#it's because this is what happens when I'm just throwing something together real quick

[ragdoll127-ffxiv]

I have so many just random shots of them being absolutely adorable for no reason and every time I look at any of them my brain just rattles.

Please enjoy them, my muse is obsessed and crushing HARD.

(Zala belongs to @nearlyjaye. Most of these were taken either during/after a collab or without their prior knowledge because I just couldn't help myself...)

[daydreamingyuta]

how about a bf jaehyun x gf reader and him being his silly goofy and clingy self (DID YOU SEE HOW CUTE HE WAS IN THE DANCE PRACTICE OMGGG) alone with reader but getting caught by Johnny who then teases him about it the rest of the day

[8:31 am] | Jaehyun

summary: fluff, drabble, you and bf!jaehyun getting 'caught' acting cute by johnny who can't help but tease jaehyun about it wc: 683 a/n: thank you for requesting! I'm sorry this took so long, i've just been busy with school but I hope you enjoy it! <3 and yes! he was so cute in the fact check dance practicee! I'm always so shocked when people perceive jae as someone who's intimating, like he's so silly and such a cutie!!

You were woken by the sunlight streaming into Jaehyun's bedroom. You were just able to reach your phone which was charging, but other than that you couldn't move, trapped by Jaehyun holding you, so you stay on your phone until you're fully awake. You try to gently move out of his grasp but your movement ends up waking him. His first instinct was to pull you closer as he yawned. "Good morning, baby." He says, nuzzling into your neck.

You must be feeling extra ticklish this morning because you found that you couldn't control your laughter when he started placing sweet kisses on your neck.

"Shh, it's still early. All the guys are still sleeping." He says, even though he still persists with his actions, causing you to squeal even louder.

When he decides you have had enough, he stops and hops out of bed to get ready for the day. You follow him into the bathroom, quickly throwing on your sweatshirt because it was getting colder. You two brush your teeth and wash your faces together, Jaehyun kissing you on the top of your head as you finish up your skincare routine. He decided to take a shower so you head out of the bathroom and into the kitchen.

You weren’t hungry just yet, but knew you would be soon so you decided to make some breakfast. Plus, the boys would really appreciate a hot meal as soon as they wake up. You get started by getting out all the pans and cracking a few eggs into it.

The toaster makes a pop as two pieces of toast come out, causing you to jump slightly. You hear Jaehyun laughing and you turn around to see him, fresh out of the shower with a towel around his waist and wet hair dripping onto his shoulders.

“I swear there’s something wrong with your toaster, it scares me every single time.” You say, defending yourself.

Jaehyun flashes you a smile as he walks closer to you, taking a peak at what all you’re making. You turn your attention back to the food as well, making sure nothing’s burning. “Hm, smells good angel.” Jaehyun says as he wraps his arms around your waist from behind.

It would have been a sweet little moment if Jaehyun hadn’t just gotten out of the shower. You immediately feel your back get wet and you try to nudge him off. “Jae, you’re getting me soaked!”

You both laugh as he refuses to let go of you. “I’ll let you change into some of my clothes sweetheart.” His words make you relax a bit until you hear someone snort out a laugh from behind you. You both break apart and look at who has come into the room.

You see a grinning Johnny, more than delighted to have walked in on a very clingy Jaehyun, which happens to be a very rare sight for him to see. Jaehyun prepared himself for Johnny's teasing but they didn't come just yet because you spoke up before Johnny could.

"Good morning, I made some breakfast!" You point to everything while handing him a plate so he can grab whatever he wants. "I'm gonna go change real quick." You say, showing him your wet clothes and laughing.

Johnny thanks you for making breakfast and as soon as you're out of ear shot, he turns to Jaehyun. "I'll let you change into some of my clothes sweetheart." He says in an overly deep voice, trying to wrap his arms around Jaehyun's waist. "I'm so in love with you baby, I had to hop right out of the shower and come and see you sweetheart."

Jaehyun's cheeks become a pink color, but he can't blame Johnny for making fun of him. If it was the other way around, he would be making jokes at Johnny's expense. "Whatever, like you’ve never been in love before."

Johnny touches his heart in fake adornment. "Valentine boy’s in lovee.” 

Jaehyun decides to try his best to ignore him, knowing that he’ll be teased about this for the rest of the day.

[holybibly]

Heyy Mistress, I hope you're doing well and you're taking good care of yourself because I don't want you to be burnt out.

If Unholy Hours are open again, can you do a fic where San is your step brother and you have the most sexual tension with him etc (I am gross and disgusting for this, I'm so sorry.😖😖😖)

Oh, bunny, your Mistress has a great idea for your request. San looks like real candy, do you want to lick it?

This is something that should never happen. Never ever. You and San were family, relatively speaking, of course, and all that bound you together was your parents' promise to love each other to the end, and your lips were now sliding over his hard, thick cock, smearing a blood red shade of lipstick over his sensitive, velvety flesh.

It was only meant to be a quick kiss when you were both as drunk as you were. You bite down on his plump lower lip, turn away, and whisper softly, "Forget it.". 

The preposition was that it would never happen again, as you aggressively lick each other's lips and tongues, rolling a strawberry-flavored candy between them. San thinks it's the most delicious thing he's ever tasted, and he sincerely regrets not having tried it sooner. Panting, strands of saliva, and sticky lip gloss are pulled between your lips as the kiss ends and you separate. San sticks out his tongue with a triumphant look on his face and shows you the now tiny piece of candy he has stolen from your mouth.

It was supposed to be a disposable item when your legs are spread over his broad shoulders as you sit on the kitchen table and he sucks hard on your clit, sending shockwaves of pleasure through your body. He runs his tongue over your pussy, tasting and opening you, making you whimper and writhe in response as he looks up at you from below with his feline dark eyes. 

This should never be part of the plan.

You and San are in his bedroom now, your parents having a lovely evening meal completely unaware of what is going on behind closed doors between the two of you; he's biting the hem of his T-shirt, holding back loud moans and gasps, his jeans and underwear lying in a useless heap on the floor as you kneel between his spread legs. In the darkness of the room, your ruby red lipstick glistens ominously. You look far too seductive, far too sinful for him to deny himself the pleasure of this. Your hands run down San's strong, muscular thighs and you lean down to kiss the flushed, wet head of his cock, your eyes flickering as you see San's gorgeous, sculpted abs tense and his cock twitch with excitement.

San throws his head back, clutching his t-shirt tighter with his teeth as he feels the vibration of your soft laughter on his cock. Your small hand circles the length of it, squeezing and stroking gently a few times before your lips touch the head of his cock again, this time tracing it with your tongue. San rolls his eyes and clutches the sheets with his fingers. He's always been sensitive, and just because you're so good with his body doesn't make it any easier. Sure, he's going to return the favor later on by fucking you in the shower or licking that sweet, plump cunt of yours and making you sob and whimper with pleasure, but right now you're just going to drive him crazy. 

San is trying to stay as calm as possible. Your parents are still at home and could come into his room at any moment, and he hates this. Why the fuck should he be your brother when all he can think about is your moaning and begging, your lovely bouncing tits, and your arse screaming to be beaten and fucked? As you slowly suck him into your hot and deliciously wet mouth, his eyes are fixed on your glistening ruby-red lips. 

Maybe it was the lipstick, or maybe it was just you, but the way you tipped your head and relaxed your jaw, allowing San's thick cock to slide deeper into your throat, drawing its length along the trembling walls of your throat, made his balls tense up, and he crumpled the sheet in his hands with such force that his knuckles turned white. He swallows hard, his Adam's apple jiggling to get your attention, and you unconsciously repeat the movement, swallowing as you let his cock slide deeper and deeper, taking it almost to the base of his dick. 

San whimpers into the fabric of your t-shirt and watches as you slowly pull away, sliding your lips around the thick girth of it, leaving a trail of wet red lipstick on the velvety skin. As you release the head of his cock from your mouth with a slight 'pop', strands of saliva and pre-ejaculate dangle from your bottom lip, and you raise your wide-eyed 'innocent' gaze to him as you slowly run your tongue over your lips. 

"Like that, Sannie? This lipstick shade is called 'Orgasm'." Your hand wraps around his cock again, wet and slippery with saliva, pre-cum, and lipstick. Sun begins to thrust his hips, hoping to achieve that coveted orgasm. "Come on, baby. Fuck my mouth..." San moans in a guttural, the fabric of his t-shirt uncomfortably wet, but it muffles his loud moans, and he is grateful for it when your lips are back on the wet head of his dick and you take it into your mouth. 

He's about to come as you pull your cheeks together and run your tongue tip along his slit, your hand still stroking, squeezing, and rubbing the thick throbbing vein. You are milking his cock so well.

You open your mouth and stick out your tongue, tapping the swollen, red head of cock against the flat surface. With a soft humming sound, you pull yourself away from him and quickly run your hand over San's cock, flashing an enraptured smile at him. A beautiful shade of red lipstick is smeared all over your face. 

"I would have done it a long time ago if I had known this would turn you on so much, baby." You say this before taking the whole cock back into your mouth. Sliding it down gently and easily, the thick, wiry girth slides right down in your throat. You hold it there for longer than you should be able to, your throat muscles quivering as San begins to tremble, gasping as his quadriceps clench, and he squeezes the sheets with his fingers once more until you can hear them crack.

You pull away from the thick cock again, just enough to let out a soft moan before you move down again, not so deep this time, take San's cock in your mouth. Your hand slides over the part not in your mouth; the sound of your heavy breathing, your smoothly sliding hand over wet flesh, and San's soft, muffled whimper fill the room.

San comes within seconds, whimpering and jerking his hips, his thick cum filling your mouth, and you swallow every drop greedily, only pulling away when San's teeth loosen the fabric of his t-shirt and he leans back onto the soft mattress of the bed. 

Red stains of lipstick are smeared across your cheeks and down your chin, and your neck is wet with your own saliva and San's cum. You continue to jerk him off slowly, lazily squeezing every last drop of cum out of him and making his orgasm last longer.

"Damn, that felt so good." San says this and stands up sharply to wrap his palm around your wet neck, pulling you against him. He finally feels the ruby-red color of your lipstick on his lips with his own tongue, savoring the musky, thick taste of his own cum as he kisses you greedily and passionately.

Your teeth clash, lipstick smearing across your skin, and you stand up, still not breaking the kiss, only to push San back onto the bed and crawl on top of him. His grip on your neck tightens, his teeth biting painfully into your lower lip, and you pull away to let yourself breathe. 

"Now I can finally fuck you, can't I?" San asks, and you swallow as you hear the low, sultry tone in his voice.

"You're going to have to work hard to keep me quiet, babe."

San grins and gives you a sweet peck on the lips.

"Oh, baby, believe me, I know so many ways to shut you up."

[mamaestapa]

The Name Game

•pairing: Joe Burrow x reader

•series summary: Y/n Hubbard, the younger sister of Cincinnati Bengals Defensive End Sam Hubbard, finds herself in a difficult situation after a steamy hookup with her brothers best friend, who just so happens to be the quarterback for the Bengals. In just nine months their lives will be changed forever. How will Y/n and Joe manage to to go through parenthood together? more so, how will Sam take the news he is going to be the uncle of his best friends baby?

