#even though I know that's not true and it's absolutely fine for me to draw myself and say ''this is me''

[thethingything]

I just spent 4 and a half hours on a drawing because I was like "hmm, drawing a self portrait sounds fun" and then I spent the whole time working on it going "this is absolutely beautiful but that is not my fucking face and I can't work out why it doesn't look right"

[dduane]

From the Writing Advice dep't: A complicated ask, a serial answer (part 1)

Every now and then I get an ask in the box that's complex enough that it has to be taken apart and answered in pieces. Also, sometimes I get queries in that are painful enough (in varying ways) that I elect not to attribute them when answering. This one is both.

I read the ask (and reread it, and rereread it, four or five or six times after it came in, and a bunch more times while I was on my back this week being sick), and gradually came to realize that for it to be properly handled I had no choice but to break it into pieces for best management.

There are three main strands to the issues this ask brings up: motivation, growth as a writer, and coping with or succeeding despite the current state of the publishing industry.

So let's dig in. Here's the first part of the ask:

I know there's no One True Path, but I'm struggling with this, and I'm sure others are too, so I'll just ask it. I want to make a career out of writing, but with shrinking attention spans and so much content to mindlessly consume, how do you keep the motivation to write? My friends get mad at me for getting discouraged when not even they read my writing. They get mad and say, "write for yourself, not for the validation!"

Welp. (sigh)

First of all, I think your friends are absolutely right. But we'll come back to that.

You have to understand that as far as the Search for Motivation goes, I'm probably Spiders DD, the outlier who seriously should not have been counted. I have been motivated to write stuff pretty much nonstop since I was eight, and did my first novel in crayon in a school notebook. (It was one of the thick notebooks. The ones with the black and white marbled covers. Most of you who come of US schools know the kind.)

So I'm really the wrong person to be asking about this, especially since it's now nearly the Year of our (Wood!) Dragon 4722, which would make me nearly, uh, six Years of the Dragon old. And being of such age, and a career midlist genre writer, I have the same source of motivation as the vast majority of my similarly-aged colleagues: the need to write or starve. (There's an Irish saying perfectly descriptive of my situation: "Too old to dig ditches and too scared to rob banks." That's my situation exactly. There's nothing left for me to do but to write.) :)

...Anyway, it's kind of amazing how that kind of motivation'll focus your intention, and help you keep it in place, once you're been working with it for a while.

At the beginning of a career, though, things can look a lot different as you start getting a handle on exactly what it is you like to write and why you like writing it. And having another job to keep you afloat while you find your way is seriously a very good idea if you can manage it.

It sounds very much to me as if you're still in the early "finding your way" stages. This is a place that a lot of writers pass through, so don't be concerned. It's rare for sudden perfect motivation-to-write to crystallize out of nothing. And never forget, the word itself is based on old Latin roots for movement, and provokes the question, "Yeah, okay, but which way?" Movement without intended direction tends to turn into a lot of unfocused flailing, which looks good on Kermit, but not so much on the rest of us.

(inserting a cut here, because honestly, this is gonna go on a bit)

So you need to sit down and start asking questions—and answering them—so you can draw some kind of map. "I want to make a career out of writing"? Fine. What kind of writing? Fiction? Nonfiction? If fiction, what kind? What do you like to read? Why? Is that something you'd like to write? Why? Why not? If there's something else you'd rather be writing—what else? And why?

The more you ask the questions and answer them—"Keep asking the next question," Ted Sturgeon never used to stop saying—and the further along your investigations get, the more likely you are (as you get close to the answers that matter) to start getting the itch to write something, something in particular. This process may take a while, and the itch may take a good while to manifest. Don't be alarmed by that. The old saying is that the fire from Heaven won't descend until you've built the altar for it. And it may take a while piling the rocks up into the right shape. Don't hurry. If this is something you intend to spend a lifetime on, make sure the foundations are sound. The time taken will be worth it.

And BTW, do you intend that kind of length of commitment? If you're not sure, that's fine. But there's no one else to ask at this point who can give you meaningful answers. This is the time to get into it. Work out what "having a career in writing" looks like for you. Then start investigating to see whether your conception has any foundation in reality as a kind of lifestyle you actually have decent odds on achieving. (Again, I'm an outlier here. I'd been writing for pleasure for a long time before I had the good fortune to befriend an actual career writer, examine his habits [and those of other writers in the LA area] at close range, and realize that this line-of-work choice was actually something that could be successfully pulled off by mere mortals.) After investigation, this is a call that only you can make.

But anyway. Once you've started experiencing the kind of motivation that comes of increased certainty about what you want to do and why, you'll find you're way less concerned about sourcing or supporting it externally. It tends to fuel itself. (As once it does descend, the fire from Heaven is tenacious stuff: more Greek than otherwise.)

But also: trying to designate outsourced exterior stimulants for motivation is a bad idea. The reason's simple: one day you'll need them and they won't be there. Conditions will have changed, or the outside-of-you sources into the hands of which you've resigned your motivational agency may not be available for one reason or another, temporarily or permanently... and then where are you? The concept's a nonstarter. If your motivation's acting up, you need to be looking inward, not outward, for ways to kickstart it. This is one of the most personal parts of the writing process. You need to own it.

(And yeah, even career writers' motivation slips sometimes: annoying career things happen, cyclic lows cut in at a bad time, you name it. Most of us work out ways to jar the motivation back into correct operation when it acts up. But for such corrections to work you must first know what it's like to generate or mine yours yourself... and you're still working on that. The methods you find to generate motivation toward doing the Work will also assist you in diagnosing it when it goes south, and putting it right again.)

Also: (sighing) Please let your friends off the hook as regards reading your material, and feedback. Your motivation to write should not be dependent on their feedback, and it's not a good idea to try to make friends feel responsible for keeping you on the creative track. Chief among reasons for this: they may not feel themselves up to the task of giving you the writing support you're apparently asking them for—possibly because they simply don't feel competent to. (This is where we could get into how I had to stop @petermorwood from rewriting his third novel for the third time due to conflicting notes from friends... but let's leave that for later.) At best you're possibly making your friends deeply uncomfortable. At worst, the pressure may damage the friendships.

Tl:dr; our friends may love us dearly, but that doesn't make them competent editors. If you're online, so are many writers' groups who'll welcome a new member who needs advice. Wait till you've got more data and clarity on your motivational issues, and then start shopping around for assistance that seems friendly and trustworthy.

And finally (for the moment), about other people's attention spans:

It'd be good if you can start training yourself away from the habit of worrying about those. For one thing, there's absolutely nothing you can do about them. You might as well worry about the 11-year sunspot cycle. The attention-span issue is just one more distraction from things you should usefully be thinking about. But also: A lot of what we hear about that situation strikes me as fearmongering (as, IIRC, it was supposed to cause the downfall of western civilization around the time I started writing for Scooby-Doo).

If you look around, you'll see that loads of people are willing to spend HUGE amounts of their attention on stuff they love. (I mean, have you been on AO3 lately? And we're just talking about free stuff, there. Lots of other people will do the same for traditionally published work, given the chance and the money.) Your job is to get on with writing, start putting what you're doing out there where people will have a chance to fall in love with it, and then deal with the consequences.

More of this next time. (And please bear with me, as I'm still not up to best operating speed after the last week's illness. I'll get to everything else you sent me, I promise.)

HTH!

[taffycandyqt]

hey so how badly do you think the rottmnt boys would be easily persuaded into things by their s/o? Who has self control and who throws caution to the wind for their s/o? Like their s/o is not manipulating or anything. Just like “No! I’m not joining”. “*genuine sad understanding doe eyes* If you’re sure, I wanted you to be the one to come with me though since I love you so much and I’d feel better with you there, but if you’re uncomfortable, it’s ok” if their boyfriend changes their mind, s/o is confused at the sudden change but look ecstatic? Or like they make their boyfriend angry and s/o is like “I did that? I’m sorry. I didn’t realise *genuine sad doe eyes. Makes it very hard to stay mad at*”?

Honestly, the rise boys are all so hungry for affection in their own ways. I feel like they are all pretty weak to their sweet little s/o. Also the one shots aren't exactly the best example of the headcannons but I was STRUGGLING so this is the best I got.

Weak in the Knees

Rise turtles (separately) x reader

How easily can you persuade them using your irresistible charm??

Warnings: Mentions of shooting as a hyperbole to emphasize a point. Not explicit. No deaths. Only in Donnies. Angst? ends happy so its fine

Established relationship

Fluff, crack

Donnie:

We all know Donnie is a sucker for praise.

You ask him to do something stupid or dangerous with you it will be a no.

You want him to step away from his work for a break? absolutely not.

You want him to accompany you to Witch town. ARE YOU CRAZY?

Buuuuuut. If you just so happen to have thrown out a couple compliments his way beforehand.

It will almost immediately be a yes or a "Sigh! I suppose!"

Let's be honest here too, there is a lot to compliment Donnie on.

You praise him for his work, a gift he gave you, helping you, or for literally anything he is already wrapped around your finger.

But if you praise him and then add a little kiss on the cheek or hand. Maybe a small hug?

He would literally let you shoot him if that's what you wanted.

Bro is so in love with you it's not even funny.

Not to say he doesn't draw the line somewhere. No bees. No spiders. And NO BEACH BALLS.

Oh and nothing that could phically harm you in any way.

He ain't about to let you get hurt on his watch.

It doesn't matter how many times you call him the most handsomest genius boy and kiss his nose, you are not diving off the empire state building for him to catch you mid air.

"Donnnnnnnniiieeeeeee!" you slumped towards him as you drew out his name. After you got to him you rested your head on his battle shell. Your hands were positioned on either side of your head laying flat on his shell as well.

"Yes my dear?" He chirped. He wasn't very good at initiating physical touch. Don't get me wrong, he tried, he just let his Donnie overthink get the best of him more often then not. So when you initiated, it was very welcome.

"I looooove youuu." You answered him, "your the sweetest boy I've ever met, did you know that?"

This got Donnie to set his tools down real quick. You always liked to compliment him at random times. At first he thought there was a reason behind it. You wanted something, you wanted to get away with something, you wanted him to forgive you, ect. But no matter how many times he conducted the experiment. No matter the duration of time it took. The results were always purely random. You did it simply because you wanted to tell him how much he meant to you.

And honestly, it was his favorite thing in the world. The only problem was that it would always catch him off guard. There was no consistency to your charming onslaught so it was always left as a surprise till the very last minute. His face burned red as he proceeded to just stare at his work, trying to look like he's trying to figure something out.

"I'm not sure. You say I'm a lot of things," he tried to keep his voice even as he spoke to you.

"Well it's true! Your the sweetest, smartest, and most perfect boyfriend ever and your my absolute favorite."

At this point Donnie was trying to hard not to happy stim. Not because he's not comfortable stimming around you, infact he does it all the time. The thing is, even after all this time he still wanted come off as a cool, emotionally unavailable bad boy. What he conveniently doesn't remember is that he's already willing done things that counter that image. You don't need to tell him that though.

"Thank you dear. You're quite lovely yourself," he told you. He folded his arms and sat stiffly trying to keep his stimming under control, eventually opting for some speedy finger tapping.

"Awwwwwww, thank you my love!!" you said as you finally lifted your head off his back to lean over and kiss his cheek.

This caused him to jerk in his chair and mess with the weight distribution resulting in him tipping and falling right on the floor. Instinctively he reached for the table in an attempt to break his fall. Unfortunately, he ended up grabbing his current project instead. As Donnie fell a component of his invention was ripped from it's position and landed on the floor beside him.

"Oh mi gosh! Are you okay?!" you rushed to Donnie's aid and helped him off the floor.

"I'm alright, thank you," he smiled at you softly and went to pick up his chair.

"I was just caught off guard is all," he told you, but as he bends down to grab the chair he noticed the crucial piece of his latest invention laying off to the side of it.

"GASP! Nonononono!" he picked up the piece and scrambled to his work desk to inspect the damage.

"Nooo!!" He wined in frustration. He rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index as he tried to calm himself down.

"Donnie? What's wrong?" You asked as you inched your way to his side.

"THIS!" he exclaimed shoving the broken piece in your direction before dropping his arm and turning away from his project to pace around the room.

"I'VE BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR WEEKS AND NOW I HAVE TO BACKTRACK AND REDO DAYS OF WORK! ALL BECAUSE YOU-" he stopped talking immediately when he say your face. He had originally turned to look back at you in order to emphasize his frustration. Seeing the look on your face though, made him instantly regret letting his frustration get the better of him.

"I- I'm sorry. I- didn't mean for that... I just wanted to... um..." you were on the verge of tears and couldn't think of anything to say that would fix the issue. So you just clasped your hands together and looked to the floor.

"I'm sorry," is what you eventually settled on.

"No! no, I'm sorry," Donnie told you as he approached and grabbed your shoulder while placing the other in his chest. He leaned his head down in an attempt to catch your eye as you kept your eyes locked on the ground.

"I shouldn't have yelled like that, and besides it wasn't your fault anyways. I was the one being careless in the first place." He eventually placed his and on your other shoulder and leaned down more, practically begging for you to look at him. When you did, your eyes were big and glossy with tears that streaked on your cheeks.

"I shouldn't have distracted you," your responded and you looked back to the floor.

"No, hey, your not a distraction," he told you in a gentle voice. He stood up straight and pulled you into a firm hug, burying his snout in your hair.

"Your the best thing that happened to me. Your never a distraction," he was really hoping this got through to you.

"Really?" You sniffed.

"Really really. Two reallys," he told you. With that you adjusted to wrap your arms around him and then lay you chin in his plastron.

"Do you think ice cream would make you feel better?" you asked.

"Me feel better?" he questioned. You were the hurt one, you were the one crying. Why were you concerned about his feelings?

"Even if you think it's not my fault, no doubt you're still upset with the amount of work you have to redo," you explained, "and ice cream always makes me feel better. So would ice cream make you feel better?"

He gave you a small laugh and traded the hug to hold your hand.

"Firstly, it's not your fault," he spoke matter-a-factly while waving his other hand around dramatically, "And secondly, ice cream sounds delightful."

