#i really have to start getting regular commissions again so i can get another source of income cause woof

[nedsseveredhead]

Hello! My name is Ned, I’m an nb artist from Buffalo, NY! I am opening heavily discounted headshot commissions to help supplement my income so I can pay off some bills. If you’d like a cheap portrait of your DnD character, your Warrior of Light, or even your poor little meow meow from your favorite TV show, I would be happy to provide! My regular commission TOS still apply.

I also have cheaper YCH style commissions available on my KoFi page, where you can also donate if you’re feeling particularly generous! Reblogs would also help immensely as tumblr seems to remove anything with links from the search function :’D

If you’re interested in anything, shoot me a DM and I will respond as fast as possible- thank you so much for your help!

[ammocharis]

OC Interview: Vatna

Thanks for the tag @cleverblackcat, @mageofholyandraste, @darethshirl! It sounds fun!

Introduction

This event was organized a few weeks prior to the Winter Palace ball. Ambassador Josephine Montilyet had invited a few Orlesian journalists to Skyhold to interview the newly appointed Inquisitor.

Can you introduce yourself?

Vatna Einarsdotten Selkesdotten of Two Falcon Hold. (a moment of silence) In the Frostback Mountains. (another moment of silence as the interviewers wait for her to say something else) Inquisitor of the Second Inquisition. (it seems that she won’t say anything more, so one of the journalists asks the next question)

What are your gender identity, orientation, and relationship status?

Is that what you ask every Lowlander? (grumbles) Alright. I see myself a woman. Who I invite or don’t invite to my bed is my very own matter. I am unmarried and have never been before. If you’re curious, yes, the Avvar may marry multiple times in their life if they wish so. Does this answer satisfy you?

Where and when were you born?

I was born in Two Falcon Hold, eighteen... no, nineteen winters ago. (she corrects herself as she remembers that winter came and went when she was away from home, making her one winter older than when she left)

What is your weapon of choice and fighting style?

I am a mage. Unlike most spellweavers in your Circles, we in the mountains train with all sort of weapons, just like any other warrior. I prefer fighting in close quarters. When I came of age, I chose an axe as my preferred weapon. It was commissioned from the dwarves of Orzammar. The blade is engraved with runes and the handle has lyrium core that I can easily channel my magic through. It has been... misplaced for the first few months that I spent with the Inquisition, but it was recovered. Fortunately, the gods blessed me with another weapon in the meantime - the fire-staff that belonged to the Avvar-Mother. I’ve been told this topic is a source of confusion, but I’m not sure how to explain it better. Yes, I do use both an axe and a staff now. I had a battleaxe when I arrived into the Lowlands. Then I lost it. Then I claimed the staff of Tyrdda Bright-Axe. Tyrdda was called Bright-Axe because she had a staff with a fire-focusing crystal. But the word ‘axe’ used to mean every hafted weapon. Then I got back my axe, my regular axe... Let’s go to the next question.

Are you happy?

I’ll be happy when the Lady’s Veil is fully repaired and Corypheus lies dead. Until then, I have work to do. Would you be happy if there were world-dooming critters in your house? Because there are. There are cowards in Orlais scheming together with Corypheus, maybe even people you know. (a lady in a pale blue mask exchanges looks with the others and suggests a lighter topic)

Family and friends

What should I say? Just talk about my family and friends? Well, my father is called Einar, my mother is called Selke. In my hold, we take bynames after both our parents, so I actually already revealed their names. My father was born is Two Falcon Hold, my mother moved from another hold further south. They’ve been married for twenty three years now. They were rather mad to promise such a long marriage without extensions. Eighty-eight knots, can you imagine? I mean, they could always as the Thane to cut the rope short if they grew tired of each other... But it works well for them. I hope they’ll live together until it the last knot. (the interviewers prompt her to explain what she meant by knots and ropes) Oh, I run away with that. The number of knots is the number of years the marriage is supposed to last. Before the wedding, the bride ties a number of knots into a rope, and the groom’s task is to untie them. On the wedding day, the bride starts to sing hymns to the Lady of the Skies. The groom begins to untie the knots then. However many he’ll manage to unravel before the hymns ends, that many years they shall be married together. After the promise ends, they can get married again if they wish. But my parents vowed to get married for eighty-eight years right away. Eight is a blessed amount. Eighty-eight, doubly so. I’ve been told the ritual took all day to complete. By the end of it, my mother’s throat was sore and my father’s knuckles were raw. But they got married how they wanted, and the bond has been steadfast for many years now.

I have a younger sister, Hirka. She’s only four winters younger than me but she can be a real brat sometimes. We used to be inseparable as children. Then we both grew a bit. I got my magic and had to spent a lot of time mastering my abilities. She had other things to do too. But she’s my sister no matter what.

I have some (she pauses to rememeber the right word in Common language) aunts and uncles, but most of them and their families live in other holds, so I haven’t seen them a lot. Only a few times, never in some cases. The word still travels through the Mountains, so we do hear news from them every now and then. 

In the end, the whole hold is your kin.

Have you ever run away from home?

Once or twice, I skulked outside of the hold and refused to go back until well after nightfall. But I never really run away, I wouldn’t abandon my family like that.

Would you consider marriage or having children?

I don’t know.

Do you secretly hate any of your friends?

No, I do not. Those who I call my friends, I think as such. I make my dislikes known. Too easily, I’ve been told.

Which friend knows everything about you?

There is someone who knows my soul, but I’m not going to talk about it.

Asked by fans

Are you literate? Have you been to school?

Yes, I can read and write. Not everyone in the Mountains does, but more than you imagine, I think. Augurs, skalds, merchants, those who aspire to be thanes... Many are able to tell the numbers, in order to trade with dwarves, but haven’t practiced beyond that.

The augurs learn how to read so that they may study old magics. I was an apprentice to the Sky Watcher of my hold - uh, a Sky Watcher is like a... priest to the Lady of the Skies. I was supposed to become his successor. So I studied something almost every day since I was eight. One day, I would memorize the shapes of protection sigils, and then try to draw them myself. Another day, I would study the uses of all mushrooms found in caves. But we don’t have any schools like there are in the lowlands. You learn from your mentors and from the gods, and most importantly, from your own mistakes.

The eeriest prediction you made that later came true?

Eeriest? I’m not sure. I dreams of many things. Some come true, but not in the way I imagined them to.

What is something you were embarrassingly late to realise?

I had no idea those lap dogs your Orlesian ladies carry around are really dogs. I’d never guess they share blood with wolves. I thought they’re some sort of magic toy.

Do you have mental or physical problems?

Do you honestly expect me to reveal my weaknesses to you?

What is your current main goal?

As I said before, restore the Veil and kill Corypheus.

Drink or food?

Am I supposed to choose between the two? Food, I guess. I could live on soups and stews, maybe. Does goat milk count as drink or food?

Cats or dogs?

Birds.

Optimist or pessimist?

I learned these words only recently. I must say, I do not fully understand why your sages would divide people like that. Is there someone who truly sees everything in bright colours? And someone who sees everything in black? Isn’t everyone a little bit of this and a little bit of that? Perhaps I’m more on the pessimist side.

Sassy or sarcastic?

Eh, sarcastic.

HAVE YOU EVER:

Have you ever been caught sneaking out?

Yes, I once got so bored with my healing lessons that I decided to sneak out while Jokka wasn’t looking. She of course noticed me right away. I never tried to sneak out again.

Broken a bone?

I broke my left wrist while climbing. My mentor healed it quickly but he left a scar to serve as a reminder to not be so reckless.

Received flowers?

I... (she bits her tongue) Josephine tells me I had received several bouquets of flowers this last week. She had placed them in the guest hall where everyone can enjoy them.

Ghosted someone?

Ghosted? (a man in a green mask explains mirthfully) No, never. I wouldn’t leave someone hanging like that. I’d tell him straight in the face. (she replies sharply)

Pretended to laugh at a joke you didn't get?

I have yet to learn how to pretend so well as to laugh at something I don’t understand or find funny.

~

Tagging (no pressure, of course, this is just for fun): @dreadfutures, @tejaswrites, @serenpedac, @molliehaswords, @crackinglamb, @a11sha11fade, @rakshadow, @samuraisaucefrites, @noire-pandora, @1000generations

[iraprince]

i spend most of my time on twitter, not here, so i’m not really sure what the landscape looks like on the dashboard here vs the timeline there and i don’t know how much info is getting crossposted. so in the meantime i’ll share some resources that have been posted over there to support the protests and the blm movement at large!

overall i recommend starting with this google doc. it has tons of links both to direct action options like donations as well as links to further resources and reading and numbers to call to directly pressure officials for justice.

it’s also ideal to try to find trusted local groups in your area who are doing on the ground work and support them directly if at all possible! also keep your eyes on hashtags and social media and look for individuals in need via venmo/cashapp/etc (but be vigilant and cautious; there are people creating fake accounts trying to take advantage of this situation. vet profiles before donating, reverse image search profile pics, and make sure your money is going to people who actually need it.) many artists are doing commissions/sketches in return for donations; if you are an artist or have any other skills that can be marketed in a similar way, that’s something you can do to draw in more donations than you’re able to provide on your own.

DONATIONS

thread of mutual aid funds to donate to

diversified master list of places to donate, including grief and trauma groups for black communities and individual gofundmes. this is a HUGE thread and the organizer asks that people go through the whole thing and try to donate to newer posts at the bottom as well as the higher-up posts that have already gotten a lot of attention

another donation masterlist organized by type and location, along with additional resources

page for splitting a donation between many bail funds at once (some bail funds, like the minnesota freedom fund, are currently [02/june/2020] overwhelmed and are asking people to redirect their funds to other organizations. please do your own research on which needs are most urgent before donating.)

BEAM, the black emotional and mental health collective

northstar health collective, a fund for medical supply and support for protests. they accept both cash donations and donations of first aid supplies

black led lgbtq groups to donate to for pride

ON THE GROUND SUPPORT

infographic on which apps are secure for organizing

things you can do to support protests at home if you can’t attend

resources for bystander first aid training -- there is a LOT of misinformation being spread about treating bullet wounds, reacting to tear gas, etc. do not trust information from random individuals online. seek out first aid information from reliable sources and study it so you’re prepared beforehand.

sanitation protocol for direct action during covid-19

EDUCATION

a comprehensive google drive folder with tons of readings about black history, prominent black figures, and the historical and continuing struggle against white supremacy

google drive folder of black revolutionary texts

anti-racist resource guide -- very comprehensive, includes lists of organizations to connect with and books/documentaries/podcasts/articles to consume

compilation of BLM resources

list of black owned bookstores to buy your reading from!

if you, like me, are nonblack, we have a responsibility to make sure this is something we continue to pay attention to and contribute to even when it’s no longer at the forefront of the news cycle. again and again these murders fade out of the public view. think about ways you can make support for this fight a part of your regular routine -- not something we only think about when another murder has made it onto the news. 

we must set aside money each month for reparations when we can. we must stay actively informed so that we find issues that need support before they make their way onto our screens. we must support and publicize the black community’s successes as much as we support them in times of tragedy (support and amplify black creatives, support black owned businesses, etc, and don’t only do it when the news cycle is full of murder and brutality). we must confront antiblackness in ourselves and in those around us every single day. this doesn’t go away, so we have to stay on it.

[entropy-game-dev]

Getting organised in 2021

Huh, me? No I mean you! You!

I'm sure many people are looking ahead to 2021, and, with the new year comes renewals of goals, habits, motivation and so forth. I'm not really about that, but I thought now would be an apt time to talk about what I've learnt over the past 2 years regarding project management and keeping motivated. 

Now, I want to preface this blog with my thoughts about the whole "productivity" thing. I make a huge, HUGE distinction between being productive at work and productive on your hobbies. The idea of productivity in the workplace can be used in a manipulative fashion, where one may work themselves to mental and physical exhaustion for the benefit of someone else. Considering most people reading this will probably be on a fixed wage (rather than commission-based), does it really make sense to push oneself harder without getting any immediate, tangible benefit from it?

So that’s my rant for the blog, I promise! Anyway, on the other hand we have productivity on your hobbies, which is a completely different matter. You get out exactly 100% of what you put into your hobby, and it'll benefit you in multiple ways. I don't think I need to sell this to you, as I'm sure most people, myself included, would love to be more productive on their own personal projects. In this blog, I'm going to be talking exclusively about this sort of productivity and how to improve it in a couple of different ways. Again, this is all stuff I've personally tried and tested, so while I am confident this approach will work for me, it may not necessarily work for you. But, you won't know until you try!! So if you're convinced and want to get motivated, read on!

I first want to talk about one's mindset, and then dive into the tools I use. The latter will provide a bit more context for the former, and in the end, the most powerful tool you have is your brain, so use it!

Training your brain

So, the biggest problem I find myself, and other people have, is how to tackle a project and starting a work session. One I start, I find it easy to get into the zone (and this comes back to the choice of tools that augment my workflow), so getting started and knowing what I'm doing is the main thing I have to tackle. 

On the broadest level, I work with a general plan that has been written up previously. This contains all the key points from start to finish, without worrying too much about the detail at this stage. There is some skill involved in identifying what constitutes a "key" point, but this all comes down to practice. For reference, if I estimate something will take a week or two to finish, that's a task. If something will take longer than that, it's more than likely several tasks, and rolling it up into one task will probably cause some decision paralysis. Anything smaller and your list will get too clogged up, and again, decision paralysis. Right, so that's your high level plan done. Cool, but not really going to help you on a day-to-day basis as this will be something to refer to between tasks.

Ok, so now you have a list of chronological tasks. Take the first one and start it. Oh, you don't know where to start? Don't worry, I'm with you. It's important to recognise the mental signs related to approaching a task. If I find myself hesitating or not looking forward to a particular task, it often means I haven't defined it well enough. That means breaking the task down into individual steps, until you're comfortable saying "yep, I can do this right now" with each dot point. Again, it'll take some practice (depending on your hobby) to visualise and write down each step, but it is definitely something that you get used to, and will save you so much time umming and aahing with your program of choice open, but not actually getting any work done. If you are finding that happens more often than not, it breaks your workflow and you can't get into the zone!

A few more general tips. It helps to be consistent with your work. Try to dedicate a regular time to your hobby and you'll find it a lot easier to get into the working mindset and the zone. Allow yourself some days off, but don't use the excuse of "not being motivated enough" as a reason to take time off. What would be better is, if you can't force yourself to, say, program, work on the art, or the sound, or design. But do it consistently! 

Be accountable as well. This means involving others as much as you can - as an example, say you want to discuss a design aspect with a friend and you'll find extra motivation to work on that aspect, and get it ready for someone else to read over. Just having that knowledge of another person looking at your work will bring it to a new level, trust me! You can also be held accountable to people you don't know! Part of the reason why I started this blog and my Twitter account was because I always have in the back of my mind while working, that it'll eventually make its way to my blog. 

Finally, if your hobby has one, make use of the community where possible - get involved and see if there are ready made templates or resources you can use. I know people like to do things without help, and I absolutely respect that, but I find that people have often gone through the same struggles as you, and will provide ways to make your life easier!

Tools of the trade

Ok so I've used a lot of different software and systems in my time, and by process of natural selection the ones that I still use today are the ones that have been most helpful for me! Here's a short list with both the specific thing I use, and in brackets, what I use it for. If you already use something similar that fill a similar role, then my suggestion is to stick with what you know:

ClickUp (Project management, checklists): This is where I keep a list of all my major tasks. You can have checklists nested in checklists which is amazing for planning, and can organise things into broad categories, and tons more. Any good project management software like Trello etc. should support this.

Google Drive (Cloud storage of other assets, easy sharing, MS office replacement): I use this to store anything that isn't code related, and to work on things simultaneously with other people. While this game is a mostly solo effort, I absolutely discuss and show a ton of stuff to my more experienced friends, who in turn provide very helpful feedback. It's much nicer and more organised than sending files through a messaging app or (heaven forbid) emails!

Bitbucket (Source control, cloud storage of code): If you code, you need this. I don't care how small your project is! Actually, smaller projects are better to learn from! Github is definitely used the most for source control, so if you like that more, use it!

Google Keep (Note taking, brain dumps): Ever had a genius idea right before bed? Same, and I use Google Keep to keep track of them. I could use Clickup in this instance but I find the app to be a bit clunky compared to Keep.

Notepad++ (Rapid notes, copypasting error messages): Notepad ++ is what I use mainly for copypasting error messages to look at later, but I also use it when I need to break down a sub-task down, or make a note to do something later without interrupting my flow. The fact that Notepad++ specificaly can have multiple tabs and will save your tabs automatically without you having to manually save it is amazing.

Good 'ol pen and paper (Scratchpad): For those REALLY hard problems that can't be solved in my head, I turn to pen and paper to get my thoughts organised. While I could use something like Notepad++, I find that being able to write and draw anywhere on the paper, and link things up with lines helps immensely to get a clear idea of things.

Summing up

Right, so, that's about it from me. If you have any questions or want me to elaborate on something I've mentioned here, feel free to leave a comment or an ask. In any case, I hope you’re feeling more motivated now, and all the best for your personal projects in 2021!

