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#this project has helped me find a lot of joy in it
anna-scribbles · 2 years
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• metamorphosis cover master post •
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this was an exceptionally fun project for an exceptionally beautiful work. if you haven’t read metamorphosis yet i truly don’t know what else i can do to convince you. thank you @peachcitt for going insane with me every tuesday night all summer and for the constant stream of suggestions for how to make these covers More Devastating, Somehow. metamorphosis summer may be over but i will never be normal again <3
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navstuffs · 1 year
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DO IT FOR HIM
Pairing: Leon Kennedy x GN!Reader
Summary: Leon catches a particular item on your stuff.
Warnings: cute, two idiots in love, FLUFFY FLUFF, comedy, domestic!leon
Author's Notes: inspiration for this came from The Simpsons obvs and this amazing artwork from @emahriel. thank you so much giving me the honor to use it for my little fic! you should all check her blog, she has amazing artwork! i hope this fills your day with joy as much as i had fun writing it!
my leon's masterlist
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"What is that?"
You and Leon have been cleaning your bedroom. The idea came from you: to let the energy flow around the house by donating and throwing away old items. Well, you were, at least. Leon is lying in bed, still wearing pajama pants and a shirt, although it is 4 pm. He deserves his rest, he says, and you agree. Because only Leon looks gorgeous in simple grey pants and a white shirt with a hole in the armpits. No complaints on your side.
"What is that?" Leon asks as you sit on the floor, surrounded by old stuff "That. Right there," Leon points, and your eyes follow. It is just your old collection of mangas.
"This?"
"No, behind it. That small little glass frame. What is on it?"
Small little glass…oh, crap. You immediately realize what it is, your stomach twisting. You thought you threw away that long ago before you and Leon moved together. It was a cute piece you made for yourself when you met him, feeling like a teenager in love again. It was never in your plans for Leon to see it.
"No-nothing. It's probably an old art project of mine," You try to place the frame with its face down, thinking of a way to get rid of it, before Leon, faster than you, is at your side, pulling from your hands. "Wait, Leon!"
When Leon turns the frame around, he paralyzes. It is his face. There are numerous pictures of him smiling, looking seriously at the camera, and even admiring the background scenery. There were a few of his younger self as well. And behind it, written in your handwriting in big black bold letters, DO IT FOR HIM. Leon looks at you, a smile appearing on his face, and he feels his cheek heat up.
You don't see that, your face hidden behind your hands. It was just a silly thing you did to help you during work. You placed it on your table to remind yourself to stay strong, even when things got hard.
You peek between your fingers to see Leon isn't in there anymore. Well, there you cringed the man of your life, and he probably regretted marrying you. Or, knowing Leon, he left to give a good laugh without embarrassing you.
Leon comes back, his wallet in his hands. You wait until he sits by your side and hands you the wallet.
"Open it."
You do as you are told, feeling Leon's gentle stare. You hadn't seen anything special in his wallet before besides cards and ID. You look up, and he motions for you to open his wallet. You do it, finding a small folded piece of paper.
"What is this?" You ask, cautious.
"Unfold it."
You wrinkle your forehead, opening the paper and looking at him surprised. It is one of the first pictures you took together after Raccoon City, and you just started dating. Although it was supposed to be a selfie together, Leon accidentally cut himself almost entirely out of the picture, focusing on you and your big happy smile. The paper seemed to have been folded and unfolded plenty of times. When you look at Leon, his face visibly red now, he confesses, his voice low.
"Helped a lot in dark times, believe me."
"Why this one specifically?"
"It was the first time you told me you loved me. I like to remember that."
Without being able to control yourself anymore, sniffling, you throw yourself in Leon's arms, hiding your face on his neck.
"Are you crying?" Leon wonders with a smile. When you don't answer, he rubs your back, whispering in your ear, "I still love you as much as that day."
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sensitiveheartless · 8 months
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@originalaccountname holy shit Fukuchi with Statler and Waldorf tagging along and making fun of him everywhere he goes (also I did base Fukuchi's appearance off of them XD)
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Statler and Waldorf have the special ability Peanut Gallery which renders them fully immune to physical damage, rendering Fukuchi's frequent attempts to murder them completely ineffective!
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also THISSS oh my gosh ok I've been having thoughts—
So, you know the whole thing of people in bsd developing abilities based on trauma?
Same thing happens in this AU, but they also become muppets at the same time! So pretty much every muppet was once a human, unless they're like Adam or Elise or Demon Snow and are projections of a muppet ability user. (Adam is a robot muppet built by a muppet [dr. Wollstonecraft, very smol]. He is very comfortable with this.)
This means that Chuuya, who doesn't remember where he came from, is worried that he might be a fully artificial muppet who was never a human being to begin with. This isn't helped by the fact that he joins the Sheep, who are all humans, so for most of his teen years Chuuya has to feel weird about being the lone muppet in his group of peers. This changes a bit when he joins the mafia, because suddenly he's around a lot of fellow muppets (and Dazai, who can temporarily turn Chuuya human again, which Chuuya really hopes is proof that he was in fact human at some point)
And Verlaine IS a fully artificial muppet, created to house a singularity, and he has decided to make it everyone else's problem! He is a murder muppet, in fact. A murppet. (Also I have been cackling over "Chuuya's a real muppet you're just sad you miserable pile of felt" ever since I read it thank you so much Nawy, every time I reread it it sends me off again skfjksdfj)
...So in the end I guess I have given Chuuya the exact same crisis as in canon, just with an extra layer of existential muppet dread over the top of it all. Hmm.
And now, other comments on my previous post that I want to highlight because they have been filling me with such joy:
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^I feel like that last one works really well with what I've come up with for stormbringer, because the stitches/stain can be Chuuya's proof that he did in fact exist before the lab (Mori finds records of a muppet having to be patched up after a fight with a kid) and thus was not created in the lab (although he was already a muppet)
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islerouxsims · 1 month
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DIZZY ISY SAVE FILE VERSION 7
Hello Dizzy Isy fans! I'm absolutely thrilled to announce the long-awaited release of Version 7!
I'm so sorry for the delay; unfortunately, my time to work on Dizzy Isy is very limited due to various challenging circumstances.
The save file is now updated for the Horse Ranch pack and Chestnut Ridge. I sadly don't have the latest EP yet, so that will just have to wait. Nevertheless, I hope you find joy in this new version of the save!
♥ What do you get? ♥
VERSION 1 OF DIZZY ISY (STILL AVAILABLE HERE)
VERSION 2 OF DIZZY ISY (STILL AVAILABLE HERE)
VERSION 3 OF DIZZY ISY (STILL AVAILABLE HERE)
VERSION 4 OF DIZZY ISY (STILL AVAILABLE HERE)
VERSION 5 OF DIZZY ISY (STILL AVAILABLE HERE)
VERSION 6 OF DIZZY ISY (STILL AVAILABLE HERE)
…PLUS…
209 custom clubs and icons (+7 than v.6) with points/rivalries and custom activities.
Lots of details of custom books to find, interesting tombstones, photos with past histories and mysteries etc.
♥ When you enter the save♥
There are 3 empty lots.
There are 19 empty houses (12 starters, 6 under 100k, 1 under 120k). (I have now labelled the starters so it is clearer.)
There are 18 rentals in holiday destinations.
There are 2 free apartments.
Secret lots in Mt. Komerebi renovated.
Selvadorada and Strangerville adventure/mystery unplayed.
Conservation efforts not completed in Sulani.
Evergreen Harbor has many community project opportunities.
Neighbourhood Stories disactivated.
Voting and Eco Footprints also disactivated.
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___________________________________________________________
It is a busy save file with many lots filled to stop random spawning of townies but the empty lots will soon quickly fill up with townie families if you don’t use them. The townies are clearly marked in the unplayed tab with the #townies so you know who is meant to have a lot and who isn’t.
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♥ What do you need? ♥
❥  ALL THE PACKS apart from Journey to Batuu and For Rent
❥  Kits used: Fashion Street kit, Incheon Arrivals kit, Desert Luxe and Carnival Streetwear kit
-You can still download this save file without all these packs or kits but some items might be replaced by substitutes, and we all know how those pan out.
❥ 150 MB of free space for this save file.
❥  Zerbu’s More Club Icons Mod (PLEASE DOWNLOAD FIRST!)
(If unavailable to you please download from here)
❥  Rex’s Custom Club Activities Mod (PLEASE ALSO DOWNLOAD BEFORE THE SAVE!)
♥ Recommendations ♥
❥ MC Command Center by Deaderpool.  
❥ No Random Townies by Zero.    
❥ No Random Hats Acessories and Makeup by Bienchens.    
(Anything by Bienshens is amazing and safe to use in my opinion)
♥ How to install? ♥
Make a backup of your Electronic Arts/The Sims 4/Saves folder
Download the file, unzip, and place files in Electronic Arts/The Sims4/Saves.
Open your game, enter the save. It is named “Dizzy Isy Save File By Isleroux and you should see Marc Duchamp as the last played household
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"As the eldest child and scion of the Duchamp legacy nectar dynasty, Marc holds the coveted position of the golden heir to Whispering Oaks Estate and Vineyard. Amidst familial expectations, a brewing rivalry with his sister Marielle adds tension. Will Marc confidently uncork the future, aligning with his parents' aspirations, or will Marielle steal success from beneath his fingertips?"
___________________________________________________________
DOWNLOAD (SFS) or 
DOWNLOAD (MediaFire)
(REMEMBER TO DOWNLOAD THE CUSTOM CLUB MODS FIRST!!)
**Lastly, if you find joy in the save file and wish to support me, perhaps you could consider buying me a coffee ☕ to help make future updates possible.
It's worth mentioning that despite the immense effort poured into Dizzy Isy over four years, I've chosen not to restrict access to my save files behind any paywall.
