#in basic relationship stuff

[courtingchaos]

I’m really stuck on a specific idea that isn’t forming into anything concrete but I’ve been thinking about date night with Eddie. Normal shit, nothing dressed up, you’re literally going to little local restaurant and like maybe a show. Lowkey.

But Eddie is in and out of the bedroom while you’re looking for your comfortable jeans, fingers pinching your ass playfully. He’s holding your bra hostage while you hold your hand out, a smile trying to fight its way onto your face. When you have to wiggle yourself into said jeans he’s whistling and miming cartoon eyes bugging out at you. He watches you put your simple makeup on with a chin hooked over your shoulder and he helps you with your hair when you can’t get all the strands brushed together. He purposefully drags his fingers up the back of your neck when he gathers your hair.

He’ll tuck your ID in his wallet and your lipstick in the inside pocket of his jacket so you don’t have to carry anything. Front door, van door, restaurant door and venue door all held open for you with the occasional chair pulled out. When you go to the restroom he orders your drink for you and when you get to the venue for the show he comes back from the bar with your usual. It’s second nature he doesn’t ask anymore because he knows if you change your mind you’ll tell him.

You’ll tuck up under his arm and he’ll make sure you don’t have to hold your jacket or that anyone spills their drinks on your shoes. He knows your back will probably bother you at some point so he makes sure to get you situated towards the back of the venue with all the other 30 somethings who are out too late on a weekday.

At the end of the show, when Eddie gets overwhelmed because someone is blocking the exit you’ll run your hand up the back of his jacket to lightly run your fingers over his shoulders. When you get outside and he’s too tired, you’ll sneak his keys out of his pocket and drive both you home without any fuss.

When you get in there’s a load of laundry to put in and you and him will split a beer while he cracks a joke about all the kids at the show. About how when he was their age he wasn’t out late on a weekday at a concert, he was committing crimes with his dad. You’ll act like you haven’t heard this one before and he’ll make it into a big epic while giving you the last sip out of the can. Brushed teeth and brushed hair and shed clothes get you into bed where some kind of slap fight ensues over the just too small comforter.

Eddie will suggest another blanket for you so you two don’t have to share, but he doesn’t ever get it for you. It would create a space in the bed that he can’t live with. It could be the dead of summer and he’d still have toes pressed to your calf just to l wordlessly let you know he’s there. Nights end with giggles that turn to whispers that turn to deep breaths. Sometimes you’ll watch him drift off first in a tangle of his arm, hair wild around his head and sometimes he’ll fight off his fatigue to make sure you’re falling asleep for real and not staring off into the darkness with worry. Under one too small blanket he’d keep you wrapped up in warmth and comfort, limbs tangled up together until the morning when you two can start it all over again.

[bixels]

Learning that fans hated Applejack and called her "boring" is crazyyy to me because I genuinely, unironically believe AJ's the most complex character in the main six.

Backstory-wise, she was born into a family of famers/blue collar workers who helped found the town she lives in. She grew up a habitual liar until she had the bad habit traumatized outta her. She lost both her parents and was orphaned at a young age, having to step up as her baby sister's mother figure. She's the only person in the main gang who's experienced this level of loss and grief (A Royal Problem reveals that AJ dreams about memories of being held by her parents as a baby). She moved to Manhattan to live with her wealthy family members, only to realize she'll never fit in or be accepted, even amongst her own family. The earlier seasons imply she and her family had money problems too (In The Ticket Master, AJ wants to go to the gala to earn money to buy new farm equipment and afford hip surgery for her grandma).

Personality-wise, she's a total people-pleaser/steamroller (with an occasional savior complex) who places her self worth on her independence and usefulness for other people, causing her to become a complete workaholic. In Applebuck Season, AJ stops taking care of herself because of her obsessive responsibilities for others and becomes completely dysfunctional. In Apple Family Reunion, AJ has a tearful breakdown because in she thinks she dishonored her family and tarnished her reputation as a potential leader –– an expectation and anxiety that's directly tied to her deceased parents, as shown in the episode's ending scene. In The Last Roundup, AJ abandons her family and friends out of shame because believes she failed them by not earning 1st place in a rodeo competition. She completely spirals emotionally when she isn't able to fulfill her duties toward others. Her need to be the best manifests in intense pride and competitiveness when others challenge her. And when her pride's broken, she cowers and physically hides herself.