P.S. I've know I’ve been a bit quiet lately because I'm working on designing the five factions present in the demo - I can't reveal much lore about them (as those will be in logs you'll find in-game), but I will be showing off some more designs and gameplay mechanics in the near future, so look forward to it!

[squarecarousel]

Challenge 144: 10 Years, Looking Forward: A-Frame Studio Life Buckle up-- this is a long one! Wow, ten years. It’s hard to believe a whole decade has passed since Square Carousel began, and since I graduated college. In some ways, it feels like another lifetime, and in others, it feels vastly shorter than the decade before that, from ages 12 to 22. Time is fascinating that way. College was such an incredibly impactful time period, but just a measly 4 years-- I could have done college 2.5 more times back-to-back in the years since I graduated, but somehow those four, from 2007-2011 were monumental.  It’s hard to believe I’ll be in a post-college world without Square Carousel, since the group has been a constant in my life these last ten years. I’m really proud that we made it this far and are able to choose to end the journey, rather than it fizzling out or dying from lack of interest. Sometimes it felt like that might happen, but other times it felt like we were blooming. There have been many ups and downs over the course of this journey. And damn, it was a lot of hard to work to keep running, but I am so grateful for the learning experience. I know so much more about leadership now than I ever would have before-- the delicate balance of having rules to keep the group running (deadlines, participation requirements, our dreaded “strike system”) and keeping up morale (knowing when to forgive slip-ups, keeping challenges sufficiently entertaining and well...challenging, making sure the group feels like it’s a community). Elizabeth and I were reluctant leaders, just naturally having to take those roles as other original members of the group left and were replaced by folks who needed guidance. We definitely didn’t seek it out, but we knew that if the group were to stay alive, we had to put some structure into the system. Pretty early on we made our rules and guidelines, extended the challenges to 3 weeks from just 2, and worked on our visual image online. Our awesome logo was made by former member Casey Crisenbery, and we switched from Wordpress to Tumblr, purchasing a URL, and Casey using special code for custom organization on the site. Sketch critiques were now a halfway point through our 3 weeks-long challenge, which helped a lot with the community aspect and engagement. We started doing interviews for each member, reaching out to other illustration groups, blogs and submission sites and had our work featured on a few of them. Some of us even got jobs from the connections made through Square Carousel!  There was a bad stretch several years ago when I wasn’t sure we’d make it through, with toxic behavior and a few folks petitioning for removing deadlines and structure, making everything optional. One thing I can tell you with certainty after ten years of working with artists is that 95% of us require deadlines to do anything, and incentives/obligations for meeting those deadlines, or it just isn’t going to happen! Elizabeth and I, along with a few other solid members, were able to keep the structure we’d worked hard to create, but the toxic culture had already killed group morale and we lost a lot of members simultaneously. That was a sad and scary time for Square Carousel, but I didn’t want to go out on a sour note. So the small group of us picked the pieces back up again, did a little refocus on our goals as a collective and created an “Admin” so Elizabeth and I didn’t have to carry the entire burden alone. I am forever grateful to Sayada and Jordan for stepping up into these roles to help us get the train back on track. Sayada especially picked up a lot of responsibilities that a newer member shouldn’t have to worry about, and was a total rockstar for Square Carousel. I wish we’d had her with us for the whole ride. I’m so happy that we’ve had a few really great years with some really loyal and talented artists to round out the experience at Year Ten.  There is nobody I’m more thankful for than my Good Cop, Elizabeth, though. She was so reliable, always able to provide balance in our leadership roles, and such a wonderful shoulder to cry on when things got too stressful. Elizabeth, thank you for this journey and for being my SC Wife all these years! It’s so funny because of all the original members, you were one of the only ones I hadn’t really known from SCAD classes, yet you’re the SCAD Illustration friend I have remained most connected to most consistently. Nothing bonds you quite like running an illustration collective does! It also cracks me up that in all these years, we hadn’t ever facetimed or talked on the phone until a few months ago--I didn’t even know your mannerisms or voice, but knew you so well anyway. My greatest internet friend! I love you dearly and it truly won’t feel right, the absence of our weekly SC conversations. Thank you for all of the memories! As just a member and artist, this group has helped me grow so much professionally. It was my client when I didn’t have clients. It was my motivation to paint when I didn’t feel creative. It was my source of portfolio-worthy work, but also my safe place to experiment and fail when I was trying something new. The girl who started as a Square Carousel member freshly graduated in 2011 was working part-time at Urban Outfitters, had basically no money, and no clue how to promote herself. The “studio” was a corner of the bedroom and nobody took her seriously. But a stubborn dedication and the security, purpose and structure of Square Carousel helped the slow change from that lost girl to a full-time freelancing woman. Now, in 2021, I have been doing freelance illustration fully for six years, through contract jobs, editorial, publishing, advertising, commission and local work, as well as selling prints and products online, in local shops and events. I am not making the big bucks, certainly, and I still have goals I’m working towards, but damn, if that isn’t a glow-up, I don’t know what is. Thank you for helping me achieve my impossible dream, Square Carousel, and always being a place with the right amount of advice, support and critique. Ten years, 34 artist interviews, 38 artists, and 144 challenges. I’m the only member to have completed every single one. 144 illustrations through the years. Some were game-changers for my style and my portfolio. Some were total stinkers and I hope you don’t go looking for them. But all were an important step in my career.   So, in ten more years? I’ll be 42 years old, which is very weird because I have never imagined myself that old before... it’s hard to honestly say what that would look like, especially considering the world we are currently living in and how the last 4/5 years have proven that anything (awful) can happen. Jordan and I have a goal to move to Colorado in the next 4 or 5 years, and I’d love to have a little A-Frame in the mountains with a loft studio, shown in my illustration here. Texas has become extremely problematic, especially after the winter storm in February of this year, and will be impacted greatly by climate change, both environmentally and economically. Right now, Austin is still booming, but at some point the lack of foresight in this state’s government is going to screw over the residents and it will be one of the places from which climate refugees run. Is that tomorrow? No, obviously not. But I want to already be settled someplace more stable, having grown some roots, before other folks start to roll in. But, to be able to do that, I need to rely less on my local jobs and connections and be able to have an “anywhere career.” So right now I am focusing on expanding in that way, particularly with book cover illustration and design. I’ve been doing a lot of portfolio work and self-publishing jobs, and hope to get an agent that can shop my work to big-time publishers sometime in the next year or two. Let’s say I succeed at all of those things in five years-- we’re in our Colorado A-Frame, I’m illustrating book covers (and I’ve also convinced my parents to come with me, and maybe a couple friends!). The next five years after that? I don’t know... hopefully a lot of adventures. Hopefully a lot of cool jobs, but also a lot of work/life balance. Right now, I don’t want kids, so the A-Frame will be filled with cats. Maybe we’ll have an old camper van for regular road trips around the western National Parks. I’d love for my work to reflect those passions-- more jobs with outdoor brands, parks, organizations. More book covers for stuff I’d personally love to read and keep on my overflowing shelf. That’s the vague goal for me in ten years, but I don’t want to plan any further than that, because life just also needs to happen the way it’s going to happen. There are parts of my current life I planned for in 2011... and there are parts I never, ever would have guessed. I hope there’s some fun surprises in 2031, too. Thanks for the decade, Square Carousel. Joining illustration collectives will always be the first bit of advice I give fresh graduates. Caitlin

[byunsboyz]

Jamais Vu - Part One

Exo Fanfiction

Baekhyun x Female Reader

Warnings: some light swears.

Genre: Fluff/Angst?

W/C: 2560

Part Two Part Three

_____________________________________________________________

Everybody has that ‘what if’. The one who got away....not quite regret, but thoughts that would drift by late at night when insomnia has set in and you’re deep into your latest existential crisis.

What if things had been different? What if you had said what had been on the tip of your tongue that day?

Byun Baekhyun was your what if. 

He had been your best friend in college and the only person you had truly loved.

You had no reason to run into Byun Baekhyun. You didn’t share classes. You an Accounting major and him Architecture. 

You didn’t run in the same social circles, he was part of a frat house and you opted to remain in dorms with your small group of friends. 

But what had brought you together was music, meeting in your second year while working at the campus radio station.

You had applied for the role of Production Director on a whim, looking for a hobby outside of classes and studying and also benefited from the extra credit of managing the finances of the small college club. 

The first time you met you were positive you’d never understand him. After all, you were complete opposites. He was loud and outgoing; always the centre of jokes and a far cry the quiet loner you were perceived to be. 

But from the first show you ran with him, he has surprised you. Baekhyun was the On-Air Presenter for the Sunday night Jazz & Blues segment and as soon as the light would turn red he’d take on a completely different persona.

His voice would become soft and melodic as he’d whisper sweet nothings into the microphone about the classics of Miles Davies and Frank Sinatra. 

You’d often be on the same late-night shift together; downing coffee after coffee, discussing your favourite artists and organising records until the early hours.

He wasn’t exhausting like the rest of your extroverted friends, his presence giving you a warm sense of comfort. 

Without noticing you became joined at the hip for the rest of your college days. 

Not to the point that you were a regular at his crazy frat parties but you’d hang out at the radio station, would marathon movie after movie at each other’s dorms on the weekends and crammed for all your major test’s together. 

You hadn’t even realised you were in love with him until you’d just graduated, you even had the crazy idea to confess.

Then the news broke that he was moving to a different country.

He had been in two minds on whether to go. You’d always talked about living and working in the same city and he’d been concerned about you being alone and him going back on his promise.

Honestly. Who achieves their dream job at a globally famous architecture firm and worries about their dumb friend during the happiest moment of their life?!

You remembered that day vividly.

‘“Of course you should go! It’s your dream, Baek” you forced the enthusiasm into your voice.

Inside, you could feel your heart tearing at the seams. You weren’t selfish enough to show him just how much you would miss him, as much as you had wanted to.

He was always too considerate of your feelings. 

This wasn’t some Rom-Com TV show, where Baekhyun would suddenly declare he couldn’t live without you. He wasn’t like Rachel choosing not to get on the plan for Ross.

You’d cried so hard the night he’d left. Almost texting the words you’d be aching to tell him for the last three years. 

‘I am in love with you’. 

But the alcohol had knocked you out before you could hit send.

He’d promised to keep in touch but over the years you drifted. As life and work became more and more hectic it devolved from video chatting on the weekends, to texting occasionally. 

Fading into receiving a generic happy birthday post on social media and then nothing at all.

You’d pushed him to the back of your mind as you told yourself over and over that this is what happens as you get older. 

And with that ten years had passed.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You wake with a start. Back aching from where you’d fallen asleep in an awkward position while watching a random ASMR video the night prior.

*Clatter*  

Your sleep-filled eyes search the room, trying to locate the source of the noise. 

*Thud Thud Thud*

It appears to be coming through the wall behind your headboard.

Could someone be moving into the apartment next door? It’s been entirely empty the whole time you’ve been living here, about seven months now.

You've enjoyed the quiet solace of not having to share the walls with another person. Especially being one of the only two apartments on the upper floor, it was one of the reasons you love your apartment.

It’s also located near the subway and tucked far back enough on the outskirts of the city that it’s almost peaceful. There’s also a small cafe bar and a couple of small stores that remind you of the town where you grew up.

*Bang*

You groan again at the loud noises as you stretch your arms over your head and wonder about the people moving in next door.

Maybe a couple? Or a young family. It could even be a cute guy. You snort at the thought. Yeah right. What kind of a psycho moves into an apartment in the early morning anyway?!

You reach under your pillow for your phone to check the time. 8:30 am! SHIT. You overslept and if you don’t leave your apartment in the next ten minutes you’ll miss your train to work!

With no time for a shower, you rush to your bathroom to wash your face and brush your teeth.

As you drag a brush through your hair and pull it up into a simple, neat ponytail you start forming a contingency plan…

‘Skip the usual to-go coffee at Dunkin’ and settle for the instant stuff at work’ you think to yourself, ‘As soon as I get to work, throw on some BB cream and mascara with the time I’ll gain abandoning my daily vanilla latte with coconut milk…’.

You sniff sadly at the thought as you step into one of your tailored dresses, fumbling with the awkward zipper in the back.

Within 10 minutes you’re flying out the door and straight into the elevator. Using the short amount of time to button up your sweater and glance through your bag to check that you’ve got everything you’ll need for the day.

You’re in your own thoughts as you stride towards the lobby doors, and almost walk straight into your building manager.

“Oh! Good morning, Mr Sato!” you gasp in surprise.

“Good morning!” he smiles obliviously, not realising that you almost knocked him flying. You move to step around him as he continues. “There’s a package of yours with Ralph” (the doorman) “and I also wanted to let you know about a new tenant moving into the place next to yours...”

“Uh-huh,  of course, that’s great!” You cut him off, waving your hands apologetically “I am so sorry. Please excuse me, I’m late for work!” you call out behind you as you make a mad dash out of the building to the subway station.

You make your train by the skin of your teeth, panting from the final sprint from the ticket gate to the platform. Feeling glad you skipped the makeup as you would have surely sweat a good portion of it off by now.

You currently work for a large accountancy firm Kim & Partners. You could have worked within a finance department of any company as most qualified accountants tend to do but you love the challenges and variety of working with different industries and clients every day.

You manage a small team of four and specialise in bookkeeping for small to medium enterprise, one of the smaller departments in the company but you have a pretty large client base and enjoy the satisfaction of helping others and providing a clear and efficient service.

“We are transferring you to manage corporate accounts,” your boss Mr Kim announces in the morning management meeting. You feel like someones just pulled a step from beneath your footing.

You were aware that your manager Mr Choi had wanted to transfer you out to provide more specialised management accountancy for larger corporate clients but so far you’d been convincing enough from the commission and reputation you’ve built for Kim & Partners to be able to continue as you were.

“Uh, thank you for the opportunity, Mr Kim, I-” you begin shakily, looking for the words or a reason to decline the transfer.

“Fantastic! You’ll handover to Jaehyun for the rest of today and you’ll start in corporate accounting tomorrow!” your boss claps his hands together enthusiastically and with that you chicken out of any further protest and nod your head.

Jaehyun is your second in command and honestly, he really deserves this promotion. You couldn’t think of someone more diligent and detail-oriented.

The rest of your day is uneventful. The handover goes incredibly smoothly despite a very surprised Jaehyun but the more things are explained, the more you realise that this progression will be good for everyone.

You’ll still oversee Jaehyun and his team but allow him more room to make decisions and develop while you work on the larger corporate accounts that keep your company in business.

There was even a hint at the opportunity to become a junior partner, which by your calculations would make you one of the youngest in the company.

You leave work feeling excited, passing up on celebratory drinks with your (old) team so that they can have more fun without their boss present.

“COME ONNNN” Hani, your junior accounts clerk had whined when you announced that you wouldn't be joining “You’re not a regular boss, you’re a COOL boss!”.

You appreciate the sentiment but everyone likes to complain about work and management when they drink and you wouldn't like to take that away from them.

You sit on the train heading back to your apartment feeling optimistic, texting your best friend Aria about the day and making plans for your own celebratory drinks.

You’re walking through the lobby of your apartment building, heading towards Ralph’s desk to collect the package Mr Sato mentioned this morning. Probably the new nutribullet you’d ordered while drunk Amazon shopping a couple of weeks back.

Normally you’d cancel the delivery but drunk you was really onto something this time. You giggle at a dumb vine quote Aria sends you and as you finish typing up your response-

 THWACK! You hit a wall, falling ungracefully backwards onto your butt.

You grunt as the air gets knocked out of you when you make contact with rough carpet of the lobby.

“Seriously!” another voice snaps you back to reality as you realise you didn’t walk into a wall but another person.

 A now very annoyed person, carrying what you assume was their groceries as you glance over at the produce and cans rolling around on the floor between you.

“I- oh my gosh, I am so sorry!” you stammer as you scramble to your knees and start frantically picking up some of the items in front of you. A can of beans, a bag of pasta and a lone orange trying to make its escape. 

“I wasn’t even looking, I promise I’ll pay for anything dama-”, You begin as you look up, expecting to see Mr Sato or one of the other tenants of the building.

The rest of your sentence dies in the back of your throat.

“Baekhyun?...”

His name leaves your lips as a whisper, heart thumping against your chest as you almost drop the items in your hands.

He’s not looking in your direction, you hear him grumble something under his breath that you can’t quite make out as he scoops the remainder of his groceries into a battered paper bag.

Is it really him? Did you hit your head and you’re actually unconscious and hallucinating about a guy you used to know and haven’t seen in ten years?

It sure looks like him. A few extra lines crease his forehead, his hair is a darker shade of chocolate than you remember with a few flecks of silver glinting at the centre of his parting.

You glance to his left hand searching for the mole that sits beneath his thumbnail but it’s not there. Maybe it was on his right hand?

He finally looks up as if finally registering that you’re kneeling on the floor next to him, his lips part slightly in surprise as he looks you over. A tiny mole sits just above the corner of his upper lip. It really is him!

