#filter and water changing are the things most out of my experience

[fbwzoo]

Jack: So apparently my sister didn't know we've been trying to get my parents to give us the turtle early, so they're going to try and help with that idea. So we might need to actually look at stuff for him instead of dreaming lol

Me: SAY NO MORE *opens 10 tabs immediately*

Any favorite equipment suggestions or tips are welcome!

[innerfare]

You Just Do It Better 

Summary: There are some things that are better left to you

Characters: Luffy, Zoro, Sanji, Ace, Sabo, Law, Kid

Genre: Fluff

CW: None // SFW

——— 

Luffy:  

When his hat is in a state of disrepair, as it often is, he now hands it over to you to be fixed. You did it once when he was sound asleep after a fight, and when he woke up, he discovered his most prized possession looked better than it ever had. People are so rarely allowed to touch his hat, but he begs you- puppy dog eyes and all- to fix his hat for him every time it gets damaged. You just do it better. 

Zoro: 

Why does your sake always taste better? And your beer? And, though he’s loathe to admit it, he’d rather swipe that fruity cocktail you’re drinking than have his own whiskey because whenever you order a drink, it just tastes better. Oh, and when you make it? Forget about drinking it yourself. If you make a drink yourself, be it ice water or hot tea or something with liquor, Zoro will at the very least be stealing a few sips, even if he’s made his own. You just do it better. 

Sanji: 

Who knew you had such a talent for frosting cupcakes? He takes such pride in cooking for you, never imagined for a moment he would allow you to pick up even a single kitchen utensil. But he had his hands full one day and you took over the cupcakes he’d made upon Luffy’s request, and you did such a beautiful job he didn’t even let the crew eat them. Now, it’s your job to frost any sweets he makes. You just do it better. 

Ace: 

It’s everything you touch, really. Whether you’re picking out a necklace or seasoning a dish, you just do it better. But most especially, you talk. Whether you’re talking about nothing or speaking on something important, you have a way with words that he simply doesn’t. He always puts his thoughts and feelings through a you filter because however you phrase things is going to be the best way. You just do it better. 

Sabo: 

You edit his manuscript. He has no shortage of people who could do it for him, people who have real experience doing such things. He could do it himself, too, educated as he is (though he hides it well). But you’re so much better. You know exactly how to read his words and improve on them without changing the underlying point he is trying to make. He even has you read his private journals just for your opinion. You just do it better. 

Law: 

You put the right words in his mouth for him. Law often stumbles over his words and isn’t the best at communicating his emotions. You have a special talent for reading his emotions and explaining them, so much so that when he has a conflict, he comes to you and you help him piece together the right thing to say so he doesn’t end up snapping and saying something rude (still probably ends up snapping, but it’s not as bad with your help). You just do it better. 

Kid: 

Applying the soothing gel intended to calm the residual pain in the stub of his arm used to be a private ordeal, the fact that his arm hurt perhaps his most closely guarded secret. But you walked in on him one night and found him in so much pain that you took over despite his protests, and he found the gel worked even better when you massaged it into his arm. Now, he doesn’t even bother trying to do it himself. You just do it better. 

———

Hope you enjoyed it! If you want more, you can check out my masterlist here!

[solacebloom]

Steven Grant x Autistic!Reader

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺

Just some drabbles of what being friends/partners with Steven Grant would look like with an autistic reader since, I myself, am autistic. Autism is a spectrum so I tried to make it inclusive but some of the traits are obviously going to be more geared towards my experience since that's what I'm writing from. Also gender neutral!reader

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺

TW: talking about stimming, autistic meltdowns, cpstd, insomnia, DID

Steven Grant

Steven Grant has a lot of autistic traits, so I’ll be treating him like he is.

Rigid routines, hyperfixations (Egyptology), always calling his Mom every morning, being visibly upset when his routine is changed, etc

CPSTD can exacerbate autism traits so whether or not Marc and Jake have autism in particular I’m not going to get into right this moment BUT

man has insomnia among other things he gets it he understands you better than most.

If you were cohabitating the both of you would have your safe spaces in the flat

On top of that the entire place would be sensory friendly, your little retreat

Overhead light never gets turned on when it’s with you two, Steven keeps the curtains open for some natural light

incense from his involuntary travels would be stockpiled

He definitely has some sort of trinket or keepsake that makes white noise of some kind

Might be a water feature or windchimes hung up by the window- Gus’ tank also emits some white noise from the filter and water pump

The flat will always have some sort of noise to drown out the busy streets outside

When the noises are overstimulating to the both of you though he’s got noise canceling headphones and earbuds- he misplaces them a lot so there’s always extra to go around

Though eventually he gets you your own pair for around the flat

If you use a cane or any sort of walker he invests in making sure you have a spot to put it while you’re around the flat and that there’s actually space for you to walk around with it if needed

While he loves his collections of books, if you can’t traverse the flat with all that stuff on the floor he’s going to find another spot for them. Shoved into a closet somewhere- a storage unit, whatever he can do to keep his books and you

You both definitely stay in a lot more than you do go out

The street just outside the flat is busy but in the quieter hours the two of you go on short walks under the moonlight

If you’re novelty seeking though Steven’s not going to be the best at helping but will do his best to tag along with you if it’s outside of the house. 

Sometimes he’s right there with you ready to go out and other times he’s just wanting to stay home, you don’t always match energies 

Novelty seeking at home though? Completely different story. He’s always happy to dive into a new topic with you, whether it’s related to his own hyperfixation or one of your own

Insomnia and DID affect his memory so even if he has come to terms with Marc he’s still going to be writing things down, taking notes on the subject you two are diving into

When you need to stim Steven has a TON of trinkets and stim toys around the flat if not already in his pockets

The only thing he wouldn’t share with you is his rubik cube, if that’s not already in his hands while the two of you are talking it’s in his pocket or misplaced on a shelf it’s definitely his most well loved stimming item and he has to fix it, often

Puzzles also! From old crosswords to literal picture puzzles he’s down to do them all with you and will probably be absentmindedly doing one while you info dump

He has a rocking chair somewhere in the flat that’s incredibly comfy and well loved for some full body stimming

I don’t think Steven would have a sensory swing and if he does he was to embarrassed to set up for himself

Like Steven doesn’t hate himself for being autistic

He never learned to mask but there’s still lingering anxieties, they just aren’t focused around his autism, more on his DID and just general trauma 

If you or any or the other alters found the swing though there would be some questions and a lot of hesitance and excuses on Steven’s end

Well you bet that swing is getting set up now

Even if Steven doesn’t end up using it as much he’s glad that it’s there if you or him need it at some point 

You both do parallel play/being alone together- you’ll focus on your task and he’ll do his while you both are in the same room

Whilst some tasks give Steven the ick he can’t offload all the chores to his alters 

So when the dishwasher needs to be opened or dishes cleaned in the sink he has a whole process to try and make it easier on himself

He wouldn’t be good at helping you out with these tasks either but his presence is appreciated 

If eating noises are triggering Steven will either fetch the noise canceling headphones or go eat out on the porch or off in another room

Safe foods! He has them written down if he doesn’t already remember them

The flat is stocked with both his and your safe foods

If you’re out of the house he keeps a backpack on him that would have snacks and trinkets

I don’t think Steven goes nonverbal often mostly because I think that version for him is probably just retreating back and forcing the other alters out so that at least someone is talking in whatever situation is happening

I think if it does happen in a safe space with you though he’s most likely writing down his thoughts to you over his notebook

When you go nonverbal he gets a little panicky, because he knows how he feels when that comes up so he’s much more fretful over that

He starts asking you a bunch of yes or no questions to things you may need which isn’t always entirely helpful as it can be a bit overwhelming

But after his anxieties are quelled he’s much more able to help out in whatever you need

Whatever communication device or tool you use he’s more than willing to accommodate and carries around cards in the backpack as well

When you have a meltdown for the first time in front of him he definitely isn’t entirely sure of himself, he doesn’t know exactly what you need so it takes some trial and error 

After the meltdown though he asks what you’d like to have happen when another one occurs

Whether you need physical touch or instead a weighted blanket or touch sensation at all he’s ready to help

Whatever entertainment medium you like he’ll put on/grab to keep your mind distracted and calmed

If it’s in public he will probably let another alter handle it since that’s overwhelming for him too though I think he feels guilty about it despite it just being a defense mechanism on his end. 

