#how far they've come in such a short amount of time!! | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

o-wyrmlight · 7 months

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I haven't said anything on here because I've been so focused on what's been happening on Twitter. I spent six or more hours last night just retweeting whatever I could to help raise a ruckus. For anybody who isn't aware of what's been happening:

For the past 75 years, Israel has been doing exactly what the United States of America did to indigenous natives when we first began to claim the territory. They've been pushing Palestinians off of their homeland and claiming the land for themselves. They've been stealing homes and territory that doesn't belong to them, engaging in a quiet genocide.

They control what goes in an out of the border. They control how much food Palestinians are allowed to have access to. They control how much water and electricity Palestinians have access to in a day. They control how many times a year and how far out fishing boats are able to go, and they're relegated to areas where there are no fish. The amount of ships aren't enough to sustain the population. Israel has ensured that Palestinians cannot build bomb shelters by preventing those materials from coming into the country.

On October 7th, 2023, a Gazan organization named Hamas, which is stationed in the Palestinian city of Gaza, decided to retaliate. They did a plethora of horrible things to Israeli people, taking hostages. In response, Israel has begun being more aggressive and upfront in its genocidal attempts to eradicate Palestinians.

This is not an exaggeration. Israel is very upfront about what they want. The official Israeli account has posted what they've done proudly. The first event that made people outside of Palestine aware of what was going on was the bombing of a hospital that Israel boasted of, and then later walked back to claim it was a Hamas base.

There are rules of war to follow. Among them, it is a war crime to attack where people are taking shelter in places of religion and hospitals. Once this information was revealed and made obvious, public outcry for the support of Palestine began to ring out. Apparently it wasn't even the first hospital that Israel had targeted--there were over 10 at the time and more to come in the following days.

Consider that Israel knew they were targeting the hospital and sent out a warning for them to evacuate, and then remind yourself that there were people in the in the hospital who relied on the medical equipment to live. Where were they supposed to go on such short notice? Children and babies were killed. Israel admitted to doing this and then claimed that the hospital was a Hamas base. And soon after, they claimed that it was a misfired rocket by Hamas that hit the hospital. Isn't that so convenient?

Israel has warned a city to travel the road down south in ten hours--on foot, on a hiking trail that takes more than twelve--to reach safety. They promised they would be safe and that Gaza was the only place they were aiming to destroy. Instead, Israel proceeded to bomb and destroy the only safe passage that they were able to get. They weren't safe at all.

In the days to come, Israel would proceed to turn off all electricity and water in Palestine. They would continue to bomb various places under the presumption that they were Hamas bases. Hamas comes from the city of Gaza, so that doesn't explain why several of those places--even hospitals--were much farther south.

Yesterday, they bombed the communication tower that Palestinians have been relying on to communicate with the outside world. As far as I know, they've been dark ever since.

Egyptians have been trying to help. They've been trying to demand the gates to open so that they can send humanitarian aid in. There are people--good people--who don't care if they die for the cause or not. Hardly any humanitarian aid has been able to come in, and Israel has been teasing Egypt, their own weaponry poking at their boarder as a threat. If several missiles cross Egyptian boarders, how is it their fault of they were aiming at a hostile air craft?

Remember how much Israel monitored what comes in and what comes out of Palestine. They control how much electricity and water a day they have. They control their maritime and how far from the coast they're allowed to fish. Do you think that Palestinians are able to build such air crafts?

Egyptians have witnessed the horrors that have been happening from across the sea. The sky was red with fire and alight with bombs. The horizon echoed with the noise and the assault didn't cease. I don't know if it's still going on. I don't know if it ever stopped. But Israel is sending out ground troops now, and who knows how far that went since last night.

Israel calls this a war. Palestinians haven't been able to fight back. They don't have any weapons or a military of their own. Entire families have been wiped off of the face of the earth, numbering probably well over forty by this point. Entire generations are at risk of being killed. This isn't a war. This is a genocide.

Israel claims that Hamas hides behind its civilians for protection, but all Israel is doing is hiding behind Hamas as an excuse to commit ethnic cleansing.

The worst part to me is that world powers who could have done something to prevent this are actively doing nothing. The United States has been providing Israel with the very weapons that they're using to obliterate Palestine off of the face of the map. Britain has outlawed protests speaking up in support of Palestine. And there are a lot of protests. The public opinion knows that this is wrong. Joseph Biden has casted doubt on how many Palestinians have actually died just before the blackout occured.

The warning signs have been here for 75 years, and nobody has done anything about it. And now Palestinians are facing the most brutal evil that mankind is capable of, and nobody who can do anything about it is willing to lift a finger. What's the point of the United Nations to create laws of war that are to be followed if those laws aren't going to be enforced? What kind of message does that send to countries that violate those laws?

That they can get away with it.

This isn't even to touch on the fact that Israel has been paying content creators and companies to speak up in support of Israel. I wouldn't be surprised if they're doing the same with popular celebrities in the United States and elsewhere. I wouldn't be surprised if this is a part of why politicians are refusing to lift a finger to hold Israel accountable for their actions. Israel has always wanted control of the narrative. This isn't the first time, and it won't be the last.

I do want to point out that despite these horrors, it's important to remember that, while Israel has done these horrible things, you shouldn't blame the individual people. Not every single Israeli believes in this genocidal cause, but the system of government that encourages and rewards these behaviors should be held accountable. Israelis who disagree with Israel are very likely at risk of being punished severely if they express their beliefs. It's important to remember that.

Israel will cry antisemitism because they are a Jewish state: Holding them accountable for their actions is not antisemitism. Do not be afraid to do so. I have seen videos of Jewish people in the United States leading mass protests in support of Palestine, calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, for Palestine to be free. Don't blame all Jewish people or Israelites for this horror. Be angry at Israel the government, Israel the politicians, Israel the people who support them rabidly and celebrate the death of millions.

I know for a fact that there are some things I've missed. It's so difficult to tactfully cover everything that's happened over the past couple of weeks. But hopefully this is enough to let those who aren't aware of what's been happening know.

I'm ashamed to be a United States American. And I am angry at the politicians and the people in power who could have voted for a ceasefire and didn't. We are witnessing the evils of humanity at work this month. And yet we are also witnessing the selfless good that humanity is capable of, leading protests to free Palestine and call for a ceasefire, trying their best to raise attention to the people who did nothing. History will remember them as the villains of this story.

It feels like there isn't much you can do. But just knowing and spreading awareness of the situation is enough. It is enough. Israel has hired companies and social media to do their best to stifle talk and conversation about Palestine. YouTube has deleted fifteen years' worth of videos examining the Palestinian occupation and Palestinian culture as a whole. Israel wants Palestine to die in silence and be forgotten.

All you need to know is what is happening. All you need to know is to remember and not forget. All you need to know is acknowledge the Palestinian's generations-long suffering, know that we're living through a genocide, and see how world powers do nothing about it. This is how Adolf Hitler got away with it for so long.

So remember. Keep it in mind. Learn the warning signs. And be sure to remember this when it happens again.

Free Palestine.

#free palestine #ceasefire in gaza #ceasefire NOW #palestine #gaza #hamas #israel #israel hamas war #israel hamas conflict #free gaza #gazaunderattack #gaza strip #save gaza

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catcze · 9 months

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You want some Wriothesley requests, eh? I’m more than happy to provide ;))

Wriothesley is a busy man, he’s the Lord of the fortress of Meropide for gods sake, so the last thing he needs is more distractions.

So I raise you this:

Reader hurts themselves on a commission or something, and instead of telling their boyfriend about it and bringing him even more things to worry about, they decide to treat their wounds themselves and hide their injuries from him entirely.

When Wriothesley inevitably finds out, he scolds them and tells them that their health is always his number one priority, and that he’s more than happy to leave his work behind to take care of them.

