#i'd go as daria

[icarus-suraki]

I had an idea.

As much as I want to dress extravagantly for Halloween (full on Victorian Goth!!), I do still have to do my job.

So what if I get out my genuine, vintage 90s clothes and get my Grunge on (again)? Good idea? Bad idea?

I could put my feet (in my fake Docs) up on my desk and put my disaffected face on and drink coffee all day. Just pretend that I was born about 5 or 10 years before I was and be a Gen-Xer for Halloween.

Gen X: the key is under the mat and the pain is under the smirk.

[annabelle--cane]

I'm not sure at this point whether I'd categorize the paranormal in this universe as being desire based exactly, but there seems to be a repeating theme of, sort of, giving people what they want.

harriet wanted arthur back, and hey, she got. at least some of him. ink5oul gave daria exactly what she wanted, a way to make herself "perfect." the stranger on the side of the road gave the violinist exactly what he wanted, a beautiful violin that he used to climb the social ladder. tom the horror blogger was searching and searching for a film that could finally make him feel afraid again, and he sure got it. dianne margolis felt a bit abandoned and really wanted more staff, and hey presto there they were. this dice guy fashioned himself as a mysterious purveyor of curses and fortunes, reminding me a lot of the violinist's stranger in magp 04 who said that "a stroke of luck" was in order.

this extends to the meta plot as well. gwen wants lena's job and she gets a mysterious email with the perfect blackmail material. celia spitballs about searching cases about being buried alive and she's given one where the case subject is almost crushed to death. sam wants to pursue the magnus institute and the software keeps randomly giving him just the clues he needs to continue.

this doesn't hold up for every case, I don't see wishes being granted as directly for redcanary, dr webber, needles, or terrance stevens, but nonetheless it is making me go hmm. something about wants, obsessions, not leaving well enough alone? with the exception of needles, I think there have been concrete moments where all of our case subjects so far could have stopped, and they know they probably should have, but then they kept going and/or did something a little extra and royally screwed themselves as a result.

[saintbleeding]

i don't think those are the whole and intact jon, martin, or jonah* in there

here's why

so before i get into this i need to mention that the ideas im riffing on here came from a conversation with @bigmilkagenda who is smart and brilliant and beautiful.

but i was thinking, and what do the existing accounts we've heard have in common? obviously, there are different degrees to which and ways in which these ideas are engaged with between each account, but extremely broadly:

we have ideas of the irreversible alteration or corruption of the physical form, and how that does and does not correlate with personhood and the self. specifically, how do these physical changes intersect with identity, and at which point can someone be said not to be there, themselves, anymore?

"some of him"?

i think it's safe to assume that redcanary, inasmuch as they were a mischievous little urbex enthusiast, cannot and will not be returning in the form that they left, if indeed they return at all

daria, though they are willingly engaging in the process of change and transformation, also doesn't have full control over the process, nor the results, if their preference not to be seen on camera is any indication

dr webber... well. gestures vaguely at the all of that.

there's another common theme amongst these, to me: there are varying degrees of suggestion of a judgmental observer, or a more general but prominent idea of seeing and perception. the subject of the first case (who i'd heard fandom ppl calling harry but who the official and unofficial transcripts both refer to as harriet, but that's not my point rn, just a thing i noticed) obviously experiences the horror of what they go through because, mostly, of the visuals of it.

the fuckin magnus institute.

daria's experience both with ink5oul's assessment of them and the whole livestream experience (which is chilling tbqh)

the increasing suggestion thru dr webber's journal that maddie is very much there (to him) and overseeing what is happening to him, appraising, if not judging directly.

so we've got a joint idea of loss of one's physical structural integrity/questions of both mortality and identity, and we've got an idea of perception and sight.

here's where i need to make a logical leap, but essentially, this thematic focus is making me think that there is something Less Than JMJ in the system (ghosts in the machine as it were), but that, if and when that's examined, it will not lessen the impact and poignancy of what they're experiencing, what they're capable of thinking or feeling, etc.

*i think it's equally possible, at least at this juncture, that J.02 isn't necessarily Literally Jonah Magnus: the wiki says that james wright "died" in 1996, and although that doesn't correspond directly with the institute's fire in 1999, it's possible that things progressed differently in this universe, and maybe he was the director of the institute at the time. but also this is much more speculative than my other points, i just think it would be neat!!!

[stupid-sloot-headcanons]

Amai Mask/F!Darling: Lucky (1/)

If you were anyone else, you'd be wondering how you were fortunate enough to spend most of your life in Amai Mask's penthouse. I mean, he's at the top of every "Top 10" list for Heroes, pop stars, models, and singers. Bad lighting doesn't exist for him. And his body looks like it was carved from marble. He had so many fans that would kill to live with him.

And yet, the "lucky" one was you, and all because you had the gall to criticize him. To refuse him.

You were dragged to a dumb concert by a friend who'd won two tickets, and you had the nerve to open your fat mouth while waiting in the backstage line. That was the crime that warranted you being kidnapped, imprisoned, and hurt in ways you never imagined.

"Look, I have celebrities I crush on that you don't think are attractive, and this guy is yours," you'd said diplomatically. "I just don't get the appeal of a guy who's so dedicated to a facade that he named himself after it."

"Oh, come on," your friend groaned. "His name is about his appearance! Like, he looks so sweet, but it's a mask to hide how badass he is and how violent he gets with monsters."

"Yeah, I'm sure he can punch monsters real good," you replied sarcastically. "Plenty of Heroes punch monsters without turning their job as a civil servant into an entertainment career. Doesn't that make you feel...weird? It's like if a K-Pop idol was also in the milit--"

"Compulsory service is a thing in South Korea," your friend quipped.

You crossed your arms. "Okay, bad example. Imagine if a K-Pop idol was a firefighter, or a cop, or a fed. Which he is, technically."

"Gawd, I'd kill to see him in a uniform," she sighed. "Can you imagine? Holding those cuffs..."

"I'm sure the guy who beats criminal Monsters to death would show restraint and use nonlethal force like handcuffs. Well, if you're a human, he probably would. Though if you're not hot by typical standards I could see him being rough, just because you're not quite as human as the Pretty People."

"You say that like it's a bad thing. Getting roughed up by him after he cuffs me? The crime rate would go wayyy up just for people dying to get that chance~"

You rolled your eyes. "Can anyone in this line explain to me how this guy is hot in a way that's totally distinct from every other idol? Apart from the fact that he has a different serial number from the others that came from the same entertainment industry factory?"

"Okay, Daria," your friend said with a smirk. "Just because you're too good to be into idols doesn't mean we aren't."

"I'm fine with idols, just not ones like...him," you retorted. "Either be an entertainer or be an enforcer of the government. I'm not a conspiracy theorist but with his influence, he could get away with all sorts of dirty shit. And he's probably done way worse than the typical police brutality against Monsters." You crinkled your nose at the countless posters, CDs, t-shirts, figures, all bearing his aesthetically perfect and boringly pretty face. "He just seems so hollow, you know? I almost feel bad for him."

