#i tried to copy my old style

[pulvisetsumbra]

Unboxing day!

2020-2023

[drfrogphd]

Witch's House - Published: Dec 6, 2021

This is also available as a charm in my store!

[thechy-fychannel]

I saw a few other blogs doing this so I thought I'd share my input on what I think would happen in the House MD universe in 2024:

the constant jokes abt house and wilson's relationship turns into the fellows jokingly writing fanfic abt their boss and his boy best friend. somewhere along the way they all get very serious abt the quality of it and it turns into a Whole Thing, a 150k+ novel that they vow to take to their graves.

house discovers the fic by accident and sends it to wilson. wilson discovers things abt himself and then he and house discover each other shortly thereafter.

house purposefully posts the fic online and credits the fellows by their entire full names so it embarrasses them more than house and wilson. It's never spoken abt again but it gets way more online attention than any of them expected.

wilson doesn't get how the Cloud works and accidentally uploads his and house's nudes to the google nest hub on his desk. He doesn't notice it until one of his sweet little old lady cancer patients points it out to him during their appointment. He throws the google nest hub into his trash can until he can figure out how to get the naked pictures off of it.

house has an alexa and abuses the hell out of it. sometimes ppl hear him screaming at someone in his office, only to walk in and find a robotic voice replying with "sorry, I didn't get that" and house throws it off the balcony.

wilson gets addicted to online shopping. house has to stage an intervention bc they do not have enough room in their closet for another pair of prada loafers and their kitchen is full of shitty gadgets that wilson bought off temu or something.

some right wing social media influencer comes in with a mysterious illness and ends up getting castrated as part of the solution. 13 personally does the procedure herself and house watches like a proud dad.

a patient reveals chase's grindr by shoving his phone at him and asking "is this you?" abt the headless profile with the ripped abs that says Dr. Feel Good, 0 feet away, in front of the rest of the team.

foreman finds the team doing tiktok dances bc house told them to learn it in order to understand their 15 yr old patient better.

chase medically murders mitch mcconnel and the entire hospital celebrates ding dong the witch is dead style.

there's a whole episode where house faces his transphobia bc of a trans patient that he connects with. the patient tells him to fuck off and go face his own problems instead of pretending to make it right by being nice to one trans person. And house does, even if he's not perfect, he really tries to do better.

13 gets her medical marijuana card and accidentally becomes the team's plug. her main customer is wilson who still supplies it to certain terminal patients. She hears "hey, can I hit your pen?" at least four times a day.

foreman buys a tesla and it blows up in the parking lot. they spend the entire episode trying to figure out who tried to kill foreman, but it turns out that teslas just do that sometimes.

there's an episode where house finds out that netflix is removing his favorite obscure tv show that ran for 2 seasons in 2002 and wilson recruits the team to hunt down a dvd copy of it without house finding out. they somehow manage to find one and spend a ridiculous amount of money on it, only to open the dvd case and find a copy of the porno wilson starred in that one time instead of the dvd of the show. park saves the day at the last minute by finding a copy of it in a box of dvds in her parents house.

[itsbuckytm]

Little Bird / Coriolanus Snow

summary: Being the Capitol's favorites subject has consequences. Consequences that subject to be paired with the most influential man in Panem entirely.

notes **reader is an idol/singer in Capitol's first attempt into making a group for each annual Hunger Games. but with snow's obsession into making you entirely his and with his job as mentoring lucy gray, he tries his very best, but fails miserably.

ps ; english isn't my first language so i apologize in advance for some minor errors and please do not copy my work without credit thank you!

Your connection with Snow encompassed diverse facets. At times, he exuded an irresistible charm, drawing you in effortlessly. Yet, in the next moment, his piercing blue eyes locked onto yours with audacious intent, as if daring anyone to approach and touch even the slightest expanse of your skin – a challenge few would ever contemplate. 

Being the Capitol's favorite came with its own set of challenges. Compliments on your skills or charisma were either sincere or fueled by envy, making it doubly difficult for those striving to surpass their yearly earnings. This aspect of Panem's functioning was something Coriolanus exploited way too much. The artificiality of the stage, adorned with makeup to project an illusion of wealth, highlighted what he found enduring. The ease with which one could become the favorite by merely speaking or moving to the latest musical rhythm was something Coriolanus himself could not keep his eyes away from. And that person was you. 

He despised witnessing other men vying for your attention, their eyes lighting up as soon as you entered the Capitol's theater. There was no denying that you were the favorite member among your group. However, during your debut, the spotlight only found you officially when it was announced that the Capitol's new favorite group would be welcoming a new member. Given your position at the Academy, your choices were limited – either mentoring a tribute and risk bringing shame to your family if they lost. Or become part of Panem's newest favored diversion. It wasn’t until the very next day, that many became obsessed with you. And as much as Coriolanus tried to oblige on that single though, he was afraid to admit that he too became a little too obsessed over you. 

To compound Coriolanus's discomfort, he had to endure the ceaseless styling rituals accompanying each new album or song released to the public. This entailed donning short skirts and crops, transforming your body into a specific attire as a statue to be admired for hours on end. For the hapless Coriolanus, sitting there was challenging enough, watching you perform with a self-assured smirk, reveling in every bit of skin. How the skirt would flare up and brush against your skin, how he wanted to feel such fantasy. From each moments of your act, while beads of sweat glistened across every inch of your body. He couldn't help but fantasize scenarios from scenarios that you would be his, envisioning the two most influential figures of the Capitol as the perfect pair. And that was only during the ceremony of the 10th Hunger Games. 

Post the 10th Hunger Games, a significant shift occurred. Lucy Gray's presence lingered in Coriolanus's thoughts, causing him to perceive you in a completely new light. You were constantly in his mind. Although you though, with hearing the constant rumors of a possible relationship between him and his tribute. While you continued to excel in your performances, earning the success both you and your group rightfully deserved, you were aware of Coriolanus's altered fate.

Once he had been sent back to District 12 after his victor, Lucy Gray, who was also a performer. He remembered occasionally, after the victory ceremony, how you had the opportunity to chat with Lucy Gray. Discovering that your old classmate may have developed feelings for her. As Coriolanus Snow’s proud smirk upon seeing the people he seemingly cared for interacting with each other. Only to be so blind by the fact that you had expressed prior feelings for him, but instead confidently expressed his plan to join forces and visit her in her District wasn’t what you had intended to hear. 

While you refrained from expressing any objections, your suspicions regarding the burgeoning emotions between the two of them proved well-founded. Little did you know, Coriolanus engaged in those actions merely to divert his thoughts from you, acknowledging he wouldn't have a chance with you. Lucy Gray became his chosen distraction. Simultaneously, he caught wind of a potential rumor suggesting you were seen intimately with another man. The revelation that this man wasn't him intensified his already pronounced obsession with you. However, this time, Lucy Gray played a role in assisting him.

The revelation of his truth dawned on him only upon his return to Panem. The snake bite's impact intensified, with only your silhouette haunting his thoughts. In this return, he presented a wholly transformed appearance – his hair slightly longer, adorned in his father's old crimson jacket, albeit somewhat intoxicated, attempting to erase all memory of you. What Snow remained oblivious to was your patient anticipation during his absence in District 12. It was Tigris who knocked on your door that very evening, sparing you from the surprise of his return. 

However, Snow chose to make his entrance at the stroke of midnight, reminiscent of the times when both of you would clandestinely navigate the Academy. In those intimate moments, he patiently bided his time for the Capitol streets to empty, stealthily entering through your bedroom window. Hours were spent in each other's arms, reveling in discussions about new projects, with his assurances that everything would be alright.

This time, however, an inebriated Snow had a different agenda beyond comforting cuddles for sleepless nights. His primary goal was to solidify your relationship officially. "If you don’t tell her, I will." Echoed Tigris’s voice in his mind upon seeing her cousin return from duty as a Peacekeeper. She was among the few who truly knew about the budding romantic connection between Coriolanus and you. She pleaded with her cousin to go ahead, noting. "She hasn't touched a man since the last time you spoke, you know." That last statement served as a testament to your unwavering fidelity towards him. It was only a matter of time before he knocked on your door that very night.

On the contrary, you took it upon yourself to tidy up the entire apartment. Anticipating Coriolanus's return, you were determined not to leave a single mess, mindful of both his and your own peace of mind. Despite the fact that chaos often defined your shared living space, when in each other's arms, you both found solace in tidiness and tranquility. However, as dinner passed and bedtime approached, you couldn't help but notice Coriolanus's absence. Was he running late, or was he entangled in some trouble that you would only learn about the next morning? Various questions raced through your mind as you attempted to drift off helplessly on the living room couch, with the TV's echo serving as a backdrop.

Coriolanus stood there silently, observing from a distance outside your apartment window. Anyone observing from afar would catch a glimpse of you nibbling at your cuticles – a habit he had learned you indulged in when he wasn't around, a realization that would later make him feel remorseful upon witnessing the marks it left on your fingers. In response, he would tenderly peck each bruise, a silent acknowledgment of your thoughts mirroring his own. However, this time, he chose to forgo surprising you with the cliché bouquet of flowers or any conventional gesture. After indulging in the contents of a second wine bottle before making his way to you, he had no plans of raiding the florist shop either. Knocking on your door with determination, he felt an unusual hesitation, a departure from his past boldness of entering and showering you with kisses. Contemplating the prospect of declaring you entirely as his, especially in his inebriated state, he wasn't entirely certain if you would fully trust his words. 

Luckily, you had left the door ajar for him, a gesture he expected. Upon entering, he was met with the familiar background echo of the TV, confirming his assumption that you were already asleep. Nostalgia washed over him as he recalled the mornings spent lounging in bed with you or embarking on early runs for coffee. Despite his aspirations to bring about change in Panem and restore his family's reputation by aspiring to become President, he understood that true fulfillment wouldn't come until he had you by his side entirely. Limping slightly due to the effects of his drunkenness, he made his way into the living room and began to softly whisper your name, until his gaze met your sleeping figure. "Y/N... My sweet bird."

His breath carried warmth that gently brushed against your cold skin. Despite the lingering scent of alcohol, indicating Snow had been drinking before his arrival, your eyes responded to the touch of his finger delicately tracing your cheek. "Coryo…" you murmured his name with a loving tone, reveling in the vulnerability of calling out to him. "Shh… I am here," he reassured you, prompting a soft smile to grace your lips at the sound of his comforting voice. A voice you had missed dearly, compelling you to slowly rise from the much-needed slumber after a demanding day. However, lately, without Snow's presence in your arms, the nights became sleepless and challenging to endure alone. Despite acknowledging this truth, there was a conflicting sensation, a twinge of discomfort knowing that Coriolanus relished the fact that without him, you felt incomplete. It was this dynamic that rendered the two of you an unforgettable pair, seemingly inseparable. 

