#its nice to have a friend is so underrated

[fev3rish]

hellaur wife kenji sato fic and acc recs PLEASE MWAH MWAH MWAH 🤗🤗🤗

VIC’S FAVS ! kenji sato x reader

hiiii wifey<3 i know exactly who sent this. she’s a newer addition to the fandom and it is my duty to help her adjust 😇 this is a complete YAPATHON. by the way. i LOVE using any given oppurtunity i have to compliment writers because it’s like a win win situation to me. i get noticed by a cool writer and the writer knows someone enjoys their work like what thats so coolio

overall recommendations . . .

@luneariaa -> stepping into her account is like stepping into another dimension. i remember skimming through the kenji sato x reader tag while i was first settling into the fandom—before i was a writer myself—and they were one of the first writers i saw. their whole aesthetic and the way they format their writing, the way they write in general, is so beautiful and she’s such an underrated writer in the community! im also obsessed with their account theme it’s like a living visual stimboard on my phone. how do u do those silly little gif videos bby. im like one of ur biggest fans please notice me oh mg god pls PLEASE NOTICE ME PLEASE HAVE DINNER EITH ME PLEASE PLEASE (does a handstand) PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE

@yzzart -> my inspiration hello 🙏 she’s the reason i actually started writing for ultraman! her kenji boyfriend headcanons were the first things that caught my attention, and it sparked a bunch of will to write in me. she lowkey got me out of a writing block that lasted almost one year and im forever thankful for her beautiful existence 💗 her usage of vocabulary is IMPRESSIVE. i don’t usually have to google the meanings of words but the first time i ever did was when i read her writing and i mean that in the most positive way possible. it is ALWAYS a green flag when a writer uses big words and uses them right. her writing prowess is EVIDENT. and she deserves every nice word people say about her she is such a GORGEOUS girl

@reyalvr -> my friend who doesnt know shes my friend btw. we both went through the avatar -> ultraman pipeline and i think its so funny ?? i distinctly remember reading her ao’nung fics and eating them up ALL the time. when i discovered her again, i was like “oh! that username seems familiar?” and it’s kind of peculiar because while i do remember reading her writing back when i was still @/victoirey, and enjoying it because she devoured everytime, i don’t know if she’s had the same username for like forever? i digress! whatever it is, her writing always has me hooked. like i physically CANNOT stop reading. it put me in this trance like state and im like so “woah!” when i experience it because usually i can’t sit still. she deserves all the hype shes gotten; her writing is the closest thing to perfect, everything about it is entrancing. from the storyline to the dialogue, it all just falls into place. the only thing that isn’t perfect, is the fact that it ends. like why cant u just like write forever boo… come on😡💗

@mitskicain -> i have her most recent works in my read later list. her previous twoshot lowkey had me all giggly! i kicked my feet while reading and i accidentally stubbed my toe onto the nearby table but the story was so great it quelled my pain immediately. she’s such a good writer and i LOVE her characterization of kenji like it genuinely makes me blush so hard. also her username? is that a reference to ethel cain in it? …if u see this, i love ethel cain. my fav song is unpunishable. ure so cool. also her blog is like so … how do i say, like organized? like she has a way of making everything fit and fall into place . literally even if its a MEME. she’ll make it fall into place because thats judt how skilled she is. also batter up is such a clever name idk why im so impressed whenever i see it on ur blog im like “woh. batter up….. name nice. i love the name kween” but overall shes SO FUCKING GOOOOOOD AUFH

my fav fics . . .

ultraman, ultrafine, ultramine ; “kenji sato, the man that you are.” / WORD? i fucking love this twoshot its so GOD ugh i gush everytime i read it user mitskicain you are so GOOD

cutely written by @mitskicain

when i was led to you … ; “kenji could get used to his routine, but, only with you by his side.” / grrrrrr grrrrr i 😡😡😡 punchign wall!!1! so good. always so good ysa

gorgeously written by @yzzart

she’s mine ; “catch me, i’ve fallen in love for the first time.” / me after entering the kenji sato characterization competition, seeing user reyalvr and user mitskicain: 🚪🚶‍♀️ so FUCKING YUMMY

extraordinarily written by @reyalvr

piece of art ; aka kenji and u go to the museum / my honest reaction:

flawlessly written by @luneariaa

mommys here ; reader takes the role of pretty baby emi’s mother🥺 / i haven’t read this in full yet, but from the first few paragraphs i already know its a good story!! I am literally so attracted to this authors writing style for some reason like wow…. beautifully written by @kiwiikato

kenji & baseball!critic reader ; okay so its not really a fic think of it as me recommending you a trailer for a movie im really excited to see because i LURK. and I LURK ON THIS BABES ACCOUNT AND IM READIN WHEN U LEAST EXPECT IT 👀 writing style is flawless, by the way, baby. you’re such a starling .

wonderfully written by @rieamena

labor of love ; I FUCKING LOVE KENJI SATO AUTHORS😭😭/ read this today and i went 🙏 . my hands clasped together in prayer. literally thank you god. i love this so much. spectacularly written by @jinwoosungs

that’s it from me my loves, if you actually did read this—thank you? that’s sweet? gimme a big ol kiss? and i hope you know that whether or not you’re on this list literally all you need to do if you want to get your works out there is send me an ASK and i will literally edit this post and add my fav work from you i will literally do it. to the authors i included and to the others i didn’t, your efforts are seen and appreciated. i know it is hard to write stories and it is so impressive that you’ve written in the first place. you are all so talented, and i just wanted to remind you of that fact<3

💋 kisses, v <3

[drawlody]

My list of Adam ships♡ n my opinion bout them (also fics rec :D)

Adam x Luicfer (Adamsapple/Duitarduck) 10/10

Need i say more:)))??!?! started out as a "haha funny slip-up ship" to "hey they got really good angst potential". The friends/lovers to enemies to lovers is STRONG with this one n i am eating up everything i could found on ao3. Smth bout this macho-ass man finally getting to stay back n not take charge for once feel nice, also princess Adam supermacy wooooo. Whoever came up with the ship name i applaud u cause that's like a 3 layers name(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧

It's not an Adamsapple fic without Adam having at least 1 mental breakdown n Lucifer have his guilt eating him alive:)))

Very fucked up torture but i swear it worth the pain:D The dove is so dead it start to rot so plz read the tags properly (plz check out the AngeliaDark other works too they got good shit)

This one have a splits so check out both the fics (beware the author have a skrewed sense of what is considered wholesome:))))

I didnt think a smut scene could be this sad

Adam x Lute (Guitarspear/Guardrock) 10/10

Litteraly my first Hazbin ship, assholes in love is an underrated dynamic we desperately need more off:))) That with a dash of evil dude x loyal subordinate (which i havent seen since the Deathglare days) n opposite attract (look they have one main thing in common is that their extreme bloodthirst, other than that she's stricter than ur mom n he's lazier than the Sloth ring itself but that the beauty of it no? He convince her to chill tf out n not to burst a blood vessel, she keep him on track n make sure Sera dont come on their asses)

They're just being silly enabling each other terrible behaviour n i love that for them (´▽`ʃ♡ƪ) Litteral besties i tell ya

Heavy non-con shit involving Val but Lute will revenge our boi i promised u that

Cool idea n they r just made for each other damn

First hazbin fic i read which is a really cool smut:D

Adam x Micheal (we need a ship name people ) (update: it's Songbird/Guitarhero) 10/10

I like how we dont even got a proper comfirmation of Micheal design/personality yet the ship is here already ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ( im using the Nakariiale's design as a base here love their design)

Hit me with that rebound love x "u look like my ex so im using u as a replacement but ill fall for the real u eventually" x co-workers in heaven. I'm thinking smth along the line of "after Lucifer fucked off with Lilith, Micheal became Adam guardian angel n they just hang out" ya feel me here? (✿◕‿◕✿)

Shout out to Bloog_b for dragging me into this ship:DDD also im on the Adam x the archangels ship as a "gotcha" to Lucifer of sort. Like bitch u stole my wives imma steal your brotherS

Look it's Adamsapple endgame but trust me u will be feed well on this ( u know how good u gotta be for people to ditch the main ship?)

I'm giving yall 4 fics here cause i can only found 4 rn(._. )

this one is uhh non-con so beware

Micheal is indeed Adam guardian angel in this one:D

Adam x Eve (Flowertunes) 8/10

I dont care what yall said they love each other throughout Eden n Earth , might have a falling out in heaven but that doesnt change the fact that they were once IN LOVE. Honestly why cant we just have a couple that have the same bright-eyed innocence like one another.I refuse to believe Eve like willingly cheat on Adam with malicious intent n all, simply she was indeed ''tricked'' or just not fully understand the sistuation, n Adam love her way too much to think that she would do that to him like Lilith. Hell the dude was heartbroken after L left , starting the abandonment issues, so he would have cling to Eve, doing everything so that he aint alone again, even if that mean leaving Eden

Honestly it pisses me off that the Adam/Eve tag on ao3 most of the time is just 1 dialouge between them back when Eve bit the apple n thats it no elaboration on the couple whatsoever >:(((

Lots of switcharoos

sinner eve woooo

look its hard trynna find a fic focusing on them ok?

Adam x St. Peter (Guitargreeter (bet ya didnt see that coming:))) 7/10

Base on this fanfic alone Joe my dude u r on the path of becoming THE Adam crack-ship writer n i am here for this:)))) just so u wait this dude gonna whip out a AdamxNifty , AdamxHusk fic later on ( •̀ ω •́ )✧

From within the fic itself the ship its 2 bros in love with homophobia standing in the way >:( also when did we have a name?!?!?!?

I just like Adam x anyone in heaven alright:D like bro famous n he got that ancient rizz, u telling mr he cant bag a hottie or 2-100+ hmm?

Adam x Alastor (Angelicradio) 8/10

I DONT EVEN KNOW WHAT ABOUT THEM THAT I SHIP I JUST DO φ(゜▽゜*)♪ i blame YOU honestly rn this ship is either Adam found Al after the fight n they make a deal or they're in heaven n they chillin this ship is confusing:D

They're angels on heaven

Adam gone back into eden n do shit differently

This is both Adam/Eve n Adam/Alastor kinda

Adam x Alastor x Lucifer (Angelicradioapple/ Charlie's dads (only me call them that lol)) 9/10

''Hey Charlie u know how u r sad that your mother left? Wellllllll i got you 2 new dads suprise:DDDD''

Look 3 miserable men who hate each other + hell's greatest dad + my love for Dadam = Messy ass old men yaoi :DDDD n it work perfectly with Alastor Asexuality too!!! Like Adam n Lucifer could fuck each other brains out before Al joining in for the cuddles lol

Chaos ensue

Not exactly a love triangle but a love corner but hey we barely got food here :D

I cant believe how hot this shit is lol

Adam x Eve x Lilith x Lucifer (Eden poly/ applecore?) 8/10

They could have been all married to each other(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻ But as much as i go "OooOooo Poly yay'' i just cant vibe with EvexLucifer, like the cheating vibes is wayyyyyyyyy too much i just cant man . I mean with the interpetation that Lucifer came to Eden to hang out with the humans they all know eachother, they're a throuple yes but BUT when Eve came into the picture it was only with Adam n him only so the other 2 is ehhhh. Im fine with EvexLilith cause im seeing it happening later, not hidden from Adam while LuciferxEve got that deception going on .So uhhh in this ship they're more like bestie than lovers to me¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Also AdamxLilith is an underrated pairing like everytime i saw this applecore thing going on these 2 r at most tolerate each other like cmonnnnn we already twist this to hell n back, why cant we make it so their arguement was a petty non-malicious one n they still cares for each other hmm???

