#only one piece of my writing from that era exists now but

[cruising-1980]

2017 me would have gone insane with the art coming out about goncharov because i was very dedicated into pairing up travis bickle and michael corleone together. so now seeing art of young bob de niro + al kissing feels like vindication

[secretsofdbz]

So I finally caught some sleep (I woke up at 4 am, 20 minutes after the announcement, and slept a bit more after my last post announcing his passing).

First of all, this is going to be my panel: "See ya later guys, when you die we'll meet again!"

The hematoma that's mentioned in the statement announced in his passing implies a head injury (so perhaps he fell, perhaps something fell on his head, and the internal wound may have not be noticed)

The last artwork he did that was published was this new Sandland one to celebrate the upcoming series. It was revealed on March 4th, so after his passing. We don't know if it's the last artwork he did (he may have drawn this earlier and it was revealed later, who knows.

I'd also like to share some other statements, in no particular order:

Toyotaro's:

Masako Nozawa (Goku's VA) statement:

「コメントできる状況にございません」 -> "I am not in a position to comment."

(aka she was too shaken)

Nozawa update:

「信じたくない。考えたくないという気持ちで頭の中が空っぽです。それでも、お会いするたびに鳥山先生がおっしゃってくださった『悟空をお願いしますね』というお言葉を思い出すと、『私の命が尽きるまで悟空のそばにいよう』と気持ちを保つことが出来ます。先生、空から私たちを見守っていてください。どうか安らかな旅立ちでありますように。」 I don't want to believe. My mind is empty because I don't want to think about it. Still, every time we met, Toriyama-sensei said to me, "I'll take care of Goku for you, won't I?" When I remember your words, 'I will stay by Goku's side until my life is over,' I can keep my mind on it. Sensei, please watch over us from the sky. May you have a peaceful departure.

(Mayumi Tanaka, the voice of Krillin who was requested by Tori super early on will probably say something at some point too).

Oda (One Piece author) statement:

It is too early. The hole is too big. Sadness washes over me when I think that I will never see him again. I have admired him so much since I was a child, so I remember the day he called me by name for the first time. On the way home from the day you used the word "friend" for me and Kishimoto, I remember being overjoyed with Kishimoto. I also remember the last conversation we had. I was one of those who took the baton from the days when reading manga made you a fool, and he also created an era when both adults and children could enjoy reading manga. He showed us the dream that manga can go worldwide. It was like watching a hero going forward. For not only mangakas but also creators in various industries, the excitement and emotion of the time of Dragon Ball serialization must have taken root in their childhood. His existence is like a big tree. For the manga artists of our generation who stood on the same stage, Toriyama's works became more and more important to me as I got closer to the same stage. I even felt being scary. But I am just happy to see the aloof man himself again. Because we love him on a blood level. With respect and gratitude for the creative world he has left behind. I pray for his soulful rest in peace. May heaven be the joyous world he envisioned.

And Kishimoto's statement (the autho of Naruto)

To be honest, I don’t know what to write or how to write it. But right now, I want to tell Mr. Toriyama the things I always wanted to ask him and my feelings. I grew up with Mr. Toriyama’s manga, Dr. Slump in elementary school and Dragon Ball in high school. It was natural for me to have Mr. Toriyama’s manga next to me as a part of my life. Even when I was feeling down, the weekly Dragon Ball always made me forget about it. It was a salvation for me, a country boy with nothing to do. That’s how much I enjoyed Dragon Ball! When I was a college student, Dragon Ball, which had been a part of my life for so long, suddenly ended. I was overwhelmed by a tremendous sense of loss and didn’t know what to look forward to. But at the same time, it was an opportunity for me to realize from the bottom of my heart the greatness of Mr. Toriyama, who created Dragon Ball. I want to create a work like Mr. Toriyama’s! I want to be like Mr. Toriyama! As I chased after Mr. Toriyama, the sense of loss gradually disappeared. Because it was fun to create manga. By chasing after Mr. Toriyama, I was able to find new joy. Mr. Toriyama was always my compass. He was my inspiration. I may be bothering Mr. Toriyama, but I am grateful to him without permission. To me, he was a savior and a god of manga. When I first met him, I was so nervous that I couldn’t say a word. But as I met him more and more at the Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize jury meeting, I was able to talk to him. I will never forget the time when I talked to him about how much fun Dragon Ball was, like a child with Oda-san, as Dragon Ball children, and how he smiled a little shyly. I just received the news of Mr. Toriyama’s death. I am overwhelmed by a tremendous sense of loss, even greater than when Dragon Ball ended… I don’t know how to deal with this hole in my heart yet. I can’t read my favorite Dragon Ball right now. I don’t even feel like I’m writing this text properly to Mr. Toriyama. Everyone in the world was still looking forward to Mr. Toriyama’s work. If one Dragon Ball wish really comes true… I’m sorry… It may be selfish, but I’m sad, Mr. Toriyama. Thank you, Mr. Akira Toriyama, for 45 years of wonderful work. And thank you very much for your hard work. To the bereaved family, I pray that you will find peace and comfort in the midst of your grief. I pray for the peaceful repose of the soul of Mr. Akira Toriyama.

And finally one of Toriyama's close friends Masakazu Katsura (Video Girl AI author) also had this to say:

I feel drained and unmotivated. I don’t want to write a comment like this. But I’ll write something. Once I start writing, I’ll have so much to say that it will probably turn into a long text, but I’ll try to keep it as short as possible. I apologize for the rambling, as my thoughts are still not in order. Looking back, all I have are fond memories of the times we spent together – whether it was visiting your house, having you stay over at mine, or going out on trips. Every time we talked on the phone, we would laugh so hard that we would get tired. You were a funny person. You were perverted, cute, sharp-tongued, and humble. We collaborated on some manga projects, which were also a lot of fun. But 99% of the time, we never talked about manga. As a manga artist, the gap between the way we saw things and our level of skill was too great, and I never really felt your greatness. I know it now. But when I was with you, I never felt it at all. That’s just the kind of person you were. That’s why I still can’t think of you as anything other than a friend, even though you were a great manga artist. Last summer, before I had surgery, you heard about it somewhere and sent me an email. It was really rare for you to send an email, and it was so full of concern for my health. We’ve been friends for 40 years, but that might have been the first time I felt such kindness from you. I thought it was going to snow. You know, you usually only talk about jokes or nonsense. What the hell, you shouldn’t be worried about other people, right? I called you a little before that, and I was feeling sick all over, so I said, “I’ll probably go first, so have a farewell party for me, Toriyama! And make sure you give a speech, because it’ll make me look good!” But you didn’t keep your promise. I really regret not calling you after you emailed me. I just can’t believe that I can’t talk to you on the phone for hours anymore. There are so many things I want to talk to you about. There are so many things I want to say. Even if you don’t care about what I have to say, you can just zone out like you always do. I just want to talk to you again. The last thing you said to me was “OK” in response to my email asking you to contact me again. That’s just not good enough. I’m so sad.

And the Dragon Quest LEGEND, Yuji Horii, too...

I am still filled with disbelief at the sudden news of Mr. Toriyama’s passing. I have known Mr. Toriyama since I was a writer for Weekly Shonen Jump. At the recommendation of my editor, Torishima-san, I decided to ask him to draw the illustrations for the game Dragon Quest when we were launching it. For over 37 years since then, he has drawn countless charming characters, including character designs and monster designs. The history of Dragon Quest is one that has been intertwined with Mr. Toriyama’s character designs. Mr. Toriyama and the late Mr. Sugiyama were longtime collaborators on Dragon Quest. I can’t believe they’re gone… I can’t find the words to express my sorrow. This is truly, truly a tragedy.

Torishima, his "evil editor" (the one the Mashirito from Dr Slump is inspired by), also put out a statement:

"The last time we worked together was on the book we published last year, 'Dr. Mashirito's Strongest Manga Technique.' In that book, 'Torishima and Toriyama Back Then' was the last manga we made together. 45 years, thank you very much. Mr. Toriyama, you were the best manga artist I have ever known."

(this is what he's talking about)

Jackie Chan statement:

"Akira Toriyama-sensei, thank you for creating so many classics, they will always be with the world, farewell 🙏"

French president Emmanuel Macron:

the tweet reads "To Akira Toriyama and his millions of fans who grew up with him",

The authograph says "for Ma-ku-ro-n president" (to President Macron); the hand-drawn parts are the little Goku and the dragon balls surrounding him, alongside the autograph. It was drawn over a printed paper (as per custom when getting an autograph)

The date indicates it was given to him during the Olympic Games in Tokyo.

Yabuki Kentaro (To Love Ru's author) (link to the tweet)

Takao Koyama (screen writer for 90% of the episodes and the movies) says Toriyama was sick for over a year at this point. He himself is pretty badly sick as well.

Hiroki Takahashi (Makafushigi Adventure, first DB opening)

Hironobu Kageyama (Chala Head Chala and everything else)

"Singing 'CHA-LA HEAD-CHA-LA!' is the biggest medal in my life! The loss of the sun is too much to bear But the power of Toriyama-sensei's works Will continue to be a strong light And may it illuminate people all over the world. May you rest in peace."

(some more of the Editorial department of Jump can be found here, with a good browser extension you should be able to get the gist of it)

Feel free to reblog with your favorite manga panels, interviews, trivias, and let's pay a homage to his life and work, alright??

[burningvelvet]

Why Mr. Rochester and Bertha Mason Couldn't Get a Legal Separation; or, the Utter Madness of Marital Laws

So I saw a Jane Eyre post discussing why Mr. Rochester and Bertha Mason couldn't get a legal marital separation. I've thought a lot about this topic, and in order to procrastinate writing the final for my upper-level Brontë class, I've decided to write this sort of convoluted analysis instead. I know many others have written about this subject, but I wanted to explore a bit further on my own.

Preliminary context about me, the Brontës, their Byronic inspiration, etc.: I've learned a lot about 19th century British marriage laws recently in my classes on old British literature, as well as by having studied Byron, whose marital separation in 1816 was a notorious part of his history & also reverberated through 19c literature. He refers to this separation in many of his works, most famously in his notorious poem "Fare Thee Well." Harriet Beecher Stowe, the most famous American female writer at the time, was friends with Lady Byron and wrote a book defending her called "Lady Byron Vindicated: A history of the Byron controversy from its beginning in 1816 to the present time" (the original callout post).

Insanity accusations did factor in to Byron's separation. Many scholars have remarked how the Queens of Byronic Criticism, the Brontë sisters, took significant inspiration from their well-worn copy of Moore's biography Life of Byron when creating their works. The Brontës would have been very familiar with marriage laws not only due to their knowledge of Byron's trainwreck of a marriage, but also due to being well-educated women at the time who knew that marriage was the most important economic decision of one's life and could very well make or break a person. As a result, marriage plays a significant role in their novels.

More relevant preliminary context about the novel: Jane Eyre actually takes place in the Georgian era, despite most adaptations and anaysis presenting is as a Victorian piece due to the novels publication date (this drives me crazy; same goes for the other Brontë books). Marriage laws did not change drastically from the time the novel is set to the time Brontë was writing the novel, but things were a bit different socially. Rochester was also married 15 years before his attempt to marry Jane. According to this very good analysis, Rochester and Bertha probably married in or around the year 1793: https://jane-eyre.guidesite.co.uk/timeline.

Now, here are the reasons why Rochester couldn't separate from Bertha:

1) Insanity wasn't grounds for divorce/separation in the Regency era.

Rochester himself says that he couldn't legally separate from her because of her insanity, which presumably rendered any of her faults null on the grounds of that marital vow "in sickness and in health." This is possibly one of his biggest reasons:

"I was rich enough now – yet poor to hideous indigence: a nature the most gross, impure, depraved I ever saw, was associated with mine, and called by the law and by society a part of me. And I could not rid myself of it by any legal procedings: for the doctors now discovered that my wife was mad — her excesses had prematurely developed the germs of insanity [..]"

