in some sense, which is also fucked up. It's feelings that I haven't gotten to yet. Something about like, maybe I did matter a little after all. Maybe I and my life were beautiful to them. Maybe they saw me like that, too. I don't know. All I feel most days is a failure, or burden, or just not good enough for anybody. So... yeah. Guess that's pretty much all.

[h-h-v-c-d]

checkered devil in progress...

[superchocovian]

Me on Tumblr...Tag game

I saw this done by @clarkgriffon and I like to avoid things that I should actually be doing. I also found a tag from a while back from @jlsadphoenix that completely got lost (so sorry about that!!) so here I go!

1. Why did you choose your url?

So when I first made my account on Fanfiction.net, I was just getting into Doctor Who and I thought it’d be cute to include my favorite sweet, so I became Chocovian (still there as that on Fanfiction and AO3, but it’s a long story). Anyways, when I joined Tumblr, I wanted to keep things consistent so I kept that but I was also on a bit of a Marvel binge when I was joining, so I thought, ooh superheroes! which combined with what I had initially became superchocovian.

2. Any side blogs?

Nah. I’ve thought about it, but everything is just dumped into this one blog and I do my best to tag everything so at least it’s semi-organized.

3. How long have you been on tumblr?

I first made the account the summer before I started college, I think, so back in 2015? I wasn’t very consistent with it until a few years later when I downloaded the app on my phone and figured out how to work things.

4. Do you have a queue tag?

No tag for the queue, though I do use it for mostly everything that is posted on my blog for the past few years. Anything else that I see on my dash ends up in my queue until I can organize it with my tags and all. It’s why I have wayyy too many posts in my drafts but now that school is over and once I get a job, I’ll have a better time at actually reblogging things when I see them instead of saving for later.

5. Why did you start your blog in the first place?

A lot of the fanfic authors that I was reading for The Hunger Games kept mentioning Tumblr for sneak peeks and updates about their posts and I’m like “yes please” and I caved and made my Tumblr.

6. Why did you choose your icon/pfp?

I was really happy that Emma and Killian from Once Upon a Time got their happy ending/beginning with their baby and I wanted to memorialize it. I should get around to updating it cause I’ve had it since the finale of the show.

7. Why did you choose your header?

All of the backgrounds that I have on my phone and laptop are of something nature/space wise so this fit right in.

8. What’s your post with the most notes?

I reblog mostly everything, so I have no idea. I did make a few gifsets last summer for one of the Once events so they got a handful of notes. Probably one of those.

9. How many mutuals do you have?

Not many? I don’t know how to check that or all, but I wouldn’t assume too many. I’m kinda stuck in a little bubble here and don’t interact with as many people as I would like to.

10. How many followers do you have?

Like 200 something? I had more before they did something to all the pornbots, so I’m pretty sure all of these are like actual followers, lol.

11. How many people do you follow?

I think like 100 ish?

12. Have you ever made a shit post?

Nah, I try to keep my thoughts off here. Just want to keep this a happy place for me.

13. How often do you use tumblr a day?

Way too much. More than I should.

14. Did you ever have a fight/argument with another blog?

No. Thankfully. Again, I’m not as “active” with other people so I don’t really get involved with fights and stuff.

15. How do you feel about the ‘you need to reblog’ posts?

I think that people shouldn’t try to force me to do things I don’t want to. I definitely think that people should reblog content that has been created (not steal by reposting) but the opinion stuff that needs to be reblogged or something will happen? Yeah, no thanks.

16. Do you like tag games?

Yes! I’ve been very bad at responding to them on time because of my timings with school, but they are great!

17. Do you like ask games?

Yes! I don’t get many asks when I do reblog the ask games, but I think that they are fun, for sure!

18. Which of your mutuals do you think is tumblr famous?

Though I’m not too sure what a mutual is defined as, the ones that I follow are pretty famous in the fandom, so probably fairly famous for the fandom side of Tumblr?

19. Do you have a crush on a mutual?

Not sure if they qualify as crushes, but I do love all the Tumblr friends that I’ve made!

20. No-pressure tags: Anyone who sees this is welcome to participate! I’m going to tag the first few people off my dash- @kmomof4, @djlbg, @sherlollyandspoilers, @scientificapricot, @onceratheart18, @elizabeethan, @antoniosbanderas, @swansandslayers, @ravenclawpride16 @lostintheskyfaraway, and @book-and-music-lover.

[dingyuxi]

COMPREHENSIVE GIFFING TUTORIAL (vapoursynth + ps cc 2018) + some tips and tricks on color correction, blending and subtitles

You guys asked for it, so here we are! This is by no means the gold standard to giffing. Rather, this is simply my process and my own preferences. Take it as you will. Additionally since I use a mac some of my controls/panels may look different than what you would see for windows users.

DOWNLOADING YOUR SOURCE

This step is extremely important to the quality of your gifset. If you want high-quality gifs I would recommend giffing sources in 1080p whenever possible (especially if you’re going for larger dimensions). You may get away with 720p for smaller gifs. For kdramas, your go-to source would be dr*maday or torrents. (you can search my faq tag if you’d like to know specifics on finding and downloading torrents).

IMPORTING + PROCESSING YOUR FILES WITH VAPOURSYNTH (VS)

Please note that this tutorial does not cover basic installation and set-up of vs. If you would like to know how to download and set-up vapoursynth (it works for both mac and pc) along with some of it’s basics you can find more information at: https://hackmd.io/@nibreon/vapoursynth-book/%2F%40nibreon%2Fvapoursynth-book

Once you’ve identified what portion of your video you’d like to gif, simply drag your video file into VS. Specify the start time and duration of the clip you’d like to import. Typically you’ll be aiming for ~3-8 second clip depending on how big your gifs will be. I am very lazy when it comes to importing. The less of it I have to do, the better. Therefore, I often import clips that are 10-15 seconds long, sometimes even up to 20 seconds. I wouldn’t recommend going over 15 seconds most of the time though, because this will usually bring you over the 500 frames photoshop allows you to import at once. (when I do go over, I will sometimes import the processed VS file into PS in segments). You can also choose to import the VS output as segments if you want all your gifs on separate canvases. (I'll go into more detail on this later)

Once you’ve imported the clip into VS your screen should roughly look like this once the resizer pops up:

In the top left is where you will be applying your cropping, sharpening and denoising filters. Cropping: Keep in mind the Tumblr dimensions: 540px for full-width gifs and 268px for half size gifs, 177/178/177px for 3 gifs across. The height is completely up to your own preference. Usually I work in 540x300px. Once you edit those parameters you can drag/resize your video file to fit your new canvas. Sharpening + Denoising: You can choose to skip this if you would rather sharpen in ps. I personally do all my cropping, denoising and sharpening in vs. I use finesharp and KNML for sharpening and denoising respectively. Once you select those two filters from their drop down menus, be sure the select the checkbox as well. You should now notice 2 additional lines of code in the top right box. The line that reads: video = core.knlm.KNLMeansCL(video, 0, 6, 4, 1.2, channels="YUV") is where you will adjust your denoising parameters. You will only be adjusting those 4 numbers. I usually use: 0, 1, 0, 1.2. Now find the line that reads: video = hnw.FineSharp(video, sstr=0.22). These are your sharpening parameters. once again we’re only adjusting the number at the end. I typically use somewhere between 0.33-0.55. Depending on the quality of your source and preferences these parameters may change. 

Here is a breakdown of the KNML parameters (source: @/nibreon HackMD):

Once you have finalized your parameters, copy all the code in that top right box and paste it into your vapoursynth editor. Note: you can ‘inactivate’ certain lines of code by adding the # symbol at the start the line. That line of code will then be greyed-out. This is what your code should now look like (the highlighted section is the part I just copy and pasted):

If you would like to preview your filters and see if you need to make any adjustments, simply navigate to the top bar and select script > preview. If you like what you see, great! If not, you can adjust the parameters directly in the editor until you see a result you’re happy with. Once you’re happy you can move onto the final step in vs: processing. 

Processing: Once again, navigate to the top bar and select script > encode video. Another window should pop up. Make sure you set ‘header’ to ‘Y4M’ then click ‘start’. Patiently wait for that to finish processing. The longer your clip is and the more filters you add, the longer it will take. 

IMPORTING YOUR CLIP INTO PHOTOSHOP (PS)

Now you’re done with the vapoursynth section! Not too hard, right? I use the timeline method when I gif. To import your video file into ps navigate to file > import > video frames to layers. Here you can use the sliders to further specify what range you would like to import. Make sure the ‘make frame animation’ box is checked. To optimize smoothness of your gif, avoid checking the ‘limit to every _ frames’ box. Hit ‘OK’ and wait for the frames to import. Depending on the size of your clip, ps may notify you that you are importing a large file and it may take a long time to process, simply say ‘ok’ to this. UNLESS you get a message saying it will limit to 500 frames. This means your clips contained more than 500 frames and you should select a smaller section to avoid cutting out any critical parts. (Note: you can always go back and repeat this process to select a smaller range of frames from the same video clip until you’ve imported all the frames you need).

Timing: You can adjust the timing of your gifs before converting to timeline. Select all the frames (Navigate to the icon with the 4 bars at the bottom right of you screen. Select “select all frames”). Click the drop down next to the timing of any of the frames. Select ‘other’ and input a your preferred timing. I personally use ‘0.04′ but I've seen people use anywhere from 0.4-0.8ms. Also as a note: when you convert your gif to timeline it has a tendency to mess up your timing so even if you input 0.04 or 0.05 it won’t actually be that timing later. If you want the true frame rate you can set your timing right before saving. You can also adjust timing at the end. (see export/saving gif section for more info)

Now the next part can be tedious and for that reason I’ve created numerous actions to speed up this process. But for the sake of this tutorial I will walk you through the steps. At the bottom of your screen is your timeline. As you can see, it defaults to frames, but we want to convert this into a smart object so that all your coloring/edits are made to all of the layers. To do this: 1) Navigate to the icon with the 4 bars at the bottom right of you screen. Select “select all frames” 2) Now select all your layers in your layer panel. On mac you can use cmd + option + A as a shortcut. 3) Back to the icon with the 4 bars, select “convert to video timeline” 4) Right click on all layers (which should still all be selected) and find “convert to smart object”

(Aside: Actions) actions are SUPER helpful to streamlining your giffing process. you can find actions people have made available on resource blogs like itsphotoshop OR you can choose to make your own custom actions. To do this, all you need to do is locate your action panel. Then from the controls at the bottom of the panel select the one that looks like a sheet of paper to “create a new action” Once you’ve named it and hit ‘ok’ the record icon should now be red. PS will now basically ‘record’ whatever you do. To stop recording hit the square icon. Now whenever you want ps to execute the same set of steps you just did, you can locate the action you just made and ‘play’ it by selecting the triangle icon. I highly recommend making an action for the steps I just outlined above to convert your gif into a smart object timeline. It will make your process much faster and more painless. 

COLORING

Now the fun part! I focus on emphasizing the colors already present in the video source or getting rid of some less-than desirable overtones when I color. It gives the gif a natural look, but makes everything pop a little more. We will be working with selective color, curves, levels, and brightness/contrast mostly. This is the original gif I will be using to demonstrate coloring:

Curves: I always start with curves. The first curve layer I use to set a desirable black point. To do this, locate the top dropper icon from the curves panel and select the darkest point of your image. This will set that section to “true black” Feel free to play around with this until you find a desirable outcome. Now add another curves layer. This one we will be using to adjust the brightness/contrast. First, I always start off with ‘auto’ and see where that takes me. If you like the outcome, great! If you don’t play around with the different curve points until you get an outcome you like. 

Selective Color: This adjustment layer will be your best friend. For me, I will typically work with reds, yellows, and black. If the source has a lot of blue/cyan I will use those too. Basically look at your source and determine which base colors you’d like to emphasize/alter. For blacks I usually up the black by +1-5 depending on the source. For reds, it also depends on the source. But I will typically either decrease cyan (to make red stand out more) or increase cyan (to make the red not look so overexposed). You want to be careful here. Overexposing the red can make your skin tones look like red tomatoes! And for my content base, where most of the actors are of asian descent, we should be emphasizing the yellows and NOT the reds (see aside on color correction + skin tones for more info). After altering the reds to my liking, I do the same process for the yellows. To bring back natural skin tones and color, you will likely want to darken the yellows, expose them a bit more and maybe even  up the yellow slider. A common rule of thumb: if you want to make any of the colors less exposed, increase the cyan. If you want to increase exposure on any of the colors, decrease the cyan. If you want a color to appear more strongly or prominently, increase the black. The magentas and yellows I use more to adjust hues. You can add multiple selective color layers to further emphasize your changes. 

Levels: Now we will work on the lighting some more. This creates more contrast and depth to your gif, often making them look ‘crisper’ To emphasize the bright parts, move the right-hand slider to the left. The emphasize the dark parts, move the left-hand slider to the right. You may also choose to move the middle slider to adjust more neutral lighting. Do so until you find a setting to your liking. 