Before your mind has time to catch up you’re throwing your arms around him, allowing your excitement to overtake all of your other senses. You feel him instantly tense up.

“H-hey!” he shouts, pushing you off him abruptly. “What the hell are you doing!”

You shoot to your feet, shaken by the sharpness of his tone you take a step back to create some space. Your throat feels dry all of a sudden. His eyes look you over but there’s no familiarity in them, they’re so cold you almost shiver.

He takes a step towards you, “How do you know my name?” his tone sharp and accusing, “Are you some kind of stalker?”.

Your cheeks start to burn as the realisation set’s in that Baekhyun has no idea who you are. You struggle to swallow the lump forming in your throat as you search for a response. Words seem to fail you right now.

“Y/N, is everything alright?” you hear the worried voice of Mr Sato, by the time you remember to blink he’s already standing between the two of you. You look up at him, dumbstruck as you fight back the sharp prickles in the corner of your eyes.

He looks back and forth between you and Baekhyun, trying to piece together what has taken place. You realise you’re still holding Baekhyun’s groceries, practically hugging the bag of pasta to your chest and your cheeks burn even hotter. 

You hear your name spoken again but it’s not Mr Sato’s voice this time, and you don’t have the nerve to look at Baekhyun again.

So you do the only thing you can think of and thrust the items you're holding at Mr Sato. Run as fast as you can to the stairwell, and find the nearest hole to jump into, aka your apartment.

Your knees ache as you force yourself up each flight. You can’t even remember the last time you used the stairwell and when you finally reach the threshold of your apartment you collapse against the door.

What on earth were you thinking?

What gave you the right to assume anyone would recognise you after ten years?

What was he even doing here? As that final thought crosses your mind someone knocks at your door.

You jump at the abrupt noise, chest still tight from the anxiety (or the running). But there’s no way you’re answering the door.

Your legs still feel like jelly and you really fear that Mr Sato has come to scold you or worse Baekhyun has followed you.

But he wouldn’t know which apartment you lived in. Would he?

You pull yourself to your feet and glance through the peephole.

You watch as Baekhyun turns away from your front door and disappears towards the next apartment.

No way.

*Slam*

Shit.

[ravenforce]

Ithaca Pt. 2

Word Count: 2031

Warning/s: None

A/N: Hey loves, a deal is a deal. You got part one to over a hundred notes, so here’s part two. Natasha’s playing a huge part on this arc. So, I thought it’ll be good for you to get to know her in this alternate universe. Let me know what you think of it in my inbox or the comment section. Xx

PS. If there are any grammatical mistakes I’ve still overlooked, I apologize.

Parts: 1 | 3 | 4 | 5

***

5:30 AM

The alarm clock on Natasha’s bedside table reads. She blinked twice at it before sighing. She woke up earlier than her alarm again, not that she’s actually excited to go to school. Today, she’s actually supposed to tour the new transfer student, which is, by the way, is not her job as the Student Council President but Clint is out of commission for the week for some Intercollegiate archery competition in Washington DC. So, as President, she had to step in and do it.

‘At least, this is gonna be different from yesterday’, she thought to herself as she rolls out of bed.

Living in Ithaca since she’s a child meant Natasha knew the city like the back of her hand, knew almost every single family in town and went to school with the same kids since the beginning of her existence. It also meant being friends with founding family kids like the Odinsons, Tony Stark, Clint Barton, and Steve Rogers since forever ago. She was the only girl in their group until Carol Danvers moved in when they were eight. Maria transferred to their school and was easily adapted to their crew when they were thirteen. The last addition to their gang was Valkyrie and Wanda, who migrated somewhere from Europe when they’re fifteen.

Six years after, a new person arrives in Ithaca. The school didn’t give her a lot of information regarding the new student, only that it is a woman and Stark level intelligent. She tried to dig up info on her own, and thankfully she didn’t have to go far for a source since apparently the new girl is close friends with Tony and best friends with Maria. Maria is one busy nerd to track down though, and they don’t share a lot of classes together. So, Natasha wasn’t able to get too many details from her aside from a departing comment.

“Relax, Nat. She’s amazing; smart but not obnoxious like Tony,” Maria said before practically running towards her next class. She considers herself pretty intrigued.

‘How can someone be as smart as Tony and not be obnoxious? That sounds like an oxymoron,’ Natasha thought to herself.

***

6:00 AM

Natasha is the only founding family kid who liked being awake at the wee hours of the morning. She likes getting ahead of everybody, and she thinks better when the world is still asleep. So, being in school at the crack of dawn isn’t new too for anyone. Even the groundskeepers let her nowadays.

“Good Morning, Miss Romanoff,” the old security lady at the studio greeted her. 

“Good Morning, Mrs. Miller,” Natasha smiled before logging in her credentials. 

“Early start today?” Mrs. Miller asked politely and jovially. 

“Yes, Clint is away for a tournament. So I have to give the grounds tour to the transfer student later,” Nat explained with a smile. Mrs. Miller didn’t respond and just waved Natasha inside.

Natasha’s been doing ballet ever since she can remember. At first, she was doing it because her family wanted her to and all of the founding family children are doing one extracurricular activity every after school. Thor has been sailing since he learned how to walk, Loki, on the other hand, preferred fencing. Clint tried equestrian for awhile but his heart and talents were really in archery. Steve got so good in lacrosse that he ended up with a sports scholarship playing one. Tony chose chess because he deemed contact sports barbaric; he believes the battle of the wits is better than a physical brawl, which Steve always take as an offense. 

Being the only girl in their group, Natasha decided that ballet is her yoga. The boys know not to come within a hundred yards of the studio whenever Natasha’s practicing. Ballet has become Natasha’s sanctuary away from the noise and the usual ruckus of the boys. She shed everything inside the studio but today, Natasha finds it nearly impossible to focus on the movements and the music. Her thoughts keep drifting to the conversation she had with Tony the day prior about the new student. 

“Nat, what are you fuzzing about? It’s just a school tour,” Tony complained. He was tinkering around his home lab when Natasha arrived and being a regular visitor, she was allowed to roam and look for Tony herself. 

“I just wanna know what she looks like. So I know who to look for in the morning crowd,” she whined. 

Tony put his stuff down, pull the safety goggles off his face and looked at his friend. If Nat has been any other girl, she would have melted in the way Tony was looking at her. 

“Oh, trust me, you won’t miss her,” Tony said simply before smiling and walking out of his lab. “She’s breathtaking, in more ways than just physical.”

Natasha groaned and scrambled to follow her friend and bug him for more information.

***

7:00 AM

Natasha cut her practice short since she couldn’t focus. She showered and got ready in record time. She was leaning against the handrail of the front steps of the school, scrolling through her Instagram feed when she looked up and saw a face she didn’t know. Her fingers hovered over her phone mid-swipe, thankfully she had enough grace at that moment not to have her mouth hanging open as she gaped at the transfer student. She’s wearing a very preppy outfit, which wasn’t really Natasha’s style or the style girls she usually goes after but something about this girl that makes her stomach flutter with nervous butterflies.

“Y/N Y/L/N?” she asked, all trace of her nervousness gone when the girl came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs.

“Who’s asking?” the girl asked.

Natasha watched the girl take her in. She reined in the urge to squirm under the Y/N’s eyes. For God’s sake, she’s Natasha Romanoff. Various girls all over town wants her, she’s by no means gonna squirm under a stranger’s beautiful eyes.  

“Natasha Romanoff. Student Council President,” she introduced herself confidently to take back control. “Pleasure to meet you.”

Natasha smirked as the new girl blushed profusely before smiling up at her. “Pleasure is all mine,” she said.

‘Breathtaking is an understatement’ she thought to herself when she saw Y/N’ smile. Natasha’s not a sap, she doesn’t plan on being one but at that moment, she thought she’d do anything to make you smile at her every day.

“I’m here to give you the grounds tour,” Natasha explained before pulling the door open and prompting you to walk with her.

Usually, when she had to cover grounds tour for Clint, Natasha almost always wraps it up under forty-five minutes. She just points which buildings houses which classes, where the important areas are such as the library and the mess hall. Today, with you by her side, Natasha found herself giving her first, in-depth school tour. Literally giving out facts and even stupid trivia when she remembers it.

Natasha walked as leisurely as possible to prolong her time with you but she knew you have a 9 AM class. And she might not be as nerdy as Tony but she’s not gonna skip class, let alone make you on your first day of school.

***

8:30 AM

Natasha’s one of the quiet ones in her crew that’s why she get along spectacularly with Maria. Both of you filled the walk towards the art building with polite small talk about which classes you two take, how you finished a degree at eighteen and in one of the toughest schools in the country at that, and how you’re friends with Maria and Tony. God, Natasha didn’t want the tour to end. She didn’t want you to stop talking, which is new because Natasha finds it annoying when people don’t know when to shut up. She wants to get to know you more.

Her heart sunk a little when she caught you discreetly glancing at your watch but by the number of kids watching the two of you in the hallway, she knew that class is fast approaching. She decided to be a little playful.

“Oh,” Natasha gasped and frowned. “Am I boring you?” she asked quietly.

“What?!” you exclaimed, earning a few curious looks from students in the hallway.

Natasha watched the emotions play out across your face, and she thought you’re even more fascinating. She’s been friends all her life with Tony, another Mensa student, another genius. She thought you’d be obnoxiously cool and a little indifferent like him but in the past hour and a half, Natasha found you brilliant but not condescending, warm, and empathetic.

“No, no, you’re not boring. I was just wondering if I’m allowed to skip the first period on my first day of school because this is by far the coolest school tour I’ve ever done,” you rambled on.

Natasha couldn’t help but grin. If she paid attention to anyone else other than you, she would have noticed several students openly gawking at the toothy smile on her face. Natasha’s reputation was not built on being chummy with just anyone, especially new kids. But she wasn’t looking, she could only look at you. She will be caught dead before she admits to having a school girl crush at first meet but at that moment, in that crowded hallway, she decided she definitely likes you. She just has to find out if she has a fighting chance.

“You’re cute when you ramble,” she said matter-of-factly. “And no, you’re not allowed to skip the first period because you’re here.”

“Oh,” you said before glancing at the classroom door.

Natasha took a step towards you and tucked a stray hair behind your ear. “See you later, Y/L/N,” she said slowly, watching the blush crept up from your neck before dusting your cheeks.

‘Beautiful, so beautiful,’ she thought before turning on her heels and gracefully walking away.

“Blushing doesn’t mean she’s gay. Maybe she’s just the shy type, I can work with that,” she murmured to herself while walking to her classroom. She looked up when she heard soft muttering in front of her.

“Danvers!” she growled. Carol’s pressing a girl between her toned body and the wall.

Carol didn’t even have to look to know who it is that interrupted her. She knows that voice anywhere. “Tasha,” she said sweetly.

Natasha didn’t smile, she only continued to glare until the girl pushed Carol away and scrambled to get to her classroom. Carol swipe a hand through her hair before turning towards her friend. Natasha glanced at her watch.

“You’re ten minutes late already,” Nat started. “And your class is on the other side of the campus.”

Carol ignored the fact that Natasha still knows her schedule. She walked towards the redhead until she’s toe to toe with Natasha. Natasha didn’t step back, she’s used to Carol always invading her personal space.

“I got that class in the bag, Tasha. Relax,” Carol whispered before leaning in, kissing Natasha close to her mouth, and running away.  

[assless-chapstick]

This is me sending myself an ask… because I am boredt and my teeth hurt and I want to lay in bed….

So I ask myself … how are the Couch AU boys coping with the COVID19 lockdown??? Are they ok??

Tbh I think Charles and John are taking it harder than Arthur and Javi. Like, Arthur and Javier are a little more stable, a little more mentally well/neurotypical, and while everyone is finding it hard, I think Charles and John are struggling more than average.

Charles practically lives at John and Arthurs place, so he’s locked down over there; half his stuff is over there already, and while it might be a little crowded, it’s better than him being alone at his place. He doesn’t have any roommates and he needs to have someone around to help with the anxiety and keep him on a schedule. With Arthur around, he doesn’t sink completely into a depression. Sure, he’s finding it hard to focus and stay motivated and he spends a lot more time on the couch, napping and watching jeopardy and comfort-eating, but he’s not completely vacant and spending all day in bed, forgetting to shower or eat like he might if he was alone.

Arthur has a little gym/studio in the spare bedroom where he draws and does his fuckin bowflex or whatever, and they set Charles up there so he can get some studying done and continue to attend classes online. Charles is just finishing his first year of law school and he’s like, determined not to let this whole situation fuck up his academic career, even if he’s a little worried about it all…

Arthur is going a little stir-crazy; he works at an autobody shop, and they closed for a couple weeks at the beginning so he was out of work for a while. He was all “perfect I can work on my art,” but he’s so used to being super busy working two jobs and going to the gym and shit that having so much free time has been stressful to him. He processes a lot of feelings through anger, so the punching bag on the balcony has taken some pretty rough beatings the past couple weeks…

He’s back at work now, three days a week, so he’s feeling a little better… I think his biggest concern is money, cuz with reduced hours and all the cons he was planning to sell art at being cancelled, his income is reduced, and as a teen/early 20s he struggled a lot so that really scared him… But Dutch and Hosea aren’t too bad off and they’ll help out if he or John are ever in a pinch…

I think Arthur authors/creates a queer cowboy romance webcomic, so he’s been working on that a lot… he’s finally pages ahead and has some updates queued, so if he needs to be can afford to take a break for a week or two! He’s psyched about that. His patreon profits have gone down a little, but he’s got some loyal-ass fans and they’re really helping him thru it, too, I think… and he’s made some new merch for the first time in ages, and has had time to open up more commissions… He and Charles spend a lot of afternoons in the study, listening to Arthur’s vinyls and working together in silence …

So Arthur is doing ok, and Charles is pulling through, but John is having a… really rough go. For someone who seems really chaotic, John really really thrives when he had a routine and a set schedule, and with classes being moved online or canceled, he’s really struggling to keep a routine and as a result, his mental health is suffering. It also doesn’t help that he can’t leave the house and can’t see Javi, a major source of security for him. John runs to get his frustration out, and not feeling like it’s safe to go for a run has him feeling really bad.

He and Javi FaceTime every night, but it’s not the same and John is pretty miserable. He spends a lot of time in his room, music Loud, and he stops sleeping with any sort of regularity. The stress also makes his nightmares worse, I think, so he’s spending a lot more time avoiding sleep, which definitely makes him even bitchier than he would be otherwise. That and the situation have him really snappy, so there’s some Big Fights between him and Arthur; fights over nothing, fighting just to have something to do, to just feel something, because he’s angry with the situation and the feelings and everything… He’d just started to get his life on track and here it is, all out of order again. The uncertainty and instability are really unsettling for him.

I think John’s been seeing his therapist online, but it’s not the same, and he really hates it. In the first few weeks, things were all over the place and he forgot to take his meds and stuff… when Arthur noticed something was wrong, he kind of just started gently helping John remember to do things, just gently coaxing him and reminding him to take his pills, etc…

Like Arthur starts making meal at the same time every day, and cooks for all three of them so John remembers to eat… he makes coffee and sings when he makes breakfast to wake John up, and they watch movies and play boardgames and stuff after dinner, just to keep John on a little bit of a schedule. John usually goes to bed in his own room and climbs into Arthur and Charles’ later in the night, but during this whole thing, he starts going to bed with Arthur and Charles, and that helps too...

I think eventually he gets a little more used to it, once he gets back into a routine and then he’s still having trouble, but he’s doing better…

Javi lives in college dorms, so he’s moved back to living with his mum and his sister, which sucks, but that also means he can borrow his mum’s car… so when John is feeling really bad, one day, Javi throws his guitar in the trunk and goes to John and Arthurs place and stands under the balcony and plays all the dumb joke songs he’s written for John… songs called shit like “im sorry I backwashed in your redbull, flaquita” and “youre a pendejo but I love you anyway” and that cheers them both up…

Also, John makes up little care packages and has Arthur drop them off at Javi’s!! little doodles (John’s been practicing drawing but he’s like, crazy bad, just awful) and poems (marginally better, not great), their favourite snacks, little trinkets from around the house and stuff he picks up on his runs (once he starts going on runs again), and of course, of course, cuz he’s nasty, panties that he MAYBE wore on his run, for Javi to, y’know, do with what he will…

And of course they have a lot of phone sex, especially once John pulls it together a bit… at first he kind of went AWOL and didn’t talk to anyone, let his phone go dead and stuff, but he’s doing better now and now they’re… being quarantine horny …

Javi prefers regular voice phonesex, loves to call John up and tease his girl until John whines for him to stop, ask if John is touching himself when Javi can tell by the hitch of his breath that he is… Javi loves that, but not seeing one another, John insists they do videocalls, even if Javi is a little uncomfortable…

But it leads to some… fun roleplay … John pretends to be an innocent starlet trying to make it big, and Javi is a big-time director that keeps on pushing… “you look so good on camera, babe, but maybe take the bra off, let us see how those little titties of yours look? Don’t be shy, it’s all business, just want to see… grab them for me, that’s it, now show me that ass…”

And they also play like Javi is broadcasting the video to everyone, like all his friends can see what a whore Javi’s girl is, how he can suck that dildo like it was a real cock and how desperate he is for it… they pretend Javi is advertising John as if he’s a thing for sale, like Javi is booking John’s ass by the hour…. All “cmon baby, show them how greedy your pussy is, you’re gonna take so many cocks for me tonight, you’ll be leaking cum by the time they’re done with you, you’ll be so sore but you’ll do it for me, won’t you, flaca? Til you’re rubbed raw and then I’ll slide into your wet, gaping hole…”

And of course, of course, John BIG gets off on watching Javi jerk off into the panties he sends him… Javi maybe even… sniffs them, licks them a little, cuz he misses John so bad and he loves the way John looks in the pale yellow, lacy panties he’s got wrapped around his dick, loves the idea of coming in them and then making John put them back on,…

Aaaand that’s that on that, I think!! So thanks for reading, mister, if you’re still out there somewhere. I have dental surgery tomorrow and I’m more scared than a spider in a shoe factory, so please wish me some luck and send me some non-COVID related asks, iffin you’re feeling it!!

