#asher extras

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💛🩵OC Interview Tag Game🩵💛

TYSM @zosa95 for the tag!! I chose to do this for my boys (are we even a little bit surprised?)

Atlas: So, what is this? What are we doing? Asher: It’s just a quick interview for something called “Simblr”. Atlas: Simblr? That sounds familiar. Have we done interviews for them before? Asher: Ah, yeah, once or twice, I think.

Atlas: Alright, well, let’s get it over with. Asher: Love your enthusiasm. Atlas: I’m just tired of interviews, that’s all. They’re all the same. Asher: Well, this one isn’t about our company or our game. It’s just about us. Atlas: Oh. Okay. What do they want to know?

ARE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?

Asher: No, not really. Atlas: My middle name used to be my dad’s name, Michael, but not anymore. I’m estranged from my family, so when Ash and I got married and I took his last name, I got rid of my middle name at the same time.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?

Atlas: Why does anyone want to know that? Asher: You’re not embarrassed, are you? Atlas: No, it’s just a weird thing to ask someone. But okay, um, I don’t know, probably when our twins were born. Holding them for the first time, we were both a mess. Asher: Yeah, we were. I don’t think that was the last time though. I mean, those first few months were so overwhelming and emotional, add the sleep deprivation on top of it, and believe me, we both cried many times.

DO YOU HAVE KIDS?

Asher: Yeah, I guess we answered this one in the previous question, but we have twin infants, Sadie and Simon. Atlas: They’re growing so fast, they’re going to be toddlers before we know it. Asher: I know! I’m not ready!

DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT?

Atlas: Oh god, no. Never. Asher: Wouldn’t dream of it.

WHAT’S THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?

Asher: I don’t know, it depends on what you mean. I think I mostly pay attention to their body language and the way they carry themselves. Atlas: You know, in the last Simblr interview we did, you asked me what I noticed about you first, but you never said what you first noticed about me. Asher: Oh, that’s easy, you were fucking hot. [laughs] No, but seriously, I just remember you coming up to me at work all tall and fit and gorgeous. It took everything in me to focus on pouring my coffee so I could keep my cool. And then I started talking to you, and you were so quiet and reserved, but also really warm and kind and funny. From the moment we met, I had a massive crush on you. Hell, we’ve been together for almost a decade, and I still have a crush on you. Anyway, what am I talking about? I don’t even remember what the question was. Did I answer it?

WHAT’S YOUR EYE COLOR?

Atlas: Mine are blue. And a little green. They change depending on the lighting and what I’m wearing. Or, standing next to Ash, they’ll match his hair. Asher: They do; I love it! Mine are just gray. Boring. Atlas: They’re definitely not boring. Gray is my favorite color, you know.

SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?

Asher: I think we’d both say happy endings. Atlas: Yeah, neither of us are really into scary movies. Asher: Not like slasher movies or supernatural shit anyway. But a scary sci-fi movie can be good. Atlas: Right, exactly. Aliens or zombies or something is fun, but otherwise we mostly watch stupid comedies, to be honest.

ANY SPECIAL TALENTS?

Atlas: Ash is the talented one. His art is incredible. I mean, what he creates for our games is mind blowing, we know this, but he also draws in his sketchbook every day, and I am constantly in awe by how detailed and beautiful his drawings are. Asher: Thank you. But don’t act like you’re not just as talented. You have the most beautiful voice I’ve ever heard. Seriously, the only thing I miss about living with my parents is listening to you sing along while my dad played the piano.

WHERE WERE YOU BORN?

Asher: Brindleton Bay Atlas: Willow Creek

DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS?

Atlas: Yep, we have two dogs. Asher: We have a pit bull, and she’s called Pixel. And then we have a beagle, and he’s called Pluto.

WHAT SORT OF SPORTS DO YOU PLAY?

Atlas: I like to run; I ran track in high school and college. And I was really into rock climbing for a while. I actually climbed Mt. Komorebi back when Ash and I were first dating, but I think I got burnt out on it after that. So, now I just run. I do miss having something to work towards, though. I plan to do the San Sequoia marathon when the kids are a bit older and I have more time to dedicate to training.   Asher: Sports have never been my thing. I’ll run with Atlas sometimes just to stay active and healthy. It's gotten easier over time, but I wouldn’t say I enjoy it. I love to dance, though.

HOW TALL ARE YOU?

Asher: Atlas is so tall, I love it. He’s like six feet. Atlas: Yep. You’re what, five eight? Asher: Five nine! Atlas: Sure. Asher: Fuck off. Atlas: [laughs]

WHAT WAS YOUR FAVORITE SUBJECT IN SCHOOL?