It’s safe to say that reader always informs their boyfriend of their injuries from that point onward.

AUGHHAKDJS AUGHAJKSD LOVE AND CARE AND CONCERN 🥺 oh LORD

AAAAAAAAAA MY GIJUKANSDJKAJKSDNJKASJKD

OKay OKAY OKAYSYDKUAJS okay okay. Okay. ok. yes.

This,,,, this was supposed to be a blurb,,,,, and then somehow,,,, along the way,,,,, it evolved into a short fic like what the fuck i just can't shut up when it comes to him 😭😭

「 CWS : 」 Light descriptions of injuries, established relationships, Wriothesley being so soft for you

Okay. So it's no biggie to you, really. Getting a little banged up on the job? Just a regular day for an adventurer. There's no real cause for concern— no need to go to a hospital or a clinic, and certainly no need to bother Wriothesley about it. Not when he's already up to his neck with extra work since the court has just sentenced some new convicts to the Fortress.

You're a seasoned adventurer! You know how to do first aid. It's easy!

Until it gets a little bit more difficult.

Applying salve and bandaging up your arms and legs gave you no trouble. Your lower back was just a smidge bit more difficult, but nothing you couldn't do. The main difficulty, you conclude, huffing in annoyance and staring at your reflection in the bathroom of your home, is that stupid laceration between your shoulder blades that for the life of you you just couldn't reach, much less patch up and slap some gauze over. Your arms are already aching from all the stretching they've gone through, all in vain because you couldn't reach that stupid spot on your back. And to make matters worse, all the movement was beginning to make the laceration sting and you worry that any more exertion would make the scratches on your arms and shoulders open back up, which is a whole other can of worms you'd rather not deal with.

You're hyping yourself up, convincing yourself to try just one more time— no, if you're careful your wounds will absolutely not open back up and you'll definitely be able to clean up before your boyfriend gets home and—

You're so lost in your own thoughts that you don't even hear the front door opening. What does catch your attention is Wriothesley's voice from down the hall, calling that he's home and oh shit in your haste to patch yourself up you hadn't closed the bathroom door and fuck fuck fuck he's too close and you're too far from the door to slam it closed and you grimace to yourself when you see Wriothesley appear at the open bathroom door, his expression melting into one of surprise (and not the good kind) as his eyes grow wide and his mouth opens just the slightest bit, taking in the bandages wrapped around parts of your arms, parts of your legs and around your torso.

"...Hi." That's all you can come up with as your eyes meet his in the reflection of the mirror, looking both guilty and sheepish.

"...Hi," he echoes, still staring. Then it breaks, his brows furrowing with concern. You can see the questions on the tip of his tongue. Are you alright? What happened? Why didn't you call?

But instead, he approaches, taking the open salve you've placed on the counter into his own hands. "Arms down. Don't strain them," he says, giving them a gentle nudge until they fall to your side. He scoops a liberal amount of the salve up, gently covering that pest of a wound with it. The cooling sensation feels delightful on the clotted scratch, but you can't help protesting his help.

"I- I can do that, you don't..."

"I may not have to, but I certainly want to. The gauze, please, dearest." You hand it to him over your shoulder, and he takes it with a mumbled word of thanks, tending to the wound that had given you such a headache. He does it better than you ever could yourself, even laying a small kiss on the bandage that has your heart melting.

The he releases you, catching your eye in the mirror as he makes a turn around motion with his hand. "Come on, dearest, let me check on the rest of you."

You do as you're told, spinning around slowly. He helps you sit on the counter of the sink, hands careful to avoid any of your injuries where he grips your waist and hoists you up. He doesn't speak while he checks you over, hands skimming your skin so gently it almost tickles. He checks if you've done your bandages right, if you've missed any scratches or scrapes. To his relief you have not, and the only wound that you hadn't treated was the one he had helped with.

Wriothesley's checkup ends at a scratch on your face that you stuck a bandage on, and his hand gently cups your cheek when he's done. On instinct, you lean into his touch.

"You're all good. Nice job with the bandages, dearest," he says, pressing a kiss to your lips. Then he raises a brow, face turning just a bit more serious, tone becoming more like that of the duke that many people feared. "Now. Can you tell me why you tried to do it alone when you could have asked for my help?"

"Because I could have taken care of it myself." You tell him in a huff, looking away from his eyes. "You're busy and I wouldn't want to bother you over something I was capable of doing myself. It would have given you more things to worry about."

You make a pointed effort not to look at him, and Wriothesley can't help it when he laughs under his breath. "Even if I'm busy, you can always come to me for help. Work or no work, you'll always be my priority."

Before you can even protest, adamant that you would never want to willingly interrupt his workflow, the thumb of his hand comes to stroke your bottom lip, silencing you. "Nope. No if's or but's. Especially when it comes to your wellbeing, I'll never turn you away." He can feel the flustered warm that spreads through your cheek under his palm and has to stifle a smile.

"You're always worried about me, so let me worry about you too," he murmurs, giving you a peck on the forehead, and he can practically see your stubbornness crack.

"Okay," you acquiesce, sighing, but you can't deny how warm it makes you feel to have him dote on you like this. Your boyfriend, the Administrator of the Fortress of Meropide, one of the biggest softies to you and only you. "I'll come to you the next time I need anything."

"You promise?"

"Yes, Wriothesley, I promise," you exclaim, dramatically rolling your eyes, but smiling all the same.

A similar smile is reflected on his own face, and he can't help it when he feels the need to kiss you again.

"Thank you, dearest."

#「 🐈‍⬛ 」 catcze.desserts #Wriothesley x reader #genshin impact x reader #Wriothesley #Genshin Impact #cw gn reader

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atinystraynstay · 6 months

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When Are You Coming Home - Choi Seungcheol

Inspired by: Home - Catie Turner

Synopsis: You met Seungcheol while you were studying abroad in Seoul. It was a meeting by fate. Now, he was watching you live your life on the other side of the world. Would he ever get to see you again? Would he ever get to confess how he feels?

Pairing: Idol! Choi Seungcheol x reader

Genre: Fluff, slight angst

Word Count: 2.6k

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It was 8:44pm Seungcheol sighed as he watched his members Weverse posts. It's been killing him that he hasn't been able to join the group, as he was still recovering from ACL surgery a few months ago. He was starting to regain his strength which was making him feel more like himself. The problem was that the company wasn't fully confident he was ready to give it his all, so they were proceeding on the side of caution.

The boys had just wrapped up their dome concerts in Japan. Truly, those concerts were some of Cheol's favorites. He loved them not just for the carats that always showed up in massive numbers for them. Those concerts were more a testament to how far they've come as a group. He was proud of not only himself but his 12 members, his brothers, who have overcome doubt from the industry. They truly were the biggest name in K-pop at the moment.

That's why it pained him not to be there with him, not being a part of the schedules and activities. He was able to attend some events in person, like Inkigayo or Music Bank. He was able to attend backstage, but his true place was right on that stage beside everyone.

He pushed himself hard through his recovery, hoping to bounce back sooner rather than later. His doctors urged him to take it easy and to consider his long-term health rather than getting immediate results.

Truly, the toughest part of this whole recovery period was not having you beside him. You were attending graduate school in the United States, working towards your masters degree in education. He thought that maybe if he got healthier and stronger sooner, not only could he rejoin his group but he could actually come out to visit you in the States.

You were his best friend. You met at the same bar in Seoul when you were visiting during your study abroad trip. He was out with friends, celebrating the end of a hectic schedule. You were with friends from the program, eager to experience what nightlife was like in Korea after seeing one too many TikToks. Seungcheol never knew that someone could mean that much to him in such a short amount of time.

