#i was actually gonna write a snippet for something BUT my mind blanked and today is supposed to be my writing break day

[reddamselette]

Jason was resting against the headboard of his bed, his glasses low on his nose as he read with a book pressed on his thigh. The dim lighting from his lamp provided illumination, a fuzzy warm glow like the sun was peeking through the blinds of his window during sunrise.

It was well past midnight. His room was the only window barely lit up, the city was asleep as was every other person within the apartment he resided in. Jason assumed Thalia had already gone to bed, no longer able to hear the muffled talking and shouts of laughter each time they’d been on the phone with a friend.

He sighed as he threw his legs over the edge of his bed, closing the book along with him as he stood up and made his way over to his desk sitting in the corner near the window. Jason took off his glasses to rub at his eyes, he finished the book but he had a five page book report left that was due the next morning before lunch. He didn’t know when time was lost on him, he might’ve been busy but at the moment, sleep was all he could think about.

Just before he would leave his room to wash his face and make a cup of tea, he heard a thud.

It was a fleeting thing and he would’ve thought it was a mere figment of his imagination had it not happened again.

Jason turned around and stepped closer to his window, pushing the curtains apart only to reveal someone on the other side of the glass. Someone who was known on the news and the talk of the public, a hero with a spider front and center on his chest, never one to stay too long and was always one to keep an identity hidden.

Against his better judgment, he unlocked the latch to his window and pulled it up, allowing the hero to stumble in with a muffled grunt that quickly turned into a wince.

Jason closed the window and shut the curtains, carefully directing the other to sit at the chair of his desk.

He had never seen Spiderman up close before. However seeing the real thing compared to what he had seen on the media was always a different experience. Others think he was old enough to be in his twenties but to Jason, the hero couldn’t have been younger than he is.

“Why in the world,” Jason started in a whisper, “would you randomly ask someone who you don’t even know for help?”

Spiderman laughed, a breathless sort of sound that reminded Jason all too much of someone who stole his heart. His body shivered involuntarily like he was shocked. He might’ve been.

“Why in the world would you let someone—ah, shit—let someone you don’t know in your room?” The hero asked in turn, a lazy tilt of his head to the side as he pressed a gloved hand to his torso. “I..I think I can trust you.”

Jason huffed and he left the room. Only to come back minutes later with a few things, a first aid kit and rubbing alcohol.

His information on first aid and injuries were only built on what Will would mention, what he’d share from the medical program he was enrolled in. As he knelt down beside the hero, gently pulling away his hand to check the wound, Jason knew it wasn’t fatal but it was nasty under the fabric of his suit.

“Lift up your shirt,” Jason muttered as he set the things beside his knees, opening the lid to the alcohol and used the washcloth to absorb some of the stinging liquid.

“Usually you would have to—“ The hero hissed as he slowly peeled his shirt up and over his side, revealing warm and tan skin covered in blood. “Take me out on a date first before asking me that.”

“Hold still, you’re bleeding everywhere.” Jason could only imagine the questions and concerns if he left his room unattended for Thalia to see. They’d think he was related in life threatening situations, might’ve gotten mugged or something other that wouldn’t have been possible unless he left the safety of his room that late. Thalia always did have the talent of stressing themself out.

Although, Jason had a feeling that if they knew he opened his window to a stranger—nevermind that they’re a hero—they would explode.

Those thoughts were quickly drowned out, a flash of lightning to something that had struck out in Jason’s mind. “What did you mean by you think you can trust me? I could’ve been a bad guy for all you know.”

The hero curled his fingers into a fist as he released a strained breath of air and Jason murmured an apology, carefully dabbing the washcloth laced with rubbing alcohol around the wound. Will would’ve been proud, really. “I-Is it safe to say that I doubt it? I’ve had my—my fair share of bad guys and none of them read Wuthering Heights before bed.”

“What if I happen to be an extinguished criminal then? Get inspiration on my wrongdoings or whatever from whatever I read?”

“Maybe it’s a good thing this isn’t a comic book, otherwise I think—I think I would’ve had to deal with the Joker or something.”

Jason huffed under his breath, shaking it head as he cleaned up the last bit of blood around the wound, hoping he disinfected thoroughly yet he felt like even the slightest of it went a long way. He set the washcloth down and grabbed a gauze pad, pulling off the thin sheet of paper as he stuck it to the hero’s side, doing it in such a way to avoid anything suddenly getting into the gash.

“My best friend says the same thing,” Jason said after he began unrolling the bandage around the hero’s torso.

Spiderman lifted his head to look at Jason through his mask but the blond was concentrated. His brows were furrowed and his lips were pursed in the way that no one but him would notice. “Do they?”

Jason didn’t answer for a moment as he tidied everything up, packing away the bandages and such into the first aid kit then closed the lid to the bottle of rubbing alcohol. His knees ached by the time he stood and he placed it onto his desk next to his book. “Mm. My older sister says he’s a bad influence though.”

“I am not a bad influence—“ He paused and he coughed weakly, then he sighed just as Jason nodded to himself and took a seat on his bed directly across. He hesitantly raised his hand, hooking his fingers around the material of his mask to pull it off.

Brown curls popped and fell around his face, frizzy and hardly taken care of, some strands stuck to his forehead due to sweat. It was a rough fight Leo went through, he didn’t know how he managed to escape.

He had several small cuts to his cheek, his lip, his jawline. A bruise forming high on his cheekbone near his eye but hazel irises remained the same and he was otherwise unscathed and embarrassed. “How did you know?”

Jason had guessed. He had his suspicions for a long while, since their sophomore year. They were halfway through junior year now, events and trips piled one after the other and they were busy as ever. He vaguely recalled the sudden absences of his best friend—his tia needed something or he left something at home—with rushed apologies as he ran like his life depended on it.

And it had.

And it seemed to make Jason fall in love with him more. The boy he loved since middle school. The hero he looked at like he decorated the sky in stars, pulled the very reins of the chariot holding the sun.

Jason couldn’t help it. There were dangers of him knowing yet he wouldn’t mind at all of being Icarus. He would always fly too close to the sun if it meant spending his entire life with Leo, he thought.

“Your excuses aren’t very convincing, Leo.”