Your friend snorted. "You sure sound like it."

"Look, let's say for the sake of argument that he is using a persona all the time. He's an agent of the federal government AND an idol, both being industries that exploit the shit out of everyone inside. And he's so stuck inside that he can never express any genuine emotion that doesn't look good. Imagine not being able to feel or express shit that everyone else on the planet gets to: you can't feel anything without immediately wondering what you look like and adjusting so you don't look ugly while you feel it."

"So you're saying he self-monitors as much as your average woman?"

"In a Naomi Wolf sort of way, yes," you replied with a smirk. "Even if the guy is annoying, I also feel bad for him if that's how he lives. Imagine having such a complex that you think being ugly is the worst thing in the world. I'm not a prize, but your average ugly person probably hates themselves way less than he does when he's alone." You felt a smile creep up on your face. "Wouldn't it be the dumbest and most delicious bit of irony if he hated Monsters so much because they don't hide their ugliness as well as he does? Like a Japanese Gaston."

Your friend pouted. "Aww...you're just making me love him even more. Maybe he just needs someone to see the real him and help him love the real him. Someone who's an armchair psychologist like you!

"And now, the Armchair Psychologist is noting that we've moved to the classic I Can Fix Him route. My non-professional advice is to just ogle him with detachment and not think too much, lest you get too depressed and ruin the relationship between fan and idol-cop on a pedestal. No guy is worth it, especially him." You suddenly hear a chorus of screaming around you that makes you wince. "Goddammit! He isn't worth this tinnitus either!"

Your friend giddily jumped up and down to get a better look at Amai Mask waving as the line started to move again. "I beg to differ," she sang. "Ooh, he put his hair up in a little man-bun!"

Amai Mask took the mint-infused water bottle that an assistant had given him with a smile; once they'd turned around to scurry to the next task, he dropped it immediately and sipped it. Just two more hours and he could go home and rest for a bit before meeting with his management crew to plan everything for next month: tours, photoshoots, a briefing with the other Top-Ranked Heroes at the Association...

He sighed and dabbed at the bit of sweat forming on his brow with his neck towel. He loved pleasing his fans with an appearance, but even he needed to rest sometimes.

"Five minutes," his manager warned. "You need anything before you head back out there? I can push it back if you want hair and makeup to pop in."

Amai shook his head and set down the water bottle to put his hair up into a loose bun, carefully letting a few pieces fall to frame his cheekbones. "No, just this," he replied, frowning at his manager. "You should know by now that I don't like that level of prep for autograph signings. They want something intimate and personal, something casual." He applied a bit of tinted lip balm to complete the look. "This should be perfect."

"When are you not?" His manager smirked and checked his watch. "See you out there."

Amai heard him walk off and leaned against the barrier separating the queue from the behind-the-scenes area, closing his eyes. For a man as busy as him, these brief little moments during the day were the closest he got to relax when he had a tight schedule. Plus, the chatter of people made for a nice background noise.

"I've streamed his new album, like, a zillion times--"

"Did you see the pics of him from that charity gala? His suit was so--"

"Is it too much if I ask him to sign my dakimakura?"

He covered his mouth to hide how his face crinkled as he snorted. That wasn't even the weirdest thing he'd signed this month from a fan.

"I just don't get the appeal of a guy who's so dedicated to a facade that he named himself after it."

He raised an eyebrow. Someone like that was at one of his events? Normally he heard these things from random drama videos or read them online. The more vitriolic, the funnier it was to see how much they seethed over his success and talent. Hearing it in person wasn't that rare, but it was a small surprise; normally they didn't pay for his concert tickets.

He heard a woman next to them speak up in his defense, obviously a fan. Ah, he understood it now--the first voice was someone dragged here by a friend. He tried to imagine what the two of them looked like: the fan dressed in a concert t-shirt, maybe some merch as accessories, and the cynic in drab shapeless clothing, maybe a shirt depicting a musician they thought was sooo much deeper than his music. A wardrobe that came out of thrift stores and secondhand shops, complete with an imaginary pat on the back for being oh-so ethical in their nonexistent fashion.

The more they talked though, the more he was dragged out of his little 5-minute meditation. The background noise of the others melted away as he found himself focusing on what these two were saying. It was annoying, but nothing he hadn't heard before from his critics.

"He just seems so hollow, you know? I almost feel bad for him."

His eyes shot open. Suddenly he found himself staring at the mirror he'd just used to put his hair up. Every other jab stung, but just barely. Why was he even listening to this nobody? They were pretending to feel bad for him, just as hypocritical as they said he was. He took another sip of water and massaged his temples when he noticed he was narrowing his eyes into near-slits in the mirror. Shit, he didn't want to look wrinkled and stressed during the signing. He had some eye cream in his bag; he just needs to ignore them, dab this on, and relax for the rest of his--

"He's so stuck inside that he can never express any genuine emotion that doesn't look good."

The hand that was reaching for his bag's zipper froze. He bit his tongue and felt a pulsing in his temples. Shit. SHIT. If he felt that, then that meant--

He willed himself to look into the mirror and fought the urge to vomit as he saw a small vein starting to rise next to his left eyebrow. This stupid, ignorant bitch was actually getting to him. Why? Why? He can just ignore them.

"I also feel bad for him if that's how he lives. Imagine having such a complex that you think being ugly is the worst thing in the world. I'm not a prize, but your average ugly person probably hates themselves way less than he does when he's alone."

He had to clench his fists to keep from punching through the barrier and crushing their skull to shut them up. Someone like this had NO right to feel pity for HIM. No shit, they weren't a prize. Being ugly on the outside and inside, and that smugness, that audacity to pretend they feel bad for him--HIM, their better in every possible way?

"Wouldn't it be the dumbest and most delicious bit of irony if he hated Monsters so much because they don't hide their ugliness as well as he does?"

His hands tightened to the point that he felt like his bones were about to pop through his skin. The pulsing in his temples was unbearable, but he couldn't bear to look in the mirror to see how bad the vein had gotten. He had to get away from them. He had to shut them out, to be better and ignore them. He took another swig of his drink and headed back to where he'd left the signing table, massaging his temples with a bit of medicated cold-pressed cream. Soon he felt the pulsing subside, and after a few minutes of breathing, he was back to normal.

He came out again and felt a wave of comfort as he heard his fans screaming for him. This was his comfort zone, exactly where he was supposed to be. He was in his element. That little worm was in his world, and while he had to fight the urge to scan the crowd for them, he suppressed a chuckle at the thought of them feeling so out of place and uncomfortable among the throngs of screeching fans surrounding them.

"Thank you for waiting," he said with a warm smile. "Sorry for the long break, but I can't wait to meet the rest of you all!"

Another round of screams rang out as he settled into his chair and chatted mindless pleasantries and feigned intimacy with the fans at the front of the line, signing things so quickly and expertly as if his hand had a mind of its own. As the line progressed, he tried to listen for the voices of that particular duo to see if his image of that nobody were accurate.