[existing-on-cloral]

Brooklyn’s Night Terrors

Chapter Ten: Light Wings

Sam has returned from the Reaper's maze, but at what cost?

Glass began to spray out from the cracks, scratching your face and arms. Steve threw you behind him, almost throwing you into Peter and Pietro, who had not yet noticed the commotion and were wrapped in each other's arms as their lips just barely touched. In other circumstances, you would have squealed. Instead, you shook them both and barked a quick order. "Pietro, run as many people as you can out of here. Peter, get all the kids to safety."

They both nodded, breaking apart and scuttling off to herd people out of the party room. Pepper, Sharon and Bucky appeared at your side, facing Sam, who slowly got to his feet. You squeezed Steve's arm and scooted a little bit forward.

"Sam!" you called. "Can you hear us?" Under your fingers, Steve's muscles tensed. You pressed on anyway. "Sam, it's me. Your favorite doctor?"

Sam looked up at your small group, scanning over all of the injuries. "How did you escape?" Sharon called.

"The Reaper sends a message to the Captain." Sam's voice was monotone, unwavering, and downright terrifying. "You keep your nose out of her business and she won't hurt your little girlfriend." Steve tensed.

Peter and Pietro ran back into the room, Peter already tapping his tie and expanding his suit over his body. "What's going on?" he asked, gripping Pietro's hand. Wanda joined the group as well, hands balling into fists.

"She broke him," Bucky said in disbelief. "The Reaper broke Sam."

Sam tilted his head up. "The Winter Soldier."

"My name is Bucky!" Steve barely stopped Bucky from launching himself at Sam.

"време."

You tilted your head to the side, knowing the word from somewhere. "Excuse me?"

To your left, Bucky tensed. "Code words. Not mine, though."

Sam, though clearly not native to the language he was speaking, threw out words faster and faster. "Поништавање.  Буллет. Дете. Осамнаест. Планета. Срце."

Pietro's hands slammed over his ears and he dropped to his knees. "Stop it, stop it!" he screamed, curling over his thighs. "Stop!"

"Pietro!" Wanda ran to her brother's side, setting a hand on his back. "Talk to me, brother!"

Sam slowly began to step closer to Pietro as an unseen force pushed Wanda and Peter back, leaving a clear path to Pietro. You started forward, but a line of bullets cut you off and you screamed, jumping back into Steve's arms.

"Don't bother." A patch of air shimmered, and Quentin Beck stepped into view.

"How do you have the drones?" Peter said, eyes widening.

"You never cancelled my authority over these puppies." Quentin held up a pair of regular-looking glasses. "Useful, aren't they?"

Sam crouched in front of Pietro and spoke even more quickly. "Сестра, Дванаест, Хидра."

Pietro's hands fell and he collapsed, shaking, at Sam's feet. Everyone in the room held their breath, and for the first time, you understood what the mission was.

"It's a scare-and-rescue mission," you whispered to Steve. Pietro rose to his feet and spoke three words that hit you deep.

"Ready to comply. "

"Buck," Steve whispered, reaching out to his best friend. "Maybe you should..." He trailed off. "I don't know."

Bucky shook his head. "I don't either, Steve."

Wanda tensed as her brother walked beyond Sam and towards the window. She started for him, hands glowing red, but Quentin aimed several drones at her and one at Pietro. "Just try it."

"Beck, leave him alone!" Peter screamed desperately.

"Thought you were head-over-heels for that Michelle girl," Quentin said. He laughed and turned to go, climbing onto one of the drones. "Or did she dump you after I exposed you for who you truly are?"

Peter launched himself at the drone. He actually managed to grab onto it before a gunshot rang out and red blossomed at Peter's shoulder. He looked down in surprise, then up to the gun in Pietro's hand. "Piet..." He got out before falling down to his knees. His hands dropped from the drone and he fell back, unconscious.

"Sedative in the bullet," you muttered. "Has to be." Peter was gonna be out of commission for a little bit. Steve rubbed your arm comfortingly, though there was nothing he could really do to comfort you at the moment.

Pietro dropped the gun to the ground with little regards for anyone's safety, then climbed onto a drone himself. "Let's leave the new recruit to deal with these people," Quentin suggested to the other two. "Get Maximoff back to base so we can wipe him again."

You leaned over to Wanda, slowly devising a plan. "Fly Peter to HQ, then get back here so you can help us deal with whatever is coming next." She nodded, and, as the drones began to take off, ran for Peter.

"Cap."

Steve looked up at Sam, who stared down at him with zero emotion in his gaze. "On your left." Steve whirled around in time to catch a bullet fired from behind your group. He went down before he could reach for your hand. When you turned to look, there was no source.

"Go, Wanda!" you ordered, heart pounding. "Get Peter out of here!"

She did as you said, carefully picking up Peter in one arm and flying out through the use of the other. You didn't bother to tell her not to jostle his shoulder. She knew.

Bucky, meanwhile, had retrieved a sleek rifle from underneath the bar and ran to cover you and his friend. Sharon grabbed a pistol from underneath the chairs. Another shot rang out and knocked Sharon down. She was out before she could fire back. You ran and grabbed her gun, which was a bad mistake, since the source started firing shot after shot after shot at you. You scrambled back, got a good footing, aimed the pistol, and fired once.

A drone appeared out of nowhere, still being controlled by Quentin Beck. Likely, you had managed to shoot the power source for the projectors. Even more startling was the woman behind it, gun raised, calmly reloading. She looked up and realization dawned on her face that the drone's projection was down and that she was no longer hidden from your eyes.

Without hesitation, you raised your gun and shot Peggy Carter right in the shoulder. She stumbled back, hand going to her gunshot wound. Bucky took the opportunity to give her one hell of a kick upside the head. Somehow, she remained conscious, but she was still on the ground.

"Aunt Peggy?" a voice came from behind you. Sharon had woken up and was trying to sit up, but the wound in her leg wasn't helping much. "Am I dead?"

"No." You stalked up behind her and raised your gun, just in case Peggy- or, the machine the Reaper had turned her into- had any ideas. At your feet, Steve began to stir, and his eyes opened. He sat up much more quickly, squinting at the scene in front of him.

"Peggy?" he said, staggering to his feet. "Peggy?"

She raised her gun and, from the ground (and at an angle), shot him in the stomach. It was, unfortunately, an impressive shot.

"Steve!" you screamed as he fell back. "Steve, goddammit!" Your next shot caught the drone in the side, cutting off its power. Bucky's next shot wasn't a shot so much as a "my gun is now a battering ram" type of situation. One more hard hit to the head and Peggy was out.

You and Bucky stood there, panting, before you remembered that Steve had a bullet in his stomach. "We gotta get him to the hospital. No time to go to HQ."

"Do we take out the bullet?" Bucky asked.

"He's a super soldier. Yes." You gritted your teeth and crouched down next to Steve. "Normally, I wouldn't suggest it, but since he has an accelerated healing rate, we need to get it out so the tissue doesn't conform to the bullet and cause more damage."

Sharon army crawled over, looking down at Steve. "Is he gonna be okay?"

You assessed the damage. "Physically, I think he'll live. Emotionally, well, he just saw the woman that was his wife for years upon years. I wouldn't be okay."

"It's just like when he saw me as the Soldier for the first time," Bucky said. He was still over by Peggy, keeping his gun trained on her. "Froze up. He didn't even fight me after that."

At the worst possible time, Steve jerked back awake. "His body is rejecting the sedative. I gotta get that bullet out." You searched around the room. Spotting the bar, you ran over and dug around until you found some tongs. "I'll work with it."

You returned to your previous position and tore at Steve's shirt until you could see the bullet hole. "Goddammit, Rogers, you're better than this. This is gonna hurt, but you have to stay still for me."

Steve gave you a tight smile. "Don't worry, doll. I'm tougher than I look."

"I'm sure you said that to Bucky every single time you got beat up in a back alley." You dug your tongs in as you spoke, gritting your teeth every time Steve winced. Finally, you managed to grip the bullet in the tongs and haul it out. "Shit."

"Your pretty dress," Steve said, running a bloody hand over the fabric. "I'm sorry, doll."

You looked back to Sharon. She laughed. "Don't stop on my account."

Turning back to Steve, you said, "Don't be sorry. I can wash it out."

Steve looked down at his shirt, surveying the rips and tears. "Well, I was hoping you'd tear open my shirt tonight, but I wasn't expecting this."

"Okay, time to go to the hospital. Doll, pass that pistol to Agent Carter. She'll keep an eye on her dear aunt while you and I get Stevie to the hospital." Bucky hoisted Steve into his arms, tucking the rifle into yours. "Come on."

You handed the pistol to Sharon and followed Bucky out of the room. Up close, you saw that Peggy had been snatched probably in her mid-thirties. She was truly a beautiful woman.

A horrible thought hit as you got back in the car. If Steve survived and you rescued Peggy from the mind control, would he want to marry her again? You bit your lip and forced yourself to focus on keeping pressure on the wound, as Bucky instructed you to do.

"Just focus on that for me, doll." He peeled out of the parking lot, making wild turns and programming his GPS on the way. With Bucky's New York taxi style driving, you got Steve to the hospital in less than five minutes. By the time you got there, your dress and hands were soaked with blood. Paramedics swarmed you, taking Steve and putting him on a gurney. You and Bucky watched as they wheeled Steve down the hallway, you gripping Bucky's arm for support.

"Bucky..." you started, but your breath wouldn't come to give you the rest of the sentence. Bucky led you over to one of the chairs in the ER waiting room and carefully sat you down.

"Can you hear me?" Bucky asked, flipping your wrist over to check your pulse. "Damn, that's high. Deep breaths."

But you couldn't. You were breathing too fast and you couldn't get a grip on the world.

A British voice broke in. "Her skin is cold. I think she's going into shock."

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"Could ask you the same, I thought you were dead. Sharon escorted me, if you must know. Now let's get this girl back to S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters and then you can tell me what's going on."

"With all due respect, Agent Carter, we can't go to S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Why?"

You grabbed the arms of the chair and pushed up. Wobbling on your feet, you slammed your hands on Peggy's shoulders. "Because it's 2023, S.H.I.E.L.D. is gone, and you just shot my... my Steve in the stomach."

Peggy's face swam into view. "Something has happened to all of us," she said. "What do you mean it's 2023?"

Before you could get the breath in your body to respond, you bent over and threw up on her shoes.

It took several minutes for a doctor to arrive, and when they did all they could tell you was to lay down and kick your feet up on a chair. You already knew that from basic field training. After what felt like forever, though, you felt your breathing begin to regulate.

"She's going to be okay," you heard Peggy say, then footsteps, then the ringing in your ears stopped and you could hear Bucky's voice, even though he was whispering.

Peggy's face swam into view and you blinked up at her. "Can you tell me your name?" she asked.

You carefully enunciated each syllable, testing your own tongue. Once you were satisfied, you slowly lowered your feet and carefully sat up. "How long was I like that?"

"An hour." Peggy sat in a chair next to the one your feet had just vacated. "They got Steve's bleeding stopped and he's in recovery right now." She reached down and offered you a hand. You got up onto the chair, leaning heavily on the arm of it.

She chose her next words carefully. "I remember being at another building and I got hit on the head by Sergeant Barnes. What happened?"

Still slightly out of breath, you explained the ordeal to her in as few words as possible. She listened the entire time, never once interrupting. When you were done, she bit her lip and looked away. "I never thought Hydra could have succeeded in their programs."

"They did. Bucky was one of those soldiers. The only one to have survived, until now."

Peggy's head snapped back to you. "Barnes was under the control of Hydra?"

"Yes. And now they're back, and this woman is suddenly their head, and she's bringing people out of the timeline to battle the forces trying to stop her. You were on her list. We believe she's working her way up to kidnapping Bucky at a time when he was still under Hydra's control." You shook your head. "I know it's hard to wrap your head around, time travel and all that, but it's what happened. It's how the Avengers saved the world."

She smiled at you, shaking her head slightly. "That boy that they took. Who was that?"

You gritted your teeth. "One of Hydra's pet projects. He came to our side, but died fighting for the world. He is also my favorite Young Avenger's future boyfriend."

Peter burst into the waiting room, ignoring a doctor who was trying to rewrap his arm. "Oh good, you're here!" He ran to you and grabbed your hands. "Please, tell me you're going to go after Pietro! He's gonna be all alone, and he's gonna be fighting his own mind! Bucky told me how it feels and I'm scared. I just want him back!"

You turned to Peggy with a grim frown. "Speak of the devil, am I right?" Turning back to Peter, you stroked back his hair. "It's gonna be alright. We'll find a way to save them all."

"Not Mister Beck." The tone of Peter's voice scared you. "He hurt me, threatened my friends, and now he took Pietro. I don't care what you do to him. You can kill him for all I care."

"Peter!" you gasped, tightening your grip on his hand. "Honey, don't worry. We'll take care of everything. If we have to kill him, we will, but we'll do our best to minimize the casualties." This bought the doctor enough time to get a needle into Peter's neck, sedating him almost instantly.

"Pietro..." he whispered before falling unconscious.

The doctor looked up at you. "Between you and me, it's a good thing you got him and Mr. Rogers here when you did. Any longer and the blood loss might have killed them." He turned to carry Peter back to his room, then stopped. "Oh, and good work on the bullet, Doctor."

You watched him go, surprised. "How did they know who did the bullet?"

"Sergeant Barnes... I mean... Bucky wouldn't shut up about it." Peggy folded her hands in her lap. "Earlier, you mentioned something about 'your Steve'. What was..."

"There you are!" Bucky strode back into the waiting room, saving you the trouble of even hearing Peggy's question. "Now that you're out of shock, can I ask you some stuff? Just basic, post-emergency things."

You shifted in your seat. "Um, sure. Go ahead."

Bucky flopped down next to you, taking a minute to catch his breath before saying, "First off, where the hell did you learn to shoot like that?"

"Oh." You drew a blank, trying to think back to any time you might have had experience with a gun. "I don't know, Bucky."

"Well, it was amazing. You should practice so you can go to the field sometimes. We need more shots like you, especially with Clint having retired." He pushed your shoulder gently, giving you a huge Bucky Barnes smile.

You shrugged. "Sure, I mean, sounds fun." You tapped your toe a couple of times, then blurted, "Can I see him?"

Bucky deflated. "I'm sorry, doll, they're not letting anyone in right now. You can give a message to one of the doctors." He stood. "You seem tired, I shouldn't have tried to ask you a bunch of questions. Want a ride back to your home?"

"No, I think I'll stay." Not just for Steve; you didn't want Peggy to be left alone. "See you soon, Buck?"

He nodded once and left, looking back over his shoulder to wave. "See ya."

Peggy leaned back in her chair. "And now we wait."

You chuckled. "It is called a waiting room for a reason."

She laughed in turn. "Yes, it is."

[spacegaywritings]

Warming Paws and melting Walls (5/8) “Territorial Revenge”

Summary: Nobody responded within a week and so Remy made sure to inform Emile so they could repaint the office. Virgil does not like being alone for long, especially when it is unexpected.

Luckily, the two are quick to make up.

 Tags: animal waster, cat litter box, urine, descriptions of urine smell, cleaning, a bit of fighting bc this is an upset kitty, food and eating mention, feeding, late nights, metal clanking sound, vaccine mention, vet mention, slight restrictions of breathing? Pining mention, auditory triggers, migraine mention, somft feelings, more snuggles and cuddles, kitty gone bad boi,

i do not think there is any more to be applied. If you need me to add anything, please contact me here or on my tumblr (spacegayparty, spacegaywritings)

My KoFi  - Support me ♥ or Commission me

ao3: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 // all.

tumblr:  1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 (you are here!) / 6 / 7 / 8.

 Story under the cut: (Wordcount ~3,1k)

Metal clattered together as the key within the lock pressed deeper into it and started turning in order to open the door at last. The light sound filled the cool air. Eventually, the metal keys fell against the dark colour, wooden door and with a particularly loud ‘knack’ of the door, the lock gave way and the way was free.

