#first embroideries Ever and I'm so proud of them

[boyruggeroii]

I'm done!!

[xitsensunmoon]

My first ever comic con! And first cosplay too. Of course it's gonna be my boy :] Ramblings about the process are under the cut(Let me know if?? You would want me to elaborate with process images for any of the steps?)

The costume took me forever to make, as I've never done any machine sewing, sculpting, fabric dying or spray painting before but learning all of these was so fucking fun!! I never realised just how many different skills go into making a cosplay but it was so worth it!!!

Almost all of the clothes(except the hat) were purchased first as bases, but all of the detailing was added by me. All of the fabric used was originally just scraps that I was given for free so I needed to learn how to dye and dye all of the stars, they were originally white.

The sewing machine was its own beast that brought me tons of frustration from the lack of skill and knowledge (it was devastating to find out that 95% of fuck ups were my fault and not the machine's lmao). But as a result, a hat sewn from scratch, all of the fur trims, embroidery on the corset, stars and the collar(which is very hard to see on the pictures unfortunately) was all added manually. The stars and the stripes(on the back of the cape) were attached using heat-and-bond adhesive (I WISH I knew about such thing just when I started working on this. It would save me so much time and nerves.)

Then I found out about polymorph(mouldable plastic) and it has become the next thing I wanted to learn, to sculpt the claws and the fangs(yes, they're handmade jfksjs). The claws I then primed and painted in trillion coats because I wasn't satisfied with the colour of the spray paint. The fangs I moulded to my own teeth and then stained with tea to match the colour of my teeth :)c

As for makeup, I used Mehron Paradise water activated paints. At first I wanted to try to save money and bought myself Snazaroo instead, which unfortunately turned out to be a waste. Snazaroo didn't hold on my face for longer than 2 hours, cracking and peeling awfully. Mehron on the other hand survived 11 hours of me smiling, talking, emoting and such and didn't even crease at the smile lines(I'm actually shocked about that). It obviously works like any other makeup which means your skin texture and wrinkles won't go anywhere but Mehron's elasticity pleasantly surprised me. It did obviously smear from sweat and saliva(if you're eating and licking your lips) but if you don't touch the skin it just dries again, self setting. But if it's dry it's fully smear-proof. Highly recommend!

And last but not least, I've decided against painting my hands as it was very risky that I will stain everything I touch at the smallest hint of sweat. So instead I got myself gloves-tights(? Not sure how they're called but it's made from the same fabric as tights) and painted them with normal acrylic paint(did you know you could dye fabric with acrylic paint? I personally didn't), then heat set with an iron and voilà, they're reusable, my hands are not stained after an exhausting day and I don't stain everything I touch. It worked wonderfully which honestly was a surprise as I was really sceptical that acrylic paint will somehow stay in place.

I think this whole thing took me minimum of 6 months with big-big breaks for my school and life in general. But I'm really proud! This project taught me so many new skills and I couldn't have been happier about learning new knowledge, even if it sucked to fail in the meantime.

Everyone at the con was really nice and gave me a large confidence boost even tho it was my first time and I had no idea what I was doing. Taking photos with other people was really awkward/new for me as I hate cameras so I really had no idea how to pose/behave in front of one. But that's okay I think. This whole experience definitely made me want to do this again, so I think that will come with experience. Thank you for reading this far, hope you enjoyed this little summary :)

[edenesth]

TWTHH Bonus: Star of the Show

Pairing: general!Seonghwa x wife!reader

AU: arranged marriage au (Joseon era)

Word Count: 3.1k

Summary: Life has been hell ever since your mother's passing many years ago. Despite being from a prominent family, you've never received the privileges associated with it. It only got worse with the arrival of your stepmother and her daughters. When the intimidating General Park was in search of a wife, your father seized the opportunity to dispose of you, simultaneously securing a connection with the powerful general—killing two birds with one stone.

A/N: In case you haven't already read Honeymoon Avenue (the first bonus chapter), it's probably better to check that out before reading this. Also, please be warned that this contains a slight spoiler to Wooyoung and Hongjoong's spinoffs.

Honeymoon Avenue | Fic Masterlist

"Your wife is with child."

The words echoed in the general's mind long after Yunho had uttered them. You remained unconscious in his room, undergoing a more thorough examination. Seonghwa had been asked to leave while you were attended to. He felt a wave of relief knowing that, according to the physician, your fainting spell was simply your body's way of compensating for the exhaustion caused by the demands of the little one growing inside you.

"Don't worry, everything will be okay."

"I'm counting on you, Yunho," he recalled telling the doctor before exiting his private quarters, his gaze lingering on your still, pale figure nestled under the covers.

"When have I ever let you down, my lord? She'll be fine, the baby will be fine; your family, they'll be just fine."

Realising there was no use lingering outside while the physician and his team of servants were busy examining you—his presence wouldn't change anything—he decided to occupy himself elsewhere while he waited. However, returning to his study seemed impossible; he knew he wouldn't be able to focus on anything else.

As if with a mind of its own, his feet carried him toward the House of Lotus. His heart warmed at the familiar sight of the pavilion facing the lotus pond, your favourite spot, once empty but now furnished with a small table, cosy cushioned seats, and decorative lanterns. It was a testament to the time you two spent together there. He could never tire of being there with you, and the mere thought of spending eternity like that was more than enough to fill his heart with joy.

Soon, it wouldn't just be us two.

Deciding not to sit alone without you, he opted to enter your quarters instead, where every corner held a piece of you. He softened as he opened the door and spotted your embroidery kit at the centre of the room. You had been deeply invested in the craft ever since Hongjoong had taught you a few techniques, dedicating nearly all your time to it when you weren't occupied with anything else. He remembered finding you diligently working on it late into the night and had to gently coax you to bed with him.

Approaching the items, he settled into your usual spot before going through the designs you had created. A chuckle escaped him as he took in some of your earlier, more clumsy works—clearly, these were from when you first began learning from the dressmaker. As he continued, a smile graced his lips at the gradual improvement in quality. It hinted at the possibility that you had discovered a hidden talent; his friend would surely be proud to see your progress.

However, his movements faltered as he reached the bottom of the pile and discovered what appeared to be a... baby shirt. Realisation dawned on him: had this been your secret project all along? Were you aware of your pregnancy all this time?

Questions flooded his mind, each one more pressing than the last. Why hadn't you told him? Why had you lied and pretended everything was fine when you must have been feeling so sick? Did you not trust him enough to confide in him?

His heart ached with the thought that you might have felt the need to hide something so important from him. It left him feeling a mix of confusion, hurt, and a tinge of betrayal. Had he not made it clear that he was there for you, no matter what?

As he sat there, staring at the tiny garment in his hands, he couldn't help but wonder what reasons you could have had for keeping this from him. His mind raced with possibilities, each one more heartbreaking than the last. He thought back to all the times you had been showing symptoms of pregnancy, and it hurt him to know you didn't feel safe enough to tell him the truth. Was it because you didn't think he would be a good father? What if, deep down, there was a part of you that was still afraid of him? What if—

Before his thoughts could further linger, a knock on the door snapped him out of his train of thought. Turning to see who it was, he allowed entry and found Eunsook standing there with a smile on her face, "The mistress is awake, master," she announced. With that, all his previous worries were momentarily swept from his mind. Only you mattered as he quickly rose from his seat and dashed towards his room to see you.

Rushing into the room, Seonghwa's heart raced as he laid eyes on you, sitting up on his bed with Yunho standing beside you. Relief flooded him as he saw you speaking softly with the physician, a gentle hand pressed against your stomach.

Oh thank god, she's alright... they're alright.

Moving closer, he couldn't help but feel a surge of affection for you. Despite the recent scare, you looked calm and serene, your presence soothing his worried mind. He approached quietly, not wanting to interrupt your conversation with Yunho but eager to be by your side.

As soon as your eyes met, he noticed the hint of moisture gathering in your gaze as you uttered his name, "Hwa..." His heart ached at the vulnerability in your voice, and he quickly moved forward, settling beside you on the bed. Gently, he grasped your hand, brushing strands of hair away from your face and stroking your cheek, "What's wrong, my love? Are you feeling alright?"

You nodded, leaning into his touch and motioning for Yunho to speak on your behalf. Taking a deep breath, the physician began, "Her condition is currently stable, my lord."

Seonghwa furrowed his brow in dread, "I'm sensing a 'but' there."

"But..." the doctor continued, "Due to years of severe malnutrition throughout the lady's childhood, her body lacks many essential nutrients necessary for both her and the baby. This explains her weakness. But fear not, I will do everything in my power to ensure her full recovery. Once we pass the three-month mark safely, the remainder of the pregnancy should proceed smoothly."

"I... I understand. Thank you again, Yunho, for your hard work. It seems we'll need your frequent visits for the next few months," the general acknowledged, offering a grateful nod to his friend.

"No problem, my lord and lady. I'll ensure Eunsook receives all the necessary information for the mistress' care. Please excuse me, I should get started on the preparations immediately."

Once Yunho had left and you were alone together, your husband turned his attention back to you. Squeezing your hand gently, he couldn't shake the image of the baby shirt from his mind. He knew he had to address it. Leaning closer, he pressed a kiss on your forehead before delicately broaching the subject, "I... I have a question."

