#they are connecting and working surprisingly well together which is good) and not really using other parts of my brain and im not used to th

[pepprs]

retreat day 2 done. feeling good but weird

[70sscifiart]

The Last-Minute Sci-Fi Gift Guide

There's only one thing worse than procrastinating on getting gifts for your loved ones, and that's procrastinating on putting together a guide to help out everyone else with all those gifts. It's Dec 12, so you can decide for yourself which I'm doing.

Art book: Worlds Beyond Time, $32

If you follow this blog, you might have heard of this one. I published Worlds Beyond Time: Sci-Fi Art of the 1970s this year after five years of work on it, and I think it's really good! 400+ images, 100+ artists, with lots of fun art history and jokes.

Also, it's just $20 right now if you order through my publisher and use the code SKIPTHELINE! Cheapest it's ever been!

Card game: Coup, $14

In this "social deduction" card game, you play as a government official in a future dystopia who needs to backstab their way into power. Everyone starts out with just two cards in this bluffing game, so the tide can turn pretty quick when players start assassinating each other's cards. The fast pace makes it a good gift for someone who loves spies but thinks they don't like card games.

Game to play over Zoom: Bad Spaceships, $3

If a bluffing game stresses you out, try Bad Spaceships: It's a collaborative world-building game in which you roll dice to see what area of your spaceship connects to another, forcing you to spitball exactly why this is the case. As the game puts it, you might fix the hull by playing Tetris, or charge your weapons in the swimming pool. You're basically getting weird prompts to tell a story that can evolve over the course of the game.

It's such an indie game that it comes as PDFs you download from itch.io, but you can play it just as well over Zoom, if you're looking for an excuse to catch up with your old digital nomad college friend.

Movies/TV: Streaming service gift card

Gift cards are all well and good, but you can personalize them by recommending a few of your favorite shows as well. I suggest:

Hulu: Cowboy Bebop

Apple TV+: Severance

Criterion Channel: Ravenous, Paprika, Strange Days

Paramount+: Yellowjackets

Amazon Prime: The Devil's Hour

But to be honest, this entry is just an excuse to talk about the new Max show Scavenger’s Reign. Inspired by the work of French artist Moebius and with a clear debt to famed 70s animated film Fantastic Planet, this stylish sci-fi show features a bunch of humans trying to survive on a beautiful but hostile alien world. Perfect for lovers of fictional nature.

Vintage sci-fi

This Etsy shop has some good stuff, like the 1971 Frank Kelly Freas NASA poster above, a bit of history that I even mentioned on page 167 of my art book.

Penguin science fiction postcards, $28

These postcards have a ton of very cool sci-fi covers I've blogged in the past – great value if you want a lot of art for a low cost.

Meteorite pendant necklace, $34

I think we all know what kind of rock your loved ones need around their neck: A chunk of meteorite straight out of the 1576 Argentinan meteorite fall.

Book recs

For astronauts: Packing for Mars by Mary Roach, The New Guys: The Historic Class of Astronauts That Broke Barriers and Changed the Face of Space Travel by Meredith Bagby

For comedians: Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir, Even Greater Mistakes: Short Stories by Charlie Jane Anders 

For sleuths: Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty, Drunk on All Your Strange New Words by Eddie Robson

For crafters: Knits of Tomorrow: Toys and Accessories for your Retro-Future Needs

For the resistance fighters: The Light Brigade by Kameron Hurley, An Unkindness of Ghosts by Rivers Solomon

For slasher movie fans: Clown in a Cornfield by Adam Cesare

Syd Mead "Biomorph Vehicle" button down shirt, $49

T-shirts aren't classy enough for the world's coolest visual futurist, Syd Mead. I haven't actually bought this incredibly odd shirt, but I really need to.

Art prints (and more) from 70s sci-fi artists

Artist shops can be surprisingly hard to track down on the internet, but here's a short list of ones I've come across. All of these artists are featured in my book (except one), so you can read up on them before you commit to a print.

Michael Whelan 

John Harris

Syd Mead

Don Maitz

David B Mattingly

Peter Andrew Jones - Jones was one of just a few artists who declined to be included in my art book, but he has a distinct, colorful style that I would have loved to have featured!

Finally, here's one extra bonus, just for everyone who made it to the end of this article: The UK-based educational charity Centre for Computing History sells three big officially licensed John Harris posters featuring these three artworks, famous for their use as covers for Sinclair programming manuals.

It's a great deal that I've never seen mentioned anywhere, and Harris' work has a timeless quality that makes it great for an unassuming wall decoration. If you're outside the UK, the shipping costs will be a pain, but there's no better deal for a classic sci-fi poster.

[adobe-outdesign]

Could you review woobat? For some reason until like a few years ago I thought it was a moshi monster

Surprisingly, we don't have too many heart-themed Pokemon out there, all things considered (outside of Luvdisc and Enamorus). Woobat is a particularly delightful example of this; bats sometimes get a bad rep, so it's nice to see a bat that's adorable and has love as a theme instead of your standard "scary" bat. This also helps it stand apart from the Zubat line.

The titular heart is almost certainly a reference to the heart-nosed bat, but the overall design seems to be more based off of the Honduran white bat, which are absolutely silly creatures that I need everyone to acknowledge.

It's hard to go wrong with the classic "circle with wings and a face" design, and indeed, Woobat's pretty perfect as is. I like how the black is carried through for both the nose and the wings, as is the pink color, while the light blue serves as a good base color. Lack of eyes and a single tooth give it a lot of personality as well.

Also, the 'dex mentions that they stick to cave walls using their noses, which is fun.

Swoobat forsakes the puffball look in favor of having an actual head and body. Sometimes changing a design this drastically can be a risk, but I think it works here. The super fluffy mane connects it back to Woobat, as does the nose and the black wings, so it still looks like the two belong together despite the different body types.

Swoobat keeps most everything from Woobat, just adding a darker blue color for the body, a set of ears that look conjoined but aren't, and a tail. It also has eyes, which make it even cuter due to the overly happy expression and additional highlights.

The only thing I don't really like about Swoobat's design is that tail. I want to like it, because A) it uses it to grasp onto trees instead of its feet and that's neat, and B) it helps with the heart motif and carries the color through the design more. However, it's just really weird looking; the pink makes it look uncomfortably like flesh, and the entwined look really doesn't match anything else in the design. I honestly think the design might've been stronger without the tail at all. You could integrate the hearts into other areas of the design, like the wings or the ear shape. Other than that, though, I really like it.

One thing I will say about this line is that it would be good for a mega. It feels good as a two-stager to me, but Swoobat's design is plain enough that it feels like there's a ton to play around with and expand upon. Increase the amount of pink accents, make the mane a heart, play around with the wing shape—there's plenty of interesting things you could do.

Anyway, overall, some good bats with a fun theme. Woobat's got the better design overall, but Swoobat gets points for having a super cute face.

[heartmix]

Rebel - Kelly Severide

Pairing: Kelly Severide x fem!reader

Word Count: 800+

Warning: One swear word, mention of we*d (the whole fic is about this)

A/N: Just a warning, I've only seen half a season of this show and a full season of Med. So if I get a character wrong, my bad. Also, I mention that the reader is Boden's niece but she doesn't need to be blood-related. She can be a family friend niece or whatever you want to decide.

Masterlist / One Chicago Masterlist

Once in a while, everyone would be in a good enough mood to sit down and have dinner. No excuses about needing to clean the truck or refill the ambo. Also now excuses from Squad 3 that they were having an intense round of cards. Them being free to actually sit and eat together was probably due to the fact that you cooked dinner, something that was rare. Often you were too tired, but today felt different so you decided to do the task of cooking dinner for the firehouse. 

For the first 10 minutes, everyone was quiet. Other than utensils clashing against each other hardly any words were said. Everyone wanted to get a good amount of food in before a call would come through.

Although it wasn't long before someone started up a conversation. In a second the table looks like a real family dinner table, loud. The topic seemed to be reminiscing about being young, before becoming a firefighter. You were one of the youngest at the table so you didn't think they were gonna ask questions about the topic. Your youth wasn't that long ago. 

"What's one thing you miss when you were younger." Sylvie asked you seeing as you were next down the line.

"Smoking weed." You casually said which made everyone look at you with a raised eyebrow. They thought you were joking or not believing you.

"What? I work for the state, I can't do that anymore." You shrugged as if it was no big deal. You really didn't think it was, it was so easy to get the supply so it shouldn't be that shocking.

"You used to smoke weed?" Casey asked again still in disbelief as with everyone else.

"Yeah, who hasn't at last once?" You asked and soon courses of 'me' all spoke at once. Some of them had to be lying right?

"God you guys were boring." 

"Next you're going to tell us you got arrested." Otis quipped which made you gasp.

"Wow just because I smoked weed you make that connection, and no I haven't I just ran from the cops." You mumbled the last part not knowing why you were feeding them this information. Sure you were all one big happy family, but big happy families don't need to know everything about each other.

"What the hell, kid," Hermann said making you give a sheepish smile. The look on his face told you he was never going to look at you the same again.