You were only going to be in Seoul from January until early May. He made it his mission to see you as much as possible. You two used to spend every day together, at least until comeback season came around for FML. Leading up to the anticipated album release, you would wait for him, excited, with a bottle of water to keep him hydrated. His favorite memory was when you got to watch him during Caratland, when he got to have the time of his life with his fans and his members. The reason why he kept grinning as hard as he did was because he knew you were waiting for him backstage.

Unfortunately, time seemed to slip away too quickly for Seungcheol's liking. During your last week in Seoul, he was asked to be at every meeting, every promotion, and everywhere but with you. He was lucky he got to see you the night before your flight, but it still tore him up inside that he couldn't even take you to the airport because he had to be at a dress rehearsal.

In that short amount of time, Seungcheol fell hard for you. You intrigued him in ways he never thought someone could. You brought a level of normalcy into his life that he didn't know he was missing. You were there to help him calm down after a tough dance practice. You often would cook dishes from your hometown, to give him an insight into where you come from. He wanted to know more about your world.

Why did he wait so long to confess to you? Now, seeing as you are more than 6,600 miles away from him, he regretted it every day. Sure, he could easily tell you over the phone or slide in your DMs, but you deserved better than that in his eyes.

Before his injury, he had hoped to come visit you right before the school year started. He got to experience the United States last summer with his members when they were on the Be The Sun tour. This time though, he wanted to experience what America was like with you. He wanted to do all the cliche romantic things like drive-ins, going to diners, and baseball games. He wanted to create memories with you, to be with you. He wanted you to be his.

The two of you still maintained contact. You would have FaceTime calls when you got the chance, would send postcards and little gifts to one another, and would cheer each other one from afar. Whether it was you waking up at 4:30am to catch a live concert or if he was reading one of your research papers - you were a united force.

He was hoping he would have been able to called you tonight, but you had told him that you had gotten busy with final assignments. While he hasn't been in school for a while, he knows how important school is for you. He didn't want to come across as overbearing, so he just waited patiently. He would watch your stories on Instagram and Snapchat, seeing you at a coffee shop or out with friends. He wanted so badly to be there with you.

He was scrolling through social media. It brought a smile to his face to see you had gone home for Thanksgiving, a holiday he was able to recognize easily as it was similar to Chuseok. There was a photo of you in a white turtle neck. Your hair was down in natural curls with light makeup on. He could see the mole that is planted on the right side of your face, close to your jawline. You were breathtaking. You were sitting beside your mom, someone who almost was an exact copy of you. There is no denying you two are related.

He knew family was important to you, so getting to spend time with your parents meant the world to you. He wondered if he was of the same importance to you, or if he could eventually get to that spot.

He looked through the other photos you posted. Some were with friends who still lived in your hometown. He tried his best to remember their names without looking at their Instagram handles. He remembers you mentioned them quite a few times. You were an only child, so you had a tendency to consider your friends part of your family too. He saw other photos of your hometown, wondering if he would ever get the opportunity to visit it up close.

What he took away the most from your post was how happy you looked. In all the photos, you were smiling wide to the point your eyes were hidden. Seungcheol remembers the few times you guys took photos together. You hated the way you looked, but he was obsessed with you. He never met someone who just naturally glowed. You were his own little disco ball, full of energy and wonder. He couldn't help but claim responsibility for making you that happy in those moments.

Seungcheol often wondered if you were happy back home. When he wasn't able to be there physically, he often wondered if you were happy. At least when you were here in Seoul, living in the same city, he could better fix whatever may be troubling you. He hated feeling helpless when you were upset. Especially now, it was more difficult than ever for him to just jump on a plane to you.

A knock at the door interrupted his deep thought. He raised an eyebrow, trying to go through who it could possibly be. All the boys were just now flying back from Tokyo. Could it be someone from the company? Why didn't they just call?

Thankfully, Seungcheol had reached the point of his recovery where he wasn't dependent on crutches. He could move freely. It might've been slow movements at times, but it was still moving at his own regard without the dependency of other people.

He made his way over carefully, not wanting to accidentally trip or bump into something. He was not about to jeopardize a setback when he was so close to getting back to where he was a few months ago.

Once he got to the door, he twisted the silver lock and undid the bolt. Making sure he had enough room, he stepped back to allow the door to swing open without it hitting his knee. He was just a more cautious guy until he got the green light to get back on stage. Seungcheol had his gaze to the door, watching it open so if he had to move, he could do so without straining himself.

"Are you crazy?" A voice shouted at him.

His eyes widened at the abrupt voice before looking up. There was no way.

There you stood. You had a pink backpack on your shoulders. Your hair was pulled into a loose ponytail held back by a silk white scrunchie. You had on a red hoodie with black leggings, and tennis shoes hugging your feet. "Y/n? What are you doing here?" "Would you like to tell me why Jeonghan called me saying you were overworking yourself? Do I need to remind you that you just had knee surgery about two months ago?"

You slipped the straps of your backpack off your shoulders. Seungcheol watched as you stepped towards his apartment, setting your backpack down by the threshold of the door. Your arms soon wrapped around Seungcheol, gently hugging him. His arms wrapped around you slowly, being in a bit of a shock of you actually being here in front of him.

"You have to take care of yourself, Cheol. Especially when I'm not here to help you," you whispered. You had tucked your head into his neck. He was able to get a smell of your shampoo, instantly settling his racing heart. God, he missed your scent. He squeezed you gently, almost as if he needed confirmation that this was reality and not some false, cruel illusion.

"I didn't mean to scare you, sweetheart. There was no need for you to fly all the way out here. What about your family? Your final assignments?" "You are a part of my life, Cheol. I had to be here. And my assignments can wait. Now, come on, old man. Let's get you back to the couch."

Coming from the guys, if they teased about his age, he would have been annoyed. Coming from you though was a sense of endearment.

Seungcheol followed your lead back to his couch. He got himself situated where he could rest with his leg up on the couch, alleviating some of the discomfort he felt from walking. He had his moments of weakness, but he wasn't sure if it was weakness from still recovering or from being in front of you for the first time in over 6 months.

Once he was situated on the couch, he saw you sitting on the opposite side of the couch. Your eyes were on him though. It was a sight that brought a smile to his face, a genuine smile for the first time probably since the surgery.

"So are you really just here because Jeonghan called?" "Well yes and no. Yes because I wanted to make sure you were ok. I know we FaceTime and you keep me updated as much as possible, but I just had to see for myself that you were ok."

He took note of the light blush on her cheeks. So she has been thinking of me? She's been worried about me? Cute. His ego was rising just at the sheer idea of you being into him, even in the slightest.

"No because I was planing to come visit you for the holidays. I get a month off of my studies, and realized that if I was spending Thanksgiving with my family, I want to spend it with you."

Well damn. He never would have predicted this.

"So you like me or something?" Seungcheol teased you.

This time, your cheeks turned a deeper red. It was then his eyes widened again. "Oh," he said silently. There was no need to further interrogate you on the matter.

Seungcheol eaned forward to gently grasp your wrist. You looked at him, an eyebrow raised. He gently tugged you towards him. You looked hesitant as if you were going to be hurting him. He offered you a reassuring smile. You began guiding herself closer to him until he situated you in between his left side and the back of the couch. He wrapped an arm around your waist, keeping you close to him.

"Something tells me Jeonghan just didn't call because of my recovery," Cheol chuckled lightly under his breath.

Man, was Seungcheol lucky to have a best friend like Jeonghan. He owed him. Big time. You looked up at Seungcheol, a gentle smile on your lips but your eyebrow raised. Do she even know how cute she is?

"Since you left, y/n, I've been miserable. The few months you were here were just magical. It was like I was getting a chance to star in my own romance movie. Life hasn't been the same without you here." "And it doesn't help that we haven't really been able to visit each other, right?"

His smile grew slightly. He lowered his head so his face was hovering just above yours. If only he had gotten the courage to do this a few months ago then the last couple of months wouldn't have been full of torment.