Miscellaneous: Depending on your gif you may need to play with other adjustment layers. Some other ones I often use are the brightness/contrast and exposure to adjust lighting and add more dimension to the gif. For additional color correction I use color balance and to a lesser extent hue/saturation and vibrance. 

(Aside: Color correction + skin tones): We are anti-whitewashing and anti-redwashing when it comes to asian media. Like I mentioned earlier, natural asian skin tones have yellow undertones, not red/pink. Therefore when you’re bringing in color you should be mindful of this delicate balance. Adding more red does NOT equal un-whiteashing. Be VERY careful how you balance the yellows with selective color/hues/color balance.

^^ Here is an example of what I mean by overexposing the reds. Poor seungho is looking as sunburnt as a cherry tomato. Note: if your original source is already overexposed with red, fix it! You can do this by applying the same basic principles I explained earlier. Try upping the cyan on the reds in selective color, or shifting the color balance to favor cyan over red with the color balance adjustment layer. You may also choose to favor the yellow over blue.

^^ Now this is straight-up whitewashing. This is what happens when you are not careful with your correction of yellow. I’m not saying you can’t touch the yellow slider or get rid of some yellow form the overall image (because sometimes it is very much needed), but you should be very mindful how your corrections can affect skin tones. If you decide to decrease saturation of yellows, or decrease yellow in the selective color section of the reds, do so with caution. If your reds are looking too pink, add some yellow in the red selective color, up the yellow and black of the yellow selective color.

^^ If you hit that happy medium, you can emphasize the natural skin tones without overexposure. Here the underlying tones are very much still in the yellow range. 

(Aside: Blending): I will very briefly talk about how to blend two gifs together. First make sure you’ve imported both your gifs into ps and converted them into the timeline format. On one of the gifs, right click the gif layer in the layer panel > duplicate layer > select the canvas of the gif you’d like to blend the gif with. On the canvas you just copied your second gif to, you can now drag the two layers around the on the canvas to get your desired positioning. On the top gif apply a layer mask. This can be found in your layers panel at the bottom, and is indicated by the white rectangle with the circle. Next, make sure you select the mask in the layer panel (it will show up as a white rectangle on the layer you applied the mask). Grab your paintbrush tool and make sure your color is set to black. Now you can effectively ‘erase’ the part of the top gif you don’t want to show anymore. I recommend setting your brush hardness to 0% to get a smoother transition. You can also play with the opacity settings. If you want to add back in a part you erased, just switch to a white paintbrush and you will be able to undo what you had just ‘erased’ with the black. When you merge the gifs, they will play the same number of frames. This means your blended gif length is limited by the gif with the fewer number of frames. You can move around your timeline layer and shorten the included portion by dragging either end of the timeline layer in until you get both gifs to play the parts you want.

CAPTIONS/SUBTITLES

I often get asked about my subtitle font/styling settings. Personally I find the best fonts for subtitles are calibri and arial. I use calibri with the following settings: 12-14px, bold italic plus faux bold, 1px black stroke (optional: drop shadow set to ‘multiply’ at around 85% opacity), and tracking (VA) set to 75. If you would like your subtitles to fade-in or fade-out you can apply the ‘fade effect’. Locate the b/w square icon in your timeline panel. Select fade and drag it onto your text layer in your timeline. You can then right click on the wedge shape to adjust your fade duration. I usually use 0.35s. If you drag and drop the effect towards the beginning of your text you can get the fade-in effect. To get the fade-out, simply drag and drop your fade towards the end of your text layer.

SAVING/EXPORTING YOUR GIF

We’ve reached the final stretch! If you need to adjust your frame rate timing: you will need to revert your timeline to frames. To do this: 1) Navigate to the icon of 4 bars at the right of your timeline panel. Select convert frames > flatten frames into clips. 2) Navigate to the icon of 4 bars at the right of your timeline panel. Select convert frames > convert to frame animation > when promoted hit ’ok’. If at this point you see more than one frame in your timeline panel, delete the frames until only one is left. In the example below I would delete the first frame by hitting the trash icon from the timeline panel.

If there is only one frame, leave it as is. 3) Navigate to the icon of 4 bars at the right of your timeline panel. Select ‘make frames from layers’ You will most likely need to delete the first frame in your timeline panel (it won’t have your coloring). Sometimes ps adds in some ‘blank’ frames as well, delete those too. Now you can adjust your timing. 

Once your timing is set: When you’re saving your gif, just keep in mind it must be under 10mb. Navigate to file > export > save for web. When it comes to your save settings I typically use either selective diffusion or adaptive diffusion. I also also occasionally use adaptive pattern (I find this is best for dark scenes without a lot of contrast). Set colors to 256, quality to bicubic and looping options to forever. If you want to preview your gif, hit the preview button in the bottom left. Otherwise, go ahead a hit ‘save’ and you’re DONE!

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Feel free to check out my ‘ps things’ tag for more photoshop stuff/mini tutorials. Additionally @/nibreon and the hackmd site I linked previously are your best resources for vs questions. If you would like to see my giffing process in motion feel free to check out this video. It’s sped up but you can slow down the playback. Additionally be sure to check out resource blogs like itsphotoshop for more helpful tutorials and resources.

If you reached the end of this beast, kudos to you! I hope this helps and never be afraid to reach out with any questions.

[dandelionflower]

She’s not here

They were all on the bus, heading back to the hotel for dinner and rest.

It was hard work, fixing up a park, but the class did it well. By the end of the day, it was beautiful, all traces of trash had disappeared and they had even managed to give some benches a new coat of paint.

Lila beamed and clapped as it was over, promising everyone a scoop of ice cream, as was tradition when she finished a big project. However, when they found a place that was selling ice cream, she realized she left her wallet in her room.

Apologizing profusely, she swore that she’d get them a treat some other time.

“This has never happened before; I’m so sorry everyone!”

Alya patted her shoulder. “It’s okay, girl. You already helped so much to heal that park; let us do something for you.”

“At least let me order for all of you.”

“If you want, girl, sure.”

“Okay, I’m usually really good at guessing people’s favorite ice cream flavors once I get to know them, so I should be good for most of you, but since Marinette and I haven’t been on such good terms lately, I’ll probably need to ask her. Where is she?”

“I dunno. Mari!” Alya called into the meager crowd of students. “Come on out, hun, we need to know your pick for ice cream!”

Adrien piped up from the back, where he was chatting with Rose. “I don’t think she’s here. She must not have come back from her walk.”

Alya felt her heart race with concern. “Lila, I know you want us to have ice cream, but there’s no way we can just leave Marinette in the forest.”

“Of course not, Alya.” She placed a hand on her shoulder. “I’ll go look for her after I place our orders. I know these woods better than anybody; I’ll have her back in a jiff.”

“Okay, thanks Lila.” She let out a breath, leaning against Nino.

True to her word, Lila left soon after ordering for everyone, heading down the sidewalk to look for Marinette. Sure, she seemed to be going the wrong way, but it was probably a shortcut she forgot to mention.

—

The walk back to the hotel was lovely, with Alya and Adrien arguing over which picture of Ladybug should be the new header for her blog and Nino holding her hand the whole way.

It was only when she got back to the hotel and saw Lila lounging beside a cute boy, did she remember that her BFF was missing.

“Lila! Did you find her?”

Adrien jolted, mid-sentence and looked up at Lila with hopeful eyes. It seemed that he forgot about Marinette too.

Lila sat still for a moment, before a look of remorse crossed her face.

“I’m so sorry, Alya. I couldn’t find her. I scoured every path, but nothing.”

“I should probably check.” Adrien raised his hand. “After all, I’m her boyfriend.”

“That’s a great idea.” Lila stood and walked to clasp Adrien’s arm. “I’ll come too, so we don’t get lost like Marinette.”

An odd look crossed Adrien’s face, but he nodded nevertheless. They began walking to the exit.

“Ah!” Lila flinched, clutching her leg. “My leg! I must have sprained it while looking for Marinette.”

“Oh!” Alya rushed to Lila’s other side, helping Adrien hold her up. “Let’s get you to our room, maybe get some ice for that leg.”

“No, I know you and Nino probably wanted to spend some time together. Adrien can take me. After all, what are all of those fencing lessons for?” She nudged him with a teasing grin, which he shakily returned. Poor guy, probably so worried about Marinette.

“Okay, make sure you call me if you need anything.” She grabbed both of her shoulders. “Anything.”

“Of course.” She smiled and patted her arm before tugging Adrien to the stairs.

Alya turned to Nino with a beam. “Soo, wanna hang out?”

He rolled his eyes, slipping his headphones back around his neck. “Of course, it’s not like we’ve talked about it since we found out about the trip.”

She leaned into his side, pressing a kiss on his jaw. “I’ve looked up a map, and I’m ready to show you all the sights.”

“Hi!” An unfamiliar voice surprised them; it was chirpy like Rose, but not quite as high. They turned in unison and saw a willowy girl with a long ponytail trailing down her back. An odd headband was woven into the deep purple locks.

“Sorry to eavesdrop, but I heard you two were looking for a place to hang out? Might I suggest…” her eyes landed on Alya’s face before brightening up again. “The aquarium? In the evening like this, the lights turn on and everything seems to glow an incredible blue.”

“Really?” She glanced at Nino with a grin. “That sounds like an incredible thing to put on my blog! Come on, Nino, let’s go!”

“Okay.” He chuckled and allowed himself to be pulled down a random hallway.

“Just take a right, then a left. It should be two doors down!”

They both giggled like kindergartners as they ran down the halls. Nino stopped and cocked a brow when she continued pulling him past the door the girl mentioned.

“Let’s play a game.” She whispered. “We both get lost and try to meet back here. Video chat so we know we don’t cheat.”

He pulled out his phone and called her in response.

Once they had gotten thoroughly lost, Alya set a timer and began dashing back to the aquarium.

It took her three minutes. (she may have cheated a little bit, but it wasn’t her fault! Nino is really cute when he gets winded from running!) She stumbled into the room, listening to Nino complain about how much she was making him run.

It was incredible. The latent orange from the sunset and the blues from the aquarium blended in a perfect contrast that she almost dropped her phone.

“Whereisshe...”

“You say something babe?” She glanced down at her phone. It was blank; no service.

Oh well, Nino would tell her what he said when he got here. Meanwhile, she raised her camera app to capture the stunning sight before her.

“She’snothere...”

A flicker at the corner of her screen. She lowered her phone, but nothing was there. It was slipped into her pocket as she turned to the larger aquarium. The fish seemed to be missing, except for one bright orange angel fish.

“She’snothere...”

The fish swam in hypnotizing figure eights. Alya stared at it, entranced. It felt like with every figure eight, the fish was stealing a little bit of breath from her.

“She’snothere.”

The fish moved faster and faster, until the swift motions combined with her shortness of breath made it look almost like it was forming a circle.

“She’snothere.”

No, not a circle.... a face. A face with thick rimmed glasses and a mole just above her eye. A face that looked like hers, but not.

“She’snothere. She’snothere. She’s. Not. HERE.”

A body erupted from the water, and Alya flinched from the waved, but they didn’t even spray her with a mist. Almost like they weren’t there.

A girl stood before her, hair in knots, staring at Alya. She was in a fancy blue dress that looked like it should be poofy, if not for the water dripping from the hem.

Alya stood stock-still, chest heaving. “Who are you?”

“Where is she?” A voice hissed from nowhere.

The girl looked at her with hollow eyes. “She’s not here.”

“Who are you walking about? What was that voice?”

The figure jolted, like a glitching video. Suddenly, her hair was neat and styled. Her dress was dry and fanned out around her.

“Are you okay? What’s going on?”

“Where is she?” The bodiless voice asked again, this time in a tone so sickly sweet, Alya felt like retching.

Her mirror image grinned at the ceiling, walking closer to the empty aquarium. She put her hand on it, like she was about to push open a door.

“She’s right here.”

Spectral waves rushed from the glass, assaulting and surrounding Alya. Her breaths became more and more shallow, it felt like her throat was closing up.

Like she was drowning.

—

When Nino came in, panting and just barely biting his tongue from cussing, Alya was curled in a ball on the floor, wheezing.

“Als!” He fell to his knees beside her, taking in her vitals like he learned in the akuma relief seminar. “You okay? It looks like you had either an allergic reaction or a panic attack. What was in that ice cream you ate?”

“Don’t...know... Lila ordered.” She gripped his hand tightly and pulled herself up, pulling out her phone and dialing Lila’s number.

“Alya!” She could hear the smile in her voice. “Adrien, come on over, it’s Alya.”

“Hey Alya.”

“What... was in the ice cream?”

“The ice cream I ordered? I can’t remember... hazelnuts, I think?”

She glanced at Nino with wide eyes. She was allergic to hazelnuts. Not enough to do anything serious, but enough that she had a little trouble breathing afterwards. That must also explain that weird stuff she saw too; oxygen deprivation.

Nino grabbed her arm, fully intent on taking her to her room to recuperate for the rest of the night. She allowed him to, still a little shaken.

—

A sleek fox sat in front of a broken-eyed ghost. So?

