#look at the ends and roots that are orange and a lighter blonde in the middle

[tamaharu]

another story made just for me (or, thinking about how kim dokjas comments brought jang hayoung to life)

[ID: A vertical comic depicting Jang Hayoung and Kim Dokja from Omniscient Readers Viewpoint. Hayoung has brown skin and short, curly blonde hair with dark brown roots. Dokja has lighter brown skin and a bowl cut. The background is a gradient from top to bottom of blue, purple, pink, and orange.

In the first panel, Hayoung smiles a little, with a textbox next to her that reads: "Hey, Kim Dokja! Don't you realize!?"

In the second panel, Hayoung grins and blushes. A textbox next to her reads: "Even before the story became real..."

In the third panel, Hayoung smiles at Dokja and hooks her elbow around his arm. He looks at her, confused, with a question mark next to his head. Above their heads, a textbox reads: "You were definitely a part of this world!!" /end ID]

[postsforposting]

az's hair is definitely yellowish blonde in the first season. it changes in the scene after the paintball field, when they get in the bentley to drive away. and keeps changing after that.

in s1e1, he starts off yellow at 326 in eden, unknown when eating sushi at 1409, white when alone in his bookshop when crowley calls at 2622, yellow in the park in the next scene discussing Armageddon, yellow at the ritz 2911, white after they leave the ritz 2955 during the "get thee behind me foul fiend" and while drunk at the bookshop deciding to become antichrist godfathers, yellow in heaven at 3839, stays yellow through the end of the ep.

Here's a few sequences in s1e2:

timestamp 105. yellow.

timestamp 2321. looks kind of white in this shot, but there's lighting above him, if you check the video it's yellow. the jacket he has on here is gray, it's not the tan he usually has.

t3828, before getting shoved into the wall by the "nice" demon

t3857, shoved up against the wall "i'm a demon i'm not nice"

t4027, walking out of the paintball complex, notice how it's still yellow/matching compared to his coat

t4051, in the car right after leaving the paintball complex. it's hard to see in this unedited shot but it's definitely lighter than his coat. here's an edited shot, i increased the exposure and brightness but didn't change any of the color levels:

that is WHITE. if you check the video, it's clearly not yellow.

the only difference between this season and the s2 is that in s1, his roots aren't terribly visible in s1 but there's a whole dark line around his hairline in s2.

not sure if his hair changes back to yellow when he's reporting to heaven in e3? it's not blatantly yellow like originally but with the white background it's hard to tell if it's the same white or it just looks odd against the proper white background. t041

when he gets back down to earth, it's white again, and you can see there's no dark roots along the hairline--or at least very little, compared to the excess in s2. t4515

bandstand breakup, before the breakup, t5205 seems yellow?

but a moment later after the "there is no our side" official breakup at t5247, it's pretty white

yellow again when meeting gabriel in the park in e4, 447

next scene is e4, 3404, crowley apologizing and it's not yellow but also not straight white

by the end of the scene it does seem to be white-white though, t3437

seems to be the same offwhite/not pure white when the angels confront az for working with crowley. same while talking to metatron. not ereal sure if it's gone yellow again, right after he finds out the metatron is in on the apocalypse and won't stop it? t5202

definitely yellow after the portal shuts off a second later, 5215

just after contacting crowley though, 5304, it's white or at least off white again

yellow again when discorped to heaven, e5 653

not sure what this color is when he's possessing tracy, 2057, but i think it's his normal white. it just looks funny against the white of the heavenly attire

yellow when he gets his own body back after possessing tracy, after trying to shoot adam, e6 0941

not sure what color is at 1228 when they're killing the horsemen

yellow after defeating the horsemen and death leaves

when beez tattles to satan, here's what it looks like at 2011. maybe the medium, not yellow not white?

more white a couple seconds later? 2026. easier to tell if you watch the video.

2152, definitely yellow outside of time

more white after defeating satan? 2356

white on the bench after the day, before the face swap

white through the swap

seems yellow during the trial in heaven, and it's not just the orange firelight 4356

and white again on earth after swapping back, then yellow again at the Ritz

it seems that this works like crowley's eyes do, changing with stress? good stress or bad stress.

[mejomonster]

Hair toning notes for myself:

Roots too gold/warm (7N dye but turned out warm): purple conditioner on just roots for half hour.

Lengths too ashy (platinum blonde with ZERO gold left, cold greyish tint): peach lime crime mixed with conditioner (to a more pastel peach color), left on half hour. Some pieces turn a bit peach, but the overall effect is a neutral/creamy platinum white blonde hair. So it tones the ash color out. Lime crime sushi tint is IDEAL for this, but i couldn’t find any of that color on short notice so I lightened the Peach lime crime with conditioner. (I find lime crime brand pinks in particular are good for toning out blue/green tones from hair, my guess is lime crime uses some gold and orange in the pink formulas, because so far its the only thing i’ve found that can add GOLD tones back into hair after over-toning into an ash color. Colorista conditioners suck for this... I’ve tried several and the blonde/gold ones actually add more ash tones resulting in swamp green, the peach one kind of works but it’s VERY strong and true to color so i was concerned about staining and how long it may take to fade from peach back to golden blonde... in contrast to lime crime peach, which generally fades to a golden blonde in 1 month if pastel and in 2 months if put on at full intensity vibrant peach)

how to do shadow roots (aka an ombre from root application to lighter color on lengths with no hard line): Take hair clips, clip up top layers of hair and start on the lower section (the dye will be left on it longer so the color will be darker). mix root color. use hairdye application brush and brush/tap onto roots as one normally puts on hair dye (1-2 inches or wherever you want dark color to end).Take thin toothed comb, and comb the applied color down slightly another 1-2 inches (where you want the blurred color merge to be). then sweep the comb upward as you pull it out where you want color merge to end (so comb down straight then pull it out in a sweep-up motion where you want color to end). Move onto the next layer, upward until you are done. Watch the ends to make sure they don’t over-absorb color (especially if you have platinum hair ToT) and wash ends out early/asap if they start darkening more than desired (my platinum hair is so porous and mean basically ;-; ). Result: roots will be the color you used, there will be no clear demarcation line. Instead it will look like a balayage with some highlights and lowlights in the color-merge area until it’s all the uncolored hair at the bottom. Options: you can slightly vary how long down your hair you comb the color at each layer, the variation of comb-down-color may make it look less uniform. 

Example result:

Top is before (clear demarcation line), Bottom is after (blended line, looks like highlights go "up" and darker color goes "down" more to blend the color merge area)

[inchhair]

Hair Color Correction: Fixing Common Mistakes

We all make hair color mistakes sometimes! You might try going blonde yourself but get orange tones. Or doing home Highlights Randwick leaves weird dark bands. Professional color correction can fix these common issues. It makes your hair look healthy and flawless again. This blog shares the top dye mishaps people have. We explain how expert colorists repair each one simply using methods like:

Blending darker re-growth into lighter lengths evenly

Adding baby lights to soften blocky highlights

Using toner glosses to reduce brassiness

Moisturizing with masks after bleaching

Custom coloring over leftover stained spots

Read on to learn all about color-correcting different scenarios. Our Best hair extension near me also give tips to avoid future mistakes. And how to keep your new perfect salon hair color lasting longer.

Fixing Visible Re-Growth

Dark roots along your crown against blonde lower hair scream "dye job." However, Hairdresser Randwick blends new growth with color-melted Balayage randwick or root smudging. Added baby lights also mix the textures. Toners fix brassiness from porousness differences, making regrowth less obvious. Glosses and subtle lowlights between salon visits help maintain this seamless new blend.

Repairing Bad Highlights

Spotty chunky highlights with zebra stripes are fixed by integrating new foils. This softens contrast next to uncolored sections. Babylights near the hairline also reduce stripe visibility. Toners remove chemical brassiness, and masks nourish damage from bleaching. New strategically placed foils lighten everything evenly for fully grown-out blocks, erasing artificial remnants. The pro blending marries old and new highlights beautifully.

Post-Bleaching Color Correction

Overbleaching to reach icy platinum at home leaves brassy, dry hair. First, a rich purple mask deeply moisturizes damaged strands. Then, lowlights in cool and ash tones contrast paler areas for dimension. This prevents washed-out tones while controlling leftover warmth from lightning attempts. Repeated clear gloss treatments also increase shine that is lacking post-bleaching. The strategic toner placement with targeted lowlights rebalances the overall color nicely.

Fixing Spotty Semi-Permanent Dye

Peekaboo rainbow colors often fade unevenly, leaving random splotchy spots. First, remove leftover staining, then recolor with demi-permanent glaze to blend uneven areas. A custom toner blends any remaining uneven tint. Reconstructing cocktails also repairs compromised integrity from repeated dye efforts. Finally, heat styles reveal healthy, flawless dimensions rather than spotty textured sections. This restores fun colors responsibly.

Pregnancy Related Color Changes

Hormonal changes after having a baby can curiously alter your existing hair color. However, rematching original uniform tones often looks unnatural as new growth emerges. Instead, placing subtle highlights near roots and warmer refresher tones on mid-lengths and ends embrace natural evolution gracefully over time. The method incorporates unavoidable transitional changes seamlessly through harmonious blending. It makes hair color updates after major personal phases feel beautifully organic.