"It was a different time, I was having the time of my life." You defended yourself. Sure weed wasn't legal in Illinois, but it wasn't bad. It was a herb.

"What else did you do?" Kelly asked who surprisingly has been quiet this whole time. He didn't look as shocked as everyone, but he didn't know you had this side of you.

"Uhh shoplifted?" You said in a questioning tone. Still, you didn't know why you were confessing all this.  

"How did you do a 360?" Sylvie asked impressed. You acted nothing like the girl you were talking about. Their young, sweet, rookie.

"I got sent to live with Boden, that's what happened," 

"I heard my name." You heard the devil himself say from behind you as he made his plate of food. He must have had an important call if he didn't come to eat right away.

"We didn't know your niece was a rebel child," Sylvie said making Chief laugh. He had the pleasure of watching you grow and is a big part of why you are today.

"Yeah, but look at her now." He said in a proud tone making you smile.

"Well he just made stop half the dangerous illegal stuff, I still smoked." You added not thinking much of it, you really didn't know when to stop.

"You what?!" He exclaimed making my eyes go wide.

"I thought you knew this!" You defended yourself. This was your sign to stop talking and not spill anything else about 'the time of your life.'

"No! How long did you do it for?" He asked making me gulp, all of a sudden you felt like you were 16 again.

"I stopped when I got hired." 

"You continued for 5 more years. You were smoking in college?!"

"How did you not smell it, I had some good shit. I thought you let me go since I was doing good in school." You defended for what seemed like the millionth time in just 5 minutes. 

"I'm going back to my office." He shook his head making you laugh. You knew it stressed him, but years have passed. He was just going to have a good laugh about it when he gets over the fact he couldn't tell what was happening in his house.

"Who knew you were such a rebel child," Otis said making the table chuckle.

"Oh like I'm such a good girl now. You older people are a buzzkill." You pipped in taking a jab at them, they were really showing their age. Even the younger ones who weren't that much older than you. 

"You got your hands full Severide," Sylvie said making your boyfriend shake his head in amusement. 

[jebewonmorelike]

So You Can Do Yours

part two up now: whatever you say, president-nim wc: 2k pronouns: none used; n/a warnings: none? i guess reader is not on good terms with father but to be fair their father is a chairman of a company so he probably is objectively not great; literally fluff and mostly platonic/you're his boss so but suggestion that wookie has a crush on reader at the end... and reader is supposed to be 19; super unrealistic but just a fun little fictional concept lol summary: uselessCEO!reader has fired every new assistant they've had in the past few months, but newassistant!gunwook thinks he might be the right man for the job. ~masterlist~ ♡ ~kofi (no pressure at all)~ this is a cute one :) gunwook is baby. gunwook is son. protect him at all costs. i've been wanting to write more for gunwookie for a while, but i was super hesitant to because i got a really freakish comment about the only small drabble i wrote for him. so five months later i'm ready to try again. please remember this is just a work of fiction and its crazy fluffy. i really hope you like it! also expect more writing from me this month-- i'm taking the rest of summer off from school so. i'll need to stay busy 😤

“President-nim?” A voice calling through the intercom on your desk breaks your concentration. You huff annoyedly as you lean forward and press the microphone button.

“What is it?”

“Your new assistant is here to meet you,” Secretary Lee responds cautiously. You groan; quickly shoving what you had been working on into the hidden compartment of your desk. Not another assistant.

Every Monday for two months now, a new bright-eyed young woman had walked through the doors of your office ready to kick-start her career as a company president's trusty assistant. And sure enough, by that Friday afternoon every single one of them had run out in tears; unable to handle the pressures of the job. Was that pressure almost entirely due to the fact that you had no idea how to do your own job? Unimportant, but--

“Annyeonghaseyo, President-nim!” A male voice shakes you from your internal monologue as you look up to find that a young man in a 90 degree bow has appeared in front of you. He looks up at you, his gaze drifting to your right hand. 

You follow his line of sight to find a watercolor brush still in your hand-- dripping a bit onto your desk. Lifting up your desk compartment slightly, you toss the brush in with the others. You clear your throat a bit awkwardly-- smoothing down the lapels of your suit jacket with your fingers. “Annyeonghaseyo,” you mumble.

“I’m your new assistant, Park Gunwook,” he introduces politely, standing up straight. It’s now that you suddenly realize just how young this man appears to be. His face is round with youth and his lips resemble that of a baby chick. “I hope to serve you well.”

“When? After you get out of school each day?” You joke, brow furrowed in suspicion. “How did you get this job, huh? You look like you’re late for hagwon.”

Gunwook’s brow stays raised for a moment, but a surprisingly cheeky smile eventually creeps onto his face. “Couldn’t I ask you the same, President-nim?”

You exhale an unamused laugh. Guess this one thinks he’s clever. “I graduated two and a half years early.”

“That must look impressive on a resume,” he agrees genuinely with a nod. “Your father being the Chairman of the Board also must look pretty impressive on a resume.”

Stunned by this kid’s audacity, you just stare back at him.

“Nothing to be ashamed of President-nim,” he reassures, clasping his hands together behind his back. “I happen to know someone that works here, too.”

Figures. “And which one of those geriatric, good-for-nothing money bags on the Board is your daddy?”

“None of them,” Gunwook says with a smile. “Secretary Lee is my eomma. Might seem small, but a connection’s a connection.”

Secretary Lee hired her own son? After the way she’d watched all of the sobbing girls run out of the building screaming ‘I’M NEVER WORKING EVER AGAIN’’ each week?

What terrible thing had Park Gunwook done to be handed such a fate by his own mother?

You stand up from your desk and meet Gunwook at the front of it. Walking in a tight circle around him, you examine every inch of him curiously as he stands at attention.

“Um, President-nim?” He asks without moving a muscle. “Can I ask what you’re doing?”

“Absolutely not,” you answer, bending down to look at his dress shoes. They’re more than a few years old and definitely not a designer brand, but somehow... they’re condition is nearly immaculate. Not to mention, the black, thin laces are tied in perfectly symmetrical bows. Huh. It’s pretty uncommon for a boy your age to care that much about the tidiness of his shoes.

“Weirdo,” you mutter under your breath as you stand back up. You have to crane your neck a bit to look Gunwook in the eyes; not only is he quite tall, you also realized you’re standing a bit too close to him. Stepping back slightly, you take a seat on your desk-- crossing your arms as you glare at him.

“Something not to your liking, President-nim?” He asks, eyebrows raised in question. 

You don’t answer. Instead, you ask a question of your own. “What makes you think you have what it takes to be my assistant?”

“I’ve been President of my class since middle school. I’ve placed in national debate competitions. I’m organized, responsible, and competent,” he responds confidently. But a little mischievous sparkle appears in his eye as he adds, “From what I’ve heard, those are qualities the President's office might need more of.”

“YA! Do you want to die, you little--...” As you threaten him, Gunwook has already gone back to his default polite smiling. “What’s wrong with you, huh? Don’t you know I can blacklist you for life with one phone call? Tell me why I shouldn’t--.”

“President-nim!” Gunwook interrupts your thought excitedly; pointing to a stack of papers sitting on the corner of your desk. “Are those spreadsheets that need executive review? I’m experienced in Excel if you're... too busy for them.”

You frown, picking up the papers in your hand and sifting through them. They are spreadsheets that need executive review. You’ve been putting it off for a week, because, believe it or not, you didn’t get a very spreadsheet-centric education at the fine arts university you attended. To think, you could be painting in your own studio all day every day. But instead your father wanted you to do something “sensible” and “respectable” that “made you worthy of receiving his estate some day”.

Not that you cared much about an inheritance. But at this point it was the least you were owed for sacrificing your life’s passion to goof off in an office for the rest of your life. It wasn’t like you particularly enjoyed being unhelpful or unproductive, but at just shy of twenty years old with a BA in Fine Arts... you hadn’t exactly been well-prepared for such an important job.

You look back up at Gunwook. He’s practically salivating at the mouth to get his hands on your routine paperwork. You hand him the stack of spreadsheets with a sigh: “Knock yourself out.”

Gunwook’s concerningly large hand snatches the papers from yours with lightning speed; hugging them to his chest happily. “Thank you, President-nim! I won’t let you down.”

You’re almost starting to believe him. 

“Right,” you agree, chewing your cheek as you walk back behind your desk. “Well, you get to work on those and have them back to me by... Uh...”

You’re struggling to think of a reasonable time frame for the spreadsheet reviews to be completed, since you’d never once been the one to finish them. Gunwook sees this and answers for you, “Tomorrow at noon, I think you were going to say, President-nim?”

“Tomorrow at noon,” you echo with a frown. You’re not sure you like how familiar this kid was becoming with you already, but at least he’d been far more eager to do your executive work for you than anyone had been thus far. You’d know by tomorrow at noon if he was truly capable or not.

“And where should I put them for you if you’re not in your office, President-nim?” He asks thoughtfully.

“Oh, um,” you stumble, looking around for a good spot. You land on the thin drawer at the center of your desk and point to it. “In here is fine.”