To those of you who have already extended your support, your kindness truly means the world to me. I want you to know that I see you, I appreciate you, and I'm grateful for your unwavering dedication, especially to those who have read this far down.**
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Happy simming!  ~isy~ ツ  
@maxismatchccworld
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morganbritton132 · 1 year
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Idk why this popped into my brain but it occurred to me that Eddie was probably on those celebrity editions of game shows. Celebrity Jeopardy, Celebrity Who Wants to be a Millionaire, etc…
And it just made me laugh so hard. The idea of Eddie Munson with Regis. Of calling Steve as a phone a friend for a basketball question and Steve being like Eddie I don’t know everything about basketball. But the answer is Larry Bird.
Just TikTok finding clips of Eddie yelling “suck it, Dan Cortese!” after obliterating them all at final jeopardy.
This fills me with so much joy! I love it so much.
Eddie does not go on Celebrity Who Wants to be a Millionaire by choice. He pissed off the band’s manager just enough that they signed him up for it without his knowledge, and he’s not doing it. He got the letter in the mail and it’s not happening.
Eddie ‘Six Years of High School’ Munson is not going on national television and making himself look like an idiot when he doesn’t even get to be in on the joke. No way.
“Dick move, man,” Gareth shrugs after Eddie put his foot down. “Even if you fuck the first question, they’re still gonna donate to your charity of choice. And like, maybe this is just the amount of money needed to cure cancer. Or epilepsy.”
“…You fucking suck, Gareth.”
“Yeah, I do!”
Eddie begrudgingly shows up and goes through the whole rigmarole to get mic’ed up, just ready to make a fool out of himself and call it a day. It turns out that he knows a lot more than he thought he did because he breezes through the first round of questions.
He knows enough about history, music, and the arts just from planning his D&D campaigns and reading about things he likes. He’s surprised by how much surface knowledge he’s gained from listening to the kids logic their way through their science and math homework, but sports are a bust.
He gets lucky on a few questions, but ends up using his Phone a Friend to call his partner, Steve. Steve and Eddie spend the first fifteen seconds arguing about how Eddie shouldn’t have wasted his phone a friend on Steve because he doesn’t know anything. And then once he hears the question, he’s like, “Larry Bird” and hangs up.
Eddie doesn’t win a millionaire dollars for his charity, but he wins quite a bit.
Afterwards when he’s still so hyped up about not being dumb, Steve’s just like ???? “Ed, you were never dumb. You just had trouble taking tests and none of your teachers accommodated your very obvious ADHD. You’ve always been brilliant.”
“Now everybody knows it.”
“Yeah,” Steve agreed. “Yeah, they do.”
Eddie signs up for Celebrity Jeopardy himself.
One of the first things that Steve and Wayne bonded over was a love for Jeopardy. Wayne has watched Jeopardy before he left for work for as long as Eddie has known him, and Steve was more than happy to sit with him when it was on. They both continued to watched even after Steve and Eddie moved to Chicago and sometimes they’d call each other if Final Jeopardy was “crazy.”
The band wasn’t touring as much as they used too and they’re all pretty much working on their own projects at this point. Steve’s finishing up his master’s degree while teaching full time and doesn’t really have a lot of time for him. Eddie is in between projects and creatively tapped out, and worst of all, he’s bored.
So when his manager passively mentions Celebrity Jeopardy, Eddie tells him to sign him up for it. When they accept his application, the only people he tells about it are Dustin and Nancy.
He only tells them because he wants their help studying for it because he wants to win this time. So, they study and it sucks. If Eddie ever sees another world famous Nancy Wheeler flashcard again, he’ll tear off his arm. He hates every second of their study sessions.
Eddie makes it through the quarterfinals and then he makes it to the semi-finals (knocking out Dan Cortese). He doesn’t win the tournament because he bets big on a Daily Double and gets it wrong, but he’s fairly close to the lead after Final Jeopardy.
It’s not bad for a guy that failed his senior year three times.
The fun part comes when it airs. He painstakingly sets up their camcorder so Steve won’t notice it before the show starts. The video he gets has a good five minutes of Steve fussing with a blanket up until they say ‘Eddie Munson.’
Steve looks up and then looks at Eddie, and then back at the tv, “Wha- what? Is that – that’s you! You’re on Jeopardy! Eddie, you’re on – oh my god, we’ve got to call Wayne.”
Before Steve can even do that, their phone is ringing and Steve answers it like, “HE DIDN’T TELL ME EITHER!” while Eddie is laughing his ass off.
When Eddie posts a TikTok about it like, ‘LOL remember when I was on Jeopardy?’ it includes this moment. It also includes footage from the semi-finales where Steve is just pacing the living room and repeatedly telling Eddie to just tell him if he won or not. Steve cheers like he’s at a football game when Eddie wins.
It’s just as tense when the video cuts to Steve watching the finale. Steve knows the answer to the daily double that Eddie gets wrong and is like, ‘This is why they should do Jeopardy Couples, we’d win so hard.’ Steve’s not even disappointed that Eddie lost, keeping the same enthusiasm through the show and then is like, “I’m married to a Jeopardy contestant. I’m so telling Janet about this at the staff meeting tomorrow.” 
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"We are challenging people to face their own external and internal biphobia. We are demanding attention. We are redefining 'anything that moves' on our own terms."
So declares the introduction to Anything That Movies, a bisexual zine that ran from 1991 to 2001. Founded by editor and photographer Karla Rossi, Anything That Moves got its name from the stereotype that bisexual people will sleep with "anything that moves," and it sought to redefine these and other assumptions about bi people in its decade-long run. Rossi didn't respond to Mashable's request for comment.
All 22 issues of Anything That Moves are now archived by a group of young bisexual people and allies. Not only does the archive introduce a new generation to a rare instance of bi-focused writing, but it's also shockingly relevant to issues bi people face today.
Discovering the bisexual zine
Snippets of the introduction have circulated the internet in recent years, and they're referred to as the ATM "manifesto" on its website. The words caught the attention of bi writer Kravitz Marshall, but he had never seen other material from the zine.
In 2020, Marshall found the Anything That Moves website, a relic of the early 2000s with an incomplete archive. He then bought issue #16 from Bolerium Books, a source for out-of-print books and material related to social movements. Marshall scanned each page of the issue and uploaded it online for free; he had planned on doing this for all issues of Anything That Moves, but acquaintances on a bisexual Discord server expressed interest in helping. The discussion grew so much that they created a separate server.
"It was the first time I became aware such a thing existed and I became very excited at the thought of finding and reading more copies," said Jo, a bi femme activist who became involved in the project and now helms the archive email.
The group found issue #2 via Reddit, but believed finding all the issues would be a difficult process — until a member of the now-inactive archive server was able to gather PDFs of every issue through her university library.
"It was thrilling and such a relief," Marshall told Mashable, "because had this not happened, we might've had to do it the hard and expensive way."
"It happened so fast," Jo recalled. "I just remember about seven bisexuals, including Krav and myself, putting our heads together to figure out the best way to get our hands on all these copies and how to share them with the rest of the LGBTQ community."
Now, the work of Marshall, Jo, and a group of bi people and allies is gathered in the archive.
Joy and heartbreak of Anything That Moves
Reading through the archive is, personally, an ambivalent experience. Anything That Moves began before I was even born, and I feel kindred reading this decades-old work; it's like reading discussions I've had with bi friends back to me. The articles, reviews, fiction, and poetry in discusses visibility, (non)monogamy, the inclusion of trans people in bisexuality — to name merely a few topics still pertinent today.
Despite the joy of reading this bi-centric work, however, it's telling how little has changed since 1991.
Jo, who grew up in a conservative area, found the zine refreshing and comforting. "Even when you discover/read/watch anything regarding LGBTQ history, it’s very rare for any specific focus to be given to the bisexual community," they said. "Finding Anything That Moves was a shock to my system."
Marshall was touched by the "unfiltered life" within its pages. "There's urgency, there's knowledge, there's joy, there's righteous rage, there's lust," Marshall said, "and you don't have to go searching between the lines for it — it grabs your shoulders and shakes you until you reach the back cover."
Despite the joy of reading this bi-centric work, however, it's telling how little has changed since 1991.
For Jo, the experience of reading Anything That Moves has been both special and heartbreaking. "A lot of the subject matter is stuff that the bi community has been dealing with forever," they said. "The same stereotypes and heterosexism that bisexuals faced nearly thirty years ago are still very prevalent today."
"It really hits you that virtually nothing has changed about the outside perception of bisexuality and bisexuals," Marshall agreed. "Almost every single issue we grapple with now is a hand-me-down."
He pointed to a piece in the inaugural issue called "This Poem Can Be Put Off No Longer" to display his point. Here are the first few stanzas:
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The first several stanzas of "This Poem Can Be Put Off No Longer" by Susan Carlton, featured in the first issue of 'Anything That Moves.' Credit: Anything That Moves / Susan Carlton
The poem continues, but the point is clear from the start: Bisexual people aren't believed for who they are. They're belittled and told to "choose a side," that they're bisexual for attention. It's difficult to think that this poem is over 30 years old.
The poem "truly could've been written yesterday... or 50 years ago," said Marshall. "How long do we have to keep screaming the same things to the world over and over until people stop pretending we're speaking another galaxy's language?"
Stigma against bisexuality still persists today, and impacts people's lives: Bisexual people are more likely to be anxious and depressed; they're also more likely to experience intimate partner violence.
The stagnancy of the world's perception of bisexual people infuriates Marshall, he said, but it's imperative to still talk about these issues. "You can't just stop talking about these issues, so you just say the same things, because the world that needs to listen to you refuses to move on. And I'm not a fan of repeating myself," he said. "You just feel like you're going crazy."
The solace of Anything That Moves, however, is that even though progress has been slow, fellow bisexual people can relate to the shared experience detailed in its pages.
"How long do we have to keep screaming the same things to the world over and over until people stop pretending we're speaking another galaxy's language?"