2) Divorce was nearly impossible anyway.

There had only been around 300 divorces in English history at the time. Almost all of them were husbands divorcing their wives for committing adultery. Only a handful of divorces had succesfully been obtained by women, and they were only in cases where the husband had committed incestuous adultery or bigamy, and was extremely physically cruel. So technically after his bigamy attempt, Bertha may have had more grounds to obtain a divorce than Rochester would have, if only she were lucid enough to do so. However, in that scenario infertility would have helped their case, and Adèle's existence would have harmed their case if he attempted to seek a divorce before marrying Jane. Though as the novel explains, Adèle is probably not his, she definitely would have been used against him, as would the fact that he kept Bertha's existence a secret in England. But he wouldn't have tried for divorce that late in the game anyway, considering it was one of the most difficult options.

3) Female adultery was your best bet at divorce or separation, and this probably wasn't applicable to Mr. & Mrs. Rochester.

Although some scholars claim that there is subtext hinting that Bertha was adulterous (which some adaptations, like the 2006, include), you needed substantial proof of the adultery, which Rochester may not have had if it did occur. Being a proud man, he also wouldn't have wanted to be humiliated in that way by letting it be publicly known (as shame is one of his main reasons for hiding their marriage to begin with).

However, I lean toward the idea that Bertha may not have committed adultery. If she definitively did, seeing how affected Rochester was by Céline cheating on him (he shot her lover in revenge and left her with a stipend), if he ever suspected adultery on Bertha's part then I'm sure he would have been at court the very next day. I also think Rochester tries not to be too much of a hypocrite, and he is well aware that he himself is an adulterer, so he probably doesn't want to accuse Bertha of a crime he's committed and which he couldn't definitively prove she did.

Rochester does talk about hating Bertha's "vices" when they lived together, citing drinking, arguing, cruelty to servants, cursing, her being "unchaste," a "harlot," etc. - the last epithets, combined with her supposed lack of morality, and her being described as seductive, heavily imply that adultery could be added to her list of offenses. However, if she did truly cheat on him as well, I don't see why he wouldn't plainly tell this to Jane as well. I would imagine it would be his first complaint, and it would probably be considered his most justifiable reason against her by their cultural standards.

I don't see why he wouldn't jump to take Bertha's infidelity as an opportunity to defend his own actions, considering how open he is with Jane about his own adultery and being cheated on by Cèline Varens. While I can see how some of the textual evidence may strongly suggest Bertha's adultery, we cannot be fully certain, and that may be because Rochester himself is not fully certain. I cannot see why he wouldn't have sought legal advice on that account alone.

In short, if Bertha was an adulterer, there must have been no evidence to convict her.

Also: while the double-standard may seem odd and trivial to us, the reason why female adultery held more weight than male adultery has entirely to due with old patriarchal inheritance laws; i.e the risk of a wife getting extramaritally pregnant and passing the illegitimate child off as her husband's heir was considered too great of an affront. A man could have as many bastards as he wanted because he would know they were bastards and were not at risk of inheriting his stuff. One needed legitimate heirs to justify passing on one's ancestral wealth to. Essentially, marriage was a mere economic tool, and the economy was and is inherently patriarchal. I digress.

4) Rochester's lack of social & economic leverage, and risk of social ruin in general.

Only the wealthiest of the wealthy could obtain divorce or official separation, and it often led to social ruin. Rochester is rich, but he has no title and no great network of supporters due to being a younger son and having been abroad for most of the past 15 years (this was the length of his marriage to Bertha, stated by Mr. Briggs during the bigamous wedding attempt). He doesn't have as much leverage as Lord and Lady Byron had.

To continue on official separation, like Lady and Lord Byron obtained. Just like divorce, this was also a messy and scandalous legal proceeding, and required numerous good reasons to obtain, and being well-connected Lords and Ladies really helped your case. You also needed many witnesses and written statements as evidence. Bertha's family, as we see with Mason, would have been unhelpful to Rochester, and due to his shame and secrecy, no one could really testify on his behalf I'm assuming.

5) Unofficial separation would have been inconvenient, especially in regards to living situations.

Aside from divorce, which was extremely rare, extremely controversial, and only for the wealthiest members of society — there were unofficial and official separations. An unofficial separation was simply living apart from one another. I've often wondered why Rochester didn't simply move Grace Poole and Bertha somewhere else, but my main theory is that it would have been cost ineffective, and due to his family who were implied to be shitty, he probably really didn't want to live at Thornfield anyway so thought it would be convenient to place her there. Rochester says it would be dangerous to place her in his other residence of Ferndean:

"[..] though I possess an old house, Ferndean Manor, even more retired and hidden than this, where I could have lodged her safely enough, had not a scruple about the unhealthiness of the situation, in the heart of a wood, made my conscience recoil from the arrangement. Probably those damp walls would soon have eased me of her charge: but to each villain his own vice; and mine is not a tendency to indirect assassination, even of what I most hate."

6) Annulment was likely impossible given their circumstances.

Annulment means evaporating the marriage, acting as if it never existed, that it was a mistake. This was rare and only granted in unique circumstances, and I believe it was more common with aristocracy and royals. I believe you could possibly get an annulment if you could prove that the spouse was insane at the time of the wedding and you did not know. However, Bertha did not begin to truly deteriorate until after they had been living together for a bit. And while Rochester says that he did not know her mother was in an asylum until after the wedding, having an insane mother doesn't mean that you are insane, which Bertha clearly wasn't at that point, at least not in a way that people would have publicly acknowledged, since Rochester says she attended parties and her hand was highly sought after.

Generally, the longer a marriage had gone on, the harder it was to prove why it could not go on. Rochester says that he and Bertha "lived together" for "four years" in Jamaica while her condition deteriorated and he tried to make things work. And again, after the wedding he found out her mother was "mad, and shut up in a lunatic asylum." So we have more reasons for Rochester's difficulty: the fear of Bertha going to an asylum while she was still mostly lucid in those first four years, combined with the fact that they openly lived together and certainly must have consummated their marriage (things which would further prevent annulment), and were certainly publicly recognized as a couple in Spanish Town society, and her family wanting the marriage to continue so she could have children of "good race" i.e. to produce heirs.

Here's an important passage that to me suggests that Rochester and Bertha not only had an initial flirtation but likely consummated their marriage, likely had a passionate sexual relationship for some time, and likely implies his feelings for her were more complex than we'd initially assume, making annulment not so clear-cut of an option to him at the time:

"My father said nothing about her money; but he told me Miss Mason was the boast of Spanish Town for her beauty: and this was no lie. I found her a fine woman, in the style of Blanche Ingram; tall, dark, and majestic. Her family wished to secure me because I was of a good race; and so did she. They showed her to me in parties, splendidly dressed. I seldom saw her alone, and had very little private conversation with her. She flattered me, and lavishly displayed for my pleasure her charms and accomplishments. All the men in her circle seemed to admire her and envy me. I was dazzled, stimulated: my senses were excited; and being ignorant, raw, and inexperienced, I thought I loved her. There is no folly so besotted that the idiotic rivalries of society, the prurience, the rashness, the blindness of youth, will not hurry a man to its commission. Her relatives encouraged me; competitors piqued me; she allured me: a marriage was achieved almost before I knew where I was. Oh, I have no respect for myself when I think of that act! — an agony of inward contempt masters me. I never loved, I never esteemed, I did not even know her."

7) Spousal abandonment wasn't possible, and on some level he honored his legal and financial obligations to her and the Mason family.

Bertha's family likely refused to house her for legal and personal reasons, and spousal abandonment was forbidden due to the husband's financial responsibility as well as the law of coverture (a wife became her husband's full legal responsibility; some say "property"). Like we see in Anne's Tenant of Wildfell Hall, if a woman ran away from their spouse they would have to live in obscurity and be at risk of being sussed out. You couldn't just abandon your partner. Still, people did, because it was the easiest route to take.

But the more upper-class you were, and the more financial entanglements you had, the more inconvenient this was. We know that Rochester and his family became enmeshed with the Mason family, and he got a lot of money from Bertha, so her father likely would have taken him to court. At any rate, Rochester was legally bound to bring Bertha with him to England when he left Jamaica. If he attempted to abandon her in Jamaica, the backlash it would have brought would have brought him social ruin and foiled his chances at getting away with any bigamy attempts.

All this brings us to a further notice of Bertha's family situation. Based on Charlotte Brontë's positive comments about Rochester's character (https://www.tumblr.com/burningvelvet/731403104856195072/in-a-letter-to-w-s-williams-14-august-1848) I see no reason to suspect him, like many feminist critics do, of being an unreliable narrator or of lying about Bertha Mason's history. Everyone is entitled to their opinions, and in mine, that is simply not the novel Charlotte wrote. By her own admission, she wanted his narrative to be a path to further goodness.

It makes no narrative sense for our explanation of his and Bertha's history to be full of lies when he's trying to make ammends with Jane, who never suspects him of lying during his admission, but who does critique him and figure he'd tire of her like she was one of his many mistresses. Jane wonders if Rochester would lock her in an attic too, which he refutes on the basis that he loves her more than he loved Bertha when she was sane, and so he would care for Jane himself. Jane also tells him that it's not Bertha's fault that she's mad. So in my opinion, if Charlotte wanted us to believe Rochester was lying about his and Bertha's history to make himself look better or Bertha look worse, I don't see why she would have been vague about it, and I don't see why Jane wouldn't have called it out like she does everything else. I don't think Rochester is really a villain who locked his harmless wife in the attic for giggles; I think he weighed most of his options and found, like most people back then and even today, that keeping his problems locked up and ignored was the best solution.

Now, on with the point. I have often wondered why Rochester didn't simply "unofficially separate" from Bertha by leaving her with her family when he left. Why did he take her to England? Why didn't he just run away? It wasn't because he was an evil villain who wanted to keep her as a trophy. It's because 1) I don't think her father would have let him, as he was so quick to marry her off, 2) he felt obligated to her, and 3) it was criminal for men to abandon their wives, and it would have attracted publicity, which is what Rochester was avoiding by taking Bertha to England and sheltering her in secrecy.

Many claim that Rochester's adultery is a betrayal of his wife; and while religiously, narratively, socially, we can accept this statement, it was not legally a crime. While Rochester does honor his financial and legal obligations to his wife and her family, he does not take the religious part of the vows into account, and that's why he's cosmically punished and only rewarded after he repents, as he explains toward the end of the novel.

Another interesting point is that when Rochester recounts his decision to move back to England, he tells us that Bertha had already been declared insane in Jamaica and that she was already confined there (presumably around the 4 year anniversary before they left), meaning her father probably knew about confinement:

"One night I had been awakened by her yells (since the medical men had pronounced her mad, she had of course been shut up) — it was a fiery West Indian night; [..]"

Locking away "insane" people was standard procedure then, and if this was done with Bertha's father's knowledge, considering he locked his own wife away in an asylum, then this further absolves Rochester of a lot of the blame in my opinion. It more than likely wasn't his idea to lock her away, but the advice of "the medical men" and presumably her father's consultation as well.

8) Even if he divorced or separated from her, he couldn't remarry. Attempting these, or getting caught attempting abandonment, would have brought negative publicity that would have likely prevented the success of any future bigamy attempts. To him, secrecy and bigamy seemed better chances at securing happiness than the social ruin and likely failure the other options would have brought him.

Aside from Rochester's own explanation (which I supplied in #2 re: the separation veto inherent to Bertha's insanity), the other biggest reason as to why Rochester wouldn't seek a separation/divorce even if she hadn't been declared insane and even if he were willing to accuse her of adultery truthfully or not, is due to the fact that one could not legally remarry upon separation or divorce (unless you were Henry VIII and got God's permission lol). Rochester's impossible dream is that he wants to be married to someone he really loves, and if secrecy and bigamy are his only options then he is willing to succumb; this is shown in numerous passages:

"[..] I could reform — I have strength yet for that — if— but where is the use of thinking of it, hampered, burdened, cursed as I am? Besides, since happiness is irrevocably denied me, I have a right to get pleasure out of life: and I will get it, cost what it may."

