#i actually pieced a good bit of it together myself (proud) but a Lot still surprised me i loved that

[gothyorhamoved]

JUST GOT TO THE FUCKIN UHHHH GREEN ROUTE IN AITSF AND UHM. HELLLOO??

[zexapher]

Vacuan Nights, Like Vacuan Days

They’re just so great together! I’d love for Jaune and Weiss to get a little downtime in Vacuo to live out a moment like this. They really deserve it, and I’d love to see Jaune’s guitar make a reappearance.

The comic here was inspired by u/Silverstar1243’s excellent piece of art, A Serenade Under the Moonlight. Send some love to them on their twitter, commission some art if you’re willing and able, they’ve made some great stuff.

You folks may have noticed I threw in a couple of references for those in the know; the Golden Oreos behind Yang (double stuffed, I might add) for the trio’s ship, Weiss liking it rough for Mallobaude’s great fic, and of course I made a whole theme around the Arabian Nights Disney song. A song, along with its Aladdin compatriots, which I spent the better part of a day finding covers for just to listen to on repeat while I worked.

This one’s now officially my longest comic project, with 14 panels, two over the past record since I added the White Knight kiss at the end. I’m pretty happy with how it turned out. Not sure I’d say it was more difficult than my Vanity of Vanities post, but for this one I actually knew how to use my editing software going into it (at least somewhat).

Put a lot of work into this one, been working on it on and off since February. Took a few breaks for vacation, to make my memorial post for Rooster Teeth, and another five meme edits or so, but I came back around to it. First half was pretty easy, relatively minor edits inserting characters into scenes and so on. The second half with Jaune and Weiss was tougher though, with color correcting, merging poses, redrawing features, drawing Jaune’s entire head to fix some lighting issues, etc. Really like how the edit to make Jaune strum his guitar turned out.

The time it took to make the whole comic got me down a little, until I did a bit of math. Including my side projects since starting this, all the scripting and editing and all, I’ve been pumping out a panel every two days. That seems pretty good to me, that kind of accomplishment makes me a little proud of myself.

Really need to get around to watching the second part of the Justice League Crossover movies. It’s got a few Vacuo scenes that might make things a little more authentic instead of me just using Saphron’s house and pretending it’s a suite in Vacuo. I do love taking yet more character stills from Jaune and friends experiencing deep trauma and turning it into something positive, been making that a bit of a personal habit. And I’ve got to say, the background for Jaune and Weiss’ scene is really beautiful, pulled it from when Sun and Neptune hear Ruby’s message about Salem. That’s just a really good shot all on its own, I even saved a copy for my computer’s wallpaper after editing out the two.

Posting a big RWBY White Knight edit, watching not one but two RWBY Beyond episodes, and all on the trail of the news that RWBY’s found partners that they’re negotiating with and that the creative team is expected to stay on. And I'm sipping bubble tea. Life is good.

Anyway, pardon the long write up. I’m invested in this one, and am quite pleased with how the comic turned out. I hope you all get a kick out of it as well!

[suntoru]

hello!

I'm super stressed atm, have an exam on Tuesday, and I need a bit of motivation because I really doubt myself sometimes although I'm trying very hard 😭😭

do you think you could write a short piece about one of the genshin boys (heizou, tighnari, cyno, scara, childe or one of your choice instead) comforting a reader in the same situation? if not then I totally understand (couldn't find whether or not your requests are closed so I hope I'm not bothering you) thank you so much <3

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ heizou + childe w/ stressed out reader!!

summary: reader is stressed out bc of exams!! what do the boys do to help?

a/n: hi luv!! basically my requests are actually closed but i decided to make an exception just this once <3 u got this, dw too much!! i hope i was able to bring u some comfort

wc: 655 words

warnings: burnt out reader, overworking, mostly comfort n fluff, maybe a bit of swearing?

─ ✰ HEIZOU

mr. smartass here does not get the definition of stressing over work istg he’s too intelligent for his own good

at first, he supports you a lot, he encourages you to do better too. he likes that you’re working hard to reach your goals <3

he does his own work beside you, so you can study together!

type to help you and tests you on the questions

however, after a couple days, he starts to notice you’re not doing so well. you’ve got bags under your eyes from skipping out on sleep to study, you’re more grumpy than normal, and you just look stressed.

that’s when he makes the connection that a), you’re overworking yourself, and b), you’re stressed about this.

to be honest, i don’t think he’s the type to directly confront you about this unless it becomes too much, he’s more of the subtle type.

he’d definitely ask if you’re okay in a lighthearted manner, but you can tell he’s serious. welp now he’s monitoring you on a daily basis

“y/n, do you wanna take a break and go get some food?” “you’re gonna do so well, don’t worry.”

but if you choose to talk to him about your worries, he’ll listen silently, only nodding his head to show he’s paying attention. he’ll wait till you’re finished until he speaks.

he pulls you into a tight hug, cradling the back of your head as he comforts you. his voice is laced with confidence and you can tell he means what he says.

“babe… i know you can do this. there’s no one i believe in more than you. you’ve worked really hard for this, and that’s all i need to know. and even if you don’t meet your expectations, i’ll still be proud. i’m here for you if you need anything, anything at all.”

makes sure you’re getting enough rest, you’re eating enough and taking breaks.

when the day of your test comes, he gives you a confident smile, and a kiss on the cheek as he winks.

“i’d say good luck, but i know you’ve left nothing up to chance.”

whatever the outcome is, he takes you on a date after <3

overall 7/10

─ ✰ CHILDE

…run.

bro does not understand the term ‘busy’. he thinks your attention should always be on him.

worst study buddy 😭 type to end up distracting you instead of actually helping

ANYWAYS.

one of the first people to speak up about this, solely because you aren’t spending a lot of time with him anymore.

not slick with it either, just full on blunt.

this dramatic ahh collapses in your lap on the brink of tears, shiny puppy dog eyes staring straight into your soul.

“do you still love me anymore?”

explain to him that things exist other than him

please do tell him that you’re just worried and stressed though.

if you end up crying, his personality does a full 180. you’re now situated on his lap, his fingers brushing away any tears.

he feels guilty he didn’t notice sooner, he cups your face gently.

“hey, hey… i’m sorry. i didn’t realize this was so important to you… i’ll help you study, okay? for real this time.”

to the best of his ability, he helps explain concepts and showers you with praise if you answer correctly.

makes you flash cards with cute doodles (mostly him)

on the day of your exam, he picks you up and twirls you around.

peppers kisses all over your face.

“my scrunkly baby, you’re gonna do so well!! my smart precious clever genius… i might not be there with you, but take my luck!! well, not like you need it <3”

whispers in your ear before you go:

“…and don’t forget… a mark on a piece of paper doesn’t define you.”

takes you shopping and buys you whatever you want after, super clingy for the next couple of days

4/10 but he’s trying

©kaeffeinee 2023. do not copy, repost, or translate any of my works on any platform.

[sweetsweetjellybean]

In The Cold November Rain Part 10 *18+ MDNI*

Eddie Munson/FemReader Steve Harrington/FemReader 

TW: Story runs congruent to events in the show. If you know what happens in season 4, then you'll know how this will end.*Be warned.* 18+ Eventually Smut, Angst, High School Fuckery, Drinking, Drugs Let me know if I miss any. Smut-o-rama

Can you have two great loves in a lifetime? 

You've had the ideal childhood in Hawkins with your best friend & protector Steve Harrington. When it's ripped away, can you pick up the pieces? Eddie Munson may be able to help. 