Gunwook quickly walks behind your desk to see the drawer, stopping at a respectful distance. He reaches towards the drawer, but when you realize his fingers are pulling the wrong handle-- the top of your desk is already lifting open before you can stop him.

“Whoah,” the boy whispers in awe as he stares at the giant watercolor landscape painting you’d been working on for the last week or so. You both stand in silence for a moment as you watch Gunwook take in every detail of your latest work. “This is incredible.”

“Thank you,” you reply softly-- folding your arms across your chest uncomfortably at the compliment. No one had seen your artwork for a while now; even mentioning it in your father’s presence sent him into a spiral.

“If you’re this talented, then why--... Why are you the president of a tech corporation?” He asks, eyes meeting yours now. He’s curious and concerned and confused. When he realizes he forgot to speak formally, he bows in apology. “I’m sorry, President-nim.”

“Sometimes a 'connection' isn’t what you wanted,” you say after a moment, sitting back down in your desk chair.

Gunwook swallows from beside you, taking a few steps back to the front of your desk. “I’ll help as best as I can, President-nim. I’ll do my work so that you can do yours.”

You blink back at him, a bit speechless. “O-... Okay.”

He bows, another 90 degree one. “Should I get started on these then, President-nim?”

“Yeah,” you agree, nodding slowly. “Yes. That would be good.”

Gunwook nods. “Thank you, President-nim,” he says, turning and walking towards the door.

“Gunwook-sshi,” you call suddenly, causing the young man to let go of the door handle in his hand and turn around. His eyes are wide as he waits patiently for you to continue. “Why did you apply for this job? Besides the fact that your mother works here.”

The boy smiles, answering simply, “I thought I would be a good fit.”

You exhale a laugh, rolling your eyes. “We’ll see.”

Gunwook’s smile turns to a grin as he nods again-- walking out the door and closing it behind him.

~

The end of the work day comes surprisingly quickly (and it may or may not have something to do with Gunwook). 

Okay, it has everything to do with Gunwook. 

To your very pleasant surprise, the teenage boy had been your best assistant yet by a considerable margin. All in the span of six hours, he’d color-coded your weekly schedule, ghostwritten five urgent emails to executives from partner companies, brought you your lunch order exactly how you prefer it, and reorganized your entire desk for you all while you painted next to him.

He didn’t ask you any unnecessary questions or disturb your peace; he just did his work so that you could do yours. Just like he said he would.

The end of the day came so quickly that when Gunwook knocked on your door to ask you if you were heading out for the day, you thought he was making one of his insulting-but-somehow-also-charming remarks about your lack of presidential work ethic again. But glancing at the clock, you see that he’s right-- it’s almost 7 P.M.

“I’m actually gonna keep working for a little while longer,” you respond before you catch Gunwook’s eyebrows raise. “You can go home now though. You have to be well-rested for another day of high school tomorrow.”

He sticks his tongue in his cheek and smiles at the joke. “I actually go to university now, President-nim. Part-time, but still.”

You find yourself trying to picture what Gunwook would look like on a campus: a grey hoodie, jeans, and his hair flopping into his eyes. In another life, one where you had a different father, maybe you’d still be going to university, too. Maybe you would've run into Gunwook and been his sunbae instead of the Guinness World Records holder for youngest president of a national corporation. Would you have noticed each other? Would you have been friends? Rivals? Something else?

Returning his smile, you dismiss, “Have a good night, Gunwook-sshi.”

“Have a good night, President-nim.”

You work on your painting for another hour before finally gathering your things and heading out the door for the night. On your way out, you see Secretary Lee typing away at her desk. When she spots you, she grimaces nervously.

“Oh, President-nim,” she greets as you walk over to her. “I hope you’re not too upset, but I thought that my son could--.”

“Could be the best assistant I’ve ever had?” You finish for her; watching as her face relaxes at your compliment. “You were right. And you better keep up the good work, Secretary Lee: Gunwook-sshi would make a great secretary.”

Secretary Lee swallows and nods at the hint of a threat. “Understood, President-nim.”

You smile, starting to head toward the exit before your curiosity stops you in your tracks. You turn over your shoulder to call, “Secretary-nim?”

She looks at you expectantly; if not also a bit nervously.

“Why did Gunwook-sshi want to be my assistant?”

She considers for a moment before replying, “After your... poor luck... with assistants these past few months, I couldn’t help but think my son had what it takes to change that. He’s always been such an overachiever. But he wasn’t really interested at all at first."

“Why did he change his mind?” You ask; wanting to understand a bit more about the incredibly competent, but slightly odd assistant that showed up at your office today.

Secretary Lee laughs quietly. “Well, to be honest... He only handed me his completed application after...

... I showed him a picture of you.”

[ghostflowerhotpotch]

So I'll just tell myself all of the things I can't say to you yet (Fic)

First Chapter here

Pairing: Ghostflower (Miles x Gwen.)

Chapter: 2/4.

Summary: After a mission ends up with Miles injured, Gwen brings Miles to her home and hopes nothing bad comes out of it.

After all, what are the chances he would see that plushie?

"Shit, shit, shit!" Gwen thought as she helped Miles swing across her dimension, trying to look around just in case something else decided to attack them that day; may as well.

Why this was her luck?

Gwen and Miles were having one of their weekly calls, it wasn't scheduled or anything, however somehow they had fallen into the pattern of one of them calling the other at least once a week. Sometimes Miles had called to ask for help with homework or something, and maybe, the art class Gwen has picked up as a way to have a less demanding work course just so happens to be a bit more challenging than she expected, so she would need to call for help with those too.

During said call, both her watch and the police walkie-talkie went on at the same time with similar messages; a villain who has appeared in her dimension and was destroying some offices. She would need to deal with it one way or another, and surprisingly, Miles has offered to come.

Is not that Miles didn't help her out, however, he liked to stay away from things regarding the organization. Even now that it was run by Jess with Miguel only running the technological side of things (and from what she has gathered, self-banished himself on his lab;) Miles preferred to stay away. She couldn't blame him; she owed too much to Jess and the other spiders to feel okay with not helping out now that is only about the people ending in other universes, it didn't feel as gross as some of the other missions they used to have.

He shrugged, and said it was just a friend's favor; at which she smiled as she tried to remember that.

Friends, is what she has insisted upon, is what she should be grateful for, considering Miles could have easily shut her out of his life.

It didn't mean she didn't want much more.

As much as she liked spending time with him, part of her wished she could have found an excuse to just hang out like normal people. She liked being Spider-woman and it was fun doing it alongside him, yet putting her hero persona first for so long and focusing that as their connection with each other, made her wish for some time just like Gwen and Miles.

It didn't take long for her to fully regret accepting his offer when a Rhino from another dimension sent Miles flying directly to a giant picture of the CEO of the company the villain was raiding, which ended with glass getting stuck in his back.

They manage to finish the battle, but Miles wasn't looking too well; he didn't really want to go to HQ, insisting it wasn't that big of a deal, ("Super healing, remember?" "Not with glass in your back, dummy! It could heal badly or-") and of course, if he went to his universe and needed to change to Miles there would be a lot to explain.

And he didn't want to worry his parents now that they know he is Spiderman and promised to be careful.

Feeling especially guilty about it, she told him they could go to her place. She had a first aid kid and training (she did a course shortly after she got bitten, just in case she shouldn't pull to the hospital but needed help,) she would see what she could do there. In the worst-case scenario, she could probably call Peter B's universe and ask May for help.

"We are almost there, " She told him as they moved across the city, she staying beside Miles just in case.

"Good, good," Miles calmly, but Gwen takes advantage that her face is hidden under her face to look at him.

He hasn't really complained, in fact he had tried at first to insist on swinging by himself, shooting down Gwen's suggestion of carrying him (with super strength, she could do it with one arm really.) They had ended up agreeing to do it together, with Gwen having an arm around Miles' waist (being careful with the wound,) as he put it around her shoulders; they were throwing webs at the same time, as one.

She could feel his muscles tense, as well as the warmth he exudes contrasting with the coolness of the night during the summer. If she couldn't hear his hitched breathing, to feel the stickiness on her suit for the blood, perhaps she could have enjoyed this moment with him.

Was too sad how badly she wanted to cling to his side? She knew has always been affectional, but the last thing she needed was to become desperate.

Once they finally made it to the building, she gently guided him down the stairs, indicating for Miles to get against the rail as she slid the window open, "Sorry for the mess," she said as she helped him get in.

They entered the living room; she normally didn't feel too self-conscious about the apartment, yet she could see that not only there were papers on the table, but also both mugs were still dirty from this morning (Gwen has woken up late because of a mission she had yesterday, her dad probably needed to be ready for university, getting a new job as a coach for the gymnastic team.) one of his jackets was still on the chair. The rest of the apartment was still untidy, with shoes around as well as books that could belong to either of them.

Her dad and she were busy, and she got used to untidiness when she was growing up with him as an only parent with a very time-consuming job. It didn't mean that it didn't get to her at times. Her room wasn't much better-

Her eyes opened in shock as she remembered that the plushie of Miles was in her bed, close to her lyrics notebook that had her favorite polaroid beside it, as inspiration.