“How I missed you so much.” He continued to say, with seeing your face arousing from your slumber, how he had missed kissing your soft lips each night before going to sleep. If it wasn’t for being a Peacekeeper back in District 12, he’d say he was damn for letting himself kiss Lucy Gray while thinking of you the entire time. “I missed you more, Coryo. Everytime, during performances and even in my relentless dreams.” 

A subtle smile played on his features as his fingers traced down your body, an unspoken desire evident in his every touch. His lips yearned to kiss every inch, a longing to finally claim you as his own. He envisioned proudly holding your hand in public, marking you as his and sending a clear message to other men about your ownership. "You want to know something?" The amusement in his voice prompted a soft giggle from you, appreciating his seemingly all-knowing manner of sharing information, despite the evident effects of his earlier drinking. "What, drunk boy?" You playfully teased, noting the light pink hue that adorned his cheeks—a clear sign of his inebriation. 

He vehemently denied it with a pout, his lips subtly mimicking a desire for a kiss. Coryo was just touch starved. "You know, I haven't been properly fed with love lately. Coryo has been away from his bird for far too long..." His voice deepened, the intensity of his gaze barely allowing for a blink, making it abundantly clear who he desired: you. An intensifying blush crept on your features this time. Of course you knew your history with him, a caring gentleman who made sure to take care of the one he loved most. But this Coriolanus, objected something in you that you enjoyed seeing probably a little more. To be completely under his control. To bow to his command. 

"And as much as I hate to admit..." Your voice took on a gentle tone, a stark contrast to the confidence you exuded in the public eye. Sensing his fingers trailing down your body, from your hips to your lips, he couldn't help but notice their softness, prepared to be pampered at his command. However, he had to restrain his temptations for a moment, feeling his teeth sink into the bottom of his lip. You continued. "I might have been a naughty bird, moaning your name during sleepless nights, hoping you'd come save me from my little cage. You have no idea how eagerly I waited for you to come back." 

Honestly, Coriolanus found himself just as taken aback by your confession, despite the obvious history between the two of you. The mere thought of you in bed, adorned in barely anything, accentuating your beautiful form, fingers exploring sensually. The vivid image of you pleasuring yourself, uttering his name amidst a chorus of enticing sounds, drove him to instant madness. Tonight, he was determined to lavish you with everything he could muster—to claim you as his own, leaving marks on your body that not even the most skilled makeup artist could conceal come morning. Without explicitly professing love in the conventional sense, it was evident that Coriolanus and you were destined to be together. In times of need or distraction, both of you instinctively knew where to find solace in each other's presence. 

"I want you, Coryo..." you pleaded, your fingers clutching his shirt, the skirt from today's performance riding up slightly. Upon arriving from work, you had removed your underwear just for him—his eyes alone to witness, taste, and appreciate. His hands gripped firmly on your arse, and it was his turn to shift positions, settling onto the couch with you atop him. Your blouse, with a revealing cleavage, owed its allure to Tigris, your stylist. You couldn't help but wonder if the same effect would have been achieved without her touch. Extricating yourself from his grasp, you observed his lips curling into a mischievous smirk. It was a smirk that served as a reminder, and in that instant, you knew that tonight, you were unequivocally his—his and his alone, his cherished little bird.

"I can't wait to finally show my little bird what I can do."

Coriolanus spoke those words with genuine anticipation. It was undeniably the most memorable night, and he intended to recreate it repeatedly. After all, you were his little bird—his to cherish, tourmate, and play with as he pleased.

[arcadia345]

Astro observations🌺

FYI I’m not a real astrologer, just my observations :) TW🔞

The cancer moon men I know are pretty chill and laid back + funny, but the women are so bitchy and moody😭 with a big sweet tooth

Every twin I know either has Gemini or Pisces placements

You ever meet someone and their neck just stands out for some reason added points if they smell good, most likely they’re a Taurus rising/ mars. Good example is Megan thee stallion her neck is so cute to me hehe

Aries in the chart can show you the things you were introduced to at a very young age, the early memories that you think of and say ‘That was wild lol’

3rd: could’ve started learning way before you started school(like flash cards and things) siblings and cousins, music, having access to electronics early

4th: erratic home life, the woman around you could be go getters

6th: could’ve got a lot of injuries when younger, probably couldn’t have a peaceful day even if you tried, bad experiences with animals

7th: domestic abuse, might have seen people having affairs, lots of disagreements between couples

12th:paranormal events, you could’ve had a lot of deja vu moments without even knowing, tend to have strong spiritual gifts,people having ill intentions towards you

Aquarius moon or degree/ moon in the 11th tend to have a “second mom” a person that treats them like their one of their own children, sometimes even better than their own mother does. 🌚

The people with mars in the first house I know have so many battle scars on their body

Moon/cancer in 3rd love changing their voices, and they have a bad habit of not telling the whole truth / white lies

Water sign on the descendent- people are always wondering what you’re up to, no matter how much you show them they’ll still wanna know what you’re hiding

Your first house correlates to how you came into this world, I have Chiron (ruled by Virgo) in my 12 conjunct my ascendant, uhm she said she almost d*ed having me😀 and I was a C-section baby. And the hospital did her so dirty(you know much they hate black women) they didn’t even stitch her back up correctly or drain her fluids and to this day she still has problems. The also gave her extra dosages of drugs just cause she’s a plus size woman- honestly I could go on and on but it really correlates with my cap rising and Neptune/Uranus in 1st

Mercury ☌ Sun, these people voices are just💋💋 they sound so sensual and unique ugh hard to explain it but 🥴 ex. Jungkook , Tupac

Gemini/ Libra in 2nd love collecting things like figurines makeup clothes candles plushies, could easily be a borderline hoarder tho

Ives noticed that sun in 10th have a strained relationship with their father, but their later years in life their relationship gets better, or not could really go either way, also could have money issues in their early years but ends up climbing the corporate ladder. It may take you a while to tho but just know it’ll be worth it in the end :) also they always stand out at their work place in some way, the coworker that you’re glad to see clock in at rush hour cause you know they gonna handle shit

Venus- mercury positive aspects love giving out nicknames to their favorite people 🥺if they’re always calling you cute names just know they really care about you lol

Sag moons and degrees have no chill😀 like calm down bae sag anything tbh🚬

9th house ruler in the 11th could go to the same college with their old friends or could become very popular in the area they’re in, I think they’d make good bloggers

Air signs or degrees in 5th are trend setters.

Aquarius you inspire people, they could take things and make it into their own like art

With gemini here people will “copy & paste” ur looks. But no matter what it just looks like a knockoff version of what you did lmao it just never look as good as yours

Libra here people are very opinionated on how you express yourself either in a good way or bad, neither less you guys get a lot of compliments on your style

Every time I see a Capricorn rising with Neptune in the 1st it’s like their skin is see through and fragile😯makes sense tho since caps rule the skin and Neptune fogs things up. A good example is Ariana Grande her skin looks so delicate

Pluto/Scorpio in the 11th/11th house ruler in 8th, your friends could hate each other🤺 also they could have a rough life/childhood, trauma bonding or just experiencing traumatic events together is common here

Chiron in Aries (honestly any Aries placements it just depends on where it is), most people didn’t pay attention to them in their childhood in some way so they learned to be independent because of their lack of support cardinal things fr

That’s all for today! Give me a follow if you enjoyed💕

[exodusin]

DATING TEEN!MICHAEL AFTON HEADCANONS!

˖ ݁ ˓ — g. teen romance ♡

the eighteen year old boy with a fox fursona? boy he is a handful.

but so romantic

every friday night michael will take you to the late-night drive-in movies. if there’s a kissing scene don’t be surprised when he clangs onto you and starts kissing all over your face <3

take my breath away by berlin is your guys’ love song because I said so

your first date is at a skating rink, you were both clumsy at first but got the hang of it the more you two practiced together

play fighting is a childish teen thing that just happens, play fights are his thing so just play along with it. Although, if he does hurt you on accident he’ll apologize over and over until your reassurance finally sits right with him

He may be a bully but he's not a monster

he loves showing you off, his hand always intertwining with yours, or arm wrapped around your waist

you do something awesome in public he’ll be like “Hell Yeah! That's my boy/my girl/my love of my life!”

if you tried once to scare him out of nowhere with his foxy mask, he'd laugh at you thinking it's more adorable than ‘scary’

payback. you walked around the woods of the neighborhood and surprise surprise, the afton’s were your neighbors. your peace had to be ruined when your boyfriend thought it’d be funny to scare you unexpectedly with that hideous foxy mask just to see that reaction of yours. he finds your reaction hilarious- also your fear is adorable- so just to make it up to he’ll hold you and kiss your faces with whispering ‘apologies’ while snorting out laughs- your reaction always getting him

corny 80s teen love coming- he would visit you at night knocking on your window and immediately pull you into a passionate kiss

You both had a fight? He would play your guys’ love song on a boombox outside your house as an apology- with a loving pleading face saying “I hate arguing, I love you so much. You mean the world to me.”

He gets jealous— very easily. Like this boy loves you so much it’s insane- not the yandere type but the type where he loves you and can’t think of a world where you guys aren’t together. His father abuses and him and you are the light of his life. You are his moon more than his sun because the moon brights up the darkness

michael is crazy for you- his friends would tease him a lot but his reply will be “Shut up you doormats!” typical 80s bully boy insults.

will leave little gifts in your locker— packs of gum of your fav flavor, love notes, and just doodles he did for you :)

speaking of lockers, expect, like almost everyday, the pinning against you onto your locker and a pair of lips that are slightly chapped but with pleasant flavor of bubblegum. Michael would always smirk at your flushed state then nuzzle his forehead against yours mumbling soft ‘I love yous’

He would win you any prizes you wanted in Fredbear’s family diner or Freddy Fazbear’s pizza with his great gaming arcade skills

For christmas he gave you an album of your fav artist with a sticky note saying, “I love you. I love you so fucking much. One day we will run away, get married, dance to songs in our big ass living room, and grow old together.”

He would steal things or snacks just for you.

Most of the time you guys argue for the dumbest stuff but seconds later a heated make-out happens.

he likes it when you wear his leather bracelets or shirts because it just gives him the euphoria to know your his.

before going on dates, he would style his mullet and practice his introduction when he sees you and Liz will walk in making fun of his love struck love for you which will result Michael saying, “GET OUT OF MY ROOM!”

poor boy was humiliated when his sister told you what Michael does before your dates

©MISSD1VINE 2022 — do not copy, steal & re-write my work. if you want to write something inspired off my works plz ask permission. 🛼

[itspeachyp0p]

The brainrot I have for tattoo artist! Eren is unreal

Notes. Gender neutral! Reader, suggestive, light smut, MDNI.

