#tune in... later inevitably lol

[skyward-floored]

Okay I have stuff written or at least ideas for days 1,2,3,4,8,9,12,13, maybe 14, possibly 20, 22, maybe 25 and maybe 28 which means I just have... eighteen left to think of

[celestialgallaghers]

Modern Day Apollo [18+]

hello hello I hope this makes up for my absence. I can't stick to a schedule i guess lol. Anyways, i literally screamed when i saw this request in my inbox and i've been dying to get it out since. i 🤍noel nose.

based on this request

Summary: In which Noel can’t understand why anyone would want to ride his nose. It’s just a nose really (It’s really not.)

Word count: 6.7k

You’d just come home from a day out with some girlfriends. It was late afternoon, and the flat was quiet save for the gentle strumming of a guitar. You followed the sound until you found yourself leaning against the doorway, arms crossed, silently watching Noel as he played and hummed a tune he was working on.

You loved watching him like this. When he was lost in the music, it was like he drifted into some dreamlike trance. Half here, half somewhere else entirely. It was your favorite version of him. The way he could pluck melodies out of thin air and shape them into something tangible never failed to fascinate you. You could watch him all day if he weren’t so adamant about needing solitude to write. The one time you’d lingered too long, he’d grumbled that he wrote nothing but shit songs that day because his mind had been elsewhere. So now you stuck to sneaking quiet glances whenever you could. Until he inevitably caught you.

He also looked so beautiful when he was creating. His brows pulled together in deep concentration. An expression that always seemed tinged with sadness even though you knew he wasn’t upset. This was his happy place. It was just how he looked when everything was pouring out of him and into the chords. 

It took him a few minutes before he noticed you standing there. 

“Hullo,” he mumbled, eyes still half distracted. “Didn’t think you’d be back till later.”

You shrugged and walked into the room, flopping down beside him on the couch.

“Wanted a little time to breathe before we head back out tonight,” you said.

His face was still scrunched up, his thoughts clearly still lingering elsewhere, but you reached up and gently smoothed the furrow between his brows with your thumb. His eyes fluttered closed, sighing deeply as the tension melted from his features. He often needed help coming back from the headspace he got into when he was writing, and you were more than happy to be the one to pull him out.

You let your hand fall away and reached for his. His writing hand. The one worn down by years of playing. Your head came to rest on his shoulder as you gingerly smoothed out the mottled tips. You were taken with the most mundane parts of him. His fingers. His adams apple. The faint streak of grey in his hair. All of it.

He set his guitar aside, slipping his hand from yours only to wrap his arm around your waist and tug you closer. You curled up against him, tucking your body into the space beside his and looped one arm around his middle in a lazy hug.

For a while, neither of you spoke. You let him decompress. His hand stroked your arm absentmindedly, thumb drawing soft circles on your skin.

“Working on something new?” you asked eventually, lifting your head just enough to look at him.

“Mm,” he hummed, noncommittally. His eyes met yours. “Nothin’ really. Bit of a block, I think.”

“Well,” you said, a sly smile tugging at your lips, “I could help give you some inspiration.”

You leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his jaw.

He huffed a quiet laugh, his hand still resting on your side as you cupped his face, your fingers light on his cheek.

“Yeah?” he said, a hint of playfulness returning to his voice. “I’m very open to suggestions.”

Your thumb drifted from his cheek to his nose, slowly tracing the slope of it up and down. He stilled under your touch, eyes quietly watching you.

“You’ve got a weird fascination with my nose, y’know,” he said after a beat.

You paused, your thumb drifting away with a soft laugh. “No I don’t.”

“Yes, you do,” he said, grinning now. “You should’ve seen yourself just now. Staring at me like you’re about two seconds away from pushin’ me down to mount it.”

Your cheeks flared with heat. That was exactly something you’d fantasized about. More than once. How he’d figured it out, you had no clue. Maybe you weren’t as subtle as you thought.

The longer you stayed quiet, the wider his grin grew.

“That’s it, innit?” he said, voice low and smug. “It turns you on.”

Bastard. Your heart pounded like you’d been caught doing something you weren’t supposed to and he was taunting you. 

“Maybe,” you mumbled, gaze flicking up to meet his. “Maybe I’ve got a thing for big noses.”

He blinked, something flickering behind his eyes, and then burst into a soft laugh.

“Nah, you’re just takin’ the piss now.”

“M’not,” you said, sitting up a little straighter. “It’s sexy.”

“C’mon, no bird I’ve ever met has found my nose attractive,” he said, the grin softening into something more self deprecating. “They just… tolerate it. One of my flaws.”

“It is not a flaw,” you said, your tone shifting into something more serious. “I think it’s one of the most beautiful things about you.”

His expression faltered, and you watched as a faint pink spread across his cheeks. That subtle flush always caught you off guard. There were still moments, rare ones, when he seemed surprised by your affection. Like he still couldn’t quite believe you meant it.

You reached out, your fingers brushing his cheek, watching him quietly struggle with the compliment. He didn’t look away, but something in his gaze had shifted.

Your hand drifted again, thumb brushing just beneath his eye before trailing back to the bridge of his nose again. He let you. There was something reverent in the way you touched him now. A deep admiration.

“You’re kind of ridiculous,” you whispered, smiling gently. “You’ve got no idea of just how fit you actually are.”

He gave a low chuckle, his eyes flicking away for just a second. “I just don’t get it,” he muttered, trying to shake off the weight of the moment.

You shrugged, still smiling. “You’re a man. Haven’t you ever looked at something and thought, God, I want to fuck that even when it makes no sense?”

He blinked, caught off guard, then let out a surprised bark of laughter. “S’pose I have.”

“Yeah, well, it’s like that,” you said, leaning in a little closer, your voice dipping low. “Except I’m the one looking. And it’s your nose.”

His smile faded slowly as the words settled between you. Something flickered in his eyes. First amusement, then dawning realization. His mouth opened like he wanted to say something, but no words came.

“Oh,” he said finally.

“Yeah,” you said, your smirk growing as your tone dipped into teasing. “So I’m not some weirdo. You’ve just got a nose I wanna sit on.”

You reached out again, your thumb drifting toward it with exaggeration. But before you could touch him, his hand shot out and grabbed your wrist.

Your breath caught.

His grip wasn’t rough, but it was firm. Decisive. The kind of grip that said stay there. That something inside him had tipped.

Your pulse stuttered at the shift. His eyes were locked on yours now, darker. He stared at you like he was seeing something new. Like he was deciding something in real time.

“Noel—” you started, the word barely out before he was on you. Surging forward to kiss you like he couldn’t hold it back another second.

You gasped softly into the kiss, momentarily caught off guard, but your body responded instantly. Your free hand slid behind his neck, fingers threading through his hair as you kissed him back. His grip on your wrist tightened just slightly, as if squeezing it would convey his sudden need.

His tongue brushed yours and the kiss turned messier, more urgent. He guided you back until you were sinking into the couch cushions. His body hovered over yours, weight pressing you down just enough to make your head spin. Your wrist remained pinned, now stretched above you.

He pulled back slightly, forehead resting against yours, both of you panting.

“Fuck,” he rasped. “You can’t just say things like that and expect no reaction.”

“Why not?” you whispered, smiling against his lips. “You clearly love it.”

A low, broken sound escaped him, and then his mouth was on yours again. His teeth caught your bottom lip and when you whimpered, he soothed the sting with his tongue.

You tried to shift your pinned hand, needing to touch him, but he only pressed it further into the cushion, his grip unrelenting. That restraint, the quiet dominance of it, only stoked the fire in your gut. 

You hooked your leg around his waist and pulled him flush against you, desperate for friction, for pressure, for him. He groaned into your mouth, grinding down against you in return. The rough drag of his jeans against yours made your whole body spark.

His mouth dropped to your neck, stubble scraping your skin in the most delicious way. He found the spot just beneath your ear and bit down, then soothed the sting with his tongue, sending a violent shiver racing down your spine.

The sounds falling from both of you were raw now. Unfiltered, desperate, and real.

His lips found yours again and his hips rolled into yours with slow, devastating pressure. You were already pulsing with need, aching for him.

And then he pulled back suddenly, like he’d remembered something too late.

“Christ,” he gasped. “We’re gettin’ carried away.”

“What’s wrong with that?” you asked, voice rough. Your legs were still around him and you didn’t want to let go anytime soon.

He let out a strained laugh, dropping his head to the crook of your neck, his breath hot against your skin.

“Nothin’ wrong with it,” he said hoarsely. “Just… if we really start, I won’t be able to stop. And we’ve gotta be somewhere in an hour.”

“I can be quick,” you offered.

“I can’t,” he said, and it came out low. Honest.

You groaned, head falling back against the couch, frustration simmering just beneath your skin.

“Fine,” you said, exhaling hard and dropping your legs. “But you owe me.”

His grip on your wrist finally eased, and your hand shot straight to his hair, fingers tangling in the soft mess at the nape of his neck.

“Oh, trust me,” he said, that glint of mischief returning despite the tightness in his voice. “If I had it my way, I’d throw you over my shoulder and toss you onto the bed. But I’m trying to be a responsible adult here and it’s a bit hard.”

“Yeah it is,” you said suggestively, your hips shifting slightly against him.

He froze and groaned low in his throat, his whole body tensing. “Don’t,” he warned, voice strained. “M’ serious.”

A shiver ran up your spine at the rough edge in his voice. You could feel him trying to reel himself back in, every inch of him buzzing with restraint. And something about the way he was holding himself back for you, for this night, for the promise of later, made your breath catch. 

“Just… gimme a minute,” he murmured, and let his full weight sink onto you.

His forehead dropped to your shoulder, eyes shut, breath hot against your collarbone. His chest heaved against yours, his heart still racing under the thin fabric of his shirt.

You bit the inside of your cheek, doing your best to stay still and not squirm beneath him. God, the weight of him, solid and warm, was a comfort. You tried to focus on that instead of how the heat was making your already aching body throb harder.

He was right, you supposed. Showing up to a high profile event radiating we just fucked on the couch wasn’t exactly the smartest idea.

Your hand drifted from his hair to his back, fingertips trailing mindless patterns across the fabric of his shirt. You listened to the steadying rhythm of his heart, matching your breath to his. 

Neither of you spoke for a long time.

When he finally lifted his head, his eyes were clearer, but still tinged with lust. He pressed a chaste kiss to your lips, lingering longer than necessary, like it was hard to pull away.

“You’re such a tease,” he whispered against your mouth, voice thick with amusement and longing.

“I didn’t do anything,” you said, raising your brows.

He looked at you, skeptical and still breathless. “You knew exactly what saying that would do to me.”

You smiled innocently. “Just answering your question.”

He groaned, rolling off you with a heavy exhale and a muttered curse. You heard the shower turn on and stayed there for a little longer, basking in the warmth of the moment.

Eventually, you peeled yourself off the couch and wandered into the bedroom, still feeling the phantom weight of him pressed against you. You stood in front of the closet for a moment before settling on a backless dress with a slit up the side. It wasn’t like you were deliberately trying to make him regret his decision, but you sure as hell weren’t going to make it easy either.

When you stepped out, Noel looked up and froze.

His gaze dragged over you slowly, jaw visibly tightening. His eyes dropped to the open curve of your back, lingered, then flicked up to your face. There was something wild and barely contained swimming in his eyes. He looked like he was two seconds away from tearing the dress off and saying fuck it to the rest of the night.

“Jesus Christ,” he muttered. “You tryin’ to kill me?”

You tilted your head, giving him your most innocent look. “This? I just wanted to look nice.”

His nostrils flared. He was trying to stay composed, but you could see the effort it took. After a long pause, he dragged a hand down his face, muttering to himself as he grabbed his jacket.

“You’re pushin’ it,” he said, voice rough.

Flashes of cameras greeted you the moment you arrived. You posed together, his hand resting low on your back, fingers brushing bare skin. Every lazy pass of his thumb felt like a tease, igniting sparks just beneath the surface. 

And to make matters worse, he looked good. The black suit hugged him just right, his spicy, woody cologne clinging to the heat of his neck. Top button undone, chest just visible.

It wasn’t fair.

“Stop it,” you muttered under your breath, trying to keep your expression pleasant as your body reacted to his touch.

“You started this the moment you put on that dress,” he replied easily, voice low and infuriatingly smug.

You flashed a smile for another photo, even as warmth pooled between your thighs. Great. Fantastic.

Eventually you made it to your table, surrounded by the usual buzz of conversation and clinking glasses. Noel sat beside you, arm draped casually around the back of your chair, acting like the brushes of his fingers against the nape of your neck were natural. Like he didn’t know what he was doing.