They're one happy family

IDK what to tell u bittersweet reunion n loving family is the only typa fic u get with this ship

Not that im complaining i need this wholesomeness

Adam x Mammon (Adammon/Madam/Greedyguitar/ 1st chirstmas.... hasnt had an offical name yet) 10/10

They r litteraly same person different font idk what to tell u. More insults thrown around than Guitarspear but they're pretty similar. Adam is just " sinners suck ass but this dude is the worst in the best way". Also they're both big bois (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧ , they love towering over others

I'm sorry but there r barely BARELY

any fics of them :(

The art side is more plentiful tho :D

Adam x Angel Dust (Holydust/guitardust) 5/10

THEY ARE BESTIES YOUR HONOUR n that the exact reason why i cant see them be together as a couple 100%, like the shit-talking bff vibes r wayyyy too strong XD Angel finally got someone who have the same vulgar humour as him n if Adam got married in hell Angel would 100% be his best bitch of honour (≧∀≦)ゞq(≧▽≦q)

They're best friends who have casual no-string attached sex that is ACTUALLY no-string attached:)))

I came to ship them due to those "What if they're co-workers under Val' scenarios ive been seeing on Tumblr

I got like 1 fic on ao3 i mean if u r looking for just platonic friendship between them then rest asure most Adam's redemption fics have that

I got 1 fic on tumblr

Adam x Charlie (Charadam/Guitarprincess) 5/10

U know this ship give me a pretty bad first impression since a good chunk of the fics r either heavy non-con shit or lean wayyyyy to much into the daddy kink, ya know how Charlie got suppose daddy issues n all that jazz?:))) yeah that... that

But after seeing the art side of this ship im chillin with them now, since the art r pretty wholesome, usually having them decked out in punk-rock clothings hanging out. It's a big "Fuck you" to Lucifer n i live for these mf argueing ╰(*°▽°*)╯

So uhhh stay away from the fics if ya want an actual functional couple instead of wtv messed up shit we got there:))) But here's a fic anyway, the only one where it feel bearable n actual trynna go into said messed up relationship i already warn you

We got cracks like Guitarmaid (AdamxNifty), Valadam (AdamxVal) which i dont have enough materials to decied, Classicalrock (AdamxSera) sound interesting but also havent found anything , Guitarhalo (AdamxEmily) is an unexpected find, find i deem them to be more familial than romantic so we'll see if there's a fic good enough to convince me

Edit:i forgot to add Blitzo like Mammon already there why did i forgot

Adam x Blitzo (i dont think anyone even ship this but me:)) 7/10

I cant find a single fic where they has anything more than a 1 nightstand n 1 interaction where they hit it off , i live off imagination alone (;´༎ຶД༎ຶ`) but like fr fr they would match so well, like their bloodlust n general jerkiness would make them the 3rd asshole x asshole ship on this list :DDDD

Tho as much as i wanna see them go further i feel like an on-n-off relationship/friends with benefits fit em more ya know ( *^-^)ρ(*╯^╰) If ya have any fic but the 2 here that have them interact lemme know cause a bitch need food :)

This is a lot of tag(._. )

[wileys-russo]

alanna kennedy req, she has BIG bf energy ! where AK has been way too fuckboy-esque around their friends and reader (who she is in a known situationship with/will they or won’t they ever label it) calls her out on it, and probs forgives in the end whatever she says (letting hot girls gaslight you support club ?)

dirty little secret II a.kennedy x reader

mhmm lans is mad underrated dirty little secret II a.kennedy x reader

"-then there's the girl from the bar, the coffee shop barista, the dance instructor, the physio-" you rolled your eyes and did your best to tune out the blondes insistent bragging of all of her current escapades.

escapades you knew she'd made up, lying her ass off in order to try and impress your team mates and friends in camp, everyone now back on national duties.

she was forever determined to keep up the big tough fuckgirl act which you could never understand, much preferring who she actually was behind all that, not that she gave many people a chance to see it.

"why do you let her speak like that?" you glanced up from your food as hayley sat beside you with a raised eyebrow, subtly nodding her head to the table behind you where alanna was still ranting and raving to the group about how hard it was to have so many flings on the go.

"she can do whatever she wants raz she's not my girlfriend." you shrugged, picking at your food and glaring at ellie who snuck a piece of bacon off your plate. "el!" you scoffed as she repeated the action, protectively covering your plate with your arms.

"oh sorry thought you were perfectly happy to roll over and let people take whatever they want from you?" the younger girl challenged sending you into a silence. "nice." hayley nodded her approval, high fiving the blonde as you sighed.

"she doesn't take whatever she wants from me. you make it sound like i don't have a backbone!" you defended yourself with a scowl, the silence from your two friends all it took to further wound your already fragile pride.

"okay, ouch." you mumbled, going back to picking at your food. "babe we know you have a backbone. thats why its so frustrating to see you don't use it or stand up to her for the way she carries on!" ellie tried again, a little gentler this time as tegan and charlie joined the three of you.

"what are we talking about so quietly?" tegan whispered mockingly, instantly picking up the strange vibe about the table. "how dopey here lets lani treat her like a dirty little secret." hayley shrugged bluntly as you turned and punched her, hard.

"what the fuck ow!" the brunette gasped, hitting you back with a scowl as a few of the other girls turned to glance at the commotion, your body whipping back around as you heard alanna pause, her curious gaze fixated on the back of your head for a moment before she resumed.

"would you like to say that any fucking louder raz?" you warned quietly with a glare, answering the onslaught of questions from your friends before you grew tired of it, shutting the conversation down as you all finished and headed toward the gym for strength training.

~

"she's looking, again." ellie smirked as she spotted for you, watching as to her count for now the eighth time in the hour alanna was caught watching you.

"its not illegal to look el, all humans have eyes." you sighed, growing tired of her constant pointing it out. "yeah but not just everyone looks at you like they wanna tear all your clothes off and-" your grip on the bar slipped at that and you choked as it half landed on your neck, the blonde hurrying to grab it off you and helping you rack it back up.

"ellie!" you hissed, smacking her leg with a glare. "what? it's true! plus its not like its hidden knowledge that the two of you have hooked up. actually most of us expected you both to come to camp all cute and coupled up." the younger girl shrugged carelessly as you rolled your eyes.

"would you please shut up? i'm tired of the topic all together!" you snapped, only able to push down how the situation really made you feel for so long when everyone else was always poking and picking at it.

"sorry darls." the blonde winced apologetically not having realized it would affect you so much, swallowing the speech she wanted to give you about how you deserved to be treated better because if anyone knew that already it was you.

"i need to go to the bathroom. wait till i'm back before you even try to lift that!" you sternly warned the defender who you knew all too well, ellie waving you off with a huff as you made your way toward the toilets just outside the gym.

you heard the footsteps follow you out, but knowing all too well who they belonged to you refused to give her the satisfaction of turning around, ducking right into a cubicle to do what you needed.

you'd hope she'd take the hint and leave but you looked at her with a sigh as you stepped out and she was still waiting, leaning against the sinks with a toothy grin.

"ignoring me today are we?" she challenged, having texted you several times throughout the day, all of which you'd left on read.

"surprised you even noticed. your phone must just be blowing up with texts from the...what was it?" you paused after washing your hands, stroking your chin thoughtfully.

"oh yes with the girl from the bar, the coffee shop barista, the dance instructor, the physio? i'm sure one of them will happily text you back lani!" you smiled sarcastically, drying your hands and attempting to leave but a hand wrapped around your wrist.

"come on babe you know that's all just bullshit for the girls." the blonde laughed, seemingly unbothered at how that was almost worse. "well most of it. that cute new city physio does have a little crush on me!" alanna grinned wolfishly, tugging you to stand in front of her.

"congratulations. clearly she's not had a conversation with you yet or else she might come to her senses and realised what a piece of work you are!" you huffed, yanking your hand back from her grip.

"piece of art i think you mean babe, sculpted by the gods themselves." the blonde smirked as you grimaced, not finding her at all charming today.

"just please leave me alone lani. seriously i'm so over all of this hot and cold shit with you, you're a head fuck! you snapped, again trying to leave but once more she stopped you, instead now moving to block the door with her body.

"what do you mean hot and cold shit?" the taller girl frowned making you let out a bitter bark of laughter. "you can't be serious?" you scoffed at her in disbelief as she stared on silently, clearly awaiting an explanation.

"lani when its just the two of us you're so sweet. we go out together, we spend nights together, you shower me with gifts and compliments and i have your undivided attention. you treat me like you would if i was your girlfriend." you paused, the last word leaving a particularly bitter taste on your tongue.

"but then outside of that little bubble around any of our team mates and friends you act like some sort of horny teenage boy! bragging about all of these girls who practically fall to the floor with how badly they want you, and then you go on and on about all this great mind blowing sex you have with them. but then how they mean nothing and they know that but they just keep running back to you!" you pouted mockingly.

"all of those girls which are made up! why is it so hard for you to let that stupid egotistical reputation go and just admit you're having sex with me! and that you clearly have feelings for me. everyone saw us hook up in the bar after the asian cup anyway?" you crossed your arms firmly with a raised eyebrow.

"and who said i have feelings for you then hm? what makes you think you're so special?" she bit back taking you off guard a little, your face falling as hurt flashed across it momentarily.

"you think you know me so well but you haven't got a clue about what i feel or why i do anything. end of conversation!" she snapped with a scowl. "fine. end of whatever the fuck this is then!" you bit back, finally using your back bone as her eyes widened in shock.

however the chance for either of you to speak again stopped as the door swung open and smacked alanna in the back, a tiny body sprinting on through.

"harley don't run-" tameka stopped seeing the two of you, sensing she may have just interrupted something as she scooped her daughter up who reached out for you.

"everything alright?" the older woman asked, directing the question more so toward you, having known you long enough to see something was off.

"just fine." you mumbled, taking the opportunity to dart out of the bathroom, shooting harley a smile and squeezing her hand, only letting out a deep breath you'd not realised you'd been holding in until you were back in the safety of the gym.

clearly you needed to work on your poker face as ellie also immediately noticed something was up, having had a teasing remark laying in wait on her tongue having seen alanna follow after you toward the toilet.

"hey. what happened?" the blonde asked quietly with a frown as you shook your head, gesturing for her to lay down so you could spot her on the bench press. "darls what-"

"later el." you cut her off with a thin lipped smile as she hesitated but eventually nodded, settling on the bench as you busied yourself assisting her, pretending like you couldn't feel another blondes eyes bore into your back for the rest of the session.

everyone having a few hours break now until your next training session outside on the pitch you surrounded yourself with a wall of your team mates at all times, knowing so long as you did alanna would leave you be.

your bad mood lifted as you spent time with harper and harley, adoring the fact that camps were now a family affair as you, kyra and ellie chased the two small girls around the hotel playing a game of tip.

"well i think someone will sleep very well this afternoon, thank you kindly ladies!" tameka laughed as she scooped up harley, marching her off for a nap as harper had already fallen asleep on a beanbag, squished between kyra and charlie as they played mario kart.

"right. out with it then, what happened in the toilet?" ellie pulled you aside and away from the main group, hayley quick to follow having also picked up that you were out of sorts. the three of you sat outside on a picnic table in the sun, your body laid atop of it sunbaking as they sat on the benches either side of you.

with a sigh you relayed the conversation that occured, both your friends not hesitating to rip into their fellow team mate for her harsh words. "you have to cut it off after that. if she wants to remain friends and keep the peace the least she can do is apologise and acknowledge her actions!" ellie scoffed as you merely hummed.