Tattoo artist! Eren who keeps a sketchbook, pencils and pens on hand for when he gets a new design idea. He gets inspiration everywhere and has versatile style.

Tattoo artist! Eren who’s wall is covered in the most badass designs mixed with cute ones like Sanrio or Studio Ghibli. If past clients let him he keeps copies of the art to hang up.

Tattoo artist! Eren who has a few old stick and poke tatts littering his skin mixed with the professionally done ones on his arms and right calf.

Tattoo artist! Eren who used to practice doing tattoos on Mikasa and maybe two on Armin before he chickened out. He purposely did a shitty one on Jean after the two had some stupid argument over if the tats Eren did on Mikasa were shit or not.

Tattoo artist! Eren who started flirting with you when you came in to schedule an appointment and was set on getting you in his chair.

Tattoo artist! Eren who chuckled when you're so indecisive about where you want to get inked first and goes over every spot from most painful to least. He even tells you about numbing creams to help.

Tattoo artist! Eren who calms you down when you get nervous on the day you’re getting inked, and pulls a few strings to get the private room for you. "Just take a few deep breaths for me, sweetheart. It won't be so bad" is all he tells you in the gentlest voice when putting his gloves on.

Tattoo artist! Eren who gives your thigh a teasing squeeze, def feeling you up a but masking it as just checking out the area to size your tattoo right. He goes through three size choices, running his latex clad fingers over the skin of your thigh.

Tattoo artist! Eren who’s so damn close to touching your ass as he asks you which size of tat you want and waits so patiently for you to decide.

Tattoo artist! Eren who rubs little circles on your hip to soothe you when you start to cry and say it hurts when the tattoo gun starts etching out the design. "Shh, shh, don't hold your breath. You don't have to watch, just lay there and close your eyes."

Tattoo artist! Eren who tries so hard to distract you with talking, little massages, and even lets you hold onto his arm that's resting on your hip but he's thinking about how pretty you look with tears rolling down your face and wonders if he could make you cry in a different way.

Tattoo artist! Eren who tells you with praises about taking it so well and being good when you say you need a break and teasingly asks if a kiss would make you feel better.

Tattoo artist! Eren who's caught off guard but complies when you say yes and he places a few kisses on your face before asking to kiss you on the lips. If you say yes again, you'll be rewarded with the softest kiss, fleeting to tease but it makes you feel better.

When it's done and wrapped, and aftercare is talked over Tattoo artist! Eren gets your number and a date with you later once you're not sore and hurting.

Tattoo artist! Eren who weeks later is holding the underside of your knees as he fucks you nice and slow on his art table in his apartment, so careful not to dare ruin his ink on your thigh while he ruins you.

Tattoo artist! Eren who gets his own high from making you cry for different reason, servicing all your needs when he comes to your place from a long day. "I know you have one more in you, c'mon sweetheart, cum one more time for me."

Tattoo artist! Eren who would be so jealous if you ever attempted to let someone else do your other tattoos if you want more. He wonders why you would ever consider someone else when he's right there and will do it for you.

Let's be real, we know Eren is a lil possesive, Tattoo artist! Eren kind of thinks of his work on your tattoos as a way to make it clear you're in a relationship. "Someone else?? No, no way, I'll do it. Let me get my stuff and we'll head to the shop."

Reminder that requests are open .ᐟ

[sanctus-ingenium]

heya! I'm wondering, from where do you reference clothing for your art pieces? (Specifically for Inver!) I enjoy the outfits you draw your characters in

hii so for the fancier victorian-era outfits i used a whole bunch of sources but among them the metropolitan museum costume collection, this is a great online gallery of historical costume that you can search by era. you can also find illustrated fashion plates from the era to get a sense of how people styled the outfits, facial hair, accessories etc. here's one for hats i used. i also followed the twitter account WikiVictorian which.. due to new twitter policies you can't view accounts while not logged in, but it looks like they have a pinterest and also instagram?? anyway great resource, posted a lot of dresses, furniture, and historical recipes with sources & context.

(cut for length)

but those dresses and stuff are for the upper classes. For ordinary people i just googled what I knew every old lady wears: shawls

this is a galway shawl which is like. THE thing every single person wore back in the day and if you check out the wiki page it's a great reference for what patterns & dyes would have been used. from there you can find historical photos. i love photos like this which show a whole scene in context with people from multiple generations hanging out (yooo check out the Sparch in the background!!). now I know this isn't 1860s stuff, but the fact is that fashion doesn't move so fast for people like Clarion who live on a farm and have to make their simple clothing items last for a lifetime or more.

for the military outfits I mainly just googled 'military outfit 1860s' and iterated (groundbreaking). for things to be accurate i tried to pick reference illustrations drawn during the era.

i figure you might mean specifically the ancient Inver stuff so for them I used a lot of old illustrations and stuff from art history class in school. this era is more in the region of the 1500s. here is a kind of kitchy site which nonetheless has real-life examples of some of the clothing i drew. this painting is in my list of references (sorry for the stock image link but it's one of the nicest online reproductions of it) and you can see the guys on the right wearing the same léine that i've drawn Finbarr in. once you know the time period & what the various outfit components are called you can search them more easily. now the headdress i've drawn Finbarr wearing (Olivier wears it as well!) is in fact a real thing, it's the Petrie crown broken in half.

the crown is not of the same era as the other outfits because i'm not so interested in historical accuracy as much for these guys (booo).

for Olivier I searched for old French armour from the same historic era as Finbarr, I know less about the history of Brittany so kind of just copied what I saw with some small alterations (because he wears werewolf armour, which is not a thing irl).

[morallyinept]

I've created ID Badges & Cards for some of the Forces & Agent Pedro Boys, and some business cards for other characters too.

My original ID Badge post is here. However, I've now created more, and wanted to group them all together on a new post for ease of access. If, and when, I make anymore for future characters, I'll add them to this post.

I've referred to the actual badges the Pedro Boys wear, where available, in scenes from the shows/films, and referred to real life ID's for accuracy. Others are made with my own creative liberty and inspiration.

Let me know your faves, and if you have any requests, I'm always happy to hear them.

Enjoy! 🖤

Please note: I have not created these to sell, or for you to sell. I made these purely for creative use in your stories/edits, or if you want to simply print them out for a keepsake for yourself. A little fun gift from me to you. If you share or repost these elsewhere, please ensure you credit back to me, that's all I ask. Thank you 🖤

☝️All badge numbers and phone numbers are fake, however if they happen to be real phone numbers, it's purely a coincidence.

Javier Peña - DEA Contact Card & Name Badge

ℹ️ Javi's contact card is a direct copy from S3 EP5 Narcos, which he has in his ID wallet, and he also places down the card on the table in front of Fredy Moya in S3 EP10. Photo name badge is originally created by me, based on inspiration from real life DEA badges.

Marcus Pike & Juan Badillo - FBI Badges

ℹ️ Marcus Pike (The Mentalist) & Juan Badillo (Graceland) both work for the FBI. Juan is a control officer, whilst Marcus is a special agent. I kept the badges the same, but changed the roles & photos. Based off the design from Marcus' badge glimpsed in The Mentalist.

Dave York - DIA Badge (FBI Badge Non Canon)

ℹ️ Dave works in the DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency). Originally, I created an FBI badge for him, which is still relevant, as some people write him as being in the FBI in non canon etc... The DIA badge is based off of Dave's real badge in the film The Equalizer 2, which is only shown very briefly, and very blurry, so this is inspired by real life DIA badges, and the layout I saw on Dave's badge.

Agent Greer - AFT Badge

ℹ️ Agent Greer, in Law & Order, works for the BAFTE (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives) and is known as an AFT Agent. His badge is glimpsed clearly and doesn't have a photo on it, so I kept the same design as his original badge on the show.

Frankie Morales - Delta Force Enlistment Document, Delta Force ID Card & Private Pilot's License.

ℹ️ Frankie doesn't have any ID physically shown in Triple Frontier, so these are all created by myself, drawing inspiration from real life Delta Force documents and pilot licenses. Frankie would have been younger when he joined Delta Force, hence choosing a younger looking photo for him. Frankie's private pilot license is designed on what a real, current license looks like. His Delta Force ID Card and Document are direct replicas of older style Delta Force ID's.

Detective Tim Rockford - LAPD ID Badge

ℹ️ Tim has a metal badge seen in the Merge Mansion adverts/stills, but I wanted to create a photo ID card for him. His badge number appears to be 2316 from what I can see on the images of it (could also be 2516), so I have used this as his badge number. Design based on a real life LAPD photo badge.

Special Agent Ortega - Photo ID Card

ℹ️ I created this based on the real life Pinkerton Detective Agency that was established back in 1850, and which most law enforcement was governed by back in the days of the Wild West, as is Special Agent Ortega. I tried to make it look old and worn. Ortega has a metal badge too, but not a star as he wasn't a sheriff. The Pinkerton logo is the actual logo used from back then too.

Zach Wellison - Royal Marine Corps ID

ℹ️ I created Zach's Marine Corps ID Badge based off of what a real, current badge looks like. I created his rank based on research and how many tours he mentioned he had done in the episode of Brothers & Sisters that he was in, so I put him as a Lance Corporal; a rank that sees front line action, but is not the lowest rank of front line Marines - it is third up from the bottom. I made his service status complete, as it doesn't mention in the episode why or how he left. But I personally imagine he had an honorable discharge due to PTSD/anger issues.

Agent Whiskey - Statesman ID Card

ℹ️ I kept the info brief on this card deliberately, seeing as Whiskey is a secret agent for a secret organisation. Therefore, I didn't include his real name. As there are no actual ID cards shown in the movie, this was all creative liberty from myself.

Detective Edward (Ed) Indelicato - LAPD ID Badge

ℹ️ Ed Indelicato is from the unaired pilot of the Wonder Woman TV series from 2011. He is a detective in LA who assists Wonder Woman, and I wanted to create a badge for him. I kept it similar to Tim's, but an earlier version with a slightly different layout and lighter blue tone. Based on a real life LAPD badge.

Kyle Hartley - EMT Card

ℹ️ Kyle is in an episode of CSI and he is a character who is an EMT/Paramedic. So I created a card for him based on his location in the show, and the photo image on his file from the episode.

Din Djarin - Bounty Hunter Guild Card

ℹ️ There are so many amazing cards out there already for Din, that are canon realistic. However, I created a basic ID token with his name and bounty ID number, all written in Mandalorian. The circular logo used here is from the Bounty Hunter's Guild formed by Bossk, Boba Fett and Din.

Joel Miller - Contractor Business Card

ℹ️ I created my own take on Joel & Tommy's contracting business card before the Outbreak. I wanted a clean, simple design that was reminiscent of business cards back in the early 2000's.