A story about the pain of growing up, unrequited love, and loss. 

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AN: If you'd like to keep seeing my content, remember to change your content settings.

Inspired by @loveshotzz & notes by @eddieandbird 

Thanks To @loveshotzz who is the dill to my pickle & her wife @myobmaya for assisting the angst.

Part 10/13. Masterlist Ao3

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On a warm day in early June, you sit listening to the valedictorian give their speech. Looking down the rows of seats at the happy faces of your classmates, a pair of hazel eyes catch yours with a wink. Shaking your head, you try to pay attention. This is the last time you'll all be together in any meaningful way. Some of you have known each other since kindergarten. Everyone who has ever been important to you is here. Everyone except Eddie. He didn't tell you he wasn't graduating, but he didn't have to. Enough people knew that it eventually made its way to you. There was nothing left to say, so you never brought it up.

Crossing the stage wearing your green gown with a gold cord and your cap that has been painted with a black and gold P, you shake the principal's hand as you accept your diploma. Steve whistles loudly, and your family claps and cheers. They're waiting for you in the parking lot after the ceremony. Your dad hands you a bouquet of sunflowers. Carol's mother has just finished wishing you well when you turn and see your dad holding Steve in a tight embrace. With watery eyes, he tells him how proud he is, that he always thought of him as a son and that he'll always be there for him. When your dad is finished, Steve is looking a bit misty himself. He gives you an awkward hug, and your mother insists on taking at least a dozen photos of the two of you. Caps on, caps off, holding your diplomas, arms around each other, and your favorite, one with your tongues sticking out and eyes crossed. That picture still holds a place of honor on your parent's refrigerator, held up with an alphabet letter magnet. By the time your mother is finished, any uneasiness has faded, and he pulls you in for a real hug with his hand on the back of your head, all the warm, familiar feelings rushing back.

"You did it!" He says, ruffling your hair.

"So did you," you remind him, trying to smooth your hair back into place.

"Barley. Not like you, Miss High Honors."

"It doesn't matter. It's done, and they can't take that diploma away from you now."

He nods in agreement. "You know, I was thinking about you the other day."

"Oh, yeah? What were you thinking?" You squint up at him, raising a hand above your brow to shield your eyes from the sun.

"I don't know, actually. I just caught myself smiling for no reason and realized I was thinking about you." He tucks a stray lock of hair behind your ear.

You run your tongue along your teeth and cock your head to the side. "That is the cheesiest line I have ever heard, Steve Harrington." He laughs and grins down at you. "Really? I thought it was a pretty good one. I'll have to work on it."

"Yeah, you better," you say, pushing his shoulder.

"Are you going out tonight? Be careful. Don't wander around outside by yourself, and don't take drinks from people you don't know." You roll your eyes. "You don't have to worry about me, Dad. I don't think those kinds of parties are really on my thing anymore."

"Yeah. They're not mine either." There is something different about him. "If I don't see you around this summer, good luck at Purdue."

"You're not coming to dinner with us? Enzo's has your favorite breadsticks." You knew your dad had invited him earlier, and you can't hide the disappointment in your voice. "I can't. I have someone waiting. I wanted to make sure I got to say goodbye to you." It felt strangely final. "Okay, well, good luck to you too." He gives you a tight smile and starts walking towards a smiling boy with brown curly hair. The boy gives you a little wave, and you wave back. It was then you realized he was alone. Steve's parents hadn't attended the ceremony.

"Steve. Wait." You jog over to him. "Are you okay?" The corners of his pretty mouth turn up in a warm grin. "Don't worry about me. I'm always okay." Was he trying to convince you or himself? A voice inside you is screaming that something isn't right. Worried, you throw your arms around his neck, pulling him towards you for another hug. "Take care of yourself," you say into his ear before kissing his cheek. "You too. Go have some fun, yeah?" He rubs his hands up and down your back a few times before releasing you. He turns away and puts his hand on the boy's shoulder before heading to his car.

***

The summer passed like a song turned up to full volume. Obligations and preparation kept you from where you wanted to be, and where you wanted to be was with Eddie. Floating on a sea of unspoken words, you made the minutes count. Taking late-night drives on less traveled roads, no destinations in mind, just talking for hours. Sneaking kisses behind Gareth's garage when you interrupted band practice. Letting Eddie get you naked for a few very hot quickies in Rick's pool house after swimming. Or just laying on his bare chest, counting his heartbeats while he reads aloud. Faster than it seemed possible, it's time to start saying goodbye.

"Hiya, Lou."

"Hey there, Dolly." Lou slides a Budweiser across the sacred wooden bar towards you. You place a few dollars on the bar. "It's on the house, Sweetheart. Good Luck at Purdue, and don't be a stranger."

"Aww. Thanks, Lou. How did you know I was leaving?" You ask curiously.

"Old Lou knows everything."

The nights have begun to cool, but it's balmy inside the half-full bar. Regulars take up the seats at the bar, and a small group of men are playing pool. A few tables are filled with couples and friends sharing a weeknight drink. Settling in at your usual table, you wait for Corroded Coffin to take the stage. The band plays a great set. They include some of the new songs you've heard them practicing. Eddie shows off more than usual. Swinging his hair and jumping around. He moves right towards the edge of the stage during his solos, sticking his tongue out while he concentrates on the movement of his fingers and winking at you. His bare arms look incredible in his muscle shirt. Biting your lip, you gaze at him from under your lashes.

After packing up, the band slides into the chairs at your table, sipping beer, coming down from the performance high. The boys are in a rowdy mood. Joking, teasing, and pointing out each other's small mistakes during their show. Eddie is uncharacteristically quiet. He's just watching you with a content look on his face. He's making you blush, and you try hiding it from the other guys. Eventually, they are ready to take off. They take turns hugging you goodbye. This is likely the last time they'll see you until you come home for winter break. The bar empties out, but you and Eddie linger, finishing your drinks.

He stands and walks over to the jukebox pulling some change out of his pocket.

"Alright, Ed," Lou calls out from behind the bar.

"Thanks, Lou," Eddie says while pushing buttons to make his selections. Lou walks over to the door and flicks the light switch. The light from fluorescents is replaced by dozens of twinkling white lights stapled to the ceiling casting the bar in a soft glow. You look up in awe. I'm Not In Love by 10cc plays through the speaker.

"What's all this?" You ask as his gentle calloused fingers slide against your palms before they close around your hands, pulling you up from your seat. He wraps your arms around his neck, and his hands drop to your hips. All the while, those chocolate eyes swirl with emotion, never breaking contact with yours. He starts swaying from side to side, and you nearly swoon.

"What's all what?" He feigns. Lifting a brow, you give the back of his neck a squeeze. "Oh, this. I told Lou how I missed prom and the senior ball, and he was absolutely appalled that you never asked me. We figured this was my last chance to get in a dance before you go off to the big city and forget me."

Your throat is so tight you can't speak, and tears threaten to spill over the edges of your eyelids. He sings the words in your ear as you move.

I'm not in love

So don't forget it

It's just a silly phase I'm going through

And just because I call you up

Don't get me wrong, don't think you've got it made

I'm not in love

The old wooden floorboards creak softly as your weight shifts from foot to foot. His hands are low on your waist, thumb dipping under your shirt where he moves it back and forth across your skin. His soft curls tickle the back of the hand you've got around his neck. If you could stop time, you'd live forever in this moment, happy with him for the rest of your life.

I like to see you

But then again

That doesn't mean you mean that much to me

So if I call you

Don't make a fuss

Don't tell your friends about the two of us

I'm not in love, no no, it's because..