"you are going to cut it off after that, right?" you whined as hayley pinched your thigh when you didn't answer her. "i don't know! probably?" you groaned, covering your face with your hands.

"probably!" "she's really convincing sometimes." "oh my god have some self respect!" "i have self respect! i also just have...needs." "dude! the letting hot girls gaslight you club is not one you need to be a member of." "but she is hot." "so are you! you could find someone else hot who actually treats you like a person."

"fine! i'm just gonna ignore her. if i don't let her grovel then i can't forgive her." you decided, both your friends exchanging looks of disbelief you missed, the conversation quickly changing as you instead spent the rest of your final hour catching up, all three of you now playing for different clubs since hayley had left city.

you stuck to your word, mostly.

you avoided alanna like the plague for nearly the entire second training session, someone upstairs clearly smiling down on you in good fate as the two of you weren't partnered up for anything.

until it was time for a few six on six friendlies to cool down and of course her team was your first opposition, the two of you now unable to avoid one another given you were offense and she was defense.

now you knew football could be a hands on sport, you'd played it long enough to have given and gotten enough. but the way alanna's hands seemed to settle on your hips or your torso, and the way she pressed her body into you each and every time she marked you up, was overkill.

but to your surprise it seemed to have the opposite effect as normal, and rather than having you blushing or swooning a little, you found it only wound you up further. her harsh words ringing in your ears from before as you lined up for a corner and once again she pressed into you, your jaw clenched and you went right up for the header, your elbow unfortunately making contact with her stomach as the ball spun into the back of the net and she hit the ground.

the whistle blew for the end of the session at that and you turned, seeing thankfully no blood and no real lasting injury beyond her being winded. "what the fuck was that!" the blonde spat, a few of the girls helping her up.

"its a contact sport and you were clinging onto me like wrapping paper, sorry!" you shrugged, not really sorry at all as ellie hid a smile and draped her arm over your shoulders, the two of you heading back in toward the training centre.

"a little harsh maybe, but nice." ellie mumbled, holding out her hand as you smacked yours into it with a small smile, the two of you heading up to your rooms to shower and change, having a couple of hours to yourselves before dinner.

dinner itself was less painful than breakfast, busying yourself once again playing with harper and harley you were far too distracted to notice if alanna was off on one of her 'look at all these girls who want me' tangents.

she'd messaged you again a few times since the toilet, none of them an apology and none of them you gave a second thought to reply to, still having left her on read as you had been all day.

which is why it really wasn't much of a surprise when a few hours later came the barrage of texts almost begging you to come to her room and hear her out, the way your phone was constantly lighting up not lost on you or your friends.

"oh my god she's relentless. just go!" ellie groaned after you glanced to your phone screen for the fifth time just a few minutes into the mario kart tournament you had agreed to. "remember, hold firm. you deserve to be treated right!" hayley warned quietly from beside you as you nodded.

"and, self respect!" ellie warned less quietly making your eyes roll as you headed out of the rec room and back up towards the elevator, punching in the right floor and taking your time making your way to your final destination.

you hadn't even knocked more than twice before the door swung open, alanna sighing a little in relief seeing it was you, her texts still unanswered she'd begun to give up hope. "make this quick, its my turn next on the switch." you mumbled, moving past her and into her room.

"well?" you raised your eyebrows as she awkwardly stood in front of you, kit out in a grey drew hoodie and a black pair of nike shorts. "i'm sorry." she started simply. "for?" you pushed.

"what i said earlier. i didn't mean it i was just angry and i lashed out and that wasn't fair on you." she continued, rubbing her face and taking a seat beside you on the bed, not missing the way you shuffled across leaving a healthy distance between you two.

"angry about being called out on the shitty way you treat me or your shitty dismissive attitude about whatever this is?" you pushed again, face still bent into a frown as the blonde sighed. "both. you weren't wrong i do act one way when its just us and one way when its around the girls but i don't mean to! i just, i've not had a serious relationship in ages and i don't know how to go about it." she sighed making you scoff.

"thats bullshit lani and you and i both know it. you just get much more satisfaction having everyone think you're so popular and desired after and lusted over rather than admitting you like me, just one person!" you called her out again, this time causing her to scoff.

"thats bullshit!" she denied with a shake of her head. "awesome. have fun with all your imaginary girls then lani!" you smiled bitterly, standing to leave as she shot out to grab you before you could. "i'm sorry! i'm sorry okay." she groaned, pulling you back down to sit on the bed.

"i just don't get why this is so hard for you! most of the city girls are all happily in relationships and even if you want to deny it most of them know we hook up too. al asked me the other day if we were dating and do you know how humiliating it is to basically admit i let you use me!" you shook your head and pulled your hands from her grip.

"i don't use you!" she was quick to argue, frown knitted into her eyebrows. "yes you do. its exactly like i said lani when its just the two of us you're happy to treat me like you would a girlfriend, we sleep together, we're always at one anothers houses, you take me out for dinner and you fall asleep on my lounge after watching movies all day-" you paused to collect yourself.

"-which clearly satisfies you in some way. but then you're too much of a pig headed coward to actually make it into anything more than a dirty little secret and that feels like shit! i'd understand a little more wanting to keep things between us if you weren't out or you didn't want the girls to know you were seeing a team mate but thats so far from the truth and it hurts alanna. you have no issues parading about all these fake girls and how happy you are to fuck them over but you can't admit that you treat me just the same way!" you spat honestly, unloading months of guilt and wondering and overthinking about everything.

"so what, do you want me to ask you to be my girlfriend then?" the blonde questioned cluelessly as you threw your head back with a loud frustrated groan.

"no lani! i want you to want me to be your girlfriend, and not feel the need to keep up this stupid reputation that girls don't mean anything to you beyond sleeping around and you're incapable of feeling anything for anyone. because you know the longer this will they, won't they bullshit continues the more i wonder if you actually are capable of feeling anything for anyone other than yourself!" you snapped with a huff, again getting up to leave.

"get off!" you warned seriously as she hugged you tightly from behind again preventing you from leaving. "i like you. i do, really." she mumbled with a sigh, your eyes rolling. "sure have a funny way of showing it!"

"then let me show you, give me another chance. when we get back to manchester i will take you out on a proper date, i'll wine you and dine you and i'll ask you to be my girlfriend. properly!" she spun you around, staring down at you pleadingly and you hated how much she really had you wrapped around her little finger.

"fine." you gave in with a sigh, hating yourself just a little more as the taller girl exhaled with relief, pulling you into a tight hug as you couldn't help but wrap your own arms around her torso, relishing in the small act of intimacy.

"where's mac anyway?" you mumbled into her chest, pulling away and recognizing the familiar look in her eyes. "cait's room, they'll be awhile." the blonde grinned and within seconds you were laid down on the bed and she hovered over you, lips gently sucking on your neck as your eyes fluttered closed.

"lani we should really-" you started, words swallowed by her mouth finding yours, one hand creeping up your top as the other gripped your chin allowing her full control over the kiss. "later babe, just relax." she mumbled into your ear as you sighed, giving into her advances and trying to ignore the warnings from your friends lingering in the back of your mind.

it would appear that you were still very much so a member of the letting hot girls gaslight you club, in fact it seemed you'd purchased a season ticket.

[letters-to-lgbt-kids]

My dear lgbt+ kids, 

An underrated health and wellbeing tool is play. 

When you think about playing, you may immediately picture little children - but by definition, play describes “any activity engaged in purely for enjoyment and recreation with no definite practical purpose” and those activities stay important throughout your whole life. 

Why are those activities important? 

Play is good for your body. Intentionally doing something just for fun helps to activate the “rest and digest” mode that is necessary to recover and heal from stress. It signals that you’re safe and helps your body relieve tension. 

It’s also good for your brain. It can stimulate your imagination, visualization and critical thinking skills, which can help you build skills like resilience and adaptability. 

Play can also foster empathy and understanding of others as it can help you see things from another’s perspective. 

Playing can make you laugh, and laughter comes with a whole sleeve of health benefits, such as decreasing blood pressure and even improving your immune system! 

Playing together can strengthen relationships. Positive, fun social interactions are important for your emotional wellbeing. 

Now some of you may think “that’s all nice, but how do I even play as an adult?”. While play is a natural behavior of human beings, many adults need to re-learn how to play - it depends on your specific environment and social circles but you may feel a lot of pressure to be productive all the time and play is by its very nature not productive. So, the first step in re-learning play is to give yourself permission to just *be* instead of *do* (and that can be a huge step!). 

Some ideas on how to ease back into play: 

Think about your childhood. (Or if you can, ask a parent, sibling or childhood friend, that can be a great way to bring back memories!) What were your favorite ways to play back then? What did you love about your favorite game? Does any particular memory immediately give you that “I wish I could do that again” feeling? (You may not necessarily find anything that you want to just replicate as an adult as-is, this is just meant to kick-start your imagination!) 

Gameify everyday tasks. Try to spot as many yellow items as possible on your commute to work. Make up a silly song about laundry while putting away the laundry. Pretend to be on a cooking show while making dinner. Do what you always do, just allow yourself to be silly about it! 

Do something creative, even (and especially) if you’re not good at it. You may not think of drawing, writing etc. as playing but those are activities you can do for pure entertainment! 

Moving your body doesn’t need to be purposeful exercise (and certainly not hating yourself in the gym), it can also be playtime: Do a silly little dance to your favorite song! Tippytoe, crawl, jump, walk backward.. from your bedroom to the kitchen, just for the fun of it! 

Rethink toys. While it is fully okay for a grownup to buy, own and play with toys, and we should abolish the negative stereotypes about it (it’s creepy, it’s inherently a sign of poor mental health etc.) these stereotypes do exist and you may simply not feel comfortable. Luckily, there are a few toys that are generally considered socially acceptable for adults or are even marketed towards adults, such as board games, stress balls, adult coloring books, certain Lego sets or fan/collectors toys (like action figures). And when there are no judgy eyes watching, you may also have fun just playing with household items such as cardboard rolls! No need to go out and buy something! 

Keep in mind that play isn’t a competition to win. You can’t play wrong - that’s the beauty of it! Just let your curiosity and enthusiasm guide you. 

With all my love, 

Your Tumblr Dad 

[my313]

milk teeth ୧ ‧₊˚ 🥛 ⋅ ☆ kang taehyun

now playing 𝄞₊⊹ milk teeth - niki

⋆ pairing: taehyun x f!reader 

⋆ summary: taehyun loves the things you do for him. he loves how familiar you are. probably more than he ever liked you.

⋆ genre/themes/warnings: angst, suggestive (implied former sneaky link!tyun, implications of sex), unhealthy relationship ++ scenes in italics are flashbacks

⋆ word count: 2.6k

a/n: sorry to solomons he was my muse for this song.... I PROMISE ITS NOT THAAAAT BAD I THINK?? lmk actually if this is sad enough.. highly rec listening to the song while reading, i ref some scenes and lines throughout n just... i love the lyrics ! underrated nicole track icb she wrote this in high school lmao

taehyun had been something between a secret lover and a stranger in the past few months. over the course of your frail affiliation, you jump between thinking that the world was testing you by sending over a guy who would kiss your forehead in the comfort of your dorm room but never look you in the eye in-front of his friends; to being so overtaken by infatuation each time you see his bare skin against your sheets, the sun kissing him on places you’ve found yourself feathering over the night before.

the daydream always shatters when you wake the morning after and the only remnants of his existence within your bedroom are the stains on your bed and the warmth of his body clinging desperately onto where he slept. it’s easy for that dream to rekindle every night; because when taehyun’s at your doorstep with a huge grin on his face, you can’t help but leap into his arms.

when you feel the sun joining you in bed and instead of a phantom of his physique, you find taehyun sound asleep next to you; you can’t fall back asleep. you prop yourself on your side, cheek pressed on your hand and elbow holding your weight, admiring the rare view bestowed upon you. you think it won’t be as rare to see now that taehyun’s your boyfriend — a newly-formed title that came into fruition just yesterday. it wasn’t the most romantic way to ask, settling for a conversation on this very bed after showering together. 

it went along the lines of you saying:

“i’m starting to like you a lot, taehyun.” 

your back is against his chest, situated between his legs. “yeah?” you etch taehyun’s half-smile, half-smirk in your mind as he plays with your hair. it almost feels like he’s finally in the room with you, not drifting away, someplace else, when you confess. you push the thought to back of your head when you feel his chest rumble from a laugh. “have i stolen your heart yet?” 

