#there's not a photoshoot in my collection i actively dislike

[dreamcatcher-roulette]

😅 I was wondering what you would think about the CURSE(D?) album versions - I usually only get the limited version (+ platform), but the normal versions look incredibly appealing! They remind me of magazines for a coffee table or dentist's waiting room 😆

Happy upcoming Teaser #1!

I buy the limited and regular versions but not platform versions because, [gestures vaguely around this blog], I have always been in it for the physical print media above everything else. I suppose really I could just buy the limiteds now since those are the ones I'm flipping through regularly — the original intent was for me to crack the spines of the normal editions not the limiteds because they're thinner and therefore its a bit easier to do but then The Horrors Happened (limited edition exclusive photoshoots and the numbers not lining up) and I started having to hold up the limited editions one handed anyway while searching for the right angle of the light — but especially this time around with the normal editions being larger and looking completely different (AND COOL) I think they continue to earn their spot (on a different shelf...)

Some of the biggest clownery of my life was when I finished my album collection in Summer Holiday era and said all proud and accomplished "I love how Dreamcatcher's albums always have the same dimensions, they look so beautiful in my shelf. Can't want for the next trilogy!" I have not known peace since.

[deathbypufferfish]

It's finally done cooking, my sims gameplay ideas list! After scouring all types of sites, generators, lists, and my brain for ingredients, I've come up with a list stew that hopefully will spark some inspiration for your sims gameplays!

This non exhaustive list consists of ideas that are applicable to sims gameplay/things to do in-game. AKA things that can be played out in the sims or half pretended. If you're looking for less-gameplay story ideas, I recommend my story/conflict idea list. Most of the conflict and love ideas are on that list. Please feel free to send asks to add to the gumbo! Just note in your ask that it's for the gumbo and keep it applicable/feasible for gameplay. (To keep the post from getting too long I'll make a contributor list into a compressed image later on for those who send off-anon.)

If you are looking for more complex, in-game story ideas check out the Story Soup list here!

🍲 Gumbo below the cut! ⬇

Single Sim Gameplay:

Learn an instrument

Learn a new skill

Start a seashell collection (Island Living)

Have a sim get a bad haircut

Enroll an Adult/Elder sim in university

Use a skill you don’t usually play with

Become a mountain climber

Build a Servo

Take care of local strays

Use more likes/dislikes

Conflict:

Drop out of or fail university

Drop out or fail out of highschool

Talk badly about another sim in your house to other sims

Sim loses their job

Failed retail business

Family:

Foster a child

Parties for children

Have a baby shower

Have a slumber party

A grandparent/other family member moves in with your main household

Have a specific family holiday tradition besides the in-game ones

Family bike rides

Game night

Parent trains child in their sport

Family hikes at Granite Falls

Family volunteering

Bake sale (entrepreneur table)

Have a family photoshoot

Have teens study at the library

Have your teen go through a bad fashion phase

Host an exchange student

Make school picture day photos (Teen poses, children poses)

Have an arts & crafts day

Go fishing as a family

Have a specific weekly meal (spaghetti night, a fancy meal)

Make ice cream together (Cool Kitchen Stuff)

Wear matching pajamas for holidays

Have a bake off

Play with voidcritters (Kids Room Stuff)

Granola family (camping, hiking, low tech, simple living)

Play in a multi-generational household

Adopt

Family reunion

Unexpected baby

Have siblings share a room

Social/Activities:

Sports party night (e.g. watching the superbowl, world cup, etc)

Start a book club (with clubs)

Have a themed kids birthday party (Here’s a helpful website for ideas)

Have a potluck (buffet tables)

Garden party

Neighborhood party

Neighborhood holiday decorating contest

Host a haunted house in your home

Picnic

Barbeque party

Go to the arcade

Go regularly to restaurants (Dine Out Reloaded Mod to make restaurants tolerable)

Have an out of control party (maybe a teen party)

Go camping

Go to an Ice skating rink/roller skating rink

Spa day (at home or at a spa)

Make an army of snowpals

Movie night

Stargazing night/camp out in the backyard

Weekly bowling night

Museum trip

Karaoke night at home

Campfire night

Pool day

Weekly meetups with friends at a cafe

Try on wedding dresses with a bridal party

Have someone stay over (Growing Together)

Love:

Hook up with a service sim

Have a vacation romance

Have a “meet the parents” moment

Have an affair

Divorce

Marital fight

Rejected proposal

Throuple/Open Relationship (Open Love Life Mod)

Left at the altar

Use fear of commitment, jealous, or unflirty trait

Create a rocky marriage

Challenges:

Spend too much money on a vacation

Play with lot challenges

Use simple living (only cook with ingredients and do grocery orders)

Don’t clean up after sims (don’t drag plates, laundry, trash)

Use the Reduce and Recyle lot challenge for realism

Use the Filthy lot challenge to make cleaning harder

Lose a large sum of money

Randomize your sims’ traits as they age up

Household:

Have puppies and kittens

A serious house fire (either with cheating or with fireworks. There is also a mod for more intense fires here

Spring cleaning

Garage sale

Visit houses before you move into them

Create a storage room/attic (Eco Living boxes, Discover University chest, toy chest, treasure chest etc) Use this for old heir’s items if you are playing a legacy

Start a garden (herb, vegetables)

Renovate the house

Watch what your pets are doing

Adopt a stray animal

Teach your pets tricks

Upgrade objects

Have a home bar/rec room

Go on a vacation

Play with roommates (additionally have them be odd, difficult, or a romance option)

Have an always messy home

Hire a live-in butler

Hire a regular maid

Location:

Play in a sustainable community on one of the islands/isolated areas. (community farm, community space, homes)

Play in a tiny home (Tiny Living)

Play in a haunted house residential (Paranormal Stuff)

Become an Archaeologist. Live in Sulani and regularly visit Selvadorado for work

Career/Business:

Bookstore

Art gallery: sell your paintings or buy them off Plopsy/Buy Mode

Bakery

Play a career you don’t usually play

Winter sports store in Mt. Komorebi

Own a farmstand for your produce (Eco Lifestyle entrepreneur table) You can even build a small building for it on your property!

Pet supplies store 

Plant store

Tourist gift shop

Mattress/Bed   store

Florist shop (Flower Arranging Skill)

Juicery (Juice Fizzing Skill)

Yoga studio (host classes at a retail business or at a home studio)

Start a Bed and Breakfast/AirBnB with the roommate system

Become a celebrity in a path besides Actor/Actress (Author, Chef, Video Creator, Skier, etc.)

Food truck (Restaurant)

Fish stall (Entrepreneur table)

Make a living on Plopsy

Wool store (Cottage Living)

Natural health store (Herbalism)

Resources Used

ADAM DRIVER GIF DISCLAIMER: YES I KNOW IT'S A STEW

[the-necessary-unnecessary]

My top 7 Arsenal wfc players, aka the whole team because they're all my children and you can't chose between children

(And they're not many more than seven anyways)

Beth Mead: a wizard on the wong and the original crot queen. She may not have had the best season this year but shes still managed to play an important part in the team and has conquered many hearts in the process. If she has to retire early because of all the hits she receives during matches then she's got a bright future ahead of her as a cringey tiktok star or, if that fails, a career as a HSM impersonator on cruise ships

Cailtin Foord: there were mixed opinions when she was first announced as a new signing, but she almost immediately became one more member of the arsenal family amongst players and supporters alike. Before Covid struck shes already stamped her mark on the club with her skill and made her way onto the scoresheet, and now shes also made her way into Lia's house and infected the squad with the chaotic tiktok bug

Dan Carter: literally a gooner through and through having played for arsenal for practically all her life and pulling through in the big moments. Heartbreak and injury have been her middle names for over the past year having sustained two ACL injuries in 14 months. Even if she hasnt had as much of an impact on the pitch shes still been a large part of injury fc, with her and her diary always being a source of sarcasm and banter through it all.