"Because I didn't tell you how I felt about you before you left. Y/n, I really like you. I wanted to tell you so badly, but I held back. I need you in my life not just as a friend."

Hearing him, you could have thought you weren't actually in his apartment or in Seoul, for that matter. You were convinced you were asleep in your own apartment, having the best dream but about to wake up to a cruel reality. You moved your left arm over his torso, left hand extended to cup his face. Touching his skin, feeling the light stubble underneath your fingertips confirmed that this was reality.

"Jeonghan called because you liked me? And that you've been struggling since I've been gone?" You whispered. "Seems like Jeonghan took it upon himself to play cupid," Seungcheol laughed lightly, biting his lip though to try not to speak too loudly.

It was as if he spoke too loudly, he himself would wake up. But much like you had to, he needed a confirmation that this wasn't just a dream.

He guided his lips down towards yours but hovered over them. He was afraid of moving too quickly. It was a common thee in his life at the present moment. "Say the word, y/n, and I'll make both of our dreams come true."

All you could bring yourself to do was nod. However, Seungcheol needed more. He needed to know that you fully wanted this to happen as much as you did. The words were just trapped in your throat because you couldn't believe that you had flown all the way to Korea for the man of your dreams for him not just to be in your dreams. He was real. He was laying beside you, staring and waiting for your own greenlight.

"Yes, Cheol. Please. It's all I've been waiting for."

There it is. The green light. "Me too, princess," he whispered. He soon leaned I all the way, allowing his lips to press against yours without hesitation or worry. It was a kiss that sealed our destiny, your fate to be together without further interruptions or obstacles.

You were all his, and he was all yours. Officially.

#atinystraynstay #seungcheol x reader #seungcheol fluff #seungcheol scenarios #seungcheol fanfic #choi seungcheol #scoups #seventeen right here #seventeen #svt #god of music

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soaps-mohawk · 3 months

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i’m very new to the whole a/b/o scene, your fic is really the only one i’ve read cuz it’s just so good! but i’ve been meaning to ask, what happens during the presentation process?

Aww!! I love corrupting converting people to omegaverse fans!!! My favorite past time 💚

Alright, I think you're the first that's asked about presenting so far. I haven't really touched on it in the fic (and I'm not sure I will? I can't think of any place I would put it in but who knows 🤷) But essentially, the presenting is when pups (otherwise known as children in our universe) gain the traits of their second gender or status. It happens around the age of 16, some might present a little earlier, some later. Just kind of depends, like puberty. Everyone is different. Reader presented just after their 16th birthday, so about the normal time.

It happens differently for each status, but basically for a few days before you might start to feel a little off, perhaps some irritability, discomfort, exhaustion, some might get moody. There might be physical discomfort as well (especially with omegas and occasionally alphas since there's actual physical changes they go through.) The actual shift itself is pretty quick, usually happens overnight. You go to bed a pup and wake up an alpha, beta, or omega.

Betas have it the easiest. There's not a lot of changes they have to go through, other than their scent changing and they may be prone to some moodiness beforehand since they're more perceptive to emotions as betas and it's their nature as betas to help calm down the strong emotional swings alphas and omegas are prone to. Overall it's an easy process for them. They might be a little moody, to go bed, and wake up chill and relaxed and smelling nice.

Alphas also have it sort of easy when it comes to presenting. They're the ones that might get irritable and moody beforehand, they might get uncomfortable both mentally and physically. (Think like those horrible teenage mood swings where nothing is right and you just want to kick through a wall.) They might not feel much different after they've presented, they might wake up still in a bad mood, but with a stronger scent and they might get a little possessive of something (or someone, it's happened where a pup might present as an alpha and then get protective and possessive towards a younger sibling especially if they're close or they've been the ones caring for that sibling.) It doesn't usually last more than a couple days, though the moodiness might linger as those strong alpha instincts and emotions settle into place. That's usually where the parent that's an alpha will step in and guide them through how to adapt to those emotions and learn to control them and harness them if they need to. Not every parent does, though, and so teenage alphas can be absolute nightmares.

Omegas arguably have it the worst when it comes to presenting. They'll have mood swings, exhaustion, lots of physical discomfort. It's hard to predict if a pup is going to be an alpha or omega since they can have the same sort of pre-presentation symptoms. Some omegas might get irritable and aggressive, some might go the other way and get sad and depressed. Some might not have any emotional changes at all. It just sort of depends. They have the hardest presentation, as they go through a sort of mock heat while they're presenting. Their body temperature will rise, they'll have a lot of joint and muscle pain, they might swing through every emotion known to man in a short amount of time. Their scent sweetens to the point of being almost noxious, and can change rapidly depending on how badly the omega is suffering through the presentation. It can be incredibly painful and lasts for a few days. Parents can tell immediately when their pup is presenting as an omega, and if they're going to send them to an institute, day one is usually when they'll call and start the process of getting them enrolled. Then usually, a few days later, by the time the presentation is over and the "mock heat" has faded, the institute reps are knocking on the door to take the omega to the institute. It's a really rough process all around, not just for the omega but for the parents as well, as the omega parent can start to bond unintentionally with their omega pup as they help them through the presentation and then if they're getting sent to an institute, that bond has to be broken on both ends.

So...yeah. That's the details on that. I'm glad you asked because I hadn't really thought about explaining the presentation process really in detail. I think it'll get mentioned again in the future, but not really in much detail. I think knowing this stuff will make that part better, in truth.

As always, more than happy to answer any questions (as best I can, spoilers avoided) and explain anything that might be causing confusion or that you're just curious about.

#this was way longer than i thought it was going to be #i hope it makes sense i'm very eepy #answered #crcb lore

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gabessquishytum · 5 months

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Since his imprisonment over a century ago, cinema has changed. Dream knew the camera would always be the next big thing in storytelling and that the movie would become a new medium that the next generation of storytellers would manipulate and mold.

So Hob proposes movie night. They go in order of the decades, from just before he was captured up to the present day. So far Dream has really liked the 1926 rendition of Phantom of the Opera, Gertie the Dinosaur, and the 1939 rendition of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. The film for this movie night is Gene Kelly's Singing in the Rain and then afterwards Wizard of Oz, but he's not alone.

Del is still feeling a bit rejected by her family and decides to pop around her siblings to see what they've got going on. Destiny let her get lost in his maze, Death took her into the deep ocean to say good bye to an ancient whale, Desire took her to a club where she made a guy hitting on her dance forever, and Despair just sat around in her own self misery and Del nearly succumbed to boredom. Dream is the only one left to humor her and brings her with him for movie night.

It goes off about as well as to be expected. She loved the film, particularly enjoying Cosmo's Make Them Laugh and Dorothy's Somewhere Over the Rainbow. Dream also liked the film, though it wasn't one of his favorites. Just something bright and colorful to pass the time. But this gives her an idea. Things always seem to work out when people are singing and she just wishes that everything with her family would resolve in something as simple as a song.

So she makes everyone sing. The first victim is Hob who wakes the next day singing to his appliances and every sentence afterward. Which is weird for him, but he can't stop. He can't get through a lesson without making it into a song. Which is becoming disturbing by lecture number three. He goes home and contacts Dream.

Who is having his own issues. The Dreaming and its denizens can't stop singing either. Matthew has turned into a songbird and the music is starting to chafe his nerves. He goes into the Waking and finds all of humanity has joined in a discordant musical number. Lovers sing about the virtues of romance, street punks are dancing in lines and singing about how they're going to cause trouble. A woman screams herself bloody about her lost dreams and passions. He makes his way to Hob's apartment, where he comes down with a song himself.

It's a heart wrenching screed about the loss of time and opportunity. About how he just wants to love and be loved in return. Red-faced, he disappears.