Jay Castillo - Tattoo Business Card

ℹ️ Jay is described as a tattoo artist in Red Widow, therefore I created a business card for his tattoo business. It's not confirmed if he has his own business or not in the show to my knowledge, so I made this based on my own assumption. I imagined this card being embossed and glossy when printed.

[hillbillyoracle]

So you want to print and distribute a free zine...

I wanted to throw together a short tutorial on how I print zines using this excellent COVID safety zine by @newlevant as an example.

Printing

First make sure you are clicking on the printable file. When you open it, it should look slightly jumbled. I always look for seeing the front cover and the back cover on the same page.

Then click "print" (usually a printer icon) and open "more settings".

The key things people tend to get wrong when they try printing zines is they forget to make sure that it is double sided and flips on the short edge. If you tried printing one and it came out looking wonky, make sure to check this.

Also, it will make your life infinitely easier if you use the collate option should you have it available to you.

Fit to printable area is a helpful setting to have on if you're printing zines who use a different paper standard than you. This zine didn't for me but I leave this on out of habit.

When you've got this all set up - print as many copies as you want to assemble.

Assembling

When you get them out of the printer they'll look like this. Just a big old stack. I highly recommend parsing out each individual copy before you try assembling any. I have made that mistake before.

This is how I stack mine.

I like to leave the cover side up as it makes for a clearer division as I'm assembling.

As you're flipping through these to parse and stack them, check them over for any issues with printing. I ran out of printer toner on the first three so I'm glad I checked.

Imperfections are fine but you're looking for anything that makes critical information unreadable.

To assemble a copy, get them lined up by tapping them on the table along a short and a long edge.

Both hands is a lot easier but I was trying to take a picture lol

Then fold them hamburger style and smooth down the spine as best you can. If you have a bone folder or similar use that.

Again, let go of perfection. We are looking for good enough here. Minor errors here should not make info unreadable so don't sweat the small stuff.

I recommend doing all your folding in one go to prevent errors. Or at least it really helps me.

Now it's time to staple. You will see my fancy stapler in the background - you do not require it and I would not recommend it. Unhinging a normal stapler is way easier to use in my opinion and this one gets jammed fairly easy. Use what you've got.

If you don't have staples, but you do have sewing supplies - check out this tutorial for a way to bind it with thread.

If you have no staples and no thread, you don't have to staple every zine. Smaller ones (~5 pages or less) do fine with no staple. They can be a little tougher for some people to use and don't hold up as well being taken in and out of places so I would consider that when thinking of where to leave them. They're still well worth printing and putting out.

This zine is small enough that one staple in the center should be enough to keep it together.

I opted to staple in two places - one about an inch in from either edge - mostly out of habit. It does add a little stability and will make them a little better for putting in Little Free Libraries and other places where they'll be removed and placed back.

Here is my partner looking over the zines to make sure my stapling didn't cut off any important information in each copy. It's a little tedious but it's pretty important. A quick flip through can mean the difference between someone getting the info you want them to have or not.

And here's the finished product

I made 15. I'm pretty privileged and have been making zines for over a decade now so it's almost like knitting or crochet for me. Feel free to make fewer copies or just one for yourself. It still counts.

I will stick some in each car and my bag. I have some medical appointments coming up so I will for sure be leaving some of these in the waiting room.

I'm also going to keep an eye out for Little Free Libraries and other place where people are looking for something to read. I might also toss some on the tables of a coffee shop I pop into sometimes (masked, take out only) and the library to pick up books (also masked).

I tend not to give them to specific people, even people I know, because people are way more open to information they've picked up themself than something it feels like someone is pressuring them to read. But if people bring it up in conversation, I'll be sure to offer a copy to anyone who is interested.

Hope this is helpful!

Go out there and print!

[tearskillstardust]

❝MY LETTER TO YOU, MY DARLING❞

↻ synopsis.

↷ it's a rare occasion that they let themselves be away from you for too long, however urgent the situation at hand be. hence, when the urgent matter is in your hands, they find themselves at a loss of words. perhaps they can only sigh for now—and write you letters, of course.

↻ genre and warnings.

↷ this is a series work, presented in the form of a letter. i have tried to closely mimic the writing styles of all of them—but it can't always be accurate. world building and characterizations have been paid attention to. no trigger warnings, simply fluff and stories of mischief and love, alike.

↻ author's note.

↷ most of these will be letters that i wrote during the event and later decide to compile here! so don't panic when i start uploading letters like a maniac lmao. many letters will have to be written anew as well, though! hence, there's no fixed order of updates and it may be inconsistent. you may comment to be added to the taglist; have fun! &lt;3

↻ series tag.

#💌my letter to you my darling

↻ your letters.

❛ all is lost; yet your essence remains.❜

001. 𝐀𝐋𝐁𝐄𝐃𝐎—find me when your lamp burns out.

002. 𝐀𝐘𝐀𝐓𝐎—meet me where the sky meets the earth.

003. 𝐀𝐋 𝐇𝐀𝐈𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐌—in your world; lost and found.

004. 𝐁𝐀𝐈𝐙𝐇𝐔—'what a coincidence, love!'

005. 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃𝐄—snezhnayan winds are blowing eastwards.

006. 𝐂𝐘𝐍𝐎—the spark of my love and you the flower; hyperbloom.

007. 𝐃𝐈𝐋𝐔𝐂—midmorning sparkle, reminiscent of your gaze.

008. 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐆—monstrous eyes and pleasant smiles.

009. 𝐆𝐎𝐑𝐎𝐔—watatsumi's trusted pirate.

010. 𝐇𝐄𝐈𝐙𝐎𝐔—'with desperation from my love filled heart.'

011. 𝐊𝐀𝐄𝐘𝐀—with ice, roses, gunpowder, and love.

012. 𝐊𝐀𝐕𝐄𝐇—a worried lover's innocent chant.

013. 𝐊𝐀𝐙𝐔𝐇𝐀—the loving wind that blows from the north.

014. 𝐋𝐘𝐍𝐄𝐘—purring in my hat, the cat in my heart.

015. 𝐍𝐄𝐔𝐕𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄—revelling in your memory, a lover of yours.

016. 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐌𝐀—the retainer's call of love.

017. 𝐓𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐍𝐀𝐑𝐈—silver, gold, platinum but greatest is my love.

018. 𝐕𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈—a lonesome bard's sober musings.

019. 𝐖𝐀𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑𝐄𝐑—peacock and gold, yet prettier is his lotus.

020. 𝐖𝐑𝐈𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐘—a game of charades, with all but my love.

021. 𝐗𝐈𝐀𝐎—lonesome transcendence does not make up for love.

022. 𝐙𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐆𝐋𝐈—to the world's best, busiest, and nicest wife.

024. 𝐅𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐓—'awkwardly my pen moves, yet only love translates.'

023. 𝗔𝗘𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗥—in the solemn memory of an old lover.

???. 𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗠𝗢𝗡—'to you, whom i have cherished most.'

© @tearskillstardust; do not repost or translate my works anywhere. do not copy or use my works in any site.

[yourlocalweirdo-3000]

One Piece Smut Headcanons (🔞—MDI)

Characters: Franky, Brook, Law, Ace, Boa

Established relationships

Written by a generally-cis person, so I write my characters that way too. Let me know if you want any LGBTQ—centered headcanons! I plan on writing some anyways but requesting will get me to do it faster.

(format is weird cause I copy and paste these from the notes app, sorry. I try to make it at least readable. Might be some typos bc I have no proofreader but I tried my best to get all the mistakes.)

Franky

Kinks: praise, toys, crying, service dom, etc. 

Makes his own sex toys.  Dildos, harnesses, anal toys— you name it, he's got it. 

You can bet his dick is customizable too.  The length of it depends on the mood you're in.  

He's had sex before, but never in a serious relationship, so it takes a couple of tries to get you to come undone like he wants.  He gets the hang of it soon. 

Eventually, he gets good enough with your body that he's able to make toys that hit all your spots. It's bliss.  

He's super service-focused, so a service dom all the way. He loves to come, sure, but if you don't come too (or at all) then he doesn't see the point.  And truthfully, nothing gets him going more than seeing you lose yourself in the orgasm that he's giving you. 

That's another thing, he's super proud of himself for his sexual ability.  He actually his a mental tally for how many times he's made you orgasm.  

Very loud in bed!! Lots of "superrr!!!!" and praise, he'll tell you what a super job you're doing. 

Cries when he comes, but he won't admit it.  

Lots of come, too.  It tastes like cola. 

His favorite position is cowgirl, reverse or otherwise, as long as you're riding him. 

Brook

Kinks: panties, voice, publicity, praise, etc. 

This old skeleton gets around, okay.  I'm here to say brook fucks and he does it plenty. 

It's because of you that he started to explore his body's sexual ability.

Let's discuss what he's able to do: he's dick-less, sure, but if he's able to see, hear, eat, cry, and etc, he's able to feel things to a certain extent. 

He can feel when you touch him and you can feel a tongue in his mouth, although you can't see it. Y'know how he can expel his soul? Sorta like that; his desire is so strong that certain things will manifest for him; in this case, his tongue. 

For his dick though, he prefers a strap-on because he can possess it and feel it better, so if he's railing you he prefers to go that route. 

Dude's kinky, too.  He's got a thing for publicity and anything to do with panties. 

Definitely uses toys to get you off. 

He's so sultry with his voice too.  He knows just what to say to get you riled up.  

Good with his fingers and good at oral.  No lips but a "tongue" and fingers do plenty. 

Not very loud in volume but he makes plenty of noise, it's just softer than you'd expect.  He likes to praise and moan, knowing full well what it does to you. 

He's one to be really tender in his love-making.  To him it's not fucking, it's making love.  He'll literally whisper "I love you" and other praises like a mantra.  

Praises you a lot. "You look so beautiful like this, even though I don't have eyes" and etc.  

Law

Kinks: domming, hand kink, teasing, biting, etc.

He doesn't strike me as a sex-crazy guy; his libido is rather low.  He'll satisfy you whenever he's comfortable with it though. 

Prefers being on the receiving end of things.  He wants to get you off, but he's lazy when it comes to sex, so a lot of times he uses his hands rather than his dick.  

Speaking of getting you off with his hands— he's amazing with them.  He can do things with his fingers that push you into ecstasy. 

His fav position is doggy style.  Likes to leave handprints on your ass cheeks.  

A little bit of a harsh dom; nothing too crazy, but he will delay your orgasm as a punishment and he's rough with his teasing.  Likes to pinch your nipples. 

Not loud in bed; growls and grunts if he makes noise at all.  

He's a biter, lol.  He won't draw blood or leave bruises but he will leave marks from his teeth.

Not submissive but likes it when you're rough back. Pull his hair and he thrusts faster. 

Sometimes, after a frustrating day, he wants it tender.  Sex is a vulnerable thing for him, even if he acts like it isn't.  When he's tired like this, you gotta just let him lay back and relax while you take care of him. 