Remy finally stepped into his home.

It was dark already but that did not stop him from wanting to go home, it encouraged him even further. He was the kind of person to change the night but with Virgil waiting for him, there was an intense urge to just be with the little pet. The darkness outside his apartment was driving him to be faster when the hours passed and passed.

 He had cleaned everything with Emile, right after fucking painting it all and reorganising two fucking offices. It was work. It was a lot of work but it was paid extra work on top of that, yet Remy was not exactly a fan of it. The man liked doing his thing, being left alone a bit but also having some non-annoying or intrusive/persistent social interaction. But.. working with Emile all day was as lovely as it could be exhaustive.

That pal did not gossip enough! Remy wanted to talk about chill things, not how he hated or did not hate his parents and whatnot.

 Sometimes he wondered whether people moved away and went to other therapists so they would be safe from all their dreadful puns. Maybe it helped in therapy? He did not know but it made him feel fluttered and warm all the same. Still, it would get him to feel nauseous after some time. Maybe Emile played into his auditory triggers - too many words in too little time.

 Remy stepped into his home and closed the door.

The sound of shutting it echoed through the vast emptiness in his apartment. Actually, there was so much nothing, it really filled the complete living space.

 Strange..

 All he could notice was a certain smell.. a pungent, intense smell. It was odd and he could not quite place it.

It sort of reminded him of...

 Oh no.

 He carefully switched on the light.

Whenever he used his lights, he could not help but be glad about having found proper lamps that did not cause too much eye strain at once. People who developed and invented ideas for dim light bulbs and lamps that were made to be comfortable rather than stinging in illumination were simply saints and he would never back away from this opinion. Those were fucking heroes because they helped the dumb minorities like him that was too Extra (tm) to live with regular things.

 When the dim lights, he loved so much, showered the hallway in golden warmth, he noticed.. a weird bit of something on the floor.

 Please please no.

 “Virgil?”

 He called into the void, for the void.

Nothing came back.

 Was the cat okay?

 Remy carefully made his way over to the weird something on the floor. It looked like spilled liquid, somewhat translucent and odd.

Did... Did Virgil vomit or pee onto the floor? Holy fuck, it smelled awful in the most indescribable ways. He did not want to describe it anyway, let alone sniff it enough to figure out certain components of the smell or any similarities to other scents.

 ...Oh dear fuck.

The smell - It was cat pee. Virgil had decided to fucking ruin his floor right in front of the little cat toilet he had put up.

 Well... that was it, he supposed. It had been a dream that Remy did not really have to “potty train” the kitten since it came with a lot of good manners already. That was so much of an indicator that the cat was from somewhere, that they were civilised and socialised.

Still, after weeks of no answers, Remy had cut the search and was happy to call the cat his own (albeit he never said so but the smiles on his face were more frequent than before and even his migraines seemed more at ease - not to mention how rare they had become).

 But it was too nice to have a cat - a first pet - that just was clean and trained and would use the litter box accordingly.

 “I swear, you are going to kill me, Queen. I just cleaned it in the morning. It cannot be that bad, can it?”

 He already moved to open a few windows and make sure the horrible smell would yield to the fresh air of the evening.

Maybe he should not have been outside for so long without sending anyone over to check on Virgil and catsit after all. Remy admitted he should look into some silly students who needed the money and would be happy about just cuddling a cat and being able to have some WIFI and such.

 But really, he had not planned to stay outside for that long. He had wanted to run over and check in on the dust ghost during his lunch break. Sadly, Emile did have that sort of amnesia effect on him. His horny brain went dumb and forgot all the important logic and memory. Therefore, he had been too stupid from love to really think about Virgil needing him at that moment.

Next time, he would discuss this with Emile beforehand. One mistake was alright as long as nobody was hurt and he learned from it.

 With black bags under his eyes and shades perched up on the top of his head, he grabbed a few tissues, gloves and a mop and got ready to clean up. Excitement as great as it could have been in such a situation, he got down to clean up and once done, he finished up over there and tended to the litter box.

 Nearly empty. There was like, the usual stuff but it was not much because he had cleaned it in the morning - on purpose!

 “Are you fucking kidding me? Virgil, why would you do this?”

 A deep groan of annoyance split his lips. He got up to remove the bit of waste that was still residing inside. It just took a few moment and it was already done. He disposed of the dirt properly and put his cleaning utensils into the dedicated space. 

A tinge of worry hit him as he did so. The cleanness was achieved at last but what about Vi- Just then, a streak of black crossed his view.

 “Virgil!”

 His tone was low, touching a bit into the territory of a parent. Specifically, when a goody two shoes did something wrong and the parents got all “I am not mad, just disappointed”.  

The kitten ducked away and whipped its tail down before slowly swishing it from side to side.

They almost looked ready to fight and as if Remy had provoked it, the void suddenly jumped at his black boot - yes, just one. This was one smol individual and they had yet to be tol enough to attack two Remy feet at once. Soft paws drummed onto the shoe and the ball of charcoal furry was hissing and scratching.

 “Hey! Ow-”, Remy hissed back in surprise and slight aggravation, “Virgil, what the fuck!”

 The cat jumped back and Remy quickly dropped his jacket, revealing a black sweat shirt he was wearing underneath.

 The angry cat hissed at the man and ducked and arched their back. Then, they went in for the fight, now aiming at his knees. A pair of claws jumped at him, so Remy committed himself to the idiocy of catching the cat and picking them up.

 Virgil did not get his knees but they did catch some skin of his arms.

 “What is wrong with you, gurl? Do you want to play? This is some shit way to tell me about it, queen. You pissed on my floor.”

 Virgil hissed again and Remy blinked in incomprehension. He should learn more about cats or something. Like, take a course in cat training because this whole behaviour was too sudden and confusing for him to make sense of it. These acts were so contrary to what they had done before to him. Even at the start of their relationship they had been somewhat loving towards once another.

 He did not want to admit it but.. the cat rejecting him kind of stung. Yeah, his attacked shoes were also a point of inconvenience he did not really approve of but they were manageable.

The cat was down on the ground again but definitely not down-to-earth. They were already spitting fireballs at the belated arrival and Remy was cursed with being puzzled forever since they could not communicate and explain what happened.

 Remy was unfortunate to think of Virgil as playfully fighting him. By instinct or whatever.

 “Hey Queen, if you wanna play, can you just give me a minute or two, so I can eat? I want to exist, too, and you need to eat as well.”

 He collected the food and water bowl and made sure to fill everything properly. Virgil had abandoned him again in favour of creepily staring at him from afar. The tail was swishing like a clock’s ticking arms. And they were counting his time until being brought to justice by Black Cat Law, aka The Void Law.

 The cat owner emerged from the kitchen, filled bowls filling his hands.

Dry food, just a bit - minimal amounts. Wet food - the main source of sustenance for the kitty cat. Water - because kitty cat got free bowls of water twice a day, thrice when at work with him.

Remy put it back into place and the kitten quickly returned to retrieve the food.

 “Yeah, now you are happy, are you not?”

 The cat very much ignored him so they could feast upon the bouts of food brought to them. Finally their slave human was working again and feeding them as he was supposed to.

Rude to just take an unannounced break.

 “Yeah, I should have expected you to be bitchy without food. You are just like me, are you not, little honey?”

 A chuckle could be heard as he took a little moment to relish in the sounds coming from the Void of Darkness and Fire (tm) purring and chewing. The noises were barely audible but Remy has started picking up the most silent ones. It helped him detect the kitten’s feelings or locations when he needed to tend to the cat. Also, it made finding the cat easier for when he wanted to give them a little goodbye-snuggle before going to work.

 The urge to cuddle the cat right now was strong but he made sure to not do it.

Cats hated that, as much as sources told him. Sources were the internet and people and also a book he had gotten by now. And the vet he had visited once more after he decided to keep the cat since nobody seemed to care enough. Also, vaccines.

Other than that, Virgil also scratched him once he tried to snuggle them while eating. This was only legal when Virgil was already snuggled up to him due to pure pity they felt for him. Such a Queen.

 “You are too good for anyone, kitty. I am sorry for leaving you alone for so long.”

 No answer - but the black blob of fur seemed to be at ease with the food and water. This was a start, he thought to himself. Remy still felt guilty for leaving them alone for so long. Then again, he had expected to have the time and get home for a little bit during his lunch break but that did not work out, somehow. And going after his official working hours was not okay.

 He should give someone his keys so they could look after the little Queen of Salt for a bit when he had to stay away longer.

What if an emergency ever came up?

 His head shook the thoughts of darkness and anxiety away. Instead, he busied his empty hands with the simple task of reheating some food he had made before. Tomorrow he would get some chicken for his kitten to make up for being so neglectful and thoughtless. He needed to be more considerate and accept his responsibilities. After all, he was some kind of caretaker right now - a cat parent, if you will.

 Remy leaned back and took a deep breath.

 “Virgiiiiil ~”, he cooed softly and took out a little kitty treat.

 Just one.

It was not just for his guilty conscience but also for the cat to know he did not mean to. Virgil needed assurance and the stability of life. Giving him some sort of praise for being alone all day - for literally at least 10 hours - was appropriate, he supposed.

 The kitten was already done with their bowl of food and was currently drinking when the smell of more food and the sound of Remy’s - their owner’s voice - reached them. They sensed being called over and looked up from their bowl, licking their muzzle and nose with a satisfied look on their face.

 “Kitty cat”, he purred again and the void gently let their tail swish just a bit above the floor for a few single strands of their fur to trace over the dark ground.

 They purred back in solidarity. Soft paws sunk into the similarly dark floor. The kitty took one step after the other and slowly progressed, body slightly lethargic from the recent intake of food. The ball of fur and mischief made their way over to Remy and sniffed the air.

A determination ruled their fine movements.

 Ah, yes. More food.

Good human.

Their eyes sparked at the man, radiating praise and appreciation.

 Remy smiled in return and carefully nudged his hand close enough for Virgil to nibble at the treat. Immediately, they welcome it into their mouth. Without realising it, the owner visibly relaxed, the air standing in his lungs was flowing out of his nostrils and allowed him to inhale deeply. His posture eased up and his shoulders were now more straightened and calm compared to before. St a few moments ago, the weight of guilt tore down his body and forced his back to be crooked along with pushing his shoulders into a hunching position.

No more guilt was crushing him anymore, though. The cat had accepted his apology and was carefully pushing their head into Remy’s idle palm. The feeling of warmth, a bit of dampness and furry delight was tickling the receptors in his hand. The warmth travelled up to his chest, spreading throughout all of his body in the process.

 “You are too good for me. Aw, Virgil. Little Queen of Salt”, he purred and gently shifted to lean over and started brushing over the smooth and slightly shining fur of his little companion.

 His left was holding the curious head of a peculiar kitty cat and he gently started scritching their chin - well, the underside of their chin. It was a bit lighter than the rest of their body. At least, this is what it seemed like to him. It felt warmer and more brownish, yet just as lovely as the rest of them.

 Peaceful purring filled the room with soft sounds and calming noise instead of haunting silence

 “I love you too”, he chuckled.

 Maybe he did not know everything about cats, nor did he understand all his little sass-bean was trying to express with their general body posture, the position of their torso or their tail either - really, he did not know much at all - but he was still trying his best. He certainly was getting better at it and this counted, did it not? Also, it was not like he did not try to educate himself. His workplace naps were replaced by reading in his “cat bible” and literally taking notes.

 Hands gently curled around the food-filled body of a satisfied little void. Cradling the coal cat in his arms, he held them close to his heart and walked over to their couch.

 “Does my little storm cloud want to cuddle?”

 His voice was a low coo and the kitten responded with audible purrs and an enthusiastic bonk when their heads crushed together again.

 Ow.

... He would totally never get used to cats showing affection like that. 

 Well, still worth it.

Apparently, cats did that to show love or some trash. Whatever, Virgil barely ever did it but it got more and more frequent after their first days together. Now it was more often instead of rarely but it certainly was not the most usual and common thing between them.

Still, it could change. At the moment he just wanted to relish in the warmth of their cuddles and the comfort of their intimacy.

 Remy flopped onto the couch and left the cat on his chest while he simply laid down flat onto his back like a lazy plank swimming in the water. Just floatin’... simply going with the flow, adapting to any wave.

 The cat returned the action by softly pushing their paws into his ribs. Lungs complained due to the compromised volume for more precious and essential oxygen. Not that Remy cared.. nor did Virgil have the cognitive ability to care.

 “You having fun there, kitty?”

 This cat was royalty and Remy would continue to lay around and simply have them run up and down his body. All he wanted to do was.... just take off his pants and such and put on a more comfortable and flexible pyjama. Falling asleep in tight jeans was not as great (they were great for getting some looks from his boss, though). The idea of moving around right now was just as unpleasant as the idea of falling asleep and waking up in the pants he had worked and sweated in all day.

 Unfazed by anything, the void was simply preparing their human bed for a little longer before settling down onto his ribcage...warm and pressing. Just a tad uncomfortable.

 “Okay, there you go-”

 Yes, this was love.

 Remy was too exhausted and comfortable to feel too bothered by his air flow being obstructed. Slowly, he felt himself drift off. The man was soon in a light version of a slumber and gradually become a victim to the sweet relief of a little nap. The discomfort of sweaty and smelly clothes was forgotten when exhaustion took over. The overwhelming state of being physically drained got the best of him.

All good sentiment was forgotten when the comfort of a good cat and a warm home hugged him.

 Bye bye meal he had wanted to have. He was already satisfied in other way.

He was home.

 This was heaven.

[callsign-bunnie]

Dependencies pt 1

Fandom: Thomas Sanders Pairing: Analogical (Anxiety x Logic) Warnings: dark themes. You guys know me by now. Virgil’s anxious thoughts are stated. Allusions to sex. (Lust mention.) Food mention. Notes before going in: those who have been following me know by now that I am uh... not all sunshine and rainbows when it comes to my writing. My stuff can get pretty heavy and often pretty dark. However, any trigger warnings will be tagged. And if you ask me, I will tag specific non-general triggers in any future chapters or works. If you simply don’t want to see a fic in general, I would suggest blacklisting the name, which will be in the tags. Thank you. Summary: Logan is very neat and controlled. Virgil is the opposite. Logan, 30, is the leader of a well known underground crime network, though he specifically has managed to remain anonymous, very few knowing his identity. Virgil, 23, on the other hand, is an artist who hates talking to people and has chronic anxiety. Virgil and Logan are thrown in each other's paths when Virgil gets Logan as his professor in the math class Logan uses as a cover identity. (And guilty pleasure but he’ll never admit that.) Already, Logan is... intrigued.

Sometimes, our darkest secrets aren't the ones we hide the most. For Logan, possibly his lightest secret was the one he hid the most. To quickly raise in the ranks, he had to give an appearance of being cold. Unfeeling. Sociopathic. And while yes, he could be considered a sociopath, he could feel some things. Anger. Love. Lust. Happiness. As much as Logan tried to hide this secret, the feelings were drugs for him, just as addicting as Heroin or Cocaine. And anything that sparked these feelings was considered precious to him. He needed it.

However, Logan was incredibly intelligent. This was perhaps how he managed to keep himself from gaining a... dependence. And perhaps how he rose so fast in the ranks. He'd learned by now to never do his own dirty work and to stay detached from it, as well. Lest whoever does it is stupid enough to be caught. Many of his higher-ups had not learned this and of course paid the price for it, once the police caught on. Another lesson he'd learned from observing his higher-ups was to never leave a paper trail. Of course, keep track, but always have a fail-safe. Logan had taken to keeping his documents in a barrel that one could simply throw a match in and light it up. He'd also learned not to trust the internet unless using some kind of code. Unfortunately, lackeys were not good at recognizing and remembering codes. So, he just left all of his business to over throw away phones and in business. Maybe requests and commissions could be taken over the internet, but through nothing that could be traceable and he was always sure to keep his interactions vague, going through a lackey who typed differently so even that couldn't be tracked. And possibly the most important thing he'd learned; have an excellent cover. His being a math professor. He was seen as dorky by his students. No one would ever even suspect him of being who he was.

Of course, maintaining of these self-imposed rules required immense discipline. Possibly even an obsession with order and control. Fortunately, Logan had both of those qualities.

Virgil was the opposite. While Virgil was clever, he wasn't very academic. And his darkest secrets were the ones he kept deepest inside himself. Virgil also had a problem with feeling too much. All of his life, he'd been considered too emotional. Too... anything, really. He'd been told this many times. He figured by this point that if he was too much for people, he might as well not bother them. Other people never usually had anything interesting to contribute, anyway. He was also incredibly out of order.

His room was usually a disaster. And he managed to trip over everything. You'd think this would lead him to keep the floor clean, however, he just didn't care enough to bother. He also didn't care to bother cooking, so he'd become accustomed to eating ramen and anything microwaveable. And take out, when he could afford it. He didn't have a job, however, he received money from his parents and an allowance from what was left of his college fund and then later some weird source? On to that, later.