So with that you both made your way to the kitchen. Donnie ended up not eating any ice cream at all and instead opted for flavorless juice. He was happy enough watching you eat your ice cream with a big smile plastered on your face.

Did he have a lot of work to redo? Yes. But as long as your there it might not feel as long. He might have to make a 'no flattery while one is working in the lab' rule though. For safety.

Leo:

Remember how Donnie had a line? Yeah, no Leo doesn't have that.

Due to this, and his already mischievous nature, you can already get him to do pretty much anything just by asking.

However he does have a responsible mood. If he's in that mood nothing will work.

you know what I mean. Like how he acts in the movie while their driving in the turtle tank?

like that, just without the internal and external issues clouding his judgment.

It's s not a bad mood, it's just not good for getting what you want.

Lucky for you he's not usually in that mood, and if he is it's usually not so bad that you can't bring I'm out of it.

That being said Leo, like the rest of his brothers, needs praise so badly that it's kinda sad.

Any praise will work but if you want him to do something absolutely idiotic to the point that even he thinks so? Your gonna need to make him feel ✨special✨

Your gonna need to pull out the my man, my champion, special man, and perfect baby.

Names like that, that make him feel like a million bucks.

If he's showing off to you, one compliment will butter that sucker up like you wouldn't believe.

He would literally do anything for you, it's not even funny, bro has no standards.

"Y/n! Hey! Hey! Y/n look! Look at this sick trick!" Leo called to you from atop their indoor skating ramp. You were on the floor below talking with April while Leo skated.

"Okay sweets I'm watching!" You call back to give him the go ahead.

With that Leo was off down the ramp. As he came up the other side and was propelled in the air he flipped the skateboard from beneath him and then landed perfectly on top as gravity pulled them back to the surface. When he came back up the other side Leo jumped off the board and looked down at you with a big grin on his face.

You and April clapped and he came down to meet you.

"What did you think??"

"I think that was awesome. Your my talented man for sure," you told him sweetly as you kissed him on the cheek. Leo blushed slightly at this before puffing his chest out and holding his skateboard all cool guy like at his hip. He used his other hand to point at himself with his thumb.

"Well not everyone can be as skilled as ah-THIS!" He boasted while punctuating his sentence with a dab.

"Okay, Mr. Talented," April teased, "If your done I'd like to tell you the reason I stopped by today."

"What?" Leo said with fake shock, "You visited for a different reason other than admiring my rad skills?"

"Impossible I know," she snarked to play along with him.

"So what's up April?" You asked.

"I was working my new job as a part time graveyard day guard and I saw this totally creepy and totally abandoned house right outside my post!"

"April if you're about to tell us you saw a ghost," Leo told her.

"No! But I DID want to find out if there COULD be ghosts in there."

"Why are you telling us this?" You ask.

"Because, I'm not gonna trespass on abandoned property by myself. That's just asking to be kidnapped," she answered while folding her arms.

"I don't know April, I better stay here and keep practicing my skating skillzz, right y/n?" Leo said.

"Well I think it sounds cool April! I'd be so down to go with you!"

"Heck yeah! Girls trip!"

You two high fived and right as you hands made contact Leo popped up in-between the both of you and clasped yours and April's hands together with his own.

"Though I suppose it would be unbecoming of me to not do my chivalrous duty to you both and tag along as a safety precaution."

April looked unimpressed at Leo's forced attempt to be cool in front of you whilst also begging for your attention. As you and April let your hands down Leo's went with them and you took his empty palm in yours shooting him a soft smile.

"So what time did you have in mind?"

"Oh, I was thinking like right now if y'all aren't busy," April told you.

"Sounds good to me, come on Leon!" You said as you dragged Leo to the Lair exit.

-

Apon getting to the building it was abundantly clear that it was very abandoned and very illegal to trespass. A rusted chain link fence surrounded the building with warning signs plastered all around it. Though, it was to dark to clearly read them without a flashlight.

"Uhh, guys?" Leo started, "Are you sure we should go in there? There are way too many signs around this place for them all to be just 'no trespassing' signs,"

"Do I hear someone who is scaaaaared?" Teased April. This prompted an offended gasp from Leo who put a hand to his chest.

"SCARED?! HA! I'll show you who's scared," he snarked at her before opening a portal to bypass the fence straight to the front door. He gestures for you and April to enter first. Before you followed April in you turned to Leo.

"Everything will be fine, and if something does go wrong I know you could bail us out," you smiled sweetly at him and then stepped into the portal. Leo straightened up and blushed, then sauntered confidently through the portal after you. It felt good to know you trusted him so much.

As all three of you stood at the front door you heard the sounds of the house creaking on the inside. The old wood constantly fighting to stay upright. April pushed open the door with a loud creak and shinned her light into the entry. It was dark and messy. A brownish carpet greeted you along with a broken sidebar cabinet. stairs leading up to the second floor were covered in dirt and old enough to be one big splinter. Next to the stairs was an entrance to a different room. There were also different rooms on either side of you as well. As you all shines your lights to get a better look you could see the dust particles littering the air.

"I'm gonna go investigate upstairs!" April told you before disappearing to the second floor. Leo had gravitates towards the right side entryway before turning to you and gesturing for you to follow him.

"I think this is the kitchen," he said, turning his head back. You filled him as you both inspected the room. You broke looked around and noticed some light scratching sounds coming from what you assumed to be the pantry. As you opened the door the smell of rotten food and crap hit your face and you immediately gagged. You plugged your nose with your hand and you used the other to direct the flashlight. You didn't look around for long though as you saw a small, fast moving figure rush past your foot. You let out a short yelp as you stumbled backwards and out of the pantry slamming the door shut.

In an instant Leo was by your side.

"What?! What happened?! Are you okay?!" he gave you a once over looking for any injuries you could have procured.

"Yes! Yes," you sighed out patting his shoulder, "I'm okay, just a... rat. Or something,"

"Okay. Umm, just stick close to me for now ok?" He asked you. He was clearly a little nervous, about what exactly though you couldn't say. He grabbed your hand as you both made your way out of the kitchen.

"You've been hearing those sounds too right?" He asks as he turns to you. You both stop under the archway separating the kitchen and the entryway.

"W- what sounds?" This was, admittedly, making you a little nervous yourself now.

"The scratching. Like something's in the walls," he said in a hushed voice as he squoze your hand. You didn't at first but as you sat and listened, sure enough. Scratching. Or... Scurrying? It wasn't consistent but it happened often enough.

"Yeah," you answered in the same muted tone.

"I think we should leave," Leo told you, "Whatever this houses issue is it's not gonna be ours. Let's grab April and VAMINOS."

Before you two could take more that a stepp up the stairs you hear a loud crash and the house starts to rumble. April begins to scream and you can hear her rushed footsteps against the floor and as you both try to find her you ended meeting her at the top of the stairs.

"RUUUUN!! GO GO GO!" she yelled at you. She pushed you both aside and grabbed Leo by his mask tails to pull him along. Before you two started running though, you see what April was running from. I giant hord of mutant silverfish. They took up the entire hallway from floor to ceiling and they did NOT look happy.

As Leo was being tugged along by April you were tugged by Leo who still hadn't let go of your hand. In trying to position his body to run forward easier and April still holding on to his mask tails, it ended up turning his mask on backwards and obscuring his view. As all three of you exited the house Leo tripped out the door on top of April causing you to fall on top of him.

"LEO PORTAL! PORTAL NOW!" April yelled at him.

"I CAN'T FIND MY SWORD!" he told her frantically trying to fix his mask so he could see.

"HERE TAKE IT!" you said handing it to him. The silver fish where almost in top of you by the time Leo took the sword in his hands. With a swift swing of his sword the portal was opened and all three of you stumbled through it closing right as the silverfish burst out the door.

All three of you lay on the ground between where the two skate ramps met, panting and trying to gather yourselves.

"Everyone okay?" April asked out of breath.

"Yeah," you breathed out.

"All good here," Leo puffed.

"Great..." April sat up sluggishly, "I'm gonna head out then, see ya."

And with that she stood up and left the lair. You both waved her off best you could from the ground. You both just laid there for a while catching your breaths.

"Let's never do that again," Leo said after a while.

"I don't know, I kinda had fun," you told him.

"You have got to be kidding me," he looked over at you unimpressed.

"Ya know... I saw this abandoned processing plant a couple days ago," you said turning your head to look back at him.

"Y/n. We almost died."

"And now we know to be prepared for hords of mutant silverfish," you looked at him, "Please?"

"Uuugggg. FINE. But not for a while, I need a break from whatever the heck today was," he told you.

"Sounds good to me!" You chirped and cuddled into his side.

"Yeah yeah," he playfully rolled his eyes and wrapped a lazy arm around you.

Mikey:

Oh he is just the sweetest little buttercup to you.<3

Surprisingly though, he also is the hardest to persuade.

I mean come on, doctor delicate touch loves you but he will be quick to tell you why a certain idea is....... not so great.

That being said if you get really sad about him saying no he will do everything in his power to make you happy.

He'll make your favorite food, watch your favorite movie, play your favorite game, whatever you want that isn't the first thing that you wanted.

Out of all brothers, Mikey is the one who need praise at the most normal amount.

You guys will probably have compliment competitions while cuddling.

So safe to say praise isn't going to get this dude to do stuff for you.

However, Mikey is able to see how his brothers feel like they can't fully express their feelings and wants them to feel safe enough to do so.

Frankly he wants everyone to feel comfortable enough around him to express their true thoughts and feelings.

So if you are the kind of person to emotionally shut down or pretend like everything is fine when it's not?

He will be a bit more willing to do stuff for you.

Again, there is a line. A straight cut no exceptions line.

Buuuuuut he might be willing to find a couple loop holes just so that his darling can feel better.

Piece of advice tho, don't push it. If he feels like you don't respect his boundaries that's gonna be a whole other issue.

"Hey Mikey!" you chirp as you enter his room, "What'ca up to?"

Mikey looked up at you from the floor, you could see the canvas in front of him and got increasingly excited to see what he was putting together.

"Oh just paintin', like one does," he tells you with a cheeky smile.

"Okaaaaay," you smile back, playing along, "What'ca paintin'?"

At this Mikey looked to his right and then his left, like he was scoping out the area for spies. Except it made less sense since it was his room. Then he looked back up at you and gestured for you to come join him with his hand.

You sat down on the floor and cozied up next to your boyfriend to which he revealed his masterpiece. It was a family portrait of Splinter and his brothers from when they were younger.

"We took this picture a couple years back," he handed you a small photo, "it was always dads favorite so I'm painting it for his birthday!"

"That's so sweet Mikey!"

He smiled and blushed at the compliment. You turned back to the painting. It was beautiful. It was the same picture but Mikey had taken some creative liberties with the colors. They were bright, vibrant, and harmonious. The painting felt like it was buzzing with energy because of it. It felt warm and inviting and at the same time unpredictable. The way the lines, colors, and textures went together, it almost made the painting feel alive, and it was hypnotizing.

"It looks like you've finished, right?" you ask, turning back to him.

"Almost!" He perks, "I just have to add a few finishing touches and it will be done!"

"Weeeeeeelllll," you said mischievously, "Since they're just finishing touches, maybe I could help."

One of the first things that people find out when they meet you is that you suck butt at art. When you met Mikey he tried SO HARD to teach you but no matter how hard you tried it just never clicked. You always saw it as a cute 'opposites attract' sort of thing honestly. The proficient artist and the one who couldn't draw a dot right it they tried. How romantic.

So when your little tease entered the space Mikey knew exactly what you were trying to do.

"Oh no no no my dear," he played along, "You see, I feel your artistic talents are needed else where."

"Else where?" you questioned with big doe eyes feigning innocence.

"Yes. Else where," he told you again, still with his playful expression.

"You mean," you picked up one of his used paint brushes, "HERE! you said as you lunged forward attempting to pin him down in order to paint his face. Attempting.

"NO NOT HERE!" he giggled trying to keep the paint brush from making contact with his face. He had been mostly successful but you still managed to land a couple good swipes.

You both continued to wrestle and giggle as time went on. At one point Mikey flipped you both so he was the one pinning you and reached for a paint brush of his own. You managed to wiggle free in the nick of time and this led to you both running around his room with paint brushes in hand. Every now and again one of you would corner the other, but the other would always manage to escape leading to the chase once again. At one point you realized that you might be able to catch Mikey off guard. You see, outside of cornering each other, all you guy have really done is chase the other and try catch them.

So in a moment of what you deemed to be 'brilliance' you took an abrupt stop and made a sharp turn on your heel to face him. However, that resulted in Mikey crashing right into you and you both falling straight to the floor.

"OH ME GOSH! Are you okay y/n?!" he scrambled to get off you quickly and inspect any possible damage to your person.

"Yeah, I'm okay, I think. Just landed on something hard," you told him as you picked yourself up.

When you looked back at him there was an expression on his face that could only be described as soul crushing horror. You were so confused, and concerned until you followed his line of sight and saw exactly what you landed on.

His painting.

His super sentimental and lovingly handcrafted painting meant as a GIFT FOR HIS FATHER. and now, there was a hole straight through it. Not a small one at that. Not to mention some of the paint was still wet and had gotten smeared and smushed at the impact. There was absolutely no salvaging this painting.

"Oh Mikey I am so sorry," you were horrified at what you had caused. Mikey didn't look at you, he didn't respond either. He walked towards to ruined canvas and slowly knelt down to pick it up.

"I- I didn't mean for this to happen Mikey I'm-" he cut you off.

"Can you please go? We'll talk later, I just need to be alone right now," still without looking at you. You were so heartbroken you had to hold in your tears.

"Okay," you told him in a shaky breath. You left the lair that night, and for the first time since you've known the guys, you left in a considerably worse mood then what you had when you got there.

The look on Mikey's face haunted you that night. You hate to think that you were the one to cause that pain. You were the one that hurt him. You wanted to make it up to him but you didn't know how. It's not like you could remake the painting for him. Heck you couldn't even paint!