You responded in a soft voice, returning the squeeze of his hand, "What is it, Hwa?"

"My love, have you been aware that you were pregnant all along?"

As your gaze met his, he rested his forehead against yours, seeking to reassure you, "It's just... I was going through your embroideries earlier and I saw it—the baby shirt."

You let out a soft sigh, nodding, "Yes, I... I had a feeling, and I've been preparing myself to tell you about it, Hwa. But I just didn't know how to say it. I was scared of your reaction." When he attempted to pull away, you reached out, cupping his face to keep him close, "Listen to me, I'm not afraid of you. I... I know you've never had a proper family growing up—both of us, actually—and... I can't help but wonder if you might hate the idea of starting one."

His heart swelled with understanding, realising he had momentarily let his earlier insecurities get the best of him. Of course, you were simply concerned about him. Leaning in, he pressed a soft kiss against your lips before murmuring tenderly, "With another person, I would hate the idea. But with you, my love, I want it all."

Feeling touched by his words, you realised you had never needed to overthink the situation. You should have known that his love and acceptance were unwavering.

Perhaps you had just been overwhelmed by the idea of a tiny life growing inside you—a product of your love with Seonghwa. The thought of having a baby, your baby, filled you with joy and apprehension. Neither of you had experienced a conventional family upbringing, and you feared whether you could provide the love and care this child deserved. Since the first moment you felt sick and figured you might be pregnant, endless questions floated around your mind.

Were you ready?

Was he ready?

What if he didn't want children?

But now, those fears seemed unfounded. As tears welled in your eyes, you wrapped your arms tightly around his neck and buried your face against his shoulder, finding comfort in his embrace. He held you close, peppering kisses all over your head, his love and warmth enveloping you. Through your tears, you whispered, "I love you, Hwa."

You could feel his smile against your skin as he leaned his head against yours, his voice soft and reassuring, "I love you more, my wife, and that'll never change."

In the days that followed, you found yourself hardly ever alone. Your husband seemed determined to stay by your side every moment, as if he hadn't already been doing so since he dismissed all his friends. Now, he was even more attentive and vigilant, always ensuring he was nearby to keep watch over you. And whenever he needed to retreat to his study for brief meetings with Jongho, Eunsook remained faithfully by your side.

Today was another one of those days when he had no choice but to attend to some work. He hadn't been attending the daily assemblies for a while, so the least he could do was go through some reports to stay updated on the latest happenings in court.

Meanwhile, the head maid remained by your side in your room. You sat with a cookbook in your hand, diligently trying to learn new recipes. As the saying goes, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and although you already had a hold on Seonghwa's heart, you were determined to work even harder to keep it safe with you.

"You've been quite busy lately, mistress, with cooking and embroidering. I think the master might be getting a bit jealous that you're not as focused on him as you are on these tasks," she joked, gently brushing your hair as she observed your focused expression.

With a playful giggle, you shot her a glance, "Is he really? Well, everything I do, I do it to be a better wife for him and a better mother to this little one," you said, smiling down at your growing bump.

Eunsook's expression softened, "I'm just kidding. I'm sure the master knows that," she reassured before pausing, "Mistress, have you both thought about baby names yet?"

At that, your eyes widened, and you set down the book in your hands, "Oh dear, we haven't. I've been so invested in everything else, it seems I might have overlooked the most important thing."

She chuckled, rubbing your back soothingly, "Don't worry, you still have plenty of time until the little one is born. Perhaps you and the master could start thinking about it now."

Later that night, as you lay in bed next to your husband, the words of the head maid lingered in your mind like a persistent whisper. Despite the exhaustion weighing heavily on your eyelids, you found yourself unable to sleep as your thoughts drifted towards potential names for the future baby Park. Each name you considered brought with it a flood of emotions and images of what your child might look like, how they would grow, and the kind of person they would become.

Sensing your slight movements, Seonghwa kissed your head softly, his voice gentle, "Are you still awake, my love?"

You grinned sheepishly, patting his chest, "I'm fine, Hwa. You go ahead and sleep. You must be tired."

But he sighed, gently sitting up with you still in his arms, ensuring the comforter covered you, "Not as tired as you. You're carrying a little person. Now, do you want to tell me why you're still not sleeping?"

Smiling shyly, you met his gaze, "I was talking to Eunsook earlier and realised... we haven't thought of any baby names."

His mouth formed an 'O' in realisation, mirroring your surprise. It seemed he, too, had not given it much thought. Nodding slowly, he whispered, "That's right, we haven't," pulling you closer to him, he relished the way your head fits perfectly in the crook of his neck, "So, what do you have in mind then? Have you managed to come up with anything with all that thinking, hm?"

You replied, nervously nibbling on your lip, "Actually, I have thought of a name. If it's a girl, Yeonjoo feels right."

He hummed, considering deeply, "Yeonjoo... like a lotus princess?"

You beamed, "Exactly. She'd be our little princess, growing up in the House of Lotus."

His heart swelled; your choice held significance. It wasn't just a random pretty name; it carried depth. Planting a kiss on your cheek, he smiled, "It's perfect. So, if it's a girl, Yeonjoo it is."

You cheered, "Okay, any ideas for a boy?"

He hesitated, then brightened, "You know what? I do have one in mind, though it might not be as thoughtful as yours. How about Jiyeong? It means a wise and brave hero, and it could also symbolise a flower petal, like the lotus. It'd be wonderful if he grew up to be intelligent and brave enough to protect his eomma," he murmured, gently placing his hand on your bump and stroking it.

"I think Jiyeong is a wonderful choice, Hwa, if it's a boy," you whispered, a sense of relief washing over you now that you finally had names for your child.

Covering his hand on your stomach with yours, you looked up at him with slightly wet eyes, "Gosh, can you believe we're going to be parents in a few months?"

"It's surreal sometimes, my love. And I'll admit, I am a little scared. But I know we'll manage. It won't be easy, but as long as we face it together, we'll be fine."

Yes, I know we will.

The first three months seemed to pass in a whirlwind, with Yunho's weekly visits becoming a familiar routine. Each time, he checked on your condition and brought herbs to boost your health and stabilise the pregnancy, ensuring everything progressed smoothly. Amidst this, life outside your little family continued to unfold.

You recall a particular evening when Wooyoung rushed in, desperate for your husband's aid to rescue a certain Miss Han. In a matter of weeks, she became a temporary resident in your household while still courting the private investigator. Her presence was delightful as she eagerly assisted you in cooking and embroidering, all while awaiting Wooyoung's eventual proposal that would take her away.

And through him, you learned of Hongjoong's latest job, assisting the youngest miss of the Baek family. It appeared to affect the dressmaker unexpectedly, stirring emotions no one had anticipated, especially him, even requiring a little nudge from both Seonghwa and Wooyoung to realise his feelings.

Before you knew it, you found yourself seated in the dining hall, surrounded by your husband's friends. Giving your hand a squeeze, Seonghwa cleared his throat to grab their attention, "Guys," he began, "we've gathered you all here today because we have an announcement to make."

Hongjoong, arms crossed, chimed in, "Pssh, I had a feeling. I knew you wouldn't be treating us to a meal for no reason."

Yunho's knowing grin widened, excited to see the dressmaker's reaction while Wooyoung leaned forward excitedly in his seat, nudging San beside him, who smiled back but inwardly wished the investigator would leave him alone. Mingi promptly set down his wine glass, eager to hear what was to come.

"I hope you're all excited because you're going to be uncles soon," the general announced, prompting cheers from everyone at the table.

The lovely Miss Han, seated beside you, wasted no time in giving you a side hug, though she had already been privy to your little secret. She had even been considerate enough to keep her man in the dark about it.

Wooyoung joined in the celebration, clapping enthusiastically, oblivious that his other half had been aware the whole time, "I knew it! I could tell she was pregnant from my first visit all those months ago. You've been so oddly careful with her ever since!"

At that, Hongjoong's expression darkened, "What do you mean, all those months ago? How far along are you, my lady?"

You rubbed the back of your neck sheepishly, "Three months."

The dressmaker's jaw dropped in disbelief, "You didn't think to tell us until now? Park Seonghwa, what kind of friend are you?"

Yunho scoffed and rolled his eyes, "See, that's why you're an idiot. What does Miss Baek even see in you, I'll never know. Obviously, they wanted to wait until her condition was stable before telling everyone. Why do you think I've been so busy for the past few months?"

Hongjoong shot him a glare, "Oh, I don't know? Maybe because you've been trying to spend all your time with a certain Miss Ryu?"

The physician sputtered in shock, but before the argument could escalate, Jongho appeared behind them, smacking both on the back, "That's enough, you two. Please continue this another time."

Your husband interjected, shooting the assistant a grateful smile, "That's right. As Yunho mentioned, we just wanted to wait until it was safe before telling you guys."

San and Mingi softened, offering heartfelt congratulations to you and Seonghwa, prompting the rest of the guys to do the same. However, the peace was short-lived. Wooyoung eagerly raised his hand, "Ooh, can I please be the godfather?"

The dressmaker was quick to object, "Excuse me? If anyone here is to be the godfather, it's obviously me! Know your place, you fool."

"Oh, dear god, here we go again," your husband muttered beside you.