His parents weren't wealthy, however, and his college fund's remains were not grand. So, he sometimes had to go without a meal or two. Whatever, though. It wasn't a big deal to him. He barely thought about it.

Virgil had taken up art to keep from thinking about certain things. It was much easier to ignore issues if he was focusing on lines and color schemes, instead. Art was also a way to release pent up frustration, sadness, even happiness. You'd think happiness couldn't be pent up but when you talk to literally no one, well... it happens. So, he'd found an outlet. A relief. And just as emotions were intoxicating to Logan, art was just as intoxicating to Virgil. Granted, he wasn't making art most of the time, but he was usually thinking about it. Plotting out pieces he wanted to make, deciding where to fit yet another piece on his wall, what color fit what he was feeling, etc. Honestly, the thoughts alone seemed to help at this point, allowing him an outlet where there wasn't usually one

.Virgil stumbled into Logan's sight when he went to his first math class. Stumbled being literal, as Virgil almost tripped and hit his head on the fire extinguisher by the door. Luckily, he was early, always terrified of being late to a class due to having to walk in and everyone watch him walk to his seat. The idea filled him with dread. He hated it. So he made sure to be early to each class. Being early also had the perk of getting to choose his seat. Which he quite enjoyed. He almost always chose a seat in the back, however, math was a difficult subject for him, so he begrudgingly sat in the almost front. Okay, really, he usually sat in the middle of the class. People in the back were usually considered to be angsty, in the front to be go-getters. And nobody thought about those in the middle. It was the perfect place. But in college, with large class sizes, sitting in the middle often meant being unable to focus for Virgil. And since he already struggled with math, he usually decided it would be best for him to sit closer to the front.

He was already dreading this class, however. As he knew he would likely be close to failing it if he didn't ask for help. He'd struggled enough the year before. This year would likely be the same, if not worse. So he was already gearing himself up to have to talk, blegh, to his teacher in order to ask for tutoring options. Much fun was in store for him this year, because then he'd have to talk to whoever was tutoring him. Yay. Oh well, he was taking two art classes this year, so at least he had that. He was already finding himself daydreaming about them. They were independent art classes, which basically meant he got to create whatever he dreamed about creating.

So at least the year wouldn't be so bad, right? And he was... mostly fine in all of his other classes. So no tutoring there. Just math would be difficult.

As expected, he spent most of the class way behind and struggling to comprehend what the professor was saying. The professor was semi-friendly. Was mostly that dry professor who was kind but you could tell they wouldn't take your shit. Virgil tended to like those professors, as they usually left him alone, unable to remember every student. Unfortunately, once Virgil would make his presence known to this professor, he was sure they would remember him and he'd be stuck dealing with them until the end of the year. Yay, again. At least this professor wasn't a fast talker. That would be a struggle if they were. Well, more of a struggle, anyway. He was able to catch some detail, so it definitely helped. He'd taken to writing, in messy inconsistent shorthand, what the professor was saying to try to organize later. He never really got around to later, but hey, he was trying, at least, right?

His anxiety got worse and worse throughout the class, and needless to say, this was not helping his focus. He was dreading having to ask for help. So it was making his anxiety flip out. However, he managed to swallow it, tapping out his racing heartbeat on his stomach in his pocket as he went up to the professor's desk at the end of class. "Professor? Can I talk to you?"

"Of course, Mr..."

"Storm. I'm Virgil Storm. I um... Well, I have a tendency to struggle in Math and I was hoping you could have any tutoring recommendations?" Virgil asked, almost too quiet, but luckily he was heard.

The professor nodded and seemed to glance Virgil up and down. "I do offer tutoring hours of my own. I typically teach until five and I offer to tutor between 5 and 9. However, I will only allow up to an hour, since I'm assuming tutoring will have to be a regular thing?"

Virgil turned red and nodded in answer to the question. "Yes, unfortunately." He was managing to slow his tapping, though. Which was good.

His professor laughed, suddenly, and then stated,  "goodness, you don't have to keep standing. Sit and we'll discuss a time to meet up."

Virgil turned red again and pulled up a chair, sitting in it and slouching slightly. "Since this is my last class of the day, I think tutoring at five would be helpful... So I could just hang around here, you know?" And his tapping sped back up, worried the professor would think that was a dumb idea.

"That would work out. I suppose it might help you to remember, as well." He nodded.

Virgil relaxed and nodded again. "That too. I'm sorry, I forgot your name..."

"Oh, of course. It's Logan Fairling. It's fine if you just call me Dr. Fair, however." Dr. Fairling answered, nodding

.Virgil nodded a bit and relaxed more. He knew he tended to overthink, but it really was a relief when he was wrong. "Thank you, Dr. Fairling. When do you think it would be best to start?"

"Hmm..." Dr. Fairling stopped and seemed to think for a moment. "Perhaps today. Since we already started with a lesson, I believe it might be good for us to start sooner rather than later."

Virgil was a bit surprised but he decided Dr. Fairling was right. It would be good to start earlier. However, he was already nervous about it. What if Dr. Fairling decided Virgil was too dumb to be helped? That he was helpless? It got too much to keep tapping out his heartbeat, so he switched to fidgeting with the sleeves instead, making sure to hide it under the table. "Alright. That sounds like a good plan. I'll come back here in an hour."

"Perfect." The professor nodded and then allowed Virgil to leave.

As Virgil left, he rubbed his throat, finding it a bit sore after talking so much when he usually didn't.

As Virgil left, Logan leaned back in his seat, tapping his pen against his chin. "Hmm..." He felt something unfamiliar but not unknown start to bloom. However, he just couldn't identify it. However, he did know that Virgil was already quite... intriguing.

-----

I will tag people if they want me to. I don’t really care how you ask, I’m not particular.

[jjba-arni-reblog]

Connection

Alright! This is a bit different. This is a special gift from me to @rasasvavda - an incredible artist who I commissioned an amazing piece. This is my part, my appreciation for the author and her work. The story follows DIO and her OC Akali. The artist provided me with quite some information to work with. This small fic reflects on key moments in their relationship as the two of them slowly realize one’s feelings. There are also soulmate themes established at the start of the work.

@rasasvavda there ya go!~~~ I HOPE you’ll like it! It was a pleasure and a challenge to write for such interesting character! I appreciate your work and support and I wish you only the best!

Words: 3K (damn, I got invested)

A world where not only stand users are connected, but also lovers. Soulmates. While the regular people could feel each other’s soulmate’s emotions, for stand users it was quite different. Being connected by the stands, the soulmate connection wasn’t as prominent and could be easily missed. No wonder they are so little stories of two soulmates finding each other. Their emotions affect their soulmate’s stand, changing their attack power, speed and sometimes even appearance. One could only hope to find the connection between a person and one’s stand changing. So, it was rare, yet not impossible. And those who succeed to find one’s soulmate, found the connection between one another even stronger than stand users might feel. All it takes is to realize one’s feelings and show the stand.

~ ~ ~

“Introduce yourself to me, DIO” the man on the throne commanded.

“My name is Akali, in Punjabi it means The follower of the Immortal One“ the woman explained to the man before her.

“That’s quite ironic knowing who is standing before you” he noted.

“Certainly” Akali answered, trying her hardest to not roll her eyes at the ego of the blonde.

“What do you search for? What does one crave?” DIO asked eyeing the woman, trying to find any sight of fear or reluctancy. None were present, which made the lord smirk.

“For now, these is no pain or revenge in my heart, I am a simple follower, searching for the luxuries of life. By serving you one might obtain such privileges” Akali explained, still no fear present in her eyes.

“Then join me, you could be a great addition to my followers. I can give you wealth, power, anything your soul desires” the blonde confidently proclaimed.

“But don’t expect me to kiss your ass, lord DIO” Akali replied, hoping to establish herself early in this working relationship.

“Ho?~ What a sharp tongue you have. One does not refer to me, DIO, in such way, but I’ll let it pass this time as I could see that your sharpness comes from the passion and strength within you. This once, I will ignore such comment. I can’t wait to witness your power and dedication, Akali.”

“Likewise” the woman smirked. It is going to be an interest work.

~ ~ ~

“Tell me about your culture, Akali. I have noticed that you take great pride in it” the man suddenly spoke out one evening.

It seems like the Lord Dio has heard of Kali’s encounter with some of his fewer notable servants, that deemed themselves appropriate enough to try and discourage you from longing for culture. Unfortunately for them, they were quickly shut down by woman’s sharp remarks as she wasn’t too keen on letting some scumbags put stereotypes on her.

“I respect your strong desire for the connection with your culture, in contrast with simple-minded peasants that can only retort to seemingly pointless arguments and even less intelligent opinions” DIO pointed out, unusual praising words leaving his mouth.

“Why such interest, Lord Dio?” Kali raised her eyebrow, not trusting the man before her. After all he was also known for his cruel and sharp words, not mentioning punishments.

“It is a simple interest of mine to educate myself. Learn about other talented individuals as well as simply acquiring knowledge of other cultures” he answered while approaching the cupboard to find a bottle of wine together with two glasses.

“So, the lord Dio thinks of me this highly?” her teasing tone didn’t go unnoticed by the blonde as the man let out a deep chuckle, finding himself in a rather interesting situation.

“Perhaps, who knows?” lord DIO answered, not bothering to elaborate further.

The two of them didn’t need to worry about getting drunk as both had high alcohol tolerance, instead drinking to relax and continue with intellectual conversations. As Akali told DIO about her culture, sometimes even switching to German when needed, the time went on quickly, the pair surprisingly maintained the conversation on equal terms, being respectful and even understanding of each other opinions, even if they didn’t always match.

After some time, the conversation switched to makeup products, in this case – lipsticks.

“May I ask you, lord DIO, about your taste in lip products, since I have witnessed your unique appearance and tastes” Kali asked a bit unsure if the man before her will even consider her question. Yet she had to try her luck.

“You may. I am a man of diverse interests and lip products are one of those things, I have couple of products in my collection, you may have seen me wearing a particular green one around the mansion. Such colour is one of those that I, DIO, tend to prefer” he explained then continuing “But I have also noticed that you seem to share interest in lip products as well, as your usual appearance is complimented by a dark lilac purple lipstick. Frankly saying, such colour choice has also sparked my interest as it is not the usual tone one might wear daily, however…it does suit you” lord DIO has surprised Kali, earning a look of confusion from her as she couldn’t believe his positive words.

“It is the highest praise to hear such words from the Lord DIO” she commented, taking a sip of her wine to cover her smirk. The man mirrored her movements, letting out a chuckle.

“Of course”

~ ~ ~

“Dio……” she almost whispered, shaking at the movements of the bug that has now started crawling towards her, making the woman panic slightly, praying that the bug would change direction. The said man was reading a book while sipping some wine, clearly not present mentally in the situation occurring next to him.

“Mhm?” he simply mumbled, not noticing Kali’s state, not looking up from his book still.

“Fucking kill it!” the woman screamed, jumping on the table to escape the crawling monster.

Being startled by her sudden move, Dio was quick to find the source of Kali’s panic. Spider was slowly but surely crawling to the stand user, making Dio smirk at such bizarre behaviour.

DIO took the small knife situated on the table (for whatever reason it was there) and in the matter of seconds, threw it, instantly killing the bug. Turning to Kali, DIO raised an eyebrow trying his hardest not to chuckle at the woman. Noticing this, she quickly jumped down.

“DON’T” she simply stated, knowing fully that once the man had started, there will be no stopping him from his teasing commentaries.

“What an interesting sight to witness…Perhaps I, DIO, have a luck on my side today, allowing me to see another side of my precious servant” the blonde said, noticing the annoyed yet a bit flustered expression of Kali. He took in her form, hoping to remember every single detail about her embarrassed yet sharp features. This side of her was new to him and DIO was more than happy to discover more.

~ ~ ~

“What is going on?” was the first thing DIO said when finding Kali cuddling with her stand, cigarette in her lips. She was sitting on the couch with the balcony door open, not wanting to smoke indoors but still wanting to enjoy the softness of the couch. A cup of expensive coffee was situated on the cupboard next to the couch, making it easier for the stand user to reach without necessary breaking the hug. However, the bottle of stronger liquor was placed right next to the cup, implying that the last mission might not have been a complete success.

“Nothing really, lord DIO” the voice tried to reassure the man…rather unsuccessfully as DIO could feel that the tone was false, fake. The tone that tried its hardest to lie about being okay, about not needing help, about current situation.

“If I may note, this coping behaviour is unhealthy for one to have, especially in the presence of me, DIO, himself” his words came out strong, perhaps too strong as he could see the woman letting out a deep sight, making her stand disappear and quickly finishing the cigarette.

“I apologize, lord DIO, this won’t happen again” Akali reassured him with an unemotional tone. No snarky remarks, no comebacks. Nothing. As she was about to stand and leave the room, DIO motioned her to stop, instead getting himself a glass of wine then returning to the couch.

“Speak”

“What about?”

“Whatever bothers you. Or anything. Just speak. It is better than drinking your problems away. I do not wish to see my servants in such state, especially one as strong and useful as you, Kali”

“I…” she thought for a minute, trying to come up with any excuse not to reveal her anxieties. Yet the presence of her lord brought her comfort rather than fear. So maybe this once…maybe she’ll allow herself to be honest.

“Alright”

It was the first time DIO called her Kali, yet it wasn’t the last…

~ ~ ~

“Lord DIO, may I request something?” Kali approach the man as he was reading a book, quickly turning his attention to the visitor.

“What is it?” DIO asked, however there wasn’t a sharp edge in his tone. Not when she was around.

“May I request someone to train with me? Someone from your other servants perhaps. My stand requires attention to offence so having a partner to help with improving my attacks would be beneficial to my work” the woman stated, waiting for the answer of her lord.

“That is very thoughtful of you, Kali” the nickname resonated with her soul, making her feel flustered hearing how her name sounded coming from her lord’s mouth. Pleasant and almost hypnotizing.

“Sadly, I recall that no stand users are present today in this mansion, seemingly trying to find more information for me, DIO” The blonde explained then pausing for a moment “However, I, DIO, am willing to help you with the training. After all, I should be aware of any progress or weak sides my servant may have.”

“I….thank you, lord DIO I don-“ Akali excitedly answered before being interrupted by the lord.

“But I won’t reveal my stand. No matter how much I trust you, I furthermost need to take precautions. Practically no one knows about my stand’s ability and I’d rather leave it that way” DIO explained, crossing his arms after finishing.

“I understand. I am thankful for your offer to train with me. Thank you, DIO” she finished, quickly realizing her mistake “I mean LORD DIO, I apologize I-“

“DIO is fine, after all, you are one of the closest servants of mine and I could say that I trust you enough to allow such change” the blonde smirked at the panicked expression “however, one shall refer to me, DIO, only in private as to not let the speculations appear” he finished.

“Of course, DIO. Shall we start?” Kali asked. The man nodded.

Maybe having her use his name isn’t such a bad idea…

~ ~ ~

A pleasant smell could be noticed as DIO walked past the kitchen. Getting curiosity overwhelm him, DIO opened the door, noticing as familiar figure softly singing as they gathered ingredients.

Kal’s hair was now put into a high ponytail, making her appearance even more noticeable to DIO. He continued to stare at her back, not quite knowing what to do in such bizarre situation yet also not wanting to interrupt the singing.

“Is there anything you need, lord DIO?” the voice cut through the song, surprising DIO as he was known for his stealth and quiet, almost silent steps. The woman turned towards him, motioning him to enter the kitchen.

“What is the reason behind this?” straight-forward as usual the lord was.

“I simply decided to cook, to relax and enjoy good food” Akali answered as the matter of fact, not pausing to explain further to DIO, instead getting out other ingredients for the dish, carefully unpacking them. Then she spoke again “Also, since I know that you are not too keen on eating, I got you wine and blood” she motioned to the countertop where the two bottles were situated.

Hearing the reasoning DIO felt something within him clench. Homemade dishes, it was a while since he had them…it was too long ago, memories hidden somewhere within the lord as he never thought to have felt such atmosphere again. Not here, not now.

Yet a small part of him wasn’t complaining as the blonde eyed the figure concentrating on the task before her, not noticing the sharp gaze of her lord. DIO could see the small smile grace her strong feature. It was a rare sign, to see Kali this relaxed, this content with her situation, this…happy.

This familiar feeling…this long forgotten comfort and warmth

~ ~ ~

Not everyone was loyal to the lord DIO and at some point, the traitors reveal themselves. However, one could expect them to team up, trying to overtake the mansion to find all the gold and treasures hidden within it. Trying, that is.

However, the teaming up surely worked in they favor, as they succeeded in surprising the lord and his servant. Akali was quick to get ready into position, fully prepared to protect the man from the attackers. However, as the feeling of annoyance came (due to realizing that another useless group of wannabe killers is needed to be taken care of), the stand wasn’t

“Stop this, immediately” DIO ordered, however the woman didn’t seem to hear anything or didn’t want to.

“You can’t me tell what to do, let me handle it” she responded growling at the attackers.

