#sparrow four pose

[sparrowplays]

Strict Family Portrait.

Needs: 2 adults

Needs: 1 child, 1 infant

Needs 2 adults, 1 child, 1 infant.

When posing no. 2 , I used the 'Arrrmed Living Chair' (base game) however it should work with any chair as long as you position it right. For all poses, make sure to put the teleporter in the same spot.

This would be good for any strict families, royals, etc. I actually made this for a vampire royalty family in my personal save file!

download here.

[pokituu]

HITO!!! [she/he] the purple sketches were some of the first I did of him. Every drawing since I'm slowly figuring her out :3

[just-jordie-things]

the subject of every photo - fushiguro megumi

word count: 5,555 (i'm so proud of that) warnings: swearin' summary: a photoshoot at the pumpkin patch isn't his ideal day, but at least megumi gets to spend time with you. and maybe he'll take a few pictures anyway. (a/n): really delayed pumpkin themed fic with the softest boy but i needed to write this ok a greater power called upon me to do it

___

“It’ll be fun!” Nobara had claimed, although her tone was more threatening than bubbly.  “It’s just a little photoshoot at a pumpkin patch, why so gloomy about it?” 

And it wasn’t that Megumi was gloomy about it, because he wasn’t.  It would be immature to pout about a simple hangout among friends.  The thing was… he just didn’t care for the whole pumpkin patch thing that really seemed to take off on instagram and tiktok these last few years.

He hadn’t carved a pumpkin since he was just a tot, and even then he’d only done it to satisfy Gojo’s bonkers need to participate in every holiday tradition.  He never particularly liked scooping the guts and seeds out, and as a kid wasn’t decent enough with a blade to carve a face that actually looked interesting.  Not to mention, it was always chilly in late October, making it insufferable to wander around outside solely to pick out a big orange vegetable.  

Really, if he wanted a pumpkin that bad, he would’ve picked out a discount one from the grocery store.  But really, he didn’t want a pumpkin.

Nonetheless, Nobara had bought four disposable cameras— which he didn’t know were even still a thing— told everyone to wear their cutest, coziest outfit, and pretty much demanded they all go spend the afternoon at one of the more popular farms in town.  As with most plans, Megumi begrudgingly agreed.

Even under three layers— his coat, his sweater, and the long sleeved tee he wore underneath them both— the crisp air still pricked at his skin and left goosebumps in it’s wake.  It was hard to enjoy being out here when he was fighting the urge to shiver.

“It’s pretty cold for this, huh?” 

Megumi wipes away the resting bitch face he’d been making, opting instead for as much neutrality as he could muster.  He turns to (y/n), only to find her peering up at him from behind her little plastic camera.  His brows wrinkle.

“Don’t take a picture of me at that angle” 

He puts his hand over the lens and pushes it away before she could even think about snapping the photo, and she chuckles a bit at his boyish antics.  He almost cracks a smile when she’s peeking up at him with her cheeks tinged pink from the cold.  He squashes it before his lip could curl too far.

“Well what side do you prefer then?” She teases, shifting around to stand before him and raising her shitty little camera again.  “Full portrait? Or perhaps a side profile?”

Megumi rolls his eyes, but when he starts to walk away, she’s quick to follow.  He doesn’t dislike her company.

Nobara is off farther in the field, ordering Yuuji to pick up as many pumpkins as he can for the perfect picture.  It was only a matter of time before she came over and started barking at the two of them to make the perfect poses as well.

“So why do you hate pumpkin patches?” (y/n) breaks their silence, but when he turns to her again, she’s fixing her camera on a sparrow pecking away at a less than ripe pumpkin.

“I don’t hate pumpkin patches,” He replies, but even he has to admit the dryness in his voice makes it seem a bit unbelievable.  “It’s just…” He glances at her out of the corner of his eye, but he’s quick to straighten his gaze when he finds her full attention on him now.  “Cold” He finishes, lamely, but it’s not untrue.

He fiddles with the plastic camera in his hands.

“Yeah,” (y/n) agrees from beside him.  “Would’ve been nice to do this a few weeks ago, when it was still sunny” 

Megumi nods back at her, unsure of what else to say.

He hoped that they weren’t doomed to only speak about the weather today.  However that meant he’d probably have to put the effort in to change the subject.  His palms began to sweat.

It was their day off, so he didn’t want to strike up a conversation about work, and preferably he’d like to avoid the subject of sorcery altogether.  So that narrowed down the options by a lot.

He knew that like him, she liked to read.  But she was more into the fantasy stuff, and the only book off the top of his head he could make conversation about was The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe and he was fairly certain that wasn’t currently on her shelf.

Was it always this hard or was he just overthinking it? 

“Wait, stay right there!” 

Before he can suck it up and ask how her most recent assignment went, (y/n’s) throwing her arms up at him to make him freeze in place.  Megumi startles at the sudden movement and holler, but he listens and stays put while she backs up a few steps.

“The sun is peeking out,” She explains, before steadying her camera in front of her face.  “The lighting is great” She says with a grin, and then without warning, she snaps the photo.

Megumi wants to complain, he didn’t even have time to smile or pose or anything.  When that picture got printed, he’d just be a guy standing there, probably with a resting bitch face.  Nobara wouldn’t be happy.

But (y/n’s) still grinning as she lowers the camera.

“Too bad we gotta wait so long to see ‘em,” She says as she heads back towards him.  “It’d be nice to—” 

“Stop moving” 

He’s more blunt than she is, already lifting his camera and peeking through the small lens.  (y/n) gets the hint and retraces her steps to fit properly in the frame.

“Better?” She asks, tossing her hair over her shoulder dramatically before posing with a bright smile.

Megumi snaps the photo without warning, although he’s sure that this one will turn out much better than the one she’d taken of him.  For one, she’s smiling, but he’s also certain that she’s much more photogenic than he is.

She’s at his side again as they wander around the patch, fiddling to fit the camera into the pocket of her coat.  It takes him a few minutes to find his courage again, but eventually Megumi clears his throat and tries to spark conversation.

“Gojo used to take a million pictures of me and Tsumiki” 

That seems to be exactly the right thing to say, because (y/n’s) entire demeanor lights up as she looks up at him with wide eyes.

“Really?” She laughs softly at the mental picture.  “Did he keep, like, photo albums and stuff?” 

“Oh yeah,” Megumi snorted, recalling the rows of photo books on the living room bookshelf when he was young.  “Dozens, at least.  It was like he couldn’t commit a thing to memory, always had to document everything” 

When he was young, it was obnoxious to always have a camera shoved in his face.  Now though, he wonders if the crazy bastard still had those albums.

“That’s sweet,” (y/n) muses, wandering off a bit to check out a display of gourds, all varying in shapes and colors.  “I bet there’s tons of embarrassing ones of you, too” She teases. 

Megumi doesn’t give her an answer, instead silently watching as she picks up a large green vegetable with a curly top.  She holds the long end in her hand, before turning to face Megumi with the plump end out, holding it like it was a very deformed gun.

He rolls his eyes at the joke, but just as she looks away, he snaps a photo.

(y/n) seems to not even notice, setting the gourd back on the display and turning back to Megumi to continue their conversation.

“Was he a scrapbook mom?”

He chuckles, and he wants to deny it, but he can’t.  Even if he tried he thinks she’d see through it with how he smiles with all of his teeth.  She’s laughing before he even explains.

“He made one scrapbook, ever,” He tells her.  “And you have to swear to never tell them this,” He adds quickly.  (y/n) doesn’t have to ask to know who he means, and she simply drags her thumb and forefinger over her lips as if to zip them up.  “It took him weeks.  I think the kitchen table was covered in all of his crafts for a solid month” 

“You’re kidding!” She laughs louder, loving the image of her mentor hunched over a table while he glued down photos and ribbon to pretty sheets of paper.

“I wish I was.  I think it’s why he only ever made one,” Megumi shrugged.  “But it’s… a lot.  Every sheet was three dimensional.  The spine of the scrapbook was stretched so wide the thing couldn’t even sit flat” 

He knows that all of the pictures in that book would be embarrassing now.  Gojo liked to document every first— first day of school, first science project, first A+, along with more ridiculous milestones, like when Megumi chopped all of his hair off in the fifth grade and looked ridiculous.  If he remembered correctly, Gojo glued that hair in the book too, as if it were his baby hairs.  That scrapbook really should be burned, but a part of him wishes he could show her now, just to prove how messy it really is.

“I’d do anything to get my hands on it,” (y/n) sighed, almost as if she could read his mind.  “My parents did some stuff like that, but they certainly weren’t obsessive” 

“Obsession is all he knows” Megumi mumbles, and he doesn’t mean to be funny, but she laughs, and it makes his chest feel warm.

“I still think it’s sweet,” She assures him, and then she stops in their slow and aimless walk, kneeling down to tie the shoelaces on her boot.  Megumi waits beside her.  He cared much more for her company than he did seeing the pumpkin patch.  “He probably just wanted to save lots of memories of you guys when you were little.  All parents say it goes by fast” 

She goes to tie the other boot, and Megumi can only stand there in soft surprise.  Sure, deep down he always considered Gojo his parent, because he simply just was.  But no one else referred to their relationship that way, the others always called him teacher or mentor.  But (y/n) must’ve understood that it was more than that.

He’s pulling his camera out again and stealing another quick picture while she was still focused on her shoes.

When she stands, he’s got the camera tucked back into his pocket and an innocent look on his face.

“Want to take a picture over there?” She asks, pointing to the tower of hay bales set up mostly for photos.  Originally it was for children to climb and play on, but it’s purpose was far more often served as a posing station.

Megumi simply nods, and follows her as she races over the tower.  It shouldn’t have surprised him when she started climbing the thing right away.  Surely Nobara had been over here earlier, striking a pose with one hand on her hip and the other on the stack of hay, but not (y/n), who was almost to the top.

“You’re not gonna fall, right?” Megumi asks unsurely as she’s grabbing at the highest bale.

“I’m a trained athlete!” She shrieks back, clearly offended.

“I’m more worried about you destroying the play area” Megumi retorted, his lip curling upwards against his will.  He can’t help but take a picture before she’s settled.  Her hair’s a mess and her limbs are everywhere as she tries to steady herself on the wobbling tower, but it’s a perfect picture nonetheless.

“This is great!” She shouts back at him, before stretching her hands above her head.  “Take my photo like this!” 

It’s silly, it’s childish, but Megumi’s laughing to himself as he snaps a couple.

Somehow she manages to climb down without toppling the entire thing, and they quickly make their way across the pumpkin patch before an employee could scold them for being grown adults playing on the children’s setup.