“She’s not here.” Anya replied, glaring at the ceiling. She looked back down, her defiant eyes turning sad. “She’s not here.”

Not true. She’s here, and she’s safe and sound in her room.

Her broken eyes lit up and she floated purposefully towards the best room in the home.

Not yet you don’t! Finny hovered in front of the ghost. She’s sleeping and you won’t bother her!

The ghost nodded forlornly and dissipated.

That settles it, doesn’t it? Grace asked once the ghost was gone

Yep, Allegra moved forwards. These students are helping them pass on. Once they impart their knowledge, and scare them straight, they get their free will back, to haunt or help who they choose.

It’s weird though, isn’t it? Finny mused. How just one word could have changed everything? If Anny had just lied to her, none of this will be happening.

But she didn’t. Allegra reminded him softly. None of them did, and this is the price they pay.

Yeah... Finny flew low. Hey Allegra?

Yeah, Fin?

She’s here. Giddiness oozed from his voice.

Yeah, Allegra stared at the hallway leading to the girl that gave their lives purpose again, she is.

………

The rest

………

@merry-madness @calliopeia @drama-queen-supreme @kaydenth3gayden @mcheang @nomiegnome @never-say-donuts @vixen-uchiha @miracul0us-multishipper @hauntedfreakdeputyhero @chocolatecustarddanish @iwantswifttoblessmysoul @digitalmagpie @ilseofskadi @nerdy-and-a-little-birdy @minty-goose @nataladriana9 @constellation-king @animegirlweeb @persephonebutkore @ahalloweengirl @r0sebutch @marinettepotterandplagg @beelzzebop @akalovelymaybe @pleasefollowmeuwu @angelost4r @constancetruggle @speaknowtome @some-oxymoron @nerdy-scifi-birdy @purplesundaze @aestheticnpoetic @neptuningkai @2confused-2doanything @goggles-mcgee @grumpy-kitten-vixen @atremisdragona @lookatthestars1 @demonicbusiness @toodaloo-kangaroo

[rebloged-content]

Recommended Sanders Sides creators

Marry Christmas, everyone! And a wonderful December day to all of you who don’t celebrate Christmas, too. Let’s be honest right off the bat, though: I’m only using the date as an excuse to do this list anyways.

So. Throughout the time I’ve spent as a part of this wonderful corner of the sanders sides fandom over here on tumblr, I’ve often found a new creator and wished I’d found them sooner. It kind of makes me wonder who else I might miss. If you do to, here are a few creators I’d love for you to check out. You’ll probably recognize some of the names, if not all, but maybe you’ll find a new favorite creator here?

And to the creators in question, I really love your content. If you’ve made it onto this list, you’ve definitely cause one or two sleepless nights of reading for me, because who needs sleep if I can have this, right? XD Whatever you’ll find written next to your name is the impression you’ve left on me and… Well, just know that you’ve made some days of my life at least a little happier, all of you. And I hope to repay the favor by telling you how much I appreciate you releasing your content into this world… Well, repay the favor at least a little, I suppose.

Let’s begin, then, shall we?

@5am-the-foxing-hour Because this? This is who you go to if you want to read good Janus-content. You are in a mood to read sympathetic Janus? Wanna see the danger noodle just casually interact with other sides? Go to their short stories. I mean, “the cult”? Prime example of how to tell a story with impact in just a few words. 8 paragraphs, but boy did I read that one on repeat. Or “water spray bottle”, this one is fun, short and will make you laugh. An energy drink for the fander heart, so to say.

Then there’s their mafia-au, “there’s more in me than precious metals”. Six are out so far, and I adore every single word of every single part of this. Protective Remus, sassy Janus, angst, comedy relief, destruction, Roman-Remus-sibling-rivalry, braincell Logan, survival instinct Virgil, working together over a common enemy… This fic has it all, believe me. Take your time and read it, because you will read the entire thing in one go once you start. At least I did, and I didn’t even notice.

And their advent writings? Those had me squealing and jumping around in a way I will deny if anyone ever sees it. I don’t even know what else to say, they are fucking fantastic and that’s that.

So, yeah. Go check them out, before I start fangirling about them even more. You know my personal favorites now, so just go there. You won’t regret it.

Next up is @coconut-cluster. Ah, yes, Lexi. Lexi, whose uni-AU started as self indulgent and has become the loceit story on tumblr. We all know her, or at least most of us do, and we all love her too. And while I also drop everything I do at any point of time I possibly can once I realize the uni-au has any form of new addition, there are a lot of other fics created by her that you should check out as well.

Did you, for example, ever want a sappy prinxiety one-shot with the sappiness only being implied, a mutual understanding of “we’re-not-saying-we-care-but-we-both-know-we-do” born from joking reassurances and a not-a-date-nope-only-a-break? While that may seem to be a tall order, that is exactly what “before the sun goes down” is. Plus there’s ice cream. Or maybe you’re more of a logince fan? Do you want a fic where Roman isn’t the prince but serves His Highness? Do you like sincere talks while you’re procrastinating showing your face to the subjects you don’t really want to rule over? In that case, you really should read “Viva la Vida”. Careful, though, this one is so sweet you’ll probably get a toothache… There also is an analogical fic that I’ve enjoyed very much: “Cracks in the Ceiling”. I love it, because it’s just calm. Fears creeping up on you, thrown away by a trusted friend with a few words, just by being there and playing into the metaphors you head created this time around. It’s calm, and there’s not really a climax or anything, but it doesn’t need one. Because it’s just a glance into everyday life. It’s beautiful in its own right, really.

What I’m saying is, Lexi has a lot more wonderful stories to tell than the uni-au. It’s the most popular one, sure, and it’s one of her best works. But you really should check out her other fics as well. Lexi herself once said that she writs fics she’d like to read. I would figure it’s because of this, but her stories are mostly things you don’t really find anywhere else. Dynamics, stories, world building, all of those are aspects you may find somewhere else. But Lexi is just one of those people who see what they miss in a fandom and create it themselves, and among these creators Lexi is my favorite. She just has that certain skill that makes that approach to writing result in the most enjoyable reading experiences. Lexi’s fics are special, because they’re different, because they are authentic and you can feel that when you’re reading her work.

@djpurple3 is another talented individual I want to talk about. I have to confess, DJ is, as far as original content goes, almost exclusively locked in my brain with the fiction “I just keep loosing my beat”. 23 Chapters so far, one better than the last. It’s a bitter-sweet story following Remus and his children, after the bitch of a mother has been brought behind bars. Abusive piece of shit. Yeah, I don’t like her much. But the story is so full of love and support, everyone trying their best, everyone seeing how much the others deserve the world and wishing they could give it to them… Roman and Remus have a sibling-dynamic I would die for here, too. Patton is just the most adorable friend to Deceit - here Damion - Virgil is a precious bean, Logan is cute and the teacher we all wish he’d had ourselves and… god, I could keep gushing about this fic forever. I’ll stop now, though, before I’ll start spoiler things. Wouldn’t want to do that, especially since I really, really, really want more people to give this a go. It’s not underrated, I just think everyone who doesn’t is missing out by a lot, so… Go over there and read DJ’s fic right fucking now, if you haven’t already read it at least once. Thank you.

@delimeful​, our wonderful lime-friend with a cute cat making a terrifying face in his header. First of all, there is the WIBAR universe, short for “Watch it burn and rust”. 5 chapters in act one, 4 intermissions (one of those with three chapters), one chapter of act two, as well as three extras and an au of this au called “the end of being alone”, and I’ve lost count of how many nights I spent reading those instead of sleeping like I should. (Or interacting with family. Or being productive. Or… It’s really a good story, okay?!) WIBAR is a deathworlder au. So a space au in which humans are regarded as dangerous deathworlders who can survive on a deathworld like earth. In other words, Virgil is the only human, and boy does that scare everyone around him. And the best part? You can feel the development, the shift in mentality regarding Virgil, feel the moment approach in which he isn’t a threat but a companion instead.

And, apart from the fic that inspired me enough to start writing “TINND!R?” over on my writing blog, there are a lot more amazing fics to read on lime’s blog. He wrote “How easy you are to need”, for example. It’s soft, it pulls at just the right heartstrings, it’s achingly hopeful and, god, the ending still has me in tears, even after the fifth - ? sixth? something among those lines - reread. This one’s a werewolf au, actually. Virgil is the werewolf, Logan, Patton and Roman are the humans.

Do you want yourself some of that pre-AA dynamic? I’d recommend “to taste your beating heart”. In this, Virgil gets separated from the rest of his group of vampire hunters and gets turned into a vampire himself, loosing his memories. And he’s “Anx” now, not “Virgil”, goddamnit! He isn’t their friend anymore, why don’t they understand that? Well, probably because they can still see Virgil’s old habits shining through. There’s a lot of tension, a lot of angst and a whole lot of frustration involved in this.

He also wrote some amazing one-shots. They’re mostly so well written that I’m almost sad not to be waiting on a continuation. There’s “the littlest mermaid”, in which Virgil goes to investigate a noise, finding a scared, tiny mermaid in need of help. In “community gardens” we have Remus being Remus, gaining the interest and friendship of the forest’s giant Logan. “Magical mutualism” tells the tale of a witch and a demon making a pact beneficial to both parties and opening the doors neither could have gone beyond alone. The way we’re all confused about our ships not actually having set sail yet comes to a hight in Virgil in regards to his friends in “amateur matchmakers”. And this is the point at witch I stop talking before I actually recommend every single one of lime’s fics instead of just my favorites as I had planed because I started to gush too much… XD

Let’s move on to @muppenthings​. Mupp is an amazing artist and she created a giant mermaid au. There’s this one orca who’s just… We love her, but I actually don’t think she’s the brightest. I really, really love her, though. Virgil himself is being a little protective over his human friends and casually so. I love this comic series for the art style, but I also love the way it makes me crack a laugh at least once per work. Or appeal to my mother-instincts, if it’s about baby Virgil. Too cute for his own good, I tell ya! And the facial expressions! The detail, the jokes, everything about this is wonderful. You should at least take a look.

@whenisitenoughtrees​. Cat got me with “This cup of yours tastes holy (This lie is dead)”. “A slow voice on a wave of phase” was next, later “Infinity and beyond”, “we are not alone in the dark with out demons” and “changing of the guard”. And then, suddenly, the night was over. I’ve read almost all of the fics in one go, and I’ve been semi-frequently visiting her master post ever since. When “There’s an endless road to rediscover” came out just a little while back, that lead to me re-reading through almost the entire list. I don’t regret it, my plans for that weekend would like to disagree.

These six fics I mentioned here are, by no means, the only ones I enjoyed. Those are just the ones I’ve found myself opening up again and again in sleepless nights. Those are the ones that pop up in my head and have me smiling to myself in the middle of god-knows-whatever-I’ve-been-doing-at-the-time.

Angst, fluff, hurt-comfort, you’ll find everything in that list. And something I’ve grown to like about Cat’s fics even more than anything else is the quick change between feeling perplexed, a startled laugh at certain wordings (you’ll know what I’m talking about when you see it) and apprehension. These fics will have you at the edge of you seat, swooping you away on an emotional roller coaster. And, god, the way Cat writes from Remus’ perspective? The introductions of her stories and the way she redirects to the main topic after going into detail on something? I saved a few paragraphs as screenshots on my phone because I love them and I want to read them again when I’m down. I just… Cat’s great.

Next up is @eliemo. Because Elias Virgil is the royalty of Virgil angst. From the touch-starved Virgil we’ve all had a head cannon of at one point in “Heart of Ice”, over ace Virgil panicking over telling his boyfriends that he his ace and didn’t think to tell them before in “Love our way” to so, so much more.

Mostly EV follows the story arc of an underlying feeling of dread at the beginning, which slowly grows into panic, exploding in a storm of angst and concludes in everyone, or at least whoever is around, coming to the rescue and helping to calm down, with the end being the hope for getting better in the future. They always manage to convey the confusion, fear or just the general thought process so well that you can’t help but get absorbed in the story. They know exactly what to say and what to leave between the lines to get the maximum effect. And, your heart will definitely be shattered after their angst. Still, the way the sides comfort each other and support each other so well every time is just… I love their stories, a lot.

I want to make two more suggestions if you want to check out this creator. A Janus angst fic, which can only be described as “ouch” you’ll find under the name “snake bite”. It hurts in the best way possible, because Janus gets the comfort he deserves.

The other suggestion gets a lot darker. It’s about Virgil having been abused by the “others” before he got accepted into the light side. The others are shocked to find out what has gone on behind their backs and they help Virgil in every way they can to recover. Of cause it’s a rocky path, though. This would be “Learned Behavior”. The series/au has twelve stories so far, one of which has two parts. You’ll find the master post for this pinned to the top on their blog.

If you like angst, you should also give @maybedefinitely404​ a look. Ly has a soulmate-au going, in which they use the concept of “you hear the music your soulmate listens to”. "Music in my head” is a prinxiety fic, but the two of them have yet to meet. Four chapters and two mini-fics in. The reason I mentioned angst is because in this - spoiler alert for the first few chapters here - , Virgil gets put through conversion therapy. Luckily Janus and Logan are better foster parents than the ones who did that to him.