"I will keep my word: I will break obstacles to happiness, to goodness — yes, goodness; I wish to be a better man than I have been; than I am — as Job's leviathan broke the spear, the dart, and the habergeon, hinderances which others count as iron and brass, I will esteem but straw and rotten wood."

"Is there not love in my heart, and constancy in my resolves? It will expiate at God's tribunal. I know my Maker sanctions what I do. For the world's judgment — I wash my hands thereof. For man's opinion — I defy it."

Closing remarks on the above's validity: I can't cite all my sources because a lot of this stuff I learned from lectures via my professor who specializes in 19th century English literature & history. But here's some recently published information from a historian, taken from "Inside the World of Bridgerton: True Stories of Regency High Society" by Catherine Curzon (2023):

"And if you were one of the newly-weds, you really did hope things would work out, because in the Regency till death do us part wasn't just an expression. As the Prince Regent himself had learned when he separated from his wife within eighteen months of their marriage, obtaining a divorce in Regency England was no easy matter. He never achieved it, and for those who did the stakes could be high and the cost ruinous in every sense."

"Until the passing of the Matrimonial Causes Act of 1857, which legalized divorce in the civil courts, it was governed by the ecclesiastical courts, and the Church didn't end a marriage without very, very good reason. Even these divorces didn't allow a couple to remarry, though, and they were more akin to what we would today call a legal separation, with no shared legal or financial responsibilities going forward. It was freedom, but only to a point."

"The only way to obtain a complete dissolution that allowed for remarriage was to secure a parliamentary divorce, and these were notoriously difficult to obtain. They began with a criminal conversation case, because they relied on adultery by one of the parties to make them even a slight possibility. If a woman committed crim. con., her life in polite society was over."

[shuamorollss]

unfortunate unexpectations — l.hs x f!reader

In an everyday attempt to avoid the man you eternally loath. Of course, the universe isn't always by your side as you accidentally reach a dead end, with no other choice but to dance with him.

romcom, regency era, enemies2lovers, just cute bickering warnings— not proofread, first time writing this kind of trope pls bear with me. 2.6k wc + reblogs are greatly appreciated!

author's note— I'm back again with another piece ( I'll disappear for a few months after this)! I wrote this exactly on Hee's bday but I only decided to post it now since i didn't really feel satisfied with this when i finished this a few days ago :/ i still don't so I may delete this when I'm in the mood to make changes ^_^ BUT HERE IT IS!! Happy belated birthday to my hubby wubby @Heeseung 😅❤️❤️

perm tags— @jangwonie @jungwonize @luhvlyuna @w3bqrl @ineedaherosavemeenow @leaderwon

"Would you be so kind and get that for me?"

Oh how annoying. You thought, gently tricking your finger up to block your ears and releasing in an instant, wanting the bothering itchiness to fade. His arms stretched beside you reaching to the the man holding a tray with glasses of wine.

Oh how you knew he did it intentionally.

Heeseung's boldness to give you an order was extraordinary, baffling even. You were not in a higher position than him, and he wasn't much higher than you, though he was just there, and heeseung didn't want to play the "he was just there" role in your life. He always feels the need to spite you at any given time, similar to a cricket making noises while you attempt to sleep.

Though much to his dismay, you certainly do show his own place as just a nobody in your existence; to which he never seems to catch the hint of your unintrestment.

Or he might do, only walking in and out of your life in terms of spitting utter nonsense to your peace.

Honestly, it did work. It made you fume and it certainly made you want to do more than just give out the usual glare and other threatening expressions to the other.

You turn around with utter confidence, meeting the man's eyes unbothered. Your eyes observed his structure, his unfortunately dashing attire, and his pretentious face.

As you check out the details of his sleeves, your eyes darted to Heeseung's exact shift of expression, smirking.

It was certainly expected, yet so mind flaming. You'd rather just explode right then and there than to keep up with whatever he wants to pull to you.

"You know, if a lady looks at someone from head to toe for too long it must mean that they yearn for that someone." He lets out a prideful scoff, eyes mockingly going through you as he sips from the wine glass.

Disbelief in what you heard, you halted your eyes from any further notice. Proceeding to roll your eyes at the man who had unknowingly tinted your cheeks red.

"Don't be silly, I was looking at your outfit. Actually baffling but not surprising for you to wear something so… Eye-vomiting." you spit. Twirling against his view and proceeding to waltz away from his standing figure, not setting a single glance at the man behind you. A fuming smoke sets up your chest at the realization of what you had just done to that awful of a man.

You explore more of the manor by yourself, enthralled by every piece of art plastered on the clean walls. You found an inner piece at the volume of the hallway, no noble bands performing and people crowding the room as they tap their feets and hearts out, it is truly a wonder to feel.

"Lady Y/N!"

Of course, every pinch of euphoria has their cut to its end, as one of your acquaintances calls you out.

"Oh, Lady… Lily? Was it?" You asked softly and loudly, as the woman clicked her heels towards you.

The girl smiles, "Oh yes! Though please, just call me Li."

"Alright, Lady Li."

…

For moments to what felt like hours, chit-chatting with Lady Li as you both walk around the manor corridors. The both of you had now reached your very destination which was the party itself that you so desperately want to be separated with.

You timidly smile at the girl beside you, eyes widened agitatedly at the crowd. "Uhm, Lady Li," The other nodded, her eyes also seemed to be searching through the sea of nobles.

"Why did we decide to return to this room?"

Lily simpers her smile as her eyes turn fixated on one figure, "There he is!— Thank you so much Lady Y/N for keeping me company through the manor." She gives you thanks, walking away with delight eventually linking arms with a man who Lady Li might have been searching for. great.

Another woman infested with men's validation, how unfortunate.

Your eyebrows furrow as you stare at the couple in disbelief, letting out a brief sigh at the thought of almost every woman here might be just like that.

"Feeling all bitter now, are we Lady Y/N?", you trembled at the sensation of his teasing breath tickling your ear.

"What on— oh... it's you again."

"The one and only." Heeseung lets out a ridiculous triumphant smile, the smile that makes you feel itchy in all aspects of your body, it was extremely bothersome reaching to the point you would rip your hair out to the unspeakable rage you feel for the male.

"Don't make that face now, a real lady doesn't do that, well— that is, if you are even a lady." He chuckled, always digging deeper into your little actions in an attempt to reach you to the edge. How delightful.

"Your words remind me so much of my younger brother's pitiful counters." You face the opposite once more, your heartbeat slowing down at each step you take far from Heeseung, hoping to have a similar instance from earlier to happen once more.

Unfortunately, the things one desires don't really happen twice. As you hear the footsteps of the man through the crowded noise, the only shattered expectation you wish did not.

"Oh so I remind you of your family now? How thoughtful." His smirk added to his audacious response that could be sensed at such a distance you didn't even know was possible without even taking another look.

"It means you're just as annoying as my brother, don't take it as a compliment."

"I presume older sisters still love their annoying brothers nevertheless, so that must mean you secretly feel that way for me too if I remind you so much of your annoying brother."

"Oh how great, you can go stay in your own personal pride zone Mr. Lee, though that zone, will tell you to cut it out very soon."

"I doubt that, I think I can sense what's true and not true."

"Being ever so ethical now, aren't you?"

"You know what they say… I am that of a gentleman."

"Well so ethical now anymore, 'cause, you see… you claim to be a gentleman which in fact is ridiculously wrong, no, you're not a gentleman."

"Okay lady, I figured that was a mouthful to sneer."

Your eyes widened, subconsciously sighing aggravatingly, utterly lost of the others' words. "Please don't follow me."

"I'm not following you."

"You are? Don't make me feel stupid."

"I don't think I'm doing that."

You continued to walk further and further, you don't know where, it could be just anywhere to be out of this man's grasp.

not even reaching an uncomfortable minute of making your way, Heeseung finally made it way up to you for god-know-what reason.

Only a few more threads left to untangle until you implode, besides showing this man what you're capable of doing, you weren't about to do anything in front of hundreds of people.

You swiftly turn to face the man following, "Look Mr. Lee, don't even attempt to come and step closer—" the hissy grin never ever fading from his look. Before you snap even further, you raise your head as the lights suddenly turn dim, the current music start to tone down as the band plays a new mellow romance.

The both of you faced your worries, silently questioning the sudden change of atmosphere.

"Now, it is time for the party where the gentleman… dances with the first lady they set their eyes on, Amuse-toi bien!"

…

..

.

His eyes were on you, and yours on him. Slowly developing the idea you most certainly would refuse to believe.

"No." You shook your head promptly with no hesitation.

"Y/N."

"No, don't even"

"Y/N—"

"No. Not ever. Never in my life. Never in a millennia. You can serve the mediocrity of mediocrity— I am not even paying attention to what I'm saying, but just so you know, I am not dancing with you."

You groaned continuously at his spews, this chit chatter going nowhere at all. Heeseung was also growing exhausted of your opposed responses. Hearing your never ending hatred for him is never known to him, although being in this position during an all rounded dance segment, he was not about to embarrass himself in front of such nobilities.

"Y/N just—" His hand abruptly slid up your waist sending your internal nerves through every stage of shockwaves.

"What are you—" Your words began to halt from his tightened grip, slowly putting power on pulling you closer… and closer… too close to say the least.

"Just this once, we don't want to leave a bad impression at a party we're just mere visitors at." His breath fanned your neck and sent shivers down your spine. Truly a feeling between his embrace that you have never felt before.

Too much of a guilt to even feel, considering this is the man you swore your whole life to loath yet here you are. No other way of escape out of this man's grasp, other than to spend a minute and more with him following the melodious rhythm serenading within the whole room.

"Fine. This doesn't change the fact that I want to scar my name on your face."

"How romantic." His lips curved sarcastically, eyes shifts into pure mockery as it lays on you. You couldn't say if you were teased by his softly menacing gaze or comforted by it. Eitherway, you couldn't register the right words.

"Besides," Heeseung continues, eyes darting away from yours, looking elsewhere within the ballroom, suddenly a light flashes your vision, snapping you back to your current position, right in front of Lee Heeseung.

"I don't even think we could get away from this anyway, we're literally in the middle of the dance floor." His head shifts in every direction to deem his assumption correct, which you mirrored.

It's true, the both of your are really in the middle of the ballroom.

You felt blockage on your throat, as if your vocal chords refused to spit words out of your mouth. The close proximity between you and Heeseung felt extremely new, you wanted to escape it so quickly yet, quite in a state of culture shock of his careful and kind demeanor as his every step to the rhythm of the music are seemingly careful not to make a mistake or you could say in other words, step on you.

The distance soothes, your hands still intact as the both of you walk in circles. His gaze locked onto you as if a man had seen the beauty of the moon for the very first time. He was allured, not only to the sight of your eyes but also your entire attire.

Who was he kidding? He was making fun of how you looked earlier, or was it you who taunted his? Even he couldn't remember. What is this contact causing him?

His eyes followed the direction of your eyes shifting all the way to your linked hands rising, following the rhythm and everyone else's. Only then Heeseung was able to return to his composure.

Being quiet with you didn't exactly make him feel like himself. It's indeed a peculiar case, his eyes fixated on your focused figure attempting for a thought, any words, any attacks, frankly quite anything.

"I feel conceived Lady Y/N," He started, your eyes now transferring to the man.

"Did you walk all the way here on purpose just to lure me in this dance?" He smirks, deeply hoping he did not look ridiculous in your eyes, which in fact, he did look ridiculous to you, though in basic sense, he always does.

You scoffed, "Don't be such a crude, I was walking away from you, or if you didn't understand that, I was escaping you. however, you followed me. If anything, you expected this dance to happen beforehand." You sneered at your words, feeling vastly proud of regaining the upper hand.