•chapter summary: You and Joe decide on a name for your baby boy

•word count: 3.9k

•warnings: pregnancy, hormones, JEALOUS JOE, slight body image issues, mentions of past "relationships", baby burrow has the hiccups, some angst, but this chapter is really just pure fluff<3

series masterlist

———————————————————————

June 12, 2023

6 months pregnant

Today, you were supposed to go out to lunch with Emma, but she had to cancel for a last minute 4D ultrasound. So instead of indulging in your most recent craving (cheese fries), you were sat on the couch cuddled up under your favorite fluffy white throw blanket, reading through a "What To Expect When You're Expecting" pregnancy book. While the book had some pretty interesting things to say about pregnancy and postpartum, you were really only reading it to pass time.

You were currently waiting for Joe to get home from his golf tournament with some friends from college. After Emma canceled lunch, you had asked Joe if you could go and spectate the tournament. It would give you something to do and get you out of the house for some fresh air. Joe immediacy turned down your request, saying he didn't want you to be bored out of your mind in the heat all day. As much as you did want to get out and see some of your mutual friends from college, you also wanted to stay inside where it was cool. The June humidity and being six months pregnant was not the greatest mix.

As you were reading through the section of the book about the third trimester, you heard the door to the garage open. Joe was finally home. You closed your book and set it on the couch, throwing the blanket off your body as you stood up from the couch. Just as you got up, Joe walked into the living room. A wide smile graced his features when he saw you standing by the couch. "Hey, you." He greeted as he wrapped his arms around you, pulling you into his chest. You smiled softly and hummed contently as you let the side of your face rest against Joe's chest. Joe's loving embrace and strong arms never failed to bring a smile to your face.

"How was golf?" you asked. Joe nodded as you pulled away from the hug. He brought a hand up to his face to wipe the sweat from his forehead. "It was good. Didn't play my best, but I'm not much of a golf guy. I mainly went to catch up with the guys."

"I'm glad you had a good time," you said with a small smile, "who won?"

"Nick," Joe let out a small sigh before he continued speaking, "he says hi by the way, and he wants to see you before he goes back to San Francisco."

You pushed your bottom lip out slightly as you placed your hands over your heart, "Awe, I miss him."

Joe chuckled, "He misses you too."

Your smile fell as you narrowed your eyes slightly, crossing your arms over your chest as you looked at Joe, "Does he know I'm pregnant? Because I never told him."

"Yes," Joe chuckled, "he knows you're pregnant. He was one of the first people I told." You nodded, a small smile gracing your features once again. You were about to say something when Joe cut you off, with an enthusiastic "Oh!" You cocked your head to the side, eyeing Joe with wonder.

"That reminds me," he began. "I left a gift Nick has for you, well for us, in the car. I'm going to shower real quick then I'll go get it." 

A gift from Nick? This could either be something really good or really bad. You never know with Nick.

"Okay..." you trailed off, "What kind of gift?"

"You'll see," Joe leaned down and pressed a chaste kiss to your temple, "I'm going to shower." You hummed at the feeling of his lips on your forehead. "Okay babe," you said, "have fun in the shower, but not too much fun." you teased, wiggling your finger at him.

"I'll try not to."

You scrunched your nose as Joe ruffled your hair a bit before he left the living room and jogged up the stairs to his bedroom--which was now yours, too.

You sat back down on the couch, getting comfy under your blanket once again. Once you were comfortable you reached over and grabbed the book off the cushion beside you, starting to read where you left off before Joe got home. You flipped through the pages of the book, reading a chapter on what to expect throughout month six of your pregnancy. You had just a little over three more months left. Time really does fly because it feels like just last month you found out you were pregnant, when really it's actually been five.

Every day that passes is just one more day closer to meeting your baby boy.

While you couldn't wait to meet the sweet boy that's been growing like a weed in your belly for the past six months, part of you was also extremely anxious for what to expect once he's born. Once he's here with you and Joe, there would be no going back. No do overs. It's starting to set in that you and Joe will be raising a human for the rest of your lives. What a huge learning experience it's going to be for the both of you. Thankfully, you still have a few months to prepare yourselves for this big change as much as you can.

As you were focused on the section about cravings, you were surprised by the feeling of warm hands on your bare shoulders. You hunched up your shoulders at the sudden contact, but they soon relaxed as Joe began kneading his thumbs into the knots in your shoulders and upper back.

"Mmm," you moaned blissfully at the feeling of his thumbs digging into your tight muscles, "don't stop..." 

"You always say that, Mama's." Joe replied slyly to your content moans. You gasped at his comment, deciding to play along with teasing him "Mr. Burrow! There are little ears here." 

Joe chuckled as he removed his hands from your shoulders. He hopped over the side of the couch and plopped down next to you. "Well Miss Hubbard, he can't hear me yet can he?" You looked over at Joe, giving him a look of disbelief. "Yes, he can actually. Remember when we stopped our erm...activities because he can hear us now?"

Joe chuckled as he nodded, "Oh yeah, I remember that."

"See, I told you-."

"Oh!" Joe cut you off, "I almost forgot, I'll be right back." Joe said, getting up from the couch and leaving the living room without another peep.

"Okay?" you giggled, thinking out loud in confusion.

As fast as Joe went outside, he came back in. He walked into the living room holding a large, almost textbook like book in his hands. Joe grinned excitedly as he sat down next to you once again, handing you the book as he did so.

You examined the front cover, a smile on your face as your fingers traced over the picture of stork carrying a baby boy and baby girl.

"Nick got this for us. It's a book full of baby names, old wives tales for figuring out the gender, cravings you could have, it's actually pretty cool." Joe explained.

Your smile widened as you began flipping through the book. "This is pretty neat," you said, looking up Joe with a thoughtful gaze, "how thoughtful of him."

"I know right? It is pretty sweet."

As you flipped through the book, it dawned on you that you and Joe still haven't done one of the most important things expectant parents could do: pick out a name for your baby.

You've both thrown out some names here and there, but nothing has stuck out to either of you yet. Maybe this book will help? You thought before you brought it up to Joe.

"You know, peanut does need a name..." you said, turning your head to look at Joe. He smiled at the use of the nickname you'd both given the baby boy in your belly. Joe reached out and grabbed the book from you, flipping through the pages until he found a page titled: "500+ baby boy names'".

The two of you began to read through the list of names.

Henry...

Grayson...

Isaac ...

Sean...

Joshua...

There were so many name to consider.

"Hmm," Joe hummed, "Daniel is cute...call him little Danny?" You shook your head, "No, that name makes me think of daddy Amendola." As soon as you realized you said daddy instead of Danny, you covered your mouth. A deep blush rose to your cheeks as you corrected your slip up. "I mean Danny, D-Danny Amendola. I'm sorry that just slipped out."

Joe chuckled, "I didn't know you had the hots for Dola...should I tell him?"

"NO!" You screeched a little too quickly. You cleared your throat and shook your head "I do not have the hots for Danny Amendola."

"You totally do."

''Do not," you giggled at Joe's teasing tone, "It just slipped out!"

"Mhm, sure."

You just shook your head at Joe as you continued to scan over the list of boy names.

"How about August?

Joe scrunched his nose up and shook his head, "Eh, it's cute. I just don't think it sounds right with either of our last names. I want something that sounds right."

You thought about it.. August Burrow... August Hubbard. Yeah no.

"Yeah," you agreed, "you're right."

"I'm always right with this type of stuff, Y/n."

You rolled your eyes at Joe's remark as you both continued to look through the list of names. You and Joe just couldn't seem to agree on any of the names either of you liked.

"Jackson? That's cute." Joe smiled.

"Ohh, like Jack Hughes." you said, biting your lip slightly. Joe rolled his eyes, "Oh god," he huffed out a breath and mumbled "here we go again..."

"What?" You asked, giggling softly at as his reaction. Your question made Joe frown, "You know what! Let me guess, you have the hots for him too?" You gave him your signature "seriously?" look as you reached out and put your hand on his shoulder, "I do not."

Joe just gave you a resting bitch face in response. You sighed softly, deciding to come clean, "Maybe a little, but it's harmless," you turned your body towards Joe, leaning in and kissing his cheek, "I have the hots for you more." You whispered in Joe's ear, making him forget all about the little twinge of jealousy he was feeling.

Joe smirked at your words, "Oh sweetheart," he wet his plump lips as he looked at yours, "I know you do."

You felt your face heat up from a combination of his actions and his words. Every time Joe called you sweetheart it made you feel things you never thought you'd feel. Joe leaned in and placed a chaste, yet loving kiss to your lips. You smiled at him as he pulled away from your lips.

"So, do we have any names we both like?" You asked, looking down at the book. Joe scanned over the list, "Well, all the ones I like, you think other athletes with the same name are hot, so no, we do not have any."

"Well, sorry! I can't help it." You exclaimed, deciding to mess with him a little bit, "you think you're the only one I find attractive?"

"Do you really want me to answer that?"

You chuckled, "C'mon Joey, it's not like you're good friends with them. I've never even talked to them!" You cocked your head to the side as you remembered the conversation you had with Jack Hughes a while back. "Well, actually, I take that back."

Joe shot you a look of bewilderment, "What? Do you mean like talk talk, or just as friends?"

"Well..." you trailed off, "I- wait, are you jealous?"

"Pshh, no?" he said, voice going up an octave. You smiled, "You so are. Joe, don't be jealous seriously. I never talk talked to any of them. I used to talk to Jack here and there, but that's it."

Joe stayed silent, making you frown slightly.

"Seriously Joe, it's nothing." you reached out and put a hand on his thighs, squeezing it gently, "I love you, and only you. You are way hotter than Danny and Jack. Plus, they don't have a nickname like you do..."

That made Joe crack a smile. He looked over at you, chuckling as he reached out to pull you into a sweet kiss. As Joe pulled back, he shrugged, a sly smirk on his face. "That's true. They don't have the honor of being called 'big daddy' like me."

"Exactly." 

The two of you laughed as Joe put an arm around you as the two of you looked back through the book of names. About twenty minutes later, you had it narrowed down to your top six favorite names in no particular order.

Jaxson...

Ben...

Theo...

Jace...

Levi...

Brooks…

"I think these names are perfect." You said, smiling down at the list of possible named for your son as you rubbed your bump. Joe put his hand on your belly, "I agree," he said, as he too started to rub your bump, "except there's one that really stands out to me."

"You know what," You looked over at Joe, "me too." you smiled, hoping he'd agree with you.

"Which one?" 

You told him the name and a wide grin broke out over his face. 

"That's the one i was thinking too." He said softly. "Well, they do say great minds think alike." You chuckled as your grin matched Joe's.

He leaned in and captured your lips in a loving kiss. You brought your hand up to the nape of his neck, pulling him in even closer. After the two of you pulled away, Joe put his forehead on yours, that sweet smile still taking over his lips, "Did we just name our baby?" He asked, his tone hopeful. You nodded, confirming his question, "I think we did."

Joe smiled at you before situating his position on the couch. He moved his head down to your bump, keeping his hand placed on it. He brought his lips close to your skin and began to talk to the little guy.

"Hey little man, I think your mama and I just figured out what we're going to name you. Can you give daddy a kick if you like it? It’s only a first name for now, but, we can't have our favorite son not like his name."

You felt your heart swell with love as you listened to Joe talk to his baby boy. You felt the familiar flutter of your baby moving in your tummy. Joe laughed, "Hey! Thanks little dude." He looked up at you smirking, "I think peanut likes his name."