He wants to help you and himself, but part of that is accepting where he’s at and sometimes trying to push yourself is the opposite of what’s needed

[souryogurt64]

I’m getting a cat tomorrow for the first time and I’m absolutely terrified but so excited. Ur like the cat queen so do u have any tips for making the cat not hate me ? Or just in general lol. ❤️

I would give the cat space and respect their boundaries but try to encourage them to come out if they hide for more than a few hours! Which is hard because you want to hug and kiss them and hold them like babies lol.

In terms of general advice, I did a lot of research in terms of nutrition, price, and appeal and decided to get Sheba Cuts in Gravy wet food, Kirkland dry food, and Dr Elsey's unscented litter set to autodeliver to my house so I don't have to worry about it because it would stress me out. I generally feed them Temptations treats or Churu tubes as well. Ceramic or metal bowls are generally more hygienic. Cats normally prefer normal litter boxes but a lot are willing to try top entry ones, and any robotic litter box is not safe.

I would also talk to a vet about how much you're supposed to feed them because getting a cat to lose weight can be really hard for both you and the cat. I would also recommend getting a fountain (and washing/changing the filters regularly) because cats can struggle to drink enough water. A lot of times when you hear about people getting vet surgery that costs a million dollars it's because they developed a urinary blockage. Also like bad things can happen to anyone but I personally think having a million toys around your house helps prevent cats from getting bored and trying to eat trash or whatever. I also like to grow catnip and cat grass for them.

Generally every cat likes different toys, beds, and scratching posts, so you just need to accept you might waste money, but personally I've found most cats strongly prefer sisal scratching posts over twine or cardboard. Amazon also has pretty affordable large cat trees. Robotic toys can also be pretty entertaining to cats and you can look up enrichment activities, an easy one is putting treats in an egg carton and putting toys on top of each compartment.

I've also found boiling orange peels and spraying the liquid on furniture, and boiling catnip and spraying that liquid on scratching posts, can passively deter them from destroying furniture or encourage them to try beds/posts. Feliway hormone plugins can calm anxious cats but I haven't tried them personally.

Also don't declaw your cat lol it usually causes severe behavioral issues because the cat is in pain for the rest of their lives and it affects them walking on litter especially so they will piss all over your house and also can develop urinary blockages from holding their pee which is expensive and can kill them. Also be very careful what flowers you bring into the house. My parents were not good pet owners (or good parents) so I speak from experience lol

[sonicasura]

Biological Complications of Being A Kaiju

Here we are with my personal thoughts on the possible biological changes done to Kaiju No. 8's Kafka Hibino. I will be talking about different biology such as reproductive amongst others things. Fair warning that shit will get weird. (Nothing is sacred with kaiju.) Now let's get started.

Kafka's kaiju form has traits seen from various different animals mainly reptiles and sharks. His hide acts closer to that of the Nurse Shark with some traits of marine iguanas alongside poisonous frogs. Thanks to this, he can secrete substances like poison or liquid waste from his entire body. (Kafka doesn't fully know this because otherwise the man would never use his nips like THAT again.)

Similar to Marine Iguanas, his kaiju side is an very adept swimmer. Kafka's average speed can be clocked around 80mph in water but he could go even faster by manifesting a tail and webbing his hands/feet. The awkward shape of his neck conceals special gils that filters out water or harmful gases.

Kafka is cold blooded to a degree. He prefers seeking out warmth by sunbathing but it'll take constant extreme cold to make him hibernate. Attempts to force him into such a state will result in his kaiju side growing thick fur similar to polar bears as a defense mechanism. This coat being shed off over the course of Spring and regrown during the fall.

Kafka's body will adapt under extremely stressful situations. These particular changes can be difficult to near impossible for him to will away as they were done by Tiny(Mosquito Kaiju). Pecking order involving alterations to their kaiju form: Tiny, Kafka, Ai.

Fangs are very similar to that of any shark. Should Kafka lose any then new ones normally grow in after two minutes. His jaw strengthens matches that of an alligator mixed with a snapping turtle. Unless Kafka lets go then breaking his teeth is the only way to free oneself. Although the fangs will be embedded in his victim as a way to cripple them.

Kafka has a tendency to shed his scales from time to time. A normal process as its a way for his body to naturally dispose of the dead ones. Losing large patches occurs from either sickness or bi-annual molting.

Similar to a lizard, Kafka can climb and hang on different surfaces. His claws are perfect to retain his grip should the climbing target be slippery or someone tries to pull him off. If push comes to shove, one adaptation Kafka can use is camouflage similar to a chameleon.

*Reproductive Section is here. You can skip this as nothing new is past it.*

Reproductive organs are still present even in kaiju form. Similar to a lizard, Kafka's genitals are hidden behind a cloaca for protection. His kaiju form comes with both sets of reproductive organs i.e male and female.

The species are highly adaptive when it comes to keeping their population numbers stable. Kafka wasn't exactly happy to learn about this change. Especially since most kaiju are the egg laying type, his included.

Should conception occur then at least 3-5 eggs are laid after 3 weeks. During that time period, Kafka will eat twice his body weight and be quite aggressive around unfamiliar faces. A nest is also made from various bedding materials like pillows, blankets, to even mattresses.

Eggs will hatch in the span of 4-7 weeks. Newborn hatchlings are the size of kittens and have small fangs as they only feed on meat or fish at this age. They age at the same rate humans do thus reach full maturity in around 20 years. All of them will have a human form and obtain it at the 4-5 year mark.

Similar to a possum, Kafka will carry any whelp he has on his back. His instincts make it difficult for him to leave them alone for too long until they are at least 3 months old. It'll take some heavy persuasion from anyone close to Kafka to have someone babysit for him during that time period.

Experimenting with Kaiju biology is quite the acid trip, huh?

[bubybubb]

(big dog head with dog eyes), 2024

Materials : recycled corrugated cardboard, hot glue, papier mache (flour, glue, water, newspaper, paper towels), acrylic + gouache, found plastic pear, gloss finish with metal hardware on rear.

On view at Toutoune Gallery in Toronto until end of January.

Below the photograph is an image created between myself x AI in 2022 that inspired the above piece. My views and concerns have changed a lot since my experiments in 2022. Even then I had some worries, but I was also incredibly curious and was given the access to play around for multiple months with free credits that replenished daily. (I thankfully didn't spend a dime)

I came out of it with a breadth of imagery that has continued to inspire me, not unlike how I am inspired by found imagery on the web, bootlegs and other odd and lost ephemera, toy design, novelties, mass produced objects like stickers etc.

I spent most of my credits on mixtures of words, textures, colours and shapes to create a world of miniatures. Eventually the machine was trying to make too much sense of my requests and the playful and creative aspects melted away for me. I am still curious about the image making uses of this type of tool but in the hand of corporations, no different in goal than the corporate art of popular mass culture films, music and gaming etc, everything is on a continuous soulless trajectory. Haha, sigh. There is a lot of art that I already ignore.. understand it's all incredibly subjective, but most art sucks (to me).

I enjoyed my results but I don't enjoy the context in which this all 'exists'.

I have remade these digital curiosities anew. From the unreal-state of this nightmarish tech, material works were eventually born from my hands. It did not feel dissimilar to me than how I used to enjoy utilizing photoshop to clash together found imagery. Being playful with things found online that didn't necessarily belong to me, but felt as though they belong to us all.

The art of appropriation through some extra 'filters' that can leave you blind. I wish one could access a reversal mechanism with AI, to see all the pieces of the puzzle that was used to construct a resulting image. Clearly a lot of what is concocted through AI are deliberate plagiarisms: can you imagine requesting 'work' in the voice or style of a specific artist and believing that what the machine has created is 'unique'? (Ahem: Paul Schrader lol)

Sorry to blab but I will have continued rambled thoughts about AI technology as we keep seeing all of this develop esp in mass culture. My feelings in terms of AI in the art world is that it probably will eventually be seen as a fad that has eaten itself. (Perhaps it already has. AI CEOs are already admitting that their algorithms have already scraped all there is to scrape.)

...

[mullermilkshake]

I beg and plea for a yandere! Armin arlert

There’s something about a terrifying manipulative man

Hello! Thanks so much for the ask, this request is already on my list, I got you 😎

But in the mean time, while I'm going through my list, here is a little piece I wrote. Not quite the dark Yandere! I have future plans for but creeeeepy. 😊 I love dark dark Armin so much 🥹

The olympian.