After Jo came out, for example, they internalized that being bi made them "second-rate." They didn't feel welcome in cisheterosexual circles nor LGBTQ circles, a common feeling for bisexual people who feel like they're straddling both. Searching for issues of Anything That Moves, part of bisexual history, helped Jo connect with other bi people. Being able to meet others facing the same issues, and sharing this historical information and searching for more, has made the biggest impact on them and their identity.
"I don't feel as alone as I once did because bisexuals of today wanted to learn more about their bisexual elders," they said.
Those who have found the archive have also felt that connection. The archive team has received waves of emails, messages, and followers — some wanting to help, others thanking them.
"For the most part, people are just delighted to finally get to read the magazine," Marshall said.
Even this positive feedback echoes the sentiment of the time. Readers wrote to Anything That Moves, and some of those letters are published in subsequent issues. "You can see so clearly how life-changing these publications were to some people," Marshall said, "so thank God it was brought to the world."
"It's something I definitely needed when I was a closeted, bisexual teenager."
The archive has helped current bi readers ground in their bisexuality, Jo said. The archivists even connected with some former Anything That Moves editors, who discovered them through the project. "I'm just happy we got a chance to say thank you for everything they left for us to discover," Jo said.
There's still work to be done for the archive, like transcriptions for easier reading and sharing. Some people involved even planned on making an original virtual bi zine, Marshall said, but due to personal commitments, the idea fizzled out within months.
"I still hope it'll exist one day," Marshall said. "If by some miracle the future grants me that wish, I won't reveal its title, but I find it pleasantly cheeky."
For now, of course, there's nearly two-dozen issues of Anything That Moves. Jo believes the zine is a gift.
"I want to be able to share this gift with anyone else who may need it," they said. "It's something I definitely needed when I was a closeted, bisexual teenager."
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gimmethatagustd · 16 days
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venor (final) | kth + jjk
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The barista at the university’s café keeps telling Jungkook not to come back, but Jungkook is too busy daydreaming about kissing the beauty marks on his face to be paying attention to his warnings.
○ Pairing: Tiger!Taehyung x Bunny!Jungkook
○ Rating: Explicit/18+
○ Genre: Hybrids, predator/prey, college au, strangers to lovers, slow burn, fluff, light angst, eventual smut
○ Word Count: 5,064
○ Warnings: Scenting, lots of kissing and happy crying, gross cute romance and all that other annoying stuff
○ Notes: It's the end of an era, my friends. I promised a Bestie Who Must Not Be Named that I'd write an epilogue, so technically this series isn't 100% over. I hope you had fun with it! And thank you to everyone who was so kind to me as we went on this unique little journey together 💜
○ Post Date: April 21, 2024
○ Masterlist | AO3 Cross-Post
○ What was Jai listening to? The series playlist
Series Masterlist
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Jungkook and Taehyung wait until they finish their final projects and exams before visiting Taehyung's family home. As much as a getaway trip, no matter how short or ordinary, would help alleviate Jungkook's end-of-the-year stress, his commitment to his studies, and his fear of disappointing his parents force him to focus on his studies. Exercising helps, especially when he convinces Taehyung and Yoongi to tag along, but most days near the end of the semester, Jungkook spends in the library or in class. 
When Jungkook submits the last project due, the mobile app he spent the whole semester designing, he feels like his brain dribbles out of his ears. With final presentations and exams now over, they have the freedom to do as they please in the last few days before they must leave the dorms for winter break. He's lucky he doesn't have to drive to Taehyung's house, even though it's a short trip. 
"Jiae is still in school, but my appa should be home," Taehyung explains, keeping his eyes on the road as he drives.
"Where did you say she's studying?" 
"New York University. I've never been to the United States, but she likes it for the most part. She said the city is dirty, though." 
Jungkook watches Taehyung smile as he shares a story about his sister's first time seeing a rat scurry across the city streets. Without a sibling, Jungkook doesn't know what it's like to share a life with someone for so long and then be separated by so much distance. There's love in how Taehyung talks about Jiae; Jungkook can feel it. Taehyung also experiences a little bit of joy in knowing his sister has been chased by rats, and Jungkook supposes that's just how it is being an older sibling. 
When school isn’t in session, Taehyung stays with Jiae and their father in the home where the children grew up. It’s a small villa in a quiet neighborhood far enough away from downtown Seoul that Jungkook almost feels like he’s back in his own town, free from the bustling city and the hassles that come with it. The villa is well-maintained but modest and home to four families, with the Kim family occupying one of the apartment units on the second floor. The building is cute from the outside, not as big and intimidating as the apartments Jungkook imagined in the city, and a few of the nerves jittering through his body calm down.
Taehyung finds street parking nearby so they don’t need to walk far in the cold. Just like the end of the semester, winter descended on Jungkook quicker than he expected.
In the villa’s compact front yard, a few young children bundled up in thick coats, scratchy scarves, and winter hats too big for their heads build miniature snowmen. Feline tails whip out from two of their coats, and another child has sparkly olive scale splotches on his cheeks like freckles.
“Taehyungie hyung!” squeals one of the children when Taehyung leads Jungkook up the front steps.
Once the other two children notice Taehyung, they fumble in the snow, knees lifting high to jump over the lumps of snow they’ve pushed together. They’re adorable, even more so when the three crash into Taehyung, clinging to his legs and tugging on his gloved hands.
“Hey kids,” Taehyung pats each child on the head with the hand that isn’t being pulled nearly to the ground by one girl.
“When is Jiae noona coming back?” the little boy demands, making Taehyung frown.
“I come home for the first time in months, and you want my sister instead?”
“We missed you too, oppa,” one of the girls insists with wide eyes that remind Jungkook of how he looks when he’s trying to get someone on his good side. He can’t help but giggle over it, and the sound alerts the children to the fact that he’s there, patiently waiting on the front steps behind Taehyung.
“Hello,” the little girl hanging on Taehyung’s arm swings her body around to look at Jungkook. “Who are you?”
“That’s my boyfriend, your Jungkook oppa.”
“You have a boyfriend, Taehyungie oppa? Did your appa say that you can have a boyfriend?”
With his hands on his hips, Jungkook turns to Taehyung, giving him an expectant look that mirrors the three children's expressions. 
“Well, Tae, did your appa permit you to have a boyfriend?”
“Bun, not you, too,” Taehyung groans as he tries shaking off the children.
“Oh my gosh! He’s a bunny! Look at his ears!”
“Come on, guys. It’s cold.” Taehyung grabs Jungkook’s bicep and pulls him forward as the children rush to cling onto Jungkook instead.
Shouting over each other, the children demand that Jungkook remove his winter hat to show off more of his ears and demonstrate if he can jump really high. Their silly questions are endearing, but Jungkook’s nose is frozen, and he grows more nervous with each step he climbs to reach the villa’s front doors. 
“Go back to your snowman.” Taehyung shoos the kids away while he holds the door open for Jungkook. “You’ll see Jungkook later.”
“Bye hyungs, bye oppas!” the children call out, fumbling over each other to move out of the way when Taehyung tries to usher them from the door.
Despite Taehyung’s grumblings, his affection for the children is evident by how sweet and patient he is with them. Jungkook hasn’t thought much about children. He knows his parents expect grandchildren, especially since they only have Jungkook to provide them, but he always saw parenthood as a far-off concept not worth worrying about in his youth. Seeing Taehyung interact with the neighborhood children makes Jungkook consider that, perhaps, he could spend a little time thinking about it more than he has in the past…
“My appa did give me permission to have a boyfriend, by the way,” Taehyung says with a silly smile as he loops his arm through Jungkook’s to lead him down the hall once they’ve reached the second floor.
“Oh, good. What would we have done if he hadn’t?” Jungkook smiles, too, just as goofy.
“Break up, I guess?” Taehyung offers, laughing when Jungkook stops in the middle of the hallway to stomp his foot in frustration.
Taehyung is obviously joking; Jungkook can’t imagine him ever asking for permission to do anything, not that he’s the type of kid to go against his parents at every turn. Something tells Jungkook that Taehyung’s mother encouraged his free spirit rather than trying to stamp it down. Perhaps some of that has rubbed off on Jungkook, too.
“You didn’t even formally ask me out!” Jungkook complains.
Squeezing Jungkook’s bicep, Taehyung tugs on him gently. “I totally did!”
“When?!”
Taehyung removes his gloves to input the apartment unit’s code. His hat covers his ears, but Jungkook can tell that they twitch under it just as his tail flicks out to smack Jungkook on the thigh. He’s so cute that Jungkook thinks he might genuinely die over it one day. How can he possibly withstand this type of cute aggression for the rest of his life? Because that is what he wants, to be with Taehyung until the end, even if it’s too early to say such a thing.
“I was nervous, okay,” Taehyung presses his shoulder against the door to give it a little push as he opens it. “Just saying it seemed easier than asking. Besides, I knew you wanted it, too.”
Winking, Taehyung gestures for Jungkook to enter the apartment first and grins when he notices Jungkook’s bright pink cheeks. Ridiculous. Taehyung is ridiculous. The only reason Jungkook is willing to let this slide is because Taehyung does get nervous when he’s put on the spot, as Jungkook quickly learned during their final presentation for their Art History class. Standing at the front of the lecture hall, Taehyung had forced his tail through his belt loops so it wouldn’t nervously swish back and forth and started off the presentation with wide eyes pleading for Jungkook to take the lead, but it went well.
The Kim residence reminds Jungkook of Taehyung’s dorm room and his father’s restaurant. It is bright and nature-toned, with plants in every corner and large windows providing natural lighting. It isn’t perfect, but it’s lived in, and Jungkook prefers that over something so minimalist that it’s sterile. Taehyung kicks his boots into the corner of the entryway and tosses his coat on the kitchen table as he walks past, meaning Jungkook should follow his lead.
“So it’s just you, your appa, and your sister?” Jungkook asks.
