#full coverage wip

[thackeroy]

So I went a little hard on my full coverage in March...I'm nearing 25%!

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Besotted 2

No tag lists. Do not send asks or DMs about updates. Review my pinned post for guidelines, masterlist, etc.

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as noncon/dubcon, virginity loss, age gap, and possible untagged elements. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: your new neighbour brings intrigue and a bit of danger.

Characters: ex-con!Bucky Barnes

Note: Oh, Mr. Barnes.

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me.

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!) Please do not just put ‘more’. I will block you.

I love you all immensely. Take care. 💖

It’s not exactly the promised casserole, but it’s what you can manage. You’re a simple woman. You wish more people appreciated that.  

The shepherd’s pie is much better in your opinion. A hardy full meal. A couple of dinners in a single pan at least. Even if he asks you to join him for dinner. 

Most of your night was spent on the feat. After your shifts, you don’t often have much energy, but you’re committed. You’re finally going to prove Angelique wrong. You’re going to rub it in her face, too. 

You change out of your gravy spattered sweats and change into something cuter. Sexier.

The halter dress doesn’t offer much in the way of coverage or support. Your chest tests the strength of the bodice, your cleavage squished together in the deep vee, and the skirt ends just low enough to hide your panties. 

You cover the pie and slide into a pair of wedged sandals. You use your elbow to open the screen door and push out with your hip, spinning onto the front porch. It’s quiet outside. The sky slowly dims as the streetlights flick on one by one. 

You clomp down the steps dangerously, balancing yourself with the ceramic dish. You bought it just for this very purpose. You want everything to be perfect. 

You have a fresh coat of nail polish on your fingers and toes alike, sparkly and perfectly sealed. You dab on a little lip gloss before you left your side of the duplex and touched up your mascara. Just enough but not too much effort. 

You stop at the bottom of his steps. You stare up at the door. You glance over at the black motorcycle. You saw him ride up on it earlier. He looked even sexier. He had his long hair pulled back, a few strands blown free by the wind, and he wore a pair of dark black sunglasses. He really has the whole dangerous aesthetic down. 

You climb stair by stair and ease open the outer door. You rap on the thicker wood door and wait. You arrange yourself and the pan. The screen door rests against your elbow. 

When the locks twists, you push your shoulders up and chest out. You smile big. He pulls inward and greets you with a grunt and raised brow. His eyes drift back and forth as if looking for something, or someone. 

“Hi, Bucky, remember I promised you a casserole?” You chime. 

He’s in his usual all black attire. Black jeans, black tank, his left arm swathed in tattoos. His silver-streaked hair hangs around his chin and his beard adds to the sharpness of his jawline. His forehead lines deeper as he looks you over. 

His eyes come back to you and flick down. You hold the dish before your chest so his eyes snag first on your cleavage. You see the way they dart in between the two then back to your face. You extend your arms to offer the pan. He reaches to catch the screen door so it doesn’t hit you, stepping closer as he does. He’s made even bigger as the porch is slightly lower than inside the house. 

“It’s a shepherd’s pie. I know it’s not exactly what I promised--” 

“I told ya not to bother, girl,” he grits. 

You bat your eyes and pout. His voice is silky but gritty. You could drown in it as easily as his eyes. 

“It’s no bother,” you insist. “Really. Secret family recipe. I make my own gravy. Oh and I use sweet potato. You get the sweet and the savoury together.” 

He hums darkly and inhales. You watch his chest rise and fall. His cheeks dimple. He reaches for the dish. 

“Be worse to waste your effort,” he utters dully. 

“It was easy,” you assure him and hand it over. “I just know when you’re settling in, there’s so much to be done. I didn’t eat a real meal for two weeks when I got my place.” 

He holds the pan in his hand and looks at your again. His eyes seem to strain as he meets yours. As if fighting not to look somewhere else. 

“Thanks,” he growls. Oof, he’s like those romanticized bad boys in a novella. 

“No problem!” You wiggle. “I really hope you enjoy it.” 

He nods and stands there awkwardly. He sighs again and taps his fingers on the screen door. He clucks before he speaks again. 

“Guess I shouldn’t... just send you off. You went to all this trouble,” he begins. Your heart picks up. Yessssss. “You eat?” 

Your smile can’t get any bigger, “oh not yet, I was cooking but I got a Michelena’s in my freezer--” 

“Wouldn’t be right if you didn’t try some,” he insists, though hesitation plucks in his timbre. 

“Oh, you are too nice, Bucky. I’ll have a little, but I made it for you.” 

“Mm,” he goes to back up and you shuffle forward. He stops again. 

“Wait out here,” he commands. 

Yes, daddy, you nearly blurt out, even if you are disappointed not to be let in. 

“I’ll bring it out to you. Place is... unpacked.” 

“Right, okay, I’ll be here. Waiting,” you twirl away and flutter over to the small table against the siding. You watched him set it up the other day. With two matching chairs. It’s that discount set you saw outside the hardware store. 

You sit and put your elbows on the table. Then you make yourself sit up. You look down and fix your tits in the dress. The dress keeps riding up as your chest is heavy enough to bunch up the fabric under it. The cut of the bodice ends a bit short of your actual proportions. 

Angelique, you bitch. She has those perfect, high c-cups. She can wear anything without a bra and no one really knows, unless it’s cold. But you, it’s oh so obvious, not that you mind at the moment. Still, it kills the back. 

You cross one leg over the other as the screen door whines on its hinges. Bucky comes around and places two plates on the small table. He shuffles the cutlery in his hands and offers you a fork and knife. He approaches the other chair, a short pause before he sits. 

He’s quiet. That’s okay. Your job is mostly talking. You can be a real yapper when you want to be. You thank him as you hover the fork and knife on either side of the plate. 

“Nice night,” you say. 

He slices through the layers of beef and potato, scooping up the veg with it. He shrugs. 

“The oven heated up my place so much though, I’ll have to keep the windows open,” you press the tines into the top layer of potato. “I wish I had AC, it gets so hot.” 

He looks at you to show he’s listening but still has no response as he chews. You don’t mind a bit of silence. It’s kind of like a sexy mystery. You just have to solve his riddle. 

“Oh, I had a question. About your bike.” You brighten up, jolting so your chest bounces with you. His eyes sink for a split second. 

“Are you going to try it?” He gestures with his fork. 

“Oh, uh, of course.” You stop and scoop up some pie. You smile then lean in to slide it into your mouth. You drag your lips down the fork as you stare at him. Your chest is as good as one the table. “Mmmm.” 

You quickly swallow and run your tongue over your teeth, “about your bike.” 

“The motorcycle?” He rasps. 

“Sure, um, well, you know, I’ve been saving up for a car but I was thinking a bike might be cooler. Faster. I looked up some lessons but thought you might know some stuff too.” You twirl your fork in your fingers. 

“Dangerous,” he says. “And you can’t drive around in dresses.” 

You look down and lean back. You giggle, “do you like it? It’s new. I got it on sale.” 

He sounds like he’s choking as he swallows. He wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, “pretty colour.” 

“You think? I don’t know. I was looking at the purple one too.” 

“Wouldn’t know the difference,” he mutters. 

“Well...” you grin at him and lean forward. “I like your necklace.” 

He brings his hand up to his neck, “dog tags.” 

“Oh, you’re a soldier? Or, were? A veteran?” 

“Was,” he answers curtly and takes another bite. You have more as well, feeling a bit awkward. 

“So how about it? I could pay for lessons, I don’t mind. Or... maybe other things. Make ya more dinners?” 

“Dunno. Got work,” he says. 