Practising swimming alone comes with its disadvantages.

Armin Arlert x Fem! reader. Creepy,Unsettling,Threat of drowning,Near death experience,Stalking,Blood,Injury

<<< For more content, click this link to go back to the Masterlist! >>>

“I’ve gotta head home so watch yourself okay?” 

You were at the pool after hours as usual, little clear bag with your cap and towel to practice for tryouts in a few weeks. You’d been dreaming of this since you were a child and this year, this year was your time to shine. 

“Yeah of course, thanks for staying late, I really appreciate it.” You were running late this evening, traffic was terrible and the rain and thunderous rumbling didn’t help deter people to stay inside. 

It was common for you to collect the keys to the pool your friend Mina owned at the end of the day and practise to your hearts content as to not be disturbed or distracted. Sometimes she stayed a while with you, but not tonight. 

Trying out at a professional level was expensive and it took every scrap of coinage you could save just to get a ticket across the world for this special time. Mina was a true friend and an amazing person. None of what you achieved so far could have been possible without her. 

She smiled and collected her things, slinging her bag over her shoulder and placed her car keys neatly in her fingers. “It’s no problem! Have a good swim, let me know when you’re home.”

As you did every time you stayed after hours to let her know that you hadn’t drowned and remembered the few times she’d ran back to the pool like a maniac after you had forgotten to text her and received frantic phone calls when she found you were not floating about in the pool.

After all, there hadn’t been night staff here for some time, but Mina was looking to change that for extra ease to know you were safe and the perimeter was in tact after a few alarm triggers. That you had accidentally set off.

“I will do, take care!” You had already started walking toward the changing rooms, keys chiming with each stride. 

An echo of footsteps and dragging sliders on the tiled floor was a comfort of yours, the distinct chlorine and lower level pipe work rushing to accommodate the various filters and sucking pumps to rotate the clear room temperature pool water. Bare foot slaps and your breathing stood as the only company you had until you entered the water, then it was your dreams and dedication that befriended you. 

No one was here and that was how you liked it most. 

You were already dressed in your swim suit, stepping out of your clothes for that streamlined look, whipping your hair up in a bun to accommodate the tight cap with a ping to your forehead. A token for the locker, a special one that the locker never swallowed clanked into it and the lock sprung to life. All belongings inside and secured, just one drink came with you, set right at the end of the pool to hydrate you.

A splash, the coolness covering your body and that dark night, ears muffled with the low comforting drone of nothing but false rushing waters past them. Stretching first, hopping about and you fought that urge to splash about first, that was for afterwards. 

The rain outside was a minimal sound inside, however the lightning and thunder were obvious. Soothing in a way.

One lap, two, five and twelve. Forty eight left to go. Twenty two and thirty. Thirty laps. Halfway.

And halfway through, that was when you noticed that the changing rooms light had flickered on. 

In honesty, you initially assumed it was lightning and it shouldn’t have made you stop mid lap. The worst part was you almost losing count after it came on, the emphasis louder than any thunder clap outside. A moment to process, but process you did. 

Each changing room had a sensor, it wasn’t anything new for them to come on at random times, but knowing you were alone in the entire building put you briefly into a state of self preservation. You had come from there, yes, but upon looking at the clock, well that was over half an hour ago.

“Hello?” You floated, bobbing up and down a little until the water settled. 

Nothing. Just your reverberating voice bouncing off the walls. 

“Is anyone there?” You swam closer to the edge as a preventative measure to leave if that was a need. 

Still nothing. 

So it was nothing. 

Mina always locked up everything before she left. You were locked in essentially and to leave you would need to unlock a door.

No one. 

You continued swimming, thirty laps, or was it thirty six? You had spent far too much time being nosey at nothing that you had in fact forgotten, so you began back at thirty. Thirty, Thirty eight, forty two, forty six. Some more, but you were thirsty. 

Climbing out on the side, you bounced, hoisted yourself up and plopped down to guzzle the blue fluid inside that bottle. You paused and took a moment to appreciate the weather through the rectangular windows above, still flashing and thundering. 

The light in the changing rooms was off now.

That was okay, that showed the sensors were working, wasn’t it? You didn’t believe that, your gut settling for protecting yourself but curiosity loitered in the back of your head. 

It could have been an animal. You would need to inform Mina of that. The light was off now so it wasn’t really a concern for the right now it’s was more the other possibilities you were shouldering, though they didn’t seem plausible. 

Honestly none of them were plausible. The building was locked down. Maybe it was something paranormal? 

Stupid.

“This is stupid. That is stupid, there’s no ghosts.” There had never been a time where you felt uneasy in this building until now. 

You prepared to jump back into the water and decided that these last few laps were your final ones and that it was better to just leave for the night. 

One lap, and other and a few more. Done. Uneventful. When you pushed up to exit, something practically normal, totally underwhelming made you stop and back away. 

Wet footprints. They were coming from the changing room. 

“Hello? Who’s there?” The size was off, they did not belong to you. Thunder roared as your only companion in that empty room, your heart beating faster than ever in your throat so loud you could swallow it. 

“Hello…” Your voice trailed off. No one was here. 

No one was in the room. 

To hell with this. You turned and swam towards the end of the pool, the ladder the only supportive friend. You’d grab your stuff and run out wet in the rain if you had to, no point in waiting to dry only to get wet. That was what you told yourself swimming towards the darkened changing room.

Closer and closer, the thunder so loud again you didn’t notice the change in the pool and clunking of machinery behind you to begin with. 

Until it got louder. “Fuck!” 

Looking behind you, the pool cover moved, edging towards you like cavalry. Closer and low to the pool line, if it caught you, you’d drown. But no matter how vigorously you moved your arms, you were still human and panicked. You didn’t move much at all, no speed behind you like before. 

Fuck you were going to die and no one would know until morning. 

You were going to die. 

You were so dead. 

“Take my hand!” A voice, you didn’t care who, or why. 

A hand in front of your face. You took it and they pulled you up, just not quick enough before the pool cover caught your ankle with the lodging clips to secure it. 

The impact caused your screams to be more audible even over the stupid constant noise outside that without the luck you had, disguised the pool cover in silence. You could have fucking died. 

“Ow, ow, ow…” Bleeding, a deep cut on your ankle would stop you swimming for a while. 

“Oh god, let me get a first aid kit.” It was a man, you didn’t catch his appearance, far too busy to see your leg bleeding and the searing pain. 

It was hilariously deep, too wide. You hoped the water dripping from you was making it look far worse than it actually was. 

“Here.” A towel he’d thrown around you the cotton fibres scratched insensitively. 

For a brief moment you looked, he was blonde, gentle eyes and soft hands. He hadn’t looked at you though, busy enough with his hands trying to wrap your ankle. Oh hell it killed and it refused to show how gentle he was being. 

“Sorry about the pool cover, it’s on a timer. I didn’t think anyone would be here.” Such a soothing voice. 

“T-thank you…” You were in shock. “I didn’t know… I didn’t- no one is here usually…”

He wrapped the bandage around and around. “My rota changed, I’m on the graveyard shift now.” 

You nodded, though that was all you could do sitting there all cold and shivering, dripping onto the white towel that wasn’t so white anymore stained with diluted blood and water.  

He paused once the bandage was secured, his hand still upon your ankle, the other up to shake. “I’m Armin, night security.” 

You took it mindlessly and introduced yourself, his hands so soft and blood stained. “Nice to meet you… thank you for doing that.” 

He saved your life. You’d be dead right now. I’d be dead. A dead body just floating there.

“I’m just glad I was there, hadn’t been to this part of the building yet, lucky I was here when I was.” 

You didn’t realise the pool cover was on a timer. Must have been new. “Y-yeah.” 

“Can you walk? I think it’s best we get you somewhere warm until we can get you home.” 

You just nodded, clung to him and shivering. Armin walked on and took you through though you couldn’t walk as well as you thought. So you cling to him, greeting his shirt wet. 

He took you to the changing rooms where the sensors triggered and flickered the lights on. It was all happening so quickly, your belongs sat on the bench with your coat, umbrella. 

“I won’t be able to go to try outs now…” 

“Hm?” Armin sat down on the bench close to you, clear in your periphery as you stared on. 

This year was fucked and it all came crashing down once you realised. You couldn’t swim with a dirty great gash on your ankle that could take weeks to heal for the scab to go. 