“Yup. It’s kind of small for three adults, but as a kid, it felt huge.” Taehyung shrugs. “We’ll both be out of the house soon, anyway.”
Jungkook folds his outerwear and neatly places it on the kitchen table, trying not to take up too much space. He’s hesitant about taking off his scarf. The bruise Taehyung left Jungkook when he bit his neck still hasn’t entirely disappeared, but Jungkook concludes that it would be more suspicious to keep his scarf on inside than to have splotchy skin.
“Your appa will be so lonely…” Jungkook looks around, taking note of the little pieces of Taehyung and Jiae scattered around the house — Taehyung’s pottery and Jiae’s soccer trophies. Recently, Jungkook has learned that both Kim children are exceptional athletes.
“Eh, he’ll be fine,” Taehyung says, intertwining Jungkook’s fingers with his. “I’ll give you a tour.”
It’s a bit of “organized chaos,” as Taehyung calls it. Clothes are strewn around the apartment, draped on the backs of the kitchen chairs and the arm of the living room couch. The whiteboard calendar on the fridge still reads “November” despite it being the beginning of December now, and there are kitchen appliances everywhere, including niche ones Jungkook can’t name.
“Appa is somewhere around here…” Taehyung thinks aloud, “Might be on the roof, though. There’s a garden up there. The one I told you about.”
Taehyung’s mother’s garden. Jungkook nods, but he doesn’t interrupt Taehyung as he shows off the chaotic apartment, even jiggling the doorknob of his sister’s room hard enough to force it open so they can take a peek at the disaster of boy band posters and too much pink.
“She’s such a girl,” Taehyung teases before ushering Jungkook down the hall to his bedroom. “At least she gets to keep her room, though. Appa turned mine into a fucking office.”
The last room on the short but thorough apartment tour is Taehyung’s, which is more like an office than a bedroom. It seems that Taehyung’s furniture—a bed, dresser, and nightstand—has been arranged in one corner to free up space for a desk, bookshelf, and filing cabinet that wouldn’t fit anywhere else in the apartment.
“Why does he need a filing cabinet? Who keeps paper documents anymore?” Taehyung shuts the bedroom door behind them.
When Taehyung turns around, Jungkook feels a shift in the energy between them. Having been uncharacteristically talkative, Taehyung suddenly grows quiet.
“You didn’t put your backpack down,” Taehyung notices with a frown.
Jungkook squeezes his backpack straps and shrugs, hoping Taehyung’s predator hybrid senses don’t ruin everything by noticing his nervousness. He’s trying to be chill, just as he tried when he first met Taehyung. It hadn’t worked then, and it probably won’t work now.
“I, um…” Panicking, Jungkook looks for a distraction, not ready to let Taehyung know why he still has his backpack with him. “Didn’t you say you wanted to give me something?”
Eyes widening, Taehyung rubs the back of his neck and averts his gaze. Why are the two of them being so awkward right now? It catches Jungkook off guard, making his chest tighten and his heart feel as though it’s being crushed by his ribcage.
“Tae—”
“Can you sit on the bed, please?”
Nodding, Jungkook sits on the edge of Taehyung’s bed, thinking Taehyung will follow him. Instead, Taehyung squats in front of the old wooden dresser. He pulls out the bottom drawer and looks through the clothing, no longer neatly folded, as he pushes it to the side. Whatever he’s looking for is buried deep in the back of the drawer beneath cable-knit sweaters and flannels.
“I wanted to keep it safe,” Taehyung mumbles once he pushes the drawer shut.
In Taehyung’s hand is a small pouch of blush velvet that matches the shade of pink blooming across Jungkook’s cheeks. Shy embarrassment makes his upper body feel hot. Though Jungkook was excited about the gift when he first learned of it, the reality of being presented with it is nearly too much for his little bunny heart to bear. With a frenzied heart, he takes the pouch from Taehyung, and his breathing stutters when their fingers brush, as though it’s the first time they’ve ever touched.
“I hope you like it,” Taehyung says softly, and Jungkook thinks he might explode.
Undoing the tie at the top of the pouch, Jungkook lets the contents inside slip out and fall into his hand. Rose gold and cold against his skin, the expensive bracelet shines in the natural light bathing Taehyung’s bedroom. It’s a simple gold band that comes together at the top of the wrist where the tiger-shaped clasp is. Decorated with sparkly white diamonds for eyes, the bracelet shimmers when Jungkook turns it to examine every little detail.
“It was my eomma’s. She didn’t wear it a lot, mostly just for fancy things. But she gave it to me when she… Well, she said I should keep it for someone special.”
“It’s beautiful,” Jungkook murmurs, too afraid to speak louder because he can already feel a lump growing in his throat.
Taehyung reaches out to take the bracelet. He turns it so Jungkook can see what’s engraved into the inner part of the bracelet.
“I found a jewelry shop that does engravings, so I got our names…” Taehyung’s face turns bright red, and his tail flips between his ankles faster than Jungkook has ever seen. “I don’t know if you noticed, but I’ve been… ah, fuck , why is this so hard.” He exhales through pursed lips, making a silly sound when his lips flutter. “I’ve been courting you, and I’m supposed to give you something really nice at the end to ask if you accept me, okay? That’s what I’m doing. So. Yeah. That’s all.”
Thrusting his arm, Taehyung holds the bracelet for Jungkook to take back.
Taehyung never formally asked Jungkook to date him, but Jungkook knows that this means something more than just a silly title for a young relationship. Although prey hybrids have different customs, it’s easy to see how important this moment is for Taehyung. He’s unbelievably agitated. Not once has his tail calmed down, and now his hands tremble enough for him to shove them into the back pockets of his jeans.
Conversely, Jungkook’s infatuation makes him burn with an eagerness he’s never felt. He can’t help but smile, even when Taehyung frowns, and it feels good because Jungkook knows Taehyung well enough that he can tell the frown is because Jungkook has yet to say anything. Does he accept Taehyung? What a silly question!
“Tae,” Jungkook begins and thinks he can genuinely feel Taehyung grow tense from how suffocating the room is, “I would have accepted you with just the striped donuts. This is… this is more than I could ever imagine, Tae. I accept you, but I don’t know if I can accept something so special to your eomma.”
Shaking his head, Taehyung sits down next to Jungkook. He takes Jungkook’s face in both hands to slowly rub his thumbs across his cheeks, gathering the tears that stain them.
“You’re special, bun. She would’ve loved you. Probably more than she loved me.”
“Shut up, that’s not true.”
“It is, I swear! I gave her so much grief. You’re literally perfect.”
Jungkook’s giggle sounds wet and stuffy. He shivers as Taehyung pulls him against his chest so he can tuck his face against Taehyung’s shoulder.
“Baby, why are you crying?”
Jungkook tries answering Taehyung, but his words get muffled and lost, and he can hardly put the scrambled mess together in his own head. It takes a few minutes, but he eventually stops crying. It helps that Taehyung eases the backpack straps off Jungkook’s shoulders so he can rub his back in soothing circles. He hums a gentle purr and plants little kisses atop Jungkook’s head until Jungkook finally pulls away to look at him with glossy eyes.
“You’re really sweet, Tae,” Jungkook says with a soft smile that grows larger when Taehyung tries to look away from him. “You want to act like you’re not, but you are.”
“I’m alright, I guess.”
“You’re lovely.”
Taehyung’s ears flatten against his head, and he sticks out his tongue, reaching for Jungkook’s hand to squeeze it.
“Can I put it on you?” Taehyung takes the bracelet and clasps it around Jungkook’s wrist. It fits well, not too tight, and it doesn't slip down his forearm.
Jungkook can’t stop thinking about how pretty it looks and how important it is for him to keep it nice. He’ll cherish it for the rest of his life. This gift is not only a declaration of Taehyung’s love but also demonstrates the level of trust that Taehyung has in Jungkook to keep his mother’s beloved possession safe.
Taehyung rubs his wrist against Jungkook’s, scenting him before he pulls back so they can both admire how the bracelet looks on Jungkook. A thick band of rose gold, it’s pretty but isn’t dainty, instead solid and bold. Jungkook knows he won’t wear it always; he’ll be afraid to. Perhaps he’ll wear it on the days he wants to feel Taehyung’s love the most, so his love can be a tangible pressure on his wrist, pressed to one of the points of his heartbeat.
“I love you,” Jungkook whispers against Taehyung’s lips when he kisses him. He loves hearing Taehyung purr when he unexpectedly initiates a kiss, and he loves feeling the warmth of Taehyung’s hands on his body.
“I love you too, bun,” Taehyung whispers back, but he speaks into the corner of Jungkook’s jaw, then nips at each faded hickey down his neck. “Are you gonna tell me what’s in your backpack now? Or do you wanna keep stalling? I could come up with some ideas…”
“Taehyung.” The scold doesn’t mean much when Jungkook digs his fingers in Taehyung’s hair to hold him close as he scents him.
“Come on, baby. What are you hiding from me?”
Of course, Taehyung sees right through Jungkook and catches on to what he’s doing. It should be embarrassing, but Jungkook is too drunk on the feeling of Taehyung’s lips against his throat to care that he’s the most obvious person in the history of the universe. It doesn’t matter anyway. Jungkook has no reason to lie or hide things from Taehyung.
Though this is at least a little bit serious — in a good way, but still…
“How do you know I’m hiding something?” Jungkook stalls just like Taehyung guessed he would, though not in the way Taehyung might want.
Rather than respond, Taehyung pokes Jungkook on the tip of his nose. Like Taehyung has hit a magic button, Jungkook immediately scrunches his nose and giggles when Taehyung kisses the tip of it.
“Suyun told me you were courting me,” Jungkook admits shyly as he drags his backpack into his lap and unzips it.
“Of course she did.”