“Right, me too. What do you do?” You ask. 

His cheek ticks, “nothing exciting.” 

“Ah, me neither. I work at this call center in the bank. Sit in the basement and try to sell credit cards. Pays pretty good though and you get commission if you sell a diamond.” You explain, “boring, I know.” 

“Gotta start somewhere,” he remarks. 

“Yeah, I guess,” you agree. “So, are you from around here?” 

“I’m here now. Doesn’t matter,” he answers. He’s stubborn, you’ll give him that. 

You watch his hands. His knuckles are tattooed with little wolf heads. His fingers are deft and thick. You think about them doing other things.

“I grew up here. Not in this house but in this town. I guess it’s alright.” You preen and fix your dress. He’s looking again. “But I only really got friends from around here too. I love learning about new people. New places.” 

His plate is clear already. You don’t realise until that moment how quick he was eating. Almost mechanically. 

“You gonna finish that?” He asks. “You girls peck like birds.” 

You giggle again, “that’s funny. My mom always said I chatter like one. Called me Chickadee when she got annoyed, which was like always.” 

“Mm,” he drones. 

“I’ll finish,” you push your fork into the pie, “like a good girl.” 

His eyes flash. You got him. He shifts and puts down his cutlery. He sits back and crosses his arms. His knees are set wide as he heaves another deep breath. 

You suck another bite off the fork. You lick your lips. You set down your knife on the rim of the plate and touch your chest, just below your throat. 

“I’m so sorry, could I get something to drink? Please?” 

He twitches, “shoulda offered before.” 

He gets up. You smile, “thanks, Bucky.” 

He gets up and takes his empty plate. He walks past you with a gristly breath. You catch how he tugs at the loop of his belt, adjusting his pants just slightly. You’re not trying to be too into yourself but you think you know why. 

You continue to eat. The pie turned out pretty good. And you are starving. He returns with a tall glass of water for you, a beer for himself. He doesn’t sit. 

“Thank you so much,” you smile and reach for the glass. You rinse out your mouth and watch him as he puts his back to you and looks out at the lawn. “Did you like it?” 

“Hm?” He turns his head so you can see his profile in the streetlight’s glow. 

“The pie?” 

“Oh, yeah, good cooking. Been a while.” 

You smile. You’re proud of that. You’re no Gordon Ramsay, you can cook simple things, but they do the trick. 

You finish as he watches the neighbourhood. A few passerbys have his posture changing. You set the cutlery neatly on the plate and stand. You come up next to him and put your hands on the rail. You sense him flinch. 

“I hate this humidity, makes me so sticky,” you fan yourself. He must be dying in those jeans. 

He grunts but offers no other reply. 

“I like your tattoos. I was thinking of getting one,” you turn to look at him, keeping one hand on the rail, as the other frames your hip. “Maybe like a little heart?” 

“Mm, if you want to. Just ink.” 

“Sure. Do you have any recommendations for an artist? I don’t even know where to start.” You giggle again. 

“Didn’t get any here. Make sure you don’t cheap out,” he shrugs and tucks his thumbs into his jeans pockets. He won’t look at you. 

You search for something else. Anything. 

“Dinner was good. Thanks. I don’t wanna keep you,” he gets there first. Fuck. 

“Oh, I don’t mind.” 

“Got an early morning,” he sniffs. 

“Alright, uh, sure. I’ll see ya around?” He nods. You try not to show your disappointment. You tremble then squeeze his arm, “I like talking to you, neighbour.” 

You drag your touch down his forearm then turn away. You sway your hips as you head for the stairs. You get to the top and look over at him, “good night, Bucky.” 

“Night,” he growls. 

You take the first step down but on the second, your wedge sandal slips off and bounces down the steps. You trip and find yourself stumbling forward. It all happens so fast, you yelp as you find yourself just a few inches off the ground, staring down at your fate but not meeting it. 

Bucky has you by your arms. He holds you almost horizontal as your feet remain on the third step. He pulls you up to your feet and you lean back against him with a gasp. You feel him tense. 

“Oh my, I’m so clumsy,” you fan yourself. “Bucky, you saved me.” 

His fingers curl into your bare arms before he lets go. He steps around you and stomps down to grab your shoe. You tug at the top of your dress as he looks up, your left boob is almost out. Your cup it and guide it beneath the fabric. 

His throat bobs as he stares up at you. He puts the shoe flat at the bottom of the stairs. He doesn’t say a word as he offers his hand. You take it and hobble down in your single wedge. 

“Thank you, Bucky,” you step into your shoe at the bottom and cling to him, “you’re such a gentleman.” 

He shudders and gently wiggles his hand free, “get outta here, girl.” 

He backs away and turns to take the stairs two at a time. You grimace at his suddenness. You turn as the door swings shut behind him and the inside one closes in quick succession. Your plate and the drinks are still on the table. 

You’re only disappointed your night was cut short. You let the agitation slake away and sighs. You laugh to yourself and slowly strut away. Oh, you did something. 

[edutainer2022]

It's Scott Tracy's birthday, but all my WIP stories are kinda angsty atm. So I decided to revisit this little thing on the day - it always makes me smile. It's mind-numbing fluff. A morning talk-show with Jeff Tracy upon return to Earth provides grounds for some much needed revelations. And hugs.

ONE WORD ANSWERS

As interviews were going these months, this was a smaller one. Done privately from the desk in the lounge via a holo-com. Ever since the dramatic return from Oort Cloud, already christened the "Rescue of the Century", every media outlet worldwide wanted a piece of him. Jeff didn't feel much like putting up with most of it - eight years in outer space on meager rations and slim hope was a brutal awakening once they were safely back on Earth. Besides, he'd rather not waste any more time than necessary on media coverage, away from his family. He'd done his fair share of that in his active duty days, and Lord knew he had A LOT to catch up with in his sons' lives. A lot! Some things he gleaned and pieced together in observations and a backlog of reports were more... thought provoking than others. But some visibility was needed and even expected. He understood that.

The interview for a morning show in a different timezone was to be short, capped up with a ten-questions blitz to lighten the mood. The outline of questions, as per usual, was screened by John and Tracy Legal, and pre-approved by Jeff himself. His only recommendation this time around was the order of points in a blitz.

If the boys were surprised he asked them to sit in through the interview, obscured by the sunken lounge, they didn't show it. Jeff made sure everyone was on the island, Scott back from NYC and the Tracy Industries Board full of questions and incessant worries as to the perspective changes in status quo, Alan back from campus orientation, even John planetside for the weekend (something that had become a frequent and welcome habit). They knew Dad sometimes struggled with social situations these days and needed some cheering along and support - which was provided with unreserved abandon.

The interview was running its course smoothly, as they neared the 10 questions section. The show anchor was all smiles - the mock-blitz questions were submitted by the viewers and the most frequent or special ones were selected.

- So, Mr. Tracy, you were the First Man on Mars, the Founder of International Rescue, you set multiple supersonic speed records. How would you describe yourself in one word?

Oh, that was an easy one. He would have used so many words years ago as applied to himself - some more on point, some vain. A pilot. An astronaut. An entrepreneur. A husband. A son. A Thunderbird. A man of the world. A friend. A savior. A failure. An idealist. A leader. A survivor. Jeff Tracy still was all those things, in different measures. But eight years of the endless night, with nothing but his thoughts, memories and dreams for company, have distilled his self-awareness to one point of absolute clarity:

- A father.

He could hear the collective breath escape his sons' lips and a soft glow washed over their features.

The blitz went on.

- What are you most proud of?