You smiled, running your hands through his blonde locks, "I think he does too.” Joe laid his head on against your belly, humming as you ran your fingers through his hair.

“Bump is getting bigger mama.” Joe mumbled as he nuzzled his cheek against your belly. You huffed out a little sigh, a slight frown on your face.

“I know. I look swollen twenty four seven and none of my clothes fit. I feel so fat, Joe.”

It felt like you were getting bigger every day. While it was comforting knowing your baby was healthy and growing, the constant swelling and need to buy new clothes made you a little self conscious about your body.

Joe lifted his head from your belly, looking at you with furrowed brows and a frown. “Y/n, sweetie,” he began softly, “you’re not fat. You’re growing our baby, and he needs room to grow so of course you’re going to swell a little bit.”

You stayed silent. Your silence made Joe rub your belly as he stared at you intensely, a genuine smile on his face. “And I think,” he leaned down to kiss your bump, “You look so fucking sexy growing our baby.”

You blushed at Joe’s words, “Joey, stop it.” He smirked at you before placing gentle kisses all over your belly.

“I love this bump…” he placed one more kiss below your belly button before he started trailing up your torso, “And don’t even get me started on these boobs….”

Your blush deepened, growing more crimson with each praise that fell from Joe’s lips. He always knew how to make you feel better when you felt self conscious about your changing body. He nuzzled his face in the valley of your swollen breasts, making your breath hitch in the back of your throat.

“God I can’t get enough of you sweets. I’d take you right here on this couch and prove to you just know sexy I think you are.”

“Joe, the baby,” You said, giggling softly as you saw his eyes widen, "Oh! Oops, heh." he said, covering the sides of your bump with his veiny hands.

"Ear muffs, buddy." Joe whispered against your bump, making the baby kick in return. Joe chuckled at the feeling before he leaned in and captured your lips in a sweet and sensual kiss.

“But in all seriousness…you look beautiful, Y/n.”

You smiled sweetly at him. “Thank you Joey, you always know how to make me feel better. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

Joe laid his head back down on your belly, stroking your bump as you brought your hands back to his golden locks. The mix of your hands massaging his scalp and the comfort of your body had Joe falling fast asleep against your belly. Joe had his best sleep when he cuddled you and your unborn baby. Your heart swelled at the sight below you. You placed a hand on your upper abdomen where the baby's feet supposedly were. Smiling, you began to talk to him. 

One thing you and Joe always made sure to do at least twice a day was talk to the baby. You wanted him to be able to recognize both of your voices as soon as he was out of the womb. Of course, he would instantly know yours as he's been hearing it constantly, but if Joe hadn't been talking to him as often as he does, the little guy probably wouldn't recognize his daddy's voice, and you know that would just break Joe’s heart if his son didn’t recognize his voice.

"Hi baby,” you quietly cooed down at your tummy, “I can't talk too loud...don't want to wake your daddy." you whispered, smiling when you saw a small smile tug at Joe’s lips. He must be dreaming. You thought.

"Anyways," you continued, "you have a name now buddy! How great is that?"

You felt a kick from him in response. You chuckled slightly at the feeling, "I’m going to take that as a ‘it’s great mom!'” You felt another flutter, making your smile widen. You smiled contently as you continued, “but I hope you're enjoying it in there...you'll be out in the world before you know it baby boy. Just a few more months and mommy and daddy can finally hold you." 

You smiled at the thought of holding your newborn son for the first time. However, the second you see Joe hold him though, it will be over. Your heart will absolutely burst from all the overwhelming love and cuteness.

"Well, I’ll stop bothering you my little love...just know that mommy and daddy love you so so much, and we can't wait to meet you." You brought your hand up to your mouth, pressing a kiss to your fingertips before bringing it back down and pressing it on your bump. You then did the same to Joe’s cheek. You placed your hand over his back, rubbing it up and down softly as he slept. You sat quietly, scrolling through your Instagram feed and letting Joe sleep. Suddenly, you felt the baby move harshly, making you wince. You felt the sudden urge to pee, meaning you definitely just got an elbow to the bladder.

You felt Joe’s chest rumble with laughter, “Woah, I felt that one." You chuckled, "Yeah me too. I just got an elbow right in my bladder. So if you'll excuse me, i’m going to go to bathroom before I pee all over this couch.”

Joe smiled as he chuckled softly. He picked his head up from your belly, sitting up on the couch and yawning. You stood up from your spot, supporting your growing bump and slightly aching back. You made your way into the bathroom and did your business just in time. Every time baby presses against your bladder, you know you have only minutes to get to a bathroom.

You finished up in the bathroom, heading back into the living room and sighing in relief as you sat back down on the couch. Joe put his phone down beside him, chuckling at the sound of your sigh. He brought his hand back to your belly, pushing against the swollen skin to try to get the baby to move.

His attempts to get your son to move were unsuccessful, until Joe took his hand away. You started to feel constant flutters, that soon turned into little pulsing movements you could see from the outside.

“Look at that,” Joe said, pointing at your bump, “I’ve never seen him move like that before.” You furrowed your brows, nodding in agreement with your boyfriend.

“I haven’t either?”

You were confused at first at the feeling of the pulsating flutters every few seconds…until you realized what exactly was happening.

Your baby had the hiccups.

“Awe,” you gasped softly, “I think he has the hiccups.”

Joe glanced at you, raising his eyebrows, “Really?” You nodded, giggling lightly, “Yeah, look.”

You and Joe watched with smiles on your faces as your bump twitched every few seconds from each hiccup that came from your baby.

“That is the cutest thing I’ve seen,” Joe gushed as he kept his eyes on your bump, “little man’s got the hiccups.” He finished, pushing his lip out slightly.

You and Joe kept your eyes on your belly as your son’s hiccups continued for about another minute. It was a crazy feeling, but it was even crazier seeing it from the outside. Once the movements stopped completely, you brought you hand to your bump and patted the side gently.

“Feel better little guy?” You asked with a chuckle. Joe brought his hand to the other side of your belly, his chuckle matching yours. “I’m sure he does.”

You smiled softly and leaned back in the couch, resting your head on Joe’s shoulder.

“I can’t believe we saw his first hiccups today.” You said, awe laced in your voice. Every pregnancy milestone you experience never failed to wow you. Joe smiled as he wrapped his arm around you, pulling you closer into his side.

“And I can’t believe we finally picked a name for him.” Joe mused as he squeezed your body gently. You hummed as you spoke to you baby.

“We love you…” You said the baby’s name, making both you and Joe smile.

“Yes we do,” Joe replied with just as much love, “We can’t wait to meet you little man.”

hey loves!!

so baby burrow/hubbard finally has a name🥹 which one do you think it is?? i won’t be revealing it until the birth chapter ;))

this chapter was so fun to write. i love the fluffy stuff<3 but…we’ll see some angst again soon because you know how i am👀

(also this was not edited throughly, i apologize for errors)

i’m posting this chapter as a little thanksgiving gift to all of you, to show how thankful i am for every single one you. thank you so much for everything loves! your love and support means the world🤍🤍

happy thanksgiving babes!🤍

tags: @dandelionwrites8 @joeburreauxsworld @theflawedwriter @mrsshiesty @ann288 @ijustcrypretty @theoneandonlyfanz @wickedfun9 @venus-b @hummusxx @stainednailpolishremover @a-moment-captured @alternativemadchen @erinmartin1987 @sirlewisworld @kkrenae @unhingedfangirl @sublimemusic-rebel @meameagirl @ilovejoeburroww @hallecarey1 @j-worlds-blog @blinkloverx3 @jordyn14 @kristencochefski1125 @ryiamarie @unsaidjaelinrose @sinners-98-world @ozwriterchick @evernova @fangirl-madz @fantasywritersstuff @jackharloww @bernelflo @austinswhitewolf @emherb10

[imaginecolby]

Friends with Benefits || Part Two - The Surprise

in the weeks leading up to christmas, you and colby spent a significant amount of time together. but following the holidays, as you both started to get busy again. with the two of you back at work and dealing with your separate adult lives, the nights you spent together became few and far between. you’d spent new year’s and his birthday together, and you made sure to treat him nicely. it unfortunately became radio silence following that.

"i just miss him. it's been two weeks since his birthday, and the last time we were with each other." you sighed to your friend. they were the only one who knew about your situation with colby, and the only person you could confide in.

"you guys really haven't spoken in two weeks?" they asked.

"we've spoken, and we have seen each other, but not like we used to. i mean, we’re friends first, and have been for years. before we started hooking up, we saw each other regularly. now it’s like, a single text every other day, and a quick hi and bye when we actually do see each other.” you sighed. “and it's been two weeks since we've had sex. i think that's the longest we've gone without it since we started hooking up.”

"i dont want to be asking the obvious here, but have you tried telling him you need him?" they asked, and you just nodded.

"maybe he's finally over it, and i just have to move on." you sighed.

later that evening, as you were trying to decide on dinner, nothing seemed appetizing to you. you eventually decided on take out, ordering something from the sandwich shop down the street. when it was delivered, your appetite faded, and the idea of eating was completely out of your mind.

the smell of your food was nauseating, but you figured it was just because you were that hungry. you unpacked your food and sat down to eat. you felt a bit better after you ate some of your sandwich, but that unfortunately didn't last. you ran to the bathroom, feeling like you were going to throw up. although, nothing came up.

you searched around your medicine cabinet for something to settle your stomach. you scoured and cleared out your cabinets and didn’t find anything that you could take. although, you did find something else that could explain your stomach ache.

"oh fuck." you said aloud, your birth control pills in your hand. you looked down at them, realizing you’d forgotten to take your last one. "fuck, fuck, fuck."

here came the vomit.

after you finished throwing up, you sat on the floor with a million thoughts racing through your mind.

is this for real? what am i gonna do? what is colby gonna say? how could i have let this happen?

you took some time to collect your thoughts and finally found the strength to get up from the floor. you gathered your thinks to head to the drugstore to get some tums and buy a pregnancy test. just as you opened the door to leave, there was colby standing with his hand up, about to knock.

"oh! what are you doing here?" you asked out of breath, heart dropping to your stomach.

"i missed you. i'm sorry i’ve been less talkative than usual. sam and i had a lot of planning for these upcoming trips, and catching up on work since the holiday."

"no worries! i'm glad youre okay. i missed you too." you said with a small smile.

"your voice sounds raspy, are you okay?"

"i've got a bit of an upset stomach, and threw up a little bit. i was just gonna run to the drugstore and get some tums."

"okay then, let's go." colby said, wrapping his arm around your shoulders. your heart fell deeper into your stomach, but you knew better than to try and convince him to let you go on your own.

the walk down to the drugstore was awkward, as you and colby made small conversation. you didn't want to tell him anything, especially since you weren't sure if there was going to be anything to tell.

you walked up and down the aisles of the drugstore, and you grabbed your tums and another anti nausea medicine. you stood at the end of the family planning aisle, shoes suddenly feeling like they were full of cement. the words on the sign taunted you, unsettling your stomach and making you want to throw up again.

you walked down the aisle and stood in front of the pregnancy tests, overwhelmed by how many options there were. as you stood there, trying to make a decision, you heard colby's voice calling out to you.

"y/n?" he asked, you turned to face him, tears welling in your eyes. "are you ..?"