Jungkook buzzes with excitement even as Taehyung pouts. He holds all wiggles in, though. He can’t afford to have Taehyung teasing him during such a brave moment. Instead, he focuses his energy on not growing too nervous.
“Close your eyes,” Jungkook commands. He stares blankly at Taehyung until he follows his instructions, unwilling to tolerate Taehyung’s cheekiness when it gets in the way of an important moment.
Once Taehyung has obeyed him, Jungkook pulls out a thin, rectangular frame from his backpack and places it in Taehyung’s lap.
“Okay, you can open them now.”
When Taehyung saw Jungkook’s half-finished portrait, he’d sucked Jungkook off so good that Jungkook allegedly passed out. Jungkook didn't want to make any assumptions, and he’s still nervous from being in Taehyung’s dad’s apartment, so he tried not to imagine what Taehyung’s reaction would be after seeing the finished product.
“I know it’s not as fancy or as special as your eomma’s bracelet, but—”
Jungkook quiets when Taehyung presses his finger to his lips and shushes him while his amber eyes scan over the artwork.
“Baby, respectfully, shut up.”
The snort that comes from Jungkook is uncharacteristic. It feels like a Yoongi thing Jungkook must have picked up in the months they’ve lived together. Taehyung pays him no mind, though. He holds the frame up to admire the print. It’s colorful, glossy, and perfectly matted because Jungkook asked one of the digital photography students at their university to help him with it. The girl knew Taehyung; she swore to keep the print a secret and didn’t even charge Jungkook for help. That might be a testament to how sweet Jungkook is, but it could also indicate just how personable Taehyung is, that people are willing to do kind things for him without anything in return.
“Bun,” Taehyung says after spending a quiet moment with the portrait, “Please don’t downplay yourself like that ever again. You are an amazing artist. Your talent, god, bun… your talent is unreal.”
Taehyung is almost too serious when he speaks, and Jungkook feels the looming need to scoot away from him. He doesn’t, though, because he knows this is Taehyung working through his intense feelings for Jungkook, feelings that his predator hybrid instincts don’t know what to do with. Neither Taehyung nor Jungkook is hardwired for a relationship like theirs.
“Thank you.” Jungkook runs his fingertips along Taehyung’s clenched jaw and watches the tension slowly melt away when he pulls back his sleeve to scent him. “Having a gorgeous model is half the battle, actually.”
Ignoring Jungkook’s teasing, Taehyung slides his hand around the back of Jungkook’s neck to pull him closer.
“I love you, bun.”
Jungkook can’t answer, though he doesn’t need to. His lips speak in other ways when Taehyung slips his tongue between them. Unlike before, their kiss isn’t heated or rushed. It’s sensual, but Jungkook is learning that all intimacy with Taehyung, sexual or not, is still somehow sensual. But this kiss feels comforting rather than rousing. It lulls Jungkook instead of stimulating him, and he likes the reassurance that it brings.
"Is this your final courting gift, too?" Taehyung asks once they've finally detached from each other. 
Jungkook blushes with a shy, "Yes." 
Months ago, Yoongi told Jungkook that pursuing a predator hybrid would break his heart. For the first time in his life, Jungkook feels like his heart finally has a home.
-
“Would you like me to speak with your parents, Jungkook?”
“Oh, no, no, that’s okay!” Jungkook politely but quickly shuts down Mr. Kim’s offer. “They’re, uh, they would probably be upset if they heard it from anyone other than me.”
With an understanding smile, Mr. Kim resumes cleaning the kitchen, though his endeavor must begin with decluttering, considering all the appliances and utensils tossed around. It’s the life of a chef and restaurant owner, Taehyung had groaned as he complained about how long it would take for them to eat dinner when his father had created a disaster in the kitchen.
Jungkook is eager to scramble out of the kitchen and return to his spot on the living room couch with Taehyung, bringing two bottles of beer given to him by Mr. Kim.
“What was appa talking to you about?” Taehyung asks, before opening his mouth for Jungkook to give him a sip of beer. He looks like a baby bird waiting to be fed, and it makes Jungkook giggle despite how his stomach twists with new nerves.
“He asked me if I told my parents I’m staying with you for winter break yet…”
“Well, have you?” Taehyung raises his eyebrows, but he keeps his eyes on the TV.
Jungkook feels like he needs to remind Taehyung to blink occasionally, but he doesn’t. This is Taehyung’s first time playing video games; Jungkook may as well let him get the authentic gamer experience by fucking up his eyes.
“No.”
“Bun,” Taehyung’s scolding is cut short by a string of expletives when his video game character is murdered.
It shouldn’t be a surprise that Taehyung would choose to play a game about a virus that turns humans into vampires and the human hunters dedicating their lives to slaying them. Violent video games aren’t Jungkook’s preference, but it certainly feeds into the stereotypes about predatory hybrids.
“I’m nervous about it…”
“What’s the worst thing that’ll happen? They’ll get upset, and then they’ll get over it. It’s not like you’ll never come back ever again.”
Taehyung is right, but he’s also wrong. Is Jungkook being dramatic? Perhaps, but he knows his parents better than everyone else, and he knows that they are sensitive.
“Let me talk to them. Do a video call so they can see how handsome I am, and they’ll know you made the right choice.”
Rolling his eyes, Jungkook takes a few more sips of his beer to take the edge off his nerves before he gets up, phone heavy in his hand like a weapon or a ball and chain.
“Pray for me,” Jungkook mumbles into Taehyung’s hair when he kisses him.
“Tell them I’ll eat them if they’re mean to you. I like how bunnies taste.”
“Oh my gosh, Taehyung, your appa is right there,” Jungkook whispers harshly, but Taehyung’s boxy grin is the symbol of audacity.
Jungkook uses Taehyung’s bedroom to make the phone call. It takes a few minutes of Jungkook biting at a hangnail before he randomly chooses his father to call, having no idea which of his parents will be the least likely to be upset over the news. Jungkook wonders if other college students must worry about having this conversation when they go away for breaks.
Before visiting the Kims, Jungkook tried to do a roleplay scenario with Suyun and Yoongi to see if that would help him plan what to say.
Yoongi was too scary to talk to; Jungkook kept slipping up. The more he talked, the worse it got, until he was practically sharing the whole story of his romance with Taehyung to justify why he was choosing to stay with a predator hybrid.
“Well, don’t tell them what he is!” is what Suyun had insisted.
“True… I don’t have to. It would be lying, though. I’m so bad at lying!”
“It’s not lying. It’s just withholding information. Totally different.” 
As usual, Jungkook thinks hanging out with predators changed Suyun — but probably for the better.
With a sigh, Jungkook sets his phone on speaker and lies on Taehyung’s bed, counting each ring and thinking that his heartbeat somehow harmonizes with it.
“Jungkook-ah?” 
“Oh, eomma, hi. Where’s appa?”
Jungkook doesn’t think it matters which one of his parents hears the news first, but he doesn’t like being caught off guard. Despite being proud of how much confidence he has gained and the personal growth he has experienced since transferring to Seoul, Jungkook still feels like a kid when around his parents.
“He went into town for groceries but forgot his phone again. I think I need to buy him one of those watches. Do you know the ones?” 
“A smartwatch?”
Despite their flaws, Jungkook loves his parents. It’s just that the love they all share for each other is different, and it isn’t always easy. Jungkook feels that love while his mother rambles about his father being forgetful, and he reminds himself that Taehyung is right. This isn’t the end of the world.
“Hey, eomma, I can’t talk for a long time right now, but I needed to tell you I have a boyfriend now…” Jungkook takes a deep breath and continues before his mother can respond, “And I’m going to stay with him and his family for winter break.”
The silence that follows is expected. Because of this, Jungkook hears the bedroom door open, and he nods when Taehyung asks for permission to come inside. He sits on the bed beside Jungkook, who is now lying on his stomach, and gently scratches the base of Jungkook’s ears.
“Oh. For the whole break?” 
“Mhm.”
“You didn’t tell me you had a boyfriend.” 
Jungkook cringes. “I know, eomma. I’m sorry.”
Taehyung doesn’t seem offended. He plays with Jungkook’s hair and ears and keeps quiet to let Jungkook think.
“Hmm, Jungkook-ah, I hope he is treating you well. Is he smart? What is he studying? What do his parents do for a living?” 
“Ah, please, don’t interrogate me!”
“I’m just asking simple questions every eomma should know.” 
“We can talk later, okay? I will call you, and we’ll talk with appa, too.”
One day, Jungkook will tell his parents more than the bare minimum details about the boy who holds his heart. For now, Jungkook tells his mother he loves her and tosses his phone off to the side once the call ends so the pretty tiger, who smells like summer rain, can shower him with sweet kisses until all of Jungkook’s worries are washed away.
“I can’t wait to meet them,” Taehyung purrs against Jungkook’s throat, where he kisses him. “How many times do you think I should visit with them before I ask them if I can marry you?”
“Stop it,” Jungkook whispers, though Taehyung can’t tell if Jungkook is scolding him for what he said about marriage or for how he’s got Jungkook flat on his back with his leg hiked up over his waist so he can grind their hips together.
Both? Either? Jungkook doesn’t know.
“Did you know Jackson can officiate weddings?” Taehyung asks with a slow roll of his hips. They’re both in jeans and sweaters; Taehyung just likes being a tease.
“Taehyung.”
“I heard sex feels different after you’re mated.”
“Taehyung. You’re so gross.”
Jungkook throws his arms over Taehyung’s shoulders and crushes him against his chest, ready to drown in the giggles he earns in response, giggles from a big, scary tiger who is utterly whipped for his bun. Who would have thought?
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Disclaimer: All my writing is fictional and for entertainment purposes only. None of these characters are meant to actually represent the real people mentioned in the stories. 
All rights reserved © @gimmethatagustd​ - Do not copy, repost, modify, or translate any of my writing. Do not use my writing for any AI purposes whatsoever. Do not use my fics for anything aside from reading and commenting on them. My fics will only be posted on this Tumblr and on AO3 (gimmethatagustd & daddytaehyungie).