“...y/n, you thief.”

“am not!” you refute, silly smile stretching your lips, cheeks swelling from the searing affection taehyun offers. it probably burns, but you can’t resist – not when you’re usually off scraping corners of his lukewarm responses and icy texts. 

“can i keep it though?” the tone of your voice is hopeful, and taehyun doesn’t have it in him to say anything but yes. he doesn’t know why he does this, is it because you’re nice? the girl you love should probably have more words under her belt than nice. but that’s what taehyun settles for. 

you’re so nice that taehyun doesn’t even have to spew out the question. 

“can i be your girlfriend, i mean.” you clarify, assuming the silence on his end stemmed from confusion. or that’s what you’ve convinced yourself these kind of moments were; the times where taehyun reels back in and decides you’ve seen enough of his kinder gestures for the time being. 

he nods.

giddy, anxious, once again hauled into infatuation; these are the things that culminate in your chest as you watch taehyun stir. 

you don’t bother to look away once his eyes flutter open, wincing at the light sneaking between your blinds. “morning, boyfriend.” his lips curve into a small smile, “morning, girlfriend.”

you sit up expectantly, wanting to start the day with all these ideas that have been blossoming since you started liking taehyun. things like making pancakes when he finally stayed long enough until the morning, or simpler ideas like struggling to leave the bed and being tugged back into his arms, “five more minutes…” tickling your nape as he nuzzles into you. 

your ideas start to dwindle when taehyun’s first course of action is to pick up his phone and look through his texts. you’re left blinking, confused by the nonchalance that clouded the air in your room. you should be used to this by now. the push and pull was always what made you come back to him anyway; but in your brain, after the intimacy of last night, you had hoped that taehyun’s hot-and-cold would begin to melt.

you don’t want to think about it. giving taehyun the benefit of the doubt is always easier than having to recode your mind to admitting that you just like him a lot more than he does you. you already have a boatload of excuses piled up from all the times you had to defend your crush on him from your friends; always something about “he’s never had a serious relationship, he doesn’t know!” or “he’s just not that kind of guy, y’know..”

instead, you’re pushing yourself out of bed, and that is thankfully enough for taehyun to look up in surprise.

“want pancakes for breakfast?” 

‧₊˚ ⋅ ☆

you’re sitting in the back of his friend yeonjun’s car the next time taehyun invites you outside of your stay-at-home ‘dates’. 

you’re squished between two long-legged boys, soobin and kai, while beomgyu called dibs on the very back, using the excuse of “somebody needs to hold our shit from falling” as a guise for wanting to catch up on sleep. taehyun’s in front with yeonjun, chatting with a carefree smile.

that kind of smile was reserved for people you knew taehyun held no doubt for. the kind of people that taehyun’s already settled into and signed his lease. you’re a hostel in taehyun’s unknowing search for a home, you start to think.

but you’re young, and there’s plenty of time for renovations and renewals. maybe in a few months time, taehyun’s “nice” and “cute” will turn into “beautiful” and “kind-hearted.” in a few months time, you’ll be more than a place to lounge and leave; perhaps even earn his breathless laughs and sparkling eyes. 

today, your destination is a barred cliff overlooking the view of your hometown. beomgyu suggested watching the sundown before spring started, ever the romantic. he’s also the reason taehyun even bothered to bring you; the invite making you audibly gasp over the phone when he called, asking just half an hour before they were set to go. taehyun always did that — made plans and canceled; only to call you a few hours later, when the sinking feeling finally set in and you were ready to push it to the backburner, saying “i’m coming over.”

you’re leaning against the side of yeonjun’s car, taehyun on the edge of the hood and the rest of the boys scattered just around the front. by the time you’ve arrived, the chill of the upcoming night was beginning to creep up. 

kai picks up on how much you’re feeling the cold. your teeth are chattering, and your posture hunched into your own body, arms crossed and trying to keep yourself as warm as you could. he blinks at taehyun’s apathy. you’re right next to him, there is no way he couldn’t hear the way your teeth crash against one another, or the hisses you unconsciously spew. 

“dude, y/n looks like she’s dying.” kai finally speaks up, interrupting the flow of conversation between his friends.

all five turn to look at you. you feel like you’re being watched like a wild animal at the zoo, scowling at beomgyu’s laughter. his teasing begins, taking advantage of being on taehyun’s other side, sprawled on the hood. he pokes his friend’s forearms, “yeah, tyunnie, y/n looks like she’s dying. why don’t you go warm her up?” his mischievous antics have your heartbeat picking up. you don’t know whether to thank him or jump him.

you’re anxious, for some reason; but you’re also wide-eyed and expectant. you’ve been dating taehyun for a month now and his friends have been warming up to your relationship, though you can’t get beomgyu’s words out of your head — much like now. 

you recall it was at one of yeonjun’s parties.

beomgyu hovered around you and taehyun that night, tipsy for the first time in a while. the air was silent, each breath clinging onto the question that beomgyu spilled that night: 

“why don’t you ever do anything.. like.. couple-y with y/n? i swear- i’ve only seen you makeout. and that was before you even started dating!”

beomgyu always seemed to know the pain points of your sluggish relationship.

taehyun rolls his eyes at beomgyu’s jabs, though his smile reflects different from the snarky glint in his eyes. you don’t know what he’ll do. will he tug at your arm and pull you over his lap, wrap his arms around you? say “i’ll keep her warm, don’t worry.” and keep you close for the rest of the evening, until the stars wake from their slumber?

your arms are wide open for anything. any semblance of affection or care, anything to make you feel like taehyun isn’t just keeping you for the sake of avoiding being the primary source of your heartbreak. sometimes, it felt like he kept tabs on you like someone who had forgotten about a game they once liked, habitually coming back but never in the same intensity. you remember how he looked at you so hungrily the first time you met. you only ever get glimpses of his twinkling eyes when he has you under him.

your boyfriend shrugs his jacket off and pushes it in your direction, barely looking at your pitiful state. this time, even beomgyu knows to hold his tongue when you both share the same look of disappointment and confusion at taehyun’s frigidity. taehyun resumes his conversation with soobin, though the latter boy awkwardly smiles at you, dimples providing some comfort. 

“thanks,” you mutter, holding the jacket to your chest before slipping your arms through the sleeves. you don’t feel much warmer, even with the makeshift feeling of taehyun’s body heat radiating from the inside of his jacket, right on your bare skin. 

you’re not sure if it’s the wind that’s keeping you shivering, or the awful feeling that you’ve made the wrong choice.

‧₊˚ ⋅ ☆

“why don’t we ever go on dates, taehyun?” you quiz, half-curious and half-unprepared for the answer you’re going to get. if you get to that point. but tonight, you’re determined to know.

it’s been four months since you and taehyun have started dating, and nothing much has changed from where you started. except for the fact that taehyun thinks he’s starting to get better at keeping you at bay; knowing the right words to say at the right time, being aware of your weak points and using his kisses as a way to sway your lips away from yet another important conversation.

“what do you mean, babe?” he only calls you that when he wants to shut you down. “we just had one. the movie marathon yesterday?” 

“no, i mean–” your voice is stuck in your throat. taehyun often has that effect on you. at first, starstruck from seeing him at a frat party; then, when he’s pushing your head down onto the pillow as you tremble beneath him; and now, too cowardly to know how he truly feels about you, but too fed-up not knowing.

“i mean outside dates,” you explain, fingers fiddling aimlessly with each other, trying your best to keep looking at taehyun. he’s sitting across from you, on your bed, again. this godforsaken place that started the turmoil in the first place. “we never do anything planned. we don’t even go out for anniversaries or anything, tyunnie.” you hope the nickname softens the blow.

“i just like being at home with you, love.” taehyun answers gently, like he knows he’s treading on dangerous grounds right now. he doesn’t want to hurt you, and he doesn’t want you blaming him for anything that happens once you’re just another travel stamp on his life; permanently a memory. 

despite his consistent nonchalance towards you, taehyun can admit to himself that not having you around would be odd. it would be inconvenient, would be the better word to describe it. your hopes of becoming more than “nice” and “cute” have transformed to something arguably worse; now, you’re “helpful” and “grounding.” 

he couldn’t survive without you, but not for the passionate, romantic reasons you long for. taehyun knows this; that he loves the familiarity of you more than he likes you. he likes the heat that radiates off your body more than your body itself; the habits you’ve grown into that he’s responsible for, like the pancakes you make every sunday morning or how you’re always prepared to run to him when he needs you. he doesn’t remember you calling for him like that (though he doesn’t know if he would drop anything as fast as you had done).

“taehyun.” 

“what..?”

“you don’t really mean that,” you shake your head, now unable to keep your eyes trained on him. you opt for the solid colour of your sheets.

“why are you.. doubting me?” 

“because you’re never here!” your voice is strained; you try to say it in some sort of yell, but it comes out as a desperate screech. “and i mean your mind. your heart. whatever the fuck it is. your body’s here, but you’re always drifting somewhere else!”

you keep going. your mouth is spilling words like a waterfall, the most you’ve ever truthfully said in taehyun’s presence. “you don’t even like being around me. you do just enough to keep us alive, and then you half-ass it until you have to fix it again. what– what kind of relationship is this?”

“babe, wait,” taehyun’s moved from his spot now, laying his palms flat on your shoulders and trying to ease your outburst. you’re starting to sob, hiccups replacing your words. “i-i’m sorry if i made you feel that way–”

“if?” you scoff, and taehyun is taken aback. you’ve been rather docile and forgiving for most of the time taehyun has known you, only ever yelling at beomgyu that one time. 

“i mean– i’m sorry that i made you feel that way, baby..” he soothes you, taking your hands and trying to get you close. 

“i think we should stop here.” your words are firm in spite of the trembles underneath. 

taehyun pauses. it’s the first time you’ve seen him display some sort of fear over you. 

“no, no, no,” he’s desperately clutching your hands to his chest, bringing your knuckles to his lips and pressing kisses to the back of your hand. “it’s only been a few months. i’m just going through something right now, baby. i promise.”

your courage only takes you so far, because you let taehyun toy with your hands, bring his face close enough to make you fluster and cave.

he puts your intertwined hands down, a thud against your unassuming mattress. taehyun’s saving face by pressing his forehead against yours, lips hovering over one another. “i’ll make it better. i’ll be better, i swear.”

so you do. you cave. 

when you feel his lips on yours, you know you’re doomed to unwrap the fabric and find you’re still bloodied; that your relationship is bound to break its fragile bones beyond repair. still, another empty kiss bandages over the scabs and wounds you’ve accumulated over the course of your ‘love’ and you make-believe that it isn’t too bad. not at all.