[phoebe-delia]

Hello, Phoebe. I’m back :)

How are you doing? Just put whatever you feel like here! This ask is the Phoebe Show; make it yours!

Lyssa, it is always a pleasure to see you in my notifs, but especially in my ask box! Thank you for filling it with kind words, awesome prompts, and fun questions for me to play around with.

This blog is the closest I imagine I'll ever come to having the Phoebe Delia Show, and since you have given me free rein with this ask, I shall endeavor to make it count.

I've gotten some incredible asks about my interests, but I'm going to answer a question that has been asked by exactly no one and rank Taylor Swift's albums.

This will be in order of my favorites; this isn't necessarily a reflection of what I think the rank would be in terms of objective quality; instead, this is based on my own personal enjoyment of the albums.

As always, I will provide a little explanation as to my reasoning, because I am nothing if not indulgent.

I actually really surprised myself with this ranking; as I looked through the albums I evaluated each by counting the number of songs I liked off of each one, and the ranking I thought I had has now changed. (I will explain in my comments!).

So! With that said. The Phoebe Delia Show Presents: Ranking Taylor Swift Albums.

1. Speak Now--To me, there is only one skip on this entire album; it is bop after bop. (If you're wondering, I think "Innocent" is the skip). Every song is just fun! I should also point out that this is also my favorite in part because Taylor said it was inspired by theater/Broadway.

2. 1989--I'm gonna be honest and say that I'm ashamed to have sort of slept on this album for so long. Don't get me wrong--I listened to and enjoyed it a lot when it came out, but I always sort of automatically pushed it further down on my list in favor of my 3rd choice because I liked the songs on my 3rd choice more. But now that I'm older and my music taste has somewhat evolved, I think I can say that 1989 is my 2nd favorite. There are truly no skips on this album. Yes, I know I said SN has a skip, but that album holds a special place in my heart so it gets number 1. I was thinking it over today, and while Taylor has always been amazing, I think this is the album that launched her into superstardom. We, her fans, knew she could do anything, but she still shocked us all by making the transition to an entirely pop album. Remember the "Blank Space" and "Bad Blood" music videos? I still think those are two fo my favorite of her mvs, though LWYMMD is a close second.

3. Red--Oh, my beloved. This album is wonderful. I have a lot of memories associated with this one, particularly watching the WANGBT music video and the IKYWT parody with the fucking goat that makes me laugh so hard even to this day. I am SO pumped for TV in November!! And while, yes, "All Too Well" is my favorite song on the album (and my fave TS song overall), "Holy Ground" is slept on and amazing.

4. folklore--This album is probably the most meaningful to me of them all just because of when it came out. We as an entire global community were struggling, and I know I had immense privilege to have been healthy and safe during that time. Still, like everyone else, I was depressed, lonely, and felt trapped inside my home and inside my mind. I will never forget listening to this album in my room and gasping when I heard TIMT. Not long after this album came out, I also lost my family dog, and this album was essential in helping me grieve. This album saved my sanity and gave me a cathartic outlet. I will be forever grateful to Taylor for writing it.

5. Reputation--This is another one for which I have a lot of memories. I will never forget when the LWYMMD music video came out and the world lost its entire mind. Taylor said there are still easter eggs we missed and I want someone to find them please and thank you. There are a few songs on this album that I'm not obsessed with, but the storytelling is so cohesive and creative. On the surface, one might think Taylor was being petty or whiny, but if you look closer--and remember the utter hell she was going through at the time--I think there are deeper meanings than her just getting back at Kim and Kanye.

6. Fearless--Oh, this album. It has some of her most iconic songs: YBWM, "White Horse," "Love Story"," "Forever and Always," etc. I truly wish I could tie this one with Rep, but I think Rep edges this one out *just* barely with songwriting/lyrical quality. I also don't know if I'll ever fully get over the fact that she kept "Mr. Perfectly Fine" from us for so long, but I suppose I can consider the 10 min "All Too Well" on Red TV to be proper repayment. ;)

7. evermore--I could not believe my eyes when she announced this album. How can this woman write this fast and this well!! I will never forget listening to "champagne problems," "no body, no crime," and "tolerate it" in particular. I ranked this after reputation just bc I think I enjoy listening to Rep more, but some of the songwriting on this album is *chefs kiss.*

8. Lover--I know, I know, I'm sorry. I don't want to put this one so low on the list but I just kind of can't put it any higher? I really love some of the songs on this album, but SYGB is too sad for me, "London Boy" kinda annoys me I'm sorry, and I just never really got into INTHAF or "Afterglow." But, that said, every other song on the album is a bop, even ME!, although I listen to the live version over the studio recording. It's a great album though.

9. Taylor Swift (Debut album)--I feel a little bad ranking this so low but I cannot honestly tell you that this album is better than her others, and something has to be last on the list. There are also some great, classic songs on this album. So, instead of being critical, I'm instead going to say that I remember vividly seeing a snippet of "Teardrops On My Guitar" advertised on Disney Channel for Radio Disney. It makes me smile to think of how far she's come since then.

And that concludes this episode of The Phoebe Delia Show! Tune in next time where I post some other self-indulgent opinion about one of my interests and hope it reaches people who care to read it :)

Send me an ask about Harry Potter, broadway/musicals, The West Wing, and/or Taylor Swift! Or just about life in general :).

Also, I have a playlist of my 99 most listened-to songs of the year so far. Pick a number 1--99 and send me an ask and I'll write you a fic based on it!

[pertinax--loculos]

Update

Gonna try a new thing. I've seen these weekly updates from other writeblrs and it appeals to me because I can blather about writing or lack of writing (if it's been one of Those weeks), I can also include anything else I want, and it's a manageable goal to have for a start.

Tentatively breaking it up into writing, reading OR watching, real life (if applicable), and possibly excerpt (again, if applicable).

So! (Warning: This is long. I seriously babble like nothing else.)

Currently Writing Absent That Night (tagged: WIP: ATN)

wordcount: no clue, it's all on my phone and I've been writing scenes I'd previously written snippets for, so it's a mash-up. (Which reminds me I need to back it all up at least onto my computer.)