The only saving grace was that the door to her room was closed, yet all she could think of was "Why do I need to be such a lovesick idiot that I have literal evidence lying around?"

If Miles truly didn't suspect her feelings, god would only know how.

"Pff, I think is fine, you should have seen my room and Ganke's during finals week," He chuckled weakly, looking around "Um, should we do this in the living room or your roo-"

"Actually!" Gwen interrupted, a bit too abruptly and squeaky for her taste. Straightening her back, she tries to guide Miles as a distraction "Let's go to the bathroom, is easier that way!"

"Oh! Yeah that makes sense."

She is glad that she thought that one quick because certainly, the only thing she was thinking of was making sure he didn't get to her room.

It wasn't the first time he was here, however, he has never actively stayed for too long. Gwen had tried for the most to keep her hero life away from her dad; even if they were working on it, she didn't feel too comfortable with him about it. Funnily enough despite knowing what she can do, he also sometimes got a bit protective of her; and he was already paranoid enough about society to add her dad start getting the wrong ideas because Miles was alone with her in their house.

(It has been hard enough to convince her dad nothing happened the few times Miles came by; she had enough as it is to tell her dad how she is an absolute goner for a guy who had already moved on.)

As she indicated Miles to sit on the toilet, she took the first aid from below the sink and was thankful that she had the provision to have it up to date; even when it wasn't for her it came in handy for her dad even to this day. She stopped once she turned around and saw him.

Miles was sitting awkwardly while showing his back to her, toying with the fabric of his suit around his knee, too casual for how his back was looking. The fabric was completely ruined on the back, with multiple cuts around as well as some glass still there (Gwen had done her best to take the bigger pieces before getting here, but she couldn't take everything with barely any light and her hands.) The bleeding seemed to have stopped for the most part, drying it up and some of the smaller cuts already closing; it didn't make the situation less dire.

Moving without realizing it, her fingertips caress the top of his back where his skin still was intact "Oh Miles, I am so sorry."

"C'mon, it can be that bad right? Is not like I am coughing glass," He jokes, half smiling as he turns his face towards her.

"It isn't good, if I just had been more alert I could have-"

"Hey," she tops rambling as he feels his hand on top of hers, with him turning his head the best he can in this position to look at her, "I signed up for this too, remember? It just comes with the job, and if me being here meant you didn't end up like this, then I am glad I did it."

Gwen was someone who for the most part, was able to control her emotions, or at least to keep her expressions blank enough to hide whatever she was truly feeling. It has become such a habit that she her eyes opened just the smallest bit to that revelation, and she was sure the way her breath hitched was as inaudible as it could be for superhumans.

Yet before she could feel her heartbeat pick up, he looked back to the front and moved his hand away casually, "I would have done the same for anyone in the spidey-gang you know?"

She moved her hand away from him, and felt lucky he has turn around so she didn't bother to hide the disappointment in her face, "Friends is good, being with the band is good, I should be happy I have that."

She is, not just while hearing this.

"Yeah, of course." She whispered in a response that seemed more for herself than for him.

Going back to the task at hand, she quickly realizes that she can't do this with him still dressed up with the top part of his suit, it was almost amazing it has hold up as well as it did. Making sure to keep her voice even, she says "Um, is there a way you can remove the top? I know is a one-piece but I don't think I can do this with you well, using it."

Feeling the redness in her cheeks, she mentally chastised herself; focus on your job dammit!

"Right, right," Miles said coughing a bit, before proceeding to move his arms out, not needing to bother with any zipper since the damage was that big.

Gwen helped him in what he could, including taking parts of the suit as gently as possible while they were kind of glued to his body; eventually, the top of his suit was lying around his lap, and she was staring at the muscles in his back.

The wound! Yeah, definitely what she was looking at.

While using tweezers to remove glass, debris, and such, she tried to not look too much at his skin and muscle tone. She try to avoid thinking about the pulse she felt in his skin as she cleaned with water and alcohol once she has been able to take anything that shouldn't be there.

She was satisfied with the job, it wasn't a nurse's job and his accelerated healing did help, but at least it seemed like Miles wouldn't risk infection now.

"I guess we are done," She said while caressing his shoulders, feeling bad for how she wished to have an excuse to continue doing so. She has always been a cuddle bug despite her struggles to talk about her feelings, and she always had the hardest time trying to not go to Miles and don't let him go.

"Thanks, it feels much better already," he said cheerily, and Gwen wonders if he was being honest or if he was just telling her so to make her feel less guilty about all of this "Do you have anything I can-"

He stopped talking when he notices her face morphing in concentration, and in doing so he seemed to notice a whistle that was becoming stronger. Miles may had not picked up because he wasn't used to it, Gwen however has grown up with that her entire life.

"That's my dad!" She said, cursing to herself, "I need to hide you."

"What?! Really? I mean-"

"He is paranoid! You know, dads with daughters tend to be a bit like that," She said hastily as an excuse, knowing very well her dad wouldn't be paranoid if he didn't know about the polaroid, and that was the tip of the iceberg. As she said that she quickly went out of the bathroom towards her room "Just let me tidy up a bit! DON'T COME YET!"

It was stupid of her to lose time like this, yet her mind couldn't decide if it was worse than her dad saw Miles with his entire top missing, or Miles seeing the plushie and the rest of her things; so deciding that neither was an option she threw the plushie, the notebook, and the polaroid all in her closet and shut the door close.

She was hearing the keys going on the entrance door when she pushed Miles as softly as possible into her room, "I will find a way to get him out of here soon, I am sorry."

Before he could let him say anything, she closed the door on his face, and turned around in time to see her father "Dad! You are here."

"Practice is already over, why I wouldn't be here?" He replied none the wiser, leaving his jacket in the same spot as the other one, not even thinking twice about things piling up.

Like her problems seemed to be doing.

"Is fine! I can find an excuse, then I can make sure Miles gets home okay, and everything will be fine."

She needed to hope for it at least, besides, how bad things could turn out?

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Okay, let's see how this experiment works out; remember guys, ao3 is down and they need us to stay away until they can fix what's going on.

If you like the fic, please leave a comment! Third chapter here!

[missingexaltation]

Eddie has now 'gifted' Hellfire to Will as he's not returning to high school, graduating on a technicality. However, he suggests to the new DM that they play a one off over the summer (to get Will used to the group's dynamics, and so he can say goodbye to his little sheepies in style).

But he gets to play with them too, at Will's insistence, as Eddie's DM'd for so long he never really gets a chance to be a PC. Eddie's character is a bard that the group meet, playing in a tavern and magically enslaved by the innkeeper. Because of the spell, he has no memory of who he is, except that he's a bard.

(Which works meta wise too, as Eddie might have knowledge on the DM side...but he's a bit shaky as an actual player. it's been a while after all)

The Party take pity on him, breaking his bondage by brutally killing the innkeeper and bringing him along. He's lower than everyone else in most stats, except for charisma, which he's insanely high for. And since as they're off to find a hidden God to convince him to come back to his people...that high charisma would come in handy.

At the end of the one shot, it seems like the God they face, concentrates damage on the person physically closest to him, which is Eddie's character. Eddie gets brutally taken down until the team drag him away, and revive him. (Eddie makes some snarky comments about the new DM staking his claim by annihilating the old DM and the party finds it hilarious)

But the God keeps aiming for the bard, until Eddie is at zero, then he goes after Dustin...the mage...who is technically the most powerful on the team and nowhere near the God in comparison to the others. Then when Dustin goes down, it's their paladin next...and the group start to freak out.

Eddie passes his death save roll, heals himself and is almost immediately taken down again. The party realise pretty quickly that it's not proximity that is the issue, and that the God is taking out the most powerful first. But Eddie's bard is one of the weaker characters, so that doesn't make ANY sense.

It's Gareth that makes the connection, a split second before Jeff does. He sits back in his chair, stares thoughtfully at Eddie and uses his own turn to grapple the God's weapon from his hands.

It's surprisingly easy, and The God immediately shrinks into a gnarled, grizzly looking goblin, who screeches until Mike cuts his head off with a nat 20 he hadn't been able to roll all night.

It was the weapon. The weapon that contained a God's power.

Gareth and Jeff are still looking at Eddie.

"No memory, huh?" Gareth asks.

Eddie shrugs. "Nothing at all."

"Just pick up the fucking sword, dude." Jeff sighs, and Eddie does.

The instant his character's hands touch the sword, it changes into a golden, glowing lute, the power flows into him, and their bard ascends back into godhood, agreeing to go back to his people.

The whole table descends into chaos, while Eddie and Will high five each other. Of course they were in on it together.

"Fucking DM's" Gareth complains, but he's not angry, not really.

"Ah, ah, ah, G Bear, no swearing in front of the kiddies." Eddie reminds him, gleefully.

The 'kids' didn't even hear him, too busy crowding around Will to congratulate him on his grand return. He'd written the entire thing, and collaborated with Eddie just to make sure it was a good fit for the Hellfire gang.

"Well, I saw it coming hours ago." Steve says, from his spot on the sofa, surprising the older teens. "You don't give up control easily, Eds."

