#excellent choice fr

[aroacesigma]

Hello Kai. if u get more chickens in the sims can u name them Parmesan and Pepperoni Pizza for me. Pepperoni and Pizza can be two different chickens if that name is too long tho

Will do 🫡🫡 I'm library studying today so I will do it when I get home

[madschiavelique]

What are your Miguel sleep headcanons? Like, what kind of bed he likes, what position he sleeps in, etc

I personally think he's a cuddler and a blanket hog

EXCELLENT QUESTION BESTIE (again, sorry i took SO long)

headcanon : Miguel's sleep content warnings : none word count : 723 (shorty)

I think Miguel would be the kind of guy to have a hard mattress bordering on slightly soft, the reason not particularly being by choice, but rather because it was the first one he could get his hands onto – and we know how this man self neglects enough to not care about his sleep, he’d rather have coffee running in his veins to keep him awake 24/7. 

His mattress is old, it literally looks like it’s been there since they started building the Sagrada Familia (an eternity), but Miguel doesn’t really have much time to lose on looking for a decent mattress. Plus, when you’re that tall, finding a proper mattress on which you’re such your feet won’t let your feet stick out is no mean feat. 

However, if this mattress were to cause him more harm than good, Lyla - following her examination of his vital signs - would suggest that Miguel find a better mattress. 

“What’s wrong with my current one ? It’s perfectly fine.”

“Miguel everytime you wake up you look worse than you did before you went to sleep.”

“And ?”

“That’s not how this works.”

It would have taken time to convince him that this could affect and degrade his performance both on the field and in the society. He finally gave in, and Lyla took charge of finding an excellent mattress that would remain dense enough so that Miguel wouldn't feel like he was drowning in it as his back sank into it, but soft enough so that the sensation wouldn't be similar to that of lying on concrete. 

As for the pillows, he only has one (so as not to get in the way of his sleep). A big, hard pillow, one that keeps the mark of the fist if you hit it.

I think Miguel could sleep like a brick if there was enough willpower for it, just straight with his arms crossed over his chest as if he were in a coffin - which wouldn't stray too far from reality with his vampiric state when you think about it.

But other than that i can totally picture Miguel to be a tummy sleeper, mostly because when he gets home all exhausted he just falls on his bed and stays this way until sleep takes him a few seconds later. I just picture him placing his arms around his pillow, placing his head to the side on it and falling asleep on his tummy, maybe with a bent knee (would be a lovely ass view if you ask me).

However it probably changes if he has a partner.

You having any issue with how his mattress feels ? He’d have Lyla running a market research or anything to find a better one immediately. He’d get another pillow, one you’d have chosen to fit your own taste.

I COMPLETELY agree on the cuddler and blanket hog part. First of all, as i said earlier when i explained he grabs his pillow when he sleeps, i think he’d TOTALLY fall asleep on your belly, his hands on your waist. Like i can totally picture you in your bed, Miguel coming home from a long day, and he just climbs on bed to drop himself like the sac of limbs he is on your body, grunting softly when your fingers snake in his hair in the way you know his shoulder will relax.

He is the big spoon fr (if you’re interested in how Miguel being the little spoon -> look here hihi), and loves to just nuzzle his face in your hair or neck, your smell and warmth bringing him lots of comfort and creating his actual restorative sleep.

He loves to lace his arm around you, pulling you closer to him, and maybe even having his hand coming to your throat and placing his fingers on your pulse point. The feeling of it being even soothes him, the knowledge of having you safe against him brushing away all of his worries. But there has been several nights where he’d feel your pulse quicken under his digits, and he’d realise how you’d still be awake, very much awake…

He is a complete blanket hog, it’s probably half natural, half a wish for you to come near him and share the warmth. It’s not his fault you’re the best heating pad there is :c

[joyfuladorable]

Fuck it, here's all my favorite Mikey-centric fanfics!!

There's A LOT + personal blurbs, so they're going under the cut (Mostly AO3, but there are some FFN links, too. Also, besides like the first two, there's no favoritism in the order)

2k3:

Pretend That I Never Left by redstringraven(sirimiri) - Complete/Plans for an Epilogue & Sequel!!

Fic that changed my BRAIN?! If my fanart [1 | 2 | 3] for it is any indicator, lol. I'll say for the umpteenth time that if you're looking for an Excellent Mikey fic with Perfect Characterization, this is IT (and you don't need to know ANYTHING about HZD trust me TRUST ME this fic deserves WAY more love) His swift ride-or-die friendship with Aloy will melt your damn heart!

Dragon of the Sun by ForestWhisper3 - Ongoing

My Other TOP favorite Mikey fic!! Again, fanart [1 | 2 | 3] indicator! Slow Burn(ish) Canon Divergence of Mikey unlocking his Mystic Powers as his family looks on in dismay as they struggle to protect him. The Good Shit!!!

Of Darkness And Light by Bayluff - Complete

OOOOOOO THIS ONE! Very good (also drew fanart for it)! Evil creature literally trying to consume Mikey's lifeforce from within as his family scrambles to help

A Chat With The Titan by secreterces5 - Complete

Mikey has a fun one-on-one talk with the supposedly reformed Bishop in Fast Forward. Mikey vaguely threatening Bishop, HEEHEE

A Simple Act Of Kindness by UlisaBarbic - Complete

That feel when you put your worth in what you can DO and the wish to be Acknowledged and the ONE thing you thought you did right was taken away OOGH AGH OOOOGH

Difficulty Breathing by RealityBreakGirl - Complete

Mikey did not come out of Grudge Match unscathed *smile* Truly one of my favorite 03 Mikey prompts to read about (honestly just check the entirety of the Grudge Match tag on AO3 for a fun time)

"A delivery boy! Uh, or turtle." by LollyHolly99 - Complete

Fic that has the distinction of being the first one I ever did fanart for! Gender Feels for Mikey cuz they're just like me FR!!

What Darkness Most Fears by UlisaBarbic - Complete

OOOGH AGH I LOVE THIS ONE!! Mikey has to save his bros from the clutches of an evil spirit while surviving horrifying monsters and battling a wicked fever!

Michelangelo by ForestWhisper3 - Complete

Mikey through the eyes of his family and how much they respect him and know him UwU

Mikey's Jigsaw by SailorSaysAhoy - Complete

Another awesome gender Mikey fic HOOHAA

Train-Wreck of Thought by halogalopaghost - Complete

When you're so talented you learn how to astral project but you start using it for pranks instead of understanding the drawbacks of said power and that bites you majorly in the ass big time (very good my stomach turned while reading this /pos)

A Brother's Bond by SuperKat - Complete

Mikey gets Real Sick and the fam can't help but remember last time one of them got so ill. OH MAN heartstrings WILL be pulled in this one!!

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year by moogsthewriter - Complete

Why can't Mikey ever catch a break during Christmas! A short fic that I enjoy Immensely for Mikey being stubbornly heroic and his family desperately trying to play catch up to help him

Questioning Choices by Mystic Medjai - Complete

Fun day at the beach goes catastrophically bad and the fam has to make difficult decisions to keep Mikey alive. THIS THIS THIS!! If I could pour this into my veins for the perfectly paced plot and characterization...

When It Counts by Kallasilya - Complete

Short fic of Mikey stubbornly and bitterly proving his brothers wrong (+ Don being a good brother)

Favourite Disease by devirnis - Complete

Mikey is forced to save his brothers as his body gradually falls apart from the inside. SO GOOD UGH Mikey being forced to deal with situations on his own always show how far he can Shine!