Proud of the short summary I did for my pinned post, so repeating it here:

Agent Latrell has been chasing the thief known as Nox for more than three years; but when bodies start turning up at his crime scenes, he’s the only one who believes Nox isn’t responsible. Unfortunately, he’s also the only other suspect. In order to clear his name, he’s going to have to find the real killer; and the only way to do that is to team up with a criminal who, it turns out, he knows absolutely nothing about.

still love love LOVING this WIP. I've got pages and pages of notes, and it is probably getting a wee bit too complex with subplots and suspects etc, but I'm an overwriter anyway so if I end up with a 200k word draft then shrug. More to work with

dunno if I mentioned or just thought it was obvious because I know it so well, but it has an enemies/rivals-to-allies(lovers?) (sub?)plot. So I've been pulling out a lot of threads there

technically I'm up to about halfway between the catalyst and break into two. Definitely not hardcore plotting but I do have an idea of the beats I wanna follow in the back of my head

Nox is still a fucking mess. I should probably stop piling trauma onto him, poor guy

my favourite creation this week is Mark Gault, who is a secondary/minor character who is amazing in every way. He is both essentially a ruthless mercenary and the "I LOVE MY WIFE" guy. (I also keep calling him Grant, instead of Mark, because he's actually the father of a character who first appears in Phase Two of CASCADE. (!!!))

basically happy with how it's all going this week. Regular writing is getting the juices flowing and it's easier to come up with ideas even when I've only got a vague notion of what is supposed to happen in the scene.

guys i am such an overwriter this is ridiculous please send help this scene was supposed to be like 2.5k total and it's turned into 4-5 scenes and is like 10k long dear god--

Currently Reading Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater, book three of the Raven Cycle

I have not just jumped in at book three of a series, I have read the previous two.

in the last week.

I've read eleven books in the last five weeks, so that's... something.

they have all been thrillers except for this series. (And also Girl One, which despite being marketed as a thriller was definitively NOT a thriller. Which, yes, I should've guessed from the tag line, but I'm still mad about it.)

I am in love with the prose. It feels similar to mine, but Better, and I have been unconsciously mimicking it.

(which may be a problem when I finish it and am still writing ATN, but that is an issue for Future Pockets)

ngl I was not a fan of the way the first book ended. Not only did I have to reread the final line multiple times in order to even begin to grasp it, but I kinda think it's a dick move to end on a cliffhanger, even for an established author and clear indications this was gonna be a series

(but you bought the next book, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU??)

very very much enjoying the series, to be concise (ha!). Love the characters and it's all pretty tightly paced. The overarching series arc kiiinda maybe feels a bit slow/irrelevant, and some of the motivations annoy me, but I keep reminding myself it's YA in which the motivations are in character, so

not far into this one yet but so far so good

I wrote this earlier this week and since have begun thinking the series arc is becoming more relevant, but am reserving judgement. Reading slower with work and reading but still enjoying it all

Real Life

continues to be mostly a pain in the ass. Apps in for a second job, research on next year ongoing

update: may have the dream second job, basically waiting for confirmation (fingers crossed!)

one of my housemates is the literal devil, although even that is being quite kind to her. The nice one is moving out because of it. People keep asking how I've lived in this house for three years. I have no answer.

enjoying writing time in evenings and feeling mentally pretty good thanks to exercise

Excerpt Long, nearly 900 words, but a favourite of recent pieces and also something I coincidentally wrote today. Nox and Latrell's third meeting, when Latrell is still, uh... resistant to the idea of working with him:

"Why me?" Not at all the way Latrell had intended to phrase it, but he couldn't take it back. He continued, quickly, instead, jumbled thoughts pouring out of his mouth. "Surely that's the least you can give me. You come to me and ask me to fucking help you after you've made the last three months of my life living hell, you can at least fucking tell me why the fuck that is. You owe me that much. I'm not letting you fucking walk away until you fucking answer me that."

Nox was silent for a long moment. He ran a calculating gaze up and down Latrell, as if searching for something; it wasn't apparent whether or not he'd found it when he said, softly, "And if I don't?"

Latrell was abruptly very aware of the weight of the handcuffs in his back pocket. He would have to move quickly. There was every possibility Nox would see this coming, especially if he'd been arrested before. But Latrell was quietly confident. He inched his hand back, keeping it subtle, eyes on Nox's face.

"In that case," he said, as evenly as he could. His fingertips brushed warm metal. "Perhaps we should try something--"

Everything went white.

For a moment Latrell thought he'd somehow lost consciousness; that he'd underestimated Nox's affinity for violence, that the man had punched him or otherwise managed to incapacitate him without otherwise moving. Then it occurred to him that he was still thinking, which essentially took unconsciousness off the table, and he realised, vaguely, that it was an illusion.

It was very, very convincing.

The entire world was an endless expanse of emptiness. Utterly, absolutely white, a whiteness that could not and should not exist. Latrell was overcome by a sensation of falling, of plummeting into nothingness; he had to concentrate to feel his feet still on the ground, to know he was still upright. He had nothing to orient himself. There was no up, no down, no left or right. Just that endless expanse of a lack of colour. He was hanging in nothingness, or everything.

"You forget who you are dealing with, Agent."

Latrell swallowed down nausea. Nox's voice came from startlingly close, the sound of it somehow wrong, which objectively he knew came from the fact that his brain was convinced it should sound small and insubstantial in this endless void but it sounded normal because he was actually still standing in the alley. It was academic knowledge only. He still felt like he was tipping or falling or rising, weightless and disoriented. He had no voice, no ability to open his mouth.

Experimentally he tried to take a step. He couldn't lift his foot off the ground. Physically, he was sure he could -- he could still twitch his fingers, if he thought about it -- but his mind was convinced that there was nothing to step away from, nothing to step onto. Just nothing, nothing, nothing. A brightness that wasn't a light, a void constructed of the pieces between atoms.

Nox's voice came from his other side this time. "I have attempted to do this civilly, but there are other options."

It was a struggle to concentrate on his words, close as they were. Latrell tried to narrow his focus to only sound, tried to ignore the nothingness he was suspended in, tried to tell himself it was all an illusion. Just something Nox wanted him to see. The Orn, threaded through his eyes or brain or soul, acting upon Nox's orders.