When he spied a woman in a t-shirt from last year's concert standing next to a more subdued one in a flavorless top and jacket, he knew he'd found them. Once they finally reached the front of the line, he made sure to give the fan a sweet smile and take their hand as they handed him a film poster with shaking fingers. "Thank you so much for coming," he said kindly. "Ooh, this poster takes me back. I had a lot of fun filming this one. What's your name?"

"You touched my wrist," the fan whispered. She shook her head. "I mean, uh, that's not my name. Not Wrist. It's, um...oh God, uh--"

"Shizuka," the Cynic interjected. "Her name is Shizuka."

The fan nodded eagerly. "Yep! That's it."

Amai Mask smiled and signed the poster. "So, did you enjoy the concert, Shizuka?"

"Ohmygod-you-said-my-name--I, um, yes! I went to one last year but this set had all my favorite songs, and it was just so...Wow! You're a natural onstage, like...a real showman, you know?"

"People say that a lot," he replied with a hint of feigned humility. "I'm just grateful that what I'm good at coincides with my job. I love performing for everyone, especially fans like you that tell me how you enjoyed it."

The Cynic struggled to roll her eyes as her friend fawned over him. He turned his gaze to them and smiled, holding his pen up. "Did you have something for me too, Miss...?"

"____. And no thanks," she replied awkwardly. "I just came with her since she won an extra ticket. But like she said, you're a uh...real showman." She tried to sound somewhat enthused, but she wasn't as good an actor as he was. "You must have down a couple litres of water in between songs with everything you do up there. I was exhausted just watching you do your thing up there!"

More false concern and acting like she's so cool and detached. He let out a small chuckle. "I like to think I get energy from my fans, but the water and electrolyte drinks in between sets help too." His golden eyes shone strangely for a moment. "I do feel bad that you came all this way and waited in line just to walk away with nothing special, though."

He stood up and to the delighted and surprised screams of the crowd (and Shizuka), he took out his phone and handed it to his assistant before putting an arm over each of the duo while he posed in the middle with a dazzling smile. The assistant snapped several pictures and immediately chose the best looking ones to post to Amai Mask's promotional account for his concert tour. "Once you see this online, could you comment on the post and let me know you saw it? That way I'll know your usernames!"

Shizuka nodded furiously, trying not to cry too hard from joy as she felt Amai Mask's hand on her shoulder and imagined how perfect they would look in a picture together side-by-side. ____ felt Amai Mask tilt his head and whisper something into her ear that made her blood run cold.

"Thanks for coming, Armchair Psychologist."

[loraluna]

Rating Rune Factory Wedding Dresses (Because I have some opinions)

Rune Factory (1)

10/10

I honestly think this dress is top tier in terms of design. The snowy white with pops of color, the scalloped flowy sleeves, the barely exposed shoulders, that lovely subtle headdress and veil, it's all so pretty and elegant to me. I believe it suits all the girls in RF1 beautifully, though I do feel like Tabatha (center) and Rosetta (right) are standouts~

Rune Factory 2

6/10

It's a very lovely design overall though I do think it creates a bit of an odd silhouette. There are still many elements to appreciate, like the lacey detailed edges and the bold but uncommon use of green. I also give them bonus points for containing a dress sprite of he/him character Ray (right) in the game's data (Trans RF character confirmed?) I think the dress best suits curvier girls like Yue (left) but it's also a real treat to finally see Dorothy's (center) lovely eyes~

Rune Factory Frontier

2/10

This dress really doesn't do it for me. I can tell they were going for more of a ceremonial robes vibe rather than a traditional wedding dress and from a distance it almost works but the outfit up close is just bulky and unflattering. Maybe if they fixed the headdress or gave the robe some really pretty accents or beading it could work, but as it is, it's probably the last thing I'd wanna be virtually married in. The one thing I do like is that it gives most of the girls a unique updo for their wedding day.

Rune Factory 3/RF3 Special

3/10

This used to be my least favorite RF wedding dress before that honor went to Frontier. The more I look at it, the more I realize that most of my disdain lies with the headdress and not the dress itself. The actual dress is fine, in fact there are some parts I really like, the sheer material on the upper arms for one, or the shawl, I just don't think it particularly looks like a wedding dress. That headdress though...oh boy, it looks like someone just glued a bunch of random sh*t they found to a headband and called it a day. It's just very cluttered and doesn't scream 'wedding' at all. If I have to pick a stand out it would probably be Raven (center) since her pose and hair color hide many of the design fails. Also Daria (right) because it seems like the sort of chaotic outfit she, herself would design.

Rune Factory Tides of Destiny/Oceans

5/10

This game didn't get the usual character portraits so the images aren't great, but my opinion on these dresses was very so-so, I definitely wouldn't call them ugly, and I do love the colors and rare use of a real bouquet, they just didn't seem to stand out all that much. Especially in terms of RF costumes. They seem a little bulky on the models but I honestly think they could have fixed that by just having character portraits. Not bad. Not great. Just middle of the road dresses. As standouts I'd pick Sonja and Electra (left and center). Their hair colors complement the dress and Electra is already suited to the poofy ballgown look anyway.

Rune Factory 4/RF4 Special

8/10

RF4's dress has a very ethereal, almost fairy-like look to it, which I personally find very gorgeous. It's pretty busy like many of the previous dresses, but unlike those, I feel like the elements here actually work together. The long flowy veil and blue rose accents are just beautiful, as is the detailed corset and neckpiece making up the torso. I'm not personally a huge fan of the flower petal looking design on the hips, but it does fit well with the whole aesthetic. As for standouts, It looks tailor made for Frey (left), but I definitely think taller, long haired girls like Dolce and Margaret (center and right) look amazing in it as well.

Rune Factory 5

9/10

I think this dress is beautiful as a whole, a bit more traditional and subdued than previous wedding outfits but personally I love it. The silhouette is flattering on everyone and the color scheme is unique among the other dresses by sticking with only warmer colors as opposed to the cool blues and greens of past games. I also love how the tint of the roses changes slightly depending on who's wearing the dress. All in all it reminds me a lot of the subtle elegance of RF1's dress and that makes it a win for me. For standouts I think Fukka's (center) complexion and hair go beautifully with the dresses colors. Ludmilla (right) also looks divine with the rosy aesthetic~

What's your favorite wedding look from the RF series? Who wore it best? Comment or tag if you feel like dishing some opinions of your own (Or just answer my poll ;)

[trivialbob]

During our vacation Sheila hired a guide to take us to really local places to try some food and drink. Ours was a walking tour. Golf cart and bike tours are available too. Next year I want to try the bike version.

We started the evening taking a taxi from our place at the north end of Isla Mujeres to the La Gloria neighborhood. We met up with our guide, Jose.

(much more after the cut)

First stop: Dessert! Jose explained that people were getting too full by the end of the tours and skipping dessert. So now he likes to start with that. I don't like sweets and desserts a lot, so this was definitely the way for me to eat some -- on an empty stomach.