Nowhere Boy by taizi - Complete

OOOH I dunno how I can summarize this without giving the plot away but just know Mikey pulls through by thinking of his family

To Fit the Crime by T33la - Complete

AHHH AHHHH AHHHHH AHHHHHHHH!! Mikey is accused of Murder and receives his sentence before his brothers can even jump to his defense! Oh the twists and turns of this murder mystery!!

you want to know why i sit and sigh (the night is so young it hurts) by love_killed_the_superstar - Complete

Angel and Mikey bonding over comics and unsupportive brothers So Cute)

imma be real with you (cause i started being real with me) by love_killed_the_superstar - Complete

Leo and Usagi being supportive of Mikey as he struggles to train for the upcoming Battle Nexus fight (and also maybe they flirt with each other a teensy bit)

just a hop, skip, and a jump away by baba_buoy - Complete

Mikey sick fic. Heart melting amounts of comfort UwU

Weak Link by yellowhollyhock - Complete

Sweet fic of Mikey feeling insecure about his place on the team, and Leo going through great lengths to prove him wrong like a good older brother :')

'Cause you are the sun, he is your moon/And though he can't speak, he will thank you soon by naivesilver - Complete

Post-Grudge Match Mikey waking up in the middle of the night bitter and sore and gods damn why's Raph awake, too?

Hunted by DysfunctionalRequest - Complete

Mikey wandering the woods alone in the middle of the night and having a VERY unfortunate encounter with hunters

Flipbook by T33la - Complete

Heartfelt moment between Mikey and Don concerning SAINW that makes me want to smash a cinder block against my head /pos

Dramaturgy by Completely_Unaware - Ongoing

Mind the tags! Mikey deals with a Battle Nexus loss in an unhealthy way (UmU)

The Red Means I Love You (Work) by AnonymousCritter - Ongoing

MIND THE TAGS! AU of Fast Forward. Mikey isn't saved from the traffickers in time and things spiral from there

The So-Called "Champion of the Battle Nexus" by 0ozero0 - Ongoing

Grudge Match canon divergence where Mikey gets hurt a little more seriously than in canon (but still wins)

2012:

Devil took your hand by moogsthewriter & taizi - Complete

Mikey mind controlled by the Shredder moment!! *laughs through my pain and tears and screaming*

walk with open hands by taizi - Complete

Mikey gets his hands on one of Renet's watches and things go topsy turvy from there (and it HURTS ME)

(un)reality by SpectrumWriting - Complete

Mind the Tags! Dimension X AU where Mikey is captured by the Kraang and is put through the wringer in more ways than one (OWIE)

evermore (Dimension X AU) series by coffeejellyenthusiast - Complete?

Mind the Tags! Mikey was in Dimension X for over a year and he's NOT OKAY

Gravitational Collapse series by Writing_In_Denial - Ongoing

MIND THE TAGS!! An Incredible it gets worse before it gets better series of Mikey being unintentionally abandoned by his brothers post-series and dealing with some Major Isolation and OOOGH IT HURTS ME SO MUCH BUT I WILL KEEP READING FOR THE EVENTUAL COMFORT

traveling so far to get there by taizi - Complete

Mikey and Raph getting stuck in an empty, post-apocalyptic world and struggling to survive (their BOND IN THIS IS SO SWEET WEH)

Rise:

nice, nice by postergirlsprank - Complete

Short fic of Casey Sr and Mikey bonding after an unfortunate encounter while on a snack run (Hey if you want more context for how this author writes Casey, go read his fic Imperfect Animals too heehoo)

either way, we're not alone by sinaesthesis - Complete

Mikey throughout the years of the Kraang Apocalypse (Lots of Loss and Hurt and Badassery)

going under by redhairedmuses - Complete

Mikey almost drowns during a fight with a mutant

Hyperactive Hypothermia by VeryAngryGremlin - Complete

After Mikey's winter wear accidentally goes in flames and a villain-enduced avalanche, Donnie struggles to keep his baby brother warm

that’s where the blood’s supposed to be! by Dragon_Scales_and_Fairy_Tales - Complete

With Raph and Leo constantly bickering, Mikey ignores a very serious injury after a fight with Meat Sweats

Clever Little Dino! by VeryAngryGremlin - Complete

Mikey trying to keep a robot pet a secret and suffering the consequences

Vs The World by DysfunctionalRequest - Complete

The aftermath of the Kraang strains the family's bonds, and Mikey feels hopelessly alone (and definitely isn't dealing with his trauma properly)

Empathy Amplified by Filsamek - Complete

When you accidentally use your powers to connect with your brothers' emotions then purposefully use them to ease their pain

Sunshine in the Rain by Carnati0n_bl00m - Complete

Probably the first fic I read after watching the Rise movie cuz I wanted to find something Mikey-centric involving Bishop and BOY does it deliver with the additional bonus of Leatherhead!! (also hey look fanart)

A Mystic Connection by rytheoneandonly - Complete

Mikey's mystic powers manifesting and evolving in ways he could never predict (aka Long Fic of Mikey stumbling to figure out why he wakes up exhausted and hurt every night)

The whole world in your corner series by GibbousLunation - Complete

Two fics of Mikey being Mikey and his bros being protective

Better Check Twice by Marz_Zero - Ongoing

Bishop captures a turtle with a bear trap (OW) and is an absolute bastard about it

Come Home Soon by Sherlock_Brolmes - Ongoing

With his brothers unavailable, Mikey (with the help of a former enemy) uncovers a massive conspiracy involving New York and the Hidden City. I LOVE THIS I LOVE SOLO DUO TEAM-UPS!!!! *PUNCHES THE AIR 13 TIMES*

Mikey's Artistic Guide to Dealing with Trauma and Fame by Origami_Nami - Ongoing

Mikey using graffiti as an outlet and accidentally becoming famous

Rook by unorthodoxx - Ongoing

Another Bishop fic of him outwitting the turtles to abduct one of them (Mikey)

Multi/Other:

Mystic Malfunction by VanillaVengeance - Ongoing

Rise Mikey accidentally portals himself to the 2012 Universe and struggles to survive and avoid this other version of his family (with mixed success). The progression of familial bonds in this is just *Chef's Kiss*

The Gauntlet by T33la - Complete

A mix of IDW & 03, a wonderful showcase of how Donnie and Mikey support each other (also, a cool invention and a big rocket and a terrifying near-death experience are involved)

I Get Knocked Down (But I Get Up Again) by Justalittleobsessed - Ongoing

MIND THE TAGS!!! Set in its own original iteration, Mikey has been immortal for as long as he can remember, and he's used to his occasional deaths (and revivals). But then his brothers find out... (AGH AGH THIS ALSO HURTS MEEEEE BUT OOGH the comfort and hope of the later chapters is so Worth It)

Whumptober 2023 series by Justalittleobsessed - Ongoing?

Collection of Mikey-centric one-shots from different iterations and feeling the HURT (Personal favorites are If Only the World Could Stop Spinning..., Just a Flesh Wound, and Not the Best of Days)

To Know Peace (You Gotta Let Go) by Deadpool1763492 - Ongoing (technically)

The Last Ronin Spoilers!! Mikey survives and whisks the new turtle tots away to live on a farm instead of being raised as soldiers. (AUUUUUU THE FEELS!! THE TOTS! MIKEYYYY!!!)