That too was a no-brainer, but he might need more than one word to answer exhaustively. Never hurts to elaborate on global television:

- My sons. There are no words to express how proud I am of their accomplishments and of the incredible people they grew up to be: my youngest son Alan is a prodigy, the youngest rocket pilot in history, Gordon is an Olympic champion, an environmental activist AND an Aquanot for International Rescue, Dr. John Tracy, the Voice that Answers, holds multiple PhD degrees in Astrophysics and Computer Science, my son Virgil is an accomplished pianist, like his mother, and a recognized artist on top of being busy full time with International Rescue engineering.

Smiles were blooming on his boys' faces up to a point it became apparent he stopped his answer at four. Jeff could swear there was a sheen of tears in Alan’s eyes, whereas light brown and turquoise turned momentarily hard. Virgil's whole face was a shimmer of disbelief and betrayal. Scott's eyes, soft and understanding, and infinitely sad, would be enough to stop the interview right there and backtrack. But he needed to see this through just right. The news anchor was beaming, as they were down to the last question:

- That is certainly a LOT to be proud of, Mr. Tracy. I'm sure the whole world, anyone who has ever needed help from International Rescue, would agree. But our viewers want to know one last thing from the Hero of the Century. Do you know you're called that? That's a tough mark to measure up to! Well, who is YOUR Hero, Mr. Tracy?

The anchor probably would have never guessed how simple and ready that answer was in his mind. He didn't need a moment to think:

- My eldest son. Scott Tracy. Everything International Rescue is today, everything our family is today - we owe him. I owe him my life. I know nobody stronger in the face of so much pain and pressure. I could survive in outer space, but I am not sure I could ever do what he did in my absence. I could never admire or respect anyone more. I am a better man for being his father. So it's simple as that, Scott Tracy is my hero.

The holo projector barely flickered out when he was barreled into midriff by a flurry of warm and blond, and fierce. Alan hugged him tight and mumbled "Thank you!", no doubt aimed at his words not only on all other brothers, but on Scott. He meant every one of those. Soon he was in a circle of strong arms and within reach of the most beloved young faces, incandescent with emotions and hope. All but one. Scott lingered behind, as he was disturbingly wont to since their first hug in the Oort Cloud - hence Jeff's little staged performance today, as a desperate measure. He held his eldest son's gaze unwaveringly across the lounge, aware of the tears streaming from still astonished blue eyes. It was an instant loss to step out of his boys' embrace even for a brief moment, but there was something he needed to do. He crossed to the couches in three big strides and held Scott as tightly to himself as the still recuperating muscles would allow. It hurt to know the boy would be this surprised to be acknowledged and appreciated. But Jeff was gifted a second chance to let all his sons know how cherished they were. How precious. He'd waste no minute of that. A tight circle of strong arms was soon  embracing him and Scott again, more confirmations of affection all around washing over. There was nothing he'd rather do for the rest of his life.

[gallifreyinstituteforlearning]

time lords on casual tv (or whatever it is they have?)

What's on Time Lord TV?

You probably picture Time Lords constantly embroiled in complex temporal stuff, but they do have their own forms of TV entertainment. Here’s a glimpse into what Time Lords might watch during their downtime:

📺 Public Register Video and Public Access Television

These are the primary sources of media content on Gallifrey. Public Register Video holovids are viewed on advanced plasma image media screens and are also in 5-dimensional cinemas. Time Lords can also use telepathic holograms. They also have Public Access Television, which has 87,656,432 channels. Yes, 87,656,432 channels.

Major Ceremonies and Traditional Events: Coverage of important cultural and ceremonial events on Gallifrey.

Presidential Bulletin: A daily broadcast with all the news about the Capitol, keeping Gallifreyans informed about the latest political and social developments. It's also their only news source - they don't have mass media.

Observatory Reports: Official reports from the Observatories to keep Gallifreyans updated on the cosmos, but mainly focused on stellar weather patterns and other cosmic phenomena.

Emergency Regenerations: Occasional broadcasts of emergency regenerations.

📜 More Broadcasts

These are more speculative.

Temporal Dramas: Serialised stories involving the intricate lives of various Time Lords, filled with political intrigue, historical reenactments, and temporal wibbly-wobbly.

Documentaries: In-depth documentaries on quantum mechanics, time travel, and the histories of various civilisations across the universe as well as their own.

Artistic Performances: Time Lords appreciate high culture, so performances might include temporal sculptures that shift through different eras, epic poetry recitals that span centuries, and musical compositions that incorporate time manipulation elements.

Game Shows: Featuring complex mental challenges and puzzles that test a Time Lord’s knowledge of history, science, and temporal mechanics. Though since they don't really use money, it's probably more to show off than win a prize.

Cultural Exchanges: Programs that explore the cultures of other species and civilisations.

Philosophical Debates: Discussions on the nature of time, existence, and the ethical implications of time travel, often featuring prominent Time Lords and philosophers.

Sitcoms and Stand-up Shows: Contrary to popular assumption, Gallifreyans do have a sense of humour, and there are working comedians.

Kids' TV: Children on Gallifrey aren't really treated like children - you won't find Sesame Street or the Teletubbies on here, just hardcore education.

🏫 So ...

So, while they might not have "Casual TV" in the human sense, the Time Lords certainly know how to keep themselves entertained. And with 87,656,432 channels, don't tell me you can't find something to watch.

Related:

💬|⏰🎶What is Gallifreyan music like?: Musical instruments and genres on Gallifrey.

💬|⏰🎾What sports and games are there on Gallifrey?: The (lack of) physical sports on Gallifrey and other games.

💬|⏰🎮Do Gallifreyans have video games?: Detailing the one solitary 'video game' on Gallifrey.

Hope that helped! 😃

Any orange text is educated guesswork or theoretical. More content ... →📫Got a question? | 📚Complete list of Q+A and factoids →📢Announcements |🩻Biology |🗨️Language |🕰️Throwbacks |🤓Facts → Features:⭐Guest Posts | 🍜Chomp Chomp with Myishu →🫀Gallifreyan Anatomy and Physiology Guide (pending) →⚕️Gallifreyan Emergency Medicine Guides →📝Source list (WIP) →📜Masterpost If you're finding your happy place in this part of the internet, feel free to buy a coffee to help keep our exhausted human conscious. She works full-time in medicine and is so very tired 😴

[pawborough]

Hello, all! Thank you for the patience at the later update! It's my goal to get them back on track with updates on or near the 10th. We waited this month for two reasons:

1. A few artists went on short hiatus, leaving less to show on the art side.

2. We're focusing a great deal of manpower towards the Cat Creator, including hand-selecting every color and its accents for each gene, balancing the wheel choice in our new system, and full steam ahead illustrating coverage and patterns you all are familiar with on new poses.  We are MIGHTY proud of our work, and feel all the effort going into colors and genes will pay off, but there's not a lot to show off until the huge update (aside from a very extensive and colorful spreadsheet. We are drowning in hex codes!) Our wheel is truly like no other in its aesthetics, but it is taking a healthy amount of effort. 

It was for this reason that we chose to wait until there was a bit more content to show. Next months update may be smaller as we get back on track to the 10th of every month. 

We have great news on what we have completed!

First, let's look at some art!

New Fauna

More backer sponsored Fauna!

Starchaser

Sponsored and concepted by J. Tazer Pones, designed and illustrated by Hydde

Irimar

Sponsored and concepted by Isb, designed and illustrated by Hydde

Glasswing

Sponsored and concepted by SolsticeStar, designed and illustrated by Hydde

And here is a peak at what's being lined currently!

Icons

How about those icons? We think they're coming out quite charming!