Scenario: sucking his dick (and playing with his balls—)

      Law is a beautiful sight like this.  Pupils blown, eyes lidded, hair ruffled and lips parted, he looks at you with such lust it's enough to make you drool.  He's so attractive with his dick in your hand. 

   You're pumping slowly, spit coating your hand, and when you use the other one to play with his balls he can't help it: his eyes widen and he lets out a moan that sends blood rushing to you groin.  He screws his eyes shut, eyebrows furrowed and breath coming out in pants.  

   You pump faster, still teasing his balls, and his voice gets louder.  Even with his orgasm approaching, you never let up.  When he tells you he's gonna cum, you go even faster. 

   He orgasms with a drawn-out groan, his cum spurting out and getting on the both of you.  It dribbles down your hand too, and he watches you lick it off your fingers.  Still panting, he reaches for you and brings you close enough to hold onto a hug.

   After a bit you clean up and lull him to sleep with head scratches <3

Boa

Possible Trigger Warning: mentioning of her sexual trauma bc I think it's relevant but it's only a mention.  Consent is highly emphasized in this one because of it, too.  

Kinks: grinding, praise, voice kink, bondage, face-sitting, etc. 

She has sexual trauma so it's difficult for her to participate in things of that nature. 

So you have to give her time.  You can't pester her for sex and you have to give her plenty of space in that area to come to terms with things. 

However, eventually, after you've proved that you're with her for her heart and not her body, she opens up about it more.  She discloses that she does indeed have sexual thoughts about you, and she wants to act on them, but she's also nervous about it.  You reassure her and let her iniate everything.  

Your understanding and courtesy makes her feel safe, and the normally confident Boa is reduced to a blushing mess around you.  

It starts off slow.  Touching you underneath your clothes, long make out sessions, and grinding is how it begins.  

Once you've gone all the way though, she can't stop! Boa reveals that she's a total horndog <3 

She iniates everything and always has to be in charge, but likes to be taken care of.  Her pleasure is her priority, but that doesn't mean she leaves you completely alone.  

Likes to tie you up.

If you'll let her, she'll explore your body.  She wants to see how it'll react when she does certain things to it.  

Likes to tease you and is addicted to your moans. 

Also likes to be praised and called sweet names during sex.  

Definitely into face sitting and anything else to do with your mouth on her cunt.  

Ace

Kinks: hair-pulling, dumbification, overstimulation, temperature play, name-calling, etc.

Talks tough but gets (pussy/cock/etc)-drunk faster than anything. 

Switch; he prefers being in charge but he also loves it when you tie him up.  

Please pull his hair and call him names; he hates to admit it but his dick gets so hard when you do. 

Fucks you as a way to get out his anger sometimes; he won't hurt you, but he'll pound you kinda rough with an angry look on his face.  Always feels better afterwards and always makes sure to take care of you, especially after those rough sessions. 

Straight-up brat when you're in charge, but he's pretty easy to tame, too. 

Into temperature-play; he'll never use his flames on you, but he will use them to light the candle that drips wax on your bodies.  Doesn't mind ice, either. 

Likes to be tied up and he's into dumbification.

Scenario: 

   Ace, whimpering and groaning, thrusts into you at a reckless pace.  His hands, pushing your legs against your torso, grip you hard enough to bruise.  You yank on his hair, making noise yourself, and he goes even faster.  

   "More, more, more," he mutters like a prayer.  He drops his head into the crook of your neck and moans loudly.  

    His words become incomprehensible as his orgasm approaches.  He cums inside you with a loud cry and a whine of your name.  The rocking of his hips gradually begins to slow, and Ace rests on you, panting.  

Thanks for reading!

©yourlocalweirdo-3000

posted July 1st 2022

[chrollohearttags]

Artist Eren dealing with being plagiarized for the first time?? 👀 this has been in the back of my head for like two days. Idk I feel like he would be chill but I can totally picture him getting pissed about it, especially if a song that y/n inspired 😬

ahhh oh my gosh! I literally love this cause I’ve had this idea in the back of my head for a while. 😭

honestly, after being in the game for ten years and being so highly regarded, he expected to be mimicked at some point or another but he couldn’t be prepared for it. Eren obviously does not use social media very often, nor does he engage in the mindless chatter and rumors. Claiming that he said this or done that. However, one day, his assistant Floch came bursting through the door of his studio, asking if he had heard this new song from some upcoming artist and had he seen what everyone’s been saying online. One look at the video, one list at the song and one scroll through the comments told him all he needed to know: “he just stole my entire fucking flow.” He had to replay it twice to ensure it was heard correctly. “This sounds just my old shit, man. What the hell?” He tries not to think about it too much or get upset because honestly, as an artist, especially one with his tenure, if he hadn’t inspired anyone at all then he failed. But to be straight up copied verbatim almost, was a next level insult he couldn’t stand. The final nail in the coffin came though, when he was scrolling Instagram on the rare occasion and a video of (y/n) strutting around to a new song in a bikini that name dropped you specifically! “Need me a bitch, pretty and thick like (y/n).” And although it wasn’t EJ’s normal style, you figured he was just messing around and being the supportive friend (with benefits) you were, you decided to promo the song. Letting one of your editors make the video and post it for you. Imagine the surprise that riddled your face when you found out he wasn’t even remotely involved in it.

“(Y/N). No way you listened to that shit and thought it was me. You know my whole discography word for word and you thought that was my song?”

“Well it sounds good and I thought your ass was just being funny, putting my name in there so my editor used it.”

now, he was pissed off. And determined to remind everybody who the fuck he is and who started this shit. That he has a flow, style and cadence that can’t be copied as easily. Even going as far as to hop on one of his friend’s live and at the request of his fans, done a freestyle that ended up going viral and it was no question of who the original was. His next song? He didn’t let that lil boy breathe once. 😭 (side note: one of Bones’, his inspo’s lyrics says ‘all you pussies imitate, I came back to set it straight and that’s so accurate and on brand for him.)

[xxmrs-waynexx]

Gloss & Glasses: Chapter One (940 words)

Pairing: Clark Kent x reader

Warnings: none for this chapter

___

The people wanted to know. That’s what you told yourself as you walked through Arkham Asylum. You were being escorted by two armed guards and trying not to make eye contact with anyone in the cells. You had heard of Gotham’s crazies but you’d never come face to face with any. But the criminals around you weren’t who you were worried about. 

Last week, you paced your father’s office venting to him about how boring your magazine seemed. You were running out of shocking fashion trends and celebrity scandals to report on. So, as your heels clicked back and forth and you reapplied your lipgloss anxiously for the third time, your father sighed.

“Why don’t you try reporting on crime? And real important events?” He suggested, as he always did. Perry White was so proud when his daughter told him she was going to college for journalism. However, after she graduated, and showed no interest in newspapers, crime, or anything of the sort, he was very disappointed.

“What billionaires are up to is important. The people wanna know. And besides-” you were cut off by one of your dad’s reporters.

He poked his head in, “Harley Quinn’s been arrested again. Sent to Arkham.”

“Bill, if you have to say again in a tone like that, do you really think it’s news?” Perry looked at him, unamused.

Bill said nothing, simply nodded, and stepped out again. 

“What were you saying?” your dad brought his attention back to you.

“I just had an idea…”

—

So, here you were, sitting across the glass from the infamous Harley Quinn. She sat criss-cross on the ground on her side of the glass and smiled eerily at you.

“I love all the pink,” she told you, motioning to your outfit. You could most commonly be seen wearing pink and/or preppy clothes. Though your father worked for everything your family had, you very much dressed in the old money style mixed with a bit of Mean Girls. You’ve even been compared to Elle Woods. 

You smiled back at her, though yours was much less ‘I’m-going-to-kill-you’ and more genuine. “Thank you. Mind if I record?” You showed her your audio recorder. 

Harley tightened her pigtails one by one and grinned, “Go for it, kiddo. I gotta say… No one’s ever come here to ask me about my style before.”

As you hit record, you chuckled, “Yeah, and I think that is so unfair. I mean, come on, you even made your jumpsuit look cute. You’ve got to be one of the top three best-dressed criminals.”

—

After an hour of chatting, the interview turned into a casual conversation. You’d actually gotten to know Harley Quinn and the evolution of her costumes pretty well. And after another hour, you were ready to write up a whole two-pager all about her and her style. 

“Thank you so much for the interview. I promise I’ll get you a copy- I’m allowed to do that, right?” you stood, looking back at one of the guards who had escorted you. He gave a simple nod and that was enough.

“Ah! I’m so excited! Thank you for the girl talk. It’s been too long since anyone tried to talk to me like a person,” Harley also stood, walking backward to sit on her bed.

—

The day you returned to Metropolis was a Sunday. You silently cursed yourself for telling your dad you’d be in the office Monday. Though you didn’t work for him, he did let you take up office space at the Daily Planet and use his software (as well as your own, of course) all for free. 

Out of habit, before bed, you looked out your window to see if you could catch a glimpse of Superman. He was a new hero in Metropolis and you, along with most cityfolk, were very eager to see what he could do. 

With no sign of him this time around, you decided to start up your skincare. The routine you had was incredible. You knew you had an addiction to buying creams, face masks, and new things to keep yourself looking good, but who cared? Your skin was clear, and your heart was happy.

As soon as you put on the same mask you usually wear to bed, you heard car alarms down below your apartment. Rushing to grab your camera, you raced to your back porch and looked down. You fumbled with the camera, trying your best to capture what you could see. Of course it would fall ten stories down.

“No!” You tried to grab it but it was just out of your reach.

Then, the exact thing you were trying to photograph flew your camera up to you. “Drop something, miss?” he had a kind and very handsome voice. It was deep and confident.

“Suh- Suh- Suh-” You slowly took your camera from his hand while he hovered just above the ground.

“Hi, I’m Superman.”

—

The next day, you rushed into work eager to tell your father who you met. But when you walked into (more barged into) his office, he had a young man with glasses sitting at the desk.

“Oh, Clark, this is (Y/N), my daughter. Her office is that obnoxiously decorated one next door. (Y/N), this is Clark, my newest reporter.”

As the two of you were introduced, you couldn’t help but feel he seemed familiar to you somehow.

He politely waved at you with an awkward and shy smile, “Hi, there. Good to meet you.” His voice had a sweetness to it, and a midwestern accent. However, he looked at you like he already knew you.

[genericpuff]

Rachel "Retcon" Smythe Strikes Again!

Okay, so I've been seeing pictures of Volume 4 of Lore Olympus floating around, and people are ALREADY FINDING RETCONS.

Most notably so far, some added panels in the Hades and Apollo confrontation that happens outside Artemis' house (when Persephone steals Apollo's lyre) in Episode 81.

This is the original scene, for anyone who needs a refresher:

Aaaand here are the panels that were added.