Moreover, it's strongly implied that AJ has a deep-seated anger. The comics explore her ranting outbursts more. EQG also obviously has AJ yelling at and insulting Rarity in a jealous fit just to hurt her feelings (with a line that I could write a whole dissection on). And I'm certain I read in a post somewhere that in a Gameloft event, AJ's negative traits are listed as anger.

Subtextually, a lot of these flaws and anxieties can be (retroactively) linked to her parents' death, forcing her to grow up too quickly to become the adult/caregiver of the family (especially after her big brother becomes semiverbal). Notice how throughout the series, she's constantly acting as the "mom friend" of the group (despite everything, she manages to be the most emotionally mature of the bunch). Notice how AJ'll switch to a quieter, calmer tone when her friends are panicking and use soothing prompts and questions to talk them through their emotions/problems; something she'd definitely pick up while raising a child. Same with her stoicism and reluctance at crying or releasing emotions (something Pinkie explicitly points out). She also had a childhood relationship with Rara (which, if you were to give a queer reading, could easy be interpreted as her first 'aha' crush), who eventually left her life. (Interestingly enough, AJ also has an angry outburst with Rara for the same exact reasons as with EQG Rarity; jealous, upset that someone else is using and changing her). It's not hard to imagine an AJ with separation anxiety stemming from her mother and childhood friend/crush leaving. I'm also not above reading into AJ's relationship with her little sister (Y'all ever think about how AB never got to know her parents, even though she shares her father's colors and her mother's curly hair?).

AJ's stubbornness is a symptom of growing up too quickly as well. Who else to play with your baby sister when your brother goes nonverbal (not to discount Big Mac's role in raising AB)? Who else to wake up in the middle of the night to care for your crying baby sister when your grandma needs her rest? When you need to be 100% all the time for your family, you tend to become hard-stuck with a sense of moral superiority. You know what's best because you have to be your best because if you're aren't your best, then everything'll inevitably fall apart and it'll be your fault. And if you don't know what's best –– if you've been wrong the whole time –– that means you haven't been your best, which means you've failed the people who rely on you, which means you can't fulfill your role in the family/society, which makes you worthless . We've seen time and time again how this compulsive need to be right for the sake of others becomes self-destructive (Apple Family Reunion, Sound of Silence, all competitions against RD). We've seen in The Last Roundup how, when no longer at her best, AJ would rather remove herself from her community than confront them because she no longer feels of use to them.

But I guess it is kinda weird that AJ has "masculine" traits and isn't interested in men at all. It's totally justified that an aggressively straight, misogynistic male fandom would characterize her as a "boring background character." /s

At the time of writing this, it's 4:46AM.

[l3viat8an]

Solomon: *T-posing in the kitchen doorway at the demon lords castle* Greetings, Barbatos!

Barbatos:*Not looking up from his morning tea* Good morning, problem child.

[no1deahow]

The Sabo part came out of nowhere

[snowyh2o]

I absolutely love how of the (two) Hazbin Hotel role swap AUs that featured Alastor as either supporting or starting the redemption project I’ve seen and liked, they both put him in glasses and gave him a pony tail. That is what I call peak character design right there.

[spielzeugkaiser]

I love your art soooo much-it gives me life!! 🥰🥰🥰

I have a question about Milek and Jaskier! Milek says they fought before Jask went missing-what did they fight about? Did Milek say something he shouldn’t have? 👀😢 is there ANGST?

Also does Geralt know Mileks plush friend is called Roach? Because surely that’s a clue that Milek is his…(I love this universe so much)!!🥹❤️❤️❤️

[MASTERPOST] That was the last conversation they had before Milek stormed out - and when he came back, Jaskier was. gone. The thing is, Jaskier knows what Milek is interested in (and he is not even wrong about that, Milek has an interest in medicine, and helping people, and I think when they met he was Shanis biggest fan) and I think Jaskier is aware that some of the conflict does have its roots in Milek not wanting to leave him, even if they get really heated and ugly in their arguments. Milek shouldn't feel like he has to care for him, or have to protect him and at times I think Jaskier feels quite ashamed, which leads him to being way too unrelenting at times - especially if he thinks he's doing something to protect Milek.