"Now now, shifting the blame onto me?" He jokingly asked, swaying forward and backward, then continuing to circle in unison.

"Well, I couldn't be wrong." Your raised your brows at the man, receiving a tuneful chuckle.

"You're ever so ethical now aren't you?"

you scoffed, "Touché."

After a few warm-hearted rhythms, the distance slowly basking in, his hand starts to tenderly slide from your hand up to your shoulder. Now facing your back at a dangerously close proximity. The way his fingertips barely made contact onto your skin yet it still tickled, sending you into unreasonable wonders.

Lee Heeseung? Sending you to unreasonable wonders?

"What if I tell you that I really expected this dance to happen and followed you to be able to have this dance with you?" he breathes out.

Your mind stood place, frozen. It couldn't function solely because of those words.

You knew this was his tactic of his obvious teasing yet... that had sent your heart into places you did not expect for it to reach. Your breathing abruptly stopping at every emphasis you place into his words.

It wasn't any different for the man, he was hellishly anxious.

The way his hand stood still on your shoulder, then slowly sliding it down to your hand the same thing he had done at the start. He felt crazy, he couldn't grasp the feeling whether he's disgusted at this contact or was it, satisfactory?

Heeseung's breath unawaringly hitched in unison to yours.

The high-rising tension the both of you are desperate to escape yet… would embrace it more long.

As Heeseung's hand reached your hand, the distance once more soothes, or did soothe for you? Did it to him?

One spin had the same closeness return, now you two are entirely facing each other.

How did this moment feel too slow? normally the dance routine did not walk this type of pace before, usually it happens quickly before the music finally comes to its end.

The silence echoed immediately through the other's ears, having the slight worry of gkving you discomfort.

Worried? Heeseung, really?

Heeseung lets himself battle his own internal conflicts as the outer silence continued. You were in a desperate measure of developing a genius idea for a comeback yet none came into mind. The unexplained whimsical threw you off, the fact this man had to send you in this type of frenzy was never in your lists of expectations.

Yet now, at this very moment, changed your very view on your surroundings.

All because of this very man you swore to loath ever since his eyes laid on you.

One last twirl to the maiden as the band's instruments faded into the void, completing the romantic waltz.

As everyone in the middle applauded their elegant and coordinated routine just now, both you and heeseung processed your breathledd tension just earlier.

Finally having all the words reached the right parts of your brain, finally having control of your conscious, your hatred to the man came back with it.

"Aww, you really do feel deep adoration for me, Lee Heeseung." you politely curtsied. contrasting to the tone of your voice, as you reply to the man's words from a few minutes back.

Heeseung lets out a chuckle, "You know what? Maybe I do have a thing for such abominations."

"Haha. Aren't you a clever guy." You gave him a wide infuriating smile, as you turn around walking away from his presence, now leaving the man at the middle of the dance floor.

It was a peculiar state for you. You swore you completely lie instense hatred for the man, yet now you're smiling at his mere words that usually drives you to banging your head on the wall, sometimes the urge to bang his head on the wall.

Yet what happened just earlier felt, extremely out of place, something you couldn't quite explain for the time being.

You were conflicted about being bothered by it.

How it bothered your feelings, bothered you deeply.

A memory that surely the both of you would engrave in later lifetime.

.

..

...

"Wow, she called me clever."

© seungiepup. please do not modify, edit, copy or reproduce any of the works published.

[lara-kaminari]

The benefits of the modern era

(Sebastian Sallow x F!MC)

AU University / +18/ ONE-SHOT / Explicit Language / Fantasize.

-----

Note: I had this thought and I had to write it down

----

Sebastian Sallow is a great lover of the modern era.

He loves advances in technology, medicine, music and art. It has evolved enormously in different aspects of everyday life. Who would think that today you press a button and you can communicate with a person twenty countries away? It is exquisite. So much to learn just one click away from achieving it.

However, above all the existing achievements of the human species, what Sebastian Sallow loves most about modern times are short skirts. Blessed invention of this new century, amen to freedom and free expression of bodies!

Perhaps, in a bleak time where light is produced only by candles and not by electric bulbs, Sebastian would be content to see the ankle of some neglected damsel. Now he pities those ancient customs full of false decorum and little skin-to-skin contact.

In fact, if it comes to that, Sebastian also loves the university library: It's comfortable, spacious, has those soft armchairs that are usually backless. Covered by a rigid fabric that can be made of different materials: leather, fabric, plastic, the interior is filled with soft materials such as polystyrene pieces which makes it adaptable to different spaces and uses. Its structure resembles a large cushion as it has no legs, resting its entire base on the floor. He can just lie down with a good book between his legs and enjoy the world from a different height.

The low height allows him to see the girls climbing the moving ladder to grab a book from the high shelf or those who spread their legs a little apart as they sit at the table in front of him.

And there he was. Sebastian snuck up stealthily, grabbed a book and leaned back on the colorful rubber seat in the corner of the place.

If anyone messed with him, he would make believe he was reading some very important history for his exam.

There was not much activity the first hour. Indeed, the warmth of the room and the comfort meant that sleepiness began to wash over him. It would have been a wasted morning except that, suddenly, he heard a stack of books fall and someone groan in pain, very close to where he was.

Sebastian sharpened his vision, the bookshelf hid a girl who now bent down to pick up her books. The position of the two was a blessing for him: the sight of striking green panties greeted him. Quite a sight.

The girl kept crawling to pick up all the scattered books. Something she was whispering, but Sebastian didn't give her enough interest. His attention was fixed on those high socks squeezing her thighs. The sight was enchanting and more so because she was swaying as she picked up each book without realizing she had a shameless onlooker.

Sebastian wondered how hard it would be to agree to such a fuck. Desperate bitches don't usually go to the library. Maybe she'd just be an easy-to-win bimbo. A couple of nice words and he'd have her in the bag. An hour locked up with her and I'd come home with that cute pair of green panties tucked in my pocket.

Those panties that fit those lips perfectly, Sebastian could run his fingers down the middle of those pretty legs and hear her let out good girl squeals. He could rip that fabric and fuck the girl in the middle of those soft couches while the stranger struggles not to scream. Maybe force her to bite the fabric of her panties to keep her quiet while he fucks her ass in the nearest bathroom.

He placed his hand above his fly, settling the future problem between his pants. This was no time to make a scene.

Sebastian moved back into the position of innocent reader when he saw the young woman shake out the bottom of her skirt with the intention of getting up. Perhaps, when she passed in front of him, Sebastian would catch her eye. A good conversation, a couple of compliments, nothing would make him happier than to feel what he could only taste with his eyes.

—Hi Sebastian, studying again?

Shit.

—Hi MC, you know me.

Fantasizing about his best friend he's known since the fifth year of high school is not a source of pride for Sebastian, this could become a problem if he doesn't undo that mental image right then and there. It was just a silly thing, no green panties and short skirts, just a misunderstanding.

—Sebastian, are you all right?

In an ancient era, he would be a man of honor who would not accept false advances. He would stand up, absolutely spotless, and say something like, "Splendid, my dear, never been better," and then walk far away without looking back. But this is the modern era and men don't have as many social skills as they used to.

Stupid modern era.

[soapskneebrace]

Do you have any recommendations for longer cod fics with plot?

Yeah, plenty!

A few from @391780 (and their ao3) (if you decide to explore their other fics PLEASE read the tags first, early writes some very dark work that may not suit you):

The Arrangement

The ad reads "Looking for a woman (25-45) to enter a discreet and unusual arrangement, with monetary compensation. Must fill out application and send photo.", and for some reason that you can't even fathom yourself, you apply. AKA John Price, who knows better than anyone what a liability having a spouse or partner is, decides that the only way he's going to find a beautiful soft woman to put up with his absurd schedule and dangerous job is to simply hire them.

the space in between

a shortcut through a construction site at night leads you to a run-in with john price, leader of the local crime family. (or, mafia Price romance with a desk jockey who didn't sign up to be a crime boss' obsession or sole confidant)

Into Your Veins

Ghost is a vampire during a zombie apocalypse, sent on a mission from Price to recruit you to join the little gated community of survivors that he's rounding up. You're a survivor who just wants to be left in peace to tend your garden and occasionally clear out your moat and booby traps of the undead. Neither of you gets what you'd planned on.

Then we have milk0 on ao3

Incompetent People

You share a group chat with your team and you sometimes wish you didn’t. (or, a very fun fic that started as a group chat piece and has evolved into a poly 141 romance. Otherwise known as my favorite fucking trope ever. The reader character has such a fun voice, I adore this fic.)

Next of course is @ceilidho (emphemeron on ao3) (same deal as with early—read their tags if you explore more of their fic, they also write darker work)

take me home, country road

You have nothing on your person apart from a hastily packed suitcase and the dress you came into town wearing, on the run from trouble back home. Too bad John's missing a bride that matches your description. Or: the 1800s (mistaken) mail order bride au

Following up with @alittleposhtoad (smoggyfogbottom on ao3)

"it's gonna get me by the end of the night"

A year after the attack on the Urzikstan embassy, Stacy Davidson struggles to move on. Whumptober Prompt: No. 23: “It’s gonna get me by the end of the night.” Shadows | Stalking | “Who’s there?” Note: I picked Gaz x OC because this ship doesn't exist on ao3, and I wasn't sure how to classify it for searching purposes. Stacy has a minor role in the game!

oh bury me not on the lone prairie

You are a doctor on the frontier, recently widowed and left to fend for yourself. You cope by keeping a strict routine, one that is threatened by the arrival of four strangers one hazy summer night. (141 western AU)

a handsome stranger on a cold autumn day

You work at a small-town library doing the same thing day in and day out, until a handsome captain approaches your desk.

rounding out this list is @lunarvicar who is on hiatus but still fully worth reading. (you can find them here on ao3)

exit row

ghost is that hot guy at the airport you wish you could talk to. good thing your seats are next to each other on the plane and you can fantasize alllll you want. (or, you hook up with Ghost in an airport and meet, months later, after you join the 141. he is not happy about it. or is he?)

to the flame

Moth has barely escaped her first captors, but tumbles headfirst into the care of the 141. She has to decide whether to trust them and their prickly leader, Captain Price - who also happens to be the sexiest motherfucker she's ever met.

a stranger at the table

tudor era AU. John Price is an old friend of your new husband's, come to help on the farm for a season. Your vows are tested in ways you could never have imagined.

All of these I've listed are multichapter fics, but every single author's one-shots are just as good. I highly recommend reading those too!

Now I'm just going to list a few writers who you really should just take the time to go through their masterlists, because you can't go wrong with anything they write.

@yeyinde

@peachesofteal

@moondirti

@charliemwrites (dark fiction, be aware)

@ohbo-ohno (also dark fiction)

honorary mention of @guyfieriii who has removed most of her cod fiction from tumblr due to a frankly disgusting amount of harassment, but I'm sure if you ask her very very nicely she'll send you where you need to go. (seriously. be nice. or you'll see me in your bedroom holding a knife at midnight)

P.S. if you're reading this, and i've expressed love for your work in the past, but you are not on this list, it is NOT intentional exclusion. It is my absolutely horrible memory. I love you and please link your own work if you'd like!

[plagueoffools]

" DISSECT ME AND BREAK ME OPEN ALL YOU LIKE CAUSE YOU'D FIND MY HEART IS YOURS."

(REQUESTED) MOON! PHOSPHOPHYLLITE/HUMAN! GN! READER

LAND OF THE LUSTROUS

[FLUFF/SLIGHT ANGST] 2.6K WORDS

⸺A/N // Sorry for disappearing for a long period of time. However, I hope you find yourself enjoying this requested piece. I'd like to hear your thoughts and overall on this piece with my new style of writing. //

⸺INFO // Reader is implied as FEM regarding request but never stated. //

Deprived, that is all you've ever known inside of these walls of whites . In the walls of kumera, you wander far and near with a deadening routine. Wake up, dress, eat, travel through the walls of kumera and isolate yourself in your research room unless you're ever requested by someone

Your existence was only made possible by an astonishing lunarian who had revived your species, even though Barbata was no professional in the more biological stems of science than technology he made work and from a small project was able to restore you. A walking ancient relic of the once populated planet, earth. You remembered your awakening just like how someone would reminisce about their vibrant youthful days.