Megumi finds it easier to talk with her the longer they walk around, aimlessly eyeing pumpkins without committing to picking any out, taking photos here and there, but mostly they just wander around and talk.  Yuji and Nobara seem so wrapped up in the full on photoshoot they were having with each other that it could seem like they’d completely forgotten the other pair, but Megumi didn’t mind one bit.

Hang outs never turned out like this.  Nobara tended to cling to (y/n) like a lifeline.  She was always dragging her off to the next boutique on the strip or game in the arcade or exhibit at the museum— wherever they went, it seemed as soon as Megumi would get a minute of alone time with her, Nobara would steal her away.  It was deflating, but he couldn’t be mad, they were best friends after all.

Today was like a gloomy day miracle.  He almost felt spoiled having the last half hour with her all to himself.  All of her laughter and smiles were only for him.  It warmed up his chilled hands until soon, even the breeze wouldn’t make him shiver.

(y/n) didn’t appear to have the same effect, shaking like a leaf every time the wind picked up.  She always shrank into the collar of her coat and shoved her hands into her pockets, and after a few times, Megumi couldn’t stand to see her freezing.

“Let’s go inside for a bit,” He nodded his head towards the small shop.  (y/n) pouted back at him, before glancing around the pumpkin patch, clearly looking for their friends.  “They won’t be upset that we went inside because we’re cold,” Megumi chuckles to himself, before gently pushing his hand against the small of her back so that he’d follow her.  “I’ll text Itadori” He adds for good measure.

After a moment of hesitation she agreed and walked along with him, but just slow enough that he left his hand on her lower back.  Just because it was nice to be so close to him.

Stepping into the shop was an instant rush of fresh warm air, and she finally felt like she could stretch her fingers.  There was a small bakery inside with only a couple of tables, but without anyone else inside it was perfectly quaint to warm up in.

“I’m going to order a hot chocolate, do you want anything?”

The offer was sweet, but she’s already making her way to the counter, set on a mission as soon as the alluring smell of apples and cinnamon wafted past her nose.

“I could go for a coffee” Megumi hummed as he followed.

He’s ordering for the both of them as soon as a clerk arrives behind the counter, two drinks along with the enormous bear claw in the glass case that (y/n) hadn’t torn her eyes away from since stepping up to the counter.  She tries to fight him when he pulls out his wallet but he’s faster at tapping his card to the reader than she is at hitting him.

Even once they sit down with their drinks and the pastry that takes up most of the table space between them, she argues with him about the payment, and all he can do is shake his head— and maybe smile to himself just a little bit.  After realizing arguing is futile, she decides that as long as he eats some of the bear claw, she can forgive him.

And they continue to chat, about dumb things, about nothing, about everything.  Megumi learns all about the book series that she is reading, along with her plans for getting promoted faster, and that her dream pet is a sugar glider.

“That’s ridiculous,” He mumbles through a mouthful of almond paste and cinnamon.  “When would you ever have the time to take care of something like that?”

“That’s why it’s a dream pet, dummy,” (y/n) rolls her eyes at him.  “Doesn’t have to be realistic.  Don’t you have a dream pet?” 

“I kinda already have a lot of pets” 

“Oh, right,” She laughs to herself, and he thinks he can see a hint of a blush dusting over her cheeks.  Was she embarrassed? He wasn’t sure exactly.  But it was really cute.  “Well if there’s ever a sugar glider shikigami, please summon it for me” She tells him in all seriousness, and Megumi bites his tongue as he agrees to the condition immediately.

He pulls out his camera for the tenth time that day and rests his elbows on the table as he brings it to his face.  (y/n’s) eyes widen before she’s covering half her face with one hand.

“Are you taking a picture of me right now?” She hisses anxiously, before shaking her head at him.

“Duh” He mutters out as he tilts forward and back, trying to find just the right angle of lighting.

“I’m eating—” 

“So? Not like you have food on your face.  Hush.  Go back to eating or something” 

“I am not letting you take a picture of me while I eat” 

“Alright then just sit there then” 

She’s grabbing her paper cup of hot cocoa to use as a shield, but it’s too late.  Megumi clicks the button and she can hear the soft whirring coming from inside the camera.

The lens cuts to black and Megumi pulls the camera away, eyeing the little roll of numbers next to the lens.

“I’m out already,” He says, tossing it onto the table.  “Guess I win” 

(y/n) laughs to herself.

“I didn’t know this was a competition,” She takes a sip of her warm beverage before setting it back down.  “But I can’t believe you finished before me”

“How many do you have left?” 

Curiously, (y/n) pulls the camera out of her pocket and eyes the tape with the amount of film left.  She frowns as she looks back up at him.

“Just one,” She answers, and her frown tilts into a small, soft smile before she asks, “Do you want to take one together?” 

___

Greedily, Nobara snatches the stack of freshly printed photos out of Megumi’s hands.  (y/n) and Yuji are too busy sharing theirs with each other, and Nobara had been dying to know what photos Megumi and (y/n) had taken on their last outing.  By the time the group had met up and gone home, their cameras were already full, and she knew she hadn’t been the subject of a single one of them.

“I swear Fushiguro if these are all dumb pictures of pumpkins, I’ll—” 

But her threat falls short after sliding through the first three pictures.

The first was (y/n) on the path, just standing and smiling.  It wasn’t special, there wasn’t even a pumpkin in the background, but it was cute.

The second was a picture of her crouched down and tying her shoe.  Her face wasn’t even in the picture, her hair was hanging in front of it, but if you squinted you could barely make out the tip of her nose.

Then the third was another candid, where she was pretending to hold a gourd like a gun.

“What the—?” 

Nobara flips through to the next one in the stack, and yet again there’s a candid of her climbing up the side of a hay bale tower.  At least that one captured her smile.  She shouldn’t have been surprised to see the fifth one in the stack was also of (y/n), this time sitting on top of the haystack victoriously

“You’ve got to be kidding me, dude” 

“Okay give them back—!” Megumi tries to grab the stack of pictures from Nobara before she could keep being nosey, but she deflects fast, swiveling to turn away from him and keep skipping through the photos.

He shouldn’t have let her get her hands on them to begin with, but it was too late now.  If he caused too big of a scene, Yuji and (y/n) would notice.  He didn’t exactly want all of his pictures on display.

So Nobara kept flipping.

One was of her lifting up the tiniest of pumpkins— definitely the runt of the whole patch.  It fit in the palm of her hand but she seemed delighted by it.

The next few were just of her walking around, nothing too exciting in the frame.  Just the occasional pumpkin in the background.

There was a decent one taken from inside the shop.  (y/n) was still in the frame but her back was turned as she eyed the glass case of sweets.  Nobara could almost let Megumi off the hook for that one.  Almost.

And then the last photo was of her laughing, the blurry image of a paper cup waving in the space beside her face.  Her eyes are on the camera, so she must’ve known he was taking that picture, but judging by the surprise in her expression, it was easy to conclude she was trying to hide behind that cup.

Once she’d ogled every picture, Nobara finally turned back to Megumi.  Her brows twitched and furrowed, lips parted in shock, not a single word spoken as she handed the stack back to him.  It’s practically shoved towards him, but he doesn’t complain, just snatches them back as fast as he can.

He wants to find a way to quickly and discreetly ask her to keep this to herself, but before he can find the words, she’s gawking at him again.

“Every single one?” Nobara asks in a mutter.

“We hung out the whole time, okay? It's not like—” Megumi tries to defend himself, but it’s no use.  Nobara’s already speaking over him again.

“It’s almost pathetic, dude.  Just ask her out like a normal person” 

His brows almost raise to his hairline in shock.  Here he thought she was about to call him out for being a creep or something.  But no, her disgust only lied in his pathetic pining and lack of action.  Maybe he should have assumed that already.

He doesn’t get the chance to say anything before Nobara’s marching over to Yuji and demanding to see his photos as well.  Megumi’s left reeling from the whole interaction, the humiliation still lingering in his gut.

The feeling remains as (y/n) makes her way to him, her own fresh stack of photos in her hands.  There’s a nervous sort of smile on her face as she glances back at Yuji and Nobara, double checking that they were out of earshot.

“They took that pretty seriously, huh?” Her voice was still low, careful not to draw the attention of their rambunctious friends.  “Yuji takes great photos, don’t get me wrong.  But I think she should pay him for his time” 

There’s some relief in his chest when he cracks a smile, a small laugh coming out.  He could only imagine the quality of Nobara and Yuji’s photos, certainly prepped for instagram.

“I bet she still puts filters over all of them” He mutters back, and (y/n) stifles a giggle behind her hand, but nods her head in agreement.

“Can we leave now or what?” Nobara calls out, already dragging Yuji by the arm to leave the store.  “I want to get boba before home” 

“Boba sounds good,” (y/n) agrees softly.  “Let’s go” 

As the red head continued to drag her friend despite him arguing that he was an adult who could walk by himself, she turned and aggressively whispered something to him.  After her obvious threatening, she glances back at (y/n) and Megumi, which Yuji promptly follows her pointed glance.  Suddenly after that he was upright and speed walking along with her.

(y/n) and Megumi share a baffled look as their friends so blatantly ditch them, but they don’t exactly pick up the pace to follow.

“So, did you get good photos?” Megumi asks, tucking his own away in his pocket.  Foolishly, he hoped if they were out of sight she wouldn’t ask him about them.

“Oh,” (y/n) chuckles nervously, holding her stack of pictures in both hands.  She tilts them towards herself so he can’t see, and Megumi raises a brow at the secrecy.  “It’s kind of embarrassing, actually” She says sheepishly.

Her cheeks flood with color, and Megumi can’t help the curious grin that begins to stretch across his face.

“Embarrassing?” He repeats, sounding horrifically hopeful.  (y/n) sighs, and sticks her arm out, handing him the stack.  He’s quick to take them and start flipping through, eyeing her anxious demeanor in his peripheral vision.

“Yuji’s probably going to tell you anyway.  But… they’re sort of all..” 

His steps slow further after quickly sliding through the bunch of pictures.

The first was at the entrance of the pumpkin patch, with the cute sign with the family name painted on it, and just under it was him.  He wasn’t paying attention, and quite frankly he looked rather bored standing there.  She must’ve taken it while he was still pouting about having to go.

The next photo was of the sparrow poking at the rotted pumpkin, and he had to admit the way she captured it actually was sort of cute.

The third was the photo Megumi dreaded seeing.  He recognized it as soon as he saw himself standing on the thin path of dirt.  He grimaced as he looked closer to see just how bad it was.  But to his surprise, he wasn’t scowling like he thought he’d been.  He was actually smiling.  

Which was odd… he certainly didn’t remember smiling for that picture.  He clearly remembered being upset because he hadn’t tried to look nice for her picture at all.

He glances at (y/n) to gauge her reaction so far, but she was holding her expression at a neutral state, waiting for him to react first.