Conclusion

Don't worry about hopeless dye disasters, thinking the damage is permanent. Our talented Hairdresser Newtown feels fully confident restoring even severe cases into healthy, flawless and professional outcomes personalized just for you. They transform at-home mistakes into envy-worthy results through careful color melting, strategic highlights, toner masks, and nourishing treatments. Their guidance also equips you to avoid errors going forward and keep the perfect new color they achieve, lasting longer on your own between needed touch-ups with them. Contact Inch Hair to book your custom color correction service and finally get the dream locks you deserve!

[lavyahairdesign]

Balayage Or Foiling Blonde Hair Highlights

Traditional highlights brighten up your blonde hair, enhancing your current color with added dimension. Stylists can apply these to all shades of hair, but they are particularly effective on lighter colors. You can choose between balayage or foils, each offering a unique outcome for your blonde locks.

Balayage is a freehand highlighting technique, meaning your stylist will paint on your highlights with a brush rather than putting them in with a comb. This allows your stylist to create more natural looking, low-maintenance highlights that will blend with your current shade and naturally fade out over time. It’s also an excellent option for clients who don’t want to change their overall base color but just add more brightness to their strands.

Foiling blonde hair is a more structured, classic coloring technique. It’s great for clients who want their highlights to be more uniform from root to end and can be used with different highlighting techniques such as babylights.

Your stylist will divide your hair into four sections, two on the sides and two in the back. Then use clips or salon ties to keep them separated. Next, they will take one of the sections in the back and start by slicing super fine (like see-through!) pieces using their tail comb. Once they have these thin strips, they will lay them down on the foil and stretch it taut. Then they will begin to paint the stripe. They can use their preferred lightening formula to achieve the desired effect — for example, you could ask them for a rich copper or icy platinum.

To help their color last longer, your stylist may need to tone your hair after the appointment. This process takes place in the sink, and your stylist will saturate your strands with toner to neutralize any brassiness or warm tones caused by the bleaching process.

Once their all-over tone is complete, it’s important for your client to maintain their new blonde shade at home with a color-locking product like the INVIGO Color Protection Shampoo Opens in a new tab or Vibrant Color Conditioner Opens in a new tab to prevent future fade or dullness. This will also help their hair stay bright for as long as possible and help them avoid any unwanted orange or red tones that can happen over time.

Whichever highlighting method you go with, your stylist will need to know the goal of your blonde hair so they can advise you on the best technique to achieve it. Be sure to discuss your ideal blond look with them before your appointment so they can plan accordingly!

Lavya Hair Design are your first choice for a Hairdresser in Toowoomba for modern hair cuts, crisp clean hair colours and naturally nourished hair.

Visit our brand new salon in Toowoomba Plaza near Kmart, where you can relax in style and be pampered whilst enjoying our affordable hair package deals.

[brighter-arda]

Melanesian Descendants of Indis

Day 1 Tolkien of Colour Week: Family, Connection to Lands, Connection to Waters

Information about who and what the photos are is in the image description below, thank you to @the-quiet-fire-of-defiance for helping with it

Part 1 of toi's indigenous tolkien series

.

[Image description: four graphics with eight images each.

Graphic 1 is mostly in shades of gold, yellow and brown. The images are

1: a Ni-Vanuatu woman looking to one side, smiling. She has mid-brown skin and curly blonde hair with dark roots. Text says "Indis". 2: a golden mask from Maluku 3: a golden cowrie shell necklace from the Solomon Islands 4: Bosra Frazier, a West Papuan woman. She has light brown skin and curly hair that fades from dark to blonde. Text says "Findis". 5: a smiling Ni-Vanuatu woman with dark skin and coily black hair. She wears white, red and green facepaint. Text says "Lalwen". 6: a cropped image of a Kanak wood carving 7: a tinted image of Fijian masi (patterned cloth made from bark) 8: Marylou Mahe, a Kanak woman with brown skin and gold-brown hair. She wears a garland of leaves and flowers on her head. Text says "Faniel".

Graphic 2 is mostly in shades of green and brown. The images are;

1: a Sepik Papuan man with dark skin and black hair. He wears shell necklaces around his neck, orange paint on his face, and a headdress with black cassowary feathers. Text says "Fingolfin" 2: a Roro (Papua New Guinea tribe) headdress 3: Maluku wood carving 4: a Papuan woman with dark skin and a black afro. She is smiling at the camera and has a circlet of grasses on her head. Text says "Anaire" 5: a Solomon Islander man with dark skin and curly hair. His hair is brown at the roots but quickly becomes blonde. Text reads "Finarfin". 6: another example of Fijian masi (patterned cloth made from bark) 7: the inside of a Fijian chief's vale (house). It is decorated with many patterned cloths. 8: A Ni-Vanuatu woman with brown skin and light hair. Text says "Earwen".

Graphic 3 is mostly black. The images are

1: a Papuan boy smiling widely. He has dark skin, coily dark hair and a yellow headdress made of grasses. Text says "Fingon" 2: a small hut on stilts 3: a Warup drum from the Torres Strait islands. It is carved from wood and painted dark. 4: a serious-looking Korafe Papuan boy. He has yellow-orange ceremonial facepaint, many necklaces of stones and shells, and a feathered headdress. Text says "Turgon" 5: a young Sepik Papuan girl with dark skin, black hair and white face paint. She is holding a very small baby crocodile and grinning at the camera. Text says "Aredhel" 6: a Maluku wooden carving of a boat with two figures 7: a photo from Vanuatu of a large tree covered in vines and with a hut perched up in the branches. A boy stands in front of the entrance.  8: a young Papuan boy with dark skin and black hair. He has stripes of white paint on his face, layered decorative necklaces, and a hat lined with what looks like fur. Text says "Argon".

Graphic 4 is mostly in shades of blue. The images are:

1: a Solomon Islander boy in a canoe on strikingly blue water. He is looking up with a smile. Texts says "Finrod". 2: light streaming down through a large hole in a cave ceiling. The beam highlights a figure standing on a rock underneath, surrounded by shallow blue water. 3: a tinted blue version of this art by Matilda Nona who is from Badu Island in the Torres Strait. There are six turtles of various sizes swimming in spirals of water. 4: a Solomon Islander boy holding part of a coconut. He has dark skin and curly hair which is darker at the roots and lighter at the ends. Text reads "Angrod" 5: a grinning Solomon Islander boy. He has dark brown skin and wavy blond hair. Text reads "Aegnor" 6: five Fijian camukau (traditional boats) in shallow water. 7: a photo of the Marovo lagoon from above, showing small green islands in a vivid blue sea. 8: a Solomon Islander girl smiling. She has dark brown skin, wavy blonde hair, and a pink flower tucked behind her ear.

End image description.]

[saintbleeding]

Hello my friend. Would you want to draw Gerry?? In volcano! With 7A!

thanks for asking friend yes i absolutely would

[Image description: A hips-up digital portrait of Gerard Keay from The Magnus Archives in a limited palette of oranges and charcoal greys. He is a white man with long, poorly-dyed black hair with ashy blonde roots. He is looking down disdainfully, presumably at a burning Leitner. His eyes are made up with dramatic black eyeshadow on the lower lashline and he is wearing black lipstick. He is wearing a ripped shirt, long coat, and dark trousers. In his left hand is a lit match and in his right is a bottle of lighter fluid labelled "Burnitol". His joints are tattooed with small stylised eyes. The background is dark and filled with stylised flames. End ID.]

[swedisheek]

my friend who is on their first listen hasn’t gotten to ep 111 yet and i am incandescent with rage that i cannot tell them about how much i love this guy

( please rb! image description below :] )

id: a partially colored reference sheet for gerry keay. he is drawn as a white man with dyed black hair that is blonde at the roots, a small beard, and several piercings, including two lip rings. his eyes are white, and there is a ghostly white outline around him. he has simple eye tattoos on his neck and knuckles. he is wearing a burnt orange sweater, a dark brown trench coat, ripped black jeans, and boots. in one drawing, he is shown in profile, looking irritated and saying “i’m not their bloody monster manual.” in the second, he is facing the viewer, wiggling his fingers and smiling mischievously as he says “things get weird, yeah.” in the third, he is sitting down with his legs partially crossed, scratching his scalp and looking bored as he says “…you got a cigarette?” around the drawings, there are smaller illustrations of the catalogue of the trapped dead and gerry’s eye-patterned lighter. the background is bright orange. end id.

[welcometogrouchland]

Woo finished this in time for the @melaniemonth prompt "health". I decided to make a tribute to Melanie's recovery, both mentally and physically, by portraying the hardships she's been through and the better place she reaches! The words are from "I wanna get better" by the bleachers, which is an excellent song that always makes me think of melanie (and never fails to make me emotional) ((click for quality))

[Image ID: a digital illustration of Melanie king from the magnus archives. She is a chinese woman with black hair dyed blonde. The drawing is composed like a comic, with panels. On the right there is a 3 strip, which is mirrored on the left. In between these strips sits two drawings, split by a diagonal border, containing the words "I wanna get better".

Panel 1 on the right shows Melanie's face in shadow, as she stares at Sarah baldwin's stapled arm in horror. The background is maroon and a yellow starburst surrounds Sarah's arm, while lines indicating trembling surround melanie.