But he knew.

You tried to focus. Really, you did. But the fancy wine didn’t help. Sweet, rich, and far too smooth, it warmed your throat and slid straight to your core. You crossed your legs tightly beneath the table, pressing your thighs together in a weak attempt to soothe the ache growing there.

Noel noticed instantly. Because of course he did.

He gave your shoulder a brief, knowing squeeze, then slid his arm away. You exhaled slowly, grateful for a moment of reprieve. 

Or so you thought.

Later in the evening, you turned toward him, pretending to be engaged in the conversation. He was mid story, gesturing animatedly, his voice magnetic as always. Everyone was drawn in. So were you, but not by his words.

He’d shaved before you left. And while you usually liked the stubble, the clean lines tonight only emphasized the sharp cut of his jaw, the strong column of his neck. You watched the way the veins and tendons moved when he spoke, the bob of his Adam’s apple when he laughed. Your brain, unhelpfully, supplied an image of you biting down beneath his collarbone. Marking him somewhere only you’d see.

And then there was his nose. The damn thing that had landed you in this state. That sharp arch, the beautiful angle of it. You were staring again, thinking about how it’d feel to grind against it, wondering if he’d even let you, when he turned.

“Right?” he said, eyes locking onto yours.

You blinked. The conversation had clearly looped back to you. There were several pairs of eyes on you, waiting for a reply.

“Uh—yeah. Definitely,” you said quickly, nodding and smiling a bit too brightly.

Your cheeks, already flushed, burned hotter as you realized you'd been caught. Noel’s eyes lingered on you, his gaze heavy, before he looked away and continued like nothing had happened.

You sat up straighter, trying to pull yourself together. Be normal. Be composed.

But then you felt it. His hand, sliding onto your knee beneath the table.

You froze.

His palm was hot against your bare skin, fingers splayed wide. His thumb started moving in slow, lazy circles, like he had all the time in the world. Your breath hitched slightly as you tried to shift your leg out of reach.

But he didn’t let you.

He simply adjusted with you. Kept his hand firm. Then, with unbearable slowness, he started uncrossing your legs inch by inch. 

There was no urgency in it. No breaking of the rhythm in his voice. Never so much as blinking. He remained infuriatingly calm, still laughing, acting like he wasn’t setting your entire body on fire.

By the time your knees were parted completely, his hand had crept higher. Just barely. Hot and heavy at the top of your thigh, fingertips featherlight. He knew how sensitive you were there. He just wanted to remind you of it without ever fully touching you.

You inhaled sharply and tried, weakly, to cross your legs again. But he simply pulled it right back with a gentle squeeze.

It was a warning. Like he was trying to make you regret your decision of wearing this dress with such easy access.

Your whole body tensed, breath gone shallow. You stared down at your plate, trying to hold it together, to not flinch at every brush of his thumb. He hadn’t even looked at you. He just kept talking, kept smiling like he wasn’t unraveling you in front of an audience.

Then, like he could sense you’d just barely caught your breath, his thumb started to move again.

Higher.

Slow, deliberate strokes against the inside of your thigh, each one drifting a little closer to where you were aching the most. Barely there, maddening in their softness. You clenched your jaw, trying to focus on a conversation you weren’t a part of anymore. Not really. Not with the way your body had gone tight and hot, your breath stuck somewhere between your lungs and throat.

And still his thumb kept moving. Up. Then down again. Then back up, just a little farther.

You shifted slightly in your seat, thighs twitching beneath the table. It was instinct. But he took it as an invitation.

His thumb brushed higher again, this time grazing just above where the slit of your dress stopped. Skin that hadn’t been touched yet now felt like it was sparking. He stayed there. Not moving. Just resting there.

You finally glanced over at him. He wasn’t even looking at you, but the smirk curling on the edge of his mouth told you everything you needed to know.

By the time you were finally leaving, the dull throb between your legs had become a steady, insistent ache—slick, swollen, and unbearable. You could barely walk straight in your heels, your thighs brushing just right, or perhaps wrong, with every step. It was almost humiliating how desperate you felt.

The second you stepped through the front door, you kicked your heels off. You made your way to the bedroom in a daze, hands reaching up to remove your earrings on instinct. You paused in front of the mirror, catching your own reflection. Cheeks flushed, eyes glassy, lips parted. You looked like you’d already been fucked

You didn’t hear him come in, but you felt him. His presence was palpable. And then there he was behind you in the mirror, silent and already smirking. His arms wrapped around your waist from behind, pulling you firmly against him. He dipped his head to your shoulder, sweeping your hair aside before pressing a slow kiss to the exposed skin of your neck.

“You looked absolutely stunning tonight, love,” he murmured, his breath hot against your skin. His lips lingered, barely grazing your pulse, sending goosebumps down your arms.

You leaned back against his chest, letting out a long sigh. “You looked even better,” you whispered. “Even if you were being a menace. Couldn’t focus on anything.”

A soft laugh ghosted against your neck. “Just payback for this dress,” he muttered, his fingers tugging at the fabric. “Wanted to throw you down on that table and fuck you right there.”

A bolt of heat hit you low, and your thighs clenched automatically. You felt almost dizzy.

You swallowed hard. “Well… that’d be quite the headline, wouldn’t it?”

He chuckled, dark and low, the sound vibrating through your back and settling deep in your spine. He pressed his hips into you then, just enough to feel him, already straining through his trousers. Your body responded immediately, pressing back to meet him, and the sound he made was wrecked.

Then his voice dropped, spilling directly into your ear.

“Did you really mean what you said earlier?”

You knew exactly what he meant, but you played dumb anyway. “About?”

“Fucking yourself,” he said, hips rolling against you, “with my nose.”

Your whole body tensed, breath catching. He sounded like he’d been torturing himself with the image all night, every word dragging against his throat like it hurt to say out loud.

You felt him throb against you, solid and needy. “Yeah,” you said finally, your voice just a whisper. “Was thinking about it all night.”

His response was immediate, a sharp, low groan that punched from his chest. He spun you around, hands gripping your waist as he lifted you onto the vanity in one swift, urgent motion. His mouth was on yours in the next breath, desperate and unrestrained.

His hands pushed your dress up your hips roughly, spreading your thighs and slotting himself against you. His tongue sliding against yours hotly as he ground against you.

You locked your legs around him, heels digging into the small of his back. The friction hit perfectly, and a moan slipped from your mouth before you could stop it, finally getting some relief after hours of teasing. Your body was so ready, so soaked it almost hurt. You pulled him closer, biting at his bottom lip, and the way he jerked his hips in response made the mirror behind you rattle in its frame.

He pulled back just enough to breathe, forehead resting against yours, panting.

“Fuck,” he whispered. “Need you so bad.”

His grip on your hips tightened, and he lifted you, tossing you down onto the bed. You landed with a gasp, chest heaving as you looked up at him.

He just stood there for a moment, devouring you with his eyes. His shirt was rumpled, his hair a mess from your hands. He looked wild.

“Take it off,” he said, nodding to your dress.

You pushed yourself up slowly, eyes locked on his. “Why don’t you take it off for me?”

You stood, turning around. He stepped forward, hands gliding up your back, fingers dancing along your spine. He reached the nape of your neck, gently moved your hair aside again, and slipped the dress off your shoulders. The fabric fell to the floor, pooling at your feet, leaving you topless in just your underwear.

You turned your head slightly over your shoulder. “Your turn.”

You backed up and sat on the edge of the bed, propping yourself up on your elbows. Slowly, you parted your legs, letting him see just how soaked you were through the last bit of fabric on your body.

Noel’s throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, eyes locked between your legs. You smirked, the power shift making your pulse pound. Slowly, you brought one hand up and rolled your nipple between your fingers, your gaze fixed on him.

The broken sound that escaped him was pure filth. He stripped in seconds, fast and clumsy, like he couldn’t get his clothes off fast enough. 

And then he was on you.

He crawled over you, mouth capturing yours instantly. You pulled him closer with greedy fingers tangled in his hair, moaning into his mouth and arching into his body. One of his hands slid down between you, into your underwear, and you gasped when his fingers found you.

“Christ,” he groaned into your mouth. “You’re fucking soaked.”

He teased you for a few maddening seconds, just enough to make your hips buck up into his hand, before dragging your underwear down in one rough motion. Then he pressed himself against you, grinding his cock against your core through the thin barrier of his boxers. The heat, the pressure. It was almost too much.

You let your head fall back, overwhelmed. “So good,” you babbled, leg wrapping around his waist to keep him close. “Feels so fucking good.”

He moaned into your neck, his voice barely a whisper. “I know what’s better.” His teeth scraped your skin. Then he pulled back just enough to look at you, his eyes heavy with need.

“Ride my face.”

You froze.

Every nerve in your body lit up. Your breath caught in your throat, skin suddenly prickling all over.

“I want it so bad,” he whispered, kissing a path down your chest. “Wanna feel your thighs around my face. Want you to use me to get yourself off.”

Your heart thudded against your ribs. You could feel how hard he was, straining against you, but he didn’t care. This wasn’t about him. This was for you.

“Please,” he whispered again, almost begging. “Can’t stop thinking about it. Please, darling…”

You sat up slowly, pushing at his shoulders until you were both upright. Now face to face, you could see it all. The wreckage in his expression, the raw hunger. He looked devastated with want.

You nodded breathlessly.

He didn’t waste a second. He peeled away from you and moved to the head of the bed, yanking pillows into place. He laid back, flushed and panting, eyes wild with anticipation.

You sat back on your heels, just watching him. He was a vision. Beautifully undone. Then your eyes dropped lower. He adjusted himself in his boxers, tugging the waistband down just enough to let his cock spring free, hard and glistening, leaking against his stomach.

Fuck.

You crawled toward him slowly, the air heavy between you. It felt like you were entering new territory, Uncharted and dangerous. 

When you hovered above him, your knees on either side of his head, you paused. Just for a moment. Because he looked like a dream laid out, mouth parted and waiting.

“Come on,” he said, voice thick. “I’m dyin’ to taste you.”

Your whole body clenched.

You braced your hands on the wall above the bed, thighs trembling as you slowly lowered yourself toward his face. Noel’s hands shot up immediately, grabbing at the backs of your thighs, fingers digging in.

Then his mouth met you and you cried out.

His tongue slid through your folds, slow and filthy, and he groaned the second he tasted you, the sound vibrating right through your core. His grip tightened, holding you steady as his tongue worked deeper, wetter, more desperate.

He pulled back for just a second, lips slick and red. “Taste so fuckin’ good,” he muttered, almost reverent.

Your thighs shook around his head. “Noel—”

He groaned at the sounds of his name leaving your lips and dove back in. His tongue flattened against your clit then wrapped his lips around it, sucking gently. Your breath hitched. A whimper escaped. You rocked forward instinctively, trying to chase the pressure, the friction.

“I—fuck—Noel, can I—” you gasped, hips twitching.

He nodded frantically, pulling back just enough to rasp out, “Yeah. Do it, love. Use my face. I want it. Want you—fuckin’ need you.”

His pupils were huge, his face flushed and glistening, his mouth open and hungry. He looked ruined.

You hesitated, heart pounding. Then you shifted your hips forward and slowly sank down, pressing yourself onto the bridge of his nose.

The pressure. The way his mouth and nose slotted perfectly against you, your clit grinding against the slope of his face. It sent shockwaves through your body.

You worried for half a second that you might actually suffocate him. But then he groaned and pushed up into you, burying his face deeper.

“S’posed to ride me, love,” he mumbled, voice muffled beneath you. “Come on.”

You lost the last of your breath.

You braced against the wall and gave in completely, hips rolling forward. Slowly at first, testing the rhythm, grinding down over his mouth and nose. And when you hit just the right spot, a moan tore from your throat, deep and raw.

Noel hummed beneath you in satisfaction. Licking and sucking as you rode him, your thighs trembling against his cheeks. The sensation was intense. His nose pressing perfectly against your clit, sending sparks up your spine every time your hips rocked forward.

You braced against the wall and rode him in earnest now, moaning openly. Your thighs trembled around his head, pleasure blooming white hot in your gut. 

“Fuck—you feel so good,” you gasped out, eyes squeezed shut. “Knew it—knew you’d feel like this fucking knew it.”

He moaned into you again, that beautiful, broken sound, and you looked down at him, just to see.

It nearly finished you.

His eyes were shut, brows drawn tight in concentration, face soaked with you. Lips swollen, chin dripping, jaw flexing with the effort of holding still while you used him. He looked fucked out. Completely lost in it, in you.

You cried out as the heat built fast, bright and sharp and impossible. Your whole body buzzed with it, pleasure coiling tighter and tighter.