This wasn’t your year…

Tears threatened to fall, you were certain that it wasn’t just the water dripping off of your cap. “T-tryouts… I’m meant to be flying out in a few…”

“It’ll be alright, maybe they can postpone your admission? But we can sort that out later, you really need to go to hospital and get that looked at, I can drive you.”

His offer to help wasn’t what you heard. “It’s only for one day… if you miss it. That’s it…”

You life was over. 

Armin collected your things and wrapped you up, being as respectful as you could remember and drove you to the hospital. You didn’t say another word, but he made it clear to you so you could understand that he entered his number into your phone so you could let him know how you were. When you arrived safely at home.

You would have been flattered and maybe a little flustered if you weren’t in the state you were. And especially stitches, stitches to fix the damaged that pool cover caused. There was no need to stay in overnight, but the swelling caused you to require a crutch for stability and a whole host of issues and complications that made day to day life difficult for a while. 

You still managed to go into see Mina the next day with a lot of your dedication intact. 

“Hey!- oh my god what happened?!” 

Didn’t Armin fill her in? “The pool cover closed on me, didn’t the security guy tell you? He took me to hospital last night.” 

Mina didn’t say anything at first, eyes plastered on your bandaged ankle. “Could have said you put it on a timer Mina, I would have gotten out beforehand it was a good thing Armin was there when he was.” 

“Armin?” 

“Yeah.” 

Why did she look uncomfortable? “Will you wait here just a sec?” 

You nodded and waited, but you waited more than just a second. Mina looked as though she was about to throw up, a sheet of paper fluttered in her hand to the counter top. 

“Can you write a statement of what happened last night?” 

“A state- why do you need a statement? He should have filled in that form book thing you have.” 

Mina said your name and fiddled with the corner of the paper, she didn’t look at you, her eyes were hanging so sad towards the floor. “It’s a statement for the police… it’s important you tell them what Armin was doing here yesterday.” 

“A police statement? You should be giving the guy a raise not vilifying him, he saved my life.” After you had woken and pushed passed the initial grief and shock for a little while, of the loss of this years tryouts, you messaged Armin and let him know how you were. 

He was a nice guy. So this was a shock. “The pool cover isn’t on a timer… it has to be activated manually.” Mina paused with dramatic effect which you hated. 

“And there’s no night time staff, I would have told you if there was. This guy… he’s done this to a few girls, a twenty-four hour store down the road and a gas station; we even have his picture.” 

She lifted a sheet of paper in black and white and it was Armin alright, the guy from last night. He was wanted by police, but in the picture he didn’t have that softened look. 

He purposely harmed you and you had just given him your number. He ruined your chances and kept you away from travelling for no reason you could fathom. 

What kind of horrid person was he? Just how many people had he hurt?

Pulling your phone out, you saw that he had responded to your message. You had direct contact with a monster.

"Give me a pen Mina."

DISCLAIMER - Crossposted from my AO3 - I do not own any of the characters or anything from the anime. This is a work of fan fiction and is absolutely not representative of the views or intentions of the original creator(s).

Also please don’t post any of my work without permission thank you!

[cupioromantic-simp]

Jon x corruption avatar

Jon clicks the button on the tape recorder and the sound resides through out the room

“Statement of”

You state your full name and occupation

“-About entity driven events during my life time”

“Recorded direct from subject by Jonathan sims…” he looks disappointed in you maby that you didn’t tell him or maybe because you are telling him

You take a deep breath and sigh

“First things first I’m sorry for not making a statement after the Jane prentis attack I was worried you’d turn on me I’m sure you’ll see why…

My first experience with a deep internal fear was when I was six me and my mother where on a vacation at a motel near our house not really a vacation per say but it had a pool and and arcade so that’s really all that mattered to me

We had go to this one specific location multiple times but this time it was different it was about twenty years before they closed it up and they whet going through repairs changing out some stuff and adding things to make it more hip for the non-locals

We- me and my mother-where in the pool.. well I was my mother never really liked getting her hair wet and I decided to just float on my back in the pool because I was a shy kid I didn’t know how to interact with people even at six and as I was floating I looked up at the ceiling and.. one of the panels where gone and you could see pipes and wires and… so so much dust I was going to call out to my mom and tell her how dangerous I found it

B-but when I opened my mouth a string of dust fell from the open panel and.. and in to my mouth

I-I can still remember it I gagged so hard I threw up in the pool it was as thick as dryer lint and I- I think I passed out because I don’t remember most of what happened there I just remember that the blankets in our room where the deducting green-brown and that I had an allergic reaction to it ether that or a rash

The next I remember is more clusters of things like wanting to vomit every time I saw bare feet on tile, or that if you pop a pimple wrong it can get in to your blood and cause sepsis, or the fact there where always fruit flies in our house because my mom didn’t have time to clean and I was so forgetful that I whole only remember to bring my mugs down because there was a thick layer of twisting curling mold of top of whatever I was drinking ten days ago

I remember learning that penicillin was just apple mold so I left a slice out for a little over a year just to see what happened

Mold happened obviously

All things rot and decompose I’ve-

I’ve come to peace with that

Sounds like a weird thing to have to come to peace with

I’ve also come to peace with the fact that everything is dirty

Nothing is clean it’s just how it is

Everything touched by human hands is dirty and humans have the need to touch everything

Whether there supposed to or not

I think that’s why it got me the thing that’s corroding the iron in my blood, flaking my skin and molding my meat

And I mean it not in the meat in my fridge though it is in the food but the meat in my body if you can call it that

I am meat and my meat is moldy and crawling with rot and decay

That’s why I didn’t quite care about the worms I think…

Or that they didn’t care about me in the way they cared about Jane

You read her statement you know

‘I am a home for that which loves me’

No it’s not like that

‘I am consumed by that which wants and crawls in the dirt and the air and the ground and the halls and the food and the water it sinks in to my skin and in to my stomach and up my throat and in to the pool and in to the filters and in to the skin of the others who return it to me because I am it’s master and it owns me and I am so full and connected and so so scared’”

You and Jon stare at each other for al least thirty seconds

“S-… um.. s-statement ends…”

He moves his hand to the tape recorder but his hand trembles before he can touch anything

You can feel that he can feel it all around the dust, dead skin, the paper mold I mean who knows where that tape recorder has bean, how long, what kind of plastic mold crawls and hides and feasts you’ve really been touching that thing Jon? Who knows what bacteria you’ve spread with that thi-

“STOP!” Jon if visibly shaking “how-..what… why did you do that?!”

“Hmm? I’m not sure, I don’t know if it was even a conches decision, is it weird being on the receiving end of an avatar spell thing? Because i know it’s weird when you do your little statement suction thing”

“I um-“

“Oh you didn’t understand how horrific things like that are, you up set your self with the thought that you’ve been doing a similar thing to people”

You move you hand wanting to comfort him some how but quickly realize that holding his hand with your corrupted fungi filled strangely soft hands it would probably send him in to another fear fuelled panic so you just move your hand back in to your lap

“I’m.. sorry Jon, I… I think I’ll be going now, for awhile, you should um clean the apartment I think… I- I’m not sure what to say… goodbye Jon”

You click off the tape recorder for him before leaving

[monodramatic-cannibal]

Renegade!Sci

Info post about the au

(If characters seem OOC ((Out Of Character)) it's beacause I'm going off of my own interpretations/headcanons/fandom versions. So please be aware of that)

More info under the cut (Info is subject to change at any time. Info may be added to as well)

-Jobs in the group: Leader, Science experiments (either making stuff that could be useful to them or to help the group survive), managing the radio (trying to get a signal to contact other survivors)

Weapons of choice: ray gun like gaster blaster, spear like giant needles 

-Head canon voice: ???

-One of the more smarter people in the group. Is the leader of the group, though he considers the title unofficial, since no one said he was he just kinda became the leader over a period of time.

-Is trying to research both ways for the group to effectively live with things that they have or can get their hands on. So a lot of his research consists of building random things and testing to see if they work, e.g. alternate ways to get power, or better water filters, etc. 

-He’s also researching Wraiths. Though theres only so much he can do without putting anyone in danger. But it’s getting to the point in his research where he needs a more hands on approach to it, either that be trying to go out and document Wraith behaviors or trying to study dead ones before they disappear, etc. Might even consider catching one, but knows so much things can go wrong and knows it might get people killed, so is putting that on hold for now.