How to accidentally kidnap yourself several times over by Camildeni - Ongoing

Rise Mikey gets captured and accidentally summons other iterations (03, 12, and Bay) of himself trying to get out! They do NOT have a good time!! (but at least they have each other)

the dad diaries by angelmichelangelo - Ongoing

More TLR Mikey being a Dad (and dealing with his trauma sorta kinda)

The neighboring cell by SaltyYagi - Ongoing

2012 Mikey and Rise Leo trying to escape Dimension X together (and bonding)

Bonus Non-Mikey-centric:

Weathered Strings, Tethered Wings by Deadpool1763492 - Ongoing

(2003) SAINW AU!!! With the possibility of Don being alive dangled in front of them, the remaining turtles begrudgingly reunite to save him. Drew a cover for this with more art to come! LOVING the slow burn of reconciliation between these bitter old turtles UwU (Bitter Old Mikey my poor Bestie)

Mutant Nightmare by HamsterMasterSamster - Complete

(2003) The immediate aftermath of Worlds Collide

Hanging By A Turtle by CamsthiSky - Complete

(Rise) Literally the turtles struggling to get out of a deep pit they're hanging over

Shell Game by T33la - Complete

(2003) OKAY OKAY SO!!! OOGH Don encounters something Impossible while prepping a tracking device (for himself) and it snowballs into another Renet-involved time adventure (AND UMMM lots of existential contemplation and a surprise historical guest who's Very Cool)

Turtle Power by halogalopaghost - Complete

(2003) Immediate aftermath of the star ship reactor explosion in Exodus

Disposable by orphan_account (kudos to you wherever you are, author) - Complete

(2003) Bishop captures Don and Mikey and gives them a terrible choice

Dissection by AmevelloBlue - Complete

(2003) So much Comfort after the trauma of Worlds Collide (ie Don's interrogation and Mikey almost getting sliced open)

Find the Road by SillySocks - Complete

(2003) Perfect encapsulation of the family as they cope with Leo's absence while he trains with the Ancient One

Handle with Care by HamsterMasterSamster - Complete

(2003) April is seriously injured during a mission and has to deal with the turtles distancing themselves from her as she recovers

mind-body problem by hiraethseok - Complete

(2003) April and the Turtles Being Siblings the Fic

Healing in Tandem by Eggstasy - Complete

(2003) Canon divergence of Worlds Collide where Splinter is just a little too late to intervene before Bishop starts sawing into Mikey's shell

Let's Take Ibuprofen Together by GreenGoddessSmoothie - Ongoing

(2003) The turtles swap body and have learn to cope with each other's chronic pain

Not the Face I Know by GreenGoddessSmoothie - Ongoing

(2003) Mikey accidentally makes a wish that changes his family's lives forever (THEY'RE HUMAN THEY BECOME HUMAN AND THE PLOT IS COOL AND ALSO QUEER THEMES MY BELOVED)

The Great Skittle Heist of 2105 by AmevelloBlue - Ongoing

(2003) AU of Fast Forward where the Dark Turtles are babies instead and are very swiftly adopted by the Fam

The Labyrinth by HALFnHALF1 - Ongoing

(Mix of IDW/03) The Turtles wake up separated in a labyrinth with only a mysterious voice in their heads to guide them (and manipulate them)

“You didn’t tell me your extended family was in town!” by BoStaffsAreCool - Ongoing

Post-Turtles Forever. The 03 fam is Just beginning to wind down after the events of the movie and look who's knocking at April's door (the 87 turtles)

[silly-little-gooses]

what your favorite the inheritance games character says about you!

from my humble little brain (pls don’t get offended this is a joke)

~ avery - you’re sticking with the classic. a good choice, although a bit boring. you definitely relate to her *cough* daddy issues *cough* and you dream of becoming rich. tig gave you very high standards for men and you’re questioning if they will ever be met.

~ jameson - you’re either madly in love with him or you think he’s cool and relate to his trauma. you’re definitely fun, perhaps irresponsible. you’re extremely loyal and absolutely hilarious pls marry me.

~ grayson - WE GET IT. YOU LIKE HIM. 😐.

~ xander - you have excellent taste, my friend. you definitely relate to him *cough* daddy issues pt 2 *cough* and struggle with being good enough. however, your trauma has made you funny so that’s a plus!

~ nash - to be so fr, idk if yall exist. he is a criminally underrated character. either you think you’re quirky by picking the least popular brother or you think he’s underrated (like me). nash got you into western style and now you say “howdy” unironically.

~ libby - you are an absolute legend. ik I’ve said this but you definitely relate to her trauma with parent issues and abusive relationships. you’re also the sweetest human being ever and ilysm let’s be friends and bake pastries together and have picnics in the woods yk

~ max - god tier sense of humor. you’ve also probably never cursed a day in your life and you’re glad you finally found a character that captured your escense. you either desperately want a xander in your life or you want to be the cool rich sassy single aunt/uncle. either way, ily.

~ emily - you don’t exist

~ eve - you REALLY don’t exist

~ rebecca - hello lgbtq+ community. we get it, you’re angry and angsty and you have great music taste, okay? if you’re queer, you def had internalized homophobia as a child and if you’re not queer, then you just really relate to a character with anxiety.

~ thea - you’re so cool. a bit judgy at times, but still cool!

~ alisa - I support all women’s rights and wrongs and I will support you on your plots for revenge or whenever you’re feeling stressed pooks <3

~ oren - icon. that’s you. that’s all, byeeee!

[penguinlop]

Holy heck. I read your piece and I just had to comment. Your Yandere Alhaitham piece is so good! Your word choices are exquisite, and your descriptions are amazingly detailed. I fell hook, line, and sinker into the story. And the twist at the end was so well executed. I saw it coming and it was so satifying to read, even if I did feel bad for poor reader.

As I read that ending, I did wonder if in some alternate universe (I didn't start Sumeru's archon quest yet), the knowledge capsule reader took was all about Alhaitham, and Alhaitham used that to keep the reader at his side. Instead of reader finding out about him watching them, I imagine it would go the other way, where reader believes Alhaitham would do nothing wrong to them, and Alhaitham uses that to manipulate the reader into falling deeper into him. Lol.

All in all, this is an excellent piece. I look forward to more of your writings.

WOW this was just an incredible message to read! ♡⸜(˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝ This almost made me a little emotional ahhhhh Thank you for taking the time to write such a precious message !! I'm glad you liked the twist at the end but ikr poor reader Alhaitham is just too smart even in canon fr 

But I love your au idea a lot omg I think I love it a little too much haha

These are just a few thoughts of mine! 

cw: GN reader, yandere themes, manipulation, mentions of stalking

Link to my actual fic: https://www.tumblr.com/penguinlop/723237974841622528/yandere-alhaitham-x-reader?source=share

I can imagine Alhaitham being meticulous in crafting this faux knowledge capsule. It has to be perfect. Alhaitham knows exactly every memory he will put into this canned knowledge. He needs it to be mundane enough, filled with tedious meetings and detailed manuscripts to depict his life as the Scribe to make you relaxed, almost bored. Yet sprinkled in has to be just enough childhood memories, eccentric tales, and his day-to-day pastimes. It will leave you intrigued, desiring more. Everything is so calculated, so pristine. Another crucial factor is that he will make sure that the knowledge capsule is completely filled to the brimmed so your mind will be utterly exhausted, leaving you easy to manipulate. Hours and hours of memories of him crammed into your mind in mere seconds will leave you so tired that you will have to lean on his shoulder, thus strengthening your bond. 

There are two main scenarios that Alhaitham predicts. 

The first one is that since Alhaitham centers everything to be just about him and everything to be overall rather ordinary, you feel more safe with him. Every aspect you love about him is just magnified to the max, and because you will still think your stalker is out there, your love for him keeps growing—that desperate need for a safe haven is found with him. You are much more clingy and affectionate. In your eyes, Alhaitham is no predator but a protector. Now, you will quickly approve of ideas you thought were too haste before, such as moving in together. Living together means getting to know so much more about you. Alhaitham can't wait to capitalize off of this. His actual knowledge capsule about you will be constantly updated. Perhaps he will even have to have an entire collection of canned knowledge dedicated to you. 

The second one is that you will fear for your relationship and push everything under the rug, becoming paranoid that Alhaitham will find out about you going through his knowledge capsule, especially when you know he works under the Sages and is privy to confidential information. You become so worried and corrupted, like the scholars who lose their sanity while trying to attune themselves to Irminsul. You feel so guilty that you rummaged through his private belongings and were too curious for your own good, especially when it turned out to be so "innocent." The paranoia truly is parasitic. It feasts on everything, like disgusting mold and mildew. Alhaitham makes sure you are the penitent sinner in this scenario. When you leave Port Ormos and return to Sumeru City, you must constantly be on your best behavior for him wanting to ensure he doesn't leave you because you are scared for a life without him. From your perspective, all Alhaitham has done is treated you well, and you crossed him. This only worsens when Alhaitham rises in the ranks after the final Sumeru Archon Quest, as you feel he is so much better than you in every way conceivable. Alhaitham wastes no time tugging these insecure strings. Moreover, Alhaitham will feign being busy when you want to confess what you did, or if you finally do, he will bluntly shrug it off and say, "Why are you so worried about something like that? You have better things to worry about." It will leave you oddly comforted yet humiliated that you became so restless over how you thought he might react. In the end, all he did was shrug it off. How low did you think of him? This abysmal hole Alhaitham put you in just keeps on growing and growing. 