Squid, Bok Choy, Wool, Feathers, Hay, Pebbles, Clay, Cream, Brick, Salt Lick, and Sulfur, illustrated by Remmi

Backdrop WIPs

We're chipping away at backdrops! Here are a few work in progresses!

WIP Luna theme header by Runeowl and Mirko

WIP Harvest theme header by Runeowl and Harriertail

WIP Flower Meadow by Harriertail

UI Updates

Next, we're pleased to share what we feel is a fantastic final for our UI layouts. 

Cat Creator

The cat creator went through the industrial meat grinder of testing and iteration. We had several prototypes working, all with pros and cons. A lot of consideration went into user experience, including:

Ensuring the least amount of clicking to see all the options, while still categorizing the content intuitively

In tandem, best utilizing the space to show the most amount of content at once, giving as many options as possible

Help the user best understand the relationship between what is being clicked and what is changing on the cat, with ease of navigation between each option

Give the user an easily accessible "summary" of each trait, color, and pattern that was chosen for the cat 

Find an intuitive way to express the "Saturation / Luminosity" relationship on each color choice while not overwhelming the screen with jumbles of words

We are still toying with colors and superficial visuals, but this is the final layout being built!

The "Summary & Navigation" section will showcase what traits the cat shown is sporting (ex. Ragdoll Adult, Orange Solid, No White, Traditional Eyes.) 

On mobile, the trait summary is represented by a third icon option the user can click. Otherwise, a mobile user can toggle between color and pattern for each section. 

You also will see a color navigator with buttons for every hue, and symbols for "saturated," "dark," "medium," and "light."

Some of these options may seem incongruent from the current creator. Most notably: two accents! 

It may seem like a damning choice. Really, more colors to worry about?

As a reminder, we will be grouping colors to allow for a larger chance at complementary colors (we are not ridding the chance at full randomization, just weighing it more equally against a large number of coordinated options.)

Furthermore, we are adding both line-breaking accents and very, very minor accents like ear fluff (we figured out a way to group it with mystic breeds), skin colors, or freckles on the skin. This was the best direction for both creative freedom and restriction among these options. 

The largest worry we had when considering this decision was user pressure to utilize every slot on the cat. This was at the forefront of our minds all throughout PB's concepting!

As a solution, we are taking a design approach which will encourage users both to use and not use accent slots, depending on the character they are building. We have a reward system in the works which incentivizes both routes! As a character building game with focus on your characters and near limitless possibilities, we are designing a system which values cats and rewards the player not necessarily by abundance in design, but direction and creativity. 

Simply put, building a cat the way you like it will be rewarding. This system will be unveiled at a later date, but it's great addition for the casual, creative, and breeding side of the playerbase! All of this combined made the most sense for a second accent. 

Cat Profile

This is halfway built on the front-end, and will be done very soon!

Breeding

Big news, generative breeding functionality is done!

We wrapped up the breeding logic, and banged out what I believe is an excellent UI. Everything is fully functional!

Users can view not only a rotation of offspring previews, but view all the colors available to the offspring in each slot. 

As well, users can choose what Borough their cat nests in as a premium feature. This includes a "traveling" option which randomizes the Borough for each potential kit!

Also in the preview is the nest tending page. Nests are tended to with items, and users can add midwives to forego the need to manually give said items. This mechanic is being built out!

I realize these previews might look abysmal. We want to be transparent on what we're doing and show "the sausage being made" per se. What's missing from these deployments currently is final pattern assets (previews are dummies for function testing), theme assets, icon placements, and hex codes; all things that aren't actually slowing down development on the technical side. They are very quick inserts once completed, and while it looks like a mess, this page is 99% done! 

It's one step closer to a live update on the website!

We're working next on finishing the cat profile build, the customize functions (scene building, outfit building), and the daily item garnering mechanic!

Thank you everyone!

To Summarize: We shared new Fauna, icons, backdrop work-in-progresses, the final cat creator UI, the cat profile UI, and a look at our completed breeding functionality. 

What to expect next month: Further asset renderings, outfit/scene building design, further functionality previews of what we are working on next. 

[thecurlyginger]

20 Questions for Fic Writers

@12thhouse-sun tagged me days ago - I'm alive queen and answering this for you!

1) How many works do you have on AO3?

30 which I literally cannot believe but OKAY

2) What’s your total AO3 word count?

317,219... wow.

3) What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Plus-One, a Parks & Rec one-shot where Leslie coerces Ben to be her date to Mark's wedding and feelings becoming revealed.

NFWMB, a Marvelous Mrs. Maisel fic from Lenny's perspective about the allure of a certain female comic.

Sweet Vermouth, another MMM fic - this time from Midge's POV, following the season 3 finale and her fall from grace after being fired from Shy's tour.

Where the Heart Is, a Parks & Rec fic that tells the story of Leslie's house throughout the seasons.

Your Protector, my Baldur's Gate 3 fic from Gale's POV that tells the story of him falling in love over the events of the game with a certain vengeful paladin.

4) What fandoms do you write for?

Currently Baldur's Gate. Been mentally cooking up a DA: Veilgard fic or two (or three) but haven't had the time to get to writing.

5) Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

ALWAYS. I love love love comments, and if someone is kind enough to write about my story, then the least I can do is answer. In my mind, it also encourages people to comment!

6) What’s the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Definitely my WIP What Then, If the Storm Ends. Getting some words in the comments that I'm due to pay for therapy...

7) What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Honestly all of my Parks & Rec fics have happy endings because that's the tone of the show!

8) Do you get hate on fics?

Someone hated on how I personified Louie CK's character (that he was a dick) on Parks & Rec in one of my fics and all I could think of after the truth about that guy came out was... well, guess I was right. I get it, character vs actor, but since that show was so heavily improv'd, I felt vindicated.

9) Do you write smut?

...mayhaps. (yes I do)

10) Do you write crossovers?

No, sorry I haven't!

11) Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not stolen, but I had an idea for a story and due to not having time to write it, someone beat me to the punch!!

12) Have you ever had a fic translated?

I haven't, but that would be super cool! I had someone tell me they had to google a lot of things to understand my modern day BG3 fic because I talked about unions (lol).

13) Have you ever cowritten a fic before?

No but I would be DOWN TO

14) What’s your all-time favorite ship?

Might say Ben/Leslie!

15) What’s the WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Not applicable! My beige flag is only posting multi-chapter fics when they're finished. You'll get the full story but it's gonna take a LONG TIME, hence the year between Your Protector and its sequel.

16) What are your writing strengths?

I like to think it's overall storytelling? Finding conflict, laying the groundwork for there to be emotional payoff, etc. Also, finding the character's voices. People like my Gale voice, and I was told I nailed the voices from Parks & Rec and MMM.

17) What are your writing weaknesses?

I think I could be more descriptive? I tend to imagine my story cinematically (makes sense with my line of work, I suppose), so I'm often writing as though bouncing between the character's "coverage" but I need to spend more time on creating settings.

18) Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in a fic?

I enjoy reading it, but I would hate to mess it up.

19) First fandom you wrote for?

Ever??? Phantom of the Opera

20) Favorite fic you’ve ever written?

I've said it before, I'll say it again. I LOVE Your Protector and it's sequel. I spent so much time writing them and just think of them as my children. Labors of love that I'm proud of and I want more people to read them!

Tagging @optimisticgrey @morrriigan

[pearlypairings]

WIP Whenever

I was tagged by @pipergirl17 to share a snippet of something I've been working on in the back ground of my dozen wips :P

This wip is robin-centric, where she travels solo to find her courage (and maybe a french sweetheart👀). It's written in a series of letters from Robin to Steve as she backpacks through France with a little money, very few plans, and a whole lot of luck.