It didn't help. He was still in freefall.

"Do not," Nox's voice came, a bare whisper in his ear, breath brushing Latrell's neck, "Presume to test me."

Abruptly the white disappeared. Latrell was back in the alley, trying to adjust to the change of light, trying to find where Nox had gone. Turning his head made the ground roil beneath him and he staggered, utterly disoriented.

Fingers closed around his forearm, steadying him, and Latrell looked up to find Nox inches away.

"Easy, Agent," he purred. His smile was more a baring of his teeth.

Latrell wrenched away from him, staggering until his back connected with a comfortingly solid wall. He was dizzy, brain still adjusting to reality, but he managed to straighten his spine and set his shoulders. He kept his hands in front of him. In Nox's view.

"Do we have an understanding?" Nox said, still silky and low.

"Screw you," Latrell said, voice faint and alien.

Nox's smirk sharpened. "I thought so. Lovely chat, Agent Latrell." He sauntered past where Latrell stayed pressed against the wall, hesitated at the corner of the alley. "Keep up the good work."

He stepped forward and disappeared from view.

Latrell's breath left him in a rush and he doubled over, bracing himself on his knees. His head still spun, the unpleasant sensation he'd come to expect from vertigo. The backs of his eyelids were painted with a stark blank white. Every time he blinked he was engulfed.

It was far beyond any illusion he'd ever experienced. It was approaching the type he'd only ever read about in scientific articles.

You forget who you are dealing with, Agent.

Perhaps he had. But this assault supplied more than a reminder.

It also provided a piece of the puzzle.

[starwitness42]

The Scars on Our Hearts: Snippet 2

I actually managed to get some writing done today, so I thought I’d share the first section of the next chapter, “Bad Influence.” Hope you guys like it!

~*~

13 January 2020

The wind bites at the back of his neck as he sits with his legs crossed on the bonnet of his car in the McDonalds car park, the lukewarm cheeseburger sitting in his stomach like a lead weight. 

Cain hasn’t made a single sound since they stopped halfway through their journey south. He’s just sat there with his feet on Aaron’s bumper while he munches his own burger and stares off into the middle distance like it’s somehow managed to offend him. 

Aaron had wanted to come alone, had wanted to do all of this alone, frankly. But when Cain had insisted a few days ago that they’d be able to bring more of his things if they used two cars, Aaron really couldn’t find any fault in his logic

At least they wouldn’t have to drive in the same car, right? He can’t imagine anything worse than spending a proper road trip with his uncle, fighting over music and yelling about speed limits. Well, he can imagine plenty worse actually. But the road trip would be up there.  

His phone burns a hole in his pocket as he shoves a handful of chips into his mouth. Also lukewarm. Also filling his stomach up like they’re made of something decidedly denser than potatoes. 

He hasn’t checked his email all day, what with the packing and the driving n’all. He hasn’t checked it since last night, in fact, when he sent his record fiftieth visitor request to a husband still doing his best to pretend Aaron doesn’t exist. 

He’s been sending one every day for almost two months now, and each time he gets denied something tightens inside of him. He likes to think it’s determination, but he knows that any day that determination could take a much darker turn if he’s not careful. It all just boils down to which one of them is more stubborn, in the end. 

Balling up his paper burger wrapper, he drops it in the bag and slips his phone out, wiping his hand on his jeans to get the grease and salt off before he puts in his passcode and opens his email app. And for a second, just like every time before, his mind says this is gonna be the day. 

Visitation: Denied

So it’s not the day after all. Fuck. He really thought fifty would be his lucky number. But Robert is still blanking him and Aaron wants to chuck his phone across the car park just to watch it smash. 

“What’s up with you?” Cain asks, startling Aaron given how easily he’d forgotten his uncle was even there. 

“You what?”

“You,” Cain explains while waving a few chips in Aaron’s face. “You look like someone just punched you in the face.” 

“No, I don’t,” Aaron says petulantly as he wraps his arms around his body against the chill and lets his feet slip down to the bumper. 

“Trust me,” Cain says with a dark, sardonic laugh. “I’ve punched enough people in my time. I know the look.” 

“Oh, so just because you’re some legendary Thug of the Dales, I’m supposed to admit that there’s something wrong with me, is that it?” 

The corners of Cain’s lips tick up at that. “Pretty touchy for someone that ain’t got summat to hide.” 

Aaron shoots him a look that’s supposed to be withering but that, judging by Cain’s non-reaction, is nothing of the sort. So Aaron growls at him, but that only seems to further his uncle’s flaming glee, so he bites out, “Robert denied me visitation. Again. Happy now?” because he might as well get it over with, right? 

He’s expecting a lecture, or at the very least a snide comment. But all he gets is his uncle pitching his rubbish in their sad little bin bag and wiping off his hands as Aaron had done before looking back out into the middle distance formerly known as his mortal enemy. 

He takes a good, solid minute to gather his thoughts or whatever before asking, “You been sending a lot of them requests?” 

He doesn’t look at Aaron, doesn’t even move from how he’s leaning on his thighs, the sinking sun casting half of his profile in shadows. But Aaron can still feel his eyes boring into him. 

It’s comforting, almost. Someone actually wanting to see. 

“One a day for the last coupla months,” he admits. And even though he’s pretty sure Cain is here to report every single detail of his new life back to his mum, it still feels like a secret that only they’re sharing. And that matters to Aaron. 

Cain turns his face towards Aaron, looks like he’s either trying to study him or measure him up to see how big of a boot he’d need to get him home. But in the end, all he says is, “He’ll come through eventually.” 

The simple, confident statement takes the breath clear from Aaron’s lungs. Literally. It’s why he’s practically gasping when he whispers the word, “Yeah?” like it’s the last bloody life raft on the Titanic. 

Cain sits up straight, puffing his chest out as he says, with all the bravado Aaron’s come to expect from him, “‘Course he will, if he knows what’s good for ‘im.” 

Aaron laughs, a sharp bark of it that manages to put back the pieces that broke apart a few seconds ago. But then his uncle goes and shatters them once again by saying, all heartfelt and unlike him, “You are, you know.” Adding, when Aaron looks back at him in confusion, “Good for him. You’re good for him, lad. And he’ll figure that out sooner or later, you just watch.” 