[dreemurr-skelememer]

Hello :D

I have been following you for the last year or so (a few days after I got my Tumblr lmao) and I absolutely love your art!

I have been wanting to study your art style for a while but don't really know where to start,,,

Could you please show me a small portion of your art process, if it isn't too much trouble of course. Thank you and have a nice day!

hello. oh my god. this took forever to find. im sorry it took 2 WHOLE FUCKING MONTHS for me to respond to this but i wanted to put it off until i felt happy with my art process again, so here it is

my fall 2024 rendering tutorial! (this will be very very long)

FLATS AND WHATEVER YOU WANNA DO WITH LINES GIRL. then make sure to recolor the lineart to better match your base. trust me it helps, bold dark lines are Not your best friend when rendering. wait for that post-rendering

i start off with a doodle or a sketch, and then filling it in with flats and other details such as blush

FIGURE OUT YOUR LIGHT SOURCE. FIGURE IT OUT GIRL YOU CAN DO IT you can make it as simple as possible, make it as big as possible, dont even THINK about the details.........just make it really fucking big so you at least know where the shadows and the light goes THEN add smaller shading details LISTEN TO ME. LISTEN TO ME OKAY!!!!!!!!

my key point with this is for you to learn lighting fundamentals. it's SOOO ANNOYING but alas......they are all correct. it helps a lot.

one thing i also really want to point out is that i like creating a big shadow shape first before fixing up the little details (such as folds and whatever) because it helps me focus on the way the lighting actually works instead of tunnel vision-ing into making the shading make sense on the clothing.

contact shadows (i dont remember if thats what theyre called okay) theyre fucking ugly because im not actually thinking sorry 💔

okay so basically: contact shadows (if that's what they're called) are the spots in shading and lighting where light will NEVER hit.

shadows are still influenced by the colors and lights around it (it's why a blue shadow and a yellow shadow feel completely different, despite both being shadows) so it's not always COMPLETELY dark. BUT! there are small points in shadows where light never hits, and they're almost always super dark or pitch black.

it's hard to explain shadow and light so briefly for a tutorial, but you'll notice it when watching fundamental studies and when trying it out for yourself

YES i unclipped the multiply layer YES its ugly and terrifying but it makes coloring the multiply layer easier okay the colors merged w multiply so now it looks cool and has depth overlaying colors that actually make sense

so basically what i did was color the multiply layer that i used to shade the overall drawing

adding a band of red/orange/yellow around where the light hits, and blue where the shadows get big and wide, gives it a fake ambient occlusion effect in the way that a person would get if they stood under the sun with a clear blue sky

the colors don't have to make sense, especially because i never draw backgrounds, but coloring the shadows really help it give a sense of depth and extra subtle detail and effect that just helps make the painting look nicer

around the end, i also put in colors (in an overlay layer with a low opacity brush) that actually make sense in context of the drawing, which is the lit cigarette and the yellow eyelights mostly because none of the colors were making sense and i needed to actually make use of the lighting that DOES exist in the drawing lol

adding a muddy golden yellow pin light layer (opacity turned down to like 40-50%) to make the light colors less ugly lol

i SWEAR by the fucking pin light layer style. it's so useful and so so underrated.

i used an almost brown-ish gold color on stop of all the layers, and with the pin light layer, it helped make the bright (almost blue-ish) white colors more warm and more yellow. it just helps make things more warm (something i prefer)

i could probably show what it looks like without adjusting the layer opacity to truly show off what i mean (like in the coming section) but i sadly forgot to do that lol

make a layer on top of your drawing with this color in these ranges YES the drawing is fully merged NO don't be afraid, the base was fucking ugly anyway 💔 make this layer into an exclude/exclusion layer style TRUST turn down your exclusion layer opacity from a range of 10% to 40% literally until you're happy with the contrast and the way the color over the drawing. use your eyeballs. i know you can do it im so proud of you

this is pretty self-explanatory instruction-wise, so i'll go into why i do this instead

i really like art that seems like it has low contrast, with almost mid-gray shading and lines. i don't personally use dark and bold lines and shading, unless i find it necessary for the tone of the piece, so using this method helps lower the contrast of the art and make it look "pleasantly muddy" in the way that it's easier and softer on the eyes.

the inverted blue color also helps makes things warmer! the exclusion layer style is still a bit of a mystery to me but i really like the effect it gives, even if i don't completely get how it works lol

if you want an alternative method to this, and if you have access to it (because i primarily use sai and sai only), i absolutely encourage you to play around and experiment with gradient maps. there are so many out there you can make yourself or even get from others that just give the painting an extra amount of depth and color variation. they're SO fun.

personally, if sai2 gets a gradient map update, it's over for y'all it will literally be so over no one will be able to stop me

then i merged everything and actually adjusted the contrast back up because it was looking too muddy for me 💔 but the color adjustments are still there so all hope is not lost here's a comparison of the adjusted contrast in black and white (adjusted on the left) (newly merged layer without adjusting the contrast on the right)

as you can see, i actually turned the contrast back up (despite talking all about how i liked things with less contrast lol)

i wanted to demonstrate that doing adjustments should be done in moderation, and is why i adjust layer opacity often when making color effects you are free to play around with colors to help your style, but don't lose your initial idea and colors along the way. you still need to trust your own colors and intuition!

along with that, i just want to say that it's completely okay to change your mind mid-painting, and it's okay to make somewhat drastic changes. don't be afraid to change things you don't like or change your mind about certain aspects way later on that's basically the whole thing of this!!! don't be scared!!!

now im gonna hold your hand when i say this..........but you need to learn how to render by yourself. it seems like i can teach you but i literally can't, because rendering is different on every piece and depending on how clean your base is. i have to render A LOT because of how fucking ugly my sketches are LMAO to simplify it, think of it as obsessively cleaning up every detail you can see, but with a color picker and a clean, hard edged brush. if you have shit lineart, you don't have to redraw it cleanly over and over, just paint over it. that's basically what rendering is

THIS especially is where you need to be brave and stop being scared. like i said, i can't teach you how to render, and it's something you have to discover yourself because rendering is something that will always be personal to every single piece you make. the way you render on every piece is different. on one piece, you will barely need to render, and on another, rendering is more than half of your ENTIRE process.

don't be afraid to paint over your old art. rendering is a process that's both very perfectionist yet also very careless. find your balance and just go for it.

and then that's it……..u did it………..now yuo know how to paint and render. it's literally just layering shading and lighting knowledge until you think it makes sense and looks okay lol additional note: since i render in only one layer (you don't HAVE to do this, but it'll be harder for you…), i also made slight adjustments with the transform (and liquify, if you have it) tool to make things more proportionate. (i drew the head too big lol)

if you compare the finished piece to the final unrendered base, you can see that a LOT changed, including a bit of subtle proportion adjustment. particularly, the sleeves changed A LOT (because i really didn't like them) but it's also over all cleaner and more coherent, instead of having haphazard colors and shading just thrown about.

rendering is when you finally use all 100% of your brain to finalize and figure out where the shading should go, where to clean up your lines, where to ERASE or ADD BACK in lines, and make sure all your colors look coherent.

it's not as intimidating as it seems, i only use a hard edged brush with a little bit of color mixing and my color picker. it's like dragging and dropping colors to cover up mistakes, it's really quite fun when you get used to it i wish i could explain it clearer but it's hard to describe without visuals!

i hope this helped, and i hope all my yapping isn't annoying (art as a special interest beloved)

have fun studying and trying to render in my art style!

[strlingsav]

Idek if you will see this but i been reading your work and its amazing!! You’re genuenly so talented in writing. but could you maybe do a fic on Ghost and y/n jus having a steamy makeout sesh, don’t matter the context or backstory but just to include a lot of kissing. 🫣🫣

Thank you! 🤍 I can definitely do this!! Steamy make-outs are underrated.

Alone

– Simon "Ghost" Riley x F!Reader

— You're left alone with Johnny's friend Simon.

Johnny had offered to help you move over the weekend, offering Simon's help too, in exchange for a case of beer. You were happy to oblige, eager for the extra help and a chance to see Simon again.

Johnny talked a lot about him. It was a given; they worked so closely together, and near-death experiences could really bring people together. You'd grown to know Simon through Johnny, enough to find yourself attracted to the brooding man.

Aside from your developing crush, you were glad Johnny had someone watching his back. Someone that seemed reliable and trustworthy. It was part of the reason why you'd so quickly accepted Simon's help. The way Johnny spoke of him only had you even more intrigued. Every story he told let you piece Simon together, bit by bit. You were starting to take interest in the puzzle of a man.

He was quiet, not much of a talker and his humour was dry. Most people would be off-put by his demeanour, but you liked it. Being so close with Johnny meant that sometimes, a break from the incessant talking was nice. Enjoyable even.

"Just leave it there, I can take it to my room," You said, waving your hand to dismiss Johnny carrying a large box full of sheets and blankets.

"You sure?" He asked, his brow quirked as he lowered it.

"Yeah, yeah," You replied. "It's not heavy. Won't need it tonight anyways."

Johnny nodded, leaving the box on the floor before joining you at the kitchen island.

You handed him a beer, taking a sip of the one in your hand.

"Thanks again," You said.

"Not a problem. Simon's done most of the work anyways."

"I expected as much," You hid your grin.

"Y'can find someone else to move your shite then," He scowled, moving around to sit on the chair. "You like it here?"

"It's not bad. Roomy. Only a few minutes from work."

You sat on the sofa, curling your feet up under you.

"Aye," He nodded. "Better than the last."

Simon stepped out of the spare room, rolling his shoulders before settling beside you.

"'S'all moved in there," He said, lifting his arm to the back of the couch.

"Thanks," You smiled softly. "Let me grab you a beer."

You came back with a beer in hand, passing it to him before sitting back down.

"Cheers," He nodded.

You looked around the room, still cluttered with boxes and random items you'd have to find a home for. Your head fell back, groaning softly.

"I still have a ton of shit to do."

"Wish I could stay an' help," Johnny said, setting down his empty beer. "I've got myself a dinner with my maw. I can stop by after."

"It's alright. I'll stay up and get it done before Monday."

"Maybe Simon could help ya?" Johnny's eyes shifted to Simon, who swallowed a sip of beer.

You avoided Johnny's gaze, knowing he'd be staring at you as your cheeks flushed, suspecting something of your bashful reaction. He'd sensed the attraction between the two of you; you were both too stubborn and proud to admit it.

Simon breathed in, "No plans tonight. If you need the help-"

"You really don't have to," You insisted, your eyes locking with his.

"Don't mind."

Johnny watched the interaction with a small smirk, enjoying the discomfort he created. You sighed, turning to Johnny with wide eyes and an expression that read, 'I'm going to murder you'.

"That's really nice of you," You smiled. "I'll owe you one."

Johnny left not long after, leaving yourself and Simon to unpacking the many boxes left in your living room.

It was silent between the two of you, hardly satiated by the quiet sound of the music in the background. You glanced over every so often, amused by the sight of him hunched over on your floor, rummaging through a box of plates and cutlery.

"Thanks again." Your voice was louder than anticipated, shattering the silence. "For staying to help."

He looked up at you, expressionless, though his eyes softened.

"Not much to do when I'm home," He said. "Beer and company ain't bad."

You nodded- a small smile crawled over you face as you tried not to read too much into his simple statement. You turned back to the box, taking a soft breath in.

"Johnny talks about you a lot," You said.

"He's a good mate."

"Seems to think the same of you."

"You known each other long?"

"Since college."

Silence ascended again, busying yourself with tidying and unpacking.