[hacash]

ok new game - if your current writing project (original or fic or whatever) was published tomorrow, what about it would make booktok denounce you as problematic? rb with answers in the tags

[ghastlyaffairs]

for something as trivial and simple those feelings sure are hard to get rid of

also made a gif a version for fun + alt version with no tears under the cut

the gif is in very low resolution...this is a feature (i could make it bigger but that would require saving each frame individually and than glueing it all together. also i feel like low resolution suits it better. aesthetically and fits the mood)

[aroaessidhe]

2023 reads

The Spider And Her Demons

YA Australian urban fantasy/horror

about a Malaysian-Chinese girl who’s half spider-demon, just trying to keep her head down and survive high school

when she accidentally kills and eats a man in front of the most popular girl at school, they strike up a strange friendship and she starts to learn more about herself and the supernatural world

aroacespec/sapphic ish

[makowcy]

talk to me about spacing mining au martyn please plese i want to onow everything about him why is he kidnapping jimmy why is he an antagaonist why is he so handsom

clap alright

Martyn is a professional bounty hunter under Rens command aka he gets sponsored by the government to do his job (he is not a space cop but as far as the wanted characters are concerned he may as well be so if i refer to him as such thats why)

He had a brief encounter with Tango more early on, but for once Tango figures out quickly that this man works for the gov so not much happens there.

Quick timeline later Grian disappears > Scar burns Jimmy's house > Jimmy and Tango travel together for a while > they get separated by a commotion and Martyn meets Jimmy

Jimmy was wearing Tango's coat and since Martyn has already seen it once he followed him and decided to help him out, which immediately gained Jimmy's trust (+Martyn wasn't hiding that he's also from Earth). Now Jimmy basically ended up babbling about his life to Martyn and considering that his family members include someone so wanted as Pearl and whatever he has going on with Tango he's just a great leverage (side note most of the information he shared was useless to Martyn, the man has separation anxiety and the only people he ever speaks to is his family, ex husband and Tango, he just spoke his his heart out)

Also while it's a kidnapping Jimmy doesn't even realize it for the first half and Martyn finds him amusing, harboring criminals is not legal but he doesn't really care so nothing against the guy

Martyn used to be a criminal like many earthians and he ended up in his current work as a rehab thing, he proved himself to be very good at his job and stayed for the money (and ren). Currently he's Ren right hand and does a lot of the dirty work for him. He has his private information network and does things behind Ren's back which he is aware of, but he trusts him and can't quite bring himself to discipline him. One of many qprs in this au they are also not normal but a different flavor. Narrative wise while Ren is in a higher position of power than Martyn he's more of a supporting character for him

Anyways the reason for Grians disappearence is also Martyn and his little schemes, they had a quest with BigB, but the two of them did not trust Martyn one bit and BigB ended up helping Grian get away

Other important note is that Tango and Martyn are opposites in many ways and he absolutely hates him

[benveydraws]

i can't love you in this skin

[sun-marie]

I love how some of the Deadfire companions don't like each other. I love how things can get so tense between Xoti and Pallegina or Maia and Tekēhu that they boil over into a big fight with harsh words and hurt feelings. I love how Aloth doesn't get into a fight with Tekēhu but absolutely will bitch about him in an aside to the Watcher. I love how the endgame has some companions drawing lines in the sand and, depending on your choices, basically tears your party apart. I'm so invested in the Watcher's inner-party conflict, and the fact these arguments are triggered automatically after banter makes it feel like you're watching their nerves fray in real time. It's sooooo spicy, i love it so much

[cuubism]

"Nice place you have here," says Desire, sliding into the booth opposite Hob.

Hob, unfortunately, recognizes them by voice alone. Desire speaks with the melody of an arpeggio, smoothed into oblivion by the sustained press of a piano pedal. Drag without release, in comparison to Dream's resounding deep notes.

"Never seen you here before," Hob says, instead of get out of my pub. He doesn't actually need to start a fight.

"I've decided to respect my brother's play set for now," Desire says archly, as if this is a huge consideration on their part. "He's been through so much recently, after all."

"And you've been so much help with that," Hob says.

Something dangerous flashes briefly in Desire's eyes, and Hob remembers how fickle they can be. Like fire, Dream had said.