Danielle Van De Donk: she probably described herself best when she said she was a feisty puppy who wants to ball. A woman who takes no prisoners during matches, opponents refs and the back of nets all fear her. Off the pitch though shes a real softie who radiates chaotic energy and yet has developed over the years into quite the leader (even if she still follows beth around on her tiktok adventures)

Jennifer Beattie: a friendly giant who quietly puts in all the work at the back, being an absolute unit as a last line of defense which was sorely missed during her injury. She came back from City because arsenal is home and that's beautiful. Talking about beautiful, her and Chloe. That's it, nothing more needs to be elaborated on. Pretty underrated although shes been getting more attention lately, she makes Kim company as the quiet Scottish duo who are lethal on the pitch

Jill Roord: despite her love hate relationship with goal posts, shes still made her mark at arsenal this year especially thanks to the fact that she has remained injury free this year (dont worry I touched wood when I typed that) and hopefully next year when shes settled in even more to the team and the league then she'll be able to show what she's truly made of. That is, if she lasts that long before the team kick her out for being too annoying. A woman who likes the two extremes, Frozen and Olaf as well as blonde tattooed players and famous thirst traps, she epitomises this soft yet hard personality dichotomy too

Jordan Nobbs: calm, composed, skillful, professional, dynamic and with the capacity of being able to astutely read the game, she's the personification of arsenal in a player. Having been at the club for a whole decade now she's practically lived it all and yet she continues on hungry for better and more. With the way she acts on the pitch you would never guess her forgetful, dorky, awkward nature off it. The woman with both the longest nando's order ever and the shortest attention span.

Katie McCabe: the Irish devil, the arsenal player founder of the tucked in shirt, member of the love to hate her girlfriend club. Her almost permanent move to left back this season has reaped bountiful benefits for her, a flexible player who always finds freedom on the wing shes proved herself as lethal as both a defender and a finisher. In Jordan's words, she talks about her biceps all the time, but so would I if I was that stacked. That being said, Ruesha always finds a way to beat her which is probably payback for her scoring against West Ham in the cup

Katrine Veje: another player lost to injury this season, although lockdown has treated her well (that makes one of us) and she's apparently fully fit again. Shes been sorely missed as a fullback for most of her season, her explosiveness and crosses in particular. As it is shes used her time to get in some spectacular photoshoots and just be and just be a source of clownery as a veteran at injury fc

Kim Little: as silent as Kim and as deadly as Kim should be new british sayings at this point. Quick on her feet with nerves of steel shes an impressive player to watch and is sometimes the glue in the midfield that keeps arsenal together. Her professionalism both on and off the pitch is as big as her dislike of cameras

Leah Williamson: the face of arsenal and not because of her looks, rather because of her insane talent and her embodiment of all things arsenal. From the moment she was born arsenal was pumping through her veins. One of the best up and coming CBs with long range passes for days she has been a crucial part of the arsenal squad for so long you forget she's just 23. What she lacks in some of her fashion choices she makes up in her bright and nerdy personality and her never ending stream of insults directed at Jordan

Leonie Maier: she recently said that she has never regretted the decision to move to arsenal and that has been because shes been able to shine in defense mainly alongside Leah, each playing off each other's strengths and developing herself as a player in a new league which is never an easy transition. Dont let her banana bread making trick you into thinking shes the mum in the group, shes proved herself to be as chaotic as the rest of them.

Lia Walti: arguably the best thing to come out of Switzerland since toblerone (much better than swiss cheese though). Like a lot of arsenal players, it sometimes seems like she would be better off playing in bubble wrap so she wouldnt sustain as many injuries. She's an intelligent player, one of the best qualities to have as a midfielder, with skill coming out of her ears and unfulfilled potential still to come. Her sunshine-like looks can be deceiving though because she leaves her brain cells in the changing room, as is becoming an arsenal tradition.

Lisa Evans: another alround players who, as a winger-cum-fullback, has thrived in her position this year. Her defensive position yet forward thinking mentality has proved deadly and when shes been given space to roam the wing too shes provided goals and assists a plenty. Her unpredictability on the pitch translates into her chaotic tendencies off it and a love for the arsenal anthem “we've got McCabe, Katie McCabe”. Sometimes she likes to pretend that she's a seal (exhibit A attached below)

Louise Quinn: it would be stereotypical to say that it's natural that shes so good at headers due to her height, but stereotypes exist for a reason and her tower-like build makes her a match for any Millie Bright in the heading department. She's a consistent, sturdy player who is great at starting up play from the back in many cases providing that vital first past (sometimes with her head because she's tall). Her pastimes include drinking a lot of coffee, understandable that she needs to refuel considering her height, and making fun on her teammates so that they dont make fun of her accent and her 183 cm length. Have I mentioned that she's tall?

Manuela Zinsberger: an extremely talented goalkeeper although sometimes people can excusably confuse her with being arsenal's eleventh outfield player. Another bayern recruit she's been key this season making some great saves and causing a few heart attacks in the process (west ham's penalty box free kick anyone?). She may look tough but she's just as much a clown as the rest of them

Pauline Peyraud-Magnin: the second proud member of the goalkeepers union. Shes not called the Hulk for no reason, racking up some great saves and skills with her feet even as Joe's second choice. What she lacks in command of the english language she makes up in utter chaos including hand gestures, shouting and eratic dancing, well as staging photoshoots at arsenal's gym.

Viki Schnaderbeck: shes been able to mostly avoid injury fc this season after a long stint there last year and her hardwork has paid off to establish her as a mainstay here as a skilled defensive player. Shes been loud and proud recently on social media and I am loudly and proudly here to support it

Vivianne Miedema: in Katie's own words “the goat”. Absolutely lethal as a center-forward, calm collected and composed in front of the goal, and also crucial in providing build up play and assists. She can both hold off opponents and reach an unmatched maximum speed with surprising ambidexterity and complete nonchalantness. The only player who is actively lazy and is able to get away with it. She puts up with a lot of chaos but is not unknown to add to it too, mainly providing subtle humor and sarcastic wit. Not a personality for the faint hearted.

[writer-akihiko]

Chapter 2 - Hangout [QuartetNight]

Chapter 3 →

Camus Cryszard

For the past few rehearsals, Camus had attended and observed your masterpiece. How you changed it. How you developed the suspense and diminished it.

It was the end of one of your last rehearsals before the final performance. The relationship between you and Camus... well you two didn't have a dispute like your first meeting so everything is alright per say.

The orchestra had left to their dorms or their other activities. You, however, sat in the practice room, reviewing snippets of the arrangement.

"LN-san, you are still working," He said, noting that you did not leave with the orchestra members.

"Yes I am..." You replied, scribbling comments on your notebook. "What of it?"

"Are you having some trouble?" He asked, all gentlemanly.

"Are you putting on your idol personality?" You giggled a little. "Sorry if I sound rude. I have worked with two-personality idols, Camus-san."

He dropped the act immediately. You went to explain your problem.

"Well, one of the cello players doesn't keep up..." You said.

"Yukinari-san was it?"

"Y-Yes... You noticed as well?" You were surprised that he went so far to acknowledge the student's name as well.

He haughtily pushed up the reading glasses he wore. "I am supposed to observe this rehearsal."

You went back to your notetaking. Camus sat across from you on the desk as well, adjusting the reports he had done for the day.

Deciding to break the awkward silence, you said to Camus, "I know you have a dislike towards me. But it's the last day we'll see each other."

He looked up at you in confusion. He had the typical 'what are you talking about?' expression.

"What I'm saying is... can we just chat over some cake? I just wanna clear things up," You said. You pulled out two separate containers of cake that you bought. He got up. "I will prepare some tea then."

Camus came back with a tray of a tea set. Your eyes widened at the fancy presentation.

"I just wanted to apologise about the first time we met. We got off on the wrong foot," You explained.

"Taking a break will help you find solutions," He said. "And I have to say... I apologise as well LN-san."

"We were both in fault," You admitted. You two began to talk about other things ー professional things of course. Ambitions, the academy and the people you work with. He spoke a little of bit of his members as well.

Once he had finished his tea and his cake, he decided to leave.

"I hope you succeed in the project," Camus tells you before leaving.

"Is that your idol persona or your honest feelings?"

"My honest feelings."

Ai Mikaze

After successfully finishing the song, you had invited Ai out as a thanks. To be honest, you didn't know what teens like him wanted nowadays, so you had to ask him to go shopping.

"Thanks to you, Ai-san, my voice acting improved! I connected the character more though your song!" You said, giving him a thumbs up.

He just nodded, silently accepting your gratitude.

"Anyway, I'll treat you today. Whaddya say?" You said. "Where do you wanna go first?"

He looked confused. "I... I don't know."

"Look around. Sure you'll find something," You said, encouraging him.

He wandered around, as you ate your crepe. You offered to purchase him one, but he refused again.

"I want to go here," Ai finally tells you.

He pointed to a gaming store. You quickly stuffed your crepe in your mouth and walked inside with him.

Ai was quick to make his purchase. It was the recent historical video game that came out.

"You like this game too?!" You said, excited.