You blew out a harsh breath, looking over the array of boxes, half-opened around the cluttered living room.

"Don't think this'll be done by Monday," You huffed. "Let's just call it."

Simon smiled, not enough that you'd noticed, but he was amused.

He'd accepted Johnny's offer in hopes of spending more time with you. He despised civilian life. He didn't know how to function in a world without gunfire or imminent death. Despite that, he was okay doing mind-numbing tasks if he could sit and talk to you.

Part of him knew he owed Johnny a thanks for giving the two of you time together, though the other wanted to kill him for putting him on the spot.

You stood up, Simon following, and your foot caught on the nearest box. Simon's hand reached out to steady you, grabbing hold of your bicep before you fell forward.

"Y'alright?"

You nodded. Though inside, you could swear there was a tidal wave of nerves igniting with heat at the touch of his hand.

You stepped around the box, grabbing another couple beers from the fridge.

You rested your back against the island, sipping slowly, your eyes following Simon as he stood across from you. Your fingers nervously tapped the bottle, rhythmic, soothing- it didn't seem to work.

"You- um," You spoke up again. "You like this music?"

He could tell you were grasping at straws, looking for anything to fill the awkward silence. He wasn't one for idle chatter, and he didn't mind the silence, but he could tell his presence had you on edge. He knew you were trying to cover up the nervous habits you had; chewing your lip, bouncing your knee.

"Not bad," He nodded.

"Do you like being in the army?"

He furrowed his brows at the sudden subject change, an amused smile forming across his lips.

"That what you really want to ask me? 'Bout my work?"

"Just making conversation," You shrugged.

"Yeah, it's alright," He tilted his head. "You always so nervous makin' conversation?" He'd struck a nerve; your eyes flashed to his, wide and unblinking.

"Not really," You smiled. "Not really sure how to talk to you," You breathed out.

"I make you nervous?" He set the beer down beside him, moving slowly, predator-like as he inched toward you.

"You make everyone nervous," You teased.

It was a pathetic reach for comfort, for something to ease the building tension in your stomach as he stood before you.

"Don't think that's the case here," His lips were parted, stillness in the air. "You have somethin' else you wanna ask me, sweetheart?" He had his hands planted on the counter, trapping you within the confines of his body.

Sweetheart. The word rolled off his tongue, soft, smooth- it nearly made you melt. Your jugular pounded in your throat- he was flirting with you.

"Do you want another beer?"

He chuckled, low and dry. His head shook, before his eyes landed on yours.

"Would y'let me kiss you?"

You pulled your bottom lip between your teeth, your heart threatening to jump out of your throat, palms tacky with sweat.

"Yes," You said, barely above a whisper, void of any tone, focused solely on his lips as he brought himself even closer.

His lips touched yours softly, hardly enough to feel, though it created sparks in your abdomen. He was gentle, creating a fleeting touch that made you chase after his lips when he pulled back.

Your eyes opened to find his, searching your face, appreciating the flush on your skin, the lust-filled glaze over your eyes.

He didn't hesitate this time, his lips making firm contact with yours, still apprehensive but savouring how good you felt against him. He let out a satisfied but restrained sigh, basking in the utter pleasure, while his hand mindlessly moved to your waist, delicately holding on, pulling you just a bit closer.

You had to crane your neck, nearly stand on your toes to reach him, your wobbly disposition worsening when forced to balance yourself.

He noticed, pulling away and lifting you swiftly onto the countertop. You parted your thighs, making room for his torso, accepting him closer than before.

Your lips reconnected, feverish and greedy as you devoured the bitterness and surprising softness on his lips. For an army man, he had miraculously smooth lips, addictive and warm.

His hand held onto your waist, the other resting on the top of your thigh, holding you close, aching for the feel of your body under his grip. They engulfed you, swallowed you whole, erased any other thoughts aside from the heat swarming inside you.

Your own hands had travelled around his shoulders, feeling the taught muscles surrounding his neck, your palms gliding up to lay against the nape of his neck. He was solid- strong and authoritative-it made your stomach churn with excitement.

Your tongue grazed his bottom lip, a teasing stroke that made his grip tighten. Your back arched into him, letting your tongue caress his lip until he reciprocated, gliding his against yours.

Like lighting a match, the sparks in your body lit up, creating a burn in your stomach.

His hand slid down past your hip, grabbing a handful of your ass as he pulled you off the counter to his hips. You inadvertently wrapped your legs around him, still moving your lips against his as he walked past the pile of boxes to lie you down on the couch.

He towered over you, removing the restrictive jacket he had on, his biceps flexing as he yanked them from the sleeves. Your gaze moved to see the tattoos covering his arms, the way his T-shirt fit so perfectly over his well-worked muscles.

He, in turn, had his eyes glued to you. Your hair splayed out on the pillow, your swollen lips now red with irritation, your eyes in the dim light of the room, how the baggy T-shirt you wore fell taught against your breasts when you breathed in. He could see the swell of your breasts, your perked nipples through the white fabric, and when you reached to grasp his shoulders, he felt heat travel to his groin.

His hands trailed from your hips, diving beneath your shirt to feel your smooth skin, the dip between your ribs. A bit further up, he ran teasing fingers over your breasts, eliciting a quiet gasp from your parted lips.

"Simon," You whispered, a fleeting announcement of pleasure that echoed in his head.

"Bloody hell," He said, low and guttural. "You been drivin' me mad, love."

You grinned, "That so?" You quipped, eager to learn more.

"Since I met you."

You hummed with satisfaction, sitting up to press your lips against his, to wrap your hand around his neck and pull him into you. He chuckled into your lips, his hand settling above you on the couch.

Your eyes drifted shut, toes curling with the feeling of his lips leaving soft kisses across your neck, before he reached your lips again.

He pushed his torso further between your thighs, unintentionally grinding his pelvis against yours. You moaned softly into his mouth, nipping at the plump flesh of his lip. He breathed out, his hips driving into yours, hitting just the right angle to grind against your clit. Your whimpers against his mouth had his cock hardening against you.

"I don't have any condoms," You said shyly, a blush creeping up your neck.

"Eager, are you?" He leaned in, his nose gently nudging your head aside so he could kiss the smooth skin of your neck. "'S'alright- rather take you out 'fore any o'that."

His body was flush with yours, lips connecting with unbroken ferventness. Your hands pulled against his shirt, forcing him into your body, holding him hostage.

"Y'make it real difficult to wait, sweetheart."

Your eyes brows crested, yearning for him, in his entirety.

"Sorry," You sighed. "Better take me to dinner soon."

A knock at your apartment door made your heads turn. It must've been Johnny, back from dinner.

"Open up, kid."

[sweetsugarcakes]

Could you write smth for Zuko?:) Reader meets him during his stay in Ba Sing Se? They’re also a refugee, and they deliver supply runs as their job, so reader meets him during a supply run to the tea shop. They keep coming back as a customer, bc they’re lonely, and Zuko seems to be lonely, so they could be lonely together ^^ I don’t really have a specific scene in mind, so you can just run wild with this concept, but could it be romantic? Ba Sing Se Zuko is so underrated, I need more fics of him😖 that’s all, I hope you have a good day :)

hii of course this is so cute🥹

Zuko x gn! reader

You were helping carry out supplies to this new tea place The Jasmine Dragon that just opened up in Ba Sing se. You recognized a boy that was working at the tea shop. You were looking over to see he had a bad scare on his face. For some reason he looked really familiar to you, like you know him. You heard that his uncle was very nice and gentle due to his voice.

Later that night you decided to stop at the tea shop to relax and see that boy again. You did and couldn’t help that he was quite cute. So after that night you kept coming back because what else you had to do. You had nothing interesting to do. You sat down and realized that everyone had someone with them every time you were in there. No one was by themselves. Due to what you do, you really didn’t make friends along the way and you ran away from your parents so you really don’t have anyone. What you didn’t know that Zuko was looking over at you, he remembers you coming in exactly when it’s sunset. He couldn’t help notice how miserable you looked every time you came in like you had a bad day. He sighed as he poured some tea for you and started walking over to you.

You were resting your head on the table. You then heard a voice…

“I see you really like the tea? I see you here everyday” You looked up to see the boy that you found interesting and cute.

“Oh sorry is it a bother?” You asked as you were a bit worried that he was going to kick you out.

“N-no not at all.” He said a bit loud. People looked over at the two of you as you just chuckled.

“It’s just I see you here everyday just wondering if you had anywhere else to go. Somewhere better than here.” He gave you a cup. You bowed your head in gratitude and sipped the tea.

“To be fair I have no where to go. And I have no one to be with so…why not be here where its peaceful right?” You smiled but Zuko could tell it bothered you.

“Hey um sorry do this direct but if you’re not doing anything I would like to get to know you better?” You smiled as Zukos cheek turned a bit red. You saw him look back at his uncle who nods at him letting him go. Zuko looks back at you and nods. You smile and got up. “Well let’s go” You walk out as he took off his apron and followed you.

For a while you guys roamed Ba sing se taking in the night. “It’s quite nice when it’s peaceful” you say as he nodded in agreement. You two got to know each other, knowing names, knowing your pasts and what the feelings you’re going through. Even though Zuko was lying to you, he felt safe around you. He felt like he could tell you everything but part of him is holding back. Eventually you guys went back to the tea shop. “You know I haven’t felt not lonely in a long time. Tonight was fun…I hope we can do it again.” You blush a bit and smile. He noticed as he smiles too. “Yeah I haven’t felt not lonely in while either…”he smiled as he saw you get closer and gave a short but gentle kiss on the lips. He was surprised as he was about to kiss back you pulled away. “Thank you for tonight you’re very kind. Like I said I hope we can keep doing this”

hope you liked it🫶

[leavingsunsets]

hello!

I would like to request hcs (if that's fine with you, because I saw you're more on the fics side :3) for Kinro (bro deserves more love), Sai and Ryusui with a very emotional and empathetic reader, who tries to mask it by acting all cool and unbothered, but it doesn't always work well. I prefer it to be on the more romantic side, but I don't mind the platonic one! It can be either female or gender neutral reader. I will rely on your intuition and creativity.

I hope I explained everything quite sensibly and understandably. ._.

Have a wonderful day!

Ohh my gosh hello hello! I don't mind hcs as well, since i lovw these characters so much like mwah mwah mwah (AHEM AHEM magic man COUGHCOUCGHFOUCGH) but anyways im doing gn reader so lots more ppl can enjoy tehee. here it is !!

"𝙋𝙤𝙤𝙧𝙡𝙮 𝙝𝙞𝙙𝙙𝙚𝙣."

[gn!reader]

𝙆𝙞𝙣𝙧𝙤

Tbh i feel like Kinro is KINDAAA similar in the same sense?? like, all cool n stuff but hes actlly a real sweetie sometimes mwah mwah mwah. also ur right he deserves more love hes literally just a loveable guy

At first i think hed be surprised, like, all, "woah, uh, you good"

but then, i think among the three, isnt that fazed. hes around ginro almost 24/7 cmon.

but once he gets used to you he just stares when you get all cool and so indifferent then he goes "its okay to be sad about it" then you just start beating his chest bawling and he pats your back

platonically, thats what hed do. Like, hed just silently offer support while you tell him your troubles or thoughts. like nod along or put a hand on your shoulder in silent encouragement or just seem so cool while spouting out some wise words. (he puts a hand on your shoulder and you look at him, the wind blows his hair slightly, the light capturing him in a perfect angle. "i understand that feeling. i felt hurt when ginro laughed at the rip in my pants too" he whispers so coolly and you bust out laughing)

romantically, hed be more initiative in this type of stuff i think. like, if he saw you going away on your own hed follow after to talk. or be more nervous cuz this time hes ACTIVELY trying to cheer you up, like tryna be comforting even if his words come out awkward or something like that. "uhmm, thats bad.. uh.. do you wanna. do you wanna hug?"

either way, 10/10 this man will never disappoint, he doesnt, and he didnt. he is underrated and we should talk about him more def

𝙍𝙮𝙪𝙨𝙪𝙞 𝙉𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙞

Ohoooo. this maaan is likeeee. i dunno man i feel like he literally has the same reaction to every single type of person.

encouraging, supportive, and just a big big ball of sun

hed just pin you down as an interesting person and spout some compliments

even when you first meet and he sees how you work hes like "👍!!"