"maybe." you said quietly. you stared at each other, a thick tension forming between you. the color faded completely from his face, and his eyes were wide. you were sure you had the same expression on your face.

you finally grabbed a box from the shelf and went to pay for your things. you and colby walked back to your apartment in silence, neither of you knowing what to say to each other.

you walked off to your room as colby sat in the living room. you locked yourself in the bathroom, starting to cry again while you worked up the courage to actually take the test. once you finally did, you set it on the counter and threw a handfull of tums into your mouth. you began pacing the bathroom, your mind racing again while you waited for the results.

you jumped at the sound of your timer finally going off. you took a deep breath before finally picking the test up from the counter. you slowly opened your eyes, them filling with tears as soon as they landed on the screen.

you slowly walked out of the bathroom and into the living room, colby standing up as soon as he saw you.

“so? what’s the result?” he asked softly.

“i’m pregnant.”

[circeyoru]

KDHDISHUS

I just finished reading the latent charter of Unwanted soul AND OMFG IT'S SO GOOD HDHDIDHDIHDJD

I did not expect a new caracter, yet alone a new yandere!!! And I love how this is like, a diferent type of yandere unlike Alastor, were he is in love, Nemisis idk...like, worships us? Something like that! BUT I LOVE IT!! And I also love the way Kat died! Serves her right for being a stealing bad person hshs

Quick question tough: will us/reader ever have some kind of parent/child or mentor/student relationship with Nemisis? I feel like it would be cute hdhdhhduddg

I'LL STOP ANNOYING U KNOW!! PLEASE TAKE CARE KF URSELF :DD

This is for {Unwanted Soul} , check MASTERLIST for the work

Aww, you're flattering me too much~!

As for Reader's/your relationship with Nemesis.

I feel think it's more of a writer-editor friendship type of deal. It's work but there's a bit of causal mix into it if you get me.

Essentially, what Nemesis or, at the time, Cecil, saw was that Kat took your role as the writer/author. Cecil would have been working with you on the novels but she got Kat instead and was working with Kat without knowing and realizing that Kat was never the author. Cecil blames herself for not knowing and feels guilty for being in service of Kat.

Cecil doesn't assume that she knows everything about you since you two were never close, nor have you two met directly. Cecil only has brief imagery of you through Kat's descriptions, she pieces things together to get how you are. It's cause of her not knowing what you like or prefer in a friend that she uses a gender-neutral name and 'they/them' pronouns now that she's/they're in Hell.

*A bit of lore on Cecil's name. It means blind and sixth. I'm focusing on the blind part. It's what it is. Cecil was blind to Kat's lies and blind to finding out about the real author to the novels she loves until it was too late.

Now for Nemesis, they back off when they saw Alastor as a protector of yours and a capable one at that. It's heavily implied that Nemesis was there to watch Alastor throw Kat around in a fit of rage on your behalf. Nemesis would have appeared if Alastor didn't act or you didn't do anything. It's to show you that someone will get their hands dirty for you because you are deserving. Nemesis' first agenda was also to tell you the truth of what happened and what they did before their death. In a way, to give you a peace of mind on what you loved.

Nemesis is there as a reminder that you were noticed in the living world. Your story was told and you took back what was stolen. Their yandere tendency is more towards supporting you in whatever you want or do and to mull down any that finds fault in you and opposes you.

[fischltao]

AFTER

pairing: tsukishima kei x gn! reader

summary: tsukishima worries about your future together

warnings: tsukishima and the reader are third years, angst, fluff, heavily inspired by horimiya, swearing, kind of crack? tsuki is baby

a/n: my latest fics have been getting a lot of feedback lately, thank you everyone for your kind words, hope you enjoy this one as well <3 wrote this while listening to be my angel by mazzy star

"just be my angel if you love me, be my angel in the night"

when you met tsukishima kei in your first year in karasuno high, you would've never expected the outcome of that fateful meeting. you had both been a classmate of his and a manager in his volleyball club so crossing paths was bound to be. soon after your first encounter, you fell in love with each other. a small crush that soon blossomed into a wonderful two year relationship.

and two years later, as your salty boyfriend sat across from you in a study date he failed to realize that for the past 30 minutes he hadn't read a single sentence in his textbook and, instead he had been spacing out and staring out the window. he had never thought about what it would've been like being apart from you, there had had never been an actual reason to think so after all. yet a comment by his older brother felt like a slap throwing him back to real life.

"you both are third years now! do you think you'll be together after graduation"

will we be together after graduation? will they want to be with me still? what is going to happen after graduation?

it had been bothering him for a while actually. of course he could've talked to you and the pair of you would communicate your way out of it. however it scared him to think about confronting you about it because what would happen if you still didn't want to be with him after graduation? would you be over right then and there?

he snapped out of his thoughts the moment you settled over his lap and squished his cheeks together, a habit you picked up during your time together whenever you noticed him spacing out. he always acted annoyed but truth is, he loved it. he loved everything about you.

"what's gotten you staring at your neighbors' fence like that? do you not like their new one?" you joked, moving your head to playfully bite at his neck as he kissed your forehead. you expected him to act like he was disgusted and pinch your leg or something but you were surprised when all he did was pull you closer and hug you tighter against his chest "baby whats wrong?"

"nothing's wrong idiot" he whispered tilting his head to rest at the curve where your neck meets your shoulder

"then why are you clinging on me like a koala, hm? not saying that i mind but you need to talk to me kei, i'm here for you" and he knew it. he knew that you loved him just as much as he loved you, which made it harder for him because even if you loved him now, would you grow apart after high school?

"will you still be here after we graduate?"

"in miyagi? yes babe I'll be attending college in sendai city, i thought we talked about this before, didn't we?"

"no idiot i know i mean-" pause "here"

"oh" he wasnt really sure if he liked your reaction. maybe he should've been more prepared before asking you because his nerves had been eating him alive, waiting for you to answer and god were you taking your sweet time"i guess it's time right?"

if he thought he was about to have a heart attack earlier, he definitely would now.

"time for what baby?"

"please make it quick kei"

"what the hell are you talking about"

"huh?" and it was then that he pushed his head off your shoulder to look at you, both of you staring at each other in confusion "oh you're not going to break up with me? ive thought about this a lot and i figured you wouldn't want to be with me after we graduate so i guessed you would just break up with me now"

he looked at you as if you just hit his mother's head with a cast iron pan.

"STOP STARING AT ME LIKE THAT IT SCARES ME"

what you didn't expect next was for him to burst out laughing. and now it was your turn to look at him like he hit your mother's head with a cast iron pan.

"you idiot" he exclaimed in between laughter "i thought you wanted to break up with me"

"be fucking for real"

"im serious"

"kei why would i not wanna be with you? i love you"

"i don't know, i thought that maybe you'd want to do other stuff after high school that wouldn't include me- well us. akiteru asked me if we'd still be together after graduation and i didn't know what to say, it kind of took me out" he said,now fully serious "but i dont care about graduating or anything i-i dont want to be apart from you you know? your stupid ass has grown on me"

"yeah i would hope so after two years" you deadpanned "you should've talked to me about it, i-i was thinking the same thing, guess we both worried over nothing, huh?" and with that you laid your haid on his shoulder once again, tracing shapes on his chest with your fingers of the hand that wasnt latched in his sweatshirt.

"y/n?"

"hm?"

"marry me in the future, will you?"

"i'd marry you in any life,kei"

the end.

[shieldofiron]

Steve’s heard I love you before.

From his parents, quick on the end of a phone call, or nannies, ruffling his hair. He’s heard it whispered sweet between cherry sweet chapstick lips, or laughed hot and dirty through smoke, way back when he and Eddie were together.

But Billy... like he was in everything... was a little different.

"Why not? Susan doesn't care!" Steve threw his hands up.

"She's dating Wayne now," Billy growled, standing up with quick jerky movements and putting his dish in the sink.

"Okay?" Steve shrugged, "What the hell does that have to do with us? We can't move in because your stepmom, who likes me, is dating some guy!"

"Wayne's a real nice guy," Billy throws his hands up, "I don't want that to change because he's had some queer living in his house."

He said it hot, with a puff of air, but Steve could see the vulnerability behind his eyes. He didn't want to give Wayne Munson an excuse to turn into Neil Hargrove, as if there was any way on the planet that could happen.

"Wayne didn't mind all that much when Eddie and I were dating," Steve stood too, and put his hands on his hips, "I think you just don't want to move in with me."

"Oh," Billy sneered, "I shoulda guessed when you said you'd hooked up with a guy while I was gone. Dustin must have been so mad when you broke up with him and got with me."

"What does Dustin have to do with us? Or Eddie or Wayne or any of it Billy, none of them-"

"Don't you fuckin' say they don't matter!" Billy roared, "This is your town, you're fucking.... little brother. None of them like me. None of them think I'm good enough."

"That's not true, Billy," Steve started.

"'Course it's true. If I didn't love you so fucking much I would be able to take the goddamn hint," Billy pulled out a cigarette and lit it with shaky hands. "I'm going out for a drive."

Steve just blinked at him. Billy had never said that. Never, ever, not in two years of dating. Not any time when Steve whispered, "I love you," in the dark. Not ever.

This was supposed to be the moment, the one Steve had been waiting for, and he wasn't gonna just let it pass by.

He darted in front of the door to the kitchen, "You love me?"

Something raw flashed across Billy's face.

"You know I love you," Billy said stiffly.

"I know... I hoped..." Steve reached out and gently brushed a hand across Billy's forearm, "I love you. You know that?"

"I know," Billy said softly.

"Billy," Steve shook his head, "You don't have to be scared. We can move in together. We can love each other. It's okay."

Billy doesn't answer right away, because he's swiping at his face.

"Billy," Steve took him in his arms, "You love me. It's okay."

Steve didn't mind Billy being different. In fact, he loved it.

[meanbossart]

Asks about VaM, art advice, and miscellaneous stuffs

HI! Real quick please refrain from referring to Sad Sack as S/S for the uh... Obviously reasons LOL We call it "sads" for short!

If what you're asking for are recommendations for a website to host that kind of thing, Neocities, Twitter, Itchio and as you mentioned AO3 are all perfectly good options! Patreon too (depending on how gnarly you're planning on getting) but I'd suggest keeping that as a secondary host option because I don't think it lends itself super well for getting your work circulating. I believe Bluesky allows that kind of thing too, but I'm not too sure since I don't use it.

Now, If you're asking about public reaction rather than guidelines, anywhere you go you might find people that don't jive with the work you do 🤷 just be upfront about the type of content you're making right off the bat to avoid having anyone stumble upon it by accident to the best of your abilities, otherwise, I wouldn't worry too much. I know we're constantly exposed to examples of overwhelming harassment and "dogpilling" happening to others but... Truth be told, most of us won't ever get to the size/internet level of fame where we experience that. I think the threat is a little bit... Overstated, nowadays. Not to mention that most of the time people are getting harassment for things that have nothing to do with their work, and rather relating to their behavior and attitudes. Play smart, be responsible, and be honest! Whatever comes next is in god's hands LOL

Thank you for the ask! Not sure I was of much help 😅 but frankly when you're just starting out it's best to focus on getting the work done first and just throwing it out there, wherever it may be. You can worry about technicalities like that later!

I GOT YOU MAN the full sketch is now up on my patreon!