Panel 2 has melanie looking at not-sasha, confused and frustrated. Not-sasha's face has a question mark instead of facial features, and in the background is a mirror that shows the real Sasha looking with tears in her eyes. lines emanate from not-sasha. The background is a light green.

Panel 3 shows Melanie's leg, bleeding from a bullet wound. The background is red and the wound has indicating lines emanating from it.

The panels on the left look as follows:

Panel shows melanie as Elias reaches towards her. Her eyes are glowing and tears stream down her frightened face. Eyes float around her, looking at her. Her hair is a darker shade of blonde and her roots have grown out. The background is dark green.

Panel 5 depicts melanie holding a surgical scalpel. Angry lines surround her hand, and the background is made up of varying shades of red.

Panel 6 has melanie holding an awl up to her eyes about to blind herself. Trembling lines surround her hand, and a slight tear forms in the corner of her eye. The background is a rough gradient, starting as a dark green in the bottom left corner and ending in a lighter green.

The two illustrations in the middle also show melanie. The first shows melanie at therapy. She is sitting on a chaise lounge in the foreground, talking to her therapist, who is in the background listening. The background is in yellow/orange tones. A light blue speech bubble is connected to melanie, and has the following text:

"So I put a bullet where I shoulda put a helmet and I crash my car cause I wanna get carried away, that's why I'm standing on the overpass screaming at myself, "hey!". "Overpass" is drawn to look the plaque of a therapist's office, and "hey" is written in bright yellow block letters. There are also spiky lines around the word "bullet".

The second image in the middle shows melanie, now blinded and using her cane. She looks content. The background is done in pink tones, and shows a faded image of georgie smiling and holding the admiral. The text "I didn't know I was lonely til I saw your face" can be seen next to Georgie. Hearts are floating around georgie. The borders between panels are done in a light yellow color. End image ID]

[mouse-on-venus]

My first ctubbo vs my most recent

(Feb 2021 / Oct 2021)

[ID: two illustrations of Tubbo's dream smp character. The first is a sloppily colored sketch, showing Tubbo from the face up, looking at the viewer, confused. He has blonde hair and goat ears and horns. The second is a digital illustration with warmer, orange-toned colors. He is shown from the shoulders up, tilting his head and smiling tiredly at the viewer. He has lighter hair with dark roots, a red bandana and a fluffy jacket hood. End ID.]

[inkwellfire]

[Image ID: A digitally drawn series of family pictures of After the Fall characters.

Labeled “Vale-Riveras” is Kelley’s family. (Left to Right) Kelley is a dark skinned teen with a scar across his nose and curly hair. He is in a green and blue long sleeved shirt. He gently touches his grandmother’s shoulder. The grandmother is a black woman with grey curly hair in a low bun and glasses. She wears a high collared yellow cloak with a red diamond pattern and a green top. Next to her is Kelley’s father, a black man with the sides of his head closely shaven. He is wearing a yellow and orange robe and a red turtleneck undershirt. Behind him and the grandmother is the father’s sister, who is leaning to kiss his cheek. She is wearing gold necklaces, earrings, and hair accessories of her bun, and a pink and white shirt. Next to his father is Kelley’s mother, a green-eyed Hispanic woman with dark hair and grey roots. She’s wearing a white shirt with pink ruffles. Next to her is her sister, with a choppy bob, freckles, and brown eyes. She winks, pointing up. She wears a black shirt with green and yellow patterns on the collar and sleeve cuff. Behind her is their parents/Kelley’s grandparents holding hands. The grandmother is a Hispanic woman with curly hair with dark ends. She wears a blue and white dress. The grandfather is a white man with short white hair and beard, wearing a white collared shirt and yellow sweater.

Thalia’s family, “Parsons”. Thalia is on the right edge; a black teen with with her curly hair in a high bun wearing a orange scarf burnt at the edges, and a red and black shirt with golden triangular patterns. She wears a gold phoenix pin. (Left to Right) Thalia’s younger teen-aged sister, has her hair in Bantu knots and wears a white over shirt with blue ruffle sleeves over a pink dress and glasses. Next to her is their younger brother (about 5) with buzz-cut hair and wearing a green and white shirt. He holds one of their mother’s arms. Next to him is their mother, a heavy set woman with a afro, wearing a purple geometric patterned bandana and a blue-violet shirt, with light and dark purple patterns in the collar and sleeve cuffs. She looks at and wraps an arm around her wife. She wears her hair in braids, and wears a white shirt and magenta vest. She also wears a phoenix pin with a blue gem in the center. She has round glasses and a jagged scar over her left eye. Thalia stands next to her.

Kaleb’s family, “Altes”. (Left to Right) Kaleb, a lighter skinned Asian teen with black hair and blond-bleached top of his hair. He wears a green tunic and brown pants. He put up the bunny-ears symbol behind his sister’s head. His sister is around his age and has shoulder-length hair and bangs, and wears a gold headband. She wears a magenta dress with golden accents. Next to her is their mother, a long-haired woman with a navy blue dress with pink floral accents around the collar and pink lines in the skirt. She leans into Kaleb’s father, a white man with golden shoulder-length hair and a dirty blond beard. He has brown eyes. He wears a blue shirt and a green and grey plaid vest and grey pants. In front of him is their grandmother in a chair. She is an Asian woman with her black hair up in a bun with looped hair around her ears. She wears a teal jacket over a yellow shirt and blue pants.

Seli’s family, “Fahkri” Seli stands on the right edge; a darker skinned Asian teen with shoulder length dark hair with part of it pulled into a ponytail. She wears a lavender turtleneck knee-length dress with a dark blue trim and belt with silver floral patterns over the blue sections and her right shoulder. (Left to Right) Their mother hugs their father, wearing a peach colored jacket and a orange skirt. She has long dark hair. Their father has short spiky hair with a purple shirt with pink collar and sleeve cuffs. He holds a hand on his son’s shoulder. Seli’s younger sister (about 5) has twin pigtails and bangs, holding her hands against her cheeks. She wears a green dress with light green accents. Her brother, (also about 5) has bowl cut, and wears a red tunic with white accents. Behind him is their older sister and Seli’s younger sister, who has her hair in a ponytail. She has a unibrow, and wears a grey-ish blue shirt with a geometric floral pattern on her collar. Seli stands next to her.

Devin Darnel, has Pars, a orange cat with a black tail and paws, on their shoulders, rubbing the cat’s cheek. They are a white teen with short brown hair, blue eyes and freckles. They wear a light blue tunic and a brown belt around their waist. Slightly further away is Knight Captain Anna Lanson. She is a white older woman with dark brown hair and white hair in a bun. She wears round glasses and a purple dress with light blue accents. She wears a dark purple caplet. She holds a green-covered book. They are labeled “Darnel & Lanson." End ID]

Here’s everybody’s families! Remember to check out Inkwellartist.com to read the After the Fall comic!

[missserpentia-fae]

Take Care of Them

Warning: Hmm..? If you’re touchy on religion, I’d advise you to not continue reading. (I wrote this for fun)

If any of the characters are OC, tell me so I can try and adjust it.

Takes place after Lesson 18 but before Lesson 19

Pairings: Obey me boys x MC/Reader

Summary: God talking to MC in a dream or such about the brothers

Part 1-7

Chapter 8

The human jerked awake and looked around their room, their eyes landing on the envelope on their bedside table. Oddly enough, there seemed to be something else peeking out from underneath the envelope. They reached for whatever was hiding underneath the envelope and took notice that it was some kind of portrait.

Tears prickled at the corner of their eyes as they stared at the portrait. It was a picture of the six brothers when they were angels. The human let out a wet sob, their vision blurring as they stared at Mammon tackling someone that looked vaguely like Lucifer. Lucifer looked annoyed but they could see the tenderness in his green eyes as he stared at his younger brother. Asmo and Levi were sitting back to back. Levi had his eyes closed and his head was tilted back against Asmo’s shoulder, his purple hair was slicked back with a couple strands falling against his forehead. Asmo was staring off at Beel and Belphie with a large grin on his ethereal face. Beel was sitting on the ground while his younger twin brother was laying on his side beside him, one of his eyes open as he stared fondly at a woman MC did not recognize.

The woman had golden-brown skin and seemed to radiate happiness. She had long wavy white hair similar to Mammon’s that had hints of orange hiding in the white. Her hair framed her head like a halo and her purple eyes were glinting with delight. She wore a beautiful long tunic with no sleeves and a pair of leggings, as well as a pair of light brown lace-up shoes. Her medium sized dove-like slim white wings hung low on her back. The woman was turned towards Lucifer and Mammon, laughing heartily at the two.

This must be the eighth sibling, my ancestor, Lilith. MC mused as they went back to observing the brothers.

Out of the seven brothers, Lucifer looked the most different. Instead of having his black hair which faded into grey, his hair was platinum blond which was lighter than Satan’s yellow hair and his eyes were green instead of its now red color. Belphie’s hair also was different having interchanged while he was still an angel, the roots were white which bled into black.

The human turned the picture over and saw purple script write itself on the back of the portrait.

Pure soul,

I hope you enjoy this picture. It was one of my precious possessions but I wish to give it to you. I have a feeling that you might appreciate it more than I ever could. Cherish and keep it safe.