In conclusion, Alhaitham always wins somehow. 

Thank you again for the message! It really made my day!ଘ(੭*ˊᵕˋ)੭* ̀ˋ

[bengiyo]

Knock Knock Boys Ep 5 Stray Thoughts

Last week, we squarely sorted our housemates into two pairs and gave Almond a proper shake to make him get over Jumper. Almond spent the first chunk of the episode following Latte, and watched him give a talk to a club about pansexuality. He and Almond had a good moment after that, and Latte found himself getting jealous of Jumper at the barbecue they hosted later. Meanwhile, Thanwa is still looking for work but had an excellent moment with Peak in a closet where Peak apologized for taking a kiss from him earlier and asking for a new one. We left at Jane reentering the picture.

I do love their cold opens that are for a later scene in the episode. It feels so assured every time. I like the anticipation of paying attention to the moments so I know what that cold open is meant to provide as payoff.

I love Latte so much. He wakes up from sleeping on Almond and only gives a pleased smile about it. These two faking sleep are ridiculous. I know Almond was gonna toss his ass when the Now Kisstm moment started

Using the shirt to provide a barrier during a pratfall kiss is novel. I’m glad the first time their lips actually touch won’t be accidental, and that Latte got injured. We’ve only seen someone bleeding after a pratfall kiss in a few instances (Love Stage!! TH comes to mind).

Fiancée? I am ready for the drama.

These boys are nosy as hell!

The energy Jane gives off is so knowing. I am compelled.

Almond, the rich kid, took his shirt off to pretend to clean the walls with it after rolling away from the door. Incredible.

She is so ready to fight this man. They do not feel like they are romantically involved.

I feel bad for Thanwa. He’s staying out of the way, and even waited a bit for answers before calling.

Finally, someone acknowledged that every goddamn mosquito would be flying in through those open doors.

Morning wood in my BL? It’s more likely than  you think.

Almond, we see you still smiling about what you saw.

I’m with Almond. I wouldn’t want to eat breakfast at this tense table. However, I am also with Latte just trying to get some food in before walking to class.

Thanwa feels so properly gay to me. He’s being so careful about being neutral in his interactions with Jane.

I don’t like Max.

I like Lukpeach taking her offense to their sexual health club and talking about how improper it is to film people’s private moments and post them for clout.

Almond, focus please!

These two have a fun dynamic. Almond is still clearly thinking about Latte’s dick, and I love Latte being upfront that he’s down to play if Almond wants.

An unfortunate t-shirt choice there, costuming department.

This framing with the bed scene is excellent. Thanwa is still willing to offer Peak shelter, but he’s made it clear that they can’t have any more closeness while this situation with Jane remains unresolved.

Yes, put on your glasses so you can see his back properly. This show is very good at communicating that the characters are feeling multiple things.

Baby’s first dildo!

I don’t think they’re talking about the job anymore, guys.

This boy is skipping home to use his new toy! I love that for him.

You’re gonna need more Vaseline than that, baby boy.

I really love that Almond is allowed to explore his body this way. He lucked out on his roommates, too. Latte was worried when he heard him scream, and I love him teasing Almond about helping. It’s so cool that Almond is made to feel like he is desirable in some way.

And now Jane is covering for Peak, and didn’t react much about Almond saying he kissed Thanwa. She knows.

Oh no. Almond, do not go check that locker room. You are gonna get your little heart broken.

Glad I called that Jumper was already with his friend.

Almond….no… You were just at a meeting about consent.

That’s interesting. I thought we would find out about Jumper and Shawn via the clip, not that Almond would have already seen them together.

Wow, that’s a difficult cliffhanger. You could see Latte pulling away from Almond.

The preview is not promising!

Wow, I was not expecting the show to go beyond the “don’t film people” PSA aside. Having Almond overstep that boundary in a moment of jealousy and be caught for it is ripe with tension. I like that it’s Latte who catches it first, because he’s been dealing with Almond overstepping boundaries with him for multiple episodes with him following him places and trying to see his dick. Even if there’s been brewing sexual tension between them, Almond has been very firm about saying no to Latte. To have him then film and post Jumper like this is egregious, but in line with his earlier behavior. I’m excited to see where we go with them. As for Thanwa, I love that he still likes Peak even if he’s holding on his own line as well. This show whips ass.

[klanced]

i just finally watched the batman (2022) and need a repository for my thoughts

anyway yes i know i am the voltron blog but you all must understand. and this is key to my lore. that i am an insane batman fan. i haven't kept up with comics in recent years but i am a total sleeper agent when it comes to batman and i've been waiting literal months to watch The Batman (2022) and i finally watched it last night and have been marinating in my thoughts since. and also my parents are tired of hearing my ranting and watching me walk around in circles.

ANYWAY.

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cinematography

this is literally the best looking batman film in years, if not the best looking one ever. the color grading was like a balm to my eyes, especially after the slog fest that is some of the other superhero movies... even with the constant rain the city never looked washed out, reeves and his set designers made such awesome choices when it came to fluorescent and neon lighting... the DINER SCENE!!!!!!!!!!! also omfg the way they made battinson the Red and Black Batman like what an excellent color combination. i loved it. i need to buy some of the theatrical release posters post HASTE.

more than anything this movie was SHOT like a comic book and so many scenes looked like they were ripped straight from a comic book, like i could visualize the paneling and everything... so freaking baller.

my family wasn't super impressed but i think it's because they expected an action movie but No You Don't Get It. batman sees the world as a gritty detective noir movie but to everyone else in gotham they're living in a horror movie and that is BATMAN CINEMA!!!!

when the riddler was arrested i was like 'wait there's still 40 minutes?' and then i preceded to have my mind completely blown. i kept questioning what reeves was doing only for him to IMMEDIATELY correct me minutes later. literally, let this man cook he knows what he's doing. when bruce lit the flare i didn't immediately get it -- and then the little mayor's boy reached for batman without any hesitation. and then the crowd began to follow him, closing the distance. and then he began to lead them to higher crowd. And Then I Got It.

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2. gotham

yes i'm devoting an entire section just to the city.

gotham city is one of the hardest things to get right in any kind of batman media. like gotham is Not Normal and that should always be something hovering in the background. but many directors just don't bother because gotham architecture is so fundamentally different from normal sensibilities that building lore accurate sets would be both incredibly costly and almost impossible to do. but matt reeves tried and the movie was so unbelievably better for it.

bvs gotham was basically just new york city and don't even get me STARTED on how futuristic minimalistic modern the nolan movies were. ugh.

but when bruce and alfred were in their penthouse suite surrounded by fifty layers of gothic style trim my dad verbally said 'are they in a fucking church or something' and like YES DAD! that's the POINT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! gotham is supposed to be borderline CAMPY GOTHIC like the city itself is not just a setting, it's a full blown supporting character. the city looking batshit is essential lore and PIVITOL to the world building that has produced a man dressed up as a bat to fight crime like you DON'T GET IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! batman is divorced from our reality but he is GROUNDED IN GOTHAM!!!!

actually side note i've been playing gotham knights on the PC and 1) the game is way better than critics gave it credit for and 2) GOTHAM LOOKS SO GOOD IN THIS GAME. THE LIGHTING IS CRAZYYYY. best adaptation of gotham city fr, i loved the arkham video game series but the panache. the style. it became so diluted after arkham asylum fr.

my one criticism is that reeves needed to make one more rooftop set it was so silly that all the characters kept returning to the same gcpd roof with the bat signal on it.