Here goes:

Dear Dingus (I like the ring of this),

I know I said no mushy stuff, so this will be strictly professional and like, from one crazy coworker to another.

You were a subpar ice cream scooper who was altogether distracted by your need to flirt (unsuccessfully) with every eligible bachelorette. You had terrible taste in films and a penchant for driving our manager insane with your constant “hot takes” on sci-fi movies. I can’t count how many times I had to bail you out at the record store for not knowing the names of ANY bands. Don’t even get me started on the time we worked at Marie’s cafe—I hope you never make an espresso again.

Before finishing up this performance review, I have some parting words. Steve, you are dependable. You show up when I call and need you. Every Time. 3am sob fest. 2pm existential dread. 8am shift coverage. 6pm family dinner. You’re there like it’s impossible NOT to show up.

You are so loyal, like stupidly obsessively loyal—you followed me through seven different part-time jobs before we realized we needed our own real full time jobs. And still we worked at companies right next door to each other, because you’re that kind of person.

Your heart is on your sleeve, and I can count on knowing exactly how you feel most of the time. And your heart must be pretty massive because no matter how many dates you’ve been on, it still always had space for me. It’s how I know how worried you are about me going abroad by myself.....

To be continued :)

[goldfishlover73]

For the WIP Ask Game:

Tell me about the InoHina >///<

Inohina has been my side project that lives in my head rent free

Not so much on paper.

But the premise is Hinata has seen how a make over has changed Sakura isn't to this confident woman who gets Sasukes attention. Hinata goes to Ino in hopes of helping her as well.

She's worried though because she's not sure if she can handle Ino's make overs.

But Ino surprises her, picking out things Hinata wouldn't pick out herself, but Hinata feels comfortable in. Flattering but modest dresses, comfy sweaters, and the like

Hinata starts feeling emboldened and starts picking out more revealing clothes (to try on, of course, not to wear *out*) but wonders what ino would think. If Ino would like it.

And so on and so forth. It's taking forever because like every new pairing I want to make sure I do it correctly, especially since it's a wlw, which I haven't written one of those in like...20 years?

Tea got me into InoHina. I love them because they have such contrasting personalities. I think Hinata would admire Ino for being so comfortable with her body to show it off and equate that to confidence. And nothing is more confidence boosting than having clothes that fit and you are comfortable wearing.

Here is a snippet.

The first thing Ino pulls out she hands Hinata pastesy and tells her she can’t wear a bra in this dress and to use these. Hinata goes red and starts to fret but Ino smiles warmly and tells her to trust her.

Hinata slips on the dress and gasps.

It’s a white floral sundress that sits a few inches above the knee. Pinks, greens and purple flowers swirl around it. It has a high collar that comes around her neck in soft ruffles. The back is open but it has a simple tie around the waist.

It’s something Hinata would have never picked out for herself, but it’s beautiful. Simple.

Ino comes into the bathroom and moves Hinata’s hair off her neck, making Hinata shiver at the light touch on her neck. “It’s back is open but your hair will cover it. It will help you get more comfortable with showing a bit more skin. If that’s something you want.

“I saw this dress and immediately thought it would look beautiful on you.” Ino whispers as she finishes fastening the dress.

The other thing she brought was a sweater dress. It’s full coverage but skin tight. With warm nude color tights.

“Black will help hide some of your curves, but they are still there and should be flaunted.” Ino hip bumps ehr.

Hinata confesses that she thought she was going to try to doll her up like Sakura.

“Nothing you aren’t comfortable with.”Ino winks. “Maybe next time.”

Hinata has never felt more beautiful.

[thackeroy]

25% reached! Exactly 30k stitches, a nice solid number.

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

butterflygirl738 (8)

No tag lists. Do not send asks or DMs about updates. Review my pinned post for guidelines, masterlist, etc.

Warnings: this fic will include dark content such as dubcon/noncon, power imbalance, sickness, medical bills, and other possible triggers. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: You love butterflies and your mother, but life isn’t that simple. As life gets complicated, and expensive, you find yourself in need and an unexpected miracle presents itself.

Characters: Steve Rogers (CEO/Sugar Daddy)

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. I will do my best to answer all I can. I’m trying to get better at keeping up so thanks everyone for staying with me <3

Your feedback will help in this and future works (and WiPs, I haven’t forgotten those!) Asking for more or putting ‘part 2?’ is not feedback.

Love you all. You are appreciated and your are worthy. Treat yourself with care. 💖

You find a dress to wear. Plain. Blue. Not much shape. You put a denim jacket over it and grab a pair of flats. 

You go out into the living room. You hear your mother, see her head over the back of the couch. She turns her head, sensing you, and quickly covers her scalp with a scarf. She doesn’t like to show it. A barb of guilt pokes at your heart. 

You cough and near the corner of the sofa. 

“Hey, um, mom, are you hungry? You want some tea?” You offer. 

“Mmm, maybe in a bit.” She mutters. “Oh pie, you look nice.” 

“Um, yeah?” You look down. “Well... they don’t have a uniform at this new job.” 

“Oh, that’s so good. I always hated wearing the ones down at the...” she pauses and yawns. “post office.” 

“Uh, yeah. Er. Did you take your morning pills?” 

“Did I?” She asks. “Aren’t they sorted?” 

“I’ll check,” you assure her. 

You go to the bookshelf where you keep the large container. You have her pills sorted by day, each separate compartment for a time of day; morning, noon, evening. You set timers on her phone for her just in case. Her morning pills are there. 

You shake them out into your hand and bring the rest of the long day container to her. You place it on the table. “They’re here.” 

“Thank you, pie.” 

She sounds tired. Another spike jabs your chest. You slept half the previous evening away and left her all alone here. No matter what S said, you might be tired, but you’re sure she’s more so. 

“I’ll get you some water,” you say as you put the pills in her palm. She closes her fingers and smiles weakly. You can tell it’s empty. 

You go to get her a glass of water. You fill her insulated cup with ice first. She likes it very cold. She says it’s soothing. You go back to the front room. 

“So... my admirals hatched. Two of them. I thought we might go out and release them.” 

She sighs. She takes the glass of water and slurps. She throws back the tablets and looks down. “Sweetie, I don’t feel up to it today. I’m... I’m sorry.” 

You nod. You can’t be upset. She’s gone through a lot. She’s still going through a lot. 

“Mom,” your stomach churns. “Um, I was going to talk to you about something. About... yesterday.” 

“I called the insurance company myself,” she sniffs and leans back, cradling the cup over her lap. “They won’t cover it.” 

You understand now. You look down. How do you tell her S can? That he will? How do you tell her without telling her. 

Lie. 

“Mom, um, yeah, I uh... I could ask my insurance. At work. My new work...” you fidget. It’s too soon. She’ll never believe that a couple days in, you got full clearance for six figure coverage. “I was talking to my coworkers and they said that’s it’s a pretty good plan.” 

“Oh, pie. I love you and you’ve done so much. You’re trying but...” her shoulders slump. “Don’t get your hopes up, okay?” 

You chew your lip. You want to say it. You want to tell her that everything is going to be alright. This sickness has turned her into a cynic and she’ll see right through you. Not yet. But soon. Treatment needs to be soon. 

For now, you can let the doctors know. Your mom can wait. It will be like a surprise. 

“Are you sure I can’t get you anything?” You ask again. 

“I can make tea. And toast.” She says. “You relax. That new job sure keeps you late. I don’t wanna get in the way.” 