Camael, Symbol of Charity

MC hugged the picture to their chest, tears pouring out their eyes and down their cheeks as they choked on their sobs. They lifted the picture to their lips and pressed a light kiss against the image. They hid the picture in their drawer and took the envelope in their hands. They wiped their tears away with the back of their hand as they broke the seal of the envelope.

A smile replaced the frown on their lips as they read stories about Mammon, all about his mischievous ways and his interactions with his siblings especially Lucifer. They were surprised to read that Mammon was respected and loved by his siblings when he was still in the Celestial Realm and he seemed to be so generous towards everyone, almost always putting others before himself. They noticed that Mammon and Lucifer seemed to get along despite Lucifer acting like he didn’t like Mammon. Their smile slowly disappeared as the stories took a turn for the worst the closer it got to the Celestial War. Tears built up in the corner of their eyes when they read Mammon’s determination and contentment to stay by his older brother’s side despite not knowing what would happen to them after the war.

They watched as He wrote a small message for them once again at the end of the letter.

My child,

Stay on guard. Again, continue finding ways to unlock your angelic heritage and practice using my virtue’s powers. I see that Camael gave you a gift. If you wish, I can tell you about Lilith as well so you know more about your ancestor. I can tell you’re hurting for my fallen sons and while I cannot do anything anymore for them, I hope that I can provide you some comfort by telling you about them an in extension, Lilith.

God

Tears escaped once again before they put the envelope away with the rest of the other letters. They got ready, trying their best to hide the evidence of their breakdown before they left their room. They headed in the direction of the dining room, their head hung low as they entered the room. The chatter amongst the brothers seemed to die down, almost like they knew in an instant that something was wrong with their human, as MC sat down in their seat, slowly piling whatever food was leftover that Beel didn’t manage to get onto their own plate.

“Normie?” Levi called out but it seemed that the human didn’t hear him. The brothers shared worried glances with each other before Belphie leaned over and nudged them. “Oh, sorry. Were you guys talking to me?” They were startled, looking up from their food to see the demons staring at them with concern.

“You okay?” They turned to look at Beel who had his mouth stuffed full. “You…You seem down.” He swallowed before he spoke.

“Darling, have you been crying? Your eyes are swollen.” Asmo questioned, grabbing hold of their chin to turn their head to look at them. MC stared into the fifth brother's alluring peach eyes, tears swimming in the corner of their eyes.

They burst into tears which caused the brothers to panic. Just seeing the brothers worrying over them made them think about how unfair everything was. They didn’t deserve to be exiled from the Celestial Realm especially since it was all for their younger sister, a sister that they couldn’t save and lost because of the war. Just thinking about it made them angry.

They were pulled away from their angry thoughts when they felt a thumb brushing away their tears. They looked up to see a blurry vision of yellow in front of them before Satan’s calming voice cut through their daze, “Why are you angry? I can feel the rage building up in you.”

“I…I…” MC hiccupped, their voice getting stuck in their throat before they threw their arms over Satan’s shoulders. They buried their face into his chest as they screamed their anger and sadness away, their screams muffled by the blond’s uniformed chest but it didn’t stop the brothers’ heart from breaking when they heard the pain in the human’s cries. Satan ran his fingers through their hair, rubbing their head slightly and whispered, “Draw in that anger. Don’t let it control you.”

“I-I’m so s-sorry.” The human sobbed, shaking their head when the brothers tried to get them to explain the reason for their sudden outburst.

They felt a calming pulse coming from their hand and they shifted their blurry gaze to their hand. They saw the two rings on their left hand beating, sending comforting waves towards them. It was like Uriel and Raphael knew they were distressed and was trying their best to comfort them since they couldn’t be there with them. They slowly started to calm down, their anger and sadness dissipating as they shakily took a deep breath in.

They backed away from Satan, their eyes lowered as they whispered with a crackily tone, “I’m sorry guys.”

“What happened darling?” Asmo cooed, standing in front of them as he held their hand. They shook their head, removing their hand from the demon's grip and whispered, “It’s nothing. Just a bad dream.”

They stayed silent for most of the day, not acknowledging the concerned looks that the brothers were shooting them. At the end of the school day, they caught up to Lucifer who was, surprisingly, by himself and asked softly, almost nervously, “Lucifer, is it okay if I go visit Simeon at Purgatory Hall? There’s something that has been bothering me and I wish to talk to him about it.”

Lucifer looked like he didn’t want to allow it but took notice of the pleading look in his human’s eyes. He sighed before nodding, “Okay. Make sure you’re back at the house before curfew.”

“Thank you Lucifer.” MC looked around to see if there were any students loitering around, seeing that they were none around. They threw their arms around Lucifer’s waist, their head resting against his chest. “I’ll be back soon. Thank you so much. Tell the others where I am and don’t let Mammon come get me unless it’s past curfew.”

The human detached themself from the eldest brother before Lucifer could process the sudden hug and ran off, waving at the second strongest demon in the Devildom.

Lucifer shook his head staring after MC with enamor in his gaze before they turned the corner, disappearing from his sight.

Part 9

[thatnaruhinaanon]

[Part 3]

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Naruto reread Sasuke’s message one last time before dropping his phone on his desk and leaning against the back of his chair, his brows furrowed. His friend’s behavior wasn’t exactly strange: Sasuke had always had very little consideration for anything that wasn’t himself or his family but, even for his standards, that was a pretty dick move. He sighed. Whatever. Naruto would pick up the most expensive items on a menu somewhere and just give him the bill to pay, then; that was the least his friend could do.

He casted a glance around him, his eyes quickly scanning their surroundings. This room, just like the rest of the building, was relatively new and nicely furnished. The hospital must have been less than five years old and Naruto had to admit that he had been quite impressed upon seeing it for the very first time a week ago. His previous hospital well might have been one of the country’s most prestigious health care facilities, the premises themselves were now quite dilapidated and could certainly not compete against the wonders of the multibillion Uchiha money machine, as proven by this office. How big was it, twenty square meters? And just for one man? Naruto wasn’t used to such luxury.

Guiltlessly putting off the tedious set-up of his computer to a later time, he gathered up his phone and wallet before getting up, his hand hesitating to grab the thick orange parka he had showed up with earlier this morning. Usually, Naruto never left the hospital with his white coat on: sure, he had always been a bit of a show-off, but walking around in such apparel was for the braggers and the half-wits, which wasn’t his case. However, with such a big private hospital in the neighborhood, medical staff and patients must have been regulars of the restaurants and takeaways of the vicinity, and visually signaling on his first time out that he belonged to Konoha may be the smarter thing to do in case he needed help or anything. Plus, it wasn’t that cold anyway today for the season, courtesy of global warming.

Once on the sidewalk in front of the building’s main entrance and slightly shivering under the stiff fabric of the lab coat, his short and spiky hair catching the shy rays of sun that made it through the late February clouds, the hunt could finally start. He could have probably just ordered their meal online or checked for a place with good ratings beforehand, but there was something inherently exciting in just slipping his smartphone in his back pocket and wandering around those unfamiliar streets, on the lookout for a place to catch his eye. 

To be honest, Naruto had also never been good at taking advice from other people online and clearly prefered discovering and experiencing life by himself, at the risk of making mistakes and missing out on opportunities. He passed a Korean barbecue restaurant, located only two buildings away, as well as a burger place and a tiny ramen joint, but kept on walking -regretfully. Knowing himself, he would probably be trying that ramen place on the very next day and every other one of the week, so picking up something more to Sasuke’s liking for once was in order. Moreover, he didn’t want to eat like a horse on his first day of work, especially when he was to meet the Chief of surgery and the Head of General surgery right after. A lighter option would probably be more appropriate…

Naruto squinted as he carefully studied the different establishments in the busy business street he had just gotten in: around him, salarymen and women in suits and pencil skirts jostled around the crowded sidewalks, eagerly rushing inside their favorite lunch places to grab their takeaway. Hmm. All these small restaurants seemed like great options, but their lines were quite long, with some people even waiting outside sometimes, and he did not have this kind of time on his hands. He strolled a couple of meters, passing more food joints without making his mind. Hmm hmm. All things considered, ordering online may not have been such a terrible idea, afterall.

He checked the time on his phone, and his mouth let out a little annoyed noise. He really had to hurry up if he wanted to make it on time for Sasuke. Damn it. Should he simply head back to the hospital and get food delivered? Maybe…

A sigh of relief escaped him when, stuck between a fastfood and a sushi chain, the sight of a tiny takeaway restaurant with only three customers inside appeared to him, and he hurriedly stepped inside, so happy to have found a place with such a short line that he almost knocked down the person who was waiting right in front of him with the door.

“Wow, my bad, sorry about that!” He apologized as he cautiously closed the glass door behind him, embarrassed. The customer turned around and gave him a sheepish smile. 

“It’s all good, don’t you worry” they assured him with their soft voice before turning back again, and Naruto curiously looked at the menu, displayed on big black slates hanging behind the cashier. His relieved smile vanished instantly. 

He had entered some kind of salad place.

He may not have been a picky eater but vegetables were definitely not a food group that he willingly welcomed to his table on a daily basis, and salads were the most remotely thing from a meal possible in his eyes. Instinctively, he raised his hand up in the hair and scratched the back of his neck. No wonder why no one was eating here! What was he, a rabbit?