“Fuck—so close—” you whimpered, hips stuttering.

But he knew exactly what you needed.

He tilted his head just right, lips sealing around your clit, sucking hard. Tongue flicking fast, precise, perfect.

That was it.

Your scream punched the air out of your lungs as your orgasm ripped through you, brutal and white hot. Your entire body spasmed, jerking against his mouth, the stars behind your eyelids exploding. You moaned his name over and over, thighs quaking around his head, hips grinding down instinctively, desperate for every last wave.

As you finally stilled, you barely managed to lift yourself off him. You collapsed beside him in a boneless heap, chest heaving, legs shaking uncontrollably.

Your muscles sagged with relief, your limbs tingling in the aftermath, your body still trembling with the echoes of your orgasm. Every nerve ending felt singed, vibrating. Your back ached faintly from how long you'd held yourself up, but even that felt good.

Your chest rose and fell with shallow breaths as you finally opened your eyes.

Noel was watching you.

His face was wrecked. Lips swollen and red, cheeks flushed, eyes half lidded and dazed. And he was absolutely glistening, slick with you, his mouth and chin shining with the evidence of how thoroughly he’d devoured you. The sight of it made a shiver race through your spine. 

He blinked slowly, like he was still catching up to what had just happened, his brain fogged by lust and awe.

You gave him a lazy, satisfied smile, the best you could manage in your fucked out haze. Just that tiny expression made his jaw clench.

Then he shifted.

Your gaze followed the motion and there it was. His cock, still rock hard and angry with neglect, the tip still peaking out his boxers. His hand had moved down, fingers grasping around the base but not stroking.

Your stomach twisted with hunger all over again. You were exhausted, legs still trembling, but if you had one more ounce of energy, you’d have already climbed into his lap and fucked the soul out of him.

“Take those off,” you said slowly.

He exhaled shakily before moving. His hands scrambled, fumbling in his urgency. He shoved his boxers down and kicked them off in one frantic motion.

And then fuck.

You nearly moaned just looking at him.

His cock stood thick and flushed, the head dark and glistening, twitching with every beat of his heart. Pre-cum smeared across his length, and the way his fingers curled around the base again, tight and needy, made your breath hitch. He looked like he was about to fall apart.

“Please,” he whispered, voice wrecked, hips twitching forward ever so slightly. “Please, love… I need you—need to be inside you, need you so fucking bad, please—”

You licked your lips, already spiraling again. But then an idea hit you.

“Nuh uh,” you murmured. “Wanna watch you. Wanna see you get yourself off. Want you to come on my face like I just did on yours.”

A strangled moan left him. Like your words physically hit him.

He nodded fast and moved without hesitation, rising to his knees over you. His thighs bracketed your stomach, the heat of him radiating down on you. His cock loomed above you, swollen and heavy, so close you could taste it in the air.

You were getting the front row seat to something sacred.

Noel’s hand wrapped around his length again, a shudder running down his spine as he started to move. He wiped the wetness from his face, your wetness, and used it to slick himself up, groaning at the contact. He started slow. Languid strokes that made his stomach tighten and his jaw slack with pleasure. His head tipped back, eyes squeezing shut, mouth open in a soundless moan.

Your breath caught in your throat, heart already pounding again. He was gorgeous like this. Completely uninhibited, letting himself unravel for you, because of you.

His hand sped up, desperate now. His hips began to thrust subtly into his fist, chasing friction. The only sounds in the room were his ragged breathing, the slick sound of his fist moving over his cock, and the occasional, broken curse.

You knew he was close. He was shaking.

Your mouth parted, gaze locked on his flushed face. “That’s it,” you breathed. “Come on my face, Noel. I need it need to taste you. Want it so bad.”

His eyes snapped open.

That look, undone and wild with lust, was the last thing you saw before he shattered.

He cried out, a high pitched sound pulled from somewhere deep. His cock twitched in his grip and then he came, hot and heavy, thick ropes painting your face, your mouth, your chin.

You moaned, tongue out, catching as much of it as you could.

When he finally slowed, he looked down at the mess he’d made. His breath caught in his throat. Awe flickered across his face. 

You stuck your tongue out, showing him what had landed inside your mouth, and then swallowed.

His cock twitched again.

Noel reached out with a shaking hand, dragging two fingers through the come on your cheek, watching you closely as you licked it clean. You sucked his fingers into your mouth without breaking eye contact, moaning softly around them.

He flinched, breath catching in his throat. You just smiled, releasing his fingers with a wet pop.

Then you reached up, grabbed his arm, and dragged him down beside you, needing to feel his skin. He came willingly, boneless and trembling, collapsing into your arms. You curled around him instantly, greedy for the contact, peppering hot, open mouthed kisses across his chest.

You could still taste him on your tongue. Feel the heat of his cum drying on your skin. Your bodies tangled, sticky and pulsing with aftershocks.

“That was so fucking hot,” you whispered into his skin, voice still a little breathless.

He let out a shaky laugh, a soft shiver rippling through him. He wrapped his arms around you and pulled you closer, your skin flush with his. He hummed against your skin, face hiding in your hair. 

“Yeah?” he murmured, voice still frayed with the remnants of arousal. “You like watching me hm?”

“Mmm,” you hummed, kissing the center of his chest, right over his racing heart. “I think you like me watching you. It’s the whole performer thing. You’ve gotta be a bit of an exhibitionist, don’t you?”

“Don’t try and pathologize me,” he said, but his tone was amused, fond.

You tipped your head up, brushing your nose lightly against his jaw. “I’m just sayin’. You love the spotlight. You’ve no idea how sexy you are to watch.”

He chuckled, his expression full of warmth. “You just like to stroke my ego, don’t you, love?”

You grinned against his skin. “Don’t pretend you don’t love it too.”

“Yeah, yeah. ’Course I do,” he muttered, brushing his lips against your temple. “Just… feels different when it’s you saying it.”

Your chest fluttered, something warm blooming, shifting the energy. You curled closer, one leg sliding over his, arm draped across his stomach. Your fingers found the soft hair on his chest and started tracing slow, lazy circles, grounding yourself in the rhythm of his heartbeat.

There was a peaceful quiet between you, broken only by the soft sounds of your breaths mingling. 

After a beat, he spoke again, voice low and puzzled, like he was still mulling over what had just happened.

“I’m not complainin’,” he started, “but I still don’t really get it. It’s just… a nose.”

You laughed softly against his skin. “You don’t have to get it. Just accept it.”

Then you tilted your head up until your eyes found his. His gaze was heavy lidded and soft, that teasing spark still tucked just behind the warmth.

“In Roman times,” you said, brushing a fingertip down the bridge of his nose, “you weren’t considered beautiful unless you had a big nose. It’s all over their art. That’s what you remind me of. One of those statues.”

“Sappy little git, you are,” he murmured, but his voice was thick with affection. “You should kneel for me. Worship me like the Romans did.”

You wiggled your eyebrows. “Already do.” Then you took his hand in yours and pressed a slow kiss to his knuckles.

He smiled and ran his fingers gently down your spine, then back up again in a soothing motion. Your body still pulsed faintly with residual pleasure, but it had softened now, melted into warmth. The kind of heat you could fall asleep in.

You let out a quiet sigh and closed your eyes. “Gonna fall asleep like this.”

“Yeah?” he murmured. “Lyin’ here with my come still drying on your face?”

You snorted and nudged him weakly in the ribs. “Shut up.”

He laughed, the sound rumbling warm and full from his chest. “I’m just sayin’. It’s romantic, innit?”

Then he rolled away, taking the warmth with him. You made a small sound of protest, watching the curve of his back as he crossed the room. Even like this, hair a mess from your fingers, skin slick with sweat and flushed from you, he looked like something carved from marble. A statue with attitude. And a massive cock.

You bit your lip, admiring the view like it was art.

He grabbed a towel and gave his face a quick wipe, then padded back over, climbing into bed without a word. You half expected another filthy joke, but instead, he reached out, carefully dabbing at your cheek. When he finished, he tossed it aside and pulled you back into him.

You curled back into his chest, pressing your face to the curve of his throat, your leg tangling with his again. He was still a little damp, still radiating heat. He smelled like sex and sweat and him. You breathed it in deep, your whole body sighing in contentment.

“Right,” he murmured, his lips brushing your hair, “so which body part are you obsessing over next?”

[r1nstaaa]

COME WHEN YOU CALL [K.SM]

Seungmin x Fem!Reader

masterlist

warnings: none!!! except swearing lol bc its seungmin bffr [but if i have to warn u abt swearing u shldnt be on this app in the first place xx] tbh i was thinking of doing this with minho and hyunjin too lmk if you want it :p [it cld be angst too tho]

You never had to ask twice with Seungmin. Actually, you barely even had to ask. That was just the kind of person he was. If you needed him, he was there. No questions asked, no hesitation whatsoever. 

So when his screen lit up with your name at just a minute past 2 am, he knew. he always knew.

You didn’t even say anything when he picked up. Just hearing your shaky exhale was more than a good enough reason for him to grab his car keys and make his way to your place. Almost as if your breathing was the equivalent of you calling out to him. “Where are you?” his voice was firm, but soft. The kind of softness you could only hear in a lover’s voice, which is what he yearned to be. And so did you, but that was a conversation for later. 

“Rooftop.” your voice was small; tired.

“Stay there.” a short pause. Then softer, “I’ll be there in five.”

And of course he was. One thing about Seungmin? He was always true to his word. If he’s given it, he will live up to it.

When he arrived, he found you exactly as he knew he would. Back against the wall, knees to your chest, just sitting there while a soft tune played on your phone. It was your favourite song, he recognised. He sighed, giving you that look of fond exasperation somehow mixed with the most smitten heart eyes. Something only you could pull out of him. 

“You need to stop doing this.” he muttered, dropping his hoodie over your shoulders before plopping down next to you. “Soda?” you offered. it was his favourite one. You knew he wouldn’t say no. 

“You think i came here, balls deep into the night, to have soda with you?” he asked. He had a way with words, that one. “Well, obviously not. But i’m being polite. i got your favourite because i missed you. Have it.” you said, a playful edge to your voice. It wasn’t quite as chirpy as other times though. And he noticed, of course.

He didn’t reject the soda, but he had it in silence beside you. “I meant it, you know? your sleep schedule is fucked. you need to stop doing this.” he scolded, but his voice was far too soft for it to be considered a scolding. “You need to stop coming when i call.” you teased, although your voice lacked the usual mirth it always had. 

He let out a scoff, which was almost a laugh but not quite. “You know that’s not happening. You call, i come. Always.” he said as he pulled his hoodie over your hands to warm them up. 

Your heart clenched at his words. With Seungmin, there weren’t any grand declarations of love. Just the quiet, steady kind. The kind that made sure you never had to open your soda cans, or peel your fruit. The kind that meant sharing songs and puppy videos he thought you’d like regardless of where you were or what time it was. The kind that made sure you never had to walk home alone. You get the idea.

You weren’t upset, initially. It was just one of those days. One of those days when thinking about him turned to missing him, and missing him turned to craving him. It was inevitable, really. But you weren’t gonna tell him that. Not yet, atleast. 

“I didn’t mean to wake you up.” you whispered out, as if it was a secret you had to keep. 

He rolled his eyes in response. “As if i was asleep anyways.” he muttered, but the slight dishevel of his hair and the fatigue in his eyes spoke volumes before his words could. You chose not to comment on it. 

“You know, you can call me whenever. Even if it’s the asscrack of dawn, or a bright sunny morning. Even if it’s just because you can’t sleep.” his voice was gentle, almost reverent. “Even if it’s nothing.”

His words made your breath hitch. He didn’t dare to look at you when he said it, but you could see the honesty radiating off of his profile. The way the stars reflected in his eyes, almost as if that was their home. The way his fingers tapped against his knees, like he was nervous about just how much he meant those words. The slight furrow in his brow, giving away his worries like he’s given his heart out to you countless times without you even realising.

His words settle in your chest. Warm and steady, just like him.

Seungmin— stupid, annoying, perfect Seungmin— just smiled and bumped his shoulder against yours. 

“So, are we gonna sit here sulking or am i taking you out for ice cream?”

You blinked up at him, almost as if you were processing his words. “At—“ you checked the time. And he let you, looking at your face with an amused expression. “2.46 am?”

“At 2.46 am.” he confirmed, tugging at his your hoodie strings to engulf your face like a mischievous child. “You already dragged me out. might as well make it worth my time.”

You were grinning before you even realised it. 

He never said the words out loud, but you felt them anyway. 

Because, to him, love sounded a lot like “I’ll be there soon.” 

And to you, it was the same. Just in his voice.