YES AND YES WHETHER IT BE STORIES OR ART OF DU DROW AND YOUR CHARACTERS SLAMMING PINTS TOGETHER BE MY GUEST PLEASE

I love seeing everyone's take on my weirdo so much, anything is honestly welcomed!

AW DUDE thank you so much! Especially for suffering through the mammoth of a story that ANE turned into - writing has never been my strongest point so I'm always shocked to hear from people that enjoy it 🥲

About the booze question, honestly I'm not picky at all, I usually go by price and by that I mean whatever is cheapest LOL but I prefer a dry white as far as types go.

You only have to pay for it once! You get a code that unlocks the software and all of it's features and you're free to cancel your subscription after that. At some point the code might change or there might be an update that requires subscribing again - but that seems like a very rare occurrence so I wouldn't worry about it.

OH NO I HAVE DEFINITELY TRACED MY OWN REFERENCE BEFORE, but not entire poses! When something is challenging I'll make a point of drawing it out the usual way.

I can remember a couple of instances from Nick and mine's comic where I traced pictures I took of myself, just as a time saving measure. Again like I said in the post, there are several ways to employ tracing your own material that is perfectly acceptable. I have also traced bare-bones 3D backgrounds that I made for the same reasons.

I know you specifically asked about tracing when something's complicated, but I still wanted to be upfront to demystify the practice under different circumstances. The rule of thumb is to never use it when you know it would be inhibiting your skill development!

Happy to hear you wanted to pick up the skill! I definitely understand the urge too LOL since playing BG3 and becoming so invested in the stories and characters my art has improved a ton, simply from forcing me out of my usual style and making me want to capture different moods and scenarios - finding something you're passionate to draw is, frankly a great damn start.

I replied to a bunch of asks asking for pointers and advice a while back, one of the questions was very similar to yours and I still stand behind the advice I gave then. Hopefully you can find something helpful here! https://meanbossart.tumblr.com/post/740543514692173824/some-art-advice-asks-ive-been-meaning-to-reply

HMMM I don't usually think of myself as the best teacher/tutorial guy, but funnily enough I can think of a few things about this topic that I could elaborate on lol. If I do that in the near future, I'll put it up on my patreon (for free as with everything else.)

If there are any specific things about it that you (and anyone else who would be interested in it, for that matter) find challenging and would like for me to focus on, let me know!

---

That's all for now folks, and as usual thank you so much to everyone who's left a nice compliment, word of encouragement or funny tidbit in my inbox as well! I can't reply to you all individually, but I see and read all the messages I get c:

HAVE A LOVELY REST OF YOUR WEEK

[kimpossibly]

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋 𝐎𝐑 𝐍𝐎𝐓 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐋 -> e. williams

PAIRING: ellie williams x fem!reader WARNINGS: mentions of past trauma, head injuries, amnesia, underage drinking SUMMARY: the reader is ellie's best friend from FEDRA school who, after a run-in with an infected, suffers from a bout of amnesia, after years apart, ellie and y/n are handed over to joel to bring to the fireflies. their reunion is bittersweet due to y/n's condition, leading them to play a game of ellie's imagination in order to piece together the past.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: So I may or may not have taken the concept of "Real or not real?" from the Hunger Games, but LET ME BE OBSESSEDDDDD. Once I had this idea, I couldn't get it out of my head. My little creativity monkey wouldn't shut up, thus this fic was born. I don't know, I think it's adorable! Enjoy! also, mild spoiler because i just thought of it and it's funny: ...and they were roommates.

"And then you punched her right in the jaw! I'm not kidding, she had a bruise for the next couple of weeks. Couple stitches in her lip too," Ellie said, excitedly recounting a story from the past. "Obviously, Captain Kwong threw you in the hole for another two weeks, but it was worth it. At least, that's what you said."

You almost laughed at the story, forgetting momentarily that you were the star of it. At least the old you had the balls to do all the things you wish you could do now. "I sound pretty badass."

"You were," Ellie said without a beat. Then, more confidently, "You are."

You paused, sobering up a bit at the reminder. Sometimes when you heard these things about your past, you couldn't believe it. You were like some mythological legend you heard about but never imagined you could be ― and yet it was you. Nothing changed between the two versions other than time. Well, time and a traumatic brain injury. You couldn't really leave that bit out.

Ellie seemed to notice your sudden solemnity and was quick to change the subject. "You know, you were the one who introduced me to Pearl Jam?"

You looked up, interested.

"Yeah, yeah you did. You smuggled all these cassettes in and we'd listen to them on my Walkman. God, we'd be up until two, three in the morning just playing that shit on repeat. Our dorm guard hated us because we'd talk over it, too. Woke everybody up. We made a loooot of enemies back then."

"Seems like it. But, to be fair, you seem like kind of a difficult person to be around."

Ellie's jaw dropped as she feigned offense, throwing the pebble at her. "I'm very pleasant company, thank you very much."

Y/n rolled her eyes, muttering something sarcastic under her breath. There was a bottle of some amber liquid, hidden from Joel, closed in her fist. It burned when she swallowed it, but enough sips made her head heavy. It was nice. Warm. Almost fuzzy, even. She set it down, sighing deeply. "Sometimes I get these...these glimmers of the past, but I'm not sure if they're real or if I just made them up."

Ellie stopped. Contemplated. She leaned over, taking the bottle from Y/n's grip, and looking down the barrel to see how much was left. She wanted to help Y/n. She did. In fact, there was nothing in the fucking world she wanted more. It just so happened that what she suffered from was the most unhelpable problem in the fucking universe.

There was only one thing she could think to do to try and unravel the enigmatic fucking past.

"How about we play a game?" she asked, taking a swig from the bottle. "You tell me something you think you remember ― something from your glimmers ― " she added with a grin, "and I'll tell you if it's real or not real."

Y/n paused, thinking. "Real or not real. That could work," she mumbled. "Okay, um...I'll start with the first thing I remembered: my favorite FEDRA food was beans on toast."

"Easy. Real," Ellie said without a beat. "Every Wednesday you were so excited for that shit. It was fucking disgusting, too. I didn't get it. Still don't."

Y/n felt a pang of excitement in her chest. Something she remembered had been real. Not an illusion, but fact. That meant that maybe, maybe, she could recover.

"Gimme that," she muttered, taking the bottle from Ellie and taking a celebratory sip. The other girl laughed as Y/n swallowed, grasping for some other memory to recount. "Okay, um, there was a girl. We both hated her. Her name was...oh fuck, what was it? It started with a B."

"Bethany?"

"Yes! Bethany."

"She was the one you sent to the infirmary! Real." Ellie said, bubbling with excitement too. She could see how happy Y/n was now, knowing that she was slowly but surely grasping bits of her past. And that, if anything, made her a little happy too.

They started passing the bottle back and forth. Question, drink. Answer, drink. Warmth hummed in both of their chests, tearing sobriety in half.

Y/n's cheeks burned pink in the moonlight. "Okay, I'm not super sure about this one, but were the walls of our dorm blue?"

"Mm, not real," Ellie replied with a shake of her head. "Maybe that's something else though? Like maybe your house had blue walls?"

"Yeah, maybe."

Y/n's face had fallen a bit ― whether it was because a glimmer had been wrong or from the mention of home, she wasn't sure. It occurred to Ellie then that she may have had memories of home that she wasn't telling her. Maybe because there wasn't a person alive that could confirm them.

Either way, something had upset her. And Ellie didn't like that.

"Hey, you're, like, 6 for 7. These glimmers are pretty fuckin' reliable."

"Yeah, I guess," Y/n said, her grin returning. "Okay, next one...oh, I remember this one. It's about you."

"Oh?"

"Indeed. You're the star, Ellie. So: there was a night that we went out on the roof and stared up at the sky for hours. You told me random shit about the moon and space ― cause you love that stuff. Real or not real."

"Real," Ellie confirmed. "It happened a couple times, actually. I think the last time was when we..." she trailed off, pausing briefly. "No. Never mind."

Y/n looked up, hastily cutting off her sip from the bottle. "Come on, what? You're withholding information from an amnesiac? That's, like, borderline illegal. Come on, I'm a big girl. I can take it."

But there were some things that Ellie, upon recognizing Y/n's condition, decided not to tell. There were some things you couldn't force on a person. And if history repeated itself, so be it. but if not, Ellie wouldn't be the one to force it.

"The last time we went up, I nearly pushed you off the roof, and you accused me of trying to murder you. Excuse me for trying to avoid a touchy subject."

She immediately regretted lying.

Y/n rolled her eyes, taking another sip. "Yeah, okay. Maybe it's better I don't remember that part. There's no stopping me from smothering you in your sleep."

Ellie laughed quietly, but Y/n sensed that she'd been slightly put out. Desperate to continue the game, she searched for any of the so-called glimmers she'd gotten recently. They'd all been fairly boring ― games of dodgeball, training at FEDRA school, and then...

Oh.

There had been one glimmer that had stopped Y/n in her tracks. One that had woken her up in the middle of the night, heart beating so violently she could feel it in her teeth.

That one, she hoped, was real. But if it wasn't ― if it was just her imagination playing tricks on her ― and she asked Ellie anyway? That had the potential to be catastrophic.

When she was silent for a little too long, Ellie cocked her head, trying to discern the calculating look on Y/n's face. "What?"

"Hm?" Y/n asked, eyes still frozen to the ground. "Oh, nothing. Boring glimmers, blah blah blah."

"No, hey ― I want the boring. If we're going to get your memory back in tip-top shape, that means leaving no stone unturned. Come on, lay it on me. Boring as hell. Go."

Y/n sighed, throwing her head back. "Fine. Boring it is, I guess. I sucked at math. Real or not real."

"Real. You sucked bad."

"Expected. I was a fast runner. Real or not real."

"Hell yeah you were. Put me to shame. Real."

"Ah, some good news, finally," she joked. "Um...you didn't like me when we first met. Real or not real."

"Jesus, you're really exposing me here. Real."

Y/n's jaw dropped. "What?"

"Yeah. You smiled a lot and talked nonstop. I couldn't get you to shut up."

That sent Y/n into a fit of laughter, throwing her head back so quickly she almost tipped over, sending herself sprawling against the forest floor. "So when did you realize I wasn't a pain in the ass?"

Ellie paused, thinking. "Our third day of training. This girl, Megan, made fun of me because I couldn't make it all the way up the rope. Before I could tell her to fuck off, you stepped in. You called her bleached hair tacky and told her to find a more original insult. And when she didn't back down, you swung. She beat your ass, of course ― you couldn't fight for shit back then. But that was when I realized you were a pretty damn good roommate. And I started to listen when you talked."

Y/n's brows had furrowed halfway through the story as a new glimmer rapidly began to reveal itself. "You'd sneak out after lights out to visit me in the infirmary. You brought the Walkman with you and gave it to me to keep throughout the day."

Ellie swallowed, nodding. "That's real."

Y/n nodded in response, staring down at her dirty sneakers to avoid looking at Ellie. The other glimmer ― the terrifying one ― burned hot on her tongue, begging to be recounted. It was a risk, of course it was. But the old Y/n seemed to live in peace with those, even if they left her with a black eye.

"There's one more," she said quietly, her throat constricting. "I loved you. Like, really loved you. And I think you loved me back. Real or not real."