-Prefers to work in complete silence. But doesn’t mind hearing others talk/others playing sounds/music in the background, just prefers it to be quiet when it’s just him. 

-Even though he’s classed as the leader, he appointed Night,Geno and Echo as sudo-leaders for when he wants peace, and since those 3 tend to be level-headed when it comes to making choices for the group. 

-Is often standing, as standing desks and doesn’t sit down too often, will often fidget if sat down, just can’t seem to get comfortable. 

-Feels a bit of pressure because he's seen as the leader. Is constantly worrying about the survival of the group and generally keeping everyone safe. Tends to try to hide his worries, but everyone can basically see through it.

-To somewhat add to the point above, he’s a horrible liar. He sucks at lying and easily gets caught in it. Most of the others try not to question him on it though, as they know he has his reasons for not wanting to give an answer to things. But since half of the group don’t question it he thinks he’s better at lying that what he actually is. 

-Is awake most of the time, has to basically be forced to go to bed, even then it takes him ages to get to sleep. 

-Talks very quickly and if he’s distracted he tends to mumble making him very hard to understand what he’s saying. 

-Type of guy to answer a question no matter how stupid it may seem, also the type of guy to keep answering even if the person has asked the question a few times before. Understands people process information differently and how easy it is to forget things. So never judges people for these things. 

-Is one of the more younger in the group, being 23, most of the others being older than that and a few being a similar age.

-Doesn’t mind what kind of people are in the group, doesn’t care for their backgrounds or where they were before the apocalypse as long as they can pull their weight and help out when needed thats all he cares about. 

-Tries to keep his life somewhat private, both before and during the apocalypse. Very few know more about him. Most basically know nothing about him other than what they see of him. 

-The one who tends to hang out with him the most is Fell, and Fell also tries to take care of him when he isn’t taking care of himself. Fell basically brings him back down to earth a lot of the time. Sci found it annoying at first, but has grown to appreciate what Fell does for him. 

-Has a somewhat good memory, providing he wrote what he needs to remember down, writing something down helps him visualize what he needs to remember, so just has several notebooks of random notes. Doesn’t mind anyone going through them.

-Despite being the leader, he has limited interactions with most of the others, other than when they’re doing their jobs. Most of the others still have respect for him though despite this. 

-For a short time lived off of caffeine based things, but Fell banned him, since Sci would use caffeine to try to stay up for longer.

-He’s kinda bad at interacting with most of the others, since he hasn't spent much time with anyone of them. The others have had time to get to know one another, whereas Sci feels like he’s been left behind in that regard because of his job. Doesn’t know what to do about it, so just let it continue to happen. 

-When he walks around there’s normally a distinct metal clank/clink sound due to clipping tools onto his hoops of his clothing. So often people know its Sci walking around when they hear it.

How they feel about:

Nightmare: Has respect for Night, knows Night has worked hard to try to get the approval of the others. He knew from the start Night wasn’t the reason for the apocalypse and was quick to let anyone else know that fact. Though he knows Night is keeping something from him, he’s unsure if its about the apocalypse’s cause/Wraiths/etc, he just knows one of his equipment that deals in locating negative energy produced by Wraiths went off around Night. He never told Night why it went off at first assuming the machine mistook Night’s negative energy for a Wraith. But he feels something's there. But since Night has done a lot for the group he’s not going to question him for now.

Dream: Dream will sometimes quietly sit in the room and listen in on any convocation and may once in a while ask a question. Doesn’t mind Dream being there, and appreciates for the most part that Dream stays quiet and lets him work. But he wouldn’t mind if Dream was to talk more.

Cross: Kinda feels bad when he sees Cross, since he basically made Night immediately take care of Cross instead of getting to know Cross himself like how he’s done for most of the others. But when seeing Cross it seems Cross adjusted pretty quickly to the group and life in the group thanks to Night’s guidance. They don’t interact much but Sci makes an effort to ask Cross how he’s doing when they run into each other.

Blue: Doesn’t interact too much with him, will sometimes ask Blue to do a task or two every now and then.

Ink: Told Ink to try not to mess with things in his work space, it’s the same rule he gives to everyone else in the group, but he has a feeling Ink took offense to it, probably assuming it was a rule only for them. Has caught Ink putting googly eyes on his stuff, he does get annoyed by it, but he slowly over time turned it into a game of seeing how many of the eyes he can find, every now, and then he finds an eye or two in completely random places.

Dust: Not much interactions with Dust, but realized when he asks Dust to do something for him Dust will do it without any questions.

Horror: Not really any interactions with Horror other than talking to him about ways to help with growing food.

Killer: No real opinion on Killer, knows when they do interact that Killer doesn’t seem to care too much about his status as the leader. He’s unsure if he should feel glad about it or not.

Error: If he ever needs any help on the tech side of anything he knows he can ask Error about it. But other than that they don’t have too much interactions.

Lust: Very few interactions, but does appreciate the fact Lust reminds him to take care of himself.

Fell/Edge: Gets along well with him, the one in the group he talks to the most, Fell is also the one who knows the most about Sci. And appreciates all that Fell does for him, either it be keeping the others from bothering him, keeping his work space clear, forcing him to take care of himself. Just appreciates it all, so it a lot more willing to give Fell the time of day.

Geno: The second one in the group he talks to most, they just have similar interests and also similar curiosities when it comes to the apocalypse. So often they have a lot to talk about either it be theories or just talking about things they’ve found out.

Outer: Not much interactions other than their jobs, Outer is the one he hears about random stuff about the others from. Helps him slightly to understand the others better.

Reaper/Death: He doesn’t have an opinion of him really, he didn’t even know that such a being existed. Tries to ask Reaper questions now and then but Reaper can be selective about answering them.

Fresh: Hasn’t met him.

Gans/Echo: Sometimes Echo may come to his work space to help out now and then, but other than that they tend to interact mostly in the Radio room, trying to get into contact with other survivors.

Chief: He has some interactions with Chief, but in terms of jobs Outer tends to cover getting into too and from him. So he doesn’t see Chief as much.

[darkmaga-returns]

Making New Year’s resolutions isn’t really my style. I like to make changes as soon as I notice the problem and am in the proper mindset.

For example, when I realize I’m not exercising enough I make the required change ASAP, or at least prepare for it.

If you’re like me, I have a few health recommendations for you to focus on. If you want to wait until the new year that’s fine too.

Drink More Water

This is probably the most cliché topic in the health and fitness space. But here’s the fact: most people are walking around chronically dehydrated. If you are only drinking a liter per day, there’s a very good chance you’re dehydrated.

Here’s a common response I get from people who think they’re drinking enough:

“I already drink a lot and I’m always carrying my water with me. I don’t want to pee all day. This is how much I’ve always drank, and I did ok.”

None of this is true in most cases. It’s pretty easy to tell when someone doesn’t drink enough. It shows in their lips (crusty), their labs (kidneys hate dehydration), and even their skin (saggy).

If you want to test this on yourself, pinch the skin on the back of your hand. If it snaps right back to normal, then you either have healthy skin or great hydration or both. If it takes a second to snap back, you either have thin skin without any collagen (as is common with age), dehydrated, or both.

I personally shoot for 1 gallon per day during the summer or when I am exercising. I taper that off a bit in the winter when I’m not sweating as much.

Here are some techniques I use to ensure I’m getting enough throughout the day:

Water Bottle: I have multiple and I carry them with me. You must actually drink out of it in order to become hydrated. Simply carrying a water bottle around will not hydrate you through osmosis. I exclusively drink out of stainless steel and glass. I’ll give you a few recommendations below.

Good Water: If you are drinking dirty city water full of fluoride and it tastes nasty, you won’t drink it. Find some good water. This may mean filtering it, adding minerals (magnesium in particular), or finding a new water source such as a water cooler.

Track Yourself: Once you have set your goal, you must track it. I do this by counting how many times I refill my water bottles. Once I reach my goal I am satisfied. Some people use one big bottle with lines on it which is fine too. Whatever works for you. But you must track it.

Supplement Flavor: Plain water gets boring for me. I add minerals to enhance the flavor and make it easier to drink. Or a splash of lemon, some apple cider vinegar, whatever.