They also have a master list for all their soulmate stories, featuring different ships. Apparently they participated in soulmate month, if I understood that correctly. And to be honest, that was how I even found their account. I absolutely adore their anxceit fic, which takes place in a human au. It’s starting off pretty sad, but the bonding moments are absolutely wonderful. It’s a lovely story, and the ending is one of the best ones I’ve yet to read. Their logince fic took my breath away, too. A flower shop/tattoo artist au, and Logan is the tattoo artist. Stunning writing, wonderful world building, just the right amount of backstory to have everything make sense without overwhelming/drowning the reader in unnecessary details. Their moxceit fiction… Well, this one had me in tears within the first few paragraphs. It’s terrible and you feel for Janus, whose perspective this is written from. The ending, though… Gods! The ending was so indescribably cute. To be honest, all of the soulmate stories are great, these three are just my personal favorites.

Concerning their one shots, you’ll probably have to figure it out on your own concerning this. I haven’t been able to read all of them yet, as sad as that makes me. Definitely palling on doing it in the future, though. I did read two of them, though. “Pippity poppity” really was amusing, and I am so looking forward to the second part of “The Boy who sings next door”. The way they write the dynamics between the sides? I live for that.

Another creator I would like to recommend is @maybe-im-tired.They don’t have a master post, as far as I could see, but they only post their content anyways, so… “Can’t take my eyes off of you” is my favorite out of their fics so far. I mean, the way they managed to fit the sheer chaos that is intrulogical into this one short fic is amazing. And you could take about two thirds of what Remus said and put it up on your wall as out-of-contexts-quotes. Don’t worry, he says them out of context anyways, and they will definitely make you laugh. 

The series of short stories for the human au that starts with “Glowing stars” is another au by them that you will almost certainly like. We have Logan and Virgil as kids (about 7 I think), Remus and Patton as single parents, Roman as the most adoring uncle, Emile as babysitter and Remy as his amazing partner. Remus is a great father, wonderfully chaotic as well. And a teacher! Imagine that, Remus as your teacher... He’s great with kids though, as long as they aren’t entitled villains come to make his precious Virgil feel bad, that is.

They also wrote a bunch of “random one shots”. They are all amazing, but my favorite has to be this one. It’s a logince one, once again human au. Patton may or may not tell his big brother’s crush about the feelings he wasn’t prepared to share yet. You know, as small kids do. It’s soft, it will make you smile as much as Logan does, and I love Remus in it. I generally like how they write Remus, okay? I know how much I’ve said it, but I’m not even exaggerating. They always write him differently, and all versions they write him as are so, so lovable and just… I wanna hug the life out of all Remus versions they wrote, okay? Take a look, you’ll know why.

Anyways. Let’s continue with @figurative-siren-song. This is the last account I’ve followed and I’m still sad about it having taken me this long to find them. Little salty, to be honest. (I’ll stick to they/them because they said just not to use she/her, and, well… consistency, you know? Don’t have much, so I have to get what I can XD). When I finally did find them, I went through their entire master list (at least all of the ships with characters I actually know. I’m kinda bad with the shorts characters, so I usually just… avoid them? Idk. Personal preference, I guess), and, well… I would honestly recommend every single fic on that list. They call themself “Repair Fluff King™️” and they deserve that title. But when they warn you that a fic will be angsty, it will be angsty.

I found them through the anxceit fic “A Deal”. Well, through an animatic by their friend on youtube that had linked the fic, but details. I’ve been reading this fic up and down again and again. It’s just so good! And when they talk in the second part and Janus explains why he proposed that deal. Or in the continuation, which i can’t talk about because I will probably spoiler things! So wholesome!

 Also, their losleepxeity fic “We’re worth it”. So soft! The nicknames, the plot, the everything. It’s softer than clouds look, and we all know that means something.

But, really. Everyone will find something for them by this creator. So many ships, all incredibly well written, and soft and fluffy without getting boring in the slightest. It’s as energizing as coffee, actually. And, let’s be honest, this whole fandom drowns itself in angst most of the time. Take a break from that, repair your broken hearts with goof fluffy content that you’ll want to read over and over again. Go check this creator out. You will love them. 

Last but not least… @myfriendsasthesides​ A blog by a creator who just takes the wonderfully chaotic dynamics of a friend group and using that to give us content of incorrect sides quotes. Maybe it doesn’t fit with me going on and on about fics here. I don’t care. Follow them and turn on those notifications, please, because seeing even one post of theirs on your dashboard will make your day. It’s funny, it’s absurd, it’s chaotic, it’s making you jealous of them for having friends like that. Believe me, you will want to see those posts. It’s just… the random shots of serotonin and dopamine out generation needs really fucking desperately 100% of the time. 

That’s it with the list! Eleven creators I absolutely adore, and I’m sorry I was babbling so much all the way through, but… Well, actually I’m not sorry. And actually, half of the reason I even made this post is to tell them how much I love them and fangirl about them a bit. So… Yeah. Well.I love you guys and hope you’ll have a wonderful day! And to everyone else reading this: I hope this helped you ind some new creators you can enjoy. And a good day to you too, of cause.

Sincerely, Joy 🖤

(@joylessnightsky/@sanders-sides-fic)

[carissimipaixao]

So, I was tagged for this little game by @hikarry and, just like any unstable person, instead of sleeping, I grabbed my laptop and I’m going to do the game now 😌

1. Why did you choose your URL?

Well, I used to be shay-makes-my-luck and I had another secondary blog where I was posting, ahem, little thoughts and “cute” (read: cringy) poems or things to my crush who would never see those posts. It was called dearpaixao and eventually I recycled that name for my fanfiction blog. It sounded cuter and shorter than the first name, which also made me appear too “one-fandom centric”, if that makes sense.

I ended up taking a long break from fanfiction, in the middle of 2018. Complicated stuff going on, and I didn’t feel satisfied? Plus, I was constantly running into writer’s blocks.

When I came back in 2019, I feel somewhat “distant” from my old writing, style-wise and maybe even the person I was back then. But, I was still very much in love with dearpaixao. So, I decided to create carissimipaixao, where I would start from scratch! It’s actually as if you only added “[dear]est” to the previous username and then translated it to Latin.

My previous blog is still up, though as an archive. It’s embarassing, actually.

2. Any side blogs?

This blog is one! And, like I said, dearpaixao is still up, though for archive reasons.

3. How long have you been on Tumblr?

Probably since 2014? Officially began posting here on 2016.

4. Do you have a queue tag?

Well, not really? I have programmed a few posts (such as Six Sentence Sunday and WIP Wednesday), and I have contemplated programming fanfiction stories, as well. Though, since I also have to cross-post on AO3, I don’t really do it.

5. Why did you start your blog in the first place?

Dearpaixao (or, shay-makes-my-luck) was created because I wanted to begin posting Shay Cormac fanfiction. Sha[y]melessly. Then, this one was because I wanted to start anew, as if I was a completely different person as I was back in dearpaixao. Though, to this day, I wonder if I should’ve just continued on the same blog.

6. Why did you choose you icon/pfp?

It’s actually a photograph of the faceclaim I have chosen for my Glory and Carnations fanfiction! Her name is Mikaela Lupu.

7. Why did you choose your header?

Currently, don’t have one.

8. What’s your post with the most notes?

Fondness, my official first fanfiction for Lupin, with 123 notes 💖🥺

Previously, it would’ve been Raging Saints, which may be revamped soon.

9. How many mutuals do you have?

Overall, maybe between 6 and 8, but in terms of how close I am with them, then it’d be 2. They know who they are.

10. How many followers do you have?

Currently, 111 ohh angel number

My archive blog has recently passed 300, but I still wonder why people bother to follow that blog when it’s clearly inactive.

11. How many people do you follow?

210.

12. Have you ever made a shit post?

Nope.

13. How often do you use tumblr?

Well, I open it a lot when I’m bored, when I want to see what’s up on my dashboard. So, I’ll open it a few times throughout the day.

14. Did you ever have a fight/argument with another blog?

I don’t think I have, no. Though, I think I’ve nearly had one recently, though with an Anon.

15. How do you feel about “you need to reblog” posts?

If it’s interesting, if it’s helpful, if it may help me, then sure, I’ll reblog it.

16. Do you like tag games?

Yes. I love interacting with people!

17. Do you like ask games?

Same as tag games. I’ve done a few, I guess? Though, not as many as I actually would’ve loved to do 😂

18. Which of your mutuals do you think is tumblr famous?

Well, @latte-to-go deserves all the recognizition in the world for her writing and amazing plots! The thought she puts into everything? Stunning. A true role model when it comes to writing, outlining and planning stories/series. Do check out her work! She’s the reason I even created shay-makes-my-luck and, later, carissimipaixao!

I’m tagging, though no pressure: @peachy-is-obsessed @who-wants-chicken-nuggets @t0pidelaayy @mechanical-fingers @softthotanon

Whoever wants to do this, feel free to join in! And tag me if you do, eheh!

[okmcintyre]

I was tagged by @togetherkru , thanks so much for thinking of me! I loved reading your answers & these are always a lot of fun to fill out! 😊☀️

1. why did you choose your url?

I actually just updated my URL after nine long years, mostly because I was uber jealous of y’all with t100 specific usernames. 😅 The majority of my content is catered to that fandom, so it made sense to freshen it up. After ruling out my first choice (@madigriffin, I mean how cool would that be!) I decided that since I relate most to Harper’s energy I’d go with her last name.... and added a variation of my own first name that I thought looked cute. 

2. any side blogs? if you have them, name them and why you have them

Yes! Goodness I have private sideblogs for writing drafts/inspiration, and to organize gif-making tutorials that I like to keep on hand... then there’s my Bellarke Fanfiction sideblog (@twosuns-ofbellarke)... and I help out with a couple The 100 appreciation/edits pages. I have my old URL too, just in case I ever want to start using it again.

... And I do actually have @augustkomtrikru active too, which I’d intended to use as my main URL once the prequel started up that is, before Season 7B broke my damn heart and I vowed off anything Rothenberg related unless he goes back and fixes that mess that ended our beloved show. 🤷‍♀️

3. how long have you been on tumblr?

I joined on January 4, 2012.

4. do you have a queue tag?

No, but I do tag original posts! 

#t100kt, #friendskt, #luciferkt, #tumblrkt, #liveblogkt, #ask away!

5. why did you start your blog in the first place?

I came to tumblr because I was struggling to find my groove on LiveJournal and Blogger (wow just aged myself there, didn’t I?👵). I liked that I could post different kinds of content here... and I was obsessed with Fringe, which was still on air. This quickly became the place I came for spoilers and spaz at all the beautiful gifs from the show.

6. why did you choose your icon/pfp?

Because our fearless leaders marching away from the rover together, looking like badass supermodels, is a big mood! 💥

7. why did you choose your header?

It matched the icon & I found it in my old cell phone edits ready to go

8. what post of yours has the most notes?

This Clarke & Bellamy post from Season 6, with 1700+ notes.

9. how many mutuals do you have?

Is there a way to see that? I have a bunch and they are all lovely people! ☺️

10. how many followers do you have?

Last I checked I was around 1.7k, I’m super grateful for everyone who sticks around for my hodgepodge of posting!

11. how many people do you follow?

4935, we have a lot of great fandom here and I lack chill...

12. have you ever made a shitpost?

1. (noun) any content on the internet whose humor derives from its surreal nature and/or its lack of clear context... a shitpost is funny simply because it isn't a predictable repetition of an existing form. Shitposts can become memes, but memes cannot become shitposts.

So now that Urban Dictionary explained what that means (I told you, I’m not a spring chicken anymore! 😂) I don’t believe so? Unless you include my old liveblogs, they were absolutely without context.

13. how often do you use tumblr?

I’m always popping in throughout my day. I like to keep up to my notifs & new posts in the tags, and then when I have more time on my hands I’ll look into my mutuals and feed a little more properly.

14. did you have a fight/argument with another blog? who won?

I can remember a couple years ago butting heads with a couple folks when I first got into fandom: the posting etiquette here was quite different from the message boards I was used to interacting on... and I had a mishap or two as a result. I genuinely believe that no one wins when that happens though, so I really make an effort to keep this a positive space. Learn from the mistakes. 💛

15. how do you feel about ‘you need to compare this’ posts?

Thanks gosh @togetherkru that you didn’t know these either! Like, what is that? Google doesn’t even seem to know. 

16. do you like tag games?

I LOVE THEM! 

17. do you like ask games?

Also love them! The posts are always wildly unpopular but they are a lot of fun

18. which one of your mutuals do you think is tumblr famous?

Every one! There’s so much talent here and so many folks have established their blogs as a cornerstone of their respective fandoms. And again, I have no idea where to find a list of all my mutuals to compare... but I always feel like I’m the new kid on the block, I’m pretty sure most of my mutuals have been here years longer than I have.

19. do you have a crush on a mutual?