The bottle swayed in Ellie's hand. Y/n tore her eyes away from the ground to look up at Ellie, her heart thumping. And in the pale moonlight, she saw a nod. "Real."

[drinkthestars]

spoilers for nimona (2023)

just watched the new nimona movie and it was fantastic! great children's movie, excellent animation and clean plot progression. but it's missing something: the subversive morality that i first experienced when reading nimona as a kid.

in the actual comic, nimona killed people. she was morally gray- she took that step into murder and atrocity. in the movie, she's a punk kid who likes to make (admittedly pretty scary) faces and joke around about death, but it doesn't seem like she's actually gotten around to the real murder part.

and you know what? i get it.

this movie isn't meant to be the book, and that's fine. it's a wholesome misunderstood hero story for kids and a non-controversial way to have positive queer representation without compromising the themes with characters that aren't 100% good and sweet and lovely. it's great for a mainstream audience.

here's the thing: it would've been so much more INTERESTING if nimona WAS the killer. i was expecting it as a plot twist the whole movie- nimona impersonating the director (who was, tbh, not a very interesting twist villain, especially with her lack of forshadowing and her very easy and quick admit to her crimes- you'd think such a high-ranking individual would know better than to confess her sins and then murder the direct descent of gloreth in her office)

nimona has been trying and trying to convince ballister to reform the system the whole movie, saying that he SHOULD be mad, the INSTITUTE is what's in the wrong, not JUST the director. they can't run away- they have to fight back! that would've been such good foreshadowing for her having orchestrated the whole thing, with her being clearly shown to be able to shift into other people.

i'm almost convinced that the writers initially planned for that as the plot progression and then edited it to make it more family-friendly.

so in an ideal world, here's what i think should've happened:

nimona actually does frame the director for the murder- but as revenge for experimenting on and torturing her, as in the book. ballister is pardoned by the public and by ambrosius, but then the director shows the video footage of nimona shapeshifting into her, and the consequent sword-swapping. in a nutshell, nimona uses ballister to kill the queen and tries to manipulate him to help the world change, for a place where she isn't tortured needlessly just for being different.

ballister, betrayed, fights with nimona (insert key weakness that she has told only him here) and she is captured. the director informs him of the experiments on nimona (while dismissing her as a heartless monster) and he is horrified. the director reveals her new plan to get rid of (non-existent) potential monsters in the city like nimona (witch-hunting, reference to eugenics, you get it). ballister and ambrosius free nimona, and they work together to stop the enby-murder laser or whatever, nimona sacrificing herself in the process (or does she...). the ending remains the same from there.

the unfortunate issue with queer media at the moment is that people need it to be pure- a depiction of a morally gray queer character right now might throw the whole theme into question. after all, if queer people aren't perfect, than they're dead. which is interesting, because that's kind of the theme of nimona, in a sense. a narrative about people who are different, and for that reason alone are unforgivable monsters.

queer and disabled folk (see attorney woo, a show i love, for a similar problem) aren't allowed to be flawed in media. if they're not paragons of humanity or supergeniuses, they can't be accepted. nd stevenson was one of the first authors i ever saw really subvert that in widely known media meant for teens.

real life people aren't going to be as forgiving as the movies make it look. i liked the old nimona because she reflected that- she was not a sinless matyr in the end- she gave into her rage and despair and let it warp her. did that make her a monster? no- it made her human. queer media is trying its best, but in the end the issue is the very inhumanity of perfection.

[penncilkid]

Hello hello! My name is PK and I'm a fervent enjoyer of non-canon ships. I'm not a fic writer exactly but I've been told "Where's the fic OP" twice now by my friends. So I thought I'd format one of my fic-adjacent ramble sessions for Tumblr!

Pairing: Milo/David [No Sweetheart or Angel, wanted to go easy on myself] [MDNI*] [Let's call this "canon reminiscent /lh]

Word Count: 3.2 K

*(I wouldn't consider this smut by any means but there's a few lines that make me want to add this as a tag)

[As a reminder, I diverge from canon quite a bit with this. This is just one route I could see leading to Milo and David getting together]

My vision for this pair is that they start getting closer in a more than just friends way a little bit after Gabe dies. Not immediately because have some decorum, but it would start during that transition period for David as Alpha. Asher is trying his best to help but is also grappling with the whole Beta thing, so he feels like he's in a complex position. But him and Milo can see that David's not doing great so Milo's like "Fine, I'll bite the bullet" and tries to confront David about it.

At first it's subtle, asking David if he needs help with something, if he wants anyone from the pack to stay after for meetings, if he wants them to pick up a shift so he can have the day off, etc. But David is too stubborn to accept any of it so he keeps brushing them off. This ends up culminating in a "fight" one day where Milo again tries to make an offer that David shoots down. Milo sort of snaps and is like "Alright, what the fuck gives? Why are you acting like you're too good to get help anymore, David?" David says he doesn't know what he's talking about, Milo calls bullshit. It doesn't turn into a screaming match but it's enough of a heated argument that Milo storms out of the den.

In the days following, Milo either calls out sick, switches shifts with people, anything to avoid seeing David. David brushes it off, thinking he's got more important things to worry about if Milo's going to throw a fit. But of course, Ash being Ash means this stuff can't fly for long, so he tells both David and Milo that he needs help with something at an odd time of day and then "coincidentally" doesn't show up. When Milo gets to the den, he's real tempted to get back in his car and leave. It's a mix of still being a little frustrated with David and being embarrassed that this "fight" has gone on for as long as it has. He walks up to David (who was waiting outside for Asher) and is like "Lemme guess, you're waiting for Ash?" "How did you...?" "Fucker told me the same thing."

They do some lighthearted bitching about their friend, which eases the tension. There's a bit of silence and right as Milo gets ready to apologize for speaking out of turn, David apologizes first. He acknowledges that Milo was right in what he said and that he's been struggling with everything changing, but he hasn't wanted it to show on the outside. Milo makes a light jab at David, "Alright well did you really expect that to go over my head? C'mon, David, we've known each other since we were kids. Gimme some credit" To make up for it, the two of them go out to eat, all that's chill. Cut to when Milo gets home, maybe has a drink or two as he's winding down. David sends him a message, confirming he made it home alright (because I've always latched onto the idea that he's super attentive to that given what happened with Gabe). Milo sends David a quick reply and wonders why seeing that message made him feel some type of way (romantic? Who knows, not Milo that's for sure /lh)

Now if I remember correctly, the audio where Angel learns about Gabe, it's been around 3 years since his passing. Keeping this in mind and in the spirit of being canon reminiscent, I think around/after this point is when Milo's feelings for David start to really bubble up. They've been building for awhile, much to his dismay. He's trying to play it cool, but his heart's in his damn throat any time David touches him casually or whenever the two of them are assigned to a job together. And he knows it's getting bad enough where he might lose focus, so he swallows his pride and does what he's been avoiding for months, if not years: asking Asher for advice.

"Alright, look: You and me both know that you had a lil crush on David when we were in high school. How the fuck did you get over it? I'm drowning, Ash." If this conversation is happening on the phone or at Asher's place, cue him yelling to Babe that they owe him 20 bucks (because it's funny to me <3). Asher asks Milo why he wants to get over the feelings so bad and Milo's like "'Cause this is David we're talking about." "So what?" "We've got... history. That complicates shit all on its own." "And?" "....Alright fine, and I'm also terrified he's not gonna feel the same. Happy?" Asher is being the little shit that he is, putting his arm around Milo's shoulder. "Listen. If I know David— And believe me, I do— What ya gotta do is be direct. If he doesn't feel the same, that's one thing. But if you even want a chance, you gotta be straight up with him. If you tried to ask him out casually, he'll just assume you're being friendly because that's what you are right now. Friends." Milo takes all this in and is like, "Nope, just gonna shove these feelings down for eternity." "I'll tell Marie—" "I will beat your ass." He knows Asher has a point though. Any idea Milo might've had could be easily construed as them just chilling as friends. But he doesn't really act on anything for awhile.

Now, before we get into the next phase of this, some added backstory: David had a crush on Milo growing up. I'm thinking a little after high school (won't say college necessarily since I don't picture them in college but like, young adulthood phase). He'd always found Milo incredibly attractive and found his boldness admirable in general. David was constantly thinking about what he had to do for others and how to make the pack look good (since he was the Alpha's kid then the pack Beta). Milo always felt incredibly refreshing to be around. But he figured Milo would never be interested in because David's just himself so he eventually got over it. Cut to that argument him and Milo had a few years back. He remembers that night when they made up because dinner had been fine but all he could do was focus on Milo. It felt nice to just hang out with him without the pressures of being Alpha. And he enjoyed listening to him talk about anything because he always had a strong opinion. I think around then is when his past feelings awoke again but there was a new obstacle: He was the Alpha of the pack. It wasn't like before, things were different. He'd never have a chance to pursue Milo without feeling like he had pushed Milo into a corner somehow. So again, he tried his best to push his feelings down, appreciate and value the friendship he had with Milo and leave it at that. It was enough to just have Milo in his life, even if it wasn't going to go any further.

Back to how these two end up together: the Moonbound Solstice. They're all at David's place, everyone's having a good time together. Milo's chilling, talking to someone from the pack when Asher cuts in and is like "Sorry, just gonna steal him for a minute" "Ash, you can't just— AY okay okay I'm coming" They walk off, somewhere far from the kitchen to minimize the risk of David overhearing. In hushed voices: "Alright, so what's the plan?" "Ash, what the fuck are you talking about?" "Milo, it's the Solstice. This is the perfect time to make a move." "Are you out of your damn mind? This is the last place I should be hitting on— On you know who." "What are you talking about it, it's perfect! The whole pack's here, no one would even notice." "Look, he's already got his hands full hosting the Solstice at his own place for a change. I'm just gonna chill and enjoy the night for what it is." Asher is pouting as Milo walks off, immediately thinking of what he can do to help nudge David Milo's way. (Unhinged alt route: Ash giving Milo a flat so he has to stay the night)

Cut to the end of the night, people are heading out and whatnot. David is subtly trying to get people out because he loves his pack but his senses need a break. Asher (+ Babe, package deal) and Milo offer to stay and help clean, and David lets them since it's only a handful of people. Milo's keeping his cool, vibing to the much lower playing music when: "Babe, what do you mean you have a work call you need to take tonight? Can't it wait?" "Sorry, Ash, I need to be home in the next twenty minutes" "Alright. Guess we're heading early." Milo thinks nothing of it until he makes eye contact with Babe. They smile with a sickeningly sweet wave. Those bastards. Before Milo can try to rope Ash into staying somehow, the two of them are gone.

When Milo and David are alone, Milo tries his best to focus on the task at hand because feelings or not, he's not gonna do a shit job at cleaning so David has to clean up after him. Once the bulk of it is done, David mentions that he needs to grab something from upstairs or maybe says he's going to go change out of his clothes (I imagine he put on something better looking but not as comfortable for the solstice). Milo's chill with that, getting his keys, phone, other personal belongings together. He happens to slip into the kitchen though, stealing a bit more of the food David had made for the solstice. While he's stealing (said with love), he hears very close to his ear: "You can take some home if you want." He nearly punches David, gripping his arm as he tries to slow his heart rate. "You tryin' give a guy a heart attack, Shaw (/lh)" because he legit didn't hear David come back downstairs. "Maybe if you weren't busy trying to steal some food, you would've heard me— Greer (/lh)." Milo rolls his eyes with a grin and there's a moment of quiet when he realizes his hand is still on David's arm.