So Megumi goes back to the photos, and flips to the next one.  Which was… also him.  It wasn’t anything special, just him standing there, but he was smiling a little bit in that one, too.

When the following is also a candid of him with that dumb little smile, he glances over at (y/n) again, raising a brow at her in silent question.

She’s a tough one to crack, but the corner of her lips gives her away as she tries to bite back a smile.  His own smile is unable to be hidden as he flips through a few more photos.

And to his shock and delight, they’re all him.  Him while he was picking up that big pumpkin she dared him to, him while he was drinking his coffee and not paying attention, him just standing and doing nothing in particular, but for whatever reason, she’d used up all her film on capturing it.  

His favorite is the one of the both of them.  She’d given him the camera so he could stretch his arm out and snap the photo selfie style.  They’re sitting at the small table, two paper cups and the enormous bear claw between them, but pushed aside as (y/n) leans across the tabletop in order to better center herself.  She’s grinning from ear to ear, her chin set in one hand while the other holds up a peace sign.  Megumi’s smile isn’t as wide but nevertheless it’s genuine, and anyone looking at the picture would know.  It’s a great picture of the two of them, and he thinks it’s probably the first, too. 

Megumi hadn’t realized he’d gone through the whole stack till he flips to the next one and is met with the first photo, but once he does, (y/n’s) quick to reach out and take them back.  She doesn’t snatch them as aggressively as Nobara had, she handles them gently, careful not to leave an ugly smudge or crease.

Megumi watches with eager intrigue as she tucks the edges together neatly, making the stack smooth in her hands.

“Sorry if that’s creepy— is that creepy?” She turns to him suddenly, full of worry that she’d crossed a line, but Megumi just chuckles, and shakes his head at her.

“Not creepy” He muses, his soft smile remaining as he dips his hand into his pocket, retrieving his own small collection of photos.

He stares at them for an indecisive minute, clenching and unclenching his jaw, working up the courage to make the smallest of gestures.  When he does hold them out to her, he still doesn’t say a thing.  His throat is too dry and hot to even try.  He thinks it would be worse if his voice cracked right now.

(y/n) smiles as she tucks her pictures away in her purse with great care so that she could better look through the pictures he’d taken.  His face flushes with color when she finally takes them from him.  Even the small brush of the tips of her fingers against his has Megumi’s breath catching in his throat.

And he holds his breath as she eagerly slides through the stack of photos.  His throat is far too constricted now to show any sign of life.  He very well could pass out at any moment.  He just hopes she’d leave him there in a heap on the ground.

The relief of the exhale doesn’t come until she begins to giggle.  It’s soft at first, almost under her breath as she continues admiring his photos, but then it erupts into something brilliant and bubbly, as if it was coming out of her uncontrollably.  As lovely as the reaction was, it didn’t do much to ease Megumi’s nerves.  They began to sink their teeth into his heart and gut, and he knew that any minute now, his knees would give out.

When her laughter calms down and she finally looks up at him, the surprise is evident on his features when he sees her colored cheeks and nervous smile.  She hands the stack back to him, and Megumi’s quick to tuck them into his pocket, where maybe he they’d disappear forever, or at least just from the front of their minds.

“That’s pretty cute, huh?” She asks, an aftershock of quiet laughter shaking her shoulders and crinkling the corners of her eyes.  This time, Megumi can’t help the way he laughs with her, but he does duck his head bashfully.

(y/n) thinks it’s all the more cuter, how he resorts to his nervous habit of rubbing the back of his neck and looking anywhere but directly at her.  She wonders if he even knows he’s doing it.  With a surge of confidence, she rocks on her feet.

“Wanna ditch our friends and get lunch or something?” 

He shrugs and nods, thinking anything would be better sustenance than the too-sugary drinks that Nobara had an addiction to.  But the implication of the question dawns on him too late, and suddenly his eyes are widening as he realizes what she really meant.

“You mean— like, a date?” 

It’s so damn cute the way his brows furrow and then raise ever so slightly, waiting without a single ounce of patience for her clarification.  (y/n’s) giggling again as she nods her head, putting him out of his misery.

“Yeah, like a date,” She repeats teasingly.

Megumi nods his head again, this time faster, as if there was a time limit to her offer and he was worried he’d already wasted too much of it.  Her smile brightens and there’s a small but noticeable skip in her step as they head off in a new direction together.

“Now maybe it won’t be so creepy when our friends see those pictures” She says, and Megumi can’t decipher if she’s messing with him or not.  The look he gives her barely hides his panic.

“They’re gonna see them?”

“What do you think they’re talking about right now?” (y/n) retorts, knowing for a fact that Yuji and Nobara were gossiping away about the pair’s photos that consisted only of each other.  

The thought makes Megumi’s face feel hot, and there’s no discretion in the way he tugs at his collar.  The idea makes him nervous, his stomach flipping excessively.  That said, he knew with the amount of gossip those two chatterboxes would generate, there was plenty of time to add a date to today’s agenda.

“They probably won’t even notice we’re gone”

(y/n) nods in agreement.

“They’ll be grateful to have the time for girl talk,” She teases.

With purpose, she steps closer to him so she could link her arm around his, tucking her hand into the crook of his elbow and shyly smiling up at him.  Megumi returns the smile, his arm hooking a little further to keep her tucked next to him as close as he wanted.  It was another chilly day outside, but he could almost forget about it with the way her closeness sparked warmth in his chest that flooded throughout his whole body.  He hoped he’d get to do this for the rest of their day—

“So… where do we want to go?”

—and more days to come. ___

xoxo ~ jordie

[llumimoon]

Introducing a very important side character and the big bad villain in the EAH au!!!!

Nicky being a bunny rabbit is ABSOLUTELY a running gag in the story btw Lark is fucking fuming and beefing with what appears to be just a normal ass bnuuy and its so funny. its SO funny.

Willy does play the role of the previous Evil Queen before Scary so here he is imprisoned his Magic (Doodler) Mirror that he will totaaaallly stay trapped in. mhm. definitely will not trick someone into breaking him out. (I am lying he definitely gets out)

A small section of the Nicky Bunny Rabbit Saga btw:

Also new Wonderlandian development lead to this

(AU by @rindomness, @kaseyskat, & I!)

Image description under the cut !!

[ID: Image 1: Ever After High AU Nicky Close posed with one hand up holding a pocket watch and the other hand hesitantly raised by his waist. He is labeled with the text ‘The White Rabbit’ and there is a word bubble that says ‘can transform into a bunny!’ And an arrow pointing to a white bunny in the bottom left of the image. The bunny has a pink bow and two piercing on an ear that match the piercings on Nicky’s bunny ears on his humanoid form. His humanoid form is wearing a light blue striped tailcoat with a white shirt underneath with the sleeves rolled up and a pink bow. He has large white gloves with pink toe beans on them and dirty white pants with various white belts and buckles and pink and blue knee patches and a pink sash belt with a bow on the left side. The pants are tucked into blue and pink buckled boots with white rabbit feet sticking out at the ends. He has three extra pocket watches on a belt loop and the pocket watch in his hand is open to show the time and a locket picture on the other side of Sparrow Oak dressed as Snow White.

Image 2: An ornate mirror is in the center of the image. The frame of the mirror is made up of intricate black swirls reflecting purple, blue, and red light from around it. The mirror has four eye shaped gems, the biggest one being a red eye at the top and the other gems being smaller and about the same size on the left, right, and bottom of the mirror. The gems are emitting a glow corresponding to their color. The glass of the mirror is shattered and is giving off a purple glow. Willy Stampler dressed as the Evil Queen is smirking and is trapped inside the mirror with his eyes glowing purple. The mirror is surrounded by purple particles and sparkles.

Image 3: A discord screenshot of messages in a server between ‘rin (doodler gender)’, ‘hero enthusiast (cal)’, ‘sparrow enjoyer’, and ‘hermie apologist (silver)’. Rin says ‘POTENTIALLY WEEKS!’ And ‘lark at some point going is this actually nicky. Is this actually nicky or am I legitimately just beefing with a real rabbit this wonderland kid picked up. did i fool myself’ then Cal and Nyx (who is ‘sparrow enjoyer’) both send keysmashes and Cal says ‘is this nicky or is this some random bunny who hates me specifically’ then Rin sends 'EXACTLY' and Silver sends ‘LMAO’ and Rin sends ‘did i piss off some other bunny-related person. what is this. what is happening. The exact opposite of nicky forgetting he could go rabbit mode when he first started keeping an eye on the kids for sparrow is him staying bunny mode MUCH MUCH MUCH MUCH LONGER THAN IS NECESSARY OR REALLY USEFUL’

Image 4: A doodle of EAH AU Taylor ‘s head with bunny ears and an excited smile in red next to EAH AU Hermie’s head with a mischievous sharp teeth grin and cat ears in pink. The top of the image says ‘Update:’ while under the sketches Taylor is labeled ‘half white rabbit’ and Hermie is labeled ‘half cheshire cat’. /end ID]

[mariusrenathyrs-crashout]

so whats w the oak twins? you talk about them a lot but still not sure what their deal is aside from being fucked up sad

Bro, throw upping, I love these two so much it's insane.

So we meet Lark and Sparrow as like 8 year old kids in S1, they're twins, their INCREDIBLY rowdy, and most of all, they're codependent. A few key events that happen to these boys pretty much right off the bat: one of them mentions seeing visions of a horrific eldritch beast - this is played off as a joke but it'll circle back - they are separated from their dad, they're lowkey indoctrinated into a cult, they are crushed under a falling building, kidnapped and held hostage. Later on the boys are found again, key things that happen when meeting their grandfather and the cultish compound he runs: they're given homunculi bodies and are unaware of this, they are forced to try and fight their grandfather who is trying to hold them hostage/hold their father hostage/kill the other party members, Lark falls unconscious and Sparrow thinks his brother may be dying so he tries to kill his grandfather, his grandfather in retaliation slams this 8 year old so hard into a wall it leaves a Sparrow shaped dent in the wall and he is gushing blood from his nose, but success, original bodies found after the "death" of the homunculi bodies. They're taken to a safe house with a friend who watches out for them while their dads are away only for this man to get tortured and his legs cut off due to his protecting the twins, this causing Lark to start resenting his father for how much horrific shit he and others are being forced to endure because of their fathers and grandfather's. Henry their dad ends up drawing a Rogue card from the deck of many things and this basically curses Lark to hate him viciously and ruthlessly and Sparrow is now tasked with being his brother's carer and family mediator between his brother and his dad. In the end, Lark stabs Henry in the shoulder and this unleashes a binding ritual releasing the eldritch beast Sparrow had been dreaming of and this unleashes pseudo Armageddon on the world.

Ok, context stuff over.