I have a crush on my mutuals’ beautiful gif-making and writing and artsy abilities, if that counts? 😃

20. tags (if you guys want to)

I’m going to tag some folks from my notifications, feel free though to participate anyone reading this! Or if it isn’t your cuppa tea, don’t feel obligated those I tagged... have a great day everybody! 🙂☕

@bt06, @padfootx, @isweartobreathe, @bravestartingwithyou, @kizo2703, @pendragaryen, @whatabeautifullife13, @immortalpramheda, @1jemmagirl22, @frecklesandfanfics, @little-oxford-st, @infp-with-all-the-feelings, @kris-lulu, @womanwithaplan, @bellamyschin, @peaceloveandbabyducks, @geekyogicheese, @al3xia17 & anybody else who wants to play!.

[inevitably-johnlocked]

The Video

Alrighty, so as promised, I listened-slash-watched-slash-backtracked the video over making and eating dinner, with a break in between to take a phone call from my sister, so I may have missed and misunderstood/misheard a few things and may need another rewatch to fix any presumptions I make in this mini (?)-review.

Two things I do need to correct from my last post:

One is that I actually was sent the video to pre-watch before it was posted; I found it in my emails two days later but because I was swamped with day job stuff (as in I was working until 11 PM both days, and I didn’t even sit down until 4 on Saturday), and my fandom email is NOT a primary address so it’s not hooked up to my main Mail server on my MacBook (limited space), I hadn’t checked my emails since Thursday afternoon. So yeah, technically I should’ve known it was out, so apologies: technically I knew it was coming out; my sorry arse just didn’t check my emails.

Second, is that meta I did send her did get referenced and used; some of it word for word (like the discussion about the difference between Johnlockers and TJLC) so meta was read, my bad on assuming it wasn’t before watching.

C’est ça on that front.

A few things that ruffled my feathers and maybe I misheard, but I’ll mention them as I remember it:

I did find it slightly bothersome that the assumption was that Johnlockers that we were a bunch of teenagers (we weren’t – most of the people I talked to were in their 20′s and 30′s and many were academics of varying sorts). SZ was younger than many of us in our little corner of the fandom, I think, and it was filled with amazing meta and university-level papers on queer history, ACD canon history, subtextual writing and literature.  EDIT: I did skim back over to a bit of the beginning since I missed it over making dinner, and I guess a lot of the people who contacted SZ were teens at the time of the airdate, so again, my little bubble and all that and apologies for assuming. :P

This is a totally biased view and probably indicative of how deep down the rabbit hole I was: A bit annoyed at the implication in our belief that Mofftiss weren’t trying to deliberately imply the Gay Sherlock / BiJohn thing especially paying special attention to it during Q&As and meet and greets and interviews; That the cues weren’t there. Though she did point out the queerbaiting aspect of it. I don’t know. Maybe I misunderstood since I was stuffing my gob with pasta and wishing I had a cheesecake.

I think SZ should’ve worded her Twitter callout post a LOT better, because the cons were only mentioned for about 10 minutes, and in only in relation to the drama. She did praise the cons as a positive experience for people, so I’ll give her that.

The Twitter stuff pre-vid-posting still rubs me the wrong way.

Still feel that selling the shirts is tasteless. Mug is cute, though.

Things I did find interesting / good / stuff I didn’t know:

I know I’m a minority in this regard, especially since I am a fence sitter, but I feel... relieved? sorry I can’t think of the word... that SZ essentially did accuse Mofftiss of queerbaiting by the end of it – that it’s not just us who see it. I’ve always said without an S5, it IS queerbaiting, and given that S5 probably won’t happen anytime soon... well. Like I’ve said in the past, I hold out a glimmer of hope. Not holding my breath though.

The mentions of some of the fandom theories and speculations were done tastefully, light jesting but not mocking them.

The discussion section about AA / Mary... Yikes. I forgot it got THAT bad.... I guess because I was always in the “Mary’s a kickass villain” camp so I was blissfully ignorant about that stuff until a few years later. 

The ace stuff, 100% true, and I’m glad it was brought up.

The term “Ragnalock” got a chuckle out of me, will admit that. First time I’ve heard of it.

I had no idea the ARG theory was anything more than thelostspecial website. Somehow I missed that whole thing about it being part of the series itself.

And, a lot of things, in hindsight: just an overall, “yeah. :|”

And some additional notes I can’t really classify one way or another:

Cringing at MYSELF because of some of the post-S4 theories that, looking back: oof. Apple Tree Yard specifically. 

AND cringing at myself because I know I perpetuated a lot of the “IT WILL HAPPEN” in my corner of the fandom pre-S4 because I wanted people to be excited for a new season. For that I am very sorry to everyone who were hurt by my belief. S4 was a brick wall and I hit it hard, thought I do enjoy theorizing about how fake it was. It’s the only way to cope for me, LOL.

Ooof the drama stuff, a lot of it I didn’t know the entire deets about, only about the PPG being involved. I tried to stay out of it when I could and focused mainly on meta writing, my own healing processes, and making people feel welcome. It’s what a few bigger bloggers did for me when I joined by interacting with my posts and offering their kindness, and I wanted to return the favour. Inevitable it had to be covered, but yeah, dark times.

LOOOOOOOL the critique about TFP. Literally stuff that we’ve talked about in our “something’s fucky” tag. 

And to address the elephant in the room: Yes, I DID give SZ meta, but it was the link to fandom meta that is essentially on the header of my blog on desktop, just as I do with anyone interested in the fandom.

Overall, it was a thought provoking vid, a bit of a nostalgia hit to be honest. I thought that it was a good video, interesting in that strange way where you relive strange moments of your past. I feel it was a fair analysis of the fandom, but please, please remember: I can’t speak for those directly involved in the events mentioned, because I WAS NOT THERE. Not my place to disregard their feelings if they have a different opinion than I. 

That said, I think it’s worth a watch if only to see what the fandom WAS. But it’s informative and respectful, I think. Though, I think she could’ve left out the bit at the end just before the credits.

And finally: to anyone who are coming here from the vid: I have been here since S3, joined because of LSiT, and later I wrote villain Mary meta and TAB meta. These days, I primarily have focussed my attentions on curating content, offering my advice on stuff, introducing newbies to the series, and trying to spread positivity, all peppered in with the random theory from time to time, and trying to atone for my... “enthusiasm”?... in the past. I like promoting community and open discussion from all viewpoints, as long as it remains respectful. So yeah, I do have some meta you can check out, just let me know what you’re looking for, and I do lots of fic recs, so if you’re looking for something, hit me up.

Cheers, all. I’m going to bed. 

[a-force-dyad-in-space]

CHECK-IN TAG

I was tagged by @vishcount thank you ♥️

1. Why did you choose your url?

I love Rey and Ben/Kylo from the Star Wars sequel trilogy, and they are a force dyad who travel through and can communicate across space so, ergo, a force dyad in space ✌🏻

2. Any side-blogs? If you have them, name them and why you have them.

I don't have any sideblogs at the moment, but I'll be sure to tell you guys if I ever make any 😋

3. How long have you been on tumblr?

With this account, about two years, but I had another account before this one that ran from about 2011-2018 👀

4. Do you have a queue tag?

Nope, when I'm not online my blog is as dead as a doornail 🤣🤣🤣

5. Why did you start your blog in the first place?

Some months after I deleted my old account (for mental health reasons that I won't go into right now), I wanted to branch out into the Tumblrverse again. Even on my old account I hadn't been really active in a while because I was mostly on Twitter at that point. When I made this account, I still wasn't very active for a while, but after I watched The Rise of Skywalker I was in desperate need of kindred spirits and tired of really terrible takes on Twitter, so I started being more active here again (and made some great friends along the way ♥️), until I pretty much neglected all my other social media

6. Why did you choose your icon/pfp?

Again, I love Reylo, and since my URL is Reylo-based, I felt like my icon needed to be, too (even though I rarely even post Reylo these days, I gotta change that 😅); the icon I got right now is a bit dark and ominous for my liking now, tho, so I'll probably change it to a nicer one soon

7. Why did you choose your header?

When I watched The Untamed for the first time in November, I fell in love with WangXian, and I still love them to this day ♥️

8. What’s your post with the most notes?

Uh, this one might come as a surprise since I rarely post about Twilight, but it's my Eclipse rewatch post where I praise the vampire make-up and David Slade's beautiful use of the vampire sparkle (the Eclipse make-up and VFX departments really did the most) 😅 As of today (June 5, 2021) that post has just under 1k notes

9. How many mutuals do you have?

As of today, 16 (and I love every single one of them ♥️) 

10. How many followers do you have?

As of today, 153, but I don't really care about the quantity, more about the quality 👌🏻

11. How many people do you follow?

As of today, 357

12. Have you ever made a shitpost?

Uuuh... does my WangXian crack giftset count?

13. How often do you use tumblr each day?

Way too much probably, but honestly it and the Asian dramas I'm watching are what have been keeping me sane during this pandemic, so I don't really care 🤷🏻‍♀️

14. Did you have a fight/argument with another blog once? Who won?

Not that I can remember, but I have gotten rude anons before whose asks I simply deleted and moved on (I don't have the energy for that kind of bullshit; which is also why I don't accept anon asks anymore, my apologies to the people who might have sent me nice anon asks and are too shy to message me off anon; I don't bite, tho, I promise)

15. How do you feel about “you need to reblog this” posts?

I don't like "Reblog this or you're a terrible person" posts (tho I have to admit, I've let myself be guilt-tripped into reblogging these types of posts before, but I'm trying not to let those get to me anymore), because

1) by guilt-tripping people into reblogging something, whether it's an important topic or not, you will never know whether the person you guilt-tripped actually cares about the topic,

2) by trying to guilt-trip them into reblogging you might actually cause them to do the exact opposite and make them care even less because caring might feel like a chore as opposed to a learning curve about something they may have never heard of before they saw the post that's trying to guilt-trip them

and 3) at the end of the day we're all just running our little blogs here and absolutely no one is obligated to reblog anything they don't want to reblog.

Yes, it's important to raise awareness about important issues, but guilt-tripping someone into caring about something instead of just letting them know that that something is happening and letting them do their own research about it and grow to care about it on their own terms is not the way.

Okay, this one turned out more ranty than I anticipated, but here we are. 😅

16. Do you like tag games?

If I didn't I wouldn't be doing this one right now, would I? 😋

17. Do you like ask games?

I do, but no one ever sends me any asks for them 🥲🥲🥲🥲 (tho I rarely send other people asks for ask games, too, so I guess I could make more of an effort as well)

18. Which of your mutuals do you think is tumblr famous?

Definitely @cenedrariva, their SongXueXiao fic "Red Azalea" is absolutely amazing and they deserve all the love they get for it ♥️

Also, @krispycreamsicle and @byallaccountsitdoesntmakesense both make super awesome gifsets that they absolutely deserve to be tumblr-famous for 🔥

19. Do I have a crush on a mutual?

Who knows? 😏

20. tags?

Well, the three blogs I already mentioned are welcome to do the tag, of course, if they want, and also @calamity-queen @huxdameron @yumingyesfairy @nika1882 and @angst-wizard ♥️ No pressure tho, of course

[henrycavell]

Heroine

*not my gif, if i end up actually updating this, i’ll make it a header 

pairing: clark kent / ofc named Emma

summary: working on it

warnings: the only warning i can think is, im not sure if this is going to be a series, or if its just going to be a string of one shots or if im just posting this to never update it but here we go :)

word count: 1.7k

@littlefreya​ @mary-ann84​ @wondersofdreaming​ @forthebrokenheartedthings​ @geralt-of-baevia​ @asylummara​ @dearlybelovedluke​ @promptandpros​ @mansaaay​ @daddys-littlewhitegirl​ @vacant-writings​ ​ @80scavill​ @kaatelyyynn @iloveyouyen​ @henrythickcavill​ @hell1129-blog​

Her body ached, every inch of her flesh felt bruised and every muscle and joint was sore and throbbing. Emma’s body laid atop the rubble from the battle, a destroyed street corner that ended up taking a little family owned sandwich shop out too. Cutting through the sounds of camera shutters and people questioning her seemingly unconscious body, Emma could hear the owner of the shop crying, throwing his hands in the air and freaking out. How was she focusing on that background conversation so easily? And… was this her fault?

The last thing she remembered clearly was walking home from campus. She’d failed a math test and had been freaking out about it, certain she was going to have to repeat the class next semester. The absolute last thing she remembered was telling herself there was nothing she could do about it now, and had decided to treat herself. So, she had turned the corner of Main Street with the intention of heading to the little ice cream parlor at the end of the block.

It had been a relatively normal day. The sun was setting, the temperature was dropping and the sky was a beautiful mix of pinks and reds turning to purples. Emma had passed several couples and families out enjoying their evening as she strolled down Main Street. At that’s where her memory ends.

Forcing her eyes open, Emma pulled herself up into a sitting position and tried to ignore the throbbing headache that was pounding in the back of her skull. The sudden movement from the young woman garnered a reaction from the news reporters and the citizens who had gathered around. The entire crowd seemed to silence, their breaths catching in the back of their throats. But the quiet didn’t last for very long.