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3. plot

FINALLY A MOVIE WHERE BRUCE IS A DETECTIVE. i've waited literal years for this. i do wish batman had been a little bit more active/proactive in the plot, i.e. not strictly following with riddler's games, but this is also early batman so i'm more forgiving of his rookie mistakes... however in the second movie i expect him to be on his BALL GAME!!!! give me plot-armor-borderline-prescient batman PLEASE MR. REEVES I BEG OF THEE.

LOVED this adaptation of the riddler. using the zodiac killer as an inspiration for the riddler was amazing, brilliant, showstopping, spectacular. and they kept a little bit of camp in paul dano's performance which i appreciate. i don't think we'll ever go back to batman forever levels of camp, but that's okay </3

there was a nod to the character of hush in the movie (at least that's how i'm choosing to interpret it) but i don't think they could ever use hush in the future because they already adapted so much of his gimmick for the riddler... but that's okay tbh i don't think hush is that interesting anyway.

at its core the batman was a buddy cop movie and i LOVED that. jeffrey wright KILLED it as lieutenant gordon and the dynamic between batman and gordon was amazing. excellent usage of our favorite future-commissioner, you could really see they already had an established rapport but their bond was becoming even stronger... their conversation in the interrogation room was so amazing, as well as their scene with the penguin.

my one criticism is that alfred became non-existent after a certain point. also lowkey the lego batman movie did a better job at the 'bruce realizes that his trauma has made him reluctant to form bonds or deepen them because of his fear of losing anyone else' subplot. lego batman movie on top!

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4. characterizations

everyone and their mom has already talked about how this version of bruce wayne is more focused on developing his identity as the batman versus his identity as brucie wayne so i won't repeat those essays. but i will say that i have such high hopes for bruce's development in the sequel. like the way the movie ended with him emphasizing how he needs to become a 'symbol of hope for the city' reads to me as him preparing to finally re-enter gotham society as Billionaire Bruce Wayne and i am SO READY FOR IT.

but what i actually want to talk about is how amazing catwoman's development is. i love how much backstory they gave her in this movie. i will always love the nolanverse version of catwoman but you really learn almost nothing about selina in TDKR. but in the batman selina's is this fully fleshed out character. you can immediately guess what her life has been like. and her motivations in the story... the way she was prepared to run until she found annika... and then she immediately changed gears and focused on vengeance for annika and her mother... god, i love it.

cobblepot's character was also so, so good. you can intimately tell that he's a two-faced bastard who's spent years being a yes-man purely so he can climb the social ladder. i know colin farrell is going to rock the HELL out of that monocle in the sequel.

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5. hopes for the future

i know it's too late but i reallyyy don't want joker to be in the sequel. i unfortunately think that's more or less guaranteed though since they've already casted barry keoghan. and his performance was really good. i'm just tired of seeing the joker in batman media. (inb4 keoghan absolutely kills it in the sequel and makes me eat my hat). i don't really consider batman to have one arch nemesis, only that the joker has consistently ruined batman's life more often than all the other villains.

literally the one hill i will die on is that reeves NEEDS to include robin at some point. PLEASE. you can't have batman without a robin, he gets so lonely. literally that's all i want. i want battinson to become a dad so, so bad. you have no idea.

and (and this is key) robin must be a kid. a pre-teen aged 14 or younger. "oh but that's so unrealistic, child superheroes totally break the immersion" well I DON'T CARE. FULL THROTTLE ON THE CHILD ENDANGERMENT. let children fight crime, for the culture.

[okay, okay. make it a robin origin story where dick grayson is introduced and is plot-relevant but he doesn't actively patrol and fight crime and only becomes robin at the very end.]

introduce robin in batman 2, and then have robin be a participating older teen/adult in batman 3.

my incredibly indulgent ideal batman 2:

at least two years have passed (bruce is more or less settled and has finally hit his stride). he has mastered air gliding and now attacks villains from the rafters instead of just constantly walking out of the shadows. i want to see arkham-level combat So Bad.

selina is mentioned, but doesn't really appear (and there are no other love interests.

actually wait i change my mind about joker. joker can be included in the movie IF the red herring "main plot" is that he's using a circus as a base of operations (because clowns and circuses).

i say red herring "main plot" because the movie starts with a joker crime spree, so you think the movie is going to be all about the joker, but then he leads batman to his circus base and it turns out that PSYCH! THIS IS ACTUALLY A DICK GRAYSON ORIGIN STORY. because joker's base of operations is haly's circus.

batman is snooping around looking for evidence and that's when he comes across dick grayson, age 10.

kid dick grayson. PLEASE. PLEASE.

batman decides to visit the circus as bruce wayne. You Know What happens.

plot plot plot

COURT OF OWLS SUBPLOT.

bruce has to balance hunting down the joker while also protecting this little kid he pretends he isn't totally attached to.

this is incredibly indulgent because i have no idea how you would balance joker screentime with that of the court of owls. idk. that's what's fanfiction is for i guess c:

i have decided that over winter break i am going to rewatch all the batman movies from 1980s onwards so i can revise my Batman Cinema power rankings. i will create some kind of metric or spreadsheet so i can grade and quantify each movie.

hell i should also replay all my favorite batman video games. because those are basically just movies anyway. and i miss kevin conroy :(

thanks for reading. god i love batman.

[kevinsdsy]

hiiiii! boys for the WIP game (i'm guessing the title is hippo campus? excellent choice u have gotten me to love that song fr)

[ WIP GAME ]

HII!! yes omg it is hehe IM SO HAPPY U NOTICED 🙂‍↕️

so since i've only recently gotten back into writing, everything is still in the early stages— but boys is supposed to be split in three acts (idk what to call it tbh so lets stick w that) i'm still working on the first act which is when both kevin and jean are ravens. after a final game against the trojans, jean manages to encounter jeremy alone (nothing major happens, they just talk, but idk i think it's fun to have a moment between jerejean before jean joins the trojans line-up).

i still have to figure out how much of raven!jean i want to include in this fic and if jerejean manages to encounter each other again (although i'm leaning into no, so they only have that one (1) real encounter of each other before jean joins the trojans, but like i said i'm still figuring it out) so yeahhh that's me ranting a bit about the fic the line

'hair in the wind. you'll blow right by me.' is what inspired me to add this first encounter to the fic:

He was about to turn around when he heard footsteps approaching. It was too late. He had been caught already, and he hadn’t even gotten the chance to walk around. He looked up and was surprised to see Jeremy Knox walking down the hallway instead of Kevin and Riko.

Jeremy seemed lost in thought. Jean could turn around, pretend he hadn’t noticed the way Jeremy’s sweaty hair stuck to his head, and hide away in the changing room until everyone was ready. Before Jean had the chance to act on his thoughts, though, Jeremy stopped walking, noticing Jean staring at him.

“Moreau,” Jeremy said, acknowledging him with a nod. Kevin and Jean had talked about Jeremy Knox on numerous occasions—Kevin had always liked how happy and nice Jeremy always was. However, it was noticeable that the loss of this game had affected Jeremy's mood somewhat.

Jean realized that he preferred this look on Jeremy rather than the extroverted person he had noticed a few months ago during the banquet. The absence of Jeremy’s big smile and cheerfulness made it easier for Jean to be alone with him right now, although Jean couldn’t help but notice Jeremy was still trying his best to appear as content and polite as he could.

Jean suddenly understood what Kevin had meant when he had whispered about the way the USC Trojans played Exy. How different it was from the way the Ravens played, but how it could be just as effective with a few adjustments made to their schedules. Jeremy was more than delighted to indulge in all Kevin's questions and comments at the time.

Jean had been annoyed about the fact Kevin couldn’t stop talking about his conversation with Jeremy and how glad he was to realize Jeremy was just as passionate about winning as Kevin himself was. Jean also remembered Kevin’s uncharacteristic guilt when he mentioned it was a shame to take another victory from Jeremy. He wondered if Kevin still remembered that conversations, now that he had seized yet another win from Jeremy.