Ai was confused. "You played this before? How? It came out only a week ago.”

You laughed. "I voice acted for this. See?" You pointed out your name on the game pack to him. You were one of the main side characters. "We got the copy of the game earlier for our work."

"Oh." A red slowly crept onto Ai's face. "Thank you for buying this for me." You paid for the game. "When you levelled up enough, you can battle against me!"

"Sure," he said.

Reiji Kotobuki

It was a week after you had attended Quartet Night's concert. To your relief, your senior gave you glowing reviews despite Kotobuki-san giving you a difficult time in terms of communication.

You decided to show your gratitude to your senior. "Junpachi-san! Thank you for giving me a great review."

He smiled at you. "Nothing to worry about LN-san. I was just honest."

He offered you a cup of (f/d) to which you accepted. You sat across from each other as you two continue to write up reports. "LN-san. I apologise," Junpachi spoke up.

"Huh? What for?"

"Kotobuki Reiji-san asked for your contact. I gave it to him," He explained. "Before you get mad at me, I didn't know how to turn him down! I bet he's pretty powerful and influential and..."

"WHAT?!"

"Look at it like this. You are still looking after Kotobuki-san as credit. I'll even put in a word for you for the professor. Just please... forgive me," He begged. As if on cue, your phone received a notification.

Hey Miss Paramedic! Your kind senior gave me your number and I just wanted to take you out as a thanks! Please accept?

"Junpachi-san... It's him..."

"Well... Answer him!"

You quickly typed back:

If you send me to the research centre, I'll consider.

Great! I'm waiting for you at Entrance E!

He's already here?!

You apologised to your senior and went to the lot. Lo and behold, Reiji was there. With his car. In disguise of course.

"I thought we would go on a ride," He said, fishing out his keys. "This is a one-time thing, right?" You said.

"It's a thanks, Miss Princess." You didn't bother to correct him anymore. He opened the front door to the passenger seat, and you hopped in. In the car, you were reviewing your notes.

"It looks difficult," He commented. You silently agreed, nodding your head. Reiji went on and on about his day. Recordings, photoshoots, his bandmates, teaching other idols...

"Must be tough being a star," You said. Reiji didn't say anything afterwards. He piped up again. "YN-san, why did you decide to come? Did you just need a ride?"

"Nope," You immediately denied. "I could've asked my senior if I wanted." Reiji was stunned.

You continued. "But... I wanted to apologise."

"Huh?"

"When you sprained you ankle, you couldn't perform at your concert. You just had to sit on a chair and sing. If I tried my hardest, I could've at least enabled you to walk around or stand upー"

"What are you going to do about it now?" He asked. "The concert went well, and the fans weren't angry. Camyu... Well... He scolded me for slipping up on a simple step."

He stopped the car at the entrance of the research centre.

"I'm going to try my hardest," You said. "It wasn't my best. I'll try to give ー no. I'm going to give my best next time. Kotobuki-san get better soon. And thank you. If this is our last encounter, then I am glad."

You got out of the car and left.

"I wouldn't want it to be our last..." Reiji mumbled as he drove off.

Ranmaru Kurosaki

It's been few days of you and Ranmaru being on the same vicinity. However, you two haven't hung out ever since that surfing incident due to your clashing schedules. Finally, on the second last night of your stay, Ranmaru was free for dinner. At the hotel restaurant, you and Ranmaru ー and the rest of Quartet Night ー had dinner together.

You chatted casually with the rest of the members, mostly getting along with Reiji since you both like to tease Ranmaru.

Dinner soon ended and Ranmaru pulled you away from the rest of his group. He took you along the boardwalk near the beach and stepped into the soft grainy sand. You followed suit and sat down with Ranmaru who was rummaging through his drawstring bag.

"What are you doing Ran?" You said. "Shouldn't we go back?"

"They'll be fine... Help me out here."

You crouched down and what was on the sand was... shells. And string. Clasps. Picks.

"You wanna make bracelets?" You guessed.

He took off his necklace that he kept since childhood. He showed the imperfections that scratched the worn-out shells.

"I need to repair it... I don't really know how," Ranmaru admitted. "Since you made it, I thought you could help me."

You took off your bracelet and snapped the band. "I guess we might as well make a new set!"

You two worked together to make a bracelet and a necklace set for each of you. You glanced at Ranmaru's collection of tiny shells. "When did you collect all of these?" You said. "It's an impressive collection!"

He reddened at your praise. "I collected randomly... I-It's... You shouldn't think too much about it!"

"Whatever you say~"

You two finished up. "Do you like it?"

You showed off the shell necklace you made. He nodded and gave you the bracelet he made. "I tried to replicate it..."

You put it on. "Thanks..."

You were about to continue until your phone buzzed. It was your manager. "Well, looks like I have to go back to my overprotective mother," You said sarcastically. You picked up your stuff and waved goodbye. "Let's meet up again Mawu!"

"S-Sure!" Ranmaru waved back. As your figure faded into the distance, he pressed his palm above his thumping heart. "No way... Do I like her?"

Chapter 3 →

[fymoonbyul]

[ARTICLE] Moonbyul - Allure Korea Magazine Interview

ALLURE: I learned how to make you laugh today. You laugh when you're complimented. Like you can't stand it.  MOONBYUL: Haha. Because I don't usually get complimented (meaning during photoshoots). Normally, the mood for our shoots are always quiet, but today's friendly atmosphere is unfamiliar. 

ALLURE: It's quiet? I recall an energetic appearance when I think of MAMAMOO.  MOONBYUL: If you actually see us, we're not. The members are severely shy. We become active once we open up. Also, there are a lot of times where we're quiet because everyone's tired.

ALLURE: If you were to rank MAMAMOO members based on shyness, where do you stand?  MOONBYUL: I think I'm last. Because I'm the one that's least shy.

ALLURE: We're meeting during a chaotic situation. I heard your scheduled solo concert was also cancelled?  MOONBYUL: It was the time when I was going to properly start preparing for my concert after my album activities were over, but it was postponed. Since we don't know when things will get better. 

ALLURE: You just completed your second solo activities. Was it satisfying?  MOONBYUL: I really really liked it. At first, I didn't think about the results. It's also a song that isn't popular to the masses. I can do this kind of genre. My goal was to show that I can that, so I liked just being able to promote it. They were satisfying promotions because people bought a lot more albums that expected. 

ALLURE: Compared to your first solo, what's different?  MOONBYUL: I didn't promote my first solo on broadcast. If I had expressed, 'I want to live doing music I like', 'Love myself some more', for this album, it was, `Let me do something that I love'. I think the message was, 'I can do something like this, too, because I love myself'. 

ALLURE: MAMAMOO's Moonbyul's music and solo artist Moonbyul's music is different. What do you think is the most different thing?  MOONBYUL: I think it's dancing and music genre. As a soloist, I want to show myself attempting various genres. I think that's the biggest difference. When it comes to dancing, I'm not good at girls hip-hop, but like urban [dancing]. I wanted to show there's someone in MAMAMOO that dances like that, and that there's a girl that does this kind of dance. I like the basics of urban dance, and form that's created in it. It's a dance that shows both being relaxed and power at the same time. 

ALLURE: You named your album 'Dark Side of the Moon' as a metaphor to a solar eclipse4 probably also has the meaning of the side that isn't shown much to people.  MOONBYUL: Inner side. I thought that was a good meaning. My name is Moon Byulie. My surname is Moon and my name is Byul[ie]. I've always said I wanted to do music with my name as well. I think I was able to show the music that's within me. There are also the lyrics, 'when the moon becomes dark, I'll become a star and shine on you'. I love myself. It's like showing self-love.

ALLURE: It's not the title song, but the lyrics for 'ILJIDO' were quite nice. MOONBYUL: That song is a story about me. I thought I didn't have worries, but I must have actually had a lot of worries. It's a song about the time where everything was going well, but I still couldn't sleep. My current appearance is probably what ardently dreamed of as a trainee in the past, so the worries I have now are probably unnecessary. It's about going back to beginner mindset.

ALLURE: Your daily life was depicted as lyrics. Dating just in dramas, and every day where you have a hundred complaints.  MOONBYUL: You learn love through dramas. (laugh) After debuting, I think work always came first. Our company also doesn't prohibit dating, but to just do things well on your own. But, even though I, as a person, am lonely, I don't think I wanted to solve that with dating. Because I always have a dream. Since before, I didn't want to create a past, so I didn't take photos except for my graduation photos. I think that's when I started preparing for my dream for the future.