“You’re not... in the way,” you argue. “Mom,” you bend and touch her hand. “I love you. I want to be here for you. I want to help--” 

“But I won’t let you do that at the expense of your own happiness. Please.” She slides her hand out from under yours. “I’m going to lay down.” 

You draw away and back up. You watch her lift her legs up gingerly and stretch them down the length of the couch. She lowers her shoulders and drops back onto the pillows. She closes her eyes. 

“Okay, mom.” 

You go to your room but leave the door open. You sit on your bed and stare at the wall. The fluttering wings draw your attention to the hamper. You look at it and stand. You pace back and forth. You have to let them go before they die. 

You go to grab it but stop yourself. You turn and take your phone instead. You look at the screen. No service. You still can’t pay. No wifi either. 

You go back out to the living room. “I’ll be right back, mom. Alright?” 

She grumbles. You look at her. She has her arm slung over her face. You deflate and drag your feet out into the hall. 

You go down to the cafe but don’t go inside. You’re close enough for the signal. It’s just after nine. Maybe too early. You send the message. You’ll give it ten minutes then go home. 

It doesn’t take that long. S replies within a minute. 

‘Be there shortly’. 

Thumbs up and you’re on your way back. You hurry up the front steps and through the hallways of the building. You don’t say a word as you enter the apartment. Your mom doesn’t move. You don’t want to disturb her. 

You grab the hamper and carry it out. You head downstairs and sit on the curb. You watch the neighbourhood as you wait. It’s so sunny but to you, so dull. 

“Hey,” S’s deep voice draws your eyes from the glare above. Your name follows the abrupt greeting as he crosses the street. You stand to meet him. 

“Hi, you didn’t have to hurry over.” 

“You said the butteflies hatched,” he sounds genuinely excited. “So I’m here.” 

He smiles. You look at him. He smiles. His blond hair is parted and combed, he wears a button-up with short sleeves in a soft shade of peach, and a golden chain peeks out above his broad chest. He’s handsome. Almost too perfect to believe, just like everything he’s promised you. 

“Sure, uh... do you wanna get some pictures?” 

“Yeah, okay,” he takes out his phone. He flicks the screen up and aims it at you. You give the lens a surprised look. 

“Of the butterflies!” You exclaim. 

“Oh, uh,” he looks above the phone, his cheek dimpling. “Sorry.” 

“It’s okay,” you look down at the hamper. “Let’s take it away from the street though.” 

“You know what you’re doing. Clearly, I don’t,” he chuckles. 

You lift the hamper and carry it gently back to the building. You bring it to the bench near the hedges to one side of the steps. He stops beside you. 

“Alright, I’ll show you how to take them out, so I...” you lift the edge of the towel. “Just reach in. Cup your hand. See, there he is.” You bend to look through the mesh. He leans in and does the same. Usually, they’ll just fly around a bit. If you can get them to land, they won’t fly away too quick.” 

You feel the flutter then the small legs. The male lands on your hand. Slowly, you angle your arm out past the towel. You raise your hand. He points the phone at you and taps. 

“Wow,” he utters lowly. “Beautiful.” 

“Isn’t he?” You smile and admire the wings. It’s so peaceful. So light. You wish you could just be a butterfly. 

You shift your hand around as you marvel. It flicks its wings then all once, flaps away. S aims the lens after the butterfly until he’s gone. 

S turns to you. You look down at the hamper. “Wanna try the next one?” 

“Really?” 

“Sure.” You shrug. 

“I... my hands are pretty big. You don’t think I’ll crush it?” 

“Just cup it, like this.” You show him. 

He nods then holds out his phone, “you wanna do the pictures?” 

“Okay.” You accept it. It’s nice. A newer model than yours. You turn it around so you can see the screen and aim the camera. 

He cups his hand, like you did. You nod. He considers the towel then lifts it. He puts his hand in. You see the tension in his forearm and neck. 

“Hey, calm. They can feel it.” You gird. 

Your eyes are drawn back to the screen as a notification pops up. ‘When are you back?’ The message disappears before you can see the name. It’s none of your business. 

He swallows and bends his neck. He waits, leaning to see through the mesh. His cheek twitches as the butterfly lands on his thumb. You hold your breath as you watch. 

Carefully, he pulls his hand out. You only get one photo before it flutters off. He hums in disappointment. 

“Sorry,” his mouth slants. 

“Some do that,” you assure him. “They see the sun, they want to explore.” 

“Yeah, maybe,” he drops his hands. “So, what about you? Ready to explore?” 

“Explore?” You repeat, the word starting to lose meaning. You hand his phone back. 

“Ah, not exactly that. I’m not too sure what to do, honestly. I made us a lunch reservation so if you have suggestions...” 

“Hm, well, I gotta put this back. There’s still some not hatched yet. And check on mom.” 

“How is she?” He asks abruptly. 

“Um, she’s... she’s okay. Tired.” You lift the hamper. 

“Yeah? Did you tell her the good news?” 

“Well, I’m trying to figure out how. She’ll... She asks a lot of questions.” You stare past him evasively. “I’ll just run and put this away.” 

“Mm, alright. I’ll wait here, I guess.” He turns and sits on the bench. He looks big on it but it’s ready to break on a good day. 

You set off inside and into the apartment. Your mom’s where she was before. You put the hamper in your room. You stand behind the couch and look down at her. 

“Everything okay?” She asks. 

“Um, yeah. Gonna head in early for work.” 

“Pie, you work too hard,” her voice is muffled under her arm. 

“No, mom. It’s a desk job,” you assure her. “I’ll see ya later, okay?” You reach to touch the scarf around her head. “Love you.” 

“Love you, honey,” she croaks. 

Reluctantly, you draw away. You put your phone in your purse and lock up on your way out. You linger by the door. 

What would your mom say if you did tell her? S is a really nice guy. He’s going to help us. Mom, please, you don’t have to worry. 

No, she would worry. She worries about you and it’s your turn to worry about her. You have to do this. You’re taking care of her. Steve is taking care of you now. 

Right? 

You trudge down the hall and down the stairs. You go outside and shield your eyes from the sunlight. You glance over as S stands. 

“I forgot. I got a surprise for you. It’s in the car.” He approaches. “You wanna see?” 

“Sure,” you answer. 

He walks beside you, a hand over your lower back as he takes you across the street. He guides you to the car and opens the door. You get inside. He shuts the door and you fidget as you watch him walk in front of the hood. 

Your eyes wander around the interior as he sits in the driver’s seat. Everything is so nice. It’s just a rental, he said, but it’s expensive. A touch screen, AC, buttons on the steering wheel. 

“It’s uh, right here,” he reaches over and pops open the glove box. The door drops open and he slides out a shiny lilac shape. He holds it out as he sits up. “All yours.” 

You gape at the phone. Slim, in a metallic purple case with a little butterfly grip on the back. You tilt your head. 

“Well, take it,” he jerks it toward you. 

You raise your hand slowly and wrap your fingers around it. You take it and turn it over. You put it in your lap and rub your thumbs up the sides. 

“It’s expensive.” 

“You need it.” 

“I have a phone--” 

“With no plan. We’re going to need to stay in touch.” He says. 

“Right, er, but...” 

“It’s part of the deal.” He insists. “And you know, anything else you need. Or want. Just ask.” 

You squirm restlessly. It’s so strange not worrying about the price tag. Almost impossible. 

“You like the colour, sweetheart?” He scares you as he claps his hand onto your shoulder. His thumb caresses you as you lift your head. You blink at him dumbly and nod. 

“Pretty,” you say. 

“Not as pretty as you, sweetheart,” he grins and leans in. 