You couldn't help but grin at their endless shenanigans, glancing down at your stomach and rubbing it affectionately. You already knew this baby would be spoiled rotten even before entering the world. It seemed this little one was already the star of the show.

I contemplated how much of the pregnancy I should cover, but I think I'll only do this much for now! Because any further than this, and that might spoil some of the other members' spinoffs. I shall focus on finishing up all the rest of the stories after this, and who knows? There could be more bonus chapters in the future, we'll see~

As always, thank you for reading and let me know your thoughts! <3

Tag list (1/6): Tumblr is a bitch and won't let me mention more than 5 users in a single sentence, so now my tag list looks like a complete joke🤡

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All Rights Reserved © edenesth // DO NOT REPOST, TRANSLATE, PLAGIARISE OR REPURPOSE.

[eldrith]

oh babe dont get me wrong, i thoroughly enjoyed the fic (everything you write is an automatic favorite) and it was so, so heartwrenchingly beautiful but omg i'm in pain lmao.

also going back to the last ask you answered of mine (before the sad fic one. lol)!! absolutely he is the #1 wifehusband. dare i say #1 malewife. but this part!! "he’d want to talk to his wife for days on end, and also could (and does) talk about her for so so long to anyone who was around. #1 wifehusband i stand by this" skdufhaskf YESSSSSSSS. i can just imagine him keeping his wife up later than usual (and not for the reasons she truly desires. jace is a dumb Loser for not noticing.) yapping her ear off, especially if it's been a busy busy day as the crown prince.!! or rhaenyra having to cut jace off in a council meeting bc he's droning on and on about his wife, and while she thinks it's cute and endearing, they have actual business to attend to.. "and wearing pieces of jewelry that belongs to each other omg." girl i just went weak in the knees ugh akshfaksj didn't know i needed that in my life but now i do. or jace having jewelry crafted from pieces of old swords/equipment of his for his wife to have something of his with her always, or his wife giving him a tiny pocket square of embroidery to tuck into his pocket that has become so worn from the amount of time he spends rubbing his thumb over it (especially during longgggggg meetings). he lowkey gives fidgeter vibes so i can just see it becoming a soothing mechanism for him !! "so cute and like can u imagine how rhaenyra would just be so happy to see how happy jace is (& how incredible of a man hes become… hes so devoted to his sweet wife)" i'm getting teary eyed with an idea of rhaenyra thinking about how proud harwin would be of jace and what a great man he's become. anyway don't let me expand further on that bc i will Cry (and talk your ear off for 12 hours)!!!!!!! also rhaenyra would be the best mother in law??? ever??? so so supportive and sweet and loves how much you love and adore her son. anyway. Anyway. also in my head luke lives and spends 90% of the day teasing jace over how whipped he is for his wife :// little brother things i fear. and jace has zero shame bc he's #1 wife guy and knows luke will be the exact same way one day soon.

one day i will expand on jace as a father but. i fear i've talked enough today pookie. love u. - hubby jace anon <33

aw stop ur too nice omg :') im glad u enjoyed it <3

but omg yes 10000% to all of this.

jace literally bounding into his wife's quarters, basically oblivious to the looks she's sending him as he just rambles and talks, so excited to be with her. and asking her about her day, sighing gently when she starts to kiss up and down his neck nevermind i can't go there

also in the earlier stages of marriage or when the war is quite stressful and theyre at council and jace out of nowhere just snaps to defend his wife's honor, calling someone out who slightly disrespected her and the chamber goes silent... <3<3 love <3<3

i also loveee the idea of having a piece of him on her at all times <3 and like... jace gets one of her rings and puts it on a necklace and wears it under his clothes. he fidgets with it when he's reading or strategizing, just as he does with the pocketsquare (you have to give him a new one bc the first one is so frayed) alSO he takes your hair ribbons and uses them as bookmarks. yeah

& ur so right rhaenyra would be emotional and see so much of harwin in jace and shes just so proud. also yes she'd be the best mother in law i see her inviting you to dine with her and just thoroughly enjoying your presence, gossiping and just loving spending time with you & seeing you interact with her son. she would love you like a daughter - she always wanted one.

also stop can you imagine luke... oh my goddd. hed be thrilled to make fun of jace and i feel like he'd become so fond of calling jace ur dog lmao.

things like being in a hall with luke when jace enters, speaking with some lord - you wait for him patiently to end his conversation but luke has no mind for that and immediately teases jace. calling out to him, "here boy!" mocking and whistling like one would summon a dog, "your lady needs you!"

or or or (you've awoken a beast in me this is your fault) like

him walking past and catching jace adjusting the clasp on your necklace or something, maybe helping you with your slippers and he cant help but just go "i swear you’ve got him trained better than the hounds." you roll your eyes at luke, shooing him away with a grin as he mutters "he’d probably sit and beg if you asked him to.”

but jace would just grin so proudly, laughing and shaking his head as he stepped back to admire his handiwork - then sending you a look when luke is gone lmao.

& luke and jace sitting at a feast watching you dance with others and luke just gives him a look, "wipe that grin off your face, you look like you've gone mad. i think you're salivating" and jace is just like "she's so beautiful." & luke rolls his eyes, gagging, “gods help me if i ever get like that.”

but jace knows his brother, and he smirks, "oh, you’ll be there someday, luke.” luke rolls his eyes and huffs, "strike me dead first." and with no hesitation jace just mutters "i'll be sure to. if not before."

yeah i have so many thoughts about that... luke would become jace's wife's annoying little brother but also her bff

also PLEASE father jace bring it on omg. he'd be the cutest father i actually am going to pass out

[snek-panini]

At long last, it is Post Stuff I Made Time again. The last time I had a book to show off was in May and that's just too long. Not a fic (this time. I have them, they're coming) but a journal:

I made this as a dnd journal for my husband, and it was originally supposed to be a Christmas present, then a birthday present (in March), and finally it has reached its true potential as a Labor Day Week present. But it's gorgeous, he loves it and I'm proud of it. The cover is Allure book cloth (the color's called skylight), with the strip at the bottom in chiyogami (from ChibiJay; I got it in one of their assorted strip packs), and the flower is gold foil htv. The campaign is pirate/high seas themed, and his character's background has a distinct Fantasy Japan element, so a lot of the design choices followed from that.

More photos under the cut!

Close up on the cover. I thought I had a close up of the flower icon but I must not have taken it. Love how close the color match is between the blue in the waves and the book cloth. The gold htv came out a bit less smooth than I'd have liked, but it has a kind of gold leaf look to it that we both ended up really liking.

He requested a Coptic bind so it would lay flat when opened, and I did Coptic end bands for stability and because they look cool, especially with the exposed link stitches. I find the link stitches also add a bit of stability when you've got fewer Coptic stitches. I special ordered the pink thread (again, his choice) from Hollander's, and it was expensive and totally not worth the hassle. The only way to get this color was pre-waxed and there is SO MUCH WAX on it, it's ludicrous. I scraped a lot of it off on a blade and it was still too waxy, like handling a candle. It's also very stiff and thicker than I'm used to, to the extent that it was hard to thread the needle with it. I've ordered their unwaxed thread before and would do it again, but this is the last time I buy the waxed stuff. Embroidery floss is cheaper, easier to work with, and comes in more colors.

Please ignore the blurriness in the second photo; I have never claimed to be a photographer and didn't notice it till now. This is the doublure on the inside of the front cover, and it's more chiyogami from Chibijay. The wave pattern wraps around from the front to finish up under this paste-down; I wanted to do the same in the back but didn't have enough of the wave print, so the back is plain.

I thought I'd taken a photo of the pages but I guess I didn't because I can't find it now. Being a journal there was no typeset for this. I actually bought a pre-cut and pre-folded unsewn book block from Hollander's for this. They come in a couple of colors and you can get them blank, with lines, or with graph print for drawing, and Husband chose the graph paper for ease of drawing and making charts.

As a rule I don't normally make journals; books only become interesting to me after there is something in them. So I just skipped the part of the "learning to make books" process where most people make a bunch of sketchbooks. This is actually the first one I've ever made. I'm pleased with how it turned out, and Husband loves it, but I can't see them becoming a regular part of my output unless it's requests like this. However, I've got six finished fic binds to post, so stay tuned for those.

[vitanithepure]

The perfect bloodweave ending that definitely exists:

Astarion goes to Waterdeep with Gale, they get married and have a wonderful life together. While Gale secretly learns how to undo vampirism (or at least try to make him walk into the sun) Astarion studies and learn how to turn into a bat (and how to fly with the help of Tara of course). One day he succeeds and Gale is surprised to come back home (after an exhausting but fulfilling lesson with his students) to see a cute white bat flying around the living room and squeaking in excitement while Tara cheers him. Gale of course is so proud of him that he even asks if he can show it to his students (but would respect if Astarion wasn't feeling it). Their evenings consists in reading books together while holding lovingly their free hand (some books may have been acquired by Astarion via some rare rogue activities but hey, any book worth stealing if he can see Gale's face lit up with joy and exiting infodumping) or doing their hobbies in front of the chimney (Gale happily knitting and Astarion humming a tune while doing embroidery).

Depending on what Astarion wants to do when he can finally walk back into the sun, he will either come back as a magistrate (this time more careful/helpful) or open a tailor's shop and make beautiful dresses. I bet in the latter he would be hungry for any gossip he can get from his clientele and from partaking lunch (or tea time) with Morena (she adores and spoils him of course) Withers and Tara.