ALLURE: Looking back, do you regret it?  MOONBYUL: But, that wasn't bad. There's a lot that I need to continue drawing, I felt having this occupation was a start for me. Debuting was a turning point for me. 

ALLURE: Not everyone has that discipline.  MOONBYUL: Instead, I'm afraid of attempting things. I think I'm slowly learning how to attempt things with this occupation. Today's photoshoot was also new for me. It's unfamiliar for me to look at myself. While taking photos, I've never showed so much skin like I did today. I always had my own frame, but, I think I disliked it myself, and wanted someone to break it for me. I tried doing my makeup or styling in a familiar way for 7 years, but I broke myself a little today. 

ALLURE: MAMAMOO is known as a group that doesn't do a lot of photoshoots. But I heard you told your company that you wanted to do this first? MOONBYUL: That's right. I told them that I wanted to show various things with this solo. I think it's really fun! Like, I know what the appeal of photoshoots are. I did a photoshoot with MAMAMOO members early in our debut, and it was really hard. Even now, our fans talk about that photoshoot a lot. (laughs) 

ALLURE: It's been a little while, but MAMAMOO won on <Queendom>. What kind of program was it left as for you?  MOONBYUL: It was really tiring during it. But, thinking about it now, I think it created memories that couldn't happen again. I also learned a lot like, 'so this is how other groups prepare', and, `this is how they solve things'. It was tiring, but we were able to have valuable experiences. I [we] cried a lot during the final because it was so happy and sad. I think various emotions exploded at that time.

ALLURE: Seeing the way you respected each other left an impression. Are you keeping in touch with the other groups that appeared with you?  MOONBYUL: Honestly, everyone was so good that I'm not sure why we had to compete. I think I became an Inssa' (insider/extrovert) through <Queendom>. Though, the members didn't. (laughs) The thing left over for me through <Queendom> is an increase in my social skills. We became close through missions, and we made plans to meet each other in light of becoming close. Bring your members out!

ALLURE: You're skilled at ad-libs. Do you normally watch a variety of content MOONBYUL: There's just a lot that I want to do. I want to do this and do that. While having idea meetings, I think I catch what's thrown at me, and evolve it. There are things that also catch on by thinking from the perspective of the viewer. 

ALLURE: [MAMAMOO's] film awards stage is an awards show legend. It's like the answer sheet [for award show stages].  MOONBYUL: The actors really reacted so well. Honestly, those atmospheres are created together. Because we approached them like that, they reacted nicely, so we were really proud. We were really nervous doing that performance.

ALLURE: It's a time to realize how precious your daily life is. How have you been spending it?  MOONBYUL: I'm an active person, so I'm getting stressed a lot. I can't go work out, and I can't meet anyone. So I go visit my members homes. (laughs)

ALLURE: You all live separately? What is your house like?  MOONBYUL: I don't have any interest in interior [decorating]. (laughs) I have the same furniture my mom bought me when I first started living alone. Still, I think of my bed and comforter importantly. I like bedding and pajamas. I change them often as well. I recently bought lots of pajamas, too. I think collecting pajamas is like a hobby.

ALLURE: If you couldn't come out of your house for one month, what would you do?  MOONBYUL: I'll probably eat delivery food almost every day... I think I'll game, and I also watch lots of YouTube. I come out in Solar unnie's YouTube [channel] a lot. I just look for the scenes that I'm in, but there were so many ads that I paid for it. (laughs) I recently got the feeling that my ears were purified after hearing a song. After hearing it, I felt that it was really, good. I got to hearing APRIL's 'April Story', and I got this refreshing feeling like my ears were on a mountain. Like OH MY GIRL's 'Secret Garden'.

ALLURE: Who would you want to work with next?  MOONBYUL: Taeyeon sunbaenim! I liked TVXQ and SNSD a lot during my trainee days. Taeyeon sunbaenim was my phone background before, too. If I was to [work] together with Taeyeon sunbaenim, I think I would feel like I was on top of the world. (laughs)

ALLURE: What are you thinking about next?  MOONBYUL: I'll work hard on MAMAMOO's activities, and, if I get some resting time, I'll prepare my solo. I don't like resting. Even if they give me a break, I use that to work on my solo. Because, if I rest, I get lots of thoughts and can't sleep.

trans by ch0sshi

[viktorbezic]

Constraints Journal: How Rei Kawakubo Built a Fashion Empire Through a Quiet Culture of Making

Discipline: Fashion

Born in Tokyo in 1942, Rei Kawakubo, the oldest of three children and the only daughter, grew up in the post-war US occupied Japan. It was a time of poverty and humiliation in Japan, the occupation would end in 1952. Kawakubo had a close-knit family where her mother made all of the children's clothes. When Kawakubo grew up, she would enter Keio University where her father worked, and graduate in 1964 with a degree in “the history of aesthetics,” which included studies of both Asian and Western art. As Japan grew in the 60s, the young Japanese embraced the western counter culture of the 60s and Kawakubo had an interest in the punk movement. At 22 she left home with no explanation to her parents or any real plans. She moved into a shared apartment in Harajuku, where a lot of the youth would hang out and display the latest in street fashions.

Kawakubo’s initial instincts were to be self-sufficient. She found a gig at the bottom of the ladder at an advertising agency of a textile manufacturer, Asahi Kasei. She had no desire to wear the traditional uniform of the company and refused. Her boss gave her some freedom in dress and also in scouting props and costumes for photoshoots. After a couple years on the job, one of her colleagues who’d later become an influential fashion journalist encouraged Kawakubo to go freelance as a stylist in 1969 (1). Dissatisfied with the clothes that she was given for photoshoots she started making her own clothing. This was with zero training in fashion or a formal design education. Her unique vision came from seeing things as a stylistic whole and thinking about what would make an interesting image. As opposed to focusing on a single article of clothing. The clothes that she made for photo shoots, Kawakubo would later sell to maintain her independence (2). She sold them under the label Comme des Garçon as she liked the way the French sounded. By 1969 she was using whatever funds she had from her stylist work to create a youthful sportswear line that was carried in trendsetting shops. She rented a space in a graphic arts studio and hired a few assistants. After a decade by 1980, Commes des Garçon would grow to have a hundred and fifty franchised shops across Japan (3).

Kawakubo describes her early creative success as a result of focusing on her independence. “I tried to achieve my aim which was to do something by myself, Kawakubo explains further, "Oh, of course, I loved to work in the fashion world, but as a first priority, I wanted to work as an independent person. I just happened to find my own job in the fashion field.” Fans of the brand were obsessed. The aesthetic at this time was inspired by the loose and rustic garb of Japanese fisherman and peasants. At the age of 40 in 1981, although well known in Japan Kawakubo was an unknown in the west, she had her first runway show in Paris. The show caused controversy but also put Comme des Garcon on the map, Kawakubo’s response, "I only came to Paris with the intention of showing what I thought was strong and beautiful. It just so happened that my notion was different from everybody else’s.” Her alternative view to that of the fashion establishment also applied to other areas of her business. She would typically work with models that were overlooked by other fashion houses. Again she’d look at a model as a whole person. This included both image and attitude. Kawakubo would find one of the traits she values most in the models. Independence. In Kawakubo’s words, “People interest me. I am inspired by the people surrounding me. Beautiful or stylish is a personal feeling. I don’t have a definition of beauty. I don’t have an establishment view of what beauty is. My idea of beauty keeps changing. When I choose models, I like a strong, independent person, maybe who is disliked by other people. I want to see an all over feeling, not just from an architectural point of view. I want to see wide angle (4).”

Another critical component of her continual creative breakthroughs, in addition to going against the grain, is the strong desire to create something entirely new every season. Kawakubo call’s the process starting from zero. Not building on what was done previously or relying on hits from last season. She tries to minimize as much outside influence as possible. As she noted, it gets harder and harder to start from zero as you get older. You begin to acquire more and more baggage. Kawakubo agonizes over trying to get something new with every collection. She enjoys the journey no matter how hard it is. "It’s boring if things are accomplished too easily, right? When I work, I think about the excitement of achievement after hard effort and pain (5).” This inward creative focus is also imparted on her staff. Her directive to them is to find the new, but doesn’t want to influence the results by describing in exact detail what her vision his. They look inward instead of to her to uncover the new. This includes everyone from the pattern cutters and designers.