So in S2 the boys are now adults, with Sparrow being a father of 2 and married to his wife Rebecca and Lark is living in their house with them as the twins 1. Don't want to be separated and 2. Sparrow is still caretaking Lark. We see some odd behaviors between Sparrow and his son, and later we see him being cagey around his wife. Circle back to that. So at one point the four main PCs of the season see a vision of their fathers as teens and their grandfathers - their dad's dads - trying to figure out a way to reverse this eldritch deity and put it back. Lark is attempting to sit in a throne that may be able to help him kill this thing but he has to fight past his dad who's trying to stop him so Lark is saying things like "it's my fault" and "you won't punish me so I have to do this," and then it turns out it's Sparrow using disguise self to pose as Lark so Lark can do this. As adults, Lark has repeatedly said the state of the world is his fault alone but Sparrow keeps saying it's THEIR fault. So with his son and wife, we find out that on the night of Sparrow and Rebecca's wedding, Lark slept with Rebecca and the two kept the affair hidden from Sparrow for ages - only to find out, Sparrow knew and kept his mouth shut to keep the peace and not have his brother leave their family. The two are dealing with A LOT in s2 with the return of 1 of their main abusers and the weight of THE WORLD on their shoulders as well as Sparrow's son - or is he Lark's? who knows - hating Sparrow for all his choices. We also see Henry and Mercedes, their dad and mom return and Henry has as always forgiven Lark for what he had done. He gives his love and forgiveness so freely to Lark; but in the same breath condemns Sparrow for the state of the world. He and Mercedes say Sparrow needed to do better, be better. Turns out an entire world of people - the Forgotten Realms - were condemned to a hellish life due to being swapped with their Armageddon planet after Sparrow did it to try and spare his family the suffering of living in that world under that eldritch being he dreamed of and his brother released. The worlds are both condemned due to both of the twins actions.

So yeah we got Lark who's overtly very fucked up, angry, mentally ill, paranoid, and wants to self sacrifice to fix the world but has also done things he regrets as he has hurt his father and his brother. Sparrow is subtley very fucked up, mentally ill, self deprecating and wants to make things right but is being turned away for every action he makes. Lark feels responsible for the world and Sparrow feels responsible for his family which doomed the world. Lark has the weight of a curse on his shoulders that helped tear the family apart and Sparrow was tasked as a child to try and mediate and fix the family from falling apart. One expresses his anger and frustrations overtly unlike their father and the other keeps his anger bottled up just like his father and grandfather. These two are crazy to me, Lark starts battles Sparrow finishes. Lark is offense and Sparrow is defense. Lark has overtly lost his shit and Sparrow tries keeping his shit hidden and locked away. The two of them are literally my Roman Empire.

[moonfurthetemmie]

Fantasy AU: H!DS Creepypasta Squad

Fester (Almomon & Blake)

i pulled a name out of thin air for the kid, but yeah. that's the real 'Bobby'. and she's alive! mostly! also i forgot she was supposed to be like 15 so now she's closer to 10. oops?

You'll note the funky black marks on her chest? yeah she went through some shit. It doesn't bother her (much.) anymore, but it does hurt if you apply pressure, like a bruise.

Blake was a faun already. since her possession, she acquired more horns (mainly the spikse in the middle), claws, and those glowing tattoo things. The tiny horns were there originally, and had just started to grow, but they changed colors once Fester moved in. Also, those 'tattoos' are actually the magic keeping her alive, and while they don't hurt her, they may dim or flicker if she overexerts herself. Which is much easier now than it used to be.

As a faun she'd already had better hearing and sense of smell than a human, but she can sense the power of beings around her; particularly demonic and otherwise magical beings.

Almomon isn't ever seen in their real form anymore, but that's what they looked like. not much different from normal.

Blake and Almomon, who prefers to be addressed as 'Fester' and hasn't told anyone except (maybe) Blake what their real name is, switch control of their shared body. When Fester is in control, they can use some of their demonic magic. Blake can also use some, but it doesn't come naturally to her.

haha i forgot to save the first one as the ref (pain and agony)

Spindle

Normal catfolk (past) on the left, and demon catfolk (present) on the right. He got to keep the necklace (which is from sparrow) and gloves, since he wasn't kidnapped, didn't lose his mind, and they actually wanted to help. Unfortunately the rest of his clothes didn't fit him anymore. can you do me a favor and just pretend they have both feet on the platform and they're not partially hovering. okay thank you

he thinks he's very cool now (and he's right) and likes showing off. especially to sparrow. shocking i know

Physical changes include longer fur, weirder teeth, weirder eyes, horns, fur color changing, tail shape changing, and longer claws, arms, and legs. He can also run on all fours now.

Regarding the cane: It's possible for him to walk without it. But it's not recommended and he can't go very far. Like. walking across the house is probably all he can do without having serious problems. This does mean he can do funky fighting poses for a minute or two though.

anyway you'd be surprised how easy it is to get away with stealing stuff when everyone thinks you're too disabled to be a threat. it still pisses him off but hey. he's got shinies. it'll be a bit harder to do that now that he's a clearly a demon, and also he's hanging out with a fricken paladin, but he's totally turned over a new leaf! (he says, slipping a stolen trinket into sparrow's pocket)

Pulaski

Couldn't decide between bear furry and a dragonborn for a while, but bear 100% fit better i think. look at him. i love him. he could probably pick fester up with one hand like they weigh nothing.

He ran into this random kid wandering around on her own and asked where her parents were. Blake cheerfully informed him that she's possessed and doesn't need parents, at which point Fester took over and actually. explained.

See the thing is, as much as Fester wants to help, they have no idea how to take care of a kid. They can keep her alive, sure, but actually taking care of her is a whole other thing. pulaski help

Pulaski was happy to help, though admittedly for a while he was waiting for Fester to jump him or something. He's quite glad the demon is actually chill. fester is quite glad pulaski was willing to help at all.

Blake was kinda pissy about Fester asking Pulaski to stay with them for a while, because she really didn't think she needed an adult. but if anyone talks shit about pulaski now she's gonna start biting. very literally. watch out. that's her papa bear don't you dare say anything bad about him

...now i'm imagining him picking her up by the scruff of her neck while she screeches and tries to fight whoever was talking shit. biting and clawing at the air like an angry kitten. i think this is officially my favorite version of the creepypasta squad

Sparrow

i did what i could to get him to match the house sparrow's colors. but there's only so much i could do. Anyway 1/2 human, 1/2 birdfolk. he takes after his birdfolk parent a lot more. idk man something about spindle being a cat and sparrow being a bird and them dating

anyway jseus chirst that side profiule is so fcuking cool no wonder spindle is so down bad

BONUS

[auradont]

Hi what are your thoughts on Lonnie(and family)?

Aaah sorry it took us so long lol! Here are our answers!

Mod Sparrow: 

HI!! I think her character as a concept is soooo cool. Mulan was one of my favorites growing up. I liked her vibe a ton as a fun sporty girl with a mischievous streak. I think she, like a lot of other characters, are victims of the writers trying to fit too many plotlines into one movie uhhhh I do not think Mulan was baking cookies in D1 💀. 

Also. Lonnie. Her name. I think we could’ve done better. She’s one of the characters in our au/rewrite that got renamed (her new name is Li Min, her brother who is Li’l Shang (WHAT) is Li Siyu). I really wish we got more time to explore an arc with her and where we could take her character. 

Mod Robin:

i also really like lonnie, esp her characterization in d2 where she becomes a bit more meddlesome & mischievous hehe … though i do feel kind of weird abt how she went from ‘generic preppy girl’ to ‘girl who does SPORTS’ in a rly surface level way from movie 1 to movie 2. i think she had so much potential to be a rly well rounded character 💔

also yeah what sparrow said her name is infuriating to me HAHAHAHA like what on earth … mulan would not name her child that……… and let’s not even get into the atrocity of li’l shang. something must be done. 

i think their whole family (parents included) poses a really interesting dynamic… personally in our take on things i like to picture them as just a big family of jocks. min & siyu being very competitive with one another in like every aspect of life. and their own lovingly bickering parents encouraging a sense of healthy competition as well 😁and like sparrow said i dont imagine anyone in that household being particularly into cooking LOL they probably order takeout like three or four times a week in my mind

[cassynite]

now that i've officially done them all properly, here are some Fun Facts about the tarot series i did for Sparrow bc i cannot shut up:

I'd originally wanted to each act to be a minor arcana card from each individual minor arcana house (wands, cups, swords, pentacles) and then have the act 5 one be a major arcana card, but unfortunately Sparrow just had Too Many Swords energy and not enough Cups. Four minor and one major is still pretty good, though.

While i originally did this out of art envy of the dragon age inquisition tarot cards i ended up drawing more inspiration from the actual tarot cards in terms of composition inspiration. less overt shapes and more direct symbolism

easiest tarot to draw was act 2; the hardest one was act 5's BY FAR which is why it took so long to shit out

one of the reasons WHY act 5 was so hard was because i wanted to do a "clever" thing by making sparrow only show one eye in each tarot (either by being in profile or by having her hair hide one) and then in act 5 have her fully facing the viewer with both eyes exposed. that ended up locking out a bunch of poses i would have preferred and made me scrap like seven compositions before settling on the final form lol

Act 5 is the only tarot with cool tones! sparrow's a very warm-toned gal but this series ended up pulling toward warmer saturated tones to indicate fire or distress, so getting her in cool purples, blues, and pinks for the final one is meant to indicate the major departure she finally has as she finishes up her canon character arc

If i ever redid these i would go Hard Mode and actually try to get them to fit in tarot card dimensions (i didn't realize until after the first one that it was too wide and by then i decided to just commit to it). i'd also give them proper borders so it looks like actual tarot cards instead of just tarot-inspired paintings

[healthmatters520]

Unlocking Productivity: The Science Behind Uberman Sleep

In a world where time is our most precious resource, the quest for productivity and efficiency drives us to explore unconventional methods. Enter Uberman Sleep, a fascinating departure from the traditional monophasic sleep pattern. Unlike the standard eight-hour nightly slumber, Uberman Sleep challenges the norm by breaking sleep into shorter, strategically timed naps throughout the day. But what’s the allure? Why would anyone willingly disrupt their sleep routine? The answer lies in the promise of heightened cognitive abilities, increased alertness, and the potential to unlock more waking hours for productivity. In this article, we delve into the science behind Uberman Sleep, exploring its benefits, risks, and practical considerations. So, fasten your seatbelts—our journey into the realm of polyphasic sleep begins! 

