#w/ev

[holytrohmanempire]

per the impending and devastating loss of How to Dance in Ohio, I have some rambly thoughts under the cut

Mel's character hit me harder in the representation than anyone else. I've never been formally diagnosed or anything, but I learned during college that "everyone assumed" I was autistic. There's a scene in the show I won't go into due to potential spoilers where Mel has a difficult time communicating with their boss and I have had that conversation almost verbatim at... every job I've ever had. I'm queer and I don't do tasks that aren't communicated to me and I don't have a lot of familial support (biologically - my chosen family and in laws are wonderful) and I often feel abandoned when I'm... outgrown, for lack of a better term.

anyway, when the soundtrack came out, I was struck with the realization that they get a turn of the same line twice. Early in the show they say:

"Do you know how your habits are formed? Doing the same thing over and over."

This is portrayed by Mel as a good thing. They're praised as having good work ethic, they've figured out how to get by because they form habits. It's a strength for them.

But then later in the show, they say:

"Do you know what insanity is? Doing the same thing over and over."

For me, this speaks to the double edged sword of autism, the counterpoint to the "disability is a superpower!" narrative you sometimes see on places like tumblr. Because doing the same thing over and over (an autistic trait if there ever was one) is their strength and weakness at the same time.

Sometimes the things that make you you are good, sometimes bad, sometimes neutral, and sometimes all three. I can "hello, how are you? Thanks I'm fine!" a thousand times and it will be right every time, and that thousand and first time it will be the wrong thing to say. The other person will go off script and I will have done something wrong that I had no idea was wrong.

This show makes it clear that the phrase "(one) struggles with autism" is a negative misconception, but also shows that, while it sucks when people say that... sometimes we do. Not because stimming or being blunt or getting the script wrong is bad, but because we have to deal with the fallout when other people don't like it. One of my first clear memories is of being 3 or 4 years old and getting put in time out by a teacher for asking "What?" when she called my name. Nobody had ever told me I was supposed to either say yes or just look up - I wanted to know why she had called for me, but I wasn't allowed to ask that. At my last job, my supervisor kept asking me why I had made a mistake and I was baffled, telling her that I didn't do it for any particular reason, I just messed up, that's why it's called a mistake, and didn't find out till after I went home, rebuked, that she asked why because she wanted an apology. I spent my whole life getting in trouble for fidgeting and either daydreaming or being a know it all, depending on the class. People would meet me once and call me aloof or mean or weird.

But autism is also some of the best of me. I can always win trivia games and I'm a font of useless fun facts at parties. I devour books and I finish my work each day in record time. I like being me - even the cringe parts. I like slimes and stim toys and curling up with the same book I've read a thousand times before. I would never trade that away.

I like Mel because you get to see the best and the worst. I like that they're bad with people, but they try so hard, and they're so sincere. I like that they're practical and pragmatic but willing to forgive.

I'm devastated to be losing How to Dance in Ohio on Broadway. I think it should have run for years and years, and I think it's low key homophobic that I don't get to go like, once a month with my lottery-won tickets and see that awesome shiny disco ball set piece (way cooler than the phantom chandelier.)

But I hope what this means is a lower budget future for the show. I guess a pro-shot is probably a pipe dream, but I hope it means off-broadway, a tour, community and high school theater access. I hope the silver lining is people who are not lucky enough to have my circumstances getting to see it and feel that same chest-crushing recognition I did. I hope everyone who needs it gets to see themselves on stage and weep (as I did) through fully most of the songs. I hope it means more autistic actors getting to stim on stage! I hope it means normalizing people like me. I hope it's the first step towards a legacy.

(and I also hope everybody in the cast gets their dream roles forever and ever y'all were so amazing omg)

[thebrainrotsreal]

Eve, Kate, Mark and Rex! Nailing some ideas down on how I wanna draw them in the future, and enjoying messing with their designs like usual! Not a fix-it whatsoever just fun + ref for the future! I cannot do realistic styles so translating them into something I can do while still being recognizable is peak. I will mess with Rex's suit more. Trust. I Kate so much now. Look at her <333333

[ev-arrested]

Imagining clicking on a Snapmap hotspot in a superhero city and it’s just shit like this lmao

Inspired by this thread

[zu-is-here]

dad of the year

Axel & Eve by ari-cuno

Anko by groovygladiatorsheep

Crazy Lace by clownyclowns

Esther by orange-dreamzer

Flicker (Oralee) by bluepallilworld

[natdocx]

[agneaul]

sylus x reader ♡ wc: 1.4k ♡ cw: mostly sfw, suggestive maybe, reader is kidnapped & tied up (not by sylus) gn reader, no gendered language ♡ minors dni

getting the hang of writing his character is fun ₍^. .^₎⟆

You weren't even in the N109 Zone to see Sylus. Some contacts needed checking up on; just a few hours, tops. If you were lucky, you'd be in and out right under his nose.