“Miss! Miss! Can you tell us what happened?”

“Where did you come from!?”

“Do you know Superman??”

Questions came hurling at her so quickly that she hadn’t had time to answer any of them. Emma’s eyes widened as she looked around at all the different lights, cameras in every direction pointed on her. And she hadn’t the slightest clue what she had done. Or what had even happened.

“How did such a little thing like you take out those two big men?” A reporter with a sleazy mustache asked, pushing a microphone up to her mouth as two EMTs tried to make their way through the crowd to her.

“Get that out of my face,” Emma mumbled, swatting away at the microphone, feeling her stomach twisting itself into knots. She never had liked having attention on her, not even a little bit. One of the EMTs came up to her side and got down on his knees to her level, beginning to check her over, asking if she was alright. “I’m fine,” she mumbled, pulling her arm away from the medic.

The man looked towards his partner, before back at Emma. “We just watched you crash through the side of that shop. Let us take you and check you out.”

The last place Emma was going to go was anywhere with these strangers. “No, I’m fine.”

A new voice entered her focus, demanding to be heard over the rest of the reporters even though it was soft and gentle. “She said she’s fine.” This reporter wore a brown suit over a navy plaid button up. His hair was perfect, not even a strand out of place. Large black framed glasses caught the reflection of the street lights in the night, hiding swirling pools of blue. The man’s brow was set into a hard line as he shooed the men away, though he knew there was nothing he could do for the mass crowd behind him. Clark only knew this girl didn’t need medical attention.

Clearing his throat, he held his hand out to Emma and gave her a small smile, nervous that she wouldn’t take it. He needed to speak to her and he hated that it had to be under the guise of a Daily Planet reporter, but he couldn’t speak to her as anyone else. “Names Clark. I… Daily Planet.” He mumbled, his gaze falling to his suede shoes on the wet pavement, his hand falling before Emma even had a chance to take it. Positive that she wouldn’t have anyway. “Let me just help you out of here,” Clark offered, looking back up at her before he reached for her hands on his own, pulling her up from the debris she had made a bed out of.

Emma had wanted to refuse him, had been thinking about pushing him away, too. To hell with his help, reporter was written all over him. It was just an attempt to get her to answer his questions over the rest. But he hadn’t given her a chance. Pulling her up to her feet, Emma groaned, feeling her back pop in places it shouldn’t. The strange man held her close to his chest, using his free arm to push his way through the crowd. Other reporters quickly shouted for their camera men to follow, with their pens and note pads in their hands they tried frantically to chase or stop them.

“Hey! Hey, wait!” They would shout, but Clark hadn’t hesitated for a step, nor had he allowed Emma to. Leading her down the street, Clark silently cursed to himself. If he were alone, he could turn down any one of these alleys and then just fly off to escape the vultures on their heels, but he couldn’t do that now.

Letting his hand fall to Emma’s, he grabbed it tightly and pulled her down a darkened street, before immediately pulling her into the empty back entrance of a closed restaurant. Clark flattened himself against the wall, forcing Emma to do the same with his arm across her chest. Her heart was pounding heavy, impossible for him to ignore. The shadows and the dumpster concealed the pair and Clark watched as the crazed reporters continued down the street with their camera men on their heels.

The large man’s shoulders slouched as he stepped away from the wall, one hand raising to his face to fix his glasses. Before he could even open his mouth, Emma was already walking away from him. “I’m not answering any questions for you, either.” The night was cold, a chill breeze rolling through the empty streets. Emma could hear the sounds of police sirens right around the corner and still, she wondered just what she had done.

“Then I won’t ask any,” Clark called after her, taking a few steps in her direction.

“Then you have no reason to be following me.” Emma pointed out to him, heading in the opposite way of the police lights, not sure what way she was headed. But Clark wasn’t ready to give up yet.

“Where are you going? You just went through something unbelievable and you’re acting like nothing has happened. Let me just make sure you get home safe-“ Clark reached out to place his hand on her shoulder. Emma turned on her heels and jerked away from his touch, looking at him as if he were an alien, but she couldn’t have possibly known that. “Don’t touch me. I don’t need your help.”

Clark frowned, freezing in his tracks as he looked down at Emma. He couldn’t shake this feeling he kept getting, especially when he looked right into her glistening eyes. Like she was completely clueless, afraid even. “Do you even know what just happened?” His question rolled off of his tongue in a breath, and Emma’s reaction was all the answer he needed. Her brow pulled together and her stare faltered from his. Her gaze dropped for just a second, a slight hesitation before her lips parted, but no words came out.

“Let me help you,” Clark repeated, reaching out to her once more. His hands fell on her shoulders and he turned her back in the direction she had initially been walking in. His hand fell down to her back, but not in a way that sent chills down her spine. Rather, it was comforting. Emma looked up at Clark as she followed him down the sidewalk, trying to tell herself that she was being tricked. He was a reporter, and all he wanted was the scoop first, he didn’t actually care. But what did Emma have to tell him? She knew nothing.

Whenever Emma closed her eyes, she would see slight flashes of the event. She’d remember what it felt like to throw a man through a brick wall, and how it had felt when she’d hit one herself. But she couldn’t recount the event, not at all. “Let’s get you some food, just sit down and relax for a bit. Then I can call a ride, take you home.” Clark was speaking again, pulling Emma out of her thoughts. For the moment, he wasn’t acting like a reporter and that was enough to help keep her calm.

Clark kept one hand on Emma for their entire walk, afraid that at any second the woman would get frightened again and decide to run. Still downtown, Clark brought her to a little restaurant he had visited on a handful of business occasions. They had little golden lights twinkling outside of their windows and a black and silver striped banner. It was fancy, but cozy and inviting at the same time.

“I’m… not very hungry,” Emma hesitated at the door, lingering on the stairs as Clark held the door open out for her.

“That’s fine,” he spoke, though a little frown came to his lips. “You don’t want to stand out here in the cold and wait for your ride, though, do you?” Clark motioned into the restaurant anyway, forcing a little smile her way. “I’ll order the ride now, promise.”

Emma sighed, her hands hugged around her torso, already bitter over the chilly temperature. Something told her that if she entered the restaurant with Clark, he’d be trying to get her to talk about the event sooner rather than later. But she was a rather long walk from her apartment and he was right, she didn’t want to be out in the cold any longer.

“Fine,” she mumbled and stepped into the restaurant before him.

[raendown]

A collaboration with the wonderful @sinyaru who made some delicious art to go with it! Check out the story or the sin blog to see them! 

Pairing: MadaraTobirama Word count: 5483 Rated: E Summary: Madara comes to him wet with rain and shaken with worry, confessing things that Tobirama already knows.

Follow the link or read it under the cut!

KO-FI and commission info in the header!

Love in Search of a (Spoken) Word

“I think I’m in love with you.” Madara’s fringe dripped with rainwater, plastered to his face so that one side was completely obscured. “And I’m terrified.”

“You’ll catch a cold standing out there like that,” Tobirama murmured. With slow, clearly telegraphed movements he reached out to pull the other inside, sliding the door closed without taking his first hand off the shaken man ready to bolt at a moment’s notice. 

His voice was soft as he directed Madara down the hall to the bathroom where he collected several towels from the closet. Drying off so much hair always took a long time but Tobirama was a patient man, parting the dripping mass in to sections and wrapping each in soft cotton, drawing as much of the water out naturally as possible to help cut down on the volume of frizz when he finished the job with a touch of chakra. A smile touched his lips when the man shivered under his ministrations and pushed him in to the bedroom. 

Stepping around towards the dresser, he pressed a kiss against his partner’s forehead on the way to pull out dry clothes from one of the drawers he had cleaned out months ago only to watch them slowly fill up with clothing that wasn’t his own. Madara’s gaze was locked somewhere over his shoulder when he turned around again. 

“Did you hear what I said?” came the impatient demand.

“I did.” Tobirama shook out the clothes and laid them across the end of the bed before starting on the task of unknotting the wet obi holding Madara’s sodden clothing together. 

“Oh.” 

Looking up, he smiled again at the crestfallen look on his partner’s face. What a ridiculous man. 

“Something wrong?” he asked. Madara stiffened and the thoughts racing through his mind were plain on his face, the internal struggle of whether or not to actually speak his mind. 

“You didn’t say anything. I said- but you didn’t- never mind, I guess.”

Tobirama hummed as he finally managed to get the knotted sash to loosen. “You’re worried over me not saying anything? I say that all the time. Not my fault you don’t know when to listen properly.” 

He paused to admire his handiwork when the knot finally opened, peeling the material away piece by piece until Madara was left standing in the middle of the room with his chest bare, skin clammy and cold, face scrunched up with confusion. If it weren’t for the natural heat his chakra nature granted him it was probable he might have already caught a cold standing outside in the rain as he’d apparently been doing. Dark eyes followed his every movement but Tobirama simply let the man stare until he finally found his words again. 

“Like when?” Madara demanded. 

“I say that I love you when you’re sleeping and you reach out to make sure I’m still there. I say that I love you when I wake in my lab to find that you’ve brought me tea and dinner. I say that I love you when you scream in someone’s face for making comments about Hashirama.” Tobirama bore the weight of his partner’s stare easily as he continued to pull wet clothing away and towel the cold skin beneath. “I say that I love you when you’re covered in blood and fearless in the face of odds that would make a lesser man weep. I say that I love you when you wrinkle your nose before you sneeze. I say that I love you when you watch the village children playing with a smile on your face.”

“You’ve never said it so that I can hear you.” Madara’s expression was a study of confusion, so many different emotions warring for space and all of them winning. 

“Don’t I?” Tobirama hummed. 

“No!” 

Pausing in his work, he looked his partner in the eye at last and lifted one eyebrow. “Do I not bring you tea made just the way you like it? Let you sleep after you’ve stayed awake holding Izuna’s hand through another panic attack? Share your dessert when you can’t finish it even though I have no taste for sweets?” 

“But you’ve never said it!” Madara cried. 

And that was at least partially true. In the months since they had stumbled their way through an awkward first date Tobirama had been careful never to say those words when he knew the other could hear him. Emotions had always been difficult for both of them to express in any way and verbally was the worst. Asking either of them to speak how they felt out loud was akin to pulling teeth for information, a messy affair and painful for everyone involved. 

He supposed, however, that sacrifices could be made for his most precious person. 

“I love you very much,” Tobirama said with a small tilt of the head. “There, I’ve said it. Does that assuage your fears at all?”

Madara’s response was a soft whine, leaning forward until he could bury his reddening face against Tobirama’s shoulder. Neither of them saw fit to care much about the remaining damp on his person slowly leeching in to Tobirama’s clothing. A little water was the last thing on their minds. Tobirama slid his arms around the cold body molesting him and held tightly, unsure if he was trying to soothe himself or his partner but happy enough to kill two birds with one stone. He listened to a few ridiculous grumbles about how he always had an answer for everything while looking around for one of the many hair brushes his bedroom had recently acquired.

Before stepping away to grab the closest one Tobirama allowed them both a few minutes to stand quietly in their embrace. When the heat in Madara’s ears had receded to less worrisome levels he slipped over to snatch up the brush, returning as quickly as possible, hands sliding over naked skin like he could press himself in to his partner’s soul and never be parted again. A fanciful thought he chose not to dwell on. 

“Say it again.” 

“I love you. Turn around, I’ll start with the back.”

“You don’t have to,” Madara murmured even as he turned around to kneel on the futon, the impact of his weight sending up waves of their mingled scents. The familiar mixture seemed to help him focus on something other than the heat rising up the back of his neck again. 

Tobirama smiled as he knelt behind and began to work out the knots at the very end of the long mane before him. Brushing Madara’s hair was always a lengthy process that required a great deal of patience but it was something he had enjoyed from the first time he offered, the perfect excuse to bury his fingers in luxuriously soft waves and a way to lavish tender care on his partner without mortifying either of them with grandiose gestures. Feeling merciful, he waited until he was at least mostly done before finally speaking his mind, laughter hiding under his tongue. 

“I noticed that you didn’t say anything back.”

“Nng!” 

As expected, Madara’s first reaction was to indulge in a full body flail that overbalanced him in to the blankets. Tobirama looked on with a smile for his favorite fool. He himself wasn’t all that great with expressing things but his partner had a certain dramatic flair that seemed entirely unique to him. Even Hashirama with his constant outbursts never quite reached the level of his best friend. Falling over seemed to leave him disoriented so it took a minute or two of flopping about as though he’d lost control of his own limbs before finally Madara was able to roll over and climb back in to a kneeling position, facing back towards Tobirama but with his chin tucked down to avoid eye contact. That may have had something to do with the return of a deep blush to his cheeks. 

“Well, I mean, I did already say it.” 

“Mn, what was it you said?”

“That I love you!”

Finally Tobirama let his smile blossom in to soft chuckles as he reached out and pulled the other man in to another embrace. “You may find this somewhat anticlimactic but I already knew that. To me it was obvious how we both felt even if we never said the words to each other.” 

“Oh. That’s...that’s nice, I suppose.” Madara furrowed his brows as though with deep thought. 