Understanding Polyphasic Sleep

Polyphasic sleep, a term that might sound like a sci-fi concept, is surprisingly prevalent in the animal kingdom. Let’s break it down: - Definition: - Polyphasic sleep refers to a sleep pattern where an individual takes multiple short naps throughout the day, rather than one long, continuous sleep at night. - Unlike the conventional monophasic sleep, which consists of a single uninterrupted sleep episode, polyphasic sleep divides the total sleep time into smaller chunks. - Animal Kingdom and Polyphasic Sleep: - Many animals naturally follow polyphasic sleep patterns. Dolphins, for instance, alternate between periods of wakefulness and brief naps. Similarly, some birds, like sparrows, take short naps during the day. - Even our feline friends—the cats—exhibit polyphasic behavior. They nap intermittently, often for just a few hours at a time. - Babies and Polyphasic Sleep: - Interestingly, human babies are born polyphasic sleepers. Newborns sleep in short cycles, waking up every few hours for feeding or other needs. - Around three months of age, most babies gradually transition to longer, consolidated night time sleep. This shift aligns with the development of their circadian rhythms.

Understanding polyphasic sleep lays the groundwork for exploring more extreme variations like the Uberman Sleep schedule. So, let’s dive deeper into this fascinating world of sleep patterns!

Popular Polyphasic Sleep Schedules

Polyphasic sleep is a practice of sleeping multiple times in a 24-hour period, usually for shorter durations than a typical monophasic sleep. Some people adopt polyphasic sleep schedules to optimize their productivity, creativity, or health. However, the scientific evidence for the benefits and risks of polyphasic sleep is still limited and inconclusive. Here are three common polyphasic sleep schedules that some people follow: - Uberman Sleep Schedule: This schedule consists of six 20-minute naps evenly spaced throughout the day, totaling two hours of sleep per day. Some anecdotal reports suggest that this schedule can increase productivity and alertness, but it may also pose serious health risks and social challenges with reduced reaction time1. - Everyman Sleep Schedule: This schedule involves three hours of core sleep during the night supplemented by three 20-minute naps throughout the day, totaling four hours of sleep. This schedule may be easier to adapt to than the Uberman schedule, as it allows for a longer uninterrupted sleep at night. However, it still requires strict adherence and may not suit everyone’s lifestyle or circadian rhythm. - Triphasic Sleep Schedule: This schedule features short sleep periods after dusk, before dawn, and in the afternoon, providing four to five hours of sleep per day. This schedule may be more natural and flexible than the other two, as it follows the patterns of light and dark in the environment. However, it may also disrupt the normal sleep stages and affect the quality of sleep.

Benefits and Risks

Polyphasic sleep enthusiasts often tout the following benefits, while acknowledging the associated risks: - Benefits: - Increased Productivity: Advocates claim that breaking sleep into shorter naps enhances productivity. By avoiding long periods of drowsiness, individuals can maintain focus and efficiency throughout the day. - Alertness: Short, strategic naps may prevent the midday slump and keep cognitive functions sharp. - Learning and Memory: Some believe that polyphasic sleep improves memory consolidation and learning capacity. - Flexibility for Shift Workers: Those with irregular work schedules find polyphasic sleep adaptable to their needs. - Risks: - Lack of Scientific Evidence: Despite anecdotal reports, rigorous scientific studies on polyphasic sleep remain scarce. We lack conclusive evidence regarding its cognitive benefits. - Social Disruption: Adopting unconventional sleep patterns can strain social interactions. Imagine explaining your six daily naps to friends! - Health Concerns: Chronic sleep deprivation poses health risks, including weakened immunity, impaired decision-making, and increased susceptibility to chronic conditions. In the quest for productivity, balance is key. While polyphasic sleep intrigues, tread cautiously—your health and well-being depend on it. 

Debunking Myths

As with any unconventional practice, myths and misconceptions often swirl around Uberman Sleep. Let’s separate fact from fiction: - Superiority Over Monophasic Sleep: - Myth: Uberman Sleep is the ultimate sleep pattern, surpassing monophasic sleep in every way. - Reality: While some enthusiasts swear by Uberman Sleep’s benefits, scientific evidence remains inconclusive. Monophasic sleep evolved for a reason—it aligns with our natural circadian rhythms and allows for essential restorative processes. - Anecdotal Claims vs. Research: - Myth: Anecdotal reports of heightened productivity and cognitive abilities are sufficient proof. - Reality: Rigorous research is essential. We need controlled studies comparing Uberman Sleep to monophasic sleep, assessing cognitive performance, health outcomes, and long-term effects. - Individual Variability: - Myth: Uberman Sleep works for everyone. - Reality: Our bodies differ. Some may adapt well, while others struggle. Factors like genetics, lifestyle, and overall health play a role. In the absence of robust scientific backing, skepticism is healthy. As we explore the boundaries of sleep, let’s remain curious but cautious. 

Practical Considerations

Transitioning to Uberman Sleep requires careful planning and patience. Here are practical tips to navigate this unconventional sleep pattern: - Gradual Adaptation: - Myth: You can abruptly switch from monophasic to Uberman Sleep. - Reality: Gradual adaptation is crucial. Start by reducing your core sleep time while gradually increasing nap frequency. Allow your body to adjust without extreme sleep deprivation. - Consistent Nap Timing: - Set fixed nap times throughout the day. Consistency helps regulate your body’s internal clock. - Use alarms or reminders to ensure you don’t miss a nap. Missing one can disrupt the entire schedule. - Create a Conducive Sleep Environment: - Designate a quiet, comfortable space for naps. Dim the lights and minimize disturbances. - Invest in an eye mask and earplugs to enhance nap quality. - Individual Variability Matters: - Understand that not everyone responds the same way to polyphasic sleep. Genetics, lifestyle, and health play a role. - Monitor your well-being closely. If you experience excessive fatigue or health issues, reconsider your approach. Remember, Uberman Sleep isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. Listen to your body, adapt mindfully, and prioritize overall health. 

Conclusion

In our exploration of Uberman Sleep, we’ve uncovered both its allure and its uncertainties. Let’s recap the key takeaways: - Polyphasic Patterns: Uberman Sleep is part of the fascinating world of polyphasic sleep. Animals, babies, and even some adults naturally follow these patterns. - Benefits and Risks: - Benefits: Increased productivity, alertness, and potential flexibility for shift workers. - Risks: Lack of robust scientific evidence, social disruption, and health concerns. - Debunking Myths: While anecdotes abound, rigorous research remains essential. Uberman Sleep isn’t a magic bullet. - Practical Considerations: If you decide to experiment with polyphasic sleep, do so mindfully. Gradual adaptation, consistent nap timing, and individual variability matter. In the end, consider the trade-offs. Productivity gains may come at the cost of social rhythms and overall well-being. Listen to your body, explore your own sleep patterns, and make informed choices. Sweet dreams, fellow explorers!  References Drowsy Driving, National High Traffic Safety Administration Read the full article

[theprissythumbelina]

Thanks for the tag. Why does poor Gustav never get like a day off or something? Every time I see him he's always miserable.

I haven't thought about this wip for like a year but something is calling me back to it today.

Esa was fairly sure dragons did not generally follow the teachings of holy men and women, but even that she could not be sure of. As her last words echoed around the stone walls and in Esa’s ear, there was a long pause. The first to move was a massive dragon with dark jade scales that faded to a cool blue-gray. This dragon raised its head in imitation of the red’s pose, and rang out a single syllable that Esa felt in her chest. One by one, each dragon perched or sprawled around the cavern rang out their agreement. Esa tried to count their numbers at first, but stumbled at four and twenty. After the last dragon gave voice, the red on her perch shuffled her wings, and settled into a crouch, her vermilion tail curled primly over her front claws. She fixed her shimmering eye on the small contingent of humans, speaking in their language. Esa wondered if there was a ruby on earth that matched in brilliance to the dragon’s eye.

Tagging @kittensartswriting @talesofsorrowandofruin @blind-the-winds @sam-glade @ghost-town-story @pheita @winterandwords @autumnalwalker and @sparrow-orion-writes

9 Sentences 9 Tags

Thank you so terribly much for the Tag, @username-cause-i-need-one ! I've just written something experimental-ey, so might as well share that.

I'll be Tagging @dogmomwrites @athenswrites @hessdalen-globe @caxycreations @avrablake @moonscribbler @r-eight @orphicpoieses @theprissythumbelina anyone who'd like to participate!

Writing tag game! Share 9 sentences and tag 9 people.

Gustav gave up on the cigarette on his third try, tossing its singed end into the damp grass where the pelting rain extinguished any last hopes it might have had of lighting up. At this point he didn't even care about his nerves, just the heat. Gustav didn't know a body could feel this cold.

Looking up, whatever sights he could have gotten of the desolate settlement that remained after last evening's fight were blocked out by the same grey veil. Under a tarp strung up across the frame of one bombed out old house Gustav was at least dry, and the rain washed away the smell of diesel and rot as surely as it did the echoes that still rang between his ears.

[venerablemonk27]

Now that spring is here, we're starting to see some changes in the local bird population. New faces are starting show up, and even the year-round species are out singing and generally being visible. There's territory to claim and potential mates to attract, after all. But while many species are just arriving or passing through, one that's dear to me is just about ready to depart.

[ID: A male Dark-eyed Junco stands in the newly-revealed grass and dead leaves. Juncos are small birds, about the size of a sparrow. This one is the slate-colored variety, with a dark grey head and upper body, contrasting with bright white underparts. He's facing the camera and looking slightly to the left. His eye is dark brown, nearly black, and his triangular bill is pale pink. End ID]

The Dark-eyed Juncos are strictly winter residents of southern Wisconsin, preferring to nest in Canada, the Northeast US, and parts of Appalachia. This past weekend, I could tell they had migration on their minds.

[ID: Another male Dark-eyed Junco, standing among dead twigs and sunflower seed shells. This one is darker grey in the head and breast, with lighter grey on the wings and a bit of rust color on the back. End ID]

For most of winter it's fairly common to see a solitary Junco or pairs or small groups picking through the snow under the birdfeeders in our backyard. But now they're forming a flock of at least 30 birds, foraging together and singing their loose trilling song. It's as if they know they have a long flight ahead, and every moment of daylight must be spent filling the tank and gathering their compatriots.

[ID: A male Dark-eyed Junco forages in the twigs and leaves for scattered birdseed. Juncos scrape at the ground with both feet simultaneously in a little hop, then inspect the freshly-exposed ground for tasty morsels. This one is mid-scrape, with debris flying around it. End ID]

So I decided to sit on the deck with my camera for a while to bid the Juncos farewell until next winter. I've been scattering seed back there every so often, and the other birds aren't exactly neat or careful when digging through the feeder above. As such, the Juncos have lots to choose from while poking around between the squirrels and the Mourning Doves. Once I sat down, they didn't seem to mind me at all.