However, your awakening was one far from vibrant. You awoke alone in a room, on something you presumed was an operating table. You remember looking around the room with curious eyes unlike now, a small table with a tray of various tools, multiple disregarded gloves and masks scattered around the disposable bin. Your curious eyes only squinted abruptly at the bright light shone above you when you turned your head up, feeling overwhelmed you took your eyes off of your surroundings and instead let it wander on your body.

Curious hands of yours experiment on your body, the sensations it brought only stimulate your taste for more. Your finger traces against the stitches across your collarbone to your thighs. Your moment was only abruptly interrupted when a cacophony of gasps and shrieks disrupted at the entrance.

Your case was classified as successful. However, only through the slaughter of both gems and admirabilis alike. You almost remind yourself of a Frankenstein, stealing the body parts of others to bear this body of yours. You feel almost guilty for even bearing a form, a body; bones made from the shattered fragments of tormented gems, soft flesh that stretches out on your entire being covering you from toe to head; courtesy of the skinned admirabilis. Lastly, the only thing that you felt that actually belonged to you throughout your whole consciousness; your soul.

You're not sure where the origination of this soul was from, an information, knowledge that Barbata has asked of the others to withhold from you. Perhaps for the better. The surprising thing was, the soul was estimated to have originated way before the era where lunarians, lustrous, and admirabilis emerged from. With this you inherited and discovered knowledge that came with the soul, interestingly for you the soul seemed to be a doctor of some kind that specialised in the human anatomy, with foggy fragments of their daily life.

Currently you now roam the science facilities of kumera, assigned as a scientist yourself. To further help the lunarians to develop in their goal of achieving the serenity of nothingness while aiding in making their daily life more tolerable.

Even though Barbata specialised in the more technological areas of science, you work along side him, specializing in the more biological roots of science.

Now you're hurriedly putting on your coat as you make way in the narrow yet spacious hallways of the building, your striding steps reverberating across the hall with a pitter patter. You were ordered by lady cairngorm, what he currently goes by now, to oversee the damage made to the infamous gem, or usually referred to as the "hope of the lunarians" and repair his fragmented body.

You abruptly halt at the entrance of the designated room with a perplexed expression as lunarians rush in and out of the room, uttering a small 'Excuse me' and 'Sorry!' here and there. Luckily, it didn't last long and when you found an opening to the crowded entrance you quickly slid through with ease. Your eyebrows furrow together as your eyes squint at the sight of the fallen gem. Broken and shattered into unrecognisable pieces, only the part of his head and his leg is discernible from the rest of the disarray of gleaming fragments. You quickly usher out the remaining lunarians and gems alike outside to begin your operation. With a flick of the wrist you ushered out the unwanted eyes of both worried and curious people.

You let out an exaggerated sigh as you sift through

a small portable pouch for your appliances.

You eventually find your needed tools and you settle yourself beside the pieces of phosphophyllite and began working on organizing him limb to limb before assembling him. As your gloved hands labour swiftly to piece him by piece back together like a puzzle. You carefully coat each surface with layers of an adhesive substance carefully assembling him from inside out. You spend hours assembling his torso and limbs before you move onto his face.

For some reason you find that your hand lingers above his face for a short while before proceeding the adhesion, you find yourself somewhat aching to caress his face. You have always found the gems beauty incomparable, words couldnt describe them but if you had to you'd call them seraphic. They had glistening lustrous hair, each with an unique colour to match their even more unique personalities, ones that harmonized perfectly with the rest of their body. However, you found that phosphophyllite was clearly composed of other types of minerals aswell. You were actually shocked to find that the only thing that remained from what he started out as, a phosphophyllite, was only his torso. The rest were undeniably pieces of memories from experiences he picked up in his rather bizarre life.

Though most gems found his mismatched compositions odd, you found it all the more endearing. After all, you noted that most of the gems inclusions aren't as flexible as his to fuse so easily like this.You wondered why his inclusions were so adaptable to such a wide variety of minerals, so accepting to fuse with a completely different mineral in order to function. You found it almost poetic but while you were submerged in your thoughts, your hands gleefully took lead of the task at hand. Subconsciously without knowing you trailed at the cracks of his face for some time before being snapped out of your thoughts and continuing the task.

After hours of work, you got up from your chair with a sigh as you stretched your arms and back and was delighted with the response of a crack. You stood up now with your chin resting at the knuckles of your hands while you admire another successful operation, admiring for a bit too long.. but- more importantly, his operation is now done.

You walk out of the room with a satisfied hum as you inform the first lunarian in your sight, that phosphophyllite is now assembled and ready to walk on both legs again but not before a few hours of rest for the adhesive to set in strong.

They respond with a quick nod and a smile as they thank you courteously, you respond back with a nod of your own as you continue travelling back to your research room.

After restless hours of observation, experimentation and groaning at the unwanted results from your new project you recently just started you're startled by a interrupting knock on the door. You answer back with a tired ''come in'. You curiously look at the lunarian who interrupted your project with a knock, explaining that your presence has been requested by phosphophyllite himself.

You're confused at the request but you obediently follow the lunarian leading you to his newfound room where he's rested, on the way there your mind tries to fill in the blanks on why you've been requested.

'Perhaps he's asked for me to get an upgrade?' 'Maybe I've misplaced some parts, I wasn't paying as much attention as I should have..'

'Probably not, logically It must be questions regarding the operation, perhaps he's experiencing a withdrawal?'

You sweat at your doubtful thoughts that you swore had somehow physically manifested because you suddenly feel needles prickling at your skin.

You huff at your thoughts before clearing your head and reprimanding yourself for being so negative. While you were internally scolding yourself, you almost walk into the back of the lunarian leading you, as you halt just right on time and peer from behind her into the room. She utters out something you weren't able to catch as she moves out of your way and stays stationed at the corner of the room instead. The movement seems to catch the attention of the rather dreading gem but he perks up just as quick when he sees you.

You're almost taken aback by the sudden change of mood, as to why his eyes which were so gloomy and solemn turned so curious. You look back to the quiet lunarian and release her of her duty as she's, you assume, no longer needed at the moment. She takes the hint and walks out of the room with no troubles, as your eyes start to leave her disappearing figure you're only slightly startled to meet the gaze of phosphophyllite. With wide eyes and an almost dazed look, he continues looking at you without even an inch of movement.

You awkwardly curl up your hand and cough to catch his attention, only succeeding after 3 tries.

He snaps back and apologizes quickly with a hand rubbing the back of his neck shyly before asking, "I apologize, you should be Dr. [Name] right?" you give a carefree nod as he stares back at you with bewilderment as if he still can't wrap his mind around this situation. "So you're really human? I thought your species was split beyond recovery." he shoots you with one question after another, seemingly just spitting out whatever is running through his head.

"Well, you could say I basically fit all the classifications of a human. However, I wouldnt say I'm all natural." he perks up with a small tilt to gesture for you to continue. You're almost uneased with how immersed he looks but you shake the feeling off and continue " I was artificially made, assembled with the three components the human kind has spit into. A soul, bones and flesh."

He doesn't respond after that only silently pondering whatever is going on in his mind.

"Is there any other questions, miss..ter? phosphophyllite." you prolonge the sentence of your formalities, completely unsure of what you're supposed to call him considering gems are genderless. "Miss..ter?" He tilts his head at the name, you've noticed he's been doing that a lot. "What's that?" he questions you with a blank face staring straight ahead at you, you can't help but let out a chuckle at his expression as your hand is lifted up to cover your mouth. He's only furthermore perplexed at your action, his shoulders slightly shrinking down in embarrassment of something; he usually didn't grow shy to people who both either laughed with him or at him, if anything he's grown quite used to it but he didn't wanna look ridiculous, not Infront of you, no.

He shyly adverts his gaze to other objects in the room and let's out a small confused 'huh?', this only causes you to let out a fit of giggles at his confusion before you force yourself to calm down.

"I apologize that was kind of unprofessional of me. It's nothing to do with you ,just my humour." you quickly apologize for your behaviour with a embarassed look. However he only responds with a small chuckle of his own, "Oh!" he perks up. "Nothing to worry about, I dont mind a laugh here or two." thinking about it, he actually missed the sound of your laughter now. Seeing a person of such high caliber who obviously likes to rather maintain a more serious and professional attitude laugh so freely was relaxing especially in the new environment he's in, surrounded with lunarians who rather go about their day quite robotically.

He adverts his attention back on you, just you. His eyes curiously picks up the texture of your skin, the individual strands of your hair and your own eyes. He thought your eyes could possibly outshine the glow of diamonds entirety himself, contrary to you who didn't pay much to your eyes. The moment of comfortable silence is broken when he speaks up with a tone filled with a twinge of underlying shyness even though he tried to sound confident in his request. "Could I, touch you? I mean, I'm just curious as how a human feels compared to the rest of us.." he corrects himself with two hands frantically waving Infront of him hoping he didn't make you uncomfortable any how.

You indulge in his curiosities and nod in approval as you walk towards his form, he shifts on the bed he was laid on as he stretches out an arm hesitantly. You roll up the sleeves of your coat as you offer your arm to his hand who only lingers around for a moment as if contemplating before running his aloy arms agaisnt yours.

You slightly shiver at the texture of his hand slowly trailing around your palm, to your wrist, and forearm. You had to admit it felt nice, the feeling of his hard and metallic feeling hands coming in contact with your warm and soft ones. He noted yours was admirably more softer, smoother and warm. He could've sworn the texture of your hand almost reminded him of a strange and comforting touch he felt before. Just hours ago, as he awoke his inclusions managed to remember an unfamiliar touch he never felt before his trip here, almost like a shadowed touch lingering agaisnt his face. He guessed it must've been something that happened while he was unconscious during the operation.

Enthralled, he isn't aware that his own alloy hands are attempting to wrap around your own. You don't say anything to interrupt his entranced state, only curiously staring at his face. His expression is one of a immersed stare as if he's currently working on a puzzle, desperate to search for where the last piece will fit and search he does. He searches the strange touch in your palms, unravelling his alloy hands from yours before gently grabbing your wrist and resting the cheek of his face in your palm. You're startled by the action but you let it sink in and you do nothing to interrupt the moment.

It was you, he figured. It must be you, he corrected. It was your touch his inclusion had remembered when he woke up.

He knew it was awfully wrong of him to bask in your touch without your permission but he's been so starved, so denied of something so small in his whole life. Something so small that ate him inside out and now that your touch has seeped into his cracks, he feels at peace to replace himself with such warmth and softness instead of the usual unfamiliar pieces of others that latch onto his missing limbs heavily.

You'd cut your hand off if it was this pleasure he wanted, you thought. He looked so deprived of such a simple thing and you know how it must've felt for him. Confused, scared, and doubtful. It was just what it was like for you when you awoke aswell, you pondered on how cruelly life has treated phos.

Someone who's still stuck in the past, a past whereas he's still looking at the mirrors that only reflect his past self, refusing to let the future or present seep in. He wishes to demolish that and in order to do that he had demolished himself. Whereas everyone moved on he stood still in the past because he was so wary of a future he couldn't control.

You'd cut your hand off if all he wanted to do was have someone hold him.

He didn't just want your hand however, he'd wanted your warmth and you as a whole. He'd damn himself all again if you ever thought to break pieces of yourself for the sake of others ; just like he once did.

[jojo-schmo]

My old Good Omens art from 2019-2020!! :O (In somewhat chronological order)

In the interest of sharing my art in one place, I thought I'd revisit this era of my art! I made much more traditional art at the time. But I like thinking about the evolution of my skills over the past few years.