[hivemuthur]

So I'm listening to the amazing playlist you shared for To Be Known (which is so so good and I am gnawing at the bars of my enclosure for the next chapter), and find myself wondering how much is Viktor vibes and how much is Reader vibes, and both. And this made me wonder, in general what artists do you envision Modern AU Vik to listen to, in particular when *not* studying?

❤️

✨️Anon

Hi Anon! Thank you so much, I know that playlists are sometimes intrusive because we all have our music preference, so it makes me very happy that this one landed for someone ❤️ I actually don't associate any of the songs with vibes of either, it's just the music that plays in the background of my tv show that they play main parts in :v As for Viktor's taste, this is gonna be long, so I'm putting it under the cut:

Okay, so, I actually find it very very hard to give Viktor music taste, he doesn't seem like a music guy to me that much! But let's play around with this idea RPG style, dropping him in Modern AU and saying he is in his 30s, which would make him a millennial. Another factor: central/eastern European youth, where the lines between millennials/gen X are blurred. We also know that he is very intelligent, a nerd, but possibly not a complete snob.

So, I think Viktor would be into a mix of old music/music that came out when he was in his teens/20s and then abandoned getting to know what's new sometime around 27-28. This leaves me with:

Classics:

Pink Floyd, but he sees it as two bands: Syd Barrett era and post-Syd Barret era. Donovan, totally. Simon & Garfunkel, totally. He's the man that would appreciate Pet Sounds by Beach Boys for what it is, one of the saddest albums of all time. T-Rex, because they are just so fucking cool. Possibly The Stooges, David Bowie's Berlin Trilogy and later Blackstar. I can see him also being into the poetry of The Doors, Led Zeppelin and Bob Dylan (It's Alright, Ma (I'm Only Bleeding) someone ban me from listening to this song). I'm thinking also maybe some 4AD vibes, like Dead Can Dance. For some reason, I also think Viktor would be into blues.

Later:

Definitely some grunge era here, so obviously Nirvana. I think he would also love lesser known Britpop bands like Longpigs or The Beta Band. He would hate Suede and Oasis.

From songwriters he would probably appreciate Nick Drake, Elliott Smith and Jeff Buckley, and possibly Tim Buckley.

Ninja Tune was a huge thing once, and here: Bonobo, Fink, The Herbaliser, DJ Shadow, The Cinematic Orchestra.

And from the crazy zones, Iannis Xenakis, Alvin Lucier, maybe Einstürzende Neubauten.

With classical music, I think he would appreciate Lutosławski, Ligeti and Sorabji, as they tether the lines of impossible.

Listen to a little bit of the beginning then rewind to the middle and the end if you want to check out this experiment.

I wish I knew this man. If someone ever asks me which dead person I would like to have dinner with, it would be him. Everyday I lie to myself that I understand him.

I actually find it very hard to define music tastes, because mine is nonexistent. I listen to everything, and I mean it, you can catch me rapping to MF Doom (my bf hates it lol), singing Hamilton (he hates that one too), whining with Thom Yorke. Currently I'm blasting Bauhaus because gothic AU, a little bit on the nose, but who cares. What matters to me is the 'how it's made' aspect. If I listen to rap I will go back to jazz and blues inevitably. If I listen to angsty 90s music I will go back to 70s bards. If I listen to 70s bards I will go to 50s country blues. If it's Chappell Roan, I will land on Tori Amos at some point. Music is communicating vessels, and I think Viktor would follow this path too, being a nerd who seeks patterns and all.

And I am aware how much of male music made it here, but this is where sensitive boys went back in the 90s and 00s to not go insane :')

(to other sensitive boys)

[tamamatango]

“Keroro Gunsgo To The Polls”: The Possible Behind-the-Scenes of the Ad-nime Short Nobody Expected

A much less existentially depressing display of political campaign buffoonery.

Here’s yet another unplanned post from me. The other long-form ones I was talking about before I keep putting off because of work and also another pretty ambitious project I’m putting together taking my attention—I don’t know how or when to talk about it here juuuuust yet, but it exists in public and some of you already know what it is/have seen it, so stay tuned perhaps.

As you can see from the video link/photo, this post is a writeup about a surprise video apparently commissioned by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government that uses the Keroro characters to encourage young people to go out and vote in the upcoming elections for the Governor of Tokyo. It came out about a week ago, but I initially glossed over it because…well, I thought it wasn’t new. After all, the copyright DOES attribute the copyright to 2014 and it looks very similar to the Flash anime at first glance, so…this must be a reupload from the 2014 Tokyo gubernatorial election or something, right?

Upon looking more deeply into it, no. There’s no record of this ever existing before this week, and it was later confirmed to be new via social media channels. Which means this is technically a brand new piece of animated Keroro content, which I pledged I would report on. So here I am. Whoopee.

This post is going to be about the short from a production standpoint, primarily. I’m not going to spend time on the plot (if you want to call it that lol), as it was already pretty succinctly summarized by this post here by @unfo11owmelol , and I can say it’s more or less accurate, so thank you! I will make a comment in that the Dororo ranting about plastic thing seems to just be a running gag he has now—he was always an environmentalist of course, but his hatred of plastic specifically is kind of new; it was even a major punchline in this month’s manga chapter. In fact, this short has the manga’s quirks written all over it. It’s almost as if Yoshizaki himself was heavily involved in it. Oh wait, he was. But we’ll get to that.

The Context

As previously mentioned, this short was commissioned by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and posted exclusively to their YouTube channel. This is where I was going to have a few sentences about how it was literally exclusively on the YouTube channel because none of the official social media accounts posted about it, but as I was writing the last 40% of the post, Keroro PR and one of the Tokyo government accounts finally mentioned it. So give a pat on the back to ol’ Kirb’s amazing procrastination abilities. Anyways, for the whole week before they finally decided to acknowledge its existence, it literally just dropped on YouTube with no warning and the only reason anybody on social media knew about it is because people whose YT feeds it popped up on were like hey what the fuck is this.

“What the fuck is this” is a pretty good question. While the fact that it’s about the gubernatorial election specifically isn’t directly mentioned in the video, it was pretty obvious given the timing, as it’s set to occur on July 7. I am not the most knowledgeable about Japanese politics as a whole, but this year’s race for governor is apparently particularly competitive, with over 50 candidates running. Here’s a short article giving a rundown of the race so far. The top issue is unsurprisingly the low birthrate, which has been causing panic over the fate of Japan’s economy for a considerably long time now. That’s why the government is very concerned that the voter disparity is incredibly polarizing, with young people voting much less than the elderly.

Well, what better way to fix low youth vote turnout than with anime? After all, the Zillenials want nothing more than to obsess over fictional characters while the world crumbles around them into inevitable disrepair I’m not projecting at all. The irony here is that, when the anime was originally in its prime at least, Keroro’s target audience was elementary schoolers. Indeed, the short definitely has the aura of a PSA they’d show to children, but obviously children are not voting. There’s even a point in the video where Tamama says going to the polling place is an opportunity to visit your childhood school, which is a statement more relatable to young adults. I guess at this point the main audience for Keroro really is considered to be the people who grew up with it in their child/teen years—unless the actual new anime gets a primetime kids’ TV slot, but I’m getting ahead of myself.

Considering this is the most viewed PSA about the election on their YouTube channel by far, I guess it worked to an extent? It’s currently hovering just under 20k views, which isn’t really too much in the grand scheme. But now that it’s been officially shared on social media, perhaps that’ll give it a boost. Will most of these viewers actually go out to vote is the question…

Production staff peculiarities

As with any animated Keroro content following the end of the Flash anime—which until the new show airs has basically just been this, the new project announcement trailer, and some anti-piracy ad they were doing in movie theaters that they ironically scrubbed from the internet—BN Pictures is credited as the animation studio (though the studio Sugarless Factory assisted; they pretty much exclusively do production assistance for various projects). This is interesting because it looks completely unlike anything they’ve ever done. Unless I’m missing something, none of the anime they’ve produced before have been done in a similar Flash-like style.

Now, as we Internet addicts all know, Flash has been officially dead for a few years now. However, it might still be used very rarely in lowkey web animations like this, although a friend who knows more about anime production than I do told me even those are more commonly made using Live2D now. The credits for this short are very…short, but the director and a couple of other animators worked on a particular Flash-animated series called Oshiri Kajiri Mushi (“Bottom Biting Bug”) that first aired on the TV channel NHK in 2012. I’m guessing these staff are freelance, as that show was produced by the studio Kinema Citrus (a team founded by ex-members of Production I.G and Bones), and were possibly brought on to this short because they had experience with the software. If it is animated using something like Live2D, the experience still applies, as it’s apparently more similar to Flash than something more commonly used in anime like Clip Studio Paint. The director also has 3D CG credits and there is a credit here for “motion” that includes his name, so maybe a little of that was used as well. (Wouldn’t be able to tell myself—most experience I have with 3D animation is a one semester Maya course I took in high school lol).

Curiously, despite the potentially similar animation software and very similar artstyle + color palette, none of the animation staff, as far as I can tell, worked on the 2014 Flash anime. That is, except for…Mine Yoshizaki.

On all animated Keroro media, Yoshizaki’s primary official credit is “original creator,” of course. As the series creator, he would of course participate to a degree in most things related to the 2004 series, doing stuff like sitting in on some writing and recording sessions, contributing ideas/concept art here and there, and so on. There’s actually a Newtype article from around the announcement of the first movie I dug up that was officially translated into English, in which Yoshizaki talks about the pressure of being in that role. Most mangaka interviews I’ve seen about their involvement in their works’ anime adaptations are pretty overwhelmingly positive, but he was definitely more mixed. This might be a post for another day, since I have some speculations about his relationship to the anime as a whole. Damn, I need to stop coming up with essay ideas that are probably too big for my pea brain.

Anyway, Yoshizaki was quite a bit more involved in the 2014 series. He served as one of two people responsible for series composition (scriptwriting), though that could be because the Flash anime was a much more direct adaptation of the manga than the original anime, which might as well have been an entirely different series. IIRC, some episodes of Flash were literally 1:1 with the manga’s script…so I guess that counts as writing the anime too lol. He also storyboarded a few episodes and wrote the opening theme song’s lyrics. The next Keroro animation after that was the anti-piracy theater ad in 2021, which he storyboarded for. But you’ll notice with all the credits we’ve discussed so far that he was never involved with the animation proper past the storyboarding stage…until now!

Not only was Yoshizaki credited as original creator as usual, he also did directorial supervision, storyboarding, and was a key animator—the only key animator, in fact! I know it’s just a five-minute short, but the Flash series’s episodes were even shorter than that and had multiple key animators per episode, so this is kind of a big deal. It also might explain why the character designs look just a little bit more on-model to the manga designs than Flash’s did, even though they look almost identical at a cursory glance. It’s easiest to tell by looking at the less-rounded head shapes, plus a few minor details like Tamama’s eye highlights and the bridge of Kururu’s glasses. I am very normal, how could you tell?

So yeah, this makes this short the most Yoshizaki has ever been involved with the actual animation process. I can’t say it gives him the most additional credits, as it’s tied with the Flash series for three extra, but it’s something!

Closing out the staff section, some notes about the cast. As you might expect, the usual actors reprise their roles. Most notably, Mamiko Noto is back to play Mois for what I believe (unless I’m missing a random collab or something) is her first time in the role in ten years, and she pretty much didn’t miss a beat! In addition to Fuyuki and Natsumi’s VAs playing them recently at the Keroro expo, that’s three additional voices besides the Keroro Platoon’s that presumably are still going to be able to return for the new anime.

Otherwise, the platoon sounds pretty much like they did in the anniversary trailer and various other small projects like the anti-piracy ad and Tales of the Rays collab from last year (they each had multiple spoken lines there). Keroro sounds a tad deeper; Tamama has some of the Jibanyan nasal now; Giroro didn’t really talk much but sounds mostly the same; Dororo is also a bit deeper and sounds kinda awkward but I think that’s less the voice direction and more Yoshizaki possibly wrote the dialogue and he speaks more assertively in the manga lol; Kururu sounds literally the exact same because Koyasu is a magic man.