Hob heard every word he said and opened the door too late, leaving them both to scream themselves hoarse about their feelings. A song that perpetuates until Hob passes out from exhaustion and is ferried onto the Dreaming. There they have a heart to heart in the form of a ballad which culminates in a big, sweeping movie musical style kiss.

After the first few deaths from exhaustion, Death comes to her sister. Even she is not immune and through a large musical number, shows Delirium the extent of the damage she's caused. Del doesn't feel bad, until she hears her brothers and sisters sing. The whole universe is in a chorus of pain and misery as they struggle under the weight of her gift. So she removes the curse and sulks. Her sigil dims and she retreats deep into her realm.

Until she hears her siblings collectively calling for her. She appears in Hob's living room. The popcorn is popped, the room is darkened and she can see everyone sitting on the couch or the floor except for one place on the couch, between Death and Hob. Dream is comfortably sitting next to his new human lover, his head on his shoulder. They invite her in as the movie is just about to start. They're watching Meet Me in St. Louis.

- 🤜 anon

MY HEART. Poor darling Del, she certainly meant for it to be a good thing. But nobody really wants to be singing for more than a short amount of time. I wonder what Dream and Hob sound like while singing? If Dream’s singing is as unique as his laughter, I'm sure it was truly... something. But hey, Del unwittingly performed a minor miracle by bringing the idiots together at last. Who knew that all it would take was a romantic ballad after 600 years of pining?

Del enjoys Meet Me in St Louis a lot! She likes the slightly disfunctional family, particularly the little sister who gets into all kinds of shenanigans. The best part is being with her family, though, especially because they're all on their best behaviour! They even have a good ole sing along to the Trolley Song. Delirium revels in the slight chaos and finally feels properly appreciated by her entire family <3

#🤜 anon #the sandman #dreamling #delerium of the endless

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bug-oc · 10 months

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Bug Fables OC Tournament Round 5

Marigold (she/her) from @mantisgodsdomain

Marigold is a hawk moth and a witch, initially made for a short fic in which Mothiva has an extremely bad day involving a certain amount of Leif's Request Spoilers, loss of limb, and loss of almost all processes generally associated with being alive (she's fine, it's just a minor setback). Located in the Ant Kingdom's Outskirts, she is a curious, cheerful, and scientific bug, experimenting to the utmost of her field - magic involving transmutation of the flesh.

The field she lacks in, of course, is morals.

Transmuting a bug properly needs test subjects - bugs to run through new formulas, test variations, see what happens with a new form of triggering a transformation into something else. What more convenient place to get those than by cornering a random bystander and seeing what happens once they've taken it for you?

Many bugs, of course, are not particularly happy about suddenly being transformed into, say, a shambling mass of flesh. Marigold isn't the most gifted, as far as self-defence goes, and combat brews are a bit of a waste of time - why fight your wayward experiments when you can get someone else to do it for you? Looking soft and innocent means that a potential bystander will be far more likely to believe her when she says that a beast attacked her, and depending on the form, any victim may simply lack the means to protest.

Up against one tiny, unarmed moth, it's clear who the aggressor must have been - and if you build a good enough reputation with the neighbors, even bugs who can still talk will find former friends and family siding against them. After a certain point, it's obvious they're not who they claim to be - it's all social engineering, anyways.

Of course, any research needs funding - the criminal elements of Bugaria especially have plenty of use for making a bug vanish without generating a body, and Marigold's brews are permanent, if the client doesn't specify otherwise. For a bit of pay, you can vanish nearly anyone you want - without that pesky guilt that comes from actually killing them! All at the small, small cost of funding a local business.

Marigold herself would not personally consider any of her actions to be immoral in any way, which is how you know she's a good candidate in any public-opinion-based polls. She is exactly the bug you want in order to eliminate any pesky competitors - and, of course, exactly the sort of trustworthy and morally upright bug that any community needs.

Fuse (he/him) from @monsterhatdoodles

While not technically a bug fables oc, Fuse is a bug and also a force of nature so I think he should be allowed to participate. Fuse is a tiny man who commits big crimes and even bigger explosions. While a genius mechanic, Fuse has very little common sense, and has blown himself up more times than he'd like to admit. You can even see him in action in my webtoon, doodlebugs! (shameless plug) He's a gremlin and therefore deserves votes.

#bf oc tournament #bug fables #bug fables oc

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r-2-peepoo · 2 years

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A pretty good list of the best Codywan fics you will ever read:

I recently noticed I had a very sweet ask about Codywan fics recs but I didn’t realise saving drafts of ask replies wasn’t an option so I accidentally deleted it. If you are the lovely anon who sent that message on (I believe) the 29th of October, I’m sorry for not seeing it sooner, and here is a list for you!! A definitely-not-comprehensive guide to Codywan fics because I'm actually only a few months into shipping them myself. These are just some of my favourites.

I mainly read modern AUs but I’ll try and come up with a good variety so hopefully, there’s something for everyone. Also I’ll @ the writers who have accs on here because they deserve all the praise and credit in the world (but do let me know if you’d prefer to be untagged!!)

Modern AUs

An incredibly sweet oneshot featuring Teacher!Cody hosting a parent-teacher conference and a very overwhelmed Obi Wan trying his best to raise Anakin. The characterisation of Obi Wan in particular just makes my brain go brrrrrrrrrrrr because it reminds me of how he's written in the canon novels, as in you get to see a side of him that isn’t so polished and held together. The most unconventional yet adorable meet-cute ever. I have read it many many times.

THIS FIC. Oh my gosh. I've read it three times so far and I just adore it. It's an AU based on the movie Happiest Season (although I personally think this fic is far better than the movie). I'm always here for Christmas fics and they're always quite hard to find in my experience and yet here is this absolute gem, heavy with plot and drama and the most wonderful use of canon characters and dynamics.

I've spoken about this fic by @kckenobi before and I will do it over and over until everyone on earth has had the privilege of reading it. This is, without a doubt, the best fanfiction I've ever read. I can say that definitively. My recommendation for this would be to download the playlist that goes along with it. There's a link in the notes of the final chapter. Ngl I have Apple Music so I had to individually search for each song and add it to a playlist but it is beyond worth it. Aside from the writing being phenomenal, listening to the songs while reading is honestly life-changing. I have such a soft spot for classical and orchestral music and when I tell you you won't be able to look at any other fic without thinking about what a magical experience this one was, I'm not lying. The Codywan is quite minor compared to the rest of the plot but it is incredibly sweet and feels very natural. This is great if you like Obi Wan-centric fics.

This one is very special to me because it was one of the first fics I ever read in the fandom. This author (I don’t think I can tag them but their user on here is the same as their ao3) in general has been integral to my Codywan journey and there's so many of their works I've had the pleasure of following the publication of in such a short amount of time. Another unconventional meet-cute, which just seems to be a trope that suits this ship down to the ground.

But my personal favourite fic of theirs is Natural Wonders, a Photographer!Cody and Park Ranger!Obi Wan au, because I followed the publication of it from start to end and it was an absolute blast. This author's work ethic is unparalleled. Just take a look at the range of fics they've written. It's seriously impressive. Truly one of the best writers to begin with if you're new to the ship because they've done so much. You’ll be able to find basically any genre you like the most and every single one is insanely well written.

This fic is so sweet that reading it will rot the teeth right out of your head. This is by the wonderful @legobenkenobi who is not only the loveliest person ever, he is also a remarkable writer. Cody and Obi Wan work in a library together, Obi Wan comes in with a cat, which belongs to neither of them, out of absolutely nowhere one day (which is the most in-character thing I’ve ever heard) and the fluff ensues from there. While you’re there, read everything else he’s written because every single fic should be put in a museum.