You decided it would be best to stay away from the lair until Mikey invited you back. Fortunately for you, it only took about four days for that to happen. Unfortunately for however, it was through a very distressing text that read 'We should talk'. Eeeee 😬

Before you went you baked some cookies to hopefully help lighten the blow. You may not be able to... 'art'... BUT YOU COULD BAKE. When you met with Mikey it was in a secluded area of Todd's Puppy Land, or whatever its called.

"Hey y/n," he said giving you a weak smile and finally looking at you. He looked tired. Like he hadn't slept since you both last talked.

"Hey Mikey," you responded, "I uh. I brought cookies." You gave and awkward smile and his expression softened. He motioned for you to sit next to him on the bench. As you did you placed the cookies between you both as to give him some space.

He sighed, "I'm sorry y/n, I didn't mean-" you cut him off.

"YOUR SORRY?! WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO BE SORRY ABOUT?!" you were exasperated.

"Well I-"

"NO! I ruined your painting that took you forever to make that you made for your dads birthday! If anyone should be sorry it's me!"

"Thank you," he told you, "and I accept you apology, but it wasn't really your fault. It was an accident due to us both being reckless."

"But I started it!"

"And I didn't stop you, *sigh* listen. I didn't mean to scare you like I did. I just get very emotionally attached to my art so I was having a lot of feelings that day. I want to make it very clear that I don't want to break up with you and I'm not mad at you."

At this, you let out a sigh you didn't even know you were holding. When he looked back at you he was shocked. Your eyes were glassy with tears and your cheeks were red. You looked so sad. And so sorry. Oh, if he didn't already regret what he said to you that day he sure did now. How could he had asked you to leave?

"I still feel bad about it," you told him looking down at your hands. He moved the cookies behind him to close the gap between you both and pulled you into a hug.

"Hey, I get it. But if it makes you feel any better I was able to fix mistakes I made the first time and clean up areas I had previously messed up. On top of that I'm pretty close to being in the same spot with its progress that I was last time," he said, trying to console you. you pulled back to look at him.

"You mean you repainted it?"

"Well yeah. It's pops birthday gift, I had to," he smiled at you.

"Didn't that take you weeks to do?!"

"The first time yeah. But I kind couldn't sleep until I was back to were I was before sooo"

THATS WHY HE LOOKED SO TIRED! HE HASN'T SLEPT IN FOUR DAYS!

"Alright well someone's going to bed right now," you told him, picking up your cookies and dragging him by the wrist. He happily complied and followed you back to the lair. Not before thanking Todd for letting you guys use his space.

Overall, you both were just glad that everything was back to normal.

Raph:

Oh bb. He's so soft for you.

Bro will kiss the ground you walk on.

He's also the most responsible.

However most responsible does not mean least chaotic.

I mean the dude tries to lift a bus and ate a literal phone.

So honestly, I can see him being pretty open to a lot of stuff as long as your safety isn't jeopardized.

Notice how I said 'your safety'?

Yeah. Again, remember the bus incident? I refuse to believe that he wouldn't do something stupid for you as long as he's the only one with a possibility of getting hurt.

That being said, like Mikey he has a line. Unlike Mikey that line is drawn with chalk and is very easily swept away.

Now Raph does not like crossing this line. I mean who likes compromising their boundaries?

But he will do it.

Raph is very susceptible to peer pressure and if it's coming from you of all people? He'll do it.

He won't be happy about it after though.

Like he's happy your happy but he will being to feel like his feelings don't matter to you the same as yours matter to him.

So for the sake of this poor boy please don't press further if he said no the first time.

It makes him feel like a bad boyfriend. :(

You and Raph were cuddling on the couch watching Jupiter Jim movies. As per the usual when you both are bored and have nothing better to do. You were positioned on his lap knees pointing to the side so you could rest your head on his chest.

"Hey Raphy?" you said grabbing his attention.

"Yes?" he said looking down at you.

"You wanna crash a wedding?"

"What?!"

"Do you. Want to. Crash a wedding. ... With me."

"And why are we crashing a wedding?"

"Fun," you told him, "but also I'm bored."

He giggled at you. You were such a little cutie and he could never get over it.

"What would we be doing?"

"Oh ya know, dancing, eating the food, photo bombing. The ushe," you shoot him a cheeky smile.

"Okay, one question though," you nodded at him, "how are we gonna do that with... this whole situation," he told you gesturing to himself.

"Sweets, we're in New York. You put on a suit jacket and act like 'this whole situation' is normal, most people will chalk it up to eccentricity," you told him.

"You sure bout that?"

"I've never been so sure about anything in my entire life."

"Well I guess we have a wedding to prepare for," he said nuzzling his snout into your cheek.

"YESSSsssssssssss!!" you exclaimed.

---

After a quick social media search you found the perfect wedding to crash. You and Raphael dusted off your best wedding attire and set out on a mission to have a good time.

You guys had made it to the reception so you just walked in and pretended like you belonged there. Raph was obviously still a little worried about walking in full green skin and three fingered but you assured him it was fine. And you were kinda right. He definitely got weird looks but he tried his best to follow your advise and pretend like was nothing was wrong. So for a while now body bothered you guys.

"See? What did I tell you, no body even cares!" You smiled at him as you pulled him to the dance floor.

"Yeah, I guess," he told you a tad nervous. He smiled at you regardless and you're both began to dance.

It was a fun, up eat song so you and Raph jumped along in your own little world. Twisting, turning, and shimming to the beat, it felt like you both were walking on air.

After dancing for a couple of songs straight you guys decided to try some of the refreshments. You took some lemonade and the little cheesecake bits and found a vacant table. You both chatted about little things, telling jokes and having a good time.

Eventually someone from the party approached you. She was a skinny old woman. Not old enough to be grey haired and senile but just old enough that she had plenty of wrinkles.

"Excuse me, I don't believe we've met," she told you as she sat down her to you, "what are your names?"

"Oh, I'm y/n and this is Raph," you gestured to him and he gave a small wave.

"Well it's nice to meet you. I'm the brides aunt Tina."

"Well in that case, congrats! I'm sure your so happy for her!"

"I am, Oliver seems like such a a nice man. He treats Sara so well. On that note, who are you here for? The bride or the groom?"

Raph sweat dropped, he didn't like lying and it made him nervous that he might have to if you both wanted to stay.

"Oh we're not," you told her honestly. Raph was relieved for about half a second before he realized that now you guys might cause a whole other scene.

"I'm sorry, not what?"

"Here for either the bride or the groom. We don't know either of them, we were just bored and wanted to dance."

"Wh-," her face showed her absolute disbelief, "This is a family and friends even you can't just waltz in uninvited!"

"Well I mean. You can. We just did. Wether or not that's a respectful thing to do is an entirely different debate though."

Tina's face was starting to turn red.

"Well! I'm going to have to ask you both to leave!" she demanded raising her voice while she stood and pointed to the exit.

"Hey, what's going on Tia?" the bride asked putting a hand on her aunts sholder.

You leaned back in your chair resting your arm over the back of it while you took a swig of your water.

"These two hooligans weren't invited! They don't know anyone here!"

"Well that's hardly fair Tina, I thought we formed a connection over the last five minutes," you teased which prompted Raph to shoot you a disapproving look. Tina looked absolutely appalled by you attitude.

"What?" you questioned Raph with a giggle, "Come on this is kinda funny."

"Your making her upset!"

"Eh, she would have been upset anyways,"

"DONT IGNORE US GET OUT! SOMEONE CALL THE POLICE!" Tina was full on screaming now, which prompted Raph to shoot out of his chair. He apologized quickly and picked you up by your sides and ran you both out of the wedding.

"Awwwww I wanted to grab some more of those cheesecake bites before we dipped."

Raph shook his head and smiled.

"Your unbelievable."

[bonny-kookoo]

Jungkook: How so 🔞

In which Jungkook and you learn more about each other while also uncovering more about yourselves.

Tags/Warnings: non-Idol AU, enemies to lovers, reader learns to be a cinnamon roll, Jungkook just simply is a cinnamon roll, adult themes, fluff, romance, short!reader go cry about it, smut, mutual masturbation, oral, special guest star: mc's vibrator, angry namjoon, slight DDLG-aspects/themes? Soft daddy/dom vibes from kook? They're stronger this time ngl

Story length: 3.5k oops-

Belongs to: Why Not (🔞)

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"one." he counts, arms crossed menacingly as he stands at the foot of his bed, a bit of a distance away from where you're laying. You've been napping and been lazy all day- and while he doesn't mind, he's also come to learn it makes your head ache and your attitude cranky.

"two.." he draws the number out a little, and you're not sure what he thinks this whole act of counting down will do for you. You're not affected by that. You're not a kid after all. Your muscles aren't suddenly itching to move, absolutely not.

"how far are you gonna count?" you mumble into the pillows below, holding onto it as he doesn't have anything else to hug really.

"you wanna find out, princess?" he wonders darkly, and the way he says it sends a shiver down your spine.

Okay, maybe you're a little bit affected.

Just as he's about to admit defeat, you actually move, sitting up on the bed with your hair all unruly and loose shirt exposing your collarbone. He smiles a bit to himself.

He'd had somewhat of a hunch about you, and these days, those theories seem to prove themselves as correct. It both amuses him, and makes him happy at the same time, because you really are just his type beneath all that tough-girl persona you've put up in front of others.

"there we go. Wasn't so hard now, was it?" he chuckles, pulling you towards the edge of the bed by your ankles. "now come on, go wash up. You can't spend your days off only asleep, baby." he gently scolds, pecking your lips while you whine, making him laugh against your lips.

"but why not?" you complain. "your bed is comfy, and it's MY days off!" you reply, making him smack your naked thigh without much force.

"maybe, but you're spending them at MY apartment, in MY bed." he reminds you, slowly walking out the door. "now get up, I'm making breakfast!" he calls out, before you let yourself fall onto your back again as soon as he's out of sight.

It's not like he can boss you around.

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"Hm, no." he suddenly says, shocking you to the core.

You're aching, looking at him with eyes wide open while Jungkook detaches himself from you before he casually wipes his hand on his sweatpants, stealing your orgasm in the process. "you don't do what I say.." he shrugs, sitting back on the couch next to you. "So why should I?"

There's no words in your brain. You didnt think it would bite you back like this, not by a long shot. He's such a sweet guy, has been for the entire time you've known him- he wouldn't be so cruel now, would he?

"But-" you stammer, closing your legs bashfully. "Jungkook you can't be serious.." you say, though you don't know why this is strangely exciting to you. "you said that I'm, you know, that you'll-"

"That's still true." he nods. "I won't ever do something you don't want. You can say stop and I'll stop, easy as that. But that doesn't mean you get to play me, darling." he teases, tent clearly visible in his pants.

"So what? You gonna just sit there and wait?" you complain, arms crossed. He's clearly hard. There's no way he can just wait it out.

"No." he tilts his head, before his hand wanders. "I can cum by myself just fine." he smirks, leaning back as he palms himself over his sweatpants.

He can't be serious. You're not ready for that- or are you? It's strange, like a rollercoaster in your insides, going up and down at the sight of him. Your cunt aches, clenching around nothing- and even stranger, you want to see him.

Not like now- you want to see him.

"I won't touch you." he reminds you as he adjusts himself a little. "but you can touch yourself. Maybe you'll cum all by yourself?" be says with a joking tone, leaning his head to the side of the couch.

You've got an idea.

"but.. You can see me naked down there.." you argue. "I can't. Thats unfair if you ask me." you complain, making him laugh.

"Cheeky." he comments. "guess that's true." Jungkook shrugs, before he casually pulls down his pants and underwear like it's nothing, his length eagerly jumping free it seems.

Your head is suddenly empty, no thoughts running through.

You're not stupid. You've seen dicks before, you watch porn after all, but still- maybe it's because it's his? But something about it makes you rub your thighs against one another, an ache forming in your core.

"was about to ask if you're comfortable-" he chuckles. "-but I guess you're clearly okay with this?" he asks, and you nod, throwing all hesitancy out the window. You're okay, you've never been so okay with something before.

Your thighs slowly open, hand finding your most sensitive spot easily while he can't keep his eyes off of you, his own hand starting to stroke himself as well. "you know.." he softly says, watching while his breathing deepens. "..this is a first for me as well." be confesses, thumb running over the tip of his length, spreading the precum with wet noises.

You feel antsy.

It's clear that he knows his body perfectly, every movement of his palm bringing pleasure it seems, and you're watching, learning, because you wanna try doing it for him one day too. This is your chance of finding out what he likes.

"what're you thinking, hm?" he wonders breathlessly.

"wanna touch you." you whine, and his jaw clenches while he swallows.

"hm, really?" he asks, letting his cock go, self control setting in as he puts his hands to his side. "alright. Go ahead." be encourages.

You swallow, attempt to find a tissue or something to clean your hand, but he shakes his head. Don't you dare wipe that off, he thinks.

He's warm.

Thats the first thing you notice as your hand wraps around his length, fingers carefully exploring what he's got to offer. Every little glance you give him brings him closer to a heart attack he feels like as he let's his head fall back, eyes closed because your touch affects him more than he thought it would.

Until they snap open again, a surprised moan escaping his mouth as he feels what's unmistakably your tongue on his tip.

"Sorry-!" you apologise. "I should've asked too.." you say, and he laughs to himself.

"it's okay. I-" be looks at you. "I liked it. But give a man a earning next time, jesus." he laughs, relaxing you with that. You lean in again, just for the joke of it, but once your lips wrap around his head, it doesn't feel odd at all. In fact, it's kind of nice.

Meanwhile he's forcing together all of his strength not to cum down your throat.

You're dangerous he realizes as he watches you somehow figure out how to give him bead all by yourself- hands playing around, even shyly giving some attention to his balls while your tongue swirls over his tip.

It's all too much.

He can spot how you jump back a bit surprised, though as if by instinct you keep stroking him, watch as the ropes of cum spurt out and onto his sweatpants. There's some on your lips that you wipe off, though the slightly bitter taste on your tongue also doesn't feel too bad.

"Fuck." he laughs, catching his breath before he reaches out, hands opening your legs so his palm can find your core. Two fingers enter you again, the heel of his hand rubbing over your clit in a motion and speed that makes your head spin. "more- please!" you beg, cully at his mercy until you cum with spasming hips, hands on your mouth doing little to hide your screams of pleasure.