We entered a small courtyard in front of a home. There was a stove and griddle and one four-top table under a tin roof. Our hosts served us flan. It was excellent. This is probably the first time I've finished any dessert in years.

Second stop: This was at a food cart parked in the street. A handwritten sign said "Hay Tamales," which I think means "Here are tamales."

We were served elote, a Mexican street corn salad. The portion was decent-sized and the elote was like comfort food. Had Sheila or I made this at home, it would be the sort of thing I would have left on the stove so I could snack on it all night long.

Had there not been five local people waiting in line, I probably would have broken open the foam cup to lick the bottom after I'd spooned out everything else.

Third stop: Panaderia Emmanuel Bakery. Jose explained that Mexican bakeries are open in the evening, unlike the American ones that open early in the morning. We had our choice of various fresh buns, donuts, and pastries. Sheila and I each selected an item. They were tasty and large. Thank goodness we were able to take home what we couldn't eat. Had we finished the bakery items, we would have been too full to go to the next four stops. (Here is the bakery in a Google Maps picture.)

Fourth stop: This was at a small, outdoor kitchen under a canvas roof. Two women were cooking food. We were served pork carnitas on a fresh bakery roll. I really liked this place. The sandwich was huge, and for real I started to wonder if I could keep eating at the remaining sites. I brought home half of the carnitas that night.

Fifth stop: We entered a small, private bar. It was beautiful inside; my phone just didn't capture a decent shot of it. The pandemic killed business here. The place now is open only for small, special events.

We were here for a mezcal tasting. First we sipped Fandango, accompanied by lime and salt. I loved it. Next we sampled some house mezcal, infused with honey, vanilla, and cinnamon. Here's where things get more interesting. We drank this one with some pinches of a mixture of black pepper, salt, and crickets.

Some might think eating crickets would require a healthy dose of mezcal first. But our drink portions weren't of a size that could make me abandon all caution and agree to something like bungee jumping or swimming with great white sharks. Sheila and I didn't hesitate to try the black, powdery mix.

I would have been fine ending the tour right here, assuming I could keep drinking mezcal with the sides, including the non-vegan one.

Sixth stop: This was at a small, yet traditional bar and restaurant named Chile & maíz. The night we did our tour was the start of Carnival. Many people had gone to the north end of the island for the celebration, leaving this restaurant empty for the evening.

The cook prepared for us chicken tinga sopes. Could the food keep getting better that night? So far, yes. The chicken stew on a fried tortilla was delicious. And filling. Sheila and I got a to-go box for some of it.

Apparently Chile & maíz is fairly new. I checked Google Maps to get a daylight picture (below). The logs that will eventually support a sloped roof are visible, but nothing else indicating a restaurant is being constructed. What we saw last night was very well done.

Seventh stop: Jose brought us to Daria's Delivery. The chef is staring up a new business. So far it is a kitchen on the second floor of a building. There is a commercial cook top, a table with four chairs, and one green bird in a birdcage. As we entered, the chef's adorable young daughter (maybe 4-years-old) came out from the living quarters right behind the table and greeted us with a big smile.

Our final dish of the night was chile relleno which is one of my favorite Mexican foods. Daria's didn't let me down. Very tasty.

During the tour we got to know more about Jose, his restaurant experiences, and his family. At the end he walked with us for a bit. He explained how the food tour supports the local cooks.

The tour was really fun because there's no way at all Sheila and I would have found all these small places on our own. It's not like they all had neon signs.

We ended up quite full. Walking around the La Gloria neighborhood helped burn off a few of those calories. I'm sure I'll return to Isla at some time, and this will be on my to-do list.

[pray-montana]

As someone who is also a despicable me fan I’d love to hear some headcannons for Valentina (as someone who struggles with making headcannons I’d like to hear some from another persons view)

Thank you very much for your question. I couldn’t even imagine that someone would be interested in my opinion about the DM characters!

Unfortunately, the summary about Valentina is quite vague, but this has its advantages. So the field for thought becomes much wider ✍️✍️✍️

I'd like to start by saying that Valentina is an ally, but also independent of Maxime and his views on villainy (not like Harley and Joker.) This makes her not only a modern woman but also a strong character if the writers aren't lazy. It’s a pity that her summary and explanations contain no specific facts, other than the fact that she is cool and a proponent of a healthy lifestyle💀

• I think that in her relationship with Maxime, she is the voice of reason. Even if he believes that he's the head of the family, he makes the final decisions after considering her reasonable arguments. She's able not only to convince Maxime, but also to cheer him up in the worst times, even if it doesn’t seem so at first.

• Compared to Maxime's bright appearance and eccentric behavior, she silently shows who is trash here.

• She, unlike Maxime, is a perfect pilot of their giant ship. Plus, judging by her emotions in some of the shots, she really enjoys it! In this, I understand her 🏎️💨

• Sofía Vergara claimed that Valentina's arrogant personality also concealed a soft side. I believe that this side is personified in her dog, who, in contrast, looks very friendly. At first I even thought that it would be better for them to even swap pets with Poppy.

• I think she was that rich straight-A student in high school. BUT! It wasn't for nothing that she was considered the coolest girl at the Lycée. She looks very intelligent, reserved, and calculating, which is perfect for a villain. C'mon, she got her boyfriend out of jail?!?!?

• She has a whole ritual of preparing for going out, from beauty procedures to choosing outfits and combing her pet's hair. But Maxime still gets ready longer, even though he has half as much to do.

• Valentina looks like a trendsetter. She probably has a whole collection of branded shoes, handbags and other luxury items.

• Valentina is SINCERE in her relationship with Maxime. Have you seen the shot of her smiling enthusiastically when he shows her his invention? God, I want to wish this dynamic for everyone who wants to find a healthy relationship.

• I'm convinced that she knows a lot about humor, and in a way that not everyone will understand: Valentina will joke with the same serious face and voice as usual. You just need to listen to the words. (Perhaps her vibe is somewhat reminiscent of Daria series?)

• I think she actually doesn't treat Gru badly and may even enlist his help in the film. At the meeting, she simply doesn't care about Gru and everyone else. But she'll only help to take revenge for the sake of Maxime... as long as it's sounds like a good idea

• I think that before her relationship with Maxime, Val was disdainful of insects. However, she then worked through the issue and became neutral with it. By the way, she vibes like a dragonfly, don’t you agree?

• Val had to get used to the fact that her partner was special not only in personality but also... Well, in general, at the moment she has no problems with Maxime's features. Great message about accepting other people. I respect that!

• She may be soft on the inside, but she doesn’t act like she’s being overly cute. She looks like an adult woman and shows gentleness, attention, and care like an adult too.

• She often has to save Maxime from trouble, even from the stupidest ones, like a flytrap. But it doesn't annoy her at all🤲

• I am convinced that Valentina was the one who instilled self-confidence in Maxime and offered him a way to present himself, based on his hidden qualities!

In any case, I am sure that the relationship between Valentina and Maxime will be harmonious not only within the framework of being villains, but also as ordinary people. They don't look like people I'd want to wish bad things upon.