[ID: A female Dark-eyed Junco inspects the ground for bits of seed. The females are distinguished from the males by their paler grey upper parts, sometimes with more brown and tan shades mixed with the grey. End ID]

Though, the birds did seem to mind when my kid joined me on the deck, brandishing his bright green snow shovel. They scattered to the trees or the fence and stayed there until I convinced him to put the shovel away in favor of coating the deck boards in a thick layer of sidewalk chalk.

[ID: A female Dark-eyed Junco sits on a wooden fence, waiting patiently for the danger posed by a nearby four-year-old to pass. The wind is catching the white feathers on her left hip and flipping them up like the flounce of a skirt. End ID]

As the sun sank lower in the sky, I figured I better get dinner started. I spent another minute or two listening to the evening birdsong before capping my lens and helping to knock the chalk dust off my kid's coat and pants. This sudden activity caused the Juncos to scatter once again. Have a safe trip little ones. I'll see you when the snow flies.

[ID: A female Dark-eyed Junco stands in the dirt, looking at the camera with head cocked to one side, as though she's wondering what this person finds so interesting about her. End ID]

[abeinginsand]

Sparrow Fight Scenes (Scene explanations below)

Top-left sketch shows Sparrow standing protectively in front of their brother, Terry Jr, and Grant. They have one power gauntlet on and are casting the poison spray spell. Terry appears to be frustrated and heavily injured. He's being held up by Lark and Grant. Grant's looking at TJ while Lark is smiling in his siblings direction. Sparrow's eyes are green and so is the poison spray flowing from his right hand. Side note, Terry and Grant are the tallest--Terry being slightly taller. He's just leaning into Grant and Lark heavily here. Top-right sketch shows Sparrow sliding down an incline while holding onto and firing a gun. The sketch directly below this scene shows Sparrow fighting back to back with Nicky. They are casting the shape water spell while Nicky is using his flaming sword. Below this sketch is a scene of Sparrow and his son Normal during a fight. He stands in front Normal and casts entangle in front of himself. The dialogue 'stay behind me' is written below him. Normal is casting a support spell on his dad--most likely a buff of sorts for protection. The last, bottom-left scene features Sparrow and Lark. Sparrow appears to be knocked out and in a puddle of blood. Lark rushes toward them from a distance. There's a exclamation point beside him in a spiked speech bubble. Tentacles are reaching toward the downed Sparrow and their broken glasses are beside them. Petals litter the ground around them. The sketch below this shows Sparrow in the same pose but now awake and grinning confidently. The words 'hehe' are written above them and they are casting the move earth spell. Three large rock pillars sprout from the ground around Sparrow and smack away and destroy the tentacles. Though not pictured, please imagine Lark being very relieved and proud in the distance, and also stomping on any leftover enemies around them. Other Notes: Head-canon that Sparrow's been pretty good at playing dead since childhood (much to his parents dismay). He stopped doing it for awhile (after the events of s1) but does use it in fights later on if it'll benefit him or the team! In the Normal and Sparrow scene, they were heading to the movie theater to meet up with Taylor and Cassandra. It was a movie Cass voice acted in and Sparrow dressed up for the occasion. Anyways, one of the viewers was on the sauce and a fight broke out. All four are fighting so once again--imagine Cass and Taylor fighting in the distance haha.

[sparrowgardner]

sparrow’s eyebrows rose towards their hairline as they watched the newcomer bend over, scooping a stone up from the side of the path and hurling it over the railing seemingly at a random point on the horizon. they felt the impact a fraction of a second before their brain registered it, every hair on their arm standing on end before the girl grabbed them by the shoulders, pulling her down just as the projectile came hurtling back towards them, crashing into some of the shrubbery a few feet behind them. momentarily struck speechless, sparrow stood and dusted themselves off, glancing between the stone’s point of impact and the ripple it’d made in what they could now see was a force field, surrounding the roof just over an arm’s length from the railing.

❛ is this how you make introductions back home ? ‘cause you really need to work on that. ❜ there was no real resentment in their voice, though, not when their brain was busy filing away this new bit of information. they crossed their arms, studying the girl, noting the eye-catching spread of her dress over the granite bench, the effortlessness of her pose. they remembered now : district four, aphrodite. fancy name, for a district girl. ❛ not the plants, no. we don’t plant a lot of this pretty stuff in eleven. ❜ if greenery couldn’t be consumed, then it had no business growing on arable land ; that had been the thought, anyway. ❛ i like high places, though, so it feels a little nostalgic. you ? i'm having a hard time imagining a place that looks less like the seaside than this one. ❜ not that they'd ever seen it themselves, but that was besides the point.

nobody's stopped me yet. aphrodite laughed softly-- wry. she doubted the capitol cared about snagging views for free, about tributes jumping, maybe. curiously, she grabbed the first flat stone she could find in the gardens and threw it towards the horizon, like a skipping stone. only there was no water for it to skim across, only a forcefield that it crackled against, then bounced back at full force. "duck!" aphrodite pulled sparrow's shoulders down as the stone flew back, then helped her up when the coast was clear. figures, she thought.

back home, aphrodite would rise with the sun and help her father prepare everything he needed for a successful day of fishing. nets, bait, hooks, and spears. it was always a lot of work, but often worth it. but instead she answered, "i don't think anyone sleeps well here." she sat on a barrier beside the garden, linen dress splayed out around her, and long, tanned legs crossed in front of her. "does it remind you of home at all? not the view but...the plants?"

[luzuranoceda]

Yulivia | The Hardest Thing

[Image description: Four gifs of Yunan and Olivia from Amphibia. Gif 1: Yunan talks to Olivia while Oliver smiles at her and Marcy Wu looks at the pair. It then cuts to show Yunan and Olivia holding hands, and Marcy smiling. Gif 2: Yunan and Olivia slide off of Joe Sparrow using one of his wings, landing next to Grime. Olivia and Yunana hold hands and turn to see Toadstool and Todie walking towards them. Gif 3: Yunan and Olivia watch and smile as a pair of poliwags walks in from of them. Olivia is talking. Gif 4: Yunan poses dramatically, and Olivia smiles and pats her waist. Yunan glances down at Olivia, then rubs the back of her neck, embarrassed. End description.]

[Plain text: “Yulivia | The Hardest Thing” in italics. End plain text]. 

[mariacallous]

With OpenAI’s ChatGPT now a constant presence both on social media and in the news, generative artificial intelligence (AI) models have taken hold of the public’s imagination. Policymakers have taken note too, with statements from Members addressing risks and AI-generated text read on the floor of the House of Representatives. While they are still emerging technologies, generative AI models have been around long enough to consider what we know now, and what regulatory interventions might best tackle both legitimate commercial use and malicious use.

What are generative AI models?

ChatGPT is just one of a new generation of generative models—its fame is a result of how accessible it is to the public, not necessarily its extraordinary function. Other examples include text generation models like DeepMind’s Sparrow and the collaborative open-science model Bloom; image generation models such as StabilityAI’s Stable Diffusion and OpenAI’s DALL-E 2; as well as audio-generating models like Microsoft’s VALL-E and Google’s MusicLM.

While any algorithm can generate output, generative AI systems are typically thought of as those which focus on aesthetically pleasing imagery, compelling text, or coherent audio outputs. These are different goals than more traditional AI systems, which often try to estimate a specific number or choose between a set of options.  More traditional AI systems might identify which advertisement would lead to the highest chance that an individual will click on it. Generative AI is different—it is instead doing its best to match aesthetic patterns in its underlying data to create convincing content.

In all forms (e.g., text, imagery, and audio), generative AI is attempting to match the style and appearance of its underlying data. Modern approaches have advanced incredibly fast in this capacity—leading to compelling text in many languages, cohesive imagery in many artistic styles, and synthetic audio that can impersonate individual voices or produce pleasant music.

Yet, this impressive mimicry is not the same as comprehension. A study of DALL-E 2 found that it could generate images that correctly matched prompts using the word “on” just over one quarter of the time. Other basic spatial connections (such as “under” and “in”) led to even worse results. ChatGPT shows similar problems. As it is merely designed to string words together in a likely order, it still cannot reliably pass basic tests of comprehension. As is well documented by Professor Gary Marcus, ChatGPT may often fail to “count to four… do one-digit arithmetic in the context of simple word problem… figure out the order of events in a story… [and] it couldn’t reason about the physical world.”

Further, text generation models constantly make things up—OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has said as much, noting “it’s a mistake to be relying on [ChatGPT] for anything important right now.” The lesson is that writing convincing, authoritative-sounding text based on everything written on the internet has turned out to be an easier problem to solve than teaching AI to know much about the world. However, this significant shortcoming did not stop Microsoft from rolling out a version of OpenAI’s technology for some users of its search engine.

Still, this sense of authenticity will make generative AI appealing for malicious use where the truth is less important than the message it advances, such as disinformation campaigns and online harassment. It is also why an early commercial application of generative AI is to create marketing content, where the strict accuracy of the writing simply isn’t very important. However, when the media website CNET started using generative models for writing financial articles, where the truth is quite important, the articles were discovered to have many errors. These two examples offer a glimpse into two separate sources of risk from generative AI— commercial applications and malicious use—which warrant separate consideration, and likely, distinct policy interventions.[1]

Handling the Commercial Risks of Generative AI

The first category of risks comes from the commercial application of generative AI. Many companies want to use generative AI for various business applications that are far more general than simply generating content. For the most part, generative AI models tend to be especially large and relatively powerful, and so while they may be particularly good at generated text or images, they can be adapted for a wide variety of tasks.[2]

The most prominent example may be Copilot, an adaptation of OpenAI’s GPT-3. Developed by GitHub, Copilot integrates GPT-3 into a more specific tool for generating code, aiming to ease certain programming tasks. Other examples include the expansion of image-generating AI in helping to design video game environments and the company Alpha Cephei, which takes open-source AI models for speech analysis and further develops them into enterprise voice recognition products. The key concern with collaborative deployment using generative AI is that neither company may sufficiently understand the function of the final AI system.[3]

The original developer solely developed the generative AI model but cannot see the full extent to how it is used when it is adapted for another purpose. Then a “downstream developer,” which did not participate in the original model development, may adapt the model and integrate its outputs into a broader software system. Neither entity has complete control or a comprehensive view into the whole system. This may increase the likelihood of errors and unexpected behavior, especially since many downstream developers may overestimate the capacity of the generative AI model. This joint development process may be fine for processes where errors are not especially important (e.g., clothing recommendations) or where there is a human reviewing the result (e.g., a writing assistant).

However, if these trends extend into generative AI systems used for impactful socioeconomic decisions, such as educational access, hiring, financial services access, or healthcare, it should be carefully scrutinized by policymakers. The stakes for persons affected by these decisions can be very high, and policymakers should take note that AI systems developed or deployed by multiple entities may pose a higher degree of risk. Already, applications such as KeeperTax, which fine-tunes OpenAI models to evaluate tax statements to find tax-deductible expenses, are raising the stakes. This high-stakes category also includes DoNotPay, a company dubiously claiming to offer automated legal advice based on OpenAI models.