Aaron doesn’t know what to say to that. He doesn’t even know what to feel to that. He can count on one hand the times when Cain has been legitimately soft with him, and truth be told, he weren’t expecting one on this trip. 

But here they are, sitting in a darkening McDonalds car park, sharing feelings like it’s something they do and Aaron…

Aaron can’t help but believe every single word his uncle says.

[lunapixu]

Pixu Ponders: My Favourite Games of the Decade

As the 2010s come to a close, I wanted to take a look back on my gaming experiences of the past ten years. I wish to look back on the games that I believe shaped my teen and young adult years, games that defined this decade for me, and all my treasured memories with them.

As we go into this, please bear in mind that these are my opinions. If you don’t like what you see, cool.

Furthermore, just because of long this darn post is, I’ve had to keep my list pretty short. If there’s a specific game you think I’ve missed, it’s because I had to cut it out.

Among the games cut from the list are: * Portal 2 * Super Mario Odyssey * Undertale * A Hat in Time * Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild * Stardew Valley * Monster Hunter (3U and World) (If you wish for me to write up about these games like the list below, shoot me an ask.)

The Binding of Isaac (2011 and 2014) (Franchise)

To me, the Binding of Isaac is a trend-defining indie game that, along with a couple other entries on this list, I believe contributed to the indie game boom.

The Binding of Isaac, created by Super Meat Boy's Edmund McMillen, depicts a young boy trying to escape his mother (and his inner torment) by delving into his basement and slaying countless monsters with his tears. Amongst many things, The Binding of Isaac stands out due to its simplistic art, unusual fleshy monsters, frequent depictions of... excrement, and a variety of other unsavoury material.

In spite of the crass material and immature nature its contents carry, The Binding of Isaac is a surprisingly deep and heavily replayable game. Many Roguelites that have sprung this decade like to say “No run is the same” but nowhere is this more clear than in the game that kickstarted the modern Roguelite trend. Within the game, Isaac can collect a wide variety of items that can help better slay monsters or navigate the labyrinthine levels of his basement. Isaac can pick up an item that allows him to shoot a large laser of blood, he could obtain a knife to throw at enemies, he can pick up an item that suspends his tears in midair and then release in a volley of bullets Kylo Ren style. When this game says “No run is the same”, it means it.

On Steam, I have over 250 hours on the game’s 2014 remake (Binding of Isaac Rebirth). I have approx. 300 of the 413 achievements the game has to offer. To say that I love and play the heck out of this game is an understatement. And it’s not even my most played game on Steam.

Hollow Knight (2017)

Hollow Knight was a surprise favourite of mine. Being a big fan of metroidvania games, I knew I was going to like this funky little bug game. After all, the game seemed fun and was going to be something of a hybrid between Metroid-style exploration and progression but a Dark Souls health system and storytelling. What’s not to like?

I will be real here, the first two areas of the game weren’t all that amazing. Though there were pleasant sights, neat characters, and simple but kinda fun gameplay, I couldn’t help but feel like wanting... more. Something more captivating. Perhaps something more amazing might await me if I push on through. A hurdle that I needed to overcome. Would it actually happen or will this fun but unimpressive saunter through the world of insects be all there is? And boy were my instincts right.

I will not go into the specifics but the game’s appeal and charm finally clicked for me after a few hours in. It was a combination of taking on two very specific bosses and entering a specific area of the game that instantly made me fall in love. I was enamoured. What had simply been me crossing a game off my bucket list had turned into an adventure I was whole-heartedly engaged in. This game’s adventure was now my own. It was an adventure that I hadn’t been quite as engaged with as... Kingdom Hearts, honestly. And if my posts on here are any indication, that’s quite the feat.

Hollow Knight’s usage of atmosphere, clever writing and worldbuilding, and simple but challenging gameplay are something of a brilliant recipe. I was fascinated by every single snippet of dialogue, smiling as my little insect buddy clashed with perilous foes, wowed by some of the levels, and charmed by every character who I happened to stumble upon.

Though I only played it so recently (Spring 2019 for reference), I can very confidently put it as one of my favourite games of all-time. A list shared by greats such as The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time, Cave Story, Kingdom Hearts 2, and Super Mario Galaxy.

Terraria (2011)

Ah, Terraria... The “2D Minecraft”, the “Minecraft but not as good”, the “Starbound but not in space”.

Terraria, as you may know, is a 2D action-platformer sandbox. It’s a game that drops you into a large (but not unlimited) world and says “You’re gonna need to gear up, bucko.” So, you tear down some trees and dig up the land a bit in a bid to gather some resources. After all, this is a sandbox! It’s mine, mine~ Mine for the taking~ It’s mine, boys. Mine me that gold! *ahem* Seems I got a little carried away. Anyways...

Within the first few minutes, the sun starts to set on Terraria’s world and you’re being mauled apart by zombies. That is unless you built a house and hunkered down for the night to avoid the ghouls that intend to ruin your night. Seem familiar? Well, it should. And it’s why people drum up the comparisons above, flag it as just another sandbox game, and leave.

This, I believe, is not really a fair look at Terraria. Yes, you mine blocks. Yes, you fight monsters at night to survive. But that’s it. Those are the only substantial comparisons to be made. Terraria, as I described earlier, is an action-platformer. To me, Terraria’s sandbox nature and simplistic Minecraft-esque survival come secondary to what I consider to be the meat of the game. The exploration, the combat system, and the shenanigans.

Within the game are several set pieces to explore and countless bosses to fight. Players are expected to plunge headfirst into the rotting landscape of the Corruption (or the more eldritch and bloodied Crimson), delve into the skeleton-filled Dungeon, brave the perilous Jungle, and even venture into Hell itself. In exploring and slaying the many powerful foes that await the player, one can go beyond just “I swing my Iron Sword at a Zombie. Yaaaaaay... =_=“ and into extreme levels of zaniness. Wanna beat up Martians with a lightsaber? I don’t recommend it but you can. Wanna kill a giant robot worm of doom with a minigun? You bet your butt you can.