Asher: Art. Big surprise, I’m sure. Atlas: I always really enjoyed math. And computer science, of course, but from the time I was little, it was always math. As a kid, there was something comforting about knowing there was one right answer, and a clear way to get to it.

WHAT IS YOUR DREAM JOB?

Asher: We’re doing it! We make video games for a living. There’s nothing I’d rather do, and no one I’d rather do it with. Atlas: Yeah, same. From the moment Ash first told me his idea for Oneironaut, this is all I’ve wanted to do. I can't imagine doing it with anyone else.

I'm going to tag: @madebysimblr, @honeyjars-sims, @damseljamsel, @igotsnothing, @theosconfessions, @aurorangen, @dandylion240, @mossymariposa, and anyone else that wants to give this a go! 💖

As per, feel free to ignore if you've already done it, or if you just don't wanna.

[lynzishell]

Atlas & Asher Deep Dive - Saying "I Love You"

By now, I’ve shared nearly everything there is to share about these two (at least up until the current point in time). But there’s one important part of their story that’s been left out, and that’s the first time each of them said “I love you” to the other.

I’d like to remedy that today, so proceed below the cut if you’d like to join me on this little journey…

[cw for mild nudity in the first photo below]

This. This was the moment Ash realized he'd fallen in love. This was the first night they spent together after becoming official... the night Atlas paced in front of his door before finally gaining the courage to knock, the courage to open his heart and let Ash in.

Of course, we know that Atlas already knew he loved Ash when he showed up at his door. At one point, he thought to himself:

And who knows, maybe I’m wrong. Maybe there’s a chance he could love me the way that I love him.

But it wasn't until a few hours later, lying naked in the dark, enjoying their post-coital bliss and staring into each other's eyes, that it really hit Ash just how hard he'd fallen. At the time, we didn't get any insight into his thoughts because the story is told from Atlas' POV, but here's a little glimpse:

I’ve been in love before. But never like this. The way I look back on my life now, and all I can see is how every single decision I’ve ever made has led me here, led me to him. Every one of those decisions, no matter how small or silly or stupid or wrong they seemed at the time, are now more precious to me than the air I breathe.

Yeah, Ash is a bit intense! And he knows it too. So, he didn't say anything. Neither of them did.

Well... that's not entirely true.

Ash was so overwhelmed, he actually felt like he would burst if he didn't say it out loud. So, he waited for Atlas to fall asleep, and then he whispered the words to him in the dark.

He carried on this way for about two months... telling Atlas he loved him while watching him sleep.

But eventually, it started to feel like a secret he was keeping, and that ate at him.

He knew he needed to tell him for real. But he also knew there was a chance Atlas wouldn’t be ready to say it back yet, and he needed to prepare himself for that scenario even though deep down he hoped Atlas was just waiting for him to say it first. That once he said it, he would say it right back and they’d sail through this milestone in their relationship easily. But nothing with Atlas had ever been that easy, had it?

One night while watching a movie together, Atlas was lying with his head in Ash’s lap while Ash ran his fingers through his hair, and something about the moment, so peaceful and tender, just felt right. So, Ash took a breath and said softly, “I love you.”

Just as he feared, Atlas looked like a deer in the headlights, stumbling and stuttering as he tried to find a way to respond, to explain without hurting his feelings. Luckily, Ash was prepared, he’d already decided how he wanted to respond if he reacted this way. So, just before Atlas’s anxiety rose to all-out panic, Ash shoved his feelings of disappointment aside and placed a comforting hand on the side of his face and told him, “It’s okay, you don’t have to say anything. I don’t want you to until you’re ready.”

What Ash hadn’t prepared for was the waiting. He wasn’t sure whether to keep saying it in the hopes Atlas would one day say it back, or if that was putting too much pressure on him and he should drop it, leave the ball in Atlas’s court, wait for him to say it when he’s ready. But how long would he be left hanging?

When another two months passed, Ash felt discouraged and hurt.

There were moments, like the one above, the morning before Atlas left for his climb up Mt. Komorebi, when Ash was sure he was about to say it, but he’d say something else instead. The disappointment was more gutting every time.

He wondered what was stopping him. Was it that he wasn’t sure about how he felt? Or was it the words themselves? Maybe they could come up with a unique word or phrase, something all their own. That could be quite sweet. Maybe even more meaningful.

He didn’t want to cause any additional pressure or stress right before Atlas left for such a dangerous excursion, so he decided to wait until he returned to talk to him about it.