Further, if generative AI developers are uncertain if their models should be used for such impactful applications, they should clearly say so and restrict those questionable usages in their terms of service. In the future, if these applications are allowed, generative AI companies should work proactively to share information with downstream developers, such as operational and testing results, so that they can be used more appropriately. The best-case scenario may be that the developer shares the model itself, enabling the downstream developer to test it without restrictions. A middle-ground approach would be for generative AI developers to expand the available functionality for, and reduce or remove the cost of, thorough AI testing and evaluation.

Information sharing may mitigate the risks of multi-organizational AI development, but it would only be part of the solution. This approach to help downstream developers responsibly leverage generative AI tools only really works if the final system is itself regulated, as will be the case in the EU under the AI Act, and as is advocated for in the U.S.’s Blueprint for an AI Bill of Rights.

Mitigating Malicious Use of Generative AI

The second category of harm arises from the malicious use of generative AI. Generative models can create non-consensual pornography and aid in the process of automating hate speech, targeted harassment, or disinformation. These models have also already started to enable more convincing scams, in one instance helping fraudsters mimic a CEO’s voice in order to obtain a $240,000 wire transfer. Most of these challenges are not new in digital ecosystems, but the proliferation of generative AI is likely to worsen them all.

Since these harms result from malicious use by scammers, anonymous harassers, foreign non-state actors, or hostile governments, it may also be much more challenging to prevent them, compared to commercial harms. However, it might be reasonable to require a certain degree of risk management, especially by commercial operations that deploy and profit from these cutting-edge models.

This might include tech companies that provide these models over API (e.g., OpenAI, Stability AI), through cloud services (e.g., the Amazon, Google, and Microsoft clouds), or possibly even through Software-as-a-Service providers (e.g., Adobe Photoshop). These businesses control several levers that might partially prevent malicious use of their AI models. This includes interventions with the input data, the model architecture, review of model outputs, monitoring users during deployment, and post-hoc detection of generated content. Manipulating the input data before model development is an impactful way to influence the resulting generative AI, because these models greatly reflect that underlying data. For example, OpenAI uses human reviewers to detect and remove “images depicting graphic violence and sexual content” from the training data for DALL-E 2. The work of these human reviewers was used to build a smaller AI model that was used to detect images that OpenAI didn’t want to include in its training data, thus improving the impact of the human reviewers. The same type of model can also be used at other stages to further prevent malicious use, by checking to see if any images submitted by users, or the images generated by generative AI, might contain graphic violence or sexual content. Generally, the practice of using a combination of human reviewers and AI tools for removing harmful content may be an effective, if not sufficient, intervention.[4] The development of generative models also may provide an opportunity for intervention, although this research is just emerging. For example, by getting iterative feedback from humans, generative language models can become moderately more truthful, as suggested by new research from DeepMind.[5]

User monitoring is another tactic that may bear fruit. First, a generative AI company can set transparent limits on user behavior through the Terms of Service. For instance, OpenAI says its tools may not be used to infringe or misappropriate any person’s rights, and further limits some categories of images and text that users are allowed to generate. OpenAI appears to have some system to implement these terms of service, such as by denying obvious requests for harassing comments or statements on famous conspiracy theories. However, one analysis found that ChatGPT responded with misleading claims 80% of the time, when presented with a catalog of misinformation narratives. Going further, generative AI companies could monitor users, using algorithmic tools to flag requests that may suggest malicious or banned use, and then suspend users who become repeat offenders.

In a more nascent approach, researchers have proposed using patterns in generated text to identify it later as having come from a generative model, or so-called watermarking. However, it is too early to determine how such a detection might work once there are many available language models, available in different versions, that individual users are allowed to update and adapt. This approach may simply not adapt well as these models become more common.

Collectively, these interventions and others might add up to a moderately effective risk management system. However, it is highly unlikely it would be anywhere near perfect, and motivated malicious actors will find ways to circumvent these defenses. In general, the efficacy of these efforts should be considered more like content moderation, where even the best systems only prevent some proportion of banned content.

It is still the early days of generative AI policy

The challenges posed by generative AI, both through malicious use and commercial use, are in some ways relatively recent, and the best policies are not obvious. It is not even clear that “generative AI” is the right category to focus on, rather than including individually focusing on language, imagery, and audio models. Generative AI developers could contribute to the policy discussion by disclosing more specific details on how they develop generative AI, such as through model cards, and also explain how they are currently approaching risk management.

It also warrants mention that, while these harms are not trivial, there are more pressing areas in which the U.S. needs AI governance, such as protections from algorithms used in key socioeconomic decisions, developing meaningful online platform policy, and even passing data privacy legislation. If perhaps not a priority, it is worth considering regulations for commercial developers of the largest AI models, such as generative AI.[6] As discussed, this might include information sharing obligations to reduce commercialization risks, as well as requiring risk management systems to mitigate malicious use. Neither intervention is a panacea, but they are reasonable requirements for these companies which might improve their net social impact. This combination might represent one path forward for the EU, which was recently considering how to regulate generative models (under the distinct, but related term, “general-purpose AI”) in its proposed AI Act.[7] This would raise many key questions, such as how to enforce these rules and what to do about their considerable international impact. In any case, if the EU or other governments do take this approach, it is worth keeping policies flexible into the future, as there is still much to be learned about how to mitigate risks of generative AI.

[the-hilda-librarians-wife]

Carpe Diem - Chapter 5

Pairing: Sketchbook (Kaisa/Johanna)

Summary: Carpe diem: one of the five latim mottos of the arcadist, or neoclassical movement. Literally translates to "seize the day"

Picking up where Locus Amoenus left off, this fic follows the lives of Kaisa and Johanna for a couple weeks as their feelings grow and develop. At some point there will be a couple of weeks of hiatus, but for now this fic will be updated weekly

Notes:  Trigger warning for mentions of child abuse. If you want to skip it, stop when Kaisa begins speaking about Frida’s adoption, and come back after the “***” sign I put there

Btw, this is when the hiatus starts! I'll be out for two or three weeks and then come back. But I suppose that since this week and the last one I posted two chapters, I'm actually on track lol. It's fitting, too. This may not be the numeric half of the fic, but it's the moral half of the fic. if you know what i mean

Credits for the quotes I used are on the ao3 notes

Read it on ao3 or read the first installment on this verse or read the second installment on this verse  

They raced each other down the stairs and to the dining room like kids, finding when they got there a Frida that looked unamused, and a Tildy that looked very much so. Both of them had sat side by side at the table, and the other two seats were directly in front of them, leaving the girls no choice but to sit shoulder to shoulder. Or shoulder to arm, in their case.

The meal was a creamy mushroom risotto, and conversation flowed easily between them while they ate. It was a bit stunted and awkward at first, but when Johanna told Frida she’d been a Sparrow Scout herself in her childhood, and had often been the one in her level to win the most badges each year, the four of them didn’t run out of conversation topics any time soon.

Once dessert had been eaten, a banoffee pie that Tildy had baked the day before and stored in the fridge for that occasion, Frida excused herself to go read. After being sure that Johanna really was done with her food, Kaisa took the chance to invite her out into their backyard.

She’d seen some splashes of colour from across the glass panel that covered a good chunk of the dining room’s wall while they were eating, but nothing could have prepared her for a closer look at it. If there was any doubt in her mind that Tildy was some sort of sage fairytale sorceress, it vanished the second she stepped into her garden.

Colours both vibrant and soft filled her sight no matter which direction she looked at. There was no grass anywhere to be seen, the ground being covered by native weeds, which were protected from their feet by the stone path traced between the flowerbeds, much like the one in the front yard. Even as a self declared flower enthusiast, there were flowers there that Johanna had never even heard of, and some that she recognized from her time as a scout as being extremely rare and hard to take care of. Still, even though it was a clearly cared for space, it didn’t look controlled, or limited in any way. Fallen leaves and flowers were left to enrich the soil, stems grew in whichever direction they pleased, and weeds were only taken care of when they posed direct threat to other plants.

It was jaw-dropping. And it was also autumn. Johanna could barely picture how this place must look during springtime.

She desperately hoped she’d still be around in Kaisa’s life to witness it.

“We don’t have many plants in bloom at the moment.” The girl said, as if she’d read Johanna’s thoughts. “But it’s still a sight, isn’t it?”

Even though she was aware that her face was being watched for a reaction, Johanna needed some seconds to herself before she could gather any coherent thoughts.

“Are you kidding me? This is one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen in my life.” Except for you, she added to herself, wishing Kaisa really could read her mind and either confirm her suspicion or tell her to back off.

Instead of helping her in any way, her friend only smiled with self-satisfaction. “I’m glad you think so. You know, I’ve been wanting to show you this for a good while now. I remember the first thought I had when I followed you into the humanities’ garden was ‘oh, this has nothing on Tildy’s flowers’.”

“You weren’t wrong.” Johanna breathed, only now noticing how many bugs there were around. Butterflies fluttered all around them, and some bees flew lazily between the flowers that were in bloom. A caterpillar munched on a brown leaf, and a trail of orderly ants crossed the stone tile just in front of her feet. It was all too easy to imagine Kaisa’s childhood self following those animals with a magnifying glass and a book in her little hands. “I don’t even have words.”

Kaisa bounced on her heels, pleased with Johanna’s reaction. “There’s a bench at the centre. Would you like to go there, or are you cold?”

“Cold? I would gladly freeze to stay here longer. Lead the way, by all means.”

She did, and each step they took allowed Johanna to get a different angle of the fall scene around them. When a dragonfly got bold enough to land on her jacket, Johanna felt certain that she’d accidentally slipped and fallen into some sort of dreamy magical land.

The dragonfly flew away when she sat down beside Kaisa on the wooden bench that was at the intersection of stone tile paths that came from different directions, all leading to a different section of the garden. As it did so, it gave Johanna the perfect opportunity to marvel at the way that light caught on its wings, until it flew out of sight and her attention was turned back to the plants.

“Does Tildy tend to all of this herself?” She’d called the woman ‘Matilda’ earlier, during lunch, and gotten an amused laugh and a request to just call her by her nickname in return. Even if she wasn’t there to listen to her say her full name, Johanna felt too honoured by being allowed the small intimacy not to use it. Kaisa shrugged.

“Mostly. Sometimes Frida and I help when there’s something more strenuous to be done, but it’s mainly her; she’s very agile for her age, you know. Plus, it keeps her active. She takes care of us, which I imagine takes a lot of her time and serenity, but since she’s retired, she likes to keep a couple of hobbies to keep her mind sharp. She still trades a lot of correspondence with younger researchers in her area, though.”