You keep from shifting away. You let him kiss you. It’s not that you don’t want him to; you’re not sure one way or the other. It’s all just so new. You’re getting used to it. Will you ever? Does this bubbly feeling ever go away? 

[somediyprojects]

Before I Sleep WIP stitched by Claire Bibby. Pattern (£17.10) designed by Julia Line of Long Dog Samplers. 

“The relief ... major panic set in when I thought I'd mismeasured my fabric but it just fits 🙈 Its sulky blendables 4027 Silver Slate very subtle colour changes x I'm on 16ct aida & bought 2 200m spools ... my first full project in this thread & loving it, I tend to be a 1 thread as 2 just gets messy for me - the 12wt coverage is happily between the two 😊”

[mysteriouslybluepirate]

Izzy thoughts at first (then LONG ramblings about the S2 Teaser)

TLDR: I think Izzy is going to run away from Ed, get Stede, and help him become a better pirate. Also: WHY IS EVERYONE SO HOT

1.) Look at him. So *happy* to be the Goth he truly is!

I love that Izzy doesn't trust Ed not to hit him here. If you look, Ed's not that close to his face, but Izzy just *can't* trust him right now.

Izzy in the same face makeup as the rest of the crew (AHHHHH HE'S SO HOT. I want him. I want to be him. ETC). What made Izzy put on the makeup? How long do you think Izzy lasted before caving in? I'm 50/50 between him immediately giving in, or stomping his feet. I love that he clearly put some time into it. That's full coverage right there.

[IS THAT A WIP ON HIS HIP? My CalicoHands heart.... Someone correct me if I'm wrong...please correct me if I'm wrong. I will be thinking about this for a month, thank you.]

We also see him dying his beard with Kohl? Might just be the lighting. Also: take note of that lovely ring around his necktie. My theory is that this is episode 1, right near the beginning of the episode.

2.) THE LAD <3 MY MAN! GOD, he looks refreshed. Rested. Slightly stressed. This is why I think he was staining his beard in the last GIF, just comparing colors.

RED ALERT: THE RING AROUND HIS THROAT IS MISSING(or he's not wearing it in this shot, or we can't see it thanks to the lighting).

Izzy just deciding to leave is so fucking powerful to me, as a show of Izzy's growth in what looks to be 1/2 episodes. I don't think Ed hurt him, I think he genuinely got sick of this shit and left... He might have just run off once he got a *hint* that Stede might be alive, and decided to risk it. (Or fell off the ship during that storm...could you imagine the angst). FIRST MATE IZZY HANDS TO CAPTAIN STEDE BONNET/EDWARDS? Yes, please!

[My Stizzy/Steddyhands author heart is ready to read those fics. Because there is no way in hell these idiots will work out a throuple. As I'm 90% sure Ed just doesn't see Izzy.]

My theory for the scene specifically: Stede's crew takes over a ship, and Izzy is there to help. We see Izzy walk into the room, probably to update his Captain about the raid, and a guy goes in for the stab. The "I did a punch" Is because Izzy is training him. AHHH :3 CHEWING THE BARS OF MY CAGE

3.) I saw a theory that the reason Izzy covers his hand with a glove is because he's been branded as a deserter from the Navy(usually a 'D' tattoo on the hand). Most of Ed's crews wouldn't respect him if they knew that Izzy had turned coat. This also explains why in Ep 9 he hated the idea of Ed turning himself in. In all the scenes in the teaser, we still see him in a glove, even after he ditches the symbolic ring.

ALSO HI SHIRTLESS IZZY, SORRY TO IGNORE YOU! Why is he shirtless? It's the Caribbean, I get that it's hot, but nothing? Does the man not own any other not-black tops? Not that I'm complaining, of course! I am very happy with this artistic decision.

I still think he's going to lose his foot/infection is going to spread thanks to his toe(losing a metaphorical and physical balance thanks to Ed). They're suspiciously covering his foot with a barrel or it's out of frame in most shots. So this training might be 1/2 Izzy helping Stede, and 1/2 Izzy regaining his balance. I also think this is on Stede's new ship, as that doesn't really look like any room we've seen on the Revenge.

STEDE IZZY FRIENDSHIP ARC. :D

(Now, the thing is. Does Izzy find out about Lucius hiding before he leaves? My guess is no, Izzy doesn't know, and is going to take that info right to Stede to reveal in a sensitive moment.)

(YES. I am in love with the Izzy-candle-imagery! My man is a dwindling candle, long may he burn. He doesn't need to use his fingers and cause himself harm when lying/having feelings about something, he can just use his sword)

=============================================

NOT IZZY STUFF THAT I LOVED

GET EM ROACH!!!! I just love this shot so much...no clue why. The flowers, the shock on Roach's face, the tiny ass canon.

I love him in this trailer, THIS IS HIS GLOW UP, and am happy Jenkins looked at straight people no-homoing S1 and went 'STEDE LOVES ED! HE LOVES HIM SO MUCH' all teaser.

"I don't care what anyone says, he's actually a good guy!" OH STEDE. This is exactly what I expected from you, and I am so excited to see this play out. I hope Izzy is there to help him manage his money, if not, pray for him.

Stede getting a Pirate Outfit that TWIRLS is so him... I'm so happy for him! This is what I always thought Stede would enjoy about 'dressing up' in a pirate world. He can have elegance, color, and function! THIS is his glow-up, the longer hair, the ATTITUTE<3(Prince better be in this season's soundtrack, please).

WE'RE GETTING A STORM BABY!!!!! My favorite trope in OFMD fic I haven't yet written ;). They're so fucking scary, the reason most pirates didn't last a year is due to storms vs. most other threats. I'm excited this season will explore a bit more of the realities of living on a ship! I write OFMD horror because 1700'S SHIPS ARE HORRIFIC.

ALSO HI JIM!!!!! My two favorite characters, all get a decent screen chunk of teaser time. THEY ARE SO FUCKING HOT IN THIS TRAILER. GENDER. FUCKING. ENVY. (RIP Lucius fans...He'll be at the end of S2 Episode 1...probably).

MY HANDSOME WIFE! I fucking love Ed in this trailer so fucking much. If you follow my page, as much as I am an Izzy lover, Stede and Ed are close behind. I love that Ed is clearly heartbroken, and dissatisfied even with the violence he's supposed to love. He's got that Blackbeard mask on tight, and it's not coming off. Also: He looks hot while doing it.

His work wife leaving is probably going to fuck him up more.

I don't think Ed has a TON of screen time, mainly just due to Taika's schedule at the time. But I'm excited to see him sad.

ALSO: Did Ed color the doll so he's wearing a lace bralette? Cause that tummy (at least in this GIF) looks skin-toned. AHHHHH! He would rock that. I just know he'd rock that.

SIDE NOTES:

-HI SPANISH JACKIE/SWEDE- The ship I didn't know I needed till now.

-OLU! I hope you have such a good season, babe. You deserve it. Jim is obviously loving this.

-Frenchie having cat claws makes me so happy.

-WEE JOHN IN DRAG!!!! YEESSSSSSSSS!

I'M HYPED!!!!!!!!!!

[allisluv]

Reader doing Finnick a makup transformation 🤭🤭 like heavy makup with full coverage and fake eyelashes and long eyeliner and colourful eyeshadow and he just looks prettier than you bc my man can pull off ANYTHING

-🎸

finnick isn't afraid of honing in to his feminine side and i just know he eats his makeup looks up every damn time! (adding this to my wip list if you don't mind mwah)

[decafdino]

Wip wednesday

nobody tagged me, I just wanted to participate lol. I'm actually getting excited about this supernatural au (even though it is rapidly getting out of hand)

They do eventually make it to the farmer's market. It's late enough in the day that it's mostly empty, which also means the pickings are slim. TK doesn't seem to mind, though, bouncing around the meager rows of pumpkins and thoroughly examining each one.