The song changes to Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper. The wet drops run down your face. "Hey now, none of that. Don't you remember what I told you would happen if I saw you crying again? Now I'm gonna have to kiss you." His hands move to your cheeks. He uses his thumbs to swipe at your tears before moving his lips over yours. You tighten your grip and try pouring everything you feel into that kiss.

"I can't believe you did this," you say, your voice quavering.

"Well, it's for me, not you. I don't want to have spent six years in high school without dancing with a girl. Since you're here, I guess you'll do."

"Is that right?" You quip, smiling and wiping away the last few tears with the back of your hand. "You know me. I take it where I can get it," he says, spinning you under his arm.

"Well, I'm pretty certain you're gonna get it tonight," you whisper in his ear.

"I'm looking forward to it." His thumb softly traces your bottom lip.

"Eddie, there's something I want you to know. I-"

"It's alright, Princess. You don't have to say anything. Let's just dance."

The following day you leave the trailer early and drive straight to Ivy Tech community college.

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Part 11

Tag List @boomhauer @onlyangel-444 @breehumbles @myobmaya @arsenicred @kiki17483 @stolen-in-moonlight @sometimesamysometimesjo @ladybug0095 @sammararaven @tlclick73 @totally-bogus-timelady

I'll tag you if you want! Thanks for reading. I'd love to hear from you.

[irregularcollapse]

8, 11, 20, and 25 for the fandom ask game if you’re still playing! ☺️

Ohhh thank you <3 <3 <3 Yes, I am still playing! And feeling very chatty hahaha so let's see...

8. You hope more people will come to appreciate ___ (a ship, a trope, an episode, etc)

Hmm I'm not sure! Maybe Laurent and Damen's shared bookishness and creativity. I think there's a lot of scope for them bonding over literature and art, and yet there seems to be more of a dichotomy that Laurent is bookish and Damen is athletic, or conversely Laurent is austere and Damen is artistic. That's not what I personally see in the books; I actually read a shared interest in this area for them. So I'd love to see them doing nerdy arty things together more! I put it into my own writing, but I don't know that it gets noticed hahaha

I did have an errant idea for an AU where Damen is a librarian and Laurent is an academic, purely because I am a librarian, and Damen is so patient and curious and good at helping people that I think he'd be excellent at it hehehe

11. If you're a writer or artist, what fic or piece of art are you proud of making?

I'm proud that I've written anything at all. I was unable to write for a long time, due to cancer and chemo, that getting writing back is still the greatest achievement! I'm proud of even in another time because it's the longest single work I've ever finished and it was such a healing process; I'm proud of white wine in the sun because it's just a bit of fun and it's good to be able to write jokes again; I'm proud of a storm that took everything because I've finally worked up the courage to write something Gothic, and I'm so pleased with how it's turning out!

20. Your very first fandom!

Huh! I think the first fics I read were HP, when I was in my mid teens. But the first fandom I wrote for was, from shaky memory, Captain America? I think? And then The Raven Cycle, and then Check Please.

25. A piece of advice for taking care of yourself in fandom spaces

This is a tricky one because I don't know that I'm the best at it; it's easy to get your feelings hurt by the way other fans interact with you (or, conversely, the way that they don't). I do think the best choices I make are around keeping my fandom experience relatively small. I prefer to have discussions one-on-one and form friendships than get involved in broader posting, because that's what works for me. If someone asks me a question, I'll answer it, but I do get very paranoid about my opinions on the books being misconstrued or otherwise misrepresented, so I always try to back up what I'm saying with direct evidence.

I just try to present myself as being open and honest, which includes being upfront about my boundaries. I try to remind myself (and have friends who can remind me) that if people want to take what I write/say in bad faith, than that isn't a reflection of my work or intent. It's very difficult to remember that, sometimes.

(these questions are from this love your fandom ask game!)

[invalluable]

I need to remind myself that I am actually capable of writing so I decided to post a compilation of some of my poems that I've written over the years. (Mind you, some of these are like, 10 years old).

Starting out with a classic "Is this depression or just word play?" aka the poem that almost got me sent to the school psychologist.

Farewell It’s time I left. I have no life in me, no colour in my cheeks, no blood in my veins. It’s time I left. All my friends are gone, my whole family is down under on the cold ground. I’m still holding on, with the last bits of my strength a string of life and hope. But it’s time I left. So I let go. I start falling, I dance in the wind, I twirl and drop, drop, drop … and then I stop. I slowly lie down on the ground with my friends. And I wait for the first snow to cover me like a cold blanket. But I feel no cold, I don’t feel a thing. For a long time now. A dry leaf.

I submitted this one to my high school's linguistic magazine. I had to sit down and have a talk with my English professor and explain that it's just describing autumn and that I don't actually want to kill myself. (Was I a depressed little fuck? Of course, but she didn't have to know that!)

I call this one "Yeah I know I suck but at least I'm self aware so that has to count right?"

ME. I was never too good at loving the person who stares at me through the mirror every morning when I brush my teeth. My flaws and imperfections are loud they stand out like trees in a field and the lightning always knows where to strike. And every storm that comes caresses my flaws with its cold fingers making sure i remember their presence as if I could ever forget what makes me.

Following the negative self-talk, a short one that I'd say I'm most proud of. I do not remember what inspired me to write it - I have a sneaky suspicion it was me having a platonic crush on someone.

Vulnerable Love is a stranger making themself at home in the darkest corners of your soul. You wonder why you let them in and watch, terrified, as the gently pick up your flaws, one by one, and kiss them.

Being loved as you are, no questions asked is scary, but if you let it happen it can be so beautiful. You have to start believing people when they tell you good things about yourself.

This next one I don't even know how to describe. I know exactly what prompted me to write it. It was the start of a somewhat messy situation that poem right after this one touches on.

Storm Meeting you was like the eye of a hurricane – quiet, still. For a brief moment I forgot about the ongoing storm inside my head, and heart. You felt like gravity pulling at my feet to keep my mind from drifting up into the dark clouds that pooled above me. I should have known. We were a natural disaster waiting to happen. Me, with my undying hatred towards myself and you, with your good intentions that pave the road straight to heaven and that heaven is me, my heart and you know it. But you still take, take, take advantage of my willingness to give, give, give and ask nothing in return. But my requests are silent, like candles they burn, burn, burn me out. I want you to hear my unspoken words, read between my lines, unravel my metaphors. Let the disaster strike. After all, destruction is beautiful And if beauty is in the eye of the beholder then my broken heart is a piece of art.

Wow, such deep, much insight. Wow. Repetition was a big hit in this one. Lots of metaphors or whatever. Moving on.

The next two sort of go together. The first one was written after my first time. It was a complicated situation (as described in the previous piece) and I won't go into too much detail about it, but it made me feel a strange kind of sadness.

Unrequited Words escape me now I can’t grasp my thoughts they keep running to you your voice, your face, your warmth. I miss the sweet oblivion, the privilege of not knowing, the beauty of ignorance the time before yesterday. Gratitude feels cold but I still am grateful for the truth I’d rather hurt now than later down the road when I’m in too deep and it kills me I’d rather have you here, at arm’s length, as a friend than not at all I’ll be okay in time My wounds are merely scratches Tomorrow I’ll be whole.

And this other one I wrote a little later. I just entered my first relationship and was unsure how to navigate it. Self-consciousness as a theme persists, but love somehow mellows it out.