He was in a hard place. On one hand, he had no intention whatsoever to eat leafs and roots for lunch, but on the other side, time was running out and it was getting too late to get food anywhere else. He glanced around, looking for help… But nobody was coming to his rescue.

He took a few steps front.

“Hmm, excuse-me, Ms?” He dared asking in a whisper the woman he had almost smashed the door into. Her ethereal eyes looked up to him again, wide and surprised. “Do you know by any chance what’s good on the menu?” He added, shakily. “I’m grabbing lunch for a friend and I and this former isn’t big on vegetables”. His lips stretched, the smile he had intended as comforting and charming coming off straight awkward and creepy. The woman blinked. 

“I believe your friend is going to get disappointed no matter what…” She blinked again.  “Salad bars are not exactly renowned for their fish or meat.”    

Well, duh. He knew that already, he wasn’t exactly stupid. Just really unlucky to have walked into the one healthy restaurant on the street.

“Alright”, he conceded nonchalantly, “I’ll have what you’re having, then.”

The blue-haired woman raised an eyebrow, the ghost of a sly baby grin crossing her face.

“Except you don’t know what I’m having”, she pointed out to him, visibly amused by the turn of events. Naruto innocently shrugged his shoulders.

“I’ll just listen really carefully to your order”, he sassed back. The woman chuckled.

“And what if I whisper it to the cashier?”

Pfff. Too easy. “Then, I would just ask for what the person before me had”, he answered, a false serious look on his face that made the female customer's cheeks redden as she bit her smile away. In front of them, the line moved.

“Next customer, please?” Called the woman behind the cash register, and Naruto’s lovely line companion promptly moved forwards.

“Oh ah, sorry”, she managed to get out, the words now weirdly jostling against one another in her mouth, “May I have two number six with green teas, please?”

“Make that four, please!” Loudly chimed in Naruto, blatantly ignoring the somewhat scandalized look from the light-eyes woman that his familiarity was earning him, “But forget the green teas for me. Let’s tone all that healthiness down with some cokes instead.”

And with his order done, he respectfully took a step back to give his neighbor all the privacy they needed to pay. 

Perhaps having a salad for lunch wasn’t the worst thing. The little scene that had just played out  had somewhat reboosted him, successfully convincing his brain to release a wave of endorphins that were much needed on this stressful first day of work, and that almost compensated for the disgustingly green food he was about to ingest. Perhaps should he get the woman something, like offering to pay for her teas? To thank her for this nice parenthesis.

 “Are you working at the Konoha hospital?”

Pulling him out of his reflection, the crystal voice of the customer caught Naruto’s attention again and he almost imperceptibly shook his head to chase the fog that was clouding his brain. The blouse had been a good idea, in the end.

“As a matter of fact”, he answered with a boyish smile, “Today’s my first day there! How did you guess?” He added with a lopsided smirk as he stretched his arms wide open to highlight the white coat. He wondered for a second what his interlocutor did for a living: judging by her pair of black leggings under her long dark purple coat and her flats, she wasn’t working a desk job -unless there were some fancy young startups in the surrounding area he didn’t know about. Would it be okay to ask her about her own job?

He didn’t tergiversate for long though as, coming from behind the cash register, an employee was already bringing her up a big brown bag.

“Ma’am, your order!” Announced the employee, and Naruto found himself almost frustrated that they had been so effective and fast. He was enjoying this impromptu interaction. 

In front of him, the woman kindly accepted her package and, upon turning around to leave the shop, bowed her head in Naruto’s direction.

“It was a pleasure waiting in line with you” she told him, her liquid pupils focused on the floor. “May you have a pleasant lunch with your friend.”

“Thanks, you t-” started Naruto, but she was already gone, her small legs carrying her as quickly as they could outside of the door. The blond surgeon contemplated the glass for a second, dumbfounded. She had run away so fast. Was she actually in a hurry? She had seemed so calm this entire time, he would have never guessed so.

“Sir, your menus!”

With a polite smile, he walked in turn to the cashier and got his wallet out of his coat’s pocket. “How much do I owe you?” He asked, already reaching for some crumpled bills that he had shoved inside with very little care. The employee shook their head, and emphatically handed them his bag.

“The lady before you paid already. She said it was a gift for your first day of work.”

Oh.

He should have definitely offered to pay for her teas.

[Part 5]

[eternalgravityfaller]

Gravity Falls-Hocus Pocus AU: Gobbledygook

The cold autumn air was not the cause of the goosebumps prickling along Dipper’s flesh. He stared wide-eyed through the large wooden gate, staring at the derelict cabin shrouded in part by shadows.

Wendy grinned. “If anyone is scared, feel free to turn back now.”

Pacifica bristled at the pointed look the redhead shot her. “What’s there to be scared of?” she returned. “The legend isn’t true.”

She dug the copper key from the pocket of her dark purple jacket. She slipped it into the padlock and unlocked it. She unhooked it from the latches and shoved the gates open. She gave her hand a sarcastic wave and drawled, “After you, losers.”

Wendy rolled her eyes and walked onto the property that formerly belonged to the 16th century witch Bill Cipher. Mabel followed after their next-door neighbour and paused when her twin stayed rooted in place.

“What’s up, Dipper?”

Dipper bit down on his bottom lip. “I feel like this is a horrible idea.”

Pacifica smirked. “You heard Corduroy. If you’re scared, leave.”

“Knock if off,” said Wendy sternly.

“What? You did.”

“Listen, Dipper, the whole Bill Cipher legend is nonsense,” said Wendy with an encouraging smile. “Nothing is going to happen to us. We’re just gonna go in and check it out.”

“And then we can get back to collecting candy,” said Mabel, moving back to latch onto her brother’s hand. “C’mon, Dipper. You love this sort of spooky magic stuff. I thought you wanted to see Cipher’s cabin.”

“I do,” insisted Dipper. “But the last time a Pines walked onto his property...it didn’t end well.”

“You don’t really believe our super-great uncle was turned into a black cat, do you?” asked Mabel with a laugh.

Dipper caught Wendy’s amused grin and his cheeks turned red. “Of course not,” he said, lifting his chin. “Let’s go.”

“That’s my man!” cheered Wendy, and Dipper felt pride swell in his chest.

Pacifica shook her head. “Whatever. Can we please get this over with? I have a Halloween party to get back to.”

They trudged across the overgrown path and up the rotted wooden steps. Dipper’s heartbeat increased, banging against his rib cage as they reached the front door. Pacifica used the same key to grant them entrance, and soon the interior of the Cipher cabin unfolded before them.

Mabel batted away the thick, silver cobwebs that hung from the ceiling like curtains. “It’s got its own natural Halloween decorations,” she said cheerfully.

Wendy spun in a slow circle, taking in the roped-off artifacts with a look of awe. “You know, I’ve lived here my whole life, but I’ve never actually been to the Cipher museum.”

“You didn’t miss anything,” said Pacifica tightly, arms crossed over her chest and nose wrinkled in disgust. “It’s filthy in here.”

“I thought you said your mother ran this place up until a few years ago,” said Mabel. “How come it looks like it’s been abandoned for a decade?”

“This place was run-down when my mom took it over. The Salem Heritage Association only made two renovations to the Cipher cabin.” Pacifica pointed a finger towards the ceiling, where the upper windows allowed the moonlight to reveal a sprinkler system. “When no one steps foot into a three-hundred-year old building for like, four years, yeah, it’s going to get dirty.”

“What was the second renovation?” asked Mabel curiously.

“Lighting.”

“I don’t suppose you know where the switch is.” Wendy squinted through the darkness, seeing only shapes and blobs. “I can’t see anything.”

Pacifica wandered over to the door and flicked the switch. The light bulbs bloomed to life and Dipper blinked rapidly, trying to get his eyes to adjust. He approached a wooden counter, seeing a collection of abandoned gift shop items.

“I don’t think this was something Bill Cipher left behind,” he said with a raised brow.

“Had to generate revenue somehow,” said Pacifica with a sniff.

Wendy made a gagging sound. “It’s so tacky.”

Mabel joined her brother, peering over his shoulder at the dust-covered, clunky lighters. “Neat!”

Dipper recoiled as she snatched one and promptly lit it. “Mabel! Be careful!”

She clamped it shut. “I think I’ll take this as a souvenir.”

“That’s stealing!”

“It is not! They left them here.” Mabel glanced over at Pacifica. “Right?”

The blonde gave a bored shrug. “Take it. I don’t care.”

“Yes! You want one, bro?”

“No,” said Dipper distractedly, his attention diverted by the shelves of oddly shaped vials and bottles, a cauldron and a book encased by glass. He approached the bottles, staring at them warily. “These look suspiciously like ingredients.”

“Probably are,” said Wendy dismissively, going over to the cauldron and running her finger along the lip. A sizeable ball of dust built against her skin and she flicked it off. “How else would he concoct the potion to steal the souls of children?”

“Wendy!”

“Dude, relax!” Wendy punched him lightly in the shoulder. “I’m just kidding.”

Mabel approached the glass display case and pressed her face against it. “What’s this?” she asked, her voice muffled.