“I am always nice to you”-Tobirama paused to reconsider and added-”except when I am not. Now, I can’t imagine that hanging about naked and damp is keeping you very warm. Get yourself under the blanket while I go fetch another one so you don’t leech all of my heat while I sleep.” 

For once Madara didn’t seem inclined to argue, flopping back down across the futon and rolling about again until his face was buried out of sight. Tobirama celebrated his easy win by not pointing out that falling asleep without braiding all that hair would only mean brushing it out again in the morning. Considering how often they spent the night in each others’ homes he had learned months ago to keep an extra blanket stored in the room for easy access so it was only a minute or so later that he was pulling at corners to straighten the addition, lifting one edge to admire the pale backside hidden underneath before slipping in to press himself against it. 

It wasn’t until he was almost completely settled in and ready to sleep that he noticed his own shirt was still wet. Tobirama wrinkled his nose in annoyance. 

“Where are you going?” Madara demanded as soon as he began to squirm back out of the bed. 

“My shirt is wet,” he answered. “I’ll never fall asleep if I don’t replace it with something dry.”

“Just take it off and get back here. S’not like I’ve never seen you without a shirt on.”

Tobirama hummed thoughtfully, propped up on one elbow where he had paused in his movements. “I wasn’t sure if it was appropriate, to be honest. You seemed quite shaken by your realization; I didn’t wish to make you feel pressured in to anything.” His partner looked back at him with utter confusion. 

“Pressured?”

“You’re entirely nude,” he pointed out. 

Not that such a thing bothered him. Like the man had said, it wasn’t like they’d never seen each other naked or fallen asleep together in such a state. It was just that he had a long track record of failing to read the mood properly and he wasn’t certain whether the press of skin against skin would be welcome just now. Madara’s snort was enough of an answer to make him feel foolish for his caution. 

“Get naked and get back here so you can warm me up!” 

Since that was an order he was more than happy to follow Tobirama only chuffed and reached for the hem of his top. Having been getting ready for bedtime anyway shortly before his partner arrived, there weren’t a whole lot of layers for him to remove, allowing him to slip under the blankets only a minute later and wriggle in until Madara’s hips were fitted in to the cradle of his own with one arm tucked under his own head with the other holding their bodies tightly together. It was a familiar position, one they had fallen asleep in numerous times before. Still it made his heart flutter helplessly in his chest to feel the tension in Madara’s body seep away and sink back against him. To have such trust from a man like this was a gift he still wasn’t sure how he had earned. 

He was hardly one to look a gift horse in the mouth, though. 

On the other hand, he was absolutely the type of man who had never entirely learned when to leave well enough alone, when to stop asking questions. As Madara finally warmed up enough to stop shivering Tobirama burrowed in against the damp hair at the back of his neck and hummed thoughtfully. 

“Why did it terrify you?” he asked. 

“Huh?”

“Falling in love, why did it scare you?”

The body in his arms went stiff again but he held tightly as Madara searched for words. “Love can be dangerous for the people in my clan. I mean, I knew that we were headed down that road but it was like I was walking along and it just hit me all of a sudden, you know? Like opening my eyes to see that I had already arrived when I thought there was still half the journey left.” 

“So you were just startled more than anything else?” Tobirama summarized, lifting a brow when Madara squirmed uncomfortably against him. 

“Well...I don’t know. Maybe I was a little worried that you weren’t, er, quite at the same part of the journey as I am.”

Now that gave him pause. Tobirama rolled that around in his mind a few times to look at it from every angle, deciding how it made him feel. After a minute or so he offered, “To be the only one in love would indeed be a terrible thing.” Shuffling away gave him room to pull Madara down on to his back so their eyes could meet. “But you’re not the only one. Quite frankly it’s a little worrisome that you don’t seem to realize how much I care for you.” 

“Obviously I know that you care.” Madara grumbled.

“But-”

“I just didn’t know how deeply, alright? Neither of us has ever been in love before, how was I supposed to know what it looks like!” 

“Ah. Well allow me to show you then.”

The heat in his eyes kept his prey still for Tobirama to slide himself over Madara’s body until he was straddled across broad hips. When he leaned in for a kiss he was met halfway by a pair of soft, eager lips and hands grazing up the skin of his chest, pausing to thumb circles around one of his nipples. Apparently there really hadn’t been a need for him to worry about whether the mood was right for this. How delightful. Speaking without words had always been the best way they communicated. He responded to such welcome ministrations with a gentle roll of his hips to test the waters a little further. The whine that rose up from below broke their kiss and Tobirama took advantage of the distraction to dip his head, leaving a trail of sharp bites down the column of his partner’s neck just to feel how the body underneath his arched in to the sensation. 

Although technically this was still his home there was enough of Madara here for the man to reach out with the absent minded confidence of someone who knew their space well and come back with a half empty bottle of lube. That definitely sealed the deal of where this was going. His fingers were still quite cold when they felt their way down to Tobirama’s entrance but so was the lube itself. Still he murmured his apologies and some lewd suggestions for how he could warm his hand, filthy words meant to distract from the soft emotion in his voice. 

Like he usually did, Tobirama allowed his partner the dignity of not pointing out that it didn’t work. 

Instead he rocked his hips forward to feel the brush of skin against skin and then back in to the touch at his entrance with a low sigh of want as he felt two fingers press inside. Madara took advantage of the distraction to capture his lips in another kiss, free hand tracing patterns on his ribs, grounding him with gentle strokes that softened the edges of frenetic lust in to something that could only be described as passion. Madara was a man who brought passion in to every facet of his life. From the first time they tumbled in to bed together Tobirama had been more than happy to enjoy the benefits of such a tendency here where at last they found a way to communicate that they both understood. It boggled Tobirama’s mind that his partner could ever be unsure of where they stood with each other when he felt the love between them so clearly in every kiss, every touch. Here between the sheets their bodies spoke for them and oh how he loved the sweet music their souls made together.

“Your lips make me wonder what the rest of you would taste like,” Madara whispered, likely unaware that Tobirama could clearly hear what he meant to say: that he could never get enough, that he wanted to have this every day for the rest of their lives. A sentiment that was shared rather enthusiastically. 

“As if you haven’t tasted every inch of me before,” he murmured back. “You’re always welcome to do so again, though.” 

He wondered if his partner truly understood the offer he was making in return but at the same time he supposed it didn’t matter. The panic on Madara’s face when he appeared on the porch tonight, soaked through with the night’s rain, made it clear that subtlety had run its course. Words would be needed - but later. Later he could embarrass them both with bluntly laying out the happy future he saw for them. For now this was more than enough, listening to Madara splutter indignantly. He could dish out the filth but it always flustered him when Tobirama riposted so easily. 

“See if I don’t!” Madara declared, although he notably made no move to change their positions. 

Tobirama had no problems with accepting another finger inside himself. His hips rolled almost unconsciously in to the sensations of being opened up for something bigger. There were times when it was almost annoying how necessary this step was, times when all he wanted was the closeness of being filled and feeling Madara flush against him as soon as possible, but there were also times like now when it was nice to draw it all out, to savor every moment the way a maiden savors every brush stroke of a heartfelt love letter. 

It seemed his thoughts were determined to run in a sappy direction tonight, more affected by Madara’s declaration than he’d realized. Tobirama bore down on the fingers scissoring inside him and nipped at the lips moving against his own in an effort to bring himself back to the present. Yes Madara loved him but he’d already known that. Why should hearing it spoken out loud affect him like this? 

“Need- hold on.” A moment and Madara’s touch was gone, immediately missed, encouraging a scowl to rise on Tobirama’s face until he realized what the man had paused for. 

“Right.” It took a great deal of strength to shuffle away just enough that Madara had room for slipping a condom down over his own length. The moment those hands were out of his way he was sliding in again to fit them together in ways he had never fit against another. 

“Like this?” Madara asked him. 

“I want to watch you,” Tobirama admitted. 

Heat climbed up the column of Madara’s neck, lips mumbling that they could watch each other just as well the other way around, though he offered no true complaints. In the language of an emotionally constipated Uchiha that usually meant he was pleased by what was said but too embarrassed to say so. Tobirama would have taken the time to pat himself on the back for understanding if he weren’t busy with canting his hips at just the right angle for Madara to press against him until the head of his cock slid inside, both of them groaning with something like relief. 

“Gods,” his partner swore. “Perfect. Always feel so fucking perfect.” 

“Could say the same of you,” Tobirama tried to sally back, though it came out much more breathless than intended. 

Yet how could he be anything but breathless as he sat up for gravity to pull him down until the two of them were perfectly and entirely locked together. Considering who they were, what they had been trained for and how their tempers were prone to running hot at a moment’s notice, gentle was not a word that could often be used to describe their sex life. For that matter it wasn’t a word that could often be used to describe most facets of their relationship and to the surprise of many that worked for them. But there were days like today when the feral animal passion that usually marked their nights simply wasn’t present. Sometimes it was nice to just be together, to gentle their touch the way both of them had gentled the other’s heart. 

Tobirama rolled his hips in a slow circle just to enjoy the feeling of being full - and maybe also to hear his partner groan with impotent frustration, no doubt eager for him to really move. Just this once there was mercy in him. Bracing himself against the broad chest below, he lifted his body as slowly as a man with his muscular control was able to. He watched Madara’s eyes fall shut as though praying for strength and breathed a sigh of contentment when the hands skimming his body settled at last on his hips, neither pushing nor pulling, not hurrying him in any way but simply framing him with the same unwillingness to let go that had kept the two of them together for so long now. Only when he could feel the pull of Madara’s cock head against his entrance did he finally lower himself back down and let his jaw fall open to pant through the sensation of being filled all over again. 

He wanted to have patience. More than any other night he wanted to draw this out until it became a contest of who could hold out the longest through such sweet torture. And he probably could have much better if not for the burning in his chest that could not be ignored, the pounding of a heart that beat solely for the man sliding inside him, the scent of sex as heavy around them as the lingering scent of damp hair.

Keeping a steady rhythm was easy but forcing that rhythm to remain slow was so much harder with jolts of electricity running up his spine with each rock of his hips. Tobirama knew that if he just shifted his weight back on to his heels he could find the perfect angle against his own prostate and the only thing preventing him from doing so was the idea of stopping even for a single moment. Just the thought of separating himself from his partner had him angling the opposite way, bending his spine until he was close enough to lower his head for another kiss. Madara met him with a low whine of desire. 

Together they rocked and kissed, hands gliding over skin as they slowly worked up a sweat, teeth nipping and lips parting only to let out breathless moans before pressing together again. If there were any moment in his life Tobirama wished he had the ability to imprint upon his mind like the Sharingan could it would be this one. With the ability to immortalize memories he would fill his mind with happy ones, the words whispered in the darkness, the touches they shared when there was no one there to see them. He would have given the world to bring the expression on Madara’s face with him until the grave. Nothing could possibly have filled his chest with warmth quite like seeing red and black eyes looking back at him, memorizing him the way he wished he could do in return. 

When the muscles in his thighs began to burn Tobirama shifted his weight minutely in an attempt to ease the pressure without stopping. A frown touched his brow for perhaps a single heartbeat, the shift putting him at an angle that wasn’t quite as good, but it wasn't a problem for long. The next time he sank down Madara rolled his hips up to meet in the middle and the sensation punched a cry out of him that lingered in the air.

“Just like that,” he managed to choke out, pressing back harder and letting another groan slip out, preening under the hot eyes watching his every move. It was always nice to be appreciated. 

“S’long as you - hnn gods - don’t stop!” Madara’s voice sounded just as strained as his own, stroking Tobirama’s ego even as he slipped a hand between them to stroke his cock in time with their movements. 

Keeping his rhythm controlled at an almost excruciatingly slow pace began to pay off at last as he felt tension gathering in his thighs and his belly, heat bubbling through his veins, building steadily towards what promised to be a rather spectacular end. If the grimace of pleasure looking up at him from below was anything to judge by he would say that Madara felt quite the same. Resisting the urge to quicken his movements was difficult, resisted only by employing every last ounce of willpower he could muster. Each time he sat back Madara filled him oh so perfectly and each time he lifted away his own cock slid through the ring of fingers stroking him just so. Despite having thought this same thing before - several times before - he couldn’t help thinking this must be the best sex they’d ever had. 

And he thanked every deity he could think of that his partner had no interest in soppy confessions of that nature. 

With a rumbling growl that even he would not have expected to hear from himself, Tobirama clenched his fingers and bent to crash their lips together for a kiss that bordered on vicious. Madara’s hips snapped harder as if in reflex and that was all he needed. Tobirama cried out even as he refused to pull away. Adrenaline and dopamine flooded his system, orgasm crashing through his veins like wildfire, and over the white noise of pleasure he could just faintly hear Madara echoing his cry so loudly he could feel it in his soul. 