You're both out of breath by the time your minds are back and functioning, laughter echoing off the walls as the situation is realized by the both of you.

Maybe you're really made for each other.

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"What the fuck did I tell you?!" is the first thing Namjoon barks at him next time he sees him at Yoongis studio. "Are you deaf? Mentally challenged? Is that it?!" he keeps insulting, as Yoongi pushes him back.

"okay alright, let's calm down here." he tries to reason.

"I don't even know whats- oh." Jungkook realises, lips pushed together in a thin line.

"Yeah, 'oh'." Namjoon scolds. "what's your excuse? You tripped and landed dick first in her?" he jokes without humor.

"Namjoon, it's really not like that at all." he attempts to explain himself. "I'm not-"

"screwing her?" be finishes impatiently for the younger friend.

"no- I mean kind of? I, somewhat, it's not that simple-" he starts, when Namjoon jumps up from the couch again, barely held by the eldest in the room. "we're together Namjoon! I'm not just fucking her, I'm going out with her.!" he hurries out. "I- yeah, fuck it." he sighs, running a hand through his longer hair. "I actually really like her. Like, love-like." he confesses, causing the room to fall silent.

Jungkook doesn't do well with the dreaded L-word.

In fact, Jungkook hasn't ever been in an actual relationship before, ever. He's been a guy with bad luck and an red dot on his heart for others to aim at it seems. Used for his kind nature, pockets emptied more often than he could count, used for pleasure before getting told that 'you're just a friend, sorry.'

And every time he'd do it again, fall in love, get his heart broken, repeat after a week of sadness. Until he'd stopped, years ago, having promised himself to never be that guy to be stepped on again. He's still kind, he's still nice- but he keeps his heart behind a glass window, for everyone to see, but none to touch.

Until you came along.

"you.. What?" Namjoon asks, a lot more calm now.

"I think I love her." he says again, noticing himself the weight of his words as he says them. "I- I don't think. I'm really.." he's unsure how to phrase it. It can't be love yet, and it isn't, but it's something else- something comfortable, like watching a movie that you know ends well just to relax and get rid of all the stress piled up on your shoulders. He's not falling in love, not at all.

There's no falling involved. There's no pit he's tumbling down into, no fear at all about what might happen next. It's more like a steady walk, right next to you, to a place he just knows will be nice.

"Wow." Yoongi laughs, hitting the youngest's back with a grin.

All while Namjoon sighs, watching the now teary-eyed young man wipe his cheeks in embarrassment.

Yeah- maybe there's nothing to fear if it's him you're with.

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"I always wondered what kind it was." Jungkook says, and you're wondering what he's talking about when he walks into the tiny bedroom of yours, holding your purple bullet vibrator with no shame at all.

"JEAN JUNGKOOK GIVE THAT TO ME-!" you yell out in panic, jumping from the mattress on the floor towards him, jumping at his hand that's holding your most secret item high above your hand.

"hm, no." he smiles impishly. "but you can continue jumping, I'm really enjoying the show here, precious." he says, tip of his tongue running over the silver piercing decorating his bottom lip.

Who knew that this sweet looking man could be so so evil.

"aw don't pout, I was just curious." he apologizes as you stand there with your arms crossed, tank top showing him a lot more skin than he's used to whenever he's alone with you. He's seen your cleavage before. Your thighs, your legs, but never in an intimate scenario like this. "though you should be more careful with this thing. I almost stepped on it." he teases, and you turn red at that.

"I forgot to put it away I guess.." you say, reaching for it as he pulls it away again. "Jungkook!"

"ever used it on your tits?" he tilts his head, taking a step towards you. You take a step back, like he's a magnet of the same charge pushing against you with invisible force.

"n-no." you shake your head, unable to hide your excitement bubbling up. You like it when he's like this- dominant, but not pushy. "that doesn't do anything." you argue. He chuckles.

"doesn't it?" he wonders, taking another step. "I could think of a few ways to use it, you know?" he implies. You swallow hard.

"..like?" you wonder quietly, gaze snapping from the toy in his hand to his eyes every now and then.

"wanna find out, princess?" he asks, and for some reason, this sentence still makes you shiver in pleasure. It's just words, how come they touch you just as much as his hands can? He's got you unable to form any sentences with just that simple look of his, so you simply nod, a surprised squeal escaping you when his hands push your shoulder.

Luckily, you fall onto the mattress below, having not noticed that he's been walking you towards it the entire time.

"You know, I kind of feel sorry for your neighbors." He chuckles, leaning over you.

"Huh?" you wonder dumbly, but he just shakes his head, brushing it off for the moment, as his hands instead play with the straps of your top.

"Can I take this off?" He asks. "It's fine if you're not comfortable with that yet, though. No worries." He shrugs. But you shake your head, pulling on the bottom on your top, before you hesitate.

"Can you.. take yours off too?" You ask, and he grins, nodding eagerly. He already figured you might feel more comfortable with that, but he wants you to speak up on your own as well. It's something he personally finds important- that you keep your independence, that you only do what you truly want and feel comfortable with. Never does he want to convince you to do anything, never at all.

He knows what that's like. It leads to regrets, shame, embarrassment- and he doesn't want you to feel that with him.

You're a bit hesitant now that you see his.. well, very toned body underneath. You personally don't work out- only occasionally, if you feel like it, or if you've eaten a particularly big meal and it makes you feel all heavy and bloated. You're nothing like him- stomach soft, slightly protruding, no defined muscles or anything. And yet, you jump over your shadow, and you swear you can see his pupils dilate like the lens of a camera trying to focus.

In his eyes, you're everything and nothing like he'd imagined. You're better than anything his thoughts could've ever come up with.

He's dropped the toy for now, instead using his hands to run them up your sides, before they finally reach your chest, soft and warm in his hands. He's never been one to have preferences when it comes to someone's body- but he can see himself quickly falling for the feel of them in his palms. "How can you be so pretty?" He wonders, and you squirm a little, causing him to laugh. "You're so cute." He can't help but comment, before he shakes his hair out of his eyes, sitting back on his heels.

You're already putting your feet up against his abdomen, making him smile as he runs his fingers over your ankles, before he tilts his head to the side. "I appreciate you being such a good girl, but that'll have to wait." He praises, and you turn a bit red, before he takes your legs and maneuvers them around his waist, pulling you closer towards him. He can already spot a wet patch on your underwear- a clear sign that he's affecting you just as much as you are him- and he can't help but feel his own ego swell a little.

He's not felt like this in a long time, if ever at all.

"Did you charge it?" He wonders, and you shuffle around a little to get comfortable, accidentally rutting against his already way too constrained bulge in his pants, making him groan in surprise. "Alright there, that was a simple question jesus christ woman!" He laughs, making you laugh as well.

"Sorry, I was just adjusting!" You giggle, while stretching your arms over your head for a second. You feel oddly comfortable with him, even all exposed like this. It's a nice feeling you've not yet experienced with anybody before. "But uh- I don't know, it needs batteries, you can't charge it." You explain, and Jungkook nods.

"Well, let's hope these got some juice left in them." He simply tells you. "If not, I'll find another way to make you cum." He casually comments, making you wonder what he could maybe come up with.

Sex used to be terribly scary. An intimidating thought that would leave you restless whenever thinking of it. But now? With him? It's exciting.

He clicks the button a few times, seemingly trying out the only three modes the cheap toy has, before licking his lips and shaking his head. "I'll get you a better one one day." He mumbles more or less to himself, before turning on the lowest setting, lifting your panties, and placing it right against your core, snug with the extra push from his own bulge pressing against you. "Thank god I've packet a spare set of pants." He almost growly down at you, watching with hooded eyes as your hips roll against him. His hands grip your thighs, the sight of you equally as enticing as the buzzing toy between you both.

You don't know this, but Jungkook is exploring his own sexuality just as much as you are with him.

He's never really thought of any specific things he might like that aren't 'conventional'- but with you, he feels comfortable to the point of trying out new things, or random ideas such as what he's doing right now. But it's fine, because it's you. It's like he's got a chance to find himself alongside you, as if you're his chance of finally becoming comfortable with his own body and soul.

He's falling in love with you, while also starting to like himself more and more.

He's also noticed by now, that he's a lot more sensitive with you. A simple sensual touch of yours can make him stir awake in his pants like a boy during puberty, but he's not even mildly embarrassed by it whatsoever. Because you aren't either. He's really become in tune with you in terms of energy- when you're excited, he get's excited. When you're happy, he's happy. When you get sad, he get's sad as well. It feels nice, to have a connection like that.

You're whining beneath him, a lot more vocal now than compared to the first time he's ever been intimate with you, and he feels his pride swell at these signs of you becoming more and more relaxed and comfortable around him. Your hands reach out for his own, and he takes them happily- holding you, as you arch your back and voice out your pleasure, especially once your orgasm hits, the closeness of him making it impossible for you to squirm away and ruin it for yourself. With the little experience you have, you don't really know what you're supposed to feel like- and granted, right now, you're seeing stars, unable to form any coherent thought.

The sight of you so lost in pleasure sets him off as well- warmth of his own cum escaping him making him cringe a little, his hand reaching between the both of you to turn the plastic toy off. He's breathing heavily just like you, shivering beneath him from the aftermath of your high. "I'd say-" He hums into the crook of your neck, kisses placed in his own afterglow, "-the batteries were definitely still full." He jokes, making you laugh as you hit his back playfully.

"I gotta shower but my legs feel like rubber." You complain, making him lift his face into your area of sight.

"We could shower together?" He suggests. "No funny business. Just me holding you, in case you fall." He tells you, and you look at him for a moment, thinking.

He's already seen like what- 80% of you? There's nothing to fear anymore, really. So you nod, holding out your arms. "Carry me?" You ask playfully cute, and he grins.

"Wherever you want to, princess."

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[razorblade180]

Crystal Clear

[2.5 spoilers]

Jiaoqiu: *listening to music*…..!? General?

Feixiao:*opening door* Heh, wow. Hand on the doorknob and you already knew. I guess what they say about heightened senses is true. You might be able to hear Moze at this rate.

Jiaoqiu:My ears have always been good, but it’s actually your scent that gave it away. I’ve been by your side a long time after all.

Feixiao:Clearly. You’re comfortable enough to boldly talk about my scent of all things. Any normal woman would berate you.

Jiaoqiu:I guess I’m lucky you’re an extraordinary one then. *smiles*

Feixiao:….How has your day been?

Jiaoqiu:Moze stopped by earlier to aid me in making a meal. In the end, we ordered take out.

Feixiao:I’m sorry.

Jiaoqiu:Hehe, what for? We knew the attempt was rather audacious. Apparently both of us have yet to regain complete steadiness when it comes to holding a blade. He should be fine in a few more days. As for I, well, it’s probably for the best I don’t make another attempt at mincing for the time being. How was your day?

Feixiao:Time never stops. Even at my speed. I got through it all though.

He hears her footsteps draw closer until his mattress begins to sink in beside him. Feixiao’s breathing was both steady and subtle. Those two things alone told him that her physical health was stronger than ever.

Jiaoqiu:Sounds like regular day, with a little added weight of the future. Please remember to pace yourself. Recovered or not, I think many would agree you and many others earned an opportunity to slow down if only for a few days.

Feixiao:I’m okay. Nothing a good night’s rest won’t fix.

Jiaoqiu:Is that so? So, was there anything you wanted to tell me? Despite what I just said, I’m sure you’re pretty busy.

Feixiao:I need an excuse to se- visit you? It’s only natural I stop by at least once a day.

Jiaoqiu:I’m touched. Still, I can operate a phone. You don’t have to go through the trouble of-

Feixiao:It’s not trouble. It’s…It’s never going to be trouble; so don’t ever call it that.

Jiaoqiu:…Do you remember what I told you at the Alchemy commission? Feixiao, do not weigh yourself down with regrets I do not have myself. My choices are my own.

Feixiao:And I dare not deny that or tarnish your efforts with “regret.” That being said, you can’t tell me not to be angry with myself; with the situation ahead. You tell me to pace myself and honestly, you’re right.

Jiaoqiu:But? There’s always a “but” with this.

Feixiao:My vows to both The Hunt and you are absolute. My only annoyance is if my own vision wasn’t so integral for the battles ahead, then the wouldn’t be a thing in the universe stopping me from giving you an eye.

Jiaoqiu:…Hmm, after all these centuries of calling me the dramatic one, you go ahead and say such a thing.

Feixiao:What can I say? You are the company you keep, and I have a pretty over the top doctor hehe.

Jiaoqiu:You know I’d never take it. Even if it was just one. Being blind is a learning curve yes, but nothing I won’t master. And just like you wouldn’t dare jeopardize or rush your vow to lead the charge, there’s no need to find help for me quickly.

………

Jiaoqiu:Feixiao, I must tell you something. I don’t fear missing out on seeing what may come and we both know I will still be by your side anyway I can. I don’t even fear forgetting your face, because it’s not possible. For ages now, anytime I ever closed my eyes, I’d still see you with that famous smile of yours. Crystal clear, like an undisturbed lake. Even now, I see you. So please, wipe your tears and keep those ears high.

Called out, plain and simple. Feixiao hadn’t stifled a single breath and yet somehow she was now fully convinced he knew exactly how her tears ran down her face and the way her ears fell in anguish. Feixiao wasn’t sure if she should let out a sad chuckle or simply strike the pillow nearby to get rid of any amount of frustration.

Slowly, his hand reached for her and Feixiao was quick to take hold; she moved in as could as possible, practically climbing on to him and hugging him tightly. There was no need to hide her face and yet Feixiao buried it into the crook of his neck while he rubbed her back gently. This was beyond frustrating in a way she had never realized. Was this a fraction of how he felt everyday, searching tirelessly for a cure all for her sake?

Feixiao:The strength you hold is truly something to behold, Jiaoqiu.

Jiaoqiu:I didn’t gain it alone. I was inspired. I’m still inspired. *hugs tighter*

Feixiao:I suppose I will listen to my doctor’s advice this time and allow myself to shorten my stride just for a while. I’m staying right here.