Canon Compliant/Divergent

Cody and Obi Wan get married by accident. It sounds lighthearted and funny, which it is a little, but it also feels like hugging a thousand knives at once. This author manages to capture the painful longing between the two men that would be present in the canon-verse. It's under 1k words and yet they manages to inflict so much pain so quickly. There's something so delicate about the way they write and it's such a poignant, heartwrenching take on what is usually used as a solely comedic trope. I don’t read angst that often but every word of this was beautiful.

This fic is just... I can't even describe it. It's so in-depth. I feel like you really get to experience the Star Wars universe here. There's so many characters that are usually underutilized in fics, but not here. It features blind Obi Wan and how this affects his experience as a Jedi and as a General. It’s tactful and magnificently written. You really get to go on an adventure with the characters and it's so rich in plot and follows the actual plot of parts of Clone Wars but with such a unique perspective added. The story just slots so nicely into canon. I don't want to spoil too much but it's such a fascinating take on Obi Wan's character. Also!!! It explores so many relationships that canon itself neglects to. My personal favorite other than Codywan is Obi Wan's interactions with Ahsoka. This is still an ongoing fic so get in while you still can. You won't regret it, I promise.

This is also one of quite a few times where I've been a fan of someone's work before joining Tumblr, only to realise after following them that I've been reading their work for ages. @foreverchangingfandomsao3 you are immensely talented. Thank you for writing such an immersive story. I am in love with your take on Obi Wan.

This is another ongoing fic by the lovely @farores-oak-tree. It's a post-order 66 fic and it's so so so good so far. Other than Codywan's inevitable reunion, what I love the most about this is how it uses its other characters. Sabé features heavily and I always wanted to see her again so this was a delightful discovery. Again' I don't to spoil too much because its still being posted but there is such an interesting use of canon events. It's been so much fun so far so please give it a read if you like post-order 66 Codywan. This could be the plot of Kenobi S2 and I would completely believe you. It's so good.

This is another fic I read and absolutely loved and then started following the person who wrote it on here without realising. @frostbitebakery is behind this particular work of art. This is a Sith!Obi Wan AU and honestly it’s the only one you’ll need. I really love the way it’s structured and I don’t know if this makes sense, but this author has something about their writing style that is so careful and distinctive and you can see that same style coming through in their art style too (seriously, have a look at their art, it’s absolutely insane). It’s so detailed and you can feel how much time was spent on it. Such a delight to read.

Another recommendation of a work I’d been subscribed to who I think is actually written by a mutual of mine. I’m not certain about that but regardless, I can’t begin to express how much I love it so far. It’s another ongoing fic. I have a thing for fics that detail how Cody and Obi Wan first meet because canon does nothing to show this. If it turns out this is actually how they met and how things unfolded for them, I would completely buy it. It just suits them so much. It feels so true to their characters. It’s so natural and it flows so well. I could read a thousand chapters of this.

I could recommend so many others but these are the ones I always think of when people ask for recommendations. I think I put the usernames of everyone who has an account on here but I’ll keep looking in case I missed anyone. I’ve been in a lot of fandoms but I genuinely mean it when I say Codywan authors (and artists) are the most accomplished I’ve ever seen.

#codywan #codywan fanfic #obi wan kenobi #commander cody #clone wars #star wars prequels

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ciderbird · 2 months

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Have you heard that there's a TV series about Sasha filming right now for Rossija1? Slated for release before the end of the year, it seems, and called, as it should be, "Alexander I". I just discovered that fact and I'm rather eager to see it; they've got a good track record with period dramas of that kind.

Alexander and Constantin. Alas, the degree of blondness for both is clearly unsatisfactory, but when it comes to spirit, maybe there is hope?

Oh BOY did I hear about this show??? Yes. I did. You have no idea how conflicted I am.

Because on one hand, finally a goddamn historical tv show that ISNT about Catherine II or Peter I (and it covers the assassination of Paul so he will get a lot of screentime as well!)

But on the other hand… it’s a Russian tv show, how good can it be? I’m praying to all Gods that the script is decent but my biggest problem so far is the casting. How come Ridley Scott cared more about finding an appropriate Alexander I than a series where he’s the main character??

Evgeny Romantsov doesn’t exactly have a great track record as a nuanced actor (he gets leading macho man roles mostly) and I can’t believe they decided to give this… this JOCK a role of a 20 year old Alex in his “sweet angel” era

I was honestly much more impressed with the casting for young Paul I in another series scheduled this year “Paul the first and last” (damn what a name), so I’m also looking forward to that!

All in all I’m keeping my expectations low because frankly Russia cranking out that many tv shows lately in such a short amount of time can’t be good (and it is all sponsored by ИРИ the infamous Kremlin propagandists, yay) but obviously I’ll be watching it and in my heart of hearts I’ll even hope that it’ll be good

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lilbagdermole · 1 year

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Hi! 💚💛 What's your fav Taang moment from the original series? Like what made you ship Toph and Aang together?

Hi! ٩(＾◡＾)۶

Thanks for the ask! To be honest with you, any moment where Toph and Aang are sharing the screen is a 10/10 Taang moment for me. It's honestly a shame we didn't get more episodes just dedicated to their dynamic.

Anyway, I'm rambling... I think my favorite Toph and Aang moment is when they annihilate the Earth Kingdom Guards whilst their invading the Palace. Like come one, their harmony, the way they protect each other. They don't speak a single word to one another yet are able to understand the other's next move. It's poetic really.

It really shows how far they've come and how much they've grown as friends in such a short amount of time. We have Toph who relied on no-one, now trusting Aang to protect her back and perfectly working as a unit. And we have Aang, who'd once struggled to take action, be confident, assertive and earthbend, now more self-assure and carrying himself with strength. I think it shows how much their character arcs are linked to one another, how much they've grown since meeting each other and it just shows how much of a power duo they are (power couple in my opinion).

As for your second question, I think I started shipping Taang once I realized that Aang and Toph would have worked so well together and would have integrated and completed some of the narrative themes in ATLA. Their chemistry was some of the best on the show (which is saying something since we really don't get much of them together) and I just they would benefitted from each other.

Also... that moment where they held hands and Aang looked at Toph like this??? Yah, I was deep in the rabbit hole after THIS!

#taang #aang x toph #toph x aang #anti kataang #lilbadgermoleask #I LOVE THEM #anon ask

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holmesxwatson · 5 hours

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James Lovegrove’s Sherlock Holmes books

James Lovegrove has written a ton of Sherlock Holmes books over the years (all Victorian era/canon era). I recently came across his latest series on the Hoopla app while I was browsing audiobooks that were available and the cover art totally roped me in. I ended up reading all three books in the newest series, all the Cthulu casebooks and a few in his earliest series. As far as I can tell, his books seem to be split into three different series based on the structure of the subtitles and the different cover art. I enjoyed all the books I read by Lovegrove for different reasons, but as I've already established in my other book rec posts, I mostly only care about the Holmes/Watson dynamic. So listed below are Lovegrove's Sherlock series in chronological order, which also happens to be, in my opinion, the order from least to best Holmes & Watson dynamics •ᴗ•

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The New Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Titan Books Series, 2013-2018

I honestly just realized while researching links for this post that Lovegrove's books in this series are part of a bigger series with multiple authors (lol me), so I'm not going to list all the titles here, but they've been published from 2011-2023 and Lovegrove has written six of the 21 books. The other authors in the series are Guy Adams, George Mann, Cavan Scott, Mark A. Latham, Nick Kyme, Philip Purser-Hallard, and Tim Major. I read the first two Lovegrove books in this series last after reading his other SH series and the stories were pretty solid. One of them was a WWI-era story, which is a time period that I love to read about. The only thing I will say is that the Holmes & Watson vibe is a little too I'm-smarter-than-you-do-keep-up for my taste, which is why I took a break after reading the first two. But I wouldn't be against dipping back into this series at some point in the future and also checking out what the other authors have to offer.