So, what was preventing Atlas from saying it back? He certainly did love Ash, and he wasn’t blind to the hurt his silence caused.

The answer is found here. Henry was the first person that Atlas ever allowed himself to open up to and be vulnerable with. And it was that vulnerability that allowed their relationship to go from platonic to romantic.

When Atlas said “I love you” to Henry, it was not only the first time he’d said it in a romantic sense, but it was the first time he’d ever said the words to anyone. And while Henry did say it back in the moment, it was only a matter of days before he took it back and broke Atlas’ heart. Thus, confirming his already deep-seated belief that love is conditional, that he is not worthy of it, and that he is destined to be alone.

Given all of this, it’s no surprise that he struggled not only to give a relationship with Asher a chance, but saying “I love you” opened up the possibility that it would all be taken away again. Anytime he felt himself wanting to say the words, fear would take hold, and he couldn’t do it. So, what changed?

That moment on the mountain when he nearly lost his sister, everything changed.

At the beginning of The Past arc, when Atlas wakes up from his nightmare for the first time, one of the things he mentions is that he’s unable to cry:

I’ve always wondered if this is a normal thing, if it’s something everyone experiences, or if it’s connected to my inability to cry under any other circumstances. Something that was trained out of me from such a young age that I’m not sure if my body even remembers how.

When Dawn fell, it was the most terrifying moment of his entire life. Anything else he’d ever been afraid of paled in comparison.

When Phoenix caught her, and he realized she was okay, he collapsed and sobbed. It was the first time he’d cried since he was little. I can only imagine how cathartic it must have been.

The experience also made him face his own mortality and realize how quickly it can all be taken away. He was suddenly filled with a need to tell Asher how he felt. He couldn’t bear the idea of something happening to either of them before he ever had the courage to tell him how he felt. Now, he was far more afraid of not saying “I love you” than he ever had been to say it.

The first thing he does when he arrives home is call Ash, who immediately rushes over. He barely has time to say hello before Atlas embraces him and says, “I love you! I love you so much! I’m sorry…”

Between the emotion of the moment, the exhaustion of the climb, and the weight of everything he’d been through over the last week, he broke down again. Which I’m sure sufficiently freaked Ash out. But true to his nature, he spent the night comforting and reassuring him.

This was a turning point in their relationship. After this, they were both more committed to each other than ever, and I’m glad I finally got to share it!

Thank you so much to anyone who made it through all that... I know it was a lot (as usual) 😅

I’m going to leave you with the first time the boys are actually seen saying “I love you” to each other in my story… which takes place just over a year later in story time:

[lynzishell]

🩵Meet My Couple - Valentine's Challenge - Atlas & Asher💛

Thank you so much @sadraccoon061 for tagging me!! This was so much fun to do and I absolutely loved seeing Ouro & Egregore's!!!

I'm going to tag: @igotsnothing, @hannahssimblr, @madebysimblr, @honeyjars-sims, @sirianasims, @zosa95, @elderwisp, @raiiny-bay, @havenroyals, @dandylion240

And anyone else who wants to do this!! Everyone do it and tag me cos I want to see them all!

The template and rules can be found here

💛🩵💛🩵

I've never shared the story of how/when each of them said "I love you" to each other. Of course Asher said it first, and I'm sure it's no surprise that it took Atlas quite a bit longer to say it back. I do plan to share all of that somewhat soon. I'm holding off until after the end of this current chapter because the reason it took Atlas so long will be shown in my story in a couple of weeks, so after that I'll start working on a little extra commentary for them to give all the details.

[lynzishell]

🎉Happy Birthday, Ash!

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💖Give Me a Kiss💖

Challenge: Ready for a kiss? Show me your most beautiful kisses, or the ones that give you butterflies in your stomach. There are no limits and everyone can join in.

Tagged by: @igotsnothing , @zosa95, @weirdosalike, @dandylion240, @madebysimblr 🩷 Thank you all SO MUCH!!!

The #1 Kiss in my story that will forever give me butterflies is Atlas & Asher's first kiss 🥹🩵💛

But there are many many more that I love, so proceed below the cut to go on a little journey with me...

First Kisses:

[the first kiss in my story: bb 17yo Phoenix and Greta 🤲]

Big Moments:

And others I'm generally obsessed with...

Thank you again to those who tagged me!! 🤗💖

I've been away for a bit and I have no idea who hasn't done this yet. So, please, if you haven't been tagged yet, and you want to do this, then I am tagging YOU 🫵

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the couple that protests together, stays together

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🩵💛❄️💛🩵❄️🩵💛