Then it subsides. "Careful, Robert," they say easily, leaning on their hand, "one might think you've chosen a side."

No thinking about it, Hob thinks. "Families shouldn't have sides."

"Oh, ours isn't supposed to," Desire agrees. "And yet."

And yet. "Is there something in particular that has you breaking your self-imposed generosity today?"

It's one day before his and Dream's usual meeting, after all. That can't be a coincidence. Technically, they meet all the time now, but they always keep June 7th for nostalgia's sake.

"I simply enjoy the atmosphere," says Desire, leaning back in their chair. They thrust out a hand, and a rainbow flag flutters off the wall into their grasp, drawn by their whims. Desire drapes it over their shoulders.

"I guess that makes sense," Hob says.

Desire raises an eyebrow.

Hob gestures at them. "Desire. Isn't that your thing?"

They give him a crafty smile, a little teeth, that suggests Hob's going to learn something he may not entirely like. "Well, it is certainly of interest to me."

"Of interest," Hob echoes. Might as well say fire was "of interest" to a pyromaniac. "Isn't that what you do? Dream makes dreams, and..." he trails off.

"I am Desire," they say. "So, in a way, I feel all desires at all times. Yes, even yours, Robert." They pat him on the cheek, and wink. "I know what you feel."

Hob's cheeks heat, but Desire doesn't linger on it, thankfully.

"But, my own desire? Hm, no, not in the way you would think."

"But you--" Hob doesn't know how to phrase the confusion in his mind.

Desire runs their tongue along their lower lip. "Are you calling me a slut, Robert?"

"Would take one to know one, I suppose," Hob says before he can even think about it, and Desire laughs, bright and loud.

"You are so cute. You would be delicious if you weren't obsessed with Dream. But, no. I can feel desired," Desire says, emphasizing the past tense. The objective nature of it. "But that, while certainly tasty, is not quite the same as feeling it oneself, now is it?"

What might it be like, Hob thinks, feeling a pang of sympathy for them despite how they've treated Dream, how he'd automatically marked them as an enemy in his mind, to be surrounded by wanting and not be able to feel it?

"I... guess not," he says. "So you don't want anything?"

Desire shrugs. "I enjoy things. But if I can't have them, it simply passes like--" they pull off the flag and let it flutter to the floor "-- a gust of wind. And I move on to something else. Otherwise, I chase others' desires. Your inn is full of them. Desires for peace, for belonging, for change and magic and-- yes, lust, too, but more of an undertone. It is..." they run their tongue over their teeth, thinking. "Aromatic."

"What does desire 'taste' like?" Hob asks.

"Why don't you tell me," Desire says.

"I'm not going to lick you," Hob says, and Desire cackles.

"Open offer," they say. "Be all metaphorical like Dream, then."

"Alright, fine." Hob decides to indulge them, because he has actually learned something interesting today. "It's like... the smell of a good meal. You don't quite... taste it, exactly? But you can imagine tasting it."

"Good answer," says Desire, and steals his drink for a sip. "I knew I could count on you to listen, Hob."

Hob's not sure if it's the tone, like something long undecided has now been settled, or if it's the use of his old nickname, but suddenly the afternoon tilts, and Hob realizes with a swoop in his stomach that they're here for a purpose, and not just poking at Dream.

The Endless almost never communicate directly, Hob knows this. Goddammit.

"I've spent a lot of time in these sorts of places, you know," Desire says, gesturing around. "They are right--" they interlace their fingers in example "--in the center of my realm."

"Depending on the year, I would have thought you and Despair together," Hob says, wary now that he's realized this is coming to some sort of point.

"A common assumption," Desire says, nodding like a teacher whose student is getting on the right track. "See, people often think my twin and I are opposites. Desire, Despair." They hold out both hands separately again, then clasp them. "But they don't have it right. Hope is the opposite of Despair. Do you know what the opposite of Desire is?" They reach across the table to tap their sharp nails against his sternum. "Shame."

"And that's... part of your domain, as well?" Hob guesses.

"Indeed. Who could know shame as well as one who desires? They both--" they lay their hand flat to his heart "--live here."

Hob supposes he himself has had plenty of desires over the years, and plenty of shame too -- though not necessarily over the same matters.

"Hence," they spread their hands wide, "my presence. The duality of Desire."