“That’s disgusting,” said Pacifica in horror.

Mabel stepped back and gave a few hacking coughs to clear the dust and grime from her throat. “Yeah, bad choice,” she wheezed, wiping the sleeve of her orange witch robe across her lips.

“This is Stanford’s journal, isn’t it?” asked Wendy in interest.

“Yup.” Pacifica gave the plaque a condescending tap. “Just like the little card says, if you know how to read.”

Wendy frowned. “Are you always this unpleasant?”

“Only with people I find annoying.”

Wendy started to retort, but Dipper interjected. “Listen to this,” he said eagerly. “Standford Pines spent most of his teenage youth investigating the strange and unnatural deaths of children in Salem. He logged his observations into his journal, which he kept secret from the rest of his village, for he knew his study of magic would result in an accusation of witchcraft. After the deaths of both Stanford and Bill Cipher, the book was left behind.”

It was a leather-bound journal, with a gold six-fingered hand embossed on the cover.

“Our relative wrote this,” said Dipper softly.

“He was into the supernatural just like you,” said Mabel, squeezing his arm. “You were both geeks!”

“Thanks, Mabel,” said Dipper with a scowl. “Really appreciate that observation.”

“What about that?” asked Mabel, spotting a white candle with blood-red designs merged with the wax mounted on the wall.

“The Black Flame Candle.”

Dipper snapped his head around, regarding Pacifica with fear. “Wait, the Black Flame Candle?”

Pacifica put her hands on her hips. “Are you deaf? That’s what I just said.”

Mabel moved closer to the candle, leaning forwards to read the smudged plaque. “The Black Flame Candle is made from the fat of a hanged man. Legend says that on a full moon on All Hallow’s Eve it will raise the spirits of the dead when lit by a virgin.”

“Okay, I think I’ve seen enough of this place,” said Dipper frantically. The sight of the candle turned his blood to ice. “Let’s go.”

Mabel laughed. “It’s just a candle, Dipper. Nothing is going to happen.”

A slow, sinister grin curled across Pacifica’s lips. “Light it. I dare you.”

“Don’t!” shouted Dipper.

Mabel flicked open the lighter, causing the tiny flame to dance. “I’ll prove it, Dipper. I’m not scared.”

A streak of black cut through the air and knocked into Mabel, sending her tumbling to the ground. A black cat with harsh yellow eyes hissed at the gathered kids, its claws digging into Mabel’s back.

“Bad kitty!” she cried.

Dipper hurried forwards, using his trick-or-treat bag to bat the cat away from his sister. “Get! Leave her alone!”

The appearance of the black cat, long-rumoured to be Stanley Pines, caused a shiver to run down Wendy’s spine. “Maybe Dipper’s right. We should probably go.”

Mabel got to her feet, but as she started to turn away from the Black Flame Candle, Pacifica coughed and said, “Coward.”

Mabel’s eyes narrowed. “I’m no coward.”

Before Dipper could stop her, she whirled around and, in one fluid motion, turned on the lighter and ignited the wick. She rocked back on her heels and said cheerfully, “See? Nothing happened. It’s just a bunch of gobbledygook.”

The orange flame turned black. Wind started to whistle through the cabin. Mabel’s smile immediately dipped.

“Uh-oh.”

The light bulbs in the chandelier above them exploded. The floorboards below them shook madly, a bright blue glow and smoke pouring through the cracks. Their screams echoed in the small space and Dipper and Mabel clung to each other.

“What’s happening?” shrieked Pacifica.

The rattling stopped and the floor went still. For a moment, none of them could breathe.

The remaining candles roared with fire and a high, menacing, echoing laugh sounded from outside. Exchanging one terrified look, they all dove for a hiding spot just as the door bolted open, slamming hard against the wall.

“Heeeeeeeere’s Billy!”

[aesthyuckic]

AVENOIR | l.dh - OCTO

Genre: High School AU (at beginning) ; Tarot Reader!Witch!Hyuck

Word Count: 3.7k

Warnings: (will bold if in use) slow but with a purpose, belief contradictions, mentions of r*pe, blood, swearing, violence, mentions of abuse

Pairings: Lee Donghyuck (Haechan) x Reader (F)

THE STAR - hope, faith, rejuvenation

It had been a few weeks since they had met Johnny and joined his circus. To them, it felt odd and almost silly to be considered part of the circus... It never changed the fact, though. They hadn’t really met anyone there yet, at least not anyone to be considered more than a acquaintance maybe. Although, they did met a boy named Jisung, who was one of minor acrobatics, around Cosimia’s age.

They never saw him much, considering he worked in the big tent while they had a smaller tent of their own in the carnival part. They still lived with Ten and Sicheng, so immediately after they were done working they would go back to the trailer for some peace for themselves. It made it so they never really had time to hang out with the other kids their age or just the others there.

They were given a day off when they stopped in Texas, near the coast. Donghyuck was eager about the small break as he was exhausted from having to pick up and go every other day. It was all too much work for him on top of the long, hot days they had to go through. Cosimia remained on the other side of spectrum, excited about traveling and the work she was given. He guessed seeing the sparkle in her eyes whenever she looked out the window of the trailer as it moved down the road kept him going through it all.

They sat on the floor of the living room in the trailer. Sicheng and Ten were eating outside along with everyone else since meals were covered by Johnny at one of the tents. The green of money filed in neat piles in between the two as Cosimia counted the last of it. He stared at it, zoning out until the girl across from him picked it all up and put them together.

“We have around two thousand dollars,” She said, counting the bills again. “But I doubt we’ll spend it all today...”

“How are we even going to spend it?” Donghyuck asked. “We’re in the middle of nowhere and we don’t have phones to shop on.”

“Come on.” She rolled her eyes while getting up from the floor while she took all the money with her as well.

He didn’t really have a say in the matter and was quick to follow after her since half the money was his. She was fast, didn’t let him catch up for a second either as she walked all the way to the tent that had smoke coming out of it. The sound of people talking and coals crackling got louder.

He realized he had stopped for a moment right outside of the dirty white and red striped tent. He saw Cosimia round the corner, in enough time, to which he ran after her, almost loosing her in the crowd of their co-workers. She was walking toward the table Sicheng and Ten sat at. He stood back once he saw the dark haired male stand up and leave, not even bothering to look up from the ground. He still was not on very good terms with Ten, but then again, no one really ever was other than maybe Sicheng.

The other was left with a bunch of other people he seemed to be friends with. The girl continued to walk over to him, unaware she was even there until her hand rested on her shoulder and she bent down.

“Can we borrow the truck?” She whispered in his ear.

She had straighten her posture, him turning to looking up at her while putting his fork down. He moved around in his seat to go digging through his pocket. The familiar sound of keys jiggling rang before he gave them to her.

“Don’t crash it and never tell Ten I let you use our truck.” He demanded.

“Thank you!” She chimed before she walked away.

She had spotted Donghyuck when she turned around. He only looked at her with a questioning expression as he hadn’t seen the keys or anything. She grinned once she walked up to him and place the keys on his chest that then fell into his hands. He was shocked by it and stared at the set in his hands. She continued to walk, presumably toward Sicheng’s truck.

“Are you coming or what?” She chuckled as she turned around and walk backwards.

A slight smile came to his lips at her the sight of her chuckle. He run to catch up with her once again that day. They approached the rusty, blue, beat up truck together and got in. He, of course, drove but it took some time considering it was a stick shift and its age but it still started up.

They had smiled at each other once the engine started before he took off, rather quickly which left a cloud of dust behind them in the dirt.

Throughout the drive he noticed him occasionally looking over at her, just to check in. She remain quiet as she looked out the window, watching as nothing went by. For some reason, he found a little joy within just that. He wished the radio wasn’t busted because maybe then it would’ve made things more fun. The drive wasn’t long, the stores began to appear the further they drive down the road and they came to stop in front of a retro looking thrift shop.

She seemed excited as she jumped out of the truck, leaving Donghyuck to run after her get again. When they got inside, he was saw the clothing racks were full of color, parts of the store were overcrowded with furniture giving it an oddly comfortable feel. There was a section he was drawn to, it was narrow but full of old board games, movies and recorders.

He could see Cosimia dashing around the store, taking things off the racks, impulsively, and carrying them. He could see her fine from the the corner of his as he mostly focused on the records around him. It’s not like he was going to buy any of them as much as he wished, he had no record player but man, did Ten’s music annoy him so much at this point... He sighed to himself as his fingers lingered on the old things.

He had just then noticed his friend was no where in sight. He started to feel panic arise in his chest, not being able to see her anywhere. He went looking everywhere like a lost puppy until he stumbled across a section of the store that had curtains hung up to make a sort of dressing room. It had a three way mirror in the corner that seem to sit in the sun just right. He realized the mountain of cloths that laid on the velvet banquette settee center. They were men’s clothes, in his size and everything...

He was startled when the bright yellow curtains opened suddenly to reveal the girl he’d been looking for. She didn’t pay a mind to him as she walked over to the three way mirror to stand in the middle. She wore a long, royal purple skirt with a gold and yellow pattern of a planchette from a ouija. She smoothed it out while trying to fix the way her white t-shirt tucked into it. To be honest, it seemed like her and it seemed she thought so too by the way she smiled herself in the mirror and twirled, playfully. It made him smile to watch her like that, he’d never seen her act that way. The way the sun lit up the fabric as she twirled was quite beautiful as well, in his thought process. With the skirt glowing around her, he saw she wore black boots, a little beat up but it worked for her. He caught himself staring too much, probably looking like an idiot from how afar he admired her from.