Familiar My mind is wrapped in fog but I remember you so clearly as if I’ve known you for a lifetime My fingertips could recognize the curves and edges of you in pitch blackness The taste of you lingers on my tongue the heat of your skin could warm up the coldest corners of my soul and there is little in this world as soothing as the gentle pounding of your heart Your scent surrounds me and it feels like home I’m at ease nothing can harm me as long as we exist together in the dark

The last one I wrote right after my break-up. I was angry (and rightfully so) and hurt and just had to let it out. The bitterness is palpable. It was word-vomitted onto the paper, so it doesn't even have a title.

Wasn't it enough? Wasn't it enough to love you Like you were something precious Something splendid and unique? Wasn't it enough to hold you Like you were something to cherish Wasn't it enough to see you In those quiet moments When the world couldn't reach us And it was just you and me And our little life together Wasn't it enough for you? Because it was enough for me.

Big oof. Looking at this almost two years later and I feel the same pain that I felt the moment I picked up the pen. Grief is important and learning to let go is as well. I hold no grudges anymore, though I'm still upset about the consequences it had. Am I in a better place now because of it? Yes. Did I deserve better? Yes. And so better I will get. It was a shitty thing to experience but it gave me some much needed perspective. Hopefully I can learn and grow from it.

If you're still reading and you made it this far, thank you for coming on this trip down the memory lane with me. Hopefully I'll write some more in the future.

[zecretsanta]

To: @heypilot

From: @juricha-art​

Notes on piece #1:

This one was possibly the hardest to work around, since there is a pretty small chronological window where they would be able to spend some quality time together, so I'm sorry if this isn't exactly "growing up". I knew I had to include Akane though, since she was such an influential figure in K(yle)'s life. I imagine that all three of them would enjoy spending the time in the Biotope Garden. Akane would teach them a lot of things, read aloud or tell stories about her life. She was probably telling them about the meaning of different flowers and of love, and that would inspire Luna to make those flower wreaths for everyone (that one she's making is for Sigma) while Akane would take a nap on K's shoulder - she's just an old woman, after all. Considering the calla lily's symbolism, I'd say it is rather fitting for the place - purity, faithfulness, death. I tried to make it sweet and a bit melancholic. Materials used: watercolors, watercolor pencils, Faber-Castell Pitt pens.

Notes on piece #2:

This one really stuck with me, because I love those two and that timeline still gives me the feels. At first, I'd wanted to make it into just a makeshift wedding. Then - bam! - I remembered the famous painting by Gustav Klimt, "The Kiss". Thus, this one artwork was born. The story is that Sigma wanted to make something to cheer Diana up after they find out that she is expecting, and to prove his love to her, so at least if something happens, they would be together. And so he secretly prepared all those elements and clothes and rings (he's so skilled on tech stuff - and most likely chemistry as well - that it wouldn't be a problem at all to do even with scarce supplies. My headcanon is that he would also be good at sewing and such, with his fine motor skills). The environment is the mix of the Healing Room elements and also that official artwork where Diana is holding a skull and a bouquet of daisies. You can tell that I've got just a little bit carried away, lol. I've specifically left it up to the viewer's interpretation, so it could be both happy and angsty at the same time. Remember: Memento mori if the nineth lion ate the sun. Materials used: gouache, Faber-Castell Pitt pens, Sakura Pen-Touch gold marker.

Notes on piece #3:

This was the first out of the three I'd finished actually. I didn't want to repeat myself, so I've made them don the traditional Japanese kimonos and make Carlos go and visit Kurashiki family in Japan instead. Uchikoshi did say that Akane is an ideal Japanese woman, after all, and she certainly lives up to the title here, hehe. Guess who got drunk and is about to get an earful from his sis because of  photobombing: "It wasn't THAT finger!". Carlos is very excited to be celebrating the holidays with the crew (Maria is the one taking the photo), and Junpei is just very proud of his wife and children (Rei is holding a temari ball and Quark a kagami mochi. Nova is just there being cute) . I aimed for a very light-hearted vibe here. Materials used: alcohol markers, pigment liner, Uni Posca pen, Sakura Pen-Touch gold marker and several types of washi tape (which were a major headache to work with, and I had to use tracing paper to stick them on and then cut them out. I hope it was worth it).

[scarecrowmax]

misc. tag game...

Thank you for the tag @the-cinnamontography-is-amazing <3

a band you don’t like that many others do:

not technically a band but taylor swift. i just never really liked her music and i find her so overplayed that it's actually gotten to the point i get annoyed when i hear it played.

a childhood memory that you remember vividly:

one day i came home from school after we got to visit the school library and i borrowed the bailey school kids book about cupids and so when i got home i laid down on my top bunk and read the whole book and finished just in time for dinner and i was so proud of myself for finishing it so fast until i remembered it was gonna be a full week before we got to go back to the library

least favorite animal and why:

i don't necessarily have a least favorite animal but i guess small dogs? i just find them weirdly unnerving and so often they're so loud and badly trained and not washed often enough so they smell and i just don't really like them

hot fandom take:

just because someone/something is popular in the fandom it doesn't mean it/they're good. sometimes people or concepts just suck either in general or for your experience and it's fine to not interact/block/not consume that content if it isn't doing it for you.

do you wear any jewelry, if so, what’s your favorite piece:

i wear a ring on each hand every day and i wear earrings and necklaces sometimes too. i love my rings, my hands feel naked without them honestly, but my current favorite piece is probably a necklace i made out of a broken ring. it was an adjustable one and one side snapped off so i snapped off the other side, added a jump ring through an open part of it and added a chain. it's a spider holding a skull. its super fun and very different to a lot of my other pieces.

a movie others liked but you didn’t:

i'm not really a fan of the original evil dead trilogy. like the concept is cool but the humor, the stop motion animation, and a lot of the deadite makeup is just not really my taste. i do love the 2013 movie though. big fan of that one.

three things you love about yourself:

i've learned to be just okay at things and still have fun doing them, i have really pretty eyes, the fact i make a lot of things be it food or crafts or fandom stuff i just like making things

a place you hope to visit in the future and why:

i'd love to visit somewhere outside the us sometime because i never have before

an actor that gets on your nerves and why:

there's several and honestly it's either their energy or they did some fucked up shit and im tired of people talking about them. im not gonna name names though.

things you’re excited for in the nearby future?:

i'm gonna see a band I really like on the 17th of next month and it's gonna be so great because it's a small venue so I'll almost assuredly have a great view. plus tickets with service fees were $17.50 a piece which rocks. im spending more on gas to see them than on tickets which i find funny.

least favorite ship in a fandom you’re in:

i have zero interest in naming names here, i'll keep that in my exclude tags lists on ao3

what’s the most toxic fandom you’ve been in?:

i don't think i'm actually in any. i don't interact with shit like that because i'm in fandoms to have fun and enjoy shit so i stay out of drama and will block people who suck and then forget they exist

list three things you find beautiful about life:

people care about each other even when we don't know each other, there's a million little joys to be found in life, you can meet someone and have a great time together at an event and never speak again but you'll remember them fondly and do it over and over again.

any dreams for the future?

uhhhh, not really? I've never been a big dreamer. i'm a day by day girlie from way back

how are you really feeling today?

not too bad, i was good earlier but i played a couple video games too long earlier and now my ability to focus my eyes is a little screwy and I've got a bit of a headache

tag you're it if you're up for it @rossmccallsqueen @fromcrossroadstoking @tvserie-s-world

[artekai]

tag game (Horizon)

Thanks @nerd-artist for tagging me!! I am flattered :3

1. ride or die ship (your otp): GAIA/Lis ❤️ I felt so validated when Sylens said the "two moms" thing, you have no idea.