One thing I personally want to experiment more with in the upcoming year is deuterium-depleted water. This is a special type of water containing a very low concentration of deuterium which is found in nature. It seems to have fantastic health benefits but is very difficult to find on the market. Prices are currently exorbitant. I am told this is changing very quickly.

[ynenvs3000w25]

My relationship with nature

My relationship with nature has been an adventure of discovery and development. Growing up in Toronto, I didn't give much thought to the natural world outside of the city's parks and green areas. For me, locations like High Park and the Toronto Islands were simply places to go for family trips or bike rides, not places where I felt deeply attached. I admired them on the surface, but I didn't realize how much peace and security they might provide.

As I got older, my perception began to change. Living in a city as crowded and energetic as Toronto may be intimidating at times. The continual noise, traffic, and activity of city life taught me the need to find peaceful times in natural world settings. One of my first experiences with this was walking along the Don Valley Trails. It was a spontaneous choice after a hectic day, and I remember being impressed by how peaceful and distant the path felt in comparison to the busy streets above. The sound of the river and the greenery of trees above me provided a sense of calm that I had not realized I needed.

Since then, I have been seeking out similar opportunities to reconnect with nature. One of my favorite places in Toronto is the waterfront. Whether I'm walking along the boardwalk or resting on a bench overlooking Lake Ontario, the presence of water always makes me feel peaceful. The rhythm of the waves and the immense length of the lake are so soothing they serve as a reminder of how vast and interconnected the earth truly is.

High Park has also been a significant location for me. The cherry blossoms are beautiful in the spring, but it's the more peaceful moments spent walking along the forest paths or sitting by Grenadier Pond that I've learned to appreciate the most. These experiences have taught me to slow down and appreciate the small details, such as the way the sun filters through the trees or the sound of birds in the horizon.

Spending time in nature has greatly influenced my point of view. It has taught me to value the beauty of small things and to find serenity in simplicity. Even in a city as big and busy as Toronto, I've discovered several opportunities to interact with nature. Nature has been an opportunity for me to center myself and find clarity in my ideas, whether it's taking a walk in a local park, climbing in the valleys, or simply sitting by the lake.

My relationship with nature continues to evolve, but it is an aspect that I value significantly. It is no longer simply a background in my life; it is now an active part of it. These moments of connection remind me that no matter how chaotic life becomes, we can always find serenity and inspiration in the world around us.

[firewindearthsea]

Hi! Thanks for reaching out in my community building post. :) Do you have any posts regarding to how to make our first herbal teas rom garden safely? I am interested in harvesting and preserving food this way, and I am a huge tea fanatic :D Have a nice weekend. <3

Hi! I don't know if I've posted about it before, but I can write one for you now.

Safety

There are two main dangers, the first is misidentifying something and accidentally poisoning yourself. If you're confident you know what you have then that's fine, if not you can always ask for help identifying things.

The second danger is taking something that interferes with a medication you're on or a condition you have. The famous one is St John's Wort, infamous for getting people pregnant (prevents birth control from working). If you're healthy then don't worry too much about this. Most herbs are fine in edible amounts, but if you're drinking the same type of tea every day then you should research the medicinal properties and side effects of long term use.

Another example is too much black tea (as in regular, normal tea) can prevent iron absorption, so don't drink it when you take an iron supplement and cut down on it if you're anemic.

Once you know what you've got and you're comfortable eating/drinking it, it's time to make tea! Most herbs can go straight into a mug from the garden, but you may want to dry the leaves/flowers/berries first for better storage. Drying them also changes the flavour of the tea.

Preserving the herbs

I like to use a dehydrator, but in the summer I just lay my herbs out on trays for a few days in a nice dry spot and shake every now and then to see if they're crinkly. In wet climates they'll just go mouldy with that method.

You can also hang them in bundles in a nice warm dry spot, like the lovely old fashioned French kitchens with the shiny copper pans hanging from the ceiling with bundles of herbs.

Another method is to dry them in the oven, on the lowest possible setting. This risks burning them, so be careful. You can also stick them in the oven when it's cooling down from baking other things.

If you're drying large items like berries, fleshy flowers, or roots, it may be easier to cut them into small chunks first so that they dry faster. Just make sure they're fully dry before you store them, or they will mould.

Making the tea

You can make a tea from just one herb if you like (herbal remedies from just one herb are called 'simples') or you can make blends to suit your needs and tastes.

Generally it's best to use water that isn't quite at boiling temperature, but don't stress too much about that.

Some herbs will need a long while to brew, others will be ready much faster. Experiment with what you like, some can also get bitter if oversteeped.

There's also the matter of separating your drinking tea from your herbs so you don't have a mouthful of powdery chunks. There are some really cute reusable tea strainers out there, though they do let some plant matter through.

You can also buy reusable or disposable tea bags/tea filters. They're easy to find here in Germany but I can't speak for other countries, I think you should be able to find them online though.

I hope you have a lovely weekend too!

If you're interested, I run a small herb community on discord. We'd be happy to help you with plant ID, and we also have a weekly botanical art session where we get together and paint or sketch while chatting. I'm also hoping to run little workshops on there eventually.

[possumsinpeoplesuits]

At long last, my Our Lady of the Passion cosplay is ready for cons!

Based on this picture from Pinterest (google is finding fuck all elsewhere, but if someone knows the source I'll add it.)

The tank top is from Lockedtombmemes' Redbubble store.

The jacket is here, though I've painted the back with some fabric paint. I used the non-heat treating kind and just sort of sketched out the letters with a dark pencil to make sure the placement wasn't too awful.

The dog tags I'm not quite satisfied with because I put too little information on them, and an updated one is still waiting in the mail (I wanted to put the Wing and Cell on it, and had to reread some chapters to verify) There's loads of places to get them, but I used these.

The machetes I don't have many pictures of (I don't have a full length mirror to show them properly strapped to the legs.), but I went a little overbudget to the point it would probably have been cheaper to buy real machetes (but not as welcomed at conventions!) Still, they were from here, in case anyone wants some big ol' 27 inch props instead of the dinky ones from Spirit Halloween.

Gloves were these ones, and they fit my big ol' butch hands just fine. Nothing special there.

For my TACTICAL BLOOD OF EDEN FANNY PACK (which I already wear all the time, but changed colors to match the costume anyways) is this.

The boots are fairly ubiquitous and seem to come from various online sellers, sometimes in men's sizes, sometimes in women's, but this store has them up to a women's size 12, which I needed because I'm lorge.

Now, the mask I'm most proud of! I don't have any experience making costume bits, but I found this one meant for airsoft, which has TWO FUCKING FANS?!?! hidden in the filters to cool my face in the sweltering 80 degree Texas winters.

But! You'll notice the goggles aren't tinted, so I had to figure out how to do them myself to hide my glasses, for REASONS, but this little kit was pretty simple. There's a gluey side, so you just spray the goggles with some water, then slap them down and spend like... a fucking hour or two squeezing out the air bubbles, but aside from a single wrinkle, I think they turned out great! The red also provides some good contrast.

Now, the pants were pretty simple. These come with knee pads, and the black camo looks really nice with the gray coat and black shirt. It did take two attempts to get some that fit (One seller had the XL listed as having a 44 inch waist, equivalent to a women's 18, but labeled elsewhere with the true size of 36 inches, the bastards.), but where I got silly was the straps.

I got this tactical belt, which seems to have tipped the number of tactical things I can search for before search engines decide you're a bootlicker, and intended to use a single bike strap on each leg to hold the other end, which, well... two problems.

The blades were now being bent by my massive fucking quads because I've been doing a shitload of exercise to get fit, because apparently all I needed to get into the gym five times a week was wanting to look like my specialist book blorbo.

I couldn't bend my fucking hips.

So! I ended up ordering a total of SIX STRAPS for my legs, pairing two up high to fit the wider part of my leg, and a single one down near the knee. The upper ones I later looped through the belt to hold them up, which also doubles for making the trousers into a fucking cod piece, which, hey, some people like that. The lower ones were led up by the knee pad, so I had a somewhat stable set of six straps and one belt, which is dangerously close to becoming a Nomura-era Final Fantasy character, but hey, I gave myself carpal tunnel marathoning all the Kingdom Hearts games last year, so that's not a problem.

All in all, it probably cost me... well, more money than it should have, but it's all pretty quality stuff that I'm sure will be very toasty if we ever happen to have another winter down south.

Also, last note... boots of any kind are so much more comfortable with insoles. They don't have to be expensive, but your feet and knees will thank you at conventions when they have a good cushion under your heels.