Director's commentary below:

I believe the first four images are from 2019, when the first season of GO came out. Boy, did that show come out at a good time for me! I was in a deep art slump that had lasted for a few years at that point. Long story short, because of untreated depression and a chronic illness that brought me physical pain, I didn't get everything I wanted to get out of college classes and I was deeply self-conscious of my skill level. I knew I wanted to tell stories but I was frustrated that I seemingly couldn’t make my ideas come to life at all.

Being alive was very difficult for me at the time and I was fighting my own dark and negative thoughts that I directed towards myself constantly. I didn't see a psychiatrist until the Spring of 2020, and only then did things start getting better. If I had to describe it, it's like a storm in my head finally cleared. The weight on my shoulders lightened up a lot. I had enough mental clarity to gain more self-awareness and really work on myself. And that included my art. And it shows a little in the last few drawings.

(Side note, I am much, much better now. Medication and ongoing therapy has completely changed the quality of my life. I am very happy to be here!)

Anyway, I was making efforts to get better at drawing after college by taking Aaron Blaise's online art classes. (Side note, his class on drawing human anatomy helped me immensely!!) But it was just the beginning of a long art improvement journey!

But I see the stiffness and insecurity that was still present in my art from that time. Whenever I shared it on Twitter (which was my main social media at the time) I'd be lucky to hit ten notes. It didn't bother me all the time, but it did get discouraging as time went on. Until one day I decided to just deal with it. Whatever the reason was that nobody was seeing my art- whether it was due to the Twitter algorithm or if my art was just not appealing enough. I was going to keep drawing. If nobody clicked the like heart on my art, fine! I was going to keep throwing it into the void anyway and see what sticks. If it got ten likes or one I tried not to care as much.

My transition from drawing what I thought other people wanted to see, to drawing what made me happy, made a huge difference. Likes and reblogs do feel really good, but I'm happy to hear even what one person likes about my work. I try to keep that mindset with me as much as I can. And I'm not perfect at it. But it helps me a lot.

Of course that transition in my mindset was gradual. Took place over a few years. But I realized lately that I have a confidence in my art that I've never had before. And I'm really happy about that!!

All this to say, whether you've been drawing/writing for ten years, one year, or a few months, it's always nice to remember where you came from and far you've come.

Looking back, I wish I could tell my past self that her best was yet to come. And I still have a long way to go but I'm excited to see what I can make in the coming years!

If I had one preachy piece of advice to offer as a final note, remember that the ability to draw and write is an awesome skill to have. A skill that not every human being has. But a skill that can be developed and cultivated over time if nurtured. It's a beautiful thing to me, to be able to create something that didn't exist before. Something that only you can bring to life. And while it might not resonate with everyone who sees it, it might resonate with one person. And I love that. So when you can, create things that make you happy, the happiness might just be contagious to its viewers. <3

...I think I should draw some more Good Omens sometime soon. I miss those guys and they are dear to me :)

[the-s1lly-corner]

I want to request like. A cuddling session with Slenderman, who is having a bad day and we comfort him

(つ≧▽≦)つ

I'm addicted to the idea of him pretending to be okay with people calling him monster, but deep down he has this longing for it to stop, since he wanted to get along with the proxies and others he deemed second family.

So he like, rant about his day while reader comfort him.

Maybe get him a little fluster aswell （〜^∇^ )〜

(Take your time and have a good day/night)

All Entwined in One Web

obligatory im stuck in the 2015 era of the creepypasta fandom and ive been mulling over this sort of approach in my head for the past month because i revisited an old slenderman x oc fanfic that had a death grip on me and shaped the way i will interact with + and consume creepypasta stuff for the sake of saving grace and not revealing HOW cringe i was im not going to drop the fanfic name (unless yall dm me because!! i still wanna support the author even if it seems theyre inactive now!) i blame this author for making me a demon sympathizer/j/lh written kinda different than my basic bullet list of hcs! got silly with this one, sorry if its jarring compared to my usual stuff </3 this post is mostly just my hc on like. slender (and by extension all demon characters) being neutral and a simple part of nature that stems from zalgo (yay im finally dropping zalgo lore for my au since he functions differently in my au/hc!!) so take this with a HUGE grain of salt since i feel this deters from the main take people use (that ive seen, at least) this one ended up being more.. sad than i first intended and imma be honest i kinda got into my feelings when i was writing this anywaus i hope this isnt too cringe since i dont talk much about my HUGEhcs/au stuff/rewritten stuff so!! plus i dont usually write BIG detailed stuff like this sobsob tldr; slenderman isnt good or evil hes just a neutral piece of nature in the world and hes trying to cope with it. the demon gods really fucked up by making him sentient and able to process human like emotions

death is a force of nature and people curse it for simply being a part of life; people curse wild animals for being, and people will curse the weather

in this universe, or timeline, demons exist in a similar manner. slenderman exists simply because hes a part of that huge web of nature. of course, that includes every single ugly instinct that humans hate so so much. and he can understand why, even if its his nature.

the one responsible for that web, is zalgo. the beginning and end of everything. neither alive nor dead, all demons stem from zalgo in one way or another.

a solitary creature that prefers to stay alone in the comfort of its home, it doesnt tend to reach out to harm others unless theres harm. only really attacking people that threaten to expose it or get too close...

except, you... you were the one exception. regardless of how you managed to worm yourself into his heart, and become his lifelong companion, hes grateful for your presence when things begin to build up.

he knows that in the eyes of others, he ugly and vile, but he knows that ultimately thats what protects him. he insists that its better this way, sticking to the forest away from the prying eyes.

SURE, he could follow in his brothers footsteps and make a false human body and try to blend in with the people. but is that really efficient? is that really something he wants? hes a powerful being but that would eventually take its toll on him..

ultimately he resigns himself into your arms; once oozing powerful and command, now crumpled and curled.

he never had a childhood, when zalgo created him, he simply.

was

no adolescence, no developing, no growing. he was always what he was meant to be, but he likes to think that when youre holding him, that this is what it feels like to be so small and vulnerable.

humans had it so easy, hed think. theyre born and they die and the process repeats itself for everyone. they dont have to be feared or hated, or kill to survive.

yes, to him, being mortal was far more preferable to being condemned to being a lonely hermit who corrupts and breaks everything it touches.

even with your comfort, theres only so much that you can do; youll eventually pass on as well and hell be stuck in his cycle once more

but for now, as you hum softly and whisper nothings to him as you let him crumble; hell let himself weep just this once.

because as much as he envies your life, and what humans have, he cant deny that he cant bring himself to truly hate them, because like him, theyre simply a piece of natures web.

[eve-to-adam]

Tagged by @theladyelizabeth to do these fics/stories asks. <3333 Thank you for giving me the chance to express some of my thoughts! :D

How many works do you have?

I have written many stories over the years. As a child, I wrote stories that I illustrated a bit clumsily, but it was fun to create characters and fantasy stories. Now I have two official works - the story I'm writing now, about Cecily Neville. I have one more that needs to be completely rewritten, about Elizabeth Woodville.

2. What fandoms do you write for?

My stories focus specifically on the medieval era, especially the events that take place in the Wars of the Roses.

3. What are your top 5 stories by kudos?

I haven't written enough stories to have a top 5, but if I were to make a list of stories I want to write in the near or distant future, they would be the following: 1. Proud Cis, which I am currently writing. 2. Elizabeth, a story that I should rewrite in the future. 3. A possible story about Anne of Burgundy, because I adore her and Bedford (they already appear in Proud Cis, so something from their perspective would be interesting to me.) 4. A story about Elizabeth of York, because why not? 5. Maybe a story about Edward I and Eleanor of Castile.

4. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I will definitely answer! As in the case of my illustrations, I want to respond to each person because I want to show my gratitude for the interest and the beautiful words that are offered to me. If I didn't reply to someone, it was because I didn't know about the comment's existence for various reasons (I didn't notice it/I didn't receive a notification, etc.) If it happens that I don't reply, I don't do it intentionally.

5. What’s the story you wrote with the angtiest ending?

Unfortunately, I never finished any story I wrote, no matter how long or short it turned out to be, so I have no way of knowing what ending I would choose.

6. What’s the story you wrote with the happiest ending?

See the answer to question number 5.

7. Do you get hate on stories?

I had two works posted on Wattpad at one time, but I never received hateful comments. Criticism, yes, but not offensive messages. It seems I was lucky. The strangest comment I got on the Elizabeth Woodville's story - which I find funny to a certain extent - was something about Constantinople.

8. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Yes and no. I have nothing against explicit content in stories, and although I have some degree of intimacy exposed in my stories, smut is not exactly a detail I want in them. I say this because this aspect does not suit me. I don't know how to write them properly, so I don't do it. But I like to create intimate/romantic scenes that contain more explicit details, without necessarily being integrated into the erotic area.

9. Do you write crossovers? What’s the craziest one you’ve written?

Yes, I have only one story that fits into this category. It's the first time I do something like this. The story is still in its early stages, because I, together with my friend @teodoraioana221, are trying to arrange the pieces of the puzzle in order to create an enchanting story. The funniest thing is that this whole project started from a simple Sims game, in which we decided to create a story for our characters. A totally innocent thing. It is amazing that from such a tiny detail we have been able to create connections and contexts for our characters, most of them appearing only after we decided on a part of the action. Of course, it is a story that we want to write in the form of a book - webnovel -, which we want to illustrate together. The story would to some extent fall into historical fiction, because we are documenting details - such as food, customs, activities, mentality, fashion, etc. - starting from the end of the Victorian era, passing through WWI-WWII and up to in our present, which means approximately three generations. Yes, we have a pretty extensive family tree and I don't think it will stop there, which makes me excited, haha.

10. Have you ever had a story stolen?

No, but I had a comic stolen with a story I created - "The Queen of the Sun in Splendour". It counts?

11. Have you ever had a story translated?

Again, I don't know if it counts. But a mini-comic that I made with Edward IV and George of Clarence. Comic that was translated without my permission, apparently by a person from China.

12. Have you ever co-written a story before?

No. But I do it now. You can find the answer on question number 9.

13. What’s your all-time favourite ship?

An interesting question. In the beginning, when I barely knew details about the Wars of the Roses, I was obsessed with the Elizabeth WoodvillexEdward IV. At that moment, for me, nothing else mattered except them. My obsession was so great that anyone else didn't matter. I used to dislike Cecily Neville for her apparent refusal to accept Elizabeth. Can you believe it? And now I'm writing a book about her! Can you believe it??? I think this would be my answer: ElizabethxEdward and CecilyxRichard. I can't choose between them, sorry not sorry.

14. What’s a WIP you want to finish, but doubt you ever will?

Many of my stories are wips that will never be finished. However, I try not to repeat the mistakes of the past and I strive so that the works of the present never end up like those wips. But I am unpredictable. I am my own enemy.

15.What are your writing strenghts?

I have the impression that I know how to combine facts with reality. I have always tried to make sure that the story I write is 85% accurate. Of course, this percentage can fluctuate, depending on who is reading, I guess. It's possible that I don't know some details because I don't have access to them or maybe simply a context needed to be changed to fit the plot. I think I'm good at describing things. I try not to have boring dialogues - but, again, it depends on who is reading.

16. What are your writing weaknesses?

I think that the entire platform is not enough for me to list them all (I am very critical of myself, yes). So I'll pick a few: One of them would be my inability to always have as rich a vocabulary as I would like. Another weakness would be the way I place the action (sometimes I have the impression that the scene I'm writing shouldn't be the way it is because I'm afraid of giving my characters that omniscient aura. Or I just feel that it doesn't work for the scene to proceed like this because maybe it doesn't seem natural enough.) Also, I'm afraid that some scenes are not in line with the character's personality, but I like them too much to get rid of them. The list can go on and on and on... Lucky for me that I have friends – Teo, Nico & Co. – who share their opinions about my stories and talk to me, listen to me and remove my insecurities, preventing me from killing myself with a pen, lololol.

17. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a story?

Yes, as long as the sentences are not too long. I wrote some in Proud Cis, a short exchange of lines in French, for which I had the help of a friend of mine, Sebastian. I don't trust Google Translate and I'm too afraid that I'll embarrass myself if I write nonsense because I trusted it. Better be safe than sorry.

18. First fandom you wrote for?

Wars of the Roses.

19. Favourite story you’ve ever written?

Definitely Proud Cis. Not only is it the longest official story written so far, but it is also the one in which I put the most effort. Through this project I tried to discover Cecily and at the same time to explore medieval life and mentality. I didn't want a generic story, in which the action takes place at a superficial contextual level. I want to explore more, to understand, to feel. I love to document myself about activities, places, customs, foods, art, traditions, etc. I have read many books in which all these were overlooked or explored in a superficial way because the authors want to focus on the characters or the political situation. But my personal opinion is that all these details are part of the character's component, they are one with them: these details represent the character. I like to imagine scenarios about small things in their lives and expose them with the help of fiction. Sure, for some it might seem boring, but I want to give these details the chance to shine through Cecily and the people around her.

I will tag: @teodoraioana221, @richmond-rex

Participation is up to everyone.

[djservo]

january lasted 100 days and nights and now february has practically flown by BUT i returned to hallowed ground (tumblr) to get your reading recap! did you make room for any romance reads what happened i’m all ears

surprisingly not really any romance specific reads though I think love was sort of the implicit/explicit thread stringing these all together so in a way it was still kinda fitting!! I did watch Touch of Pink (2004) on Valentine's Day which was a silly + sweet (if not slightly troubling) time!!

Since I Laid My Burden Down by Brontez Purnell

if I disembody my adoration for Brontez as a person and try to see this as just any other work of fiction, I could see the kinda jumpy/non-linear structure and casualty not working for me, but because it's Brontez and because I've adore him for years, it's impossible for me not to read this in his voice and demeanor specifically + thus get such a kick out of this!! in fact I'd say the casualty and rough edges are such a big component to its charm + narrative voice. reflective in such a real + funny way without pretension, and I think really indicative of his roots in zines and peak early internet blogging era (at least from my first introduction to him)

Punks by John Keene

poetry! really great when it was good but kinda cliche when it was weak which was disappointing. I'm not a big fan of repetition poetry (? not sure if there's a specific term for it) and there was just one too many in this collection for me to take seriously. could've cut down on a few poems which I feel like I've never thought about any poetry collection before so maybe that's actually a testament to Keene's generosity on not skimping on page count lolol. still I appreciate the good parts for what they are - love letters and testaments to simply existing as a gay man during a time of so much death and strife, proof of life as impossible as it seems to confront sometimes

I Love Myself When I Am Laughing... And Then Again When I Am Looking Mean And Impressive: A Zora Neale Hurston Reader edited by Alice Walker

admittedly added to my tbr way back mostly bc of the name alone (which may just be the greatest book title ever) and somehow didn't realize this was a reader/anthology? I knew it included her famous 'What White Publishers Won't Print' essay so I just assumed it was just a collection of essays ANYWAY. I wondered if I would've appreciated this more had I already read the entirety of the works featured (aside from Their Eyes Were Watching God, the only one I've read) or if this was actually an ideal way to get a better sense of Hurston's variety of writing. I'm leaning towards the latter since I really enjoyed just about every piece and genre - folklore and memoir and fiction - and getting to witness the similarities in how she writes each form and also the background context of her life/controversies added so much to the experience. simply love a woman with capital "A" Audacity and it's so clear from the intro alone (amazingly done by Mary Helen Washington) that there was no end to it!! inspiring!!! I also adored the afterword of Alice Walker's journey in trying to weave together Hurston's legacy with varying accounts + recollections of her life while trying to find Hurston's unmarked grave, which honestly could've been its own book bc it was that engrossing. loved this

Sula by Toni Morrison

buddy read this with one of my best gal friends which I think is the best way to read this ugh so damn good I barely have the words. The Bluest Eye floored me and set such a high expectation that Sula somehow surpassed and now I'm finishing up Song of Solomon which has been soooo ??#$?!!? IDK how Toni does it each time, not even just consistently amazing but somehow sharper than before. and with a vengeance!! I love stories about how friendships shift overtime with differing life outlooks n values to the point where you're wondering how you were even friends in the first place, and to create such a rich and complex net of characters and histories in less than 200 pages? just unbelievable. highly highly recommend this one

[synergysilhouette]

Writing another Magnifico villain song

This is like the 4th Magnifico-related song I've written. This is starting to get ridiculous, but I did have two new ideas for Magnifico. First: an idea of what if Magnifico, rather than being a sorcerer, was a fallen star, or even the shadow of our main character Star, who was cast down from the heavens due to innocently granting wishes, only to be taken advantage of and in turn, the heavens gave him amnesia and turned him mortal, making him age like anyone else. When Magnifico decides to grant Amaya's wish--to know where he came from so many years ago--he realizes what happened to him, and how the people of Rosas are making him repeat history. He's angry, he's hurt, and he's ready to take it out on people. He's realizing his full divine-level power after years of putting others before himself, and now he wants to get revenge on the people who ruined him and become a godlike being once more. He only needs to get Star (his brother, so to speak) in order to reclaim his status, as well as throw Rosas into disarray, going from a kingdom of dreams to a kingdom of nightmares. If you need a comparison between Star and Magnifico here, think Vanitas and Ventus (BBS era and a bit of KH3 era).

Second idea: Magnifico is an Evil Queen-like villain who was being manipulated by his magic mirror, having devoured wishes for centuries in order to maintain his youth and power, with said mirror convincing him that this was fine because he only devoured "meaningless" wishes. Over time, the people of Rosas became shallow with their wishes, fueling Magnifico's ideology even more. When Asha wishes Star into existence (or rather, corporeal form), the mirror comes to represent all of Magnifico's negative qualities (fear, anger, sadness, control, etc.), and since he spends a lot of time alone, it gets to him, until he comes to the conclusion that capturing Star and enslaving and/or killing him will give Magnifico unlimited power that will make him the ruler of Rosas for eternity--though seeing how he was mistreated, he plans on razing the kingdom and starting anew with more grateful citizens, which likely involves abandoning Rosas and then taking over a new kingdom and establishing himself as a divine ruler there. Of course, all this curroption is moreso fueling a demonic side to him. While Magnifico is mostly singing to Star and then the people of Rosas in the first idea, this concept has him singing to various people in Rosas, followed by Star during the chorus (in this instance, being in his shadow refers to feeling overshadowed by Star's abilities and luminescence; it's kinda like how Jafar felt overshadowed by Genie).

Either way, I was trying to go for different vibes at different pieces of the song. I'm sure it looks chaotic (I was going from fast and slow interchangeably, as well as the melody change), but hopefully on rereads it feels more cohesive!

I'm in a panic.

Don't understand it.

Trying to stay calm,

Slowly going manic.

Do you get it?

You regret it?

These events are in motion

All because you set it.

I'm crawling and stumbling

How can I be fumbling?

You left me alone

Now the dragon is rumbling!

I am the ocean

You cannot fathom me

I am the storm

You are the ripped up trees

LeT It beGiN...

Falling from the skies....

I never knew why...

I wanted to be free...

From your shadow, can't we...?

No! You missed your chance

I won't let you in.

You ruined me,

Got under my skin.

I granted some wishes,

Fixed famines and droughts,

But you cast me aside,

AND YOU SHUT ME OUT!

(I. CAN'T. BREATHE.)

All of the life you want to

(TAKE. FROM. ME.)

How could you do this?

(UNDER LOCK. AND. KEY.)

Now it's my turn.

(YOU SHOULD'VE LET. ME. BE.)

I'm battered and bruised,

But I'm not one to lose!

And you messed with the man

With your lives in his hands!

I am the ocean

You cannot fathom me

I am the storm

You are the ripped up trees

LeT It beGiN...

Falling from the skies....

I never knew why...

I wanted to be free...

From your shadow, can't we...?

No, it's too late for that. Try to keep in mind that I did try to be reasonable for a LONG time. But you're used to doing things the easy way. But I've spoiled you long enough! I'm sure that very soon, you'll start to see things my way. Sweet dreams, mis rosas.

I never thought I'd be making song rewrites months ago, but I've done it so much by now that it's starting to become a habit. Hope you enjoyed it! I'm also considering making a villain(ish) song with Amaya and Magnifico based on my idea of them being Star's parents. I swear, I need to consolidate all these songs or at least get rid of some of them. I'm pretty sure everyone's confused by now, lol.

[meat-wentz]

Drop the Wes Anderson thoughts

cracking my knuckles cause i finally have time to sit down and write this after tumblr obliterated it from existence last time. note this may be a ramble more than an essay bc i have a lot of thoughts. so the thing about wes is that i have such a complicated relationship with him specifically because of the way his gaze affects literally everything around him. like his vision is something that is so singular that as a young person it was so influential to the way i thought about and gathered information about the world simply because i loved the way he looked at it and i wanted to somehow acquire that way of looking. it’s interesting because more than wes is a filmmaker he’s more of a curator and he always has been, and what’s hilarious about that is that in the “esteemed” sense of the word “curation,” he’s really bad at it. like he curated this exhibit in vienna and it was just an absolute mess, like he was pulling items and pieces from their archives in a way that felt like he was pulling for a curio shop opening more than he was an actual exhibit that had a theme and a running narrative or common ground to cover (era, region, subject matter, all that jazz). he was putting displays three inches off the ground in vertical displays, which, speaking in exhibition terms is a horrible idea because it completely halts the flow of the guests by forcing them onto their hands and knees in order to view a piece while also presenting it in a way that offers the least advantageous look at said piece (angles are everything), idk i have a whole thing about this bc one of my bffs has worked in museums in various different countries their whole adult life and another one of my bffs has a degree in art history and i myself was three credits shy of an art history minor before i said fuck it i just wanna graduate, like all in all there’s just a whole reason exhibits tend to have the layouts they have and the pieces that have been chosen for display. so when it comes to that “esteemed” sense of curation in a professional sense, wes isn’t very good at it. but what wes has excelled in has always been curation in the medium of film in a way that film tends not to think about curation. his interest in the world is so carefully crafted and he’s found a way that is so specific and unique to his vision that he can present it to his audience in a way that is so specifically him. he has an interest in the object, the mundane, the beauty of a world where binoculars can be elevated to art, to a realm of the fantastic, where binoculars can be used to evoke a sense of nostalgia and sweetness, can be important to the point of dictating the way a narrative is told. given the medium of film, wes does beautiful beautiful things to the world around him, every object in a frame is carefully selected and curated to have purpose in creating a sense of the world that very much can exist, we just don’t have the means to make it exist (does that make sense?), he will show you beautiful compositions of the ordinary and make them extraordinary: a fur coat, a tracksuit, pink wallpaper, a kid’s painting, a fan, a cigarette, a radio, a pastry, a bike, a wingback chair, everything in a frame is meant to say “have you seen this? now can i show you how i see it?” and he doesn’t stop with the visual, his soundtracks are handcrafted mixtapes, love letters to the things he’s showing us, even his dialogue tends to be minimalistic displays of distinct word choices and compacted one liners delivered very often in a monotonous manner in order to punch through to the audience that the words are what matter the most.