[jungle-angel]

My dearest Mary🥰 I hope you‘re having a good weekend so far?

If you‘re still taking requests for the spring prompts, may I ask for nr. 19 and/or 35 with hannix🫶🏻?

Daria my sweet, of course!!!! I'm always taking the requests any time of the year!!!!!

Jake and Natasha were relieved that it was finally warm enough to get some work done on the house. The grass was already fully green, the trees in full bloom and the garden coming together. This place had been the best little find of their lives, a place secluded away in the mountains and far from the prying eyes of the suburbs. The rest of the Daggers had found their own places close by, preparing their own homes for spring and the summer that was to come.

"Oh my Goooooood!" Hangman sang. "This roof's a piece of shiiiiiit!!!!"

Natasha laughed as Jack wriggled in her arms, his chubby little fingers curled around her necklace.

She could've watched him for hours fixing that damn roof, but had secretly hoped the work would stop at some point. Already the day had begun to grow warmer and Jack would need to go down for a nap soon, leaving them very little time to just themselves before he woke up.

"You need help?" she called up.

"Nah I'm callin it quits," Jake answered. "I think Bob's gonna need to come over and take a look, there might be carpenter ants in here."

"Oh just what we need," Natasha chuckled.

Jake climbed his way down the ladder and onto the grass below, carefully taking Jack from Natasha to give her some relief.

"Alright bubba," Jake said when Jack began to rest his head on his shoulder, yawning. "You're goin upstairs for a nap."

As soon as Jack had fallen asleep and was in his crib, Jake hurried back outside where Natasha was still waiting for him, barefoot and gorgeous as ever in her pale blue sundress. One of their favorites began to play from the little radio Jake kept in the woodshop, the two of them unable to resist a dance.

"May I have this dance?" Jake asked.

"I'd be insulted if you didn't," Natasha chuckled.

The two of them danced to "Between The Raindrops" under the shade of the trees, the grass cool beneath their feet and without a care in the world.

[moltenzephyr]

I considered this swap a while ago, but put it off because I was hoping to find an articulated curvy Barbie who'd be a match for Isabela (she and the curvies can share clothes). As I do have a second Isabela in box, though, I decided to go ahead and take the plunge.

Daria & Isabella are in a very close brown skintone range, but Daria has more olive undertones, and Isabela rosy ones.

They have different style neckpegs, and I'd heard the Jakks were particularly difficult to remove, but ironically it was Daria's that I snapped all the way out of the neck.

That circular bit holds onto a bar inside the body. Attempting to reinsert it, I could get one half wrapped around the bar, but the other half would just bend back upwards. Ultimately I was able to get it in by cutting off a fraction of one end; I was worried too much would prevent it from attaching it all, but thankfully it worked.

In person, the contrast between Daria's face and new body isn't too bad; her make-up and hair both give her a rosy tone, despite the underlying plastic being more olive. Isabela is starker, particularly if her hand is right up against her face.

Fortunately, the contrast is barely noticeable once they're dressed.

Isabela isn't reading to my brain as herself, anymore though, with such a different silhouette. Instead she is another Disney heroine; Princess Jasmine from Aladdin, who I've adored since I was itsy bitsy.

So now the Hybrid Amaya has a friend her size...

And Lila has another Princess to help her defeat the Heartless!

[blazenfire223]

[ID in undercut]

My reverse AU Darlings Part 2: Zaraphim 🥰🥰

If you have any questions about them feel free to ask. I'd love to answer them :] Also his main hair and sunglasses are different now compared to when I originally drew this because I still had no idea what I was doing with his design.

[ID: A character sheet of my Reverse AU Crowley, Zaraphim. They are the angel from Heaven stationed on Earth in London. He has a half up style, gold sunglasses, freckles, a gold nose ring, gold earings, white and blue angel bites, and a gold cross necklace. He also has a tongue piercing and wears various amounts of rings and bracelets and colored nails. Her clothes consist of a grey turtleneck, a muted or olive green cardigan, tan trousers, and grey zipped boots. There are various doodles around the main full body; A profile of him with short hair and lipstick, a front facing head with their tongue sticking out to see their piercing, a close up of their eyes which are multicolored and change depending on Zaraphim's mental state, A potted plant with gems surrounding it, a chibi doodle of them with their wings out, they are black with stardust covering them and eyes all around them and fiery glowing hair, another chibi of them on their knees and crying gold tears that go up, another chibi of Zaraphim chilling, A close up of their hands that are covered in accessories but only one is important and that is a sapphire with pearls surrounding it, a close up of Zaraphim's ass that has a tattoo that says "Frostie" in white, that is Zaraphim's pet name for Ario, and a final chibi of him looking surprised because they picked up Ario's flaming sword. There is a big box with more information; Phillip Z. Zaraphim (P.Z.Z) During the war: Avoided most of it because they were painting stars while it was happening. He didn't take the idea of angels fighting amongst themselves seriously. She genuinely thought it was a joke she just didn't understand. It wasn't until later when another angel finally came to look for her, that she realized what had just occurred. They were put in as a recovery angel and helped to heal all the angels that were hurt during the war. Ex Star maker. Found Ario's sword and gave it to Adam and Eve. They were originally supposed to be given a weapon but they never took it because they thought nothing could hurt them. He works as a bartender at a nearby pub and is good friends with the owner. When they pass away Zaraphim promised to take the place. Her flat is an aesthetic piece of comfort covered in plants, art, and trinkets. It is more of a storage than a home but it makes her happy. Truly channels their inner office angel when dealing with their plants. They don't like slack offs and will make them suffer through a lecture/ 'talking to' or angry screaming (depending on the plant) if needed. Some of those rants will turn into terrible motivational speeches. He does give praise out but only to the most worthy of plants. Just generally talks to their plants, they know all about Ario. He collects crystals and gems and such. They know all about what they do but he doesn't use or buy them for those reasons. They just like pretty things. They met Madame Tracy at an occulty type store and they became friends. That's how they know Shadwell. She loves making art just as much as they love collecting it and they have dabbled in tons of different artistic mediums over the years. The Bentley is alive and her name is Daria. She is a troll and we love her. /End ID]

[littlemissmanga]

I decided to be sneaky sneak and go anon 👀

Hello Ms. Yen! I was wondering who you'd pair me with for Valentine's day 🥰

Likes: Art, Knitting/Crochet, Movies, Constant music playing (my life needs a soundtrack), candy, History, driving my friends crazy (lovingly), noodles 😫💜, cuddling and being cozy

Dislikes: mean-aggressive behaviour, partying, veggies, silence, the dark, my thassalophobia 💀🤣, scary movies!