"Ugh...way too much info, Harrington." Jeff groans, wrinkling his nose, and laughing with Gareth at the violent flush to Steve's cheeks.

"Aww you did kinda walk into that one with open arms, baby boy." Eddie coos, swooping down to press kisses against Steve's embarrassed cheek.

He scoops Steve into an embrace, ignoring his grumbles, and looks up at his bandmates, "So what do you think, did baby Byers pass the little test that you thought I didn't know about?"

"Hell yeah." They both agree, enthusiastic and immediate.

"This year's gonna be awesome, Eddie." Gareth adds, grinning.

They all look over to where the younger kids are, still crowding together and excitedly discussing the last few hours. Will is glowing with pride and happiness. It's a good look on him. Jeff and Gareth slap Eddie on the back and wander off to join them.

Eddie sighs, curling into Steve as much as he can. He knows he's clingy, but he needs this right now. It's bittersweet. While he's not in school anymore, he has a part time job and an apprenticeship that's going to take up far more time than he'd realised. And he's lost all of his D&D shit too. It all makes sense to hand over permanently, but it still hurts.

"You ok babe?" Steve asks. He's so nice and lovely and sweet that Eddie melts on the inside at the concern in his voice.

"It's like my kids are leaving home." He admits. "Even though technically I guess I'm the one doing the leaving."

"Growing up sucks." Steve agrees. He rubs his fingers down Eddie's arm, reassuringly. "Don't worry babe, they're not gonna forget you."

"Better fucking not." Eddie grumbled, pressing his face into Steve's neck.

He looked over. The kids had already forgotten that they were both there, too busy packing up and trying in vain to get details from Will about the next campaign.

It was a good thing though, Eddie tried convincing himself. They were all so enthusiastic and in good spirits, they didn't need him for that. It's why he'd started Hellfire in the first place, to inspire this kind of camaraderie for the outcasts. Something that would outlast him (even if the rest of the town had their own legacy instead).

"It's not forever, Eds." Steve reminded him. "Once we've got our place we'll host every week if you want."

It wasn't soon enough to soothe him.

But they were ok, and happy, and alive.

So it would have to be enough...for now.

[chatnoirwithblackhair]

One thing I don't see talked about in the media is how comorbid disorders work with each other. Because they can both make each other worse and better.

We have comorbid BPD (borderline personality disorder) and PPD (paranoid personality disorder), and they very often "work together," so to speak. One starts going on about abandonment, the other backs it up by reminding us that we can never trust anybody, and how can we really know if people aren't doing something behind our back? (And yes, I am talking about them like they are toddler friends)

But just as much as they are working together in their usual destructive manner, they also, surprisingly, calm each other down.

BPD is mirroring other people's behaviors. If the behavior of another person is stable, then we are stable ourselves. If we genuinely see people loving us and communicating with us, being open about their emotions, solving arguments and problems in a healthy, calm, adult-like way, and handling our splits and episodes in a loving way (@the-soup-system), our BPD calms down and goes: "Hm. Maybe they won't abandon us, and maybe they do actually love us! Also, they're so stable, I don't have to walk on eggshells around them. So I'm stable!" And PPD, looking at BPD (metaphorical look), even if it starts going, "but we don't know if it's actually like that!" calms down with our BPD. If there is no reason for abandonment, and if we're stable in mood, then maybe there's no reason to suspect anything else. And vice versa. Both BPD and PPD respond well to other people being open, honest, calm, and loving. So if one has no reason to suspect or fear anything, the other one automatically wouldn't, too.

Some other disorders we have that are comorbid with each other, like OCD and a few others, also work with each other well. Oftentimes, we actually use OCD to calm our other disorders down because if OCD is calm, then others will also slowly calm down with it. The way we do it is by playing organizing games, which we downloaded specifically to calm ourselves down. Just OCD going off? Organizing games that would help it. For autism, those games are patterns. OCD and anxiety disorders are very much comorbid, so these games calm down our anxiety, too.

What I'm saying is, I think the second we started treating disorders like they are a bunch of toddlers who just need to be heard, we figured out who they metaphorically look up to and follow. Comorbid disorders are connected one way or another, and by calming one down, there is a good chance the other one will calm down, too. It's almost the same thing as looking at healthy coping mechanisms and needs for both disorders, but I kinda put it in a different perspective. Obviously, personality disorders or just disorders don't actually follow anybody, but they act like they do, and they affect who you are as a person. When you start working with them, what they need to be is heard and reassured. They have their own needs.

And now realize that I described them as different people who you need to take care of, but all of them are actually you, however many personalities you have. It's you who needs to be heard and reassured, it's you who has your needs.

I suppose the moral of this post is that you don't have to calm every disorder down individually, and their comorbidity might help you more than destroy you. And if you have trouble understanding how to deal with them and help them, imagine them as separate people, preferably toddlers or children, with a desire to be heard, reassured, and for their needs to be met.

[animehouse-moe]

Blade of The Moon Princess Volume 1: An Incredible Look Into Endou's Vision

Rather imprudent of me to title this after the artist rather than the art itself, but it's very hard not to. When your most recent work is your greatest hit, and one of the largest out of nowhere successes in a good while, it's hard to relate everything to that feat.

Regardless, what we have here is Endou's last serialized work before Spy x Family. There's a trio of one-shots bridging the gap, but all three (I Spy in particular, of course) contribute a significant amount to what it is that Endou distills into Spy x Family. Of course, you get borrowings from Tista, and most certainly from Blade of The Moon Princess. Because of those ties, I'd love to explain the connections (and quality) of Blade of The Moon Princess in relation to Endou's Magnum Opus.

Let's get the story out of the way: there are people living on the moon. All Feudal Japan-like but with fancy technology and unimaginable power. Kaguya, the young girl on the cover, is the next-in-line princess to succeed her mother and rise from princess to empress of the moon. Of course, not everyone likes that, as the branch family that was disgraced by the actions of the prior empress that originated from their family has stained their history. Desperate to claw back the power they had lost, they attempt to murder Kaguya's mother and steal away the symbol of her power, a sword passed down from empress to empress that's meant to protect the people of the moon. The coup-meets-assassination fails, and Kaguya is able to flee to the tainted planet (Earth) with the sword and evade the branch family, if only briefly.

Surprisingly well put together, yeah? I thought so too. Where Tista lacks a clear cut vision as to the reason behind Tista's story, Endou rectifies that hole here by providing viewers with the idea that Kaguya's goal is to return to the moon as its empress and usurp the branch family that has wrestled control away from her.

Moving on though, there's quite a few pieces that will catch the attention of readers. The moon, Kaguya, bamboo and Japan. It's Endou's version of The Story of Princess Kaguya. And I think that's really cool. They stretch the fabric of the original story so thin that you can shine a light through it, and Endou uses that light to illuminate the details that he's added. Kaguya does not appear to an old man in a stalk of bamboo. Rather, she appears in a space ship shaped like bamboo.

Much like Endou's marriage of sci-fi and fantasy with Blade of The Moon Princess, they form a transitional period in their storytelling between Tista and Spy x Family. Not quite as humorous as Spy x Family, and not quite as dark as Tista, Kaguya helms a story that straddles the middle of Endou's mind through this first volume. And I think that's something that will be immediately apparent to readers throughout the whole volume.

Though I say 'whole volume', there's two things that will immediately clue readers in: Anya and perspective. Now no, Anya does not appear in this first volume really. But I mean, just look at Kaguya's expressions, they exude the simplicity and laziness of Anya. While Ashe from the referentially titled Rengoku No Ashe might have been the inspiration for Anya's design, Kaguya represents a good portion of her soul.

Similarly, though in the opposite direction, is Endou's use of perspective. While it still exists in Spy x Family, it's to a far lesser degree than something like Tista. In his early days, he very much so had a penchant for blown perspective and the depiction of characters with small and narrow frames. Blade of The Moon Princess continues this trend, though perhaps on a lesser scale than before. The latter example in particular feels like it was pulled directly from Tista.

Anyways, let's refocus on the story to close things out. We know what Endou wants to do, we know where we're going and where it wants to end. It's a very confident series in that regard, which in turns provides me with confidence that it'll be a solid ride through its five volume run. It won't rush to fit it into two volumes, and it won't barely make it a story through one, it'll take its ideals about Kaguya's character, and take the time Endou needs to probably mold and shape it. It's the most promising exercise in Endou's storytelling prior to Spy x Family, and that has me very intrigued. A hot headed girl, stranded so far away from home, stuck with feelings of inadequacy and rage. But a girl that must nonetheless learn how to harness those feelings for the better, and use them to protect the people that form her kingdom. It's a well put and traditional approach with all the right twists and turns inserted by Endou. I'm very curious to see where it goes.

[deathbxnny]

Maybe welt with a fem reader who is like raiden ei as in she has her powers? Fluff plz

They would be a power couple

-----♡

A/N: As someone who loves Ei so much, I absolutely love this idea! Thank you for the great request!<33

Content: Fluff, mentions of Raiden Ei's abilities, established relationship, sfw

Reader is afab and uses she/her pronouns!

((Not fully proofread!))