Attention to detail and trying to push the boundary of what’s possible put Comme des Garçon in a class of its own. This attention to detail is part of the brand’s DNA. The clothes aren’t expensive because of the name that’s on it but because of the experimental techniques that are used to make them as Kawakubo explains, “My Clothes perhaps end up expensive, not because the company is making a huge profit, but because we create special fabric, and there are certain techniques involving lots of details. Instead of buying three pieces of clothing in a month or a year, why not buy one thing they can afford and enjoy it. Rather than a lot of clothes, I wish people would value creativity so that the world would not be filled up with rubbish clothes.” Kawakubo also resists the uniformity of machines in the process. She doesn’t want things to be perfect, she wants them to be human. Kawakubo hints at the idea of special wrongness. The unique quirks that make something special. Kawakubo explains, “The machines that make fabric are more and more making uniform, flawless textures. I like it when something is off - not perfect. Hand weaving is the best way to achieve this. Since this isn’t always possible, we loosen a screw of the machines here and there so they can’t do exactly what they’re supposed to do (6).”

Kawakubo has built her creative empire through making. Creating is the first priority. She is famously private. Kawakubo rarely gives interviews and is not active in the fashion entertainment press. Her clothes and her work do all the talking. Kawakubo stresses the importance of silence, “Silence is very important to me. I find being alone rather relaxing. I must be a very obstinate woman (7)." It’s clear to me that she is tapping into her introverted superpowers. Looking inside for inspiration, not getting influences from elsewhere. She takes this same approach with the Comme des Garçon brand actively cultivating talent internally. She asks her designers if they want their own line.  It takes a ton of confidence in your own creativity to do that. But I also think it’s how she keeps the team motivated to discover the new. The team doesn’t toil in obscurity for the sake of her name and the Comme des Garcon brand. This is a very unselfish move. She does because she put herself in the shoes of her designers. It probably attracts top talent for the brand. Examples of her team who have created their own lines include the founder of Sacai, Chitose Abe and Kawakubo's protege Junya Watanabe who not only has is own line but has notable collaborations with Converse, Puma, Carhartt, and North Face (8).

Other designers that have struck out on their own with Kawakubo’s backing who ultimately weren’t cut out for the task could come back into the Comme des Garçon fold and work for Kawakubo. Experimentation without consequence. She instinctively knows that allowing her designers to build their own brands and labels ultimately make Commes des Garcon brand stronger.  It makes Commes des Garçon a magnet for design talent. Knowing there are opportunities to maximize their own creative potential with the support of Kawakubo. This philosophy also extends to the new retail experiences she’s built with her partner Adrian Joffre in Dover Street Market.

Dover Street Market retail concept was started in 2004 on a side street in London’s Mayfair district. Rent for the space came as a whole, and it was a ton of space. The couple didn’t want to share the area on someone’s else terms so they would lease out the whole space and do things their way. Inspired by the stalls of Kensington Market they wanted to put together different designers together in a sort of marketplace. A fundamental tenet was putting established designers alongside emerging designers creating a unique offering over traditional retailers. It took people some getting used to, they didn’t initially understand it and would describe it as being “mixed up.” Kawakubo and Joffe’s response was, “deal with it. It’s not like the department store; this is different.” There is a mix of pop-ups, special collaborations, and art installations. The precursor to Dover Street Markets would be temporary as what they referred to as guerilla store in various cities around the globe, which included Reykjavik, Warsaw, Barcelona, Stockholm, Athens, and Beirut. Permanent Dover Street Markets can be found in London, New York, Tokyo, Los Angeles, Singapore, and Beijing. The shops close up and change format regularly to bring in a new mix of art and collaborations. They cost a fraction of what their luxury counterparts invest in their spaces although they carry capsule collections or unique collaborations from the same luxury brands in their shop. Content matters, more importantly, diversity of content with a unique point of view. Walking through a Dover Street Market is definitely a unique experience, not something that could be easily replicated online.

All growth to date is organic and in the service of creativity. Comme des Garçon is more like an ecosystem versus a hierarchical brand. Brand extensions and products lines expand freely off of Comme des Garcon’s core brand. It’s a very flat structure. According to Joffe, “We keep things on a parallel level, we can’t grow deeply, we’re not big enough or rich enough to open flagship stores around the world like multi-national corporations, so we have to grow the company laterally. That’s why we’ve got 17 brands. We’ve just got to continue, organically and naturally. Slowly, slowly, little growth. We don’t want to double overnight. We’ve never had investors or anything like that." What they are doing is working. Dover Street Market now makes $130 million/year across five stores which is a 130 percent increase over last year (9).

At the age of 70 Rei Kawakubo continues to be a force in the fashion world. Comme des Garçon generates $220 million in revenues and employs over 800 people (10). Creativity remains to be the critical priority not only for Kawakubo but for the brands and designers she touches. And constant change fuels growth.

References

1. Thurman, Judith. “The Unsettling Vision of Rei Kawakubo.” The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 10 July 2017, www.newyorker.com/magazine/2005/07/04/the-misfit-3.

2. Kawakubo, Rei, and Terry Jones. Rei Kawakubo: Designer Monographs. Taschen, 2012.

3. Thurman, Judith. “The Unsettling Vision of Rei Kawakubo.” The New Yorker, The New Yorker, 10 July 2017, www.newyorker.com/magazine/2005/07/04/the-misfit-3.

4. Kawakubo, Rei, and Terry Jones. Rei Kawakubo: Designer Monographs. Taschen, 2012.

5. Ibid

6. Ibid

7. Ibid

8. Rabkin, Eugene. “The Children of Comme.” The Business of Fashion, The Business of Fashion, 6 May 2015, www.businessoffashion.com/articles/people/the-children-of-comme.

9. Marshall, Alexandra. “Dover Street Market Expands While Defying Retail Convention.” The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones & Company, 14 Aug. 2018, www.wsj.com/articles/dover-street-market-expands-while-defying-retail-convention-1534253394.

10. Kansara, Vikram Alexei. “Adrian Joffe, Tending the Garden of Comme Des Garçons.” The Business of Fashion, The Business of Fashion, 28 Sept. 2013, www.businessoffashion.com/articles/people/adrian-joffe-rei-kawakubo-tending-the-garden-of-comme-des-garcons.

[thebeautybunny]

Instagram- The Good, The Bad, and The UGLY

       To be 100% honest with you guys, there was a point in my life (not too long ago) when I hated Instagram. I thought it was a biased, unrealistic platform where users would post only the highlights of their lives, showing off to other users how much better their lives were than theirs. A covertly competitive mainstream app that was all about who could take a nicer photo than the next person, who has the most followers, or which celebrity is commenting under a hot influencer's post with multiple  “ 😍 😍 😍 😍”  emojis. It sickened me that this popularity contest-turned image sharing site was so popular and one of the most used across the WORLD. Why Instagram? Why this social media site that makes millions of other users feel bad about themselves?

     It wasn't until recently that my pessimistic outlook of Instagram changed. 

      I decided to give the whole “Instagram-esque” lifestyle a chance and be consistent with posting onto my public beauty account- and I'm talkin' serious consistency. I challenged myself to post 1 photo a day onto my Instagram account for 30 days. I actually went out of my way to take high-quality professional photos with my Nikon camera. If I was out and I didn't have my camera, I would take selfies on my iPhone or ask someone to take photos of me. I set reminders on my phone to post at least once a day, scheduled at the time that my account's analytics determined would drive the highest engagement. I even went so far as to watch YouTube videos on how to get more followers and increase engagement on Instagram. I made quite the effort to make my page look as high-quality as I possibly could.

      Then, something quite surprising happened- this drastic change in my lifestyle of taking nicer photos for the gram actually changed my perspective for the site into a much more positive one. Shocking, I know! I actually found myself looking forward to taking nice photos everyday! Somehow, It even allowed me to make more time for my friends by bonding with them over photoshoots that I'd put together for us. Taking more photos for my page also encouraged me to spend more time outside and allowed me to explore more of my city, finding cute hot-spots and hidden, photogenic gems that were tucked away in the town. Through this experience, I gained more knowledge about photography, more than I had learned from the class I had taken at my university. I found that putting effort into my Instagram account challenged me to step up my... "selfie game", if you will, and pushed me to take better photos of myself, which has also refined my photography skill.

     As surprising as this sounds, this experiment has turned my previous burning hatred of Instagram into love for the platform. To be honest, It really forced me to compete with my own self rather than with other Instagrammers. Now, I have an online portfolio of quality self-potraits that continues to grow. And... I love it! Had I not challenged myself to post everyday for a month, I wouldn't have this nice little collection of photos of myself. It's almost as if it has become a new hobby for me- one that I enjoy partaking in. My number of followers has also grown- for the longest time, I was at a stagnant 278 followers, and now I'm at 365, two months later. And I am so thankful for each and every one of them!