His body was shuddering uncontrollably when he finally realized he was still kissing his partner frantically, a dying man finding water in the desert. Madara’s fingers tightening on his hips brought them to stillness before he even understood they were still moving. Their lips parted and Tobirama gasped for the breath he hadn’t noticed he was holding, gulping air and curling down in the same movement, needing to be as close as possible even if he knew he could never have properly put that need in to words. Strong arms closed around him without comment. At first simply to rest against his back, a welcome and comforting weight, then after a minute or so stroking languidly up and down his spine. Tobirama used that touch to ground himself. 

“Shit,” rumbled past his ear with a puff of exhausted breath. 

“Eloquent.” Tobirama made a passing attempt at teasing only to decide he hadn’t the energy. “But accurate.”

“That was…”

He waited but when Madara didn’t continue he smiled, unable to lift his head just yet and unbothered by the hair pillowing his face. “Yes. Yes it was.”

“Well, ah, I guess I really did get myself worked up about nothing. And you know what? I can’t seem to find the will to be upset about it.” Madara huffed once in amusement but stopped when Tobirama mumbled in protest for the movement. 

“Of course you were worried for nothing. Unnecessary emotions are, after all, your modus operandi.”

“I don’t know what that means but I feel like I should be insulted.”

“Yes, you should. You should also quit squirming before I pinch you in the side; I am quite comfortable right here and if you dislodge me I will not be happy.” 

This time when Madara laughed it was more of an amused hum as he fell blessedly still, allowing Tobirama to fairly melt overtop of him. As much as the hand stroking his back had been appreciated it was nice to just lie still and drift. Several minutes passed during which the world outside of their little personal bubble slowly inched back in to their awareness, the sound of crickets drifting in the window, drying sweat tacky on their skin. Eventually the romance of lying in each other’s arms gave way to the need for cleaning themselves up. Tobirama still made a point of rolling his head sideways to leave a trail of languid kisses across whatever skin he could reach without moving just yet. 

“Do try not to forget,” he murmured.

“No,” Madara agreed. “I don’t think I could. Sometimes I do wonder if the other clans ever love as strongly as an Uchiha but I suppose it doesn’t matter. This is the only way I know how to love. You’re just going to have to deal with it.”

“I deal with a lot being in love with you.” 

Already smirking, this time when his glorified mattress heaved with insult he allowed the motion to roll him sideways and down across the mess they had made of his sheets. His muscles were still a little too shaky to dodge the reprimanding swat that caught him in the bottom as he stumbled his way up off the futon and away to grab a damp cloth from the bathroom. Cleaning himself was a perfunctory affair, little attention to detail and finished as soon as possible, then he was wobbling back off to the bedroom where he tossed another cloth over Madara’s face and crumpled back in to the bedding. 

He watched through hooded eyes while his partner gave himself a similarly quick once over in the more important places until finally that cloth too was discarded and he attacked the first opening available, draping one leg back over Madara’s waist and pillowing his head against a strong shoulder. 

“I feel I should also warn you not to expect such sentimentality from me very often. This was a special occasion.” 

Madara grunted. “I think we’d both melt from embarrassment if I asked you to declare your love for me every morning or some bullshit.” 

“Listening to Anija and his wife was bad enough before I escaped the pair of them.”

“Ugh. I did not envy you having to live in the same house as all that goopy romance. How you kept your sanity is beyond me.” 

“Aren’t you the one who says I have none left anyway?”

He listened to another grunt of acknowledgement and then the both of them fell silent again for several minutes. Without the stink of drying salt on their skin or the tacky feeling of their own bodily fluids it was so much more pleasant to let their muscles turn to water, eyes sliding closed to welcome the blanket of exhaustion settling down over them. It was hard sometimes, Tobirama mused, to really believe that this was all real. He supposed he could understand the panic in Madara’s eyes when his partner showed up tonight. It was always the softest moments, the ones that should be nothing but appreciated, that made one question if this could all be little more than a fanciful dream. 

But he knew that, as it had every other day, the morning would come and with it would come terrible breath, bickering over who should cook breakfast, and a hundred new moments to appreciate this man who had grown so dear to him. What they had was so far from any predictions he’d once had of his own future; it was so much more. 

They were happy. They made each other happy. And that was so much more important that the how or why of it all. 

“‘M fallin’ ‘sleep,” Madara announced in a sleepy mumble. 

“That is what one does in a bed.” Tobirama’s snarky reply was softened somewhat by the yawn that blurred the majority of his words. 

He heard some sort of vague rebuttal being grumbled in to his hair. Whatever it was Madara was trying to say was mostly lost to the pull of dreams as he fell willingly in to sleep’s embrace. When he was sure that his partner was well and truly unconscious Tobirama dredged up the strength to shift his body just a little closer, curling them together just a little bit tighter, and smiled the sort of gentle mushy smile he hoped no one would ever see on his face. 

“I love you,” he whispered one last time. “You dumb ass.” 

Then he closed his eyes and let the darkness take him onward towards another day in their version of a happy ever after. 

[jinterlude]

More Than Enough

↳ Header is made by yours truly, and the photo used can be found here.

—Pairing: Namjoon x Reader (female OC) —Genre(s): Angst, Romance, Fluff, & Slight-Humor —AUs/Tropes: Haikyuu!!Verse, Shiratorizawa Volleyball Captain!Namjoon, Field and Track!Reader, Hyung line are all 3rd years, Taehyung and Jimin are 2nd years, and Jungkook is a 1st year (awe baby) —Warning(s)/Rating: None / G —Word Count: 1,374 —Summary: After blowing their last chance at Nationals before moving on to that University life, Namjoon decides to blow off some steam by running on the track, however, the last person he expected to see showed up and brought a group of friends—and a wheelbarrow?

—A/N: Good morning party people! I am back fulfilling two different drink requests because why not?! Anyway, the first request was made by @jintobean​ who wanted Namjoon + Whiskey & Wine + Wheelbarrow and the second request was made by @ihavetitanium (I can’t tag you uwu so I linked your blog instead) who wanted Namjoon + Hot Chocolate! Talk about a combination of an interesting drabble! I had fun writing this, to be honest! Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this! As always, feedback (constructive and/or positive) is always welcome! 

Also, this is written for @bangtan-dreamland‘s Drinks + Drabbles game! Thank you Eris and BHQ for creating this fun net game!

“And that’s the match! Karasuno goes on to Nationals for the third consecutive year!” 

A faint growl emits from Namjoon’s lips as the bitterness from his team’s complete and utter defeat returns. 

His hands ball into a fist. His knuckles practically turn white from the intense pressure. 

Namjoon’s tears well up as he doesn’t want to end his volleyball career on such a sour note. Shiratorizawa’s defeat isn’t how he desires to hand over the team to Taehyung, Jimin, Jungkook, and the rest of the younger players. 

The intelligent captain has planned every detail of their victory until their match against those lowly crows. 

And now? 

No longer will Karasuno be known as the “Flightless Crows.” Now, Shiratorizawa will take that title. The title of being called the “Flightless Eagles.”

Namjoon can’t help but snort at the mere thought of a majestic bird like the eagle becoming flightless. 

“I know that goofy grin, Joonie,” A friendly voice penetrates his entertaining thoughts, “So, what smart joke got you smiling like that?” Asks the voice, who Namjoon registers as his close friend—yours. Well, you’re his non-male close friend. Yoongi will have a heart attack if he hears Namjoon even remotely think that you’ve taken his spot as his number bro. 

Bromances are strange, and a concept that he will never quite grasp. 

Stopping in the middle of his sixth lap around the field, Namjoon stands in the middle of the lane, panting heavily. You quickly jog up to the volleyball captain. 

“___, what brings you out on the field this fine evening?” Namjoon asks, dodging your earlier question. 

You hum in response, grabbing your ankle as you begin stretching your leg muscles. 

“Well,” You pause, gesturing around you, “This is technically my territory since I am a member of the track & field club.” You state proudly, smirking. “So, let me turn that question back to you and ask what brings you out on the field this fine evening?” You ask, smiling sweetly.

Namjoon slowly nods, completely lost for words as that freaking smile of yours causes his heart to skip a beat. Talk about a cliché.  However, the speechless boy swiftly composes himself, clearing his throat as he maintains his usual stoic expression. 

Your quick and witty remarks are one of the many reasons why he harbors romantic feelings for you. 

Well, your witty remarks and the fact that you actually manage to outrank him during exam season. 

For crying out loud, you’re basically his dream girl. Now, if only you’ve chosen to join the girls’ volleyball club. 

Oh, well. 

The track and field club is an excellent second place sports-related club.

Shaking away his inner thoughts, Namjoon rakes his hand through his hair, ignoring the fact that some parts of his hair contain sweat. 

You grimace, “Okay, remind me to ask you to wash your hands before you touch me.” 

Namjoon arches his brow and then looks down at his hand. A short, “ah,” escapes his lips as he quickly wipes his tainted hand against his sweatpants. 

You giggle softly as you playfully shake your head. 

“Well, since you seem kind of jumbled, I’m going to take a wild guess and go with that you sadly lost in the finals against Karasuno. Shiratorizawa will not advance to Nationals.” You say, quickly alarming Namjoon. 

He begins fumbling over his words—a rare sight for the school’s resident Brainiac. Well, one of them. 

Your eyes widen, unsure what to say or even do next. Though, you take a few moments to relish this adorable sight. Unknown to Namjoon, you’ve actually developed a little crush on the scheming captain of Shiratorizawa. You somehow develop this strange infatuation over your high school career. At first, you’ve tried to talk yourself out of this silly little crush. However, that’s proven futile after your track and field announced to the entire club that they’ll be attending one of the volleyball team’s games. 

God, you remember that afternoon so vividly as the game has taken place during yours and Namjoon’s second year. 

To this day, you still recall the intense amount of focus and passion on Namjoon’s face as he relentlessly went after each ball, making sure that it remained in the air. After that day, you finally understand why your classmates say that Namjoon treats each match like a rousing game of chess. 

He is calculating…

He is intelligent…

And he knows how to ensure that Shiratorizawa maintains victory after each match. 

Now, imagine your surprise when word of their defeat reaches your ears. Hence, why you are currently standing next to Namjoon, checking up on him and hopefully cheering him up in the process. 

You don’t need telepathic abilities to know that today’s loss completely crushed Namjoon and the rest of the third years on the volleyball team. 

Not wanting to worsen that mental wound, you suggest a fun race between you and him. 

Namjoon eyes you strangely, “A race? Why?” 

You simply shrug, “Well, I know how competitive you get, and I always wanted to see who was the fastest between us.” You explain with a warm smile. 

Namjoon slowly nods his head, and as he opens his mouth to accept your challenge with a smile so wide that reveals his dimples, you guys hear panic shouts. 

The two of you turn towards the direction of the shouts and see six volleyball club members running down the ramp. It also appears that two of the members are pushing something. 

Wanting to get a better look, you squint, but soon your eyes go wide. 

“Those guys…” Namjoon mutters, suddenly embarrassed to call them teammates. 

You chuckle, “Uh. Do you want to tell me why your friends stole the gardener’s wheelbarrow and are now running as if their lives depend on it?” You question the poor volleyball captain, releasing a few more chuckles that bubble within your chest. 

Namjoon points towards another figure chasing after his good friends, “I’m guessing it has something to do with the fact that said gardener is threatening him as he runs after them,” He slightly shakes his head, “Poor gardener though. He can’t keep up with those six, especially the youngest of our little group.” A long sigh leaves the exhausted captain’s mouth. 

You shift your focus away from the comedic scene, though, you want to keep watching. 

It’s not every day you see a bunch of fellas steal a wheelbarrow. 

“Are you gonna help them?” 

“I mean a good captain would, but since the season is officially over, I’m no longer captain since I passed the title over to Jimin and—” 

“RM! Look, we did what no other team has done and stole the gardener’s prized tool!” One of his friends interrupts Namjoon. You recognize the voice, knowing it belonged to the school’s resident sunshine boy. Jung Hoseok. 

“Oh, wait! Is this girl you like, RM?” questions another friend of his who is exceptionally handsome. Then, you recognize the pretty boy as Kim Seokjin. 

However, his handsomeness doesn’t faze you. What does disturb you is the sole fact that Namjoon may or may not return your feelings? 

Oh, dear lord. 

Crossing your arms, you give the bright-red faced captain a knowing look. 

The shy boy averts his gaze and then narrows his eyes on his close friends. 

“Don’t you guys have to run away from the gardener or something?” 

“We will, but we want to first witness you asking out ___!”

Namjoon growls, but just as he’s about to threaten his buddies, you come to his rescue. 

Lucky for them…

“Tell you what, how about you guys resume your comedy skit and I will tell you what your dear old captain says to me asking him out. Deal?” 

“Say no more! See you later, guys!” The youngest shouts before ordering Jimin and Taehyung to resume pushing the wheelbarrow. 

You and Namjoon stare at their retreating bodies, patiently waiting for the nosy group to be out of earshot. 

Once they are, Namjoon turns to you and asks, ruining your so-called plan, 

“So, how does this Friday night sound?” 

“Sounds perfect. Now, please go save your friends before the gardener hurts them, especially Jungkook. He looks too adorable, and I don’t want him injured.”

“As you wish.”

More Than Enough is copyright 2020 by jinterlude, all rights reserved.