with wes, every bit of his films is displayed with a sense of objectivity. it is curation in a way that is purely wes anderson, it’s an interior museum of putting things on display and saying this means something to me please see it, but asking the audience not to touch, not to engage, only to look and contemplate and give meaning. it’s the same kind of desperate plea i see in myself, of constantly trying to show people the things that have meaning to me in *my way* to show people things and have them internalize it the same way i have, to experience the world in the same way *i* experience it, but to also lend the meaning they find *back to me* (idk if i’m articulating this correctly). it’s basically like saying hi yes here is my favorite shirt, it is my shirt and i love it and i want you to see it and i will tell you all the stories about wearing this shirt that have brought me immense joy in this life, have you thought about everything i told you about this shirt? have you placed yourself in this shirt while i was telling you about it and did you imagine what it was like to be wearing this shirt while you imagined yourself being me? okay good good, now you know it is a very special shirt and i want it to be your favorite shirt too, but also please realize it is in fact *my* shirt and *my* experience of the shirt, it is mine and it makes me special and now it is yours by proxy but it is not *yours*. i think it’s a very human endeavor he’s showing us, that speaks to him and about him, no matter how removed and distanced a lot of his audiences may see his films as (“style over substance,” “aesthetics only”).

given all of that too, there’s the problem of wes anderson. he makes objects of everything on screen, and that means making objects of cultures and people and then not realizing how harmful his vision of these things tends to be. the way he presents specifically people of color as objects meant for beauty or exotic flair has always been hella weird and hella upsetting. i carried a lot of wes anderson movies with me as a teenager and continue to still hold a select few in my stable as films i find immense pleasure in, but i have not watched a new wes anderson film since grand budapest because i just can’t find it in me to see idk a movie that takes place in japan and has english speaking main characters while all the japanese characters speak japanese without any subtitles or translation, effectively turning them into foreign objects for contemplation rather than idk actual characters. it’s the whole problem with wes at the end of the day. he’s soooo white that his view of the world immediately gets tainted once you realize what you’re looking at. it’s a complicated relationship to have as i’ve held a lot of his films close to my heart and they really did shape how i looked at the world in some very formative years in my life but also looking back it’s like oh…cool that’s what i am to you…i’m not real, i’m not a person, i’m an object, i’m a display case, i’m the exotic accent piece, while a pair of binoculars is the centerpiece.

[aurisdale]

Guys I don't think this is talked about enough

In my dbd rot era I've seen quite a few theories, writings, fics, you name it. The whole debate on whether you can leave the realm and how, those are good but old questions. So let me serve you a new one -

"Where would the characters come back?"

Maybe I'm misinterpreting, but please do stick around because:

If I'm right, this is an underused aspect of the game that should be explored more in writing pieces especially

If I'm wrong, it's still fun to think about and I encourage you to give it a go yourself as well

I feel like the idea is pretty much self-explanatory:

Entity finds a world (which I'll be referring to as Terra) sits on it, sneaks its influence in, finds a Killer (usually the priority, at least that's the pattern I've observed with character lores), snatches a survivor like a souvenir, and then goes on leaving the world to destroy itself.

That sounds brutal.

But also poses quite some conflict which I am ready to explore.

How does it take multiple characters from the same Terra but from varying points in time? Shouldn't it be destroyed by 'now'?

Well my dear reader, may I remind you the Entity is stated to be a multidimensional, omnipotent being. It needs to enter the Terra only once, and then it gets access to all of its existence. Snatching 2 beings (especially from the similar spot, as plenty of lores show us the characters being taken from the same/similar area across different points of time - such as Caleb and Zarina.) isn't something not aligning with its stated abilities.

What about the characters from different DLCs that have some connections with one another?

This is a slightly tougher one but I see two options - either the Entity goes for multiple cosmic kidnappings at once

Or

Those characters are from different, but very similar Terras which are close enough for them to recognize each other without finding any 'canon variety' aspects.

Is there proof of the Entity destroying the worlds?

Yes and no. The Observer talks about it in his Tome entry Arcus 07, even though the entry itself hasn't been released officially, it does give a good glimpse into the workings of the Realm.

Why do I care about it?

Because imagine you're in an endless loop of torture or servitute, hoping to escape or go back to your old residence to see through unfinished business.. only to learn everything you knew, loved or hated, is gone.

All people, places, history, it's all gone and you - and a handful of others if you're lucky, are the last thing that remains from the WHOLE WORLD you used to be a part of.

Thank you for listening to my TED talk.

[ramayantika]

Smriti

A story set in the lands of Bharatavarsha, the land named after the glorious king, Bharata. Set in the time when women were encouraged in the pursuit of knowledge to become Brahmavadinis, in an era where science, arts and spirituality went hand in hand to reach one common goal: Knowing the self.

The story belongs to a young girl just like you and just like me but in the days on an era gone by. Filled with dreams, ambitions, friends and love is a journey of this girl to rediscover herself who she is in this grand stage of the world. What role must she play in this play? Is she significant? Should she be significant?

For the land of Bharata from the eons gone by and the days to come will always lead every human to the one big question: Who are you? Are you what you see or are you what you do not see?

Come forth and witness a simple girl's story that now exists in memories. Smriti

»»——⍟——«« ✾✾ »»————««

'The crown shall not be too light nor too heavy on your head my child. It has chosen you. Rule the land with grace and righteousness.'

Passing sixteen summer years sits a maiden by the ghats of the divine Mother river, Ganga. The sun shall rise in the skies soon and the moon still hasn't gone to sleep. What thoughts has she lost herself in? Which being occupies her mind?

'I could easily pass off as a king, wouldn't I?'

'Yes, my friend. The king of pigs.'

And for just one fleeting moment when I look at myself there's a small whisper in my ears. It tells me to look deeper within myself. Sometimes I dream about living out a grand destiny. It looks like a dream.

'Dreams do come true, sakhi -- even the most impossible ones.'

Citizens of Avanti, our awaited day has finally arrived. The eldest prince shall be crowned as the Yuvaraja as per the auspicious time calculated by the royal priest.

He kisses my forehead. I close my eyes and etch the softness of his lips to my memory. 'I shall only sit on the throne as the king with you by my side. Go, fulfill your dreams, gather all the knowledge you have always desired to pursue. He holds my hand to his chest, his heartbeat a steady rhythm under my skin. 'I will be here for you. Your home shall await you.'

'Ladoos are sweet, so are you. Here's a secret: I love you.'

"Someone tell me why are all the girls in your group are into hardcore academics while you boys have taken up the arts?"

"Why? Is that a problem?"

One must know to never take even a piece of grain from his food. As sweet and charming he looks from the outside -- take a bite from his plate and watch him turn into a beast. Do.Not.Touch.His.Food.

I always look forward to meeting you all after summer vacations. God, it's lovely to be around you people. I wish we all stay together in the same place as adults too.

"How on earth is this idiot going to become a father in the next seven months?"

"I am going to sob, do not console me. We all grew up but I still feel we are sixteen and in school."

There were days I doubted my worth to have the crown on my head. Some years ago, I was a daughter of a normal banker in Kashi and now the queen of Avanti.

'It's just not my story, princess.'

'You all have to narrate some parts too, okay I am not going to ache my facial muscles. Our story is too long.'

The story starts from summer vacation after Year Eleven in Avanti on the bank of Narmada...

****** ****** ***** **** ******** **** ****

Hi! Let's call this a book trailer lol because I don't think this would actually be a prologue.

And let me tell you, this story is one my serious writing projects. This story kept me going in 11th and 12th though I barely wrote the chapters, but I had the story in my head.

I had read about those high school fun stories where a group of friends go on adventures, fall in love, etc but I rarely saw any Indian stories about it until one fine night I was thinking what if I were a character in an ancient Indian period. Me and my friends would learn in gurukulas, learn so many things and find friends and walk our destinies. Day by day I added new info and scenarios to this tale.

A smol little secret. Once I complete this book and whenever you all read it, you would know me in every way. This story everything is me opening myself, the good and the bad.

And since the characters and the tale is close to my heart, I am going to be patient and write it in the best way I can.

Oh yes, there are too many dialouges here right? They all belong to different characters and I mentioned the dialouges knowingly just you get a not so fully vague idea about what this story is going to entail.

Would love your reviews and feedbacks for this and the upcoming parts of the story. I will upload the chapters to my wattpad first and then here for those who don't use wattpad. 🌸

Tagging: (also do tell me if you want to be added because I will make a separate Smriti taglist)

@krishna-priyatama @mere-heera @arachneofthoughts @inexhaustible-sources-of-magic @bambioleo @voidsteffy @savlon-bhoi @like-a-sentient-dagger @tumhari-bhairavi @zaraaaaaa

[rythmicjea]

Hobbyism is the best way to get through grief. ~Cole Sprouse

NEW FIC BACKSTORY

Okay... so... This is an odd one (and a long one). This is kind of representative of my current "chaos era". It's a bit of a story and I put most of it in the A/N. But this was not a story I was ever intending to write. In fact, I am not part of the fandom (scandalous I know), and better yet, I had no idea that the show even existed until this past November... But apparently it was big! My excuse is that I was not of the demographic for it age wise. I think if it's age appropriate, anyone can watch anything. Rock on, man.

The backstory of this goes, I found out that my baby boy (cat) Jayne, had advanced kidney disease. For a brief and shining moment, I thought that he would beat the odds. Unfortunately, he was gone within two weeks. I held him as he passed. I have a little altar to him on my desk because he will never be forgotten. But, in my grief, I knew I needed to find an outlet. While I can't journal write (I absolutely hate it lol) I can tell stories. And I wanted to write something very dark and nihilistic that basically combined Peaky Blinders with Riverdale (Chaos Era).

So while I was falling down the Jeronica rabbit hole, I was gathering playlists and mashup videos to aid in my inspiration. But, the story refuse to appear. Instead, YouTube kept suggesting clips from a show I had never heard of. And the clips were OLD. Like from over 10 years ago. Though I said I was uninterested the recs kept coming. So I did ONE google search. I read ONE synopsis. I saw a cast list and I saw a timeline of a relationship. I thought that was all I needed. My brain said NOPE!

The timeline of this relationship ended every entry with "and they hugged". I was very confused about why this couple was only hugging. Then when I saw that the last episode was graduation I got a little more incensed. I had two puzzle pieces that didn't connect without a third. So, I asked around. I have friends that were of the age demographic at the time this was on. And every one of them said that 1.) they loved the show and 2.) It was a very Disney show. Now, there were some sporadic kisses here and there but I remember being that age in high school and while I wasn't some "light BDSM scene on the second time I ever had sex" (Looking at you Bughead in Riverdale...) I definitely did more than just hug my high school boyfriend.

Even though I wasn't satisfied with the answer I thought that was the end of it. My brain had other ideas. My brain told me that if I didn't write this story then I would never write again. Well. That's death to a creative type like me. While I never wrote every day or even put out stories consistently, I was still crafting stories in my head. I needed to be able to write. I was in a desperate state. So I thought "fine, I'll write 3000 words, delete it, and then write what I want."

I wrote 10,000 words in one sitting.

I wrote 50,000 words in 18 days.

I didn't watch the show until I was like 80% done with the fic.

It currently stands over 100,000 words.

If you've made it this far you're going "WHAT IS THE STORY?!"

Okay, I'll tell you. It turns out I was being recommended the clips because of an actor. This actor is Cole Sprouse. I knew him mostly as Ben Geller from Friends. I didn't know he had an actual career before Riverdale. I just thought he did something as a kid, and then came back after college. I was so wrong... So so so so so wrong...

If you guessed The Suite Life of Zack and Cody and The Suite Life on Deck you would be correct.

This massive story started as a way to explain why Cody and Bailey "only hugged". Turned into a love story. I made Zack not straight and married to a man with identical twin girls. London is a pediatric surgeon (and I still stand by that decision knowing what I know now). And Cody and Bailey are probably the least likable characters in the entire thing but they are relatable. This is a story of trying to find love after you discover the amount of abuse you went through. Why running from things is not ideal. And maybe, even when you live an outlandish life, there's some normalcy to discover. It's kind of dark, but there's a lot of humor. If you're not familiar with the show, I would just think of it as an original work. (I know, I know... certain death for a fanfic writer lol)

If you enjoy it, please drop a kudos and my comments section is open and I welcome kind and constructive criticism and questions. Like, fuck me up with questions. Please.