      When I started this challenge, I did not expect myself to enjoy it so much that I would actually incorporate it into my daily routine. In fact, I thought that I would give up about a week into it, because of how much I had disliked Instagram. But now, it's fascinating to see how my perspective of the app has changed within the 30 days of actively using it. It's also exciting to think that this is only the beginning-imagine where I would be a year from now if I continue posting quality photos everyday?

      This challenge has really opened my eyes to how Instagram can actually be a beautiful place so long as you use it as a way to hone your skills and better yourself, rather than to compare yourself to someone else's perfectly curated lie- I mean, life. Once you truly- and I mean TRULY- understand how much work, time, editing, makeup, and bad shots goes on behind that one seemingly flawless shot your favorite influencer just posted, you realize that maybe, just maybe, that person is not trying to make YOU feel worse about yourself or your life. Maybe they are just trying to improve theirs and challenge themselves to put out their best work. And what's so wrong about that?

     I think the problem is not that Instagram is a fake, unrealistically-portrayed world where everything is a lie- although it can be. But, I think we just see it that way. Where the real problem lies is within ourselves- we are constantly comparing ourselves to others when we shouldn't. Just because someone has posted a beautiful photo of themselves partying on yacht in Greece DOES NOT mean that your life automatically sucks!!! Just because Kendall Jenner posts a stunning selfie of herself DOES NOT mean that you are ugly!!! It's like comparing a bouquet of flowers and Christmas lights. Both are beautiful in their own way, but you wouldn't compare them, because they are not the same. SO, why are you comparing your own unique beauty and your own extraordinary life to someone who is not....you?

     One quote related to this conversation that really resonates with me is "Comparison is the thief of joy", which is extremely true. Imagine if you were the only one to exist in your own little world. Although lonesome, without anyone else there to compare yourself to, you wouldn't even be able to grasp the concept of comparison in the first place. Imagine how liberating a world that would be?!

   “Comparison is the thief of joy.”- Theodore Roosevelt

  I don't think we need to change Instagram. I think we need to change our mentality. Let's stop comparing ourselves to others and start celebrating our own unique lives for the beauty that they hold, and work on becoming the best versions of ourselves, one day- or photo- at a time.

Tell me: what do you think about Instagram? I'm curious. Leave your thoughts here.

Thanks for reading, babes! 

~xoxo Chiyo  ♡

follow me on instagram

[hari-writes]

Three Sides to the Story - Chapter 7

Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug Pairings: Adrien/Marinette Marinette/Chat Noir Summary: It’s been almost three years since Adrien Agreste walked out of Marinette’s life. An accidental meeting at a party starts a course of events that will either drive them together or further apart. Meanwhile, Plagg and Tikki have had enough of their holders’ indecision and obliviousness.

Read on A03

Chapter 1 | Chapter 2 | Chapter 3 | Chapter 4 | Chapter 5 | Chapter 6

16th March

Adrien’s good mood didn’t last over the following days. In spite of feeling like he was walking on air after his brief chat with Ladybug and the calm he always felt after spending time with Marinette, the past few days felt like they had been designed to destroy all traces of his smile. Now, the first of three days of modelling for his father’s internship competition had arrived and neither of the first two candidates was his Princess.

Each candidate had to fit their outfit to Adrien, then had thirty minutes to make any adjustments necessary to make the items ready for the photoshoot. They then had to style the whole look from a large selection of hats, scarves and jewellery. Next, while Adrien and Vincent completed the shoot, Gabriel would interview the candidates on their designs. From where he stood under hot lights, Adrien could hear everything they said.

The first tuxedo he modelled was very classic and well made, but it didn’t feel very inspired. The design student was very self-assured while talking to Gabriel and was able to justify his design choices. Adrien knew that this would impress his father - he respected people with conviction - in spite of how cautious the final piece was. As much as his heart wasn’t in modelling anymore, Adrien enjoyed his morning.

A second fitting in the afternoon meant he ate a meagre lunch. A text from Nino to cancel their planned meet-up that night due to a last-minute DJing gig was a further disappointment. From there, it went from bad to worse.

The second candidate’s design was far more avant-garde and his outfit was possibly the most uncomfortable thing he’d ever worn. It fit badly and the material was hot and it made his skin itch. The guy then chose to style it with so many accessories that Adrien was afraid to move in case one of the many pieces of costume jewellery caught on the open-weave trousers. The choice of colours was a cacophony of clashing tones and Vincent took an age to adjust the lighting so he could get acceptable shots. Every moment in the suit was torture.

The guy’s interview seemed to be going well, though. He was confidently explaining the reasoning behind his design and Gabriel was responding positively to him. To Adrien, it sounded incredibly pretentious and he instantly disliked this contestant.

His character judgement was vindicated when the makeup assistant accidentally scattered a little translucent powder on the collar of the jacket while she was mattifying Adrien’s increasingly sweaty face.

“You stupid girl!” Candidate number 2 shouted, “how dare you defile my work.”

“Ok, take it easy.” Adrien stepped between the angry student and the red-faced makeup assistant. “It was an accident and it’s just powder, it’ll dust off. Nothing is ruined.”

“Listen, model,” he spat, “your job is to display my work, nobody asked for your opinion. You’re just an overpaid mannequin.”

Gabriel rose from his seat now. Adrien caught his eye and tried to communicate that he had this under control. He really didn’t want Hawkmoth getting wind of this situation and his father had a habit of stirring up negative emotions in even the most zen people.

“You’re right.” Adrien dropped his voice, attempting to diffuse the situation. “My opinion doesn’t count here, but the guy whose opinion dictates whether you get this internship is right over there and I know you don’t want to make a bad impression by squaring up to his son… So, can we all move past it and finish the shoot?”

One insincere mumbled apology to the makeup assistant later, the guy was back in his seat, talking to Gabriel Agreste like nothing had happened. His father looked almost impressed with the way Adrien had handled himself. However, Gabriel held ancillary staff like makeup artists in low regard so the whole scene in all likelihood didn’t bother him

Adrien was still shaking. How dare someone be so rude? It was lucky that Hawkmoth was evidently Out of Office right now or he’d have had a tough job excusing himself from under his father’s nose.

Finally, back in his own clothes, Adrien washed the makeup off his face and restyled his hair. By the time he reached the reception area of the photography studio they were renting in Montmartre for the week, his father was gone. The receptionist caught his eye and, after verifying his name, handed him a note.

Nathalie’s hurried handwriting simply read, Gabriel is leaving for Grasse tonight in preparation for tomorrow’s meeting. Make sure you are home by curfew. Back tomorrow PM. N.

He shouldn’t have expected anything different, shouldn’t be disappointed, but he was. Adrien thought his father might have at least waited to say goodbye in person. What more did Gabriel want? Adrien played the dutiful son, followed his rules and waited expectantly for the day his father showed him love or respect. Why did he torture himself like this?

»»————-————-««

17th March... just

“Princess!!! Are you awake?”

Shouting like an alley cat at 1 in the morning?! I’m going to kill him and have his damn bell as a trophy...

Marinette did not enjoy being woken up from a deep sleep, even less so when the one waking her was perfectly able to use more stealth. There was something odd about his voice, though…

“Are you trying to wake the entire neighbourhood, Chaton- oh!” When she threw the window open. she wasn’t expecting to see... “Adrien?! What the hell are you doing here? How do you know where I live?”

The blonde-haired boy stepped back to get a better view of her window and promptly fell off the pavement. He sprang back to his feet with impressively cat-like agility for someone so obviously hammered.

“Whoa. Are you ok? I think this street is wobbly.” He slurred.

“You can’t leave him out there, Marinette,” Tikki said, “he’s in no state to find his own way home from here.”

With an exasperated sigh, Marinette grabbed her robe and went down to the street to rescue a drunken Adrien before one of her neighbours tried to shut him up in a less charitable way. He was sprawled against a parked car when she threw open her front door. It was a miracle that he hadn’t set off a car alarm.

“Come inside, you idiot.” She gasped. “It’s freezing out here.”

She darted out the building just enough to grab his arm and pull him into the lobby. Once inside, he leaned against the wall, looking like he might slide down it at any minute. Sighing, she pulled his arm around her shoulders and heaved him up the stairs to her flat. Luka stuck his head out his own bedroom door as she passed. He gave her a ‘should I be concerned?’ look and she shook her head and smiled reassuringly before opening her own bedroom door and pushing Adrien through it. He made a beeline for her desk chair and slumped in it.