He lets go, clearing his throat, confirming that it's actually cool if he wants to take some of the food home with him. David says sure, giving him a container to fill (or Milo takes whatever the food came in, not sure what I'm picturing David's cooking set-up to be). David walks Milo to the door (as a good host does) and the two of them talk in the doorway for a few minutes about upcoming jobs, responsibilities, all that formal shit. There's another quiet moment as the two of them watch each other. Inside, Milo's like "Alright, no one else is here. This is as good a chance as any." The second he gets ready to ask David out on a more proper date, David instead says "Good night, Milo" and essentially closes the door in his face. Milo stares for a moment before cursing himself in Spanish (my HC), walking to his car and muttering about how "Of course he was just being polite, what the fuck were you thinking?" On the other side of the door, David is groaning into his hands, face warm as he tries to calm down because he came way too close to making a move on Milo.

Intermission (Wow, you're still reading? Damn /pos): I wanted to think of how to push them closer to a confession before they actually get together and eventually settled on "sickfic shenanigans". Insert deliriously sick Milo whose phone died and he can't find a charger for the life of him so David goes over to his place to check on him. Initially, he's trying to get David to leave because "I can handle myself fine". But that doesn't last long because admittedly, he feels like shit and has been for the past 12 hours. The dynamic quickly turns into Milo convincing David to stay then being so sick his filter is hanging on by a thread (/lh). "Why do you have to go rush off so fast?" "Milo, I have a pack to take care of—" "First off, I'm part of the pack— (cue Milo coughing) And second, they'll be fine without their Alpha for a few hours." Milo's playing it off as lighthearted but David can tell he doesn't want to be cooped up inside alone on top of feeling like shit physically. A little later, when Milo's on the verge of falling asleep (as many do while sick), he's like "Y'know, it's fucking wild you don't got a mate, David. Like look at you. Doesn't make sense" David laughs at first, thinking Milo's sick delirious (which he is, but that's affecting his filter, not the validity of his words). He's like "ay, why are you laughing, I'm serious. Look— if I were ya mate, I'd treat ya right. I'd cook, I'd work extra hours so I could see ya, I'd make sure we're the best dressed wherever we go— not to mention, I got a great dick." David writes this off as Milo being sick and spewing nonsense but never forgets the words. Meanwhile, Milo (after getting over the sickness) is convinced he dreamt saying any of that to David.

Back to the present, David's been a bit stressed with work as of late so Asher suggests the pack take a trip/weekend vacation. He says he'll handle figuring everything out, letting David take a backseat this time. They go somewhere, a resort, a hotel, something that involves people having rooms they're staying in. Everyone's having a good time, chilling all day, night rolls around. David's in his room when he realizes he forgot to pack something— can be anything. Toothpaste, a charger, something for his hair, the specifics aren't important. He texts Asher, asking if he has the thing he forgot and Ash is like yeah. David asks Ash which room he's staying in, Ash texts him the room number. David leaves his room, goes there, knocks and waits patiently. Door opens, and who's standing there? Milo, shirtless and in the middle of brushing his teeth or some shit.

David's checking his phone to see if he went to the wrong room but nope, numbers match. "Asher must've made a typo. I just needed to borrow something from him." "Well, what did you need? Maybe I have it." Before David can leave, Milo's busy ushering him in, closing the door so he can finish brushing his teeth before finding what David needs. They're making idle conversation, talking about what they spent their respective days doing. While Milo's talking, David's kind of staring at his back, not processing a word he's saying. Milo turns around and notices and is like "What? Don't tell me there's a bug on me and you didn't say shit? (/lh)" and David is trying to think of a good cover up. Milo tries to lighten the mood, says he's just messing with David before going to find whatever David's looking to borrow. He finds it, hands it over when for a split second, his eyes land on David's crotch. David leaves shortly there after but all night, Milo's like "...That was a boner... why the fuck did he have a boner?" But again, Milo's mind is like "Nah, I'm reading this wrong somehow."

Now, I'm painting a picture: it's the next day, Ash, Milo, David, few others from the pack plan on doing something together while on the trip. Asher gets there a bit late but is somehow on time compared to David, who shows up minutes after (that man was up all night pining). Ash notices Milo's not here yet and has a devious idea (as always). He asks David to go check on Milo so they can go. "Why me?" "You were the last one here, it's only fair. Now shoo." David rolls his eyes but goes, getting to Milo's room, knocking. He can hear Milo's definitely inside because he's cursing and complaining. He knocks again before the door swings open to reveal a mildly disgruntled Milo Greer (my vision is he's in pants and a white tank with his name chain. The in between outfits outfit).

He asks what David is doing there, David explains that Asher sent him to pick up Milo, Milo's like "What time is it— Jesus fucking Christ." The issue at hand is Milo can't find an article of clothing that he swears he put in his bag. He's been trying to get by with alternative options but none of them look the way he wants them to, which is making him quietly lose his shit. David stifles a laugh, to which Milo lasers in on. "And what do you think you're laughing at?" "You haven't changed since we were kids, that's all." Milo scoffs but admittedly, the sentiment puts a smile on his face. Almost immediately after that moment, he finally finds what he was looking for (tucked under something, irrelevant right now). He starts to get ready, pulling his shirt on, buttoning it up but let's say a button or two is fighting him for whatever reason. Without a second thought, David walks up, buttoning it for Milo. Milo's having an internal moment as a result, staring at David's hands then his face. David finishes and looks up to catch Milo staring. He clears his throat, saying something about waiting in the hall when Milo catches his wrist.

"Can I take you out on a date?" "What?" "I don't know what or where yet, but I just— I know this is probably stupid and I'm shooting myself in the foot here, but Asher's gonna kick my ass if I don't do something so— Can I take you out on a date, David?" David's taken aback. "Wait... so you were serious. That time you were sick. All that stuff you said about being a good mate for me." "THAT WASN'T A DREAM?" Cue Milo letting go of David's hand and nearly cursing himself out, running a hand through his hair because now he's mortified. "I can't believe I actually said all that shit to you—" "Did you mean it?" "Huh?" For the first time, David's not looking at Milo like a friend or pack Alpha. The look in his eyes screams pure, unfiltered attraction. "Yes or no, Milo." Milo's face is hot, "Course I meant it. I'd treat you great if you gave me the chance to show you." David steps closer, gripping Milo's face gently and tilting it up towards his. "Show me." Milo grins before pulling David down to him, the kiss they shared far better than the ones he remembered from spin the bottle games they'd played as teens. This kiss felt deeper and closer than that could ever compare. The moment they break away, gasping for air, Milo's busy unbuttoning his shirt. David asks what he's doing, to which Milo replies "I'm about to savor as much time with you as I can before I have to see Asher's smug face. Unless you'd like to explain how your hair became a mess between the time you left to find me and when you get back?" David laughs before pulling Milo to him again.

So yeah, that concludes this fic adjacent ramble (/lh)! I love rarepairs and rambling, so if people enjoy this, I may format some other rambles as they arise. I think I've got some Sam/David tucked away somewhere, so let me know. If you actually read all of this, wow, okay, thank you (/lh /pos)

[asking-gereng]

Could we have a brief tutorial on how you manage your simple pencil-like style, if you don't mind? I have no intentions of copying your work, but I would love tips on making quick but still neat and cute drawings.

// Sure thing! I'm not out here keeping any secrets lmao. The brush I use is the real pencil on CSP, but the derwent pencil on procreate is similar. also I use an iPad and apple pencil, i found they made it a bit quicker but obviously an investment that isn't necessary. Though if you have one, one way to speed up is that if you tap the side of the pencil twice it switches to the eraser.

here are the general settings i use. when I sketch, the brush size is 50, and when i line the brush size is 30 - also I put the stabilisation up to 100% for lines. obvi use multitude of different brush sizes for colouring.

I sketch with any random mid tone and start like this, then fill out the torso

Sketching is always fairly messy. Point is to not give a shit about what it looks like, just get the vibe down.

After torso I throw on the limbs. Usually i sketch out where the ribcage is too if I'm putting detail on the chest. Then I throw on details like the face and clothes

I'll then put down the transparency of the sketch layer and on a new layer throw on the line art. brush size 30, and 100% stabilisation. I have just realised the hands are two different sizes. this happens often because of how quick i try throw together things like this.

As for colouring, blushies go here, and usually i over colour with a large brush and erase around it. For bigger pieces I do a thicker line around the outside of the figure, select the space around it, invert selection, grow selection by 10px, fill in with white, and then use a clipping mask or transparency lock, then you don't have to erase around it. I stick to as few colours as possible and i rarely colour skin unless the character has dark skin cus if I don't it looks strange i've found lol. I use pastels as well, like if i'm colouring in black I colour it grey instead.

AND WE'RE DONE!

Drawings for this blog depending on complexity usually take me anywhere from 20mins to an hour. I'm not fussed about perfection cus I just wanna get them done to answer or doodle my thoughts. Since I started this blog I've gotten way quicker at drawing just cus i was drawing so much when I first started, I was able to adapt the style. I used to do it with like longer faces but somehow it evolved into something more chibi like. I also went through a massive style overhaul when I first started I used to draw something very detailed that took me multiple days, but now I have the simpler style I adapted from doing this which is faster. as you see from my commissions I still have the detailed style, a simple style, and the chibi style which is what I use for the blog.

TLDR; 1 sketch layer, use loose, quick lines. Don't stay stuck on details and perfection, the more you draw the more shortcuts you'll find.

idk if this was necessary brief but there ya go!

[davy-zeppeli]

So I don't own a diary so I'm writing my thoughts here because it's my blog, fuck you.

The past month has been absolutely hellish. I've changed teams at work, had immense pressure put on me following this due to other managers in my area feeling the need to hound and scrutinise my team's work, and then I broke up with my partner, essentially throwing away any and all financial and home security I had in my future.

I separated with my partner for my own independence and freedom, to put it bluntly. 4 years together showed me we were perfect for eachother - same music taste, sams interests, many great and fun adventures together - but after 4 years, little things built up. Not being able to take the bus without scrutiny. Not being able to buy things I want in the shop due to it 'wasting money'. Stopping drinking because he didn't like it. Not being able to stay over at a friend's house without giving him dates and times I'd be back, as well as who I'm staying with and where. One of our last discussions was him asking me if I still loved him, which I did and do - but he also asked me if I'd been seeing other people. I didn't know it at the time, but it was a level of insecurity and fear expressed by him that was the primary indicator that something wasn't right.

About a week or so later, I suggested I move out and we try being friends.

This was not easy. Jesus Christ, it was hard. He took it well, and I can say now after a few more weeks we've both made peace with it. We're still best friends. He always will be! But it feels good now knowing that we're classifying our relationship as what it always was - best friends who live together. I've been told on numerous occasions that we really did just seem like roommates who happen to be together, and it only took until now to see it. But, despite it all, I feel a lot happier following my decision.

I have a flat pretty much secured for May - he has a new flat mate lined up for after I leave. I have my freedom, and now it's a case of getting used to it.

Then comes my other crisis: Daniel.

So, I really hope he doesn't ever see this. He won't.

I've worked with Dan for over a year now - occasionally saying hello in the office after bonding at a work's party. Separate teams, never had much reason to interact past that. Until I moved teams - onto his team.