2. most annoying ship: I plead the fifth

3. second favourite ship: Erevad! I never considered them until I read a really good fic about them and I was sold lol.

4. favourite platonic relationship: Hmm 🤔 I really enjoy Aloy & Sylens :D I missed him a lot in HFW (given he wasn't in our Focus any longer). mlm-wlw hostility real. Also, Aloy & Gildun and Aloy & Morlund are both very sweet but I suppose they have similar vibes lol.

5. underrated ship: Any of the ones I mentioned lol, I feel like they don't get as much love as others, haha. Which is understandable because it makes sense to gravitate more towards the GAIA gang! But other than that 🤔 I think Aloy/Zo and Aloy/Alva are pretty cute and underrated, even if I don't exactly ship them myself c:

6. overrated ship: I plead the fifth

7. one thing i would change in canon: *side eyes HFW hard*

Just one thing, though? I'd have to concur with most of the people I've seen do this tag game so far and say it's Varl's death. I'm pissed about that.

8. something canon did right: Other people have also mentioned it before me, but I think Horizon's writing excels at the datapoints. Just slowly having to figure out the past, putting the pieces together, getting glimpses of the tragedies (and the little joys) that once happened in those places, filling in the blanks... The environmental storytelling is amazing 👌. The intrigue, the curiosity, the mystery. It really scratches the urge to explore abandoned places and imagine what it was life was like for the people who once lived in them, so close yet so far away. HZD really did it well with the Zero Dawn facilities and I think HFW captured that magic again with Thebes. I crave more of that.

9. a thing i'm proud of creating for the fandom PLEASE BRAG ABOUT YOURSELF I WANT TO SEE/READ YOUR ART: I'm not sure I can say anything I make is "for the fandom" since I only make OC stuff 😭 Believe me, I want to be more integrated in the fandom, but not as much as I want to focus on the blorbos from my brain 😔

I guess I can mention To Err is Human, my vampire AU fic, since, if all goes according to plan, that should be relatively fairly split between my OCs and canon characters. Sorry that it's taken me so long to update tho :( As for art, please look at my man :) And here he is again with my favorite Aloy I've drawn lol. I also still really like this one! Also this. And this. And this. And

I've realized I could go on all day actually so I'll stop myself now lol.

10. a character who is perfect to me (wouldn't change a thing): Sylens. I love him, crimes and all.

11. the character I relate to the most and why: Beta. Something something about characters who have the same neuroses as you but in their world their neuroses are justified (sigh). And Gildun! His quest in Burning Shores really grabbed me by the throat, oof. In some ways I also relate to Aloy but not as much, I think.

12. character(-s) i hate the most and why: Well, I could just name the usuals, Ted Faro, the Ceo, Lansra, etc. But they're the characters we're meant to hate, so, ironically, it doesn't feel right to say I hate them, you know? I appreciate a well-crafted villain, and I definitely appreciate their role in the narrative. So, do I really hate them? Yes but actually no.

It's like that one post that goes "I don't care if a villain is redeemable or not but by god please make them interesting." I would be lying if I said I wasn't at least a little bit insane about the likes of Faro and the Ceo lol, so I'd say they did their job. I actually enjoy them being in the narrative.

As for the Zeniths... I used to just hate them straight up, not just for what we're meant to hate them, but for what they did to the narrative. I then started my quick descent into madness until I came to love to hate them lol. But I still think they deserve this spot more than anyone else given that they still make me see red half of the time.

13. something i've learned from the fandom: uhhhhh I'm not sure? Interesting to see the differences between the Persona fandom and the Horizon fandom I guess. In a lot of ways they have the same issues all fandoms have but idk, it's different. I'll leave it at that.

14. three tags i seek out on ao3: I don't really read as much fic as I would like to because of readers' block... But when I do, I feel like I tend to look for Beta-centric stuff. And Nemesis stuff hehe but there's very little of that. I feel like, at least in this fandom, I tend to gravitate more towards genfic instead of ship-heavy stuff. Those aren't three tags but still three things so fair enough.

15. a song i strongly associate with my otp/favourite character: I have a few playlists but I'm not sure any songs in particular jump out to me as much as Sad Machine by Porter Robinson, which has been my quintessential Horizon song from the moment I finished HZD. It still gives me the same chills that going through ELEUTHIA-9 gave me... God, I really wish I could go back to when I was first playing it and experience that feeling again. I might actually cry listening to it now.

Tagging: @banukaihelpme, @cicadaknight, @thatpunnyperson, @snorkeldays and @hartlesshart, but absolutely no pressure to do it! I guess this is more of a [insert your fandom here] thing, so, for any other mutuals who see this, if you wanna do it for your fandom, please tag me as your tagger, I would love to see it 🙏

[whoslaurapalmer]

okay so, lindsay lohan was on the tonight show with jimmy fallon, but more importantly, she did a parent trap skit to announce her guest star status, which led me to rereading your parent trap au, and well, here i am to sing your praises — ahhhhhh i adore it !! it’s so good. better than oreos good. the dynamics between so many different characters, dynamics that you’re able to explore !! not constrained by canon !! (three favorites : the standouts, kit and bernadette 💕, and bertrand and klaus, but specifically when klaus is really violet, AND THE ATLAS, and then there’s something so sweet and lovely about b,r, and o as a trio and i love them omg) but also stay true to their original characterizations. i always like how you write lemony, your voice for him fits just right, like a favorite pair of shoes, but he’s particularly good in this. i love the image of him in a theater, doing a book reading. it’s so mr snicket. and b and b and l ??? all together ??? the candy grams ??! the censored candy grams ?!!? iconic. i love how bertrand couldn’t be as horrid as meredith blake, so there’s no other way but a happy ending, and i love how violet and klaus would accept nothing less. i love how it is bits and pieces and asides, it feels right, like a scrapbook of the summer their parents got together, and stayed that way. 💕 lovely work all around !!!

awww thank you lainey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i always love hearing about people rereading parent trap au 💖💖 any fic. all of my fic. but especially parent trap au. it warms my heart. my soul. i gain many levels of power when people want to talk about parent trap au. it is so silly and so so precious to me and was such a rambling whim and is so unstructured but so many people have seen the heart i wanted in it. yes i DID just watch it again the other day. i love that people still find it as delightful as i hoped!! and oh that skit was fun!!

i am always very very proud of how i made bernadette in this alt universe 💖 i always think i did a great job there and no regrets at all on the most cryptic, most determined little bean. and getting to write kit as a mother....................