Every week new letters (yes, letters, because the people in Tildy’s field knew she preferred them to emails) arrived at their home from people who were looking into the history of their surrounding countries, discussing new archeological findings, new texts that had just been dug up, new theories that were being created. Every time, Tildy had a piece of advice and a thoughtful opinion to give. It made Kaisa grateful that this woman had adopted her so she could simply walk into whatever room she was in and ask her questions whenever she felt like it. Going to the post office sounded like too much of a hassle. Also she wasn’t exactly sure how stamps worked, honestly, only that Frida was currently obsessed with collecting them.

“That’s nice. She’s a fantastical person. And so is your sister. I really loved meeting them. It’s nice to see where you came from.”

Looking down at where her hands were resting against her lap, Kaisa smiled. She couldn’t help it. Her family was amazing, and she knew it was a green flag any time someone could see it too. She’d had enough people looking at their unusual configuration the wrong way to know it wasn’t always the case.

“Thank you. I’m glad to hear it, I know they had a blast meeting you too.”

Maybe they had enjoyed it more than they should have, in fact, but if Kaisa was feeling particularly merciful once Johanna had headed back home she might even let it slip.

“If I may ask…” Johanna began tentatively, but Kaisa already knew the answer. She could ask anything she wanted, and Kaisa would bend the world if she needed to in order to deliver. “Is there any story behind your adoptions?”

Letting out a huff of air through her nostrils, Kaisa ran her hands over her cardigan. “I was very young when Tildy brought me, so I don’t really remember it. I don’t think my age justifies it, but I don’t even have any memories from before. Frida, though, that was a whole situation.”

Johanna turned on her side to face her better, giving her a look that gently said ‘I’m listening, if you want me to’.

“Her biological parents were awful.” There was no beating around the bush. Many times she had been asked if she had felt any jealousy when Frida was brought over, but the truth was, as soon as Tildy had told her her story, Kaisa had felt ready to hunt down those people herself. “They made her take part in all sorts of competitions that would get them money if she won. Spelling bees, pageants, the newspaper’s competition for ‘tidiest child’ title. That sort of thing. And goodness, she was only four. They…” 

Kaisa took a deep breath to hold onto her anger, clenching her fists.

“They hurt her when she didn’t win. Fucking monsters, I swear.”

Beside her, she heard Johanna’s breath catch in her throat. 

“The police eventually found out, thank the heavens. She was placed in foster care, and there Tildy found her and brought her home. Luckily this ends as a happy story. She does all that she can to help Frida with the marks that those first years left in her, and even though she still struggles with a lot of what she was forced to learn, at least now she knows she’s unconditionally loved and has all the tools to heal.”

It was a story that boiled Kaisa’s blood whenever she thought of it. She couldn’t imagine ever being able to cause any harm to any child at all, let alone to the sister she loved with her whole heart. Secretly, though, it also made her feel a freezing fear deep in her guts. Something told her that she herself was too similar to Frida for it to be a coincidence, and it was probably the same reason that had made her brain block any memories from before Tildy.

“I am so sorry to hear this, Kaisa.” Johanna sounded genuinely heartbroken. “That’s… God, that’s awful. I wouldn’t ever have imagined that.  I’m so glad she’s here now.”

Trying to cut through the heavy mood of her own creation, Kaisa gave her as much of a smile as she could manage. “Yeah, me too. Things have a way of working out in the end, I suppose.”

She nodded, and turned her attention back to the plants. The sun hadn’t left its peak long ago, and its rays warmed their skins enough that it was very comfortable to just stay there, and do nothing. A couple of moments later, though, Kaisa spoke again.

***

“You know, it just occurred to me that I don’t know much about your family either. Just that you moved here when young and that Edmund is somehow your cousin. I’m sorry, is there a reason for that, or did it just not occur to me to ask?”

However much she’d been hoping the conversation didn’t turn to that, Johanna laughed at the way she had phrased it. It was okay, though, she told herself. She could open herself to Kaisa. How were they supposed to go anywhere at all if they weren’t willing to be vulnerable with each other?

“There is a reason for that. It’s not a pretty story. But I feel like you’ve earned it at this point.”

Kaisa was about to rush to assure that she didn’t need to share anything she didn’t feel like, that sharing her family secrets didn’t entitle her to hers in exchange, but Johanna lifted a hand to ask her to hold it in. She wanted Kaisa to know about these pieces of her, she realised. She hadn’t earned them with a story, but with her care and friendship over the last weeks.

“My parents live in Trolberg.” She began, noticing that Kaisa had settled into her best ‘paying attention’ position. “But right on the other edge of town, which was a relief, because it meant that as soon as I got into college I had the excuse that their place was too far away, and was allowed to move in with Ed, since the place had just been vacated. You can imagine it wasn’t a tranquil family life. I’ll preface this by saying I don’t think my parents have any malice in them, I just think they have a lot of baggage and didn’t realise the extent to which they were letting it out on me.”

“The point is, they were very strict. If my grades weren’t the best, they were meaningless. If I didn’t win the competitions they signed me up for, I was lazy. If I complained about anything, or acted like a child does, I was ungrateful and not putting in the effort, and God forbit I told them that sometimes I just couldn’t focus and it wasn’t something I could control. They expected perfection from me, and made sure that I always wanted to deliver. It wasn’t anywhere near abuse, thank goodness, but there sure was a lot of gaslighting and restricting involved. I felt like a terrible daughter, and honestly a terrible person when I couldn’t do what they wanted. I even felt guilty when I was allowed to begin medicating, because they made me feel like I shouldn’t need to, even though they never told me so this directly. Eventually, they didn’t even have to encourage me anymore. I had internalised all of that so bad that I believed I wanted those things for myself. I was even convinced that my dream was to study law at some fancy university abroad, can you believe it?”

Swallowing past a lump in her throat, Kaisa nodded. She could believe it a little too well, in fact.

“Anyway, that began to change when I realised I was bi, and I finally had to face something about me that wasn’t what my parents wanted, but wasn’t something that I could change through effort or keep in check with medication either. And I was shocked to realise that I didn’t want to change it. I couldn’t see why I should, and the mentality I had inherited from them began to make less and less sense. The school I went to had a therapist, and I decided to go talk to her. She helped me realise that I could find joy in the way I am, that I didn’t want to move so far away from where I grew up for my education, that I didn’t want to be perfect all the time. It took a lot of time to come to terms with this. I think I may have spent the best part of my High School years dealing with some intense internal turmoil, but once I realised what actually made me happy, I grabbed it and have been doing my best to not let go. 

“I’m not out to my parents, so the hardest thing was probably telling them I had applied for the major I actually wanted, in the university I was actually interested in. They were so disappointed. But seeing this disappointment and not swaying for their sake was definitely one of my highest moments. That was when I knew I really was healing effectively, even if my instinct would have been to budge and spend my life being miserable because of it.”

“Someone up there must have been looking out for me, because Ed just happened to have that opening just in time for me to move in. He has always been my favourite family member.”

Johanna shrugged, looking at her open palms on top of her jeans.

“I know it’s not like Frida’s story, I am very lucky in comparison, but I just wanted to tell you all of this. Maybe you’ll think it’s silly, but I feel like you deserve to know what’s going on inside my mind even if I try not to show it, and it felt right to let you know that I see you. I know family pressure is not your case, but I know what the price of perfection is, and I really hope you don’t feel like you have to pay it all the time.”

It took all of Johanna’s self control not to gasp when she looked back at Kaisa. She was crying, and not a little, but she hadn’t made <em>a sound</em> while Johanna spoke. Crystal tears streamed down her face, her eyes red and her lip wobbling. It was the silent crying that Johanna usually associated more with shock than sadness, though she supposed there had been no way for her to expect all that she had been told.

Just as Johanna had had no way to expect the hug that she jumped on her with.

“Fuck, Anna, I’m so sorry.” Kaisa breathed into her shoulder before Johanna even had time to process this new development and wrap her own arms around her. Truth was, Kaisa didn’t even know what she was sorry for. If it was all that her friend had been through, while she herself got to grow up with a mother that didn’t ask anything of her but her happiness. If it was for thinking she’d been laidback when they first met, when in fact it probably took all of her effort to even look that way. If it was for earlier, for failing to interpret the shadow cast over her when she saw the frames on her wall. If it was for being the personification of all that had hurt her. It didn’t matter, at this point, all that mattered was that she managed to offer some comfort to her friend, as powerless as she was.

To her relief, Johanna laughed, making soothing circles on Kaisa’s back, which was completely unfair. She should be the one giving solace here, not the other way around.

“It’s okay.” She said calmly. Kaisa only hugged her tighter. “It’s in the past now. As much as it can be, anyway. I still go to therapy and it helps a lot, I feel like I’m on the right path. Living with my cousin is a blessing in this sense, really. It feels like an eternal buddhist retreat, except the monk is an ecology nerd.”

“I’m glad.” She sniffed, still not looking up. Aside from not wanting to let Johanna go, she was sure her face must be looking like a mess that moment. “You deserve to be happy.”

“So do you.” Answered Johanna, now sounding like she was holding back tears of her own. “Please think about what I said. I know I haven’t known you for long, but it feels like you don’t give yourself enough credit. Which is awful, because you’re one of the most amazing people I know. Please don’t allow yourself to think that you need to spend your life like this. It doesn’t lead anywhere good, I promise.”

Kaisa breathed deep, feeling the tips of Johanna’s curls tickle her nose. She made a resolution, then, that before Johanna left she’d take a picture with her and her family, and hang it on that damned prize wall. No accomplishment had ever felt bigger than getting those three fantastic people to care about her, and she could use a reminder of that. Maybe, when she woke up each day and looked at it, she could make the decision time and time again to do right by them. Maybe that was a step that she could take.

They allowed themselves to hug for a while longer, until they broke apart, Kaisa’s arms being tenderly clasped by Johanna’s hands as they simply looked at each other. Looking at her like this, all deep eyes and knowing smile, Johanna looked like a muse that made all the classic paintings pale in comparison. Kaisa’s heart picked up pace just by looking at her, and suddenly she understood all the fuss the Romantics made about valuing the emotions and the senses over rationality. No rational thought could be as precious as the person in front of her and the way she felt when they were near.

Then, Kaisa’s heart worked even quicker, but for a different reason. It was never a good sign to understand the Romantics. She felt the blood drain from her face.

Love is fire that burns without being seen.

Fuck.

You may blame Aphrodite, soft as she is she has almost killed me with love.

Fuck.

I would not wish any companion in the world but you.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

While she had spent weeks brushing off the signs, the truth now hit Kaisa with its full, undeniable force.

She was in love.