When I say this man has been a crucial anchor for me, I mean in wholeheartedly and with such sincerity that I can't put it into words in a way that would do it justice. He was the one who made me realise, yeah, my situation isn't great at the moment, is it? Yeah, I enjoy going out, don't I? Yeah, the anti-depressants aren't nuking my libido, are they? It's something else. He's one of the most chill, sarcastic, and real people I've met in a long time - and he's got his own trauma to show for it. We've made the joke we're similar - both in therapy, both play instruments, both love music, etc. But as such, we both know how to read eachother too well. And boy, he read me like a book.

After going to his open mic (with his family, might I add. I thought more people would be going, but no - it was me and his family) and one gig with him, I'd realised I like him. A lot. A painful amount, actually. Yes, getting over my failed relationship was definitely contributing to it, but I can say now as well, with the beauty of hindsight, I do still like him. If he asked, I would. If he does ask, I will. He's very important to me. I like him very much.

It then became evident he liked me back.

I won't sugar coat it - we've slept together. At this point in time, about 6 or 7 times. That's more than I did with my partner in 4 years. I should feel like dirt for my quick 'turnaround' but I just can't bring myself to care about it. I thought I was broken, man, and that the anti-depressants had fucked me. Evidently not. He's told me after several heart-to-hearts that he cares about me a lot and trusts me. And I've echoed the same sentiment to him in return. I've stayed at his flat, we commute to work, I've met his family for christ's sake. You'd expect this to lead to us being together.

It has not lead to us being together.

To put it bluntly - he's not looking for a relationship right now. He has his own baggage he's trying to handle from a freshly broken relationship and moving house, so I am understanding. Does it make it hurt any less? Nope. When he told me this, aware I felt different, he put a boundary in place to protect me. No intimacy, just friends. I knew it was for the best, I trusted him and respected his needs. We moved on.

Now, the week following that decision? Torture. I wanted to be near him all the time, but had to make sure I respected him and his limits. It was for the best, in the end, because he was right - I was infatuated with him given my circumstances. So I can say now I'm not as head over heels for him as I was. He said it best himself: "I treat you with a little bit of respect and decency and you think I'm Jesus. You're just not used to having more than one of your needs met at once". Does that mean I don't like him any more in that way?

Absolutely not - but I know that it's something he doesn't want, so I'll put it on the back burner indefinitely. I love him too much as a friend to risk losing him over something like this.

Then comes last night.

The boundary was in place. We went out following a particularly stressful work day. We drank, we listened to live music, we had fun! Near the end of the night, he asked me how I felt towards him. Unprompted, almost. So I answered honestly:

I like him. Can't deny I like him. But I'm able to see that it's not what he wants, and I'm fine with that. I respect his boundaries. It doesn't mean I'm not attracted to him. His reaponse?

He nods. He asks me how I'm getting home. I say I haven't planned it. He asks if I want to go back to his. I agree. Once most people have left the bar and we're two of the few people left, he kisses me. Good fucking god it was like being hit with a bat. I'd missed it. I missed him. Needless to say, we went home, played some Guitar Hero, and then slept together. Our situation is friends with benefits and I'm happy with that.

Now, why am I typing all of this out? Like I said, I have no diary. I haven't been able to articulate these thoughts for a month in a way that would cause significantly reduced collateral damage. My therapy has been cancelled the past two times. I needed somewhere to speak.

If for some reason someone has read all of this - thanks? Feel free to ask questions. I don't mind. It might help me figure stuff out.

Until the next time, adios.

[iamthecomet]

SO, I'm jumping in here so I can stop hijacking your comments 🤭 here's your excuse for a book-related thread where you can scream about your newest reads!!

I need a new stand-alone book recommendation. All the folks at work are on a romance kick and I need something completely different. 180-degree spin kinda different!!

Tell me about your latest fave!

Do you have a GoodReads?

Feel free to rant!!

Ok SO. You have no idea what you've gotten youself into by giving me permission to do this BUT thank you. ♥ I do have a goodreads, but I haven't been good at keeping it updated this year. I've been using StoryGraph instead because it has pretty charts and graphs and I am a sucker for things like that. I have the same username and (and profile picture) over there as I do here, just in case anyone feels like stalking my reading habits hehehe. As far as stand-alones and not romances go that I've read recently (ish) and enjoyed, you can find them under the cut to save space :)

Family Lore - Elizabeth Acevedo - Magical realism about a couple generations of women most of whom have supernatural gifts. One, Flor, has dreams when people are about to die. She suddenly decides to throw herself a living wake, but won't tell anyone (not her sisters or her daughter) if that means she dreamt of her own death or not. It's very grounded in the real world and very much a book about family and relationships and heritage. It's strange and heartbreaking sometimes and feels real. It won't be my favorite book of the year but I really enjoyed reading it. Manhunt - Gretchen Felker-Martin - Now for something completely different. Found it on the horror shelf. Not so much scary as it is very gorey. The premise is it's been several years since a disease ended the world as we know it and turned most AMAB people into cannibalistic monsters. The story follows two trans women, and a trans man as they fight their way through an organization of TERFS and some really spoiled rich women to try to find a place they belong among this madness. Also, they kill feral men and eat their balls which apparentely keeps them from suffering the same fate as other AMAB people (there is probably science in the book but I read that part long enough ago that I don't remember it). Not a stand alone but I have to mention The Thursday Murder Club series by Richard Oseman. You can absolutely just read the first one and never move onto the second. I hate mysteries, I adore these books. They're about four 75+ year olds who live in a retirement village in England who get together every Thursday to try to solve cold case murders. And then...a murder happens basically on their doorstep so they decide they're going to solve a REAL murder. Hysterical, heartbreaking at times, the characters feel like real people. The plots are unpredicitable and complicated but not unrealistically. It is not my usual thing, but the 4th one in the series is my only 5 star read so far this year. I cannot say enough good things about it.

And, not a book I read super recently but: Tender Is The Flesh by Agustina Bazterrica. It's a book with an obvious agenda which always knocks things down a couple pegs. But reading it was like watching a car crash I couldn't look away from. The modern version of The Jungle but intentionally a horror book instead of just accidentally one. It's about the not so distant future where humans are farmed for meat instead of animals. It follows a man who works in the meat industry as he grapples with the morality of what he's doing. I can't say it an amazingly well written book, but it is deliciously fucked up which is sometimes all you need for a good read. It's also a very quick read. I read it a couple of years ago and it has stayed with me. It really feels on par with golden age sci-fi to me (1984, Fahrenheit 451) it just has that vibe (which I really like, so maybe that's why I love it). And if you're in the mood for some feel good realism that isn't a romance book, The Last Chance Library by Freya Sampson made me tear up several times during the book both for happy reasons and sad. It's about a painfully shy small town library assistant who has to figure out how to stand up for herself (and a lot of other people) when her library is threatened with closure. Maybe I just loved it because it was about libraries but it was just warm and fuzzy and also heartbreaking and infuriating (I did want to shake the MC several times, and/or slap her to snap her out of her bullshit, but I don't think that's a bad thing). I will stop now before I rant about books for literal years. But if anyone EVER wants to talk books with me I am more than happy to chat about them, give recs if I can, scream about how bad something is (I have to hate read a few books every year, I just have to).

[sherlollyliveson18]

Jerin future/family headcanon:

. In 2008, Erin and James are expecting their first child. It's early January, Erin is ten days past her due date and absolutely sick and tired of being pregnant. Plus, Derry has been hit with a record-breaking snowfall over Christmas that's iced over every possible surface, meaning she can't so much as walk down her own driveway to collect the post without James hovering nervously beside her and insisting she be careful.

. Despite the discomfort of being ten days overdue, Erin is surprisingly calm about becoming a parent. James, on the other hand, is a nervous wreck, mostly due to the complete absence of a real parental figure for most of his life. For the past nine months he's been obsessively reading baby books, panic-buying dummies (pacifiers for the American readers), onesies and an unfeasible amount of nappies, currently stuffed into a cupboard in the upstairs hallway.

. On January 8th, Erin starts getting aches and odd feelings from around 6pm onwards, but doesn't think anything of it and goes to bed. At 1am on January 9th she wakes up and realises she's having proper contractions, but she doesn't even bother waking James due to her ma's advice that labour takes forever and she'll have a few hours before it's time to go to the hospital. She does send Mary a quick text to let her know things are starting.

. At 1:33am in the Quinn house, Gerry is woken up by noises in the kitchen. He wanders downstairs to find Mary in her dressing gown and slippers, making piles of cheese sandwiches and filling a travel flask with tea.

Gerry: *very confused and sleepy* What's happening...?

Mary: *frenziedly buttering bread* Erin texted me, we've got to start getting ready.

Gerry: And that somehow involves sandwiches?

Mary: For the car ride, keep up, Gerry! The awkward bastards aren't gonna let her eat at hospital!

. At 2am at Erin and James's house, James is woken up by his wife, who turns on the bedside lamp and calmly informs him that her contractions are starting to get closer together and they should probably get ready to go to the hospital. He then proceeds to jump out of bed shouting, "Oh my God, IT'S TIME" and frantically looks for the hospital bag and attempts to get dressed at the same time until Erin has to grab him by the shoulders and remind him to breathe.

. 2:10am - Erin is dressed and struggling to put her shoe on until she eventually just gives up and decides to go with slippers (they'll be much comfier, anyway). James has had to go outside into the freezing winter morning to pour boiling water from the kettle over the car windshield, which has iced over in the night.

. 2:15am - Erin sends a text into the "Derry Girls" group chat letting the rest of the gang know that they're headed to the hospital, but it'll probably be a while and she'll message later when they know more. James, meanwhile, has been fighting with the heavy, overly complicated carseat which requires a lot of adjusting and fiddling to get it installed. There was one moment where he accidentally caught his finger in one of the attachment parts and it bled, and he genuinely considered just throwing the stupid thing off the nearest cliff.

. 2:20 - The bastard carseat is finally installed, James's finger has a plaster on it, the car is packed and they're ready to set off for the hospital.

James: *In the car, driving at approximately 5 miles an hour because road safety is life* Okay, I've got the carseat, hospital bag, map... Is that everything? I swear I'm forgetting someth-

*Slowly looks across to the empty passenger seat *

James: Oh, shit!

(Shot of James's car reversing speedily back down the street, coming to a stop in front of their house with Erin standing by the gate, her arms folded and looking unimpressed.)

Erin: *Gets in the car*

James: *Opens his mouth to apologise*

Erin: Just drive.

. They arrive at the Quinn house at 2:25am, greeted by Mary and Gerry shuffling out the front door bundled up in winter coats and knitwear, Mary toting a large bag filled to the brim with sandwiches and other supplies. They get in the car and head for the hospital, James driving painstakingly slow because of the weather and Mary attempting to force-feed Erin cheese sandwiches en-route while talking excitedly about how she's going to be a granny. Gerry falls fast asleep in the back seat and is rudely awoken ten minutes later by Mary shaking his shoulder and the sound of his daughter groaning in pain mid-contraction. Mary warns him if he dares fall asleep again instead of being useful and comforting his child, he'll never hear the end of it. He spends the rest of journey holding Erin's hand and trying to keep his eyes open.

That's all for now, I will post Part 2 of possibly my longest headcanon yet soon:) Enjoy!