THE ATLAS IS A PARTICULAR FAVORITE OF MINE TOO i love the intent behind the atlas. bertrand just wants to be considerate and respectful of his girlfriend's small child. i love how violet is impressed. i love how you could kill a man with it. i myself like to look at heavy objects and wonder if you could, in fact, kill a man with it. also it's really funny that bea shares the sentiment. anyway i was imagining it as like, a deep navy blue with gold and silver???? like in little sparkly sections on the cover but also the pages!!!! with fancy borders and shiny spots and just. fun maps.

i do have regrets that ramona and olivia kind of drop out of the fic at the end bc they're so good and deserve to be part of this family still, i just couldn't imagine them leaving california. maybe they visit, though......and honestly the three of them raising klaus was something i did NOT do enough with. or ramona's mother. or olivia's eclairs!!!!!!!! klaus should've brought some of the eclairs anyway. packed them with a couple ice packs so they'd keep. eat them the first night of camp, in the dead of night, joyously.

i frequently and fondly think of 'they censored my loving sonnet about your ass but they still sent it!' with bea's candygram. teenagers with candygrams is such a hilarious mess. just, the commitment. the shenanigans. it's delightful and deeply embarrassing to look back on.

lemony is one of my favorite povs to do and i don't really like to say that he comes very easily to me bc. i mean, uh, technically, at the end of the day, he is not mine, and i will of course never get the perfect lemony voice that danhan has (and actually when i'm not in his head i struggle a lot to get his dialogue right) but i do think i do a very good lemony voice and he is one of the easiest character voices for me to write (bc he has a structure! he has a vibe! you know where you stand with him!!!!! you get to do neat things in his narration!!!!) and he's very fun to do. characterization is something that, AS ALWAYS i say this so much but god it's just always very big on my mind, i work very hard on and stress a lot about, especially on the occasion i Do Stray A Little Far From Canon, and it's something i am very critical about, so when people think i do it well it's very 💖💖

also i frequently and fondly think of 'haircuts are things that happen, at one time or another, to all of us.' speaking of lemony. god what a guy.

oh i LOVE the idea of it feeling like a scrapbook oh that's so perfect!!!!! what a homey and cozy thought!!!!!! like the pictures of nick and elizabeth's wedding in the credits.......oh i love it so much. violet and klaus put the taped-up wedding photo at the beginning of the book and then at the end is the new lemonberry ice wedding photo. although i don't actually really like the wedding gown elizabeth designs in the movie that has the photo shoot, bea is DEFINITELY at least wearing that veil/top hat combo in the new photo. that's so her vibe. it's an outside summer wedding. color scheme is lots of reds and pinks.......lemony and bertrand both wear white. bea's dress has a red waist ribbon. oooo wait or maybe it's one of those dresses with all the embroidered flowers all over??? i love those kinds of wedding dresses. bertrand cries through the whole thing. kit actually, genuinely cries too, once.

[morathicain]

Twenty Questions for Fic Writers!

Thank you for tagging me @inrainprose :D

Here we go! ^^

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

Currently at 227 on Ao3, which might change any day with how obsessed I currently am with writing for Kiseki XD Also have a few on animexx and fanfiktion.de from old old times which I probably should start transferring ^^°

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

1,120,354 so far which I'm quite proud of, especially since most of it was written during the past 4 years (3wbf be thanked)

3. What fandoms do you write for?

A LOT! I constantly write for 3wbf and then whatever I am watching (whether it be show or movie that inspires me). Some fandoms appear more often or reappear after months or years again, others just once and then never again. Lots of niche stuff though (either the show or topic) XD

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Wait what (My Engineer - RamKing) with 737 kudos

Mutual anything (KinnPorsche AU - KinnPorsche) with 7 chapters and 700 kudos

One Moment to adore you (My Engineer - RamKing) with 649 kudos

Now you know (Not me the series - SeanWhite) with 608 kudos

Loving you on my second thought (My Engineer - RamKing) with 536 kudos

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

Absolutely, YES! I've met some of my best friends through comment-discussions and -talks and I also wanna thank the people who take the time to show their appreciation <3

6. What is a fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Oh ... PHU! Good question? I guess it would be "One last call", a JynCassian fic which of course ends with them dying?

Or "I wish you were mine but I wasn't yours", a Bad Buddy fic which has Pran push Pat away?

(if anyone has other contenders in mind, let me know, my brain is a bit overwhelmed XD I don't count the BMF one because while it ends with a breakup, for me it's a hopeful ending)

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I ... I don't know? I suppose each fic that has Ter and Mae and Phon alive and together should be considered a worthy contender for that question! And I love them all <3

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not really. Got some when I started writing in English but I'm glad I managed to continue anyway ^^° only weird ones sometimes that are hard to interpret but are usually not meant in a mean way? I think?

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Yes, I do. It always depends on the fandom actually. And ... I don't really know how to describe it but I'm usually not that explicit, I think? Lots of emotions are involved and I try to switch things up.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

Probably the SPN One Piece crossover from over ten years ago? XD They were in a prompt I got, so I had to do it :P Otherwise the crossover between Manner of Death and My Engineer "It's all about the plants, babe" with King as TanBun's child. That was a lot of fun :D

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of? Fingers crossed and wood gets tapped!

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Yessssss! A few into Russian and French and a Cherry Magic one into Vietnamese ^^

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

So many years back. One with a friend, another with my brother, a crack one with another friend XD Not sure we ever finished any of those and it was fun back then but I don't think I can do it again ^^°

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

To no one's surprise at all it's Shin/Neo/Miw <3

15. What's a wip you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

So far the wips I really want to finish are still on my list. I fear I might not be able to finish the one 3wbf one or the The Player one because other shows and ideas get in between, but it's still planned!

16. What are your writing strengths?

I was told I'm good at yearning and banter? Definitely like diving into angst XD

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Long plots, I tend to get distracted and also lose myself in the technicalities v.v

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

If it makes sense, why not? But not if it should be understood by everyone and happens more often.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Inu Yasha! It's been a long long time since then XD

20. Favorite fic you've written?

You ask WHAT of me????? askdjbaksjbdakjsbd

I can't say for sure. Like, I enjoy my own atots bodyguard AUs often enough, I love my own version for Moonlight Chicken more than the show itself, I very much love my current collection for Kiseki because they've taken over my whole soul. So many favourites when it comes to RamKing and omg, don't get me started on my 3wbf fics!

Me and you, both of you is one of my faves when it comes to giving Shin/Neo/Miw a happy ending though and when it's about underappreciated fics, I had a lot of fun with is "Revenge is a dish best served dead" with Ter and Phon killing Thana as ghosts :P And one I am still happy about, even if it's an old one, is a High&Low one: A kitten's persistence

Tagging now (but no pressure): @ommited-miscellaneously @nevaehs @himmelsstern ;)

[ren-from-mars]

I’ve been doing some reflecting on this past year, and I really truly think it is the most artistic improvement I have made in any span of time. Of course, I’m going to be completely insufferable about it and have collected my best piece from each month with a few personal notes, so why don’t we go on a sprint down memory highway together?

January

At the start of the year, I was both adrift between fandoms and art styles. I was mostly aiming to find which style I could keep using, finish pieces quickly yet still feel proud of. It certainly worked in the moment, but as I pushed my boundaries more it didn't stick. Still, I look back on this style fondly! also proper throwback to my old username that i had for far too long

February

This was the start of me working on colour palettes. I lay down my main colour in the background and fit the rest of my colours around that. It was a good way to start experimenting!

March

Then the shift back to finding my style- I particularly like how the hair turned out in this piece! I also started trying more interesting poses here, and actually properly attempting hands.

April

I didn't finish any pieces in april as I had started working more hours and didn't quite know how to balance myself creatively at that point. I did lean into this style of sketch much more, which was good fun while it stuck around but ive leant away from it in more recent times.

May

Not much to say about may in particular, lots of the same things as the past few months with improvements here and there! just some steady progress :)

June

Cue the crunch of getting character refs done before artfight, and then only actually finishing one (which isn't actually complete, even to this day). But hey, more solid reference for My Guy ! I also leaned into drawing furries a lot more and have improved heaps in the difference of proportions!

July

artfight baybee!! no artistic differences, but it was a lot of fun scouting out other peoples character designs! I do hope to participate more this year :3

August

back to colours, though this month felt like a bit of a backtrack. Don't get me wrong, I do quite like this piece, but contrast-wise it doesn't have as much visual clarity as I would like. Regardless, a good learning opportunity!