Jiaoqiu:A fine choice I welcome completely. *rests his head* I really do… love this scent.

[zy4nyaa]

Random Chuuya headcanons

I honestly feel like he wouldn’t date anybody since he is in the mafia and he wouldn’t want anybody to be in danger because of that, he would probably date someone if they’re in the mafia with him

But if he were to date somebody then he would most definitely keep his eyes on his significant other, like he would stay loyal to that person and make them his top priority

Even though he is rich, I don’t think he would be buying unnecessary things, like I just feel like he wouldn’t go around buying hundreds of things just bc he’s rich

He has a YouTube channel of him doing skincare and hauls and a bunch of other stuff

He DEFINITELY knows how to cook and draw/paint😍😍

He hates when other people struggle, he feels like he struggled a lot and went through so much pain and he doesn’t want anybody else to experience that either. As soon as someone opens up to him he’s right by their side

Even after that if the person is doing fine he would still keep an eye out and look out for that person to make sure that they’re actually okay

He’s insecure about himself so he absolutely loves when other people compliment him even if it’s a small one

Even though he is insecure about himself people still come up with him, he doesn’t know how attractive he really is. He doesn’t realize when people are trying to flirt with him he just thinks they’re complimenting them or referring to something else

I feel like since he works at the mafia that he wakes up early for work, he either wakes up at 5:00 or 5:30. He is probably won’t get a chance to sleep sometimes since he works late

If you’re his lover, be prepared because you won’t really see him that much since he has a strict schedule and will mostly come home at midnight, even then he would still find time to spend with you

He has social media like TikTok and instagram but he doesn’t post that much, the least that he would post is a picture of wine on his story

I don’t know if it’s just me but I feel like he has Heterochromia since his eyes are blue in the anime but brown in the manga.

He knows multiple languages like Japanese, English, French, Italian, and Spanish. He is fluent in Japanese (obviously) and Spanish, probably French too because of Verlaine.

He also likes to curse in French

Sometimes he paints his nails red or black if he’s bored

He definitely has light freckles on his face that are too light to see, he also has 2-3 scars from fighting.

He probably has piercings like his lip or eyebrow, maybe even his nose

His style is soo good, I picture him most likely wearing black, red, gray, white, or just any colors that go good with each other.

Along with the hat and wine collection, he also loves to collect shoes and gloves although he will continue to wear the same pair of shoes and gloves even if he has hundreds of them in different colors

Whenever he tries to put his hair in a ponytail he can NEVER get it right, it’s either too far up, too far back, not straight, or there’s a huge lump

His hands are so freaking nice, and they are literally bigger than dazais (this isn’t a headcanon this is true look it up)

Absolutely LOVESS music, In my opinion I think he listens to a lot of bands and hard rock. He is over 10 hours on Spotify and has playlists for different purposes

If he has a crush and they mention their favorite music artist or song he will go home and listen to that all day

Whenever a person betrays him I feel like he wouldn’t hate that person completely, he would still care about them but not as much as he used to

He likes hot showers especially if he is stressed out, he loves the feeling of it on his scalp

He has a few bottles of cologne but he wears one specific one most of the time, it’s like his signature smell

Since he is insecure about his appearance he wears like makeup like concealer on his scars and marks

He likes to invite some of the other pm members to the bar every Friday if he has free time

There was one time where he got so sad to the point where he didn’t want to do anything, he didn’t feel like getting out of bed, eating, or cleaning his room

He did really well in school, he didn’t have a big friend group he really only had 2-3 close friends and the rest were people he just talks too

Everyday before going to work he looks in the mirror and winks at himself and does random cringey poses

If he catches you staying up too late on your phone he will snatch it away from you and cuddle you to sleep

He likes to buy his friends things, like if they’re at a coffee shop then he will buy them something or pay for their coffee

He would genuinely love his significant other a lot, he’d call them when he has time to at work and text them just to check up on them

He sometimes takes a trip to the store after work to buy unnecessary snacks that he won’t eat

He REALLY cares about his hygiene, he always smells good even without cologne. You will never catch this man stinking

He has a few posters of dogs on his wall, when he was OBSESSED with dogs he bought a lapel pin with a brown chihuahua on it and he would wear it to work every single day

His sleep schedule is kind of messed up since of his work but it’s not as bad as Dazai’s

His body is soo AJAKSSHSJHS like his waist is snatched and his legs are muscular like omg😍

He either types with a bunch of emojis or is just dry, it depends on the person because he could be like “Ok!😜💕❤️😘😁☺️😍🥳🐒🦅🎣😍📝” or he could be like “k”. It depends on his mood and who he’s texting

On mondays he would telll himself that he only has to make to Friday (he’s been telling himself that for years, he honestly never makes it to Friday)

That’s all for now but I will most likely be adding more headcanons to this list :D

[am-i-the-asshole-official]

Aita for acting much more distant to a friend only when we're in public?

Ok so I've had this friend (both in high-school though ages aren't relevant) for about a year now, we met through other friends and it started out as a "friend of my friend" kind of situation, now we started hanging out much more a couple of months ago and eventually we became fwb. We've had this arrangement for about 5 months now and I've come to discover that this friend is VERY into physical affection, so every time we see each other she gets cuddly real quick and is constantly swarming me with hugs and kisses. I personally have no issues with this, and in fact I've come to cherish it, seeing as I received much physical touch from parents.

Now, this girl is Very Quirky tm. She is an artist (she's even given me a couple of BEAUTIFUL drawings for special events), and overall a very extravagant person. She wears dresses and skirts and cloaks to school and she looks absolutely stunning every time But a lot of people might find her strange, seeing as we live in a not so progressive country. Anyway, we don't hang out much during school hours, seeing as she has her freind group and I have mine (she's met my friends and I've met hers and everyone gets along great) but everything she sees me in the halls or whatever, she runs at me and gives me a Huge hug and is just Extremely close to me in a not so platonic way, and while I'm fine with her greeting .e with a hug, I'm not fine with her doing other things and becoming suggestive with the whole school to be. Now I think I should mention that my abuser is a member of the faculty so they might be walking around and see us and I just don't want that to become a way for them to attack me. But anyway I act different than what I usually act when we're alone for all those reasons, I don't want people to know we're fwb, and I'm pretty sure she doesn't either but I tend to be on the more paranoid side so o just keep thinking about what these hugs could be preceived as. I might be the asshole because she might think I'm doing it because I'm embarrassed to be around her (which isn't true) but I just wanted to come in and check

What are these acronyms?

[thatfandomslut]

I Can't Hate You

Janis Imi'ike x Reader

Word Count: 1k

Trigger Warnings: arguing over absolutely nothing, a lot of the word 'hate'

Request:

Valentine's / Followers Celebration; Janis Imi'ike w/ quote 30 w/ piece of chocolate 5. Or: too long to put w/ arguing

Valentine's / Followers Celebration requests are closed.

(Y/n) and Janis were arguing over Regina George. (Y/n) had been forced in their shared chemistry class to be partnered up with Regina. Janis found herself angered over the fact that (Y/n) had not fought harder to change partners. Then, she couldn't help but narrow her eyes across the room when they began to laugh and talk together over their science project. She didn't like her 'buddy-buddy' (Y/n) was being with the girl that absolutely ruined her middle school and high school life. She would've snapped the pencil in her hand if it wasn't for Cady calming her down.

"I hate her," Janis complained, still not sitting next to her girlfriend during their lunch. Instead, she sat in between Damian and another kid. Normally, she would practically be climbing on her lap. (Y/n) had to force herself to not roll her eyes over the fact Janis was so angry over something they could not change. "I hate that the entire class you two talked and laughed. I hate that Regina thought it was okay to draw a smiley face on your hand. I even hate the way that when she talked to you, she leaned in so close you two could kiss."

Damian, who was in this same class, was on (Y/n)'s side. Though he did typically take Janis's. Still, this wasn't his business, so he did the most unlikely thing for him and stayed out of it. "Janis, you literally hate everything. First of all, you act like I chose her to be my partner. I'm going to be friendly and talk to her, too. She is going to be my partner for the entire academic school year. I would rather not have a bad year. And, I didn't just let her, she just did it. I pulled my hand away. That's why the smiley is wiggly." (Y/n) showed the smiley face that was almost washed off as (Y/n) had already attempted to rub it off, even adding soap and water.

Janis almost rolled her eyes, but (Y/n) interrupted her again. "Hold on, let me challenge you. Tell me things you love. You always tell me what you hate. You yelled over me being partnered up with the person you hate." (Y/n) crossed her arms, leaning back to see if Janis would take the bait. (Y/n) just couldn't deal with this argument anymore. It had been over four days, and she was over it.

"Fine, this will be easy." (Y/n) raised her brow at Janis's words as she waited patiently. For something so easy, (Y/n) and Damian watched in amusement as they waited for a moment. "I love the way you message me first thing in the morning, never making me wait for a message. You always respond very fast. I love the way you give me rides to school in the morning and we can listen to music with your sunroof open. I love the way that makes your hair ruffled and it reminds me of waking up next to you."

She was genuinely surprised by both (Y/n) and Damian. While (Y/n) wore a dopey grin, Damian wondered if he should still be there. "I love the way you tell everyone I'm the big spoon when we both know that's not true. I love the way you watch my art. I love the way you look in the morning, you're hair messy, and everyone. I love how you look throughout the day. I might not love a lot of things but I love you more than the moon loves the sun." (Y/n) felt almost emotional as she opened her mouth to speak. However, Janis beat her to the punch. "Not so fast, my little goody-two-shoes. This argument is not just about me hating everything, it's also about how calm you are about this whole thing with Regina. So, I told you all of the things I love about you, tell me all of the things you hate." Janis was all about winning a challenge.

(Y/n) was unsure if this was the best idea, glancing at Damian who seemed to have the same thoughts. "Um, okay… I hate the way you talk to me, and the way you cut your hair. I hate the way you drive my car. I hate it when you stare. I hate your big dumb combat boots, and the way you read my mind. I hate you so much it makes me sick; it even makes me rhyme." (Y/n) and Janis knew that she didn't hate any of those things, that she just couldn't think of anything. "I hate it, I hate the way you're always right. I hate it when you lie. I hate it when you make me laugh, even worse when you make me cry. I hate it when you're not around, and the fact that you didn't call. Because I stayed up all night waiting." (Y/n) teased, talking about how Janis fell asleep last night.

(Y/n) sighed, still wracking her brain for anything. "But mostly I hate the way I don't hate you. Not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all." She blushed, twirling her thumbs. "I don't even hate any of the things I listed. I just couldn't think of anything I actually hate. I just… I just can't hate you. I love you, Janis." She admitted for the first time, Damian tapping the table in excitement.

A giant grin fell on Janis's lips as she leaned over the table, kissing (Y/n) promptly on the lips. "I love you, too, (Y/n). I also love that I won the challenge." She joked as she sat back down. All of her jealous worry was now at ease as she reminded herself over who she was worried about. Her perfect, wholesome girlfriend. The girl who couldn't even create an actual list of things she hated about her.

[skipper1331]

The next morning // Jessie Fleming

pt. 2 of the drunk and the sober

You woke up to a weight on your chest, your face covered in dark hair as arms were snuggled around your mid section while your head hurt painfully.

You wiped the hair out of your face to see the sleeping beauty. Her breathing was even, her freckles on full display and your own arms wrapped around her body protectively. You couldn‘t help yourself but stroke over her cheek with your thumb. Waking up like this felt like heaven, a dream come true.

You‘d been in love with Jess as long as you can remember, you fell for the quiet shy girl who was absolutely adorable.

"You look so beautiful" you mumbled in her hair, her nose slightly scrunching. You let her sleep as long as she had to, the least you could do after last night, though you kept stroking her cheek gently. You didn‘t notice nor did she but she melted in to your touch.

After an hour or so, the canadian slowly woke up, wiggling around yet still resting on top of you "good morning sunshine" you whispered as you saw that she opened her eyes. As soon as she heard your voice her head snapped up, her body following behind. She looked down at you while she was straddling your lap. Your hands placed themselves on her bare thighs. "I love that position" you grinned, sitting up. Jess‘ eyes scanned your movements "how did you sleep, pretty girl?" you asked sincerely. The midfielder started blush, tilting her head down as her fair fell in front of her face to hide her blush "don‘t hide that pretty face" both of your hands brushed her hair out of her face "do you remember anything from last night?" she asked, ignoring your question. To be honest, she slept better than ever. She felt safe, secure and protected and it was all because of you. "Most parts" you replied, your hands back at resting on her thighs, drawing circles on them. She looked cute wearing your clothes.

As if she only now realized what position you were in, she immediately got off of you and the bed, scrambling her stuff together. "Painkillers are next to you, drink a glass of water and eat something" she said before she rushed out of the room. "Jess!" you ran after, stopping her as she was about to open the front door. Your head was throbbing but you didn‘t care, all you cared about was Jessie. You saw that she wasn‘t comfortable being here, the way her eyes were looking everywhere but you, the way she took a step back as you were in front of her. "Let me drive you home"

"Okay"

You put your shoes on in silence, the drive to her house was in silence, you wanted to say something - you didn‘t. She was staring out of the window, her legs pointing away from you, her stuff in her lap, arms wrapped around it protectively.

The car came to a stop at her home, "thank you" she whispered, not leaving the car just yet. She wanted you to say something, anything. She didn‘t know what she wanted to hear, just something about last night, about your feelings. "Look - I got the message, okay? I won‘t flirt with you anymore" she looked at you but now it was your turn to look outside. That wasn‘t what Jess wanted to hear. "Fine" she rolled her eyes, leaving your car, slamming the door shut.

The moment she stepped out of your car, she regretted it.

Jess often had to struggle with her own feelings - how to deal with the unknown ones. She didn't know. She never had those feelings (always blushing, butterflies in her stomach, heart racing and tingling skin, everything felt like it was on fire) towards anyone before. She was shy and quiet, introverted and that someone - you - could like her didn't fit into her thoughts. How? And the fact that you flirted with her and teased her, stressed her out so much because she liked it. But the question was: was it you or the alcohol that was in your system.

"Fuck" you hit the steering wheel. All you wanted was- you didn‘t know what you wanted, not that what just happened, for sure.