“It seems like I can” the blonde then said, his voice sounding confused at a sight before him. Her stand, it has changed. Slightly but nonetheless it changed. Der Maister attacked carefully as if not to drain its stand user too much, trying to figure out who to attack first in order to not hurt its user. Der Maister seemed to be slightly anxious despite Akali looking confident, meaning that such emotion had a different source. DIO. This small amount of worry for the woman manifested itself in her stand, using precise movements that DIO was known for. As if reflecting the man need to make sure that his servant is alright, the stand changes its approach accordingly.

Noticing the change and realizing what is happening, DIO couldn’t help but to look at the scene in bewilderment. So that does exist? And the universe was kind enough to allow DIO himself to find his soulmate? As a slight worry came, Kali’s stand started to drain her energy more, prompting DIO to make a crucial decision.

“Kali” the voice called from behind, surprising the woman with the note of happiness that could be heard.

“What-“ she turned around, stopping in her tracks as she saw a new figure next to DIO. His stand. For the first time he let his stand out, in front of others, in front of her. The stand radiated the same powerful energy that the lord had. It suited him. However, something was off. There wasn’t a need to let the stand out, she had the situation under control as her stand quickly took care of the traitors. Yet here it was, standing next to lord DIO, eyeing the woman before him.

“There’s no need, DIO. I could handle this” Akali said, still not believing that she has the luxury to finally witness the strongest stand there is.

“I let it out to observe. Say, Kali, what are your feelings about me, DIO?” came the question.

“What’s this question out of the sudden?” the woman asked confused at the change of topic.

“Just answer me, Kali”

“I am devoted to you, DIO. As a servant and…as a friend, if you’ll allow me to call you such. I look up to you, hoping to protect you from any useless attacks of your enemies. I feel….content being by your side, in one way than another. That’s the truth” Akali said, feeling the slight worry overtake her. Maybe she said too much, revealed too much even though she tried her hardest to act reasonably, to not let personal feelings get a hold of her.

Feeling his stand to get stronger, DIO couldn’t help but to smirk. This has fully confirmed his theory. They have found each other. Letting his stand approach the remaining attackers, DIO continued.

“It seems like the universe has different plans for us, Kali” he let his stand take out the attackers, making sure that the woman’s stand didn’t use too much of its energy.

“My feelings are mutual, Kali. And it seems that our stands’ reactions reveal another interesting aspect…” DIO continued before Akali interrupted him.

“Soulmates…We are soulmates” the realization hit her as she reflected on her stand’s changes as well as DIO’s words “I…” she didn’t know what to say, how to react towards the new acquired information.

“As I said, the feelings are mutual” DIO said now approaching the woman. The attackers were defeated as expected, making the two of them withdraw their stands. Feeling the lord DIO put his hand on her neck, she couldn’t help but to feel slightly nervous yet excited. DIO shared her feelings…

“Kali, do you wish to stay by my side, not as a servant…” he chuckled tracing soft patterns on her neck, waiting for her response.

“I do, if you’ll allow me” she answered with a small smile on her exotic features. Such small beautiful moment wasn’t unnoticed by DIO, who now started to lower his head towards the woman. Even with her wearing high heels, the difference in the height was still present. Kali could feel her cheeks redden slightly, meeting DIO’s strong gaze as she could feel new feelings overtake her. Those feelings that had built with time, with each interaction, small remark and comfortable silence. Those feelings that one could finally reveal not being afraid of rejection.

In the world of soulmates and stand users, the universe isn’t too kind on letting the both aspects meet. Yet there is always a small chance, a small glint of hope in one’s soul longing to find its soulmate. And today, two more were allowed such luxury. Two souls, connected at last.

[chierafied]

Prompt: "Humans will pack bond with anything." I had wanted to give an ichiruki prompt, but this fits jily better. Good luck and thanks in advance!

This fic is like a year late but hey, I got it done in the end.

For the longest time I was drawing a total blank on the prompt but then my campus library made a post last summer on their instagram about their robot vacuum. And well, it all started to come together from there. :D

Hope you enjoy the fluff!

Life Outside of the Library

James Potter wasn’t typically the type to frequent a library. 

Sure, his mother had taken him to one sometimes when he’d been a kid. He had good memories from libraries and liked them in general. In James’ opinion, they were an important service to have and it was nice they existed. 

But sitting in a library wasn’t his preferred way to spend his spare time – not when there were football practices to go to, friends to see, video games to conquer and endless Youtube videos to laugh at.

And even if he did enjoy reading the occasional book, he didn’t feel a need to surround himself with them.

Now, though, in his twenties, James Potter had become a regular at his university’s library and had gained a whole new appreciation for them.

He loved his friends, and had a blast living with them – but sharing a flat with three other blokes did not offer the kind of environment to be productive in. And productive was what he desperately needed to be, now that he was working on his thesis.

Though to be fair, even had he lived alone, James still likely would’ve got more work done at the library: his home offered too many comforts and distractions for him to resist.

Besides, whenever he hit a snag with his writing or had trouble finding a good source to cite, he could go and ask one of the librarians for help. 

Like miracle workers, they tracked down the information he’d need or located a whole bunch of great sources for him.

He wasn’t quite sure how they did it, but he silently suspected that some sort of magic was involved.

James visited the library at least three times a week. Some days he only stayed close to an hour in the morning. On some rarer occasions, he came in as the doors opened and stayed in until closing.

Of course, James being James, he was also on a first-name basis with everyone working at the library.

Including the robot vacuum that silently whirred about the floors in the mornings, doing its thing. James called it Robert.

He swung in early one Monday morning, refreshed after the weekend and ready to get some more progress made on his thesis. 

He didn’t head straight for his usual spot in the quiet back corner but stopped at the information desk.

The librarian on duty smiled fondly at him.

“Here again, eh?”

“Nowhere else I’d rather be, Nora,” he replied, grinning. “How was your weekend? Does Thomas still have the flu?”

“The weekend went as well as could be expected,” Nora said. “Thomas is on the mend but he hasn’t gone back to school yet. He’s passed it off to his father though, so now I have another baby to nurse to health.”

James laughed. “Take care of yourself, too, and don’t get sick!”

“Thanks. Good luck with your thesis!”

James nodded his thanks and started toward his preferred spot.

In between the shelves, he came across Robert the robot vacuum, whirring about and keeping the carpets clean.

“Hullo, Robbie, mate,” James told it as he walked past.

He settled at his table and logged on to the desktop computer set there. Some students carried their laptops around, but James preferred not using his own laptop for the same reason he’d come to the library in the first place: to keep all distractions to a minimum.

It was working, though, since he had made a surprising amount of progress on his thesis.

Six weeks ago, he’d barely had an inkling of an idea. Now, he already had almost 15 pages written and his online survey was up and receiving responses. 

Today, he settled on refreshing his memory of the theory of his chosen research method. The theoretical and academic textbook wasn’t the most immersive book he’d ever read, but he lost the track of time nonetheless, scribbling down a couple of notes for himself on a scrap paper.

When his stomach started grumbling a few hours later, James typed up his notes, packed his things and left the library.

——————-

A week or two later, on a foggy Tuesday morning, James walked into the library. He hadn’t been at the library for over a week, as he’d gone home to visit his parents for the autumn break. 

He headed straight to the shelf holding reserved materials to pick up the books he’d requested.

He greeted the librarian – Susan – as he passed the information desk and started towards his back corner. 

Only something seemed off.

The library was oddly still.

He was nearly at his table when he realised what was different this morning – he hadn’t seen Robert anywhere.

He dropped his books on his regular table, then followed the soft thumps of books being handled. It was coming from the shelf over the next, where he found a young woman standing by a book cart and shelving books.

James didn’t recognise her, but she had a name tag pinned on and was obviously working, so she had to be staff.

Before James could speak up, she noticed him. She turned to him and met his eyes, flashing him a quick smile.

“Can I help you?”

“Uhhh,” James offered lamely because his breath was stuck somewhere in his throat and his brain had momentarily stalled. He’d forgotten why he’d sought her out in the first place. 

Then, it all came back to him in a rush. “Yeah. What’s up with Robbie?”

The librarian blinked.

“I’m sorry, who’s Robbie?”

“Robert. The robot vacuum,” James explained, feeling like a complete pillock.

Her green eyes sparked and the corner of her lips twitched suspiciously, but thankfully she didn’t laugh at him.  

“Ohh, sorry. I didn’t know the robot vacuum had a name,” she replied. “It’s out of commission for the time being, seems like there was some sort of a malfunction with the loading dock over the weekend but it’s being looked into.”

“Okay. Thanks. I was just wondering since I’m so used to seeing it around in the mornings.”

“You’re a regular, then?” she asked.

“Yeah, working on my thesis,” James said.

“All the best with that,” she said.

“Thanks. Well, I won’t keep you any longer,” James said, nodding at the book cart. “See you around.”

“Bye,” she replied, then returned to shelving.

James walked back to his table, his heart pounding in his chest and his face glowing with flustered warmth. 

He’d definitely made such a lame first impression with the new, fit librarian… but on the bright side, the only way from here was up.

——————-

The new, fit librarian’s name was Lily, and she wasn’t actually a librarian. Like James, she was a student at the university and in her final year. She was majoring in library and information science and was doing an internship at the campus library. 

They’d been chatting on and off whenever she managed to be on a shift when James showed up at the library.

Just little things; the kind of usual small-talk he had with any of the librarians working there. 

Except when he was chatting with Lily, his heart was always racing in his chest, and no matter how mundane the conversation he’d treasure every word and go over their discussions later in his mind, replaying them over and over again.

That certainly never happened with any of the other librarians.

Simply put, James was absolutely smitten.

He’d been a goner since the first time they’d met; when she’d stolen his breath with her bright smile. 

Even Peter had made an off-hand comment on how cheerful James seemed coming home from the library. 

Despite his feelings, however, James wasn’t sure yet if he should pursue Lily or not. 

He didn’t know if she was at all interested in him or if she was simply being friendly. He hadn’t really tried flirting with her, either. 

Because as much as he treasured each interaction with her and even though they were both students at the university and therefore on an equal ground… James was painfully aware that during every chat they had at the library, she was a member of the staff. 

Not only was she working, but for her being friendly towards the patrons was part of the job description.

That’s why James felt he was on shaky ground and wasn’t sure how he might broach the topic of meeting Lily outside the library – or if, indeed, he should broach the topic at all.

Feeling torn and conflicted, he stepped into a coffee shop near the campus, accompanied by the chime of the bell at the door.

He joined the queue and had dug out his phone to check on his notifications when a flash of familiar dark red in the periphery of his vision caught his attention. 

Lily was preoccupying his thoughts so thoroughly that, at first, James believed his brain had conjured her up and that he was so far gone that everything now reminded him of her.

But even as he stared, the sight didn’t waver or change. Instead, Lily turned, drink in hand, and noticed him.

The surprise in her eyes mirrored his own and she offered him a hesitant wave. 

James couldn’t help the grin that rose to his lips. He waved back. His gaze followed her as she made her way to a table by the window.

Impatient, James queued up to the counter and made his order. 

As soon as he’d got his coffee, he made a beeline to Lily’s table. 

“Hi,” he said, a little breathless while a smile that was sure to be goofy tugged at his lips. “Mind if I join you?”

“Not at all,” she replied, flashing him a smile in return as she indicated at the empty seat across the table.

A bounce in his step, James circled the table, set his drink down and claimed the seat. 

Their gazes met, and the corner of Lily’s lips twitched upwards. 

“So…” James drawled, “looks like there’s life outside of the library.”

“Maybe,” Lily replied, “though given how much time you spend there the comment applies to you too.”

“That’s fair,” James said.

His fingers drummed against his coffee mug. 

While he was glad that she’d responded to his teasing comment in kind, just sitting across from her, here and now, had agitation thrumming through his body.

If he wanted to act on his infatuation, he couldn’t have been served a better chance than this. 

“Oh, Robert the robot vacuum has made full recovery,” Lily said.

“Really? That’s great. Will be good to see the little guy around again.” James ruffled his hair to stop himself from fidgeting. “Does that sound too weird?”

“Nah.” Lily shrugged. “Having seen Robbie for myself now I can understand the appeal. And at the end of the day, it isn’t any weirder than me talking to my cat.”

“Well, cheers, that makes me feel a little better,” James said, flashing her a smile. “I was sure I had made a terrible first impression as this huge dork that had named a vacuum cleaner.”

“You definitely did come off as a huge dork that had named a vacuum cleaner,” Lily agreed. “Doesn’t mean it was a terrible first impression though. It was kind of sweet, actually.”

James perked up. Faint and frail wings of hope fluttered in his chest. 

He sipped his coffee, gathering his nerve.

Then, he took the plunge.

“You know it’s funny we ran into each other here, like this.” He met her eyes, managed a small crooked grin. “I’ve been wanting to ask if you’d want to grab a coffee with me for a while now.”

Lily’s eyebrow arched, and the look in her eyes turned appraising.

“Really? What’s been stopping you?”

“Well,” James started, cheeks flushing, “I wasn’t sure it was all proper, what with you being staff and me being a patron. I’ve heard too many horror stories about customers’ unsolicited attempts at flirting or mistaking friendliness as a sign of interest and I really didn’t want to be like one of those arses.”

A smile tugged at the corners of Lily’s lips. “The fact that you’re aware that people like that are arses proves you’ve no need to worry about being one,” she told him. “Where have you heard all these horror stories, anyway?”

“My cousin Dorcas. She works at a pub so she sees all kinds.”

“I bet.” Lily took a good long sip of her drink, then leaned her cheek against the palm of her hand. “You know, that’s not really something we need to worry about at the library. Our patrons don’t really flirt with us.”

“I don’t know,” James said, his tone teasing. “I’ve seen how that blond girl with the purple backpack looks at you.”

Lily laughed.

“She’s cute enough,” Lily admitted. “But I think I prefer a different type.”

There was a gleam in her eye that had James'  throat growing dry and the pit of his stomach trembling. 

“What’s your preferred type?” he asked, his voice a little hoarse.

Lily looked at him, keeping him at the edge of his seat while she brought her mug to her lips and sipped.

“The sweet and dorky type that names a vacuum cleaner and worries so much about being an arse that they won’t even ask you out,” she replied at last, smiling.

“Well then,” James said, unable to keep the blinding bright smile from his face. “I happen to know someone who fits that description.”

“Maybe you could introduce him to me,” Lily said, grinning.

“I suppose I should,” James agreed.

He reached across the table and offered Lily his hand.

Playing along, she took it and gave it a warm, firm shake.

“Hi, I’m James Potter and I fancy you a lot.”

“Nice to meet you, James,” she replied, voice trembling from barely contained laughter. “I’m Lily Evans and I was wondering if you’d like to have a coffee with me sometime.”

“I’d love to,” James answered, still holding her hand in his as their gazes locked.

Her green eyes were alight with laughter and more beautiful than James had ever seen. Her palm was soft and warm against his. Her smile was wide and a little smug and it still completely stole his breath.

James’ heart soared and even though he still barely knew her, even though the two of them were only in the very beginning of their journey together, he was suddenly certain of one thing: this was the woman he’d marry.

[scottedwardfowler]

Hey guys! In this post I’m to talk about the top three websites I’ve personally use to get work as a freelance video editor. If you’re just starting out, and you’re part time or on a budget, I’ve got a few places you can check out that won’t break the bank.

This post is a response to a question that I got on my last video, “How to Get Started Editing In Premiere.” Which you can find on my youtube channel here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mhj-GmQTgjs&t=1s

The question came from Izabela who asked, “Id love a video about getting started on becoming a freelance editor. What are the best freelancing websites to apply for jobs, tips, and suggestions for anybody who’s starting out. Thank you so much, great video!” 

I think that’s a really good one to ask, a lot of people (including myself) when they’re first starting out struggle with how and where do we find work.

There’s actually tons of freelancing sites online that you can search for and try out. So here’s a couple of Honorable mentions:

Guru & Freelancer - Best suited for beginner freelancers on a budget

There’s a Low cost to get started and bid on jobs, with a decent amount of various editing jobs available. I haven’t used them as much, because when I was first starting out, I signed up for a bunch of freelancing websites, and I ended up having more luck landing gigs with these other sites first, so the first one is

Fiverr - is a website that’s normally Best for one time, or short term gigs. It has it’s advantages of being easy to sign up and start using, because Unlike other freelance sites, you Don’t have to bid for clients. After some time, and you’re established, Fiverr pushes clients to you by listing your profile near the top of searches. And Fiverr makes tipping very easy, so you can make extra money on top of what you earned for the gig.

However the cons are that Fiverr takes a 20% Commission, and Most gigs are low pay. So that 20 percent really eats into your profits. You get to set your rates, and what kind of editing jobs you can offer and what the turn around time would be. However, there’s a strict policy on no contact outside of Fiverr, so you can’t make a deal with a client outside of the platform and cut Fiverr out of their commission. 

Now we come to UpWork, which is the site I’ve had the most success with. It’s the Most popular freelance site, and offers high quality gigs, as well as not so high quality. It sort of ranges all over the place. But once you’ve been on the platform long enough, you can sort of get an idea of what great job postings are before you even bid on them. I like to think of Upwork as a long term lead genitor, because I have several clients I met years ago who I still work with today. And it all started with one project. It can be difficult to get that first client however, because it is very competitive but once you do, it gets much easier to land future clients. 