And obviously, they are the cool uncle and wine aunt couple of the Dekarios. You ask them to babysit your child? Get ready to have your kids begging to come back to them again soon because they had a great time.

Enjoy this sweet Bloodweave my friend 👌😌

This paints such a wholesome, beautiful picture. Oh gosh, thank you so much, it's such a gift 😭💜

They would do all these things, yes! A normal, quiet life (with an occasional book heist to liven things up a bit for Astarion!), them expanding upon Gale's wine collection, Gale treating his husband with the best home-made meals to ever exist.

Them discussing the best way to handle the vampiric condition, but Gale always making it clear Astarion's comfort and safety come first.

And gods, yes, the image of him actually mastering his bat form and flying around the tower with Tara is insanely precious! I'm sure it would be her, not Gale, that pushed him to try! 💜

And yes, Astarion returning to 'daylight society' as a tailor was planted in my brain by a series of wonderful art pieces I saw some time ago and can't let it go. It would be so good for him. Like you said, the gossip? Exquisite. Also the ability to give something of himself to so many people?

To make matching outfits for Gale and himself for all kinds of social gatherings? He would make sure they would be the talk of Waterdeep for *weeks*.

But we know Gale would support his every endeavor, so no matter what he would choose they would still be leading their best, happy lives.

[the-letterbox-archives]

archival file 4801805 (tag game)

thank you @corinneglass for the tag!! i loved reading reine's answers to these questions, and i'm so excited to hop on this tag game too! i'll be using sunny for this one, because she has poisoned my brain and i physically cannot think of anyone else.

what uncommon/common fear do they have?

rejection, for sure.

do they have any pet peeves?

people talking over her, but that falls under her ‘i hate annoying people who don’t respect me’ trait.

what are 3 items you can find in their bedroom?

a lot of journals of local gossip/people-watching info, a lot of bandages/bandaids, and pictures of her and darcy (though those are hidden to the point nobody could find them except her or darcy).

what do they notice first in a person?

how they talk. she uses that as an entry to get a read on their general confidence and the rest of their demeanour.

on a scale of 1 to 10, how high is their pain tolerance?

psychologically, very high, about 7-10, if it hasn’t directly happened to her or she didn’t actively witness it; she’s good at relaying news of tragedy to others or hearing about tragedy without getting upset about it. in terms of psychological pain that she actively experiences, i’d put it around a 4. physical pain comes in above average, maybe a 6.5.

do they go into fight or flight mode when under pressure?

neither, i think. i imagine she’s pretty versatile in response, but i doubt she’d ever go straight to fight (she is super weak), so of the two, i’d go with flight. if we extend it to the four responses (fight, flight, freeze, and fawn), i think freeze is most common for her in relation to a situation not exactly initiated by a person, maybe fawn depending on if it’s a certain person that’s related to/causing the pressure.

do they come from a big family/are they a family person?

sunny comes from a very small family, and that actually caused a lot of issues for her. she’s got a complicated relationship to family, so she’s not a family oriented person.

what animal represents them best?

fox, definitely. cute and cunning! or maybe a scorpion, like in the fable.

what is a smell that they dislike?

she’s sensitive to any really strong scent, like something you’d find in a super strong candle store. it’s less so the smell, but the overpowering quality of it.

have they broken any bones?

yes, more than once, both at spencer’s and at home, but a very long time ago.

how would a stranger likely describe them?

a girl with a lot of attitude, in a stuffy private school uniform, but seems wholly out of place where she is, though they can’t quite place why...

are they a night owl or a morning bird?

there are certain circles of girls who stay up to the early hours of the morning studying/gossiping/drinking/etc, and sunny is a proud member of that group. she usually conks out around 2-4am, to get up at 7am for school (though she sleeps until the afternoon on weekends).

what is a flavour they hate and a flavour they love?

loves sweet and sour tastes separately, hates them together.

do they have any hobbies?

journaling and artistic hobbies like nature drawings and embroidery.

boom, surprise birthday party! how do they react to surprises?

a bit surprised, not because she doesn’t expect people to know her birthday (she’s announced it on the show in the past), but because she didn’t except anyone to care. she would feign expectation, like she knew it would happen, then go straight to darcy and ask if she organised this. i think overall sunny would act up the “oh, i knew this would happen, i’m the best haha,” but internally be very taken aback at the display.

do they like to wear jewellery?

only as a symbol of power.

do they have neat or messy handwriting?

doctor-levels of messy.

what are the two emotions they feel the most?

schadenfreude and indifference.

do they have a favourite fabric?

wool knit, especially the blazers and jackets the uniform supplies, though she isn’t particularly picky.

what kind of accent do they have?

she’s american, so it’s a pretty simple 20’s american accent. she’s very good at hiding her accent though, so i imagine during broadcasts she’d use something a bit more transatlantic, and that would slip through into her normal voice.

tagging @introchasingstars, @honeybewrites, @paeliae-occasionally, @ominous-feychild, @the-golden-comet,

@noxxytocin, @moltenwrites, @tc-doherty, @the-ellia-west, @theverumproject,

@thecrazyalchemist, @laylathewordwitch, @dragonedged-if, @leitereads, @autism-purgatory,

@gioiaalbanoart, @drchenquill, @fenmere, @leahnardo-da-veggie, @melpomene-grey,

@yourpenpaldee, @agirlandherquill, @willtheweaver, @nczaversnick,

@davycoquette, @glassfrogforest, @princeofhags, @wyked-ao3, @fantasy-things-and-such, + open tag!

[141wh0re]

The Prince

Tw: 18+ MDNI | un-aliving | weapons| violence| blood| angst if you squint.

Word Count: 2059

A/N: After weeks of trying not to think about this and get through my last semester, we are finally here! I can't wait to rot your brains with this AU. I can't wait to see what you all think of this - Skelly xx

12th Century A.D. - in the desert of Al Mazafin, along the Red Sea.

Prince Kyle Garrick kneels before the sacred fountain, performing his mid-day prayer.

A singular speck of dried blood stains the low ledge of the fountain's pool, taunting the prince for his loss. The same fountain his father - King Jeremiah Garrick- was murdered near. He was found lying face-down in the small pool of the sacred waters, his own blood tainting it. Murdered when he least expected it; praying for his family and the safety of their kingdom's people. Wishing them to be blessed and protected.

The inky, black and red, aged speck stares back at him as he glares at it, allowing it to invade his thoughts, tainting his own mind with the darker thoughts. Wanting revenge for his beloved father. To damn the person who bestowed such responsibility upon him so soon, by taking his father's life.

Kyle wasn't ready to be king. All he knew was war. As his father's second right hand, it was Kyle's duty to bring honor to their family name, fighting in his father's army, invading kingdoms who threaten to bring harm to their beloved city of Al-Mazafin. He was curated into a man used to bloodshed and battle.

He'd learned much of what his father had passed onto him, yet he felt as if he wasn't prepared enough. He knew the day would come. He knew he'd be crowned the successor of his father's throne. But it wasn't supposed to be this soon.

He glared at the fountain, losing focus on his mid-day prayer, due to the incessant pestering from that singular speck of his father's blood. A single drop of blood that caused such a ripple within his mind, disturbing the calmness of his thoughts. It opened him up to the grief and anger that took residence in his heart and in his bones, taunting his darker parts, begging for them to be unleashed. To feel the weight of a dagger sliding into another man's chest, or the sharp pinch of the bow string snapping between his fingertips as he propels an arrow into his enemy, atop the back of his horse.

But what he couldn't fathom was the silken dagger pouch that seemed to hum and buzz with endless energy. Or the faint glow of purple it emitted when sand entered the pouch. And the strange haze it seemed to pull his enemies into when he threw the sand in their eyes, blinding them momentarily in a fit of desperation, to bid him time to maneuver a counter-attack.

It was left for him, by his father, attached with a singular note scrawled in his father's writing. One sentence. "Use it well, and you shall always know the truth."

His mother's voice sounds from behind him, disrupting the chaos of his mind.

"Kyle? Alright, love?" she asked tenderly, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

He rises from his position of kneeling, his warm, chocolate eyes flickering towards her warm gaze.

"Fine, mother." he replied in a strained voice, fighting the guilt threatening to consume him for lying to his mother.

It wouldn't be the first time.

"He would be proud of you... of how you're handling everything since his passing." Queen Cyra offered in a gentle tone.

Her kinky, black curls rested along her back, stopping just below her slender shoulder blades. The same curls her son inherited - though Kyle never allowed his to grow out. White Persian silk flowed from her slender frame, delicate patterns with purple and gold embroidery adorned the capped sleeves of her gown, and a large, golden sun pendant lay flush to her smooth, brown skin.

Queen Cyra was the epitome of elegance and poised sophistication, ever the diplomatic woman, she commanded respect in the same manner, her late husband, King Jeremiah did.

"Yeah.. I'm sure." Kyle replied, not entirely believing his mother's words.

Cyra's eyes softened on her son, giving him a sympathetic look.

"Why don't you get out of the palace for a bit? Wander the streets of the city and enjoy some fresh air," his mother suggested, sensing the weariness of her son's mind.