Back at home, you took the painkillers, drank a glass of water and ate something, like Jessie told you.

Jessie

The girl that made your knees tremble, your heart skip a beat and made you feel happy. Was this the end?

You

Just to let you know, the shots didn‘t talk. It was me, they just made confident.

Your fingers typed the message faster than your brain could process it and before you knew it the text was sent. You tried to delete it but she already saw it - didn‘t reply. Your heart hurt yet there was nothing you could do, you could only hope that painkillers would help your aching heart too.

Half an hour later, someone was banging on your door, very penetratively. "Mate, what‘s wrong with you?" your thumb and middle finger rubbed your temples while the other hand opened the door.

"You confuse me!" your favorite canadian said as she brushed past you. "What?"

"You confuse me with all your- I don‘t know. What did you mean with your text?" she asked, her voice low as turned to you. "If I had the confidence I would flirt with you all the time"

"See! You’re confusing! What do you want from me?"

"Why am I confusing?! I just want you to be mine!" your voice was raised, arms wildly gesturing. How could she not understand that you want her?

"God Jess! You make me nervous everytime you‘re near me and i want you to like me back!" you were yelling by now, it didn‘t make your head hurt any less.

"I do!"

You didn‘t move, not able to "what was that?" she took a step towards you. "I do like you" her arms looped around your neck, instinctively yours went around her waist.

The silence around you was loud but in a good way, it was just the two of you in your own created bubble. "You‘re so confusing but I love it" you whispered, smiling, pulling her closer "so?" she asked. You leant forward, stopping an inch away "may i?" you asked, wanting to do the thing you wanted to do since forever. "please"

That‘s all you needed before you pushed your lips on her own. Butterflies filled your chest, the sweet taste of her lips made you melt as you turned putty in her hands. You dreamed about this for a long time and it‘s better than you ever imagined.

——————

[genericpuff]

This is stupid, but you know those new LO hoodies the Webtoon shop has? I know the font they're using. It's Eckmannpsych which is an Adobe font.

That's not the stupid part though. The dumb part is the capital H and G in the Eckmannpsych font do not match what is on the hoodies, which would obviously be on the hoodies that have Hera or Goddess on them. So, Rachel looks to have taken the time to hand draw her own H and G to match the font style for those hoodies but did not take any time to make new, better art for the merch, but instead reused ugly panels from the comic. Talk about a strange look into her priorities. She doesn't like how the G and H look on a font? She will remake those to fit what she wants. Rachel when the assignment gives her the chance to make specialized, better designs for those same merch? She can't be bothered to even try. WTF!

for the love of god-

I'm assuming and hoping they had the commercial rights to that font LMAOO But it did kind of make me go 🤨 because while I didn't know the font EXACTLY off the top of my head it still felt... weirdly out of place for something like LO? Why are these hoodies being stylized like they're from Austin Powers LOL

On another note tho, the LO merch is just like... disappointing in how bad it is for what's supposed to be WT's #1 series, which is, btw, a series with so much unique stylization that it shouldn't even be this hard to make merch for it! it just feels very "first attempt at redbubble merch", but unlike genuine first attempts at making merch (which is obviously a learning curve that I wouldn't judge anyone for being new to) this is a company that's sunk shitloads of money into LO so I don't know why they can't get better merch made?? so much of it is just the default drawings taken and slapped onto a tote bag or t-shirt, which like, yeah cool fine you're using art that's recognizable and considering the art is already made, it stands to reason that they should use it for more than just the comic. It's just disappointing to see how lazy it often is and how little effort is put into translating it onto a t-shirt/tote bag/etc. like we can't even have ONE exclusive t-shirt with a unique design that isn't just poorly copy pasted from the comic?

Case in point, those t-shirts that Rachel was advertising a while ago that were actually straight up falsely advertised. I can't find the post about it on my Tumblr (I'm pretty sure I talked about it here) so here's the IG story rundown I did on it ages ago:

Again I'd really like to have benefit of the doubt here that Rachel isn't the one making these designs, usually that's not how the merchandising process goes in these types of deals, so I'm not gonna point the finger at her. But it's just so odd to me that it happened in the first place. And this goes for a lot of LO's merch, so much of it feels cheaply made and rushed off a conveyor belt for the point of making money without much expense. Which yeah, that's a business model for sure, the goal is to profit, but like this?

You can't even argue that it's like people criticizing LO the comic because like, as much as I'll justify what I spend my time doing here in my free time, it's true that at the end of the day I don't have to pay for LO, so really the only thing I'm doing is inflicting psychic damage to myself, it's not like my actual money is on the line LMAO That's why I stopped paying for LO ages ago and only do it when I have a specific episode I need to review (such as the midseason hiatus review series I did). At the very least, if I really want to keep reading LO but don't want to pay for it, I can just avoid FastPassing it and read it for free so I can save the coins for other series I'd rather read. The Webtoons' FP system is very fair that way.

But this is merch explicitly made to generate revenue. It is a product, front to back. You can vote with your money by not buying the thing you don't like, absolutely, but the fact that it's this poorly to begin with is just so indicative of Webtoons' business practices and so shitty for the people who genuinely enjoy this comic and are being advertised and sold shoddy merchandise that doesn't even come looking the same way it's advertised. It's really not a good look for Webtoons, Rachel, or LO that this is what they're selling to people.

Especially for what they're charging, good lord-

Like, okay, they're hoodies and they're gonna be expensive to print and ship so the higher overhead cost makes sense, but jesus christ, with the kind of merch Webtoons has already given the stamp of approval on, would it even show up in decent condition? How bright are those colors gonna be? Are they gonna strip off as soon as I throw it in the wash? I'm half-tempted to buy a hoodie for myself just to do a review on it but I can't justify dropping $75 CAD on a hoodie that only has art on the back. Maybe it's just me living in the hellish lands of Canada where we play with toy money that's the problem, but it's just not a gamble I wanna take LOL If I bought one it would probably be the Hecate or Hermes ones because they're the only ones that are at least somewhat legible and have decent character art that isn't a character looking like they need to poop LMAO

(these are literally the two worst drawings they could have chosen of these two i stg lol the only thing that would have made this worse/funnier is if it was Handsome Hades and Persephone Kidnapping a Baby LMAO)

It has me worried about what the LO figures are gonna look like when they release. Are they gonna have some creative liberty with making them chibi-fied (like a Nendoroid?) or are they gonna try and replicate the art style exactly and wind up making literal blow-up sex doll Persephone? 😭

NGL, if the figures are done well enough and don't cost an arm and a leg, I might consider buying one just for the shelf collection, but again, it depends. If Webtoons released a tarot deck with really good panels from LO (like the Tower 4 scene or Persephone sitting on the rooftop with her comb or Eros flying down into the Mortal Realm) I would buy the shit out of that. I would even just take the Major Arcana if 78 cards was too much to ask :'0 I'm not against Webtoons/Rachel trying to profit off LO merch at all, I just wish it was BETTER- (╥﹏╥)

[anamericangirl]

"More important question, why are liberals triggered by The Sound of Freedom?"

As a liberal, there are 5 main reasons I personally don't like the film.

Highly fictionalized. While based on a real story it takes dozens of liberties in telling it. Many of the events in the film did not happen in real life as they are shown happening in the film. The movie seems to care more about entertaining than it does about telling its story accurately.

Bad acting. This is an objective point, but the film is just not very good in my opinion.

Its inaccurateness harms its goal. By not depicting the story as it actually occurred, it's giving the public a false idea of what CST (child sex trafficking) is like, and misrepresenting issues like this is never a good thing. The film harms its own goal by misrepresenting the issue it aims to bring awareness to.

Other's did it better. There are plenty of other non fictionalized documentaries that have told stories like this way better than the Sound of Freedom does, and the Sound of Freedom is taking eyes away from better media that did what it wanted to do but better.

It's fueling Qanon quacks. There are people out there that believe some absolutely insane stuff, and they're using this film as proof to back up their insane beliefs. Those people think that the fact that CST is real is proof that Trump was fighting some secret cabal and other nonsensical stories.

TDLR: It's highly fictionalized with bad acting that misinforms people and misrepresents CST, while also drawing eyes away from other films that did what it tried to do but better, and it's making crazy people even more crazy.

Thanks for trying to give some actual reasons. They're all bad reasons that aren't even a little bit true but at least you tried.

"Highly fictionalized. While based on a real story it takes dozens of liberties in telling it. Many of the events in the film did not happen in real life as they are shown happening in the film."

Hey quick question - have you seen the film? What do you know about the actual story it's based on? Maybe this is news to you but for most people it's common knowledge that when a film is made based on a real story, movies always take some liberties and fictionalize parts of it for dramatic effect. It doesn't make a bad film or speak against it unless it is so wrong it equates to lying. But leftists seem to completely forgotten that movies do that when it comes to The Sound of Freedom.

Please, do tell exactly what they fictionalized and why it's bad enough that leftists are coming out in droves to discourage people from watching it (even though not a single one of them have seen it).

"Bad acting. This is an objective point, but the film is just not very good in my opinion."

Bad acting is never an objective point. Again, have you seen the film? If you don't like the acting that's fine. A lot of people think the acting was very good. I thought the acting was fine. Not great. But fine. I've seen movies with better acting but I've also seen movies with worse acting. So not liking the acting is hardly a reason to be speaking against this film so much.

"Its inaccurateness harms its goal. By not depicting the story as it actually occurred, it's giving the public a false idea of what CST (child sex trafficking) is like, and misrepresenting issues like this is never a good thing."

So at this point I'm pretty sure you haven't seen it. You're just repeating what you've heard by people who haven't watched it. That's a very vague claim. Please give me very specific examples from the film that you think gives a false idea of child sex trafficking and why it's harmful. Because I don't think you actually know much about this issue and you're just following the mob.

"Other's did it better. There are plenty of other non fictionalized documentaries that have told stories like this way better than the Sound of Freedom does, and the Sound of Freedom is taking eyes away from better media that did what it wanted to do but better."

What are other movies you think did it better? You can promote those films without attacking The Sound of Freedom. The Sound of Freedom did it very well and you've failed to prove otherwise.

"It's fueling Qanon quacks. There are people out there that believe some absolutely insane stuff, and they're using this film as proof to back up their insane beliefs."

lmao ok this is proof you're just listening to propaganda and don't know anything about the movie. Please give examples you have seen of this as well. The movie has nothing to do with Qanon and even if it did why the hell are you more concerned about a non-issue like Qanon than child trafficking?

It's really weird that this is the movie you'll are choosing to wage war against.

[slaaverin]

You belive in tarot right? I have read some tarots who implies they're not in any kind of romantic relationship as in cause those tarot readings are done of their s/o. Yes they have great bond, chemistry and they care for eachother but idt there's any romantic feel to it. I remember this one tarot reading someone had linked and it's from that kpopreading acct who's most of all readings are right and ig in one of the readings (ig ppl asked her about rs btw him and xyz members you know could be shippers) she said that it has happened two times now that she's got some card in both tae and jk's readings and that card indicates both of them are heterosexual. She is professional and doesn't really do what shippers expects from those readings though cause she keeps it till friendships and doens't really dwell into the romantic rs of members with eachother but yeah she's said it. I remember her readings of jm comics true as well.

Do you believe jkk are dating or have/had romantic feelings for eachother?

Hello,

Thank you for your ask.

Personally I tend to look at readings from only one person. When you see readings from many different people it can depend so much on the reader. The cards themselves don't really lie but from one reader to the next the interpretation can really be vastly different and so it can get all muddled up.

I personally only read bluemoonpunch's readings. I've always had an intuitive pull towards hers, and she read for me privately as well, so I have no doubts on her capabilities. Her readings always confirmed as well my own observations about BTS, like she says stuff I intuitively already know.

That's why - even if I absolutely love tarot readings - I do not look up other readings for BTS. It's like when you do a personal reading for yourself, if you do not like the cards you get, you're not supposed to start over to get other cards, what you get is what you get and that's it.

Absolutely no judgement to you or anyone that does this, but to me people who look up many different readings are more close to prying into BTS than anything else. There's a fine line between being interested to learn and violation of privacy. (I get it, we are all curious).

That's only my perspective and opinion, but to me it's best if you stick to one reader you absolutely trust and resonate with, and draw your own conclusions from it.

As for your second question.

Yes I personally believe jikook are in a romantic relationship. Is it a classical one? An open one? An ungoing one? Or however you may classify, I don't know. That is their business.

I don't believe this because tarot cards told me (bluemoonpunch never said they are in a romantic relationship, even if you can read between lines of course).

I believe this from my own observations, after watching all the BTS content that exists.

It is not one single thing that makes me believe those two have romantic feelings, it's thousands of moments and things and words put together.

I believe it so much so, that to me the contrary would be more impossible.

And I know it's a strong word to use - but it's true.

I'm in disbelief many people don't see it already, when it is so in your face and plain as day. Because what would be the alternative?

A relationship like theirs, with so much romantic connotation, that is simply friendship? It doesn't exist. Like people in real life they don't do it, it's too weird. However you turn it and make it make sense in your head, it just doesn't make sense.

There is no alternative to me.

The playfulness, the skinship, the closeness, the flirting, all of it could still be explained with a deep friendship, alright.

But what about the sexual undertones?

THIS.

How can two friends have that much sexual tension? Sexual jokes? How can a friend be such a shaved legs enthusiast? And butt? Why a friend would pull up his tongue in such a sexual manner to tease A FRIEND? Why make jokes about them tying each other up?

You can't make that shit up.

The sexual undertones of their relationship makes it romantic to me.

Because everything else you can pass it up as very close friendship at best, if you squint and wanna be blind.

But the way Jungkook wants to devour Jimin it's not something a friend would do.

And I know that's so little examples from me, sorry for my shit memory, but there are tons and tons of sexual moments between them, so this plus EVERYTHING ELSE. I MEAN????

What more do you want from them? To kiss on stage?

Jungkook already SUCKED JIMIN'S EAR. That's somewhat even worse because what kind of intimacy you need to do this? Even with my boyfriend of 9+ year it's not something that would come to mind.