Goodreads series page (x)

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The Cthulu Casebooks, 2016-2023

There are four books in the Cthulu Casebooks series and the framing device is that James Lovegrove himself is a descendant of H.P. Lovecraft, which is how he comes into possession of Watson's secret writings on his and Sherlock's real adventures going up against Cthulu and other eldritch horrors. These books are not just a romp through a mashup of literary worlds, there are very real stakes and things get dark. I really liked these books, I'm not really a Lovecraft fan at all, but I have read some of his works and of course I'm aware of all the elements from his works that have transcended their stories and are really a part of general fantasy/horror fan knowledge. My best friend is a huge Lovecraft fan and we read these together, so they were able to tell me how precise the Lovecraftian elements were -- they were precise -- so Lovecraft fan approved. The framing device was my favorite thing, especially the author's note at the end of book three, which was a very bone-chilling way to end the book (that I was listening to on audio in my dark house at night -- oops).

Sherlock Holmes and the Shadwell Shadows

Sherlock Holmes and the Miskatonic Monstrosities

Sherlock Holmes and the Sussex Sea-Devils

Sherlock Holmes and the Highgate Horrors

Goodreads series page (x)

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James Lovegrove's Sherlock Holmes, 2019-2021

This was my favorite series out of the Lovegrove set and also the first that I read. I felt like the Holmes & Watson dynamic was especially great -- and for me that means: they felt more like equals, there was just the right amount of bickering, and they cared deeply about each other. While I was reading these I took some short notes to help me remember what was special about each book, here they are below next to the titles. I would say that the covers and titles make the series seem like it might have fantasy elements, but it's more like they are debunking their clients outlandish theories before getting stuck in on the actual case.

Sherlock Holmes & the Christmas Demon (has a Three Garridebs-esque scene; Holmes dresses up as Santa!)

Sherlock Holmes & The Beast of the Stapletons (a continuation of HOUN complete with a short estrangement of Holmes & Watson)

Sherlock Holmes & The Three Winter Terrors (the dedication at the beginning of the book is to Jeremy Brett ❤)

Goodreads pages (x) (x) (x)

Here’s my goodreads shelf with all kinds of Sherlock Holmes books that I’ve read or am hoping to read. Let me know if you have any recs! And check my pinned post for other book recs posts!

#sherlock holmes #sh books #james lovegrove #hp lovecraft #cthulu casebooks #jeremy brett

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animehouse-moe · 7 months

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Apothecary Diaries Episode 4: The Threat

Yes, I know, I never got around to talking about the first three episode of Apothecary Diaries, but let's just focus on the present! Namely, a rather popular duo (China and Moa Ang) have appeared on this episode as episode director/storyboarder and animation director respectively. Their quality and fine control over animation has given me some things I really talk about today!

So, a bit of background. China as a key animator is mostly known for their consistent work with Yama Nu Susume, whereas Moa Ang is a bit more freeform. Regardless, they've worked on quite a few episodes together as fellow key animators, and have (apparently) got quite the bond. But that's just a preface to the wonderful work they bring in this episode, most noticeable in the opening sequence.

I mean, the refinement of the character acting is incredible. Sure, it's not got any ridiculous shading or detail in the clothing, but the movements are so refined and real that it's crazy. The boldness of China's direction to rely on refinement that could produce a scene like this is pretty crazy. Even crazier is the fact that it's not a one off.

The use of static framing and the bold decision to avoid panning as much as possible really does a lot for the episode I feel. It brings a sense of tension that is only heightened by the character acting, and works absolute wonders when Maomao's composure breaks in regards to treating Lihua.

This part is really something special I feel because it stretches the limits of expression within such a "tight" show. It changes up Maomao's character design, messes with perspective, and uses framing to deliver a startlingly enraged Apothecary.

Using all of the tools at China's disposal, they force Maoamo to tower over the lady in waiting, they use the framing to ensure that Maomao remains taller within the frame, and even uses the makeup powder to provide a slight visual effect to deepen the feeling of the scene. It's impressively strong visual work that provides a subjective retelling of the experience through the lady in waiting's fearful eyes.

Okay, so maybe this post seems a little short? But I don't actually have much more to add. The focus on character acting in the episode is incredibly good, and unless I go through and provide individual examples of it, I don't have much to add. They do use camera movement in the episode, but it's thoughtful work that traces the movement of the characters rather than filling empty air.

I think one thing I wish we could get more of is the very bold environment art. Not that what we have in this episode is bad, I mean, it's all incredibly detailed and pretty, but the ones that play with light are just so nice.

There's just something that can end up feeling missing with environment art when you get to see ones like the above. Because, I mean, what we get of the Lihua's palace here certainly isn't bad. It's incredibly pretty and well done. It's just that without any sort of visual effects, it's almost... plain?

It's something I was actually chatting about with a friend last night in how strong composition and visual effects/photography is very much neglected in a lot of series. Now, I wouldn't say that this one is doing anything of the sort, but when you compare to the very strong and noticeable work to the prior two backgrounds and compare it to the third one, it feels like there's potential left on the table. especially because they're a little sneaky and denote differences in the time of day with the coloring. It's just not that strong, or at least I feel it isn't. I believe there's potential left on the table with where they're willing to go.

But yeah, that's about it. I wouldn't say I dislike the story through the first four episodes so far, but the idea of a purpose and direction doesn't really come to mind, and there's not a massive amount of depth to the medicinal side either. Not that it lacks a draw, but maybe delivery?

I just think about Raven of The Inner Palace. The setups are sorta similar, the flows are comparable. But the engagement and interest that appeared with Raven for me is entirely different. Here, it's almost the opposite- the visuals interest me a great deal more than the story has. I'm hoping that will change because the idea behind it is a very very interesting one that has a lot of potential, but I'm just yet to really be given the substance and depth of the series.

#kusuriya no hitorigoto #薬屋のひとりごと #the apothecary diaries #apothecary diaries #mao mao #drama anime #historical anime #anime and manga #anime #anime recommendation #anime reccs #anime review

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trollex-is-gay · 6 months

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When Floyd mentions to his family that he wants to go and talk to Velvet and Verneer, he's not surprised by the nose coming form Viva, JD, Clay and Bruce.

But he sit surprised that poppy and branch, the youngest of their group of 7, understand why he'd want to.

And the full proper story of the past couple years comes out, bit just little accidotes or snippets.

Of all the youngest two served, and all that they had forgiven.

How bran h and poppy properly met to save half of pop troll village for being eaten, and made proper peace with the bergains to the point they where geust of high honor and part of the young kings freaking wedding party.

How poppy was dating barb, who caused a sort of apcolapse and almost removed and reworked how their music worked. How they saved it, and made serious strides to undo generations of racist wrong doing.

"Floyd has a lot of heart, and as far as he and by extention us, they're kind of messed up kids, who are alone right now. It makes sense he'd want to check in and get to say his own piece to them, to properly air out the pain they caused him. We'd be hypocrites if we refused to let him have that chance"

The way Poppy and Branch see it, as bad as what happened was, Velvet and Veneer don't even come close to the levels of danger that the other threats they've fought against posed. Sure, they were hard to get a hold of because they were constantly on the move and also giants, but compared to other threats trollkind has faced in recent years...well, the twins just don't compare. If Floyd wants to go see them and talk to them, that's his own choice. Maybe him explaining what they put him through and having that talk with them will help them somehow. He already got through to Veneer a decent amount (though JD still thinks that it was just an attempt to get out of being arrested) so who's to say he can't get through to both of them fully? Floyd himself has...so many complicated feelings towards the kids. He knows somewhat about what the bergens did, and he knew why the used to do it. Something in the trolls' bodies (or the pop trolls at least) makes them feel good for a short time. It brought them short bursts of happiness. And when he thought about it, sleeping down in the bunker with his brothers, Velvet and Veneer really were doing something similar. And it struck him, that's not good for them. Because the way that those two used his powers became like a drug to them instead. And they're teenagers. They got addicted, and he knows that Velvet and Veneer didn't know much at all about trolls until now. They grew up on a very massive mountain that was far away from both bergen town and where the pop trolls set up their new home. The case didn't sit right with him after that realization, though truthfully it didn't entirely sit right with him from the start.