"It'll do you some good to wander a bit. Ease your mind." she added in her caring tone.

Kyle pondered her idea thoughtfully. It wasn't a bad idea at all. He'd been cooped up within the palace for the last few days, ever since returning from a particularly horrendous journey to another kingdom, in search of a another noble to wed.

"Yeah. I think I will." Kyle finally agreed, flashing his mother a quick smile that hadn't quite reached his eyes.

She smiled in return before pressing a warm kiss on his smooth brown cheek.

"Take Gaz with you." his mother advised, referring to his 2 year old guard dog, a South African Boerboel - a gift from an ally in the southern region of the continent.

He whistled at the large, sandy, short-haired mastiff who was standing dutifully at the pointed cinquefoil archway, keeping watch. Gaz snapped his attention from the archway and padded towards Kyle. "You heard the queen." Kyle spoke to the dog with a humorous lilt in his tone and a sly smirk adorning his full lips.

"I'll see you at dinner, mother." Kyle said as he pecked his mother's soft cheek, earning a warm smile.

Live music floated about the town square where the townspeople hustled and bustled around the streets and the bazaar, in a dance of selling and buying goods.

The delicious smells of freshly made foods wafted throughout the marketplace: Malfuf Mahshi, rice and noodles, Bamia, Koshari, and Molokhia.

Kyle adjusted his white keffiyeh, ensuring his face was protected from the sun, sand, and the townspeople, simply so he could observe and blend in as a commoner to avoid being disrupted. Including ditching his palace robes for a lightweight, beige tunic and salwar pants to combat the dry, desert heat.

Gaz strolled beside Kyle, keeping on high alert while protecting his human. Though his nose would briefly drift when passing carts of various cuts of meat, yet he followed the prince with unwavering focus.

Kyle leaned against the corner of a clay-plastered wall of an alleyway, studying his city's people, and watched as they milled about. Children of all ages darted throughout the bazaar, gawking over jewels, silks, and weaponry. The prince's heart swelled with pride upon seeing the people happy and healthy. Trade was booming, and there were very few people that seemed to be struggling to make a day's wage.

He lowered his keffiyeh from his jaw to allow himself the pleasure of divulging in freshly baked, Egyptian flat-bread - aish baladi. Gaz sat at the prince's feet, in the shade, keeping a keen eye on the various people passing by.

Kyle cast a glance at his loyal companion, a gentle smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. He broke apart a piece of bread and held it discreetly in front of Gaz's snout, to which the pup happily accepted the offering.

A commotion broke out in the distance, pulling both Kyle and Gaz's attention away from the market, redirecting their attention on a quaint building where thin tendrils of white smoke curled out of the geometric lattice - a shisha cafe.

Kyle adjusted his keffiyeh once more, shielding his face, before casually strolling towards the commotion.

As he approached the red-clay, colored building, he was met with the sight of the cafe owner -an older, pudgy man with tanned skin and white, balding hair- forcibly removing a woman from his place of business.

The owner's large palm wrapped firmly around the woman's bicep before harshly shoving her into the dirt of the street where she landed with a thud on her side.

"Your kind isn't welcome here! And if I catch you in here thieving from my clients again, it's to the palace where you'll have your hand removed!" the owner shouted angrily as he chucked her bag at her feet.

A woman thieving in the city? Curious.

Kyle waited until the owner ducked back inside his cafe before nearing the scorned young woman.

She begrudgingly pushed herself up to rest on her hip as she snagged her bag from the dirt and dusted it off.

Kyle extended his hand towards the supposed thief, wanting to help her to her feet.

From behind her jeweled veil, the woman glared up at him with fierce, green eyes, reluctantly taking Kyle's hand.

"Thanks," she grumbled in a hint of annoyance, though he could feel it wasn't directed at him.

"A thief, huh?" Kyle inquired with a cocked brow. He watched as she dusted her salwars, trying to rid them of the sand from the street.

"No. Not entirely." the woman replied in a melodic voice.

Kyle took a moment to take in her appearance. Black, thick and wavy tendrils cascaded down her back, stopping at the middle of her back. An hour glass figure with a soft tummy on display in her off-the-shoulder bandeau, and ample hips adorned her frame, standing a head shorter than the prince.

He tried to get a better glimpse of her features under the red, organza material of her veil, supple lips, and a slender nose are all he could make out. But he had to admit he was enthralled by her appearance.

What was a beauty like her doing thieving? Don't you know how dangerous that is, dove?

"So what was that all about then?" Kyle asked with piqued interest, observing the attractive woman before him.

"Nothing to concern yourself with." she quipped with a sharp finality in her tone. "I must be off to work, seeing as my other plan didn't work." she muttered lowly, letting out an exasperated sigh as she turned on the heel of her worn moccasins.

Kyle couldn't help but admire her no-bullshit personality. This was one of the thrills he received when roaming the town in disguise. He was treated as another dweller, and not some righteous soon-to-be king.

"Ah, so getting kicked out of the cafe wasn't the intended plan?" Kyle remarked with a humorous lilt in his deep, velvety timbre.

The woman stopped in her tracks with tensed shoulders, her fists clenched at her sides in irritation.

Ohh. We're a bit spirited, aren't we, dove?

She whipped her head around to face the disguised prince, "Why're you so nosy? What do you want, anyway?" Her eyes drifted away from him when she caught sight of a well-dressed, middle-aged-man passing them by on the street, three gold bracelets donning each wrist.

"If you'll excuse me." She dismissed herself before gracefully weaving through the crowd, like a black widow about to trap a fly in her webs.

Kyle was left reeling from the interaction. The mistress had already left such an impression on him from such a quick interaction. But his curiosity didn't stop him from trailing her.

He set off after her, bobbing and weaving through the crowded marketplace until he caught sight of her red veil once more, disappearing down a lesser-crowded alleyway.

Kyle hid behind a crate at the end of the alleyway, peering around it to watch as the woman leaned herself against the wall and ran her hand over the man's chest in a seductive lure. The man is so focused on her eyes and her words, he doesn't even notice her collecting the expensive-looking gold bracelets from his wrists. As if in a trance, the man careens his head towards her neck, speaking in a hushed voice as she nabs his bracelets, one by one. She keeps up her allure by running her freehand in his hair, pressing her supple body closer to him.

"What on earth are you doing, dove?" Kyle mumbled to himself. He kept his eyes trained on the young woman, unable to tear his gaze away.

His eyes darted towards the purple glint of the jewels on her veil, nearly the same purple the dagger pouch made when in contact with sand.

But weren't they red before?

"Seems you have many secrets, little dove." Kyle quietly mused with a smug smirk tugging at the corner of his lip under the lightweight material of his keffiyeh. "Who are you?" he wondered quietly to himself.

Taglist: @pale-ghost-girl /@v1naco/ @starsofang

[stingandsnoutbindery]

A Year of Books

This isn’t a complete family photo, but it’s the closest to complete, as I’ve gifted majority of them, and I’m left with three of the nine.

Last year on the 21st of July, I finished my first ever book.  It’s strange how long I’ve kept this hobby for, and it is actually my longest running hobby. All my past ones have merely lasted a few months, then I ditch and never revisit them. Someone did mention that bookbinding is 30 different hobbies in one, so I suppose that explains why this has stuck with me for this long. I planned several projects during the summer of last year, and I am still surprisingly enthusiastic about completing them over a year later.

Given my tight schedule, I managed to bind 9 books: 2 fanbinds and 7 notebooks. How ever underwhelming, I am very satisfied with my progress and learnings from my few creations. Most importantly, I am incredibly thankful for all the lovely friends and folks I’ve made and met through this hobby. If I'm being honest, it can be quite alienating in real life to have such niche interests, so to find folks who share the same enthusiasm and are happy to geek over unorthodox things with me brings an indescribable feeling and I treasure every single one of you!

Now, I make it a point that I try something new with every bind I make, and as this is my little binding archive, allow me to quickly share everything that I made in the past year.

Bind 1: An architecture sketch notebook for my brother

Bradel binding covered in homemade bookcloth

Trimmed with an unsharpened chisel (I wanted to test its performance pre and post sharpening)

Bind 2: Birthday notebook for my mom

Three-piece flatback Bradel

Flower embroidery on the spine (My first foray into embroidery and I did it without the hoop so do excuse the quality)

Bind 3: My first fanbind! Love and Other Historical Accidents

Three-piece InBoards Bradel

The book I am most proud of

Bind 4 & 5: More notebooks (for dad and uncle)

A three-piece bradel and a regular bradel

Used this lovely Chiyogami paper from Itoya

Bind 6 & 7: First quarto and coptic stitch (more gifts)

Learned that trimming quartos with a blunt knife is (obviously) not good

More beautiful chiyogami paper

Bind 8: 2nd Fanbind! and more Pacific Rimbaud

20 minutes of figuring out how to arrange quarto pages

The most setbacks I've ever experienced. Something went wrong every step of the way

Bind 9: A Planner

This bind made me realize how much I love rounded spines

[dollsorwhatever]

Couldn't let go of the idea of making Vanessa a set of underwear in the aesthetic of the live action movie to match the cartoon scene where she's singing in her dressing room, so I took the frilly little onesie I made and spent the entire day (minus breaks to cuddle with my dog and eat half a sandwich) making her a little corset and adding some extra details to her undergarment to match lol

I also chopped the shell charm off of her plastic necklace, drilled a hole through the top and laced it onto some embroidery thread lol Not sure if this will be the final product, I'm honestly not 100% in love with the black ribbons I tacked onto the undergarment (I think white or cream ribbons might be a better choice) and the corset is a little larger/bulkier than I intended for it to be (and not as flattering of a shape as I wanted), but this is the first full outfit I've ever made from scratch so I'm honestly really happy and proud of it lol The corset was made with a strip of satin ribbon that I cut, folded and ironed into shape, and the "bones" were created by making tiny inward folds and stitching them down on the back, an idea that I first tested out with my (WIP) Blue Dress Ariel's corset by folding along the printed bones and stitching them down to get a nicer shape over her dress:

I've been making a lot of little customs and acquiring new custom-related skills over the past two years, but working on these Live Action TLM dolls has been such a learning experience for me; I've often felt intimidated by the idea of learning to make certain things myself (esp clothes) and working on these dolls has really taught me that I am actually capable of acquiring new skills if I put the effort in lol

[the-fiction-witch]

Girl P4

Media The Last Legion

Character Romulus Augustus (Age Up)

Couple Romulus X Reader

Rating Sweet

Requested: Too many too add here!