So lets say close friends now. he sees you go 'its okay. I dont care' and he sees you be all 'im going to dramatically sit on a rock and have a glistening tear down my face lit by the sun' and he'll like, smack your back 4 times going 'ITS OKAY MY FRIEND ITS OKAY'

Platonic?? just like that. how he treats everyone which is of course very special. goes 'hey, its alright. like really. im here to be a bud and give u some encouragement' and be all like 'DW MY FRIEND' and just even gives u nice talks

ROMANTICALLY?? kind of the same, but but but but. he litrlly goes and does smthng to cheer u up. like litrlly does the same as platonically, but later even when ur all cheered up, brings u to a nice place like a nice view. Doesnt SAY anything cheesy but ltrlly aheaeha RAWR ryusui nanami i cant believe you just took me to a nice dinner date

𝙎𝙖𝙞 𝙉𝙖𝙣𝙖𝙢𝙞

okay hmmm. idk depends on the intensity of it he MIGHT be averse?? Not entirely but as long as youre not bawling and sniffling i think ur good 👍

ok so u first meet right? and then he meets u 'oh cool person ok. rlly chill' then after awhile he sees you start sniffling over someones sob story and hes all like 'aweee'

NOT IN A 'thats cute' WAY LIKE. HES JUS LIKE THINKING 'OH THIS PERSON RLLY CARES ALOT THATS SWEET A LITTLE'

maybe that might be a bonding factor. Like, the fact that ur empathetic and soooo YKNOW, YOU

so like when u werent close he was all like 'ohh. ahhh wow. i see.' now hes all like 'haha theres my little gober gomble with the gummy goo' but he will never say that ofc grrr

PLATONICALLY. hes as goober as can be. literally being all friends friends with you and loving your company. like, actively approaches you and goes 'hey!!!! :3!!'. literally a sweetie yall talk about stuff and the whole time hes like :3 and all supportive and encouraging throughout whatever ur feeling, blue or yello, red or green.

fixes my bowtie. Now. ROMANTICALLY?? so this is only it does blossom after the platonic stage. he does the same things, except all 'hmgngmg omg.. its them...' inside now. More active tending to you in your moments, happy or blue. like cheering if ur cheering, fretting over u if youre sad over smthng, stuff like that. or angry, like going 'PLS PLS PLS PLS' holding you back from hitting someone on the head. literally just the same in platonic but hes so so so sooo in love with you and loves you, for being you, more than anything

_____________

WHEW and thats. yeah. thats it. Again i am so sorry for the disproportionate pics n headers EVERYTIME i literally crop them on my own sometimes n i dont know where else to get them. but yah i hope u enjoyed and sorry it took soo long :333 !! Hcs are easier for me 2 do than fics because they take less time and like, hmm, its not that hard since theres no plot planning or proofreading or anything like that. but yes WOOO ENJOY I HOPE YALL KEEP ENJOYIG THE RARE FICS IS PUT OUT IM SO SORRY FOR THAT TOO 😭😭

[victimsofyaoipoll]

Round 1

Propaganda Under Cut

Misa Amane

she gets treated in-canon the way fandoms treat female characters that Threaten an m/m ship. it's like, "oh why don't you go sit in the corner and be pretty, misa, while the Men have intelligent conversation and pretend they aren't ten seconds from fucking each other, doesn't that sound nice?" it's infuriating. and MAYBE it's better now but i remember her getting treated the same way in fanfiction too, like we all need to do just as badly by our female secondary characters as fucking tsugumi ohba, but with the added insult of making her be alternately oblivious of the relationship between light and L or actively trying to sabotage it—incompetently, of course, because god forbid misa be allowed dignity or moments of cleverness.

she's one of the first characters I think of when I consider old school fandom misogyny. The annoying bitch and clingy crazy gf allegations were AFTER HER ASS. She's also a lot more intelligent than people gave her credit for, but most seem inclined to take the Very Biased word of our unreliable, narcissistic narrator and his homoerotic arch nemesis and claim that just because she's bubbly and into romance that she's also a complete moron. Which is blatantly untrue. Everyone was afraid of Misa girlbossing too hard. Killing people and devoting yourself to the deranged twink of your dreams even though you know he'll never love you back??? Having a hardcore goth aesthetic and being so Hot even literal Death Gods are into you?? God forbid women do ANYTHING!

Not only is she the victim of yaoi culture, she is the victim of early 2000s misogyny by an author that wanted to introduce a girl character because he knew his male rivals were getting too homoerotic. She is a goth bimbo icon who portrays what I think is one of the few callouts for stan culture and what parasocial relationships can do to both the stan and the idol. The fact that she is a toxic fan of Kira and also hot, funny, sociable is tragic in its own way, which I think the author did try to touch on but was too misogynistic too really get through. Of course, she was reduced to villain status by the fandom and anime alike because she got in the way of the supposed romance in their psychological horror anime.

Téa Gardener/Anzu Mazaki

She's friends with Yugi, the main protagonist, who is usually either shipped with his other self (Yami Yugi), or Yugi/Yami will be shipped with the main antagonist (Seto Kaiba). She tends to get demonised a LOT. I have read SO many stories where she is turned into this evil, scheming harpy of a woman who will get in the way of Twu Wuv. 

the fandom does her so dirty bc she's in the way of at least 3 different yaoi ships she's so amazing and underrated tho she's such a great character

Was portrayed as a bitch very often in fandom! Is very not a bitch in canon! Supportive, occasionally snarky, occasional damsel in distress, good card player in her own right (this is important in universe, trust me), and very very loyal! 

[trekmupf]

Shakespeare & Eugenics in Space

Pro

Kirk backstory, and Kirks way of dealing with his trauma (immediate denial in front of others and putting up a wall, then researching and dealing in private – and later on with Spock and McCoy). Opposed to how both Riley and Leighton react

Kirk seducing a woman not for pleasure but for a secret cause / using his charm and sexuality to manipulate someone.

Unlike in the other cases of this happening he's the one being played by Lenore who is pretending to fall for him to murder him, which is a twist great

Spock immediately noticing something is up with Kirk

Spock then going to McCoy for help and support, twice! Great further development of all sides of the trio in this episode

McCoy's beautiful eyeliner is giving me happy chemicals

So many Spock and McCoy interactions

“And Please, Mr. Spock, if you won't join me, don't disapprove of me”is a line straight from fanficition

Spock correctly predicting how Riley will feel about being demoted for no reason - trying to look out for the crew and always questioning Kirk

Uhura playing for Riley who is lonely → further crew dynamics

The entire confrontation scene between Kirk, Spock and McCoy is great – it starts on a professional basis, Kirk being angry and defensive, and even though McCoy doesn't share Spock's suspicions to that degree he backs him up. Spock then turning the conversation on a personal level – it's not just about ships business, it's about Kirk possibly dying. Kirk then relenting and talking with his two friends about his feelings and the situation. Spock being Kirk's logic and information and McCoy ethics and morals

Great character work for Kirk who is aware of his responsibility, the small line separating vengeance and justice and his own morals

Kirk trying to wait to confirm his suspicions but then throwing caution to the wind and approaching Kodos when he realizes it's not just his life on the line after the murder attempt that would've cost many lives

Lenore rightly calling out Kirk at the end for using people as tools

The Kirk / Kodos confrontation is one of the best character scenes in TOS. The acting is perfect, the dialogue and emotion heavy and direct. The conflicting emotions of a mass murderer and Kirk having to deal with the emotions of confronting the man who directly traumatized him.

Kirk being able to talk down Riley with words instead of force

Kodos realizing what is daughter did making his character even better

set and costume design , fitting music

the whole play within the show thing with its stage & acting

the way the audience gets Kirk's backstory over the course of the episode along with Spock and can gather further understanding of Kirks reactions

the plot mirroring a classic Shakespeare play itself

differs from the other episodes in a nice way- very human and story driven; also murder mystery vibes and film techniques

the tension still holds up despite no real action scenes – first though the mystery of how this man is connected to Kirks past, then the ongoing mystery as well as the threat to Kirks life

Con

McCoy being careless about Riley overhearing him

Although I did like her acting, I think they should've commited to making her insane persona come out gradually / less extreme before the death of her father or play it straight and have her go insane after the death; this felt a bit rushed / sudden

Counter: Kirk fake womanizer

Quote

"Captain Kirk, who are you to say no harm was done?" - Lenore "Who do i have to be?" - Kirk

"What if you decide that he is Kodos? What then? Do you play God, carry his head through the corridors in triumph? That won't bring back the dead, Jim" - McCoy "No. But they may rest easier" - Kirk

Moment: Confrontation Kirk and Kodos - tense, well written and played

Summary: Underrated episode that even though it lacks classical sci-fi elements and action scenes introduces important backstory information for Kirk and gives further insight into his character and morals as well as his relationships with Spock and McCoy while also giving further development between those two. The acting is brilliant, especially Shatner and Arnold Moss, and the tension of the story holds up from the beginning until the end. Previous Episode - Next Episode - All TOS Reviews

[the-soggy-sunflower-ship]

Hello! I came from wattpad and ao3, I really enjoy your Pink and Gold Skies book, I just noticed you also read TSaTS! tell me, how was your experience? For me, TSaTS was a nice experience! Tho I'm too shy to talk with Stygian😭

HIII!!!! I KNOW U!!!!! TY FOR READING PINK AND GOLD SKIES!!

Reading TSaTS was AMAZING for me. I fell in love with the writing style, and the plot was just.. *mwah* zeff's kiss. For anyone who hasnt read The Sun and The Sea by @stygianheart on AO3.. GO READ IT!!!!

Although if I'm honest the 1 part that I really like the most was chapter 5 where we got to learn more about Ryan. (as you can see, i am unwell about him) AndHelmeppo as a dynamic. RYMEPPO YEAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! Chapter 11 and 12 was DEVASTATING!!!!!!!!!!!!! cant remember how many times i cried but it was a lot.........

Anyway! *claps hands together melodramatically*

The internal conflict Kel (stygian!) portrays in Koby is so painfully accurate, and I find each character to be so well written- but even deeper and more alluring!

Koby is.. HOPELESS. But that's fine, we love him. Either way, I was on the edge of my seat at the end of each chapter. Emotions are expertly woven between words, and the pure force of it had me at the first chapter. Unlike some KobyLu fic's, Kel didn't portray Koby as a damsel in distress, an UWU boy (im sorry) or a big StRoNg Chad- they found his actual character, a kindhearted, selfless boy who feels pain and anger and who sheds tears for those who'd been wronged.

I cant even describe how much i love TSaTS.... sjsjsjsjsjsjs

RYAN BRYAN. MY #1 BOY.

I cant stress how MUCH I love him. He has a character that is so compelling and utterly stunning. He's a broken man, and noone can deny that. But he found beauty amidst pain- something im a sucker for.... Ryan feels like a canon character, ISTG!!!!!!!!!!! I LOVE HIM!!