You also have the the Flexibility of what kind of projects you can do, such as getting paid hourly vs project based. The negatives of UpWork are that it’s kind of Expensive to get started, you can sign up for free, but in order to bid on any jobs it costs 15 cents per credit. And most jobs postings range from 4-6 credits. So if you were to bid on a ton of jobs, that 15 cents starts to add up. Also, Upwork has a complex Commission rate, I’m not going to go too deep into it but essentially it’s 20% for first 500 you make per client. And roughly 10 percent after that first 500. And that’s per client, so every time you land a new client, UpWork takes 20 percent of your earnings on the first 500 dollars. 

Also, when it comes to disputes between freelancers and clients, Upwork almost always sides with the clients. So I would recommend doing hourly gigs, because typically hourly gigs tend to be more long term and Upwork has hour tracking features built into the platform that make it easier to prove disputes between yourself and a client over work done. 

This next one may surprise you, I’ve also landed some great clients from Craigslist. The cool thing out craigslist, is that the jobs are local to where you live. So you can meet the client face to face and discuss the job in detail at that point. Meeting in personal and developing relationships, really drives what the ultimate goal is which is to create long term client relationships. Plus, there’s no bidding on gigs, or commission rates getting in the way. You look for gigs on the site, reply to a posting, and hopefully you can connect with some great people. 

Now, on the flip side Craigslist does have a sketchy reputation for being a place where weirdos hang out so you have to be on guard there. Also, there’s no gig protection here so if a client stiffs you after you’ve done the job for them, that’s totally on you. There are things you can do such as ask for half of the project payment upfront, or even a quarter of it to protect some of your costs. But it’s definitely a risk you take. The last negative, is that it’s more of a time commitment to drive out and meet a potential client somewhere. If it doesn’t work out on a place like UpWork or Fiverr, oh well, you never had to leave your house. So those are some things to be aware of.

The thing about freelancing is, not everyone is doing it full time. Some may freelance as a part time- side hustle, others might be doing some every once in awhile as a hobby. And not everyone has the same budget in order to get started freelancing. So I understand that everyone’s situation is different, but I just wanted to list out my top three sites that I’ve personally used to get clients. There’s a lot more information I could deep dive into on each site, and Ill probably do that in future videos, so stay tuned for that, But I think those sites I mentioned are definitely a great place to start, if you’re looking to get into freelance video editing.

Ok so the next part of Izabela's question was about what tips and suggestions I have for getting started with freelancing. I think a great place to start is trying to have an understanding of what it takes to build a business. No one knows what it’s like to build a business when they’re first starting out, so you have to seek out sources and people who do have that information And I know it’s weird, especially when you’re first starting out, to think of yourself as a business. But that’s the reality, you have to go clients and try and sell yourself and your services in order to get jobs. 

So I think a good way of becoming more confident in building your freelancing business is to actively learn as much as you can from different sources. So the fact that you’re here watching my video, is a great thing already. I’m always trying to learn what other people’s strategies are, and how they became successful so that I can pick up a few things here and there to apply to my own business. 

In fact I recently just finished reading a book called “Three Simple Steps”, it’s by  Trevor Blake. And I think it’s a really good book to inspire people who are just starting out freelancing or creating their own business. Ill just quickly read the description blurb from amazon:

“Despite stock market crashes, dot-com busts, and the specter of recession, the author started a virtual company from home, using a few thousand dollars of his savings. A few years later, without ever hiring an employee or leaving his home office, he sold it for more than $100 million. As the economy slipped into another free fall, he did this again with a company in a different field. He accomplished this through no particular genius. Rather, he studied the habits of the many successful men and women who preceded him, and developed three simple rules that, if followed diligently, virtually ensure success. Using them first to escape poverty, then to achieve a life of adventures, he finally turned them toward financial independence...

Written in a straightforward and no-nonsense style, Three Simple Steps shows you how to take back control of your destiny and reshape your mind for increased creativity, serenity and achievement. While building on the wisdom of great thinkers and accomplished individuals from East and West, Three Simple Steps isn't a new age text or guide to esoteric fulfillment. Rather, it's a practical guide to real-life achievement by a pragmatic businessman who attributes his incredible successes to these very simple ideas. Three Simple Steps, a 2013 Small Business Book Awards winner, is a must-read guide for everyone who wants to achieve more, live better and be happier.”

The three simple steps in case you were wondering is, number one is to spend more time thinking positively about the things you do want, rather than thinking about the things you don’t want. For example, in our case as freelancers, no one likes having to bid for jobs or chase down clients, you could reframe that as the more jobs I bid for the better practice Ill have at understanding what clients want.

Second, spend 20 minutes a day (preferably in the morning) in quiet time by yourself so you can clear your mind and from that, creativity and inspiration for your business can spring from it. 

Third, the author talks about setting intentions rather than goals. The difference as the author describes it, as an intention is a goal but with the doubt of it’s attainment removed. So as freelancers, a goal might be I hope to make enough money this year to quit my regular job. An intention is, I know will make enough money this year to quit my regular job. You have to set your mindset to that intention everyday. Which is hard, but in the end that’s what will make it rewarding. 

I would highly recommend this book, I found it be really insightful about starting and growing a business from the ground up. But I will say, the first couple of chapters were kind of slow because they were mostly about the author's life journey, which did tie into the rest of the book in the later chapters. But it gets into some really great stuff after the first few chapters. 

So if you’re interested in that book, I’ll leave a link below that you can check out. And that about does it for today’s video, let me know in the comments below what freelancing sites you guys use or prefer the most? I’d love to get a comment thread going, so we can all help each other out on where and how to get jobs as freelancers.  Three Simple Steps (Book): Amazon - https://amzn.to/3bS5uao (affiliate)

[diamondherpanacine]

Five essential ways to support your skin this summer season.

Five essential ways to support your skin this summer season:

Use organic, high quality, chemical-free sunscreen to protect your skin. I’d like to think anyone reading this knows how important sunscreen is for healthy skin; in addition to a healthy life.But for anyone who doesn’t know, the CDC and every other reputable health organization recommends sunscreen use to prevent seriously raising your risk of developing skin cancer – depending on the strength of the sun and the length of your exposure. The CDC specifically recommends something     (SPF) 15 or higher but personally from what I’ve read I would say (SPF) 30 or higher to be safe.

This is mostly common knowledge, but what I – and I’m sure many of you – am confused about is which sunscreen brand is the healthiest for our skin? How do we find that out? So, in sitting down to write this today I hope to answer this question for you.

The first thing I did was I looked up “What are the best organic high quality chemical free sunscreens on the market in 2019?” After doing some digging, I found what in my opinion is a really great list, based on comprehensive testing and research into each sunscreen brand to find the top 40 on the market. (https://www.skincareox.com/40-best-organic-sunscreens-non-toxic-natural/) I think this is a great source for shopping for a superior sunscreen as well as reading into what makes that sunscreen so much healthier and safer for your skin and body.

Many studies commissioned by the FDA have found that widely used chemical sunscreens (oxybenzone, avobenzone, and octocrylene) are absorbed into the bloodstream at potentially toxic levels after just one day of use. Imagine if you got sunburnt and then go to put on sunblock to prevent further burns and your sunblock has toxic chemicals hurting your precious skin even further? No more! Don’t be like me and just grab any sunscreen that you see on the shelf! No more just going straight for the cheapest! You and your skin are beautiful and are worth a couple more bucks to protect, I promise you.

Don’t forget that your lips need protection. I often neglect my lip care and I’m left with seriously chapped lips, whether it’s in the winter from the  cold wind or in the summer from the dry air. Don’t be like me! We have to  do better, it’s summer people! I think it’s pretty much universally     understood that summer is kissing season and kissing someone with super chapped lips is not the move. (Unless you love them) So get your act together!

I found another great top 40 list and I really hope you can use it, just like I did, to find a perfect organic chemical free lip balm at a reasonable price point. Love your lips right or no one else will! Now, I don’t know about you but the reason I didn’t use sunscreen often in the past is because I felt it was a waste of money and only made my lips even more chapped, and apparently there is some truth to this.

In my research, I discovered that organic lip balms offer the same (if not greater) effectiveness at repairing and protecting your lips as their synthetic equivalents without any of the ingredients like petroleum or alcohol or any potentially cancer-causing agents that could be toxic to the body. You can’t forget that anything you put on your lips ends up in your mouth and eventually in your body. So, remember when it comes to your luscious lips there is no equivalent use an organic chemical free lip balm and protect your lips starting today!

If you get sunburnt be sure to find the purest organic aloe vera to heal your skin. I know I’m not the only one who didn’t listen to my parents’ summer after summer and basically had to bathe in aloe every other night in agony. It was not pleasant and as an adult I use aloe at the slightest sign of redness when I get home from being in the sun, but up until recently I like many others thought all Aloe Vera is made equally. But I was wrong. (https://www.skincareox.com/5-purest-organic-aloe-vera-gels-for-face-skin/)

According to another comprehensive well tested list, top 5 this time, it is very tough to find 100% authentic Aloe Vera that is free of any chemical additives, dyes, or fillers; none of which are good for the healing process the Aloe Vera is supposed to be providing to your skin. For example, some Aloe Vera brands contain Potassium Sorbate and a lot of research has come out to show that for certain skin types that chemical can lead to further skin irritation instead of relief and repair.

I’m going to use that list as a baseline in further research to find the perfect Aloe Vera brand for my specific skin type, I think it’s essential you do the same. Just in case you don’t listen to your parents! Or your significant other! Or anybody else looking out for the safety of your skin this summer besides myself.

Before and after going out in the sun don’t forget to apply quality organic chemical free lotion to your body and face. An article in the Huffington Post, Is Sunscreen More Effective if you Apply it Before or After Moisturizer, found that sunscreen can be more effective in protecting your skin from the sun’s harmful rays if applied after moisturizing properly. Even more so when used within a proper and regular skincare routine.

However, there is some disagreement on whether to moisturize before or after using sunscreen. I say before. Now, the question again is, we know we need to lotion up, but what lotion should we use? How do we avoid the harmful chemicals and needless dyes many brands continue to pump into their products? I personally have found that doing your online research – or letting me do it for you – and finding well recommended lists with well-reviewed products is the way to go. Don’t be afraid to spend a little for the sake of your skin but don’t let them convince you to break the bank. Organic is affordable. (https://www.skincareox.com/best-organic-body-lotions-butters-serums/)

Protect your skin internally year-round in preparation  for the summer sun. Everything I’ve talked about so far has been common     knowledge. The only issue was finding the right brand with the right     quality that our skin deserves. The last point on this list is one that I and I think the great majority of people completely overlook. That is, protecting your skin internally in addition to protecting it externally.

Like I said, I think we all know to use sunblock and lip balm. But did you know that Herpanacine dietary supplements use the finest quality, gluten-free, non-GMO vitamins, herbs, amino acids and antioxidants? They protect your skin year-round from the inside out; when taken daily. I’m happy to say as someone who’s had dry skin off and on throughout my life, after getting hired by Diamond Herpanacine and having the opportunity to read and write about their product Herpanacine Skin Support ® it is definitely something I’m going to be adding to my daily skincare routine and I think you all should as well.

You protect almost everything else in your body with daily dietary vitamins and supplements why doesn’t your beautiful skin deserve that same protection? Find a quality made longstanding chemical free organic product with

Herpanacine Skin Support ®  Order today to try it for yourself, you won’t be disappointed! (https://www.diamondformulas.com/herpanacine/    By: Austin Gromberg

[stanprokopenko]

How to Paint From a Black and White Photograph

Every now and then you might get that commission from someone who wants you to paint their father’s high school photo. Since you can’t rely on the reference for your colors, you’ll have to invent.

I wouldn’t jump into the painting and hope for the best. Something like this needs preparation, especially if it’s a commission.

In this tutorial I’ll be using my ‘Brothers’ painting as an example. Lately, I’ve been exploring my family albums for reference and unfortunately, most of the older photos are black and white.

1. Gather Color Reference

Gather as much color reference as you can to help guide you in inventing the colors in your painting. This can be a colored photo with a similar subject. Or it can be a painting by an artist you really admire.

Similar Color Photos

This can be one or a combination of photos.  If you’re looking at multiple sources for color ideas make sure that the two photos have similar lighting. You don’t want one to be lit by an overcast sky and another to be lit by a fireplace. This can cause more problems than it solves. Also, keep in mind that the color temperature of the light source plays a big part in the colors on the subject. I’ll talk more about that later.

Stage a ‘Similar’ Scene

Another option is to actually stage a similar scene and take a photo. The subject doesn’t have to be exact, since you’re only concerned with the color harmonies. But the important part about this is to properly light the subject. For example let’s say you get a commission to do a painting of a fair skinned woman. Find a friend that has fair skin and light her with a similar light source. Make sure the light is coming from the same angle and that you decide whether you want a cool light source or warm light source. With so many light bulb options available, you can mimic a fireplace or blue sky – 1000Bulbs.com. Then, paint the original black and white photograph, but borrow the colors from the photo you took.

In my painting, I didn’t use photographs for color reference, but instead, decided that I wanted a similar color feel as some of Morgan Weistling’s paintings…

Other Artist’s Paintings

No, this isn’t stealing… Every color combination has been explored thousands of times by artists at one point or another. You’re simply using their work for inspiration.

You’ll hear me mention Morgan Weistling in many of my posts, since I’m currently very inspired by his work. So, I go to him whenever I need help figuring out my own paintings. I’m also very attracted to the colors he uses and it fits the mood I’m going for. He uses a lot of greys and browns. I’ve always liked using grey in my paintings. You might be different though… Find a role model that shares a similar taste in color as you and study their color compositions and harmonies. Can you find any patterns in the way they select their colors?

2. Color Studies

Overlay in Photoshop

A quick method is to do an overlay in Photoshop. Create a new layer on top of the photo and place large strokes of color over it. This is the method I used for my painting to figure out the color composition.

The color composition in this case would be a version of the split complementary color scheme. Most of the painting is in the red-purple-blue range with yellow as the accent color. The brightest yellow is in the apple.

Thumbnails

If you don’t have experience in Photoshop then the traditional method will be best for you. Paint a small version of the photo, called a thumbnail. The trick with thumbnails is to not get caught up with the details. You’re not trying to create a miniature masterpiece. You’re simply working out the color relationships. Use a brush that you think might be too big for the job.

Explore Your Options

When doing these studies it might help to think of the various color schemes (analogous, complimentary, triadic etc…). That’s a whole tutorial in itself.  Try to do more than one color scheme since then you can compare and choose the best one. Again, stay simple so you don’t spend all your time on thumbnails.

Consider doing a low key, medium key and high key version too… Is your painting going to be dominated by muted earth tones? Or, maybe brighter colors fit the painting better.

3. Invent the Colors

Don’t Forget About the Values

Once you actually start your painting, it’s important to remember that you’re inventing the colors not the values. Try to stay true to the values in the photograph, unless you have a good reason to deviate. Mix a color that has the same value as in the photograph.

Reflected Light

Everything in a painting affects everything around it. For example, look at how the egg reflects the color of the paper next to it. Letting colors ‘bleed’ from object to object unifies the painting. Without this you might get a painting that looks like a collage of objects from different photographs.  This mostly applies to the shadows of objects because that is where we see the ‘reflected light’. The color of the light areas will mainly be determined by the color of the light source and the local color of the object. Any reflected light from surrounding objects will be completely overpowered by the main light source.

But it’s interesting that the halftone colors on the eggs appear to be the compliment of the surrounding colors. For example, the egg on the yellow paper appears to have violet halftones, whereas the egg on the red paper appears to have green halftones. Ponder that…

Color Temperature

warm light source = cooler shadows

cool light source = warmer shadows

That doesn’t mean that if you have a warm light source, the shadows should be bright blue. It means that the shadows will be a cooler version of the light. The shadows could be blue (such as outdoors during a clear day), but not necessarily.

Broken Color

In the areas where you have larger shapes of the same color, consider breaking up the colors. Keep the value the same, but shift the color temperatures of your strokes to make that area more interesting. For example, with skin, you rarely see a large area of the same exact color. Veins, hair, and skin tone variations create notes of blue, green and purple around the red and yellows. Also, consider adding ‘greyer’ or muted versions of the color next to it. This will make the bright colors appear even brighter and create balance.

The example above shows a patch in the cloth from my painting. Notice how many different hues there are of the same value. You can find yellows, reds, greens, violets, blues, and greys. If I oversimplified this area and painted it all in with one color, it would have a flat ‘cartoony’ feel. It would lose its vibrancy.

After a few years of experience, you should start noticing patterns of the way light affects forms. You’ll begin building a library of ‘rules’ that you will intuitively reference whenever you need to invent color. Experience plays a big role in realistic color invention, especially, experience in painting from life. Get out of the studio on a regular basis. Don’t underestimate those live model workshops and plein air painting.

Like this? Checkout my other drawing and painting lessons on proko.com.