I changed for bed tonight I was supposed to wear my ... excuse for a nightie, a small dress that reached my main thigh made of sheer fabric but I threw it to the side choosing instead one of the loose summer shirts Romulus often wears sweet purple cotton with a little gold embroidery it hitting about had low as the nightie did. I pulled my hair into a braid wrapping it in my fingers absentmindedly after years of doing it at least once daily. I went to my little bed, a small mattress in the corner large enough for me to lay and not much else, but I took my pillow from it and instead moved to the large golden for-post bed with luxurious red curtains climbing into the covers and sitting my pillow behind me getting settled in for the night. It felt ever so nice to be laid here as often I was not laid here for long and much less to actually sleep. 

Romulus arrived from his trip to the baths and stopped short as he saw me, 

"What are you doing?!" He rushed over "This is the royal bed"

"Yes?"

"you know you're not allowed in it."

"I thought I was to be your empress?"

"You are." He softened his face slightly

"And the first step of your teaching is to learn to share your things Romulus." 

"Even my bed?"

"Epesscaily Our bed." 

"Alright" he sighed climbing in utterly naked as usual "Are- are you wearing my clothes!"

"I didn't feel my nightie was appropriate attire for an empress."

"Bu- But I like your nightie." 

"And I like your clothes. See compromise" I smiled giving his cheek a kiss 

"It's not compromise it's you getting what you want"

"the compromise is tomorrow I will wear my nightie." 

"Alright" he sighed lying down and staring at the roof of the bed 

"Good, we have a full day tomorrow and you're going to have lots of lessons on how to be a lovely Emporer" I smiled laying down with him "That sounds nice?"

"You'll really spend the whole day with me?"

"Of course."

"And I don't have to threaten you?"

"I'd really appreciate if you didn't" I giggled "it might take time romulus for these things to feel real and natural but I promise so long as you try I'm proud of you"

"You mean it?"

"I do." I smiled giving his nose a little kiss and laying my head on his chest he froze up a little but wrapped his arms around me slowly and gently letting out a long sigh 

"Is this what being likes feels like?"

"This is what being loved feels like"

"I like it."

"Good, come on bed time or you'll be all sleepy tomorrow" I told him 

“Yes my empress” he cooed into my hair 

“Goodnight Romulus”

“Goodnight uhh…”

“Have you forgotten my name?’

“I've called you girl since you got here”

“Y/n.”

“Ohh right. Sorry. Goodnight y/n” he smiled

Soon enough I drifted off to sleep for the night.

I woke to the sweetest of feelings as I had turned during the night clearly my body wanting to use all the extra space in this bed I had turned away in the night and now laid on my side across the bed but Romulus had come up behind me and pulled me into his chest spooning me tighter then I had ever felt in my life almost like he was scared I would leave him if I was to ever leave his arms. I began to stir a little and pushed myself up

“Ummm good morning Romulus”

“Umm” he grumbled in his usual way not liking the mornings and avoiding them where possible

“Romulus” I smiled leaving his arms completely 

“Noo.” He grumbled pulling the covers around himself and turning away

“Romulus you promised me” I warn him 

“Umm I'm tried!” He whined 

“Romulus, come on my little emperor” I giggled between little kisses up his arm and neck making him happily stir “Wakey wakey or well miss the scenete”

“But I'm tried” 

“I know you are, would you wake up for a kiss?”

“Umm? What sort of kiss?”

“A very sweet one” I smiled giving his lips a soft kiss and he immediately melted into the kiss pulling me gently towards him before he pulled back his eyes tried but open as he smiled at me 

“Will I get more of those if I get up?’

“Lots more” 

“Alright” he groaned forcing himself to sit up rubbing his eyes and face to try and wake himself “how do you do this everyday?’ he yawned 

[beantothemax]

When Claude dropped dead, the noise that led him to them wouldn't end. The baby still sobbed. He had left it on the floor by the broken throne.

Throné had gone to pick it up, but found she was no good with kids.

"Here, let me," Osvald whispered as he took it.

He held it so gently, stroking its cheek and shushing it. It fell silent in no time and he just managed to look up in time to see Throné remove her collar. She wept with relief.

"Let's go back to New Delsta, we all need to rest," Temenos said, "Osvald? Are you listening?"

"Huh? Yes, right. Let's go," he said, but he was still focused on the child in his arms.

How old was it? What was it's name? Gender? Who would take care of it?

Well, two questions were answered when he noticed embroidery on the hem of the blanket it was wrapped in.

"Judith" it said.

When they returned to New Delsta, he couldn't even celebrate Throné's freedom with the rest of the group. He found himself hurrying around the city, searching for everything one needed to care for a baby.

By the time he was done, the sun had set. He joined the others in the tavern, carefully sitting while making sure not to wake Judith.

"What are you gonna do with her?" Castti asked.

"You could send her to an orphanage, or some of the nuns in Flamechurch could take care of her," Temenos suggested.

"I... I don't think I want to do that. Orphanages aren't ideal for children and I'm not busy with anything else at the moment..." Osvald said.

"What about Elena?" Castti asked.

"She'd be thrilled to have a younger sister."

As they ate and Osvald had more time to think about it, he thought back to his own childhood. He never particularly liked his parents. What frustrated him the most, was how they distanced themselves from the rest of their family. He hardly saw his grandparents and scarcely knew he had cousins until one died. It was all so confusing growing up knowing so little of his family's past...

"Would you want to be a part of Judith's life, Throné?" he asked.

She hardly thought for a moment before saying, "Yes, of course."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, she's my sister! Why would I ever say no!?"

- Five years later -

Throné had been walking on air all week. After a particularly busy few days of train repairs and negotiating with obnoxious businessmen, she finally got a two week vacation. Well, Partitio practically had to kick her out of the factory. No one had ever expected her to like engineering when they first met, but she found all the screwing and tinkering was shockingly similar to lockpicking, only more fun because it was something she could be proud of, rather than stealing from random passerby.

She had a bright smile on her face as she walk from the newly built Sai trainstation to Osvald's home at the outskirts of the city. She had seen Temenos on her way from the station, but they managed to exchange only a few words.

"Woman going into labor two streets down, tell Osvald Castti and I will be late!" was all Temenos said before running off with his arms full of various pain numbing medicines Castti had at home.

She yelled "Goodluck!" at him before snickering to herself about how strange that interaction must have been to anyone nearby. In no time had she reached her home, and she hardly knocked on the door once before it swung open and a little girl ran into her arms.

"Nene's home! Nene's home!" Judith cheered as Throné picked her up.

She spun around and laughed with her sister as they both got dizzy.

"Oh! I gotta tell the others!" Judith said as she ran back inside.

Throné followed her and was greeted by Elena and Osvald.

Elena would have run to hug her as well, but her hands were dirtied with cooking oil and tomato sauce as she was preparing tapas. Osvald had been in the middle of teaching Judith math, but gave up and started putting away the textbooks the second she ran to greet Throné.

Elena, Judith, Throné and Osvald all talked and talked as they set the table for lunch.

"I learned how to do sub-trashon!" Judith boasted.

"Sub-trac-tion," Osvald corrected her, "But yes, she did. She's an incredibly fast learner."

"She has an excellent teacher," Throné laughed, setting plates down.

They all sat at the table and debated whether they should wait for their beloved healers to return.

"But the food will get cold!" Elena pouted.

"And Temenos said to expect them to be late. They won't mind," Throné added.

"Alright then," Osvald said, and he began serving them all.

Just before they started eating, though, the door swung open once more. Castti and Temenos entered. Both looked exhausted, but they were there.

"Sorry we're late," Castti sighed and sat.

"I really, really hope you washed your hands," Throné laughed.

"Bathed already," she smiled, "I'm taking a nap after this though."

As they talked and ate, Throné looked out at the group. Only one was related by blood, but she would walk to the ends of the earth for each and every one of them. They were family after all.

WAUGH!!!!!!!!!!!