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genericpuff · 3 months
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Hey puff you have a day job right? How do you keep the motivation/discipline to create comics regularly and be an active blogger?
I've mentioned this a few times before and generally try to be as transparent as possible as I can when it comes to my real life circumstances and how they affect - and allow - my comic production schedule, because when it comes right down to it, I'm in a very privileged position that allows me certain luxuries that other comic creators simply don't have. And I don't really like the idea of someone seeing what I do and like... thinking that's a bar they have to meet because it often comes with a complete misinterpretation of what circumstances I'm in that may vary extremely from their own. Y'all are seeing a tip of a very large iceberg, y'know?
I do have a day job, I work as a tattoo artist, however my schedule is very much my own to control and while that comes with a lot of pressure to find my own work, it also allows for me to have flexibility with my other projects. That said, I'm only able to be that flexible because when I'm making money, I'm making really decent money (and with far less hours than I would need to make my living if I was working in retail still) and when I'm not, I've got a partner who makes a more consistent living that may have a much smaller hourly than what I get hourly for tattooing, but is still a decent hourly compared to minimum wage that he's able to handle bills while I get back on my feet (and there have been tons of times where our situations have been reversed, where I've been making good money and he's been needing extra help; it's honestly kind of some cosmic prank, the two of us can never seem to be doing financially well at the same time lmao)
Right now, we're just starting to come out of a slow winter season, so I've had more time than ever to sink into my personal projects. It does get stressful at times having such inconsistent payouts through the ebbs and flows of tattooing, but I try to be at peace with those slow seasons because it allows me to work on my passion projects. Especially when I've got not one, not two, but three separate tattoo expos (so far) to do this summer, which is gonna be (hopefully) three separate 30 hour weekends of straight tattooing haha And while I say hopefully (because yay good money and good publicity!) it's also gonna be extremely stressful and exhausting so I'm trying not to take the slower season for granted, because I know I'll be wishing for it again when I'm in the midst of it. And that's not even including all the other events I have booked this year that are purely for vendoring (so unrelated to tattooing) that are also gonna be crazy.
That said, the past couple years have felt particularly hard, but I know it's because we're unfortunately in the midst of a massive economic recession that has seen people spending less on luxury things - and that includes tattoos. But my comics and other personal projects give me a great outlet for my ideas and thoughts, and while projects like Rekindled are unfortunately not something I feel comfortable monetizing, they are ultimately projects that bring me a lot of joy and I think that's the best I can ask for nowadays while I wait in the hopes that things get better soon in the real world.
As for getting that motivation/discipline, I don't really have one solid answer. The reality is just that I've been doing this for a long, long time, so not drawing comics feels like not doing any other established good habit. What you may feel wondering how I manage to work so long on a single comic project with such hefty updates is undoubtedly pretty close to what I feel wondering how the fuck people manage to go to the gym LOL It's taken a lot of routine building and repetition and it's as natural as breathing to me at this point, I just feel gross when I've gone a day without drawing comics in some form. That routine has helped me get better and faster at creating as well. When I started my first long-form comic series, I started out just drawing a page a day - often taking 3-4 weeks to complete a chapter - and by the time it was done 7 years later, I was putting out a chapter a week. And then that turned into 60-90 panels of full color art a week... nah, I don't recommend anyone do that on their own like I did, I can't even do that anymore and looking back I'm in shock how I was able to pull that off, and not in an amazed "why can't I do that anymore, I used to be so awesome!" way, but more in a "oh god why did I do that to myself, no wonder I'm burnt out" way.
And honestly that's kind of the reality of it, while I'm putting out consistent updates of Rekindled that are in full color and are - in my opinion - some of the best work I've put out in the last few years, I'm also struggling to rebuild habits with my original project because I've simply fallen out of practice. I'm one person responsible for all the work I've put out, and yet when it comes to looking at the projects I still have sitting on the backburner, I still feel a sort of internalized version of Person A looking at Person B and asking "how the hell do you do it???" just like you're asking me now lol I'm working on it though and trying to get back to it little by little, day by day. On rare occasions I actually get something productive done and make progress LOL
That said, none of it has come without consequences. I've spent the majority of my artistic journey working on the same project which I feel has severely stunted my outreach and set me back in my growth; after all, we only ever see and judge the merit of webcomic projects based on the 1% of people who got lucky and achieved some semblance of fame and recognition out of it, you never see the people who have spent years still picking away at the same project from the bottom with little to show for it besides the work that's going unseen. I've also already got way more back and hip pain than one should have by their late 20's and that's definitely a consequence of spending so many hours every single day working on comics. As much as I've built some great habits that have made my comics and art better, I've also ended up with some very bad ones that a lot of people don't see because all they see is the results from the good ones. So that's something that I hope I can at least warn people about, even as a reminder to stand up and stretch every now and then and get their proper amount of sleep LMAO
And then when it comes to the blogging... I'm an AuDHD person with a lot to say and I can type at 137/wpm. So that's all there is to that ♡( ◡‿◡ )
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vampyr3wife · 2 months
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February sucked but it wasn't all bad so! a little diary entry update of the things that happened while I was gonee :3 ⊹ ࣪ ˖
Peanut continues to be the bravest girl in the world... she's getting much more confident about coming inside a bit + she has discovered the joys of forehead kisses and being blanketed in cuddles =) ... also I saw a rabbit that was as big as her last week. Cleo was reunited with her beloved gen 3 my little ponies and Loki has been an even cuddlier bug than usual ! The weather got a lot nicer for a while so I started exploring again n I managed to expand my dead-things collection a bit! I also visited some really cool places that r said to be haunted and I've been making a list of more.. I'm going 2 a cat expo this weekend and I'm hoping my next adventure will be to a cat graveyard / shrine I know of that was built by witches..
During my exploration I also discovered a colony of feral cats.. Despite making kitty friends it is not a good thing.. there were around 15 cats I saw around a small group of houses and the majority of them were not fixed. I made some calls to my friend who was experienced with TNR in the area and she told me that there is a lady in that neighborhood tht is known to feed & let ferals breed in her yard without letting anyone try to get them fixed. Of course this results in giant inbred colonies and sick kittens. One of the first cats I spotted there was a black kitten that was very clearly sick with some kind of eye and respiratory infection. I was able to catch her the day after I found her and I brought her to the kitty clinic.. she is still there getting help right now and I've been calling every once in a while to check up on her. I very much feel like I was meant to find her because not even 10 minutes after I scooped her up a rainbow appeared in the sky n stayed until I got home from dropping her off.. but I am still unsure of what to do about the colony,.. many people see it as a lost cause but I still feel like I should try to help. If I see that evil lady I'm genuinely gonna start cryign about it right in front of her.
I was very heartbroken in the summer when my sweet beloved ancient laptop joined the angels in heaven .. n WELL !! I was pretty much given a laptop tht my dad fixed up bc no one was using it.. ?? I feel extremely lucky.. Aside from that I've been giving into my urge for Projects ... I also found a mini chainsaw so uhh look out for that I guess
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a-dinosaur-a-day · 11 months
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As a former human child I’ve always wanted to know: how exactly does one become a paleontologist?
okay there are lots of ways. this is my way
have parents that, while poor, value education and learning
have significantly older siblings that do not care about appropriateness for children in terms of television content
bc of b, see jurassic park as an infant
bc of that, and land before time, fall in love with dinosaurs
be neurodivergent
become OBSESSED with dinosaurs
bc of a, have parents encourage this and rent me all the documentaries
learn everything about dinosaurs
when asked "why do you like them" at age 5, answer "because their evolution is cool"
survive elementary school
survive middle school
do a lot of science stuff in school
do science competitions in high school
remain obsessed with dinosaurs/birds and other reptiles and prehistoric life
survive high school
go to college
major in biology
do research in evolution and the cambrian explosion
graduate
go to graduate school to become an evolutionary developmental biologist because your parents wanted you to do genetics bc they thought it had a better chance of me getting a job
be miserable during that program
only derive joy from docenting at the field museum and going to dino science conferences
cut out with a masters' when you realize you can't take it anymore
ponder being a rabbi for a while bc maybe you're not cut out for science
go to a dino conference online and actually network with a paleontologist who wants students
interview with him and find he has a lot of research interests in common with you
apply to the school, get accepted
move across the fucking country (chicago -> new mexico)
work hard because this is your second chance and you have *meds* now
help describe a bird in the first year
have a really holistic and ambitious thesis project idea
paleontologist now, I guess
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lackadaisycats · 1 year
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I love everything of your work, every page is a piece of art, textures, lights, perspective, characters and the script, with perfect balance of hilarious and engaging lore.... It keeps me inspired everyday and gives me the energies to continue my projects. I can't describe the extreme joy your works gives me and I couldn't be more grateful, because it keeps me dreaming and helped me to understand what I want to do in the near future. Thank you so so much \(^ヮ^)/.
I have one question : Do you have any advices for making comics and put them in the world? For some time I had the urge to share my works, but idk what to do :/.
That's exceedingly kind. I'm touched to hear you've enjoyed my work, and if it helped you to understand what creative things you want to do, well, that makes my heart glad. Thanks for sharing that.
Very wordy response to the making and sharing comics question below....
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Making comics is a Whole Big Thing as topics go. It's a little difficult to provide salient advice on something so broad. So much of it depends on what you're specifically trying to achieve, and what your preferences are as an individual. Here are a few bulletpoints, though:
-- Make the comic about things you love unabashedly so that it's fun and engaging to work on. It will still be difficult - it's always difficult - but you're more likely to keep doing the work it if you're in love with it.
-- Don't put off starting until you're 'good enough'. Good Enough is a fantasy place, and Perfect is a big lie. You'll never find either and pursuing them easily turns into eternal procrastination. Get started while the fire is burning, because getting good at something happens while you're actually doing the thing, and less so while you're thinking about maybe doing it. Try to be at peace with the idea that your work will be flawed. All art is. That's what makes it interesting.