“Make yourself at home.” She said, her voice dripped with sarcasm, even though she knew he wouldn’t notice. He was acting like he’d been there a hundred times before. Considering she never told him she’d even moved out her parents’ home, it was disconcerting. “Sit tight, I’m going to make coffee.”

As she filled the coffee maker with water, her mind was racing. Tikki was equally confused.

“Why is he here, Marinette? And what could possibly have driven him to get so drunk? It’s not like him. Where is his bodyguard? What will his father say?” The red and black kwami asked.

“I can’t answer any of those questions, Tikki,” Marinette whispered. “I can’t imagine his father knows he’s here. I hope he wasn’t caught by any paparazzi.”

“Same here.” Tikki agreed, “I can try to- well, let me see what I can think of while you tend to Adrien.”

“Thanks, Tikki.”

Marinette reached into the cupboard for the Good Coffee, the stuff she usually reserved for exam revision and all night sewing sessions. She guessed it should be strong enough to at least start sobering up Adrien. While she was waiting for the water to heat and drip through the grounds, Tikki suggested she take a few cookies back and Marinette popped a chunk of Camembert on the plate, too. When she and Adrien were together, Tikki always asked for the cheese when Adrien was around so Marinette got into the routine of always adding a piece to their snack plate. Old habits were like muscle-memory and she didn’t think about what she was doing until it was done.

Marinette had to open her door with her knee then back somewhat inelegantly into the room so as not to drop the overfilled tray. She set it down on a clear space on her desk before scuttling around the room, picking up stray sketchbooks and fabric swatches and setting them in a pile next to her now empty dress form. After Cat Noir’s help the other night, she had completed her contest outfit and it was safely zipped up in a suit carrier at her parents’ place. The final assessment for her course was now weighing on her mind and she’d been trying to create a mood-board for the collection before tiredness postponed the activity.

She poured two mugs of coffee, adding milk to both and perched on the end of her bed with her hands wrapped around the mug. She scrutinised the boy in front of her as he swayed in her seat.

“Do you want to talk about it?” She asked.

“Did you know there’s an Irish pub down the street?” He slurred “It’s great craic. There are so many different whiskeys, I didn’t know that. DId you know that?”

At least that partially explained what he was doing here, her flat was nearby. However, there were at least 4 Irish pubs between his house and hers so she still had questions. Firstly, why was he drinking alone? She had never known him to be drunk and she was sure Gabriel forbade it.

“Anyway,” he continued, “I realised I left my phone in the limo, but I couldn’t remember where I was meant to meet Gorilla.”

“Shit, Adrien. Your dad must be going mental.” Marinette said.

“Oh, no, he’s out of town tonight. He’s meeting his perfumiers in Grasse tomorrow morning.” Adrien laughed bitterly. “He mustn’t disappoint his suppliers, you know, only his son.”

“Still. I’m going to text Gorilla and let him know you’re safe.” She picked her phone up off her bedspread and started scrolling through the contacts. It was funny, she’d long deleted Adrien’s number, but she couldn’t bring herself to remove his bodyguard’s from her phone. She found the number and fired off a quick message to assure Gorilla that Adrien was safe and best sleeping off the effects of the alcohol before he came to collect him. He replied to thank her for looking after his charge.

“Ok, they’ve called off the search party.” She said as she placed her phone on the desk  “Now, are you going to tell me what going on with you? You’ve never been drunk before.”

“How would you know?” Adrien’s eyes narrowed, “A lot had changed since we last spoke.”

“Touch é .” She conceded and sipped her coffee. She figured that if she could let the silence hang long enough, he’d be compelled to talk. She took a cookie from the already cheeseless plate and silently offered Adrien one. He took it and concentrated on the surface of the snack, avoiding her gaze.

Eventually, he spoke.

“Why does my father hate me?” He asked and silent tears fell down his face.

Marinette drew him into a tight hug. She wanted to tell him that Gabriel did love him, that he was just hurt and broken and unable to communicate his love right now. She wanted to hold him until he stopped hurting, but she knew that there was only one person’s word, one person’s embrace that could help Adrien, and he wasn’t known for acts of affection.

Suddenly, he pulled away from her arms and looked at her with a panicked expression. The colour drained from his face until his complexion had a greyish tinge.

“Adrien? Do you feel sick?” Marinette asked.

By way of answer, Adrien lurched forward as Marinette grabbed the wastepaper basket with reflexes borne of seven years of superheroing, tipped out its contents and shoved it under his face. As he wretched into the hot pink bin, she was thankful she opted for the plastic version and not that cute wicker one with the flowers on it. There was nothing else she could do, but rub his back and wait for the heaving to subside.

“How much did you drink, Adrien?” she asked, not expecting an answer.

»»————-————-««

He woke up in a bed that wasn’t his own, head pounding, throat raw and mouth dry. He wanted to sit up and check out his surroundings but the duvet over him felt like it weighed several tonnes. The room was unfamiliar, yet comforting at the same time. He’d been here before, but he couldn’t place it, his memories were too foggy. Forcing his body into an upright position (he was sure the room was swaying) he finally realised he was in Marinette’s bedroom. How did I get here?

“So, you’re awake, idiot boy?” Plagg was more irritable than usual this morning. “You are so STUPID. What if there was an akuma last night? What if you ran into more paparazzi? Your father would never let you out of his sight again. You could have waved goodbye to being Cat Noir, and for what?”

“Sorry.” Adrien managed to croak.

“And why did you come here of all places?! You’ve only been here as Cat Noir before, how are you going to explain knowing the address?” Adrien tried to speak, but Plagg was far from finished. “I’m all for letting lose - you’re far too uptight most of the time - but you were reckless last night.”

The bedroom door opened with a click, saving Adrien from Plagg’s diatribe. Marinette brought a steaming mug to him, her expression was concern and amusement.

“He lives.” She said with a chuckle. “Here, it’s sweet tea. You need to replace fluids. I’ll bring you some water too.” Adrien just nodded.

“How are you feeling?” She asked.

“Mortified. I don’t even know how I got here, I’m so sorry.” He bowed his head.

“I’ll fill you in on everything you did and said, I promise. Let’s just wait until you’re feeling less fragile, though.” She said. The words were achingly familiar.

Silence hung between them

“Every day. In case you were wondering.”

“I don’t…” Marinette started.

“ I r egret walking out on you, every day.” He said.

“Adrien, you don’t have to say that.” She didn’t want to dredge up painful memories.

“I do. Have to say it, I mean. Because it’s true.” Adrien stumbled over his words and Marinette was reminded of herself in school, struggling to get a coherent sentence out in front of her crush. “I regret the way I spoke to you, what I said and I especially regret walking away from you. Can you ever forgive me?”

“I already have.” She said. “I could never bear a grudge, particularly against you.”

“You’re amazing Marinette.”

“I think you’re still pissed, Adrien.”

»»————-————-««

On a shelf, high above their heads, two kwamis groaned and shook their heads.

“You were rather tough on him this morning, Plagg,” the red and black bug said.

“I’m still mad at him for taking you away from me.” Plagg huffed.

“I get that and I’m mad too, but giving Adrien a hard time isn’t going to change that.” Tikki reasoned, “We’ve got a chance to get them back together now, let’s use the opportunity to put them in each other’s paths as much as possible.”

“I say we pop out and frighten them. Force them to work this out.” Plagg whispered.

“I’m closer to agreeing with you than you’d believe, Plagg. These are our most infuriating charges yet.” Tikki concurred.

[low-keylonely-blog]

ATTENTION!!

hello, I am a 16 yr old white girl from southeastern Wisconsin. very vanilla, I’m aware. in response to my “WANTED: cute boy” post, here are a list of my physical and mental traits, so that you can determine if you would like to talk to me.