“Knox,” Jean replied maintaining his composure. He noticed Jeremy twitch at the mention of his name, but neither of the guys commented on it. Jean was too focused on processing the situation to take a jab at Jeremy anyway.

Jeremy leaned against the wall, observing Jean’s panicked look, which Jeremy thought was interesting, given that Jean had just won the championship with the Ravens— a team not known for their politeness.

“You alright?” Jeremy asked.

“Fine,” Jean answered. He didn’t apologize for the Trojans’ loss, nor did he ask how Jeremy was doing in return. Silence stretched between them, but Jean didn’t mind much; he was used to keeping to himself whenever possible. Jeremy, on the other hand, couldn't help feeling uncomfortable as the silence between them stretched.

After a moment of hesitation, Jeremy nodded, unsure of what else to say, and then said: “Congratulations on the win. You guys played a good game.” His voice was steady—genuine, even. Jean desperately tried to find something in his words other than the politeness Jeremy had shown him on the court too. It struck Jean as unusual that he hadn’t been able to get under Jeremy’s skin.

“Thanks,” Jean said, aware it was the right thing to say. He almost wanted to point out it was obvious they’d win before they had even played, but instead he opted for a touch of kindness instead. After all, he enjoyed getting under their skin on the court, but there was no use for it off the court too. “You put up a good fight.”

Jeremy smiled faintly. “We try. Maybe next time we’ll give you a run for your money.” Jean couldn’t help himself—he didn’t have much practice at being kind or polite, and in return answered Jeremy with a huff. They stood in silence for a moment. Jean didn’t know what he was supposed to say anyways, and suddenly he remembered he shouldn’t have left the changing room in the first place.

“I should get back,” Jean said, his voice wavering slightly. He had the uncomfortable realization that he’d much rather let the minutes between them stretch in this hallway, but he couldn’t risk still standing here when Riko returned. Jeremy responded with a nod.

Jean was sure Jeremy was going to say something else, but before he had the chance, Jean slipped back inside the changing room. As he closed the door behind him, he felt a strange mix of relief and disappointment. Jean knew he couldn’t risk being seen outside the changing room by Riko, but he couldn’t help wishing he had gotten more time alone with Jeremy. There was something intriguing about seeing Jeremy’s deflated mood when Jean normally recognized him by his cheerful look.

[h4arts]

Hi! I saw that you've opened your requests for s&b sooo can I request a Nikolai x reader where they're in an arranged marriage and they're distant with each other but one day they get ambushed and she's the one who saves Nikolai (like she can fight and she's good at it) and Nikolai is surprised and he starts seeing her differently and they start spending time together and confess? Angst to fluff kind of thing 👉🏻👈🏻

pearls to opals, nikolai lantsov -synopsis: your new husband takes a liking to make small aspects of your new life miserable. it isn't until a close call in an ambush that he truly sees you for who you are, not as your parents painted you to appear. -warnings: injuries, fighting, me not knowing a thing about boats, def not proofread and a bit rushed (i'm so sorry)

Pearls glinted in the dim lighting, reflecting off your mirror as you stare at your reflection. You didn't want pearls, you hated them actually, yet you had to suffer through an entire wedding and celebration with their weight setting into your collarbones. That wasn't even the worst of it.

This wedding was yours, to a man you knew nothing about besides his name. Everything felt wrong, like you were in someone else's skin, taking someone else's place. And in a way, you supposed you were. A soft knock on the door breaks your mind from wandering too far, and at your permission, your mother enters the room, glittering from head to toe in blue velvets and shimmering sapphires. You wondered how she managed to pull off so much blue.

"Feeling alright?" She asks, sitting on the open end of the stool you sat upon.

"Just fine." No, not at all. This whole thing had been arranged, for the better future of Ravka. That's what your father had told you the day you found out of this predicament. A few choice words had slipped past your lips that evening, angering your father, but you didn't care, this was your life, not his. Your anger had been brushed off though, and this was where it led you, a dim room in the palace you were to be married in in mere minutes.

"Good. You look wonderful, the pearls look wonderful on you. Excellent choice on my behalf." The words made your stomach churn with sickness. The pearls didn't belong to you, and even if they had, you would have thrown them into the depths of the sea before ever wearing them. "Come, it's time."

───☆───

That had been months ago, and you had been living comfortably yet miserably since then. Your new husband, Nikolai, had been relentless in his remarks against you during the first weeks of the marriage, but in the last two months, he'd hardly spoken a word to you. You'd sleep in the same bed but on opposite ends, never touching in between. You'd sit beside each other at meals, but only spoke when asking for something closer to the other.

It was constant working around each other, you were hardly in the same room during the waking hours of the day. Keeping this in mind, you weren't sure why your feet carried you towards the harbor Nikolai's returning ship would soon be docked on. He hadn't been there for you, why are you going for him?

The question plagued your mind as you sat on a bench, watching as part of the ship's crew jumped onto the dock, securing the boat to ensure it wouldn't drift away with the tide. Finally, the ramp was set in place and the crew on the docks rushed aboard the ship while others carried crates of various sizes off, a few nodding to you in acknowledgement, which you returned.

A boy slightly younger than you came running off the ship, weaving between the people surrounding him, the unmistakable shout of Nikolai's voice sounding after the boy. He ran right at you, dropping something into the palm of your hand as he passed. You squint after him in confusion, his broad shoulders crashing into the people lining the streets as his long legs carried him away from the docks at a quick pace. Looking back towards the ship, you stifle a laugh and the glare Nikolai sent to the back of the boy's head from over the railing. You quickly turn your head when his gaze turns to you, but you didn't miss the frown that turned almost deeper at the sight of you.

The feel of something in your hand became apparent as you remembered it, but at the sight of it, you wished you hadn't looked. A pearl bracelet with a golden clasp rested in your palm, suddenly feeling heavier that it was. Pushing through the wave of the crew with crates adorning the tops of their shoulders, you climbed the ramp to the boat, weaving your way to Nikolai, who stood surrounded by three other men and women. With a sigh, he waved them away, promising to meet them later, and you took that as a sign to approach the man.

"These wouldn't be of any importance to you, would they?" You hold your hand out, revealing the set of pearls that was currently weighing down your hand with vicious yet imaginary weight.

"Are they not to you? I was under the impression that a girl like you would swoon over such a thing." Nikolai responded dryly, taking the bracelet from your hold.

"Well you're wrong. I prefer diamonds. Pearls are for women like my mother." Nikolai let out a laugh at that, though he was anything but amused by the comment.

"Of course you would prefer the expensive alternative." He was wrong, though. You didn't hate diamonds, but they were better than pearls in your eyes. Anything was, really. Pearls were not yours, they never had been and never would be, but Nikolai couldn't have been more oblivious to the fact as he wrapped them in a soft cloth and returned them to an open crate nearby, presumably where the running boy had taken them from to begin with.

Before you could question why the boy had taken them to begin with, a loud noise echoed through the harbor, followed by the unmistakable sound of gunfire.

"What is going on?" Nikolai didn't get an answer, as you had shoved him aside. One of the attackers swung himself onto the ship, rifle firing at where the two of you had just been standing.

"What does it look like." you frown, breaking off a stick of wood from a barrel that had been broken by the gunfire.

"What are you-" Once again, Nikolai receives no answer his mouth being covered by your free hand, eyes peering around the crates the two of you were hid behind. A creak in the boards sounds from behind, making Nikolai turn to look, but when his eyes returned to your spot, you were gone. Though he had no time to wonder where you had gone before the barrel of a pistol was pointed right at him. Slowly, Nikolai raised his hands, uncurling his legs from beneath him even slower as to not alarm the raider.

"Where are those pearls? I know you've got 'em." Nikolai chooses not to respond as he tries to form a plan of attack. You however, seemed to have beat him to it. With a loud crack, the attacker is sent falling forwards, Nikolai quickly scrambling to the side to avoid being crushed under the other man's weight. You stood before Nikolai now, the stick from the crate held tightly in your hand.