September

Fun fact, I rendered this one entirely in greyscale! This was the start of me getting back into hatchetfield after being reminded of NPMDs release, and lets be real this part of black friday was chilling so I had to do something about it! I consider this piece a landmark in terms of my art journey.

October

Once again no real finished pieces, I was too busy watching nightmare time while waiting for the group watch of npmd. I did do a lot of studies of star wars characters from their live-action shows though, which was a fun learning experience!

November

This was the piece where I applied pretty much everything I had learnt throughout the year. contrast, colour themes, interactive environments and poses, the lot! and also. its them. how could i not

December

A perfect piece to wrap up the year with! Another step up from november, this applied lots of what I had learnt and pushed my boundaries even more. I have been aiming for more realism to actor's faces and body types, not out of it-has-to-be-canon-sake, but rather learning how to accurately depict someone's likeness from a few photo references. good practice for both live-action and animated characters!

Overall last year was absolutely wild. I can't wait to share my journey with you all as we go into 2024 strong!

[plasma-packin-mama]

💕 self-love time! talk about which ones of YOUR creations (edits, artworks, fanfics) you like the most then send to other creators to do the same 💕

AWWW hi Astra, thank you!!

Hmm I feel like a lot of times as of late, I'm already a bit unsatisfied with my works as soon as I've finished them. It's a good thing because it means I'm learning, but not the best feeling anyway. I think it's an important skill as an artist to learn to love your works even if you see flaws with them, because there's always some element to appreciate, and creation in itself is beautiful. Here's some things from this blog that I still like:

Of course I have to put my comic here. I'm not too happy with a lot of the art in it to be completely honest, but I know that I worked very hard on it, and it was a big step for me to put something so personal out for others to see for the first time. I'm generally very private about my identity, so I was very nervous to broadcast something that talked so directly about that subject, even if it was actually about Delilah's story. (I've never tried to hide the fact that I put a lot of myself into Delilah lol) I still go back and reread the feedback I got on that comic sometimes because it makes me so happy to see others connecting with and feeling "seen" by my work. I never expected so much kindness. I think the reception of this comic is stored forever in my brain like one of the Core Memories from Inside Out. Thank you so much to everyone who left me feedback of any kind on that work, because I'm sure it means more to me than you really expected.

This is from very early in my blog when I first met @/thebigolbee and I worked SO hard on it because I felt so lucky that such a great and popular artist like Bee was doing an art trade with me! 😭😭 About nine months later I think we draw each other's OCS about as much as we draw our own- so I guess it worked out lol! I spent a long time on the line art for this one and I think it turned out really nice :)

I'm very proud of the background in this drawing, and I think the characters came out cute as well even though they're just a doodle. I get lazy with backgrounds most of the time so it was a good exercise. It was fun to work on!!!

This was a drawing I did when I was really struggling with art, I tried to loosen up (the hardest thing ever for me lol) and just go with the flow and honestly, even though it's nothing too special I still just really enjoy something about it!!! It's fun I think! (I have to draw Delilah during that period of their life more...)

ACK. This Frankenstein drawing that I picked at for so long and eventually just didn't finish the background for. I really love the characters and the mood of the piece, even though i intended to add much more detail to the room they're in. I think sometimes it's ok to leave things "unfinished" instead of just agonizing over it and never letting it see the light of day.

Valentine's drawing. It really surprised me how this became one of my most popular posts because I didn't really expect anyone to notice it!!! I drew it 1000% for myself, because happy sparkly characters being happy together are my favorite to draw. But apparently everyone else also likes that! A good lesson. (Maybe it was just bc everyone loves Ms. Rae Jepsen's musical stylings as much as me...)

I'm really proud of all the art that I did for high fantasy au, but this one especially because I worked very hard with my markers and I feel like it came out well!! I'm really awful at utilizing color in an interesting way-- I get nervous about ruining stuff by adding the wrong color the wrong place, but I think I did really well this time!!

I think that's enough!! It was really nice to look back at all my old works - I was actually surprised by how many things I still like despite their age!!! I do feel very positive after writing this post, so thank you for sending this along to me Astra!! :] I encourage everyone to do this, really go through your works and think about what you've learned from each one and why it's still nice!!

[mokonahapuuuuuu]

Cakes

Note: Okay so proud of myself. I wrote this like as if it were an actual episode of the show, though just bits and pieces here and there. If I could make it feel like even more of an episode, I'd have an action sequence after the cake baking scene and before Adonis left.

At this point with Neil/Belle, I picked it when it was before they were a couple, so yeah.

----

Adonis was back in town and he thought to stop by and see how everyone was doing. 

Since Atlanta and Theresa now had boyfriends, they didn’t so ardently chase after Adonis like the last time. Jay and Archie still were cautious when he arrived. 

When he laid eyes on Belle, however, that was a different story. 

They seemed to spend a lot of time together. 

After centuries and millennia, Adonis had feelings for someone. Though, it seemed that Belle oddly didn’t like him back. 

If she were around when Adonis first came out of the box, would she have fawn over him like so many other girls? 

She was the envy of all the girls and nymphs. 

Atlanta and Theresa tried not to be jealous of Belle, though she was a great teammate and gal pal. Spite shouldn’t come at all between them. Though out of all the girls to pick, if she were around, Adonis would pick her out of all of them. 

Aphrodite and Persephone tried not to look angry at Belle, though she was kind to everyone, so it was impossible to be mad at her. Neither party would want an argument with each other. 

As usual, Neil was jealous that he wasn’t the most attractive person on campus anymore and couldn’t wait for Adonis to leave. 

However, there was another layer to that jealously. He couldn’t put his finger on it. 

Belle was baking lemon cakes in the kitchen, Adonis watching over her as he placed his head over his hands. 

She placed the tray into the oven to bake. 

“So you come to the school this year?” asked Adonis. 

“Yeah, I have,” she replied, putting away the oven mitts. “It took awhile to adjust to the move, but I love it here. It’s amazing how Greek Gods and mythology actually are real. Even you.” 

“I assure you, I am very real.” 

All of a sudden, the oven caught fire. 

Her eyes widen. “The cakes…!” 

She pulled the tray out of the oven, careful around the blaze that was around her. Adonis got the fire extinguisher and soon, everything was surrounded with white foam. 

At least the fire was contained. 

Adonis sighed. “Are the cakes ruined?” 

Belle looked down. “They’re done, though a little burned.” 

“Maybe I can help you make a new batch.” 

She looked up and smiled. “They may be a little scorched, but they’re still good on the inside.” 

Adonis smiled back. “Yes… what’s on the inside.” 

Neil watched the scene all the way from the next room over. For some odd reason, what they said to each other made him want to gag. 

He looked out the window. If he wasn’t also jealous that Adonis was the fairest of them all on campus, then maybe the other reason was… 

That he got to bake cakes with Belle? 

No, though maybe the answer would come sooner or later. 

Adonis already won over him the first time. How much more was he going to take from him?

It was the evening, and Adonis was leaving. 

“Ever since I got here, I think you are the fairest of them all, Belle,” he began. “Why don’t you take Pegasus and we can travel the world together?” 

“Adonis…” Belle turned for a moment. “I’m flattered you see me that way, though everything seems so uncertain for me now. Coming to a new school, learning that Greek gods exist, and Cronus is still out there… My life is going in a completely different direction.” 