Bags filled up the small backseat of the truck by the time they were done in the thrift store. The vechile was welcomely warm and stuffy when the both of them had finally got in.

“Is there anything else we should get before we get back or are we good?” He sighed as his hands rested on the stirring wheel.

She looked at her hair. The cherry red that was once there was now gone and replaced with a strawberry blonde color. One of which he knew she wasn’t too fond of, on herself anyway.

“We should go get hair dye,” She answered. “You look like you could need some too.”

She ruffled his hair a bit as she spoke. She didn’t seem to notice how shallow her breath got at the smallest of touching she’d done as she buckled her seatbelt. It took him a second to come down and do the same before he drove to the nearest drug store they could find.

It didn’t take long for her to pick a box for herself as they stood in the aisle next to each other. His hair was fading to a chalky, pastel orange. It reminded him of pixie stick dust but fried and crunchy. How he came to end up with orange hair? His friend, Yangyang, decided to bleach and dye his hair an obnoxious color as a prank when he blackout drunk freshman year. It was surprisingly how the color held for so long, his roots barely showing.

“What about you?” Cosimia asked. “What color do you want?”

“I don’t know,” He shrugged. “Don’t really care that much either. The whole dyed hair was a prank and I never got around to dying it black again after it happened...”

“While I do think black would look good on you, I think lighter colors suit you better.” She sighed.

She remained silent as she looked at him for a minute while she clearly contemplated. She reached out and came to hold his chin, moving it around as she pleased to get a different angle. His breath easily hitched in his throat at her gentle action. She had never been one for physical attributes and to know she was doing the littlest things meant so much to him. She was getting more comfortable with him and he loved that fact. She let him go as gently as she had held him. She hummed a bit as she bent down to the colored dyes once again. She grabbed a box of silver hair dye with ease before she handed it to him.

“It will compliment your skin tone,” She have a slight smile. “Make it look more like gold than it already does.”

She turned a way from him with a smile, walking down the aisle, not even daring to look back at him which he was somewhat thankful about. He stood there, in the same place, too lost in himself as he could feel the skipped beats of his heart. He clutched the box of dye in his hand as he could feel the evident, hot blush come to his cheeks before it heated up his whole body. It was the littlest of things.

He didn’t understand it, the feelings that had never been felt before. Didn’t understand what intrigued him about her so much that he’d fake his death just go with her, didn’t understand the attraction to her like magnets or why he liked and hated the feeling as well.

The drive back remained a blur to him. He was too focused on her gestures throughout the day which meant absolutely nothing, to her at least. It was that odd blur where one remembers only how the felt and can piece small things together, but nothing else. He remembers the warm feeling he felt throughout his body, much like a fever as his grip on the steering wheel was hard enough to turn his hands white, but that was it.

When they had gotten back, the grounds were bare, few people were out running around in the dusty area. They went back to the trailer, even called out for Ten and Sicheng as they came back in. The two didn’t seem to be there when they came in which left them wondering where they could’ve gone since they had taken their truck. It didn’t last long though.

Cosimia threw the bags on the couch and grabbed the box of hair dye. She quickly grabbed Donghyuck’s hand before she ran to the bathroom. She even shut the door behind them, not taking into consideration how small it was. There wasn’t enough room for two people, leaving him leaned up against the wall. It was happening again, the hot feeling through his body he hated and loved.

“There’s... not a lot of room in here...” He practically gulped.

“Well, I’m gonna help you and you’re gonna help me,” She smiled with a glint in her eye. “We’ll make it work.”

He banged his head on the wall, on accident of course, after she had gotten closer to him in that moment. How close their faces were left him nervous. She giggled at him as he just held back a groan.

“Now, I definitely have to help you...” She chuckled.

He went first. She stripped his hair of the remaining pastel orange and washed it out. She was gentle, especially around where he has injured him. It felt nice to have someone run their hand through his hair, even if it was wet and his neck was straining. The moment felt nice as well in an unexplainable way.

As he wait for his hair to dry to apply the silver, he help Cosimia dye her own hair. He didn’t know exactly what he was doing but it gave for a few good laughs as the sink, floor and even their skin was stained a red-ish purple. Then it was his turn to have his put in which thankfully didn’t come out as messy since the girl knew what she was doing. The stains left by him where already going to anger Ten a lot, which enough.

He wrapped a towel around his head as she turned to wash her hands, the both of them smiling to each other without the knowledge. Before she could turn on the faucet, the very clear sound of the trailer opening was heard. They both looked at each with panic in their eyes. The girl quickly reached over the locked the door, leaving silver to stain the gold door knob. Ten was most definitely going to kill them for ruining the bathroom and probably the white towels the used impulsively.

The smell of chemicals stunk up the small space, lightly suffocating them. There was no doubt the smell hadn’t lingered out from the crack under the door and occupied the hall. A shadow appeared at the bottom of the doorway which made them jump a bit. A polite knock on the door.

“Haechan? Cosimia?” Johnny called from outside.

They both relaxed, letting out a sigh of relief. Cosimia got of the sink to unlock the door and swing it open which startled the man.

“Have a makeover?” The dark haired man chuckled.

“You scared the shit out of us, we thought you were Sicheng and Ten.” She snapped.

“Hm, probably shouldn’t snap at me like that. I am your boss and I came with something you ought to be thankful for.” He said while remaining calm but nevertheless, delivering what he said with a certain tone that was underlined vindictive. “I was going to say I finally found you two your own trailer. A nice one too, definitely bigger than this one. Though, if you’re going to act like that, maybe I should just feed you to Ten.”

“Thank you, Johnny. We’re very thankful but maybe so if you had said it was you when you entered. You also could’ve been an axe murderer for all we knew.”

He looked at her with an eyebrow raised. He practically had a foot on her and he was also more powerful than her in the terms of business. She didn’t stand down for a second as she glared at the elder waiting for him to utter anything in reason.

“Guess you’re not wrong,” He huffed. “The keys are on the counter and you can tell which on it is, it’s the nice one as I said. Probably best you get out of here before Ten shows up too.”

He walked away, leaving Cosimia to shut the door that creaked with the movement. She leaned her back against the door as she looked at the boy while taking a breath. In that moment, Donghyuck realized she was strong. He should’ve been able to noticed that sooner. He liked that, something about the trait made his heart flutter in a, yet again, unexplainable way.

“We should probably wash out the dye and get going.” She said, still leaned up against the door.

“Yeah,” He nodded, still sat on the toilet as he was knock out of his thoughts.

They rushed to wash the leftover coloring out of their hair. The water coming out purple and gray. The towels on the floor were scattered. His towel wasn’t that bad but hers, it resembled red wine, especially after the quick dry job that left it with even more stands. Her hair came out looking like a night purple which brung out there paleness in her skin. Oddly enough, the first person it reminded him of was Raven from the Teen Titans. He thought the character fit her rather well.

They gather the towels and cleaned up the floor and sink as best they could before putting them in the small laundry hamper in the closet in the hall. After that, they turned on the fan in the bathroom to get rid of the obnoxious smell that filled the place. Cosimia grabbed the keys off the counter before she took some of the bags off the couch. Donghyuck close behind her, grabbed the rest of their belongings as she hurried out the door.

It really was easy to find their trailer. It towered a little over the rest, though around the same size in length. It also looked quite a bit nicer than the others around them, a lot newer too. They didn’t understand why Johnny would’ve gotten them one so nice. They were kids and they did think they were getting a cheap one by what he said to them weeks ago. Still, they definitely weren’t complaining, just curious.

They settled in quickly, not that there was much to settle into. There wasn’t any furniture, food in the pantry or fridge with left it up for them to fill it up with what they wanted. There was microwave and coffee maker, though. There was a dusty sheet that covered the bed in back. The two pillows were fine but there was no blanket.

He walked out from the back to see Cosimia sitting on the counter, her back facing him. The sunlight barely hit her from where it slipped in through the blinds. It was the first time he’d seen her purple hair turn into a passionate red due to the light. It reminds of sparks and fire. He didn’t even think about how long he’d been staring from afar.

“What’s up?” She asked, turned around now after she realized the boy behind her who stared in complete silence.

“I’m just kinda tired...” He mumbled. “That’s all.”

It wasn’t completely a lie...

“Go take a nap then,” She chuckled. “We’ve got the rest of the day off and nothing to do with it.”

“What about you?” He questioned.

“Not to be of your concern,” She sighed. “I’ll figure out what to do with myself.”

He shrugged to himself. It wasn’t a half bad idea especially since he didn’t recall the last time he slept... He walked into the back and fell face first into the bed. The pillows were down and he could tell by the way the feathers poked out at his face and the way his head sunk into the pillow. He was still able to fall asleep in seconds of hitting them, though.