-- Try to work with your strengths, not against them. Comic making is already immensely challenging. I'd suggest not making it extra impossible by demanding an entire personality change of yourself in order to do it. For example, if you tend to have intense but short-lived interest in things, don't torture yourself by embarking on a project that is going to take years-long, single-minded devotion. Do an anthology of shorter stories instead of a sprawling epic. Do one-off joke comics, or thoughtful vignettes. Or even break up something longer into short bursts of contained chapters.
-- Don't hurt yourself. Eat right, sleep, get a comfortable chair that's good for your back, get out of that chair and move around at intervals. If something starts aching, stop and rest. If it's aching chronically, see a medical professional. Career ending injuries and health troubles for artists are insidious - they creep up all quiet and mundane while you're busy patting yourself on the back for pulling another all-nighter.
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About sharing online - also a tricky topic! The internet has changed a lot since I began Lackadaisy. The advice I could give derived from my personal experiences in publishing and audience building is a relic of a bygone era at this point…but here are some more bulletpoints (er, paragraphs) that I think are generally pertinent:
-- If publishing publicly sounds daunting and a bit scary, dip your toes in the water before plunging in. Do a publishing test run. If there's a Discord community you're comfortable with or a social media platform you use where you can post for mutuals only, maybe try that first. Or just share directly with a handful of people and ask them for feedback. When I'm unsure about something I'm preparing to post, I usually run it by some creator friends of mine because I trust them to be honest with me. Even if they have some criticisms, it's often reassuring that I can proceed to show it to others without dying inside.
-- Places with a big, built in audience can be great for getting eyeballs on your work, but it’s a mixed bag. Webtoon is the obvious example right now. Just be wary of anyone showing a little too much interest, or coming at you with paperwork to sign. Don't rush into putting your name on something that 1) commits you to unreasonable amounts of output for barely livable wages 2) relinquishes your ownership of your IP, or grants anyone any license to your work without clearly defined boundaries (like a limited term and agreement-ending conditions) -- Contract agreements warrant lots of consideration. Involve a lawyer of your own if you can. At the very least, have friends or family read over anything you might sign. And if it sounds too good to be true, it is. Scams are unfortunately abundant, so do your research/due diligence on whoever you're in discussions with.
-- Make yourself easy to find. Use social media to your advantage. Don't feel like you have to be in every single place, though. Some platforms might not be a good fit for your work, and some might be too much of a hassle or a mental drain to do battle with. -- Scrape out your own space online if you're able - a personal web page, a little WordPress/ComicPress site, or even just a link hub so that people can relocate your work if they lose track. The point is to avoid putting your eggs all in single basket that you have no control over. You never know when the social network growth you've been nurturing for the past several years will just succumb to a billionaire rampaging around like a sociopathic kaiju in the midst of the world's most public midlife crisis.
-- Don't worry about being an immediate sensation. Seeing people respond to your work is a wonderful and immensely gratifying feeling at times, but be patient if all hear are crickets chirping for a while. Longform storytelling in particular takes time to catch its momentum, and readers take time to get invested. Meteoric rises and virality do happen now and then, but honestly, slow and steady audience buildup is probably the more sustainable and less psychologically bewildering way to experience the fun of sharing your stuff with the world.
-- Consistently put your identifier (name/watermark, URL, copyright info, or all of these things) on everything you post online.
---------------------- I hope something here is useful, and if you decide to start making and publishing comics, I hope you find much success and happiness in it!
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fishsticksloser · 10 months
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Read through a bunch of your fics and it's got me kicking my feet with joy so I had to make a request of my own (feel free to ignore)
So I've been thinking about how each brother would care for their (fem) s/o with a headache (leaning towards romantic)
(Also I may or may not be projecting a bit since I get headaches almost daily :'])
Headaches
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RotTMNT x gn!reader
Warnings: headaches/migraines, fluff
A/N: Same here. I thought about doing a self indulgent hc about this but then you asked! I don't get them daily, but I get them too often, mostly migraines that make me sick (I am projecting with Donnie because I can...)
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Donnie
Genuinely believe he gets migraines a lot
When he gets them, sound is the worst and he can't get up because it makes him feel so sick
Also possible hallucinations (those are so fun /sarcasm) just things he thinks he sees in the corner of his eye
(I saw a few comics about it I'll link here and here)
So you having headaches or migraines is nothing to him
Not like it doesn't matter, but he knows how to handle it really well
He has multiple "care packages" around his most frequented areas
In fact he has multiple in his lab
And bedroom
There are things like Ibuprofen (and other meds if that doesn't work), water bottles, ice packs, heating pads, anything you'd ever need if you were sick
He made sure every light in his lab and bedroom is covered in case you have light sensitivity
Leo
Also gets headaches quite often
He keeps meds in his nightstand because of this
He doesn't get migraines a lot, not like his twin, but he does get them
He's often the one who helps Donnie with his migraines so he knows how to help
Will move mountains to get you whatever you want/need
Need the lights off? Done
Need completely silence? Done
Need this one super small, almost insignificant thing because it makes you feel better? You're damn right... He'll go find it
Mikey
Such a sweet boy, truly
But he's not very good at knowing how to take care of headaches and migraines
He gets them, but less than all his brothers
He's had maybe 6 in the last few years
Still Mikey tries his absolute best
He'll make you comfy in his/your bed
Turn the lights off
Get you water, meds, whatever you need
He'll talk to Leo and Donnie to see how else he can help too
Just wants to be the best he can for you
Raph
He gets headaches a lot, not many migraines
Can you blame him though?
Taking care of his brothers so they don't do anything stupid for ... 10+ years can do that
If he had hair it would all be white
So he's plenty adept to handling migraines and headaches
He helped Donnie and Leo with theirs when they were younger
He does tend to get nervous when you have a headache/migraine though
He hates seeing you in pain and it's hard for him
Because there's not much he can do to take away the pain
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angelinasnotebooks · 6 months
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Hate that my form of hyperfixation is consuming and not creating.
I think I've been falling in love with ideas my whole life. I see colors and concepts and characters, and I want every part of the illusion to play around my body and immerse my mind and soul. I thought growing up I would be an artist. When that mentally shattered, I moved on to thinking I would become an author. Now, however, I don't know what or who I'll be. All I know is that my brain never stops coming up with ideas. 
Yet, with all these ideas comes the possibility of creation. It's what I want, isn't it? I want to create these pictures and stories and share them with the world. So, why am I motionless in my pursuit to bring my mind to life? I have a library in my head. There's a girl in there. Her favorite color is blue. She doesn't know if life is worth living. I have an art museum there too. There's a portrait of a dying renegade, and a demon alter ego desiring joy. Then there's the realm of fandoms. The endless multiverse of continuations and alternatives.  
There's a lot going on inside my brain and imagination. Chemicals I do not understand and signals I cannot control. An abundance of beauty only an individual can conjure with their subjectivity. With no outlet for these thoughts and images, I find it all to be too much at times. Wings heavy on my back and flightless under the pressure. The ability to soar is there, but the weight within is burdensome.  
Every day I come up with something new. Some ideas are fresh while others are another line on the loom, but that is all they are. Thoughts. Ideas. Invisible whisps, webs, and wishes. It's as if the only part of my frontal lobe that works is that of imagination and complex thinking. I attempt short stories, painting, studying, chores, school projects, craft projects and I never get them done. Planning, time management, logical reasoning, and decision-making have all taken a backseat. I can't get any of them done, so I turn to what has already been done. 
I rewatch a favorite show. I read another fanfic. I click on a YouTube video and another. I scroll Tumblr. I read character analysis. I try on the clothes in my closet. I add shit to my wish list. I post photos from two months ago on my Instagram. I relate to autistic ADHD tiktokers. I pretend Pinterest will help me get my life together. I think about the MCU. I watch another comfort, crime, haunted, mythical series. I visit my AO3 bookmarks. I doom scroll whatever app I can get my eyes on. I turn thirteen again and either spiral into a depressive state or become infatuated with the Hunger Games--again.
The point is, I can't force my brain to work on the original ideas. Sitting at a desk with supplies doesn't get my hands moving. I fall numb waiting for my body and mind to comply with my intentions. So, I end up here again. Hitting a heart button to let other people know that their commentary and hard work have reached me, and I liked it.  
I don’t want all my ideas and universes to end where they are. I don’t want to minimize or invalidate my existence, or the experiences of others like me, by remaining artistically stagnant. I want my mind to be a visual tangible galaxy free to be roamed and explored. I want to have my heart in my hands, and I want to give it to every single person that I can. I want these thoughts, these precious ideas out of my head and into yours, dear reader. I don't want to consume; I want to create. If I'm going to go down the rabbit hole, I want to be the rabbit. The entrance maker. Not the lost girl I am right now. 
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frankiensteinsmonster · 8 months
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ID in Alt Text!
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Hey, sorry I haven't been doing my daily outfit posts lately-- I guess I never mentioned why I started them, but it's this personal project that I'm working on where I take a picture (though, in all honesty, it's a lot of pictures lol) in whatever I'm wearing and I feature my cane to promote awareness and give representation to other cane users and members of the cpunk and Physically Disabled community. I'm working on building up the courage to take these pictures outside as well, because I do them on campus, but we deserve to see ourselves outside as well!
The reason I haven't been keeping up with it is because my partner and I have really been really struggling financially as well as with our mental health (and me with my physical health as well, obviously lol) we moved across the country to go to school and it is So Hard-- I had to drop three out of five of my classes because the course work was just too much in volume and I need a job really bad (which is going to be Hard to do since we don't even know why I'm in such chronic pain yet 🙃 it's hard not to feel defeated!)