#trolls #trolls band together #trolls 3 #trolls au #my au #Wolf's Trolls AU

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andmaybegayer · 11 months

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Project “Let’s watch every single Fast & Furious movie”

The series is still finding its feet and not entirely sure what it wants to be. It has however decided that this one should contain a truly incredible amount of homoerotic subtext.

2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)

We check back in with Brian, who is street racing for a living in Miami now that he is no longer a cop. Ludacris, is here, for some reason. The FBI show up and put our boy over a barrel until he helps them investigate another crime ring, with his car.

The cinematography and general visual language is much more mature, they've figured out how to shoot cars driving and in particular races in a way that better conveys relative position, advantage, and speed. No more undercranked footage, much more medium to wide shots of cars weaving past each other, as well as some complicated composited motion shots.

If you look for this movie on Tumblr you mostly find gifs of Devon Aoki in her girlboss pink Honda S2000. And yeah, I get it, this look kicks ass. The leather skirt and thigh highs with garters or whatever that is really screams 2003.

Right, the plot. Even more so than last time, the core plot is extremely mid. Brian is over a barrel, and needs to help the FBI investigate a drug lord, in exchange for them forgetting about him. He doesn't trust a cop to partner with him so he gets them to offer a deal to his old boyfriend Roman, with whom he had a falling out many years ago. The two of them go undercover smuggling money for the drug lord and eventually work through their differences and get the guy. Big whoop.

Far more interesting is how the interpersonal relationship of Brian and Roman is handled. These two feel like a couple who dated all through high school and broke up over a nasty disagreement when they were 19 and never really got over each other. The first time they meet they physically throw down and it looks like this.

Just straight guy things. I made a crack about 2 bi 2 curious in the last post and I was like "someone has to have made this joke before" and a) not really it looks like only a couple tweets but b) it led me to this short video essay on a bisexual reading of 2 Fast 2 Furious. I don't agree with all its finer points and I think the author completely misread some sections of the movie but you'll find far more agreement than disagreement from me with this one.

youtube

Carrying on, there's a lot of the awkward "I want to trust you, and I know I should be able to trust you, but I don't trust you" between these two. It's great, if you want to watch two very pretty guys go insane over each other for an hour and a half, this is a movie for you. I'm going to reiterate a lot of what's said in this video because it's all very obvious.

Before we continue, I need to note that what you don't see, oddly, is really any kind of coherent heterosexual romantic subplot. Like, there's one there, they do parts of it, but it's almost homeopathic. It's purely there to check the box. Monica is an undercover cop who's been with the drug lord for like a year and, in theory, Brian is attracted to her. There's discussion of this, he checks her out, they make bedroom eyes at each other, the drug lord gets jealous, it's a whole thing, but mostly you see that Roman is worried that Brian is going to do something stupid because he's attracted to her.

In the above video the author misinterprets one scene as Brian sleeping with Monica but they do not actually fuck! She shows up in the early morning to tell Brian that he's going to be betrayed but they do not, in fact, fuck! This is important to me because man, there's so little of that subplot going on. This subplot barely develops at all, they don't talk to each other much, and when they do it's only the barest flirting.

At one point Brian does a driving stunt to impress Monica and when he's done, Roman pulls up and goes "oh, he did that stunt? He learned that one from me." which. Come on there's no way to read that that doesn't at least suggest that maybe Roman did it to hit on Brian when they were younger.

Speaking of car stunts, those are used to convey character a lot better in this movie. Dishonorable side characters drive in annoying ways in races to make themselves hard to pass, Brian and Roman do a whole elaborate game of one-upsmanship during their driving audition for the drug lord, and a doubles drag race with high stakes serves as a major bonding moment where they learn to trust each other. There's much, much less plot and character going on explicitly but I think the photography and the storytelling are working together more closely in this movie.

The movie seems to care less about the cars themselves though. The Lancer and Eclipse they drive for much of the movie are not particularly attractive nor particularly powerful cars, and the Challenger and Camaro they pick up later are more plot device than eye candy, unless you're really into American Muscle I guess. The initial race includes Suki's S2000 and Brian's Skyline that both very quickly end up sidelined, you don't see much of them again. There is much less time spent in garages and at races here, which is part of why the core plot feels like a lot of other action movies where the protagonist is a criminal helping the cops. I wonder if some of this is down to appealing to a wider audience who may just not give a shit about the finer distinctions between the Honda Civic EF and EX hatch.

There's a beautiful sunset scene where Brian and Roman just talk it out for a few minutes and settle their differences, come to terms, and finally trust each other again. I know I'm pretty much only talking about this one relationship but it's pretty much the only part of the movie with any depth, and the other parts only gain value in their proximity to it.

The final sequence is a huge endurance run across Florida that is a lot of fun to watch and includes a very funny scene where they scramble like, a hundred cars as a distraction to throw the police off. If you watch you can see that they really just grabbed whatever cars they could find to pad out the shot, there's like three or four PT Cruisers hidden in here.

The final run is mostly a show of the reformed trust between these two, it's great, it's a decent culmination of what's been building up through the whole show, they get their freedom, together, and resolve to move on together.

The whole movie really hangs on this relationship, it elevates it from a solid 5/10 "absolutely mid action movie" to a 7/10 "compelling characters you will think about later" type deal.

#2 fast 2 furious #fast and furious #furious book report #Youtube

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lindyloosims · 10 days

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Theo the little genius has had an invite to the honours society! I couldn't be more proud of my boy! I wish Kace was here to see how amazing all of our children are. They've come such a long way in a short amount of time!

We have a strict relationship, something I never dreamed of but it's happened. I don't even know how, but he pushes my boundaries quite a lot. Helping him with his homework and projects are a hit or a miss, he's way too smart for his own good...but I love him!

Olly has had to get braces and he's not very happy about it! The kids at school have started to call him Jaws...poor kid!

The twins are now infants, they have their father's hair. There's no way we can deny their paternity now!

Olly loves his niece and nephew, he helps Heidi out as much as he can. He puts them to bed and even changes the odd nappy. Reading them stories is his favourite thing though.

He is now a full teen and despite his lifelong difficulties, he has done so well this far! He makes me just as proud of him as I am of his brother!

Heidi is enjoying motherhood, she is so good at it too! My little cautious grandbabies are actually a dream to have around, they aren't any trouble at all! Like their mother before them!

I am so blessed, Kacey may be gone but I have people in my life that make her loss just a little bit bearable! Melody and Ethan have given me a new lease of life...as a grandpa!

⏮️Previous/Next⏭️

#sims4wheelofdramalegacychallenge #s4wodlc #ts4 #sims 4 #the sims 4 #ts4 challenge #sims 4 challenge #the sims 4 challenge #ts4 legacy #sims 4 legacy #the sims 4 legacy #ts4 legacy challenge #sims 4 legacy challenge #the sims 4 legacy challenge #Zaccy Dowling #Sulani

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bug-oc · 11 months

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Bug Fables OC Tournament Round 3

Marigold (she/her) from @mantisgodsdomain

The field she lacks in, of course, is morals.

Mop from @crisbeedonuts

we had a dream that there was a bug fables sequel but the only thing we remember is that leif somehow had this cordyceps baby. it looked like a pile of spaghetti and couldn't talk but we think it still went to bug kindergarten or something, we don't remember a lot of details. but the entire day following we couldn't stop thinking about leif having this fungus child so we named it mop. now it's like our child in real life to us

#bf oc tournament #bug fables #bug fables oc

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