I tend to put a lot of care into my loved ones (friends, family, etc) and try my best to make them happy. I hate when they're upset and will dive in right away to hug them and bring them comforting things. I can be very loud, giggly and bubbly but I can also be very quiet, withdrawn and shy. It really depends on how comfortable I am around an individual but also if I'm in a depressive spell. I have a small to negative tolerance for people being jerks to myself or to my loved ones. Will fight for them on a dime. (Also am totally willing to throw down if someone touches my wheelchair or mobility aid) But I'd rather be happy and cozy and loving than fighting...I just get protective of my ppls 😅

Thank you for your time and I hope you've been having fun doing these lovely matches! The Troops are lucky to have someone like you finding them matches for such a romantic day

😘💜💜💜

P.s.

If you haven't figured me out, it's @moonlightwarriorqueen 🤣

Again, thank you💜

Yen Ori'ken's Valentine's Day Matchmaker Services

Yen: I appreciate the flattery, but I also have to give credit to the full team over at Right to Love. The men of the GAR have their mission, we have ours and we're just as dedicated to it!

But in any case, @moonlightwarriorqueen, thank you for sending in your profile! I believe your match is likely ...

Commander Thorn of the Coruscant Guard.

Don't let the shock trooper title fool you, Thorn knows when it's time to work and when it's time to play. That's his whole motto - work hard, play hard. It may (or will, according to a note from Daria) give Commander Fox a headache from time to time, but Thorn's antics are always well intentioned, well controlled, and in good fun.

Your care for your loved ones and protectiveness of them rises to a level that Thorn previously only saw in his brothers. He's drawn in by that part of your personality and respects the hell out of it. He won't like you carrying all that negativity on your own, though. He'll always offer an ear for you to vent and get your plan of action straight (he will make sure that you do have a plan of action and help you organize your thoughts to better support yourself and others).

But if for any reason Thorn feels he needs to, he will absolutely step in to back you up. No one messes with you and if they're getting too fired up at you, then he will settle them down.

He definitely shares your love of history, though it'll take some adjustments to get him to focus on areas other than military history. Thorn isn't crafty himself, but he will wear any knitted/crocheted item you make for him with so much pride. He will be bragging to every single shock trooper and Senatorial aide he crosses paths with. (Fox is so close to asking you to stop so maybe a knitted mug cozy would be a nice gift for him, too).

He has a tiring job, so the idea of coming home to cuddle with you is heaven to Thorn. I believe an at-home movie night would be a perfect date for you. And don't worry, he'll pick up some fresh noodles and broth from your favorite place on the way over.

I hope you enjoy your date with Thorn, and thank you for writing in!

[annabelle--cane]

Soooo is Celia being compelled back towards the gap in reality at hilltop road in her sleep do you think?

And if she is, why does nobody else who has gone through to another universe seem to get that happening to them?

Also -- how do you think app-Darrien relates to these Darriens? He can't be yet another alternate version, right, as presumably he and the rich Oxford Darrien with the murder basement are both originally from the tmagp universe and it was just the casement Darrien who'd crossed through?

And do you think the Daria and Darla we've seen are anything to do with the abundance of Darriens or am I massively reaching?

Sorry to offload all my questions on you but you always have such good opinions hahaha

my reading for now is definitely that celia is getting pulled back to the hilltop road rift every so often, and as for why that's happening to her but not to statement-giver-darrien or anya villette, my guess would be because she's been exposed to the supernatural before? being marked by the powers seems to alter people's metaphysical dna, and in archives celia/lynne had a couple of direct encounters. maybe the protocol universe somehow senses that she's had contact with manifestations of the desolation, stranger, and spiral, and it's going "formatting error, those aren't the right fears :)" and is trying to spit her back out. when she first brought up researching dimensions, I'd thought she was looking for a way back, but she seems to have some anchors in this universe and is actively trying to create new ones. so it might actually be the other way around, and she's searching for a way to make this world stop trying to reject her.

as for the names, I've got a few thoughts floating around. thought one is that names got reused in archives a lot, especially among one-off statement givers, and I always felt like that added a degree of realism. thought two is that they seem to be deliberately avoiding that this time around, as I remember a comment from a stream about "norris" having his name changed from neil because the name neil came up in another context. thought three is that I'm pretty sure daria's name is an allusion to dorian gray. thought four is that darrien is still an extremely specific name to reuse in two episodes, especially one where it is reused twice within the case itself. thought five is that the dorian gray parallels were most obvious in in daria's case because of the whole painting connection, but overall we've had a lot of cases that can link thematically to the idea of "selling my soul and offsetting the consequences of my wrongdoings onto something or someone else," or, indeed, "offsetting my wrongdoings onto a reflection of myself, like literally betting against myself or replacing my more successful doppelganger." it puts me in mind of all the arachne-esque names of characters connected to the web in archives.

[floshav]

yearning for you pt3

pairings : regulus x fem! reader

warnings : cussing, sexual themes, handsy pansy, restrictive thoughts, sexual tension, ignorance

it had been 2 weeks. 2 weeks of ignorance towards each other. You'd wonder why Regulus was also starting to playing into this ignoring game y/n had created ever since she slammed the door on him that august night. But it was only because he had no other choice. Not like him walking up to her and starting a convo would do any good. So he waited. He waited and waited yet nothing pricked the still waters y/n had created. So he decided to show her how much she hurt him.

So he played her game. Everytime they would cross paths in the hallways when heading to their next class, Regulus would shoot menacing beams of coldness towards her, while y/n just kept her head down wondering why he even bothered after all this time. Though.. Regulus took it the wrong way. He'd always wondered why y/n felt a sense of anger towards him or just a sense of coldness. Why'd she have to ignore him and hurt him the way she did? That was the question that rotted his brain every night he tried to rest his head on his cold hard pillow.

The truth was.. Y/n wasnt anrgy nor sad. She was rather scared as to what dangers could lay upon them if she continued to hang out with him. I mean its not like the first time they hanged, he got suspended or whatever. Oh wait, he did. She knows its stupid, but she cant help but feel its all her selfish fault. His life looked fine before they met, so hopefully it could stay that way.

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

Friday, 8am, the great hall.

All students were clamouring to get to their seats waiting for dumbledores "big" anouncement. He'd been hinting at this for quite some time now, just to get all the students riled up for the news. The hints started as obvious as "you're going to jump with glee on friday" or as vague as "friday is the day, students". This little guessing game he'd lead on was quite the rager to the point it enthralled most of the castle.

"Settle down students!" Dumbledore raised before lighting all the candles in the hall with a simple flick of his index finger and thumb.

"You may be wondering what i'd been teasing at for all this time."

"Get on with it old hag!" Blaise snickered before ducking his head down like a moron.

"If you shall talk about Professor Dumbledore in these heinous ways, he will not reveal this carefully crafted news he'd been edging on for the past week!" Snape yelled before flicking Blaise in the back of his head

"Sorry.." Blaise mumbled whilst rubbing the flicked spot

"Anyway, as I was saying. From now on, we will be hosting a buddy system."

A low buzz of murmurs spread around the hall, some giggles sticking out whilst some grumbles were heard.

"Now, now students. Before you jump to conclusions or make assumptions, this buddy system is only to keep everyone safe in the corridors at night."