Minecraft (2009, 1.0 release in 2011)

To say Minecraft didn’t define the 2010s would be a blatant lie. As the #1 best-selling game, a spot hotly contested with Tetris, it’s hard to deny the influence and critical success of this simple voxel-based sandbox game.

What is it that makes Minecraft such a perfect and fantastic game? To me, it’s all in the simplicity of it all. The lack of goal, the blank slate of a world you’re given, and the openness and accessibility of the game. Minecraft expects you to take whatever inspiration and ideas you may have and construct them in this blocky world.

Wanna build a plane? Wanna build a sweet mansion? A bit too normal for you? How about a working computer? What about recreating settings from your favourite games? In Minecraft, you can do just that. And let’s not even forget about the enormous modding community this game has. Automation, adventure, aesthetic, graphical enhancements, quality of life. Mods have everything and more!

Above all else, Minecraft helps to connect. With its huge player base and countless public servers, you’re bound to find a community that will welcome you and treat you right. Minecraft is best played in multiplayer, in my honest opinion. Explore caves with friends, collaborating on build projects, or just plain old chatting and hanging with folks.

For me personally, Minecraft is an invaluable game. Through it, I met countless people, made many friends (several of which I consider my best friends), I even found love through it. Minecraft came to me at a time I needed it most. As a late teen, I was at one of the lowest points in my life. The game allowed me to express myself and work past what issues I had developed over the years. In finding friends and a way to express, Minecraft helped shape me into a much better person. Were it not for this game and the folks I met through it, I wouldn’t be the person I am today.

[psychicdinneranon-blog]

i am soaring skyward just to tumble home

This was inspired by @terubi ‘s wonderful headcanons for Shou. Specifically the one about him going along on one of Reigen and Mob’s exorcism outings. The title is from Icarus by The Staves which was what I listened to while writing this.

Summary: Reigen invites Shou along to help him and Mob out with a ghost problem phrasing it as a “training mission” for the young espers. He does not realize that Shou had some very different training missions in mind.

At the small chime of the office door, Reigen looked up from the papers at his desk, which were scattered along his workspace in order to make it look a little bit more busy than normal. He quickly shifted his features into a calm, confident smile and mentally ran through his sales pitch. Though that train of thought was quickly derailed as he saw the two middle schoolers walk into his office.

“Hello you two.” He greeted Mob’s little brother and his little tagalong red headed friend easily and relaxed back into his seat. Glancing out the window for the first time in hours he noticed the elongated shadows and golden light.

‘Ah,’ he thought. ‘So that explained Mob’s brother appearing at the office.’

These days it wasn’t uncommon for Ritsu to come by every so often. Usually Mob would double check that there were no more scheduled clients and less than half an hour later Ritsu would walk through the door, waiting expectantly to walk home with his brother.

And where Ritsu went, his newfound friend often followed close behind.

“Hello.” Ritsu acknowledged Reigen before turning to face his brother while Shou grinned and waved at Reigen, enthusiastic as he ever was.

Deciding that he ought to tidy up his desk while he still had some company, Reigen began to gather the papers together as the boys chatted. They weren’t especially important, most of them junkmail sent to the office mailbox but he did spot a few grocery flyers in the pile. Said flyers were quickly snatched and slipped into a spare drawer for when he had to compose his usual grocery list.

Meanwhile he could hear snippets of the conversation happening a few feet away.

“Nah I’m telling you guys he’s just coming up with those so-called training exercises on the spot. He has no clue how he got so strong and is just making up stuff as he goes.” Shou argued about some anime Reigen had never seen as he paced back and forth in front of Mob’s desk. Reigen made a mental note to never give the kid caffeine, he could hardly sit still as he was.

“Even still it was a good way to train, plus they get to help people by going after the monsters.” From the corner of his eye Reigen could see his student looking as focused as ever as he gathered his things into his messenger bag.

“At this point, the cyborg is just trying to get stronger. He doesn’t really care what kind of training he’s doing as long as he thinks it will improve his skills.” Ritsu said as he leaned against the shelf near his brother, waiting patiently for everything to be put in its place.

Reigen let the conversation fade into a droning buzz as he read over one of the more official and important looking papers. When it turned out to just be a letter from the insurance agency asking if he wanted “new and improved” insurance he threw the paper into the ‘shred’ stack with a soft huff. It was then he heard the title given to him by Mob. He tried not to look up and make it painfully obvious that he was listening, but he couldn’t help but to keep an ear out for more. After all, it was only natural to listen when your name, or title in this case, was said.

“…Shishou does training exercises too.”

“Really?” That was Shou. Though he didn’t sound as carefree as he had when talking about that anime. Perhaps he was taking an interest in what happened at Spirits and Such?

“Yes, it is through his way of teaching that I have the level of control of my powers that I do.” Reigen felt a swell of pride surging up in his chest that warred with the feeling of quiet shame that he had done nothing for Mob to brag about.

“Well, a training exercise like that sounds like it would be something to see.” Shou watched as Mob picked up his bag and slipped on his shoes.

Being always ready for some actual psychic help as well as more than a little curious about the newest esper that regularly began to visit his office; Reigen decided to offer Shou an invitation to join him and Mob on their next trip out of the office to exorcise a ghost haunting a park across town.

“Hey kid!” Reigen said loudly as he quickly got up from his seat and raced over towards the three, Shou froze immediately. Then he turned to face Reigen, a silent question of what the man wanted in the expectant look on his face. Reigen did not let the otherwise blank look deter him. After all he had already dealt with Mob’s little brother on more than one occasion. “Would you like to come along with me and Mob for our next training session? Mob doesn’t really need them much anymore, but it’s still good to keep in practice.” He flashed Shou a bright smile to help sell the outing to the kid.

Mob looked on with a serene expression. He knew about the plan to exorcise the ghost in the park and he too was curious about his brother’s friend.

“Sounds like fun.” Shou smiled back, just as wide, just as bright, his hands in his pockets. All the while Ritsu gave Shou a Look with a capital “L”. Reigen guessed that it was partly due to Ritsu’s own feelings towards him, the boy never had liked him much. Though Mob’s little brother kept quiet about his thoughts on the matter.