"Well, I guess we both have a reason to hate pearls now." With a disinterested glare, you turn your back to him and race off the boat to the docks where the rest of Nikolai's crew was fending off the others who attempted to attack the ship. He quickly regains a hold of the situation, running behind you to fight as well.

Half distracted, Nikolai fights alongside his crew, still sparing a few too many glances at you. Maybe, he thought, he'd been wrong about you. Or he had just overlooked the obvious. You had held yourself as more of a fighter than a diplomat, someone who was shoved into a role they did not want to play, he knew that feeling too well and wondered if it was too late to fix what shouldn't have happened to begin with.

───☆───

Returning home was not something you looked forward to, anticipating a lecture of some sort. Accompanied by more silence and a continuance of glances that were gone before you could tell if they were real or not. The thought of being ignored by your own husband in a home that was not yours was terrifying, and you hated every moment of it. However, Nikolai spent the journey planning how to change that, how to start over all the things he should have done sooner.

The dirt path came in to view just outside the harbor town. It was a view you'd seen only a few times since your arrival in Ravka, but you'd always wondered what the path looked like from the road travelling through it rather than around it.

"What's caught your eye out there?" Nikolai had been observing your tense posture since the carriage doors opened and he'd sat across from you.

"Nothing. Just looking." You respond. Maybe one day you could come back and travel it yourself. Then, you'd have all the time in the world. He nodded, dropping the subject though he knew it wasn't true.

Once you'd arrived back, you were quick to make a move back to your room, but a hand on your wrist gently pulled you back. Nikolai's hand.

"I need to say something before you go running off again," He sucked in a sharp breath, eyes staring deep into your own, like he was just seeing you for the first time. "I want to start over."

"What?" You were nothing but confused and tired and there was probably an injury somewhere that you needed to take care of.

"This marriage is not what it should be, I know that. And, I apologize it's taken me so long to realize that it was not your fault, but mine." The tension in your shoulders seemed to match his now, this wasn't the conversation you'd imagined would take place. "I've misjudged you, and I've not even given you the time you deserve. If you'd like to leave this place, me, I couldn't rightfully stop you. But if you stayed, this time I'd give you more than just a crown or a spared glance, I can promise that fully to you right now."

This was the promise you'd been waiting for, but it didn't feel right. Not after everything you'd been put through this far.

"I won't leave." The tension in Nikolai's face slowly loosened up. "But it will take time to fix what was broken to begin with."

"Of course. I wouldn't expect anything else."

───☆───

Two months later, your relationship with Nikolai had mended. You were closer than ever, and even the air around the two of you seemed lighter than after the marriage.

One morning when you had been awoken and told to meet Nikolai in the garden, you hadn't been expecting him to take you on the path you'd stared at on the night of the ambush. It was even better than you'd imagined. It was lush and green and the sunlight cast an ethereal glow through the leaved and branches hanging above your heads.

"It's beautiful out here."

"Not as beautiful as you." Nikolai grinned, that stupid grin that made your heart flutter.

"Oh, please." You turn away from him, instead kneeling by a bush blooming with pink and yellow flowers.

"I'm serious," He starts, kneeling beside you and picking a pink one, tucking it gently behind your ear. "Before I forget, I've got something for you." You watch as he pulls something from his pocket and holds it out to you. It was a thinly wired gold ring with an opal stone. It was simple, but it was the prettiest ring you'd ever seen.

"I know you could care less for diamonds, truly. I thought it might suit you." He takes your hand, sliding the ring onto your finger. It glinted in the sunlight, reflecting sparkles in your eyes as you admired it.

"I love it, thank you." Lifting your eyes to meet his, he's already looking at you, a soft look like he'd give you everything, and he would.

"Anything for you."

[blindmagdalena]

I’m going to be so fr… I’ve never seen the boys… you’re just an excellent writer and so I have no choice but to read every single one of these fics.

omg thank you so much 😭 i'm always astounded when folks get into my writing despite being unfamiliar with the source material. that's such high praise in my mind! 🖤

as a side note for those unaware, i do occasionally dip my toes into writing for the ghoul/cooper howard from fallout! you can find those fics on my sideblog c:

[xaz-fr]

me, the most forgetful person in the world, forgetting something? Couldn't be! Anyway very overdue lair review for @korppipoika-fr x.x So sorry thank you for your patience

Look at this dog. I love this dog. Say it with me; you love this dog. I like that you actually went with a pretty bold neck/wing choice as it's easy to fall back on the standard dark or to match it with the midnight coloration of the accent. The tapir is almost a continuation of the neck smoke. Excellent dog.

Is that another good dog? Maybe. Probably. Look at THIS DOG. Real talk this skin is chef's kiss. Love the simple use of apparel to pull the skin further out of the screen. He's in the woods all alone tho with no one to pet him. Someone should def go give this dog a pet.

Now what is Charm? Is she the hedgehog? Or maybe one of the chimkins? Or is she just a cloud of smoke and aura?? Love when people use the Invisibility Cloak to make something fun/silly/spooky instead :D

Unfortunately I love him. Even if the moodboard with Padme's death lake dress has me giving you the side eye a bit. Blue and gold is SO underrated as far as color combos go but its perf.

Waht's this? Yet anothER GOOD DOG!!?!? You have so many good dogs in your lair how am I supposed to only pick one??? Love seeing an Autopilot skin out in the wild. Love her little hedgehog friend there too uwu

I love this skincent sm I love seeing it used. When I dressed it I went 'wildfire spirit' and you also went with a smokey smoldering fire motif. Love that. Like a forest fire after a rain and the ground is still smoking.

[ilynpilled]

Jon’s comment about Jaime’s appearance in his introduction “This is what a king should look like” is a very funny bc Jaime might be the character most opposed to power of that sort in the text. I’ll be fr this man would often sooner jump into an active volcano than rule anything larger than an army. This is due to his nature and also his trauma. The weight of making that decision at 17, and witnessing how people like Aerys wielded their power, made him opposed to any kind of genuine responsibility for the next 20 years of his life, and only now is he back from being on autopilot/general dissociation and once again actually trying to navigate his agency and the weight of the choices he makes. Still, what is consistent is that he is opposed to that kind of power, he does not really enjoy it: he leads, untangles knots, sure, and he does it competently (he can play the role of commander and excel at it) but he is still more caught up in other duties like oaths, honor, and other abstract concepts of the sort, as well as his desire for love. He is one of the characters whose primary commentary is not really about navigating the sort of power that is reserved for rulers and players, which is already a very rich and complex web. He plays a very different and significant role in the hierarchy that is being explored: he is tied to rulers in a very significant way. He is their weapon, and what is important to note is that these weapons have agency. If characters like Joffrey are the pawns on the chess board (as many people have already pointed out) of players or kings such as Tywin etc, then Jaime is the knight. These pieces, with different levels of individual power, are all characters that might disobey their players/kings due to their agency. That can be devastating. Like a chess game, a single piece can really change the trajectory of the game. Like a knight mating a king. This is also why his arc specifically is so centered around the theme of choice: “whatever he chose, henceforth. Whatever he chose…” and all that. Again, love, duty, and the so many vows are in constant conflict. Very funny how fundamentally different his character is to his original outline counterpart.

[that-crazy-skz-stan-uwu]

can i pitch an idea to you

same person

Thank you for the ask Lux! 🩷 Fr they both give off the same vibes! Dragon Rider Chan would be so cool! (i apologize if this ask has been here for a while and i haven't seen it!!!! 😭) Quick drabble of my ideas about it: Dragon Rider Chan spends to much time on his inventions for the dragons. He's drawn up some of the most ingenious gadgets and gizmos you could think off, both for battle and for Berk to make it more comfortable for the dragons. The rest of SKZ as his fellows riders would follow Chan to the ends of the earth, and into the hidden world, if he asked. Chan and the rest of SKZ have made it their mission to keep all of the dragons safe from those who wish them harm. Much like Hiccup he is an excellent strategist and plans missions down to the T. Whether they go as planned is another question... Personally, besides Toothless as the best choice of dragon, I'd think that another dragon that Chan really likes is the Death Song. He probably already has some ideas on some gadgets that are inspired by the Death Song too. For some reason, baby dragons absolutely adore Chan! They would be allover his house and lab, following him everywhere. At first it was kinda funny and a bit annoying while he was trying to work, but now Chan has a huge soft spot for the babies. He lets them sleep on his desk and lap while he works and pets them when he's reading.