"Baby." Carlos crosses his arms. "It's been almost an hour. What you want to carve can't possibly be that big, can it?"

TK sighs exasperatedly. "It's not about the size, Carlos. It's all in the shape of the pumpkin."

"They're literally all the same shape: round."

"First of all, pretty sure round isn't a shape, babe." He picks up a pumpkin. "Second, they're not all round; this one's all lumpy on one side."

"So don't carve on that side. Problem solved."

TK sets the pumpkin down and swaggers over. "You know, if I didn't know any better," he says, "I'd think this whole excursion was just a way to get in my pants."

Carlos cocks an eyebrow. "Like we didn't just do that right before we came."

TK snorts. "I'm not that easy, Reyes."

"Playing hard to get?" he gasps in mock surprise. "That's supposed to be my line, Strand."

"Really? You don't remember our first night together?"

"Yes, but I also remember the first time we met." Carlos squeezes his ass. "I wasn't about to let a wolf string me along."

"So I guess you could say we were both a little skittish," TK compromises.

He's about to lean in for another kiss when movement catches in the corner of his eye. He turns, and immediately drops his hands from TK's face, blushing. "Uh—"

"Talia," TK beats him to it. Unlike Carlos, he seems actually happy to see her. "Fancy seeing you here."

"Hi, y'all," she says, almost bashful, like she didn't mean to interrupt them.

Or she didn't mean to get caught staring, Carlos' brain unhelpfully supplies. "You shop here?"

She shrugs casually. The black tank top she's wearing to combat the Texas sun shows off her bare shoulder, littered with even more scars. She shifts when she notices Carlos looking. "I go here sometimes, yeah. Mostly just for supplies."

"Supplies?" Carlos questions.

"Ingredients." She shows him one of the bags, full of herbs Carlos recognizes immediately. They're mostly used in the hunter community to ward off and weaken certain types of supernatural. He doesn't know if wolf's bane is in there, but if she came a little closer he knows TK would be able to tell.

"I'm pagan," she explains. "There's supposed to be an eclipse coming up, so I'm going to try to take advantage of it."

TK nods, though Carlos can tell he's fighting the urge to wrinkle his nose by the way he keeps sniffing. "Yeah, I heard about that," TK says. "They're saying there's supposed to be nearly full coverage?"

"We'll see," she says. "And you two are…?"

"Pumpkin shopping." Carlos hopes his smile doesn't look too forced. There's just something off about Talia, something he doesn't trust. Maybe he's being a little superficial, but an average hunter wouldn't get those scars unless they had a habit of becoming needlessly violent with their kills. "And you know what, I think we've just found the perfect one." He picks up the pumpkin TK had dropped at their feet, the one with the lumpy sides, and tugs TK over to the woman at the register.

TK doesn't stays silent, though Carlos can tell he wants to ask. As he's getting handed back his change, Talia calls out, "Enrique says hi, by the way."

Carlos stiffens, then forces himself to turn and wave. "Tell him we say hi back."

"See you around, Talia," TK says with a wave. Once she's turned away, Carlos hurries him back to the car.

"You don't think—"

"I don't know," Carlos answers honestly. "But I'm not willing to risk it."

"You don't trust her?" TK asks.

"I don't trust a lot of people." He sighs when TK gives him a look. "Enrique is traditional, and Talia is his—whatever she is to him. If they're on our trail—"

"Baby, if anyone's on our trail we would know by now. Especially you," he says, cupping Carlos' cheek, "my paranoid control freak. Nothing slips past you."

"I'm choosing to take that as a compliment."

"That's good, because it is one." He kisses Carlos' cheek. "I promise to stay safe, if that will make you feel better."

Their foreheads press together. Carlos takes a moment to breathe in TK's air, to cherish the closeness they have. He never wants to lose this. He can't even imagine what he would do without TK, even though the lives they lead are dangerous. "You can't promise me that."

"I can do my best, and you'll do yours. Right?"

"Yeah," he says, resolve hardening. "Let's go home and relax. How does that sound?"

TK smiles. "It sounds like someone wants to help me carve this pumpkin."

[nestingtendencies]

WIP Sunday - Mariposa Update!

The boobies now have full coverage and the perfect fit to the curves of my body continues to seduce me away from my other secret project, which actually has a deadline on it!

Still in love with this top - I think I'll always have huge sentiment for it <3

Should be plain sailing now for a little while, as the rows are neither increasing nor decreasing for at least another 2-3 colour changes.

Stay tuned!

[hellfiresky]

Hey bestie here's for the wip asks 💙 💞

Hey hey thanks for the asks!

💙: how has the idea changed between starting it and where it is now?

Good question! This is going to be a long one.

For Seeing Red, the idea was always to challenge the common narrative that “Republic is Good (or the lesser evil)” by introducing a character so far removed from the system. Initially, Ge’tal wasn’t supposed to be tangled deep in GAR business - just in and out taking jobs. No romance, just her staying casual with Fives and directly influencing him to start questioning orders. She was also meant to be your classic bounty hunter archetype (think Aurra Sing or Fennec Shand) cold, calculating, and very good at her job.

I even planned to portray the Coruscant Guard as a textbook corrupt military police force prone to civilian brutality. But as I dug deeper into the clones’ struggles/issues - questions of personhood, identity, and just how fucked up their situation is - it felt wrong to simplify it like that. So, I pivoted. The Corries are still cops, sure, but their actions are now tied to conditioning and fear instilled by Palps. On the issue of the eventual clone rebellion itself - I decided that their rebellion shouldn’t come from an external saviour swooping in, but from their own agency and self-realisation. Thus, I shifted from the initial idea of having Tal directly influencing the clones (via Fives), and made her this background element in their lives that nudges their repressed urge to rebel.

Ge’tal also evolved from the “badass, cold, calculating” trope to someone more human, and borderline self-destructive. She’s just another person hustling in the galaxy’s gig economy, treating it like a 9 to 5. It gave me space to explore her questioning the morality of her work - something that ties into the clones influencing her, too. Making both sides push each other to rethink things, which I think adds depth to the story.

I could go on and on talking about her political stance within the Republic, her Mandalorian upbringing, and her work with the GAR shifted the initial plan towards the current development lmao. And also, the eventual romance with Rex (also a part of the shift from my initial skeleton) is there to humanise both characters. To give them moments of vulnerability that battle-hardened warriors rarely get. We can argue that romance isn’t always necessary to add a human touch, but in this case, it works. Why not Fives? Because I love their friendship too much to ruin it lol.

———

💞: which future scene are you looking forward to writing?

There are a few scenes I’m really excited to write! For the main fic, I’m excited to tackle Fives’ death scene. I have a twist planned for it that I can’t wait to write it down. But that’s still a long way off in this long ass fic.

The closest scene on the horizon would be in my Wolffe x OC fic. There’s this part where Tavi, the OC, tags along with the Wolfpack during one of their battles to document it. I’ve been heavily inspired by a specific scene from Alex Garland’s Civil War (if you haven’t seen it, it’s about photojournalists and journalists chasing a story in a dystopian future). The scene basically depicts the militia taking over loyalist-held building whilst hip hop playing in the background. And I’m hoping to channel some of that here (still nervous though lol). Ofc I’m also psyched to write a full-on in-universe war coverage piece from Tavi’s perspective on the battle. There’s something about combining journalism and Star Wars that just hits the sweet spot for me haha.