FAMBTILY!!!!!!!

throné liking engineering work because it’s just like more involved lockpicking to her… I like that a lot!!!!!!!! good for her!!!!!

and the part about temenos just. yelling about some woman being in labor was amazing. something is incorrect with him

and obbval…. the os…. wegh,, EVERYONE AT THE FUCKIGN DINNER TABLE PIE I AM GOING TO BORE A HOLE INTO MY WALL

[tvshowspoilers]

Doing another re-watch of Our Flag Means Death. Figured I'd time it with Kristan Nairn's (spelling) last watch and David J being on his stream. I got more stuff to say/noticed. I love this show soooo much <3 Apparently it is live commentary time!

Does anyone know what is on Jim's old knife that is on the rock with their clothes when they go swimming in Episode 2. Looks green with a flag?

Mary's mom's outfit is so pretty! The pink with the embroidery is lovely <3 (Episode 4, at the beginning) Also her wedding outfit is pretty too. I love that blue.

Also, I wonder if the pearl necklace that Ed wears is one Stede gets from home cause we see Mary wearing a pearl necklace in epi 4. Or do you guys think he makes it?

Also, why did Stede immediately jump to thinking Ed was apart of Blackbeard's crew?

Also, the picture over the fireplace changed I think? In the scene with Nigel dying it has people on it but when he is talking to ed in 4, its just clouds.

I also love that when Stede suggests retirement he's like "I can't believe I'm saying this"

I adore that we as a fandom have just taken Ed's knee brace that is probably there to make him look cool and just ran with it actually being there cause knee problems.

Still analyzing what his look before saying "want to do something weird" means...

Izzy is such a dramatic bitch and I love that (definitely on the right ship for that)

When I first saw this I didn't understand why Ed was pushing Stede so hard but I think now its because he was showing him the pressure he suffers as Blackbeard. Same with episode 6. I get now that he's preparing him to be able to stab someone in case shite happens. The first time I saw it, I honestly thought it was because he thought they might have to fight each other and Ed was preparing him for that.

I wonder of in season 2 we are actually going to get to see Ed fighting cause we didn't at all in season 1.

Still can't get passed Ed's look when he tells Stede "Go" to pull the sword out.

Also something something episode 6 when Ed mentions turning a persons fear against them feels important for the last episode but I can't explain it.

When Stede is wearing his black turtleneck get up, I just noticed he was wearing a blue cloth tied around his waist.

Also can't get over Izzy caressing the curtain in Epi 6.

Still hurts that Ed not only lost a potential love interest but someone that seemed like a true friend.

So proud of Stede for catching the sword when challenged by Izzy. And I think he means the use of fuckery that Ed taught him well on, not actual sword fighting.

Also Jim during the entire duel scene XD love seeing them pantomime stabbing Izzy, lol

Also Izzy's choice of words still makes me giggle. "You will rue it LONG and you will rue it HARD." Izzy, what

Still wondering why exactly Ed wanted to leave the Revenge in epi 7 and why he was in a mood all day? was he embarrassed? Did he realize his feelings? During the treasure hunt was he just hungry and hated nature?

I can't wait to see if we ever get more about Jim's brother in season 2

Episode 7 is my favorite Jim/Olu episode <3

In episode 8...Ah I love Stede's little eyebrow flinch when CJ asks if he's buggering Ed.

Also I can't get over Samba's story about the hardest filming moment being the scene with Karl's death because he was behind a hexing Buttons who had his butt clenched.

Confident Stede is just...*chef kiss*

poor stede looks like he's going to cry when Ed leaves

I just noticed the red rim around Stede's eye from the telescope in episode 8 when he is spying on Ed and CJ

Goodness do I love that they used "The Chain" and it has gained new popularity because of that. It's such a good song. Freaking love Stevie Nicks. I grew up listening to this song <3

The foot touch!! Still hits even after seeing it several times.

I love unhinged Roach, lmao.

Idk but something about when Chauncey says to Ed that Stede is "apart of my world, not yours"

Aww, my heart still warms when the crew calls Stede a real pirate and defends him <3

Izzy's Revenge does sound funny

Omg, the kiss still is just as powerful. The little noise Stede makes! Ed practically climbing in to his lap! I can't wait till season 2 kisses.

Aww I want to see a little bit of Captain Olu in season 2.

Just noticed Stede has two pillows. Is one Ed's or did he Stede his way in to getting two?

Ed's last scene being happy D:

Geez, the trauma of Chauncey's death. I just took a trauma theory class and something we discussed is what is trauma. There was a writer who had a theory that a part of trauma comes from how a person reacts to a event. Considering (we assume) that this death caused Stede to run back home, we can say that this death was much more traumatic then any of the others. I hope that gets explored in Season 2.

My heart hurts every time I see Ed waiting for Stede. I wish he had looked for Stede, considering that man is a trouble magnet, but considering his own trauma, I can see why he didn't.

He had to of cried a bit while he rowed to the revenge, right? But he definitely looked angry while rowing? Probably at himself and Stede

I love the title of episode 10 so very much. Also, that we got to see Mary explore freedom. And the song at the very end of the episode. Miles from Nowhere was a wonderful choice. Also Avalanche.

I finally realize what I would call some of Stede's behavior while he is home. Bitter. I was just going to go with heartbroken and stuff but yeah, bitter.

I wonder if the crew realizes that Izzy is lying out his ass. Or if they know what happened to Stede. Maybe the crew just thinks that Stede decided not to come? or that he wasn't able to leave? Up until Lucius talks with ed?

Fang is precious <3

Just realized Ed was whistling while he was tidying up the Captain's room.

Sometimes I skip episode 10 on my re-watches. It huuuurrrts. I don't think I could accept a Izzy redemption arc until he realizes he messed up by turning Stede in and verbally hurting Ed when he was already vulnerable

He couldn't let go of Blackbeard so he's letting go of Ed T_T I think along with all the other analyzing of why Ed is crying, I think some of it is he just misses his friend.

[stargazer-sims]

Here they are, the fictional J-pop boy group nobody asked for... Sugar Valentine

I'm ridiculously proud of how they all turned out. Senjirō is my bias, though, with Keigo a close second. I… think I accidentally made Sakuharu look a bit like Hyunjin from Stray Kids. Oops 😬

I need to get them out of CAS and into a photo setup, so I can do some proper in-game shots of them, but you can have some CAS screenshots for now.

Anyway...

Sugar Valentine is a five-member group. They sing, rap and dance, and they've written and composed a lot of their own material. Senjirō is learning how to produce, and star dancer Keigo is learning how to create choreography.

Their fans are known as Valentines.

💖

Ryu (Yoshida Ryuusei) - rapper

Ryu is the oldest and the group's de facto leader. He's very serious and doesn't always have patience for the shenanigans of his younger members. He loves all of them like brothers though, despite them sometimes getting on his very last nerve. Ryu is one of the group's writers, and enjoys bouncing new song ideas off Senjirō and the others. In his spare time (what is that?), Ryu enjoys playing video games and teaching himself how to play the guitar.

"Nothing good is ever achieved without passion, patience and hard work."

———

Kēki (Sasaki Keigo) - singer

Keigo is the second-oldest member of the group. His stage name means "cake". He's the most chaotic; the undisputed trickster of the group, but also the soft and cuddly one who's always there to comfort his adopted brothers or cheer them up when they need it. He can often be found in a cuddle pile with Senjirō during their downtime. Keigo is the best dancer of the five of them, and often takes time to help the others learn complicated routines when they're struggling. The fans have nicknamed him “Sweet Samurai” and among the fans he’s most noted for singing this tagline along with his own made-up lyrics to the tune of “Sweet Caroline” in exceptionally poor English. It shows up in just about every “what every Valentine should know” fan edit, and Keigo will never stop being amused by it.

"You don't need to ask where the party's at. The party's here. I'm the party."

-----

Haru (Abe Sakuharu) - rapper

Haru is a fan favourite and, according to his own very scientific internet research, he's the member of Sugar Valentine who has gotten the most marriage proposals from Valentines. Of the five members, he's the least advanced in learning English, and (also according to his own research) has the most fan-made memes featuring his funny English fails. He loves the fan edits the Valentines post online, and everyone knows he's found a new one when they hear him laughing hysterically in his room. Sakuharu's favourite thing outside of performing is making fiber crafts (knitting, crochet, embroidery, etc.) It's his "hidden talent" which isn't the least bit hidden now that the Valentines know about it.

"Never judge anything or anyone at first sight. Most times, the truth is found deeper than the surface."

-----

Senjirō (Aidan Senjirō Okada) - singer

Senjirō is the second-youngest member of the group. He's the quiet, thoughtful one, and the one who's most calm and rational in a crisis. He's also ridiculously intelligent, a fact that the other members tease him about renlentlessy. Regardless of his even-tempered, easygoing personality, Senjirō knows how to have fun. He can be just as silly and chaotic as the rest, especially when he's being cheered on by his favourite sidekick Keigo. Senjirō loves to eat; he'll eat almost anything and can wolf down twice as much food as anyone else (and yet still manages to be the tiniest member of the group). Senjirō writes a lot of lyrics for the group, and works closely with Taiji to put together their compositions.

"Don't panic."