Donghyuck woke up with his head pounding and no concept of time. The banging coming from the kitchen is what really woke him up. At first, his sleepily self thought nothing of it until he remembered Cosimia. His mind immediately went to worst case scenario: Ten came to strangle them so he rushed out of bed. Though, he care out to see her just sitting in a stool, in front of her on the counter was her amethyst crystal only this time practically split into two. He also saw a hammer, chisel, some cord and small pieces of metal.

“What the hell?” He muttered as he rubbed his head to sooth the pounding.

“Sorry for waking you up.” She said rather sheepishly. “I was making something for you.”

“What?” He asked, forgetting about his headache.

It seemed like she was aware of what he had been doing though. She pulled out a bottle from her bag and opened it for a couple pills. She handed them to him along with a water bottle. She didn’t have to say anything but encouraged him to take him which he did without a word of it.

“I made you something.” She repeated.

She grabbed something he didn’t get to see before she hid it in her hand. She hopped off the stool before she made him turn around. He felt something hit his chest and could hear her tying of cord behind him too. He looked down and saw a piece of amethyst dangle in the middle of his chest. He turned back around, confused as he held the small piece in his hand.

“Do you remember what amethyst symbolizes?” She asked.

“Yeah...” He hummed, not able to really forget even the smallest details of that night.

“Good,” She smiled. “It’s so you can be protected from evil, even when I’m not around to protect you from it.”

He wanted to ask, what about her? What would protect her from evil? Who would protect her from evil? Why was it her job to protect him from it? But he knew what she would say, that’s not of his concern. She was like that. To be frank, he liked the idea of someone wanting to protect them but he also wanted to be one to protect them as well.

[loulougoingsolo]

DIYing a Bold Hair Choice

So, as we all know, we live in troubling times. I've personally been living in quarantine-like arrangements for about a month now, and although I've been mostly doing alright, some things have proven to be hard. I was supposed to have my hair professionally cut and dyed this week, but I had to cancel the appointment, and at the moment, I don't know when I'll get to visit the salon for the next time. So, I had to take matters (or scissors) to my own hands.

I'm a DIYer, but I've never cut my own hair. I've also had it professionally dyed since I was 15 or so. For a short period, I only had it bleached and cut by a pro, but then dyed it myself with a pretty intense cool shade of red - but other than that, and a few toner touch ups, I've always relied on professionals. So I was in a bit of a pickle, when I realized that I'd have to either DIY or have my grey roots grow wild for months. And because my hair is short, the roots way too grey for my age, and I had all this time ln my hands, there was really only one way this could go.

When I go about a DIY project, my first step, always, is thorough research. I had an idea for what I'd attempt to achieve, so I went on Youtube and searched for diy haircuts. I got some good tutorials, but most of them were for long hair - and I also got suggested GMM episode #989, in which Rhett and Link battle in cutting their own hair (wigs). Can I just say, they predicted the Tiger King craze long before Netflix:

So, I immediately figured I would not be able to follow yhe hair styling tutorials of this GMM episode. First of all, I could only find one pair of scissors even remotely sharp enough to cut hair. They were not sharp enough. Secondly, the longest part of my hair barely reaches my chin. I would need to really commit to every snip I make, or I'd end up with a bald hair style, instead of bold. As attractive and gorgeous some people are with a fully shaved head, with my head shape, that was something to avoid at all costs.

Another thing I was worried about was that I'd probably end up cutting my own finger, like Link. I've always found it extra difficult to see my own reflection in a mirror and try to do accurate motions according to the reflection. Simply put, my brain gets confused. Also, I don't really have a way to see the back of my head through the mirror at all. How the crap am I supposed to cut anything?

At this point, I understood that the actual haircut was going to be the tough part, so I decided to focus on the dye. Since I cojldn't just go to a big supermarket to buy the equipment, I had to order the dyes online. At this point my plan was simply to buy a multitude of wild colours to mix and match according to my mood, so I ordered a tub of Midnight Blue, Daffodil Yellow, Flamingo Pink and Cerise dyes, all by the brand La Riche Directions. These dyes are semi-permanent, sonI knew they wouldn't cause permanent damage to my hair, and at this point, that was kind of my goal - whatever I do, I don'g want to ruin things too badly. But, because I'm familiar with semi-permanent dyes, and I've had pretty much every shade on the spectrum on my hair at one point, I knew I might require an extra step to see results. Which is why, "just in case", I added a hair lightening kit to my order. I figured, I'd make some lighter strands on top, to have some colours show properly.

By the time the dyes arrived, I was already pretty fed up with my grey roots. I watched the GMMore which followed the hair cut episode. Rhett, who won the haircut challenge, got to decide what colours would go in Alex's hair. Alex had done the smart thing and bleached his hair professionally to be dyed in this episode, but he somehow agreed to letting Rhett and Link add the colours.

When Rhett explains everyone how he and Link used to dye eachother's hair back in the day, I realize that even though I'm technically watching a DIY hair tutorial, they aren't actually doing it themselves. It's quite different to put dye on someone else's head than your own. (Also, something I didn't notice back when I first saw this episode: Link says it would be crazy for him to have his hair dyed, but looking back, he most certainly had his hair dyed at this time.)

It was slightly alarming to see that Alex was worried about how things would go. I could hardly expect to achieve anything much better than the guys, since at least they had the studio lighting and a full team to help rhem not screw up. I had a mirror in my dark toilet, which is barely big enough to stand in.

I also forgot to buy vaselkne, which was a big mistake - although I don't think it's even possible to buy a container that big here. Why would they have that at Mythical in the first place? But something about seeing how much trouble the guys were having controlling the unmixed streaks of dye and all that vaseline made me worried.

At this point, I need to tell you that seeing the blank canvas which was Alex's hair, I, now the proud owner of a 40 % bleack kit (which apparently is the strong stuff), decided I was not going to waste energy by trying to dye my hair without bleaching, only to find out that the colours didn't show. So, I mixed the bleach, put on a worn-out t-shirt, used hand lotion to vas up my forehead, neck and ears, and then just went for it.

I did watch quite a few proper tutorials. They taught me, firstly, that 40% was a no-no. Secondly, never bleach something that has already been bleached, especially, if your hair has multiple colours. Forth, never start from the roots, as they get bleached faster (this ended up being the only rule I followed). And, above all, go to a professional.

So, I added the bleach to my hair. First I tried sticking to just a few strands, but then a blop of the bleach fell on the wrong spot, and I figured, why not just go full head. I did. I left the stuff on for maybe 20 minutes, and after that I got scared and rinsed it off. Then, I used a silver toner, and was left with a fascinating mix of orange, yellow and white hair - and a strand of persistent green from my previous dye. But it was blond enough for my plans.

Alex had a beautiful mix of blue, pink and purple in his hair - and that accidental splash of green - and after considering thoroughly, I decided to go for these colours, too. I mean, pink, purple and blue are my jam. Also, as much as I wanted to go full rainbow, I figured it would be an impossible task to keep the different colours from mixing, and that might result in brown, which is the colour of defeat. So, I went with midnight blue, flamingo pink and cerise, and wasn't too concerned aboit getting the colours mixed together.

This is how Alex's hair looked on the episode, before he rinsed the extra dye off:

I couldn't find any good photos of his hair after it was rinsed, but tgere was one which suggested only a faint shade of blue stuck.

And finally, here's what happened with my hair. Now, I'm not posting my face here, just the hair. Imagine a white blop with green eyes below the hair, and you'll get the idea. In the first two pictures is my hair during normal times, and just before I diyed it. It looks particularly nasty in the just before hack job pic, because it was adviced not to wash your hair before bleachkng to save the scalp - but as you can see, this was not a fun thing to see in the mirror each morning:

After I had dyed my hair, I did some snips here and there, and also, because I was able to borrow a hair clipper from my dad, some clipping - which in my books, saved the day. The haircut is pretty botched, but I actually absolutely love the colour. And the criss-cross shave despite it being pretty bad - it also looks badass in real life. The picture taken outside shows the pink colours more accurately, but the cut shows better in the other pic. There are a couple of ways I can style this later on, but I kept styling to minimum for starters, because I didn't want to cause extra damage to my hair:

So, this has been the story of how I diyed my hair during quarantine. My mom loves the whole thing (I showed it to her yesterday while taking them groceries), and although there are some spots in the back which could have more colour in them, I'm pretty satisfied. I know my hairdresser is going to weep when she sees me, but she'll get over it.

So, in conclusion: Would I do this again? Yes, but I'd definately leave the cutting and bleaching to the pros. Also, now I can't really bleach again for a while. But I'm actually thinking about taking the dyes I have to my hairdresser so she can dye my hair properly with them, in a healthier way, once all this chaos settles and it's safe again. I'd probably need a slightly darker, permanent colour to the roots, but I absolutely love these insanely bright colours. And I'm so going to try the full rainbow this summer, too.

Would I recommend this to others? Yes, but with caution. The direct semi-permanent colours are safe and won't damage the hair, but bleach does. My hair is naturally a tad too dark to show bright colours properly, so I took the risk. I was also mentally prepared to shave the whole thing off and wear my mythical hat for the summer - but I'm happy that wasn't necessary. If you aren't willing to risk damaging your hair, stick to semi-permanents.

To end this post, here's a selfie I took yesterday on my grocery store trip in full safety gear (I have a paper mask under the scarf):

Stay safe! Do things that make you happy! BYMB! 💗💗💗