Some looming couples shot eachother glances of tension before looking back at dumbledore.

"Ever since the dissapearence of buckbeak, we've decided its best if the students had eachothers backs. What better way than a buddy system?" Dumbledore advertised as if he were in a commercial.

"Each of you will be assigned buddies from different houses, just to reduce the stigma of certain houses against one another." Dumbledore said whislt eyeing the slytherin and gryffindor tables.

Many friends sighed dissapointment whilst some foes shot their preys looks of menace.

"Merlin, why does dumbledore always have to implement these weird rules." Daria sighed to her new group of friends.

Y/n felt a sting in her chest. It used to be her Daria would complain all the little things to.

"Hey y/n" Said a fellow senior red head by the name of fred.

"mm yes?"

y/n would be lying if she said this man wasnt attractive and that she'd definitely not had a huge crush on him years ago before she'd had a thing for Draco. Always the redheads that got her.

"Sad that this sytems in pairs of different houses. Would've killed to get you." Fred grinned before a look of dissapointment painted his features.

What was this? Was someone admitting to wanting y/n? The hell was going on, y/n thought to herself just as a bloom of butterflies erupted in her pit.

"You wanted to get me?"

"Well.. yea, i mean every guy does doesnt he now." Fred smirked before eyeing her up and down

This is when y/n noticed some other guys glance at her from time to time with looks of flusteredness or blush covering their faces.

Could it be? Did y/n finally peak just like how she hoped she would this year?

Amongst the sea of faces, one face in particular stood out like a sore thumb. The face of Regulus. Though he wasnt looking at her, but at pancy parkinson who was giggling madly at his feet. He had his usual bored expression, the one that y/n rarely saw. The morning sunlight hit his cheekbones in the right spots making his face look sharper than normal. His longer strands of hair were tucked behind his ears, a curl loosely dangling at his front. His eyes seemed more hooded than normal and his lips were a swollen pink. It looked as if he hadn't gotten sleep over something in days. There it was, his illegal laugh. The laugh that could kill y/n and she'd still find a way to thank it. The laugh which pulled her into her web of icky thoughts when they first met. Regulus' laugh.

What were they talking about, y/n wondered as his smile lines further deepened as Pancy batted her eyelashes.

"Y/n? Helloo?" Fred called out again this time waving his large hand in front of her face.

"O-oh yea sorry bout that." Y/n sighed before turning to face Fred.

"So... watcha doin' tonight? Any plans for a fine lady like you?" Fred flirted whilst resting his elbow on the table

"Hmmm, depends on what your intentions are." Y/n smiled before enthralling herself into the convo

Regulus' POV

There she was, smiling so prettily at.. Fred? Since when did they become friends.

The sight hurt Regulus, as if y/n had just moved on so fast since the first time they met. What was it that he did wrong to the point where he received the bad side of her. The side which was unfamiliar, the side which hurt him.

Pancy had been blurting out nonsense for the past couple of minutes making Regulus smile or laugh out of courtesy. He'd promise himself that this year, he wouldn't be such a dick towards people, and actually try to socialise. But this interaction with Pansy really made him remember why he hated people in the first place.

"So..... I was wondering if you were free tonight." Pansy rambled while she slid a hand up the inner part of Regulus' thigh. The gesture took Regulus by surprise, but he just accepted it enjoying the feeling of a foreign hand in places he wished y/n would touch. god what was getting into him?

"Mmm yea? go on" Regulus sighed tiredly as he mindlessly listened to her words.

"Was thinking of inviting you to a party." Pansy smirked when she notiched the look on Regulus' face as she inched closer and closer to his cock.

Though it was Pansy, all that fogged his mind was y/n. Why was he so obsessed with her?

"Yea m'free. Send me the details" Regulus could feel his old self start to inch over him slowly, like a bee to pollen.

Y/n's POV

It had been a full 24 hours or so since y/n last met eyes with Regulus. Was he finally getting over her? He'd almost always atleast eyed her in the corridors, but now? He seemed to have just let it go. Which was a good thing of course but y/n just couldn't seem to shake it.

He looked glum now, and his eyes seemed darker than usual encapsulating a story in them which seemed scary in itself, but even darker if she found out what truly hid behind those brown eyes. His smile, his laugh they all dissapaited from him as if he wasn't capable of such things. The laugh that once pulled her closer to him was no where to be found.

Over the convo she had with Fred earlier in the day, he had invited her to a party. A wild one to be exact, or to be more exact "It's gonna be one hell of a crazy party, the best on the whole years gonna see." Quoted directly from the source.

Y/n wasn't one for events like this, especially unofficially secretive crowded, filled with horny adolescents ones hosted by Angela and her newly founded friend... Daria. Sure it was gonna hurt seeing the person she would've once hid in the library with rather than head to these events host the total opposite of a party, but what harm could it do in tryna make Regulus a teensy bit jealous.

So she excepted Fred's mini date invitation, ready to chaperone the boy she'd had a crush on years back. He definitely looked better now, what once was a scrawny buzz cut boy, was now a lean, long haired beater of the gryffindor quidditch team. She would be lying if she'd say he wasn't fine.

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

The day after, Saturday 12pm

Y/n had been sunbathing in the warm afternoon sunlight, with drifts of cool breeze every now and then. She could feel her face get tanner and tanner every second but she didn't mind. As long as the sun kissed her everything was roses. Until Regulus Black showed up that is.

There he was, the warm sunlight splashing his pale freckled face. Lighting up his features, his dark eyes still glum whilst his lips were as plump as ever. His hair was slicked behind his ears revealing his jawline and cheekbones more clearly. Merlin, why was y/n analysing him so much? "You're no good for him fool." Y/n whispered below her breath before closing her eyes tired. That is until her peace was disrupted by an unholy cackle coming from the other side of the tree she'd been laying on.

"Oh reggie, has anyone ever told you that you're just so funny?"

"Well" He hesitated

"Well no actually." Regulus sighed before resting his head on the bark of a tree he'd found.

A group of girls had formed around him, praising him and touching him in places strangers definitely should not be. Why was he suddenly the new hot stuff in school?

The contrast between him and y/n was outrages. There y/n sat lonely and untouched whilst Regulus was having a field day of social activity. Why did he still look so glum? His eyes droopy and eye-bags still dominant on his features. Was he getting enough sleep? "Oh shut up y/n stop worrying bout him." She thought to herself.

Then it happened. Amongst all the girls he could be parading, he couldn't help but set eyes on her again. Wander across her face, her body, her hair. His thoughts were still fogged with y/n. He'd just found a way to deal with it better.

Moments later, they locked eyes and his stiff gaze softened as it met her embarrassed one.

What are you doing to me Regulus?

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

well mini hiatus i guess not! Felt cute so decided to release this pt3 haha ok bye now i gtg sleep it's like 2 am

[thelibraryiscool]

Mid-Year Book Freak Out 2022

I was tagged by the wonderful @dauen, thanks!