Luck, however, has not been on your side this evening.

It's more embarrassing than anything. Some low profile thugs got the upper hand, caught you off guard. "What have I told you about being vigilant in the N109 Zone?" You can already hear the lecture; your eyes even roll beneath the scratchy blindfold.

There's only two of them. They're sloppy; with your training you should have been able to fold them in seconds. From what you've been able to gather from their bumbling dialogue, they're just grunts working at the bottom of a long, ravenous food chain.

You focus on your breathing. Think. They're in and out of the room, you've heard the door open and close eight times now. There's a staircase - about 13 steps if you heard right. Your wrists are tied behind your back; the tips of your fingers tingle with the lack of circulation. If you can bend at the right angle, you can get at the pistol you keep in-

Clamoring from the other side of the door makes you jump. Indistinct yelling, the voices of your kidnappers overlap. One of them runs up the stairs, his footsteps shake the floor. He's right outside the door - he's panting - you can picture his hand on the knob. He shouts, it sounds like a surprised, hoarse bark. Then, the earsplitting sound of bone meeting a hard surface.

Your whole body tenses, straining to make out the story of what's happening on the other side of the door. Strangled, pained sounds. Two gun shuts shake the walls. In the darkness of your blindfold, your hearing is uncomfortably sharper; a gun clatters to the ground, you hear it skid against the wood floor. One of the grunts is cursing, then wheezing and choking, before you hear what can be described as wind howling or waves crashing. It's a sound that conjures a memory of a specific person.

All goes quiet.

A delusional part of you prays that your imagination is just overactive, especially in the pitch dark. A stupider part of you hopes it just Luke and Kieran.

The door creaks open, and a familiar aura floods the room. It's unmistakable. Heavy and chilling. Slow, deliberate steps that move forbiddingly closer, smoky cologne that lingers on your clothes and hair for an infuriatingly long time - Sylus.

Of course.

Ironically, you're more fearful of your savior than you were of your captors.

You can't decide if you're relieved or pissed that he's come to your aid. Having to see his smug face, listen to him mockingly scold you."Really, kitten?" he'd say. Your fists clench in their binds; you doubt you will be able to resist the urge to punch him. The more primitive part of you is terrified. Your palms go clammy, the hair on the back of your necks stands up.

The heavy footsteps come to a halt, right in front of you. Though you can't see, you still crane your neck up to 'look' at his face. This earns you a chuckle, at least. When he finally speaks, there's levity in his voice.

"My, my. You've certainly gotten yourself tangled up in some yarn, kitten."

You puff an irritated sigh from your nose, picturing dragon's smoke curling out of your nostrils intimidatingly. If only. You give your restraints another tug, squirm around a little dramatically as if to say, "ahem."

Sylus hums, low and rumbly like a brewing storm. "I have half a mind to keep you like this…" Your pulse quickens unpleasantly at the thought. You hope he can make out your furrowed brow through the blind fold. He clicks his tongue, drawls, "It would be an effective way to keep you out of trouble…"

Without warning, he hooks a finger under your blindfold and pulls it up. The light is low, but you still squint as your pupils dilate and adjust to the light. Bleary eyed, you blink hard a few times to bring the world back into focus. Sylus's broad frame looms above you, fuzzy at the edges.

He's the picture of nonchalance. Hand tucked into the pocket of black dress pants, smirk playing at his lips - as if he didn't just kill two men. Well, all in a days work for Onychinus's ruthless leader, right?

"There you are." His tone is nauseatingly fond, his smile gleams in the dim. Sylus has the courtesy to tuck your hair behind your ear. Charming. With your eyes now free, you shoot daggers at him. His own eyes crinkle affectionately. Long fingers linger along your jaw, tracing over the makeshift gag. "This suits you." He hums, laughs at your glare. Indignant, you buck your chin out of his hold. He acquiesces wordlessly and unties your gag. The spit soaked fabric now cold, you cringe at the feeling.

"How'd you find me?" Your own voice is hoarse, scratchy at the edges.