Made in [Insert Year]?? (Ft. A lesson in trademarking)

I mentioned this at the beginning of this post, but for a solid few days, I really thought this video was just an ancient (2014 feels ancient now anyway) reupload. After all, the copyright string says 2014, and only media produced during the Flash series era has that copyright year, so I brushed it off. Here, let me show you all the anime copyright strings per the current anime portal:

There’s no 2004 date on the TV series’s copyright, probably because it covers the entire series from 2004–2011, plus now 2024 onward (and possibly the anti-piracy ad from 2021 as well), and also most anime-branded merch and things. But when the show was airing proper, it was attributed to 2004 (you can see this in the opening credits of any season). The 2006–2010 dates are for each individual movie. And there’s the 2014 copyright that’s the exact same as the video’s, though here it is for the Flash anime, as there’s pictures of it on the anime portal site. As an aside, before 2015, Sunrise was listed instead of BNP. At some point all anime rights got retroactively transferred from Sunrise Inc. to BNP—not sure how or when exactly that occurred. For the movies, there were slight shakeups in the production committee as well (you can see my new project trailer analysis for more on that kind of stuff).

As you can see, copyright strings for the series are attributed to the year each individual “product” came out in, for the most part. But now we know that this ad is brand new. So…does this mean this political ad is counted as part of the Flash anime? They obviously didn’t plan to include this specific video ten years ago (unless Kadokawa bought out an oracle or something, wouldn’t surprise me). Maybe they left the door open to more episodes of the Flash anime proper, but that isn’t what this was advertised as.

Well, I have a theory. A theory that might be totally wrong, but a theory nonetheless. Let’s go on a massive tangent about the Japanese trademark system! (Disclaimer: I have no formal training in the legal field. I just have really weird research hobbies.)

I’m going to focus on two basic principles here. First, once trademarks in Japan are officially registered, they are active for ten years before the copyright applicant must reapply to renew ownership of the trademark for another ten years. Second, trademarks have to be filed under certain classifications that basically tell the JPO (Japan Patent Office) what goods and/or services the applicant plans to use the trademark for. This means that sometimes the same trademark will be filed multiple times for different use classes. The classifications are each given a two digit class number, which is further subdivided into five-character group code(s).

You can actually search through all public patents yourself on J-PlatPat, and the site is machine translated into English (though you still have to type the copyright you’re looking for in Japanese). Let’s take a look at the three different filings for ケロロ軍曹 (just the name of the series itself, not the logo).

I’m on my phone so I couldn’t fit the entire window, but the important information is here. Kadokawa Corporation is the filer for all of these, though Yoshizaki’s name is probably also on whatever application documents they sent, which aren’t viewable. The three versions of the trademark were filed on different dates about a year apart. You’ll see that class 16 is there twice. For the first filing, it was class 16 and multiple group codes designating different kinds of goods (class 28 also contains goods-related things); the second filing covers a single group code protecting “printed matter” (presumably this was to cover any physical distributions of the manga).

I’m going to take a closer look at the third filing, which was officially registered in 2004. Class 09 covers a shitload of different goods and services, like way too many to list. What I’m thinking is that the first set of goods trademarks filed in 2001 was just to cover the kind of stuff they’d attach to issues of Shonen Ace and volume releases as giveaways—paper goods, board game-type items, and toys/dolls are all covered under it. Then in 2003, in preparation for the inevitable merchandise and collaboration dump the anime would lead to, they opened the floodgates to literally any Material Thing they could think to cover. Like, I’m pretty sure we never got any Keroro-branded egg candlers, fire alarms, or “cigar lighters for automobiles”, but might as well cover all your bases. Wouldn’t want the local fire department handing out emergency gear with your cartoon frog on it without permission, you know.

Included among these materials are some items that might be a bit more relevant to our case here. There’s a number of clauses related to physical and digital film, photography, and other media: “CD-ROM and DVD and other recording media, electronic publications, downloadable music, downloadable image[s]”. Now, while this doesn’t cover “animation” specifically, it can possibly be stretched to fit that definition. This is especially because, in Japanese, the term the MTL output as “images” is actually eizou, which can refer to both images and video.

So, the version of the trademark registered for the brand in 2004 likely covers certain media-related things. There are other classes that include the word “animation” specifically, but it’s possible that those classes weren’t classified the same way back then as they are now, and maybe anything film-related could’ve been interpreted by the law to include animation. Nowadays, though there are specific classifications for animation, specifically “animation available for download.” This subgroup actually happens to fall under class 09, though other classes contain similar items as well, such as class 41. You can search classes by number or keyword if you’re curious about this.

As I pointed out before I presented this data, all of these particular filings are for specifically ケロロ軍曹, not ケロロ. If ケロロ is to be used in isolation, it would have to be specified as such in the registration data, because what’s actually stopping someone else from coming along and trademarking just ケロロ? Now, remember the name of the Flash anime? That’s right—ケロロ. Just “Keroro”, not “Keroro Gunso.” Incidentally, this video is actually not formally titled under ケロロ軍曹 (despite what the thumbnail says). The only name in the title of the actual video is ケロロ.

So here is my theory. Maybe it’s a hypothetical, but I’m going to treat it like it’s concrete for argument’s sake. In 2014, to prepare for the Flash anime and related branding, Kadokawa filed for the trademark ケロロ—individually, without 軍曹. Because it was the 2010s at that point, it’s possible that downloadable animation was more specifically defined in the group codes filed for, even though the Flash anime did air on TV (again, the strategy to this is about covering as many potential use cases as possible for maximum copyright protection). Maybe it was under class 09, maybe it was another class, or even more than one. For whatever reason, the trademark is not publicly available. But because of what kind of animation/video/whatever that specific trademark covers, this little election video is covered under that 2014 trademark.

You might recall how I said trademarks have to be renewed every ten years. Incidentally, it just so happens that 2014 was ten years ago. Most likely, the (secret?) trademark was recently renewed so that stuff like this would be allowed to be made and can continue to be made in the future, independently from “Keroro Gunso” as defined by the 2004-verse and the manga proper. And because 2014 is the original filing year of that trademark, that is the year that is displayed with this project, even if the trademark was renewed in 2024, or some other recent year. By the way, all the ケロロ軍曹 trademarks I covered were also renewed this decade, so Kadokawa can keep on doing whatever exactly they were doing with those. There’s probably even more hidden-from-public-view trademarks, who knows, there’s a thousand potential asterisks here but you get the picture.

Fascinating, isn’t it? As I said, it’s possible that I’m just talking out of my ass and all of this is either way more simple or way more complicated than I’m making it out to be, in which case I just wasted multiple paragraphs of your time. But hey, at least it was a fun lesson, right? I’m not the only one interested in this, right? RIGHT?!?!?!

Okay, I’m just about done here, but I’m going to tell you something plot twisty. Do you know what actually first clued me in to the fact that this was not made in 2014 before it was confirmed to be the case? Not the upload date. Not the fact that nobody ever talked about it prior to a week ago. Not even all the probably useless copyright shit I just spent a whole other post’s worth of words on.

It was this part of the video:

See, in this screenshot, if you look really closely, you’ll notice that Kururu is using an iPhone parody with three cameras. The first iPhones with three cameras were released in 2019. Therefore, this could not have been made in 2014. This stupid detail is what it took to get me to think about this video for more than thirty seconds.

Thank you, Kururu’s crippling iPhone addiction.

So yeah, go out and vote or whatever, wherever you guys are. Otherwise you’ll have to look Mois in the eyes and tell her no, and that will make her very sad, and she might blow up the planet as consequence. Not that the planet isn’t already being destroyed. Any of my fellow Americans want to join me for a screaming session following the last few days of federal fuckery? I’ll bring chocolate-covered pretzels to snack on and we’ll write the names of corporate lobbyists on them, it’ll be fun.

[botmilf]

Botmom: Optimus Affiliation Debrief

Wyatt (Botmom) considers him her closest friend and confidant. He was probably the quickest to earn her trust simply by how he carries himself, and the gentleness in his tone. Optimus is usually the one to pick her up from work late at night (she’s a bartender at a local strip club) and during their drive back to base, she lets him talk about whatever’s on his mind. She’s made sure to create an environment for the bots where nothing is off-limits for discussion. If they have questions about things, she wants them to ask.

Optimus and Wyatt’s talks during their long drives aren’t always Q&As about Earth culture, though. He sometimes talks about the things that happened on their journey to Earth. Some would say that Optimus never directly talks about his inner conflicts most of the time. But if you pay close attention to his debriefs, or how he manages to find a way to criticize every decision he’s made, it’s all laid out for you. Wyatt has figured this out over time. She has an entire google folder of blogs and articles she’s favorited by therapists and psychologists, and even dabbled in attending a little bit of grief counseling after her sister died. All of this has helped her navigate these deeper conversations with Optimus in such a way that allows him to know he’s truly being heard and understood.

Given the fact that the bedroom at the missile silo is shared by everyone on Team Prime, they mass displace to conserve energon while recharging and so that Botmom/Wyatt doesn’t have to spend a mint on mattrasses to cover the floor with—even though, admittedly, she already has lol.

At night when Optimus is comfortably mass displaced, Botmom will invite him to rest his helm on her chest if he can’t sleep. She strokes his finials, his crest, anywhere she knows is receptive to gentle touch. While Optimus doesn’t have any concept of what breasts are, necessarily, he does find them very comfy and warm, and he’ll just, like, press his face into her cleavage. It doesn’t make Botmom uncomfortable in the slightest. She knows it’s completely innocent, especially because the bots have zero sense of what body parts on humans are viewed as sexual.

There are only two times when Wyatt has begged for anything in her life. The first was when her sister was slipping away—she begged the doctors to save her, even though deep down she knew there was nothing else they could do. The second time was during the missile silo attack in Season 3, when Optimus volunteered to stay behind. Wyatt begged him to let it be her instead. Because she knew that without him, Team Prime would inevitably fall apart, and Earth would be doomed anyway. She knew sacrifice would mean nothing then.

Wyatt was ultimately dragged away by Bulkhead and Miko. While they were wandering the States, waiting for Autobot life signals, Wyatt made Bulkhead pull over a few times so that she could go off for a few precious moments to collapse behind a tree and sob/panic. She didn’t want Miko to have to see that.

Later, when Optimus was resurrected by the Forge, Wyatt told him that by sacrificing himself, he practically handed the fate of the Earth to the Decepticons, because again, without him, Team Prime would’ve completely deteriorated and the Decepticons would’ve fucked up a whole lot more than just Jasper. She basically has that pissed off, panicked Sandra Bullock in Birdbox moment with him where she’s like, “If a situation like that arises again, you fucking leave me behind and don’t stop for even a SECOND to look back. You don’t sacrifice yourself for me, don’t come back for me. You save yourself!”

I'm going to do one of these for each of the bots because believe it or not, quite a few of ya'll have asked for this! Stay tuned. Ratchet next.

[keresnotceres]

MW2 CHARACTERS: School AU

[sfw] cw(s): none !!! As a girlie who has been reading fanfiction for god knows how long, it was inevitable that I came through with a High/Secondary School AU. As a reminder, I don’t know shit abt the British school system so we’re going with my experiences with the American public school system. enjoy dovies <3

Ghost is that one upperclassman in every single one of your co-grade classes that just sits there. He doesn’t say a damn word and you don’t even see him writing down any notes, but somehow, he has the best grades in the whole fucking school. Principal’s honor roll, scholarship recognization galore.

It takes so long for you to work up the courage to talk to him and ask him for help on an assignment and when he admits he doesn’t know they had an assignment to do, you’re a bit dumbfounded. You realize that he quite literally just sits there and vibes the entire time. He proceeds to turn back to the window and stare out of it.

Eventually he warms up to you, though. It takes, like, three months of pestering him until he actively begins conversations with you and you find yourself with a very stoic cheat sheet. He has kept all of his tests and is perfectly fine with just giving you them bc what are morals???

Gaz is the local “i know him but we aren’t friends” kid. Literally everybody knows his name, he’s on the school’s soccer (football, i guess) team and is relatively well known as a nice person, but he only has a few close friends. His grades are also insanely high, you don’t understand how he manages to ace every test while also spending most of his time practicing sports.

He’s the type of person to forget a pencil, however, and usually ends up leaning over to whoever is next to him and asking for one. He usually gives it back, unless it’s someone he doesn’t particularly like. When he tries to give it back to you and you just tell him to keep it, he likes you automatically.

He’s always inviting you to watch his games after the two of you get closer. He also sits with you during shared study halls or lunches regardless of if you or he has other friends in the lunch. Gaz is also the type of person to lean over and ask if you wanna share the copy of an assignment document or swap essays to proofread.

Soap is absolutely the really loud jock kid that people either really like or really hate, and there’s just no in-between (i’m so sorry Foap 😭). Despite this, he’s actually one of those really nice sport boys that will start punching if someone disrespects his friends. He’s also in an abundance of art classes.

In class you can see him scribbling down notes until he gets bored and starts just doodling in his notebook, tuning out the lecture. However, if your science teacher decides today is not a teaching day and puts on something like Bill Nye or The Magic School Bus, he is enraptured. Is also the person to quietly chant “Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill!” during the theme song. Used to hate the Amoeba Sisters until he binged their videos before his Biology final lol.