"So what do you do?" Hob asks. "When you're here because of shame, I guess."

"I am always both," says Desire. "But." They smile sweetly, and it actually does look sweet, for once. "I am merely here to hold your hand."

Hob must look at them with an expression of vague disgust, for they snort and roll their eyes.

"Not you, Robert. You!" They gesture broadly at the entire inn. "Death is always going on and on about serving humanity. I know how to do my job too, you know."

They frown at him, at the idea he might think otherwise, and it's-- it's actually kind of sweet, how much they care about this. It really is.

"That's sweet," he says, and Desire grumbles. Hob can't help but smile.

"I take the charge of those who live in the heart of Desire very seriously," they sniff. Their gaze slants over Hob's shoulder, watching something across the room. "Relatedly, if that man at the bar follows through on his desire to say something homophobic to those children on their date, I am going to shoot him."

"Ooookaaayyy," Hob says, snapping his fingers in front of their eyes until their attention turns back to him. Hob's bartender will handle any issues; he would really rather not have an Endless making a scene.

Desire smiles placidly at him. "What was I saying? Ah, yes. Desire and shame go hand in hand. Almost like dreams and nightmares, you might say."

Hob goes still again, on instinct. "Right."

"My sister and I are very close, even if we are not, actually, opposites. Dream and I were close, once." They drag their finger around the rim of Hob's glass. "Wanting. Dreaming. So similar, and yet, so different, too. It hurts, to really let yourself want what you've dreamt of. It hurts to desire, don't you think? It's sharp, like a blade."

"Yes," Hob says. "It is."

"Mmm. But shame... shame is like a heavy, warm blanket. It makes you want to just--" they mime pulling fabric over their head-- "disappear. My brother and I have a very complicated relationship. Perhaps, one day, we will be on better terms again, and he can tell me about his desires, and I can tell him about my dreams. I would love to know what it feels like."

Hob isn't sure if he's putting the pieces of this meandering conversation together correctly, but whatever he is picking up on, he doesn't like the sound of.

"Dream is always going on and on and on and on about the importance of dreams and it's so annoying but you know what? I'm starting to think he's right." They give Hob a warning glance. "Do not tell him I said that. But, yes, I'm afraid that desires without dreams hand in hand are just--" they slide their hand across the table and let it stop at the edge. "Impotent. Static. And god knows what good dreams even are without desire but Dream will never admit that."

"So you're what," Hob says, even though he knows this is not what this is about, "trying to mending fences?"

Desire smiles sunnily. "I just want him to call me. I'm bored, and he's spent far too much time in my sister's realm recently."

Then they stand in one fluid motion.

"What are you saying," Hob asks. He feels sort of faint, whiplashed.

"Oh, I've said nothing, I'm doing nothing. I merely don't want to have to fill an empty seat next June, that is all. I'll be far too busy." They wink, and then they're gone.

Hob sits still for a long time, after. He's still not sure he understood... all of that. He understands that the Endless aren't supposed to interfere in each other's affairs and that sometimes riddles result.

What he does understand is that if Desire, of all people, has decided to be helpful, then he definitely has something to be concerned about. Something he needs to do something about.

He shakily drains the rest of his glass, then stands. Hob has never gotten anywhere by being static.

Time to go try to do something about it.

[askblueandviolet]

I think Blue likes you. 👀

MASTER POST

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[questionablealibi]

/crash, bang, crash, cat yowl, thud/

So how's it goin'?

OH IT'S SO GOOD TO BE BACK! I missed you lot so much!!

I decided to work on their redesigns first before moving on with other stuff! Nothing else changed except for some accessories and hairstyle, but other than that the rest of their design follow their first one :]

Explenations for the doodles are in tags! They're not very serious but they give a little background about the thought behind them ^^

/THUD/

What -

.. Oh yeah the serious stuff ^^;

[sonknuxadow]

it kind of bugs me when people say sonics relationships with shadow and knuckles (whether its in a shipping context or in canon) are exactly the same because like . no..?. theyre not ? i mean yeah theres similarities between shadow and knuckles and theyre both rivals to sonic. but they still have different personalities and different dynamics with sonic even if they can both be described as rivalry. i cant properly explain what the difference is because im tired rn and also bad at words but you know