(all pictures of Volume 4 are courtesy @iwannagutyou on IG!!! thank you for giving me permission to use these! <3)

First of all, the art. It's so noticeably bad. You can tell Rachel has completely lost her ability to draw these characters in the S1 style, I'm fairly certain she took the panel of Hades from the old version and just copy pasted it to try and get around it (look at the posing) but it's incredibly obvious looking at that third panel that LO is not and can never be what it was back in 2017-2019. Those first two panels seem like they were copy pasted from the previous ones, which is just sad if those are the lengths she has to go to to come even close to replicating the older style.

Now, this just might be due to camera translation, it could very well look better IRL, but the colors just look so incredibly desaturated and the lines blurred out, to the point that people are doing double takes over whether or not panels have been directly changed - they haven't been, they've just been so sucked dry of their colors that they look off enough to cast suspicion.

If anything it's a harsh reminder that LO has kinda always had art problems, especially with its lazy humor and stupid meme faces.

Of course, to be fair, color loss can happen in print, but seeing how slapped together these books tend to be, I wouldn't be surprised if they just didn't put in the effort to convert the page art to CMYK or at least tinker with the saturation in editing some more to ensure it would come out more vibrant in print.

Now. Excuse me while I go on a bit of a crackpot rant here. Newbie puff pals beware, because this is gonna get dicey and you're about to learn where my tinfoil-hat rep comes from but I just have to talk about it.

Back to the added Apollo panels, where Persephone asks Hades not to hurt him and he looks nervous before she says "I just want him to leave".

Maybe it's just me, but it's a little weird that THESE are the panels they decided they needed to add. It's weird that she's asking Hades not to hurt Apollo when she's about to break into his car and steal his lyre just a few moments later. It's weird that the implication seems to be that she's referring to Hades' act of violence towards Tori... but Persephone doesn't know that's happened yet. So this feels like an unnecessary retcon that's doing more harm than good.

But I feel like the timing of this is kinda messed up as well, as this book released just days after the release of the last FP episode in which Apollo has his 'side' of the assault story told through his perspective, which is often considered a HUGE no-no in writing assault stories because it often comes with the implication that it's asking for empathy from the audience. We already know Apollo is delusional, we already know he thinks him and Persephone are meant to be despite her constant rejection of him, we didn't need a flashback from his own warped perspective explaining that very thing, the only purpose to do such a thing this late in the game would be to try and get the audience to 'connect' with him (it's giving S3 Bryce from 13 Reasons Why vibes). Now we have this scene of Persephone asking Hades not to hurt him (despite the structure of the episode being literally fine before, this change wasn't needed) getting snuck into the physical book release just a couple days after the newest FP tried to present Apollo in an empathetic light (and let me tell you, that's a whole essay and a half that I'll be getting into eventually).

Shit, if I wanted to get REAL Pepe Sylvia with it, I might say that hypothetically, the whole point of the random Leuce abuse episode - despite Persephone having no way of knowing what she attempted as Hades hadn't told her and she wasn't there to see it and we weren't shown her overhearing them in any way - and the following episode that was mostly padding of Hades and Persephone having sex - no consequences or follow-up whatsoever to the Leuce scene - was just to pad out the episode release schedule and buy time until the book came out so that Rachel could release that Apollo POV episode right before the book came out and revealed those new added scenes of Persephone asking Hades not to hurt Apollo, in what could be a sly artificial attempt at minimizing the SA plot so Rachel can finally just brush aside the one major plot point she regretted writing the most. After all, it wouldn't be the first time Rachel's controlled the pace of her comic to release certain moments at certain times that line up with IRL events.

But, y'know. I'm gonna quit on that thought while I'm ahead because it's probably making my credibility meter drop into the red. My ADHD has been real bad lately and it's really starting to show LMAO All ima say is that IDK who Rachel thinks she's fooling here, this kind of shit is stupid easy to fact check when the digital version of the comic is available online to read.

To end on a much funnier and lighter note, remember how Rachel tried to retcon the Demeter/Hera/Hestia relationship by changing the line "I miss my sisters" to "I miss my friends"? Well, there was one panel that had been missed in the webtoons version that still refers to them as sisters. You can still find this unedited line in Episode 78.

And uh. They forgot to fix it again for the book.

It's permanent now. That's permanent marker. It would have cost them nothing to find this in the webtoon version and fix it before it got sent to the book editors. Now it's gonna cost them thousands because the book editors didn't bother (or know) to check.

There's also this... weird shit going on with the speech bubbles. Like, they're REALLY FUCKING OVERDOING IT with the speech bubble outlines. I don't know who made this choice but it was a bad one. Gross. Don't do that. It looks so cheap.

But let's be real, at this point I feel like the book editors are just outright sabotaging Rachel because who the fuck calls themselves a professional when they do this shit-

Oh, and there's no bonus episode, just sketches. Which is fine. But it makes me chuckle to think that Rachel just didn't have time in her already razor-thin buffer to draw up a new episode to pass off as "cut content".

[the-obnoxious-sibling]

in which lunch is had, old stories are told, and a misunderstanding is cleared up.

part five of the post-marineford portion of the near miss fics! (1, 2, 3, 4) if you have no idea what i'm talking about but would like to read a shanks/buggy story about kissing in disguise and then having to deal with the emotional fallout of doing that, click on this link, that's the tag for the whole thing in chronological order. (plus some complaining about writing, one inspirational improvised musical number, and a snippet of shanks pov) if you do know what i'm talking about: my intense examination of the cover to chapter 581 and frustrated googling of phrases like “oden cart curtain name” has finally paid off! also, i’d apologize for where this part ends, but that would be an enormous lie, i’ve been planning on ending this part on that line from the very beginning. >:3c enjoy!

With heavier topics taken off the table, the flow of conversation became smooth and easy.  Shanks asked about Buggy’s crew, his recent travels, his plans for the future; Buggy asked about the best places Shanks had been, who he’d met.  At Buggy’s request, Shanks devoted a full twenty minutes to a detailed description of his meeting with Rayleigh; to Buggy’s delight, it turned out Rayleigh was in Sabaody because Shakuyaku, the former Amazon empress, lived there.  Buggy had always been impressed by her, if a little privately judgy of her taste in men, so hearing that the two of them had semi-retired together made him smile.

As did the revelation that Shanks had first seen a wanted poster for Buggy the Clown—his earliest one, actually, before he’d perfected the crossbones and had still been experimenting with lip tints—when Rayleigh pulled a copy out that day.  “He keeps an eye on all the newspapers, from the four big seas and the Grand Line alike,” Shanks explained, digging his toes into the sand. (Buggy had gotten tired of his push-pull relationship with the tides and insisted they move further up the beach.) “I think he’s found and kept a copy of every one of our bounties.”

Buggy tried not to be obvious about how much that meant, but he had never been good at holding back the waterworks when he got emotional.  Sniffing thickly, he said, “That stupid old man… your bounty’s gone up so many times over the years without the picture ever looking different!  What a waste of his space.”

One of Shanks’ eyebrows went up—probably, Buggy realized a moment later, at the implication that Buggy had also been keeping track of Shanks’ bounties.  Ah, well, in for a penny… “Seriously!  It’s bad design!” Buggy insisted.  “If the only changes someone like me ever noticed are that you grew that shitty little beard—”

“Shitty?”  Shanks pouted, running his thumb along his jawline.  “It’s not that bad, is it?”

“It’s worse without the mustache,” Buggy said bluntly.  Shanks played up his shock, gasping and grabbing at his heart like an elderly man.

Buggy rolled his eyes.  “As I was saying: if all I ever noticed was the beard and that your hat disappeared at some point, your average citizen’s not going to realize the Marines have released a new poster and the bounty went up!”  Jabbing a thumb brazenly at his own face, Buggy said, “At least I had something new going on each time.”

Shanks cocked his head at Buggy.  “About that… do you change your makeup style so often for fun, or are you still searching for the perfect look?”

Buggy scoffed.  “There’s no such thing as perfection when it comes to art, or fashion,” he said.  “There’s just advancing your craft.  Every time I change my look up, I’m incorporating newer and flashier techniques, and better supplies.  The makeup I had access to fifteen, even ten years ago would never have lasted a day in Impel Down, let alone weeks.”

“That’s true,” Shanks said thoughtfully, hand on his chin.  “The stuff you have these days is much—” He cut himself off, glancing over Buggy’s shoulder.  Buggy turned to see a cluster of men in ragged prison uniforms standing maybe forty feet away, staring at them and then glancing away awkwardly when they met Buggy’s eye.

“I told them not to bother me today,” Buggy grumbled, giving the group a half-hearted glare.  They visibly quaked, knees knocking, but neither moved nor explained themselves.

“I guess our presence is interfering with their shore leave,” Shanks said, slipping back into his sandals.

Looking past the men revealed the beach had gotten crowded while Buggy wasn’t paying attention—save for a fifty-foot ring of emptiness centered on him and Shanks.  These men had only approached them because there wasn’t anywhere else to be.  Sighing, Buggy stood up, brushing sand off the seat of his pants.

“Lead the way, then,” he said grimly.

With a polite smile and a wave to the former prisoners, Shanks walked back up the beach.  Buggy gave them a glare, and a threatening slice-your-throat gesture (made more emphatic by the way Buggy separated his neck as he sliced) to encourage their silence before following Shanks further inland.

The terrain got a bit jungle-like as they went on, but there were neatly trodden paths between the trees.  It was a civilized corner of nature, and Buggy found he didn’t mind walking through it with just Shanks and his questions for company, even when those questions started getting a bit specific for Buggy’s tastes. (What did Shanks need to know about his plans after he found Captain John’s treasure, anyway?  Was he trying to go after Buggy’s next prize while he was still busy with the current one?)

It was the middle of the lunch hour by the time their jungle path led them back into town, which was almost suspiciously convenient timing.  Buggy glanced at Shanks, trying to figure out if he’d planned this or was just aimlessly wandering.  Well, either way he’d better lead them somewhere soon—Buggy was hungry!  He wanted to eat the kind of food he couldn’t get back on the ship—nothing a typical chef in a typical kitchen could manage.  He wanted something that involved a deep fryer, or another equally specialized device.  Something that would be too much of a hassle to make on a ship.  Something…

“Hey!”  Shanks turned to grab Buggy’s attention, pointing at a yatai on the opposite street corner.  “What about that?”

Buggy spotted the word written in bold white letters on slate gray cloth and started to laugh. “What are we, on a themed vacation or something?”

“You’re the one who put the idea in my head!” Shanks said defensively, grinning.  “I know it’s out of season, but…”

“No, you’re right, we have to,” Buggy said, and led them to the oden-ya.  “I’m just going to look like I’m obsessed, is all.”