1. Best book you’ve read so far this year I'll do a few. Coreggidora by Gayl Jones was beautifully written and very tough, Way Station by Clifford Simak was delightful and hopeful in that particular midcentury SF way, and Daria Serenko's Girls and Institutions [Девочки и институции] made me cry on the bus.

2. Best sequel you’ve read so far this year Like Amy, I haven't read too many sequels, but I loved the last installments to Connie Willis's Oxford Time Travel Series: Blackout and All Clear. I read over 1000 pages in under a week.

3. New release you haven’t read yet Rebecca Makkai's I Have Some Questions for You. I'm in a long line for it on Libby...

4. Most anticipated release for the second half of the year I don't really keep track of new releases? But if you know of a book you're excited for, let me know!

5. Biggest disappointment The Court Dancer by Kyung-Sook Shin. I'd heard great things about the author and the translator and I'd expected it to be right up my alley, but it just fell really flat for me.

6. Biggest surprise Probably Into the Planet by Jill Heinerth. A memoir about cave-diving isn't the sort of thing I usually read, but perhaps that's why I enjoyed it so much -- her life is so different from mine, and it was endlessly fascinating to discover underwater caves with her and her crazy fellow divers.

7. Favourite new author (debut or new to you) New-to-me, to name a few: Penelope Fitzgerald, Gu Byeong-Mo, Elisa Shua Dusapin. I'd like to read more from each of them.

8. Newest fictional crush/newest favourite character For a fictional crush, almost certainly the elderly actor Sir Godfrey in Blackout/All-Clear. For a favorite character.. I really found the whole family in The Five by Vladimir Jabotinsky very interesting. And I enjoyed the titular demon and angel in When the Angels Left the Old Country by Sacha Lamb.

9. Book that made you cry I already mentioned Girls and Institutions. I think Shadow Lines by Amitav Ghosh might have as well.

10. Book that made you happy Christopher Isherwood's The Memorial. Not because it's a happy book, really, but because he can always be relied upon to be good. It's like visiting an old friend, reading a novel of his I haven't read.

11. Favourite Adaptation Well I've just discovered that my beloved Silo Saga by Hugh Howey has finally gotten an adaptation, and I've only seen 2 episodes so far but (though I have some qualms) I'm overall liking it quite a bit! Y'all should read first though.

12. Prettiest Cover This one's pretty good:

13. A book you need to read before the end of the year: There's a lot. I guess top priority (not counting what I'm already reading) would be Cartes postales by Chantal Spitz, At the Edge of the Woods by Masatsugu Ono, All Our Yesterdays by Natalia Ginzburg, Greek Lessons by Han Kang, and How the Soldier Repairs the Gramophone by Saša Stanišić.

I'm going to tag @queenofattolia, @colorwheels14, @nonbinaryjomarch, @oldshrewsburyian, @sleepanon, @teacademic, and anyone else who feels like it!

*For a lot of these questions I could have also said Дiм для Дома [A House for Dom] by Victoria Amelina, but I accidentally took a break from it so I haven't finished it yet -- though so far it may end up being my favorite book this year. It's warm, and poignant, and feels very true. Victoria Amelina was killed earlier this summer.

[kinetic-elaboration]

May 12: Sunday Writing Excerpt

I was invited out to eat ice cream right before I settled down to write, but I did end up doing some writing later. Not a ton, but the amount I had intended to write, the next scene. Who knows what's happening with this fic; I'm too close to it to say. And I feel like what I did today didn't throw me back into it as much as I need to be thrown. But progress is progress.

Here is an excerpt:

*

She thinks she recognizes Jane's voice, though it's hard to tell over the phone.

"Hey. It's Daria." If it's the roommate and she has to explain herself—

"Oh! Hi!" The voice this time is brighter, higher with honest excitement and she recognizes it now clearly as Jane's. "I was wondering if I'd hear from you again. So you made it back to Raft after a treacherous journey, huh?"

"Barely. I got on the train. I got off the train. You know those signs that tell you to mind the gap?"

"Yeah."

"Long story short, I have fewer limbs now."

She imagines Jane smiling on the other end of the line. Maybe she's standing at her easel, painting, or at her desk with her stack of art books. "Bummer. But I bet you have some gnarly scars."

"An even trade." She glances out the window, following a shout that's echoed up from below. A trio of guys are playing Frisbee on the swath of lawn outside her dorm. "I stopped by that diner you mentioned on my way to the station."

"Tried the scones?"

"Tried the scones. But the line was really long so I missed the train I was going to take back."

"Mmm, should have warned you. That’s my influence. The Lanes are not known for our punctuality." Jane can make her voice so slithering and low when she wants to, so even normal sentences sound like secrets whispered in Daria's ear. "Did you miss your class?"

[thesweetnessofspring]

What's your headcanon for Katniss and Peeta's children?

How old was Katniss when give birth to their daughter?

How many years apart between them in age?

Your headcanon for their name?

Who gets the singing and art skill from their parent?

Bonus question : please give recs of your fav everlark post-Mockingjay fanfic.

Thank you :)

@curiousthg

I can't pick names for them. Long time ago in my HalfHope days I would use Daria for the girl because I'd been looking up names that meant "Pearl" that wasn't already in the series (Madge and Mags) and found it, though now I can't find a source for that. I also used Orion for the boy, given the fact he's a hunter in mythology associated with Artemis. Now, I don't use names in fanfiction, though very recently I've started to favor Milo for the boy. Really though my only rule is: no dead people. I don't think that's how Katniss and Peeta would honor their dead.

I think Katniss and Peeta were 33-35 when their daughter was born, and there is a four-year gap between toast baby girl and toast baby boy. In the epilogue, the boy is a toddler (2-3) and the girl is old enough to be going to school and learning about the Games (5-6). I favor 4 years because it reflects the span between Katniss and Prim. ❤️

I headcanon that their girl is very bossy, take-charge type of girl. She LOVES to perform and be the center of attention. She got Katniss's voice but she actually likes to get up and sing in front of people. She's a little snobby and dramatic and knows how to butter people up to get what she wants. Katniss and Peeta have to guide her the most to keep her from being too spoiled and selfish, but in the end she's a sweetheart and very protective of her little brother. She's the one they have the hardest time convincing that being in the spotlight isn't all it's cracked up to be. She thinks she'll be different because she's not getting famous for the Games, duh! She's more open to leaving D12 and experiencing other Districts, but in the end, once she's seen the country and performed around and gotten a taste of the fickle nature of fame, settles back down in D12.

The boy is more quiet and reserved, but has a great sense of humor, though people don't recognize it until they get to know him. He's also made himself into a bit of a daredevil to keep up with his much older sister and her friends, but it always comes with careful calculations and figuring out how to succeed at the trick. He has a very logical mind and while he enjoys more of the outdoor nature stuff with Katniss, he's more of a naturalist than a hunter. He studies plants and animal patterns and how the world interacts around them. Based on the book his Everdeen line started, he makes it his life's work to write observations about District 12 wildlife and does so in a way that is both informative and creative/engaging for any reader.