You start being friends with him on complete accident after you help him with a question on a pop quiz. He gave you puppy eyes! How could you refuse! He proceeds to talk to you the next day like the two of you are best friends and you are now stuck with him until graduation. But hey! You basically have a bodyguard now.

Price is an Honors English and AP Literature teacher through and through. He originally wanted to be a history teacher, but the English position was open and he took it with little complaint. He’s absolutely the teacher you can launch into tangents for the entire class and will take half a point off of your essays for misusing a comma.

If you're his favorite student, he tends to grade your FRQs and other assignments much harsher than he would others, but it ends with you having well rounded essay skills afterwards and acing your assignments later in the year. Will let you hang out in his room during your study halls and is always open to helping you on assignments if you ask.

Hangs thank you notes from students on his walls, has a wild collection of them and shows them off any time another teacher asks him about them. Has cried reading some from students he liked having in his classes.

Laswell is a Geometry, Pre-Calculus, and Calculus professor. Idc what u think she is absolutely a math teacher and would absolutely have a doctorate. People who don't like math probably go into her class also not liking her, but come out at the end of the year wanting to be in her class next year.

If you're one of her favorite students, she absolutely gives you little notes on your graded tests like 'good job :)' and always says she's proud of you if your grades improve during the year. She also lets you and your friends eat lunch in her room because she understands why you'd rather be in a math room than the cafeteria.

Has never been seen without a coffee during the first four periods of the day and a random beverage during the last three. She always has a drink with her and it's become a bit of a game between a few of her students. Sometimes she'll give someone who asks a drink as well. A student she particularly liked tried to pay her to bring them coffee; she gave them their money back and brought them a coffee.

Nikolai is a history teacher that also coaches the school golf team. And yes, golf team; that man radiates golf energy and I cannot be told otherwise. He doesn't understand the kids' obsession with things like Kahoot, but makes them because it keeps kids engaged with the class and mostly keeps grades up.

Being one of Nikolai's favorite students is hard if you don't golf, but if you are a favorite, he tends to give you extensions of assignments if you're struggling to find time/motivation. Also will give you candy under the table if you win a Kahoot, or if you visit him during a study hall he will also give you candy. He gives out Smarties (the American version) because he thinks the name is funny.

If you show interest in learning Russian and ask him how to roll your Rs or how to pronounce the Cyrillic letters, he will automatically like you more than the others. As long as he feels like you're earnestly learning it out of interest and not just to make him like you, that is. If you already know Russian he'll like you anyway. Sometimes it's nice to speak his native tongue.

[dafpork]

honest question, why isnt dafpork more popular?? i cant believe i never heard about it til i followed ur blog

CRACKS KNUCKLES. i apologize for how potentially soapboxy and even gatekeepy i may sound answering this LOL, my boys mean a lot to me and this is something i've thought a lot about. i really am not as much of a hardass about this as my language sounds, i just have a lot of strong opinions. but i think it comes down to some main points:

nobody gives a shit about Porky

there are exceptions for sure, but i feel like much of the LT fandom is involved with modern revivals (TLTS) and seldom watch many of the original shorts--obviously not always true, but it feels like the same 3-4 Classics get thrown around most (understandably)

i think other ships (Bugs x Daffy) have been made such a gold standard for such a long time that inevitably people cling on as a bandwagon and don't really give much thought to the dynamics of the shorts themselves

nobody gives a shit about Porky

i genuinely think that the spontaneity of the original LT shorts may be difficult for some people to grasp, and given how often Porky and Daffy change dynamics in the original shorts, that lack of "permanence" may be less immediately digestible, especially with how a lot of people engage with fandom culture

ALL OF THESE ARE KINDA GENERALIZING. but i do think Porky being done dirty throughout his entire lifespan plays a particularly heavy role. he's swept under the blanket assumption of being boring or impossible to work with, he's just the cute sweet guy with the stutter. he's been done dirty in later years with WB execs ON RECORD as saying they don't like him. kept out of a lot of material, and in the material he's in, he suffers what all of the other characters suffer from in that he's been assigned a vague collection of traits from the originals and devalued to being a walking, talking stock archetype of that. that's how you end up with him being a doormat in TLTS and making people convinced that he's a little impressionable, weakling pushover. (and now i'm seething remembering the entire song they made about Porky being, essentially, an incel. man i think i'm at the point where i'm just about to start saying "i hate The Looney Tunes Show" with my full chest lol)

or, if he's not completely shoved under the rug, i think a lot of people can't wrap their heads around him. this is honestly understandable, he's got a lot going on and a lot that contradicts with itself, especially during the originals. you mean to tell me this cute, sweet little pig who's often branded as timid and shy in the '30s can also be an axe wielding, gone toting maniac who has a kill count? that's maybe understandable for people to wrap their heads around. but i feel too often i've seen headcanon posts about him where he's given the most boring, unthoughtful, milquetoast traits because nobody knows what to do with him because they don't care because he's not Bugs or Daffy. < this is not entirely true. but. i've been around the block and seen some things that have Gotten My Goat lol

and, again, i'm sure i'm generalizing by saying this, but much of the modern LT fanbase/fandom feels like it's composed of people who were lured in by TLTS or like the LT Twitter stan twitter key jingling, and that's where most of their knowledge and interaction stays. and HONESTLY, that's completely understandable. i'm gonna have a lot of hot takes in this and i truly do not mean to come off as a gatekeeper or just plain Jerk, truly i write this as amicably as i can!! i just have a lot of feelings about this that have been pent up for a long time. despite what i've said and will continue to say, there's no right or wrong way to interact with a fandom or a show. if you like what you like, love it! i love that people have been intrigued enough to be exposed to something that makes them happy and open a new world of characters and dynamics for them to play with. it may drastically differ from my own sensibilities, but i truly appreciate it.

THAT SAID. we all know my feelings on TLTS, and there will be some horse beating here so i apologize. there are some good changes i like about TLTS--i love what they did with Lola and Gossamer--but as a whole, i really feel like they set a lot of people back in the understanding of these characters. Daffy and Porky got the worst of it. Daffy's been turned into a Peter Griffin/Homer Simpson amalgam of being a boorish, hateful slob, and Porky is a walking doormat that even the show can't resist wiping its feet on (again, the "Table for One" song???? literally anything Speedy says about Porky honestly in the show). Daffy treats Porky like festering garbage in the show and does so many things that he NEVER would have done, much less GOTTEN AWAY WITH, in the originals. people conflate Daffy's vendetta against Bugs for having one against Porky, when that's not at all true, EVEN during that same era. they're buddies!!!!!!!! even up until the very bitter end, they're buddies!! Daffy treats Porky with much more decency than he ever does Bugs, even at his most egotistical in the original. but so many people have been fed the Daffy and Bugs dynamic that they assume it applies to all characters, and they assume that since Porky is small and cute and isn't actively shooting Daffy in the later Chuck Jones shorts, that Daffy must walk all over Porky in the originals. absolutely not. and in the rare chance he does (The Ducksters comes to mind), the framing is that Daffy is being an absolute jerk AND Porky gets a completely equal comeuppance. not to imply TLTS doesn't knowingly insinuate that he's a jerk too, but i still don't like how complicit the tone of the show feels.

all of that's to say, if your only understanding of Daffy and Porky is through their relationship in TLTS, i understand some aversion to being like "why would they ever be together". BUT EVEN IN THE SHOW PORKY ACCEPTS DAFFY'S OFFER FOR A DATE AND BRINGS HIM FLOWERS WITH ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES OF A ROMANTIC DATE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AUGH. this is also reminding me that i've seen some takes where people have argued that Daffy's jerkishness in the show is justified since it's offhandedly mentioned, for the sake of a twist ending and gag that is Never Brought Up Again, that Porky bullied him in high school. which is why i throw in that "some people may find it hard to wrap their heads around the lack of continuity" thing.

so, it feels like the primary steady diet of information that the fanbase gets for these characters is from TLTS, which is very far removed from the originals. there are over 1,000 shorts, so i understand that not everyone is going to have seen them all (nor should you). but i think that's maybe intimidating for some people, and they don't know where to start looking and end up staying in their bubble of the same handful of shorts with the same few characters. i unfortunately don't think many people are thinking "a black and white Porky and Daffy cartoon from 1939? sure, i'll watch that!" (though they should) they want what they know, and that's understandable, but very limiting

as mentioned above, the lack of continuity i think throws some people off--i've had a few discussions/disagreements about this with well meaning people who fall into this category. the Looney Tunes characters are not the Muppets, they are not a big, happy family who know each other's names and hobbies. they have no idea who they are. there's a reason why Elmer or Yosemite Sam call Bugs a screwy rabbit and not Bugs Bunny by name. there's a reason why Tweety calls Sylvester "putty tat" and not "Tylvester". there are obvious exceptions, which again makes this difficult, but most of the time, the shorts are completely freeform and it's implied that these characters are encountering for the first time. just because WE know who they are doesn't mean they do.

Porky and Daffy are a large exception to this, which i think works vastly in their favor and is a reason why people should be on board with them!! i've talked many times about how they're the only two characters who are conceivably, literally, truly friends without it feeling tongue in cheek or completely fake. Ralph and Sam and the Goofy Gophers don't count, because the joke IS their friendship. Bugs and Daffy i argue don't count as much, since Daffy is clearly a fair-weather friend in relation to Bugs and seems to have a very halfhearted attitude when having to go along with his wills and wishes (thinking of the many shorts that have them taking a vacation together). obviously, i've not put as much deep research into the intricacies of their relationship so i'm sure i'm generalizing, but i'm sure you can see where my point comes from

Porky and Daffy are the only two who are friends, consistently, and in a way that doesn't feel insincere or for special gain. ...except for when they're not friends. that's, again, the thing. their dynamic is so versatile that i think this can put off a lot of people. especially when, in my experience, fandoms seem to like to stick to one or two major characterizations and bounce that around in a game of telephone. Porky and Daffy have so many different dynamics: best friends, predator and prey, walking vaudeville duo, etc, etc. it's understandably difficult to think of which dynamic to resort to, and usually it's just the same regurgitation of a regurgitation of a regurgitation of the Chuck Jones walking vaudeville duo type--all without understanding what makes it so successful and just slathering the same generalizations (again, thinking Daffy treats Porky the same he does Bugs).

there's also just the fact that, like. everyone knows who Bugs and Daffy are. people who don't give a rat's behind about LT know who they are and will make jokes about them being together. it has a huge bandwagon appeal. i completely understand that. it's classic for a reason. but i think people get very swept up in this idea of it being endgame (and an endgame that is usually the response of a long game of telephone, bandwagon for the sake of bandwagon) that they, again, don't actually explore the history of the shorts and characters and let the shorts and characters speak for themselves

my experience with Dafpork, and has been a sentiment i've heard mirrored by other people who've gotten into it, is that you watch the shorts, see Porky and Daffy doing their thing, and are like "dude what is HAPPENING why is nobody talking about this??". case in point, DAFFY LITERALLY ASKING PORKY IF HE WANTS TO "GO STEADY" WITH HIM LOL LIKE!!! or all the times they've kissed. the "i didn't know you cared" bit being played off as a genuinely sweet moment. ummmm them getting MARRIED IN LTC. so, so many other things i'm not mentioning. i know almost all of these are silly gags, Daffy asking Porky out is simply to get a reaction out of him and for us wholesome, clean theater audiences of the '50s to laugh at the idea of two men DATING. HA! but i still think they're worth bringing up.

contrary to what i've just written above, i'm not insinuating that Dafpork is the "better" ship because it has more "evidence". i honestly have no interest in ship wars--i'm a Dafpork ride or die, always have and always will, i know where my loyalties lie and that's all i need to know! i respect people who have different preferences! go do your thing and rock on! but, truly, i really do think that if people just gave the original shorts more time, gave their curiosity a bit more leeway, and just let the shorts and characters speak for themselves instead of cramming certain expectations into the short to fit a personal narrative.. i think a looooooooot more people would celebrate Porky and Daffy's dynamic. not even in a romantic way, either

(sorry if this is randomly inserted, i know i've been rambling LOL but i don't know where else to put this) i feel people also tend to just shunt Porky with Petunia if they're lucky enough to know that she exists. that's fair too, they're the only "canon" relationship that's been in the original run (...for all, what, 5 shorts? one of them being where Petunia is his sister instead?). and this is more just personal headcanon stuff for me/preference, but there is truly no way i can feasibly see them being together or having any sort of genuine attraction to each other. they have a beautiful lavender not-marriage. the epitome of mlm wlw solidarity. i seriously adore the idea of their friendship, especially for my own actor au purposes, but i genuinely cannot conceivably see them together in any romantic sense. compare how Porky acts around her versus how he acts around Daffy and get back to me on that < now i'm just being cocky.