Ducking under the bamboo noren curtains, they found themselves in a cozy space, with three stools set up along a polished wooden table the same length as the cooktop.  A gorilla mink stood behind the partitioned oden pot, rotating skewers of fishcake in their niches within the steaming broth.  He glanced up at their entrance, a friendly customer service smile spreading across his face.

“Welcome!  Looking for oden this afternoon, or just something to drink?”  He gestured to one side, where beautiful little sake flasks and other bottles of alcohol were arranged on shelves that took up the whole side wall of the cart.  “I’d be happy to warm a flask of sake up for you on the stove if you’d like.”

“We’re looking for both, thanks,” Shanks said warmly, stepping up to the counter.  “I don’t suppose any of your sake is sourced from Wano?”

The mink wrinkled his nose thoughtfully.  “I may have some in storage, but that stuff tend to run a little pricier, given… well, if you’re asking for it, you must know.”

“Of course you have expensive tastes in booze and nothing else,” Buggy said with a smirk, bent down to inspect the sake that was actually meant for sale.  “Come on, look, they’ve got some West Blue stuff, you were always a sucker for your home ocean.”

“Oh?”  Shanks leaned over Buggy to get a better look at the stock, and a prickle of heat went up Buggy’s spine.  “Ooh, I do like that stuff.  But I really had my heart set on something from Wano…”  Turning back to the mink, he said, “Sorry to trouble you, but can you bring out what you have from Wano?  I promise the price isn’t an issue, and I won’t have any problem drinking a flask of each.”  The mink ducked around back without complaint.

“More like a couple flasks of each,” Buggy muttered, but he didn’t mean it cruelly.  Shanks liked a drink, he always had—and rumor said the last time he saw Whitebeard before all this he’d matched him cup for cup.  Whitebeard-sized cups, too, which meant he had to have a crazy tolerance these days.  Good for him.  Buggy wasn’t quite as capable, but he could hold his liquor.  He wouldn’t be any kind of ex-Roger Pirate if he couldn’t.

“Guilty,” Shanks said, sing-songy, reaching over Buggy’s shoulder to snatch one of the larger bottles of shochu.  “Can you grab a flask or two of the West Blue sake for me?”

Buggy rolled his eyes, grabbing two.  “One of them’s for me.”

“We can share,” Shanks said mildly.

Buggy snorted. “If by ‘share’ you mean I get one cup and by the time I’ve finished it the flask is empty, sure, we can share.”

Shanks laughed.  “Am I that bad?”

“You’re just too fast about it is all.  I like to linger over a drink, really savor it.”

“Oh, you like to take your time, do you?”  Shanks’ smile, already suggestively wide, spread wider still when this comment flustered Buggy.

“I didn’t mean it like that!” he snapped.

“No?”

Why do you sound disappointed, Buggy was tempted to ask—except no, no he wasn’t, he did not want to know why Shanks might be disappointed Buggy hadn’t intended to be suggestive.  He had already decided he wasn’t going there.  “I just mean you rush things a bit.”

“…do I?”

Once again feeling like Shanks was reading things into what he was saying, but this time not at all sure what deeper meaning Shanks was taking from his words, Buggy averted his eyes, setting the pair of sake flasks down in front of the stove top.  “Yeah, I know you like getting drunk, but there’s such a thing as pacing yourself, you know?”

Before Shanks could respond to this—with who knows what kind of misinterpretation of Buggy’s words this time—the mink returned, a crate of sake in flasks and jugs of various sizes in hand.

“Here we are!”  With a soft grunt of effort, the mink set the crate down in front of Shanks.  “Let me know if anything catches your eye.”  He spotted the flasks of West Blue sake Buggy had set down and quickly made room in a pot of steaming water for them to sit and warm up.  “Now, were any items looking especially appealing today?”

Buggy glanced sideways; Shanks was occupied with intently inspecting the sake.  Well, if he wanted something specific he could ask for it later.  “Two bowlfuls of whatever the chef recommends, for now.”

The gorilla nodded.  “Coming right up!”  And he was as good as his word, quickly throwing together a wide, shallow bowl of savory golden-brown broth with a skewer of fishcakes, an egg, and a few slices of daikon for each of them. It looked wonderful, warm and familiar, and it smelled even better.

Before Buggy could take a sip, Shanks had flung his arm across Buggy’s chest, blocking the spoonful of broth from reaching his mouth.

“Hang on,” Shanks said, weirdly serious.  “You have to have this first.”  He held out a small flask of Wano sake, tilted just far enough to encourage Buggy to grab a cup and accept the pour.

“Not warmed up?”  Shanks expression didn’t so much as twitch.  Buggy huffed.  “Fine, fine... you and your expensive tastes.”  He accepted the cup, swirled it for a moment to breathe in the aroma—they really did make it different in Wano; was it something in the water, or the rice?—and took a sip.  Then blinked, goggled at the half-drunk cup, and slung back the rest with a warm floaty feeling in his chest.

Setting the cup down, he breathed, “Is that...?”

Shanks grinned.  “Special pure rice brew.”  He spun the flask around to reveal the maker’s mark.  “From the Kuri region of Wano.”

Buggy snatched the flask away.  Looking it over, he said, “Seriously?! From the same brewery?”

“And you wondered why I was so insistent.”

Buggy shook his head, laughing a little in disbelief, and poured Shanks a cup of the stuff.  He glanced up at their host, politely not bothering them even though he had to be confused, and said, “This exact same sake was the first drink the two of us had, back when we were—what, eleven? Twelve?”

“Something like that,” Shanks said, watching Buggy with a pleased smile.  “Stolen out of Oden’s rooms on a dare—”

“—you’re the one who dared me!” Buggy snapped.  Thinking back, he added, “And he must have let us take it, we weren’t sneaky enough at twelve to get past Oden—”

“—oh, definitely,” Shanks agreed.  “Bet he thought of it as a rite of passage, stealing your first drink from under the nose of your honored elders.”

Buggy snorted.  “Definitely,” he echoed.  Giving Shanks a look, he passed this flask along to the mink as well.  “This stuff isn’t so fancy heating it will ruin the taste, right?  Might as well try it the way it was meant to be had.”

“Of course,” the mink said with a gracious smile, adding the flask to the steaming pot on his stove.  He watched the two of them dig into their bowls—delicious, of course—without comment, but as he carefully retrieved the first of the West Blue flasks from its bath he said, “Now, I haven’t thought about this in a long time, so I’m afraid I can’t quite recall… which of you is Shanks and which is Buggy?”

Buggy blinked dumbly up at the gorilla, his mouth full of radish.  Next to him, Shanks was pulling a similar face.

Hastily swallowing his mouthful, Buggy cleared his throat and said, “You know… both of us by name? But not well enough to know which is which on sight?”

The gorilla smiled sheepishly.  “I wasn’t sure until you brought up Oden.  That’s Kozuki Oden, isn’t it?  Which means the two of you must be Shanks and Buggy, they were the only other young people on the boat in all the stories I heard.”

“What stories?”

“‘The only other young people’…” Shanks lit up.  “Do you know Dogstorm and Cat Viper?”

Buggy nearly smacked Shanks.  “Seriously?!  Not every mink knows each other, Shanks!”

“Heh, actually...”  Buggy stared up at the gorilla mink in disbelief as he shrugged, making an embarrassed expression.  “The truth is, I only learned how to prepare oden at Duke Dogstorm’s request.”

“Duke Dogstorm?”  Shanks whistled.  “Somebody’s moved up in the world.”

Buggy jabbed him in the side with a free-floating elbow.  “I don’t want to hear that from you, Emperor Shanks!”

Shanks winced—an exaggerated gesture for the benefit of their audience—and leaned away from Buggy.  “Oh, come on,” he whined, “it’s not like I meant to become an emperor or anything.”

“Oh, of course not,” Buggy said, rolling his eyes and shoving a piece of tsukune in his mouth.  Eyes shut, he declared, “I’ll bet I can tell you exactly how it happened, too.  You had a meal with some mediocre pirate crew and made friends. Then some shitty Marines started beating the hell out of them; they could’ve just arrested the crew, but they decided to torture them for their own amusement.  Well, you could hardly let this abuse go unchallenged, could you?  So naturally you had to step in, and sent the Marines running with their tails between their legs.  And it was only natural that the pirate crew was thankful to you, but you never dreamed they’d all vow to follow you forever, forswearing their own flag in favor of yours.  Not daring to call themselves true Red-Haired Pirates, of course, but Red-Haired Pirates adjacent.”  Rolling his wrist, Buggy concluded, “And then that happened another twenty or thirty times, because you never learn.”

Opening one eye a crack, he glanced at Shanks.  “How’d I do?”

Shanks, red-faced, his fist pressed to his mouth to hold back laughter, nodded weakly.  “Well, uh... you’re not wrong,” he wheezed out.  Taking a drink to clear his throat and calm down, he sighed.  “Though you make it sound like far more of a foregone conclusion than it felt like when it was first happening.”

“That’s the benefit of an outside perspective,” Buggy said snippily.  “And also hindsight.”  Waving a hand in Shanks’ face, he said, “But enough about you!”  Jabbing the pointer finger of that same hand at their host, Buggy said, “What’s this about you learning to make oden for Dogstorm?”

The gorilla mink smiled, his eyes wide, and Buggy suddenly remembered hearing once that gorillas didn’t actually smile, but instead bared their teeth as a threat against potential enemies.  He pulled back his hand as casually as he could manage it.

“Do you really want to hear the story?  I’m told I can be a bit long-winded,” the mink said, fishing one of the Wano flasks out of its water bath and offering it up.

“Yeah, let’s hear it!” Buggy said, pouring a cup for Shanks, then handing over the flask so Shanks could do the same for him.  “I don’t know about Shanks but I haven’t heard anything from Zou in years, I’m dying to hear what those two have gotten up to.”

Closing his eyes, Buggy took a sip of the warmed Wano sake, not knowing Shanks was doing the same thing at the same time.  They set down their cups and sighed in unpracticed unison.  Suddenly aware of their double act, Buggy scowled at Shanks, who ignored him and made an encouraging gesture to their chef.  “Please, go ahead. I’d love to hear news of Dogstorm and Cat Viper.”

A sad expression washed over the gorilla’s face.  “I’m afraid I can only give you news of Duke Dogstorm.”  At the looks on his guests’ faces, the gorilla threw out a hand and said, “Not to say—please don’t misunderstand! Lord Cat Viper still lives! It’s just that I have not met with him since he and Duke Dogstorm first returned to Zou.  They... keep separate courts, and hours, and my service has always been to the day.”

A wrinkle appeared in Shanks’ brow.  “They don’t talk anymore?”

“It always turns into a fight.  Often one with devastating consequences for their surroundings.”

Buggy frowned.  That didn’t sound right.  Well, not the destruction—that sounded like those two—but fighting so badly they couldn’t even share waking hours... “What happened?”