PHYSICAL: ☆ 5'6" ☆ brown curly hair, about shoulder length. THICC HAIR. ☆ brown eyes that are lighter in the center (there’s a freckle on the left one) ☆ relatively skinny, not very strong. a bit of a tummy, but I suck in so you’d never notice. ☆ chewed nails. I’ve mostly stopped tho. ☆ braces! w/ rubber bands! somewhere between February 2017 and June 2017 the braces come off and I once again enjoy having a bright and happy smile! ☆ 4 very light birthmarks! the one on my knee looks like an archipelago. ☆ a bit of acne, but only on the forehead. ☆ STRONG BROWS ☆ bigger bottom lip, thinner top lip ☆ pouty, but only bc of braces ☆ large knuckles bc I used to play basketball. if I try, I can make it impossible to let go of my hand, bc my knuckles touch and form a barrier. ☆ tiny wrists. both pop when I turn them one way or the other. ☆ bumps on my arms. it’s genetic. they’re non contagious and not like acne, so popping them doesn’t work. ☆ left tit is a tiny bit bigger than right tit. ☆ relatively high cheekbones ☆ “innie” belly button ☆ weirdly lumpy hips. I’m pretty bony. ☆ legs as long as the sky is blue. ☆ relatively cute butt. not bony. ☆ stretch marks at the top of my thighs, just under my booty. not sure where they came from. ☆ usually bruised knees, especially in summer ☆ scar tissue on left ankle from when my dad dropped a ladder on my foot. it scraped the bone in my leg as it went down, so the scar tissue reminds. ☆ my doctor when I was a baby said I have popsicle toes! the 2nd-4th are double jointed ☆ hyper flexible overall. not as bendy as I used to be, but still pretty bendy. ☆ my dad’s parents were both German, but both were very dark looking for German. therefore, my dad can pass as Italian. it just means I turn dark orange when I tan, and tan very quickly. ☆ some eczema on my chest, but it is cleaning up. ☆ very out of shape. I can not run for more than 20 seconds without wondering if I can stop yet ☆ squishy?? I lack muscles so I’m very comfortable to snuggle, especially bc I’m flexible enough to fit anywhere but squishy enough to function as a pillow, especially my tummy and tits.

MENTAL/EMOTIONAL: ☆ A.D.D. easily distracted. ☆ easily confused, but quick to understand once everything is explained to me. ☆ guilty of savior behavior like you wouldn’t believe ☆ possibly anxious? parents don’t have time to get me diagnosed tho ☆ desperate to please people. I have limits, but I LOVE making people happy. ☆ I’m rlly fuckin funny ok most of my jokes are specific to my close friends or my childhood but once I’m around you for more than 3 months I’m rlly rlly funny bc we have memories together and I know you well ☆ very paranoid. overactive imagination led to some rlly freaky nightmares as a child, some of which are recurring. ☆ afraid of being forgotten, not good enough, my closet, the dark, inanimate objects coming to life and coming after me (especially doors and anything with legs, like tables and standing mirrors), and being killed in the shower. ☆ easily scared. can’t stand suspense or horror movies. ☆ semi obsessive?? like my friends and my hypothetical potential s/o are so cool and I love them and talk about them often. ☆ redundant. my life is boring. ☆ very very talkative. it’s a little annoying. ☆ easily bored, especially when I want to travel or get sick of how things are going. ☆ kinda rude? but not intentionally? I try to be kind to everyone but sometimes I come off as salty ☆ very passionate ☆ very defensive, especially of friends and s/o, and usually family ☆ loud :-/ ☆ easily excited ☆ interested in what you have to say, but will probably cut you off mid sentence bc my social intuition is lacking ☆ chronic liar >:-( definitely my least favorite trait, but one I haven’t been able to shake. they range from little white lies to just pretending things didn’t happen or that they’re fine. ☆ the last 3 years of my life have absolutely fried my brain. I’m very tired and very wounded. ☆ attaches quickly ☆ separation anxiety, but moreso just afraid of losing people I care about ☆ very self-centered :-/ ☆ relatively bullheaded. I don’t often think things through. ☆ if I have to face the music, odds are I’ll stick earplugs in and run away ☆ usually very positive! the world is a cool place with some very cool people in it!

LIKES: ☆ film, the art of ☆ cry movies ☆ and a bit of Beyoncé, catey shaw, lana del rey, halsey, … ☆ g-eazy, blackbear, childish gambino, frank ocean, watsky, drake, john mayer, sting, mansionz, relient k, one direction (including all solo work), twenty one pilots (but not rlly blurryface), washed out, a bit of fall out boy and panic! at the disco, arctic monkeys, troye sivan, a bit of the 1975, walk the moon, … ☆ the music from downton abbey and victoria and poldark ☆ history, especially sociology and foreign cultures and mythology ☆ politics, even tho I get too heated about it ☆ sci-fi! soft stuff is ok, but the hard stuff is rlly rlly good. ☆ fiction! ☆ writing non-fiction! ☆ slamming biased news outlets (r.i.p. bill o'reilly) ☆ working backstage crew in theater! my sister is majoring in stage management, so it’s a family affair. ☆ plants! flowers, succulents, cacti, even trees and shrubs! ☆ DOGS ☆ my bird, Elsa. we named her after Elsa in frozen bc her tummy matches the color of the character’s dress ☆ slam poetry?? I’m a dork ☆ activism! get out and get loud! ☆ volunteer work, especially through my church (I’m not sure if I’m gonna stay catholic but it’s how I’m being raised rn) ☆ shopping. it’s so satisfying to bring home something beautiful off the clearance rack. ☆ concept art for film and fashion ☆ interior design and architecture ☆ THE PROPERTY BROTHERS ON HGTV ☆ Steven Universe?? it’s actually a rlly good show. it makes me cry a lot. ☆ Grey’s Anatomy. another good cry show. ☆ purple anything. it calms me down. ☆ soft blankets and pillows ☆ laying down for the night. ☆ meditation and yoga! ☆ photography! I live next to the woods on 2 sides of my house, so it’s the perfect place for photoshoots. ☆ coloring books! the pretty ones, not the kids ones. ☆ reading! I’m usually too busy but it’s so nice when I have time ☆ CRYSTALS AND MINERALS AND PRETTY STONES. I have a growing collection, 95% I found on my own. ☆ driving on empty country roads. ☆ swimming, even tho I’m afraid of deep water ☆ hiking! ☆ chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream ☆ purging old clothes ☆ Internet friends! long distance romantic relationships are awful, but the platonic ones are always fun ☆ learning things you never thought possible ☆ speculation lmao ☆ hugs and physical contact ☆ pressure. I enjoy feeling close to things. I sleep with a billion blankets at all times bc I like the feeling of the weight on me ☆ the concept of Atlas in Greek mythology ☆ in depth discussion about almost anything! I love talking to people! ☆ barbecue chicken pizza from California pizza kitchen

DISLIKES: ☆ people who refuse to acknowledge global warming, white supremacy, sexism, or any fault on either end of the political spectrum ☆ unsolicited dick pics ☆ 99% of country music ☆ metal or screamo music ☆ slut shaming ☆ ignorance in any shape or form ☆ watermelon ☆ Brussel sprouts and asparagus and peas ☆ fish that isn’t fried or marinated in bourbon or teriyaki ☆ oranges ☆ bananas ☆ pop music ☆ slapstick humor ☆ most comedic movies (see above) ☆ cleaning ☆ zara larsson ☆ feminists who hate men (girl we are EQUAL not ABOVE) ☆ the fact that the USA does not have separation of church and state ☆ cold weather ☆ sand in my shoes ☆ most movies featuring talking animals (not counting Dumbo, the Lion King, Babar, Finding Nemo, and a couple others) ☆ those who put others down ☆ those who refuse to listen to both sides ☆ the fact that every Earth year the moon moves 2 inches farther away from Earth and it’s eventually going to be flung into space and we’ll never see it again ☆ white males in positions of authority. your turn is over, pal. ☆ Christopher Walken’s face ☆ John Travolta ☆ the entire movie/musical Grease ☆ when radio stations play the same 10 songs all day long ☆ overused slang ☆ dead memes that are still in circulation ☆ repetition from year to year ☆ bad school photos ☆ pineapple on pizza ☆ basic pages on Instagram ☆ dog types that have been bred to the point of inherent or genetic medical issues ☆ carpet that isn’t soft ☆ bad paint jobs ☆ jumbo tattoos. I love the tiny ones you don’t expect to see. ☆ costume jewelry ☆ asymmetry ☆ bad habits ☆ when everything is black and white ☆ when it’s a gray area ☆ the porn industry as a whole ☆ massive corporations as a whole ☆ people who use deadnames or the wrong pronouns on purpose ☆ driving stick ☆ pulling weeds ☆ vacuuming ☆ loud noises (the unexpected ones) ☆ same old, same old ☆ people who don’t bathe often ☆ when my hair grows too long but I can’t get a haircut for weeks ☆ people who won’t try new things ☆ when anything or anyone dies ☆ the feeling of not being in control ☆ not knowing.

feel free to message me if you’re interested! there’s much more, but this is all I could think of for now. congrats if you made it to the end!