“Great! We’ll be heading out of the office tomorrow once Mob gets here.”

Shou nodded and after a quick confirmation of the time the three left the office, heading back toward the Kageyama home. All the while Reigen was filling Shou in on the details, Ritsu had snuck quiet glances towards his friend with a slightly puzzled expression on his face.

 ---

Much like yesterday Reigen’s head snapped up once he heard the chiming of the bell to his office door. With long practiced ease he stood up from his desk and rushed to open it. Reigen slipped on a smile the same way one put on a jacket before heading out into the cold and stepped forward out of the office. Shou watched him curiously as he pulled out a key and locked the door behind him.

“No more scheduled clients today, and it’s enough of a walk that it should be awhile before we finish.” Reigen explained, catching the slight confusion that had crossed Shou’s features that had cleared up once he finished his explanation.

“No worries boss, lead the way.”

“Oh and Serizawa already left for his night classes tonight, but he told me to tell you both ‘hello’.” Reigen suddenly wondered if Shou knew that Serizawa was currently his employee.

Shou grinned at the name and nodded knowingly. “I’ll have to stop by and say hello at some point.”

The conversation fizzled out as the three walked to the train station. That is, until Mob asked which direction they were heading.

“We’ll want to head north, towards the city outskirts. And, um hang on I’ve got the address with me.” Reigen pulled out a piece of paper with hasty scribble marks on it. “Yeah north on the train station and then west once we get to our stop.” Then he paused and turned to face Shou.

Shou had stopped a few feet behind Mob, watching Reigen pull out the paper and half trying to see if he could read what was on it.

“Hey, do you happen to have a train pass? If not, I’m sure we can purchase one before we leave without too much trouble.”

Reaching into his pocket, and feeling a little bit like a child again when his mother would question him relentlessly to make sure that he hadn’t forgotten anything important, Shou pulled out his train pass. “I’ve got one.”

Reigen nodded and quickly slipped the piece of paper back into his pocket.  

The three boarded the train.

Once sitting and unable to take the silence anymore Reigen decided that it fell to him to initiate the conversation.

“So, since I only learned recently that there is a broad range of powers; what are some of the things you can do?” It occurred to Reigen that he probably should have made sure that Shou could exorcise ghosts before taking him along on the trip. Ah well, it was too late to fix that. Worse came to worse he’d just keep the kid behind him.

Shou straightened in his seat; it looked like he had been expecting this question at some point. Belatedly Reigen figured that made sense, after all Shou and Mob had called this little outing a ‘training exercise’.

“I can do all of the usual stuff, like telekinesis and dealing with spirits.” Reigen breathed a soft sigh of relief. “And I can gather and store energy.” Shou fidgeted in his seat, resisting the urge to suddenly zip up his jacket. “And I can turn invisible too.” He added with a hint of pride. He figured that the list covered enough of his powers for the two to get an idea. Once they had reached wherever they were going perhaps he would demonstrate a bit more of what he could do.

Reigen’s eyes widened in surprise. “Invisible?” Then abruptly a memory crashed to the forefront of his mind. “Oh so that’s what that disappearing act of yours was back at that building where they were keeping Mob. Um, the Seventh Building right?”

Shou grinned widely and let out a small quick chuckle. “The Seventh Branch yeah.” He was so gonna start calling that building the Seventh Building in his head now. If his father still had CLAW up and running he would have changed all the files in a heartbeat.

Thinking about CLAW made the grin slip from his face. Shou stubbornly pushed the thoughts away, determined to continue on with the conversation.

“What about you two?” Because no matter what Ritsu said about Reigen Shou did not believe for a second that someone with no powers would walk up to his father when he was in the middle of a battle. Or that someone would so easily deal with so many highly powered espers.

“I can do the “usual stuff” as you said, telekinesis and dealing with evil spirits.” Mob said. “I also recently learned how to grow plants.”

‘Oh, like Minegishi.’ Shou thought, remembering the plant esper.

“Though now Shishou is currently trying to start an indoor garden in the office.” A slight smile had crept into his expression as he remembered walking into the office and finding plants with every other step.

Reigen smiled and started to eagerly regale Shou about the different herbs and vegetables he was growing and how the newest batch was doing. He had finally gotten the tomatoes to sprout and the sage and rosemary were are hardy as ever.

Mob and Shou listened to Reigen talk about his plants and the careful care they needed for the rest of the train ride. And Shou entirely forgot that Reigen did not answer his question.

 ---

Reigen warned them when they are almost at their scheduled stop. So the two were both ready, with Mob clutching his messenger bag in his hand and Shou almost standing by the time the train got to their stop.

Shou raced off the train with Mob and Reigen following close behind him. The two kids looked at Reigen curiously, waiting for him to lead. It took Reigen a few seconds to orient himself and figure out just which direction they should go in, but once he figured it out it was a straight shot to the park. He confidently started to lead.

“Now remember this is a test of control,” Reigen started, mostly addressing Shou. Though both boys listened with rapt attention. “So we’ll be on the lookout for spirits and if they’re hostile we melt them. If they aren’t we figure out what we can do.”

Shou nodded and quickly glanced at his surroundings, as if expecting a ghost to pop up any second. “So we’re just exorcising ghosts for now? You got it boss.”

Meanwhile Mob looked as neutral as he always did when he nodded in acknowledgement.

Reigen spotted the park, recognizing it from the picture the client had showed him from her camera phone. The playground equipment had faded paint peeling away to reveal metal covered entirely in rust. Reigen frowned at the state of the swingset, with two of its four swings hanging down into the dirt, their chains broken apart.

Thankfully they weren’t here to play, though perhaps he ought to mention to his client that the equipment still looked to be dangerous even without the ghost. Such a state of disrepair would make it all too easy to breed tetanus or some other accident from the equipment or from whatever was hiding in the piles of rotting leaves that had ended up against some of the more sheltered areas.

Speaking of things hiding within the playground, Reigen heard a fierce unearthly growling. He quickly stepped a few paces back to give Mob room to do his stuff and turned around to look for the source of the supernatural sound.

Underneath the slide he spotted two pupil-less yellow eyes and a ghostly trail curled around the rusty metal poles.