The gorilla sighed.  “As I understand it?  Kozuki Oden died, and neither could forgive the other for failing to save him.”  A moment later, he gave Buggy a concerned look.  “Oh, are you hurt?”

Buggy blinked.  Staring down at his hands, he realized he’d snapped his chopsticks in half.  “I... no, I’m okay.”  The gorilla carefully plucked the broken shards of wood out of Buggy’s grasp, along with a splinter or two that had tried to wedge their way into his palms.  Thankfully the Chop-Chop fruit could handle any kind of stabbing, from needles up to legendary meito, so Buggy really was fine.

While the gorilla disposed of the pieces of wood, Buggy clenched his jaw, feeling Shanks’ eyes on him.  “I can hear you thinking.”

“…it makes sense,” he said quietly.  “What else could come between those two but the loss of someone who was as important to them as Oden?”

Buggy shot Shanks a narrow look out of the corner of his eye.  “Pretty sure I told you this morning that I was done talking about sad shit,” he warned, and Shanks raised his hand in a placating gesture.  The gorilla confirmed that Buggy wasn’t hurt, pointed out the extra chopsticks sitting in a cup to his left, and at their insistence told his story while they returned to their meal.

Dogstorm’s court sounded like a sight worth seeing.  Minks of countless animal forms, musketeers and attendants! To think Oden’s retainer had retainers of his own now!  And to think that he acted like a guy with such noble dignity, after the way he used to behave.

As the gorilla reached the end of his story—having made the closest thing to oden as could be produced with ingredients native to Zou, with Dogstorm pleased by the effort but quietly unsatisfied by the taste, the gorilla had left the court making a vow to learn the secrets of the oden-preparing arts, promising not to return until he was confident he would be able to put a true smile on the duke’s face—Buggy nudged Shanks in the side.  He glanced at Buggy, a half-eaten skewer of fishcakes sticking out of the corner of his mouth.

“Can you believe,” Buggy said with a shit-eating grin, “that the noble, wounded Dogstorm this guy is talking about is the same one who tarred and feathered Mr. Rayleigh?”

Shanks nearly choked before starting to laugh.  “How did I forget about that?!”

“I’m sorry, Duke Dogstorm did what?” the gorilla said incredulously, staring between the two of them.

“Wait, wait,” Shanks said, before Buggy could start to tell the story.  “If we’re sharing stories of mutual friends, you have to share a drink with us too.”  He grabbed a clean cup from a stack to one side and handed it over to the mink.  Shanks gave Buggy a pleading look, and with a magnanimous smirk Buggy chop-chopped a hand to swipe another sake flask from the water bath and pour for both of them.  “So—”

“Don’t you tell it!” Buggy snapped.  With a grin and a wave of his hand, Shanks metaphorically turned over the reins to Buggy, and took the opportunity to return to his sake and his meal.  “So,” Buggy said to the mink, “the first thing you need to understand about Dogstorm and Cat Viper is that they acted like respectful little attendants when Oden was around, but when it was just the four of us?”  Glancing at Shanks, who was grinning around the skewer in his mouth, Buggy cackled.  “They were just as bad as we were.”

Buggy went on to describe the prank in loving detail, alternating bites of fishcake with the reactions of the crew (mostly hysteria, especially from Roger) and the multiple attempts to blame the prank on someone else (Dogstorm nearly succeeded in pinning it all on Buggy, but forgot himself and corrected Rayleigh on where the tar had come from).  Shanks followed this up with a reminder of another time the four of them had been absolute nightmares to the crew of the Oro Jackson, and the story Buggy told about that day brought their host to literal tears of laughter.

They went around like this for over an hour, topping off their bowls and drinks all the while, recalling old times with the golden burnish of nostalgia softening the edges, easing the hurts and offenses of youth.  Gradually, the last of the fear Buggy had been clinging to all day faded.  It was hard to think that your childhood dread mattered much when looked at from so far off, in so fond a way. It was easy to smile at someone who so readily smiled back.

Eventually the broth pooling at the bottom of their bowls grew cold, and the flasks of sake they’d bought ran dry.  Not a soul had tried to enter the yatai while they were present, and Buggy felt a fleeting burst of pity for the gorilla’s business… until he saw how well Shanks tipped. With a light heart, Buggy waved a slightly drunken farewell to the mink—he’d paced himself pretty well, but a half-dozen bottles of sake split between two men were still going to have an effect—and ducked back out into the wider world.

The air outside was not exactly cold, but it lacked the cozy warmth of the oden-ya’s atmosphere.  It set something within Buggy out of alignment—or maybe back into place?  He stood just outside the noren with a hand pressed to his chest, trying to place the feeling, when Shanks made his own exit and nearly ran into him.

The proximity of Shanks at his back, with the last traces of that soup-warmed air drifting in his wake, sent a burst of longing down Buggy’s spine so intense his knees went weak.

Shanks’ hand went to his shoulder.  “Careful,” Shanks said, hoisting Buggy fully upright, the flat of his arm firm along the breadth of his back.  “You alright, Buggy?”

Fuck.  Even though it was the wrong arm, something about Shanks putting an arm over Buggy’s shoulder made his stomach flip and his heart kick into high gear.  Stupid, loyal organs didn’t have the sense Buggy’s brain had been given, to recognize that feeling feelings for Shanks was a very bad idea.

“Fine,” Buggy croaked out, taking a few careful steps away from Shanks to confirm he was steady enough to make that lie truth.  He shook himself off.

“Your tolerance not what it used to be?” Shanks teased.

“My tolerance is normal,” Buggy insisted, not looking back at Shanks.  “Yours, on the other hand...”

“Yeah, unlike you I’m actually fine,” Shanks said, picking up his pace to match Buggy’s stride.  Glancing around, his back straightened involuntarily with recognition.  Nudging Buggy’s shoulder with his own, he said, “Here, there’s a park nearby where we won’t be bothered.  We can sit down, let you sober up a little before heading back to the ship.”

Buggy drifted in Shanks’ wake on some old instinct.  It was only mid-afternoon.  “There wasn’t anything else you wanted to do?”

Shanks glanced at Buggy over his shoulder.  “What?”

“I dunno, some... sight you thought I should see, or a shop you like or something?”

Shanks blinked.  “Buggy, I’ve never been to this island before. I asked the locals for recommendations yesterday so I could have a good time with you.”

Buggy’s face went hot.  “You—stop saying shit like that!  Don’t you know how that sounds?”

“How it sounds?” Shanks echoed. He led Buggy through a tall, metal gate, into a walled-off plot of land with very little to it, just rock-paved paths, plaques underneath oddly colored trees, and the occasional bench.  Closing the gate behind them, he spun on Buggy.  “How does it sound?”

Buggy scowled and stormed past him.  Like Shanks didn’t know.

“If it sounds like I’ve missed you—well, sorry, Buggy, but I have.  I thought I’d been pretty obvious about that.”  When Buggy turned an incredulous look on Shanks, the corner of his mouth turned up, amused.  “Obvious to everyone but you, I guess.”

“You—you didn’t miss me,” Buggy said, insistent.  “You missed—” he gestured vaguely between the two of them. “—someone knowing you, without you having to say anything.  You missed having a history with someone.”

Shanks shook his head.  “I would love to see many people from back then again, but I’ve never missed any of them like I did you.”

“Oh, come on!” Buggy spat, “what was there to miss?  A greedy little brat who couldn’t decide if he hated you more than he was jealous of you?  A coward who ran and hid from every fight?”  The memory of Shanks leaning in close, a hand on his face, shot through Buggy.  Resisting another stab of longing, he blurted out, “Some stranger’s pretty face?”

“I missed my best—” Shanks’ face screwed up in confusion.  “A pretty face?”

Buggy hadn’t meant to say that.  He grimaced.  “You know.”  Swiping a hand across his face, he chop-chopped his nose off for a moment, hiding the gap behind his free hand.  “This one, that you liked so much that time.”

Understanding lit up Shanks’ face.  “Oh, the gorgeous stranger with stunning eyes.”  A sheepish expression coming over him, Shanks looked away, askance.  “Can I tell you something embarrassing?”

Buggy blinked.  Not the response he’d expected.  “Uh, sure?”

“I only thought those eyes were so stunning because they reminded me of yours.”

Buggy’s jaw dropped.  “The hell they did!”

“They did!”  Shoving his hand over his eyes, Shanks smiled self-consciously.  “Oh, I felt so ridiculous later.  That poor guy, I thought, was deserving of more than my secondhand affections.”  Dropping his hand to look at Buggy, he said, “Though that’s nothing compared to how ridiculous I felt the other day.”

Buggy swallowed, mouth dry.

“I’m sorry, Buggy,” Shanks said after a long, silent moment.  “If I’d known it was you, I wouldn’t have kissed you like that.”

Buggy blinked.

Well.  Of course he wouldn’t have.  That went without saying.

He stepped back.  “I know that.”

“You do?”  Shanks frowned.  “I… good.”  Shoulders hunched, he turned to peer down at a plaque mounted beneath a pink-leafed bush.  “That’s good.  I don’t want there to be any more misunderstandings between us.”

“What’s there to misunderstand?”  Buggy spotted a bench and sat down.  He immediately felt clearer-headed.  Maybe Shanks was right about his tolerance.  “I get it.  You kiss strangers, not old friends.”

Shanks paused mid-step.  “Are you…” He spun to frown at Buggy.  “Are you deliberately misunderstanding me?”

“Hm?”  Buggy had just gotten comfortable, hiking one knee over the bench’s arm.  What was Shanks talking about now?

“Buggy.”

Buggy craned his head back to look up at Shanks.  He looked tall from this angle, and taller still when he leaned over Buggy, resting his hand on the back of the bench.  Shanks’ expression was unreadable, but intense.  Buggy’s mouth felt dry again.  Oh, this was bad.

“I was not apologizing for kissing you.  I was apologizing for kissing you wrong.”

“Kissing me wrong?” Buggy echoed bewilderedly.

“If I’d known that stranger was you, I still would have kissed you, if you’d let me,” Shanks said bluntly.  “I’d kiss you now, if you’d let me.  But it wouldn’t be like that kiss, it would be different.”

Buggy blinked, dumbfounded.

Shanks… wanted to kiss him.

Not the stranger he’d taken him for back then, but Buggy himself.

Had wanted to kiss Buggy then.

Still wanted to kiss Buggy now.

Would kiss him in a different way from a stranger.

“Different how?” Buggy croaked out.

For a long, agonizing moment, Shanks stared blankly at Buggy.  A furious heat rushed into Buggy’s face—there was no way to take a sentence like that back.  He couldn’t pretend it was simple curiosity.  He couldn’t pretend he wasn’t eager to be kissed.

Slowly, Shanks grinned, infuriatingly smug.  “Would you like me to show you?”