-----

Taiji (Kanematsu Taiji) - singer

Taiji is the baby of the group, and has been aptly nicknamed "Baby Sugar" by the Valentines. He can play a variety of instruments, and does a large amount of musical composition for the group. Music is his true passion. Taiji shares his room with Sakuharu and is happy that he doesn't have to be alone. He's a social creature, loves to perform, and loves being with his friends. What he doesn't like is how the Valentines assume so much about him and the other members or how they simply make things up to suit their own personal narrative. Ryu and Keigo have told Taiji multiple times to stay off fansites and fan-created social media accounts, because all they do is upset him, but for some reason, Taiji can't leave them alone despite the fact that they cause him so much distress.

"Music is one of the elements at the center of life. We have music for celebrating every special occasion, music for grieving, for comfort, and to help us sleep, and we have music that's just for fun. Music is everywhere, and it's everything."

[toaverse]

What More is Out there? (song)

After writing Encanto's version of Unleash the Magic, I wanted to do What More is out there? but with, of course, Mira! And I figured that it would fit her story in the modern AU perfectly! So here we are!

Note: This takes place before Mira told the family about her dreams at dinner...

Enjoy!

-

Mirabel steps out of her math class, closing the classroom door behind her.

Apparently, La directora wants to see her, most likely because her grades are slipping…

Mirabel walks through the halls, passing the lockers. When two of her peers nearly ran into her, Mira is forced to step aside for them. As she does, the two teens glare at her, obviously pissed at her for getting in their way…

Mirabel can’t help but look saddened, wishing to have at least one friend to hang out and talk with, but she doesn’t. She’s all alone…

It has always been like that. At school, but especially at home…

“They’ve walked through all these halls before.” Mirabel states, obviously refering to her family, her more amazing and talented family… “They’ve been in and out of every door…”

Mirabel looks out of a window inside a classroom, seeing the teacher explain math on the board she doesn’t understand. The moment doesn’t last long, as one of the students pulls the curtains down, giving her a look of annoyance…

“There’s nothing in this school that they don’t know. In every class their grades the best, the highest score on every test...”Mirabel says, feeling dumb compared to her family. She remembers how proud Isabela was when she came home with an A for her biology test, or how Tía Pepa constantly brags about Dolores’, Camilo’s and her own excellent grades back in high school… “So I think that means it’s time for me to go..."

Mirabel can't help but look saddened as she continues walking, thinking about her family and how talented they are compared to her...

"I know there’s more that’s out there, and I just haven’t found it yet.” Since she discovered embroidery, Mirabel always wanted to create and make traditional Colombian clothing as her job, in the land of opportunity. “I know there’s more that’s out there. Another me I haven’t met.”

Mirabel walks to the center of the school, where it’s quite busy. She has to step aside or dodge her peers multiple times, while they give her a nasty look. She’s always in the way…

“This school is full of people. But still, I don't belong..." Mirabel states sadly. She just doesn't fit in, at school or at home... "They only dream of status. They look at me like something's wrong."

Noticing a few girls giving her nasty looks, Mirabel quickly gets out of the way, heading towards the stairs.

It reminds her of the looks her Abuela, Isabela and Tía Pepa always give her whenever she's basically near them.

"Maybe I'm better off alone..." Mirabel says saddened. Well, she's already alone. She doesn't have any friends because none of her peers like her, and Camilo stays away from her and has his own friends. Even if Mirabel did have at least one friend, she could never hang out after school because she always has to go straight to her Tía's house to babysit Antonio... "Will I find what I'm looking for if I just do it on my own?"

Well, it really seems like it, since her family often forgets she's there or purposely leave her out of stuff, depends on who it is...

"I know there's more that's out there, something to fill this hole inside." Mirabel says as she walks up the first set of stairs. Ever since she discovered her love for embroidery, she wanted to make it her job, her career, and she had always imagined being outside of Colombia. Specifically, in the land of opportunity. "I know there's more that's out there, and I'm not afraid to try."

Yes, Mirabel is willing to try to achieve her dreams, and she can only hope for her family's support...

"There's only so much this land can offer, and I'm not saying that it's wrong." She says as she walks up the second set of stairs. "But I know there's more that's out there, 'cause I've been searching all along."

There are places outside of Colombia. Countries that offer more educational opportunities, that have different cultures and different people. And Mira wants to visit them someday.

"Beyond these rooms, beyond these walls." In all honesty though, Mirabel also just wants to leave this school. Yes, the rest of her family (except her papá) have attended this school as well and graduated here, but she has nothing. No friends, no popularity, no excellent grades... "So much to learn, I can't see it all."

A pang of optimism hits Mirabel, becoming more hopeful.

"There's something out there calling me!" She sings, looking forward to her future. "And it's a mystery that I can't wait to see!"

She walks up the last set of stairs towards La directora's office, far more confident than when she was before.

"Because I know there's more that's out there. Another place, another way." Mirabel sings, feeling hopeful. At this moment, her average grades don't matter, her family's treatment of her doesn't matter. She finally looks forward to her future, seeing her dreams in it. "And I know there's more that's out there."

She can only hope her family will support her...

"And I'll find out some day!"

[quillheel]

@tenebriism // sophie & howl!

her nature, to care, to wait, had lived in her long before she stepped foot into this castle. But it was the stubborn, sincere will that guides her now, true-minded, developed like a skill. darning needle, embroidery thread in so unreasonable fabric, task turned over again and again until she knows the motions even when she doesn't : the roots of them, the little sparkling parts that really matter : which is to say — she'd know this bit by heart now.

at least, some broad and smooth part of her heart, now. written on it in shining ink. she's sure of it. she'd be proud to say how she wasn't gifted it, like her sisters had been in all the other ways she still underestimates and underwhelms herself over, but instead to say it was practiced, and learned, and sincere beyond sincere in those interwoven laces. What it takes to progress, what it takes to experience

She couldn't say she'd find herself caring about such things as beauty as she once had, no, not in a long time now. Unlike...

" Are you really still on about that? " the chime, not unkind but rather a sort of flat-footed tone she takes when she's unbothered or perhaps only feigning it to tease him, hails from close to his bedside, as she reaches up, up to some bottles hiding in the back of a shelf almost covered in his knickknacks and all those shining things; careful despite, the way she is undeterred even as her back protests, eyes glancing down to him only briefly ( a moments study, but she hears more in his voice alone. ) and her fingers find the neck of a vial as she speaks, " You know, I still think black is a nice look for you. Being blonde isn't as nice as you'd think it is! Though, if it's different with magic than naturally, I'm afraid... "

she sees the tremor in his throat, the hard rattle of his body tensing, the tendons of the neck & the shiver of his shoulders & his sharp breath pushed out, that moment just before his coughing fit, and she's down from her stool in one step backwards unto solid ground between the clutter and the plates resting 'pon the hardwood with nowhere else to put them, tea resting on his end-table — she's got a hand on him then, first pulling at his shoulder to shift him unto his flank, then sliding down, gingerly, to the side of his neck. her fingers covered by wefts of dark hair, rubbing soft soothing circles into the tender skin, gracing the nape of his neck...

she can't help but note the ash that sputters from him, tangled in saliva or out on the air in thin wisps, and something in her churns, nervous... a budding worry, to see an omen but not it's cause. no, no, not yet... but, the ash she'd seen, the marketplace... Come on Sophie, focus now, gentle...

" Shh... Easy, Howl... you know that's not true... " her answer is ever so softer than the one prior, aged fingertips still messaging as she speaks, his soft hair resting over her knuckles as she does. in her other hand, the vial, which she examines carefully... she could never truly hope to know everything in this place, what it did and could do, much less what was in it, but she'd gotten better of feeling out which to be which after the bath incident; something in the consistency, in the shimmer, in the swirl, in the hold of it... her attention never strays from him for long, even if all she has to spare is her voice, as croaking as she knows it to be now. ( she's half-certain Howl loves the sound of a voice, even if he doesn't answer to it. the noise of people's speaking. she doesn't find her own all that pleasant, but a distraction might be kind to him, now... )

" If I had it my way, I'd already have gotten Markl to try his hand at making something to at least soothe your chest! surely I doubt he'd be able to make that cough any worse. or, better yet, find something myself, but... " 'But I don't want to be apart from you. I don't want you to feel as alone as oftentimes, I think you do. I know it to be fleeting, even if you should know I'll come back. The worry, there. I don't want you to convince yourself that you are being proven right...'

— ... all she gives a vague little shrug, and her hand slides from the back & side of his neck to closer toward his shoulder, perhaps a means of holding him in place, as she sets the vial down, and one-handedly works at a gnarled bundle of old herbs ( ginger, mint, chamomile... ), plucking and pinching off the stubborn leaves and long-dried flowers in a hope, quietly, that they might help if she found the just right way to use them. More familiar than the vials and elixirs and concoctions surrounding her at every side... ( She's grateful they're not rotted, by how long they must have been here for... ) —— " Ah, well, maybe later. Can you be good and tell me what's wrong, then...? I hear the cough, but what about a fever? " she briefly considers the idea that she doesn't actually know if wizards can get fevers, at least as intensely as the unmagical, but she chooses to ignore such thoughts as she raises a hand and touches it to his forehead, seeking, attentive...

surely, were there any other injuries, she would find them... ( so rarely does the fire that cause such smog leave only it's ash as a keepsake to the injured... )