-----♡

You two honestly work quite well together in many ways. You're serene and calm, yet sometimes clueless self is really comforting to Welt, even if you have a hard time connecting with emotions. But he doesn't mind, enjoying the days you just sit close to him with curious eyes and listen to him tell you all about the world.

You definitely tried cooking for him once and failed miserably, making you a little upset. He cheered you up with offering to lend you some help in the kitchen next time, which turned out to be alot of fun. He's surprisingly good at cooking too.

Your abilities fascinate him. You are strong, able to wield a sword that can strike down anything in your path. It makes you two unbeatable together and he loves, that you can protect your friends and yourself this way easier. He wants to know everything about your powers and makes you tell him all details, no matter how long it takes. He'll listen to every second with equal focus and intent.

He definitely gets very flustered seeing you pull your sword out of your chest though. You love teasing him for it, especially when he gets a little red from it. Not that he's really complaining.

You sometimes ask him to meditate with you. He was at first a little unsure of it, as he had never done something like that before, but soon enough he began to really like it. Not only does he get to spend time with you, but he also gets to take a well-deserved moment to relax and unwind from a stressful day of work. Being in your company like this really fulfills him.

He finds your love for sweets quite cute and whilst he isn't all too keen on them himself, he still spoils you with as many of them as you want. Seeing you happy makes him happy and that's all that matters.

So yeah, you two definitely are quite the power couple and a heavenly one at that!

-----♡

A/N: I hope this was okay! Thank you again for the request!<33

[el1sesstuff]

Ultimate glow up guide to glow up before school!

(I'll try to put these in sections + I'll also be using these tips my self as well)

To glow up you must have to take care of yourself in these areas physically, emotionally, and mentally so I'll try to help you conquer these things!

What is wonyoungism?

A: it's a term created by Ives fans thats centered on the princess pilates aesthetic. Wonyoungism is all about living a healthy lifestyle, positive mindset, keeping fit, eating healthy, and most importantly self love and loving your self!

1. How to enter your wonyoungism era?

Workout could go to the gym or work out home (I recommend pilates and cardio)

Try to stretch every morning and night

Sleep well at least 8 hours a day

Try to build a skincare routine I recommend finding your skin type and finding products that work for it

Ice your face (makes you look more put together and gives you a refreshed look)

Eat healthy or in small portions

Find a make up routine (if you need it)

Be nice to people around you!! If someone is mean you be nice to them

Drink enough water ik everyone says this but its actually really benifical to glow up cuz it flushes out all the nasty toxins in your body. It makes your skin look brighter and hydrated

2. Glow up mentally

Learn to love your self beacuse if you can't love yourself then who love you?

Try I have an idgaf mindset this is so helpful because if someone disrespects you, you don't care

Walk around w/ confidence

Tell your self affirmations

Try to limit your screen time an the amount of negative things you consume (negative things leads to bad mentality)

Try to put your self first

Have a "I don't chase, I attract mindset" this is by song jia

Find motivational quotes to help you feel good

Spend some time alone! Do the things you love

Journal it gets all your bottled emotions out

Write goals you want to achieve

Work on healing your self

Surround your self w/ positive ppl

Start doing meditation and yoga!

Get LOTS OF SLEEP at least 8hrs per night

Try to connect w/ your religion more

Create a summer playlist!

3. Self care

Pamper your self more

Skincare tips:

Use cold water to help your skin

Wash ur face 1-2 times a day w/ a good cleanser

Rubbing ice on your face

Moisture daily (day and night)

Find your skin type

Gently dry ur face after washing it

Shower tips:

User rice water for shiny an silky hair (not too often)

Cold showers

Use conditioner on tips

Shampoo on roots (bubble it up first)

Let hair naturally dry most of the time blow dry it rarely

Wash your pillows frequently

Smooth skin:

Use lotion Immediately after showering or bathing (surprisingly ppl don't do this ?!!)

Body butter after showering to keep skin extra hydrated

Wear silky types of clothing while sleeping

Shave (don't have to if you dont want to)

Use body scrubs once a week so you don't overly strip your skin of it's natural oils

Use body oils when your skin needs it or every other day

Few other tips:

Take warm baths when you need them especially on long mentally draining days to restore your energy

Don't shower with hot water bc it can really damage your skin

Brush your teeth with toothpaste then w/ water (makes them look whiter

Wash your hands regularly to keep them smooth and clean (moisture them after to keep them soft not hard!

Ware gloves while cleaning and washing dishes because the harsh chemicals can make your hands dry and rough!!

Diet:

Drink at least 6-8 cups of water per day

Include fruits and veggies in every meal (try to)

Eat healthy fats like; avacadoes, nuts, seeds, fatty fish. These types of foods contain omega-3 which gives your skin a healthy appearance

Whole grains like; quinoa, brown rice, oats, and whole wheat bread. They provide you fiber, vitamins, and minerals that are good for your skins health

Lean proteins like; fish, tofu, beans, and Greek yogurt they can give your hair and skin a healthy look to it

Physically glow up:

Invest into a good skincare routine

Try a new hairstyle this can change up your whole look

Get your nails done

Everything shower (exfoliate, shave, hair mask, ect)

Find new clothes

Get a SIGNATURE SCENT!

get a tan (optional)

Dye your hair (optional)

Use a gusha and face roller (it changes up your face shape sm)

Summer bucketlist ideas:

Have picnics w/ ur self or friends

See sunrises and sunsets

Paint or draw

Read new books (I love reading webtoon sm)

Go on a road trip

Thrifring

Have a girls night

Go on walks

Make bracelets

Have a photoshoot

Fashion tips:

Always wear accessories they make you look more put together and they can spice up a boring outfit

Always smell good

Don't pair a baige or black colored cargo pants w/ a bright colored top. Pair it w/ black

Some colors beige goes well with ; brown, black, silver

Always do a nice hairstyle that matches your outfit

To make a skirt look better add leg warmers

Pair the right shoe color with the right outfit or else you'll look less put together

[aliceindaisychains999]

Hiiii! I saw that tank dempsey and video games post and it made me think... How would the bois (primis and Ultimis) do with good ol' Jackbox?

(spoiler alert : it'd be a hot mess. Especially with Ultimis)

HELLO MY FRIEND! You’re correct, Ultimis can barely hold together a game of Mario Kart without someone throwing a shit fit (even Takeo). This all takes place in a modern AU btw. Each group gets 3 games so this doesn't get overwhelmingly large

I'm also using an emoji guide bc it's going to be very detailed

Primis: Tank( 🪖), Richtofen (🧪), Takeo(🌸), Nikolai (🐻)

Ultimis: Tank (🧨), Richtofen (🧟), Takeo(🗡️), Nikolai (🍷)

JACKBOX NIGHT WITH THE AETHER CREW

Primis:

Behold, the group that actually has fun with it!

Everyone’s favorite game has to be T-KO. Nikolai kept coming up with hysterical shirts with risqué jokes. The shirt seen below was his magnum opus:

Richtofen insisted his was a really funny pun, but nobody laughed again no matter how much he milked the joke :( But it's DummKoffee...

During Job Job, Everyone kept losing their shit. For examples:

"You want to make a good impression for the district manager. How do you stand out?" 🧪: I like to cry for help to the district manager

🪖: respond Based off of gooey cheese cheese cheese cheese snacks ("Not gonna lie, this stuff is why I joined the Marine Corp")

"You had your picture taken for your work badge and it's awful! What do you do?"

🐻: pillow Hangover 🌸: I hose that Karen

Richtofen nearly choked on his beer hearing Dempsey's answer 🧪Goodness, Dempsey! Are you starving? 🪖I mean, sure. I could go for somethin' cheesy right now (And so they heated some Totino's and pizza bagels from the freezer, in which Takeo kept quietly stealing one off of everyone's plate until Nikolai caught him in the act. Did I mention they were slightly tipsy?)

Overall, they all had lighthearted fun with it. And it slowly becomes a game of choice when they hand out besides poker and online gaming once in a while.

Ultimis:

Ok so already everyone is taking at least 15-30 minutes to connect tO THE FUCKING TV

🍷Wait wait don't start guys! I haven't signed in yet!

🧨COME ON NIKOLAI! GIMMIE YOUR PHONE! (The same man who struggled several minutes earlier to jump on)

🗡️Hmmm, what should we play first? 🧟OOOH! Let's play Murder Trivia! It sounds delicious~

🧨Ugh, give me a break...

So murder trivia was a rough start. Not only did everyone have a tough time with the puzzles. but only Takeo and Richtofen were getting most of the questions right. This left Nikolai and Tank dying every round and failing their redemption challenges.

Nikolai would angrily pout and mumble "Fuck this game" while Tank roared with so much visceral rage in his throat. This is worse than him fighting with someone in the MW2 Voice chat

Richtofen thought it was funny until Tank was about to get violent and punch a hole in the TV. Takeo and Nikolai had to restrain him while Richtofen scolded him. No more Murder Trivia...

🧟Maybe Monster Seeking Mon-🧨NO. I get to pick this time!

Tank chose Survive the Internet! And… it went as well as you’d expect.