"Are those really the first words out of your mouth? Mind your manners, sweetie." Sylus leans back, crosses his arms over his chest. Not a speck of blood on him. He sighs, tilts his head and looks at you as if you really are a kitten that's found it's way into trouble. "This whole trip to rescue you was really out of the way, you've derailed my entire afternoon."

You bite your tongue, holding back whatever hissy reply you would have spat. You'd rather not test your luck. "My apologies." You try best to drain the venom from your tone. You level him with the sincerest look you can muster, neck craning to meet his red gaze. "Thank you, Sylus."

"You're-" You don't let him finish.

"It's just so convenient that you were able to find me so quickly…" You squint at him. Sylus only smirks, giving away nothing. You press on, "I have a feeling that someone may have sent a certain rusty bird to spy on me."

"Don't be so presumptuous, dear." He pinches your check (you're starting to think he's taking advantage of your inability to swat him away.) "Shouldn't Onychinus's leader be aware of all the comings and goings in the N109 Zone?" You get a few words of protest out before he interrupts you, "If you don't like the idea of Mephisto following you, then I could implant the same tracking software into you? It's small, unobtrusive. You'd barely notice it."

"Why do I feel like you're actually trying to sell me on this?" You say with a roll of your eyes.

"Oh? Is my pitch working?"

You change the subject; wriggle in your binds again. Sylus sighs, not unkindly. "Yes, yes. I climbed the tower and now I can rescue the princess." His voice rolls down your spine.

You hide your blush underneath your mouthyness. "Oh, shut up. It's not really me they're after, but the Aether core."

"Those idiots had no idea."

"Then…" you draw a blank "what use am I to them?"

"Your use is in your value-"

You cut Sylus off again, "But if they didn't know about my heart then-"

Sylus cuts you off this time, grasping your chin between his thumb and forefinger. "Your value to me. Keep up, sweetie." You blink up at him.

Oh…could that really be it? You try to question him further, but he squishes your cheeks together. Firm, but gentle. Playful, even. He continues, still holding your face in a pout. "They used you to lure me out. Unluckily for them, however, they were grossly unprepared for what they'd be up against."

"Onychinus' leader is very strong."

"Flattery will get you no where." In a splits second decision, you snap your jaw to bite his finger. He's too quick, of course, your canines just graze him. "Neither will that." He chides.

"What will, then?"

With a wave of his wrist, Sylus frees your ankles. His evol grazes down your arms, untying your wrists. You rub at the sore flesh, flex your stiff hands. Sylus offers you his own. His hand is warm, achingly familiar. His fingers encircle your wrist. Swiftly, he pulls you to his chest, his arms wrap around you. His voice is close to your ear, "Tell me next time you're in town."

[crismakesstuff]

ponyfies your superhero show 🐎🌟

[starspilli]

sparky & sparkler

my very very self indulgent jono & jubilee au comic

[stupidspacerobots]

megop yuri save me .save me yuri megop

[mauricemylittlemeowmeow]

wow happy christmas. christmas huh. this is just like act 3 of pentiment where everyone gathered to celebrate christmas at the inn and alexander and kazimierz played music and sang a christmas song for everyone haha omg christmas. just like in the scene of my favourite characters from hit game pentiment by obsidian entertainment 50% off on steam via the winter sale that did i mention, features my favourite musician/meistersinger duo kazimierz wierzbięta and alexander rappolt wow i cant believe it's christmas in the flesh

[somethingintheforest]

not to be insane about Them again but I was just thinking that actually... Watson doesn't know all that much about Holmes, or at least, that's how it comes across in the text. He doesn't know about Holmes's past or his family life. And (as far as we know) he doesn't pry. He just kind of accepts it.

He obviously wants to know though. It's obvious in his excitement when Holmes tells him about a past case, or takes him to meet Mycroft. But Watson is the perfect example of Minding Your Own Buisness. He doesn't ask because he knows his questions wouldn't be welcome with someone like Holmes. I honestly think thats why Holmes takes to him like he never has with anyone before. Watson lets Holmes have his privacy and doesn't judge him for it.

And it shows that you can love, trust and admire someone completely without knowing absolutely everything about them. They make me insane, your honour.

[lemongogo]

[blondebrainpowered]

All About Eve, 1950

[elysiality]

lottie as villanelle and shauna as eve....do you guys see the vision....

[fstarnd1sco]

no caption needed

[efverse]

i think about garchomps beloved grand daughter being a ditto a lot...