“Of course…” he reached for her hand. “On the day you are ready, and if there’s a chance for us to be together, I will be there.” 

He kissed her hand and walked into the horizon. 

Belle was on the roof patio, pondering what happened today. 

She was only a teenager, there were other opportunities to come by. Adonis was classy enough to deal with what she said. May her words not wound him so deeply. 

Neil was on the roof patio with her. 

He scoffed. “Adonis thinks he’s so much better. Well, he’s not, okay… I’m the super model here. I’m on magazine covers, no one knows anything about him…!” 

Belle laughed and got up. She had enough air for tonight, and the dishes in the dishwasher should be done by now. 

“Sometimes, beauty is within.” 

She walked to the stairs of the Brownstone. 

Neil looked on as he watched her walk away. When they baked cakes in the kitchen and she mentioned that even though the cakes were burned, what mattered was on the inside, maybe she also implied that with people. 

[pbandjesse]

The air was actually breathable today! My chest hurt when I first woke up and I have a little cough. But it would get better throughout the day.

I got out of bed a little after 9. I made the bed. And got dressed. I loved my outfit. Which was my two piece sweat skirt and tank top. First time I'm wearing them together and they absolutely match so well and I am thrilled. I felt a lot better about myself my hair felt better. My makeup felt better. My stomach didn't hurt for the first time in over a week. Things were improving.

I spent the morning vacuuming. Wiping things down. I could open the windows and things felt more normal.

I would get myself together and spent two hours working on my workshop for specialty staff and my native American workshop. Still two sections to do!! I hope to finish that before Monday. But it was fun! I love doing the research. And I was able to find some really fun things and expand on some ideas and it was just really fun. But it was also a lot of work and brain power. So by noon I was a bit exhausted.

I had nachos and egg salad for lunch. I watched some videos. It was a nice day.

I decided I would go for a long drive.

I decided I would drive to Columbia. And go to 2nd avenue.

And it was a fun drive. I had good music. It took about a half hour. And when I got there I put on a podcast. I was surprised how busy it was. But it wasn't horrible. I was having fun mostly just taking pictures of silly things. I would find some good stuff. A dear America book I hadn't read yet. A Mexican tooled leather purse. Another candy machine!! This one was only $5 and has a better base then the one I already have so I'm thrilled. And my best find: a brand new pair of UGGs orange loafers. I ended up getting those for $20 and I am thrilled. Because they are brand new they are slightly tight on top but I know the leather will soften.

I dropped my phone in the parking lot and thought I lost it. But my Bluetooth was still working so I was like, well it can't be to far. And was able to find it soon enough.

I went down the street to the restore. It's not the best one but it was fun to look around. And I ended up finding another kneeling chair!! And this one rocks!! I have wanted a new one since my old one fell apart. And it was only $10!!! Amazing.

I asked if they could hold it at the front so I didn't knock anything over looking around. And I would end up finding another thing. Chappie. This is what he told me his name is. He is a. Bug? I'm not sure. But I love him.

I had a nice conversation with the man at the counter. And then I went home.

When I got back here my friend Remy ran across the street to say hello and it turns out her boyfriend is our neighbor!! Amazing. And she's coming back for some of the camp season so I'm thrilled. She's one of my favorites.

I got inside and there was a suitcases mailed to our house. It was for our downstairs neighbor and so I knocked on her door and we chatted for a bit. And then I went upstairs.

I would put stuff away. I accidently knocked Chappies eye off so I fixed that. Glued a few other things. And went to chill James room.

I decided I would play more animal crossing. I went around my island and was just really proud of myself for all the work and design I had put into it. And then I spent some more time designing some rooms.

James got home and said they were mad about how I have gotten good at it again so fast. Which made me laugh. We would share some candy. James would try cleaning some more. And then they went for a little walk before coming home and making us leftovers for dinner.

We would chill on the couch and look at houses and neighborhoods. Thought about leaving the city. Thought about all the little things you give up when you do that, but the things you gain as well. It was fun just sitting together and imagining. Also seeing the places that were clearly haunted or recently on fire.

I would take a bath after that. And now we are in bed and James is watching all the tiktoks I sent to them. And now we are getting ready to sleep. James just tried to lean on their bad arm and crumpled to the bed and it was very silly.

Tomorrow I have the market. I think. Anne sent a cryptic email about thinking about cancelling because of the smoke. But James says they haven't heard anything like that so I will still go.

I hope you all sleep well tonight. And are breathing easier. Goodnight my friends

[letmetellyouaboutmyfeels]

i have some questions, if you feel up to it: which of your published fics are you the proudest of? which of them have you reread the most? and, which of your wips should the average buddie fic enjoyer be most wary of?

Of my published fics it's hard to pick just one, since I have about five that I really consider the best examples of my work or milestones in my writing abilities.

(For example, my Hunger Games fic I wouldn't say is my best work today, but it's still one of the fics I'm the proudest of since it was in my opinion a really well-done fic for a sixteen-year-old and marked a milestone in trying to tackle really difficult subjects including unlikable characters and main character death.)

Of my Buddie fics the three I'd say I'm proudest of are Your Fingerprints Smeared on My Heart (Lead Me Back to You), In the Gray You are Golden, and Further Than Blood (Or Than Bones).

The first is my soulmate fic and a rare fic where I feel like I set myself a very high bar and actually accomplished what I set out to do in my head with the fic. The unending lament of a writer is that the story rarely turns out as good on the page as you see it in your mind, but I think with this one I came close. It was a challenge to write, and I'm really happy with the finished product.

The second is my Zombie Apocalypse AU that I dashed off in a fit of inspiration in 48 hours. I'm really proud of the atmosphere I created and the worldbuilding. My goal was to write a zombie fic where non-zombie and non-horror lovers could still enjoy it, and given the comments I've received I think I've succeeded.

The third is my long vampire fic that I wrote for Halloween this past year, and it wasn't coming together for me the way that I wanted. I was extremely frustrated and disappointed with myself. And then I got the idea to write Eddie's moment of being shot as if it were poetry, a 'life flashes before your eyes' moment, and sprinkle passages from that moment throughout the rest of the fic. This turns the fic into actually one long flashback, something the reader isn't aware of until they hit the shooting and all the fragments of the poem (so to speak) are repeated as one piece. That made the fic come together for me, and I'm really proud of that idea and how it turned out.

I'm actually not sure which fanfic of mine I've read the most since I uh actually don't reread my fanfics much. I do, however, enjoy reading the comments, since they help me see my fics through fresh eyes and appreciate them anew. I reread @extasiswings fics a lot, and so of my fics I'd say A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words (But Love is Undefinable) and Carbon Date Me, Excavate Me are the ones I've actually reread most since they were co-written with her and I adore her sections of them. But of my solo works... probably my Zombie AU if I'm being honest? I've reread it a few times, I just love what I did with that one.

Occasionally I'll get a comment on a slightly older fic like The Best Lie is a Truth (My Best Mask is My Face) or Even the Darkest Night (Can't Outshine the Stars) - to name the two examples I can recall at the moment - that inspires me to reread the fic. But I actually don't make a regular habit of rereading my fics. Does this make me an outlier? Mayhaps?

Which of my WIPs hmm... hmmmmm...

Probably All My Shattered Oaths. All four WIPs are angsty (the fifth is just fun monsterfucker smut) but I think that one is a little bit more painful than the others.

NOT THAT THERE'S ANYTHING ANYONE SHOULD WORRY ABOUT. BECAUSE YOU SHOULDN'T. SHHH. IT'S ALL FINE HERE.