Surprisingly, it was Takeo that added the hashtag for Richtofen's tweet! 🗡️Ha ha ha! Are you surprised by my ambush, Doctor? 🧨Alright, Tak! It's funny 'cause it's true🧟I hate you, Dempsey

A taste of karma on Richtofen's part for the #whycollegematters comment

Honorable mention to Dempsey's gut-busting commentary here. Everyone laughed so hard that even Takeo had beer come out his nose!

The final game was Civic Doodle. Literally nobody knew how to draw and Richtofen kept slamming down everyone’s “crappy job” on their artwork.

🧟AAAACH! WHAT AM I LOOKING AT?! DIDE YOU SMUDGE IT ALL WITH YOUR THUMB?! 🍷HEY FUCK YOU I CAN’T TOUCH SCREEN! IS TOO TINY FOR NIKOLAI! Besides, I can see two of what I’m drawing which makes it harder for me :(

It sadly ends with a lot of quarreling because the wifi had issues and everyone thought it was because someone was doing it on purpose to cheat 🧨Hey wait a minute… YOU DID THIS ON PURPOSE, DIDN’T YOU RECTALFAN! 🧟Why is it every time something goes wrong, you assume it’s MY fault? HMM?! Maybe I should remind you of all the times you’ve thrown a wrench into my- our plans! 🍷I think it was the bushido warrior. He’s too quiet… and his jokes are unfunny as shit🗡️Says you, Russian pig! [INTENSIFIED OLD MAN YELLING] They tire themselves out into slumber in the living room.

[mephinomaly]

[TL] PYSCHOBREAK/Chapter 6

[ This post uses Ois~su ♪ ]

Time: That day at night

Location: In a training room in ES

Rei: Wanko~♪ Do you want the ball~?

Go fetch~ ☆

Koga 2: Ruff ruuuffffff ☆

Adonis 2: …(Fidgeting around like he wants to play too.)

Rei: Kukuku. He looks human but in reality he’s a newborn baby, such an adorable thing ♪

Kaoru: You get on surprisingly well with the fakes which is pretty good.

—But is that really a good thing, Rei-kun?

Rei: Okay, it’s Adonis-kun's turn now ♪ Why don’t you try to catch this piece of string? You can build up physical strength whilst having fun, isn’t that the best?

Adonis 2: ...♪

Kaoru: I’m happy you’re getting on but hey, are you listening? Can you not ignore me please?

Rei: Of course of course. I will never again allow my gaze to be ripped away from my beloved children who adore me.

Kaoru: Who adores who, did you say?

Rei: —I’ve been thinking.

Kaoru: Hm?

Rei: No matter how much I desire it, I can never be an omnipotent, benevolent god. I suppose that’s clear as I could not predict this situation unfolding.

However, I am slightly older than you all, and it is not as if I spent all my time overseas playing around.

I’m just a tiny bit more experienced onii-chan than you all.

Kaoru: What are you trying to say? You just want to brag about being older? Or do you hate being seen as an old hag?[1] Is this a type of power harassment?

Rei: Kukuku. It’s weird for me not to, Kaoru-kun. Well, there’s nothing I can do in this situation.

We must keep our minds as tranquil as a mountain peak. If our juniors see us seniors fumble, it will create anxiety for them.

Kaoru: Uhuh. Being a senpai is hard work.

So? What are you thinking about?

Rei: Umu. I have no evidence regarding this, all I can do is make guesses on the sequence of events that brought us into this and why it even began to start with.

I have an overall understanding of this situation.

In other words, we now know the truth behind this mysterious set of circumstances.

Kaoru: Wa～, well done! You’re an amazing detective ♪

Rei: Kaoru-kun could have guessed it as well. You are the son of a wise scholar after all.

However, you are a pragmatic child. This case is a bit of an anomaly, and contains unrealistic aspects.

Kaoru: Unrealistic, hm… Ah, I guess that describes it well.

Rei: Umu. Now the question is; how do we escape this situation?

You will understand this analogy, but we are in a locked room. There is only one exit and entrance, and a specific key is required to open them.

However, the key is hidden amongst an endless amount of objects scattered around said room.

Kaoru: It’s like a super difficult ‘escape the room’ game.

Rei: There aren’t any hints though. Unfortunately, there is not enough time to carefully examine each and every item in the room in order to find the key.

We must somehow escape, before the reality we live in warps and breaks down.

Kaoru: Since it’s you, I’m sure you’ve come up with a way to get us out of here. I say that half jokingly ♪

Rei: Umu. I must respond if someone asks something of me, as superstar Rei Sakuma-senpai.

—There is one thing I want to do.

However, it is a dangerous gamble. I am concerned that there may be burdens on the mind and body, primarily on the brain.

Kaoru: Don’t you dare say something all stand-offish like “so that's why I’ll handle it by myself.” If UNDEAD has a problem, then it’s all of our problem. We should share that burden together.

Rei: Kukuku. That’s something old Kaoru-kun would never have said. Now we have been reminded of our past selves, those words deeply move me.

Kaoru: Don’t make fun of me. So, what’s this thing you want to do?

What should we do to get out of this weird situation?

Rei: We need to dream.

When I investigated the AIIE experiment facilities the other day, I happened upon the machines we were connected to, the manuals on how to operate them, and the drugs we were prescribed.

As one could expect, the manuals contained a lot of technical lingo, but with help from a family member who is good at those sorts of things, I was able to come to grips with how it works.

Therefore, if we desire so, we can dream of those days once again.

Visit the memories of when Deadmanz disappeared, and us, UNDEAD, arose.

I suspect our answers will be there.

Kaoru: It’s embarrassing to see me back then being so uptight, but if there’s nothing else we can do, I suppose I can comply.

Rei: Kaoru-kun is still an inexperienced cute boy, hm? I am but a lump of shame.

You may be ashamed of your past self now, but in ten years you may feel the same about your current self.

Let’s do everything in our power now so we do not regret anything in the future.

Will you help me, Kaoru-kun?

Kaoru: Of course I will. I’ve said this a lot already, but this is all of our problem.

Rei: Wonderful… This is also just a guess, but I believe I am the cause behind everything.

Seeds from the past left unwatered grow out of spite. I must reap what I sow, before they can grow anymore.

So this doesn’t happen again. So that I don’t lose anyone again.

[ ☆ ]

Kaoru says 年齢マウント. Not sure if we have a word like that in english but it’s when the eldest of a group of girls (whether idols or just friendship groups) is seen as an old woman despite only being slightly older than the others

Chapter 5

Chapter 7

[tallyanimatez]

Hello Tally!!

So,, feathers AU Jade Leech, or rather the whole octavinelle trio

Since MC’s essentially sabotaging racers to ensure Grim’s win, I wanna see how their interactions go down with the trio, considering how shady they are in the canonical story :D

Does Azul know of the fowl (pun intended) play going on behind the scenes? Does he do anything to stop it, or make it benefit him as well? Are Crowley and Azul competing with each other in this aspect? Very intriguing, would like to know

Have a great day/night :D

... *puts down telephone* This is going to be a long one

So just like everyone the octo trio doesn't know who the culprit is either, but he does know that Crowley is involved in this sabotaging race incident, he just doesn't have the evidences to prove it and is working to prove it, although the culprit seems to be pointing at you the more he tries to deny it...

Not every doors are ment to be opened, just like how every secrets are ment to be kept

A mushroom encyclopedia, a hugging killing machine, and a shady takoyaki.

Never get their interest they say

Be careful of what you wish for they say

Don't try fiddling with their secrets they say

Even if somethings might not be true to the targeted people, it's always better to be safe than sorry. A fake trap can still be a trap if use correctly, so any information you grasp, whether real or fake, could always come in use if you know how to play your chess.

You've heard more or less from the Octavinelle team, and alot about their shady business. They say that they're capable of making everyone's wish come true if they can uphold the cost, in which...not all were able to uphold it and become a fool of themselves, pathetic really... but you don't want to join that gang, you're already a fool as if you are right now.

So don't screw it up, your name does not exist in this world as people don't care about it, create a reputation that even you can't disperse, then everything will be over.

You've never met the head of the team neither the twins that follows them, and you prefer it that way as your actual status is being wanted by every Great Sevens whether were they your victims or not.

You have met someone similar to the Octavinelle head's description, a man with light grey wavy hair, with one long lock who surprisingly- can't fly very well despite claiming to be a racer, you find it funny seeing him struggle to even move 1 inch above ground. Then there's twin who looks very identical, one who has manners and rambles like a mushroom encyclopedia, the other is a big hugging killing machine you'd like to refer to since his grip could break your bones if you're not paying attention.

The shady business takoyaki, you like to call him that, once rambled about a sabotager in alot of races which made you jolted a little. He might have caught on that small reaction of yours, cause now he seems interested to pry in every aspects of your personal life, the twins-well the less mannered one seems to cling on you even more while the other one watches intentively...

If the attention is too much, you can always cut ties with them, break every connection and throw it into the abyss, nobody will be able to repair something that's destroyed to the dust, neither be attentive enough to find all the pieces together

It's been a few months since you've last seen them for your sake. A few months of erasing your trails, your existences from this world again.