You need to be really. fucking. close. to do this.

Ahhh I don't know what people want anymore.

Everything they say or do screams couple. To me saying it now out loud would be like? useless. WE ALREADY KNOW.

Anyway I went on a tengeant but I hope you get my point.

To me they are indeed in a romantic relationship and the recent travel show only confirms it even more (i didn't think it was possible??). I'll make posts about the travel show when I will have settled into my thoughts.

But I can't tell you what to think anon, you need to make your own mind about this.

Take care 💜

[ask-the-critters-survival-au]

So anybody feeling rather nosy today?

Well I finished Kickin’s entire diary a few weeks ago, and since Hoppy never really got the chance to read the entire thing, I thought I’d share it here!

Please note, on the following dates

November 4, 1997

March 10, 1998

September 4, 1998

Kickin does write down some s*icidal thoughts, that may be triggering to some people. I’d advise you to skip past those if they are triggering for you. I’ll mark them with bold text so you know.

Diary is under the cut! Have fun snooping!

August 26, 1995

I found this notebook by one of the kids’ beds. He didn’t use it at all so I figured it was alright to take it! Not that he is here to stop me anyways. I decided to start writing stuff in here! Just whatever I’m thinking, whenever I feel like it, I guess. Whenever I feel like it. God, that is a WEIRD sentence to say. Or write. But it’s true! It’s my life now! Whenever I feel like it! No more stupid employees here! Haha, get wrecked! Losers. Oh, Hoppy’s calling me. I’m gonna go! I’ll write in you again later! I promise! Wait, why am I promising a notebook that I’ll do something?

October 2, 1995

Okay so I kinda forgot about this thing. Oops! Anyways, I’m getting bored. The soccer ball is starting to deflate and we can’t find the pump. This SUCKS dude. Like, I get the prototype is busy doing whatever, but if he’s all powerful like he says can’t he give us some entertainment around here? Like sheesh! There’s nothing to do. I’m so bored.

October 16, 1995

I’m thinking of growing my hair out. I mean, Crafty is doing it! And it’s getting annoying constantly cutting it. It grows back really fast. Maybe I’ll go for a mullet type look! Just maybe though.

October 29, 1995

DogDay’s missing. We don’t know where he went. We tried searching for him but CatNap told us not to. It’s always what CatNap says. Stupid. I’m going to keep looking anyways. I’m gonna find him.

October 30, 1995

Never mind.

January 1, 1996

Hey, new year! It kinda sucks though. We did absolutely nothing to celebrate. Also, big problem. Bobby found out about my secret crush. Oh I hope nobody ever reads this thing. Don’t tell anybody, but I think I like-like Hoppy. She’s just so cute and pretty and funny and spunky and cool and I love it when she talks about outer space it’s so interesting!!! She’s so fast too, like crazy fast! I think she’s too fast though. She beats me at literally EVERYTHING. That’s okay though! I’m gonna keep getting better until I can win! But yeah. Bobby found out. I’m terrified for my life.

January 23 1996

So we’re starting to run out of food. Catnap said to trust in the prototype and that he’s gonna save us and stuff. I call bull. We need food, not a savior! But he said the prototype has a plan, so I guess we’ll be fine. Still though, I’m getting tired of eating moldy salami.

February 6, 1996

Crafty’s starting to lose it. She started nagging me nonstop because she keeps running out of red marker. I’m gonna avoid her from now on. Her drawings are getting weird. Really weird. Like borderline creepy stuff. She’s going bonkers man, I’m telling you.

May 16, 1996

We ran out of food. Woke up this morning to Picky scoring through the rest of our god damn supply. I swear I am going to SCREAM DUDE!! So what if she’s always hungry?! She’s not the only one who needs food to survive! Unbelievable. What the hell are we going to do now?

May 17, 1996

So that was CatNap’s back up plan. Oh my god. I don’t want to even think about what I’ve done today. I recognized him. Who I ate. He was there when I first woke up. Taking notes in the corner of the room on his clipboard. I feel sick to my stomach. How long are we going to have to do this for?

June 2, 1996

Today feels special. I don’t know why. It just does. Also I’m sorry I haven’t been writing in you as much. I’m just scared of getting caught writing in this thing. What if someone reads it? What if CatNap reads it? Will he get mad at me for what I wrote a few months ago about the prototype? Maybe I should erase it. No I can’t do that, I wrote it in marker. I’m going to keep this thing hidden inside my zipper pocket for now, until I find a better spot.

July 22, 1996

There was a freaking execution today. I’m so disturbed right now. It was one of the tiny DogDays. I’m not really sure what he did, but CatNap made us all watch as he ripped the poor guy apart. He said that’s what happens if you are a heretic. That’s what happens if you speak out even the slightest against the prototype. Bubba told me that he thought one of the other minis had tattled to CatNap about what that tiny DogDay did. That’s insane. I can’t imagine any of my friends doing that to me. Would they do that to me? No, I’m being an idiot. They’d never do that. Regardless I can’t let him find this thing. I don’t want to end up like that mini.

August 8, 1996

It’s officially been a full year since the Hour of Joy. It’s weird to think about. How many full humans have I eaten by now? Maybe eight? Ten? Twelve? Twenty? I lose count. I don’t feel anything when I eat them anymore. It’s easier to imagine them without faces. I always cut off the head so I don’t have to see it. On the bright side, we finally found the pump for the soccer ball. Hoppy and I can finally start playing again. I don’t really think either of us want to though. At least not right now.

September 12, 1996

Hoppy and I had another fight today. I’m writing in this thing because Bobby made us separate. I don’t like being mad at her. I want to apologize but I’m scared to approach her right now. I miss DogDay. I don’t write about him much but I miss him. His name is kind of forbidden to even speak nowadays. Picky thinks he abandoned us. I don’t think he did. He’d never do that. But if he did I want him to come back. Everything’s falling apart without him.

January 12, 1997

I’m sorry it’s been awhile. I don’t really know what to write about today though so I’m gonna end it off here.

February 7, 1997

Sometimes I wonder if I should name this journal something. But I’m not very creative when it comes to names. Crafty is though. She’s been really different lately though. She’s gotten really cheerful for some reason. But say the wrong thing and suddenly you’re on the ground. I’m scared of her. I don’t know what’s going on with her but if she doesn’t get that fixed soon she’s going to get herself killed. Or kill someone else. Either of the two. Maybe even both.

April 25, 1997

Nothing to write about today. I’m just not going to. I don’t feel like it. My hand hurts. I think I’m gonna go back to sleep.

June 2, 1997

It’s the weird day again. The one that feels like it should be special. I don’t know what that feeling is. I asked Bubba about it. He knows a lot, I thought he’d probably know that too. He didn’t though. He said he got that feeling too, sometimes. But neither of us knew why.

June 19, 1997

We ran out of food. I didn’t even know that was possible. There were so many humans working in this factory, how did we run out of them? The entire Playcare was in panic today. CatNap calmed us all down. He said not to worry, because the prototype always has a plan. Okay. If the prototype always has a plan, what is it? Because I’m tired of this whole stupid mess! I want to know what it is! Why can’t I know what it is? This is so dumb! The prototype is so dumb! It makes me want to tear all my feathers out!!!!

September 19, 1997

IM SO HUNGRY SO HUNGRY SO HUNGRY SO HUNGRY I DONT KNOW WHAT TO EAT THERES NOTHING I HAVENT EATEN IN SO LONG I NEED FOOD I NEED FOOD. IM HAVING THESE SCARY THOUGHTS NOW I WANT THEM GONE! I DONT WANT TO HURT ANYONE BUT I NEED TO EAT I NEED TO EAT I NEED TO

September 19, 1997

I did it. I needed to eat. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Picky told us how to find food. There’s plenty of it in the Playhouse. Like livestock, just waiting to be slaughtered. CatNap was so mad. But we have food now. And we all know he’s been eating them too. I feel like a monster. They were like us. But Bubba told me it was necessary. We were all going to die if we didn’t. I’m still sorry though.

November 4, 1997

Bubba got gassed. Badly. I’m so worried about him. We don’t even know why, we just walked in the room and there he was, laying on the ground with scratch marks all over him. How could CatNap have done such a thing? He’s sick. Just sick. I’ve been taking care of him now. I don’t want to leave his side. I’m worried that if I leave for a moment that something will happen to him. Hoppy’s been making me stay active. Sometimes she’s the only reason I keep going on. It’d be so easy just to end it all. She’s there for me though. I love her. God, I love her. I never want anything to happen to her. But I know something’s going to happen to her. That something’s going to happen to all of us eventually. When it happens to her though, it’s gonna happen to me next. I promise it will.

November 14, 1997

I found a boombox today. It’s really cool. I’ve been playing it for Bubba recently. He’s still asleep. I hope he wakes up soon. Did I ever mention in here that I like to dance? It’s really fun. It makes me forget about everything that happened. I lose myself in the movements. I don’t really even know how I know how to dance. I never learned it as a toy. I think I’m gonna go do it now though.

December 3, 1997

THAT JERK! THAT HORRIBLE STUPID DISGUSTING DUMB JERK! I HATE HER! I HATE HER I HATE HER I HATE HER! HOW DARE SHE DO THAT TO BUBBA?? WHEN HAS HE EVER BEEN ANYTHING BUT NICE TO HER???? BUT NOOOOO, I GUESS KINDNESS MEANS NOTHING IN THE EYES OF PICKY PIGGY! ALL SHE CARES ABOUT IS HERSELF AND HER APPETITE! I WOULDVE RIPPED OFF SOOO MUCH MORE THAN HER EAR IF I COULD! BUT THEN HOPPY AND BOBBY HAD TO COME IN AND RESTRAIN ME! STUPID! STUPID STUPID STUPID! IM GOING TO KILL HER WHEN I GET THE CHANCE! AND ITS GOING TO BE SLOW AND BRUTAL AND ITS GOING TO HURT!

January 1, 1998

Yay. New year. Yippee.

March 4, 1998

Something bad happened today. I knew it would happen eventually. I think we all did. Crafty finally lost it on the wrong person. She attacked CatNap and then he ripped off her hands as punishment. I could hear every. Single. Agonizing second of her screams. I thought I was used to screaming by now. I guess I was just telling myself that. I hope she survives. That was a lot of blood.

March 6, 1998

What do I do. What do I do. What do I do. Hoppy’s leaving. She just told me she is. Hoppy, Bobby and Crafty are leaving Playcare in a week. They can’t leave. They can’t. CatNap’s going to kill them. He’s going to kill them brutally. And even if he doesn’t, who knows what’s outside of Playcare? Plenty of toys who would be willing to hurt them for food. Hoppy told me to come with them. I can’t go with them. I don’t want to die. But I don’t want them to die. They can’t leave. I don’t want them to leave. But I can’t change Hoppy’s mind. She’s leaving with or without me. How could she do that to me? Just leave me here, all alone with Picky? Bubba’s still asleep. She’s the only one I’ll have to talk to. I don’t want to talk to her. I’m scared. I need to stop them.

March 8, 1998

what have I done what have I done what have I done what have I done what have I done what have I done what have I done what have I done what have I done what have I done what have I done what have I done what have I done what have I done what have I done what have I done what have I done what have I done what have I done what have I done what have I done what have I done what have I done what have I done what have I done

March 9, 1998

I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m so so sorry. I messed up I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry please forgive me. I keep seeing her. She talks to me in my head now, telling me she won’t ever forgive me, no matter how much I grovel and beg. Sometimes I don’t even think it’s in my head. Am I going insane? You don’t deserve to stay sane. You’re right. I don’t. I’m sorry I’m sorry I’m sorry.

March 10, 1998

The blood won’t come off. It stained my hands. Maybe I deserve that. You do deserve that. You’re right. You’re always right. I deserve it. I haven’t moved from my bed since it happened. I’m hungry but I don’t want to eat. I don’t deserve to eat. Bubba needs me though. At least if Picky tries eating him again there’s nobody to stop me from making her pay this time. I don’t know why I don’t just give up. I should. I made a promise that I would once Hoppy went. Maybe it’s Bubba. Or maybe I’m just making excuses. Maybe I’m just too scared. I’ve never felt so alone before. I deserve to feel alone.

March 24, 1998

I’ve been seeing her a lot lately in my dreams. Always the screaming and then the ear. And then she tells me it’s my fault. I know it’s my fault. But I still don’t understand. Am I selfish for not understanding? Yeah. Probably. But all I ever wanted to do was protect her. I don’t understand why this happened. I don’t understand. Picky’s been avoiding me. That’s fine. I don’t want to see her either.

April 12, 1998

You know what? No. I’m done. I don’t care if CatNap catches me going into the Playhouse. I need to see what’s inside. Maybe she’s inside, and that’s why we aren’t allowed in. I’m going to find her. I’m going to make things right with her. I refuse to believe she’s gone.

July 16, 1998

July. It’s already July. I took that long to recover? Seriously? That was three whole months. Well, I guess loosing an eye will do that to you. I’m still surprised that Picky took care of me while I was hurt. I tried to ask her why but she didn’t respond, so I guess that was that. That doesn’t matter though. He’s alive. He’s alive. DogDay’s alive! He’s been here this entire time, sitting right below our noses and we had no clue! If I can just figure out a way to get him out then he can save us all from this mess! I know he can! I just need to find a way.

July 20, 1998

Bubba woke up. He finally woke up! Oh my god, he finally woke up! It’s been how long, eight months? I’m so thankful. He’s really scared though. He must’ve been through hell. I know from experience the nightmares that stuff gives you aren’t pleasant. I can’t imagine going through that for a whole year. Poor guy.

July 21, 1998

Bubba’s been having trouble walking lately. His legs give out whenever he tries. I guess that makes sense. He hasn’t used his legs in a while. I wish I knew how to give him the proper treatment he needs. Actually, there’s an idea. I should check inside of the school. I’m sure there is something in there about comas.