“Go away you stupid mortals. This playground is mine! All mine! I will play forever!” It screeched as it raised a clawed hand to swipe at the intruders.

In less than the blink of an eye the spirit disappeared in a shower of glittering light.

When Reigen turned to look at Mob he noticed that there was a strange orange shimmer at the corners of his eyes. In a split second he instead turned his gaze to Shou who just grinned sheepishly and dropped the barrier he had erected between the spirit and the three humans.

Even if it wasn’t needed Reigen smiled and thanked him anyways, then he turned to Mob and told him that it was a job well done. Mob smiled slightly at the praise. From the corner of his eye, he saw Shou’s shocked expression, but once he had looked over again it was replaced with a slight smile.

“So what kind of training are we gonna do next?” Shou questioned, bouncing on his feet. This was a lot more interesting than the training he had done with CLAW.

“Next?” Reigen questioned with a puzzled frown. “We don’t have any other concerns from clients at the moment so we should be good to take off for the rest of the evening.”

“Wait, but, that was really quick though. I mean, shouldn’t training be a whole day sort of thing?”

Reigen laughed lightly. “Who told you that? Nah the job finishes when we’re done. And I say we’re done. Besides it’s supper time. What kind of food do you like? We’ll have to find a place that fits all of our tastes.” Reigen trailed off as he ran though the options at either this side of the city or nearer to his office and Mob’s home. He wasn’t quite sure where Shou lived, but considering how often he visited Ritsu he had to live close by right?

Shou just stared at him as if he hadn’t heard Reigen’s last question. “We’re going for supper now?”

“Yep, Mob and I will usually go out if the job finishes quickly enough.” Something about the way Shou was acting made Reigen unsettled. He glanced at Mob curiously wondering if he had anything to say about Shou’s odd behavior. Mob did not offer any input.

Shou stilled for a moment, seemingly unable to figure out what to do. Then he broke out into a wide grin and slipped his hands into his jacket pockets. “We get to eat now? Awesome!”

Reigen could tell from the tense shoulders that something was bothering the kid but he realized that he probably wasn’t going to get any answers now. Perhaps he could question just what kind of a training mission Shou thought he was on at dinner. Reigen guessed that maybe the kid thought this was like some anime or something, those training missions never seemed to end.

“All right then, let’s go!” Reigen spun around, heading back toward the train station as the path ahead looked like several more apartment complexes. And Reigen knew from experience he was unlikely to find good food within walking distance.

At least by the train station he’d likely have a bit more luck.

Reigen started to lead the two espers back, but as he did he could hear a quiet question from Shou that sent his blood boiling.

“Okay so what about punishment Mob? What kind of stuff do you have to do if you take too long exorcising the ghost?”

Reigen stopped walking. In fact it felt as if his entire body froze to the spot. Later on, he’d be thankful. Later on, he would be so glad he didn’t whirl around and start demanding just why Shou thought that he would ever punish his student, punish Mob, for anything. Especially for something as measly as taking a little longer with a ghost than normal.

But right now he froze.

Mob must have noticed the abrupt halt in his steps. His voice was more puzzled than cold, but there was still a thread of frost running through his words. “Shishou does not inflict punishments.”

“Oh. Good then.” Shou’s voice was carefully devoid of anything other than a light hearted tone.

And it was that sliver of false levity, more so than anything else so far, that made everything fall into place.

Reigen quickly went through the things he had noticed about Shou on this trip. The kid had just admitted that he thought this training mission would have taken several hours at least. Without breaks for dinner. Shou had treated his earlier question of what he could do like it was an interview question and not a conversation piece. Since the trip started Shou had been tense and nervous. He had figured it was just nerves from being out and about using his powers. The same kind of nervous Mob used to get when he first started working for Reigen. And when he first offered to let the kid tag along, Shou had froze on the spot. Reigen had thought that he had probably just surprised the kid. Now he wondered if he had brought up memories of a very different kind of training session.

A training session in which Shou had been punished for taking too long to do something with his powers.

Reigen could feel the ice water run down his spine. It chilled his heart as he thought of an even younger Shou, and he was already young as it was, “training” with his powers for hours on end and being punished for not being quick enough.

“Shishou?” Mob questioned, as Shou looked on confused and curious. They looked up at him and Reigen swallowed down all of his horror at a younger, tinier Shou in a training session from hell. He had promised them dinner after all, and they would get dinner.

“Ah sorry, got lost in my thoughts for a minute.” He rubbed at the back of his neck for a moment before pointing towards the train station, trying to remember if they had a good ramen place. “Oh Shou, you never told us what kind of food you like.” Reigen put a smile onto his face that he very much did not feel at the moment. He hoped that he hadn’t accidently worried either of the two for stopping so suddenly. And then standing still for a bit too long.

Shou’s eyes widened in surprise at being addressed, or maybe at having his tastes considered? Reigen wasn’t sure. Reigen didn’t feel like he wanted to know.

“Erm, I’ll eat anything spicy.” He idly kicked a stray rock into the grass. “Curry’s my favorite.”

On his mental map Reigen crossed out anything that didn’t serve curry. It was a little ways away, but by train they would get there before the big dinner rush. Plus it was on the way back towards the office and the Kageyama home.

“Got it, we can go to this great little curry and ramen place I know off of the corner of Paprika and Clove. Are you okay with that Mob?”

Mob nodded. “Yes Shishou.” It was a good compromise to all of their tastes, though he was sure that Reigen would end up getting the absolute mildest option on the menu. His mentor was not built for hot foods, be it temperature wise or spice wise.

When they got to the restaurant, Shou insisted on paying for his portion of the meal. No argument from Reigen could sway him from this. Even when Reigen had pointed out that Shou and Mob were helping him so it was his treat, Shou still refused. This was not the last time Shou insisted on paying for his portion of dinner when he went out with Reigen. While this kept his wallet quite happy, Reigen worried about the kid.

Once dinner was finished and before they parted ways, Reigen made sure to let Shou know that the office door would always be open for him.

Shou acknowledged this with wide open surprised eyes, and a slow careful nod before he turned and started to follow Mob home, chatting happily about all the things he was going to tell Ritsu.