THIS IS SO MUCH RAMBLING AND I APPLAUD YOU FOR MAKING IT THIS FAR. i really hope i haven't come off as too big of a jerk or gatekeeper or know-it-all, i have a lot of opinions and there's been a reason why i only just now have begun to interact with the LT fandom within the past year (and even then the only tags i ever check are the dafpork and porky pig tags!). my issues and experiences with fandom culture are also a ME thing--if i'm put off by someone doing something that conflicts with how i would do it, that's not their fault! unless anyone is being genuinely harmful (which i don't think i've seen... i've been aggravated by a lot, but it's all down to me at the end of the day) i truly don't mind and acknowledge my own stubborness.

but those are some points as to why i think Dafpork is slept on: just a lack of understanding of the characters and shorts, more modern materials doing the characters dirty and altering the perception of said characters, "fandom tendencies" being at odds with the nature of the original shorts, unquestioning bandwagon appeal, etc. hopefully TDTEBU gets more people in our court.. and again, i really can't thank yinz enough for following and engaging in this blog! i've been here for many years and it's been very lonely. to imagine that people are using my ship name and drawing and writing art of them, no matter how few or how small, is of monumental importance to me. i really can't stress how barren it used to be. you guys are awesome

[goldensunset]

well ok

slightly sappy post incoming

dang. i really started pokémon black 2 almost four months ago??? toward the end of august??? completely insane. it took me a long time just to do the main story and then i was like i wanna do all the side postgame stuff afterwards plus the season-restricted stuff. which was totally worth it. but now at last i feel that this journey has come to an end…

but like the thing about this being a sequel is it’s also kinda the end of my overarching gen 5 journey? which i think is even more painful. i have absolutely completely fallen to death in love with these games over the course of this entire year of 2024, seeing as i started the first game in january. the year of unova for me. and it has truly been the highlight of my year. not that that’s much of an achievement bc this year has lowkey sucked for me but like these games and their characters and stories and songs have seriously brightened my life so much i’m so grateful. it’s hard saying i’m finally done! i got so obsessed i even read the manga… i suppose i still have the pokémon masters ex cutscenes to watch even if those aren’t canon but like canon enough right? i need every ounce of gen 5 i can get

i’d been wanting to play this gen for a while bc i knew it was a lot of people’s favorites and i knew i’d love it and it would destroy me. but i was just going to wait for remakes, until i was finally convinced i should just learn how to emulate. and the payoff was excellent! my beloved laptop is so strong for this lol. but it’s time to end her agony. at least for now (we’ll see what i decide to emulate next!!!)

so uh not sure how to end this. both the first and second games blew me away at every turn even though my expectations were already high. if it wasn’t clear where i stood on the matter. Wow. i hope the inevitable remakes are good and i hope there’s a legends game someday bc i am completely insane and the world at large needs to know about and love unova forever. this experience will live with me forever genuinely. proof that you don’t have to be a kid to experience childlike wonder that will later become nostalgia. pokémon is for all ages!!

in conclusion thank you for bearing with my uh. well. i don’t even want to know how many hundreds of posts there are in this tag. thank you for bearing with my incessant ramblings and updates! see i do it for myself bc i need to archive my own nonstop thoughts plus i like hearing feedback if i need help… but i also do love it so much when other people who have played the game before get excited to relive their first-time experience vicariously through me. and i also love it when people who haven’t played it message me saying ‘i have literally no idea what you’re talking about at all but i’m glad you’re having fun i think?’. objectively funny. stay tuned for the next time i play or replay a game and can’t shut my mouth once ever!

peace out

[ectogeo-rebubbles]

I have kind of a niche Garashir fic idea I want to write but I’ve never posted anything publicly before, so I am nervous. But I can’t seem to get over the idea? You’re one of my favorite fic writers, any advice? 💕🥺

Ooooh, you gotta try to write it!!! I always love to indulge my new ideas that are driving me insane as soon as I can hehe (because part of writing often has to be done after the initial idea no longer excites you quite the same way).

I like that you said it’s a niche idea, too! I do enjoy most of the common fanon tropes and worldbuilding, but it’s always so refreshing when people add something brand new to the Garashir body of literature. And the nicher and stranger the better, in my opinion!! One thing about writing something niche is that maybe it won’t get the same amount of attention as quickly as something that has broader appeal, HOWEVER... I can tell you from experience that when your niche stuff does find its audience (which may take patience and persistence) that audience will likely go absolutely WILD for it. And I always find that very rewarding <3

Is the reason you haven't started yet because you don't quite know how to start? If that's the case, I would recommend writing an outline first. I even sometimes will outline really short oneshots lol, not because I think I really need to, but because that way i at least have a good record of my idea and ALSO because sometimes I can trick myself into just starting to write by taking notes on in outline format until I get to the part I'm REALLY excited about, at which point I realize I'm just writing full sentences instead of notes and I just let it flow from there and go back to fix the beginning later. XD You could also just try to summarize the plot for a friend, that often reveals to me where any structural issues are tripping me up, and identifies what I need to think about more before I set words down on the page.

Idk if you haven't written before or if you just haven't posted any of it, but I want you to know that a few years ago, when I was easing myself back into writing, I worked on writing like 3 or 4 different garashir fic ideas privately before I actually figured out which idea I wanted to write all the way to the end and actually post. Most of those first wips never got posted (and my wip graveyard is still massive and always growing lol) and that's for the best bc I either got bored of the idea or could not yet achieve the story in the way I wanted to. Which is NOT to tell you that this is inevitable or that you should let your inner editor shut you down, but I just want you to know that it's perfectly okay and normal to, like, have to noodle around a bit before you've written something you're happy with.

Speaking of your inner editor, you gotta tune them out while writing a first draft. Don't even worry if the sentence makes sense, just get the words out, and then get the next words out, and then the next... If there is something stopping you from writing the next sentence (a name you need to make up, or something you need to research, or uncertainty about what a character would be doing, or even if you are just blanking on a word) and you are trying to maintain a flow of writing, then write a note for yourself (e.g, "[insert title of a Cardassian novel here]" or "[Julian makes some kind of expression. Surprise? Anger? idk]" or "[synonym for sinister, bc I've used sinister three times this fic already]") and then MOVE ON. You can go back in and fill in those blanks later.

Also, I really really really really like the writing advice of thinking of your first draft as your worst draft or stupidest draft. It's so true and it helps take the pressure off. One related amazing thing about writing star trek fanfic is that if ever you begin to doubt yourself, you can just fondly think about a beloved episode of Star Trek where something very silly or buckwild happens in a very contrived way, and then remind yourself that people LOVE that episode anyway. This is a genuine way that I have reminded myself not to be so harsh on my own writing lmao.

I really working with beta readers, but I know that's not something everyone enjoys and it's def not required. Still, a beta reader can give feedback on your writing to make it clearer, and they'll likely become invested in your fic and will cheer you on, and if it’s longer than a oneshot you can have someone to talk it through with during the writing process. But it might be hard to find someone you work well with and everyone’s beta reading style is a lil different, so I recommend always being very clear about what kind of feedback you want from them (grammar/typos, plot structure, clarity, brainstorming ideas for how to fix this plothole, does this one specific line of dialogue work, etc! whatever aspects you are uncertain about and want help with for that specific fic). And you should know that it’s okay to not take someone's recommendations too, it’s ultimately your fic, so anyone giving you feedback should just be trying to help you achieve your own vision. Still, even in those cases where you don't go along exactly with their idea for what to change, knowing what parts confused them can help you figure out how to get your vision across more clearly.

If you think concrit might actually be demotivational and intimidating (totally get that, back in high school I actually solicited concrit on my fics publicly, as was the custom back then, and received some critiques from some truly well-meaning friends, and the experience STILL rattled me so bad that it turned me off writing for awhile), or if the process of finding someone to beta read sounds overwhelming, I’d recommend that you instead just find a trusted friend who is willing to read over the completed draft, with the understanding that they must simply give you a sanity check and then tell you yep that’s good! Cannot stress enough the power of encouragement and support and having someone hype you up. ^_^

If you are too nervous to post it under your own name, you can post it to the Anonymous collection on ao3. This is a reversible process, so if you want to reattach your username to your fic later then you can!

Anyway, feel free to send follow up questions about any of this or let me know if there's an aspect of writing I didn't mention that is what you're actually stuck on. I hope this helps and good luck and HAVE FUN! Have fun is actually the most important writing advice haha.

(P.S., anon, if you want me to beta read a draft of a oneshot or at least look over a chapter or two if it's multichapter, I am down to do so, just DM me. If not that's fine too, I'm just so so flattered that you reached out to me and I want to encourage you in any way I can! <3)

[marrowcrunch]

What are your top 3 favorite vtm clans (or bloodlines)?

Bonus: which clan do you think you'd fit in with? :3c

Oh boy, this is going to be long lol

Favorite: Tzimisce 

Gosh, what a surprise :O

But yeah. I mean, firstly, the cool factor is undeniable. It's always such a joy designing Tzimisce characters because even toeing the strictest borderlines of canon they're allowed to get real weird with it in a way that most other clans aren't. I don't mean this as hate at all so I hope it doesn't come across like that, all clans are beautiful <3 but if you're playing Ventrue, Brujah, Tremere etc to some degree you'll always just be playing as Some Guy. With a Tzim it’s like…Do you want some sick-ass bone blades on your arms? No problem! Another pair of arms to put more bone blades on? Sounds good! Do you want to be bioluminescent like a squid? Great! Go crazy! 

Second: Full disclosure, I am the “My fursona is my TWOO SELF” flavor of furry. And the idea of having near total freedom of form— to be able to give myself a tail, claws, fangs, horns, [long censor beep], whatever I want, to abandon my human shape, fills me with Yearning. 

In the complete opposite direction, I also find personal meaning in the clan as someone who suffers from chronic pain. Shamelessly copy-pasting a reply to another post: 

The flavoring of Vicissitude as a creeping infection, as the actual body of the Eldest spread from generation to generation, able to rise up and consume its bearers at any moment, resonates with me very deeply as someone whose pain is caused by congenital tissue defects and which will inevitably get worse over time.

The idea that…there’s something horrible lurking inside your body. It can’t be cured. It can’t be removed. It is part of the very fabric of your being. And it is going to eat you alive, it is going to eat and eat until there’s nothing left. That no matter how you struggle, eventually it’s going to win. But you struggle anyways, because what the hell else is there to do?

The clan also has its revenant families, who are all collectively my most Specialist Little Guy in the world. I am a huge sucker for ye old trope of Special Family Bloodline Technique, and they scratch that itch for me in a really fun and interesting way. 

Second favorite: Giovanni. I actually don't have any deep reasons for this one, I just think that “fucked up necromancer vampire crime family” is such a fun concept lol. I like organized crime stories. It's also another one for the “bloodline technique” category— in v20, they even have their own associated revenant family, the Rossellinis! 

Third favorite: Salubri. The vibe I get is that they’re deeply underappreciated because people feel like their designation in both fluff and crunch as “the nice ones” means that they’re boring and clash with Masquerade’s overall tone. But I STRONGLY disagree— I think that's exactly what gives them so much potential for the sort of personal, existential horror that is supposed to be at the heart of Masquerade. I actually want to write a much longer post sometime that really gets into why, but part of it is this— being a magical pacifist unicorn prancing in a sunny flower field isn't “horrifying,” but being a magical pacifist unicorn in a dark forest where the only other animals are wolves that want to eat your face sure is. I also think the contrast between mainline (healer) Salubri and Salubri antitribu is a really rich thematic vein— again, I want to write more on this later. 

Bloodline lightning round:

Ahrimanes: Cat-themed woman power. I like the concept of Gangrel in tune with the spiritual elements of nature. Spirits in World of Darkness are fun because they can be anything. 

Ventrue antitribu: Knights in modern settings are cool.

However, if the question was “Which clan are you most like?” instead of “What's your favorite”, the answer is far and away Toreador. I love making art, and while I mostly just write now because my body has kind of fallen apart, I used to dabble in a bunch of different mediums and loved them all. That and I already do the “oh that flower/painting/ random pattern of light on the wall is really pretty *zones out and stares at it*” thing in real life lol so that would just be business as usual. If I couldn't be a Meat Criminal this is actually the clan I'd choose to be embraced into. 

Thanks for giving me a chance to talk :)

[viscasi]

You said femininity or masculinity can be detected via vibes? Or am I just missing the whole point of the post?