July 22, 1998

OKAY SO THAT WAS A HORRIBLE IDEA. Not only did I find absolutely NOTHING, but I almost got my head bashed in with a freaking mace! That biology teacher has gone wack. Completely wack. Then again, she’s not the only one. I still hear Hoppy. She still visits me. I’ll be in the middle of something and then I’ll just see her. I think I’m starting to hallucinate. I know that’s really bad. But I enjoy seeing her. Even if all she does is cuss me out. It gives me hope. Hope that she’s not Never mind. I shouldn’t be thinking about that. Bury that nice and deep along with the other scary thoughts. She’s not dead. She’s not dead she’s not dead she’s not dead she’s not dead.

August 8, 1998

Third year anniversary. Or is it the fourth? I don’t feel like doing the math. Bubba can walk again now, but all he does is sit against a wall. It feels like my effort was wasted, if I’m honest. He doesn’t like eating. Or sleeping. He hates sleeping. I tried to give him some books to read that I stole from the councilors office, but he ignored them. Some days he refuses to sleep so badly to the point where I have to knock him out for him to get a little shut eye. I feel bad for him. He doesn’t deserve this. If I could take his place I would in a heartbeat. Maybe if it was me instead of him I wouldn’t have messed up so horribly.

September 4, 1998

It’s one of those days where the hallucinations are bad again. Sometimes I wonder if it even is a hallucination. Am I actually seeing her? She’s looking over my shoulder right now. Watching me write. She looks so real. And the stuff she says feels so real. I want her to be real. I want to hold her in my arms. She just told me if I ever try to do that she’s going to push me off the cloud I’m on. I think she knows I wouldn’t save myself.

September 18, 1998

Bubba’s been getting better. He’s started talking again. Only sometimes though. And he never says much. It’s a start though.

November 10, 1998

I think I just saw Picky chasing Hoppy away from the councilors office. I must’ve just been hallucinating again. She was carrying something though. It looked like a computer? I’ve never seen that before. Probably just another hallucination.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Is it just me or has the card illustrations (specifically the groovy) been kinda bad lately? Like don't get me wrong most of the pre groovy are absolute bangers, but the groovies? Not so much. But lately there has been an obvious decrease in quality with anatomy, and even 😐 a whitewashing problem.

Take Lilia's dorm groovy for example— the piece is gorgeous, but whenever I zoom into his face the way they draw his face looks so off.

As for the whitewashing issue, I've noticed that Leona's beastly garb groovy had him very ashy looking (but some may argue that it's just the lighting casted on him)

Right now though the one that's been bothering me the most is the obvious whitwashing on Kalim's tsum groovy. We really can't argue that it's a lighting issue there, cause Jamil's firework card had a similar setting and he didn't look that light.

Personally, I think TWST’s Groovy illustrations have always been hit or miss since the beginning. I have similar issues with the faces in Lilia and Leona’s Dorm Uniform Groovies, and the anatomy seemed slightly off in a few others. I can’t find the original post anymore (I think OP didn’t tag it??), but I clearly recall an artist having spoken about how the pose in Epel’s initial Dorm Uniform art looked weird; they included drawings of how Epel’s spine and limbs looked vs how they should look to illustrate what they meant. Those are just a few examples of then and now though, and we have to keep in mind that if we include ALL available cards then the funky faces and weird posing/proportions only make up a very small percentage of what’s out there.

The more important issue at the moment is the coloring choices that were made for a few recent SSR event Groovies: Beastly Garb Leona and Tsumsted Kalim. They are pictured below with a few other card illustrations I pulled that have similar lighting (or as similar as I could find). You’ll notice (especially for Tsumsted Kalim’s Groovy) that the characters’ skin colors are much lighter than they should be.

Now I’ll be honest here 💦 I actually can’t tell (even when eyedropping the colors to compare; I don't even know if eyedropping is an accurate way to compare colors since the lighting and environment in every illustration is never EXACTLY the same) if Leona’s Beastly Garb Groovy is just the strong sunlight or if it has been whitewashed. I don’t have enough knowledge and/or experience with color theory and in real life to know for certain. However, as the Anon has said, that same argument cannot be made for the Scarabia duo. It’s particularly bad for Tsumsted Kalim because Yasmina Silk Jamil also had fireworks in the background, and his skin color is fine there. Sometimes artists purposefully use an altered color palate to achieve a different feeling in their pieces (for example, pastel colors for a soft, soothing look). I don’t think that was the case for Tsumsted Kalim because everything else in the Groovy art looks pretty true to color for the lighting (but again, I'm not an expert in coloring so I could be wrong). When taken in conjunction with Leona’s Beastly Garb… it could indicate a troubling pattern.

There’s been a lot of speculation going around for why this has happened, chief among that speculation being the TWST team has likely hired new staff and/or colorists (and Japan, being Japan, is pretty homogenous; it may be difficult to find artists with an understanding of how to color and shade darker skin tones). Again, these are just guesses circulating in the fandom. Nothing is confirmed, and nor does this excuse what has happened.

This has, very understandably, caused a lot of hurt and upset in the TWST fandom and community. So now the question is…

What can we do about it?

You can communicate your feelings to the TWST team! They have a form to collect thoughts and opinions from the playerbase, which can be accessed here.

PLEASE NOTE:

Be polite and professional. Nothing good comes out of anger, especially if the anger is directed at others; if you are rude and/or curse at the staff, they will be much less likely to hear you out.

Communicate in Japanese. The staff you are sending your complaint to are Japanese, and the game itself is Japanese (Beastly Garb Leona and Tsumsted Kalim are not yet out in the EN server, which is staffed by totally different people).

If you don’t know how to write in Japanese, this Twitter user has created polite templates to communicate our concerns with the whitewashing. (Their whole thread is great; please reference it if you need additional assistance!!) I would not recommend adding extra text, especially if you would be relying on a translation program to do so. Speaking in broken Japanese can be perceived as rude and will only detract from your message.

A similar situation to this occurred during the initial run of Fairy Gala; TWST had used “exotic” in its text, and after receiving an influx of feedback from the players, the devs went in and changed the dialogue to no longer use the term. It’s possible to make the change we want to see a reality if we respectfully make our thoughts known.

[baldursgrave69]

reminders

There were reminders of her everywhere. 

A spare cloak, a hidden dagger, the drawing of him. 

Enver never expected to grieve her. He had prepared for their relationship to end poorly, is there any other way to love a bhaalspawn? He, however, never expected to live in a world without her. Surely she would outlive him, whether she killed him or not was irrelevant. As long as he had her until the end. 

Now there was nothing. Her scent was fading from his pillow, the image of her face becoming blurrier with each passing day. Why hadn’t he gotten a portrait done of her? Not that she ever would have agreed to that. He smiled to himself as he imagined what she would say at this suggestion. 

“Absolutely not. If you want to look at me, you know where to find me”

Enver sat at his desk, looking through his collection of her. Letters between the two of them from the very first time they wrote each other to the last. As he read through he watched her language change. She was a woman of few words, unlike him she didn’t need to turn towards verbosity to get her point across. 

Agnes, It seems we are on the same page, I feel it would be best for us to schedule a meeting to discuss further plans for our return to the Hells. If you would join me the day after tomorrow for dinner, you and I could solidify our plans.  The very best, Enver Gortash  Chosen of Bane, Fine -Agnes 

But the more they got to know one another the more she wrote, Enver could see the change in her through her words. 

Agnes, It has been entirely too long since you’ve been in my arms. I’m writing you once again to ask that you join me tomorrow evening for that banquet we discussed. It’s a great opportunity for networking and I would like you by my side. Figaro has a dress put aside for you, I cannot wait to see you in it.  Yours until the end, Enver Gortash Chosen of Bane, You know how I feel about these kind of things. But I suppose I could make an exception. We will see about the dress.  -Agnes

He recalled how she looked in that dressed. He remembered being surprised she wore it to begin with. It was a deep red, tight in all the right places. He chose it for the color, she loved red. Of course she loved red. 

Enver rifled through the pages before him, landing on a small, square bag. He ran his fingers along the top of it, the item inside threatening to break through the fabric. He carefully opened the bag, allowing a ring to fall onto his palm. A gold band with a simple ruby affixed to the top. 

Enver never got the chance to give it to her, though he knew she wouldn’t wear it anyway. He loved that about her. She was combative and stand offish and terrifying. But she could also be so soft and gentle. A walking contradiction disguised as the world’s deadliest weapon. 

“My lord, we have word of some rogue true souls,” a voice distracted Enver from his focus. He looked up to find an Absolute soldier standing in the doorway of his office. 

“Is that so? What do we know about them?” He asked. 

“Not much, sir. All we know is that they’ve been snooping around the goblin camp where we have True Soul Minthara stationed. Evidently, they’ve got a woman leading them, a half elf. She’s been causing trouble,” the man replied. 

She’s been causing trouble. 

Surely it wasn’t her. It couldn’t be. Orin made it clear that she was gone. 

But gone didn’t necessarily mean dead, right? 

[shouldaspunastory]

For @plisuu, @rosella-writes and @dadrunkwriting

Cullen Rutherford x Dorian Pavus (SFW, during Wicked Eyes Wicked Hearts, a continuation of this. 1053 words)

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"Dorian," Cullen asks softly, subtly steering the pair of them away from the center of the Winter Palace's marble dance floor to a corner out of the way of the other dancers. Cullen looks worried, which only serves to make Dorian feel bad, and he hates feeling bad. The evening has been... well, wonderful so far. Finery, fine wine, eavesdropping and gossiping, intrigue, murder, it really has reminded him of home. And then there was this... And Maker, of all the things that might have happened this evening, Dorian hadn't dared hope that the evening might include being the envy of many men and women alike for securing a dance with the handsome Commander of the Inquisition.

"Dorian,' Cullen ventures again, voice low and laced with concern, drawing him back from his thoughts. "You were trembling."

"Was not," Dorian squawks indignantly, but even as he does, he knows it's true. It's only the fact that he's locked his knees that he's still standing now. Cullen's hand is still resting at his hip and Dorian could swear he feels the heat of his touch even with the leather and dress fabrics between them. It burns. In a good way. The way his heart has for some time longer than he's ready to admit. The eyes he feels on the pair of them burn too, but nothing like as pleasant. What must they all be thinking? What must he have been thinking to have allowed things to go this far?

"I'm sorry," Cullen apologizes, frowning. And that... that just won't do. Cullen had been smiling- for the first time all evening- happy, maybe even proud to be dancing with him. None of this is his fault, and Dorian would disabuse him of that notion immediately, but perhaps not where there are so many eyes and ears.

"Let's get some air," Dorian suggests, leading the way out of the loud and crowded ballroom into the gardens. He takes a few deep gulps of the cool night air beside the fountain before turning around to face the large, sad, amber eyes of friend, his... fuck, it shouldn't be this complicated. It never was before. Therein lies the problem.

"I'm sorry," Cullen apologizes again. "I shouldn't have pushed; you obviously didn't want-"

"No," Dorian interrupts, shaking his head, and Cullen, ever the good little soldier immediately bites his tongue. "I-" Dorian sighs heavily, running a frustrated hand through and mussing his perfectly coiffed hair, releasing the breath through his teeth with a soft hiss, before forcing himself to lift his eyes to meet Cullen's once more. "I did want to. I want- This," he gestures between the pair of them, then back up to the ballroom where muffled music gently drifts upon the evening air. And so much more, he thinks. Maker, greedy creature that he is, he wants it all. "But I... this isn't how it's done. Where I come from- anything between two men, it's- an aberration, shameful, something to keep hidden," Dorian continues softly, shaking his head. "It's about pleasure, nothing more. You learn not to hope for me. You'd be foolish to."

"Is that what you want?" Andraste preserve this man, Dorian thinks, his chest suddenly tight. Cullen isn't the sort to indulge in something casual, hardly knows the meaning of the word, of doing anything without being wholly invested in it. That he would even consider, even offer such a thing...

"Absolutely not," Dorian replies firmly, though his heart still hammers in his chest. "But I-" he hesitates, "Cullen, I don't know what I'm doing," he exhales with a self-depreciating huff of laughter. "I don't know what you want."

"You," Cullen replies simply, stepping forward to shrink the gap between them and clasping the mage's hand in his, perhaps emboldened by Dorian's assurance that he isn't interested in a mere daliance between them either. "I just want you."

"Kaffas," Dorian swears softly, ducking and shaking his head, allowing himself a moment to collect himself before meeting the intensity of Cullen's gaze again.

"Dorian," Cullen says, offering his hands a reassuring squeeze. "You- You make me feel safe," Cullen confesses, blushing a little at his own words, but needing to get them out, smiling softly as Dorian's eyes go wide, nodding. Yes, his eyes reply in answer to the questions swirling in Dorian's, you. "When I'm with you, I feel like nothing is impossible. Even things I stopped dreaming about a long time ago. Things I thought I didn't deserve anymore. You make me feel like I can be anything I want," Cullen continues, the scar above his lip twitching as a soft smile curls at the corners of his mouth. "I want to be yours, if you'd have me." Dorian's knees give out, like something out of the damn romance serial written by their dwarven mutual friend, but Cullen is there, strong arms wrapping around him, pulling him into his chest, keeping him steady as he catches his breath, his racing heart and thoughts.

"We don't have to dance- we don't have to prove anything to anyone," Cullen says softly when Dorian is still trying to find his tongue again, throat suddenly tight and his damned eyes watering despite his best efforts against it. "But, I would," Cullen continues, offering Dorian a gentle squeeze. "I would stand with you- against Corypheus, against all those damn nobles up there, against anyone who'd speak against you, against us. I would love and claim you, not just when we are alone, when it's secret, unchallenged, safe, but in the daylight too."

"You'll regret this," Dorian breathes before he can stop himself.

"I won't," Cullen replies confidently. "Give me the chance to prove it?" Fucking Ferelden men and their puppy dog eyes, Dorian thinks shaking his head as the first hot tear spills down his cheek. "Just because it's all you've known, doesn't mean it's all you deserve," Cullen whispers softly, and Dorian shudders against him. "You taught me that," he adds with a smile, leaning down to rest his forehead against his.

"I hate you," Dorian huffs as Cullen gently thumbs away another tear from his cheek.

"You don't," Cullen smiles softly.

"No," Dorian confirms, leaning into his palm with a soft sigh, wrapping his own arms around Cullen and sinking into him. "No, I don't."