------------------------------

Authors note: This draft has been sitting in my inbox for quite a while, I didn't have the full brain power to write anymore and I personally like it to be a cliffhanger :D

Anyways have a good day/night!

[kaylapocalypse]

Hi Kayla! It's been a million years since we've spoken, so hello I hope yours years have been good since we last talked. I saw your post the other day about the beef fat and the lanolin you've been using for your skin and maybe this is a stupid question, but how exactly do you use it?

Hi! Im so happy to have found you again, thank you for reaching out. I’ve been trying to re-connect with everyone I was close to on here and I’m really glad we can start anew!

Okay lanolin and beef tallow:

TLDR: half a dime sized amount of both, mostly at night, mix in your hands and smear over the whole face.

Breakdown:

1. Both products are very emollient, but surprisingly not very heavy. Neither of them are comedogenic, and after 3 months of usage I’m willing to back that claim. I tried slugging before with a couple of different products but my skin was always like “hm. too much of this.” and started developing weird oily patches and acne around my mouth. With lanolin and tallow, not only has my skin not done that, but the texture has changed significantly for the better and I don’t wake up greasy anymore.  I also find that i have to exfoliate my skin LESS now, which was a crazy realization.

That said, you only need a little of each to cover your whole face and neck. Maybe about the size of an aspirin for the beef tallow and half that for the lanolin. Lanolin has the texture of bees wax and beef tallow is about as thick as Vaseline. 

2. While the products are “thick” they feel more like an expensive “dry oil” after you’ve rubbed it in. It doesn’t create a gross “layer” the way Vaseline does, but if you touch your face it will feel oily in a way that makes you want to rub it into your hands.  THAT SAID, this is not a combo that you can wear well under makeup.  The oils will break down the waxes in most lipsticks, concealers and foundations and they will all slide around your face after a while. Which is why I mostly use tallow and lanolin at night. 

During the daytime if i am not planning on leaving my house, I will mix a bit of tallow into my palm with a few drops of sunscreen and use that. But if I am, I just stick to sunscreen and makeup then tallow/lanolin at night.

3.Unlike a lot of skincare products, this isn’t a spot treatment sort of situation and the amount you use doesn’t matter so much as you use enough to cover the whole area of interest. 

I have also mixed other things into the tallow/lanolin mix in the palm of my hand, depending on what I want. 

I’ve done: vitamin C powder, Scar healing ointment and Niacimide. I find it works better when you’re using a serum to apply the serum first then seal with lanolin/tallow, but if its an oil or a powder, to just mix it together with the tallow and slather it on. 

I’ve found that most other products seem to work better with the moisture seal of tallow/lanolin than by themselves.  But I do have to say, I only use other products every once in a while because I have a specific hyperpigmentation scar issue I’m working on fading. I’m just giving this info because I want you to know that it doesn’t poorly interact with skincare products the way it breaks down makeup. 

If you’re interested:

There is a really cool homesteader that documents her refining of tallow that I like to follow:

If you have any more questions, let me know!

Also, just for convenience here is the link to where I bought stuff from: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TraditionalNutrients?ref=yr_purchases 

Specifically I ordered the skin cream first in a small size, then I decided to just go with their basic Tallow Spread, which is more bang for your buck and is also not whipped. The only difference I could tell between them is the skin cream is whipped like whipped butter and the other one is an unwhipped jar of tallow with Vaseline like texture. 

[happyinjection]

♠️♥️High Card Short Story 5 “Poison Phenomenon” (1/3)♦️♣️

Finn and Leo, who were constantly at odds, surprisingly shared one thing in common: a favorite band. However...

Original: https://twitter.com/highcard_pj/status/1539443354550685697

Author: https://twitter.com/poipheno

Artist: https://twitter.com/ebimoji3

“Wrong. I understand what you’re saying. But it is surely their early days, ‘cause that’s when the riffs stood out.”

“No, it’s during their rise to fame. One can say that they peaked during the transitional period to the current era, where experimental fusion with other genres gets really ingrained in your ears.”

We were occupying the showroom of Pinochle Old Maid branch office. I had pulled a stool next to Leo’s desk and sat down with him. Leo kept his legs crossed while leaning against his backrest and armrest.

“That’s why, the true value of their frontman, Jeff, was only demonstrated through his raw songwriting during the early days of the band.”

“I don’t deny it. However, it was thanks to musical diversity backed by textbook proficiency that Poipheno has earned their reputation today.”

—Poison Phenomenon. Or Poipheno for short. It was an FK[*] rock band which I admired a lot. In the orphanage, I didn’t receive pocket money, so somehow I managed to scrape together a few, and I had been buying secondhand CDs and other goods little by little.

Just recently, through a chance encounter, I learned that Leo was actually a fellow fan of Poipheno. Ever since then, we would occasionally talk about Poipheno and one thing led to another, but perhaps because we were born and raised too differently, at its core our tastes didn’t exactly match.

“Leo, give it a listen one more time.”

I plugged my earphones into my smartphone and stuck one of the earpiece into Leo’s ear.

“Oi, don’t touch my body without permission.”

“Whatever, just listen.”

I put the other piece into my ear. As soon as I pressed play, what flowed through was a killer tune from their first album, “Get Me Out”.

As the norm for a band’s indie days, the recording quality wasn’t the best, but it was precisely why the charisma of their vocalist and bassist Bill stood out.

I moved my body along to the song instinctively. No matter how many times I’ve listened to it, it would still tug on my heartstrings.

“Huh, if it’s not you two. Acting like lovers like that, what’s gotten into you?”

Wendy, with a document in hand, was peering at us. Taking off her work glasses, she blinked several times in disbelief.

“We’re listening to Poipheno. Don’t you dare interrupt this sacred moment. Or else I’m gonna blast it off.”

In the showroom, originally some classical music or something along that line which I didn’t get at all was being played. Compared to that sort of sleep-inducing, classy stuff, Poipheno was ten thousand times better.

“Finn. Wendy is a bit artistically-challenged. Excuse her behavior.”

Wendy let out a small yelp, and the papers fell off her hands. Following that, she clamped over her mouth using both of her hands.

“Leo is standing up for Finn...... Gross......”

“Why do you think that. It’s wonderful to see that those two seems to be getting along well and spending time together, isn’t it.”

From his desk, Vijay remarked. 

“It’s the law of similarity, you see. Poipheno is what’s connecting them.”

While sipping chai from his glass mug, he stroked the leaf of a houseplant sitting on his desk using his fingertips.

“By the way, what’s Poipheno?”

It was Wendy asking. I got caught off guard by her question and fell off my chair.

“You’ve never heard of Poipheno before?”

“I guess not. Is there anything wrong with that?”

Leo, too, sprung to his feet with an accusing glare in his blue eyes.

“You! Do you seriously live in Fourland?!”

“That’s bad news, Wendy! Absolutely dreadful news!”

“Huh, wha, what did I do wrong?! Vijay, what are they talking about!”

Wendy might not be aware of it, but she had a gullible side, and as such was easily swept by the tide.

Vijay returned the look with eyes that did not falter in the slightest.

“Yes, I do. They’re a 4-piece band from Silphium. They’ve released a series of smash hits that have been highly praised by music critics. In their early days, they used to be a hard rock-oriented FK rock with dominant riffs, but since the all the members had graduated from music school, they have also incorporated jazz and fusion at some points. During the latter half of their discography, somehow they also incorporated a progressive feeling into groove, while still maintaining their pop sound. It is said that they’ve left a significant impact on the future of Fourland’s music scene. Classifying them into any particular genre is difficult, and they continue to release highly accomplished works, thus despite their short period of activity they are considered to be a legendary band.”

“No way..... You clearly know too much.”

Suddenly, Wendy knocked some sense back to Vijay, who had been rambling without a pause. In excitement, I blurted out.

“Vijay! Were you a secret fan too!?”

“That is not the case.”

“Well then, do tell me. What do you not know, instead?” I kept on cornering him.

At the same time, Leo jumped right in the middle of the showroom.

“We’re temporarily closing the shop. If there are any clients coming, I’m leaving it to Bernard.”

Wendy flailed her hands in the air.

“Huh!? No, no, you can’t possibly do that--”

“It’s Poipheno in the heart of the problem! Wendy, do you even understand how dire it is!?”

“Right, right!”

I took advantage of the enraged Leo.

“Damned if I do, damned if I don’t.....”

“Finn, blast it off.”

“Aye, aye, Manager Sir!”

“Good grief..... If only you’re always this obedient, our job would go so much more smoothly, wouldn’t it.”

Wendy commented with as much sarcasm as she could muster. Ignoring her jab, I turned the volume on my smartphone to maximum.

“Music start!”

♠️♥️♦️♣️

TL notes: I’m in no way a professional translator so if you find any mistakes, please do not hesitate to inform me right away. [*] As Muno has clarified in his podcast, apparently “FK rock” means “Fourland Kingdom rock”! As you may have guessed already, it’s a direct parody to “UK rock”. That gives an impression of how Poipheno’s music would possibly sound like...