That's about all I've learned putting this together! I'm 5'9 and around 250 pounds, give or take, so most of this is men's garments, which means the pockets are DEEP AS FUCK. Perfect for collecting small rocks.

Just something to keep in mind.

(See y'all at the conventions. I promise my Yorkshire accent will be less goofy by then, but I can't promise I'll be as nasally as the audiobook.)

[bifairywife]

no one touch me i am in inconsolable pain about the possibility that i have netflix writer potential (derogatory)

context and lil list under cut:

(tldr: i finished fate the winx saga and it has a few parallels to some of MY changes for a personal reboot)

SO HERE'S THE THING

I just finished fate the winx saga and my GOD. It's not completely horrible but it has a couple of moments that i just do NOT like 😭😭😭 (overall I'd give the whole viewing experience a 5.7 out of 10)

For majority of the first season i kinda just went through it and i was more invested on the second season cause my fave (flora) is there AND for my floriven crumbs which isn't even crumbs??!!?!? it's an in your face bread slap oh my god

Netflix is just,,,,, so weird. This is an entirely different plot with different characters. Like the only thing they really kept are the NAMES (and some of the power set). Netflix could have just,,,, I don't know,,,, MADE IT UP AS AN ORIGINAL ANGSTY NETFLIX FAIRY SHOW

It really would have worked

Like,,,,,, i watched that show with full faith on the reviews i saw that it DEFINITELY isn't like the cartoon. At. All. It's so ironic seeing "in association with rainbow" in RED and in shots with that angsty grim ass filter that us sucking out any grain of vibrant color

They really just used winx club as click bait for more views istg 😭😭😭😭

I could have just NOT watched the show ik ik ik, but I don't mind watching "trashy" stuff. I don't think it was complete trash tbh, it has some trashy moments and dialogue but it's not total garbage. I just think it really would be better if the show didn't tie itself to a source material they had zero interest in giving justice 😤

Anyways here's a list of my parallels with the show:

bloom and aisha sharing a dorm room

bloom and aisha being besties

flora and stella sharing a dorm room

stella and sky knowing each other before school (BUT ARE NOT EXES IN MY REBOOT OH LAWRD)

FLORA AND RIVEN ROMANCE

Which,,,,,, now that i ranted and listed it all down,,,,, isn't such a bad thing these are pretty basic stuff tbh. Like,,,,,, I've checked my notes and compared the dates,,,,, I've thought of most of these first before the second season was released and i can lowkey live with it ig 🧍 cause i mean:

I have a vision for bloom and aisha roomies idea

There's something about fire and water friendship type of thing

And i actually have plans of making flora and stella become friends and not just dorm roomies 😭😭😭

Royal and royal friendship trope which i think is really neat (I'm surprised they didn't make sky a prince in the fate?? He's a legacy kid there cause of his dad but no royal status)

I've been very vocal about floriven tbh. I published one fic about them for my reboot and a WIP modern au too hajshahsha

ANYWAYS I DON'T KNOW MY POINT NO MO I'M JUST A LIL SALTY AND NEEDED TO VENT 🗣️🗣️🗣️

[misocucumber]

for the ask game: ❤️💥🎁🏷️🦈🧪📚🎯💌 (i know that's a lot so feel free to leave some of them out if you don't feel like answering them)

I'm gonna answer them all and you can't stop me!

❤️ What is your favorite line that you’ve written in a fic?

He had gotten dressed tonight with the modest hopes of holding hands with a girl, and instead he had ended up making out with the most ineligible bachelor on the island.

Honestly it sums up what I love about Hirosei -- Hiroshi being sweet and clueless, and Handa being attractive but hopeless to woo. Also Through the Trees is my favourite fic so I just had to choose one from there, but I have lots of other favourite lines.

💥 What is one canon thing that you wish you could change?

I know Barakamon is slice of life, but I do wish there were more major changes to the status quo. I was so sad when Ojou got sidelined in the manga because her chemistry with Handa was great and I really wanted to see more of their friendship, perhaps a little ‘will they, won’t they?’. As much as I ship Hirosei, I can’t really see it working out in canon, with Hiroshi leaving the island and Handa staying.

A time-skip could have also been revolutionary, perhaps 5-10 years in the future with an older Naru. Handa butting heads with a teenage Naru could have introduced some fresh conflict into the story.

🎁 Have a piece of a WIP you want to share?

Hiroshi couldn’t pinpoint the moment he had become friends with Handa, but he remembered the moment he had fallen in love with him.

                It was earlier this year in the middle of spring. Hiroshi had brought Handa lunch and they had eaten together in the back room, the sliding doors open to let in the breeze. Over Handa’s shoulder, Hiroshi could see the cherry tree in the backyard, its stark branches covered in pink, fluffy blossoms. It was a beautiful day, dry but warm, the sunlight pale in the vivid blue sky. They ate a heavy lunch and afterwards Handa stretched out on the tatami like a cat in the sun.

                “Don’t fall asleep, you’re cleaning up,” Hiroshi warned.

                “Mm.” But Handa’s eyes had slipped closed and Hiroshi could see his chest rising and falling, steadily growing slower as his body relaxed into the floor.

                Hiroshi rolled his eyes. Typical. He gathered the dishes and took them to the kitchen, running hot water and scrubbing them clean. Handa might as well get his sleep now before Naru finished her own lunchtime nap and came to bother him.

                The window above the sink rattled and Hiroshi felt a strong gust of wind lift his shirt from behind, blowing his hair into his eyes. With one soapy hand, he brushed it away and turned to shut the doors. He stopped in his tracks.

                Pink petals whirled in flurries on the wind, dancing, drifting, alighting on the floor. Handa lay on his side, head resting on his outstretched arm, eyes closed, covered in cherry blossoms. In his hair, on his skin, caught in the folds of his sweater. He looked so serene, so angelic, so stupidly handsome, a bolt of yearning struck Hiroshi in the chest and it ached.

                Petals stuck to the balls of his feet as he tip-toed across the room and stood over Handa. He knelt. He was close enough to see the cables in his sweater, his long eyelashes, his parted lips. Close enough to kiss him. His heart ached and ached and ached.

This is part of a one-shot in which Handa loses his voice and Hiroshi looks after him. Both of them struggle to communicate. It's very fluffy.

🏷️ Is there a tag you like to search for when looking for fanfics to read?

I'm extremely guilty of writing fanfiction, but not really reading it myself. But when I do, I usually search for a pairing and then HEAVY use the filters. I'm not super great with using tags!

🦈 Which character is the toughest to write?

Definitely Naru, I have zero experience with seven year olds. Handa can also be tricky because he is so neurotic and it's hard to make him do literally anything outside his comfort zone without it sounding out of character.

🧪 Do you research for your fics?

 A little bit, but not much. Sometimes I read about calligraphy, its cultural significance and why and how it is practiced, and occassionally I will look up specific kanji. Recently I went down a rabbit hole reading famous Japanese haikus because I wanted to have Handa write some, and discovered I really love haikus. (This was for a sequel to Like a Vigin in which Handa writes a haiku for a calligraphy competition, perhaps involving Hiroshi 👀)

📚 Is there a fanfic or fanfic writer you recommend?

I truly haven't read fanfiction in a while, but let me dig through my bookmarks to find some gems! (limited to Barakamon).

@nanamicide writes some truly adorable Hirosei fluff, the one I keep coming back to is Patch Me Up for some great secret relationship + doting that is absolutely my jam.

Wintering in Paradise by Itylien is a hidden gem, I love the premise of Handa catching lice and all the banter with the gang is great.

Ordinary Miracles by sencha is another great, more subtle Hirosei that feels like it could be canon, honestly.

Tenser's Night Terrors series is seriously spicy and one of my favourites hehe.

Another spicy one is Home by tastewithouttalent, in-character reunion sex, enough said.

Everything by cortae is just sensational, honestly the foundation of the fandom. My favourite is Both because sneaking around + secret relationship, but also because I love Kawafuji.

🎯 Do you have a writing milestone you’re working towards?

I would like to make a habit to write a little each day, even just for five minutes. Hopefully then I can clean out my WIP folder!

💌 Is there a favorite trope you like to write?

If you haven't noticed yet, I’m a sucker for secret relationships and sneaking around, the drama is just too good. I also like to write characters navigating a fledgling relationship, it's so ripe for tension and mishaps, as well as some really funny and sweet moments.