Anyway, TSaTS is better than most NOVELS ive read. Its a work of art thats totally underrated. Like, its better than some arcs in One Piece by a landslide.

call me biased since im a friend of Kel's, but KEL IS MY IDOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dont be shy about talking to them, their awesome and love listening to people talk. They have a Discord server (which I am in as PROUD RYAN SIMP) so check that out, maybe!

tyty for the askkkk!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[hybbart]

Since jimmy boy is one of your favs (atleast im pretty sure he is) do you have any underrated pairings/duos with him that you really like? This doesnt have to be characters btw it can be whatever. My fav underrated pairing is jimmy and sneegsnag. I cant put into words why i like it so much they're just so silly and goofy i love it. Alternatively i also really like seeing jimmy and fwhip bickering its hilarious

Not really? Nothing underrated at least, i don't think. I like ranchers and I like his sibling dynamics with Lizzie, Grian, and Pearl. I like his friendship with Martyn cause Martyn seems to be the only one able to tease him and make it... tasteful isn't the right word but we'll go with it. Not-too-much about the jokes.

Him and Joel have a very bros type relationship that reminds me of my brother and his best friends when they're playing cs:go tbh. Scar and him also have a nice friendship, it's quite similar to Grian's dynamic with him but not quite as charmed, more so thinks he's cool. He... I know it seems almost too perfect to be true but he really does treat Scar like his older sibling's friend who's also his friend by extention in that weirdish sorta way siblings bffs are family friends, y'know? That's my take on it. Jimmy is very good at making himself everyone's little brother.

His weird relationship with Etho is also funny. It feels very much like Grian and/or Joel gave him a primer on Jimmy and his bullyableness before introducing him and he very easily fell into the role of teasing him. He just likes to sneak up on him and pull a prank or scare him and leave before they can have any deeper interaction.

Impulse kinda feels the opposite. He feels like he was taught to bully Jimmy by Grian but isn't very good at it. I imagine Jimmy activates the helpful dad in him, literally making games where Grian and Joel have to say nice things about Jimmy and giving him reedstone tutorials and going easy on him when the rest of the southlanders are teasing him. (And then inadvertently dealing the biggest blows when he doesn't mean to) I imagine if he teamed up with Gem, Pearl, and Grian the collective power of their sad puppydog eyes could get Impulse to do literally anything.

Him and Skizz are quite cute, fellow failures going easy on each other and supporting each other, in the few interactions they've had. (Which unsurprisingly leaves his approval at 3/3 for the Roaving Pack Of Dads Squad)

Thats really all the ones I can think of right now tbh.

[evelili]

hii, i read your the twilight effect + your write-up afterwards. its definitely something i will be thinking about for a while. i love your twilight so much.. i do not normally read fan fiction or really much of anything at all, so im not too good at like complimenting writing and the sort.. i really loved the fluttershy chapter/trial and also found their interactions during the festival really adorable. and fluttershy + rarity on the bleachers with twilight at the beginning was also so cute. the entire epilogue was so wonderful to me, i loved seeing their relationships after the incident. theyre all so cute and best friends. i also loved the progression throughout their senior year. like idk, something about twilight having a rough hs experience but a great and friend filled senior year.. she deserves it soo much. and she had some tough moments but she overcame them.. love it. well i apologize for the rambling. i couldnt read something that wonderful and not say some words of appreciation.. essentially thank you so much for writing TTE and being willing to share it with everyone..!!!

waaaaa im so happy to hear this!! u have no idea how emotional it is for me to open my inbox and find such a nice message, thank u so much for taking the time to lmk how u feel ;v; dont worry about being "good" at compliments, this is so wonderful for me to read, thank u sincerely for it

and yes!! the epilogue ended up as long as an act by itself, but i think it was necessary for the type of story i wanted to tell ;v; bc, my own highschool experiences shaped a lot of what i wanted to express w this story, and perhaps its a little bit of a love letter to my high school self that hey, you will make it! it will be ok!! that type of feeling, it's what i wanted to convey, so im so very glad that it was able to come across

im very glad you liked the rarishy stuff too, their friendship is so underrated and so super important to me. i wish my hand were a bit more functional that i could draw you something nicer, but please accept this doodle of them regardless ^^ and ty so very very very much again for reading!!

[paingoes]

cute delta things i didn’t get to focus on as much as i wanted

ie my underrated facts and as of yet unused whump ideas :)

-he literally faints all the time when using his powers and needs to be carried back out. mostly by simon. sometimes by paris :)

-martino has med students!!! they pop in sometimes i never really acknowledged them directly tho. theyre older than delta but not by that much. he is basically a case study to them but some of them do try ti get close and immediately get demoted/reassigned because of “inappropriate attachment”

-i had this idea for martino taking delta to a medical conference. delta having to be on display/used for tests w really green and overexcited students. extremely awkward stay at the conference hotel. delta is probably high for a lot of it tbh.

-also. delta is on a ton of medications to keep his powers elevated. he is only vaguely aware of this. its actually kinda considered doping in universe so most people are NOT aware of this!!!!

-simon and martino fighting more. i like the idea of simon being gentle w delta and martino going out of his way to try and counteract it and dehumanize him again to preserve his conditioning

-simon and paris talks. simon is way too much of a pussy to confront paris head on and i think they generally get along fine? becuz simon is a bystander. also paris pretends not to remember either of the handlers names even though he definitely knows them.

-delta is totally starved for affection but he would not accept it from just anyone i think hes actually kinda picky about it bizarrely enough. hes v distrusting and when his internet friends tried to be nice to him his response was invariably “just fuck off”…. and he actually likes them he just gets mad anyway cause he cant handle it 😭

-delta and paris kinda just hang out sometimes LOL…. paris always (correctly!) feels like hes in an adversarial environment whenever he has to go anywhere for work and delta is usually the only person there he trusts so if theyre not doing anything else its just gossip time.

-incidentally ^ delta was really deliberately not taught anything about history or politics or ethics at the institute because they didnt want him getting ideas but paris is heavy into that stuff and complains about it so much that delta just picks up on it. he absorbs info like a sponge its why he was such a good whistleblower.

-to me this is obvious but paris’s chillness-over-time graph is a bellcurve. like he is AWFUL at the beginning and awful at the end but in the middle he got very close to actually chilling the fuck out. he barely knew delta in the beginning and i think he did v much warm to him overtime and loosen the parameters of their relationship a lot. this is peak chill time. the assassination ruined everything but paris still… liked delta afterwards he was just insane and dangerous and delta was at ground zero of that. 

         (sidenote: some of the early paris chapters are so bad in terms of what he did and how he was written i actually feel the need to retcon some of it? it took a while for me to hit my stride w him, take the early stuff w a grain of salt)

-anyway. people LIKE delta. even though he doesnt talk hes v cute and unflappable in a way that’s very endearing to people even in empire. people do definitely go out of their way to fuck w him and its dehumanizing and they shouldnt do it but its not necessarily mean-spirited a lot of the time they just think hes interesting.

-sometimes it is meanspirited though. wanted to write something w misc soldiers trying to bully him. cause delta is obviously v submissive and incapable of defending himself but he’s also not trained to obey just anyone. in fact he would have some v large objections to that! (also an excuse to write protective paris at the end lol u know theyre dead)

-more simon carewhumper status. i wrote destroyer before i knew almost anything about whump like i didnt even know what a “carewhumper” was when i wrote it so i was surprised to see someone tag it w that. i guess it’s technically true! anyway i feel bad i let simon fall so much to the wayside. i think delta deserved more comfort over the events of destroyer and his relationship w simon really was very important to him so its on my list.

-thorn era sickfic. maybe the same psychic fever that makes him loopy? might be good for a non-canon bonus i cant tell if it would be more hurt or comfort yet

-this is a lot to get into but if i had to explain the way delta’s powers “worked” i would say that his only true ability is being a conduit. he is not really producing anything he is just tapping into something that is already there. it is not a meaningful difference to an outside party but in terms of what it feels like to use them….. its very psychedelic and psychospiritual and trippy. wouldnt recommend. also i really liked the tag that called delta a mage. its cute bcuz he actually loves pulp fantasy. he would like that :)

[nyctophicbtch]

hii mwah mwah ur writing literally have me kicking my feet in the air 😭😭😭 i was wondering if you could write like a rotxo one cause hes SO UNDERRATED, one where he like gets tired of aonung picking on the reader because shes from the omatikaya clan and decides to defend her against aonung and like somehow make it seem obvious they have a crush on each other idk BUT THE IDEA IS SO CUTE FOR ME

Maybe it was the way Rotxo remembered you and your name when none of his friends did or the way he was always looking for you when you were absent from your daily lessons with them, but Ao’nung started noticing his odd behavior.

While Ao’nung poured the negative contents of his heart out, Rotxo was hesitant to tease you for how terrible of a diver you were when you first swam with them.

He had always been the least mean out of the group, but this was something else. He was willing to keep his mean comments to a minimum with your siblings, but when it came to you, he was actually nice.

What’s worse was that your enthusiasm often spurred him on and it became sickening for Ao’nung and the others to just watch their friend being so engaged in a conversation with you.

“Hey, what’s gotten into you?”

“Huh?”

“Snap out of it. Can’t you see that they’re weird,” Ao’nung nodded his head towards where you sat in the sand beside Kiri who had her head dipped in the shallow water. Rotxo was doing his best in attempts to suppress his discontent from how tiring Ao’nung was with the way he treated you.

“Just- let’s just leave them alone,” Rotxo suggested a bit too pleadingly.

“Look at them. Why do you even like her?”

“I do not.” Ao’nung scoffed and harshly patted his back. Rotxo could feel the smirk on his face as Ao’nung dragged him towards you with an arm around his shoulder.

“Hey,” you heard Ao’nung call out from behind. “What is she doing?”

When you turned your head to the source of the voice, you saw Rotxo standing uncomfortably beside Ao’nung, eyes looking everywhere but at you.

“What?”

“Your sister.”

“Ao’nung- come on, let’s just go-“ Rotxo urged, lightly pushing him back by the shoulder.

“You all keep getting weirder and weirder each day.” Ao’nung bent down to seize your wrist and the harsh movement seemed to get Kiri’s attention and anger Rotxo even more. “Freak.”

“Hey! That’s enough,” Kiri spoke up when she finally realized what was going on.

When you winced from Ao’nung tugging on your hand, it looked like he finally managed to pull on his friend’s strings. Rotxo stepped forward and shoved Ao’nung’s hand away from yours.

“Stop.”

Ao’nung’s smirk only grew at the newfound reaction from his friend and stepped back in surrender. The Metkayina took time to ruffle Rotxo’s feathers even more by hitting the back of his head teasingly as he walked away from the scene.

“Sorry about that.” Rotxo’s heart sank when he saw you looking dejected from Ao’nung’s actions. “He wouldn’t listen to me.”

“It’s fine.”

“You’re no freak you know. Just different,” he assured, kneeling down in front of you while Kiri silently watched the interaction taking place in front of her.

Rotxo hesitated his next move when he got no response from you. His whole body was screaming at him to just get it over with, but his mind kept nagging at him to stop. Yet his hand had a mind of its own when it reached out to grasp yours in emphasis of his statement.

“Thanks Rotxo.” His heart threatened to leap out of its cage, but most of all, he felt terrible. Your dejected self was a contrast to the usual passion and energy he loved so much about you.

“Come on.” The boy tugged on your hand to bring you to stand, and then he remembered your sister still there. “Can I borrow her?”

“All yours,” she answered before going back to dive in the water.

“Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise.”