If so, how can one be enough gender-non-conforming if their vibes give off fem women when being a masc women or the giving off vibes of a masc men when being a fem man?

Like for example, I don’t know if its possible for more feminine-men to kind of still have masculine hobbies and for masculine-women to still have feminine hobbies, etc. like if that is possible. while also still having GNC vibes if that makes sense.

Because I don’t know, I just feel like I’ll never be gender non conforming enough. I feel kind of depressed to have hobbies that kind of are stereotypically associated with the birth sex I have. I feel kind of ashamed of them.

Btw if you do respond I’m happy to see your answer, and thanks for making this account I just don’t see enough masc women on the internet without it being sexualised or any other stuff - you and the r/GNCStraight is helping me lol

So… yes and no. 😅

I tried explaining how I personally conceptualize the existence of masculine/feminine/androgynous identities in this post (which is I think the one you’re referring to?) It does a decent job but it’s somewhat long-winded and I’m not sure how clear it ended up being.

As it happens, between then and now I recently began some philosophy classes, and so I might be able to do a better job now explaining abstract concepts like this. That’ll have to be a dedicated post, though 😅 I’m drafting it up right now. Stay tuned!

While I can’t really provide a definition or absolute indicator right now— or maybe ever, according to philosophy, but we’ll get to that later— for whether or not you, like, “are a masculine person”… I can give you an example of the experience of being a masculine person, which is broadly: my entire blog, or specifically: the description I gave in this other post where I answered a similar ask (answered: what it means to me to be gnc).

Additionally, I will say this:

Ultimately, everyone understands masculinity and femininity differently, and your masculinity is going to be entirely personal and unique to you in the same way that your womanhood is entirely personal and unique to you.

The “what is a masculine person?” debate is very similar to the “What is a woman” debate— in that while womanhood is a real, tangible experience that many people can feel concretely connected to and bond with others in the same group over, it's also true that because the experience is so personal, there can be no defining “checklist” without inevitably excluding many women and many non-women, so it ends up having to be defined by the person themselves. Such is the case with your gnc identity: only you can really define that for yourself.

Regarding you worrying whether you “come off masculine enough” — if it’s any consolation, being worried that others don’t see you as masculine as you understand yourself to be is The masculine experience, haha! Every masculine person experiences this, even cishet, perisex, mainstraight men-- beyond that, many feminine people-- even cishet, perisex, mainstraight women-- experience this too but the opposite. That’s why “you’re not a Real man (towards men)” is even a thing, and why “you’re not being feminine enough (towards women)” is even a thing. It sucks, but you're definitely not alone in it or bringing it upon yourself.

The truth is, people (especially when acting in bad faith) can perceive you incorrectly through no fault of your own. But like I said, that happens to everyone, regardless of if they’re gnc or gc, regardless of if they’re performing their role “enough” to be validated.

However, I’m not gonna sit here and tell you there’s absolutely nothing you can do to communicate your gnc-ness. Even though clothing is not always equal to their experience of masculinity or femininity, most of us do like to communicate our gender nonconformity through visual associations like clothing, and it works well. Experiment with ways of expressing yourself, and see what makes you feel the best!

P.s. totally get feeling insecure about things like hobbies that appear to contradict your gnc identity. If you haven’t read it already, the post I mentioned above might be of some comfort to you— it touches on masculine/feminine Identities being separate and independent from gender norms— I.e., a masculine person can very well have hobbies/skills that are culturally (usually arbitrarily) considered “feminine.” (And vice versa!) You can totally have hobbies that are stereotypically associated with your gender and still be 1000% gnc as a person— for example, I love writing which is (arbitrarily) considered a feminine interest, and my boyfriend (also very hetgnc) LOVES watches which is (arbitrarily) considered a masculine thing to be interested in. You absolutely do not have to be ashamed of your hobbies just because they’re not stereotypically gnc!

I really wish I could communicate everything right now that I want to say in response to this, but there is So Much Information that I’ll just have to give it to you in another dedicated post as mentioned. For now you’ll just have to take my word for it: Listen, if you feel like you are a masculine person— then you are. And honestly, you probably do give off the vibes you’re wanting to, but you don’t have to be in order to be “really” gnc.

Idk if any of that made any sense and I’m so sorry if it didn’t!! I promise I’m working on a more clear, comprehensive answer to this that will be (hopefully) much more useful!

Anyway I’m happy you like my blog and that it’s been helpful to you!! It means so much to me to hear that! My hope in even doing all of this is to be the gnc representation and make the gnc content I always wished I had, and it’s so encouraging to me to know that I’ve achieved that in any capacity. Thanks for the ask anon!

[yoccu]

Today I spent a couple hours JUST focusing on writing ALT text for the Dyskrasias AMV images for when I'm upload them sequentially with lore captions to my art blog. My plan is to sort of start uploading at a regular schedule to provide new stuff to look at until the AMV itself is done. It's been loads of work, but I think it's gonna be front-loaded with text because of the descriptions of the character designs, armor designs, and landscapes, which can be reasonably excluded from later image descriptions.

I got about 14 separate posts worth of content done (some posts will have more than one image for pacing reasons). I still am fine-tuning a lot of the captions, and I've not even done captions for every finished illustration yet. I'm a LITTLE worried this will eat into my Drawing Time because of the workload, but I will inevitably have days where typing is better for my chronic pain than drawing, and I'm trying to just capitalize on that for an optimized workflow.

My current plan is to upload the teaser video soon to Websites, and then after that start posting images at a slow rate to drag out how much time I have to catch up. I've been hesitant to start that process because I've had limited time to write and limited feedback on my writing, and I want it to be as good as I can make it...

Hopefully it will start soon though. I underestimated how long writing takes!! It's hard lmao!!! I'd be getting a lot more done if I could write on my phone while in bed but unfortunately my fibromyalgia has been absolutely killer in my arms if I do Specifically That so I have to save most of my writing for laptop hours, which can be hard on my neck etc. Chronic pain always finds a way to jam things up but I'm trying to outsmart it LOL

[romilly-jay]

THIS ONE ALSO REALLY LANDED FOR ME (and - why?)

***spoilers*** [probably - mild ones, anyway - safer to assume there WILL be some :) - yeah, actually on reflection need some if I'm serious about trying to pin down why this was //IMO// successful ]

Just a reminder that the intention with these pages is for ME to work out for ME which kinds of stories land for me and why they do.

Even the reminder is mainly for my own benefit, honestly.

I've sat here for a few minutes wondering who cares what I think and I realise that, if no-one else, Future Me is going to be grateful that Present Me took the time to tease this apart.

Frankly, Future Me is highly unlikely to remember that Present Me wrote this but I have to continue to believe that there's, nonetheless, a benefit to going through the cognitive process. That words are not, in the end, wasted, but contribute to future insight and possibilities.

Understand from the Wikipedia page that this is the first Amazon Prime movie shot in Australia - which chimes with discussions I've heard on The Rest is Entertainment about the streamers as "the world's TV channels" - actually I think that was in context of Baby Reindeer and the issues with relatively light compliance on shows across multiple legal frameworks and jurisdictions. (And, incidentally, bless you, Wikipedia contributors - you are a most wonderful first port of call in an increasingly bonkers and unreliable internet.)

LOVE that the lead female actor, Shuang Hu, is also the co-writer with Nathan Ramos-Park and for me this is closely reflected in the significant (I think?) screen time / plot time given to Hu's character, Lia, and her gay current/Sydney-based BFF, Mason. Not too hard to imagine the writers putting snippy, comedic avatars of themselves into the centre of the action?? And Mason definitely has the best This Is Not A Hallmark Movie lines, shows up A Lot and *marginally* succeeds in having a life that isn't simply about supporting her.

BTW, think it's sort of hilarious that I assumed Townsville was a made up place - it SOUNDS like a name you would make up, Hallmark style? Like - Valleydale (surely not an actual place?) or Christmaston?

Though I don't know that the Australian setting is so hard to tune into that the movie requires an entire translation/remake. Apparently it's getting one, just the same - Picture This, fronted by Simone Ashley of Bridgerton, Sex Education, and, I'm sure, plenty of other things, too :) *pic below, from sth else. Already in post-production at March 2024?

I prefer to think that this is more about good ideas being in relatively short supply* - do I mean that? - or an idea that works in one place having potential to work, suitably tweaked, somewhere else, too.

*Ah, okay, I think it's terror about finding *bankable* good ideas. There's such a proliferation of Great Content today, non? - BUT more content than audience or, at least, more content than attention span?

This article by Carla Teng of the Asia Media Centre gives a breakdown of the plot and a link to the trailer, ahead of transitioning into an interview with actor Yoson An, who plays the ex-best friend.

It talks explicitly about the influence (existence and rising profile) of Asian diaspora citizens in Australia and New Zealand. And - thank you! - one of the things that I really enjoyed, after a lengthy diet of Hallmark-adjacent Amazon offerings, was the all-Asian lead cast.

Inevitable hat-tip to Crazy Rich Asians and *one* of the characters certainly walked right out of that movie world. The rest, not so much.

[LOL token white guy who is referred to by the fortune teller as a good catch specifically because he's a "lapdog" of a man - and v nice that they still gave him a little scene later on that shows genuine warmth between the lead and her new bro-in-law and portrays him as genuinely sweet, plus holder of a key piece of missing intel for her.]

So, what worked [IMO] in this movie? LOTS of things.

The article I've shared above uses this pic of Lia and Richard which references a really nice piece of character work from early on, from the sister's PINK engagement party, which Lia attends in a black suit/white shirt combo, meaning that she starkly stands out from everyone else, while also looking cute AF - and it gives the "we understand each other" moment with the ex BF because he's the only one who remarks on the Reservoir Dogs reference ("Why am I Mister Pink?"). Loved this. Thought it worked. And it's a far-from-subtle hint that What Lia Wants Was Right In Front Of Her All Along. Actually, she knew that and so did he, but they had to sort out their historic misunderstanding and also find a way to Be Together in [Place].

Although some very traddy romcom elements were there /// she runs a tea shop! - her sister's getting married! - she doesn't have a date! - her parents want her to settle down! /// the underlying dilemma feels real, significant, relatable: Namely, tradition versus independence? Nicely twisted around the idea that Lia isn't running away from ALL aspects of tradition - she's specifically trying to make a traditional concept Chinese tea shop work in a modern city context.

So, thank goodness, it's absolutely not a story of "all my childhood influences were bad // but wait, my new life isn't working out // must be because all my childhood influences were Right After All // back to a traditional life and a traditional role for me!" Rather it's about finding away to integrate suburban and urban influences together.

This HEA has her still running a tea shop - but she's embraced Taiwanese bubble tea and takeaway tea orders. And she's still living in Sydney - and this time the ex-best friend is there with her.

This actually IS a pretty much ideal HEA for me. Living her truth works out for her - and her confrontation with her family leads to apologies and acts of reconciliation from both directions <3 <3.

[soundtestmenu]

i LOVE the design of susie's face and how she expresses. like in a large majority of her sprites her eyes are open 1 pixel tall, and this seems to be the default for her (it also makes her look extremely tired; she even has bags under her eyes...)

and this allows a lot of room for her to express with just her eyes, letting them be wide open to showcase a huge variety of emotions:

or express something more subtle, more nuanced:

(don't even get me started on how well her mouth is positioned on her face)

it's even more interesting when you look at her chapter 1 faces vs chapter 2

her eyes add a completely different energy to what should be the same expressions. her neutral face doesn't feel so cold anymore. her smile has a genuine, awkward softness to it rather than being very visibly joyless. even when she bares her teeth there's this new edge of mischief to it...

i think one of the most important things her sprites convey is how actually happy she looks after chapter 1.

her pupils are bigger on this sprite than any other, her mouth gives just the smallest grin and her whole look is so... soft. she doesn't make this face often, to the point where ralsei is caught off guard by it when she (arguably sincerely) makes it during a bit she does with kris.

(he also refers to it as "using that face" which. ralsei how much do you know)

it's just so heartwarming that you can see how much happier she is. she explodes with emotion and expression after being shown so much trust and kindness for the first time in what could be her whole life. someone jumped to take a bullet for her! they changed her life!! and now she would undoubtedly do the same for them! and when she comes back the next day she's SO EXCITED TO SEE THEM AGAIN!!!

she's such a warm character, and it's no secret that toby (who has stated that he personally draws all of the face sprites in the game) wanted to convey that in every way he could, and her facial expressions are a key part of it. faces are very clearly where he thrives in character design and susie is maybe the highest example of this

[kabuwu]

Canceling stream again today ! Something has come up 😔