Thank you anon for sending me so many prompts! I'm currently sick in bed so this was a welcome distraction.

[keicordelle]

Second chapter of A First for Everything is up on Ao3 now! Forgive me for not keeping up Urianger's middle English throughout the narration -- somehow I think that would be as painful to read as it would be to write. Such are the benefits of the third person perspective anyway

Read the whole thing on Ao3 with the link above, or check out the first chapter on Tumblr here.

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The scent of bacon tickled at Urianger’s nose to rouse him from his slumber, the sizzle coming from the other room undeniable. But why...? The Pixies, while fond of their pranks, were not particularly given to the culinary arts, and had certainly never done anything as helpful as cook breakfast for him in the year he'd stayed amongst them. So who was in his kitchen?

It took a moment for the events of yesterday to filter back in through his sleep-addled brain: Thancred's sudden appearance, the Oracle of Light’s - Minfilia's - tentative smile, long hours spent deep in discussion until the sun glittered once more on the eastern horizon. Ah, well that explained the exhaustion weighing his thoughts, then. It was certainly not uncommon for him to fall asleep in a chair after hours of study, but the blanket draped over his shoulders was new. Thancred must have lain it over him when he drifted off. That was most kind of him.

It was good to see Thancred again. Long years apart had not dulled his sharp wit and sharper gaze, and it was reassuring to once again be in his company - no matter how well the isolation of the fey lands comfited Urianger. Thancred had grown in his time on the First, that much had been clear from the very moment Urianger laid eyes on him. His brash audacity had been tempered by age and experience, and Urianger had no doubt that the young hands clutching onto Thancred’s coat had something to do with that. But with his newfound wisdom came a jaded set to his mouth and weary lines dug in around his eyes when he spoke of the trials he had faced in the years they’d been apart. Three years was no small amount of time, and for all Urianger’s friend was the same as he had known him, he was nonetheless a man made anew.

Smothering a yawn with the back of his hand, Urianger hauled himself up from the couch-turned-impromptu-bed and padded towards the kitchen, following the mouth-watering scent of bacon and the faint whistled tune he could hear over the sound of the sizzle. He paused in the doorway, lingering a moment to take in the unexpected domesticity before Thancred realized he was there. He looked good with a pan in hand, his coat thrown haphazardly over the back of a chair and smears of what Urianger took to be flour across the tight black of his shirt. He looked happy, unassailed by the troubles that had gnawed at him yesterday and left him staring into nothingness while Urianger’s words fell on deaf ears. Thancred couldn't have slept any more than he had, if his recollection of the evening - and subsequent dawn - were correct, but even that little bit of rest seemed to have done him a world of good. The strong line of his back seemed less tense than it had yesterday, his shoulders looser as he flipped a slightly singed pancake onto a plate with several others.

"You realize you have no food in your kitchen, right?" Thancred asked without turning. Urianger should have known Thancred would know he was there the moment he set foot in the doorway. He'd probably heard the change in Urianger’s breathing before he even awoke.

Urianger smiled at his back even if Thancred couldn't see it and answered, "The culinary arts hold little interest for me when there art myriad tomes awaiting mine inspection." In truth, he was not even certain where Thancred had found the flour. "Er, thou didst not hunt this flesh from a winged pig, perchance?"

Thancred turned then, white brows crawling towards his hairline. "No, I did not. It was in my pack." A pause, and then: "Flying pigs? Really?"

"Ah, they art alchemical creatures endowed with life by the fey who rule these lands. And wouldst not, I believe, make for a particularly enjoyable repast." Thancred laughed then, and warmth bloomed beneath Urianger’s breast at the light shining in his eyes as Thancred gazed upon him. It was wonderful to see him so at ease - much better than the poorly-concealed confusion that had struck him when Urianger had greeted him the day before, seizing his tongue and forcing his eyes overly wide. He'd recovered well, but there had been a lingering awkwardness that Urianger was pleased to discover had faded with the dawn. "Where is thy young charge?"

"She's still asleep in the loft. Thank you for that, by the way. She deserves better than the threadbare bedroll and hard ground that I've been able to offer her."

"Think nothing of it. My home is thine. If there is aught else I might do to be of service, thou needs but say the word."

Thancred’s gaze softened then, a smile rising to curve the perfect bow of his mouth. "Thank you, Urianger. That means a lot." Something about the way the name rolled off his tongue seemed incredibly intimate, like he whispered it straight into Urianger’s ear rather than stating it openly. Heat rose to stain Urianger’s cheeks red without his quite understanding why, and he glanced away, shifting instead to stand before the plates of food and the relative safety they provided. Safety from what? a muted voice in the back of his mind wondered, but he opted not to pull at that thread at the moment. Later, perhaps, when he didn't feel so out of sorts. Perhaps a hearty breakfast and a cup of tea would put his addled mind to rights. "Might I partake in the fruits of thy culinary escapades?"

"Help yourself," he said, and so Urianger did, loading a plate with pancakes and syrup and taking up a seat at the table. Thancred’s gaze lingered on him as he tucked into the food, and Urianger ran a self-conscious hand through his hair, smoothing what must have been rather prodigious bed head. He should have at least washed up before he set foot in the kitchen. He probably looked like a mess, and given the way Thancred had stared yesterday when first faced with his new appearance, Urianger suspected Thancred was more than well aware of his flaws. By Thaliak's grace was he polite enough to say nothing, but Urianger didn't want to appear slovenly in front of him. He wanted to look good for him. Or just in general. For himself. Yes, for himself. If he was to bare his face and his flesh to the world, he at least wanted to look good while doing so. "Pray forgive my rumpled visage," he murmured.

Thancred glanced away almost guiltily, clearing his throat as he doused the flame and piled high his own plate. "No, you look- great. I mean, it's cu- nice, that you still feel so comfortable around me. I'm glad."

"Why would I not?" Urianger asked as Thancred sat across from him. Thancred’s gaze caught on his and held it. "Thou number amongst my most cherished companions."

Red rose to dust along the shells of Thancred’s ears, and he shifted in his seat, a touch of yesterday's tension seeping back into the strong lines of his body. Urianger had no idea what he'd done to ruin his relaxation, but he wished with all his heart to undo it, chewing on his lip as Thancred’s eyes dropped to his plate and he poked idly at his food.

The scuff of a foot in the doorway drew both of their attentions up to where Minfilia tentatively approached, and Urianger noted with some surprise that Thancred had been no more aware of her presence than he had. Whatever was troubling him must surely be grave indeed to distract him so. Would that I could lessen his burdens in some tangible way and set his heart at ease.

"Um, good morning," Minfilia squeaked, freezing under the combined weight of their gazes.

"Good morning," Urianger returned when Thancred took too long respond. "Pray forgive us if our conversation awoke thee."

"Oh, no, it didn't!" she hurried to assure him.

"Did you sleep alright?" Thancred asked gruffly. He'd been brusque with the girl yesterday too, and Urianger suspected her familiar golden hair and shining blue eyes played no small role in the troubles that plagued him. To be presented with the form of someone you once loved and yet to know that a different person dwelled within their skin... No doubt that was the cause of his discomfiture.

"Oh, yes!" Minfilia was saying, twisting her hands before her. "Thank you very much for allowing me to use your loft."

"Think nothing of it, child."

"There's pancakes and bacon on the counter. Some real food will do you some good," Thancred said, and she nodded, scampering over to fetch herself a plate. Urianger watched the two of them as she sat down beside Thancred, scarfing down her food as though she hadn't eaten in a week. Though considering the conditions under which they must have been travelling, perhaps that was not so inaccurate an assessment. Yes, there was a distance between them, a wariness in Thancred's gaze as he looked upon her that was more suited to a warrior sizing up a potential foe than a guardian meant to protect her.

Perhaps it was not Urianger’s place to mettle. And yet... Minfilia deserved better. They both did. And if perchance he might soothe the twisted pain within his friend's heart even a little through his efforts, then it would be well worth it to stick his nose in Thancred’s business. So long as he was here, perhaps they could, between the two of them, offer the girl some measure of a family.

No, that was too much. He was getting ahead of himself. But... Some normalcy, perhaps, Urianger resolved, watching the two of them exchange stilted words over burnt bacon and pancakes. That would do us all some good.

[Chapter 3] | [Masterlist]