[semistsuga]

Lair Review for Samelf

Thanks for requesting a lair review @battleram-skirmisher-fr! I am thrilled for a good reason to browse through lairs and see some EXCITING DRAGONS, and I lovelovelove your lair theme! You clearly have an aesthetic going on, excellent organization, top-notch top to bottom.

My general approach is to go through and pick some dragons that I love, so without further ado -

Kivonn! It was very difficult deciding between your basalt beast dragons, but I decided on her for the great apparel use, and because I am actually in love with the wings on her. Stunning!

Next up, Gallium! LOVE the wings again, you really have an eye for effective colors/patterns, and I was thrilled to look at all your gorgeous Banescales, which were introduced after I stopped playing regularly, so! Extra exciting!

Next I had to pick an Ace Pride dragon, because HELL YEAH ACE PRIDE!

And Askella is a lovely lovely choice! Veilspuns are also new to me and OOOOOOO. I'm clearly going to have to invest in some new dragons. Stunning!

Next I had to pick Drydwen! All your familiar matching is top notch, but this is possibly my favorite.

Great use of minimal apparel to accent what's already a fairly busy dragon!

On the opposite end of the busy spectrum, Avalon! BEAUTIFUL subtle colors and genes - I love how elegant it all turns out! And I have a deep appreciation for safari and okapi already, and am now super excited about all the possibilities fade has to offer me. Clearly I need to get busy in the scrying workshop as well!!!

Finally, my pick is Nirin!

GREAT COLORS! How phenomenal! Excellent use of them, I love blush and navy, and you are SO lucky with your random progen - I love mine (Campanula), but he's royal/goldenrod/rust.

Thanks for having me visit your lair, I loved looking around it!

[tododeku-or-bust]

☀️Raybearer, by Jordan Ifeuko

I am so full of emotion rn, having just finished this book. So I'm just gonna list off all the top great things I've found during this adventure:

The protagonist, Tarisai, is a Black girl. God knows I would have loved to have this when I was 13 bc I was (and am) a fantasy fiend. And she fights the status quo that is the unjust system she lives in, that wants to weaponize her in many ways? I'm seated! 🔥

Reading this as a grown Black woman, I feel the frustration at the world behind it. I feel the frustration, from a Black Woman Author, when I see the world around me making the same poor choices over and over and parroting it "unity", "justice", "peace" and "order", especially at the sacrifice (instead of the priority!) of those who need us most. That's what's filling me with the most emotion, though there are so many things I relate to in this story. I feel....seen. seen, heard, validated.

I read more characters of color in the first 20 pages than I have read in 27 years of fantasy books EVER. The countries are fantasy, but the characters' names show the influence. (Nigeria, China, Korea, West Asia, India, and more). The author is putting everyone's "brown ppl break the illusion of fantasy" bullshit in the DIRT.

The main romance is between an Indian boy and a Black girl. I've seen that ONCE! Very rarely do we get interracial romance where the Black person is the girl, let alone in pairings between different people of color! (Black girl characters deserve to be loved XOXO)

Queer people exist in this universe and it is no sweat. Like, they just do!

The plot of this book!!! It's some heavy shit fr! It keeps you on edge as you follow Tarisai. She's weighed down by so many expectations, and you want so badly for her to break away from it and do what is Right. I love a 'Sins of the Parent/Lineage' story, and I especially love a (thanks ATSV) "imma do me" story.

Imma reemphasize this bc it's my favorite: one point this book has that I REALLY appreciate is that it emphasizes the idea that those who want to change the world should be willing to do so at the risk of themselves. So often in our society it's always "things will get better but you have to suffer in order for us to get there, not Me-," and its frustrating bc a lot of those who speak a big game politically are usually never the ones willing to go First. The claim that things will get better is always at the cost of someone weaker and less heard.

The worldbuilding of this book is rich. You will be plied with visuals and information in this universe. And if some of the cultural concepts are confusing (given that we live in a White Western default world for writing)..... Learn it. Get comfortable with it. Kids should grow up learning new things in fantasy (I had to learn Irish to read some books and I'm better for it; you'll be okay!)

This is more personal, but I love reading about my hair in fic. Curls, coils, locs, braids, beads, afros like clouds. It's so nice. Our hair and skin are beautiful and I want to see more that actual effort put into describing us in writing.

There are a couple things that I think could be better/paced differently, but overall the experience is very, very good. I am absolutely going to buy this and the next one in the series. Jordan Ifeuko did an excellent job with this and I would highly suggest it.

[lienwyn]

15 questions, 15 people

I was tagged by @clawbehavior! Thank you so much 💜

1. Are you named after anyone?

I am not. My grandmother picked my name to somewhat match my big sister's (we both have names beginning with L) but that's about it.

2. When was the last time you cried?

I guess yesterday? Because my back pain suddenly got ten times worse and sometimes when I tried to move I'd get a stabbing sensation that made me spontaneously start crying. Which is pretty impressive considering that I have a pretty high pain tolerance.

It was also confusing because it wasn't a conscious choice of mine or anything. My body just decided it hurt too much and therefore tears were required. While I was just completely baffled by what was happening because crying from pain isn't something I do very often.

It was an interesting experience.

3. Do you have kids?

Nope.

4. Do you use sarcasm a lot?

Not anymore, no. When I was a teenager, it seemed to be the only kind of humour I could actually pull off, but I've been steering away from it more and more. Now I'm saving it for special occasions ;)

5. What's the first thing you notice about people?

I genuinely can't say. I think it depends more on the person I'm seeing/meeting than anything I have control over. Like, with some I might notice their posture, with others it's their hair colour (if it's something very noticeable), with others it's the way they speak.

I really don't have a set order or something I look for first.

6. What's your eye colour?

Greenish blue

7. Scary movie or happy ending?

Happy ending. Always.

8. Any special talents?

I'm really good with my hands and usually excel at most types of crafts or creative pursuits I attempt, from art and sculpturing to sewing, weaving, embroidery, making furniture, baking etc.

I'm also good at reading people and situations, which comes in handy when I write.

9. Where were you born?

In the north of Sweden.

10. What are your hobbies?

Honestly too many to count. But the ones I spend most time on right now are drawing, writing, reading, playing video games, and taking walks.

11. Do you have pets?

Sadly, no :C

But I grew up with dogs and love them to absolute bits. One of my favourite words in Swedish is "hundlängtan" which basically just means "dog longing" or "longing for a dog."

That's me. I am in a perpetual state of longing for a dog.

12. What sports do you/have you played?

Basketball, floorball, and badminton were the most organised, but I also did gymnastics and skiing as a kid.

13. How tall are you?

176 cm (5'9)

14. Favourite subject in high school?

History! Because I had an AMAZING teacher who made it so, so much fun, especially with the ugly little drawings he kept making on the whiteboard. Half of the time, we couldn't even see what he was drawing, but that was a part of the charm.

I also really liked English :)

15. Dream job?

I would honestly love to be an artist or a writer full-time, but I'm too scared (and comfortable with my current salary) to attempt it. But if I could choose without having to take finances into consideration? Definitely an artist or a writer.

I tag: @miss-ingno, @sjazna, @mesaimouse, @a-very-fond-farewell, @fr-wiwiw, @stl29tide, @writingfanficsfan, @k-s-morgan, and whoever else wants to do it! (I really suck at tagging x'D)