Either way, I think going to start posting them with the tag #TheVainCanes and #MobilityAidVainity but I'm also going to host a poll for some options bc I want this to be a widespread community thing!
I'm choosing these names because I've seen from both ableds and disabled elitists this idea that we and our mobility aides need to look like they're fresh out the hospital for us to be Believed and deserving of respect, and anything beyond that voids our suffering and invalidates our experiences-- and I think that's reductive, harmful, and just plain wrong! Our mobility aides are an extension of ourselves and we deserve to dress them up however we want. We deserve representation, and the normalization of Joy and Having Personality While Disabled.
This will be intersectional as well (bc. I mean look at me. Also I don't need a reason!) , people from all identities are welcomed and encouraged to join! This is meant to be a celebration of Us, Disabled, BIPOC, LGBTQIA2S+, and All That Jazz! (If you use a mobility aid, you're in!) We're beautiful gorgeous handsome devils and I think we'd do good seeing how good we all look in a designated tag
Also my cash app and Venmo are @/cherubpunque 👀 if anyone has some spare change I could have that would be an amazing help towards feeding me, my partner, and our two cats!!
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To kick things off, I am a 2S, Afroindigenous person (Gullah and Kanien'kehá:ka!) who experiences chronic pain and fatigue. I have PTSD and a few other brain things going on, less than perfect eyesight, and a great passion for Art, Music, Subculture, and Helping Others whenever and however I can! I'm majoring in art and am working towards becoming a published graphic novelist. Idk I just have a lot of love and support to give, and a big need for love and support for myself as well, and I'm hoping to offer us a good opportunity for us to connect in a space that's just for us! We're already living outside of society's expectations for health, so why should we let these folks decide the way we look while doing it? Express yourself! (I'll also be tagging myself in future as #mothie so you can find me in the tags! Anyways, I gotta go lay down. My back hurts.)
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mermaidchan05 · 4 months
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Vesuvia Weekly: LI and Apprentice Dynamics
Finally getting to join the party started by @vesuviaweekly!
(fair warning I love writing about this kind of stuff so there are a looot of words here lol)
Meleia & Asra
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(sketch by the amazing @missrabbitart it's wonderful I love it so much)
Truly two halves of a greater whole.
Soft soft soft soft soft
They're both each other's first love, which is really cute.
(And both of them were super awkward about it at first because neither of them knew how to actually Talk to people)
Meleia loves Asra's wanderlust. Life is never boring with him.
Asra adores the way Meleia throws her all into whatever she cares about, be it as mundane as a sewing project or as huge as protecting the people she loves from the likes of Lucio or the Devil.
And on the subject of sewing... they're both crafty people!
Meleia makes her own clothes and Asra knits, so the two of them combined are a force to be reckoned with.
Meleia has a lot of self-confidence issues for a lot of reasons. Asra's always been there to help her through her rough spots.
Neither of them have a good sense of direction, so Faust and Forge (Meleia's familiar, a fennec fox) always end up doing most of the navigating when they travel.
They love reading together, making things together, exploring together, dancing together... they'd basically do anything and everything together.
(Except cleaning. Asra leaves stuff everywhere, and Meleia likes to keep the shop neat. It's about the only thing they have teasing arguments about.)
To Meleia, Asra is home. She can truly be her awkward and shy and geeky self around him, and she appreciates that more than she can ever say.
To Asra, Meleia is a beacon of light and joy. She cares so deeply about things and people, including the little kid who grew up alone on the docks.
Songs that remind me of Them: "A Whole New World" from Aladdin, "All I've Ever Known" from Hadestown, "Curses" by the Crane Wives.
My other apprentices are under the cut!
Damian & Julian
In a nutshell, they are that one scene from Coco.
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(Drawing by me, it's a redraw of the final panel of this old thing)
In all honesty, though, they tease each other but they are very much in love.
They're both intelligent and leaders in their fields of study.
Damian's an alchemist, Julian's a doctor... their styles have more in common than Julian ever thought at first.
They can and will be found having intense discussions about various practices in both medicine and alchemy using highly technical terms that no one else in the room understands.
They were a dream team when working to find a cure for the plague. Except for the arguments where Damian insisted that the plague itself must have been magical in nature and Julian was firmly convinced it was nothing more than a disease.
Damian's stubborn, and never afraid to show his anger or annoyance, but Julian always has a way of making things up to him. And they never stay upset or mad at each other for long.
Both of them are musically inclined, Julian with his vielle and Damian with his guitar. So whenever emotions are too strong for words, they connect through playing together.
Julian is all for the drama, while Damian's humor is more dry and witty.
Julian is the only person who can get Damian to dance on a table.
Songs that remind me of them: "I See the Light" from Tangled, "Inferno" from Promare.
Chimalus, Nadia, and Portia
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Chimalus and Nadia art by the fabulous @ace--of--swords!
I've talked about Chimalus' dynamics with Nadia and Portia before, but I wanted to go into more detail about the polycule here :)
Dream Team 2 Electric Boogaloo
Chimalus and Portia are both always at the ready to help Nadia with whatever plan she has, be it city reservations, the next Masquerade, or just a picnic out in the garden.
Chimalus is the Heart of the trio, with their pure loyalty, good judgement, and a particularly kind heart.
Both Nadia and Portia admire Chimalus' quiet strength and clever mind. No matter how tough the problem, Chimalus finds a way to keep a relatively cool head and work their way through it.
Whenever Chimalus' lingering trauma pops up from their dark past, Nadia and Portia are always right there to help them through it.
Portia loves "dragging" Nadia and Chimalus off on adventures. Not that Chimalus or Nadia complain.
Book buddies!
The three of them basically have their own book club. They always meet up as soon as they're done reading the current book and chat about it over snacks (and usually tea and/or wine).
They all bond over animals, too! Between the palace horses, Chandra, Pepi, and Chimalus' familiar Skye the bluebird, they have quite a few critter friends to fawn over together.
Songs that remind me of them: "More With You" by MALINDA, "Running With the Wolves" from Wolfwalkers, "To the Ends of the Earth" by Natewantstobattle.
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cobalt-knave · 2 years
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Supernatural Fiction Podcast Recs
Happy halloween! I wanted to put together another rec list to get out today.
Supernatural fiction includes some fantasy, some horror, and something all on its own. Here is a rec list of some audio dramas I enjoy in this genre.
The Antique Shop
The audio journal of Maya, a university student who takes a job at an antique shop. The shop contains strange and magical and cursed items. It also contains Madam Norna, who can help people with supernatural problems but there is always a cost, and the Madam must work with fate and not against it-- something Maya doesn’t agree with. There is also a great enemies (or acquaintances with animosity between them) to friends relationship that makes me happy.  
What follows is the strange stories of those that come to the shop and the slow corruption arc esque change as Maya becomes closer and closer to Fate and the role of the Madam.
The Bridge
Watchtower 10 sits in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, keeping lonely watch over the Transcontinental Bridge. Our main character Etta broadcasts stories, often strange, that happened on the Bridge. Meanwhile, some of her backstory begins to be revealed, and the sea creature in lower level 3 has people coming after him.
Etta and the other people who work at Watchtower 10 are all delightful characters.
McGillicuddy And Murder’s Pawn Shop
The podcast is set in 1921 taking the format of the diary belonging to Melinda Maudie Merkle. Maude has a terribly boring life as a typist, and one of her only sources of joy is going every so often to a pawn shop, McGillicuddy & Murder’s. One day, she comes across a broken piece of china with a blue eye on it. After coming home with the eye, strange things begin to happen, and she finds herself immersed in a world of wonder and horror and magic. An adventure, at last. Though perhaps not quite how she imagined it.
A lot of healing into a new person, leaving behind bad relationships, and surrounding one’s self with trusted friends and community. And, of course, adventure.
The McIlwraith Statements
15 years after the fact, Sarah McIlwraith is making her statements regarding the infamous IPP study. The IPP study was a psychology-focused scientific study into mediums, hauntings, and the paranormal. It lasted three years before it was revealed to be a hoax, ruining the careers of those involved. Sarah was a phd student working on the study. But here is the thing: the study never found anything, but Sarah has always been able to see ghosts. And many of those haunted locations were indeed haunted.
Sarah is a great character, and the stories she tells are all very interesting as you hear about how the study worked, the ghosts she met and helped, the mediums that always seemed to be faked. Meanwhile, Sarah is looking into the mysterious funding the projects got, which keeps a good meta plot going.
Kane and Feels
Lucifer Kane and Brutus Feels, paranormal investigators. These two are chaotic, absolutely insane, and fantastic. Great use of narration with both characters alternating narrating. They are buddies, your honor. Horror! Weird things! Dream logic! If it’s a demon, Feels will probably punch it. The little one helps, and the big one makes tea.
The Hidden People
More on the urban fantasy side than the horror side, this podcast follows Mackenna Thorne. It’s very self-aware and has a lot of fun bringing in other genre bits (the hacker, the funny guy, a fair amount of Buffy references I enjoy immensely). Mack’s parents are murdered, apparently by none other than Mackenna Thorne. As this mystery unfolds, a world to the hidden people (the unseelie court) is opened.
Mack has such an incredible character arc.
There is a demonic narrator who is constantly amused by everything the characters do wrong.
The Mistholme Museum of Mystery, Morbidity, and Mortality
Let the AI Audio Tour Guide take you on a tour of the museum. Hear the stories - some horror, some soft, some strange, and some tragic - of the various exhibits. If your Audio Tour Guide is behaving... strangely, you should deposit your audio device in the nearest incinerator.
The Audio Tour Guide gets so much character development, and it is an utter delight.
Beware the man with a voice like honey and chocolate and coffee all at once.
Jar Of Rebuke
Dr. Jared Hel works at the Enclosure, which studies cryptids (for lack of a better word). Jared works there after having amnesia, and he only remembers the past two years. And always wears a key on a necklace. They have one skill that makes him very useful for studying cryptids: he can die and revive.
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